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Modernize Tailors is a Vancouver institution, having been operating in Chinatown since 1913. The business and the two brothers who run it, Bill and Jack Wong, was recently featured on Global News:

Bill and Jack’s brother was the well-known Vancouver businessman and philanthropist Milton Wong, who passed away recently. Watch the Global News clip for the interesting story of their business, the building it is in, and why their brother Milton entered the professional world why they (both graduates of Engineering from UBC) kept up the family business.

The video above is embedded from the Global News website; the Modernize Tailors feature will play after a short advertisement.

For a limited time, you will be able to experience a special exhibition at the Chinese-Canadian Military Museum entitled “Chinese-Canadian Veterans: Loyalty to Country.” The exhibition will explore the history behind those Chinese-Canadians who fought for the Canadian military, despite being subjected to discriminatory laws. The exhibition will run from January 24 to January 27, so be sure to make it down to the museum during that time.

For information on hours and location, see the Chinese-Canadian Military Museum website.

The Chung Collection exhibition room will be closed on Monday January 23. We apologize for the inconvenience. This closure also effects the “75 Years of Controversy: Canada’s Governor General’s Literary Awards” exhibition. Both exhibitions will re-open on Tuesday Jan. 24.

Cross-posted with the RBSC What’s New blog.

Where are you spending the holidays this year? Would you spend them on a cruise ship? This is exactly what passengers of the C.P.R. steamship Empress of Australia did in 1929:

The photograph above shows Christmas party decorations on board the Empress of Australia, and the wait staff all dressed very smartly, ready to serve Christmas dinner. We also have in the collection the menu for Christmas dinner on that cruise. They served:

-Melon Supreme
– Caviar on toast
– Eggs Strasbourgeoise
-Mixed olives
-Celery
-Salted nuts
-Turtle au Medere
– Cream of chicken Marie Louise
– Fried silver smelts, sauce Figaro
-Supreme of Turbot Yvonne
-Breast of Chicken aux truffles
-Coeur d’artichauds
-Baron of Scotch beef a l’anglaise
-Potatoes persillee chateau
-Cauliflower sauce creme
-Punch Romaine
-Roast turkey, cranberry sauce
-Wafer chips
-Heart of lettuce
-Thousand Island dressing
-Xmas pudding
-Yule log
-Bombe Dame Blanche

Sounds… elaborate! May you have a wonderful holiday season and an easier to prepare menu than this one.

To search for photographs and ephemera related to the CPR cruise ships, try searching for keywords such as “tour” or “cruise” in conjunction with “Empress,” or the name of a specific ship. Happy searching and happy holidays!

A reminder that the Chung Collection and Rare Books and Special Collections is closed over the holidays- from Dec. 24 to January 2 inclusive. We re-open at 9 am on January 3.