Raise a Glass of Sauvignon Blanc This Friday One of my favourite grapes in Sauvignon Blanc, perhaps because it goes so well with my favourite food, oysters! This year International Sauvignon Blanc Day takes place on 5 May 2017. We’ve partnered with the New Zealand Winegrowers to assist with a social media campaign to raise awareness of the day and encourage consumers to celebrate the country’s flagship wine. New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is a $1.3 billion dollar export earner, massively contributing to the success of New Zealand wine overseas! This Friday you can choose to purchase a bottle and sip at…
Author: cassandra
What to do in and around Vancouver? We just had the most perfect wedding and are up in Kelowna on our honeymoon, installed at the Manteo Resort and about to do get up to some more fun this afternoon! There’s a lot going on in here and in Vancouver and and so we’re suggesting you might like to do a bit of both! We’re back Friday so may get to some Cinco de Mayo events, but I am doing the half marathon and the snout to tail dinner for sure! NZ Wine Tiki Tour May 4 Annual New Zealand Wine…
New Zealand Wine Hits Vancouver May 4 I was born in New Zealand and have returned to explore Hawkes Bay, but have yet to tour the entire country’s wine regions! But now’s the chance as the country’s wineries are coming to you in Vancouver! Take a tiki tour, a trip where you take the scenic route, sidetrack a little, linger and experience new things. On May 4th take the Tiki Tour with New Zealand Wine, an evening of meandering, digressing, indulging and awakening the senses. Who knows where, what or whom you’ll discover! What we do know is there will be amazing New Zealand wines, fascinating people and…
Okanagan hails the delicious, delightful return of Devour! Osoyoos Food Film Festival, May 5 – 7 We just returned from the Osoyoos Oyster Festival and had a marvelous time, and they just don’t seem to stop the party down there! Next up is Devour! Osoyoos Food Film Fest on May 5 – 7 and we are wondering if maybe we shouldn’t stop in for the night on the way back to Vancouver! This weekend-long culinary celebration features some of Western Canada’s best chefs. Devour launches on Friday, May 5 at Black Hills Estate Winery where Chef Michael Howell will co-hosts a cocktail party with…
Vancouver Events We Recommend This Week Currently nestled in the Naramata Bench, we are enjoying our stay at Quidni Estate Winery and are very reluctant to leave! We’ve had some great food here and tasted some amazing wine and beer, so stay tuned for a Penticton/Naramata travel edition. We’ll be up in Kelowna for the next little while arranging our wedding (3 more sleeps), but if we were in Vancouver, there’d be a few things we’d check out. Stuffed Pasta from Scratch with Chef Romy Prasad At Well Seasoned April 29th If you haven’t been to Well Seasoned in Langley…
Comox is Just a Quick Flight Away I am so very fond of traveling to Vancouver Island and do so at least several times a year. One of my favourite reasons to go is always the BC Shellfish Festival and I am looking very forward to it again this year. Last year I flew over for a day for quick visit as well, and managed to get in a whale watching tour, dinner at Locals an overnight and even a tasting and tour at Shelter Point Distillery. With Harbour Air you are there in less than an hour, so I…
Wedding Planning Just Got Real – The Imperfect Bride’s Guide to A Near Perfect Wedding – Part 2 The last wedding check in was at eight weeks to go, and I really did mean to update this at least a few times, but, as mentioned I am far from perfect, and suddenly we are just one week away! But we are actually feeling pretty organized right now, just moments ago I just finalized the cake flavours and we are currently chill-laxing in our hotel room at Walnut Beach Resort before heading out to another event as part of the Osoyoos…
Vancouver Events This Weekend We’re off on our pre-wedding honeymoon (which totally is a thing by the way) and are currently hanging our hat at Walnut Beach Resort in the very sunny Osoyoos for their Oyster Festival! While we don’t regret being here AT ALL, there are a couple things we’re sad to miss in Vancouver. Juno Kim Pop-Up 6-Course Brunch at Field & Social v2.0 by Juno Kim + Field & Social $49 Join Juno Kim on Saturday, April 22nd for a special two-seating brunch at Field & Social. Inspired by staff meal and dim-sum style feasts, Chef Juno…
We’re Planning Our Annual Trek to Osoyoos For the Osoyoos Oyster Festival No there are not oysters grown right in Osoyoos, but that didn’t stop the founders of the Osoyoos Oyster Festival, from having a vision to give weary oyster farmers a break from the coast and locals and visiting oyster aficionados something to slurp while waiting for all of the spring wines to be released. It’s in the sixth year now and Michael and I will, once again make the journey to the Okanagan, via Kelowna, where we’ll stop for some last minute wedding prep, then continue down the…
Garagiste North Wine Festival Announces 2017 Tour Dates: Vancouver/ Parksville/ Penticton If you’ve ever felt that you don’t get to try the smaller wine producers from around BC, this is the chance for you to sample these hard to find wines. Founders of the Garagiste North Wine Festival, Jennifer Schell and Terry Meyer-Stone, started this unique gathering to celebrate the artisan winemakers that are often too small to join the big festivals. The inaugural festival in 2014 held in Okanagan Falls captured the hearts of the wine-loving crowd who were delighted to taste these exclusive wines and have the opportunity to talk…
