By Eudora Koh, Modern Mix Vancouver writer

Modern Mix Vancouver was invited to the spring/summer 2012 showcase hosted by Oak and Fort.

The quaint and delicate Oak and Fort boutique is situated in gastown, such an appropriate neighborhood as it is also home to many underground and fashion forward styles and shops. I love seeing collections that smaller boutiques choose every season because I know their pieces will be unique and different than what is sold at mainstream retail chains.  The store was founded in 2010, and has since been offering Vancouverites a selection of international and quality garments. The very special part is that sometimes their in-house designers fuse together collections with their own (Oak and Fort’s) designs, resulting in one of a kind pieces that Oak and Fort can call unique to their brand.

The media event that evening was lovely, from the breads, cheese, drinks, pastel decorated cupcakes and the harpist in the window case (yes, a harpist!), playing beautiful music for guests. The in-store setting was very intimate, with models posing every 15 minutes to showcase Oak and Fort’s spring/summer collection, giving guests the opportunity to take some great photos.

From initial observations, the Oak and Fort ss2012 collection is full of very soft colors and light and flowing material. You can expect to see sheer blouses, long dresses and skirts, light weight trousers, shorts, and shawls, as well as neutral and versatile tops. The collection very much embodies their buying team’s vision of culture, art, fashion and exploration. You can be certain you will make full use of Oak and Fort pieces because the colors are neutral enough to mix and match with various outfits so that one piece can create so many different looks, both casual and formal.

The ss2012 collection represents that effortlessly chic look—what you expect a trend setter to wear in the upcoming warmer seasons. Unlike many smaller boutiques that carry international designers, the nice thing about Oak and Fort is their reasonable and affordable pricing.  I highly recommend checking Oak and Fort out if you haven’t already. Alternatively, you can visit the Oak and Fort website to view the spring/summer 2012 collection and shop online.

Mark your calendar for the 63rd Legendary Army & Navy Shoe Sale . On Wednesday, April 25th, doors will open at 8am at all Army & Navy locations, including Vancouver (36 West Cordova Street in Gastown), New Westminster and Langley. The sale will run until Sunday, May 6th with new stock arriving daily.

“Women from all over Canada line up at the crack of dawn to experience Army & Navy’s Legendary Shoe Sale!”, said Jacqui Cohen, Army & Navy President and CEO. “By offering affordable designer shoes, we have filled a niche (and women’s closets!) for 63 years.”

Highlights surrounding this edition of Canada’s Largest Shoe Sale include over 100,000 pairs of premium designer brands like BCBG, Betsy Johnson, Coach, Calvin Klein, DKNY, Eli Tahari, Fergalicious, Guess, Jessica Simpson, Steve Madden and Vince Camuto showcased throughout six locations and priced under 40 dollars!

Some interesting facts about the Army & Navy Shoe Sale:

• 3,000 women across Canada wait in the Army & Navy Legendary Shoe Sale line up on opening day
• 103,246 is the number of shoes in this year’s Army & Navy Legendary Shoe Sale
• 3.15 million is the total number of shoes sold at the Army & Navy Legendary Shoe Sale to date

By no means a pub crawl, explore Gastown’s exciting craft beer scene on Vancouver Food Tour’s beer-centric culinary tour.  Upon signing up for the craft beer and bites tour, we knew we’d be stopping by four different destinations during the three-hour tour, but the locations aren’t revealed until you meet your tour group.  We met our tour guide, Nicole Coetzee, and the other 8 – 10 members of the tour at Waterfront Station in Gastown.

The four Gastown locations we went to were Rogue Kitchen & Wetbar, Pourhouse, Clough Club and Bitter Tasting Room.   Each destination features unique aspects of beer including beer history and brewing process, beer cocktails, modern gastropub snacks and how to pair beer and food.

At the first location, Rogue Kitchen and Wetbar, all three beer selections were from British Columbia – Central City (Surrey), Driftwood Brewery (Victoria) and R&S Brewing Co. (East Vancouver).  We had a lobster macaroni and cheese, a hearty, spicy chilli and a bite-sized vietnamese sandwich to pair with our drinks.

Our Vancouver tour guide, Nicole, was really knowledgeable and personable.  She was well rehearsed in her tour speeches, yet the way she spoke about her craft beers was in a conversational, storytelling style, rather than a textbook lecture.  Nicole was able to describe craft beer with the five senses:

• sight - how beer should look, the significance of the glass beer bottle colour
• sound - what the “pop” of a beer cap should sound like to ensure the beer is fresh
• smell - the typical aromas of different styles of beer
• touch - the texture of beer on your palette (is it creamy? smooth? velvety?)
• taste - the actual flavour of the beer and the styles of food it would be best paired with.

