Bottle of the Month #3 – Anchorage Distillery Ghost Pepper Vodka

Posted on March 31, 2025 by Daniel Wilson

[The Sip Advisor has been growing his liquor collection for a decade plus. It is something I’m very proud of, my children before kids and my legacy to leave to this world. I’d like to share what I’ve curated with all you little sippers via this project.]

When Mrs. Sip and I (along with a young Girl Sip) did an Alaskan cruise, this was one of the bottles available for purchase from the onboard Duty Free stall. Always looking to spice things up in cocktails, it wasn’t hard to convince myself to buy the bottle. The product also has a unique look to it, with a ghost pepper floating amongst the liquor.

The vodka is very unique to Alaska, using barley grown near Denali, the highest mountain peak in North America, along with glacier waters. According to the Anchorage Distillery website, some flavours that pair well with the booze are tomato, brine, basil, honey, lemon, lime, mango, and pineapple.

While the company recommends using the vodka in Bloody Mary drinks, I prefer to use the spirit in Caesars, especially when I’m in the mood for an extra bite of heat. That said, this product doesn’t burn like some of the other spicy vodkas I’ve tried over the years.

Despite ghost peppers being described as “exceptionally hot” on the Scoville scale, I’ve always enjoyed the burn that comes with them, having also enjoyed the flavour on potato chips available at Trader Joe’s locations and even when they had it as a sauce option on McDonald’s McChicken burgers. Basically, don’t fear the reaper… unless they’re Carolina Reaper peppers!

Bottle of the Month #3: Fire at the Fruit Stand

1.5 oz Ghost Pepper Vodka
Top with Ginger Beer
Splash of Pineapple Juice
Splash of Lime Juice
Garnish with a Maraschino Cherry

The Anchorage Distillery website has a number of cocktail suggestions for their products. Another note on ghost peppers, aside from culinary uses, India has also used them for animal control, particularly to keep wild elephants away from civilization, as well as in non-lethal hand grenades and sprays, used to break up unruly crowds and force criminals from hiding.

Disneyland Memories

Posted on March 12, 2025 by Daniel Wilson

[Over 2025, the Sip Family will use their Magic Key year passes to attend the Disneyland Resort frequently. Therefore, a fair bit of my content will be Disney based this year, while also presenting a Disney-themed cocktail recipe.]

Disneyland means a lot to me and my history. I mean, one of the biggest moments of my life took place within its limits. Other unforgettable stories occurred there and with each trip, more remembrances are being created, especially with the Sipplings now joining in the memory making. Here are some of my favourite personal moments in the park:

Humble Beginnings

People are always surprised to hear that my and Mrs. Sip’s relationship began in Disneyland. It’s not a common story for two folks who don’t live local to the ‘happiest place on earth’. When we were both 18, our respective families were on vacation at the resort. Cousin Sip was friends with Mrs. Sip back at home and played matchmaker for us. On Mrs. Sip’s last night at the park before driving home with her family, we met up for that evening’s fireworks spectacular. Fully aware it was now or perhaps never and this was the best chance I was going to get, as the show reached its climax, I asked her out for a future date and she replied ‘okay’. My neurotic brain would later question if that was actually a yes or if she was still processing my query. I mean, she had to at least give me a chance given my romantic timing. Upon getting home after flying back days later, I had barely entered our home when I gave the future Mrs. Sip a call to make first date plans for the following weekend. And, the rest they say, is history!

Indecent Proposal

While Mrs. Sip and I were already engaged, in a perfect world, I would have popped the question where it all began. When I did ask Mrs. Sip to marry me, we had no plans to head to Disneyland anytime soon, so I just couldn’t wait. 10 months later, we were SoCal bound for a trip to the resort, as well as to catch a Vancouver Canucks-Anaheim Ducks game. I figured, what’s wrong with getting engaged twice, so I formulated a plan that included a nice little ring from one of the many Disney shops and as we exited Peter Pan’s Flight, as we had done nearly a decade earlier as our first ride after I asked her out, I dropped to a knee and popped the big Q a second time. Mrs. Sip was taken aback, as other Disney guests cheered us on. Wouldn’t it have been hilarious if she said no this time!?

DisneyBANNED

Some park memories, especially as we got more and more into the resort’s booze offerings, are of the fuzzy variety. The first time Mrs. Sip and I ever attended a California Wine and Food Festival at California Adventure park was completely unplanned. We were in town for brief mini reunion with folks I had met while going to school for a semester in England and the festival just happened to be going on at the time. After our tasting passport was filled, we decided to continue the revelry with 10% ABV festival beers. Let’s just say we all got a little goofy on the way out of the park, with plans to head over to Disneyland, which was open later that night. Without realizing it, park security began tailing us with the goal of ending our evening early. We may have been drunk, but we were still clever, splitting up so the poor security person could only follow half our foursome. Mrs. Sip and I made it into Disneyland, while our pals joined later, helped by the fact one of them forgot their backpack in California Adventure and had to go back to retrieve it. The rest of that night lives somewhere in my brain, but only photographs viewed the next day (ala The Hangover style) helped me piece together what actually happened.

