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Adventures in cake

March 20, 2012 //
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The baking of cake has always been a challenge for me. Pie, no problem; cookies, awesome! Almost every year in the yule-tide season I make fruit cake, my Grandmother’s recipe, but with all organic fruit which has soaked in rum for months ahead. It always turns out perfect and delicious, but at a cost. This year I dropped a glass canister which I had just filled with organic flour on the floor, smash! Last year, the basket on the front of my bicycle fell off as I was hauling the bike up the stairs to our building: bottle of rum, smash! And so it goes. However, I endure. Last weekend was our dear friend Connor’s birthday. I know he loves carrot cake and I have always wanted to make one. So I turned to the Rebar Cookbook, published by a local Victoria restaurant, as I knew their cake was very good. I couldn’t be more pleased with the result! It was beautiful and delicious!

Found this blog while looking for links to the cookbook: http://rebar.cookthebook.ca/

The cookbook is available at the restaurant and it’s sister bakeries Cascadia downtown and Pure Vanilla in Oak Bay, at local Victoria book shops and at Amazon.

Rich moist carrot cake with white chocolate cream cheese icing, YUM!

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Categories Food, Travel, Uncategorized

Pretty Hot Chocolate

March 20, 2012 //
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I love coffee art, that extra bit of care and pride taken to present someone with something beautiful as well as delicious. A few days ago this was my Peppermint Hot Chocolate from Bean Around the World in Chinatown:

Yum! I love the two levels of decoration.

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Categories Art, Food, Travel, Uncategorized

Vancouver Adventure: day 3

March 3, 2012 //
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Our final day (too quick!) was all about food and art (mostly food!). We usually have breakfast at Central Bistro on our last day in Vancouver as it’s very good and very close to the hotel. Delicious! We had noticed a new shop on Denman while we were coming and going on the bus, so we walked  a couple blocks to check it out: Ayoub’s Dried Fruit and Nuts. This is a gorgeous store run by a lovely woman. We picked up a few snacks for the ferry ride home and some Turkish delight for the cat sitter. After checking out from the hotel we headed up Robson Street, popping into a few shops. We encountered a very sweet blogger named Mel who snapped photos of me and GJ for her blog Culture Serf. We had a delightful chat about our favourite shopping places. Check out her blog; it’s really fun! Then met our friend Sandra for lunch at Nuba on Cambie at Hastings. We shared a snack plate and GJ was able to have Turkish coffee, which he loves. Next stop, a couple hours at The Vancouver Art Gallery, which is always wonderful. That left just enough time at the end of the day for a snack at Mink before skytrain/bus/ferry/bus to home and our little cat!

Our favourite new West End shop: Ayoub’s.

Amazing hot chocolate and snacks at Mink. And they have fondue!

Another gorgeous sky as we leave Vancouver.

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Categories Art, Food, Travel, Uncategorized

Vancouver Adventure: day 2

March 3, 2012 //
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Excitedly awoke to our full day in Vancouver with a dusting of snow on the ground! It was really pretty all the days we were there: lots of big, fluffy clouds; snow falling on the nearby mountains; breaks of sun; smell of snow in the air. We jumped on the bus/skytrain up to Main and 28th and walked east on 28th to St George where we enjoyed a lovely petit déjeuner at Le Marché St George. Our pastries were so delicious, I forgot to take a picture of them until they were almost gone! Along with pastries and light lunches, Le Marché has a few delicacy groceries and unique household goods for purchase. It was hard to take good pictures and not include the many patrons who came and went in the shots. Once we were done we walked back down Main Street to Broadway, stopping now and then to browse the many interesting shops we encountered, including Front, a cool shop of new and gently worn fashions, shoes and accessories. We wanted to check out Gravity Pope, a shoe store my sister recommended, so hopped on a bus heading west on Broadway, jumped off at Yew and walked over to West 4th for a bit of shopping. Luckily, at another shoe store, we found a new pair of boots for GJ as the only shoes he brought had sprung a leak in the slush first thing in the morning. Yummy lunch and celebrity sighting at Sofie’s Cosmic Cafe, then we headed down to the Kitsilano waterfront at the Maritime Museum and walked back to Granville Island to catch the ferry back over to the West End and back to the Hotel for a rest. The evening brought the main attraction of our trip: the world premier of Ignorance, a new production by The Old Trout Puppet Workshop, showing at the CULTCH. Amazing doesn’t even begin to describe the show!

A bit of snow outside our beautiful hotel, The Sylvia.

Yum! Croissant aux amandes, brioche, café et chocolat chaud.

Le Marché St George, St George at E28th, Vancouver BC.

Le Marché St George, detail.

Le Marché St George; small shop, lots to look at!

Looking up at the Maritime Museum and a gorgeous sky from the dock of historic boats just below the museum.

Looking over at the West End from Kitsilano.

A section of a kinetic ball sculpture in a window at Granville Island.

