In a Tizzy

Category: Vancouver

  • 5th Annual Hot Chocolate Festival, 2015 (HoChos 1, 2, 3 & 4)

    HELLO!

    It has been a long time, my friends. A long time.

    The blog has suffered as I have struggled and rejoiced through this fourth year of university. While it is months from being over, the season is currently one of applications, interviews, and planning for the months ahead – it easily feels as though the fourth year of university is already coming to a close for me.

    Thankfully, I am forced to pause at this time once each day to enjoy something that always brings me calm and pleasure…

    Chocolate.

    The 5th Annual Hot Chocolate Festival is back in Vancouver! This year, the festival’s funds are going towards supporting East Van Roasters (link), and they are superb! They make delicious chocolate, beverages, their space is great, and they function on a foundation of helping women in Vancouver’s downtown east side.

    So… The hot chocolate.

    I missed the first actual two days of the festival because I was in Las Vegas (que sera sera), so I caught up as quickly as possible over the next few days.



    HoCho #1: Balsamic Desiderio, Terra Breads ($4.99)

    This hot chocolate was enjoyed in the company of AB the January Vegetarian, while he had the Stollen Kisses hot chocolate (discussed later). Mine was a fairly simple hot chocolate, but was mixed with a balsamic vinegar and decorated with a cocoa balsamic glaze. The sweetness of the chocolate with the tanginess of the balsamic was beautiful, and the cookie was incredibly chewy and delicious. I had mine with almond milk, and that did lighten the texture of the drink from what it would regularly be, I think. I would recommend this if you prefer your sweets to be balanced with a less-sweet flavour. (website)

     HoCho #2: The Lumberjack, 49th Parallel & Lucky’s Doughnuts

    AC’s ‘The Nanaimo Bar’ hot chocolate














    I have been to 49th Parallel in the past, but not for their hot chocolate before – I was (am) excited to see that their two locations near school were participating for the festival this year! Their three offerings included a regular dark hot chocolate with a doughnut of your choice, the Nainamo Bar: dark chocolate with butter icing sweetened milk with a small doughnut on the side, or my choice, The Lumberjack: spicy dark hot chocolate with two maple marshmallows and a chocolate-dipped log. 
    The hot chocolate was light due to the almond milk I requested, and that made the spicy notes stand out amidst the dark chocolate. I did not indulge in the marshmallows much, but could smell their sweet maple flavour. A chocolate-dipped log? It was obviously delicious (but more descriptively, it was flaky and a little bit chewy with sugar and finished nicely with the slowly-melting dark chocolate on the end). (49th website; doughnuts website)

    HoCho #3: Homemade Oreo Hot Chocolate, Butter Baked Goods (~$5.50)







    Butter Baked Goods aren’t about that store-bought way of life – they do things their way in their ovens. These “oreos” are made by BBG and for this cocoa, they crumbled them atop the hot chocolate. Made with soy milk, J and I shared a drink with a delicious miniature cookie on the side (the full-sized ones are about three of this wee bites). The cocoa had crumbs and chocolate chunks throughout the drink as the crumblings fell through the surface – it was creamy, had that magical Oreo-chocolate taste, and was enjoyed in the most adorable of locations! They make an abundance of delicious-looking baked goods, including banana bread, lemon loaves, cake, date squares, brownies, large home-made “Oreos”, and many, many more. It was like sitting down in a doll house, and the service was incredibly friendly. Highly recommended if you enjoy Oreos! (website)

    HoCho #4: Stollen Kisses, Terra Breads ($5.00)

    Back to Terra Breads we go! With 20 minutes before this location closed, our flexibility was minimal to obtain cocoa that day! We rushed from campus to TB and J and I shared the Stollen Kisses flavour, as I had already tried the Balsamic Desiderio.

