Sip Trips #240: Home Sweet Home

Posted on December 4, 2024 by Daniel Wilson

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

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

Beer Dinner

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

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

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

Soft Play

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

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

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

Disney on Ice

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

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

Sip Trips #234: Lodge Lovers

Posted on June 5, 2024 by Daniel Wilson

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 #233: Playoff Fever

Posted on May 1, 2024 by Daniel Wilson

April was a very uneventful month, as far as outings go. We were trying to behave ourselves following our big Spring Break vacation and stayed in more than usual. That said, we did get up to a few things:

Upon arriving home from our epic Escondido road trip, we had dinner at Boston Pizza. I ordered the Royal Hawaiian pizza, but didn’t pair a drink with it, as it was finally time to do some post-holiday detox… I mean, at least for a day or two.

In the middle of the month, I took Girl Sip to our last regular season Vancouver Canucks game. As part of our daddy-daughter evening, we had a nice dinner at White Spot, where I ordered a pint of Bridge Bourbon Blood Orange Wheat Ale to go along with my Legendary Burger with Caesar Salad. Upon realizing that our game didn’t start until 7:30pm, instead of the typical 7:00pm, I added another beer to the tab in the Twin Sails Dat Juice Pale Ale.

Playoffs

The following week, the Canucks were in the playoffs and Mrs. Sip and I attended our first ever post-season contest. We also brought along each of our dads, as early Father’s Day gifts. Prior to the game, we had an amazing feast at Devil’s Elbow Ale & Smokehouse. We arrived just before happy hour ended, so I squeezed in an order of the Crosstown IPA. I would later add a pint of Neighbourhood Way of Life IPA. To eat, we got The Platter for FOUR, which includes pulled pork, beef brisket, sausage, back ribs, and wings, along with four sides, where we elected to add the sauteed mushrooms, coleslaw, fries and mac ‘n cheese cornbread. I particularly enjoyed the smoked wings and fries dipped in a grainy mustard they offered, but the whole spread was spectacular.

That’s it for the month. Shocking, I know. May should be a little more adventurous, including another getaway to Great Wolf Lodge in Washington. Until then, I guess I’ll have to continue (reluctantly) behaving myself!

Sip Trips #230: Disneyland Destiny

Posted on February 2, 2024 by Daniel Wilson

2024 is off to a roaring start, kicked into high gear thanks to our week-long getaway to Disneyland to celebrate Mrs. Sip’s 40th birthday! Here’s what we got up to in a wild January:

The first event of the year was WWE Friday Night Smackdown coming to Vancouver. Our group of wrestlemaniacs met up at Devil’s Elbow prior to the show, where I had pints of Twin Sails Hot Laps Winter Ale and Crosstown IPA.

At the show, which was far better than the last WWE Smackdown I attended, just prior to the pandemic, I had a serving of the Stanley Park Windstorm Pale Ale, to maintain my buzz throughout the live broadcast.

Wrestling

Afterwards, with our crew down to two, we went for some eats at Fable Diner Bar (the former Kingston Taphouse). I had a pair of Red Truck Round Trip Amber Ales, while snacking on their Pork & Kimchi Dumplings.

That weekend, after taking the Sipplings on the Q to Q Ferry, we had dinner at Kelly O’Bryans. There, I combined the Dunkin’s Beef Dip with a double Spiced Rum and Coke, a feature of their Daily Doubles menu.

The night before leaving Vancouver for Anaheim, we spent the night at the River Rock Casino Resort. For dinner that evening, we went to the nearby Moxies, where I ordered the BT’s Crispy Chicken Sandwich and a Double Caesar. The meal was quite good, with my leftovers providing a good late night snack back at the hotel.

Dip Au Jus

Upon arriving in Anaheim the next day, we went looking for food. Unfortunately, our attempt to eat at Tony Roma’s was met with the restaurant not being open yet. So, we walked through The Shops at Anaheim area, ending up at The Cheesecake Factory. There, Mrs. Sip and I split the Grilled Chicken & Avocado Club, which came out almost as soon as we ordered it, making us wonder if another patron had returned the sandwich.

