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Sip Trips #246: Wine and Recreation

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May wasn’t crazy compared to our usual levels of activity. Sure, we still got out and about, but it wasn’t the type of month where you can’t keep track of everything you did. Let’s see what the Sip Family got up to:

Offered a date night early in May by the visiting Ma and Pa Sip, Mrs. Sip and I decided to finally use the Rec Room gift card I got her for Mother’s Day 2023. Prior to our game playing, we had dinner at The Amazing Brentwood Tap & Barrel location, requesting a table on their rooftop patio. My meal was comprised of the Russell Angry Scotch Ale and Korean Fried Chicken Bowl, which provided a great start to the evening.

We quickly used up the Rec Room gift card on one of their gaming packages and our first round of beverages. My drink choices while we played were the Twin Sails Dat Juice Pale Ale and Parallel 49 Trash Panda IPA. I enjoyed Rec Room and am glad we have something similar to Dave & Busters in the area, but felt there was something lacking compared to our many visits to D&B locations. We’ll have to return to use the rest of our gaming credits and perhaps also eat at the location. Mrs. Sip really wanted to take advantage of the date night and catch the recently released Thunderbolts at the adjacent VIP theatre. There, I enjoyed a Double Spiced Rum & Coke with the film.

Our major outing of the month, was going to Osoyoos over the May long weekend. On our way to the town, we stopped at the Bear’s Den Pub in Manning Park for lunch. Here, I ordered the Grilled Chicken Clubhouse, along with a pint of Old Yale Amber Ale.

Once we arrived at the Spirit Ridge resort, we had to rush to our dinner reservation at The Bear, The Fish, The Root & The Berry. This restaurant features a menu of Indigenous cuisine. Our group shared a number of items, including Bannock (along with various spreads), Cornbread, Empanadas, Roasted Bone Marrow, and my contribution to the meal, Five Spice Maple Brazed Pork Belly. To drink with our feast, I had a pair of Firehall Stop, Hop & Roll IPAs.

Full disclosure, I’m not into wine much nowadays and don’t love winery weekends. This is largely because the girls get to drink and the fellas have to drive and look after the kids throughout the unnecessarily long days. Well, wineries is pretty much all the Osoyoos region has going on, so I found myself on an all-day wine tour. We paid about $150 per person for the full day, which included a combo of sites we picked and ones the tour suggested.

Our stops included Over the Fence, Night Bird, Kismet and Rust, with a stop for lunch at Tinhorn Creek Vineyards’ Miradoro restaurant. There, I had the Beef & Pork Meatball Sandwich and a serving of Cannery Muse Pale Ale, to cleanse the palette, of course. Throughout the tour, I was really digging rosés and syrahs. By the end of the afternoon out, though, I was definitely done with wine and ready to switch back to my traditional loves of spirits, beer and vodka sodas.

On our return home, we stopped at Rocko’s Diner, as Mrs. Sip was craving breakfast items and a milkshake, so decided a diner setting was best to accomplish both. I went with a really tasty Eh-1 Burger, which featured crispy chicken, bacon, poutine, maple mayo, lettuce, and tomato. The maple mayo was the star of the burger.

Later that week, prior to checking out the new live-action Lilo & Stitch movie, we dined at Browns Socialhouse. I drank a glass of Social IPA, while trying the Teriyaki Salmon Bowl. The bowl was good, but doesn’t top my Red Lobster favourite, which gets the nod thanks to the inclusion of Brussels sprouts.

To wrap the month, we visited Boston Pizza for dinner, a treat earned by the Sipplings for taking a round of vaccinations so well. At the eatery, I tried the Wing-Man Pizza, featuring chicken bites in your choice of sauce (I went with Sweet Thai Honey Garlic), from their limited time menu. I also downed a Boston Pint of Molson Canadian, as it was on special during NHL playoff games.

While May was lighter than usual, things look to be building up again in June, as the weather improves and we move into the summer season. Mrs. Sip will be away for a couple weeks, so we’ll have to see what trouble the ol’ Sip Advisor can get up to!

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!

