Mashed Thoughts: November 2013

Friday, November 29, 2013

Black Friday Photo Expo 2013
Fri & Sat 10am - 6pm
Lansdowne Mall, Unit 960, Richmond
Broadway Camera is leading the photo industry in hosting a promotion and sales event for Canadian shoppers. Canadian Black Friday shoppers can now start early and avoid border crossing and exchange with bigger savings and lucky draw. Photo Expo will be held at Lansdowne Mall Unit 960 from 10am – 6pm with daily seminars and product presentations. Leading photographic suppliers Nikon, Canon, Sony, Daymen, Amplis, Nadel, Red Raven and others will be there to demonstrate their latest photo products and upcoming releases.

Taiwanese Film Festival
Films at 6 PM and 7 PM Free, but seating is limited.
SFU Woodwards, 149 W. Hastings St., Vancouver
The 2013 Taiwanese Film Festival's focus is to create more opportunities for Canadian audiences to learn about Taiwan. This years festival program proudly presents: Taiwan's Owls: Silent Stalkers of the Night (2012) and The Rooftop (2013).

Gingerbread Lane at the Hyatt
9:00am - 9:00pm Nov 28 - Dec 27th
Hyatt Regency Vancouver, 655 Burrard Street, hotel lobby
From November 28, 2013 - December 27, 2013, guests of the hotel can enjoy a walk through Gingerbread Lane, which features over 40 gingerbread houses that have been created by various partners.

Vancouver Christmas Market - $6
November 22 to December 24 11:00am - 9:00pm
Just outside the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, 649 Cambie Street Vancouver, BC
Opening day! The Vancouver Christmas Market is back for its fourth year from November 22 to December 24, 2013 on the Queen Elizabeth Theatre Plaza! Enjoy our expanded offerings of delicious food items and find unique Christmas gifts for everyone on your list. We'll have seasonal music to set the mood and a great entertainment program of authentic folk groups.

Vancouver Festival of Trees
November 20, 2012 - January 2, 2013
Four Seasons Hotel & Pacific Centre Mall
For the past 27 years, Festival of Trees has transformed the lobby of the Four Seasons Hotel and the corridors of Pacific Centre Mall into a vision of beautifully decorated trees with the goal of raising much-needed funds for BC Children's Hospital Foundation. The Festival continues to bring together a vast array of generous sponsors both business and individual from Vancouver in what has become a much anticipated holiday tradition and the unofficial beginning of Christmas in the Vancouver. Every year, local businesses, organizations and individuals, sponsor and decorate their trees in a wacky, creative, unique, and always beautiful fashion.

Saturday, November 30, 2013

3rd Annual Strathcona Winter Craft Fair - $2
10am - 5pm
Strathcona Community Centre, 601 Keefer Street
Winter Craft Fair, 50 vendors

Black Friday Photo Expo 2013
Fri & Sat 10am - 6pm
Lansdowne Mall, Unit 960, Richmond
Broadway Camera is leading the photo industry in hosting a promotion and sales event for Canadian shoppers. Canadian Black Friday shoppers can now start early and avoid border crossing and exchange with bigger savings and lucky draw. Photo Expo will be held at Lansdowne Mall Unit 960 from 10am – 6pm with daily seminars and product presentations. Leading photographic suppliers Nikon, Canon, Sony, Daymen, Amplis, Nadel, Red Raven and others will be there to demonstrate their latest photo products and upcoming releases.

Consumer Fitness + Wellness Show
Sat 10:30 AM – 5:30 PM
Sun 9:30 AM – 3:00 PM
Vancouver Convention Centre Ballroom A 1055 Canada Place, Vancouver
Two day event at the Vancouver Convention Center. You can expect a high energy event full of fitness experts, product demos, workouts, and incredible savings from vendors showcasing the latest fitness accessories and apparel, educational tools, nutritional support, and programs. canfitpro is proudly supporting the Greater Vancouver Food Bank. Trade show admission is FREE, however, we are gladly accepting donations of $5 OR canned goods onsite.

