Scandinave Spa

By in Travel, Whistler

Cy95CiCN

On Sunday while in Whistler, my hubby and I spent the day at Scandinave Spa.  Pure heaven!

From what I understand, if you book a massage you have full usage of the facilities, but we chose to just pay for the bath and no massage.  It was about $150 and there was no time limit to how long we could use the facilities.

When we arrived, we were asked to fill out a waiver.  So a couple interesting things to know about this spa – first, there is no speaking.  To add to the serene environment, it’s completely silent.  I haven’t encountered it before, but I had a friend tell me that the staff will not be friendly about it if you break the rules and talk.  My husband said he overheard a couple being shushed for laughing.  I understand it.  For me, I personally loved what the silence added to my time there.  So peaceful.  There are also no phones permitted on site.  They call it a “digital detox”, but I imagine it’s also to respect everyone’s privacy as everyone is in their bathing suits.  Although I’m someone who likes to take photos for my blog, the digital detox was soooo nice!  You are able to snap a photo up top from the cafe window before you go down into the change room as well.

After signing the waiver on their tablets, we were greeted by a friendly worker.  He explained how everything worked and provided us with a lock, 2 towels, an extra mask, and a robe each.  They recommend that you keep one towel in the locker and I’m so happy I did that.  The one I took out to the baths with me was soaked by the end of our day.

When you go out the doors, it’s like an outdoor chalet.  So beautiful – pools and fire pits while we’re surrounded by snow.  We were told by their staff that the best way to do it is to start with the hot pool, followed by a few seconds in the cold pool and then a bit of relaxation.  I did it in just this order repetitively.  Let me tell you, that cold bath is no joke, lol.  Somehow, when you get out of it though, you’re not cold anymore and it does feel quite nice.  I like that there are multiple pools so that you can have a change of scenery.  I also took advantage of the steam rooms and saunas.  Lastly, I surprisingly really loved the solarium.  I honestly thought it would be whatever, it’s just a resting area, but after doing the cold and hot pools, getting comfortable in one of their rocking beds is so relaxing.  The solarium has the most perfect temperature with calming spa music playing.  I took a beach bag and had my book in it.  I just loved laying there and reading.  I do wish I had packed a bottle of water also, I was pretty dehydrated after all the heat and I didn’t want to go back in all wet from the pools to purchase water.  I was happy that I brought flip flops.  I felt more comfortable walking around in the rooms and around the pools in them.

We had a lovely day.  We had a weekend of drinking and this was a great way to feel much more relaxed and awake afterwards.  Felt like we steamed all the booze out of our bodies.  I have yet to try the massage here so I can’t speak on that, but this was my second time using the baths and the experience was one of my favorite spa experiences yet.  You leave feeling so zen.

https://www.scandinave.com/whistler/en/

 

Remedy Cafe – Whyte Avenue

By in Eateries, Edmonton Tags: , , , , ,

WsamJnIk

When I visited Edmonton our hotel was very close to a cafe called Remedy.  The tagline under the sign said “Be Spicy, Drink Chai”.  Now I love me some good chai so I had to check it out.  I popped in on my afternoon stroll.

The cafe is large, yet cozy at the same time.  It’s bright with tons of seating.  They have a huge selection of drinks.  They offer lunch and dinner.  They have desserts.  They offer halal, gluten free, dairy free and vegan options.

I mentioned to the woman behind the counter that it was my first time visiting and she was super helpful and friendly.  I ended up ordering the ginger chai and the samosa.  The chai was exceptionally delicious.  The samosa was a great quick snack and it was only $2 so I loved the price point.

This place is just super chill.  A great place to sit with a book and enjoy your chai.  I’m making a beeline for Remedy next time I’m back in Edmonton.  Loved it!

https://www.remedycafe.ca/

Neverland Tea Salon – Mad Hatter High Tea

By in Eateries Tags: , ,

0NUkHptK

I booked a high tea at Neverland Tea Salon to celebrate my two friends who are mamas to be.

This restaurant is sooo freakin cute!  There are chandeliers, a Peter Pan quote on the wall, pretty teacups on display.  We were seated in the far back corner on a turquoise couch which was great for photos.

They seem to change themes often and we were there for the “Mad Hatter High Tea” theme.  They really immerse themselves into the theme which I absolutely love!  There were giant playing cards decorating the place, dishes hanging upside down from the ceiling, etc.  The theme was much more pronounced in the food which I’ll explain shortly.

