Bottle of the Month #1 – Jameson Orange Irish Whiskey

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[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.]

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

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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.

Office Christmas

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.

Red Lobster

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…

Christmas Party

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 Drunk

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

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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

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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

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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!

Sip Trips #239: Wild Times

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October flew by and was busy as heck… but not so much from an outing perspective. Mrs. Sip and I got some more clarity on our attempts to upsize from a condo to a townhouse and that caused a flurry of unexpected action. Here’s what the crew got up to last month:

At the end of the Thanksgiving long weekend, the Sip Family visited the Great Canadian Brewhouse in Richmond. We were out that way, as Mrs. Sip was returning from her last minute flight to California to get some funding for our home purchase. At the restaurant, I had a tankard of Stanley Park The Captain Hazy IPA to go along with a very good Rocky Mountain Chicken Club. We also used their app for a free order of Golden Garlic Fingers. To complete the feast, we tried the Caramel Chocolate Dessert Poutine, which was decadent.

Canadian-Thanksgiving

The following week, Girl Sip got to pick where we ate following her ringette practice. She selected Boston Pizza, where I devoured the new Maple Bacon Burger, enjoying the flavours going on with the handheld. For dessert, Mrs. Sip and I split the Salted Caramel Panookie, which was a nice sweet treat.

Up next was riding the Stanley Park Halloween Train. Prior to our boarding time, we had dinner at Stanley Park Brewing Restaurant & Brewpub. To begin our meal, we shared the Warm Pretzel Bites, or at least tried to, as our pretzel-loving kids promptly gobbled up the dish. For my main, I had a delicious Shanghai Noodle Bowl, which paired quite well with my Parklandia Hazy IPA.

In the lead up to Halloween, we had to do an emergency drive across the border to pick up an ordered costume for Girl Sip. While in the States, we had a wonderful meal at Bob’s Burgers & Brew in Birch Bay. There, I combined a 24oz District Duke Hazy IPA with the Hot Honey Crispy Chicken Burger, a seasonal addition to the menu. Best of all, our server let me select a number of different sauces to go with my Jo Jos side dish. I may have also helped Mrs. Sip a bit with her Kulshan Amber Ale, among my favourite beers from that area.

Costumes

My final activity of the month was meeting up with a friend to attend a Vancouver Canucks game. The contest was a total blowout, not in our favour, making our time at Browns Socialhouse prior to the hockey the highlight of the evening. At Browns, I went with my usual Sesame Ginger Gyoza, washing it down with a pair of Social Lagers.

November will also be a wild month, as we gradually move into our new townhouse and begin the next chapter of our lives!

Sip Trips #238: Birthday Bashing

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September was busy, filled with birthdays and other activities – a fair portion of the month spent out and about, as open houses were run on our condo. Let’s see what the Sip Family got up to over the course of the month:

Our first outing took us to Locality Brewing in Langley. There, I had the Strawberry Milkshake Ale, which I’ve enjoyed before, but was a substitute when my original choice was no longer available on tap. Mrs. Sip and I also shared an order of the food truck’s Bison Poutine, as we did on our inaugural expedition to the brewery.

To celebrate the Sipplings return to school, we took them out to Red Robin for dinner. It had been some time since I’d visited the restaurant and I really enjoyed my Bacon Cheeseburger with Yukon Chips (a bottomless side dish, which I had to get another round of). To wash it all down, I went with the Stanley Park 1897 Amber Ale, another secondary choice when my first selection was tapped out.

back-to-school

Over the course of the month, I picked up a couple different vodka soda cases, including the Truly Hard Seltzer Berry Mix Pack (Black Cherry, Field Berry, Blueberry & Acai, Raspberry Lime) and White Claw Variety 30 Pack, which features five different flavours (Lemon, Lime, Blackberry, Tangerine, and Black Cherry).

Afforded some time to myself, I ended up at a Browns Socialhouse, electing to have their Tiki Tuna Poke Bowl, paired with a Social IPA. I’m not very good with free time on my own, so I ate at a decent pace, settled my tab and returned to my life of misery! 😊

The next weekend, Mrs. Sip and I were in Vancouver to watch the musical Come From Away. Prior to our show, we had another meal at Browns Socialhouse, where I had the Sesame Ginger Gyoza this time, along with another Social IPA. As for the fantastic performance, which is about the many travellers who ended up in Newfoundland, Canada, following the grounding of all planes on 9/11, I tried the Dillon’s Tangerine, Lemon and Mint Gin Cocktail.

