Lamond Properties

Though February started off with a warming trend, it might be time to think about getting away for a couple of days. You know… put down the smart phone and de-stress a little. Here at Lamond Properties, we enjoy taking care of our special guests, and we invite you to head out of town for a much-needed break.

Within easy, scenic driving distance from Vancouver, Manning Park remains the most accessible and diverse outdoor destination in southwest British Columbia. A scenic 3-hour drive from Vancouver and you could be enjoying tons of great winter activities with over 30km of Nordic and snowshoe trails. Downhill skiing at Manning Park is like nothing the coastal mountains have to offer. Colder temperatures and more consistent weather reward those who visit with line after line of un-tracked and unforgettable snow. Powered RV sites located on hill provide the provinces only ski-in ski-out camping! Call 1-800-689-9025 or visit www.discovercamping.ca for reservations. If winter camping isn’t your thing, book one of the 41 lodge rooms, or stay at one of the cabins. It’s a simple, homey and friendly environment.

While most of Canada lives winter under a blanket of white, the West Coast of Vancouver Island grows green, green, green as it witnesses the fury of howling gales, 20-foot breakers, and enough rainfall to keep our pristine temperate rainforest alive and well. All this drama is courtesy of the Gulf of Alaska’s Aleutian Low, formed from the growing contrast between the warm air over the North Pacific and the cooler landmasses of Asia and America. The ensuing natural furor is a spectacular site for the newly initiated, or for the “seasoned” winter storm-watching enthusiast.

Conde Nast Traveller selected Tofino’s Wickaninnish Inn as their top hotel in Canada in their 2012 Gold List under Leisure Facilities. Why not indulge yourself and take advantage of their unique storm watching package. For a closeup of the storm action, reserve a couple’s massage in Ancient Cedars Spa‘s Cedar Sanctuary, or don the provided raingear and venture out for your own taste of storm season. One of our favorite pastimes is beachcombing along Chesterman Beach, but really, all beaches in the area can prove very rewarding with nature’s bounty. If you’re lucky -very lucky- you may just end up with a Japanese glass float. These hand blown pieces, looking much like big glass bubbles, were once used by fisherman to keep their nets afloat. It’s rumored that millions of these popular collectors’ items are swirling around with the Pacific currents.

Try visiting the hot springs at Maquinna Provincial Park, accessible only by air (a 25 minute flight) or boat (about 70 minutes, give or take some potential nature sightings). Visitors from around the world flock to the park in Clayoquot Sound to soak in the natural hot mineral spring pools. These geothermal hot springs cascade down a waterfall into half a dozen rocky pools. The delightful hot pools flow from one level to the next, gradually becoming cooler as the fresh spring water is cooled by ocean swells. The folks at the Wickanninnish will pack you a lunch and arrange for your transportation.

While in Tofino, a must-have experience is at least one meal at Sobo (short for Sophisticated Bohemian). The husband and wife chef owners share their passion for sustainable harvesting and farming, as well as for locally sourced ingredients. Here at Lamond Properties we have intense discussions about the best dishes at Sobo, and we therefore recommend our most favourite menu options. If you’re a fish lover, you will appreciate many of the selections such as Killer Fish Tacos, Tuna Melt and the Smoked Wild Fish Chowder. We absolutely crave the polenta fries with Caesar dipping sauce and who wouldn’t love the Brie and Pear Pizza?!

We’ve mentioned Whistler before, so why not try one of the town’s best spas for a super relaxing get-away. The Spa at Four Seasons Whistler is of the largest spas ( 14 treatment rooms) in Whistler, and considered one of the most luxurious. One of the things we like about it is the use of local products to create a sense of place. B.C. glacial clays and Pacific coast seaweed are incorporated into a number of treatments. From the spa there’s easy access to the hotel’s fitness centre and the hotel’s beautiful pool area.

Taman Sari at the Summit Lodge & Spa gets our vote for the most exotic spa in Whistler. It’s also one of the most exotic spas in Canada. An authentic Indonesian spa and currently the only Taman Sari in North America, the spa employs only Indonesian-trained therapists, plus all products are manufactured and imported from Indonesia. That, plus the traditional Indonesian décor, combine to give the spa a truly exotic feel. Along with Indonesian-inspired décor, treatments, products and therapists the other feature that sets the spa apart is the Jamu & Tea Bar where guests are invited to sit to fill in their pre-treatment health questionnaire.

