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Author Archives: Rylee Cawthorne
Rylee Cawthorne’s Watercooler Podcast (Real Estate Market)
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Wine Pairings for Thanksgiving Dinner
The wine you pair with your Thanksgiving meal, for some can make or break the meal. Below is a guide to some of the perfect wines for your diners this weekend.
Charcuterie Board
Having the perfect wine pairing with your charcuterie board is important. Depending on the cheeses and meats you chose the wine can change. The Rosé below is one that you can never go wrong with.
This rosé has “an elegant rose gold hue, seductive notes of fresh strawberry and red fruit, compliment by a deliciously textured and balanced finish.” It is Cabernet Franc Dominant that spent 2 months in French oak and two months in stainless steel.
(@phantomcreek / Instagram)
Turkey
Since turkey is not a very powerful meat, your wine does not need to be either. A full Bodied White Wine to a medium bodied red will be the perfect match.
White:
For the white wine lovers, this classic BC Pinot Gris is a perfect pairing for a Turkey dinner. With it’s balanced texture of orchard fruit and
CheckMate’s Little Pawn 2015 Chardonnay
This wine is amazing. Recently being here in September, I had the opportunity to try this and I know my family will be having this with our turkey. This wine has, “captivating floral nose with hints of rose petal, cinnamon spice and lemon zest. On the palate, subtle richness, hints of cream and beautiful oak integration create a wine of restrained elegance, with substantial length.”
(@checkmatewinery / Instagram)
Last year the 2015 Little Pawn Chardonnay scored 100 Points, being the first winery in Canada to ever do so and they followed up with their 2016 vintage scoring 100 Points as well.
Red:
Cedar Creek 2017 Platinum Block 4 Pinot Noir
This Cedar creek Pinot Noir has savoury gamey notes and plum and a hint of spice with a long red currant finish.
Pumpkin Pie
The wine you are pairing with a complex and heavy flavoured dessert, like pumpkin pie, needs to either be a light and crisp white or a spicy darker red.
White:
La Frenz Alexandria is a blend made with 50% Muscat and 50% Schonberger. Alexandria has an extraordinary amount of exotic tropical fruit flavours of grilled pineapple, cantaloupe and dried apple along with floral flavours of elderflower and honeysuckle. This wine has “a beautiful finish that doesn’t know when to quit!”
(@lafrenzwinery / Instagram)
Red:
Black Hills is a fantastic winery with a great atmosphere. The lower patio has cabanas and a pool where you can sit out and enjoy your tasting. The experience at Black Hills is one you will never forget. But back to the wine. This Black Hills Syrah has ripe raspberry and black cherry aromas with hits from freshly cracked pepper. It has dark chocolate and sweet baking spice tasting notes.
(@blackhillswinery / Instagram)
What are Your Thanksgiving Plans?
Let’s face it. This years Thanksgiving is going to be completely different than any other year. We know everyone will be missing not seeing your favourite uncle who drinks a little too much at the dinner and your in-laws snide remarks about your appetizer. Oh and don’t forget about your parents arguing over if the turkey is cooked enough cause no one wants it to be too dry. Just kidding, well if you are missing that then props to you. For everyone else, lets switch up Thanksgiving traditions this year and maybe make some new ones within your bubble.
1. Go Somewhere for dinner
I know we all love the smell of turkey cooking in the oven and the laughter (or sometimes fighting)
There are many local Vancouver restaurants who are cooking Thanksgiving this year. The Belgard Kitchen will be having their annual Thanksgiving dinner in the restaurant to they also have take home meal kits.
The Flying Pig will be offering a traditional dinner on Sunday night in all of their locations for $29.00 a person.
(@wearetheflyingpig / Instagram)
The Boulevard Kitchen and Oyster Bar will be offering Thanksgiving to go from October 9- October 11 and hosting a dine in on Sunday October 11. The Boulevard was named Vancouver’s Best Restaurant in the Van Mag Restaurant Awards.
