Feel-good Friday: perfect pairings

Food, Friends, Fun…..what would life be like without all that? Not so merry.

Last night I attended the 12^th Annual Chef Meets BC Grape event with a good friend. A fun fundraiser put on by the British Columbia Wine Institute and the Arts Club Theatre Company – a toast to the extraordinary chefs and winemakers who call BC home. Along with food, British Columbia is growing into a world class destination for premium wine. The proceeds from the event go towards funding local playwrights and emerging artists.

Here is a sampling of my favourite wine/food pairings of the evening:

Chicha restaurant presented a Tuna Causa – cilantro whipped and chilled potato topped with sesame and soy, BC local Haida Gwaii Albacore Tuna, a crisp fruit and ginger ponzu, and a Peruvian rocato chilli aioli. Paired with Lake Breeze Spice Jar.

Hart House Restaurant presented a Pancetta wrapped pork terrain with sourdough crisp Hannah Brook Farm peach and apricot mostarda, Barnston Island micro arugula. Paired with Moon Curser “Afraid of the Dark” red.

Moon Curser Wines. Love the label. — Love the label on Moon Curser Wines.

Lift Bar and Grill presented smoked sturgeon, dark soy & nori emulsion, putanesca jam and squid ink rice puff. Paired with Desert Hills Gamay Noir.

Miradoro (at Tinhorn Creek) presented chanterelle lobster mushroom and pancetta risotto with Okanagan peach, grilled corn & rosemary. Paired with Tinhorn Creek Pinot Noir.

Provence Marinaside presented seared scallop, prosciutto crisp, Okanagan peach broth with lemon thyme salt. Paired with Misconduct Suspect Series Chardonnay Viognier.

A nice BC Port - Fall is fast approaching — A nice BC Port – Fall is fast approaching. Goes well with chocolate.

Honourable Mention:

The Observatory (at Grouse Mountain) presented mushroom boar belly, chanterelle mushrooms, brioche, frissee with Tantalus Vineyards Riesling.

The Westin Bayshore presented Albacore Tuna Poke, avocado, taro root with Bordertown Estate Winery white.

*Torafuku (modern Asian eatery) presented onion ash beef terrine wrapped with Portobello, local vegetables, **foie gras, potato pave, chimichurri and hunter sauce. Paired with Gold Hill Cabernet Franc.

Pinnacle Harbourfront Hotel presented Duo of duck-spiced rubbed duck breast, duck confit goat cheese croquette, habanero jam. Paired with Quails’ Gate Gewurztraminer.

**On a personal note I object to the way foie gras is produced. I wish that restaurants refrained from using Foie Gras on their menus. At the same time, *Torafuku had the longest tasting lineup.

All in all this was a most enjoyable evening and a perfect start to the weekend.

Oh don’t you know….the weekend starts on Thursday!

Photos: d. king

beauty, Girl Who Would be King

Beauty: Lipstick Shades you Need

Colours for all seasons and all reasons

It’s almost like testing out shades of paint for your home. You want to find something that flatters and will last. Sephora wanted to test out their Rouge range of lipstick shades and finishes so they narrowed it down to four complimentary testers with great sounding names, which of course I was happy to try out by wearing one each day. If there is one makeup product I cannot be without it would have to be lipstick. I can do without any eye makeup (not saying it looks amazing but most often I do go without) but I feel like without wearing anything on my lips I just disappear. Do you feel the same about any makeup product?

Surprisingly enough these shades appear to be universally flattering, long-lasting, reasonably priced and above all…chic. I realized that these shades are all one really needs. Certainly if I were to narrow it down to only four these would be it. Here they are:

Belly-Dancing Rouge Cream

Nights in Rouge Satin: A hydrating lipstick that creates full lips with intense color. A revamp of the iconic Sephora Lip Attitude Chic, this new hydrating formula provides improved coverage and is rife with pigment. The creamy texture softly glazes your lips, imparting just the right amount of color and sheen. Perfection!

Love Spell Rouge Brilliance

Girl needs some Gloss – this one is a light pink semi sheer nourishing formula with a bit of gloss. It’s pretty and perfect for a hint of colour. Especially for sunny days.

Enchanting Blush Rouge Balm

A beautiful everyday shade that is fresh & bright. It has a smooth hydrating formula with SPF 20.Sephora calls the formula a balmy lipstick with a gel formula which is about right.