Alone

For a guy’s night out, in recognition of my birthday, us lads had an epic dinner and drinks session at The Barley Merchant in Langley. Over the course of six hours spent at the eatery, I consumed the Beva Goombah Milkshake IPA, Barley Merchant x Slackwater Chinwag IPA, two Four Winds Monocle IPAs, a pair of Black Bear Spiced Honey Rum & Cokes, as well as three Pickleback shots.

The birthday festivities continued that weekend with a party for Girl Sip and a side serving of the Sip Advisor. At that gathering, a friend gifted me a one-liter bottle of Captain Morgan’s Spiced Rum, which we worked our way completely through, mixing it mostly with our preferred Dr. Pepper, but also with the limited edition Coca-Cola: Oreo.

The next day, my actual birthday, we ventured out to Barnside Brewing for some family time. There, I had their Home Field Hazy IPA, while the Sip Family shared a couple Beer Baked Pretzels. We also visited Kelly O’Bryans for my free birthday dinner. This promotion allowed me to get an entrée, up to $30, on the house. I went with the O’Bryans Bowl, which is basically a tuna poke bowl, while also picking at Mrs. Sip’s Chicken Lips N’ Lattice Fries. I washed it all down with a pair of Whistler Grapefruit Ales and for dessert, we all shared the decadent King O’ Mud Pie.

Birthday Coupons

Other boozy birthday gifts I received for my birthday, included six 750ml crowlers (Krisp Dry Hopped Lager, Bright El Dorado Pale Ale, Idabro IPA, Heff Hefeweizen, Strawberry Heff Strawberry Hefeweizen, and Key Lime Pie Tart Ale w/ Lime and Vanilla) from Bright Eye Brewing, courtesy of Ma and Pa Sip, as well as a $50 gift card to BC Liquor Stores via Mrs. Sip and the Sipplings.

For Girl Sip’s actual birthday, the day after mine, we had dinner at Boston Pizza. Here, I went with a glass of Blue Moon, while trying their Appy Hour Burger with Caesar Salad. I really liked the burger and will likely order it again in the future. Mrs. Sip and I also used the free birthday dessert I received in the BP app to share the Chocolate Explosion.

For the Reconciliation Day long weekend, I travelled to Tobiano with the Sipplings in tow. This is the location of Ma and Pa Sip’s new abode, located 15 minutes outside of Kamloops. This new off-site headquarters will allow me to explore the Kamloops beer and bar scene over future visits. On this trip, we managed to check out Bright Eye Brewing for their Hoppy Hour. I tried the Smedium Tank Top Hazy IPA and Throwback Burger with Fries, which were both nicely discounted for happy hour.

New House

We also stopped at Iron Road Brewing, where I ordered the Red Bridge Pale Ale. One last local journey we made was to Privato Vineyard. While the kids enjoyed the chance to play and check out the place’s pumpkin patch, I was reminded of how much I HATE WINERIES.

That puts a bow on September. October has already filled up with activities, largely focused on Halloween celebrations. It’ll be interesting to see how we survive the ghoulish month!

Love & Hate – Campfire Mule

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The leaves are falling and temperatures are dropping. Fall is upon us and that can be a good thing… and also bad thing. Let’s start with items the Sip Advisor loves from the season:

Nature’s Beauty

There is something magical about the change from summer to fall and all the unique colours we get to experience with leaves and sunsets. The Sipplings have realized this phenomenon and it’s neat seeing a shifting world through their eyes.

Chilling Out

For those that find the heat of the summer to be a bit much, fall can come as a massive relief. Sure, the sun still comes out often, but it’s no longer blazingly hot. Yes, the fans and air conditioning units can enjoy some rest and be packed away.

Nature

Birthday Bashes

The fall brings many birthdays to the Sip Advisor headquarters, most notably, myself and Girl Sip’s big days. Our birthdays fall right on the cusp of the new season and that’s something Girl Sip finds to be very special about her.

Off-Season Over

The end of each hockey season can allow folks to recharge the batteries and watch something else for a change. But it doesn’t take long for us fanatics to pine for the return of our favourite sport. I want nothing more than for hockey to knock baseball off the local sports radio station and the start of a new campaign, with hope at its highest, is exciting.

