Tag Archives: East Vancouver

Gourmet Warehouse Cooking Class Line Up For 2017

14 Dec

GourmetWarehouseLogoThe Gourmet Warehouse has another great line up of cooking classes for 2017. These classes are a great way to spend an afternoon and meet some like-minded food lovers. We recently did just that with a class led by Caren McSherry featuring holiday appetizers. Not only do you get to taste everything you make, but you leave with amazing recipes and great tips from an expert. Personally, we like the shopping after the cooking class as participants are offered a 10% discount for purchases made the day of your class. We have set out below some of the upcoming classes that caught our eye.  For a full line up of all the classes Gourmet Warehouse is offering visit Cooking Classes.

PHO-Fabulous – Thursday, March 23rd 6:00 pm ($65)

You are invited to join Chef Thompson Tran to learn the essential techniques for making authentic Pho (PH-UH) broth.  In this cool weather, there is nothing like an aromatic bowl of Pho to warm you up.  The menu Chef Tran has lined up for this class includes:

•  GOI DU-DU VA THIT HEO THOM, Green papaya and cabbage salad prawn and pork
•  PHO BO DAC BIET, Authentic South Vietnamese Pho
•  BANH LOT, a Chestnut Jelly in Ginger Syrup

Asian Bistro – Saturday, March 25th 11:00 am ($65) SOLD OUT

Chef Cindy Low teaches you how to make casual Asian food. Best of all, easy and fast dishes including potstickers, bao (filled steamed buns), Asian sticky chicken and a fav among many we know spicy green beans finished off with mango coconut ice cream.

• Potstickers – Class pork and vegetable dumpling, pan-friend with dipping sauce
• Asian turkey ragu bao – Asian Sloppy Joes in steamed buns
• Indodesian sticky chicken
• Szechuan spicy green beans wok fried with garlic and chili
• Steamed rice
• Mango coconut yogurt ice cream

Sunday Supper: France – Saturday April 8th 11:00 am ($69)

If you want to invite the family or friends for Sunday Supper with a French twist, Chef Cindy Low will teach you the ins and outs of putting on a casually elegant French dinner. Chef Low will teach you how to make a classic lamb stew, an easy spinach and strawberry salad, cherry clafouti and more. Menu for this upcoming class includes:

• Tartine with saute mushrooms in a creamy tarragon sauce

• Spinach salad with fresh strawberries, toasted almonds, raspberry vinaigrette

• Lamb navarin printainere – class lamb stew with spring vegetables

• Roast potatoes with rosemary and sea salt

• Cherry clafouti – baked custard with cherries

If you are interested in any of these cooking classes, be sure to register early to avoid disappointment. If you are unable to attend for any reason, refunds are not offered, but you can send someone in your place. Bon Appetit.

 

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Holiday Giftshop In SPACE – Collaborative Workshop December 9 – 21

12 Dec

spaceholidaygiftshop_square-01You are invited to a collaborative workspace and showroom at SPACE, 552 Clark Drive for their 2nd Annual Holiday Giftshop. The event runs from December 9th – December 21st from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm.  They will be featuring over 25 local  producers that make a variety of items including art work, leather goods, jewellery, ceramics and much more. Some of the local producers featured include Wasted Effort, By Nature Design, Willow and Stump, Ben Barber Studio, DMR Ceramics, Propellor Design, Nocturnal Workshop, Daly Co., OGA Designs, Pot Inc, Hand and Sew and Shrapnel Design. Pat Christie, Founder of SPACE has created “a playful environment to encourage people to ask questions and interact with products in a new way.”  Their Holiday Giftshop is building momentum for what will soon be a permanent showroom which will have an online store.  To learn more about SPACE and the products featured visit their online showroom.

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Trinity Street Christmas Lights 2016

8 Dec

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We see that many people have been searching for information on the Annual Trinity Street Christmas Light Festival.   This is one in which East Van residents of the 2400 – 2900 blocks of Trinity Street put up an amazing display of Christmas lights. Residents hosted Winter Walks and raised funds for local charities such as Kiwassa Neighbourhood House  The Trinity Street Christmas Light Festival started over 15 years ago to lift residents’ spirits after two elderly women were killed in their homes in the neighbourhood.  The event  has brought thousands of people in from all corners of the City and was a victim of its own success.  Unfortunately for residents, damage was done to vehicles of residents in the area, people didn’t heed the residents repeated requests to park and walk in, so the official festival has been cancelled. You can learn more about the cancellation of the festival by visiting CBC’s story featured last Christmas.  Now having said this, many residents are still putting up their Christmas lights which are on display for all to see.  Should you wish to see the lights, PLEASE respect the residents that live in the area and park and walk in.  Of course, if you wish to make an online donation to Kiwassa Neighbourhood House, it is a great community resource providing much needed programs.

