Valerie van der Gracht 
It can be a drag trying to find a balance between quick, fresh and delicious but no more now that Assembli is serving lunch, afternoon break, dinner and late night your way. Assembli is located on Cambie Street between City Hall and the Cambie Street Bridge and for anyone who is working, shopping … Read more
Move over Tofino there’s a fresh and renewed Resort in town that offers the traveller the best of the West Coast experience. Your vacation can be a personalized, all inclusive package; tailored to your specific wants and needs at the Tofino Resort and Marina. The Tofino Resort and Marina sits solidly in the middle range … Read more
I love to get away in a brand new Ford Canada vehicle so when a last minute opportunity came up I couldn’t say “yes, please” fast enough. For this Ford experience we drove a Ford Explorer. The Ford Explorer is a great car for road trippers, families, and just about anyone who needs a little … Read more
It was with much anticipation that we continued our Okanagan Culinary Adventure with the premier event of the weekend – a long table five course dinner at Ambrosia by Chef Bongo in the Naramata Heritage Inn. We had already been treated to a delicious lunch earlier in the day as we were introduced to the … Read more
If you are a lover of Italian wines you won’t want to miss the series of Italian Wine School seminars presented by the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Canada – West. Wednesday, June 7 was the first in the series “Scuola del Vino” which included a selection of fine Italian sparkling wines. Next seminar will … Read more
Yesterday I went to Trout Lake Farmers Market with three family members. Although the weather wasn’t all that great the market was busy and bustling. The Trout Lake Farmers Market is on the edge of the park and set on a paved service road that parallels an alley. It is relatively narrow given the … Read more
While visiting the Okanagan we had a short list of restaurants we wanted to try. Some of the chefs are contributors to the website’s #TasteofThursday feature where we publish recipes of top chefs from Vancouver, Victoria and the Okanagan. It had been a number of years since we visited the Naramata and Oliver/Osoyoos area so … Read more
Although slightly out of order I thought it would be most inspirational to start on the second day of our Okanagan travels which began with a magnificent sunburst of a morning. We were high above the bench looking down on vineyards, lakes and the hamlet of Naramata. The day promised perfect summer weather and we … Read more
We have been dining at Hy’s Steakhouse off and on since the 70’s. Back in the day Hy’s Encore was the only place to go for steak in Vancouver. Located in the financial district Hy’s was the see and be seen place for the movers and shakers. One thing you could count on with … Read more
Sometimes it’s just fun to step out of your comfort zone. That’s exactly what I did not long ago when I accepted an invitation to a media dinner at The Emerald Supper Club. You’d may be surprised, there is a lot more on offer here than the Club vibe, although if that’s your thing … Read more