Food Notes for January 27, 2014

Though it feels like we just finished celebrating the Christmas season, I’m ready for another festive occasion – Chinese New Year! Happy New Year to those who also recognize the holiday! Onto this week’s food notes:

Delicious Pho

Delicious Pho

  • I met up with Brittney and Linda for brunch at Urban Diner on the weekend. The poffertjes, as usual, were a tasty way to start, but I was a bit disappointed with the quiche, expecting a tart crust instead of puff pastry.

Urban Diner

Poffertjes

Urban Diner

Quiche

  • The City Market kicked off Lunar New Year celebrations early, with 5 Elements busking, to the delight of shoppers.

City Market

5 Elements @ the City Market

Canoe Festival 2014: The National Elevator Project Part 2

I was invited to be a part of the Canoe Festival’s team of bloggers this year, where in exchange for tickets to a show, I committed to writing a post about the production. This worked out particularly well since I was planning on taking in at least one show anyway!

The tagline of Workshop West’s annual Canoe Festival is “theatre that rocks the boat”. The performances range from the use of multi-disciplinary art forms to unconventional spaces, each show pushing the boundaries of what audiences expect of theatre.

Back in October, Mack and I attended the inaugural National Elevator Project. Eight plays had been commissioned by writers from across the country with the specific intention of being performed in an elevator. Five to eight minutes in length, the plays were brief, situational encounters – eavesdropping mid-conversation, stumbling upon the climax of a long-simmering conflict, or, in some cases, becoming a part of the story ourselves. For such short plays, I didn’t anticipate the intensity that many of the scenes conveyed.

Part of the experience also involved trekking from one building to another, and in the process, seeing a different side of downtown Edmonton. Towers virtually empty at night, I loved that this show repurposed elevators into stages, and encouraged foot traffic in areas that would have otherwise been empty. It’s no secret that I’m passionate about the possibilities of underutilized spaces, and the National Elevator Project is a wonderful example of what can come from ingenuity.

Without a formal stage boundary, some of the plays also included elements of audience involvement. In one, we were vetted by an off-site man via FaceTime and in another, poked and prodded as nameless bodies. To cap off the night, we were invited to drink a “shot” and conga-line with our fellow passengers back into the elevator. The interaction was at times unnerving, but made for very intimate scenes.

Although we had been able to take in all eight plays within the two hour window, it had been a tight program; we literally sprinted and just made the final show. As a result, the National Elevator Project Part 2, part of the Canoe Festival, retooled the format, splitting eight shows between two cycles. Mack and I watched both over the weekend.

It’s challenging to write about these brief plays without giving anything away – they are really best experienced firsthand as the unexpected vignettes that they are. That said, I can say that I was transfixed by the raw, emotional confrontation in Brad Fraser’s First Father, and appreciated the Maritime/Alberta context in which Dear Mr. Keith was written. Ben Gorodetsky’s dual roles also stood out, first as an understated candidate in The Program, and then as a spirited guide of worldly consequences in #Abandonhope. While I can’t say I connected to every piece I watched, this format provides so much variety that every audience member will encounter something that appeals to them.

The Program

A scene from The Program

The byproduct of a more relaxed pace was that we were able to take the time to chat with others attending the shows, instead of dashing off to the next venue. Catching up with people at various points, checking in with their thoughts about what they had seen, was an accidental but welcome element of the new format.

The National Elevator Project Part 2 runs until Sunday, February 2, 2014. I’d encourage you to check it out while you still can! You can buy tickets here.

Sharon Yeo is a food enthusiast who has been blogging for seven years at onlyhereforthefood.ca. In 2011, Sharon was named one of Western Living Magazine’s “Top 40 Foodies Under 40”, recognizing the impact of her blog. Sharon is also an active member of Edmonton’s food community, co-founding What the Truck?!, Edmonton’s food truck extravaganza, Blink, a series of pop-up events highlighting the potential of the downtown core, and Eat Alberta, an annual food conference that has brought chefs, farmers and foodies together since 2011.

Museum After Dark: Fun at the Royal Alberta Museum

It’s been great to see local cultural and learning institutions reach out and engage the “next gen” community, reminding us of their relevance beyond serving tourists and school groups. The Art Gallery of Alberta’s popular Refinery series is probably the best Edmonton example, though the Calgary  Spark Centre’s adult-only themed nights have also been immensely successful. The Royal Alberta Museum has now joined this list with their Museum After Dark series, organized by the Friends of the Royal Alberta Museum Society (FRAMS), which launched last night.

