Richard Wolak of Vancouver Foodster is bringing back his Tasting Plates to Commercial Drive on September 4th. 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, Federico’s Supper Club, 1728 Commercial Drive, the day of the event. You bring your printed or digital tickets that you purchased online and in turn receive your Tasting Plates Cards and menus. Thereafter, 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. After registration and a bite at Federico’s Supper Club, we see Grounds For Coffee is on deck which assume will be featuring their much talked about cinnamon buns. A favourite participating is Fratelli Bakery, 1795 Commercial Drive, which is literally a hop across the street from Federico’s Supper Club. In case you don’t already know, Fratelli Bakery makes many Italian pastries including breads, cookies, cupcakes, biscotti and cakes. This is our go to place for St. Honore cake. JamJar with delish Lebanese eats is also on board. The full line up hasn’t been announced for this roving culinary tour, but being how many spots there are on The Drive, we expect the list to grow quickly. Early bird tickets are now on sale for $36 until August 23rd. After that date, you can purchase advance tickets for $45 per person and after September 1st, cost is $60 per person. So purchasing your ticket is the way to go. Tickets are available via Eventbrite. We expect this to be another tasty tour. 
Tasting Plates Return To Commercial Drive September 4th
14 Aug
Cooking Class ‘Mexican Fiesta’ At Gourmet Warehouse September 19th
12 Aug
Looking to kick up your cooking skills in the kitchen a notch? You can’t go wrong with Mexican food for a get together. Having brought various ceviches to gatherings with friends, it is always a popular hit and easy to keep some aside to make a vegan option. On September 19th, Sue Wiebe hosts a class at Gourmet Warehouse showing you how easy it is to put together a Mexican spread with fresh ingredients. This is an evening class beginning at 6:00 pm. We’ve set out the menu below:
• Shrimp and avocado ceviche
• Fish tacos with tropical slaw and lime crema
• Steak skewers with chimichurri sauce
• Tres Leche Cake with fresh mango and cream
Come hungry, you will get to eat everything that is made the day of the class. Note, after each class, everyone has the opportunity to shop in store with a 10% discount on items purchased the day of your class. To register, visit Gourmet Warehouse.
Bon appetit!
Photo Credit: Gourmet Warehouse
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Les Amis du Fromage Announces Wine & Cheese Tastings Coming This Fall
1 Aug
If you love wine and cheese, you will want to to check out some of tastings that les amis du Fromage has coming this Fall to their East Van location (843 East Hastings Street). If are enjoying Summer and thinking Fall is a long ways off, well these courses are not really that far off . We’ve set out the two tastings coming up:
Blue Mountain Cheese Tasting-October 21, 2019
Blue Mountain Vineyards and Cellars is located in Okanagan Falls and is a great winery to visit with some beautiful wines. But you don’t have to travel to the Okanagan to taste some of their wines, you can just make your way to les amis du fromage on October 21st. Tasting kicks off at 6:30. Tickets are $80. To purchase tickets, visit les amis du Fromage.
Little Farm Winery – November 4, 2019
The Little Farm Winery is based in Cawston, BC and is a small producer of single vineyard Chardonnay. Tasting kicks off at 6:30 pm on November 4th. Tickets again are $80. To purchase your tickets, visit les amis du Fromage. If you wish to learn more about this sweet little winery, we invite you to check out this nice piece in Montecristo Magazine titled ‘Risk and Romance‘.
If you don’t already know les amis du FROMAGE, has been voted “Best Cheese Shop” by readers of The Georgia Straight and The Courier repeatedly. They have another location in Kitsilano, but the tasting events are being held at the East Van location. Tickets for these tastings are available online. Although these classes seems a little ways off into the future, these classes do sell out quickly. If interested, we suggest you reserve your spot(s). Refunds aren’t given, but you can transfer your spot to someone else.
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Yeast Van Patio Party At Container Brewing August 17th
29 Jul
The Yeast Van Brewery District Cooperative invites you to their first ever Patio Block Party at Container Brewing, 1216 Franklin Street, happening Saturday, August 17th. Tickets for the event are $20 and include 2 drink tickets. Extra drink tickets are available for $5.00 each. Big Day BBQ will be on hand with eats and Dr. Alex will be spinning vinyl. Lots of great local breweries will be participating in this event including Bomber Brewing, Luppolo, East Van, Off The Rail, Callister, Container, Strathcona, Hastings Mill, Postmark, Coal Harbour, Storm, Parallel 49, Odd Society Spirits, Resurrection Spirits, Andina, Powell, Strange Fellows and Superflux. So grab a ticket now, or at the door. To grab your ticket in advance, visit Eventbrite.
