FEATURES
From Holly Lenk of Tourism Victoria, some heads-up on a few items concerning our capital city.
Dine Around, Stay in Town
From February 15 - March 4, 2007, Tourism Victoria and the Victoria branch of the BC Restaurant and Foodservices Association (BCRFA) are teaming up to once again present Dine Around, Stay in Town in Victoria. Following the success of dine out programs in New York, Seattle, San Francisco and Vancouver, Victoria's talented chefs are eager to showcase their culinary skills to residents and visitors alike. Dine Around, Stay in Town will offer three-course menus for three prices: $15.00 CDN/$13.00 US; $25.00 CDN/$22.00 US and $35.00 CDN/$30.00 US per person. Victoria boasts the second highest number of restaurants per capita in North America and nearly 60 local restaurants will participate. Almost 30 participating hotels will offer visitors overnight accommodation with rates beginning at $69.00 CDN/$59.00 US per night. For a complete list of participating restaurants and accommodations, as well as menus visit
www.tourismvictoria.com/dinearound
Victoria Festival of Wine
The 6th Annual Victoria Festival of Wine will be held March 14-15, 2007 in Victoria. "Defining the Vine" is the theme of the 2007 festival. This year's focus will allow festival attendees to learn more about the delicate art of fine winemaking directly from the winemakers themselves. Winemakers will each present their individual philosophies from vineyard to bottle. The two-day Victoria Festival of Wine will include the epic Public Tasting featuring hundreds of wines from around the world, the opportunity to dine with a winemaker at some of Victoria's top restaurants and lectured seminars for both beginner and expert. To wrap it all up Marc Atkinson Sideways, an acoustic virtuoso and Canadian Juno nominee, will perform with special guests in an intimate, late night event featuring a selection of Pinot "Noirs," of course.
www.victoriafestivalofwine.com
Café Brio Opens Charcuterie
Marking its 10th anniversary in May 2007, Victoria's Café Brio has much to cele-brate including a new chef and a new charcuterie. Laurence Munn is back at the popular restaurant as executive chef. Munn previously worked at Brio under Sean Brennan (Brasserie L'école) and Jeff Keenliside (The Marina Restaurant) and was most recently at Paprika Bistro. Munn's first project is planning Brio's new Charcuterie room where whole hogs from an island supplier will be processed for the restaurant's own prosciutto. Munn is also making sausages in-house. First up is spicy Italian pork with plans for pancetta and a variety of dry cured sausages. Brasserie L'école and Paprika Bistro also feature charcuterie on their menus and recently opened Choux Choux Charcuterie has become a shrine for Victoria's meat lovers. For more information visit
www.cafe-brio.com
Sanuk Infusion
East meets west as The Magnolia Hotel & Spa, Victoria's European-style luxury boutique hotel, celebrates the opening of their new restaurant, Sanuk Infusion. The former Hugo's Grill has undergone a transformation from the ground up with an interior re-design, new management, a hip new Pan Asian menu created by chef Patrick Lynch and a new name. Sanuk is a Thai word that roughly translates to "joy of life." Winnipeg-born Lynch, a graduate of L'école Cordon Bleu in London, England, gained his first work experience at London's famed Claridge's Hotel. Lynch's love affair with Asian cuisine began during an extensive sojourn through Thailand and Cambodia. A threat of civil war in Cambodia brought him back to Canada where he became sous chef at Vancouver's Wild Rice, then head chef at Monsoon before arriving in Victoria to realize his dream of creating a truly unique menu. Consultant sommelier Brian Storen has risen to the challenge of artfully pairing local wines with Chef Lynch's creations. Hugo's Brewhouse will continue as an in-house micro-brewery with brewmaster, Benjamin Schottle.
www.sanukinfusion.com
Think Outside the Crumpet
The Pacific Restaurant in the Hotel Grand Pacific in Victoria is "tea-sing" visitors to try their new West Coast Afternoon Tea where the punchy spices of Pacific Pan Asia meet the clean, savoury flavours of the wild west coast. Chef Andrew Stigant offers creative twists such as Asian five-spice scones, wild smoked BC salmon sushi and traditional First Nations bannock. An outstanding selection of world teas including a Biodynamic Single Estate Darjeeling are offered. Guests brew to order at their table using individual Bodum glass tea kettles that are contemporary, yet approved by the English Tea Council. West Coast Afternoon Tea at the Hotel Grand Pacific is available Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm for $36.00 CDN/$30.00 US per person.
www.hotelgrandpacific.com
Victoria Tea Festival
The Victoria Tea Festival will be held on March 11, 2007 in Victoria. In a city renowned for afternoon tea, this inaugural one-day event will bring a new twist to both the tradition and trend of drinking tea. The festival will feature tastings of a wide variety of teas from around the world, a silent and live auction and presentations on all things tea including Macchartistry, Cooking with Tea, The Old Tea Peddler and Elixir of Immortality. Local tea rooms, bakeries and restaurants will be on location to display their menus, tea selections and provide samples of their products. Representatives will be on hand to share tea steeping and serving tips and to discuss the history and health benefits of tea. Tea times for tastings and sittings respectively include 10:00 am/11:30 am; 12:30 pm/2:00 pm; 3:00 pm/4:30 pm; and 5:00 pm/6:30 pm (includes light sushi dinner).Tickets for the Victoria Tea Festival are $45.00 CDN/$39.00 US and are available by calling (250) 370-4880.
