FEATURE
GRAPES VERSUS OTHER FRUIT


If there was one thing that was truly noticeable in the south Okanagan this spring, it was the lack of flowering fruit trees and the increase in rooted up acreage now sporting row upon row of skinny, wooden staves and empty milk cartons, the standard paraphernalia needed to protect baby grape vines. Oh, to live in the Okanagan and be the owner of a heavy equipment rental company, because if wasn't a new million dollar residence being constructed over some vista point, it was yet another fruit orchard getting the yank in favour of a vineyard planting. Apples trees in particular were making the sacrifice, and it wasn't difficult to predict that any land well suited to grape growing will soon be making the conversion from agriculture to viticulture. .... CONTINUE READING.


To be filed in Regional/ Okanagan

DINE AND DASH

Remember to bring dress clothes along with your inner tubes and six packs out to Agassiz this summer. A new upscale bistro featuring "contemporary Canadian" cuisine is due to open in Cultus Lake on July 1st.

Here's more from Chef Jason Malloff ... "Pala Lago" would best be described as a contemporary, upscale Canadian bistro. There is a strong emphasis on regionalism, seasonality and sustainability with regards to the food that is prepared. The restaurant is completely new with a lot of exposed wood and stone work and a huge central fireplace. Capacity will be approximately 160 covers with about 2/3 of that accommodated on the patio (a large potion of which is heated and covered) ..."


Meanwhile, the Pacific Palisades Hotel is looking to fill both an Executive Chef position (salary range $65,000 to $70,000), plus find a manager for their Zin dining room ($40,000 to $45,000). In the past, when a chef and manager needed to be replaced at the same time, it usually meant that two co-workers were making a move to open a new restaurant together. However, these days ...


People who like to follow the "Opening Soon" blogs couldn't have got too much satisfaction out of The District, a new grassroots dining room at #13 Lonsdale in North Vancouver. The place only managed two entries before the distractions must have become too much for the principles (Paul, Jeff, Luke and Brett) to keep posting, however the place seems to be in the last stages of hiring and ready to open soon. You can check out the menu and a few of the renovation pics at www.thedistrictsocial.com.

TODAY'S PRESS RELEASES


Readers may have noticed that on this website, press releases are likely to get edited. Call it frustrated maternal instincts but when we see companies running like lambs for a cliff thanks to their pr missives, we think it our duty to protect them from themselves. Hence, like "will-nots" in a sheep's fleece (that's an Aussie euphemism), any over-the-top exaggeration, heavy-breathing, wheezing and ridiculous boasting tends to get carded out of the wool. Superlatives that are sure to get the pull are "famed", "illustrious", "gourmet" and our particular favourite, "culinary genius".

However, in today's postings we left the pr notices as written -- Howe Sound Brewery's because theirs really didn't need any restraining, and in the case of Player's, because all that chest-thumping braggadocio seemed kind of appropriate for their theme. What could be more testosterone-fueled than a restaurant/bar owned by ex-hockey players, and in a venue emerging through a crack in the pavement like an offshoot of BC Place? What could be more male? And don't most men make a practice of talking bigger than they deliver?

All we can say is that now that our expectations are primed, the steaks at Players are going to have to be good. And as our offices are right across the street, if they are going to set Beatty Street on fire, we had better go check on our insurance policy.


Player's Chophouse, Bar & Lounge, goes into the penalty box for high sticking.

Howe Sound Brewery goes to Idaho and comes back with no small potatoes.

THE MEDIA HOUND

Stay tuned. The local media round up returns to CF Online today.




THE LOCAL STUFF

Next media dogpile anticipated: Shore Club. A good place to start is with Malcolm Parry's column in today's Vancouver Sun. In typical Parryscope fashion, he has the poop $coop on all the price tags. Parry also profiles Daniel Frankel's conversion of the Coal Harbour Cafe into the 1950s themed Danny's Dogs & Shakes.