Happy Halloween from Quebec!

Ville de Dunham, Eastern Townships of Quebec
Photo by Sue Frause

2010 One-Year Countdown Celebration kicks off with Sarah McLachlan

Canadian singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan headlines a stellar all-Canadian program for a concert to celebrate the official one-year countdown to the 2010 Winter Games. On Feb. 12, 2009, Vancouver's Queen Elizabeth Theatre welcomes the Juno and Grammy award winning musician, who will perform songs from her 20-year multi-platinum recording career.

The evening program, which begins at 7:30 PM, also features the alternative rock of Halifax singer and songwriter Joel Plaskett; the dynamic young Canadian violinist Adrian Anantawan; and Alberta Ballet’s performance of If -- an excerpt from the 2007 ballet The Fiddle and Drum by Joni Mitchell and choreographer Jean Grand-Maître.

Tickets for the One-Year Countdown Celebration go on sale Saturday, Nov. 1, 2008 at www.vancouver2010.com/culturalolympiad.

Leapin' Loonies! US $ buys more

It's welcome news for American visitors to Canada. Finally, our dollar gets us a lot more than it did for the past few years.

Today, a $100 item in Canada will cost somebody from the U.S. only $77 and change. Or a $200 hotel room in Canada will now be only $155 US. That's gotta make hotels, stores and restaurants happy in Canada -- but the honeymoon may be over for Canadians hoping to spend another cheap winter down south as snowbirds.

The Leaping Loonies are an Australian old-time acrobatic act

Window on Canada : Autumn in Quebec

Gatineau Park is the only federal park that doesn't belong to Parks Canada. It is managed by the National Capital Commission under the National Capital Act as an important contributor to the symbolism of the Capital.

Photo by Sue Frause

Forbes Traveler : Top CDN Hotels

The Forbes Traveler 400 World's Very Best Hotels & Resorts list is out, and ten Canadian properties are part of the mix.

Judged by a "board of experts" that includes several dozen business leaders, experienced travel pros and elite travel agents, they were asked to rate five-star hotels where they recently stayed. No hotel executives participated, and the writers who reviewed the hotels did not receive complimentary accommodations.

Here are the ten from Canada, in alphabetical order by province. The list includes links to each hotel:

Alberta : Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel

British Columbia : Opus Hotel (Vancouver), Sooke Harbour House, The Wickaninnish Inn (Tofino), Fairmont Chateau Whistler, Four Seasons Whistler

Ontario: Four Seasons Hotel Toronto, Windsor Arms Toronto

Quebec: Hotel Le St-James (Montreal), Hotel Dominion 1912 (Quebec City)

I've stayed at six of the ten hotels -- time for another Candian adventure!

Pictured above : Four Seasons Whistler

Plenty of humor in the US election

If John McCain and Sarah Palin win in November (highly unlikely), it could be more than many Democrats (including moi) can stand.

SlateV.com imagines how the Canadian government might try to capitalize on this liberal anxiety.

Click here to see the hilarious video.

Canadians are top ultra cyclers

I'd never heard of ultra cycling, but it's a sport. In fact, there's an organization called the UltraMarathon Cycling Association, whose mission is to assist distance riders in pushing their limits, including:

Riding a century every month in the Year-Rounder Challenge
Completing a series of 200, 300, 400 & 600K brevets
Finishing a 1200K randonnée such as Paris-Brest-Paris
Competing in 12- or 24-hour race or a qualifier for the Race Across America
Racing as a solo or relay team rider in the Race Across America

Recently, Canadians were in the UMCA news, dominating the Texas Time Trials (the Tejas 500) in Cleburne, Texas September 25,27, 2008. Relative unknown Dallas Norris, who drove from Canada to Texas, set a new course record. He finished first overall, with a time of 27:18:0. Caroline van den Bulk of Huntsville, Ontrio shattered the women's record with her time of 32:05:00. She placed first in the women's category and fifth overall.

