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New In Town: We Check Out Plenty + Spare

14 Apr

Plenty+Spare2The commercial landscape along East Hastings in the Hastings Sunrise area has seen a few changes lately and we expect there will be a few more in the coming months. We went to check out the most recent addition, being Plenty + Spare located at 2168 East Hastings Street. If you need any inspiration, they are conveniently located next to East Village Bakery. Plenty + Spare had their grand opening one week ago today after spending a few weeks getting organized in their new space.  They carry their own line of soap and  skincare products that are made without a long list of items you don’t want in your skincare products which are locally sourced whenever possible. The store also has a selection of houseware items which they will be adding to in the coming weeks and months.   If you can’t make it over to this part of East Van, their products are also available in a number of other retail locations including a few favourites of ours such as The Soap Dispensary and Much & Little on Main Street, Scout & Co. in Steveston and The Good Omen in New Westminster. For a full rundown of where their products are available, visit their website at Plenty + Spare. On the other hand if you wish to learn to make products yourself, you may wish to check our their do-it yourself workshops they will be hosting. Self-Care Sunday Workshops begin Sunday, April 30th at a cost of $56 per person.  Plenty + Spare is open Wednesday to Friday from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm and Saturday from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm.  Stop by and support this great new addition to our local business community.

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Chocolate Challenge Returns To The Gourmet Warehouse April 27, 2017

3 Apr

image descriptionIf you love chocolate, the Gourmet Warehouse is the place to be on Thursday, April 27th. They are  once again hosting the very delish Chocolate Challenge. This event pits 8 chocolatiers against each other to create something decadent with chocolate.  You have the opportunity to taste and vote who wins top prize for the best creation. In addition to chocolate, your ticket includes tastings from Earnest Ice Cream, The Preservatory, Stumptown Coffee, Tacomio, Tartine Tarts, Terra Breads, and Yorshire Tea.  Best part of all 100% of ticket sales, silent and live auction proceeds will go to the Strathcona Backpack Program, Project Chef and the Vancouver Firefighters `Snacks for Kids` Program. Tickets are $75 and can be purchased directly from Gourmet Warehouse. Event gets under way at 6:30 pm.  Come out and support this fun evening for 3 great local causes.

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Art For Meditation and Mindful Living By East Van Artist Carolyn Trotter

24 Mar

BaliBlissMeditationMatWe recently attended the Health & Wellness Show held in Vancouver and had the pleasure of chatting with Carolyn Trotter of Mandala Blooms Creative. Carolyn is an East Vancouver artist that makes beautiful meditation mats under the name of Mandala Creative Blooms. She received a Diploma in Art in Merchandising from Langara College and has studied graphic design, printmaking, sacred geometry, technical illustration, interior design and visual marketing in both Canada and Mexico. A series of life experiences and health challenges brought Carolyn to study yoga and meditation.  In 2014, Carolyn launched her business designing floral meditation mats with mandala centres. They are designed to provide a sacred centerpiece for a serene space to meditate.  Carolyn is committed to the integration of art, personal health and daily mindfulness with the intention of helping people heal.  Carolyn herself has faced many challenges in her life and her secrets for getting well were yoga and meditation. These practices enabled Carolyn to stay focused on the things that matter most.  We invite you to visit Mandala Blooms Creative online shop open 24/7.  Carolyn also makes colourful yoga towels with her designs as well as framed prints of her designs.  If you dig a bit deeper, you can also find some paintings at CarolynTrotter.com which we have to say, we’d love to see on any of our walls.

 

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The Wood Shop – More DIY Workshops This Spring

22 Mar

reclaimedwoodAre you interested in tackling some DIY yourself projects for home, but don’t have the space? In case you haven’t heard, The Wood Shop, features some great one day do-it-yourself workshops.  They are currently offering four workshops. You can choose to make a dining table, headboard, storage trunk or a planter box.  The Wood Shop provides the space and the tools for the project you wish to tackle.  Each workshop is led by an experienced Wood Working Educator in a professional wood working shop.  You will learn how to use wood working tools and learn some introductory fabrication and finishing concepts. When they aren’t teaching classes, the Wood Shop crafts one-of-a-kind furniture and home décor items out of reclaimed wood. Cost of each class varies depending on what you choose to make, but they are offering a variety of dates. Workshops take place at 251 Southern Creek in the False Creek Flats near Main Street and Terminal Avenue.  Heads up, the last time we featured these classes, they filled up quickly. Should you wish to tackle one of their projects, we recommend registering early.  Note, gift certificates are available should you wish to give an early Father’s Day present  For more information or to register, visit their website at  The Wood Shop.

