I’ve been spending much more time with John these past few months, however we haven’t really had a date night since the beginning of the year. One of our favourite nights out together every year is at the Vancouver Alpen Club for the best Oktoberfest celebration in the city. While they are closed for events right now the restaurant, Deutsches Haus, is still serving up delicious, authentic German meals for take-out and delivery.
John & me at the Vancouver Alpen Club for Oktoberfest 2018
How about a sausage platter with Thuringer bratwurst, Bavarian smokie, weisswurst, Bavarian smokie, and meatloaf? Or how about their Currywurst with Bratwurst sausage served with curry ketchup and french fries.
Looking for shnitzel? They’ve got my favourite, Jagerschnitzel, served breaded or unbreaded with hunter-style with mushroom gravy, homemade spaetzle, and red cabbage. Or select Vienna or Chicken, starting off with an oven-fresh pretzel or some goulash.
Alpen Poutine has fries topped with signature creamy mushroom sauce and melted cheese, and the Cheese Spatzle (vegetarian) has their traditional egg noodles covered in melted Swiss cheese, served with fried onions and mixed green salad.
They also have a kids menu, dessert, and beverage options. Follow the Vancouver Alpen Club on Facebook and Twitter for more information.
Enter to Win
Host your own mini Oktoberfest now, from home! I am giving away a Feast for Two from the Vancouver Alpen Club that includes: 1/2 oven roasted pork hock, 2 schnitzel, 2 Bavarian meatloaf, and assorted sausages. Served with spatzle, red cabbage and sauerkraut.
The winner must be able to pick up their meal from the Vancouver Alpen Club (4875 Victoria Drive, Vancouver). Must be claimed/ordered by August 31, 2020.
I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 12:00pm on Friday, May 29, 2020.
Sea to Sky Gondola annual passholders and their guests only will be invited to visit starting May 22nd. This will allow our loyal passholders and locals to reconnect with nature safely in our own backyard while experiencing our new operating procedures. Passholders can bring their ‘‘bubble” of up to 4 guests with them. In this first phase no other ticket products will be sold.
In the second phase, they will be opening their online ticket store for pre-purchased tickets. To avoid unnecessary physical contact at the ticket windows, non-passholders will be required to purchase tickets online prior to arrival at the gondola. This will allow guests to proceed directly to the gondola from the parking lot. In this phase, they will be carefully monitoring capacity and guests may be required to wait in their car prior to loading the gondola or be asked to visit later in the day.
Hours of Operation
In the first phase (for passholders) hours will be 10:00am to 6:00pm with the last download at 7:00pm. Hours are subject to change. When planning a trip to the gondola, consider that their quietest times to visit are weekdays, overcast/cooler weather days and weekends prior to 10:30am or after 3:00pm.
For hikers, the Sea to Summit Trail is currently closed as the lower part of the trail travels through trails in Stawamus Provincial Park. They recommend hiking the trails from the summit including Shannon Basin Loop, Al’s Habrich Ridge and Sparky’s Spin.
This week we entered Phase 2 of BC’s Restart Plan, and as Dr Henry urges, we should still be cautious engaging with fewer faces, in bigger spaces. With the latter in mind, some BC Parks have re-opened for day use this week, you can still book a time to visit VanDusen Gardens, and there’s a mini donut drive-thru happening at the PNE. Find these activities, virtual events, and more things to do in Vancouver this weekend listed below:
Fun runs, bake sales, gala events and more are all on hold while we navigate COVID-19 but organizations still need our support, and they’re getting creative with how we can get involved. Here are a few ways you can get active for charity this summer, and have some fun while you’re at it!
Get Active for Charity This Summer
#HospitalityHustle Charity: British Columbia Hospitality Foundation Duration of campaign: by May 31, 2020 Details: Encouraging participants to pick an activity – walk or run 5km, dance for an hour, skip, prance, skateboard, or bike 10km – and start training today.
#StepUpForFamilies Charity: Ronald McDonald House Charities Duration of campaign: June, 2020 Details: Assemble your team to move 73 km in June while raising funds to support the families that stay at the 73-room Ronald McDonald House BC and Yukon every night.
Vancouver Pride Run and Walk Charity:Out in Schools and the LOUD Foundation’s Pride Youth Scholarship Fund. Duration of campaign: July, 2020 Details:Register online for the 5km run or walk, or the 10km run or walk. Or you can simply register to fundraise. During the month of July, complete your own 5km or 10km walk or run for the cause.