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The Wood Shop Offers Do It Yourself Classes

7 Dec

reclaimedwoodAre you interested in making a table or storage trunk by hand? Maybe you don’t have the space or tools on hand to tackle that kind of project.  You may wish to check out the upcoming do it yourself classes being offered by The Wood Shop. The Wood Shop crafts one-of-a-kind wood furniture and home decor items out of reclaimed wood in and around Vancouver.  They also offer workshops that help you tackle a wood working project in one day. One upcoming workshop features a Reclaimed Wood Table which is designed to your preferences such as style, height and base.  You will learn how to use a variety of tools and in case you were wondering, no experience is required.  In the second workshop, you will learn how to make a Reclaimed Wood Storage Trunk, again to your design preferences.  Cost of each class is $160 plus materials. Workshops take place at 251 Southern Street in the False Creek Flats near Main & Terminal.  There is availability in their classes for 2017 and gift certificates are available for those that wish to make it a gift for someone this Christmas.  For more information or to register, visit their website at The Wood Shop.

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Giving Local Gifts For The Foodie In Your Life

6 Dec

theeastvanfoodiebookHere at ILiveInEastVan.com, we love food. Whether it’s making it, eating it, or some variation thereof.  In the last few months alone we’ve taken a Pie Making Workshop at The Pie Shoppe, an Appetizer Cooking Class with Caren McSherry at Gourmet Warehouse and most recently a Chocolate Making Workshop at The Soap Dispensary.  We have found a lot more friends and family favouring edible items as gifts whether food, spirits or accessories that compliment cooking, baking or creating delish refreshments at home.  With that in mind, we have set out some gift suggestions for the foodie in your life:

Cookbook – East Van Foodie

We’ve recently had the pleasure of putting our hands on a copy of The East Van Foodie just released mere weeks ago. This beautiful hard cover book is the work of Brad Hill and Chris Dagenais and is part cookbook, but at the same time features great stories about many of the amazing foodie spots in East Van. You will find smoking tips from the folks at The Acorn, the recipe for Pulled Pork Pancakes from The Red Wagon Café and the recipe for Vegan Tinga Tacos from Sal Y Limon. Did you know that Fets Whiskey Kitchen has the largest whiskey collection in Canada and the world’s largest collection of Scotch Malt Whiskey?  This is just one of many interesting tidbits you will find in this book.  We would be remiss if we didn’t mention the stunning photography that accompanies each foodie spot featured. We think this is a great gift for the foodie in your life. The book retails for $44.95 and is available at Chapters Indigo as well as long list of East Van spots including Havana Restaurant, Earnest Ice Cream, Cabrito’s Tapas, Odd Society Spirts, Bomber Brewing, Biercraft, Red Wagon Café, The Cascade Room, Pizza Farina, The Union, ChiCha Restaurant to name but a few.  To see the full list of where it’s available, visit The East Van Foodie online.

Craft Beer

No way we could just skip over craft beer as a gift for the beer lover. So many great breweries to choose from each with their own unique offering, but pretty much all offer growlers, many gift packs with glasses such as our friends at Dogwood Brewing which includes a growler fill in the cost of the gift pack. If you prefer to give the gift of a brewery tour, our friends at Vancouver Brewery Tours have that covered.

French Made Baking

Do you have someone with a sweet tooth in your life?  We wouldn’t pass up an amazing box of French macarons from French Made Baking. Located in Mount Pleasant, French Made Baking has 13 to 18 flavours on hand every day which now include some holiday flavours such  as peppermint dark chocolate, eggnog cream, orange gingerbread and black forest.  They offer beautiful gift boxes in two sizes, one with 6 macarons for $11.00 or a box of 12 macarons for $24.00.  These make a perfect hostess gift, stocking stuffer or thank you.

Gourmet Warehouse

Whether you are looking for stocking stuffers for the cook or baker in your life, or for someone that just loves to eat food, you have lots to choose from at Gourmet Warehouse. The choices can in fact be overwhelming if you don’t know what you have in mind.  If that’s you, Gourmet Warehouse has great gift baskets that they will make and send for you. Prices range from $50 – $175 and can be ordered online and delivered right to the person’s home. We have personally sent The Crates featured in the wooden boxes to rave reviews.

