“It’s like a diner from paintings of diners,” John told me as we stepped into Royal Dinette on Dunsmuir. Greeted by Manager Chen Wei-Lee, we took our seats at the window, watching the tail end of the after-work crowd rush to their buses or to the pub upstairs.

With its tiled floors, hard woods and soft, textured accents, fine wines and preserves on display, the space to me is like a French bistro you’d find on Manhattan’s Upper West Side -minus the stick of butter you feel you’ve ingested by the end of the meal.

The menu lacked staples that would be expected from a space with such decor (steak frites wasn’t anywhere to be seen) but Royal Dinette boasts a seasonal selection of goods from the garden, cured meats and artisanal breads along with the catch of the day and BC wines. It’s hearty without being hard on the heart.

We ordered the summer Tasting Menu (that will of course change with each season) and were presented with manageable and bite-size 8 course feast.

The Tasting Menus have 2 and 3 course options but we tried it all during our visit. We began with a gazpacho that had an island of icy cucumber and a dusting of black olive. It was the most creative presentation I’ve seen for this crisp, cool soup and I loved the melting cucumber that contrasting with the creamy tomato. It was one of my favourites of the night along with the Egg Yolk Trenette simply presented with smoked butter, parmesan, and summer truffles.

Foie Gras, Ling Cod (with perfectly, tenderly grilled octopus), sourdough, Beef Bavette, and a cheese course were also included. The meal ended with strawberries, jasmine tea parfait, and dehydrated sponge cake croutons that, when put together on my fork -and although completely deconstructed- tasted exactly like my Oma’s strawberry shortcake. It was a very pleasant way to end the meal.

Tasting menus can be accompanied by drink pairings and we did partake in a few, trusting our server’s recommendations which worked out beautifully — even if we were given different wines and we presented cases to each other about whose pairing worked better, each of us loyal to our own glasses.

Royal Dinette has a warm and sociable ambiance, the kind of place where you’d want to split a bottle of wine with friends while slurping back some fresh, house-made pasta or share a charcuterie board while telling stories about lessons learned on recent travels. We’ll definitely be back for another date night, and the latest seasonal Tasting Menu which is now posted online.

Royal Dinette is open for lunch, happy hour, and dinner, closed on Sundays. It is located at 905 Dunsmuir, Vancouver. Follow on Twitter for the latest news, menus, and special events.

Western Canada’s largest celebration of reading and writing is taking over the city this month with 100 readings, 150 authors, and 20 workshops all being a part of the Word Vancouver festival between September 23rd and September 27th, 2015.

Word Vancouver

From Wednesday to Friday, experience author readings at these venues: SFU Harbour Centre, The Cottage Bistro, Christianne’s Lyceum, Banyen Books & Sound, Historic Joy Kogawa House, and CBC Studio 700. On Saturday, September 26th, take part in free professional development workshops at Vancouver Public Library Central Branch.

Wednesday, September 23rd @ 5:45pm
SFU Harbour Centre (515 W Hastings St)
Launch of The Revolving City: 51 Poems and the Stories Behind Them (SFU Public Square and Anvil Press)

Thursday, September 24th @ 7:00pm
The Cottage Bistro (4468 Main St)
Pandora’s Collective Presents Twisted Poets Literary Salon – Kate Braid & Elizabeth Bachinsky

Friday, September 25th @ 6:00pm
Christianne’s Lyceum (3696 W 8th Ave)
Adventure Awaits! – readings by Tiffany Stone, Elisa Gutierrez, Kathy Beliveau, and Lee Edward Födi

Friday, September 25th @ 6:30pm
Banyen Books & Sound (3608 W 4th Ave)
Kemila Zsange, Past Life Regression: A Manual for Hypnotherapists to Conduct Effective Past Life Regression Sessions (Journey Beyond Production)

Friday, September 25th @ 7:30pm
Historic Joy Kogawa House (1450 West 64th Ave)
Adventures in Song and Story with Grant Lawrence

Friday, September 25th @ 7:30pm
Studio 700, CBC (at 700 Hamilton St)
Pandora’s Collective Literary Awards Gala

Saturday, September 26th from 11:00am to 5:00pm
Central Branch, VPL (350 W Georgia St)
A day of professional development workshops for writers and publishers

Sunday, September 27th, from 11:00am to 5:00pm
Library Square (in and around VPL Central Branch, 350 W Georgia St)
Festival day

Festival Day on Sunday September 27th

The big festival day happens on September 27th in and around the Central Branch of the Vancouver Public Library (350 W Georgia St, between Robson and Georgia and Hamilton and Homer). Come hear musical performances, free readings and panel discussions, and take part in free writing workshops. Canadian authors and book, magazine, and comics exhibitors are all gathered to share a passion for the written word. Fun for literature and literacy lovers of any age.

