Just an assortment of practical shoes that caught my eye
These shoes brought a twinkle to my eyesFeathers & Fringe are in and we’re going steady with some Studs Love these Valentino Rock StarStud heels and flatsThese would be warm comfortable walking shoes furever. They put the fun back in FENDI.I’m gettin my spark back – suddenly I feel like disco dancingI would not be running very far, only fashionably on foot wearing theseWhile you make up your mind relax, sit back and have a cocktail or two…then let your credit card do the restWhere there’s shoes, there’s bags. The Fringe Festival is on.
A good but blurry beginning to the start of this week as I was invited to a media event at Secret Location in Vancouver’s trendy Gastown district.
Pouring Port
A MASTER CLASS! The event was to promote and educate those in the room about the different wines of Portugal. And I never miss an opportunity to drink learn more.
Secret Location is a concept store that offers thought-provoking fashion and food. They’ve covered all their bases. They describe themselves as one part lifestyle boutique, one part restaurant. The elegantly prepared food was excellent along with the wine pairing accompaniments. Cheers to the chef!
A lingering, mingling finish
In short: get these people liquored up, fed well and maybe they’ll write something nice. In all fairness it was a very enjoyable afternoon sitting at a fun table with exceptional food, pleasurable wines, and an informative presentation by Marta, the lovely sommelier. It’s interesting to find out how the grapes are selected, harvested and then fermented to obtain the desired body and structure – a caring, lengthy process. Well done.
We sampled 7 wines and a port. Of course we all expected nothing less than greatness from the Port, but we were a bit unsure of the wines because many people are only familiar with the pretty in pink bottle called Mateus (remember, we all drank this when younger) which has been around forever. I have a somewhat funny but embarrassing Mateus story to share at the end. “I get juiced on Mateus and just hang loose.“ – lyrics from Elton John’s “Social Disease”
Hey, I think they’ve improved it over the years.
The thing to note is that Portugal has less grapes than other European wine growing regions but they have some special ones, notably the Touriga grape which is used to make port – that’s why they’re famous for producing the finest port known to man.
In short, the wines were very drinkable and were superb with the food pairings. The price points are excellent. All cost under $20 including the Port. If you haven’t tried any of them, I recommend doing so for a change.
Of special note:
Periquita Reserva 2012 – a soft & balanced red with medium/long finish. $15.79 Quinta do Crasto Douro Doc 2013 – a fresh on the nose red with intense berry fruit aromas and elegant floral notes. $17.49
There is a lot to note about each particular wine we tested so the best thing is to write all the pairings with a short tasting note on each.
Aperitif – grilled octopus with celery hearts, fingerling potatoes, crispy wheat berry, lemon dressing. Wine Pairing: Mateus Rosé Original (it brought a smile to my face)
Appetizer – duck sausage, slowly poached egg, local carrots, black truffle puree. Wine Pairings (yes, two for this one): Vale Do Bomfim – Douro Red (fresh fruits, plum and blackberries, full bodied, fresh, good balance, length and finish) & Periquita Reserva Vinho Regional Red (intense ruby, vanilla, coffee, cassis, blueberries).
AppetizerMain
Main – stout braised bison short ribs, caramelized onion, parsnip puree. Wine Pairings (again, two): Duas Quintas – Douro Red (flavourful, concentrated, elegant, silky, long finish) & Cresto, Quinta do Crasto – Douro Red (elegant, balanced, well-structured on the palate, lingering finish).
Dessert
Dessert – chocolate & sour cherry dense chocolate cake, sour cream ice cream. Wine Pairing: Pedra Cancela Seleccao de Enologo – Dao Red (not your typical dessert wine but given the intensity of the dessert it was surprisingly perfect) Intense red fruit, ripe plum and hints of cacao, final taste is very soft, nice and long.
Wait…it’s not over just yet.Finally a local cheese platter (Smits & Co. aged gouda, Kootenay cheese company Nostrella, Farm House goat pyramid, Salt Spring Island Cheese Company Romelia paired with Sandeman Porto Ruby – Port Wine (brilliant ruby colour, full rich flavours of fresh plums and red fruits, very well balanced.
