Day 4 in DC: Brush with Barack

While DC’s Metro isn’t perfect for tourists, it was pretty darn great at facilitating most of our trips to and from the most popular tourist sites. Some, such as the Mall, Arlington National Cemetery and Georgetown aren’t directly connected by Metro, but for the most part, so long as we were ready and willing to walk, transportation around the city was seamless. The stations were reasonably clean, easy to navigate, and rider friendly with electronic ETA signs at each platform (we did find it rather odd that instead of using pre-programmed announcements at each stop, however, that the driver had to personally declare each stop). It didn’t hurt that the stations were aesthetically pleasing as well, with grand, curving archways that channelled European train stations instead of the more typical dreary, underground bunker-style.

DC Metro Station

We purchased a weeklong short trip pass for $26.40, which covered all of our travel on the Metro. When we received the passes, we had to wonder if there would ever be a time when our current Prime Minister would ever appear on any Canadian subway ticket.

President Obama on the Metro pass

On Thursday morning, we allowed ourselves the luxury of sleeping in until 8:30, and then stopped at Starbucks for a leisurely coffee and the space to share the teacake we had picked up at the farmers’ market the day before (it was a start to our day of inglorious eats, to say the least). Having sufficiently awakened ourselves, we headed to our first stop of the day – the White House Visitor’s Centre.

As previously mentioned, we weren’t able to secure a White House tour, which was disappointing, but as we found no shortage of other activities, was slightly easier to swallow. As a result, we ended up at the Visitor Centre, which we found to be in dire need of a complete overhaul. While we didn’t mind the aged facility, we couldn’t believe the sad nature of the exhibits, which ranged from a DVD on repeat, cardboard cutouts, and modest information panels on the history of the rooms and the residents of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. As the Capitol Visitor Centre just had their renovation (to include, among other things, interactive electronic touch screens and 3-D models), I hope the White House Visitor Centre is next in line.

White House Visitor Centre

I will say that we did enjoy the part of the video that we stayed to watch, which provided a glimpse of the rooms we would not be able to see in person, and that the gift shop was one of the most affordable that we had seen.

We eventually made our way towards the actual White House, about a block away. While approaching the building, we encountered a group of police officers who had started to block off the intersection leading into the patrolled grounds. We didn’t have long to wonder why they were doing this, because after the crowds had been ushered a fair distance back from the road, the President’s Motorcade, complete with police escort, several SUVs and an ambulance, passed by, as the crowd cheered and waved.

Road blockade

President Obama’s Motorcade

It blew my mind how logistically complicated it must be to systematically close off the streets where the President would pass through, but Mack was probably right in his assessment that POTUS’s handlers likely have it down to a science.

The top of the Ellipse, right by the Christmas tree, was the closest we were able to get to the White House. We agreed that it was a little anti-climactic, and as some have said, partly because of the prescribed viewing distance, was definitely not as grand and breathtaking as the monuments and memorials in the Mall.

The White House

At the White House (sadly, this shot is better than the one a fellow tourist took for us)

Our next stop on our tourist mishmash was the National Museum of Natural History. For whatever reason, I had it in my head that this was the site of 2006’s Night at the Museum. Apparently I was sleeping during the movie because although the sequel, Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian, was filmed in several of DC’s museums (including Natural History), the setting of the first film was the American Museum of Natural History in New York.

National Museum of Natural History

At any rate, we made it a point to be out of the museum in less than two hours, even though the air conditioning was a welcome refuge from the escalating midday heat. We saw the Hope Diamond, the Dinosaur Hall (including examples of Albertosaurus and Edmontosaurus), and my favourite, the elephant in the rotunda (that sounds like it could be the start of a joke…).

Dinosaur Hall

Elephant in the Rotunda

By the end of our brisk museum tour, we were ready for some lunch. As we were planning on visiting Union Station next (primarily to compare it to Grand Central Station), we thought it best to defer our hunger until we reached that building.

The architecture of Union Station is grand, and we loved that the halls mirrored the look of the underground Metro stations. These arches were more magnificent, however, benefiting from illumination by natural light.

 Union Station

It wasn’t until we explored Union Station further that we discovered full-scale restaurants and cafes outside of the food court area, but that day, we were content with a fairly inexpensive meal. I’ve also never before encountered so many free samples outside of a farmers’ market or Costco – the fast food outlets were competing with each other, doing their best to capture the tourist vote. My choice of a basic plate of teriyaki chicken with rice and vegetables ($5.99) from Sakura Japan turned out to be surprisingly good, with a portion size that could have easily fed two people.

