City Food Magazine - Valentines Events, Meyer Family Vineyards, "Louis Vuitton" smithrite, Great Architects..., pink Prosecco, Helissa Craig, Caffe Artigiano 2, Zin, Sanafir, Trafalgar's Bistro, Italian Kitchen ...

Valentines Events, Meyer Family Vineyards, "Louis Vuitton" smithrite, Great Architects..., pink Prosecco, Helissa Craig, Caffe Artigiano 2, Zin, Sanafir, Trafalgar's Bistro, Italian Kitchen ...

Yikes! Don't forget the chocolate ... and here are some other options.

The Wine Diva recommends bottles in pink and red.

Or check out these special Valentines menus.

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Zin Restaurant and Lounge gets down and dirty with a aphrodisiac menu broken down into the seven stages of seduction - from the first flirt to the um, happy ending. And if that doesn't put some cayenne in your love life, they will actually have a sexologist in the next room to uncover what the problem is - with your partner, not you of course. Granted that these things sometimes take a little time, Zin will offer their Valentines menu over three days from the 14th to the 16th. So there's no excuse for avoidance issues. See the whole menu here.

Filed in DAILY NEWS/Valentine's Specials... and... RESTAURANTS/Chef Specials

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MEYER FAMILY VINEYARDS LAUNCHES NEW CHARDONNAYS IN AN ARTFUL SETTING

"If an arranged piece has its own voice, it must be a middle-ranged, sensible one with a slow tempo. It is strictly related to its own original but it is different. Without intentionality of arrangement, it becomes more pathetic. I am thinking well-tempered Clavier played by an amateur pianist. Errors occur arbitrarily in random focus. The particular frequency ratio is tenuously violated in a very intricate and sensitive way. It is not “well-tempered�? anymore. Nevertheless it is still awkwardly mimicking the beauty of variations and motivic controls. It’s an absurd tragedy. It’s a beautiful pastiche."

Um ... Right. That's exactly what we we thought too.

The quote, posted next to the frame, described the art of Nayeob Kim, a fourth year Visual Arts student at the Emily Carr College of Art and Design. Ms. Kim's oil on canvas was the winning entry in a competition sponsored by Meyer Family Vineyards in support of emerging BC artists.

Yesterday, Jak Meyer and family used the occasion of a show displaying the finalist's entries, to introduce another work of art -- the first two releases from their 3 acre vineyard in Naramata: a mineral, crisp Micro Cuvee Chardonnay, 2006 (only 111 cases produced) and a more oak forward Tribute Series Chardonnay 2006 (515 cases produced). ... CONTINUE READING.

FILED IN DRINK/Wine News .... REGIONAL/Okanagan

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Spinach and Ricotta Conchiglioni, doesn't that just sound naughty? In a Fellini-esque version of Valentines at Italian Kitchen, they'd turn the top floor of the restaurant into one big pasta platter and just let you roll in it. However... check out the more proper platter options (and there's a number of them) by clicking here.

Filed in DAILY NEWS/Valentine's Specials .... RESTAURANTS/Chef Specials

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CLASSY CAN IN GASTOWN
(February 12, 2008)

Hearing rumours that someone had pimped out a Smithrite garbage can in Gastown to look like a Louis Vuitton handbag, we skulked down Blood Alley in search of it, dodging four-footed Chinese New Years celebrities all the way.

Yep, it was there alright, just a few yards down from Salt Tasting Room (at the Irish Heather end of the Alley), but unfortunately, vandals had got there before us. Much of the clever papering job had been ripped away and it was defaced with graffiti, not to mention stinking liking something had died inside (we didn't check).

Nevertheless, enough evidence remained that someone with both a humourous eye and a meticulous hand had been at work.

We checked in with Boneta just around the corner and found co-owner and cocktail guru Mark Brand at work on some kind of renovation to the restaurant's interior.

"Yes, the staff knows the project well," he confirmed. "It was created by a local visual artist by the name of 'Cameraman' and the fellow is prone to doing these sort of street art-pranks."

The Boneta staff had taken some good pictures when the "bag" first appeared. Better than ours, we are sure. If you are down there for a drink, ask and they might show them to you. Or better yet, brave the alley, hold your nose, and see for yourself.

UPDATE: More fun with dumpsters. Salt Tasting Room has kindly shared with us their photos of the "Louis Vuitton" smithrite in Gastown - when it was in prime condition. And we can see from the photos (taken on Scott Hawthorne's iPhone) that the art job resembled a train case or trunk more than it did a handbag. (Although we're sure only our female readers would appreciate the difference.) Check it out here! .

And here is another shot from the artist's own website of a young lady in a proximity to the artwork that we definitely would not have wanted to repeat on the day of our visit.

Filed in MEDIA/art

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Filed in MEDIA/Humour

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Trafalgars Bistro has two solutions for Valentine's. Take your amourata out to experience their sweet "Bleeding Heart with Truffles" at Chef Chris Moran's five-course Valentine's Day Dinner, or buy a boxed Valentines Dinner to Go. Hurry though, reservations for the boxed dinner option are closing today.

See the complete menus for both here.

Filed in DAILY NEWS/Valentine's Specials and RESTAURANT/Chef Specials.

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WINE OF THE WEEK - (February 11, 2008)
PROSECCO MARZEMINO ROSATO

Perfect for Valentines and a "must taste" wine to try during the Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival.