Check out the Family Stage, family-friendly activities all day long; and Underground Words + Art, comics and chapbooks programming and exhibitors.

Other weekend events, in and around Library Square:
Canada Writes, Authors’ Words, Family Stage, dances, poetry vending machines, typewriter stations, Kids Lit, Poetry On The Bus, Magazine Words, Writing Talks, Word Talks, and more. A crowd favourite, The Book Bag Treasure Hunt, will also return! Purchase a festival book bag for just $20, already filled with treasure. Set out on your literary journey and add to your collection as you come across participating exhibitors.

The Vancouver Book and Magazine Fair Society produced the former The Word On The Street Vancouver festival between 1995 and 2012, which was rebranded as Word Vancouver in 2013. Over the span of two decades, the festival has expanded from a single day event to a five-day event, attracting thousands of local, Canadian, and international festival-goers to its events.

Word Vancouver is part of Culture Days. Admission is FREE to all events. Download the full program here. Follow Word Vancouver on Facebook and Twitter for more information.

Win a Book Prize Pack

I have a hardcover book prize pack to give away that includes:

Melvis and Elvis by Dennis Lee, illustrated by Jeremy Tankard

Shadow Scale by Rachel Hartman

The Jaguar’s Children by John Vaillant

Sing a Worried Song by William Deverell

Are You Seeing Me? by Darren Groth

Here’s how you can enter to win:

• Leave a comment on this post (1 entry)
• Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)

I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 12:00pm on Wednesday, September 23, 2015. The winner must be able to pick up the prize from the Word Vancouver office.

The 2015 Terry Fox Run is just around the corner and while some kids may participate each year with their school (School Run Day is September 30th), this year families might need to take it upon themselves to sign up on their own. The general run takes places in hundreds of communities across Canada on Sunday, September 20th in memory of Terry Fox, and keeping with tradition there is no entry fee and no donation minimum to be met.

Terry Fox Runs in Metro Vancouver

“I’m not special. This just intensifies what I did. It gives it more meaning. It’ll inspire more people. I just wish people would realize that anything’s possible if you try; dreams are made possible if you try.” ~ Terry Fox

Location: Chilliwack
Landing Sports Complex on Spadina.
Registration 7:30am.

Location: Coquitlam
Blue Mountain Park.
Registration at 9:15am

Location: Delta North
In front of Sungod Arena (112th St and 79th Ave).
Registration at 9:00am.

Location: Delta South
Rotary Square at Tsawwassen Town Centre Mall.
Registration at 9:00am.

Find additional Run Sites online. Follow the Terry Fox Foundation on Twitter and Facebook. If you would like to learn more about Terry Fox, the BC Sports Hall of Fame and Museum at BC Place is an excellent resource. There is an entire gallery dedicated to Terry, featuring artifacts, news clippings, and inspirational quotes.

Leaves are falling, gumboots are being dusted off, and stores are stocking their shelves with anything that’s pumpkin spiced. Harvest season is here and the best place to be is on the farm! Corn mazes, apple cider, hay rides, and real, live pumpkins. If you’re looking to take the kids out to a local farm here are 5 that are open for business, and filled with fun for your visit:

5 Farms for Family Fun This Fall

Unfortunately some farms were hit hard during the recent windstorms and were unable to open their corn mazes but they’re bouncing back and preparing for lots of fun this month and into October.

Taves Applebarn
Website / Facebook / Twitter
Location: 333 Gladwin Road, Abbotsford

The Applebarn’s pumpkin patch is now open for the season along with the Corn Quest Maze, Bunny Town, hayrides, ponyrides (on the weekend), jumping pillow, tractor trail, pumpkin cannon and corn gun (weekends), zipline, concession stand, playground, petting barn, and more! Watch cider press demonstrations and pick up some farm-fresh cider or u-pick apples.

Aldor Acres
Website / Facebook / Twitter
Location: 24990 84 Ave, Langley

Opening for the season on September 19th (through to October 31st) this popular Langley attraction has animals, hayrides, pumpkins, a petting zoo, pig races, hands-on farm experiences and more.

