Sharing wine, food and travels enjoyed around the world
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Author: Donita
Donitahttp://www.wineandfoodconcierge.comI've come a long way baby. Grew up in a small town then moved to the big city. Here I grew my knowledge & experience with wine, food and travelling around the world.
The restaurant West in Vancouver, BC has been a staple in the restaurant scene for years. Offering amazing service, a small welcoming room, incredible food and a wine list that’s been curated to be savored and enjoyed.
But, guess what? This iconic restaurant will be closing its doors at the end of 2019.
Therefore, I wanted to share with you my last dinner there in February during the Vancouver Int’l Wine Festival. And, it’s perfect timing for two reasons:
You can start planning and take advantage of a discount for the next Vancouver Int’l Wine Festival, featuring France February 22 to March 1st! This is the largest consumer Wine Festival in North America, you really should not miss it! Starting November 6 at 9:30 a.m., wine lovers can save $10 off International Festival Tasting (IFT) tickets for the 42nd Vancouver International Wine Festival.Or book one of 39 downtown hotels available through StayVancouverHotels.comto get a free IFT ticket, a saving of up to $115. The Delta Air Lines Tasting Lounge and the Gold Pass are also on sale in advance at a discount.
Enjoy West Restaurant before they close at the end of 2019. They are offering a Fall Prix Fixe, a 3-course menu that can be enjoyed Sundays through Thursdays and Friday & Saturday evening until 6 pm. West Restaurant
I hope this inspires you to try their wines, and perhaps get out to enjoy West Restaurant soon!
A stunning dinner paired with Stags’ Leap wines from Napa Valley, California, while sitting across from Joanne Wing, the winemaker…
You may know the name – Stags Leap from the historic name battle or from the Judgment of Paris which happened in 1976. Although Stags’ Leap Winery didn’t participate, it’s neighbour Stag’s Leap Winery did, which put them both on the international map because of their recognition at this judgement. “The Judgment of Paris” tasting at which the Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars 1973 S.L.V. Cabernet Sauvignon took top honors among the red wines, triumphing over two first-growth and other renowned wines of Bordeaux.”
There are two Stags Leap Wineries in Napa Valley. “This made Napa and the winery itself internationally renowned. The Stags Leap District is known for its rocky soils. There are two Stags Leap District wineries. Read carefully, Stag’s Leap and Stags‘ Leap – make note of the singular vs. plural possessives.”
Joanne Wing, winemaker, Stags’ Leap Winery
Here is the beautiful menu prepared for the Stags’ Leap wines…
Canadian winters. You love them, hate them or sit somewhere in between. The in-between would be me. They can be beautiful but chilly. And usually, all I crave is constant sunshine with very warm temperatures, preferably while standing on the sand with ocean waters lapping at my feet.
So earlier this year when an opportunity to travel to a tropical destination landed on my lap, it didn’t take long to decide! “I am doing this!” I said to myself. A friend would be in Thailand, so what a great reason to go. And it had been years since I had travelled to Thailand, so it would be great to ‘see’ it and experience a tropical destination again. PLUS, what a great test to see if I could work remotely while travelling!
Feet, beach, Gulf of Thailand, Pineapple + Mint Fruit Smoothie
So I booked it. 2 weeks on the island of Koh Phangan, just off of Koh Samui in the Gulf of Thailand, south of Bangkok. Air with Eva from Vancouver, via Taiwan to Bangkok, then Thai Airways to Koh Samui, and ferry to Koh Phangan.
I had planned on working, yoga, beach time, touring, eating delicious Thai food and chilling. I think I accomplished this pretty well! Here are some photos from my trip along with a little recap of my adventure.
And I booked all my hotels online at agoda.com (a popular site for SE Asia) & I booked my air with a travel agent.
An absolute must when you are here. Chef Oy is a cute woman runs the courses. We started by taking bikes to the local market to get ingredients, then returned to cook and eat what was made.
An amazing experience and not that expensive.
Note: no air conditioning, just fans, so best to go when it’s not the height of the hot season.
Local Fruit Market
Papaya Salad with Prawns; Chicken Fried Rice; Green Curry with Chicken
I stayed at this beautiful and quaint resort for just 3 nights, it had modern decor and soft beds – thankfully! Each suite has a rooftop deck, and you feel tucked away from the busy main road.
Next time, I would stay here the entire time. Good wifi, a restaurant with Burmese cuisine, infinity pool and a little bar.
The infinity pool at the beach
I would also recommend:
Bubba’s Coffee house (can be found on Trip Advisor) – offering North American comfort foods, fresh and locally made, good coffee as well.
Visit the small shop Pink Pineapple in Thong Sala – all-natural self-care products and island home decor.
Visiting the little village of Haad Rin to shop or enjoy the beach, but warning, 1 week before the full moon it gets quite busy as young travellers arrive for the full moon parites!
Haad Rin
Also, take the longtail boat from Haad Rin to Haad Yuan Beach to the Bamboo Hut Restaurant for Thai Food.
Haad Yuan Beach
Visiting the night market on the weekend in Thong Sala
Night Market food
Visiting the foodmarket outside of the Big C supermarket (freshly made green papaya salad!).
And if you are there in April, do take part in the Songkran Festival – it brings locals and visitors out to celebrate the
Thai New Year with street water fights. I’ll admit it was pretty fun!
My scooter and I are drenched from the water fights in Thong Sala for Songkran
Visit Haad Than Sadet Beach – about 30 minutes north on the scooter,
just one restaurant but lots of space to enjoy the beautiful beach.
Fried Rice & Pineapple Mint Fruit Smoothie at Haad Than Sadet Beach
KOH SAMUI
Leaving Koh Phangan for Koh Samui was a beautiful and short ride on the ferry. But also a shock.
KP is a rustic and quaint style of island, where KS is busy with tourists, more cars, more everything.
I stayed right in Fisherman’s Village – which is a touch too touristy, but it did have everything I needed
Located off the beaten path in busy Fisherman’s Village, this is an absolute must.
They offer breakfast to dinner, creative cocktails, a basic street view but modern decor
and hands down amazing food to make up for it! Follow them on social media.
Spicy chicken lettuce wraps
I would also recommend visiting Chi Samui – www.chisamui.com a resort just outside of Fisherman’s Village,
go there for dinner, evening jazz, and the view.
Travel tips: I was told the tropical heat is cruel to your shoes, its the truth. So the best flip flops I was able to find through research was Havaianas (the plastic they use is heat resistant and won’t melt); pack light as you will wear light clothing daily; rayon, cotton and linen are the preferred fabrics for hot, humid weather; ladies – make-up won’t be needed, it melts! Get ready to sweat all the time, you’ll eventually be okay with it, but you MUST hydrate – buy 1-litre bottles of water to drink and to brush your teeth (water is not potable) and travel with NUUN rehydration tablets to add to your water. Rent a scooter, they range from $2-4 cad/day – no insurance, so just drive responsibly, but it’s a convenient and common way to travel. There are buses on the island as well.
I hope you enjoyed my trip, it’s a great place to visit.
Easy to navigate, everyone is very friendly and you will enjoy incredible value, delicious foods and even more amazing views!
