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In Colorado

McDonalds: Buttermilk Crispy Tenders

When I was in the United States the other week, I saw they has their new Buttermilk Crispy Tenders and it’s not available in Canada. When I travel, I love finding new fast food items. Even though crispy tenders isn’t a new concept, I was at the airport and there weren’t any good options around.

The Buttermilk Crispy Tenders caoe in 4 options – 4 pieces, 6 pieces and 10 pieces.

6 Piece Buttermilk Crispy Tenders

The box is pretty interesting and has 2 slots for the sauces.

You will find the boneless chicken breast strips that are seasoned, battered, breaded, and then deep-fried until golden brown and crispy.

They have a lot of new sauces, but they weren’t good at showing what they were , so I defaulted to honey mustard.

As for the taste, they were ok. for fast food chicken tenders. The breading was somewhat crisp and has a good amount of seasoning in the breading. It’s a good option beyond chicken nuggets if you want something more substantial.

Website: https://buttermilkcrispytenders.com/

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In Car

West Coast Adventure with Ford SUVs

Ford Canada brought together a group of bloggers from Western Canada to experience a West Coast Adventure up to the Sunshine Coast in British Columbia. Since I am from the West Coast, I am very fortunate to be so close to the water and the beautiful mountains everyday. I loved seeing those from landlocked Provinces take in the views of the Pacific Ocean.

We started off the day at Vancouver International Airport (YVR) to meet up and grab our Ford SUVs. My driving buddy – Valerie and I hopped into the 2017 Ford Flex enroute to Horseshoe Bay Ferry Terminal.

It started hailing quite a bit as our entourage of Ford SUVs descended through Downtown Vancouver and Stanley Park to get to the terminal.

Once we got through Downtown, it was a smooth drive to the terminal.

As we waited to board the Ferry, I had a fun time playing around with the 2017 Ford Edge’s Foot Activated lift-gate. It’s a neat feature especially when your hands are full of groceries, how else are you going to open that trunk? I love these hidden features.

As we got onto the Queen of Surrey, we cruised smoothly across the waters taking in the views of the beautiful ocean as we crossed into Langdale. It was very windy and cold, but that didn’t stop us from taking a bunch of photos.

Gibson’s Landing

Next stop was in Gibson’s Landing to eat lunch at Smitty’s Oyster House, a local favourite for seafood from the West Coast. We parked our whole fleet of vehicles right by the pier and it was pretty epic to see the whole line up of Ford SUVs side by side and see the difference between each one.

Smitty’s Oyster House

At Smitty’s Oyster House, we were invited to shuck our own oysters, eat steamed mussels, and a bunch of other tasty treats to give us enough energy to make this day a blast.

It was my second time here and food is always solid. The quality of their seafood is pretty damn good.

Look at this plump mussel. Best place to have fresh seafood.

Oyster, oysters everywhere but it’s always best when they’re in my tummy.

Sunshine Coast Olive Oil Company

 

Our next stop was Sunshine Coast Olive Oil Company just up the street where we tasted the different types of infused olive oils, vinegars, and balsamics. I had a fun time trying all the weird flavours. The staff are very knowledgable so they can even recommend combinations of flavours too.

Yoga on the Pier

Right after that, we had Yoga at Robert’s Creek, a beautiful secluded area with a pier where you can look at the surrounding areas. We spent some time loosening out muscles and stretching.

Gumboot Cafe

We had some quick nibbles at Gumboot Cafe before heading out. I couldn’t say no to some more coffee.

Painted Boat Resort in Madeira Park

Painted Boat Resort

Getting back into the Ford Flex, we drove 45 minutes north to get to the beautiful and luxurious Painted Boat Resort in Madeira Park. We unloaded out luggage and headed to our suites. The sun also made an appearance, which was amazing. We really lucked out on the weather.

The room was a massive two bedroom villa complete with a gourmet kitchen, barbecue grill, stainless steel appliances, fireplace, living room, a balcony and two HD TVs. The top floors even has an upstairs loft.

So much fun being here again since my last visit about 4 years ago. Love it.

Car Photography Lesson

As we got acquainted with the surroundings of the resort, we headed to a photography lesson led by Jess Findlay, an award winning Canadian photographer.

He gave us these tips to shoot the vehicles:

  1. Surroundings: Avoid things in the background that will distract the eye
  2. Time of day: Best time to shoot will be a few minutes after sunset or before sunrise
  3. Show motion: Get some nice movement on the road
  4. Pay attention to reflection: Minimize the reflection by shooting at an angle
  5. Shoot details: Capture the car’s curve line and design features

2017 Ford Edge

The 2017 Ford Edge is built in Canada at the Ford Oakville Assembly Plant in Ontario. The midsize crossover features technology engineered to give you confidence on the road like Enhanced Active Park Assist, Blind Spot Information System, Front 180 degree Camera and Lane Keeping System.

