Bar Henry Continues Daniel Costa’s Vision in Downtown Edmonton

Chef and restaurateur Daniel Costa’s latest business venture cements his commitment to downtown, while also furthering his vision to execute innovative concepts in Edmonton.

Bar Henry, located inside Henry Singer’s new flagship location in Ice District at 10220 103 Avenue NW, opened in early February. It is the fourth restaurant Costa has chosen to open downtown.

“It is definitely a conscious decision to stay downtown,” said Costa. “We’ve been offered deals in the suburbs. But we want to keep the city vibe going. That was the original vision when I opened Corso.”

Costa opened Corso 32 in 2010, then followed up its success with the adjacent Bar Bricco in 2014 and Uccellino in 2016. Last year, Bar Bricco was renovated to subsume the space occupied by Corso.

Bar Henry came about after Costa was approached by the Henry Singer Fashion Group about a potential partnership. “The Singers have a similar kind of mindset with their quality and approach,” said Costa. “The concept also really aligned with our aperitivo bar idea and we couldn’t say no. It gave us an opportunity to do something very niche, small, and interesting.” Aperitivo refers to a pre-dinner drink, intended to whet the appetite.

Within a month, the 30-seat space will add daytime hours to its current evening operations in order to round out the experience for shoppers. “Clients can go shopping and then have a quick coffee or a drink. It suits the Henry Singer crowd who are going in for a suit or a fitting,” said Costa.

The all-day licensed café is inspired by Costa’s travels. “It’s the best of all worlds,” said Costa. “You see those everywhere in Italy. When you say ‘Let’s go to the bar’, it’s not to drink. You go there to have coffee, a snack, or a cocktail on your way home. I think that’s a trend that’s come into North America more. What I love about it is you can really create this full community and culture from morning to night.”

Costa is most excited that his dream for a stand-up bar is finally being embraced. “I tried to do a stand-up bar at Uccellino and Bar Bricco, but it never caught on,” said Costa. “I wanted to try it here again and see if it could work. All of my colleagues are like, ‘Daniel, you’re the only person who will stand up at the bar.’ But it’s full on working! You go in there and there’s people piled around the bar ordering drinks directly from the bartender and snacking on these little southern Italian biscuits that we offer to people when they’re there.”

To pair with a drink menu encompassing cocktails, wine, and coffee, Bar Henry offers a small selection of dishes, ranging from olives and a whole roasted artichoke to panino and carpaccio. “You’re not coming in to get a big plate of food,” said Costa. “It’s meant to be smaller, snacky bites.”

Costa sees the menu as a natural extension of the food served at his other establishments. “We stick with the same kind of philosophy of food, but we’re venturing out of what a menu item could be,” said Costa. “For instance, there’s a dish called fungi – roasted and pickled mushrooms that you get on its own. We also have house-made chips with fennel pollen. They wouldn’t fit at the other restaurants. We’re exploring a new expression of the food that we love in a different concept.”

Costa is heartily recommends the gnocco. “The gnoccho valtellina is a singular dumpling made with semolina and a little bit of spelt flour,” said Costa. “We bake it until it gets nice and golden and caramelized and roast it with shaved brussels sprouts, walnuts, and butter. We put it on a base of taleggio crema, then top that with raw egg yolk and a nice pile of parmigiano; it’s really good.”

2024 will also see Costa open another new project. The Lobby Bar will occupy part of the ground floor of Citizen on Jasper, a new rental building located at 10110 120 Street NW in the Wîhkwêntôwin (formerly Oliver) neighbourhood, just west of downtown.

The developers behind Citizen, ONE Properties (the same company that manages the retail bays at Ice District), approached Costa about the opportunity. “It makes sense,” said Costa. “Developers want a vibrant space, they want operators who will hopefully perform. We are entering a new era of how restaurants are opening.”

Like Bar Henry, Costa proceeded only because it matched his vision, and he’s excited about operating a business in the densest part of Edmonton. The Lobby Bar is inspired by the first time Costa visited the Ace Hotel in New York, before he opened Corso. “It changed my perspective of what that concept could be,” said Costa. “I love that the hotels are not full of guests but full of other people. There’s an energy that you find in lobbies.”

The space will encompass three individual concepts: a restaurant, central lounge, and a daytime concept. “There will be people coming out of the restaurant, people congregating in the centre for a meeting listening to music…all of these different aspects coming together under one roof,” said Costa. “There’s nothing better when the elevator opens and the lobby is bustling.”

