British Columbia Canada Blog

I am a big fan of Chef Gordon Ramsay and love watching Hell’s Kitchen (the FOX channel’s reality series ) . I am excited for special two-hour episode on Tuesday, Sept. 22nd 2009 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) during which Chef Gordon Ramsay will showcase Whistler, British Columbia.

If you watch Hell’s Kitchen, you probably know that in this reality tv series, aspiring Chef’s are divided into two teams- red and blue and they compete to win each challenge. Ultimate reward for the last chef standing is Head Chef Position in a prestigious resort. Earlier this year, it was announced in  Hell’s Kitchen that the grand prize for this season is a Head Chef position at Araxi in Whistler, BC. The Winner will have the opportunity to work under Executive Chef James Walt as Whistler welcomes the world during the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

It’s a little known fact that chef Gordon Ramsay paid a secret visit to Whistler earlier this year to film a teaser featuring Araxi and Whistler, British Columbia. In the Sept. 22nd episode (This tuesday), Chef Ramsay shows the chefs how high the stakes are via a satellite tour of the award-winning restaurant and Whistler. I can’t wait to see how show’s producers have captured Whistler’s beauty.

On the same show, the chefs must use 15 local ingredients flown in from Whistler to create three entrees. Guest judges for the challenge include Olympians Sasha Cohen and Jonny Moseley. I am sure the show is going to be an absolute delight for Whistler lovers and ofcourse Chef Ramsay’s fans.

John Muir, once said:

Climb the mountains and get their good tidings.
Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees.
The winds will blow their own freshness into you…
while cares will drop off like autumn leaves.

Yes, care will drop off from you like Autumn leaves if you visit Whistler. It will rejuvenate and fill you with passion for life once again. Whistler is only 1.5 to 2 hours from Vancouver and the drive is beautiful.

I remember my first visit to Whistler, British Columbia- about four years ago and ever since, I have been a regular visitor. The highway which is practically clinging to the mountainside is exciting and the spectacular views of Howe Sound will keep you entertained on the way. You will start seeing snow capped peaks after the small town of Squamish along with lovely Cedar and Douglas Fir Forests which endow the valley.

If you wish to detour or take a break, keep an eye out for Diamond Head and Elfin Lakes or various provincial parks like Alice Lake Provincial Park and Brandywine Falls provincial park. Once in Whistler, enjoy Golfing, Mountain biking or take a ride on a jet-boat or a glider out of the magnificent Pemberton valley only 25 minutes north of Whistler.

I will strongly recommend visitors to pack their snack bags for munching on the way as there are not very many restaurants along the way.  Life is short so enjoy it to its fullest and one of the best ways to do it is by visiting Whistler, British Columbia.

Related Links:

Top Whistler Pubs

Accommodations around Vancouver

A friend of mine has recently come back from her trip to Port Hardy which is located on the North-Eastern end of Vancouver Island and about six- seven hours drive from Vancouver city, British Columbia. She wouldn’t stop gushing about her great BC ecological tour with Great Bear Nature Tours. She is passionate about BC wildlife and seeing Grizzly Bear in a safe guided environment was really exciting for her.

Check out few insights about Grizzly bear viewing that I got from her:

• Smith Inlet, BC (80 kms from Port Hardy which is about 40-45 minutes flight) is a perfect Grizzly Bear habitat. 
• Great Bear Nature Tours is a wildlife viewing operation in a river system (Smith Inlet, BC), spearheaded by a wildlife biologist.
• All Grizzly Bear Viewing tours with Great Bear Nature Tours include two grizzly bear viewing sessions per day and accommodation at Great Bear Lodge along with activities such as interpretive hikes, boat cruises or sea kayaking.
• Grizzly Bear Tours operate from May through October and you also have a chance to spot other wildlife species.

Sounds exciting- Isn’t it? I can’t wait to enjoy my own Great Bear Nature Tour.

Related Links:

BC Wildlife and Eco Tours

If you are looking for a place to stay around Vancouver then Maple Ridge is a great option. Maple Ridge is only 40-45 minutes drive away from Vancouver. If you are travelling through the region then choose to stay at Maple Ridge Inn & Suites.   

 Reasons to choose Maple Ridge Inn and Suites:

1. Competitive prices. They often offer great discount deals to familes, seniors, business travellers so do ask them about their deal of the season.

2. You can take advantage of their fitness center, which features state-of-the-art equipment as well as a whirlpool.

3. Comfortable rooms with king and queen sized beds plus in-room coffee and tea and complimentary movie channels.

4. Guests can also enjoy delicious home-style meal, at the Pantry family restaurant right.

5. Fully equipped meeting and banquet facilities ideal for group’s meetings or parties up to 100 people.

The other reasons that the guests choose to stay at Maple Ridge Inn and Suites is that they offer stylish and high quality furnishings, air conditioning, in room coffee and tea, hair dryer, iron and ironing board, and a 27′ inch television with four 24h movie channels.

