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Vancouver Birthday Lunch: Salsa and Agave

Two weeks after my 40th birthday.  Woohoo!

I'm going to have fun in my 40s and determined to love every minute of it!  No need for anti-aging, medicine or preparing to be a senior.  The 40s is the new 30s! 


Yesterday my friend decided to treat me to a lovely spa day and lunch.  We went to trendy Yaletown in Vancouver, BC.  She found a nice Mexican restaurant for lunch.  It was our first time but my friend had read reviews online that it was well received.

Salsa and Agave is a Mexican restaurant that serves from what I can tell pretty darn good Mexican food.  Now you know a place is good and authentic when it's packed with Spanish speakers.  Unlike Muchos Burrito the fast food Mexican restaurant that had English speakers.

It was crowded but they cleared a table for us by the window.  The restaurant feels comfortable and quaint even through it's bustling busyness.  They seem to really care like a fine dining experience that the customers like the food.  My friend ordered a Mexican specialty Chicken Mole but since neither of us had tried it before, the server suggested we taste a sample first.  This was an excellent idea as I took one bite and did not agree with the bitter odd taste of the chicken.  Nevertheless we ordered a Burrito instead.

I would return just so I could try what others were eating at their tables.  Good Mexican food at a cheap price!  Under $30 for lunch for two.

Tacos Carnitas and Carne Anada (Pork & Beef Tacos)

Chicken Burrito

Happy Birthday! Life After 40 Begins!

Happy Birthday!  I have officially joined the 40s club and life after 40 has begun!

So what did I do to celebrate this year?

To start with, I decided to have a BIG party before New Years Eve before people were partied out!

I did not stress about this party at my home.  It was a bring your own appetizer and drinks!

Theme:  Appetizer and Cocktail Party

Drinks:  Champs D'Elysee (Contreau & Champagne), Honey & Raspberry Bellini (with champagne)

Champagne Cupcakes

Assortment of appetizers were provided especially cheese appetizers, fruit & dips, veggie plate.

Today it was like a regular day except the birthday greetings and wishes. 

I didn't cook and we played "Ticket to Ride" board game.

And I have happily begun my journey into what people say as the best decade of your life!  

What can you expect from me in my 40s?

Continued obsession with beading, board games, beauty products and saving money!  

Countdown to 40! Clear the Clutter with a Jewellery Display

Countdown to 40!  11 days to go and a big 40 party before the big date.  Then life after 40 begins!

This is the time of year to organize and clean up the clutter.  Now originally I started to think about organizing my jewellery when I discovered a DIY craft from Beadstyle Magazine that entails spray painting a jewellery stand.  I was impressed that the stand could hold almost 100 pairs of earrings and that it was easily found at Michael's Art & Craft Store.  

I would have never thought to go to an art & craft store to find jewellery displays. . I was lucky because when I went to Michael's, the jewellery displays were 50% off.  I found the perfect jewellery display that held both necklaces and earrings for my personal collection.  It was pretty!  I didn't know I could transform my jewellery into decorative art.  It makes me want to keep my bedside table clear of clutter.  

I am even tempted to return to see if they have more.  Great deal for under $15!

Countdown to 40! Christmas Cookie Swap

Countdown to 40! 15 more days to go and then it'll be LIFE after 40!

I really wanted to do more for Christmas this year so I decided to do a cookie swap. Years ago when I last organized a Cookie Swap was in a small workplace and there were maybe 6-8 who signed up and we all baked 1/2 dozen for each participant and gathered in a room and took our containers and gathered the cookies for a nice Christmas assortment.

Since Christmas is already such a busy and stressful time for most, I wasn't sure if anyone would want to participate in a cookie swap. I was lucky enough to find 3 cookie swap participants. We decided to make 1 dozen cookies for each participant. The hard part was testing the cookies and decided on what I wanted to make for the cookie swap. I decided on the Hummingbird Bakery's White Chocolate and Cranberry Cookie.

Now the night before the cookie swap I discovered that not only did one of my baking sheets disappeared but I also didn't have enough cranberries to make 3 dozen White Chocolate and Cranberry Cookies but I had two extra bags of white chocolate chips.  So another recipe quickly emerged from the internet without any cookie testing.  The 2nd cookie recipe I choose for the swap based exclusively on the ingredients in the house was a White Chocolate Chocolate Cookie from All Recipes.