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New In Town: Oh Sweet Day! At 1st Avenue & Commercial Drive
15 Jul
If you love cheesecake, you will want to check out this newly opened spot, Oh Sweet Day! located at 1706 East 1st Avenue just off the Drive. The force behind this sweet space is Fanny Lam, a self-taught home baker who turned her love of baking into a blog, then a cookbook then a storefront. Outside of running a popular blog, writing a cookbook, Fanny has been selling her cakes for 2 years at farmer markets around the Lower Mainland. Lucky for us you can now find her signature cheesecakes as well as mousse cakes, ganache drip cakes, cupcakes, cake pops, shortbread tartlets and cookies at this sweet space off The Drive. If you are looking for gluten free or vegan options, they’ve got that too. We invite you to stop by and check out this new space. Alternatively, you can drool over the photos on her website at Visit Oh Sweet Day! online or in person. Their hours are currently Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday 10-6 and Friday and Saturday 10-7 and closed Tuesday. You can also find Oh Sweet Day! at farmer markets throughout the Lower Mainland.
Photo Credit: Oh Sweet Day!
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Car Free Day On Commercial Drive Sunday July 7th
26 Jun
You are invited to another great street party on The Drive. On Sunday, July 7th Car Free Day happens from Noon to 7:00 pm. The event stretches 15 blocks along Commercial Drive between Venables and The Grandview Cut. Car Free Day will feature activities for all ages, great food, entertainment, local artisans and advocacy for car free and green spaces. This is a free family friendly event which is very accessible by bus, Skytrain and cycling all of which are encouraged.
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Tiki Nights At Odd Society Spirits July 4th & August 1st
24 Jun
Summer is officially here and should you feel like you need a bit of a tropical vibe in your life, you may wish to mark a couple dates on your calendar. Local distiller, Odd Society Spirits, 1725 Powell Street, is hosting Tiki Nights this summer on Thursday, July 4th and Thursday, August 1st. You are invited to join them for a BBQ, music and refreshing Tiki drinks made by Barman Chad Rivard. We hear some special Tiki recipes will be available using their spirits. No ticket purchase required, just put on your best tropical dress or Hawaiian shirt and come down between 6:00 pm and 11:00 pm to take a little break from the everyday that’s not very far away.
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Did You Miss Vancouver Craft Beer Week? Nicole Alivojvodic Runs Down What You Missed
12 Jun
Kicking off on the last weekend of May every year, Vancouver Craft Beer Week (VCBW) is a 10-day celebration of craft beer, culminating at the historic PNE fairgrounds for a massive festival. Now celebrating its 10th year, VCBW festival saw thousands of craft beer and cider enthusiasts from all over the Lower Mainland and beyond this past weekend. This is a huge leap from the first festival, which started at a small venue hosting about 100 beer aficionados and 15 breweries. Over the past 9 years, it has evolved from Canada’s first-ever craft beer week into a multi award-winning cultural engine that showcases music, food, art, and craft beer at events across the city.
Not a beer drinker? You might want to consider becoming one. With brews like Fuggles & Warlock’s “The Last Mango Witbier” and the “Wide Mouth Watermelon Wheat Ale” courtesy of Foamers’ Folly (my two personal favourites) you might as well be drinking boozy fruit juice while lounging on the grass listening to live music. Beer connoisseur? Choose from more than 300 brews from 100+ breweries and cideries. With so much choice, you’re sure to find something new. And let’s not forget about the food. There were more than 15 food trucks throughout the festival grounds ready to satisfy any craving, be it mac n’ cheese, Triple O’s, or traditional pierogies. I have to say I was nearly as excited about getting a Bandidas burrito as I was to taste the beers.
If you haven’t yet attended the Vancouver Craft Beer Week Festival, mark you calendars for next year because this is the perfect way to kick off summer in Vancouver.
By Contributing Writer Nicole Alivojvodic
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What’s On East Van: June 7th Edition
7 Jun
Our weekly feature What’s On East Van sets out some cool events for the upcoming weekend. Beyond the weekend, we invite you to check out our Event Listing which is updated daily and features events for the month and beyond.
Wine Trivia Night – Everything Wine Vancouver – June 6th
Everything Wine in River District is hosting a Wine Trivia Night this Friday night. Think you know your wines? Come test your knowledge with the host while enjoying some great wine and snacks. Cost is $20. Fun gets under way at 6:30 pm.
