Playing at the Clova from May 28 - June 3, 2010

No big surprise that this coming week at the Clova from May 28 to June 3 is Shrek Forever After. The difference is its only playing at 7pm all week. No second showing. Movie lets out at 8:34.

Cloverdale Chili Cook Off

We went down to Clover Square tonight to check out the chili cook off contest. We arrived at 5:30pm and voting ballots had to be turned in by 6pm. I'm a vegetarian so I was unable to taste and vote but Kerry was quite happy to sample chili from the various chefs. Some of the companies taking part were: Rusty's, IGA, Rockwell's, Kevin Falcon MLA's office, ICBC, Fraser Downs, Shoppers Drug Mart, Antique Mall. Kerry liked them all but thought Rockwell's chili had a memorable taste so he voted for them. He liked the chili from Kevin Falcon's because it included a small dollop of sour cream. I liked them best only because they had chocolate chip cookies out and I managed to eat one about one minute before they ran out. Speaking of running out, several of the competitors had run out of chili before we arrived.

A band played in the parking lot and we waited while the votes were tallied to see who had one. Also wanted to be around in case Kerry's name was drawn for a prize. Apparently it was a runaway decision. The winner of Cloverdale's 2010 chili cook off is ---- Kevin Falcon's office.

Playing at the Clova from May 21 - May 27 2010

Playing this week at the Clova is Shrek Forever After, a new run movie that is opening on May 21 2010 everywhere so that means the Clova should be playing it exclusively for 2 weeks. If it follows past routines it will be playing Friday and Saturday at 7pm and 9pm and the rest of the week at 7pm only. However, this being a long weekend, it might be playing twice on Sunday night, too. Best to phone their recorded message to find out for sure if you're planning to go. 604-574-1114. Admission is $7 or Tuesday nights its $4.

All this weekend at 1:30 the Clova is hosting a vaudevill act starring Susie Francis and the Versatiles. Shrek Forever After will be playing after their act is done. Tickets are $5.

Former mailbox site becomes Now Newspapers

There used to be a mailbox on the corner of 176th Street and 58th Avenue, in the corner of the grocery store parking lot. Why can't I ever remember the new name of that store? It used to be the Shop-Easy when I was growing up in Cloverdale and that's the only way I can remember it.

Instead of the familiar red bin on the corner there is now a yellow bin. Closer inspection reveals it to be a newspaper box for The Now. Free newspapers of course.

I don't get The Now delivered to my house. Shortly after we moved in I found out the jungle that used to be a backyard, and what we're returning to a nice back yard, was being used as a dumping ground for The Now newspapers. I never actually caught the kid in action but he was tossing stacks of the current edition over the fence into what he thought was an unoccupied house, and I guess it was until we purchased it. I complained to The Now and told them to stop all deliveries of their paper to my house including the ones being tossed over the fence into the back yard. I've never seen it since, though its still the same boy delivering the papers. I assume he actually is now delivering them instead of dumping them. He cuts open the plastic zap straps and leaves them on our side lawn, ironically enough the same location he stood in to toss his papers into the back yard.

Oh well. If anyone desires a free copy of the Now, you know where you can find it.

I'd rather see the mailbox returned here.

More events happening in Cloverdale May 2010 long weekend

I've just returned from a 3 week vacation and I have a few more additions to my previous post about what's happening around Cloverdale this May 2010.

To start off I still have been unable to find a map of the Cloverdale Rodeo Parade route, so I'm sticking with what I said before and hoping its staying to the same route. To be safe, find a spot on 176th Street between 58th and 57th Avenues. I'm pretty sure the parade is starting somewhere around 56A Avenue and 177B Street - the staging area. Parade proceeds south along 177B Street while everyone gets in line to Highway 10. Which means that the west bound lanes of traffic are closed and all traffic is diverted to the eastbound lane. Then its a couple of blocks west to 176th Street, north until 58A Avenue, then north again on 176A Street where the parade peters out by the time it reaches 60th Avenue and the fairgrounds.

Friday, May 21 - 4:30pm to 6pm its the Chili Cook off at the Clover Square Village on the south side of Highway 10 and 177B Street. Chili is free for the testing and voting. Sometimes free comes with a price and you have to listen to the chef's political agenda.

Saturday, May 22 - 8am to 10am is a rodeo pancake breakfast in Hawthorne Square on 176th Street across from the Clova Theatre. This is put on by the Cloverale Lions. Live music with Cloverdale's own Trailer Park Playboys.

Saturday, May 22 - 8:30am to 10am is another rodeo pancake breakfast, and this one is my personal favorite because its free. Its held at the Cloverdale Canadian Reformed Church at 17473 60th Avenue.

Saturday, May 22 - 1:30pm the Clova Theatre is hosting a vaudeville act Susie Francis and the Versatiles. Tickets are $5. This will be repeated on Sunday May 23 and Monday May 24, same time, same place, same act.

There are all kinds of activities happening in Cloverdale in conjunction with the rodeo. For more information see their web page. Apparently the free trolley rides will be running around Cloverdale all weekend. Unfortunately I can't locate their route, but a safe bet would be the stops are at Clover Square Village, Hawthorne Square, and the fairgrounds.

No matter what you have planned, I hope you have a happy and safe long weekend.