Sip Trips #234: Lodge Lovers

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May was very busy, highlighted by our trip to Great Wolf Lodge in Grand Mound, Washington. There was also Vancouver Canucks playoff games, an All Elite Wrestling (AEW) show and other celebrations to fill the month. Here’s what the Sip Advisor has been up to:

For Cinco de Mayo, Mrs. Sip activated her plan to cruise Port Moody’s Brewer’s Row, where taco trucks – and of course beer – can be easily procured. We hit five of the six breweries that line the route, which was quite the achievement given we started later in the day and had the Sipplings in tow. We were also joined by friends who had their two kids along, as well.

My orders at each place were as follows: Moody Ales (Beach Haze IPA), Brave Brewing (Face the Music Belgian IPA), Rewind Brewing (Bling Bling Golden Ale), Yellow Dog Brewing (Ferocious Wild IPA), and Twin Sails Brewing (All Purpose Calamansi Pale Ale). An additional note on the day, I really want to try the Return of the Mac pizza (Detroit-style) at Rewind, which is topped like a McDonald’s Big Mac, but it was a feature pie, so not sure how long it will be around.

Cinco de Mayo

Sadly, the day wasn’t all fun and games. Henceforth, the Sip Advisor will be boycotting Yellow Dog Brewing. While there, an employee informed us of a vague complaint against our kids. I admit, my kids aren’t angels all the time, but it was odd the complaint came as the four youngsters were sitting at a table colouring and watching tablets, not running around the place or being loud. The brewery was filled to near capacity and noise levels were high, so I’m not sure how the children were picked out amongst the general racket. My theory is they just wanted tables to go to drinking customers and were kind of forcing us out, although there was no lineup to get into the place. It’s hard enough trying to get kids out and about, especially in the rain, so to be treated in this manner when the kids were actually behaving sucked. Yellow Dog… you just made the list!

Later that week, Mrs. Sip was out for the night with Girl Sip, so I took Boy Sip out for dinner at Boston Pizza in New Westminster. I ordered The Triple Play appetizer platter, which included Bandera Bread, Thai Bites and Cactus Cut Potatoes. To drink, I had a Boston-size serving of Blue Moon. Unfortunately, this was not a great dining experience. After being seated, no server looked after us for 20 minutes, until I asked the host for some attention. Then, after ordering food and drinks, our food arrived while our beverages never had. I wrote the manager of the location and she made good on what happened with a kid’s meal coupon, as well as something for me to use on a future visit. Hopefully, this was merely a one-off occasion.

The next day, a friend and I had tickets to the first ever AEW show in Vancouver. Prior to the event, we met at Browns Socialhouse to enjoy their happy hour. During that time, I had a number of their Social IPAs, also ordering the Sesame Ginger Gyoza to help absorb some of the suds. At the show itself, I had a couple more beers and tried a can of Cutwater Margarita, which carries an astonishing 12.5% ABV. For a night cap – as if one was needed – we went to Devil’s Elbow, where I had a pint of Parkside Motel Hazy Pale Ale.

Gyoza

Days later, we were heading back downtown for the Canucks Road Game Viewing Party at Rogers Arena. Prior to our commute, the Sip Family ate dinner at Kelly O’Bryans, where I had a pair of Steel & Oak Red Pilsners with my meal of their Chicken Lips. We hope to return to the restaurant regularly this summer for their trivia nights or dueling pianos on their patio.

As for the viewing party, which cost $20 per ticket, it was amazing to see fans so passionate for a game being broadcast on the big screen. This was our chance to get the kids involved in the chaos, as taking them to a live contest is just not affordable. While at the party, I had a couple of spiced rum and cokes to pass the time… and stress.

Mrs. Sip and I were back at it two nights later, this time live for Game 5 of the second round series the Canucks were playing against the vile Edmonton Oilers. Before the game, we sat down to dinner at Devil’s Elbow, where I had the delicious The Devil’s Burger with Fries. My selection was tough, as I could have picked a number of items from the menu. I also ate some of Mrs. Sip’s Crispy Cauliflower and Smoked Chicken Wings to round out the feast. To drink, I started with a happy hour Crosstown IPA, followed by the Brassneck Assistant Manager. This brew was described by the restaurant as a New England IPA, but Brassneck describes it as a Tart Blonde Ale and that’s the more accurate description.

