A no messing around guide to the coolest things to eat, drink and do in Vancouver and beyond. Community. Not clickbait.

Handmade Championship Chess Sets Are Super Special, and We Want One

We’re a pretty satisfied bunch, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t covetous. Sometimes we see things out there that we just must have. Cool Things We Want is an archive of those earthly desires.

(via) Most chess sets are pretty cheap, costing anywhere between $20 and $100. The themed and heinously ornamental ones can get ridiculously expensive, but an official world championship chess set sounds about right at $500 USD. This video makes me want one.

Much of the set’s value lies in just one piece: the knight. Each knight must be carved by hand to look exactly the same. Making this one piece takes two hours, and there are fewer than 10 people trained to carve knights for the championship chess sets. So, how are these chessmen made? And why are they so expensive?

 

The St. Patrick’s Day Collab Between The Irish Heather + Mello Has Our Name on It

If you're the sort to write off St. Patrick's Day celebrations due to stereotypical associations with the messy, rowdy, green-beer-binge-drinking brand of partying - not so fast!

We Can’t Get Enough of Nata’s Food-Inspired Candles

London-based makers of food-shaped candles, Nata, are dropping their new collection this week, on February 27th (tomorrow!) and they're even more decadent than ever...

Surrender to a Snow Day with This Big Bowl of Goodness

Hungry for in-doors activities to keep you amused during the coldest days of the winter season? This Tonkotsu Ramen 'little puzzle thing' seems like an apropos place to start.

We Want to Curl Up in Bed with This Cookbook (and a Good Meal, Obviously)

Dining well while comfortably tucked under the covers is all we want to do during the week-long post-holiday stretch, (at least) up until after the New Years dust has settled...Lo and behold: The Eating in Bed Cookbook.