Tag Archives: Cocktails

Sip Trips #262: Spring Sampling

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This may be one of my lightest Sip Trips ever, but that doesn’t mean we didn’t enjoy a month that completely flew by. Here’s what we got up to in May:

Early in the month, Mrs. Sip was off to a girl’s night out, beginning with happy hour at Milestones. I decided to drop her off, with the plan to stay for a quick drink and then return home. My beverage choice was the Stanley Park Trail Hopper IPA, which was quickly downed as the traffic out to the Guildford area was awful and I needed to return home for dinner with the rest of the Sip Family.

The next day, we attended a show at the Anvil Theatre. Mrs. Sip took the kids up to the venue while I dealt with paying for parking in the garage. When I joined, Mrs. Sip was gleefully walking away from the concession with a glass of wine in hand, pleasantly surprised this was an option. I quickly joined, selecting a tall can of Steel & Oak Shiny Things Hazy IPA.

Following our show, we met with Ma and Pa Sip at the nearby Boston Pizza location. Ma Sip and I shared the The MVP (Most Valuable Platter), which included Honey Garlic Wings, Deep-Fried Pickle Wedges, Kickin’ Chicken Shawarma Pizza and Philly Cheesesteak Pizza. The meal was quite enjoyable, especially paired with a Boston-Sized Blue Moon.

As we’ve generally stayed away from dining out, at least compared to what we would typically do over the course of a month, we’ve spent a lot more time eating and drinking at home. To facilitate this, I recently picked up two 7 Up products that caught my attention in the Watermelon and Nimbooz Lemonade varieties. Each product has one issue attached to them, with the Watermelon only being offered as a zero sugar soda and the Nimbooz Lemonade coming with a  $2 price tag for a 355ml bottle.

Another beverage purchase was the new Verve Vodka Iced Tea pack, including Original Lemon, Orchard Peach, Iced Tea Lemonade and Raspberry Earl Grey flavours. I really disliked the Orchard Peach, while the Original Lemon and Iced Tea Lemonade were good. I probably won’t buy the pack again, a rare Verve disappointment, as I vouch for their vodka, gin and tequila cases.

Our one big night out for the month was spent at the Fraser Bar speakeasy, which sits atop the Milestones test kitchen location in Coquitlam. This is a neat little place, where you can enjoy the ambience of a speakeasy, while ordering from extensive food and drink menus. I tried the Poco Paloma (tequila, grapefruit soju, sake, lemon, blood orange seltzer, cinnamon syrup), followed by a Stanley Park Trail Hopper IPA to go with my meal. To eat, I went with the Ahi Tuna Sushi Bowl. While I wish I had tried one of the test kitchen menu items, such as the Korean Fried Chicken Baos, the opportunity to get a poke bowl when Mrs. Sip and I aren’t going out very often was too hard to pass up. I also tried bites of the Moroccan Beef Sliders and Samosa Poutine, both of which were tasty. If you’re thinking of attending the Fraser Bar, be careful of getting too excited with the online menu, as many items were not available when we arrived at the restaurant. Checking out the Milestones Test Kitchen menu is a safer bet. Also, reservations, particularly on the weekend, are suggested.

May wrapped with a trip to Township 7 Vineyards for their fried chicken and sparkling wine event. Set at a reasonable $15 for members, we enjoyed a chicken strip, wing and drum from CultivATE Food Truck, paired with three different sparkling wines. Particularly good were the two sauces that accompanied the food, a spicy mango and chimichurri. We also took advantage of the members wine tasting, trying a variety of bottles on a gorgeous Sunday afternoon.

That’s it for the month that was. June promises to be a little busier, as we close out another year of school for the Siplings and start to get prepped for glorious summer!

Sip Trips #261: Basket Cases

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As the reality of our upcoming complex reno – particularly its cost – becomes more suppressing, we’ve tried to do a lot more at home and less out and about. Still, we had a few activities come up in April. Here’s what the Sip Family got up to:

For Easter weekend imbibing, I picked up the Verve Gin Smash pack, which was only $20, as part of a flash sale at BC Liquor Stores. I really enjoyed the variety of flavours, which included Grapefruit Spritz, Blood Orange Tonic, Cucumber Melon and Blackberry Lemon. Even at only $20, once you add in taxes and deposit fees, you’re handing over around $25.

For the second year in a row, I created an original Easter cocktail, devising the Mischievous Bunny, which combined Tequila, Black Cherry-Cranberry Juice, Club Soda, Coconut Cream, and Lime Juice. The blend of flavours all worked together well for a enjoyable beverage.

Mrs. Sip and I swapped Easter baskets with each other this year, based on a podcast we heard where a couple did something similar. Mrs. Sip put together a great package for me, including treats sweet, sour and savoury, headlined by a bottle of Kraken Gold Spiced Rum. This is a new tradition of ours that I look forward to continuing in the future.

With the Siplings now having swimming lessons in Port Coquitlam and Mrs. Sip having work that way sometimes, we met up at Patina Brewing one afternoon. I had wanted to try their Maple Amber Ale, but it was no longer available. I settled for the Amber Lager, which was a happy hour option. To eat, I ordered the Nashville Crispy Chicken Sandwich, which was really good. I liked the crunch of the chicken, the pickles and the sauce.

That weekend, Cousin Sip came over and over the course of drinks, I was challenged to create a cocktail using ranch. I decided to start with a ranch dressing rim, to go with Whiskey, Pickle Juice and Lemonade. While I wouldn’t have this drink regularly, it wasn’t offensive in any way, reminding me a bit of a Pickleback with a few additional flavours.

The next day, myself and a couple friends had our long-awaited All Elite Wrestling: Dynasty live event to attend. We began the festivities by meeting up at Devil’s Elbow, where I started with the North Point Strawberry Blonde. This was followed by a pair of Parallel 49 IPAs, which were on happy hour pricing. Looking for a bit of an energy boost, I next had two Rum and Pepsi servings. To eat, I tried both the Pulled Pork and Brisket Sliders, with the brisket being my favourite of the two. At the show, I had a couple Granville Island Pale Ales, which were far more expensive than they should be.

Over two Burger King trips through the month, I was able to try the chain’s new Whopper and fries. While I don’t really notice any difference in the Whopper, among my favourite fast food burgers, the new version fries are fantastic and a definite upgrade over the previous version.

