Banff Romance Wrap-Up

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The next day it was time to say goodbye to Buffalo Mountain Lodge, part of Canadian Rockies Mountain Resorts’ collection of rustic lodges and contemporary restaurants. Tucked away on Tunnel Mountain, even with free wifi and parking, the lodge seemed miles away from civilizaton. Yet it’s just a five-minute drive to the hustle and bustle of Banff Avenue.Although your commute may be extended if you slow down for wild animal photo ops, which are almost guaranteed when you go to Banff.In the charming mountain town of Banff, on the corner of Bear and Caribou (most of the streets in town are named for animals) you’re positioned to begin Romantic Activity #6: Gallery Tour.At Canada House Gallery, they have an enormous selection of works by Canadian artists. After 40 years the gallery is still a powerful presence in the Canadian art scene. Many buyers drive in from Edmonton or Calgary to Banff, not for the ski hills, but the art.Even though I’m a sucker for any art featuring a horse, look carefully at the paintings in the background. They’re a sneak peek from the Animal Farm reception at the gallery this Saturday, Feb.8. Painter Grant Leier will be in attendance. Further down Bear Street you’ll find the Willock and Sax Gallery, which carries Western Canadian art, focusing on our fine Alberta artists. And in the other direction is the Whyte Museum. Which I fully intend to visit one day.If you’re running out of time, like we were, keep your eyes peeled for the public art sprinkled throughout Banff. Currently, some displays are more patriotic in nature. Yeah!Even if you’re rushing to hit the highway, you can still carve out time for a coffee from Wild Flour Bakery, since it too is on Bear Street. Not only do their goodies taste delicious (I recommend the mint Nanaimo bar: not too creamy, not too minty, with a thick layer of solid chocolate on top and a bottom layer that doesn’t flake apart. Can you tell I’m a connoisseur? I have to be! I grew up a short ferry ride away from Nanaimo) they are all kinds of gluten-free, vegan and artisan.

Goodbye Banff! You definitely came through in the romance department. How will Valentine’s Day top this?

Banff Romance Day 2

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On Day 2 of our romantic retreat to Banff, it was beautiful — and almost unbearably cold. Suddenly, admiring the view from Room 1108 at Buffalo Mountain Lodge…… ,with its lofty timber ceiling, seemed more important than going snowboarding. Definitely more romantic. But you can only stare at the ceiling for so long. What’s a winter trip to Banff without a trip to the skihill? Even if it’s -18 Celsius at the base, not counting windchill? Surely there’s something romantic about facing frigid adversity together.At Sunshine Village, this snowboarder sucks back some nicotine to face the day. However, in keeping with the gondola theme of Banff Romance, I’m going to recommend heading into the building on the left. Located ten steps from the gondola, the base lodge has super-hot coffee and a nice selection of muffins and sandwiches. Which works out well, because the gondola ride is the perfect length to enjoy a coffee and a muffin.After the gondola, we opted to get on the Angel Express quad, which sails past the Bra Tree. Note to self: stock up on colorful skivvies before Valentine’s Day.It was a good day to be a panda. That suit had to offer some extra protection against the extreme cold.A sign helpfully reminds skiers that there are other, warmer places in the world. But it was time for Romantic Activity #4: Snowboarding. So I took a few runs in the name of love. Care to join us, Bono?With the lack of fresh snow recently, I was surprised to find the groomers weren’t icy at all. Even still, the ridiculously cold temperatures drove us inside after just a few runs. In the Day Lodge, I tried to re-hydrate, but the cashier wanted me to pay 25 cents for the paper cup. I didn’t have a quarter. I didn’t see any water fountains. The cashier took a hard line on my lack of coinage and refused to give me the tap water. Is that even legal?

Skiers paying $85 to ski Sunshine Village should have a free water option. Put out some jugs and plastic glasses, Sunshine.

A few days after this was posted, Sunshine’s Director of Sales & Marketing emailed me to say: “We have since followed up with our staff to remind this is NOT our policy.”

