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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Target Zero: Earth Day X 365

Earth Day is this Sunday, April 22. It is a day where we celebrate our land and take extra special steps to treat it right. You turn the tap off while your brushing your teeth, bring your own bag to the grocery store, and take your bike to work (we can do that now!). All those are really amazing things that you should to as much as you possibly can.

There are over 4 million people who come to The Forks every year. That’s a lot of garbage, a lot of water flowing, a lot of exhaust from cars, and a lot of power to keep our buildings at the right temperature. So, we decided we were going to do something to lessen our impact.

Here are few things we do every day to make every day Earth Day at The Forks:

Saving energy with geothermal

In 2010, we installed a geothermal system that takes energy from the mighty forces that are our rivers and the ground around them. It uses energy stored in the earth, the river, ground water and recycles the energy produced in The Forks Market. 

Reusing oil from the Food Hall

Did you know the diesel engine was originally designed to be fuelled using peanut oil?

In 2008, we started working with a local mechanic shop to build tractors, a Zamboni, a site truck, three of our gators, and a refrigerated reefer that all run on the oil from all the delicious fries and other goodies in The Market and turn it into biofuel. 

Buzzing about

In 2016, we teamed up with our friends at Beeproject Apiaries to install Winnipeg’s first urban beehive. Bees play a huge role in our ecosystem, and globally their population is on the decline. We're hoping that we can be good stewards of our environment and use it as an educational tool for people to understand bee importance too.

The 10,000-ish bees on top of the Caboose gather nectar and pollinate the flowers in our Public Orchard and the Prairie Garden. Then they make honey that is unique to The Forks. We call it Sweet Orchard Honey, and you can buy it at The Forks Info Desk in The Market.

Earth day bonus: On Sunday, the Children’s Museum is building a life-sized honeycomb and teaching kids about the importance of bees on planet Earth with Beeproject Apiaries. Get the deets.

Composting what we can

We realized that 80% of our garbage is compostable, so that’s what we did. We installed a big ol’ BIOVATOR TM composting vessel that creates the perfect home for trillions of the right microbes and bacterias to breakdown organic waste. That super nutrient-rich soil is used in all the gardens on The Forks site to make our flowers and greenery happy and blooming.

Using less water

Since changing all our water fixtures and installing two massive rainwater collection tanks in our parkade, we have save four Olympic swimming pools worth of water each year. We have two huge, beautiful bodies of water beside use, so why not use them. 

Educating the next generation

On Sunday, we are hosting Target Zero Eco-Kids Tours presented by MMSM to teach the kiddos about sustainability and why they should do what they can to give the Earth some love. 

The tours, created and executed in conjunction with Green Kids Inc., offers a 60 minute interactive walking experience for school aged children. Led by two actors, the tour stops at Target Zero hot spots like the Biovator, the geothermal loops, the rain water collectors near the parkade and finishes with a personal message the kids can do at home, reducing, reusing and recycling.

Each 60 minute tour is FREE and can accommodate up to 25 school children. Programming runs April through October. Booking must be made a minimum of 2 weeks in advance.

Since then, we’ve reduced our yearly carbon footprint from 1,179 to 210 metric tonnes, upped bike traffic by 62%, and saved multiple Olympic-sizes swimming pools worth of water per year.

We’re not stopping there! Keep your eyes peeled to see what’s in the works. 

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Vintage Pop-up Market: 5 vintage shopping tips

The Forks loves everything old, beautiful, and especially when those things are repurposed into people’s lives. So it only makes sense that we bring together some of our favourite vintage dealers in Winnipeg and hold a vintage pop up in The Market.

We’ve done just that! Friday from 5 - 9PM and Saturday from 10AM - 7PM, on the second floor of The Market, you'll find some of Winnipeg's best vintage goodies.

Here are your vendors:

• Twin Flames
• Worn Thin
• Shop HeartThrob
• Atomic Age Vintage
• The Vintage Saint
• Vintage Mary
• Bitchin’ Kitsch ‘n’ Kitchen

We've gathered some tips to make sure you get the most of your vintage market hunting.