Museum After Dark

Museum After Dark

Combining a cocktail party with an opportunity to learn more about the museum currently under construction, doors opened at 6:30. Mack and I arrived at 7:15pm, not knowing that the official program had already started at 7pm. As a result, along with several others, we missed the beginning of the presentation about the new site (for future events, organizers will be publishing program details in advance, so this won’t be a continuing issue). Neither of us knew much about the design of the new building, so we were heartened to see that elements of the current building and of the former post office are being preserved and will be showcased in the design. As well, from the photos shown, it looks like the majority of the exterior will be constructed of glass, as a better way to visually interact (and not wall itself off) with its neighbours, including Chinatown directly north of the facility. They expect the new building to open in 2017.

After the presentation, guests were invited to mix and mingle over drinks and food by Mercer’s Catering. We just had dinner prior to the event, so we didn’t end up sampling much, but I was surprised at the quantity of the spread. From a custom salad station to stir-fry served over rice in Chinese food boxes and mini grilled cheese sandwiches, organizers spared no expense to make sure attendees were well-fed, especially considering ticket prices were just $15.

Museum After Dark

Gorgeous shrimp cocktails with citrus pipettes

DJ Junior Brown provided the musical backdrop in the theatre lobby, though with 250 tickets sold, for space considerations, it was great that we were also able to explore the first floor of the museum as well.

Museum After Dark

I had too much fun in the gift shop

To encourage this, FRAMS had put together a variety of bingo cards, to be filled in by answering questions related to the ground floor exhibits. The prizes were nothing to sneeze at either, and included an iPad mini and a behind-the-scenes tour of the current and new museums. While we weren’t feeling motivated to compete, given the frenzy around us, there was no question many people were there to win. In the end, we were happy to see Brittney and Scott take home the grand prize – I’m looking forward to seeing photos of their private tour!

Museum After Dark

Our sad attempt at Museum Bingo

We were a bit disappointed that only part of the museum was open to us (Mack had been looking forward to the Bug Room on the second floor), but I understand it was an issue of volunteer/staff resources – hopefully if the event expands, this can be looked at in the future. That said, it was great to finally explore the Chop Suey on the Prairies exhibit.

Museum After Dark

Chop Suey on the Prairies

The exhibit provided a good introduction to Chinese immigration and the challenges early immigrants faced in their new communities. I liked the integration of videos amongst the artifacts and placards, though I have to say, with mouth-watering projections of several Chinese dishes, it’s a shame there isn’t a restaurant take-out window opposite the exhibit to immediately satisfy the cravings that resulted.

Museum After Dark

Good enough to eat!

Kudos to the organizers for a successful first Museum After Dark! Stay tuned for the next event to be announced on the FRAMS website, likely to take place in May 2014.

Location, Location, Location: State & Main

When it was announced that State & Main was moving into Southgate Centre, I was excited. Not necessarily for the chain itself, but for the fact that the transit hub was in dire need of more sit-down restaurants within walking proximity of the station (I will say that the addition of The Glass Monkey in Lendrum is a recent bonus, though the hike up the busy 111 Street isn’t necessarily pleasant).

With Amanda working later in the evening at the mall on Sunday, it was most convenient for Felicia and I to meet up with her at State & Main so she didn’t have to travel far after her shift.

The restaurant, a part of the Original Joe’s group, angles itself to be the more polished older brother of the family. The fixtures are nicer, the lighting is a little more sexy, and the bar is much more reminiscent of a casual date night than a post-hockey pint. As it happened, the NFL Conference final was streaming on the screens, but most of our fellow diners only seemed to glance up at the TVs in passing.

Oddly enough, I really thought their menu would match the upper-scale aesthetics of the place. Instead, it is virtually identical to its Original Joe’s counterpart. A few dishes differ – a Greek-inspired flatbread at State & Main as opposed to an Indian-inspired flatbread at Original Joe’s, for example – but that’s it. I haven’t been to OJ’s in some time, otherwise, I’d be keen to compare pricing.

At any rate, after we were seated in the half-full lounge, water deposited at the table, we didn’t see our server for a good ten minutes. We were still waiting for Amanda to join us, but neither Felicia or I had eaten lunch that day, and were hoping to snack on an appetizer before our main meal. The server eventually made her way back to our table, and thankfully, both the bar and the kitchen made up for her long pause with haste.

