This time of year it seems people think less and less about getting out and about. It’s worthwhile to face the elements and enjoy downtown – things are happening here people.
Sitka has opened a new store, just east of their old location on Yates Street. It feels like Ralph Lauren’s surf-crazed cousin’s living room where flip flops are de regur in November and every nook and cranny is lovingly curated. They have added a coffee shop where the focus is on local, sustainable ingredients. Inca Porridge for breakfast anyone? Light lunches are also on hand. The ramp has not been lost in the move and there are eyefulls of gorgeous clothes, accessories and gear. The old location is having a moving sale, and there are samples on sale at the new store. Read more about this local surf shop here.
I was outside of my usual shopping grounds a couple weeks ago and was impressed by the wall of goods from the UK at Fairway Market on Oak Bay Avenue. Interesting to see the effort that obviously went into these imported choices.
It’s Dance Days in Victoria. We’re in the middle of ten days of free dance classes, workshops, open rehearsals, lively forums, and performances happening all over Victoria. Ever fancied yourself as a ballerina? Got an urge to try hip hop? You can do it for free this week.
Bringing to life what most would not be able to express physically, Dancers Among Us is an ongoing collaboration with top NYC dancers and artist Jordan Matter. He says, “be alive, recognize the beauty around you”.
The streets are full of busy shoppers and people rushing to complete holiday errands. Fort Street is a great spot to find parking, get away from the crowds and get some fresh air.
Check out Relish Home Furnishings near the corner of Fort and Cook for gorgeous ornaments, or perhaps a unique pillow or vase or one of these lanterns will help round out your list.
Pop over to Charmaines Past and Present for an antique toy or teacup. Enjoy poking through history and make sure to pat the golden retriever on your way out.
Moving closer to town, Island Blue Print is a great place for inspiration. In addition to art supplies, they carry a nice selection of journals and daytimers for creative types. Love their decorative papers and pen selection!
Great hostess gifts can be found at Plenty and Choux Choux Charcouterie. At Choux Choux Charcuterie find housemade pates, sausages and smoked and cured meats. Pick up a cheese platter for your party or some imported food as a luxurious gift for the foodie on your list. Plenty Epicurean Pantry has a wild array of packaged food items and a fabulous wall of spices.
You’ve worked hard. Round it all out with a grilled cheese and a sweet from the Dutch Bakery. I recommend the piping hot soup and the mocha points.
I was so excited to see this projection on the Johnson Street bridge. Is somebody thinking outside the box? Design, impact, interaction??!!
The unofficial results from the November 20 referendum to borrow $49.2 million to replace the Johnson Street Bridge are:
YES 10,020 (60.6%)
NO 6,522 (39.4%)
I am relieved that I don’t want to purchase today’s Groupon. It’s a great deal – $11 for a Customizable Classic Calendar from Staples Canada (up to $22.99 Value) – but I’ve got that realm covered. I’ll be offering 2011 calendars on my online store soon! Stay tuned for a sneak peak and more info.
My first Groupon purchase was a “Singles Box” from Share Organics. A selection of fresh fruits and vegetables including root vegetables, greens and salad stuff all sourced close to home arrived on my doorstep this week. I beefed up my order with some organic milk, a baguette from Wild Fire Bakery and some raw milk parmesan.
contents of my Share Organics box
Although I enjoy sourcing my own food, I have always wanted to try one of these programs. It’s convenient and a thrill to have hand-picked organic groceries delivered right to your door. The contents of your box are emailed 5 days before delivery and you can customize the contents or add fresh local dairy, meat, baked goods, prepared meals…. the list goes on. What I was particularly excited about was the hope that the box would contain ingredients I don’t normally buy. The “what are those things?” in my box were Jerusalem Artichokes (sunchokes). Find out what I did with them later this week! The contents arrive in a plastic tote with a cold pack. You set your tote out on your next delivery day and voila – it’s filled back up again. Receive a delivery once a week or once in a blue moon.
Everybody’s been talking about lip dubbing lately. This video is a feel good trip down memory lane for any UVic alumni. What a production! I knew you had it in you UVic.