We decided to have dinner at Joeys Burnaby and do the cookie swap there.  I was surprised when my friends took out pre-packaged cookies for each participant in Christmas boxes with ribbon and Christmas bags.  I then looked at my container with all of the cookies.  I packed them into ziploc bags in the restaurant.   Ahh, lessons I yet need to learn.  You'll see my cookie swap participants good examples below.

Shortbread Cookies

Pretzels with Caramel Pecans

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Countdown to 40! Pan Pacific Vancouver's Christmas Wish Breakfast at Canada Place

My countdown to 40 continues!  21 days left until I turn 40 and the tales and turbulations of life after 40 begins!

I've been notorious for not celebrating any holidays or occasions throughout my adult life.  This is likely because of my father's influence.   His motto has always been that everyday is a celebration!  So there is no need to celebrate Christmas or birthdays and as an adult I don't have any traditions attached to these occasions.

However Christmas is all around us and one of the largest celebrations in terms of Christmas music, Christmas events, Christmas decorations, Christmas shopping and stress.  Even though I may not decorate my house, I still enjoying seeing and being immersed in the Christmas spirit outside of my house.

In Vancouver, the one Christmas tradition that I enjoy is going to the Pan Pacific Vancouver Christmas Wish Breakfast and Toy Drive.  This is an annual event and tradition in Vancouver.

Basically everyone brings a toy for the needy children for Christmas and then you can enjoy a Pan Pacific Vancouver breakfast and the holiday mood of choirs, music, and decorations.   It makes you feel good because you are helping a child, but also you get to enjoy the Christmas spirit early.  People share large tables and are friendly and in festive spirit.  It is a great way to start your day!

I was completely full after the big breakfast that I skipped lunch that day.  

I like receiving the touch of Christmas spirit at the Vancouver Pan Pacific Wish Breakfast.  

Countdown to 40! Cafe Kathmandu

It's my countdown to the big 40!  With 25 days left and everyday leaving me with thoughts and adventures to share with you. 

This year we decided to get BCAA memberships for all of our road trips and to get us out of trouble if we should get stuck.   The membership for two people with RV insurance and motorcycle is about $320 but they give you a free Entertainment Book filled with coupons. 

So to be able to get a free membership, I started to give away coupons and tear out some to use. 

Off, I went to meet a few girlfriends for dinner at Cafe Kathmandu on Commercial Drive in Vancouver, BC.  It is a Nepalese restaurant with a simple menu.  Usually you imagine that Commercial Drive restaurants are packed and you have to wait in line.  That may be the case on Friday nights but definitely not Monday nights.  I never knew how much of a difference a day of week could make.  There was no trouble to get a table for 3.

Cafe Kathmandu has a simple menu at an affordable price.  With the Entertainment book coupon you are eating for cheap since the dishes range from $8-$19.  We choose three dishes including Lhasa Momo (steamed dumplings) to start.  I love dumplings and the sauces made them unique.

For the main course, we choose two medium dishes including Kukhurako maasu (chicken in curry sauce) and Kaauli (tumeric infused cauliflower) which was served with rice.  

This was the perfect amount for the 3 of us at a reasonable cost of $39 with Entertainment Book coupon of $10 off.  Tip is not included so overall the shared cost is under $15.  That also included two chai teas to drink.

This is a nice experience for Nepalese food for the everyday person.  It is a casual atmosphere and you can catch up and chat with friends.  I would go again with my Entertainment Book coupon.  

Countdown to 40! Food Network December Cooking Challenge

Sundays are relaxing and culinary adventure days.  In my countdown to 40 years old, I have 26 more days.

I'm a big fan of Food Network Canada and every month they have a Cooking Club Challenge.  First they choose three dishes for the first week of the month and you can vote which dish you want to cook for that month.  After the week is over, the votes are tallied and the one with the most votes win.  

This month I voted for Chicken Cordon Blue, however, my choice didn't win.  Instead it was Bacon Pork Roast Tenderloin.  

The recipe looks simple enough so I bought the ingredients, preheated my oven to the highest temperature and put the roast together.  

