Home “sweet” home - My favourite Vancouver desserts

I’m so happy I was able to go home for a visit this year. It’s been years since my last visit.

It was definitely a pleasant surprise to see how some of my favourite bakeries not only survived the pandemic, but have branched out with multiple locations now.

Initially I planned on listing just my top 5 favourite desserts in Vancouver. However, after a LONG deliberation, I decided that since I still can’t narrow it down to just 5 places, I should just list all the places that really wowed me! Below are my 8 favourite dessert experiences while I was in Vancouver. I mean… there’s no such thing as too many dessert options (especially when the craving hits). I broke them down to 2 categories:

1. The oldie but a goodie - I’m a repeat customer at all these bakeries when I still lived here. These are my favourite places and I visit them every time I’m back. They never let me down!

2. My new loves - I visited these places for the first time and it was love at first bite.

Category 1 - oldie but goodie

1. Thierry 📍1059 Alberni St, Vancouver, BC V6E 1A1

I can go on and on about all the amazing pastries here and their hot chocolate, but the thing that keeps bringing me back is the Passion Fruit Cake. It’s an airy mousse cake with the perfect balance of sweet and tart.

The new item on their repertoire gives me even MORE reason to come back. The chocolate succè (hazelnut meringue, dense chocolate mousse, tempered dark, milk and white chocolate). It’s got the chocolate, the crunch, and the creamy mousse all in one bite.

2. Beta 5 📍409 Industrial Ave, Vancouver, BC V6A 2P8

Even with new bakeries serving up some legit cream puffs, Beta 5 continues to be my favourite and my go to happy place. Not only are their cream puffs so aesthetically pleasing with creative finishing touches, they taste like perfection. The choux pastry is light and airy with the perfect crunchy shell. These cream puffs are filled with amazing combination of flavoured creams, custards and mousse.

3. Nero waffles

📍1002 Seymour St, Vancouver, BC V6B 3M6

📍1703 Robson St, Vancouver, BC V6G 1C8

These bad boys are right up there with the liège waffles (aka Belgium waffles) from Cafe Medina. I personally prefer Nero over Cafe Medina because they have a variety of flavours from sweet to savory and some of them even have delicious filling inside. These waffles are made with a brioche like dough, mixed with pearl sugar that gets caramelized when cooked. I love how they have a nice crunch on the outside and it’s soft and chewy on the inside.

4. Mister Artisan Ice Cream 📍1141 Mainland St, Vancouver, BC V6B 5P2

I was lucky enough to try this place when they first opened in Yaletown. It makes me so happy to see that they’re still doing well after all these years, and the quality of their ice cream is still top notch! I have a really weird fear of getting my hands dirty when I eat, that’s why I never get my ice cream in a cone. These ice cream bars are easy to eat without ending up with sticky fingers.

The ice cream here are made with liquid nitrogen. It’s fun to watch and the result is a rich, creamy ice cream. They offer rotational flavours based on the ingredients in season.

I highly recommend trying out the s’mores bar and the Nanaimo bar. I got the half bars so I could try different flavours, but they are also available in full size bars and they are significantly bigger.

Category 2 - My new loves

1. Nemesis Coffee 📍SO many locations!

This isn’t just your typical coffee shop. They have an amazing breakfast menu, and the most important thing (for me) is their pastries from Dope Bakehouse. This in house bakery offers the best cruffin I’ve ever had. I came here multiple times during my trip because I just couldn’t get enough of their pastries.

Crossiant + muffin = cruffin love child.

The cruffin is light, flaky and buttery. It’s also filled with just the right amount of filling inside for the perfect bite ratio. As a matcha addict, the matcha raspberry cruffin was my favourite. I highly recommend this to any matcha/cruffin lovers!

2. H Tasting Lounge 📍1601 Bayshore Dr., Vancouver, BC V6G 2V4

The desserts here blew my mind. It’s located in the Westin hotel along the Seawall so it’s perfect for a nice stroll after a meal.

Each item is beautifully crafted and tastes just as good as it looks. The cotton candy and cream puffs are so creative and so much fun to eat.

They also offer an amazing brunch menu, but make sure you make your reservation ahead of time because they book up fast!

3. Angus T Bakery and Cafe 📍1036 Mainland St, Vancouver, BC V6B 2T4

This newly opened bakery is already famous for their buttery croissants. They offer both savory and sweet croissants with a variety of unique flavours and fillings.

Their cinnamon buns are also top notch and worth trying at least one (or in my case it was more like 10). The sweet yeasty dough is perfectly rolled so you can actually peel it like a fruit roll up! I love how generous they are with the cinnamon. The cinnamon buns also have a variety of flavours to choose from.