So just a little background – I consider myself a bit of a high tea snob.  High tea was something I did often with my mom.  We used to go to a lot of the high end hotels offering high tea, different tea salons, we even did a high tea boat cruise once.  Because of this, I’m a bit of a tough critic.

Neverland Tea Salon has the widest varieties of teas that I’ve ever seen.  We were told that the tea was bottomless.  I took that to mean that we would be able to get unlimited refills on the tea that we chose, but we actually were able to try as many different kinds of tea that we wanted in the time we were there.  I tried the almond joy and the apple crumble.  Both tasted delicious!  There were some other teas on the menu like chocolate macaroon and vanilla ice cream that I’m hoping to try in the future.

You can order the traditional menu, or for the same price, you can get vegetarian, gluten and dairy free or vegan.  For an additional $10 you can add sparkling wine, rose or a mimosa.  I went with the traditional and it included the following:

  • Chilled raspberry and beet soup shooter
  • Montreal smoked roast beef with pickled relish, peppercorn aioli, cured tomatoes and arugula
  • Roasted veggie croque monsieur with zucchini, red peppers, spinach and havarti cheese
  • Smoked paprika crab salad with red peppers, onions, chives and green goddess aioli
  • Coronation chicken salad canape, red pepper, mango chutney and assam tea infused apricots
  • Steelhead smoked salmon with baby dill, caper and avocado cream cheese
  • Strawberry and vanilla queen of hearts choux
  • White rabbit’s double chocolate watch
  • Raspberry and chocolate deck of cards
  • Passion fruit and hazelnut mushroom tart
  • Citrus scone with cream and strawberry jam

The chilled raspberry and beet shooters had little “drink me” tags attached to them.  It wasn’t until I got home that I realized that this was from a scene in Alice in Wonderland.  The desserts were decorated with things from the movie such as a little mushroom, little heart, and clock.  So cute!  Love how they stayed on theme.

My friends and I ate each item at the same time and the consensus across the board was pure deliciousness.  Everything was yum!  There was not a single sandwich or dessert that we did not like.

The only downside I would say is that it felt like they were rushing us out a bit.  When we sat down we were told that the table was ours for an hour and a half.  We were asked if we wanted more tea as we had half an hour left.  That was totally fine, but then when we had about twenty minutes left with food still left in front of us we were asked if she should bring the bill and boxes.  We confirmed that we still had 20 minutes and she said yes.  I understand that they have to turn the tables around for the next groups, but that was too early to ask.  It’s teetering on rude as people come here to celebrate or catch up.  We did finish everything and took advantage of our full time.

Overall we had a great time and I would come back.

https://neverlandtea.com/

 

Little Beetle

By in Eateries Tags: , , , ,

IkUbm40B

My best friend and I went up for a weekend away to Harrison Hot Springs.  On the way up, she planned a brunch at the Little Beetle in Chilliwack for us.

First off, this place is so so so adorable!  It’s a cute little blue house.  The decor inside is very chic farmhouse.  It’s bright and beautiful.  It’s giving country vibes.

They don’t take reservations so we did wait a bit, but in my opinion the wait was more than worth it.

We ordered mimosas and they were so good – freshly squeezed orange juice for sure!

To be honest, I thought the brunch would be good, but I thought it would just be a normal, average brunch spot.  I was wrong.  I ordered the smoked salmon benny and my friend got the avocado toast.  The food is far from average – the quality of ingredients, the presentation and most of all the taste of the dishes were completely elevated.  Everything was excellent.

This place is a hidden gem!  I would highly recommend!

https://littlebeetle.ca/

Key Party

By in Eateries 1 Comment Tags: , , ,

-m1dSwDd

My friend and I were excited to finally get to check out Key Party.

So if you haven’t heard about this spot, the concept is pretty cool.  We walked up to a store front window marked “Valentin Manheimer Accounting.”  Inside it looks like a small office with a desk, office supplies, etc.  However, there’s a door in the corner and what’s behind the door is the draw – a hidden bar.

For those who don’t know, it gets its name from the swingers parties from the 70s where men would drop their keys in a bowl and women would pick a set to see who they would partner with for the night.  The bar sticks with its theme with cheeky drink names such as “Bee on your knees” or “Mile High Club” and “French Tickler”.  The walls are covered in eccentric nude art.  The decor is very 70s themed with red velvet and stain-glass candle holders.  It’s very intimate and dimly lit.