Despite a number of restaurants announcing their closure in recent months, Costa is still feeling bullish about the local restaurant scene. “I actually think when you do a very specific concept people will support it, but you need to make sure it’s special,” said Costa. “People will take a risk on a new concept but if it’s not great, they’re not going to go back.”

Finally, Costa believes that diners in the city are hungry for new ideas. “I think people in general underestimate Edmonton’s culture,” said Costa. “People are interested in these concepts that are fun and pushing away from the norm.“

Openings

• The folks behind Waffle Bird in Old Strathcona are opening up Dining Car Cafe in the CN Building downtown. Waffle Bird also just celebrated their second birthday, and will be operating a ghost kitchen serving sandwiches called Little Black Submarines.
• Home-based business YEG Dream Tarts will be transitioning to a brick and mortar storefront on Gateway Boulevard.
• St. Albert is home to The Celiac Baker, its first gluten-free bakery. It opened in January at 2003 Tudor Glen Place.
• Edmonton will see two Chick-fil-A restaurants open in the city later this year, one in West Edmonton Mall, and another in South Edmonton Common.

Upcoming Events

• Save the date for the return of Hot Chefs, Cool bEATS. It will take place on May 2 at the PriMed Mosaic Centre. Early bird tickets purchased by February 29 are $95 and include access to 15 food stations. Proceeds support the High School Culinary Challenge.

Local News

• King of Tarts will be selling their products at the Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market while their cafe undergoes continued renovations after a flood.
• Sharon posted about four cafes that offer coffee flights, including Aspen Coffee Roasters, Rhubarb Cafe & Cocktails, Boxcar Coffee, and Be Coffee.
• Edify checked out the burger at Von’s.
• Speaking of burgers, several restaurants in Edmonton are participating in Burger it Forward, including High Level Diner, Jack’s Burger Shack, and Three Vikings. For every feature burger purchased during the month of February, Canada Beef will donate the equivalent of 1 meal to Food Banks Canada.
• CTV has an update on the Station Park development, including a food hall, to open this spring.
• CBC Radio Active’s latest Strip Mall City series features businesses on Stony Plain Road, including CH Cafeteria.
• Simply Supper may be undergoing some changes to keep the business open: “We’re not throwing in the towel. Instead, we’re shifting gears, exploring new avenues, introducing fresh products, and reevaluating our offerings.”
• The owner of new business Pizza Talks & Donair has been donating 10 meals a week to those in need.
• It’s great to see Kim Fat’s hot pot products being carried at a couple of local Superstores.
• Retail Insider profiled Teresa Spinelli of The Italian Centre. She mentions in the interview about expanding to Saskatoon next.

What I Ate

• It’s been nice to have my sister in town! I had to bring her to Chicken for Lunch for the experience. We waited in line for 90 minutes last week; I can only imagine what the wait times will be this week before Amy closes for good on February 29.

With the rest of the Chicken for Lunch crowd

• Amanda picked up a box of Maverick’s Donuts for me – I’m a sucker for a good cake donut (I still mourn the brown butter cake donut Ace Coffee no longer makes). The texture of the treats was pretty good, and I liked the level of sweetness.

Maverick’s Donuts

• We also had dinner together at Co Chin Saigon. Their expansive menu accommodates many preferences, but I love me a good pho.

Pho from Co Chin Saigon

• Mack and I were also able to get away for a date at Bar Henry. Do yourself a favour and order the gnoccho.

Gnoccho from Bar Henry

“Best-of” Lists Give Food Businesses Something to Build On

Being listed as one of Edmonton’s best places to eat brings in customers, but converting that advantage into repeat traffic is the key, say some Edmonton-area eateries.

Edify (previously known as Avenue Edmonton) has been publishing its Best Restaurants list since 2012, and the Top 100 Best Things to Eat or Drink in Edmonton from The Tomato has been around since 2013.

“It’s part of the reputation-building part of the business,” said Jeff Nachtigall, co-owner of Sugared and Spiced, which was named one of Edify’s best bakeries in 2022 and saw its lemon tart reach 52nd on the Tomato’s Top 100 in 2023.

“Edmonton has lots of good bakeries that make good stuff. When people are making a decision, they have it in their head that we’re one of the top ones.”

When the bakery’s peanut butter marshmallow squares made the 2022 list, “sales went up about 12% to 15% over the year compared to the year before,” Nachtigall said.