2017 Ford Flex

The 2017 Ford Flex is also built in Canada at the Ford Oakville Assembly Plant in Ontario. The seven-passenger Flex comes standard with AdvanceTrac with Roll Stability Control, Intelligent All-Wheel Drive and SYNC 3 infotainment system. My favourite feature is the trunk because you can configure the seats in so many ways, especially the tailgate mode. You can now easily sit out of the trunk and be very comfortable.

2017 Ford Escape

The 2017 Ford Escape got a major update with latest driver-assist technologies, connectivity and two new efficient EcoBoost. The redesigned centre console and instrument panel features front-mounted USB port with a pocket for devices, new climate controls, new storage bin at the bottom of the stack and 8 inch LCD touch screen. The two new powertrains are 1.5 litre EcoBoost and 2.0 litre twin-scroll turbocharged EcoBoost engine producing 245 horsepower.

2017 Ford Explorer

The 2017 Ford Explorer is the #1 selling large utility in Canada. The Explorer comes packed with the newest technologies like SYNC Connect with Ford Pass. The Ford Pass app lets you start, stop, lock, unlock and schedule starts your vehicle directly from your smartphone.

Kayaking

After the photography lesson, we had a bit of time, so we went kayaking. It’s been a while since I’ve been in a canoe type contraption and I feel pretty confident maneuvering it, but the water is what freaks me out the most. Ironic right? Sometimes we need to overcome some fears to enjoy new experiences. As we were rowing through the waters, we thought it would be fun to see what “boat” songs we could find on Apple Music. We found – “I’m on a Boat”, “Boats and Hoes”, “Boat Song”, and “Row Row Row Your Boat”.

Caviar Tasting with Northern Divine

After exercising off all the food we had, it was time for a Caviar Tasting. Northern Divine is North America’s only certified organic caviar and voted one of the world’s best sustainable caviars. You are likely to see many higher end restaurants using this on their menus. It’s cost quite a bit, so it’s definitely not cheap.

Dinner at The Restaurant at Painted Boat

After a few nibbles, it was time for dinner. A lot of us were wondering how we could possibly eat more, but I’m always up for the challenge.

First Course:

  • Painted Boat Organic Salad with organic greens, strawberries, shaved beets, candied pecans with a spiced maple vinaigrette
  • Tomato and Avocado Tartar with basil paint, balsamic reduction and crispy capers
  • Spiced BC Beef Carpaccio with radish, focaccia crisp, basil crema and arugula
  • Grilled local octopus with smoked potato, grilled chorizo, Piquillo Aioli, crispy basil

Main Course:

  • Malbec Braised Beef with Black Fig, and Port Jus
  • Gladiator local wild prawns with roasted garlic hummus, chimichurri, grilled lemon and hot house sauce
  • Organic chicken supreme with saffron israeli couscous, smoked carrot puree, portdrunk shallots, roast garic jus
  • Steamed mussels with red curry, lemon grass, ginercoco nut broth

Dessert

  • Maple pumpkin pot de creme
  • Dark Chocolate diplomat mousse cake with pistachio crust

It was a very generous meal and we had a lot of fun connecting with the other bloggers.

S’Mores and Star Gazing

The night was still young and the night didn’t end there. We had an astronomy and star gazing lesson, which ended with a s’mores party. It was a great place to star gaze as there isn’t a lot of light pollution. So many stars and planets were visible to the naked eye.

Early Morning Exploring

It’s good to have friends who are willing to sacrifice some sleep to go exploring in the early mornings before breakfast. It was hard to capture the sunrise with the vehicles, but we had a great time driving up and down the meandering roads, listening to music, and enjoying good company.

Final Thoughts

It was a fun 2 days and since I am in the market for an SUV, I personally love the Ford Edge and Ford Escape as those 2 would fit my needs perfectly for my family. The Ford Flex and Ford Escape are both great vehicles and are both 7-seaters. All 4 are packed with technology depending on the tier you choose.

I loved revisiting the Sunshine Coast on this West Coast Adventure with Ford Canada.

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In British Columbia

Fuud Meal Kit Delivery in Vancouver

Fuud is a meal kit delivery service that provides fresh, locally-sourced ingredients with weekly delicious recipes from local chefs in Vancouver, Canada. They have 3 types of meal plans to choose from – Omnivore, Vegetarian and Gluten-free.

These days, I love cooking more and more since I want to try to be a bit healthier and knowing what are the things that go into the dish. I essentially work 2 jobs, so finding the time to figure out what I can make for dinner can be a challenge on the super busy weeks. I gave Fuud a try for a week creating 3 of their dishes from the Omnivore meal plan. I picked all 3 meals online a week in advance and when it arrived, they texted me that it was on my doorstep with a message and photo. Since I wasn’t home, I made my husband bring it into the house when he got back home.

3 boxes of ingredients were delivered with the corresponding recipe cards.

