On a blustery holiday evening by the sea, John and I visited Richmond’s newest craft beer destination, Britannia Brewing Company, to meet up with some old friends. Located at Second Avenue and Bayview, the restaurant and pub that pours Richmond-brewed Britannia beer was hopping with families and friends coming together in the nautical themed venue. We took a spot at the large communal table, hand carved and stained by one of owners, and adorned with a towering vase of flower.

Britannia Brewing Company in Steveston

Founded by partners Kyle Brailean, Lloyd Kinney and Trystam Hayden, Britannia Brewing launched just last month in Steveston Village, with their brewing operations located behind Ironwood.

We ordered their sample flight ($10) featuring their three brews plus a guest tap (Monday night it was Four Winds, from Delta). The XPA (5.6% abv/45 IBU) is available exclusively on draught at the restaurant. It has West Coast and Australian hops that “create a bigger than usual pale ale with a hop kick”. There was also a Rye Porter, which no one in our group was too keen to drink (they all preferred lighter brews — except John, he likes porters) but since it was one of just 3 by the host company we all gave it a shot.

The Hop Blonde Ale (4.7% abv/22 IBU) is described as “a refreshing ale with citrus and tropical fruit aromas and a subtle bitterness” and it didn’t disappoint, it was my favourite of the three by Brtiannia. It also paired beautifully with some of the seafood menu items.

They can’t do growlers yet, that’s coming, and I believe they still have some patio features to finish up, but Britannia Brewing is on its way. It has embraced its location, offering up catch-of-the-day fare like ceviche ($12), fish & chips ($15), and a poke bowl ($15), along with hearty two-handed burgers on a bed of fries.

There are definitely some good things brewing, and with a good start and fantastic location, Britannia Brewing is set to sail with the rest. Follow their progress and updates on Facebook for more info.

Join the second annual Sip and Savour fundraiser, presented by numpfer, on October 3rd where all proceeds from the event are donated to BC Women’s Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

Sip and Savour

Restaurants, Cocktail Bars, Craft Breweries & Wineries Under One Roof

When: Monday, October 3, 2016 from 7:00pm to 10:00pm
Where: Pipe Shop at The Shipyards (115 Victory Ship Way, North Vancouver)
Tickets: On sale online now for $85.

Last year’s inaugural event was a monumental success, demonstrating the incredible power of community and raising over $50,000 to purchase a critically needed phototherapy system for newborns suffering from jaundice. The generous support of individuals, businesses and non-profit foundations made this possible. The donation of time and resources including the venue, photography, a photo booth, gifts, food and drink all allowed this special night to play an important role in giving a helping hand to brand new babies in need of additional medical support.

This year’s Sip and Savour will be hosted by CTV news anchor and long-time NICU supporter, Tamara Taggart. Event-goers will have the chance to “sip and savour” some of Vancouver’s top food and drinks from acclaimed restaurants like Hawksworth, Minami, The Mackenzie Room, The Acorn, TUC Craft Kitchen and more. A silent auction featuring more than 75 items will further entice and delight guests – all for an incredibly worthy cause.

Follow Sip and Savour on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for more information.

Canadian comedy icon, and improvisor extraordinaire, Colin Mochrie will be in Vancouver this month for three shows. The first show at Vancouver TheatreSports on September 23rd is sold out already but he’ll also make two appearances at The Vogue Theatre on September 24th.

Colin Mochrie at Vancouver TheatreSports

Vancouver TheatreSports League’s home on Granville Island, The Improv Centre, will host the first show with Colin Mochrie. The next night, Saturday, September 24 at 7:30pm & 9:30pm, Colin takes the stage at the The Vogue Theatre located in the heart of Vancouver’s Entertainment District. This performance features the improv master with some of your favourite VTSL players in a free-wheeling improv laugh-fest.

The Vogue’s size allows for a wider range of seating options with prices starting from as little as $29 through to premium seats at $69. Tickets are on sale now and one show has already sold out! Don’t miss out on this limited opportunity to catch one of the world’s great improvisers at his best.

Both shows benefit the Colin Mochrie Scholarship Fund at VTSL’s theatre school, the Improv Comedy Institute. Established in 2014, the scholarship provides assistance to people wishing to study improv but are unable to do so because of financial barriers.

Follow Vancouver TheatreSports League on Facebook and Twitter for more information.

New Westminster is hosting 10 events in 10 days for the second annual Feast on the Fraser from September 23rd to October 2nd. This culinary experience pairs food and fun with a signature event each day. Explore and enjoy this exciting destination for food, arts, culture, and entertainment within Metro Vancouver.

A Feast on the Fraser

More than 20 local restaurants and arts and cultural organizations participated across 10 diverse food and fun events at last year’s Feast on the Fraser. This year’s event highlights and incorporates the unique flavours and products of the Fraser Valley to deliver the Lower Mainland’s best regional offerings.

Events

A few of this year’s events include:

Some participating establishments at this year’s event include 100 Braid St. Studios, The Hub, The Boathouse Restaurant, Boston Pizza, El Santo, Fiesta Catering, MATCH Eatery at Starlight Casino, Paddlewheeler Riverboat Tours, River Market, Royal City Farmers’ Market, Steel and Oak Brewing Co., Tre Galli Gelato, Wild Rice and more – with a range of price points at $25, $45 and $65.

