Breaking Good

Sorry, I couldn't help myself!

Last night a small group of us went to see IZM at the Cultch's beautiful Historic Theatre. We left with the distinct (and true) impression that the dancers in this troupe are all way cooler than us. I wasn't sure how they would create an entire show around b-boying/girling, but the resulting production is really wonderful.

The choreography is equal parts clever and joyful sprinkled with a healthy dash of narrative. Many of the moves don't even make physical sense, and the athleticism is literally breathtaking at times. M was almost constantly resisting the urge to Shazam all the amazing music.

On top of all that, the eye candy is plentiful no matter your gender or orientation. You'll probably be inspired, (at least for the rest of the evening), to start going to the gym.

The show runs four more evenings, and tickets start at just $16!

The Pourhouse

Having a friend in town for the weekend is the perfect excuse for dinner out. Ensemble last night was nothing special (my company excluded!), but my first dinner at the Pourhouse on Friday lived up to its promise. I have been there a few times for their expertly made cocktails, and it turns out the food is equally delicious and satisfying.

I tried to order a Blood and Sand, since I had first learned of it there, but apparently they no longer carry one of the ingredients. In its stead, I enjoyed a Pisco Sour, for the first time in a while. (There seemed to be a months long pisco shortage at Vancouver bars earlier this year.) For dinner, I started with perfectly turned out albacore tuna on a bed of butter lettuce and artichoke, followed by grilled cheese on brioche and cream of cauliflower soup. The three of us split the generous apple tart for two while tipsily puzzling over exactly how many fractions of dessert we were each consuming. Try it; it's harder than you think.

The atmosphere is warm, dark and cozy, all especially welcome attributes at this time of year. I have half a mind to go there tomorrow on my day off for lunch!

Hume Atelier

A little more than two months ago, A's boyfriend J approached me with his plans to propose. After quickly bringing E in on the exciting news, we set about helping him find the right jewelry designer. Yes, E and I flanking him on the laptop as we searched through Vancouver jewelry designers online was just as much fun as it sounds.

We happened upon the very attractive website of Hume Atelier, a husband and wife team of custom jewelry makers in Gastown. The combination of local craftsmanship and ethically sourced materials was obviously appealing, so J made an appointment for the three of us to meet Kevin and Genevieve for a consultation. This, of course, was also an extremely good time!

Of course, this wasn't exactly my show, but J gave me the okay to give Hume Atelier the glowing review they deserve. They struck a perfect balance between offering their expert opinions and allowing J to make decisions in the scope of his budget. The ring is as pretty as can be, and A was justifiably thrilled to receive it.

As it happened, A saw an email she wasn't meant to very soon after the wheels were set in motion. I'll spare you the convoluted details but E and I were forced to play double agents for two months until the ring was ready and J was able to pop the question on her birthday. I'm definitely relieved that my life no longer resembles a rom-com farce ("She doesn't know that he knows that she knows!") So begins the planning of a beautiful East Van wedding to take place next July!

Halloween at the Waldorf

After a recent spate of somewhat epic nights out, I find myself enjoying a quiet evening at home. One of these nights took place at the Waldorf Hotel last weekend, so I thought I'd take this opportunity to finally weigh on this 'cultural oasis in the middle of nowhere.'

In three words: I love it. That doesn't make much of a blog posting, however, so I'll delve a little deeper. I have (happily) eaten at the Waldorf's Nuba location too many times to count over the past year, and I have spent several evenings soaking up the atmosphere in the famed tiki bar. Despite an earlier promise to appear, however,  I had yet to attend one of their already legendary parties.

To remedy this sad state of affairs, I joined a small crew of friends for the Friday portion of their four night Halloween extravaganza. It was certainly extravagant: haunted hotel rooms (one of which sent me literally diving out into the hallway in fright), a classic (and rather naughty) carnival midway, and an incredible flash performance by the House of La Douche dance crew, to name just a few of the party's perks.

