From Afternoon Tea with gold topped hot chocolate to Rehab Brunch on New Year’s Day

Vancouverites looking to put the finishing touches on 2011 and ring in 2012 will find culinary feasts and cocktail shake-ups in Xi Shi, the hotel’s lobby lounge and Market by Jean-Georges.

In Xi Shi, the festivities begin with A Festive Afternoon Tea.  The  traditional high tea is enhanced with Christmas favourites that include oven roasted turkey breast and brie cheese sandwiches with fresh cranberry preserve, macerated stone fruit scones with cinnamon cranberry preserve and clotted cream, and a dessert tier full of Chef’s s ginger and chocolate creations.  The beverage topper is a Valhrona hot chocolate with shaved dark chocolate and raspberry marshmallows, dusted with gold leaf.  Book your Festive Afternoon Tea Monday through Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. until January 2, 2012.  $34 + tax per person; $45 + tax per per person with festive cocktail.

For those looking to add holiday spirits, the bartenders of Xi Shi and Market by Jean-Georges are experts in the art of classic cocktails, shaken or stirred.  Specific to Xi Shi are three cocktails  specially created for the holidays – Lady Grey, Three Kings and the Four Horsemen.  The Lady Grey, is lead barman Jay Jones’ take on a hot toddy, and starts with an Earl Grey tea infused gin.  Three Kings cocktail combines three exceptional ingredients – cognac, madadamia nut liquer and  20 year-old Tawny Port – the perfect finish to holiday feasting.  The Four Horsemen is a decadent and complex drink made up of bourbon, apricot brandy, Amaro Averna liqueur and bitters, designed to take you charging into the New Year and all that it may bring.

Market by Jean-Georges will be a la carte friendly throughout the holidays, and offer a prix fixe menu Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. The four course menu at $68 + tax per person, includes Market favourites of butternut squash soup and steamed shrimp salad with champagne dressing plus a main of roasted turkey breast with charred foie gras chestnut stuffing and finished with holiday dessert.

New Year’s Eve takes on special dining proportions with a five-course tasting menu beginning at 8:00 p.m.  The menu begins with an amuse of egg topped with caviar and vodka creme, followed by Hamachi sashimi, Dungeness crab dumplings and mains of slowly cooked Steelhead and caramelized beef tenderloin.  Priced at $150 + tax per person, the menu includes a flute of champagne and party favours.

Back by popular demand is Rehab Brunch, an extended brunch in Market by Jean-Georges with favourite items, including French Toast with roasted apples and crispy bacon, and a Market burger with black truffle dressing and brie.  Available January 1, 2012 from 11:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and priced at $45 + tax per person.

Holiday highlights:

December 1 to 31       11:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.          Festive Afternoon Tea                        Xi Shi Lounge

December 24, 25, 26  5:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.          Four Course Prix Fixe             Market by JG

December 31              5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.          A la carte                                Market by JG

December 31              8:00 p.m. seating                    Five Course Prix Fixe             Market by JG

December 31              9:00 p.m. start                         DJ Prince Sho (no cover)            Xi Shi Lounge

January 1, 2012          11:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.          Rehab Brunch                         Market by JG

November 24, 2010 – January 5, 2011 

Nothing will get you in the Christmas mood faster than a stroll through our lobby – now transformed into a festive forest of creatively decorated Christmas trees. The annual BC Children’s Hospital Foundation fundraiser is a must-see holiday highlight.
with YEW’s Famous Christmas Confection
Legendary baker and Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver alumni Gerhart Weitzel steps out of retirement to bake over 2,000 of the ultimate traditional Christmas cakes for his adoring fans. Weitzel’s stollen recipe, handed down through generations of master bakers, has been named the city’s best. Place orders for the $20 stollen by dropping into YEW or calling ahead. If you think you don’t like “Christmas cake” you haven’t tried our stollen – a holiday treat not to be missed!