The newest addition to the line-up of delicious Italian sparkling wines from Cantina Breganze is a vino spumante called Prosecco Marzemino Rosato. Without a doubt, this little lady may soon be the prettiest bottle on the BCLDB shelves.

Made from Prosecco and the light and fruity, red Marzemino grape, which is classic to the region of Trentino, in Northern Italy this spumante-style bubbly has the perfect pink colour of cherry blossoms. Laden will fruity aromas - mixed berries and exotic citrus with undertones of rose petals and marzipan. She’s smooth and creamy with delicate bubbles, berry flavours and a drop of honeyed sweetness on the palate. ...CONTINUE READING.

Filed in DRINK/Wine of the Week.

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"If the kasbah's a rockin', don't come a knockin".

It might be true love, or maybe couples are just getting off on Chef Mark McEwan's warm figs in chili honey and chocolate-dipped, long-stem strawberries, partaken while in a horizontal position.

See the rest of Sanafir's Valentine's Menu here.

Filed in DAILY NEWS/Valentine's Specials and RESTAURANTS/chefs specials

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ANNOUNCEMENTS - (February 11, 2008)

News from Andrew Morrison (who has been in Toronto judging at the Canadian Culinary Championship): "Melissa Craig [of Whistler's Bearfoot Bistro] has won the Canadian Culinary Championships! It was a very close run thing, but she impressed in all three competitions, particularly wowing in the last." Congratulations Melissa! You Go, Girl!

Caffe Artigiano has opened a new, 16-seat coffee house at 574 Granville St. (at Dunsmuir) in Vancouver. Hours are 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday to Wednesday. From 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, and 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Jonathan Boerboom, Chef de Partie of C Restaurant, won both the People's Choice Award and the Judges' Select Award at the 1st International BC-Canadian Albacore Tuna Recipe Competition with his entered recipe - Grapefruit Olive Oil Basted BC Albacore Tuna with Spiced Persimmon Chutney and Coconut scented Basmati Rice. Congratulations, Jonathan.

A reminder from Dawn Donahue of the BC Restaurant Hall of Fame Awards: Early Bird pricing for tickets to the gala ends soon! If you wish to order tickets, reply to dawn@gogolfevents.com for an invoice or fax in the order form which is available at www.bcrhof.com/events_galaDinner.php. Tickets are $150 each plus GST, and include the reception, with complimentary sparkling wines, ales and lagers, canapés, inductees memorabilia display, and an opportunity to meet the past and present inductees. Dinner includes five courses with paired BC wines.

Last Fall's Taste of Yaletown event raised $21,693.51 for the Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society; over 20 Yaletown restaurants opened their doors, welcoming guests with special menus, complimentary appetizers and desserts.

Cora's, the breakfast chain from Quebec, will expand to English Canada in 2008 with the opening of 21 new restaurants. New BC locations for the franchise will include Vancouver and Kelowna. The company describes its concept as "affordable, fine breakfasting", and its restaurants are open from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. serving only breakfast and lunch. Once the 2008 expansion is complete, Cora's will have a total of 108 franchises throughout Canada and will be looking at an additional 56 Canadian openings by 2011. Management are already eyeing markets in the US for further growth by 2010.

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WHO'S GOT IT - THE BUZZ METER For - February 15, 2008

(The most requested information on the site as measured
by Google keyword counter.)

PEOPLE:

1) David Hawksworth - Chef, Hotel Georgia
2) Rob Belcham - Chef, Fuel
3) Wayne Martin - Chef, Crave and Fraiche
4) Jay Jonesl - Bar Director, Donnelly Group
5) George Szasz - Owner, Paprika Bistro and Stages

PLACES:

1) So.Cial at le Magasin - Restaurant, Gasdtown, Vancouver
2) Meyer Vineyards - Winery, Naramata, Okanagan Valley
3) Hotel Georgia - Hotel/Condo, Downtown, Vancouver
4) Wazubees - Restaurant, Commercial Dr., Vancouver
5) Coast - Restaurant, Yaletown, Vancouver
6) Gomorrah - Future Restaurant, Vancouver
7) Fuel - Restaurant, Kitsilano, Vancouver
8) Yew restaurant + bar - Restaurant, Downtown, Vancouver
9) Red Fish, Blue Fish - Restaurant, Victoria
10) Fraiche - Restaurant, West Vancouver

THINGS:

1) Le Crocodile choucroute party
2) Meyer Vineyards chardonnay
3) SOWA Kitchen Party
4) erm biosource
5) Granville Island Sake

BEST QUESTION OF THE DAY:

Why did Bread and Tulips close? Bad name?

WHO'S INTERESTED IN OUR FOOD AND WINE SCENE ...

Number of countries logging in (in 2007): 139

Number of cities worldwide (visiting yesterday): 107

Top ten cities for number of viewers:

1) Vancouver, BC
2) Victoria, BC
3) Richmond, BC
4) East York, Ontario
5) New Westminster, BC
6) Seattle, Washington

7) Kelowna, BC
8) San Francisco, California
9) Calgary, BC
10) Edmonton, Alberta

Cities with most page counts per visitor:

1) Fort Bragg, California
2) Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
3) Oliver, BC
4) Bellevue, Washington
5) Lynnwood, California
6) Kitchener, Ontario
7) Nanaimo, BC
8) Kotukinabalu, Malaysian Borneo
9) Milton, England
10) Guatemala City, Guatemala

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