Towards the end of the month, Mrs. Sip and I were invited to the Canucks member open house. It should be noted Mrs. Sip and I both cancelled our season ticket memberships, not happy with rising costs and decreased benefits, while also cautious with our limited expendable income. I think we’ll still try to go to one game per season with the Siplings, but finding ways to fulfill our membership games was becoming quite difficult.

Anyway, at the open house, where we were armed with one food and one drink ticket, food options included: Triple Os (burgers), Sante (bowls), Steamers (hotdogs), Melt (quesadillas and grilled cheese), and Panago (pizza). Drink options were limited and disappointing: Molson Canadian, Coors, house wine, and a couple canned cocktails. I paired a Triple Os burger platter with a Molson Canadian, which made for a decent combo. Another member sitting next to us as we ate mentioned remembering events where folks got at least two drink tickets each. At least we were able to bring home some good Vancouver Warriors freebies for the Siplings, although we believe we should have been able to bring them with us as guests, even at a small price (say $5 each), given how many child-centric activities were running during the event.

On our way home, we stopped into the Howe Sound Taphouse. We selected this bar as we wanted to check out their rock and roll bingo, but upon arrival, we learned they no longer do that event. We decided to still sit down for a drink, the Sip Advisor going with the Paloma, a $10 Tuesday daily special, before we finished the journey home.

To wrap the month, the Siplings and I popped into Camp Brewing, as we waited for Mrs. Sip to finish a meal at the adjacent Haven Kitchen + Bar. I selected the Crosswinds Maibock, a collaboration between Camp and Four Winds, which I enjoyed while playing a phone game with Girl Sip.

May looks like it will largely be a homebody month, with not a whole lot going on. I think that can be a good thing sometimes, allowing folks to recharge the batteries, especially before what promises to be a busy summer!

Sip Trips #260: March Mania (Part 2)

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We continue the Sip Family’s Vancouver Island odyssey, leaving Victoria to go ‘up island’. Let’s see what we got up to for the second half of our vacation, as well as finishing the month back at home:

Our next port of call was in the Nanaimo/Ladysmith area. After returning from an afternoon at the North Island Wildlife Recovery Centre, we had dinner at Nanaimo’s Longwood Brewpub. I selected the Scottish Ale to go with my Brewmaster Salad (smoked salmon, chicken, baby shrimp, mixed greens, carrot, cucumber, tomato, feta). I loved the smoked salmon in this dish and would suggest taking the chicken out, in favour of more salmon.

Prior to our journey to Tofino the next day, we quickly stopped at the Old Town Bakery in Ladysmith for Mini Egg Nanaimo Bars and a Peanut Butter Cinnamon Bun. Before reaching Tofino, we also visited Alberni Brewing in Port Alberni. I took advantage of their Beer & Burger for $20 on Tuesdays, choosing the amazing Crispy Chicken Burger to go with my Alberni Blanc pint. The Sip Family also shared a Pretzel Pull Apart.

Reaching Tofino late, we didn’t venture into the tiny town until the next morning. With the Siplings hungry for some breakfast and Mrs. Sip and I wanting something in our stomachs before drinking, we went to the Rhino Bakery, where Triple Chocolate Donuts were eaten by the kids – and some for the Sip Advisor too. I also had the café’s California Chicken Club, which was the perfect meal for a guy who doesn’t love traditional breakfasts.

Up next, was Tofino Brewing, which was already filling up at their noon opening. I opted for the Ethereal IPA, while Mrs. Sip went with the Cosmic Wave Double IPA after sampling a couple brew options.

Unsure of how to spend our three days in that area, we made our way to Ucluelet, drawn the local aquarium, brewery and family restaurant. At Ucluelet Brewing, Mrs. Sip and I shared happy hour pints of In the Mist Marzen and Resurrection Red Irish Red Ale.

We finished our day in Ucluelet with dinner at Howler’s Restaurant, which offers arcade games, billiards and other activities in a family-friendly setting. Being the driver, I merely had a sip of Mrs. Sip’s Dark N’ Stormy, which was the perfect drink for a day filled with constantly changing weather. To eat, we shared a pound of Sesame Daebak Wings ($10 for Wing Wednesday) and two-piece Howler’s Wild Cod Fish & Chips. I also finished off Boy Sip’s order of Chainsaw Popcorn Chicken.

Our final full day began with checking out the Tofino Distillery, where we ordered the Cheeky Tiki (Gin, Beach Fire Cinnamon Liqueur, pineapple, mango, coconut, lime) and Strawberry Whiskey Sour (lemon, strawberry syrup, egg white, bitters), while finishing with a Mini Cocktail Flight: Gin Strawberry Lemonade, Astro (Limoncello, cranberry, lime), Demon Dog (Psychedelic Jellyfish Absinthe, San Pellegrino Blood Orange, lime, bitters).

Following that, Mrs. Sip had to do some work, so I took the kids out for a late lunch/happy hour at Browns Socialhouse. My meal of Social Ale and Steakhouse Sliders was good and the waterfront setting of this restaurant offered much to look at when I wasn’t on dad duty. My only complaint was this Browns didn’t have my usual Sesame Ginger Gyoza, but that offered the opportunity to try something different and I was not disappointed.

For our last dinner, we ate at Roar, inside our Hotel Zed accommodation. My feast started with The Last Wave (Tequila, Maraschino Liqueur, Yellow Chartreuse, Cointreau, lime, habanero chili, pineapple shrub), followed by a serving of Good Night Out/Hotel Zed Quad Hopped Hazy IPA, brewed by Small Gods Brewing. For food, Mrs. Sip and I split the Cedar Planked Salmon, with a side of Seared Scallops.

After checking out of the hotel, we began our return journey to the Duke Point ferry terminal, stopping at two breweries along the way. First, at Twin City Brewing in Port Alberni, I had the Poindexter Hop Swap Pale Ale, while sharing a P.A. Pepperoni Pizza with Mrs. Sip and fighting the Siplings for a scrap of their Biergarten Pretzel. We also had a quick drink at Wolf Brewing in Nanaimo, drawn to the location as Girl Sip is a wolf lover. Here, we downed the Black & Tan (Golden Honey Ale/Dark Malt Porter), with an order of Pretzel Sticks with Beer Cheese. For the road, Mrs. Sip bought a tall can four-pack of their Smoked Doppelbock, which was the feature beer of the week, meaning she got a second four-pack free. Eight beers for $18 seemed like a very good deal to us!

