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Becoming practically legendary for its various wines and vineyards, so too are Vancouver Island’s wine festivals. There are few things I enjoy as much as making myself present for an evening of sampling, sniffing, sipping and swishing.

The second annual Parksville Uncorked Wine and Food Festival, highlighting the very best of BC’s wines and the Oceanside Region’s cuisine, splashes its way into Parksville on February 25-28, 2010. Kicking off on Thursday evening with a tasting, the weekend-long festival will be held at various venues throughout Parksville and Qualicum Beach, including Tigh-Na-Mara Resort and The Beach Club Resort. Particularly featured you’ll find samplings from Fanny Bay Oysters and Little Qualicum Cheeseworks (their brie is melt-in-your-mouth amazing).

A number of ticket and accommodation packages are available to help you make the most of this memorable event in one of Vancouver Island’s most scenic communities. Please visit Parksville Uncorked online for more information.

There are few things finer in life than food and, being that me and Rebecca’s trip to Parksville had been so packed full with fantastic cuisine at every turn, it was fitting that we ended our girls’ getaway with the dinner of all dinners.

It’s impossible to walk in the front doors of The Landing West Coast Grill and not notice the immense wine cellar as you enter. Recently installed, the cellar is capable of storing quite literally thousands of bottles of wine and is maintained through an exact science. Wine is both exquisite and temperamental in nature, which I suppose is the reason it is also so perfect. This cellar is truly a source of pride for the Landing’s in-house Sommelier, Atilla Cimsit, who has put countless hours of love and devotion into creating this for the restaurant.

Also not to be overlooked is the Landing’s impressive 6,000+ gallon aquarium that swims its way through the centre of the dining lounge. I found it both intriguing and peaceful.

It should come as no surprise to anyone that Rebecca and I are suckers for anything made of bread or any kind of cheese. When you put the two together, it’s double trouble (and I’m not just talking about us girls). Naturally, this was the direction we wanted to take in ordering our shared appetizers.

Because we couldn’t decide between the Warm Oregano and Cheese Whole Wheat Flat Bread with Artichoke & Parmesan Dip or the Spicy Fire Cracker Flat Bread with Warm Goat Cheese and Tomato Dip, we ordered both. And yes, this was in addition to the savoury artisan breads with fresh butter delivered to our table.

While I don’t eat meat, I was quite happy to see that The Landing is a huge supporter of the Vancouver Aquarium’s Ocean Wise program by serving sustainable seafood choices. This meant Rebecca could indulge in her Cedar Plank B.C. Wild Salmon completely guilt-free!

I chose the Linguine with Alder Wood Grilled Vegetables and Herbed Olive Oil. While it may sound plain, it was seriously anything but. Never before have so many vegetables danced so wildly on my tongue!

Just when I thought our bellies were about to burst and Rebecca and I couldn’t possibly fit another bite into our mouths, a wooden tray was brought to our table. Somehow there is always room for dessert, and we watched each others’ eyes grow as we were presented with the entire dessert menu. While for a moment I thought it was implied that we were to try each and every single one of the bold creations, we chose two and shared. This concept was (almost cruelly) fantastic in that, rather than trying to envision what you’re deciding off the menu, you instead know exactly what you’re ordering.

After humming and hawing for close to five minutes over the dessert tray, we decided to split the orange-tinged chocolate mouse and a raspberry and lemon-laced crème brûlée.

After two days in the Parksville sunshine topped off with a fantastic meal, I think we both look deliciously sun-kissed.

The beauty about calling Vancouver Island home is that, no matter where on the Island you are, there’s no place you’d rather be. The exciting part is knowing that the next undiscovered awe-inspiring place is always just around the corner.

You can check out Rebecca’s review of the restaurant – and scope out some pictures of her grilled salmon – on her blog.

Located at Nanoose Bay’s Pacific Shores Resort & Spa, The Landing West Coast Grill is open year-round with their delectable menus at 1-1600 Stroulger Road. To find out more about the restaurant or to make reservations, please visit their website or call toll-free at 1-888-640-7799.

