Don’t forget to bring your swimsuit to the Okanagan no matter the weather

Recently we had the pleasure of visiting the hotels we use for our Okanagan Wine tours.  Lovely to be able see the locations and enjoy the tours, even in the “shoulder” season when the weather is still cold.  So off we went to visit first the Penticton Lakeside Resort then on our second evening we would check into the Cove Lakeside Resort.

Being a seasoned traveller I brought my swimsuit, just on the off chance that I would have a minute or two to enjoy some lovely heated water of a pool… and (as luck would have it) the Penticton Lakeside Resort had an indoor pool (Horraayy).  Enjoying any locations pool always makes a getaway complete, taking you away from the ordinary like nothing else can.

This photo of Penticton Lakeside Resort Convention Centre & Casinois courtesy of TripAdvisor

What I hadn’t planned for was the outdoor hot tub located at the Cove Lakeside resort…oh sure you have to make a mad dash to the tub in your suit, trying not to turn blue, but sitting back in the oh so warm waters of a hot tub while the cool air floats by and the stars come out is worth the dash!

This photo of Cove Lakeside Resortis courtesy of TripAdvisor

So trust me, bring your suit!!

Oh and a word to the wise…the button for the jets is actually located beside the door….about 20 feet from the tub….which if you didn’t notice the button at first, you wind up sitting in the lovely warm water with no bubbles…. then you would have to get out into the cool air and make that run as quick as you can to twist the timer to 30 minutes,  and then run back….because lets face it what is a hot tub with out the jets?  A creepy warm water bath outside in the open (eeeewwww)….just sayin

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Do not say no to the German Beer!

Ok I admit I am not a beer drinker, wine is my spirit of choice and Red wine is preferable. If you give me a glass of beer I will smile pleasantly at you and suffer through… sipping slowly and grimacing with each taste.

So when I found myself “bellied up” to a bar at the illustrious Whistler Brewhouse for a beer tasting….well I was already preparing myself to not be rude and try each one (sigh).

The first 2 beers on the tasting menu where light beers and exactly what I had anticipated. Our bar keep for the tasting was a smart man and began to only pour me small tastings of each (perhaps reading my face??). But I carried on like a trouper, until we got to the darker German beer, made with a mixture of Rye and Barley with a light amber color.   This beer was darker than I had ever tried before…..I contemplated saying “uhm no thank you?” but then I thought…One sip will not kill me. So I tilted that partially filled tasting glass back and gave it a try….and I LOVED IT!!! Who knew.

Whistler Tasting Tour Brewhouse

Moral of today’s blog…Don’t say no to the German beer!

If you would like more information on the Whistler Tasting tour (Hidden Gems Tasting tour) you can check out our website on Whistler at :http://www.destinationtours.ca/trips-more/whistler-a-la-carte/

or if you just want to try out the Brewhouse tasting menu visit: http://markjamesgroup.com/BrewHouse_Taster_12_11_10.pdf

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BC Wine’s, Do not leave them out when filling your wine cellar

With the world at your feet when it comes to wine selection why would you consider our local offerings?  Because they are wonderful, complex, fruit forward, mature offerings (did I miss a tag word??).

If you have yet to explore what BC’s vineyards are offering up and have no idea where to start,  let our friends over at Everything Wine help guide you.  Start by check out their web-site’s listing for local product:

To see Everything Wine's webpage click on logo

Then once you have a better understanding of the vast variety of BC wines,  join in on a tasting bar free event.

They have a variety of tastings and dates to choose from, for example:

South Surrey location is hosting:

Township 7

2-6 PM
Founded in 2001, Township 7 has two BC wineries, one situated in the scenic Fraser Valley and the other on the picturesque Naramata Bench in the Okanagan Valley. Township 7’s focus is on the production of small lot, high quality wines crafted with carefully chosen, sustainably grown grapes from their estate vineyards and family growers. Enjoy something local today, Township 7 wines!

Or if you would rather win an invite for You & a Guest to

Destination Tours & Everything Wine’s 

VIP invitational Wine Tasting event on June 14th, 2012

1. Post on our blog your favorite type of wine and what you pair with it
2. Or Tweet to: @CCDestination
3. Or post it on our facebook page: Destination Snow & Tours

1 entry per person, entries must be received by May 18th, 2012, draw will be held May 22nd, 2012

Until then…happy sipping my friends

Vancity Bride ~ Where frugal meets fabulous, why you should not miss her blog.

