Tag Archives: Drinks

Sip Trips #249: Wicked Weekends

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Well, August was pretty wild and flew by at break-neck speed. Was it fun? Sure. Was it a little overwhelming? Two things can be true at the same time. Here’s what the Sip Family got up to during most of the month, with our week in Disneyland at the end saved for another Sip Trips update:

With the Siplings still away with Ma and Pa Sip, Mrs. Sip and I took off to Peachland for the August long weekend. On our drive there, we stopped for dinner at Stallones Kitchen & Bar in Hope. I went full Stallone/Rambo, ordering the Stallones Burger and Mountainview First Blood Orange Wheat Ale. We had fantastic food and service at this restaurant, while the live music was very good. A great find by Mrs. Sip as we approached the town and were in need of sustenance.

Our time in Peachland was largely spent visiting a friend whose family has a beautiful place there. We did squeeze in a visit to the amazingly-themed Crown & Thieves Winery. Their tasting room is so cool it has to be experienced in person. Best of all, our $15 tasting fees were waived with a bottle purchase each, which wasn’t hard to do given the great wines available. We received excellent service from our scoundrel (aka server) and will definitely return, hoping to one day check out their onsite speakeasy basement bar.

The following weekend, reunited with the Siplings, we were off to Vancouver Island. Once arriving via ferry, we made our way to Rusted Rake Brewing in Nanoose Bay. This was another very cool setting, offering farm-to-table brews and food. To drink, I enjoyed a pint of The Wandering Scotsman’s Spruce Tip IPA. To eat, Mrs. Sip and I shared the Cornbread, Burnt Ends and Chicken & Pickles. We also tried tasters of their It’s Farming Saison and Willem Wets His Whistle Belgian Witbier.

The next day, we had lunch at Fern + Cedar Brewing in Qualicum Beach. Between games of cornhole with Boy Sip and Mrs. Sip, I managed to have the Green Mountain State NEIPA, along with a yummy Teriyaki Salmon dish.

Not content to leave the other brewery in the area off our visit list, we travelled over to Love Shack Libations, ordering two flights to cover their entire available lineup. My favourite drink here was the Juice Bigalow Hazy Mango Pineapple Ale.

Back on the mainland, our next weekend was spent staying at a friend’s place, as mutual friends from the U.K. visited. While out in the Langley area, we had a meal at The Barley Merchant. Over the course of the feast, I had servings of the North Point Strawberry Blonde Ale and Category 12 Fuzzy Peach IPA. My main dish of the Karai Ahi Noodle Salad was good, but I felt the meal didn’t know if it wanted to be a salad or a noodle bowl, incorporating ingredients of each. I guess it came as advertised as a “noodle salad”.

Later that weekend, we hit up Locality Brewing, letting all the kids run wild at the farm location. While there, I drank the Rhuberry Wheat Ale, Lean on Me DIPA and Black Tea Lager, all of which were tasty in their own way. Mrs. Sip and I split the Bison Poutine from Stampede Burger food truck and will have to go back sometime when they have their expanded catering menu, featuring Po’Boy sandwiches and other interesting items.

Our last outing while our friends were in town was to the PNE. I tried a California Sushi Taco from one of the many food trucks onsite, pairing the dish with a glass of Parallel 49 Trash Panda Hazy IPA, which made for a good combo.

That wraps most of August, a month where we didn’t spend a single weekend at home. The next Sip Trips, my 250th entry in the series, will be a special one as I dissect our week-long voyage to the Disneyland Resort!

Sip Trips #235: Birthday Bonanza

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June was fairly busy, as we welcomed warmer weather and celebrated a couple friend’s birthdays. Let’s see what the Sip Advisor and company got up to:

Our first outing of the month was attending a birthday at Legends Pub & Restaurant in Richmond. Over the course of the evening, the Sip Advisor indulged in a half dozen Phillips Glitterbomb Hazy Pale Ales. Each guy also took a turn buying a round of shots, with the selections including Tequila, Burt Reynolds, Kamikaze and Lemon Drop. As for food, I kind of forgot to eat anything, despite being curious about a few menu items during my pre-game research.

The following week presented my Father’s Day free day. Mrs. Sip and I have gifted these off days to each other for Mother’s and Father’s Day for a few years now. My day featured a Subway sandwich for lunch, sushi for dinner and chips, drinks and cookies in between and after meals.

Father's Day

Another week later, we were in Langley for another friend’s surprise 40th birthday. Mrs. Sip and I were part of the surprise set up, so while Mrs. Sip took the birthday girl out for afternoon tea, the Sip Advisor and the birthday girl’s husband did what we do best and hit up the Murrayville Town Pub for drinks and appies. While there, we split two styles of wings, the Cajun Dry Rub and Frank & Teri flavours, while I also knocked back a quartet of Steamworks Pale Ales. To complete the visit, we ordered a round of Pickleback shots.

As for the surprise birthday, we gathered at Chaberton Winery and their Bacchus Bistro for a feast. I was pleased to see beforehand that the place would offer Brookswood Brewing products and I ordered the Hazy Pale Ale and Cream Ale varieties. To eat, I went with the French Onion Soup as a starter, followed by a hearty Beef Bourguignon main.

The next day was Father’s Day. For drinking at the gathering hosted by Ma and Pa Sip, I picked up the Black Fly Cocktail Mixer Pack (Rum Mojito, Gin Greyhound, Long Island Iced Tea, Tequila Margarita). My favourite of this set is the Gin Greyhound. For Father’s Day gifts, I received a bottle of Crown Royal Blackberry Mure, complete with BC Liquor Stores gift card, as well as a collection of yummy snacks.

Father's Day Gift

Later that week, after taking the Sipplings to a splash park in the Queensborough Landing area, we dropped into Frankie G’s Pub, which was hosting IQ2000 Trivia. I tried the Cantonese Style Chicken + Shrimp Chow Mein, paired with a pint of Parallel 49 Trash Panda IPA. For dessert, we tried a plate of their Fried Oreos.

That weekend, as a Mother’s Day gift, I treated Ma Sip to a day out in Vancouver. We are both true crime fans, so I booked us spots on The Hidden History and Sweet Treats Tour (through Forbidden Vancouver Walking Tours). Tickets were $69 for adults ($5 off for seniors), which I thought was a fair price. Our sweet treats included a Kouign Amann from Beaucoup Bakery, Macaron from Faubourg and Mermaid’s Choice Chocolate Bar from Mink: A Chocolate Café. The Kouign Amann, a croissant on steroids, was particularly spectacular. Our guide Rob was also amazing with his knowledge and presentation.

Following the tour, we sat down to lunch at Mahony & Sons. There, we shared appy orders of the Crispy Chicken Sliders (with extra slider added to even up the plate) and Parmesan Truffle Fries. My drink choice was the Strange Fellows Talisman Pale Ale. Next up was a happy hour beverage at Rogue Wet Bar, where I had the Steamworks John Oliver IPA.

Kouign Amann

The next day, we stopped for a meal at Brogan’s Diner in Langley. There, I had the Chicken Club, which I enjoyed. In a rare showing of restraint by the Sip Advisor, no drinks were ordered at this establishment.