I forgot about the fruit plate. I forgot about everything else I had to do today.Local Cheese Sampling
And that was the end of my day! It was only 3:30 p.m. (it might as well have been a.m.)
there was a lineup at the bar
My Mateus story: when I lived in Montreal my BFF (at the time) and I were friends with a music promoter and he gave us tickets to some shows and then we got to go backstage and meet the musicians and sometimes hang out (it must be noted we were not groupies in any way, shape or form – they disgusted us). One evening we were invited to after party with a very famous singer (I won’t say who) and he said something about liking Portuguese wine…so the very next day we decided to send him a bottle of Mateus tied with a ribbon and a note that we enjoyed the concert and the visit. We were not so wine savvy and that was the only Portuguese wine we knew of. We may not have impressed him but I’m sure it brought a smile to his face. We meant well. We didn’t break the bank either. We were young.
If only I could paintperiod like Vincent Van Gogh….if only I were a Robot
Technology is moving forward at lightening speeds and it always fascinates me as to what the next “thing” will be. The following is a recent article from International Business Times UK that I found intriguing but disturbing. I wonder how artists will feel about this.
Researchers from the University of Tubingen (in Germany) have developed an algorithm that allows an artificial neural network of computers to accurately learn how to paint just like famous artists.
Artificial neural networks are inspired by the human brain and are designed to simulate the way neurons behave when they are shown a sensory input, such as sound or images. Besides image recognition, the technology is being developed as a way to greatly improve weather predictions as well as medical diagnosis and detection of breast cancer.
Creating masterpieces in under an hour
But now German researchers have gone one step further, designing a deep learning computer algorithm that is able to distil and understand the essence of how a great masterpiece is painted, in terms of style, colours, technique and brush strokes.
When a photograph is fed to the computer, the computer can then turn the photo into an artistic painting using the painter’s signature style, be it the work of artists like Van Gogh, Edvard Munch, Picasso or JM Turner.
The algorithm teaches the computer how to identify and separate the style and the content of images, so while the buildings and layout of the image stayed the same, the colours, lines and “local structures” changed to emulate the famous work of art that had been imputed into the system.
Using a series of paintings that included Van Gogh’s The Starry Night, The Scream by Edvard Munch and The Shipwreck of the Minotaur by JMW Turner, the computer produced surprisingly beautiful results that still retained many elements from the original photograph.
No similar artificial system able to understand art
“In fine art, especially painting, humans have mastered the skill to create unique visual experiences through composing a complex interplay between the content and style of an image. Thus far the algorithmic basis of this process is unknown and there exists no artificial system with similar capabilities,” the researchers write.
“The system uses neural representations to separate and recombine content and style of arbitrary images, providing a neural algorithm for the creation of artistic images.”
The researchers concluded: “In light of the striking similarities between performance-optimised artificial neural networks and biological vision, our work offers a path forward to an algorithmic understanding of how humans create and perceive artistic imagery.”
What do you think about all this? Pretty amazing right?
What’s a FOODIE? We hear the word a lot but what does it really mean?
It started out innocently enough standing in line waiting to sample Torafuku’s slow braised ox tail and tomato ragout paired with Burrowing Owl Estate Winery’s Cabernet Franc. This was at the Chef Meets BC Grape Arts ClubFundraising evening at the Vancouver Convention Centre. My third year in a row and my sister was my date.
A new label I really like – their Rosé became a favouriteAn older label I really like
Minglingis all part of this evening and a gentleman in line ahead of me struck up a conversation or did I? can’t be sure, doesn’t matter. And then I tell this person I’m here because I’m a foodiedidn’t really want to say wino. He asks if I’ve been to the restaurant where we’re now waiting to sample food from called Torafuku. I say no, not yet. I cook at home a lot come to think of it. Then he asks if I’ve been to a few other fairly new trendy you’re nobody until you’ve been there places. I say no once again. He says “look, give me your booklet.” I hand it over and he scribbles down six restaurants all new to me, three of which are at this event (but it doesn’t count because we don’t get to choose from the menu). He then tells me “until you’ve been to all of these restaurants please do not refer to yourself as a Foodie.” So now I’m stuck because I pride myself on knowing a lot about food I think and I love to cook and thought a Foodie was someone who enjoyed good food, sophisticated or otherwise. No?
Then I looked up the word in wikipedia really?? which goes to explain:
A foodie is a person who has an ardent or refined interest in food and alcoholic beverages. A foodie seeks new food experiences as a hobby rather than simply eating out of convenience or hunger.
I don’t know what this guy is talking about….it describes me perfectly! Plus I eat out of convenience as well as being hungry!
Then I met a guy who represents “Dine Out Vancouver” and showed him my list of restaurants and asked him which ones he’d been to (restaurants seem to be popping up almost as fast as cannabis dispensaries – soon I won’t be able to keep up). He replied no, none of them so far. Ha! Sigh of relief mixed with disbelief on my part. Maybe I’m a food snob after all…which I really equated with being a Foodie all along. Here’s the real clue …I’ve been making bone marrow broth before it became a trend and didn’t even realize it.