FastPass Fun

On that same trip, when we weren’t being drunkards, we were having a much more innocent brand of fun. When we went to the Big Thunder Mountain FastPass machines and it spit out multiple blank tickets, we decided to try our luck. After writing “Right Now” onto the passes, we approached the cast member guarding the queue entrance. After looking over the tickets, he flashed a smile and gave us front of the line passes to two attractions of our choice. We chose to use them on the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage (at that time, a new and popular attraction) and Space Mountain (an always popular attraction).

Last Ride

With the extended Sip Family in Disneyland to celebrate Ma Sip’s 60^th birthday, we knew the Twilight Zone: Tower of Terror would soon be closing for good. On our last night at the parks, as we were running around trying to get on one final ride before park closing, we jumped into the queue for the ride. Our timing was just right as our group of five boarded the last run of the night in a car all to ourselves. Our photo is pretty epic, but we weren’t able to purchase it, as I put my feet up on the safety rail, causing the pic to “disappear into the fifth dimension”.

Lost and Found

The chances of losing something at Disneyland are high and those odds only increase with children. On our most recent voyage to the resort, both Girl and Boy Sip managed to lose their MagicBands. We were lucky though, as dear ol’ dad, along with some great cast members, were able to bring a happy ending to both missing band cases. The first disappearance occurred as Boy Sip was in one of the park washrooms. I ran around a number of locations, finally having the band returned to me well after the parks had closed for the evening by the Lost and Found Office. A couple days later, Girl Sip managed to lose her band on the Haunted Mansion ride. Once we realized it was gone, I rushed over to the attraction and spoke to one of the cast members. Minutes later, the band was returned and superglued back onto Girl Sip’s wrist.

50^th Anniversary Anxiety

The whole entire Sip Family attended the parks 50^th anniversary in 2005. Unfortunately, as we made our way through a chaotic crowd, we got separated. This was decades before the park had wifi and many of us didn’t even have cell phones yet, so we couldn’t just send a message or make a call to meet up. Not sure what to do, our splintered crew hunkered down at a place in the park we all liked for its serenity. After waiting only a brief time, we were all reunited and from that point forward, we were very careful to make meeting spots throughout the day, should anyone from the herd get disconnected.

Meeting Minnie

They say you should never meet your heroes, but that wasn’t the case for a young Girl Sip. When she was two years old, we had a single day to enjoy the park, following a coastal cruise to celebrate both my and her birthdays. Our first order of business was to get the kid an autograph book, in case we ran into any characters. Sure enough, who should appear after the purchase but Minnie Mouse. Girl Sip had already been indoctrinated into the Disney cult, thanks to episodes of Minnie’s Bow-Toons. When it was her turn to meet her idol, she clenched her little fists and was literally shaking. Minnie was kind to spend some time with her admirer and give us all a lasting memory.

Milestone Moments

There was really only one place to properly celebrate Mrs. Sip’s 40^th birthday. So, we packed the Sip Family up and journeyed to Disneyland for a week of fun in January 2024. Ma and Pa Sip even managed a surprise cameo appearance for the big day. Another element that made this trip so great was it was the first one where both kids were old enough (at six and almost four years old) to fully appreciate the experience.

Breakdown Bonanza

Ride breakdowns have become a regular part of the Disneyland experience. While most are purely frustrating, the odd interruption can actually be kind of neat. Take the issue that happened to Mrs. Sip and I during one riding of Space Mountain. When the attraction suddenly stopped, we weren’t sure what to make of the situation. Then, the lights came on, illuminating the usually pitch black rollercoaster for a rare glimpse of what it actually looked like inside. When the ride thankfully started up again, we were offered a second go through, even though we had already completed the majority of the track. Of course, we accepted and our car chanted the section we got stuck near and all flashed a ‘Z’ hand sign for the ride photo. Another interesting breakdown occurred for Mrs. Sip and Girl Sip on Indiana Jones. After a delay, they were asked to walk off the ride and got to see the attraction from a whole different point of view.

Scavenger Sights

When I went to school in England, I was able to meet some fantastic fellow exchange program students. One was from San Diego and, like me, had a great affinity for Disneyland. For his birthday each year, he put together a Disneyland scavenger hunt for friends and family to enjoy and Mrs. Sip and I travelled to the festivities in back-to-back years to try our hand at the challenge. The hunt allowed us to experience the park in much more detail, looking out for hidden elements that otherwise often go unnoticed. To this day, we’re still on the lookout for touches the Imagineers snuck into attractions.

Disneyland Memories: Hakuna Matata

1.5 oz Spiced Rum
0.75 oz Coconut Rum
0.5 oz Banana Liqueur
Dash of Maraschino Cherry Syrup
Top with Pineapple Juice
Garnish with a Maraschino Cherry

I could go on and on about my preferred Disneyland tales. Each trip adds more magical moments to the memory bank. What are some of your favourite experiences from trips to the happiest place on earth?

Sip Trips #243: Love and Family

Posted on March 3, 2025 by Daniel Wilson

February was quite busy, with a lean towards sports events and movies. Let’s see what the Sip Family managed to cram into the shortest month of the year:

The fun began with a trip to Boston Pizza, where myself, Mrs. Sip and Ma and Pa Sip took advantage of the Monday night $10 Individual Pizza deal. I have kind of strayed from ordering pizzas at the restaurant, as none of the current options particularly pique my interest, but it’s hard to pass up a deal like this. I went with the Bourbon BBQ Chicken, which I enjoyed, especially when paired with a Boston-Sized Rickard’s Red.

