tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18066323078749569182024-02-19T00:13:04.256-08:00The Alphabet ReviewThe Alphabet Review has been created by Alexander Bromley Clark Dawkins to record, judge, recommend and comment upon Arts and Culture events both within and without Vancouver, the most liveable city in the world. An emphasis will be placed upon culinary adventures, live music, Northwest Coast Native art, single malt scotch and local Arts events.A.B.C. Dawkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17526979738652154017noreply@blogger.comBlogger145125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1806632307874956918.post-75429036663612803492014-10-13T21:22:00.003-07:002014-10-13T21:26:53.734-07:00Analysis: Three Pumpkin Beers IV<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #783f04;">I used this Thanksgiving weekend as an excuse to continue my methodical pumpkin beer tasting. I completed a tasting in <a href="http://thealphabetreview.blogspot.ca/2010/10/analysis-three-pumpkin-beers.html" target="_blank">2010</a>, <a href="http://thealphabetreview.blogspot.ca/2012/10/analysis-three-pumpkin-beers-ii_20.html" target="_blank">2012</a>, and <a href="http://thealphabetreview.blogspot.ca/2013/10/analysis-three-pumpkin-beers-iii.html" target="_blank">2013</a>. Each of these previous tastings were based on three seasonal brews. As each year passes, it becomes increasingly difficult to find new subjects for my experiment; fortunately, new craft breweries are popping up all over BC, and each one of these new incubators wants to try to make a pumpkin beer. This year, we had several people contribute bottles, so it was actually a seven beer tasting. I kept the title of this entry the same as past entries though, for the sake of continuity. Here are the results:</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #783f04;">1) <b>Phillips Crooked(er) Tooth Barrel-Aged Pumpkin Ale</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #783f04;">Pumpkin beers seem to fall into one of two categories: drinkable and light ales that are actually brewed with a great deal of roasted pumpkin, or dark and heavy ales that contain limited pumpkin but a great deal of spices associated with pumpkin and pumpkin pie. Phillips' Crooked Tooth and Crooked(er) Tooth are both on the light side and pumpkin-focused. Even this new release for 2014, which is higher alcohol at 7.3% ABV and rich due to its whiskey barrel finish, is smooth and fairly dry. This was the hit of the night. <b>A</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #783f04;">2) <b>Canuck Empire Brewing Pumpkin Patch Ale</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #783f04;">I hadn't heard of this Abbotsford brewery before trying this beer, and now I know why. With a putrid cabbage finish and an isopropyl mouthfeel, this seasonal release tastes like a product made by homebrewers who don't know what they are doing. The unanimous failure of the night, this beer was bitter and contained very little pumpkin flavor. Its colour was a light copper, but it was much more pleasant to look at than to consume.<b> F</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #783f04;">3) <b>Spinnakers Spiced Pumpkin Ale</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #783f04;">I've never been a fan of Spinnakers. However, this was a blind sampling, so you'd think my bias could not be applied. While my eyes could not identify which bomber was produced by Spinnakers, my tastebuds could! To quote some of the notes taken by tasters that night "smoky", "little pumpkin flavour", and "bourbony" were descriptors used more than once. The nose on this badboy was intense too. This is not an easy-drinking beer. Spinnakers Pumpkin Ale is one of those beers that should probably be called a <i>harvest </i>or <i>spiced </i>ale rather than a pumpkin ale. We all graded this one about the same as well. <b>C+ </b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #783f04;">4) <b>Nelson Brewing Organic Pumpkin Ale</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #783f04;">I knew that I had reviewed this last year, but we threw it into the blind taste test anyway. What were we going to do, <i>not </i>drink a rare and craft-brewed pumpkin beer?! This beer is actually just so-so, and its bouquet is better than its taste. To reiterate last year's review: "This beer poured a light copper colour and had a nice head. Similar to Fernie's Pumpkin Head, pumpkin was not the dominant flavour. This beer packs a spicy wallop, and two members of our group noted that it tastes a lot like chai tea. This beer was not sweet, so its heavy spice characteristics suit both dinner and dessert." <b>B</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #783f04;">5) <b>Cannery Knucklehead Pumpkin Ale</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #783f04;">Not a great sign right off the bat: a thin white crown and minimal lacing. Combine these warning signs with the cola colour and lack of squash nose/flavour and you have a drinkable harvest ale rather than a fragrant pumpkin beer. Almost all respondents made a point of noting the non-existent nose, and three of the seven tasters used the adjective "woody" when describing the finish. I thought this beer was pretty solid and that it would pair with food quite well, but it would be hard for me to drink a full pint of it. <b>B- </b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #783f04;">6)<b> #9 of Elysian's 12 Beers of the Apocalypse: BLIGHT</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #783f04;">This one woke everyone up. This is a beer that wants to be noticed. And not surprisingly, this beer was great because it was made by Seattle's finest brewery. It is like Elysian's Night Owl on steroids: it has the same squashy and fragrant profile but the alcohol is bumped to 7.4% ABV and the spices are infiltrated by potent Vietnamese cinnamon. Two tasters noted a "banana bread nose" and almost everyone found the cinnamon/brown sugar characteristics rounded and pleasant rather than overpowering. Personally, I found this beer a bit on the sweet side, but appreciated how all of the flavours were distinctive and harmonious. <b>A-</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #783f04;">7) <b>Phillips Crooked Tooth Pumpkin Ale</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #783f04;">I have purchased and enjoyed this beer from the very first year it was produced. While it was my favourite from this year's selection, several people from our group found this beer to lack both spice and pumpkin flavour. I actually like this beer because of this light profile. Unlike most of the ales listed here, I <i>could </i>drink a full pint of this. I find many pumpkin beers to be cloying, but Crooked Tooth's raw pumpkin and acidic nose, combined with its low carbonation and delicate spicing, makes it clean and smooth. Phillips rules! <b>A</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Keywords: "best pumpkin beers", "BC pumpkin beers", "Phillips Crookeder Tooth"</span></span></span>A.B.C. Dawkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17526979738652154017noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1806632307874956918.post-45954440461239677902014-06-20T19:12:00.003-07:002014-06-20T19:24:04.081-07:00Copper Chimney at the Hotel Le Soleil<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">I have lived in Vancouver my whole life. I eat out a lot. I love Indian
food. AND I worked kitty-corner from this restaurant for one entire
year. Why haven't I heard of this place? <br /><br />I recently attended a
Yelp event here and think I found the answer after speaking with one of
the managers: this is the hotel restaurant for <a href="http://www.hotellesoleil.com/vancouver/home/" target="_blank">Le Soleil on Hornby Street</a>, and the vast majority of the people who dine here are staying at
the hotel. Up until 2013, the restaurant had not made a huge effort to
market themselves to the local clientele, despite being in business for
thirteen years. I tend to avoid hotel restaurants because I (perhaps
paranoiacally) feel that they can lower their standards due to the fact
that they have captive patrons. Also, they tend to be stuffy. I am
pleased to report that this is not the case with Copper Chimney, which
offers thirty-foot ceilings, open seating, a long bar, and spicy fare!
Also, the menu has not fallen prey to the traps of typical Vancouver
Indian cuisine. Copper Chimney is very proud of its tandoori oven, and
they incorporate tandoori-roasted items - such as eggplant, prawns, and
salmon - into accessible dishes such as crab cakes and flatbread. There
ain't no aloo gobi here!<br /><br />Not only was I impressed with this
restaurant's staff, ambiance, and food, Copper Chimney also threw one of
the best Yelp events I have ever been to, and I have been to many over
my five years <a href="http://www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=2bLh2aPbz19OivK0J55EGA" target="_blank">as an Elite reviewer</a>. There were drinks at the door,
endless samples of the tandoori prawns and steak flatbread, and generous
pours. The prices are on the high side when considering the plethora of
great eating options downtown, but I will recommend the Copper Chimney
in the future due to the great service and wonderful items I sampled.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Keywords: Alex Dawkins, Best Vancouver Indian, Hotel Le Soleil Vancouver</span> </span></span></span></div>
A.B.C. Dawkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17526979738652154017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1806632307874956918.post-31373471309324571552014-06-11T09:48:00.002-07:002014-06-11T09:50:44.901-07:00Harvest Deli in Vancouver<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBiEW2Zzd5nVFyD4i8rBKvNexZsWZ3VyzV1JIGHvyKgY04vOc_U9DcPoVCmWAelq1Fizz9szuqL7rp75rBwt_P-Wk3MhhecH7h9ZajsSAP2h-mPlJy-TFzRkFvtLCry0tGXmH7-AQuZZM/s1600/harvest-deli.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBiEW2Zzd5nVFyD4i8rBKvNexZsWZ3VyzV1JIGHvyKgY04vOc_U9DcPoVCmWAelq1Fizz9szuqL7rp75rBwt_P-Wk3MhhecH7h9ZajsSAP2h-mPlJy-TFzRkFvtLCry0tGXmH7-AQuZZM/s1600/harvest-deli.jpg" height="132" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">I live four blocks from Harvest Deli and have now eaten ten sandwiches
from this tiny Kitsilano deli. In fact, I am eating a BAM right now, and
honestly think it may be the best sandwich I have ever had: grilled and
buttered sourdough, generous amounts of crispy bacon, ripe avocado,
caramelised onions, arugula, melted aged cheddar, and russian dressing.
It is super super awesome. I just turned to my girlfriend to ask her to
contribute to this review, but her BAM disappeared after the first
sentence. Amazingly good.<br /><br />Each sandwich is made to order and the
ingredients are very very fresh, and thoughtfully composed. The owner
also makes two soups fresh every day, and service is prompt and polite. I
lived in the UK for several years, and there are sandwich shops in
every neighbourhood. Whether it is due to VanCity's fear of carbs, or
due to our city's eclectic tastes and wide variety of ethnic options,
Vancouver has surprisingly few delis and sandwich shops. When done
right, a sandwich is the perfect food, and HD has restored my passion
for these simple yet satisfying snacks.<br /><br />I have a few minor
criticisms. Their multigrain bun is fairly dense and detracts from the
delicious fillings within. Also, the business has been working on its
branding and signage for about a year, and this gives the shop a
"temporary" and slightly unprofessional feel. There are over two dozen
sandwich options, but the menu is a bit confusing and wordy. Once you
know how to navigate through it, everything is fine and
scrumptious...but I was intimidated by it the first time I explored it.
Nitpicking aside, I am a HUGE fan and a bi-weekly supporter of Harvest
Deli. Mmmmmmm.<br /><br />PS - A good tactic to tackle HD's massive menu: bring a buddy, order two sandwiches, and then split them. Bam!</span></span></span>
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A.B.C. Dawkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17526979738652154017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1806632307874956918.post-28035427336748011082014-04-15T11:46:00.001-07:002014-04-15T11:50:13.924-07:00BLS Canada is BS<br />
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<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Everything </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #783f04;">about BLS, India's privatized Visa and Passport
processing service, is dismal. My first impression of this company was
negative, as they are located in the dingy basement of an otherwise impressive
looking highrise on Howe Street in Vancouver. The underground service centre lacks any
fresh air, any natural light, and any decor. Reflecting the awful location of
this bureaucratic failure of a company is the customer service. Upon my first
visit for an Indian Tourist Visa application, the grumpy receptionist took a
look at my well-worn and washing machine-tested passport and said I had to go
the the Indian Consulate one block away to check whether my document would be
accepted. I went over to the Consulate and they said my passport was passable.
So, I went back to BLS, was shown to a bizarre and completely empty whitewashed
waiting room, and was then finally beckoned into a messy backroom office to see
a Visa clerk. I paid my $75 for BLS to process my Visa and was told it would be
a week. </span></span></span>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #783f04;"><br />
Great! Easy! Or so I thought, until I received a call a few days later saying
my application had been rejected because my passport was damaged. I needed a
*new* passport, and I needed to pay *another* $75 fee to BLS.</span></span></span>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #783f04;"><br />
It is totally unacceptable that BLS a) accepted my wrinkly passport when it is
their job to process complete Visa and Passport applications, and b) charged me
twice and, c) could not tell me how long it would take to process my
Visa...when I had an impending trip planned.</span></span></span>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #783f04;"><br />
BLS' ineptitude extends all the way to its automated status update delivery
system. I received six emails over a span of two days "updating" me
as to the status of my Visa, but when I did a manual update check it said my
Visa was already back at BLS and ready for pick-up.</span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #783f04;"><br /> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #783f04;">This company is not representing India properly and is dissuading potential
tourists through their incompetence. Visit Nepal instead.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Keywords: "Alex Dawkins", "Vancouver Craft Breweries", "Best Vancouver Coffee"</span> </span></span></span></div>
A.B.C. Dawkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17526979738652154017noreply@blogger.com0850 Howe Street, Vancouver, BC V6Z, Canada49.2812615 -123.1219234999999849.281221 -123.12200249999998 49.281302 -123.12184449999998tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1806632307874956918.post-88729656904535652012014-03-24T23:16:00.002-07:002014-03-24T23:40:35.876-07:00Cork & Fin<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">I had been to Cork & Fin several times over the past two years
before dining there recently, but only for their 5:00-6:30pm
buck-a-shuck sessions, or a random drink. I really wanted to have a full
meal in order to see what the kitchen was capable of, and to see
whether the food could stand up to the slick and comfortable ambiance of
the space that I had enjoyed in the past while shooting oysters.