With a bad taste left in my mouth from the Day Lodge (literally!) we chose Mad Trappers for lunch (pictured above). Located in a classic old log-cabin near four lifts, it’s a wonderful place to get a beer and contemplate your next run. Even while you’re still wearing your jacket and toque. Because on a day like this one, there’s just no point taking it off.A few wisps of clouds marred my perfect view of the Rockies. Better stop taking photos and start riding. Because no matter what the temperature may be, any day spent on a snowboard is a good day!Back at Buffalo Mountain Lodge, even the roaring fire in the lobby lounge, with alcohol in close proximity, couldn’t keep me from…… Romantic Activity #5: Winter Hot Tubbing. The nice thing about this one is Buffalo Mountain Lodge has the hooks for your towels and robes inside a little room just steps from the tub. Very important when the temperature is still plunging.After a day facing the elements, the last thing we wanted to do was fight them to find dinner. Luckily the Sleeping Buffalo Restaurant at the lodge, allowing us to dine under beams untainted by nails. (Really! It’s an old-fashioned construction thing.) To start, we nibbled on the Charcuterie Board, a Banff bonanza of Elk Salami, Smoked Buffalo, Smoked Peppered Duck Breast and Wild Boar Pâté (to die for), among other things. For my entree, I had the rack of lamb, cooked just the way I like it, medium rare. Nice, but not mind-blowing. Next time I think I’ll try the Northern Caribou. The seared medallions of meat are a house specialty.

Next… one more Romantic Activity to round our our Banff retreat!

Banff Romance

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With V-Day hot and heavy on the horizon, Banff is a serene place to cool your jets in the interim. Designated a United Nations World Heritage Site in 1995, Canada’s first national park always offers an incredible experience — whether you live close by in Calgary or on the opposite side of the world. Romantic Activity #1: take your sweetie to Sulphur Mountain. The gondolas fit four people, but if they’re not too busy you won’t have to share the ride with strangers. Hashtag: Room For Romance! Taking the gondola is touristy, but fun. You can hike up instead, but when would you cuddle with your significant other? Plus, there’s a Starbucks conveniently located at the bottom, in case you need a toasty beverage while you float up 2,292 feet. I probably should have gotten one to keep my jaw from dropping at the view. At the top, a vista of six mountain ranges awaits. Looks like the golf course down at Fairmont Springs is awaiting a good thaw.I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say this is probably the only mountain summit boardwalk you’ll find in the Canadian Rockies. If you’re not up for braving the cold, there’s a restaurant and a cafe in the gondola station. And, of course, a gift shop.But if you do take the one kilometer-long Summit Walk, not only will you discover signage pointing out which peaks you are peeking at…… you’ll make it to the Cosmic Ray Station. Back before being a meteorologist was a glamorous TV news gig, Norman Bethune Sanson climbed Sulphur Mountain (named for the hot springs on its lower slopes) on snowshoes in 1896 to record weather observations for the Banff area. Then he was hooked. He hiked up the steep three-mile trail over a thousand times over the next thirty years.After that rocky mountain high, it was time for the hotel. I empathized with the ice sculpture upon check-in, but the Buffalo Mountain Lodge offers one of the best warm-ups in Banff.Thawing options (aka Romantic Activity #2: apres-Gondie) include a full-size claw-foot tub on a heated slate floor…… and a wood-burning fire. When we arrived, paper and kindling was ready to light in the fireplace. With extra wood just outside the front door if you need it. For Romantic Activity #3: Dinner, I returned to an old flame to get my full-on foodie on ~ the Bison. Sourcing many of their ingredients from local farmers, the restaurant takes its inspiration from the region. After an afternoon sourcing my warmth from the heart instead of the temperature, there was no energy left over for in-depth menu perusal. Ordering the bison at Bison seemed like the right thing to do. And it was. Prepared in the open copper kitchen, the Carmen Creek Bison Ribeye was a massive slab of meat of smoky, saucy deliciousness. The lean bison meat was marbled and flavorful. And necessary to fuel us through Day 2, when we will face the choice of snowboarding in sub -20 temperatures or staying by that wood-burning fire. Stay tuned.

Blue Besos goes to Maui!

