Vancouver scene: Beauty Queens, Man-kinis, and Spelling Bees

Left to right: Nalani Wakita, Alexia Fast and Jessica Han at the International Top Model Pageant

A night of fashion and philanthropy

Seventeen-year-old Alexia Fast from Vancouver took top honours among 20 teen queens at International Top Model - North America Gala Dinner & Pageant. The event — presented by CHMB 1320 and hosted by The River Rock Casino — saw Fast, an aspiring actor from Magee Secondary, sashay past 19 other girls from the Lower Mainland to take the crown.

Abbotsford’s Nalani Wakita was first runner-up followed by Jessica Nicole Han of Richmond. Fast will go on to represent North America in China’s most prestigious modeling competition this fall. Chaired by Joanna Kong and Henry Fetigan, the sixth running of the beauty pageant attracted politicos as well as fashionistas. They included Consul General of Peoples Republic of China Liang Shugen; Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie; Richmond MP Alice Wong; Richmond-Steveston MLA John Yap; Victoria Mayor Dean Fortin; JC Studio designer Roze Merie Cuevas and fashion producer Vladimir Markovich. The night of glamour and gowns generated nearly $70,000 for CEO Doug Nelson’s BC Cancer Foundation. Funds will help support the purchase of a second PET/CT scanner for the cancer agency.

Packing meat

After a two-and-a-half-year run at George, current Vanhattan Barkeep of the Year Shaun Layton will join chef Lee Cooper and Paul Grunberg (former GM for Chambar, Shangri-la’s Market and Bao Bei) for the duo’s first resto venture. Another Gastown jewel, L’Abattoir (meaning slaughterhouse), located in the old Irish Heather space, is a nod to its location, once the city’s meat packing district located next to Blood Alley. Not confined to meat, the very approachable menu offers French-influenced fare with a modern twist.

Down below

Sporting a Borat lime green man-kini purchased off Ebay, 23-year-old Brock Wakelam joined nearly 1000 participants for BC Cancer Foundation’s Underwear Affair, a 10K run/5K walk to raise awareness of cancers below the waist. The Surrey native and his sister Mandy ran the race in support of their father Tom, who is currently fighting prostate cancer. Under sunny skies, the fifth running saw scantily clad runners and walkers dressed in their skivvies and other brief costumes take to the streets raising $552,000 for research of prostate, colorectal, uterine and ovarian cancers, among others which together account for 42% of all newly diagnosed cancers in BC. Yours truly emceed the Exposed after-party at Seaforth Armoury. Adrien Herberts was the top male runner clocking in at just over 36 minutes while Hennisea Hoy was fastest female.

Stroke of genius

Left to right: Kevan Seng, Ron Sombilon and Dylan Schultz

Brainchild of martial arts fighter Kevan Seng, canvasses came alive in the inaugural Golden Brush Art Competition. Sponsored by CapuletArt.com and MAB Ventures fifteen local artists competed in teams of three to benefit the Make and Break Arts Foundation, a non-profit agency providing opportunities for artists who face economic barriers to participating in the arts. Among those competing were Zoltan Kapus, Diane Reyes and Samera Gibson. After the timed- painting concluded, the charity art auction took place but not before an enthusiastic crowd deliberated on their personal fave. The winning canvas belonged to the collaborative efforts of Raymond Chow, Ron Sombilon, and Arlana Green.

E-X-T-E-N-D-E-D

Tired of summer repeats? Get off the couch and catch the funniest thing in seven consonants as nerdlings are pitted against one another for a trip to the spelling bee nationals in the Tony award-winning 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. A few ambitious audience members will also get to test their spelling mettle onstage in this uplifting, absolutely hilarious story celebrating the awkward adolescent. A must-see, the Arts Club Theatre Company presentation has been extended for three weeks. Infectious songs include “My Friend, the Dictionary,” “Woe Is Me, and” “I Speak Six Languages” The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Held over until August 21; Granville Island Stage; Tel: 604-687-1644; www.artsclub.com