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!!!