Later that week, Mrs. Sip and I attended a friend’s 40^th birthday celebration at the Lougheed Village Bar & Grill. To eat, I went with the Montreal Smoked Meat Club, while I downed two Pabst Blue Ribbons (I have such a soft place in my heart for this brew) and also tried a Sapporo Black Lager, which I hadn’t heard of before. All in all, it was a fun night catching up with folks and Mrs. Sip and I may have found a new haunt for bar adventures.

The next night, it was time for the annual BCR Regimental Whiskey Tasting. I really enjoy this event, as it provides an opportunity to try a bunch of whiskeys I would never otherwise get to sample, while hanging out with a great group of people. On the docket for this year’s tasting was Kilchoman Sauternes Cask Matured 2024 Edition, Oban Distiller’s Edition 2022, Ardnamurchan AD/Sauternes Cask Release, Ardbeg Anthology 13 Year, and Glennorangie The Nectar 16 Year. Between all the drams, a number of beers were consumed and even a shot of tequila to close the evening.

For celebrating Valentine’s Day, the Sip Family continued what has become our tradition of going to Boston Pizza so the kid’s can order heart-shaped pies. I opted for the Sweet Thai Honey Garlic Chicken Strips and another Rickard’s Red. We followed the meal with watching Dog Man (a preferred book series of Girl Sip) at the nearby Landmark Cinemas.

The next night, we attended a Vancouver Giants game, where Girl Sip’s ringette team played during the first intermission. This was my first foray to the Langley Events Centre and I was impressed with the facility and its variety of great food and beverage options. There was even a Barley Merchant stall, featuring beers from Langley-based breweries. I had a very tasty serving of Five Roads Son of a Peach Juicy Pale Ale.

With Ma and Pa Sip in town that weekend, Mrs. Sip and I got a date night the next day, starting with beers at Steel & Oak Brewing. I selected The Breaks West Coast IPA and You Party? Blackcurrent Cherry Pale Ale, as Mrs. Sip and I tried the Skip-Bo card game for the first time. We also got burgers from the Between 2 Buns food truck outside the brewery and I really enjoyed my Bacon Cheeser.

Next up was checking out Love Hurts at Landmark Cinemas, which was a wildly fun movie. To cap the night out and not really wanting to get home and have to put the Sipplings to bed, we walked over to Kelly O’Bryans for their late night happy hour. We split an order of the Chicken Lips, while I drank pints of Whistler Grapefruit Ale and Fat Tug IPA, continuing our Skip-Bo playing. Let the record show, I won our three-game series – a very rare W for the Sip Advisor – taking the rubber match in what can only be described as beginner’s luck!

To close out the long weekend, we spent Family Day travelling to the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre. Following that attraction, we visited the Great Canadian Brewhouse, which was offering kids eat free for the holiday. Given my love of rice and noodle bowls, I tried their Tuna Poke Rice Bowl, which I especially enjoyed after asking the server for a cup of soy sauce to add to the dish. To drink, I went with the Stanley Park Waypoint Hazy Pale Ale, while also having a few sips of Mrs. Sip’s Stanley Park SunSetter Peach Wheat Ale.

The month ended with back-to-back Canucks Road Game Viewing Parties at The Sportsbar. Mrs. Sip and I were each invited to these events, a perk of our quarter season ticket memberships. With four tickets each, Mrs. Sip tried to figure out who should join us. But my mind works in special ways and I formulated the plan that if we each selected one of the available games, we’d get to go twice with the Sipplings. Double your pleasure, double your fun! For each occasion, your table gets to split two appies, while each person gets a main and a drink. For the first game, I selected the Honey Garlic Wings, which are very good with a nice crunch and delicious sauce. I was so stuffed after the appy, which I had all to myself, as the Sipplings wouldn’t try them, that I packed up my The SportsBar Cheeseburger for the next day’s lunch. To drink, I had the Backcountry Widowmaker Hazy IPA and Superflux Colour & Shape IPA.

For our second game (which full disclosure, occurred on March 1, but I wanted to lump together with the other game), I switched my choices up slightly. I once again had to get the Honey Garlic Wings, but for my main, this time I went with the Chicken Strips, which looked so good on other plates the week before. Sadly, these strips came out overcooked, but Boy Sip didn’t seem to mind them as leftovers the next day. I was also determined to alter my drink orders, this time going with the Parkside Dreamboat Hazy IPA and Twin Sails Dat Juice Pale Ale.

March will be quite full, as we celebrate Boy Sip’s fifth birthday and once again road trip to California over spring break. Disneyland and Legoland are both on the agenda for that getaway, so there will be much to discuss in the next Sip Trips!

Bottle of the Month #2 – Lost Spirits 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea Rum

Posted on February 21, 2025 by Daniel Wilson

When Mrs. Sip was going on a girl’s trip to Las Vegas in November 2022, I suggested they visit the Lost Spirits Distillery, having heard about it online. Surprisingly, they listened to this madman and had themselves a fantastic time, attending the Day Drinking with Magicians experience. The following year, as Mrs. Sip and I celebrated my 40^th birthday in Sin City, I finally got to check the place out for myself, as we enjoyed an evening of acrobats, vaudeville-esque acts and, most importantly, rum cocktails.

