The Ticket Kitchen & Bar

Buytopia recently had an awesome coupon deal for The Ticket Kitchen & Bar, which I was lucky enough to preview as a member of their Vancouver Inner Circle.

The Ticket is located in the former Player's Chophouse, right at the entrance to BC Place. It's a great place to get together with friends before a game and even if you're not attending one, the sports enthusiasts among us can still keep up with the scores since, as my boyfriend pointed out, "there's not a bad TV in the place" (the TVs seem to be positioned to give a perfect view no matter where you're seated). Bonus: you might even get to see some local celebrities! On the night we attended, we sat right beside the guys from Hockey Night in Canada.

The menu is kind of upscale pub fare with a bit of class. There are, of course, the "standards" like sweet chili chicken ($12), pizza, and burgers, along with some more unique options like the braised short rib poutine. 

For our mains, my boyfriend and I both opted for steak (typical for us). He chose the filet mignon ($38) and I got the New York strip and fries ($30). As you can see, both dishes are a little on the pricey side but we both thought our steaks were cooked to perfection. Those with big appetites probably wouldn't get full with the filet mignon though... it is, after all, French for "dainty fillet"!

For dessert, my boyfriend chose the blueberry cheesecake while I went with the trio of crème brûlée (if there is crème brûlée on the menu, there is a 99.9% chance that it will be my dessert of choice). The trio consisted of vanilla bean, chocolate, and mocha, and all three were delicious.

All in all, we had a wonderful evening. The service was excellent and the food was good (though I do think it's a bit expensive for an everyday outing). Many thanks to Rob for being so welcoming and Buytopia for the wonderful experience!

Address: 808 Beatty Street, Vancouver, BC
Website: http://www.theticketbar.ca

Insta-Calgary to Vancouver

Once again, I've let a ton of time pass since my last Instagram update (some of these photos are from Calgary and I've already been home for 2 months if you can believe it). Nonetheless, here are some snapshots of what I've been up to:

Winter snowstorms in Calgary made bearable with my trusty Sorel boots

White Chocolate Mousse Cake from Brûlée for my last day at the Calgary office

This did not taste like banana bread and I am still not a beer drinker

Snowshoeing at Cypress Mountain

Eggel and latka for breakfast at Solly's

Previewing the new Gorilla perfumes at LUSH Cosmetics (Sun is my favourite!)

Follow-up on my workout wishlist: I ended up with these grey/pink Nike Free Run v4 shoes

White chocolate and raspberry cheesecake at Trees

Karaoke = one of my favourite activities because I like pretending I'm a popstar

Brunch at Forage, a local & sustainable restaurant

For more snippets from my everyday life and updates in real time, find me on Instagram at @alison_elle.

Let's Get Flashy

One of my friends referred to these as "flashy pants" and while not the flashiest of pants (gold lamé, anyone?), they are pretty flashy for someone like me who's not typically into bright colours or crazy patterns. But for some reason I was inexplicably drawn to them. Perhaps it's because the neon tie adds a pop that isn't too overpowering or because the grid pattern comes in an easy-to-pair black and white combo.

Or... it might be the fact that they're made of the smoothest silk and I just really like feeling like I'm wearing pajamas all day. Apparently, for me, comfort reigns supreme!

Tank: TNA (Aritzia) / Sweater: Central Park for Aritzia / Pants: Wilfred (Aritzia)

Shoes: Prada (here) / Bag: Kate Spade