Author archive for: Jen Arbo
Featured, Health »
As most of you know, I’ve been involved with the Royal City Farmers Market since 2009 and I’ve developed an interest in urban agriculture. We have two hens now producing all the eggs we need to feed our family of three, and after a totally engaging talk at the RCFM AGM from John Gibeau last week, I’m pretty convinced we need a home bee hive to start producing our own honey. I’ve started consuming some really great books to help me get the most out of my city lot here in New …
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Featured, New Westminster, Quayside, Restaurants »
The short version of this review: Wild Rice changes what going out for a meal means in New Westminster.
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Featured, Issues »
Is a newsmaker a symbol? Or is a newsmaker, by definition, something tangible that gets people talking?
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Events, Quayside »
It’s time for the sixth annual Light Up The Quay, a fun and friendly competition put on by the Quayside Community Board that helps increase donations to the winter food drive and encourages neighbours to duke it out for awards.
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Bylaws, Pets »
While my list of pie-in-the-sky wishes for our city includes a complete overhaul of our city’s animal services*, the reality is any city’s animal services department is going to be low on the priority list if the powers that be don’t get told it should be a priority.
Do you know how municipalities determine how important animal services are? In part, they use the data collected by the number of licenses purchased to tell them what kinds of dogs are living in the city and where those dogs are. (I’m saying …
Featured, Shopping, Uptown »
Sonse Home Design is a store that offers so much tucked into a small space. It’s lovely having a shop open in uptown New Westminster that offers what she offers – from small gifts to furniture to art and accessories.
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Children, Schools »
Last round of municipal elections I had a four month old baby and while we made it to the polls, I remember vaguely choosing a mayoral candidate, and a few councillors I knew and liked, and that’s it. I didn’t select any school trustees because in my mind, there was no point. My child was a mere four months old and I didn’t think that a school trustee would have an impact on me. At least not until he made it to school, right? And even then we were considering …
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Arts & Culture, New Westminster, Parenting, Reviews »
Local author JJ Lee’s new book, “Measure of a Man: The Story of a Father, a Son, and a Suit” is so much more than its title suggests.
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Downtown, New Westminster, Restaurants »
Many readers are familiar with Burger Heaven. In any city there is always one restaurant who uses their dishes to poll readers on hot button issues or elections, and in our fair city, Burger Heaven is that restaurant. But do their burgers boast yum factor?
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Events, Pets »
Saturday, September 24th The Royal City Humane Society is celebrating with their 6th annual Variety Show featuring great live entertainment and of course their fabulous and famous Silent Auction in Sapperton at the Pensioner’s Hall at 318 Keary Street.
Doors open at 6:30 PM and entertainment starts at 7:00 PM. Tickets are $20 each and available from Greens & Beans located at 143 East Columbia, Alpine Animal Hospital at 348 Sixth Street and VANPET at the Royal Square Shopping Mall at 800 McBride Boulevard. Tickets are also available by calling …
Events, Parks, Queen's Park »
The Knit 1 Take 2 knitting group that meets Sundays at Waves Coffee is holding their Second Annual Knit in the Park this Sunday, September 18th, from noon to 4. They’ll be meeting at the bandshell rain or shine and activities include the very fun Yarn Steal and a Potluck. From their email:
If you want to participate in the yarn steal please bring 100 grams of yarn, wrapped. Please select a yarn you’d enjoy knitting. The event is also picnic pot luck. Since this is a picnic please choose food that’s easy …
Downtown, Restaurants, Uptown »
With two locations in New Westminster, is Okonomi poised to become “favourite sushi” in all those reader surveys?
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Events »
Local foodie and vegan advocate Melissa Balfour takes veganism seriously. She’s also good at showing off vegan delights, as well as taking some of the mythology away from veganism. She had me impressed at a recent wine and cheese party when she whipped up two amazing “non cheese” cheese dishes – one from Brazil nuts and garlic (SO GOOD) and a spinach dip thing that was awesome. She’s started the New Veganminster Project to show off what New West offers to vegans, and to promote vegan foodie tourism to our …
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Garden Nerd Series, New Westminster »
One of my neighbours has an enormous apple tree practically dripping with fruit. The apples are apparently tart, and according to my neighbour, aren’t worth much. To me, those are pie apples just waiting to be exploited. I look at that tree and I see rows of pies, waiting to be baked. I asked my neighbour if I could take a few dozen when they were ready, and he practically begged me to. In his words, “that’s less I have to rake up and chuck in the compost”.