Bicycles in Stockholm, Sweden
Photo by Sue Frause

Welcome to Victoria ... Texas!

I'm deep in the heart of Texas. Well, actually in Houston, Texas for the 53rd annual Society of American Travel Writers convention. Yesterday, while touring around Quirky Houston, I saw a sign for Victoria.

Victoria, Texas is about 125 miles southwest of Houston. Here's a description of the city from their convention and visitors bureau:

Victoria's history dates back to 1685 when Rene Robert Cavalier, Sieur De LaSalle, established Fort St. Louis as a French settlement on the western bank of Garcitas Creek in Victoria County. Victoria became the third chartered city in Texas in 1824. Impresario Don Martin DeLeon had received the charter and named the city for the first President of Mexico, Don Guadalupe Victoria.

Nestled beside the meandering Guadalupe River, Victoria is a splendid blend of the past, the present and the future. Proud old homes, some dating back to the pre-Civil War era, line the streets in the city's historic sections. In downtown Victoria, stately turn-of-the-century buildings have been rebuilt and now house professional offices.

For a community of its size, Victoria boasts an extraordinary number of cultural activities. From Theatre Victoria to the ballet to the symphony, Victoria is in a league all her own.

CP Spirit Train ends tour in Montreal

The inaugural tour of the CP Spirit Train concludes in Montreal on Oct. 18, the final stop on its cross-Canada tour that also brought the spirit of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games to Port Moody (BC), Calgary and Edmonton (Alberta), Saskatoon (Saskatchewan), Winnipeg (Manitoba) and Thunder Bay, Sudbury, Mississauga and Smith Falls (Ontario).

Although there were smal. groups of protesters at some stops along the route, the majority of spectators enjoyed such activities as Inukshuk building; interactive sport demonstrations; contemporary Aboriginal music by Sierra Noble, Dallas Arcand and Matthew Mukash; and visits with Miga, Quatchi and Sumi, the Vancouver 2010 mascots. Visitors lined up for autographs from many of Canada's finest summer and winter sport athletes, including gold-medal winning sledge hockey goalie Paul Rosen, Nordic skier Beckie Scott and Canada's first gold medalist at the Beijing 2008 Games, wrestler Carol Huynh.

The final stop of the CP Spirit Train on Oct. 18 in Montreal features athletes Paul Rosen (sledge hockey); Benoît St-Amand (sledge hockey); Emilie Heymans (diving); Joannie Rochette (figure skating); Karine Sergerie (taekwondo); Eve Routhier (alpine skiing); Annie Martin (volleyball); Philippe LaRoche (freestyle skiing), the Vancouver 2010 mascots and the CP Spirit Train team at Place des Vestiges on the Quays of the Old Port, across from Jacques-Cartier Pier in Montreal.

Vancouver : New hotels on the rise

It's tough keeping track of all the new hotels/condos going up in Vancouver these days. The list seems endless and there's no doubt that the crane has become Vancouver's newest city bird.

Here is a sampling:

The L'Hermitage Hotel on Robson Street is one of Vancouver's newest hotels to open. As a member of the Boutique Hotels and Resorts of British Columbia (BHRBC), the Canadian architecture firms Lawrence Doyle Architects and Gomberoff Bell Lyon Group collaborated to create a sophisticated, 60-suite boutique hotel that offers personalized service and such amenities as iPod docking stations and complimentary WiFi in every room. Rates from $169.

Loden Vancouver, located in Coal Harbour, is Los Angeles-based Kor Hotel Group's first Canadian property. The 14-story boutique hotel features 77 contemporary rooms with upscale amenities and a wellness centre that includes an intimate day spa and fitness center. Voya Restaurant & Lounge, led by executive chef Marc-Andre Choquette, is the centrepiece of Loden's food and beverage program. Opening Oct. 23, 2008 with introductory rates from $239 through Dec. 30, 2008.