Valentine's Day seemed to be the perfect excuse to test this Gastown
brasserie.</span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaxcwpZ1jUGB0ww6hkCLK2Q1NypeCRhmTJzYo-uQIVulH1mpQljTtPfe6cWXZK08PjMDqqZxUTjA1qa-URpZ4MHf6CRFzgtQNML9NK5m0zmhRvwn0UVZwbP8TKM-KdTETNxqfid3A_yg4/s1600/IMG_0802.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaxcwpZ1jUGB0ww6hkCLK2Q1NypeCRhmTJzYo-uQIVulH1mpQljTtPfe6cWXZK08PjMDqqZxUTjA1qa-URpZ4MHf6CRFzgtQNML9NK5m0zmhRvwn0UVZwbP8TKM-KdTETNxqfid3A_yg4/s1600/IMG_0802.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">I was impressed from the get-go as our table was
ready right upon arrival and we were given a primo spot on the cozy
second floor, overlooking the main dining area and oyster bar below. We
started our meal with a glass of French bubbly, which whet our appetites
for the first course of this Valentine's set menu. </span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />The first
dish was a crudo platter consisting of six Kusshis, tuna tartar, cured
salmon, and scallop sashimi. All of the seafood was clean tasting,
subtle, and elegantly presented. <br /><br />The second dish was an unusual
and harmonious octopus salad. This looked a bit intimidating at first
glance because the slices of octopus were abnormally large when
recalling salads of a similar ilk; however, this grilled cephalopod
was tender, and married perfectly with the roasted tomatoes and greens
upon which it rested. </span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxY8oN0FrEF2nyfl2ExES8GxqyQtMUzUdF2HOCYRa-5NfgWQMdwLZKUiT_5Gs-dVF_ggWPCaBPGRqm2Rl8olS372bxDOJrqASHlIfXxx-0qlltceUq0oCJ1dAJN0tA681XqwZlU2ijmx0/s1600/IMG_0803.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxY8oN0FrEF2nyfl2ExES8GxqyQtMUzUdF2HOCYRa-5NfgWQMdwLZKUiT_5Gs-dVF_ggWPCaBPGRqm2Rl8olS372bxDOJrqASHlIfXxx-0qlltceUq0oCJ1dAJN0tA681XqwZlU2ijmx0/s1600/IMG_0803.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">For the third course, I had the egg yolk
ravioli with a butter parmesan sauce and my girlfriend had the arctic
char with fennel and blood orange salad. These two dishes were perfect
counterpoints to one another: the pasta was rich and soft, while the char
and salad were light and palate-cleansing. The portions were also bang
on, as this protein-heavy menu meant that we couldn't have handled huge
servings of pasta and fish.<br /><br />The dessert echoed the yin-yang
balance that existed between the pasta and char, and presented itself in
the form of a flossy pavlova and a luscious pistachio chocolate mousse.
On its own, the pavlova would have been too light. And by itself, the
mousse would have been too heavy. But together, they were perfect.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_dzKVBUmAtFez0Z1jqtU-6XYX0mPH33jD39zf_1AwpwLL1QOChbyn2WK54gOd4tlVy3vbMZsm9SLgwJYdUbnWQlq4oLibkInbqbGmhx29o3J0JVRq8LkAmfdsr-n623CApZOxbAJIK-M/s1600/IMG_0809.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_dzKVBUmAtFez0Z1jqtU-6XYX0mPH33jD39zf_1AwpwLL1QOChbyn2WK54gOd4tlVy3vbMZsm9SLgwJYdUbnWQlq4oLibkInbqbGmhx29o3J0JVRq8LkAmfdsr-n623CApZOxbAJIK-M/s1600/IMG_0809.JPG" height="211" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">This
meal, and this 2014 Valentine's eve, could not have been more enjoyable
or satisfying. We popped our heads into the kitchen as we were leaving
to give our thanks to the chef, Cayley Milne, who is doing an amazing
job at Cork & Fin. We will definitely be back.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Keywords: "Cayley Milne chef", "Best Vancouver Seafood", "Cork & Fin review" </span></span></span></span></div>
A.B.C. Dawkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17526979738652154017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1806632307874956918.post-48042304199255895142014-02-28T12:26:00.001-08:002014-02-28T12:31:51.984-08:00Native Art and Airports<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4FuamwHVunifAJrSPVJuE0uH9ujDlFNWxR_xQPkAs4bYMxOzr4hPXLoQgKY6XOrSsFZOzGZA3H5T8I6CmpOCsOwmiPgEE-ROCfS8HwgB6PNzr9kwyuv_L43kKBc7V1ezfPlPK1ClJziY/s1600/vancouver-point-flight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4FuamwHVunifAJrSPVJuE0uH9ujDlFNWxR_xQPkAs4bYMxOzr4hPXLoQgKY6XOrSsFZOzGZA3H5T8I6CmpOCsOwmiPgEE-ROCfS8HwgB6PNzr9kwyuv_L43kKBc7V1ezfPlPK1ClJziY/s1600/vancouver-point-flight.jpg" height="132" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Susan Point's <i>Whorl </i>at YVR</span></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">With the popularity of air travel and the transient nature of flying from one destination to the other, airports are becoming destinations in and of themselves. As flight prices became affordable and technological developments enabled planes to fly further and faster during the boom of the airline industry in the postbellum 1950s, long-haul necessities such as stopovers and connections became the norm. With patrons beginning to spend more and more time in airports around the world, and many travellers being put in the position to judge cities (and even entire countries) on time spent within specific airports, these facilities began making an effort to be both practical and cultural in nature.</span></span></span><span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Airports are responsible for providing first impressions. If you get off of a plane only to enter a drab and dirty airport belonging to a foreign and unfamiliar city, you very well may judge this new land before you have even left the building. On the other hand, a clean and well-appointed airport can reflect a city and community that is proud and eager to make a good impression. Above and beyond logistical efficiencies, cleanliness, and safety, the aesthetic qualities of an airport are among the most important factors when considering how these bastions of modern travel affect those traversing their various terminals, tunnels, and tarmacs.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Several airports in North America have stepped up and made a great effort to highlight and promote the Indigenous cultures upon whose land they have been situated. This is a positive and effective approach to design and decoration for many reasons. Artwork produced by cultures within their traditional territories can represent idiosyncratic aesthetic values and reinforce unique geographical features.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The Albuquerque International Sunport, for example, houses over one hundred permanent artworks that communicate the overarching aesthetic values of New Mexico and the primary traits of Pueblo artwork. This airport art collection is not composed entirely of Indigenous work, but an effort is made to promote Pueblo taste and artistic values. The Sunport has been greatly successful with their design approach, with USA Today ranking it as one of the <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/flights/2013/11/15/best-art-airports-10best-readers-choice/3519339/" target="_blank">top ten airports for art in the USA</a>.</span></span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMV3iZxkZLkEZD-BXjykO8PYrdhqvj9zlTTFpGPkfx1_ng5vDb32Ob7Gi0GlIdIsHMp22nEciZkvupGpiWf3E1OpOmMfc-kFXQrqHw8tERgkru6PAoFhOXuta8Wz0aIRYcLrvDdZmI7SM/s1600/abq-houser-sculpture.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMV3iZxkZLkEZD-BXjykO8PYrdhqvj9zlTTFpGPkfx1_ng5vDb32Ob7Gi0GlIdIsHMp22nEciZkvupGpiWf3E1OpOmMfc-kFXQrqHw8tERgkru6PAoFhOXuta8Wz0aIRYcLrvDdZmI7SM/s1600/abq-houser-sculpture.jpg" height="320" width="184" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Allan Houser's <i>Apache Crown Dancer</i> at ABQ</span></span></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Vancouver’s <a href="http://www.yvraf.com/" target="_blank">YVR Art Foundation</a> was founded in 1993 and made it a priority to feature British Columbian First Nations art in the city’s main airport. Red Cedar, monumentality, and interconnectedness are elements essential to both British Columbia as a geographical region and the First Nations from this province, and most of the works in Vancouver International Airport epitomize these elements.<br /><br />Referencing their promotion of Aboriginal art, the YVR Art Foundation strives “to do its part in helping these traditions flourish and to contribute to the success of a new generation of BC First Nations artists.” In addition to expressing the character of the land and the artistic values of the Indigenous cultures that inhabit it, including First Nations art in a bustling public venue such as an airport is also beneficial from a commercial standpoint.</span></span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoFA6ifBoTgyMCsOXrxQa2X0efDY2TCwTr8TuJsVhKdFN9k-456Ps2Y_OBQsip8WFWiXFnmA_B4pC6VY45miHc0QUwKMVtLylVN32UzEzr23_e21xCbhwXU5oKRUsD1zpdwmh6jsa4ulM/s1600/vancouver-watts-tbird.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoFA6ifBoTgyMCsOXrxQa2X0efDY2TCwTr8TuJsVhKdFN9k-456Ps2Y_OBQsip8WFWiXFnmA_B4pC6VY45miHc0QUwKMVtLylVN32UzEzr23_e21xCbhwXU5oKRUsD1zpdwmh6jsa4ulM/s1600/vancouver-watts-tbird.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Connie Watts' <i>Hetux Thunderbird</i> at YVR</span></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The Phoenix Sky Harbour International Airport contains not only a permanent art collection, but also a museum displaying rotating exhibits and numerous shops and galleries that sell Indigenous art from the area. It is the Phoenix Airport’s mission to create a space for travelers “that promotes Arizona’s unique artistic and cultural heritage”. This promotion is not simply aesthetic, for the inclusion of retail spaces dedicated to art and jewellery produced by the Ak-Chin, Yavapai, Colorado River Tribes, and local cultures encourages visitors to support the community on an economic level as well.<br /><br />From February to June of last year, the Phoenix Airport teamed up with the Heard Museum to present an exhibition of Native bolo ties. This was an ingenious idea for a show because bolo ties are one of the most popular and common jewellery items produced by Indigenous cultures in the Southwest. This temporary exhibition was an excellent way to both educate travelers about this form of jewellery and encourage them to purchase one of these beautiful and locally-made items. Furthermore, this small display was up during the <a href="http://www.heard.org/fair/" target="_blank">Heard Museum Guild’s Indian Fair and Market</a>, which is held in Phoenix every year and is a huge tourist attraction.</span></span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYpYywOcYLDCIOv2SpNh59j01KbvRAxxZbDJR5AIsnOgCWcfSvRNwIEG1WUiZn6b7Q3_-evg6UkJUKXaw7q7Y80gBgiZotaDeD0hPqFd3zEQoAN9MzhsgsqMUvZpmwbzkB2jfR7THJ9N0/s1600/phoenix-bolo-exhibit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYpYywOcYLDCIOv2SpNh59j01KbvRAxxZbDJR5AIsnOgCWcfSvRNwIEG1WUiZn6b7Q3_-evg6UkJUKXaw7q7Y80gBgiZotaDeD0hPqFd3zEQoAN9MzhsgsqMUvZpmwbzkB2jfR7THJ9N0/s1600/phoenix-bolo-exhibit.jpg" height="214" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Phoenix Airport's <i>Bolo Ties</i> Exhibition</span></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">While it is outstanding that Albuquerque, Vancouver, and Phoenix have acknowledged and promoted the unique Indigenous cultures from their respective regions, the inclusion of Native art in public spaces, such as airports, needs to be improved. Airports are a necessity of travel, and communities that contain vibrant Native art markets should take advantage of these teeming travel hubs to elevate the output of their Indigenous inhabitants. </span></span></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
<br /></div>
<br />
<div id="stcpDiv" style="left: -1988px; position: absolute; top: -1999px;">
The
Phoenix Sky Harbour International Airport contains not only a permanent
art collection, but also a museum displaying rotating exhibits and
numerous shops and galleries that sell Indigenous art from the area. It
is the Phoenix Airport’s mission to create a space for travellers “that
promotes Arizona’s unique artistic and cultural heritage”. This
promotion is not simply aesthetic, for the inclusion of retail spaces
dedicated to art and jewellery produced by
the Ak-Chin, Yavapai, Colorado River Tribes, and local cultures
encourages visitors to support the community on an economic level as
well.<br />
From February to June of last year, the Phoenix Airport teamed up
with the Heard Museum to present an exhibition of Native bolo ties. This
was an ingenious idea for a show because bolo ties are one of the most
popular and common jewellery items produced by Indigenous cultures in
the Southwest. This temporary exhibition was an excellent way to both
educate travellers about this form of jewellery and encourage them to
purchase one of these beautiful and locally-made items. Furthermore,
this small display was up during the Heard Museum Guild’s Indian Fair
and Market, which is held in Phoenix every year and is a huge tourist
attraction<br />
- See more at: http://urbannativemag.com/top-3-airports-for-indigenous-artwork/#sthash.P3WU6tAY.dpuf</div>
<div id="stcpDiv" style="left: -1988px; position: absolute; top: -1999px;">
The
Phoenix Sky Harbour International Airport contains not only a permanent
art collection, but also a museum displaying rotating exhibits and
numerous shops and galleries that sell Indigenous art from the area. It
is the Phoenix Airport’s mission to create a space for travellers “that
promotes Arizona’s unique artistic and cultural heritage”. This
promotion is not simply aesthetic, for the inclusion of retail spaces
dedicated to art and jewellery produced by
the Ak-Chin, Yavapai, Colorado River Tribes, and local cultures
encourages visitors to support the community on an economic level as
well.<br />
From February to June of last year, the Phoenix Airport teamed up
with the Heard Museum to present an exhibition of Native bolo ties. This
was an ingenious idea for a show because bolo ties are one of the most
popular and common jewellery items produced by Indigenous cultures in
the Southwest. This temporary exhibition was an excellent way to both
educate travellers about this form of jewellery and encourage them to
purchase one of these beautiful and locally-made items. Furthermore,
this small display was up during the Heard Museum Guild’s Indian Fair
and Market, which is held in Phoenix every year and is a huge tourist
attraction<br />
- See more at: http://urbannativemag.com/top-3-airports-for-indigenous-artwork/#sthash.P3WU6tAY.dpuf </div>
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Keywords: "Alex Dawkins", "Vancouver Airport Art"</span></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">, "best airport artwork"</span></span></span><br />
<div id="stcpDiv" style="left: -1988px; position: absolute; top: -1999px;">
While
it is outstanding that Albuquerque, Vancouver, and Phoenix have
acknowledged and promoted the unique Indigenous cultures from their
respective regions, the inclusion of Native art in public spaces, such
as airports, needs to be improved. Airports are a necessity of travel,
and communities that contain vibrant Native art markets should take
advantage of these teeming travel hubs to elevate the output of their