Teriyaki Chicken

We then shopped for a bit (well, when I say “we”, I mean I led, and Mack followed), where I found the perfect garment store for me – White House/Black Market, whose primary business is selling white and black clothes. I spent way too much money on a dress, but hey, the pockets and the fit were too good to pass up!

Vice-Vice President?

We had noted the National Air and Space Museum down as a potential time bridge to other Mall activities, and after Union Station, we had exactly half an hour to explore it before closing. We powered through it, and were only able to take a brief look at some of the incredible aircraft and space vehicles housed within. It is the Smithsonian’s most popular museum, and even with our concise visit, we were able to see why – the germ and power of discovery is inherent, and it doesn’t hurt that the museum holds an IMAX theatre, and some of the most visually astounding displays we had seen yet.

National Air and Space Museum

This section was closed, as staff were setting up for a private function – how cool would that be?!

We had broken our “one museum per day” rule, and paid the price. We took a break on one of the many benches along the Mall, and thought seriously about not partaking in the walking tour we had planned on joining. We both knew, however, that guided tours by locals provided some of the best insights into the city, and so we picked ourselves up and somehow managed to get to the site of the DC By Foot on time.

DC by Foot

The tours are led by eager volunteers and are free of charge, but tipping is encouraged. Our tour guide was a retired teacher who, based on his demeanour, really missed teaching. He was a little overenthusiastic in the beginning, but thankfully, mellowed out by the end, and was a great source of enlightening and humorous information.

On the tour (one of Mack’s favourite pictures captured on the trip)

The two hour tour led us to the monuments and memorials we had already seen and photographed on our second day, but was one of my highlights of the entire trip, as it furthered my appreciation for the city, and provided a lot of helpful context. I highly recommend taking the tour, preferably near the beginning of your visit to DC.

Washington Memorial at dusk

At the Lincoln Memorial (thank goodness for sneakers…)

We ended the tour at the Lincoln Memorial, and decided to wait out the darkness to see the Washington Monument and Lincoln and the Korean War Veterans Memorials in their full night glory. The latter was particularly haunting, with the semi-lit gaze of one soldier always aimed at the viewer.

Washington Monument and Capitol at night

Lincoln Memorial at night (loved how he was illuminated)

Lincoln Memorial

Lincoln up close

In dire need of dinner, we asked the tour guide for a restaurant recommendation. He took one look at our “youthful” selves said we should head to Georgetown, site of “hip” establishments, and said the walk was about 1 mile. We believed him, and set out for Georgetown. Though we may or may not have taken a wrong turn, when we realized the distance between us and the twinkling lights of the “hip” waterfront eateries was much further than we were prepared to go, we knew limping to the Safeway in the Watergate complex would be the more realistic option for food.

Along the water

Sandwich and Stouffer’s FTW!

Absolutely exhausted, we retired early to gear up for our last full day in DC.

You can read Mack’s Day 4 recap here.

July in Edmonton is for Fireworks!

  • There is so much to do on Canada Day, starting with family-friendly activities including a pancake breakfast at the Alberta Legislature, and many other activities, including the Great Divide Waterfall at the High Level Bridge, and of course, fireworks – see them all at this City of Edmonton list.
  • Help the Telus World of Science celebrate their 25th Anniversary on July 1, where they revert back to the price of admission charged in 1984.
  • The Silly Summer Parade kicks off a summer of flurry in Old Strathcona on July 1.
  • The Winspear Centre is hosting a free multicultural concert at 3pm on July 1.
  • The Freewill Shakespeare Festival continues for nearly the entire month, ending July 26. Titus Andronicus and Comedy of Errors are featured this year.
  • The Edmonton International Street Performers Festival picks up where The Works leaves off from July 3-12 in Churchill Square. Bring lots of change!
  • Breezy, lighthearted musicals are the focus of the Edmonton Film Society’s series for the summer. Check out movies on Monday nights at the Royal Alberta Museum for just $5, such as Carmen Jones on July 6.
  • The Whyte Avenue Art Walk on July 10-12 will feature over 230 artists in an “outdoor studio”. The Whyte Avenue Street Fair and Fashion Show will see two streets closed to traffic on July 12 from noon-5pm – I checked out the event last year.
  • The Sourdough River Festival is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Help them commemorate the occasion on July 11-12 at Terwillegar Park.
  • I attended Edmonton Countryside’s Taste! of Summer last year and was absolutely blown away – it takes place on July 12 this year, also at the St. Albert Grain Elevator Park.
  • The Devonian Botanic Garden is hosting their first ever Green Festival at the Garden on July 20, with business on hand to answer questions and offer informative sessions on “green” techniques.
  • Edmonton’s excuse for carnival excess, Capital Ex, is back for tween and teenage delight on July 17-26.
  • Churchill Square will once again host Taste of Edmonton on July 17-26. 40 restaurants are participating this year.
  • Mack’s Mom hates the “vroom-vroom”, but if you do, check out the Rexall Edmonton Indy, July 24-26.
  • Celebrate our city’s heritage at the Edmonton and Northern Alberta Historic Festival, which runs July 24-August 2. Tons of activities, including guided tours and special museum activities.
  • Movies on the Square is back the August long weekend, with a screening on July 31.