Here were some of my favourite food/wine pairings that were at Chef meets BC Grape:
Chicha Restaurant served Coconut Scallop Ceviche on house made Amarillo Peruvian Chili Rice Crackers paired with BC VQA JoieFarm Winery Riesling 2013.
La Pentola Restaurant (the chef is really cute by the way which also garnered points for this) served Burrata with Grilled Peaches, Crispy Speck, Sungold Tomatoes, Basil semi-gel and Pickled Mustard Seeds (imagine going to the trouble of pickling mustard seeds?) paired with Maverick Estate Winery VQA Sauvignon Blanc 2014.
Tableau Bar Bistro served Pheasant Boudin blanc (oh; I scored a foodie point – I know what boudin is because I’ve been to New Orleans) with Organic Garlic Veloute (a rich French sauce), Sapphire Basil Pesto & Pine Mushrooms paired with Dirty Laundry Vineyards VQA Naughty Chardonnay 2013.
Provence Marinaside Restaurant served Lamb Sirloin slider, grey baby cheese (they didn’t say which kind only that it’s grey and I suppose real foodies would already know what kind), smoked tomato relish (imagine smoking a tomato?) & beet chip paired with Upper Bench VQA Estate Grown Merlot 2012.
The one that got away:
Lift Bar Grill View served Beet Juice Cured Wild Salmon Gravlax, Candy Cane Beets & Foraged Wild Mushroom paired with Haywire VQA Okanagan Crush Pad The Bub NV. I was told it was delicious.
Lift on Thursday evening. I picked up a generous gift certificate for the 65 Roses Gala to be held on Saturday, November 7th at the Fairmont Waterfront Hotel to benefit Cystic Fibrosis (CF).
Once again; take everything with a course grain of gourmet fleur de sel (unless that’s last year’s seasalt.
It’s never a good idea to double book appointments but you might have to if it means going to the opening of a swanky USA new to Canada flagship downtown department store called Nordstrom (don’t worry Holt Renfrew, we’ll still see you once in a while) and another event featuring Vancouver’s top chefs and award-winning winemakers joining forces to create mouth-watering plates perfectly paired with delicious, complex BC wines. Decisions, decisions. I try not to spread myself too thin but such is life!
Should I take a shooter before or after shoe shopping? Nordstrom Vancouver
Red Shoe at The View – my kind of wine glass holderA tasty pairing – one of many
Then there’s music and Argentine tango combined with soulful singing, haunting harmonica, and fabulous flautist (flute by lovely AstridSars– she produced this show). Last night at the Orpheum Annex (with an amazing sound system by the way) I witnessed a collaboration between Argentine Latin Grammy nominee María Volonté on guitar and vocals, and California harmonica player Kevin Carrel Footer. They call themselves the Blue Tango Project and they celebrate the deep spiritual bond where tango and the blues merge together. Their on tour one-stop in Vancouver show featured original songs mixed with oldies by Louis Armstrong & Leonard Cohen while scenes of Buenos Aires played on a projector in the background and an elegant tango couple (Deborah & Santiago I think they only have first names) appeared in a few sets. I’ve been to Buenos Aires twice so this was definitely tango magic! I’m looking to take a few privates soon….to brush up so to speak.
María Volonté
Last but certainly not least, Jack is Back! I don’t know for how long exactly but my little Jack Russell terrorior is staying and playing with me.
uh ohh….I smell trouble!
It should be a good long weekend.
XO LOVE XO
the Loving Spoonful(s)
ChefmeetsBCGrape: I was too busy mingling and sampling to take many photos but the event was FABulous.
If you are as crazy about MAC Cosmetics as you are about dogs then you would have been in doggy makeup heaven at this industry event which was recently held at NorthPark Centre in Dallas, Texas. Yes, the same mall with all the ART.
At the event, MAC Pro Cosmetics launched their latest autumn collection, Haute Dogs, with the help of celebrity canines, Toast(@TOASTMEETSWORLD on Instagram) and sister Muppet(@muppetsrevenge on Instagram). Shoppers enjoyed mini-makeovers with products from the new collection and a short presentation by Haute Dogs models and furry duo Toast and Muppet.
The new MAC collection is described as, “luscious, buttery fur tones for eyes and regal berries for lips.” The products from the line also have fun, canine-inspired names such as, “Lap Dog,” “Labradorable” and “Dressed to the K9s.” Visit the MAC Pro Cosmetics store located on Level One near Neiman Marcus to view the Haute Dogs collection.
