Spaghetti and a Meat Ball

I don't usually do posts of this nature but these photos were just too good to not share!

I was invited over to my friends Jaclyn & Chris' place for a barbecue last Friday.  I spent a majority of the evening playing around with their two adorable kids Audrey & Liam.  I had brought my camera along incase there was an opportunity to snap some fun photos of the kids.  Little did I know that Audrey eating spaghetti would provide me with gut splitting laughter and these awesome photos...

Please enjoy!!


Song post: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0jLgf8rK4c

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Visiting two lovely ladies in Ladysmith

I spent a weekend away from the busy city to visit my good friends Stacey and Sarah.  It had been quite a while since we had spent a decent amount of time together catching up.  They had recently moved to Vancouver Island from Winnipeg which they had left Vancouver for the year prior.  I was beyond thrilled to hear that we would be located in the same province again!  After they had settled, I planned a visit to come out their way to celebrate Sarah's birthday.  We visited Coombs where they have a ton of cute shops and the famous "goats on the roof".

The visit was filled with great food, wine and there was no shortage of laughing fits.  I had such a great time and I look forward to my next visit!

Enjoy some of photos from our trip.

This is the song that I chose to go with this post:

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Catered Party at Papi's Market

I was privileged enough to be a part of a friend’s private birthday dinner party that took place at Papi's Market in Steveston.  By day, this shop holds an array of European cheeses, pre-made edibles, dried pastas, spices, sauces, cookies, oils and much more.  By night, the owners Ken & Claudette put together a long table setting and fill it with 5 courses of delectable dishes.  It was a ton of fun and I am so glad that I was able to enjoy this evening with some of my favorite people.

Enjoy the eye feast!

Song post - One of my favorite bands of the year 'Daughter' has come out with an incredible new album.  Here is one of my favorite songs:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUWrcFpmI5U

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Seattle - Art and Dining

 I'd recently spent some time down in Seattle, Washington exploring and enjoying an array of incredible restaurants.

On the frosting morning drive down I had to pull over and capture the sparkling trees and grass.  I found a field just off of the I5 where I decided to go on a little adventure.  After fighting through some bushes and a muddy shoe later, I found an opening where I could enter this magical field.  It was absolutely breath taking.  I don't think these photos quite do it justice but take my word for it when I say that it was a sight to see.

I found out that one of my all time favorite artists had a new exhibit open in Seattle and I was itching to see it.  Dale Chihuly was born and raised in Tacoma, WA.  He has traveled the world setting up exhibits of his jaw-droppingly beautiful glass work.  His work is probably most well known for covering the ceiling at Las Vegas’, Bellagio Hotel.  I was 13 years old when I first discovered his talent.  I watched a tv special on him late one evening and have loved his work ever since.  It was so incredible to see his work in person for the first time and to be able to capture it, doing what I do best.
If you have the chance to take a trip across the border to see his work, I strongly suggest you do.  You will not be disappointed!  http://www.chihuly.com/

I was also able to do a little "restauranting" while I was down there.  I am a huge foodie at heart.  Any chance that I get to explore a great new restaurant, I take it.  Here is a list of the places I checked out on my adventure and what I had while I was there.  If you're in neighborhood, you should check out some of these places...


Canon - Whiskey and Bitters Emporium http://www.canonseattle.com/
An INCREDIBLE selection of Whiskeys and many other delicious sippers.  A great place to grab a couple of drinks and some appies.  Great drinks and great food!  There, I tried the following:

-CHEESE PLATE $12
caraway, rye, creme fraiche, dill, pear

-BEET SALAD $12
caraway, rye, creme fraiche, dill, pear
humboldt fog, chevre, fennel, dill,
fig/wine gastrique, rosemary crostini

-FLATBREAD A LA GRECO $8
braised lamb, nicoise olive,
feta, arugula, oregano


Mama's Kitchen (Mexican) http://www.mamas.com/menu.htm
A funky little hole in the wall restaurant with fantastic Mexican favorites.  This is a place to go when you are starving.  Portion sizes are huge, prices are cheap and the food is delicious!  Great drinks as well.  Here's what I enjoyed:

-ONE TOSTADA
Bean (Black Bean or Refried) $8.95 (Beef or Chicken) $9.25
*This is MORE than enough food for one person, you could even share this dish.  It is huge and it is delicious.  Also comes with a side of rice*


Lecosho http://lecosho.com/home.html
Now if you are looking for something a bit on the fancy side, Lecosho is where it's at.  The portion sizes aren't very big but the flavour and care that go into their dishes is incredible! 
Here I had one of the specials which was a seared duck breast with turnip, cranberries and seasonal veg.  It's not on their online menu so I couldn't post it ($30).  I also tried their homemade pasta dish which was full of flavour!  Tomatoes, homemade pork sausage, fresh herbs and parmigiano reggiano made up this dish ($30).  Their current online menu is not up to date with what they have in the restaurant.  If you are looking for a fine dining experience, I suggest you check out this place.