Just in time for the holidays, YEW mixologist Justin Taylor has several sensational seasonal sippers. Topped with edible gold flakes, velvety Jack Frost packs a punch while the grapefruit hued St. Nick’s Gimlet is a refreshing yet complex fruity sipper.  The Veranasi Milk Punch is a creamy chai tea dream and the ‘goes down smooth’ Christmas in Manhattan comes alive with Justin Taylor’s homemade nocino. Nocino, is a labour of love for Taylor who starts creating the complex blend of green walnuts, sugar, holiday spices and vodka in late June for holiday libations. Check out Justin’s Christmas in Manhattan featured in the December 3rd Globe and Mail.

The YEW restaurant + bar team, led by Executive Chef Ned Bell is putting together some delectable Holiday Menus for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day Brunch and Christmas Dinner.
Simplify your holiday gift giving with a YEW restaurant and bar gift card available for purchase online. One of the easiest ways to package our fresh flavours and legendary service and value. It’s the perfect gift for the foodie and luxury-lover on one’s list, and is available in any denomination.

Bring on the Bubble!
Back by popular demand, YEW kicks off 2012 with half off every bottle of bubble!
YEW is also offering a delicious and decadent six-course dinner menu for $95 (plus tax and gratuity) created by Executive Chef Ned Bell.

Whet your appetite with Procuitto-Wrapped Medjool Dates, pique your palate with Miso Soy Glazed Ahi Tuna Carpaccio and Caviar-Topped Ricotta Ravioli & Beurre Blanc. The meal crescendos with a selection of Roasted Scallops or Caesar Salad, finishing grandly with a choice of Organic Beef Tenderloin, Roasted Sablefish, Steelhead Salmon or Acorn Squash Risotto.  Wrap up 2011 on a sweet note with one of Chef Bruno’s memorable desserts – Baked Alaska or ‘Gold’ ChocolateTart.

Open seating – reservations strongly recommended.

>> Full New Year’s Eve menu details here

As luck would have it, this year, New Year’s Day falls on a Wine Down Sunday – where every single bottle at YEW is fifty percent off.

Let the celebrating continue with a delicious brunch – either from our ‘to-die-for’ weekend brunch menu – or from our special New Year’s Brunch selection.
FOXY FRIDAYS
Foxy Fridays are all about having fun and feeling fabulous. Every Friday from 2:30pm until close come into YEW wearing pink (a little or a lot) and receive a chef’s creation appetizer on the house. YEW bartenders will also be shaking up pink lady cocktails at a special price for the occasion. Pink doesn’t discriminate! Ladies and gents are equally welcome.

See YEW Friday!

View Our Foxxy Fridays Menu

MERRY CHRISTMAS & A HAPPY NEW YEAR

‘Tis the season at MARKET! Join our family Christmas Eve, Christmas Day & Boxing Day for our 5:00 pm & 8:00 pm seatings. Enjoy our festive four-course prix fixe menu at $65 per person. Savour Roasted Turkey Breast with Cranberry Sauce, Charred Foie Gras Chestnut Stuffing & Brussels Sprouts, finished with a sweet dessert treat.

On New Year’s Eve celebrate with the MARKET team as we ring in 2012 in style. Order from the a la carte menu until 6:30 pm or join us at 8:00 pm for our five-course prix fixe menu , priced at $150 per person. As midnight approaches, sip a complimentary flute of champagne, use the party favours to make some noise and be within kissing distance of that special someone.

To make a reservation please contact -

(604) 695-1115 or marketbyjg.slv@shangri-la.com
A LITTLE CARD GOES A LONG WAY
Looking for the perfect stocking stuffer? Give the gift of MARKET. Whether you are shopping for family, friends or colleagues, reward the people closest to you with an unforgettable dining experience.

Gift cards are available in any denomination and can be purchased via telephone, the front desk, or in the main lobby of the Shangri-La Hotel at the festive desk.

To enquire about gift cards please contact -

(604) 695-1115 or marketbyjg.slv@shangri-la.com

HOLIDAY COCKTAIL THERAPY

The holiday season can be stressful at the best of times, lucky for you we’ve found the cure. Join us in the MARKET lounge during the month of December for our new line-up of holiday cocktails.  Feel holiday stress melt away.