In addition, not only was she able to give us the spheal on the beer itself, she also produced snippets of information on Gastown history as we hopped from location to location.

Next up was Pourhouse. There, we sampled another beer from Driftwood Brewery, but were also introduced to two American brewery creations – a Pale Ale from Mirror Pond (Oregon) and and the Imperial 8 Ball Stout from Loast Coast Brewery (California).  For food pairings, see image below:

Most of the patrons of the beer tour came in pairs.  In our group, most of the people were from Vancouver, although we had a couple from New Zealand as well! In general, I found that conversation flowed easily with everyone in the group.  Because we switched locations every 40 minutes or so, conversations didn’t run stale because you could sit beside a new person at the next location.  If you ever ran out of things to say, you could always divert your attention back to food and drink.

At the Donnelly Group’s newest restaurant, Clough Club, we were served an “orange hop-sicle” beer cocktail which consisted of 2 oz of Cointreau, 3 oz of Driftwood Far Tug IPA, 1/2 oz dash of simple syrup and 3 dash Peychaud’s bitters to round it all out.  The cocktail was strong, with contrasting flavours of sweet and bitter.  Keep your eyes peeled for more and more innovative beer cocktail concoctions – that seems to be a recent alcoholic beverage trend in Vancouver.

Lastly, at Bitter Tasting Room, we had another flight of beers paired with dessert.  Dessert was made up of multi layers of cream, nuts, cake and cherry, served in a jam jar.  At the last location, we were encouraged to stay as long as we liked to continue to social with our tour group.

Convinced?  Hop on board and meet fellow beer devotees as you taste, sip, and bite through historic Gastown.  With a passionate beer educator as your guide, curious beer lovers and serious beer enthusiasts alike will discover, enjoy and discuss craft brews alongside a variety of food pairings.

The next Craft Beer & Bites tour will be on April 3.  The $80 tour includes beer tastings at each of the 4 destinations, hand-selected food pairings and an informative and interactive guided walking tour.  Click here for more information and to register online for the tour.

By Kuan Ho, Modern Mix Vancouver writer

With St. Patrick’s Day coming around the corner, what better fit that to feature The Irish Heather and its true Irish heritage on Modern Mix Vancouver?

Located at 210 Carrall Street, The Irish Heather has been a Gastown staple since 1997 when Irishman Sean Heather opened his first establishment.  We were greeted by Mike Mitchell, Director at the Heather Hospitality Group, who explained to us that the company has always strived to keep the pub as authentic as possible. The beautiful exposed brick walls are decorated with original Guinness posters from the 1950s and the menu is populated with familiar Irish fare such as bangers & mash and pot pie. More importantly, there is zero tolerance for cheesy “plastic paddy” decorations: no green plastic hats, no pictures of shamrocks, and certainly no green beer. This place is the real deal.

We also heard that The Irish Heather serves the “best pint of Guinness in town”. As a casual fan of Guinness, the thought of having the “best” certainly piqued my interest.  I ordered a traditional pint of Guinness while Vanessa had the Guinness & Black, which is made with an ounce of Ribena blackcurrent cordial.

We watched as our bartender Bucky (who has worked at the Heather since day one) showed us the proper pour: the glass must be tilted at a 45 degree angle and held not too close but also not too far away from the tap, given a half twist while being poured, and then left alone to “settle” once 3/4 full. After about 90 seconds, the glass is then topped off, with the foam forming a dome shape over the top of the glass and a sharp, distinct separation between the beer and the foam.

Mike went on to talk about the more technical aspects such as hose length, storage and serving temperatures, and proper glassware, but concluded with two big things:

1. Every bartender at the Heather knows how to make a proper pour
2. Every drop of Guinness served at the Heather comes directly from Ireland, not from a distillery in Toronto

With my mouth watering, I took a big gulp of Guinness. Smooth, rich, and wholesome. Definitely hit the spot. How can you tell if you had a good pint of Guinness? Look at the glass when you finish — there should still different levels of foam stains on the glass to ensure a proper pour.

In conclusion, the guys at Irish Heather are serious about their stout and it really shines through when you step in and take a sip. Be sure to check them out on St. Patrick’s Day or any other day to grab a pint.  The Irish Heather is open Monday – Thursdays & Sundays from 11:30am to Midnight, and Fridays & Saturdays 11:30am to 2am.

