#VGetsAround

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#VGetsAround: Canada Day Long Weekend in Whistler

 with The Four Seasons Hotel and Residence Whistler

After months of rain and snow, the season of being outdoorsy is finally upon us. The term outdoorsy, in this case, is referred to eating and drinking outside, by the fire, of course. 

Although this particular Canada Day long weekend wasn’t necessarily the warmest (or driest either), a group of us, people of influence (LOL - kidding) packed our bags and made our way to Whistler to kick off the annual #beerbecue at the Four Seasons and really immerse ourselves in what Whistler has to offer during the summertime.

Jacky and I arrived just a little after 3.30 on a Thursday afternoon and we checked in to our home for the weekend: A three bedroom suite, in the residence side with state-of-the-art kitchen, a 10 seater dining table, and of course, cozy fireplace, walk-in closets, and bathtubs! We didn’t have that much time to hang around our suite because we had to get ready for Beerbecue.

Beerbecue is an All-You-Can-(M)Eat Festivity that takes place every Thursday night from June 28th till August 30th - That, my friend, is ten week of meatsweat - and we’re here for it. Anything from brisket, pulled pork, ribs, chicken, salmon, they have it all, not to forget the scrumptious mac and cheese and other sides to “balance” it all out. They also invite different local breweries each week to participate, it’s a beer-becue after all. If beer is not your jam, the cutest little patio camper is set up, serving sangrias, cause - summer, hello! Three plates and a 90 minute meat-a-thon later, I was wheelbarrowed back to the residence for a little disco nap before a little Thursday Night festivities ;)

The next day started with a sampler of healthy breakfast waiting for us back at Sidecut: Chia puddings, avo toast, green smoothie, cause again, balance. We then got a little bit more time to enjoy our beautiful residence before coming back for more Sangria at the courtyard. The courtyard is easily one of my most favorite parts of the hotel, I mean… cute little camper that serves cocktails? Fireplace? Sign. me. up. The buzz was coming back, the sangria was pouring, the conversation was going, surely was quite a lovely afternoon, but oh! It got better: it’s Möet-by-the-pool o’clock everyone! Yes it was a little cloudy, but when did cloud ever stop us from sipping ice cold champagne in the cabana? 

It just so happened that there’s a new exhibit opening at Audain museum that weekend: POP! We got the honor to preview the collection with Curtis Collins, the museum’s new director! Audain has been home to some of the biggest names in Indigenous Art in BC. This season, they’re bringing a fun addition to their collection. Showcasing pieces from Smithsonian’s collection, featuring some of pop-art icons like Lichtenstein, Rauschenberg, and obvs. Warhol, this was such a fresh touch to Whistler’s art scene.

It’s a little after 5 PM, which usually means *ahem* Cocktail Hour, right? Before the judgy “All you did that weekend was drinking” comment, this time, our cocktail hour was more, hmm, educational ;) 

We got to spend the afternoon with Lauren Mote, cocktailier, mixologist extraordinaire, and the lady boss behind Bittered Sling Bitters. Earlier this year, she launched the Spirit of The Mountain Cocktail Program for Sidecut. The menu was created to add a twist, inspired by the mountains: regions, terroir, and ingredients, to some of the classics. Vulcan De Fuego, a smoky riff on the rum old-fashioned was the crowd’s favorite that night. The cocktails effectively got our appetite going, just before dinner time.

The menu that night was a highlight of Sidecut’s other side, by that I mean, seafood, of any kind. Oysters, crudos, fresh seafood platters, and salmon, cooked table-side. For dessert? We came back to the courtyard to make smores by the open fire - with coffee, tea, or adult hot chocolate (as in, brandy, with a splash of hot chocolate and marshmallow) HA! This was quite a perfect way to spend our last night in Whistler.

I’m sure everyone slept like a baby that night, and somehow we all got hungry again as we opened our eyes. Not surprised or anything… What’s a hotel stay without breakfast in bed, am i right? So we did JUST that. How do you feed six hungry, slightly hungover adult? You order practically everything on the menu. It was a breakfast spread fit for a king, on a king sized bed, as y’all can see!