Rebel Chic Rouge Mat

An ultra-matte lipstick that provides long-lasting moisture and intense pigment. This one delivers bold color, intense moisture, and incredible comfort. Enriched with shea butter and rich emollients, the formula moisturizes and soothes lips, while depositing super matte color and blurring lip imperfections. And unlike some matte lipsticks, this one never feels cakey or dry on your lips.

What else you need to know:
This product is not tested on animals.

Beauty Tip:
Create a contoured lip by selecting your shade of Lip Liner To Go and Rouge Cream Lipstick based on skintone and desired look. Use the Pro Lip brush to blend the lipstick and liner together to soften any harsh lines.

Cost: $12.50 each

Do you have any favourites?

Food + Drink, Girl Who Would be King

Food/Nutrition: Home on the Range

Well here’s something different. Especially after attending the opening of a pop-up pastrami place called Mensch for brisket sandwiches & beer last week. My Yin and Yang is well balanced for sure.

First I must explain that this is a new regime for me. Yesterday right after my meditation practice (more on this later) I went to a bar.

But just not your everyday kind of bar. A bone broth bar.

I sat at the counter of a fairly small but very well stocked store/take-out called “Home on the Range Organics”

It’s North America’s First and Original Broth Bar!

They sell other things too that are hard to find elsewhere

What a great little find!

I spoke with Jackie Ingram (she and her husband Allen own the place) and was quite impressed with all the healthy offerings they have in stock (literally speaking too, they have amazing stock). I bought some ready made broth to take home and add stuff to (I can make my own but did not have any prepared), a super elixir of turmeric & lime and avocado mayonnaise because I want to make sandwiches without using regular high fat mayo or miracle whip which has corn syrup, soybean oil and sugar. Basically I’m looking for better ingredients. So you might wonder:

Why broth not coffee?

Unlike coffee, broth can help hydrate your body and nourish it. It helps to fight inflammation and significantly boosts gut health!

Here are 10 great reasons why you should drink their delicious broths:

Great for post work out as its recuperative properties directly stimulate regrowth of connective body tissue.
The natural way to fight colds and flus. This is how your grandmother used to fight the common cold! Studies show that having chicken broth in particular (and other broths as well) increases the number of white blood cells that fight common colds and flus.
Helps reduce food allergies and intolerances.
Helps reduce cellulite. Bone broths help to slow down structural changes in your skin’s tissue by strengthening elastin fibres, to make cellulite less visible. As we age our skin becomes thinner so it is easier to see blemishes below the surface whereas collagen can reverse this trend if you exercise regularly and moderate your diet through bone broth consumption.
Reduces inflammation. Collagen is the body’s natural healing workhorse but after our early twenties we slow production of collagen, and providing a natural boost is essential. Broth contains plenty of the anti-inflammatory amino acids glycine and proline.
Greatly improves joint health by helping with bone formation and natural repair. Broths contain magnesium, phosphorus and calcium plus a host of other nutrients. Also contains glucosamine which can promote regrowth of collagen even after your early twenties.
Great for your skin, hair and nails. Brings natural shine to your hair and lustre to your nails. Your skin is given a natural moisturising through the influx of collagen, from the inside out – the healthy way.
Because glycine is found in broths, it is often used to help promote healthy sleep and helps to reduce stress and anxiety.
Broth helps to heal leaky gut syndrome (by protecting and healing the mucusal lining of the digestive tract through collagen)
They have some good books. Jackie holds up Dirty Diets written by Brad King.

It tastes fantastic and helps suppress your appetite before a meal helping you lose weight naturally.

What’s not to love?

Location: 235 East Broadway (between Main & Kingsway – parking in back if you’re lucky).

Store #: 604.876.8755

Do you have anything like this in your city?

Mensch Jewish Delicatessen (they do take-out) 666 E Broadway, Vancouver (Mount Pleasant)

Hey, this is not to say I’m trading in my morning cuppa for broth. Some things are not meant to become substitutes.

Photos: d. king

DESTINATIONS, Girl Who Would be King

Travel: Sedona, Arizona

Have you ever been to Sedona?

The setting is pretty unreal. It’s a perfect location for mountain biking (our crew covered some ground and some dirt) and of course hiking. Or you can just….be.

If you’re looking for a quiet spiritual experience to usher in the changing of the seasons, tranquil Sedona provides the perfect setting. Many people believe that the Sedona area is sacred, and that it’s “the center of vortexes that radiate the Earth’s power.”

I’ve been there on a few occasions. I loved the red rock canyons so much that I tried to replicate the desert colours for the interior of my home. I believe I succeeded.

