November 2015

In British Columbia

Top 10 Eats for Visitors and Locals in Vancouver

November 13, 2015

Whenever friends or relatives come to Vancouver for the first time, I have a handful of places where I must take them to eat. Over the years, I’ve gotten a lot of e-mails from readers asking for advice on what are restaurants they can’t miss when they visit Vancouver.

In collaboration with Expedia.ca, we present to you my top 10 restaurants you must visit when traveling to Vancouver. Locals love it and any visitor will love them as well. After being to 2,000+ restaurant visits over the past 5 years of food blogging, I can confidently share my top 10 list with you all.

Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh is located in Chinatown and serve Vietnamese-Cambodian cuisine. This modest looking restaurant attracts locals and they can’t seem to get enough. Celebrities like Anthony Bourdain have visited this restaurant before.

Must order:

Butter Beef
Luc Lac with Egg
Chicken Wings

Reservations are recommended as Phnom Penh gets busy during peak hours. They only accept reservations for groups of 5 or more.

Address: 244 E Georgia St, Vancouver, BC

Phone:(604) 682-5777

Miku

You can’t get anymore West Coast fresh than at Miku with their mouth watering aburi sushi. From their patio, you overlook the North Shore Mountains and the Vancouver waterfront. Once you eat their Aburi Salmon Oishi Sushi, no other sushi will compare.

Must order:

Aburi Salmon Oshi Sushi
Aburi Chirashi Tart
Nutrigreens Farm Tofu Salad
Aburi Saba Oishi Sushi

Reservations can be made online or over the phone. Walk ins welcome, but lines during peak hours. Take out.

Website: http://mikurestaurant.com/
Address: 200 Granville St, Vancouver, BC

Phone:(604) 568-3900

Purebread

Purebread started out as a Whistler-based family bakery and has slowly made their way to Vancouver by making appearances at local farmers markets. They opened up their latest location near Gastown to share their plethora of delicious pastries with Vancouverites.

Must order:

Crack Bar
Outrageous Brownies
Cheddar Jalapeno Scone

Walk-in shop with limited seating. Grab and go.

Website: http://www.purebread.ca/
Address: 159 W Hastings St, Vancouver, BC

Phone:(604) 563-8060

Ask for Luigi

This little Italian joint at the corner of Alexander and Gore serves up freshly made pasta full of flavour and creativity.

Must order:

Anchovies & eggs
Risotto
Pappardelle and Duck Ragu

Reservations can be made over the phone. Walk-ins welcome but there may be a wait. If there is a wait, put your name down and head to Alibi Room for a drink before returning to your reservation time.

Website: http://www.askforluigi.com/
Address: 305 Alexander St, Vancouver, BC

Phone:(604) 428-2544

Santouka Ramen

This global chain of Japanese ramen is located on Robson Street near the unofficial Japanese town. It draws local and tourists everyday and people can’t seem to get enough of their delicious broth.

Must order:

Kara Miso Chashu Ramen
Toroniku Shoyu Ramen

No reservations. Walk-in only. Long waits during peak hours.

Website:http://www.santouka.co.jp/en/
Address: 1690 Robson St, Vancouver, BC

Phone:(604) 681-8121

Earnest Ice Cream

Earnest Ice Cream is a local gem. Once you have a bite, you can never go back to having your normal ol’ ice cream. They infuse a lot of favour into their ice cream and it’s seriously addictive.

Must order:

London Fog
Salted Caramel
Whiskey Hazelnut

No reservations. Walk-in shop with limited seating.

Website: http://earnesticecream.com/
Address: 3992 Fraser St, Vancouver, BC V5V 4E4

Phone:(604) 428-0697

Address: 1829 Quebec Street, Vancouver, BC
Phone: (778) 379-0697

Timbertrain Coffee Roasters

Take a stroll in Vancouver’s historic Gastown and wander into Timbertrain Coffee Roasters where you will find their staff committed to the science of brewing perfection into each cup of coffee they serve.

Must order:

Any espresso based drink
Nitro Cold Brew

No reservations. Walk-in shop with limited seating.