Wikipedia: A lip dub is a type of video that combines lip synching and audio dubbing to make a music video. It is made by filming individuals or a group of people lip synching while listening to a song or any recorded audio then dubbing over it in post editing with the original audio of the song. There is often some form of mobile audio device used such as an MP3-Players. Often, they look like simple music videos, although many involve a lot of preparation and are well produced. The most popular lip dubs are done in a single unedited shot that often travels through different rooms and situations in, say, an office building. They have become popular with the advent of mass participatory video content sites like YouTube.
via iPhone, inside Zambris | Distinguished Zambris business card - custom size
Zambris Restaurant opened in it’s new location in the Atrium Building at the beginning of the month. When I visited, the place was packed with young and old, creating a vibrancy on this downtown corner that I haven’t felt in Victoria. Floor to ceiling windows, chandeliers and retro glass globe fixtures are a huge improvement over their previously limiting locale.
Check out their menu, videos and details on their new private function room (booked until Jan 1st) on their much improved website. At 820 Yates Street, open 7 days a week 11:00 am to Midnight. Closed between 3:00 pm and 4:30 pm daily.
Bringing back memories of ballet recitals and tutus, I took in the Blue Bridge Repertory Theatre’s “Hank Williams” at the McPherson Playhouse last night. The show is probably a lot like Hank’s life, toe-tapping, sing along, laugh out loud, melancholy. The cast is phenomenal (some local), the musical talent inspiring and the theatre is as pretty as it ever was. Dim the lights, please. Running until August 15th.
The Broken Strings play at Darcy’s Pub in Victoria every Monday night. Take the opportunity to view the talent of band members Adam Kittredge, Antonia Freybe-Smith (both of Jet’s Overhead), Ryan Clayton, Tom Salter and Ghosty Boy – for free. Check them out on MySpace.
And the bar is the perfect height for longer exposure shots…
Victoria’s second annual festival of food and wine gets underway today. Tonight is an evening of tasting of more than 100 British Columbia wines and local cuisine prepared by top Vancouver Island chefs. The weekend is filled with tempting events including Sips and Seafood Saturday night at the Inn at Laurel Point.
See the Taste website for event info.
Proceeds from Taste go to TLC The Land Conservancy.
from www.victoriataste.com
2010 Participating Wineries:
Alderlea Vineyards
Artisan Sake Maker at Granville Island
Averill Creek Vineyard
Blasted Church Vineyards
Blue Mountain Vineyard and Cellars
Calona Vineyards
Cherry Point Estate Winery
Deol Estate Winery
Dunham & Froese Estate Winery
Garry Oaks Winery
Gehringer Brothers Estate Winery
Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Estate
Merridale Ciderworks
Mistaken Identity Vineyard
MooBerry Winery
Mt Boucherie Estate Winery
Muse Winery aka Chalet Estate Winery
Painted Rock Estate Winery
Peller Estates
Red Rooster
Rocky Creek Winery
Salt Spring Island Vineyard
Sandhill
Sea Cider Farm & Ciderhouse
Seven Stones Winery
Starling Lane Winery
Sumac Ridge Estate Winery
Therapy Vineyards
The View Winery
Venturi Venturi-Schulze Vineyards
Victoria Spirits
Vista D’oro Farms & Winery
8th Generation Vineyard
2010 Participating Restaurants, Artisans & Retailers:
Ambrosia Conference & Event Centre
Amusé Bistro
Antichi Sapori Italian Food Company
Bistro 28
Chateau Victoria, Vista 18
Coast Victoria Harbourside, Blue Crab Bar & Grill
Delta Ocean Pointe, Lure
Fairmont Empress, The Empress Room
Hotel Grand Pacific, The Pacific Restaurant
Inn at Laurel Point, Aura
The Little Piggy
Little Qualicum Cheeseworks
Marina Restaurant
Nautical Nellies
Paprika Bistro
Ristorante La Piola
Salt Spring Island Cheese Co.
Silk Road
Spinnakers Gastro Brewpub
Good news! Just heard about a new butcher shop in Cook Street Village. Island Meat and Seafood at 307 Cook Street has a slick new website featuring a cool wood textured background with links to local suppliers, recipes, and general info. It’s great to see a new business like this put so much thought and care into a solid website. They are actively involved in the online community: join them onFacebook and Twitter.
I hear there are some other new noteworthy additions to Cook Street Village – full report to follow.
An update to this post, Pizzeria Prima Strada is having a Bridge Street open house between 2 and 4 today! 2960 Bridge Street, samples and a tour of the new digs.
Pizzeria Prima Strada is opening a new location on Bridge Street! They’re describing this new location as a “warm urban environment with lots and lots of amazing reclaimed wood. Family style tables will accommodate up to 16 people-perfect for you and your lunch pals. Hungry on your way home from work? Call in for a take-out pizza to grab on your way home.”
Pizzeria Prima Strada practices the traditional techniques of the masters by using Caputo 00 flour, Italian plum tomatoes and local ingredients, including Mozzarella di Bufala from Canada’s only Water Buffalo herd.