One of the rights of passage on family vacations for kids who grow up anywhere on Vancouver Island is a trip to Paradise Fun Park mini golf. Situated on the Island Highway in the area of north Parksville, Rebecca and I found it impossible not to be lured in by the colourful lights, bright flowers, towering castle and the Old Woman’s Shoe.

Aside from two putt-putt courses, Turf ‘N Surf or Treasure Island, Paradise Fun Park also features bumper boats, an arcade, gift shop, Italian café and yours truly’s favourite: Island Farms ice cream. For those wishing to celebrate their birthday at Paradise Fun Park, party with your pals in the Old Woman’s Shoe.

Photo: Miss604

I landed myself a hole-in-one on the pirate ship!

Photo: Miss604

Mini skirt for mini golf – Rebecca knew exactly what she was doing…

If you can believe it, I resisted temptation… until the next day.

Final score: Rebecca – 49, Keira-Anne – 56.

Paradise Fun Park is located at 375 West Island Highway in Parksville, BC with summer hours from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., seven days a week. Please keep in mind that the course closes during the winter months and also has an adjacent seasonal RV/campground and pet-friendly motel. Paradise Fun Park offers a really fun and affordable experience for families and pals like Rebecca and me. For more information, please visit their website.

Tucked in amongst the towering trees on Qualicum Beach’s West Island Highway lies what I truly believe to be the crown jewel of the Oceanside region. Such a bestowment is rather fitting, considering the regal history of Milner Gardens and Woodland.

In 1937, Horatio “Ray” Milner purchased the 70-acre estate with his wife Rina. Both put such tender, loving care into the expansive gardens and surrounding woodland. Sadly, Rina passed away in 1952.

Two years later Ray married British Aristocrat Veronica who then cultivated her artist’s eye to turn the land into a horticulturist’s paradise. Importing unique flora from around the globe, Veronica and Ray transformed the gardens into a space that defines unique. Veronica was an incredibly talented painter and often specifically plotted and planned where particular items should grow in order to provide creative inspiration in the years to come.

A direct descendant of Sir Winston Churchill, Veronica had strong ties with the British Royal Family. Prior to her death in 1998, Mrs. Milner hosted the likes of Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Phillip, Diana, Princess of Wales and Prince Charles at her home on the property.

Rumour has it that Prince Phillip once BBQ’d a steak for Queen Elizabeth II on the deck surrounding the garden’s pool. No longer used for swimming, it’s now a complimentary water feature adjacent to the gift shop.

Among Milner Gardens’ programs is Shoots With Roots, designed to instill a love and respect for nature in the children who participate through hands-on experience. Kids are encouraged to each take part in caring for the designated garden while exercising their artistic sides and inspiring critical thinking skills.

The blossoms on the Himalayan hydrangea grow to be the size of basketballs at their peak.

Perspective…

By the time Veronica passed away, much of the gardens had fallen into disrepair. Fortunately, in thanks to Vancouver Island University (formerly Malasapina University College) having acquired the property, Milner Gardens and Woodland have been fully restored to their former beauty.

Because maintaining the space is an enormous task, Milner Gardens relies on the support of the University, financial donations, admission fees and the work of volunteers to sustain itself. Once you can see the property for yourself, it is easy to understand the amount of work that goes into the gardens. The passion of Milner’s volunteers is evident in the countless hours of effort.

When she wasn’t wandering and enjoying her gardens, Veronica and her husband resided in their home overlooking the ocean. Today the house is used as both office space and a tea room in which visitors can fill their tummies with home-baked yummies, including traditional scones with jam made from the gardens’ berry bushes.

I was a tiny bit obsessed with the original wallpaper in the hallway.

As our tour wound to a close, Rebecca and I found ourselves on the front porch in the company of nursery grower Kim Hammond, treated to fresh croissants stuffed with egg salad and orange pekoe tea made in proper English style.

It’s clear to see how this space is so treasured by those who have experienced it. As the late afternoon sun and ocean breeze danced on our skin, I couldn’t help but wish I could spend every afternoon in that very spot. Parting is such sweet sorrow, and the same could not be more true of leaving Milner Gardens and Woodland. It’s a true treat for the soul.

