Alabama Milkshake Cafe Chain The Yard Will Open a Shop in Vancouver
The Yard — known for its tricked-out milkshakes topped with whole cupcakes, blondies, and doughnuts — will open its first West Coast location this year. The chain announced it will open a milkshake shop on Vancouver’s waterfront this summer, with a location-specific special and an assortment of elaborate shakes. Other Yard locations serve things like edible cookie dough, sundaes, plain ice cream, and floats, all with the maximalist touch: For instance, the Cereal Killer shake comes with marshmallow overload ice cream, marshmallow drizzle, marshmallow fluff, Fruity Pebbles, and a Fruity Pebbles “treat” (a la Rice Krispie treat). The shop will open at 656 Waterfront Way. [Oregonian]
Raven’s Manor, Set to Open in Old Town, Will Pour Cocktails Out of Skulls When It Opens This Spring
A self-identified “haunted-mansion-themed” cocktail bar, Raven’s Manor is taking over the former No Vacancy lounge later this month. Owners Rebecca Vega and Jared Bradley are planning out a menu of 13 cocktails and elaborate reservation-based activities — somewhere between a cocktail class, an escape room, and a murder mystery party. The bar’s Facebook page hints at cocktails served in beakers, gargoyles on the main bar top, and skull cocktail dispensers. [WWeek]
In Other News...
• Kachka Lavka has started serving customers outside, with a menu of egg-custard-and-beef-tongue-pastrami breakfast sandwiches, savory blini topped with salmon roe, and an assortment of piroshki. The beverage menu includes Slavic beers and wine, house-infused vodkas, as well as imported sodas and seltzers. It’s available from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. [EaterWire]
• French wine company Champagne Bollinger has purchased the pioneering Willamette Valley winery Ponzi Vineyards. This will be Bollinger’s first winery acquisition in the United States. The Ponzi family is keeping a handful of the estate’s vineyard plots, selling the grapes to the Ponzi brand. [O]
• There’s a new short film out about the Portland-based mutual aid project Crisis Kitchen. Watch the full film here. [Portland Mercury]