Lindork’s List #93 – #YEGWinterPatios, holiday events, another Exclusive Giveaway and more!
Newsletter for Dec 1 – 7, 2021
Hi everyone! I’m sharing these updates from beautiful Barbados, where Mike and I are hanging out for two weeks as part of our IVF Abroad “Procreation Vacation.” If you’re interested in seeing what we’re getting up to in Barbados, check out this IG Story Highlight. If you’re interested in learning more about our IVF treatment or infertility journey, check out this IG Story or see my previous blog posts.
Things to Do This Week
Please wear a mask indoors and in crowded spaces. Sanitize regularly, keep a distance, stay home if sick, read up on the latest restrictions, get vaccinated, and stay safe. Check individual events to see what their COVID-19 safety precautions are (including proof of vax / masking).
Kick-off the #YEGWinterPatios season (various locations)
I’ve partnered with WinterCity Edmonton and SnowSeekers to promote Edmonton’s winter patio season—which officially kicks off this weekend. Plan to experience dozens of patios this winter and buy a $10 Winter Warming Kit in support of Boyle Street Community Services. Learn more and check out my winter patio blog post.
Shop the Winter Wonderland Market at Manchester Square
One of Edmonton’s cutest little shopping areas Manchester Square is hosting a holiday market this Saturday, Dec. 4 from 10 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Includes activities like sleigh rides, ice sculptures, an on-site DJ, hot chocolate station, plus dozens of local makers selling all sorts of gifts.
Check out the YEGXmasMarket – Holiday Vendor Market
The Edmonton Christmas Market returns with several different pop-ups this season including the Holiday Vendor Market running weekends (including this weekend Dec 3-5) at the Army and Navy, featuring local vendors, food experiences and lots of holiday cheer! Admission is $5.
Check out the Downtown Holiday Light Up (Churchill Square)
The annual Downtown Holiday Light Up is running over multiple Saturdays this holiday season, which I thought was a great idea! If you missed Nov. 20’s, the big tree at Churchill will be lit up again this Saturday, Dec. 4. There will also be live entertainment, art, movies, hot bevvies and maple taffy on snow from noon to 8 p.m. and free parking at City Centre Mall.
Take in the holiday lights at the Alberta Legislature
We’re officially into holiday season everyone! The Alberta Legislature lights up this week (Dec 2) and invite you to Celebrate the Season there. Their Christmas tree is also usually pretty spectacular. You can also catch live holiday performances Dec. 4, 11, and 18 from 12:30-1:30 at the North Amphitheatre (outdoors and free).
- Get tickets to Angela Davis’ virtual talk presented by Edmonton Culture
- Edmonton Culture presents In Solidarity with Angela Davis, taking place virtually on Dec. 6. Dr. Davis will be interviewed by Shalini Sinha (Chair of the City of Edmonton’s Anti-Racism Advisory Committee) and Robyn Taylor (City of Edmonton’s Youth Council) with a panel discussion and Q&A to follow. This is a part of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence series.
Got an Edmonton area event, virtual event, or something coming up you think my readers would be interested in knowing about? Let me know!
Food to Try This Week
Proof of vaccination for restaurants in Alberta’s Restrictions Exemption Program must be in QR code form now so be sure to get your QR code vaccine record if you haven’t yet!
Celebrate the grand opening of Cafe Bel-Air (8020 101 St.)
Join Cafe Bel-Air at the grand opening of their new shop in Old Strathcona this Saturday (Dec. 4). You may have heard of or have tried Cafe Bel-Air previously, they’ve been slinging popular popsicles since 2015. I’m excited to check out their new Tea Salon & Dessert Shop!
Check out the new Samosa Shop in south east Edmonton (2371 Maple Road)
There’s a new spot for samosas in the city—The Samosa Shop located in south east Edmonton. It looks like they also sell an assortment of Indian sweets too. And it looks like they sell gol gappe, which I tried for the first time in Surrey, B.C.—like a savoury hollow puff pastry filled with mashed potatoes, chickpea, mint water and chutney.
Bite into the smoked meat sandwich from June’s Deli (6247 112 Ave.)
I recently re-visited June’s Delicatessen in Highlands for their always delicious smoked meat sandwich and it was—as always—delicious! Also my friend had the tomato bisque and tried their new gluten free bun breakfast sandwich and was super satisfied. Such a great little deli.