Firstly when set the oven to the high temperature, it first began to off gas the oven cleaner or something.  That was strange but I have never cooked anything at such high heat.  I shrugged it off as that.  Then I put the dish in the oven, set the timer, and literally watched it cook.

This was the longest 20 minutes ever.  The bacon started to cook and the oils on the tray started to heat up and sputter.  Last night I heard about a cooking mishap where a friend almost burned down her kitchen so I imagined the oil flying up to spark and light a fire in the oven.  Now I don't know if it would have made a difference to use parchment paper instead of tin foil.  Tin foil seems to collect the oils.  So I reduced the heat to 450 degrees and cooked the meat longer.  When I couldn't bear to watch myself boil oil in oven, I took out the roast.  It looked down from the outside.

But when I made the first cut, I was so wrong!  the meat was red inside.  I replaced the tin foil and decided to cook the meat again at 400 degrees.  Within 5 minutes, the oil was spurting again.  Gosh, cooking bacon is cooking a lot of fat.  At this time too, I had my windows open since the smell of bacon was filling the house.  This isn't your morning bacon smell, this is that smell on steroids.   I couldn't stand watching the oil sputter and without the meat getting cooked.

I pulled the meat out and cut it into slices and put it in a glass baking dish.  Then I cooked it again for another 30 minutes at 350 degrees.  In the end after a frustrating evening of uncooked meat and bacon headache, it was finally done!  I had my Bacon Roast Tenderloin but the experience was not as simple as the recipe.

I'm not sure if my flaw is that I don't have a convection oven or that I wrapped too much bacon or that I didn't line with parchment paper.  All I know is that this was truly a challenge that I do not wish to repeat!  

Countdown to 40! Iron Chef Dinner Party

Yesterday was Iron Chef so I was busy drinking, eating and being merry. Countdown to 40 has 27 days left.

I've watched Iron Chef before and was amazed at what the executive top chefs could do with a secret ingredient and a time limit. They could create masterpiece culinary art in short periods of time. This concept is wonderful for your foodie friends who will love an Iron Chef party.
We chose a day for Iron Chef. There were 4 participants. Each of us chose 3 secret ingredients to be listed. On the day of the party at 10AM, everyone came available online and we used a random word picker to choose the secret ingredient.

It was: BUTTERNUT SQUASH.

Then each person was given a random dish from: 2 appetizers, 1 main dish, 1 dessert.

At 6PM we met with our dishes for a unique dinner party with an elaborate 4 course meal.

1st course:  Butternut Squash Spread on Croutons
2nd course:  Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Warm Vinegrette
3rd course:  Butternut Squash Enchiladas with bacon, hazelnut, and cheese topping
4th course:  Butter Squash Cupcake with Cream Cheese topping


Cocktail of the Night:  Lime Pomegranate White Wine Spritzer
Wines:  Road 13 Pinoir Noir, Pacific Breeze GSM
Coffee:  Carolan's Irish Cream Coffee

Countdown to 40! My Card Game Obsession

This year I'm missing out on an advent calendar so my blog posts are my countdown to 40!  29 Days til my Birthday!

My latest obsession are board games and card games.  I work with international students from different countries and my latest activity was playing "Speed Scrabble" during a lunch hour.  It was so much fun that I was inspired to do more board game or card game themed activities.

The dilemma was the cost of the games.  I luckily found the scrabble games that someone was throwing away and freecycled them.  I've tossed around the idea of a Chess Tournament or UNO Challenge.  New board games can range anywhere from $10 - $20 per game.  I decided that I would wait to see if I could borrow, beg, or  shop at thrift stores to find games.  Another challenge I had was that students have busy lives and short attention spans so I wanted games that could be played in 30-45 minutes.

Then one day my husband brought home MONOPOLY DEAL Card Game.  I looked at the box and couldn't believe that the average play time was 15 minutes for 2-6 players.  We played and it was easy to learn.  It has good mix of strategy and chance.  Card games are much more affordable at less than $10 each.  I may be borrowing this game to play during a Card Game theme afternoon with the students.  MONOPOLY Deal Card Game would go well with UNO Card Game and Skip Bo Card Game.

MONOPOLY Deal Card Game

Countdown to 40!

