The Long Road Home
It was a busy spring and summer. My wife and I made our first road trip home post-pandemic. Over 3200 miles roundtrip to my hometown of Paradise Valley, Arizona.We soaked up as much sun as we could and enjoyed our time visiting with family, friends and helping my parents/grandmother with appointments and projects around the house. It was so good for the soul!I was back in Arizona again at the end of June to take care of my beloved 96-year-old grandmother, my "Nana," for a couple weeks. She and I have been close my whole life and every minute spent with her is precious. My mom is her sole caregiver, so I took the reins so my folks could get away for a well-deserved vacation. It was a great joy and honor to take care of Nana!
Peace Rocks for Ukraine
Like so many people, I feel helpless and desperate watching what is unfolding in Ukraine. I am angry, I am horrified and I am frightened for not only the battered Ukrainian people, but also for the world. In an effort to channel some positive energy and peace vibes, we painted a collection of peace rocks to lay around our favorite forest area near our home. It's a small trail along a creek, where the local kids leave painted rocks and fairy doors. We've dubbed it "Fairyland" and even created a sign recently to post on the tree at its entrance.Maybe it's something you can do in your community, too? Paint rocks for peace and place them in special places nears your home? The world needs all the help it can get right now.
New Local Restaurants
It's not very often that Whistler welcomes a new culinary offering, so the fact that two new restaurants will hit the scene soon is a big deal. They are both highly-anticipated!B a r n N o r k Locals around the Sea-to-Sky have known about Barn Nork for years, but always had to travel (sometimes at great distance) to enjoy its delicious Thai food. Formerly in an old barn-style building on the highway in Mount Currie, Barn Nork will soon be located in Whistler at the Riverside Resort, downslope from the Scandanive Spa.An incredible Thai experience, Barn Nork is the real deal. Their chefs prepare their dishes with integrity and the highest quality ingredients, many sourced from Pemberton farms. My wife and I have been enjoying their food for some time and a few of our favorite dishes include their Hot & Sour Soup, Crab Fried Rice and spicy chicken wings. Forthcoming in their new space, which is slated to open at the end of March, Barn Nork plans to add more “street food” style dishes and they are working on a new line of “Thai inspired” ice-cream and sorbets. Yippee! Be sure to check it out!Website: Click Here Riverside Resort & Campground: 8018 Mons Road—W i l d B l u eThere has also been a lot of buzz about what is happening in the old White Spot building beside Aava Hotel, right off the Village Stroll. They have been renovating the space for months and have slowly given us foodies tiny morsels to chew on, but never the main course! As per their website: "Whistler will soon be the recipient of a new, one-of-a-kind fine dining restaurant, bar and lounge. Focusing on elevated Pacific Northwest cuisine, sustainable seafood, and local ingredients, the aptly named 'Wild Blue Restaurant + Bar' is the creation of a trifecta of talent, not often seen under one roof."While we haven't seen any teaser dishes or a menu yet, we do know that there are some real culinary powerhouses behind the project, mostly notably Alex Chen (from Boulevard in Vancouver) and Jack Evrensel, founder and former operator of TopTable Group. It is sure to be a winner.An exact ETA hasn't been announced, but we expect it to open this spring, per their most recent press release. Website: Click Here