Playoff Hockey

At the game, which the Canucks won after scoring the go-ahead goal with only 30 seconds left in regulation, I had another spiced rum and coke to calm the nerves. Sadly, this would be final Canucks post-season win, as they were eliminated a few nights later. The season and playoff run featured many memorable moments. At the same time, drinking about every second night during the post-season was a little exhausting, albeit fun.

As the Canucks season sputtered to an end, the Sip Family was on vacation at Great Wolf Lodge. Our trek began with an overnight stay outside of Tacoma, Washington. We had dinner this first night at Boathouse 19. When we first arrived, I noted they had some rhubarb desserts and I love rhubarb. Then I noticed they had rhubarb cocktails, so I had the plant in drink form with the Rhubarb-Strawberry Mai Tai (made with local rhubarb, as it was rhubarb season). I also had a tasty dinner of the N’awlins Po’Boy with Fries.

The next afternoon, we checked into the lodge. Once again, Mrs. Sip bought the Sip & Savor Pass, which provides a number of treats for adults and kids alike. We also did some shopping the night before, stocking our room with various snacks and most importantly drinks, which for me included the White Claw Variety 24 Pack, as well as a bottle of Captain Morgan Spiced Rum with case of Dr. Thunder. Part of the Sip & Savor Pass are two tiki-themed cocktails, which we used on the Zombie and Mai Tai offerings. You can also choose between Mimosas or Bloody Mary’s, with Mrs. Sip and I electing for the latter. We also had a substantial food and drink credit to work our way through during our stay. With this, we tried a number of different items, including pizza, pretzels, nachos and corn bread. I particularly loved the Buffalo Chicken Pizza from the Hungry as a Wolf restaurant, paired with a pint of Widmer Brothers Hefeweizen from the new lobby bar.

Rhubarb

The end of the month had Mrs. Sip and I celebrating one of her colleagues wedding. Upon arriving at the reception portion of the day, we learned that it was an open bar affair, so the Sip Advisor did what he does best in these situations. Over the course of many beverages, I tried a can of White Claw Lemon Iced Tea for the first time. It was okay, but I think I’ll stick to my vodka sodas.

One final outing had the Sip Family checking out the new The Notorious Grey Fox Pub. The setting at what was formerly known as the “castle pub” has always been great. I enjoyed a pint of Slackwater Idleback Amber Ale, paired with the Classic Nashville Hot Chicken Waffle Sandwich. Mrs. Sip ordered the Mini Stuffed Yorkshire and Notorious Fries (made with Cajun spice and honey drizzle), while I snuck a bite of Girl Sip’s Classic Cheeseburger, which I plan to order next time we visit the eatery.

That puts a bow on the month of May. As is always the case, our June – and subsequent summer – is already filling up with birthdays, weddings, getaways and much more. It should all make for many fuzzy memories!

Sip Trips #231: Staying Local

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February was a very rare month for the Sip Family, where we didn’t travel anywhere. We remained local for the duration, but still got up to some shenanigans. Here’s how the month transpired:

With Girl Sip on a solo sleepover with Ma and Pa Sip and Mrs. Sip out for a girl’s night, Boy Sip and I spent some time together. After going to the Museum of Surrey and checking out their cool Lego exhibit, Boy Sip got to choose where we enjoyed dinner and he picked White Spot. While there, I had the Legendary Burger with Caesar Salad and a Spot Size Nat’s Pale Ale at happy hour. Boy Sip was happy to have his Pirate Pak Dippin’ Chicken, complete with vanilla milkshake and ice cream for dessert.

Ice Cream

Later on in February, Mrs. Sip and I began our early Valentine’s Day celebrations by attending the Township 7 Vineyards Love is Blind Wine Tasting for the third time in four years. I got one out of four right this year and the server said she saw where I was coming from with another of my answers, as it was a blended wine they offered. Ticket prices were $36 each and included some nibbles, both savoury and sweet, to go along with the wines.