Indigenous inhabitants. - See more at:
http://urbannativemag.com/top-3-airports-for-indigenous-artwork/#sthash.P3WU6tAY.dpuf</div>
<br />
<br />
<div id="stcpDiv" style="left: -1988px; position: absolute; top: -1999px;">
The
Phoenix Sky Harbour International Airport contains not only a permanent
art collection, but also a museum displaying rotating exhibits and
numerous shops and galleries that sell Indigenous art from the area. It
is the Phoenix Airport’s mission to create a space for travellers “that
promotes Arizona’s unique artistic and cultural heritage”. This
promotion is not simply aesthetic, for the inclusion of retail spaces
dedicated to art and jewellery produced by
the Ak-Chin, Yavapai, Colorado River Tribes, and local cultures
encourages visitors to support the community on an economic level as
well.<br />
From February to June of last year, the Phoenix Airport teamed up
with the Heard Museum to present an exhibition of Native bolo ties. This
was an ingenious idea for a show because bolo ties are one of the most
popular and common jewellery items produced by Indigenous cultures in
the Southwest. This temporary exhibition was an excellent way to both
educate travellers about this form of jewellery and encourage them to
purchase one of these beautiful and locally-made items. Furthermore,
this small display was up during the Heard Museum Guild’s Indian Fair
and Market, which is held in Phoenix every year and is a huge tourist
attraction.<br />
- See more at: http://urbannativemag.com/top-3-airports-for-indigenous-artwork/#sthash.P3WU6tAY.dpuf</div>
A.B.C. Dawkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17526979738652154017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1806632307874956918.post-34835848910165918512014-02-22T13:12:00.001-08:002014-02-22T13:16:06.349-08:00Restaurant Zoe in Seattle<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy78FjbtnbZUZ9MHxPgjao_BkvsQbTE0FUDq3qgZObGHSSbMyr9yLfsCGyxT8iZOXD7XHD2ZZE16Uqbqnh2fY3QxajDeWxr3tZCvCRqcUksf1MJ89CU-btumkAyJyTGcbhyphenhyphenBhDyWQpGyA/s1600/alexdawkins.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy78FjbtnbZUZ9MHxPgjao_BkvsQbTE0FUDq3qgZObGHSSbMyr9yLfsCGyxT8iZOXD7XHD2ZZE16Uqbqnh2fY3QxajDeWxr3tZCvCRqcUksf1MJ89CU-btumkAyJyTGcbhyphenhyphenBhDyWQpGyA/s1600/alexdawkins.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy78FjbtnbZUZ9MHxPgjao_BkvsQbTE0FUDq3qgZObGHSSbMyr9yLfsCGyxT8iZOXD7XHD2ZZE16Uqbqnh2fY3QxajDeWxr3tZCvCRqcUksf1MJ89CU-btumkAyJyTGcbhyphenhyphenBhDyWQpGyA/s1600/alexdawkins.jpg" height="200" width="149" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">My girlfriend and I hunted this warm, stylish bistro down on a recent
visit to Seattle because I read about their oyster happy hour on Yelp.
Everything about our experience at <a href="http://www.restaurantzoe.com/" target="_blank">Restaurant Zoë</a> was outstanding. First, we
ordered sixteen <a href="http://www.taylorshellfishfarms.com/about-our-shellfish.aspx" target="_blank">Shigoku oysters</a>, and not only were these rare
deep-shelled bivalves amazing, our server also threw in two extra
oysters on the house. Second, Zoë has both a great wine <i>and </i>beer list. I
find that many restaurants tend to favour one beverage over the other,
and it seems like places that serve oysters are wine biased, but Zoë has
great crafts on tap too. Third, our server was amazing. He was
attentive, very polite, and quick to refill our plates with Zoë's
delectable complimentary focaccia when they began to look bare. We also ordered the roasted cauliflower to compliment our oysters and it was great. I want
to explore the Capitol Hill area more thoroughly on my next visit, and I
will be sure to drop by Zoë during my wanderings.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Keywords: "Restaurant Zoe Seattle", "oyster happy hour seattle", "Alex Dawkins" </span></span></span></span></div>
A.B.C. Dawkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17526979738652154017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1806632307874956918.post-92230904370315701152014-02-16T15:32:00.000-08:002014-02-16T15:33:14.840-08:00The Deceitful Kings Head Pub <div style="text-align: justify;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7FEp0IJAGK3bejq7OUCp04gziZz7DeB870Bnz2VrnVDEUmcWW5HvcCBlTxHRhfOOJ9DKBHvmkNHTwERh4r-vouIychAAS7WEy7pBENG6KqKWZytZrUQoBqNUOo-jC65LN2MuvUE-q4Wc/s1600/kingsheadvancouver.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7FEp0IJAGK3bejq7OUCp04gziZz7DeB870Bnz2VrnVDEUmcWW5HvcCBlTxHRhfOOJ9DKBHvmkNHTwERh4r-vouIychAAS7WEy7pBENG6KqKWZytZrUQoBqNUOo-jC65LN2MuvUE-q4Wc/s1600/kingsheadvancouver.jpg" height="200" width="119" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Never. Eat. Here.<br /><br />The Kings Head is a crappy pub that serves an affordable pint, but it totally lacks character since it was renovated a few years ago, and it is terribly managed. I usually blame servers and floor staff for bad service at restaurants and bars, but the completely deceitful and rude treatment that some coworkers and I received at The Kings Head last week was all on the manager.<br /><br />The Kings Head recently sent out coupons to every household in Kits promoting their "Appy Hour" and offering 2-for-1 breakfasts. I was initially excited when I received this coupon because I am always on the lookout for decent breakfast spots near my place of work. I didn't know The Kings Head served breakfast, so I was eager to try it. <br /><br />Despite the rank stench of stale beer, and the unenthusiastic greeting we received, and the complete lack of natural light, and the blaring televisions, and our wobbly table, we sat down and studied the limited but diverse breakfast menu. We decided to get their breakfast special, which consists of hash browns, toast, two eggs, and bacon or sausage. The food was alright, or maybe it seemed better than we thought it would be considering the setting: the toast came with jam and peanut butter, the potatoes were well seasoned and sprinkled with green onion, and the bacon was cooked perfectly. "Wow", we thought..."This is actually a really good deal with our coupon!" <br /><br />The coupon was on the table the entire time, but our curt waitress brought us individual bills without mentioning a deal or discount. We pointed to the coupon and she said that the coupon did not apply to the breakfasts we ordered. We asked her to clarify and, bumbling, she said that the 2-for-1 only applies to certain breakfast items. We showed her the coupon and pointed out that there was no such disclaimer. She apologized, but we didn't let this go. This was outright false advertising. We asked her to speak to her manager because we weren't prepared to pay full price, especially after they lied to us. Our server disappeared and we could hear her request being quashed by the nearby yet hidden manager. She came back saying that we did not state we had a coupon upon entering and that no discount would be applied. We were angry, but this unbelievable outcome was not entirely the waitress' fault. This was the manager's fault.<br /><br />We paid our bills, <i>sans </i>tip, and made it clear to her that we will never be back and will actively dissuade people from eating or drinking at The Kings Head. Using false coupons to cheat locals and alienate your most important client base...good job, Kings Head. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Keywords: "Kings Head Vancouver", "Kitsilano pubs", "Alex Dawkins"</span> </span></span></span></div>
A.B.C. Dawkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17526979738652154017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1806632307874956918.post-73216519886207988822014-01-30T08:40:00.002-08:002014-01-30T08:41:48.615-08:00Black Rook Bakehouse<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">There are a few consumables that I am always on the lookout for: new
craft beer, awesome sandwich shops, cinnamon buns, diverse 5¢ candy
collections, and worthwhile pies. While the concept of pie is simple -
filling inside of a pastry shell - there are many factors that can make
or break one of these universally-popular baked goods. There are runny
fillings, there are cheap fillings, and there are bland fillings. And
there are lardy crusts, there are dry crusts, and there are tough
crusts. It is very difficult to find a pie with the perfect filling,
regardless of whether we are talking savory or sweet, and a rich yet
delicate crust. </span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1krS_GiqMP1XR8sU9dXD1p5y7oO4F2dT8sRkNQD3a7U5RIUf9UJXRg53OGc1k1W5DGXeVKHkwxVYJmPqeY8r7PD4GFJ32VB9Jy58QTz9Vi8Jc5qJ_AiM4ulDRJcCd2sH-jCVNtp-uV-k/s1600/blackrookpie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1krS_GiqMP1XR8sU9dXD1p5y7oO4F2dT8sRkNQD3a7U5RIUf9UJXRg53OGc1k1W5DGXeVKHkwxVYJmPqeY8r7PD4GFJ32VB9Jy58QTz9Vi8Jc5qJ_AiM4ulDRJcCd2sH-jCVNtp-uV-k/s1600/blackrookpie.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Black Rook's Bumble-Rhubarb</span></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.blackrookbakehouse.com/" target="_blank">Black Rook</a> is pretty close to making a perfect
pie. A generous co-worker purchased a whole pie for my going away on one
of my last days of work and everyone in my department was thoroughly
impressed. I have tried Savary Island Pie in West Vancouver, and I live
near Aphrodite's on 4th, but both of these touted pie producers are
overpriced and only just above average. Representing everything that
Black Rook creates, this pie had a rustic crust that was supple and
looked as though it even contained some whole wheat. This pie was custom
and contained rhubarb, raspberries, and blackberries. The filling was
dense and didn't budge once cut into. It was also a perfect balance of
berry-sweet and rhubarb-tart.<br /><br />I have yet to try the range of
items at Black Rook, but this one pie experience ensured that I will be a
repeat patron. Thanks Rory! </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Keywords: "Best Vancouver Pies", "Black Rook Bakehouse", "Alex Dawkins"</span> </span></span></span></div>
A.B.C. Dawkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17526979738652154017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1806632307874956918.post-70642687296023207202014-01-21T10:15:00.001-08:002014-01-21T10:23:56.950-08:00Chai Beer Bungle<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">It is no secret that beer has reigned the beverage scene here on the West Coast for the past four or five years. Coffee was all the rage during the 1990s, fueled by the ubiquity of Starbucks and the promotion of single origin roasts. Residents of the Pacific Northwest went gaga for superfruits around the turn of the century, with pomegranate and blueberry juice hitting the shelves. And the 2000s saw the rise of an increasingly lavish trend in mixology develop. The second decade of the twenty-first century has been all about wobbly pop, and the countless ways in which this pop can make one wobbly.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">I am the first person to become inappropriately excited over new beers, and I have a particular fondness for seasonal beers. I like pretty much every pumpkin beer I try, and I am also partial to ginger and unusual saisons. But every year these seasonal beers just keep getting more and more outrageous. This year, for the first time, I started dismissing many beers for being <i>too</i> interesting, and criticizing breweries for alienating their fans with over-the-top concoctions. New Belgium's <a href="http://www.newbelgium.com/beer/detail.aspx?id=f2f3e12a-2544-49a9-a73f-ad2ee261aebe" target="_blank">Coconut Curry Hefeweizen</a> was a spicy failure, and Wynkoop Brewing's <a href="http://www.wynkoop.com/blog/wynkoop-releases-first-cans-of-rocky-mountain-oyster-stout/" target="_blank">Rocky Mountain Oyster Ale</a> just shouldn't have been made.</span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Unnecessary Testicle Beer</span></span></i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">While chai-flavoured beer is more understandable than curry or testicle, it still put me on the defensive. I really do like chai tea though, and we all know I love beer, so I wanted to try (and like) both Big Rock's Life of Chai and Whistler's Chai-Maple Ale. Neither of these were "bad" but they definitely didn't work. The Life of Chai was a dark copper colour and was essentially an amber ale with a bouquet and subtle finish of cardamom and rose. It was a fairly light ale though, and was also highly carbonated, which helped with drinkability. The Chai-Maple Ale was a dark oxidized bronze colour with an unpleasantly sweet aroma. It also tasted more like chai than the Big Rock ale, which was perhaps due to filtering the beer through tea after fermentation rather than adding ingredients to the boil, which is the approach Big Rock took. In both cases, I found the initial few sips interesting and then wanted to move on. This seems to be the case with many seasonal and experimental beers. In my opinion, the consumer should be able to drink a pint of most any beer (yes, including barley wines), but I didn't want to do this with either of these tea-based brews...and I definitely don't want to do it with a beer made from bull balls.</span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04;"><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Spicy, Interesting, and Undrinkable</span></span></i></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Keywords: "Alex Dawkins", "Life of Chai", "Cheakamus Chai-Maple", "Chai beers"</span></span></span></div>
