Archive for October, 2012

 

Do you have fruit trees and small fruits in your garden?

Increase your fruit production by keeping Mason Bees! We will explain how to set up and maintain your own Mason Bee house. This workshop offers a great opportunity for you to bring your Mason Bee nests. We will also show you how to open your nests and clean the cocoons to get them ready for spring. Kids are welcome to the workshop as they will absolutely love to be involved with raising their own bees. (Mason Bees do not sting.) We will have all of the products necessary to start your own Mason Bee nest available for sale on this day. This workshop is FREE of charge! REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED FOR ALL CLASSES Book your space(s) in person, or email: [email protected] AMSTERDAM GREENHOUSES & GARDEN CENTRE 19100 Old Dewdney Trunk Road, Pitt Meadows, BC, V3Y 2R8 Phone: (604) 465-6614 Fax: (604) 465-6768

 

Who says Maple Ridge/Pitt Meadows doesn’t have any fine dining?
Certainly not the people who are in-the-know about such terrific local eateries as Lava Dining Lounge, Chameleon Café, Firehall Bistro, La Trattoria and Bella Vita, to name some of the popular locations.

Fine Dining in Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows compares well to Vancouver

Yes, we have excellent fine dining establishments in Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows, the kind of places that would not be out of place in Vancouver or any other major metropolitan center. Creative menus, fresh ingredients, delightful presentations and exceptional service… these are the hallmarks of the fine dining experience out this way. Best of all, patrons can enjoy all of this without the price points that keep climbing the closer one gets to downtown Vancouver.

Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows fine dining is no “stuffed-shirt” experience

There’s no rule that says snooty waiters and starched linens constitute fine dining. It’s all about the food when you come east of the Pitt River, where “fine dining” doesn’t mean “stuffed-shirt dining.” Even our best restaurants don’t take themselves too seriously, and while exceptional service and a lovely décor are just as popular with diners in Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows as they are elsewhere, the priority locally is always geniality with a smile.

Fine dining knows no borders

A first-class dining experience knows no boundaries, so a little drive to experience the finest Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows have to offer shouldn’t put anybody off… especially if they truly love great food. The best eateries out this way compare very favourably to the rest of the region, and those who let a little water stand between them and an exceptional meal are missing out big-time. So come visit Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows for the food… we know you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

A complete listing of our dining options can be found here. Bon Appetit!

Robert Prince

Hard to believe it’s been 10 years since The ACT first opened its doors with the goal of becoming the home of arts and culture in Maple Ridge, but if the quality of anniversary season programming is any indication, they’ve succeeded beyond their wildest dreams.
The 2012/2013 schedule of entertainment slated for The ACT is a tour de force of music, theatre, film, dance, comedy and art. Between now and the end of June 2013 there is, quite literally, something for everyone who has an ounce of culture in their soul.

What’s on at The ACT? Glad you asked!

Do you like theatre? The Arts Club is bringing A Craigslist Cantata to town in November, plus Into the Wild and 39 Steps in February and March respectively. Families will love the Monster Theatre production of A Christmas Carol December 1.

If music is your thing, the Vienna Boys Choir performs October 20 (get your tickets now), while big band legend Dal Richards brings his orchestra is to town November 11. For something a bit zanier, The Lost Fingers will play their Django Rheinhardt-inspired gypsy jazz November 15. Naturally, Country music fans haven’t been left out, as Jason McCoy comes to town with The Perfect Gift November 24.
Winter Harp will return to put you in the holiday mood December 16, then the new year starts with some B.C. Beats as Andrew Allen, Laurell Barker and Stef Lang come to Maple Ridge January 26 with songs and stories inspired by the world around them, and legendary Canadian rockers 54.40 will amplify the nostalgia factor significantly in February.