Please take a few minutes to read Rebecca’s experience at Milner Gardens and Woodland here.

Milner Gardens and Woodland is primarily open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. betwee April and October with special events being held at certain times throughout the year, including Halloween and Christmas. Due to the delicate nature of the property, only certified guide dogs are permitted.

The gardens and woodland is located at 2179 West Island Highway in Qualicum Beach; look for the sign and interpretive centre. Summertime admission for adults is only $10, but consider an annual membership for only $25. You’ll be sure to want to experience this wonderland in each of the four seasons. For more information, please visit Milner Gardens’ website.

Finding ourselves with time to kill on Friday morning, I suggested to Rebecca that we visit Little Qualicum Cheeseworks. Needless to say, she didn’t take much convincing at all – especially when I let her know that wine was also produced on site. Counting on a vino tasting combined with cheese sampling was all we expected, but that was more than enough for us gals.

Somehow I had it in my head that we’d be arriving at a storefront, so you can imagine my surprise as we made our way up the dirt drive and onto an expansive farm overlooking Mount Arrowsmith.

As it turned out, Little Qualicum Cheeseworks is situated on an active dairy farm with far more than just cheese and the cows that produce the milk to make it with.

Realizing this, our first stop was the gift shop to get our bearings with a self-guided tour map. Within moments, we were greeted by Little Qualicum Cheeseworks’ Phil Charlebois. He was more than happy to tell us a bit about the farm and the cheese-making process while showing us around.

Adjacent to the sterile environment in which the various cheeses are carefully crafted and made is the farm’s gift shop. If it’s farm or cheese-related, it’s in there!

Perhaps the best part of the gift shop, aside from the copious cheeses for sale, is the ability to sample each and every one of them. The farm produces everything from award-winning brie to curds, fromage frais to feta, and a few creatively inspired varieties of their own – including Monterey “Jill”.

For the grown-ups, right next to Little Qualicum Cheeseworks’ farm, is a collection of berry bushes designated solely to berry-based wines that are produced on site. None of the newly-launched Morningstar Creek wines contain any grapes and instead are fermented with gooseberries, raspberries, cranberries and blackberries among others.

The winery is truly a pride and joy for Phil, but unfortunately, due to a trademark on the name “Morning” in a winery, Morningstar Creek Winery will soon be known as MooBerry Wines. None of these wines are available in restaurants or liquor stores, so you’ll have to pay a visit yourself if you’d like to get your hands on a bottle.

My absolute favourite part of the tour was setting my sights on all the animals that call Little Qualicum Cheeseworks home. And on that note, I should mention that the farm is the only SPCA Certified dairy farm on Vancouver Island. Click here to read more about what that means for the health and welfare of farm animals.

These baby piglets were only four weeks old!

The only ram on the farm, Dodge (get it?) was one friendly boy.

These young calves were happy to receive attention. I think the black and white girl in front may have mistaken me for her mother as she took my entire hand in her mouth and tried to nurse it.

Photo: Miss604 on Flickr

Being an animal-friendly farm, the dairy cows are provided with a fabulous lifestyle and are free to roam the vast acres when not being milked.

The view of Mount Arrowsmith is simply breathtaking…

Cute? Yes. Friendly? Not really.

You can imagine my excitement when I spotted an ice cream stand serving Island Farms ice cream. Also featured were several flavours from The Udder Guy’s Ice Cream Company out of Duncan, BC on the south Island. While I’ve never tried their ice cream, all 24 flavours are made from scratch so it would seem it’d be safe to say that they make for tasty cones!

Tried, tested and true, I stuck with Moose Tracks in a waffle cone.

Photo: Miss604 on Flickr

Be sure to read Rebecca’s re-cap of our visit to the farm here.

Little Qualicum Cheeseworks is open Monday to Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Allow for plenty of time on your visit to partake in a self-guided tour, but guided tours and hay rides are available for groups of eight or more. The farm is located at 403 Lowry’s Road between Parksville and Qualicum Beach.

For more information, please visit Little Qualicum Cheeseworks’ website or call them toll-free at 1-877-248-4353. The various cheeses are available in most grocery stores on Vancouver Island and in the Lower Mainland, so keep your eyes open for it and grab one variety or four!