In addition, suites feature fridges, microwave, and a second television which is perfect for families with kids. One of their special units is their Jaccuzi Suite perfect for after a round of golf, or a special occasion like birthdays and anniversaries. Business travellers will love the fact that they offer complimentary wired internet in guest rooms and wireless internet in the lobby.

Have you ever had a chance to stay at Maple Ridge Inn and Suites (Formerly Best Western)? Do share your experience with us and our readers.

Are you ready for SERF 2009 ?

This weekend, on Saturday, September 19th the Squamish Equinox Rock Festival is going to be the hottest event in British Columbia. The Squamish Equinox Rock Festival is an outdoor concert on the Squamish waterfront featuring live music, a beach bar, bonfire, and amazing 360 degree views.

An all-ages Squamish Music Festival starts at 2 pm and will continue till wee hours of the night. This year BC residents and tourists can enjoy 8 bands, DJ Riddim, Slackers slacklining, Play & Trade’s tricked out gaming car, an awesome Kid’s Zone (about 2000 Sq. feet), a healing drum circle, food vendors and SERF city marketplace. SERF has a community vibe inclusive of all. So take one last juicy bite out of summer and shake fall’s hand with your dancing shoes on at Squamish Music Festival 2009.

 If you are one of the first 1000 people to attend SERF between 2 - 5pm and get a chance to win a $500 Travel Voucher from Sunsational Vacations!

Check out the bands playing at Squamish Equinox Rock Festival this year:

1. Wassabi is a spicy five-piece, alternative-thinking band from small town of Nelson, B.C and they have been busy spreading their positive west coast vibes.  The band’s sound fuses everything from roots reggae, funk, jazz, hip hop, rock and everything in between. Hailed as one of Canada’s best live independent bands, Wassabi draws crowds of good people, positive thinkers and happy souls. 

2. Brave New Waves Reggae , surf and ska-influenced band from Victoria is floating through its second year. They say keep your dancing shoes on always, and don’t be afraid to sing anywhere!

3. Jam ’n’ Tonics: Converging in Squamish, the five folks who are the Jam ‘n’ Tonics create an energetic, bilingual, organic sound. Their vocal harmonies and sharp insightful lyrics are influenced by folk, rock and happy hour on the patio.

4. Lotus is an indie female band from Vancouver, BC. Formed in 2000 their music is an up-tempo mix of lyrical realism, winsome vocals, and sleek musical grooves. Lotus’s music is a fusion of “urban folk, rock, pop, and blues into one uniquely Canadian genre.”

5. Mindil Beach Markets is a rock/reggae/folk/hip hop group based out of Victoria, BC. They are a band that is difficult to cram into a nutshell, with song styles ranging from funky and bumping to powerfully emotive. Having grown up on the serene Sunshine Coast, all five band members are accustomed to a laid back lifestyle and exhibit an innate appreciation for the simple beauty found in nature. This perspective clearly manifests in their music, lending an organic and pure harmony to the nostalgic summer time vibe of their songs.

6. Zombie’s Locker is the essence of a ‘local band’ built on the exceptional songwriting talents of bass player Todd drummer. The guitar player Ben Lens of Davy’s Locker fame, another local favourite, has joined the original Zombie’s roof band to make a statement with classic rock roots and current political themes.

7. The Dead Heathers formed as a group a couple of years ago in the Squamish Valley. The Dead Heathers are a 5 piece band with an original sound, one could say “a unique blend of country, blues, and rock”.  Playing a wide variety of instruments, the band has a high energy, driving new sound, with groovy bass patterns and explosive drumming.

8. The Overcomers are a band with a pop-rock sound and a Nashville edge with Mario Iacovone on guitar and his wife Anne on lead vocals and guitar. Together the couple have been composing new tunes for their up and coming album with fellow bass player and composer, Andre Chamberlain. As a trio, they found jamming together to be a favouritepastime and many of the songs are born out of those jam sessions. Recently, The Overcomers have added drummer Jeremy Radawiec and backing vocalist Naomi Lang to complete a full band ensemble

9. DJ Riddim Fernandez began music with his trusted hand drum and progressed into drum machines and then to record players and now after DJing for several years have started creating music.

Hope you have fun at Squamish Music Festival 2009. Don’t forget to share your pictures with us.

Did you  hear, what Darron Kloster (Times colonist) said about discounted hotel accommodations on Canada.com. He mentioned that the prices for hotel accommodations across Canada have dropped down especially in our beautiful British Columbia. Now, isn’t thata great reason to travel this fall. See the data that Darron presented:

• The average price for a hotel room tumbled 17 per cent around the globe in the first half of the year — the lowest level in five years. (As per survey by Hotels.com)
•  Victoria’s major hoteliers, mostly in the Inner Harbour area, cut rates by eight per cent to $130 a night
• Calls to smaller operators indicated price cuts ranged from $10 to $70 depending on the month.
• Whistler cut rates by 27 per cent to $173 a night.
• The occupancy rate in Greater Victoria’s 4,400 hotel rooms slipped to 60 per cent over the first six months of the year — down four per cent from 2008, according to the latest figures from Bourree’s Chemistry Consulting. The average daily room rate was $116, off $6 from a year ago, while revenue per available room slid more than $8 to $70.32.
• Mandy Farmer, who runs the Accent Inn chain of six hotels across British Columbia, said occupancy was better than last year in the Okanagan and Kamloops areas, but weaker at properties in Vancouver and Victoria.

