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Fresh Curbside Markets Are Back June 14 to October 28th

16 Jun

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If you are looking for fresh food at low prices, you may wish to check out the Curbside Fresh Market which have returned for its third season.  The Curbside Fresh Market brings affordable local produce to select Vancouver neighbourhoods every week from June 14th to October 28th.    You can find them at the following locations and times in East Vancouver:

Mt Pleasant Neighbourhood House
800 E Broadway, Vancouver
Wednesdays 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm

Collingwood Neighbourhood House
5288 Joyce St, Vancouver
Thursdays  3:00 pm to 6:00 pm

Mt Pleasant Community Centre
1 Kingsway, Vancouver
Fridays 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm

For more locations, visit them on Curbside Fresh Market. Fresh Food and Low Prices is what you can expect.  Be sure to stop by one and check it out.

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Car Free Day Sunday, June 19th On Commercial Drive & Main Street

15 Jun

CarFreeDayCar Free Day began over 10 years ago on Commercial Drive. The idea of organizers was to reclaim the streets and oppose highway expansion and more traffic. Car Free Day has now expanded to several neighbourhoods and in East Van will be held on Commercial Drive and on Main Street. These festivals are 100% organized by local volunteers and each festival has a unique flavor and is a family friendly event. There is lots to see and do for all ages. We have set out some of the highlights for this Sunday’s event at both locations.

Commercial Drive (Venables to Grandview on Commercial Drive) Noon–7:00 pm

Car Free Day on Commercial Drive will span 15 blocks from Venables to Grandview and include an array of artisans, street patios, vendors, musicians and activities for all ages. Here is some of what you can expect at this year’s Car Free Day On The Drive:

Family Fun Zone filled with free activities at Charles Street
Wishing Wellness Garden At Napier Street
CiTR Radio 101.9FM and Discorder Magazine
Swordplay Demos by Academie Duello – School of Modern Swordplay
Bike tune up and bike race By Landyachtz Longboards
DJ Soo at The Venables Stage
Kitchener At the Public Domain Stage
The Carnival Band Parade at 5:30 pm
Letter Writing With Post A Letter Social Activity Club At 6th Avenue
Art Making Corner With Opus Art Supplies at The Napier Greenway
A Drum Circle by Paranada Traders

Note: For those planning to cycle to the event, there will be a free bike valet service provided by Better Environmentally Sound Transportation (BEST).

Main Street (Broadway to 30th on Main Street) Noon–7:00 pm

On Main Street, you will find lots of mini-festivals, community-supported stages with dozens of bands, multiple kids zones, artisan markets and much more. The Main Street Festival takes up some 21 blocks. Some of the highlights of this year’s festival include:

Broadway: The Beaumont Studios Festival Zone
Community Police Street Hockey
TransLink Vintage Bus
Startup Zone
LOVE Leave Out Violence Mini-Festival
Enroot – Meals on Demand
Bohemia Gallery
Vancouver Performing Stars
The Granville Island Toy Company Children’s Zone
Street Fantasy Garden Fashion Show & Village
Neptoon Records Stage
Giving Gifts Festival Zone
Canvas Homemade Artisan Group
Groundwerk x De Radio Stage at Car Free Day
Sonic Planet Rock School Stage
The Reef Soca Block Party
Red Cat Records
Arts Off Main Gallery

Come out and celebrate Vancouver’s diverse neighbourhoods and our communities.  These events are free and will go ahead rain or shine. For more information on the events, visit Car Free Day.

Photo Credit: Car Free Day

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Gourmet Ice Cream Tours By Off The Eaten Track

8 Jun

IceCreamConesOur friends at Off The Eaten Track Tours have a cool new foodie tour on offer for the warm summer months, a Gourmet Ice Cream Tour.  You are invited to join them on any Wednesday between now and September 31st from 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm for a one hour tour.  During the tour, you will visit 4 local ice cream shops and, of course, have samples at each and every one. The tour starts at Railtown Café, 397 Railway Street and will finish at Twisted Ice Cream in Gastown which we understand has been dubbed the smallest shop in BC.  You will also make stops at Cadeaux Bakery for an ice cream sandwich as well as Soft Peaks which is the only organic gourmet soft serve in the City.  This is a perfect way to cool off on a warm day, or well it’s ice cream so any day really. Cost of the tour is $29.99 and is suitable for all ages.  To reserve your spot, visit Off The Eaten Track Tours.

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The Uncommon Café Hosts Oriental Inspiration, Brioche Making & Ice Cream Making

25 May

UncommonCafeOrientalInspirationOur friends at The Uncommon Café, 477 Powell Street, have a few fun cooking classes coming up. The classes are led by  Valentine Kitamura owner of Tartine Maple.   Valentine was born and raised in France and is a chef that has worked in hotels in Paris, Singapore, New Orleans and Toronto.  She now works with The Uncommon Café, a commissary and café located just across the street from Oppenheimer Park. This great spot now has a lot of great company with Ed’s Daily, The Heatley and The MacKenzie Room just minutes away. We’ve set out below their upcoming classes which we expect will be delicious and fun.

