Turns out a local tour company (Destination Tours/Destination Snow) has stepped up and is trying out an LGBT tour package for 2011 WinterPride (Feb 4-6) in Whistler, specifically targeting queer UBC students. I've gone the last two years and had some of the best winter fun of my life. I can only imagine what it would be like with a bus full of university students. Call me!

Why am I posting this in October? Well, I can't plan my way out of a paper bag, so here's my attempt at helping you help yourself. Or something. I also went on an Okanagan tour with this company this past summer and had a blast.   

As we come to the last Olympic weekend and the closing ceremonies on Sunday, you can be certain that Vancouver is going to celebrate the once-in-a-lifetime experience that has taken place here since February 12.

I started my Olympic nighttime experience at Celebrities Nightclub, and it's looking like I will end it there this weekend. Calvin Harris is spinning tonight and Ana Paula on Saturday night.

Here's a video blog from my visit to the club for Freemasons on February 13:

Hope to see you out this weekend. Good luck to the men's and women's curling teams!

There have been a couple of performances by Canadian athletes this Olympics that encapsulate the true meaning of what it means to be a competitor and an artist. Joannie Rochette's performance last night, in light of her family tragedy, is one that Canadians will remember for years to come. Having lost my mother in 2001, in my eyes, Joannie's skate last night is worthy of a gold.

If you missed her last night, check it out courtesy of CTV here.

You should also check out CTV's YouTube page for videos of performances throughout the Games.

I'm sure Xtra.ca and Canada's LGBT community are with me when I say: Own the podium, Joannie! Good luck Thursday!

Now, if you're considering getting out this weekend to celebrate the Closing Ceremonies, stop by Celebrities Nightclub. Here's a teaser from the video blog I'll be posting on Thursday covering the Freemason's night on February 13th:

The Olympic clock is ticky-ticky tick tocking away and the first ever Pride House (the welcoming place for gay Olympians, coaches, family and entourage in Whistler) is making headlines (see here and here)

Want regular updates on Pride House and Olympic activities in Whistler? Follow them on Twitter: @pridehouse2010 and @gaywhistler (and while you're at it, you'll follow me to if you know what's good for you: @seanhorlor)

Still not sure what the hell I'm talking about? Here's a summary from the gaywhistler.com site:

The Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games are coming to Whistler and for the first time in Olympic history there will be a venue available to our Gay & Lesbian athletes, coaches, family, friends and allies.  A venue we call - PRIDE House.

PRIDE House is located in the centre of Whistler Village at the award winning boutique hotel of Pan Pacific Whistler Village Centre.

PRIDE House will be a hip lounge with a cocktail bar with TV monitors to watch the Olympics, hang out, trade pins, a media area to do interviews, and a venue to just have fun.  PRIDE House will be designed with the core values of celebrating authenticity, diversity and inclusiveness. 

PRIDE House will be open from February 8th through to March 21st.  The hours of operation is scheduled from 10AM to 10PM daily. (Subject to Change)

If you get the chance to check out Pride House during the games, you'll be greeted by the following sculpture by Edmund Haakanson:

Called "Slapshotolus", it is, according to Haakanson: "a symbolic expression of the concept that one who lives a life of noble ideals does not require protection, does not need to cover because there is nothing to hide."

Marry me!

In other news, Qmunity will be the gathering spot for gay athletes in Vancouver during the Games and you should plan on heading to Score to share a beer or three with said atheletes or to catch coverage of the games on their dazzling array of TVs.

Are you in the know on LGBT Olympic events during the Games? If yes, contact me at vancouvergayblog@gmail.com and give me the low down so I can share the good news with the rest of the city.

The Canadian Blog Awards are taking place right now and the webmaster over at Queer Two Cents sent me a message the other week to let me know he had made it into the finalists.

So in case I have too many glasses of holiday cheer (as I did Thursday night last week) and repost something I've already posted on Up Your Alley (see here), here are some reading alternatives that you should look at for your daily quota of gay. My apologies for that post on Friday. It's that time of year, people, and as I'm sure you can tell, when friends and promoters ask me to come celebrate, who am I to say no?

Canadian Blog Awards '09 Round 1: GLBT

(Rank the candidates you support!)

5 candidates will be elected.

-- Gay Persons of Colour

-- Let Them Eat Cupcakes

-- The Ferry Tales

-- GayandRight

-- Ickaprick & Ironpussy

-- Driving Fast on Loose Gravel

-- Airbeans

-- The Queer Behind the Mirror

-- QueerTwoCents.com

-- Slap Upside The Head

-- The Gay White North

-- Feral Geographer

-- Queer in the City Toronto

-- Rigo's Open Letter

-- Tussy Talk

As for the finalists out of this group, they were ranked the following:

GLBT

• 1: Slap Upside The Head
• 2: Gay Persons of Colour
• 3: QueerTwoCents.com
• 4: Let Them Eat Cupcakes
• 5: The Ferry Tales

Congrats to Shane at Queer Two Cents!