Being featured on the cover of Edify as 2022’s Best New Restaurant was a boon for Tryst, a St. Albert wine bar that focuses on sharable small plates.

“In March, the floodgates opened,” said co-owner and chef Zach Eaton. “We had an immediate boost in our covers and sales. Our numbers for that month went way up, almost 50% more than the month before.”

Tryst had “pretty good reach in St. Albert,” but Edify helped bring people in from Edmonton, Eaton said. Though sales tapered off the following month, guests continued to refer to Edify into the summer, he added. “It was cool to be featured that year because some people were only starting to go back out after COVID,” he said. “We were the first place they’d been to in two years.”

Eaton recognized it was up to the Tryst team to ensure guests would return following that initial visit. “You have to capitalize on that surge and capture as many people as you can,” he said. “But we’re pretty decent at getting them to come back.”

Goldie Hazrah, proprietor of Monsoon Bistro & Bar, had a similar view. Monsoon’s Tandoori lamb dish placed second on The Tomato’s Top 100 list in 2022, but Hazrah knew it was the overall experience that would lead to repeat customers.

“The Tomato was a gift to us, it did bring quite a few people in,” said Hazrah. “But I always tell my staff — nobody comes for the food. You can go anywhere for food. You want them to feel welcomed because if you don’t give them that personal touch, there’s no point.”

Sugared and Spiced has seen a boost in business from local food lists. (Mack Male/Flickr)

The Tomato first mentioned Monsoon as a notable new restaurant in September 2021, and then again on the Top 100 list the following March. Hazrah observed an immediate change in her customer profile, which was primarily South Asian when the Indian restaurant opened in July 2021.

“After The Tomato write-up, it jumped to the non-Indian community right away, 50% Indian and 50% non-Indian,” said Hazrah. “I go to tables and ask them how they heard about us, and a majority of people said they read it in The Tomato and wanted to come try.”

Sugared and Spiced prominently displays plaques from both magazines on its bakery case. “The signs that they give us to put up in the shop are great for people who have just stumbled upon us,” Nachtigall said. “It gives them confidence when they walk in. Even if they haven’t heard of us, they’ve probably heard of Edify and The Tomato.”

Without the resources for a formal marketing budget, Nachtigall has embraced the opportunity to gain annual recognition for his store, which opened in 2017. “I have a reminder every January to share The Tomato’s nomination form with customers because we don’t want to miss being on the list,” said Nachtigall. “It doesn’t cost us anything, and there is a huge group of regulars that come every week that want to see their favourite item on the list.”

Eaton and Nachtigall both remarked that the validation from the lists may give customers that final push to try out their business. Tryst, for instance, has a link to its Edify honour on the home page of its website. “Someone might go and look at our menu on the website but are still undecided,” said Eaton. “But when they see that we won the best new restaurant in Edify, they’ll decide to check us out.”

Hazrah, who has more than a decade of restaurant experience, has herself relied on The Tomato for recommendations. “I always used to pick up a copy to find out about local stores,” she said. “I like to go to locally owned restaurants. I invested my money into a place and my focus and my heart is in the business. And people feel it. And I feel the same way when I go to local shops.”

Lists open doors and encourage regulars

Hazrah and Eaton noted that their magazine appearances garnered additional attention from fellow chefs and other media outlets. “It does open some doors,” said Eaton. “People reached out to me to do other things. Chefs wanted to collaborate, and a Top Chef recruiter called me.” Eaton has yet to decide if he will appear on the television program.

Lastly, all three people interviewed cited the compounding effect of regular customers, as they help by spreading the word or personally introducing their friends and family to the business.

“I find that older people like to bring their adult children. Even my kids — we take them to places that they will enjoy,” laughed Hazrah.

For Nachtigall, the support from loyal patrons is an emotional one.

“On Mother’s Day, I noticed that regulars were bringing their moms into the shop after having brunch in the neighbourhood, pointing out the best stuff to eat to the person they care about,” said Nachtigall, tearing up at the memory.

“How do you say to someone that a peanut butter square is important to you? But for the people who have a routine and buy a peanut butter square every week, it’s not just that it tastes good. There’s so much more to it. So when it comes to explaining the importance of a product at a bakery, it’s easier when there’s a list. It’s a summary point to help share with other people.”

Disclosure: I was a part of the judging panel for Edify’s Best Restaurants list in 2022.

