What’s New in
Vancouver & Victoria

In the summer of 2003, Vancouver was awarded hosting rights to the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. Still 6 years away, preparations are already visible, and the excitement in the city is palpable. Prices on real estate, restaurants, and hotels are sure to go up. Fortunately, at present, fabulous restaurants and accommodations are still a steal in Vancouver and Victoria, compared to Toronto or Montreal. VANCOUVER Accommodations The Gallery Floor at the Listel Vancouver (1300 Robson St.; & 800/663-5491 or 604/684-8461) proved such a hit with guests that a museum floor was the next logical step. For the past several years, guests on the penultimate Gallery floor have been able to enjoy original works of art from Vancouver’s Buschlen Mowatt Gallery, temporarily displayed in the Listel’s ever-so-tasteful rooms.

An avatar of orchestral synthesis for 30 years, Vangelis has only now made his full orchestral outing with the ambitious and epic Mythodea. Currently linked as theme music for NASA's Mission to Mars program, Mythodea dates back to 1993, when Vangelis premiered the work in a live performance. After the amorphous synthesizer opening, Vangelis is little-heard, using his keyboards only to support the large orchestra, 100-voice mixed choir, massed timpani, and the twin soprano leads of Kathleen Battle and Jessye Norman. Echoes of Gustav Holst, Gustav Mahler, and Carl Orff suffuse Mythodea, with its stentorian choirs, rumbling percussion, and dense string writing. Singing a hybrid language, Norman and Battle spiral through Vangelis's evocation of an ancient Greek landscape. By turns smothering and grandiose, and often turgid, Mythodea is nevertheless studded with memorable themes, notably "Movement 9." It's a poignant, haunting melody, with the sopranos looping back and forth in ascending arcs, recalling Delibes's aria from "Lakmé," better known as the British Airways theme. This is the Vangelis of "L'Enfant," and "Heaven & Hell," where the composer's true voice is heard. –John Diliberto

Introducing Replay Screencast, the easiest way to capture whatever you see on your screen, and turn it into a video movie file, or "screencast." Plus, you can add audio from what you hear on your speakers, or by talking through your PC's microphone. Replay Screencast is a great way to make Software Demos and Tutorials, produce Powerpoint Videos, record Flash, QuickTime, and DRM protected videos, and a lot more.

Monopoly Here & Now Portable Edition | 15.4 MB

Ski down tricked-out mountains with the Powerpuff Girls! Check out extreme new boards and moves for each character, and test your skills on ramped-up runs ranging from the Bunny Slope to Mountain Madness!

PlainSight Desktop Calendar is a great looking desktop calendar which can be fully integrated with W!ndows wallpaper. It stays on your desktop and shows the days of the current month. It can display M!cro$oft 0utlook data, which you can directly manipulate, and weather forecasts from weather information servers. It also uses high-quality fonts, looks pretty, and has lots of skins.