4. Their there 📍2042 W 4th Ave, Vancouver, BC V6J 1M9

These mochi doughnuts got me doing my happy food dance. A mochi doughnut is a doughnut and mochi hybrid. It’s got the best of both worlds.

The size of these doughnuts may seem intimidating, but they are actually very light and airy. I polished off both of these in one sitting! It’s crazy how texturally satisfying these mochi doughnuts are. It’s got a nice fried crispy outer doughnut shell with a soft and chewy mochi centre.

There’s also a large variety of fun flavours to pick from. I tried the cereal milk mochi doughnut and the raspberry cheesecake mochi doughnut. Both were so amazing I had to order extra to take home!

I was blown away by these mochi doughnuts but they also offer savory items for breakfast and lunch. The matcha latte here is definitely worth ordering too! There’s just so much to love about this place.

Sugar Rush in Ottawa

Ottawa, the city where I discovered the magic of toe warmers. Winter in Ottawa really is no joke!

Ottawa has a reputation for its brutal winters but one of my favourite moments from this trip was actually lining up with my friends in the freezing cold for beaver tails and hot chocolate at the Byward Maket. In that moment I realized the true meaning of friendship. I mean, not many people would freeze their faces off just to help me satisfy my beaver tail craving! Even Ottawa winters can’t keep me from food adventuring!

This was my 2nd time visiting Ottawa and food baby enjoyed both visits thoroughly. I was hesitant about the food scene in Ottawa at first but there are actually lots of yummy places and hidden gems!

I love discovering a city through its food scene so I ate and I ate, and then I ate some more. I wanted to share my top 3 favourite dessert places because if there’s anything I love more than actually eating, it’s to force feed people the food that I love. These places are definitely worth checking out!

3. Art-Is-In Bakery 

📍250 City Centre Ave #112, Ottawa, ON K1R 1C7

This spacious, almost warehouse like, bakery offers a wide variety of baked goods and beverages. The cronuts are a must try! I just about licked the plate when I was done. I paired it with the earl grey tea latte and it was the perfect breakfast combination in my opinion!

2. Suzy Q 

📍969 Wellington St W, Ottawa, ON K1Y 2X7

These doughnuts are as yummy as they are pretty! So light and fluffy. They look humongo but I can easily polish it off by myself because it’s so airy!

I love the large selection of flavours, including their “healthy” version of doughnuts like the carrot one in the picture. I love it when bakeries help me consume my daily recommended dose of vegetables. Suzy Q cares!

1. The Cupcake Lounge  

📍6 Byward Market Square, Ottawa, ON K1N 9B8

This is actually a place that I stumbled across from exploring the Byward Market. I’m so happy I did! The cupcake is moist and baked to perfection. The frosting itself is not overly sweet and the cupcake to frosting ratio is just right. I came in this cute little bakery with the intention of just having a cupcake for breakfast (yes, I eat cupcakes for breakfast). Let’s just say I ended up eating a lot more than just one!

The earl grey cupcake is my favourite! I actually got an extra one to eat on my way back to Toronto.

Over all I really enjoyed my time in Ottawa. How can I not when there are so many food places for me to eat at when I need to escape the freezing cold. The winter may be harsh but ice skating on the Rideau Canal is a pretty fun experience! But maybe next time I’ll visit in the summer time so I don’t freeze my face off.

Until next time Ottawa! I’ll be back for more food adventures!

I heart Singapore

This year I decided to celebrate my birthday by treating myself to a vacation in Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Each place is beautiful and unique in their own way but for this post I’ll just limit myself to gush about the amazing Singapore.

Singapore is such a beautiful country. As a solo female traveler I felt extremely safe, even when I was out and about late at night. Someone described living in Singapore as being “cautiously happy” because of the strict rules, but I guess that’s what makes this such a safe travel destination.

I highly recommend getting a transit pass to avoid the lineups at transit booths and to allow for spontaneous bus trips. I do a lot of walking when I’m traveling, I think walking is the best way to really explore and get a feel of the city. However, Singapore is HOT and humid. It’s the “I think I’m actually melting” kind of hot. A couple of times I ended up taking the transit just to get out of the sun. I honestly think that’s why there are so many shopping centers around, it’s so people can get out of the sun when they feel like they’re about to die of heat stroke. 

There were so many “wow” moments during my time in Singapore. It’s hard to pick just one so I’ll just go ahead and fangirl about my top 3 favourite moments as well as my top 3 favourite food adventures!

Favourite Moments

1. Gardens by the Bay

I was so happy that they allow re-entry at the Cloud Garden and the Flower Dome. I definitely took advantage of the re-entry stamps at both places. 