When the entertainment had wrapped, Mrs. Sip and I stuck around to savour a nightcap, letting the facility empty. On our own way out, Mrs. Sip said I should pick up one of the distillery’s bottles – a birthday treat to myself – and I went with the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea Rum.

I’ve really enjoyed this selection, as I’ve always been a fan of booze with a smoky finish. I typically use the bottle for Rum and Cokes or Rum and Dr. Peppers, but have also dabbled with fancier cocktails, such as the Mai Tai and Dark N’ Stormy. Today, I try to recreate one of the cocktails we enjoyed while visiting the distillery.

Bottle of the Month #2: Rum Zing

1.5 oz 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea Rum
0.5 oz Orange Liqueur
Top with Ginger Ale
Splash of Orange Juice
Dash of Grenadine
Sprinkle of Cinnamon and Nutmeg
Garnish with an Orange Slices

Sadly, Lost Spirits Distillery closed up shop in April 2024. Operating since 2021, the distillery was visited by more than 250,000 patrons during its existence and given such praise as “Willy Wonka of Booze” and “Disneyland for Liquor”. Aside from the circus atmosphere, part of the Lost Spirits experience was taking a tour of the distillery, where founder Bryan Davis had discovered a way to rapidly age whiskeys and rums in mere days. Chemistry at its finest!

Sip Trips #242: Disneyland Dreams

Posted on February 5, 2025 by Daniel Wilson

We weren’t super busy in January, save for the final week, which was spent in the happiest place on earth, Disneyland! Here’s what the Sip Family got up to in the first month of 2025:

Although we continue to develop our new townhouse, it was time to welcome friends into the space with a housewarming party. For the occasion, I developed a cocktail, dubbed Home Sweet Home, to serve to guests. It was comprised of Southern Comfort, Spiced Rum, Pomegranate Juice, Lemonade, and Club Soda. I also had a number of different garnishes on hand, including using pomegranate seeds for the first time ever, which resulted in our kitchen looking like a crime scene, while my poorly-chosen white shirt offered blood splatter evidence.

The following weekend, Mrs. Sip and I were able to have a date night out to celebrate her birthday. We began our evening with dinner at Glowbal. I was disappointed when we first arrived at the restaurant, as it’s pretty rare nowadays that a place doesn’t have some kind of burger on the menu, an item I was craving. That said, what we did order was delicious. We had a feast of shared plates, including Albacore Tuna, Waygu Steak Tartare, Foie Gras Pate and Black Truffle Fries. To drink, I ordered glasses of Parallel 49 Filthy Dirty IPA and Glowbal Amber Lager. The service at Glowbal was top notch, including a dessert treat for Mrs. Sip on the house.

The next part of our date night was a Vancouver Canucks game, where we slipped away during the first intermission to The Sportsbar for some beverages. While hitting The Sportsbar can provide some difficulty in getting served by the busy bar staff, drinks are noticeably cheaper. I went with a Double Rum & Coke for the visit and cheered the home team on to a big win over the dastardly Edmonton Oilers.

We wrapped the month with our first voyage to Disneyland with the Magic Keys we purchased in early 2024. We had one year to activate these year passes and saved them for when the Lunar New Year Festival would be going on, as we were teased by the food and drink that would be available when we visited in January 2024, but returned home before that version of the festival began.

For the festival, Mrs. Sip and I each bought a Sip and Savor Pass, which allowed us to pick six different eligible menu options from around the California Adventure park, for $45 (thanks to a small discount for Magic Key holders). A few culinary items below fell outside of the Sip and Savor Pass, as well as any alcoholic drinks.

Food we tried included the Red Panda Bao, Mini Char Siu Pork Shanks, Quesabirra Eggroll, Fried Lemongrass Chicken Dumplings, Pho Dip, Fire Chicken Wings, Bulgogi Pizza Slice, Spicy Gochujang Chicken Taco, Shrimp Lo Mein, and Scallion Pancake Tostada. I’d say nothing disappointed and it was hard to pick favourites.

We also tried some of the desserts available, such as the Toasted Sesame and Red Bean Churro, Sweet Taro Bun and Chocolate Firecracker. I wasn’t super big into any of these items, but we got them mostly for the Sipplings, who love desserts. Lastly, cocktails we tried included the Strawberry-Lychee, Dragon Fruit (I really liked the Chinese five-spice syrup in this one) and Guava Lemongrass.

Even outside of the festival parameters, we ate and drank like kings and queens, princes and princesses… or witch, as Girl Sip preferred to be identified as. Over our six days at the resort, Mrs. Sip and I shared a number of beers and cocktails. The long list was comprised of the Hamilton Family Tow Mango Double IPA, Lost Coast Tangerine Wheat Ale, La Bodega Hazmatt Double Hazy IPA, Bottle Logic Fuzzy Logic Hazy Peach IPA, New Belgium Voodoo Ranger Juice Force Hazy Imperial IPA, Elysian Space Dust IPA, Breckenridge Christmas Ale, Karl Strauss Peanut Butter Cup Porter (a little too roasted for my tastes), SLO Brew Cali-Squesze Blood Orange Hefeweizen, Topa Topa Chief Peak IPA, Beer Mimosa (with Sierra Nevada Sunny Little Thing Wheat Ale), Karl Strauss Aurora Hoppyalis IPA, Karl Strauss Boat Shoes Hazy IPA, Craftwell Hibiscus Lemonade, Bottle Logic Paloma Hard Seltzer, Brewery X Baja Breeze, Seaborn Spicy Cucumber Margarita, and Seaborn Lavender Lemonade. SO.MANY.DRINKS!

