Casinos flourishing

Casinos, once upon a time shunned in British Columbia, is not only flourishing but increasing in number. The most popular casinos patronized by countless Asian gamblers are River Rock Casino in Richmond, Boulevard Casino in Coquitlam and Edgewater Casino in the Plaza of Nation in downtown Vancouver.

Another alternative for fun-loving Vancouverites with stronger Canadian dollars is Skagit Valley Casino Resort (70 miles north of Seattle and 70 miles South of Vancouver). The Casino has a new and elegant hotel, golf, spa services. There are lots of slot and table games where one can see many Filipino patrons from Vancouver, Seattle and even Portland.

Personally, I enjoy the artists performing at the Casino’s Pacific Showroom. Last June, Las Vegas-based funny lady Rita Rudner dominated the stage and this coming August is the ageless Grammy Award winner Vikki Carr and the tireless and always entertaining Debbie Reynolds is coming this October.

The world of fashion has never been associated with sleepy Winnipeg but that’s changed now as celebrities flock there to buy the moderately priced Silver Label jeans to the ridiculously priced 1921 label. The former can be owned at around $80-$100 while the later denim can be enjoyed at about $200 or more, named for the year the company was incorporated. The company is Western Globe works Ltd.

A spinoff called the Taku collection was launched not too long ago. Taku jeans are all embroidered, patched, stitched or painted so the manufacturer can change more. Earlier, there was the Jag label, meant for contemporary women who have never worn jeans. Think middle-aged, overweight rich ladies trying to look hip in tight jeans with excessive make-up and tinted hair.

Western Globe has now joined the crowded premium/designer jeans market. They are now sold in high-end boutiques in New York and Los Angeles. Some of the popular, so-called show business celebrities who are proud to display their Canadian behinds include the likes of Desperate Housewife Teri Hatcher, sexpot Jessica Alba and Spice Girl Victoria Beckham to name a few who have created the Silver Label buzz.

Last week, we featured American B-movies shot in the Philippines and now available on DVD format for sale or rental in Canada. Here’s another nostalgia title to add to our growing list.

• BACK DOOR TO HELL — directed by the legendary Monte Hellman and starred folk singer Jimmie Rodgers and co-starring a wholesome looking Jack Nicholson, supposedly made in the early 60s. It also featured Annabelle Huggins and Johnny Monteiro, with music by Mike Velarde and Ronald Remy as producer.

Set in 1944 Luzon, this B&W, low-budget war/action/drama tells the story of three American soldiers on a reconnaissance operation in the Philippines. Their mission is to report on the movement of the Japanese forces. A group of brave Filipino resistance fighters helped them complete their mission.

Sadly, the big-budget and major flop The Great Raid can’t qualify in our film genre because it was not filmed in the Philippines. The DVD package did not even list the name of Cesar Montano. Strangely enough, Montano had top billing when The Great Raid had its theatrical release in the Philippines.

Besides collecting off-beat movies on DVD, I also collect fortune cookie sayings. Only Chinese-Canadian restaurants give fortune cookies after meals. The authentic Chinese restaurants in Canada consider the cookies more American than Chinese, here are some cookie gems or other tidbits for living a good life.

• Tigers and deer do not walk together.

• A man is judged by the company he avoids.

• You cannot satisfy hunger by drawing a cake.

• When you don’t have red, use blue.

• When you drink water, remember the source.

• Trust in God, but lock the car.

• Do not climb a tree to look for fish.

• You can’t make an omelet without breaking a few eggs.

It’s a scary thought that Greater Vancouver will double its population over 50 years while the city itself has surpassed 600,000 and is continuing to grow at a rate of about one person every two hours population. The population projection was based on birth rate, immigration and anticipated death rate. We can’t blame people from seeking a better quality of life that offers sea, beach, mountain and outdoor activities.