We are the type of people who will walk by an eatery or attraction and say, “We have to check that out sometime” and it then takes us years to get around to it. It’s a particularly terrible trait when the place we’ve been meaning to check out is only a 10 minute walk from our front door, on the edge of one of our favourite places in the world. After living in the West End for almost a decade, John and I finally walked over to The Fish House in Stanley Park and within a few minutes began kicking ourselves, thinking “Why haven’t we done this sooner?!”.
You’ll find The Fish House in Stanley Park in the middle of the triangle that is formed by Park Lane, Lagoon Drive, and Beach Avenue. It’s just a short walk from the Seawall at English Bay, where sandy beaches climb up to grassy slopes which lead to the Ted and Mary Greig Rhododendron Garden and groves of trees like the nesting site of the Great Blue Heron.
Surrounded by greenery, the dining room is warm and inviting with big windows, candlelight, and buttery aromas. Friendly staff offered to take our coats at the door and we were shown to our table where we met our (awesome) server Julie. While the Shrimp Festival is currently underway, we ordered from the regular menu since this was our first Fish House experience. The pages of the 100% Ocean Wise menu teased us with offerings like oysters, halibut ceviche, smoked black cod flatbread, and chowder — and those were just some of the appetizers.
We decided on oysters and Executive Chef Curtis Demyon also sent over a scallop dish to get us started. It set a great pace for the evening which was one of delicate flavours, diverse textures, and what I remember most — steamy, soft and sweet aromas.
While I was seriously tempted by the Salmon Wellington and the halibut dishes, Julie also recommended the Arctic Char so I went with that. What won over my decision was the addition “manchego and cumin potato croquette, chipotle hollandaise” — I was very curious: Continue reading this post ⟩⟩
It’s only fitting that we celebrate BC Craft Beer Month since it was right here in the Greater Vancouver area that John Mitchell opened the first modern craft brewery in Canada back in 1982. Today, there are over 70 craft breweries in the province and craft beer has bubbled up to 12.7% (of all beer production) in 2011.
BC Craft Beer Month Events
Craft beer events happening in communities around BC throughout the month, with some that are already sold out in Steveston and Powell River. Here’s a quick list of the signature events created just for this month (a full list of events is available on the BC Craft Beer Month website).
Brewmaster Dinner at Mission Springs Brewing Co
Location: 7160 Oliver Street, Mission
Date: Tuesday, October 1, 2013 at 7:00pm
Tickets: $25
Beer Battle Royale at Doolin’s
Location: 654 Nelson St, Vancouver
Date: Thursday, October 3, 2013 at 6:30pm
Tickets: $25 (includes 4 pints)
Historic Brewing and Beer Tasting
Location: Vista 18 at Chateau Victoria, 740 Burdett Ave
Date: Thursday, October 3, 2013 at 7:00pm
Tickets: Call (250) 382-1641 Continue reading this post ⟩⟩
Lights on, heat up, turkey roasting in the oven, rain-soaked socks in the dryer. It’s sometimes challenging to save power at this time of year which is why October is Power Smart Month. For the next 31 days you can create a power plan for your home, learn ways to conserve energy, get great deals on energy-saving products, and participate in special programs that will help you be power smart all throughout the year.
Tips for Power Smart Month
Power Smart Month Grand Prize
BC Hydro is giving away the chance to create and win your own Samsung prize package worth $10,000 when you create your Power Plan online.
The winner may choose one or more of Samsung’s ENERGY STAR® rated products up to a maximum retail value of $10,000 CDN. The products selected must be ENERGY STAR rated, in stock, and the winner cannot select more than one product from each Samsung product line. All products must be part of the same order and delivery must be accepted by November 30, 2013. See full contest details online.
My Power Smart Month Contest
This is the fourth year that I have partnered with Power Smart Month to promote energy-saving tips and tools and I’m happy to be able to offer up another great contest prize thanks to BC Hydro’s Power Smart partners at The Home Depot.
For the month of October, BC Hydro Power Smart is offering instant discounts from $3-$10 on ENERGY STAR qualified compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs), light emitting diode bulbs (LED) and light fixtures. See in store at The Home Depot or visit Power Smart Lighting for details.