Odd Society Spirits

If you are looking for local spirits to give, we are pretty fond of Odd Society Spirits which has a great selection with their East Van Vodka, Wallflower Gin, Cassis, Bittersweet Vermouth and Oaken Wallflower Gin. During the holidays, we love to serve the cassis with prosecco, an easy cocktail when entertaining.

Sips Cocktail Emporium

Do you have someone that is into the art of making cocktails?  Then you may wish to pop into Sips Cocktail Emporium in Mount Pleasant. They have everything on hand for making the perfect cocktail save for the alcohol. Whether it’s tumblers, glasses, bitters, syrups, cocktail shakers, books with recipes, they have you covered. You can visit them in person at 339 East Broadway, but you can also visit them online at GoodSips.ca.

Japanese Knives

So we’ve learnt quite by accident that when it comes to quality knives in the kitchen, there is great demand and a culture around this art form. This is evidenced by the arrival of two great stores in East Van offering high quality knives. One being, KnifeWear at 4215 Main Street and Ai & Om Knives at 129 East Pender Street in Chinatown.  If you are buying a gift for someone that loves to cook, either of these spots will help you find that perfect knife that will last a lifetime.

Lisa Lou’s Chocolate Bar

Now if you have a chocolate lover in your life, you may wish to check out Lisa Lou’s Chocolate Bar at 1007 Main Street. We hear they have some amazing hot chocolates with flavours such as Salted Caramel, Peppermint, Chai, Dark & Mayan Elixir. We are these would make the perfect stocking stuffer or hostess gift. We’d be happy with any one of these flavours.

Earnest Ice Cream

So if you are looking for cool stocking stuffers, what about artisan ice cream. Yes we know ice cream melts, but thankfully Earnest Ice Cream has gift cards in $5 and $25 denominations.  Something we’d love to find in our stocking. Just pop into either one of their two locations whether Fraser Street or Quebec Street. christmastreevector

These are just a few suggestions, there are of course so many more.  If you wish to give the gift of experience as it relates to food, we invite you to check out our recent feature ‘Giving The Gift of Experience’ which features foodie tours and much more. 

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Holiday Décor Workshop At Britannia Community Centre December 10th

5 Dec

holidaystarpaivirytlvaaraWant to make some holiday memories? How about creating your own holiday decorations? This Saturday, December 10th, you are invited to create your own personal holiday décor at the Britannia Community Centre. This is a free event open to all ages from Noon to 4:00 pm and will be held in the Al Mattison Lounge.  There will be a number of local artists on hand to teach you everything you need to know. All you need to do is show up. The materials will be supplied. This is one of the many great community events offered at Britannia Community Centre.

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Story Story Lie Is Back At Café Deux Soleils December 10th

28 Nov

storystorylieIf you have yet to catch Story Story Lie, you are in luck it’s back at Café Deux Soleils on Saturday, December 10th.  Are you good at reading people? Do you think you can spot a liar a mile away? Well now you can find out, in a rather fun way. The show is part storytelling and part game show.  You will hear five embarrassing and intimate stories and one lie. Through some interrogation the audience gets to guess who the liar is. First one to guess wins a prize.  Storytellers for the upcoming show include Jayson MacDonald (Famed Fringe Performer), RC Weslowski (Waxed Poetic Radio), Yumi Nagashima (International Stand up comedian), Nyla Carpentier (Poet, Actor and Powwow Dancer) and Steve Allen (Komedy at Kino).  The evening will be hosted and produced by Jo Dworschak.  The show gets under way at 8:00 pm. You can purchase your tickets in advance on Eventbrite for $6, or at the door for $8. Come out and see if you can spot the liar.

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Holiday Studio Sale: June Hunter – November 25 to 27, 2016

24 Nov

junehunter3panelsEast Van artist, June Hunter, is gearing up for her annual Holiday Studio Sale which takes place on November 25-27, 2016. If you follow us regularly, you know we are big fans of her work.   June has a way with nature that shows in all her pieces, but we especially love her photography.  If you happened to catch the recent article in the Vancouver Sun on Forest Bathing, it is one of the up and coming trends of 2017. June’s been ahead of that curve (as have many of us) for years, but do check out June’s recent feature on Forest Bathing on her blog. Along with the article, you will find some amazing photographs in nature. We invite you to check them out and you will see the affects of forest bathing on her office mate, Geordie in before and after photos. 

