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.

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).

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.

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.

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!

Smoked chicken drumsticks

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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

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.

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!

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.

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.

Corned beef hash

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

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.

Cabane a sucre

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.

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

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.

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.

Streetpole art

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.

Beautiful horses

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

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

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.

Perogy making at Eat Alberta 2013

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)

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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!

Epicureous in Edmonton: 2013 in Review

Although we had some high profile restaurant losses this year (notably Jack’s Grill), 2013 seemed to be a good year overall for local independents. Openings definitely tipped the scale, with some, such as RGE RD and Tavern 1903 immediately embraced by the community. I can only hope this trend continues – that Edmontonians will shift their habits in order to dine at creative, quality-driven small businesses.

Panna cotta at RGE RD

Here are some other notable food happenings in 2013:

The number of food trucks exploded in Edmonton, with more than a dozen new vendors, offering mobile options ranging from Vietnamese to British to Mexican cuisines.
The burger reigned supreme this year, with the US chain Smashburger landing in Sherwood Park, and local counterparts The Burg, Jack’s Burger Shack in St. Albert, Bannock Burger and a burger-focused food truck The Patty Wagon competing for your business.
It also seemed that Century Hospitality Group’s Alley Burger paved the way for others, such as Creole Envie’s back alley po’boy and Wild Tangerine’s O’my Bao.
Something to keep an eye on in the coming year will be the price of pop-up and one-off dinners. They seem to have been increasing over the last few years, but it’s not clear if there is a ceiling to the cost diners are willing to pay.
Hot pot hits the spot: Urban Shabu and 97 Hot Pot are heating up the dining scene in Chinatown – we’ll see if this leads to more Edmontonians embracing this method of eating.
Those with certain dietary restrictions also expanded their selection in the city, with the completely gluten-free GF Diner, and VegPalette catering to busy vegans.
I wrote in my 2011 Year in Review that a “coffee district” was brewing Downtown. Unfortunately, that has reversed itself this year, with the loss of both Transcend’s Downtown storefront and Roast. That said, 124 Street is perking up, with news of Credo’s second location and Remedy joining the mix.
We did lose some long-standing food businesses in 2013, including Java Jive and Bee Bell Bakery.
The success of Ten Mile Meal, Gail Hall’s Alberta farm tours, the Taste of Edmonton’s Sip ‘n Savour initiative and the launching of Localize all spoke to the increasing appetite of diners to connect with those that grow their food.
In the same vein, farmers’ markets continue to pop-up in all over the city. Four joined the fray in 2013: Eden’s Market, Century Park, French Quarter and the Edmonton Petroleum Club.
It was also great to see social enterprise Mealshare debut in Edmonton, providing diners with a seamless way to feed someone in need, simply by eating out.

Looking forward to what 2014 brings!

You can check out previous year in reviews here.

2013 What the Truck?! Roundup

While I did recap the first three What the Truck?! events that took place this year (Ginger Beef Throwdown, Old Strathcona and The Quarters), I fell off the wagon this summer and failed to keep up with the rest.

Louise McKinney Riverfront Park

Louise McKinney is a beautiful location to be sure, one that provides a gorgeous vantage point and approach to the river valley. However, we knew that the gradient and the few access points might act as barriers for some, but we were hoping that the trucks would be enough of a draw on August 24, 2013.

We had to change our original site map on the fly due to a concurrent event taking place in the adjacent park, which worked for the most part, but wasn’t perfect. Due to the same event, on-site parking was even more scarce. And so, in order to prevent drivers from looping through the vending area, Mack and I ended up having to second our family members to act as parking attendants and control vehicle access. While a majority of people were understanding (and took advantage of our recommendation to park along Jasper Avenue), it really was disheartening to see the number of drivers who didn’t hesitate to spew vitriol when told there was no on-site parking available. Mobility challenges and families with young children aside, I couldn’t fathom why some didn’t want to take advantage of an absolutely gorgeous day and spend more time outdoors.

Louise McKinney

That aside, for those that did take in the event, we heard pretty positive feedback. The relatively smaller crowd meant shorter lines, and everyone seemed to appreciate the location’s proximity to our river valley.

Beautiful vantage point

It was great to see people sprawled out on the grass, picnicking with their buffet spreads, or utilizing concrete parking curbs as benches.

Al fresco!

I was able to try Yellow Bird’s gyu-don beef rice bowl. The one dish filled me up for the rest of the evening, a tasty combination of beef, egg and veggies.

Gyu-don from Yellow Bird

A big thanks to the Shaw Conference Centre, who allowed us to set up in their parking lot, and to the Downtown Edmonton Community League for sponsoring a number of our events this year (including this one).