A sampling
Sorry, but it has been somewhat of a ruff week – and I happen to know a few dogs who can use a makeover.
Source: Nicole Rosenblum – NorthPark Centre celebrating “50 years of Style“
The Somali Supermodel with a story goes to prove that real style has no age. She turned sixty in July and looks as good as ever. What do we know about IMAN besides the obvious fact that she’s beautiful with perfect bone structure? This is where style meets substance.
For me personally, the more I find out about her the more I like her. A friend of mine was invited to an event at her and David Bowie’s house in New York going back a few years now and of course I asked “what was she like?” The short answer was “very gracious” as she escorted my friend around their home.
She was born Iman Abdulmajid, the daughter of a diplomat and left her native Somalia as a refugee.
When she was a student at Nairobi University, fashion photographer Peter Beard approached her to ask about taking her picture. She had never even seen a fashion magazine before.
She soon left Kenya, to make her first print appearance in Vogue. She dealt with racism in the modelling industry at the time.She soon became a familiar face on runways around the world and one of the first black supermodels. Iman paved the wave for all African-born beauties wanting to break into the high-fashion world.
Iman officially retired from modeling in 1989, but she has continued to influence the industry.
Her eponymous cosmetics line caters to women with skin colors that are underserved by mainstream makeup.
She is an actor, the author of two books and an outspoken activist for human rights causes.
She’s a keeper. She has been married to David Bowie for two decades.
Photographed by Bruce Weber, Vogue, 1995
In 2010, she received the Fashion Icon award from the Council of Fashion Designers of America.
She continues to inspire
A tiny portion of her story:
On living as the daughter of the Somali ambassador to Saudi Arabia: I studied in Italian when I was in boarding school, so overnight when we moved to Saudi Arabia we were taught in English. I speak five languages besides mine. I went to school in Egypt because girls weren’t allowed to go to school in Saudi Arabia. It’s very restricting, especially for girls, we’re not allowed to go anywhere.
On becoming a refugee from Saudi Arabia: Imagine: we have our own chauffeur, our own car, we’re going everywhere with security, as [the family of the] ambassador. Then Somalia had a revolution and it became a military regime. All embassies were closed, and all of a sudden people my father worked with disappeared. So my mom decided, ‘Why would we wait for that to happen?’ So, in the middle of the night, she gets a van, puts us in with nothing but the clothes on our backs and we drove to the border of Kenya and crossed on foot. I literally have two pictures of myself growing up. I am the face of the refugee. The refugees are, 99% of the time, people who have left their countries for fear for their lives. It’s not people who want to come to other countries and be pariahs. That’s not what a refugee is.
On being discovered by Peter Beard: I was walking to [my job as a] waitress and Peter Beard appeared and started talking to me and asked my name and I thought he was trying to pick me up. He followed me and asked, have you ever been photographed? And I’d never seen a magazine in my life—except my brothers were teenagers and they had Playboy. And I said, “I’m not that kind of girl.” He talked about his profession and I didn’t pay attention and then he said, “I’ll pay you,” and then I stopped. He said, “How much?” I said, “$8000.” (That was two year’s tuition.) And he said, “OK.” I brought two girlfriends, he took the pictures, I thought, “That was an easy job, $8,000.” He wrote me a check, I cashed it immediately.
On her age: We all have friends and loved ones who say 60’s the new 30. No. Sixty’s the new 60.
Source for her story: taken from her interview “Fashion Icons with Fern Mallis”
If museum worthy art can be exhibited in shopping malls then it seems only fair that restaurants follow suit. This could be a new trend but one that not every restaurant can afford. Which comes first, the art or the food?
The ART
At the Atlas restaurant in Atlanta (located in the St. Regis hotel, Buckhead) you might wonder if you’re eating in a museum. Hanging on the walls are original works by some artists you may have heard of – Francis Bacon, Marc Chagall, Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, and Vincent van Gogh, all from the Lewis Collection, one of the largest private art collections in the world.
If you look closely you will also see two of Atlanta’s historic artifacts: a program from the 1964 Nobel Peace Prize dinner honouring Martin Luther King, Jr., (the youngest person and first Georgian to receive the prize); and a letter from President John F. Kennedy to Atlanta Mayor Ivan Allen, Jr., recognizing his leadership during the Civil Rights movement.
The DECOR
From the green-tiled exhibition-style kitchen and outdoor terraced garden to the elegant private dining space and polished bar, every detail of Atlas has been carefully planned.