And this weekend, you can meet June in person, see her amazing creations and check out her back yard studio. The studio is located in the back of her home for which she has to be one of the world’s shortest commutes. We are only a little bit envious. Add to that, she has some of the best work mates, Geordie and Edgar.  The first being a rescue dog that came from a high kill shelter earlier this year to his new loving home with his new pal Edgar the cat with serious catitude. As an animal lover, June is very well versed in all thing crows and you will see crows and other birds featured prominently in much of her work. At this weekend’s Holiday Sale, you can expect to find discounts on jewellery, tiles, magnets, crow-bar art panels, ornaments and wood panels as well as the opportunity to see some of her larger pieces like her new  raven/crow plexiglass pieces. Snacks and refreshments will be served among the twinkly lights around her studio. June Hunter’s Studio is located at 2785 Parker Street (one block west of Renfrew – between Hastings St. and First Avenue). The Holiday Studio Sale takes place Friday, November 25th 2:00 pm – 7:00 pm and November 26th & 27th from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm.

If you are not able to attend the Holiday Studio Sale, you can also catch June at the Make It Holiday Market December 8-11 happening at the PNE Forum Building, 2901 E. Hastings Street. You can also visit her Shop Online 24/7 or find some of her work at Doctor Vigari Gallery, 1816 Commercial Drive.

Photos Courtesy of June Hunter Images 

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Giving The Gift Of Experience This Holiday Season

23 Nov

giftboxbluestevenbulhoesIt’s that time of year when gift giving is front of mind for the holiday season.  We love to receive thoughtful gifts over the holiday season, but as one that lives in a condo with limited space and having acquired a lot of things over the years to fill that space, there is only so much room for more ‘things’.  Thus, we are big fans of giving the gift of experience which has the added benefit of creating memories and not just for the few minutes you are opening your gift, but for the many hours while the recipient enjoys your gifted experience. In East Vancouver, there are some great options for gifting an experience. We have set out below a sampling of ideas that speak to us.

Vancouver Brewery Tours

Founded in 2013 by local craft beer enthusiast Ryan Mackey, Vancouver Brewery Tours offers behind the scences excursions to more than 18 local craft breweries. Vancouver Brewery Tours offers walking tours as well as ones in their comfortable vans that take you to various breweries for some VIP treatment.  Having experienced this tour first hand, we can say they make this a great experience. Tour guides are knowledgeable about beer, the brewing process and the collaborative community behind the making of beer.  Any one of their 3 tours would make a great gift for the beer enthusiast.  Your options include a three-hour walking tour of Brewery Creek at $69.99, a four-hour van tour at $79.99 and you have the option of a  four-hour Beer and Food Tours at $89.99.

Off The Eaten Track Walking Tours

The ladies behind Off The Eaten Track Walking Tours provide some delicious walking tours in which you get to taste your way around the City.  They’ve expanded to other cities being Victoria and Banff so should you be buying a gift for someone out of the City, something to keep in mind. But for those buying for family or friends locally, Off The Eaten Track Tours offers their Railtown Urban Eats Tour for $59.99, Vancouver’s Best Brunch Tour at $69.99 and Main Street Hidden Gems Tour for $69.99.  Each tour offers something a little different, but always tasty.  Having organized similar tours for friends in pockets of East Vancouver, we know first hand these tours are well received.

Les amis du FROMAGE – Wine & Cheese Tasting Classes

les amis du FROMAGE is a wonderful family owned and operated specialty cheese store with two locations in Vancouver, but our go to spot is their East Van location on East Hastings in Strathcona.  Outside of having an amazing selection of cheese both local and imported, they also have on hand charcuterie, frozen soups and meals as well as many items to help with your entertaining needs.  Add to that, they have some delicious Cheese Tasting Classes  which are held at their East Van location. As luck would have it, they’ve just released their upcoming classes for the New Year . Your choices include Cheese & Wine 101 January 25th, 2017 and Ole Espana on February 28th, 2017 and Vive la France on March 29th, 2017.   Heads up though, class size is limited and some of these classes do sell out. Classes generally run between $60 – $65 and wine is usually served with the tastings.  We think these would make a great gift for the cheese loving foodie on your giving gift listing.  