Some notable food items we enjoyed were the California Roll Sandwich, Cheeseburger Flatbread, Snack-Size Mardi Gras Monte Cristo and Quantum Pretzel. We also made a point to try a number of desserts throughout the resort, which the Sipplings were totally up for. These yummy treats included a Cinnamon Bun Pretzel, Mickey Mouse Cookie, Toffee Pretzel, Pineapple-Strawberry Dole Whip Swirl, Jack-Jack Cookie Num Num, and Raspberry Peanut Butter Bar.

Within and outside the parks, we had a couple notable meals. After one long day, we visited the Denny’s near our hotel, which the kids loved for the Birthday Cake Pancakes. I also greatly enjoyed my Crispy Chicken Bacon Ranch Sandwich. In future, we need to go on Tuesdays between 4-10pm, as kids eat for free with every adult entrée purchased.

Another quick meal was had at the Carthay Circle Lounge in California Adventure. I tried the Bootlegger’s Old World Hefeweizen, while Mrs. Sip and I shared the Baked Brie Cheese Palmiers and the Sipplings devoured the Mickey Hazelnut Crunch Ice Cream Pop.

We also made time to sit down in the Sip Advisor’s favourite outside-the-park restaurant, Tony Roma’s. Here, I shared the Chicken Tenderloin Platter with Boy Sip, while sipping on a large serving of Firestone Mind Haze Hazy IPA. Another hack we’ll have to capitalize on in the future, is kids eat for $2.99 on Mondays, with each adult entrée ordered.

Finally back home, we just need to avoid looking at our Visa bill for a while, as that currency conversion shock will no doubt cause some stress. February is dotted with some interesting events, such as a whiskey tasting and Girl Sip getting to play with her ringette team at the intermission of a Vancouver Giants game!

Bottle of the Month #1 – Jameson Orange Irish Whiskey

Posted on January 13, 2025 by Daniel Wilson

I’ve long been a fan of Jameson Irish Whiskey. So much so, that while Mrs. Sip and I were in Ireland in 2016, we went well out of our way – driving on the wrong side of the road on sometimes extremely narrow passages – to visit the Jameson Distillery in Cork.

Jameson Orange

As for this particular bottle, I came across it on a Las Vegas vacation in 2022 and had to bring it home, having never seen it in my neck of the woods before. The product was available locally for a time, but seems to have disappeared from the market. When the time comes, I will have to find an alternative way to replace it, as I’ve developed a fondness for this twist on the classic.

One of my favourite drinks to make with the orange variant is the beverage they made us in Cork: Jameson, Ginger Ale and Lime. I’ve also swapped the Ginger Ale for Ginger Beer, resulting in an Irish Mule spinoff. Speaking of recipes, let’s get to today’s creation, courtesy the Jameson website.

Bottle of the Month #1: Orange Burst

Orange Burst

1.5 oz Jameson Orange Irish Whiskey
1 oz Orange Liqueur
Top with Orange Juice
Splash of Lemon-Lime Soda
Garnish with an Orange Slice

How about a couple trivia tidbits to wrap this article? John Jameson, founder of Jameson Whiskey, was a lawyer before entering the distilling game. His grandson, Guglielmo Marconi, would go on to invent wireless telegraphy (sharing the 1909 Nobel Prize in Physics), which would lead to the creation of radio and later be used in the development of television and other wireless communications.

Sip Trips #241: Comfort and Joy

Posted on January 3, 2025 by Daniel Wilson

December offered all the typical craziness of years past, with the added twist of still moving into our new place to add an extra level of insanity to the holiday season. As usual, we survived and thrived, getting up to a few shenanigans here and there. Here’s how the month played out:

My work Christmas lunch this year took place at Joey Shipyards. There, I had the very good Ahi Tuna Club. Although we were allowed to order adult beverages, providing we pay for them ourselves, a scan of the two tables showed no one else was willing to make this bold move, so I declined as well.

Days later, we were off to Grand Mound, Washington, for a three-night stay at Great Wolf Lodge (GWL). En route, we stopped at Red Lobster in Olympia for a meal to celebrate Ma Sip’s birthday. I had my usual Sesame-Soy Salmon Bowl and Blue Moon Belgian White combo, which just hits the spot. I wish there was a closer Red Lobster than two-plus hours away, so I could enjoy the meal more regularly.

Also before arriving at GWL, we stopped at Costco and Walmart to do some provision shopping. I decided to try the Kirkland Hard Seltzer (with flavours of lime, grapefruit, mango and black cherry) as you just couldn’t beat the price. It was $10 cheaper than the similar White Claw offering, although that pack has six different flavours. I also grabbed some Spiced Rum and Dr. Pepper (Costco offers a 30-can case – excess at its finest!).

We had one sit down meal at GWL, dining at Fireside. There, I tried the Chili-Lime Chicken Bowl, paired with a pint of Talking Cedar Juicy IPA. While I wouldn’t rank this Mexican-inspired bowl up with the Asian ones I typically enjoy, it was not a disappointment either.

