Browsing “Shopping”

On Friday I told my friends at 102.7FM The Peak that I was looking forward to the Eastside Culture Crawl and heading to Matthew Freed’s studio to buy some pottery off of him (HERE is the audio piece). Today was fairly dismal in terms of weather but a great day to crawl around East Van as Matthew and 428 other artists opened their doors to Vancouver. They’ll be doing it all again tomorrow as they wrap up another edition of this wonderful, annual, self-guided event.

Matthew‘s studio is at 740 Jackson Ave, and right as you walk in the door you’re greeted by his amazing pottery creations.

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Vancouver is home to a thriving fashion industry made up of individuals committed to its growth and success. Get to know these personalities in The Inseam and discover what makes the Vancouver Fashion scene so awesome. Every month, The Inseam’s Eco Edition focuses on the innovators that shape the green movement in local fashion.

Photo courtesy of Jessica McIlroy

Wednesday, November 14th was the third annual I am Downtown shopping night at Pacific Centre.  The event brings about 15,000 shoppers to the mall to take advantage of discounts, contests and promotions.  It’s also a bit of a way to kick off the holiday season and showcase fall/winter collections.

The evening was full of action including a fashion show, a photo shoot set up to have your picture on the cover of Fashion Magazine, spin the wheel contests, and VIPs could access a lounge complete with cupcakes.  A styling presentation was given by Joy Pecknold, Western editor of Fashion Magazine, highlighting this season’s trends.

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Felix Berytus, the name might be hard to pronounce, but that is all part of the story behind this new Vancouver brand.  The name – which is also the alter ego of one of Vancouver’s most promising creativewear designers – is meant to draw you in and leave you wanting more.

Owner and designer Abdallah El Chami started designing when we was 19 years old.  It started out as a hobby, something to do when creative inspiration struck and the obvious canvas for his work was a t-shirt. Fast forward some years later (plus a university degree and a design contest under his belt) and Felix Berytus has been relaunched – gaining traction and momentum by word of mouth and social media.

The story behind the hard to pronounce – and equally hard to forget – name?

Says El Chami, “Yes the name of my brand may be hard to pronounce, but that’s what makes it unique. I was searching for a name that had a strong connection to me. In 15 B.C., after the Roman emperor Augustus Julius Caesar conquered Beirut, Lebanon (my roots) he renamed it Colonia Felix Berytus, representing happiness and a roman variation of Beirut.”  El Chami fell in love with the name and adopted it as part of his creative alias – his other creative half.

Next step for this up and coming Vancouver designer?  He aims to become the brand that represents creative wear in Vancouver, BC.  A lofty goal – but if drive, passion, and designs that sell out quickly are any indication, El Chami and Felix Berytus have already made incredible headway towards that vision.

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Chinatown is changing: Familiar old institutions like Mitzie’s and New Town Bakery have undergone makeovers, but it’s the young entrepreneurial ventures in the area that are signalling the beginnings of something new, fresh and daring in this sister ‘hood of the 4th most stylish neighbourhood in the world. The Chinatown Experiment is one such enterprise embodying the heart of this exciting movement.

Devon Mackenzie of The Chinatown Experiment
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This morning I read an ARTICLE penned by Fances Bula in the Globe and Mail that called the Sears building at Robson and Howe “The Great White Urinal”, and outlined the plan for Nordstrom to come in and give it a facelift. This is a building that former chief of planning for the City of Vancouver, Brent Toderian, has touted as “the worst building in Downtown Vancouver” and it has long been looked upon as not-the-most-inviting of spaces, and not the best use of a location that is pretty much smack dab in the middle of our city.

It is with great pleasure that I share with you these renderings below of what Nordstrom plans to do to The Building Formerly Known as The Great White Urinal, in Pacific Centre. I’m also quite happy to let you know that not only will this be a new retail store but they’re going for LEED certification in the construction, and they’re also building some new office space into the development which they’re currently pre-leasing. Hopefully once it’s completed it’ll warrant a new nickname!

Oh, and here’s the release with all the info:

Vancouver, B.C.; September 17, 2012 – Pacific Centre shopping mall is pleased to officially unveil today plans for its high-profile property at Robson and Granville. The company is undertaking a multi-million dollar redevelopment of the existing building to accommodate the arrival of Nordstrom, while creating new retail and commercial mixed-use space.

“This is an extremely exciting stage in our evolution,” says Tom Knoepfel, Senior Vice President and Portfolio Manager, Cadillac Fairview. “These plans reinforce Pacific Centre’s reputation as downtown Vancouver’s pre-eminent mixed-use property. Pacific Centre will span from Pender Street all the way to our new entrance on the corner of Robson and Granville. This will be a key factor in the centre’s continued success.”
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Vancouver Farmers Markets is about people who love fresh food at festive gatherings. With the initial goal in 1995 to create the fun and value of weekly Farmers Markets in urban settings, the Society and the Markets have become Vancouver plazas of fun, discovery, and connecting. Each month V.I.A. introduces you to one of the fabulous Market vendors!

Vendor Profile #8: Earnest Ice Cream
By Kim Peterson

Rain or shine, Earnest Ice Cream, is unofficially (but literally) the season’s coolest stand at the Vancouver Farmers’ Market. Take for example the second last Sunday in July at the Kits Market, which wasn’t exactly a bluebird summer day. It was cloudy, and a little cool, not raining, but not really what you might consider “ice cream weather.” To think that this would be a quiet day for an ice cream man/lady is an underestimation of how much people really do like frozen milk and sugar. It was brisk business on the grey day, with shoppers eagerly snapping up frosted glass jars of vanilla, chocolate and whisky butter salted hazelnut ice cream on their way out of the market.

“It’s beyond our wildest expectations,” says Ben Ernst, who, along with his partner Erica Bernardi, started Earnest Ice Cream just over two months ago. “This city has been ready and waiting for something like this.”

“This” is a deliciously simple summer treat, sold in reusable glass jars or as ice cream sandwiches. The product itself is top-notch; I tried the salted caramel, which managed to maintain the velvety texture of fresh toffee and its mellow salty-sweetness.

Ben is from Seattle and has a background working with small businesses; Erica is from Toronto and has a culinary degree. Making a locally sourced, small batch ice cream “struck a chord with us,” says Ben.
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