Bill Reid (1920-1998) was pivotal in introducing to the world the great art traditions of the indigenous people of the Northwest Coast of North America, and left a legacy of work spanning wood carving, jewellery, print and sculpture. Images of his works of art including The Spirit of Haida Gwaii sculpture (one of the two versions of which is housed at Vancouver International Airport) are featured on the Canadian $20 bill.
www.billreidfoundation.org

Also on the books for 2008 is a new Emily Carr exhibition titled Emily Carr and Early Modernism. Visitors travel from all over the world to see Carr's work, best known for her representation of BC's First Nations culture and the rainforests of Vancouver Island.

Finally, the VAG has also announced that in 2009 they will present a solo show of internationally acclaimed Mexican painter Frida Kahlo, known for her depictions of the indigenous culture of her country in a style that combined realism, symbolism and surrealism.
www.vanartgallery.bc.ca

Construction is now underway at all venues, with completion for most of the competition venues on track for a full two competition seasons before the Games. This will represent the earliest venue completion in recent Olympic Games history. The last facility to break ground was the Hillcrest Nat Bailey Stadium Park facility, home to curling and wheelchair curling events.
www.vancouver2010.com

• A historical walking tour is probably not the obvious choice for a weekend of sin and gin, but the Vancouver Police Museum's "Sins of the City" tour could well be the exception to this rule! The tour explores the early history of the city's sex and drug trades and alcohol laws, digging deep into the fascinating characters on both sides of the law.
  www.vancouverpolicemuseum.ca

• Vancouver's legendary Hasting Racecourse is a great place to while away a lazy afternoon with drink and form guide in hand. When the ponies are not galloping around the track, take in spectacular mountain views (it's still Vancouver after all). There are a variety of seating options, from the open air boxes through to Silks restaurant, and general admission is free (except during the PNE Fair in September). The track is open on weekends from April to November, plus Friday nights from June to September.
  www.hastingsracecourse.com

• When it comes to getting your party on in Vancouver, there is nowhere quite like The Roxy. The nightclub doesn't take itself too seriously - it bills itself as being "where life is like a beer commercial" and is a favourite with visiting celebrities and musicians, as well as hockey players - the real Canadian seal of approval!
  www.roxyvan.com

• Steps from the Canada Place cruise ship terminal, Metro Restaurant presents visitors with the perfect place to get acquainted with the city's dining reputation. The restaurant's Canadian cuisine combines classic techniques, Vancouver's multicultural influences and the best of the region's farms, fields, forests and oceans. Among the menu options, favourite dishes can be ordered by the ounce, allowing diners to try a little of lots of different things, or order a platter for the whole table to share.
  Sample dish: Dungeness crab with tomato-chive and couscous salad, citrus vinaigrette
  www.metrodining.ca

• Those heading down to the city's popular Yaletown neighbourhood would do well to check out GoldFish Pacific Kitchen. The restaurant offers a fresh take on West Coast cuisine, focusing on the seafood and the flavours of the Pacific Rim. The modern dishes are perfect for sharing and matching with West Coast wines and premium sakes from GoldFish's list.
  Sample dish: Pan seared Arctic char with kaffir lime coconut sauce, snow pear salad
  www.goldfishkitchen.com

• Coinciding with the fall opening of the Loden Vancouver will be the launch of Voya, the hotel's chic 80-seat restaurant. Boasting acclaimed local chef Marc-André Choquette (most recently executive chef at Lumiere) at the helm, Voya will offer sophisticated food in a spectacular room that evokes the chic eateries of the 1940s.
  Sample dish: smoked potato gnocchi and hazelnut-crusted lamb loin with gingerbread sauce
  www.lodenvancouver.com

• A Merry Evening of Opera
  August 20 & 27, and September 3
  Enjoy some of the city's finest emerging opera talent at the Bard on the Beach venue in Vanier Park. The Vancouver Opera Orchestra and emerging talent from the UBC Opera Ensemble will host an evening of opera favourites at the third annual "A Merry Evening of Opera". Tickets are $32.50 CAD (approximately $31 USD).
  www.bardonthebeach.org