To celebrate the end of Girl Sip’s school year, we had dinner at Boston Pizza. I combined the Fan Fave Diamond Ale (brewed by Carlsberg Canada for the restaurant’s 60th anniversary) with the Kick’n Memphis Chicken Sandwich, which made for a good combo.

Our last outing of the month was an inaugural visit to Locality Brewing in Langley. The kids loved playing at the farm-based brewery, while we enjoyed a trio of beers, including the Strawberry Milkshake Ale, Rhuberry Wheat Ale and Hazy Pale Ale. We also shared an order of Bison Poutine from the Stampede Burger food truck on site.

Barn Beer

Following the brewery, we decided to stay over at a friend’s place, which meant a stop at a nearby liquor store was in order to gather supplies. I picked up the Pyur Burst Mixer Pack, which I had never seen before. These drinks clock in at a whopping 7 per cent each, with flavours such as Lemonade, Pineapple, Blackberry and Strawberry-Rhubarb.

I also wanted to note that I’ve tried two of the four McDonald’s Shaker Fries flavours to be released recently. Shaker Fries was one my favourite promotions the company ever ran and brings back a great deal of nostalgia for me. I found the Masala to be disappointing, while the Ramen was wonderful. The Churro sold out before I was able to sample and I’m still hoping to give Tzatziki a go before it disappears. I’ve also tried two of the three Chicken McNuggets retro sauces the chain brought back recently. I really enjoyed the Szechuan and thought the Creamy Garlic Parmesan was also decent. Admittedly, I’m not interested in the Jalapeno Cheddar.

That puts a bow on an lively June. July is already packed full of activities, as we gear up for our European odyssey at the end of the month!

Sip Trips #232: Escondido Escape

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The bulk of March was spent travelling to and staying in Escondido, California. Here’s what we got up to on our road trip to the Golden State, as well as the lead up to the Spring Break getaway:

Early in the month, following one of Girl Sip’s ringette games, the Sip Family had dinner at White Spot. I had the Legendary Burger with Caesar Salad, paired with the beverage version of a Caesar, which is typically a Sunday special in these parts.

A couple days later, my work treated us to lunch at Catch 122 in North Vancouver. I ordered the Bulgogi Steak N Egg, which was a fantastic dish. Unfortunately, given it was a work function, only water was consumed during the meal.

Work

That weekend, with our vehicle in for servicing, Mrs. Sip and I had lunch at Milestones in Langley. I tried the Steak Sandwich with Cajun Fries, combined with a pint of Blue Moon. I loved the flavours going on with the sandwich, but the steak was really chewy. The fries were also quite good.

That night, Mrs. Sip and I had a Canucks game to attend and discovered that you can get cheaper drinks in the SportsBar Live! portion of the arena and even ask for them to be put in to-go cups. We plan to utilize this more often in the future.

Next up, we hit the road for my first ever long distance driving trip (ie. multiple stops to get to our destination) behind the wheel. We left early in the morning and got a really good start, finally making our first stop of the journey in Salem, Oregon, at For Tomorrow We Die Brewing. There, I had the Hootenanny Herb & Spice Beer, while Mrs. Sip ordered the Kiss the Girl Amber Ale. To share, we had the BBQ Pork Sliders and Samosas, which made for a good feast.

Road Trip

Another hour of driving and we were at stay one of the trek in Springfield, Oregon. For dinner, we met up with Ma and Pa Sip – who were also driving to Escondido – at Hop Valley Brewing. Mrs. Sip and I shared again, going with the BLTA with Tater Tots as our side. The sandwich was absolutely loaded with bacon, which I appreciated. To drink, I enjoyed the Stash Panda IPA.

Our next stay was in Dickson, California, so we could visit the nearby Jelly Belly Tour and Museum the next morning. The experience was very good, especially for the Sipplings. My only complaint was I wish their café offered beers and other beverages, which would have been nice to enjoy as Pa Sip and I got the kids set up with lunch, while Mrs. Sip and Ma Sip did Wine and Chocolate Tasting offered.

Stay three was spent in Kettleman City, California. We had dinner at Wild Jack’s Tex Mex BBQ, which allowed the kids to run around and play as we ate, drank and all enjoyed time outside the vehicle. Our meal included the Brisket Sandwich, Beer Battered Cheese Curds and some other sides ordered by Ma and Pa Sip. My beverage of choice was a bottle of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.

Driving

On our final day of driving, I made a point of visiting the Rainforest Café in Ontario, California, so the Sipplings could experience the restaurant. My Modelo Especiale came in a souvenir glass, which I didn’t really need, but there didn’t seem to be any glassware option. Mrs. Sip got the Mongoose Mai Tai, also in a souvenir glass. To eat, we split the Tuki’s Turkey Club.

Finally, we arrived in Escondido and it was time to kick back a little… after a thorough supply shopping excursion, of course. For drinks, I picked up the White Claw Variety 24 Pack, which I greatly enjoyed, given it had a fantastic variety of flavours (Watermelon, Blackberry, Black Cherry, Mango, Peach, Tangerine). I also snagged the Lagunitas VarietI-PAck (IPA, Hazy Wonder IPA, A Little Sumpin’ Sumpin’ Wheat IPA, Island Beats Tropical IPA) and a bottle of Trader Joe’s Rum of the God’s Amber.

The next day was Boy Sip’s fourth birthday, so we spent the occasion at Legoland. For lunch, we dropped into the Knights Smokehouse BBQ, where I had the Tarantula Hill Cali Day IPA. The Sip Family shared the delicious Smoked Haven Platter (Brisket, Pulled Pork, Ribs), along with sides of Fries, Potato Salad and Cornbread. We also got some Chicken Strips for the table, which were so good I went back for them on our next visit (the Sip Family bought year passes, given they had a buy three, get one free deal going on). Best of all, a side of Chicken Strips were only $5. The eatery’s Smoky BBQ Sauce was also tremendous.

Lego

After a few days off to enjoy the Welk Resort we were staying at, we visited the nearby Deer Park Winery & Auto Museum. There, as most of our group enjoyed some of the vineyard’s wares, I sat down to a can of Mother Earth Cali Creamin’ Vanilla Cream Ale, reminding me how good this beer is.

Looking to restock some of our supplies, Cousin Sip and I did some more shopping at a Vons grocery store. There, I picked up a 1.75-litre bottle of Sailor Jerry’s Spiced Rum (for only $20!!!), along with the Mother Earth Cali Combo Mixed 12-Pack (Peaches & Cream, Vanilla Cream Ale, Orange Creamsicle) and Ashland Hard Seltzer case (Raspberry Lemonade, Watermelon, Mango Strawberry, Tropical Cherry).

On the last day for some of our group, we travelled to Temecula to hit up some of the breweries there. Boy Sip and I played a number of games at Black Market Brewing, as I enjoyed an Enemy Within Dragonfruit IPA. We also stopped at 8-Bit Brewing, where I had The Oregon Pale Hazy Pale Ale. We had tried to go to Garage Brewing, but minors weren’t allowed because they don’t have a food menu. This was too bad, as we had a couple good trips to their previous location in 2018, when they offered a great pizza menu.

