Day 5, and the last day W and I spent in Toronto started off at Dundas Square again. We signed up to be part of the audience of CityLine TV several months prior to our trip and we were assigned to be part of the "Around the House" episode, which airs on Mondays. One of our friends was part of the audience of CityLine before and that's how we got the idea of applying. 

We had arrived at 9:30am but we weren't brought to the filming area until 10am. They had to set up after doing the Breakfast Television segment that morning.

There's Tracy Moore, the host of CityLine!

She came by to say hi and ask where everybody was from. We thought that we traveled the furthest, being from Vancouver, but the two girls sitting beside us were from Victoria, BC! Small world, us BC girls all sitting together! =)

Being in the audience was not at all what I expected. We could hardly watch the show since all the cameras and equipment are in the way! Then we have to always be smiling and pretend to watch in that general direction even though we can't see because of the camera that is trained on the audience at all times. We never know when they are filming the audience!

At the end of the show we all got to take home some swag and there was a draw for some of the items featured in the show. I was so lucky and won a Monopoly Zapped Edition game! We also got to take a photo with Tracy Moore! She said "Congratulations Vancouver!" Hahah. It was great fun being on the show. If I lived in Toronto, I'd sign up to be in the audience every year!

Here's the link to the episode we were in:
http://video.citytv.com/video/detail/1926945834001.000000/october-29-2012-around-the-house/October 29, 2012: Around The House (43:38)  Tips for creating a warm, welcoming environment in your home, a hearty autumn meal, and some family board games with high-tech twists.

The episode aired a week after filming. When my sis and I watched it, we would scream every time we spotted me or W. Hahaha!

After that we spent the rest of the day shopping at Eaton Centre (I bought some boots!) before our EPIC dinner at Richmond Station. Stay tuned for next post.

Christmas is coming! That means there are a lot of holiday events going on in Vancouver. I'm most anticipating CandyTown presented by Concord Pacific and the Vancouver Christmas Market! You can view some of my photos from last year here.

Friday, November 23, 2012

CandyTown
3:00pm – 9:00pm  
Mainland Street, Yaletown between Davie St and Nelson St
The Yaletown Business Improvement Association is proud to announce the only free outdoor Christmas festival on Mainland Street in Downtown Vancouver. November 23 – 24, 2012, Concord Pacific presents CandyTown is kicking off the festive season with a fun and interactive weekend. Scotiabank Yaletown Ice Rink 3pm – 9pm
All I Want for Christmas Street Market 3pm – 9pm
Horse-drawn carriage rides 3pm – 9pm
CandyTown Cocktail tour 6pm – 9pm

Vancouver Festival of Trees
November 21, 2012 - January 1, 2013 
Four Seasons Hotel & Pacific Centre Mall  
For the past 25 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 24, 2012

Urban Artisan Craft Fair - $1 
10:00am - 4:00pm Sat & Sun
Roundhouse Community Arts & Recreation Centre, 181 Roundhouse Mews, Vancouver
Join us at the Roundhouse Community Centre to shop for the holidays while enjoying the ambiance of Vancouver’s oldest heritage building.   Discover the finest work that local artists and craftspeople have to offer. From beautiful objets d’art to useful items for the home or workplace, you’re bound to find the answer to every gift-giving dilemma. If you are looking for something original and unique, come to the Roundhouse Juried Craft Fair. $1 entrance fee and raffle ticket

West End Holiday Craft Fair
10:00am until 4:00pm
West End Community Centre
Holiday Craft Fair Participate as a vendor at the #1 Choice Artisan Craft Fair awarded by “Stars of Vancouver” in the Courier!   We welcome ONLY handcrafted items to be sold at this annual sold-out event. Line up early for the best table selection. Pick up a vendor info guidelines package and vendor contract at the front office. Although this is a non-juried event, we have a limit of 55 tables each day to sell original crafted items only by Artisan crafters. Admission is FREE.

Strathcona Winter Craft Fair - $2
10:00am - 5:00pm
Strathcona Community Centre - 601 Keefer Street. Vancouver BC 
2nd annual Strathcona Winter Craft Fair. All proceeds from Strathcona Winter Craft Fair go towards our affordable and accessible childcare programs, such as preschool and out of school care.

Dunbar Holiday Craft Fair - $3
10:00am - 5:00pm 
Dunbar Community Centre, 4747 Dunbar St Vancouver, BC 
The Dunbar Holiday Craft Fair is recognized as one of the very best in the city. With 140 artisans, we have new and exciting crafters, fabulous door prizes, live entertainment, child minding and refreshments available. Admission: $3 (children under 12 FREE)

Vancouver Christmas Market - $5
November 24 to December 24 11:00am - 9:00pm
Just outside the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, 649 Cambie Street  Vancouver, BC
Opening day! Step back in time ... Experience the Vancouver Christmas Market! The Vancouver Christmas Market is back for its third year from November 24 to December 24, 2012 on the Queen Elizabeth Theatre Plaza! Sample our new delicious food items and find your unique Christmas gift! Enjoy seasonal music and a great entertainment program of authentic folk groups! New this year: For every paid admission you will receive a free re-entry pass for yourself valid for the whole season! Regular admission: $5 Mon – Fri 4pm-9pm & 11am-9pm weekends. But there are special pricing: http://vancouverchristmasmarket.com/tickets.php and also two-for-one Groupon deals. OR sing your way in! On Nov 24 and 25th there's free entry for all of you between 11am to 2pm. One catch, you MUST sing the following when you go in for admission:  "Oh Tannenbaum oh Tannenbaum, wie gruen sind deine Blaetter"

Heritage Christmas at Burnaby Village Museum
12:00pm - 4:30pm November 24 - December 14
12:00pm - 9:00pm December 15 - January 4, 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.