Try the donair poutine and hot chicken nachos from Blowers & Grafton
Before we left for Barbados, we celebrated a friend’s birthday at the new Blowers & Grafton in Windermere (they also have a Whyte Ave location). Their donair poutine and hot chicken nachos were excellent!!
Try the Dutch Girl Cafe (online or at various markets)
Denise recommends you place an order with Dutch Girl Cafe this week!
“Could you please post a profile on Dutch Girl Cafe in one of your newsletters? Sara Dika is an amazing vegan/gluten free pastry chef and cook.”
The Dutch Girl makes a variety of bagel bombs, cakes, cupcakes, candy, cookies, croissants, cruffins, “Dutch stuff” (ha, love that!), loafs and more.
Ate something amazing recently? Want to show some love to a struggling restaurant? Have a take-out suggestion? Let me know to include in this newsletter.
Small Business Spotlight
Congratulations to Get Cooking on the launch of their new website and virtual cooking classes. Chef/owner Kathryn Joel and her cooking class company has been helping so many become more confident cooks over the years (plus the cooking classes make for great friend/date nights), and I’m so thrilled to see she’s fully embraced virtual cooking classes due to the pandemic. She’s got quite a set-up—smooth tech, lighting, multiple cameras, lots of featured local chefs and a range of globally-inspired dishes (like you’re travelling the world without leaving your kitchen!) Check out the new website and class line-up. Could make a great Christmas gift!
You Missed an Exclusive Newsletter Giveaway!
This week’s email newsletter subscribers got a chance to enter to win a prize pack from the Royal Alberta Museum Shop, valued at $220!
📣 Anyone can also get 10% off any of your Royal Alberta Museum Shop purchases online or in-store using my code LINDORK10 valid until Dec 31, 2021. 🎁
But if you want exclusive giveaways and other great content delivered weekly to your inbox:
Enter my $1,000 YouTube Christmas Giveaway!
More giveaways! ‘Tis the season.
Episode 11 of my new YouTube video series #LindorkDoesLife is out!
In this episode, I launch my first-ever YouTube Christmas Giveaway.
Become a YouTube subscriber and comment on any or all of my Lindork Does Life videos for a chance to win one of 10 x $50 gift cards or 5 x $100 gift cards to some of my favourite Edmonton businesses!
$1,000 total in prizes. 15 winners. 15 businesses supported.
New on the Blog
Check out my Guide to Winter Patios in Edmonton!
And see how you can support restaurants AND a great local charity this winter when you experience the city’s many great patios operating throughout the winter season.
Now Public: Q&A with Lauren Hunter
Every other Sunday, I profile a new “interesting person” in a Q&A series just for paid newsletter subscribers. Then a month later, I release that Q&A publicly on my blog. My latest Q&A of the series is now live on my blog if you’d like to read it, featuring Edmonton’s SONiC 102.9 radio host Lauren Hunter.
If you’d like to become a paid subscriber to this newsletter to receive exclusive Q&As first in your inbox every other Sunday and support the work I do, upgrade below:
Discount Codes You May Want To Use
I regularly partner with amazing businesses to promote their products or services and love to pass on promos and discount codes for my followers. Here’s a few you might want to use this week:
Get 10% off online or in-store at Royal Alberta Museum Shop using code LINDORK10
Get up to 75% off your first Fresh Prep meal order using code INFLINDORK21
Get 15% off MYLZ Dog Treats using code LINDORK15
Get 10% off a detail from Bubbles Car Wash using code BUBBLESLINDORK in November
See more discount codes from great local businesses!
Subscribe for More!
Free subscribers to my weekly newsletter Lindork’s Lists receive the full, hyperlocal newsletter first in their inbox every Wednesday—before anyone else! You can also become a paid subscribers to receive access to more musings and stories written by me—or simply subscribe to support my work, especially if you’ve been following me for awhile and are so inclined :) Learn more about Lindork’s Lists (and become a free or paid subscriber!)
The full Lindork’s Lists includes:
- Things to Do This Week
- Food to Try This Week
- Walls of the Week
- Interesting Thing on the Internet
- Social Media Did You Knows
- Exclusive Promo Codes / Discounts
- Exclusive Newsletter Subscriber-only Giveaways
- Newsletter Subscriber-only Access to Events
Paid subscribers also receive access to musings, stories, an exclusive Q&A every other Sunday, giveaways and more content (forthcoming lol). Becoming a paid subscriber also supports the content I share overall.
(You’ll get the option to subscribe for free or select a paid plan)