Christmas on the Drive
1pm - 5pm
Grandview Park, Vancouver
The Commercial Drive Business Society's Christmas on the Drive Event at Grandview Park is on Saturday, November 30, from 1pm to 5pm. We'll be lighting the 60' tall Christmas Tree, and will have Santa, choirs, carolers, Horse and Carriage rides, kids activities, seasonal beverages, and baked goods!

Collingwood Winter Carnival
4pm - 8pm
Safeway Parking Lot (Kingsway & Tyne), Vancouver
Free holiday treats, Santa photos, magic snow, movie, balloon artist, carollers & more! Bring food bank donation & win prizes!

Gingerbread Lane at the Hyatt
9:00am - 9:00pm Nov 28 - Dec 27th
Hyatt Regency Vancouver, 655 Burrard Street, hotel lobby
From November 28, 2013 - December 27, 2013, guests of the hotel can enjoy a walk through Gingerbread Lane, which features over 40 gingerbread houses that have been created by various partners.

Vancouver Christmas Market - $6
November 22 to December 24 11:00am - 9:00pm
Just outside the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, 649 Cambie Street Vancouver, BC
Opening day! The Vancouver Christmas Market is back for its fourth year from November 22 to December 24, 2013 on the Queen Elizabeth Theatre Plaza! Enjoy our expanded offerings of delicious food items and find unique Christmas gifts for everyone on your list. We'll have seasonal music to set the mood and a great entertainment program of authentic folk groups.

Vancouver Festival of Trees
November 20, 2012 - January 2, 2013
Four Seasons Hotel & Pacific Centre Mall
For the past 27 years, Festival of Trees has transformed the lobby of the Four Seasons Hotel and the corridors of Pacific Centre Mall into a vision of beautifully decorated trees with the goal of raising much-needed funds for BC Children's Hospital Foundation. The Festival continues to bring together a vast array of generous sponsors both business and individual from Vancouver in what has become a much anticipated holiday tradition and the unofficial beginning of Christmas in the Vancouver. Every year, local businesses, organizations and individuals, sponsor and decorate their trees in a wacky, creative, unique, and always beautiful fashion.

Sunday, December 1, 2013

Consumer Fitness + Wellness Show
Sat 10:30 AM – 5:30 PM
Sun 9:30 AM – 3:00 PM
Vancouver Convention Centre Ballroom A 1055 Canada Place, Vancouver
Two day event at the Vancouver Convention Center. You can expect a high energy event full of fitness experts, product demos, workouts, and incredible savings from vendors showcasing the latest fitness accessories and apparel, educational tools, nutritional support, and programs. canfitpro is proudly supporting the Greater Vancouver Food Bank. Trade show admission is FREE, however, we are gladly accepting donations of $5 OR canned goods onsite.

Rogers Santa Claus Parade
10:30am -1pm pre-parade festival at Vancouver Art Gallery
1pm - parade
10th annual Rogers Santa Claus Parade. Starts at West Georgia and Broughton at 1:00 pm. The parade will then travel east along West Georgia and turn south on Howe. The parade will then finish at Howe and Davie. Parade spectators are encouraged to arrive early for pre-parade fun at the Coast Capital Savings Christmas Square! From 10:30am – 1pm head to the Vancouver Art Gallery at the corner of Georgia and Howe for family friendly activities and live entertainment. Make sure to bring your donation for the Greater Vancouver Food Bank and drop it off in the bin. Starbucks will also be handing out their delicious hot chocolate by donation with all proceeds going back to the Greater Vancouver Food Bank! ACTIVITIES: Face Painting Balloon Twisting Gingerbread Man Decorating Christmas Tree Ornament Decorating Write a Letter to Santa

Owl Show - by donation
11:00 am - 3:00 pm
Richmond Nature Park, 11851 Westminster Hwy, Richmond
Drop in to see this show of live owls by the Orphaned Wildlife Rehabilitation Society of B.C. and get some great photos of these amazing birds! Suitable for all ages.

