Okay, after stuffing ourselves for the holidays, it’s time to start thinking about what’s for dinner next year. Is it just us, or have you noticed an increase in vegan and vegetarian options in Edmonton? The city is finally getting some recognition for our most creative and seriously delicious eateries, but what about the new vegan spots diversifying Edmonton’s offerings? These spots are worth a visit whether you’re a vegan or just looking for something new in YEG.

Arcadia

The utopian dream lives on! Arcadia focuses on Alberta beer, good music, meat-free offerings, and conversation. And, they do a pretty good job of it. It’s an awesome idea grounded in socially conscious community development. Their space is great (kid friendly til 8) and it’s contributing to the incredible growth of 124th street.

Here’s what you’re going to do; check the next concert date, text your homebody friends to make plans, layout evening clothes for your homebody friends so they have something other than pyjamas to wear, eat a late lunch, get to Arcadia, order a Fahr North Dunkelweizen and the 124 Street Nachos (complete with Sailin’on coconut bacon), lather, rinse, and repeat until satisfied. You’ll pick up on the vibe quickly and get to experience life on the good ship Albion.

Die Pie 

Can you ever get enough pizza? No. Not up for discussion. That’s why we’re just as excited to see Die Pie bringing plant-based pizza to Jasper Ave. Mari Toni Gerner, Elisse’s sister in law and plant-based culinary expert, tells us that one of the most difficult ways to introduce people to plant-based food is to replicate something they are really familiar with. But, Die Pie is definitely up to that challenge. It all comes down to the vegan cheese. I know there are some pizza aficionados that cringed reading that, but stick with us. This is vegan cheese made by Die Pie in their downtown kitchen (available for purchase I might add). It’s delicious and perfect for their pizzas.

Just try it. They’re set to change the pizza game in Edmonton. Don’t miss out.

The Moth

Yay! Development in the Quarters. It has definitely taken some time but we are happy to see that the area will host Cafe Mosaics’ new venture, The Moth. The restaurant looks stunning, and if you’ve been to Cafe Mosaics, then you know you can expect the food to be worth the visit.

The Moth is trying to highlight raw and nutritious ingredients at a price more people can afford. Again, it seems to be about servicing the community and trying to be a hub for Edmonton’s inner city residents. If you’re in the neighbourhood, check out the Moth and let us know if it lives up to the hype!

It seems the underlying concept of socially conscious community development is pretty consistent across the board. These are Chefs and Entrepreneurs doing purposeful work to help Edmonton grow. If you’re looking to try something new, or you just saw OKJA, send these places some love. Without them, we’ll just keep seeing the same stale restaurants and we’ll never get to see what Edmonton could become.

Good Eating Edmonton,

TruHome

!Shout out to the originals who laid the foundations for vegan Edmonton!

Padmanadi’s (2002)

Cafe Mosaics (2011)

Noorish (2011)

Buckingham (2013)

Every winter, after the first snow, I start to get excited about Christmas. I think to myself, “this year I’m going to be on top of all my shopping, get everything done online, and just hang out in my warm house waiting for Amazon to do the work for me”. And then, every year, I find myself gambling with delivery times or running around town trying to find cute independents where I can buy great last-minute gifts while avoiding the malls. This year is no different, so I’m going to capitalize on it and spread a little holiday love. Here are some of our must-visit local shops for the new year (or if you’re like me, now, quickly, before the 25th).

Westmount Soap Company

Westmount Soap draws inspiration from the freshest neighbourhoods in Edmonton. They are all about natural ingredients that create soaps that are gentle on the skin. I’m starting out in my neighbourhood – Ritchie – and then exploring up from there. Everything smells so good and the soaps really don’t feel harsh at all. After the dust settles on the holiday season, pick yourself up some soaps, settle in for a relaxing bath, and explore the city. It’s a low effort Edmonton tour.

You can find the Westmount Soap company at the 124th Grand Market and in a few craft fairs in 2018.

