Montreal : Magic of Lanterns returns

Now through Halloween, the Chinese Garden of the Montréal Botanical Garden will be transformed into a light-filled show during the 16th edition of the Magic of Lanterns event.

A Thousand and One Stars is this year's theme, and features more than 700 traditional lanterns and dozens of enormous figures representing such popular Chinese performance arts as juggling, acrobatics, opera and music.

The Magic of Lanterns showcases different facets of traditional Chinese culture. Each year is a fresh, new production. The lanterns are designed in Montréal and handcrafted by artists from Shanghai.

The show runs through October, 31, 2008. The Chinese Garden, the Botanical Garden’s exhibition greenhouses and the Insectarium will be open from 9 AM to 9 p.m. daily during the event.

Magic of Lanterns in 2006
Photo by Sue Frause

Oyster Bob : World's top shucker!

“Oyster Bob” Skinner of Joe Fortes Seafood & Chop House in Vancouver, BC conquered the competition and won first place at the 2008 J.P.’s Shellfish World Invitational Oyster Shucking Championship held in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. Shucking talent from around the world competed in the invitational, which is part of the Prince Edward Island International Shellfish Festival.

With a time of 1:05 minutes, Oyster Bob not only won first place, but also received top honors for Cleanest Plate. Bob managed to beat out two-time Canadian Oyster Shucking Champion Jason Woodside and the current North American Champion, William "Chopper" Young.

Oyster Bob should be in fine form at Joe Fortes' own Slurp & Swirl on November 3, when the Vancouver resto hosts the Western Canadian Oyster Shucking Championships.

Bob’s shucking career began at Joe Fortes 23 years ago. He has been the resident in-house champion since 1985, racking up numerous honors and awards. He's become somewhat of a celebrity in the oyster shucking world, often competing with top international shuckers.

The oyster bar at Joe Fortes is open seven days a week, 4-11 PM. Guests are encouraged to watch Oyster Bob in action and sample oysters from across the country.

Clayoquot Sound oyster farm off Vancouver Island, BC
Photo by Sue Frause

Kayaking the Broken Group Islands

What a wonderful way to end summer, on a Blue Planet Kayaking adventure. This was my second trip with James Bray's cool paddle company -- I went on the first one two years ago, a three-day kayaking/camping trip in the Gulf Islands.

Not only is James both knowledgeable and a fun leader, he's a terrific chef. All the meals are created with local ingredients from Vancouver Island and environs. Warning: This is not your standard camp cuisine!

There were eight of us on the Broken Group trip, four from Whidbey Island in the US and four from Prince George, BC. Plus James and JF, our two guides. We paddled 43 miles in four days, off the west side (the "wild" side) of Vancouver Island. Make sure to spend time in Tofino, either coming or going -- or both. It's a fun little town.

We're already planning another trip for next summer. To see another video of a morning paddle, click here.

Flip videos by Sue Frause

Regina: Canadian Comedy Awards

If you like to laugh, head for Regina. What, you don't think Regina is funny? Well, from October 1-5, the Canadian Comedy Awards and Festival will be rockin' this Saskatchewan city.

Jeremy Hotz and Shaun Majumder lead an all-star list of more than 100 performers that includes The Simpsons' senior producer and writer Tim Long; Corner Gas stars Lorne Cardinal and Janet Wright; and comedians Debra DiGiovanni, Sean Cullen, Mike Willmot and Steve Patterson.

Jeremy Hotz has appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman, the Tonight Show with Jay Leno and appeared in numerous motion pictures. Shaun Majumder is part of the This Hour Has 22 Minutes team, and had a recurring role in the hit TV show 24.

Here are some of the highlights of the festival:

* Impressionist Rick Miller’s MacHomer, a version of Macbeth featuring more than 50 voices from The Simpsons TV show;
* Tapings of CBC Radio’s The Debaters and The Comedy Network’s Best of Fest TV program
* The Simpsons lecture with the show’s senior producer and writer Tim Long;
* The SaskTel Funniest Person in Saskatchewan Amateur Talent Show;
* Nightly standup, sketch and improv shows at various venues;
* The Last Laugh Gala.

More than 100 comedians have been nominated for awards. The Beavers, as they are known, have been honored in 20 different categories, including the fan-voted Comedy Person of the Year.

And what a nice break from politics, eh?

Pictured above Shaun Majumder

Window on Canada : Vancouver Isle

A view of Long Beach on the west side (the "wild" side) of Vancouver Island via Kenmore Air from Tofino to Seattle. Photo by Sue Frause.