Vancouver Christmas Market - $6
November 22 to December 24 11:00am - 9:00pm
Just outside the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, 649 Cambie Street Vancouver, BC
Opening day! The Vancouver Christmas Market is back for its fourth year from November 22 to December 24, 2013 on the Queen Elizabeth Theatre Plaza! Enjoy our expanded offerings of delicious food items and find unique Christmas gifts for everyone on your list. We'll have seasonal music to set the mood and a great entertainment program of authentic folk groups.

Vancouver Festival of Trees
November 20, 2012 - January 2, 2013
Four Seasons Hotel & Pacific Centre Mall
For the past 27 years, Festival of Trees has transformed the lobby of the Four Seasons Hotel and the corridors of Pacific Centre Mall into a vision of beautifully decorated trees with the goal of raising much-needed funds for BC Children's Hospital Foundation. The Festival continues to bring together a vast array of generous sponsors both business and individual from Vancouver in what has become a much anticipated holiday tradition and the unofficial beginning of Christmas in the Vancouver. Every year, local businesses, organizations and individuals, sponsor and decorate their trees in a wacky, creative, unique, and always beautiful fashion.

East is East on Main. M planned the night for only L but Winw and I ended up joining. It was the first time I've ever been here but heard great things about it prior. They serve Silk Road cuisine.

They have a lounge there and also live music playing on the stage. Great ambiance!

The ceiling. It's very beautiful!

Dinner started off with a little chai tea sample.

Most of us decided to go with East is East's signature tasting menu: the Chai Feast. It comes with soup, salad, boulani, kefir naan, garlic pickle, Afghan and basmati rice. You can then choose any the main dishes, two at a time - it's all you can eat!

Mystic Soup: Lemongrass, green curry, ginger and mushrooms in coconut milk. I loved this one.

Beet Salad: Steamed beets, sour cherries with cumin w/ balsamic vinaigrette

Lamb Kebab: Perfectly spiced and grilled chunks of lamb in a savoury yogurt, black cardamom and bay leaf curry (dairy)

Afghan and basmati rice and naan.

Mango Butternut Squash: Butternut squash and mango cooked with coconut milk, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon and curry leaves (vegan)

You can request more naan if you want. They are sooo delicious! We absolutely had to!

Dinner was delicious and I was so stuffed after. Great deal at only $25! I'd definitely go back again!

The Leonidas at the downtown waterfront, held their 2nd anniversary party on Saturday, November 16th. Part of 1400 sales outlets around the globe, this cafe sells all sorts of fine Belgium chocolate, as well as coffee, hot chocolate, and other desserts such as cheesecake and macaroons. They are also the first and only Authentic Belgian Chocolate Cafe in Vancouver! As expected, the night was filled with yummy sweets!

The delicious milk hot chocolate is worth going there for!

White chocolate hazelnut.

Orangettes - dark chocolate covered orange rind.

Milk chocolate coconut balls! Yum!

Haha! Every time some goodies came out, all the phones and cameras where also whipped out. No body eat anything until we take the photos! Those chocolate covered strawberries are my favourite!

These are sugar free chocolates! I couldn't tell the difference!

Store co-owner Aisha!

Leonidas wants to celebrate their 2 years with their customers! Visit the store and tell them the secret code "SPARTAN" for a free chocolate of your choice. Meanwhile, follow them on Twitter @LeonidasVancity or Facebook!

Tis the season! This weekend is full of festival and market openings and craft fairs. Time to get on that Christmas gift shopping! December isn't too far away. Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Friday, November 22, 2013

Vancouver Christmas Market - $6
November 22 to December 24 11:00am - 9:00pm
Just outside the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, 649 Cambie Street Vancouver, BC
Opening day! The Vancouver Christmas Market is back for its fourth year from November 22 to December 24, 2013 on the Queen Elizabeth Theatre Plaza! Enjoy our expanded offerings of delicious food items and find unique Christmas gifts for everyone on your list. We'll have seasonal music to set the mood and a great entertainment program of authentic folk groups.