Wesbite: http://timbertraincoffeeroasters.com/
Address: 311 W Cordova St, Vancouver, BC

Pizzeria Farina

Thin crust pizza done right is so hard to find in Vancouver. Located right outside Chinatown is Pizzeria Farina where they open daily at 5pm until the dough runs out. If you’re thinking about late night pizza here, you will most definitely be out of luck. Stalk them on their social media to see if they have already run out for the day.

Must Order:

Margherita Pizza
Funghi Pizza

No reservations. Walk-in shop with limited seating. Take out.

Wesbite: http://www.pizzeriafarina.com/
Address: 915 Main St, Vancouver, BC V6A 2V8

Phone:(604) 681-9334

Beaucoup Bakery

Beaucoup Bakery creates exceptional French-inspired pastries and childhood favourites including sweet pastries, artistic cakes, seasonal tarts, nostalgic cookies and rich viennoiserie. Stop by for a coffee and a sweet treat with your friends.

Must order:

Double Baked Almond Croissant
Mini Chocolate Croissant

No reservations. Walk-in shop with limited seating. Take out.

Website:http://www.beaucoupbakery.com/
Address: 2150 Fir St, Vancouver, BC V6J 3B5
Phone:(604) 732-4222

Nero Belgian Waffle

Everyday, they are waffl’ing. Their brussels and liege waffles top with decadent toppings are fantastic and Instagram worthy. The perfect mid-day snack or a late night indulgence for your sweet-tooth.

Must order:

Razz
Fruity
Mocha

No reservations. Walk-in shop with limited seating and busy during peak hours. Take out.

Website: http://www.nerobelgianwafflebar.com/
Address: 1703 Robson St, Vancouver, BC V6G 1C8

Phone:(778) 712-0694

That concludes my top 10 restaurants for locals and tourists in Vancouver. Make reservations where possible and enjoy your eats. If you have any other awesome places to add to the list, share it in the comments below.

Post created in collaboration with Expedia.ca.

In Calgary

Charcut Roast House: Steak in Calgary

November 12, 2015

Charcut Roast House is located in the heart of Downtown Calgary. I first heard about Charcut on Top Chef Canada when Chef Connie Desousa was a final contestant. M and I wanted to go get some steak while we were in Calgary, so we came here as it was highly recommended.

Grapefruit Soda from The Grizzly Paw Brewing Company was refreshing. I thought it was pretty awesome that they support local businesses by carrying their sodas. The Grizzly Paw Brewing Company is from Canmore, Alberta.

Charred Octopus has sausage, stewed tomatoes, giganate beans, and chili oil. It comes with 2 pieces of bread on the side. The octopus was delicious and tender.

Bison Brisket also has beech mushrooms, boar bacon and sour cream.

Side of Poutine was recommended by their staff as an extra addition to the meal. It was good but it would have been better if the fried were double fried so they remain crisp as the meal goes on.

Butcher steak is topped with chimichurri and has a wild arugula salad on the side. Deliciously cooked to a medium rare.

Overall, it was good, but it didn’t wow us. Perhaps it was all the hype I kept hearing about it.

We rate Charcut:

Address:
899 Centre Street SW #101, Calgary, AB

Website:
http://www.charcut.com/

In Farm to Table

Burdock & Co: Farm to Table on Main Street

November 11, 2015

Burdock & Co is located in the heart of Mount Pleasant. They are best known for their family-style dining crafted from organic ingredients. I was invited to dine here with a few other bloggers and media to learn more about Burdock & Co.

Chef Andrea Carlson and her team uses local suppliers ranging from B.C. farms to local urban gardens and highlights their offerings in new and eclectic dishes.

The space includes communal dining experiences where neighbouring patrons can converse over approachable dishes, naturalist wines, craft beers, and bespoke cocktails.

Pioneering the locavore movement, the menu adapts according to local seasonal supply, providing interesting and ever-changing culinary experiences.

Alongside Burdock & Co.’s vision of sustainable dining comes a celebrated collection of naturalist wines, expertly chosen by Wine Director, Matthew Sherlock.

Agassiz Rice Congee with Halibut also has white soy sauce, fried onion, and cured yolk. As an Asian person, at first I wasn’t quite sure about this dish since I would normally see this in a Chinese restaurant. It’s not a very classy dish. More like Asian comfort food.

