October 14, 2008 | Tips from Us >
Sun Peaks Resort, Skiing & Snowboarding
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The white stuff is beginning to fly at
Sun Peaks as reported by our contacts on the hill today! Time to start doing leg lunges in preparation for another great BC ski season. I hadn't skiied for a number of years following an injury at Whistler Blackcomb, until the fine folks at Tourism Sun Peaks insisted I strap up and head down the hill a beautiful spring day early in 2008. I instantly remembered how wonderful the feeling of whipping down the hill, breeze in hair and all that stuff was. Now I am hooked again! Sun Peaks has lots of varied terrain to offer, and a fair amount of non-ski related activities too, including cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, apres-ski, tonnes of events...and spa.
October 10, 2008 | Tips from Us >
Vancouver, Art Galleries & Artists
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I had the opportunity to visit a very cool art gallery recently, located smack in the middle of Vancouver's downtown eastside..and it was well worth the visit. Centre A is Vancouver's International Centre for Contemporary Art and is located at the corner of Carrall Street and East Hastings. What is a real treat is that it is housed in one of the City's most important heritage buildings - the old BC Gas building that was where the interurban trains looped around before heading back out to the suburbs - this all many years ago of course. Now the building is home to some pretty edgy and thought-provoking Asian artwork. If you are visiting Gastown or Chinatown, or shopping at nearby Army & Navy, check out what they have to offer. But keep in mind that it is in one of the City's more colourful neighbourhoods. They are open Tuesday through Saturday.
October 10, 2008 | Tips from Us >
Anahim Lake, Guest Ranches & Horseback Riding
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Travelling on horseback is a great way to explore the remote Chilcotin backcountry! Four of us went up into the Ilgachuz mountains north of Anahim Lake which are part of the Itcha Ilgachuz Provincial Park. One of the only parks in BC without any road access! We had 4 riding horses and loaded all the gear onto 3 packhorses. What a great trip. And the timing was perfect - looking back on our way down we could see the fresh snow up in the alpine, what a beautiful sight.
October 09, 2008 | Tips from Us >
Vernon, Farms & Markets
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In September, I returned to my hometown to visit with family. The fall season in the Okanagan brought back one particular memory... APPLES!!! Fall meant the peak season for apples and as a kid I remember going to a family friend's orchard to collect apples that had fallen from the trees to make apple juice. The amount of labour was intense to make the juice but the rewards were sweet and we had concentrated apple juice for the rest of the year!
We no longer make homemade apple juice but I felt the need to share my childhood memories with my nephew so we decided to go to Davison Orchard to see the "apple patches" (as my nephew describes them)!
The orchard was decorated to display the seasons harvest - great orange pumpkins, a variety of apples and squiggly shaped Goose Gourds. To get a full tour of the orchard we hopped on the tractor-pulled Apple train for a "rollicking" ride! While on the tour you had the option to get dropped off to pick your own apples off the trees. The final destination of the tour was in front of the petting farm. A donkey "hee hawed" us welcome as we walked into the farm area where we also saw some bunnies, chickens, sheep and even fed some hungry goats! Then back to the main market for some apple samples and to try their caramel apple dessert for lunch!
I think we'll be back there again as it was a memorable visit for my nephew, so good in fact that you'll see his reluctance to go home in the video when we said good bye.
October 08, 2008 | Tips from Us >
Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, Skiing & Snowboarding
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As the fall weather has been nice here in Vancouver, I got an email today from our friends at Kicking Horse Mountain. They received their first snow of the season. They don't open until December 12th though (unless it really starts dumping earlier). I can't wait to strap on my snowboard and ride!
September 28, 2008 | Tips from Us >
Vancouver, Attractions
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The UBC Botanical Garden is one of Vancouver's best kept secrets as a tourist attraction....and it just got even better with the addition of the new Greenheart Canopy Walkway, an eco-adventure for all ages.
The walkway is like a series of hanging suspension bridges or "aerial trails" high above the ground - about 60 feet above the ground in some places. It is a bit of a wobbly workout making your way around the circuit - there are 8 different bridges that form the loop. Its really quite spectacular to be so high up and you get a really great view of the upper layers of the forest canopy. While I just got a kick out of the views, anyone remotely interested in west coast forest ecosystems, the environment, animals and plants will see this new attraction for it scientific merits. The guides that take groups around the walkway are knowledgeable and informative. The makers of the Canopy Walkway is a Vancouver-based company that has created various aerial trails throughout the world. Lucky us that they finally got to build one locally.
Admission is $20 for adults, less for kids and seniors and you get to wander all around the Botanical Gardens for the same price.
September 24, 2008 | Tips from Us >
Prince George, Golf
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September 15, 2008 | Tips from Us >
Salt Spring Island, Art Galleries & Artists
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I have found it! The perfect Salt Spring Island art for me. Not a watercolour or a pastel. Not a wood carving or metal statue. Not a poem or pretty photograph or elaborate woven basket or simple wool shawl. Of course, there are lots of those to be had though. My favourite art on Salt Spring Island is of the soft, mushy, melt in your mouth, can't stop eating variety - cheese!
Hand made Salt Spring Island goat cheese, in fact. A soft, delicate chevre that grabbed my heart and soul and left me wanting more.
On our first day on the island we rode our motorcycle up to the farm shop (newly paved roads are a plus) and bought two flavours - Garlic and Basil. On the second day we were back for more, tried Lemon and Pepper, but bought Chili and White Truffle. By the third day we were highly addicted and managed to grab some White Truffle from a local grocery store on the other side of the island before heading back to our cabin for the feast.
Day four - you guessed it - three packages of White Truffle, a loaf of artisan bread and a bottle bought from a nearby winery. Full on addiction had set it.
David Wood, the "head cheese" (pardon the pun) officially recognized us on day four and gave us a welcoming smile that I have to believe is as famous as his cheese. The dogs ran up to us like old friends.
The Salt Spring Island Cheese Company is open daily. I recommend going in the morning to grab a cup of complimentary coffee and relax on their inspiring patio before indulging in your first, but not last, bite of cheese.
September 15, 2008 | Tips from Us >
Salt Spring Island, Car / Truck / Motorcycle
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A recent retreat to Saltspring Island landed me oceanside in a fantastic cozy cottage for two - The Love Shack. By cozy, I mean comfortable and petite in the most delightfully eclectic, funky, shabby chic way. The Fulford Harbour hideaway comes complete with an orange slow-bubbling lava lamp, a collection of records including ABBA (Super Trouper of course), Marvin Gaye, Gordon Lightfoot, Santana and Valdy, just to name a few.
The waterfont deck includes an outdoor bathtub and orange and lime green Adirondack chairs. A bowl of pears, plums and island-picked apples awaited our arrival, as did a friendly sea otter walking up the steps from the ocean.
By far, the best part of the Love Shack was the old wood-burning stove, with which we were able to use to quickly convert the cottage into a Love Sauna. Hot, hot, hot!
Shagadelic and groovy baby, just as their website says.
September 05, 2008 | Tips from Us >
Whistler, Shopping
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Here a short clip of my husband and I going
shopping in Whistler Village. Tons of great shops and restaurants. Enjoy;)