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www.celtic-connection.com
JUNE2014
The Sunset Grill: A little taste of Ireland in the heart of Kitsilano - Cheers for 25 Years!
ANCOUVER - The Sunset Grill Tap House and Whiskey Bar is a little taste of Ireland in the heart of Kitsilano and it just celebrated its milestone 25th anniversary.
It has become a hugely popular home away from home for the loyal local clientele and many who once lived in the neighbourhood still come back to visit.
New customers also drop in for a pint and discover a cosy and relaxed atmosphere with delicious food.
This warm and welcoming establishment was created by co-owners Fred Wilson and Gary Reilly who take time to get to know their customers and love to share a good laugh.
For their recent silver anniversary, Fred and Gary each donned sparkling silver jackets and invited customers and friends to partake in the milestone celebration - the pair even sang a duet while Fred played harmonica.
Guests were treated to a piece of the large anniversary cake to mark the occasion.
Fred and Gary attended the same high school in Vancouver before becoming business partners.
Fred was born in Bangor, County Down, Ireland, and while he knew Gary's family were from somewhere in Ireland, it wasn't until years later they learned just how closely they were connected.
The two families were talking about their ancestry and, much to everyone's
By CATHOLINE BUTLER
GUEST BOOK at the 25
niversary party at The Sunset Grill.
surprise, discovered the Wilson and Reilly clans had actually lived within miles of one another - they had just been too busy taking care of business to check out their ancestry.
The Sunset Grill features 16 local and international craft beers on tap, a well-stocked bar with a large selection of 40 Irish whiskeys, Scotch whisky and Canadian whiskeys.
GARY REILLY and Fred Wilson wore silver jackets complete with top hats to celebrate the Silver Anniversary of their establishment.
GUESTS at the 25th anniversary party were treated to a slice of Gary and Fred's large cake.
Dinner is served seven nights a week with such Sunset Grill specialties as the black Irish burger, stuffed y orkie, Guinness and beef stew, house roasted hot turkey dinner, and deep-fried mac n'cheese balls.
Another delicious specialty is their traditional Irish breakfast with house-made cheddar/onion soda bread.. .wonderful anytime, but particularly great for Sunday brunch after a Saturday night on the town.
Fred and Gary recently spoke to The Celtic Connection about their past 25 years in business and agreed that while the early years were quite consuming, the past 10 years have been much easier.
Fred said, "The Sunset Grill is not just a beer and burger place, it's a whole interaction. It's really a family affair here, and it's where I met my wife.
"Actually, there have been so many people who have met here, broken up here, had marriages here, births here, natural and tragic deaths here...really, it's life."
Speaking about the 25th anniversary celebrations Gary said, "Fred played his harmonica and he always maintains that the more you drink the better he sounds. We sang a verse or two of Thanks for the Memories. It was a really great night."
Fred and Gary are also proud owners of the Brewery Creek Liquor Store -one of Vancouver's premier specialty liquor stores which has won several prestigious awards and nods from industry experts over the past eight years.
They carry a range of Canadian and American micro-brews along with the finest beers from Europe and the Orient. They also offer more than 600 unique wines and a comprehensive selection of liquors, ciders, meads and coolers.
Brewery Creek Liquor Store is located at 3045 Main Street, Vancouver. Website: brewerycreekliquor store.com. Sunset Grill Tap House & Whiskey Bar is situated at 2204 York Avenue (one block up from Kits Beach atthe corner ofYork and Yew) in Vancouver. Website: sunsetgrill vancouver.com.
Welsh director's documentary selected for DOXA Film Festival
VANCOUVER - Documentary filmmaker and active Welsh Society member Mathew Parry had a short documentary film officially selected for this year's prestigious DOXA Festival in Vancouver.
The DOXA Documentary Film Festival is held annually and is sponsored by the Documentary Media Society, a nonprofit organization.
This year's festival was held from May 2 to 11. In addition to screening selected documentaries the festival also offers discussion forums and workshops for filmmakers.
Mathew Parry's film is entitled Hives for Humanity: The Power of Bees. It relates the story of Julia Common's decision to share her passion for bees with the rest of Vancouver.
In the summer of 2012 Julia placed a hive in a community garden in Vancouver's Downtown East Side with the aim of bringing people together in a cooperative project.
The film drew a positive response from
By EIFION WILLIAMS
the audience. Following the showing Mathew said, "DOXA is an amazing festival and I'm grateful to have been able to participate this year."
Mathew has worked in the world of film and television for many years.
Born in Wales, he worked for a time with the Wales Screen Commission in the UK and later worked in Tos Angeles for the UK Film Council, now the British Film Commission.
Now settled in Vancouver, Mathew plans on getting several other creative projects off the ground.
He has already completed a short film on Zachery Cameron Tongboy, a native artist who continues to paint despite battling Parkinson's Disease.
Mathew is currently working on a documentary history of the Vancouver
MATHEW PARRY
Welsh Society, whose history since the end of the Nineteenth Century mirrors that of the city itself.
The film will include a mixture of vignettes, animations and profiles of past and present society members.
The Welsh Society's role as it enters the Twenty-First Century will also be examined.
To contact Mathew, or to find more information on his projects, go to his website mathewparry.com.
HIVES FOR HUMANITY: The Power of Bees - Julia Common loves bees and is eager to share her passion with the rest of Vancouver. In the summer of 2012, she placed one hive in a community garden in Vancouver's Downtown East Side, in the hope that it would bring people together through the work and effort required to grow and maintain a thriving hive.
Quote of the Month
The marvellous richness of human experience would lose something of rewarding joy if there were no limitations to overcome. The hilltop hour would not be half so wonderful if there were no dark valleys to traverse. - Helen Keller
[Helen Keller's improbable journey was from a child born unable to communicate due to her multiple disabilities, to her exalted place on the world stage as the famous global citizen she would become. She inspired future generations of people with disabilities to live life to the fullest.!