LURE Restaurant and Salt Spring Island Ales present “From Farm to Cup – An Island Brewmaster’s Dinner”

Salt Spring Island Ales and LURE Restaurant are inviting all craft beer and local seafood lovers out for an evening of sipping and savouring flavours unique to Salt Spring and Vancouver Island on Saturday, January 23.

 

The evening’s menu, prepared by LURE Chef Mike Weaver, will feature an abundance of local, seasonal ingredients including, among other things: Qualicum Bay Scallops, Fanny Bay Oysters, Galloping Goose Sausage and Salt Spring Island cheese.  Each of the six courses will be paired with a different Salt Spring Ale including some rare and unusual offerings, such as their ‘Heather Ale’ (made with heather flowers from Metchosin), ‘Whale Tail Ale’ (a North American style Alt), ‘Salt Spring Porter’ (a dry, ‘roasty’ Porter) and the ever popular, seasonal ‘Fireside Winter Ale’.  Also featured will be Salt Spring’s multiple national medal winning ‘Golden Ale’ and ‘Pale Ale’.  The six course dinner and Salt Spring Island Ales beer pairings can be booked by calling LURE at 250- 360-5873.  The price is $55 per person.

Salt Spring Ales’ resident brewmaster Murray Hunter and brewery co-owners will be in attendance to celebrate local beer and food and the farm-to-cup connection.

LURE Restaurant is located at the Delta Victoria Ocean Pointe Resort and Spa, at 45 Songhees Road, in Victoria, BC.

For more information visit: www.lurevictoria.com or  www.saltspringislandales.com.

About Salt Spring Island Ales

Gulf Islands Brewing, makers of Salt Spring Island Ales, is located in a barn in The Fulford Valley on Salt Spring Island in British Columbia.  This small brewery creates some of the most unique and delicious brews around with a local focus that works with island farmers to source and grow seasonal ingredients.  Their beers are fresh, unfiltered and unpasteurized and brewed using their own mountain spring water.  From farm to cup, they aspire to create beers that embody the flavor and character of the islands.  This small-but-mighty island operation just won its second National Gold at the Canadian Brewing awards. www.saltspringislandales.com

About LURE

Located at the Delta Victoria Ocean Pointe Resort & Spa, LURE is a local favourite for fresh seafood, regional cuisine and mouthwatering cocktails.  Guests can enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner created from the Island’s finest local ingredients in a casual, but elegant setting.  Their supernatural setting with floor to ceiling windows offers an unsurpassed view of the city’s beautiful Inner Harbour.

Last minute Gifts you can grab with your morning Latte

Looking for a great gift this holiday season?  Starbucks is the perfect and convenient destination to find gifts for anyone and everyone on your shopping list. From gifts for the kitchen, a special gift from a land far away, gifts for fun, gifts under $10 and gifts for a sweet tooth – Starbucks is the perfect and convenient destination for gifts for anyone and everyone on your list!   Whether you’re looking for last-minute gifts, fun stocking stuffers or just a little something to reward yourself, Starbucks has it all…served up alongside your favorite holiday beverage!

Gifts For the Kitchen

Red Chambord Bodum 8 Cup Press ($44.95)

Starbucks preferred brewing method, the coffee press, is now available in a festive red color for the holiday season.  Brew the perfect cup of coffee for your guests and make this press the centerpiece of your holiday entertaining!

6 Pack Coffee Sampler ($14.95 Canada)

A perfect gift for the coffee connoisseur or an adventurous friend, this sampler features six samples of some of our very best coffees,  pre-measured and ground for an 8-cup press. Curl up next to the fireplace and try different flavors!

Holiday Boxed Mug ($11.45 Canada)

This season, good things come in pretty boxes!  This 14oz decorative mug comes with a lovely matching box – and it’s the perfect gift for your friendly neighbour, a carpool buddy or your child’s favourite teacher.  Simple, beautiful and festive, it’s just right for everyone on your list.

Gifts From Around The World

Reactive Red Mug from Italy ($9.95 Canada)

Handmade by artisans from the Umbria region of Italy, this beautiful red mug is the perfect gift for your friends and family that need a little bit of holiday evviva!

Modern Rustic Mug from Japan ($9.95 Canada)

This modern rustic mug features a reactive interior glaze, a design made by a technique that is the result of centuries of traditional Japanese craftsmanship.  Marvel at this beautiful mug this holiday season.