The next night, we dropped into a Chocolate & Beer Pairing, hosted by Steel & Oak Brewing with Origins Chocolates Bar. Tickets were $30 each (total for two tickets, with taxes, came to $69, which I hope was entirely intentional!) and included four beer and chocolate combos. The set was comprised of Weekend Plans Passionfruit Lime Ale with Mission Chocolate (Dark Chocolate with Lime), First Press Cold Brew Coffee Stout with Tanzania Latte Chocolate, Anvil Imperial Stout with Peruvian Dark Milk Chocolate and Smoked Honey Doppelbock with Mirzam Papa New Guinea Dark Chocolate. We had fun at the event, with Mrs. Sip picking up a couple chocolate bars for the road.

In between our Valentine’s events, we had a dinner at Stefanos Greek Restaurant for friends who are moving away. Mrs. Sip and I shared a pitcher of Red Sangria as our beverage and I ate the Chicken Souvlaki platter. The food and company was good here, but our server disappeared at the end of the meal, despite an empty restaurant. This was annoying for Mrs. Sip and I, as we wanted to pay the bill and get home to bail out Ma and Pa Sip, who were with the Sipplings.

Valentine's Day

For Valentine’s Day treats for Mrs. Sip and myself, I bought bottles of Empress Elderflower Rose Gin and Smirnoff Tamarind Vodka, as they were on sale at BC Liquor Stores this month. I have since tried a couple recipes for the gin from the Empress website and used the vodka in a Caesar, with all drinks being good.

Our big event of the month was Girl Sip’s first ringette tournament out in Port Coquitlam. She played three games over the Family Day long weekend and we managed to visit Boardwalk Brewing during one of the breaks. There, I tried the Curious Creatures Parade of the Western Winds West Coast IPA. I also took home tall can four-packs of Boardwalk’s Mojo Mojito NEIPA and Belgian Waffle Belgian Strong from Odin Brewing.

Following the final game of the tournament, we returned home and went for dinner at Cockney Kings. Our group split an appetizer portion of Calamari, as well as the Haddock Family Pack, which includes five pieces of fish, two plates of fries and a large coleslaw. To pair with my meal, I had a pint of Okanagan Springs Pale Ale.

Fish and Chips

The following weekend, the Sip Advisor enjoyed a guy’s night out. The day began with drinks at Original Joe’s in Vancouver. I had two $5 happy hour glasses of OJ’s Red Ale, along with some Spicy Chicken Bites, which were good, but the serving of BBQ Ranch dip was waaaaaaaayyyyyy too small. Prior to heading to our Vancouver Canucks game, our crew also had a Pickleback Shot.

Over the course of the hockey game, I had a large Container Manifest Hazy Pale Ale and four Spiced Rum & Cokes. The team delivered a massive come from behind win in overtime to maintain first overall in the NHL, so all Canucks fans left happy.

Following the contest, a buddy and I had a nightcap at Browns Socialhouse, where I had a pint of Social IPA, to go along with my Sesame Ginger Gyoza. All in all, the day was a ton of fun and much needed for the ol’ Sip Advisor.

Hockey Drinking

Mrs. Sip and I were back at Rogers Arena just a few days later and despite trying to go to another restaurant, found ourselves back at Original Joe’s. This time, I ordered the daily special of Teriyaki Chicken Wings. My drink this time around ended up being the OJ’s Blonde Lager (tank size), as both the OJ’s Red Ale and a Winter Ale I was offered were out. The Lager ended up being served to me on the house, so I can’t complain.

We ended the month, on a rare Leap Day, by having dinner at Browns Socialhouse. Mrs. Sip was given a $10 gift card the original owner wasn’t going to use by its expiry date, so took the Sipplings with us to the eatery. I had the Szechuan Beef Noodle Bowl, with a pint of Social IPA. So… yeah, we basically had a $100 meal to spend someone else’s $10 rebate.

That wraps an eventful homebase February. March will be very different, as the Sip Advisor does his first long haul road trip. Over Spring Break, the whole crew will be heading to Escondido, California, for a couple weeks of fun in the sun!

Sip Trips #225: Voracious Vegas

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Well, August flew by, thanks to various travels and spending half the month trying to entertain Boy Sip as best as possible, while Mrs. Sip and Girl Sip were off the France. Let’s see how the Sip Advisor survived the spell:

Out one day in Langley, early in the month, Mrs. Sip and I were both in need of a washroom, so decided to drop into the nearest brewery. We ended up at Five Roads Brewing, where I ordered the Leprechaun Museum Irish Red Ale. We also split Tater Tot Poutine and Pork Al Pastor Tacos, with the poutine being particularly good.

