Thursday 31 May 2018

Market News: Jenna Rae Cakes opens their doors



The day has finally come! Well almost, it's tomorrow. Tomorrow, Jenna Rae Cakes opens up their doors in The Forks Market for the first time!

They've got some exclusive goodies for you, some prizes to be won, and a photo booth for you to snap some pics. Come by during they're opening weekend (June 1-3) from 10am to 8pm.


EXCLUSIVE GOODIES



Cookie dough, people... cookie dough! They've got four types of edible cookie dough available exclusively at The Forks location. We can't wait to try every single flavour:
  • Vanilla Sprinkle Sugar Cookie 🎂
  • Classic Chocolate Chip 🍪
  • Toffee Salted Caramel Sugar Cookie 👌🏼
  • Peanut Butter Cookie 🥜



Also exclusive to The Forks location are these dreamy little mouse cups in four flavours:
  • Cotton Candy 🍬
  • Chocolate Lovers 🍫
  • Strawberry Shortcake 🍓
  • Cookies and Cream 🍪



MORE THAN JUST DESSERTS

Along with their edible treats, they are selling specialty Jenna Rae Cakes gift items they created with local favourites – a Coal & Canary candle, a Pepo ceramic mugs, and a Sugar Blossom necklace.



CLASSICS AT THE FORKS

Every day you can expect to find twelve flavours of their legendary macrons, four flavours of cookie sandwiches, and their exclusive items.



MORE ABOUT JENNA RAE CAKES

They opened their boutique bakery on Academy Road four years ago and quickly won the hearts of Winnipeg's dessert lovers. They have a heavy focus on family – Jenna's husband is their general manager, and their retired father is a full-time employee! Jenna is a self-taught cake designer and together with her graphic designer sister, Ashley, they have created something really special that both tastes and looks good. They are equally as excited as we are to join our list of vendors at The Forks!

See you tomorrow!

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Wednesday 30 May 2018

UnCommon Pours: The magic of Véronique Rivest



Our sommelier for The Common, Véronique Rivest, is coming back to unveil our new wine list at the next UnCommon Pours event. This time, she's joining guests in the South Aisle of The Market to chat about wine while you sip + snack on favourites from the Food Hall.

Aside from being incredibly knowledgable about wine and beer, Véronique is warm, friendly, and passionate about giving great customer service—and being able learn from her has been an amazing experience for all of The Common staff. They learned a lot during training, and we've summed up a few fun tips and tricks from the wine master herself for all you wine lovers out there.

Cheers!




ON THE MENU

When creating and curating our wine list at The Common, Véronique dedicated her focus to terrior wines, which she describes as “wines that taste like where they’re from.” This means a flavourful end product that is the culmination of factors like elevation, weather, soil and tradition. These are not wines that have been altered to taste the exact same year after year, and bottle after bottle.

Véronique also sourced wines that are well-made, sustainably and organically-farmed, with minimal intervention and made with integrity. The list also features a diverse selection of countries, styles, varieties and price points. In her words, “You’re careful of what you eat, why shouldn’t you be careful of the wine you drink?”


ON THE BOTTLE

At The Common we serve our wines by the glass, but Véronique shares some valuable vino advice when selecting a bottle. To summarize:

  • A corked bottle doesn’t necessarily mean a better bottle of wine. Véronique’s preferences are screw caps and real corks (followed lastly by synthetic corks). 
  • The weight of a bottle has no relation to the quality of the wine. Heavy bottles are “passe” and bad for the environment (as they cost more for transportation and cause higher gas consumption). “I’d rather the producer put their money in the wine than the packaging,” says Véronique.
  • Labels need not be fancy or over-designed, but they should be informative. If a label says the wine has been ‘aged in barrels’, it’s useful to know which kind.

ON TASTING NOTES

When tasting wine, Véronique says you must draw from what you know. If the label describes lychee, but you’ve never had lychee before, you’re not wrong when you instead say it reminds you of your grandmother’s perfume. We can draw from our own smells, flavours and tastes to experience wine. For example, the petrol aroma that is present in some rieslings might remind one person of the smell of the boat’s motor when fishing with grandad.

When talking the talk, Véronique reminds us that a wine described as “fruity” does not necessarily mean sweet. Wine can be very fruity, yet dry. A common way to describe minerality is the smell of wet rocks after rain.