Lola's http://tomdouglas.com/index.php?page=lola
Lola's is best know for it's incredible breakfast/brunch menu.  With their homemade (in-house) bread & sausages, thick cut slices of bacon, vanilla & mascarpone spread, Lola's is a rustic & delicious spot to start your day.  I enjoyed:

-LOLA'S BREAKFAST $14
two eggs, choice of pork-maple sausage
 or smoked bacon,
smashed garlic fried potatoes, toast

Enjoy the photos and be sure to check out some of my eatery suggestions! :)

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Fireworks with Friends

Man am I spoiled...

Not only have we been having incredible summer weather here in Vancouver, but I have had the privilege of experiencing it under the best conditions!

Another flawless blue bird day and another day out on the water.  Amazing.

One thing that you should know about me... I LOVE the water and I LOVE boating!  Put me in a dingy on a nice day and you will have one happy camper!  Uh, I mean... sailor!

A group of us headed out in the afternoon from Coal Harbour, into some rather choppy waters.  We cruised up the Burrard Inlet, routed towards English Bay to anchor a prime spot for observing the fire in the sky show... The Celebration of Lights. 

If you're from Vancouver, chances are you have probably pushed your way through the crowded streets of Denman and Beach.  Or, you've tiptoed over people's blankets on the sands of English Bay, hoping to snag a seat to catch this colourful display of explosions.

I have to say that being on a boat away from the chaos, is for sure my favorite way to enjoy.

Though having experienced both, being amongst the crowd does allow for some  very "interesting" entertainment.  So whether you're hoofing it or paddling along, the Celebration of Lights is something you don't want to miss during Vancouver's summer.

I loves this song and I thought that it would acompany these photos perfectly: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdP2q88rw3U

Here are some photos from our boating adventure and the winning light display of team Italy...

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Mae & Jared's Wedding

 I don't think these two could have asked for a more perfect day to exchange vows...

At Burnaby's Hart House, Mae stole the air out of everyone's lungs as she made her way down the aisle.  She looked absolutely stunning and Jared's eyes lit up like a 5 year old boy's on Christmas morning.

It was really nice to come as a guest and not be led by my lens.  However, who am I kidding? There's no way that I could refrain from being a shutter bug, especially at a wedding as beautiful as this was.

Mae & Jared arrived in style with their aviator shades and wicked dance moves out in full force.  If there is anything that these two know how to do, it's having fun and looking good while they're at it. 

I was so lucky to be a part of their special day and I look forward to watching their love and family grow.

Congratulations Mae & Jared! 

I wish you both a lifetime of love and happiness!

This is a great song that I thought would compliment these magical photos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvCBSSwgtg4

Here are my favorite shots from my beautiful friend's wedding...

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Stacey & Sarah's Wedding

 It doesn't happen every day when one of your best friends marries her counterpart.
Over the past couple of years, I have had the privilege of getting to know Stacey and I couldn't think of a better person to balance Sarah out and complete her.

They both share incredible whit and a great sense of humor.  Which means, in their company I'm usually bent over, holding my gut and trying to contain my laughter.  The evenings that we have all spent together sharing bottles of wine and great meals are countless.

I was pretty heartbroken when they moved away to Winnipeg late last year... Sarah followed her love Stacey, so that she could finally obtain her dream career.  I've had to put my selfishness aside and refrain from begging them to come back on a daily basis.  But we make up for our time apart by having frequent Skype (wine) dates, filling each other in on our crazy lives.

I could not have been happier watching these two amazing women exchange vows and promise to love each other indefinitely.

Stacey and Sarah I wish you both the world. 
Love you two. xx

A special thanks to my good friend Rob for being a fantastic second shooter.

I chose this song to accompany this love-filled post:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Kh6lLHlXYI

Here are my favorite shots from their beautiful day...

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Kayaking in Deep Cove

What better way to spend a sunny Vancouver afternoon, than Kayaking in Deep Cove...

With summer finally underway, I decided it would be best to take full advantage of the sun & heat by packing a picnic and hitting the water.

It had been quite a while since I tucked into a kayak, but my paddling skills came back to me just the same as riding a bike.  Once you learn, you never forget!