A.B.C. Dawkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17526979738652154017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1806632307874956918.post-56844889584077600402014-01-13T22:41:00.001-08:002014-01-13T22:49:14.829-08:00Glenora Distillery on Cape Breton<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">I really want to like this whisky. I lived in Scotland for two years, I really love malt whisky, I am proud of my Scottish-Canadian roots, and the concept of an authentic single malt distillery in Canada is truly exciting. But like whole roasted barley in the grist mill, my expectations were crushed due to poor customer service and a below average product.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">I visited Nova Scotia this past summer to meet my girlfriend's family and to enjoy my first tryst with bawdy Maritime culture. I loved Nova Scotia. In fact, the more time that passes the more fondly I look back at those two and a half weeks. We essentially drove around the entire province: visiting Lunenburg on the South Shore, then up to Cumberland to see Advocate Harbour and Cape Chignecto, then through the apple-filled Annapolis Valley for a stay in <a href="http://bearriver.ca/" target="_blank">Bear River</a> (the Venice of Nova Scotia), and then east to Cape Breton. Cape Breton was a highlight because of its insular character, Acadian quirkiness, outstanding hiking, and gastronomical attractions. Cape Breton has a large number of farms, great access to seafood, and a surprising number of boutique liquor producers. We stumbled upon an emerging craft brewery in the middle of nowhere (just outside of an intersection known as Nyanza) called <a href="http://www.bigspruce.ca/" target="_blank">Big Spruce</a>, and the celebrated Nova Scotia winery <a href="http://www.jostwine.com/" target="_blank">Jost</a> is known to use grapes from Cape Breton on a regular basis. Another aqueous attraction on this little island is Glenora Distillery.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Established in 1989 and perhaps best known for its court case with the Scottish Whisky Association, rather than for its scotch, Glenora is one of the few distilleries in North America that is producing a single malt whisky; that is, a whisky that is made from 100% barley from a <i>single </i>distillery. We took a tour of the distillery, which was very short and restricted for $7 per head, and then checked out the gift shop which was run by a brusque middle-aged termagant. Glenora basically makes two products: <a href="http://www.glenoradistillery.com/glenbreton.htm" target="_blank">Glen Breton Rare 10-Year Single Malt</a> and <a href="http://www.glenoradistillery.com/glenbreton.htm" target="_blank">Glen Breton Rare Ice</a>. The Ice is very similar to the regular 10-year except for the fact that it is aged in Jost ice wine barrels. We tried both while at the distillery and found the standard Breton Rare to be unconcentrated, harsh, and bland. The alcohol was very evident as well, and the use of absolutely zero peat did nothing to improve this whisky's lacklustre character. The Ice was better, however. One of my favourite single malts in the world is <a href="http://www.edradour.com/" target="_blank">Edradour's</a> Port Barrel whisky and the Breton Ice has a similar multi-layered profile and honeyed finish.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">I am glad that I have a bottle of North America's top selling single malt whisky in my liquor cabinet. It is an okay dram, and I enjoy buying consumables from the source, but Glenora needs to do a <i>lot </i>of work before it can compete with any of the operations in Scotland.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Keywords: "Edradour Port Finish", "Jost Ice Wine", "Alex Dawkins"</span></div>
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A.B.C. Dawkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17526979738652154017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1806632307874956918.post-21522583574275634952013-12-03T10:09:00.000-08:002013-12-03T10:09:29.894-08:00Top 10 Albums of 2013<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">What does it mean when a good portion of my favourite albums for 2013 were electo-pop and upbeat? Does this say something about trends in good music right now, or did I gravitate towards this type of music due to my state of mind and musical taste at this particular point in time? Perhaps 2014 will answer these questions for me, but what I do know about the ten albums below is that I didn't love many of them right away. Throughout the year I bought and downloaded a huge number of albums, and my digitization job enabled me to put in many hours of careful listening. This resulted in my returning to albums that I listened to cursorily early in the year, and eventually understanding and really enjoying them. I was an instant fan of <i>Kveikur</i>, <i>Olympia</i>, and <i>If You Leave</i> but only began to become obsessed with <i>Empty Estate</i>, <i>Move in Spectrums</i>, and <i>Run the Jewels</i> during the second half of 2013. Here are my faves in no particular order...except for Sigur Ros who hold the number one spot...because they are the best band of all time. Ever.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1) </span><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sigur Ros -</span><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><i style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Kveikur</i></span></b><br />
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">I have a friend who went to the Airwaves music festival in Iceland last winter. Sigur Ros was (logically) headlining this blustery event, and their show at the end of the five days was oversold, to say the least. My friend said that this group of Sigur Ros fans was particularly passionate about the music, and knew every word to every song. This is impressive since many Sigur Ros lyrics are derived from a made-up language. While the band was flawless and the crowd was in rapture for most of the performance, many people reacted when Sigur busted out 'Brennisteinn' and the title track of this album, as a special preview of the songs they were working on. Sigur Ros is soooo good, and their fans soooo loyal, that these reactions were by no means negative but were rather a result of confusion and uncertainty. <i>Kveikur </i>is the complete opposite of their last album, <i>Valtari</i>. While the latter is the band's slowest and most reflective album to date, the former is the band's fastest and most boisterous album to date. I saw Sigur Ros twice this year, in San Francisco and Vancouver, and was also unsure of this elfish group's newfound industrial edge, but it is now one of my favourite albums. Ever. <i>Kveikur</i> has cojones. Yes, even elves have balls.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2) </span><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">El-P and Killer Mike -</span><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><i style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Run the Jewels</i></span></b><br />
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">I really like half of this album, I really dislike half of this album, and I wholly respect El-P and Killer Mike for every song that they created here. The good songs - 'Run the Jewels', 'A Christmas Fucking Miracle', 'Job Well Done' - are tongue-in-cheek, raw, and packed with astoundingly literate rhyming. The bad songs - 'Ddfn', 'No Come Down', 'Get It' - are sapped by bland, dark beats and fall into the rap-traps of self-aggrandizing and sexism. I had a feeling this album was important when I kept coming back to it on my iPod, and continued to be impressed with the wordsmithing despite "disliking" certain songs on the whole. The friendship and chemistry between these two very different men and musicians is also adorable.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3) Daughter -</span><i style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> If You Leave</i></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">I saw this London trio at the Doug Fir in Portland in May and was an instant fan. They are like a broody Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and Elena Tonra - with her short, dark, banged hair - even resembles Karen O at times. Pretty much every song of this debut deals with the mindset of an insecure and angsty young woman, the lyrics rife with concerns revolving around reproduction and loneliness, and this can be wearing when you listen to <i>If You Leave</i> from beginning to end. The songs are so delicate and mysterious, however, that you often <i>do </i>want to listen to the complete album every time. Bonus points were given to Daughter when the lead guitarist whipped out a bow for 'Touch', in an effective homage to my favouite band, Sigur Ros. Daughter actually opened for Sigur Ros in Europe this year as well.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">4) </span><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Chvrches -</span><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><i style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Bones of What You Believe</i></span></b><br />
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">I dismissed Chvrches before I gave them a chance. I gave them an initial listen and thought the upbeat tempo of most songs and teenage vocals of Lauren Mayberry were twee and superficial, but then I revisited the album a few months later, influenced by all the hype I've read online. While I still find some songs obnoxious and poorly written (see: 'Gun' and 'Night Sky'), I find others (see: 'Tether' and 'Lies') carefully layered and perfectly composed. Mayberry's utterly charming brogue and the sheer danceability of most every song got under my skin and has made this a go-to album for me.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>5) Atoms for Peace - <i>Amok</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">I think Thom Yorke is a musical genius, in the true sense of the term, so basically everything he touches is ranked in my top albums each year. Atoms for Peace - whose songs are all propelled by Brazilian percussionist Mauro Refosco's forro rhythms and Flea's dancing basslines - is not Radiohead-like, and it takes a few listens to adjust to Thom's voice with a different band in the background. This album is full of laptop-generated breakbeats and glitches that at first sound facile when compared to rock elements found in Radiohead songs, but the depth of the loops and layers created by Atoms for Peace become apparent once you finally convince yourself that <i>this is not Radiohead</i>! I appreciate how the musicians on this album do not get completely absorbed by the complex textures that they are creating, like a jazz jam band at Minton's Playhouse, forgetting the fact that there is a passive audience trying to engage with the music being produced. Atoms for Peace walks the line between frenetic innovation and accessible rock without falling into either, and this is what makes <i>Amok </i>so awesome. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>6) Half Moon Run - <i>Dark Eyes</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Is this folk? Is this indie? Is this Sixties-inspired harmony rock? The first few times I listed to this album in its entirety I found the twinkly keyboard-driven tracks 'She Wants to Know' and 'Judgement' frothy and irksome, especially in contrast to the album's serious and evocative tracks. The songs 'Full Circle', 'Need It', and (my favourite) '21 Gun Salute' perfectly blend harmony, foreboding bass, poignant lyrics, and driving percussion, and help to counteract the jangly superficiality of the album's lighter compositions. I have read reviews of <i>Dark Eyes</i> that draw attention to the overworked sound and congested musicality of the album. I too agree that many of the songs sound busy and overly ambitious, but I chalk this up to the band's enthusiasm and immense skill. These Canadian guys are in their early twenties, are experiencing great early success, and are incredibly creative...I will forgive them for sounding <i>too </i>talented on their debut.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">7) </span><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Au Revoir Simone -</span><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><i style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Move in Spectrums</i></span></b><br />
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; text-align: justify;">I liked this album the first time I heard it, but I didn't love it. It is safe, pleasing, electro made by Brooklyn hipsterettes. Then the songs 'We Both Know' and 'Let the Night Win' caught my attention after a few full-length listens. These songs are long and very well balanced. Drawn out yet engaging. I have never been a fan of dream pop</span><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; text-align: justify;"> </span><i style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: justify;">per se</i><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; text-align: justify;">, but in my mind these two songs epitomize this genre. I appreciate how Au Revoir Simone has pop songs but counterbalance the naive toe-tappers on the album with thoughtful and complex songscapes that push six minutes in length. This was on heavy rotation between September and November. I also like them just that much more after finding out that their name comes from a line spoken near the end of</span><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; text-align: justify;"> </span><i style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: justify;">Pee-Wee's Big Adventure</i><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; text-align: justify;">, one of my favourite movies as a kid.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The more I learn about Katie Stelmanis the less I like her. But the more I hear of Austra the more I like them. Yes, her crazy range and powerful vibrato drive this Canadian electropop outfit, but the band is super tight and is coming up with some really unique backdrops for Queen Katie. The layering of synth and keyboards is even more dynamic on <i>Olympia </i>than it was on the band's 2011 debut <a href="http://www.thealphabetreview.blogspot.ca/2011/12/top-10-albums-of-2011.html" style="font-style: italic;" target="_blank">Feel it Break</a>, and - shock! - the other members of the band were actually allowed to contribute to this album. Their backing vocals on many of the tracks contrast nicely with Katie's operatic leanings and provide this album with a more eclectic feel than their debut. I think one of Austra's problems is that they are better than they know they are. I have seen them live twice now, and their performances did not reflect the polished quality or gravitas of their recorded material. I am not saying that Austra is a studio band - their concerts were good - but I do think that when their persona catches up with their talent we will all be in for a treat.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>9) Wild Nothing - <i>Empty Estate</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">I thought this EP was just good until I started focusing on the transitions between songs 'Ocean Repeating' and 'On Guyot', and 'A Dancing Shell' and 'Hachiko'. Most of the songs on this album, and Jack Tatum's last album <i>Nocturne</i>, would not be as vital and energizing were it not for his inclusion of long and atmospheric interludes such as 'On Guyot' and 'Hachiko'. It is always a bit risky recording instrumental, long, meandering tracks, but this is especially true when one specializes in New Wave pop. However, these instrumental, long, meandering songs <i>make </i>this album, on the whole. I don't like Jack Tatum, and feel bad for the musicians who tour with this ego maniac, but his music is very well composed and appealing. Separate the art from the artist, as the saying goes. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>10) Bleached - <i>Ride Your Heart</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The Pitchfork review of this album states that most songs are "unimaginative" and based upon "generic declarations of love". But you don't listen to Bleached for insightful lyrics or sophisticated instrumentation. This is a band comprised of two sisters - Jennifer and Jessica Clavin - who fronted a popular underground punk group called Mika Miko in LA between 2007-2010. While the Clavins have taken a Sixties surf approach with Bleached, their basic formula of genuine and unpolished rock - with a generous dousing of Americana and grit - remains constant across both bands. I also agree with Pitchfork's observation that while over half of these songs are well balanced and really fun, some are just boring fillers. But I suppose it wouldn't be a record made by the Clavin sisters if it was ambitious and carefully created...that ain't them. But the good songs on here are really, really good.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Keywords: "Top Albums 2013", "Pitchfork Top 2013", "Alex Dawkins Vancouver"</span></div>
