Cycle Café's....Oops!: May 2014

Saturday, 17 May 2014

www.SOLEFOODFARMS.COM

Sole Food Farms

This week I got to play the role of "Roveing Reporting", and what a blast it was...

A couple days ago an SOS tweet was send out over the Twitter feed from our friend, and Executive Chef at @ Yew Seafood Restaurant at YVR, the one, and only @NedBell who was soliciting for @solefoodFarms who were in need of photographers for their up in coming Launch Evening. I promptly responded with a RT which I customarily do for most community events as Cycle Cafe is a Community based conglomirate...and then I thought ...hmm..."Why not". So I send a tweet that I would be happy to help out. Not having any clue of what I had got myself in to at all!

Now a bit about me. Some of you may view me as a rather social butterfly that is rather gragareous, well you would be right, but here is something that you may not know about me I am rather shy, and really don't care for large gatherings or social venues, but I was excited to help and to expand my photoghraphy skills as needed.

I am also not a professional photoghrapher by any means, but photoghraphy has been a passion of mine for many years..and to be honest I think I have a pretty good eye which makes up for having a very cheap camera....Not being one to go outside my box...ie: going out in the evening, socializing with a group of strangers, or attending an event where I know noone I was egear to give it a go....

So I was off to the City..camera in tow, and a back-up dress and heels in my Musette in case the event was dresser than my best jeans and sparkly TOMS. I was looking forward to supporting a cause that sole roots (no pun indended) were based in building a strong community based on sustainable, locally grown produce, and cultivating a healthy work environment for employees who had had plenty of missfortune in their lifetime. How could I refuse...this event was made for me.

I arrived at 257 E. 7th Street the HQ for Make; an advertising firm that on occasion rents out their space, and what a cool space it was..perfect for this event...or any. My thought was that it would be fab for a wedding so if anyone is looking I highly recommend it. That, and Make is such a great group of peeps; very accomidating.http://makeisawesome.com/#optimism

Set up was in in full swing, and I instantly went in to full "Wall Flower" mode right after meeting the Queen Bee Kiri, who was lovely, and very busy making sure everything was perfect for the evening, which it was of course.

Supporters for the cause started lining up shortly after I arrived.

They were greeted at the door by the friendly folks from Sole Food Farms and then welcomed to enjoy an assortment of bevies to wet their whistle.

Everyone from Salt Spring Coffee (one of our absolute favs) http://www.saltspringcoffee.com/,

to Wines http://road13vineyards.com/,

and Long Table Distillery for a G&T (they were delicious...if I don't say so myself) http://longtabledistillery.com/...

and 33 Acers Beer, who had three tasty selections on tap. http://33acresbrewing.com/

All these business that have strong roots in developing Communities. So they were a natural component of the evenings theme

I started to mingle and get more comfortable taking candids of those in attendance without being to obtrussive (it really is an art form). As the room began to swell some amazing music could be heard throughout the space (that had fantastic accoustics ...yet another plus) coming from the very talented (female) spinning her master tunes old school with vinal and turntables ...NICE!

The evening was starting to develop in to a hit....and then the food came....and as quick as it came..it went lol! You basically had to be standing right by the table if you had any chance of nabbing any morsal. It wasn't that folks had arrived having not eaten dinner ..the food was just fanominally awesome & tasty. The hit were these pots of the freshest radishes you are ever going to have in what looked like soil, but I got the dirt on that later on (yes I know I am just full of the puns this evening) At the bottom of the pot was a cream mixed with beer & soy product, then a layer of nuts mixed with oreo cookie crumbs on top. Very clearver, and very yummy! Well done!

Everyone looked to be having a great time. It really didn't seem like a 'Fundraiser', which is wonderful, but a few thank you's and acknowledgements were in order for the evening and a reminder of why we had all gathered that evening.

Sole Food Farms "Transforms vacant urban land into street farms that grow artisan quality fruits and vegtables, available at Farmer's Markets, local Restaurants" (resident Chef Ned Bell of the fours Seasons Restaurant is a big promotor of using their products)"and retail outlets"
"Sole Food's mission is to empower individuals with limited resources by providing jobs, agricultural training and inclusion in a supportive community of farmers and food lovers"

So I ask & urge you... Help support this project that gives so much in return to its community. Give a little or a lot. Spread the word and help make Sole Food Farms a Community that grows.