Countdown to 40!

I've always wanted to write a blog but have struggled with topics to write about during the past few years. I've grown tired of staying on topic and writing about things to do in the city. NOW I've decided to revamp and rebrand by updating my blog to talk about my LIFE and THOUGHTS. And I'm going to break all of the blogging rules by writing about whatever I WANT. This is what happens when you're going to be 40! Cause life begins at 40!

During this time of year everyone is counting down til Christmas and I've decided to count down to my birthday when I'll turn 40! It's 30 days until my birthday and just starting talking about it is revitalizing me. I don't want to be a 40 year old woman who sulks and is depressed because she's going through a mid-life crisis. That is not worthwhile. That's not who I am.

All through my life I've lived with the motto of living life to the fullest! This means laughing out loud, saying what you think, spending time with those you love, and going on adventures. Don't feel guilty about not having kids or not having a husband, or not having a house! WHO CARES? What's important is that you have your health and you want to live and do great things! The only question that you want to ask yourself is what do you WANT to do and then most importantly JUST DO IT!

Come join me on my countdown to my life after 40!

Burnaby Metrotown: Stayfree Ultrathin

Metrotown in Burnaby is one of the largest shopping malls in the Lower Mainland.  Everyone goes to Metrotown to spend money, but you can also save money there as well.  That's what happened to me tonight as I was leisurely passing by on my way home from work.

I went down the escalators and saw the Stayfree test stations which naturally caught my eye.  Of course I am a sucker for freebies so I have to admit seeing women walk away from the counter with a package of ultra thin maxi pads was attractive.

All I had to do was fill out a simple questionnaire on thte touch computer screens so I could enter the prize draw of $200 gift card from Metrotown.

Then when that was complete, I was ready to go to the testing station.  It's exactly how you see the test stations on commercials, the stayfree expert showed me three pad and poured 5 ml of liquid on each of them.  Then I felt the samples to see which was the softest.  Then she put a block on each of the test pads so I can see how the water is saturated and after she tests it again with paper to see which ones leak through.  It's amazing to see the difference and I really did not believe that the test would work but I choose the right one at the end.  That shocked me!  It's really the reaction that you see on commercials.  Wow, I will try your product now that I see how it performs.

After they give you a package of Stayfree Ultra Thins with a coupon.  Fun Freebies at Metrotown!  Just follow the blue butterflies.....

Vancouver: That Barista Thing

That Barista Thing is Vancouver's international latte art competition held at Library Square downtown Vancouver.   Even though it's been running in its 4th year, I had never been and this year I decided to bring my niece there to enjoy in the festivities.

First we stood in line at Blenz for our free hot chocolate and latte.  It was busy but we were lucky because the line moved quite quickly.  People were grabbing their drinks and leaving making room for others to come through.  Hot chocolates were not as popular and so my niece got her drink sooner.  She had the choice of dark, white, or milk with whipped cream.  Of course the whipped cream topping was the first to disappear.

After we had our drink we walked past the crowd of people watching the Latte Art Competition stage so we could go over to the activity tables.  Since this event was downtown it wasn't crowded with kids so we didn't have to wait long to be able to do some of the activities.


The first activity that we did was the Cup Mug Painting.  For a minimum $2 donation, you can paint and keep your own painted coffee mug and all of the proceeds are donated to Make a Wish Foundation.  Now if you have enough drinking mugs, you can do what my niece did which was think of an alternative use, she made her mug for her lip gloss.


 
After that activity we headed over to the button making activity table to make your own button.  They had pictures you could colour or you could make your own.  My niece decided to make her own.  Making buttons is fun and doesn't take long.  Great for decorating your purse or handbag.

Emi & Aki were great button making hosts.

 There was also a formal matcha tea ceremony table where  you can watch them make traditional Japanese matcha tea so that was interesting to watch.  The hosts were dressed in kimonos serving the tea in pottery.  Another table had regular tea samples.

The last activity we did was the temporary tattoo which looks real. There was also a public art canvas that you can paint a square and a cartoonist drawing free caricatures.  That was the longest line up.  Since we went straight to That Barista Thing without eating lunch, we decided to not wait for the cartoonist and instead go off to lunch.