Pros – the cool factor.  Who doesn’t love a cool hidden spot that you have to be “in the know” to hit up.  Drinks are good quality.  Although we didn’t have any, they serve some snacks here too.  It would be a great place for a late night drink.

Cons – besides the big reveal, I found it to be a bit underwhelming.  The space is very small.  There was a drink on the menu with the ingredient “sparkles”.  Of course I ordered that!  I was excited.  When the bartender brought it out to me it didn’t particularly look like anything special.  My friend and I lit our flashlights on our phone and both gave it an inspection searching for the sparkles.  We didn’t see any.  I asked the bartender about them she apologetically said that she did not have any.  She explained that they are edible sparkles and pretty cool, but they were out.  I was very disappointed.  I feel she should have told me if I wasn’t going to be getting it as listed.

To be honest, I think this is a check out once kind of place.  See the hidden part, get some cool pics for your instagram, etc.  I don’t think I’ll be back a second time unfortunately.

https://narrowgroup.ca/project/key-party/

The Loft Lounge

By in Eateries 1 Comment Tags: , , , , , ,

0aKXwt8F

I have lived in the West End for almost a decade.  I absolutely love it here.  We have so many wonderful food options, but I’ve always been sad that we were missing a great Jamaican place around here.

This summer I stumbled upon the Loft Lounge.  It was previously a pub and I have no idea when it switched over – who knows how long I’ve been sitting on this jackpot!

I love the vibes in this place!  The decor is funky – bit of retro, some beautiful artwork, lots of greenery and a great Instagramable wall with neon lights.  The views are of English Bay – I mean this is a prime spot!  My girls and I also loved the tunes.  I don’t know if it’s a nightly thing, but they were playing music from the late 90s, early 2000s and we were singing along and gasping “I haven’t heard this song in so long!” all night.

Let’s talk food and drinks.  I ordered their coco margarita.  This drink was made for me!  I love coconut anything and I’m a huge fan of margaritas.  Just a heavenly combination.  I ordered their spicy beef Jamaican patty and I added cheese to the patty for an additional $2.  So so good!  Yummy!  I also ordered the jerk chicken dinner which comes with plantains and coleslaw with rice.  The portion size was generous and the food was absolutely delicious!

Now for the service – when we went it was at a time during covid when almost all the restaurants were short staffed.  I am going to share my experience with you, but I feel like as times have changed a bit since the summer, this may not be the case now.  The staff was nice and personable, however, as I was the only one in my party to get an appetizer, my meat patty and meal came out pretty much at the same time.  While I was eating my appy, my friends were eating their main.  When I got to my main, it was a bit cold so I asked the server if she wouldn’t mind heating it up for me.  She took it away, but then forgot about me.  It was difficult to wave her down for a while because they were busy and very obviously short staffed.  When I finally did get my food back, my friends were close to done their food and then I felt a bit like I had lost my appetite with such a long wait between my appy and dinner and being the only one left at my table with food on my plate.  That being said, I thought that the server was friendly and I felt for her.  She was doing her best on a very busy night.

One thing I loved about this place is as it was getting later, no one was rushing us out.  I think this would be different if people were waiting for tables of course, but I loved the leisurely atmosphere of this place where they let us sit and chat and have our drinks.  Very island vibes!  I cannot wait to go back again!  I would love to try the rest of their menu.  Might just be my new hangout.

https://loftondenman.com/

Whistler Bobsleigh

By in Local Getaways, The Great Outdoors, Whistler 1 Comment Tags: , , , ,

oOH-5Ljm

The hubby and I were in Whistler for my birthday celebration.  The trip was amazing and one of the highlights for me was bobsleighing at the Whistler Sliding Centre.

The Sliding Centre was a bit tricky to find at first.  We had to go up a ski hill and then we were directed by the gondola staff in the wrong direction as they thought we were going tubing.  We called the Sliding Centre in a bit of a panic thinking we were going to miss our slot, but they gave us clear directions and we found them.

Upon arrival we were weighed and then went through a bit of an orientation.  We were advised that gloves are mandatory and it is recommended for women with long hair to tie it back.  We were taken in a van to the bobsleigh site and fitted for helmets there, then walked out to the Olympic track.

The staff is terrific and our pilot was fun and friendly.

The experience itself was exhilarating.  I would highly recommend it.  If you’re an adventurer you will absolutely love it.  There’s nothing like speeding through a record breaking ice track.  You do get thrown around a bit in there and it’s really fun!  We gained a new level of understanding and respect for the sport and the athletes.  Definitely something you need to add to your bucket list.