Vancouver Festival of Trees
November 20, 2012 - January 2, 2013
Four Seasons Hotel & Pacific Centre Mall
For the past 27 years, Festival of Trees has transformed the lobby of the Four Seasons Hotel and the corridors of Pacific Centre Mall into a vision of beautifully decorated trees with the goal of raising much-needed funds for BC Children's Hospital Foundation. The Festival continues to bring together a vast array of generous sponsors both business and individual from Vancouver in what has become a much anticipated holiday tradition and the unofficial beginning of Christmas in the Vancouver. Every year, local businesses, organizations and individuals, sponsor and decorate their trees in a wacky, creative, unique, and always beautiful fashion.

West Coast Christmas Show - $7
Friday, November 22, 11am-9pm
Saturday, November 23, 10am – 6pm
Sunday, November 24, 10am – 5pm
Abbotsford TRADEX Centre, 1190 Cornell Street, Abbotsford
The West Coast Christmas Show is Western Canada's leading Holiday Season Show that brings together under one roof Holiday gifts, fancy foods, personal services, decor ideas, festive seminars and culinary presentations.

Saturday, November 23, 2013

Vancouver Winter Farmers Market

10:00am - 2:00pm every Saturday (closed December 28) November 2, 2011 - April 28

30th and Ontario Street in the East Parking lot and Plaza of Nat Bailey Stadium

Fresh, local, organic foods & crafts. 60+ vendors, hot food, music! Rain or Shine!

West End Holiday Craft Fair
Saturday, Sunday 10:00am - 4:00pm
West End Community Centre, 870 Denman Street, Vancouver
Holiday Craft Fair Participate as a vendor at the #1 Choice Artisan Craft Fair awarded by “Stars of Vancouver” in the Courier! 60+ Artisan crafters. Admission is FREE.

Family FUSE Weekend: Tell Me A Story - $17
Saturday-Sunday, 10am-5pm
Vancouver Art Gallery, 750 Hornby St, Vancouver
Discover the Vancouver Art Gallery's Family FUSE Weekend, where you will meet artists, musicians, dancers, performers, and educators for a weekend filled with family fun! Participate in a range of fun activities, performances, and hands-on sessions throughout the Gallery. FREE for all Gallery Members and all children aged 12-and-under when accompanied by an adult. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Regular adult admission rates apply.

Holly Tea & Craft Fair
11:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Marpole Place Neighbourhood House, 1305 West 70th Avenue Vancouver
The Holiday season is coming and on Nov 23rd we are having the first festive event of the year at Marpole Place Neighbourhood House!   Join us for a festive tea with homemade cookies, soup and lovely sandwiches. Check out the tables of hand made goods and buy your unique holiday gifts crafted with care! Participate in our Raffle and 50-50 and you will have the chance to win one of the prizes prepared by our generous sponsors! The prizes will be gift cards from Cravings Restaurant, White Spot, Hudson Hair Designs, Hollywood Nails, Artknapp Plantland and a Pretty & Pamper Basket! Also, you'll enjoy hot apple cider and baked goods. Bring your entire family - we have special activities prepared just for kids!

Vancouver Christmas Market - $6
November 22 to December 24 11:00am - 9:00pm
Just outside the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, 649 Cambie Street Vancouver, BC
he Vancouver Christmas Market is back for its fourth year from November 22 to December 24, 2013 on the Queen Elizabeth Theatre Plaza! Enjoy our expanded offerings of delicious food items and find unique Christmas gifts for everyone on your list. We'll have seasonal music to set the mood and a great entertainment program of authentic folk groups.

Cat and Cat Lover's Open TV Casting Call
12:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Bone & Bowl Pet Store 1610 Salt St Vancouver
BATTLE CATS OPEN CASTING CALL Does your cat love to run, jump and chase? Was your kitty born to be a celebrity? We are casting for athletic cats and expressive cat owners to tackle our agility course in a fun new television competition show.

