Rick Rake

Mad dash for Dish and Dazzle fun

 
After throwing on a crisp white shirt, a colourful silk tie and my best dark suit, it was time to fire up the Mustang, pick up my wife and head to our first Dish and Dazzle fundraiser at the swank Vancouver Convention Centre.

The event raises hundreds of thousands of dollars through the B.C. Hospitality Foundation to offer support for members of the hospitality community who find themselves facing insurmountable costs brought on by serious health issues. Funds also supply scholarships and bursaries for students enrolled in hospitality programs.  It is a great concept.

Kathleen and I have to thank Coletta and Associates, a new Click Media Works client, for inviting us as guests to this incredible food and wine event.  Tickets are $250 each.  We were sure to bid on silent auction items and purchase raffle tickets for a Napa Wine Country two-night stay and VIP wine tour and tastings for two at some pretty interesting vineyards and wineries.

It was quite a networking night for us as we made our way into the various rooms offering food and wine pairings.  Another section of the convention centre was action central for the bartender shakedown, a competition among six of  the province's best mixologists, including Danielle Tatarin of the Keefer Bar at The Keefer; Simon Ogden from the Veneto Lounge at the Hotel Rialto; Shaun Layton from L'Abattoir; Lauren Mote of the Refinery; Shawn Soole of Clive's Classic Lounge at Chateau Victoria and pictured below, Jacob Sweetapple from the Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel.  

 

When we first arrived, we were offered some delectable treats from Yew Restaurant and Bar (below) and a sip of  Segura Viudas Brut Rose from International Cellars. If you want the entire lowdown on who served what food and wine, click here:  http://www.bchospitalityfoundation.com/events/dish-n-dazzle-2010

 

 
We spotted Chef Ned Bell (pictured below) of B.C. Belgian Endive fame, a company with Abbotsford roots.  He was busy building an endive treat for the Cabana Bar and Grille and The Waldorf Hotel featuring Spanish-style Salt Cod 'Brandade', oven dried Windset Farms allegro tomatoes and lemon garlic parsley.   

 

  
We met some wonderful food and wine industry people along the way, including Dana Lee Harris (below) who is putting together seminars for the Whistler Cornucopia event in mid-November.

 
We stopped for a shot of Fireball Cinnamon Whisky, then moved onto the table of sweets.

 

 
For $180 in Seattle, you too can acquire a jacket like this one worn by esteemed Canadian Professional Bartenders Association director David Wolowidnyk (2008 Bartender of the Year).

 
We watched our bids on some of the auction items, mingled with the masses, and took the time to soak up the ambiance.

 

 
More nibblies . . . more wine . . . more good conversations . . .  and we started to say our goodbyes, in particular to our Coletta and Associates friends, Leeann Froese and Christine Coletta (with Kathleen on the right, below).

 
Still hungry?  Why not join us next year? 

 
Still thirsty?  Try this, but don't drive.  Cheers!

 

 

Here's a little country in the city: EcoDairy, Farm and Country Market

 

They say Abbotsford is the City in the Country.  Today at Bakerview EcoDairy and Nutrifoods Market on Sumas Way, Kathleen and I experienced a whole lot of country as we worked our way through the huge crowds to see what happens when you mix this new facility with the city's weekly Farm and Country Market.

It was very busy, but highly organized.  With an annual Christian school auction underway and Lepp Farm Market holding a special Fall Tasting event, it was surprising how many people left the comforts of their home to enjoy so many Abbotsford events in the warmth of the October sunshine.

 

Young fiddlers' sweet, toe-tapping tunes helped fill the air with excitement as we met so many friends, including marketing guru Tanya Curtis from the NutrivaGroup which oversees the EcoDairy and Abbotsford School Trustee Shirley Wilson (below). My wife, Kathleen, is squeezed in the middle.

 
Vintage vehicle displays, rides in a buggy pulled by Friesian horses, pony rides, cotton candy sales, and the full offering of the farmers market kept patrons amused on the 89-acre site featuring the first demonstration farm of its kind in Canada.