We love Véronique's totally unpretentious approach to wine. “Wine likes wine,” she says – explaining that at her wine bar, SOIF, in Gatineau, you don’t change your glass between orders. The rigid, seemingly trivial and outdated rules of wine tasting have no place in V’s world.


ON FOOD

Market Eats: Fries of The Forks Market“I have one rule about pairing wine with food: eat what you like and drink what you like, and you’ll be happy.”

This is perhaps the single rule Véronique most lives her life by (she notes that her husband prefers a tannic red with his seafood and chicken, a combination most would tell you is wrong). She also explains how certain foods can react with wine – if you’re pairing a steak with a tannic red, a well-done steak will harden the tannins, while a steak cooked rare will make those same tannins melt “like velvet.”

Ending on a sweet note, Véronique speaks on the golden rule of dessert: the wine should be at least as sweet as the dessert you are enjoying it with.

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Get your tickets to UnCommon Pours V02 while they're still available.

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Wednesday 23 May 2018

Forks-ology: What's under the land and what does it tell us?

We've brought in the pros to look at what's under The Forks site in preparation for the Railside development - it's always super interesting to learn about our history! We chatted with archeologist, Ashley Daciuk of InterGroup Consultants Ltd, about what they found, how they found it, and a bunch more.

We should note that because the area is a known meeting place for something like 6,000 years of history, The Forks is under archaeological license by the government of Manitoba, meaning before any developments – from building buildings to installing sculptures – begin on our property, we go through an archaeological process.

We started the dig with a blessing from Elder Nepinak and continue to work with the Indigenous community throughout the project.

They've already cleaned and catalogued pretty sweet items.

This is an old bottle from Drewrys Brewery.

The brewery started in Winnipeg in 1877, two years after E. L. Drewry paddled his way up from Minnesota.

They brewed beer in the area until they were hit with a truly unfortunate series of events. The general manager and his son were murdered in a burglary in 1915, the prohibition made their business illegal seven years later, and three years after that, the company went bankrupt.

Anyone else impressed that they could still have three years of business after the start of the prohibition?

This piece of pottery is from somewhere between 1,000 - 2000 years ago, the Laurel Period.

This technique of pottery making was developed by the Indigenous people from the Eastern United States who traveled as far as Southern Indian Lake and as far west as Sturgeon Weir River, Saskatchewan – clearly stopping at The Forks somewhere along the way.

They've found more items that they have yet to clean, analyze and catalogue.

Here's what Ashley had to say about the dig...

What were you doing?
We were looking for the presence of cultural material and artifacts (also known as heritage resources), such as pottery, lithic (stone) artifacts, and fur trade goods that are evidence of the daily life of past inhabitants of The Forks who we know include Indigenous peoples, fur traders, and immigrants. To look for cultural material and artifacts, we used a backhoe to dig trenches where the Railside plans denote building new buildings. We look through the dirt from the trenches and the trench walls for the presence of cultural material and artifacts.

Why were you looking for cultural material and artifacts here?
The Forks has a rich cultural history spanning thousands of years and is considered an important archaeological site. It has been an important gathering place, used during Pre-European Contact and historic periods.

Any development or activity, construction of new buildings, or anything that may alter or disturb cultural material and artifacts are subject to a Heritage Resource Impact Assessment (HRIA) dictated by the Historic Resources Branch (HRB) of Manitoba Culture, Heritage and Tourism, a branch of government dedicated to supporting Manitobans in identifying and preserving their heritage. The purpose of an HRIA is to determine whether heritage resources in the area will be negatively impacted, such as through the destruction of features and artifacts in the area, by the development.

What else did you expect to find going into the dig?
Various cultural groups have gathered and lived in the area that is now The Forks. Since there's a long history of people residing in or passing through the area, we usually expect to find some cultural material and artifacts, like we did with things like the pottery and the bottle. There is often a chance of finding fur trade goods (pipe stems, beads, ceramics, etc.), projectile points (arrow heads), and more pieces of ceramic pottery.

Did you find those items?
We've found a bunch of things, so stay tuned for updates once we analyze everything.

What do you do with unusual finds?
We will document and unusual finds, analyze them, and discussed them with the HRB to determine their how meaningful they are to us.