A.B.C. Dawkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17526979738652154017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1806632307874956918.post-83999472906116765742013-11-15T22:37:00.002-08:002013-11-15T22:57:46.247-08:00Omakase at Octopus' Garden<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #783f04;">Two years ago I went to <a href="http://thealphabetreview.blogspot.ca/2011/04/omakase-at-tojos.html" target="_blank">Tojo's for my birthday</a>. My friends and I went all out and ordered the <i>omakase</i>, or "chef's menu", which consisted of six adventurous courses. Tasting menus are always exciting because you are putting your trust in the chef's ability and in those ingredients which happen to be fresh that day. In my mind, the excitement is elevated when ordering this in a Japanese restaurant because the daily fresh ingredients are often an array of rare and wiggly sea creatures. I wanted to try omakase at Octopus' Garden because it is about 33% cheaper than Tojo's and I know two people who think it is just as good. My girlfriend treated me, which is extra special due to the fact that she can be a bit squeamish when it comes to raw bivalves and bottom-feeders.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #783f04;">The first course was a delicate salad of pea shoots, beet blossoms, and organic greens topped with one piece of wild salmon and one piece of wild smoked salmon. We had heard, through Yelp and friends, that the chef often starts things off with the restaurant's trademark quail egg and uni shooter. We had been dreading this mucousy concoction so were relieved when this beautiful, light salad was offered in its place.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #783f04;">Dun, dun, dunnnnnnnnnnn...the shooter was the second course! We thought we had avoided it, but no. There it was in front of us, in all of its slimy glory. A gelatinous raw quail egg floating atop two oozing orange uni sacks sitting in a base of okayu. Erin and I just stared at one another, trying not to look scared or disappointed over the monstrosities sitting before us in two transparent shot glasses. We whisked this unctuous mixture with our chopsticks and then reluctantly raised the glasses to our mouths, silently daring one another to take the first seafoody slurp. The flavour - an earthy and salty umami - was not bad, but the texture challenged our internal fortitude and triggered our gag reflexes. Three chewy sips and it was gone. The third course could not have come any sooner.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #783f04;">The third dish was a palate-cleansing white-and-brown mushroom soup, served in a <i>joka </i>(a small ceramic kettle commonly used to serve shochu). The broth was rich but clear and light. The thinly-sliced mushrooms in the soup were tender and comforting. We both agreed that we could eat much more of this. It was like a mylar first aid blanket for our mouth holes.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #783f04;">The fourth dish was a grilled pork medallion coated with a thin layer of uni. After never having uni before, we had it twice in one night! This was an interesting dish. I liked it less with every bite due to the strong flavours of the charbroiled pork and salty uni. It was satisfying though, and suited the rainy weather outside. This was a hearty dish.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #783f04;">The fifth course was sashimi. Beautifully presented on a long white ceramic plate, we were given the following uber fresh selections: blue fin, otoro, octopus, smoked mackerel, cod, and herring roe. The textures and subtle flavour differences between all of these samples were really enjoyable. The chef did a wonderful job of including creatures that offered unique mouthfeels and tasting characteristics. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #783f04;">The sixth course was arguably our favourite. It was so simple, yet so elegantly prepared. It consisted of a thin slice of rock cod that was poached and served in a mildly sweet baby shiitake broth, topped with a sprinkling of green onion. Like the mushroom soup, Erin and I wished that there had been copious amounts of this. But I suppose it would not have been as memorable or as precious had there been more of this expertly-crafted dish. So good.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #783f04;">The seventh dish came in a charming painted box, and we were excited to see that this was the long-awaited nigiri course. Containing house-smoked salmon, blue fin, mackerel, smoked mackerel, cod, and tamago to finish things off, these nigiri were dainty and delicious.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #783f04;">At this point, we were feeling the protein coursing through our veins and sensing that even one <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr_Creosote" target="_blank">wafer-thin mint</a> would do us in. However, our dimpled and hospitable Japanese waitress came to our table with yet another dish, a dessert of matcha tiramisu. We didn't really want to eat this final dish, but the mascarpone was so light and the cake so moist that we couldn't resist. It was served with pear green tea, which was the perfect end to the meal, since this is my favourite.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #783f04;">While I believe that omakase should only be ordered once in a while due to the cost and richness involved, it is definitely a memorable experience that everyone should try. Thanks for such an awesome dinner out, Erin :)</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="color: #783f04;">Keywords: "Alex Dawkins", "Omakase Tojo's", "Octopus' Garden Vancouver" </span></span><i> </i></div>
A.B.C. Dawkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17526979738652154017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1806632307874956918.post-49506224869911358602013-10-28T14:31:00.000-07:002013-10-28T14:38:14.869-07:00Analysis: Three Pumpkin Beers III<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">In <span style="color: #783f04;"><a href="http://www.thealphabetreview.blogspot.ca/2010/10/analysis-three-pumpkin-beers.html" target="_blank">October of 2010</a>, I reviewed three seasonal pumpkin beers. I found the experience so rewarding that I repeated this squash-based beer tasting <a href="http://www.thealphabetreview.blogspot.ca/2012/10/analysis-three-pumpkin-beers-ii_20.html" target="_blank">last year</a> with three different products. At this point, I have reviewed the following: Howe Sound Imperial Pumpkin Ale, Brooklyn Brewing Post Road Pumpkin Ale, Granville Island Pumpkin Ale, Tree Brewing Jumpin' Jack Pumpkin Ale, Phillips Crooked Tooth Pumpkin Ale, and Steamworks The Great Pumpkin Ale. I scoured the liquor store shelves this year to find three more that I have yet to try. I tried these three with my family using a blind taste test. We added Crooked Tooth to mix </span>this year as well, to see how the winner from last year stood up against these newbs. Here are the results:</span><br />
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">1) </span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Fernie Brewing Pumpkin Head Brown Ale</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">This was the darkest of the three beers we had and the blind taste test revealed unanimous similarities made between this beer and typical winter ales. With a vanilla bouquet and coffee finish, this beer was sweet but was controlled with light hop usage. Two of the tasters argued that this could not be a pumpkin ale! I insisted that it was, although they have a case since the label of this beer states that it is a "brown ale brewed with pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg". In my mind, this is not a true pumpkin ale because it does not share many characteristics with typical pumpkin beers and is first-and-foremost a brown ale. Having said this, everyone really liked it, and it was easy to drink due to its low carbonation and and subdued sweetness. <b>B+</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">2)<b> Nelson Brewing Organic Pumpkin Ale</b></span><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">I lived in Nelson for four months, four blocks from Nelson Brewing, and grew to really like their beer. I still buy it today and think that their After Dark black lager is one of the most drinkable and well-made beers being produced in BC. Therefore, I was really excited to try their Organic Pumpkin Ale, as this is the first year that they have made this. This beer poured a light copper colour and had a nice head. Similar to Fernie's Pumpkin Head, pumpkin was not the dominant flavour. This beer packs a spicy wallop, and two members of our group noted that it tastes a lot like chai tea. One person really disliked it because of the after taste, which she associated with Jagermeister. This beer was not sweet, so its heavy spice characteristics suit both dinner and dessert. <b>B</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">3)<b> Central City Red Racer Pumpkin Ale</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">We all reacted negatively to this beer. Although the pumpkin flavour was arguably the most evident in this beer of the three that we tried, it was also quite hoppy and very tangy. It had an acidic quality too, and the extremely high carbonation did not do anything to improve the drinkability of this poorly-balanced ale. Despite local acclaim, I have never liked Central City beers, as it seems like the unfavourable traits in one beer can be identified in all made by this brewery. It is also strange how this particular beer was unpleasant while previous pumpkin ales made by Central City have been decent. That's another point off for inconsistency! <b>C</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Keywords: "BC pumpkin beers", "Night Owl Pumpkin Ale", "Alex Dawkins" </span></span></div>
A.B.C. Dawkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17526979738652154017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1806632307874956918.post-30350385678318171502013-10-18T18:14:00.001-07:002013-10-18T18:22:35.388-07:00Pronto Caffe<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFjBES1eI6F19Mk8NDlbQqE26xtIbd8qKXqICOot_SMeu8pPXDl3ZHn72mhp7IZp9idlpD62jTp_zZN8ZTgxwc_B2RRhRokTyo_ZMu0pI-_2yxGZR3djhqNCuyFNlG8EK5HkxCOYfWdoY/s1600/pronto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFjBES1eI6F19Mk8NDlbQqE26xtIbd8qKXqICOot_SMeu8pPXDl3ZHn72mhp7IZp9idlpD62jTp_zZN8ZTgxwc_B2RRhRokTyo_ZMu0pI-_2yxGZR3djhqNCuyFNlG8EK5HkxCOYfWdoY/s200/pronto.jpg" width="195" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Several of my friends and fellow Yelpers have recommended this tiny trattoria, and I was charmed upon entering this neighbourhood restaurant last night. The simple wooden chairs, narrow layout, and coffee bar overlooking the kitchen sparked flashbacks to my travels in Italy, and the staff were accommodating and friendly when my friend brought his baby unexpectedly and we requested a larger table. This initial charm and the great customer service were the highlights of the restaurant, however, as the food only detracted from our first impressions. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">To start, we ordered the appetizers on special which were a tomato-beef soup and a skewer of prosciutto-wrapped prawns. The soup was hearty and thick, which suited the brisk autumn night, but it was also a bit heavy. The prawns were large and well cooked, but the chef coated them in breadcrumbs after they had been wrapped in prosciutto, and this coating was soft and moist when it arrived. The flavour was amazing, but the soggy texture didn't really have us wanting more.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The mains ordered were the spaghetti pomadoro (with a side of meatballs), the gnocchi special, and the shortribs special. The spaghetti was solid, made with a fresh and vibrant tomato sauce. The meatballs were okay, dense and only lightly herbed. My friend's wife said that the kitchen cheated with the gnocchi, making them from a rolled dough rather than as individual hand-formed dumplings. This wouldn't have bothered me, personally, except for the fact that they tasted like they were from a roll of dough...a little bit tough, with sharp edges. The shortribs themselves were great - probably the best thing that was ordered - but they were served atop a Milanese (= parmesan and saffron) risotto made with long grain rice. Long grain rice?! I am not a snobby foodie, but I was kind of shocked over this, even if Pronto categorizes itself as a "blue-collar" trattoria. The flavour was good. The texture was awful. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">And the ciliegia on the cassata was that they did not have any draught beer. The negroni I ordered was very good, but Pronto is going to need to do better than bottled beer to snag some of the adjacent BierCraft crowd. Especially since BierCraft has pretty decent food.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Keywords: "Pronto cambie street", "cincin review", "Alex Dawkins"</span></div>
A.B.C. Dawkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17526979738652154017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1806632307874956918.post-65118886619603354412013-09-22T11:27:00.001-07:002013-09-22T11:31:18.438-07:0033 Acres Brewing Company<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">I am going to do something I have never done before: review an
establishment through the recollection of a conversation I had with the
staff. <br /><br /><b>Setting</b> - A sparse white rectangular room with
uncomfortable white stools, white-washed walls, and white Macs on the
counter being used as registers.<br /><br /><b>Characters</b> - Alex (myself), Friend (Ramon), Staff (clubmaster bespectacled hipster)<br /><br /><i><b>Enter Alex and Friend, thirsty for beer:</b></i></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><b> </b></i><br />Alex: "Huh. No menu or any signage describing our options. Strange."<br /><br />Friend: "Oh, there's a small white menu near the till. And by till, I mean iPad."<br /><br />Alex:
"Sweet. Man...that writing is small. It's like this place doesn't want
us to drink beer. Like you need a password or an ironic tattoo to get
the lager flowing. Well there are five taps, let's just ask."<br /><br />Friend: "Excuse me, what are your five taps?"<br /><br />Staff: "Ummm, we only have two beers. We just have five taps."<br /><br />Friend:
"Huh. Okay. So the menu here says you have an Amber and an Amber Light?
