Anyone know what the “WHEN?” billboards all around the city are about? Though the campaign seems to be working because I’m asking the question, doesn’t it seem passé to use a similar technique so close to Southgate’s “August 5” campaign? At any rate, here are this week’s food notes:
- ZINC, the restaurant inside the sparkly new Art Gallery of Alberta, opened for full service today. Menus aren’t up on the website yet, but Liane wrote two articles about the establishment that provide an idea of what to expect. Also worth a read – a NYT article published this weekend about the trend of solid eateries in museums (partly as an effort to help make the museum some money).
- Though I liked Liane’s article about the current “rock star” quality of local butchers– I couldn’t help but think of this similar article in the NYT, published last summer.
- I forgot to link to this article last week, but I think it’s a clever idea – kitchen demos are the new showhome hook. Homes By Avi hired a chef to create appetizers for four different showhomes as a means of encouraging visits, and for potential buyers to see the kitchen “in use”.
- The second annual Winefest returns to the Shaw Conference Centre on February 27. Looks like tickets are available for the afternoon session at this point.
- Century Room, the revamped Century Grill lounge, is set to open this week.
- Unfortunate news – Sysco takes over Fin’s.
- To celebrate their one year anniversary, Flirt Cupcakes is giving away cupcakes to the first 100 visitors on Valentine’s Day!
- The Alberta Avenue Farmers’ Market is hosting a Customer Appreciation Day on February 11.
- Speaking of farmers’ markets, this is pretty cool – the CBC Broadcast Centre in downtown Toronto will be hosting a farmers’ market every week until April. How great would it be to have access to local food year-round in the core?
- Valerie (aka A Canadian Foodie) is inviting prosciutto lovers to take her taste challenge – she picked up prosciutto de parma, Serrano ham and Iberico ham for a savoury taste-off.
- Second Cup is really pushing their coffee – we found a card in our mailbox that entitles one to a free medium coffee after each similar purchase…11 times. Too bad I didn’t have one close to my office, or I’d be heading for numerous coffee breaks during the day.
Second Cup’s new loyalty program card
- Sweet Lollapalooza announced that they will be hosting chocolate making workshops in the coming weeks (February 20 and March 9) – contact them to sign up. I swung by there this evening and picked up some of their chocolate chip cookies I’d been wanting to try. Though the chocolate coating wasn’t as overwhelming as I expected, I think the cookie would have been better if it had been soft and chewy.
Sweet Lollapalooza cookies
- Before the wine tasting last week, I stopped by Blue Plate Diner for a comforting bowl of mac ‘n’ cheese. It was a cheesy bowl of warmth, but surprisingly, the soup of the day (Southwestern potato and sausage), stole the show.
My blue plate special
Only Here for the Food 
Thanks for the referral, Sharon… always so much appreciated… how about chiming in? Or, are you not a prosciutto aficionado? My husband introduced me to the world of cured meats… and I still have found nothing as fantastic as the ones he makes himself!
Again, I wouldn’t have a clue about what was happening around town without this post. I check you out weekly, and am never disappointed!
XO
Valerie
PS – re: Rock Star issue…:(
The WHEN billboards are supposed to be a good teaser for the new radio station that’s been testing for months.
Personally,I think Aug 5 will remain as one of the last effective campaigns like this in the city. I think it’s the same campaign over and over, and if you aren’t more unique, people aren’t going to care.
There are a lot of more creative ways to put your advertising budget to good use. But that’s just my two cents.
I too, got a Second Cup card in the mail last week and have yet to put it to good use.
Yes, the WHEN? signs are everywhere. I just learned about the radio station a few days back. Seemed like a strange mix of country and adult contemporary.
I have a soft spot for stamp/punch cards, even if they clog up my wallet.
Valerie – thanks for the lovely comments! I do indeed love prosciutto, but am not sure I can participate in the tasting within the week – I am looking forward to the sample reveal though!
Brit – I agree with you too. It’s a tired approach.
Chris – I’m a sucker for punch cards too!
Julie Powell from Julie/Julia fame wants to be a “rock star” butcher….it must be a trend then.
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/34224826/ns/today-today_books/
Personally I appreciate a good butcher, but have yet to meet one with “rock star” qualities.
In your neck of the woods, Dave from Ben’s Meats is my favorite.
Not only because he is a client of my wife’s bakery, but his beef ribs are incredible.
H.Peter – I had read about Julie Powell’s new memoir…I read an exerpt and it seemed too contrived for me.
Thanks for the butcher rec. It’s something I haven’t really explored, but will have to in the coming months.
Thanks so much for finding out what the WHEN was all about =) That’s an F for effort in my books. Great run down of the events as usual! Where would I be without you?!
You can thank Brittney for the heads-up about WHEN :).