You know my Steaz

I went with Rachael to the Vancouver Art Gallery today to listen to Anthony Hernandez narrate his exhibition.  After the interesting artist talk, I grabbed a Steaz Green Tea Lemon Dew Soda ($2.50) at the Gallery Cafe.  We sat out on the patio and enjoyed the sunshine.

Steaz Lemon Dew (Fair Trade Certified and USDA Organic Certified) is a great tasting sparkling organic Ceylon green tea from Newtown, Pennsylvania (The Healthy Beverage Company).  They are passionate in ensuring that their farmers and farm workers on their tea estate receive fair prices for their products, allowing them a better living.  It has natural ingredients that are free of artificial preservatives and chemicals.  I think the Steaz Lemon Dew tastes like a lemon/lime soda.  In fact, I think it has a similar taste to a Mountain Dew, except it is not as sweet and not as carbonated as a Mountain Dew.  It did not have a tart lemon flavour that I would have expected.  It was light and refreshing for the beautiful sunny day.

Brand New

I've just started seeing more and more of the new Pepsi logo products pop up everywhere around town.  The metallic colours really makes the products stand out.

Life is like a bottle of chocolates

Today I tried the Young's Double Chocolate Stout (5.2% ABV) from the UK.  I liked the whole design of the bottle - the label, the embossed glass and the shape.  This was my first time trying a chocolate stout.  When it was poured into the glass, it came out very dark in colour, almost black with a tan coloured head.  It was very smooth with a strong taste of bitter dark chocolate.  I wouldn't usually drink a stout, but this one has such a unique flavour that I would have it again.  It's an excellent sipping beer.  I wouldn't have been able to finish the 500ml bottle on my own, it would've been way to heavy for me.  I think it would taste really good to have with dessert.  Double Chocolate Stout lava cake anyone?

Berry Good

Last Saturday there was a surprise get together for Rachael's birthday.  Danny made a really tasty dinner and I created this cocktail.

The ingredients were:

Absolut Vodka

Alize Gold Passion

muddled blackberries

fresh pomegranate juice

Canada Dry club soda

splash of Ocean Spray cranberry cocktail

garnished with goldenberries

I don't know what to call it, but it was damn tasty.

M Other's Day

I went out with Danny, Jasmine and Nelson for lunch at Moxie's on Davie Street today.  I was very surprised to see that it was not busy, even at 12:30PM on a Mother's Day.  In fact, there were more employees there working, than there were customers.

Moxie's drink feature on Sundays is the Mbar's Signature Caesar for $3.99.  Jasmine and I started off with a Caesar.  Danny got the Moxie's size for an additional $2.00.  There is nothing "signature" about it.  I think that it needed a couple more dashes of Worcestershire sauce and the garnish was weak.  It was garnished with just a celery stick, not even a lime wedge was served.  I prefer Caesars that are garnished with a combination of goodies (for example: celery stick, a lime wedge and throw in a couple of pickled beans or banana peppers).  That is what makes a Caesar.  It just makes the cocktail taste that much better.

Hail Caesar!

Chrys

I didn't like Chrysanthemum tea when I was younger. My moms went through a phase of making Chinese tea with chrysanthemums that was my chrysanthemum year. I was out buying groceries and I had a hankering for some of this tea. I think I was influenced by Ben Ballers blog Man the power of endorsement. Any rate here's some nutritional facts about the tea (I better talk bout something serious or else Derrick will give me crap)

Vita developed the first packaged Chrysanthemum Tea in 1978, where the original formula still offers the best soothing and refreshing experience. Vita Chrysanthemum Tea has become the most popular and market leading Chrysanthemum Tea in Hong Kong.

Bottom line, I like this tea, it's refreshing and a nice alternative to regular iced tea.


Vince

Clean Energy for Dirty Minds

The Black/Pink Nike Air Yeezy released yesterday.  They are already popping up on Ebay for as high as $1000.00 CAD.  I was in downtown on Friday around 3PM, there were people already lined up for them in front of Dipt.  I want a pair, but not to the point in which I would camp out for them.  Check out the post on SNEAKERPEDIA for what people in L.A. would do for a pair of Yeezys. 

Since there was so much hype about the Nike Air Yeezy release, I thought that I would post something about Kanye West.  He is teaming up with GURU (100% natural and organic energy drink) to create a new product.

Here is some information that I gathered from the GURU website.

New York - April 8th, 2009 – GURU Beverage Co., a developer and distributor of 100% natural and organic energy drinks built on principles of wellness, health, performance, authenticity and living life to the fullest, today announced a product collaboration with international entertainment icon, Kanye West, to create a new product inspired by his own personal artistic vision.

A fan of GURU since 2007, Mr. West discovered GURU on the streets of New York City and was intrigued by the company’s innovative approach to beverages which combines tangible product benefits with a brand message that supports a healthy and exciting lifestyle and centers around emerging art, fashion, music and culture. Mr. West will be an integral part of the entire development process for the new GURU product and is now an equity partner in GURU Beverage Co. The new product is expected to launch later this year in the U.S. and Canada and additional terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

The announcement coincides with the launch of an innovative marketing campaign dubbed “Clean Energy for Dirty Minds” that will roll out online over the next six weeks. In addition to the product collaboration with Kanye West, GURU will launch a series of “Clean Energy for Dirty Minds” online videos in support of the recent addition of six new products to the GURU energy drink line. The campaign was developed with VIRTUE Worldwide, the in-house brand strategy and creative agency of VICE, based in Brooklyn, NY.

“I express myself through music, fashion, art and design and that's why I am excited to collaborate with GURU; because the brand values what I value, and I can put what inspires me into this new product.” said Kanye West.

Available online through the GURU website, nationally at Whole Foods Market, health food stores across the U.S., as well as in 500 retail locations throughout New York City, GURU is 100% natural and organic and represents a radical shift from traditional energy drinks. The entire GURU product line helps to increase physical and cerebral energy levels and includes the following flavors:

• GURU Original
• GURU Lite (low calorie)
• GURU Full On Lemonade
• GURU Iced Tea Green Tea Honey-Lemon
• GURU Juicy Superfruit
• GURU Juicy Tangerine

“We are thrilled to be able to collaborate in the development of a new GURU product with Kanye West, who’s talent and creativity embody GURU’s philosophy of finding your inner genius, nurturing it and helping it bloom,” said Ray Jolicoeur, co-Founder of GURU. “GURU reflects the health and creative sensibility of today’s consumer who is searching for a drink that reflects who they are and how they live.”

Don't act like I never told ya...

Stewart's since 1924

Every so often, I feel like a good ol' ginger beer.  It's great for times when I have an upset stomach.  One of my favorites is the Stewart's Ginger Beer.  I picked one up from IGA on Main Street today.  It's a smooth soda with a peppery ginger flavour after taste that hits the back of your throat.

Frank Stewart had created a recipe for a great root beer and opened his first Stewart's Root Beer stand in 1924.  From there on, their line of flavours were extended and the Stewart's Ginger Beer was introduced in 1992.

Hey Barq's...this ginger beer has bite!