Churchill Square

Our final What the Truck?! in Churchill Square on September 20, 2013 was our biggest event ever, and it was not only clear that the Square was bursting at the seams with vendors, but also that food trucks have been thoroughly embraced by Edmontonians.

Churchill Square (photo by Dave Feltham)

We were really fortunate this season with good weather, and this was exemplified that Friday. It was a fitting finale for summer, and revelers came out in droves.

The crowds! (photo by Dave Feltham)

Some of the lines were long and rather unwieldy, but I’m happy to say that it looked like most people were enjoying themselves, catching up with old friends or meeting new ones.

Dining out

And while we welcomed a few new trucks to our WTT family that day, we didn’t know that we were saying goodbye to one. It was the last service for The Lingnan Express – Miles sold the truck to another proprietor, who will be rebranding the truck to be launched in 2014.

We’re always indebted to DJ Thomas Scott and his friends, who bring just the right party atmosphere to our events. You rock!

DJ Thomas Scott

And what can we say to thank our hard working volunteers, who perform thankless jobs like garbage collection? We couldn’t do it without you.

Super Su!

Thanks to everyone who came out that night and helped us celebrate a great year.

What the Truck?! Gives Back

We capped our season with a special service at the Bissell Centre. Our desire was to try and replicate the spirit of our other pop-up events, but of course, this one had one major twist: the food was free.

Six trucks served over 900 meals to underprivileged individuals that day. We can’t tell you how rewarding it was to see people enjoying themselves.

Bully at work

We always knew we were lucky to have such a great food truck community in Edmonton, but the participating vendors that day took that statement to another level. Thanks to The Act Out & About, Bully, Lemon Grass Grill, Little Village, The Local Omnivore, and Sailin’ On for your generous contributions.

Big hearts!

It was also a wonderful experience working with the staff from the Bissell Centre. The agency has had a rough month, experiencing a fire in their Thrift Shoppe, but the staff were more than accommodating to help us put on this event on their day off! Thanks to the staff and volunteers for their hard work.

Looking to 2014

You can be sure What the Truck?! will be back next year (we’ve already started brainstorming locations!), but perhaps the most exciting thing for us is an expanded team! We know this event could be so much more, but Mack and I aren’t able to grow it on our own. So we’ve invited a few more people to the table who will lend new ideas, perspectives and energy to the events. Welcome Caleng, Dave and Melina – I’m looking forward to working with you in 2014.

Team What the Truck?!

See you next year!

Recap: Hawkers Market Edmonton

The first ever Hawkers Market in Edmonton took place on Saturday, November 30 in the basement of the Mercer Warehouse (otherwise known as Vacancy Hall). Originating in Vancouver, Hawkers Market intends to “create a space where vibrant and exciting local food can be discovered…a place to conduct commerce, rapidly test ideas and meet customers face to face.” As a result, I expected the event to be similar in nature to the Toronto Underground Market I attended last year, which is set-up as an opportunity for start-up food businesses to grow and make a name for themselves in a competitive market. No doubt, one of the busiest vendors at TUM that night was La Carnita, which is now one of the most popular taquerias in Toronto.

Hawkers Market

Mack and I were given free admission tickets, but I did purchase two $10 advance tickets for my sisters. Menus weren’t available in advance, but when we arrived, we found that food averaged between $5-7.

With my sisters

Given it was Hawkers Market’s first time in Edmonton, a few hiccups were to be expected. For one, the start time was 5pm, though this was inconsistent on some of the advertised Eventbrite information. As well, with some power issues and poor ventilation, it will be interesting to see if Vacancy Hall will continue to host this event.

Getting busy

Eight vendors were set up along the periphery of the room, with a DJ adding to the party atmosphere. Though we were somewhat surprised to see that five of the vendors were existing or soon-to-be food truck operators, in a way, the timing perfectly complements the food truck off-season. That said, we were hoping to see more newly-established businesses, but I am guessing this will come as word spreads about Hawkers Market.

The Bully Food Truck team!

Drift’s mini truck replica greeted guests walking in, but perhaps even more enticing was their menu offering, a Burmese dish of khao swe ($5). One of Nevin’s family recipes, the coconut chicken noodles were served up and ready to be customized with an assortment of toppings: green onions, cilantro, fried onions, chickpea chips and sticks, boiled egg, lemon and red chili flakes. It was fun to make the dish to our taste, delectable as it already was.

Mini Drift!

Khao swe from Drift

Notably, Drift was also selling their signature ketchup and spice, nicely packaged for holiday giving. If you missed it, you can now pick up the products at Acme Meats!