 
  
The Nutrifoods grocery store on the site sells the farm's unique Vitala milk and eggs products.

 
 
 
Clothing, jewelry, metal cutouts, honey, vegetables, and all those wonderful goods that farmers markets are known to carry were there.

 
Tall people, short people and costumed characters filled the parking lot.

 

I was particularly pleased to meet Jodie Jacobsen (below), sales and marketing coordinator for Tourism Abbotsford. 

 
If you haven't been to the Bakerview EcoDairy or Nutrifoods Market yet, you can explore it by clicking on http://www.ecodairy.ca/.  Some great videos are online to show you how the herd of 50 cows decides when it's time to be milked.

No matter how you look at it, today's Vintage Fair on the EcoDairy site is a stunning example of Abbotsford agri-tourism.

Cheers. 

  

Fall tasting at Lepp Farm Market: October sunshine

 
 
Pick a pumpkin . . . any pumpkin.  Halloween is on its way and the weather is sunny enough to keep most people from acting a little scary.

Kathleen and I hopped into the car today to explore local farm markets, and this was one of two stops that drew us in.  Stay tuned for installment No. 2.

Lepp Farm Market on Highway 11 between Abbotsford and Mission showcased a number of businesses outdoors, and it was a joy to network with friends and meet new people.  We at www.clickmediaworks.com and www.betweenthevines.ca love doing that.

Everything from hazelnuts to ice-cream, balsamic vinegar to Canadian Angus Beef was showcased and ready for tasting.

 

Abbotsford's very own Chef Dez (above) was grilling skewered Angus beef and mushrooms for a wine pairing with samples of red from Cedar Creek Estate Winery in Kelowna.

So at the same time we met Cedar Creek winery president Gordon Fitzpatrick who was very helpful with his wine knowledge.

Lepp Farm Market also offers cooking classes in its teaching kitchen inside, and we were thrilled to see a pamphlet listing some of the incredible people we've met over the years.  The full list includes Chef Dez, of course. 

There's Chef Jeff Massey of Restaurant 62, Darlene Tanka, Chef Travis Rea and Chef Ned Bell who has been doing some incredible work with B.C. Belgium endives, a farming operation based in Abbotsford.

We watched the crushing and weighing of hazelnuts, marvelled at the huge pumpkin offerings, explored the sandwich selection as we fought through the market crowds inside and finally relaxed in the sun at one of the patio seatings.

If you are from out of town and would like to visit the Lepp Family Market, the address is 33955 Clayburn Rd. You can email them at [email protected].

Below are just a few more of the fun images we shot during our visit to Lepps today.  Enjoy!  Cheers.

  

 
 

 

  

 

Katie Powell is going on a six-month world tour!

 

I was at Eat! Fraser Valley when I first met Katie Powell and her significant other, Evan Hunken.

My wife Kathleen was just finishing one of her wine shows on the Grapes and Hops stage at Tradex when we saw the young couple coming toward us. 

Earlier in the week Katie started talking to me on social media and I shared a few of my coveted secrets on how to make communications channels work in a community like Abbotsford.

"You don't mind wearing my sash and glasses, do you?" she asked me.  "No, of course not," I replied as friend Summer Dhillon, her good friend, and my wife were trying not to laugh.

Fast forward to Thursday afternoon when the social media channels were electric with news of her victory in the "Get Rid of Me" contest which earned her a six-month trip around the world through On the Go Tours based in the UK.  Video of her win was released in London on this link.

Thanks to Facebook/Twitter communicators like Goldie VanGarderen of Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce and Dave Farmer of MSA Museum, Katie's life-changing news was out in minutes on TNN (the Twitter News Network).

 
Katie garnered 35,646 votes for the draw to win.  The contest featured 1,300 contestants from around the world, and she hustled on Team Kevan like nobody's business.  She networked, went to community events, created her own website, designed custom T-shirts, and did her utmost to grab media attention.