LP’s February pick of the month: Grounds for Coffee on the West Side receives consistent top votes for the best cinnamon buns in town. They are moist and gooey and they DO NOT contain hydrogenated oils, trans-fats, nuts, raisins, bleached flour, eggs, shortening or preservatives. Heart shaped packs are available for Valentine’s Day, and they are so popular that pre-ordering is recommended. Order by February 13^th to give this decadent gift!

Next month… a little arts… a little entertainment

Winter in Lotus Land is all about choice! If you’re not a fan of frigid minus temperatures, Vancouver is your city with its year around mostly-mild climate, but if you enjoy getting your snow on, there’s lots to do within a short hop from the city centre. With a former snow bunny and ski instructor in the Lamond Properties’ office we have some suggestions.

Just 15 minutes from downtown Vancouver, Grouse Mountain’s Super Skyride whisks you to the best in local skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing & ice skating. With 26 runs – 14 open for night skiing, the latest in lift technology & the most extensive snowmaking system around, Grouse Mountain is one of Vancouver’s favourite winter playgrounds. Situated 1120 metres (3,700 feet) above the city of Vancouver, Grouse Mountain’s restaurants showcase some of the best of BC from fine dining at The Observatory to après in Altitudes Bistro to outdoor BBQs at Rusty Rail patio.

Grouse Mountain has translated the intensity and accomplishment of the famous Grouse Grind hike into a new winter experience – The Snowshoe Grind. Located mountaintop, the Snowshoe Grind promises to challenge. The Snowshoe Grind is the perfect way to start Grouse Grind hiking season fit and strong, while embracing a snowy winter landscape. The trail is 5K with an average time of about an hour to complete. The Snowshoe Grind is open in daylight hours, seven days a week in the winter (check Current Conditions for updates)

Cypress another local mountain also just minutes from downtown Vancouver, with all the usual activities, also has the Snow Tube Park! Cruise down the slopes and let the tube tow do the work of bringing you back up the hill. The mountain offers other regular events as well, including Canucks games on the “Jumbotron”, an “Open Mic” series, and a weekly live music extravaganza. For singles, Wednesdays means no more lounging around in your PJ’s – check out the Cypress  “Singles Night – Speed Dating” starting at 5 PM.

The third local mountain is Mount Seymour featuring the region’s first halfpipe and terrain park for snowboarders. Mt Seymour’s terrain park program has evolved in the past decade and a half to become one of the most recognized in the area. Today’s park program incorporates several distinct areas catering to the varied abilities and needs of park users, a heavy design influence from Seymour’s resident pros’, and a park crew who ensure the parks are well maintained every day.

Less than two hours from Vancouver is the world-renowned Whistler/Blackcomb winter playground with its fantastic ski and snowboard school program. MAX4 is the Snow School’s newest approach to improving your skiing and riding. No more than four people per instructor means you get more of what you want – mileage, attention, value. It’s simply the best way to maximize your time on the mountains. A full day ski lesson runs $125.30, a full day + lift is $139.30 and if you add rental the package is $164.50. New this winter, get 3 days for the price of 2! (Must be consecutive days.)

If you are truly a winter thrill-seeker, why not visit the mind-blowing Whistler Sliding Centre and take a wee ride down the Olympic Bobsleigh or Skeleton run! Both the Skeleton and Bobsleigh Experience begins with a sport orientation, including helmet fitting, track etiquette, safety guidelines and a mock run.  With a final safety check and briefing from the Whistler Sliding Centre Track Crew, you’ll be ready for action! The green light signals your release and you’re off! As you navigate your way down the skeleton track’s six corners, expect to reach a maximum speed of 100 km/hr.  The uphill outrun will slow you to a safe stop at the finish dock, where the Track Crew will assist with the sled and your safe exit. With the adrenaline of your first run still pumping through your blood, you’ll be ready for round two!

Two skeleton runs or one bobsleigh run go for around $150 and you can be sure to have the memorable thrill of a lifetime!

