Granny Socks it to the Tourists …
On May 2, 2008, The
Fairmont Empress Hotel in Victoria, BC will continue its year-long 100th anniversary celebrations with a
Centennial Tea every Friday until September 26. In addition to its regular afternoon tea service in the grand Tea Lobby, The landmark hotel will offer the special "Centennial Tea" at 12:30 pm and 3:30 pm in the library or in The
Empress Harbourside Room. The service starts with a glass of bubbly followed by a selection of sandwiches and pastries, centennial blend tea and a commemorative gift. The price for such gentility? Only $100 CDN per person.
Start the day with an eye-opening beer... Canoe Brewpub and
Habit Café & Culture have joined forces to launch a new locally crafted beer;
Habit Espresso Stout. Canoe Brewmaster
Sean Hoyne conceived the idea while participating in the
Great Canadian Beer Festival held annually in Victoria and approached coffee maverick
Shane Devereaux with the concept. With a healthy respect for each other's craft, a partnership was formed to create a dark, creamy and deliciously smooth beer with just the perfect hint of espresso. Recently opened in Victoria, Habit sources the best fair traded, organic coffees from around the world and has quickly become a local favourite famed for its "cuppings;" free public coffee tastings and seminars on Tuesdays at 2:00 pm.
Canoe Brewpub is a microbrewery and restaurant and will celebrate its 10th anniversary in May 2008.
Walk and Chew...
On May 3, 2008,
Travel With Taste Tours will begin a culinary walking tour of Victoria every Saturday through September. The urban forage by foot will start at 11:00 am at
Silk Road Tea in Chinatown where culinary tourists will taste their way through downtown Victoria beginning with a structured tea tasting. The walking tour will last three to four hours with tasting stops along the way to sample cheeses, meats and house-made pâtès at
Choux Choux Charcuterie, authentic smoked meat at
Montreal Smoked Beef, fine European coffee and sacher torte at
Café Mela, plus a wine tasting at the
Artisan Wine Shop. Tours will have a limited number of participants and reservations can be made in advance at (250) 385-1527.
Travel With Taste Tours also offers culinary and wine tours of the Cowichan Valley, Saanich Peninsula and Salt Spring Island. Custom corporate and group bookings are also available.
Edited from factual information (not italicized) provided by Heather McGillivray of Tourism Victoria. 