Our group's only complaint was the fact that we had to pay extra for certain aspects like the drop of doom ride, and the holographic burlesque show. The other issue was that E and I had bought early bird four day passes under the mistaken assumption that they included the Dinner for the Dead, so we ended up shelling out quite a lot for what turned out to be one evening's festivities. In light of that clarification, all four day pass buyers were offered a refund, but without a guarantee of available Friday-only tickets, we decided to swallow the extra costs.

These details aside, it was certainly one hell of a party. It wasn't necessarily as dramatic as the house party I attended in Victoria the next night, where a drunken Fiona smashed a glass goblet on an equally intoxicated Shrek's head, but you can only curate so much, right?

The people running the Waldorf and its many artistic machinations are insanely creative, and I think it definitely lives up to the hype. Though they won't be spinning 'Monster Mash' the next time, I'll definitely be back to the tiki bar on an upcoming Friday night to dance again to that awesome mix of 50s/60s rock 'n' roll!

Pizzeria Farina

After spending almost a whole workweek daydreaming about their Miele pizza (apples, honey, ricotta, oh my!), I cannot overstate how disappointed I was to arrive at Pizzeria Farina last night to find it removed from the menu, for lack of interest. What is wrong with you Vancouver? How could you let something as surely delicious as this pizza must have been slip through your fingers? The cool and friendly staff (owners?) were sympathetic, but what could they do? The people had spoken. I can only hope they bring it back as a daily pizza speciale sometime that I happen to be there.

Calmed somewhat by the loaf of bread A bought (to make me happy; she knows me so well), I settled in to wait for my funghi pizza. As far as consolation prizes go, this one was a winner. The arugula was fresh, abundant, and perfectly complemented the delicate flavours of the mushrooms and onions. E proclaimed her finocchiona the best pizza she's ever had in Vancouver. And the crust! So good that I took A's crust scraps home with me for later. You just don't throw away crust that good.

I was charmed by the spare red and white decor, and special touches like side by side taps offering free still and sparkling water, butcher paper for those leftovers not quite warranting a box, and the mostly communal dining set up. The very cute pizza chef certainly did not go amiss. The only thing lacking is the vino, but a liquor license is in the works!

L'Abattoir

Though I find its name singularly off-putting, I nonetheless seized the opportunity to finally try L'Abattoir when my mom and sister were in town recently. A joined us so we were Slaughterhouse Four. (Sorry, couldn't resist). A recent issue of Vancouver magazine rightly lauded the "attentive but unobtrusive" nature of L'Abattoir's service, and of course it has topped many a list of bests.

The menu is carefully curated with rather limited options but everything we tried was, without fail, beautiful, creative, and delicious. Of the cold dishes to start, we sampled all but the vegetable salad. For mains, our table was split down the middle with two of us going for the superb halibut, and the others the delectable steak Diane. Dessert was a round of warm chocolate tarts with one insanely yummy apple and olive oil cake thrown in for good measure.

L'Abattoir is at a higher price point than neighbouring Cork & Fin, and thus will be added to my repertoire of special occasion restaurants rather than random dinner out places. If you have something to celebrate and/or some spare cash to burn, you could do a hell of a lot worse than L'Abattoir. Enjoy!

Save-on-Meats

It's no secret that I think Mark Brand is the second coming, and his latest outing has proven to be another safe bet for dining on the East Side. Happily, Save-on-Meats is a lot easier on the wallet than my favourite arm of his multi-pronged business. After two visits, I now feel qualified to comment on the diner side of things. I can't speak to the other aspects of the reborn Save-on-Meats, but my trust in Brand runs deep, so I'm sure they're great.

For reasons I can't quite pinpoint, the food here is almost secondary. It's certainly good enough, and you simply can't argue with the prices. Save-on-Meats is more about the experience and the atmosphere, and they've nailed both. A, E and I had a collective girl crush on our server Kelcie, and we would have been happy to have her hang up her metaphorical apron and sit a spell with us. A friendly fellow behind the counter let us sample a bacon chocolate chip cookie before we committed our dessert calories elsewhere. The space is airy and spare, save for the many charming old-timey posters by local artist Dan Climan.

