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Lindork’s Lists #53 – Outdoor events, woahnuts, breakfast poutine and more!
Things to Do This Week
Please note: Alberta has restrictions in place to address COVID-19. I do encourage you to try and support local businesses during this time, if you’re able, but in a safe way. Wear masks, sanitize regularly, avoid crowds, keep at a distance, shop alone, choose take-out and stay home if you are sick and choose digital options if available.
#AdoptAShopYEG: Love Downtown Edition (Various Locations)
Thank you to those who have signed up for my third #AdoptAShopYEG, this time focused on Downtown Edmonton businesses, in partnership with ATB Financial and the Edmonton Downtown Recovery Task Force. Theres’s lots of spots left to fill if you’re able to show a little extra love to downtown businesses this week, the ask is to sign up to “adopt” a shop by committing to spend at least $25 at the shop by Feb. 28. Browse the sign-up sheet and put your name down—or let me know and I’ll sign you up!
Celebrate Black History of Month with Taste of Africa (Online)
The Africans & African Descendants Friendship Club Of St. Albert is hosting a ‘Taste of Africa’ Celebrating Black History Month virtual event with optional food pick-up on Saturday Feb. 27. The stream is from 4-6 p.m. and includes Cultural Dances, Storytelling, Poetry, Singing, Drumming, a Parade of Ethnic Fashion and more fun ($6) and if you choose to add food samples, you pick up beforehand and enjoy it during the stream ($12).
Catch the 10th Annual Country Music Alberta Awards (Online)
Like country music? Celebrate Alberta’s best country musicians at the 10th Annual Country Music Alberta Awards. There are over 100 nominees in over 20 categories. It’s FREE to watch the stream which begins at 7 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 28.
Pre-register for Flying Canoë Volant winter festival (South Edmonton)
The popular Flying Canoë Volant winter festival returns March 1-6. This stunning event features all sorts of light installations, illuminated trails, outdoor Indigenous programming and other outdoor activities in the river valley (near Mill Creek Pool / La Cite Francophone). Due to the pandemic, you must pre-register to gain access to the trails.
Visit all the ice sculptures for Ice on Whyte (Old Strathcona/Downtown)
Be sure to go on a self-guided Ice and the City Sculpture Tour for this year’s Ice on Whyte—which has expanded to include downtown as well. There are 10 sculptures in total and if you visit at least 5, you can enter to win a prize! Check out their sculpture map here. Chef Table Living is also offering Walking Food Tours in partnership with Ice On Whyte you can add to your sculpture experience.
Recognize women ahead of International Women’s Day
International Women’s Day is coming up March 8, 2021 and now would be a good time to start thinking about how you might want to recognize the special women in your life, or participate in IWD’s theme this year which is #ChooseToChallenge (gender bias, inequality, etc.)
I’d like to do some kind of IWD-related giveaway or feature in the next couple of weeks so stay tuned for those details. In the meantime, the Stollery Children’s Hospital asked if I could spread the word about their International Women’s Day initiative celebrating women who have some kind of connection to supporting Stollery families. Check out the nomination form and nominate a grandma, neighbour, mother, or friend who may have helped those who needed support from the Stollery.
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
Some Alberta restaurants have reopened their dining rooms. Others are still take-out/pick-up only. Please support restaurants! Remember if ordering take-out, placing the order direct and picking up from the restaurant is better than using third party apps. Review current Alberta COVID-19 restrictions here.
Celebrate warmer weather with gelato from La Carraia (10067 109 St.)
La Carraia Gelateria Cafe is one of the 50 downtown Edmonton businesses featured in my #AdoptAShopYEG: Love Downtown (#yegdt) initiative. Celebrate those warm temps with GELATO! Check out the list of all featured businesses (many of which are restaurants) to help plan your week’s eats!
Order an Olympus Donair ‘Help us Pay the Rent’ Pack’ (5639 Riverbend Rd.)
The title of the combo is a bit bleak, but consider ordering Olympus Donair‘s “Help Us Pay The Rent” Pack of 4 regular donairs, 4 cans of pop, and 1 set of family size fries for $40 (regular price $48). Thanks to Tamara V. for recommending this spot. “It’s one guy running the show and his food is good,” Tamara says.
