The Vancouver Courier has released this year’s list of winners in their annual Stars of Vancouver reader poll, celebrating the best businesses in the city. I am very grateful to have been recognized as the #1 Best Local Blogger again this year, THANK YOU!

Vancouver Courier Stars of Vancouver

“From bakeries to bars, patios to pet stores, think of this as your guide to the best of Vancouver. As you explore the city, keep an eye out for the Stars of Vancouver logo displayed in the windows of winning merchants and businesses, as a sign of locals’ favourite spots.”

Read the full list of winners here and follow the Vancouver Courier online (Facebook, Twitter) for great local news reporting, travel, community info, and more.

BC’s 41st Provincial General Election is coming up on May 9, a date that all eligible voters should have circled on their calendar, like I did, until I realized that I have a travel assignment during that time. Not to worry! There are lots of ways to vote in BC. I have put together this summary to outline all of the ways you can vote in the 2017 Provincial General Election.

Check If You’re Eligible

You are eligible to vote in the provincial election in British Columbia if you are:

• 18 or older on May 9, 2017
• a Canadian citizen, and
• a BC resident for the past six months

You also need to be registered before you can vote. Online and phone registration has closed, but don’t worry, you can still register in the voting place right before you vote.

Don’t Forget ID

You need to show ID that proves your identity and home address in order to vote. You can:
1. Show one of these:

• A BC driver’s licence
• A BC Identification Card (BCID)
• A BC Services Card (with photo)
• A Certificate of Indian Status

OR

2. Show two documents, both with your name and at least one with your current home address.

A full list of acceptable ID is available online here.

Voting in the 2017 Provincial General Election

General Voting Day is May 9, but there are 28 days and so many ways you can vote, including:

• Voting in a district electoral office
• Voting by mail
• Advance voting (April 29-30 and May 3-6)
• General voting

All voters can vote at any voting place in BC. Find your assigned voting place or voting places near you by:

• Using Elections BC’s Where to Vote application
• Checking the list of advance and general voting places online here
• Looking for your Where to Vote card in the mail
• Contacting Elections BC

Advance Voting in BC

Advance voting is available on April 29 and 30, and May 3, 4, 5 and 6. Advance voting places are open from 8:00am to 8:00pm (local time). All voters can vote at any advance voting place, and all advance voting places are wheelchair accessible.

General Voting

General Voting Day is Tuesday, May 9, 2017. Voting places will be open from 8:00am to 8:00pm (Pacific time).

Vote at a District Electoral Office

You can also vote at any district electoral office. Voting is available from now until 4:00pm on General Voting Day.

Vote by Mail

Voters can request a vote by mail package from now until 4:00pm on General Voting Day. Packages can be requested online or by calling 1-800-661-8683. The completed package must be returned to the district electoral office that issued the package by 8:00pm (Pacific time) on May 9.

For all of this information and so much more, visit the Elections BC website and follow along on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. You can also join the conversation on Twitter using #iVoteBC, and show your support by updating your social profiles.

If you have any questions, contact Elections BC. Your vote counts! Be sure to cast your ballot for the 2017 Provincial Election.

The Cascade Room is hosting a Howling Moon Craft Cider Dinner to coincide with BC CiderWeek 2017 (April 28 to May 7th). The five-course dinner, featuring dishes from Cascade Room’s Executive Chef Tim Evans, has been expertly paired with craft ciders from Howling Moon, a cidery based in Oliver, BC.

Howling Moon Craft Cider Dinner

Where: The Cascade Room (2616 Main St, Vancouver)
When: Thursday, May 4, 2017 at 7:00pm
Tickets: Purchase online now for $75 per person (includes tax, gratuity and cider pairings).

Howling Moon’s Kate Durisek, Proprietor and Nik Durisek, Proprietor and Chief Cider Maker, will be on-hand to introduce each pairing and share the story of the boutique South Okanagan-based cidery.

In terms of the menu, Chef Evans has let his imagination run wild, inspired by the bounty of the region. From a pickled strawberry salad with lemon ricotta to a hearty beef tenderloin with stilton butter, roasted shimeji mushrooms and cider jus, his menu for this special event is guaranteed to bring out the unique flavour of each cider.

Throughout BC Cider Week, The Cascade Room will offer four different ciders on-tap from select BC cideries, including: Orchard Hill Estate Cidery (Oliver); Howling Moon Craft Cider (Oliver); Wards Hard Cider (Kelowna); BC Tree Fruits (Kelowna); and Tod Creek Craft Cider (Victoria).

