There are things in life that are so common, so ordinary, that we often take them for granted. Such is the all too familiar chocolate chip cookie. Whenever I walk into a bakery, I tend to pay them little attention, no matter how high the stack, my eyes focusing instead on the kouign amann and…
Author: Denise Alba
2013: A Year of Little Goods
I’d never been one for New Year’s Resolutions – they’d always seemed silly and futile to me – but recently, I’ve been finding that the ability to stay positive and see the good in everything is a really powerful concept. And so I begin 2013 not with a list of resolutions, but with a single…
Hello 2013
And with a few wine spritzers and a fast-asleep Frenchie, we say goodbye 2012, and hello 2013! May the new year bring you all peace, joy, and realized dreams! With love, Denise & Stella
Thomas Haas
I love Thomas Haas. Not only do they do a fantastic champagne truffle, they also prepare phenomenal cakes and tarts alongside an incredible viennoiserie, which includes double-baked almond croissants (my personal favourite), pain au chocolat, and quark cheese danishes among others. For lunch, they also have a really great panini selection. And, in my opinion,…
Saturday 2012
In a few short days, it’ll be 2013! Kind of mind-blowing, huh? I’m really excited to see what the new year will bring, but for now, I’m enjoying the last few days of 2012. Today, the last Saturday of 2012, Stella and I hung out with family and some friends enjoying a chilly morning walk…
Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas, everyone! With love, Denise & Stella
Christmas is Here
What would the holidays be without copious amounts of food, baking, and chaos? Without all that, it certainly wouldn’t be the same in the Alba household. I always complain about the stress of checking off that shopping list (lists if you’re an obsessive list-maker like me), hosting and attending Christmas lunches, brunches, and dinners, and…
Dumplings All Around
Every culture, east to west, north to south, seems to have its version of the dumpling. Sweet or savoury, made from potatoes or wheat, I haven’t yet been disappointed by any of its myriad forms. That I’ve tasted. And let me tell you, I’ve tasted a lot. The Chinese are well-known for their numerous combinations…
A Little Blue Book
I recently read a book called this is a love story by Jessica Thompson. I’ll admit I grabbed it on a bit of whim and because its robin’s egg blue spine with white lettering was too pretty to leave on the shelf of that little bookstore. It was a really fun and easy read which…
Sweet and savoury galettes
Late Sunday afternoon I decided I would make dinner: a parsnip & onion galette, as well as an apple & aged cheddar counterpart for dessert.
L’Abbatoir
On Friday night, my friend Christina and I had dinner at L’Abbatoir in Gastown. We made sure to make reservations. Since it was the end of a busy and rainy work week, neither of us was particularly in the mood for an hour long wait or a seat at the bar. I had a meeting…
Nicli Antica
This past Friday, some friends and I had dinner at Nicli Antica, a Neopolitan-style pizzeria on the outskirts of Gastown. After a 45 minute wait – and be prepared to wait because this place gets real busy – we were finally seated and began to peruse the menu. It was a great menu, and I finally…
Pup & Grub 