Here are our top gay and Vancouver news picks from January 11th to 18th. A short one this week, but sometimes that's not a bad thing.

Vancouver Gay News

• Vancouver equality activists plan West End vigil in support of LGBT rights in Uganda
• This week in (gay) Vancouver: Sketch comedy, music to help beat the winter blues and a Russian tale of romance, intrigue and unrequited love are all part of what we’re most looking forward to this week in (gay) Vancouver.

Gay World News

• LGBT tolerance growing in Jamaica, push to repeal of anti-gay law: A 25-year-old, who is gay and uses a pseudonym to protect himself and his family, grew up in Kingston and recalls how he was repeatedly harassed over his sexuality before moving to the United States in 2012.
• Why Do So Many Gay People Smoke?: It’s dismaying but not surprising to learn from a new study that a startling 33 percent of LGBTQ people smoke—a rate 68 percent higher than the general U.S. population.
• New anti-gay law resulting in torture, arrests, activists say: First the police targeted the gay men, then tortured them into naming dozens of others who now are being hunted down, human rights activists said Tuesday, warning that such persecution will rise under a new Nigerian law.

Here are our top gay and Vancouver news picks from December 4th to 11th.

West End News

• Women-only section of downtown Vancouver gym to be phased out: Member livid that her Steve Nash club is going entirely coed, Vancouver’s nearby West End has a large gay population that was consistently fielding complaints about having a space dedicated to only one gender.
• Dine Out Vancouver 2014: how to choose the best restaurants and menus: For anyone who’s been wintering in Mexico for the past 11 years, Dine Out Vancouver takes place annually in January. Restaurants offer three-course dinner menus at one or more of three price points: $18, $28, and $38.

Gay Vancouver News

• Vancouver men featured in Kevin Truong's Gay Men Project: "As a kid, I remember being excited any time I saw an Asian person on TV, in a movie, or in a music video," he said. "I also remember what it was like to not see it. A part of that has always stuck with me, and as an adult, as I look around at representations of gay men and women in media, I don't see a lot of reflections of myself. I know the Gay Men Project is only a blog, but I do hope by showing men over the age of 50, men of varying body shapes, men of color—I hope it's providing something for someone..."
• Our (gay) guide to Club PuSh 2014: Gender identity and drag queens are centre stage for Club PuSh, part of the tenth anniversary of the PuSh International Performing Arts Festival.

Gay World News

• The Rev. Robert Nugent, priest who ministered to gay Catholics, dies at 76: Robert Nugent, a Catholic priest who became nationally known for his pastoral work with gay men and lesbians, a ministry that was officially ended in 1999 when the Vatican declared it “erroneous and dangerous,” died Jan. 1 at a religious retirement community in Milwaukee. Rest in peace.
• Gay-Marriage Fight Takes a Toll on Utahns: The recent flurry of court rulings legalizing and then halting gay marriage in Utah has whipsawed residents of this predominantly Mormon city, a conservative enclave that saw its first-ever gay pride celebration only last summer.
• Russian Orthodox Church Pushes For Gay Ban Referendum: Russia's powerful Orthodox Church proposed Friday a referendum on banning gay relations in the face of Western pressure over human rights ahead of next month's Winter Olympics in Sochi.

Get ready to plunge in to the cold waters at the English Bay (or just watch on the sidelines if you're too scared to, like me) for the Polar Bear Swim. The local tradition returns for another year, on January 1st, to help kick off the new year. The plunge is scheduled for 2:30pm, and participants and spectators are encouraged to bring a non-perishable food or cash donation for the Greater Vancouver Food Bank.

If you wish to participate in the polar bear swim, you'll be required to sign up prior to the event. Registration takes place at the English Bay Bathhouse between 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m on January 1st - and good news - it's free!

Here are some swim tips from the City of Vancouver to help keep you safe (and warm!):

• If you have a heart problem - just watch!
• Children must swim and stay with an adult
• Please leave your dog at home
• Do not drink - alcohol does not warm you up - it accelerates hypothermia.
• Do not stay in the water longer than 15 minutes. Body heat is lost 25 times faster in water than in air.
• Do not remove your clothing until swim time. The swim will be started by a flag and siren.
• Entrants in the 100 yard race - meet in the front line on the north side (Stanley Park side) of the enclosure.
• First 3 swimmers to touch the marker buoy by the lifeguard boat - give your names to the lifeguard.
• After you swim, pick up your commemorative button at the large polar bear or at the registration table.
• Warm up with coffee or hot chocolate.