Lighting at the Cook Street location was surely not an afterthought, same goes for this new restaurant. Check out those cool rectangular fixtures!
If you haven’t tried their pizzas (salads are good too), get in there and enjoy a tumbler of wine along with a slice.
Keep posted on their blog or sign up for the newsletter for info and deals on their main site.
Educating yourself about what’s at the far end of the spectrum and then pairing back and using aspects that resinate with you is an important part of good design.
Intrigued by a discussion on Facebook this morning that was sparked by the status report “wonders if American Apparel is really as hilarious as she thinks it is, or if she’s just getting old”, I decided to peruse the website. A new store opened in Victoria a few months ago, and I was pretty excited to check it out. I wandered the empty store and after I analyzed the aisles for a good 15 mins, I felt pressure to make a purchase.
So the web site is seemingly innocent with cotton/polyester fun and games until you come across the cutout tights and spandex thong uni-tards. Some of the gym mat photos I wouldn’t dare post here. Maybe if I rented FAME I could get away with the legwarmers and full spandex.
What I want to know is, “American Apparel, am I too old or is it hilarious”?
I had lots of great feedback about the Hommu wall decals last week in this post. If a trip to Spain isn’t in the plan, then you can check out these options closer to home. Word on the street is that the brokerage fees are double the cost of the product if you order from some of the American companies. Splash Wall Art offers a flat rate of $10 within Canada. Surface Collective is based in Vancouver! They also ship via Canada Post. Home Depot carries some wall decals… patience is required for viewing their website so have a look next time you’re in and let me know.
Tomorrow night, head down to support the Mustard Seed and independent boutiques in the Johnson Street shopping area. Fifteen shops are getting together for an evening of 25% off regular priced items from 6pm-9pm. Shop and enjoy some drinks and appys. Also until Dec 20, 2009 you can enter to win $750 in gift certificates with a non-perishable food donation (Proceeds to the Mustard Seed). Still Life will also be featuring a wine tasting with Pender Island’s Morning Bay Winery.
Worth checking out is the Oyster Bar at 614 Humboldt Street in Victoria. An offshoot of their next door neighbour, Pescatores and newly opened this Fall, the deep red room has high-ceilings, a large central bar, booths around the perimeter, and room for a larger gathering by the front window. They offer an impressive selection of fresh oysters by the half shell as well as various cooked versions along with other delights: Pescatores Anti Pasti Platter, Local Albacore Tataki, Crab and Cambazola Stuffed Artichoke Hearts and Apple BBQ Baby Back Ribs. Their cocktail menu is more exciting than most and all of their beers are local. Check out the decent daily deals:
Every Day! • $1
Buck-a-Shuck Until 6pm
Sundays • $6
Glasses of Prosecco
Mondays • $5
Enjoy a $5 cheese plate with the purchase of any wine
Tuesdays • $6
Martini Night
Wednesday • $8
Buck-a-Shuck All Night, Double Super Caesers $8
A great spot to stop in at the bar or sit by the window and watch the action in the harbour is Aura Waterfront Restaurant at the Laural Point Inn. I haven’t had dinner here (yet), but return for the great local wine selection and the Sesame Calamari described as “crispy lightly spiced calamari, fresh orange segments, baby tatsoi greens, tobiko, cucumber ginger yoghurt.” Light and slightly sweet, and great for sharing along with another “small plate” or two from the menu like the “oceanwise” crusted wonton prawns with togorashi mayonnaise, warm edamame and lime salt. You’ll be treated to a brioche popover just for stopping in. Until November, take the Harbour Ferry from the Inner Harbour to Fisherman’s Wharf for a short walk along the water to the restaurant.
I was walking through Bastion Square this morning just as the Island Chef’s Collaborative farmer’s market was setting up. I think it’s the best farmer’s market I’ve seen around town – perfect rows of strawberries, raspberries and blackberries, a really impressive selection of local greens and a rainbow of different coloured beets and tomatoes to name a few. They operate on Thursdays and Fridays and will be offering their impressive selection through September. Get down there before it’s too late! Read about this non-profit organization and find out how to support local growers on their website.
“Bcc:” is an extension of Beth Campbell Creative, a Victoria, BC based design studio. Updated often, Bcc: was established to catalog and share beauty and great design in the form of everyday objects, beautiful places and culinary adventures. To learn more about Beth Campbell Creative and check out the portfolio, visit the main website at [...]more →
Worth checking out is the 
