Celebrate BC with White Spot Contest

Comments 124 by Rebecca Bollwitt

Seeing BC ingredients and the names of local farms you love on a menu at a chain restaurant is like randomly running into a dear friend while traveling. What a lovely surprise – you’re both so glad to be there together! But we all know that White Spot isn’t just any chain, they are BC’s restaurant so it’s absolutely no surprise that they would feature farmers, bakers, cheesemakers, and more on their Celebrate BC menu.

Celebrate BC White Spot

Celebrate BC with White Spot

“The variety, quality, and freshness of BC ingredients are at their peak this time of year,” said Executive Chef James Kennedy. “It made it such a joy for the Culinary team and I to create the food for this new menu.”

On the roster is the new BC Brie & Bacon BBQ Chicken Burger, made with fresh BC chicken breast and topped with brie from Golden Ears Cheesecrafters; while the Steelhead Florentine spotlights Ocean Wise steelhead caught in Lois Lake. The new BC Summer Salad features a cornucopia of locally grown produce, and back by popular demand, the famous fresh BC Blueberry Pie is made with blueberries sourced entirely through Silver Valley Farms in Maple Ridge, and grown throughout the Fraser Valley. And it’s not only the food — at White Spot, guests will find a bevy of locally-produced beverages, including a selection of exclusively featured 100% BC VQA wines as well as local craft beers and ice cream for their famous milkshakes.

More local ingredients on the menu:

  • 100% Fresh Canadian beef on White Spot burgers;
  • Fresh BC chicken breast for burgers, salads and pastas;
  • Locally baked artisan style buns made with real ingredients: eggs, butter, milk, locally milled wheat;
  • Naturally smoked Canadian bacon on burgers and Canadian back bacon at breakfast;
  • Coleslaw made with local cabbage;
  • Enough locally grown zucchini for zoo sticks to stretch longer than 27,000 football fields; 
  • BC dairy for hand-scooped milkshakes, milk, butter and more;
  • Canadian cheese including aged Cheddar;
  • Tomatoes ripened on the vine in BC ;
  • BC mushrooms and cucumbers;
  • 100% B.C. VQA Wine and local craft beer on the beverage menu;
  • Ocean Wise Steelhead sustainably raised and caught from the deep, cold, clean waters of Lois Lake;
  • Fresh BC Blueberries sourced through Silver Valley Farms in Maple Ridge, and grown throughout the Fraser Valley;
  • Golden Ears Cheesecrafters Brie, Maple Ridge;
  • Locally grown butter lettuce.

The Celebrate BC menu showcasing local ingredients at all White Spot Restaurant locations across British Columbia until September 4.

Enter to Win

I’m thrilled to be able to offer a $100 White Spot gift card to give away, here’s how you can enter to win:

Win a $100 White Spot Gift Card

I also just have to mention that outside of the restaurant setting, I run into more White Spot team members at charity events than any other gathering – their heart and soul lies in BC communities and they really mean it when they say they want to Celebrate BC!

Dan’s Legacy Chefs’ Charity Dinner 2022

Add a Comment by Rebecca Bollwitt

Dan’s Legacy has announced that their 9th annual Chefs’ Charity Dinner is once again happening live and in person! Guests can sample the delights of four gourmet chefs, each of whom will prepare a signature dish only using recovered food. Funds raised will go directly towards Dan’s Legacy’s trauma-informed, no-barrier counselling programs for youth at risk in Metro Vancouver.

Dans Legacy Chefs Charity Dinner

Dan’s Legacy Chefs’ Charity Dinner 2022

  • When: Saturday, November 5, 2022
    • 6:00pm Reception & Silent Auction, 7:00pm Dinner & Program
  • Where: Shaughnessy Restaurant at VanDusen Botanical Garden (5251 Oak Street, Vancouver)
  • Tickets: Available online now starting at $100

The menu, including reception-style appetizers and a plated dinner, is created from surplus food and prepared by local top Chefs who each design a course. It’s a menu of culinary masterpieces guaranteed to delight the senses.