Head bartender Jay Jones has been hard at work perfecting his newest creations: The MARKET Sidecar, Three Kings, Lady Grey & The Four Horsemen. Each weekend during December we will feature one of these cocktails. For more information follow us on:

Twitter: @Marketjg_van
Facebook :  facebook.com/marketbyjeangeorgesvancouver

REHAB BRUNCH
Back by popular demand – Rehab Brunch.  The cure for the morning after the New Year’s Eve before.  Chock full of breakfast and brunch favourites.

Time: 11:00 am – 4:00 pm
Date: January 1st, 2012
Price: $45 per person

To make a reservation please contact -

(604) 695-1115 or marketbyjg.slv@shangri-la.com

Christmas Cocktails from Tableau’s Bar Team

Be sure to visit Tableau for some celebratory drinks this Yuletide, as Tableau’s bar team have created some decadent must-try cocktails available only for the Holiday season, including the Candy Cane Lane.

This brilliantly red colored gem is an instant memory machine, taking you right back to when you were five and the smell and taste of candy canes was a thing of unquenchable joy. Bright, clean and refreshing, with an elevated backbone of mint ice cream on the nose, it’s not viscous or too sweet, but just right. This melted candy cane medley is a delicious and fun cocktail that brings us all back to when we were sweet toothed little terrors, but be careful, a few of these and you may find yourself in more than a little trouble…. Remember – Santa knows who’s been naughty or nice.

To try it at home, the recipe is below:

Gin, Menthe Pastille, white chocolate syrup, lemon juice, Cassis and a half rim of crushed candy canes.

1 oz Gin

1 oz Menthe Pastille

½ oz white chocolate syrup

½ oz lemon juice

¼ Cassis

Crushed candy canes on rim

Mix, shake with ice and double strain into a chilled coupe martini glass, garnish with a half rim of crushed candy canes.

The Latest Brunch Trends at Tableau

Vancouver may be buzzing about lunch and dinner at Tableau, but its brunch menu is the Coal Harbour’s best kept secret. Chef MAC has updated the menu to feature mouth-watering Chicken & Waffles, the Southern Comfort food combination that is the latest brunch trend in the US. It’s the perfect way to escape Christmas shopping madness and spend some quality time with friends and family – why not make it extra festive by swapping the classic Caesar or Mimosa for an Eggnog cocktail?

Christmas Menu

If you are wishing for something different for a festive feast this year, then you may be tempted by Chef MAC’s French-inspired interpretations of Christmas classics, including succulent Pan Roasted Pheasant Breast with Spiced Apple Compote and an indulgent Eggnog cheese cake. However you like to celebrate the Holiday season, be it a fabulous party or an intimate gathering of family and friends, Tableau is one of the best new restaurants in the city to discover this year. If you are inspired to recreate the recipes at home, Chef MAC explains how below:

Pan Roasted Pheasant Breast with Spiced Apple Compote

Pheasant

Pheasant breast – 4

Olive oil – 2 tbsp

Salt, pepper – to taste

Butter – 4 tbsp

Fresh thyme – 2 sprigs

Rosemary – 1 sprig

Garlic- 1 clove

1. Heat a suitable pan on med-high heat
2. Season the pheasant with salt and a good crack of pepper.  Add the olive oil to the pan.  Your oil / pan should be nice and hot.
3. Sear the meat skin side down into the pan, make sure you don’t over crowd the pan.
4. Let the pheasant continue to cook until you have a nice brown colour on the skin.
5. Turn the meat over and turn the heat down.  Add the butter, the herbs and the garlic clove to the pan.
6. Let the butter gently foam and brown over the pheasant
7. Cooking time is approx. 8-10 min depending on the size of the pheasant breasts