We ate lightly, because our first big occasion of the trip was a dinner buffet with Disney characters at Goofy’s Kitchen in the Disneyland Hotel. Despite a 7:05 reservation, we weren’t sat until 7:25, which can be difficult with hungry, amped up children. At least the meal itself didn’t disappoint, as we were impressed with the variety and quality of the dishes. Some of my faves included the cornbread brûlée, Korean broccoli and barbecue chicken pizza. We also thought the dessert bar was fantastic, highlighted for me by salted chocolate brownies, chocolate chip cookies and raspberry streusel. To drink, I had a pint of Belching Beaver Hazers Gonna Haze IPA. While the kids didn’t eat as much as we hoped for the price, they did get their character fill, even with some of the costumed performers approaching the area we were sitting, only to disappear without ever reaching our table.

For a late lunch on our first day in the park, I ordered a spread of items from the Bengal Barbecue. This feast was highlighted by the Pulled Pork Slider Plate with Macaroni Salad and Chips.

Disneyland

The next day, we stopped for lunch in the San Fransokyo area of California Adventure. A favourite eatery of mine has been Lucky Fortune Cookery, with their Teriyaki Chicken being my preferred meal. It is no longer served in a box, but still hits the spot. As I ordered food, Mrs. Sip kindly grabbed us some beers from the Karl Strauss booth, opting for the Boat Shoes Hazy IPA for each of us.

That afternoon, as we let the kids play at the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail play area, I raced over to the Smokejumpers Grill to grab brews for Mrs. Sip and me. It was nice to sit back and have a drink, the Russian River Happy Hops IPA for me and Karl Strauss Follow the Sun Blonde Ale for Mrs. Sip, in a setting where the kids could safely run wild and free.

While we could have stayed at the Redwood Creek zone longer, we had an early dinner reservation at Café Orleans in the other park. Mrs. Sip and I shared the Monte Cristo Sandwich with Parmesan Truffle Fries, which I paired with a serving of Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing IPA. When planning places to eat for our stay, we were happy to see all seated restaurants in Disneyland now offer alcoholic beverages, such as beer, wine and a cocktail. It’s another step towards the park having a full serving of libations.

Kids Play

After two busy days in the parks, we took a day off from rides and attractions. Instead, we made our way to Dave & Buster’s for lunch and to play some arcade games. Mrs. Sip and I selected a number of items for the table, including Crispy Chicken Strips, Loaded Barbacoa Fries and Pretzel Dogs. To wash it all down, I went with the Sam Adams Winter Lager.

For dinner that night, we went to Ballast Point in the Downtown Disney district. When we first arrived, we were told the wait for a table would be about 45 minutes, but were paged to return to the eatery only a few minutes later. Mrs. Sip and I shared a delicious Poke Bowl, which I paired with an equally tasty Calico Amber Ale.

The next day, we returned to Disneyland to celebrate Mrs. Sip’s 40th birthday! To begin the festivities, we had breakfast at Oga’s Cantina. Here, guests are limited to a 45-minute seating and maximum of two alcoholic beverages per person. Mrs. Sip and I enjoyed the Purple Glandis Juice (Hendrick’s Gin, Crème de Violette Liqueur, white cranberry Juice, lime juice); Jedi Mind Trick (Ketel One Botanical Grapefruit and Rose Vodka, John D. Taylor’s Velvet Falernum, Bols Blue Curacao, white grape juice, lime juice, and grapefruit bitters); Yub Nub (Malibu Pineapple Rum, Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum, citrus juices, passion fruit); and Takodana Quencher (Bacardi Dragonberry Rum, Bols Blue Curacao, orange-pineapple Juice, kiwi flavors). For a snack, we ordered the Garlic-Cheese Five Blossom Bread, while also getting an Oga’s Obsession gelatin dessert and Jabba Juice beverage for the Sipplings.

Happy Birthday

Later, Ma and Pa Sip, who surprised us by joining our crew for Mrs. Sip’s big day, treated us to lunch at the River Belle Terrace. I combined the Smog City Sabre-Toothed Squirrel Hoppy Amber Ale with the Buttermilk Fried Chicken Sandwich, which made for a good coupling.

To cap off the milestone birthday, we had had reservations at the Lamplight Lounge, where we split the Lobster Nachos and each got a cocktail. I loved my Cobra Hiss (Mezcal, Cointreau, cucumber syrup, lemon juice, agave nectar), but Mrs. Sip would have preferred another beverage, having selected the Red is a Lucky Color (X-Fusion Vodka, Bacardi Silver Rum, strawberry puree, raspberry puree and rosemary syrup), without any note saying it was a frozen concoction.