Later in the month, we attended Mrs. Sip’s office Christmas party at The Boathouse. My drinks over the course of the evening included the Herb’N Soda and Smoke & Bourbon. As for my meal picks, from the set menu, I went with a Caesar Salad, the Grilled Salmon and the Mocha Ice Cream Pie for dessert. Everything tasted great, but the salmon could have used some sort of glaze or sauce.

The next night, Mrs. Sip and I were out again, offered a date night by the visiting Ma and Pa Sip. I surprised Mrs. Sip with a visit to the PoMo Express, a festively decorated heritage train at the Port Moody Museum. The event was only being run on a few selected nights in December, complete with food a drink offerings. Our food selections included the Beef and Pork Polpette, Arancini and Albacore Tuna Crudo. For drinks, we tried a couple of their select cocktails, while I also ordered a Parkside Humans IPA.

Following our train experience, we decided to travel some of the nearby Brewer’s Row. Our first stop was at Moody Ales, where we shared a flight, consisting of their Gingerbread Ale, O Christmas Tree IPA, Holiday Party Punch Sour and Hazelnut Honey Brown Ale. While the Christmas-themed beers were good, it was a prime example of my issue with flight costs. We shelled out $14 for four five-ounce servings (totalling 20 ounces of suds), while for only $8.50, we could have had a 20-ounce pint of any of those beers. Colour me confused…

Next, we dropped into Parkside Brewing, where I tried the Orange You Glad Orange Cream Ale, while Mrs. Sip went with the cask offering Hot Frosty Pale Ale. We completed our evening out at Twin Sails Brewing, sharing a pint of the Frozen Banana Double Dipped Chocolate Banana Stout.

Right before Christmas, we met with friends we hadn’t seen in a long while at Steel & Oak Brewing. After trying samples of both the Sunglow Hefeweizen and You Party? Blackcurrant and Cherry Pale Ale, I went with the hef, but also enjoyed the pale ale.

Christmas Day finally arrived and a gift of note I received from Mrs. Sip was the Mixology & Murder book, combining two of my greatest loves: drinking and true crime.

Christmas dinner brought my annual Christmas cocktail menu to life, with this year’s theme being holiday music. The drink recipes included: Fairytale of New York (Jameson Orange Irish Whiskey, Apple Juice, Club Soda), Do They Know It’s Christmas (Amarula Gold, Pomegranate Juice, Lemon-Lime Soda), Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree (Southern Comfort, Raspberry Iced Tea, Lemonade) and Little Drummer Boy (Bacardi Dragonberry Rum, Raspberry-Lemon Ginger Ale, Orange Bitters).

Following Christmas, I met with a group of guys for a night out. We began with beers at both Hops and Kelly O’Bryans, followed by a great dinner at El Santo. My meal consisted of Pastor and Barbacoa Tacos – after trading with a friend, so we could get a greater variety – along with drinks of the Magdalena cocktail (pisco, vanilla and mandarin syrup, lemon, egg whites, cinnamon) and Steel & Oak Festbier.

With New Year’s Eve plans falling through on the day of, we decided to have a quiet, relaxed night. It was a great way to wrap a wild 2024 and start thinking ahead to what will hopefully be a calmer 2025!

Best of 2024

Posted on December 31, 2024 by Daniel Wilson

2024 was full of big changes I never expected. This included Ma and Pa Sip moving to a location four hours away and the Sip Family’s own move from a condo to townhouse mere minutes apart from each other. In between all the adjustments, we managed to have a lot of fun. From travel to sports to entertainment, here’s the Sip Advisor’s Top 10 for the year:

Wrestle Maniac

Over the course of 2024, I attended three wrestling cards, including two live TV shows and a premium event. WWE Smackdown (January), AEW Collision (May) and WWE Survivor Series 2024: War Games (November) all brought action and pandemonium to Rogers Arena and I was happy to take it all in.

Older and Wiser (and still hot!)

Although she doesn’t look it, Mrs. Sip turned the big 4-0 in January and the Sip Family celebrated with a week in Disneyland. A surprise cameo appearance by Ma and Pa Sip was the icing on the cake, as we rode rides, surveyed shows and drank drinks all in the name of celebrating another milestone birthday.

40th Birthday

Spring Break Scandal

For our spring break getaway, the Sip Family hit the road to Escondido, California, where we visited Lego Land (for Boy Sip’s fourth birthday), enjoyed pool time and tried a few of the area’s craft breweries. This was my first time doing a long haul driving vacation and the whole family really enjoyed it.

Playoff Pleasures

2024 saw the Vancouver Canucks finally return to the playoffs, providing Mrs. Sip and I our first chance to ever attend a post-season match. Over the course of the team’s two-round run, we treated our dad’s to a game, as well as attended another as a date night. We also took the Sipplings to one of the road game viewing parties, which had all the pomp and circumstance of a live contest.

Lodge Leanings

Through the year, we managed to vacation at the Great Wolf Lodge twice. Our first voyage was in May, while the second visit occurred during the resort’s Christmas celebrations. Waterslides, arcade games and Magic Quest, along with large amounts of food and drink we consumed by the crew.

Road Trip

Living the Dream

Our summer began with the kids going on a short vacation with Ma and Pa Sip. This meant for three whole days, Mrs. Sip and I were left to our own devices and we took full advantage. We participated in a pub trivia, attended a wedding with reception at a craft brewery and checked out Gordon Ramsay’s new Vancouver restaurant.