Tagliatelle Pasta is slathered with basil butter sauce, Fermiere cheese, and forest mushrooms. I loved the sauce! Very good!

Scallop and Green Onion Dumplings comes with a rose hip vinegar dip. It was ok, but nothing transformational.

Brioche and Smoked Marrow Pull-Apart Buns with an onion cream and sardine hash. This was a fun spin on cinnamon buns, but with a savoury touch.

Rosemary Smoked Clam with Potato Cream has pickled mussels and chanterelles. The clams and mussels were fresh.

To end off the meal, you gotta have dessert. No meal is ever complete without something sweet. They’ve got a dark chocolate pudding and then a crisp fruit tart.

Overall, the meal was delicious and they really took different types of cuisines and put a spin to it. The portions are a bit small, so it’s definitely good to come as a group and order family-style so you can try a bit of everything.

We Rate Burdock & Co:

Address:
2702 Main Street, Vancouver

Website:
http://www.burdockandco.com/

In Cafe

Phil & Sebastian: Coffee in Calgary

November 10, 2015

Phil & Sebastian offers delicious coffee and espresso based drinks in Calgary. They currently have 6 locations. My friend told me to check out this coffee shop if I came across it on my trip to Calgary. While I was going some tax free shopping, I had to make a stop here to get caffeinated.

The space is pretty neat. By the mall entrance, you will first see the counter to put in your order and pay.

By the other entrance, you will be greeted with this beautiful space. I just love the bold blue ampersand.

Iced Latte was what I ordered. It was a pretty hot say in September, so I needed a cold drink to perk me up.

You can also purchase their beans at the store too or online.

Overall, I loved the interior and its pretty hip. I wasn’t able to make it to their larger location, but this location in the mall was pretty good.

We Rate Phil & Sebastian:

Address:
Chinook Mall, 6455 Macleod Trail Southwest, Calgary

Website:
https://www.philsebastian.com/

In Brunch

OEB Breakfast Co: in Calgary

November 9, 2015

The first thing to do when M and I arrived in Calgary was to get breakfast. A few friends suggested we go to OEB Breakfast Co, so that’s where we headed. There is pay parking on the right side of the building.

Chef Mauro Martina created OEB in 2009 and has since won many awards like Best Brunch by Where Magazine, Brunch for 2013/14 by the Calgary Herald reader’s choice awards, and Award of Excellence by Trip Advisor. OEB stands for Over Easy Breakfast.

The restaurants seats 36 people and the menu changes bi-annually. The interior is fun and colourful, a perfect way to perk up your morning.

On the weekend, there are usually long waits, but I love how they have the chalk writings on the ceilings. If there is a wait, you can use the NoWait App to put your name on the waiting list without being present. It will also give you the amount of people ahead of you as well as the wait of the line. It’s pretty good if you won’t want to be wasting time waiting in line.

Freshly Squeeze Organic Orange Juice ($5.75) is very fresh and the perfect pairing with breakfast.

Mango Dream Real Fruit Smoothie ($5) has mango, strawberry and mango nectar.

Croque Madame @ OEB ($15) has rosemary ham, sourdough rye, fior de latte mozzarella, summer truffles, cherry tomatoes, crispy potatoes, 2 eggs sunny side up, and brown butter hollandaise.

It was really good. The eggs were cooked perfectly. I just found the only problem is that it had so much carbs inside. I could have gone without the potatoes in it.

Porchetta Benny ($15.50) has roast pork, porcini and white truffle ragu with the brown butter hollandaise. It is served on an english muffin. There are twice fried duck fat herb potatoes and fresh fruit. M thought it was ok.

Overall, it is a unique and hip restaurant serving brunch.

We Rate OEB Breakfast Co:

Address:
824 Edmonton Trl NE, Calgary, AB

Website:
http://eatoeb.com/

In Drumheller

Royal Tyrell Museum in Drumheller, Alberta

November 8, 2015

1.5 hours away from Calgary is Drumheller, Alberta, internationally recognized for its rich abundance of dinosaur fossils and home of the world-renowned Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology.

I would assume most of the tourists come here to see the dinosaur museum. Everywhere you look in the town, you will find a dinosaur.

You do have to drive a little bit into town to get to the museum, but the view is amazing. The town is in a valley, so you will see all the different layers of sediments that were there.