The next day was cold, wet and miserable. At the end of our time in the park, we went for dinner at Tony Roma’s. Boy Sip and I shared the generous Chicken Tenders Platter, which comes with six strips, fries and coleslaw. To drink, I had a large glass of Offshoot Relax Hazy IPA. Back at our Castle Inn & Suites hotel room, I enjoyed some of the provisions I put together at the start of the vacay, including some Vizzy Hard Seltzers, while we discovered how wonderful the kid’s cartoon Bluey is.

Bluey

For our last day of park adventures, Mrs. Sip and I began with a scrumptious serving of New Belgium Voodoo Ranger Juice Force Hazy Imperial IPA from the Pym’s Tasting Lab. Following a nearby ride, we popped into the Pym’s Test Kitchen for a massive Quantum Pretzel and I grabbed another brew in the Skyduster West Coast IPA. We had one final beer later on, selecting the 4 Sons Belgian Strong Dark Ale from the Hollywood Lounge kiosk. It was here, despite ordering drinks throughout the resort without issue, we encountered the park’s ridiculous rule of non-U.S. residents needing to present their passport to prove their age, with a driver’s license not being good enough. Most places don’t care, but then you get the one place or server that does and you’re screwed. Luckily, we had the passports on us, but Mrs. Sip had them at another attraction with the kids, so my rainy wait in line was completely wasted until we could return later.

Some other thoughts on the Disneyland Resort experience: It’s absurd how many ride breakdowns or delayed openings occurred. Almost every day we attempted to hit a certain big ticket ride to start the day, we were greeted with that ride not being ready to open with the rest of the park. There was also constant breakdowns, throughout the day, which caused frustration for us and all other guests. Also, I do, obviously, disagree with the logic that you shouldn’t take young kids to Disneyland because “they won’t remember any of it”. A) Even as an adult, I don’t remember the details of all my trips. B) With all our tech now, videos and pictures can record the memories for sharing later. C) Sometimes experiences are in-the-moment kind of deals.

Upon returning home, we went for dinner at Boston Pizza in Richmond. I had the Honey Garlic Chicken Bites with Caesar Salad, a yummy menu item I had never tried before from the chain.

Vacation Return

Our last outing of the month was hitting Brown’s Socialhouse at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, prior to our Vancouver Canucks game. Mrs. Sip and I both elected to do their Dine Out Vancouver menu for $40. When planning where to eat that day, I had looked at a number of Dine Out options and was most impressed by Brown’s menu, based on items offered and price. My meal consisted of Sesame Ginger Gyoza, Tiki Tuna Poke Bowl and Super Fudge Brownie, while Mrs. Sip got the Crispy Cauliflower, Blackened Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo and Oreo Cookie Jar. To drink over the course of our feast, I had a Social IPA (just sneaking in the happy hour order) and Stanley Park Waypoint Hazy Pale Ale and 1897 Amber Ale. Everything tasted great and we both left very full.

That was it for our eventful January. Shockingly, February has no trips on the schedule, despite Girl Sip having four days off over the Family Day long weekend. Mrs. Sip really dropped the ball on that one! Instead, we will be taking in her first ringette tournament, which will present other opportunities for eats and drinks.

Sip Trips #224: Swift Summer

Posted on August 4, 2023 by Daniel Wilson

Man, I feel like I was blitzed half the month (if not more), but it was light on actual outings. At least light compared to what our months typically look like. Here’s what the Sip Family got up to for July:

Midway through the month, we joined friends for a birthday dinner at The Keg. Over the course of the meal, I had the Smoke on the Guava (Mezcal, Aperol, guava, lemon, egg white) and Mai Tai (Havana Club 7, Cointreau, almond syrup, pineapple, lime, amarena cherry) cocktails, paired with the Prime Rib Sliders. I also got to try Mrs. Sip’s Lobster Gratinee appy, as part of the restaurant’s Lobster Summer menu and we finished with some Billy Miner Pie for dessert. Another solid visit at The Keg, as per the usual.