Drinks

One other brewery stop we made was to Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens, which is a massive facility. This was Boy Sip’s 100th brewery, so celebrations were in order as I loved my Wagyu Luxe Burger, paired with a Space Bar Friends Altbier. The bistro has an interesting online ordering system, which practically eliminates the need for a server.

A few days later, we returned to Temecula, this time to the Old Town area, so we could enjoy some Mexican fare. Mrs. Sip selected Landeros Mexican Grill + Cantina for our lunch, where I had the Tacos de Queso Birria and a pint of Pizza Port Chronic Ale.

Sadly, it was time to pack up and make the haul back home, starting on Easter Sunday. Along our way home, we had dinner at Pea Soup Andersen’s in Santa Nella, California (also our stopping point for the night), where I ate the “Rich Boy” Triple Decker Club with Potato Salad. This is another place I would have loved to enjoy an adult beverage, but that wasn’t an option in the dining area.

Returning Home

Our last stay was spent in Eugene, Oregon, where we went for a meal at Red Lobster so Mrs. Sip could partake in Lobsterfest. I really enjoyed what’s become my usual order at the chain, the Sesame-Soy Salmon Bowl, along with a pint of Blue Moon.

That wraps a pretty epic March. April doesn’t have nearly the same content on the calendar, but I’m sure we’ll find a way to have fun, as we always do!

Love & Hate: Cruising

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Mrs. Sip and I are seasoned cruise travellers. Over our many voyages, I’ve noticed many pros and cons for this style of travelling. If you’re considering whether cruising is for you, perhaps my notes in this expanded article will help in your decision. Let’s start with some reasons why hitting the water is the way to go:

Can unpack for duration of trip

Living out of a suitcase can really suck. On a cruise, you can fully unpack and settle into your digs, as your ship moves you along the route. The first thing Mrs. Sip does every time our luggage arrives at our room – sometimes to an annoying degree – is unpack everything. This helps her feel the vacation has truly begun.

Ship takes you to all stops

Aboard a cruise, you never have to worry about how you’re getting to your next destination. The crew takes care of this for you. No concerns about driving in unfamiliar territory or racing to meet connections. Instead, you just float along at the ship’s pace.

Sample the world

Cruises can be great for those that want to hit as many places as possible, in a limited amount of time. Many of our cruises have hit multiple countries in a short span. Sure, you only get to do one tour/activity or see a couple landmarks when on a port day, but for many stops, that’s all you really need.

Cruise Shopping

Large selection of media to watch

In recent years, cruise ships have really upped their in-room entertainment options. When Mrs. Sip and I first started cruising, you had to time when you’d watch a movie or TV show, as they were played on a schedule and the selection to enjoy was limited. Today, you can watch a wide on-demand catalogue. This has been even more helpful with young kids, as time spent in the room increases with them.

Entertainment

The entertainment offered on ships is quite good, from song and dance shows, to comedians and everything in between. Shows typically run twice a night, so you can work around any dinner plans you may have. There’s also a variety of other activities to get into, including trivia challenges, game shows, karaoke and much more.

Kid’s Club

The Sipplings are now both of the age where we can drop them off at the Kid’s Club and enjoy some adult freedom. Sure, the pager they give you is a constant reminder that the good times can’t last forever and you’ll eventually have to pick your progeny up, but for the time they’re having fun with those their age, you are also doing the same.

Cruise Relax

Someone is always cleaning up after you/cooking for you

As the chief chef and housekeeper of the Sip Headquarters, I truly appreciate that on a cruise, someone is always cooking for and cleaning up after me. Sure, I’m still in charge of putting together spreads of food for my picky kids and tidying up after them in most circumstances, but every little bit helps to give me some breaks.

I should also mention a perk such as unlimited cookies, given it’s well-documented that the Sip Advisor is a cookie monster. Also, the motion on the ocean can be fun in many ways! As much as I love cruising, often citing it as my preferred mode of travel, there are some drawbacks that must be noted. Here are some of the things the Sip Advisor often gripes about while onboard a vessel:

Cramped quarters

Most of the rooms we’ve had have been tight for just myself and Mrs. Sip. Add in the Sipplings and all the cargo that comes with them and it can be a little overwhelming. On one of our trips, I hit my knee in the same spot multiple times. Now that the kids have grown out of strollers and pack n’ plays, perhaps some space will open up, but they are also growing, so that room will be absorbed quickly.

Ship Rocking

Tendering

How cruise lines haven’t found a way to improve this method of connecting ships to the land is beyond me. First, you face long waits to even get aboard a shuttle. Next, you wait for what seems like an eternity for it to finally depart, often exposed to stifling heat. By the time you get to your destination, you’re likely already quite annoyed and perhaps suffering from heat stroke. Getting back to the ship is just as bad, as long lines often form at the equally unshaded terminal.

Have to pay for drinks

I’ve come to prefer the all-inclusive style of travelling in this regard, where I don’t have to worry about bar bills. Mrs. Sip and I have perfected some tricks to lower our tab at the end of each voyage, but you still have to enjoy yourself when at sea. Finding the right balance is achievable, but it may take some playing around with.

Limited time at stops

On the flip side of getting a taste of many stops on one holiday, is the fact that your time in those stops is often truncated. Mrs. Sip often compares cruising to ordering an appetizer platter, where you get to sample a number of things, but you don’t get a full meal. Some port stops we’ve experienced have been as short as four hours. We’ve theorized that if you really like the taste you tried, you can always return for a feast at a later time, however, this is unachievable for some and even we haven’t returned to places we hoped to explore more.

Ship Passengers

Long walks to get things

These ships are massive and moving about them can sometimes feel like an endless journey. For example, I’m in charge of getting the Sip Family water at the end of each night and depending on where our cabin is located, the trek may take me a fair amount of time. We’ve also struggled on more recent cruises, depending on the distance between our room and where the Kid’s Club is.

Other passengers

Your fellow travellers on a cruise are likely to be of an older vintage. This can be good and bad, depending on your travel circumstances. On our most recent cruises, many travellers seemed to enjoy our children, likening them to their own grandkids. But, there was the occasional passenger, who didn’t enjoy the high energy of Boy and Girl Sip or other youngsters aboard the ship.

Uninspired menus

At the start of each voyage, it’s exciting to have all these culinary options up for offer. A few days in, you start to grow tired of the rotation of dishes and seeing the same items on the dining menu or at the buffet. I’d prefer a little more experimentation with food offered, but the ship is doing it’s best to appeal to as large a portion of passengers possible.

Cruise Food

Wardrobe changes

Between sleeping, meals, pool time, activities and hitting the gym (LOL), you will often go through a number of clothing changes each day, constantly having to return to your room to look the part for your next endeavour. I counted one time and had worn six different outfits during a day (sleepwear, swimsuit, gym gear, casual clothes, formal wear, warmer casual clothes).

Schedule juggling

A cruise is meant to bring about rest and relaxation, but Mrs. Sip likes to cram in every activity possible. This often causes us to be running from dinner to trivia or a show because the woman has never been great about time coordination. My anxiety grows as she goes through the next day’s schedule and talks about all the points of interest we should hit.

