So we basically live on bakery row in Vancouver. It is ridiculous how many unbelievably amazing bakeries and cafes there are along West Broadway in Kits...and we live right smack in the midst of each tempting little place.
I never really went into any of these places before...because, well I never had a sweet tooth before and being the health conscious gal that I am...I often made my own low-fat cookies and baking....that is until I had a baby! Not sure what has come over me since our little bundle of joy arrived...but I am just LOVING the baked goods. It first started when my mom came to visit when Dutch was born....she knows Ivan has an insatiable sweet tooth...and that I refuse to keep store bought cookies and crap in the house...so she would sneak out and buy him stuff. Well this time she went across to the new brownie shop called Yaletown Brownies where there slogan is "We make the best brownies in town" and you better believe THEY DO!!! OMG....brownies have always just been okay to me ...really could take em or leave em....but these brownies are bloody amazing!!! So dense and rich and moist...its almost like eating fudge...but not as intense and gummy as fudge....and they have so many different kinds....my faves are the Pecan Caramel and Peppermint...Ivan digs the white chocolate...but even the gluten free is wicked good....really you can't go wrong. This is the PERFECT thing to bring as a hostess gift if you are heading to a dinner party or a gathering...they are a bit pricey...but I dare you to get through a whole bar.....usually half does me in...we like to get a few different kinds and cut them into four so we can share the love.
Then a few months or so ago a girlfriend had to drop her baby off with Ivan to watch for a few moments while she ran out...and the bitch returned with the most AMAZING croissants I have ever tasted from Thomas Haas . I had never bothered to go in before as I thought it was just all fancy chocolates...but oh no..these croissants are just the perfect texture of light and flaky...yet tender and heavenly. So I just HAD to go there the following weekend to treat myself...only when I entered the store, I knew I was in trouble because they had about 4 or 5 different kinds of beautiful decadent croissants all screaming my name...I settled on the double baked Almond...and I almost couldn't finish it, it was so rich and totally over-the-top...but completely amazing. Everything in that store looked amazing...I hate knowing that we live right beside it.
Then last weekend my brother and sister in law came for a visit with our nephew and I didn't have time to make breakfast in the morning, so I asked Ivan to grab a few bagels from Safeway. Well these dinks came back with not only the most fabulous bagels ever...but they brought 6 beautiful cinnamon buns from Solly's . Now these weren't the typical giant doughy, gummy bloat you up for a month, cinnamon buns drowning in frosting..they were light and ever so slightly flaky.. and had so much flavor and substance...they were what cinnamon buns ought to be...how your great gramma probably made them. This Jewish bakery gets top marks for these babies. My husband typically doesn't like cinnamon buns at all...he would just rather not have one...but even he loved these. Upon my sister-in-laws recommendation we even froze the last one and ate it the other day...of course not as good as fresh...but still pretty sucken good!
I think we are going to seriously have to consider moving out of this neighbourhood if only so we can save our asses and bellies....Ivan complains all the time about how much weight he mysteriously seems to be gaining.....not much of a mystery when you eat a brownie for lunch and a DQ blizzard for an afternoon snack. Oh yeh....we also live by a Dairy Queen....but I don't give a crap about that...I don't care for DQ products...but Ivan loves those blizzards...especially in the summer.
So as you can see, it is pure torture for someone with a sweet tooth to live in this area (I haven't even mentioned Nottes Bon Ton - Ivan's favorite since he was a kid....try the diplomat cake...or his traditional treat...the Christmas Log)...I am so lucky I am breastfeeding right now, as it really does help to keep the post-baby weight down...after I indulge in all of these amazing treats..I just pop the little guy on my boob instead of going to yoga or the gym...I may just have to continue breastfeeding forever....hahahah.
So if you are in the mood...or should I say, if your mood needs a little lift and an indulgent snack is what you are after...head to West Broadway in Kitsalano and Enjoy!!!!
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