Announcing the Wild Boar and Beer Scavenger Hunt Winner!

Congratulations to Maria Iacobelli, who earned 210 out of a possible 300 points in Slow Food Edmonton’s first ever Wild Boar and Beer Scavenger Hunt! Maria and a guest will be treated to wild boar and a host of other local, seasonal dishes on July 12 at Alley Kat Brewery.

I am glad Maria looked like she had a blast taking the photos – I encourage you to patronize the local businesses and producers featured in the scavenger hunt. Here are a few of her photos:

Maria with a pot in front of Call the Kettle Black

Maria with Chicken for Lunch’s Amy Quon and Hot and Dry Chicken

Maria eating a Fat Frank

Maria with a host of bell peppers at the City Centre Market

Maria with Mary Ellen Gruenberg from Greens Eggs and Ham and a Slow Food membership application

See some of Maria’s other photos at the Slow Food Edmonton website. See you at Beer and Boar, Maria!

Food Notes for June 29, 2009

  • Connect2Edmonton asked me to write a guest column about food. I came up with a piece about an Edmonton “dining passport”. Thanks for the opportunity, C2E!
  • Liane posted on her blog that Bistro Praha, which was heavily damaged in the Ramsay Building fire, will be relocating to Tower II of the Icon Tower.
  • From Chris’s blog – there’s a new cupcake store that opened on June 27: Cake Couture (15008 87 Avenue, 780-709-1682). While I’m sure Edmonton can support the growing number of cupcake boutiques, one has to wonder why no one has situated a bakery in downtown Edmonton, where office workers may wander in for an afternoon pick-me-up, and custom orders would presumably be in high demand.
  • The Culina Family of restaurants finally launched their new website, complete with a rebranding of Passa Tempo, which is now BiBO. The site has the option for each restaurant to have a blog, but we will see if if the promise for content holds true.
  • The Taste of Edmonton, which runs July 17-26, have released their menus. It’s nice to see some new restaurants participating (Padmanadi, The Hat), but given other great sample events that are more economical and serve higher quality food, I have to seriously think about spending my dollar at Churchill.
  • Michael Pollan was at UBC last week speaking at a fundraising event to help protect the UBC farmland from residence expansion. The event was followed up by a tasting featuring local produce and ingredients.
  • Via the blog Eat. Drink. Better., a link to the recent bylaw passed in Toronto that will require buildings of a certain size to have either a green or a cool roof. So progressive – who knew I’d be applauding Toronto?
  • When I interviewed Rob Feenie back in February, I asked him about the possibility of sourcing local ingredients. He said it might be possible, working with a local producer. Well, Chipotle, a popular Mexican chain based in the U.S., is doing it on a large scale, and has made a commitment to purchase at least 25% of one ingredient from small or mid-size farms within 200 miles of their 760 stores in the country. I didn’t think such a shift would be logistically possible – bravo to them for making the effort.
  • Mack sent me an article from the Boston Globe about the proliferation of restaurants using Twitter as a vehicle for publicity and interaction with customers. C’mon, Edmonton restaurants – jump on the bandwagon!
  • I had seen a sandwich board advertising a new “Indian fusion” restaurant – I didn’t know that the name of the restaurant was actually Indian Fusion (10322 111 Street, 780-752-5500).