Love & Hate: The Isaac

The Isaac

  • 2 oz White Rum
  • 1 oz Pomegranate Liqueur
  • Top with Club Soda
  • Splash of Lime Juice
  • Garnish with a Maraschino Cherry

This cocktail is made in honour of the bartender on The Love Boat. The show was filmed on Princess Cruise ships, thus is served aboard the line, although it’s now a hidden drink, but still available for those in the know. I subbed Pomegranate Liqueur for Pomegranate Syrup.

Sip Trips #229: The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

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The end of 2023 was as busy as the rest of the calendar, even with Mrs. Sip not booking us up as fervently as she usually does. Still, we got out to a bunch of places and met up with a number of our people. Here’s how we closed the year:

The month began with news that our Beer Box program was coming to an end after two years “due to challenges within the marketplace.” I’ve enjoyed the subscription service, as it saved me from going to the liquor store and provided a greater variety of beers. Some cons were breweries sending out non-unique offerings or duplicates and sometimes dealing with receiving/scheduling a delivery was frustrating. That said, I will miss this program.

Beer

As for activities, December opened with Mrs. Sip’s office Christmas party at Stefanos Restaurant. The Greek eatery offered guests appetizer platters, a main (I chose the Chicken Souvlaki) and dessert. For drinks, I had a Long Island Iced Tea, Caesar and Okanagan Springs Pale Ale. My only complaint with the meal was that much more tzatziki needed to be provided from the get go, as we kept having to ask for more.

The next night, the Sip Family attended an Abbotsford Canucks game, which featured their annual Teddy Bear Toss. Tickets through my work union were only $25 each and included a $15 concessions voucher per person. We used our combined $60 in vouchers to feast on chicken strips, fries, pizza, beer, ice cream, and gummy bears. To say the Sipplings were pleased would be an understatement. Girl Sip even won the union raffle prize of a stick signed by the entire team. Even after the game, the team offered hot chocolate and popcorn to fans.

After a Christmas train outing at Bear Creek Park, we had dinner at the Central City Boston Pizza. I ate the Grilled Chicken Clubhouse, paired with a Boston-sized Blue Moon. This was the first use of the Sippling’s newest Kid’s Meal cards, which offer five meals each for only $5.

Kids Meals

On a shopping excursion to the U.S., Mrs. Sip and I, along with Girl Sip, stopped for dinner at the Birch Bay Bob’s Burgers. I tried the Bacon Burger with Warm Potato Salad as my selected side. I also munched on Mrs. Sip’s Coleslaw and Girl Sip’s JoJos wedge fries. To wash it all down, I went with the Kulshan Bastard Kat IPA.

Next up, was our Vancouver Canucks Road Game Viewing Party, hosted by SportsBar Live at Rogers Arena. This is a perk of our ticket membership, offering members and their guests two appetizers and a meal and beverage each. We split the Honey Garlic Wings and 1/2 Nachos, while I selected the Cheeseburger for my main. To drink, I started with a pint of Super Flux Colour and Shape IPA, followed by a SportsBar Caesar. Of course, Canucks alumni and the team mascot, Fin, were on hand signing autographs and chatting with those in attendance. The event was capped with our family keeping up our good luck of late, as Girl Sip won a $25 gift card and Mrs. Sip took home a signed Thatcher Demko jersey.

Prior to watching a performance of Elf: The Musical at The Stanley Theatre, Mrs. Sip and I had dinner at the nearby Cactus Club. I ordered my typical Chicken Tenders with Fries and Ugly Wheat Ale. Mrs. Sip got a Mistletoe Mojito that had really neat popping cranberry pearls which we both enjoyed consuming.

Prizes

Just prior to Christmas, we met up with visiting friends at 3 Dogs Brewing in White Rock. Over the course of our evening out, I had servings of the Lava Dog Red Ale and Good Boy Hazy Pale Ale. I also helped Mrs. Sip a little with her Feliz Navidog Porter.

As for the big day, Christmas was very generous to me, as usual, both in gifts and time spent with family. Some notable booze-related items I received included a bottle of Don Papa Rum, along with a World Traveler Cocktail Gift Set, with pre-mixed bottles to make some of the globe’s most interesting cocktails, simply by adding alcohol.

For Christmas dinner, I produced my annual cocktail menu, featuring five original recipes: Miracle on 34th Street (Spiced Rum, Peach Schnapps, Grapefruit Soda), The Greatest Gift (Vodka, Mountain Dew: Fruitquake, Orange Bitters), Skipping Christmas (Mango Chamoy Tequila, Cran-Tropical Juice, Club Soda), The Polar Express (Chocolate Whiskey, Cream Soda, Chocolate Bitters), and A Christmas Memory (Gin, Lemonade, Lingonberry Juice).

Christmas

Our final outing of the year was to a Vancouver Canucks game. Prior to puck drop, we had a meal at the Earl’s Test Kitchen. I really enjoyed Mrs. Sip’s appetizer selection of the Yuzu Calimari, while my spread of the Pulled Chicken Clubhouse with Caesar Salad was quite tasty. The banquet was completed with a pint of Rhino Hazy Pale Ale.

I hope everyone else was able to enjoy the holiday season in whatever way you prefer to do so. 2024 promises to be another great year, with our January already being highlighted by Mrs. Sip’s 40th birthday and a family escape to Disneyland!

Sip Trips #207: Rinks and Drinks

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Well, March was interesting, full of outings and even some travel. In fact, the month was so busy, I’ve split our experiences into two entries, something I haven’t had to do for a very long time when it comes to Sip Trips diaries. Let’s see how the majority of March played out:

The month began with the Sip Advisor meeting a friend to watch the All Elite Wrestling Revolution pay-per-view. Prior to arriving for the show, we had a couple beers at Roxy Burger, a former frequent haunt for the Sip Family. There, I had two James Brown Ales, at the Sunday special price of $4.50 each.

Next up was the pay-per-view, hosted at Red Card Sports Bar. Throughout the amazing, but lengthy show, I consumed two Red Card Pale Ales, two Howe Sound Sky Pilot NW Pale Ales and one Howe Sound Hazy Daze IPA. To keep from over liquefying, I enjoyed a serving of the bar’s Hotiyaki Wings at happy hour pricing, as well as a Classic Burger later in the evening. The wings were delicious and I really liked the blend of hot sauce and teriyaki. The burger was also very good and we hope to return for future events.

Wrestling

Later that week, Mrs. Sip and I both signed up for Vancouver Craft Beer Week Beer Boxes at the Founding Membership level. This means, four times per year (spring, early summer, late summer and winter), we will receive 24 curated craft beers from a variety of breweries, for only $69 each delivery. We felt this was an amazing deal and can’t wait to see what our first Beer Box holds.

Offered a mid-week date night, Mrs. Sip and I finally visited Gotham Steakhouse, something we had always intended to, but never got around to, while living downtown. We picked Gotham from the list of places that were supposed to be doing Cinq A Sept, as part of Vancouver Cocktail Week, but nobody seemed to know what I was talking about with regards to the special happy hours. Not to be deterred, Mrs. Sip and I both had the restaurant’s Feature Cocktail of the day (Aperol, St. Germain, Gin, Lemon Juice, Absinthe Rinse). I also enjoyed pints of Backcountry Widowmaker IPA and Parkside Dusk Pale Ale, while Mrs. Sip was recommended to order a Whiskey Sour, which we both enjoyed. For eats, we shared the Steak and Prawn Skewers, Caesar Salad and Seymour Street Fried Chicken, all of which were tasty.