Enjoy an evening out with friends, family and colleagues and demonstrate your commitment to giving a hand up to marginalized young people in our community.

About the Cause

“The only time you should be looking down on someone is when you’re helping them back up…” – Destiny Newton, Dan’s Legacy youth client.

Dan’s Legacy is looking for leaders in the community who are eager to take a stand against the stigma of addiction, understanding that trauma is the root cause of this health crisis. Trauma knows no boundaries. Business professionals, academics, tradespeople and health professionals – we all know someone who is hiding an addiction because of the fear of stigma.

Youth aging out of foster care are one of the highest risk groups for homelessness, lifelong mental health issues, and entrenched addiction. The COVID-19 pandemic has worsened mental health issues for many in our communities with a particularly devastating impact on youth at risk.

Over the past two years, the Dan’s Legacy team of therapists identified a 50% increase in hospitalizations for their youth clients due to psychosis, overdose and suicide attempts.

Their therapists are front-line health care workers who continued to meet directly with the youth throughout the pandemic, ensuring they had wrap-around support such as food, shelter, clothing, emergency phones and counselling.

Dan's Legacy Land-Based Therapy for Indigenous Youth
Dan’s Legacy Land-Based Therapy for Indigenous Youth – Photo Submitted

No other organization in Metro Vancouver does what Dan’s Legacy does and they have an over 50% success rate in helping youth to stabilize, and begin working towards their education, employment and recovery goals.

In the past year, they have helped over 450 youth overcome their mental health and addiction challenges and lead productive and fulfilling lives.

Get your tickets now for this unique (and delicious) event and support the work of Dan’s Legacy in our community.

Miss604’s Rebecca Bollwitt is a member of the Dan’s Legacy Board of Directors

Things to do in Vancouver This Weekend August 12-14

Add a Comment by Rebecca Bollwitt

Back-to-school ads are ramping up but there’s still so much summer fun to enjoy around Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley. The sunflower festival has started, it’s almost time for the corn mazes, there’s live music, street festivals, tours, and more. Here’s the big list of things to do in Vancouver this weekend:

Things to do in Vancouver This Weekend Sunflowers

Things to do in Vancouver This Weekend August 12-14, 2022

Friday, August 12, 2022
Sponsored by Miss604: Summer at Burnaby Village Museum
Fort Langley Night Markets
VMF 2022 | Razzle Dazzle Dance Party
Chilliwack Sunflower Festival
Music in the Square Drum Circle with Steve Sacky
Fridays on Front in New Westminster
Guide My Way: A celebration of the music from Sedna
McArthurGlen Summer Concert Series
Coquitlam Summer Craft Mornings
Dance Dance Dance – FREE Latin Dance Classes
Rose & Thorn: Where Fashion Meets Fun
TGIF South Granville
Storytelling & Hula at Bloedel Conservatory 
Summer Pop-Up Concerts with Music on Main
Richmond Night Market
Ambleside Festival
Indoor Roller Skating in Vancouver
Shipyards Live in North Vancouver
Hidden Wonders Speakeasy Magic Experience
Art Downtown
Small File Media Festival
Monsoon Festival of Performing Arts
Vancouver Queer Film Festival
Cinematheque’s Film Noir 2022

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Chilliwack Corn Maze at Greendale Acres

Comments 1 by Rebecca Bollwitt

Greendale Acres has announced that it will be opening the 24th Chilliwack Corn Maze this season on August 13th, in partnership with Science World’s T.Rex: The Ultimate Predator exhibition.

Greendale Acres Chilliwack Corn Maze 2022

Chilliwack Corn Maze at Greendale Acres

The playful design of this year’s maze makes the connection between the prehistoric dinosaur and the chicken – who share characteristics in their bone structure, making chickens living members of the dinosaur group, Theropoda. 

