In the early nineteen eighties if you were a lesbian woman and wanted to meet other lesbian women your option was limited to the few gay bars or clubs that were operating at that time. They were dirty, dark establishments in rough areas of the city; the bathrooms had stalls where doors where non-existent. These were hardly places where lesbian women could have a quiet drink, pleasant conversation and feel good about themselves. These were also “Anita Bryant” times, where some women were fearful of being outed and worried about the ramifications of being labeled a lesbian in their workplace. It was for many of these reasons that Marsha Trew believed that there was a great need for a lesbian organization as an alternative to the club scene. As Marsha was new to the city, and knew very few other lesbians, she related her ideas to Paulette Thomson. Paulette, like Marsha, felt a place was needed where gay women could meet, socialize, and feel good about their surroundings. Paulette asked some of her friends to a meeting with Marsha. The group, consisting of Marsha and Paulette, Sharyn Collis, Judith Shaver, and Val Fortey, spent the next few months organizing a first event. More at: http://www.gazeboconnection.com/history.html

We are happy to announce that we have just confirmed a location for a dance in
Vancouver on March 15th!!
 
The new management at the Howard Johnson’s (formerly the Biltmore) has offered us
a monthly Saturday night for a women’s over-30’s dance. The lounge has an intimate
setting with couches and a good sized dance floor. This is an opportunity to
establish a monthly space for women in a prime location.  There is plenty of free
parking at the hotel and across the street.
 
Dancing begins at 9pm with DJ Susan Y until 1 am.
Howard Johnson’s is located at 12th and Kingsway.
Opening night cover is $7
Please respond by email to reserve your tickets. djsusandyeager@hotmail.com

The Rhizome Cafe is a lesbian owned community cafe on 317 East Broadway in Vancouver that hosts an astonishing array of really fun progressive events. My favourite is the monthly “Board Games are So Gay” night.

Click here for their up to date schedule

This group is offered through Prism Alcohol & Drug Services, which offers free
individual, couples and family counselling, as well as groups,
specifically for LGBTQ people in Vancouver. The general phone number
for Prism is 604-658-1214.
Golden Oldies is a group for older LGBT adults (55+ -ish) who are
dealing with substance use issues. We meet on Wednesdays starting at
12:15 pm through to 1:45 pm, at the Generations Project office located
at 1033 Davie Street, Suite 610. We have been meeting since October,
and have a wonderful core group of members from diverse backgrounds.
Over that hour and a half, we have a lot of laughs, share life’s highs
and lows, discuss strategies for dealing with substance use and the
rest of life, and enjoy snacks and beverages. New members are always
very welcome, so if you think this might be for you or someone you
know, please feel free to call Ema or Al at 604-714-3480 to join up.

Contact:
Al Zwiers, MSW, RSW
Counsellor – Addiction Services

Three Bridges Community Health Centre
301-1290 Hornby Street
Vancouver, BC, Canada
V6Z 1W2
tel. 604.714.3480
fax. 604.714.3481
email. al.zwiers@vch.ca

Roz Shakespeare and friends provide intuitive readings at Rhizome Café.

$20 for 20 minutes, $45 for 45 minutes.

December at Rhizome
Café * Community Space * Arts Venue
317 East Broadway, Vancouver

Rhizome Cafe
Café * Community Space * Arts Venue

317 East Broadway, Vancouver
Tuesday, December 11th

Free

March 11th: Embroidery     March 25th: Spring cleaning craft supply swap
Join the Seamrippers Craft Collective to learn a new craft or continue work on your own projects.

New classes are back! (5 week session)
It’s back to 45 minute classes this time around to try and fill at least some of your requests, keeping in mind the various levels of experience. More beginners classes in the New Year. Be sure to sign up. You asked for it! Classes could be cancelled if registration is low.Monday November 19 through December 17 (5 weeks)
Let’s Dance Studio, 927 Granville – 2nd Floor
Instructors: Ian Kirkonnel and Murray Schellenberg

7:00 – 7:45 pm Intermediate Level: Night Club 2 Step with Ian Kirkonnel
7:45 – 8:30 pm Level 2: Slow Waltz (for our newer students and those who haven’t danced waltz for awhile) Murray Schellenberg
8:30 – 9:15 pm Beginner Level: Samba – scintillating, sexy, smooth Latin Dance!Saturday November 24 through December 15 (5 weeks)
Legion Hall, 6th & Commercial, 2nd floor (go through auditorium door on street level)
Instructor: Geraldine Goyer

