Oops. I forgot to post this earlier! For those just joining my blog, I post a yearly update on the Magnolia tree that I bought at VanDusen Garden's annual plant sale. This is the fifth year I've had it. Time sure flies!

It is now taller than me! My dad moved it this year so I'm not sure how it will be doing next year. I hope it is still ok! This is one thing I miss about living in an apartment. I have to place to plant beautiful trees like magnolias.



Even the insides of the blossoms are beautiful. They also give out a nice gingery scent.

On Saturday, May 2nd, 2015, Tourism Richmond, the Steveston Historical Society and Canada Post celebrated the 125th anniversary of the Steveston post office. Right now the post office resides in the Steveston Museum and it wasn't always located there. In fact, it has changed venues a total of 12 times since it was open on May 1, 1890!

The post office settled in 1979 at its existing home in the Steveston Museum, which was once a bank. Visitors can see the bank vault is still there and still in use!










Festivities were held in the grassy area next to the museum.


Cupcakes and cake for celebration!



There was also a Stamp Design Competition held leading up to the anniversary celebration. They received a lot of entries and the above were the finalists. The top three were the winners and were presented prizes at the event.

Mango Yummy started at the Richmond Night Market and it was a stall I never failed to visit when I was there. To my delight, they recently opened a brick and mortar store on No.3 Road in Richmond! I've visited them three times already! I'm always in the mood for mango!

The shop is a very popular spot, often with line-ups that end up outside. They also open until 11pm or midnight.

There is very little seating, grab a spot if you can or just take your order to go.

They obviously have an expanded menu than the one they have at the night market.

They also sell different flavours of mochi. Even a durian flavoured one!

Signature Mango Sago & Grapefruit - $6

I usually order their specialty - Mango Sago & Grapefruit. It's the best!

Signature Mango Shaved Ice - $7

Their shaved ice is not too shabby either.

Sometimes the mango they use isn't that ripe and is sour. That's the only gripe I have about them. It wasn't too bad the one time I had the sour mangos. I just mixed them into the drink. It is usually sweet enough.

Will definitely be back again!

Famoso on Commercial Drive was celebrating their 3rd year anniversary on The Drive and I had received a voucher in the mail for a free Margherita pizza to join them in celebration. I decided to check it out with K.

Pizza? Yes, all the time.

Famoso Salad - Romaine lettuce, prosiutto crisps, carrots, cherry tomatoes, soppressata (spice salami), fire-roasted chicken, feta, dijon-balsamic vinaigrette 14.5

We ordered the Famoso Salad to accompany our pizza. I really liked this salad. The vinaigrette was made just right.

Margherita Pizza - Campania tomato sauce, fior-di-latte, fresh basil, extra virgin olive oil 12

The pizza was great with a thin crust. All of Famoso's pizzas are hand-tossed then fired in an authentic bell-shaped oven imported from Italy, which cooks the pizza in 90 seconds flat! They have an open kitchen so you could watch them make your pizza if you wanted to.

Finished the meal with two scoops of gelato! The gelato is crafted by Fiasco Gelato. They had several flavours but I chose blood orange and lemon. So refreshing.

Friday, May 8, 2014

CANstruction Vancouver
April 24th - May 8th
Four Seasons Hotel, The Pendulum Art Gallery and the Rotunda at Pacific Centre
Last day! Canstruction Vancouver is an annual design and build competitions that takes place in over 160 cities world wide. Teams of architects, engineers, designers and schools get together to CANstruct fantastic, giant sized sculptures made entirely out of canned food. This year's theme is FACT OR FICTION.

Nuba Kitsilano Turns Three; Birthday Party
Friday, May 8 6pm-9pm 
3116 West Broadway (Between Trutch and Balaclava)
You're invited to Nuba’s Kitsilano third anniversary party. Attendees can expect complimentary cocktails and canapés, doors prizes from businesses in the neighbourhood, and live music and performance from world music virtuoso Gord Grdina and the Luciterra Fusion Bellydance company.

International Summer Night Market
May 8 - Sept 27, 2015 
Fri, Sat 6pm - 11pm, 
Sun 6pm - 10pm
12631 Vulcan Way, Richmond BC 
8th annual International Summer Night Market. Open every weekend on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays from May to September.  iSNM presents multiple types of attractions suitable for all ages. There are over 100 merchandise booths, over 60 food and beverage vendors, kid’s play zone, and a main center stage for nightly entertainment. Free admission.

