Gourmet Warehouse is a great stop for the cook and baker. Whether you are on the hunt for supplies, ingredients or taking in a great cooking class. This May Gourmet Warehouse is offering something a little different, a Sumptuous Spring Floral Centerpiece Workshop. This is an evening hands-on workshop happening Tuesday, May 9th. Florist Pam Meyer of Meyer Floral will be guiding you through this step-by-step workshop on how to create the perfect spring centerpiece to grace your table. All supplies will be provided from vase to stem with a selection of seasonal greenery and flowers in an array of colours. Add to that, while making your centerpiece, you will be able to enjoy charcuterie and a springtime cocktail when you arrive. And, of course, you will be leaving with your very own seasonal centerpiece. As with all Gourmet Warehouse classes, all the participants are offered a 10% discount for purchases made the day of your class. For a full line up of all the classes Gourmet Warehouse is offering, visit Cooking Classes.
First Pick Handmade is returning to the Heritage Hall for a 2 day Spring Fashion Pop on March 25th and 26th. The event will feature 28 local and BC-based designers and artists. Stop by and meet the creators of locally made fashion, accessories and art. Some of the makers and designers that will be on hand include Jillian Isabel Atelier, Morena Clothing, Prim Stargazer, Studio Eighteen, Deluxe Kitsch, Bukuro Bag Company, Zula Jewelry, After Times Art and many more. Whether you are looking for something for your home, for yourself, or a gift, there will be lots to choose from. We encourage you to stop by and check it out all the talent between 11:00 am and 6:00 pm. Admission is $3.00 per person at the door, or online.
Vancouver Etsy Co. presents Maker Supply on Saturday March 11th at the Heritage Hall. Expect to find over 40 local small businesses including designers, artists, makers and creatives. You can expect to find jewellery, body care, fashion, pet accessories, cards, items for the wee ones along with edible items. Some of the makers on hand include East Van Jam, Kaaj Artisan Chocolates, East Van Bees, The Salt Dispensary and Portside Cakes. Makers will have products available as well as packaging supplies, displays, crafting material and more. This is a one day event on Saturday, March 11th at the Heritage Hall and goes from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. Admission is FREE and dogs are welcome. Donations to BC Children’s Hospital and/or the Vancouver Food Bank are also welcome. You can RSVP at Eventbrite for a chance to win Market Cash to spend at the event.
The Eastside Flea kicks off another year of markets featuring all things vintage at the Eastside Studios at 550 Malkin Avenue. First weekend kicks off March 4th and 5th from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm and then every following weekend in March. You can expect to find over 50 local vendors with a host of vintage items alongside handmade local makers. If you get hungry after all that shopping, or need some sustenance before shopping, there will be a few food trucks on hand as well as an outdoor seating area. Admission is $5.
The Vegan Night Market hosted by Peaces is back at the Waldorf Hotel, 1489 East Hastings Street, on Thursday, March 23, 2023. Expect to find vendors with all things 100% plant based including food trucks and local vendors. The market happens indoors and outdoors from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm. There will be cocktails, bonfires, live music and 30+ food brands on hand. Admittance is by a $2 donation or by bringing canned goods. Kids are free.
James Johnstone is back with a new historical walking tour in East Van’s Cedar Cottage. This area is rich with history. If you missed our writer Al Tee’s previous post on this area, you may wish to check out A Little East Van History – The Lakeview Disaster and The Wild West. If you wish to listen to a first hand account that delves in the rich history of this area, we encourage you to attend James Johnstone’s walking tour on Sunday, April 2nd. The tour will include learning about the Thomas Bell House which has an interesting history and Clark Park which is Vancouver’s second oldest civic park and home to a notorious gang, Clark Park Gang. To learn more about them, you can check out Aaron Chapman’s book The Last Gang In Town. This area also has an infamous connection to the Chicken Coop Murders that took place in California in 1928 and was the basis of a movie Changeling staring Angelina Jolie. The historial walking tour runs for 2 ½ to 3 hours and starts at 10:00 am at SW corner of Commercial Street and East 18th Avenue. Cost is $25 per person. To reserve your spot, email historywalks@gmail.com.
Winter isn’t quite done with us just yet, but with an exploding interest in gardening during the pandemic, many novice and experienced gardeners are planning ahead for Spring. If you wish to try and grow some food or flowers in your backyard or in a container, be sure to check out the next Seed Library Pop Up happening Saturday, February 25th at the Britannia Library. This weekend’s event is hosted by the Grandview Woodland Community Seed Library. This is a volunteer run community group that offers free access to seeds as well as opportunities to learn more about growing food and flowers. If you wish to check out their upcoming event it happens at the Britannia Library, 1661 Napier Street from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm. If you can’t make this weekend’s event, next one happens March 25th at the same location. A Seed Library Pop Up will also take place at Spartacus Books, 1983 Commercial Drive on March 11th from 11:30 am to 2:00 pm. To learn more, visit www.gwcseedlibrary.wordpress.com.
Gourmet Warehouse has some great new cooking classes lined up this Spring. If you haven’t already experienced one of their classes, it is a great way to spend an afternoon or evening with some like-minded food lovers. If you have participated, you know it’s a great way to pick up some knowledge and some great tips in the kitchen. Added bonus is after each cooking class all the participants are offered a 10% discount for purchases made the day of your class. We have set a few of their upcoming classes that caught our eye. For a full line up of all the classes Gourmet Warehouse is offering visit Cooking Classes.