We had a beyond fabulous time that weekend and honestly can’t wait to make our way back to our home away from home. Yes, it’s safe to say that expectation has now gone through the roof when it comes to Whistler accommodation HA!

Till next time Whistler!

Book your next stay here

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Cocktail | Travel | Food

[viranlly]

#VGetsAround : Montreal

Well, this time is not so much me getting around Montreal, it’s more like another episode of Anthony Bourdain’s The Layover - with much less time, budget, and instead of eating with Aziz Ansari and the whole Joe Beef gang, I went solo. 

Somehow, in my 6 (5, if you take out the time to get from the airpot to the city and back) hour Montreal layover, I managed to have 3 meals, couple drinks, and I’m sure I popped a button of my jeans somewhere on Rue Notre-Dame. 

There is nothing better to do when you have only a couple hours in the city but eat, drink, and just listen to people speaking French - And so I did. The neighbourhood: Little Burgundy, a cool, hip, and delicious part of town. The restaurants: two out of three of David McMillan’s establishments. Oh, I actually had lunch with Hans at Torteria Lupita before I hit the street solo.

My first stop, Vin Papillon. A casual, no-reservation wine bar with selections of smaller, lighter (compared to the other two restaurants) shared plates. Expect nothing less than fabulous and extensive wine list, you will spot some rare bottles on occasions too. The food menu is a basically a daily fresh sheet, with different features every single day. The best and funnest way to eat here, especially when you’re dining solo is to hit the bar, and do the dealer’s choice for both the wine, and the dish - end your meal with a glass of port, if you must.

My first dish was a creamy razor clam and green beans, tossed in butter, topped up with tasty crumbs that went so perfectly with the glass of rosé. I can still remember how delicious this combination of the two things that I would never put together otherwise. The dash of citrus cuts the creamy-ness in the right way, creating a very well-balanced dish. I then moved on to a plate of thinly shaved burgundy ham with slices of pecorino that was so simple, yet unbelievably decadent. I decided to add another dish, and another glass of wine, because...Joie de vivre. The kitchen sent out another clam dish, with mirepoix on sourdough. I’m so glad I did - it was such a scrumptious spring dish: light, fresh, with a right amount of crunch. 

I still had time to kill before my next stop and I needed the caffeine break, conveniently, September Surf is right around the corner. A sip of my cortado later, I was a little bit more awake and ready to tackle my next meal at Liverpool House.

It seemed like it was the appropriate time for a negroni, as if I needed help with my appetite HA! Liverpool house is the middle sister from the Joe Beef Trifecta, the get-up is less upscale and more neighbourhood go-to spot. The herring tartare caught my attention but the main attraction was the “breakfast sandwich”. The tartare was indeed a good start, even tho it was a little heavy for a solo diner especially when you had to save room for the next dish. Call me dramatic but the breakfast sandwich changed how now I look at regular breakfast sandwich. This dish is not for the faint hearted, definitely not for vegans (sorry bruh!). To be fair, it wouldn’t be a trip to Montreal without a dose of foie gras - I don’t need to justify myself any further than that. Add bacon, egg, topped up with custardy hollandaise served on a bed of maple syrup. It’s a lot, I know, but you cannot not to. At least I had a stiff martini to help cut through the richness of the velvety texture of the foie, I chose to believe that’s how it works anyways.

My heavy, slow moving self had to roll out of the restaurant and sadly made my way to the airport. It was 7.55, I could barely made it through the door of my uber, and my flight was supposed to board at 8.10, so yeah... the fact that Netflix hasn’t given me a TV show yet, it’s a question I’ve been asking, a lot

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Travel | Montreal | Food

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 #VGetsAround: his own damn dining room. At this time six weeks or so ago, I was laying by the pool, tits-deep in passionfruit gimlet in a hip and happening new--ishly opened day club somewhere in the island of Bali. Little that I know, that the world was ‘bout to go on a ride. And damn, it has been one *literal* hell of a damn ride.