What makes this museum so special is that the Royal Tyrell Museum has Canada’s largest collection of dinosaur fossils. If you want to go to the ultimate dinosaur museum, this is the place to go. To this day, they are still discovering new dinosaur fossil in and around the area. Pretty awesome.

The museum is situated in Midland Provincial Park, 6KM northeast of Drumheller, Alberta

There is plenty of free parking and museum entrance for an adult is $15. Pretty decent price I would say. M and I spent about 1.5 hours here looking at all the exhibits.

They has been voted one of the world’s top dinosaur museums by CNN, National Geographic, USA Today, and Smithsonian Magazine several years in a row.

There are definitely a lot of opportunities to take photos and do some fun poses.

At the beginning of the museum, you will find recreation of what the dinosaurs look like.

But, I think everyone is interested in the cool fossils.

In the Lords of the Land exhibit, you won’t miss the enormous 13.7-metre long Tyrannosaurus rex!

The Preparation Lab is where the fossils that they find from the field gets transport them back to the Museum and then the technicians begin to meticulously remove the surrounding rock in order to expose the fossils so that they can interpret and record their findings.

The Cretaceous Garden is a small area where you will find the recreation of the ancient Alberta landscape- a lush, coastal environment dotted with swamps, ponds, and marshes. Look at the room filled with plants found in the fossil record.

Some things you will find in there are:

A fossilized dinosaur footprint found only steps from the Museum
A three-tonne fossilized tree stump, Alberta’s provincial stone
Two Gingko trees, often called living fossils because they have barely changed in over 270 million years

The Dinosaur Hall has fossils everywhere in the room.

Some highlights are:

Triceratops with its large bony frill and three horns, is one of the most recognizable of all dinosaurs
Euoplocephalus, meaning “well-armoured head”, was one of the largest ankylosaurs—about the size of a small elephant.
Not everything in Dinosaur Hall is a dinosaur—check out the Bearpaw Sea exhibit with mosasaurs and elasmosaurs; some of the largest marine reptiles that ever lived

Overall, it was great to spend a few hours here to see a lot of fossils. M really loved it because he’s just a dinosaur nerd.

Address:
1500 N Dinosaur Trail, Drumheller, AB

Website:
http://www.tyrrellmuseum.com/

In Brunch

Galaxie Diner: Old School Diner in Calgary

November 7, 2015

Galaxie Diner in the Beltline area of Calgary is an old school diner. This diner was recommended by a friend, so we went. Surprisingly, it was a block away from our hotel, which was awesome.

Galaxie diner opened in 1996 serving delicious meals at fair prices.

The diner is small, so it doesn’t fit too many people at once. We came here on a weekday just before the lunch time rush and we had to wait a little bit for a table of 2.

We ended up with 2 seats on the counter but we didn’t mind since this is where the action happens.

Their grill is working non-stop to serve the lunch rush. Their chef was cooking so many dishes at once but I noticed how he kept his station quite tidy as he churned out each dish.

Breakfast Burrito (1 piece – $11.75) has scrambled eggs with cheese, bacon, beef sausage, sauteed mushrooms, onions, banana peppers, and green peppers all rolled inside a tortilla. Salsa, sour cream, and hash browns are on the side.

It was really good. The salsa and sour cream really hit the spot.

Calgary Sandwich ($15) is loaded with eggs, cheese, sauteed mushrooms, onions, green onions, tomatoes, banana peppers, green peppers, bacon, beef sausage, and mayonnaise on grilled brown bread.
Served with hash browns on the side.

This sandwich put a smile on M’s face. Good food, huge portions and super casual atmosphere.

At the end of the meal, they give you some dubble bubble. Oh man, I haven’t had this in a long time. I hate dubble bubble, but the memories just flood back. The best part was really the comics inside.

We Rate Galaxie Diner:

Address:
1413 11 St SW, Calgary, AB

Website:
http://www.galaxiediner.ca/

In Calgary

Village Ice Cream: Late Night in Calgary

November 6, 2015

M and I were hunting for a good dessert place to go to after dinner when we were in Calgary. A lot of people suggested Village Ice Cream. They have 2 locations, but we ended up at the Victoria Park location.

