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Sip Trips #250: Disney Discoveries

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For this special 250th edition of Sip Trips, I’ll taking a look at the Sip Family’s expedition to the Disneyland Resort at the end of August. Here’s what we got up to over a fun, albeit expensive visit:

First of all, Mrs. Sip did a fantastic job researching our flight and hotel deals for this foray. Somehow, the more days she added to our trip, the cheaper our rate became. Therefore, we ended up spending eight nights at The Anaheim Hotel, which is among our favourite places to reside outside the resort.

Upon arriving and settling into our room, we were all in need of a bite to eat. So, we made the short journey to Tony Roma’s. There, I got my usual Chicken Tenderloin Platter, which comes with six delicious chicken tendies, accompanied by fries and coleslaw. My beverage of choice was the Offshoot Relax Hazy IPA. On our next trip, we will have to take advantage of the restaurant’s ‘kids eat for $2.99’ on Mondays deal.

Next up was procuring our supplies for the stay. I can’t believe how much better the pricing was for our items at Walgreens versus CVS. Among the provisions gathered over our vacation were the Truly Berry Mixed Pack (Blueberry, Wildberry, Cherry, Strawberry Lime) and Vizzy Vibrantly Tropic Mixed Pack (Pineapple Mango, Papaya Passionfruit, Strawberry Kiwi, Blueberry Pomegranate). I have to say I enjoyed the Truly case better than the Vizzy one. I was also able to finally try Dr. Pepper Blackberry, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I first saw the product on our Spring Break journey, but never got my hands on it.

On our first day in the parks, Mrs. Sip and I shared a selection of beers, including the Two Coast Hefeweizen, Unsung Carina Hazy Double IPA and Karl Strauss
Oktoberfest and Windandsea Wheat. The latter two were relished while splitting some excellent Quesabirria Tacos on the Sanfransokyo Wharf. In need of some dessert – as well as a treat for the Siplings – we grabbed a Choco Smash Bar from Pym’s Test Kitchen, while adding another brew, the Sierra Nevada Sunny Little Thing, to our tummies.

One of the reasons for the timing of this trip was to celebrate my and Mrs. Sip’s 13th wedding anniversary, with the day spent visiting some of the resort’s most decadent dining options. First, looking for a morning beverage, we got a walk-up spot at the Magic Key Terrace. There, Mrs. Sip ordered the Black Pearl (a Long Island Iced Tea spinoff, with Chambord added to the concoction and Sprite subbed in for Coke) off the park’s secret cocktail menu. I went with the Harland Hazy IPA, which was quite refreshing as the temperature began to rise.

Next up was lunch at the Blue Bayou. This visit evoked memories of the first time Mrs. Sip and I ate there in 2004, two years into our relationship. Back then, we were students on a budget and split an order of crab cakes as our meal. This time around, we feasted, Mrs. Sip enjoying a pair of glasses of wine, while I finally tried the Karl Strauss 70th Anniversary IPA. My meal was the delicious Monte Cristo Sandwich, among my favourite dishes at the resort, complete with truffle potato chips and a yummy roasted fruit salad. To complete the meal, we ordered the Doberge Cake (“layers of pumpkin spice sponge, chocolate whipped ganache and salted caramel buttercream”), which was scrumptious.

For dinner, we popped into the Lamplight Lounge, where Mrs. Sip got us a table so we could enjoy the early World of Color show. I enjoyed my Cobra Hiss cocktail (Mezcal, Cointreau, cucumber syrup, lemon juice, agave nectar), prior to joining Mrs. Sip on the bottle of Les Jamelles Chardonnay she ordered. Not super hungry after our earlier lunch banquet, we shared the Charbroiled Cheddar Burger, while the whole Sip Family got in on the Bananas Foster Donuts for dessert.

The next day, our drinks included the SLO Brew Cali-Squeeze (while munching on a family favourite Quantum Pretzel), as well as the Rincon Reservation Road Rez Dog Hefeweizen, Haunted Horchata Cocktail and 21st Amendment Citrus Wheat Ale. That night, we took advantage of Denny’s ‘kids eat free’ on Tuesdays deal, with the Sip Advisor having the Chicken Bacon Ranch Sandwich.