A post shared by Twin Flames (@shoptwinflames) on Apr 10, 2018 at 11:05am PDT

1. Come early

The beauty of vintage items is that they are one-of-a-kind. That means, in order to be able to shop the full glory of a vintage market, you have to be the one of the first people to get there. The best items sell quickly, so don’t miss your chance at the extra special vintage goodies.

A post shared by Worn Thin (@worn_thin_vintage) on Apr 12, 2018 at 9:07am PDT

2. Don’t hesitate

Again, one-of-a-kind. When you see something you really like, grab it. Even if you’re not sure if you’re going to buy it, carry it around until you’ve made a decision. Nothing is worse in the world of vintage shopping than watching someone else pick up and buy that amazing jumpsuit you were thinking about, but weren’t sure about. Regret is real, folks. Just do it.

A post shared by HEART ♡ THROB (@shopheartthrob) on Apr 10, 2018 at 1:30pm PDT

3. Caffeinate

Anyone else feel better shopping after a couple shots of espresso? We do. You’ll be in a better mood and have more energy to filter through all the beautiful vintage wares at max caffeination level. Taking the time to look through everything is key when vintage shopping. You might just find that one amazing belt that was hidden in a corner if you’re the one to look.

A post shared by Atomic Age Vintage (@atomic_age_vintage) on Mar 11, 2018 at 8:01am PDT

4. Be thorough

This goes hand in hand with tip #3. Flip through every hanger, take the time time to dig through the bowl of jewelry, and visit every vintage dealer. You may just run into the piece that makes your heart flutter and your mind go, “start the car!”

A post shared by WELL WORN , WELL TRAVELLED (@thevintagesaint) on Apr 11, 2018 at 11:59am PDT

5. Have fun with it

If you’re anything like us, wearing vintage clothes you’ve hunted down makes you feel vibrant and special. Having someone ask, “I love your pants. Where did you get them?” and being able to respond with “Oh I got it at this amazing vintage market,” is an incredible feeling. So, buy items that will get some attention. You’re worth it and so are the beautiful vintage items.

A post shared by Lisa Boland (@bitchinkitschnkitchen) on Mar 13, 2018 at 6:17pm PDT

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Stepping out of your comfort zone

When I was a younger, there was one activity that I was never willing to try. My best friend did it, my cousins did it, it seemed like every girl around me at school was doing it: dancing. I'm not sure why I never was interested in dancing. I've always been more drawn to sports when it comes to movement.

However, when I found out there was a barre class at Royal Dance every Monday evening at The Forks, I seized the opportunity to open myself up to a brand new experience. After all, isn't that what I encourage everyone else to do?

Likely driven by nerves, I invited (coerced?) my husband Bob and some of my run club pals to join me, because I seem to have a pack mentality when it comes to exercise. Again, sports.

The Royal Dance school is tucked away on the southern corner on the second floor of The Forks Market. It's a gorgeous studio with oversized windows providing glimpses of passing trains. I felt like I was in a dance studio in Chicago! In addition to barre, Royal Dance offers classes in ballet, tap, contemporary, lyrical, jazz, hip hop and even has special classes for wee ones like "Me and my Shadow." Kendra, the owner and instructor for our class, was relaxed, friendly and encouraging.

So, what exactly is barre? It's like ballet, pilates and yoga all made an exercise baby. Concentrating on excellent posture with muscle engagement, we repeated teeny tiny movements with high repetitions. After Kendra led us through an intense arm lifting and squatting warmup, we headed over to the barre to execute a variety of movements: squatting, pliés, calf raises, leg lifts (so many ways to lift your legs!). As someone who tends to gravitate toward a more aggressive heart-pumping workout, this was a completely different way to challenge my body.

I started feeling muscles that I haven't felt in a long time. Just about when I thought I couldn't handle another pulse, we had to do 20 more! Burning is definitely the right adjective to describe the sensation. But it was manageable. It was a completely different feeling of intensity than I was used to.