Openings

• Marlo, serving up burritos and tacos, is the newest concept from the folks behind Pal’s, Pip, Meat, and The Next Act. It opened up last week in space formerly occupied by Pip (10403 83 Avenue).
• Lydia checked out Tasty House Noodle, which opened up at 11113 87 Avenue.

Upcoming Events

• The Alberta Avenue Business Improvement Area will be organizing 10 night markets in the neighbourhood, to run on Friday nights this summer. They will feature local vendors and food.

Local News

• Prestons, the restaurant inside downtown’s Coast Edmonton Plaza Hotel, has started offering Sunday brunch buffets from 11am-2pm, with made-to-order crepe and carvery stations, along with more than a dozen other items to choose from. It is priced at $35/person, and requires reservations.
• Edify checked out the food at Bianco and the newly-relocated May.
• Zwicksticks from Zwick’s Pretzels are now available at some Superstore locations in the city. They are also introducing two new flavours: chili black pepper and cinnamon sugar.
• Local writer Twyla Campbell’s forthcoming cookbook, co-authored with Dan Clapson, is available for pre-order. Prairie will be available in stores in August.
• The Kitchen, Edmonton Public Library’s community kitchen located in Stanley Milner, consistently fills up their cooking classes, both online and in-person.
• Pending regulatory approval in Alberta, businesses may be able to serve cannabis-infused drinks in the near future.

What I Ate

• It’s great to have these chilled Fawkes Coffee drinks in our fridge for a convenient pick-me-up. Of the two the latte is my favourite, but the floral notes of the lavender London fog are unique.

Fawkes Coffee

• We were invited to attend the Downtown Spark kick-off party last week, and were treated to some tacos from El Mero Mero (I enjoy their birria tacos). It’s great to see our neighbourhood Alex Decoteau Park so festive again – the event runs until June 4, so make sure to check out the art installations and activities before then!

El Mero Mero tacos at Decoteau Park

Edmonton Holiday Gift Book Brings Together Local Businesses

Over the course of the pandemic, many local businesses have come together to collaborate and cross-promote products. The Edmonton Holiday Gift Book is another such example, just in time for the holidays.

“The Edmonton Holiday Gift Book is an opportunity to support local on a broad scale. Bringing together ten Edmonton small businesses in one place, this book is for those who love local and want to expand their reach to support a handful of businesses at once.”

The book includes ten $20 gift cards from a variety of businesses, including retail shops, skincare brand, and an independent bookstore. The book also features four hospitality establishments: Fleisch, Kind Ice Cream, Sugared and Spiced, and Take Care Cafe.

The gift book is priced at $200 and will be available for pick-up beginning December 15, 2021 at Glass Bookshop (10243 106 Street).

COVID-19-related News

• Bridges Catering is offering people the opportunity to purchase $15 meals for ICU Workers until November 30, 2021.
• Hospitality businesses across the province, including A Cappella Catering, are seeing cancellations and a lower number of holiday party bookings.

Openings

• Moonga Sashimi is now open at #109B 10903 23 Avenue.
• Hibachi, also a sushi restaurant, is also open at 10430 61 Avenue.
• Monsoon Bistro & Bar is a new Indian restaurant that opened in September at 4485 Gateway Boulevard.
• Co Do Hue continues their expansion, having just opened their fourth location this month. It is located at 6960 76 Avenue.
• Just Juicy Burgers is a new ghost kitchen in Edmonton.
• Unite is now open at Kingsway Mall, a market space that also features vendors from Uproot Food Collective.
• So many home-based businesses have opened up during the pandemic, it’s hard to keep track! Kasey Ramen, who produces ramen kits, is another such business.
• Chain Auntie Anne’s Pretzels is now open at the Premium Outlets (#618, 1 Outlet Collection Way, Leduc).
• International chain Dickey’s Barbecue will be opening a location in southwest Edmonton.

Upcoming Events

• The Edmonton Chamber of Commerce is hosting Sample the City, featuring over three dozen participating restaurants, from November 12-26, 2021. Diners who partake in one of the featured items can enter to win prizes. Taproot has more details about the initiative.
• Brick & Mortar Festival, organized by Vignettes, will be bringing some restaurant pop-up concepts downtown. This includes Buongiorno, a breakfast cafe concept by Black Peal, Pasta Amore, and Da Capo, and in the evening, RGE RD Larder, a wine bar. The pop-ups will run from November 23-December 11, 2021.
• On December 12, 2021, Chef Table Living is hosting a Christmas Brunch Cocktail Tasting Party (their Wine & Tapas event is already sold out). Tickets are $79 for this in-person event.

