Year-round vacation seekers from near and far pack up their vehicles or hop on a quick flight and head to Tofino to catch sunny beach days or seek out a spot for some serious storm-watching (come the fall/winter season). Regardless of your reason for heading over to this Vancouver Island locale, Tofino is a definite must. We love it because its perfectly suited for those on the hunt for for west coast adventure melded with just the right amount of R&R. We’ve rounded up our top picks to ensure you retreat in style at one of BC’s most stunning holiday destinations,…
Author: cassandra
Taste What’s New – Restaurant Tour Monday, 11 August 2014 from 5:30 PM to 9:00 PM (PDT) Enjoy samples of food and drinks from three different new and exciting restaurants in the Victory Square Park area as you network with other business owners and foodies and hear from some of the chefs and owners about the inspiration for their business, as well as their thoughts on opening up a venture here in this part of our city. For $15 this is incredible value and has always been a fun night. This year we will be visiting Burgundy Restaurant, Yaggers and…
Head to Hopcott Premium Meats and Meet Your Rancher August 9th, 2014 as part of its 8th Anniversary Celebration. Featuring a Charity BBQ, live music, free coffee and product samples, and fun for kids of all ages, the Hopcott Family is inviting the public to stop by and learn from the ranchers who raise their meat. The celebration takes place alongside the Grand Opening of Meadow’s Maze Family Fun Farm. With over 8.7 kms of corn maze trails, the 2014 maze design commemorates the 100th year of 4-H activities in British Columbia. Visitors will also qualify to win prizes, such as gift…
On Friday August 8 and Saturday August 9, 2014, Ice Cream Socials hit Beta 5 Chocolate Union. Starting at 7pm and continuing until the sun sets on Friday evening, try their new seasonal sundae, ice cream floats, a special new frozen treat, and a brand new cream puff that will be available for one night only! Can’t make it Friday? Head there Saturday afternoon from 1-5pm, serving up sundaes, floats, ice cream sandwiches and frozen cream puffs. 413 Industrial Ave in Vancouver to indulge in everyone’s favorite frozen summertime treat. Stay tuned on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook
I’ve been ordering things online lately (shameful, I know) and came across Wantable, a monthly box of either beauty, accessories, or intimate apparel that is picked specifically for you after you answer a series of questions pertaining to your style and personality. I was reluctant to hand over my shopping choices to what appeared to be a computer generated set of outcomes, but once I received the selections was super impressed. I would never have picked up these items on my own, but once I played around with them and created some outfits I received endless compliments, which are always…
Food Day Canada is August 2, 2014 and and excellent chance to celebrate all of our farmers and fishers; our chefs and researchers and awesome home cooks. Food Day Canada is the time and place for Canadians to share their food and their stories with each other while leading other nations in cultural diversity, food ethics, magnificent flavours … and fun! Go out and eat a meal with ALL-CANADIAN ingredients or whip one up yourself. Celebrate LOCAL FOOD. BC Restaurants include West, Fable, Wolf in the Fog, Raudz, Poppadoms, YEW, Oru, Campagnolo, Burdock and Co and more! Head to a #FDC2014 restaurant (They…
How great is this IPA lovers? The Donnelly Group is offering 30 different IPAs over the next 30 days! Can we do them all? Perhaps we can. Follow @goodlifevan and we’ll give it a try. 30 Days 30 Breweries 10 Venues 30 unique IPAs This year is no joke: 30 unique Breweries have come to the table. There are one-off styles and regularly available styles being tapped in venues that wouldn’t normally have them as well as some brand new launch styles. It’s a new IPA to enjoy every day for 30 days. The event starts this Friday, August 1 at The…
Grab Your Mallets and Get Ready for the First Annual Garden Party and Croquet Classic Summer is here and the time is ripe for cocktails, champagne, tea and croquet. On Saturday, August 23, Cocktails & Canapes and Max Cunningham will be producing the first annual Garden Party and Croquet Classic at the VanDusen Botanical Gardens in support of the Backpack Buddies. Designed for some frivolous fun and frolic, interested groups of four are invited to sign up for the highlight of the event – The Garden Party’s Croquet Classic. One of the finest of outdoor summer sports, requiring delicacy and…
Finally made it to Vancouver Foodster Tasting Plates as I’d missed the last few due various annoying occurrences. While the weather didn’t cooperate and I ended up with rather wet feet, I still managed to enjoy a night roaming the North Shore with some transportation assistance from Jay Minter and Billy Hur when it came to traipsing up to the upper parts of Lonsdale. I boarded that boat they call the sea bus and crossed to the North Shore a without much hassle at all. I am mastering public transportation since we’ve given up the car. Headed to Pier 7 Restaurant where…
What goes well with BC Day? Well BC Wine of course. This BC Day long weekend, the British Columbia Wine Institute is throwing a big party in honour of beautiful British Columbia and the wonderful wines that are grown and produced in the province. Consumers are invited join some of BC’s top winemakers at Vancouver’s 39th & Cambie BC Liquor Store anytime from 3-6 PM on Saturday, August 2, to sample some of the 12 BC VQA wines that will be available to taste. The wines will be paired with tasty tidbits of local foods as prepared by Vancouver-based Forage…