10:30 – 11:15 am Level 2: West Coast Swing (continuation of present class; others welcome to join)
11:15 – 12:00 pm – Intermediate Level: Rumba – the dance of love. For all who have had at least one or more classes in Rumba
12:00 – 12:45 pm Beginner Level: International Fox TrotFees:
$40 per lesson or $12 drop in
$70 for 2 lessons Your choice: Mondays, Saturdays or combination of both
$100 for 3 lessons Your choice: Mondays, Saturdays or combination of both

Tuesdays: Surrey Coffee Group 7PM @ Java Hut @ 64th Ave & 152
1st Wednesday of the Month: Vancouver Outdoor Club Monthly Meetings 7:30 pm, common room of the Sitka Women’s Housing Coop at 1550 Woodland St. Lesbian outdoor activities. Event planning, presentations, socializing & meeting new members. http://www.outdoorwomen.ca/

Wednesdays—Mildred Women’s Volleyball League Women’s volleyball league running from October to February. Games are played on Wed nights in Burnaby. Register in August. 604-684-9872 x2002

Last Thursday of the Month Valley Girls Dinner at Frogstone Grill in Maple Ridge Connect via yahoogroup: http://groups.yahoo.com/valleygrrls

Last Friday of the Month: Queer Women on the Drive 7-9 pm Seniors Lounge of Britannia Community Centre. All ages, including children if supervised by an adult. 604-684-5307

Friday Nights: Fruity Flick Fridays 103-1033 Davie St. for LGTB folks aged 45+. Free movie night hosted by the Centre’s Generations Project.

Some Saturdays—Women’s Dance @ Waldorf— dates vary so check http://flygirlproductions.com/ $5 B4-10 $10 after

Saturdays & Mondays—Not So Strictly Ballroom same-sex dance classes
http://www.gayvancouver.net/nssb

Saturdays—Country Dancing—quarterly hoe-down for same sex dancers who like country music. Get on the mailing list at cnwdance@telus.net

First 3 Sundays of the Month - W-Group – Social group for LBTQ women in the West End info at www.groups.yahoo.com/group/whangdoodle/

First Wednesday of every month – Vancouver Front Runners Women’s Run once a month Women’s Run. Meeting place is the lobby of the Roundhouse Community Centre at the corner of Davie and Pacific Boulevard at 6:30 p.m. http://www.vancouverfrontrunners.org/

Marek Kociolek is organizing Vancouver’s newest venue for LGBT dance at 1130 Jervis Street (downstairs at St. Pauls) on Thursday evenings between 7:00 and 9:30 PM, starting on October 29th.

Lessons from 7 to 7:45 and dancing ’til 9.
All you have to do is show up…there’s always a partner available for you.

It’s easy, fun, and most of all gives you chance to meet new people and support your community.

A portion of your $5 Donation at the door goes to help a Loving Spoonful in Vancouver.

www.timberlinedance.org

timberlinedance@hotmail.com

Hi Lesbians,

The Rhizome cafe is lesbian owned and provides amazing community building along with delicious food on Broadway street near Fraser in Vancouver. Help keep this great business going by having lunch there or attending one of their awesome events. I eat there a lot and really enjoy the atmosphere and community. My favourite regular events are the Board Games are So Gay, the Disco Baby! and the Women’s History Talks. They also have a meeting room for your community org to have a board meeting, talk or other event that can be booked. During the day especially it’s a good place for a meeting.

~LQ Editor

October 2009 at Rhizome Café * Arts Venue * Community Space 317 East Broadway, Vancouver

Dear friends of Rhizome-

Lots of events are coming up this month, and we’re excited to tell you about them.  But first, a fewAnnouncements

Rhizome’s third anniversary party is fast approaching, and we hope you’ll join us!  See the October 3^rd listing below for details.  In addition to coming to the party, there are a few other things you can do to help us celebrate.  All of these contributions will help keep Rhizome going strong into the future as a community space that supports social justice work, provides a forum for marginalized voices, and connects us all to each other.