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Events, History, Sapperton »
On September 10th, 1898, New Westminster was very nearly destroyed by what is now referred to as “The Great Fire”. Pictures show a city completely ravaged; the devastation razed most of the city’s buildings. On Saturday, September 10th (the same day and date of the Great Fire), New West Fire Fighters will be flipping the pancakes and cooking ham for Sapperton Old Age Pensioners Association. Sapper Flap Jack Saturday is from 8:30 am to 12 noon.
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Events, Quayside »
This weekend marks the 5th Annual Quayside Festival and Sale and I have to admit that this was one of my favourite community events last year. And it wasn’t just because I sold a tonne of my unwanted cast-offs – it was because it was a nice sunny day and hanging out by the river is always a nice thing to do.
Says event organizer and Quayside Board president, James Crosty, “Over 7,500 people are expected to stroll more than a kilometer along the Boardwalk from the River Market to Quayside Park …
Events, Pets, Queen's Park »
Around this time last year I posted about the 11th Annual Doggy Fun Day so it should be no surprise that I’m posting again! The 12th Annual Doggy Fun Day is Sunday August 28th in Queens Park from noon till 3pm. Check out doggy-centric displays and enter the many raffles. Check out the Royal City Rockets Dog Agility Team as they perform at 12:30pm and 2:30pm. And don’t miss the best part – the doggy games! Egg & spoon races, 7 legged race, doggy look-a-like contest, special doggy tricks, and …
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Issues »
Contest, New West Wednesday »
This week we ask: where is your favourite outdoor relaxing spot in our fair city?
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Events »
The Vancouver Foundation is hosting a free “Community Conversation” event June 23rd at Centennial Community Centre to explore how a strong sense of belonging and social connections can strengthen neighbourhood ties and help build a more vibrant New Westminster.
Organizers say this is a chance to connect with other New West residents and organizations and talk about:
How does New Westminster welcome newcomers to the community?
What are the opportunities for interaction and sharing amongst neighbours?
Where are the opportunities for volunteerism in New Westminster?
How does your community share its local food and support nutritious …
New Westminster, Restaurants, Sapperton »
A few times now, a number of the local twitter geeks have had a conversation online about food. Because food is the greatest common denominator. One of the places that continually gets mentioned is Graze Market and Deli and we all salivate all over our keyboards and dreamily discuss what makes an awesome pulled pork sandwich. So what does make an awesome pulled pork sandwich? We’ll get to that.
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Businesses, Downtown »
Jen checks out independently owned and operated Queens Park Florist – just in time for Mother’s Day.
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Events, Massey Victory Heights, New Westminster »
Queens Park and Quayside aren’t the only neighbourhoods in New Westminster with a neighbourhood wide garage sale! Mark May 7th from 9AM to 3PM on your calendar and check out the Massey Victory Heights neighbourhood for great deals.
Where is Massey Victory Heights, you ask? Way over on the eastern tip of New Westminster, you can find the MVH neighbourhood. It is the area south of 10th Avenue and north of 8th Avenue, east of McBride and west of Columbia Street E, plus the two blocks bounded by Craig Avenue and Colby …
Children, New Westminster, Schools »
Hume Park Elementary has been on the chopping block multiple times (a few examples: in 2009, and again in 2010), and each time dedicated parents come to its’ defense and each time Hume Park gets voted to stay open and each time everyone breaths a sigh of relief. Yesterday, I read that, once again, a trustee is putting forward a motion to consolidate Hume Park with it’s bigger brother up the hill, Richard McBride Elementary. The motion won’t get voted on without another trustee to second it but if it passes, once again …
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