Cooking Class & Dinner: Oriental Inspiration – June 1st 6-9 pm

This is a demonstration cooking class after which dinner will be served to all the class participants.  Some of the delish dishes you will learn to make include Lebanese Tabbouleh, Chicken Lemon Tagine, Coconut Mousse and Mango Coulis. The cost of this class is $75 per person, but if you book in advance (by May 27th), cost is $65. You can book your spot online via Eventbrite.

Cooking Class: Brioche Making – June 15th 6-9 pm

In this class, Valentine will teach you how to make Brioche. Once you have the basic dough mastered, she will teach you how to make a Basic Brioche Loaf, Braided Brioche, Brioche Cinnamon Rolls and Brioche BBQ Pork Buns. What I love best about their classes, you get to enjoy a class of wine while brushing up on your kitchen skills.  The cost of this class is $65 per person, but again if you book one week in advance, the cost is $55.  You can book your spot online via Eventbrite.

Ice Cream Without A Machine – June 22nd 6-9 pm

Yes, you can make ice cream without an ice cream maker. Having said that, you will need a blender whether a standing blender, food processor or immersion blender AND a mixer (such as Kitchen-Aid or hand mixer). Valentine will teach you how to make some great ice cream and other frozen desserts including Lemon & Raspberry Semifreddo, Strawberry Frozen Yogurt, Vanilla Ice Cream Base and One Endless Possibility Ice Cream.  To get you into the mood for your class, you will be greeted with a Margarita Granita served upon your arrival. How sweet is that?  We love the way they do classes!  The cost of this class is $65 per person, and again if you book on week in advance, the cost is $55. Visit Eventbrite to book your spot.UncommonCafeFrozenDesserts

As you can see, signing up early guarantees you a spot at a reduced rate.  If you haven’t already checked out their classes, we encourage to pop down and give them a try.

 

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The Whip Hosts 9th Annual Show & Shine May 29th

23 May

WhipShow&Shine2016The Whip Restaurant, 209 E. 6th Avenue, is hosting the East Van Vintage Car and Bike Show on Sunday, May 29th.  The event now in its 9th year will show case pre 1989 cars, trucks and bikes. If you wish to register, stop by with your vehicle from 9:30 am onwards.  For the event, The Whip will be putting on a BBQ plus there will be live music by the Hells Gate Blues Band. So good food, good tunes, some car history, we are sure it will draw a good crowd.  The event kicks off at 11:00 am and runs till 4:00 pm.

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Roving Food Tour – Tasting Plates Returns To The East Village May 18th

12 May

TastingPlatesMay18EastVillageRichard Wolak of Vancouver Foodster is bringing back his Tasting Plates event to the Hastings Sunrise area affectionately named East Village.  What is Tasting Plates?  It is basically a culinary roving tour that takes place at different food and/or beverage establishments.  You register for the event at the designated spot in this case, The Tiki Bar at the Waldorf  Hotel which is where you will show your printed or digital ticket(s) and pick up your Tasting Plates Cards. From there, you wander whether by bike, foot, car or transit to the various venues and nibble away to your hearts content. Each location will have specific menu items on offer for the Tasting Plates. Now the East Village is an area which has much to offer the food lover.  The spots Richard will be featuring on this tour include Nonna’s Table Café & Pizzeria located in the historic Waldorf Hotel.  This is an Italian restaurant with a retro Polynesian/Tiki feel to it.  Another stop includes Windsor Meats at 2276 East Hastings Street. This is a great meat shop and as an added bonus, the butchers have a great sense of humor which we hope would be on display during the tour.  Next up is the Italia Bakery, 2828 East Hastings Street and oh what a sweet spot this in. The cakes, the pastries and oh the biscotti, bellissimo!   Cannoli King food truck will be on hand with what else, of course, homemade cannoli.  Also, on the tasting tour is a stop at Di Oliva Tasting Bar, 2632 E. Hastings Street. We love this spot! An amazing selection of over 50 kinds of extra virgin olive oils and balsamic vinegars with some truly amazing flavours. Some of their items are currently stocked in our pantry. Lastly on this tour, is a stop at The Brighton, 2471 E. Hastings Street, this is a great pub-style restaurant with some unique offerings and when you get the chance, check it out the great little patio tucked in the back.  There is lots to enjoy on this foodie tour including meeting other like minded food lovers. You can purchase advance tickets for $40 through Eventbrite, otherwise if you wait prices are $55 per person as of May 15th.   The event kicks off at 6:00 p.m. and goes till 10:00 pm.

