Read the story of Axelle and Kelvin’s Riviera Maya wedding in the digital edition of Destination Vows magazine
Category Archives: Writing samples
This is where you’ll find all my latest work.
For S-Magazine: Sweet Stays: Private ski chalets around the world
Read the story online in the digital issue of S-Magazine, or pick up a copy on newsstands.
For Roads & Kingdoms: There Are No Polite Canadians When it Comes to Grape-Stomping Glory
As the grapes squish between my toes, I feel two things: slightly cold and very sticky. But mostly, I'm worried about the clock.
This is not exactly old-school winemaking, in which stompers tread slowly and carefully to avoid crushing the seeds, which can ruin the taste of the finished wine. It's more like an episode of I Love Lucy.
Read the rest at Roads & Kingdoms
For BCLiving: 5 Must-visit Oliver Osoyoos Wineries for Foodies
Best known as a wine destination in B.C.'s Okanagan Valley, Oliver has plenty to offer foodies too. Local vineyards are getting creative with their cuisine, showcasing the abundance of the area's farms and fields in addition to award-winning grapes. From a quick lunch break to world-class dining, these wineries combine acclaimed wines with uncommonly delicious food, each in a vineyard setting that provides a feast for the eyes…
Read the rest at BCLiving
For YP Dine: Sweet spots for a slice: Vancouver's best pie shops
Move over fancy cupcakes and designer doughnuts – pies are making a comeback. A new generation of young bakers are shaking things up with fun shops and innovative flavours that will satisfy the most modern palate, and classic pie shops continue to deliver the quality that has kept them in business for decades. No matter what kind of pie you're craving, here's where to find the perfect slice.
Read the list at YP Dine
For S-Magazine: Get Mushy
Read the article in the S-Magazine digital edition, or pick up a copy on newsstands.
For PAX Magazine: One Day in Monaco
Read the story in PAX Magazine
For HOG Magazine Canada: Exploring Ronda
Read the story in HOG Magazine Canada
For Roads and Kingdoms: Finding the Perfect Cocktail and the Perfect Retirement Goals in One Day
I first spotted the curious restaurant while walking with my mom along the waterfront just north of Nice, France. Perched on a tiny rock pillar out in the sea, it was impossible to miss. But it was not a day for lingering, so we walked on, climbed up onto Mont Boron and then back down to the neighboring town of Villefranche-sur-Mer, striding past hillside homes and kitchen gardens, where chickens lounge away their days under the shade of olive and citrus trees.
Read the rest at Roads and Kingdoms
For PAXnewsWest: TravCorp showcases the culinary side of Thailand
The Travel Corporation and the Tourism Authority of Thailand hosted a media dinner in Vancouver last night to celebrate a new season of Thailand itineraries from TTC’s brands.
Citing Tourism Industry Association of Canada statistics showing that 35 per cent of current travel is based on culinary tourism, and 50 per cent of travellers say food influences their travel decisions, The Travel Corporation made food the prime focus of the evening – from the family-style Thai dinner to the presentation by Instagram food photographer and cookbook author Dennis Prescott.
“Each region of Thailand has its own distinctive cuisine,” said Kayla Shubert, the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s representative in Canada, in conversation with PAX. “Regardless of your preference, there’s something for you.”
Jeff Element, president of The Travel Corporation Canada, told PAX that TTC offers a Thailand experience for all traveller styles, each with a focus on the local cuisine. While Busabout guests may dig into Thai street food, Contiki travellers can take a cooking class in Chiang Mai, and Trafalgar guests have a Be My Guest experience at a local family’s home.
“Unless you have family there, you wouldn’t otherwise get to do that,” Element said. He told PAX the immersive culinary experiences contribute to great word of mouth about the company’s tours, leading its Thailand programs to grow year on year.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand is making a big investment in the Canadian market, Shubert told PAX, with plans to open an office in Toronto by the end of the year. With another new office planned for Sao Paolo, Brazil, that will double the number of offices in the Americas to four, including the current offices in LA and New York.
Canadians are among the longest-staying visitors to Thailand, Shubert noted, with an average stay of 17.69 days in 2016. More than 244,000 Canadians visited Thailand last year, an increase of 7.31 per cent from 2015. Statistics through May of this year show that the figure is on track to increase another 5.5 per cent this year.
Dennis Prescott also highlighted discovering new foods as a critical part of the travel experience. After growing up thankful to get three meals a day but viewing eating as a functional requirement rather than an immersive experience, he said his world (and taste buds) opened up when he began to explore new foods during his travels across North America.
“When I had sushi for the first time, in Vancouver 15 years ago, it was like a Fear Factor experience,” he said. “I had never even heard of sushi.”
Food is all about community, Prescott noted, whether that’s feeding 10 people dinner at his house in the Maritimes, or tasting new dishes far across the world. His new cookbook, Eat Delicious, showcases his food photography and recipes influenced both by his home province of New Brunswick and by dishes he has come to love during his travels.
Food that brings locals and travellers together is good for everyone, Shubert noted. “Travellers are looking for unique and meaningful experiences,” she said, “and local people get to share their culture.”
This post originally appeared on PAXNewsWest.com in 2017.