LP’s January Pick of the Month: For a little post-activity pick-me-up, visit the Mink Café  in downtown Vancouver on West Hastings for a thick, rich, ultra-luxurious vessel of hot chocolate that will knock your thermal socks off! They use pure, fresh chocolate ganache, no powders, no water, nothing reconstituted or rehydrated. The new standard by which all other chocolate drinks will be compared.

Next month… winter get-a-ways

*FURNISHED APARTMENT SPECIAL*

In The Heart Of Yaletown

Rent this beautiful one-bedroom condo in Yaletown, Vancouver.  Fully furnished and equipped for short or long-term rentals. Call us at 604.684.4649 or toll free: 1.855.684.4649.

We love the holiday season here at Lamond Properties, and we are delighted to share our favourite activities and ideas with our friends and fans. This time of year in the Vancouver Area is filled with so many choices of things to do and ways to celebrate and participate.

Named last year as one of the 10 most Spectacular Holiday Markets Around the World, the Vancouver Christmas Market is an annual can’t miss Vancouver Christmas event! Located in downtown Vancouver on the Plaza at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre (on Georgia, between Cambie and Hamilton) the market runs until December 24th from 11 am to 9 pm. Drop by for a visit before a night on the town, or perhaps a longer visit to look for a special gift. Visit their website for admission ticket and pass information.

If you’re feeling a little humbug and you’re looking for holiday spirit, check out the annual Festival of Lights at Van Dusen Gardens beginning December 9th. Head Gardener James Warkentin spends weeks working with staff and volunteers to detangle hundreds of strings of lights and check for burnt out bulbs, resulting in a spectacular display. There’s a choreographed light show, model train plus a hot chocolate bar. If you’ve been hankering for little donuts since your trip to the PNE, Mr. Ken’s is on site! Check it out between 4:30 – 9 pm nightly.

This time of year you might be expected to come up with just the right gifts for the special people in your life. We head down to Granville Island, where you can find a Kid’s Market with a never-ending selection of toys for the younger ones, and there are dozens of shops with products, crafts and gift ideas to impress even the toughest critic on your list. Some of our faves include Edible Canada with great local products and the Granville Island Broom Company’s handmade brooms that can double as a décor piece and cleaning tool. The Granville Island website also provides a super-handy gift locator search engine to help narrow down your choices.

If you’re at Granville Island in the evening, you might stop into Bridges for a warm-up and if you’re really lucky you’ll be able to see the Carol Ships in the False Creek area starting December 2nd. If you’re more of a planner, visit their website for a list of times and routes.

We thought you might be thinking ahead to New Year’s and we’ve found the ultimate Vancouver party guide. If you’re feeling particularly brave on New Year’s Day, why not participate in a Vancouver tradition - the 92nd Annual Polar Bear Swim! The Vancouver Polar Bear Swim Club is one of the largest and oldest Polar Bear Clubs in the world. Its initial swim was in 1920 when a small number of hardy swimmers took the plunge into English Bay on New Year’s Day. The swim has grown from 10 in the first year, to thousands present day.

The swim takes place at 2:30pm on January 1st. Costumes and the Peter Pantages Memorial 100 yard swim race are the highlights of this event. To become a club member, you must register before the swim in front of the English Bay Bathhouse from 12:30pm – 2:30pm on New Year’s Day. You may also register by clipping out the coupon in the Province Newspaper and presenting it at the registration desk the day of the swim. Don’t forget to fill out the prize entry form at registration. Donations of non-perishable food bank items will be accepted.

LP’s tip of the month for December is our favourite holiday treat! Back in the day we had a fantastic Christmas in Spain, and polvorones bring back those special holiday memories. They are the most delicate, individually wrapped shortbread cookies made of finely crushed nuts, sugar, milk and flour and sprinkled with powdered sugar. While they are everywhere this time of year in Spain, we had to look forever to finally find them in Vancouver at La Grotta del Formaggio on Commercial Drive. Enjoy!

We hope you are enjoying your time in our cozy furnished suites in Downtown Vancouver, and from our family at Lamond Properties to yours, Happy Holidays!

Next month – great winter activities!