Federico’s Supper Club – Dinner & Dancing

If know someone that loves to dance, then you may wish to consider a gift certificate to Federico’s Supper Club for a night of dinner and dancing.  Federico’s Supper Club has great Italian food in the heart of Little Italy on Commercial Drive. Add to that amazing staff and impeccable service.  Owner, Federico Fuoco, belts out great tunes most nights, but they often showcase special guests such as Abra Cadabra an Abba Tribute or Nearly Neil for a Neil Diamond Tribute along with many others.  For those that love to put on their dancing shoes, this would make a great gift.

The gift of experience is a gift that keeps on giving, the memories will stay with them for many years to come.  Add to that, it’s eco-friendly and supports local. Win win all around as we see it.

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Eastside Culture Crawl – Bits, Bites, Beer & More On The Crawl

18 Nov

foodimageFor all those participating in this year’s Eastside Culture Crawl which is taking place November 17- 20, 2016, we have a few thoughts on where to stop to refuel. We know from first hand experience all that walking on the Crawl makes you hungry and thirsty and the opportunity to put your feet up for a bit, is a welcome one.   With that in mind, we thought we would set out some delish spots to check out for a bite, refreshment or more.  As the Crawl covers a great deal of ground, we have set it out by geographic area. Since our experience has been to pick a general area to concentrate on and stop in at a number of artists within walking distance.

Hastings Sunrise

In Hastings Sunrise, there is no lack of choices along the stretch of East Hastings. Some great options include Roundel Café, Jackalope’s Dive and Red Wagon Café for brunch for starters. For coffee, we’d hit Platform 7 Coffee. Of course, for lunch or brunch, Tacofino Commissary is a no brainer anytime. If you have a hankering for something sweet, well a couple of great options include Black Rook Bakehouse and East Village Bakery.

Grandview Woodlands

If you are wandering in the Grandview Woodlands area, you could start with breakfast or lunch at Scandillious at 25 Victoria Drive. Looking for coffee? We’d hit Pallet Roasters.  If it’s a stop for beer or a cocktail, check out Parallel 49 Brewing, Doan’s Craft Brewing, Storm Brewing or Odd Society Spirits.  Looking for something sweet, well the Pie Shoppe on Powell Street at Victoria has that covered off with a selection of handmade chocolate from Melt Confections on hand along with their amazing pie. If you are looking for dinner after the Crawl, Bistro Wagon Rogue that has casual French fare and it’s located right next to the Pie Shoppe on Powell Street.

Commercial Drive

On Commercial Drive you have a plethora of options whether it’s coffee, cocktails or a bite.  We couldn’t even begin to name them all, but a few that come to mind include Moja’s Coffee, Continental Coffee, The Drive Coffee Bar and Turks. For the perfect sandwhich to go (and big enough for two in most cases), we recommend La Grotta del Fromaggio. While there, we highly suggest a stop into Fratelli Bakery next door. If it’s brunch you are looking for, Havana Restaurant and is one of many great spots on the Drive. Just up the street you have Biercraft which also serves brunch and a great selection of beer.  Of course just a quick walk from The Drive down Venables is Uprising Breads for a great coffee and snack spot. Oh and we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention a favourite spot for licorice lovers, the Licorice Parlour.  If you are looking for pizza on The Drive, there are a few options Famoso, Lombardo’s, Marcello’s and just off The Drive on Victoria Drive is a personal favourite Via Tevere Pizzeria.

Strathcona/Railtown

Well there are some delish stops in this general area including the Settlement Building in Railtown which is a great spot for brunch before you start or a glass of beer or wine during or after. Les Amis du Fromage is hosting a Pop Up Shop with the Salty Cookie Company this Saturday, November 19th. So if you  have a sweet craving, we do encourage you stop by.  If you are looking for dinner after Ask for Luigi is in the area as is the MacKenzie Room directly across from Oppenheimer Park and The Heatley not far down the street.   If you wish to make a stop for coffee, the Wilder Snail in the heart of Strathcona is a quaint option.

Clark Drive

This is a developing area which we expect will be changing more in the coming years. Right now  it’s home to Strange Fellows Brewing which is featuring Moving Art as part of the Crawl, so beer and art under one roof. For coffee, check out Agro Roasters at Frances Avenue on Clark Drive. For sushi and something quick and reasonable, Fujiya at the corner of Clark and Venables. Of course, Yolks Breakfast at East Hastings has breakfast all day to fuel you and if it’s beer you are after Callister Brewing just off Clark on Franklin Street is a collaborative brewery which always has some great art on hand all year long.

Which every way you slice it and where you decide to Crawl, get out and see some great art!

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