Cod Tacos with Lime Crema

This taco was more like a burrito. Massive and didn’t function well as a taco. I would have preferred smaller tortilla shells.

Miso and Honey Roasted Chicken 

This dish was pretty cook and I never would have thought to cook a cauliflower in slices rather then roast the florets. The miso honey butter on the chicken was a good idea too.

Wild Salmon Confit with Cream Sauce

This was my favourite dish of the 3. Easy to make and pretty addictive.

Final Thoughts

All 3 recipes were relatively easy to make and I can reuse the technique to make any dishes of my own in the future. Price per servings range from $10.45 to $12.95, which is OK. By using Fuud, you know what is in your meal and you have pride that you made it yourself. I liked this for the week since I didn’t have to worry if I had enough ingredients to make a meal. Just grab a box and follow the instructions.

Website: https://fuud.ca/

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In British Columbia

Lay’s BLT: Review

Lay’s BLT is the latest flavour to hit grocery store shelves. I feel like I’ve seen them before since it’s seems like a normal flavour compared to some of the other types that have come out this year. I was browsing the grocery store and almost missed this. The “Limited Time Only” caught my eye and it was a flavour I’ve never tried before. A BLT is a sandwich made with bacon, lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise, and bread.

The BLT is on a regular Lay’s chip and had a predominant smokey bacon flavour with a hint of sour cream. It’s hard to simulate the BLT experience, but the kinda got it with the bacon taste. I thought it taste ok, nothing ground breaking in terms of flavour, but it was decent.

Website: https://www.lays.ca/

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In Cajun/Creole

The Holy Crab: Monster Roll Challenge

The Holy Crab in Downtown Vancouver has the Monster Roll Challenge where guests are invited to devour their 36-inch seafood roll in 5 minutes or less. It weighs a whopping 6 pounds. If you are defeated, you have to pay $75 plus tax. I was up for the challenge and so was Maggi, so we rolled up our sleeves to destroy this monster. This is only available until November 30, 2017.

The Monster Roll

Inside, you’ll find crab, shrimp, calamari, soft shell crab, fish finger, onion, garlic, mushroom, bell peppers, mayo, and your choice of Cajun sauce (mild, medium, spicy, or holy moly). We went with mild because I didn’t want to suffer the consequences the following day.

36 inches is the size of 3 Subway footlongs, so that means we had to eat 1.5 foot longs or 18 inches each.When we watched them assemble this, we felt very confident we could finish. Once they started adding more and more on top, we could see why this really isn’t an easy challenge.

The Rules

  1. Be the fastest team of 2 to finish a 36-inch seafood roll and place your names and time on our leaderboard – 1st place will win a $300 GIFT CARD to The Holy Crab!
  2. The seafood roll will be cut in half for every team. Time starts at the same time for both of you, and you and your teammate are responsible for eating your own half (no helping each other).
  3. The cost of the Monster Roll is $75 (tax excluded). Names and time will be recorded when your team finishes the roll.
  4. BONUS – If your team finishes the seafood roll in 5 minutes, your team gets the roll for FREE and receives a $25 gift card to The Holy Crab for your next visit.
  5. Unlimited water and/or soft drinks are provided (must let staff know before the competition starts).
  6. Only 5 Monster Rolls available per day – FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED (no reservations). Available every day during opening hours.
  7. The team with the fastest time on our leaderboard by Nov. 30 will be the grand prize winner and names will be announced on Dec 1st.

Let’s Eat

We started off at a good pace, but soon we realized it was more that we could handle. My strategy was to go for all the good stuff first by eating the seafood, then the bread. At first it had a good taste since I love seafood and if it’s crispy and deep-fried, I’m so into it. At the 4 minute mark, I really started to feel it and I didn’t like the mixture of all the sauces. After 10 minutes, we threw in the towel. I easily demolished the seafood and still had a good amount of bread left.

Maggi on the other hand almost demolished the bread and has some seafood leftover. The hardest part was the richness of the lobster oil soaked in the vegetables, then the added sauces inside. I may have thrown up a little bit afterwards.

Address:
1588 Robson St, Vancouver

Website:
http://www.theholycrab.ca/

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In Event

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at Michael J. Fox Theatre: Review

  is a classic musical with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber. It’s been brought back to Michael J Fox Theatre from November 3 – 18 by Align Entertainment Inc.. The story, set in ancient Egypt, is based on the rags to riches journey of Joseph, his eleven brothers, and his “coat of many colors” from the Bible.

The show features a full orchestra, sets, costumes and stars: Stuart Barkley (The Drowsy Chaperone) returning in the lead role of Joseph, with Katie-Rose Connors (Cabaret, Rocky Horror Show) as the Narrator, Justin Lapena (Pharoah), Robin Sukurokoff (Jacob), Brennan Cuff(Potihar), and Erin Matchette (Mrs. Potihar).

