BLOG: WhiteCaps, Van Gogh and Ooey Gooey Goodness

This was one short trip that made me feel a bit normal again.

First on the itinerary was to catch a Vancouver WhiteCaps FC game at BC Place. My friend Sarita is the in-house reporter for the WhiteCaps and invited me to watch while she worked. It was the perfect way to catch up with my other friend Kylie who I hadn’t seen in almost a year (sad face), so I took her along. The stadium was around 40 per cent full, which was ideal to be honest because it gave fans the opportunity to sit a few seats apart.

I had a ‘pinch me’ moment while I was there. The excitement, the music, the cheering from the crowd — it all felt surreal. I think the last time I was at a stadium was right before the pandemic, almost two years ago. I forgot how much of an adrenaline rush it can be when you’re surrounded by a crowd roaring when their team scores. It was invigorating.

…And it totally made up for the fact that Kylie and I were caught in a downpour and soaked by the rain on our way into the stadium.

Image Credit: CFJC Today

Sunday, I had plans to catch up with Sarita one-on-one. We went to see the renowned Vincent Van Gogh art exhibit: Imagine Van Gogh. Another thing I miss before this pandemic? Attending art shows, both large scale and local.

Imagine Van Gogh is the perfect event because it’s socially distanced and you don’t have to touch anything but your own phone for photos. Sarita and I booked our viewing at 10:00 a.m — perfect timing for a coffee before and brunch right after.

To be honest, I didn’t have high expectations about Imagine Van Gogh. Big projections on a wall didn’t sound like anything I haven’t seen before.

But it was incredible — and you only have a few more weeks to check it out.

The exhibit starts with a walk-through display with giant posters that tell Vincent Van Gogh’s life story. This allows anyone visiting to really understand Van Gogh’s art when looking at it. Do you ever wonder why he painted himself without an ear in one of his self-portraits? It’s one hell of a story. Here’s your chance to find out.

After finishing Van Gogh’s biography, we entered the immersive art exhibit. The famous artist’s work is displayed all over the walls and floors by projectors. It’s showcased through a slow-moving slideshow, and there’s even movement throughout the painting while it’s displayed on the wall.

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It felt like we were in a movie where someone had shrunk us and teleported us inside the painting. I got lost in the details I had never noticed before on those peasant-sized Van Gogh paintings (that’s what I’m calling human-sized artwork after this experience).

Although there were strangers in the room, it was quiet. The large-scale projections really seemed to captivate everyone’s attention, while the details in the artwork and soft classical music created a tranquil atmosphere.

Seeing the artwork blown up like that really had a ‘wow’ factor I didn’t expect. It was hard to leave. We stayed for over an hour.

The only way to make our Sunday morning better? Brunch!

There was no shortage of delicious brunch spots around the VCC, but we pretty much just picked whatever had the shortest line at the time (Sunday brunch problems). The Arc restaurant at the Fairmont Waterfront was the winner — and I am so happy it was.

It was… amazing. For brunch, The Arc has a short list of a la carte large plates or all you can eat tapas — the catch-22 is that everyone at the table has to agree to partake in all you can eat. So you all have to be on the same page, and luckily, Sarita and I were.

After reading a few of the all you can eat tapas menu items, we had to have it. The jerk fried chicken on a funnel cake with habanero maple syrup was a dream come true for this chicken and waffles lover. (I say as I point to myself with my thumbs). The restaurant staff kept insisting we try the ‘Ooey Gooey Skillet.’

Image Credit: CFJC Today

Dear restaurants, if you want to guarantee people will order something on your menu, just put the words ‘ooey gooey’ in front of it. We didn’t even ask questions. “Send us two,” we said.

It’s a scolding hot skillet of fresh mini croissants scattered in seared apples and then doused in cinnamon and caramel. The only disappointment about this dish? There are big dollops of cream cheese frosting all over it and it wasn’t even listed in the description on the menu! Is that even a problem? No, it was an exciting surprise!

Dear restaurant owners, flaunt your dollops of cream cheese frosting! I can’t even explain how good this thing was. Incredible is an understatement. I swear, I’m not this easily impressed! It was just a great weekend, haha.

The only negative part of my weekend was that my friend from Toronto came into contact with someone who had tested positive for COVID-19. C’est la vie.

She ended up testing negative, so we met up on Monday. To be safe, we decided to meet in a park, socially distanced, and with masks on. We sat so far apart that there was a lot of, “Sorry, can you repeat that?” and “Pardon?”

At one point, I couldn’t hear the story she was telling me so I zoned out and started thinking about the Ooey Gooey Skillet I had tried the day before. (Sorry).

It was still so nice to see her though, it had been since Christmas (cue the separation anxiety).

So there you have it, I planned out your Thanksgiving weekend in Vancouver! The Imagine Van Gogh exhibit was extended to Oct. 31, but if you can’t make it by then, the Imagine Picasso will open its doors on Oct. 27.

by Amandalina Letterio

BLOG: WhiteCaps, Van Gogh and Ooey Gooey Goodness

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