Wreck Beach


Book Description

Ever wonder how Wreck Beach got its name? Or if it's always been a nude beach? What about the nudity? Is it against the law? Maybe you just want to know how to get to the best spots. Look no further: here's the book with everything you've always wanted to know about Wreck Beach, the best nude beach in the world. On any given day throughout the year, regardless of conditions, you're bound to find a spectrum of characters frolicking on the beach or in the water or alternately, huddling in that perfect sheltered spot. If sunshine and golden sands aren't enough to lure you down, maybe the amalgam of vendors will. Wreck Beach boasts an enviable array of munchies which may include Chinese BBQ pork buns, pizza, samosas with chutney, marijuana, and magic mushrooms. Entertainment includes Frisbee, skimboarding, impromptu jam sessions and the notorious male-only game of Beerball. Naturally pristine, yet indelibly ruled by the characters who sun, sell, and sign petitions there, Wreck Beach is a beachlover's paradise. The main beach at the bottom of Trail 6 is where the landscape is most beacher-friendly: sand as far as the eye can see, and ocean to boot. The enthusiastic work of the Wreck Beach Preservation Society has allowed it to continue to be so. The Society's committment to keeping it untarnished is reflected in its resistance to outside regulation, while at the same time emphasizing self-policing. The first comprehensive physical and political guide and a pioneer part of Wreck Beach history, Wreck Beach is your perfect guide to its splendour whether you're a local history buff, or just like swimming in the buff.




How to Wreck a Nice Beach


Book Description

The history of the vocoder: how popular music hijacked the Pentagon's speech scrambling weapon The vocoder, invented by Bell Labs in 1928, once guarded phones from eavesdroppers during World War II; by the Vietnam War, it was repurposed as a voice-altering tool for musicians, and is now the ubiquitous voice of popular music. In How to Wreck a Nice Beach—from a mis-hearing of the vocoder-rendered phrase “how to recognize speech”—music journalist Dave Tompkins traces the history of electronic voices from Nazi research labs to Stalin’s gulags, from the 1939 World’s Fair to Hiroshima, from artificial larynges to Auto-Tune. We see the vocoder brush up against FDR, JFK, Stanley Kubrick, Stevie Wonder, Neil Young, Kraftwerk, the Cylons, Henry Kissinger, and Winston Churchill, who boomed, when vocoderized on V-E Day, “We must go off!” And now vocoder technology is a cell phone standard, allowing a digital replica of your voice to sound human. From T-Mobile to T-Pain, How to Wreck a Nice Beach is a riveting saga of technology and culture, illuminating the work of some of music’s most provocative innovators.




The Rough Guide to Vancouver


Book Description

This travel guide to Vancouver and the surrounding area features advice on where to go and what to do, from sea-kayaking off the Gulf Islands to the museums and galleries downtown. Maps and plans help the reader pinpoint recommended hotels, restaurants and attractions.




The Great Canadian Prairies Bucket List


Book Description

Renowned travel writer and TV host Robin Esrock has explored every inch of Canada’s Prairies to craft the definitive Bucket List. From food and culture to nature and adrenaline rushes, Robin has the inspiration and information you’ll need to follow in his footsteps and discover everything Manitoba and Saskatchewan have to offer.




The Wreck


Book Description

Are you ready for an underwater adventure? Witness the mystery unfold as you dive in!Nate Martin finds something unfathomable on the beach-something impossible-that creates a frenzied search for answers amongst people who hold life less dear than their more desirous pursuits.On the famous beaches of Hampstead, Michigan, what was once a small community of summer cottage holders has turned into a beachfront full of gaudy mansions owned by the mega-rich. Among the few remaining cottage folk are Nate and Brooke Martin, two teachers who have settled in for the summer to relax and rekindle their relationship. And on a remote peninsula resides Abner Hutch, retired Coast Guard Officer and Great Lakes master of the deep-a man with a mysterious past and a core wound that will not heal.Everything changes on the sunny day in June when Nate takes a walk on the beach.Put on some sunscreen, unfold a beach chair, and get ready to discover The Wreck.




109 Walks in British Columbia’s Lower Mainland


Book Description

A fully updated edition of the Lower Mainland’s bestselling walking guidebook, featuring a wider range of trails than ever before. Since its first edition in 1976, 109 Walks has guided more than 100,000 locals and visitors alike to the best viewpoints, urban forests, and coastal headlands of British Columbia’s stunning Lower Mainland. This latest edition continues and builds on the legacy of its beloved predecessor with more than twenty completely new trails, a striking selection of photographs, and updated directions that include GPS coordinates for easier route-finding. True to its origins, the book includes clearly written, carefully detailed route descriptions for each walk, along with helpful personal notes about points of natural and historical interest to visit along the way. This edition also features more options in the Sea-to-Sky Corridor, Surrey, and the Fraser Valley—as well as walks that take less than three hours to complete—making it more accessible and expansive than ever before. Still accurate, authoritative, and highly affordable, 109 Walks is an indispensable insider’s guide for exploring British Columbia’s Lower Mainland in all seasons.




Beaches of the New South Wales Coast


Book Description

Produced by the Australian Beach Safety and Management Program, a joint project of the Coastal Studies Unit, University of Sydney and Surf Life Saving Australia Ltd.




Vancouver


Book Description

Vancouver is Canada’s gateway to the Pacific, and it attracts millions of visitors each year. See what draws them in, with this insider’s look at the city’s most awe-inspiring sights and fascinating history. Written by an award-winning author and journalist who specializes in the Pacific Northwest, and lushly illustrated with Elan Penn’s gorgeous photos, it showcases both well-preserved Victorian landmarks and modern views. Visit the welcoming vistas and parks (including the grand 1,000 acre Stanley Park); the galleries and museums, such as the Museum of Anthropology with more than 6,000 First Nation objects on display; and dazzling architectural and natural wonders--including the old-growth forests that surround the city. Every page reveals a new and spectacular treasure.




Secret Vancouver 2010


Book Description

In 1963, Jimmy Wynn was the second most famous man in America. The comedian's uncanny impression of the President made him a star. But when the genuine article died in a hail of bullets on a sunny afternoon in New Orleans, Jimmy's career met a fate almost as grisly. What happened to the funny man afterward was a mystery no one cared to solve. Nearly 25 years later, Nathan Grant, an ambitious young journalist, discovers the trail Jimmy cut through the entertainment netherworld. He soon realizes this forgotten court jester may have played a very serious part in the country's favorite conspiracy theory. Grant's strange and increasingly dangerous odyssey takes him from a dingy New York record store to the showrooms of Las Vegas, a ghost town in the Mojave Desert, and even a dinner theatre in Niagara Falls. A dark comedy about the cost of fame, Jason Anderson's "Showbiz" is the story of a man who became a punchline and a writer who is desperate to find out how the rest of the joke goes.




Western Canada


Book Description

This guidebook offers: Descriptions of numerous attractions, star-rated so you can spot the must-sees at a glance; The best accommodations and restaurants, in every price range; All there is to know about parks and historic sites, as well as outdoor activities; More than 50 regional and city maps to help you customize your itinerary.