Here are our top gay news picks from Vancouver and around the world for December 21st to December 28th!

Vancouver News

• #VanKiss Mistletoe Brings Out Vancouver's Lovers: Things are getting a little romantic in Vancouver thanks to a takeover of poles donning mistletoe in the city's West End. A group who call themselves the #VanKiss Elves erected 10 poles around the neighborhood, encouraging passerby to snap a picture kissing someone special under the mistletoe and post it to Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag #VanKiss.
• New “Greenhorn” In West End Looking To Hire Barista Crew: Greenhorn Espresso Bar is a new, independently owned café, small gallery and flex retail space nestled in a residential pocket of one of Vancouver’s most historic neighborhoods.
• Sher Vancouver's Out and Proud Project to counteract India's antigay legislation: When the Indian Supreme Court reinstated a colonial-era law that makes homosexuality illegal on December 11, local Metro Vancouver resident Alex Sangha decided to do something about it.

Gay World News

• Boy Scouts open ranks to gay youth on Jan. 1: The Boy Scouts of America will accept openly gay youths starting on New Year's Day, a historic change that has prompted the BSA to ponder a host of potential complications — ranging from policies on tentmates and showers to whether Scouts can march in gay pride parades.
• 2013 LGBT year in review: A great year for gay rights
• Chaos in conservative Utah after gay marriage ruled legal: Hundreds turned away without licenses as state asks for emergency stay on same-sex couples
• Gwynne Dyer: Anti-gay laws still strong: After a decade when the struggle for equal rights for gay people made great progress, it looks like the counter-revolution is underway. In the past six months, there have been major defeats for gay rights in Africa, in Asia, and even in Europe.

Here are our top gay news picks from December 14th to December 21st.

Gay Vancouver News

• Happy hour among B.C. liquor policy changes: The government is recommending that minors be allowed to dine with their families in pubs, legions, and membership clubs, and that restaurant patrons no longer be required to order food with their beverage in food-primary establishments. Diners will also be allowed to move freely with a beverage from one licensed area to another.
• Vancouver pub doesn’t plan on opening doors to minors: The Fountainhead Pub says that particular change to BC’s liquor laws doesn't fit their demographic.
• Gay Vancouver councillor meets with Russian Honorary Consul: Immediately after city council unanimously voted to send Coun. Tim Stevenson, who is gay, to the 2014 Sochi Olympics, the Honorary Consul of the Russian Federation called him to ask for a meeting.
• Qmunity's Dara Parker tackles homophobia against gay tenant in Vancouver: The issue was raised in response to the recent news story about 25-year-old Jonathan Pretty, who went public about how he signed a lease to rent a Kitsilano suite but the landlord later told him that he didn't want Pretty as a tenant when he found out Pretty was gay.

Gay World News

• Ugandan parliament passes antigay law: While homosexuality was already illegal in Uganda, the maximum penalty for the new offence of "aggravated homosexuality" is life imprisonment. The death penalty clause, originally included when the bill was introduced in 2010, was removed from the final version adopted by Uganda's parliament.
• ‘Duck Dynasty’ Star Suspended Over Remarks About Gay People: “Duck Dynasty” star Phil Robertson has been suspended from filming the A&E reality series following his remarks about gay people where he called homosexuality illogical in a recent interview with GQ magazine.
• Gay couples rejoice with weddings in Utah after federal court ruling: It was an unlikely scene that unfolded in one of the most conservative states in the U.S. as same-sex couples rushed to get married at the Salt Lake County Clerk’s office immediately after learning that a federal judge had overturned Utah’s ban on gay marriage.

Here are our top news picks from December 8th to December 14th:

Davie Village News

• The Daily Catch is opening a new store in the Village: I think it's a great fit for our community. More information coming soon?

Gay Vancouver News

• Gay Vancouver councillor Tim Stevenson going to Sochi Winter Olympics: Vancouver decides against boycott, sending gay councillor to Russia to "make a statement".
• GLBTQ Issues Counsellors: A great resource for gay-friendly counselling for the LGBTQ community.