Give the gift of Drift

Amanda high-tailed it pretty quick to Sailin’ On, her favourite food truck. We shared an order of chili-lime tofu tacos ($9), with refried beans, vegan cheddar, veggies, salsa verde and lime. She wasn’t disappointed with her pick.

Chili-lime tofu tacos from Sailin’ On

I didn’t expect a restaurant like XIX Nineteen to participate in Hawkers Market, though in hindsight, it was an opportunity to interact with a whole new group of potential patrons. Felicia ordered a dish of rabbit and gnocchi poutine ($5 without the meat) to try. It was a creative dish well-suited to the environment it was being cooked and served in, and the gnocchi was tasty in and of itself.

Gnocchi poutine from XIX Nineteen

In that same vein, Casa Doce, a food truck which has mostly operated in Sherwood Park this past year, showcased their Mexican cuisine to a different audience. We tried their jalapeno and queso fresco tamale ($5), topped with beans and pickled onions. It was piping hot, and definitely meant to be shared by a group.

Tamale from Casa Doce

It was exciting to see two brand new vendors launching at Hawkers Market who don’t yet already have an existing storefront or truck. Parts & Service is a forthcoming food truck, their name inspired by some of the off-cuts of meat they will be using. That night, they were serving up duck confit and roasted bone marrow ($5); we ordered the latter. Served with crostini and topped with fennel salsa, it was a memorable dish that immediately set them apart from other trucks.

Roasted bone marrow from Parts & Service

Unfortunately, we missed sampling the dessert from Paper Bag Donuts, courtesy of Red Ox Inn’s Sean O’Connor. To be honest, I saw a tiny sign with the letters “PBD” on the corner, but didn’t investigate any further – our loss. Hopefully Paper Bag Donuts pops-up again soon!

The one vendor that wasn’t quite like the others was South Island Pie Company, which had presence at the City Market this summer. They weren’t sampling any products, and instead, were selling frozen pies for takeaway. We did pick up a pair on our way out, as we were heading home and could stash them in our freezer, but given they were the odd booth out, we hoped they were successful through the night.

South Island Pie Company

So while the majority of the vendors weren’t necessarily new, I think Hawkers Market still accomplished their mission of increasing the exposure of small food businesses. It sounds like a second Hawkers Market is scheduled for February 22, 2014, so keep an eye out for more details!

Austrian Dumpling Night at Elm Cafe

Mack’s Dad was in town last week for work, so we planned to have dinner together on Friday. When a call to one of the newest restaurants in the city yielded no prime time reservations, it was serendipitous for me to come across a tweet about a special supper being held at Elm Café. Allan Suddaby (one of Elm’s chefs), would be preparing an Austrian dumpling dinner at the café’s catering space on 118 Avenue. Though Mack and I have gotten to know Allan over the past few years by co-organizing Eat Alberta, we’ve never had the opportunity to enjoy a coherent meal he’s put together.

We’d been to the space before, but for an informal gathering. It’s been nicely redone by the Elm staff, sleek and modern with sparse enhancements and angled metal chairs.

Dining room

The set four-course menu was a very reasonable $30, not including drinks. We were able to choose from one of three entrees, so between our party, we were able to try every dish!

In a way, it felt like we were eating in Allan’s dining room, being treated to a meal he would prepare for himself at home. His straightforward style, highlighting good ingredients in comforting dishes was the perfect way to warm up on a chilly winter night.

The dinner began with a soup made of beef broth and thin strips of pancake. The pancake was more crepe-like than the fluffy versions served at breakfast, though cut in lengthy pieces, made it difficult for me to eat tastefully.

Frittatensuppe

The salad plate was a combination of several different textures (a big hit with me!) – fresh tomato and cucumber, cabbage with strong notes of fennel and a potato salad sprinkled with dill.

Gemischtersalat

Martin ordered the potato dumplings stuffed with ham and onions, then deep fried. As with the other entrees, it would be hard not to like anything deep fried (or in the case of the other dishes, baked with cheese or fried in butter).

Fleischknodel

We learned later that the bread dumpling was Allan’s personal favourite. He described it to be similar to a savoury bread pudding mixture that is boiled, then sliced and fried in butter. Served alongside a gravy-laden beef goulash, I could see why – they were a tastier accompaniment compared with a typical potato side, absorbing the sauce without losing its form. The celery leaves in the goulash were a beautiful touch.

Serviettenknodel

Mack enjoyed his Austrian mac and cheese, but did comment that he would have liked a side dish similar to how our plates were presented.