Village Ice Cream is handcrafted in Calgary and made in small artisan batches to maintain their quality. They use local and seasonal ingredients where possible.

Lots of choices!

M ordered the Chocolate Fudge Brownie in a cup, which was their special for September. M thought it was pretty average tasting.

Toasted Coconut in a waffle cone came in a huge scoop. It was initially good but then it tasted quite rich, so it got harder to eat. The cone was super good and crisp.

Overall, I wasn’t too impressed by the flavours. I know a lot of people will probably disagree with me and thats ok. What I like about Village Ice Cream is their large scoops.

We Rate Village Ice Cream:

Address:
431 10 Ave SE, Calgary, AB

Website:
http://villageicecream.com/

In Calgary

Calgary Zoo: Day Visit and Illuminasia

November 5, 2015

The Calgary Zoo has been around for 80 years and is right in the heart of Calgary. The animal exhibits are organized by geographic regions in large, natural habitats. These regions include the Canadian Wilds, Destination Africa, Penguin Plunge, South America and Eurasia.

We came during high season and the admission was $24.95 per adult. Our car GPS somehow took us to their south entrance instead. We parked outside in their lot for $8. In total, M and I spent about 1.5 hours here.

Penguin Plunge

The newest and best exhibit at the zoo is the Penguin Plunge, which opened in 2012. It’s home to four species of penguins. While visitors watch the playful birds, they also learn about the impact of climate change on wildlife and what they can do about it at home. They have 4 types of penguins here – Gentoo Penguin, Humbolt Penguin, King Penguin, and Rockhopper Penguin.

The exhibit is quite large and its so awesome to see the zip through the water lightning fast. I was fortunate to grab this picture of this Gentoo Penguin.

The Prehistoric Park

The Prehistoric Park at the Calgary Zoo includes 15 model dinosaurs, replicas of an inland sea and volcanic mountain, and more than 100 species of living plants.

The area isn’t too impressive when you compare it to the Royal Tyrell Dinosaur Museum about 1.5 hours away from Calgary.

The Canadian Wilds

More than 20 acres of the zoo is dedicated to showcasing Canadian wildlife in their own natural habitat.

The Rocky Mountain Goat is super chill and he was just posing for a picture.

You can get up and close to the bears in their enclosures.

There’s a few other bears too that are smaller and lighter colours.

Inside the bird area, you will find the snowy owls hanging out.

There are more birds hiding and you’ll also see a bunch of dead mice around.

I thought this was a groundhog but this is a black-tailed prarie dog.

Crossing over to the other side, of the zoo, you will find Destination Africa, Eurasia, Conservatory, and Rainforest areas. While we were here, there was a lot of construction so some exhibits were closed.

We saw this peacock walking around freely.

We even saw some other birds just chilling on the ground.

There is a cool area with Chilean Flamingos, they are pretty neat.

The ENMAX Conservatory

The old zoo conservatory was once one of the oldest and most inefficient buildings on zoo grounds. As a LEED building, solar tubes and panels help warm the building while cisterns capture rainfall for the plethora of plant life inside.

There are a lot of plant inside. It won’t take too long to walk around their 2 area, but you should check out their butterflies.

Illuminasia

Illuminasia ran at the Calgary Zoo nightly from September 17 – November 1, 2015. It has since ended but it was a nice change to get visitors in the park during the evenings. This was a Lantern & Garden Festival Presented by Sinopec Canada. There are 183 animal lanterns, with the additional bamboo and other décor pieces the total number of lanterns is 366 in the entire park.

Tiger lanterns during the day.

Tiger lanterns during the evening.

I liked coming in the day since the lanterns are more seamless, plus an awesome draw of the zoo are the animals. The lanterns was an extra touch.

Of all the animal lanterns, the pandas were the ones that seemed more human-like.

Tree and butterfly lantern.

I love this area with the two big birds, flowers and the bridge in the background. Pretty nice view.

Address:
1300 Zoo Rd NE, Calgary, AB

Website:
http://www.calgaryzoo.com/

In Calgary

Ox and Angela: Spanish Cuisine in Calgary

November 4, 2015

One restaurant I could not miss was Ox and Angela on our Calgary trip. It was a few block away from our hotel and we love Spanish food. I really wish we had more Spanish restaurants in Vancouver. M and I came on a weekday dinner around 6:30 pm to give their Spanish dishes a try.