    Our drink was made with almond milk (a trend, you may have noticed) and was flavoured with a less-dark chocolate and orange spices with almond syrup. It was a dynamic taste experience as the various flavours found their taste buds across the tongue, and was pleasant right until the end! My only concern was the temperature of the drink, which on both Terra Breads occasions was just-warm. However, the smell of the bakery and the tastes of their festival offerings were excellent, and the service is always friendly and warm. Recommended for brunch, lunch, or a sandwich dinner!


    See you next time!
    – K

  • I May do this and I May do that…

    A new month! How exciting (and occasionally rainy).

    I have completed another year of university (unless something goes horribly wrong with my final two grades that I’ve yet to receive) – and it was a pretty good one! That includes many aspects of it: my residence experience, my social/romance life, my academic standing, and my sense of satisfaction with what I’ve contributed to UBC through my time at the school so far.

    Now that May has begun, my term as the RHA Vice-President has officially ended, and the reins have been handed off to a new student leader to hold. While I experienced some sadness awaiting this eventual transition, I am too tired from exam season to feel anything but relief over it at the moment; I am pooped and have other things to sort out in the next couple of weeks (employment, living arrangements, travel plans).

    Of course, I have documented some of my recent activities on days that I have failed to upload anything new to the blog (which has been since April 24, evidently… Oops.) – so I shall share a few of those.

    TPRA reunion brunch! Vegetarian
    egg’s benedict for me.
    The TPRA family! Minus a few
    dearly-missed faces.

    There was the inaugural trip to Heirloom (vegetarian) Restaurant – I was surprised by how upscale and modern it was! I suppose those are the expectations held when one is more accustomed to The Naam, The Foundation, and Aprhodite’s for vegetarian cuisine…

    Grilled Cheese for him.

    Raw Falafel Salad for me!
    GD was experiencing great pride
    in her aged fruit that she saved all year.


    The time also came to move out of what has been ‘home’ for the last eight months – a bittersweet time of looking forward to the summer and looking back at what is being moved on from. And moving out means going out to eat a lot!

    As is my norm… With many food outings come many photos of the food acquired at these outings.












    Breakfast at the Sunshine Diner!

    Lunch at the Naam!

    Eastwoo’s first experience at the Naam with their
    Nacho Ensalada – an excellent choice.

    Enigma‘s apple juice-cooked
    oatmeal with fruit for brunch!

    Huevos Rancheros Burrito for him.


    We also celebrated the 10-year anniversary of JJ’s marriage!

    It seems apparent that food became my means of celebrating the freedom of not needing to study any longer.. It has been a very enjoyable celebration, though! It also kept me powered through moving my own stuff out of residence, helping others move into new residences, and going to concerts that I did not get enough sleep for (Luke Bryan’s That’s My Kind of Night WOO).






    Most recently (my my, was it only two days ago?) in my photos, I spent a 15-hour day away from home and did a lot of socializing in Vancouver. I began the day saying farewell to my fellow as he drove away to our neighbouring province for the summer (sad days for Katie – though, I do not think it has actually set in yet that we won’t just drive back to UBC and see each other in a day or two!). After that early morning venture, I helped WuWu with his move into a new residence, and then took him for his first experience at the Naam (I’m bringing many over to the good side, lately).


    I did a bit of ‘retail therapy’ downtown for some time in the middle of the day following this, and then had a nap at JJ’s house (and perhaps my summer residence if I make any decisions in the next week). Finally, I met up with J, G and her dad, and we went back to The Afghan Horseman for another delicious dinner experience (even if we sat on chairs this time)! I had the Vegan Plate again, and it somehow seemed a little better.. Perhaps because of how hungry I was.

    Afghan black tea
    (black tea with cardamom).



    Eggplant dip and pita bread appy.


    The Vegan Plate! Rice, potatos, salad, stew, and cauliflower.

    Baklava for dessert (wowza, yum).















    Yesterday was a day of cleaning and rest, so no super-exciting photos were taken – except for this one of a flowering plant at our house – and some needed laid-back time was employed. 