State & Main

Pink lemonade

The mama’s meatballs ($13) was essentially a deconstructed pizza sub, topped with a generous sprinkling of mozzarella. It definitely hit the spot, alongside the toasted garlic bread.

State & Main

Mama’s meatballs

I prefer my roast beef on the medium rare side, so the French dip ($14.50) that arrived, with meat well-done and dry, wasn’t my favourite. That said, it would have been immensely easier to eat had it been sliced in half. Like Original Joe’s, State & Main also offers the choice of two sides with most entrees. Unfortunately, only one of them was worth selecting. The honey slaw was fine, but the sweet potato fries were a disappointment, not altogether under-fried but barely crispy.

State & Main

French dip with honey slaw and sweet potato fries

At some point, a different server started working our section, so we ended the evening with better service than we started with. But I’m not sure that made up for my sub-par experience overall. I’d be willing to give State & Main a second chance, but with much lower expectations on the next round.

State & Main
850, 5015 111 Street (Southgate Centre)
(587) 524-3251
Monday-Friday 11am-2am, Saturday-Sunday 10am-2am

Food Notes for January 20, 2014

  • Fork Fest has released their menus. I’ll be checking out the Manor Café next week!
  • Hot Chefs, Cool bEATS is back this year, taking place at the Shaw Conference Centre on March 29, 2014. Tickets are $125 and all inclusive of wine and drinks. Mack and I went in 2012, and enjoyed everything from the indoor street party to the displays, and of course, the food.
  • Save the date: Eat Alberta will be taking place on April 26, 2014. The line-up of workshops is already shaping up to be one of our best ever. I can’t wait to share more details soon.
  • After two seasonal pop-ups, Knifewear has announced that it is staying put!
  • Hoang Long is expanding again – another downtown location is joining La Prep in the First & Jasper Building.
  • Liv reviews The Phork, which has taken up residence in Grandin.
  • Andrea posted about her great experience at 97 Hot Pot.
  • Phil’s latest burger odyssey, unfortunately, covers two burger fails from recent Edmonton restaurant additions. Better luck next time, Phil!
  • K.A. Café on Whyte offers up solid Lebanese food, shares Vue Weekly.
  • Valerie’s latest Canadian Food Experience round-up is all about new year’s resolutions. Click over to read for some inspiration.
  • Liane wrote a great piece highlighting food waste in Canada – a little bit from each household does add up.
  • On the television front, Masterchef Canada premiered tonight. No Edmonton contestants, but there are six from Alberta in the top 50.
  • At the Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market on Saturday, we finally picked up a box of Frickin’ Delights Donuts – several people have recommended the treats as their favourite vegan doughnuts in the city. Good flavour, though the springy texture caught us a bit off-guard at first.

Frickin' Delights Donuts

Frickin’ Delights Donuts

  • Mack’s craving for butter chicken on the weekend led us to Origin India.

Origin India

Happy for butter chicken!

Just Trust the Chefs: The Parlour Kitchen & Bar

I have a lot of respect for the Century Hospitality Group. They are one of the most successful local restaurant companies, reaching a total of eight properties this year, but they don’t rest on their laurels. They were the originators of the “alley cuisine” trend in Edmonton with their back alley Hundred burgers, created a pop-up dining room in a pedway, and this year, reached culinary heights with Corporate Chef Paul Shufelt’s win at the local Gold Medal Plates competition.

As Century Hospitality continues expanding their reach into neighbourhoods like Magrath and soon, Terwillegar, they have not forgotten about the core. Lux and Hundred have become stalwarts in the downtown restaurant scene, and now, a few blocks west, the Parlour Italian Kitchen & Bar offers an additional CHG dining option.

Situated on Capital Boulevard, Parlour was the only storefront on that cold Friday December evening that was drawing any foot traffic (yes, I am discounting Denny’s). In the future, once the Boulevard streetscaping is complete, in addition to the construction of more retail along this signature street, one can only hope this will change.

The Parlour

Parlour

No doubt, Century Hospitality excels in creating trendy, upscale casual environments. Parlour is no different, with a bold, masculine space accented by a vintage-inspired “EAT” fixture (we saw a similar sign at Olympic Provisions in Portland). What sets this dining room apart from the others, however, is the grand mezzanine, which takes advantage of the building’s lofty ceiling, and the curved bar anchored by a tiled pizza oven.