Biking there and back to work off the large portions topped off a truly perfect summer evening. I hadn't been to the original, but I think this incarnation deserves at least as long of a run.

Campagnolo Roma

You wouldn’t know it to look at me, but I’m not really one for Italian food. A, however, newishly transplanted from the West End, has been missing Nook, her favourite little pork-infused hideaway. On a rare evening when the three of us were available (after ditching our boyfriends and coworkers respectively), A, E and I headed to the cozy confines of Campagnolo Roma with our hopes held high. We were not to be disappointed.

The room has been beautifully renovated and you have to look hard for any trace of the strange Jamaican pizzeria that was the previous occupant. I am somewhat sorry that I never made it there, but I'm told I wasn't missing much.

The whipped ricotta appetizer was a revelation that I'm still wistfully phantom-tasting today. No sooner had the first bites passed our lips than we ordered another round. The fresh and simple pastas are priced reasonably, striking a balance between the obvious quality of the ingredients and the sensibility of the neighbourhood. A charmingly forgetful bartender who said he was only moonlighting and our shy but sweet server rounded out the equation.

CR, as I will henceforth refer to it in text messages, is a welcome addition to the burgeoning neighbourhood foodie scene. We will be back, sans car and plus wine.

Paparazzi

I am a rather ardent fan of Groupon and all its many, many copycat enterprises. In the year and a half that I’ve been wise to these deals, I’ve saved a bundle on everything from windsurfing to wine making, and dog sitting to dinners out. Sometime last year, I bought a Groupon offered by Blue Olive Photography, an outfit whose work I had much admired in a previous lifetime when I was in the market for a wedding photographer. The deal was $75 for a 30 minute photo shoot, with 3 prints of your favourite image.

A&E, though loyal fans of America’s Next Top Model, and far superior “smisers” than I, were wary of being included in the photo shoot. As is my custom, I insisted, and Reilly made sure we had a fun time. Murphy the dog was less accommodating, but I think he did his best. It was definitely awkward walking around Gastown and fake laughing while being trailed by a photographer, but the end results were worth it.

Of course, they’re counting on you to purchase products beyond that, and purchase we did. The image here is my favourite, and it’s the one I chose for our free prints. If Blue Olive ever offers another of these deals or if you can swing their regular fees, by all means, take advantage of their talent and friendliness. You’re guaranteed to have a great time and you will love your photographs!

The eastward migration continues

Something exciting is happening today, though I am so sleep deprived that I can't muster much outward enthusiasm. But anyway...everyone's favourite nurse/physicist team is moving to East Van! J has lived here before, but it's a first for A. I'm thrilled to have them closer, if not so much for the heavy lifting I will be helping with tonight. With this post I officially welcome you two into the East Van fold. I trust that you both will find much that pleases you. Also, I will try not to break any of your things tonight, though my apartment has already suffered one casualty this morning. It's going to be a long day...

My very favourite nightspot in Vancouver, and beyond

It’s no surprise that a single girl in Vancouver with a mortgage and a costly commute isn’t left with much in the way of disposable income. My disposable income, such as it is, is consistently funneled to two of my best friends (besides A&E): my aging dog and The Diamond.

I try to stay away for stretches here and there, so they don’t get tired of me hanging around, but the place exerts some sort of magnetic pull. Owing to my recent travels, it has indeed been a while, but a shortly upcoming visit is written in stone on my Google calendar!

When I describe the Diamond to friends, I often use the phrase “wonderland of beauty.” Truly everything is beautiful here: the staff, the filament bulbs, the stag's head chandelier, the exposed brick walls, the view of Maple Tree Square from the windows (especially when it snows!), the craft cocktails, and even the exquisite vintage glassware. Happily, it's an old-timey and warm type of beauty that was obviously not conceived in a Toronto boardroom, unlike the contrived corporate esthetic of certain other places. It’s just so easy to lose yourself here, and I’m always eager to show it off to someone who hasn’t yet had the pleasure of an evening at the Diamond.