The Biblical saga of Joseph and his coat of many colors comes to vibrant life in this delightful musical parable. Joseph, his father’s favorite son, is a boy blessed with prophetic dreams. When he is sold into slavery by his jealous brothers and taken to Egypt, Joseph endures a series of adventures in which his spirit and humanity are continually challenged.

He is purchased by Potiphar where thwarting advances from Potiphar’s wife lands him in jail. When news of Joseph’s gift to interpret dreams reaches the Pharaoh, Joseph is well on his way to becoming second in command. Eventually his brothers, having suffered greatly, unknowingly find themselves groveling at the feet of the brother they betrayed but no longer recognize.

After testing their integrity, Joseph reveals himself leading to a heartfelt reconciliation of the sons of Israel. Set to an engaging cornucopia of musical styles, from country-western and calypso to bubble-gum pop and rock ‘n’ roll, this Old Testament tale emerges both timely and timeless.

I couldn’t remember this story, but my husband remembered every detail, so it was interesting to see our different interpretations of seeing the story unfold. I really loved Align Entertainments injection of pop cultural references and symbols of the Lower Mainland that we know very well. We both love musicals and enjoyed Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Tickets are very affordable and the show is family friendly, so if you are looking for something to see in the next few weeks, definitely consider this.

We would consider watching it again, but Align Entertainment is working on Legally Blonde and A Christmas Story, which we are also excited to see.

Address:
7373 MacPherson Ave, Burnaby

Website:
http://alignentertainment.ca/

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In British Columbia

Deck the halls with the Home Collection at Real Canadian Superstore

I love the holidays season and it’s just around the corner. A great time for friends and family to gather around the home and enjoy in delicious eats and conversation. My kitchen is really the heart of the home as that’s where all the delicious baking happens. I really like the Real Canadian Superstore to pick up a few key pieces in their home collection. The quality and price are very good. Below are a few of my favourite items available this year.

Ornaments

There are some super cute ornaments and the sock monkey really stole my heart. I love mismatched ornaments because I feel like each ornament has a story to tell. They even have another ornament with a skiing squirrel.

Plaid Everything

I love the plaid pattern on some of their items as it gives it a very Canadian feel. It gives it a warm cozy feel and the nutcracker all dressed up is a modern twist to what is traditionally done.

Zodiac Mugs and Candles

If you love constellations, they have a bunch of zodiac/astrology inspired items. They make a good gift for a bit of personalization if you know the other person’s sign.

Nordic Icon Mugs

These oversized mugs are so cute and can you imagine them all filled with hot chocolate?

Holiday Charcuterie Plate

All parties need an obligatory charcuterie platter and possibly some wine to pair with it. Their huge wooden cutting boards work so well as a base for all the meats and cheeses. To tie it all together, they have some festive napkins too.

Final Thoughts

There’s so much more that I didn’t cover as they have so many new items coming up to help you make your home feel a bit more festive. After getting a sneak peek of their collection, I already purchased a few items for my home and I didn’t break the bank. Very affordable and I’ve never had an issue with quality.

Website: https://www.realcanadiansuperstore.ca

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In Four Beakers

Sushi Bar Maumi: Reservation Only Omakase

Sushi Bar Maumi is located on Davie Street in Vancouver and specializes in nigiri sushi for his omakase menu. Reservations are required, so they will not take walk-ins. Omakase is $75 per person and if you want to order more, you can do so after the 10 pieces.

They try to give customers an authentic and memorable sushi bar experience. Since there are only 2 seatings per evening with 10 seats each. There are a few rules you need to follow in order to have a good time with other guests. Make sure you read their website in it’s entirety.

It’s definitely not cheap, but it’s an experience watching Chef Maumi Ozaki create each piece of nigiri and eating such delicious simple flavours. Just make sure you follow his rules.

Green Tea

As we sat down for our 6pm seating, we were given a pot of green tea to sip on through out our meal. Since I am a tea guzzler, they did refill everyone’s pots during the evening.

Suzuki – Japanese Sea Bass

The first piece was suzuki nigiri, which is a Japanese Sea Bass. It has a good mouthfeel and chef puts a brush of sauce on top for added flavour.

Surume Ika – Japanese Flying Squid

Ika is usually tough, but the chef cuts it slightly with a criss-cross to break apart the connective tissue. The sauce that is brushed on top collects in these slots and holds a good amount of flavour.

Aji – Japanese Horse Mackerel

The flesh is more pinkish compared to the others. It is topped with ginger and scallions. It has a delicate and sweet flavour.

Kuruma Ebi – Japanese Tiger Prawn

One of the more expensive nigiri at Maumi, if you want more, it will cost you $18 per piece. The head is removed to be used in the miso soup later in the evening. It is sweet and full of umami taste.

Shima Aji – Stripped Jack

The flesh is more white and milder in flavour. Still a good piece of nigiri.

Hokkaido Bafun Uni – Sea Urchin

The uni is harvested at peak season and it topped with a small bit of ginger. The uni is sweet, briny, and creamy.

