Tag Archives: BC

The Adventures of a Shutterbug

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I’ve always loved taking photos. I took one course in high school and one in college, and enjoyed snapping away. However, I despised developing in claustrophobia-inducing darkrooms. Fortunately, digital has put an end to all that. I’ve also received an injection of new motivation recently. I was fortunate enough to get an iPhone 6 for Christmas. Now, I have an easy-to-carry lens with me wherever I go and no excuse not to take photos.

Back in August, I went to Cultus Lake Adventure Park and took this photo:

Cultus Lake photo

It’s one of the many rides I went on that day. I even braved the rollercoaster for what may have been the first and last time. The amusement park is a photographer’s dream, as there is an array of colours, lights, and the interesting juxtaposition of man-made whirling machines and the serene natural surroundings.

I garnered some very kind votes from friends, family, coworkers, and strangers, but lost out to a photo of a cute child. My niece and/or nephew will have to star in some future photo contest entries!

Win #4: Okanagan Spring Brewmaster’s Dinner, Part One

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Before the ImbibingThe first courseThe Second Course

I love food. I especially love free food. Perhaps now you can guess my motivation for entering Miss 604‘s contest to win two tickets to the Okanagan Spring Brewmaster’s Dinner at Mamie Taylor’s. I was delighted when I won this prize, however there was a problem. I don’t drink beer. I have tried many times to cultivate a love for Canada’s national beverage, but I have failed. However, I have somewhat redeemed myself by marrying a devotee of the brew. Thus, this is the first of two blog posts on our Thursday evening experience. If you love food, be prepared to revel in my very detailed descriptions of the delectable four courses we enjoyed. If you’re here for the beer, wait for part two, when some on-the-spot reviews on the five beers Ryan tasted that evening will be presented.

This was our first time at Mamie Taylor’s. The atmosphere is warm and the long tables lent themselves well to conversing with our dining companions. I’m not a fan of taxidermy, but I did like the rather whimsical wallpaper of animal targets on the bathroom wall. Vegetarians, however, would be less amused I’m sure. Mind you, Norman Bates would feel right at home.

Our first course (pictured above) was a tuna smokie, garnished with fennelkraut and dijonaise. I could never have imagined how flavourful and moist tuna could be. In fact, I never even knew such a thing as a tuna smokie existed. Our table mates also seemed equally amazed and delighted by this passed canapé. I have to give the bun its due as well. So many times I’ve enjoyed the meat of a burger or the filling of a sandwich, only to have been let down by the bread. This bun was a worthy home for the delectable tuna vessel it housed. Overall, a very impressive start to the meal.

The appetizer (also pictured above) that followed was cornmeal fried rock fish with cajun spices, orange, fennel, parsley, and old bay aioli. I can’t remember if I’ve ever had rock fish before, but I found the taste light and somewhat similar to sole. What made the dish special was the crispy cornmeal and the refreshing slaw that accompanied it. I’m not sure I would seek out rock fish for its own sake though, it didn’t have the depth of flavour that I so enjoy in other white fish.

Main CourseDessert

Do I have your attention?! Look at the beautifully presented, scrumptious offerings above! The main course was slow roasted porchetta accompanied by roasted apples, polenta, and an olive and herb puree. The crackling on the porchetta was like the most perfectly crisp bacon that melted in your mouth. Yes, it was rich. But no, I regret nothing! Diabetes, high blood pressure, muffin top, come what may, this was worth every calorie. The polenta was an incredible standout as well, especially given that I have been rather meh on polenta in the past. Again, oh so crispy, and excellently paired with the puree.

Finally, we arrived at dessert. I was well and truly sated before it arrived, but I was powerless to say ‘no’ once I saw this brown sugar cake. Alongside it was custard made with Okanagan Spring Porter. It had all the depth of flavour of a sticky toffee pudding, but the custard kicked it up a notch by bring beer notes to the party.

Now, having realized I have devoted well over 500 words to describing this meal to you, I strongly recommend that you put Mamie Taylor’s on your must-visit list. Chef Tobias Grignon knows how to put on a culinary show and I for one can’t wait to return for another delectable performance.

Contest note: This is my fourth win of the year, so I’m almost on track with my one-win-a-month goal. This prize, which I thank Miss 604 sincerely for winning, was worth approximately $100, making my total winnings to date approximately $203.

 

Win #3: A Night at The Fox Cabaret

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The Fox CabaretDisco Ball

 

On Saturday night, I kicked off the long weekend with another win. This time, I won four tickets to The Fox Cabaret‘s HEAVEN. In case you’re unfamiliar with the venue, it used to be a XXX movie theatre. Then, like most theatres of its kind, lost its clientele to the Internet. This particular theatre wasn’t torn down though. It was reinvented as a venue for art, entertainment, music, and performance.

I had wanted to go to The Fox ever since it reopened when I found out that the management team behind the Waldorf Hotel had taken it on. They’d impressed me with their sense of retro cool at that location and seemed to have succeeded at recapturing it again at The Fox. The main floor felt warm and cozy and it was fun to dance to the music I remembered loving in my teens (Eurythmics, Pet Shop Boys, etc.).

The upstairs has a couple of small rooms. One allows you to look down upon the crush of dancers below. The other room is the old XXX movie theatre’s projection room. It has its own bar and vintage furnishings and is a lower key alternative to the dance floor action.

I would definitely recommend checking out The Fox. That said, I must admit that I felt rather out of its target demographic. I think the fact that I actually remember the tunes being played makes me a bit of a dinosaur; a bit depressing, given that I’m only in my late 30s. However, the evening did seem to belong to the hipster twenty somethings.

For a few brief moments on Saturday night, I flashed back to the height of my clubbing days in the 1990s. Smoky rooms filled with top-forty hits. Dancing with guys you’d cross the street to avoid in mid-daylight. Filthy bathrooms that you’d attempt to use without touching anything (these were the days before portable hand sanitizers). Then, getting home late at night, and having mum ask, “Have you been smoking?” No, I just smelled like an ashtray. I always spent the next morning washing everything and shampooing my hair multiple times to get the stench out.

I’m not nostalgic for those days. In fact, I think the hipsters have it better than we did. On the other hand, they have Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter to capture every moment. IMHO, that’s where we, Gen X/Gen Y, have the upper hand. What happened in the 90s stayed in the 90s. Millennials are immortalizing their mistakes forever.

Note: This prize was worth $48.36