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Knifewear Pop Up Shop May 1 – July 31 At 845 East Hastings Street

11 May

KnifeWearLesAmisMelWooIf you love to cook, or know someone that does, then we suggest you make your way down to the Knifewear Pop Up Shop at 845 East Hastings Street. This pop up shop is now on until July 31st in the great space next to les amis du fromage in Strathcona. We recently popped in as they were getting set up on their first day and the place was packed!  What’s in store is an amazing selection of handmade Japanese knives which are yes, ‘scary sharp’ and oh so beautiful to boot.  Everyone working in the store is an ex-chef, so they can answer a whole host of questions and provide some advice on what knives work best for your personal needs. There are some other items on hand in store such as beautiful cutting boards made of Larch wood.  If you need knives sharpened, bring them down and watch it first hand. Of course, if stop in at Knifewear, we do recommend you also stop in next door at les amis du fromage and check out the amazing selection of cheeses. Outside of their cheese selection, they also have a delicious selection of gourmet frozen foods, giftware, cutting boards, crackers, olive oils and much more. And if the idea hasn’t already crossed your mind, you could easily pop in and throw together just about everything you need for a picnic.  If you wish to learn more about Knifewear and what makes their knives so you unique, we invite you to check out their website or pop by their Pop Up Shop on till July 31st.

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Treat Your Mom To A Brunch Tour Saturday May 7th

28 Apr

OffTheEatenTrackWant to do something tasty and fun with your mom for Mother’s Day? Well Off The Eaten Track Tours is offering their Vancouver’s Best Brunch Tour in the heart of the East Village with a discount on Saturday, May 7th.  You are invited to join them on Saturday morning at 9:30 am to meet some local businesses and nosh your way through a progressive brunch.   On this tour, you will visit 5 culinary spots including a 35-year old Italian deli, a funky southern restaurant, a bakery, a local butcher shop and Vancouver’s smallest tea shop. There are only 10 spaces available on this tour. If you wish to get your seats, be sure to use the promo code TREATMOM to receive a 10% discount. For more information on the tour, or to purchase your spots, visit Vancouver’s Best Brunch Tour.

Photo Credit: Off The Eaten Track

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Spring & Summer Farmer Markets In East Van

26 Apr

BerriesThe warm Spring weather is now here which also means more great local produce. We are fortunate to have yet another season of farmers markets lined up which offers us not only produce, but handmade goods, artisans breads, locally made jams, cheese, free range and organic eggs and of course wineries, breweries and makers of spirits are now on hand offering tastings as well.  Each market is unique and offers a little something different. Trout Lake is the largest and a great place to sit down and have a picnic on the spot at the park with your new purchases. River District is one of the smaller markets situated just below Marine Drive at the foot of Kerr Street in SE Vancouver, but generally different vendors than the markets organized by Vancouver Farmers Market.  Mount Pleasant Farmers Market is also smaller than Trout Lake, but we love that it’s on a Sunday so giving some options when faced with a busy weekend.  The Italian Market is held on Friday afternoons in front of the Italian Cultural Centre and is a personal favourite. Along with produce, you will find artisans, food trucks, coffee and more. The added bonus is the Italian Cultural Centre usually has a number of other events going on including art on display, live music and/or dancing.  The Main Street Farmers Market is a great afternoon market and perfect for those just leaving downtown for home, or a quick cycle from Mount Pleasant and the Olympic Village.  We have set out below the dates when the markets begin and end for the Spring/Summer season.

Trout Lake Farmers Market:
9:00 am – 2:00 pm
Every Saturday May 7th – October 22nd
Location: North Parking Lot of John Hendry Park at Trout Lake between Templeton and Lakewood south of the 13th Avenue Alley

Main Street Station Farmers Market:
2:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Every Wednesday June 1st to October 5th
Location: 1100 Block Station Street along Thornton Park across from the VIA Rail Station and near the Main St Skytrain Station

Mount Pleasant Farmers Market:
10:00 am – 2:00 pm
Every Sunday June 12th  – October 9th
 Location: Guelph Street between 7th & 8th Avenues (on the paved play area between Mt. Pleasant Elementary and Guelph Park)

River District Farmers Market:
10:00 am – 3:00 pm
Every Saturday May 14th  – October 15th
Location: 8683 Kerr Street (at E. Kent Avenue S.)

Il Mercato: Italian Market:
4:00 pm – 8:00 pm
June 17th, July 15th and August 19th
Location: Il Centro, Italian Cultural Centre, 3075 Slocan Street (off Grandview Highway)

We encourage you to come out and support these local producers and vendors.

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Eastside Flea Grand Opening Weekend April 16 & 17

14 Apr

EastsideFleaIn case you hadn’t heard, the Eastside Flea has found a new permanent home at the Ellis Building, 1024 Main Street. This flea market features it all including vintage goods, vinyl records, collectibles and handmade items by local artisans.  This weekend is the Grand Opening of their new space and it will be a 2 day event on April 16th and 17th.  They have been busy reworking their new digs and are ready to show it off.  Added bonus is Tacofino Food Truck will be on hand for those that get hungry while shopping. There will also be deejays on hand as well an artist show room and a few other surprises. The Eastside Flea will be open this Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. Come on down and check out their new space.

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