Canadians for Obama!

Canadians for Obama, eh?

Yup, there's a growing group of Canadians supporting Barack Obama for President of the United States. In fact, they're so enthusiastic they have made trips to the states of Washington, Oregon and Texas to support the Democrats. They even have t-shirts for sale (available online).

By the way, Canada has a big election coming up, but it's overshadowed by what's going on south of the 49th Parallel. Last night on CBC's The National with Peter Mansbridge, our economy and election were the #1 story. Canada's 40th federal election is October 14, 2008. One of my friends up north sent me the following email:

It looks like Canada will re-elect the incumbent on October 14 with a majority in Parliament this time, which would be spookier than the current government, and I would be looking for ways to relocate to Obama and Christine Gregoire-land.

How about a 2 for 1 train ride?

My favorite way to travel is by train. And VIA Rail is now offering two tickets for the price of one on three of its routes:

The Canadian (Toronto-Vancouver) in Comfort or Silver & Blue class
The Ocean (Montreal-Halifax) in Comfort or Comfort sleeper class
The Chaleur (Montreal-Gaspe) in Comfort or Comfort sleeper class

The autumnal offer is good now through Dec. 11, 2008. Click on the Via Rail link above to book online.

Train tracks in Vieux Montreal
Photo by Sue Frause

Vancouver to Ottawa : Art Shines!

Granville Island artists Cheryl Hamilton and Michael Vandermeer of i.e. creative in Vancouver are unveiling their latest sculpture in Canada's capital city of Ottawa on Wednesday, September 24. The sculpture, named Shine, is an assemblage of five 40-ft. tapered poles with rippling pennants created from mirrored stainless steel and will be one of the focal points of Cancer Survivors Park.

Commissioned by the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation and the R&A Bloch Cancer Foundation, Shine is located in the park at the intersections of Alta Vista Drive, Industrial Avenue and Riverside Drive. The park is only the second of its kind in Canada and offers a place of serenity and inspiration to cancer survivors, along with their families and friends.

i.e. creative artworks is the artistic collaboration of Cheryl Hamilton and Michael Vandermeer. Hamilton is a conceptual artist with a penchant for visual ingenuity, while Vandermeer is a sculptor whose current artistic practice is influenced by his background in nuclear physics. The artistic duo utilizes glass, metal, light, motion and just about anything else to produce their artistic visions.

PEAK 2 PEAK at Whistler Blackcomb

Twelve PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola Sky Cabins made the first journey across the 4.4km/2.73 mile span between Blackcomb and Whistler Mountains on September 19, 2008.

Mathias Zudrell of Doppelmayr rode atop the first gondola to perform visual checks on its mechanisms as it traveled across the Fitzsimmons Valley.

Whistler Blackcomb’s PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola will open to the public December 12, 2008.

On the first day of autumn, Whistler Blackcomb mountain tops are covered with at least six centimetres of snow. With 65 days until the winter ski season and 79 days until the opening of the PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola on December 12, the upcoming ski season is looking good!

Photograph by Paul Morrison

Vanity Fair's Graydon Carter

I didn't know Graydon Carter was a Canadian. That is until I saw a profile of him on CBS Sunday Morning, my favorite weekly non-fiction television show. Mad Men is my current favorite fiction show.

His accent gave it away in the first few minutes of the interview with reporter Tracy Smith. Currently the editor of Vanity Fair magazine, Carter was also the co-founder of the satirical monthly Spy magazine in 1986.



Born in Toronto, he's the father of five and has homes in both Manhattan and Toronto. He also is an owner of The Waverly Inn, a heavily populated celeb resto in Manhattan's West Village.

Photos courtesy CBS and Vanity Fair

Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup

WHAT CANADA’S WATERS ARE HARBOURING

The 15th annual TD Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup launches nationally this Saturday with a record 60,000+ volunteers expected. As one of the world’s largest cleanups, the participants will remove approximately 100,000 kilograms of litter from nearly 1,500 sites from September 20 to 28, 2008.

“For 15 years, Canadians have proven their commitment and concern for our shorelines and this year we’ve set a new record with more than 60,000 participants,” said Roger St. Louis, Regional Manager, TD Friends of the Environment Foundation.