Touring Morocco – A Taste of Moroccan Cuisine Last year my parents were on the road a fair bit and one of their trips took them to Moroccan. My mother, Suzanne Anderton, was kind enough to contribute this article to GLV! Aching for the exotic? Willing to explore sights and foods you’ve only read about? Then go to Morocco-a well-spring of antiquity about to propel itself into the 21st Century. In this amazing country the true meaning of Moroccan food hits you. A blend of French, Berber and Arabian cuisine is cheaply available at in local street side cafes, elegant hotels,…
What To Do in Vancouver for Easter Weekend? Folks I’ve been so wrapped up in wedding thingies and my big weight loss challenge that I’ve been running around like a chicken with my head chopped off! AND yes, they sadly do that and really, so do I. I don’t even think I told you I won the challenge, but more about that later. However, I can’t let Easter go by without at least a couple suggestions as I believe in fully celebrating each and every holiday. It’s something I got from my mother, who went out of her way to make…
Gin and Tonic With Bombay Sapphire East What’s in your glass today? April 9th is national gin and tonic day, so why not mix one up, hit the patio and catch some of the sunshine we are currently experiencing, and quickly before it disappears! The army of the British East India Company is credited with the creation of the drink. In India malaria was a persistent problem and thankfully a Scottish doctor discovered that quinine could be used to prevent the disease. The habit was to drink in tonic water, but the bitter taste was unpleasant so they then added water, sugar, lime…
What Exactly Is This Dailey Method All About? I’ve been working out at the Dailey Method since about September and I’m totally addicted to their Dailey Cycle Classes and go at least 2 or 3 times a week. The cycle class is 35-40 minutes cycling and then 20 minutes of floor exercises such as planking, bicep curls, sit ups and stretches and I love the combination. These classes are a huge reason I’ve dropped 35 lbs this past while and I love the way the exercises shape my body and the intensity of the cycle gets my heart rate way…
Events in and Around Vancouver WHAT? It’s almost April, and this is our Vancouver weather? Well, at least Vancouver is a city that knows how to function in the rain and whether it’s pouring or sunny, we’ve always got a ton to do to distract us. What to do this week? Here’s just a few suggestions. March 30 Dining Out For Life HELP OTHERS ONE SPOONFUL AT A TIME! On Thursday, March 30, 2017, dine out for breakfast, lunch or dinner at participating restaurants and support people living with HIV/AIDS right here at home. From Whistler to White Rock and…
My BMISmart Journey to Better Health For those who’ve been following me of late, you may have noticed a lot more posts on health, fitness and good food on Good Life Vancouver and on our social media accounts. AND you may have noticed pictures of me where I appear, slightly smaller, AND that’s because I am, and it’s thanks to BMISmart. Since January 18th I have had the good fortune to have been selected to participate in a Weight Loss Challenge, sponsored by BMI Smart, that included using their weight loss supplement, I-REMOVE. I’ve been taking I-REMOVE since then and…
Start Fresh With a HydraFacial When you are choosing a skin care provider, especially when it involves procedures on the most visible and sensitive part of your body, your face, it’s essential that you choose someone very reputable and a clinic that explains everything to you extremely thoroughly. There’s a lot of “deals” out there and some are very worthwhile, but a lot of them are merely a hook to get you into more and are the clinics rush so they can fit more clients in to cover their costs. I’ve had a few of these experiences, so when it…
Vancouver Events This Week Hard to believe we are half into March! C’mon cherry blosoms! But I think I boringly say it’s always hard to believe we are at “some particular date”, as time tends to fly by for me every day. I should try a better intro. However, back to the weather, it’s a little warmer out this week, although by the weekend it looks like temperature may cool. At least there’s not constant rain in the city so you can get out for a walk or two. I’m doing a long run Sunday morning so say a little…
Cooking Up Local Spiced Pork Tenderloin In Bacon Ensures Moist Meat This post is part of the Virtual Potluck menu, a fun project created by Piquant Marketing, scroll down to the bottom for more recipes from the potluck and click the image below for more information. OR HERE! Growing up in Kelowna we had both an apricot orchard and a few pigs on our farm, and I still love the combination of pork with tree fruit as the meat is already a bit sweet and it’s a natural complement. As an official pork ambassador for BC and Alberta Pork you…
Marc Slingsby-Jones Mixes Up The ‘Fez’ Cocktail at Cafe Medina Joe Leary and I have been testing out those cocktails again and stumbled upon a rather tasty one (pardon the overused pun) at Cafe Medina for the latest Hand Crafted Spirits Show on TSN1410. Known for their brunch, Cafe Medina serves up a lot more than your regular eggs benny, and drinks are equally complex. I’m thinking this one would go very well with their Salmon Fume, a Fried Egg, Smoked Wild Salmon Cream Cheese, Avocado, Organic Greens, and pepper and artichoke salad on Grilled Ciabatta. Thanks to bar manager Marc Slingsy-Jones for…