The Keg

The following week, we had friends visiting from Ontario, so met them at Miku Sushi. Mrs. Sip has long wanted to try this restaurant and it did not disappoint. Sure, the sushi is more expensive than your typical sushi joint, but if you’re expecting it, the experience is worth it. Mrs. Sip and I shared the Lobster Ceviche, Oshi Sushi Sampler, Miku Roll, Surf & Turf Roll, and Red Wave Roll and all of it was delicious.

After dinner, we walked over to Devil’s Elbow for a drink. Mrs. Sip and I both had the Moon Under Water This Is Hefeweizen, an old favourite of ours that we don’t see too often anymore. Following that, we popped into Ludica Pizza for dessert and a game. Over snacks, consisting of their Two-Cheese Garlic Breadsticks and Nutella Pizza (as well as a pitcher of Phillips Blue Buck Ale), we played a game called Red Flags that was a lot of fun.

Games

To wrap the month, Mrs. Sip and I hit up the Paddlewheeler Pub for their trivia night. Over the course of the evening, Mrs. Sip and I shared a bunch of beers, including the Wildeye 7th Secret French Wheat, Fernie Ridgewalk Red Ale and 33 Acres of Darkness Schwarzbier. We also feasted on a trio of items, such as the Smashburger (Wednesday special), Triple Chefs Clubhouse and Creole Chicken Lollipops with Cornbread. Chicken Lollipops should stay in the test kitchen, but everything else was good to great, with the Clubhouse being particularly tasty, thanks to the candied bacon addition. My final thoughts on the trivia: music rounds suck so hard!

See, that’s a relatively paltry Sip Trips. We did spend a fair bit of time hosting friends and Ma and Pa Sip’s wonderful retreat, as well as visiting some folks for nights out. August should be a little busier, with a bunch of stuff already on the calendar, including a stag in Las Vegas!

Sip Trips #160: Weezer & Wagyu

Posted on April 11, 2019 by Daniel Wilson

It’s been a steady few weeks for the Sip Family, full of celebrations and events to attend. Here’s what the crew has been up to since I was last able to put fingers to keyboard:

Mrs. Sip and I celebrated the 17th anniversary of our first date a couple weeks back and boy how times have changed. With Baby Sip now in tow, we like to spend the first portion of the day doing a family activity, leaving our evening to just the two of us. Our day started with checking out the Greater Vancouver Zoo in Aldergrove. Baby Sip loved seeing all the animals and running around the park. I liked that you could bring your own bike or rollerblades or even rent one of those two-seater carriage bikes to get around the attraction. My only complaint for the place, is unlike our experience at the San Diego Zoo, you couldn’t explore with a beer or other adult libation in hand.

Following the zoo, while Baby Sip napped, we took care of the beverage absence by visiting Old Abbey Ales. Last time we tried to go here, the door was locked following a change in ownership. This time went a lot smoother. We were very impressed by the brewery’s eclectic beer board, deciding we each needed a flight to cover off all the brews we were interested in trying. We sampled the Beets by Steve, Sippy Chai Aye, Call of Ktulu Squid Ink Stout, Gose Cuervo, Jolly Brewer Watermelon Light Lager, Peanut Butter Jelly Time, Quila Grapefruit, and Fizzical Contradiction Brut IPA.

To finish off the busy day, we had a Vancouver Canucks game to attend. To use up the last of our season ticket membership gift cards, I bought a tall serving of Hoyne Dark Matter, which was a nice sipper through the first period. We also tried to go to Devil’s Elbow after the contest, but wouldn’t be able to be seated for about 25 minutes, so elected to return home and relieve our babysitters. We remedied this with a quick stop there a few nights later prior to our last game of the season, each enjoying a serving of the Howe Sound Wee Beastie Scotch Ale.

As an anniversary gift, Mrs. Sip signed us up to be ‘original patrons’ of Another Beer Company (ABC), which should be opening soon in the Sapperton area. Our $250 investment in the brewery is returned to us with a gift card in that amount, as well as other perks such as merchandise and invites to special events. I was already excited for another brewery (no pun intended) to open so close to our home, but now I’m super amped to see this operation take off.

