A Dry Olympics? Canadian Booze Prices Could Sober Festivities

June 18, 2009 By Remy 2 Comments
Host city for the 2010 Winter Olympics, Vancouver has some of North America's highest alcohol prices.

Host city for the 2010 Winter Olympics, Vancouver has some of North America's highest alcohol prices.

Vancouver is ranked world’s most livable city for good reason.   The international throngs set to descend in February for the Winter Olympics will no doubt be awed by the city’s setting, between snow-capped mountains and the green-gray waters of the Pacific.  They’ll marvel at its sleek, modern architecture and efficient public transport.  And they’ll probably warm right up to that earnest Canadian charm.  But sooner or later, Olympic fans are going to get thirsty and discover Vancouver’s dirty little secret:  exorbitant alcohol prices. [Read more...]

Filed Under Vancouver Tagged With 2010 Olympics, alcohol, British Columbia, Vancouver, Vancouver beer

Whistler’s Wild Side: The backcountry behind Canada’s alpine mecca

June 2, 2009 By Remy 2 Comments



Outside of Whistler's Olympic Village, chalets and ski slopes give way to farmland and rugged hiking trails.

Outside of Whistler, chalets and ski slopes give way to farmland and rugged hiking trails.


Whistler, host of the 2010 Winter Olympics, is Canada’s uncontested capital of alpine chic.  The ski village, year-round population 10,000, has six five-star hotels, a thriving SUV limo service and bars full of ski bums sipping $16 martinis.  But venture a bit outside of town and the wilderness closes back in.  On the drive north from Whistler, million-dollar chalets quickly give way to much humbler accommodations scattered on Indian reserves.  Then – suddenly – there’s nothing at all, just a thin shoelace of asphalt rising steadily into the mountains.

[Read more...]

Filed Under Vancouver, blog entry Tagged With 2010 Olympics, Hiking, Joffre Lakes, Vancouver, Whistler

Escaping Molson Monotony at Vancouver’s Microbreweries

May 26, 2009 By Remy 3 Comments


granville_3a-large

Vancouver's oldest microbrewery, Granville Island Brewing offers relief from Molson monotony with varieties like maple cream ale and honey lager.


While Canadian food, like poutine, may not be standard international fare, Canadian beer has found its way into refrigerators the world over.  Molson dates back to 1786 and now ranks among the world’s largest brewing companies.  Its importance to Canuck culture is such that “Molson muscle” has entered the Canadian lexicon as slang for beer belly.  But while Molson may be the most quintessentially Canadian brew (check out their I Am Canadian commercials if you’re in doubt), there are plenty of contenders for the title of best beer north of the border.

[Read more...]

Filed Under Food & Wine, Vancouver, blog entry Tagged With 2010 Olympics, Beer, British Columbia, Canada, Granville Island, Vancouver

Searching for Classic Canuck Eats in Vancouver

May 25, 2009 By Remy Leave a Comment


granville_4a-large

As Canadian as maple syrup, poutine - fries topped with gravy and cheese curds - might be Canada's national dish.


With the possible exception of maple syrup, Canada isn’t really known for its contributions to world cuisine.  The Brits left behind a legacy of bland and boiled food that defined cooking here for generations.   In fairness, cosmopolitan cities like Vancouver and Toronto have embraced new flavors brought by immigrant groups, and both cities boast thriving Asian food scenes.  Finding a real, down-home Canadian meal, however, can be a challenge.

[Read more...]

Filed Under Food & Wine, Vancouver, blog entry Tagged With 2010 Olympics, British Columbia, Canada, Food, Granville Island, Poutine, Vancouver

Dodging Black Bears in Whistler’s Olympic Village

May 21, 2009 By Remy Leave a Comment


whistler_4a1

Host of the 2010 Winter Olympics, the village of Whistler in British Columbia is also home to glacial lakes and several provincial parks.


Bear bells are standard equipment for hikers in this part of Canada.  The bells – which look a lot like Christmas ornaments – are hung from backpacks and belts.  They give off a tinny jingle meant to scare off any bears in the area . . . unless they like Christmas music.

I always thought people with bear bells were a little paranoid.  Then I came to Whistler.  The site of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, Whistler – which is just two hours by car from Vancouver – isn’t exactly a rugged wilderness.  In the swanky ski village, you’ve got your choice of five-star hotels, multiple sushi bars and plenty of alpine-chic clubs with techno music and antler chandeliers.

But just outside the village, the mountains close back in.  A network of provincial parks links snow-covered peaks with glacial lakes and huge tracts of unsettled wilderness.  All of which is great for hikers and also, apparently, for bears.   Driving to a trailhead on the outskirts of town, I see my first black bear of the trip.  It’s six feet from nose to tail, with a head the size of a toaster oven.   As I drive by, it ambles up a highway embankment with the unhurried walk of an animal at the top of the food chain.

[Read more...]

Filed Under 2010 Olympics, Vancouver, blog entry Tagged With 2010 Olympics, British Columbia, Cheakamus Lake, Hiking, Vancouver, Whistler
« Older Posts
Newer Posts »