Kasespatzle

The final course involved a stewed rhubarb served with a sweet dough and vanilla ice cream. Mack is not usually a fan of desserts, but really took to this one.

Kaiserschmarrn

Our only minor quibble with the meal was the pacing. The kitchen was almost too efficient – the subsequent dishes were brought even before our previous plates were cleared. Four courses was a lot of food to consume in an hour!

It looks like Elm Café will be planning more one-off meals for the space. Follow them on Twitter to yourself apprised of the events. I look forward to attending other special events at this venue!

Blink: Parkade Party Recap

Things really came together for our Blink: Parkade Party in August. For years now, I’ve been eyeing the parkade on 104 Street just south of Jasper Avenue, wondering how we could program the space. Thankfully, Vinci Park 103 was open to our use of the rooftop, and by working with a great team, we were able to make something happen!

The decision to screen the 50s classic Grease helped to establish the carnival theme that pervaded the rest of the event. Fat Franks and Cookie Love were on hand to dole out summer treats, while DJ Thomas Scott helped us set the tone with a spirited soundtrack from the era.

DJ Thomas Scott

To continue the party atmosphere, Alex of E-Town Salsa led a zumba session to great success. It was really cool to see the number of people who joined in!

Whoo!

We also worked with Cookie Love to host their inaugural cookie eating contest, featuring a number of Edmonton’s social media superstars. Brittney, Su and Mack were great sports, participating in a public challenge to see how many cookies they could eat in two minutes. Mack was the winner, however lightweight, winning the competition by consuming a total of three cookies.

Our brave competitors (photo by Alistair Henning)

Before the movie started, and during intermission, the fabulous Sugar Swing Dance Club taught the crowd Grease-inspired dance moves (I will admit now that this was somewhat inspired by a cheesy scene in The Wedding Planner, where the two romantic leads dance during a movie screening in Golden Gate Park). While our dance sequences were a little less spontaneous, they were equally inspirational!

Julie and Ben were fantastic instructors, upbeat and encouraging. Their first set involved pairs of dancers grooving to tunes of the era.

Let’s dance

At intermission, Julie and Ben led “Team Sandy” and “Team Danny” in a fun dance off. Based on the crowd’s cheers, I think it was “Team Danny” that was declared the winner.

Dancing showdown!

The main event was a screening of Grease onto the side of a parkade directly adjacent to the rooftop. With the help of Owen Brierley of Guru Digital Arts College, we were able to secure a projector that worked well in spite of the glaring parkade lights.

#parkadeparty

With the help of Media Architecture Design Edmonton (MADE), we were also able to provide some park-like seating options in the form of grass tiles! They were still a bit damp from the previous night’s rain storm, but brought a pop of unexpected green to the decidedly urban surroundings.

Grass tiles

We were happy with the turnout for the movie, realizing that the novelty of the screening location had something to do with it!

Grease is the word (photo by Alistair Henning)

As a result, we’re not certain this event can be replicated as such, but you can be sure we will always be on the lookout for underutilized spaces that have the potential to be so much more!

The event was free of charge to attend, and was only possible because of Edmonton Awesome Foundation’s seed money. The funding provided us with the opportunity to not only focus on putting on a good event open to all, but also retain our commitment to donate part of the proceeds to the Boyle Street Community Services’ Downtown Proud, a program that provides employment opportunities for formerly homeless individuals. With further sponsorship from Edmonton Economic Development Corporation and the Downtown Business Association of Edmonton, we were able to collect donations that would go straight to the cause. All told, with the generous help of those who attended, we raised over $2,100 for Downtown Proud.

We also want to thank the Downtown Edmonton Community League, Oliver Community League and Cask & Barrel for their support of Blink. We also had a number of fabulous volunteers who gave their time to help us out – thank you!

And lastly, having been involved in a variety of events and projects over the past few years, I can honestly say that it was a dream to work with Hannah McDonald and Stephanie Chai. And it wasn’t just the coincidence that our meetings always took place over wine! Thanks to you both for your creativity and endless energy – I hope our collaborative paths cross again in the future!

We’re with awesome!

Recap: 97 Street Night Market

Over the summer, I worked with a team of volunteers to put on an event that we hoped would encourage Edmontonians to rediscover Chinatown. The neighbourhood is so full of history and possibility, but has largely been overlooked over the last number of years. While we recognized that the Business Revitalization Zone and to a greater extent, the McCauley Revitalization Strategy, had attempted to facilitate positive developments, we believed that something different was needed to foster the imagination of what Chinatown could be.

