Lindork’s Lists #217 – Indie Books, Taste of Spring Jasper, Playoff Food, Travel with Me, AHM 2024 Designs & More!
Newsletter for April 24-30, 2024.
Note: this is the public version of my weekly email newsletter that gets sent to subscriber inboxes first each Wednesday. If you’re looking at this public version, there’s a chance you miss out on events earlier in the week! Get the full newsletter first bybecoming a free subscriber.
Things to Do This Week
Take part in the Edmonton Independent Bookstore Day Extravaganza!
For Independent Bookstore Day, 11 independent book shops in the city have teamed up to run a fun passport experience encouraging you to visit as many of them as you can this weekend April 27 & 28!
Check out the Alberta Spirits & Cocktail Festival (Edmonton Convention Centre)
The Alberta Spirits & Cocktail Festival is this Saturday, April 27 featuring 30+ food and spirit exhibitors, flair bartending shows, live music, cocktail making classes, and on site market and more!
Cheer on the Oilers in the Stanley Cup Playoffs (ICE District)
The vibes at ICE District for the Edmonton Oilers Stanley Cup Playoff run is pretty fun—if you’ve never experienced it, this is your year! Tonight (Wed April 24), or for upcoming Away Games too.
Experience the Snow Goose Festival (Tofield—with free shuttle from Sh. Park)
This weekend April 27 & 28, thousands of migrating snow geese, Canada geese, shorebirds, cranes and swans are expected to return to Beaverhill Lake and area in Tofield, Alberta. All are welcome to experience ticketed guided bus or walking tours and other Snow Goose Festival activities—there’s even a FREE shuttle from Sherwood Park to the festival site.
Check out some of arts festivals happening this weekend:
The Dreamspeakers International Indigenous Film Festival runs this April 26 to May 6, featuring over 40 films, filmmaker panels, an animation workshop and more. In-person screenings and events take place at Metro Cinema at the Garneau and there are also online screenings and workshops.
The Sherwood Park Music Festival is on this week April 22-26 with a Grand Concert on April 28 at Festival Place.
The Edmonton Poetry Festival runs this week with daily events until Sunday, April 28.
Subscriber Shirley recommends you check out Die-Nasty improv shows:
“Our group has been going out to dinner at various restaurants in Old Strathcona and appreciate your input. We are also long time supporters of Die-Nasty, the Monday night live improv soap opera. This year it’s been hilarious! The last six shows of the season are now playing Mondays at the Varscona Theatre. I mention this because it’s a small ticket price for some really good improv on what is usually a dark night for live theatre. They deserve a mention!” – Thanks for sharing this recommendation Shirley!
Here’s a few markets / sales you might be interested in:
The Jasper Place Curling Club is hosting a Rockin’ Great Garage Sale this weekend April 26-29.
The Capital City Vintage Market returns this April 26 & 27 featuring new and second-hand items from more than 50 vintage vendors.
The Edmonton Grandmothers are hosting a Fabulous Fabric Frenzy on Saturday, April 27.
Here’s a few family-friendly activities:
You can get half off admission at West Edmonton Mall’s Galaxyland for this Friday, April 26.
SNAP Gallery is hosting a FREE Kids Day on Saturday, April 27 featuring art-making, card printing, button-making and snacks.
It’s the final weekend for the Immersive Disney Animation experience at the Edmonton EXPO Centre.
Plan your visit to Jasper, Alberta for their NEW Taste of Spring Event!
There’s a NEW Spring experience in Jasper, Alberta—A Taste of Spring—taking place for the first time May 3-12. There’s live music, water activities, a long table art dinner, wine and spirit events and more! There’s a ton of culinary-themed activities like helicopter picnics with Jasper Hinton Air or a Warrior Women fireside chat with tea and bannock, become a ‘Brewer for a Day’ with Jasper Brewing Co. or pull your own espresso at Andromeda Coffee, PLUS the 2024 Uplift Jasper Mural Festival runs May 10-24! Lots of fantastic public art to see (self guided—or book a tour!)
Thanks to Tourism Jasper for supporting my small business with this sponsored message!
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
Try the Spicy Bun Bo Hue Challenge at Mai Mai (14221 23 Ave.)
Did you know Mai Mai Vietnamese Street Kitchen in south Edmonton has an ongoing Spicy BBH Challenge for a good cause? You get 30 minutes to complete one bowl of spicy Bun Bo Hue—get listed your name on the ‘Wall of Flame’ – and Mai Mai makes a donation to the Edmonton Food Bank in your name. Worth trying—but also just worth visiting. Love this place!
Give Añejo Mexican Restaurant a try (11954 104 Ave.)
My friend Alicia recommends you try Añejo, a newish Mexican restaurant located at Brewery District near downtown Edmonton. With 3 locations in Alberta and two in Ontario, this Calgary-based restaurant is getting rave reviews. Alicia says: “Hands down best fish tacos I’ve ever eaten, coconut shrimp is next level, they have ‘halfy hour’ half price drinks from 3-5 p.m. or 9 p.m. to close, and I’ve already been three times.” Reservations highly recommended!
Try some chocolate and chilaquiles from ch. Cafeteria (14802 Stony Plain Rd.)
I shared this video about ch. Cafeteria—a Mexican cafe and chocolateria a few weeks ago—and realized I forgot to recommend it in the newsletter! A wife and husband duo have been running this super cute space since 2020 and the area is a bit of a mess right now with LRT construction so it would be great if you popped in to support them! Great menu, vibe, and chocolate!