1)    There’s still time to sign up to do a 60-second performance at the anniversary party.  Poetry, singing, skits, interpretive dance, videos…anything goes, as long as it lasts no longer than 1 minute and is related to the theme of rhizomes.  Email lisa(at)rhizomecafe(dot)ca if you’d like to perform.
2)    Our silent auction is going on now (bidding ends at 10pm on October 3) and includes an amazing array of items donated by members of our Rhizome community.  Thank you to all who have so generously donated their time, creativity and talents!  New items are being added throughout, but at the time of this mailing the auction includes:

• Original artwork (by Claudia Segovia, Vanessa Lowe, Sam Bradd, Lenka S., Pat Beaton, Laiwan, and Krisztina Kun)

• Integrative Energy Healing Treatment (by Denise Woodley, Ripple Wellness)

• A Transgender Day of Remembrance proclamation (donated by Tami Starlight)

• Handmade rhizome-themed notecards (by Dalia Vukmirovich)

• 2 kinesiology sessions (by Amy Ruth)

• Preparation of one simple will (by Tim Louis and co.)

• 2 hours of housecleaning (by Deb Ashcraft)

• A set of 3 handmade bowls (by Amanda Walker)

• A 2-hour blogging tutorial (by Karianne Blank)

• 2 pairs of handmade velour pants (by Niki Westman)

• A 3-hour soapstone carving workshop (by Michelle Sylliboy)

• An 8-session drawing class (by Bernadine Fox)

• Handmade earrings (by Kyla Bourgh)

• A women’s history walking tour (by Jolene Cumming)

• A 1-hour drum set lesson (by Lisa Lambert)

• 6-8 classes of Cuban salsa lessons (by Michael Gabriel Rosen, Mas Movement)

• Computer repair (by Martin Suchanek)

• And a handmade puppet named Ghostie (by Diana Jeffries, Flexible Theatre), begging for you to bid on it and escort it out on hallowe’en.

3)    There’s still time to contribute something to the silent auction.  Email lisa(at)rhizomecafe(dot)ca if you’d like to contribute.

In other news, our new expanded hours are listed at the end of this message.  We now open at 11am on Tuesdays, and close at 9pm on Sundays.

Please remember that we’re open for lunch, dinner, snacks, drinks and delicious weekend brunch.  [A side note: someone who regularly attends events here told us yesterday, "It just sunk in, after three years, that in addition to events I should also come here for lunch!"  Hence this reminder.]  Also, our Community Meeting Room is available for use by your community group.  Let us know if you’d like to use it.  Our contact information is listed at the end of this message.

Please note that we’ll be closed for Thanksgiving on Sunday, October 11.

We’re now on Facebook.  Join our group by searching for Rhizome Café.

Thanks for all you do to support this space!  We hope you’ll join us for some important and wonderful events this month.  Here’s what’s coming up:

Art on Our Walls

Prints of Resistance, by Angela Sterritt

On display through November

Remarkable Women: Honouring Women from our Vancouver Communities

On display October 6-27, 2009

The Arts and Culture Office of the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation, Jolene Cumming, Tania Willard and Kamala Todd have developed a women’s history project that includes a set of 14 posters identifying 14 women from different areas, backgrounds, socio-economic and cultural groups who have formed part of Vancouver’s history.  The poster project will be on exhibit in our meeting room.  Join us on October 20 (see below for details) for an informal chat with Jolene Cumming.

Events

I Could Have Been a Spelling Bee Champ!

Thursday, October 1, registration at 6:30, bee at 7:00pm

Join us for Round 5 of this fundraiser for Towards Aboriginal Health and Healing.  Come spell your way to the top, or bring your spare change to support your favourite speller.  A trophy and prizes will be awarded to the top spellers!  Lucky audience members will win door prizes donated by local bookstores!  F-U-N for all, and a chance to support crucial community services.

$5-20 sliding scale, but no one turned away for lack of funds

Never Forget: Mexico, October 2, 1968 and the Social Movements of the 60s

Friday, October 2, 7:00pm

Building Bridges and New Noise present an evening to remember the October 2, 1968 massacre in Tlatelolco, Mexico; the wave of social movements in 1960s; and to talk about current times.