Following our meal, it was time for the Vancouver Canucks vs. Montreal Canadiens game we had tickets to. After the first period, we tried Strawberry and Passionfruit Margaritas from the Rogers Arena margarita bar, which I’d like to think spurred the Canucks on to their eventual victory that night.

Margarita

That weekend, we took the Sipplings to the Dead Frog Carnival, where the brewery was releasing two new beers with cotton candy additions. The beers, which I tried each of, were the Hippity Hop Hazy IPA and Pondside Pale Ale. Mrs. Sip had a Black Raspberry Sangria Sour. Our food consisted of the yummy Maple Jalapeno Beef Dip, a Jumbo Beer Pretzel and Smoked Salt & Pepper Wings, which ended up at our table by mistake, but the server said they couldn’t take them back, so we might as well enjoy them.

The next day, prior to another Canucks contest, Mrs. Sip and I had a pre-game meal at The Keg. I paired a Gin Basil Lemonade with an order of French Onion Soup, as I had earlier finished my Beef Dip from the day before and wasn’t super hungry by the time we sat down for dinner.

For St. Patrick’s Day, we went to the 120 Pub for dinner and drinks. It was a great stop for the entire family, as a magician/balloon animal artist was on hand to entertain the kids. My meal consisted of a pint of 120 Winter Wheat Ale (brewed by Red Truck Brewing), to go with the Cali Club sandwich.

St. Patrick's Day

Next up, was Boy Sip’s 2nd birthday. Following a day out, our extended family met for dinner at Boston Pizza. Here, I had a Kick’n Memphis Chicken Sandwich, along with a Yellow Dog High 5 Hazy IPA. Best of all, throughout the month of March, kids meals were free, so long as adults purchased entrees.

For guests at Boy Sip’s Choo Choo Two birthday party the next day, I picked up the Mt. Begbie Bundle of Joy case, containing three each of their Nasty Habit IPA, Tall Timber Brown Ale, Attila the Honey Amber Ale and High Country Kolsch. The pack caught my eye for its unique combo of beers.

We arrived early for our last Canucks game of the month, so decided to start at the arena’s SportsBar. There, we shared the Buffalo Chicken Poutine, where the Buffalo chicken, gravy, veggies and fries all made for a good combo of flavours. To drink, I had a pint of Main Street Naked Fox IPA. We sat and watched the first period in the bar, before moving to our seats for the rest of the match.

Sports Bar

To celebrate another handful of March birthdays on Mrs. Sip’s side of the family, we again ate at The Keg. This time, I went with The Keg Burger, which was decent, but reminded me of how much I missed the original Keg Burger. My beverage choices included a Chili Mango Margarita and a Yellow Dog High 5 Hazy IPA.

The last week of March was spent in Las Vegas, celebrating my and Mrs. Sip’s 20th dating anniversary. What did we get up to in Sin City? You’ll have to wait for the next Sip Trips to find out!

Sip Trips #206: Mexico Musings

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February has come and gone and when you spend close to half the month on vacation, that can never be a bad thing. How did the Sip Family’s first international travel in over two years go? Let’s find out:

To begin the month, we finalized the purchase of our first ever new vehicle. After picking it up, we went for a late dinner at Montana’s in Langley. There, I took advantage of their $4.99 Rickard’s Red  special, pairing it with a Southern-Fried Chicken Sandwich. We also had a coupon for a free appy, using it on their Loaded Garlic and Cheese Pull-Apart Bread. The beer hit the spot, while all the food was tasty. This was my first time to Montana’s for some time and I hope we can return soon for more comfort food goodness.

Comfort Food

Next up, was our long-awaited family trip to Cancun, Mexico. We had booked this vacation all the way back in January 2021, thinking the world would be back to normal by February 2022. Well, it isn’t quite back to normal yet, but we weighed all the pros and cons and decided to still go ahead with the trip, despite pandemic concerns, having to take tests to return home, having to quarantine once we returned, and some of our fellow travel group deciding against travelling.

First, a couple quick notes about Vancouver International Airport and our flight to Mexico. Prior to our flight boarding, I noticed a Whistler Brewing Lodge was coming soon. I greatly look forward to this dining/drinking option at the airport and hope I get to enjoy it at some point. As for our flight, while we were saving our drinking for the all-inclusive resort, I was dismayed to hear flight attendants turn down drink orders and end drink service early because they didn’t have enough stock for the return trip. I mean, come on, people are starting their vacation and may want to get into the festive spirit or make their trip more relaxed. How could they not stock up properly for the round trip or why can’t they restock once in Mexico?

Upon arriving in Cancun, we boarded our private transport to the resort, with our drvier providing us with some of the most satisfying Coronas I’ve ever enjoyed. After a 1.5-hour journey, our long travel day was finally complete and we could begin relaxing and enjoying. Here are my notes about out resort, the Grand Palladium Riviera Maya:

All-Inclusive

Our bar set up was supposed to included two bottles of our choice, but we were thrilled to hear upon arrival that we would now get to select five bottles. In a bit of a panic, I quickly chose Stolichnaya Vodka, Havana Club 7 Rum, Jim Beam Bourbon, Bombay Sapphire Gin, and Don Julio Reposado Tequila. When looking into my selections, our bottles would have cost me close to $300 if purchased at a BC Liquor Store, so I was very satisfied with that. With free drinks across the resort, we planned to bring three of the bottles home and only opened two in the room.

Speaking of those drinks around the resort, my orders largely consisted of Margaritas, Palomas, Dos Equis Amber beers, Rum and Cokes, Gin & Tonics (using the delightful Tanqueray Rangpur whenever possible), and Jameson & Ginger Ale with lime juice. I also enjoyed the many “make your own” drink stations. There was ones for Mojitos, G&Ts, Bloody Marys and Mimosas.

As for food, it was mostly very good. I can’t say we had a single bad meal at any of the dinner restaurants and we enjoyed the various themes, including steakhouse, Thai, Japanese teppanyaki, family barbecue, Mexican, etc. We didn’t get a chance to hit them all, though, and particularly would have like to have tried their beach-set seafood and Spanish tapas options.

Resort Food

Okay, now for some negatives and areas where the resort can improve. I felt the resort was too big, comparing it to my opinions of rather being at Disneyland than Disney World, for manageability. Next, their computer system was atrocious with communication between different departments being almost non-existent. Add in some typical language barrier issues and there was a few problems we had to unfortunately work through, when we should have been relaxing without a care in the world. Lastly, I never got to try any of the resort craft beers, as they were only free in one part of the place, although they were on display everywhere. That said, I wasn’t thrilled with the varieties offered anyway.

