Results 1 - 10 are shown.
November 17, 2009 | Tips from Travellers > Victoria, Dining
Find more information about Victoria, Dining
On November 2nd, 2009 at noon my friends and I went out for lunch at Pescatores Seafood and Grill in order to experience a real west coast gastronomic meal. Having read numerous mixed reviews online yet hearing good things from locals, we were intrigued to find out the truth for ourselves.
Product - Upon calling and making the reservation I was automatically impressed by the professional and friendly manner in which my conversation was dealt with. The product that developed from the moment we arrived was stunning to say the least. The warm, inviting hues of dark mahogany and orange set the mood and raised the bar for all the culinary delights we were about to receive.
Place – My friends and I decided that in order to truly receive a west coast experience, we wanted to go a restaurant that utilized the local farmers, wineries, breweries, and fisheries. We reviewed their website and were awed by the amount of local products they claimed to promote through serving.
Story – Our server greeted us by bringing bread whilst we waited for the rest of our party to arrive. He was courteous, genuine, and most of all, knowledgeable. Being curious about the legitimacy of the websites claims of local product, we had many questions for our server. He was more than capable in expressing opinions on the dishes and wines offered by Pescatores and also made suggested pairings of our chosen dishes with some of their local wines. In the end we ended up consuming Kusshi, Effingham, Whaletown and Fanny Bay oysters.
Delivery - The presentation of the food was more than appealing and whetted our appetites even further. The poached Dungeness crab eggs Benedict were wonderful and laid out in a classic fashion with pan fries. The crepe Pescatores was larger than we were expecting and everyone in our party was able to try some! However the stars of the meal were the oysters! Having never eaten oysters, I was more than a little terrified to try them! But learning from the server’s recommendations and my other group members’ encouragement, I was able to “bite the bullet” so to speak. Let me tell you! There is nothing quite like a freshly shucked fanny bay oyster!
Take Home – My reflection upon our experience at Pescatores is one where I learned a great deal through and about the locality through the food I consumed. As only one member of our group is from British Columbia, albeit not Victoria, we were thrilled to discover a restaurant that was able to endorse sustainability, thus promoting the agricultural economies of the area, and still be a fine dining experience. We all came away with a wonderful last memory and would recommend it anyone wanting to try a variation on classics with some West Coast flair!
November 3, 2009 | Tips from Us > Victoria, Festivals & Events
View a larger image on flickr.com
On Friday October 30, 2009, I was in Victoria to watch the start of the Olympic Torch Relay. School children dressed in red and white
holding Canadian and Olympic flags created corridors to the stage and were greeted by the Olympic
mascots - Miga and Quatchy. Around me were all sorts of people: couples, families, business people, and international students all waiting with excitement. As the TV cameras scanned the crowd, people cheered if they saw themselves on the big screen that was set up next to the stage. The big screen also entertained us with videos from the Vanocouver 2010 website - "Meet the Vancouver 2010 Mascots" and the "Lights Will Guide You Home" video which always gets me teary-eyed.
Anyways, there was great excitement amongst the crowd as everyone watched the flame latern as it made
its way from the aboriginal boat in the harbour to the stage in front
of the Parliment Buildings. Welcome speeches were made and then it was time to light the Celebration Cauldron. The crowd held their breaths as Darlene Poole and John Furlong had a little bit of troubles lighting the cauldron - "oooe-ing" and "ahh-ing" in disappointment when the flame didn't take. Eventually the cauldron was lit and everyone cheered with excitement. Simon Whitfield and Catriona Le May Doan lit the first torch from the cauldron and then began the leg of the relay through the crowds.
September 15, 2009 | Tips from Travellers > Victoria, Whale Watching
Find more information about Victoria, Whale Watching
Nearing the mouth of Active Pass, on our way to Schwartz Bay, our ferry passed a pod of 20-30 Orca whales.
They were swimming pretty fast- I think they might have been trying to escape forming a lifelong connection with Jason James Richter.
Definitley a very surreal, and cool moment. Especially, after just commenting about how I'd "Never seen a whale in the wild before". Give that phrase a try when you're leaving Tsawwassen.
August 9, 2009 | Tips from Travellers > Victoria, Golf
Find more information about Victoria, Golf
The Family Golf Day at Arbutus Ridge set an attendance record this year. A great video of the event was put together, check it out. There was a golf clinic, tee shirt/hat gift, hot dogs, ice cream, golf clinic, skills competition, 9 holes of golf and snacks and prizes afterwards. This is an annual event that happens every June. I was there this year and will be back next year with the kids! I felt compelled to share the video as it was such a good time. Thank you Arbutus Ridge for the day and putting the video together!
July 31, 2009 | Tips from Us > Victoria, Accommodations
Find more information about Victoria, Accommodations
View a larger image on flickr.com
Opting out of a kind post-wedding accommodation offer of pitching a tent on the bride's property, we decided to take advantage of an enticing online special at the
Delta Ocean Pointe. This turned out to be a brilliant move.
Having stayed at all the big name hotels downtown, I have to say - the
Delta takes the cake. Why? Unique little and big things done thoughtfully: provided sunscreen, mouthwash, binoculars, beautiful blue-bouncy tennis courts, being able to see the
ENTIRE harbour from bed. To wit: Houses of Parliament in all it's nighttime radiant glory, merry little ferries,
whale-watching tours, Empress Hotel, mountains, hot seaplane action.
Also notable: ample opportunity to find free parking, relatively small scale without being creepy, pool area on harbour's edge *see photo*, and let's not forget - a timely note from the manager apologizing for the fire alarm in the night.
That was last weekend, and I'm already looking for a reason to go back!