I actually ended up spending a whole day at the Gardens by the Bay because if you wait until 7:30PM there’s an amazing light show at the Supertree Grove. The lights on these “super trees” were synced to the music perfectly. It was just such a fun and beautiful show. I didn’t want it to end!  

2. Marina Bay Sands (MBS)

This was a huge splurge for me. It was a $400/night stay! This is the iconic 3 tower building with the big “boat” like structure sitting atop the 3 towers. I decided to stay here because only hotel guests have access to the infinity pool. 

Yes, the infinity pool was definitely worth the splurge. The view up on the 57th floor was amazing. The infinity pool itself was so refreshing in the 40 degree weather and the food/service at the poolside was top notch. It was such a fun experience overall. I would’ve loved to stay here for another night if I had unlimited travel funds (I’m available if anyone wants to be my travel sponsor). 

MBS is practically a mini city, there’s a mall with some amazing restaurants attached to the hotel. The MBS lived up to the hype and definitely did not disappoint!

3. Future exhibit

As a MBS hotel guest, I got a discount on tickets to the exhibits at the art science museum. I actually went through the Future World exhibit twice because it was just so beautiful and relaxing.

I found myself taking a gazillion photos trying to capture that “perfect” shot. I always have to remind myself to really be in the moment when I’m traveling, instead of seeing everything through the lens. With the awesome MBS discount I was able really experience the exhibit the 2nd time around. I’ve never seen such an interactive art exhibit before. I was able to download an app on my phone which allowed me to control the different light settings. It was so immersive and well done. 

Favourite food adventures

Not gonna lie, I totally travel for the food. My trips are usually planned around where I want to eat and everything else is just a bonus.  The food in Singapore was amazing. I had a really hard time narrowing it down to my top 3.

1. Brother Bird Softserve Co. 

This is definitely one of the most memorable desserts I’ve ever had. It was as delicious as it was beautiful. I looked around the restaurant for other people’s reactions to see if they were freaking out about the dessert as much as I was. It was one of those times that I actually wished I had a travel buddy to share the moment with. 

A perfect swirl of refreshing strawberry basil sherbet sitting on top of a fresh out the fryer mochi doughnut. It was the perfect balance of hot and cold/soft and crunchy. 

2. Non Entrée Desserts

Such a creative way of serving this match lava cake. I loved the presentation and the matcha lava cake itself was so yummy. It’s sitting on top of a caramalized sugar crisp and in the glass is roasted green tea gelato on a bed of crunchy almond nougatine and chocolate “soil”.

Bonus: there’s azuki beans inside the chocolate lava cake! Such a yummy flavour combination. Can’t go wrong with matcha and red bean! 

3. Soya Chicken 

The fact that I’m posting a savory dish is a testament to just how much I loved this placed. I’m still amazed at how affordable this soya chicken is considering that this is a Michelin Star restaurant! I must’ve eaten here at least 3 times during my time in Singapore. The sauce is flavourful, the chicken is tender and the portions are reasonable. This is all for just $3.80! I like how they kept the integrity of the hawker center style and price even after receiving the Michelin Star rating. The lineup is pretty insane all throughout the day but it’s definitely worth the wait.

Singapore exceeded my expectations in every way and I can’t wait to go back again! 

Packing Tips

I’ve been making all sorts of lists to get myself ready for my upcoming trip.

I’m a huge proponent of lists. Mostly because I have a terrible memory and if I don’t write things down I will most likely forget. Even though I don’t normally start packing until the night before (sometimes even the day of) I always start making lists of what I need to pack/buy very early on. I find that if I start packing too early that’s usually when I tend to over pack.

Packing is always a struggle for me because I tend to want to pack everything. I use this little trick to make sure I don’t over pack. Usually I try to do this when I have limited luggage space, especially when I’m planning a backpacking trip and staying at hostels.

Basically, each number from 1-5 represents a category and also the number of items I’m allowed to pack per category.

Here’s an example of what I would normally pack: 

5 - tops (including a cardigan/jacket)

4 - bottoms (jeans, shorts, leggings and skirt)

3 - dresses

2 - footwear (depends on where I’m going but usually 1 pair of sandals and 1 pair of flats)

• if I’m going somewhere warm I’ll also pack 2 sets of swimsuits

1 - pjs

• I also like to pack a small (empty) carry-on size bag so I can have a little extra room to bring back goodies.

This system has been working for me and I always manage to fit everything in one bag with room to bring back goodies.

Wu tip: Hostels don’t usually supply towels and toiletries so I always travel with this PackTowel (https://www.mec.ca/en/product/5024-431/Personal-Towel) I got from MEC. It’s a super lightweight towel that folds up nice and small in the little carrier bag that comes with it. This PackTowel is a bit pricey but I think it’s totally worth it. I’m still amazed at how much water it soaks up and how quickly it dries. The only thing is I like to wait till it dries completely before I pack it back in the little carrier or else it gets that wet towel smell. 