While we hadn’t planned to visit Oga’s Cantina, trading off Boy Sip for rides Girl Sip refuses to do saw us end up at the Star Wars-themed hotspot. Best of all, we were both able to simply walk up and be taken inside within minutes. We even ended up next to each other at the bar, despite entering at different times. Our server on this occasion, Anthony, was tremendous. Had it not been for a two-drink maximum and the price of those drinks, I could have stayed in the place for hours. Over our break, I had the Gamorrean Ale (Red Ale) and Coruscant Cooler (a delicious Manhattan variation), while sampling Mrs. Sip’s Bad Motivator IPA and Jet Fuel cocktail (Bourbon, Chile Liqueur, Pomegranate Liqueur, White Grape Juice, Lemon Juice). I really love the Ancho Reyes Chile Liqueur in that drink and have to get my hands on a bottle sometime, despite it not being available in Canada.

The next day, we executed my Drink Around California Adventure itinerary. Given we had largely drank beers in the park up to that point, I decided we should share a cocktail as we traversed each land of the park. Here’s how we spent the day boozing it up:

  • Grizzly Peak – Green Apple Lemonade Cocktail (vodka, green apple lemonade, cherry-flavored popping spheres, raspberry sauce drizzle)
  • Hollywood Land – Celebration Cocktail (tequila, rum, vodka, glittery blue raspberry lemonade, Sprite)
  • Avengers Campus – Molecular Mule (Seaborn Cucumber Ginger Mule)
  • Cars Land – Strawberry Paloma (tequila, strawberry syrup)
  • Terraces – Craftwell Peach Mojito
  • Sanfransokyo Wharf – Jamaica Tequila Cocktail (tequila, hibiscus tea, lime juice, agave syrup)
  • Pixar Pier – Spiced Sangria Seltzer
  • Buena Vista Street – Scotch Mist

Our route was completed at the Carthay Lounge, where I had what was noted as Walt Disney’s favourite drink. Even if that claim is bullshit, I had to do it, enjoying my serving of Johnny Walker Black Label Scotch on the rocks. We also orders the Carthay Sopes with duck, which were very good. One other excellent meal we had during our drink challenge was the Sanfransokyo Clam Chowder, which Mrs. Sip insisted on and I’m so glad she did!

Following the indulgent drink circuit, the only drink left on the board I wanted to try was the Blood Orange Paloma Seltzer. I tried to make good on that the next day, but a long line and pre-order wait time blocked me from trying the beverage.

We tried to visit Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar at the Disneyland Hotel, but there was a three-hour wait to get a seat on the air conditioned inside. As a result, we travelled back into the Downtown Disney district and got a table very quickly at Ballast Point. Mrs. Sip and I ordered the Pumpkin Cream Ale from Mother Earth Brew Co. and Prince of Bavaria Festbier from Black Plague Brewing, respectively. To eat, I tried the Buffalo Ranch Chicken Sandwich, which I loved, thanks to all the flavours, particularly the interesting black truffle coleslaw.

Back in the park, we had servings of the Karl Strauss Aurora Hoppyalis for me and Enegren Oktoberfest for Mrs. Sip. These bevvies made the very long line for Grizzly River Rapids much more tolerable, while also numbing us to the deluge of water we were about to experience.

The Disneyland Halloween Treats menu was released right before we arrived. While I feel it’s way too early for that season, I was definitely going to take advantage of some of the eats and drinks. In particular, we worked our way through a number of the seasonal churros, including: Halloween Town Mayor (smores-like), Celestial Chocolate (Dubai chocolate), Straw-batty (strawberry filled chocolate) and Fluffernutter (marshmallow and peanut butter). The Fluffernutter was the best of the bunch for me, restoring my faith in churros, which I’d come to find to generally be mid at best. We had most of these treats for breakfast because… you know, parents of the year and all!

We also tried the Pumpkin Cookies with cream cheese icing, which were good, but not worth the hour-long lineup to get them, as well as the Monster Funnel Cake, which was another fantastic way to start a day!

For our final meal of the trip, we went to a local Red Lobster, where I had my typical Sesame Soy Salmon Bowl and Blue Moon Wheat Ale. This was sandwiched between letting the kids do some Magic Quest time at the nearby Great Wolf Lodge.

That wraps our Disneyland expedition. September will be full of activity, including all the birthdays our family has throughout the month, along with a getaway for Mrs. Sip and I to Las Vegas to celebrate a friend’s 40th!