Here we are, in the present day, where the word ‘travel’ is now almost taboo (just ask what Anna Wintour told Adam Rapoport of Bon Appetit). Flights are cancelled, borders are closed. Bid adieu to Coachella and your festival plans this year. This is depressing even for somebody who hates crowds and usually comes up with bazillion excuses to cancel plans *ME*.

 The world, as we know it, is upside down and inside out. People losing their jobs, businesses scrambling, trying to make it one day at a time. Bars and restaurants, those who survived that is, had to make the switch to strictly delivery and take out services just to keep their doors open. Gyms are closed while my pants, on the contrary, are not able to. 

Let me just say it, I miss my friends. I miss putting on my subtly loud Thom Browne suit to sit on a crowded bar, sipping overpriced exotic martini(s), while watching people watching me. I miss the feeling of getting buzzed after polishing the 4th bottle of wine over dinner at a restaurant, where you don’t have to do the dishes after. And I miss ordering the round(s) of tequila shots I probably shouldn’t even think about. I also, deeply, miss travelling.

But until the world recovers, what can we do but our part? Stay at home, wash your hands, and support our local favourites as much as we can. The upside, if any, is the fact that our group chats have never been more lit, we do our dinners and drinks over video calls - I even find out, that you can be hungover during quarantine. Little and simple things have now become something we all admire and crave every single day.

And for the travelling part, I keep telling myself, if I can’t bring myself to the destination, Imma bring the destination to me, right here to my dining room.

In an ideal world, I would’ve been roaming the streets of Mexico City two weeks ago and stuffing myself with tacos of all kinds. For the time being, the folks at La Taqueria get me covered with their build-yo-own-taco-bar at home. If you’re in the mood for a little trip to Japan, lucky for us Vancouverites, we have plenty of amazing sushi out there: Miku for their Aburi party tray for 3, which, I finished in one seating, twice; Yuwa if you feel extra fancy, even Coast offers make-your-own sushi kit (super fun date night idea, if you’re a couple or something). Mak n Ming also does really good bento boxes too, btw!

Fancy a trip to Spain? Take a #Como2Go for your tapas, conservas, and fun tipples (G&T kit, wine and vermut too!) OR if you want something more substantial, give Paellaguys a try. While we’re in Europe, might as well bring Italy in via. Ask for Luigi, Di Beppe, and Italian Kitchen. I heard Pepino’s and Caffe La Tana are also doing amazing take out. You cannot, well, more like, should not, miss what L’abattoir is doing during this time - a rotation of fancy-esque French cooking AND their iconic pastry baskets for the weekend. And while we’re on the topic of pastry... Leave it to Beaucoup Bakery for some flaky, buttery croissants (among other stuff) to go with your morning coffee. If you’re in the mood for more comforting Quebecois-French cooking, of course, there’s St. Lawrence Restaurant. 

I don’t know bout everyone else, but I do get cravings for fried chicken from time to time (by time to time, I mean at least twice a week). This is the moment when I call up on some friends at Downlow Chicken, which just so happens to make incredible burgers. *ahem* Speaking of burgers... Transam does a pretty killer one too! And juuuust in case you’re still craving meat, Elisa Steak and the legendary Gotham are now doing steak take out (their wildly popular cheese bread is now on the take out menu - you’re welcome). 

*I sound like a hungry kid with ADHD trying to decide what’s for dinner as I’m eating my second lunch, don’t I?*

And when ordering in gets overwhelming - trust me it does. Take the opportunity to brush up your cooking skills. Your trusty friends like Bon Appetit Magazine (both Healthyish and Basically too, obvs) and The New York Times Cooking got you. Spend the time making BA’s best bolognese, Alison Roman’s ‘the stew’, or the extra comforting brown butter toffee chocolate chip cookies for a change of pace.

I truly believe that great food can help us going through this less-than-ideal time. Soon we will be able to share a meal with our friends again, and soon we don’t have to do our dishes 70 times a day again. Until then, stay at home, support your local gems, and for the love of all things that’s good and pure, wash your damn hands.