Gay World News

• LGBT community protest in Delhi: Holding placards and banners that read “we are not criminals” and “loving another human being is not an offence”, the protesters, comprising members of LGBT community, their families, female sex workers, and women’s groups, demanded the Supreme Court decision condemning homosexuality be repealed immediately.
• When LGBT role models get exposed: Earlier this month we found out that Dustin Lance Black, the 39-year-old Oscar-winning writer of Milk, was dating a 19-year-old diver from Plymouth, England. Literally overnight, it became one of the latest buzzed-about gossip items relating to a same-sex couple in the public eye.
• No Red Kettles: reasons to boycott the Salvation Army and donate to alternative charities.
• When Love Prevails: Latino Families at the Center of Immigrant and LGBT Rights

India Bistro is one of Vancouver's finest dining locations for a taste of authentic Indian cuisine. Located in the heart of the Davie Village and serving the community for over 22 years, this is a place you have to eat if you're living in or visiting our neighborhood - it's that good.

Optik Local (Telus) recently had the chance to interview the owner, Kamal Mroke, and learn more about this popular West End eatery, as well as a quick tutorial on how to make a classic Indian yogurt dish, Raita.

Here are our top gay and Vancouver news picks from December 1st to December 7th.

Gay Vancouver News

• Our (gay) guide to Vancouver’s arts scene in December: Find some fun, cultural activities to do in Vancouver's theatre and arts scene this month - there's plenty!
• AIDS Vancouver food bank struggling to keep shelves stocked for holidays: Be sure to make a donation or arrange a drop-off of food to help those in need.

Local Vancouver News

• City crews ready equipment and salt for snowy forecast: Let's hope they're getting ready for nothing.
• West End group claims partial victory over city hall: The West End Neighbours group is claiming a partial victory after the City of Vancouver amended bylaws that set the definitions of affordable housing.
• West End citizens’ group ready to sue despite changes to affordable rentals bylaw: However, changes proposed for said bylaw supporting affordable housing don’t go far enough.

Gay World News

• Will this man be the first openly gay mayor in Turkey?: Turkey could be the first Muslim majority country to have an openly gay mayor if Can Cavusoglu has his way. The 43-year-old author and entrepreneur has announced his mayoral pre-candidacy for the 2014 municipal election in the town of Bulancak, located on the Black Sea Coast.
• Gay athletes to take brave stand in Sochi: Steward: The Olympics have played host to many important human rights protests. Sochi is poised to become the site of yet another.

Have you been naughty or nice this year?

Decorations are starting to appear for the holiday season in the Davie Village, and a special visitor is stopping by to greet kids of all ages - why it's none other than Santa Claus! Back again for another year, Mr. Claus will be at Cobs Bread (1160 Davie Street) on December 8th to listen to all of your Christmas wishes, before heading back to the North Pole to continue with Christmas preparations. Stop by any time between 1pm to 5pm and have your picture taken with Santa.

Mark your calendars, and stay up to date with Cobs Bread on Twitter and Facebook for more updates.

Here are our top gay news picks from November 24th to November 30th.

Davie Village News

• Help St. Pauls Hospital - Give to the Lights of Hope: The Lights of Hope campaign raises funds to support the hospital’s greatest needs – enabling us to meet urgent needs for equipment, research and enhanced patient care, when and where they arise.
• Vancouver looks to laneways to increase downtown density: Laneway housing has proven to be hugely popular in Vancouver’s single-family neighbourhoods in the past few years. Now the city wants to try the same idea in its oldest downtown neighbourhood, the already dense West End – but with a twist.

Local Vancouver News

• AIDS - So close to a cure: Vancouver at center of research as illness turned from deadly epidemic to manageable condition
• Win a Cookie-Palooza Gift Box from Boys Own Bakery: GayVancouver.net is hosting a delicious competition!
• Free Hugs Day: A favourite event amongst AIDS Vancouver’s volunteers, Free Hugs Day will take place at Granville Street Skytrain Station from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm. Come by, say hi, and help us spread the message- you can’t get HIV/AIDS from a hug.

Gay / LGBT News

• Fabulous finds ways to survive: Filmmaker looks at genetics of being gay
• Gay British man may avert trial in Uganda after visa extension denied: A gay British man facing a charge of “trafficking obscene material” in Uganda may avert going to jail under the country’s oppressive anti-homosexual laws because the government won’t renew his visa.
• What Young Gay Men don't know about AIDS