My Top 5 experiences at the resort were:

  1. Playing with the Sipplings at the water slides
  2. Watching the kids dance at a couple of the parties
  3. Seeing Girl Sip perform live on stage for first time, through the Kid’s Club
  4. My night out with Mrs. Sip to watch the Chic Cabaret performance
  5. Our infinity pool getaways at the adult-only portion of the resort

We left the resort twice, once to see a friend’s mother in Puerto Venturas and a couple days later to Playa del Carmen to visit that same friend’s sister and her family. In Puerto Venturas, we had a late lunch at Café Ole International. There, I tried a Chamoy Michelada and scarfed down a delicious Baconnator Burger. The Chicken Strips for the Sipplings were also quite good, as I just had to try one. We also had a drink at the Beach Club & Hotel, where I had a Mai Tai.

Mexico

In Playa del Carmen, we ate at the Sonora Prime steakhouse, where I ordered the Skull Rabbit cocktail. For food, we shared a number of menu items, including the Calimari and Cheese Dip and Chips. For a main course, Mrs. Sip and I shared the Wellington Burger, which was injected with hot cheese. The burger was spectacular, but sadly, Girl Sip was dealing with a bout of heat/sun stroke and that put a damper on this outing, as we were concerned with her illness and recovery.

On our return trip home, at the Cancun Airport, we wanted to eat at Guy Fieri’s American Kitchen Bar, but it inexplicably closed at 6. This, during a dinner rush with many weary travellers looking for a good meal before boarding their long flights home or to their own vacation destinations. We ended up getting some eats in the food court area, but I was disappointed with not getting to try Guy Fieri’s.

That wraps the shortest month of the year. In the end, I’m glad we took the risk and went on this vacation. It provided a chance to have some wonderful family time together and experience some new things. March will be fun, as we have a number of Canucks games, other events and we celebrate my and Mrs. Sip’s 20-year dating anniversary!

Sip Trips #201: September Celebrations

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Well, September was a busy month, as it usually is, filled with numerous birthdays and other activities as the summer comes to a close and we try to eke out the last bits of outdoor fun. Let’s see what the Sip Family did to wrap up the season:

September began with a visit to the Great Canadian Brewhouse in Abbotsford, as we returned home from a day with the kids at Cultus Lake Adventure Park. We may have been pushing our luck after a really good but long day, as both young’uns were in no mood for us to enjoy a restaurant meal. We tried to make the best of it, but the restaurant was also out of a few of the Feature Menu items Mrs. Sip wanted to try and a beer I had hoped to have. Mrs. Sip did join their app/rewards club, which gave us access to a free order of Golden Garlic Fingers, which were very good. She also ordered the Triple Eh! Peppered Angus Steak Bites, along with a Same Team Soda, while I paired the Brewhouse Hoser Club with a Stanley Park Windstorm Pale Ale. Despite any of the issues, we returned to their Richmond location later in the month to try more of their menu.

Club Sandwich

The next week, we popped into Steel & Oak Brewing, since they had food and drink Mrs. Sip was interested in trying. While I enjoyed my Turned Out Spruce Tip Ale, Mrs. Sip finally got to try the Berliner Weisse flight with three different syrups (orange and saffron, ginger and turmeric, and spruce tip) she had been curious about for much of the summer. The Mr. Arancino food truck was also on site, so we grabbed a set of Risotto Balls from it, Arancini being one of Mrs. Sip’s favourite appetizers.

En route to visit some friends in Langley, I popped into the Clayton Liquor Store and picked up tall can four-packs of Vancouver Island Watermelon Hibiscus Blonde (Tidal Series) and Russell Strawberry & Kiwi Milkshake IPA. Both beers were perfect for a late summer outing. I had originally stopped at the store, hoping to track down the Phillips Twenty Point Buck (Barrel-Aged Blue Buck) 20th Anniversary Gift Set with commemorative glass. I was unlucky here, but did eventually find the product at the Central City Bridgeview Liquor Store.

The next day, after taking advantage of advanced voting in the Canadian federal election, we celebrated with dinner at Brown’s Social House in Sapperton. We took advantage of a few Social Hour deals, including Parmesan Garlic Fries, Crispy Cauliflower and beverages including the Social Palmer for me and Summer Social Soda for Mrs. Sip. For my meal, I went with the Florida Special (crispy chicken, avocado, bacon, Swiss cheese, tomato, and coleslaw on a toasted baguette) with Caesar Salad. For Girl Sip, we ordered a Kids Dragon Bowl, the leftovers of which became my yummy lunch the next day.

Leftovers

That weekend, The Bakery Brewing was advertising Nitro Pumpkin Spice Porter Floats, which caught the attention of Mrs. Sip. Since we were gathering with friends at a park in the area anyway, we decided to pop in for the float. We also ordered taster glasses of their Amber Ale, Strawberry Farmhouse Ale and Bavarian Hefeweizen. Once again, though, the kids were not into the prospect of hanging out at a brewery… at least until we bribed them with some ice cream!

To celebrate my birthday, we started with lunch at Kelly O’Bryan’s, taking advantage of their free birthday meal offer. I went with the Chicken Lips N’ Fries, with a Black Currant Mojito and Fernie Hit the Deck Hazy IPA to wash the food down. It was a great start to the celebrations, which would also include a Chinese dinner feast with family in the evening.

I received a number of alcohol-based gifts for my birthday, including four-can tall packs of Camp Fall Camp Smoked Amber Ale and Lazy River Watermelon Gose from Cousin Sip; the Central City Summer Weekender 24 Pack from Ma and Pa Sip; a bottle Havana Club Añejo Rum from the Sip-in-Laws; and a bomber of Barnside Heavy Horse Blueberry Milkshake IPA from Mrs. Sip and the Sipplings.

Birthday Gifts

The next day was Girl Sip’s birthday and with a My Little Pony theme, I compiled a cocktail menu for the occasion (for the adults, of course). Drinks included: Twilight Sparkle (Crème de Violette, Bubbly); Pinkie Pie (White Rum, Peach Schnapps, Pink Lemonade, Whip Cream, Garnished with Sprinkles); Applejack (Southern Comfort, Jack Daniel’s Winter Apple, Iced Tea); and Rainbow Dash (Arctic Grape Rum, Blue Curacao, Club Soda).

We continued my birthday celebrations on the weekend, getting together with a group of friends for an evening out. The expedition started with gathering at ABC Brewing for some bevvies. Between Mrs. Sip and myself, I tried their Festbier, Water Frolic Small IPA, Fest IPA and Imperial Stout. Next up, was a couple hours at the Industry Arcade next door. Here, we could play a host of pinball and arcade games, as well as Skee Ball. It was a lot of fun, with highlights for me being playing The Simpsons and Bubble Bobble arcade games.

From there, we moved onto the Sapperton District Taphouse, where I had a pair of beers, consisting of the Parkside Dreamboat IPA and Tin House High Knoll Hazy IPA. I also took the time to refuel a little, with an order of the Chicken Sliders. My night gets a little foggy here, as one would expect after drinking all afternoon, but I remember having fun with what was left of our group.

Arcade Games

With our friends all done for the evening, returning to their respective kids, but with Mrs. Sip and I free of such obligations, thanks to Ma and Pa Sip, we decided to try to take in a movie at the New West Landmark Cinemas. I say try, because the Sip Advisor ended up crashing and sleeping throughout our viewing of Free Guy. What can I say, dark theatres are my kryptonite. Thankfully, the movie has since made its way onto Disney+, allowing my to absolve the guilt I felt for missing out.