Euro Union

As much as parts of our European odyssey this summer were frustrating, it was still wonderful time away with the family. We stopped in Germany, Belgium and the United Kingdom over two packed weeks. Attractions enjoyed included the Lindt Chocolate Museum, Peppa Pig Bus Tour and Harry Potter Experience.

Goodbye Grief

As the Trooper song goes “every year, has its share of tears; every now and then it’s gotta rain.” After 30 years in the same home, Ma and Pa Sip decided to downsize. To celebrate the place where so much family history took place, we hosted a final big bash, providing one more chance to create and save some fuzzy memories.

No Kids

Moving On Up

While moving isn’t the most enjoyable thing in life (I’m not calling it our ‘forever home’, but our ‘we’re never moving again home’), our November relocation from condo to townhouse was a necessary step and will go down as a major moment in all of our lives. Hopefully we’re settled in by early 2025 and can really start relishing the place.

Wonderful Christmas Time

The Christmas season never grows old for me. I just love it. This year, we hosted Christmas dinner for the first time, finally having the space to welcome family for the big feast. Of course, that meant my annual cocktail menu was served on home soil and the drinks were flowing!

2025 has a lot to live up to and I have no doubt it will exceed expectations. How could it not, with the calendar already having trips to Disneyland penciled in, along with other ideas percolating!

Love & Hate – Mistletoe Moments

Posted on December 24, 2024 by Daniel Wilson

I originally began working on a Love & Hate article for the winter season, but really, all people care about from this time of year is Christmas, so let’s cut to the chase, give people what they want and discuss the pros and cons of the holidays. Here are the reasons to revel in the term:

Getting Lit Up

Christmas lights still fascinate me, especially if it’s a really well done display. It has to be one of Boy Sip’s favourite elements of the season too. Light walks/drives have always been a treasured memory of my Christmases past.

Giving and Getting

The Sip Advisor likes getting gifts… but he LOVES giving treats. Sure, the pursuit of the perfect parcel can be challenging, but it’s all worth it in the end when you see the recipient’s face light up with joy.

Gift Giving

Friends and Family Discount

All the gatherings of Christmas, whether they be with family, friends or some hybrid, typically mean drinks are flowing and feasts of food are being served. The holidays can also provide opportunities to visit with folks you haven’t seen for some time, perhaps since last Christmas.

Family Fondness

Aside from scheduled gatherings, Christmas also provides an increased amount of time with Mrs. Sip and the Sipplings. Part of that is because of the break from school, along with all activities also being on pause. This offers the chance to do cookie kits, gingerbread houses, watch movies and TV, play games, and so much more.

Christmas Cheat

The winter is a perfect time to hibernate and enjoy all of the snacks the season provides. Ma Sip is a baking legend and keeps us all well-stocked with treats. I’m just thankful that the days of trying to preserve a decent body are long behind me.

Christmas Baking

Mistletoe Media

Nothing gets me in a festive mood more than watching Christmas movies and TV shows. I don’t care if I’ve seen the film or episode countless times, I’ll still enjoy it again. Introducing the Sipplings to many of my holiday favourites has always been fun, as well.

Yuletide Traditions

Christmas is the season that inspires the most family and friend traditions. The extended Sip Family has many of them, each bringing their own joys to the countdown to the big day.

As much as I love the Christmas season and agree it is the most wonderful time of the year, it does come with a few drawbacks. Here are the issues that plague the period:

Decorating

While I like seeing holiday displays, I abhor putting them together myself. For example, I went to set up Christmas lights for the first time in our new home. Problems began immediately, when I learned there was no electrical outlet on the balcony. Once I figured out a solution to that, I learned our lights from the previous year (after untangling them, of course) no longer worked. Then, I tried another set we have, but it was too small to stretch across the entire balcony rail, so more lights need to be purchased now…

Christmas Lights

Secret Santa

I hate these gift exchanges, where you almost always walk away with crap you never wanted or needed. I also dislike the whole concept of stealing presents and the chaos that causes. Mrs. Sip’s office Secret Santa can take hours to execute and I just want to wrap the meal and get back home. Bah humbug!

Busy Malls, Stores, Roads, etc.

We’ve all been there. You desperately need to make a run to pick up one last present or food item and the dread that washes over you when you realize how busy the roads and stores will be is intense. Regardless of panic, these trips have to be completed and hopefully you return with your sanity still in check.

Black Friday

First, there was Black Friday, one day of shopping deals prior to the Christmas rush. Now, there’s Black Friday weekends/weeks. Heck, the deals keep popping up earlier and earlier, it might as well be called Black Friday Month.

Black Friday

Starts in Summer

Similarly, Christmas seems to start earlier each year. It’s alarming when kids aren’t even back in the school from summer break, but ads for Christmas are already running.

Too Many Activities/Options

In most years, Mrs. Sip has had a tendency to overbook herself and the family. While it’s fun to take advantage of some of the holiday-themed events in your area, doing too much can cause irritation and exhaustion. Even on off years, when we’ve made an effort to do less, it still seems like there’s not enough hours in the day to get everything done.