There’s nothing quite as beautiful as a dancer’s body in motion, and you can get your fill when Ballet Jorgen Canada performs Swan Lake February 17, and Bouge de là performs The Studio/L’Atelier in March.
Re-energize your soul when Celtic Crossroads brings Irish music and dance to The ACT March 21, and add some passion to your life when Mexico’s own Flamenco Rosario performs Mis Hermanas, a story that crosses cultural and personal boundaries between Mexico and Canada.

It’s not all song and dance at The ACT

For something a bit quirky, why not put improv actresses Ellie Harvie and Diana Frances (she’s from Maple Ridge) to the test? Their Rock Paper Scissors production of Leave It To Cleavage “is a ‘Battle of the Sexes’ gameshow that finally answers the question, ‘Who wears the pants in the family?’” They’ll be in town April 20.
If you prefer Darth Vader and Princess Leia, the force of Charles Ross’ One Man Star Wars Trilogy will be with you May 3 of next year.

Finally, if you’re a fan of the visual arts, the Maple Ridge Art Gallery has several shows planned through to June 1, including, amongst others, Danielle Swift’s Figurative Sculpture starting October 20, Shari Pratt’s Lost and Found acrylic and mixed media presentation opening January 12, and the sculpture and pottery of Celia and Keith Rice-Jones in March.

These are just some of the professional and community productions taking place at The ACT during the 2012/2013 season. For a full schedule, visit The ACT Arts Centre and Theatre in Maple Ridge to pick up a copy of the season program. Alternatively, visit www.theactmapleridge.org.

 

Robert Prince – Tourism Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows

Don’t read the list of delectable appetizers being prepared for this Friday’s Golden Harvest Celebration on an empty stomach. 

Using fresh ingredients and locally produced food, top local chefs, caterers, and culinary students are cooking up a night to remember at the ACT.

Thomas Haney culinary students and Chef Brian Smith will tempt your taste buds with Mini Yorkshire Puddings with beef from Hopcott Meats and BC Prune Plum Sorbet for dessert. Chef Daniel Lesnes from Garibaldi Secondary is making his own fresh goat cheese for the event using milk from Goat’s Pride Dairy, an organic dairy in Abbotsford, to put on baguettes with hazelnuts & herbs. His students will also be serving up Panini with Chicken, Pesto, & Grilled Vegetables.

Local restaurant Big Feast, now open for dinner due to customer demand, will be serving up Roasted Yam, Curry, and Mango Chutney Soup. “It’s become the new favourite for guests and staff” says chef Mike Mulcahy. Big Feast is dedicated to using local ingredients in its creations and wins their customers’ loyalty through fresh ingredients and delicious fare.

Others serving up samples and goodies at Golden Harvest are De la Bouche Specialty Foods, the Haney Farmer’s Market Society, Star Five Catering, Hopcott Meats, Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows Community Kitchens, Golden Ears Cheesecrafters, Nature & Living Farm, and Zena’s Gluten Free Bakery, who will be making lavender cookies using product from Maple Ridge’s own Octagon Lavender Farm & Studios.

As we said on Golden Harvest’s Facebook Page (http://www.facebook.com/MRGoldenHarvest ), “Friends don’t let friends miss Maple Ridge Secondary’s Chef Trevor Randle’s Asian Pork Tenderloin Sliders and Cheesecake with Local Berry Coulis.”

While the Creme Brûlée and Spiced Pumpkin Soup from last year’s Golden Harvest had people recounting the taste for weeks afterward, everyone is wondering which items will get mouths watering and tongues wagging this year. Our best advice? Come hungry

This year’s Golden Harvest takes place on Friday, October 12 from 6-8pm at the Maple Ridge ACT. Presented by the Maple Ridge Agricultural Advisory Committee, the Haney Farmers Market Society, and the Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows Agricultural Association, Golden Harvest highlights the variety and quality of our local food producers and farmlands.

Tickets are $25 and are are available now through the ACT (online, by phone, and in person). Ticket sales go directly towards producing the event with the intent of raising the profile of our local farmlands and food producers.