Show some love to Chartier (and other Beaumont businesses)
Unfortunately it looks like some vandals destroyed a few businesses along the Main Street in Beaumont (just south of Edmonton)—including the very beloved Chartier French restaurant. They have since reopened and it might be nice timing for a visit down to support the area. A local cafe and pizza shop were also vandalized on the street.
Cheer on the Oilers while supporting a local bar or restaurant (various locations)
Yelo’d is doing an Oilers Crush Creamsicle flavour, Doughnut Party has their Connor McDoughnut offering, Meuwly’s Charcuterie may be perfect for your Oilers Watch party, Flirt Cupcakes have a cute Oilers Playoff Pack to bring to your Oilers party, I’m told A Cappella Catering’s fried chicken deal would be a great one for a watch party, plus pick a spot along 104 St. / ICE District / downtown to catch the game! As mentioned above, playoffs vibes are something you’ve got to experience!
Here’s some food events you might be interested in…
El Mero Mero Food Truck will be doing Taco Thursday in Ambleside Park (Windermere) this Thursday, April 25.
The Strathcona Food Bank’s Nourish Gala fundraiser is Saturday, April 27.
Beers & Queers takes place at Arcadia Brewing this Saturday, April 27.
Barbacoa is putting on a Frind Estates Wine Dinner on Tuesday, April 30.
Hot Chefs Cool Beats food, beer, spirits and wine fundraiser in support of the High School Culinary Challenge is on Thursday, May 2.
The Old Red Barn in Leduc—famous for their Farm to Table Dinners that support local farmers and share agriculture education—has released their 2024 Farm Dinner dates and tickets. Events run most Thursdays June through September.
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.
Travel with Me!
I’m super excited to announce that I’m partnering with a travel platform called TrovaTrip to host my own group getaway SOMEWHERE AMAZING AROUND THE WORLD—I just need YOUR HELP planning where to go (and letting me know if you’d come!!)
I know so many of you have used my travel blog guides + posts to help plan your trips—now I invite you to come with me on an epic trip.
Thailand? Vietnam? Bali? Italy? The possibilities are literally endless..
But I’m not picking a location before I get YOUR FEEDBACK. Before I plan a group vacation with TrovaTrip, I need to survey my community to determine:
Where you’d most like to go
What your travel budget is
If you’re serious about going on a group vacation with me, you need to list a minimum $2,000 USD budget in the survey to qualify for these trips, which include accommodations + some food + some adventure + with me as your host!
The survey is purely information gathering at this point for potential trip buddies.
I hope you take it!! (just a 2-min survey if you’re interested in going on a group trip!)
From the Blog Vault
Deja Vu! The Edmonton Oilers are playing the LA Kings in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs and well… this has happened before—very recently like last year lol which means I’m bringing back my “Edmonton Oilers vs. LA Kings – California-Inspired Food & Drink for the 202̶3̶-2024 Playoffs” blog post I wrote last year! I guess I will need to edit it to say 2023 and 2024 Playoffs lol. Enjoy your eats!
Just Launched: 2024 Asian Heritage Month Clothing Collection
I’m so excited to unveil the 2024 Asian Heritage Month clothing collection I collaborated with Edmonton business Zen Lion Design on, that celebrates Asian culture, visibility and representation while tackling anti-Asian racism and supporting Asian-owned initiatives.
This is the third year I’ve partnered with Sherrell of Zen Lion Design to put out an Asian Heritage Month collection and I’m so excited to see which pieces you select!
Preorders placed before April 28, 2024 will be ready by May 10, 2024. Orders placed after that will have a 2-3 week turn around time. Collection is available to order until end of May 2024. You can select shipping or local Edmonton pick-up!
Save $$$ with my Discount Codes
I regularly partner with awesome companies to offer discounts that save you money!
Here’s just a few you might want to use…
- Get 15% off your DeLuxe Mobile Playscapes party package using code LINDORK. Book by April 30, 2024 for parties happening by March 31, 2025! Discount not valid on deposits.
Get $10 off per month your first three month-Charcuterie Club subscription to Meuwlys with code LINDORK.
Get 10% off a Secret Ingredient YEG cooking class using code LINDORK10.
Get 20% off regular price items at Bamboo Ballroom using code LINDORK20.
Get 10% off any in-person or online service with Sit Stay Squat, a local canine conditioning, feline fitness and pet massage company, wth code LINDORK10.
Get 15% off your first-time order at Princess and the Pea (excluding Jellycat/Canada Goose) using code LINDA15.
See all current discount codes on my blog!
As a TELUS Ambassador, if you sign up for TELUS products or services using my referral link / code, I also get some revenue (unfortunately you don’t get a bonus lol).
Popular on my Blog Right Now
Here are the top four most popular posts on my blog this week:
- Lindork’s Guide to FUN FLIGHTS (Food and Drink Samplers) in Edmonton (March 2024)
- Guide to Instagrammable Photo Op Spots of Las Vegas, Nevada (Nov 2022)
- Travel Guide: Everything You Need To Know Before You Go to Barbados (Jan 2023)
- Ultimate Guide to Gluten Free Eating in Edmonton (Published 2019 – updated 20123)
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The full Lindork’s Lists includes:
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- Food to Try This Week
- Walls of the Week
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