*FURNISHED APARTMENT SPECIAL*

West End Water Front Furnished Apartment

October in Lotus Land can be exciting, wet, fun and amazing! We’re expecting “La Nina” and with it – rain and cooler temperatures. This is a wonderful time of year to explore many events and the yummy offerings of Fall and perhaps head indoors when the liquid sunshine sprinkles. Just be sure to pack your Gortex.

The annual UBC Apple Festival celebrates one of British Columbia’s favourite fruits October 15-16 from 11 am – 4 pm. From children learning about the diversity of apples to those who remember tasting heritage apples in their youth, the Apple Festival is a great opportunity to not only discover more about this delicious fruit, but have a whole lot fun doing it! Every year, around 44,000 lbs (20,000 kilos) of apples are sold to thousands of hungry attendees. More than 70 varieties of heritage, new and “tried and true” varieties are available, grown both conventionally and organically. Our favourite variety is Mutsu, also known as Crispin – a tart, juicy yellow apple good for baking and eating!

The 6th Annual Taste of Yaletown is featured from October 19-30th in downtown Vancouver. The popular community-based event invites the public to discover and enjoy culinary offerings and delectable wines from over 20 of Yaletown’s best restaurants, each presenting an exclusive three-course menu at pre-fixed prices of $25, $35 or $45.

A time to be thankful, October 10 is also a time to work off that big turkey dinner – or make room in your belly for Monday’s turkey feast. Either way, a 10 km run will do you good and we dare to to better your PB! The 13th Annual Turkey Trot will be taking place Thanksgiving Monday, October 10, starting on Granville Island, winding its way around False Creek, and  ending at the same spot. Even if you don’t feel like running, stop by to watch the fun, and bring a donation for the Vancouver Food Bank.For more information, visit www.turkeytrot.ca.

This month we’re introducing our Lamond Properties “Pick of the Month”, our favourite Vancouver and BC products and services. This month, we’re introducing our favourite BC wine, Laughing Stock‘s 2008 Portfolio, a yummy, full-bodied red with the flavours of black cherry and concentrated berries. This wine has won multiple awards including SILVER Medal Winner, San Francisco International Wine Competition 2011. Visit Legacy Liquor Store in False Creek’s Olympic Village and pick up a bottle and enjoy in the warmth of your fabulous Lamond Properties furnished rental suite!

Next month… scotch, movies and a culture crawl.

September is one of Vancouver’s best months of the year to enjoy great weather and a wide variety of activities. Our city features festivals year round, and some of the best are in September. If you’re looking for something interesting, challenging, unique or creative this is the month for you!

The 27th annual Vancouver International Fringe Festival, BC’s largest theatre festival, features over 600 performances over 11 days, making it one of Vancouver’s most diverse & eclectic sources of entertainment. It takes place on Granville Island from September 8-18. Download the App for a mobile event guide. (note: If you’re there between 7:30 am and 7:30 pm, visit La Baguette for some tasty baked goods. We particularly love the array of croissants!)

The 9^th Annual Moon Festival on Saturday, September 17^th combines Asian mid-autumn celebrations with western harvest festival traditions to create a beautiful community event. The event begins with a Harvest Fair at Slocan Park, continues with a Twilight Lantern Walk to the site of the grand finale at Renfrew Field.

For a visual festival, check out The Colour of My Dreams: The Surrealist Revolution in Art at Vancouver Art Gallery This is the most comprehensive exhibition of Surrealist art ever to be shown in Canada. The exhibition includes works by André Breton, Salvador Dalí, Max Ernst, René Magritte, Man Ray, Edith Rimmington, and many others.

The Vancouver International Film Festival (insiders call it VIFF) is one of the five largest film festivals in North America. Acclaimed as “an unspoiled celebration of world cinema,” the 30th VIFF showcases over 300 films from 60 countries around the world. Check out the list of films now and get your tickets, as many of the best films will sell out quickly. This is an opportunity to see films that may never be in wide release. The advance box office opens September 10 and the festival runs from September 29 and runs through October 14^th.

Next month: Fall in Lotus Land.

It’s our mission in life to make the best of our leisure time and enjoy life in Lotus Land to the fullest! We take great pleasure in sharing our secret finds with our special guests.