The FOOD
*Bone marrow tenderloin
This chef-driven restaurant brings an unparalleled culinary experience to the Capital of the South with a focus on curating fresh ingredients from local farms. Atlas celebrates the very best in seasonal American cuisine with European influences. Together, consulting chef Gerry Klaskala and chef de cuisine Christopher Grossman have crafted a daily changing menu driven entirely by partnerships with a collection of more than a dozen farms.
Cobia with beans and risotto
Atlas’s menu covers various regions. The potato-leek clam chowder offers a taste of New England, and ginger-marinated black bass takes Asian inspiration. There are Southern dishes as well: braised leg of Alabama rabbit, roasted White Oak Pastures chicken, and oat-crusted Blue Ridge trout, to name a few. Sounds impressive!
Olive oil cake with basil gelato
*Anything bone seems to be the old-meets-new trend of late, worthy of a post of its own. Bone broth and bone marrow (my grandmother used to make this) and I’ve been doing the same lately. But getting back to the restaurant…
The menu appears like the food may not be outdone by the art, but we’d have to make a trip out just to be sure. I may be doing exactly that so I’ll let you know.
A collective kitchen with an enviable art collection – you’ve got to love it!
Who says that art should be only relegated to museums and galleries?
20 ELEMENTS, Joel Shapiro
Many coffee shops and restaurants (even some hair salons) like to display art from unknown artists, and if we’re lucky we can sometimes find work from celebrated artists we know of, in select high end design/furniture shops. There’s Art and then there’s Art!
I enjoyed looking at Picasso’s while dining in a restaurant in Las Vegas. Mind you, it was the Picasso restaurant at the Bellagio and yes, his original paintings are displayed throughout the restaurant. An art gallery within a restaurant. But renowned art in a shopping mall? When have you seen that?
We already know that art and fashion have something in common. But do we dare draw the line between art and shopping in a mall?
NorthPark Centre in Dallas, Texas is no ordinary mall. I’ve been there and as far as shopping in a mall goes (a mall is not my favourite place to shop or hang out), it’s a cut above. This year the centre is celebrating their 50th anniversary, and in conjunction is hosting an exhibition this fall called “Art Meets Fashion.”
Lee Ann Torrans
Raymond Nasher, who built NorthPark, and his wife, Patsy, were big collectors and proudly displayed the works they acquired throughout the shopping concourse because they believed that art should be seen, and not just in museums and galleries. Their daughter, Nancy Nasher and her husband, David Haemisegger, have given their promise to ensure that this mission lives on. They’ve expanded the NorthPark collection and helped to transform the shopping centre into one of the most visited public gallery spaces in America.
Andy Warhol
So… (apparently it’s not proper to start a sentence with so….but I say “so what?”) now you can buy your Louis Vuitton or Gucci with a side of Roy Lichtenstein or Frank Stella. How nice is that?
Anish Kapoor North Park
Now, if only every mall was like this…what a wonderful art world it would be!
I’ve always had an affinity for horses and ponies, especially little shetland ponies who are extremely cute, sensitive and friendly. What is it about me and animals with letters that start with S,H,E,L+T? I wanted to take the one in the middle home.
Recent trip to the Okanagan – they came over to say hello. Photo: d. king
Bet you know one little girl who’d rather have the noble STEED than the handsome PRINCEWhy are these two ponies all dressed up?
We don’t need to take a gallop poll to know that when it comes to a high-fashion horse race, even the first lady of the United States (Michelle Obama who favours Jason Wu) and the future queen consort of England (Duchess Kate who fancies Alexander McQueen) might have trouble coming in ahead of these Shetland ponies rocking custom wool sweaters.
Scotland’s brainy national tourism organization thought up this ad. While the ponies drew the attention, the agency seized the moment to tell us all the other reasons to travel to Scotland (like the scenery, some castles, haggis and whiskey). VisitScotland noted that the ponies are wearing sweaters created by Shetland knitter Doreen Brown using what else but...Shetland wool — rather plush knitwear that wouldn’t seem out of place in any trendy city hangout.
“I get juiced on Mateus and just hang loose.“ – lyrics from Elton John’s “Social Disease”
What do we know about IMAN besides the obvious fact that she’s beautiful with perfect bone structure? This is where style meets substance.
She soon became a familiar face on runways around the world and one of the first black supermodels. Iman paved the wave for all African-born beauties wanting to break into the high-fashion world.
This could be a new trend but one that not every restaurant can afford. Which comes first, the art or the food?
Why are these two ponies all dressed up?
Girl Who Would be KING on Life, Style and INSPIRATION. 
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