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
R.TL – Regional Tasting Lounge
Modern Mix Vancouver was invited to Yaletown’s r.tl (1130 Mainland Street) last week for a sampling of its new regional features. In case you missed the first article, r.tl’s menu is split into three sections, with each section featuring five to six small plates inspired from a distinct region of the world. The featured regions rotate on a three month basis, with the exception of BC, which is a constant on the menu.
A quick peek at the menu reveals that executive chef Erik Smith has chosen Portugal and France to join BC as its regional features for the next three months. The 50-seat establishment is chic and trendy, with dark wood furniture contrasted by contemporary white chairs.