Local News

• The Local Omnivore has rebranded as Gravy Burgers and Fries.
• District has re-opened, Thursday to Sundays from 8am-3pm.
• The Nook is one of the newest vendors at the Edmonton Downtown Farmers’ Market.
• Brew and Bloom now offers dinner service on Fridays and Saturdays.
• Phil’s Best Dish highlighted the fries at Links Woodfire Sausages in St. Albert.
• Edmontonians seem to be going crazy for advent calendars, with the Jacek and Italian Centre calendars selling out immediately. Linda has put together a list of other Edmonton made food-related calendars still available, including craft beer, tea, chocolate, and spice advents.
• Sawmill is celebrating 45 years in business this year.
• Edify highlights Carlo Raillo, the nationally-renowned pizza maker behind Italia Mia.
• Congratulations to the Top 40 Under 40 Class of 2021, which includes Future Fields’ Jalene Anderson-Baron, Mealshare Co-founder Jeremy Bryant, #yegfood supporter Linda Hoang, Sea Change Brewing’s Ian McIntosh, and The Nook owner Lynsae Moon.
• Yellowknife-based East African restaurant Savannah’s Family Restaurant will be relocating to Edmonton.
• Rogue Wave Coffee’s Ply Pasarj drank a lot of coffee in preparation for the World Brewers Cup. He ultimately placed fifth.
• Edmonton restaurant software start-up Truffle has grown over the last year.
• Jason Foster shares how some Alberta breweries are working towards greener operations.

What I Ate

• It was our third time in Sooke, BC but only the first time we found ourselves at Stoked Wood Fired Pizzeria. It’s a stone’s throw from French Beach, and their covered patio was a great way to enjoy the piping hot pie out of the rain. Emily was a fan, too!

Italian sausage pizza from Stoked

• It was also great to return to some of our favourite restaurants in the Sooke area (especially given they had to survive the pandemic). Chief among them is Shirley Delicious, the most charming and comforting breakfast nook we’ve had the pleasure to visit (many times!).

Breakfast burrito from Shirley Delicious

• And Wild Mountain, whose commitment to local is known far and wide – Mack’s seafood pizza was a great example of this.

Wild Mountain spread

• Back in Edmonton, we picked up take-out from Maria Restaurant and did not regret our decision! We tried the beef barbacoa tacos, chicken asada burrito, and flautas from the kids menu. Everything held up amazingly well, and the tacos were so filling I actually had enough for lunch and dinner! Service was super-friendly, and Emily also appreciated the colouring sheet and crayons provided by the staff. The menu is so large it will take us time to work through it, but we have no hesitations about doing so.

Take-out from Maria Restaurant

When Mack and I first shared with some people that we were expecting, the first question we were often asked was, “So when are you moving?” Our love for living Downtown is well documented, and though we knew raising a child in a very urban neighbourhood would come with some challenges, I couldn’t imagine trying to navigate being a new mother in a new-to-me area, too.

I also don’t drive, so it was doubly important to reside somewhere not only walkable, but with good access to public transportation. It’s easy to become isolated as a new parent, but I wanted to be able to continue my pre-baby lifestyle that did not depend on a vehicle. Although our household does own a car (which Mack drives when necessary), we want Emily to be familiar with a variety of transportation options.

Now, after almost a year and a half of seeing Downtown through child-tinted lenses, I wouldn’t have done it any other way. What follows are some of my reflections on our experience (so far!) in raising a baby in Downtown Edmonton.

Walkable Amenities

In those early weeks, I was lucky enough to have my parents around for a few hours every week to give me a bit of a reprieve during the day. The weather was pretty brutal in February after we brought Emily home, so I didn’t feel comfortable taking her out for walks just yet, but it was everything to be able to get some fresh air and to stretch my legs. And more than that, it was nice to feel like myself again during simple errands like visiting a drugstore or grabbing a coffee, sans baby. It was convenient to have a destination to visit on foot that wasn’t too far, but one where I could lose myself in the anonymity of white noise for a short while.

We’ve always relied on our proximity to the City Market to provide us with the foundation of our groceries, and this didn’t change after Emily. We continued to walk to City Hall in the winter (and pop out our front door in the summer) for our weekly shopping trips. Before Emily was born, I was afraid we wouldn’t have time to visit the market any more; I’ve since learned that you can make time for anything, especially those activities that you value. But it’s definitely easier to plan for it when it’s close by.

