By Carolyn Fung, Modern Mix Vancouver writer

You haven’t had a real hot chocolate until you’ve tried one form CocoaNymph.  Unlike the milky, water downed version you might expect from ice skating rinks and ski chalets, real hot chocolate is an entirely different experience.

Thick and creamy I had the pleasure of being one of the first to taste CocoaNymph’s newest creation for the hot chocolate festival: Maple Cinnamon drinking chocolate with a caramelized apple ring. This flavorful combination is just one of 15 flavors available at CocoaNymph throughout the year. When asked how this creation came to be, owner Rachel Sawatzky immediately gave credit to a team effort. A true believer in the power of collaboration, Rachel and her team regularly come up with new pairings that are sure to leave you wanting more.

Going into their fourth year in Vancouver, CocoaNymph is located near 10^th and Alma. The first thing you notice when you walk into the store is smell of chocolate so rich you can literally feel the room start to warm you inside. In the front of the room is a white baby grand piano where beautifully decorated truffles are featured. The décor gives you a comforting feeling, as if every single piece of furniture was lovingly created to be a part of the room. Next to the cashier you’ll find a display of truffles and 2 chalkboard menus that include 10-15 flavors of drinking chocolate, 9 flavors of home made marshmallows, coffee drinks and tea.

Originally from Winnipeg, Rachel acknowledges how nice it is to have her business in Vancouver. Recognizing the growing recognition for her art as a chocolatier, she feels it’s a great city with access to an extreme variety of ingredients she can play with. Always creating and being inspired the food culture in the city, Rachel is currently experimenting with pairings like beer and chocolate. Among her latest challenges include the creation of a chocolate dress, complete with chocolate accessories.

With Valentines days just around the corner, Rachel & her team are gearing up with a line of 4 bon bon creations so tempting that you might just want to treat yourself . Here’s a list of what you can expect:

• Mischief – Milk chocolate champagne ganache in a milk chocolate shell. Created with the perfect mixture of a hard shell complimented with a soft centre.
• Blush – Dark chocolate and rose ganache. You can taste sweet hint of rose that isn’t overpowered by the chocolate taste. It’s a match made in heaven.
• Desire – Milk chocolate whipped ganache with cinnamon (airy and light) with a dark chocolate shell
• Luscious – Dark chocolate with a cherry centre in dark chocolate shell.

These unique creations can be bought as single pieces or as set. CocoaNymph has 5 box sizes and has created 3 special Valentines Day boxes including one that is made entirely of chocolate.

On February 14, CocoaNymph will also be hosting a Valentines special. For $12.00 each you and a loved one could cozy up to a solo classical cellist while enjoying some delicious chocolate treats.  You can also find CocoaNymph chocolate at local retailers including Whole Foods, Urban Fare and Edible BC. Year round, the location on 10^th & Alma offers workshops, chocolate pairings, and a list of chocolate combinations that are sure to make you melt.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

I’m looking forward to brewing my teas over the next few weeks and finding some favourites!  Tea Sparrow costs $25/month for a 1-month subscription, $22/month for a 3-month subscription and $20/month for a 6-month subscription. This includes free shipping to anywhere in North America.  To order yours today, visit teasparrow.com.

4,000 tubs of The Greek Gods yogurt will be given away on Feb 3, 2012 between 7am to 10am in the downtown Vancouver core.   Commuters can enjoy this ‘delicious breakfast’ treat for free, while also meeting with ‘The Greek Gods’, who will bestow the yogurts upon Vancouver.   There will be teams at Waterfront station, Burrard station and Georgia and Granville street giving yogurt to people on their way to work.  The Greek God yogurt has five active and live cultures including probiotics and is available in four flavours – Plain, Honey, Honey Strawberry and Honey Vanilla. The 650g-sized containers will more than make-up for a missed breakfast.

Curious Vancouverites can stop by any of the following locations on their way to work:

• Burrard Skytrain Station on Burrard Street
• Waterfront Skytrain Station on Cordova Street
• Granville Street and Georgia Street

By Manveet Virk, Modern Mix Vancouver writer

Are you set to hang on to winter for one last blast Vancouver? Illuminate Yaletown is just around the corner with fourteen artists putting in their hearts and souls to give us awesome interactive light shows that will make the streets glow from blocks away.  Part of the popular City and Slope Events, Illuminate Yaletown is for those who want to stay within city limits and witness Yaletown making a remarkable transformation. If you still need convincing, check out the images from last year’s Flickr 2011 Illuminate Yaletown Photo Contest. All I can say is… eat your heart out LiteBright!