 

Indian Fusion: The Curry House

  • My family received our order of 1/4 of a cow this past week, which worked out to 183lbs. We immediately dug into our steak stash – when Mack took his first bite, he commented, “it tastes organic,” haha. I don’t think my palate can make that distinction, but it was pretty darn good steak.

 

Mack’s steak and potato

  • My coworkers surprised me with a giant cupcake from Flirt last week to help me celebrate my birthday! I suspected nothing, even when one of my coworkers asked several questions relating to cupcake boutiques in the city. I am happy to report that it was delicious – the icing wasn’t overly sweet, and several coworkers commented that the cake had a nice texture. Thanks, guys!

 

The first super-sized cupcake Flirt has ever made

Destination Dining: Culina Highlands

Two years ago I celebrated my birthday at Bacon. And while it wasn’t exactly déjà vu, my choice of Culina Highlands this year did naturally allow for some reminiscence.

I have been meaning to make it to Culina Highlands since interviewing proprietor Cindy Lazarenko back in October soon after it opened. Unfortunately, the location isn’t terribly conducive to my usual principle of geographic dining – eating near the site of where I am, or where I have to be. I made an exception this time, and asked a few girlfriends to join me for dinner on a Friday night.

I had made a reservation over the phone (I found out only after that Culina subscribes to Open Table), and received an e-mail reminder of our date two days prior – a good use of technology in my book. When May and I arrived at 6, we were promptly seated at a table in the half-full restaurant.

Though some things had been shifted since my last visit, the space was still impossibly tiny. Our table, situated in the centre of the space, was flush against a wall, while our chairs were nearly touching the party seated behind us – the nimble servers should be commended for being able to navigate the tiny passageway in between. Lack of elbow room aside, I do like the intimacy a small room creates, heightened in Culina by the graphics of Ian Craig, funky light fixtures, and rich wall colours. I also love the bright blue bookshelf by the open kitchen, which were showcasing Jam Lady spreads and Kerstin’s Chocolates’ Chocophilia.

Interior (shot taken in November 2008 – furniture has shifted since then)

Due to a time mix-up, Annie and Janice didn’t arrive until 6:30. The servers were really patient with our table until our entire party arrived, but once we had all been settled with menus, they did let a little too much time pass before inquiring about our order.

I had heard so many good things about the Kalyna Platter ($20) that I couldn’t pass it up; Annie agreed with me. May and Janice decided on that night’s special – PEI mussels in a Thai curry sauce ($20). Setting up too much food for myself, I added the day’s soup ($7) – mushroom with duxelle – as an appetizer.

My soup arrived promptly, with a beautiful floating crostini and garnish. The crunchy, savoury bite was actually my favourite part of the dish, though the soup itself was as soothing as I was hoping for. The soup had a nice base with a kick from something I wasn’t able to identify.

Mushroom Soup with Duxelle

The Kalyna platter contained a deceiving amount of food: two Kubassa halves (pan-fried to a crispy ideal), an assemblage of lazy cabbage rolls (the rice had an aromatic, robust flavour), and four perogies (I am slowly realizing that I can’t distinguish between good and great perogies). Both May and Janice liked their mussel dish (and the toasted baguettes that easily soaked up the broth). I should note that all dishes were plated with care – presentation seemed to be a kitchen mainstay.

Kalyna Platter

PEI Mussels in a Thai Curry Sauce

When we received our bill, we made a double take at the yellow cut-out placed underneath the bowl of mints. Annie realized it was a sheet meant to be burned at altars honoring those that have passed, and not, as she put it, “a Chinese doily.” Though we weren’t offended at their mistaken use of the papers, we thought it best to inform the staff. They said that they would alert management.

“This is not a Chinese doily.”

I was also able to make use of the Original Fare VIP card I picked up a few weeks ago – I applied at their booth at the City Centre Farmer’s Market, and will be getting a gift certificate for 2% back from my Original Fare expenditures at the end of the year. A pretty good deal if you ask me!

We had an enjoyable time at Culina Highlands (though it would be hard not to when the base of our experience was good conversation), and we didn’t encounter anything that would prevent a repeat visit. My only wish is still for nearby attractions – for all the charm in the neighbourhood’s quiet streets, there still isn’t enough of a draw for me to make an exclusive trip for a stand alone meal.