Sip Trips #242: Disneyland Dreams

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We weren’t super busy in January, save for the final week, which was spent in the happiest place on earth, Disneyland! Here’s what the Sip Family got up to in the first month of 2025:

Although we continue to develop our new townhouse, it was time to welcome friends into the space with a housewarming party. For the occasion, I developed a cocktail, dubbed Home Sweet Home, to serve to guests. It was comprised of Southern Comfort, Spiced Rum, Pomegranate Juice, Lemonade, and Club Soda. I also had a number of different garnishes on hand, including using pomegranate seeds for the first time ever, which resulted in our kitchen looking like a crime scene, while my poorly-chosen white shirt offered blood splatter evidence.

The following weekend, Mrs. Sip and I were able to have a date night out to celebrate her birthday. We began our evening with dinner at Glowbal. I was disappointed when we first arrived at the restaurant, as it’s pretty rare nowadays that a place doesn’t have some kind of burger on the menu, an item I was craving. That said, what we did order was delicious. We had a feast of shared plates, including Albacore Tuna, Waygu Steak Tartare, Foie Gras Pate and Black Truffle Fries. To drink, I ordered glasses of Parallel 49 Filthy Dirty IPA and Glowbal Amber Lager. The service at Glowbal was top notch, including a dessert treat for Mrs. Sip on the house.

The next part of our date night was a Vancouver Canucks game, where we slipped away during the first intermission to The Sportsbar for some beverages. While hitting The Sportsbar can provide some difficulty in getting served by the busy bar staff, drinks are noticeably cheaper. I went with a Double Rum & Coke for the visit and cheered the home team on to a big win over the dastardly Edmonton Oilers.

We wrapped the month with our first voyage to Disneyland with the Magic Keys we purchased in early 2024. We had one year to activate these year passes and saved them for when the Lunar New Year Festival would be going on, as we were teased by the food and drink that would be available when we visited in January 2024, but returned home before that version of the festival began.

For the festival, Mrs. Sip and I each bought a Sip and Savor Pass, which allowed us to pick six different eligible menu options from around the California Adventure park, for $45 (thanks to a small discount for Magic Key holders). A few culinary items below fell outside of the Sip and Savor Pass, as well as any alcoholic drinks.

Food we tried included the Red Panda Bao, Mini Char Siu Pork Shanks, Quesabirra Eggroll, Fried Lemongrass Chicken Dumplings, Pho Dip, Fire Chicken Wings, Bulgogi Pizza Slice, Spicy Gochujang Chicken Taco, Shrimp Lo Mein, and Scallion Pancake Tostada. I’d say nothing disappointed and it was hard to pick favourites.

We also tried some of the desserts available, such as the Toasted Sesame and Red Bean Churro, Sweet Taro Bun and Chocolate Firecracker. I wasn’t super big into any of these items, but we got them mostly for the Sipplings, who love desserts. Lastly, cocktails we tried included the Strawberry-Lychee, Dragon Fruit (I really liked the Chinese five-spice syrup in this one) and Guava Lemongrass.

Even outside of the festival parameters, we ate and drank like kings and queens, princes and princesses… or witch, as Girl Sip preferred to be identified as. Over our six days at the resort, Mrs. Sip and I shared a number of beers and cocktails. The long list was comprised of the Hamilton Family Tow Mango Double IPA, Lost Coast Tangerine Wheat Ale, La Bodega Hazmatt Double Hazy IPA, Bottle Logic Fuzzy Logic Hazy Peach IPA, New Belgium Voodoo Ranger Juice Force Hazy Imperial IPA, Elysian Space Dust IPA, Breckenridge Christmas Ale, Karl Strauss Peanut Butter Cup Porter (a little too roasted for my tastes), SLO Brew Cali-Squesze Blood Orange Hefeweizen, Topa Topa Chief Peak IPA, Beer Mimosa (with Sierra Nevada Sunny Little Thing Wheat Ale), Karl Strauss Aurora Hoppyalis IPA, Karl Strauss Boat Shoes Hazy IPA, Craftwell Hibiscus Lemonade, Bottle Logic Paloma Hard Seltzer, Brewery X Baja Breeze, Seaborn Spicy Cucumber Margarita, and Seaborn Lavender Lemonade. SO.MANY.DRINKS!

Some notable food items we enjoyed were the California Roll Sandwich, Cheeseburger Flatbread, Snack-Size Mardi Gras Monte Cristo and Quantum Pretzel. We also made a point to try a number of desserts throughout the resort, which the Sipplings were totally up for. These yummy treats included a Cinnamon Bun Pretzel, Mickey Mouse Cookie, Toffee Pretzel, Pineapple-Strawberry Dole Whip Swirl, Jack-Jack Cookie Num Num, and Raspberry Peanut Butter Bar.

