Celebrate Life in The City: Bike the Blossoms 2009 (April 18)
By Alicia Woodside, MMV Fitness Writer
Here in Vancouver, we all have something very special to share, which is living in the city designated “the most liveable in the world”. It’s easy to see why just by heading outside, and encountering a sparkling ocean against breath-taking West Coast mountains. Sometimes it’s easy to take our beautiful environment, and the lifestyle it provides for granted. At this year’s Bike the Blossoms event, take the moment to rejoice and celebrate our city’s natural beauty.
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The event, organized by the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival in partnership with Slow Food Vancouver, welcomes everyone to slow down for a day to have fun and re-connect with our city’s beautiful outdoors. The day offers a well-planned bike route that will lead bikers through the most spectacular cherry blossom sights around town. There is also a special highlight on local farmers and eateries, aimed to promote the Slow Food movement. This year, many Fraser Valley farmers will take part in the event at Kitsilano and Britannia Community Centres, so that participants can stop by and get to know the people who actually produce their food. The farmers will be offering delicious tastings, as well as discussing the rarely explored topic of how the food we ingest is produced. Last year, some of the great public talks included a presentation by top beef producer Bob Hopcott, who taught about raising beef without hormones or additives for ultra-tenderness. Local eateries along the route will put their mark on the event with special menu items that incorporate local, fresh, or organic ingredients from Bosa Fine Foods. This year, many cafés and eateries along the Drive are highlighted. Stop by for a unique bite along the way, such as a sample of cherry blossom tea at Steeps Tea, (895 West Broadway) a cherry scone at Union Market, (754-756 Union Street) or Spelt Breakfast Cookie samples at The Spelt Bakery (2141 East Hastings). These are just a few of the foods to be savoured!
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The Down-Low Before You Show:
- Don’t like hills? Start the bike route wherever you want, but if you’re looking to avoid hills, make sure to travel heading North between Van Dusen Gardens and Kits Community Center.
- Don’t like biking? That’s okay too! The event is a rare occasion to get to meet the people who produce your food, interact with the community, and visit some of the amazing restaurants in the area! This year, Slow Food has gathered some great eateries along the Drive to showcase, some of which will have special “Slow Tastes” to make the event truly special!
Support the Cause: The organizers at Slow Food Vancouver have brought together some great aspects to the event, including the delicious tastings along the way! To compensate, the organizers hope that all participants will support the program by officially registering at brownpapertickets. This will involve a $7 fee that will go to support the program! The official map will also be provided upon registration.
- Bring a bag, or strap some panniers to carry any purchases along the way! Local farmers may have some tasty products for you to purchase.
The event promises to be a great way to admire our beautiful surroundings and enjoy some unique food and learning amongst the great people who make up our vibrant community. For more information, and to check out full listings of the participating eateries and community centres, check out the official Bike the Blossoms website.
MONTECRISTO Monday – Chambar’s Antique Doors
Last week, MONTECRISTO magazine announced that Voya Restaurant’s mixologist and head bartender, Jay Jones, would be joining its contributing team. Jay is in good company, with Karri Schuermans, proprietor of Chambar Belgian Restaurant, also writing a piece. Chambar recently acquired a unit adjacent to their restaurant, and have undergone a few renovations to transform the space into an elegant private dining room. While guests will surely notice the grand antique Egyptian doors that lead them into the room, only Schuermans can appreciate the joy and frustration of getting them there—until now, that is. Schuermans shares the story of how she acquired these beautiful doors, in MONTECRISTO’s upcoming spring issue.
They came from a man named Harry Stryer, who has an antique warehouse tucked away on Franklin Street. Harry travels all over the world, and is often hard to track down, but when he finally returns to Vancouver, he always brings back with him something unique.
MONTECRISTO magazine is a regional lifestyle quarterly created for the discerning, cultured Vancouverite, and is designed with the highest standard of quality in mind. The upcoming spring issue of MONTECRISTO will be available at Chapters/Indigo stores across Greater Vancouver, as of April 20th. www.montecristomagazine.com
MAVI – Warehouse Sale (April 10th to 13th)
The Mavi Easter Weekend sample sale is happening at the Mavi Store in Gastown (355 Water Street) this long weekend – starting today! Open from 10am to 6pm, stop by for some great deals – including jeans for $38! All items bought are a final sale but they will be taking cash, Debit, Visa, MC and Amex at the store. It’s been a while since I’ve been to a Mavi Warehouse sale – but I remember I would do my annual jean shopping there 😉 It’s a really good deal…
DJ Armin Van Buuren at The Commodore
…1000 people united for the same cause, dancing their Wednesday night away. Wouldn’t expect anything less from the voted #1 Trance DJ of 2008!
“Nifty For Fifty” Sale (April 18th & 19th)
Now is your chance as designers like Adhesif Clothing, Erin Templeton, Devil May Wear, Chulo Pony, Kulus, Allison Wonderland, Julie Hebb and Carny Love get together to showcase their creations and vintage items from their own personal collections!
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So save all your spring shopping for the Nifty for Fifty sale! Visit the Art & Soul Gallery inside the Pacific Palisades Hotel (1277 Robson St.) April 18th and 19th between 12-7pm, and find your next favourite look for a steal.
MONTECRISTO Monday – Jay Jones on Bartending
For their second issue, MONTECRISTO Magazine is very excited to have Jay Jones join its team of contributors. Though Jones is the mixologist and head bartender at the Loden Hotel’s Voya Restaurant, it’s the latter title he prefers. Throughout his career at the bars of some of Vancouver’s most prestigious restaurants, he has been dubbed a variety of names, each one seemingly an attempt to elevate the public perception and appreciation of the lowly barkeep. To him, it seems that “bartender” has become a dirty word, so in the spring issue of MONTECRISTO, Jones makes a humble appeal for its resurrection.
You could see the [hospitality] industry percolating, as new ambitious kitchens began to pop up. We started to embrace fresh, regional ingredients and to pay attention to seasonality. The ambition and creativity was inspiring as chefs became celebrities. The world began to notice. Bartenders began to notice.
MONTECRISTO magazine is a regional lifestyle quarterly created for the discerning, cultured Vancouverite, and is designed with the highest standard of quality in mind. The upcoming spring issue of MONTECRISTO will be available at Chapters/Indigo stores across Greater Vancouver, as of April 20th. www.montecristomagazine.com
