EGG NOG ICE CREAM!

kicks BUTT

New Store Hours

Hey ya'll !

We're now closing on Sundays and opening on Mondays...small change but thought I'd let ya know.

2 New Soups... Butternut Squash and Pumpkin Patch (pumpkin and chai!!!)

Uber good..come c 4 your self!

xo
A

OMGosh Guess What@?!%^&(*$#@!#@^&

WE'RE NOW BAKING OUR OWN BREAD!!!!
Its an uber delish pannini recipie and om my mercy is it goodness gracious!

Come check it out! oh by the way.....we're on ethical deal today!  You have aprox 11 hours left to buy a $20 gift card for only $10 GET OUT! no really its true heres the link http://www.ethicaldeal.com/ go buy ten for everyone you love!  (ermmm christmas is coming ;)


Have a wonderful day delicious monsters!

WOW People sure love mac n cheesy cheese!

So...I've been playing around with our new toaster oven aka my Easy Bake!!! (just like when you were  a kid only you don't to wait for mom to buy new ingredients AND it tastes good! lol) AND I made a killer mac n cheese..the real kind! 

So first...I boiled real wholesome macaroni and then added a few onions and celery, olive oil and real cheddar cheese...afterward I baked it in the easy bake (wink wink) and nearing the final stages crumbled Jeaneen's delicious homemade (in the easy bake!)rosemary and olive oil crutons on top ..the final product was as good as mamma makes it (perhaps even slightly better!!!)

The great news....we sold out in less than 2 hours....jeeze...Yogiberry sure reminds me of running home during lunch break to have some of moms delish!  Creamy tomato soup (only a much healthier adult version made in the Total Blender..no love loss...aka nutrient loss..) Grilled Cheese sandwhiches (gluten free options for peeps like me ;) Mac n Cheese and our newest tiny peice of heavan one bite brownies made fresh every morning with a teeny bit of nutella on top :) (I love my easy bake!)

Tomorow I'm going to try the new gluten free brownie recipie I aquired (thank James) and maybe this time I can try the dliciousness first hand!

This week is welfare week AND halloween..the firecrackers and works have been blasting all day and night...to be honest they scare the crap out of me and in this neighbourhood they really should be banned...but the hood loves an excuse to er um..celebrate???!!!

Today Mags came in to pay off her $10 tab...homeless and down and out yet still..she pays up more regularly than any one who lives in my strata'd condo building...goes to show you books have crappy covers.... :D

xoxoxo COME SEE ME AT YOGIBERRY YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO!!!!!

P.S did you know mango frozen yogurt and chai tea makes a perfect pumpkin spice smoothie....witch your way to my place this halloween..mention this post and save 50% now theres a treat!

~Amanda Bear

A picture says one word ...YUMMIE!

Fall into winter with Yogiberry....where delish meets nutrish



Jeaneen's Rosemary Crutons

Potato Onion Soup (made in Total Blender-Raw Food!)

Igor's Savory Waffle

Larry King said Yogiberry!!! UPDATED!

How lucky am I?  Larry King "if you ever find yourself in gastown, Vancouver you must go check out Yogiberry, an ethical eatery!" awesome!

Yesturday the staff and I all got to hang out together in the store...we made all the food on the menu just to be sure we're all just as delicious...we are!  We also have new creations...drum roll....

IGOR's WAFFLES!
So far there's:

Savory: sundried tomato, cheddar, onion, garlic, olive oil, sea salt, peper and rosemary
Summry: Madarin, cranberry and cheddar
Simple: Just like mama used to make it...but with whip cream and warm berries!!!

ALSO...nother drum roll...

Jeaneen made us homestyle crutons
drenched in olive oil and rosemary their a beautiful topping to our otherwise mind numingly delicious soups which we make in the Total Blender.  It runs on 3 horse power and heats the vegetables by friction rather than cooking...you know what that means...whole, raw foods but with the warmest yummiest soup satisfaction...they have to be tasted to be belived...see you soon !  (psst  pics are coming soon :) psst psst GLUTEN FREE WAFFLES ALSO AVAILABLE ...here's to you Trina Girl! :)

Been a Bit

I haven't written in a while cause I've been so busy!  The stores looking really great, the Dao Tea set up is looking almost as good as the tea ;)

Today we stayed open till 10pm and the night time sure can be exciting!  A gentlmen in a wheel chair came to the door sadly, he'd soiled himself and thrown up on his shirt..not  a great day for him for sure.  The paramedics came (not safe to drunk and wheel) and they were so sensitive...must take a realy sweet soul to work this shift!

xo gastown..i'm sleepy ..serve ya tomorow :)
xo 2 all and 2 all a great night!

-Amanda

Is there anything more wonderful in the whole world than a city full of farmers?