Christmas Crap

While many Christmas songs are classics, some just spill my drink every time I hear them. Do They Know It’s Christmas has to be one of the most inane, insensitive tunes ever recorded, yet it gets constant air time during the holiday season. Even creator Bob Geldof called it one of the “worst songs in history”. And there are many others that ruin the season.

Christmas Music

Unexpected Gifts

I’ll never forget my first Christmas with Mrs. Sip. Many new people were added to my gift list and I was careful to get good presents for each, hoping to ingratiate myself with the folks who were closest with my love. For some reason, though, I wasn’t expecting something from Mrs. Sip’s grandma – given to me on Christmas Eve – and had to scramble on Christmas morning to find any store that was open, so I could have something prepared for her by Christmas dinner. Other times, you get something from a friend who you don’t typically exchange gifts with and are at a loss. This is why some folks keep a collection of generic gifts on hand, but I’m not sure that’s the best remedy.

$$$

The holidays can be incredibly expensive, from gifts to gatherings to events, you really do bleed money during the December sprint. You tell yourself that things will be lighter and tighter in January, but who are we kidding, things never really slow down.

Love & Hate: Mistletoe Moments

Mistletoe Moments

1.5 oz Empress Gin
Splash of Lemon Juice
Dash of Cranberry Sauce
Dash of Simple Syrup
Dash of Aromatic Bitters
Garnish with a Lemon Peel

What are elements you love and hate about Christmas and the season that surrounds it? I hope everyone out there has a safe and fun holiday season, full of time with all the things you love and not the things you hate!

Sip Trips #240: Home Sweet Home

Posted on December 4, 2024 by Daniel Wilson

November was a very eventful month, as the Sip Family moved from condo to townhouse and began the long process of settling into our new home. Mixed with the pain of such a progression was a few nights of pleasure here and there. Here’s what the Sip Advisor got up to on rare breaks:

Early in the month, Mrs. Sip and I were offered a date night by Ma and Pa Sip. Well, it was sort of a working date night, as we also capitalized on the child-free time by visiting a number of furniture stores, looking for new pieces to fill our palatial mansion (there’s so much more space to fill than we are accustomed to). The fun part of our date night – because who actually enjoys furniture shopping? – was spent enjoying happy hour at Milestones. While I went with the impressively discounted 1989 Burger and a serving of Granville Island English Bay Pale Ale, many other viable options were considered from the restaurant’s fantastic happy hour menu for both food and drinks. Seriously, I’m not sure I’ve ever seen such an impressive amount of options on a happy hour menu before. This certainly wasn’t the typical offering of a couple lame appies and house beers and wines.

Beer Dinner

We spent much of the Remembrance Day long weekend moving stuff from our storage unit and condo into the townhouse. Our reward at the end of the weekend was the Sip Family attending a Vancouver Canucks game. Prior to the on-ice action, we had dinner at the Boston Pizza near Rogers Arena. There, I had the Chicken Strips in Sweet Thai Honey Garlic sauce, along with a Caesar Salad. The meal was quite good and I love when places offer sauces for their chicken dishes.

Two days later, I was back in Vancouver for another Canucks game, this time attending with a friend. After our first two choices to meet up at were too busy, we ended up at Original Joe’s. I’ve had a number of good visits here, but this trip had some issues. First, we waited 20 minutes to be seated, as there was no host and servers didn’t even acknowledge new customers that had walked in. After about 10 minutes, I felt like I waited long enough and was committed to staying, plus I’d lost out on spots at other eateries in the meantime. We were also warned food would take a while to come out, but we were just happy to be seated and had time before the game. I drank two OJ’s Red Ales and ate the Chicken Club Wrap with Fries and Coleslaw. I will say that the food was good and I love that burgers and handhelds come with two sides.

This past week, we had to pick up some orders from our U.S. mail service, so treated the Sipplings to a visit to PlayDate at Bellis Fair Mall. While the kiddos played and Mrs. Sip shopped, I enjoyed a pint of Ten Pin Snake Eye Stout, which was very good.

Soft Play

I ended the month with a weekend of contrasting events. First, the Sip Family attended the annual Disney on Ice travelling spectacle. The show was very entertaining and it was so much fun watching the kids react to the characters and action. Beforehand, we rushed through a dinner at White Spot, as we saw how bad traffic from New West to the Pacific Coliseum was shaping up to be. I ordered my usual Legendary Burger with Caesar Salad, which always hits the spot.

The next night was quite epic, as the Sip Advisor and some buddies attended WWE Survivor Series: War Games 2024. Our day began with meeting up at Devil’s Elbow for lunch. My Duck Bacon BLT was delicious, paired with pints of Steel & Oak Smoked Honey Doppelbock and Superflux Colour & Shape Hazy IPA.

At the show, which was amazing to be in attendance for, I had multiple drinks over the course of the afternoon, including a Spiced Rum and Coke, Coors Pineapple and Cherry Seltzers, Nude Lime Vodka Soda, and Simply Spiked Lemonade.

Disney on Ice

We must have enjoyed Devil’s Elbow so much earlier, because that’s where we ended up again following the show. On my second tour of duty, I tried the Faculty London Fog Ale, followed by the Backcountry Cherry Cola Sour.

That wraps an eventful month in the lives of the Sip Family. December looks to be restful and without much fanfare. Ah, who am I kidding, the Christmas season is packed to the brim with fun and fancy, including a getaway to Great Wolf Lodge!