Kayaking with Killer Whales
My group of 11 kayakers is rounding the rocky eastern shore of Hanson Island, in northern Vancouver Island’s Johnstone Strait, when we spot them. Through the misty rain, nearly two kilometres away, tiny black fins and white puffs pierce the surface. We wait at the edge of a kelp bed and watch in silence as the whales travel toward us. Amidst the towering dorsal fins of the adult orcas, I notice one that’s much smaller than the rest. Our guide tells us it’s a newborn calf. I had come...
6 mini courses for big time golfers
I’m at Disney's Fantasia Gardens Miniature Golf Course in Orlando, Fla, about to go mini-putting amidst characters from the classic Disney film Fantasia, where music notes line the greens and hippos twirl. Instead, we veer to the left. Somehow, we’ve ended up at the Fantasia Fairway, an 18-hole course that forgoes the cutesy Disney flourishes for a real-life golf course in miniature. Instead of my...
Beginner's guide to Florida's SunFest 2013
If you’re in the Sunshine State the first week of May, be sure to check out SunFest, a five-day music festival and art show in West Palm Beach. Running from May 1 to 5, the festival is Florida’s largest waterfront show and features performances by Train, The Smashing Pumpkins, The Offspring, The Black Crowes, Cheap Trick, Barenaked Ladies and tons more on three stages. The best part? A pass to all five days is only US$69, but if you’re willing...
Gear review: Pacsafe Ultimatesafe backpack
Though today's tablets and laptops now fit easily into purses and messenger bags, it can be hard to find a bag that's both stylish and protective. Sometimes, you just have to side with practicality. Pacsafe's Ultimatesafe backpack is heavily padded and comes with a plethora of security features, including the removable eXomesh cage system (a cable that tightens the top of the insert) that doubles as a...
Gear review: Mancini Men's Classic Billfold with Removable Passcase
The wallet has been a pain in the behind for adult males for centuries. Do you have a friend who owns a Costanza Wallet? Have one yourself? It’s especially a nuisance when it comes time to take a trip or if you’re heading to the pub and just need a bank card, picture ID and a few bucks. I tried out Mancini’s classic men’s billfold (#10852) on a recent trip where I’d be wearing shorts and a swimsuit much of the time and it worked like a charm with its...
Hiking trails in Rancho la Puerta in Baja California, Mexico
Rancho la Puerta hosts 160 guests per week and about 50 of them are gathered on this day in the main lounge, sleepy-eyed and thinking likely about breakfast or their beds. It is just after 6 a.m. and the sun is not quite up over the Mexican city— Tecate —where it is located. At precisely 6:15 a.m. everyone splits off and begins guided hikes of various lengths and difficulties. Some people signed up for leisurely breakfast walk along flat...
Where's my Juno?
The Juno Awards are heading to Regina, Sask. for the televised show on April 21. Performers include host Michael Bublé, k.d. lang (who is also being inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame), Billy Talent and Carly Rae Jepsen. Jim Cuddy and Anne Murray will also be there to hand out awards. But, of the more than 1,300 Junos that have been awarded over the past 43 years, not all are where they should be. We look back at more than 30...
The best of land and sea at Tojo's and River Café collaboration
Vancouver is known for its diverse food culture and the finesse in seafood dishes it offers. For two nights, Calgarians got to experience the best of that with two different, seven-course collaboration dinners between chef Andrew Winfield, of Calgary's River Café, and chef Hidekazu Tojo of Vancouver hotspot Tojo's. ...
Q&A: Sarah Brightman
When I chatted with Sarah Brightman over the phone, I accidentally called her new album Dreamcatcher. She was so polite, she didn't correct me. But "dreamcatcher" is an apt description of the 52 year-old singer who pioneered the classical-pop crossover genre in the 80s and 90s. She’s had a career in disco (her first single was “I Lost my Heart to a Starship Trooper” with girl group Hot Gossip), stage (she starred in her ex-husband Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cats...
Randy Bachman takes care of business on his Vinyl Tap Tour
Who’d have thought pierogies could lead to the creation of one of Canada's greatest anthems? It happened when Randy Bachman (whose mother is Ukrainian) got up on stage in Vancouver in the early 70s. He was performing with Bachman–Turner Overdrive (BTO) and had a lot to prove since leaving The Guess Who in 1970. So when BTO’s singer, Fred Turner, whispered to Bachman that he had lost his voice and couldn’t perform, just moments before the set, Bachman had to take over vocal duties. But...
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