When I went for brunch on a Sunday around noon, the brunch menu was on a separate sheet of paper, which leads me to think brunch may be a hasty add-on to its more popular lunch/dinner menu.  I found the service incredibly slow but luckily we were in no rush.

I had the frittata of the day which was prosciutto and peas.  I didn’t like it.  Overcooked.  Maybe I shouldn’t be surprised, the service was so slow, someone probably left my frittata cooking in the skillet.  The side salad was really plain.  My fries, made the dish seem more like a lunch item, which is fine because they were the best part of my meal.  The texture of reminded me of school cafeteria fries or fries from Wendy’s, which I like, but wasn’t expecting from a classy restaurant like Water Street Cafe.

Meanwhile, the breakfast sausage hash was sort of dinky – the way it was presented, and the portion size, made it seem like leftovers or a side dish, rather than the main part of my meal.  From my previous Vancouver Weekend Brunch Series posts on Modern Mix, you can likely tell that I’m used to big, chunky potatoes hash, whereas this dish seemed kind of dinky.  As you can see below, the hash portion took up less space than the English muffins. The cheese wasn’t quite melted on top either, and sausage below was pooled in its own oil.

Given my experience, I’m not sure if brunch is a specialty of Water Street Cafe. I’ve been there before for both lunch and dinner, both times were better than for brunch.  I would come back, but unlikely ever again for weekend brunch.

By Alicia Woodside, Modern Mix Vancouver Fitness Writer

The old Storyeum building took on a new life on Thursday, when hundreds of yogis, armed with mats and an appetite for something novel and interesting dropped in on the iconic Gastown space. At 7:30, the historic venue became a world of dark lighting, glow sticks, and yoga mats, ready for Vancouver’s first Yoga Rave.

We knew we were headed in the right direction the minute we stepped into Gastown. Ahead of us, people marched with yoga mats, paving the way to our first-ever yoga rave. The moment we arrived, a considerable line had formed outside the vacant building, and passers-by were curious about the huge influx of people. It felt like we were waiting to enter a club, minus the ID’s and of course, and the attitude. Once inside, we were pleasantly surprised to be directed toward glowsticks, a free coat check, a “bar” with free coconut water, and an inventory of yoga mats. A party atmosphere, revised for health and fitness? I was in heaven!

After the venue filled with hundreds of eager yoga ravers, the event got underway with Rave instructor Gloria Latham, who led the class through an energizing Kundalini Yoga sequence. The class was well-suited for the high-energy atmosphere, with explosive physical and verbal expressions, and quick transitions that inspired constant movement. I even shared standing squats hand-in-hand with a new friend, as Gloria encouraged participants to partner up with other yoga ravers we did not know in the class.

The highlight of the event came when all order broke loose, and the event transformed into full-on yoga rave. Within minutes, hundreds of people were jumping, bounding, and dancing, with a level of energy that rivaled a bouncy castle. It was fresh, fun, and incredibly good cardio. As the windows fogged with the heat in the room, participants became extremely comfortable, letting their inner dancer loose. The experience brought us back an irresistible element of childhood– dancing like we just did not care. After an hour of rave-like fun, Gloria returned to a few strength building Kundalini poses, which brought the experience full circle.

After this first-ever lululemon yoga rave, Modern Mix Vancouver is convinced that our city is on to a great new way to exercise: (Energy & atmosphere of a dance club) + (cardio and strength movements) + (awesome instructor) = (fitness you look forward to)!

See amazing video footage below from the Lululemon Yoga Rave:

By Alicia Woodside, Modern Mix Vancouver Fitness Writer

Ever heard of a yoga rave? No, neither had we! That is, until we got wind of Lululemon Athletica’s upcoming Yoga Rave event, which sparked our imagination. To help you satisfy your curiosity, MMV fitness writer Alicia had the chance to get the scoop on this event with instructor Gloria Latham and with Lululemon Regional Community Manager Lindsay Claydon.

Event: Lululemon Yoga Rave
Date: Thursday, December 8, 2011
Time: 7:30pm
Location: 142 Water Street
Facebook Event: Yoga Rave

MMV: Who thought of this idea, and how was the event inspired?

Lindsay: Every Monday and Friday night, Gloria teaches an amazing Kundalini class at Semperviva that resembles a rave. We love the energy and overall experience of this class and wanted to share it with the community of Vancouver.

MMV: What is Lululemon’s goal with this event?