The Shangri-La Hotel, Vancouver is officially the city’s tallest building. As the first North American property for Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, the 119-room hotel occupies the first 15 floors of the landmark building. It is scheduled to open on January 24, 2009. The hotel integrates BC's West Coast style with Shangri-La’s Asian heritage, including CHI, The Spa at Shangri-La, which features five individual suites and one couple’s suite (all with a fireplace and private bath, shower, changing and vanity area). The hotel's signature restaurant is MARKET by Jean-Georges, the internationally acclaimed chef and entrepreneur’s first foray into Canada and the West Coast. Rates from $349.

Hotel Georgia has been a landmark in downtown Vancouver for 80 years. Now part of The Residences at Georgia, the 168 guest suites were created out of the former hotel's 313 rooms. Celebrated chef David Hawksworth, formerly of West, is opening his signature dining room here. Interior design by a team from Munge Leun and an outdoor pool with fireplace and cabana are just two of the heritage hotel's features. Scheduled to open in 2009.

The Residences at Georgia
Photo by Sue Frause

Hockey Night in Canada : New theme song

EDMONTON - Colin Oberst has won CBC's hockey anthem competition. Hockey Night in Canada commentator Don Cherry announced this evening that the 37-year-old musician and elementary school teacher from Beaumont, Alta., beat out all 15,000 other entries to have his song chosen to begin the Saturday night hockey broadcast.

Yes, the new theme song for Hockey Night in Canada was announced on Oct. 12. To read the rest of the story from CanWest News Services, click here and to see the video on YouTube, click here.

2010 Olympic Countdown Clock

2010 Olympic Countdown Clock, Vancouver
Originally uploaded by Sue Frause

Window on Vancouver : Thanksgiving 2004

Photos by Sue Frause

Win a holiday in New Zealand!

Planning to fly away this winter? Canadians can follow the sun with Air New Zealand during the airline's October tour of Vancouver and Toronto. And you may even win a summer holiday in New Zealand.

It's easy to enter. Just spot the Air New Zealand Sun in Vancouver, Oct. 15-17 and Toronto, Oct. 22-24. You can't miss the Sun, a transparent truck staffed by Kiwi ambassadors decked out in beach togs. Pick up information on traveling in New Zealand, enter the contest and don't forget to get your free ice scraper.

The big prize is an Air New Zealand flight for two to Auckland; five nights' accommodation in the Bay of Islands; and a swim with the dolphins cruise.

Air New Zealand's two-city promotion is part of the airline's, Don't Pack Away Your Summer Just Yet, Canada campaign.

I wonder if you have to be a Canadian to win?

Barrel of BC wine fetches $19,000

Imagine. Paying $19,000 for a barrel of wine. That's what one grape aficionado paid for a barrel of Nota Bene at a recent fundraising auction in British Columbia. According to wine expert and author John Schreiner, it's a Canadian record.

Nota Bene is a Bordeaux-style blend from Black Hills Estate Winery near Oliver in BC’s Okanagan Valley. Its made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc grapes from Black Hill’s vineyards on the Black Sage Bench. Although it's sold out at the winery, it can be found at select wine shops and restos in BC and Alberta. The winery's website has a complete list.

Schreiner, author of 15 books on BC wines and its thriving wine country, says it’s the highest price ever paid in Canada. The closest to that was a barrel of Mosaic from Hillside Estate Winery near Naramata that sold for $15,000.

“I’ve checked with several people, and we’re certain that $19,000 is a record,” says Schreiner. “No barrel of Canadian wine has fetched this kind of money before. It’s very flattering to Black Hills and the BC wine industry. It’s a milestone.”

The wine was purchased at the Going Once, Going Twice wine auction in Penticton on October 4. The event raised $58,000 for the Oenology & Viticulture Program at Okanagan College.

FYI: A barrel holds 25 cases or 300 bottles of wine. Although the purchaser asked to remain anonymous and silent about his plans for the wine, Schreiner says the incredible rise in quality of BC wines means it’s possible the purchaser is a collector. “No matter who it is, he would understand that he has bought a bit of a treasure. There are trophy wines in BC now. We now have half a dozen, or maybe ten, wines in BC that collectors are starting to put in their cellars, and Nota Bene is one of them. I would think he’ll cellar it.”

