YEAR END BENDERS: New Year’s Eve was celebrated with a bang all around town. While sadly there was no major public celebration to ring in 2013, some of the city’s hottest rooms ushered the New Year in fine style. Always party central, OPUS Hotel hosted a sparkling blowout that began with a Northern Italian feast at its newly opened La Pentola Restaurant. Across town, the lux Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel was also a hub of activity. Their lavish marble-clad Lobby Lounge was party headquarters for many of the city’s movers and shakers. Chambar’s Civilized Debauchery and The Keefer Bar’s New Years in Narnia rounded out this year’s most happening hot spots.

MEDAL WORTHY: Have made significant contribution to their communities, 60,000 deserving Canadians will receive the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal as part of Queen Elizabeth II’s 60th anniversary celebrations. Vancouverites are part of that fine company. Among the community leaders feted at ceremonies held throughout the city were Lorne Segal, Saeedeh Salem, Maxine Davis, Wally Oppal and financier Daid Sidoo who along with his family, fundraised to provide Lord Selkirk Annex school kids a new playground in the New Year.

GLOWBAL TABLE: Restaurateurs Emad Yacoub and Shannon Bosa once again fronted The GLOWBAL COLLECTION’s fourth annual ‘Table for 2000’ holiday meal. Chefs and staff from the company’s seven restaurant’s including its newest, Fish Shack on Granville Street, along with an army of volunteers, were on-hand at the Union Gospel Mission to serve a festive dinner with all the trimmings to residents from the Downtown Eastside. Initially 2000 meals four years ago, this past holiday, 3000 meals were served.

Hear Fred Mondays 8:20am on CBC Radio’s The Early Edition AM690 and 88.1FM;Email: yvrflee@hotmail.com; Twitter: @FredAboutTown or www.fredabouttown.blogspot.com