This event looks AMAZING!  You must go, I'm going and sponsoring two $20 gift certificates from my store...so get there and win em!!! :)

Heres the link: http://eatlocal.org/ripe/index.html
Heres the event info:

The purpose of this event is simple: To Grow & Improve the Services of Vancouver’s Summer & Winter Farmers MarketsBy buying a ticket to RIPE you will be directly supporting the organization to not only improve the Farmers Markets that currently exist within Vancouver, but to grow the number of markets, bringing local, seasonal food to more people in more communities.

The casual family-style, all-ages event will include:

• A feast of delicious, local and seasonal food including BBQ’d local meats, corn on the cob and a variety of fresh salads, iced tea and lemonade from a variety of our farmers & vendors and prepared by Tivoli Caterers

• Local beer and wine for adults to enjoy

• The fabulous view of the mountains from the brand new Creekside Community Centre at Olympic Village

• A sensational silent auction

• Live dessert auction

• "Pesto Guy" Richard Lewin of Golda's Pesto to MC

• Local, live entertainment Maria In The Shower

• And a kids activity corner!

Tickets prices:
Members - $50 ea / $150 Family 4-Pack (2 adults & 2 children 15 or under)
Non-members - $60 ea / $180 Family 4-Pack (2 adults & 2 children 15 or under)
*All non-member tickets include a 1 year membership to the Vancouver Farmers Markets!

To purchase your tickets:

http://eatlocal.org/ripe/index.html

GRAND OPENING!

Its finally happening!!!!

Yogiberry's

Grand Opening!

Over the last few months Yogiberry has been sampling some ideas on this wonderful little community of Gastown and we've finally brought it all together!

Join us:

Friday October 1, 2010
7pm -10pm
Corner of Carrall & Cordova

2 for 1 specials all day long (we open at 10am)

Meet the genuineses behind our signature menu items
Sample lots of yummy local treats
Enjoy local musicians

Interested in partnering with Yogiberry?  we love likeminded businesses!
email myyogiberry@gmail.com

I hope 2 c u soon

xoxoxo

:D

Amanda B.

Yogiberry Founder

WOW 206 is my new lucky number!!! lol

OMGosh Yogiberry was on Living Social the otherday (like groupon) our deal was a $20 gift certificate for just $10 and guess what?! We sold 206 of them !!! Yippeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee so excited...already it has brought new people into the store I've never met before!!! And if you think thats cool it gets better!!! Ethical deal is moments away from launching and they do the same thing though for ethical businesses only!  Its brilliant! (so stay tooned for my next big blockbuster!)

This business thing sure has its highs and lows doesn't it?  One minute your questioning why you ever thought you could do such a thing and the next your back on self-employed cloud nine! Its a crazy life :)

Lovely Lunch

Lots of people for lunch today I love it when I'm busy.  I also finished up the menu today (tuna melt made the cut!!! I'd go for the gluten free vegan option..of course!) I also created some new smoothies..Heavenly Chai for example which is honey vanilla frozen yogurt and chai tea!!!

Check out the awesome gouda grilled cheese sandwhich I made a customer today!

nother day in paradise

Connie came in today, she’s so warm and friendly, I’d wondered where she was yesterday but today when she showed up she told me, she’d been sleeping…for a full 24 hrs! We talked for longer than usual, she uses a walker and loves (and I do mean loves) my grilled cheese sandwhiches.

I asked her today if she would like an apartment or if she likes sleeping outside. I often do her laundry and have given her blankets before though the nice ones always get stolen. “I just can’t handle the cockroaches” she told me, “I wasn’t raised that way, so I’d rather sleep outside, you know what I mean?"

She went on to tell me how she used to have a lot of money and when she started partying too much she slowly lost it all until she wound up in the downtown eastside. She told me she remembers the first time she came down here “I was terrified by all the black guys, they really scared me at first”. She went on to tell me she’s been clean for five years but all she can afford is the small room she keeps her stuff in but can’t sleep in as the entire building is infested. I felt close enough to her to pry so personally, “is this where you want to be?” “no, its not.” She simply said. She borrowed another $5.00 (she always pays me back every welfare day) and went on her way but before she left she said, “I love you Amanda, I really do” and then hugged me. And they call this the hood, ha!