It was a great way to spend the afternoon with my niece.  There were lots of activities to keep her busy.  I would return again next year and definitely go early.

Surrey City Arena Roller Skating Adventure

Take yourself back to the 80s with a fun night with friends roller skating disco style.  Public roller skating is every Saturday night at Surrey City Arena from 8-10pm.  I have to admit that I was hesitant at first because I didn't know what to expect.

But I dusted off my roller blades and ventured to Surrey.  Disco roller blading or skating is totally different than rollerblading around the seawall.  It's dark with disco lights flashing that sets you in a club mode and the top 80s music is blasting in the arena.

Everyone fits in at public roller skating.  There are teenagers hanging out with their friends, parents teaching their kids how to skate, the professional roller derby gang, and middle aged skaters.   You will always have those who skate well and fast, and those who cling to the walls.  No matter what your level you can find the space.  Or you can take a break at the picnic tables or at the benches along side the rink.  While you take a break from skating, people watch.  You won't be able to take your eyes off the professional roller derby girls who skate around with speed and some were even doing jumps and tricks in the center of the rink.  Of course you also see their falls but they just jump back up with speed. 

The folks are Surrey City Arena are pretty easygoing and friendly.  It's a comfortable roller skating community and definitely worth a try! Cheap entertainment with friends for $10 including rentals.

Vancouver Brunch: Little Nest

Little Nest was recommended by a friend and it was such a delight to finally enjoy brunch there this weekend.  It is a quaint and unique restaurant in that it is super kid-friendly with high chairs and a play area.  Even though kids fill the room, they are all preoccupied and their presence adds to the atmosphere of family comfort.  It really does feel like a Little Nest.

Even though they do not take reservations because they have a service counter, it actually works well, and the wait is not long at all.  The menu is listed on the blackboard and you can see the open concept kitchen where the fresh meals are being prepared.

Simple is delicious.  With a few key ingredients and slim menu they are ensure that the quality of the food.  I was impressed.  I ordered the "Eggs of the Day" with wild BC mushrooms.  It came with a fresh spring salad and cranberry almond baguette. 

So wake up one morning and get your fresh start with breakfast at Little Nest. 

Vancouver Urban Hike: Coal Harbour to English Bay

Vancouver Urban Hike:  Coal Harbour  to English Bay
Time:  2 - 2.5 hours (based on walking pace)
Begin at Burrard Skytrain Station and walk down Melville Street to Bute Street.  Go straight down Bute Street towards Coal Harbour.  You'll pass a lovely water park which is in front of the patio of the Mill Restaurant.  Needless to say the activity was more of a fountain - no kids.

Walk along the seawall path through Coal Harbour to Stanley Park.  In Stanley Park we cut through the park and walked past the Aquarium to the Stanley Park water park.  From there we walked along the seawall under Lion's Gate Bridge, Siwash Rock, Third Beach, Second Beach Outdoor Pool and finally to English Bay.

The seawall is a popular urban hike in Vancouver so you will be there with runners, walkers, rollerbladers, and bikers.  Not to worry though because the seawall is wide enough and well labeled.  Mostly there are tourists or healthy active Vancouverites.  Everyone is polite and happy to be enjoying the sunshine, view of the mountains and water.  

The highlights for me were the Lion's Gate Bridge and Siwash Rock.

View of Lion's Gate Bridge from the Seawall

Siwash Rock

Seawall Scenery

Vancouver Restaurant Pub: Rogue Kitchen and Wetbar

When deciding on which restaurant pub to hang out in on a Saturday night, I looked hard at the different options.  After looking at menus I had to return to Rogue Kitchen and Wetbar at Waterfront Skytrain Station.  How can you go wrong when it is Open Table's Diner Choice in 2010?  I agree wholeheartedly with the award.   Without a reservation we were able to easily get a table for 3 so if you are going with a few friends, no need to worry if you can't make reservations.

Sharing pitchers of drinks are Rogue is a great money saver.  We shared a pitcher of Sangaria and at Rogue they split the bill for you and when you see that your half of the pitcher costs the same as one drink, well, what more can I say?