Richmond Country Farms
Website / Facebook / Twitter
Location: 12900 Steveston Hwy, Richmond

Shop for seasonal fruits and vegetables as well as plants, trees, and florals in the nursery. Hop on a Farm Tour Train Ride on Saturdays and Sundays (weather permitting). The pumpkin patch opens October 3rd with music, wagon rides, and pumpkin picking.

Chilliwack Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch
Website / Facebook / Twitter
Location: 41905 Yale Road West, Chilliwack

Navigate your way through the 12 acre corn maze, u-pick fruit, visit the pumpkin patch, jump on the giant pillow rainbow, push some pedal carts, take a ride on the corn train, and check out and indoor and outdoor hay bale maze.

Maan Farms
Website / Facebook / Twitter
Location: 790 McKenzie Road, Abbotsford

Offering seasonal berries, a country kitchen and market, estate winery, and family fun year round that includes a rope climb, pedal carts, slides, petting zoo, wagon rides. The corn maze (daytime and nighttime) is open until October.

Pumpkin Patches

Check out my full list of pumpkin patches:
Pumpkin Patches in Surrey
Pumpkin Patches in Richmond and Ladner

Tickets are on sale now for the 11th annual Canuck Place Gift of Time Gala happening Saturday, October 3rd at the Westin Bayshore. Presented by The Ledcor Group of Companies, over 700 donors, partners, sponsors and supporters of Canuck Place Children’s Hospice will come together for this special event that features a three-course meal, live and silent auctions, entertainment, and Canuck Place family remarks. Global BC’s Sophie Lui will serve as emcee for the evening.

Canuck Place Gift of Time Gala

Where: Westin Bayshore (1601 Bayshore Dr, Vancouver)
When: Saturday, October 3, 2015

Each year this elegant event has live music, silent and live auctions, raffle prizes, a delicious dinner, and moving speakers who share very personal stories about how Canuck Place touched their lives.

Last year we heard from Cheryle Ismirnioglou, who spoke about her son Joshua who, just days away from his 11th birthday, was diagnosed with Rhabdomayosarcoma, a relatively rare form of cancer that begins as a malignant tumor in the muscle cells. Joshua underwent treatment for a few years, but unfortunately the cancer returned in 2012:

This year’s speaker will be Amy Ross, who recently participated in the Canuck Place Adventure Race. “What was the most special part about this race was that my seven year-old son, James, was able to take part in the kids race,” said Amy. “He has such fond memories of Canuck Place and felt very empowered to raise funds in honour of his late sister, Gabrielle.”

“Canuck Place was the only place that could support a family like ours.”

Gabrielle was born in 2010 with a terminal genetic disorder called I-Cell. After three years with her family, Gabrielle passed away at Canuck Place, surrounded by her three brothers.

“We couldn’t cure our daughter. All we could do was love her and be the best parents we could be.” Canuck Place enabled the Ross family to just be together as a family, knowing that Gabrielle’s complex medical needs were being taken care of.

When parents need to devote their time to caring for sick children, they often fear their other children will feel forgotten. Canuck Place ensures the entire family feels welcome. “Canuck Place made them feel loved and special,” said Amy. “With a very busy mom and dad who spend most of their time and energy focusing on Gabrielle, Canuck Place always made sure the siblings were well taken care of.”

Get Your Tickets Now

Hear more of Amy’s story and much more at the Gift of Time Gala on October 3rd. Tickets are available online now as individual tickets or tables of eight. All funds raised at the Gift of Time Gala will support the delivery of specialized pediatric palliative care for over 600 children and families facing life-threatening illnesses across British Columbia.

About Canuck Place Children’s Hospice

Canuck Place Children’s Hospice (“CPCH”) opened its doors in 1995 and is British Columbia’s recognized pediatric palliative care provider, delivering care to over 600 newborns, teens and families across the province and through two locations: Vancouver and Abbotsford.

Care is provided in the areas of respite and family support, 24-hour province-wide phone consultation and in-house clinical care, pain and symptom management, grief and loss counselling, including music and play therapy, art, education, recreation therapy, and end-of-life care. Dedicated, professional staff and over 325 volunteers provide a vital lifeline for children and families in their greatest time of need. Canuck Place relies on the generosity of individuals, corporations, and various organizations to raise operating funds, with a portion funded by the Province of BC.