I’ve never been here for an actual dinner, since the Asian fusion concept is more small plates than anything, and the drinks are so strong that it’s unwise to go on an empty stomach. That being said, what I’ve nibbled on while lingering over cocktails has always been wonderful: olives, nuts, gyoza, subs, and panna cotta. The drink prices run high ($10-12), but we're not talking watered down rum and cokes. The booze forward cocktails are nonetheless so eminently drinkable that it took E making us journalists at our own New Year's Eve pre-party for us to realize just why we often end up unexpectedly blitzed at the Diamond.

A small selection of beer is available, but as I once unwittingly asked someone who turned out to be Mark Brand, "How can you drink something like that in a place like this?" PBR has its charms, I'm sure, but I remain immune to them.

The service is such that I felt like a regular on my very first visit, and by this point, I actually feel among friends. Impeccably dressed, attractive, sociable, and skilled friends who make consistently incredible cocktails from memory, (I'm talking to you, Donnelly Pub Group), and don’t tease me (much) when I’ve had a few too many. What more could a single girl ask for?

Back in Lotusland

Well, we arrived home bright and early on Monday morning. I've had a couple days to recover and now feel up to posting about my trip, bootcamp this morning notwithstanding!

It was a jam packed week, but we managed to spend some time relaxing in our gigantic hotel suite. Thanks for the mysterious upgrade, Salisbury Hotel!

I didn't avoid shopping entirely, but A&E held me back from doing any serious damage at Century 21. I did spend a glorious sunny morning checking out Park Slope in Brooklyn, picking up some sweet vintage deals (hello $35 Frye boots!) at Beacon's Closet, and a handknit scarf at Flirt.

Of course, we ate a wonderfully diverse array of cuisines, including Venetian at Osteria Laguna, wine and cheese at the Drunken Horse, and Persian at Persepolis. Modern American cuisine was well represented by The Red Cat, Stonehome, and 508, and those onion rings at the Heights Cafe can't be beat.

We added a few things (like MoMA) to our original itinerary, but most notable was riding our rental bikes through Central Park and Harlem, which was one of the highlights of my life. I still haven't made it to the Tenement Museum, but perhaps the third time will be the charm!

Our raison d'being there was for E to compete in her fifth straight American Crossword Puzzle Tournament. She made us very proud by placing 34th overall (out of 680!!!), and sweeping the foreign division handily.

All in all, a truly memorable vacation with two of my very favourite people in the entire world.

Taking a bite

Tonight I'm heading to New York City for a girls' week with my two besties, A&E. We'll be doing lots of eating and sightseeing, of course, and if I learned anything from last month's trip to Orlando, the most you should probably expect is a name-dropping post upon my return.

We've got big plans, including the Museum of Sex, the Museum of Natural History, the Lower East Side Tenement Museum, and That Championship Season, for starters. Then there's what may well be the pièce de résistance of our visit: the St. Patrick's Day Parade, and the partying that is sure to ensue.

With the support of my non-shopping friends, I will try to resist the lure of Century 21. The plan is to spend all the money I would have spent shopping at eateries like Eataly and The Red Rooster, and, in my case anyway, copious numbers of black and whites. I'll let you know how it goes!

Juxtapositioning

On this morning's walk, I came across indisputable proof that no one, truly no one, can resist the siren song of a free buttermilk biscuit from McDonald's. I had a bite of A's, and it was indeed delicious, but we were justly horrified when the grease ran down her sleeve. She did make a rather bold proclamation though: apparently the classic Egg McMuffin is better.

For a while last year, I got weekly deliveries from spud and I love what they're doing. I had to suspend my deliveries because I don't actually need enough groceries to make it worthwhile, and I can ill afford their admirable emphasis on organic and local. In my oft-imagined hypothetical future where I have somehow considerably increased my cashflow, I see myself reanimating our relationship. If you don't live alone, and aren't on a super tight budget, it's worth checking out. Their selection and customer service are both great, and it's obviously very convenient.