The City of Vancouver has a long-standing reputation of being a “no-fun” city. I politely beg to differ.

The truth is that Vancouver’s humble beginnings are steeped in a dark underworld filled with drugs, gambling, prostitution, drunkenness, stripping and searing hot racial tension.

Join me, if you will, on the Vancouver Police Museum’s infamous Sins of the City walking tour. That said, one could call the name of the tour somewhat misleading because wouldn’t calling them “sins” imply that drugs, sex and booze are bad?

The first stop on our tour was a storefront on Pender Street in Chinatown. Below street level of rows upon rows of 100+ year-old buildings exist defunct lairs, once home to brothels, gambling spaces or opium dens designated for both smoking and trading the drug.

From about a decade into the turn of the century until the late 1920s, the illegal activity on this beat was largely reined in by Detectives Sinclair and Ricci. It’s said that throughout the duration of their careers, the duo busted the modern-day equivalent of millions upon millions of dollars worth of opium.

When ripping cardboard off the walls, it was discovered that the insulation was due in part to newspaper from the 1920s. Needless to say, mold was everywhere.

Photo: miss604 on Flickr

A sad mark on Vancouver’s history, three major race riots errupted: once in the late 1800s, again in 1907 and lastly in 1935. The Chinese population was mainly targeted, but the Japanese were also victimized. This tile mosaic in the downtown eastside depicts a Noodle House window being smashed with a stick to commemorate these despicable events.

The Vancouver Police museum itself, originally started by a group of retired VPD officers, is packed full of memorabilia from the Force’s early beginnings, drug samples, crime scene re-enactments and countless seized weapons. This nail-speared baseball bat was seized in 1980 from a 10-year-old boy if you can believe it.

The museum also houses the City’s first morgue and what was the VPD’s CSI unit until 10 years ago. Crime scene investigation is now conducted at various places around Vancouver, but the ballistics lab is located next door.

I know I said I was going to try and stop dying my hair, but after seeing this pic, I am convinced it’s time to go and grab a box of cruelty-free Revlon.

Among the artifacts of crime on site are mug shots from the early 1900s, including this gem. William Hamilton and two associates were nabbed on May 28, 1916 for conspiracy to murder.

In the basement of the museum you’ll find the former blood-drying room where blood-soaked evidence was hung to dry out. Just off this room we found the overflow morgue.

I’m a Bobby girl, in a Bobby world.

I make kevlar look good.

Trust me… it feels really sexy to be wearing it.

Tsk, tsk, tsk…

You can also read what Rebecca had to say about the tour while checking the rest of my photos, Rebecca’s photos and John’s photos. I owe a huge thanks to Chris at the Vancouver Police Museum for this fun and unique experience!

All four of us learned an insane amount of information, history and fascinating facts about Vancouver’s history of vice crime – packing it all into a blog post would be impossible! I’ve long been eerily fascinated with all things macabre, so I found the Sins of the City tour particularly of interest. I highly suggest checking this out and stopping by the Vancouver Police Museum to discover a piece of Vancouver’s past. Visit the museum’s website for more information.

When I was a teenager, I spent all my May long weekends camping in Parksville. Between swimming at the beach, roasting marshmallows around the campfire and trying my hand at mini golf, there was always something fun to do.

Photo: City of Parksville

Times have changed and though I no longer find myself camping in the springtime, the long weekend is a perfect excuse (like I ever need one) to get back to Vancouver Island.

Photo: DragonWoman on Flickr

The weather forecast is a bit less than favourable, but I’m hoping to get a lot of fun packed into those three days.

Aside from spending quality time with my aunt and introducing Jordy to his new “cousin” Charley for the first time, my mom and I are looking forward to a scrumptious dinner at Avenue Bistro in the seaside town of Comox. However, I can’t decide between the Baked Hazelnut-crusted Comox Camembert with apple cranberry compote or the Vegetarian Meze Plate with hummus, baba ghanouj and more delectable goodies.

