Big Smoke Burger, a gourmet burger concept that started in Toronto, arrived in Vancouver last summer and they’re now celebrating the launch of their second location in the area, at SFU in Burnaby.
About Big Smoke Burger
Founded in 2007 by Mustafa Yusuf, Big Smoke burger sources the freshest ingredients to deliver the best possible product, making all burgers fresh in-house every day using only AAA Canadian beef.
The ground chuck is always fresh, never frozen, and the burgers are made-to-order. The menu features hand-cut French fries made fresh every day and cooked in trans fat-free canola oil. Hand-spun milkshakes, house-made sauces, traditional poutine and a selection of unique beverages are also available.
In Vancouver, you can get an organic burger with beef from Two Rivers in North Vancouver, a fresh Lamb Burger, the Crazy Burger (with jalapeño havarti, coleslaw, chipotle mayo, BBQ sauce, hot peppers & lettuce), the Jerk Chicken Burger (with jerk marinated chicken breast, hot peppers, BBQ sauce, lettuce & tomato), the Blazing Pineapple (with grilled sweet pineapple, BBQ sauce, mayo and banana peppers), Veggies Burgers, and much more.
Big Smoke Burger Vancouver
Location: 500 West Broadway, Vancouver
Hours: Monday – Friday 11am to 10pm; Saturdays 11am to 9pm; Sundays 11am to 7pm
Big Smoke Burger Burnaby
Location: 8901 University High Street, Cornerstone Mews
Hours: Monday – Friday 8am to 10pm; Saturdays 11am to 9pm; Sundays 11am to 7pm
Win a Big Smoke Burger Gift Card
I have a $50 Big Smoke Burger gift card to give away, valid at either the location (West Broadway or SFU). 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 on Thursday, March 10, 2016 at 12:00pm. The gift card will be valid within one year of receiving. Follow Big Smoke Burgers on Twitter (SFU & West Broadway), Facebook (SFU & West Broadway), and Instagram (SFU & West Broadway) for more info.
Update The winner is Somi!
The fifth Macaron Day in Vancouver is coming up on March 20th, joining bakeries, cafes and bistros around the world to support local causes, one sweet treat at a time.
Macaron Day
Macaron Day was founded in France (le jour du macaron) by Pierre Hermé years ago. It’s a day to celebrate the colours of spring with a bright palette of treats. Macaron Day events will be happening overseas, in New York, and in Toronto. Over the last few years it has become a Vancouver tradition as well.
Macarons (not to be confused with macaroons) are meringue-based confections commonly filled with buttercream or jam with a delicate soft and crunchy outer shell. All you need to do is visit a participating “Macaron Day” bakery or cafe on March 20th and you’ll be given a macaron and be invited to make a donation their chosen charity.
Participants and Causes
Faubourg‘s three locations will all be participating: Kerrisdale (2156 West 41st Avenue), Downtown Vancouver (769 Hornby Street) and West Vancouver (792 Main Street, Park Royal South). They will all offer signature macarons for $1 (half off the regular price) and donate 100% of gross proceeds to BC Cancer Foundation.
In addition, Franck Point, owner of Faubourg Paris, will generously donate the same amount collected from macaron sales and double the donations in support of BC Cancer Foundation. The objective this year is to sell 10,000 macarons, which would result in a $10,000 donation that Franck will match to raise in total $20,000 for BC Cancer Foundation.
French Made Baking at 81 Kingsway (at Broadway) in Vancouver is participating again this year, supporting BC Children’s Hospital Foundation. At the café, a donation jar will be available and each customer will receive a free mini macaron and a percentage of all the sales of macarons will be donated to the Foundation. There will be 17 to 18 flavours of macarons and also large macarons (3”) in different flavours.
At the Atelier, Chef David will be teaching all the secrets to make perfect macarons on March 19th and 20th. The 2.5 hour hands-on class is limited to 7 students each day and everyone will walk home with a macaron-making kit and the macarons made during the class (about 24 macarons per student). The cost is $110 tax included and 25% will also be donated to BC Children’s Hospital Foundation. More details can be found online.
Over at Thierry Chocolaterie Patisserie Cafe (1059 Alberni St) Chef Thierry will be making a pina colada macaron, available only on March 20th. The flavour – a coconut macaron shell filled with rum buttercream and pineapple jam – was inspired by Thierry’s time working in the Caribbean early in his career. Thierry will donate a portion of proceeds from macaron sales to St. Paul’s Hospital again this year.
Update: Bon Macaron Patisserie (2823 West Broadway in Kitsilano) is participating as well. For every dozen macarons sold March 20th they’ll donate $3 dollars, plus add an extra macaron to your pack to make a baker’s dozen.
Update: Kitchening & Co. is participating with their macarons available at a number of locations this year. Their goal is to raise $2,000 to support the Immigrant Support Services Society of British Columbia through all macarons purchased between March 18-20th. Kitchening & Co. macarons will be available at: Urban Fare (Yaletown, Shangri-La, False Creek, Coal Harbour); Fresh Street Farms (Fleetwood, West Vancouver); Edible Canada; Meinhardt (14th & Granville, Pacific Centre); Max’s Deli (15th & Oak); Lee’s Market (Fort Langley); Save-on-Foods (Park & Tilford); Choices Markets (South Surrey, Abbotsford, Kits, Kerrisdale); Loblaw City Market (West Vancouver).
Update: EastVanSweets will be offering their Lolli Macs(speculoos cookie butter and dulce de leche), with pre-order at [email protected]. All proceeds will be donated to Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation at the regional office for BC / Yukon.