At the City Market on 104 Street

One of our more recent discoveries is that our Downtown Edmonton Community League membership (which happens to be free in 2018-19) provides us with access to a free weekly swim at the Don Wheaton YMCA. Being just a block away from our condo, this is a fantastic amenity that we will be putting to use year-round. The family change rooms are clean, spacious, and (bonus), even features a stall with a play yard.

Places for Children

I was very fortunate to discover several indoor amenities for small children within a short walking distance from our condo; the proximity meant I was much more likely to access them on a frequent basis.

The Enterprise Square branch of the Edmonton Public Library was a lifesaver for me. I didn’t really know how fantastic their programs were for babies and toddlers until I started attending them on a regular basis. Although the program space is temporary until the Stanley Milner Library renovations are completed in 2020, we didn’t mind the aesthetics. The staff are wonderful, and most create the welcoming atmosphere that encourages repeat visits (a special shoutout to Jenna, who always made the effort to greet Emily by name!). We were attending the Baby Laptime program twice a week religiously for the last six months of my maternity leave; the program and the parents we got to know are one of the things I miss most since returning to work. A side note – the Enterprise Square branch hosts Books2Buy sales every three months, with all proceeds going back to the library; we’ve filled Emily’s bookshelves predominantly with second hand books picked up at these sales.

Enterprise Square Library 

The Royal Alberta Museum opened up in October 2018. One of the additions in the new facility is a Children’s Gallery, which includes a dedicated area for kids 3 and under. The section is carpeted, with a padded half that doubles for Emily as some of the only “stairs” she encounters on a regular basis. And for $35 (kids under 6 are free), adults can purchase a Mammoth Pass that provides unlimited admission for a year! My only small quibble with the Gallery is that the adjacent dinosaur dig area contains little plastic pellets, which inevitably end up in the toddler section (and, given their size, are prime eating hazards for babies).

In the Children’s Gallery at the RAM

The Downtown Edmonton Community League (DECL) has also been offering an Urban Kids playgroup for a number of years. Volunteer-led by Downtown parents, the group gathers in the DECL space every Friday from 10am-12pm for snacks and crafts. While I didn’t start attending the group until towards the end of my leave, my Mom still takes Emily there from time to time to reconnect with the other kids she’s met.

Halloween with Urban Kids

Green Spaces

While I welcome the additional green spaces still in development for the core, I treaded some familiar paths on walks with Emily. McKay Avenue School provided a concise loop point when I didn’t want to venture too far, and the adjacent Dick Mather Park features some nicely shaded benches. The Legislature Grounds were further afoot, but Emily and I spent many afternoons there on a blanket people (or bird) watching.

Bird watching at the Legislature Grounds

Closest to home is Alex Decouteau Park, just a block away from our condo. Mack and I were first time community gardeners last summer, and I learned that I could actually enjoy tending to a plot. While Emily was a bit young to appreciate what we were growing at the time, this year, she’s relishing the freedom of exploring the (thankfully fenced-in) yard, eating as many cherry tomatoes as she can fit into her mouth, and peering into the adjacent dog park!

At Alex Decouteau Park Community Garden

We did find that one of the downsides of our location is the distance to playgrounds. By foot, the closest playgrounds are located at Grandin or Oliver Schools, about twenty minutes away. As a result, we are thrilled with the new playground installed in Dick Mather Park! It’s not as elaborate as some school-based set-ups, but for now, it’s a fun amenity for Emily to explore.

Playground at Dick Mather Park

Arts and Cultural Activities

There were a few months where Emily would voice her displeasure when in the confines of the car seat. As such, there was a period when we limited our vehicle trips to non-negotiable errands.

Swing dancing at City Hall

Because we are so fortunate to live in a neighbourhood rich with festivals and events, it was always easy just to walk out the door for something fun to do. We also found that because the barriers of distance and ease of access were removed, we were more likely to keep our annual traditions alive, just now with Emily in tow.

At the Grey Cup/Santa Claus Parade

Public Transportation

While I tended to remain within a radius measured in walking distance of twenty minutes one way, there were times I had to step outside that bubble. On those days, I relied on our public transportation system to do so. The majority of trips were pretty seamless (Emily’s pediatrician, for instance, is just a 10-minute bus ride away), but there were some instances when my frustration level mounted. Sometimes this was because of minor inconveniences (recognizing that I am able bodied and on most occasions had some flexibility with my time), but mostly because it would be easier to be a strong advocate for ETS in a car-oriented city if the system were more reliable.