I can barely read this but I think that's what it says."<br /><br />Staff: "
Ummm, no. You are looking at the coluor description.They are both
amber. You can't order by colour. One is a West Coast amber lager and
one is a hoppy amber pale."<br /><br />Alex: "So the lager is your light option?"<br /><br />Staff: "No. Like I said, the lager is made in the West Coast style so it's also hoppy."<br /><br />Friend: "So they have a hoppy beer and a hoppier beer. Do you want three of the lager and two of the amber?"<br /><br />Alex: "I...guess? Do you have any other beverages because a member of our group doesn't drink beer."<br /><br />Staff: "No, only beer. Would you guys like 1.5 ounce glasses or 10 ounce glasses?"<br /><br />Alex: "1.5 ounces? That's kind of odd. Umm, all 10 ounce glasses please."<br /><br />Staff: "Okay. You can just stand at the end of the bar and we'll get working on pouring those."<br /><br />Friend: "Weirdest. Setup. Ever."<br /><br />Part
Portlandia skit and part exercise in terrible customer service, I
believe this dialogue alone indicates that we will not be back to this
pretentious bland bunker hidden away in Vancouver's small manufacturing
district. The space was put to better use when it was a glove factory,
even though the beer is - unfortunately - pretty good. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Keywords: "Vancouver breweries", "Vancouver craft beer", "Brassneck Brewing"</span> </span></span></span>A.B.C. Dawkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17526979738652154017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1806632307874956918.post-23779792003537234362013-09-09T23:40:00.001-07:002013-11-04T23:43:36.643-08:00The Twelve Days of Seafood<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">I spent the final two weeks of August travelling the remote corners of Nova Scotia with my girlfriend's family. While I have backpacked across Canada twice, I ran out of steam (and funds) before I could reach the Maritimes during both efforts. Have you ever actually looked at a map of Nova Scotia and PEI? They are essentially islands <i>east</i> of the <i>Eastern </i>Seaboard. I was really excited to see New Scotland, partly over meeting Erin's relatives, partly over visiting some of my own family heritage sites, and partly over the world class seafood that comes from this quaint province. I was so excited by the prospect of eating East Coast marine life on a daily basis that I set a challenge for myself: <b>The Twelve Days of Seafood</b>. I did this with Mexican food when I visited LA and Pasadena with my dad in March of 2013, and I found this intense culinary schedule rewarding when comparing specific dishes and (literally) internalizing the cuisine of a unique locale. The idea of an enchilada wasn't all that appealing for a few weeks after returning from LA, and I am not currently host to a burning desire for smoked haddock, but I maintain that this approach to dining in foreign cities and cultures has its obsessive compulsive advantages. I now present to you, The Twelve Days of Seafood: </span><br />
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Day 1 - Lobster Roll</b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Knowing that I had this mammoth gastronomical challenge ahead of me, I was craving crustaceans as soon as I entered the province. We went to a new bar-bistro in downtown Halifax on August 20th to mee</span><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">t a group of Erin's highschool buddies. It was called <a href="http://www.go2doorsdown.com/" target="_blank">Two Doors Down</a> and is a slightly more casual version of the city's celebrated Chives Bistro. They had a cool menu, featuring local seafood and Halifax beers. While they had numerous attractive options, I zeroed in on the Brioche Lobster Roll, the quintessential East Coast sandwich. This was a starter, so it was small (it even came with miniature potato chips) but it was all claw. It was also lightly dressed, so the lobster was the focus. A great start to the trip. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Day 2</span><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> - </span><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Whole Fresh</span><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lobster </span></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">After running some errands and grabbing a coffee at Dartmouth's outstanding <a href="http://www.twoifbyseacafe.ca/" target="_blank">Two If By Sea</a>, we drove down to Nova Scotia's South Shore, which is about two hours south-west from Halifax. After visiting the UNESCO town of Lunenburg and seeing the near-complete Bluenose II, we picked up four giant local lobsters and quickly drove them back home. We cooked these beastly bugs outside by steaming them in <a href="http://www.boxingrock.ca/" target="_blank">Boxing Rock</a> Temptation Red Ale, which imbued the lobster meat with a sweet and slightly hoppy flavour. Erin and I had never bought and cooked our own lobster, so this was a memorable night indeed. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>Day 3</b> - <b>Halibut </b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">We departed for a mini road trip beginning on August 22nd, heading up to the North Fundy Shore to Advocate. After visiting with Erin's maternal aunt Jane in Economy and buying a wheel of Stinging Nettle Gouda from <a href="http://www.denhoek.ca/" target="_blank">Den Hoek</a> (aka Damn Dutchman Cheese), we headed towards Cape Chignecto for dinner at Wild Caraway. This converted boutique hotel and restaurant is quietly becoming famous in the province for their exquisite use of local ingredients. I ordered the Atlantic halibut with baby <a href="http://www.heartandstroke.com/site/c.ikIQLcMWJtE/b.6562955/k.BB67/Recipes__Maritime_hodgepodge.htm" target="_blank">hodgepodge</a> and Erin ordered the local scallops with nasturtium salad. The halibut was braised and moist, and the buttery hodgepodge was composed entirely of new carrots, peas, fingerlings, and beans. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>Day 4</b> - <b>Sole </b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">We headed north from Chignecto towards Amherst, at the New Brunswick border, on August 23rd. After a fascinating pit-stop at the <a href="http://jogginsfossilcliffs.net/" target="_blank">Joggins Fossil Museum</a> (with interactive eroding cliffsides!) we spent the evening at the Amherst Shore Inn. The Inn has a restaurant with a rotating daily menu, and the owner Mary Laceby takes pride in serving Nova Scotia seafood. I had the Sole Florentine. It was a warm and hearty meal. The sole was stuffed with spinach and basil, and then baked with tomatoes and garlic. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>Day 5</b> - <b>Maple Smoked Atlantic Salmon</b> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">We spent the 24th driving to the beach house that once belonged to Erin's maternal grandma at Cape John. This was also Erin's dad's birthday, so we loaded up on beer and sausages from the cleverly named <a href="http://www.tasteofnovascotia.com/members/the-pork-shop/" target="_blank">Pork Shop</a> in Tatamagouche for an evening pig-out. "Pork isn't seafood, Alex!" I hear you proclaiming. I know, dear reader...I know. Fortunately, we picked up some smoked Atlantic salmon to enjoy for lunch on the beach at Cape John that day. Phew! The Twelve Days of Seafood was nearly spoilt. <a href="http://www.thebestsmokedsalmon.com/products/consumer/oven-smoked/salmon-strips" target="_blank">St Mary's River</a> Atlantic salmon products are a Maritime staple. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>Day 6</b> - <b>Halibut</b> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.chanterelleinn.com/" target="_blank">The Chanterelle Inn</a> is a hidden hilltop house right on the Cabot Trail that offers quiet, quaint rooms and an exclusive restaurant that seats no more than twenty people. Owner Earlene Busch and chef Bryan Picard are incredibly proud of what Cape Breton has to offer, and this is reflected in the décor and cuisine. The fish of the day on our first night at the Inn was line-caught halibut with roasted baby tomatoes. I preferred the flavour of this halibut to the halibut at Wild Caraway, but it was also a bit drier and dense than the fish at Caraway. It was a lovely meal with a calming sunset out on Chanterelle's covered patio. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>Day 7</b> - <b>Seafood Bouillabaisse </b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The dishes prepared by Bryan Picard at the Chanterelle Inn were so good on our first night that we opted to dine in for our second night there. Like the aforementioned Amherst Shore and Wild Caraway Inn, the Chanterelle features local ingredients. The ingredients that Bryan uses are not only all from Nova Scotia, they are from Cape Breton itself, and the daily fresh menu lists the origins of each product. Incredible! The feature on this second night was the Seafood Bouillabaisse which contained crab leg, haddock, scallops, shrimp, and one large poached oyster. The broth was translucent and carried just a hint of spice. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>Day 8</b> - <b>Cape Breton Mussels </b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">After driving some of the Cabot Trail and walking <a href="http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/ns/cbreton/activ/randonnee-hiking/skyline.aspx" target="_blank">the Skyline</a>, we stopped at Cheticamp for a light lunch. Well, it was supposed to be a light lunch. Little did I know that the $9 mussel lunch at <a href="http://www.cheticamphookedrugs.com/restaurant" target="_blank">the Acadian</a> would consist of nearly 50 bivalves, presented as a pile in front of me. Basking in schadenfreude, Erin and her parents watched as I worked my way through this mound of unbearded and gamey-tasting mussels. Not my favourite Nova Scotia meal, but memorable. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Day 9</span><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> - Digby Scallops</span><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">We were in Bear River at Erin's cottage from August 28th-31st and planned to meet Erin's Aunt Blanche and cousin Meaghan at <a href="http://www.digbypines.ca/" target="_blank">The Digby Pines</a>. The Pines harkens back to the age of destination resorts, shuffleboard, and black tie dining. It has adapted to, and essentially suffered through, the current</span><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> economic recession but still has an exceptional restaurant and property. Since we were in Digby, my entrée choice was a no-brainer. My seared scallops were simple, sweet, and succulent. They were served with a garlic bread pudding and some sautéed seasonal vegetables.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>Day 10</b> - <b>Oysters</b> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Family friends, Phil and Diane, came to Erin's cottage in Bear River and brought two dozen oysters with them. This was a great opportunity for Erin and I to try shucking for the first time, and it was harder than we thought it would be. These oysters did taste different from BC oysters, but I'm not really sure how to describe it. They were meaty but fairly mild. It seems like many oyster species grown in BC waters are smaller and more metallic tasting. Thanks Phil and Diane! </span><br />
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>Day 11</b> - <b>Fried Clams</b> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">One of my dad's friends, Scott, is from New England and always complains that it is impossible to find fried clam on the West Coast. It's actually true. Fried clams are not a "thing" here, despite our access to good eating clams. So, knowing that I was venturing to the Eastern Seaboard, Scott insisted that I hunt this delicacy down. We found them at Vicki's Fish and Chips outside of Annapolis. They fry the entire clam at Vicki's, which is much preferable to clam strips, which are just the feet (foots?) of the clam. I showered my ginormous pile of clams with lemon and vinegar and dug in. If only Vicki's served cold beer... </span><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><br />
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>Day 12</b> - <b>Crab Cakes</b> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">I actually forgot to eat seafood on our last day in Nova Scotia. We were busy packing and doing chores during the day, and then we went out with Erin's friends in Halifax that night. While drinking at <a href="http://www.splitcrow.com/" target="_blank">The Split Crow</a>, I was recapitulating my culinary accomplishments when one of Erin's friends asked what I had consumed that day. My jaw dropped and, at 10pm, I called the waiter over to see if the kitchen was still open. It was, and I ordered crab cakes, which were dense and paired nicely with my <a href="http://www.drinkpropeller.ca/" target="_blank">Propeller</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">People keep asking me what my favourite meal was, amidst all of these gastronomical delights. And in all honesty it was the simple marinara and cold beer that Esther and Dennis, Erin's parents, prepared for us right after we arrived. Meeting and enjoying the company of the two people that produced my one true love was undoubtedly more memorable and meaningful than any umami oyster or savory shellfish.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Keywords: "Best Halifax Seafood", "Two If By Sea", "Alex Dawkins Vancouver"</span></div>
A.B.C. Dawkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17526979738652154017noreply@blogger.com0Dartmouth, NS, Canada44.6652059 -63.567742744.5748859 -63.729104199999995 44.755525899999995 -63.4063812tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1806632307874956918.post-38357779697184345282013-09-06T13:03:00.002-07:002013-09-06T13:08:33.109-07:00Sissiboo Coffee Roasters in Bear River<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Between August 28-31 of this year, I visited my girlfriend's family cottage in Bear River, Nova Scotia...all the way from Vancouver! At first, this village looks dull and sleepy, but things are happening in Bear River. Residents are looking inwards to agriculture and local talent rather than outwards to tourists for economic stimulation. One example can be seen in the Flight of Fancy art gallery, which features local and provincial artists, and another can be seen in <a href="http://sissiboocoffee.com/" target="_blank">Sissiboo Coffee Roasters</a>. The unique name 'Sissiboo' was derived from the Sissiboo River in southwest Nova Scotia. This river was named by a Loyalist settler who mistook a Mik'maq who was pointing out six owls ('six hiboux') instead of pointing out the river. Stupid colonialists. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBGMkh73vfp_K-as3HK5jsSD6Gmyvgw81dd9b2V49KKdI1QVXIS_e-39TDLoyxsKMV1YPSm0c48ljNjkBhJdJqzrh_KRAt4uDNBz09ABtLjRnUs7DNE20AxkLjZXxUy5jeZ8OlPDQEyT8/s1600/sissiboo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBGMkh73vfp_K-as3HK5jsSD6Gmyvgw81dd9b2V49KKdI1QVXIS_e-39TDLoyxsKMV1YPSm0c48ljNjkBhJdJqzrh_KRAt4uDNBz09ABtLjRnUs7DNE20AxkLjZXxUy5jeZ8OlPDQEyT8/s320/sissiboo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Based in the historic 'Rebekah' building, Sissiboo was started three years ago by Erin Schopfer and Jon Welch. After many years of analysing and learning about the coffee industry, Erin and Jon made the careful decision to launch a micro roastery in their hometown. Jon checks each batch by eye, hand, and smell at least four times during his roasting process - a process that is applied to each seven-pound batch. Each batch has an individual roasting time which has to be explicitly followed, a few seconds too long and the batch takes on an undesired flavour. This is different from most roasters, which employ laptops and software and crazy expensive machines to monitor their beans. Erin and Jon do not yet have a storefront or café, but I think this is a no-brainer for their brainchild. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">I have tried three of their roasts: <b>Fundy Storm</b> (Peru, dark), <b>Tobeatic Wild</b> (Guatemala, medium), and <b>Fly by Night Decaf</b> (Peru, swiss water, medium). I did not like the lack of body and bitter finish of the Tobeatic Wild at all, but Fundy Storm is great as both a dark pourover or espresso. They do, for your information, have an espresso roast as well, called Night Owl! </span><br />