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Happy New Year! Blue Besos is starting the year with a travel blast. Future posts will feature dining out in Vancouver, a Seattle girls’ trip and snowboarding in Revelstoke, but first let’s partake in some tropical thunder. Maui is one of the most beautiful places on earth. If your vacation brain has enough juice to plan a few day trips in between those pineapple-soaked cocktail umbrellas, you’ll have the holiday of a lifetime. If you can drag yourself out of bed early enough (perhaps you’re a morning person and this isn’t an issue for you, but a deep love of sleep is my nemesis) a lava hike is a lovely way to start the day. Drive til the end of the road in South Maui. At La Perouse Bay, known for great snorkelling, there’s a lava field that stretches for miles, from the last eruption on Maui. Haleakala Volcano blew her top back in 1490, or 1790, depending on who you talk to. Walking through it is like taking a walk on the moon, except with gravity. Or maybe Saturn. The loose lava rocks on the path are potential ankle busters, so you have to keep an eye on your feet, which is a challenge, because at this time of year the whales are going crazy, jumping out of the water and in general just trying to distract you. Also, be on the lookout for the random goat that crossed my path.Jawz food truck is perfectly positioned for your lava-induced appetite just ten minutes up Makena Alanui Road. A dude from North Idaho, who’s been known to snowboard in Alberta when he’s not hanging loose, serves up fish and shrimp tacos. To be clear, he wasn’t hanging loose over the taco fixings. They weren’t the best tacos in the world, but with some BYO Coronas to wash ’em down, they’re like a mirage come true.Conveniently located right across the road from the taco truck is my favorite beach on Maui. So far. A long, treed path separates Big Beach from the well-maintained free parking lot. It’s also one of the few beaches I’ve seen with lifeguards, who occasionally make ominous announcements via loudspeakers about the spinal injury potential of body surfing.Besides the super-soft sand and the snorkeling along the edges of this cove, the lovely thing about this beach is that it is in a state park, which means no hotels or condos along the shore. The only thing looming behind you is a cliff dotted with trees.But if the absence of beach bars makes you miss the party, there’s one in the cove next door! Accessible by scrambling over a narrow cliff path, Little Beach is a favorite with the clothing-optional crowd…… and the drum circle on Sundays.Back on Big Beach, which empties out quickly at the end of the day, the sun sets over Kaho’olawe, a truly uninhabited island.Next, stroll through the zen front entrance of the newest luxury hotel on the beachfront boardwalk, Maui Andaz, a short drive north in Wailea. Worth walking through just to appreciate the Miami-meets-onsen design aesthetic…… it’s even better if your final destination includes Chef Morimoto’s most recent restaurant in his current world takeover (watch out, Wolfgang). Set poolside between the hotel and the beach, Morimoto Andaz opened in Fall, 2013. Behind that locally sourced tuna and softshell crab rolls is a sake tasting. Oyshi.If the sake gives you a thirst for dramatically lit photo shoots, pause to ponder the infinity pool’s lava rock wall. And check back for mmmore of my favorite Mmmaui days.

Loving Latitude 48

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Google tells me the exact coordinates for Whitefish, Montana are 48.4117° N, 114.3400° W, but this bistro rounded down to the nearest non-fractional number. As someone who only vaguely knows that I reside somewhere above the 49th parallel, this name seems specific enough.Venture inside and you’ll see that everyone else in town managed to find Latitude 48 just fine without the four decimal points. Packed on a Friday night, the smiling hostess still found room for our walk-in appetites. Compliment her on the decadent feather earrings she’s wearing and you’ll learn she designed them herself. Because her dad is into flyfishing. I love Whitefish!If you still have room for another drink after your excellent meal (I had tagliatelle with fire roasted chicken, wild mushrooms and truffle essence: extra-delectable due to the pasta made in-house) there’s a lounge option that means you don’t have to put your coat back on to get to. In fact, you can bring the rest of your wine. Just follow the red arrow… … down to the Red Room. We were lucky enough to catch Kelly West & Crew in the middle of a set. Packaged in a tough-looking tank top and crewcut, she has the most ethereal voice. She plays again on December 20th. If you’re in Whitefish, you have to go see her.

Next up: one the craziest sports I had never heard of. Hint: it hails from Norway.