Gifts For Fun

Stainless Steel Kids Water Bottle 12 oz. ($14.45 Canada)

This is a great stocking stuffer for the little ones, with a convenient flip-up spout and leak-resistant lid for easy sipping and no mess!  This water bottle is BPA-free and boasts a reusable and sturdy design, making it not only a great gift but handy all year long.

Wish Kit ($16.95 Canada)

Surprise a teacher, friend or co-worker with a special treat with this easy to use wish kit!  With six individual packets of Holland Mints, enclosure cards to write a sweet note, and folding gift boxes, each gift costs about $2.50.

Block Pile ($19.95 Canada)

This unique gift for children inspires creativity and fun. Make your own rock monster or stack the blocks sky high – whatever you choose, this is no ordinary pile of blocks!  This gift is also eco-friendly, as it is made from alder trees sourced from an Forest Stewardship Counsel-certified forest and has packaging with high post consumer content that is also recyclable.

16 oz Cold Cup with Candy Cane Striped Straw ($14.95 Canada) & 20 oz Cold Cup with Candy Cane Striped Straw ($16.95 Canada)

Show off your “green” side with these reusable alternative cups this holiday season!  Decorated with a festive candy cane striped straw, these double walled insulated cups look like the iconic Starbucks cold cups and will keep your favourite beverage cold and your hands dry this holiday season.

Gifts Under $10

Holiday Red Cup Ornament ($5.45 Canada)

Our customers have grown accustomed to the arrival of Starbucks red cups in stores which signals that the holiday season is officially here!  Bring the iconic Starbucks red cup into your home and make it part of your holiday traditions by giving it a special spot on your Christmas tree, or wherever you need a glimpse of holiday cheer.   

Starbucks Holiday Cold Cup Ornament ($5.45 Canada)

Are you a Christmas tree ornament collector?  If so, Starbucks has a new addition for you!  Our classic Starbucks cup ornament now comes in the Starbucks cold cup—the perfect sentiment for those who love Starbucks holiday beverages—as long as they can get their Peppermint Twist Mocha over ice!

Gifts For a Sweet Tooth

Coffee and Treats ($14.95 Canada)

Who doesn’t love coffee and treats?  A simple gift that will please anyone on your list, this silver box contains an 8oz bag of the beloved Starbucks Christmas Blend paired with rich burnt caramel candies, made from real cream and butter.

Holiday Cookie Tin ($14.95 Canada)

The traditional holiday cookie tin receives a makeover with original art created by one of Starbucks very own artists. The festive tin contains a Starbucks customer favourite, Walker’s Shortbread Highlander Cookies, which pair deliciously with Starbucks Christmas Blend.

Cocoa Trio ($10.95 Canada)

This trio of beautiful red tins is filled with three different flavours of all natural cocoa: Classic Hot Cocoa, Peppermint Cocoa and Salted Caramel Cocoa. With all natural ingredients and no high fructose corn syrup, this cocoa trio is a sweet treat that anyone can enjoy!

Win a Free Granville Island or Little India Tour with Edible BC!

FROM Edible BC

Edible BC will be filming segments for a CTV and Canadian Tourism Commission production to be aired worldwide during the 2010 Games. For the piece, we will be filming one of our Chef Guided Granville Island Market Tours, led by EBC president Eric Pateman, as well as a specialized culinary tour of Vancouver’s Little India neighborhood led by EBC Chef Gurj Dhaliwal.

We are looking for 4 people who don’t mind being on camera to join each tour. You may be asked some questions by the filming crew, and would need to be flexible as our typically 2-hour tour may take some extra time due to the set up and shooting.

If you are interested in joining us for one of these tours which will be filmed in early August 2009, please send us an email, indicating which tour you are interested in. We will make a draw on July 10, and will contact the 8 lucky people (4 for each tour) to make the necessary arrangements.

Edible British Columbia

The 2009 Nando’s Canada Cup of Beer is only 10 days away!

Vancouver’s Largest Beer Festival – The 2009 Nando’s Canada Cup of Beer is only 10 days away! July 4th will culminate the two weeks of satellite events. The fourth annual event will be bigger and better with more entertainment, more food and more fun under the sun.

“It has been a very hectic couple of weeks” states Colin Jack, the festival coordinator. “We had four events last week including a Pub Crawl on Friday” Jack continued “the week also featured the popular Media Night that traditionally kicks off the festival”.

“The idea of the festival is to make it a two week celebration of beer in Vancouver and Canada” claims Rick Mohabir, the festival’s director of operations. “We hope the festival will grow to be as popular as the Vancouver International Wine Festival”. This is a lofty goal for sure, but the tandem of Mohabir and Jack work extremely hard to promote unique beer events throughout the Lower Mainland.

