Category: food

Squamish to Birch Bay WA

On By Rick McIn food, McCharles family, travelLeave a comment

Road trip. 🙂

We enjoyed the complementary breakfast at the Sandman hotel in Squamish, new built for the 2010 Olympics. Many of the other guests were cyclists.

Prices are still half or less in Squamish as compared with Whistler.

We opted not to ride the new Sea to Sky Gondola, $35 return. Next time.

Squamish viewing platformAfter some debate, we decided to next get a hotel close to the ferry in Delta. By luck we found the Coast Tsawwassen Inn. The best of our hotels, so far. Attached is Brown’s Socialhouse, a favourite restaurant of Yvonne and my Mom.

BS-HomepageThe B.C. chain has now expanded to Saskatchewan and Alberta. 🙂

We dropped our bags and continued across the border to Birch Bay, Washington, a spot  Yvonne and Rob enjoyed years ago.

Mom was impressed with the view from a rough (to be diplomatic) beachside cafe.

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We rambled towards the Bellingham, Washington Costco. The parking lot was packed with Canadian vehicles.

Most were here loading up on cheap milk. $US 5.32 for 2 gallons, about half what it costs in the Great White North.

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We loaded up on cheese, maxing our allowable for crossing back to Canada.

Seems the Canadian government props up the dairy industry. In America the free market keeps retail prices low.

Arriving back at our hotel at a reasonable hour (for a change)  I had time for a run in Boundary Bay Regional Park.

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Mom and Yvonne drank wine, both tipsy by the time we headed for dinner.

Next morning we were up at around 6am. Mom and I walked on to a morning ferry back to Nanaimo. Yvonne had a long driving day in front of her – Whitefish, Montana.

hot chocolate on the newest ferry
hot chocolate on the newest ferry

So … Our 4-day, 3-night loop went Comox (ferry) to Powell River to Lund (ferry) to Sechelt to Gibsons (ferry) to Horseshoe Bay to Whistler to Squamish to Twawwassen (ferry) to Nanaimo. With a sidetrip to the USA. 🙂

map LOOPWe’ve been talking about doing this loop for years. Mission accomplished.

I’m already planning 4 future trips:

1. same loop by bicycle
2. Sunshine Coast Trail on foot
3. parts of the Sea to Sky Trail by bike
4. Lake Lovely Water Trail, Tantalus Range on foot

There is plenty to do in the Sunshine Coast. 🙂

I love Safeway

On By Rick McIn economics, food, good news, product endorsementsLeave a comment

But I can’t afford Safeway. It’s too expensive.

However … there are a few things in the Deli and bakery that I will pay the Safeway surcharge for.

Yesterday a clerk informed that Safeway Canada discontinued their loyalty card program in April 2014:

“There are just too many cards in the wallet these days … “

Club-Card

FANTASTIC

I hate loyalty cards. 🙂

Nova Scotia-based Sobeys, Canada’s second-largest grocery store chain, acquired Canada Safeway stores for $5.8B in June.

cycling with Rockin’

On By Rick McIn cycling, food, friends, travelLeave a comment

Stopping in Vancouver en route to my parent’s place, Rockin’ Ronnie and I got out on the bikes two days in a row.

First, his favourite local ride – the Fisherman’s Trail.

Ron Fishermans

He’d never seen it so green, so overgrown. It was solstice.

Ron Fishermans cycling

Next day we rode over the bridge to Stanley Park, the #1 urban park in the world on some lists.

Ron and Rick

We met friends for a light lunch on Granville Island.

Edible Canada Granville

That’s Edible Canada, one of the best of many fine Granville eateries.

From there we looped busy False Creek.

It doesn’t get much better than Vancouver on a sunny day.

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And it’s always sunny when I visit Vancouver. 🙂

more photos

on skipping breakfast …

On By Rick McIn food, health & fitnessLeave a comment

After years of working late night, eating late night, I’m not hungry on waking up in the morning.

It’s about 11am before I start to feel peckish.

I’ve gotten a lot of grief over the years from people stating:

“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.”

breakfast-despain_hCheck this article 🙂

Everything You Know About Breakfast Is Wrong

Rockin’ Ronnie at TED Barbecue

On By Rick McIn food, friendsLeave a comment

The rockin’ one put on an entertaining 2 hour talk last night. He’s a Barbecue evangelist:

“Back in the 1990s, real barbecue was a relatively unknown style of cooking in Canada,” says Ronnie. “I was lucky to be part of a small group of backyard cooks who sowed the seeds of what has become a vibrant and growing barbecue culture in Calgary and across Western Canada.”

Rockin’ Ronnie to Reveal Barbecue Secrets at Free Calgary Public Lecture

Rockin Ronnie Calgary Library