Back home and returning to the regular routine always sucks, so Mrs. Sip and I made sure to take advantage of it being our 24th dating anniversary. We started with early dinner at El Santo, which offers all night happy hour on Mondays and Tuesdays. I munched on Quesabirria, while also sampling Mrs. Sip’s Chili Relleno. To drink, I had a Main Street IPA… not sure which one, but it was good.

That wraps our very busy March. It was enough to make one go mad, but we had so much fun exploring Vancouver Island and even with our time at home before and after the vacation. April will certainly be lighter, but there’s still some fun stuff on the horizon!

Sip Trips #259: March Mania (Part 1)

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March was an incredibly busy month, highlighted by our 10-day excursion to Vancouver Island. There’s so much to discuss, so I’ve decided to split the Sip Family’s activities over two parts. Let’s get right to part one:

Prior to attending a Vancouver Canucks game with a friend, we took advantage of Wing Wednesday at The Pint, where half price chicken wings and cheap pitchers of beer were available. I went with the Hotiyaki Boneless Wings, which were really good. We also split two pitcher of Phillips Tilt Lager, for the very digestible price of $17 per jug. It had been years since I’d visited The Pint and now I will return when possible, especially on Wednesdays.

As for the game itself, I’ve written before about how ridiculous the pricing is for beverages and this was a prime example. A double Spiced Rum and Coke set me back $20, while a Container Manifest Hazy Pale Ale came it at an absurd $28. That’s reason enough to perhaps not renew our quarter-season memberships for 2026-27.

The following week, we met an out-of-town visitor at Naan Club in Coquitlam. The service here was slow, but accurate and the food was really good. I paired the Chicken Sliders with some Masala Fries and enjoyed the combo. I went out on a limb and tried the Masala Coke, asking them to add a shot of Old Monk Rum to the concoction. It was definitely an interesting blend of ingredients, although I might be one and done with this drink selection.

I also got around to sampling the new Hockey Hero Burger at McDonald’s. I liked the three beef patties and bacon, but was surprised you couldn’t add pickles to the sandwich. $8-plus for the item only seemed like a fair price, but the full meal is $15, while you have to fork over $20 if you want the souvenir mini stick. These costs are kind of bonkers for fast food.

As the kid’s spring break began, we met with friends at Kelly O’Bryans. After mulling other options, I went with the standard Chicken Lips N’ Fries, which is such a good meal and something the restaurant is known for. I also enjoyed servings of the Steamworks Hazy Pale Ale and Steel & Oak Red Pilsner, before we let the kiddos run around at the nearby Pier Park playground.

Meeting up with another set of friends the next day, we hit happy hour at The Notorious Grey Fox. I ordered the Notorious Lager, followed by the Shaketown Bruce the Spruce Tip IPA. To eat, I had the Hawaiian Flatbread, which all made for a filling meal.

St. Patrick’s Day saw us head to the ferry and arrive on Vancouver Island. Our first stop of the journey was Brentwood Bay Brewskys Taphouse, where I got into the Irish spirit with a pint of Deadhead Ghost of Paddy Murphy Irish Red and Irish Stir Fry (basically a hash with chorizo, cabbage, potatoes, bacon, etc.), which was a very good dish. This was followed by a visit to the Victoria Butterfly Gardens and dinner at a friend’s place.

Our first full day in Victoria was also Boy Sip’s 6th birthday. We began the festivities with the Haunted Manor Mini Golf, which is one of the neatest mini golf courses I’ve ever been able to play. Many of the holes have players use other devices rather than always swinging a putter. Following our round, we shared a Yonni’s Pretzel, while Mrs. Sip and I had glasses of Hoyne Dark Matter. The rest of Boy Sip’s birthday was filled with all his favourites, from Chicken McNuggets and cheese pizza, to swimming and Marvel movies, with a few treats sprinkled in here and there.

The next day began with a visit to Miniature World, where we viewed the many dioramas on exhibit. This location lacked the hidden naughty and funny finds of the Miniature World in Hamburg, Germany, but it was still impressive to see all the work that goes into these sets.

That evening, we walked to Pinhalla, where we lucked out with a table amongst mostly reserved spots for their trivia night. Over pints of Driftwood White Bark Witbier and Fat Tug IPA, as well as a yummy Char Siu Banh Mi Sandwich, Mrs. Sip and I played the trivia offered by ThinkTank. I liked that each team was given a mini tablet for ease of seeing/hearing questions. A neighbouring team won a round and gave us their pinball tokens for the Siplings to use! Tokens cost 50 cents each, with most games costing two tokens to play. The tokens (we also bought a set) didn’t last long, but the Siplings loved playing the machines available.

The Superflux Cabana was our starting point the next day. We lucked out and came while the eatery was offering $10 flights (3 x 6oz) and half price burgers from 12-1 (Friday through Sunday). So, I got the Cabana Burger with Fries, as Mrs. Sip and I both put together flights to cover much of their menu: Happyness IPA, Mesa Hazy IPA, Coconuts Stout, Easy Tiger Pale Ale, Colour & Shape Hazy IPA, and The Creamery Blueberry Pancakes. This drinking stop was largely made to give Mrs. Sip the courage to hold the inhabitants of our next stop, the Bug Zoo!

For dinner that afternoon, we went to Craft Beer Market, where I paired the Mount Arrowsmith Ridgeline Hazy IPA with the Teriyaki Salmon Zen Bowl, a dish that was right up my alley. The bowl was so good it has encouraged me to return to the Vancouver location, after many years of not going following our move from Downtown Vancouver. Following dinner, we made sure the Siplings got some amazing desserts at Chocolats Favoris on Sweet Street.

Another day, another meal, this time with us trying the Sticky Wicket Pub. I had penciled the Crispy Chicken Caesar Wrap in for my order the night before, but was thrown a curve ball when Mrs. Sip asked if I could go with Cream of Squash Soup as my side instead of fries. The joke was on her though, as I quite enjoyed the soup myself. To drink, I went with the Small Gods Promised Land Hazy Pale Ale, which was very good.

That wrapped our Victoria stay and we were off “up island” to other locales. While we didn’t get to as many Victoria breweries as I had originally hoped (Driftwood, Whistle Buoy, etc.), we would make up for that on our other island getaway stops, as seen in part two soon.

