Dining/Employment Discovery: Vegan Vices!

My first job offer has arrived! It doesn't strike me as the average summer job for a student, though - nor the average internship. However, I am very excited to be a part of what could be a formative summer for Vegan Vices - a manufacturer of healthy, gluten-free, vegan baked goods! 

I am excited to learn a little bit about business, a lot more about baking (of the healthy, animal-product-free variety), and to test my ability to think creatively and help expose the world to the deliciousness that is Vegan Vices (I've been fortunate enough to sample several items already).

Double-chocolate chip cookies, key-lime cookies, peanut butter pucks,
chocolate chip banana bread, and Chi Cake - all vegan/healthy/gluten free!

More updates to come with more shifts and adventures.

Spring is in the air! Plus a new dining discovery.

All of my body's sensory systems are being bombarded by signs of Spring:

- Fully and pink cherry blossoms

- The smell of food wafting from open patios at restaurants

- Seasonally-appropriate Refreshers from Starbucks

- Slipping into Toms every day

- Tired and heavy footsteps during outdoor jogs

 I am struggling to determine if the end of classes (a) was perfectly-timed with the beautiful weather or (b) liberated my mind and allowed me to fully embrace the impending season and all of its glory - either way, it has been lovely.

21 years of life - completed by MM!

We enjoy mason jars over the
traditional glassware.

Block Party/MM's birthday was fun this year! Many friends, amazing weather, and lots of dancing - followed by vegan s'mores on the beach (highly recommended). 

Post-Block Party consisted of more birthday celebrations! And the beginning of studying. While the weather does not seem conducive to studying, it does lift my spirits and has served as inspiration to earn my time outside! Following an afternoon of studying, I had a nap to prepare to socialize more at The Afghan Horseman - a new dining discovery with delicious food! I had the Vegan Plate from their Vegetarian Dishes (pictured above), and zombied my way through dinner before collapsing into bed later that evening.

The following day, GD and I moseyed down to experience The Juice Truck for the first time! This is something I've wanted to do since stumbling across their Instagram account. After sharing two very fulfilling smoothies, we grabbed some free ice cream from Leonidas at Waterfront (a Hot Chocolate Festival location!) for wishing one of their employees a happy birthday.

After all of these birthday and food-related events... We had another birthday AND food-related event! On JS's birthday, and to celebrate a triple-birthday week, I attended a birthday dessert potluck. Wu-Wu and I supplied healthy, vegan chocolate chip cookie muffins! Topped with coconut whipped cream and blueberries, we feel that they were definitely a baking success (thanks Chocolate-Covered Katie for the recipe!).

Before further birthday celebrations continued the following day, I celebrated a belated National Grilled Cheese Day by making vegan grilled cheese (Daiya cheese) and homemade soup with GD, as we had neglected so far to eat dinner. 

Finally, to cap off this entry, the sister and her fellow came over for dinner! We made vegetarian stir fry with a special sweet and sour "pork" recipe from the Calgary Farmer's Market, alongside some homemade mango guacamole supplied by our guests. It was a good birthday dinner for GD and a good day overall!

Now I am delving into studying before my 12-day exam break, where I hope to have more adventures that I can document and write about - until then...

UBC REC full-team selfie!

Last Weekend: Food

Last weekend was one full of delicious meals and baking adventures. I shall summarize below:

Marble Swirl Chocochip Banana Bread (CCK Recipe) - baked
with AA while we caught up on life and drank tea.

A sushi-filled double date with the sister and our novios!
Sushi Topia is captained by a pleasant man who makes
very delicious food - even for us veggie-heads!

It was Waffle Gone Wild!'s 1-year anniversary event -
we just happened to stop by for brunch on the right day!

We were allowed to burst a balloon to find a giveaway
inside - we ended up with free ice cream.

J and M both ordered the Banana
Nutella waffles - mmmm, chocolate.

Delicious Bombay Chai tea.

 

I went for the Cinnamon Apple option!

(Not quite the weekend...) On Monday, I baked vegan cookies for my council meeting! Which was followed by my first full staff meeting as a future advisor - I got to meet my future team! It was very exciting, and all of my future colleagues seem like fun and kind people. The cookies were also great - adopted from a CCK recipe with added Ener-G Egg Replacer to see if they would fluff up. They did!

A tour around campus to take some
photos the other day led me to what
I consider a sure sign of impending
Spring - blooming daffodils! =D

2 Year Vegiversary: Chinatown

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

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



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

 

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

 












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

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


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

On to new adventures! After RHA elections...

HoCho Fest Day 24: Brunette Bangle

Today was a hot chocolate festival day marked with both high and low moments.

First, the low (because then we can move on from them): Really there is only one, and it is having made the discovery that Thierry Chocolaterie stopped participating in the festival as of yesterday - I do not know why, but this means there will be one location that I do not get to attend while it participates in the festival - perhaps I will go visit anyways!

The highs: I was able to enjoy a very unique and delicious hot chocolate with three lovely people! The four of us ventured to Koko Monk this afternoon.

Having done a bit of research ahead of time, I learned that all of their creations are preservative and chemical free! All of the flavours come from their natural sources. A novelty that I appreciate, and a point of pride in their establishment made clear by the chocolatiers that served us today.

Brunette Bangle: Hot chocolate with the exotic hint of curry.
Served with your choice of cookie.
($6.75)

I was hesitant in approaching this unique flavour combination, as I do not generally like curries because the majority I try are spicy and have caused me to avoid them. However, this soy-milk beverage was a surprise to me: It was a really nice balance of real, homemade dark chocolate, and curry flavours! The curry flavours were not spicy, but added a unique dimension to the drink and paired well with the dark chocolate, which was bitter and full of flavour. 

Halfway through the drink, we stirred it with the spoon provided and whew! Curry flavour was in abundance. After more mixing and including the chocolate drizzled along the sides of the glass mug, the flavours seemed to balance again and reach a very happy place.

As for the cookie.. There is not much to say, and not much needs to be said: It is a cookie filled with delicious jam and covered in soft and powdery sweetness. It had the soft, chewy texture that I so love in my cookies.

This spot is a definite need-to-try if you're ever in the Kitsilano area! I want to sample all of their yummy chocolate confections and take a stab at that chocolate fondue fountain... Droooooooling.