Spiced apple compote

Apple  – 2

Butter – 2 tbsp

Honey – 1 tbsp

Cinnamon – ¼ tsp

Star anise – 1-2 piece

Allspice – ¼ tsp

Calvados, brandy or apple juice – 1 tbsp

1. Any apple, granny smith, gala or ambrosia will work just fine.  Peel, core and dice your apples, about a half inch dice
2. Heat a small pot on high-med heat.  Add your butter.  When it starts to melt and foam add your apples
3. Sauté for a minute or two and then add the honey and the spices
4. Turn down the heat and cook for another couple minutes.  Keep stirring
5. Add the calvados, brandy, juice and continue to simmer
6. Serve warm. This compote can be used right away or reserved for later

Eggnog Cheesecake

Cheesecake

Cream cheese – 16oz

Whole egg – 4

Sugar – 1 cup

Eggnog – 1 ½ cup

Dark Rum – 3 tbsp

Salt  – pinch

Vanilla extracts – 1 tsp

Shortbread Base

Butter – 1 cup

Flour – 1 cup

Sugar – ½ cup

Vanilla – 1 tsp

Method

1. Preheat oven to 300 F

1. On a piece of baking paper, trace a circle the size of the 9” pan

3. Cut out the circle and line the bottom of the pan
4. Crumble your shortbread and press into the bottom of the pan.  Make sure you have a nice even base covering the whole pan
5. In a food processor or mixer combine the cream cheese, eggs and sugar
6. When the mixture is well blended add the eggnog, rum, vanilla and salt
7. Pour the mixture into the pan over the shortbread base
8. Set the cake into the preheated oven and bake for 1 hour.  Check by giving the pan a little shake, if it still wiggles bake for another 15-20 min
9. Let the cheesecake completely cool to properly set before serving
10. Serve with whipped cream and friends!

CLIFFWALK adds sensational new glow to annual event

Canyon Lights opens Friday evening at Capilano Suspension Bridge Park with the biggest and brightest holiday light display to date.

CLIFFWALK, the park’s latest attraction and a hit with guests since it opened in June, brings an exciting new holiday thrill during the winter chill.  The narrow 700-foot cliff-side walkway, split into ascending and descending staircases and viewing platforms takes guests along the colour-washed cliff-face, through an enchanting light display high above the rushing waters of Capilano River.

In addition to the breathtaking sight of hundreds of thousands of lights twinkling throughout the park, across the Suspension Bridge and throughout Treetops Adventure, Canyon Lights continues its popular traditions – gingerbread cookie decorating, sing-a-long carols with the holiday band, and blown glass ornament demonstrations with Malcolm Macfadyen.

“We are so pleased that Canyon Lights has become such a wonderful holiday tradition,” says Nancy Stibbard, owner and CEO.  “Since 2007, we have raised over $87,000.00 for the BC Professional Fire Fighters Burn Fund.  Our goal for this season is to raise $20,000 this year to support Burn Awareness Week in BC elementary schools in 2012.”  Burn Awareness Week targets children ages 5 to 12, who are considered high-risk for burns, teaching them to be responsible for their own safety and making their families aware of potentially harmful situations.

Canyon Lights will be on display from December 2, 2011 to January 1, 2012 from 5:00 – 9:00pm daily, except on December 25, when the park is closed all day. The cost for an adult is $25, children (6-16) are $5 or $50 for a family of four (2 adults, 2 children).

For daily information on Canyon Lights, including countdown contests and prizing, please visit our blog www.capbridgeviews.com, Follow Us On Twitter, or join our Facebook Fan Page .

For general information, please visit our website www.capbridge.com or call 604-985-7474.  For information on the BC Professional Fire Fighters’ Burn Fund, please visit www.burnfund.org.

Capilano Suspension Bridge is part of the Capilano Group of Companies (CGC), which comprises retail, lodge and attraction businesses including Moraine Lake Lodge and Cathedral Mountain Lodge near Banff, Alberta.

Enjoy carol singers (10am-12noon), live piano music (12noon-2pm / 5pm-7pm), a visit from Santa Claus (11am-1pm) with hot apple cider and hot chocolate served throughout the day. Children are invited to post letters to the North Pole via the Rosewood Hotel Georgia’s bronze letterbox, an original feature from when the property first opened in 1927.