Sip Trips #258: Family Frenzy

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February was a busy month, even with largely sticking close to home. A lot of fun was had, with highlights including the Family Day long weekend, Valentine’s Day and Vancouver Warriors and Canucks games to attend. Here’s what we got up to:

Prior to the annual Regimental Whiskey Tasting at the Beatty Street Drill Hall, our crew convened at the nearby Browns Socialhouse for some pre-game beverages and a small bite to eat. I enjoyed a pair of Stanley Park Parklandia Hazy IPAs, to go with my typical order of Sesame Ginger Gyoza.

As for the whiskey tasting, a favourite event of mine each year I’m able to attend, the five bottles served to us included Kilkerran 12, Lum Reek 21, Reservoir Wheat Whiskey, Aberlour 18, and Laphroaig The Cask Lore. My favourite of the bunch was the Kilkerran 12. Aside from the whiskeys, the rest of the night was filled with a host of various beers and yummy Costco sandwiches to soak up the alcohol.

The next week, we had tickets to see the Vancouver Warriors lacrosse game. A couple months back, Girl Sip participated in a drill while some Warriors representatives were visiting her school, receiving a coupon for two free tickets to a future game. Using another two-for-one pass we had, the Sip Family ended up at the game for one paid admission. And what a night to go, as we chose Wrestling Night, which included some wrestling skits amongst the usual lacrosse chaos. This game was the wildest sporting event I’ve ever been to, with rock bands, wrestling matches, goals and even a fight during the pre-game ceremony/warm up with kids on the floor. The Siplings loved the experience!

Prior to the game, we ate at the nearby Boston Pizza, using gift cards received at Christmas. Over the course of the meal, I had a Fat Tug IPA, Maple Bacon Burger and we finished with the Chocolate Explosion dessert.

Some Valentine’s Day gifts I received included the Spectrum Box of Chocolates Mix Pack (White Chocolate Stout, Milk Chocolate Ale, Mint Chocolate Ale, Orange Chocolate Ale) from Ma and Pa Sip, as well as a collection of beers from Mrs. Sip: Storm Chocolate Covered Strawberry Ale, Storm Pineapple Paradise Pilsner and Silly Pink Killer (pink grapefruit brew from Belgium). I also picked up the Black Fly Classic Cocktail Mixer Pack (Tequila Margarita, Gin Greyhound, Rum Mojito, Long Island Iced Tea) for the Family Day long weekend.

During that weekend, a large portion of time was spent at the Port Coquitlam Community Centre for Girl Sip’s annual ringette tournament. On our day there with two games and a break in between, I hit the concession for some food and drink, enjoying a Crispy Chicken Burger and PoCo Brothers Amber Ale combo.

To wrap the Family Day long weekend, Mrs. Sip and I went to Big Way Hot Pot for a little Lunar New Year meal. It was interesting to try this place, but think I prefer non-broth Asian dishes. We will likely visit again, but I’ll not fill my bowl with so many ingredients, as you are charged based on weight. I also wish the eatery offered adult beverages.

We wrapped the month with a Vancouver Canucks game for the whole family, once again dining at Boston Pizza beforehand. You just can’t beat free kid’s meals that include main, side, drink and dessert! Looking to switch up my order from the month’s previous visit, I went with the Buffalo Chicken Sandwich, which was good. I also really like BP fries, going with them over a Caesar Salad, which has often become a substitution for me.

The puts a bow on February. March is filled with activities, highlighted by our spring break getaway to Vancouver Island, where we’ll visit Victoria, Nanaimo, Tofino and other locales we don’t get to see very often.

Sip Trips #257: Disney Daze

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The highlight of January was the Sip Family’s final trip to the Disneyland Resort on our Magic Key annual passes. Let’s see what we got up to on our swan song to the happiest place on earth:

Just prior to leaving for California, I took advantage of the BC Liquor Stores flash sale, picking up the Nutrl Tropical pack (pineapple, watermelon, peach, mango, grapefruit), which was $10 cheaper than usual. That said, I’m not sure I like Nutrl products, compared to sweeter, fizzier offerings from other companies. One pro to them is Mrs. Sip can enjoy them even when she’s on the keto diet.

After landing in Anaheim, we settled into our hotel and crossed the street for lunch at Mimi’s Café. I ordered a pair of Firestone 805 Blonde Ale from their very limited selection of draft beers, to go along with the Mike’s Hot Honey Chicken Sandwich. While I appreciated the plethora of pickles on the sando, I found it didn’t have much sauce/flavour to it.

We then used the bus service to go to Target to pick up room drinks and snacks for the duration of our stay. I grabbed the White Claw Variety 24 Pack (blackberry, tangerine, black cherry, green apple, mango, peach), as I was particularly curious about and wanted to try the Green Apple variant. While I enjoyed that drink, it sadly replaced Watermelon in this set, which is among my preferred flavours. I didn’t pick up any hard liquor at this point, not wanting to buy too much to drink, but would later grab a bottle of Captain Morgan Sweet Chili Lime Rum and mixers from Walgreens.

We went into this trip knowing it would be our last for some time. Therefore, we wanted to enjoy all the food and drink we previously hadn’t, while also retuning to a few memorable favourites. On our first day, we tried the Cheesy Garlic Brat, which was very satisfying with good mix of flavours going on and the Beef Birria Toasted Cheese, another good meal, where I especially enjoyed the consommé.

Hopping over to the California Adventure park, we set the Siplings up with a Quantum Pretzel, a longtime family favourite often eaten by them as myself/Mrs. Sip ride Guardians of the Galaxy. We also grabbed beers in the form of the Ommegang Neon Rainbows IPA and SLO Brew Cali-Squeeze.

Our second park day was dedicated to celebrating Mrs. Sip’s birthday. To begin the occasion on the right foot, we did a walk up reservation for Oga’s Cantina. The bar was set to close after this day, so it was good to get the experience in while we could. To eat, we shared the Garlic-Cheese Five Blossom Bread with Spicy Cheese Sauce. To drink, Mrs. Sip and I ordered the Yub Nub (pineapple rum, spiced rum, citrus juices, passionfruit) and Fuzzy Tauntaun (peach vodka, peach schnapps, orange juice, pure cane sugar, tingling foam), followed by a pair of brews in the Jogan Blossom Hazy IPA and Bad Motivator IPA.