Miso Soup

Up next was miso soup made with the prawn heads. It came pipping hot, but very delicious soup which was so warming.

Nama Hotate – Fresh Scallop

The scallop was sliced thinly and draped on top of the sushi rice. Fresh, subtly sweet and has a soft texture.

Medium Fatty Bluefin Tuna marinated in special soy sauce

This was a joy to eat. So damn good!

Saba – Mackerel

One of my favourites as it has firm flesh and its rich and fatty with yummy flavours.

Anago – BBQ Sea Eel

This was the last item of our omakase was the anago. It was nice an hot covered in this delicious sauce.

Hon Maguro O-Toro – Fatty Bluefin Tuna

Almost everyone ordered this at the end. It will cost you $12 per piece but you have to try it once. It’s really good and it melts in your mouth.

Sanma – Pike Mackerel

We ordered this because everyone else did as well. They seem to know what they were ordering, so we followed along. It was fatty and rich similar to saba. This is served with ginger and scallions on top.

Ikura – Salmon Roe

This is like little dragon balls. The roe are salty and it’s fun to pop them in your mouth.

Tamago

This is handmade egg omelette with fish, prawns, mountain potato and dashi. It had a sweet finish to the taste and served cold.

Final Thoughts

This was a fun experience to eat at a sushi bar served by Chef Maumi Ozaki. The food is great, but we did have to order a few more pieces after the omakase to get full. You have to be a fan of nigiri to fully enjoy the experience. One person dining just ate the fish on top and left all their rice. Our bill between us was over $200, so you need to be here for a special occasion.

We Rate Sushi Bar Maumi:

Address:
1226 Bute St, Vancouver

Website:
http://www.sushibarmaumi.ca/

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In Airplane Meals

United Airlines: Vancouver to Denver (UA 381)

Heading off to another adventure in Colorado to visit their gorgeous landscape created by the Rocky Mountains. I booked my flight with United Airlines as it was the cheapest option that was convenient for my schedule.

I boarded flight UA 381 on a Boeing 747 in economy on the weekend around noon. Getting through security at Vancouver International Airport is a breeze and the airport is very easily navigable.

Boarding

The boarding was delayed by 30 minutes as there was a crew member stuck in security, but it didn’t affect the arrival time as the winds were in our favour.

Comfort

The flight wasn’t full, so I had a whole row to myself, which never happens. I‘m so used to them overbooking flights. The 2 hour and 45 minute flight was smooth.

The seats weren’t cramped at all, but then again, I am 5’3, so I can fit mostly anywhere. The seats reclined a bit and the headrest to bendable to hold your head in place as you nap. Most people on the flight read a book, slept or was listening to music.

Food

We were given complimentary snacks and beverage. We got Bits & Bites and a beverage. I usually ask for the whole can of pop since I get pretty thirsty on planes.

You can purchase additional food and beverages from their onboard menu. Decent prices, but the food options aren’t exciting. Items like candy, sandwiches, and alcoholic beverages. I usually eat before or after flights.

Entertainment

There are power outlets under the seat, but no monitors. As for entertainment, you can connect your personal device to their wifi and use their United App to access movies and tvs shows for free. There was a good amount of movies like Toy Story 3, Step Brothers, Captain America, and other popular shows. I don’t mind having no screens on flights since it helps reduce costs for the airline and in turn give us customers a cheaper flight.

You can also purchase wifi access for a few dollars if you need.

Final Thoughts

With all the bad press United Airlines has gotten in the past, I found the experience totally fine. I make sure to arrive early and book connecting flights with ample time to catch the next flight and I don’t check in bags anymore. Plus, the price was really good compared to some other competitors.

Website: https://www.united.com/

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In Granville Island

Dockside Restaurant: Fall Menu Sneak Peek

The Dockside Restaurant on Granville Island is a place locals and tourist love to come to for the views and the fresh seafood options on the menu. They like to keep their menu seasonal, so they have recently launched a few items on their menu to reflect the Fall season and use the freshest produce possible.

Interior

The main dining area is very nice with lots of windows, comfortable seating, and views of False Creek.

Super Food Buddha Bowl

This has organic quinoa, farro, wehani rice, house-pickled vegetables, heirloom tomatoes, romaine hearts, and a citrus vinaigrette. A good items to have to taste the fresh produce of the Fall. The hearty grains are delicious too.

Warm Fall Harvest Kale Salad

This has a medley of roasted root vegetables, Okanagan honey crisp apples, buttermilk dressing, and grana padano. We have delicious local apples, so this plate highlight more of the farms close by. The texture of the crisp root vegetables contrasts well with the kale.

Two Rivers Meats Grilled Beef Tenderloin (6oz)

This dish has AAA beef, potato yam pavé, butternut squash purée, red wine thyme jus, seasonal organic vegetables, and preserved cherry-basil compound butter. Having the beef medium rare is the best way to have this served.