From there, the 97 Street Night Market was born. With a generous grant from the City and some committed supporters, we were able to transform a vacant parking lot into a welcoming space that introduced or reacquainted patrons with the dynamic nature of night markets right in the heart of Chinatown.

97 Street Night Market

Vendors were the commercial anchor for the event, and we were happy to have engaged some area businesses, including Universal Music and Pacific Café, as well as others from around the city. The range of trinkets to fashion items was varied enough for visitors of all ages!

Gama

No doubt, one of the most popular booths that day was actually one of ours – we had borrowed a set of fortune sticks from the Edmonton Chinese Bilingual Education Association, and volunteers sold fortunes for $1 a pop. That night, nearly 200 fortunes were told!

Step right up!

We were fortunate to have The Lingnan Express, Molly’s Eats and Swich on-site, offering Asian-inspired dishes, including oyster omelettes, curried fish balls and matcha green tea ice cream sandwiches. Though not from the window of a food truck, Gama was able to offer another night market staple – bubble tea.

Food trucks

Char siu pulled pork sandwich from Molly’s Eats

In addition, the market provided us with an opportunity to highlight many young performers. Some were more traditional, such as 5 Elements, who opened the evening with an engaging lion dance, while others displayed a fusion of cultures, including Nanyen Lau, who played the Titanic anthem of “My Heart Will Go On” on an erhu.

5 Elements

Edmonton Chinese Dance Academy

My favourite act was the energetic Convergence Dance Crew, who drew the biggest crowds to the stage with their infectious K-pop covers of Psy’s recent hits.

Convergence Dance Crew

Patrons also had the chance to participate in three different walking tours of the neighbourhood that highlighted various facets of Chinatown. The first had nearly thirty participants so engrossed in the tour the guides ended up doubling the originally-intended length! No question, we learned that tours of all varieties should be offered of Chinatown on a regular basis; people are curious, and want to learn about the neighbourhood’s rich history and hopeful future.

Tour group

For me, it was the creation of a neutral, safe space that most excited me. The perceived “ethnicity” of Chinatown is daunting to some who aren’t familiar with its businesses, while for others, the stereotype of an unsafe, neglected neighbourhood discourages exploration. That night, it was heartening to see people of all generations from many different backgrounds convening in a single parking lot, feasting, shopping, and otherwise socializing. It was a gathering place not normally found in Chinatown, and one that I hope will be replicated in the future.

Beautiful sunset

There are a litany of people to thank who helped make this event a reality. Qualico and Ledcor generously donated the site, and worked around our request, in spite of the ongoing demolition of the building directly south of the lot. Jane Molstad of the McCauley Revitalization Strategy immediately recognized the potential of this idea, and worked tirelessly to ensure the grant came through! We also couldn’t have done without the enthusiastic and hard working day-of volunteers. Lastly, thanks to all those who came, taking a chance on a first time event!

I’ve been asked more than once if the night market will become an annual event. Although I can’t answer the question definitively yet, I can say that a few of us are working to continue the momentum we began that day in some form or another. Stay tuned!

Thursdays Nights on the Edge: Classical Edge Finale

Earlier in the summer, I wrote about Thursday Nights on the Edge, an initiative of the Central McDougall and Queen Mary Park Revitalization Coordinator. In order to bring neighbours together, as well as to highlight the area, a different free activity was organized to take place every Thursday from mid-July to mid-August. These family-friendly events ranged from the geo-caching adventure that I attended, to historical tours, petting zoos and artistic explorations. Attendance varied (partially because all of the events were held rain or shine), but the organizers were anticipating their largest crowd ever for their finale on August 15, 2013.

I convinced my sisters to check out the event after having dinner at the nearby 124 Street Grand Market. When we arrived at McDougall Park, the event was already in full swing.

McDougall Park, transformed

The idea behind Classical Edge was to create an elegant, almost gala-style event in a neighbourhood that is known for being anything but. I’d say the organizers succeeded – a stage was set up on the north end of the park, and for the duration of the evening, hosted a series of musicians, including a harpist and the Windrose Trio. Tables topped with linens and candlelit lanterns completed the upscale transformation.

Our makeshift seats

Catering staff from Bridges wandered the grounds, passing around free bites of food, ranging from chicken canapés to mini hot dogs.

Food!

I’ve never seen the park so full. Though I already knew Central McDougall is a diverse community, it was quite something to see on full display. Attendees definitely looked like they were enjoying themselves, from the young ones taking advantage of the playground and open spaces, to adults socializing outside on a beautiful night.

Though I haven’t yet heard if Thursday Nights on the Edge will return next year, I hope they do! They were a wonderful initiative that, with time, will help others see the possibilities in the communities that make up the North Edge.

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