My BC Transit Story: 13 Year Relationship

Only picture I have on hand of me in high school.... ahhh terrible Grade 12 pictures. 

I have been a regular transit rider since the second day of grade eight. I live in Richmond, but attended a high school in Vancouver, so I would take public transit every morning to school and then bus back home after. I still remember rushing out the door and piling into the car with my neighbour to catch the 7:18 AM 480 UBC bus. The 7:18 AM time will forever be ingrained in my mind as I caught that 480 bus 5 days a week for 3 and a half years before the Canada Line was introduced. 

I completed my Bachelors of Science in Food, Nutrition and Health at UBC and then too, I rode the bus to and from campus. Over the years, I have worked for several different companies and depended on the public transit system. Now I work in North Vancouver, but live in Vancouver, but even still, I wake up early, take the Canada Line and catch the 240 at 5:51 AM to make it on time for my 6:30 AM start time. 

BETA5 Cafe Opening Party including holiday flavour preview

BETA 5 Holiday Creampuffs: Christmas Tree | Rudolph's Nose | White Forest | Snowball

BETA5 is kicking off the holiday season with the opening of their very first BETA5 Cafe aka BETA5 2.0! The 900 square foot cafe can seat up to 16 patrons and is conveniently located adjacent to their current production. So if you are craving some BETA5 creations, you will still need to make the trek into the industrial neighbourhood near Science World, but rumours have been floating that a more central downtown location is also in the works. To celebrate their opening, BETA5 invited media and influencers (like me!!!) to preview their 2019 Holiday Collection.  

Co-owner and lead pastry chef, Adam Chandler, loves to experiment with new and unique flavour profiles and equally enjoys the newest technological developments. BETA5's Cafe has been outfitted with the latest chilled display. The L-shaped counter displays their chocolate as well as their signature cream puffs, but there are other non-cream puff desserts in the works. Fingers crossed for some cake! I am going to try my best to describe the refrigerated countertop in words, so bear with me. The more widely used chilled cases have a door that is kept shut, but this commonly leads to condensation to build up inside. The moisture from the condensation can affect the pastries. The new BETA5 showcase has been designed to be half-open so there will be no condensation problem. There are pictures at the bottom that give you a look at the case. 

Discovering Canada's Coolest Artisans at Circle Craft

I have been meaning to attend Circle Craft for many years and finally made it out there for the very first time. Monday, November 11, 2019 is their final market day, so I want to get this post up ASAP so anyone curious can check it out. Over the years, I have visited several craft markets in Vancouver, but none of them come close in size to Circle Craft. 

I believe there are over 300 different artisans and makers from across Canada showing at Circle Craft. While you peruse the row upon rows of intricately crafted goods, a string quartet played joyous holiday music. 

There is so much to explore, from delectable jams and preserves to whimsical ceramics. I wish I had a million dollars because I would have purchased everything. The quality and craftsmanship were impeccable! Some of the artisans were fairly new, only dabbling in their craft for just over a year; however, their work was indistinguishable from those who have been honing in their craft for decades. I reckon Circle Craft must have a selection process and only accept vendors that meet a certain level of quality. 

Potter's House of Horrors Scare-ific Haunted Houses

With Hallowe'en fast approaching, scare-tastic shenanigans have been taking place all across the Lower Mainland. Now I must admit, I am an absolute scaredy-cat and tend to gravitate towards non-frightening activities like going to the pumpkin patch or celebrating my birthday - I am an October baby!!! Anything that causes my heart to leap out of my chest is not my thing, so I am shocked that I loved Potter's House of Horrors. 

Pampering myself with a pedicure from Onyx Aesthetics

I am drained, exhausted and overworked, so it was high time that I treated myself to something nice. I booked myself in for a pedicure at my favourite nail salon in Gastown: Onyx Aesthetics. I love getting my nails buffed, shaped and painted, but if I had to pick between a manicure or pedicure, I will always choose the latter. 

For pedicures, you get to sit in a comfy chair with lots of cute cushions and have a technician massage and scrub your feet until they are supple and smooth. Plus lets be real, pedicures last forever. I swear the polish on my toes will last for months, never chipping, just grows out. 

Fufú Café is putting the wobble in Soufflé Pancakes in Vancouver

Fufú Café | dress - Aritzia shoes- Steve Madden

Fufú Café is finally open which means we can all get our fill of wobbly Soufflé Pancake goodness!!! A few Fridays back, August 30th, I was spoiled with a private tasting of their menu and I must admit, do not let the light airy texture of the pancakes fool you because they are deceptively filling. 

Before I get into the main event - the soufflé  pancakes - I want to highlight Fufú Café's interior which drew inspiration from Art Deco Architecture. Royal navy blues, gold Calcutta marble and dusty rose pinks serve as the backdrop for the café. My favourite detail is the geometric molding that moves from the wall up onto the ceiling. Also the full-length mirror with a rounded top is everything and I want it for my room. To summarize, I am living for Fufú Café's aesthetic! 

Fufú Café specializes in the ever-popular Japanese-style Fluffy/Soufflé Pancake. Their menu is dedicated to these light and airy pancakes which gained popularity over the past couple of years. The airy melt in your mouth cloud-like texture is achieved from expertly folding in whipped egg whites into the pale yellow batter. Patience is of the utmost importance as they take 15 to 20 minutes to execute. Truly a labour of love. It is tough to describe the delicate texture that has made this style of pancake so sought after, so you really just need to go try the soufflé pancakes in person yourself. 

21.1 KM SeaWheeze 2019 Complete

My body hurts, my ankle is swollen, but I finished the SeaWheeze Half Marathon and I would do it again! This was my second time running a half marathon. I had done the Seawheeze in 2017 and it still remains a fabulous half marathon experience for non-runners and runners alike. Just do not let the Yoga - Fun - Party - tagline fool you because 21.1 Kilometers is no easy feat.

Lululemon goes out of their way to make the SeaWheeze a 3-day event which is completely free and open to registered runners. The energy that surrounds it is positive and everyone is in amazing spirits. This and many more reasons are why the SeaWheeze will probably remain the only half marathon that I am willing to my body through this much pain. 

For the two days leading up to race day, Jack Poole Plaza and the Convention Center are given a glorious makeover and are the site for pre-race events. There are lots of free swag up for grabs and complimentary services like massage and hair braiding. Not to mention lots and lots of yoga!