Culina: Some of Edmonton’s Best Food
(A little backstory: Sally and I wrote this story for a new Edmonton food magazine…alas it never hit the news stands. You, dear friends, can still enjoy our glowing words about Culina. Then, you can go there and enjoy some of the best food in the city. – Jeff)
Some friends, and friends of friends, enjoy their wedding meal at Culina-Mill Creek. So don't worry, dress is usually a little more casual at the restaurant.
Taking the Latin word for kitchen and cooking, and combining it with some Ukrainian heritage, Brad Lazarenko christened his neighbourhood bistro “Culina,” six years ago.
Growing up in a Ukrainian home he knew the translation of the highbush cranberry plant was known as “kalyna” in his parents’ native tongue. That sealed the deal on the restaurant’s name.
“The name is very important,” Brad says. “I see a name [of other restaurants] and think ‘You’re not going to make it.’ I knew I didn’t want to be a ‘Brad’s Grill.’”
Culina-Mill Creek’s name is one of any number of things that make the establishment memorable.
For one, this cozy, 40-seat restaurant is impressive without being pretentious; it’s the sort of place you can wear a suit or dress one night, and return the next in your favourite jeans and feel just as comfortable.
“It’s my baby,” says the owner. “Well, my first baby.”
That correction comes as Lazarenko notes Culina isn’t merely the six-year-old venue off 99th Street, in the Mill Creek neighbourhood (9914-89 Avenue). There’s also Culina-Highlands, in north-central Edmonton (operated by Lazarenko’s sister Cindy), Culina catering, and three wine bars know as Bibo (the first is one door over from Culina-Mill Creek; the other two are in British Columbia).
You need to try Culina's brunch. They're always busy for reason.
Culina-Mill Creek blends neighbourhood bistro with some of the finest fusion you’ll find on a menu. And it strikes that balance as best that could be done. “I always tell people it’s ethnic comfort food. That puts people at ease.”
Brad’s sister, Cindy Lazarenko, owner and chef over at Culina Highlands, agrees. “It’s all the foods that he loves, but it’s very comforting food. It’s a lot of like starch, and meat, and vegetable side dish.”
Culina-Mill Creek serves lunch, dinner and very popular brunches.
“It’s food I like to eat myself,” says Brad. “Every dish is something I’ve eaten and wanted to recreate. I look at Culina as a compilation, a mix tape.” (more…)
Sisterhood will get ya
The headline of this story comes from the “name” when you get an e-mail from the Garneau Sisterhood. It certainly speaks to the idea the Sisterhood supports: that the people of Edmonton will be the ones to take things back from those who would do wrong.
The timing of this story couldn’t be better/worse with news of a new sexual assault in the university-U south area. Police aren’t saying the new assault IS connected but they also note that they can’t rule things out just yet. Either way, it’s troubling for that section of the city and, really, for everyone. Police are on the hunt for clues and tips.
One of the Garneau Sisterhood posters near the U of A.
After the school year began I noticed new posters going up around the U of A area. They were from the Garneau Sisterhood, which sprang up last year, when the Garneau rapist was part of police and community vernacular. As they identify themselves, they are “feisty concerned citizens in the Garneau area and the larger Edmonton community who are organizing and mobilizing to catch the most recent serial rapist in the neighbourhood, challenge the culture of violence and reclaim safe spaces for women in their communities.”
I e-mailed the Sisterhood to find out more about their visible re-emergence. I thought the new posters had something to do with the beginning of a new school year, and the influx of students who wouldn’t have heard (or be hearing, due to our news cycles of breaking news) about the Garneau rapes. (more…)
CJSR is 25! Now give it some money.
We’ve briefly mentioned the CJSR FunDrive in the previous weeks, but now we’re getting all up in your grill about it.
Yes, CJSR is 25 years old and the only way it’s going to keep on living to see more birthdays is with a little help from its friends. You, and everyone in Edmonton, would be the friends. And you know that you can host a show on CJSR, right? Well, you do now.
We swung through community radio HQ Wednesday, as the FunDrive and fun were kicking off. There were cupcakes then, but they are probably all eaten by now.
Check the video for more info about the whole shebang, including good times at the big closing party at The Artery.
By the way, CJSR isn’t the only Edmonton radio station that looks to listeners for support. CKUA is Alberta-wide and listener-supported. They have their own donation drives through the year. It’s amazing that so much local and indie-radio can exist.