Braised Lamb Shank

The tender lamb shank sits on top of Israeli cous cous, butternut squash, Okanagan plum jus, dukkah, and seasonal organic vegetables.

Forno Roasted Salmon

This has lemongrass-soy marinated Oceanwise salmon, pistachio mash, bell pepper aioli, and seasonal organic vegetables. The salmon was cooked nicely and the marination of the lemongrass-soy flavour.

Grilled Haida Gwaii Halibut

The halibut sits on lemon-herb spaetzle, dungeness crab bisque, house pickled and roasted organic vegetables. I enjoyed the combination of the spaetzle and halibut. A good combination as an entree.

Sticky Toffee Pudding

The sticky toffee pudding has spiced caramel sauce, rum and vanilla gelato on top. Such a lovely treat to end the meal.

Coconut Milk Cheesecake

This dessert has passion fruit chia seed glaze, honey toasted nuts and candied coconut chips. It is gluten-free, which is a good option for those with dietary restrictions.

Final Thoughts

Dockside Restaurant is a solid place to go to in Vancouver. The location is right on Granville Island and they do have lots to do in the area. My favourite dishes was the Grilled Haida Gwaii Halibut.

We Rate Dockside Restaurant: 

Address:
253 Johnston St, Vancouver

Website:
http://docksidevancouver.com/

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In Airplane Meals

United Airlines: Toronto to Atlanta (UA 8106)

Flying out of Toronto early in the morning means spectacular sunrises with the airport in the view. We were headed to Atlanta on United Airlines, but it is operated by Air Canada Express. The flight lasted about 2 hours and 10 minutes, which isn’t a long flight at all.

Comfort

The flight boarded smoothly and has no issues at all. The seats were pretty standard size and since it was smaller plane, it had 2 seats on either side. It was pretty full, so they did ask for some passengers to check in their carry on luggage.

Entertainment

There is a screen at the back of each seat and also USB plugs if you want to charge your electronic device like your phone. They have some pretty up to date content on these screens since they have a partnership with Cineplex.

The entertainment system has TV shows, movies and games, but I opted to just look at the map as I did some work on my laptop. I always find it interesting to see where the plane is up in the air.

Final Thoughts

It’s interesting to see United Airlines and Air Canada code sharing because I originally expected I would be on a United Airlines plane, but its Air Canada. Not a big deal at all. I was just happy to get from Toronto to Atlanta smoothly without issue.

Website:
https://www.united.com

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In British Columbia

Zombie Frappuccino Invades Starbucks Until Oct 31

Guess what’s coming to town? Zombie Frappuccino is invading Starbucks across Canada and the United States. What better way to kick off Halloween? Imagine it as the Unicorm frappuccino of the Fall.

The Zombie Frappuccino blended beverage has a ghastly green body made with Frappuccino Crème infused with flavors of tart apple and caramel and topped with pink whipped cream “brains” and red mocha drizzle.

It’s a fun drink to have over Halloween, and people will either have a love/hate relationship with it similar to the Unicorn Frappuccino. I got a stronger taste of the tart apple, but the caramel was slightly lost. The red mocha drizzle really give it a goulish look.

Starbucks has celebrated Halloween in stores with spine-chilling Frappuccino flavors since 2014, starting with the Franken Frappuccino blended beverage, followed by the Frappula Frappuccino in 2015 and 2016.

The creepy concoction is available Oct. 26-31 in participating stores in the United States and Canada, while supplies last.

Website: 
https://www.starbucks.ca/menu/beverage-list/frappuccino

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In Seafood

Hogtown: Pub and Oysters in Toronto

Hogtown Pub and Oysters in Toronto is located in the Little Italy neighbourhood. I was meeting up with my friend Flo for a pre dinner meal while I was in town. Always good to catch up with friends over appies and drinks. They are a local favourite and have locally sourced produce where possible. You will also find a good amount of local craft beers on their menu too.

Interior

The restaurant is pretty narrow and has a good pub feel with all the picture frames on the walls and the booth style seating. Good for small to large groups.

Drinks

My friend got a ginger ale and I got Stiegl grapefruit radler, which is delicious, light and sweet. A good Summer drink.

Oysters

We got a dozen oysters for $30 and I thought it was a bit mediocre. If you’ve ever had a fresh West Coast Oyster, these didn’t compare. I think these were from the East Coast and it has more salty notes to the taste. If you love oysters, they do have some specials throughout the week if you want to save.

You can add some sauce to the oyster to give it some added taste. My personal favourite is always a drop of tabasco sauce.

Mussels

Mussels sauced with either white wine and garlic, zesty tomato or green curry. We went with white wine and garlic sauce and it was pretty delicious. There is toasted bread served with it too. The mussels inside the shells were pretty small sizes.

Sauteed Octopus

This dish has tender octopus served with chorizo sausage, purple fingerling potatoes and rapini tossed with their secret octosauce. It was a good dish that I really enjoyed.