Throughout the class, I had to constantly concentrate on the small placements and engagement of muscles while I was moving my body. It was surprisingly calming and challenging at the same time. I couldn't think about anything else: I was so intently focused on executing the precise instruction from Kendra. She came around and made small, gentle corrections, lifting and moving inches at a time. I was so present, which is always my sweet spot and goal with any activity.

As someone who has always struggled with the quiet stillness of yoga, this felt like it had similar benefits but with an active focus. I liked that. The class went by quickly, and we managed to work our upper body, lower body and core in the hour. I would totally do it again.

As with any activity at The Forks, afterward, I want to hang out and visit even more! We hit up The Common for some post-plié beers.

Want to check it out for yourself? The barre classes are every Monday evening from 8 to 9 pm. Drop in fee is $13 + GST. Check out their website for a full list of their classes.

UPDATE: I was very sore post class! My thighs and calves were on fire! I loved it, feeling and working new muscle groups. I felt taller and graceful too. Is that what I've been missing out on all these years?


Lindsay Somers is a Lifestyle Health Coach in Winnipeg. You can follow her on Instagram and Twitter. All photos by Sierra Savannah Photography.


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Market Eats: Fries of The Forks Market

We rounded up the fries of The Forks Market, so you could make the most well-informed fry decision possible. Pick one of your favourite beers from The Common and your favourite off this list, and you're off to the fry races.

Nuburger

This one has double the fry goodness. They have this item on the menu called "Shareables" from the "Fry Action" section of their menu, and it's pretty much the best if you have a few people getting in on it.

It comes with regular fries that are hand-cut every day and yam fries that are tossed in a sort of tempura batter. With those you get to choose two dips, which are just as good as the fries. We chose the Sweet n' Spicy Chili Mayo and the Rosemary Garlic Aioli (we had to go back for more of this one – too good).

Kyu Grill

Call them fries, call them wedges – doesn't matter because they're outstanding either way. The Shichimi Frites are perfectly crispy on the outside and nearly mashed potatoes on the inside. Topped with their Spicy Mayo, toasted sesame seeds, and freshly chopped green onions, these will have you ordering a large every single time.

Empanadas & Company

If you're into garlic, you're into these. Provenzal fries. Empanadas & Company do a Mediterranean take on regular old fries with garlic oil and parsley.

Skinner's

Last but not least, the classic. Skinners has been at it since 1929, so they know what they're doing. A little ketchup, and you're good.

Go get those fries.

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Spring Break Fun: 5 Things to do at The Forks

Next week is the week all the kids have been waiting for ohhh sooo patiently. Spring Break! A whole week off school! A whole week of needing to fill five days of a now-empty schedule. This year, we're saying goodbye to the Festival of Fools, but there's still a TON of fun to be had at The Forks next week.

We're laying out a whole list of fun to take part in during the week and giving away a big ol' prize pack, so one lucky winner can enjoy it all for free! 

Head over to Facebook to enter the contest for your chance to win the prize pack:

• Four tickets to Tetris at MTYP
• Family pack including passes to the Manitoba Children’s Museum
• Family passes for Canadian Museum for Human Rights
• Gift card to The Forks Market
• Free parking at The Forks

This one is for those kids who can’t seem to sit still and like to bounce around, climb walls, and dance around. Tetris runs from March 23-31 at MTYP – just in time for needing to occupy the kiddos on leave from school. 

Inspired by the game of Tetris, this play is an extremely physical dance quartet that explores how we all connect to each other. The actors build a private language and invite the audience to play along. 

Starting March 24 though April 1, kids 12 and under get free admission to the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. They will have special programming focused on language rights and bilingualism. 

Whether you speak English, French or both, take part in a CMHR workshop, colouring your own Métis beading patterns inspired by Jennine Krauchi’s piece featured in the Museum – the largest known fire sac adorned by thousands of glass beads from the fur trade era. Other activities include performances by Madame Diva and TiBert le voyageur.

Visit their website for all the details.