Whistler Bobsleigh

 

Key Nutrients Lemonade Electrolytes

By in Health and Wellness, Keto and Low Carb

hpBzq0NQ

I started off this year with a whole lotta fitness goals I wanted to reach.  I’ve zeroed in on those goals and have been consistently working out and although I’m a big foodie and always will be, I eat super healthy day to day.  One thing I’ve recently started doing this year is adding supplements into the mix to help aid in getting where I want to go quicker.

I recently tried out the Key Nutrients Lemonade Electrolytes.

Electrolytes are minerals found in our bodies that help to keep our systems functioning properly.  The right amount of electrolytes in our system is needed for optimal health.  There are several ways that you could lose these minerals in your body and one of those ways is intense exercise.  When this happens you start to feel dehydrated.

Key Nutrients has come out with electrolytes that have zero sugar, carbs and calories. Great for all my keto peeps as it’s sweetened with stevia.  I have tried the lemonade flavor and it was really tasty! I really enjoyed it.  I’ve been drinking it after my workouts and it’s definitely a part of my fitness routines now.

A few extra things to note – it contains 6 essential electrolytes and it’s formulated with 12 additional vitamins and minerals.  In other words, this is the good stuff!  I highly recommend!

https://keynutrients.com/

 

Sala Thai Restaurant

By in Eateries Tags: , , ,

hrr8MOpo

It was my friend’s birthday so a few of us went over to Sala Thai to enjoy dinner.

This restaurant definitely reminds me of Thailand with the decor.  It’s a very nice atmosphere.  The staff  even wears traditional clothing.

The service was slow and to be quite honest, just meh.  Not memorable in any real way.  They weren’t overly friendly, but they weren’t rude.  It seemed to be a bit on the slow side.

I ordered the coco-jito to drink.  It’s their house made lemongrass mint infused rum, with Malibu rum and coconut cream and lime juice.  I liked it!  It was very yummy.

For my meal I had the beef pa-naeng curry with coconut rice.  It was good.  It wasn’t blow me away amazing, but it was good food. I was satisfied with my meal.   I would come here again if I was craving Thai food as it’s close to home.

https://salathai.ca/

Sundae Delight

By in Eateries

ExMvVhbg

I was over in Surrey having lunch with my mom and sister at an Indian restaurant.  They had “falooda ice cream” on the menu.  I instantly got excited, thinking it was the dessert drink that I grew up on.  After speaking with the wait staff, they explained that it was actually just flavoured ice cream.  My mom mentioned that they she of a place where we could get falooda.  I hadn’t had it in years, so I was eager to go check it out.

For those of you who don’t know, falooda is an Indian dessert.  It is traditionally made by mixing rose syrup, vermicelli and sweet basil seeds with milk and often serving it with ice cream.  Different varieties include different mix ins such a nuts, fruits, etc.

We drove over to Sundae Delight.  It is a small shop.  There was one woman working.  They appear to have cake jars, ice cream and falooda.  I asked a few questions to find out more about their dessert options and she didn’t seem to follow what I was asking.  I tried to explain a few times, but she didn’t understand me and then I just felt kinda awkward lol.

My sister and I ordered the lahori falooda. My mom opted for the royal falooda.  I wish I could tell you exactly what the difference between each option is, but that was one of my questions that wasn’t understood.  From what I could see, it looked like the royal falooda had a lot more additions to it – some chocolate cigar cookies and fruits.

We were asked to wait outside in our car while she made our desserts.  She said she would come get us when it was ready.  Maybe this was a covid precaution.

So first off, my opinion on the dessert is that it’s ugly in appearance.  I’ve had fancy falooda’s at restaurants before that are presented very beautifully.  This was sadly not my experience here.  I was hesitant trying it after seeing what it looked like.  However, when I took my first bite of it I was taken back to my childhood.  It didn’t taste exactly like what I used to have when I was young, but it was close enough that I was filled with nostalgia.  I ate about a quarter to half of it, but found it to be a bit too sweet for me and tapped out.  It was okay, but if I’m being quite honest, I think a lot of my opinion was based on the dessert being so connected to my childhood and that I hadn’t had anything close in years.  My sister didn’t like hers at all and used the word “rich” to describe hers.

I heard that there are other places where we can try falooda in Surrey.  I don’t think I’ll be back here.  I’ll give the other spots a try.

https://www.facebook.com/SundaeDelightSurrey/photos/a.192099358295468/279260006246069

< 1 2 3 4 5 >»