New York City

I was in New York City for the long weekend and quickly realized that 5 days is simply not enough time to see all that the city has to offer. I managed to explore a good chunk of Manhattan on foot and put together this list of my favorite places.

Brooklyn Bridge 

The Brooklyn Bridge is a nice short walk with a good view of the World Trade Center, Statue of Liberty, Manhattan Bridge and the Empire State Building. The best time to go is early mornings before it gets too crowded. It took me about 15 minutes to walk to the other side of the bridge. 

Fun fact: Doubts about the stability of the Brooklyn Bridge was put to rest when 21 elephants marched across the bridge in 1884. Such brave and helpful elephants!

I love Central Park

Central Park is the perfect escape from the busy streets and I love everything about it. It's amazing how this beautiful park in the middle of the city is able to block out the traffic sounds. 

Still buzzing from the magnolia cupcakes (4 to be exact), I explored Central Park while replaying the Sex and the City theme song in my head. New York may be known as the city that never sleeps but I feel like it's also such a romantic city. The plaques on the park benches in Central Park each had a story to tell. Some were declarations of love, some were reminders of happy memories, and some revealed their hopes for the future. I found a romantic proposal bench where a person engraved the question "will you marry me?" on the plaque. I don't know who this Michael is, but well done sir!

I went to New York to visit family but a vacation wouldn't be complete without some food adventures! Besides, families that eat together stay together! Here are a couple of the dessert places that really stood out.

Favorite dessert place: Spot Dessert Bar

The Big Orange is only a seasonal item on the menu and I highly recommend it! It tasted like an orange creamsicle! 

The matcha lava cake was amazing. The dark chocolate cake was rich and chocolatey and it went so well with the green tea ganache filling and the green tea ice cream.

A+ presentation: Sweet Moment

The cold brew is a must try! It was the most adorable coffee art I've ever seen and so yummy too! The drink is actually a cold brew with milk and dark chocolate. The artwork part is done on a thick layer of whipped cream at the top. 

The watermelon bingsu was also a piece of art. The staff here put so much care into their beautifully crafted food. 

The most fun experience: Sprinkles Cupcakes

This is not your average ATM machine. It's a cupcake ATM! This adorable ATM is attached to the actual storefront. It is stocked with freshly made cupcakes from the store. There's limited seating in the bakery but you can grab your cupcake from the ATM machine and enjoy it inside.

Amazing cakes: Lady M

The green tea mille crepe was delicious but the strawberry shortcake was the winner for me. The actual cake part was so light and fluffy. The cream wasn't too sweet or greasy and the strawberries in the cake were fresh. My only regret is not getting a second slice!

Favorite matcha dessert: Dominique Ansel Bakery

Dominique Ansel's matcha and passion fruit cake combo truly was a matcha made in heaven.

Coolest ice cream: Milk & Cream Cereal Bar

I tried many ice cream places during my stay in New York thanks to the unseasonably hot autumn weather (not that the cold ever stopped me from eating ice cream before). The vanilla ice cream mixed so well with my cereal choice, Trix. I wanted to bring a tub (or two) home with me! For the toppings I got sprinkles, teddy grahams and chocolate sauce. I don't know how I'll ever go back to eating regular ice cream again. 

The New York food scene did not disappoint! 

Traveling always reminds me of the kindness and generosity that still exist in the world. I always manage to meet helpful strangers and New York was no exception. This time, however, these kind strangers I met on the train to Penn Station offered to take me to the Rangers game! I now know that Rangers is the hockey team in New York.  

It's easy to see why people fall in love with New York. From all the beautiful shops and hotels to the amazing food scene, there is no shortage of things to do! I can't wait to come back and soak up all the glam that New York has to offer. Maybe I can even catch a Broadway show next time!

Apple picking

I'm happy to report that my first apple picking experience was a success!

Being a vertically challenged person, I was a little hesitant about how I was going to actually be able to pick the apples. Luckily all the trees at this orchard were pretty short so no ladders were needed!

I learned quickly that apple picking is actually quite simple after a demonstration by one of the staff at the orchard.
"Eye to the sky and twist" - point the bottom of the apple (the "eye") to the sky and do a quick twist. If it comes off the branch easily then it's ready for picking! Pulling it off the branch before it's ready may damage the branches for next year's harvest.

With that quick lesson in mind, I was able to pick my 12 pounds of apples! The rest of my time at the orchard was spent stuffing my face with their delicious baked goods.

It was relaxing to get out of the city for the day and to be surrounded by all the greenery. The yummy apple pies were an added bonus!

Check out Pine Farms Orchard!