Culina Highlands
6509 112 Avenue
(780) 477-2422
Lunch: Tuesday-Friday, 11am-2pm; Dinner: Tuesday-Saturday 5-10pm; Brunch: Saturday & Sunday 10am-2pm

Edmonton Foodie Meetup 2: Recap

Environment Canada had pegged the chance of rain at 40% for tonight, so I was crossing my fingers looking up at the sky, which had been oscillating dangerously between overcast and sunny all day. While the rain held out for our second Edmonton Foodie Meetup, it was definitely more brisk than it should have been for an outdoor picnic – we were all chilled to the bone by the end of the night.

Local foodies

In spite of the weather, a dozen people showed up for the planned potluck, and as Kevin predicted, the mix of food was perfect: Chris brought several of his trademark loaves of bread; Hanne and Carlo provided two salads; Kevin, Maki, Grace and Brooke made savoury dishes; and Courtney, Béné, Chris and I supplied desserts. (Unfortunately, we didn’t get a good photo of Grace’s chicken curry dish.)

Chris’s loaves of bread

Hanne and Carlo’s Smoked Paprika Potato Salad

Hanne and Carlo’s Green (from their garden) Salad

Maki’s Black Bean Crostini

Kevin’s Calf Moose

Brooke’s Meatballs

Courtney’s Peanut Butter and Butterscotch Marshmallow Squares

Béné and Chris’s Macarons

My (very run of the mill) Panna Cotta

It still amazes me how great the local food blogging/eating community is, though it shouldn’t surprise me – food brings people together.

Potluck mix

We all agreed that we would have a third meetup – watch for details on the wiki. Thanks everyone for a great night!

Great Broth: Pho Hoan Pasteur

In our quest to try all of the pho houses in Edmonton, Dickson introduced me to Pho Hoan Pasteur, a small restaurant located in a strip mall across the street from the aviation museum. Over our lunchtime stay, I was surprised at how busy it was on the random weekday – perhaps it wasn’t such a well kept secret as the location seemed to suggest.

The decor was nothing special, and really, with the checkered floor and red booths, the interior could be mistaken for a donair shop or a family-oriented Italian eatery.

Interior

We each ordered variants of our usual beef noodle soup: steak, fatty flank and crunchy (yes, I know it doesn’t make sense, but that’s how it reads on the menu) for Dickson, at $7.25 for a large bowl, and steak and meatballs for me, at $6.35 for a small bowl. We also decided to spring for the green onion cakes ($), and were told that they “take a long time to make” when we ordered them. As we only had an hour for lunch, we wondered what kind of setback the appetizer would bring.

Thankfully, the staff had the prudence to bring us the more timely-to-prepare pho first. The broth was easily some of the best I have ever had in Edmonton – clear and bursting with flavour, the stock had clearly been prepared with care. The meatballs were also notable – sometimes just a protein placeholder, these meatballs had actually been well-seasoned, and did not taste like they had been in the deep freeze for months.

Pho with Steak and Meatballs

Pho with Steak, Fatty Flank and Crunchy

The green onion cakes arrived, and though promising, were ultimately disappointing. Too greasy, and without many green onions to speak of, they weren’t worth the wait.

Green Onion Cakes

The only downside to Pho Hoan Pasteur is that it isn’t within walking distance of my office – there isn’t any way that I can get there without a vehicle within my narrow lunch parameters. Ah well, on to the next challenger!

Pho Hoan Pasteur
11443 Kingsway NW
(780) 761-1989

The Cooking Chronicles: Seared Pork Tenderloin with Cocoa-Spice Rub and Mushroom Risotto

Similar to our Mother’s Day dinner in May, I corralled my sisters into assisting with our Father’s Day dinner this past weekend by assigning them each a dish. Amanda helped out by making a salad, and Felicia cheated a little by providing a store-bought cake (albeit my Dad’s favourite – Black Forest).

For the main course I decided to make a Michael Chiarello recipe for a seared pork tenderloin with cocoa-spice rub. It seemed easy enough, as the majority of the work was simply creating the rub itself. Mack, my tireless sous chef, trimmed the tenderloin while I measured out the spice ingredients, and once the meat was in the oven, we were able to focus all of our attention on preparing the side.