This previous weekend, we joined friends to attend the Weezer/Pixies concert at Rogers Arena. Prior to the show, we had dinner at Wildebeest, enjoying their Omakase (Japanese for “trust the chef” or “let us order for you”) menu, which lets diners set a menu price per person and then sit back and enjoy whatever concoctions the kitchen can come up with. Our meal was orgasmic, highlighted by their delicious Bone Marrow (we even did luge shots of sherry out of the used bone), Wagyu Tartare and main event of more Wagyu beef, this time in strip form. As for drinks, I imbibed with their Uppercut cocktail (Calvados, vermouth, Maraschino, orange bitters, peated Scotch), and a pair of Parkside Pale Ales at $5 happy hour pricing.

As for the concert, we had a fantastic time, although we missed the opening act as we wrapped up our meal. The Pixies and Weezer both put on a great show. At the arena, I had a couple Millstreet Tankhouse Ales and when we were invited to join a friend in his private box, a couple more bevvies were enjoyed. All in all, a spectacular way to spend a Sunday night!

Upcoming for the Sip Family is the Iron Assassin’s Demolition Derby in Abbotsford on Saturday and the long-awaited return of Game of Thrones the following day. We are also gearing up for the Easter long weekend, where we’ll be travelling with Ma and Pa Sip to Seattle for what should be a gluttonous holiday!

Sip Trips #53: Best of 2015

Posted on January 7, 2016 by Daniel Wilson

2015 was a great year for Sip Advisor adventures, many of which were documented in our new feature, ‘Sip Trips’. Here are the Top 15 experiences of 2015, in chronological order because it would be way too hard to rank so much awesomeness:

#1: Valentine’s Day Beer Tour

Is there a better way to celebrate you and your partner’s love than boarding a bus with other beer nuts and travelling around to a selection of breweries and other stops? Dubbed the ‘For the Love of Craft’ tour, this route featured stops at Strange Fellowes Brewing, Storm Brewing, Schokolade Chocolate Café, and finished at Odd Society Spirits. Best of all, the tour still allowed for some one-on-one time that night, so you could enjoy each other’s drunken splendor in private.

#2: Portland Beer and Wine Fest

This annual Easter treat is a favourite festival for the Sip Advisor. It’s just so well done, with options for beer, wine, and spirits connoisseurs alike. We especially enjoy the educational presentations, which allow for samples of drink, mixed with food, such as the tequila and chocolate truffle session. After a full day of drinking at the Portland Convention Center, we returned to our hotel for the manager’s reception and then things really got fuzzy.

#3: Bacchanalia

What happens when you drink wine all day and all night… you end up in a bar with a pint of beer as a nightcap! Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy wine quite a bit, but I love breaking things up with some brews. It helps keep the palate refreshed. Bacchanalia is a very fun event, featuring countless wineries from around the Okanagan wine region. Best of all, it’s an excuse to get away and spend the weekend at a nice resort (also the site of the wine event)… until you return to a flooded apartment.

#4: Beer Trivia and This Sandwich/That Beer

This was another great weekend of sipping, as we combined Beer Trivia, followed the next day by This Sandwich/That Beer, all part of Vancouver Craft Beer Week. Our team fared well during trivia, which included a number of beverage servings, while the food and drink at This Sandwich/That Beer were both amazing and the venue (The Portside Pub) was a perfect place to host the extravaganza. I’d recommend both events to all beer fans.

#5: Tip N’ Taste

This is the only event on this list that did not include Mrs. Sip, who was gallivanting around Europe at the time. I’ve been a supporter of this festival for years and will continue to go back. The drinks offered are joined by great food from a number of local restaurants. You know a night of drinking went well when I wake up before Ma and Pa Sip – who I was sharing a hotel room with – the next morning, nearly missing the location’s continental breakfast.

#6: Galiano Beer and Wine Festival

I’m still amazed that this festival was occurring for the 23rd year in a row and yet most beer aficionados (people more connected than even I) hadn’t heard of it. Arriving early in the morning and having to kill a few hours before the event began was totally worth it. In future years, we may try to stay on the island longer and partake in the party bus transporting attendees from the event to a local pub afterwards for more boozing.

#7: Disneyland 60th Anniversary

Trips to Disneyland for Mrs. Sip and I have evolved from being all about the rides and attractions to being about the rides and attractions… while intoxicated. With each holiday, we find new places to enjoy drinks and new experiences to conquer, while under the influence. On this trip, we visited The Cove Bar for the first time, splitting lobster nachos and sampling drinks from their secret menu. Then, it was off to the Animation Building to try our hand at illustrating Disney characters.