What To Do: Stay at the Enchantment Resort, try Diamondback Rattlesnake cakes and Cactus Fries at The Cowboy Club, take a UFO Night Tour (for something different…c’mon where else can you find something like this?) and drink biodynamic organic wine at Chocola Tree. Depending on your interests, you can also sign up for a weekend of healing, like this one offered by Hope Yoga.

Temperatures (October): High, 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Low, 52.

Ahhhhhh Have you been?

Girl Who Would be King, Health + LifeStyle

Healthier Pet Inspiration

LOVE is a four legged word

Just like us, our pets need and deserve to have a healthy diet too.

So happy to have found out about a convenient and holistic home (or office) pet food delivery service in Vancouver. Jia Jia sampled some of it at the West Vancouver Harmony Arts Festival Market recently.

The Riplee’s Ranch premium dog/cat food is produced in a state of the art facility in British Columbia. The local and regionally sourced ingredients are all natural and contain no corn, wheat, soy or by-products. They are naturally preserved with Rosemary and Vitamin E and C. They offer a grain free line. Fast & Fresh. He loves the treats too!

Visit Website at: www.citypetdelivery.com

This, along with the drops of *Rejeneril I’ve been adding to his food will keep him healthy for hopefully many more years to come.

*To find out more about rejeneril please visit: http://myultimatepet.com/

Yesterday we had a great time at Paws for a Cause, an annual fundraiser for the prevention of animal cruelty put on by the BC SPCA + Scotiabank. Here are some photos I took from the event.

Everything went well except for Jia Jia stealing a hot dog from one of the food vendors. I caught him with half a chewed up dog in his mouth.

Do you have a pet food delivery service in your city?

What kind of food do you prefer to feed your dog?

Girl Who Would be King, Health + LifeStyle

Healthier Lifestyle Inspiration

FACT: YOU CAN’T LAUGH & WORRY AT THE SAME TIME!

SO LAUGH MORE! Or at least try to. Watch a comedy, joke around and find humour in even the worst possible situations. I did that with a friend last week who was going through something horrible. It was so bad that I could have made it worse by laughing but instead we ended up laughing over how pathetic the situation was. The end result was she was still in pain…but from laughter.

Right now I’m like: “throw me to the wolves and I will return leading the pack.” That’s a great quote but really….it’s true! Don’t even stand in my way. But first I’ll laugh about it all.

Because as hard as we try to make things right and turn things around for the better there’s usually a few setbacks and challenges. I know this from living in general but especially since I’ve become a support person for someone very close to me. Someone who is fighting to overcome an illness. And it’s really difficult to see someone who is strong both physically and mentally go through a very weak phase. Even though it strikes in a physical sense it still wrecks havoc with your mental state especially if you cannot do the things you’re used to doing. Gotta stay positive because hope is what keeps everything going. But it can get discouraging and depressing nonetheless – that’s life.

A friend told me about a place called Inspire Health in Vancouver. They are a team of professionals who help provide knowledge, tools and services to support overall health during and after cancer treatment. Their doctors value standard cancer treatments, and will work with you, your family doctor and oncologist to provide the best cancer care possible.

They offer options for better health and a better recovery. What’s to lose right?

Because as their website says: Growing scientific evidence confirms that stress reduction, eating a healthy diet, exercise and a positive support network can substantially improve health and well-being for people living with cancer and their supports.

INSPIRE HEALTH CARE APPROACH IS DIFFERENT – Cancer vs. Person-Based

Cancer-Based: from the perspective of the cancer-based model, the patient rarely plays an active role in their treatment or recovery. Since the focus is on the cancer, little effort is expended to support patients in exploring the benefits of healthful diet, exercise, spirituality and emotional support or other methods to enhance the patient’s well-being. Focusing solely on the cancer can leave patients feeling disempowered and unsure about how to contribute to their own health and well-being.

Person-Based: Although surgery, radiation and chemotherapy can play a very important role in treating the cancer, it is the person and their health – mind, body and spirit – that is the focus of care at Inspire Health.

They have a lot of things to take advantage of that you can pick and choose from like: Counselling, Gentle Yoga, Practice Meditation, Tai Chi, Acupuncture, Nutritional Learning and Cooking for Health.

And for me, being so on top of things nutritionally (and otherwise) spent part of the afternoon yesterday taking a cooking class on how to make SuperSnacks. The head nutritionist demonstrated six different recipes substituting what you would normally use for something healthier but equally tasty. Now the fun part: you get to test everything.

