Where the Founders of Foodtree Eat in Vancouver

Guest Post written by Derek Shanahan, Co-Founder of Foodtree - curators of Urbandig’s Locavore Guide in Vancouver, BC. 

At Foodtree we think quite a bit about where our food is from. We’re fortunate to be headquartered in a city that leads the world in its attention to local food, so finding a meal that’s primary sourced from producers in the area is a bit easier here than it can be in other major cities in North America and worldwide. Here’s a fun fact: the 100 Mile Diet movement got its start here and quickly spread throughout the continent!
 
Vancouver’s farmers market scene is rival to all the standout farmers markets in the United States, entertaining thousands of food lovers every week, year-round. The chefs in town take full advantage of their access to farmers, and a long list of the city’s restaurants boast seasonal menus based around fresh food they find at local markets and through relationships with local producers. The very first stop on the Locavore Tour is Save-On Diner, a revitalized spot that will install a rooftop garden through a partnership with SOLEfood, an urban farm on the downtown east side.   
 At Foodtree we’re building tools to make it easy to find out where your food is from, as well as how and by whom it was made. We think people want more information about what they’re eating, and we’re seeing signs of that all over the food landscape, as farmers leverage technology to connect with their consumers, and as restaurant-goers demand insights into the quality and provenance of the ingredients on the menu. New restaurants all over the world are increasingly focused on local, fresh food, and there’s no better way to experience a city than to partake in its unique food culture.
 
As such, we were convinced that a Locavore Tour of Vancouver’s famous Gastown neighborhood was a perfect fit for the launch of Urbandig. Anthony (our CEO and resident food expert) put a phenomenal insider list together based on his experience as a chef all over the world. These are the spots he takes his family and our team when we eat out, and the list includes suggestions on which dishes to order. If you do the tour in order, you’ll walk away full, happy, and your friend’s new food czar.
Whether you live in Vancouver or you’re just visiting, this is the way to experience local food while walking around one of our most unique and entertaining neighborhoods. Just ask the Urbandig team; we all took the tour together on their launch weekend!

About Derek Shanahan
Derek was born on the East Coast, grew up in Chicago and is now living in Vancouver, BC Canada. He is a food geek, music freak, heartfelt blogger, former soccer player and all around good guy. Follow him on Twitter and read his blog to enjoy more of his stories and engage with him directly.

To learn more about where your food comes from and how it’s been handled, you should follow @foodtree on twitter and download their fresh local food app right now. Seriously.


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Happy Halloween

Looking for a new route to take this All Hallow’s Eve? Urbandig Co-founder and Curator, Mak uncovered some of the creepiest places in LA that will spook the pants off of you!

Mak’s LA Guide, Trick or Treat starts at Director, Paul Berns old house in Beverly Hills and includes other famous haunts such as Freddy’s Place in a Nightmare on Elm Street and the ghostly pad that inspired Dan Ackroyd to write Ghostbusters. 

So, get all ghouled up, download some freaky music to set the mood, convince some friends to join you and enjoy a truly Haunted Hallow’s Eve. 

Seven, Eight gonna stay up late. Nine, ten…never sleep again!  

Check out the new Cruiser Crawl in LA!

Hey LA, it’s supposed to be sunny and in the 70s at the beach this weekend - better take advantage of it before the cool weather sweeps in. And what better way to spend the day on the beach than by cruising down the bike path from Santa Monica to the Marina, stopping at a few great watering holes along the way!

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The new Cruiser Crawl guide in Los Angeles will take you through a pub crawl (on a bike) of the best beachy hangouts on LA’s coast. Don’t have a cruiser? No problem - this guide will take you to an easy bike rental shop on the beach.

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Check it out and let us know what you think!

SHFT

SHFT is a popup gallery/shop that’s open until Oct 27, 2011. It’s curated and created by artists and product designers all supporting the culture of today’s environment. Their mission is to convey a more sustainable approach to the way we live through video, design, art and culture. Uber creators, curators and names behind this cool concept include actor Adrian Grenier and film producer Peter Glatzer. It’s a shame this is only here until Thursday and definitely worth a visit if you’re in the area. You can find this and other La Brea hidden spots in the La Brea guide curated by yours truly. Download for free.

A Shopper’s Guide to A Girl’s Day Out in Vancouver

Guest Post by the very talented writer, stylish shopaholic, and curator of Urbandig’s Girls on Granville Guide in Vancouver - Nancy Chapman.

I love to shop – the hunt and the tangential discoveries, the rush of finding it (on sale!), the promise of transformation, I love it all.  From J Brand skinny jeans to Rocky Mountain Foot Butter to a Goorin fedora, I’ve bought it all.  I’ve been teased that Confessions of a Shopaholic’s Rebecca Bloomwood is loosely based on my life – except perhaps for the bits about the enabling roommate, and that glossy pink (iLove!) Macbook.  I do, however, own more stilettos than you can shake a stick at and have had my credit cards declined at Henri Bendel.  Tres embarrassing!!