Final Thoughts

Being from the West Coast in Vancouver, the seafood doesn’t compare, but since Toronto is far from either coast, I hear that local do love this place. Perhaps I just have higher standards since its readily available to me. It’s still a nice place to chill over drinks and bites with friends.

We rate Hogtown Pub & Oysters: 

Address:
633 College St, Toronto

Website:
http://www.thehogtownpub.com/

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In Dessert

Kekou Gelato: Asian Inspired Desserts in Toronto

When I was in Toronto, my friends highly suggested I go to Kekou Gelato for a taste of their unique flavours of gelato. They specialize in Asian-inspired frozen desserts. Since I sometimes have a sweet tooth, I couldn’t say no to coming here with my friends. I had less than 24 hours in Toronto, so I needed to eat as much as I could.

Interior

There are lots of tables inside this location and the line starts on the right side of the shop. It was late into the evening, but there was a good amount of people inside.

Menu

Tasting

There were lots of flavours to choose from, so I tried a bit of everything. How could I resist? All the flavours were pretty darn delicious, so it made deciding on one flavour very difficult.

In a Cup

One of my favourite ones that I tried was the HK Milk Tea gelato. I got it as one scoop in a cup. It was pretty smooth and made well. The tea flavour stood out and was addictive.

In a Cone

Instead of a cup, you can get it as a cone too.

If you are in Toronto for a visit, I would highly recommend this place for a nice sweet gelato treat. I sure enjoyed it.

We rate Kekou gelato:

Address:
394 Queen Street West, Toronto

Website:
https://www.facebook.com/kekougelato/

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In Fast Food

Bojangles: Famous Chicken ‘n Biscuits in Atlanta

Fast food in the United States always fascinates me, so when I see a place I never heard of, I have to check it out even if it means eating more when I’m already full. While at Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport, I had a bite at Bojangles, which is a southeastern regional fast food joint, know for their mild cajun seasoning, fried chicken, and buttermilk biscuits. I lined up for a little bit to get a taste of their fried chicken to see how it compares.

I got the one piece chicken breast combo which comes with a drink, biscuit and a side of your choice.

The chicken breast was really crispy on the inside and the mild cajun spice was pretty delicious. Usually breast meat is very tough, but this was juicy. It reminded me of Church’s Chicken in Vancouver but with more seasoning.

The green beans were pretty disappointing like mush. It’s fast food vegetables, so I didn’t expect much from it.

The biscuit was meh, pretty dry in my opinion.

Final Thoughts

For fast food fried chicken, it’s pretty solid. I wish I could have tried a thigh or a drumstick but they ran out and only had breast left. The best part about eating this meal was really the spork. The second greatest utensil besides the chopstick.

We Rate Bojangles:

Address:
6000 N Terminal Pkwy, Atlanta

Website:
https://www.bojangles.com/

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In Airplane Meals

United Airlines: Chicago to Vancouver (UA 0563) Review

On the way back home, we made a connecting flight from Chicago O’Hare to Vancouver with United Airlines (UA 0563) in the evening. I dashed to my gate and had enough time to grab some Garrets Popcorn to bring back. I ran past the beautiful underground path to make it to this flight, so bad I had to sprint past it to make sure it got to the gate on time.

Boarding

We boarded quickly, but there was an issue with the plane, so we had to sit tight on the plane for 45 minutes until they fixed the issue and got it approved. It delayed our arrival by a little bit since the winds were in our favour.

There wasn’t much to do while waiting, so everyone just went on their devices of watched some shows.

Comfort

This was the most uncomfortable flight I’ve had in a while. The seats were very hard and wouldn’t even recline by an inch. It looked like other peoples seats didn’t recline either and everyone was just confused. There wasn’t a lot of room and I’m only 5’3. The model of the plane was a Boeing 737-400 Jet. The total flight time was 4 hours and 35 minutes.

Food and Snacks

We got complimentary pretzels and a beverage, which is pretty standard for United flights. You can order off their menu if you want something more substantial. Decent prices, but the food options aren’t exciting. Items like candy, sandwiches, and alcoholic beverages.

Entertainment

There is an entertainment system on every seat and I was able to watch some Rick and Morty, which is pretty damn awesome. It made up for the cramped seating situation. There are ore entertainment options, but you will have to pay a little extra.

Final Thoughts

With the delay and cramped seating space, I really didn’t enjoy this experience. I tried to nap off the rest of the flight, but my back hurt and the lady next to me was flopping all over the place as she slept. We got from Chicago to Vancouver pretty smoothly with no other hiccups, which was fine.

Website:
https://www.united.com

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In Car

2017 Hyundai IONIQ Hybrid: Review

The 2017 Hyundai IONIQ is the world’s first vehicle to be powered by a choice of three different electrified powertrain options in a single model: hybrid, electric and electric plus. I am a huge fan of hybrid and electric vehicles, so when I heard about the Hyundai IONIQ, I had to give it a try for the week to get a good feel for the car.