Houseplant Cuttings Swap – Templeton Park Pool – June 8th
You are invited to bring your healthy houseplants or plant cuttings to trade this Saturday at the Grassy Field at Templeton Park Pool, 700 Templeton Drive. The swap happens between 10:30 am to 12:30 pm. If you plant to pick up new cuttings, don’t forget to bring a few pots to place them in.
10th Annual Vancouver Craft Beer Festival – PNE Fairgrounds – June 8th & 9th
If you love beer, this is the place to be this weekend. The 10th Annual Vancouver Craft Beer Festival happens this Saturday and Sunday at the PNE Fairgrounds. Featuring over 300 beers and ciders from BC and the US, there will be lots on offer including food trucks. Tickets are $39 for one day, or you can purchase a weekend pass for $65. Tickets are available through Ticketleader.
Bridal Pop Up – The Garden – June 8th
Are you planning a wedding? The Garden in Strathcona, 868 East Hastings Street, is hosting a Bridal Pop Up this Saturday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm in their studio space. They will have bridal pieces, floral displays and a wedding planner on hand. Free to attend.
Italian Day – Commercial Drive – June 9th
This is one of the biggest street parties in the City and a personal favourite, Italian Day happens this Sunday from Noon to 8:00 pm. Car traffic is blocked from the Grandview Cut to Venables Street for the day. There will be lots of great eats, live music and activities for all ages. Free to attend and wander.
Retro Design & Antiques Fair – Croatian Cultural Centre – June 9th
This Sunday you can find some 185 tables with vintage, collectables and antiques at the Croatian Cultural Centre. The event goes from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm .
Main Street Mixed Bag – Ellis Building – June 9th
Main Street Mixed Bag happens this Sunday from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm at the Ellis Building at 1024 Main Street. Great opportunity to check out awesome local talent and who knows what you might find. Admission is free. Kids and dogs welcome.
Cabaret Cirque – Rio Theatre – June 9th
A new production featuring a sexy circus cabaret comes to the Rio Theatre Sunday night. Cabaret Cirque features a sultry evening of entertainment with dancers, contortionists and a whole lot more. Show gets under way at 7:30 pm. Advance tickets are $25 and tickets at the door $30.
LIVE MUSIC, ENTERTAINMENT & COMEDY
Looking for more live music, did you know The Heatley in Strathcona regularly features live music? Every Sunday they offer bluegrass music with brunch 11 am – 3 pm.
Also 7 days a week, you will find live music at the Libra Room on The Drive. Tangent Café hosts live jazz Sunday nights from 6:00 to 8:30 pm. Saturday, Pat’s Pub has live jazz Saturday afternoons from 3:00 pm – 7:00 pm, no cover.
Looking to shop local? Be sure to check out one of the farmer markets happening this weekend. Saturday is Riley Park Farmers Market at 30th & Ontario from 10 am – 2 pm and Trout Lake Farmers Market from 9 am – 2 pm at John Hendry Park. Sunday, Mount Pleasant Farmers Market is back in Dude Chilling Park from 10:00 am – 2 pm. To see more of What’s On in East Vancouver, check our Event Listing. We also have a separate listing of Free Events for those on a budget and in Vancouver, who isn’t.
Image Credit: June Hunter
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10th Annual Vancouver Craft Beer Week Festival June 8 & 9, 2019
5 Jun
Love craft beer? If the answer is yes, you might want to make your way to the 10th Annual Vancouver Craft Beer Festival happening this Saturday and Sunday at the PNE Fairgrounds. This event which started in 2010 hosting just 100 beer lovers and 15 craft breweries has grown exponentially. This weekend you can expect over 300 beers and ciders for tasting. In case you missed that, if you are not a beer lover, there will also be 10 cideries on hand to mix things up. There will be local offerings of craft beer and cider as well as a number from across the border as well as 10 independent craft berries from the BC Ale Trail. If you get hungry, there will be a good selection of food trucks on hand for the festival. The Craft Beer Week Festival runs this Saturday, June 8th from 2:00 pm to 7:00 pm and Sunday, June 9th from 12:00 to 5:00 pm. Tickets are $39 for one day, or you can purchase a weekend pass for $65. Tickets are available through Ticketleader. Note: You must be 19+ to attend the Vancouver Craft Beer Week Festival and 2 pieces of ID are required for entry.
ILiveInEastVan.com 