Coffee Lady 'Brenda'

I went to some gallery openings last night and though some of the art was quit interesting my night was clouded over when I saw a postcard of the coffee lady, a gastown landmark. Upon asking her whereabouts I learnt she had died of pneumonia more than a month ago. I was stunned. “Someone should have let the community know,” I said, “there are so many people who cared about her”. “We did,” the woman responded, “Portland Society arrange a very nice memorial for her”. But these people, these characters who touch our hearts and souls, mean much more to the entire community than I think even the NGO’s down here realize. The shopkeepers and tourists, residents and visitors, there must be literally thousands of people over the years who have bought Brenda a coffee, often if only to silence her whiny “may I have a coffee, will you buy me a coffee” mantra. After the decade passes you come to expect these characters, even rely upon them to provide your sense of stability, not unlike the policeman, milkman and school teacher in Mister Rogers neighbourhood. An evening at Chill Winston is just not complete until she sings her whiny tune, “excuse me, will you buy me a coffee, can I have a coffee”. She was our coffee lady and I, for one, will miss her. I had been wondering where she was, even worrying for her. She had recently made my little store a rest spot, I remember the first time she’d sat down on my chairs, I’d rose from my post and come around the counter, intending to ask her to reserve the seats for the paying customers. Thankfully, a sweet little whine had stopped me in my tracks, swirling inside the tiny space and forcing me to smile as I pulled up a stool and watched the beauty unfold from my painted windows. “Will you buy me an ice cream, excuse me sir, will you buy me an ice cream”. He’d bought her a big bowl of chewy chocolate. Sleep well Brenda.

I think handmade waffle cones rock!

I'm almost out (so will HAVE to re-order) the handmade waffle cones the 'waffle king' sold me on.  They're so awesomely natural and so obviously handmade that they fit so very very perfectly with our moto of  "fresh, local and special"!!! What great opportunities I have to introduce my fellow hood rats to the delights of the ethical and sincere bakers/makers in our fine city!!!

On Tuesday Pedro from Dao Tea  and Tricia from Seeds of Plenty will be visiting Yogiberry!!! Tricia will be bringing her super delish sprouted fair trade chocolate brownies and Pedro will be bringing his sustainable teas!!! (stay tooned for matcha and green tea frozen yogurt..an ethical partnership between Yogiberry and Dao Tea combining outstanding 'all natural yogurt' with truly ethical teas!)

email me directly to get in on the action early!!!

Sunday Bubles

Today I got a bubble maker machine from the street market..only $5 another great thing about this neighbourhood!!

AND

I made a delicious gluten free grilled cheese sandwhich with swiss and tomato!

AND a gluten free bagel and cream cheese

I also had a friend come visit me from Bella Coola, Jesse.  He made me miss it alot...time for a small vacation back to Bella.

The day was eventful as usual, lots to see and do and buy..that market gets busier and busier every sunday.  I'm very tired though and greatful we're closed on Monday's!!!

WILL SOMEONE PLEASE TURN THE LIGHTS BACK ON!

Damn it its so quiet and the street is dark and creepy but of course its the ONLY street with no lights on...what a disconnect there is between the people coming up with these 'strategies' and the people they're trying to impact..they're only making ti safe and uneasy for those who live and work here...we're not all drug dealers!!!

Anyways...not all is lost ..took some night shots!!!

First Post

Your View From Yogiberry

I've had a lot of people tell me to start a blog...probably because I'm occupying one of the most interesting neighbourhoods in all of Canada..or so I believe!

Yogiberry is the name of my store and my name is Amanda. I live in the building behind the store ....called the van Horne Lofts, built in 1995, they were the first of their kind in the area. Now the area is packed with them and all the trendy people have begun their decent!

People who have a mortgage or pay more than $500/month for rent call this place 'Gastown' the rest call it the Downtown Eastside I use both, although to be honest I probably use gastown more...alot of people have pretty strong feelings about 'The Downtown Eastside' and sometimes you just don't feel like being an ambassador.

My store opened its doors for the first time on June 15, 2010..just after the Olympics and in the middle of Canada's attempt at a recession...but I remain optimistic and if nothing else, the local drug dealers can be counted on for at least a Smoothie a day (because they're soooooooooo delish..no joke!).

My daughter worked at the store a bit this summer, she's 15 and has two piercings under her lip, one in her nose and one in her eyebrow, her step mom joked she'd set off all the metal detectors when her and my partner, Tjeerd, went to Holland a few weeks ago (Tjeerd was born there and a lot of his family still resides there...its a really cool trip!).

Right now it’s a Saturday night. For some reason the lights on just our street have been out...ever since the welfare check issue day and local users and dealers believe its another sneaky attempt to thwart their efforts. I asked a police officer but he said I would have to call Hydro. Its really affected business though. We usually stay open till 2 am but we closed at midnight last night having only sold one Smoothie (but it was delish!!! lol).

Anyways, I thought I'd write something about my little stores story...its such an interesting space and I have so much to share...there are literally thousands of stories begging to be told, countless characters left to reveal......some tales down here are very very heart breaking, its true, but to be honest alot is funny and even...touching.

Peace..outside!

                                                                                                   ME at Yogiberry