Heritage Christmas at Burnaby Village Museum
12:00pm - 4:30pm November 23 - December 13
12:00pm - 9:00pm December 14 - January 3, 2013 (closed December 24 & 25)
6501 Deer Lake Avenue Burnaby, BC
The Village is illuminated this festive season with spectacular displays of lights that are sure to put you and your family into the holiday spirit! Lights in our parking lot are a teaser of what's to see inside. Delight in the shimmering Winter Wonderland near the Love Farmhouse, an Angel-Crossing at the bridge, a Holiday Lane and be wowed by the gigantic multi-coloured Christmas tree sparkling near the carousel.

Candytown in Yaletown
12pm – 9pm
1000 – 1100 block of Mainland Street
2nd annual free outdoor Christmas festival – Candytown. Downtown Vancouver’s only free winter festival will transform Mainland Street into a winter wonderland. Lights and candy canes will adorn lamp poles and costumed characters will parade down the street. Holiday shoppers are invited to start their seasonal gift buying in Yaletown with local merchants as well as a specialty market carrying unique gifts and holiday treats. This outdoor Christmas festival is free, open to the public and sure to get people into the Christmas spirit. Featured Activities:      “All I Want for Christmas” Gift Market     Free Horse Carriage Rides     Live Music     Visits with Santa 1PM – 6PM     Ice Carving Demo 2PM – 7Pm     Candy Making     Yaletown Rotary Club Xmas Tree Lot     CandyTown Cocktail Tour 6PM – 9PM See last year's photos here.

Edmonds Festival of Lights
2:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Edmonds Community Centre, 7433 Edmonds Street Burnaby
Come into the new Edmonds Community Centre to enjoy the best the season has to offer at this heart-warming annual event! Take part in arts & crafts, cookie decorating, seasonal activities, face painting and of course a visit with Santa. Afterwards, join us outside on our back plaza for refreshments including hot dogs and hot chocolate, live music, photo opportunities and the lighting of our huge Christmas tree

Vancouver Festival of Trees
November 20, 2012 - January 2, 2013
Four Seasons Hotel & Pacific Centre Mall
For the past 27 years, Festival of Trees has transformed the lobby of the Four Seasons Hotel and the corridors of Pacific Centre Mall into a vision of beautifully decorated trees with the goal of raising much-needed funds for BC Children's Hospital Foundation. The Festival continues to bring together a vast array of generous sponsors both business and individual from Vancouver in what has become a much anticipated holiday tradition and the unofficial beginning of Christmas in the Vancouver. Every year, local businesses, organizations and individuals, sponsor and decorate their trees in a wacky, creative, unique, and always beautiful fashion.

TUCK SHOP: Holiday Edition - suggested $2 donation
Saturday 5pm-10pm
Sunday 11am-4pm
The Toast Collective 648 Kingsway,Vancouver, Unceded Coast Salish Territories
Join Done & Done Creative Events and all the wonderful vendors for this extended edition! Come celebrate 2 days of Tuck Shop awesomeness at a great new location. Purchase gifts, support local vendors and treat yourself to some serious delicious products and quality crafts.

West Coast Christmas Show - $7
Friday, November 22, 11am-9pm
Saturday, November 23, 10am – 6pm
Sunday, November 24, 10am – 5pm
Abbotsford TRADEX Centre, 1190 Cornell Street, Abbotsford
The West Coast Christmas Show is Western Canada's leading Holiday Season Show that brings together under one roof Holiday gifts, fancy foods, personal services, decor ideas, festive seminars and culinary presentations.

Sunday, November 24, 2013

Throughout last week, Lincoln Motor Company of Canada held Savour the City events at different restaurants in Vancouver to redefine the test drive experience and perhaps show participants a glimpse of the Lincoln lifestyle. Having hosted events at Wildebeest, Oakwood Canadian Bistro and Cincin, Lincoln Motor ended off Savour the City with a popup restaurant put on by Farm 2 Fork, an underground restaurant from Gastown.