Oh, and here’s something not in the story, CJSR is hosting a record swap this weekend. I’ll admit to being enough of a music nerd to own records and an actual record player.
Make those phones ring for radio!
Featured Edmontonian: Brenda Kerber (NSFW)
Ladies and gents, meet the lovely Brenda Kerber. She is a cool, dynamic, very informed lady who has loads of interesting things to say on topics that would make the majority of us blush.
As owner and operator of the Traveling Tickle Trunk, an adult toy shop located on Whyte Ave (9923 82 Ave.), Brenda has somehow managed to give us a better option than either the faux-romantic-cheesiness of a “Love Stop” or the gross-now-I-need-to-shower-ness of a “Centerfolds” (sorry, Centerfolds, but we both know it’s true).
The Tickle Trunk is cute, friendly and lady-run; they also have a bang-up internet business, and their storefront also does double time as a both a retailer and a community hub, where the Tickle Trunk teaches all kinds of interesting workshops about sexual health. Go Brenda!
(Editor’s Note: we’re all grownups here, but save this item for home viewing, as it isn’t safe for work.)
“Where’s kitty, mommy?” “He went to live on a farm outside the city, Timmy.”
We’re hearing a lot about the plight of the City Pound and the Humane Society this morning, but it’s worth noting that there’s another feline-friendly organization that’s hosting a full house.
The Forget Me Not Cat Sanctuary is the brainchild of Walter and June Volsky. It’s located just (outside of St. Albert)on 40-acres of land in Parkland County, close to Stony Plain, and is in its second year of operation. The sanctuary houses more than 120 cats; some sick, some old, some feral. Walter says that his cats aren’t the type that wind up at the Humane Society; they’re blind, or have three legs (yeah, I know, that one got me too), or have had their tails amputated.
“We take those who really don’t have a chance, ” says Walter.
They often get cats from area clinics, where they’re about to be euthanized because owners cannot afford the medical treatments. Forget Me Not doesn’t euthanize any animals,
Walter says, unless it’s medically required.
The sanctuary has 6 volunteers, and one full-time staff member who lives on site.
“We have recovery rooms, nursery rooms, no cats are in cages,” says Walter. He adds that cats living at the sanctuary are free to go outside, into the Forget Me Not enclosure.
Walter says that Forget Me Not is full at the moment. He adds that though they have plenty of cats available for adoption, they are quite careful about who they place animals with; if you’re interested, you can go here to check out their adoption page, featuring profiles of excruciatingly cute cats looking for a home. They’re also a registered charity, so feel free to make a donation.
…also, Jeff, I just adopted 14 cats.
The Starlite Room is This Many.
Happy Birthday, Starlite Room! Or probably more accurately, Happy Anniversary.
That’s right, it’s been five years. FIVE YEARS. If it the Starlite were a kid, it would be starting kindergarten in September. If it were a marriage, it would be (at least statistically) right on the verge of separating. If it were a goldfish, it would have died like four and a half years ago. It’s a noteworthy anniversary for a building that is, arguably, a music institution in Edmonton.
And it’s not going unnoticed. To celebrate, the Starlite folks are having a big crazy Starlite Room party with DJ Degree, Ben Stevenson and Bedouin Soundclash.
30-year-old Julie Ogg handles booking, marketing and event planning for the Starlite Room, and has seen the whole thing unfold.
She was there when the doors opened back in 2004.
“I was even here when they were setting it all up,” she says. “It’s been crazy. I can’t believe it’s been five years now.”
Starlite Talent Buyer Julie Ogg
“I got my start because my roommate … when this was still the Rev, he used to production-assist shows. He used to … bring all the catering, and he was the runner; and he was like ‘Oh, I need help,’” she recalls.
“I basically started as a doorgirl. I worked behind the bar, I served. I worked the bar during the day, and ran doors during the night.”
Julie says that, for her, this was an unexpected career path. Her background is in psychology, and she spent time working with autistic children before starting at the Starlite. It’s led to plenty of other music-related projects too; Julie organizes an annual electronic music festival and is involved with Vibe Tribe, the Tribal belly dancing troupe. She credits her career at the Starlite with opening a world of opportunities. (more…)
A (Deep-Fried) Taste of Edmonton
Hey Edmonton, how was your weekend? I know there was a lot on tap; between A Taste of Edmonton, Capital Ex and the Indy, there were plenty of choices for folks looking to make the most of the face-melting heat.