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Urban Artisan Craft Fair - $1 
10:00am - 4:00pm Sat & Sun
Roundhouse Community Arts & Recreation Centre, 181 Roundhouse Mews, Vancouver
Join us at the Roundhouse Community Centre to shop for the holidays while enjoying the ambiance of Vancouver’s oldest heritage building.   Discover the finest work that local artists and craftspeople have to offer. From beautiful objets d’art to useful items for the home or workplace, you’re bound to find the answer to every gift-giving dilemma. If you are looking for something original and unique, come to the Roundhouse Juried Craft Fair. $1 entrance fee and raffle ticket

Last Friday, Chapters held a Holiday Product Preview for their loyalty rewards members to show off the new items available for the fast approaching 2012 holiday season. I was one of the lucky few who got to attend this special event. Chapters spared no expense when hosting this marvellous evening. Food, wine, books, live music, celebrity guests. Everything was perfect for a exclusive night of shopping.

There was a good crowd that attended.

Live music as we perused through the holiday products at our leisure.




The two wines served were two suggested from Had a Glass 2013!

Mountains of chocolates, cheese, bread and crackers. Yummy! The chocolates, cheeseboards, cheese knives and trays are all available at Chapters! I really liked the set of cheese knives: Wildly Delicious Knife Set.




Award winning wine writer, James Nevison spoke briefly about his newest book Had A Glass 2013: Top 100 Wines Under $20. This little book is packed with  It costs under $20 itself and makes a great stocking stuffer!

As well, celebrity chef, and executive chef of Cactus Club Cafe, Rob Feenie was there to promote his newest cookbook: Rob Feenie's Casual Classics, which I've bought for a friend recently (WW! I'm expecting you to cook something for me!).

And without further ado, some photos of the holiday products.


The area was decorated very beautifully with products available for purchase at Chapters. Yes, these pretty bird ornaments are also for sale!

My favourite are these snow globes. They come in different flavours: owl, deer, birds, rabbit, moose. They were the centrepieces for all the tables at the event!

Very pretty and whimsical - like a winter wonderland!

Need to decorate your holiday dinner table? Mine never looked this nice. I wish I can just live in this section of the store. So pretty! lol


Look at all these delicious treats!









 Owls are big this year! There are tonnes of owl related options to choose from.




I LOVE this stocking! There's a penguin version just as cute.



Attendees also received swag bags! Two books and chocolate!

I was also lucky at the event. I was drawn as a winner of these books! I love books!

Chapters is not just books! They have a little bit of everything; it is a one stop shop for the holiday season. If you want to learn more about Chapter's Holiday products, here's their Holiday Preview Guide pdf. Also check out their website http://www.chapters.indigo.ca; it is the season so there are a lot of sales going on!

Located in Gastown, Catch 122 was the latest place my friends and I went to try out for brunch.

The place has a nice feel to it. Very open and organic.



Everything sounded so good on the menu, I had quite a dilemma on what to choose!

Brewed Coffee ($1.85)

I started off with coffeeee! I was really tired for some reason I don't remember now. Probably playing Halo 4 into the middle of the night. LOL

The Catch 122 ($12.75) - Poached eggs on croissant, house-smoked wild sockeye salmon, melted gorgonzola bleu cheese, arugula, Yukon nugget potato hash

I ended up ordering the Catch 122 because of the smoked salmon. Mmmmmm. It was as good as it sounded on paper. It looks like a croissant sandwich but I used a fork and knife to eat it. The egg yolks would drizzle out when I broke it which can be mopped up with the croissant. So good. I wish there was more of it!

The Gastown ($12.75) - Over easy eggs, house-made pork sausage, arugula salad, tomato pear chutney, toast, Yukon nugget potato hash

The Gastown was my second choice. M ordered this one. I'll have to get this next time I'm there! It looks like a nice hearty plate lighten with the salad. Yum. 

traditional Liege waffle (with one accompaniment)  ($4.25)

In addition, M added a waffle with whipped cream as a side to her Gastown. A also ordered it. They thought it tasted ok but weren't wowed by it.

The Scrambled Eggs Chorizo Crêpe ( $12.5) - Scrambled eggs, house-made chorizo, avocado, cheddar cheese, tomato sauce, Yukon nugget potato hash

The Lorraine Crepe ($11.75) - Black forest ham, mushrooms, béchamel sauce, tomato, arugula, Gruyere cheese, Yukon nugget potato hash

A and L decided to try the crepes. I would have ordered the Lorraine Crepe as my third choice.

Mmm! I loved this place! Would gladly go back to try some more tasty menu items.