Here’s how you can enter to win a $100 gift card for The Home Depot:
- Leave a comment here with an energy-saving tip specifically for the cooler months and holiday season (1 entry)
- Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)
My winner will receive a $100 gift card for The Home Depot and they will be drawn at random from all entries (on this post and Twitter) at 10:00am on Monday, October 7, 2013.
Update The winner is Isaac!
A new month has arrived with rain, winds, and Halloween preparations. In Vancouver history, October has had some defining moments, some of which have been captured and preserved in the Vancouver Public Library and City of Vancouver Archives, while others live on through the words of Chuck Davis’ History of Metropolitan Vancouver. Here’s a quick roundup of what happened in Vancouver throughout many Octobers past:
October 1, 1940
1940: Claude P. Dettloff, Vancouver Daily Province. Archives# CVA LP-109.
On this day in history, the Province’s Claude P. Dettloff took the famous Wait For Me, Daddy photograph. It became the most reproduced Canadian picture from World War II.
October 7, 1930
The iconic Marine Building, one of buildings that most identify with Vancouver, opened for tenants.
1947: Leonard Frank Photos. Archive# Bu P346. 1946: Archives# CVA 586-4469.
On October 9, 1970
The Vancouver Canucks played their first regular season NHL game.
October 12, 1894
A party of hikers climbed a North Vancouver mountain and shot a grouse along the way, naming the mountain in its honour.
October 15, 1983
The Vancouver Art Gallery moved into the old courthouse on Georgia Street.
1920s: Old courthouse building. Archives# CVA 99-3101.
October 16, 1940
Originally called the Peach Arch Highway, King George VI Highway got its new name. Today, it’s King George Boulevard.
October 24, 1968
Grant McConachie Way, the road leading to Vancouver International Airport, opened to traffic.
October 29, 1889
Lord Stanley of Preston was not in town when Stanley Park was officially opened in September of 1888 so when he visited in October of the following year he officially dedicated the park, in his name. A statue depicting this moment was installed in 1960.
1960 – Unveiling of the Lord Stanley statue. Archives item#Mon N63.5. Williams Bros. Photographer’s Ltd.
Related Posts: January 1st in Vancouver History, February in Vancouver History, March in Vancouver History, July in Vancouver History, October in Vancouver History, November in Vancouver History, December in Vancouver History.
Zombies are so hot right now and if you can’t get enough in movies, on television, or in video games, you won’t be disappointed if you’re in the Vancouver area this season.
The Zombie Syndrome: On Death Island
The Zombie Syndrome is an interactive theatre experience on the streets of Vancouver kicks off Tuesday, October 1, 2013 and will run for the entire month, until November 1st. This brand new show, written and directed by award-winning theatre artist Andy Thompson, recruits audience members as Special Agents on an interactive, smartphone-enabled, thrill seeking adventure at a secret location in Vancouver.
The exact starting point of this year’s all new show remains undisclosed until the day before their appointed meeting, when the audience receives a phone call with instructions on where to meet (somewhere in central Vancouver). Once they are assembled at the top-secret rendezvous point with other members from the team of Special Agents (you!), the group is taken on a very public and unique theatre adventure. Attendees are encouraged to wear walking shoes, dress for the weather and be prepared to move. As the stars of the show, the audience travels from site to site, gathers clues from sudden allies, and faces challenges they must overcome in order to proceed to the next scene.
Tickets are on sale now through the online box office.
Thrill Vancouver
Join hundreds of other Thriller enthusiasts and bring your best zombie dancing shoes to the Roundhouse’s turntable plaza in Yaletown for Thrill Vancouver on Saturday, October 26, 2013. You can sign up for rehearsals to learn all of the moves made famous in Michael Jackson’s epic Thriller music video and dance your zombie heart out. On the day of the event you can get make-up applied by Blanche MacDonald students (pre-registration required) and bring a donation of at least $5-$10 to participate.
Zombie Combat Zone
The Zombie Combat Zone in White Rock is a live action paintball scenario game with a zombie-zapping mission. Ideal for a group outing, they’re open Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturday’s this fall starting October 3, 2013.