The Parlour

Interior

The menu at Parlour is large, ranging from the requisite sandwiches, pastas, and larger entrees, but with the oven front and centre, it’s no secret that pizza is their focus. Comparisons can be drawn between their pie and the Neapolitan style made popular in Edmonton by Famoso, but Parlour stresses that the deviating tomatoes and cheese they chose were selected because of their superior flavour when compared with their standard Neapolitan counterparts.

We opened our meal with an order of arancini ($12). It was a generous serving, but for me, they were rolled a bit too large, decreasing the ever-important shell-to-rice ratio. That said, the spritz of lemon provided a welcome freshness to the dish.

The Parlour

Arancini

I don’t normally build my own pizzas, typically trusting the tried and true formulas crafted by the kitchen, but on this occasion, I couldn’t get the idea of a meatball pizza out of my head. So on a base of fresh mozzarella, I requested the heritage angus meatballs ($16).

The Parlour

Pizza tiers

I probably should have left the creativity to the chefs, as the delicate base did not seem intended for the weight of such hefty toppings (the meatballs themselves were tasty, and I’m certain well suited to pair with spaghetti).

The Parlour

Heritage angus meatball pizza

The crust, thin but satisfyingly chewy was better served with a lightweight layer. Mack’s order of Gamberi ($17) showcased the dough best, with what should be their signature sauce going forward, a sriracha pesto, and fire roasted garlic prawns that made me rethink my opinion that seafood and pizza don’t mix.

The Parlour

Gamberi pizza

As if we weren’t full enough, we opted for dessert. The tiramisu ($9) was beautifully plated, a modern take on an Italian classic. Cookie crumbs surrounded a bed of espresso-soaked lady fingers, with marscapone gingerly piped on top. The crumbs added a unique texture not normally associated with lush tiramisu – it’s a dish I’d definitely order again.

The Parlour

Tiramisu

Service was friendly throughout the evening, and even as the restaurant filled up, we were never forgotten. Although our server didn’t expect to be busy on that bitterly cold night, we weren’t surprised – diners are interested in what’s next for CHG.

Our parting shot – by the door, a gumball machine had been repurposed to dispense cherry tomatoes. We couldn’t resist taking a photo.

The Parlour

Eat your veggies!

The Parlour Italian Kitchen & Bar
10334 Capital Boulevard
(780) 990-0404
Monday-Saturday 11:30-late, Sunday 4-11pm

Downtown Dining Wealth: Woodwork

When Amanda and I walked into Woodwork for the first time, we both were struck by how much the restaurant reminded us of Toronto. Located in a heritage building, with a serious cocktail menu and a high hipster quotient, the only thing that grounded us in Edmonton was the reality that spaces in Toronto are much more narrow.

Woodwork is a collaboration between Chef Mike Scorgie of the Nomad Food Truck, and Barman Andrew Borley of the Volstead Act. It’s been a long time coming for the restaurant – they celebrated the start of construction with a pig roast pop-up back in April, and after assembling a bar and restaurant from scratch, Woodwork opened its doors in December.

As a downtown resident, it’s always heartening to see a restaurant like Woodwork open up in the neighbourhood. It’s these unique businesses that draw clientele from across the city because their take on food and drink cannot be found anywhere else. Adding to an immediate area already populated with Corso 32 and Tres Carnales, I’m not ashamed to say – keep the dining wealth coming!

I’ve been to Woodwork twice already. Once, on a Sunday in late December with a girlfriend, and more recently, last Friday with my family. Both times it was busy, buzzing with the energy that comes with being the newest kid on the block. Décor was minimal, which further showcases both their impressive bar and open kitchen. Mack also commented that their neon sign, coloured blue, also lends a soft, complementary glow to the entrance.

Woodwork

Stacked bar

Since my first visit, Woodwork has made some changes to help manage the temperature of the space. Seated by the front on both occasions, the installation of a door closure and an overhead heater made a noticeable difference. That said, an L-shaped glass partition would do wonders to direct the chill away from the tables – this is definitely a challenge we face in our winter city!

With their attention to detail in everything from the selection of spirits to their ice-making process, Woodwork is raising the bar with their drinks menu. I appreciated the description under each of their creations, and the range of cocktails available (i.e., a take on the Old Fashioned for Mack and sweeter concoctions for me).

