First Time at Diner en Blanc Vancouver

Fleurs De Villes: Gorgeous floral sculpture in the background at Diner en Blanc Vancouver 2019

I have been wanting to attend Diner en Blanc for a couple of years now. In fact, I actually purchased tickets for Diner en Blanc Vancouver 2017, but since I was a student with a part-time job, additional costs of attending Diner en Blanc were not feasible for me, so I ended up giving them to a friend. Now that I have a full-time job, I can finally attend and have an amazing time!  

Diner en Blanc's history is quite interesting. The original - Le Diner en Blanc de Paris - was held by a small group of friends in 1988. They decided to set up a dinner in the midst of Parc do Bagatelle in the Bois de Boulogne. The once small and "illegal" has grown into a massive must-attend night that has thousands of guests descending upon a secret location for a night of fun, laughter and great food. Currently, Diner en Blanc takes place in 30 different countries in over 80 major cities. The main attributes to Diner en Blanc are that everyone must be dressed in white, you must bring your own table, chairs and food and the location is kept completely a secret until you board the chartered bus. 

This year, Diner en Blanc 2019 was held on Thursday, August 8th at George Wainburn Park, which overlooks the gorgeous Yaletown Marina. Technically my friend and I were part of the "charter bus" group that was going to board a bus at David Lam Park, but we were massively duped because as it happens, the secret location was only a block over. Our "charter bus" group just ended up walking five minutes over to George Wainborn Park in Yaletown. 

Vancouver's Hidden Lounge: Key Party

Local restauranteur Rachel Zottenberg, recently named one of Western Living's 2019 Foodies of the Year, is bring some much-needed excitement and thrills to Vancouver. Let's face it, Vancouver has a bit of a "no fun" reputation and a non-existent nightlife. The half-block on Granville Street basically sums it up! Sure, bubble tea and chic hipster cafes are yummy, but sometimes I just crave something more thrilling than the newest insta-worthy latte. 

Key Party is the newest addition to Zottenberg's already impressive portfolio of restaurants and lounges. Hidden behind the facade of Zottenberg & Son's Accounting is the most bougiee 1970's inspired cocktail lounge in Vancouver. Do not let the dusty facade of the boring accounting office that has been plucked straight from 70's fool you because the two spaces could not be more of a juxtaposition of one another! 

The under the radar lounge has no signage, so only those "in the know" actually know about it, but despite being incognito, Key Party is filled with patrons sipping cocktails. The lounge is gorgeous. Thick red velvet drapes cover the walls and flank a massive hand-painted mural of a woman trying to look demure while she casually drapes her naked body over a tiger. In the background, two other red-haired women are also nonchalantly hanging out in the nude and completely unfazed by the giant wild cat. If not for anything else, just go for the naked ladies in the mural! I also loved the Himalayan salt votives that covered the space making for a delightful glow and cozy atmosphere. Not to mention the crystal cut barware was stunning so no matter the drink, you are going to feel special sipping from those glasses. Even the spouted pitcher used for mixing cocktails was crystal! Definitely made me feel like I was at an opulent Great Gatsby party. 

The interior is a throwback to retro vintage vegas vibes. For atmosphere, I wanted to create a space where people could relax and meet new people. A place where you can just let go and have a good time.  

                                                                                          Rachel Zottenberg, Co-Owner of Key Party

Bear's Blooms Brings Local Flowers to Vancouverites

Bear's Blooms: Delivering BC-grown flowers to the door's of Vancouverites

There are a lot of amazing floral shops in Vancouver; however, the majority of flowers used by the florists are flown in from around the globe. This came as a shock to me considering the numerous flower farmers in BC. Bear's Blooms recognized this and is helping Vancouverites connect with local growers. 

Bear's Blooms is challenging both consumers and florists to think local. By using flowers that are grown within the province - many of them come from within the Lower Mainland! - Bear's Blooms' carbon footprint is significantly smaller than the traditional florist as none of their flowers or greens are flown in from across the world. 

Bear's Blooms is a bit of a different business model as they offer a weekly subscription floral delivery service. The subscription model allows Bear's Blooms to be more accurate in the number of flowers they need for the week, so they can significantly minimize their weekly flower waste. Florists, on the other hand, can only estimate the number of flowers they will need for the week. On average, a florist typically discards 40% of their floral inventory. 

H Tasting Lounge Summer Patio Party

You know what the best part about spring and summer is? Patio Season! It is finally hot and sunny in Vancouver and I try to soak in every second of it. If I am going out to eat, I am getting a table on the patio because every minute spent indoors is a minute of summer wasted.

L to R: Christina Kaspercyk (Lumin Pictures), ME in the middle, Ruby Gillett (@rubygillett)

H Tasting Lounge is just off of Vancouver's Seawall inside the luxurious Westin Bayshore Hotel. From the patio, you get a clear view of Coal Harbour and the Northshore mountains. Before I get into the food and drinks, I cannot resist mentioning the Art Deco design of H Tasting Lounge. Art Deco has always captivated me with its bold geometric shapes and jewel tones crossed with rich yellow gold. H Tasting Lounge has gone with a contemporary take on art deco and breaks up the rich royal blue and gold with soft lilacs and white marble. I also love the amount of natural sunlight that drenches the space from the skylights and massive windows. Needless to say, H Tasting Lounge is a stunning space that embodies effortless luxury.

The Harbourside Patio is very spacious, and the distance from the seawall gives patrons still a sense of privacy. Not to mention the hotel is nestled away in a quiet neighbourhood, so there is no sound of traffic and roaring cars to kill the mood. 

Pangea Pod Hotel | A Night In Whistler

This is Part Two of my 24 hours in Whistler. Part Two is going to focus on accommodations: The Pangea Pod Hotel! 

The Pangea Pod Hotel is in the heart of Whistler Village. It had made quite the buzz last summer when it first opened its doors. It is no secret that hotel prices in Whistler are astronomical. During peak ski and snowboarding season, some hotel rooms can go for as much as $1000 per night! That is MADNESS! No wonder I keep my visits to Whistler to day trips. 

Unlike traditional hotels, husband and wife duo Russell and Jelena Kling, set out to create a boutique-hotel-like experience at an affordable price. (Weekdays range $85/1 person, $160/2 people; Weekends $170 /1 person, $280 /2 people). Honestly, the only time I am in my hotel room is when I am showering, getting ready and sleeping. It is a rarity for me to utilize hotel amenities like pools or gyms or whatever else they might offer because I want to spend my time exploring the city. 

Pastry Chef Extrodinare: Julien at Au Comptoir

Au Comptoir: The Pistachio Mille Feuille with fresh Raspberries

Most people pick restaurants based on what they want for their entree, but I, on the other hand, make my decision solely based on the restaurant's dessert menu! Dessert is life and life is too short to not indulge yourself. Vancouver's dessert scene is phenomenal, but one restaurant has always caught my attention: Au Comptoir. 

Au Comptoir's Executive Pastry Chef, Julien, also noticed my infatuation of everything sweet. Before I knew it, I was seated across from the man himself with a sampling of his creations on the table between us. 

Pods, Pines and Pools: 24-Hours in Whistler

Every now and then, we just need to escape our chaotic big city lives. Whistler might be best known for its Snowboarding and Ski Scene, but it also happens to be a spectacular spring and summer getaway. In my case, Whistler was perfect for my Girls Trip! The Ski and Snowboarding slopes are just 120 KMs North of Vancouver in the Sea-To-Ski Corridor. This trip up to the mountains came at the perfect time because I really needed to disconnect from my busy work life. Despite being a short 24-hour mini trip to Whistler, we were able to pack in several amazing activities.