Jeff Martin Joinery.

Meet Jeff.  He's a fine person all around, and happens to be exceptionally talented at working with wood.

He's the Jeff behind Jeff Martin Joinery, a company founded in 2010 and currently located in East Van's 1000 Parker Street studios.  It's a grumpy looking building from the outside, but I love it so.  It provides literal structure for the creative, and therefore has my undying affection.

Before launching JMJ, Jeff spent 6 months in Brooklyn apprenticing with renowned designer Palo Samko.  There, amongst the Bushwick hip, he worked on his craft and developed his clean, West-Coast style.  There's nothing fussy about Jeff's work - it's beautiful, and it's to the point.

I decided to visit him yesterday while he worked, because one must take advantage of having cool friends' with nearby studio spaces, mustn't they?  He was working on a table (see above - I'll fight you for it), a slew of pizza boards, and about a dozen other tasks from his list of commissions.

I suggest you snatch up one of his pieces before he becomes THE Jeff Martin and we'll only be able to view his work at the MOMA.  Currently he's still accessible Jeff, covered in dust and working hard at what he does.  And he does it so, so well.  Thanks for letting me hang, JM!

Breyers Better Move on Over,

'Cause Earnest Ice Cream has arrived.

Based in East Van, Ben and Erica got started just last month.  Considering they've been running on about 15 minutes of sleep per night, they look surprisingly fresh!  They sell their goods at Harvest Community Foods, Woodland Smoke House, and cycle their freezer trike to gatherings like the Trout Lake Farmers Market where I met them on Saturday.  Just look at them in their stripes and plaid - who wouldn't want to buy ice cream from these people?

They offer ice cream sandwiches (we went with the classically delicious Vanilla) and sell various flavours by the pint in sweet, reusable jars.  In other words, I'll feel far better about myself while eating an entire container than I would with say, Ben and Jerry's.  Earnest is local!  Earnest is recyclable!  It feels good to know my sweet tooth is bettering the world.  Somebody get it a trophy, already.  

Ben and Erica use seasonal ingredients whenever they can, so right now look for flavours like Rhubarb Oat Crumble.  Also, I'm quite enamoured with their logo and design, a whimsical, swirling scoop of ice cream that says "I am modern folk art at its tastiest."  Try them out, I tell you!

And we shall call it "The Most Ideal Weekend Ever."

Last weekend was the first I'd had off in awhile.  A long while.  My friends Dana, Heather and I decided to celebrate my freedom with an adventure, and through the unbelievable generousity of my friends Larry and Karen, we ended up on Galiano Island in their ocean-front cabin.  We pinched and pinched and pinched ourselves, and somehow it was all still real.

We hiked, biked, kayaked, and ate under sunny skies filled with bald eagles.  At one point, while preparing breakfast and dancing around the kitchen, I felt so euphoric I had to stop, breathe, and take a moment to realize how utterly happy I was; only then could I carry on with my biscuit-making.  It's a great thing to feel so consciously alive.

And how could I not?  These are the two beauties with whom I spent the weekend.

In an over-enthusiastic shopping trip before we left, Dana and I purchased endless amounts of food (the phrase "let's just get it, we're on vacay!" was tossed around multiple times in each aisle).  It all went to feed our fresh-air-induced appetites, and one of my favourite snacks was simple: cheese biscuits with sliced avocado, salt, and a background of blue ocean.  Eaten with my legs slung over the side of a chair.  So good.

One of the best hikes we did was to Dionisio Point at the island's most northern tip.  

Along the way, Dana made friends with a joke-telling crab,

and Heather found a leaf that transformed her into a forest nymph.  She's since grown wings and made her home in a shady grove there.

I too made a friend.  This dog belongs to the lady who rented us our kayaks, and as you can see, we're having a grand time.  He was such a ham.

From Montague Harbour, we kayaked out to a rock on which dozens of seals like to sunbathe.  We came in slowly, rested our paddles, and stared.  They stared back.  We had a stare-down with some seals and they absolutely won.  Also, if you're thinking "why do these two photos look like they were taken in the 1980's?" it's because we took them on a disposable, just like in the olden times.

It truly was The Most Ideal Weekend Ever.  Thank you Larry and Karen, thank you Heather and Dana,  and thank you Galiano for showing us such a good time.  

The News.

The good news:  I had a delicious muffin from Whole Foods today.  Its muffin-top was especially large.
The bad news:  It had a date pit in it that I nearly chipped my tooth on.  Nearly.  Now there's no chance to sue, make millions, and be able to afford more than just their baked goods.

The good news:  I'm going to Galiano Island tomorrow for a 3 day hike/bike/eat/drink getaway with my pals Dana and Heather.
The bad news:  None.  There is simply no downside to this.

The good news:  I heard from Tourism Richmond....
The bad news:  .....that they're not announcing the winner until June 5th.

The good news:  This gives me plenty of time to take up new hobbies.
The bad news:  These hobbies will likely include squirming in my chair and stress-eating.  Muffin-tops.

The good news:  We all get to look forward to Moonrise Kingdom, Wes Anderson's new movie.
The bad news:  It doesn't come out until June 1st.

The good news:  That's a heck of a lot sooner than June 5th!

Treats.

I'm going to a friend's "This Ain't No Pink Neck" redneck BBQ tonight.  On the way home from work, I decided to stop at 7Eleven and pick up some artificially cream-filled snacks to assemble on a platter and bring for dessert, classy-like.  While waiting in line to pay, the plastic packages slipped from my hands, sending mini donuts and Dolly Madison Strawberry Coconut Zingers crashing to the floor.  Horrified someone would think I wasn't buying them ironically, I struggled to collect them from around the other customers' ankles and said "Oh!  Just getting these for a redneck BBQ!" far louder than necessary.  As if saying it was necessary at all.

They stared at me, indifferently.

Sunshine.

On a sunny day outside, I shake my head in wonder at my own good life.  It's impossible not to feel happy with your feet back in sandals, a fine view of the mountains and ocean, sweet-smelling flowers on every corner, and an entire city out enjoying itself with you.  Vitamin D, it's so nice to have you back.

In the last few glorious days I've been out for gelato,

on walks with my lovely roommate,

out to the Richmond Night Market,

(mainly for the food)

making a Black Forest Cake (with the kitchen windows and door flung open),

and picnicking on the beach with Marnie.

To think, it's only May.  We have months of these illuminated days ahead of us.  

Look What I Found!

I know what you're thinking, because it's the same thing I thought when I first saw this at Les Amis du Fromage. 

"That's gross."

But of course I had to get it, because bizarre foods are like a food-lover's version of bungee-jumping.  The weirder / higher the better.

You know what?  I liked it.  We all did actually, and there were four of us tucking into this cheese + chocolate combo.  There's a thin layer of crunchy parm in the middle, and while at first you only get it in texture, there's a little bit of cheese at the end.  It mainly just tastes salty, which is great because salty chocolate is awesome.  


I don't think I'll ever stop and say "maaaan, I could really go for some parmesan chocolate right now," but I'd definitely get this again; it's an edible conversation starter that's genuinely good.  Way to go, Les Amis!