Woodwork

Round one

As found on many on-trend menus, there is the option to order snacks, in addition to the usual smaller and large plates, sides and desserts. With May, we decided to sample the smaller dishes. On vacation detox, I ordered the brassica salad ($13), a tasty combination of kale, charred cauliflower, tomato, aged cheese and a poached egg. I loved the pickled onions, and my only nitpick was for the kale to have been torn into smaller pieces.

Woodwork

Brassica salad

The Nomad baked beans, topped with charred pepper crème fraiche ($11) was a much larger serving than I was expecting. Though I could have used more bread, the beans had a nice sweetness. As a bonus, the leftovers made a great lazy lunch the next day.

Woodwork

Nomad baked beans

May’s smoked chicken drumsticks ($8) was an equally generous serving (classified as a “snack”, after all), and she enjoyed them well enough. The chowder St. Jacques ($13) was her favourite, containing a well-cooked scallop and a cheddar biscuit. The shallow bowl made it more challenging to slurp up every bite, but it was worth it!

Woodwork

Smoked chicken drumsticks

Woodwork

Chowder St. Jacques

With my family, we shared a few sides, including the Saskatchewan yellow grits ($11) with red eye gravy and the mac n’ cheese ($14). The latter was no doubt their most popular truck offering, so we knew it had to make an appearance on their regular menu. In the restaurant, it has been upgraded to a cast-iron pan, piled high with pork crackling. It definitely had more heat than I remembered, but there were favourable comments all around.

Woodwork

Mac n’ cheese

The Toulouse for two ($29) consisted of sausage seasoned only with salt and pepper and Parisienne potatoes in a pork and onion reduction. This was my favourite dish; the kitchen was able to coax great flavour out of what could otherwise be a very basic item.

Woodwork

Toulouse for two

My sister’s confit of pork shoulder ($22) was gone before we knew it, flaked apart with her fork alone. And for someone who doesn’t usually like lentils, she finished all of the yolk-flecked side without complaint.

Woodwork

Confit of pork shoulder

Mack’s hangar steak ($24) was a slight disappointment. Cooked close to well-done (as opposed to the promised medium rare), the steak could have been more charred, and less chewy. He did appreciate the beurre bercy, a butter containing reduced wine and shallots.

Woodwork

Hangar steak

Thankfully, the kitchen wasn’t out of the peanut butter, chocolate and raspberry thang ($9) on my second visit. I’m not sure the presentation was appealing for me (given I’d just eaten the similarly shaped Toulouse), but the whipped peanut butter was delicious. Perhaps a mason jar could be used for serving, to visually denote the layers of flavour?

Woodwork

Peanut butter, chocolate and raspberry thang

Service on both occasions was great, warm and friendly. It was busy throughout the evening, but we were never lost in the shuffle, and did not feel rushed.

This is just the beginning for Woodwork – with a solid menu of food and drinks, I look forward to watching this restaurant evolve with the seasons and become a fixture of the downtown restaurant scene.

Woodwork
10132 100 Street
(780) 757-4100
Monday-Tuesday, Wednesday 11am-12am, Friday 11am-late, Saturday 5pm-late, Sunday 5pm-12am, closed Wednesdays

Food Notes for January 13, 2014

Pho Tau Bay

My usual at Pho Tau Bay

Alberta Avenue Adventures: Elm Café and Deep Freeze Festival

It’s been some time since Mack and I have had a brunch date, so earlier today, we sought to rectify that. I caught an Elm Café tweet that their Alberta Avenue dining room would be hosting brunch this weekend; given we were heading to the Deep Freeze Festival later anyway, it made sense to start off our day there.

Although the Elm Café dining room doesn’t offer meals on a regular basis, they’re worth looking out for. Our last visit involved a variety of Austrian dumplings, and this time, a straightforward, but satisfying brunch menu.

The expansive windows also illuminated the room well, and its street-level windows lent itself to people watching.

Brunch at Elm's Dining Room

Dining room

Mack and I shared the buttermilk biscuit ($4), warmed and served with stone fruit jam and butter. If we hadn’t agreed to split the order initially, I think we would have wound up fighting over the scraps!

Brunch at Elm's Dining Room

Buttermilk biscuit

The caramel apple French toast ($14) was decidedly even richer with a layer of Irvings bacon. I loved the finishing touch of crisp matchstick apples.