From my last #CHSleepOut in 2017
#CHSleepOut Charity: Covenant House Vancouver Duration of campaign: July 10, 2020 from 8:00pm to 8:00am Details: Challenging individuals, families, and businesses to spend one night on their living room floor, on their balcony or in their backyard, and raise crucial funds to support our Street Outreach Program.
#SplashforKids Charity: Sunshine Foundation Duration of campaign: On June 20, 2020 Details: Join on social media as you dip into the ‘digital stream’ to share videos and photos of you and/or your virtual team completing water themed activities of your choice – by a pool, lake or tub. Gather some super soakers, water balloons, or a slip and slide. Show us how you #SplashforKids on social media, prizes for Best Picture and Best Video, no registration required.
If you have any more to add, feel free to leave a comment and I’ll include it in the list.
It’s one of Western Canada’s largest celebrations and although it can’t take place among a hundred thousand at the amphitheatre in Cloverdale this year due to COVID-19, Surrey Canada Day 2020 is going virtual.
Surrey Canada Day 2020 is Going Virtual
Presented by Coast Capital Savings, Virtual Surrey Canada Day will take place on July 1 with a kids and seniors segment from 10:30am to 11:30am followed by regular programming from 6:00pm to 9:00pm broadcast on Facebook and YouTube Live.
Hosted by four-time Olympic gold medalist Hayley Wickenheiser, this year’s free family-friendly virtual event will feature a series of segments including, musical entertainment, virtual tours, indigenous and cultural acts, a “Family Hour” for kids and seniors, dance lessons, a rodeo tribute, and a virtual firework finale to end the night. The livestream will feature musical performances by local Surrey artists and Canadian groups including Colin James, 54-40, Bif Naked, Toque, Said the Whale, and Madeline Merlo.
Surrey Canada Day. Photos by John Bollwitt.
The broadcast will pay tribute to those affected by COVID-19 and honour the courageous local frontline health care workers and essential service providers. Additionally, Virtual Surrey Canada Day is working alongside corporate sponsors to raise $10,000 for the Surrey Food Bank to support the City’s vulnerable population.
This weekend you can get drive-thru mini donuts in support of PNE fair concessionaires! On August 22nd, the PNE would have opened for its 110th season, but due to COVID-19, this end of summer tradition will be greatly missed. It’s played a special role in the collective memory of our province, but one of its best ways to literally taste the nostalgia of the fair is through those deliciously sweet mini donuts.
Drive-Thru Mini Donuts for the PNE Fair Concessionaires
A Taste of the PNE – The Mini Donut Edition When: May 22-24, 2020 from 1:00pm to 7:00pm Where: Enter off Hastings St, west of Playland Tickets:Buy online in advance! Includes two tickets to the 2021 opening day of the PNE Fair.
For many, the Fair is symbolized by nightly concerts under Vancouver skies, SuperDogs, the Wooden Coaster, baby pigs and 4-H cows, and, of course, that crazy Fair food. But the PNE Fair has a significant impact beyond summertime memories, the 15-day event generates $85 million in economic impact into our region, and supports hundreds of local, family-owned small businesses who make up the concessionaires and exhibitors seen throughout the grounds each August.
Today, in an initiative aimed at supporting those businesses and showing our “Fair spirit” the Pacific National Exhibition is proud to announce the first in a new drive-through series – A Taste of the PNE – Mini Donut Edition.
This celebration of the almighty mini donut will feature the four concessionaires seen annually at the PNE Fair: Those Little Donuts, Tin Lizzy Donuts, CinCity Donuts and the PNE Fundunkers.
The Mini Donut Edition is the first in an anticipated series of events celebrating some of our Playland and Fair favourites.
The program, developed in consultation with Vancouver Coastal Health, will be a drive-thru experience with safe distancing protocols and food preparation standards.
Ticket holders will drive up to each of the participating donut stands, located in a row on the Fair’s traditional “Revel District” area at Hastings Park and pick up donuts to go for a bundled price. Prices are $20 for 24 donuts (plus two tickets to the 2021 Fair) or a Family Pack can be purchased for $35.00 for 48 donuts (plus two tickets to the 2021 Fair).
