5 Things to Do in Vancouver This Week (December 9-13)

TV Dinner

December 9

Get your fill of famous food served up by celebrity chefs Fable Diner’s “As Seen on TV” dinner. Fable Diner’s head chef Josef Driemal is teaming up with Max Straczek (Top Chef Canada Season 7) and Mark Singson (Top Chef Canada Season 6). The star-studded multi-course meal features starters and dessert collaborations from the three chefs, with each course shining a spotlight on one chef in particular (Singson kicks off the first course with beef carpaccio and savoury jam). Get starstruck and stuffed with big name diner eats.

When: Monday, December 9 6:30 p.m.
Where: Fable Diner
Cost: $60 plus tax and gratuity
More Info: fablediner.com

Cafe Carols

December 10 – 29

Waiting an hour in line for a mediocre mall Santa picture has earned you this. Hire a babysitter and enjoy the brand-new, adults-only Holiday at the Elbow Room Cafe. This holiday extravaganza is a festive and raunchy celebration of Vancouver’s Elbow Room Café, the restaurant famous for fabulously sarcastic service. The show has original songs from Elbow Room Café: The Musical plus holiday classics. It tells the story of café owners, Patrice and Bryan, getting snowed in on Christmas Eve with a gaggle of misfits. You’ll want to make this a tradition.

When: Tuesday, December 10 – Sunday, December 29
Where: The Cultch’s Historic Theatre
Cost: From $26
More Info: thecultch.com

Present Pop-Up

December 13 – 15

Pop-up shops are where it’s at for unique presents—so unless you want to get your niece a sweater she already has (you knew you’d seen it somewhere) head over to the Caffè La Tana holiday pop-up at Nordstrom Pacific Centre. The curated gift bags and boxes are filled with Italian specialty items, so there’s no risk of the embarrassing same-gift scenario. Another bonus? They’re gift-wrapped for you, which you can totally take credit for if you’re okay being on the naughty list.

When: Friday, December 13 – Sunday, December 15
Where: Floor 2 of Nordstrom Pacific Centre
More Info: instagram.com/caffelatana

Freaky Finds

December 14 and 15

We know what you’re thinking: “Yeah Vanmag, dinners and musicals and luxury pop-ups are cool, but what’s with the headless baby planter?” It’s from the Weirdos Holiday Market, of course, your one-stop shop for gruesome gardening, bizarre bowls, and weird treasures untold. Even the hot dog bar is getting in on the weirdness—load up your dog with banana peppers and pretzels as you peruse freaky finds from over 40 artisans.

When: Saturday, December 14 and Sunday, December 15 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Where: The Hall at the Holy Trinity Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral
Cost: $2
More Info: thismonkeysgonetoheaven.vendecommerce.com

All I Want for Christmas is Brew

December 14

Besides giving you some extra festive style points, your Santa hat can earn you some very valuable street cred this weekend: free entry into Parallel 49’s Bad Santa Holiday Warehouse Party. Consume the $6 beers and cider responsibly by also filling up on eats from Mom’s Grilled Cheese food truck—you can diet in the new year (or never, we won’t tell).

When: Saturday, December 14 6:00 p.m. – midnight
Where: Parallel 49 Brewing Company Warehouse
Cost: Free entry (wear a Santa hat!)
More Info: parallel49brewing.com