  • IONIQ electric operates solely on electric power and can go up to 200km on a single charge and produces zero emissions.
  • IONIQ hybrid can run on a traditional gasoline engine, an electric motor, or both. It is great for daily commutes and weekend adventures with over 1,000 km per tank. It is a blend of pwer and efficiency.
  • IONIQ electric plus can be switched between electric and gas. When you select electric, it can go about 40kms, then you can switch and it will work like the IONIQ hybrid. This power train isn’t available until late 2017.

There are some really good government incentives in Canada by going green. Ontario offers up to $14,000, Quebec up to $8,000 and BC offers $5,000. Any discount is a good discount especially when you can keep on saving and reduce your gas intake and emissions. The infrastructure for electric vehicles are growing to have electric chargers readily available. It just take a little bit of planning, but once you know where your go-to charging stations are, it’s a breeze.

Exterior

The style of the car is pretty conservative and doesn’t have any aggressive curves, a good simple design that fits.

The LED lights in the front and the back are bright and stand out in the daytime and nighttime.

The blind spot detection lets you know if there are cars in your blind spot, so it lights up to alert you that there is some object there. Very handy when changing lanes.

Interior

The interior of the vehicle is comfortable in the front 2 seats, there is dual climate control if one person likes it hotter and the other wants it cooler.

The seats are heated and even the rear seats can be heated too.

The trunk space is good and you can fold own the rear seats to add more space if you’re carrying more stuff.

Technology

Technology in the vehicle will depend on the package you choose, but I find that the IONIQ was a good range of technology that is essential to a good driving experience. You aren’t overwhelmed with unnecessary features.

Proximity keyless entry and push-button ignition are great as an upgrade, but some people can find it confusing at first to use. Once you get use to it, you’ll love it. You never have to dig into your bag to find your keys.

A few favourite is the Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. Just connect your phone and you have access to your music, maps, phone and other compatible apps.’

For parking, a rearview camera with the dynamic guidelines makes parking a breeze. All those time where I had anxiety with parallel parking are all gone since you can see how you close you are to other cars. A great safety feature too. Even with the lowest package – IONIQ Blue, you get these 2 great features without blowing the bank.

There is wireless phone charging option too with the Limited package if you want to set your phone down to charge without having cords around. Good thing the new iPhone 8 has wireless charging capabilities now, so it will come in handy with vehicles.

Drive

The drive was pretty smooth and has quite a bit of torque for a hybrid vehicle. The vehicle combines an efficient 1.6L gasoline engine with a powerful 32kW electric motor for impressive performance and fuel efficiency. When it automatically switches from electric to gas, it’s not very obtrusive compared to other car models.

You can even shift into sport mode to really have more fun with the vehicle.

Final Thoughts

My husband and I really enjoyed this car commuting Downtown from the subburbs on the weekday and then took some longer drives on the weekend. We drove quite a bit with the IONIQ hybrid, but we still had plenty of gas left in the tank. We were estimating that a tank would last us about a month, which is amazing. It’s a solid competitor in the compact sedan space if you are looking to going electric or hybrid.

Website:
https://ioniq.hyundaicanada.com/

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In Bubble Tea

T-Go Tea: Bubble Tea in Richmond

T-Go Tea in Richmond is a new bubble tea shop focusing on freshly brewed tea from loose tea leaves rather than powders like some other bubble tea shops in town. I was invited to check out a few of their drinks and see how they are. It’s pretty exciting to see more and more shops focusing on giving customers a healthier alternative to bubble tea.

Interior

The counter to order drinks is at the front but there is a room in the back where there are some seats and washrooms. Most people order drinks and have it to go.

All their teas are visible, so you can see they have nothing to hide.

 

Menu

There’s a lot of drinks on their menu, but you can easily customize them to your liking.

Roasted Milk Tea with Pearls

One of my favourite drinks to get at any bubble tea shop is their signature milk teas to see how they fare against each other. If you can’t get a delicious basic bubble tea, what are you doing. Good thing T-Go has a delicious roasted milk tea that isn’t too sweet, which is great.

Osmanthus Green Tea

I had to try their tea with no sugar and no milk to taste how their tea is like without the sweetness. They use an espresso machine to brew the tea. Then they add ice to cool it down. It’s pretty decent brewed iced tea.

Bubble Waffles

They make their bubble waffles in-house, but during our visit, they seemed to have an issue with creating the bubble waffles. I twas pretty doughy and not crisp, so it doesn’t snap off easily.

I’m sure they need some time to perfect the execution of these treats.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the tea here is good, but I only tried 2 drinks out of their entire line up of beverages. If you are in the Richmond area and are looking for good bubble tea made out of loose leaf tea, give T-Go Tea a visit.

We Rate T-Go Tea: 

Address:
4720 Mcclelland Road #1810, Richmond

Website:
http://www.tgotea.com/

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