I’m a born and bred Vancouverite and as mentioned, I love to shop.  In fact, I believe I am a pioneer in the shop-tourism sector – having travelled to London, Paris, Milan, Tokyo, Marrakech, Toronto, NYC, Chicago, and San Francisco to name a few – like a UN Goodwill ambassador, successfully spurring the local economies.  Secondly, I also have four sisters and our favorite holiday of the year is Boxing Day.  After the tree is trimmed, the turkey gobbled, doodads purchased, wrapped and then unwrapped for every member of our extended family, we wake up at 6AM, zip to Caffé Artigiano for a latte to go and then shop till we drop (dollar bills obviously!)  And finally, living as I do, with 4 boys under my roof, there is not much I won’t do for a day out with my girlfriends.  And so, as often as we can, my girlfriends and I come together to brunch, shop, spa, shop some more, drink & dance – and as such, planning Girls Days Out are somewhat of a specialty of mine. 

With the malls of North America so cookie-cutter boring, there are really just two shopping destinations in Vancouver that I love to waste a day away at – Main Street and South Granville Street.  For my Girls Day Out tour, I chose Granville Street as it caters to foodies, shoe lovers, and all shoppers who love good style as much as they love good labels, plus it ends at a world-class spa.  Everyone’s a winner on Granville Street!!

So grab a girlfriend (or eight), grab some brunch at Café Barney or Luke’s Corner Bar (but don’t eat too many breakfast potatoes or you won’t fit into those skinny jeans you covet!) and take a wander down beautiful, historic South Granville Street. I’ll bet you’ll find just what you’re looking for!   

Nancy Chapman is a freelance writer living in beautiful West Vancouver, BC Canada. When she is not writing, she can be found ferrying around her three sons, working out and shopping. Subscribe to Nancy’s blog and follow her on twitter to enjoy more of her escapades with girlfriends and thoughts on writing, parenting, politics, shopping and more! 


Abbot Kinney Cocktail Clash in LA

Shaken, Stirred, Mixed?  While I can hold my own in the kitchen, I am not sure my culinary skills would serve me well behind the bar just yet. But I am always eager to learn and sample from the best.  

There’s no question there’s an art to crafting up the perfect cocktail. And this Sunday, October 23, 2011 three LA street mixoligists including Tasting Kitchen’s Ryan Wainwright, Joe’s Jennifer Zerboni and Hal’s Dennis Kahn will go head-to-head in a battle of classy cocktailery at Joe’s, 1023 Abbot Kinney Blvd in Los Angeles. 

The Clash

First up, each mixologist will be given a box of mystery ingredients with only 10 minutes to turn it into something that will make the judge’s swoon. After round 1, they will have another 7 minutes to whip up their signature drink to seal the deal.  

Lucky Judges

Urbandig curator’s e*star LA and Thirsty in LA will be among the judges Sunday evening. After experiencing e*star’s Deep Dive tour and Thirsty in LA’s Crafty Sips guide on Urbandig LA, we know first hand that they appreciate the subtle difference between a good cocktail and a damn fine one.  We can’t wait to find out the results. 

So, if you are looking for something tasty to do this Sunday, you should definitely drop by Joe’s. The After Party starts at 7pm and word is, guests will get to sample Zebroni’s popular Pisco Pig and Wainwright’s Navy Sour for free. 

Cheers! 

Urbandig Has Landed in Portland

Portland is finally getting the street cred it deserves. With a budding food and drink industry, beautiful scenery, lively music venues, unique local shops, and a whole lotta hidden gems, it’s a perfect spot for Urbandig to hit next. So we are very happy to announce that Urbandig guides are now available in PDX!

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Here’s a quick rundown of a few of our Portland guides and the local experts who created them:

DRINK

Portland is known for craft beer, but with so many microbreweries, nanobreweries and,  what’s next - picobreweries? - it can be overwhelming to navigate the beer scene. Thanks to Urbandig Curator Angelo De leso from brewpublic.com, you can easily find the five absolute musts for beer geeks on the Beervana guide.

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Are you more of a craft liquor fan? Then take a trip down Distillery Row with Dave Garlock from beportland.com. On this guide, you’ll explore six of Portland’s most interesting small batch distilleries.

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FOOD

Portlanders love their pork. While most maintain a healthy lifestyle, it seems that pork is the one sinful exception. Thanks to curator Stephanie El-Hajj, you can explore some of the best pork Portland has to offer in the Porkland guide, from bacon forward breakfasts, to pig-filled desserts.

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Craving some late-night grub? The food cart scene is one of the best places to look! Join Brett Burmeister of FoodCartsPortland.com as he takes you to some of the best after hours carts for post-pub noshing.

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CITY GEMS

If you’re looking for some local boutique shopping, Lisa Warninger of Urban Weeds is your go-to girl. She’s put together a guide of the cutest, loveliest little boutiques in Portland for ladies (and a few spots for men) in the Portland Stylings guide.

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Or maybe if you’re just looking to explore a new corner of Portland, check out the Secret St. Johns guide by Sarah Keech of stumptownlunch.com. You just might discover a movie theater with a pub, or a cafe with a bonus costume shop!