Sweet Stuff

The preparation for Halloween starts before summer has even set and that brings all the little treats you love. Mini chocolate bars are awesome… that is, until you’ve eaten so many mini bars they add up to more than any full-size bar and you feel ashamed. Oh well, you can always get back into shape after coming out of your hibernation in the spring.

Halloween Candy

Premiere Party

Things have changed with streaming services rolling out shows throughout the year, but September used to bring the return of all the hit shows you love. This still happens with the major networks, but I’ll admit the concept has lost some of its luster.

Cozy Up

After a summer of many activities and the need to be doing things outdoors all day, every day, fall can be applauded for forcing you to return inside, snuggling up on the couch to watch the many movies and TV shows you neglected the previous season.

While fall can provide a nice change of pace, it isn’t all good. Here are some things the Sip Advisor hates about the season:

Enjoy it While it Lasts

While watching leaves change colours and fall to the ground may have its own majesty, once the rain gets to them, they become disgusting hazards. I’ve slipped on wet leaves many times and they just kind of look gross covering streets and sidewalks.

Fall Reality

Rain, Rain Go Away

Speaking of the wet stuff, there is a lot of it in my part of the world. Combine that with increasingly shorter days and a steep drop in temperatures and it can be a pretty dark and dreary time.

Schedule Fills Up

While summer brings a hiatus to school and other activities for the Sipplings, the fall brings all these things back with a vengeance. It’s not long before carefree days are filled with so much that the Sip Advisor ends up living in his car for large portions of each day and when not in the car, I’m at arenas, fields, gyms and pools.

Pumpkin Spice Everything

I am not a pumpkin spice fan at all. In fact, I view pumpkin pie – the Thanksgiving dessert of choice – as one of the grossest on the planet, it reminding me of something someone regurgitated. I’m so anti-pumpkin that I don’t even really enjoy it in alcohol.

Pumpkin Spice

Layer Up

While you are more confident in how to dress during the summer and winter, fall can bring many different weather patterns, sometimes within the same day. Thus, you have to dress in layers and add or remove them accordingly, which is just a headache.

Fall Back

One of the stupidest traditions on the annual calendar is Daylight Savings Time. I can’t wait for this to be removed from existence and hope one of the anti-Daylight Savings Time campaigns is eventually successful.

Planning Problems

The end of summer also brings on the reality of a new year approaching. At work, you have to turn your mind to what vacation time you’ll need to book off for the next year, while you may also start thinking about personal and professional goals, as part of your future planning. I’m just not ready for any of that.

Fall Layers

Scheduling Scraps

As mentioned above, both Girl Sip and myself have late September birthdays. This can make scheduling our celebrations quite difficult, as you never know what the weather will be like. We’ve attempted to have Girl Sip’s birthdays in parks before – especially during Covid times – only to have to hunker down under a picnic shelter as it poured rain.

Winter is Coming

Lastly, fall means that we’re all one step closer to winter, which aside from a few things to look forward to, can be one of the most depressing times of the year. But we’ll examine that more in a future Love & Hate article.

Love & Hate: Campfire Mule

Campfire Mule

  • 1.5 oz Smoked Bourbon or Whiskey
  • Top with Ginger Beer
  • Splash of Lemon Juice
  • Dash of Maple Syrup
  • Garnish with a Marshmallow

What do you love or hate about fall? If you’re gonna call it autumn, though, don’t even bother commenting!

Sip Trips #237: The NeverEnding Month

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August was a wild month that felt like a few months combined. Like, seriously, shouldn’t it be December already!? Anyway, here’s what we got up to in wrapping up our summer break:

The month began with the last portion of our European vacation, spent in one our of favourite metropolises, London. En route to the UK, we stopped in Brussels, Belgium, hitting up the Hard Rock Cafe there. As young travelers, Mrs. Sip and I popped into a number of Hard Rock locations throughout Europe, so this was a bit of a callback to that for us. At the Hard Rock in Grand-Place square, I ordered the BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich with Fries, paired with a large serving of Grimbergen Blonde. We all enjoyed our meals, before touring the city and returning to the train station.

Hard Rock Cafe

Once in London, I bought a few cans of Red Leg Spiced Rum and Cola (infused with vanilla and ginger), which were good. Finding packs of beer or other ready-to-drink products proved difficult, as most items came in single servings and were not cheap. Bottles of liquor was also a non-starting point, as they were incredibly expensive, even before factoring in exchange rates.