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Call For Artists By Shiny Fuzzy Muddy Show For December 2017

20 Mar

CallingALLMakersAre you a local maker, artist or crafter?  Shiny Fuzzy Muddy is looking for you.  They are getting prepared to host their 15th Annual Shiny Fuzzy Muddy Show on December  9 and 10, 2017 at the Heritage Hall. If you are unfamiliar with this show, it is one of ‘the’ shows to check out over the holiday season featuring high quality design and craftsmanship. They curate an amazing line up of talent. Applications are now being accepted for December’s event. If you are new artist, you also have the opportunity to submit an application under their Emerging Artist Program.  Every year, they sponsor one artist/maker with under 3 years of professional experience. They provide them with a booth free of cost, so they can spend that money on supplies and display materials to help them grow their handmade business. They also provide mentorship, promotion and a chance for the artist to get a feel for the market at low risk to them. They are big believers in supporting up and coming talent and are now proud to offer this program for a 3rd year. All artists, makers and crafters are invited to submit their applications by the March 31st, 2017 deadline. To apply, visit ShinyFuzzyMuddy.com.

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The Bridal Swap Is Happening At The Croatian Cultural Centre Sunday April 2, 2017

15 Mar

BridalSwapAre you planning a wedding this year or maybe next year?  If so, we have something for you. Weddings as many know are a fairly large expenditure, even if you are doing it on a budget.  That is why we love the concept of The Bridal Swap happening April 2nd at the Croatian Cultural Centre. If you are unfamiliar with this unique concept, it brings together past brides, brides to be, decorators, wedding planners and craft artisans all under one roof.  For brides to be, you have the opportunity to purchase gently used items from past brides and, of course, past brides have the opportunity to sell items from their weddings which could include the ‘dress’ and wedding décor including centerpieces, candles, linens, glassware and vases to name but a few items on hand. So instead of buying all new, it’s a great opportunity to re-use and repurpose items which we are big fans of.  The Bridal Swap will also have on hand an array of artisans offering handmade items or services for your wedding day including photographers, jewellery, cakes, wedding favours, flowers, invitations and the list goes on.  Bridal Swap takes place on Sunday, April 2nd from 10:30 am to 3:00 pm. Tickets are available through Eventbrite and you have two options $25 for early admission at 10:30 a.m. for first choice on items, or $15 for admission after 11:30 a.m. Now if you are a Past Bride and wish to sell some items, you are in luck, there are a few spots left. Tables are $50 and organizers are offering our followers $5 off with the discount code ILIVEINEASTVAN17.

 

 

 

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The 10th Annual Nifty For Fifty Sale At The Heritage Hall April 9th

13 Mar

Nifty502017One of the best sales in the City is back on Sunday, April 9th at the Heritage Hall, 3102 Main Street.  Nifty for Fifty was founded by Adhesif Clothing designer, Melissa Ferreira, in 2007 with 12 designers. It has now grown to 30 sellers with over 3,000 shoppers attending the one day sale. This year is their 10th anniversary and we expect it will be one of the best sales yet. If you are not familiar with Nifty For Fifty, the sale is a way for designers to show gratitude to their customers by clearing out local merchandise all of which is $50 or less. You can expect to find clothing, jewelry, bags, scarves and much more by 30 local designers. Some local returning designers that will be on hand include Adhesif Clothing, Allison Wonderland, and Daub & Design. There are a host of new participants this year including Black Bird Studios with nature inspired ceramics, Lana Betty with gold and silver 3D printed jewellery, Scandinazn with handmade repurposed leather goods, Wallis-Evera with modern hemp business wear and Winterluxe with recycled cashmere.    A number of items available on this day will be up to 80% off. So mark your calendar for this shopping event, but just a reminder this is a mainly cash event. For those that want the best selection or first dibs at some of the great deals, we recommend you get their early. The sale starts at 11:00 a.m. and goes to 8:00 p.m. Admission is $2 at the door.

