BC Provincial Road Race - Cycling
a sneaky photo post of BC Provincial Cycling race in Aldergrove this weekend. HI-res photos available.
Read Morea sneaky photo post of BC Provincial Cycling race in Aldergrove this weekend. HI-res photos available.
Read More
Hello 2017.
Somewhere I stopped writing & posting.
I don't know why, but it seems like every week it's a mad dash to finish a personal to-do list that's about 50 items long.
I stay up way too late and get up way too early, trying to do everything like a quiet morning meditation and gym first thing before work, work, and cooking dinner is still an afterthought (thanks to my husband we've been eating well). By the time I get to my evening work I don't remember what I was meant to do.
Since January I took some time off social media and life, in general, to catch my breath and recount my marbles. [Implied losing of marbles] It's as if I got off the carrousel in December and couldn't get back on, all I do is watch it spin, too scared to get back on. The fear of not being able to create something creative or execute a vision is pretty scary, but the other scary thing is losing sight of why you started. Have you ever had that?
We have been settling in to Vancouver nicely, I can't believe it's been almost two years. Very often though, I find random euros coins in my pockets. It made me homesick for Ireland even though 'home' is Canada. I kept asking myself when I'd stop finding these coins that keep haunting me, but then I realized that I have to physically not to carry them in order for me to not find them in my pockets. Metaphorical or not, I have to let go in order not to be stuck.
Enough emotional gushing. No more carrying these euros because I'm currently sitting on a plane taking a right turn towards Dublin. Guess what, I'm going back. (No it's not for good)
I'm going to let the photos tell their story, but I was invited to photograph the Tangoo gathering of influencers at the Secret Location brunch. Not only was I super excited about Secret Location's marvelous plating and food offerings; since arriving in Vancouver, I had walked by the concept store with my face plastered against the window of this curated showroom & tasting space, thinking “this is the Dream!”.
Read MoreTaste with your eyes, we dare you to come experience how taste perception is shaped by the bloom of colours on the blossoms as it floods your surroundings at the Sakura Illuminations.
Read MoreTonight marks one of the more exceptional dinner experiences in Vancouver, and that holds some weight because there is great food and many fine meals shared here. The Acorn has been a place on my list since before moving here months ago, their Instagram plates had already captivated me. Beyond that, when I heard that they cook tasty food that happens to be vegetarian I convinced I had to try it.
The dining experience is more than just a hokey description of abstract elements that surround your perception of taste. It begins with a story, which transcends the service experience, as well as the conversation and company - that carry you through the meal. A carefully curated dish considers the flavours, aromas, and textures, but if we don’t have a greater story, it is just a well-made dish. Remember your most memorable meal? yes, it was one that illicit emotion and connection with a story.
story.
Shira, told us a story about how the whole collaboration started with a comment on their instagram feed. Instagram is the beginning of all things, clearly. A couple months later, they are boarding a flight; bags full of dehydrated carrot crumb and sea kelp to meet their shipment of curated BC wine on the other side (suffice to say only 2 boxes got delayed, success). Not only was it a great opportunity to skill share and be in a new city, but also be featured as a pop-up in the biggest food city with other like-minded veggie chefs and the who’s who of food and wine writers. Best, day, ever.
just one thing.
One thing they don’t tell you when doing pop-ups is the extent of the element of 'surprise'. The thing that stood between 'Acorn + Exhibit C collaboration' and execution was a.) a functional stove and b.) a kitchen with hot water. Never taking these things we take for granted again, the 2-days of prep time turned to just 6 hours. A few f-bombs and lots of sweating later they did it and without any negative tweets or social media (we all know how critical we can be on the other side).
