Tag Archives: Kelly O’Bryans

Sip Trips #247: Limited Edition Love

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With Mrs. Sip away for a chunk of the month, I didn’t get up to a whole lot in her absence. That said, June still had a lot going on, as we wound down the school year and entered the summer season. Here’s what we got up to:

To begin the month, the Sip Family found themselves at Ma and Pa Sip’s new home in Tobiano for a visit. As Mrs. Sip wrapped day one of her trial, we convened at Bright Eye Brewing for happy hour. While the adults took advantage of food and drink deals, the Siplings enjoyed the breweries arcade games, which are free to play on Mondays. My meal consisted of the Secrets Krush Hazy IPA and Throwback Burger, while I also couldn’t help steal a number of Mrs. Sip’s Crispy Brussels Sprouts. Bright Eye has quickly become a favourite stop for all of us.

On our return journey home, we dropped into the Mr. Mikes Steakhouse in Chilliwack for dinner. I hadn’t been to a Mr. Mikes in some time and found many contenders to choose from amongst their menu. On this occasion, I went with the Chinatown Stir Fry, along with an Antler Ale. Once again, I could keep my fork to myself and picked away at Mrs. Sip’s Crackling Sirloin Bites.

To celebrate Father’s Day with Pa Sip, I treated him to a Vancouver Canadians baseball game. During the afternoon match, I had a hotdog, PBR Strong Iced Tea and Phillips Blue Buck Ale. In future, I’ll have to try the ballpark’s yard-long hotdog, which can be split up into as many servings as requested. Following the game, Pa Sip wanted to try the nearby Chaise on Main, where I drank a pint of Steamworks Flagship IPA.

The following week, with Ma and Pa Sip kindly taking the Siplings off my hands for the weekend, a buddy and me met for dinner at Kelly O’Bryans. This has become my go-to place in New Westminster and this visit did not disappoint. I really enjoyed my Tuna Poke Bowl, consumed with a trio of Molson Canadians.

Mrs. Sip’s return home from her tour of Turkey brought a number of new additions to the liquor collection. Joining the family were bottles of Jagermeister Orange, Mermaid Spiced Rum and Twin Fin Coconut & Lychee Rum.

To celebrate Girl Sip’s last day of school, we went for dinner at Boston Pizza. I tried the Cherry Cola Beef Sliders off their summer menu and really enjoyed them. To drink, I had a pair of Blue Moons, completing the yummy meal.

Lastly, I finished the month with some more limited edition items in the Nashville Hot Chicken Pizza (complete with pickles) from Pizza Hut, as well as the Teriyaki Chicken Burger off the International Heist menu from McDonald’s. Both were excellent and I will be sad to see each disappear. Mrs. Sip added the McPizza Bites and Biscoff McFlurry to our feast, so we’ve worked our way through a good chunk of the International Heist options.

That wraps an eventful June. July promises to be busy, as we delve into as much fun as possible during the warmer months. Mrs. Sip and I also have a couple weeks of kid-free on the horizon, so that should provide ample opportunity to get out and about!

Sip Trips #241: Comfort and Joy

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December offered all the typical craziness of years past, with the added twist of still moving into our new place to add an extra level of insanity to the holiday season. As usual, we survived and thrived, getting up to a few shenanigans here and there. Here’s how the month played out:

My work Christmas lunch this year took place at Joey Shipyards. There, I had the very good Ahi Tuna Club. Although we were allowed to order adult beverages, providing we pay for them ourselves, a scan of the two tables showed no one else was willing to make this bold move, so I declined as well.

Office Christmas

Days later, we were off to Grand Mound, Washington, for a three-night stay at Great Wolf Lodge (GWL). En route, we stopped at Red Lobster in Olympia for a meal to celebrate Ma Sip’s birthday. I had my usual Sesame-Soy Salmon Bowl and Blue Moon Belgian White combo, which just hits the spot. I wish there was a closer Red Lobster than two-plus hours away, so I could enjoy the meal more regularly.

Also before arriving at GWL, we stopped at Costco and Walmart to do some provision shopping. I decided to try the Kirkland Hard Seltzer (with flavours of lime, grapefruit, mango and black cherry) as you just couldn’t beat the price. It was $10 cheaper than the similar White Claw offering, although that pack has six different flavours. I also grabbed some Spiced Rum and Dr. Pepper (Costco offers a 30-can case – excess at its finest!).