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5th Annual East Side Beer Fest At The Wise Hall on March 15, 2017

3 Mar

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Liberty Merchant Company presents the 5th Annual East Side Beer Fest tasting event on Wednesday, March 15th at the Wise Hall, 1882 Adanac Street. The event will feature craft beers from all over the world as well as bits of food from food purveyors on Commercial Drive. This event is also 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.  Tickets are $24.99 each and 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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Hastings North BIA Launches East Village Brewery & Distillery Passport February 24, 2017  

24 Feb

EastVillageBreweryTour.pngOne of our earliest posts was a self-guided tour aimed at discovering some of the hidden gems tucked away below East Hastings Street at the foot of Commercial Drive.  Now the Hastings North Business Improvement Association has created the East Village Brewery & Distillery Passport to help guide you to the 6 craft breweries and 1 craft distiller tucked away in the less travelled routes of the City.  To participate in this self-guided tour, all you need to do is pick up a Passport at any one of the 7 participating locations in the East Village. Your Passport contains a map with all the participating breweries and distillery located within easy sipping distance from each other. All you are required to do is, to start exploring and tasting. Generally speaking, this exploration is fairly walkable, save for Bomber Brewing which is a little further South. Lots (if not all) of the breweries have bike racks out front for those that wish to cycle between their destinations. When you take your passport to each destination, get a stamp from each participating brewery/distiller. Once you’ve collected your 7 stamps, you will receive an East Village branded growler. Taking part in The East Village Brewery & Distillery Passport will be the area’s oldest brewery (established in 1995) Storm Brewing, as well as Parallel 49 Brewing, Powell Street Craft Brewery, Doan’s Craft Brewing Co., Callister Brewing Co., Bomber Brewing, Andina Brewing and Odd Society Spirits.  If you are taking the tour on a weekend, our personal recommendation would be to land at Odd Society Spirits for their free tour that happens every Saturday and Sunday at 4:00 pm.  They provide a great background and history on the process and science of making craft spirits. Did we mention the owners are pretty passionate about what they do? It certainly comes across in everything they do.

However you choose to do the East Village Brewery & Distillery Tour is up to you, ie. you could hit all the spots in one day, break it down into 2 days or more.  While in the area though, we do have a few suggestions. When you stop in at Callister Brewing Co., which houses a few micro breweries, be sure to check out the art on the wall.  When stopping at Doan’s Craft Brewing, make some time for the arcade games while sampling their beer. Pac Man is our go to, but there some 80+ games to choose from.  Whilst taste testing, we encourage food and some of the spots have snacks available or food trucks that are often nearby offering good eats.  En route you will find lots of great spots to start or finish your day or for a pit spot, some we recommend that you may stumble across in your path include Scandillious or Yolk’s for breakfast, The Pie Shoppe for a sweet treat, Bistro Wagon Rogue for dinner at the end of the day. NOTE: The good folks that bring you Parallel 49 Brewing have a newly renovated Tasting Room which also serves food. They’ve done something very cool and brought a food truck inside. Check out the feature in Metro News which has a few photos of their new set up.  We invite you to get out and enjoy some of the great craft beer in East Van.

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The Renaissance of Vermouth At Odd Society Spirits February 23rd

20 Feb

Vermouth.pngThere are so many interesting events popping up around East Van, it’s hard to keep up with them all. As we love all things food and drink , this event caught our eye, The Renaissance of Vermouth. It is being hosted by Odd Society Spirits this Thursday, February 23rd from 7:00 to 9:00 pm.  The cocktail lounge at Odd Society will be transformed into a Mediterranean tapas bar which will feature Italian and Spanish style bites prepared by Chef Jesse McMillan of Campagnolo ROMA. Vermouth will be poured with drinks expert Shaun Layton.  This is a casual standing room only event with tickets running $65 per person which includes tax and tip.  You can purchase your ticket(s) for this event by emailing Odd Society Spirits at info@oddsocietyspirits.com.

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