As summer convention season drew to a close, and 2025 felt like a year of difficult growth and recalibration, I found myself sitting in a slump. In times like this, I always revisit my core motivations for why I'm creating Puglie, and a large portion of the heart of Puglie is connection - with fans, friends, and community.
One of my favourite things to do when friends visit from out-of-town is to show them around Vancouver - sights, experiences, and of course, lots and lots of food! Thus, Vancity Treats was born!
Kind of. It was actually inspired by a few things:
- Wanting to support local businesses that I think are great in their vibe, uniqueness, and taste
- Wanting to show fans and friends places to check out because my partner and I love them
- Sharing my story of why this place has a spot in my heart
- I had in insufferable dinner conversation about food in Vancouver
(Okay, I'll go more in to this at the end, but let's celebrate the happy project first!)
My first problem was - uh... how was I going to reach out to any of these places?
WELL, I made a small list of places I not only thought would be open to this project, but those that I had a strong memory or experience at. Places that I hope would say yes, and places that I felt were also fellow small business owners so maybe they'd think the idea would be cool.
I jotted down 7 places, and for each place, I sketched out a Puglie to pitch, inspired by whatever food item my partner and I created memories with (I figured sketching the Puglie would help them understand what vision I had 🤣). With sketch in hand, and sweat in palms, I slid into their Instagram DMs with my project pitch.
Of the 7 places, 4 responded positively - and I couldn't believe it, nor be any happier - Just Pizza, Jack's Spot, Eggette House, and Rain or Shine.
From sketch to launch, I communicated with each collaborator on expectations and deliverables, progress, estimated timelines, and launch festivities. I hand delivered each business their respective Puglie stickers, and in the process, got to meet some owners, and some amazing team members who make those businesses shine.
Just this level of connection alone, from DM's to in-person, made my heart swell - and I'm just so grateful for the opportunity these local businesses gave me. In turn, for whichever businesses wanted it, I gifted some free stickers for them to give out to Puglie fans if said fans went to them to get a lil treat and asked them for a sticker :3
The project started with an introduction for why I created this series:
And then the series commenced, with each business having a story of why I appreciated them, and the Puglie associated with them.
And finally, we reach the wrap up of the series
And a look back at some sweet fans adventuring out for the stickers and supporting these local businesses 💖
I can never thank these businesses enough for their kindness and enthusiasm in collaborating with me.
This project just brought so much soul back in to my journey, and I can't help but fanboy over the fact that some of my favourite food places joined in on this silly adventure with my idiot!
Will there be a Series 2? I sure hope so!
One thing I will always keep true to this series though is I have to have tried it and enjoyed it - as you can tell from my stories, there's a joyful memory and grateful experience I have with all these places, and that's the part I'm most excited to share 💖
Hey wait- this is the end right? What about that dinner?
Oh-yes-right. So you know how I started the series proclaiming that I'm not a foodie? Well, I had a dinner with someone who proclaimed that they were one. Now don't get me wrong, a person that loves food and is perhaps skilled in discerning taste and flavours - that's awesome!
But what this person seemed most excited about was telling everyone how one place is the best, and no where else is as good. That any place I recommended was bad and they had a better, more well-known one. And that they've definitely tried all the places that offered that cuisine in the province.
At the end of the day, I'm not here to tell you that one place is objectively better than another because I don't see food like that. Food is so subjective to flavour, texture, mood, community, culture, memory, and experience.
Sometimes you don't want to dress up to eat at a Michelin Star restaurant, sometimes you just want to dip McNuggets in to soft serve ice cream in your PJs. Is this restaurant's spaghetti better than your mom's? Maybe! But... that's your mom's spaghetti, and that'll always slap!
There are a lot of recommendations, foodies, and influencers - and despite my series being my personal recommendations, my most honest message in the end is to just go out and explore your local businesses! Find the flavours that are tuned to you, enjoy them unabashedly, ask for no cilantro or extra cilantro - who cares!