January 8, 2015
One of the new hotels in the eco chic Tulum scene is hotel Mi Amor. It is part of a group of four Tulum hotels by the Colibri Hotel Collection that includes the Hotel Mezzanine, El Pez and the famed La Zebra, all situated on the Tulum white sand and turquoise water stretch of beach. We have driven past the Mi Amor on the way to the Mezzanine a couple of times while it was... View Article
January 3, 2015
The red doors in the wall surrounding the villa swung open and we were invited into a charming courtyard dominated by a lone giant banyan tree. Lorenzo led us through the open style villa to the covered patio at the back of the house and we settled in the comfortable wicker furniture covered with colourful cushions. After a few words of introduction Lorenzo invited us to the outdoor kitchen at the end of the patio.... View Article
December 10, 2014
Hola from the Mayan Riviera. We arrived here a few days ago and I am just getting into the swing of things. The pace is different here. The trip down was a “speedy” 26 hours with an overnight stay at an airport hotel, thanks to the monopoly that Canadian airlines have over the Canadian skies. I believe it takes the same amount of time to fly around the world. Upon arrival we had to endure... View Article
November 30, 2014
We just returned from a short stay in Vancouver, a four hour drive from our current home going west. The roads were treacherous following a first heavy snow fall and we passed several empty cars in the ditch along the way. Trucks were having a difficult time climbing up the hills, sliding right back down with little control. We were glad to arrive safe and sound at the Rosewood Georgia hotel in the center of town... View Article
November 11, 2014
If you live in Montreal you don’t have to escape to Europe. Montreal offers a European feel without the long flight across the pond, and if you live in Western Canada this means something as it takes almost as long to cross the country as it does to cross the Atlantic en-route to Europe. Walking down the narrow cobblestone streets and hearing French spoken around almost made me pinch myself to remember we are in... View Article
November 8, 2014
What do you think of when you hear “Montreal”? Poutine? bagels? smoked meat sandwiches (pastrami’s cousin)? Not so fast. There is a new trend in the Montreal’s food scene that focuses on sustainable approach to the production and consumption of foods. Not that the bagels and smoked meat aren’t there, but more and more businesses and dining establishments are dedicated to high-end plant based gastronomy producing interesting and healthy foods made from ingredients grown locally in... View Article
November 5, 2014
I recently spent a couple of weeks in Israel and needless to say food was on my mind. Although I was there for a different reason, I managed to squeeze in as many food experiences as I could, and one of these experiences included a food tour and cooking class with Orly in Tel Aviv. I found Orly’s website Cook In Israel through an online search and checked the references on Trip Advisor. Her tour... View Article
October 23, 2014
I just returned from a short excursion to Israel. It’s a long way from Western Canada where I live and I don’t usually make such a long trip for just a couple of weeks. Circumstances this time dictated that I had to be there on a short notice and in Montreal soon after for another event so two weeks it was. I was not travelling to explore food this time but in Israel (and with... View Article
September 26, 2014
On Wednesday this week I was among more than one hundred guests from the culinary and wine industry here in the Okanagan invited to celebrated the official opening of the BC Wine Information Society Sensory Centre at the Okanagan College Penticton campus. The $650K centre was built thanks to a grant of $300K by the Wine Information Society that was matched by the Jim Pattison Foundation and was built at no cost to the college.... View Article
September 13, 2014
It’s not every day that I am invited to an organic tomato farm so when the opportunity presented itself to purchase tickets, I immediately did. This year Sunshine Farms hosted their first Tomato Festival on their farm, offering space to 50 guests of which I was lucky to be one. Both Val of More Than Burnt Toast and I, who never miss a good culinary opportunity, packed our cameras and hats and set out to... View Article
September 6, 2014
Do you know the Hans Christian Andersen’s story of the Princess and the Pea? That’s the story of Pinot Noir. An aristocratic grape, requiring royal treatment in the vineyard and the winery. Nothing short of an aristocrat could be as sensitive as Pinot Noir. However, when provided with the right growing environment and handled with care, it can produce some of the best wines in the world. Pinot Noir is an ancient grape whose... View Article
August 31, 2014
Traveling is an education. It’s more than visiting historical sites and driving through beautiful new landscapes. It challenges our assumptions and provides context for our education. When we engage with the world around us we broaden our horizon, become culturally competent. If we are receptive, we may shed preconceived ideas about cultures and people and open our minds to other perspectives. Visiting foreign lands used to be an integral part of a person’s education and... View Article