Together with the Vancouver Aquarium, TD Friends of the Environment Foundation is hosting cleanup events in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Halifax to kick off the TD Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup. Here are a few of the unusual litter items recovered already:

• Kitchen sink
• Electric scooter
• Kid’s bike
• Oil drum

Angela Griffiths of the Vancouver Aquarium said that more than 140 marine species have been found entangled in marine debris and at least 160 marine species have ingested plastic and other debris off Canada’s coasts. “Most of the litter we find is from land-based sources with cigarette butts and plastic bags leading the way," said Griffiths.

The TD Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup originated in 1994 as a small beach cleanup with four employees from the Vancouver Aquarium who wanted to participate in the Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup.

A view to downtown Vancouver from a Kitsilano beach
Photo by Sue Frause

Scud Stud Arthur Kent in the news again

Associated Press - The NBC reporter who became known as the Scud Stud during the first Gulf War has settled a lawsuit against the makers of Charlie Wilson's War over footage used in the Tom Hanks-Julia Roberts movie.

Click here to read the rest of the story about Arthur Kent.

Photo by Canwest News Service

Quebec's "Cider Route" Rules

Despite its longtime popularity as an alocholic drink among locals, cider has had a complex history the province of Quebec. In fact, from 1920 to the 1970s, the tasty apple drink was illegal La belle province.

These days, Quebec is home to more than 20 small cideries, which I toured several years ago during an autumn visit. The 185-mile Cider Route (Route des Cidres) was formed ten years ago in the Monteregie region, located south and west of Montreal. Sixty different types of cider are produced each year, including sparkling and ice cider varieties.

Two of the most popular cideries are Domaine Pinnacle in Frelighsburg and Vignobles les Blanc Couteaux in Dunham.

Photo by Sue Frause

Touring BC's wine country in style

A fun way to tour the wineries of the Thompson Okanagan in B.C. is with Destinations Tours. Their VIP wine excursions include either Kelowna or Summerland's lush vineyards, and run through the end of October.

Kelowna Wine Tours features a sampling of tasty menus paired with wine at Mission Hill Winery and a tipple of ice wine at nearby Quail’s Gate. Additional visits to family-owned and operated Mt. Boucherie Estate Winery and Pinot Noir-passionate Little Straw Vineyards round out the adventure.

Summerland Wine Tours includes stops at Sumac Ridge Estate Winery, Thornhaven Estate Winery and the cheeky-named Dirty Laundry Vineyard. Plus, the Annual Okanagan Fall Wine Festival is coming up October 2 – 12. This yearly gathering of "grape expectations" features more than 150 wine, food and education-focused events throughout the valley.

Destination Tours includes visits to wineries, deluxe transportation (the Summerland tour features a classic car) and two nights at The Cove Lakeside Resort in Kelowna or the Summerland Waterfront Resort. Prices begin at $399/CDN per person.

Autumn at Quail's Gate Winery
Photo by Sue Frause

Window on Canada : Broken Group Islands

Sunset from Willis Island in the Broken Group Islands of British Columbia. This was our campsite for three nights on a kayak trip with Blue Planet Kayaking.
Photo by Sue Frause.

Window on Canada : Tofino, BC

Aboard Kenmore Air from Seattle to Tofino on Vancouver Island. This is just south of Tofino on a sunny September afternoon.

What are "typical low-key Canadians"?

Although I've never been to the Toronto International Film Festival, I love following the news about the movies and stars from afar. A recent news item in E! Online made me pause, though. Here it is in part:

A small and polite group of local protesters—who may have been part of a publicity stunt or just your typical low-key Canadians—were trying to save the soul of Bill Maher and damn his religion-mocking film, Religulous.

There are no shortage of references to how low-key, polite and nice the Canadians are. I agree that attitudes are calmer north of the 49th Parallel. And yeah, for the most part, people are pretty darn nice in Canada.

I don't know why -- but it's not a bad thing.

Temple Gardens Mineral Spa Resort in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. Photo by Sue Frause.

Window on Canada : Haida Heritage Ctr.

Thanks to the nice folks at the Haida Heritage Centre for sending along a photo of the new centre. I haven't had the opportunity to experience it yet, so here 'ya go!

Haida Heritage Centre complete: officially opens in Skidegate, BC

The Haida Heritage Centre officially opened last month in Skidegate, British Columbia after 15 years of planning and development. The centre sits on land that was set aside more than 30 years ago, on the site of the old seaside village of Kaay Llnagaay.

Although the centre has been operational since July of 2007, the official grand opening ceremony on August 23 marked the completion of the facility. It includes new exhibits on Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and the Haida Heritage Site.