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THE WORD ON THE STREET…

Of course we think Urbandig is great, but check out what local Portland bloggers (and curators) are saying about the app!

Get the App!

Be sure to download our app to get access to all of these guides and many others! We’ll be rolling out new guides in the coming weeks.

Visit Urbandig.com for more info!

App update 1.2 Now Available

It’s been busy down here in the rabbit hole. In case you haven’t noticed, we’re addicted to delivering you new content and app enhancements to inspire you to get out and enjoy life. The latest updates are designed to do just that. Download Urbandig 1.2 for free

Foursquare, Facebook and Twitter Check-In

So we decided to take the hassle out of checking-in from 4 different apps. Our developers have integrated Foursquare, Facebook Places and Twitter so you can check-in in one fell swoop. Of course you can toggle each service on and off for those moments when you want to stay off the grid.

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Address Book Contact Finder

Here’s a handy way to connect with your iPhone’s Address Book contacts that are also on Urbandig. Of course you can still connect with your Facebook friends as well. This is cool way to see what Places your friends are discovering from the Feed. Use these features from your Profile underneath the gear icon.

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Feed Photos

Simple, they got bigger and they look great.

Here are the rest of the updates that you’ll find in 1.2:
Push notifications to let you know when there’s something to new.
Followers and Following are now visible on your profile.
Navigation is smoother from Place to Place.
iOS5 Support so the app works beautifully in the new iPhone OS.

Preview of 1.3
In a few weeks we’ll be making another update that will continue to improve the Urbandig app experience. We’re also going to be activating 2 new cities shortly which we’re all very excited about. If you have any feedback related to the app, feel free to send directly to me mak@urbandig.com.

Download Urbandig 1.2 for free

If You Drink It, The Hangover Brunch Will Come

Guest Post written by the amazingly talented, copywriting Panda, Amber Adrian.  


All it takes to become an expert in a city’s hangover food is ten years of residence and a short but intense period of questionable life choices where you dance near tables after ridiculous flaming marshmallow drinks at Bigfoot Lounge (don’t do that) and yell about Tina Turner on street corners after dancing near different tables (don’t do that either). Next morning, drag your vodka-mummified self to the nearest plate of eggs benedict and stop texting your friends when they perkily proclaim to be suffering no ill-effects from the night before. You’re pretty sure they’re lying, but you can’t take that chance. 

How To Conquer Friday Night Before Sailing Valiantly Into the Saturday Morning Hangover. All Involving Booze Because, Let’s Face It, That’s What We Want Out of a Friday Night.

Head to Noc Noc: Ask the bartender what Eugene, the purple fish behind the bar, recommends. No guarantees the fish is actually named Eugene or if his recommendations are any good, but it’s an entertaining conversation. Noc Noc’s decor rocks a look that can best be described as the quirky lovechild of Aladdin’s lamp and a downed World War II fighter plane. It’s a cozy nook with plenty of slack-jawed aliens and random purple fish distractions, should your date be late or nonexistent.

Watch flexing muscles at the ballet: Seriously. Stuff a sigg bottle full of wine in your purse and gaze at stunning artistry. Besides, everyone downs wine at intermission. You’re just inhaling yours with a charming economy and environmentally-sound flair. A worthy drinking foe this weekend is Alonzo King’s Lines, a company with some serious moves. Pro tip: the male dancers often wear costumes that are noticeably lacking in shirts. You’re welcome. (Sorry, men. It’s still fun.) 

Eat fried alligator at Boxing Room: My steel magnolia friend claims it’s better than any she ever ate in the South. But don’t try to smuggle your wine in via thermos. Buy it there. Your mama raised you right. 

Order Pisco Punch at Comstock Saloon: Sometimes you really need a fancy cocktail with more ingredients than your grandma’s lasagna. Comstock Saloon wins for best ceiling fans, best random music, best mustaches, best bartenders, and best bartenders sporting mustaches. 

Voila! Friday night is yours and Urbandig’s hangover guide is your new best friend, especially when all those svelte but high-tolerance wenches abandon you and your pounding head. 

Amber Adrian did a lot of drinking at one time, and all those facts are still stored in the bourbon-infused corners of her brain. You can read more about her adventures on her blog and follow her on Twitter.  

We encourage you to Download the Urbandig App right now to experience her Hangover Guide for yourself.  

Urbandig Live Art Funk Jam Party Tonight in NY

Urbandig is celebrating our recent launch in New York city with a Live Art Funk Jam Party tonight, October 14th at Culture Fix. Doors open at 8pm.

Join us for a drink, live music and make art with the likes of Jim Mahfood, Angry Woebots, Scott C and Pixel Pancho. Feel free to bring some friends with you and download our app if you have not already. 

And it’s Saul Colt’s birthday to boot! So, be sure to find him and wish him a Happy Birthday. He is usually wearing crazy pants and is surrounded by many lovely ladies.

You can RSVP here: http://urbandignyc.eventbrite.com/