We had one sit down meal at GWL, dining at Fireside. There, I tried the Chili-Lime Chicken Bowl, paired with a pint of Talking Cedar Juicy IPA. While I wouldn’t rank this Mexican-inspired bowl up with the Asian ones I typically enjoy, it was not a disappointment either.

Red Lobster

Later in the month, we attended Mrs. Sip’s office Christmas party at The Boathouse. My drinks over the course of the evening included the Herb’N Soda and Smoke & Bourbon. As for my meal picks, from the set menu, I went with a Caesar Salad, the Grilled Salmon and the Mocha Ice Cream Pie for dessert. Everything tasted great, but the salmon could have used some sort of glaze or sauce.

The next night, Mrs. Sip and I were out again, offered a date night by the visiting Ma and Pa Sip. I surprised Mrs. Sip with a visit to the PoMo Express, a festively decorated heritage train at the Port Moody Museum. The event was only being run on a few selected nights in December, complete with food a drink offerings. Our food selections included the Beef and Pork Polpette, Arancini and Albacore Tuna Crudo. For drinks, we tried a couple of their select cocktails, while I also ordered a Parkside Humans IPA.

Following our train experience, we decided to travel some of the nearby Brewer’s Row. Our first stop was at Moody Ales, where we shared a flight, consisting of their Gingerbread Ale, O Christmas Tree IPA, Holiday Party Punch Sour and Hazelnut Honey Brown Ale. While the Christmas-themed beers were good, it was a prime example of my issue with flight costs. We shelled out $14 for four five-ounce servings (totalling 20 ounces of suds), while for only $8.50, we could have had a 20-ounce pint of any of those beers. Colour me confused…

Christmas Party

Next, we dropped into Parkside Brewing, where I tried the Orange You Glad Orange Cream Ale, while Mrs. Sip went with the cask offering Hot Frosty Pale Ale. We completed our evening out at Twin Sails Brewing, sharing a pint of the Frozen Banana Double Dipped Chocolate Banana Stout.

Right before Christmas, we met with friends we hadn’t seen in a long while at Steel & Oak Brewing. After trying samples of both the Sunglow Hefeweizen and You Party? Blackcurrant and Cherry Pale Ale, I went with the hef, but also enjoyed the pale ale.

Christmas Day finally arrived and a gift of note I received from Mrs. Sip was the Mixology & Murder book, combining two of my greatest loves: drinking and true crime.

Christmas Drunk

Christmas dinner brought my annual Christmas cocktail menu to life, with this year’s theme being holiday music. The drink recipes included: Fairytale of New York (Jameson Orange Irish Whiskey, Apple Juice, Club Soda), Do They Know It’s Christmas (Amarula Gold, Pomegranate Juice, Lemon-Lime Soda), Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree (Southern Comfort, Raspberry Iced Tea, Lemonade) and Little Drummer Boy (Bacardi Dragonberry Rum, Raspberry-Lemon Ginger Ale, Orange Bitters).

Following Christmas, I met with a group of guys for a night out. We began with beers at both Hops and Kelly O’Bryans, followed by a great dinner at El Santo. My meal consisted of Pastor and Barbacoa Tacos – after trading with a friend, so we could get a greater variety – along with drinks of the Magdalena cocktail (pisco, vanilla and mandarin syrup, lemon, egg whites, cinnamon) and Steel & Oak Festbier.

With New Year’s Eve plans falling through on the day of, we decided to have a quiet, relaxed night. It was a great way to wrap a wild 2024 and start thinking ahead to what will hopefully be a calmer 2025!

Sip Trips #238: Birthday Bashing

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

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

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

back-to-school

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

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

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

Alone

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

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

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

Birthday Coupons

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

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

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

New House

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

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

Sip Trips #234: Lodge Lovers

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

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

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

Cinco de Mayo

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

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

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

Gyoza

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

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

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

Playoff Hockey

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

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

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

Rhubarb

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

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

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

Sip Trips #230: Disneyland Destiny

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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 #215: This is Halloween

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

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

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

Thanksgiving

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

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

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

Poutine

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

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

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

Happy Meal

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

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

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

Halloween

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

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

Pay Parking

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

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