Saturday, May 9, 2014

Vancouver Farmers Market - Trout Lake

A Growing Affair Plant Sale
Saturday May 9, 2015, 10am – 4pm 
6804 SW Marine Drive, Vancouver, BC 
Spring is here and so is UBC Botanical Garden’s annual plant sale! A Growing Affair, the evolution of the Garden’s popular and long-running annual Perennial Plant Sale, as the name suggests, includes more than just plants for sale. Designed to inform and empower plant lovers of all ages and to engage the local community with a deeper appreciation for all things growing, the event offers new and experienced gardeners an unparalleled selection of plants available for purchase.

Spring Bazaar & Plant Sale
Saturday, 11am - 3pm
Nikkei Cultural Centre, 6688 Southoaks Crescent Burnaby BC
Free Admission. Good quality Japanese style items and a broad selection of plants, including bedding plants just in time for spring planting, will be on sale as well as a varied selection of delicious Japanese foods.

Stone Soup Festival
Saturday, May 9th, 12pm - 5pm
1661 Napier St @ Commercial Drive, Vancouver, BC
Britannia Community Centre is pleased to announce and host the 19th Annual Stone Soup Festival, a celebration of food, art, environment and community, including a food market, local artists, community groups, talks and workshops, live music, tea leaf reading, children’s activities, free soup and more! More than ever, people are aware of the issues of food security, the benefits of sharing resources and eating ‘local’. Stone Soup will celebrate the diversity of food in our neighbourhood, the environment and it’s importance to the culture of our community.

Live Performance of The Tenors
Sat, May 9th, 2pm
Chapters Indigo Robson, 788 Robson Street, Vancouver, BC 
Enjoy a special live performance by The Tenors to celebrate the release of their new CD, Under One Sky. After the performance, meet the musicians and purchase an autographed copy of the CD or the new book, A Letter to Mom which includes a personal tribute by The Tenors to their moms.

Edible Containers to Die For - $14
Saturday, 2pm - 4pm
Phoenix Perennials, 3380 No. 6 Road Richmond, BC
This is a fun hands-on workshop for gardeners who want to grow edibles in containers that are beautiful and productive all at the same time. Please bring your own large pot (minimum 12-14 inches in diametre) with enough space for at least 3 to 5 one gallon perennials. If you do not have a container we will have various options available for you at the workshop. The price of the workshop includes your potting mix but not the plants you use.

Tacofest - $12
Saturday, May 9, 5:00pm - 3:00am
Harbour Event Centre, 750 Pacific BLVD., Vancouver, BC
19+ event. 15 bands Tacos provided by Sal Y Limon (Tacos are 3$ each or 4 for 10$ 5 varieties including two veggie options)

International Summer Night Market
May 8 - Sept 27, 2015 
Fri, Sat 6pm - 11pm, 
Sun 6pm - 10pm
12631 Vulcan Way, Richmond BC 
8th annual International Summer Night Market. Open every weekend on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays from May to September.  iSNM presents multiple types of attractions suitable for all ages. There are over 100 merchandise booths, over 60 food and beverage vendors, kid’s play zone, and a main center stage for nightly entertainment. Free admission.

Sunday, May 10, 2014 - Happy Mothers Day!

Kitsilano Farmers Market  
Opening day! Shop for organic and conventional product, meat, cheese, seafood and plants as well as tasty baked goods, beautiful crafts while being entertained by local musicians. Hot coffee and hot food available on site each week.
London Heritage Farm Annual Plant Sale
Sunday, 10am - 3pm
6511 Dyke Road, Richmond, BC 
Featuring a selection of perennials, organical vegetable seedlings, heirloom tomatoes, annual and herbs. A FREE surprise plant will be given to each child at checkout. Mother's Day Tea also happening at 12pm Saturday and Sunday. Enjoy a full tea or hot chocolate, a scone and other homemade goodies for $12.50 per person in the quaint tea room in the London Heritage Farm House. Reservations are highly recommended for Mother's Day Tea.

Baker's Market
11am - 3pm
Moberly Arts & Cultural Centre, 7646 Prince Albert Street, Vancouver BC
Get your fill of sweet & savoury baked goodies from local bakers and artisans. Inspired by traditional farmers markets in Vancouver, this market is even better since it is indoors with lots of free parking too. You'll find talented budding, professional or home bakers selling fresh artisanal breads, soft German pretzels, butter croissants, chocolate croissants, cupcakes, yummy cookies, hand made chocolates, brownies, Belgian Liege waffles,vegan cupcakes, mini bundt cakes, muffins, gluten-free baked goods and much more!

