Every year, always around this
time, I book off a particular Sunday night, stockpile on the
wine and munchies, and hunker down with a few close gals to watch
the endlessly long, complete waste-of-four-hours award show that
we have all come to know and love (well, maybe not love!). Yup,
it is Oscar season, and I am one of the viewers contributing
favourably to the Nielsen media research ratings. I tell myself
that I am trying to keep up with consumer culture and the latest
in artistic developments from the film industry, but I know deep
down that I just want to check out the latest in designer fashions,
what fabulous things Beyonce has done to her hair, and always,
who is dating who.
Of course, I am mindful
of the potentially embarrassing situations that faithful Oscar
viewing can sometimes get me into (apparently
it is not a societal norm to actually like the show, I guess
millions of other viewers like me are also constantly trying
to think up excuses for watching - I should start a blog with
sample excuses!). Thankfully, I can explain my fascination with
the Oscars to friends and family as "research for work".
You may feel that this is a bit of a stretch, but considering
that Vancouver, Coast & Mountains is the region home to Hollywood
North, with celebrities like Jennifer Garner, Ben Affleck, Anne
Hathaway (and perhaps an up and coming Ms. Janet Jackson.) in
town this very minute, I have plenty of credibility behind me.
After all, celebrities are constantly spotted in the region,
and with television shows like Smallville and Men in Trees constantly
filming in addition to blockbuster movies, there seems no end
in sight for visiting Oscar winners (and hopefuls) in Vancouver,
Coast & Mountains.
It could be the colorful sight of a dish of fresh mackerel
and tuna, topped with pink pickled ginger and served over
a bed of sushi rice at the Tsukiji
Fish Market in Tokyo. Or, maybe it is the smell of a hand-made pizza slowly
baking in a woodburning forno oven in Italy. Travellers are increasingly interested
in hands-on, authentic experiences and what better way to learn about a travel
destination than right at the table? That is the philosophy of Chef and Chauffeur,
a culinary adventure company that takes food lovers on tours of the region’s
most insightful and delicious edible experiences. There are seven unique tours
to choose from, but each begins with fresh-roasted coffee, juices and Vancouver’s
best breakfast treats, enjoyed in the comfort of a luxury SUV. Travel through
pastoral farmlands –past nurseries, stables, country estates, and award-winning
wineries – always with breath-taking view of the mountains as a backdrop.
You’ll sip and sample the best food and wine that the region has to offer,
including great cheeses, oils, jams, chocolates, and hazelnuts. So, when you
return home at the end of your travels and your friends ask what you thought
of Vancouver, Coast & Mountains, you can respond, “It was delicious!” For
details contact www.chefandchauffeur.com.
It’s happened again: the fun family outing that you have been planning
for months has turned into a mess that can be filed under the heading, “We’ll
Laugh About It Someday.” Despite your best attempts to be proactive in
your packing– five suitcases, four pacifiers, three iPods, two cases
of diapers and a double-pack of Excedrin for headaches – it’s raining,
the car is making that “funny noise” again, and for half-an-hour
you’ve been listening to the backseat chorus ask, “Are we there
yet?”. The good news? Family outings do not have to be like this. New
Westminster’s annual Hyack Festival is a fun, educational, and interactive
event that can be enjoyed by the entire family. This year’s Hyack Festival
runs from May 21 to 27, 2007. The May Day celebration – a New Westminster
tradition since 1870 – is family focused and offers a kaleidoscope of
events that will appeal to even the hard-to-please member of your family. The
adventurer of the family will have fun participating in the sporting events,
rides and carnival games. The wallflower will enjoy watching the anvil salute,
the fireworks, and the May Day parade. The history buff can take part a tour
of beautifully resorted homes on the Heritage Homes Tour and Tea. Warning:
the backseat chorus may be singing a new song on the car ride home, “Can
we go back yet?” For information contact www.hyack.bc.ca.
Kermit was wrong: it is easy being green. At least, it is
with the help of Sno-Limo Mountain Eco-touring. Sno-Limo
provides an eco-friendly holiday option
for travellers who are concerned with the effect their travels are having on
the environment. Where better to experience Sno-Limo eco-touring than in beautiful
Whistler, the birthplace of this innovative concept? By maintaining a careful
balance between preservation of the area’s biodiversity and promotion
of Whistler as a travel destination, Sno-Limo Mountain Eco-touring offers the
budding eco-tourist a guilt free travel experience. The Sno-Limo is essentially
a comfortable chair on skis, driven and controlled by a trained driver (your
chauffeur) who rides behind the chair much like a dog sled. With Whistler Mountain’s
new high speed lift providing access to Symphony Amphitheatre, one of the most
spectacular high alpine areas available in North America, there is no better
time than now to experience a Sno-Limo adventure. So, you can forget the idea
that you have to spend your holiday replanting trees to be an eco-friendly
tourist. Instead, climb into a Sno-Limo for an unforgettable holiday that is
exciting, educational and – best of all – green. Now available
at Grouse Mountain, too! For information contact www.sno-limo.com.
Candles, flowers, soothing background music, your finest
silverware, and a table-for-two set up in front of a blazing
fire. It’s the perfect romantic
moment… until you’re interrupted by the smell of Beef Bourguignon
burning in the kitchen. To make matters worse, the cat won’t stop pulling
on the tablecloth and it turns out your girlfriend is allergic to daffodils
(you should have stuck to roses!). Lucky for you, Ruby Lake Resort’s
Romantic Safari Tent experience is the perfect way to build the romance into
your relationship. Located on the Sunshine Coast, the package includes a romantic
Safari tent with a comfortable queen-size bed, original wooden furniture creations,
a fireplace, and your own private deck overlooking the rainforest. You’ll
also be treated to an unforgettable three-course dinner experience in the Italian
Trattoria Restaurant. Work up an appetite canoeing or spend the day being pampered
at the Rejuvenation Rainforest Health Spa, where you can receive your treatment
outdoors on a private deck. The best part? In the seclusion of the splendid
wilderness, romance takes care of itself. All you need to do is show up. For
more details contact www.rubylakeresort.com.
Ordering eggs can be a complicated task. You can have them
fried, scrambled, hard boiled, soft boiled, poached, deviled,
over easy, served with ketchup,
or even cooked into an omelet or frittata. Phew! One thing that isn’t
complicated, however, is where to go to enjoy your eggs. At the Little Farmhouse
in the City, all eggs are fresh, non-medicated, and come from specialty free
range chickens that are grown with plenty of fresh air and sunshine. Located
in downtown Abbotsford, Little Farmhouse in the City is a restored 1927 heritage
building that has been converted into a country style market, deli counter,
upscale home-style restaurant, and a bed & breakfast. A visit to the Little
Farmhouse is not complete without sampling the tender rotisserie chicken lunch
or spending a night in the B&B admiring the old fashioned tea shelf. Locals
and visitors alike delight in the friendly charm of the Little Farmhouse in
the City, while unwinding country style. In fact, the most difficult question
you’ll be faced with on your visit may just be, “Poached or scrambled?” For
more information contact www.littlefarmhouse.com.