Free

Rhizome’s Third Anniversary Celebration

Saturday, October 3, 7:00pm to midnight

Join us for an evening of celebration including: tasty things to eat; Coast Salish welcome by Kat Norris; the world premiere performance of the Rhizome Café Bottle Orchestra; 60-second performances by Rhizome community members; presentation of the Third Annual Golden Root Awards; dancing to the tunes of DJ Su Comandante; bidding on our silent auction; an opportunity to socialize with friends, neighbours and co-conspirators; and more.  Please come to our party so we can thank you!  You’ve helped us create a community hub that supports social justice work and connects us all with each other.

$1-$100 sliding scale, all helps Rhizome keep on going.

Rhizome Free Store:  Adults’ Clothing

Sunday, October 4, 5:00-8:00pm

Share what you have!  Get what you need!  This is the second in a series of Free Store events at Rhizome.  Each month we’ll have a different theme, and will share our resources with each other.  This month, we’ll be sharing adults’ clothing.  If you have clothes you don’t want, bring them!  If you need something, come choose some new (to you) items.  Items must be clean and in good condition.  Anything left over at the end of the evening will be donated to the Battered Women’s Support Services stores.

Free

Board Games are So Gay

Friday, October 9, 7:00pm

We’re back with another round of queer-friendly board games!  Bring your favourite games or use ours.  Our house DJs will keep the tunes coming.

By donation, no one turned away.

Sister Spit: The Next Generation

Saturday, October 10, doors at 7:00, show at 8:00pm

Sister Spit, the legendary, raucous, rowdy performance gang from San Francisco, lands in Vancouver with a vanload of queertastic, female-centric brilliance! Don’t miss this multimedia literary explosion of zinesters, fashion plates, novelists, performance artists, poets and fancy scribblers. Featuring queer luminary Michelle Tea, hilarious literary force Beth Lisick, trans-licious performance artist Ben McCoy, graphic novelist extraordinaire Ariel Schrag, powerhouse poet Kirya Traber, photographer/myth-explorer Sara Seinberg, and world-traveling novelist Rhiannon Argo.

$12-$15 sliding scale

Closed for Thanksgiving

Sunday, October 11

Mas Movement Salsa Party for Queer Folks and Allies

Friday, October 16, 7:30pm

Whether you’ve only dreamed of Salsa or are already a pro, you are welcome here!  From 7:30 to 8:15 we’ll hang out, listen to some music, eat, and drink. At 8:15 we’ll learn some moves from Michael Gabriel Rosen of Más Movement. From 9:30 onward we´ll party to the sweet rhythms of Salsa, Merengue and Reggaeton. No partner necessary.

$5-$10 sliding scale, but no one turned away for lack of funds

Café for Chiapas & Report-back on Zapatista Corn Growing in Local Gardens

Sunday, October 18, 5:00-8:00pm

In the spirit of indigenous resistance and solidarity, local gardeners have been growing corn from seeds provided by autonomous Zapatista communities in southern Mexico.  Come see images of the corn and its harvest, and learn about how growing this corn in the Lower Mainland is an act of solidarity, resistance, hope and re-connection with our roots and our food. Defendamos Nuestra Tierra (Defend Our Land) Artesanias presents this report-back, and will also have Zapatista coffee and handmade creations for sale, including leather handbags and wallets, blouses, handbags, shawls, skirts, pants, cushion covers, earrings, and more.  Come hang out with old and new friends, and support Zapatista communities’ autonomy in education, justice, health, and local government.

Free

In our Meeting Room:  Celebrate Women’s History Month

Tuesday, October 20, 6:00-7:00pm

“Remarkable Women: Honouring women from our Vancouver Communities” Join historical interpreter Jolene Cumming from the Herstory Cafe for a casual discussion on the life and times of the 14 women featured on the poster series on exhibit at the Rhizome October 6-27. The women are from different areas, backgrounds, socio-economic and cultural groups and played significant roles in Vancouver’s history.

Free

Eyewitness Reports from Palestine:  The Ongoing Reality of Siege and Occupation

Thursday, October 22, 7:00pm

Local Palestine solidarity activists Joanna Zilsel and Greg Starr speak about and show photos of their recent trips to Gaza and the West Bank.  Presented by Jews for a Just Peace.

Free

Anti-Olympics Resistance

Friday, October 23, 6:30pm

No One is Illegal presents an evening of creative resistance to the 2010 Olympic Games.  From traditional Indigenous territories to urban ghettos, from migrant workers to low-income families, thousands are being evicted or pushed out.  Once displaced, many become cannon-fodder as precarious labour. Come join us in expressing our dissent with mega-corporate industries like the Olympics and the Tar Sands, and in raising our voices in creative expression against the 2010 Games!

