btvancouver

Just returned from vacation with my husband in New York City. Hubby and I are not big adventurers and we plan our trips based on where we want to stay, and where we want to eat. Our latest trip was no exception – many indulgences including dinner at:

Per Se : expensive yes (ridiculously so), worth it, um…probably once to say you went…met the expectation – absolutely. What I WOULD do next time, and this is a great option that is wayyy more affordable – sit in the “salon” you can still eat less than the normal 9 courses and experience the same ambiance.

at Per Se

LUPA - Mario Batali’s spot, casual Italian, super busy (one woman was told it would be an hour and a half wait and was like “ok!” ) reasonably priced and delicious! For dessert, the  Marscapone with Spicy Dates were amazing.

Joel Robuchon L\’Atelier- located in the Four Seasons, Brad and I went there before hopping on the red eye back home. We sat at the counter and enjoyed watching our food being prepared with such care and looking so beautiful I had to include some pics – highly recommend!

Spaghetti with Morels, Asparagas and a soft Poached Egg

View from the Counter!

Heirloom Tomato w/pasta - Amazing Work of Art!

Quality Meats - if you didn’t know it was a top restaurant, you’d walk by it - from the outside you’d think it was a deli that was closing for good – but upon entering, you know you are in for a special experience -go hungry -portions are huge and no question, you need to LOVE meat.

Just a few spots we experienced!

Until we Eat Again

Dawn

Cannot believe how fast the summer went.
Did something this morning that I haven’t been able to do for almost 6-years because of my BT commitments. And that was, help out at home, and take the kids for their first day of school. Monday to Friday I usually get up at 3:50am and I get to work by 4:30. This morning i got to see and experience the challenges of getting 3-kids up, fed, dressed and out the door. I have a new appreciation for what my wife Jane and a lot of parents go through every morning. Jane by the way, not only does it every morning, but then heads to work as a busy lawyer.
So with a little help from Celine Turenne, our resident nutritionist and food stylist, here it is. Back to school with the Docherty’s.

Time to reflect on the last month that was, for the Docherty Clan.
And what a month it was.
We embarked with our kids, on a European trip to meet my grandmother, and the childrens  great grandmother, Peggy, who is 96. She lives in a beautiful little village of Topsham, in the south of England and it was incredible for Emma, Maddy and Luke to meet her for the first time. Spending time during day trips around Devon, to learn more about her amazing life.
Next it was on to London, to my Aunt and Uncle’s house. for a week to explore, It’s history, It’s free museums, and catch a few shows. (We Will Rock You, and Thriller, by the way, are amazing)
We finished the journey off with four days in Paris, where our girls Emma and Maddy, who are in French Immersion, were able to act as our tour guides. Incredible to see and hear them interacting with ease, with everyone from taxi drivers to shop keepers. Renting an apartment, through the internet for Paris proved to be a perfect fit, allowing us to live and experience the city, in a real and interactive way.
Then it was back to Vancouver. Space, clean air, and most importantly home. A quick week of relaxation and reflection at a cabin on Denman Island, and back to reality. All in all, it has been an amazing summer so far. Hope your having a good one too.

Hello All!

Heading into the last weekend of the summer, thank goodness its a LONG one.

Looking ahead to next week, we all need to be prepared for a busier commute, on the road and with public transit. Lets be honest, Tuesday is sort of a “soft” start. Most schools aren’t in full swing until Wednesday. Most parents take the day off to get the kids off to their first day of school, and welcome them home from their “half day” back.

SO! Tuesday will be a little busier, but nothing like what we’ll be seeing towards the end of next week. PLEASE rememeber that SCHOOL ZONES will now be active with young kids crossing streets, preoccupied with friends and other distractions. SLOW DOWN!!! Also expect police to be actively monitoring those areas as well to make sure people are obeying the rules of the road.