• Vancouver Fringe Festival
  September 6 - 16
  Most performances at the Vancouver Fringe Festival are anything but mainstream. More than 100 groups from around the world present 700 shows on a variety of indoor and outdoor stages. The big attraction is that few, if any, of these works will make it to the big stages in town, so it's best to get out and see them while you can. The Encore Series is the hot new addition to this year's festival, featuring favourites from Fringe Fest's past.
  www.vancouverfringe.com

• Vancouver International Film Festival
  September 27 - October 12
  Diversity abounds at the Vancouver International Film Festival with over 350 films from 50 countries and over 150,000 attendees. New this year is the "Climate for Change" environmental film series, along with a $25,000 prize for the best film in the series. Full details on this year's film line-up will be online as of September 8.
  www.viff.org

  Tickets for many of Vancouver's cultural events are available through Tickets Tonight, located in the Tourism Vancouver Touristinfo Centre at 200 Burrard Street.
  www.ticketstonight.ca

Here are just some of the great deals available from September 1 - 28:

• Tickets for the Scotiabank Dance Centre's Open House performances, events and classes (September 15) are 2-for-1 if booked through Tickets Tonight before September 12.
• Receive a 10% discount on tickets for the Arts Club Theatre Company's production of "Company" when purchased through Tickets Tonight.
• From September 17 - 28, Wild Whales Vancouver is offering a second adult fare at 50% off when a full priced adult fare is purchased through Tourism Vancouver's Touristinfo Centre.
• Along with all of these great summer deals, the Touristinfo Centre also offers year-round, exclusive discounts on tickets for top Vancouver attractions such as the Vancouver Art Gallery, HR Macmillan Space Centre, IMAX Theatre and VanDusen Botanical Gardens.

1. Who is Daniel Craig? Writer, hotel GM, blogger, actor?
Everything but the last I'm afraid! People sometimes get me confused with the actor - but then I walk in and they are just disappointed. I was born and raised in Vancouver and I've been with Opus since it opened about five years ago. As a child I always wanted to be a writer but my hotel career took over. About eight or 10 years ago I realized that if I wanted call myself a writer, I should write actually something. Naively, I thought it would be fun and easy to write a mystery and at the time I was working at the Pan Pacific Hotel. So it became a hotel-mystery and I've now got a three book deal.

2. Give us a sample of what we can expect in Murder at the Universe?
The book is about a young, dedicated hotelier named Trevor Lambert. Trevor is from Vancouver but is working as director of rooms at the swanky Universe Hotel in New York. When the owner of the hotel is murdered, his colleagues become suspects, and Trevor is forced to become sleuth while also trying to manage the the clash of values among the pampered guests, harried employees and the militant conference organizer...

3. Is Trevor's character based on you?
There are definitely some similarities, but no, it's not me - he's actually much taller than me... [he deadpans]. The characters in my novel are not modeled after anyone in particular, but people in the hotel industry will recognize them because they are certain hotel personality types. Trevor is that guy that just won't go home. Without a doubt I've been inspired by the colourful characters and bizarre situations I've encountered working in hotels over the years.

4. Does Vancouver feature in the books?
Yes. I had heard in the publishing industry that books have to be set in the U.S. because Americans aren't interested in reading Canadian novels, but I think that is so untrue. Vancouver is definitely an internationally renowned city. People know it, and want to know more. In my book, Trevor is from Vancouver and throughout the series there is a pull back to Vancouver for him. The final book will take place back in Vancouver.

As of September 1, visitors to Opus Hotel will be able to purchase their copy of Murder at the Universe straight from their hotel room. For the rest of us, you can pre-order a copy online or pick it up at major bookstores. For more information contact Amber Sessions at asessions@tourismvancouver.com