$0-10, no one turned away

DTES Power of Women Storytelling Evening

Saturday, October 24, 6:30pm

The Power of Women (POW) Group is a group at the Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre dedicated to educating and raising awareness on social issues.  POW is made up of women from all walks of life who are living in extreme poverty.  Many are single mothers or have had children apprehended due to poverty.  Many have chronic health issues, have drug or alcohol addictions, and have experienced abuse.  Many are indigenous women affected by a history of colonization and racism.  These are women who are victims, but are also survivors.  They are oppressed but they are powerful.  They are frequently researched, but it is rare that their own voices are heard.  We hope you will join them on this evening to hear what they have to say about their experiences, struggles, and aspirations.

$0-$10, no one turned away

Disco, Baby!

Sunday, October 25, 4:30 to 7:00pm

Bring the kids for some disco dancing fun!  dj little d will be mixing the old school and the new.

By donation

Going against the Grain: 38 Years of Feminist Work, Joy and Struggle

Thursday, October 29, 7:00pm

Vancouver Status of Women invites you to join them for their AGM (at 7pm), to learn more about VSW’s exciting new programs, partnerships and initiatives, and then to enjoy live performances (from 7:30 onward) from local artists.

Free

Book Launch: Not A Conspiracy Theory: How Business Propaganda Jeopardizes Democracy,

Friday, October 30, 5:00-7:30pm

This book, by Donald Gutstein, is about one of the most important unreported stories of recent years. Conservative businessmen and their foundations have spent hundreds of millions of dollars to support so-called independent think tanks and advocacy organizations that argue for smaller government, deregulation and fewer social programs. This money has bought undue influence in reshaping our society and future. Simon Fraser University researcher Donald Gutstein will discuss the book and sign copies.  Presented by Key Porter Books, SFU School of Communication, and the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.

Free

Board Games are Sooo Gay…Let’s Play Again!

Friday, October 30, 8:00pm

We’re back (for a second time in October) with another round of queer-friendly board games!  Bring your favourite games or use ours.  Our house DJs will keep the tunes coming.

By donation, no one turned away.

A Cozy Place to Hang out on Hallowe’en

Saturday, October 31, at night

Whether you want to get away from it all or come show off your costume, this will be a warm and cozy place to spend your hallowe’en evening.  Bring the kids by for treats!

Day of the Dead Celebration:  Pray for the Dead and Fight for the Living!

Sunday, November 1, 5:00-8:00pm

Join us for one of our most favourite annual Rhizome traditions.  We’ll celebrate the lives and legacies of those who have gone before us, and create a traditional Mexican Day of the Dead altar to commemorate our dead.  Bring photos of your loved ones and others who have inspired you, as well as offerings of flowers, candles, fruits, bread, etc.  We will create papel picado (paper cuttings) collectively. There will be Guatemalan hot chocolate, Zapatista handcrafts and coffee for sale, and more. Organized by Latina women together with their companeras at Rhizome.

Free (Donations welcome for materials)

Thanks!  See you soon!

Rhizome

Café * Arts Venue * Community Space

Where we are:

317 East Broadway

Vancouver, BC, Coast Salish Territory

For more information:

604-872-3166

www.rhizomecafe.ca

rhizome@rhizomecafe.ca

Our regular hours:

Tuesdays:       11am to 10pm  **NOTE: New opening time.

Wednesdays: 11am to 10pm

Thursdays:      11am to 10pm

Fridays:           11am to midnight

Saturdays:       10am to midnight (brunch from 10 to 3)

Sundays:         10am to 9pm (brunch from 10 to 3)  ***NOTE: New closing time.

We’re closed on Mondays.

A note on our name:

In the botanical sense, a rhizome is a root system that some plants (like lilies and orchids and ginger and bamboo) use to spread themselves about.  While the roots of most plants point generally downward, the rhizome is a horizontal root system that runs parallel to the surface of the ground.  The plant sends shoots up from nodes in the rhizome, creating what look like many separate plants.  These seemingly unrelated individuals are actually all connected, through a system that’s not immediately visible to the eye.