Brunch at Elm's Dining Room

Caramel apple French toast

Mack’s corned beef hash ($14) was made up of some of his favourite things. He found the house-made corned beef particularly tasty, and appreciated the sweetness of the peppers.

Brunch at Elm's Dining Room

Corned beef hash

Allan (who was in the kitchen this morning) was sweet enough to make us an extra treat too.

Brunch at Elm's Dining Room

Mini tarts with yogurt and rhubarb compote

The leisurely brunch was just what we wanted – hopefully we can look forward to more festival meal pairings in the future!

Afterwards, we walked outside to explore the Deep Freeze Festival. Over the years, it has become our favourite winter festival – the range of activities appeal to visitors young and old, and with displays, games, music, and old fashioned outdoor fun, there is no shortage of things to see and do.

Deep Freeze Festival 2014

Cabane a sucre

Deep Freeze Festival 2014

Ice carvers at work

The festival organizers did a great job of improving the layout this year, by putting the thaw hut competition and deep freezer races right along 118 Avenue, encouraging even more walk-by traffic.

Deep Freeze Festival 2014

Dustin Bajer in his thaw hut entry (constructed with Paul Giang)

Deep Freeze Festival 2014

Deep freezer race!

As in past years as well, I appreciate that the audio of the indoor musical performances are piped outdoors, tying the different spaces together and providing a common soundtrack for the event.

Deep Freeze Festival 2014

The always popular ice slide

This year’s viking theme was visually prevalent throughout the festival, though I have to say my favourite incarnation was the stunning ice-carved viking ship that functioned as the outdoor concession stand.

Deep Freeze Festival 2014

Streetpole art

Deep Freeze Festival 2014

Ice bar

Kids at heart, Mack and I took advantage of the wagon rides, always a great vantage point to admire the neighbourhood’s tree-lined streets.

Deep Freeze Festival 2014

Beautiful horses

Deep Freeze Festival 2014

Wagon ride

Congratulations to the organizers for what looks to be another successful year!

Check out Mack’s post on Deep Freeze for a video overview of what to expect!

Culinary Highlights: 2013 Edition

This has been my most delinquent blogging year – I haven’t yet written about most of my travels. I had the chance to visit my sister twice in Toronto, explore Ottawa for the very first time, and most recently, enjoy New York at Christmastime.


Amanda and I had fun stomping around Toronto with Mum!


A monster of a breakfast sandwich at Toronto’s Beast


I also had the wonderful opportunity to meet Michael Pollan while in Toronto

Ottawa reminded me so much of home. Mid-size, government town, it felt like many embraced their star local businesses in the same way we celebrate ours.


The most amazing black pepper spaghetti at Supply and Demand

While planning our New York City itinerary, I was initially regretting our decision to revisit the grand old town in the same season as our previous trip. But I think I forgot that there’s nothing like NYC at Christmas.


At the Union Square Farmers’ Market


I loved the laid back, neighbourhood vibe at Red Rooster


Show stopping roast chicken for two at Nomad


The best pizza from the coal-fired ovens of Grimaldi’s

Closer to home, we also had some great food experiences in Calgary, and of course, in Edmonton.


Whole sea bream at Mercato in Calgary

Izakaya Tomo
Worth getting in the car for: the chicken kara-age at Izakaya Tomo

Cafe Amore
The pasta pescatore from Café Amore, one of our new favourites in 2013

Elm Cafe
Austrian dumplings at Elm Cafe

Jacek Chocolate Couture & Baseline Wines Tasting
Wine and Jacek chocolate tasting at Baseline Wines

It was also a busy year for us on the event front. We were fortunate to collaborate with some fantastic people this year on a number of projects, and looking forward to 2014, we don’t doubt that we will be just as lucky.

Eat Alberta
Perogy making at Eat Alberta 2013

97 Street Night Market
Sunset at the 97 Street Night Market

A big crowd stayed to watch the movie 'Grease' projected on the side of the building.

Grease is the word at Blink: Parkade Party (photo by Alistair Henning)

_DSC5020
Our season-ending What the Truck?! in Churchill Square (photo by Dave Feltham)

It was a special year for many of our friends, and Mack and I were thrilled that we could be a part of several wedding parties this year.


With May on her wedding day!

And perhaps the most memorable highlight for me this year, even if it had nothing to do with food – getting engaged to my sweetheart!


In Central Park

Here’s to a great 2014!