The water was a tad on the rough side that day, which made for a more of a workout.  This also helped aid our appetites as we made our way to a cliffside to set up shop.  We snacked on some fresh fruit, veggies, cheeses, deli meats and my favorite Terra bread (pistachio & cranberry).

After we had some time to digest, tan and explore, we headed back out in our kayaks and continued our excursion.

All in all it was a fantastic day and I can't wait to get back out there more this summer.

If you are interested in kayak rentals, check out: http://www.wakeshorerentals.ca/
They are most accommodating and well priced.

Here is my song pic for this shoot: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ob6kXOGfHPE

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Cabin Fever

I've been pretty terrible at blogging lately.   My apologies.

You know how life gets busy and time to yourself becomes scarce.  Well here's a little peek in to what I have been up to...

I spent some time up at my buddy's cabin in Harrison, B.C.  When you combine great friends, great food, great wine and solitude, you end up with a lot of laughs and some amazing memories.

My hombre Mikey and I got to spend some quality cooking time together where we were able to experiment in our food lab.   He had his smoker all fired up where we had 10hr smoked pork butt for pulled pork and 2 different kinds of bacon.  We made am amazing prime rib, cheesy mash, creamed spinach and a LOT of gravy (the way to my heart).

Needless to say, we stuffed ourselves to the brim with incredible food and wine to complement.  We danced the night away to the tunes of Al Green, Neil Young & even some wicked Blue Grass.  In the afternoon we heading out to the lake for a canoe trip.  I'm so blessed to have so many wonderful people in my life.  :)

This is my track for the weekend (check it out):  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9yibUR5KNI&sns=fb

Here are some of my favorite shots from our trip...

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BCPMA Healthy Chef Competition

Each year, I am fortunate enough to take part in the BCPMA's 5-10 a day, Healthy Chef competition.   Hosted at the Hyatt Regency hotel Vancouver, this fun competition is put on by the BC Produce Marketing Association (BCPMA), along with the BC Chefs' Association (BCAA).  The purpose of this annual competition is to help raise money to fund scholarships for the BC Chefs' Association and push organizations to cook delicious and healthier foods. 

 My company has sponsored this event for the past decade along with many others including the BC Lions.  The Grey Cup even decided to make an appearance!

I was lucky enough to sample a taste from 4 different entrees.  However, my favorite (the River Rock Casino's, Indian buffet) was not the winner.

This year, the winners were...

Best Entree: Vancouver Community College
Best Booth: River Rock Casino
Healthiest Plate: Executive Inn Coquitlam
Best Dessert: Hyatt Regency
People’s Choice: Vancouver Community College

Best Entree:  Vancouver Community College

Steelhead and halibut press, scallop ahi tuna bar, poached daikon taro har gow, sweet carrot puree, hot and sour emulsion, green curry sauce

Best Dessert: Hyatt Regency
Dulce de leche, poached pear, pineapple star anise panna cotta, goose berry mint pate

Here are a few of my favorite photos from the evening...

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The Dirty Apron Cooking School

My foodie friend Sarah and I decided to check out the Dirty Apron Cooking School here in Vancouver.  We wanted to gain some additional culinary skills, learn some tricks from the pros and come away with some incredible recipe ideas.  The class that we decided to take was the "Meat Eaters Unite" class where we learned how to make some absolutely stunning dishes.  The menu that we prepared was a 3 course meal consisting of the following:

1st Course:  New Zealand lamb chops with an olive and sun-dried tomato tapenade, with a herb panko crust.  Over a bed of slowly sweated red onions and sherry vinegar, topped with an arugula salad and balsamic drizzle.  *This was our favorite dish*

2nd Course:  Kurobuta (black pig) pork wellington, on a creamy, grainy mustard sauce.  Topped with a pepper, chive and apple slaw.  A dollop of apple mustard on the side for some zing.

3rd Course:  The perfect rib eye steak...  This steak was marinated in some rosemary, thyme, garlic, soy & maple syrup for 2hrs then sent to the grill.  To accompany the steak, we had some green beans, porcini mushrooms and white truffle oil, mashed potatoes.  To finish the dish a shallot, garlic & red wine reduction.

4th Course:   Grand Marnier Créme Brûlée (provided by the staff at the Dirty Apron)

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The Lazy Gourmet

I was thrilled to be asked by General Manager of The Lazy Gourmet, a Vancouver based catering company, to shoot their fall menu.

For those of you who know me, know that I am a huge foodie...  When I was presented with this opportunity, I jumped at the chance.  I had a great time working with the LG crew and loved sampling their delicious creations.

Here are my favorite photos from the shoot...

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