Win Tickets

I have a pair of tickets to give away for this event, here’s how you can enter to win:

• Leave a comment on this post (1 entry)
• Click below to get another entry by posting on Twitter:

[clickToTweet tweet=”RT to enter to win tickets to the @HowlingCider dinner at @thecascaderoom http://owl.li/wmU230bcMEe” quote=” Click to enter via Twitter” theme=”style6″]

Must be 19+. Please enjoy responsibly. I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 5:00pm on Sunday, April 30, 2017.

Update: The winner is @WolfShow!

I love local parks almost as much as I love local history, so I thought since the sun is (currently) shining, I’ll start up my Metro Vancouver Park Series again to give you some inspiration for your adventures this season. Today’s feature is Kanaka Creek Regional Park in Maple Ridge.

Kanaka Creek Regional Park

Location: Kanaka Creek Regional Park (400 hectares) envelopes the twisting Kanaka Creek as it flows into the Fraser River in Maple Ridge, across from Langley’s Derby Reach Regional Park. You can get there right from Lougheed Highway 7, exiting onto River Road near the eastern side of the Haney ByPass.

Features: There are 10km of walking trails, 7km of cycling trails, and 5km of horseback riding trails in the park that features a coastal rainforest, waterfalls and sandstone cliffs. Watching salmon is a popular activity, either at the Bell-Irving Hatchery or the fish fence, which support enhancement activities for chum and coho salmon as well as cutthroat trout populations in Kanaka Creek.

Dogs (on-leash) are welcome in the park, and fishing is permitted subject to regulations set out by the Provincial Government for fresh water and by the Federal Government for tidal waters. There are picnic tables, and washrooms (some pit).

A post shared by Leila and Tulo Wilson (@leilaandtulo) on Apr 20, 2017 at 10:34pm PDT

The popular Canyon Trail is 1.2 km, about a 30 minute walk one way from the Hatchery, with some challenging hills. The Canyon Trail follows unique sandstone canyons with spectacular falls on the north and south arms of Kanaka Creek.

Follow the 3km Riverfront Trail for a 1 hour stroll on a relatively flat surface. Here you will find outstanding views of Kanaka’s oxbow and the Fraser River and all the wildlife in and around these productive waters.

A post shared by Alison P (@ali.sinn) on Apr 16, 2017 at 7:17am PDT

A post shared by pennydaflos (@pennydaflos) on Apr 17, 2017 at 3:23pm PDT

A post shared by Ernie (@ernie_kasper) on Oct 21, 2016 at 2:00pm PDT

For more information about this local park, and more, download the iParks App, and follow Metro Vancouver Regional Parks on Facebook. You can also check out hiking trails on the Vancouver Trails website which says: “The park is a great location for families to spend a day in the outdoors during the summer.”

A post shared by E M M A ↟ (@emmaaculate) on Jun 21, 2016 at 9:44pm PDT

Do you have a favourite local park that you would like to see featured? Leave a note in the comments below. Read about more parks around the Lower Mainland here »

There are some pretty creative trivia nights in Vancouver, there’s a new one to add to the list next month: After Hours Trivia Night at the Vancouver Aquarium.

Which marine mammal has the densest fur in the animal kingdom? How many arms does a pacific octopus have? What is the most common piece of garbage found on BC shorelines?

After Hours Trivia Night at the Vancouver Aquarium

When: Thursday, May 11, 2017 6:00pm to 10:00pm
Where: Vancouver Aquarium (845 Avison Way)
Tickets: Tickets are only available online. Guests are encouraged to purchase tickets early as they often sell out. Tickets are $23 for members and $31 for non-members.

After Hours events provide adults-only access to the Aquarium, including the Wet Lab, all galleries, the 4-D theatre and Discover Rays. Food, cocktails, wine, and beer will be available for purchase.

Guests can explore galleries on their own or get involved in these special programs and activities that will have them urchin to know more:

• Participate in a Q and Ray in the Discover Rays gallery while having an up-close-and-personal encounter with stingrays as they glide through the water.
• Discover the dangerous animals that live in the Strait of Georgia – just off Vancouver’s coast – during an interactive talk by the interpretive team.
• Dive into facts about amazing aquatic animals and their dynamic habitats by embarking on a scavenger hunt or playing Jeopardy-inspired trivia.
• Catch a screening of the new, exhilarating 4-D film, Coastal Predators.
• Experience hands-on learning with marine invertebrates like sea stars, sea anemones, and more in the Wet Lab.

After Hours is a 19+ event. Photo ID is required for entry. All ticket sales are final. Membership cards will be required for member-priced ticket holders.