Within and outside the parks, we had a couple notable meals. After one long day, we visited the Denny’s near our hotel, which the kids loved for the Birthday Cake Pancakes. I also greatly enjoyed my Crispy Chicken Bacon Ranch Sandwich. In future, we need to go on Tuesdays between 4-10pm, as kids eat for free with every adult entrée purchased.

Another quick meal was had at the Carthay Circle Lounge in California Adventure. I tried the Bootlegger’s Old World Hefeweizen, while Mrs. Sip and I shared the Baked Brie Cheese Palmiers and the Sipplings devoured the Mickey Hazelnut Crunch Ice Cream Pop.

We also made time to sit down in the Sip Advisor’s favourite outside-the-park restaurant, Tony Roma’s. Here, I shared the Chicken Tenderloin Platter with Boy Sip, while sipping on a large serving of Firestone Mind Haze Hazy IPA. Another hack we’ll have to capitalize on in the future, is kids eat for $2.99 on Mondays, with each adult entrée ordered.

Finally back home, we just need to avoid looking at our Visa bill for a while, as that currency conversion shock will no doubt cause some stress. February is dotted with some interesting events, such as a whiskey tasting and Girl Sip getting to play with her ringette team at the intermission of a Vancouver Giants game!

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 #149: September Insanity

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Well, my little sippers, it’s been too long since I was last able to provide an update on the Sip Advisor’s adventures, thanks in part to our big move from Vancouver to New West. I’ve finally got some time to put fingers to keys, so here’s what we’ve been up to over the month of September:

As we enjoyed the calm between two storms – moving out and moving in – Mrs. Sip and I met up with some baseball teammates at the Sapperton District Taphouse for their weekly Tuesday Trivia. Over the course of the night, Mrs. Sip and I enjoyed servings of Howe Sound You’re My Boy Blue Blueberry Wheat Ale (on special), Steel & Oak Rhubarbarum Rhubarb Pale Ale and a Dageraad selection that was described to us as a double dark wheat ale. To go with our beverages, I ordered the Whiskey Barrel Burger, while Mrs. Sip once again had the Slow & Low Sliders. Best of all, our team won the trivia and got tickets to a comedy show, a t-shirt and, most importantly, a pitcher of beer for our efforts.

The next day, friends from out of town were visiting, so we took them to the Britannia Brew Pub in Steveston. As we did on our first visit, Mrs. Sip and I shared their Chowder and Fish & Chips for food, which I paired with their seasonal Tropical ISA. The beer was just what I was looking for to pair with seafood.

redneck-seafood.jpg

A few days later, we were back in the Richmond area, so decided to drop into Fuggles & Warlock Brewing. Although I’d had a sip of the beer at the Battle of the Brews event a couple weeks earlier, I wanted a full glass of the Gin & Lime Pilsner, which I enjoyed more in the larger serving. Mrs. Sip went with her usual The Last Strawberry Wit, which has always been a fantastic and flavourful drink.

Next up was our cruise from Vancouver to Los Angeles with Princess Cruises. As is our tradition, we brought aboard four bottles of wine, as well as mini bottles of rums, vodkas and schnapps, which kept us well-lubricated throughout the voyage. This was helped along by various drinks aboard the ship, highlighted by multiple servings of Mayan Mules (subbing in tequila for vodka); a super-sized Chocolate & Chili Margarita (enough for both Mrs. Sip and me); and attending the Maitre D’Hotel Wine Club, including six samples of wine from around the world.

When our cruise disembarked in Los Angeles, we journeyed to Anaheim for one day at Disneyland, Baby Sip’s introduction to the place where her parent’s met as fresh-faced teenagers and began their long relationship. We decided to attend the Mickey’s Halloween Party, giving us access to the park starting at 3pm and lasting until 11pm. Mrs. Sip realized if we went this route, we’d pay only slightly more than the price for a one-day, one-park ticket (which would see us booted out for the Halloween Party at 6pm), while gaining access to both parks, extended hours, and the perks that come with the Halloween ticket.

Halloween in September.png

Prior to heading to the Disneyland Resort, we went for lunch at the nearby Tony Roma’s location, drawn in by their happy hour commencing at 11am. Mrs. Sip and I each ordered a pint of Golden Road Get Up Offa That Brown, to go with our Chicken Tender Platter and Mrs. Sip’s cup of Baked Potato Soup. This is one of my favourite chicken strip platters of all-time, so it was very nice to have it again on this vacation.

