Our 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.
Gourmet Ice Cream Tours By Off The Eaten Track
8 Jun
Italian Day Happens Sunday June 12th On The Drive
30 May
East Van is home to many great community events and June is shaping up to be a busy month. We can look forward to Car Free Day, The Italian Market, East Van Garden Tour, but one of our favourites is coming up Italian Day on Sunday, June 12th. This is your chance to experience everything Italian from food, to music to culture. Now in its 7th year, the Drive will basically be transformed into one large piazza where you can wander from one end of the Drive to the other. This year’s theme is Mangiamo! Let’s Eat! As you might expect, Italian food will be showcased and they do it so well. There will be lots of events, live music and entertainment along the Drive throughout the day. The Britannia Community Centre will also host a special Pasta Jewellery project led by East Van artist Paula Luther. This will be a free outdoor workshop set up in the Napier Greenway for pasta lovers of any age. It’s on a drop-in basis and all the materials are supplied. The Pasta Jewellery Project runs from Noon to 4:00 pm. Also for the kids, there will be arts and crafts in the Little Italy Kids Zone and Funswing amusement rides in Grandview Park as well as balloon twisting and face painting. Some other fun activities include the Whitecaps/BMO Fun Zone with kicking cage as well as the very popular Bocce Court.
On Italian Day, you will be able to walk the Drive from Broadway to Venables and find over 100 merchants and guest vendors, a line up of food trucks and carts, more than 20 restaurant patios and an array of things to see and do. Of course, we do expect to find Federico Fuoco center stage drawing a crowd as always at the 2nd Avenue Main Stage. There is also a special feature planned to celebrate the official ‘Little Italy’ designation which pays tribute to over 50 years of Italian heritage on Commercial Drive. There have been 8 blocks officially sanctioned Little Italy by the City of Vancouver which will be christened with banners and crosswalks on June 12th. Come out and celebrate all things Italian!
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Foto Friday – Featuring The Art Of L.J. Throstle
27 May
In today’s Foto Friday, we would like to introduce you to the artwork of L.J. Throstle. L.J. hails from the UK, but has made East Van home for many years. You can see that L.J. has a very unique style developed from pen and ink drawings and is mixed with acrylics with an emphasis on the many layers of light and contrast. More recently, her work is in mixed media using single use stencils and acrylic spray paint. Her subjects vary from people to animals to whatever inspires her. L.J. also lives with epilepsy which is often disruptive and debilitating. Therefore, her work is in spurts and works when she is well enough to do so. We think L.J.’s art is very unique and would like to share some of her pieces with you on this week’s Foto Friday. If you would like to check out more of L.J.’s work, we invite you to check out her website at L.J. Throstle. You will see some of her works are available for purchase. Personally, we are quite in love the Great Grey Owl (pictured above). Stunning piece, I envision it hanging on the wall of a new brewery. Just saying!
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Free Events Happening In East Van
26 May
We all know, life is expensive. That got us to thinking about the many free events that regularly take place in and around East Vancouver. Our community centers always have lots of family friendly events open to all ages. There also free movies, art exhibitions and much more. We wanted to share some of the free events that we’ve come across that will be happening in East Van in the coming months. Note, we do update this list regularly.
APRIL 2018
Apr. 1: Golden Egg Hunt – River District 10 am – 1 pm
Apr. 1: Easter Eggstravaganza Swim – Britannia Pool 2:30 – 5:00 pm
Apr. 2: Holiday Free Skate – Britannia Rink 1:00 – 3:30 pm
Apr. 4: Exhibit Opening Reception – Cultch Gallery 6-8 pm
Apr. 4: Drop In Stitch & Craft In The Lounge – Wise Hall 5-10 pm
Apr. 6: Youth Free Swim – Britannia Pool 8 – 10 pm
Apr. 6: Flavours of Puglia – Italian Cultural Centre 7 pm
Apr. 6: Movie ‘Wall-E’ – Renfrew Public Library 3:30 pm
Apr. 11: Drop In Stitch & Craft In The Lounge – Wise Hall 5-10 pm
Apr. 13: Movie ‘Mother’ – Mount Pleasant Branch Library 6 pm
Apr. 15: Bird On Stilts Workshop – Trout Lake Comm. Centre 11:15 am
Apr. 21: Earth Day Parade – Commercial Drive & Broadway 1 pm Start
Apr. 21: Earth Day Festival – Grandview Park 1:45 pm – 3:00 pm
Apr. 21: Earth Day Celebration – Everett Crowley Park 11 am – 3 pm
Apr. 25: Emergency Preparedness Workshop – Sunset Community Centre 7 pm
Apr. 28: Workshop ‘Plastic Free Living‘ – Lupii Cafe
Apr. 29: World Music Festival All Ages Event – Trout Lake Comm. 11:30 – 3:30
MAY 2018
May 2: Emergency Preparedness Workshop – Sunset Community Centre 1 pm
May 2: Emergency Preparedness Workshop – Trout Lake Comm. Centre 7 pm
May 2: Emergency Preparedness Workshop – Renfrew Park Comm. Centre 7 pm
May 5: Mother’s Day Crafternoon – Lupii Café
May 6: Bird On Stilts Workshop – Trout Lake Comm. Centre 11 am
May 12: 23rd Annual Stone Soup Festival – Napier Greenway Noon – 5 pm
May 26: Cedar Cottage Community Garden Spring Fling 11-3
If you know of a free event you think should be added to this list, drop us a line ILiveInEastVan@gmail.com. We’d love to hear about it.