Septembeer 19-21, 2014 Celebrate National Organic Week on Salt Spring Island! This amazing event is a must. We’ve been twice and hope to get back there again this year. The Festival will bring together growers, food providers and chefs from Salt Spring Island and partner them with local craft brewers and vintners representing the wine growing regions of British Columbia. FOOD, WINE, CRAFT BEER AND PEOPLE Salt Spring Island is known as the organic capital of Canada. It’s small family farms, artisan food providers and fishing community provide a bountiful harvest of fresh, delicious fruits and vegetables, breads and cheeses, eggs from free range chickens, famous Salt Spring lamb, farm…
We do have some store bought rubs and sauces and there are indeed some that are excellent and need no improving upon. However when our consulting chef, Michael :o), makes his own sauce the flavours are always way better. Here’s the latest version and what he’s putting on ribs later this week. So good. 1 small onion 5 cloves garlic 1 stalk celery 1 tbsp olive oil 1 basket cherry tomatoes 1/2 package Metropolitan Chef steak rub 300 ml stout (we used Firehall Brewery Holy Smoke) 2 tbsp ketchup 2 tbsp brown sugar 1 tbsp grainy mustard pepper to taste Dice onion,…
Like most other Vancouverites housing prices dictate that we live in a rather small space meaning gardening for us is just a patio and our community garden. This year we got a bit of a late start to prettying up the patio, but there’s still time for you to add a few plants and pretty up your living spaces. This first photo is our basil and a few plants my partner Michael picked up as an awesome present for me. I like potted plants way better than cut flavours. Thanks love! We recently added a few plants we picked up at Presidents…
Support the Slow Food movement and our local Fraser Valley farmers during the Fraser Valley Slow Food Cycle Tours on August 2nd and 3rd. The leisurely self-guided Slow Food Cycle Tours provide an educational and culinary experience exploring many farms throughout the Fraser Valley; some that are open to the public for this day only! This is a great family friendly event that brings you through farming communities with deep roots in agriculture. The tours give a rare chance to meet the farmers and learn about agriculture as well as pick up fresh produce and artisan goods. A shopping shuttle service…
The Fraser Valley’s celebration of FOOD and FASHION to support families in the community takes place August 22, 2014. An all women event in support of the Langley Food Bank. The chef this year will be featuring her specialty recipes including: ~ Fresh Pina Coladas prepared with real coconut milk ~ Chicken skewers with a coconut/cilantro sauce ~ Wilted spinach side dish with balsamic, fresh cherry tomatoes and Parmesan ~ Coconut pastries prepared with coconut oil and coconut sugar (a healthy & delicious snack ) Limited tickets available, to book online, click here or buy tickets over the phone at 604-530-6889 Receive a $5 store credit when you bring a non-perishable food…
Ever had crocodile, emu or kangaroo? Well know is your chance at the August Jack on July 29th at the August Jack. Oh and we’ve heard that they’ll be some decent craft beer! FIRST COURSE: Crocodile Skewers Mango Ginger Chutney Wilted Kale Yucca Chip SECOND COURSE: Emu Sliders Boiled Egg & Garlic Aioli Beetroot Frites THIRD COURSE: Anise Smoked Kangaroo Smashed Fingerlings Grilled Zucchini & Sautéed Sugar Snap Peas Spiced Pear Cream FOURTH COURSE: Apricot Melba Vanilla Bourbon Gelato Raspberry Coulis Make your reservation now before we fill up. Enjoy these unique dishes from down under on Tuesday, July 29th by…
Now this sounds delicious! Chef Jane (L’Abattoir) and Pastry Chef Brooke (Cocolico)are having fun with campfire inspired dishes at this campout. Think fired BBQ pork with smoked plum sauce and, of course, fancy smores for dessert! This will be a family style feast in the garden for the first seating and in the wine cellar room for the second. Long table style seating. http://www.swallowtail.ca/ When: Saturday, August 2, seatings at 6 PM and 8 PM Price: $49/peron, $10 booking fee; $39/person due the night of the event. Please note, the Supper Club is cash only. Place: The supper club (Vancouver) Byob: Bring…
A Midsummer Night Dinner The few weeks of harvest between late July and early August are what dreams are made of for most Vancouver chefs. There is an incredible variety of fresh local produce available inspiring an endless amount of breathtakingly beautiful and delicious dishes. On Wednesday, August 6, Campagnolo Restaurant is partnering with Masi wine to present a Midsummer Night: a family-style feast spotlighting peak-of-the-season produce. This annual dinner celebrates the season’s freshest ingredients sourced that day from the Main Street Station Farmers Market as well as a variety of small farms and producers unique to Campagnolo. Guests will…
JOIN US for the FREE Public Screening and after party on July 29, 2014 at Vancity Theatre! Air Canada’s enRoute Film Festival today announced it will showcase emerging Canadian short film talent on Air Canada flights around the world from August 1 to December 31, 2014. All 16 selected shorts will be announced at a free public screening and after-party at Vancity Theatre (1181 Seymour St.) in downtown Vancouver on Tuesday, July 29 at 7:30 p.m. PT. The event will be hosted by ETALK anchor Tanya Kim. Millions of Air Canada passengers will be able to view the selected short…
In honour of the upcoming July 30, 2014 Fjallraven Guide to Hiking seminar we are giving away a Fjallraven Rucksuck. To win check out a Rafflecopter giveaway They’ll be presenting the top 5 picks for day hikes in the area, along with some basic safety tips and gear considerations. The hikes will cover a variety of difficulty levels (just because you’re a beginner doesn’t mean you can’t tackle something challenging!) and locations from the North Shore to Pemberton. If you want to learn some of the basics about hiking locally, this is a great opportunity. The event is free and it…
