Showing posts with label kite and kaboodle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kite and kaboodle. Show all posts

Thursday, 14 December 2017

Holiday Shopping with the Pros at The Forks Market

The Forks Market is full (literally full – you might have heard McNally Robinson Booksellers is opening soon?! Their shop is under construction upstairs next to Sydney’s and Bayshore Gifts in Glass and is set to open in the new year!) of fun, one-of-a-kind merchants, artisans and trendy shops, with great gift ideas to help you to cross everyone off your “nice” list, and still have time for a cute skate date or flight of wine to celebrate your shopping accomplishment!




This year we turned to some of the experts – people who we know spend a lot of their time around here – to share their thoughts on what they’ll be wrapping up and placing under the tree for folks in their lives this holiday.

Have a look – maybe you’ll find just the gift-giving inspiration you’re looking for!


The Travelling Signpainters




The Travelling Sign Painters spend time at The Forks at least a few times a month – but usually they only have the opportunity to window shop. The duo, Joseph and Brigitte, come in after-hours to change up the artwork on the sign at The Common, or paint murals on the temporary construction walls of shops that are being renovated!

Joseph has his eye on a few pieces from Gilbert’s Stones for his mom this year – she’s really into crystals and has wanted a Himalayan salt lamp for a while, and he found plenty to choose from at Gilbert’s Stones.  


Gilbert's Stones


Brigitte works at White Pine Bicycle Co. in the Johnston Terminal, where Joseph, who’s decided to take a crack at winter biking for the first time this year, dropped many hints that he would really like a fat tire bike or a new leather saddle or, at the very least, a White Pine sweatshirt for Christmas this year.


White Pine Bicycle Co.


White Pine Bicycle Co.
White Pine Bicycle Co. 

Almond Tree


Brigitte is big on embracing what makes you feel good during the holidays – whether that’s time with family, time alone, time for wine, or time for one (or several) of each flavour of saltwater taffy Almond Tree has to offer.   


Louise Waldman




Louise is the Manager of Communications at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights – which means she spends at least five days a week on site at The Forks.

Louise celebrates Christmakkah in her family – her husband is Icelandic-Lebanese and she is Jewish. They light candles each night for Channukah, and have a big family Christmas dinner on the December 25.


Coal & Canary

Coal & Canary
She’s picked out a Coal & Canary candle, Dogwood Coffee from Fools + Horses, and these stunning earrings from Forks Trading Co. in The Forks Market to gift to her daughter, coworker, and friend. Her family also has a tradition of giving back at holiday time – they’ll be supporting Welcome Place’s toy drive this year.


Fools + Horses


Forks Trading Co.
If you’ve come to The Forks to do some holiday shopping, be sure to pop in to the CMHR gift shop – they have a beautiful selection of ethically sourced gifts – or museum passes might be a great option for someone on your list! 


Lindsay Somers




Lindsay is The Forks’ resident wellness blogger, run club instructor and urban advocate for active transportation. She can be spotted on site almost daily having walking meetings, teaching people to learn how to run their best 5km or lace up their skates.


Yash Global


Yash Global


She likes to pick up a few gifts for clients of hers – these soothing-scented soaps from Yash Global make a great gift or stocking stuffer.


Forks Info Kiosk


Forks Info Kiosk


As a lifestyle health coach, Lindsay is big on reminding people to drink water – these insulated stainless steel Forks water bottles are available at The Forks Info Kiosk for $35 (located between Pancake House and Frogurts on the main floor). Also available at The Forks Info Kiosk: Forks t-shirts, sweatshirts, and tote bags for the Forks lover in your life, Common beer + wine flight boards and honey made by the bees that live here at The Forks in the summertime!


Distant Caravans


Distant Caravans


And she thought it would be fun to do a friend-date: meeting at The Forks for a drink at The Common before or after a skate, and heading up to Distant Caravans for a reading. 


Nisha Tuli




Nisha’s 9-5 office is at Travel Manitoba, and on weekend she can be found at The Forks Market sipping coffee or shopping around while her daughter takes theatre lessons at Manitoba Theatre for Young People. For her, the holidays are a big family affair – her husband is Ukrainian so they have a twelve course dinner on Christmas Eve, and there are lots of young cousins excited for St. Nick, including her two children.

Speaking of MTYP, do you have your tickets to Merry Christmas Charlie Brown, yet? They’ve opened up a New Year’s Eve show, and tickets are selling quickly!


Sk8 Skates



Forks Trading Co.



SF Imports







Eric Admiraal




Eric is a graphic designer at Travel Manitoba, and an avid Forks Market shopper. He and his husband Cody are responsible for throwing the Christmas Eve come-and-go, no-kids-allowed exclusive and highly-anticipated annual party of the season.


Ellement Wine & Spirits


Naturally, they have a few favourite bottles at Ellement Wine & Spirits to have on-hand when they host. For ideas on what you should definitely pick-up at The Forks Market for the next holiday event you’re hosting, check out our Guide to Hosting + Gifting this holiday season.