The next morning, after picking up the Sipplings, we ventured out to Richmond and the Great Canadian Brewhouse there for our aforementioned return to the chain. Meeting up with a friend, we shared an order of the Birthday Nachos we were offered through their app. I paired the giant order with a tankard of Central City Super Solar IPA, which my friend picked up the tab for, so all in all, it was a pretty inexpensive meal.

The following weekend, we travelled to the Sunshine Coast to spend four nights at a beautiful Airbnb home in Gibsons. On our first day, we had lunch at Tapworks Brewing, where Mrs. Sip and I split servings of the One Sailing Wait IPA and Backwoods Hazy Pale Ale. To eat, I selected the Crispy Chicken Bao, which was overflowing with delicious hoisin-drizzled fried chicken.

Nachos

Our next outing was a late lunch at The 101 Brewhouse & Distillery. We had a nice outdoor table, which allowed the kids to roam a little bit, as we ate and drank and supervised… well, mostly supervised! Split between our trio of parents, we ordered the Poutine, Hot Fried Chicken Sandwich and Chicken Quesadillas, which provided quite the spread. To drink, I had the Tall Faller Hazy IPA. As The 101 is also a distillery, Mrs. Sip made a point of trying one of their cocktails, selecting the 101 Coast Sour (gin, bourbon, lemon juice, mint, simple syrup, bitters, topped with Brickers Cider).

Afterwards, we hit the Persephone Brewing farm where Mrs. Sip and I had servings of the Brett Saison and Oktoberfest Lager. If not for our collection of kids, I could have stayed at the location longer, enjoying another pint or two. Even the occasional whiff of typical farm smells wouldn’t have deterred us!

For our last full day, we journeyed to Sechelt, to visit Batch 44 Brewery & Kitchen. Mrs. Sip put together a flight of their Lonely Giant IPA, The Village Altbier, Happy Wanderer Hefeweizen and an Earl Grey Cider, so I elected to go with a brew she didn’t choose, in the Frosty Morning Scottish Ale. My only complaint about the beer is it came in at a 4% ABV and I would have liked that a little higher.

Farm

The only Sunshine Coast brewery we weren’t able to visit was Powell River’s Townsite Brewing, so I picked up a tall can four-pack of their Savary Beaches Wheat Ale (Shoreline Series) from a BC Liquor Store. It helped me complete the Brewers Coast collection.

That was a wrap on a wild and eventful month. October has already started out busy and with a trip to Osoyoos in the cards, along with a number of Halloween events on the calendar, there will surely be much to write about!

Sip Trips #188: Sea to Sky

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Taking the last week of August off to celebrate my and Mrs. Sip’s wedding anniversary and make a short getaway to Whistler with the Sip Family, was a perfect way to end the summer. We crammed a lot of stuff into a limited time, so let’s get right to the action:

Prior to our little vacation, we had a bit of activity that should be documented. A couple recent purchases included a six-pack of Spectrum Strawberry Ice Cream Pale Ale, which may be the best beer I’ve had all summer. It’s not too strong on the strawberry flavour, but just enough that you can enjoy it. I also picked up the Nude Vodka Soda Pride Pack for Mrs. Sip to try. It included six flavous (Cran Raspberry, Raspberry Lemon, Lime, Black Cherry, Mango, Peach), giving her a chance to sample a good variety of the brand’s offerings and decide if she wants to do more vodka soda products in the future.

Vodka Soda

We also dropped into Steamworks Brewing in Burnaby one evening. There, I had a delicious Imperial Red Ale, while Mrs. Sip ordered a flight, which included their Refresh Raspberry and Lemon Ale, Killer Cucumber Ale, Hazy Pale Ale and Black Angel IPA. We both particularly liked the Cucumber Ale, which I’ve had before, but never on tap.

The first portion of my week off was a night without kids, enjoying an overnight stay in Downtown Vancouver. We began with some happy hour snacks at 131 Water Kitchen & Bar. Our food included Crispy Chicken Bites and Veggie Spring Roll, which I paired with a 131 Lager. The beer went down like juice, while the food was good and enough to tide me over for our upcoming dinner.

To stock our hotel room, we picked up a tall can four-pack of Barkerville Sluice Juice Hazy Pale Ale, a bomber of Fuggles & Warlock Valkyrie Belgian Vineyard Ale and a bottle of wine. Unfortunately, our room’s fridge wasn’t really much of a cooling device, so we didn’t get to enjoy our treats as we had originally hoped.

Hotel Fridge

For dinner, we went to Lift Bar Grill View in Coal Harbour. Arriving just in time for a quick happy hour order, we each got a glass of house rosé, an appetizer of Humboldt Squid and an Oyster each (for aphrodisiacal reasons!). Mrs. Sip then went with the Halibut for dinner, while I elected to have the Burger. With my meal, I had a pint of Parkside Dusk Pale Ale. The restaurant also kindly gave us each a glass of dessert wines on the house, as a little anniversary delight.

The next morning, we had brunch at Bellaggio Cafe, where Mrs. Sip had Eggs Benedict and I went with the Chicken & Brussels Waffle. I also enjoyed a 3-ounce Caesar, which got the day off to a good start. Our activities while in the area, included the Dimensions Art Gallery, where visitors can become part of the art installations and solving a cold murder case with Vancouver Mysteries. I would recommend both to anyone looking for something to do in Vancouver.

After a brief respite, we were on the road to Whistler, which I hadn’t visited since New Year’s 2012-2013. On our way up, we stopped at the Howe Sound Brewpub in Squamish for lunch. There, I ordered the Hopraiser West Coast IPA, while Mrs. Sip went with the Alpine Traverse New World Tripel. To eat, we shared the Brewer’s Select Pizza, topped with pepperoni, bacon, and chorizo. We also received a taster of the Pamplemousse Pale Ale and grabbed tall cans of King Heffy Imperial Hefeweizen and Jam Session Raspberry Cream Ale to go.

Summer Vacation

Before leaving Squamish, we also went to A-Frame Brewing, which only had a few of their own beers on tap. We put together a flight of their Okanagan Lake Cream Ale, Sproat Lake Pale Ale, Shuswap Lake West Coast IPA and finished the set with guest tap House of Funk Atomic Jam. The brewery had a food truck onsite, which allowed us to get Toddler Sip a Churro treat for dessert.

Our dinner that night was at The Keg, since we desired a slice of Billy Miner Pie. Our food selections included Prime Rib Sliders for me and a Lobster Tail for Mrs. Sip. I paired my meal with a Chili Mango Margarita that really hit the spot. Of course, that decadent Billy Miner Pie capped the meal, which the restaurant generously comped since it was our anniversary.

Our main event for the night was checking out the Vallea Lumina Light Walk. Words and photos can’t really describe how neat of an attraction this is. Set on a dark mountainous trail, you travel through some amazing light and sound experiences that make you feel connected to the surrounding nature. I’d love to revisit in the winter, if possible.

