Blogathon is officially up, running, and accepting donations. Here is some background information about this global charity event.

Since 2000, Blogathon has happened once a year and for 2009 it’s July 25th from 6:00am until July 26th at 6:00am. I first heard about Blogathon in 2006 from Barbara and Alanah. I followed their 24-hour campaigns, pledged, and then participated in 2007. The idea is for participating bloggers to publish posts every 30 minutes for 24 hours straight. Along the way they are encouraged to collect pledges (using the Blogathon.org pledge system) in order to raise funds for the non-profit of their choice.

In 2008 the Blogathon site was on hiatus so in its spirit I created Blogathon Vancouver. I hosted a wiki, a site, promoted the bloggers, and also ran my own campaign. I was joined by 11 local bloggers, such as Duane and Raul that I met up with during the campaign, and together (for each of our causes) we raised over $10,000 in a single 24-hour period.

For 2009, the official Blogathon website is back up and running (thanks to a small army of wonderfully dedicated volunteers). I’m happy that I could expand this event in Vancouver and that people like Duane have moved it out in to the Fraser Valley and beyond. I’m thankful for all of the support the event has received so far, and that I could get Kontent Creative to make some special website badges and banners.

I was hoping to promote and support the other area bloggers again this year but despite my best efforts, there are so many that are taking the ball and running that I’m not sure I will be able to do this. This is certainly a good thing since I love seeing bloggers using their sites and publishing powers for a good cause. Feel free to head over to the Blogathon website to view a complete list of participants from around the globe.

As for my personal campaign, you can be assured that come July 25th I’ll have 24 hours of fun, entertaining, and informative content pouring out on Miss604.com. I will also have some great prizes to give away during that time including something for whomever makes the highest personal donation to my campaign. I will also be hosting a 24-hour tweetup at Workspace during the Blogathon so that any participants can use it as a home base and we can get some visitors in to keep things exciting.

My cause once again this year is the Union Gospel Mission located in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside so I’m hoping that I’ll be able to help make a difference by supporting their work.

It was recently announced that the winner of season six of the hit reality cooking series, Hell’s Kitchen (featuring Chef Gordon Ramsay), will receive the coveted Head Chef position at Whistler’s Araxi restaurant.

I was fortunate enough to be able to interview Araxi’s Executive Chef James Walt, who also started up Yaletown’s Blue Water Cafe + Raw Bar.

Located in scenic Whistler, BC the show should shine a welcoming spotlight on the region, which is not only co-host to the 2010 Winter Games, but is also becoming a thriving culinary hot spot.

“Obviously it’s a ski town but we have a really good food scene here as well,” noted Walt. “We have a hundred restaurants and—Araxi in particular—we draw 70% of our produce from the Pemberton Valley, which is just behind us.”

Walt also noted that Chef Ramsay was “blown away” with the diversity of fresh, local ingredients in the area. “He didn’t expect we’d have this kind of product. The oceans are not far away, then we have the Fraser Valley, the Okanagan, and he did not expect what we had in our wines from BC.” — Read more in my weekly E!Online article

As a bonus for Miss604 readers, I also asked Chef Walt what was his favourite dish to prepare.

“We have an incredible beef that’s coming from 20 miles away at Pemberton Meadows,” said Walt. “I do two preparations, I roast the fillets then I take the blade and I make a braised croquette of beef to go with it – it’s a capsule of beautiful warm stew and then this really nicely warm fillet. That’s probably one of my favourite dishes right now.”

Looking at Araxi’s menu you’ll find numerous local delights such as Qualicum Beach Scallops, Paradise Valley Pork, and Spinach + Ricotta Gnocchi (with BC Hazelnuts). Watch for the restaurant and the region to be highlighted throughout the season of Hell’s Kitchen which begins July 21st.

Ever since I first played mini golf at Playland as a child I’ve been a fan of astroturf greens and rotating windmills. I’m a golfer as well however I’ve probably played more mini golf courses across North America than actual courses. From West Edmonton Mall down to Wonderland Castle Fun Park in the Fraser Valley it’s always a good time with friends.

When you’re in the Parksville area on Vancouver Island the one staple of every trip is a cruise around the 18 holes at Paradise Fun Park. It’s been a personal favourite over the last decade and I think my first car still has score cards from Paradise sitting in the glove box (wherever it may be resting now). As it turns out my partner in crime on the Girls Getaway, the lovely Ms Keira-Anne, also grew up with fond memories of Paradise and even knows the family that runs it all. With all of this in mind when we had some free time, it was a no-brainer to get into the car and head over for a round of putt-putt.

Right on the main highway, adjacent to a campground resort, you’ll see its towering castle and giant shoe — you know, where the old woman lives with all her kids (although they actually host birthday parties in there). Paradise offers two separate courses, the Turf n’ Surf and Treasure Island as well as bumper boats and a full amusement centre arcade (featuring kid-favourite, Whack-a-Mole).

The place was buzzing even at 8:00pm on a Thursday night so be prepared to wait a bit after each hole. We decided to do the Treasure Island course, which turned out to be lucky since Keira scored a hole-in-one right on top of the pirate ship. It’s also located further away from the main door so it seems to be less crowded then the Turf n Surf course.

Mini golf can’t really be compared to a world-class spa resort, nor acres of old growth forest, however it is a timeless classic when it comes to good ol’ fun times.

Side note: There is a new mini golf course in Parksville near Tigh-Na-Mara called Riptide Lagoon. If you’ve played the course at Cultus Lake it looks like a similar design style.

This week will feature a series of posts about our Girls Island Getaway adventures. My photos will be available on Flickr and you can also read Keira’s posts over on her site.