Or Visit Them Online At WestmountSoapCompany.ca

Alberta Craft Council

If you’re looking for something unique and produced in Alberta, you need to visit the Alberta Craft Gallery. There is so much to explore and yes, the pieces are for sale. You could get lost for a day in the glasswork, woodwork, pottery, fibre art, jewelry, furniture and home accessories from over 150 artists. I like my gifts to have a story attached to them. This place is perfect for unique home decor. It’ll also make you feel good about yourself for supporting local artists and any shop that can do that is worth a visit.

They have locations in both Edmonton and Calgary. If you want to learn more about the work they’re doing, talk to someone in the store or visit Alberta Craft Council online.

Bear Cat and Bimbo

Bearcat & Bimbo is all about reclamation and repurposing. Elisse has personally known one of the founders, Dan Hallett, for a long time and is not surprised by the awesome creativeness that he and his partner bring to the craft. They do amazing lighting and home decor using unconventional materials. Pick up something interesting for your home or as a gift. These pieces are anything but generic, so at the very least, you need to see some of the work they do. You can check it out on their Facebook or Instagram accounts. They also do custom work if you’ve got something else in mind.

The Colombian Mountain Coffee Company

Coffee! What’s better than that? Coffee with a story. This beautiful couple, Kristin & Santiago Lopez, is bringing their family tradition to Canada and as result of their hard work, we get to enjoy this incredible coffee. We first met them in the salsa world and we are so excited for what they are bringing to the Edmonton coffee scene. The coffee is roasted here in Alberta and if you’ve been lucky enough to encounter this company, you know how good it is.

But, it’s not just about the coffee. It’s more purposeful than that. In addition to visiting the farms that source their roastery, they work to ensure that those farms and co-ops are paid fairly. It’s pride and hard work resulting in a product that’s easy to get behind. Keep a lookout for these two in the coming year including the launch of their new “brick and mortar” location right near Vi’s for Pies.

You can also catch them around town various weeks, be sure to check out their online here.

Edmonton Made

Want to find more local businesses doing great work in Edmonton? “Edmonton Made strives to enhance the exposure of locally based businesses and to make it easy to shop local and find distinctly Edmonton products and experiences. Edmonton Made helps local entrepreneurs tell their stories, grow their audiences, and connects them with the resources they need to be successful.”

Visit the gift shop online at EdmontonMade.com 

Happy Holidays Edmonton!

We want to take a second to thank all of the great people in our community (Edmonton) who make our lives so great. You all make what we do more enjoyable and that keeps us working hard to come up with new ways to better help our clients when it comes to buying or selling Edmonton Real Estate. We look forward to 2018 and hope that we get the opportunity to work with some of your nearest and dearest in their next yeg home hunt or sale – we are always so appreciative of the referrals we get and the trust we have earned. We can not thank our wonderful clients/friends enough!

We also wanted to thank everyone who made it out to this year’s Plaid & Pine Holiday party. And, to those who missed it, we can’t wait to see you next year! (the holiday party photos are now viewable here – be sure to share, like and tag).

This years party was held in support of Sorrentino’s Compassion House. They are doing valuable work for women who need to travel for cancer treatment in Edmonton. The home is so caringly designed and maintained. Everyone deserves to feel at home and safe which is why this organization spoke to us. It really is a haven for so many that would otherwise have to endure much less supportive environments during their treatments. With your help, we managed to raise $700 dollars for their cause. Thank you! Over the year we have also donated a portion of each real estate transactions earnings towards the Children’s Miracle Network and the Realtors Community Foundation (who directly helps hundreds of local charities a year).

All of this wouldn’t have been possible without our generous sponsors. Another huge thank you to River City Financial and Murray & Stadnyk Law. If you’re in need of a mortgage broker or any legal services, we highly recommend both of these organizations. We work frequently with them both, and the experience has been so overwhelmingly positive. We are also extremely appreciative of the generous donations from the Edmonton Oil Kings and the Edmonton Prospects Baseball Club.

River City Financial believes in financial education, we think that is where the power is. We’ll help you get ready for the next steps of home ownership and understand what you can afford.

Murray & Stadnyk Law specializes in corporate commercials, real estate law, wills & estates. Our team of dedicated, experienced lawyers and administration will handle your file in a professional timely manner.

Thank you all for a great year. Happy Holidays from our family to yours! Stay in touch: 587-400-7653

Elisse Moreno, Caitlin Heine & The TruHome Team