The beautiful surround of Vancouver’s most historic luxury hotel and its decorated lobby with Christmas trees and festive flower displays, is the perfect location to share and celebrate the Christmas spirit, before joining the crowds downtown for the Rogers Vancouver Santa Claus Parade, which starts at 1pm.

Donations will be accepted in support of the BC Children’s Hospital Foundation and the Union Gospel Mission.

For more information, visit www.rosewoodhotelgeorgia.com or call 604.682.5566.

About Rosewood Hotel Georgia

Since 1927, the Hotel Georgia – now known as Rosewood Hotel Georgia – has represented Vancouver’s most stylish and elegant retreat at the beating heart of the city.  The legendary property is located just steps away from long stretches of sea wall, the downtown shopping and business districts and Canada’s greenest convention centre.  Named “Top City of the Americas” in Conde Nast Traveler’s 2010 Readers’ Choice Awards, Vancouver’s reputation as a world-class city, flanked by magnificent snow-kissed mountains and the Pacific Ocean continues to shine. The 155-room hotel is home to Hawksworth Restaurant, lead by visionary chef David Hawksworth; Sense A Rosewood Spa® offering a menu of West-Coast treatments; thoughtfully designed meetings facilities; a heritage ballroom and spacious lounges, which act as a tranquil and enticing haven in this radiant downtown hub. www.rosewoodhotelgeorgia.com

This winter, the renowned chefs of Metropolitan Hotels want guests to entertain stress-free by leaving the shopping, cooking and cleaning to them. That’s why each Metropolitan restaurant has offered holiday dining options that play to each chef and restaurant’s strengths and unique style.

“The holidays is the season for celebration and spending time with family and friends,” says Caroline Neish, corporate director of food and beverage for Metropolitan Hotels. “By offering a variety of spectacular and yet value-driven choices for our customers, we hope that everyone can focus on enjoying his or her holidays with what is most important.”

Diva at the Met’s Chef Quang Dang has created menus for each special day of the season, with sumptuous dishes ranging from a more traditional butter-poached turkey breast, through to true Cascadian options such as Vancouver Island scallops with a duck “pho” broth. As is now tradition, Lai Wah Heen’s lineup includes its sumptuous New Year’s Day buffet that combines traditional Chinese classics like Peking Duck and abalone with international favourites such as Roast Prime Rib and sushi. Hemispheres Restaurant is already running its Christmas around the World Luncheon menu. Lai Toh Heen is planning a reprise of its successful Christmas and New Year’s Eve dinners. Senses Restaurant will feature the luscious libation of Champagne to anchor its offerings. And Habitat Restaurant, the newest Metropolitan restaurant, also plans to be the focus of celebrations in Canmore with special dinners and its Twelve Days of Christmas festivities.

The entire range of Christmas and New Year’s special events, including menus, can be found at www.metropolitan.com/xmas2010.htm.

About Metropolitan Hotels

Metropolitan Hotels operates four luxury properties: Metropolitan Toronto, the Soho Metropolitan, the Grande Rockies Resort and the Metropolitan Vancouver. With more than 920 rooms, Metropolitan Hotels is committed to providing luxury accommodation for business and leisure travellers seeking an independent choice.  A member of Preferred Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Metropolitan strives to provide superior service with distinctive accommodations. Award-winning restaurants at Metropolitan Hotels include Hemispheres and Lai Wah Heen (Metropolitan Toronto), Senses (SoHo Metropolitan), Diva at the Met (Metropolitan Vancouver) and Lai Toh Heen (mid-town Toronto).

Holiday Traditions on Granville Island

Genuine Christmas traditions can be hard to find in a young, multicultural city like Vancouver, but for years, Granville Island and the Dockside Restaurant at the Granville Island Hotel have been filling the Holiday Season with events that are packed with seasonal cheer.