    I will work on keeping more photos and updates coming as they are taken!
    Until next time, I shall continue my search for employment, as I have missed out
    on an exciting internship opportunity and have not heard back from ANY 
    other places I’ve applied to! Perhaps something will come along soon.
    ADIOS! 

  • ABCs of: Denim, Easter, Food

    The day of near denim overdose.

    (See how I continued the “ABCs” with the words in my title?)

    There is little to update anyone on during this frustratingly lengthy exam break (12 days between my first exam and my last two exams on the same day), but I thought it would be a nice time to throw down some photos and muse over things.

    My last exam was welcomed, as I had a 9-day break between that and the last day of classes – and as it is a difficult course for my arts student background (Brain and Behaviour Psychology), I was very pleased with how it went! I finished in less than an hour and was given chocolate-covered almonds at the end. 🙂 




    Following this exam’s (and course’s, I suppose…) completion, I began about 36 hours of intensive resume-depositing and driving between school, home, the ‘Wack, and back! It was really nice to just kick back in the ‘Wack after all of the driving and make some veggie meatloaf with my daddy-o while watching movies. 


    Father-daughter camera dates!
    The most delicious of unmeatloaves.
    Josephine!
    Bella!

    After a too-brief but rejuvenating visit with mi padre, I ventured back out to UBC and put in some more study hours in preparation for a busy Easter Sunday back at home. 
    Thus far, the study schedule I have devised has worked exceptionally well for being so simply-structured, so I’ve been on track for everything so far! I sense that I will be well-prepared for my favourite class and that I will make it through my least favourite.


    Ah, dinner – one of the most magical moments to capture (not really, but it is a moment that can elicit salivation over and over, which is kind of magical, right?)! I tried a vegan “imitation ham” which added
    some fun texture to dinner, and with the help of gravy and everything else on the plate, dinner was both filling and delectable.

    Not a couple to let food fall by the wayside, he and I decided to celebrate 20 months of togetherness with a trip to The Reef for a Caribbean lunch! Plaintain chips, jerk tofu, Johnny cakes…. I still haven’t tried one of their coconut cocktails yet, but I think when that day comes, it will take the Reef to a whole-new level!



    Hopefully, more exciting and interesting adventures will arise in the week still left before my next exam takes place. In the meantime, I will continue to hunt for a summer employer, contemplate what courses I will take next year, and try to pack up some of the belongings in my dorm room to prepare for moving out in just over a week. 

    Vacation seems both too far and too near at the same time.

  • Weekend of March 14 – 16: Wine, Pie, and Comedy

    Appetizer dish with
    Moscato D’asti – Batasiolo Bosc 11/12

    The weekend began with Vine Fest – GD’s wine-tasting event which featured four wines and an array of cheeses, breads, meats, and fruits to snack on and pair with the drinks available. 




    As it was March 14 (03/14), it was also a night to celebrate pi(e)! To do so, he and I made our way to Aphrodite’s Organic Cafe and Pie Shop to indulge in a small dinner and amazing dessert; I was finally able to try one of their chocolate pies! I always miss the boat on those ones by the end of the day when they have sold out.

    (Vegan) Gnocci with sunchokes and hazelnut pesto.
    (Vegan) Chocolate pecan pie!

    In the rain on Saturday, NT and I made our way to the Vancouver Winter Farmer’s Market to indulge in many-a-sample item and purchase a couple of treats from local vendors with their seasonal specialties up for grabs!
    How to choose?

     

    I didn’t feel too hot on Saturday for the day’s entirety, so some kitchen therapy resulted in a triple batch of Chocolate Covered Katie chocolate chip cookies and a happier spirit (to make up for both a less-than-content stomach and an achey head).

    Homemade plantain chips!

    We finished off the weekend with a comedian’s show downtown and walked in with a beautiful sunset backdrop to the downtown nightlife just beginning to shine.

  • 2 Year Vegiversary: Chinatown


    This weekend was one that would be full of studying for my upcoming midterm. To ensure I had my heart-warming fix of family, I studied up until the weekend and, on Saturday, I was able to finally get a visit in with my dad!

