2024 for me felt very much like a year of finding new rhythms after I went back to work after my maternity leave in late 2023. So much about two working parents raising two young kids is scheduling, especially when trying to make time for things outside of work and children’s activities.

While I didn’t do as much reporting this year as I would have liked, I am committed to telling stories of the people behind our city’s independent establishments. Thanks for following along!

Here are some of my favourite food-related memories of 2024:

We travelled for family this year, with a trip to San Jose to visit my sister Felicia and her husband in March. We had some great Vietnamese food in that community (I can never go too long without a bowl of pho, haha). We also stayed in San Francisco for a few nights before returning home, and loved staying in and exploring a less touristy part of the city.

DamnFine Pizza in Outer Sunset

We also returned to Toronto for the first time since the pandemic to visit my sister Amanda and her husband over the summer. It’s no secret I love that city and all it has to offer. I ended up having one of the best burgers I’ve had in some time from Burger Drops.

Amazing smash burgers from Burger Drops

Even after the pandemic, staycations have and will remain a part of our repertoire. There’s nothing like a reset for me with a visit to Prairie Creek Inn. And while their breakfasts are always wonderful, its the people we enjoy it with that matters.

We love al fresco dining (even with box mac and cheese!)

Mack and I also commemorated our ten year wedding anniversary this year with a trip to Kananaskis. The Nordic spa was lovely, but ending a challenging hike with banh mi was also pretty great.

The banh mi definitely tasted better after the hike

Growing up, my family frequented u-pick farms. I am so happy to continue this tradition with Ellie with a visit to Rosy Farms.

Ellie loved the haskaps

Closer to home, we also continued with our community garden plot. We planted sugar pie pumpkins for the first time and garnered a bumper crop of 8 gourds (though Emily reminds us that half of the pumpkins were stolen before we could harvest them – but thus is the trade-off of a community garden).

Emily with her pumpkins

One of the best meals I had this year was from pop-up restaurant Vagabond by chefs Christine Sandford and Roger Letourneau. The food was outstanding, and I mourn that the fleeting nature of Vagabond means I cannot revisit that meal.

Potato rosettes from Vagabond

I also spent a lot of time in Chinatown, whether leading the occasional walking tour, organizing Chinatown Dining Week (my final event after seven years), highlighting some of the incredible entrepreneurs in the neighbourhood, or, well, eating.

Little BonBon is easily Ellie’s favourite Chinatown haunt

It felt like a gargantuan task, but Linda and I finally updated our Edmonton Food Faves We Crave list, following up on on the inaugural list in 2022.

Some shared meals were had (including one at Mai Mai)

We also ended the year with many family gatherings over the holidays, with Felicia surprising us with a last-minute trip to Edmonton. It was so great having everyone together at Christmas for the first time in a few years. Several meals were had together, including a very tasty one at Otto.

Those garlic fries, though

Here’s to another year of good eats!