Schreiner is currently working on the third edition of his popular book, Wineries of British Columbia.

Black Hills Winery in Oliver, BC
Photo by Sue Frause

Granville Island's Turkey Trot

More than 2,000 revelers are expected to show up for the 10th Annual Granville Island Turkey Trot in Vancouver on Thanksgiving Day. That's Monday, Oct. 13, for you non-Canadians! The 10K course begins on Granville Island, goes over the Burrard Bridge to the north side of the Sea Wall, then back along the south side of the Sea Wall to Performance Works on Granville Island.

I happened to be in Vancouver several years ago over Thanksgiving weekend, and was at the start of the race. It was a grey and rainy day, but seeing all the turkey costumes was worth a few raindrops. Coincidentally, I'll be in Vancouver again this weekend, celebrating a friend's birthday.

The race starts at 8:30 AM and registration is $60 (register online). Proceeds go toward the Greater Vancouver Food Bank. Last year's event raised more than $10,000.

Let's hope it's sunnier this year, as I plan to be biking around Stanley Park on Monday morning.

Yes, people do dress up like turkeys for the annual trot
Photo by Sue Frause

Atwater Market : It's harvest time

Autumn harvest at Montreal's Atwater Market
Photo by Sue Frause

Fairmont Hotel Vancouver : Material Girl

Well, I didn't know that Madonna was going to be in Vancouver on October 30. Is she coming to Seattle? Hold on, I'll check. Nope, Canada scores, the state of Washington loses. Madonna's Sticky & Sweet Tour is bypassing the Emerald City, and if you don't have tickets for the BC Place concert, you're SOL. It's sold out.

But you can still be a Material Girl (or Guy). The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver has a special package in honor of the pop star's visit called the Material Girl Madonna Package. You'll start the evening with Madonna's favorite Pomegranate Martini (for two) in 900 West Lounge (how do they know that?), enjoy accommodations in one of the hotel's elegant Fairmont Rooms, and complimentary parking.

Don't have tickets? You can still book the package, you don't have to show your tickets. Buy her CD at Virgin Records at Burrard and Robson just down the street. The package is valid October 20-November 2; rates start at $249 CDN per night, plus taxes.

A room at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver
Photo by Sue Frause

Ottawa Tonight : Federal Election Debate

Although millions of eyes will be glued to TV screens tonight during the US Vice-Presidential debate between Sen. Joe Biden and Gov. Sarah Palin, there's another important debate.

Yes, they do have debates in Canada, and tonight is the Federal Election Debate, in English from Ottawa. The leaders of the five parties will be present for the three-hour debate: Stephen Harper of the Conservatives, Stéphane Dion of the Liberals, Jack Layton of the NDP, Gilles Duceppe of the Bloc Québécois and Elizabeth May of the Green Party.

The moderator is Steve Paikin of TVOntario and it will be broadcast beginning at 9 PM EDT. Last night was the French language debate.

Tonight's debate will also be streamed online.

Ottawa's Parliament Hill
Photo by Sue Frause

Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games ticket requests begin October 3, 2008

Ticket timeline for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games:

Oct. 3 - Nov. 7, 2008 : Request Period

Visit vancouver2010.com to build and submit your ticket request anytime during this five-week period.

Nov. 8-23, 2008 : Lottery Period

An automated, random selection process (lottery) will take place when ticket demand exceeds availability.

By Dec. 5, 2008 : Notification Period

All applicants will be notified by e-mail regarding the status of their ticket request and which sessions and/or packages they may have secured.

December 8-22, 2008 : Priority access period

Remaining tickets will be re-released on a first-come, first-serve basis exclusively to those who submitted a request during the Request Period.

2010 Sorbet at Hotel Grand Pacific in Victoria, BC
Photo by Sue Frause