Sip Trips #228: Wild Winter

November was interesting, with two getaways spread throughout the month – one a guy’s weekend and the other a family vacation. Let’s see what the Sip Advisor got up to as the temperatures dropped and winter announced its arrival:

The fun got started early, as the Sip Advisor joined a group of guys on a weekend away at a cabin in Concrete, Washington. The trip was full of drinking debauchery, including stops at a couple restaurants in the area, which each provided amazing eats. En route to our destination, we stopped for drinks at Double Barrel BBQ in Sedro-Woolley, where I enjoyed a pint of Boneyard IPA, one of my all-time favourite brews. The place also offers to-go Bourbon Slushies, which we took advantage of upon leaving. We returned to Double Barrel on our way out of town for lunch, where I had a delicious Turkey Bacon Ranch sandwich, paired with another serving of Boneyard.

Slushie

As for our day spent in downtown Concrete, we began with a beverage at The Hub, where I had the Mac & Jack’s African Amber. Following that, we went for lunch a few doors down at The Lonestar. There, I had a scrumptious Ambush sandwich (turkey, ham, bacon, lettuce, tomato), paired with an Elysian Space Dust IPA. We also added orders of Sidewinder Fries (steak-curly fry hybrid), which completed a very good feast.

A week later, the Sip Family was off to the Mayan Riviera for a week at an all-inclusive resort. Unfortunately, some kind of stomach bug hit me on our second day, which drastically affected how much I ate and drank during the holiday. I tried to still participate in as much of the fun as I could, but quickly grew tired of sugary drinks and shitty beer. Mrs. Sip found me my favourite cocktail of the vacation, a double Cucumber Gin and Soda offering that really hit the spot and steered me away from the overly sweet options.

Upon returning home, we took the kids to Disney on Ice, beginning our evening with dinner at Gino’s Restaurant in Sapperton. Boy Sip and I shared the Chicken Tenders platter and I look forward to trying other menu items at the eatery when we can return.

Disney on Ice

Towards the end of the month, we joined friends to celebrate a birthday, including a wine tasting at Township 7 Vineyards in Langley, followed by dinner at the nearby Milestones Grill + Bar. I really enjoyed my Sweet Chili Chicken Bowl, which was accompanied by a glass of Trading Post Hazy IPA.

To wrap the month, Mrs. Sip and I had dinner and drinks at Ludica Pizza, prior to our Vancouver Canucks game. We shared the Hansa Pizza (Mozzarella, Chicken, Bacon, Caramelized Onions, Smoked Gouda), which was pretty good. I also had a pair of Phillips Free Ride Hazy IPAs to complete the meal.

December is already loaded with events, to the degree one wonders how we’ll be able to survive the madness. I will say, our normal schedule doesn’t look all that different, so I guess it’s just par for the course!

Sip Trips #224: Swift Summer

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

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

The Keg

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

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

Games

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

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