Tofino’s Feast BC includes dinner specials at various restaurants throughout the region and I was lucky enough to be there when Zambri’s Chef, Peter Zambri, was cooking at Shelter. Along with the regular menu, Zambri cooked up a special Italian version, which brought in the crowds, as the one thing Tofino doesn’t have is an…
Category: Good Life Samplings
Foraging Lunch Feast BC Tofino
Part of what makes Feast BC in Tofino and Ucluelet so amazing are the many events that include food, but also have a learning component to them. Surf lessons and sea kayaking are options, as was the foraging trip I took on Friday May 13 with J & C Salt, a local outdoors training company….
Dueling Pianos Grand Villa Casino
I’ve never been to Vegas, I couldn’t gamble myself out of a paper bag and I frankly have had little use for casinos in the past. But, after an invite to visit the Grand Villa Casino in Burnaby, I am thinking somewhat differently about the whole “Casino as Entertainment” adventure. The Grand Villa is beside…
Feast BC – Tofino 2011
During the month of May and into the first week of June, Tofino/Ucluelet is hosting Feast, a multi-venue celebration of all good things food and wine related in the area. I headed up for week one, Salmon Week, and due to the fact I unfortunately have to work for a living, I couldn’t stay for…
Whole Foods Shucks Oysters for Valentines Day
As Valentines Day neared the increasing talk of oysters drove me into a frenzie, and the craving led me to Whole Foods. Whole Foods carries oysters regularly, but has stocked up on them and will even shuck them for you for Valentine’s Day. I picked up some Fanny Bay, Kushi, Effingham and Kumamoto to slurp…
Escape to Victoria
With the holiday season rapidly approaching, Vancouverites begin dreaming of warmer spots. There is, however, an easier way to get away from the hustle and bustle that takes merely a leisurely BC Ferries journey to arrive at. It’s the perfect time to head to Victoria, where you can park the car at your hotel and walk to the downtown core. Finish (or start)…
Legacy Liquor Store Grand Opening
While most of Vancouver was busy complaining about the cold and worrying about the soon to fall snow, members of the liquor community were checking out the opening for the newest and biggest BC private liquor store, Legacy Liquor Store in the Millenium Village. While the Village itself is having rather noticeable problems selling the…
Hyatt Gingerbread 2010 – Winners Announced
The lobby of the Hyatt Regency Vancouver is home to the annual gingerbread contest (exhibit runs until December 26), an event where culinary schools, high schools and corporations compete to craft the best gingerbread house. Points are given for originality, level of difficulty, overall appearance, and attention to detail. I have judged for the past two years…
Ocean Wise Seafood Chowder Chowdown – Nov. 24
Who will reign supreme in this year’s Seafood Chowder Chowdown, this Wednesday at the Vancouver Aquarium? Check out some shots from last year’s event and get your tickets asap as they are almost sold out. Pictured here is Go Fish, last year’s winners. Tickets are $40 (non-members) and $32 (members) 12 of BC’s top Ocean…
Chilling out in Harrison
I have been out to Harrison in the summer for the Slow Food Cycle tour, and for romantic summer weekend getaways, but fall and winter also beckon me to this conveniently close getaway. Last year we escaped in October for a night at Harrison Hot Springs Resort and ended up staying for two, and this October I returned solo for a…
Yellow tail Reserve Tasting
I’m always up for a wine tasting that involves big Ozzy reds, so when Yellow tail rolled into town to show off their reserve line, I was keen to taste. I understand the consumer friendly regular Yellow tail line’s appeal, but for my palate, I find there is too much residual sugar in the bottle,…
Growing Chefs! Raises Over $12,000 at “From Farms to Forks” Gala
Children’s urban agriculture program set to expand to more schools than ever in 2011 Food Pictures Below! Growing Chefs! announces that their sold-out annual fundraising gala From Farms to Forks: A Harvest Kitchen Party raised over $12,000 for their 2011 school program. Hosted at the Dirty Apron Cooking School on Monday night (October 25, 2010), seventy-five food…
Cupcake Challenge 2010
Photos and Editorial by Gillian Guilmant-Smith – Is it ever possible to have too much of a good thing? Well, this premise was put to the test at Vancouver’s first Cupcake Challenge held on June 20th at the Roundhouse Community Centre. Butter cream ruled the day as guests sampled tasty treats from local cupcakeries Bon…
Tinhorn Creek Wine Tasting With a Social Twist
By Gillian Guilmant-Smith – On Wednesday, May 26, Tinhorn Creek hosted “Wine Tasting with a Social Twist” at the CBC Lounge on Hamilton Street. Guests were greeted by a host bearing name tags and ballots, with instructions to fill out the forms while rotating through the stations in the room. The idea was to guess…
Aboriginal Cuisine by Executive Chef Daryle Nagata
For the remainder of February, The Pan Pacific Hotel Vancouver features the “Kla-how-ya” Aboriginal Village and Chef Daryle Nagata’s unique aboriginal-inspired, west coast maki rolls, smoked salmon on bannock and more, in their Café Pacifica or Cascades Lounge, starting at $10 each. I sampled some of these treats at an Aboriginal Tourism event. I am hoping…
Holland Heinkein House
If you take a trip out to Richmond’s Ozone make time for The Holland Heineken House. Hosted by the Dutch Olympic Committee, this 5,000 square meters in the Minoru Area is right beside the Richmond Olympic Oval, home of the Dutch favourite, speed skating. At night check out the medal ceremonies held for Dutch athletes, listen to live Dutch entertainent and DJ’s, and if…
Alberta Pavilion
Alberta has brought the province to Vancouver at Robson and Beatty Street, where The Atlantic Trap and Gill is usually found. The actual house and restaurant within isn’t open to the public, but it does host guests who are presented with Alberta’s business and tourism opportunities, along with athletes and media. http://alberta.ca/vancouver2010/alberta-house.htm Alberta Plaza, in front of Alberta House, is open…
Richmond OZone’s BC Street
Richmond OZone – BC Street – In addition to the main attractions in and around the Ozone in Richmond (concerts, ice sculpture competition, a ferris wheel, skating and the amazing olympic cranberry ring pictured to the left), BC Street is open next to city hall on the east side of the Ozone. Here you’ll find the seven regions of…
Concord Place Pavilion visits – Sask, Quebec, Ontario
I managed to find my appetite again and headed out to sample the offerings of the Pavilions around Concord Place. Saskatchewan was my first stop. There Pavilion is spacious, and they tend not to let too many people in at once, making it quite comfortable. BUT – be forewarned, they don’t play the Olympic events…
Olympic Culinary Fever Hits Granville Island
Granville Island is the perfect place to catch some Olympic culinary fever. The Olympic Line will deposit you right at the foot of the Island and all is within walking distance. Don’t miss a stop at the Pacific Culinary Institute for a Keta Kebab from Organic Oceans charming Steve Johanson. He’s the real deal fisherman…
