February 11, 2010 | Tips from Us >
Whistler, Skiing & Snowboarding
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It’s been open for more than a year now, but I finally made it on the Peak 2 Peak Gondola last week.
I’ve been excited about the Peak 2 Peak since I first heard about it. I didn’t pay much attention to all of the records it was breaking and didn’t really care how high or fast it was, I was just happy that there was finally going to be a way to ski Whistler and Blackcomb in the same day with little effort.
For years most drives to the mountain would begin with a debate with which side we’d ski (usually snowboarders voting for Blackcomb and skiers voting for Whistler): now we could do both with ease.
So when we got off at the Roundhouse and made the short walk to the Peak 2 Peak, I wasn’t that excited about the ride. I’ve been on numerous gondolas over the years and they have all been more or less the same…that is until now.
I was actually a little shocked about how much I enjoyed the Peak 2 Peak. While I had read about how high it was and how long it was, I didn’t appreciate the enormity of it until we left the station. The views are incredible and having such a long unsupported span almost made it feel like a bit of an adventure. As for the logistics and other parts of the Peak 2 Peak, it was perfect. We only had to wait a minute or so to get on, the gondola held about 15 or so people comfortably and the entire ride was really smooth.
I’m not sure if or when the novelty of the “ride” aspect will eventually wear off, but for now I love it and even if it does wear off I’ll still love the fact I can ride Blackcomb and Whistler in the same morning.
February 11, 2010 | Tips from Us >
Vancouver, Attractions
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If you spend any amount of time in Vancouver it won’t be long before you are on a bridge. Vancouverites love their bridges and if you ask five people which one is their favourite, you might get five different answers. Here is my quick guide to Vancouver’s bridges:
Granville St. Bridge: Connects Vancouver’s west side to downtown. When the current Granville St. Bridge opened in 1954 it was the widest bridge in the world (by 1 cm). This is a great place to watch fireworks or Olympic Vectorial Elevation lights.
Burrard Bridge: As a cyclist, this bridge became a dream come true for me last July when the City of Vancouver temporarily eliminated a car lane and turned it into a protected bike-only lane.
Cambie Bridge: Connects the east side to downtown. This bridge has my favourite view of the city. Heading north into the city you have a great view of downtown against the backdrop of the North Shore mountains.
Lions Gate Bridge: An iconic landmark and the bridge most people have seen even before they arrive in Vancouver. Lanes have been widened for traffic and they have made it easier / safer for pedestrians and cyclists.
Second Narrows Bridge: The second bridge that connects Vancouver and the North Shore. I almost always use this bridge when I drive to the North Shore, even if I am on the west side. Even though the drive is longer, you save time because you rarely get stuck in the traffic you would have to face by going through downtown and across the Lions Gate.
Lions Gate bridge photo above by Jonathan Sparks.
February 11, 2010 | Tips from Us >
Vancouver, Dining
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When I first moved to Vancouver 12 years ago, one of the first thing I noticed was the coffee culture. Vancouver has been called Canada’s coffee capital for good reason.
For Vancouverites, coffee isn’t just something you have when you wake up in the morning, it’s almost celebrated and can be consumed into the evening (you will notice some cafes stay open until after dinner).
Not only are there more coffee shops than anywhere I’ve been, if you get invited into a Vancouverite’s home it isn’t that uncommon to see an espresso maker on the counter. To help keep you caffeinated, the following is my guide to where to find the best coffee in Vancouver.
The Wired Monk (2610 4th Ave.): This bistro in the heart of Kitsilano is a favourite with locals. Features homemade soup and stews and provides live music on Saturdays and Sundays.
Medina (555 Beatty St.): A stylish little café opened by (and beside) the owners of the award winning Belgium restaurant Chambar. The baristas here work with a pastry chef to create some very unique coffees such as their white chocolate pistachio mocha.
Mink, a Chocolate Cafe (863 W. Hastings): Brewed coffee is made one cup at a time and their mochas are the best in the city. Each coffee comes with a free chocolate. If you need more to satisfy your sweet tooth craving, they offer 30 varieties of hand crafted chocolate bars (Key Lime is my favourite).
WaaZubee Cafe (1622 Commercial Drive): It is really hard to pick just one place for coffee on Commercial Drive, since there are options on every block. Their americanos are perfect. Incredibly strong and served on a little silver tray with milk and water on the side. This is a restaurant, so unfortunately you can’t get a coffee to go (though you can just go in and order coffee).
February 11, 2010 | Tips from Us >
Vancouver, Breweries, Distilleries & Cideries
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BC’s award winning wines and wineries are well known, but if you wine isn’t your thing, the province offers a great selection of beer, ciders and spirits.
Beer: There are over 50 breweries across the province and together they make hundreds of different types of beer. About six months ago I decided I was going to eventually try every beer brewed in BC (to which my wife sarcastically replied “I love it when you have goals, honey.”)
So far the two best places I have found for selection are the Alibi Room (147 Alexander St. in Vancouver), a restaurant with over 25 beers on tap many more bottled.
If you just want to grab an assortment of beers and to take home, try Brewery Creek Beer and Wine Store at 3045 Main Street in Vancouver. There staff is super friendly and knowledgeable and they have an amazing selection of local and international beers.
Another great thing I’ve found with BC breweries is that many of them offer tours where you can go behind the scenes and find out about the art / science of brewing. All of the tours I have been on have ended with a sampling.
If you don’t care how it is made and just want a drink or a bite to eat visit a brew pub. Many also offer beer samplers where you can try numerous small (usually 3 or 4 oz) beers. Many brew pubs are starting to hold cask nights, where one (or many) beers that have never been made available to the public are opened. This is an opportunity to try some really unique flavours and to meet fellow beer enthusiasts.
Cider: I might not be ambitious enough to try every cider made in BC, I do enjoy having a cider on a hot summer day. The suggestion I listed above for large beer selection (Alibi Room and Brewery Creek Beer and Wine Store) also have the best selection of ciders I have seen. Like breweries, many of the cideries offer tours and many offer dinners or lunches with meals paired with their ciders.
Spirits: If you are looking for something with a bit more alcohol, BC has that as well. Recently a couple of “boutique” distilleries where spirits are hand-crafted in small batches have opened.
Pemberton is home to Schramm Distillery who makes the only certified organic potato vodka in the world. Island Spirits Distillery on Hornby Island take their time making high quality gin and vodka: the distillery produces a maximum of 60 bottles per day.
Photo above by Jonathan Sparks