Tag Archives: Vancouver

Friends With Benefits Pop Up Shop June 17-23, 2016 In Strathcona

7 Jun

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Friends With Benefits and Bronze Age are teaming up for a Pop Up Shop in Strathcona from June 17-23, 2016.  They will be located in a studio space at 478 Union Street (at Jackson) with a host of local artisans and makers. We’ve learnt that the line up includes:

Woodlot Candles
Strathcona Stockings
Maggie Boyd Ceramics
AW by Andrea Wong
Foe and Dear
Bronze Age
Folk Fortune
Lissu Linens
Editorial Mag
Explorer’s Press
The Good Spirit
Karen La
Lacar
Lucy Poskitt
Greg Papove

They will also be hosting workshops and events during the week including:

June 17 – Launch Event. Drinks, shopping and good times 5-10 pm
June 20 – Beginner’s Weaving Class, 6 pm $60 (Includes Kit)
June 22 – Pom Pom Party, 7 pm $25 (Make a pom pom garland)
June 23 – Tunes by Daniel T. and Tarot Readings by The Good Spirit from 5-9 pm

So pop in and check it out the cool space and support your local makers!  They are just down the street from a few of our favs Crackle Crème, The Pie Shoppe and The Union. So many great reasons to pop down.

Photo Credit: Woodlot Candles 

 

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Free Family Day Fun At Western Front Saturday June 18th

1 Jun

FamilyDayWesternFrontLooking for some free family fun? Well you are in luck. On Saturday, June 18th the Western Front is hosting their first ever Family Day.  Established in 1973, Western Front is one of Canada’s leading non-profit centres for contemporary art and new music, producing and presenting visual art exhibitions, new music concerts and media art residencies. Their upcoming Family Day event will feature musical performances, curated screenings as well as hands-on art and music activities for all ages. You are invited to explore their facility and get those creative juices flowing which can be through drawing scores for guest musicians that will be on hand, or hat-making, cookie-decorating or a host of other activities they will have lined up.   The Western Front’s youth music program will showcase some of their compositions from the past year which we hear will feature everyday sounds interpreted through looping, beatbox, storytelling, hip hop, electronics, video triggers and of all things, cornstarch!   The Western Front is located at 303 East 8th Avenue and the fun begins at 12:00 pm and goes till 5:00 pm and again, it’s all free.

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East Van Garden Tour Sunday June 19th

31 May

EastVanGardenTourWell there will certainly be no lack of things to do in East Van on Sunday, June 19th. There will be Car Free Day on Commercial Drive and Main Street, the Vancouver Farmers Market in Mount Pleasant and a personal favourite the East Van Garden Tour.  We have in the past taken in this tour which was through Strathcona and it was amazing to see what people were doing with their gardens.  Whether you have a home, patio garden or community garden, the East Van Garden Tour is a great source of inspiration and ideas.

This year, the East Van Garden Tour will focus on the area immediately surrounding Figaro’s Garden Centre which is located at 1896 Victoria Drive (at 3rd Avenue). If you haven’t participated in this event, it’s a great way to see how creative people get with their gardens.  You will need to purchase tickets for this event which is best done in advance. Tickets are available via Eventbrite, from Figaro’s Garden Centre, 1896 Victoria Drive or by contacting the Britannia Community Services Centre, 1661 Napier Street, in person or by phone 604-718-5800. Tickets are $15 each.

On the day of the event, show up at Figaro’s Garden Centre to check in, pick up your tour map from 10:00 am onwards and then head off to the gardens. The tour is popular and has sold out in previous years, so we recommend that you get your tickets in advance.  People who attend the tour will also get a one-time 20% discount at Figaro’s starting on the day of the tour through to July 1st (Canada Day).  Note: This is a very walkable tour, but it is not wheelchair accessible and pets are not allowed.

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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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Foto Friday – Record Number of Dogs In Foster With Vancouver BC SPCA

13 May

VanSPCAFostersAs those that follow us regularly know, we are big supporters of the BC SPCA and the work they do. We regularly feature pets waiting for adoption and often they are ones that are a bit harder to place.  In today’s Foto Friday we are featuring a collage of pets that have been patiently waiting for some time in foster for their forever home.  We have learnt that the Vancouver BC SPCA currently has a record number of canines in foster care.  Since they are not in the shelter, they are not as visible to those looking for a pet, but of course just as deserving of that forever home.  As of today’s writing, each of one of the dogs pictured is still waiting.   So today we’d like to give them some virtual love to help them find what they so need and deserve. If you would like more information about any one of these dogs, you can find more information on their website at Vancouver BC SPCA, 1205 East 7th Avenue. You can also reach them by telephone at 604-879-7721 or by email at vancouver@spca.bc.ca. They will be more than happy to arrange a visit for you.  As always, we welcome any shares.

