When it comes to “concept dining”, my favourite way of eating food is definitely tapas style. Located in Blood Alley in Gastown, adjacent to Salt Tasting Room, Judas Goat Taberna is a 28-seat tapas bar which serves small plates influenced by Spain, Italy and France. Despite the foreign food pairings, the environment of Judas Goat reminds of me a family grocery store. A viewable food preparation station and high countertops close enough to make small talk with the patrons sitting beside you. Square yellow stools huddle around small tables.

Similar to its sister restaurant, The Salt Tasting Room, Judas Goat combines a variety of flavours and textures and teases the pallet with its small portions. I love the option of nibbling on a variety of food and sharing dishes. Between the two of us, we ordered 7 items, which included two “hot” dishes, two “pressed, potted, or cured” dishes and a salad. Agreeing with everyone I have spoken with, what you pay for the portions is not really worth the price; but then again, “concept dining” is about the experience of “trying something new”, right??

Local Canadian fashion and jewelry lines Allison Wonderland, Refine Jewelry, and Erin Templeton (handmade leather bags) will be having a Studio Sample and Overstock Sale in Gastown on Thursday, June 17, 2010. Drop by 210-309 West Cordova Street between 1pm – 7pm to find some good deals and support local designers. Cash only.

Last week I was walking through Gastown and came across the furniture and design store “nood” (new objects of desire). I loved the trendy but practical items available at the store and its focus on modern, contemporary design. From clocks with magnetic moveable numbers, to funky picture frames, to espresso cups with silicon angel wings, many of their household products look like they came straight out of The Cool Hunter!

Nood encompasses a range of fun and well designed products that permeate style, accessibility and affordability. Nood offers furniture, ceramics, gifts & gadgets, luggage, home textiles, and so much more! The eclectic product categories create retail environments that have an element of discovery for customers. With an emphasis on quiet style, simple functional design and good use of color, the products and merchandising work to increase the sensory experience of nood. While nood aims to satisfy the style requirements of discerning customers looking to surround themselves in little luxuries, the product nood offers will suit all customers. Giving a new level of accessibility and affordability to well designed beautiful lifestyle and homeware products.

Despite Nood’s level of trendiness, I would say that their price points are reasonable and affordable, unlike many of the furniture and design shops in the surrounding Gastown area. Shop soon, because Nood is in the midst of their spring sale with items between 20% and 50% off!

The Gastown location of the Old Spaghetti Factory is celebrating their 40th Anniversary on March 22 and to celebrate they’re offering 1970s Prices with Meals Starting at $1.75! You can view the whole menu here. featuring their original 1970 menu, not a single menu item (entree, salad, bread, dessert, coffee, tea, etc.) is more than $1.95! Proceeds will be donated to the BC Professional Fire Fighters’ Burn Fund.
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Starting at 5pm on Sunday March 7, The Lamplighter Public House (92 Water Street) in Gastown will be featuring their special Oscar Awards Menu, which is a set 3-course meal for $40. Named after award hopefuls, the names of the dishes include “Avatar”, “Up in the Air” and “District 9″.
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On Thursday December 3rd, from 5pm to 9pm, head into Gastown for some great holiday deals. Participating retailers include (212), Block, Dream, Dutil Denim, Obakki, One of a Few, Roden Gray, Rubi & Kino and more!

…a place for “amateur cooks, the curious and professionals alike to learn, explore, and unleash their inner chef”.

One of the summer’s highly anticipated restaurant and bar, The Diamond (6 Powell Street), quietly opened its doors last week in historic Gastown.

Ah, Gastown. Arguably one of my favorite districts in Vancouver. If you’re 19+, here’s an opportunity for you to head down there for “The Gastown Shuffle”, sponsored by Red Bull, Heineken and Sauza. The event starts at 7pm and goes until 11pm. There is no cost to participate, simply ask for a Shuffle badge at any of the participating locations (Livestock, ALife, Complex, Stussy, JD’s Barbershop), and get into the shuffle ending up with a club DJ show at The Modern. Participating bars include Diamond, The Metropole, Deighton’s Well, Revel Room and The Lamplighter.

For the past two years, the topic of “eyelash extensions” came up every once in a while in conversation. But none of us had actually gotten them done … until now. Like every upcoming trend, eyelash extentions have becomemore acceptable, more accessible and slightly more affordable, . Although this was not my first time visiting Wink!, it wa the first time I tried their salon services. Vivian Ko of Wink! Beauty Lounge (67 East Cordova Street) offered me her services of a “natural eyelash set” (up to 30 lashes per eye for $80) last week and I LOVED IT.

To begin with, Wink! Beauty Lounge is a lovely little boutique in Gastown, with beauty products sold in the front, and salon services in the back. With brands like Pupa, Geisha Ink, OPI, Kiss Me Mascara, Smith’s Rosebud Salve, Essie and Miso Pretty, their stock is comparable to that of Beauty Mark in Yaletown – but slightly more affordable with constant sales and special offers.