I bought into their story now, but then they lead diners through a VEGAN tasting menu, sans dairy and egg! They paired it with BC wines to showcase the industry we have in BC to show the New Yorkers how we bring our A-game (in groves of Okanagan desserts and interesting minerality). Great story, great company and great conversation. I had it all.
slow poached heirloom carrot, chestnut cream mouse, carrot jus, caramelized coconut, carrot crumb, bitter cress
warm bourbon maple glaze over slow roasted pumpkin, apple, wild fermented greens, hazelnut cracker
rosemary roasted purple cabbage, pickled cabbage, cauliflower nests, bavarian mustard, roasted cauliflower, cashew purée
braised sunchoke, toasted chickpea broth, burnt onion kelp, sumac braised chickpeas, charred collard greens, fir smoked onion
apple cardamom cashew cheesecake, sorrel sauce, ginger chips, coconut almond crisp, torched bergamot orange, meringue
Wine Pairings
2012 Tantalus Riesling
2012 Mission Hill Reserve Chardonnay
2013 Meyer Family Pinot Noir
2011 Laughing Stock Blind trust Red
2012 Martin's Lane Riesling
6-weeks to 100 pushups - If you're intrigued, so are we. Join us for the plan and let's get that gun show on the road. Here's a peek at the weekly struggle - I know, the technique will need a bit of work, but the truth is I'm almost able to do 60 in one go! Pretty excited about that.
Read MoreThis letter to the city to discuss the development of adaptive and evolving policies in Vancouver. The issue: a neighbourhood food hub and community member who sells packaged and prepared food, has been asked to comply with zoning bylaws that do not allow a neighbourhood grocery store to serve food. An overwhelming response from the community has framed the discussion - what do you think?
Read MorePomegranates have always been one of my favourite fruits, they're exotic and have terribly staining juice and exploding seeds. What's not to like? - here's the simplest way to get your pom seeds out!
Read More(c) https://pollenize.org
If you're like me, you feel the need to vote and yet a sense of apathy for the lack of action we see in government. I've been getting more acquainted with how policy works, which means how 'decisions' are made. Bills in parliament turn into decisions, regulations, or directives.
Policy is made through all interested parties expressing their interests; government, industry, and civil society. - we are responsible for making sure our MP is responsive to the needs of our riding.
I attended an informative voting evening where non-partisan groups spoke about some of the issues surrounding environment. Why that matters to me: because healthy ecosystems give us healthy food.
Dogwood Initiative - though environmentally-swayed, the interesting part is Dogwood sent out surveys to all BC candidates re: key issues. They did the leg work, you just need to read and decide who you align with in your riding.
Pollenize - breaks down each issue point-by-point and has a fun interactive method of engaging young voters. Click 'likes' to things you agree with and at the bottom it shows a bar representing the party you align with. PRO: super visual platform
CBC Vote Compass - it took me less than 10 minutes to complete the quiz that reflects my values and which party I should select, but downside is you don't know how responsive your MP is going to be in the case you want to communicate with them about an issue. PRO: it will represent your values on a 3D x/y graph (well worth the 10-minutes of reading) and bonus it will recalculate your results weighted on the issues you care about most!
TIPS:
1. identify what issues do you care most about
2. don't vote 'strategically' vote for what you believe
3. feel empowered - change starts with you.
I can see that the decisions we make at the polls reflect what happens to our country. My specific interests are the sustainability of environment & food, balanced with health and industry. I still want funding to arts and community.
I also consider 'What I hold to be true as a Canadian.' I value our parks and fantastic natural beauty of our country, I want to preserve that while considering industry. There's lots to know and understand but that's my last-minute take in a nutshell.
Couldn't think of a better way to leave you, than this hilarious video with John Oliver. Perhaps it's that the piece ends with a singing beaver mocking Harper with a moose receiving a colonoscopy from the single pay healthcare system or the fact they likened the three-way race to 'Canadian three way' you will have to watch to find out why that's funny!
Epic-ly Calgarian, Community-centric, and historic - the Simmons Building tells a story more than anything. My oldest memories of this building date back to my childhood before the recent gentrification of the East Village. Three of whom I consider ‘hometown heroes’ have collaborated to share this space on the river; they are Phil & Sebastian Coffee, Sidewalk Citizen Bakery, and Charbar (new extension of Charcut).