I’d been a little afraid of attempting a risotto recipe, but Trish Magwood’s straightforward instructions in Dish Entertains calmed me somewhat. We didn’t make it to the market on Saturday, so ended up with mushroom instead of asparagus flavouring. The true secret (if there is one) really is to add the simmering stock in half-cup increments, allowing the rice to slowly absorb the liquid. The entire process us about 25 minutes (Mack, the official risotto stirrer, thinks it may have been longer), and resulted in plump and tender grains and a creaminess that could not be achieved in any other way. Of course, the finish with a generous amount of butter and parmesan couldn’t hurt either.

Mushroom Risotto

The fragrant rub turned out really well, and the pork was juicy and flavourful. My cold was frustrating my ability to taste the rub, but I was told it was quite good. The leftovers worked great as an addition to a pita sandwich!

Seared Pork Tenderloin with Cocoa-Spice Rub

It was a nice sit down meal with family – something we don’t take the time to do often enough.

Slow Food Edmonton’s Wild Boar and Beer Scavenger Hunt!

Slow Food Edmonton’s 4th annual Wild Boar and Beer is a celebration of local food and drink! It is a chance to sample Mayerthorpe’s Hog Wild products, as well as several local and regional side dishes. In addition, there will be beer tastings and tours of Edmonton’s award-winning microbrewery, Alley Kat.

When: Sunday, July 12, 2009 at 1-4pm
Where: Alley Kat Brewery, 9929 60 Avenue
Cost: $35 for Slow Food Edmonton members, $40 for non-members, $10 for children under 10

For your chance to win 2 tickets, on behalf of Slow Food Edmonton, I’ve put together a scavenger hunt of local producers, restaurants, and independent businesses. Your objective is to collect as many points as possible! From now until June 29, take photos of yourself posing with as many of the items below as you can. Some items on the list will earn you more points than others. Remember to ask permission before taking photos with individuals!

Upload your photos to a photo sharing site such as Flickr or Picasa, and send the link to boarandbeer@gmail.com by June 29. In the event of a tie, the name of a winner will be randomly selected. The winner will be announced on June 30.

Have fun with this – the scavenger hunt is meant to encourage exploration of some of the best Edmonton has to offer. Perhaps you will find a new favourite in the mix!

I would like to acknowledge the Amateur Gourmet, and their Great New York Foodie Scavenger Hunt as the inspiration for this challenge.

Good luck!

Take a picture of yourself…

  1. Holding a copy of City Palate (5pts.)
    next to Mary Bailey (an extra 10pts.)
  2. With 1lb. of Transcend Coffee (10pts.)
  3. Holding a bottle of Alley Kat beer (5pts.)
    dressed as a cat (an extra 20pts.)
  4. With a bar of Kerstin’s Chocolates’ Chocophilia (5pts.)
    next to Kerstin Roos or Curtis Jones (an extra 20pts.)
  5. Holding a package of Hog Wild Specialties (15pts.)
  6. In front of Cafe de Ville (5pts.)
  7. Posing with an “Eat Local First” flyer (5pts.)
    in front of Wild Earth Foods (an extra 5pts.)
  8. Holding any Greens Eggs and Ham product (5pts.)
    with Mary Ellen or Andres Gruenberg (an extra 10pts.)
  9. Eating a Fat Frank (5pts.)
  10. Holding as many bell peppers as you can at the City Centre Farmers’ Market (1pt. each, up to a maximum of 10)
  11. With a copy of the Edible Prairie Journal (10pts.)
  12. In front of Call the Kettle Black (5pts.)
    holding a pot (an extra 5pts.)
  13. With an Original Fare VIP card (10pts.)
  14. Eating a dish at the EATery at the ARTery (10pts.)
  15. With a bottle of en Sante Wine (5pts.)
  16. Holding an order of Amy Quon’s hot and dry chicken (5pts.)
    with Amy Quon (an extra 10pts.)
  17. Holding a Slow Food membership card (10pts.)
  18. With a copy of Company’s Coming (5pts.)
    next to Jean Paré (an extra 30pts.)
  19. Enjoying gelato at Leva (5pts.)
  20. With cheese curds from the Cheese Factory (5pts.)
  21. With a d’Lish to-go meal (5pts.)
  22. Holding asparagus from Edgar Farms (5pts.)
  23. With a product from Blue Kettle (5pts.)
  24. Lining up at the Italian Centre deli (5pts.)
  25. With a bottle of jam from The Jam Lady (5pts.)
    Holding A Jam Story print (an extra 20pts.)
  26. With Sylvan Star Cheese (5pts.)