Do us proud this weekend, Vancouver. Xtra photographers will be out and about to document your costumery and general brilliance. Do not disappoint. This is from my friends and me to you:

Guess which one Team Seandra carved?

(And yes, the far right is in drag.)

And now for something truly horrifying:

Do you remember Queer Bash's Halloween party last year? Some guy dressed in a First Nation Sensation headdress and another wearing blackface and an afro wig? If you want a room full of people to call you a douchebag and possibly punch you in the face, this is a good way to do it.

Now, this doesn't just happen at crazy fun Vancouver parties during Halloween. It happens all over North America during Halloween. Let's face it. People are stupid, so don't be a person. No wait. I mean don't be stupid.

This...

... is a bad, slutty idea. Want to see more bad ideas? Click this amazing Gawker article. It has some gems, like If you're going to be a whore this Halloween, just be a whore and skip the crappy costume:

Mmm. No costume required. 

Calling all fitness fanatics! A new fitness studio opened its doors in Yaletown on Oct 23. If you're tired of lugging weights around or sish-sash-sashaying your way around the Seawall, The Bar Method might be just what you're looking for to spice up your fall workout regime. 

What is it? Here's an excerpt from what I found in my inbox the other day:

The Bar Method integrates the fat burning format of interval training, the muscle shaping technique of isometrics, the elongating principles of dance conditioning, and the science of physical therapy to create a revolutionary new workout that quickly and safely reshapes your entire body. It sculpts the physique including carved muscles, lifted seats, flatter abs, highly defined arms, and not only greater but elongated muscle mass. Linking muscle mass to good health and longevity, especially in its propensity to fight cancer, heart disease, and diabetes, has become one of today's key fitness trends just as The Bar Method becomes a significant player on the national stage. 

So, in a nutshell, you are going to dance your ass off.

Ryan Steele and Jeff Lynch.... Love when they do videos together. And yes, I think they're producing some of the funniest underground shit in the city. They are sistahs and they are acting and they are daaaaaaaaamn good:

Support Vanhattan talent yo!

So all that hype over the past couple months about the retail space on the corner of Davie and Howe culminated in the grand opening of Caya this past Friday. 

What is Caya? It's a Telus flagship store built specifically for our community, and it's the first of its kind in Canada. That said, I'm still not 100 percent sure what Caya is, aside from an aesthetically gorgeous retail space. And maybe that, in itself, is enough. As far as I understand, the store is also a mixed-use community space.  Seriously, go check it out. Reaching out to the GLBT community is a very smart move by Telus. Proceeds from sales within the store also directly benefit community programs like Out in Schools. 

Here are some shots from the opening. Congratulations to Kenn Hamlin for spearheading such an amazing and ambitious community/corporate partnership.