We must be hungry, because this month is all about food… what to look for and where to get it!  August in Vancouver is a spectacular time of year to enjoy local, fresh ingredients. There is nowhere better than the city’s multiple outdoor farmer’s markets. As they say “you are what you eat”, and there are plenty of opportunities to find the area’s best food, whether you are a chef or a whiz at take-out. Look for everything from organic produce to prepared foods such as granola, preserves and yummy baked goods. Featured this month is a corn festival at the Kitsilano Farmer’s Market on August 20 where you can enjoy fresh roasted corn, recipes or compete in a corn eating competition. For all the deets including market listings, check out www.eatlocal.org

These days, if you want to be considered part of the foodie scene, you visit a truck for the best eats in town! In recent months, the City of Vancouver has increased the trendy, thriving food cart program, adding 60 new licenses over the next 4 years. Fortunately, there’s an app for that! Download the street food Vancouver app onto your i-gadget to see which trucks or carts are nearby, and which are most popular. Whether it’s the rice balls at Roaming Dragon, the Philly cheese steaks at Bada Bing or the Japa dogs at…well, Japa Dog, food trucks are where it’s at. Try Feastro located at Thurlow and Cordova for several kinds of grilled soft shell tacos such as halibut tacos. We also like the crab and shrimp cakes with the special smoked tomato cocktail sauce. Mmmmm…

After working hard all day, sometimes the ideal spot to chill out is on a patio, with a cold drink and some appies. There are so many fantastic patios in Vancouver, it’s hard to single out a couple. If you’re in the Yaletown area, try Glowbal for steak and satays or Brix for their hidden, covered patio and live music. Take the little ferry over to Monk’s or Bridges at Granville Island if you prefer to relax near the water. When we want to sneak away on a sunny Friday afternoon, the super secret patio location we only share with our favourite guests is the Galley at the Jericho Sailing Centre in the Point Grey area. No better way to end a hectic week than spending a lazy afternoon watching sailboats come and go.

Let us know if you discover any special finds in your August travels.

Next month, the focus turns to festivals!

-LP

July in Vancouver offers something for everyone, whether you’re looking for a new fitness challenge or a way to chill out after a long day at work. Here at Lamond Properties we have compiled a list of some of our favourite summer activities:

What better way to enjoy a warm summer evening than at the ballpark with a hot dog and a cold draught? Check out the Vancouver Canadians minor league baseball team at Nat Bailey Stadium in one of their 14 home games this month. The Toronto Blue Jays is the parent club to the Canadians franchise whose storied history includes such stellar players like José Conseco and Sammy Sosa. Grandstand tickets sell for $12.50 and $16 for box seats.

Did we mention beer? The Canada Cup of Beer festival takes place July 8^th and 9^th at Thunderbird Stadium, UBC. The 2-day event features 200 beers in a festival atmosphere with live music and comedy on Friday from 5-9 pm and Saturday from 1-7 pm. Tickets $20-$25. We’re wondering if Dead Frog Brewing will three-peat by winning the 2011 Drinker’s Choice award for Best Canadian Lager.

If you need to work off those extra calories consumed at the beer festival, consider testing your fitness level on the famed Grouse Grind. Known by locals as “the grind” or “Mother Nature’s stairmaster”, it’s a 2.9 km series of 2830 stairs straight up Grouse Mountain, visited by 100,000 people annually. This year you can buy a $20 time card to track your progress and compare your time with others in your age and gender categories.  The average time is around 90 minutes, however the record stands at 25:01 for men and 31:04 for women.

The end of the month signals the beginning of one of Vancouver’s favourite summer events , the 21^st Annual Celebration of Light. It’s one of the best fireworks competitions in the world, and this year features China, Spain and Canada competing for the prestigious honour. July 30^th, August 3^rd and August 6^th are this year’s event nights with sparkly rockets being launched around 10 pm. Many people arrive early in the evening to reserve a spot on the beach with a picnic, but if you want to take advantage of some of the best seats in the house, reserve your seat in the grandstand for around $55. Please note that roads into the West End close around 7:30 pm on fireworks nights, and if you’re planning to arrive home after that by car, bring a copy of your Welcome Letter with you for proof of your address and parking.

Whatever you choose, enjoy one of Vancouver’s best months for outdoor fun. Next month we’ll visit Vancouver’s farmers markets, rate outdoor patios and share some tips on good eats.

-LP