He is dedicated to shopping for toys for his niece + nephew that will drive his sister crazy, and has had success on this front at Kite and Kaboodle in the Johnston Terminal.


Kite and Kaboodle


Kite and Kaboodle


Eric and Cody are known in their friend group for having a great selection of board games, so he chose one from the great selection at Kite and Kaboodle to add to the collection.    


Kite and Kaboodle




Tabitha Langel


You might recognize Tabitha – she is one of the owners of Tall Grass PrairieBread Co. and Grass Roots Prairie Kitchen. She is often at The Forks shop, working to share her passion for supporting local, organic farming, and bread baking as therapy. If you ever get the chance to ask her about seeds, milling, baking or bread, do – it is her passion and you will be so inspired.
Forks Trading Co.
Bayshore Gifts in Glass
Aida Crystal


Aida Crystal
Christmas in Tabitha's world is very much centred around celebrating with food, singing and playing games with close friends, family, neighbours and they open their home to those who may not have anywhere else to spend the holiday.  




There you have it – hopefully we’ve afforded you some ideas to accomplish your holiday shopping goals. Thank you for visiting our blog, thank you for visiting The Forks and supporting our local shops, restaurants and vendors. Enjoy the holidays in whatever way makes you happiest and we look forward to ringing in the New Year with you!

Holiday hours:
Most shops are closed December 25. Market doors will be open for skate change and washrooms.

More info on:
Ice conditions for on-land trails and the Red River Mutual Trail
Wawanesa Family New Year’s Eve festivity line-up



Thursday, 25 May 2017

7 Ways to Relive Your Childhood at The Forks


There’s one thing all of us ‘90s babies have in common – if you grew up in Winnipeg, you probably have memories of spending time at The Forks. Remember being covered in sticky cinnamon sugar after pouring the leftovers from the donut bag into your mouth? Sweet, sweet times.

All the fun doesn’t have to be over! Grab your friends – and hey, their kids too if they have ‘em – and head to The Forks this weekend to experience your childhood all over again.


1. Find that long-lost Beanie Baby at Kite and Kaboodle


The Johnston Terminal’s second floor is home to one of the coolest toy stores in the city, where every square inch of Kite and Kaboodle’s shelves are packed with games, books, plush animals, action figures, and whozits and whatzits galore. Your kid self would go nuts if they knew you could get toys whenever you want now. Buy something for your nephew’s birthday or treat yourself – whatever it is, it’ll be awesome.


2. Eat a Skinner’s hot dog 


Nothing says nostalgia like a crisp, juicy Skinner’s foot-long hot dog from The Forks Market. Your mom might’ve made you get a regular-sized one back in the day, but now that you’re a grown adult, you can handle the real size. Probably.


3. The Common: the new lemonade stand


Trade memories of mixing all the Kool-Aid flavours together and making your friends to drink it for trying the best of craft beers and wines at The Common instead. Those double-dog-dares of days gone by have built up your now-sophisticated taste buds to appreciate these homegrown adult drinks. Try a flight of four locally crafted beers or three artisan wines – these will definitely go down easier.


4. Mini Donut Factory: Need we say more?


We probably don’t even have to say anything about this one – as soon as you enter The Forks Market, your nose immediately leads you to the mini donuts. It knows the way. When you were a kid, you probably begged your parents to let you hold the crinkly white paper bag on the drive home so you could secretly eat more than your share before your little sister realized it. You didn’t care that they were so fresh that they were too hot for your little fingers to hold. It’s all about those sweet, melt-in-your-mouth donuts. Mmmm.


5. Rediscover and explore at the Children’s Museum


It’s all in the title! Bring your little cousins or youngins of your own to the Children’s Museum to explore, learn, and feel awesome when they pretend to be the conductor of their very own train. (Right? You totally did that too.) When they’re excited, you get excited too, and you remember how it feels to learn things for the first time when you see it through their eyes.


6. Act like a kid in a candy store at Sugar Mountain


A post shared by Sugar Mountain 🍭🍬🍫 (@sugarmountainwpg) on



Did your mother fear this place like mine did after she let me get the giant Pixi Stick? Maybe you can handle your sugar better now, maybe (like me) you still get hyper, but Sugar Mountain was the store of your dreams as a kid. Now you can try some more adventurous candies or still pick your tried-and-true favourites – but try to make them last longer than the ride home this time.


7. Climb up the Market Tower


When you’re so small, it’s hard to imagine being able to see the whole city at once – which is why The Forks Market tower is so awesome. Take in the views of the rivers, the landmarks, and the wonderful place you call home. If you’re feeling extra competitive, see which of your friends can run up the six storeys the fastest – last place buys mini donuts!

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by Diana Chabai, The Forks Marketing + Communications Intern. Diana's favourite way to relive the '90s is to re-create *NSYNC's "Bye Bye Bye" music video dance moves in her basement.