Do you have an update or know of another participant? Please let me know in the comments below and I’ll add them to the list.
Love is in the air, and underwater, at the upcoming adults-only After Hours at the Vancouver Aquarium. Learn all about the unique mating habits of marine life at this one of a kind event.
Grab a beer or glass of wine and enjoy access to all our galleries while exploring the Aquarium after dark.
After Hours at the Vancouver Aquarium
When: Thursday, March 10, 2016 from 6:00pm to 10:00pm
Where: Vancouver Aquarium in Stanley Park (845 Avison Way)
Tickets: This event usually sells out! $29 for non-members; $21 for members (prices include tax)
Listen to a hissing cockroach’s mating call, learn how sharks can reproduce 4 different ways, and see why diving is sexy in the aquarium’s romance-themed programs. Learn about sex underwater with a special presentation from head veterinarian, Dr. Martin Haulena, and catch a screening of the 4D film Great Escapes: Life in 4D.
For more information and to purchase tickets visit the Vancouver Aquarium online or call (604) 659-3400. Note: This is a 19+ event. Photo ID required for entry. No tickets available for purchase at the door. Membership cards will be required for member priced ticket holders.
The St Patrick’s Day Parade has been CelticFest Vancouver’s most popular event for the last 12 years! Taking place in Downtown Vancouver on March 13th, the parade will feature marching pipe and drum bands, Celtic music groups, acrobats, drill teams, Irish and Scottish youth dance groups, and many others.
Vancouver St Patrick’s Day Parade
- When: Sunday, March 13, 2016 at 11:00am
- Where: Howe Street and from Davie, proceeding north on Howe to Georgia Street, ending at Georgia and Granville Streets.
- Road Closures: Howe , from Davie to Georgia
Georgia from Hornby to Seymour
Granville from Georgia to Pender
Additionally, Throughout the weekend, Granville between Robson & Nelson will be closed to vehicle traffic for the Celtic Village & Street Market.
Join thousands of happy spectators lining the route to cheer on 2000+ parade participants. They’ll include award-winning pipe and drum bands, Celtic musicians, Scottish and Irish dancers, acrobats, stilt walkers, vintage cars, the Vancouver police motorcycle drill team and pipe band, fire and police dogs, mounted horse drill teams, multi-cultural organizations and performers, local businesses, distinguished guests, and lots more.
Celtic Village
After the parade, the Celtic Village is the place to go. On the weekend of March 12-13, The Celtic Village returns to Granville Street between Robson & Nelson with music, dance, fun and frolic, food — and great shopping.
- When: Saturday, March 12, 2016: 11:00am to 6:00pm
Sunday March 13, 2016: 10:00am to 5:00pm
This free street fair features performances by some of BC’s finest Celtic music groups on Doolin’s Music Stage at Granville & Robson. Folks can hear the rich harmonies of Blackthorn, the passionate, smoky vocals and Celtic-fuelled sounds of the Pat Chessell Band, Nova Scotia’s Sarah Ann Chisholm, more than a pint of fervor and charm from The Clanns, fiery young folk quartet Elsay, Nova Scotia’s fiddle, singing, step-dancing sensation Mairi Rankin, and the lively and energetic West Coast Fiddlers.
Look for the captivating antics of street performers: The Green Man can be found delighting passersby in the Village, and Academie Duello will be back to showcase historical sword play in action! Tom Lee Music Hall on Granville will also host a series of free CelticFest Performances and Workshops.
Follow CelticFest Vancouver on Facebook and Twitter for more information.
Ballet BC is celebrating its 30th anniversary this season as they focus their programming firmly on the future of dance. Program 2 will shine in the spotlight March 17th to March 19th, featuring a world premiere by rising French choreographer Medhi Walerski.
Ballet BC Program 2
Ballet BC’s Tara Williamson. Photo by Michael Slobodian.
Walerski’s work (Petite Cérémonie, Prelude) has wowed dance lovers throughout Europe and North America. So, in this 30th anniversary season, it seemed fitting to commission a new work – his first full-length – from a choreographer who has had tremendous impact on both our artists and our audiences.
“Dance as a natural expression of the human being is liberating,” says Walerski. “It is with a sense of happiness and excitement that I embrace this new chapter of my career and this commission for Ballet BC that celebrates the creative and collaborative spirit of art and our humanity.”
For this special commission, Ballet BC is joined by artists of the Arts Umbrella Graduate Dance Program to expand the cast of dancers to more than 25. Award winning Canadian designers, including Nancy Bryant (costumes) and James Proudfoot (lighting), will help Walerski realize his vision. “Each time I visit Vancouver I marvel at the beauty of the city and its wonderful artists,” says Walerski. “With this new work I want to create an experience beyond a traditional dance show, one where the audience enters a new world, all senses stimulated, to celebrate together.”
Program 2 will be at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre from March 17th to 19th at 8:00pm. Tickets range from $30.00 to $90.00 (including service charges) and can be purchased through Ticketmaster at 1-855-985-2787 (855-985-ARTS) or online through Ticketmaster.
Win Tickets to Ballet BC Program 2
I have a pair of tickets to give away to Ballet BC’s Program 2 on March 18th. Here’s how you can enter to win:
- Leave a comment on this post (1 entry)
- Tag a friend on this Facebook post
- Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)
Follow Ballet BC on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more information about performances this season.
Tickets are for March 18th and cannot be exchanged for another date. I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 12:00pm on Wednesday, March 9, 2016.
Update The winner is Jayne!