Following lunch, we entered Disney’s California Adventure, home to (at this time) the only place among the parks where you can purchase alcohol. We went straight for the Karl Strauss Beer Truck, where we noted that brew prices have gone up since our last visit in December 2016. Despite the increase, I ordered their Aurora Hoppyalis, while Mrs. Sip went with the seasonal Oktoberfest.

After riding the revamped Incredicoaster, we rejoined our family near the Animation Building, stopping along the way to try a couple beverages only available during the Halloween season. Mrs. Sip had the Elsyian The Great Pumpkin Imperial Ale, while I selected the Stone Vengeful Spirit IPA. Both beers were very good, with the Elysian having the best pumpkin flavour I’ve experienced in a beer.

pumpkin beer.jpg

Following taking Baby Sip on her very first Disneyland ride ever – The Little Mermaid – we made one more suds stop at the Sonoma Terrace beer and wine garden. I was happy to see the site now has beers on tap, instead of only bottles. With that in mind, I picked the Refuge Grapefruit IPA, but neglected to note which libation Mrs. Sip settled on.

Next, we were off to the Halloween Party, which was a lot of fun. It was neat to experience a park we’re so familiar with in a whole new way. The trick-or-treat stations handed out a variety of quality treats and the fireworks show was top notch. Our only complaint would be that one of the churros stands ran out of the pumpkin spice variety that we’d read about online, which seems like very poor planning to occur, not only during the Halloween season, but particularly during a special event such as Mickey’s Halloween Party.

Before flying back home to Vancouver, most of our group had lunch at the Golden Road Brewing tasting room within LAX Airport. This was a welcome surprise given how much we used to despise the airport and how we just had a beer from the company the day before at Tony Roma’s. I went with the Wolf Among Weeds IPA, paired with a Banh Mi Sandwich, while Mrs. Sip ordered the Mango Cart Wheat Ale to go with a Pub Pretzel.

out-of-pretzels.jpg

Back at home, we were running out of days to reach my goal of taking Baby Sip to 52 breweries in her first year of life, so made a trip to Vancouver for stops at R&B Brewing and Electric Bicycle Brewing. At R&B, we shared one of their spectacular pizzas, the Prosciutto & Arugula variety, along with pints of So Fresh and So Green, Green IPA for me and the Jam Session Raspberry Cream Ale for Mrs. Sip. At Electric Bicycle, we shared a flight, comprised of Kaedama Ramen Noodle Alt, Spatialized Pale Ale, Floridian Holiday Pink Peppercorn IPA, and Das Cocoloco Imperial Wit. It was a perfect way to achieve my and Baby Sip’s goal with some outstanding beers at both locations.

To celebrate my birthday the next day, we bought tickets to Trading Post Brewing’s Oktoberfest event, where they were joined by Field House Brewing and Steel & Oak Brewing. I tried beers from each vendor, including the Trading Post Hoppy Bock, Field House Festbier, Field House Dutch Pale Ale, and Steel & Oak Roselle Wheat Ale. We also ordered some of the fantastic food available, such as the Vienna Schnitzel, Laugenbrezel, and Parm Fries. The event was a lot of fun and to boot, we even got an opportunity to drink out of a boot!

As with any birthday for me, a number of liquor products were gifted my way, including bottles of Tanqueray Malacca Gin, Sons of Vancouver Chili Vodka, Fernie Ghostrider Pumpkin Brown Ale and Bad Tattoo Brewing’s Flash Pack case. Last, but not least, I also received a BC Liquor Store gift card, as well as cash, which will likely go towards boozy purchases.

money for birthday

Finally, to wrap up what is often our second busiest month of the year – only topped by December and all its Christmas events – thanks to a myriad of family and friend birthdays, we celebrated Baby Sip turning one-year-old. For the occasion, I created three cocktails, featuring colourful liqueurs that went with our Dr. Seuss ‘Oh, The Places You’ll Go!’ theme. The recipes included Rum–Blue Curacao–Pineapple Juice, Vodka–Banana Liqueur–Club Soda, and Gin–Violet Liqueur–Lemon-Lime Soda. The unique yet basic recipes were a hit with our guests and added a nice enhancement to the party.

October looks to be a little less insane, but the calendar is already filling up with Halloween parties and other commitments. Bring it on, October!