The picture with her raising her glass was snapped Thursday night at MSA Museum during the Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce monthly Connections event.  Katie, 22, is a graduate of Mouat Secondary and is the museum's PR co-ordinator. 

When I talked to her Thursday she was excited and was thankful for the support by her followers.   "I want to have a party for everyone who helped," she said. 

I suggested a bring-your-own beverage and food event.  She was thinking about The Rancho as a venue.  That's all to be determined.

Katie and Evan will keep a video diary of their travels, and I can't wait to see it.

Dave Farmer (the guy in the hat in the photo below) announced Katie's victory to a hearty round of Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce applause.

 

Congratulations Katie!  Your will to win is incredible.

Thanks for letting us share in your success.

Cheers.

  

Giving hope to others at Christmas: Offer a Toonie.

 
Look up at the guy on the right.  Recognize him? He is very well known in Abbotsford.  Now look below and see the guy on the left.  They could be the same person.  But sometimes I think Uultsje DeJong, above, is crazier about Christmas.

 

I met with Uultsje and Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce president Pat Sapielak this morning to find out how much he really enjoys the season and to hear of his message of good cheer in the community this year.

You will be hearing a lot about his first "Christmas - Legacy of Hope" campaign, one which will support the Abbotsford Food Bank, the Salvation Army and the Cyrus Centre.

Mark Dec. 3 on your calendars.  And I will tell you why later.

"For many, Christmas is a time of love . . . of family . . . of giving, but for others, it's a time of loneliness and need," said  Uultsje.

For his fundraising campaign he want us to come together in the spirit of Christmas "where we can each give just a little . . . we can accomplish so much and can affect so many lives by giving them hope."

His goal is to raise funds through a Toonie Drive with community partners and businesses.  Already the Abbotsford Regional Hospital and Cancer Centre is welcoming the opportunity to partner with others.

"We will culminate this fundraiser with a Celebration of giving at the hospital on Dec. 3 from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. with a by-donation pancake breakfast," he said.

 

Local dignitaries will be there to accept donations of cash, food and unwrapped gifts.

Get this ... for those of you who won't be able to drop in to have breakfast with the civic-minded partiers, there will be a drive-through service. 

So the man I know as a school trustee and leader with Abbotsford Restorative Justice is turning into Abbotsford's very own Santa with an idea to help established campaigns for those who particularly need help around Dec. 25.

"Your support and help over the next couple of months, through the collection of funds for the Toonie Drive, unwrapped gifts and food, promotion of the event, and encouragement of participation at your place of business will go a long way in helping us come together as a community to help our neighbours," he said.

It takes only one person to start a movement, and I think Uultsje is well on his way.  I encourage the local press to get involved.  I know other organizations like the police and fire departments have been asked for their support.

 

You can communicate directly with Uultsje by calling 604-614-3524 or emailing him at [email protected].  His co-fundraiser is Irene Chambers at 604-851-4700.  Email her at [email protected].

See you at the hospital.  Let's all make sure those in need in our community can enjoy the festive season and sit down to a delicious warm feast provided through generosity.

Thanks for listening.

Cheers.

Splash of colour saves Chemainus: Day among murals

It's not the murals of Chemainus that immediately cross the minds of sailors when they tie up at the famous town's friendly marina. Nope. It's the hot showers and modern restrooms.

After sailing for a few days on Evita it was apparent our first consideration was not a map featuring yellow footprints to the three dozen works of art that saved this mill town of 4,000 after 700 people lost their jobs in 1983.

First priority was to reach into our pockets for some cold loonies, grab a lump of soap and a dry towel, and head to the marina office for glorious moments of cleansing before our basic needs turned to finding the grocery store and asking for the whereabouts of the government liquor outlet.

With our basic needs satisfied and Kyan II safely moored behind us, we were ready for a party. Evita's galley  was warm with the comforting scents of pasta and meat, and Kyan II's table next door was set for six.

Other boaters greeted us. One asked for Evita's main battery to boost his powerless craft.  We even had time for my wife, Kathleen, to record a wine-tasting video from Evita's cockpit for www.betweenthevines.ca.