Construction zones remain on Highway One from Langley all the way through to Burnaby. With added volume traffic is going to be HEAVY in those areas, so anticipate the slow downs and plan around it. Allow yourself at least an extra 20 minutes Wednesday and Thursday of next week so you can adjust to the changes. Especially with BCIT being back in session, the Cassiar to Grandview Highway area of Highway One will be a gong show. Take Lougheed or Canada Way if you like. Expect a TON of people to be doing the same. Not only will the Highway 1 construction zones remain, but so will a number of the other areas you have been experiencing over the summer. Take note of where they are NOW so that you aren’t surprised on your first day back.

Transit will be busier as well. Buses, SkyTrain, SeaBus and the Canada Line will see an increase in ridership. Be ready for the crowds. West Coast Express will also be experiencing heavier volume, and will NOT be in operation on Labour Day Monday.

Have a safe and happy long weekend everyone. Please drive safely.

M

Check this out, a special edition Vancouver Canucks sweater just in time for the 40th anniversary of our boys in blue. Take a look at your bank balance beforehand though as they are going for $400 a pop!

The link below describes more for all of those hardcore fans interested.

Vintage Canucks Sweater

Imagine swimming for 10 hours straight. Battling 25- knot winds, five foot swells and sea sickness. It’s how Jim Gould, Matt Smith, Jim Cambon spent their Saturday. The trio saying Saturday night, It was the hardest and most challenging thing they had ever done.

They are potentially the future leaders of tomorrow. And when they get together each summer at UBC to put together their action plan, it seems that nothing is impossible.

Hi Everyone!

We have all experienced a “close call” on the road.  Whether it’s our own fault or the fault of another driver. What if you see someone who is clearly driving recklessly, or appears to be under the influence? What then?

You can report dangerous driving to your local police detachments. If you witness an impaired driver or life-threatening incident, call 911.

You can also call some special toll-free numbers to report aggressive drivers on certain routes. You don’t have to disclose your name since calls are anonymous (if you’re using your cell, please pull over before dialing.)

• For Highway 99, call 1-866-WATCH99 or *0099 on your cell phone.
• If you’re on Highway 1 Fraser Canyon (between Hope and Cache Creek

What about if you see an unsafe commercial vehicle? Call the Ministry of Transportation at 1-888-775-8785 .

Never engage in arguments on the road, you don’t know who your are dealing with in these instances. If you are ever being pursued on the road in an aggressive manor and you’re scared. Call 911. Give the dispatcher your location, and the description of the vehicle following you. Or drive directly to a police station and stay in your car until you have assistance. This of course is in an extreme case, but it doesn’t hurt to plan ahead, and have an idea of what you should do for when/if it happens.

Drive carefully,

M

I was just in San Francisco a couple of weeks ago and had one of the most amazing dining experiences!

We heard about a great restaurant called Gary Danko . They start taking reservations 2 months out – and even with that, the earliest they could slot us in for was 10pm- luckily, a same day call confirming our reso allowed for me to check on any last minute openings! 6:15? Yes please (hey…even on holidays, I still go to be fairly early)

Described as “modern-classic” – the blackened windows make this place feel like a late night hot spot even when the sun is shining and the atmosphere  did not disappoint!  The service was among the best we have ever had (Juan Carlos was taking care of us- never met a man who could make a cheese plate sound like a fairy tale) and really was, as Danko explains, more like “theatre”  as they ensure “each evening’s ‘performance’ is seamless and magical.” 

I haven’t gotten the hang of taking pictures while hubby and I are dining (and I am not “working”) but did want to share the recipe from the Gary Danko website for the Horseradish Crusted Salmon I had.

It was visually a piece of art on my plate and was  easily one of the most delicious meals I have ever had, from the moment my teeth bit into the crusty, flavourful, but not too hot horseradish only to be met by a perfect medium cooked salmon atop pickled cucumbers…such a combination- I can’t wait to go back!