The interior is nice and there are 2 dining areas. They serve a Spanish Table set menu with 10 dishes that are shared family style for $45 per person. M and I were tempted to get it but we heard so much about the Paella that we went to go without the set menu.

Mediterranean salad ($13) has local tomatoes, cucumbers, roasted onion and goat feta, crispy chorizo, and mojo verde. A good balance of the crispy chorizo and salad. It wasn’t too over powering at all.

ZFC! ($15) stands for za’atar fried chicken. It is served with harrisa dip and a local herb salad. It was crispy and super delicious.

Paella ($36) served here is a ‘valencian style’ Paella of chicken, spanish chorizo, manilla clams, summer peas, saffron & butter beans made to order using traditional bomba rice & served in an 11” pan. It takes about 35 minutes to cook, so you will need to be patient. So good!

Overall, enjoyable dinner and it was a great place to go to dinner in Calgary. The neighbourhood is pretty hip, so there’s a lot of other places to go have dessert or late night drinks afterwards.

We Rate Ox and Angela:

Address:
528 17th Ave SW, Calgary, AB

Website:
http://oxandangela.com/

In Canadian

Dunn’s Famous: Smoke Meat Deli in Vancouver

November 3, 2015

Dunn’s Famous has undergone a facelift in their Downtown Vancouver location. The old restaurant looked like more of a sports bar rather than a Montreal smoked meat deli. They really wanted to give customers the experience of being in Montreal when the restaurant was founded in 1927. You will see original pictures from that day on their walls.

I came with a few food blogger friends – Sherman, Food Queen and VanFoodies to check out the space as we were invited by the owners.

Once you walk in, you will find their new deli counter right by the front door. You can see all the staff preparing your meal right in front of your eyes. The menu is still the same with a few additions like the Wholy Cow Sandwich.

Pepsi is the ultimate pairing with a smoked meat sandwich. The classic cups really bring you back.

Latkes ($7) are potato and onion pancakes with sour cream. It comes with 4 pieces per order. They are fried till golden brown and its quite good with the sour cream. I love sour cream.

Fried Pickles ($5) has dill pickles that are beer-battered and served with a red pepper mayo. The batter was a tad thick and I wish they used something a bit different with more crunch to the texture.

Matzoh Ball Soup ($6) has 2 hand-rolled matzoh balls in chicken broth with a sprig of dill. The matzoh balls were pretty large and went with the broth quite nicely.

Dunns Poutine ($13) has a bed of fresh hand cut Kennebec fries with BBQ beef gravy and chopped smoked meat piled on top. The fries were really good and crisp. They make the fries in-house, so the fries were deliciously enjoyed by all at the table. No matter which poutine you get, you will enjoy it.

Smoked Meat Grilled Cheese ($9) has cheddar cheese on white bread with smoked meat. The smoked meat had medium fat, which was good but pretty average I would say. Perhaps it needed more cheddar so it could ooze all over the place.

4oz Monteal Smoked Meat Sandwich ($11) is hand-sliced to order, served traditionally on light rye bread with yellow mustard. You can choose the different cuts of smoked meat and mustard if you want to customize it a little bit.

12 oz Montreal Smoked Meat Sandwich is what we specifically asked for. On the menu it goes up to 8oz, but we knew it couldn’t hurt to ask. We got it with yellow mustard and a fat cut of smoked meat so it is extra juicy and delicious. Oh man, was it ever good! Since you are eating out, you must get the fat cut.

Yummy!

Reuben ($16) has smoked meat double stacked on dark rye bread with sauerkraut, swiss cheese and thousand island dressing. It was delicious and the sauerkraut paired really well.

Dunns Famous Cheesecake ($9) uses their original Montreal recipe, baked in house with fresh strawberries & strawberry coulis. It has a unique taste that is quite different that other cheesecakes.

Overall, same great food with a new look. Definitely more casual dining that makes all customers enjoy the atmosphere.