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Keywords: "Sissiboo Coffee", "Bear River, NS", "Vancouver Roasters"</span></div>
A.B.C. Dawkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17526979738652154017noreply@blogger.com0Bear River, NS B0S, Canada44.572534999999988 -65.64195419.050500499999988 -106.950548 70.094569499999992 -24.33336tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1806632307874956918.post-50614405293349203562013-07-23T11:17:00.002-07:002013-07-23T11:27:19.541-07:00Northwest Coast Native Art - Some Clarifications <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijnI27mB-PWNjGyYdAIzOj_5k4d_XFySlk8BcvyxfrhwafRgakQTzxN3eTEdo1ir9ClPj9MkYui51Arr4iC43VrhlZZBvzmiNu2I30QymbMT_Td9AZm9hpbUsP4W3GBemrGbusdoKuJjM/s1600/justinrivardring2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img bba="true" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijnI27mB-PWNjGyYdAIzOj_5k4d_XFySlk8BcvyxfrhwafRgakQTzxN3eTEdo1ir9ClPj9MkYui51Arr4iC43VrhlZZBvzmiNu2I30QymbMT_Td9AZm9hpbUsP4W3GBemrGbusdoKuJjM/s1600/justinrivardring2.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/125539306/sterling-silver-northwest-american?ref=shop_home_feat" target="_blank">Justin Rivard Wrap Ring</a></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Art of the Northwest Coast Native peoples - indigenous cultures based in British Columbia, Washington State, and Oregon - is distinct from art produced by other cultures within North America. This brief overview has been created to clear up some misconceptions about Aboriginal art and culture from the West Coast of North America.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><strong>First</strong>, there are <em>twenty-seven</em> unique Native cultural groups in British Columbia alone. These groups have their own languages and idiosyncratic aesthetic systems. The term 'Haida' is often used to describe Native art from the Northwest Coast, but the Haida are just one of many groups producing artwork...although this particular culture is indeed more productive than many! A more accurate general term is 'Northwest Coast Art'.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><strong>Second</strong>, the politically correct term to describe indigenous peoples in Canada and here on the West Coast is 'First Nations'. While blanket terms with anthropological roots such as 'Aboriginal' and 'Indigenous' are not incorrect, preferred terms are 'Native' and 'First Nations'. Terminology is different in the United States, where 'Native American' is still commonly used, and the controversial and outdated 'Indian' tag is still carelessly thrown around in everyday parlance.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><strong>Third</strong>, art and jewellery from Washington State and BC are based upon family crests. Crests are figures and symbols used to visually communicate an individual's family history and mythological origins. For example, the Gitksan of northern British Columbia are all divided into four clans: Frog, Eagle, Wolf, and Fireweed. Members of each clan then inherit secondary crests which are used when creating regalia and objects of adornment. This adherence to animal symbols (in such a structured fashion) is unique to the Northwest Coast when considering indigenous art from North America.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6H92q1-8mRVF7etZ3MXd9YVfd7PLA0RQhaJ_xwT8m5Cbd1jP2LnjCTPTNmZdUHldY4cb2yBKwy5W6peAxZNHuBZoS8DMPxDobT4xUjA2zYUWp5tLIU8yAOSXZOAZwFj21kAt000dqrvs/s1600/salmon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img bba="true" border="0" height="117" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6H92q1-8mRVF7etZ3MXd9YVfd7PLA0RQhaJ_xwT8m5Cbd1jP2LnjCTPTNmZdUHldY4cb2yBKwy5W6peAxZNHuBZoS8DMPxDobT4xUjA2zYUWp5tLIU8yAOSXZOAZwFj21kAt000dqrvs/s400/salmon.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/112150528/salmon-life-cycle-northwest-coast-native?ref=shop_home_feat" target="_blank">'Salmon Life Cycle'</a> by Kelvin Thompson</span></td></tr>
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<strong></strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #783f04;"><strong>Finally</strong>, a noteworthy trait of Native artwork from this part of the world is the specialization of hand-engraving. </span><a href="http://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/artfromabove" target="_blank"><span style="color: #783f04;">Hand-engraved jewellery</span></a><span style="color: #783f04;"> is difficult to find to begin with, and has its roots in European jewellery-making, but First Nations artists in BC and Washington State have really made inroads into this field. Jewellery-making and silversmithing is common with other indigenous cultures in North America - as with the amazing silver and turquoise pieces created by both the Navajo and Hopi - but the Northwest Coast is the only area where you will find intricately hand-engraved collectibles. Northwest Coast Native artists are always in high demand to engrave custom wedding rings here in Vancouver!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #783f04;">By far the best place to familiarize oneself with carving and jewellery from the Northwest Coast is Vancouver's </span><a href="http://lattimergallery.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #783f04;">Lattimer Gallery</span></a><span style="color: #783f04;">. In business since 1986, this Vancouver landmark carries works for every budget and strives to represent those artists who are determined to push this art form forward. The Etsy shop </span><a href="http://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/artfromabove" target="_blank"><span style="color: #783f04;">Art From Above Native Jewellery</span></a><span style="color: #783f04;"> is also spectacular.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana; font-size: xx-small;">Keywords: "Alex Dawkins Vancouver", "Native American Jewelry", "Native Art Vancouver"</span></div>
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A.B.C. Dawkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17526979738652154017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1806632307874956918.post-57139844256334627302013-07-12T02:30:00.000-07:002013-07-12T02:30:03.093-07:00Pizzeria Barbarella<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGZ0bYGcbSaCQ54_a77BIaOOyROmgTedrY9R4z1Dtgxxfgc6GTHBZfivr91M8sFjaYWsKiBjjH-eygTCRyNfg6tQTwcwCZ44UzxVgFuO5Q0X7b_6fQ9x46PUWVmltNOPmMytf6_cPIHV0/s1600/Pizzeria_Barbarella-4262.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGZ0bYGcbSaCQ54_a77BIaOOyROmgTedrY9R4z1Dtgxxfgc6GTHBZfivr91M8sFjaYWsKiBjjH-eygTCRyNfg6tQTwcwCZ44UzxVgFuO5Q0X7b_6fQ9x46PUWVmltNOPmMytf6_cPIHV0/s200/Pizzeria_Barbarella-4262.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The pizza wars in Vancouver are heating up! Heating up like a Neapolitan wood fire oven! Craft breweries, food trucks, Thai restaurants...we are finally catching up to the foodie-friendly cities of SanFran and PDX. Like many friends and family, I have been making the rounds to Vancouver's best pizza joints and was excited to try Barbarella after hearing about it for several months. Like Farina and Nook, the menu at Barbarella is limited and emphasizes the ingredients placed upon the pizzeria's thin crusts. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">When I think of Neapolitan pizza, two things automatically pop into my mind.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The first is a pizza I had in Milan from La Taverna on Via Francesco Anzani, a pizzeria run by a family from Naples. I had this with my sister during our Round-the-World trip in 2011 and it blew us away with its flavourful (and minimal) toppings, paper-thin crust, and uber fresh Roma tomato sauce. I hate this phrase, but it actually did "melt in our mouths". </span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The second is a Lonely Planet episode I saw when I was about 16 on Italy where the host went to one of the oldest pizzerias in the south. The chef - a cocky teen with a sneer and slicked hair - said that a true Neapolitan pizza must be super super thin and should really only be made with sauce, basil, and fresh mozzarella. The host was sceptical of this simplicity but took a few bites and proclaimed that the pizza he was eating was genuinely the best pie he had ever consumed. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Thus, in my mind, a Neapolitan pizza should be very thin, crisp, and PACKED with flavour!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">I have high standards when it comes to thin crust fire oven pizza and was a bit disappointed in Barbarella. The portions were better than expected, and our group was fine with two pies for three people, but the crust was too chewy for me. We ordered the Cavolini and the Salsiccia. The combination of the Brussels sprout leaves and pancetta on the Cavolini was really great, but the chef added too many greens and the cabbage flavour overpowered the fior di latte and ham. The decor also bugged me. With its plain painted cinder block walls and careless placement of cheap tables, the interior of Barbarella reflects the food they serve...simple and satisfying, but a bit slapdash. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana; font-size: xx-small;">Keywords: "Vancouver pizza", "Pizzeria Farina", "Alex Dawkins"</span></div>
<br />A.B.C. Dawkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17526979738652154017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1806632307874956918.post-48897677660646900512013-07-02T12:37:00.000-07:002013-07-02T12:37:00.037-07:00Vancouver's Food Truck Festival 2013<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">For the past two years I have been invited to Yelp's Elite Food Truck Festival Preview and allowed to sample all food truck fare, <i>for free</i>. The doors opened one hour prior to public access and dozens of Yelpers descended upon the trucks like vultures to wounded voles. We only had one hour to eat as much as we could and with over 50 attendees and 15 trucks, small lines formed at each cart. I was worried about not being able to try everything, but I managed to try 14 of the 15 vendors. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">There were several trucks that excelled in both customer service and food production. </span><a href="http://www.yelp.ca/biz/soho-road-naan-kebab-vancouver" target="_blank"><span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Soho Road Naan Kebab</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> provided the best service and were amongst the few vendors to offer Yelpers several options, instead of a single option with tiny portions. While I knew of Soho Road before this event, from working downtown, I had only tried their Indian-themed wraps once and was ho-hum about it. They won me over at the Food Truck Festival though. Their tandoori chicken was super moist and the fresh naan was thick and light. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Another truck was at the event that I had seen before but never tried, </span><a href="http://www.yelp.ca/biz/roaming-dragon-vancouver" target="_blank"><span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Roaming Dragon</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">. They offer pan-asian dishes. They definitely had one of the best free items with their Fried Chinese Rice Balls, which were light and crispy and packed with Chinese sausage, shrimp, and bamboo shoots. They were topped with a drizzle of teriyaki sauce and curry aioli. I was tempted to buy a full portion of these!</span></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The Average</span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">No wonder I had never heard of </span><a href="http://www.yelp.ca/biz/jjs-trucketeria-surrey#query:JJ%27s%20trucketeria" target="_blank"><span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">JJ's Trucketeria</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">! It's based in Surrey. The land that culture forgot. Just kidding, just kidding. Actually, I'm not. Surrey has food trucks? JJ's creates Filipino fare that includes Lemongrass Chicken and Garlic Fried Rice. They were offering their Vegan Market Bowl at the Yelp event. My first reaction was "Wow! Big portion! Tangy curry sauce!" which was quickly followed by my secondary reaction of "Meh. It's just rice and veggies. Not enough sauce." The large Filipino dudes that own this truck are jolly and obviously passionate about food, but their menu options and presentation are average. I wouldn't pay to eat here.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>Huge Portion! Hugely Average!</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The majority of the dishes designed for sampling at this event were average. <span style="color: #783f04;"><a href="http://www.yelp.ca/biz/ze-bite-vancouver" target="_blank"><span style="color: #783f04;">Ze Bite</span></a>, a truck offering French items with a North African kick, was serving a pathetically small portion of a Moroccan curry. Their regular menu looked pretty blah too. Unfamiliar with this truck, I was hoping to spot some confit or steak frites but all I saw was baguettes and bland blanquettes. A peek at the other reviews of this place will echo my observations on the portions and prosaic dishes. </span> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04;"><a href="http://www.yelp.ca/biz/the-juice-truck-vancouver" target="_blank"><span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The Juice Truck</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">? More like The...The...Gruff Truck! I'm not good at insults. Sorry. Not only were the staff here rude and flat, but the smoothies they were serving to us Yelpers were nasty. Warm and chalky, the tablespoons of pink paste that The Juice Truck were handing out (in unappealing medicine cups) just weren't worth finishing. It looked like Pepto-Bismol. Maybe it WAS Pepto-Bismol! The girl that flippantly served me didn't even tell me what I was about to drink...well, more like chew.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">I have a problem with food trucks that produce comfort food. It seems like a bit of a cop-out considering the stiff competition out there, and most comfort foods are unhealthy and gluten-rich. I didn't really like any of the comfort-food-doling trucks at the Food Truck Fest: <a href="http://www.yelp.ca/biz/holy-perogy-vancouver" target="_blank"><span style="color: #783f04;">Holy Perogy</span></a>, <a href="http://www.yelp.ca/biz/reel-mac-and-cheese-vancouver#query:reel%20mac" target="_blank"><span style="color: #783f04;">Reel Mac and Cheese</span></a>, and <a href="http://www.yelp.ca/biz/taser-grilled-cheese-sandwiches-vancouver" target="_blank"><span style="color: #783f04;">Taser Grilled Cheese</span></a>. They weren't "bad" but I would <i>never </i>buy any of this food with my own money. It's heavy, and I can make it at home. </span></span><br />