Gardening 101: Success with Tomatoes - $5
Sunday, 1pm - 2pm
Phoenix Perennials, 3380 No. 6 Road Richmond, BC
Come have all your tomato questions answered such as modern vs. heirlooms, grafted vs ungrafted, the best cultivars for our climate, and how to successfully grow tons of delicious tomatoes in pots and the garden. *$5 registration fee is required to hold your place. This will be refunded in full at the workshop in the form of a $5 coupon. This fee is non-refundable for those who register but who don't attend.

International Summer Night Market
May 8 - Sept 27, 2015 
Fri, Sat 6pm - 11pm, 
Sun 6pm - 10pm
12631 Vulcan Way, Richmond BC 
8th annual International Summer Night Market. Open every weekend on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays from May to September.  iSNM presents multiple types of attractions suitable for all ages. There are over 100 merchandise booths, over 60 food and beverage vendors, kid’s play zone, and a main center stage for nightly entertainment. Free admission.

EAT! Vancouver Food + Cooking Festival partnered up with the Naramata Bench Wineries Association to host a spectacular evening celebrating Canadian cuisine and wine on Thursday, April 30th, 2015.

Chefs from some of Canada’s best known restaurants prepared delicious bites of Canadian cuisine for attendees while partial proceeds and a silent wine auction supported Ocean Wise.

Thanks to a friend and Like Vancouver, I got to attend this awesome event and invited my friend L.L. to attend the party with me. 

The gala was held at Terminal City Club, spanning two floors. 17 restaurants participated in the event, 12 of which were from out of town, originating from all over Canada, all of them serving Ocean Wise food. An impressive 24 wineries also participated.

Black Hoof - Chef Jesse Grasso Pigs Ear Slaw with Kohlrabi & Cashews

Lemeac - Chef Jeremie Bastien Cured Ocean Trout Served with Smoked Sour Cream, Pickled Onion & Trout Roe

The Kitchen - Chef Abul Adama Wild Mushroom Soup Drizzled with Truffle Oil

Edible Canada - Chef Alvin Pillay Braised Venison & Bacon Polpette with Amola Truffle Salt Hop Shoot Pesto, Crispy Potato

Hillside Winery Bistro - Chef Rob Cordonier Johnston's Farm Pork Rillette with Wine Poached Cranberry & Brussel Sprouts

The Westin Edmonton - Chef Bryan O'Flynn Terrine of Pine-Smoked Sturgeon & Cured Quebec Foise Gras, mized with Northwest Territory Morels, the Crunch of Okanagan Apples & Toasted Brioche *Winning dish of 2015 Gold Medal Plates Competition

Top Chef Canada Season 2 winner Carl Heinrick - Richmond Station

Richmond Station - Chef Carl Heinrich Bulgogi Beef Tartare

The Lobby Restaurant & Lounge - Chef Joel Green Alaskan Weathervane Scallops & Risotto with Buerre Rouge

Wolf in the Fog - Chef Nick Nutting Tofino Spring Catch, Cedar, Wild Greens

YEW seafood + bar - Chef Ned Bell Ned's Albacore Tuna Delight

Bella Gelateria - Chef James Coleridge Handmade Gelato (Lemon Sorbetto)

Vancouver Aquarium - Chef Tim Bedford Crispy Pork Belly, Seared Scallop, Mint, Apple & Cucumber Salad

DaiLo - Chef Nick Liu Smoked Trout on Betel Leaf with Almond Satay Sauce, Fried Shallot

Charcut Roast House - Chef Connie de Sousa & Jessica Pelland Charcuterie Action Station "Boar Bacon & Pigs Head Mortadella"

The Vanilla Pod - Chef Bruno Terroso Grilled Eggplant Roll, with Mushroom Duxelles, Roasted Red Pepper, goats cheese mousse, pea shoots, & romano bean paste, finish with rosemary aioli

TIA Yukon - Chef Michele Genest Boreal Ice Cream Sandwiches: Rose Petal Macaroons, Birch Syrup Ice Cream

I didn't try many wines but this one was my favourite of the night. Framboise Fortified Wine from Elephant Island Orchard Wines. It was like drinking raspberry jam with a kick. Mmmm. (I am partial to sweet wines)

Silent Auction

It was an amazing kickoff to the EAT! Vancouver festival that took place last weekend!