In the middle of the month, the Sip Advisor enjoyed a Las Vegas bachelor party weekend. Our adventure began with lunch at Browns Socialhouse at the Bellingham Airport. Here, I paired a Widmer Hefeweizen with the delicious Sesame Ginger Gyoza appetizer. I loved the sauces accompanying the dumplings and now crave this dish. A round of tequila shots was also had, as a good start to the guys’ getaway.

Gyoza

After arriving and settling into our hotel, The Mirage, we walked over to Gilley’s at Treasure Island for some dinner. I had the Pulled Pork Sliders, while our crew shared a bucket of beers. Collectively, this wasn’t among our favourite stops of the weekend.

The next day, following hitting a gun range and prior to hopping into the resort’s pool, we had lunch at Diablo’s Cantina at The Mirage. I enjoyed my Southwest Chicken Caesar Salad, along with a massive 32 oz serving of Elysian Superfuzz Blood Orange Pale Ale. We also did some jello shots from an outlet across the way from the restaurant and I still don’t understand why these have ever gained any popularity.

For dinner that evening, we went to Best Friend at Park MGM. There, we had the Chef’s Menu ($69 per person), which featured items such as Kogi Tacos, Slippery Shrimp, Kimchi Fried Rice, Garlic Chicken, and others. I’ll be honest with you, I don’t remember many details about this meal (like which beverages I ordered) after a full day of drinking, but I’m sure I enjoyed the Korean-Mexican fusion spot.

Memory Loss

The next day, we hit the Fremont area of the city, spending some time at the Circa Resort sports book and doing some gambling. I had my second meal ever at White Castle, looking to get some food in my tummy before massive beers and rum and cokes, and I just don’t get the appeal. This is how I felt the first time around in 2013, but thought a second chance was deserved. The meal was very meh.

We next made our way to the Sahara resort. Prior to our dinner, we had drinks and a snack at Uno Mas. There, I had a tasty Michoacan Margarita (818 Silver Tequila, Tanteo Habanero Tequila, Bols Watermelon, Cantaloupe Syrup, Lime Juice).

Our dinner was at Bazaar Meat. We began by sharing the scrumptious Vittore 1950 Carpaccio. My main for the meal was Thai Lobster, which melted in my mouth. Side dishes for our table included mashed potatoes, carrots and Brussels Sprouts, all perfectly seasoned and presented. For drinks, I had the Nitro Caipirinha and an Enriched Tom Collins, which I really enjoyed. We were even given a dessert platter on the house, in celebration of the stag.

Lobster

Following our feast, we ventured to the Rio’s Comedy Cellar, where we saw a very funny show. My favourite comedian of the night was Dustin Ybarra, who may be best known for his appearances on the TV show Kevin (Probably) Saves the World. I had a cocktail at the performance, but didn’t note what it was and the venue has no drink menu online for me to verify.

Once back at home, we were on the road again, as Mrs. Sip had court in Kelowna. On our way there, we stopped at Empty Keg Brewing, a favourite break spot of ours, on drives to and from the Okanagan. There, I had the Kilt Lifter Scottish Ale, while we snacked on Taquitos and very good Soft Pretzels. We learned any local outside food (even fast food options) is allowed at the place, which is a cool policy.

Upon arriving in Kelowna, we visited White Spot for their annual Adult Pirate Pack Day. I had the Legendary Burger option, paired with a Spot Size Nat’s Pale Ale. Everyone left happy, following servings of ice cream and a chocolate coin.

Chocolate Coins

The next day, we had lunch at Vintner’s Grill, the restaurant for our hotel. We had another good German Pretzel here, while my meal of the Prime Rib Burger with Caesar Salad was incredible. It reminded me of how good a similar burger used to be a The Keg restaurants.