    In addition to celebrating finally getting to see one another, there was another occasion to take note of: My 2 year anniversary of vegetarianism! It has been an interesting and educational and ‘fruitful’ (ha) journey, and I like to have an excuse to go find some treats to eat. On the suggestion of a friend, we vouched for a restaurant coinciding with our plans to visit Chinatown: Jade Dynasty Restaurant.



    We enjoyed a splatter of vegetarian options – my dad didn’t order any meat, either! – and then proceeded to explore the area a little. The Cultural Centre was very interesting, and had a gallery featuring two artists that focused on the theme of trees.



     





    After walking through the whole of the centre, we explored the gardens outside, then visited a couple of the shops around the main block of the sub-city in Vancouver.

     












    We discussed my possible future plans with regards to school and involvement and all of that fun stuff, and made our way to a Hot Chocolate Festival location to indulge in some post-brunch dessert at Thomas Haas Chocolates. 


    It was a much-needed catch-up, and was a nice prelude to a stressful Sunday and Monday.
    Speaking of Monday…


    I was hired as a Residence Advisor! At the end of a long day of hearing no news, I was informed that the computer system had lost my phone number, and I was hired in-person. After much emotional and stressful deliberation, I have decided to accept my offer and take on the new challenges and opportunities associated with the RezLife employee role.

    On to new adventures! After RHA elections…

  • Reading Week 2014

    With reading week already three days past, the midterm grind is on and I have become unnaturally fatigued following the men’s gold medal hockey game (the early morning seems to have triggered an insatiable weariness). However, I had a wonderful week off from classes and was able to do lots of adventuring thanks to an out-of-town visitor who wished to pursue some tourist attractions in Vancouver.

    The break began on the last day of the hot chocolate festival, with my fellow’s birthday and Valentine’s Day all making for a delicious three-way celebration:

     We chose Nuba restaurant as our spot to celebrate a 21st birthday and Valentine’s Day dinner.
    Our fuel of choice included delicious tomato and crispy cauliflower appetizers, and
    stuffed eggplant for the main course – all vegetarian or vegan and SO DELICIOUS!

    Following the Friday, we began our tourist adventures.

     

    Looking over the bridge’s edge!


    After our guest took a hiatus over on the island, I studied and made my way home for a couple of days to continue recuperating and Olympic-watching.
    (We won gold.)

     















    THEN we returned to our tour guide lives (after doing some morning muffin making).
    “Goddess Bowl” at Aphrodite’s Organic 
    Cafe and Pie Shop.

    And…. It snowed!

    Quite a lot!
    (By Vancouver standards.)

    My reading week was full of reading (for three midterms that I just overcame), family, friends, and an adequate amount of rest. Plus, a lot of exciting and emotional Olympic moments! Overall, I would deem it a success. Now, I am back to the home-stretch of this school year with finals to prepare for, papers to write, elections to get through next week, a couple more interviews to see through (as well as outcomes of previous ones), and the move out of residence.

  • HoCho Fest Final Day (27): Popped Cherry

    A bittersweet day for the hot chocolate festival and me! The only sweetness of it comes from the end of my sense of obligation to buying expensive hot chocolates and then later consuming them in greater quantities than I ordinarly would. The bitterness is the end of my contributions to the Women’s Job Skills program in the Downtown Eastside, the end of exploring new venues and their exciting specialty items for the festival, and the end of blogging about them every day. However, it has been an exciting four weeks, and the day itself was beautiful and everything (beyond the chocolate) felt very ‘right’.


    My last stop of the festival seemed somehow appropriate for Valentine’s Day, as Gem Chocolates was serving up Glenn’s “Popped Cherry” hot chocolate (it is only appropriate for Valentine’s Day in a way that is slightly inappropriate, ha ha). Also, the store was decorated for the day, and employees vouched for red, sparkly ties as their uniform!