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A.B.C. Dawkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17526979738652154017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1806632307874956918.post-76492213432799739462013-06-15T22:12:00.001-07:002013-06-15T22:56:39.458-07:00Spring Beer Review 2013<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSrXa8GnSWX5HFwCZCJ19iubshFObdBt6UYfFeY7e3v9KRK56mAVJT05emVgGjd4KJ-c147qQgL3Z643wBmd5toDD0mAMkq7aPnmECELITGVV-HZ801ytoU6KDtetmacqy_TgUHGt7oKI/s1600/buckmanbeer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSrXa8GnSWX5HFwCZCJ19iubshFObdBt6UYfFeY7e3v9KRK56mAVJT05emVgGjd4KJ-c147qQgL3Z643wBmd5toDD0mAMkq7aPnmECELITGVV-HZ801ytoU6KDtetmacqy_TgUHGt7oKI/s200/buckmanbeer.jpg" width="149" /></a><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Buckman Botanical Brewery is a tiny operation located in Portland headed by ex-Rogue brewer Danny Connors. It features low-hop to no-hop brews, which is atypical for Oregonian breweries. Buckman grows many of its own ingredients, and uses additional botanicals from the Portland area. I bought a bottle of their Apple Beer from the Rogue stall at the Portland Saturday Market and only drank it last week back in Vancouver. I was expecting a sweet, low alcohol summer beer which would be closer to cider. My expectations were off. This beer is 8% abv and is only appley in its nose and finish. With a smoky orange colour, biscuity mouthfeel, and bold malt profile, this beer is appropriate for sunny days but is not really quaffable. I'm really glad that they have controlled the sweetness levels with this one. I will definitely be buying this again, and hope to visit their taproom in Portland some time.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsaBu9anUV37C7kBaFXP9l2-9gDT84QSUk63Eqz_ML8mvh8KSkGs1aYw4Os-HfGgHUTcyufpaXGEZZZsvIMAbZ5hE2Hi4ZocL-skukZskAllFZjPpTGsj_ieA8sJCaSh3-zFX5zLowG7Q/s1600/IMG_1596.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsaBu9anUV37C7kBaFXP9l2-9gDT84QSUk63Eqz_ML8mvh8KSkGs1aYw4Os-HfGgHUTcyufpaXGEZZZsvIMAbZ5hE2Hi4ZocL-skukZskAllFZjPpTGsj_ieA8sJCaSh3-zFX5zLowG7Q/s200/IMG_1596.jpg" width="149" /></a><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Most people assume fruit beers are going to taste like alcopops. I blame coolers and improperly made lambics for this assumption, for the fermentation process in beer-making transforms fruits to shadows of their former juicy selves. Adding fruit to the boil or cooled wort does impart fruit flavours, but the added yeast will consume sugars from these fruits and create a drink that is much more subtle and earthy than any cooler or cider. As with most beers that are part of New Belgium's Lips of Faith series, the Transatlantique Kriek is complex, expensive, and completely original tasting. This beer starts its journey in Europe, where it begins as a naturally-fermented (using wild yeasts floating in the air) and sour kriek made by master brewer Frank Boon in the Lembeek region of Belgium. This authentic and tart lambic is aged for two years and then shipped to New Belgium in Colorado where it is diluted with a golden, Belgian-style ale. The addition of this golden ale cuts the acidity of the European kriek and helps to round out the beer's finish. This was an interesting and satisfying drink, but one that I will probably not crave on a regular basis.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuASQLQq8cG0yLDWd-jMPQLqZ25jA2Rt9WstoRUiAkneVYc47Hguc5P4-yv6q1QxQH4-7aJNwyS7jaTfAOn8ZhZAC86D4OZt1XPJxYOeo2o-bI0PCkiFt_HWmEOpnpLKUFv10OFSt70CM/s1600/IMG_1587.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuASQLQq8cG0yLDWd-jMPQLqZ25jA2Rt9WstoRUiAkneVYc47Hguc5P4-yv6q1QxQH4-7aJNwyS7jaTfAOn8ZhZAC86D4OZt1XPJxYOeo2o-bI0PCkiFt_HWmEOpnpLKUFv10OFSt70CM/s200/IMG_1587.jpg" width="149" /></a><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">I like most of Parallel 49's beers, but Hay Fever is the only one that I buy regularly to drink at home. Saisons are becoming more and more popular in the Northwest and are a bit hard to define as a style of beer. This type of beer originated as a low alcohol, bottle-fermented beverage that was made in the fall, aged over the winter, and then cracked in the summer before the next batch of malt and hops was available. It was originally a yeasty and drinkable pale ale with a dry finish. It is largely the same nowadays, except saisons are generally 6% abv and above, and hoppiness can vary a great deal depending on the brewery. Hay Fever pours a cloudy straw colour, lighter than many saisons, and has a nice tart finish. It is springy and appropriate for hot weather, but has enough hops to demand respect.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Keywords: "Alex Dawkins", "Brassneck Brewery", "Vancouver Craft Beers"</span>A.B.C. Dawkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17526979738652154017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1806632307874956918.post-785127929489691692013-06-12T12:30:00.000-07:002013-06-13T14:02:49.899-07:00Pajo's in Steveston<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdYQPQ1nVp23xIyNJZLNOoD0vW_9BTisz60_-9vqzlid8ilVSKqxd7PXGwfnqvF-Q1DJFNc974UHCH146fY-oDqK89_LdHeb48DXwt56DWGAzNDEAFSA5QCpGIu-_7zKglM9_BgsUFcaM/s1600/IMG_2437.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdYQPQ1nVp23xIyNJZLNOoD0vW_9BTisz60_-9vqzlid8ilVSKqxd7PXGwfnqvF-Q1DJFNc974UHCH146fY-oDqK89_LdHeb48DXwt56DWGAzNDEAFSA5QCpGIu-_7zKglM9_BgsUFcaM/s200/IMG_2437.JPG" width="200" /></a><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Not only does Pajo's have the best dining location in the quaint fishing village of Steveston, it also provides some perks that other places do not. They have numerous (excessive?) condiments and garnishes for your fish. While most fish n' chips places I've been to either provide you with an inadequately teeny container of tartar sauce or - zounds! - charge you for it, Pajo's offers free tartar. <em>And as much free tartar as you want</em>! Along the same lines, they also keep a hugemongous bucket of lemon wedges on the service counter. I know they are just lemons, but it's nice to have the option to take as many as you want. I hate rationing my lemon juice when seafood is involved. I went mental at Pajo's...I even squeezed three wedges into my iced tea.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #783f04;">We ordered halibut, chips, and a side of coleslaw. I am really picky about fried fish because I have had many more bad experiences than good. I hate thick, flavourless, artery-clogging batter, so I always focus on this rather than the fish itself. The batter at Pajo's is good. It's not great, but it is fairly thin, which I appreciated. I wish it was a bit crispier though. I really liked the coleslaw. It was light on dressing and contained crunchy sunflower seeds.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><strong>Tip</strong>: if you are visiting Steveston from Vancouver, leave the car at home and bike! We live in Kits but it only took us an hour and a half to get to Steveston by biking to Cambie, taking the Skytrain to Aberdeen, and then cycling along West Dyke. I'm not sure I could handle a two-piece Halibut without exercising before and after my meal! Plus, it's a beautiful ride.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana; font-size: xx-small;">Keywords: "Alex Dawkins", "Vancouver breweries", "Vancouver fish and chips"</span></div>
A.B.C. Dawkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17526979738652154017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1806632307874956918.post-85828225104755919372013-06-05T11:54:00.002-07:002013-06-05T11:57:40.853-07:00Steve and Rod Smith - Collaboration & Contrast<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">I studied Art History as an undergraduate and was initially drawn to the diverse media and subject matter that make-up Modern Art from the Western world. From blown glass to formaldehyde fetuses - and from psychoanalysis to automatism - art from the Twentieth Century was so complex and varied that it met many of my intellectual needs, as a right-brained nerd in his early twenties. As I began to consider applying for a Masters degree in this field, however, I found it more and more difficult to find a particular artist or subject to focus on. There was simply too much diversity in twentieth-century art, and I couldn’t think of something that I really wanted to dedicate my time and money to. During my final year, I began working at Vancouver’s Lattimer Gallery. I was not particularly fond of British Columbian First Nations art prior to securing this position at the gallery, but it did not take long for my understanding of this art to develop, and then for my appreciation to pullulate. One of the things that I found so satisfying about this art form was that it had historically-defined and aesthetic constraints, unlike modern art from Europe and North America. There are subjects and shapes and colours that define the creative output of artists from the various cultures along the Northwest Coast, and it takes truly creative individuals to produce novel and innovative works within these artistic and cultural traditions. My time at Lattimer Gallery sparked a passion for Native art from the West Coast, and this is what I ended up getting my Masters degree in.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Two artists that best demonstrate this rare ability to propel Northwest Coast Native art, given these aesthetic and thematic bou<span style="color: #783f04;">ndaries, are brothers </span><a href="http://lattimergallery.com/artistbio.php?a=40" target="_blank"><span style="color: #783f04;">Steve Smith Dla’kwagila</span></a><span style="color: #783f04;"> and </span><a href="http://lattimergallery.com/artistbio.php?a=52" target="_blank"><span style="color: #783f04;">Rod Smith Galuyagmi</span></a><span style="color: #783f04;">. </span>Their father, Harris Smith, was an established Kwakwaka’wakw artist who was very successful in Vancouver and on Vancouver Island during the 1980s and 1990s. He developed a distinctive style of painting based on the abstraction of Northwest Coast First Nations design elements. The ovoid, split-u, and s-form would cover surfaces from rustic burl vessels to iconic totem poles in a fluid and dynamic fashion. Harris still produced conventional masks and prints and paintings, but he created many pieces that were blatantly non-figurative and notably innovative. Steve and Rod took-up this style of painting and design sense, but went slightly different ways with it. Most of Steve’s pieces cling to the figurative, while Rod has really embraced and perfected painting in the abstract. Having said this, both brothers have a lot in common: they possess the awe-inspiring ability to apply their idiosyncratic painting style to most any shape and surface, and they have consistently created new and completely original works for over twenty years.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Lattimer Gallery is holding an exhibition of Steve and Rod’s work between <strong>June 22nd – July 20th</strong>. The show is titled <em>Collaboration & Contrast</em>, and in addition to highlighting the differences between these two unpredictable artists the exhibition will also contain pieces that the brothers have made cooperatively. Steve and Rod are in their prime right now, both born in the 1960s, so I strongly encourage anyone interested in Northwest Coast Native art to go and check out this show. Also, if you can at all afford it, I would advise that you purchase a piece by one of these artists as well!</span> <br />
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<br />A.B.C. Dawkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17526979738652154017noreply@blogger.com01590 West 2nd Avenue, Vancouver, BC V6J 1H2, Canada49.269621099999988 -123.1405399999999923.747586599999988 -164.449134 74.791655599999984 -81.831945999999988tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1806632307874956918.post-82651488758604484232013-05-29T13:30:00.001-07:002013-05-29T13:32:40.065-07:00Pepper Sisters in Bellingham<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhATWYgxP9Y8ZEzefjbbuGzKU7O7FRYqZDT-3HH45kxobNA5ZeZn9V1Jo9m7c8DWO1AC_R6AHgQT1IaeqVnNCbGWrPemlQPnGg6oNE8ZMLKdQWwD61OfqYbsDEhFlULuTfRb5Z0je4wLtQ/s1600/pepper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhATWYgxP9Y8ZEzefjbbuGzKU7O7FRYqZDT-3HH45kxobNA5ZeZn9V1Jo9m7c8DWO1AC_R6AHgQT1IaeqVnNCbGWrPemlQPnGg6oNE8ZMLKdQWwD61OfqYbsDEhFlULuTfRb5Z0je4wLtQ/s200/pepper.jpg" width="163" yya="true" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">This blog entry is fuelled by guilt. I recommended this restaurant to my dad and his friend from Bellingham after looking on Yelp for an alternative to our favourite Mexican places in the city, Casa Que Pasa and Tadeo's. I am <span style="color: #783f04;">an </span><a href="http://www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=2bLh2aPbz19OivK0J55EGA" target="_blank"><span style="color: #783f04;">Elite Yelper</span></a><span style="color: #783f04;"> and</span> usually find the reviews on Yelp to be accurate...but they were off when describing the food and ambience of Pepper Sisters. We should have gone to Casa Que Pasa.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">My dad's buddy knew about Pepper Sisters and agreed that we should break away from our regular places to try this highly touted "Southwestern" restaurant on the outskirts of town. We were immediately sceptical upon entering: it was bright, sterile, and cavernous. Our excessively cheery server guided us to a table at the window and handed us our vegetarian-biased menus. Do not eat here if you possess a passion for carne asada and carnitas. The dishes here are dominated by veggies and poultry. This isn't a bad thing in and of itself, but the menu is definitely not balanced. Desperate for flavor and protein, my dad ordered the Pork Burrito and our friend ordered the Pork and Posole Stew. I tried to be open-minded and ordered the veggie Blue Corn Rellenos. I figured they couldn't mess this up since a standard chile relleno is vegetarian, but the Pepper Sisters version was packed with goat cheese. A little goat cheese mixed with the jack cheese would have added a pleasant zing to the filling, but there was so much chèvre that it just ruined the dish. My dad said that the density of his pork combined with the mandatory whole wheat tortilla it was served in resulted in a dry and disturbingly bland burrito. Our friend said the stew was so-so, but that he could have easily made it at home.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Adding insult to injury, our bill was almost double what it would have been at most other Mexican restaurants in the city. And I'm sorry, but a few pieces of deep-fried dough ("sopaipillas") don't warrant these inflated prices.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">If you are vegetarian or are dining with vegetarians, I would actually recommend Pepper Sisters, despite my negative review. They have a huge number of options for those who are unable or are unwilling to consume pork and red meat (aka the backbone of both Mexican and Southwest cuisine). I won't be back here though.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">PS - The owner, Susan Albert, has never lived nor cooked in the Southwest. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana; font-size: xx-small;">Keywords: "Bellingham Mexican Restaurants", "Alex Dawkins", "Vancouver Mexican"</span></div>
<br />A.B.C. Dawkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17526979738652154017noreply@blogger.com0