What happens to artifacts you find?
Artifacts that are found are taken to a laboratory for further assessment and then turned over to the HRB for care and treatment.


Stay tuned for updates on what cool things Ashley and her team have found and what they can tell us about the history of The Forks!

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Our investigation was conducted under heritage permit A10-18.

More information:
Managing our Heritage Resources – Impact Assessment
Information for Professional Archaeological Consultants

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Thursday 17 May 2018

Ten lunches at The Forks for under $10



Tall Grass Prairie has hearty salad and sandwich combos, and serves day-old pastries for a discounted price. Choose this option if you’re craving homemade baking and a veggie-filled lunch.

Tall Grass Prairie – Sesame Orzo Salad and Aged Cheddar Sandwich Combo $7.10
Tall Grass Prairie – Day Old Blueberry Muffin $1.40
Total (including tax) $9.61



We often hear from travellers and on social media that Fergie’s Fish’n Chips serves up the best fish and chips across Canada! The snack option is a perfect lunch size, and the crispy batter, famous fries, and flavourful tartar sauce makes this a worthwhile pick.

Fergie’s Fish’n Chips – Snack: 1 Piece of Pickerel and Small Chips $6.77
Total (including tax) $7.65



KYU Grill’s Shichimi frites are addicting. These crispy thick fries are drizzled generously with a not-too spicy mayo and topped with black sesame seeds. The KYU corn is garlicky and delicious, and together both sides make a nice introduction into Japanese fusion.

KYU Grill – Small Shichimi Frites $4.00
KYU Grill – KYU Corn $3.74
Total (including tax) $8.76



Doubles are a Caribbean sandwich made with two pieces of fried bread and a spiced chickpea curry filling. Bindy’s Caribbean Delights serves them with a side of tamarind and hot sauce, and suggest the salad as a side – both are delicious. A few bites of frozen yogurt complete this tropical combination.

Bindy’s Caribbean Delights – Trinidad Doubles $3.25
Bindy’s Caribbean Delights – Garden Salad $3.74
Fro-gurts – Child Size $2.65



If you’re craving breakfast for lunch, Danny’s All Day Breakfast is reasonably priced and tasty. Before 11AM their breakfast special (2 eggs, bacon or sausage, hashbrowns + toast) is only $5.25! But if you pick this Pancake Breakfast, try placing the eggs and bacon onto the pancakes and drizzling with syrup to create the ultimate open-faced breakfast sandwich.

Danny’s All Day Breakfast – Pancake Breakfast $7.95
Total (including tax) $9.01



Zorba’s Greek + Italian has tons of fresh and filling dishes. The lasagna can be ordered by the slice and is stacked with cheesy, meat-filled layers. Red Ember’s homemade cold brewed tea adds a refreshing touch.

Zorba’s Greek + Italian – Lasagna $5.75
Red Ember – Cold Brewed Tea $3.00
Total (including tax) $9.89



Red Ember is known for its wood-fired pizza, but they also have spectacular salads that are perfect for lunch. Miso-tahini dressing, sunflower seeds, mint and juicy beets make this a must-have dish if you are craving something healthy.

Red Ember – Beet Salad $8.00
Total (including tax) $9.04



Take a tour through The Forks Market for this lunch combination. Start with Taste of Sri Lanka’s Veggie Samosa for a crispy, savory pocket of goodness. Then stroll over to Fusion Sushi for a six-piece cucumber roll, and swing by Skinners to complete the meal with a fizzy fountain drink.

Taste of Sri Lanka – Veggie Samosa $2.00
Fusion Sushi – Cucumber Roll $4.50
Skinners – Fountain Drink $1.90
Total (including tax) $9.49

Thursday 10 May 2018

This one's for all the Moms out there!


Remember visiting The Forks with your mom when you were a kid? Exploring the Manitoba Children’s Museum, snacking on mini-donuts and climbing all the way up to the top of the tower? You’re older now, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t still plenty of ways to enjoy The Forks with your mom this Mother’s Day, no matter your age or budget.

Treat your mama to a total spa experience. 