Cajun Food Counteracts Crazy Cold

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The Lodge at Whitefish Lake is full of photo opportunities. Including this spot on the second floor, giving you a wonderful view of the main lobby. If I wasn’t so obsessed about getting the right shot of this shirt from Forever 21 (with Victoria Secret’s leopard print peeking through) I’d probably take a sneak peek at that moose smiling on the wall downstairs.If you’re worried that I won’t survive the record-breaking frigid temperatures in a sequin mini skirt, fishnets and a see-through shirt, don’t. (Mom, I’m talking to you.) These Michael Kors boots come with detachable sheepskin. Very sensible for this weather.And with the Lodge’s valet keeping my car warm by a roaring fire, the temperature just isn’t an issue…… although after admiring the Christmas decorations for, oh, 30 seconds or so, I was ready to hustle inside to dinner. I’m told that -2 Fahrenheit (-19 Celsius) is unusual for Whitefish, but it couldn’t freeze the charm of the lights overhead, which are nothing compared to what they’ll be on December 13, when the cars clear out of Central Avenue for the annual Christmas Stroll and tree lighting ceremony.Inside Tupelo Grille, the art almost distracted me from my rumbling tummy. Call me a populist, but I love me some Blue Dog. I first discovered George Rodrigue’s cute canine in a Carmel, California gallery and have been hooked ever since. The Cajun connection (George is from Louisiana) makes sense at a restaurant known for its New Orleans cuisine.The room itself has nooks and crannies character, including a back booth you have to shimmy along the bench to get to the end. And oh — the food was fab. The shrimp and crawfish cakes were my fave delish dish of the night. And fyi, if you want skinny fries to be part of your steak frites experience, the waiter will make it happen.Finally, if you still have an ounce (have I ever mentioned how anti-metric I am?) of strength left after Day 1 on your Whitefish Winter Weekend that includes a multi-national road trip to get here, make a stop at the Ultimate Safeway. I wish they had a Safeway this deluxe in Calgary. Just a few blocks south of Montana’s vintage village on US 93, this gourmet haven is open 24/7. More importantly, it has a wonderful vino selection to stock that duo-temperature-zone wine cellar back in your room at the Lodge.

Next up: opening day at Whitefish Mountain Resort.

A Gentleman’s Drink

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According to Frank Sinatra, whiskey is a gentleman’s drink. Frank was such a fan, his legacy guardians agreed to lend his namesake to a new offering from Jack Daniels.Tennessee’s best was on the tip of everyone’s tongues Tuesday night in Calgary, the city of choice for the Canadian debut of Sinatra Select. Thus the selected gentlemen swarming Teatro’s Opera Room. Many of them declined to refer to themselves that way, but at least they looked the part.Ryan Atkins, Alex Orlando and Scott Watson.Dan Wright of WAX and Kevin Gordon.Let’s get a side view of those super-cool specs, Dan!Mark Burkart of McKinley Burkart and Jay Cowles of Spriza.Norm Bogner of Spriza and Ryan Jennings of Jennings Wealth.In case you were wondering how to accessorize a black wedding band (sapphire with diamond) Norm prefers a Panerai timepiece. And you can never go wrong with a fistful of sour mash.Frank couldn’t make it in person, but the evening was not without crooning, thanks to V. Williams.I felt a little like ol’ Blue Eyes himself, getting hustled through the Teatro kitchen for an intimate lecture … … on the fine art of single barrel aging. Jack Daniels looked right at home in Teatro’s 10,000 bottle wine cellar.And despite the original 1911 Dominion bank vault looming behind me, I felt right at home. but I suppose 45% alcohol content accelerates that emotion. However, my Jack Daniel’s Country Club badge is 90-proof that I’ve arrived.