2. Oktoberfest at Bells and Whistles Fraser
Bells and Whistles Fraser location has opened up a pop-up Oktoberfest called Wunderbar. This event is running until Saturday, October 10th. They will be serving warm pretzels, pulled pork, two types of schnitzel and a streusel sundae to finish it off.
(@bellsandwhistlesyvr / Instagram)
3. Stayland: Night of a Thousand Screams at Playland
Unfortunately this year, Freight Nights at the Playland will not be happening but they have came up with a new concept that will follow COVID-19 guidelines and safety protocols which is, Stayland. Stayland opens on Friday October 9 daily from 6pm-11pm until Halloween on October 31. The park will have a haunted walk-through, 20 rides will be operand it is also the first year ever that people are allowed dress in costumes.
(@pne_playland) / Instagram
Vancouver’s Assortment of Food Trucks
Have you gotten on the food truck train yet? Well if you haven’t, I’m going to get you all aboard. Vancouver’s food trucks are found throughout the city sidewalks, to events, breweries and festivals. Due to COVID-19, many food trucks have suffered and what better way to enjoy an Instagram worthy meal than hitting up some Vancouver’s best food trucks.
The Frying Pan is a Korean style food truck. They are most known for their Nashville X Korean style hot chicken sandwiches and Korean rice bowls. Weekly, The Frying Pan is located at 505 Burrard, Downtown Vancouver but on the weekends they venture to breweries, farmers markets and festivals.
(@thefryingpan604 / Instagram)
Mama Said Pizza is a New York inspired pizza truck. They use 72 hour fermented dough which is completely made from scratch. From regular cheese to caged heat to caramelized pineapple, and anything in between, Mama Said has the perfect pizza for you. They are always located in the Twin Sails Brewing parking lot in Port Moody.
(@mamasaid_pizza / Instagram)
I tell you, their lobster bisque is like heaven in your mouth. The best bisque you will ever have which is perfect for the fall weather fast approaching. Their lobster grilled cheese is also top notch. I highly recommend if you see this food truck, you run to the line up and get yourself some lobster bisque.
(@saltyslobster / Instagram)
Shameless buns serves Filipino chow using traditional Filipino bread roll, Pandesal as their vessel. They offer a variety of sandwiches served with poutine inspired and rice bowls along with two vegetarian options. Shameless Buns also has their homemade banana ketchup with uses a total of 23 ingredients.
(@shamlessbuns / Instagram)
Tacofino has three food trucks, the Blue Truck, Pink Truck and the Minty Truck. Each truck offers a different variety of tacos and burritos. They have a great variety between pork, fish tacos, cauliflower and many other kinds of fillings. Tacofino normally has a truck at the Vancouver Art Gallery in the afternoon on weekdays and at night and the weekend, they are usually hanging out at local breweries.
(@tacofinovan / Instagram)
Hopefully one of these will become your new go to food truck. Or better yet, keep trying them all. Bon Appétit!
Three of Vancouver’s Best Ale Trails
Looking for new breweries to hit in the Lower mainland? Below is three of my favourite ale trails.
Port Moody’s Brewers Row
Being the first to open on the row, Yellow Dog, has a large tasting room along with back patio with many picnic benches. This brewery is Dog inspired as all their beers are named after something dog related.
(@yellowdogbeer / Instagram)
Twin Sales Brewing focuses on German Styles but it has also created some great hazy IPAs, sours and stouts. Twin has a smaller tasting room and patio so get there early!
(@twinsailsbeer / Instagram)
Parkside has one of the nicest patios on the row, along with a large tasting room. Parkside has a smaller line up but has the best hazy IPA, which is their Dreamboat described as, “a juicy treat which lingers like a hazy dream.”
(@parksidebrewery / Instagram)
Moody Ales has a large focus on ales but they have also incorporated some well put together lagers on their line-up. There is a large tasting room inside, along with a newly expanded patio that goes along the side of the building.
(@moodyales / Instragram)
This is Moody’s second brewery, located a few doors down. Bakery Brewing focuses on unique styles and flavours. They have a large line up with sometimes over twenty beers on tap.
