SHAPER STUDIOS

Despite the temperature of the ocean that surrounds the Pacific Northwest, Vancouverites cannot resist the chance to jump in. From paddle boarding to windsurfing and surfing, we take pleasure in watching our extremities turn blue. The ocean affords you a unique perspective of the city that few get to experience.

Which is where Shaper Studios comes in. 

Both Mitch and Nate, owners of Shaper Studios Vancouver, learned to surf abroad - Mitch first jumped on a board 15 years ago during a trip to Australia, and then chased the waves in Costa Rica and New England during hurricane season. Nate comes from Hawaii, so chances are he learned to surf before he could walk. They started to teach themselves how to make their own surfboards out of a garage on King Edward Avenue, using YouTube videos and trial and error to create something that was both functional and beautiful. From that process, Learning Curves was established in 2013, providing the tools, materials and knowledge to teach everyone and anyone how to make their own boards. 

read and see more here

KALIBO

Vancouver's stunning scenery often overshadows everything else the city has to offer.  However, beneath its outdoorsy persona is a thriving cultural scene. As much as The Local Visitor wants to introduce you to areas of Vancouver that you can't read about in your traditional guide book, we also want to introduce you to some of the people that contribute to making this one of the best cities in the world. 

In a house tucked within the Kensington-Cedar Cottage neighbourhood lies a room filled with an array of music equipment and electronics. The room (and the instruments within it) belongs to Joel Jasper, aka Kalibo, a self-described 'bedroom producer' who creates tracks using a mix of home recordings and found samples to create a unique sound. The music is uplifting and full of vibes, drawing on '80s funk lines and moving percussion. 

Joel's interest in dance music started at university where he started to make mixtapes and demos for house parties. He immersed himself in Vancouver's local music scene while advancing his musical education at home. He started to DJ at some of the more mainstream clubs and bars in the city but found he had little control over the set list, leaving him deflated with Vancouver's music scene and with his own creative development. In 2012, Joel moved to South Korea to teach English. It was there that he was able to find a venue for his musical creativity.

Joel started playing a weekly Friday night residency in Busan, South Korea, at an ex-pat bar fittingly called Almost Famous, which allowed Kalibo to have complete creative control. Having the freedom to experiment with an international audience reignited Joel's spark for DJing and producing. Upon his return to Vancouver, Joel organized a showcase of local producers and beat makers around the city. Meeting these likeminded people boosted his confidence in the scene and led to new collaborations. Joel continues to release new material frequently on his Soundcloud page and performs sets at some of the city's popular electronic based venues like 303 Columbia, Fortune Sound Club, The Waldorf, and Celebrities. He's working on a new live set using a control pad to trigger and manipulate his songs live, allowing him to better react to the energy of a show and to change his music accordingly. This method of preforming leads to more organic and natural feeling music, which would otherwise dive into the pitfall of structured and mechanized music.  

When he's not performing or making music, Joel can be found at Third Beach along the seawall or hiking the Cabin Lake or Eagle Bluffs trails on Cypress Mountain. 

You can see Kalibo perform this Sunday at The Waldorf before French House pioneer Fred Falke.

LIFETIME COLLECTIVE

Lifetime Collective launched in 2002 from a basement, largely as a graphic t-shirt production for the skate and snow community. What began as a collaboration between friends has become a lifestyle collection in a bricks and mortar establishment on Main Street. Not only has its location improved, but Lifetime has also expanded to include something for everyone (probably even your grandmother).  

The founders, Reid Stewart and Trevor Fleming, continue to design their collections. Stewart designs the Uniform Standard collection, designed for quality and value. Fleming designs the main collection, which focuses on quality fabrics and finishing for the boutique customer. 

Lifetime describes itself as, "A collection of wearable artwork and identity". Their designs focus on the creative community, working with artists, photographers, musicians, filmmakers, skateboarders and snowboarders to influence the brand, creating "wearable art". Their products are made in China, Argentina, Canada and the United States, and are sold throughout the world (and on their website). 

As if the clothing design and production weren't enough, Lifetime also produces Free Thinkers, a biannual zine that features artists and collaboration pieces, as well as a behind-the-scenes look at the creative process. 

In addition to clothing and the zine, Lifestyle carries a range of accessories from ties and hats to cologne, ceramics and soap (the kind you could sniff all day). We are willing to bet that you can't walk out of this store without wanting to buy at least one thing.

See more here.