Read MoreWhat do you do 2-weeks into opening? Well, knock it out of the park obviously. From the group that bring us LeTigre comes a new modern fusion pan-pacific west coast noshery.
(Early August) It’s been about month since I arrived in Vancouver and our friends were visiting from Calgary so we wanted to try something new. Being new to the city, I am seeing Vancouver with a new set of eyes. The recurring trends I see are:
1. No reservations
2. Fusion Pacific west coast cuisine incorporating a mix of asian favourites
Here's what we had at Torafuku!
Read MoreIt's estimated that 30% of small-scale coffee producers are linked to Fairtrade networks and approximately 65% of Fairtrade producers were certified organic coffee producers.
Read MoreIt may just be me but I feel like a year or two ago there was one National Beer hall on 17th and i blinked, they 'spawned' and there are now four! From bowling and ping pong to roof-top beer gardens and family fine food. Their breadth reaches far and wide.
Read MoreIt started on a road trip in the magical West of Ireland with our friends visiting from Canada. We heard a recent talk on BBC Food program that talked about how sustainable oyster cultivation could be; so in light of all this, we went on a wild goose chase … or perhaps better-termed a wild [oyster] chase.
Read MoreThis post is about you, every single one who we met. Even if you think it's not about you... it is.
There are a few times in life where you are deeply moved by a shaping experience. Dublin has been that for me.
Read MoreSample of an early iteration of Dave's pour
The 2015 World Latte Art Championship starts today, taking place on 16-18 June 2015 in Gothenburg, Sweden. A few things you need to know about Dave Regan and the journey to the championships. This is months if not years in the making, because we had the Irish Latte Art championships in conjunction with Irish Barista Championships (IBC) in February to determine the representatives for this competition and the World Barista Championships.
Now, Latte art is not like a barista competitions and it sets itself apart as the competitors can really be neck and neck with very different designs. Dave Regan has spent several years in coffee at numerous world-class cafes including 3fe, Prufrock, and now, Vice Coffee Inc. In the competition you're required to pour 3 designs that can be distinctly different. Dave chose to link the pours creatively with some continuity; the theme was the progression or life-cycle of a birds of paradise flower. If you have every seen this, it is a beautiful tropical flower, so when Dave described it my mind was blown. He started with the blossom and then finished with the full bloom.
There are a few technical planning tips that he shared when we sat down together. At IBC, he had built a special bucket to hold his milk jugs in an ice bath - because the colder your milk the better and smoother your milk foam. Secondly, he had borrowed three clever brewers. I know, you're thinking why does one need 3 brewers for a latte art competition? Well it was to pre-portion the milk in to the jugs for steaming as the regulations state you can't pour in to the vessel prior to the competition. One element of the latte art competition is the barista's ability to replicate the same pour over again - so it must match the image provided to judges. There is a free pour and a designer pour into 12-oz. latte cups.
Today was the first day of competition and we're so proud of all the hard work that it has taken to get here. GO DAVE! We are so excited to watch you compete.
Watch Dave at 3:22!
A few of you know that we will be leaving Dublin in June... and if you didn't - I'll tell you more on here later. So as a last hurrah (and first gig), I'm playing fiddle with our friends Téada orchestra TOMORROW! There will be pipes & dancers, and a mix of music styles. One of Ireland’s leading professional sean-nós dancers, Sibéal Davitt who has performed internationally will be joining us.
You can expect trad, folk dances, and the magical harp as well!! If not, come for a few drinks after.
GET YOUR TICKETS HERE:
The last couple months has been a whirlwind of ideas and exciting times. The newest projects I get to tell you about is Blackout an immersive, multi sensory, contemporary music concert series with Kirkos Ensemble taking place in the Royal Irish Academy of Music in Dublin.
Concert 1 :: May 8/9 :: Le Quatour Pour La Fin Du Temps by Olivier Messaien
Concert 2 :: June 12/13 :: Different Trains by Steve Reich
Concert 3 :: July 18/19 :: Harry Patch by Sebastian Adams