‘Til next time!

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Food | Travel | Vancouver

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#VGetsAround Toronto : Bar Raval

It is safe to say that whatever Grant Van Gameren touches, it is going to be f*ckin delicious. Ever since the opening in 2015, the Spanish tapas bar has created major buzz in the restaurant scene across Canada. 

How could it not?! 

The beautifully designed Gaudi-esque room is built with stunning oak woodworks - easily one of the most attractive bar in the country. Raval, however, is not just a pretty face: strong seasonal cocktail programs, solid wine and beer lists, and a menu filled with phenomenal dishes! They do killer coffees too, by the way.

It opens 7 days a week from 10AM - 2AM, which means, you could potentially have your breakfast, brunch, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner, late dinner here - and you should! Whether you’re in the mood for flaky pastries, stuff on toast, or a mushroom tower, there really is no wrong thing to order. However, there are couple things that you just MUST get. Exhibit A: The newly added deep fried eggplants - Ya ya ya, I know what you’re thinking.. how good can a deep fried eggplant dish be? In the case of Bar Raval - It’s really, REALLY good! There’s just a right amount of crisp without being too oily or worse - soggy, a touch of sweetness and a whole lotta savoury flavour in one bite. Some other must haves are the grilled octopus, tomato on toast (Yes, it’s thaaat good!), and oh my favorite, the croquettes.

Let’s talk libation, shall we?

One of the (other many) reasons why I’m borderline obsessed with this place is the well curated drink list. As mentioned earlier, the bar strong cocktail program offers arrays of original creations using different base spirits. Into the Sun was my (first) drink du jour - This gin, fino, akvavit cocktail was the closest I got to Coachella at 12.30 in the afternoon in rainy Toronto. Don’t get me wrong, Raval nails the classics too. A boulevardier is always a great way to end a meal. Yes - I was two cocktails in by 2PM, No - I’m not sorry bout it. Carefully and tastefully curated wine list is also something that Bar Raval strives for. If you choose to go this route, a glass (or bottle) of cava is always a good start, with the Rioja reserve to follow, or if you feel adventurous, give the hyped up orange wine a try. A fine glass of dry sherry or vermouth to cap the meal? Heck yes!

If you think I’m exaggerating my admiration and fascination for Bar Raval, Canada’s 100 Best just listed Bar Raval as number 1 on Canada’s 50 Best Bar.

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Toronto | Travel | Cocktails

[viranlly]

Exploring the Best of BC with Lincoln Navigator

While I am no expert in the automotive world - nor do/can/should I drive (for everyone else’s sake - HA!), I know a good great car when I’m on one. Exhibit A:  The 2018 Lincoln Navigator, which we get to take for a mini road trip to Whistler this past weekend.

This seven seater vehicle is what happens when luxury, technology, and design have a lovechild. The spacious interior is covered in black leather and polished mahogany. Sleek, sophisticated, yet you just know this car ain’t messing around. Which, makes it the perfect roadtrip car for yours truly. Again, I need to make it clear that I’m on the passenger seat with a Beyoncé, Mariah and Whitney sing-a-long playlist!

Being in charge of entertainment has never been simpler, once your phone is connected, you can practically do everything from either the massive screen (with camera, map displays and all), or the steering wheel! People at the back seat can actually have their own entertainment, equipped with their own bluetooth headphones - yes, I checked. 

One of my absolute, ABSOLUTE favorite features is the combination of seat heater/cooler and the massage function. Yes - it was very helpful while we were stuck in traffic.

That’s about enough stuff I can talk about the actual car, before I start to not make any sense HA! My point is, we had a smooth ride from Vancouver to Whistler with the Lincoln Navigator. I also asked Handika, who was kind enough to take the driver seat this weekend and he enjoyed driving the SUV!

The drive to Whistler is just HALF of the adventure - Stay tuned to see what we got up to over this beautiful weekend. You can probably guess, there’s a lot of eating, drinking, and relaxing involved! 

#LincolnCA #Navigator

#VGetsAround #Whistler

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