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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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Crystal Shawanda Is Coming To The Waldorf Hotel May 13th

5 May

TheWholeWorldsGottheBluesEast Van if you love the blues, you are in for a real treat. Canadian Juno award winning recording artist, Crystal Shawanda, is coming to The Waldorf Hotel on Friday, May 13th.  Crystal Shawanda released her first single in Canada in 2008 “You Can Let Go”. It was the fastest climbing  single on the Canadian Country Singles Chart since Carolyn Dawn Johnson’s “Georgia” in 2000.  Crystal has performed at a Presidential inauguration in Washington, DC, won a Juno Award for Aboriginal Album of the Year in 2013 and is now singing the blues.  She has just released a new album the Whole World’s Got The Blues and will be performing some of her new songs. Crystal has an amazing rawness and soul reminiscent of Etta James, Janis Joplin and Lucinda Williams. We had the immense pleasure of seeing her perform at the York Theatre shortly after it opened and what treat. Crystal is one dynamic performer.  We recommend you take in this show which is an unbelievable deal at $10. Show gets under way at 10:00 pm at the Hideaway in the Waldorf Hotel, 1489 East Hastings Street.  Tickets are available online from Ticket Zone.

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Help Keep Vancouver Spectacular – Organize A Clean Up Campaign

2 May

KVSLogo20YearsNow that Spring is officially here, it also means the return of the City’s annual clean up campaign called “Keep Vancouver Spectacular”. This initiative began in 1996 and was then a co-ordinated  effort between the City of Vancouver, Tourism Vancouver and Oceans Blue Foundation. It has evolved with a variety of sponsors over the years.  Generally, people get together individually or in groups to clean up their neighbourhood streets, lanes, parks and shorelines. The City of Vancouver supplies the tools which include:

• Garbage bags
• Gloves, cleanup tools (tongs)
• Free pickup of litter collected

As a past Block Captain, there is satisfaction in seeing everything looking green and clean in your neighbourhood. We are big supporters of this campaign. We can all grumble about the litter we see strewn here, there and everywhere, but you have the power to change that and the City gives you the tools to do it. From past experience, it is amazing how much garbage can be picked up with a small group of people. Added bonus, it is also pretty easy to organize. You simply go online fill out the registration form. After that, the City delivers you the requested items. Enlist a few volunteers and it could be a handful, or it can be a dozen or more, depends on size of the area you wish to tackle. Designate a location that everyone in your group returns the garbage to, the City usually provides signage for that purpose.  The City will pick up the collected garbage from your designated spot. The time commitment is whatever you want to make it, but generally 1 to 2 hours is the average if doing a larger area, but it can be as little 45 minutes covering 1 or 2 city blocks. If neighbours need a little encouragement to participate, truth be told, I have enticed a few neighbours with fresh coffee and baked goodies. Outside of the clean up being great for the urban wildlife and visually more appealing, it is a great way to get to know your neighbours and build some pride within one’s community.

If you would like to learn more about becoming a Block Captain, the City of Vancouver provides a Block Captain Manual which is fairly straightforward and available to download online.

Also this year in conjunction with Keep Vancouver Spectacular, ElectroRecycle and Encorp, are offering you the opportunity to recycle your electronics, small appliances and power tools for free. Household battery drop-off will also be available at this event which takes place Saturday, May 7th. Drop off location is the Sunrise Square Parking Lot at 2500 Franklin Street near East Hastings Street and Nanaimo. The times for drop off are 10:00 am to 1:00 pm.

Did you know, in 2012, 16,400 volunteers in 180 groups came together to fill more than 6,000 bags with litter.  Remember though if at any time you see items illegally dumped, you can contact the City at 311 or email them to request the item(s) be picked up. Will you help keep the City looking spectacular?

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Foto Friday – We Feature Photos of Graffiti Art In East Van By Benee Rubin

29 Apr

BeneeRubinYogiOn today’s Foto Friday, we’ve invited Benee Rubin to share some of her amazing photos of street art that she has taken on the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver. If you are unfamiliar with the name, Benee Rubin is a local jewellery designer and goldsmith.  One of her projects that previously caught our eye was the East Van Cross Jewellery which she created to help raise funds for Crabtree Corner. Crabtree Corner helps marginalized women and families living in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. Benee has also takes amazing photographs of graffiti art which we would like to share with you today.  If you would like to check out more of Benee’s work, whether her jewellery or her photos, we invite you to check out her website Benee.com. We hope you enjoy the amazing art she is able to capture in these photos.BeneeRubinBike BeneeRubinDance BeneeRubinDog&Man  BeneeRubinJailBird BeneeRubinNativeArt BeneeRubinPhoto BeneeRubinWhale 246 Benee Rubin Final pair P1160628 P1160655BeneeRubinWindow

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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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