July 7, 2009 | Tips from Us > Victoria, Artists & Art Galleries
Find more information about Victoria, Artists & Art Galleries
I guess it must be living in one of the most breathtaking places in the world that allows our province's artists to create some absolutely incredible art. It seems that everywhere I visit in the province, one of the activities that occupies a great deal of my time is poking around at pottery or glass studios & art galleries, watching artists create masterpieces on street corners, carvers transform hunks of rough wood into intricate pieces...you get the picture. I can't always purchase the art I see on my travels but I have over the years managed to treat myself and now I have the odd bit on my 'travel wall' or on my bookshelf to remind me how fortunate I am to live here. But sometimes I can't buy direct from the artist in the community where I see them and that is why I delighted in stumbling across Side Street Studio in Victoria, a great art gallery that showcases all sorts of BC art... from glass and wood, pottery and jewellery and more. It is well worth a visit next time you are in Victoria...especially if, like me, you failed to pick up the dream piece you saw created while you were out exploring BC.
July 3, 2009 | Tips from Travellers > Victoria, Artists & Art Galleries
Find more information about Victoria, Artists & Art Galleries
JIM ETZKORN
Potter, Jim Etzkorn, has received numerous accolades and awards, taught and presented to groups around the world, and designed the dinner service for the G8 Summit in 2003, but his day-to-day motivation comes from the hope that his work will find a place in the regular lives and hearts of families for generations.
Etzkorn, who lives and works in Prince George, BC, said it is the chance that his work might become a treasured family heirloom that most inspires him to continue what he started 30 years ago. 
“Like the exercises you might do leading up to a big race, the day-to-day stuff sustains me,” he said. “The contact with humanity is my affirmation. It’s not technological, it’s very personal, and it keeps me grounded.”
It was a connection with the pots of Asian history that inspired a style that he describes as “functional and decorative, utilizing traditional and contemporary forms, techniques and ideas”. Hypothesizing that he “might have been Asian in another life”, Etzkorn said he has always been drawn to the big, swelling shapes of Oriental antiquities and the primal spirit that seems to emit from them. 
He draws further inspiration from other artists, nature, and the Asian concept of wabi-sabi– a Japanese world view or aesthetic centered on embracing transitions over results. For Etzkorn, the transitions involved in making a piece of pottery-each piece is handled 15 or 16 times-can be as satisfying as the piece itself.
“The process is long and there are no immediate rewards,” Etzkorn said. “But when I’m working, I am totally in the present-it’s like time stands still. That something beautiful can start as a lump of mud, is still amazing to me.” 
Jim Etzkorn’s work can be found at Side Street Studio in Victoria.
July 1, 2009 | Tips from Travellers > Victoria, Golf
Find more information about Victoria, Golf
We played the Arbutus Ridge Golf Club near Victoria on Vancouver Island and caught some video of an amazing rainbow from the patio. Then we saw a group of golfers fly off in a helicopter! Must be nice.
The views from clubhouse and golf course are fantastic. You can see the ocean and nearby islands in the background. We had dinner at the Satellite Bar & Grille at the Arbutus Ridge Golf Club and it was very good. I have to say I don't normally expect much from a golf course restaurant but the menu, food quality and selection of local wines far exceeded my expectations.
The golf course is surrounded by 9 wineries, so we visited a few. The Pinor Noir from Avrill Creek is fantastic! Cherry Point and Merridale Cider have great venues for tastings as well. Check the golf course and nearby wineries out if you can!
June 28, 2009 | Tips from Travellers > Victoria, Bars, Nightclubs & Lounges
Dean Fortin, Mayor of the City of Victoria, attended Paparazzi’s Pride Kick-Off Party on Saturday night. He gave a speech expressing support towards the LGBTT community of Victoria saying that he believes that Pride does not only involve LGBTT people, but it also involves everyone else. By celebrating Pride, they are building community with the entire city. Fortin acknowledged that families are very diverse and can be made in different ways. He explained how one of his daughter’s friends has “two mommies,” and they are very important to Fortin and his family.
Besides the mayor, David Tillson, president of Victoria Pride Society, was one of the special guests of the night. He received a $5,000 donation on behalf of VPS from Paparazzi owners. Tillson says that VPS is one of the few Pride Societies in the world that does not have financial pressure because the local gay bar is always supporting them with people and donations.
Now that Pride week has started, different events will take place in Victoria commemorating the 40th Anniversary of the Stonewall Riots in New York.
June 28, 2009 | Tips from Travellers > Victoria, Activity Zones
A new way of entertainment in Victoria was created a couple of months ago: Improv Everywhere Victoria. Ben Dunsmuir, organizer, has been coordinating different kinds of pranks that leave the public wondering what is going on. This time Improv Everywhere Victoria, organized a slow motion fight on Bastion Square. About ten people met at noon and two of them started a loud argument to get people’s attention. When one of them seems to lose his patience and is ready to punch the other one, the entire fight becomes very slow. Then, the rest of the people join the fight making the entire scene more bizarre.
The people at Bastion Square were completely confused of what was going on. Some of them thought that the participants were actors or public performers, not even the clowns knew what was happening.
Improv Everywhere Victoria has been around for only two months, but their Facebook group keeps growing and engaging more and more people in the city. They welcome all kinds of people to participate in their random shows.
After the “fight,” participants gave some of their ideas to Ben for future shows. One of them was having a fake celebrity picture, where one of the members would pretend to be a famous person and the rest would try to get his/her autograph and a picture taken with him/her. To know more about Improv Everywhere Victoria, join their facebook group or visit their website.
Results 1 - 10 are shown.