Pleats & Eats: Dicky’s Dumpling Workshop – April 5, 2023
You are invited to join Pearl and Dickson, the creators of Dicky’s Dumps, as they show you how to effortlessly make your new favourite dumplings. You will learn various different dumpling folds and pinches to create beautiful and authentic treats that are perfect for sharing. This class will focus on three unique fillings and different cooking styles to expand your dumpling mastery. The menu for this class hasn’t been announced yet, but we’re pretty sure that it will be delicious! We also hear each class participant will be leaving the evening with a gift.
Date Night – Dreaming Of Amalfi Coast – April 20, 2023
If you have never been to the Amalfi Coast, we recommend putting it on your Bucket List. If you have been, you know how magical this part of Italy is. We encourage you to treat yourself and that special someone in your life with “Dreams of the Amalfi Coast” and discover the beautiful fresh flavours of one of the most famous coastlines in the world. Amalfi cuisine is encapsulated by fresh seafood, sparkling lemon, and perfectly ripened vegetables to fill your stomach and your soul. The menu for this class is set out below. Note: tickets for this class are being sold in pairs.
MENU
• Huacatay Vinaigrette Quinoa Salad with Mango, Avocado, Roasted Pepper, and Rocota Chili • Verduras Causa – Whipped Beetroot and Potato, Lima Bean Puree, Aji Salsa, Pickled Beet, Huacatay, and Yam Chips • Nikkei Ceviche – Wild Sockeye Salmon, Ginger, Avocado with Passion Fruit Ponzu, Wasabi Aioli, and Nori • Lomo Saltado – Skirt Steak with Onion, Tomatoes, and Peppers with Kennebec Fries
Pasta Like A Pro – Spring In The South – April 27, 2023
Chef Deniz Tarakcioglu invites to join him to explore the regions of Southern Italy dish-by-dish, making each course yourself with expert guidance from our chefs. Roasted vegetables, classical pasta shapes, and delectable sauces will take you along the Mediterranean coastline of one of Italy’s historic regional cuisines. The menu for this class is set out below.
MENU
• Roasted Local Asparagus with Vin Cotto, Mortadella and Pecorino Romano, Fine Olive Oil • Hand Shaped Orecchiette with Fresh Herbs, Olive Oil, Zucchini and Bottarga • Maccheroni al Ferretto with Fennel Sausage Ragu, Spring Peas and Sheep’s Cheese • Lemon Cream with Preserved Berries
To see all the classes being offered and or to register, we invite you to visit GourmetWarehouse.ca.
The Cultch, Urban Ink & Raven Theatre present the world premiere of Corey Payette’s Starwalker, which comes to the unceded territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and səl’ilwətaɁɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations February 16 until March 5, 2023, at the York Theatre.
The story follows Starwalker, an Indigi-Queer Two-Spirit drag queen learning the ropes of the East Van Drag community. When Starwalker is introduced to Drag at the House of Borealis, their whole world changes, introducing them to a home they never knew they needed, creating a new persona that blends their grounded Indigenous cultural spirit with drag performance, resulting in an empowering and celebratory experience that only tearing down the patriarchy can provide.
Award-winning interdisciplinary storyteller, writer, composer, and director Corey Payette has gained acclaim for his large-scale contemporary musicals, which bring his Indigenous perspective to mainstream spaces—including Children of God, and Les Filles du Roi (which Payette co-wrote with Julie McIsaac). Both powerful musicals had their premieres at The Cultch’s York Theatre, and have toured extensively, receiving accolades wherever they go.
In 2021, Payette received the inaugural BC Reconciliation Award for his work and commitment to inspiring and making lasting change to reconciliation through the arts. His highly acclaimed musical production, Children of God, has brought conversations on truth and reconciliation to audiences throughout Canada.
Starwalker was commissioned and developed by The Musical Stage Company (Toronto). Their blank canvas offer gave Payette the freedom to explore a side of himself that he hasn’t spent as much time within his other work. It allowed him to express the joy he finds in his Two-Spirit and queer identity.
Starwalker will share a familiarity of style and scope with Payette’s past work, but brings to life a more modern story, presented with a contemporary score combining pop/rock music, with pulsing drums, and powerful vocals from some of Vancouver’s most talented.
The cast includes Dillan Chiblow (known as Tommy/Tom in Children of God), Stewart Adam McKensy (known for his portrayal of Lola in Kinky Boots), and Jeffrey Follis (Drag Queen Urupa)—bring Starwalker’s story to life with choreography from Ralph Escamillan, and musical direction from Sean Bayntun. “I really wanted to look at uplifting some of these voices in a way that was joyous and wasn’t tied to their trauma,” says Payette. “While the characters have experienced hardship, the show is actually about how they are working their way through those issues to find joy, to find love, and to find family and home.”
Tickets for Starwalker are now on sale starting from $25. Note, for self-identifying Indigenous patrons, there $15 tickets available. For tickets, visit The Cultch.
“Starwalker is a brilliant and unique piece that expertly and unexpectedly blends musical styles to tell moving stories in innovative ways.” Playwrights Guild of Canada, Tom Hendry Awards Jury
Liberty Merchant Company presents the 9th Annual East Side Beer Fest tasting event on Wednesday, March 15th at the Wise Hall, 1882 Adanac Street. After 3 long years the East Side Beer Fest is back to feature craft beers from local BC producers as well as producers from around the world. This event is a fundraiser for the Great Vancouver Food Bank Society which helps provides some 25,000 people in need each week. All ticket sales and draw prizes directly support the Great Vancouver Food Bank Society. Early bird tickets are $24.99 until February 15th after which they are $29.99. Tickets are available at all Liberty Wine Merchant locations. In East Vancouver, visit them at 1622 Commercial Drive or call them at 604.633.1922. The event gets under way at 7:00 pm and goes till 9:00 pm.
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