That evening, we went to Unleashed Brewing, hoping to partake in their Music Bingo. Unfortunately, a wildfire had broken out in nearby West Kelowna and folks who usually run the bingo were understandably preoccupied with potentially having to evacuate their home. We decided to stick around for some drinks, with my selections being the All Dogs Go to Hefeweizen and Fuggley Dog Irish Red Ale, while Mrs. Sip went with a flight, which was cleverly served in a dog bowl. It was fascinating and a little scary to watch the wildfire grow over the course of the night and we were a little relieved to head home and out of any danger the next day.

On our journey home, we stopped at Old Yale Brewing’s new Abbotsford location. I had the Tropical Fruited Hefeweizen, along with the breweries Sunset Slider Trio (pulled pork, cheeseburger and hot fried chicken). I liked being able to try all three sliders, so I know what to perhaps get a full order of on our next visit.

Bingo

Towards the end of the month, Boy Sip and I picked up Ma and Pa Sip from the airport and were treated to dinner at White Spot for our efforts. After years of contemplating changing my traditional order at the restaurant, I finally pulled the trigger and tried The White Spot Club. It did not disappoint and going forward, I will have a difficult decision to make when perusing the menu. Complimenting the sandwich, I had a Spot Size Vancouver Island Beachcomber Hefeweizen.

Finally, out in Pitt Meadows/Maple Ridge for a kid’s birthday party, we dropped into Foamers Folly for a pint. I really enjoyed my Zesty Slice Key Lime Pie Ale (Nitro), while Cousin Sip tried their Barbie Flight, which featured three pink brews and a hard seltzer.

September promises to be its usual level of crazy, with so many family and friend birthdays taking place during the month. Among them, the Sip Advisor’s big number 40 occurs, so there will be much celebrating to document!

Sip Trips #215: This is Halloween

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October was busy, as the Sip Family took in the Thanksgiving and Halloween seasons. This led to many outings and even more beverages. Here’s how it all played out, as we officially moved from summer to fall:

The month began with Mrs. Sip and I joining a friend at Kelly O’Bryans for some trivia presented by Vancouver Trivia Party. Over the course of the evening, I enjoyed three Whistler Grapefruit Ales, along with a filling Cali Club. For dessert, we shared the King O’ Mud Pie and although I’m not a huge coffee-based treat fan, this provided a good finish to the meal. Best of all, we tied for first place for the fun trivia experience – moving up from third place at the halfway point – to receive a $35 gift card to the restaurant.

Over the Thanksgiving weekend, the Sip Syndicate travelled to the Okanagan for a weekend of wineries and other pleasures. Over two days, we visited six locations, which largely meant the ladies getting to do tastings, while the gents chased the kids around. Stops included Clos du Soleil (where I did get to enjoy the tasting), Orofino, Crowsnest (we had lunch here, with the Sip Advisor pairing a Chicken Schnitzel with a tall can of Neighbourhood Flightless Bird Pilsner), Twisted Hills Craft Cider, Covert Farms (I did the wine tasting, followed by a can of Cannery Anarchist Amber Ale), and Corcelettes.

Thanksgiving

While the rest of our group had to return home at the end of the weekend, the Sip Family continued onto Kelowna for a couple extra nights. En route, we stopped at Giant’s Head Brewing in Summerland. There, Mrs. Sip and I had servings of the White Noise IPA, Marzen and Razzle Dazzle Raspberry Cream Ale, while also trying a taster of the Dark Fantasy Pale Ale. To eat, we shared Pretzel Bites, while the kids had Popcorn Chicken with Fries.

For dinner that night, our Thanksgiving feast was held at Boston Pizza. Mrs. Sip and I drank happy hour Blue Moons, which went well with my Royal Hawaiian Pizza. This was the first meals for the Sipplings from our Kids Cards, which offer five meals per card for only $5 each. Mrs. Sip also got a free pizza through my BP app, as a one-year anniversary reward. This made our meal very economic.

The next day, we visited the Kelowna Beer Institute, where we had pints of the Crusher Pale Ale and Juicy IPA, while also enjoying a taster of the Cucumber Sour. For snacks, we ordered the Garlic Parm Fries and Cheese Curds, which I combined to form a makeshift poutine.

Poutine

We then travelled to Copper Brewing for dinner. Mrs. Sip tried their Mystery Brew, which asked drinkers to guess which fruits were in the concoction, for a chance to win a prize. I went with the simpler Hazy IPA to drink. To eat, I had the Ballpark Smash Burger, while Mrs. Sip went with the Zooming Smash Burger. The Sipplings had kids meals, while we all got to enjoy playing the video games available at the brewery.