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The Whip Hosts 9th Annual Show & Shine May 29th
23 May
The 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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Wreath & Floral Crown Workshops At Bird On A Wire Creations
19 May
We recently stopped in at Bird On A Wire Creations in Mount Pleasant. If you don’t know the store, it is a great artisanal gift shop located at 2535 Main Street near Broadway. We noted a few personal favourite artisans in store, but what was hard to miss was a colourful display of flowers in the corner of the store which we learnt was Bouquets by Mary. On some Saturdays, you will find Mary Kelava hosting a small Pop Up Shop with stunning bouquets available for very reasonable prices. The bouquets we saw featured were $25 and beautiful. What we also learnt is that Mary will be conducting some floral workshops at Bird On A Wire Creations in June. We’ve set out the two upcoming workshops below:
Living Wreath Workshop – June 4th
You will learn how to make a succulent living wreath in a 2 hour class which runs from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm at a cost of $55 which includes all the materials. You can book your spot by calling Bird On A Wire Creations at T: 604.315.1188 or by booking online at Bird On A Wire.
Floral Crown Workshop – June 11th
Have a wedding come up? Well these would be a great idea for the bride to be whether for the actual day or for her wedding shower. On June 11th, learn how to make a floral crown. Everything will be provided for you. Cost of this class is also $55 and also runs from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm.
If you are interested in the Floral Pop Up shops and picking up some stunning flowers, note Mary is not in store every Saturday and we hear she won’t be there over the upcoming long weekend, but she will be back on May 28th.
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The Best Thing Since Sliced Bread – The Jean Hanger Being Designed At MakerLabs
18 May
Something very cool has been happening at MakerLabs in East Vancouver. This creative co-operative hub space is currently home to another innovation. Steven Sal Debus, a Vancouver designer, has been working on a new product idea and prototype, specifically the Jean Hanger. His initial steps with his new design were met with quick success. He recently launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise a funding goal of $20,000 to cover his initial costs which goal he reached in under 48 hours.
So what is the Jean Hanger? The Jean Hanger is made for yes, you guessed it jeans. It is one solid piece of beech wood with no moving parts, but allows for easy hanging by the belt loops of your jeans. As we know, putting jeans in the dyer, shortens the life span, so the Jean Hangar can be used for drying your jeans as well as hanging them right into the closet. Steven Sal Debus believes that nothing needs to be created unless it solves a problem. He hopes to use the proceeds from a successful crowdfunding campaign to launch a design company dedicated to building smarter products that save time and conserve energy. Steven’s aim now that he’s recovered his initial design costs is to raise $100,000 to launch his design company at MakerLabs. If you would like to learn more about Steven’s Kickstarter campaign and the Jean Hangar, we invite you to check out Kickstarter-Jean Hanger. Last check we made, Steven had 888 backers and has raised over $50,000 so he is well on his way. Of course, we think it’s great to see so much support for this local designer. The kickstarter campaign runs till June 17th, we invite you to check out the best thing since sliced bread.
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New In Town – Golden Thread Consulting: Support For Your Small Business
16 May
For those that follow us regularly, you know that we love featuring local businesses, makers and artisans. If you yourself are a local business, artisan or maker who is trying to do and be everything, we know all too well it’s near impossible. Not only are there not enough hours in the day, but one’s sanity and quality of life come into play. So today we would like to introduce you to the cavalry that is here to help, that being Maria Marcakis who is the Principal and Founder of Golden Thread Consulting. Maria is based in East Vancouver and provides customized administrative support solutions for small businesses under the title of Administrative Consultant. An Administrative Consultant is not a virtual or administrative assistant, but a hybrid between one who performs specific administrative work while consulting (providing expert advice, professionally). Assistance is available on an ongoing monthly basis or is offered on a per project basis. Maria has over 14 years administrative experience including executive assistance, recruiting, and all types of administrative work in for profit and non-profit organizations. Some of the things she may be able to assist you with include:
- You need to set up relationships with new or existing vendors to ensure smooth running of paperwork,
- You need research done on a particular software you need to implement,
- You want to create or finish that employee handbook, toolkit or report that has been on the back burner for 2 years,
- You want to increase your employee satisfaction and need a survey, data analysis and/or ways to implement the changes you want to see,
- Drafting presentations, consulting on how to give better presentations, etc.
- Advice on how to streamline your website to create a better user experience,
- Any miscellaneous higher level items that require time and attention that take you away from other aspects of running and growing your business.
- Create new procedures to streamline your business
- Help you plan and organize a Pop Up Shop
If you are wondering what it costs for these services, Golden Thread Consulting uses a value-based model. Maria does not charge by the hour, but quotes are based on individual business needs. Maria is more than happy to provide a complimentary consultation to discuss your needs. We invite you to check out her website to learn more about how she can assist you. She’s mastered the art of efficiency, something we aim for every day. From having met Maria, we are confident she will be able to help you be more efficient in your business and complete projects which help move your business forward.
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Roving Food Tour – Tasting Plates Returns To The East Village May 18th
12 May
Richard 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
If 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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