I have to mention at this point that I had already made half the recipes before (I know but I had to say that anyway) but this was NO cooking class for dummies. It was interesting, inspiring and I did learn something new. You always do. I registered for a bunch more. I want to hear all they have to say about food and learn more about healthier baking, fermented foods, their version of bone broth and mindful eating in general. Knowledge is power.

And THAT is no laughing matter!

YOU define what is important to you by what YOU dedicate your time to.

*An Important Sidenote: Today Jia Jia (my BFF) & I are off to Paws for a Cause – by BC SPCA to help fund cruelty prevention and education programs, and the enforcement of animal cruelty laws. Cruelty to animals needs to STOP now!

Thoughts?

DESTINATIONS, Girl Who Would be King

Fly by Night

Do something that scares you!

You’ve heard that saying before right?

When I saw it scribbled on a Lululemon bag I questioned why on earth is this advisable (like why would anyone want to scare themselves?) but in any case I actually did something that scares me last Sunday.

Ready for Take-Off — **On a Wing & a Prayer**

Considering I’m claustrophobic, don’t like small planes, have a fear of heights and am always up in the air about flying in general……I conquered my fears (temporarily perhaps) and embraced my private flight from Vancouver over to dinner in one of Vancouver Island’s best kept little secrets. It’s not the first time I’ve been on a small plane but like anything else what you tend to fear is fear itself. It helps to have an experienced pilot who is also a friend who previously ran a chartered airline business with a bigger plane to fly movie stars around. When he decided to downsize to a four seater he made sure the seats and headsets were very comfy. Luckily the flight was very smooth both ways.

The flight began at 5:00 p.m., lasted about one hour on the way over (as the pilot decided to take us a different route and fly between two huge rocks we refer to as “the lions.” Four of us enjoyed spectacular scenery along the way, a great dinner and another enjoyable flight at dusk which took less flying time to get back.

Photos: d. king

Flying in between the Lions, Vancouver — **Flying between the Lions, Vancouver**

Girl Who Would be King, STYLE

Style: bootie call

BREAKING OUT THE BOOTS

Stuart Weitzman ($728) photo: Lauren Crew

Oh what a change from flip-flops and open-toed strappy sandals one day to boots the next. A shock to the system after the last three months. Gotta take it sloooow starting with little ankle boots and work my way up (waaay up) from there.

Some women cannot wait to step into some stacked-heel boots (mostly because the pedicure bills were skyrocketing) but not me. I just had my first and last pedicure of the season yesterday believe it or not. I went the whole summer doing it on my own and actually ignoring my feet for the most part deciding to concentrate on other things (not related to body parts) but after a nice relaxing foot massage and glossy red toe polish I feel a heel of a lot better. I’m ready to step it up now. And boots are a big part of my Fall wardrobe and something to look forward to for what’s springing up quickly season.

Not sure you can pull boots off quite yet? Try sporting a pair with your favourite sundress to make the transition on a somewhat sunny day.

Here are some easy to wear styles to consider from Talbots in a reasonable price range:

From top: Talbots Wren Ankle Boots ($219), Talbots Tish Pebbled Leather & Stretch Riding Boots($269), Talbots Tish Grommet-Strap Riding Boots ($279), Talbots Tish V-Gore Ankle Boots ($189)

Are you looking forward to Fall?

Food + Drink, Girl Who Would be King

Fun for Foodies

Have you seen Chef’s Table?

I’ve been watching the series on Netflix. It’s not your run of the mill cooking show. It’s so much more because in each hourly episode the series focuses on a particular chef that will inspire the hell out of you.

From Chef Meets BC Grape

You find out their story: what drives them, how they shop, about their relationship to food and their style as they prepare a culinary specialty. And it all looks so pretty….even something so simple and singular as a carrot. But it’s not just a carrot, it’s a carrot from the chef’s family run farm that tastes unlike any other carrot. And it makes everything you make seem so……...well, ordinary?

Anyway….just wanted to tell you about two upcoming chef inspired events in my home town, Vancouver because I really feel that Vancouver is becoming a world class dine out city. So much so that I just found out about a dine out week taking place next month that is very inspiring (UPS – upcoming post soon). But in the meantime:

#1 – Chef Meets Truck:

On September 13, the Chefs’ Table Society of BC, in partnership with the Yaletown BIA and the Streetfood Vancouver Society host the inaugural event Chef Meets Truck in Yaletown at the intersection of Hamilton and Nelson. The event will run from 6:30pm-9:30pm and consists of Vancouver restaurant chefs hopping on board local Food Trucks to serve up the foodie event of the season. This collaborative event brings Vancouver’s hottest restaurant and food truck chefs together for the first time ever.