The dinner was hosted at the Waterfall Building on West 2nd. I took the family out for this dinner. My dad loves cars and thought he would enjoy test driving a Lincoln.

I wanted to try out the Ecoboost MKZ but wasn't given a choice this time because there were so many people waiting in line to take the cars out.

A quick once around the block and we were back in side the tents, which protected us from the torrent of rain that came afterwards! Phew!

While we waited, we mingled with other attendees and noshed on different types of amuse-bouches made of beet, watermelon and salmon.

Three course dinner paired with wine.

Chef Nicolas Hipperson introduced each plate before it was served. Each dish was paired with a wine - as in his company's full 6-course meal experience.

We started off with a soup. Roasted Sunchoke Veloute with toasted broche, compressed grapes, celery leaves paired with D-Minor "Symphony" Blanc.

The servers came around one by one to pour the veloute into our bowls.

2nd course: Braised Short Rib - pomme puree, collard kale, mushroom ragu, block pepper & red wine infusion paired with Volconic Hills Magma Red. It was a pretty big hunk of meat. Braised for 48 hours I think it was so it was very tender and yum-my!

For dessert, Apple Wine Panna Cotta with melody of summer fruits, cilantro sorbet and strawberry consomme.

The cilantro sorbet was different! It didn't have a strong taste of cilantro that I expected! The dessert was very sweet, which I liked but may be overwhelming for some. It was also paired with a sweet ice wine that I loved. Forgot the name of it though.

Form 2 Fork and Lincoln Motors gave us an amazing dining and test drive experience. Wish I could live like this every day!

West Coast Geeks vs Nerds ended off the year with their sweetest AND most malicious episode featuring Carebears vs My Little Pony and Loki vs Tyrion. This last episode of this year was held on Tuesday, November 12th, 2013 at Electric Owl. As always, the show was hilarious! Plenty of laugh out loud moments and outrageously funny surprises.

Chris "MooMan" Nyarady, creator and host of West Coast Geeks vs Nerds looking dapper in his 8-bit bow tie and sporting a thick bushy mustache for Movember.

Team Geeks representing the Care Bears, with their appropriate rainbow coloured shirts,

and on the other side, Team Nerds representing My Little Ponies.

The debate with peppered with friendly arguments and politeness.

And lots of hugs.

Lots,

and lots of hugs. It was so sweet and cute; I could have puked (Just kidding!).

Even rebuttal tokens were extra cute!

In the end, the crowd decided that it was the Care Bears who best taught us how to love. It was very close call (personally, I thought the Ponies had a better points) but everyone is a winner in MooMan's eyes! A lot more hugging ensued.

In between debates, the costume contest was held. But what's this?! Before the winner was chosen,

Loki rushed the stage and made out with Thor! Yep.

Guess who won the contest? Really, there was no contest after THAT stunt!

The main debate pit Loki against Tyrion to answer the question: who is the master manipulator?

Team Geeks represented Loki. They had Loki on their team and also Tony Stark. Aaand I don't know who that other guy is.

Team Nerds represented Tyrion from Game of Thrones.

Hahah I loved Team Nerd's Spoiler Alert signs.

But more so I was in love with the cast of characters on Team Geeks side! These guys played a spot on portrayal of Loki and Tony Stark.

The guy even talked like Tony Stark.

Team Geek's rebuttal token was a mini Mjölnir.

Tits and wine was the rebuttal token for Team Nerds.

Hilarious. Rounds and rounds of shots and drinks continuously landed in front of Tony Stark.

MooMan decides to take one for himself!

I thought there was no contest. Team Loki staughtered Team Tyrion.

They even had their own crowd worshippers!

Vs. the ONE Tyrion worshipper.

And of course, Loki had to celebrate his victory with another kiss.

Amazing show! One of the best, I've seen!

West Coast Geeks and Nerds will resume in January with Episode 13: Who's the Boss? Tickets are only $10 and they also offer offer season passes to dedicated fans at the cost of $50. They will also be moving venues to Vancouver Fan Club!