(@bakerybrewing / Instagram)
These five breweries are located on Murray Street, just across from Rocky Point Park.
Main Street / Mount Pleasant
33 Acres has a cafe-like dynamic. They offer espresso, along with lunch and dinner. They also have an amazing brunch on the weekends. Their 33 Acres of Sunshine French blanchè ale is perfect for a crisp fall day.
(33acresbrewing / Instragram)
If you’re looking to go back in time and sit at a truck stop diner and have a classic beer, Red Truck Beer Company is your place to be. Opening in 2015, this brewery has a large menu of comfort food and one of the best lagers in the city.
(@redtruckbeer / Instagram)
Opening in 2013, Brassneck Brewery is located in the centre of Mount Pleasant. Brassneck has classic beers to many experimental brews. This brewery rarely releases any beer out of the brewery (besides a few kegs to local restaurants) so you have to go in to try their beer.
(@brassneckbrew / Instagram)
East Van
Andina Brewing is one of the most noticeable breweries, with it’s bright yellow two story building along with a large graphic of their mascot, La Pola on the brewery’s side. This brewery provides a Columbian feel with many South American inspired beer and food. Andina is definitely a brewery to check out.
(@andinabrewingco / Instagram)
East Van Brewing has a decent sized tasting room, along with an upstairs area. They have recently opened a sidewalk patio which has a beautiful view of Downtown Vancouver. They have 12 taps, with their usual line-up along with a few rotting seasonal beers.
(@eastvanbrewing)
Strange Fellows Brewing goes “beyond the ordinary to celebrate that which is strange* and extraordinary.” Their beers follow old traditions along but also have many new inspired beers along with seasonals. You will never be disappointed in one of their sours either.
(@strangefellowsbrewing / Instagram)
Netflix’s Horrifying #1 Documentary
The documentary, American Murder: The Family Next Door, directed by British filmmaker Jenny Popplewell, premiered on Netflix on Wednesday September 30. This documentary is currently number one on Netflix Canada.
This documentary goes though the disappearance of pregnant Shanann Watts, 34, and her two children, Bella, 4, and Celeste, 3, who went missing on August 13, 2018 in Frederick, Colorado.
The documentary takes a dramatic narrative of showing old footage off Shannan’s Facebook, documenting her struggle with lupus along with her love for her family. It also has text messages between Shannan and Christopher, her husband, and texts with her friends discussing the relationship between Chris and herself. Police body camera footage is also shown along with emotional interviews with family and friends on the day of her disappearance and throughout the days leading up to finding the bodies.
Christopher was having an affair on Shannan which lead to having a disconnect in their relationship. He wanted to leave and start a new family with his mistress, Nichol Kessinger. In an emotional conversation, Christopher told Shannan he was not in love with her anymore. This lead Christopher horrible way of ending his wife’s life.
Nearing the end, Christopher Watts, fails a polygraph test and after talking with his father, Ronnie, Watt’s pleads guilty to the police for the murders of his pregnant wife and two daughters. It is then disclosed that he disposed them in an oil field at one of his job sites. Shannan was buried and the children were put in an oil tank twenty feet down. Christopher’s confession was absolutely shocking, leaving viewers horrified and disturbed.
In November 2018, Christopher Watts was sentenced to three life in prison sentences without a chance of ever getting out. He is being held at Dodge Correctional Institution, a maximum security prison that’s in Waupun, Wisconsin according to People.
Whitecaps Play Sounders Tomorrow Night
The Vancouver Whitecaps take on the Seattle Sounders at Centurylink Field on Saturday at 7pm.
Vancouver is ready to get back on track to wining in order to have a chance at a playoff spot. The Whitecaps are three points aways from having a secured spot. The team has not had a great season as they have suffered many injuries. They lost their first 3 games of the season but made a comeback with 3 wins but since lost the last 2. their most recent was a 6-0 loss against LAFC.
With recently receiving veteran goalkeeper Evan Bush on the roster for the first time, this could be a huge help for the Whitecaps.