This year’s festival also features several satellite events; the aforementioned Pub Crawl, a Beer & BBQ pairing event on June 26th at Granville Island Brewery, a Beer & Food Pairing event at Jake’s Steakhouse on June 29th, Beer & A Movie on July 2nd and the After Party on July 4th at The Cellar.

The featured Beer & BBQ event on June 26th features The House of Q – local BBQ Experts who will be presenting some exquisite flavours at the Taproom at Granville Island Brewery. “This is not your typical BBQ” according to Brian Misko from The House of Q “how about bacon wrapped Italian sausage and slow cooked pulled pork”.

Tickets are available online and through ticket outlets including Granville Island Brewery retail store and The Compass Point Inn. Information and festival details can be found here: www.CanadaCupOfBeer.com

Sidney Pier Hotel celebrates opening of Shaw Ocean Discovery Center

Enjoy the New Summer Attractions Package, Marine – Themed Spa Treatments and a 100 Per cent Ocean Wise Culinary Commitment
Sidney, BC. The much anticipated Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre opened its doors to the public on Saturday, June 20. The Sidney Pier Hotel & Spa is ideally located in the same building as the state-of-the-art aquarium and marine education centre that focuses on the ecosystem of the Salish Sea.
Stay & Do
To celebrate the exciting new venture The Sidney Pier Hotel is demonstrating its commitment to local waters and local businesses. The property has joined forces with the new marine development as well as other Saanich Peninsula favourites to offer a Summer Attractions Package . For $299 per couple spend the night in a Classic Room, visit the world-famous Butchart Gardens and Butterfly Gardens, enjoy a tasting at Sea Cider Farm & Cider House, and be amongst the first to experience the wonders of the Salish Sea at the Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre. Reservations can be made by calling 1.866.659.9445.
Spa
Indulge in the relaxing and healing powers of our oceans with one of three marine-inspired treatments. Each uses a combination of Ancient Secrets products including Green Tea Seaweed Salt Glow, Seaweed Body Butter, Sea Water Mineral Mist or the Seaweed Firming Mask. Choose from the Marine Manicure, 60-minutes for $75; Pacific Coast Pedicure, 70-minutes for $95; or the Pacific Seaweed Body Firming Wrap, 60-minutes for $125. Your spa treatment at Haven – our 3,250 square-foot-spa, salon and fitness centre – includes an optional workout in our ocean view Fitness Centre as well as access to the Eucalyptus steam room and peaceful Spa Sanctuary. Call 250.655.9797 to book your treatments today.
Eat
Partnering with the Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre, Haro’s Restaurant + Bar demonstrates their 100 per cent Ocean Wise commitment with a dinner featuring the wines of Gray Monk Estate Winery on Thursday, June 25. Guests will enjoy bubbles and canapés in the new Ocean Discovery Center followed by a multi-course oceanfront dinner in Haro’s. Local and sustainable is the focal point of the evening, and guests will enjoy mingling with Julia and Susan Grace of Moonstruck Cheese; Mike McDermid, Ocean Wise program manager from the Vancouver Aquarium; and Angus Matthews, executive director of the Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre. Tickets are $95 per person (excluding tax & gratuity). Call 250.655.9700 to make reservations.
About The Sidney Pier Hotel & Spa
The Sidney Pier Hotel & Spa anchors the charming, coastal community of Sidney-by-the-Sea. The hotel excels in elegant simplicity by design and the guest rooms and suites offer an ideal blend of contemporary style and comfort. Paired with spectacular ocean and town views The Sidney Pier Hotel and Haven Spa is a soothing seaside sanctuary elevated by original local artwork and a commitment to fresh, local and seasonal dining options. The hotel has reinvented ‘home away from home’ by balancing contemporary style with function, including spacious suites with family-friendly kitchens. From luxurious bedding and snug robes to deep and comfy chairs, our rooms take “well appointed” to new levels. The Hotel Association of Canada’s Green Key Eco-Rating Program has awarded The Sidney Pier Hotel & Spa 4 Green Keys.
About The Shaw Ocean Discover Centre
The Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre is an aquarium and marine education centre focused on the amazing ecosystem of the Salish Sea. The centre operates as a not-for-profit community facility that is self supporting through admission fees, grants and donations. The Ocean Discovery Centre is governed, funded and owned by the New Marine Centre Society. The Society is a BC Society and Canada Revenue Agency registered charity.

The Sidney Pier Hotel & Spa

9805 Seaport Place

Sidney, BC, V8L 4X3

T: 250.655.9770

www.sidneypier.com

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