The next day, we left the village to explore a couple nearby breweries. First up, was Whistler Brewing, where we put together a flight of their The Blonde Spruce Goose, Wayside Apricot Wit, Chestnut Ale and Black Tusk Ale. It was a solidly built flight, if I don’t say so myself. The Sunny Daze Yuzu IPA, which I had wanted to try, wasn’t on tap, so I grabbed a tall can of it for the road and really enjoyed as a breakfast beer the next day.

Coast Mountain Brewing was our second stop and we ordered two flights to be able to try eight of their 11 brews. Our boards consisted of the Day Dream IPA, The Surveyor IPA, Forecast Pale Ale, Green Run Session IPA, Vanilla Bean Stout, Woodnutt Brown Ale, Sunbreak Saison, and Drink the Rainbow (made with Skittles). I feel like doing flights is a great way to try as much as possible, but a full serving is the best way to truly appreciate a beer, as palate fatigue seems to set in when we go the flight route.

Day three was my negotiated “don’t have to drive anywhere day”, so we spent the day exploring the village. For lunch, we ate at the High Mountain BrewHouse, where between Mrs. Sip and I, we had pints of their Belgian Tripel, Belgian Wit, Alta Lake Ale and Grizzly Brown Ale. Food seemed like a good idea with all those drinks, so we ordered the Four Cheese Pizza.

Pizza

Sadly, our stay in Whistler came to an end, but we weren’t ready to go home yet. We journeyed to Pemberton to hit a couple breweries there, starting with The Beer Farmers. Following our flight, made up of the Locals Only Lager, Farmers Daughter Biere de Table, Cover Crop Hazy IPA and Dunkelweizen, we completed the farm’s sunflower maze, which was a lot of fun, particularly for Toddler Sip.

Next up, was Pemberton Brewing, for a quick flight (U-Pick Strawberry Pale Ale, Cream Puff NE Pale Ale, Upside Down Brut IPA, Barb’s Nice Pear Rhubarb Pear Sour). We also brought home a bomber of Cream Puff NE Pale Ale, which will be a nice way to bring up memories of the journey, when we finally get around to enjoy it.

Road Trip

On our drive home, we stopped in Squamish again, to hit Backcountry Brewing. There, we had a fantastic Fig & Prosciutto Pizza (as well as an appetizer of Hushpuppies), to go along with a flight of beers. The flight included the Go Get Yourself Some Cheap Sunglasses IPA, Living in a Van Down By the River ISA, I’ll Take You to the Candy Shop Peach Sour and Patches O’Houlihan Porter. To go, Mrs. Sip grabbed a tall can four-pack of I’ll Take You to the Candy Shop Peach Sour and single tall can of Case of the Mondays Peach-Pineapple-Guava Sour.

Eight breweries over four days, completes to checklist for Squamish, Whistler and Pemberton. The expedition brought Toddler Sip’s number up to 96 breweries visited and Baby Sip up to 27. Parenting done right!

Sip Trips #104: Babymooning (Part 2)

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Yesterday, we took a look at the first portion of our Rome to Dubai babymoon cruise, with stops in Rome, Naples, Athens, and Santorini. Today, we make our way through the Suez Canal to Jordan and the United Arab Emirates, with many ships hijinks in between:

While our ship was brand-spanking new with some great updates to behold, I missed some of the charms of the older vessels in the Princess Cruises line. For example, the Explorer’s Lounge has been replaced by the Princess Live Studio. This is where many trivia events take place, respectively, but the studio is lacking tables, so there’s no surface to write on. Even worse, there’s nowhere to rest a drink… heck, the place doesn’t even have a bar, which is practically criminal.

Also, the Skywalker’s Lounge – home to the Elite/Platinum Lounge – is gone from the newer ship design and so the lounge time for loyal guests now takes place in a windowless room of the ship, with servers having to travel some distance to hook passengers up with the daily drink special. As a result, one of my favourite parts of the day on most cruises, was only attended twice by me and Mrs. Sip. The experience just didn’t feel special at all.

Fix Your Own Drinks

Another missing piece from other ships we’ve sailed on was the line’s Crooner’s Martini Bar. Apparently, we weren’t the only guests to notice, as a few days into the cruise, the Juice Bar was turned into a pop-up Martini Bar each evening. On its opening night, we dropped by for their Tropitini (Bacardi Oakheart, Malibu, Creme de Banana), which was very tasty and far better than a health smoothie.

As we docked in Aqaba, Jordan, I tallied my 50th country visited. With a Rob Roy ordered in the Elite/Platinum Lounge, I was also able to cross off country number 50 that I’ve drank in. This is a feat I’m very proud of and just may make the cut to be immortalized on my headstone: Here lies the Sip Advisor… he drank EVERYWHERE!

That evening, as Mrs. Sip and I were checking out what the buffet had to offer, we were stopped by the team selling shots of Limoncello and souvenir shot glasses. Eventually, they coerced me into buying a glass and shot for $3. Then, the lead of the group offered to give me a second pour on the house, if I downed the concoction right there. That was an offer I couldn’t refuse. Before I knew it, I was four shots deep – one for me, one for Mrs. Sip, one for Baby Sip, and one just for the hell of it – and I had still only shelled out $3.

Shots You Take

The next day brought the British pub lunch that seems to occur at least once per cruise voyage. I paired my delicious fish and chips with a Blue Moon, which got the ball rolling on it being a beer day. Afterwards, while laying in the sun and watching Queensland vs. New South Wales (National Rugby League) on the pool deck with a horde of Aussie passengers, I delved into a bucket of Heineken beers, which all made for an entertaining and relaxing afternoon.

With my stock of mixers depleted at this point, I purchased cans of Tonic Water and Barq’s Root Beer. For whatever reason, I was really craving a Gin & Tonic (perhaps I needed to stave off scurvy) and after getting a couple lime wedges from the pool bar, I had all the ingredients needed to make some really good beverages for myself.

Nearing the end of our cruise, we attended the Captain’s Circle Party, which is hosted for Elite/Platinum passengers and provides free drinks. I had a few beverages here, but they weren’t of the best quality, as usual for this event. We did however win a bottle of champagne, amongst hundreds of entries. As soon as they said Mr. and Mrs. I knew they were going to announce our names, since Mrs. Sip isn’t drinking much at this point.

Champ in Champagne

We were also invited to a Farewell Cocktail Party, as the ship’s captain was also taking leave in Dubai. Hosted in the Hollywood Pool (an indoor, adult’s only area they unsuccessfully tried to turn into a night club setting in the evenings) this was an absolute drinkfest for the Sip Advisor. With Mrs. Sip’s help, I grabbed a few really good Cosmos and Gimlets, as well as some other treats.

Upon arriving in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, it was time for Mrs. Sip and I to sadly disembark the cruise. While Dubai was an absolutely fascinating place to visit, drinks are pretty difficult to find. I did manage to have one cocktail at our hotel’s bar, the Double Decker Pub. I ordered the Eldery Flower (Elderflower-infused Gin, topped with Lime, Apple and Cranberry Juices), which was very refreshing, but expensive (45 Dirham = approx. $16 CDN) . It was worth it, though, as consuming drinks in “dry” countries is a guilty pleasure of mine.

That wraps up our babymoon, our last big trip before we move from a family of two to three. I can promise all you little sippers, though, that the fun is far from over!