On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, the Dockside Restaurant celebrates two great festive traditions with Christmas Dinner on the 24th and 25th and Vancouver’s best Christmas Day Brunch from 10am – 3pm on the big day. Whether it’s a large family group looking for a place to celebrate together or a break from the other Christmas traditions of hours of cooking and post-dinner cleanup, Chef Jeff Batt’s three-course table d’hôte menu is a traditional Christmas feast in a unique setting.

Those who are looking for a delicious Christmas dinner without spending hours in the kitchen need look not further than the Dockside Brewery and Restaurant’s be, offered from 5-8:30pm on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Chef Jeff Batt has taken classic Christmas dishes and elevated them with carefully preparation and flair. With traditional entrée choices of turkey or ham alongside an Oceanwise salmon option, everyone will find something to their liking. Dinner is $44.95 per person and reservations are required.

Many have made Christmas Day Brunch at Dockside has become one of the signature days of the year at the Dockside Restaurant. It’s a great way to enjoy the day with family or friends after opening gifts. A packed house is expected again for this festive tradition which combines a full buffet featuring a mouthwatering range of homemade baked goods, salads, entrées, fresh made omelettes and Belgian waffles along with desserts. The buffet is served 10am-3pm and costs $49.95 per person or $19.95 for kids. Again, reservations are required for this great tradition.

For over 20 years, New Year’s Eve at the Granville Island Hotel has been one of the events of the year. During that time, the view over to the city and Yaletown has changed but the party has gone on. Again this year, the Cityscapes New Year’s Eve celebration includes multiple rooms of entertainment, multiple dining options and packages that include rooms for the ultimate getaway in the City.

For more information on these great events including full menus, visit www.docksidebrewing.com. Reservations can be made by phone at 604-685-7070 or by emailing info@docksidebrewing.com.

At this time of year it’s dark, cold and damp. Some of us get up in the dark and come home in the dark. Our energy sags, we feel like cocooning and dreams of sunlit beaches dance in our heads. The medical profession calls it S.A.D. (Seasonal Affective Disorder) and prescribes special ‘light treatments’ to counter-act the seasonal blues.VanDusen Botanical Garden’s Festival of Lights is the best treatment we can think of to combat the winter blahs. With 1.4 million dazzling lights it has proven effective in upping the fun quotient for extended families with multiple generations, dating couples as well as friends looking for something to do together. Running December 11th through January 3rd from 4:30 to 9 pm every night (except December 25th when the Garden is closed).

The centre piece of Festival of Lights is the enthralling Dancing Lights on Livingstone Lake. Every half hour on the half hour, the show features thousands of lights on Lake Walk and Lake Peninsula programmed to dance, change colour, flicker, twirl and twinkle in harmony with recorded music. This year the Dancing Lights offers two different seven-minute interpretations of seasonal music – one will be in a more traditional classic style, while the other will bring to mind the jazzy interpretations of the big band era and the Rat Pack. The shows alternate so that there is a different Dancing Lights every half hour. In addition to watching the show from Lake Walk, you might want to watch it from the higher vantage point of Candy Cane Lane on the ridge overlooking Lake Walk and Livingstone Lake. To see the Dancing Lights in action: http://vancouver.ca/parks/parks/vandusen/website/events/fol.htm

Over in the Centre Court don’t be surprised if you run into, or more likely, are accosted by, Svend and Jens, our two mischievous Scandinavian Nisse or Christmas Gnomes. Famed as tricksters, it was the Nisse who delivered gifts to children in the Scandinavian countries prior to the advent of Santa Claus. Svend and Jens have been stealing hearts and inspiring gleeful laughter since their arrival at Festival of Lights three years ago. You’ll find them hanging out in the Centre Court area at the Gnome Home Under the Dome adjacent to Santa’s Living Room.