    Popped Cherry: Cherry, chocolate and fig, with a surprising pop.
    Served with a dried cherry chocolate creation.
    ($6.25?)

    It turned out I had arrived just in time, as they were onto the last scoop of the specialty ganache for the drink! I think this is what made it difficult to detect the specific flavours during the first quarter of the beverage. Not only that, but I asked for almond milk – and they ran out of that, too! So we decided to go crazy and combine it with soy milk so as not to waste what was already poured.

    Each sip was distinctively flavoured with milk chocolate, and the soy-almond milk combination made it smooth. The cocoa sprinkled on top was a nice chocolaty touch, as well (Glenn remembered that I have a no-whip preference, so the cocoa shavings sat upon delicious foam instead).

    Towards the bottom of the hot chocolate, I could begin to taste some of the cherry flavour, though I do believe I truly got what little was left of the ganache, ha ha. In addition to all of this last-day-of-the-festival craziness, I missed out on the cherry chocolate creation! However, I was not disappointed by the consolation prize: A homemade chocolate fudge cookie made by a Gem Chocolates employee. It was a moist and gooey and amazingly delicious cookie to be paired with the yummy hot chocolate!


    Off to birthday/Valentine’s Day dinner we went, and finished off the hot chocolate back at home. Overall, I believe that the hot chocolate was a lovely accent to what turned out to be a really excellent day.

    At the end of my chocolate journey for 2014,
    I am content with all of my new dining discoveries
    and the time with friends and family that the festival
    was able to make even more delicious and exciting.
    I do not consider myself much of a hot chocolate
    connoisseur, but it has most definitely been fun to
    experience so many unique creations and locations!

    Until next year,

  • HoCho Fest Day 26: Bacchu’s Dream

    The penultimate day of the hot chocolate festival is upon us! I took this opportunity to make a quick trip down to Cocoa Nymph before other evening obligations came upon me.

    Bacchu’s Dream: Made from 72% dark chocolate with red wine
    reduction and apple ginger compote.
    Served with walnut shortbread (vegan).
    ($6.65)

     This particular beverage was made with coconut milk (though I ordered almond – this works, too!), and I thought I could detect an aroma of red wine before I even took a sip of the drink. 

    WHOA. I definitely could smell it before I sipped it – I realized this upon actually sipping it, and tasting what turned out to be a very strong red wine flavour. My expectation had been to experience more of a red wine undertone, rather than a half-wine half-chocolate drink. This was slightly distressing as I am not a fan of wine, so the taste was overwhelming, and I struggled to detect anything else about the drink for a few sips. Eventually, though, I was able to pick up on some of the apple ginger compote, as little pieces of apple made their way to my mouth as I sipped.
    Now that walnut shortbread cookie – that was amazing! It was chewy and had texture from the walnuts in it, and would be perfect to dip in a less wine-y hot chocolate or some tea in the morning, I think.
    It was a nice night with a big moon in the sky as I left, and it felt like the week would be ending on a good note. Valentine’s Day, big birthday, and the beginning of our reading break – I would expect no less from such a day!

    I just couldn’t finish it…

  • HoCho Fest Day 25: …?!

    I was disappointed to find that another location in the hot chocolate festival has stopped serving festival specials – but this time, the website was not overlooked by me! They stopped early according to the schedule online. With a tight schedule and a lot of driving ahead of me, I went to Beaucoup Bakery and decided to get something to drink as an alternative to their “Hungers Satisfied” item.

    Note: This post will be short.

    The drink I chose was their regular hot chocolate (to upkeep my daily intake of cacao products), and was made of dark chocolate ganache and was flavoured with salt. It came with small sugar cookies on the side that were delicate and lightly sweet.

    I ordered my drink with soy milk, and the ganache and soy blended so smoothly, and the richness was countered by the salt, which made the drink more dynamic. Additionally, the small size of the drink was very nice – the perfect amount of hot chocolate for me! While I am disappointed that I was unable to grab a festival item today, it was nice nonetheless to try one of the participants’ regular drinks.