#8: Brewery Bike Tour and Brew Cruise

With a friend visiting from Toronto, I had to share Vancouver’s burgeoning craft beer industry and the best way to tackle the ‘Yeast Van’ region is by bike. We managed to visit eight different locations around the city. As if we hadn’t had enough beer, the next day we were back at it, boarding the S.S. Booze Cruise (okay, that wasn’t the real name of the vessel) for some debauchery on the open seas. In total, over the weekend, I tried over 60 different beers!

#9: First Night in Zambia

After 36 hours of travel, all Mrs. Sip and I wanted to do was crash and acclimatize ourselves to our new time zone. Following a six-hour nap, we hoped to see some of Zambia’s city core during our brief stay. The owner of our accommodation invited us to have a couple beers and offered to take us into town for dinner. What followed was a meal that included fried caterpillars, bottles of wine and beer, and a visit to a local club for a truly Zambian music experience.

#10: Chobe River Cruise

Floating down Botswana’s Chobe River, with beer in hand, was a ‘Welcome to Africa’ moment I will never forget. Everywhere the eye could see provided views of animals in their natural habitat, behaving (rightfully so) as if we were foreigners to their land. A meal shared with our boat’s crew, while watching the sunset and sipping wine made you feel more connected with the universe than ever before. Mrs. Sip has ranked this as her top moment of 2015, and I can’t really blame her.

#11: Birthday Bus Party

My 32nd birthday was spent in amazing fashion, waking up to the sounds of thirsty elephant, heading to the man-made watering hole at Elephant Sands in Botswana. The festive day ended in similar fashion, aboard our tour bus with bomber-sized beers. The only hiccup was receiving a room without a fridge (while many of our tour compatriots had one), so I couldn’t keep chilled the beer I wanted to enjoy that night, as well as the cake I was given that morning.

#12: Etosha Waterhole

Watching elephants, rhinos, and giraffes come in and out of the waterhole, while jackals ran around wildly and even a lion could be spotted surveying the scene from a distance, as we sipped beers, wine, and bubbly, is an experience Mrs. Sip and I will never, ever forget. We did the waterhole right, developing our own schedule over our visits. Beer and chips in the afternoon; wine, cheese and crackers for sunset; and bubbly paired with dessert through the twilight.

#13: Last Night in Cape Town

We chose to spend our last night in beautiful Cape Town, bouncing around the city and exploring its beer, wine, and food culture. Cape Town is renowned for two of those things, but we found their budding craft beer industry to also hold some gems. When your day starts with breweries and taphouses and finishes with wine in a crypt beneath a church (with an amazing three course wine pairing meal in between) you know you’re living the high life.

#14: Bellingham Tap Trail

As a belated birthday gift, Ma and Pa Sip treated Mrs. Sip and me to a fun-filled weekend in Bellingham, Washington (just across the Canadian-U.S. border). Bellingham has a great craft beer community and we made sure to completely immerse ourselves in it. Over the weekend, we visited eight different breweries and taphouses along the town’s Tap Trail and have plans to return early in 2016 for another go round.

#15: Unibroue Dinner

Mrs. Sip and I have been to a number of great beer events this year, but this dinner, featuring the beers of Quebec’s Unibroue Brewery and the food of the Devil’s Elbow Ale and Smokehouse might go down as the best. Set during the Vancouver Hopscotch Festival week, the meal featured generous pours of Unibroue’s fantastic line-up and servings of some amazing food. The gifts didn’t stop coming, though, as upon leaving, we were given a souvenir glass as a memento.

I probably could have filled this entire list with experiences from our trip to Southern Africa (missing is dinner at Mama Africa and wine tasting through the famed Stellenbosch and Franschhoek regions). Even outside of Africa, this list is far from complete, as I am neglecting a number of amazing days, nights and entire weekends. For those out there that played a role in my enjoyment, I humbly thank you and hope we can do it again in 2016!