A trip to the spa is a classic gift, so why change what works? Riverstone Spa at The Inn at the Forks has it all: tranquil music, calm lighting and a soothing massage to help your mom escape her stresses. Not to mention, she will need someone to go with, so why not treat yourself while you’re at it.

*For a more affordable spa alternative: grab a candle and bath soak from Coal and Canary, a book at McNally Robinson + even a bottle of her favourite wine from Ellement Wine + Spirits make the perfect combo for an at-home spa day.

Books from McNally Robinson Booksellers, wine from Ellement Wine + Spirits, candle + bath soak from Coal and Canary Candle Company


You can’t go wrong with a piece of jewelry made in town.


Shop The Forks Market to find that special piece of bling your mom’s wardrobe is missing. Plus, it’s a bonus to know it was made by a local jeweler.
 
Many local jewelry options from Forks Trading Company + Coal and Canary Candle Company 

Take a walk around The Forks 


Believe it or not, summer is on its way. Take mom on a walk around The Forks to see the seasons change in the Public Orchard or along the Assiniboine on the Riverwalk.
 
Buds on the apple trees in The Public Orchard!

Beautiful blossoms on the apricot trees in the Public Orchard!

Catch up over a glass of wine from The Common 


No one is more in-the-know than your mom. Let her fill you in over a glass, or a flight of wine from The Common’s specially crafted wine list.


Shop the Luckygirl Pop-up happening Saturday at The Forks Market


Have a date day with your Mom on Saturday and peruse the great local vendors curated by Luckygirl, or swing by yourself to pick out a few treats to gift to mom on Sunday (but also for yourself, who are we kidding). And don't forget to take a selfie with your mom in front of Kal Barteski's latest piece of artwork while you're upstairs!



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Wednesday 2 May 2018

It's Pedal Season: Get on Your Bikes & Ride!



We did it. The green is finally starting to appear! I am so excited to kick off another summer at The Forks.

One of my favourite parts of summer is that everything somehow feels easier. Minimal layers needed! I can hop on my bike jacket-less and socks-less and cruise around town with the warm breeze in my hair and sunshine on my face. I love getting around town feeling relaxed and energized at the same time. It makes me so happy.


For the past two years I’ve been fortunate to share all kinds of stories about biking and The Forks with you through this blog. Here’s the thing about biking: biking is for just about everyone. No matter what your fitness level is - you can ride a bike. It’s movement AND it’s enjoyable. It’s my hope to show you that there are so many ways to integrate a bike riding into your lifestyle in meaningful ways. It’s not just exercise - it’s living life!

As we get ready for another season of summer fun times at The Forks, I want to help you find your inspiration to dust off that banana seat and pedal on down to The Forks for some hangouts. Ive rounded up my top five biking blog posts to share with you again to help you find your bike riding mojo this summer:
  
Hanging out with someone new? Suggest a bike ride and a picnic at The Forks. Blow their mind with your fun easy going and vivacious attitude. Long time partner: this will certainly break the boring pattern of dinner and a movie.



Its about the journey. Take the long route. Feel the sunshine. Be the active lifestyle example for your kids. All roads lead to The Forks. Bonus: The Forks has everything you need when you arrive.



Make your commute an active commute. Not sure how to do it? Theres an app for that! Read all about the Go Manitoba commuter buddy app and you can ride to The Forks/downtown with the support of an experienced cyclist. Maybe even make a new active friend too?


The Wrench is at The Forks all summer to help you with all your biking needs! I am still riding around town in the cruiser I picked up from them. They have a great selection of vintage bikes for sale that have been restored AND they even taught me how to maintain my bike! Bike people really are the nicest.



Bike riding with a gang of pals is seriously the best. You feel like a kid again! Gather your buds and head on down to The Forks for a delicious lunch and hang out this summer. Its so fun.


  

What do you think? Who knew a bike ride can be so much more than a bike ride? Its a lifestyle! Still scared because you havent done it in a while? Well, you know the saying its just like riding a bike…” Well, it is! You can do it!

See you out there this summer! Cant wait to see all your happy biking faces at The Forks! P.S. Free parking for cyclists! ;)

And here's a few maps to get you started on your route - it's basically under 40 minutes to pedal to The Forks from any corner of the city. 






Lindsay Somers is a Lifestyle Health Coach in Winnipeg. You can follow her on Instagram and Twitter.



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