In the middle of a 70-acre old growth forest we met up with Kim Hammond who works in the nursery at the Milner Gardens and Woodland. Kim guided Keira and I around the grounds as we continued our Girls Getaway over on Vancouver Island.

The history of the gardens and woodland is extremely fascinating, although experiencing what has being built up over the years with the help of a small army of passionate volunteers is even more astounding.

Ray Milner owned the vacation estate and worked on the garden with his first wife Rita until her passing in 1952. Veronica became Ray’s wife in 1954 and continued the work on the gardens. A descendant of the Dukes of Marlborough, Veronica Milner was related to Sir Winston Churchill as well as Diana, Princess of Wales. With an artistic eye and some impressive connections (Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip were guests of the estate) she helped transform and preserve the land. In the late 1990s, Veronica wanted to ensure her home would live on as a gardens and woodland so in 1996 it was trusted to Vancouver Island University where it would be maintained in perpetuity “for education and the community’s benefit in Ray Milner’s memory”. Veronica herself passed away in 1998.

To say the land is beautiful is an understatement. When you first pull into the parking lot off the highway you’ll see nothing but towering Redwoods, Cedars, and Douglas Firs alongside the interpretive centre. After a self-guided stroll through the forest you’ll come to the garden entrance.

The Milner gardens are not really show gardens as they are to be enjoyed leisurely for their natural wonder. They’re home to many native Island plants as well as some truly unique flora from around the globe.

On top of holiday decorations and displays, they also host gardening workshops for kids, garden clubs, work parties, private events, and they have a store on site (in the old pool house) that sells all sorts of goodies from local artisans. Just a ways away, inside the main house, there is a lovely tea room and paintings by local artists adorn almost every wall.

Sitting out on the porch in front of the lawn, flanked by Dogwood trees, I peered off into the distance, out over the cliffs, and watched as the white-capped waves approached the shore. I suddenly longed to call this wondrous place home even though it would be an impossibility. I don’t think it was the lovely scenery, the china tea cups, or the yummy egg salad sandwich on a fresh croissant either (although they were all enjoyable). It was more so that I felt what I can only assume was but an ounce of the pride and love Veronica had for the land – if even for those few minutes. It’s something I felt emanating from every employee and volunteer we encountered that day as well.

We were treated to tea and lunch prepared on site by staff and dedicated volunteers and since we had to leave before we could enjoy dessert we were also given some delicious scones (with homemade jam) for the road.

Coming up in August, Milner will have a BC Day Picnic, and Jazz in the Garden on August 16th. They also sell plants from their nursery and will host a Fall Plant Sale in late September. Admission is $10 for adults however they offer an annual membership for $25, which is by far the best deal since you’ll definitely want to check out the estate each season.

I know I’ve been saying this in every post from our Girls Getaway so far but Milner is definitely a must-see destination on Vancouver Island.

This week will feature a series of posts about our Girls Island Getaway adventures. My photos will be available on Flickr and you can also read Keira’s posts over on her site.

On the second morning of our Girls Island Getaway from Vancouver, we made up our own schedule before heading to our next appointment. It’s fortunate that we did since it gave us time to explore Little Qualicum Cheeseworks and sample some tasty Morningstar Creek Wines.

Located in Parksville, BC the farm has been around for over a century however it wasn’t until artisan cheesemakers Clarke and Nancy Gourlay moved to Morningstar in 2004 (after making cheese since 2001) that it became Little Qualicum.

Little Qualicum Cheeseworks is also home to a slice of local history, featuring Lowry’s cabin at its entrance. This 120-year old homestead was the home of pioneer and blacksmith, Jim Lowry and is also featured on their cheese labels.

More and more people want to “see where their food comes from,” said winemaker Phil Charlebois as he led us on an impromptu tour of the Morningstar Farm. It’s a saying I first heard while doing the Circle Farm Tour in Harrison & Agassiz and something that is truly helping locals and visitors alike experience delicious farm fresh offerings.

Throughout the farm they have also created a fun experience for visitors, where you can peer in on the cheesemaking room, grab an Island Farms ice cream, giggle at their punny signage, visit with goats, or take a 30 minute trail walk around the property to truly soak in the area’s beauty.

We ran into some piglets in the barns as well but it’s best not to get too attached since Little Qualicum also sells bacon and pork products in their on-site store. However, being SPCA Certified, at least they’ll have a fine life in the shadowy valley of Mt Arrowsmith before making it to your plate. The farm also has Environmental Partner Certification, produces Canadian Quality Milk, and offers Verified Beef.

After our walk around the grounds (you can also pick up a handy self-guided tour map) we went into the shop to sample some cheese and do some wine tastings. There are cheese curds, feta, spiced creations, and fromage frais – perfect for spreading on a toasty bagel. If you shop at Capers or Whole Foods you may have been lucky enough to pick up some Artisan or Brie varieties from Little Qualicum Cheeseworks. These award-winning selections come directly from this working dairy farm that milks 50 cows, when they’re not out in the pasture. Almost 50% of the cheese produced by Little Qualicum is Brie, since it’s by far their best-seller.

We had some berry wine samples from Morningstar Creek Winery and I walked away with a bottle of their gooseberry wine (which was not too tart and not to sweet).

Morningstar Farm is located off Lowry Rd next to a truffle farm, which makes me wonder if they would benefit from creating an Oceanside Circle Farm Tour in the area. Being such a gem, I’m sure many wish they could keep the delicious offerings of Little Qualicum as their little secret, but something this good just absolutely deserves to be in the limelight.

This week will feature a series of posts about our Girls Island Getaway adventures. My photos will be available on Flickr and you can also read Keira’s posts over on her site.