After letting the Siplings build a droid to take home, which Mrs. Sip attributes to her early buzz, we were off to our lunch reservation at Lamplight Lounge. Mrs. Sip and I shared a bottle of Les Jamelles Chardonnay, along with the Sea Monster Smash (rye whiskey, blueberry syrup, mint, lemon juice, passionfruit syrup, blueberries). For food, I went with the Chef’s Special (Mongolian Steak dish with noodles), which was very good. I was happy it was available prior to other Lunar New Year releases, having read about its existence and hoping it would already be on the menu. The glaze/sauce and smattering of green onions on the steak were delicious, while the $34 price tag seemed pretty reasonable. I shared this dish with Mrs. Sip, who ordered the Charbroiled Cheddar Burger to round out our meal.

Later that evening, the Sip Family shared the Cookie Butter Churro Sundae from the Golden Horseshoe, which provided a decadent dessert to celebrate Mrs. Sip’s birthday!

The next day, we were craving lunch on the San Fransokyo Wharf. I went with the Karaage-inspired Crispy Chicken Sandwich and Brewery X Tokyo Tea Hard Seltzer from Lucky Fortune Cookery, while Mrs. Sip picked up the San Fransokyo Clam Chowder and Pizza Port Coastin’ Tropical IPA from Aunt Cass Café. I was allowed to steal a bite and sip of each. When my meal originally came out incorrect, the stall gave me a free order of Pot Stickers for the minimal delay, which was a nice touch.

We spent the rest of the day grabbing beverages around the park, as the Siplings played at Redwood Creek Challenge Trail. These drinks included:

  • Green Cheek West Coast IPA – great value at $14.25 for a 7.2% ABV brew
  • Crown & Hops The Dopest Hazy IPA – a nice hazy that I wanted to try
  • Study Break Strawburst Hard Seltzer – tasted like a strawberry Starburst candy, but I was disappointed it didn’t come with any ice
  • Craftwell Hibiscus Lemonade – love this beverage with it’s $15 price tag and 10% ABV

As I tried to get us one more drink while we were relaxing in the Animation Building, I was refused service after presenting Canadian ID because I didn’t have a passport on me. This was the first time that had happened for years to me, which was always a bullshit policy. Like, I just handed you government-issued ID that would be accepted anywhere else in the world that shows not only am I of your country’s ridiculous legal drinking age, but I’m double it. This had me considering not spending another cent further in the parks. A tough task, given we had 3.5 days left.

My boycott didn’t last long, as we hit the Carthay Circle Lounge the next day upon its opening. Here we had a fantastic little meal, consisting of the Carthay Sopes (red mole braised duck, pepitas, cilantro crema) for Mrs. Sip and Soy Glazed Salmon with soba noodles and cashew cucumber salsa for me. I paired my tremendous dish with a serving of Stone Delicious IPA. Mrs. Sip was between two wines, so they let her try both, which earned the server bonus points. We wrapped the meal, rewarding the Siplings for good behaviour, with the scrumptious S’mores Sundae.

Later in the day, we purchased servings of Brewery X Green Melon Hard Seltzer and Gin Lavender Lemonade Cocktail. Also, looking for a mid-afternoon snack, Mrs. Sip ordered the Chili Cone Queso, which has inspired me to make Frito Pie at home. While in the Cozy Cones area, we also picked up the Tarantula Hill Salt & Lime Mango Soju Michelada to wash the food down.

That night, with Girl Sip requesting some fruit, I grabbed the Pineapple Parfait from the Galactic Grill. Despite getting the item for Girl Sip, I enjoyed it too and ended up eating a fair portion of the treat.

We had great weather for most of our vacation, but it did rain periodically one of the days. Thankfully, Mrs. Sip had secured a reservation at the Magic Key Terrace, so we hunkered down there for a couple hours to wait out the wet stuff. Mrs. Sip and I split the Arancini and Fonduta appies, while I enjoyed servings of the Amalfi Sunset Paloma (tequila, watermelon juice, agave, lemon juice) and Harland Hazy IPA.

Having only a light lunch, I finally tried the Filipino Feast Burrito, which I had failed to purchase on our December visit. I liked the pork belly and sweet chili sauce of this dish. Pairing it with a glass of Particle Fizz (blue raspberry lemonade hard seltzer) completed the impromptu meal.

We also finally got our hands on the Chocolate Croissant Cookie that had eluded us due to long lines. How did we like it? I mean, where can you go wrong with this combo!?

The resorts Lunar New Year Festival kicked off on our last park day, so we had mere hours to enjoy the food and drink offerings. We ripped through an entire Sip and Savor pass, trying as many items as possible amongst all the folks who fancy themselves influencers. Here’s what we ate and drank along the way:

  • Five Spice Popcorn Chicken
  • Mickey-shaped Hot Dog Bun
  • Japchae Noodles with Braised Short Ribs
  • Kung Pao Bao with Impossible Chicken
  • Quesabirria Eggroll
  • Spicy Chicken Wings
  • Guava Dragon Fruit Vodka Cocktail (vodka, Lemonade, mineral water, guava and dragon fruit syrups)
  • Red Envelope Margarita (tequila, orange juice, sweet and sour, raspberry purée, blood orange syrup, gold shimmer)
  • Yuja-Melon Cocktail (gin, Lillet Blanc, yuja purée, rock melon syrup)
  • Honeydew Colada (rum, melon liqueur, honeydew cream, coconut cream, sweet and sour, topped with pineapple Dole Whip slushy)
  • Soju Cocktail Flight – Peach Yogurt Soju Cocktail (soju, Sprite, white peach syrup, yogurt), Mango Soju Cocktail (soju, Sprite, mango purée, sweet and sour), Green Apple Soju Cocktail (soju, grapefruit liqueur, green apple syrup, sweet and sour)

Everything was pretty good and I wish we had more time to enjoy the festival features. Items we hoped to get, but missed out on were the Korean Pork Belly Pizza and Bulgogi Fries.

To reward and feed the kids we bought them a final Quantum Pretzel, while Mrs. Sip and I shared the Sierra Nevada Sunny Little Thing. I’ll have to find a local place that makes giant pretzels, so we can recreate the memories at home. Not sure how I’ll recreate Avengers Campus, though.

