August was a wild month that felt like a few months combined. Like, seriously, shouldn’t it be December already!? Anyway, here’s what we got up to in wrapping up our summer break:
The month began with the last portion of our European vacation, spent in one our of favourite metropolises, London. En route to the UK, we stopped in Brussels, Belgium, hitting up the Hard Rock Cafe there. As young travelers, Mrs. Sip and I popped into a number of Hard Rock locations throughout Europe, so this was a bit of a callback to that for us. At the Hard Rock in Grand-Place square, I ordered the BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich with Fries, paired with a large serving of Grimbergen Blonde. We all enjoyed our meals, before touring the city and returning to the train station.
Once in London, I bought a few cans of Red Leg Spiced Rum and Cola (infused with vanilla and ginger), which were good. Finding packs of beer or other ready-to-drink products proved difficult, as most items came in single servings and were not cheap. Bottles of liquor was also a non-starting point, as they were incredibly expensive, even before factoring in exchange rates.
On our first tourist day, we boarded the Peppa Pig Afternoon Tea Bus Tour. Mrs. Sip and I received free glasses of prosecco (as well as backpacks for the kids) when our original booking was cancelled and we were bumped to a later bus. Mrs. Sip had also pre-ordered a glass of bubbly, so when they brought hers, they offered me some too. Then, the server said they had to get rid of the rest of the bottle, so he poured it for us in a travel cup to take home. The experience could be described and the best kind of chaos. Between the food and drink, bumpy roads, trying to enjoy London landmarks passed on the tour, the Peppa Pig animated segments, and the host playing games with the kids, there was a lot of stimuli to take in. I must give extra kudos to the staff on these buses, who have to do their jobs while the vehicle is moving, including pouring hot beverages and flutes of prosecco.
The next day, after visiting Tower Bridge, we had a late lunch/early dinner at the nearby Pizza Express location. This chain came onto my radar upon learning that kids eat free with each adult order. I selected the BBQ Burnt Ends Pizza, which was delicious. To drink, I went with the tasty Rhubarb & Raspberry G&T because you have to have at least one G&T while in London.
As we returned to our accommodation, I picked up a Brewdog Hazy Jane four pack for Mrs. Sip and I to consume as the sipplings burned some energy at a playground. This was one of the few drink packs I found that was reasonably priced.
Our final major activity of the vacation was checking out the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London: The Making of Harry Potter. We spent four hours at this place and probably missed some portions of the massive exhibit. I’m not a Potter die hard fan, but can appreciate what went into making the movies, as well as this studio experience. Sadly, no alcoholic beverages were enjoyed during the duration, but I did manage to get a sip of butter beer in between the rest of the family draining the drink.
On our long journey home, we ate dinner at The Firkin & Flyer at Halifax Airport. Mrs. Sip and I split the Lobster Roll with Kettle Chips, while I tried the Burnside Toller Gold Lager. I still don’t understand our flights home, as it took almost as long to fly to Halifax, as it sometimes does going direct from London to Vancouver. Then, we still had to fly across the country home. The expedition took twice the time it really should have.
After a few days off to allow our body clocks to reacclimatize to being home, we were at it again, taking the kids out for an afternoon along Brewer’s Row in Port Moody. We began our day with Twin Sails Brewing, where I enjoyed the Two Straws Creamsicle Milkshake IPA. That was followed by dropping into Rewind Brewing for a pint of their Knight Rider Black IPA. We also had a scrumptious order of their Garlic Cheese Stix (with ranch dip), having always wanted to try their Detroit-style pizzas.
The next weekend, after viewing a number of townhouses on the market, we sat down at Taqueria Playa Tropical in New West. I wasn’t feeling very hungry, having drank quite a bit the night before, as we said goodbye to Ma and Pa Sip’s home (where I grew up from the age of 10 and where 31 amazing years were spent) with one last big party. I was still thirsty, though, so tried the Jamaican Hibiscus Margarita.
Our home hunting set off a chain of events that saw us have an accepted offer on a place and then needing to move stuff out of two homes at once (Ma and Pa Sip’s, where we have always had a set-up, as well as our own to get it ready for sale). I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy! With our 12th wedding anniversary occurring during all the anarchy, we managed to step out to the Cineplex VIP Theatre to see Deadpool & Wolverine. While there, I had their Classic Burger, combined with a pint of Granville Island Kitsilano Juicy IPA.
Aside from my liquor adventures last month, I also tried a few limited edition items in the food world. This included the Firecracker McCrispy and Big Arch at McDonald’s, along with the Dr. Pepper donut at Krispy Kreme. Both burgers tasted good, but the prices nowadays for fast food eats are outrageous. The donut was okay, but if you’re not a Dr. Pepper fan, it’s probably not for you.
Finally, I should note that this site in going on a bit of a hiatus, as the Sip Family traverses the process of potentially moving to a new abode. This has led to a large portion of my liquor collection being put into storage, making it difficult to make drinks for all you little sippers. I will still post my monthly Sip Trips, as well as (hopefully) the occasional article. We will be back at some point, stronger and drunker than ever!
Sip Advisor 