Follow Downtown New Westminster on Facebook and Twitter for more information.

I tip toed across the sun room to the screen door, where I smacked my flip flops down onto the entrance’s paver stones. Unlatching the gate on the white picket fence that surrounded the cottage, I made my way up Veranda Drive to pick up our vehicle from its parking spot. The sun was rising over the vineyards, painting everything pink in the early morning. The dewy air smelled like peaches from the neighbouring orchards. I heard a small sound and looked across the lane to a patch of lawn where a boy, in his pajamas, was collecting rocks and storing them in a Pringles can. “Ah, summer mornings as a kid at the cottage.” I thought to myself. This kid was going to have a good day at Veranda Beach Resort.

He was probably going to get called into breakfast soon, the smell of bacon wafting through the shrubs already, and then maybe the family would head to the beach before the afternoon sunshine got too hot. Perhaps they would head out onto their boat, then they would regroup at the cottage for lunch on the barbecue, grab some inflatable loungers and hit the pool for a round of Marco Polo.

To dry off, a game of soccer on the lawn where orange cones would be setup to mark goal areas, or a round of shuffleboard near the pool deck. Before dusk, the Veranda Beach team would roll out the giant movie screen in preparation for the free outdoor family movie that night. Lawn chairs, blankets, and snacking on popcorn with a popular cartoon blockbuster. Walking back to the cottage, they would drag blankets that would be laid out in the back yard where they could look up at the stars. I imagine being a kid at Veranda Beach would be pretty great. But being an adult there was pretty great too.

A photo posted by Rebecca Bollwitt (@miss604) on Aug 28, 2016 at 6:54pm PDT

Veranda Beach has all of the perks of staying at a hotel, while being independent in your own cottage. John and I were there on a couples’ getaway in late August with Keira, her husband, and their fur baby Jordy. We cooked breakfast, hit the beach, paddle boarded, had lunch at the diner, swam in the pool, played games on our deck, barbecued, enjoyed some local wine, and hit up the hot tub for adults only hour. Lather, rinse, repeat each day. Sunshine, swimming, sizzling BBQ. If we had more time, hiking and wine touring would have been a part of the equation too. 48 hours was just enough to unwind to the point of where we wished we had booked an entire week at Veranda Beach.

Things We Loved

Full Service: When we arrived, a staff member showed us to our cottage, pointed out some of its features, and made sure our key cards worked.

On top of the well-appointed home with every gadget, cooking utensil, fan, pot, and even sphere ice cube makers in the freezer, we could call the front desk and still have a replenished propane tank delivered for the barbecue or even more dish soap. Garbage was picked up by the curb, there was a recycling program, and towels for bath and beach were supplied in the home.

Diner: Open during the summer months only, we could actually get full food & beverage service from the diner down at the pool. However, we went up to dine on the patio picnic tables anyway, where Jordy was also welcome. In fact the server even brought out some water for him to lap up. I had the BLT, which was delicious. Served on thick slices of multigrain with heaping pile of fries on the side (with several vegetable and salad options too). They ever served a Caesar — not a Bloody Mary.

Pet Friendliness: On that note, Keira expressly told me to mention how everything was so incredibly pet friendly at Veranda Beach. Jordy was allowed in the pool area (his leash attached to her chair), he frolicked on the beach (as best he could in the deep sand), he drank with us on the patio at the diner, and pretty much went everywhere we went. He even made a few friends on the great lawn.

Marina: Rent from Kevin at the marina! He’s a local who can tell you all about the history of the area, and set you up with a Sea Doo, bumper boat, paddle board, kayak, and more.

Independence: While you had the support of the resort (with diner, general store, pool, games room, fitness centre, and marina) you could easily disconnect and simply enjoy time on your own. There was a guide book in the cottage with instructions on being self-sufficient with the dishwasher, air conditioning, trash disposal, and more.

Things We Would Have Loved to See

If I had to come up with one complaint or area in need of improvement I’d just have say that the deck of cards in the drawer was missing a King of Spades. That’s it! Of the four of us, none once uttered the words: “It’s great but I wish there was…”. It was the perfect getaway.

Tip: There is a liquor store and grocery store in Oroville, Washington when you cross the border, before you turn onto 16th to head out to Veranda Beach. I would recommend getting your alcohol at the grocery store as we found it was quite a bit cheaper there.

The resort is open year-round for vacation rental booking and still offers plenty of activities in fall and winter. In fact I’ve been told that in winter, closer the Christmas, they build an outdoor ice rink for those who spend the holidays there! The diner and general store close when summer’s over, and reopen in late spring.

Veranda Beach is just 20 minutes from the Canada/USA border, on the Washington State side of Lake Osoyoos, and about 5 hours from Vancouver along Highway 3. Vacation rentals sleep 4-12 guests so the nightly rate, split among friends and family, is rather affordable. Our cottage was huge, it slept 12, and went for about $600/night. Pets are allowed and you can use a detailed search feature when browsing the bookings.

Follow along on Facebook and Twitter for all of the latest news from the resort, along with seasonal programming and activity offerings.