Purchase tickets to the inaugural event for $69 + taxes and fees here. Tickets include food samples from the eight participating food trucks, as well as, wine and beer samples from Nichol Vineyard, Lock and Worth Winery and Brassneck Brewery.

A portion of the ticket sales will be donated to the Greater Vancouver Food Bank.

Participating food trucks and chefs include:

Community Pizzeria with guest chef Angus An (Maenam)

Feastro with guest chef Lucais Syme (Cinara)

Fliptop with guest chef Vikram Vij (Vij’s)

Kafka’s Coffee Truck with guest chef Christophe Bonzon (Chez Christophe)

Mom’s Grilled Cheese with guest chef Travis McCord (La Pentola)

Roaming Dragon with guest chef Scott Jaeger (The Peartree)

Tacofino with guest chef Frank Pabst (Blue Water Cafe)

Via Tevere with guest chef Phil Scarfone (Nightingale)

This event would not be possible without the support of:

Bella Gelateria, Biota Fermentation, Brassneck Brewery, F.I.S.H (Fresh Ideas Start Here), Kins Farm Markets. La Grotta Del Formaggio, Lock and Worth Vineyard. Nichol Vineyard. Windsor Meats

#2 – CHEF MEETS BC GRAPE

Thursday, September 15
Vancouver Convention Centre East
999 Canada Place, Ballrooms A, B, C
7–9:30 PM

Tickets are selling fast to the largest tasting of BC VQA wines in Vancouver! This popular fundraiser is a unique opportunity to taste a selection of more than 300 wines from 90 of BC’s top producers.

A tasting event for both novice wine tasters and connoisseurs—you can expect to sip and savour vintages of established labels, and find new favourites from an abundance of up-and-coming, family-run, and boutique operations. Guests will also have the opportunity to taste specially prepared pairing dishes from 12 BC restaurants!

Participating restaurants include:

Chicha Restaurant
Fable Kitchen
Hart House Restaurant
Lift Bar and Grill
Miradoro Restaurant
Provence Marinaside
Torafuku Modern Asian Eatery

Tickets are selling fast—buy now to avoid disappointment!

$90 Regular
$75 Groups of 10 or more (by phone only)

Bon Appetit!

Film Reviews

ART/Culture/FILM – Window Horses

“All that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream.” – Edgar Allan Poe

Everyone knows that Poe is a Poet but we all have different viewpoints of another person’s image. That is called perception. What happens when someone doesn’t fit into the “usual” image we form for something they represent?

What is Window Horses?

Window Horses is a new Animated, Multi-Cultural, Unusual, Smart Feature Film with a Message. I find it inspiring. It is written, directed and produced by someone I know, Ann Marie Fleming, who has been making award winning films for over 25 years. Because she is such an unusual & inspiring person herself I knew that at the very least it would be interesting and worth checking out. So….

Rosie Ming is a mixed-race, 20-something, introverted, closet poet who dreams of going to Paris. She doesn’t know a thing about her parents. Sandra Oh (Grey’s Anatomy, Sideways, Under the Tuscan Sun, etc…) is Rosie. Her work is about transformation!

Taken from the Website:

This film is our small effort to try and add a little more peace, love and understanding to our increasingly complex and conflicted world through art, poetry, history and culture. Heady stuff!

Not to give too much away but….

It’s about love (it’s always about love…) – love of family, poetry, history, culture. Here’s the story: Rosie Ming, a young Canadian poet, is invited to perform at a Poetry Festival in Shiraz, Iran, but she’d rather be in Paris. She lives at home with her over-protective Chinese grandparents and has never been anywhere by herself. Once in Iran, she finds herself in the company of poets and Persians, all who tell her stories that force her to confront her past; the Iranian father she assumed abandoned her and the nature of Poetry itself. It’s about building bridges between cultural and generational divides. It’s about being curious. Staying open. And finding your own voice through the magic of poetry.

Rosie goes on an unwitting journey of forgiveness, reconciliation, and perhaps above all, understanding, through learning about her father’s past, her own cultural identity, and her responsibility to it.

WATCH the Trailer:

“Window Horses hits all the things that are important to me: it’s pro-girl, pro-tolerance, pro-diversity and PRO-ART!! My nieces are mixed race and it’s very important to me that they see themselves represented in this society.” – Sandra Oh

Heady Stuff Indeed!

Window Horses will be playing during VIFF (September 29 – October 14, 2016). For program & tickets please visit:

https://www.viff.org