by Talia Kleinplatz | From cooking shows and Youtube instructions to food blogs and Twitter, the way we learn to cook is undergoing a radical change. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go and Google a souffle recipe…

Local food growers now have a most excellent cause to support with their abundant harvest as Vancouver’s food banks look to provide clients with more fresh produce.

Tipping point: legendary restaurateur Danny Meyer is eliminating tipping at his 13 establishments and raising prices across the board. True story. What do you think?

A solid case for Casablanca as the best cocktail movie of all time. I must say though, I’m still partial to Cocktail.

Food and art collide at a new exhibit at the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine in New York. Think The Met but more picnic tables, apple trees, and political commentary on our food systems.

The story of how two men from Belfast moved to New York and opened the best bar in North America. Warning: you might desire a thimbleful of whiskey after reading.

A list of this fall’s most anticipated cookbooks. Olympia Provisions is my top priority as the folks behind the Portland restaurant share their secrets to amazing charcuterie.

Apparently the shower beer is really a thing. You learn something new everyday!

Drinking via Instagram honours this week go to every single bar on this list. As if we needed another reason to enjoy a beautiful cocktail…

Taking notes on this year’s Portland Cocktail Week. Perhaps something to add to the Vancouver Would Be Cooler If… column?

From sablefish to salt-baked celeriac, Mia Stansby falls for David Gunawan’s downtown brasserie, Royal Dinette.

Thrillist names the best bartenders in America. Anybody want to roadtrip to Seattle and pay Murray a visit?

And while we’re at it, let’s check out Manolin! The seafood-focused spot gets the Bon Appetit seal of approval in their list of America’s Best New Restaurants in 2015.

Vintage glassware is my jam and these bars have some of the best in the city! Take your pick…

A plethora of options for that 3 day old bread sitting in your pantry. They had me at boozy bread pudding.

Cheap, well-made negronis and half price wings? A very happy hour, indeed!

From farm to table to dock to dish, Yew’s Ned Bell is still leading the charge on issues of accessible, sustainable seafood.

Did somebody say dessert? Nikki Bayley shares her favourite spots to satisfy even the most insatiable sweet tooth. I’ll take all the Mochi that Basho has to offer. K, thanks!

From Edmonton to Vancouver to Halifax, Mealshare is partnering with restaurants across Canada to tackle hunger. Farmer’s Apprentice, Bambudda and the Union Bar are just a few of the local spots participating in this innovative program.

Hands down my favourite sandwich in the city: Meat and Bread celebrates its five year anniversary.

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 Born and raised in Windsor, Ontario, Talia Kleinplatz fell in love with food at the apron strings of her mother and grandmother whose kitchens wafted the intoxicating aromas of fresh dill, homemade pies and painstakingly slow-cooked brisket. She completed her degrees at Concordia and McGill, graduating with a Master’s in Social Work in 2009. Her six years in Montreal taught her to eat well but it was her move to Vancouver in 2011 that taught her to drink well. In 2013 she launched her award-winning cocktail blog, Two For The Bar. She lives in South Granville with her husband and her three-legged, curmudgeonly cat.