Stag’s Hollow Albari?o

Photo: Contributed Wine: Albari?o, 2020 Winery: Stag’s Hollow, Okanagan Falls Why drink it? Only a handful of B.C. wineries are playing with this Iberian varietal that produces a refreshing, fresh, dry white wine. When you’re ready to expand from more common whites, give

'Can't be wasting!'

Photo: Contributed I am a product of my upbringing. The tales of root cellars where everything was preserved, my grampa's stories of living during the war when things were rationed and the prevalence of farm culture from both my parents' Prairie heritage—all these elemen

Bartier Bros. Orchard Row

Photo: Contributed Wine: The Orchard Row (red blend), 2019 Winery: Bartier Bros., Oliver Why drink it? Formerly the house wine at the winery, this bright red blend of Cabernet Franc, Gamay Noir, Pinot Noir, and a touch of Syrah has a bit of story. The grapes come from a single row t

Healthier ways of living

Photo: Contributed For many of us these last 18 months have been a drastic change in lifestyle, and for a variety of reasons. If our focus was to not get sick, did that make us healthier in our lifestyle choices? Maybe you stopped doing the office commute or you changed up your gym hab

No child should go hungry

Photo: Contributed A North Okanagan group is doing what it can to feed hungry children and their families. There are a surprising number of children in Vernon who face food insecurities on a daily basis, and the Kalamalka Starfish Society is doing its part to ensure families receive a

Thumbs up for Viper burger

Photo: Contributed Competition is beginning to heat up in the North Okanagan Community Life Society's Golden Burger challenge. The Roster Sports Club invited former Vancouver Canuck and Vernon Viper Aaron Volpatti to try their new Viper Smash Burger, and it didn’t take much a

Oktoblerfest will be back

Photo: Contributed Vernon's first Oktoblerfest was a hit, and organizers say the event will be back next year. "What a great weekend – this could be a new major event for Vernon," Sherman Dahl of Wings restaurant said after the Bavarian-themed event's conclusion

Left Field Cider

Photo: Contributed Cidery: Left Field Cider Co., near Merritt Why drink it? Why not cider for a change? It’s not just for hot summer days, is a perfect autumn drink, and there are many craft cideries around the province exploring unique production techniques and fun flavours. Lik

Vying for 'Golden Burger'

Photo: Contributed The Golden Burger trophy under construction. Ten Vernon restaurants will compete for the title of best burger in the North Okanagan. The winner will receive the "Golden Burger" trophy in the North Okanagan Community Life Society fundraising event. The

Clean eating

Photo: Contributed A couple weeks ago I did a healthy living retreat that involved a cleanse. I don’t know if you’ve ever done a cleanse but for someone like me who savours a variety of cooked food and drink, this was a big step outside my comfort zone. I approached the wh

Reap the rewards of harvest

Cindy White Turkey, ham, gravy, are staples for Thanksgiving, but a Kelowna nutritionist says you should serve plenty of vegetables too. You can’t go wrong with all the great produce from around the region this time of year. “I do a lot of roasted vegetables, like beets and

Mashed spuds or sprouts?

Photo: Contributed Turkey is king when it comes to Thanksgiving dinner – but what does your family have with it? Research by Chef's Pencil finds some significant regional differences. The Canadian survey found roasted Brussel sprouts are the favoured side dish in B.C., Alb

Vax pass working for you?

Jon Manchester B.C.'s digital vaccine passports have been mandatory for a week now after a grace period allowing the public to show just their vaccine card. But, not everyone may have had the need to use one yet, or maybe they just haven't downloaded the QR code yet. The passes

Oktoblerfest: das ist gut, ya?

Photo: Contributed Unleash your inner German and get a free serving of Wings during Oktoblerfest at Wings restaurant in Vernon. Organizers of the Bavarian-themed event say ticket sales are picking up. But, if you don't need to take part in the beer and food tasting portion, simp

Night sky glows pink

Photo: Tracie Little/Facebook This recent phenomenon was caused by the failure to close light abatement curtains. As lightning would strike at Dr. Frankenstein’s laboratory, so too would a purple light emanate from a greenhouse in the pursuit of creating the world’s most fl

Vista’s Edge Cabernet Franc

Photo: Contributed Wine: Vista’s Edge Cabernet Franc, 2019 Winery: Mission Hill, West Kelowna Why drink it? Part of the winery’s Terroir Collection, a series of wines that explores the microclimates in Okanagan wine country, the grapes for this bottle come from the south

Living on a magical street

Photo: Contributed When I was growing up, my Mom read us bedtime stories. I was a big fan of Dr. Seuss, and one of my favourites was “And to think that I saw it on Mulberry Street”. It was a story about a kid who travelled down this one street that had all kinds of fantasti

Cactus coming to Vernon

Photo: Jon Manchester Cactus Club's Kelowna location at the Kelowna Yacht Club. The speculation is over ... sort of. Cactus Club confirms it is coming to Vernon. But whether the popular B.C.-based restaurant chain will locate in the former Temptasian site on Anderson Way remains

2018 Liquidity Dividend

Photo: Contributed Wine: Dividend, 2018 (red blend) Winery: Liquidity, Okanagan Falls Why drink it? A blend of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot, the name of this bold red reflects the winery’s finance-themed name. Take some time with this wine to try identify the

Tasting in the moment

Photo: Contributed When I was a kid growing up in Calgary back in the 70s, shopping for groceries was a much simpler exercise. For example, the selection of fresh fruit was much more limited - and in some cases less appealing- than it is today. Imported fruit was only available in its