I had a burger for dinner and it was bursting with goodness.  They put a knife in it cause it's too big to eat at once.  You have to cut it it in half otherwise your toppings will fall out.  My friend ordered the fish tacos which is a healthier option if the idea of a 9.2 oz burger makes you shy.

This was my second experience at Rogue and definitely not my last.  My first experience is here Vancouver Restaurant:  Rogue Kitchen and Wetbar.
 

Rogue Burger

Rogue Baha Fish Tacos with Caesar Salad

Travel BC: Smithers BC

Smithers, BC will always have a special place in my heart.  Even though I haven't lived there in years, I grew up there and my love of nature is from being a small town girl. 

It's always been a popular tourist location in the winter because of Hudson Bay Mountain and this past year the movie "The Grey" was filmed on location in Smithers.  In the summer people like to go fishing, hiking, and enjoy the festivities such as the Fall Fair.  The town itself has grown and the main street has quite the Alpine feel to it like a village in the Swiss Alps.  It is a quiet town so great for rest and relaxation.

I'm fortunate to still have friends who live there so every few years I fly up during the summer to enjoy the peace and quiet of my hometown.   This year I noticed that Hawk Air has a special summer fare seat sale.  Book by May 16 and travel by Aug 30.  Buy one at regular price and the 2nd ticket for $99.  Explore BC! 

Tourism Smithers

Burnaby Restaurant: JOEY

JOEYS Burnaby is on Lougheed Highway close to Brentwood Mall.  This is a convenient location but once you know how to find it.  I did get lost even with my Google maps and GPS on my phone.  The address says Rosser Street but I found that turning from Lougheed Highway to get into their underground parking is easier.  I'm not really sure how that happens but once a person whose not good with directions, always a person who's not good with directions. 

Once you make it inside, it is a spacious location that would be great for groups.  Nice windows that bring light into the space and quite comfortable for conversation.  Now the best part was their Belllini drink special.  $2.99 during "Happy Hour" which the server informed me was anytime from Sunday to Thursday night.  Wowser!  Now that is worth coming back for again and again.  Normally I milk my drinks but with that price I didn't have to.  Great for cocktail lovers out there!

For my meal I couldn't resist the Lobster Ravioli with garlic toast.  Lovely tender ravioli and cream sauce!  Garlic toast is great for soaking up the sauce.  What a treat!

 Another main that my friend tried were the Baja Fish Tacos. 

This is the 2nd time I've been to JOEY.  Last year it was JOEY at Bentall One in Vancouver.  The food is always great and affordable.  JOEY Burnaby is great for those who work or live in Burnaby and would like free parking. 

Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge and Rice Lake Hike

Summer has arrived!  The weather has been sunny and lovely for hiking.  An comfortable and easy hike in North Vancouver would be the Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge and Rice Lake.  Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge is transit friendly even on Sundays.  I took the bus #229 Lynn Canyon from Lonsdale Quay Seabus.  The bus driver tells you where the stop is, how to walk there, and the bus times to return.  Quite amazing service that it's hard to get lost.

There is a cafe and washrooms at the Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge before you start your hike across the suspension bridge and to Rice Lake.  Every time I come here, I fight my fear of heights and walk across the bridge holding on tight to both sides of the ropes.  My heart beats again once I'm safely on the other side.  This is why I never have photos of the falls and the suspension bridge itself.

The trails are well marked and even though I wore hiking boots, my fellow companions were hiking with flip flops and one was even with a twisted ankle.  So perhaps "walk in the forest" would be a better term for this "hike."

Nature surrounds you with the trees and sounds of the river.  You can walk by the river and the pool where some are brave enough to go swimming, but not this early in the year.  Then you walk up a set of stairs to head towards Rice Lake.

Rice Lake is beautiful.  It's a peaceful walk around the lake a lot of different points where you can stop to enjoy the view and take a break.  There's a viewpoint on a dock to see this view below in the picture.  Beautiful.  Rare to find that's accessible by public transit.

Now what surprised me even more was that from Rice Lake, you can actually access the road again and catch a bus #228 Lonsdale Quay.  I love the ease of the North Vancouver buses that take you to the seabus.  When I arrived back from my hike, I still had the whole afternoon to explore downtown Vancouver.  The fresh air at Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge and Rice Lake was just what I needed to be refreshed for the rest of the day.