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Categories Art, Food, Travel, Uncategorized

Vancouver Adventure: day 1

March 3, 2012 //
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Last week we headed over to Vancouver for three days; what fun! We really appreciate having a much larger city in which to play so close to our little lovely town. We missed the bus on tuesday morning which would have put us on the 9am ferry, so were forced to eat a delicious breakfast at our favourite place Mo:lé, and had time to go back home to snuggle the cat for a few minutes before catching the bus for the 11:00 boat. The straight was a bit rough, but we arrived on the mainland intact and a quick bus/skytrain ride later we were downtown. First stop, the Sylvia Hotel at English Bay; our home away from home whenever we go to Vancouver. After a quick freshen up we headed out to walk the sea wall towards Granville Island. We found some great art to view at a few of the South Granville galleries. Equinox Gallery had an amazing display of Takao Tanabe; the largest number I’ve ever seen in one place. His work is so beautiful. A bit of shopping and then an AMAZING dinner at Vij’s.

Winding our way through the Gulf Islands.

Passing another ferry en route to Victoria.

Out in the straight, the chop was causing the ferry to bob about a bit!

Lovely walkway along English Bay in the West End with views across to Kitsilano.

The Ferry stop at the Aquatic Centre. From here you can get to Granville Island, Yale Town, Science World and a few other stops.

A quick hop on the harbour ferry from the Aquatic Centre to Granville Island.

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Categories Art, Food, Travel, Uncategorized

A little romance for dinner

February 16, 2012 //
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Made a special dinner for Valentine’s Day, for which we felt teased along the journey to obtain the ingredients. Strawberries and a lovely bunch of daffodils at Niagara Market; a lovely bottle of Chilean Chardonnay. So I went with the old standard, chocolate-covered strawberries, along with yummy lemon squares from Cascadia Bakery, preceded by pasta tossed in a parsley and olive pesto with asiago cheese. A delicious meal and a lovely Valentine’s Day. Next year, I will try to be more organized and attempt the lovely cookies another blogger shared; I would be thrilled if they turned out half as beautiful as hers!

http://jenmaaninamman.com/2012/02/14/no-fail-sugar-cookies-just-in-time-for-valentines-day/

Yum!

 

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Categories Food, Uncategorized

And more snow!

January 18, 2012 //
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What an extraordinary day! Snow, melting, more snow, sun, more snow, and last, clear and very cold! (read treacherously icy sidewalks!) Couldn’t not snap a few more pics of our beautiful city in a delicate wrap of white.

2:35 leaving Ingredients: 5 minutes earlier it was a white out! Big fluffy flakes and lots of them.

3:15, the blizzard has stopped and the sidewalks are already clearing.

At about 4:45, still clear but more snow clouds are gathering.

The cure for a cold day: boozy hot chocolate!

Categories Food, Travel, Uncategorized

Breakfast at Mo:Lé

January 12, 2012 //
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At least once a week we indulge in breakfast out. There are a good number of excellent spots for breakfast in downtown Victoria, but one of our favourites is Mo:Lé on Pandora Avenue. The food is great; the service, tho informal, is exceptional. There are many incredible dishes and lately, several weekly specials, and it’s breakfast and lunch all day which I love. Despite the delicious options, like the Huevos Rancheros and Mo’s Biscuit, we often just have The Basic (free-run eggs prepared perfectly as you like them, yummy pesto roasted potatoes and gooood toast) – GJ always has a side of aioli.

http://www.molerestaurant.ca/home

Our "Basics" – yum, yum, yum.

Mo:Lé Restaurant, 554 Pandora Avenue, Victoria BC

Categories Food, Travel, Uncategorized

Winter bike adventure: Oak Bay

January 11, 2012 //
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Yesterday was a perfect winter day: bright with sun and a gathering sky which hinted that snow may be coming (wasn’t). I headed out on la mia bella bicicletta into the busy city. I stuck to the side roads through the neighbourhoods of North Park, Fernwood and Jubilee before crossing the border into Oak Bay. A short stop to take in all the sensual delights at Pure Vanilla  Bakery and then onto the Estevan Village. I stopped at the studio of Phyllis Serota for a short visit. Phyllis is preparing for her next show at her studio on February 19. She has just published a book of memoirs of her life called “Painting my life.” I’ve always found that Phyllis’ work feels very intimate, even if the viewer doesn’t know the story in the painting. With her book, she brings the viewer more clearly into her world with a loving, vibrant account of her life thus far. I headed next through the Estevan Village, worth a visit, with many lovely shops and eateries. Just a block from the ocean I rode along the water for a spell and finally wound my way through Oak Bay into Fairfield. The light was already fading by 3 pm so I headed home to meet GJ and go for a short walk and sunset.

http://www.phyllisserota.com/intro.html

http://www.oakbaytourism.com/attractions/shopping/index.htm

My wonderful bicycle.

Phyllis Serota's new book and a lovely article in this month's Focus Magazine.

Heading into Estevan Village.

Estevan Village

Willows Park, Oak Bay

Oak Bay Marina

Sunset at Victoria's Inner Harbour.

Categories Art, Food, Travel, Uncategorized

Winter Adventure, unexpected continuation…

December 28, 2011 //
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27 December 2011   Wish I had some pics to show you of todays amazing snowfall. We were supposed to fly home today from Trail, but once we drove there discovered the flight was cancelled. So, since we were right there, we drove up the mountain to the charming town of Rossland. It was dark and snowing so decided not to take any pics. Had an amazing dinner at Drift Izakaya, then the slow drive home through the blizzard. Hats off to R for his superb driving skills!

http://www.rossland.com/home

http://www.rossland.com/directory/driftg_izakaya

Categories Food, Travel, Uncategorized
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