  • When: August 13 to September 30, 2022
    • Summer (until Labour day)
      • Tuesday to Saturday 10:00am to 9:00pm; Sunday & Labour Day 10:00am to 6:00pm
    • Fall (until the end of September)
      • Tuesday to Friday 2:00pm to 9:00pm; Saturday 10:00am to 9:00pm; Sunday 10:00am to 6:00pm
    • Check the website for hours beyond September and holiday hours
  • Where: 41905 Yale Road West, Chilliwack
  • Admission: Purchase single or seasonal admission tickets online

The maze is an interactive adventure where maze-goers must complete 12 T.rex themed questions curated by the Science World team in order to escape. Participants can choose the family-friendly short maze which takes approximately 15-20 minutes, or the longer more challenging maze which takes 30-40 minutes to complete. 

Opening Day August 13th

The maze opens Saturday, August 13, 2022 at 10:00am with live music starting at 6:00pm followed by a concert by BC local country artist Tanner Olsen Band from 8:00pm to 10:00pm. Maze and attractions close at 7:00pm for the concert. NOTE: Special event tickets are required after 5:00pm if attending the opening day evening celebrations.

Greendale Acres, home of the Chilliwack Corn Maze, was established in 1999 in Chilliwack and was the first corn maze in all of Canada. They are a Fraser Valley experiential farm where community comes together and traditions are born. In addition to the corn maze, the farm features: lavender fields, seasonal flowers, pumpkin patch, jumping pillow, rope obstacle course, bubble bar, pedal kart track, hay bale maze, corn sandbox, farm animal displays, farm carousel, garden & picnic areas, seasonal farm food, misting stations, ball zone, sandbox/kids playground area, antique farm machinery, and more.

Chinatown Storytelling Centre’s Foo Hung Curios Gift Shop Online

Add a Comment by Rebecca Bollwitt

Chinatown Storytelling Centre’s Foo Hung Curios gift shop is now available online! This local gem has been a destination for hard-to-find, one-of-a-kind curated gifts, books, local art, and home goods since opening in November of 2021.

Now, it is officially launched its e-store where shoppers across the country can have access to its inventory of contemporary takes on traditional objects, focused on Chinese Canadian designers and artists.

Shop Foo Hung Curios Gift Shop Online
Photo submitted
  • Shop in person: 168 East Pender St, Vancouver; Thurs to Mon 10:00am to 5:00pm
  • Shop online: Anytime with 24/7 nationwide shipping

“Foo Hung Curios pays homage to my grandfather, Ron Bick Lee, who owned and founded an import/export business named Foo Hung Co. in 1921,” says Carol Lee, chair of the Vancouver Chinatown Foundation. “Since opening Foo Hung Curios, the support has been tremendously positive – we have people from all over Canada come visit us to purchase something they saw on our social media channels or they may have heard about us through our many amazing vendors and the press community. Our e-store has been in the works for a while, and I’m so excited to open up Foo Hung Curios to all of Canada.”

To celebrate the e-store they are offering all newsletter subscribers 10 percent off their first purchase.

The store continually refreshes its collection every season, in addition to organizing fun pop-ups, such as its recent Pop-In series for Asian Heritage Month, where it highlighted a variety of Vancouver’s talented community of Asian Canadian small businesses, makers, and artists. Foo Hung Curios was also the location for the launch of the limited-edition Boba Grizz collaboration with international sporting goods brand Mitchell & Ness and the Canadian non-profit Canadian Chinese Youth Athletic Association (“CCYAA”).

New items arriving to the gift shop include: a special Pride Picks selection of books by Asian Canadian LGBTQ+ authors, such as Kai Cheng Thom and Aaron Chan; whimsical, water-colour prints by Vancouver artist Mikayla Hong of Artbedo; Chinatown prints by Downtown Eastside-based artist ​​Jeff Wilson Art; large dim sum plushies; and exclusive bone china tea cups.

All proceeds from gift shop sales support the programs of the Chinatown Storytelling Centre.