Head coach, Marc Dos Santos says the team knows this season will only get harder.
(WhiteCapsFC / Twitter)
The Whitecaps will have a tough game ahead of them as the Saunders are one of the top teams and have won 3 out of their 4 past games. Vancouver will need to stop Jordan Morris, one of the most powerful players in the league. Another one of the Whitecaps gaols will be to get a few points on the board as they have had none in the past two games.
Dos Santos explained that the Caps took a break and went back to Vancouver during the week but returned to Portland Wednesday ready to practice. The Whitecaps are in Portland right now, in a bubble away from their friends and family.
Behind Vancouver’s Popular Sculptures
Here is a look into some of the background to some of Vancouver’s most popular sculptures in the city.
English Bay’s Engagement Sculpture
English Bay’s beach is the perfect spot to catch a sunset or even hangout with friends and have a beach day. It is also the home of Dennis Oppenheim’s Engagement Sculpture. This sculpture is almost 30 feet tall as it easily catches the attention of people walking past. Oppenheim took the rings and used them in a “Pop Art form, which is where everyday objects are “taken out of they domestic environment and re-conceptualized as monumental sculptures.” The rings are made of translucent plexiglass boxes, steel and aluminum.
(@admir23 / Instagram)
The Engagement was created in 2005 during the same time a same sex marriage debates were happening in Canada. Although Oppenheim has kept it quiet about the true meaning behind these rings, people are reminded that marriage is a balance of both parties with different backgrounds and romance.
Oppenheim has been doing sculptural work since the 1990’s and he has become known as one of the world’s most respected and influential artists,
The Digital Orca
The Digital Orca is located in Coal Harbour right near the Olympic Cauldron and the Vancouver Convention Centre. It was created by Douglas Coupland a writer and visual artist from Vancouver in 2009.
The meaning behind the sculpture is it allows for the viewer to travel in time between the past and the future.
(@seaside_signs / Instagram)
The Whale is pixelated in 3 dimensions. Coupland did this to create a unexpected sensation in the viewers mind. The Orca is made of powder coated aluminum on a stainless steel frame. It has been said that the colours and materials used was to represent the diversity those working near the waterfronts of British Columbia.
Now is your chance to take a look at these in person!
Softball’s Olympic Come Back
Softball was taken out of the Olympics after the 2008 Summer Olympics. It is back again for the postponed 2021Olympics.
Most players playing this sport high level dream of being able to play for Team Canada but for the past two summer Olympics Team Canada’s Softball did not get the chance.
Softball was announced back to the Olympics for one year in 2017 and Team Canada has never worked harder. Softball will not be in the 2024 Olympics and Coach Mark Smith said, “with softball not in 2024, the reality is that for a large chunk of them — even the younger ones — it’s probably the only Olympic opportunity they’re going to have. So it’s especially sweet for them,” Smith continued, ”For the older ones, it’s a chance to go back and make right an experience they had 12 years ago that didn’t go the way they’d hoped. I’m just happy for them.”
(@lfrankin19 / Instagram)
Team Canada secured their spot to the Olympics by knocking out Brazil in the finals with 7-0 win in the America qualifying tournament that was held in Surrey back in 2019. In the second inning, Franklin drove the ball to the wall of right centre making it a triple which scored the first Canadian run. Franklin had a total of 3 RBI’s in the game, Lawrie’s game was outstanding as she threw 8 K’s and only allowed for one hit in the game. Canada ended the tournament scoring a total of 76 runs.
BC has the most number of players on the roster with a total of 9 followed by Ontario with 8.
BC’s pitchers include: Danielle Lawrie, Lawren Bay Regula and Sara Groenewegen.
Infielders: Holly Speers, Jennifer Salling, Kelsey Jenkins, and Emma Entzeminger
Outfielders: Larissa Franklin and Callum Pilgrim
Their first game back to the field will be on July 21, 2021 to play Mexico in the Tokyo 2021 Olympics.
(@lfranklin19 / Instagram)