Behind the Yellow Door

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Last time I was at the Yellow Door Bistro at Hotel Arts, I took you on a power lunch with Lawrence Roeck, the filmmaker shooting the next Eastwood Western. This time my shadow does more than darken the front door — it darts into the kitchen to take you behind the scenes. But first, let’s get the deets on the interior design.The restaurant is particularly proud of its environmentally conscious decor through architectural salvage. Feel like this lounge needs more of your lizard? Settle into a couch below reclaimed wooden shutters from Belgium, circa 1800.Neigh-sayers are welcome. Equestrian whimsy is a recurring theme, like this giant horse lamp.A bunny waits for you to belly up to the bar and paw through the iPad wine list.Random yellow accents repeat in the furnishings and staff uniforms, but they aren’t overdone.Admittedly aesthetically-driven in my choice of restaurants, the food still has to be good, or what’s the point? In the kitchen I discovered Banff-born Sous Chef Quinn Staple working under the watchful eyes of the kitchen crew’s spirit animals. With the Yellow Door’s close proximity to the Saddle Dome, refurbished post-flood in time for the Flames’ full season, I suppose it makes sense there is also a spirit hockey goalie.The kitchen was built especially for Yellow Door, when the bistro opened in February to rave reviews of their flavorable fare. The hotel’s other restaurant, Raw Bar, has a completely separate kitchen.It must be easier when everyone at table of four orders the same six ounce Sous Vide Tenderloin, but kitchen creation is a delicate dance in close quarters.My Dungeness Crab Salad is up — my cue to return to my table. I forgot to ask for the dressing on the side, and I highly recommend you do the same. Scrumptious! Yellow Door Bistro is open for breakfast, lunch, dinner and weekend brunch.

Pop-up Dinner Party

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If you’re headed to the Calgary Home+Design Show this weekend, I recommend going to it before you paint your walls the wrong shade of grey. Because if you attend, like I did, while the unexpected blue and lavender tones are still drying on your walls, you’re sure to see the right shade of grey everywhere. Like here, on the main stage furnished by Urban Barn.And at the Western Living Lounge.Even on the super-cool distressed concrete floor.Plus I was a walking example of What Not To Wear to a convention center. But I tried not to worry about that — I was there for a party.Calgary’s best bloggers were invited to attend a pop-up dinner party to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the design show.Decorated by Revolve, my table was accented in blue. Blue Besos blue. With totally appropriate azul cocktails.The Casa Bubble display lurks in the background while YYC top chefs, Kyle Groves from Catch, Paul Rogalski from Rouge and Michael Dekker from SAIT cook under the watchful eye of Neil Stuart from Trail Appliances…… and the eyes of anyone walking by the cooking stage. With a camera overhead displaying their culinary moves on a giant flatscreen, it was a cooking show come to life.Of course, that also meant if you were part of the dinner, you were part of the demonstration.But the food was too good to let eating in a fishbowl sink my appetite. Especially when Chef Kyle Groves’ dish included an unexpected fish chip made from deep fried char skin. Cafe Rosso rounded out the night with a jolt of java. Cole tried to distract me from all the surrounding perfect grey tones by remembering I like my lattes extra-hot. He has a memory like an elephant, or should I say he has grey matter similar to a certain grey pachyderm? Meanwhile, the coffee and cooking were delicious. The Calgary Home+Design Show continues at the BMO Center through Sunday.

The Next Eastwood Western

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If you’re filming in Alberta, this town is big enough for the two of us.When Hollywood comes to Calgary, Hotel Arts is a natural choice for a meeting. But when it’s the team producing the next film in the Eastwood legacy of western epics, the art at this boutique hotel simply makes good horse sense. Seen here, Producer/Director Lawrence Roeck and Executive Producer Shana Wilson had just arrived from Longview……where they met with John Scott, Clint Eastwood’s wrangler from Unforgiven, among many other IMDB-worthy accomplishments too long to list here. But does that little Brad Pitt flick Legends of the Fall ring a bell?Let’s just say when Hell on Wheels needs saddles, John Scott has a loaner or three. Between rustling props from farms in the foothills to moseying through this art-laden lobby in the heart of Calgary…

… pre-production on the feature starring Clint Eastwood’s son Scott is keeping Lawrence busy. Meanwhile, at Hotel Art’s new Yellow Door Bistro, Ennio Morricone isn’t part of the DJ selects, but Lawrence does his best Good, Bad and Ugly anyway — under the watchful eye of yet another equestrian objet d’art.Maintaining LA standards, we paired Dungeness Crab Salad with St. Supery Sauv Blanc. Food not visible because we gobbled it all up. It was a very serious meeting. Which led to a very serious article on creative financing.

Afterwards, I went out front to collect my ride from the valet…… the bike, not the Bentley. And discovered another thirst-quenching service touch.Thanks, Hotel Arts! Diablo starts filming in Alberta early 2014. Dress, Diane von Furstenberg.