We Rate Dunns Famous:

Address:
827 Seymour Street, Vancouver

Website:
http://www.dunnsfamousbc.com/

In British Columbia

Cirque du Soleil: KOOZA

November 2, 2015

Cirque Du Soleil is back in Vancouver from October 29 – December 27, 2015 at Concord Pacific Place right by Science World. I was invited to the premiere night and I was super excited since all of the Cirque du Solei shows I’ve seen so far are awesome. If you don’t want any spoilers, don’t continue with the rest of this post.

KOOZA is a return to the origins of Cirque du Soleil that combines two circus traditions—acrobatic performance and the art of clowning. The show highlights the physical demands of human performance in all its splendor and fragility, presented in a colourful melange that emphasizes bold slapstick humour.

The show had its world premiere in April 2007 in Montreal and has since played in over 47 cities in 12 countries, on three different continents.

At first I didn’t really know what to expect from the performance, but it was one of the best Cirque du Soleil shows I’ve seen in Canada.

Before you head into the tent to get to your seats, remember to grab a selfie with this photo wall.

Depending on when you come in, there may be a bit of a line up to get in.

The inside of the tent is pretty neat.

There’s a food and beverage station with snacks, candy, alcohol and ice cream. Its usually overpriced, so I would suggest you eat before coming to the show.

Let the show begin.

The show starts with the Trickster bursting onto the scene like a jack-in-the-box in front of The Innocent, and that’s just the first of many surprises to come.

The Innocent’s journey brings him into contact with a panoply of comic characters such as the King, the Trickster, the Heimloss, the Obnoxious Tourist and his Bad Dog.

Between strength and fragility, laughter and smiles, turmoil and harmony, KOOZA explores themes of identity, recognition and power.

The show is set in an electrifying and exotic visual world full of surprises, thrills, chills, audacity and total involvement.

One of the awesome acts of the night was the 1,600-pound Wheel of Death rotates at heart-stopping speeds, powered only by the two artists who leap and counter-rotate in a death-defying display of fearless acrobatics and astonishing teamwork. Like the High Wire, the Wheel of Death is positioned diagonally.

If you are in Vancouver, definitely check out KOOZA.

Website:
https://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/shows/kooza/tickets/vancouver.aspx

In Dessert

720 Sweets: Steamy Ice Cream in Kitsilano

November 1, 2015

720 Sweets is an ice cream store that seeks to explore revolutionary flavours on their menu. If you are from Vancouver and have Instagram, I’m sure you have seen their steamy treats.

The shop is in the Kitsilano area on West Broadway.

The shop is quite small and doesn’t fit a lot of people, but most people just do take out and walk around the neighbourhood. There’s so many restaurants nearby, so it’s great to have dinner else where and then make a stop here for some late night treats. That’s what M and I did. We had dinner a block away at Mamalee Malaysian Delight and came here after.

They have 5 types of Ice cream:

The Classic – crushed graham crackers, sweetened condensed milk, and a freshly baked butter cookie
Honey720 – Rich honey drizzle and golden honeycomb
S’Mores Please – chocolate corn flakes, dark chocolate drizzle, crunchy almond stick and a toasted marshmallow
The Milky Way – crushed walnuts, light caramel drizzle, espresso grass jelly, and a crunchy almond cookie
Cloud Nine – crunchy almond stick, cotton candy popcorn, and a dreamy fluffy cotton candy.

All of the are $5.95, which is a pretty good price.

M and I got the S’mores Please and the The Milky Way. The steam coming up from the bottom of the cup is a mixture of dry ice and hot water that creates the beautiful steam. The ice cream sits on top of a separate cup, so they never touch each other.

Both ice creams were put together so beautifully. You really need to take some pictures before you dig in.

S’more Please has a good strong chocolate taste in the ice cream. Probably one of the best I’ve had. Lots of chocolatey good toppings.

The Milky Way was my favourite. The combination of the strong milk tea flavour and the texture of the grass jelly is every asian’s dream. I loved it! I am not a big sweets fan, but I couldn’t stop eating this. Highly recommended.

M and I both agreed that the Milky Way was our favourites.

Overall, the flavours were great and so much fun taking pictures of these beautiful ice cream creations. It’s not just the flavour but the experience of eating these. I’ll be back for sure.

We Rate 720 Sweets:

Address:
3278 West Broadway, Vancouver

Website:
http://720sweets.com/