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November 17, 2009 | Tips from Travellers > Victoria, Dining
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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 16, 2009 | Tips from Travellers > Kelowna, Skiing (Downhill)
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Wow is all I can say....what a great weekend. All fresh snow and fresh faces. It's hard to recognize friends from last year due to all the new suits. The voices & laughter are the same but all the gear is different. Couldn't have asked for better snow. Ran into Davey D today and he's my inspiration for this year...The Goal is simple Ski everyday and rip every run. I've skied a lot of places on this glorious earth of ours but I've yet to find anything as consistant as the mountains of BC. Specifically the interior of British Columbia and even more specifically, Big White Ski Resort. It really is named aptly when they called it Beautiful British Columbia! Now if only the cute girl from the UK would meet me for an icey cold bevvie, my world would be complete. I've been to about 17 "home" openers at Big White and I can honestly say that this one was the most incredible, fabulous, wonderful...did I say incredilbe yet? out of all of them...HANDS DOWN!
November 16, 2009 | Tips from Travellers > Vancouver, Dining
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I was lucky enough to receive a hefty gift certificate to MARKET at Shangri-La, Vancouver’s newest (and tallest) hotel. I invited a few friends to join me for a mid-week fancy night out. If you’re thinking of going to MARKET, make your reservations early – the only time I could reserve that week was 8:30 pm on a Wednesday night.
The restaurant is split into a few different sections; we were seated in the “sophisticated fine-dining room.” The bar area was more casual and catered to the after-work suit crowd (they even had their laptop plugged in – I guess drinks and eats in a swanky bar is the norm for that crew).
Our table ordered a bit of everything to maximize our shot at the good life. All the dishes were delish, but there were a few stand-outs: butternut squash soup with mushrooms and chives; truffle mashed potatoes; and cheesecake with roasted figs and concorde grape sorbet.
The food was rich, we never felt rushed during dinner, and the presentation was creative. Merci, Jean-Georges!
November 16, 2009 | Tips from Travellers > Big White Ski Resort, Skiing (Downhill)
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Yesterday was my favourite day of the year, opening day at my mountain Big White Ski Resort. For me the anticpation is as big as kid’s on Christmas Eve. Lots of people up to join in the celebrations, I think the first riders in line at the Ridge Rocket were down there before 8am for the 8:45 opening, hard core!
Once the gates opened up and the first chair was loading there was a huge cheer from the crowd, really cool to feel the vibe of so many people as pumped to go skiing and riding as much as I was. It was pretty sweet as far as opening days go too. Blue bird skies, some fresh snow and the runs that were open were in great shape (nice job snow cat crew!). I saw quite a few people “exploring” some of the soft closures as well, naughty, naughty, no ducking rope lines. 
It won’t be long before we’re able to open up more of the mountain and there’s a bit of snow in the forecast for the beginning of the week so it could be sooner rather than later.
Anyway, if you made it up here for opening day I hope you had a blast. If you didn’t get up here that’s okay too because there’s 154 more awesome days of the season to come!
See you on the mountain
November 15, 2009 | Tips from Travellers > Campbell River, Beaches & Swimming
There was so much to do on our last vacation we didn't know where to start! We had to choose from fishing off of the pier, boogie-boarding on one of the many sandy beaches, going on a nature hike on one of the many trails, going on a whale watching charter boat, rock climbing at the local rock climbing facility, AND swimming at various lakes and rivers.
We chose McIver lake just outside of Campbell River, heading up the highway towards Gold River. It's about a 6 minute drive, and on the right hand side of the highway. Once we arrived at our destination we soon realised how popular it was by the amount of vehicles parked at various locations lakeside.
We stopped and piled out with the kids running full tilt for the lake with me in the hottest persuit I could muster. I got within eyesight and stopped in my tracks. Now I am a North Island girl, and let me tell you, honestly, the sight of my kids splashing happily in the glorious heat of summer, well it's something I will not forget.
Campbell River has a lot to offer, check it out!
November 5, 2009 | Tips from Travellers > Trail, Parks
A late summer trip to Trail, BC. There were plenty of options for the kids and they loved Gyro Park. We had a great time at the ball park, the aquatic centre, interpretive centre and even had a swim in the Columbia River. Next time I'll have to bring the fishing rods!
November 4, 2009 | Tips from Travellers > Prince George, Hiking
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I have long been an outdoor enthusiast of the Prince George area, and beyond. One area that is a particular favorite of mine is the Ferguson Lake Nature Reserve. This reserve is located within the city boundary. Should one google it, you will be able to get directions.
The appeal of this area is that it is scenic and has a well marked trail which is easy on the legs. The loop around the lake is 2.6kms, while on this trail you can take in great views of the lake, which is stocked with eastern brook trout. Throughout the year it is not uncommon to see people fishing from the dock or their canoes or even ice fishing. There are many interpretive signs informing visitors of the animals and plant life that call the reserve area home. Also for those who enjoy history there is the a trappers cabin dating back from 1928 and a few interpretive signs to give you insight about early homesteading and logging.
Ferguson Lake has often been labled a hike, however do not let this scare you should you not be the type of person that particpates in such activity. In my opinion the reserve is really a nice walk, nothing challenging. It is a nice place to spend an afternoon alone or with friends and family.
In the winter my husband and I look forward to getting on our snow shoes and walking along the trail and across the lake. I personally think that Ferguson Lake in the winter is beautiful, cold weather and snow should not deter anyone from going out there.
One final thing I would like to mention is that this year my husband and I got married and had some of our wedding photos done out there and they look stunning. So should you be wanting to get your pictures done somewhere else that is different from everyone else, I suggest this area.
November 3, 2009 | Tips from Travellers > Vancouver, Flightseeing
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I attended a conference in Victoria and used one of the local floatplane companies (think it was Harbour Air) to get there and back (from Vancouver). On my way back from Victoria I took several pictures as we approached Vancouver. A few of these photos turned out great. Here's one of them. Flying to Victoria and back on a floatplane is a great experience. I'm sure many people are used to it since they go from one city to the other on business constantly. But for me, it was the first time, and I loved it. I also got lucky on the way back sitting in the front next to the pilot who was a very personable guy. If you ever have the chance to fly to and from Victoria on a float plane, do it (and bring your camera).
November 3, 2009 | Tips from Travellers > Hope, Adventure Tours
This was a great get-a-way driving up a mountain in a Dune Buggy.
We can leave our car at the Kawkawa Lake Resort & Campground and go from there.
There is also swimming and water sports available at a low day rate.
October 28, 2009 | Tips from Travellers > Cranbrook, Fishing
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Ashya Frederick fishing the lower St Mary's river in early September. The water was warm and the sun shining on a typical summer day. The St Mary's river is a very fisherman friendly river that continues to produce great fly fishing every year. The best way to get the full experience is to float down one of the many sections of river. The mountian range called the Steeples is in the back ground all day long.
Gerry Frederick
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