Valerie van der Gracht 
I cannot believe it took me so long to try out the popular Chinatown restaurant – Juniper. Thanks to a friend I had an opportunity to attend a media tasting menu evening in February. The food was so good and I’m definitely going back before the winter menu is but a faint memory. Handy when … Read more
For anyone familiar with the “hot spot” circuit of restaurants in Vancouver it’s not surprising that Mott32 would fit the bill and, at least temporarily, be the place to be and be seen. Shortly before the grand opening of the hotel that houses the Mott32 Restaurant I was invited to a media dinner to … Read more
Super Bowl parties vary depending on the host and the guests. Everything from the fancy with phyllo wrapped, baked brie to the casual crowd eating potato chips out of the bag. Let’s get this over with by clearly stating there are lots of women who love football, know all about football and then there … Read more
If you go back to the days of fine dining in Vancouver, a few decades and the time of the two martini lunch, you would have had few places to choose from if you were looking to “dine” in your hotel. The old school cocktail bars ruled the day with places like the Timber … Read more
This past week I embarked on a three generation family road trip. Vancouver Island was our destination and fun was our goal. Vancouver Island offers a lot of fun for a family no matter what your age. Of course we also wanted to travel in comfort which is where the 2016 Ford Edge Titanium came … Read more
The Extraordinary Italian Taste – Promotion and Enhancement of the Authentic Italian Agri-Food Products, promoted and financed by the Italian Government (Ministry of Economic Development) and organized in collaboration with the network of Italian Chambers of Commerce in North America. On Thursday, May 26th a select number of media and a larger number of wine … Read more
On May 26 the APVSA came once again to Vancouver to present an exciting range of wines to the local wine importers and distributors. The wines are presented in a private space for an “invitation only” opportunity to taste excellent wines of the various regions of Europe. Always top quality wines that are the best … Read more
My first introduction to beer drinking (okay other than sneaking a sip from dad’s long neck bottle) would have been in what was a typical beer parlour via the “ladies and escorts” door into a dingy, large space with hard chairs, small round tables covered with terry cloth and cheap beer. I remember only on tap beer … Read more
This morning I was reading my Facebook page and came across an interesting article titled “How to Enjoy a Wine Festival to the Last Drop” originally published in The Californian (part of the USA Today network) That got me thinking about what makes a great Wine Festival. As a novice #winelover I have been fortunate … Read more
The Champagne Tour 2016! Yesterday was an opportunity to taste exceptional wines selected by APVSA. Champagne was the featured wine but there were many more varietals to taste and savour. France Champagne Loire Valley Provence South West Languedoc-Roussillon Rhône Valley Bordeaux Auvergne Spain Tierra De Castilla Priorat, Cava, Conca de Barberà Italy Piedmont Trentino … Read more