Taking Emily on transit in those early days would always involve the stroller, primarily because I had a tendency to overpack and needed cargo space. As a result, taking busy routes during rush hour required some patience; no longer could I pack onto an already full bus and hang on. I did have buses pass me by because they just couldn’t accommodate a stroller with all of the passengers already on board.

I also had to become very familiar with the locations of LRT elevators. Their cleanliness, particularly downtown, was questionable, but that was secondary to whether or not they functioned. I count myself lucky to have not experienced an unexpected outage when out and about on my own with Emily, but a couple of times out with Mack, we encountered elevators out of order. We were able to handle it because there were two of us, but it again factors against the dependability of the system for those with accessibility concerns.

Yay, a working ETS elevator!

Stroller Access

One of the reasons we love living Downtown is the architectural variety, including the historical buildings in and around our street. That said, I learned first hand that many of these buildings don’t have provisions for strollers (or wheelchairs for that matter). Many independent shops and restaurants that I frequented before baby, located in buildings like the Mercer Warehouse or Beatty Lofts, required that I plan ahead to use a baby carrier so I could easily traverse the stairs when solo. Obviously protecting the historical integrity of these buildings is important, as is ensuring the small businesses can thrive, but it was a reality that I was only forced to reflect on after relying on a stroller for the first time.

On a related note, construction detours were another constant headache. I am supportive of the infrastructure improvements that are being made, but the frequent pedestrian detours over the past year have been a nuisance to say the least.

Future Improvements

One of the biggest potential deterrents for us to stay Downtown for the long term is the lack of an elementary school within close walking distance. Some might consider it a privilege, but we’d really like Emily to be able to walk to school. Although it’s not impossible with Oliver and Grandin Schools (a twenty minute walk for adults), something within the Downtown boundary would further show how serious officials are about making the core welcoming to young families.

Oliver School

So while some changes could be made to further improve Downtown as a welcoming place for young families, in our experience, it’s been pretty great. We hope more parents and parents-to-be consider the core as a viable neighbourhood in which to raise their children.

I’ll be writing a separate post about dining out close to home with a small child!

Happy Lunar New Year to those of you who celebrate! I had a lovely weekend full of family festivities – though it’s hard to believe the first month of the year has already passed us by. On to this week’s food notes:

• La Mision is back with its first pop-up of 2017 at The Chvrch of John on January 31, 2017 from 5-7pm.
• The next event in the Dining with Friends series will be a Buddhist feast hosted at Padmanadi on February 9, 2017. The family-style meal will include nine dishes for $43 per ticket.
• Mark your calendars: the 14th annual Downtown Dining Week will take place March 10-19, 2017. Menus will be up by February 15, 2017.
• Avenue Edmonton is getting ready to celebrate their annual “best restaurants” issue – tickets for the launch on March 13, 2017 are now on sale for $44 each.
• Thanks to Jenn for the heads up – Tokiwa Ramen is coming to the Brewery District this spring at 11978 104 Avenue.
• Avila Arepa, an “urban Venezuelan kitchen,” is also forthcoming in Old Strathcona – 10760 82 Avenue.
• Blink and you’d walk right by it – Bundok in Fox One is now open at 10218 104 Street.
• Just down the street – Baijiu, the new Asian-inspired cocktail bar (and sister restaurant to North 53) opens on February 1, 2017.
• The folks behind El Cortez are expanding their Old Strathcona empire to include a third restaurant inside the same historic building this summer.
• Chef Nathin Bye has put his stamp on the menu at the restaurant inside Crash Hotel (the former Grand Hotel).
• Cindy is among the first to review new Old Strathcona restaurant Pho Boy, and its somewhat modern take on Vietnamese cuisine.
• The Journal enjoyed brunch at the Riverside Golf Course, as prepared by Dogwood Cafe (who also runs the brunch program at the Victoria Golf Course).
• Twyla shares her experience at a recent Scandanavian-inspired pop-up at Clementine, called Kos.
• Congratulations to Chef Levi Biddlecombe, who will be at the helm of Packrat Louie.
• Why did Chef Andrew Cowan of Northern Chicken gravitate towards fried chicken? It’s all about family.
• Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Jacek’s spring collection (romantically named the Galaxy Collection) is now available.
• It’s never too early to start thinking about the summer – shares of Riverbend Garden’s community supported agriculture are now on sale!
• Ian from Winding Road Cheese reflects on his first year in business.
• Megan checked out the “Meet Your Farmers” event hosted by SPUD Edmonton over the weekend.
• Sleep in all you want: all-day breakfast at McDonald’s rolls out in Canada on February 21, 2017, followed quickly by A & W on February 27.
• We’ve been hankering for brunch at Meat for weeks, so we were happy to finally indulge over the weekend.