Lindsay: Our goal with this event is to share this amazing practice with the Vancouver community and bring everyone together to practice yoga in a unique environment.

MMV: So, what is a yoga rave?

Lindsay: Expect an invigorating Kundalini class, packed with your closest friends, your favourite dance music, and glow sticks.

MMV: How do you expect the yoga rave to differ from a regular yoga class, in terms of music, atmosphere, lighting, people? Do you think the yoga rave will appeal to different audiences that might not normally consider a yoga class?

Gloria: Kundalini yoga is a style not known to most. The class I teach draws from this tradition. It will feel a little different even to regular devotees of the yoga practice. This is going to be a great place to be if you want to release some built up tension, make some new friends, and have a lot of fun. In terms of music, I like to incorporate everything from mantras to Enrique Inglesias and PitBull.

MMV: Who should come?

Lindsay: Anyone who wants to move their body, free their mind and have fun!

MMV: What type of yoga experience should yoga ravers have?

Lindsay: No yoga experience is required. The event is open to all levels.

MMV: Gloria, have you taught a Yoga Rave before?

Gloria: I’ve never taught a “yoga rave” before but I’m often told that my evening classes, particularly Monday and Friday nights resemble a rave. I think it is because Kundalini yoga is such a freeing practice that people feel they can really let loose. Some good music always helps things along. The class will incorporate everything from traditional poses like down dog, to lots of dancing, sweating and singing. Come with an open mind and an open heart.

MMV: Judging by the number of Facebook confirmations, it looks like it’s going to be super busy! What is the event’s capacity, and what time should participants arrive to ensure they can take part?

Lindsay: We are anticipating a large group of people. Guests should arrive at 7:30pm to ensure a spot!

MMV: Is there any cost associated with the event?

Lindsay: The event is complimentary.

So, there you have it… An unconventional chance to combine two typically disparate, but totally fun activities, in a way you never would have expected! See you there Vancouver!

*Full Disclosure: Since this article, the author is now doing yoga raves daily working at lululemon.

**Photo credit to LittleFashionisto**

By Carolyn Fung, Modern Mix Vancouver writer

On Thursday last week I had the opportunity to attended the (212) 2011/2012 Winter preview. The event was clearly well received with a packed room of local designers, fashion bloggers and supporters at the beautiful Montauk showroom in Gastown.

The inspiration behind (212) comes from owners Scott Walhovd and Anthony Castro. With a degree from Parsons School of deign and a love for the West Coast Anthony and Scott brought together their expertise in 1995 to create (212). With a focus on affordable pricing, this Manhattan inspired store offers Vancouverites a taste of the big city style without the big city prices.

The debut of their 2011/2012 winter collection included classic winter grays, rich navy blues, hints of beige and bright cobalt blue. This year, the focus was on staying true to clean cuts, solid colors and form fitting styles. Small details like asymmetrical cuts and exposed zippers were also included to add a contemporary feel to the classic designs. It was all about layering pieces and staying true the lifestyle of women in Vancouver. Dress shirts layered underneath fitted knit sweaters, turtlenecks and, button ups and skirts. What I loved most about this particular show was the easygoing nature of the clothes for that perfect laid back, sophisticated look.

In order to offer their customers accessible style in a timely manner, (212) chose to debut their winter collection in season rather than months before hand. For customers, this means the instant gratification of knowing their designs are literally hot off the runway.  You can expect prices for this collection to range from $85-$200+. For those of you interested to see more, don’t let the area code fool you. (212) is located right in the heart of Gastown and for those rainy days, you can shop their online store 24/7.

In support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, QUEENS boutique (12 E. Cordova) in Gastown is set to launch their “Queens Get The Money” charity drive starting October 17th and running until October 31st.  With proceeds from boutique sales, nails services as well as welcoming any and all donations, Queens aims to raise $3,500 for breast cancer research within the two-week event.

“When I first heard my Mom was diagnosed with Breast Cancer, I didn’t believe it.  I couldn’t believe it could happen to someone so close to me.  It was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to go through in my life” says Queens founder Rose Raflores.   “Up until the moment I lost my Mom, I knew very little about Breast Cancer.  This charity drive is more than just about raising money, awareness and finding a cure, it’s about helping mend the broken hearts affected by this disease.  I truly hope that the spirit of hope, resilience and faith in a future without Breast Cancer is something we can help perpetuate.”

Website: Crown the Queens
Facebook Event:  Queens Get the Money For Breast Cancer Charity Drive