Monthly Archives: February 2013

Family fun at Panorama Mountain Resort

Posted on February 18, 2013 | Leave a comment
With peaks in every direction, Panorama's scenery is stunning.

With peaks in every direction, Panorama’s scenery is stunning.

A couple weeks ago we spent the weekend at Panorama Mountain Resort in B.C.’s Purcell Mountains. The ski hill was developed largely by Intrawest in the 1990s and is designed with families in mind: ski-in/ski-out accommodations around a central village. You can walk, ski or ride the village tram just about everywhere. I’m writing all about our weekend for Snowseekers and the stories will be up in the coming weeks. In the meantime, just in time for Family Day, here are some highlights from our family-friendly ski trip.

EuroBungy

Yes, winter bungy is possible. Dress in layers.

Yes, winter bungy is possible. Dress in layers.

Not sure why Europe gets credit for the reverse-bungy contraption, but these harnessed bouncing devices are all the rage at gymnastics places, summer fairs and now, ski resorts. Panorama’s EuroBungy is new this season.

Apres-ski fondue

A post-fondue photo. I'll blame the wine for my silliness (not sure what Bennett's excuse is).

A post-fondue photo. I’ll blame the wine for my silliness (not sure what Bennett’s excuse is).

The cheesy stuff at Panorama’s Mile One Hut (at the top of the Mile One chairlift) is delish. Did I mention the dessert? It’s chocolate fondue. Plus there’s wine, so it’s just as fun for adults as kids.

Night skiing

Avery races her night shadow down Showoff.

Avery races her night shadow down Showoff.

It’s cold and the visibility is extremely poor, but when was the last time you ski-raced your night shadow? That’s what I thought.

The peaky views

Sunset from the Mile One Hut.

Sunset from the Mile One Hut.

The scenery around Panorama is gorgeous; it’s one reason people who come to the resort end up staying on season after season. That, and the skiing.

Thanks for a great family weekend, Panorama!

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Posted in Outdoor Adventure, Travel

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Drink of the Week: Dan Aykroyd

Posted on February 15, 2013 | 1 comment
Dive right in to this margarita with a twist.

Dive right in to this margarita with a twist.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Dan Aykroyd at the Oak Room bar inside the Fairmont Palliser hotel a couple of years ago when he was in town promoting Crystal Head vodka, which I wrote about in a column for the Calgary Herald. Interestingly, Aykroyd spent part of the interview telling me all about Patron tequila (which he also promotes) and his return to the made-in-Mexico spirit even though he’d sworn it off as a teenager after a wild night in Tijuana.

So I suppose it’s fitting that the Oak Room has named one of its tequila cocktails after the Canadian actor and comedian. The Dan Aykroyd is like a margarita, but with orange juice in addition to lime juice. This both sweetens the drink and softens the lime’s tartness. It’s very smooth. Add in a sugar-cinnamon rim in place of a salty one and you’ve got a very approachable cocktail. Incidentally, Aykroyd was very pleased when he learned the bar had named a drink after him.

It's like a margarita with orange juice. I like it.

It’s like a margarita with orange juice. I like it.

Dan Aykroyd

  • 1 oz Patron Silver
  • 1/2 oz Cointreau
  • 1 oz fresh lime juice
  • 1 oz fresh orange juice
  • Sugar/cinnamon mix to rim glass

Rim a martini glass with a sugar/cinnamon mixture, then fill the glass with ice. In a cocktail shaker combine the tequila, Cointreau, lime juice and orange juice and shake. Strain into the martini glass and garnish with an orange slice.

— Recipe courtesy Patrick Appave, bartender, Oak Room at the Fairmont Palliser

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Posted in Cocktails

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Save the Earth! Be my (giant) valentine…

Posted on February 14, 2013 | 1 comment
Cards like these made up the bulk of my Feb. 14 haul back in '79.

Cards like these made up the bulk of my Feb. 14 haul back in ’79.

Remember valentines? They were little cards you gave to your friends on Valentine’s Day back in elementary school. A valentine exchange took place during class and afterwards you would sort through the little cards, counting them and setting aside the ones from your best friends. Next to Halloween, Valentine’s Day was one of the most looked-forward-to school days of the year.

This year at my daughter’s school there wasn’t a valentine exchange. Instead of bringing in hand-made (or at least store-bought, hand-signed ) valentines from home, students were encouraged to wear red or pink and then participate in a school-wide valentine activity — each kid made and designed a giant paper heart, then went around the school and had their friends and other kids sign it. They got to bring the big valentine home.

Avery's giant heart, signed by friends and other students at her school.

Avery’s giant heart, signed by friends and other students at her school.

My daughter really likes her big heart. It’s hand-made and personalized, with printed messages like, “You are nice,” and “Friends forever.” I like it too. What I don’t like, however, is the rationale her school used for switching valentine tacks (just last year they were allowed to bring cards from home, so long as they were inclusive and brought one for everyone in their class). The school blamed it on the environment:

“We calculated that if every child at school buys a typical sized box of 30 valentine’s cards, it adds up to 3000 cards! Imagine the trees we are saving by not exchanging cards in our school.”

Really? I’m sorry, but in the context of a school, where paper is basically the currency, this strikes me as a really lame excuse. I can only speculate, but I imagine there are other reasons the school changed its Valentine’s Day celebration. Did some students feel left out last year and complain? Are teachers tired of managing the card exchange and subsequent tears and/or hurt feelings? Were some parents annoyed by the commercialization of the holiday (mass produced Dora and Care Bears cards, etc.) and pushed for a from-hand, crafty alternative? Who knows. But maybe it would be better to have a conversation about the real issues (or maybe I’m way off base) than to use Mother Nature as a scapegoat.

What do you think? Did your school allow a valentine exchange this year?

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Posted in Parenting

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