On our first tourist day, we boarded the Peppa Pig Afternoon Tea Bus Tour. Mrs. Sip and I received free glasses of prosecco (as well as backpacks for the kids) when our original booking was cancelled and we were bumped to a later bus. Mrs. Sip had also pre-ordered a glass of bubbly, so when they brought hers, they offered me some too. Then, the server said they had to get rid of the rest of the bottle, so he poured it for us in a travel cup to take home. The experience could be described and the best kind of chaos. Between the food and drink, bumpy roads, trying to enjoy London landmarks passed on the tour, the Peppa Pig animated segments, and the host playing games with the kids, there was a lot of stimuli to take in. I must give extra kudos to the staff on these buses, who have to do their jobs while the vehicle is moving, including pouring hot beverages and flutes of prosecco.

The next day, after visiting Tower Bridge, we had a late lunch/early dinner at the nearby Pizza Express location. This chain came onto my radar upon learning that kids eat free with each adult order. I selected the BBQ Burnt Ends Pizza, which was delicious. To drink, I went with the tasty Rhubarb & Raspberry G&T because you have to have at least one G&T while in London.

G&T

As we returned to our accommodation, I picked up a Brewdog Hazy Jane four pack for Mrs. Sip and I to consume as the sipplings burned some energy at a playground. This was one of the few drink packs I found that was reasonably priced.

Our final major activity of the vacation was checking out the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London: The Making of Harry Potter. We spent four hours at this place and probably missed some portions of the massive exhibit. I’m not a Potter die hard fan, but can appreciate what went into making the movies, as well as this studio experience. Sadly, no alcoholic beverages were enjoyed during the duration, but I did manage to get a sip of butter beer in between the rest of the family draining the drink.

On our long journey home, we ate dinner at The Firkin & Flyer at Halifax Airport. Mrs. Sip and I split the Lobster Roll with Kettle Chips, while I tried the Burnside Toller Gold Lager. I still don’t understand our flights home, as it took almost as long to fly to Halifax, as it sometimes does going direct from London to Vancouver. Then, we still had to fly across the country home. The expedition took twice the time it really should have.

Chips

After a few days off to allow our body clocks to reacclimatize to being home, we were at it again, taking the kids out for an afternoon along Brewer’s Row in Port Moody. We began our day with Twin Sails Brewing, where I enjoyed the Two Straws Creamsicle Milkshake IPA. That was followed by dropping into Rewind Brewing for a pint of their Knight Rider Black IPA. We also had a scrumptious order of their Garlic Cheese Stix (with ranch dip), having always wanted to try their Detroit-style pizzas.

The next weekend, after viewing a number of townhouses on the market, we sat down at Taqueria Playa Tropical in New West. I wasn’t feeling very hungry, having drank quite a bit the night before, as we said goodbye to Ma and Pa Sip’s home (where I grew up from the age of 10 and where 31 amazing years were spent) with one last big party. I was still thirsty, though, so tried the Jamaican Hibiscus Margarita.

Our home hunting set off a chain of events that saw us have an accepted offer on a place and then needing to move stuff out of two homes at once (Ma and Pa Sip’s, where we have always had a set-up, as well as our own to get it ready for sale). I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy! With our 12th wedding anniversary occurring during all the anarchy, we managed to step out to the Cineplex VIP Theatre to see Deadpool & Wolverine. While there, I had their Classic Burger, combined with a pint of Granville Island Kitsilano Juicy IPA.

Marriage

Aside from my liquor adventures last month, I also tried a few limited edition items in the food world. This included the Firecracker McCrispy and Big Arch at McDonald’s, along with the Dr. Pepper donut at Krispy Kreme. Both burgers tasted good, but the prices nowadays for fast food eats are outrageous. The donut was okay, but if you’re not a Dr. Pepper fan, it’s probably not for you.

Finally, I should note that this site in going on a bit of a hiatus, as the Sip Family traverses the process of potentially moving to a new abode. This has led to a large portion of my liquor collection being put into storage, making it difficult to make drinks for all you little sippers. I will still post my monthly Sip Trips, as well as (hopefully) the occasional article. We will be back at some point, stronger and drunker than ever!

Sip Trips #236: European Reunion

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July was a very busy month, featuring my first foray to Europe since 2019 and many of the other events that typically fill our summer calendar. Let’s get right to it and see what the Sip Family was up to:

The month began with the Sipplings going on a mini road trip with Ma and Pa Sip, leaving Mrs. Sip and I to take full advantage of some kid-free time. Our first outing started with hitting the Howe Sound Taphouse & Kitchen in New West for happy hour. There, I had a pint of the King Heffy Imperial Hefeweizen, followed by a Pickleback shot. Mrs. Sip ordered their Chips, Salsa & Queso offering, which was a good little snack.