At the Manitoba Children’s Museum, we’re making whatever comes to our imaginations come to life. Castles, train stations, markets, play lands, anything! When we say “we,” we mean it. Their programming is igniting the inner kiddo in us, and we’re making plans to hang out with the children in our lives, so we can all take part in the fun.

With the help of special guest artist, scientific displays and workshops, kids will be bring their imaginations to life through building from March 24 to April 1. 

Visit their website for all the details.

The snow is melting down into some pretty splash-able puddles, so we suggest you put on your favourite rubber boots and jump around a little. For some reason, there is a special sort of fun you get from displacing water by jumping in it. Don't let the kids have all the fun. Join in!

You’ll win top prizes for Adult of the Year when you top of the day with a visit to The Forks Market’s Almond Tree. They’re stocked with modern goodies, vintage treats, and every flavour of salt water taffy you can imagine. 

Grab a little something for yourself too!

Enter the contest on Facebook for a chance to win access to all these activities for FREE. Good luck!

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Welcoming Spring: Hard copy inspiration to spring clean your life

March: our yo-yo weather month. From one final giant snow storm to seeing that guy driving with the convertible top down, we really run the gamut this month. Spring is (kind of) here. While we wait for the weather to make up its mind, the change of season always makes me think about changing up my routine.

I admittedly got a little lazy with my routines this winter. It’s time to spring clean my life! After some thought, there are three routines I have decided to change this spring:

1. I need to find inspiration to cook delicious, healthy dinners
2. I need to commit to less screen time (again) and
3. I need to find ways to better organize myself.

The Internet is a wonderful place for recipes, meditation apps and organization apps. But after spending most of my day looking at a screen, I want to disconnect in the evening and be less reliant on technology so I can engage in real life. I want hard copy solutions for my problems! It was the perfect reason to finally check out the new McNally Robinson tucked away on the second floor at The Forks Market. 

Here’s what I picked up:

1.     Food inspiration

I want a cookbook to have and to hold. I am forever being tagged in healthy recipes on Instagram that I can never find again. And I want to get pages dirty, leave handwritten notes on my favourites and have something that doesn’t fade to a black screen. I browsed the cookbook section and found this gem: Oh She Glows Everyday by Angela Liddon, with easy, healthy meals. I have often been frustrated making her recipes from my tiny phone screen, and I am pretty pumped to have a hard copy version with her recipes all in one place.

2.     Less screen time

There has been too much Netflix and mindless social media scrolling in the evenings this winter. I have been going to bed later and not having great sleeps. One of my tried-and-true tricks for a great sleep is to read in bed for 20 minutes. It perfectly unwinds my mind from the day, engages my imagination and somehow always makes me just the right amount of sleepy. 

But I feel like I can’t “get into a book” right now. Perhaps the Internet is killing my attention span? I had heard a lot about The Sun and Her Flowers by Rupi Kaur. It’s a book of poetry. Yes, poetry. I can’t put it down! The writing is so simple, beautiful, complex, heartbreaking and inspiring. It makes me think. It’s the perfect escape and much more inspiring than Instagram stories.

3.     Organize myself

I have lists on my phone, lists on my laptop and scribbles on loose paper everywhere. I need a better system. I love writing things down. I love lists and crossing things off lists. They have a huge selection of journals at McNally. I was pumped to consolidate all my to-do lists in one place. Everything goes in this journal now. Everything. I am already more relaxed.

If you’re looking for hard copy inspiration to help with your routines this spring, pop into the McNally Robinson Booksellers at The Forks. Whether you want to relax with a good book, cook up some new meals or find inspiration in your world, they have thousands of hard copy tangible solutions to help you find your spring mojo. 

As a bonus, McNally Robinson is giving away a $25 gift card. To enter to win, head to The Forks' Facebook Page, share the post about this article and comment with your favourite bookworm friend. The contest will close Friday, March 9 at 3PM.

Lindsay Somers is a Lifestyle Health Coach in Winnipeg. She believes that every day is better with activity. You can follow her adventures on Twitter and Instagram. Photos shot on iPhone by Luckygirl Photography.

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