Tempting as it might be, you weren’t meant to sit at home for the next couple weeks eating the 300 or so mini Wunderbars that were supposed to go to neighbourhood trick-or-treaters. The same goes for the industrial-sized box of Day-Glo orange Humpty Dumpty Cheese Sticks. Here are five options that will least get you up and moving. But before you start making plans, pass the candy canes. 

Susu gets funky with the Lord’s Day

The funny thing about Sundays is that, more than any other night of the week, you need a legitimate reason to get excited about going out. Especially once November hits, and AccuWeather becomes nothing but 15 straight days of rainfall, interrupted only by projected heavy rainfall. One of the city’s most loved wine bars, Bar Susu (2650 Main Street) is about to give Vancouver an excuse to venture into the downpour with its Susu Sundays theme nights, described as follows: “We’ve given ourselves zero guidelines to work within and instead will be reaching out to industry pals and team members for great ideas to fill our Sundays with.” The first night, Sake Sunday with Big Shucker, kicks off November 5 with Scott Bordignon cracking open the bivalves, and Japan’s most iconic spirit in the spotlight. November 12 is Flight Club, featuring flights of wine, snacks, and more (with the first rule of flight club being you tell all your friends about flight club). November 19’s theme will be Fizzies & Glizzies, teaming gourmet hotdogs with bubbly. Now all you have to do is leave the house.

Pick your favourite pad Thai

A good rule of thumb—whether you’re talking about company employees or your kids—is that one really shouldn’t pick favourites. That’s not stopping the team behind sister restaurants Longtail Kitchen and Sen Pad Thai, though. Starting on World Pad Thai Day (November 7, in case you’re curious), the two eateries are hosting a throwdown to see whose riff on Thailand’s favourite dish reigns supreme. Vancouverites are encouraged to pick up a stamp card at either restaurant and vote for the pad Thai of their choice. Created by chef Alex Lim, Longtail Kitchen’s Tom Yum Prawn Pad Thai with Prawn Crackers,has wild prawns and a tom yum/tamarind sauce mix with fried lime leaf. Over at the Granville Island Public Market, Sen Pad Thai chef Michael Peters’ Pad Pu Sen Chan spotlights Canadian rock crab meat, thin noodles, and plenty of spicy heat.

Where do you come in? After you’ve tried both, you enter your favourite on the stamp card and drop it off at either restaurant. The first 50 cards submitted get a limited-edition T-shirt created for the throwdown. One card will be drawn for a prize of free pad Thai for a year, good for dishes at either Longtail (Unit 116—810 Quayside Drive in New West) or Sen Pad Thai (1689 Johnston Street). The contest runs until November 21, with the grand-prize winner announced on December 1.

A pandemic saviour returns

Not to bring up the worst days of the pandemic, but you might remember one of the bright spots of a truly awful time being The Flying Pig’s Super Baked Deep Dish project. Specializing in Chicago deep dish pizza and small bites, the take-out service operated as a ghost kitchen around the city, with online ordering and delivery via the usual suspects. Now, with the world more or less back to normal, The Flying Pig is offering a dine-in version of the menu at its Olympic Village location (127 West 2nd Avenue). Available nightly from 9pm to closing, and 11:30am to 11pm on Mondays and Thursdays, the Super Baked roster includes pizzas like the Mushroom Magic Deep Dish (portobello, button, and oyster mushrooms, with walnut and arugula pesto and four different cheeses), the Italian Stallion Deep Dish (Italian fennel sausage, pickled onions, kalamata olives, tomatoes, mozzarella, and provolone), and the Bodacious Deep Dish (pepperoni, shaved ham, grilled pineapple, hot peppers, marinara sauce, and provolone). The menu also includes everything from bison carpaccio and mussels with fries to smash cheeseburgers and classic poutine. The best part? Unlike during the pandemic—when things were arriving from God knows where—you have to go out to get your super-baked fix.

Juke celebrates with a deal

Juke Chicken (182 Keefer Street) has decided to expand its opening hours, which is good news for everyone from Mount Pleasant wake-’n-bakers to regulars at the Keefer Bar. Starting November 6, the Chinatown fried-chicken favourte will be open from 11am to midnight; to help celebrate, Juke will offer all its chicken sandwhiches for half-price from November 6 to 8, with prices in effect from 10pm to midnight. We know what you’re thinking: as tempting as the deal might be, it also means you can just get two sandwiches for the price of one. Honestly we wouldn’t blame you, either: we’re already dreaming of the Singsong Chicken.

Christmas arrives early

Halloween is over, which means one thing: it’s time to set up the Christmas decorations. (Actually, if we’re being honest here, everyone from Canadian Tire to Shopper’s Drug Mart started hauling out the fake Xmas trees two weeks ago, but you get the idea.) Can’t wait until Remembrance Day has passed to start spinning the best of Bing Crosby and Burl Ives? The Rosewood Hotel Georgia (801 West Georgia Street) has you covered with the return this week of its Reflections Winter Terrace, where the seasonal fun starts with drinks like the Mistletoe Mule (Metaxa, ginger beer, and winter syrup) and the Reindeer Rumble (Mount Gay Rum, fig syrup, apple juice, and lime juice). Those who identify more with the Heat Miser than The Year Without Santa Claus’ Snow Miser can rest assured that, in addition to Christmas decorations, the outdoor patio has heat lamps and blankets, plus a tapas menu should you get hungry for something other than rum balls.