Sunflower Madness

DRUMROLL PLEASE!!!  I'm so excited to announce my girl Emily is officially selling her homegrown veggies and florals, all which have been an intensive labour of love!  After recently setting up at a few of the local markets, she pitched her stand up at home to take part in Experience Delta's Culinary Farm Tour.  She collaborated with One20 Public House for a true Farm to Table experience for all those coming through.  Chef Michael Ferreira created a vegan taco, exclusively using the vegetables grown from the farm which included standouts of a guacamole alternative using minted mashed peas and deliciously crispy garlic chips.  In addition to her produce and floral stand and the delicious tacos, her two giant rows of sunflowers were open to the public for picking! 

Come out this weekend for a break from the city, pick up some fresh produce, grab a bouquet of fragrant sweet peas and bring home as many giant sunflowers as you can carry!  Feel free to bring a blanket and some snacks for a cozy picnic, there will be a lemonade stand set-up to wet your whistle!

6395 60th Avenue, Ladner BC
Located just outside the tunnel between the 2 giant willow trees!
 

Hope to see you this weekend!

 

xo

Paint Night No.1

After a million revisions, Paint Night was relocated and whittled down to a tight group of 4 ladies.  This was not the original plan, but it ended up working perfectly for a simple test run.  If we are defining success by delicious food, wet whistles, and attendees who had a great time and left happy with their final product, then in spite of a sudden downpour, Paint Night was a definitely success!

Downpour?  Yes, we had a very unexpected 20 minutes downpour midway through the event (as well as all day Saturday...), so these photos are actually a compilation of 3 different days of documentation.  We all had to scramble to bring everything inside: the table full of paints, the food table, the rug for chilling, and of course all the easels with their canvasses.  The rain failed to dampen our spirits and we continued on drinking + painting in the middle of my living room!  Snacks and dessert was served just before Kevin arrived home.  He was probably expecting/hoping to return to a quiet home, however, he was instead accosted by a room of roaring ladies forcing him to play "guess whose painting is whose" followed by a critique of each piece.  Best.

Alright, enough chatting, onto the photos...

RECIPES
Crostini Platter via The Artful Desperado
Chocolate Cake inspired by ILĀ


Mega thanks to Kevin for the insane amount of work he did throughout the week helping to prepare everything from designing + building easels to slaving in the kitchen making all the delicious food and sangria for our lovely guests.  Big hugs to my buddy Dave for helping me to streamline my ideas and keep my mind focus while accompanying me on the grocery run!

Stay Tuned for PAINT NIGHT No.2 coming this July!  Date to be announced!

 

Portrait Session with Coco Cake!

JOY OF JOYS!!!!!  My dear friend, Lyndsay, Queen of Coco Cake Land, received her last of her 17 Herceptin IV Treatments at the Cancer Agency last week!  It was heartbreaking to watch this wild spirit be kicked down so hard, but you can bet she fought back as hard as she could.  In her lowest of lows, whether feeling physically ill from treatments or feeling insecure and vulnerable in appearance after shaving her long dark locks, she wrote honestly about her experience complete with her hilarious sense of humour.  And if you don't already follow her, she also kept up this silly cake business...  As a creative soul, this doesn't surprise me.  Now, at the end of what has been a nightmare of a year, things are looking up.  She made this cake in celebration of her freedom and wrote a beautiful entry to go with it which you can find HERE.

Lyndsay called on me last month for some new headshots and decking-the-cake shots.  As usual, we had a fun time joking around as we moved from room to room, trying out different ideas.  I feel so humbled and undeserving to be called on by such an amazing person whom I idolize in an entirely new way.  Not only was she born a super cool dude, but she is now one badass mutha after this last year and a half of living with cancer.  Lyndsay you are truly one-of-a-kind.  Aside from your effortlessly cool style, your sense of humour always has me doubled over and plays perfectly into your creative work, you are so very kind and generous, and you have a mouth almost as bad as my own.  (I also feel like we are perhaps drawn to one another by our love of bright crazy lipsticks and blunt bangs... maybe?)  Thank you for being you.  It is so good to have you back and I absolutely can not wait to see what you've got up your sleeve for us!

 

Cinnabar Brunch No. 4

Spring has arrived and with it the promise of brighter mornings to help get you out of bed!  I was up early Sunday morning to catch the 10am Brunch Session with Cinnabar and take some shots of fellow foodies and the always lovely and thoughtful menu.  As usual, hot coffee and refreshing cocktails were ready and waiting along with the pastry du jour, Apple-Ginger turnovers.

The food was as rich and warm as it was beautiful.  After a long week of Art Club, it was the perfect little cozy getaway for me!  Thanks to the awesome Chefs for their hard work putting all of this together for everyone!

Cinnabar Session No. 3

Cinnabar Sunday Brunch Sessions are back!  I had my heart set on the duck, but after having too much fun with a crazy group of Mamas down in Beach Grove the night before, my belly was aching' for some bacon, well some red meat anyway!  I enjoyed the 10AM slot with Emily + Khara, EM brought her brother and Khara invited a co-worker/friend.  I did not realize I was in for a treat, seeing one of my buddies show up with a pretty lady and a whole bunch of other Vancouver buddies at the Noon slot that I would be shooting.  As usual, it was a delicious feast!