Speaking of the ‘jolly old elf,’ every night December 11th through 24th, Santa Claus himself can be found in his Living Room every evening  starting at 5:30 pm for 30 minutes on the half hour (e.g. 5:30 – 6 p.m. 6:30 – 7 p.m., 7:30 – 8 p.m., 8:30 – 9 p.m.). From December 26th through January 3rd Fanny Starchild Puppet Theatre takes over from Santa bringing to life the story of The Magic Garden. Puppet shows have long been a part of European Christmases entertaining young and old alike. There are four 30-minute shows every evening from at the bottom of the hour:  5:30 p.m., 6:30 p.m., 7:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.

New this year is the Festival’s Sparkling Spruce, a 45 foot Serbian Spruce (picea omorika) located on the edge of the Centre Court. Sit in the sleigh and work the controls to design your own light show with the tree as your canvas – sort of a make-your-own mini version of the Dancing Lights.

On the north side of Livingstone Lake and adjacent to the Dancing Lights, a meandering path leads you through the Gingerbread Wood to a classic gingerbread house bedecked in sweets and surrounded by a lollipop garden. Along the way, look for ‘de-lightful’ surprises in and under the trees. You might even catch a glimpse of gingerbread children playing in the Wood.

Live music is very much a part of the holiday season and VanDusen is once again pleased to present its Community Choir Concerts on the Deck. Join us nightly at 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. December 11th through 24th to hear glorious music performed by choirs from all over the Lower Mainland.

Tucked away in the Heather Garden is the Make-A-Wish Candle Shrine. For a small donation, visitors are encouraged to light a candle and make a wish. Proceeds go to the Make-A-Wish Foundation® of BC and Yukon.  Make-A-Wish strives to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. Dozens of candles glowing in the dark is a truly beautiful sight. For more information on the Foundation, we invite you to visit their web site at:  www.makeawish.bc.ca

Food is always an important part of Festival of Lights. We are pleased to welcome back Dr. Waffle. Dr. Waffle has the right prescriptions to cure your hunger pangs. He will be dispensing his special brand of medicine from his signature kiosk located near the Dancing Lights. You might find a cure for what ails you with a yummy gingerbread waffle or stave off an impending cold with a steaming cup of Thomas Haas Hot Chocolate or mulled apple cider made form organic apples. In the same area you’ll also find the Hot Potato Peddler offering hot, roasted potatoes with a variety if tasty toppings.

For those interested in something more substantial, Shaughnessy Restaurant is open for lunch, afternoon tea and regular dinner service. Reservations are a must and can be made by calling 604.261.0011. Shaughnessy will also operate Mrs. Claus’ Kitchen next to Santa’s Living Room as well as serving seasonal goodies from their kiosk located on Shaughnessy’s back deck.

Festival of Lights runs from Friday, December 11th through January 3rd, 4:30 to 9 p.m. except for Christmas Day (December 25th) when the Garden is closed.  The Garden is located at 5251 Oak Street at West 37th Avenue.

Avoid the line-up and purchase your tickets in advance through Tickets Tonight at 604-684-2787 / www.ticketstonight.ca (service charge applies) or you can pick them up in person at the Garden Shop (no service charge) or Garden Administration Office. Tickets will also be available at the Gate every evening. All funds raised go to help VanDusen grow. VanDusen Botanical Garden is a registered non-profit charity. For more information on VanDusen Botanical Garden and its events, visit www.vandusengarden.org Prices: Adults – $11.45, Seniors (65+) & Youth (13-18) – $8.30, Children (6-12) – $6.25, Family (2 adults + 2 children under 19) – $26. Children under age 6 are free.

Be sure not to miss this year’s Festival of Lights at vanDusen Botanical Garden – you’ll be sure to have a ‘de-light-full’ time. Festival of Lights is the major event/fundraiser for VanDusen Botanical Garden. Funds raised from the event help the Garden to grow. For more information on VanDusen Botanical Garden, its collections, events and programs, please visit www.vandusengarden.org

VanDusen wishes to thank Event Sponsors Blenz Coffee, Western One Rentals and Sales, Vivid Lighting Solutions and media sponsor, The Vancouver Courier for their generous support.

VanDusen Botanical Garden, 5251 Oak Street, Vancouver, BC V6M 4H1  Info: 604.878.9274

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