June 21, 2009 | Tips from Travellers >
Fort St. John, Dining
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One of the true gems in the North Peace area is the Shepherd’s Inn restaurant. Located 40 kilometres north of Fort St. John along the Alaska Highway at mile 72, it is a bit out of the way for people not venturing north of Fort St. John but it is well worth the drive.
The Shepherd’s Inn is clean and simple, a classic diner style restaurant with cross-stitch pieces and local art on the walls. There are also some books and a few souvenirs and postcards for sale.
Upon arrival we seated ourselves by the window and were attended to immediately. My mother ordered coffee and I ordered the Iced Russian Tea. The beverage was a new experience for me. It was sweet with some spices in it (possibly cloves). It reminded me of a cold cider. I will have to go back just to have another glass and ask instruction on how to make it. After looking over the reasonably extensive and varietal menu I selected the barbeque beef (open faced beef sandwich with their special homemade BBQ sauce) with homemade fries (with REAL gravy!) and creamy coleslaw. The bread was homemade, thick and delicious.
After doing my best to finish the huge meal in front of me I decided that I just had to have a taste of the legendary homemade pie that people always seem to talk about after going to the Shepherd’s Inn. My mother and I decided to share a piece of strawberry-rhubarb pie and ice cream. The pie was warm and perfect with a packed brown sugar crumble as the top crust.
The entire experience was extremely enjoyable and I would certainly recommend this little Inn to anyone; whether to locals who haven’t been there, or visitors just passing through. It makes a perfect afternoon away from the kitchen especially at such a reasonable price. The bill for the two of us came to $32.00 (and that included drink refills and shared dessert!)
I will defiantly be back.
June 21, 2009 | Tips from Travellers >
Fort St. John, Culinary Tours & Schools
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Sometimes the kitchen just needs a night off.
Last night was one of those nights.
My mother and I didn’t feel like firing up the stove so we wandered over to Fort St. John’s Irish restaurant and pub: Egan’s.
Upon arrival, we were seated in a comfortable booth in the attractively decorated restaurant side. Modern decorative light fixtures hang from the ceiling and cast a warm glow on the dark wood and warm yellow painted walls, the old fashioned decor pieces and the rich, darkly toned tables and seats. I will, however, own that, given the number of windows in the restaurant and the length of the daylight here in the North in the summer, a rather strange lighting effect was created; somehow it was both dim and bright.
Despite the strange condition of the lighting the food was prompt and delicious. In under 15 minutes (from the time we ordered) we were served steaming hot meals which were satisfying and tasty. I had the “Our Very Own Egan’s Burger” with a house salad. So it wasn’t Irish, but it was still to die for! The patty was big and thick and savoury (without being too much) and all of the vegetables on the burger and in the salad were crispy and fresh. I would even dare to suggest that the salad was NOT from a bag! Pretty rare for your average restaurant pub.
My mother got the steak sandwich which, she reported, was perfectly cooked and very pleasantly seasoned. She found the bread that it came on a bit too well buttered but then, she is quite picky about butter content in her food.
Overall it was a very tasty supper and, with a 2 for 1 coupon from a local fundraiser the meal (for both of us) cost under fifteen dollars. So next time you need some fresh hearty fare in Fort St. John, stop by Egan’s and enjoy fabulous (and fairly priced) food!
Photo shows the Pub side of Egan’s.
June 20, 2009 | Tips from Travellers >
Fort St. John, Culinary Tours & Schools
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It may strike some as strange but Fort St. John has more sushi restaurants than Tim Horton’s-es. For the sushi lover in all of us, there are three great places to go: Masataro Sushi, Little Tokyo, or Sushi Heaven. They all serve surprisingly good sushi given how far the fish has to be shipped to reach our northerly (and inland) location, but there is one that holds a special place in my heart: Sushi Heaven.
I first stumbled across Sushi Heaven shortly after Fort St. John was inundated with the sushi craze when I decided that it was high time for small-town-girl-Brittney to try a taste of this strange Japanese meal replete with raw fish. I was mildly apprehensive but almost instantly fell in love with the fishy dish.
Sushi Heaven offers a delectable selection of inside-out rolls, maki rolls, dons, sashimi, and nigiri sushi. My personal favourite is the Dynamite combo (six pieces of dynamite roll and three pieces of nigiri sushi) which I found myself savouring a few nights ago with friends.
It tends to be quiet in the evenings (being more of a lunch venue) and so, we waited mere minutes for our meals to emerge. As expected the food was fantastic and the service was positively excellent. We chatted the evening away at a simple table beneath one of the many painted Japanese paper lanterns suspended from the ceiling, whilst periodically amusing ourselves with the Japanese quotes and wall hangings enrobing the walls around us. I probably consumed a good 3 cups of complimentary green tea before we trooped out of Sushi Heaven and slowly drifted back to earth.
If you happen to be in Fort St. John the next time you get a sushi craving or just need a taste of heaven manifested as a simple but charming Japanese restaurant, check out Sushi Heaven; it is a touch of paradise in seaweed and sticky rice.
June 20, 2009 | Tips from Travellers >
Fort St. John, Festivals & Events
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I have never been fond of country music; in fact, I have been known to cry out in abject misery at the twanging strains of a country tune. All that changed at my first barn dance.
Towns with large rural populations like Fort St John are famous for their cowboy hat wearing and merry two-stepping but I had never fully appreciated the charm of folksy northern tradition until I was dragged (kicking and screaming) across the threshold of a local family’s barn for my first ever barn dance. That was almost two years ago and I have yet to regret it.
