Resources
The Brightside team has had the tremendous privilege of discovering some hidden, and occasionally unexpected talents of our colleagues and community.
Silvia Romo, Brightside’s Tenant Services Coordinator for example, has a knack for artistic expression. This talent has been fortuitous both in her personal life and in her efforts to contribute to the Brightside community. We thank her for contributing this interpretation of the “bright side of COVID-19.”
We asked the Brightside team to share some examples of their own personal pandemic silver linings. These are some of their responses:
Aisling, Tenancy Coordinator: My Brightside of COVID is that I’ve been cooking at home more and trying new recipes.
Chantel, Front Desk Coordinator: I have time for self love / self care.
Aidan, Resident Relocation Coordinator: My newly developed habit of going on morning runs! I am truly grateful for any chance to enjoy the fresh outdoor air nowadays, and have a newfound appreciation for its positive effect on my overall health!
Lilian, Director of Community Real Estate: My family and I had a lot of fun completing a 1000-piece puzzle about fish! Everyone contributed and worked together to finish the puzzle.
Thomas, Administrative Coordinator: On the Brightside I got to spend more time with my partner and video chatting with my brother. I’ve been baking and cooking more, and also tried more yoga and started liking it!
Connor, Project Coordinator: The Michael Jordan docu-series on Netflix called “The Last Dance” is a must-watch for all sport fans out there.
Community Garden Update
As the weather has cleared up over the past few weeks, the sun has graced us with its presence. We would like to encourage residents who participate in their building’s community gardens to continue doing so, while practicing proper social distancing. With that in mind, we would like to remind folks of some of the community garden guidelines.
- Gardening hours are between 9:00am – 9:00pm. Participants will keep noise in the garden to a reasonable level to respect neighbourhood residents.
- Participants will not destroy, remove, uproot, vandalize, cut or otherwise tamper in a detrimental manner with the plants, seeds, soil, beds, boxes and other communal properties under any circumstances.
- Participants will not litter or leave behind any cans, bottles, waste or other garbage after entering the communal space. Likewise, participants will strive to keep the space free of any trash.
- Participants will not exclude, prevent, or discourage other residents from participating or using the community garden and space.
Thank you in advance for adhering to the above guidelines! Please remember that by following these guidelines, we are able to create a great communal experience for gardeners, and neighbours alike.
Notice: Rodent Populations During COVID-19 Pandemic
With restaurants and cafes closed and so many people staying home, Vancouver’s rodent populations are straying from their usual habitats into more residential neighbourhoods where they can find food.
Residents are encouraged to be vigilant in their cleaning efforts, storage of food, and garbage disposal, and should be wary of pesky rodents. Rats carry many diseases and viruses, and can make people incredibly ill.
Our friends at Local Pest Control have provided us with this handy tip sheet to help you ensure rats and mice do not become or remain a problem in your home.
Brightside Team Recipe Feature
One bright side of the pandemic has been people rediscovering a passion for cooking and baking, which means the Brightside team has been more than happy to share some favourite recipes.
Riley Paulishyn is a Brightside Resident Relocation Coordinator. In her spare time, you can find Riley lounging with a good book, jogging around the sea wall, or playing volleyball with friends. When she’s lucky enough to find the time, she enjoys hitting a good hiking trail, and is happiest in the mountains.
This week, Riley wants to share her “Yolo” recipe. These homemade Yolos are inspired by Rolos – the store-bought, chocolate-coated caramels. This recipe is from her favourite vegan cookbook, so it calls for dairy-free chocolate chips. However, the recipe works just as well with chocolate chips of any kind! Enjoy this healthy(ish) homemade treat!
Recipe: Date & Peanut Butter Yolos
Ingredients: “Caramel” Filling
- 200 g (1 cup) pitted soft Medjool dates
- 1 ½ teaspoons peanut butter or other nut or seed butter
- Pinch of fine-grain sea salt
Ingredients: Chocolate Coating
- 2/3 cup chocolate chips
- 1/2 teaspoon coconut oil
Instructions
- Make the caramel: Process the pitted dates in a food processor. Add the peanut butter and salt and process until combined. (You can also use a hand-blender.)
- Scoop the sticky mixture into a bowl and freeze, uncovered, for about 10 minutes.
- Lightly wet your fingers and shape the chilled mixture into small balls, making about 20 balls total. Place the balls into the freezer again for 10 minutes.
- Make the chocolate coating: In a small saucepan, melt the chocolate chips and coconut oil over very low heat. When the chocolate is about 70% melted, remove the pan from the heat and stir until completely melted and smooth.
- Remove the balls from the freezer and dunk each one into the melted chocolate.
- Try sprinkling a bit of sea salt on top of each ball before the chocolate cools.
- Freeze the balls again for at least 20 minutes.
- Store these candies in the freezer. They taste best chilled, and will melt at room temperature. Enjoy!