I think it goes without saying that we’ll be feasting on some Island Farms ice cream for dessert. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for banana fudge to be in stock!

If you happen to be on the upper Island this weekend, be sure not to miss the annual Art and Bloom Festival at Woodland Gardens in Merville. My mom and I went last year and thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful scenery mingled with beautiful crafts from local artisans.

And the best part? It’s a dog-friendly location, so Jordy and Charley will be tagging along as well! Hopefully that sun will hang on long enough to allow the four of us a trip to Miracle Beach‘s off-leash beach to let the monkeys burn off some energy on the sand…

What do you have planned for the long weekend?

The area is surrounded by tourist attractions, natural wonders and many, many goats. We made our way to the Coombs Old Country Market (which features some really fantastic kids’ toys) and picked up some candied salmon, cheese, fresh bread and Island Farms’ deeeelicious chocolate milk and headed to Qualicum Falls for a photo walk/hike/picnic. It’s nice to be in the area when it isn’t the height of tourist season because the park was almost entirely our own. A few hours later, we decided to get in a second round of mini golf (a round that I won, if you must know – two holes-in-one!) before a magical evening – quite literally. “World renowned” illusionist and magician, Ryan Joyce, was performing at the Parksville Community Centre, and we scored a couple tickets from Toni’s uncle.

The show was a little bit corny, a little bit cheesy and a little bit of fun. His jokes were some of the worst I’ve ever heard but there was something slightly charming about his stage presence. It was neat to finally see famous acts like sawing a girl in half in person, and like anything, if you go into it with the right attitude, it’s fun! When it was all over, the Ranger headed north again through the rain and dark night, “Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo” playing on the radio, and now I write to you from the comfort of my jogging pants and, once again, the recliner.

Links worth visiting:

City of Parksville
Paradise Fun Park
Coombs Old Country Market
Qualicum Falls
Ryan Joyce

Do this.

I’ve only been on the Island for 24 hours and it’s easily been awesome so far. I spent the day with Charley doing mostly nothing, but we did spend a sunshiney afternoon with my beautiful friend Bethany and her babygirl, Ruthie. It’s nice to just breathe.

If you’re on the Island too and looking for something to do, here are a couple options that guarantee fun…

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The snow hasn’t started to fall, but the Comox Valley’s alpine destination is kicking things off. From October 5-8, celebrate your love of all things beer and Bavarian at Mt. Washington. Fat Teddy’s Bar and Grill, located in the lodge at the bottom of the Eagle chair, is featuring various Oktoberfest brews and live entertainment with The Beer Barrel Band. I can’t vouch for the quality of music with a name like that, but go with the right attitude and you’ll have a great time. As an added bonus, a couple of Warren Miller’s adrenaline-soaked films will be screened on Sunday and Monday. Visit the Mt. Washington website for more details.

While you’re up there, get ready for the winter with pre-season deals in the Mtn Tek and Altitude Gift & Sport shops. New gear is also in stock, and you can save anywhere from 30-70% on last year’s equipment. For those of you that are local to the Valley, time is running out to pick up your season’s pass at early bird prices. This year they’ve also added a Night Pass, so be sure to check that out as a money-saving alternative.

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Slope not your style? There’s always mini golf. Paradise Fun Park, on the old highway in one of my favourite little towns – Parksville, is always a barrel of monkeys. The links are only open for another week or two since operations shut down in mid-October, so get your last few swings in while you can. Of course, this is just a shameless plug for my friend Toni since his family owns the park. As a matter of fact, you’ll find me hittin’ around neon balls and kicking ass at pinball tomorrow afternoon. Actually, to be more specific, I’ll be kicking Toni’s ass at pinball.

Photo courtesy of jdgemm on Flickr

If mini golf isn’t enough of a challenge for you, try the arcade, bumper boats or tasty ice cream instead. For more information, visit Paradise Fun Park’s website.

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I’ll hopefully be able to give you another update tomorrow evening, as well as post new pictures of Charley. I can’t even begin to tell you all how much she’s grown over the last month. When she was first adopted, she weighed in at 4.5 pounds, and now she’s pushing 8. I swear with every pound, she gets even cuter.