Support your local...

In an age where we seem to want to have our cake and eat it too, I am going to talk about the side that offers some nostalgia and a sense of community. I won’t say boycott the big box stores or swear to eat organic from here on out, but I hope at least these ideas will help you consider some fun alternatives to that more industrial and less personal experience…

Did you know that the biggest drive-in theatre screen in North America exists only one hour’s drive from Kelowna? It’s true! The Starlight Drive-In is still playing shows from spring through fall, every night in the summer. And, they play a double feature! This is the perfect blend of summer nostalgia, family fun and good old-fashioned movie escapism. We went last Sunday with pillows and blankets and lawn chairs in the Aztec. Ella got to meet the other dogs that were there and we chatted with some of the folks who had staked out spots nearby. The thing now is to bring your pick-up truck and an air mattress and then everyone (or you and your sweetie) pile in. There were families with kids playing catch, and grandparents relaxing on lawn chairs in front of their cars. The snacks are the cheapest you can buy at a movie and the popcorn is the best I have had in a while. It was really special to laugh at the silly creatures in “Despicable Me” and hear it echo in the field. Then I got wrapped up in “Inception” and the added layer of being under the stars as this interlaced story of dreams unfolded was truly surreal. We had an awesome evening, and I highly recommend it.

Have you gone for an old-fashioned ice cream cone lately? No offense to Dairy Queen, but the experience of standing at the counter and having to choose between numerous flavours, and then balancing your scoops so they don’t hit the ground is summer rite of passage (or it should be!). There are places out there if you look – we are lucky enough to have one at the end of our road, the Paynter Fruit Market. We can walk down and choose our cones and then wander home through the orchard. Downtown you can visit Moo-Lix on Bernard Avenue and then stroll the lakefront, or if you want to take a drive there is always Tickleberry’s at Okanagan Falls.

If you haven’t been to the farmer’s market recently, now is the time! All kinds of veggies are ripening and usually you can find lots of other fun treats and knick-knacks too. There is of course the Kelowna Farmer’s Market every Saturday, but there is also a Westbank Farmer’s Market this year on Saturday. If you live on the Westside, do stop by and support their effort. You’ll probably get to have a visit with one of your neighbours! There is also Peachland on Sundays, Vernon on Friday afternoons…. Lots to choose from. You’ll get to chat with the people who produce the food – your kids can learn where things come from – and you can be inspired by what is fresh right now.

Summer can be busy, with company here and work still busy and text messages to answer, but you will not regret taking the time for one of these old-fashioned experiences. I hope to see you maybe we can chat while we lick our ice cream or sip our coffee!

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.