Jeff and I took a pass on all of those, though, and celebrated the hottest weekend of the summer (it was, wasn’t it?) in the most obvious way possible – by standing over a pot of hot oil, in an apartment that was already like 10 degrees hotter than it was outside. But that’s okay. It was all in the name of culinary science. Some people may be tempted to call us visionaries, but that’s not necessary (I prefer passionate deep-fry enthusiast).
But I digress. You asked for it, #yeg (actually, that’s not entirely true. I suppose it’s more like we issued it to you, #yeg). But either way, here’s 4+ minutes of us deep-frying things. And if this whets your appetite/raises your cholesterol, we recommend you check out this amazing blog, recommended to us last week, by @JProssa (twitter/blog).
Tough times won’t stop Earth Water mission
Earth Water Ambassador Luis Figo with Earth Water Founder & CEO Kori Chilibeck, . From Earth Water's Portugal Launch in Oct. 2008. Courtesy earth-water.org
His company, “Earth Water,” asks: If you had the chance, would you change the world?
For 30-year-old CEO Kori Chilibeck, the answer is a no-brainer. In the four years since he launched Earth Water from his apartment here in Edmonton, the company has expanded around the world, and donated its substantial profits to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR, or United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees).
From Earth Water’s website:
Earth Water funds projects related to the acquisition, storage, and distribution of fresh clean water, focusing on both emergency provisions and developing sustainable water sources for people living in poverty.
The company appears to be a bit of a Cinderella story from the outside, and I’m anxious to mine the entrepreneur for details of how he managed to grow his operation so vastly in such a short period of time.
But the most surprising thing I learn from Chilibeck is probably the thing he’s least interested in talking about.
Here’s looking at you, Cheapskates: Local Loyalty Programs
I LOVE DEALS. I don’t require them – but hey, an additional incentive to spend money is always welcome. You probably didn’t know that about me, Edmonton; you also probably don’t care. But that’s just a little glimpse of what makes me tick. I love the smell of commerce in the morning.
Anyway, if you enjoy spending like I do, there are TONS of locally owned businesses with customer reward programs, just to make your money go a little farther.
C’est Sera
Manager Jenn Clark shows off a C'est Sera discount card
The C’est Sera chain (with stores downtown, on Whyte and in Lendrum) has a very popular paid loyalty card.
“It’s $20. With the card, you get 10% off all regular items, at all 3 locations,” explains Jenn Clark, manager of C’est Sera’s downtown location, who I spoke with while I (you guessed it) was buying shoes. She also adds that cardholders get additional perks, like the opportunity to receive sale prices on some items before they actually go on sale.
“It’s a better way for us to get to know our customers,” adds Clark. “It’s more about making people part of the C’est Sera family.”
Le Papier
Le Papier, one of my favorite places to nerd out on stationary and cards,
issues stamp cards to repeat customers. For every ten cards purchased, you get an eleventh for free, up to a value of $7.50 – and the card has no expiry date. They also have a great selection of locally made products.
“We support Canadian card makers and local card makers,” says staff member Denise O’Brien. “We’re out of so many, they’re very popular.”
(more…)
ATTENTION, INTERNETS: WIN FREE BEER (& more)
Well, I hope you’re proud of yourself, internet. I’m sure you all think you’re very clever for keeping the R U Amber contest from Amber’s Brewing Company off the radar and away from me, in the hopes that you get to claim what brewery owner Jim Gibbon calls “the best August in history” for yourselves. But I’m on to you. And I’m not mad. Mostly just disappointed.
(In the interest of full disclosure, I feel like I should tell you that I would probably take a bullet for the folks at Amber’s, not because I know any of them AT ALL, but because they are David Adjey-style VISIONARIES who combined two of my favorite things – maple syrup and beer – to create another of my favorite things: their Sap Vampire Maple Lager.)
So anyway, the deal with Amber’s web centric contest is this: you have to create something, anything that shows why you embody the spirit of Amber, the fetching, free-spirited, motorbike-riding gal featured on the contest site’s main page. Then, make a video of your creation and submit it via either email or by uploading to youtube. If your entry is deemed best, you win a bevy of local prizes: your face featured on a limited run of Amber’s Pale Ale, dinners from Fife n Dekel, Koutouki, Culina, and Skinny Legs and Cowgirls, tickets to the Theatre Network and the Varscona, two month use of a scooter from Top Gear, two dozen cupcakes from Flirt Cupcakes, a cut, colour and products from The Beauty Parlour – and so many more local prizes, we couldn’t possibly list them all here. Check the website for details - and yes, one winner will get everything listed.