That put a massive bow on our year with Magic Key annual passes. It was a fantastic run of five trips to Anaheim and a total of 32 park days! One day, we’ll be able to tell our grandkids that we spent a whole month of the year in Disneyland!

Best of 2025

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2025 was a fun year. The Sip Family made four journeys to the Disneyland Resort, each during a different season and to celebrate different occasions. We also enjoyed our first full year in our new home, being able to entertain friends and family again, while exploring parts of our province on weekend road trips. On average, I’d say we get up to something significant about once a month, so here’s 12 highlights from 2025:

Home, Sweet Home

New year, new home. We kicked off 2025 with a bang, inviting friends to check out our new abode. For the occasion, I served a Sip Advisor original cocktail, offering the Home, Sweet Home (Southern Comfort, spiced rum, pomegranate juice, lemonade, club soda) to guests. The party provided a great launch pad for the year to come.

Year of the Snake

Our first of four trips to Disneyland under our Magic Key year passes occurred at the end of January. While at the resort, we took advantage of the Lunar New Year Festival celebrations, trying a number of Asian treats, both savoury and sweet. We feasted throughout the visit, trying many dishes and drinks inside and out of the park.

Whiskey Business

Always a highlight of the years I’m able to make the event, I enjoyed the 2025 edition of the Regiment Whiskey Tasting. Pa Sip joined for the first time and got into the whiskeys served, despite traditionally sticking to other libations. We have tickets to the 2026 event already lined up, so looking forward to a repeat performance from the crew.

SoCal Bound

For the second straight year, we spent spring break on the road, once again making our way to Southern California. We spent eight days at Disneyland, broken up by a quick expedition to the Legoland Resort for a couple nights. Cousin Sip and her brood were with us for some of the vacation, providing a different experience for the Siplings.

Crawl to Order

At the end of the Easter long weekend, Mrs. Sip was due in Kelowna for work and with some time off days to spare, I decided to join her. When her work ended earlier than anticipated, we got to do a bit of a crawl around the downtown area, hitting a number of craft breweries, eateries and bars. We even won trivia on our arrival night.

Read Between the Wines

For the May long weekend, we found ourselves in Osoyoos, staying at the Spirit Ridge resort. There, we dragged the kids around on a full-day winery tour, which they behaved pretty good on. Their reward: taking advantage of the resort’s facilities, including letting the kids play in the pool while enjoying beverages from the sidelines.

While the Kids Are Away…

For two glorious weeks in the summer, Ma and Pa Sip took the Siplings on a tour throughout the province to visit distant family. This offered Mrs. Sip and I some time to ourselves without worrying about childcare and we took full advantage, attending a number of events, while also getting away for the August long weekend in Peachland.

Island Hopping

Once the kids were back with us, there was little time to rest and relax. The next day we were off to Vancouver Island for the communion of a friend’s two children. We stayed in Qualicum Beach, visiting both breweries the small town offers, while also giving the kids ample opportunity to swim and ride the waterslides of our accommodation.

Halloween Already?

At the end of August, we were off to Disneyland again, where the resort was already celebrating the Halloween season. Aside from using our year passes another time, this trips focus was to celebrate my and Mrs. Sip’s 13th wedding anniversary and we did so in style, with meals at both the Blue Bayou and Lamplight Lounge.

Speakeasies and Sinners

To celebrate a friend’s 40th birthday, we took off to Las Vegas for the first time since 2023. The birthday boy put together an amazing itinerary that took us to numerous speakeasies, restaurants and entertainment attractions. We were so busy, we never even made it to the pool, which was a reason we booked the hotel we did.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Christmas is a magical time and particularly at the Disney parks, which go all out with lighting, decorations, food and drink to fill the season with merriment. We also celebrated Ma Sip’s birthday on this getaway and Mrs. Sip and I explored the City Center of Anaheim for the first time, learning about a new to us amazing area.

Christmastime is Here

Christmas at home is amazing too. We spent the season cramming many festive activities into our busy schedule. Best of all, I had time off from work from Christmas Day until early January, which offered a wonderful mix of doing things and doing nothing at all, seeing friends and spending quality time with the Sip Family.

2026 has a lot to live up to. I’m optimistic it can be another fantastic year, full of good times with great people. Don’t let me down 2026!

Sip Trips #256 – Making Spirits Bright

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After returning from Disneyland early in the month, the rest of December was spent splitting free time with family and friends. Here’s what we got up to over the merriest time of the year:

Just days after returning to our regular lives, we checked out the Glow light festival in Langley. On this rainy night, I was impressed that umbrellas were available to all brave enough to head outside to view the displays. The kids also had a great time checking out the indoor festivities, while Mrs. Sip and I enjoyed some Dirty Fries with Bulgogi Beef from one of the food trucks. I was sad that only non-alcoholic drink options were available, fondly remembering the days when you could get a local craft beer or festive cocktail.

For our annual Christmas dinner with some friends, I put together an ambitious menu of drinks, with a total of 10 cocktails and two mocktails. My theme this year was Christmas characters and there are so many deserving options. The recipes included (last two were the mocktails, since they involved child characters!):

  • Bah Humbug! (Ebenezer Scrooge): Rhubarb & Ginger Gin, Red Wine, Sweet & Sour Mix
  • Yippee Ki-Yay (John McClane): Scotch, Coffee Liqueur, Club Soda
  • You Better be Good! (Krampus): Jagermeister Spice, Maraschino Liqueur, Fanta Orange
  • You’re a Mean One (Grinch): Lemon Gin, Melon Liqueur, Sprite Chill, Maraschino Cherry
  • What’s This? (Jack Skellington): Pumpkin Blast Rum, Candy Cane Vodka, Coconut Cream
  • Cotton-Headed Ninny Muggins (Buddy the Elf): Maple Syrup/M&M Rim, Maple Moonshine, Raspberry Iced Tea, Marshmallows
  • The Clause (Scott Calvin): Cookie Dough Whiskey, Creme de Cacao, Egg Whites
  • F*ck Me, Santa (Willy T. Stokes): Vodka, Cranberry-Black Cherry Juice, Tonic Water
  • You Want the Moon? (George Bailey): Banana Bourbon, Orange Juice, Ginger Beer
  • Sh!tter’s Full (Cousin Eddie): Eggnog, Stout
  • Ya Filthy Animal (Kevin McCallister): Pepsi, Ice Cream, Whip Cream, Sprinkles
  • Only I Didn’t Say ‘Fudge’ (Ralphie Parker): Chocolate Milk, Root Beer

From the drinks, the most popular was The Clause, while my preferred beverage was the You Want the Moon? Honourable mentions go to What’s This? and You Better be Good! for being surprisingly tasty.