Cold feet about winter? Come warm up with Glerups!  Founded in 1993 in Denmark by Nanny Glerup (you were probably wondering where the name came from!), Glerups slippers are made naturally from felted wool and an all-natural leather sole.  Now available in Canada, Glerups are an awesome pair of premium slippers to keep your feet warm in the winter – especially if you have hardwood floors like mine!

Glerups come in three styles for both men and women:

• The “slipper” embodies the classic characteristics of a slip-on indoor shoe
• The “shoe” allows you to get the warmth and comfort of an on-the-foot shoe .  I have this pair in red (shown above) and I love how the sole is made of soft leather and the roominess of the shoe itself allows my feet to breath.  I also found that over time, the felted wool molds slightly to the shape of my feet so they get even more comfortable over time.
• The “boot” style Glerups is best for those looking for an all-around insulator.  The boot offers full foot coverage all the way up to the ankle.

Glerups come in a variety of vibrant, earthy colours, making them a versatile choice that will suit anyone’s personal style.  Glerups are available online at glerup.ca for $99 and in-stores at Twigg & Hottie on Main Street and Walrus on Cambie Street.

By Joanna Lee, Modern Mix Vancouver writer

A couple of weeks ago, I visited the newly opened Union Bar next to the Jimi Hendrix Shrine across the Georgia Viaduct in Chinatown. The restaurant is the fourth from the Cascade group (think the Cascade Room, Habit Lounge and Latitude, all further up Main Street). There are about 80 seats with about 10 to 15 seats at the bar. Much of the space is wooden and the walls adorned with various art installations. The food is Southeast Asian with several rice and noodle dishes, curries, pad thai and nasi goreng, as well as a variety of small plates, including beef satays, salads, and banh mis. Notables include veggie pakoras and the mildly sweet and spicy chilli chicken wings. The Cascade’s Arthur Wynne has created a diverse Asian-inspired cocktails list with a twist. For a sweeter cocktail, try the Banga #1, served in a fashionable little jar, or a virgin cocktail with Lapu Lapu cucumber juice, coconut water, calamansi and pandan syrup.

For a Sunday night, the Union was fairly busy and about 1/3 full. The vibe is hipster mixed with a bit of a trendy warehouse feel to it, with the use of long wooden communal tables, giving it a very simple, minimal, and clean feel. Staff are friendly and attentive and the prices are very reasonable. It is a fantastic addition to the Strathcona-Chinatown neighbourhood and is definitely worth several visits.  The Union Bar is open nightly from 5pm onwards.

Vancouver TheatreSports League hosts the 24th annual St. Valentine’s Day Massacre – an international improv tournament of epic proportions. Hosting teams from as far away as Paris, this promises to be the best St. Val Massacre yet. Hold onto your seat as teams compete head-to-head! Come and experience styles of improv from across the globe.

Vancouver TheatreSports League is improv comedy – everything you see onstage is made up on the spot. It’s an interactive entertainment experience as the players ask for audience suggestions to create their scenes.  They’ll usually invite an audience member up onstage.

Tips for first-timers?

• Relax – Nobody gets picked on, or called up onstage, who doesn’t want to – there are plenty of audience members who gladly offer up suggestions, or get onstage.
• Enjoy – Vancouver TheatreSports has some of the best talent in the industry – many of their performers have been involved in improv since its rise to popularity in the 80s.  For example, Ryan Stiles and Colin Mochrie of Whose Line Is It Anyway are both alumni of TheatreSports.

St. Valentine’s Day Massacre pits world-class improv teams from across the continent and around the world against each other – resulting in some of the craziest, most hilarious improvised comedy ever seen!  Follow your favourite team as they duel their way to the final match. Joining the winners of the Vancouver competition are visiting teams from Austin,Bellingham,Chicago, Seattle, and Paris, France. Then, come and see them compete to be the last team standing in the Final Massacre!

Tickets are as affordable as $8.75 for students and $11.75 for adults.  For show times, information and ticket sales see www.vtsl.com

MMV Giveaway:  Modern Mix Vancouver is giving away two pairs of tickets to the performance of St. Valentine’s Day Massacre.  Leave a comment below telling us who you’d bring with you to the improv show and a random winner will be chosen from the comments below.  Be sure to leave your email address so we can contact you if you’re a winner.  Contests ends Saturday January 28th (11:59pm PST).  Open to BC address only (how are you going to make it to the show if you’re from out of town?).

For additional entries, you can do the following things;

• For a second entry: Follow @ModernMixVan on Twitter and tweet “I want to win a pair of @VanTheatreSport tix to St. Valentine’s Day Massacre from @ModernMixVan http://bit.ly/yvw5Qq RT to enter!”
• For a third entry: “Like” the Modern Mix Vancouver Page on Facebook and post on the wall “I want to win a pair of Vancouver TheatreSport tickets to St. Valentine’s Day Massacre from Modern Mix Vancouver”
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