Breakfast sandwich and beef brisket benny from Meat

Now that the City Market is back outdoors on the 104 Street Promenade, it finally feels like spring! I ended up missing my window to post about opening day last Saturday, so I thought I’d just combine the first two weeks in one post.

Opening day

The weather was very cooperative last week, gloriously sunny skies providing the perfect welcome to vendors setting up shop on the street.

Last week

Today was quite the opposite: overcast, windy, and eventually, rain. 

This week

Due to the the Fox Towers construction, the market has been required to make some adjustments to their layout. Change is not always well-received, so I was eager to see how its new “T-shaped” configuration along 102 Avenue would look.

102 Avenue

It turns out, the shift was better than I anticipated. The aisles were spacious and easier to navigate (the Avenue seemed wider than the Street), and the vendors we spoke with were happy with their new placements. Erdmann’s and Sunshine Organic anchor the 102 Avenue drag, which will hopefully encourage shoppers to tour both ends.

Wide aisles

My only suggestion has to do with seating. Although it wasn’t an issue today because of the blustery conditions, it was quite obvious last week that the market could do with more tables and chairs. With musical buskers attracting crowds, and multiple prepared food vendors surrounding the market “plaza”, places to rest and linger were in short supply. I recognize this isn’t an easy problem to solve, with the challenge of on-site storage, but hopefully it is something that can be looked into.

Plaza

In terms of vendors, it was great to see all of our favourites again, including Sundog Organic, Riverbend Gardens and Edgar Farms. But it was nice to see some new faces at the City Market as well, such as Heritage Baked Goods and their unique doughnuts. Without question, we ended up filling our shopping basket much too full – call it the spring reflex, where anything remotely green results in an impulse buy.

 

Asparagus from Edgar Farms

Rhubarb from Sundog Organic

Spinach from Sundog Organic

Onions from Sundog Organic

Spring onions from Sundog Organic

Microgreens from Sundog Organic

Tomatoes from Gull Valley Greenhouses

Cabbage from Riverbend Gardens

Herbs from Riverbend Gardens

Flowers from South Cooking Lake Greenhouses

It’s wonderful to have the market back on our doorstep. See you there next week!

On Sunday, Mack and I joined a few hundred other volunteers at the Shaw Conference Centre for Homeless Connect 4. Coordinated by Homeward Trust, Homeless Connect is a biannual event providing a “one-stop shop” of services for those without a permanent home – everything from foot care to employment assistance to haircuts.

Ready to rock

Many of the service providers from previous events were present, though a big gap (unfortunately because of the Mother’s Day clash) was dental services. New this time around were artistic touches, including a vibrant art display from iPulse, and a volunteer pianist, who helped lighten the ambiance among the sounds of busy chatter in the hall.

Art display

Pianist

As this was our third time out (and my third in the capacity of a registration volunteer), we knew what to expect – the non-stop flow of guests for the first two hours, then inconsistent waves throughout the rest of the day. And though I’ve remained in the same role each time, I have to say I still enjoy it, and find it immensely rewarding.

The few minutes of sitting down with a guest, getting a mere snapshot of their situation, always reminds me of how fortunate I am to have a roof over my head. And with those guests who seem willing to share their story, I know I’m always torn between prolonging the interview for my own selfish desire to know more about their reality and getting them through the process so they can start accessing the services they need.

Registration area

I’m happy to say that Homeward Trust also did a great job of streamlining the form this time, eliminating the long list of questions regarding awareness of different organizations that appeared in the previous version. Also, offering a sticker to those who preferred not to have their image captured by media was another great addition.

My registration space

At the end of the day, over 1250 guests came through the doors, more than the last Homeless Connect held in October. As Homeward Trust succeeds with achieving the targets in the Ten Year Plan to End Homelessness though, it is hoped that attendance numbers eventually start to decline (and with a great start, I am optimistic that this will happen).

Thanks again to Homeward Trust and Shaw for organizing such a valuable service to those less fortunate. I’ll be back again in October to help out.

You read my recaps of previous Homeless Connect events here and here.