Later that week, we met up at Me-n-Ed’s Pizza Parlor with some of Boy Sip’s soccer team for a holiday wind up dinner. Mrs. Sip and I shared a pitcher of Hoyne Dark Matter, while I tried the mini-sized Me-n-Ed’s Combo. The wrong pizza was made for Mrs. Sip, so the server gave it to us for free, while her actual order was prepared.

A couple days later, we gathered for Mrs. Sip’s office Christmas party at The Boathouse in New West. My entry for the White Elephant gift exchange was a Delirium Tremens gift pack with four beers and a beautiful glass. I walked away with a Boston Pizza gift card, which will come in handy given our frequency of visiting the chain.

As for our meal out, it was really good. Every item on the starter Pupu Platter (Coconut Shrimp, Ahi Tuna Tacos and Vegetable Spring Roll) was yummy, providing me with ideas for future visits to the restaurant. For my three-course meal, I selected the Caesar Salad, Sake Glazed Salmon and Cheesecake with Berry Compote. Of course, multiple cocktails and a beer with dinner were enjoyed as the evening progressed.

For the big day itself, I received a number of liquor-related Christmas gifts, including a cocktail smoker, Crown Royal Chocolate and a four-pack of Jak’s Verdita Margarita (cucumber, pineapple, jalapeno and mint) from Mrs. Sip. I was also gifted a bottle of Diplomatico Reserva Rum from in-laws. As for the giving, I picked up Mrs. Sip a tall can four-pack of Dead Frog Murchie’s London Fog Winter Ale.

That wraps another busy month for the Sip Family. January will see the crew make our final trip to Disneyland on our expiring Magic Key passes!

Sip Trips #255: Disneyland Desires

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To begin the month, the Sip Family set off for another trip to Disneyland, looking to enjoy all the festive decorations, treats and even drinks the resort offers during the Christmas season. Here’s what we got up to over our weeklong stay in Anaheim:

Upon arriving, we did a quick shopping stop at Target, procuring supplies for our stay. I grabbed the White Claw Surge Variety Pack, featuring Lime, Blood Orange, Cranberry and Blackberry flavours, all at a whopping 8% ABV per can. I also picked up a bottle of Mr. Pibb, looking to try the competitor of my precious Dr. Pepper.

With Ma and Pa Sip taking the Sipplings out for a Christmas train experience, Mrs. Sip and I were afforded a date night. I decided to take us to the City Center of Anaheim, which presented an abundance of neat options. We started our crawl with dinner at Craft by Smoke & Fire, which I had often seen recommendations for on Disneyland Facebook groups. There, I had the Mile High Loaded Fries with Baldwin Burger (smash burger) toppings, paired with a Villains Hazy IPA.

While searching for my next hopeful stop, we stumbled upon The Packing House, which is a really cool food hall venue, filled with great places to eat and drink. While my intention was to check out The Blind Rabbit speakeasy, we weren’t able to get in. Instead, we had a cocktail at the BXCR Underground Bar, which looks like a train boxcar. I tried the C-League, containing mezcal, cucumber and cilantro. Mrs. Sip, looking for a caffeine pick-me-up, went with an Espresso Martini.

Across the street was Unsung Hero Brewing, where we shared a trio of beers in the Propeller Head Amber Ale with Coffee, Chocolate Snowball Imperial Blonde Ale and St. Nick R. Doodle Imperial Blonde Ale. I liked seeing all the old action figures that made up the façade of this location.

On our way to what was supposed to be our next stop, we came across the Broken Spirits Distillery, where Mrs. Sip had the delicious Ghost Host (mezcal, St. Germaine Elderflower Liqueur, hibiscus, lime juice) and I had the Ella Baila Sola (tequila, curacao, lime juice, tamarind-infused agave, chile de arbol tincture, tajin rim). The theming at this place was so cool, with all the Haunted Mansion-esque elements.

Our final stop was Villains Brewing next door. Here, we shared a pint of We Will Never Financially Recover from This Red Ale as we walked around the sprawling facility, enjoying all the art and decorations that highlighted the movie villain motif.

Throughout our days in Disneyland, we used our Festival of Holidays pass to try a number of savoury servings. These included: Braised Pork Belly Adobo, Beef Brisket Slider, Chorizo Queso Fundido, Holiday Pizza (not available on the pass), The Holiday Duet (Al Pastor and Savory Kugel Mac & Cheeses), and Spicy Cajun Loaded Fries.

We also dove head first into as many sweet treats as we could possibly handle. Among them: Cinnamon Bun Pretzel, …Don’t forget the Milk & Cookies, Fluffernutter Churro, Red Velvet Mickey Waffles, Elf Mickey Shake, Ookie Wookie Cookie, Holiday M&M’s Éclair, and Cookie Dough Yule Log. The final two items were available on the food pass.

For this trip’s Drink Around DCA: The Revenge, we had to hit as many locations throughout the park, rather than one in each land for one day. Here’s what we achieved over our stay:

  • Award Wieners – Seaborn Blood Orange Cinnamon Margarita
  • Hollywood Lounge – Spiced Pomegranate Cocktail, Seaborn CranMerry Lime Margarita, Keg Craft Berry Sangria, Brooklyn Brewery Brown Ale
  • Pym Tasting Lab/Kitchen – Slo-Brew Cali Squeeze, Sierra Nevada Sunny Little Thing
  • Cozy Cones – Second Chance Brewing Frosty the Hazeman IPA
  • Flo’s Diner – Noble Ale Works Pink Lemonade Seltzer, Brewery X Fender Bender IPA
  • Sanfransokyo Cervezia – Karl Strauss Golden Stout
  • Magic Key Terrace – Sea Witch, Mystical Magical
  • Sonoma Terrace – Craftwell Hibiscus Lemonade, Craftwell Prickly Pear Margarita
  • Mendocino Terrace – Red Wine for Mrs. Sip
  • Bayside Brews – Brewery X Spiced Sangria Seltzer, Rincon Reservation Road Rez Dog Hefeweizen
  • Boardwalk Pizza and Pasta – Brewery X Huckleberry Seltzer
  • Lamplight Lounge – GameCraft Red Ale, bottle of bubbly for Ma and Mrs. Sip
  • Smokejumpers Grill – Berry Pomegranate Paloma
  • Festival of Holidays – Study Break Peppermint Mocha Hard Seltzer, Salted Caramel Brownie White Russian, Kern River Winter IPA, Cranberry Christmas Mule