Instead of taking trips to Europe this fall, I am going to take more weekends trips to nearby beautiful BC destinations. How about you? Are you going to take advantage of discounted hotel rates in BC?

Yesterday, I came across a very interesting article on Yahoo, called “ Canada’s Top 10 Hotels” by Bob Harris- a Forbes traveller but what was more interesting was the fact that five of British Columbia’s Hotels were featured in this list (List was compiled by the Forbes Traveler 400 board of experts, who had gathered to determine Canada’s finest luxury hotels and resorts.) Curious to know, which BC hotels made it to the list? Check it out below:

Four Seasons Whistler and Fairmont Chateau Whistler : These resorts offer high-end accommodation with amenities like quality spa, excellent location, multiple whirlpools and finest dining facilities.

On Vancouver Island, the Sooke Harbour House was the clear choice in the British Columbia capital of Victoria along with Wickaninnish Inn in Tofino  .

Finally, in the city of Vancouver, the Opus Hotel (a youthful 96-unit boutique property) located in Yaletown district, made it to the list.

If you get a chance do travel to these outstanding BC hotels and if you have a favourite Hotel in British Columbia, do share it with us. 

Related Links:

British Columbia Accommodations

British Columbia Bed and Breakfasts

I am sure just like me the other BC golf enthusiasts are excited about new Greg Norman golf course in British Columbia. Greg Norman (hall of fame golfer) has just recently announced that he will be designing a championship golf course on the former fairways of Ponderosa Golf Course in a new village-oriented development in Peachland, British Columbia (only 30-45 minutes away from Kelowna) .

The Greg Norman Championship Golf Course will provide exciting new challenges for all levels of golfers and will utilize the natural features of the area like lovely lake Okanagan, majestic mountains, the Ponderosa pines and awe-inspiring wineries. The Ponderosa planned community is going to be a five star community with a master-planned golf course development by Treegroup Developments Corp. in collaboration with the Westbank First Nation. It will have all facilities for leading a luxurious life.

From BC tourism perspective, this golf course will not only generate more jobs in the area but will also bring in valuable tourism dollars to beautiful Okanagan region. The golf course is scheduled to open in Spring of 2011.

Vancouver has been a popular choice for BC residents and other travellers for starting their cruise ship journey for over 30 years. Currently, Vancouver is home to two cruise ship terminals Canada Place and Ballantyne Pier and now joining the ranks of Vancouver is another BC city-Nanaimo. Nanaimo, British Columbia is set to get $22 million cruise ship terminal which will be jointly funded by the federal and provincial governments.

Read more details below courtesy JOC News Service :

Both the feds and their provincial counterparts will contribute $8.5 million in stimulus funding, with the remaining $5 million to be provided by the Nanaimo Port Authority. The new facility will allow cruise vessels to berth directly in the Nanaimo Assembly Wharf area, eliminating the need to shuttle passengers to and from the harbour area by boat. Officials hope the project will help promote tourism and contribute to economic activity within the city. Construction is expected to begin in January 2010 and is expected to be completed by December 2010.

British Columbia’s wine industry has always been innovative and exciting for wine lovers. We have some world class wineries and excellent wines. Recently, Sumac Ridge Estate Winery located in Summerland (Southern Okanagan)  has released its commemorative Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games sparkling wine called “Tribute”

Tribute Wine is the brain child of senior winemaker Mark Wendenberg who has also created Sumac Ridge’s Stellar’s Jay and Pinnacle. Offering fresh citrus aromas with zesty apple flavours on the palate, the Tribute wine exhibits excellent Chardonnay varietal character while offering exceptional quality. Sumac Ridge’s Tribute Sparkling wine has wide distribution and will be found at provincial/private liquor stores across the country from mid-September . It is priced at $30/750 ml. $1.25 will be donated directly to the Canadian Olympic team and the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic winter games from the sale of every bottle.

Wine lovers can taste Tribute(TM) on September 20, 2009 from 2pm - 5pm at the BCLDB’s 39th and Cambie Signature BC Liquor store. This event will feature winemaker Mark Wendenburg autographing the commemorative bottles, and Cellar Door Bistro chef Roger Planiden will offer bite-sized samples of his culinary creations.

 So, if you are coming to British Columbia for Vancouver 2010 olympics, don’t forget to celebrate with this wonderful wine.

Related Links:

British Columbia wineries

Okanagan Wineries