 We live in an age of endless content. Scroll your feed and you will see flawless AI-generated faces, perfectly lit dreamscapes, and surreal compositions that blur the line between real and artificial. Even conversations are evolving, as chatbots deliver answers faster and more fluently than ever before.
But for all its capability, AI still cannot replicate one essential element: soul. It cannot capture the quiet resilience in a person’s smile, the shared laugh between generations, or the layered histories embedded in a neighbourhood’s streets, the human stories rooted in memory, culture, and connection.  In the world of global commerce, innovation often thrives at the intersection of cultures. Bubble tea, a Taiwanese staple that has become a global sensation, is now at the centre of cultural conversation, sparked by the Quebec-based company Bobba and actor Simu Liu’s remarks during their appearance on Dragon’s Den.
What is interesting is that Bobba is not the first non-Taiwanese company to enter the bubble tea market. In recent years, competitors from Mainland China, South Korea, and even global brands like Starbucks have introduced their own versions of boba drinks. In fact, Starbucks launched its popping boba beverages this past summer with little backlash. So why did Bobba’s pitch on Dragon's Den ignite a conversation around cultural appropriation? August and summer are coming to an end, and it was such a fantastic month for us at Choice Communication!
Over the past weekend, Vancouver's Chinatown was filled with vibrant celebrations, community spirit, and delicious food during the fourth annual Light Up Chinatown! Festival. Thanks to the Vancouver Chinatown Foundation for bringing us this fantastic event!
Folklore has it that the festival honours the love story of Niulang (牛郎, pronunciation: ngau4 long4), a cowherd, and Zhinü (織女, pronunciation: zik1 neoi5-2), a weaver girl. The Queen Mother of Heaven tore apart their forbidden love, but magpies form a bridge across the stars (the Milky Way) once a year to reunite them.
7/19/2024 The Story Behind B.C. DayWhy do we celebrate B.C Day and why B.C Day is statutory holiday? British Columbia emerged as a significant region in the early years of colonial Canada, with the colony's declaration on August 2, 1858. This event was not merely symbolic but a response to the excitement and upheaval caused by the prospectors drawn to the promise of gold along the Fraser River. James Douglas, the governor of the colony of Vancouver Island at the time, found himself at the forefront of this transformation. His leadership was vital in managing the gold rush disorder and maintaining peace with the Indigenous communities, laying the foundation for stability and growth.
 Photo credit: Freepik In the diverse cities of Canada, especially Vancouver and Toronto, connecting with various audiences can be a challenge for businesses and organizations. If you aim to engage with the Chinese community, you might need Weibo and WeChat as your strong tools to reach the right audiences. Weibo: Referred to as the "Chinese X” (formerly Twitter) Weibo has nearly 800,000 users residing in Canada, with a global monthly user base of 600 million people across 190 countries. Users can share short content posts, images, videos and links, making it a dynamic and diverse platform. As one of the most popular topics on Weibo, influence of Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) reaches 53.3% of Sina Weibo users. According to online statistics, Weibo is also extremely popular in North America with 2 million posts each day! Weibo is not only there for personal expression but also functions as a space for celebrities, brands, and influencers to interact with their followers. As Canada celebrates its 157th anniversary of the Canadian Confederation which occurred on July 1, 1867, people from coast to coast to coast have their own ways of celebration.
To many, Canada Day is a statutory holiday. But to immigrants like me, Canada Day should be a day to reflect on what it means to be Canadian, to share what makes us proud, to celebrate, and to give back. My family moved to Canada in 1993. We picked Vancouver due to the considerably mild weather and its proximity to the Asia Pacific. It was then a sleepy little town. But that was why we appreciate more what Vancouver has to offer. People are friendly and embrace multiculturalism. Food is always a good entry point – we can find all kinds of cuisines here – Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Indian, just to name a few.  For the past 20 years, UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) has put in tremendous efforts to preserve and protect intangible cultural heritage worldwide. Food is considered an important part of intangible cultural heritage; and it is hoped that it will be passed down from generation to generation. At Vancouver Chinatown, we have a strong passion for food. Memories are weaved around families and friends gather around a table to celebrate important occasions, such as birthdays, festivals, anniversaries, or just because. With all the new stores and restaurants that opened in Chinatown recently, Sing Tao Media Group Canada would like to share with its audience where to “eat, drink, play, and have fun” in today’s Chinatown. Who’s in a better position to show us around than Carol Lee, Chair of the Vancouver Chinatown Foundation? Choice Communication started the planning process and, finally, on a nice spring day in May 2023, we began the tour with Carol Lee, Debbie Chen (reporter), Harrison Ha (photographer and videographer) and Helen Yu. We have planned the tour to cover eight businesses ranging from restaurants (multicultural cuisines), an herbal store, a tea store, a gift store, and a plant/home decoration store. 1. Chinatown BBQ - 30 E Pender Street 2. DD Mau - 145 E Pender Street 3. Phnom Penh Restaurant - 244 E Georgia Street 4. Kissa Tanto - 263 E Pender Street 10/18/2023 Five ways to support small businessesThis week is Small Business Week ( October 15 - 21, 2023 )
According to the Government of British Columbia, there are over 500,000 small businesses, constituting 98% of the total businesses in the province, meaning roughly one in 10 British Columbians are small business owners or entrepreneurs. In 2022, small businesses contributed 34% to B.C.’s GDP, the highest in Canada. We've noticed that the past few years have been challenging for small business owners, not only due to global inflation but also because of rising interest rates and other factors. So, how can we support these entrepreneurs, store owners, and restaurants through our small actions? Here are five ways to support small businesses in the service industry: |
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