Almost each day of our visit, we had a notable dining experience on the schedule. First up, was the Magic Key Terrace. I went with the Sea Witch (Raspberry Vodka, Peach Schnapps, Blue Curacao, cranberry juice, Sprite) cocktail on secret menu. To eat, we all did the Prix Fix menu, in order to get preferred seating to that night’s World of Color show. My feast consisted of the House Caesar Salad and Roasted Half Chicken, both of which were good and plentiful. The kids’ meals, on the other hand, were disappointing. Miniscule servings throughout despite a $44 price tag. Only two orange wedges and a tiny cup of yogurt for starters and a small plate of pasta for mains, as well as no toppings for vanilla ice cream desserts. We did have very good service from Quiana, who tried her best to remedy our disappointment in the kids’ servings.

Next up, was a surprise reservation opening up for Storyteller’s Café and the Mickey’s Christmas Carol Feast Dinner. It was very cool getting to have a Scrooge McDuck character experience, as he has long been among my favourite Disney characters. The buffet included a very diverse lineup, with the Sip Advisor filling his plate with broccoli crunch salad, chicken strips, beef tenderloin, homemade potato chips, and teriyaki chicken, while my beverage of choice was the Stereo Brewing IPA. My only disappointment here was the dessert options. Nothing really spoke to me, aside from the chocolate chip cookies, but by the time I took both kids to the bathroom, the plate was gone, only to be replaced with gingerbread and lemon options. The ice cream selection was also odd, with mango and passionfruit sorbet being available, rather than good ol’ vanilla and chocolate ice cream.

A couple days later, we were at Lamplight Lounge. My combo included the GameCraft Red Ale and Charbroiled Cheddar Burger with Bacon. I really loved the garlic parmesan fries that accompanied my meal and we all enjoyed being out in the California sun, watching the happenings of the park going on around us.

On our last park day, to celebrate Ma Sip’s birthday, we feasted at the Blue Bayou. I repeated my meal from my and Mrs. Sip’s wedding anniversary lunch in August, once again enjoying the Karl Strauss 70th Anniversary IPA and Monte Cristo sandwich. Our seats this time weren’t as good as the last, but the ambiance was still enjoyed by the group.

One other note from our vacation, this was the first of our trips where we struggled to get a reservation day we wanted. I maintain it’s messed up we pay so much for our passes and can only get four days at a time. There should be a cap, but four seems too little. It was also odd that we were able to book eight days over spring break and six days at the end of August with no issue, but a Tuesday in early December was trouble, while every single day around it – including the Friday – came up as available while we tried for the elusive Tuesday. You had to wonder if it was some kind of glitch. As we were leaving the park after closing, Mrs. Sip finally landed the reservation, so all ended well, but we basically spent a good chunk of the day each constantly refreshing the page, hoping to get our booking in.

That wraps another very eventful stay at the Disneyland Resort, where you feel a vacation is needed as you return from one. It was awesome family time together and worth every early morning to late night stay!

Sip Trips #254: Avengers Assemble

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Despite the Sip Advisor’s return to drinking, November was a fairly tame month. Here’s what we got up to as my fans chanted “Welcome back, welcome back!”:

Early in the month, we had friends from Oklahoma stay with us, as they looked into whether our neck of the woods was a good spot for relocation. As a thanks for putting them up, they gifted us a selection of beers from Oklahoma, all of which have been very good.

While they visited, we took them to a few local restaurants, including Ki Sushi, where I enjoyed a feast including Miso Soup, Goma-ae, California Roll, Dynamite Roll, Golden Roll (deep fried Cali roll), and New West Roll. Another stop that we take all out-of-town visitors to is White Spot, an iconic B.C. eatery, where I had my usual combo of Legendary Burger with Caesar Salad, along with a Granville Island Lions Winter Ale.

When I learned our guests were both gin fans and that a new product had hit BC Liquor Stores shelves, I picked up the Beefeater Peach & Raspberry Gin, using a gift card I received for my birthday. That card had been burning a hole in my pocket for some time, thanks to the fine folks that keep those stores running going on strike. It’s fantastic to have them back at work.

The middle of the month had us out in Richmond for one of Girl Sip’s ringette games. En route, we popped into Barnside Brewing for a quick meal. I tried and enjoyed their Smoked Hot Chicken Sandwich, pairing it with a pint of Five for Fighting Hazy Pale Ale, a brew meant to inspire men to work on their mental health.

Later that week, I got around to sampling McDonald’s new Triple Pickle McCrispy. The burger was good, but was lacking in the crispy pickles department. Yes, I could have used even more pickles than what was being offered.

We wrapped up the month with our long-awaited Avengers/Marvel weekend, which the Sipplings earned by gaining points through successful school days, participation in sports practices and games, as well as general good behaviour around the homestead. Any weekend that starts with video games at The Rec Room and ends with laser tag has to be a good one.

In between, we watched a number of Marvel movies, while I made a selection of cocktails based on the characters. My recipes included: I am Iron Man for Iron Man (Arrack, Goldschlager, Lemon-Lime Soda, Maraschino Cherry); Hulk Smash for The Hulk (Whiskey, Pisang Ambon, Egg Whites, Mint Leaves); The First Avenger for Captain America (Jack Daniel’s Apple Whiskey Punch, Blue Curacao, Club Soda, Apple Slices); The Hammer for Thor (Spiced Honey Liqueur, Cloudberry Liqueur, Lager); Agent of SHIELD for Black Widow (Black Tea Vodka, Milk, Chocolate Syrup); Queen of Chaos for Scarlet Witch (Vodka, Raspberry-Pomegranate-Hibiscus Juice, Lime Juice, Raspberries); and Wakanada Forever for Black Panther (Chocolate Whiskey, Amarula Gold, Vanilla Coke). I thought the menu was pretty good and will likely serve these bevvies up again.

December is upon us and that begins with our family vacation in Disneyland to celebrate Ma Sip’s birthday and check out all the Christmas stuff going on at the resort!