Next, we walked the short distance to Georgie’s Local Kitchen & Bar for Trivia Mania. I ate the Cheeseburger + Fries from their daily specials menu, while we split a pitcher of Blue Moon. The trivia here was very difficult and not as much fun as other places we’ve played before. The questions seemed very niche and it was also hard to hear the host in our section of the place.

Kids Away

The next day, we attended a wedding in Chilliwack, grabbing a quick drink upon arrival at the ceremony. The reception was hosted at HubCo Brewing in Mission. There, I had a number of beers and cocktails as the evening progressed. These selections included the Burton Ale and Citra Pale Ale, as well as both cocktails on tap, the Gin & Grapefruit and Peach, Orange & Vodka. Top appies offered were the Pulled Pork Tacos and BBQ Chicken Flatbread.

On our last day of freedom, we met up with friends to try Gordon Ramsay Burger at the Great Canadian Casino Vancouver (actually in Coquitlam, but whatevs). I ordered the Stout Burger, which I was very happy to see had finally made the menu. I’d had the burger before at the Las Vegas BurGR, but when the restaurant first arrived up north, it wasn’t part of the opening menu. To drink, I had a pint of Four Winds Pale Ale. Among the differences I noted between the Vegas and “Vancouver” locations were that fries actually come with your burger, with upgrade options also available, the drinks were obviously cheaper than the Vegas strip offers and the food prices were the same, but being in Canadian currency helps.

With a number of hangouts and get togethers over the middle of the month, I picked up a few different vodka soda cases. First up was the Remix Vol. 2 Vodka Soda pack (Blood Orange/Tangerine, Blackberry/Mango, Grapefruit/Lime, Peach/Nectarine). This was followed by the Verve Vodka Soda 24 Variety Pack, with new flavours including Lemon-Yuzu Sour and Black Cherry, joining the core Wild Strawberry-Lemon, Peach-Blackberry, Watermelon-Raspberry and Grapefruit-Elderflower. I also bought a bottle of the limited edition Bombay Sapphire Sunset Gin, featuring flavours of golden turmeric, Indian white cardamon and Spanish mandarin.

Vodka Soda

Our long-awaited European vacation (my first time crossing the pond post-pandemic) finally commenced, with us landing in Cologne, Germany. Our train from Frankfurt to Cologne was incredibly delayed, cancelling out our chance to hit a brauhaus. We instead settled for a quick pizza meal to satisfy the kids and hitting a grocery store for ice cream bars and tall can German brews.

The next day, we hit the one attraction we hoped to in the city, the Lindt Schokoladen (Chocolate) Museum, where we enjoyed numerous pieces of chocolate. After a quick McDonald’s meal, we were back onto the trains for our travel to Belgium.

The bulk of our trip was spent at the Center Parcs location in Les Ardennes. Here, we would spend a week at what I can best describe as a mix between an all-inclusive resort and glamping. We had a “half board” package, which meant all our breakfasts and dinners were included. At dinner, there was a self-service beer tap, offering Jupiler Pilsner. I drank so many glasses of this beer over our stay it was practically coursing through my veins by the end. As for food, I thought most of what I ate across the trip was very good.

Camping

The resort also had a small market, where we purchased supplies for our cottgae. This included a series of Belgian beers: La Tharee Amber; Belgium Peak Blonde, Brune, IPA and Tripel; Leffe Tripel; and La Vieille Salme Blonde. During one of our walks through the nearby town, we also grabbed a bottle of La Myrtille d’Amelie Blueberry Beer. I must note, it has been a while since I drank beers out of a bottle, as the local industry has vastly moved towards tall cans. I also snagged bottles of Captain Morgan Spiced Rum and Pepsi at the Spar grocery store close to our resort because daddy needed his medicine!

One of our days was spent offsite, journeying to the small town of Coo to check out their Wild Park. This was followed by visiting Aywaille, which has the Grottes de Remouchamps, the longest underground river in Europe.

As the calendar turned from July to August, we left Belgium for London, England, the last stop of our European expedition. That will be covered in the next Sip Trips, along with all the other adventures we get up to over the month.