GRAIN MUSTARD SAUCEIngredients 1 shallot, minced 1/2 c white wine 1/2 c fish stock, highly gelatinous 1/2 c clam juice Fresh thyme Bay leaf 1/4 c heavy cream 6 TB unsalted butter 1 tsp whole grain mustard 1 tsp horseradish 1 TB Crème Fraiche 1/2 tsp dill freshly, minced 1/2 tsp chives, sliced thin Method In heavy-bottomed stainless steel pan, reduce first six ingredients by about 2/3. Add cream and bring to heavy foam, whisk butter slowly. Season with salt and strain through a chinois or a fine mesh strainer, pressing firmly on shallots to extract maximum flavor. Hold the sauce in a warm water bath. In a small bowl mix together the grain mustard, horseradish, crème Fraiche. Whisk sauce in to the prepared mixture. Return mustard in the warm water bath. Add the fresh herbs just before serving. Chef Gary Danko GARY DANKO

• 1-1/2 pounds Salmon, center cut filet, skin removed

Horseradish Crust

• 1/2 cup horseradish, fresh grated
• 2 egg whites
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

Dilled Cucumbers

• 2 each English cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and sliced thin
• 2 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon chives, fresh chopped
• 1 tablespoon dill, fresh minced
• 2 tablespoons Crème Fraîche or sour cream
• 1 teaspoon Lemon juice

Method
To prepare the horseradish crust, mix the fresh horseradish, egg whites and salt together until combined and reserve. Cut the salmon fillet into 3/4 inch widths. Roll the thick end into the center and ending the belly flap, form a medallion. Secure the medallion with a bamboo skewer. Place about one tablespoon of the horseradish mixture top of the salmon and spread evenly around the top of the fish. Refrigerate until needed.
To prepare the dilled cucumbers, combine the cucumbers and the salt together in a small bowl and allow to rest for 15 minutes. Squeeze out liquid and combine the fresh herbs and Crème Fraîche. Refrigerate until needed.

To Cook
Brush a non-stick pan lightly with vegetable oil. Over medium high heat sear the horseradish side first. Cook gently until golden brown crust is formed, about 2 ­ 3 minutes. Turn over and cook for 2 minutes. Salt lightly. Serve on a bed of room temperature dilled cucumbers with grain mustard sauce.

Until we eat again (hopefully at Gary Danko!!)

Dawn

Imagine the worst thing that could happen in any situation, happening. Yup – Murphy’s Law!

According to the Murphy\’s Law Website, Murphy’s Law (”If anything can go wrong, it will”) was born at Edwards Air Force Base in 1949 at North Base.

It was named after Capt. Edward A. Murphy, an engineer working on Air Force Project MX981, (a project) designed to see how much sudden deceleration a person can stand in a crash.

One day, after finding that a transducer was wired wrong, he cursed the technician responsible and said, “If there is any way to do it wrong, he’ll find it.”

The contractor’s project manager kept a list of “laws” and added this one, which he called Murphy’s Law.

Well, I had my own little incident on Friday when we took friends from Edmonton of ours to dinner at the Shangri-La Hotel Restaurant Market .

We had just finished dinner, enjoying the last of our red wine and the server was bringing dessert and a cheese plate. Former sever that I am, I decided to “help out” by moving some dishes that were in the way. You have to know what happened next..RED WINE SPILL!  This wasn’t all over the table, it wasn’t on me…nope! The only person it hit was my pal Randall MacDonald. Bad enough, yes…but to go one step further, he was wearing a light blazer and light pants…

Brad and I with Randall (on my left) and Darcy- Pre-Spill Smiles

I was tempted to put some white wine on the spill since that apparently acts a s a neutralizer and stain remover for red wine- but I decided I had done enough damage!

Thankfully, Randall chalked it up to “accidents happen” – but what IS the etiquette? Well, I apologized profusely and sent a note asking that he inform us should the stain not come out with dry cleaning. What else could I do? On the plus side (if there is one) it happened towards the end of the evening…but there was another complication, if my reaction/ solution was not appropriate, Randall would know…he is also a party planner and etiquette expert…argh!

Not sure if Randall and Darcy have any other tips or products at their store Call The Kettle Black (3 locations in Vancouver)…but lesson learned, white wine only for me!

 Until we eat again (sans red wine!)

Dawn