 

It was not until the next morning we seriously observed the fantastic murals, all documented in a special Chemainus website identifying the artist and the meaning behind the work.

Water Wheel Park, above, is a restful place to meet friends and get some exercise.

When Chemainus' mill closed down after operating for 120 years, it was businessman Karl Schutz who thought of the idea of painting history on the walls of local buildings.

Art created on the walls of Chemainus depict real people and life in the early years of the community.

Chemainus Festival of Murals Society oversees and preserves the colourful art.

After stopping and looking at the murals, and staying out of the way of fellow photographers, our group shopped and found some interesting ceramics and fabrics.  My purchases included the community newspaper and a 649 lottery ticket.

 Murals here are world famous and attract many thousands of tourists each year.

 Wood carvings also attract a lot of attention. This bear just loves honey.

Chemainus was at one time home to the largest covered sawmill in North America.  Forestry was important to the community, and when the industry waned, the mill and its workers suffered.

When it was time for our crew to sail back to Vancouver, we said our goodbyes to this little town, promising to return one day.  We motored past the vibrant paper mill town of Crofton with its white plumes and tall stacks, hoping its major industry a healthy future.

Thanks for the memories, Chemainus.

Cheers.

 

 

 

 

 

Sailing into beauty, still waters of Wallace Island

 

 

We love Evita.  She's a 32-foot C & C sailboat owned by our Click Media Works colleagues John and Karen Laing.

We're starting to get to know every inch of her seaworthy elegance as she patiently whisks us to new adventures on that forever-changing and colourful nautical canvas many know as the beloved west coast of Beautiful British Columbia.

 
Our skipper John Laing carefully scrutinized the tidal charts for this three-day excursion, and with some help from Kyan II sailors Nick and Darcee Bidgood of Victoria, we ended up anchoring in Princess Bay at Wallace Island and later at the marina in picturesque Chemainus (which I will refer to in a later blogpost).

Research tells us that narrow Wallace Island was named after Capt. Wallace Houstoun who first surveyed the area in the 1850s.

Gnarled fruit trees are evidence an orchard was planted here by Scotsman Jermiah Chivers who retired to the island and lived alone on it until he died at age 92 in 1927.

The island was purchased by David Conover in 1946, and he and his wife Jeanne struggled to create a "modern" holiday resort known as Royal Cedar Cottages.  By the time he sold the property to a group of Seattle teachers in the late 1960s, he documented his experiences in four books: Once Upon an Island; One Man's Island: Sitting On a Saltspring; and Finding Marilyn, A Resource.

After a little skirmish between the teachers, the island was purchased in a court-ordered sale and became a provincial park in 1990.

After a night of partying and sharing laughs, stories and culinary wonders paired with wine aboard Kyan II, the morning light glistening through the trees beckoned us onto the island for an hour of exercise and discovery.

 
One lone, rusting hulk of a jeep is resting beside the trail leading to the former resort. . . and its presence is a mystery because there are no roads on Wallace Island.

The next surprise on this hike is an old resort cabin that has become home to hundreds of driftwood and seashell signs, some dangling in the wind, others permanently nailed to the walls, It's a delight because the care and attention of the boaters who created and mounted their mementos has not been ravaged by unthoughtful visitors.

Karen was particularly excited because she found a treasure chest in the cabin, and wanted to send her grandson, William, a picture of it.  The little guy loves all things related to pirates, and can't wait to see his grandfather "Yumpy" turn Evita into a pirate ship, complete with cannons. Arggghh.

After the fun of discovering Wallace Island, digging into its history and soaking in its sheer beauty, it was time to retreat, to pull up anchor, and sail off to another Evita adventure with the Bidgoods and their two small seafaring dogs, Tami and Tucker.

Nick Bidgood manually powered his dog dinghy to shore one last time and radioed ahead to arrange for Evita and Kyan II moorage at the Chemainus Marina. We'll give the mural town it's own story. Stay tuned.

Cheers.