Meandering around Vancouver neighbourhoods is my favourite way to spend an afternoon. All of the neighbourhoods are distinct with their own personality, community, vibe, aesthetic and food. Love Your City is a new initiative launched in collaboration with 16 Business Improvement Associations.
I absolutely adore French cafés for their laid back atmosphere, delicious pastries and cute aesthetics. South Granville's newest addition is no exception. Marché Mon Pitou will give you major "Emily In Paris" the surprise Netflix hit show.
The cafe shines bright like a rich green emerald set in yellow gold, a bold colour scheme. My favourite design element is the use of Pitou, the owner's adorable English bulldog as the cafés official mascot. Marché Mon Pitou is more than just a café, it is a triple threat as a grocer and bistro too. The space inside is small boasting a massive central table that was overflowing with baskets of fresh produce leaving three tiny tables for indoor seating.
Nothing says "I Love You" like pizza and beer! With just a few days to go until Valentine's day, Pizzeria Farina is stretching dough into the shape of a heart to share with your sweetheart and to complete your romantic night, every order comes with Italian Peroni Beer.
The team behind Pizzeria Farina are juggernauts in Vancouver's Italian food scene. Sister restaurants include Ask for Luigi and Caffé Di Beppe, both of which I have dined at multiple times, so I can attest to their deliciousness! The original Pizzeria Farina is on the cusp of Chinatown and will be celebrating their 9th birthday on August 18th! The team at Farina take pride in their Italian pies and swear the secret to a stellar pizza is striking the delicate balance between the dough, sauce and toppings because if there are too many toppings, the flavour of the dough gets lost. Now of course, the foundation to all good food is high quality ingredients. Their Northern Italian-inspired pizzas start with a base of local Anita's organic flour which is mixed with rye and red fyfe. After a 24-hour fermentation period, the dough has deepened in flavour and is ready for toppings. Farina's tomato sauce is made with Italian San Marzano tomatoes and flavoured with salt, pepper, garlic and chilli flakes.
I never thought I would say this, but I went to a vegan restaurant, aka an eatery that serves an all plant-based menu. M!LA is one of Vancouver's most recent additions to the vegetarian food scene and can be found along Keefer Street amongst other notable restaurants in Historic Chinatown.
I popped by M!LA with my friend Its Josh Eats for Sunday morning brunch. I must admit, I was impressed by the long line that had formed outside of M!LA before they opened their doors at 10:30 AM. I really had no idea just how popular they were, but it should not come as a surprise considering there are not a lot of vegetarian friendly restaurants in Vancouver. My parents are vegetarian and it can be a struggle for them to eat out because their only options end up being salad, a cobbled together vegetarian pasta and a not so great veggie burger.
2020 was one hell of a year. A year of fear. A year of weird. A year of loneliness. A year of yearning. A year of anxiety. A year of learning. A year of rediscovering priorities. A year of changing expectations. A year of opening my eyes to new possibilities.
It has been a year of so much uncertainty; yet simultaneously educational. I lost my routines and my patience was seriously tested, but from it, I learned to adapt. I discovered that I could survive with much less. Now toilet paper will always be a vital necessity for me and something I CANNOT live without, but I can do without the daily overpriced caffeinated beverages. I am yearning for social gatherings and hanging out with my friends. I have been working hard to stay in contact with besties, but its just not the same. It is boring being holed up at home day after day! Despite it all, I am STRONG and CAPABLE of more than I think.
Livia Sweets is a gorgeous little shop that rolls out delicious pastries, breads and Italian fare. We all know I adore architecture and design, and Livia is one of those shops that I cannot get enough of because they have done a wonderful job of combining sleek new with old vintage pieces. For example, the dividers between tables on their patio are old wooden window panes. I also appreciate their non-denominational holiday decor of twinkling string lights woven throughout fresh pine, eucalyptus and other fresh green foliage. I am also in love with Livia's green wall installation!
Now I adore vintage furniture, glassware and jewelry, so when I heard Livia Sweets's was going to be including a pair of vintage glassware in each of their Mimosa Kits, so I just had to order one. Packaged in a wooden crate are a pair of vintage crystal glasses, a bundle of Eucalyptus, Livia's housemade brandied raspberries and a bottle of Bottega Prosecco. Livia recommends using the juice from the raspberry preserve in cocktails too! The rasperries are locally sourced and look plump and juicy, so needless to say, they are going to be delicious.
It is the holidays which means there are so many amazing giveaways to enter. In the past I have entered the occasional giveaway, but have never won any of them. This year, I am determined to win at least ONE of the holiday giveaways. I am going to be entering holiday giveaways that are being hosted on Instagram.
My strategy:
• Enter as many giveaways possible
That basically sums up my plan to win a giveaway. Hahaha Usually the winner is selected at random, so there is not very much I can do to increase my chances of winning. I can enter several times, but I do not know how my friends are going to feel about being tagged in so many posts. By the end of the holidays, my friends may just end up blocking me so we shall see!