Fort St. John barn dances are a family affair, from toddlers in frilled dresses to stately two-stepping seniors, everyone is welcome. However, being as they are hosted in a homey, though unheated, barn, they only run once monthly from May to October. I periodically think that I would be willing to brave December’s -40 chill if only to get out dancing.
Just last night I attended a barn dance celebrating this year’s highschool graduates. All ages were present and dress ranged from ballgowns and tuxedos to jean shorts and cowboy hats. It was a marvellous night. We polka’d and two-stepped, even waltzed, and of course danced a few classic folk dances like the butterfly and the schottische.
Anyone who knows how to dance is always willing to teach others and newbies are warmly gathered into the fold. So, next time you are in Fort St. John, I encourage you to get out and meet the locals, if you’re lucky you might even be invited out to come barn dancing with one of the warmest, most charming groups of people that the world has to offer.
June 19, 2009 | Tips from Us >
Whistler, Dining
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If you're looking for a unique breakfast experience you need look no farther than Elements Restaurant hidden away in the Summit Lodge Hotel! You've never had French Toast like this! The bread is soaked in a sumptuous egg mixture and baked to crispy perfection - I think it's about 4 inches thick! It's also stuffed with banana and pecans with syrup on the side - a truly mouthwatering experience that I would highly recommend and well worth the calories! If that's not your style, the Eggs Benedict is equally delicious. While the place is small and may require a short wait, hang in there, as I guarantee you won't be disappointed! For evening fare they switch to Tapas which looked tempting when we checked out the menu and we plan to try it on our next weekend escape to Whistler!
June 19, 2009 | Tips from Travellers >
Fernie Alpine Resort, Biking
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Everything you love about Summer is available in Fernie, British Columbia. Summer is short here in the land of Deep Snow (for those skiers) but it is sweet in the Elk Valley. We made a trip here specifically for the epic mountain biking...many go to Fernie for the cross country mountain biking trails but what really rocks here is some of the best downhill mountain biking at Fernie Alpine Resort. We found a great variety of trails from mild to scary...well some very technical riding for sure! What I liked is that my kids are just getting into the sport and there were fantastic intro trails that had nice berms and good-lines to make it easy to get used to the speed and excitement of downhill mountain biking. With over 37 trails we enjoyed a solid week of riding! we also mixed in some great hiking and did the Ridge traverse on the Lizard Headwall- don't miss this one if you like views and pure natural scenery!
June 18, 2009 | Tips from Travellers >
North Vancouver, Hiking
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As a resident of Vancouver British Columbia and an avid hiker, I am always looking for new hiking places to keep myself busy during my spare time. I had heard about
Lynn Canyon Park several times but had never gone there. Last weekend I decided to venture out to the park and see what it had to offer hikers of the lower mainland.
I headed out to catch the cool air as the weather has been exceptionally warm lately. At 9am the park is just gorgeous! I couldn't believe how peaceful the park is! Any local resident in that area is blessed with an amazing backyard. I took a walk over the
suspension bridge which gave me a shiver as I crossed (Small fear of heights). Then I made my way down towards the
"Twin Falls" area. I came to another bridge and rather than crossing I walked further down river which was a lovely flat hiking trail. I kept seeing markers for the
"Baden Powell Trail" so I assumed that it was part of the same trail that crosses the North Shore Highlands. I'll have to check out the rest of it at a later date.
After a half hour or so, I decided to turn back as I had parked at the main entrance. I decided not to take my chances with the
suspension bridge again and walked across the twin falls bridge instead. This followed with a large amount of stairs and a short trail. Before I knew it I was back at the main entrance and stopped at the
Lynn Canyon Cafe before I called it a day. They had great coffee, and some lovely meals to choose from.
I would recommend
Lynn Canyon Park to anyone, local or foreigner. The best part -
It's A Free Attraction!Happy Hiking!
June 18, 2009 | Tips from Us >
Port Hardy, Ferry
Just a few short weeks ago BC Ferries introduced one of it's newest vessels into service, the
Northern Expedition, sailing from Port Hardy to Prince Rupert. I recently jumped onboard this 15-hour scenic extravaganza through BC's Inside Passage - check out the video to see what I found.
June 18, 2009 | Tips from Travellers >
Bella Coola, Sightseeing Tours
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To get to Bella Coola, you have to drive the Big Hill. It is on highway 20, and heads through Tweedmuir Provincial Park before winding through to the Bella Coola Valley. It was definitely one of the top drives I've done in a long time. From the top of the hill, you have large snowcapped mountains, crystal blue lakes and thin trees. By the time you get to the bottom of the hill, which is only 22km in total, you are into lush, rainforest type vegetation yet still with the spectacular coast mountains.
It is a great drive, and even though its steep, and the hairpin turns may be little scary, but the views are great, and the destination is fantastic. Besides, you're allowed to wear the "I drove the Big Hill and survived" t-shirt when you are done!
June 18, 2009 | Tips from Travellers >
Williams Lake, Attractions
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If you travel through the Chilcotin, highway 20 will take you to many of the areas you'll want to visit. There is so much along the road: there are endless stops to make for photo opportunities or just sightseeing. One of these stops was close to Alexis Creek, a little cemetary on the side of the road. The beauty of the mountains in the area really adds to the stop, and the golden grass growing around the plots made it a very calming resting place, even though its along a major roadway. Be sure to keep your eyes open all along this highway as there is so much to see!