Haida Heritage Centre is a 53,000 sq. ft. cedar complex consisting of five contemporary monumental timber longhouses. The centre houses the expanded Haida Gwaii Museum, Performing House, Canoe House, Bill Reid Teaching Centre, Carving Shed, gift shop, cafe,meeting rooms/classrooms and additional temporary exhibition space. Fall/winter hours begin September 19 and run through April 30, 2009. They are Tuesdays through Saturdays, 10-5 (closed on Sundays-Mondays).

Haida Gwaii, known to the Haida as Islands of the People, is a diverse archipelago of more than 150 islands located on the northwest coast of British Columbia. They are also known as the Queen Charlotte Islands. Nestled below the Alaskan Panhandle and separated from the BC mainland by Hecate Strait, the Haida people have lived here for more than 12,000 years.

Exploring Gwaii Haanas with Bluewater Adventures
Photo by Sue Frause 2005

Autumn in the Outaouias of Quebec

The Canadian Museum of Civilisation is in Gatineau, Quebec, just across the river from Ottawa. Pictured above is the Great Hall. Photos by Sue Frause.

In the autumn of 2004, I spent five days in Quebec's Outaouias region. Pronounced OOT-a-way, it's located in the southeast corner of Quebec and is beautiful year-round.

The Fairmont Le Chateau Montebello is a destination unto itself.

The grounds at The Fairmont Le Chateau Montebello are lovely.

The Wakefield Covered Bridge had to be rebuilt after a 1984 fire.

Le Moulin Inn & Spa in Wakefield was at one time a working mill.

You can feed (and talk to!) the animals at Le Parc Omega.

Locals and visitors enjoy Gatineau Park, created 70 years ago.

Movies/cocktails the "buzz" in Toronto

The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) opened on September 4 and there are no shortage of tie-ins with the hospitality industry. The Fairmont Royal York, which has its own 14-story rooftop apirary, is using the fresh honey produced by the 10,000+ bees to create an exotic cocktail called The Festival Buzz.

This yummy cocktail features fresh honey and mint from the hotel's apiary and rooftop garden. Priced at a queenly $22, it's served in a champagne flute and available at both the Library Bar and EPIC lounge.

TIFF is widely recognized as the most important film festival after Cannes and the most successful public film festival in the world. Now through September 13, more than 352 films will be presented. On September 5, the Gala premier of The Secret Life of Bees was held -- a perfect accompaniment to the recipe for The Festival Buzz:

1 oz White Peach Puree
¼ oz Royal York hotel honey
4 oz Moet Champagne

Stir juice and honey in a shaker glass. Pour into a flute glass. Top with champagne.

Bee hives in our garden in 2007
Photo by Sue Frause

Know anybody with the name "Canada"?

I've never met anybody with the last name of Canada, but 87 people in the state of Missouri have it as a last name. Why I know is that I'm in Kansas City, Missouri right now for Travel Media Showcase and I Googled "Missouri Canada" and came up with this information from WhitePages.com:

Canada is the 3,214th ranked last name in Missouri. It's right between Brauer (3,213) and Chang (3,215).

Top states for the last name Canada

1. Texas 286 listings
2. California 179 listings
3. Virginia 157 listings
4. Florida 151 listings
5. Kentucky 144 listings

Most Popular first names for Canada

1. Robert 4 listings
2. Susan 3 listings
3. Howard 2 listings
4. Tommy 2 listings
5. Mary 2 listings

Funny, my husband's name is Robert and I'm Susan -- Mr. & Mrs. Canada!

Kansas City, Missouri on a rainy Wednesday in September 2008
Photo by Sue Frause

Andrew Davidson : The Gargoyle

Andrew Davidson graduated from University of British Columbia with a degree in English in 1995. Now there's plenty of buzz about his novel, The Gargoyle.

I hadn't heard of the book until I read a review in USA Today.

Sounds like a good read.

Canada aids in Gustav evacuations

LAKEFRONT, La. - A large Canadian Forces aircraft helped evacuate "medically vulnerable" New Orleans residents Sunday evening as Hurricane Gustav charged across the Gulf of Mexico. A large C-17 plane, carrying a team of 12 medical personnel, arrived in Lakefront, La., around 5:30 p.m. ET. With the capacity to transport up to 150 people per trip to a safe zone, the plane started loading evacuees almost immediately. Read the rest of The Canadian Press story here.

Canada dispatched a C-17 Globemaster cargo plane
Photo courtesy The Canadian Press