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For sun seekers, a storm usually ends a vacation. But if sandy beaches aren’t your thing and sunshine day after day bores you, storm watching in Tofino and Ucluelet on Vancouver Island’s west coast may be your ticket. It isn’t just about watching Mother Nature at her worst — or best, as storm watchers attest. Crashing waves tap into all the senses.  Read more...

Just a short ferry ride away, Vancouver Island’s east coast offers an idyllic escape where there's so much to do, you will never be bored.  The Island Highway offers an incredibly scenic road trip where you can cover a lot of ground in four days, from spa treatments to caving and kayaking. Coastal communities are home to creative chefs and sommeliers showcasing the island’s bounty. And there’s always something, somewhere, to surprise. read more...

Portland blends history and modern architecture, upscale and pop-up restaurants ­– and an abundance of intriguing sights and sites.

WestCoast  Homes and Designs, April 2014

 Soon after arriving in Portland I went native. Decked out in vintage I lunched on everything pork,  from sandwiches to doughnuts, and drank beer before noon. Whatever next, a tattoo? (Just about  every Portlander has one, the stranger the better.) Buy a “Keep Portland Weird” bumper sticker?  Besides weird, Portlanders are Personable and Passionate. And it does Pour a lot – both rain and  beer.

 Pop-Up Restaurants

 Start your dining experience at a pop-up resto. Rub shoulders with chefs and foodies and get the  latest scoop on the local food scene. Chef Jaret Foster of Foster’s Craft Cooking introduced the kimchi maker and brewer to a few dozen diners who tucked into his Korean-themed pop-up dinner. Two other companies hold pop-ups regularly: Holdfast serves nine experimental courses and Coquine offers traditional European fare. Check their websites for events: fosterscraftcooking.com, holdfastdining.com, coquinepdx.com/pop-ups   

 

Pig-Out

Tuck into pork belly Cubano at one of six Bunk locations and Lardo’s pork meatball sandwich banh mi with a side of piggy “dirty fries” complete with crispy pork. Love the “Pig Out” sign. At The Old Salt Marketplace – a deli/butchery, bar and supper house – the owners created a menu “where farmers can afford dinner.” No entree is over $20. Pork is the ticket, from sinfully fatty pork rinds appie to roasted pork loin entrée. And you can’t leave Portland without a Bacon Maple Bar from Voodoo Doughnut, near the “Keep Portland Weird” sign.

 

 

Pubs

Once named Beertown USA, Portlanders are passionate about their beer. The city is home to almost 60 breweries and that doesn’t even count bottle shops offering local and imported brews where you can BYOF, generally from a nearby food truck. Sidle up to the bar at Deschutes Brewery and start with a tasting tray. Bridgeport Brewing Company, Oregon’s oldest craft brewery, serves up good pub-style nosh. And if you’ve brought the dog, Lucky Labrador Beer Hall has outdoor seating.  Like the food here, beer packs lots of flavour. All hale Beervana!

Pinot Noir

Olympic Provisions Deli knows which Pinot Noir goes best with which pork product. Take a city wine tour with PDX Urban Wineries. Better yet, drive less than one hour to the source—WillametteValley. Tour Montinore Estate where owner Rudy Marchesi’s homemade pork salumi is hanging amongst 400 barrels of Pinot Noir. At Ponzi Vineyards enjoy a tasting  and killer views from the family’s stunning new building. Ponzi was one of the first Oregon wineries to produce estate-grown Pinot Noir. 

Whistler for Non-Skiers     Yoga pants, swimsuit, cocktail dress — check. I’m packed and ready for a weekend in Whistler. What about skis, poles and parkas? Don’t need ‘em. Skiing just isn’t my thing, thanks to my first ski experience with a boyfriend who seemed to forget I was there at the top of the chair lift and went schussing down the hill, leaving me to fend for myself. It took hours for me to make it down the hill, mostly on my butt, and I vowed “never again.”   But that hasn’t stopped me from returning to Whistler. I’ve learned the resort town has lots to offer for non-skiers, in fact we're spoiled for choice.  We checked into Nita Lake Lodge just in time for a session at Loka Yoga, which is in the building. If you can swing it, take a class with Tina James, the owner. Her unique style is infused with humour and play, and truly exhilarating--what better way to begin a few days of indulgence?   After a hearty snack at Fix, and to be sure that all the city’s traffic and tension was gone, we booked massage treatments at the Lodge's Spa, which also offers naturopathic services.  I opted for the "kundalini" treatment that includes a foot scrub and facial.  No wonder Nita Lake Lodge was awarded one of the top 10 organic spas--and the only one in Canada-- by Organic Spa Magazine.   We swanned upstairs to our well-appointed suite, complete with gas fireplace and balcony overlooking the lake. One thing I love about resorts is that you don't need the car.  Nita Lake Lodge complimentary shuttle delivers you to the Village and will pick-up within minutes (or the trail is a pleasant one-hour stroll).  It was tempting not to leave the building, but Bar Oso, newly opened by the Araxi team, beckoned. Bar Oso lives up to the high standards of Araxi. Go early because the word is already out -- by 7pm the place was packed, mostly by locals, ordering Spanish-style small plates.  The housemade charcuterie is exceptional, and you must try the lamb albondigas, a recipe handed down to chef Jorge Santos from his grandmother. And the chick pea puree--need that recipe.   Back to the lodge's Aura Restaurant for dinner. We followed the freshest oysters with venison chops and sour cherry jus and sturgeon with elk chorizo. We couldn't decide who made the better choice so chef Dean split our entrees, and both dishes paired with wines by the glass. We chose well.   We had planned on snowshoeing around Nita Lake (the lodge also offers complimentary snowshoe loans) but opted for more indulgence at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler. So exhilarating to breathe mountain air and view the slope action while wallowing in the outdoor hot tubs. And underwater music is piped into the lap pool. There's so much to do without leaving the building. With morning yoga classes, afternoon art crawl and shopping at Mountain Galleries (downstairs from the lobby), who even has time to ski?   Speaking of art, almost across the street is the Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Centre, built with cedar and glass. Definitely worth a visit. And the Audain Art Museum is slated to open early 2016. More than 200 significant art works, from 19th century First Nations masks to modern works by Jeff Wall, will be housed in a 56,000 square-foot tree house.   The yoga pants came in handy on the drive home--we needed the elasticized waist after an epic brunch at the Fairmont. And don't forget to stop at Fix for a loaf of bread. Whistler has it all!     Bring the Kids BabysittingWhistler comes to your location and takes the children out and about for fun activities. Evenings the sitter will stay in your room and bring a craft kit. Owner Rebecca Craig advises that you book ahead over the holidays, although they can usually accommodate last minute bookings. "We have been offering this service for 14 years and it's the first choice for child care from the Fairmont Chateau Lake and Nita Lake Lodge, to name a few," says Craig.   Bring the Dog If your pooch does has to be left alone for any length of time, Alpine Dogs offer in-room sitting and adventure hikes. They prefer that you book at least one day ahead but can usually accommodate same-day bookings. And evenings you can stay out until the wee hours. Whistler is one big doggy play land.   If You Go Nita Lake Lodge: nitalakelodge.com Fairmont Chateau Whistler: fairmont.com/whistler Bar Orso:  baroso.ca Art Gallery: mountaingalleries.com   Baby Sit: BabysittingWhistler.com Dog Sit: alpinedogs.ca   The writer was a guest of Nita Lake Lodge and Fairmont Chateau Whistler.