Stop by and visit Sole Food Farms Farm Stand opening June 4th @ 1500 Main Street Hours:Tuesday, Thursday & Friday 10AM- 6PM

For more info and to Donate please go to their website @https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/help-sole-food-grow--3
Like them on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SoleFoodFarms?fref=ts &
Follow them on Twitter.https://twitter.com/SoleFoodFarms

Cheers!

Cycling Cafe's Diva

"Uniting a Community; one Cyclist at a time"

"RIDE HAPPY"

Tuesday, 6 May 2014

Behind the Scenes @BMOVanMarathon

5 a.m. wake up call...

It's race day....

No, not mine...(unfortunately)

I had signed up to volunteer at the BMO Vancouver Marathon.

Reason being mostly was that my own recovery has become one big long bore. Volunteering was a way to distract me for the day. That and I had two friends participating in the race, and I wanted to go and show my support, and the best way to watch the race is at the finish line behind the scenes. #truefact

So V.I.P. Hostess/Chaperon it was.

Just as if it was my race day I had set out all my gear the night before, and had lined up what I was having for breakfast. Just because it wasn't my race day didn't mean I wasn't going to need all the energy I could get for the day. Helping people after they have run a Marathon especially in crappy weather takes a lot of get up and go so protein eggs, and toast it was.

I was dressed, and out the door in 20 minutes, and off to catch the bus. While traveling in to Vancouver the numbers of BMO Racers on transit increased until we reached King Edward Station of the Canada Line where throngs of runners where heading to their start line, and the beginning of what was to be a very grueling, unsuspectingly difficult, wet/cold day of racing, and reaching their own personal goals.

When I reached my destination downtown the roads were quiet. The finish line was still in the midst of being completed....Time to get to work. As the morning rolled on things got busier, and more people came on the seen. The fervor that I seem to thrive on had started.

It was race day.

Oh how I miss racing. True I am a cyclist, and have only recently gotten back in the saddle. But running (surprisingly to me) has become my savior. It didn't judge when I needed something to turn to to feed my soul, fire my energy, and give me the freedom I seeked. It just welcomed me.....and make no mistake Runners are very different from Cyclists. If you are either you know what I am talking about, but yet this peculiar community brought me in to their fold...so I was finding myself more, and more drawn to running...and here I was at my third running event this past year Volunteering, and loving it. I figured if I can't participate the least I can do is help out.

The timer was quickly coming up on an hour. The lead runner of the 1/2 Marathon was a kilometer from the finish....woosh 1:02...wow, an amazing time....the crowd was charged as the second place runner (the winner of last weekends Times Colonist 10k run) came in shortly afterwards. The excitement was building. Soon all of the lead Elite runners were coming in Hot, and I do mean "hot"...it was a cold rainy day and all of them were in skimpy shorts and tiny tops...must be nice.

My friend Kyle wasn't fairing so well. An accomplished Ironman/Athlete he found running the course challenging. As did most people I spoke to as the day wore on. He came in just after he had predicted at 1:44 . An Awesome time! He was shaking, and cold. Something a change of clothes, and a hot cuppa Soy Chai no water from Sbuxs would remedy soon enough. We then got a nice visit/chat in.

But then I was off to the trenches. I had more Premium Athletes to Chaparone...and I knew my other friend Macbeth (Kyle's wife) was out on the course struggling. She had thrown up at 13k. Still out on the course and a ways to go I simply didn't want to miss her at the finish line. So despite the down pour, being cold and drenched to the bone I stayed close to the finish line with my eyes peeled.

Finally the time had arrived for MacBeth to finally finish her Marathon. Kyle started to text me that he had spotted her...she was walking. Ok I was ready. Another text "Still walking Less than 2k" ...I was getting anxious, and worried that I wouldn't spot her...another text, "1k"...then another text..."Yellow shirt finishing now". Finally I saw her..and she was indeed walking...but she was finished 4:44 , and that was all that mattered. She had done it!

I was so happy, and proud of her. It's funny I didn't do any of the training or hard work that day. The day was hers, but I was still so proud of her, and every single runner. I know what it takes.I know how your body starts to hurt and ache, and in some cases how your stomach becomes so upset either from nerves, or to many gel packs. I know how many time you feel like quitting...and I know all the things that go through your head, and the things you tell yourself to just get yourself to the finish-line...and she had done it! Way to go Macbeth!

So to all who participated at the Sun Run, The Times Colonist 10k, The Boston Marathon, and The BMO Marathon these past few weeks. Be proud, walk tall and smile because you did it!

CONGRATULATIONS!

http://www.bmovanmarathon.ca/

Cycling Cafe's Diva

"Uniting a Community; one Cyclist at a time"

"RIDE HAPPY"