Try a ‘Woahnut’ (waffle donut!) (online)
Have you heard of Edmonton’s ‘Woahnuts’? These are liege waffle donut creations with all sorts of flavours like Nutella cream, rose and grapefruit, maple brown butter and more! This Edmonton waffle/donutery has been doing a lot of collaborations with other Edmonton restaurants too. I saw them come up on my feed this week and it looked tasty!
Grab a Cinnamon Bun and Breakfast Poutine from XIX (2 Locations)
XIX Nineteen is back with brunch (dine-in or take-out). I highly recommend the cinnamon bun and Breakfast Poutine, or their Breakfast Bao (open face steamed bun sandwiches). They’re also offering a brunch ‘Power Hour’ where certain dishes are discounted (even for take-out!) XIX has Terwillegar (south Edmonton) and St. Albert locations.
Grab fried chicken + Mac N Cheese from Northern Chicken (10704 124 St.)
The co-owner of Northern Chicken was the target of some disgusting homophobic social media attacks this week. They were (rightfully) ratio-ed (overwhelming public support for Northern Chicken), but it’d be great to take the online support and translate it into sales too. Their fried chicken is excellent and I also love their Doritos Mac N Cheese!
You Missed Exclusive Giveaways!
This week marked one year since I started my weekly newsletters and to celebrate I had ran two newsletter subscriber-only giveaways. Subscribers got a chance to enter to win:
One Escape City Remote Adventure Virtual Escape Room Experience (for up to 8 people—I’d recommend between 4-6 for the most optimal fun! valued at $115)
In March, if you book a Remote Adventure, you’ll also receive a discount code to SAVE 20% on your next in-person adventure at Escape City!
One $25 gift card and beret from The Beauty Parlour
You can also mention LINDORK10 when booking with The Beauty Parlour over the phone for 10% off your cut, colour, style, etc.
I tried a Remote Adventure with friends on Valentine’s Day and it was so much fun! It’s more than just a Zoom call—there’s interactive elements and a neat digital inventory of clues you can navigate through as well. A big kudos to the Escape City team for getting creative with their business, which has been deeply impacted by the pandemic. As for The Beauty Parlour—this eco-friendly salon is a must-visit especially if, like me, you had been putting off getting your hair cut for quit some time lol.
I regularly do newsletter giveaways so if you’d like to be the first to know of Edmonton events, food to eat, social media tips, interesting things I find on the Internet, PLUS exclusive giveaways, sign up (for free!)
Sign up for #AdoptAShopYEG: Love Downtown (#yegdt) Edition!
I know I mentioned it above but it’s important enough to merit its own section as well: If you’ve got $25 to spare, I would love if you signed up to “adopt” one of 50 downtown Edmonton businesses featured in my #AdoptAShopYEG: Love Downtown (#yegdt) Edition, running until Feb. 28! This version of Adopt a Shop is in partnership with ATB Financial and the Edmonton Downtown Recovery Task Force and designed to drum up a bit of extra love and support for downtown businesses during a tough time.
If you sign up and share how you’re participating on social media, you’ll also be entered to win bonus $25 gift cards from ATB to spend even more! See the 50 featured businesses and available slots to sign up. You can also let me know which business you’d like to adopt and I can put your name on the spreadsheet!!
From the Blog Vault
This week marked Canadian Agriculture Day, which had me reflecting on Alberta agriculture and all the farm to table, local food, farm visits and other local ag experiences I’ve had the pleasure of being involved in over the last few years. If you ever get a chance to do a farm tour or farm dinner, I highly recommend it! Learning where your food comes from, how it’s made, dispelling myths of the industry—it’s all really important stuff. Check out my blog post from 2015 recapping my experience on the 124 Street Grand Market + Taste Alberta’s Grand Taste Tour, which involved farm tours and farm education plus a delicious farm to table dinner!
Content warning: there are some photos of animal butchery in the blog post.
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- Food to Try This Week
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