Vancity Bride and Destination Tours have recently come together to promote our new Stagette packages this season and through that we have gotten to know her blog…..and we like it!!

We are not alone in this thinking either, the site has recently won awards for Best New Weblog, 2nd place Best Designed Weblog, and 3rd Place Best Weblog About Fashion, Style & Design on the 2011 Ninjamatics Canadian Weblog Awards.

Her blog features such topics as (our fav. subject) FREEBIES, wonderful giveaways for the wedding planner.  Among other topics she also features on her site: Fashion and Beauty, Flowers and Food & Cake

It is a wonderful resource for all those Frugal and Fabulous wedding planners (as well as people who just love giveaways!)

Do not miss WSSF!

The largest most entertaining Festival Whistler has to offer is going on right now.  This very moment someone is on a loudspeaker announcing something amazing that is about to start.  Why are you still at home??

Not certain what this festival is all about?  You can find a full list of events and great information about the Whistler Ski & Snowboard Festival on their very own website:  www.wssf.com . 

The site will help you plan your time around where to catch your favourite skier or boarder perform some amazing moves (World Skiing Invitational | AFP World Championship), which DJ spins you want to dance to (Saturday Apr 21st: Moe Joe’s, 9pm: CREWTONES) and/or what bands you want to see (Saturday Apr 21: Headliner: DJ Grandtheft – Mainstage for Big Air Competition – 8pm)
.

And as our friends over at www.wssf.com say:  “make sure you are able to live up to the Festival’s motto: ‘Party in April. Sleep in May’.”

Photo credit: www.whistlerblackcomb.com

Chewing gum while sampling BC’s finest wine offerings

Those of us who are seasoned wine swirlers and sippers all know not to have anything powerful prior to our tastings (no strong coffee or garlic).  This affects the flavour of the wine you are tasting and you don’t get the true flavour of your Syrah or Pinot Blanc.

But for those who are new to wine tours and think that perhaps a piece of gum my take away some of the wine breath between sipping…this is a “What Not to do while on a wine tour”.

Photo credit: agbeat.com

Unless you enjoy a nice minty glass of wine?? Who are we to judge.

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Mini Skirts & Furry boots

All right ladies, repeat after me “I will not wear mini skirts & furry boots to Telus World Ski & Snowboard Festival in Whistler”. 

I know that down here on the flats it’s spring time.  The birds are out and the weather is improving. Venturing out in little mini skirts sounds like a fun way to attract a mate, your tired of being bundled up from your ears to your toes… you feel it’s time to flash a bit of skin…shake things up.

DON’T!

It is still winter up on Whistler Blackcomb, the snow is still falling and the temperature is still below freezing. 

There is nothing sexy about the color blue when it involves your still pasty legs poking out of a mini skirt and those furry boots are not fooling any one when you say “they keep me warm”. 

Photo credit: The ecology of knowledge

So go ahead book your tour package for one of the greatest weekends going, pack your ski’s or boards, pack your snow pants and mitten’s, don’t forget about your cute little toque with the ear flaps….But please take it from someone who knows, leave that 4 inch long skirt at home!!!

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Using the fact that you are a blogger as a pick up line

We know it is tough out there on the dating front, breaking the ice can be Scary (with a capital “S”).  You have to be creative in meeting that special someone who has caught your eye on the Ski lift. So before you ski up to that lovely here is a friendly piece of advise….

Do Not Use The Fact That You Are A Blogger As A Pick Up Line!!

We are not a rare breed anymore my friend, everyone and their great Aunt Nellie  has a blog. If they don’t it is due to the thinking that they would rather `do` than blog (I don`t get it either ..head scratch)

So before you venture out and drop that line, give it some more thought or you could be staring at a face that is either blank or instantly competitive (after all their blog must be better than yours…`tcha right)

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Bringing your boyfriend to a Stagette!

Stagettes are an age old custom of a group of normally lovely, graceful and polite women that head off to whoop it up, get loud and generally cause a little trouble where ever they may go.  All in order to help the bride prepare herself mentally for marriage (very noble purpose really)

Why…oh Why, would you want to put a man into this mix….unless he wants to strip?? And hey…who is judging??

Photo Credit: ClipArtOf

So whether you are going on the Whistler Stagette Pub Crawl, the Summerland Wine Stagette or any of our other Stagette packages, take it from us ladies, it is always better to leave the men folk at home!