Sip Trips #45: Hip Hopscotch Hooray

Posted on November 26, 2015 by Daniel Wilson

The annual Hopscotch Festival recently took over Vancouver and Mrs. Sip and I were more than happy to embrace the week of special events. Here’s what we got up to:

On Tuesday, Nov. 17, we went to the Unibroue Pairing Dinner at The Devil’s Elbow. I can’t say enough good things about this event. Mrs. Sip and I attended the same Hopscotch dinner last year (at The Abbey) and this year’s rendition was so much better. First, we lucked out with a four-person table, but the beer and food distribution was executed much better this time around. Last year, you were required to share a plate of whatever the food pairing was, as well as pass a bottle of beer between not only your table, but also an adjacent one, as well. This year, it was individual dishes and a bottle of Unibroue split between four people, on average.

The cost was $63 each and I’d say it was worth every penny. The pairings included: mussels with La Fin du Monde; arugula salad, goat cheese and duck breast with Ephemere Apple; duo of crostini (pulled pork and foie gras) with 17 Grande Reserve; smoked brisket with Trois Pistoles; and a trio of tarts (pecan pie, chocolate mousse, and salted caramel) with Maudite, for dessert. We also received a bonus serving of La Resolution to wrap things up. My favourite dish – a tough choice to narrow down – was the pulled pork crostini.

Unibroue sommelier Sylvain Bouchard is an amazing storyteller and full of knowledge about not just Unibroue, but beer in general – and he clearly enjoys his own product. The venue this year provided a better space for Bouchard to speak to the group, as last year, he felt he was always speaking to only half the restaurant at each time. Like the year before, each guest was given a complimentary Unibroue cookbook, as well as a beautiful Blanche de Chambly glass.

After a few days off, we went to the Grand Tasting Hall – Beer and Food edition. I’ve been hesitant in past years about the Grand Tasting Hall because of its high price and crowds. This was the first year to feature a beer only tasting experience in the afternoon and when a Groupon came out, cutting the entry price in half (only $19, including a glass and five sample tokens), I was quick to jump on it.

The beers I tried, included: Okanagan Springs Chili Porter, Boxer Watermelon Lager and Apple Ale, Moody Ales Smouldering Smoked Porter, Stanley Park Sazerac Porter, Granville Island Dunkelweizen, Big Rock Winter Spice, Mt. Begbie Cold Smoke Porter, Bridge The Grinch, Deep Cove Double Trouble IPA and Luminescent Chocolate Coconut Porter (likely my favourite of the festival), Four Mile Pale Ale and English Strong Ale, Fernie Sap Sucker Maple Porter, Coal Harbour Smoke & Mirrors and Blackwing Baltic Porter, and Maui Coconut Porter and Mana Wheat.

Given the timing of the event, there were a number of dark beers to be had, as many of the suppliers brought along stouts, porters, and winter ales. Despite being on my wish list, I didn’t get to try Bravo Peche Mel and Muskoka Double Chocolate Cranberry Stout, as I couldn’t even locate the Muskoka booth. I also didn’t see Bad Tattoo Brewing, although they were advertised to be there. I was impressed that so many exhibitors brought unique beers to be sampled and not just their flagship brews. Only a few of the options available cost more than one token and two was the maximum.

While none of the liquors were available, their booths were set-up from the night before and you could see which companies were exhibiting their wares, giving me an idea of what the full event would be like. According to the Official Tasting Guide (also available online), some samples would cost as much as nine tokens, with an average of three tokens needed per tasting. If a Groupon comes out again next year, I would return to the beer event, but am still hesitant to do the full gala.

Mrs. Sip and I wrapped up our Hopscotch activities with the Whiskey and Chocolate Tasting at Legacy Liquor Store. I was surprised when Mrs. Sip grabbed tickets to this, given her bad experience with whiskey, many moons ago in Scotland, but I think the chocolate won out here.

Among the whiskeys we sampled and chocolates they were paired with were: Forty Creek with Cacao Barry BIO Milk, Rebel Yell with Cacao Barry Zephyr, The Balvenie with Cacao Barry BIO Dark, and Aberlour with Cacao Barry OCOA. We also got an extra chocolate, the Cacao Barry INAYA. Each chocolate, from Cocoa West, was delicious and you really got a sense of how well the two products accentuate one another when paired.

With tickets priced at $30 each, I’m not really sure the event was worth it price wise, but we did have fun together and it was good to see Mrs. Sip get back on the whiskey train… even if that means I didn’t get to finish her glasses!

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