www.victoriateafestival.com
Silk Road Aromatherapy & Tea Company Widens the Road
Silk Road Aromatherapy & Tea Company, located in Victoria's historic Chinatown - the oldest in Canada - has expanded. The new store provides additional space for an increased collection of exotic teas and tea equipage. In Spring 2007, Silk Road will also open a tea tasting bar within the new space. The concept is similar to a wine bar and will enable them to offer public tea tastings and seminars to individuals and groups. Silk Road
is owned and operated by two women, Daniela Cubelic and Nancy Larose, who were taught the Chinese tea tradition and blending techniques by Chinese tea masters and herbalists. In addition to tea, Silk Road features an in-house spa and manufactures their own 100% natural body care products. Future plans for Silk Road in 2007 also involve expanding the spa and making upgrades and to the original store.
www.silkroadtea.com
The Fairmont Empress To Celebrate 100th Anniversary
In 2008, The Fairmont Empress Hotel, the iconic grand dame of Victoria, will celebrate her 100th anniversary. Originally built in 1908, The Fairmont Empress rises regally over Victoria's Inner Harbour and is not only a hotel, but has become a destination in her own right renowned for Afternoon Tea, the curry buffet and signature cocktails of The Bengal Lounge, fine dining in The Empress Room and most recently the Willow Stream spa. With her turn-of-the-century style, The Fairmont Empress captures the grandeur and elegance of a bygone era, while her facilities and services meet the needs of today's traveller. Throughout her history, The Fairmont Empress has played host to kings, queens and movie stars. Visitors can experience The Fairmont Empress Hotel now with the Only One Way Winter Rate. Until April 30, 2007, rates start at $135.00 CDN/$119.00 US based on double occupancy.
www.fairmont.com/empress
Spinnakers Gastro Brewpub & Guest Houses Grow
Spinnakers has defined the art of combining local cuisine with hand-crafted beer and now Victoria's only "gastro" brewpub is set to grow. Beginning in January 2007, Spinnakers will start a property wide expansion, first expanding its restaurant and then its Guest Houses. Spinnakers will expand its kitchen making it more "viewer friendly" so visitors can better watch the culinary team at work adding seats to the restaurant and around the bar. Re-opening the restaurant in February 2007, Spinnakers will then expand its Guest Houses in time for Spring. Spinnakers currently has two Guest Houses with five heritage rooms and four garden suites. A third Guest House will be opened adjacent to the 1884 Heritage Guest House offering more accommodation options to visitors. Spinnakers is Canada's oldest licensed brewpub and a pioneer of the North American micro-brewing renaissance.
www.spinnakers.com
The Oswego Hotel
Scheduled to open in April 2007, the Oswego Hotel will be Victoria's first contemporary boutique hotel. Located on Oswego Street in Victoria's residential neighbourhood of James Bay, the 80-room hotel is only two blocks from the Inner Harbour. It will consist of 16 studio, 49 one-bedroom and 15 two-bedroom suites, all with fully equipped kitchens, luxurious bathrooms and comfortable living areas; making it perfect for long-stay guests. The hotel will also feature the "O" Bistro, Pacific Great Room with a stunning, two-sided natural stone fireplace, garden terrace, 20-seat boardroom, state-of-the-art fitness facilities, evening wine tastings and continental breakfast. The hotel design is contemporary with just enough west coast influence to remind guests of their location. The airy colours of sea and sky are grounded by rich earthy tones underfoot, large windows allow plenty of natural light and west coast artwork will adorn the walls. Until May 31, 2007, The Oswego Hotel is offering a special rate starting at $129.00
CDN/$110.00 US per night for a Studio Suite including a deluxe continental breakfast for two.
www.oswegovictoria.com
The Sidney Pier Hotel & Spa
Scheduled to open May 1, 2007, The Sidney Pier Hotel & Spa is located in Sidney, 25 minutes north of Victoria, and five minutes from the Victoria International Airport and BC Ferries terminal. The upscale boutique hotel will offer 55 guest rooms all with ocean and mountain views, including nine suites with full kitchens. The Pier will also feature a waterfront restaurant and lounge, European-style café, in-house bakery, 2,050 sq. ft. full-service spa and salon, 1,200 sq. ft. fitness centre and a business centre. A 1,000 sq. ft. meeting and banquet space will accommodate groups up to 60 guests and an additional 300 sq. ft. boardroom will seat up to ten people. The oceanfront hotel is situated at the foot of Beacon Avenue, the Town of Sidney's main shopping street, and is adjacent to the Sidney pier, waterfront walkway and park. Sidney is the gateway to the Gulf Islands and the hotel is only steps from a variety of activities including kayaking, whale watching, sailing, diving and cycling. It is also minutes from The Butchart Gardens and the wineries and farms of the Saanich Peninsula.
www.sidneypier.com
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