On our journey home, we stopped into Empty Keg Brewing in Merritt for their happy hour. I had a tasty Hot Dog and Parmesan Garlic Fries, while Mrs. Sip and the kids split a Chicken & Cheese Quesadilla. Our beverages consisted of the Brhubarb Saison and Coquihalla Cream Ale. We love stopping at this place, as there are tons of games – both board and electronic – for all ages.

Back at home and with our vehicle in for servicing, we killed some of the wait time at Brookswood Brewing. I went with the Brookswood Shuffle Kviek IPA, while Mrs. Sip put together a flight. This was a first-time visit for us to this brewery and we had a great time. Plus, it’s located right next door to a McDonald’s, which helped with satisfying the kids.

Happy Meal

Through the month, I purchased two vodka soda packs, as Mrs. Sip is doing the keto diet thing. The first pack I picked up was the Remix 12 Pack Mixer, featuring Peach-Nectarine, Wild Cherry-Citrus, Blackberry-Hibiscus and Guava-Lime flavours. At the end of the month, I also grabbed the Pyur Mixer Pack, complete with Black Cherry, Raspberry, Mango and Lemon Lime offerings.

Prior to meeting with Mrs. Sip and a friend for a Halloween pop-up bar in Downtown Vancouver, I had a solo meal at White Spot. I paired my usual Legendary Burger with two pints of Granville Island Lions Winter Ale. It was a good meal, but whenever I eat alone, I always wonder what the etiquette is if you have to use the washroom. Will your server think you’ve skipped out on the bill? Will they clear your table before you can finish eating? This is the stuff that keeps me up at night!

After eating, I made my way to the Butcher & Bullock, which was featuring a Black Lagoon-themed set-up and menu. Mrs. Sip and I had a couple cocktails each, including the Hellraiser (Tequila, Spiced Rum, Cointreau, Orgeat, Banana Liqueur, Sherry, Lime, Aromatic Bitters), Blood Rave (Mezcal, Falernum, Lemon, Beets, Absinthe, Bitters), Closed Casket (Scotch Whiskey, Brandy, Passionfruit, Miso Falernum, Apricot, Lemon, Hellfire Bitters) and Nightwish (Vodka, Sherry, Banana Liqueur, Lemon, Cardamom Bitters), along with a round of Wicked shots (Vodka, Pineapple, Coconut). The bar was done up really well and the drinks were great. Surprisingly, aside from Mrs. Sip finding the event, there didn’t seem to be much advertising/hype about the experience.

Halloween

Not content with one meal at White Spot in a week, Mrs. Sip and I finally tried the R&D Kitchen by White Spot at Brentwood Mall. Although I always get the Legendary Burger at White Spot, I decided to get a test kitchen dish while at this location. Therefore, I tried the Louisiana Fried Chicken Burger with Caesar Salad and really enjoyed the Cajun Spice Dust. I was also curious about the Crispy Cajun Fish Po’Boy, but it wasn’t available. The restaurant had fantastic service and I’d like to try other dishes at the R&D Kitchen, as well as at the mall’s food court. One major criticism of the mall, though, is I believe shopping centre’s should NEVER have paid parking, as it did here.

Nearing the end of the month, we popped into Russell Brewing after taking the kids to the Bear Creek Park Halloween Train. I had a very good Rauchweizen, while also trying a couple of Mrs. Sip’s tasters from her Table Flight (12 different beers). My samples included the Banana Split Dunkel, Passionfruit Lime Pale Ale and Root Beer Stout.

Pay Parking

Lastly, prior to our first Vancouver Canucks game of the season, Mrs. Sip and I stopped at Browns Socialhouse. We were a bit rushed to get to the game, but I really liked my Traditional Pub Burger and Grapefruit Hibiscus Margarita. Hopefully, next time, we can take our time prior to puck drop.

Well, that’s it for a very active October. With Halloween in the rear view mirror, Christmas prep will ramp up quickly. November is often the calm before the storm of a crazy December, so it will be interesting to see if that holds true this year.