01.04.17
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Szechuan Showdown Between What a City or Palace can Offer

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Szechuan Palace
306 Burnside Rd
Saanich, BC
(250) 382-2823

J: Like bees that are attracted to pollen, Ed and I are attracted to the area surrounding Tillicum Centre. The sweet nectar that can be found with either going to the movies (SilverCity Victoria Cinemas), getting a cheap dinner (Marble Arch), having desserts (Mr. Tubb’s Ice Cream Parlour) or partaking in board games (Skyhaven Games) in one area is too much to handle with just a single trip. If you’re a film buff like us (in name only and not in physique), yes you will find yourself coming back for more.

On this particular trip, we were looking for comfort at Szechuan Palace and I don’t mean to have a good cry and a cuddle. Both Szechuan Palace and Szechuan City are run by the same family and they are only four blocks apart. I’ve been to this location once before with my mom. Our purpose was to get a decent dinner before a movie, but we didn’t get past the starter. Service was slow even though they weren’t busy. I wasn’t going to make the same mistake twice. A lot of time and patience is needed when you dine here in the evening.

History was looking like it would repeat itself. The website has incorrect information. It’s operating hours are not updated, and there’s no evening buffet.

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01.01.17
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Cherry Bomb Toys to Honour Carrie Fisher’s Advocacy for Mental Health. Donations accepted for the Victoria Hospitals Foundation.

rs_634x1024-161229113738-634-2debbie-reynolds-carrie-fisher-bond2016 has been a cruel year with numerous celebrity deaths. Hollywood is mourning the loss of two legends from early last week, Carrie Fisher (best known as Princess Leia in Star Wars) and her mother Debbie Reynolds (Kathy Selden in Singin’ in the Rain) the following day. Fisher is a mental health and substance abuse advocate, and without Gary, her registered therapy French bulldog to give her that loving support, she might be at a different place.

Cherry Bomb Toys is honouring both these legends by asking fans to donate items (photos, toys, recordings (videos or albums) and anything else in between) in recognition of either performer’s legacy  — this store’s own stock included — to raise money for the Victoria Hospitals Foundation. They develop programs, help and treat people who are struggling with mental health issues. Cash is preferred over debit or credit card. That way, all the money goes to where it’s needed instead of covering the fees banks charge.

For the entire month of January, these products will be placed on display for collectors to see. The prices are very reasonable, and most of these items should fly fast. As more product come in, additional space will be made available. The following image is just an example of what is presently there. If anyone is looking for Star Wars themed Dixie cups to use in the next party, they got ’em!

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(please click to enlarge)

For support outside of the island and beyond, all you have to do is offer your time by volunteering at a mental health clinic. Donating money does not always provide a solution. It pays for the equipment necessary that not all hospices may have for proper diagnosis and care. As I struggle with my own erratic seasonal depression, sometimes all I need to know is that emotional support is near. Having those close friends that you can speak to help. To know that we are not alone can defeat those demons attempting to tear us down.

12.21.16
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How Nouveau is Nubo Japanese Tapas?

img_20160828_181426201-nuboNubo Japanese Tapas
739 Pandora Ave
Victoria, BC
(778) 265-9909

I’m fairly sure Nubo is very nouveau. Their designer maki rolls certainly looked very tantalizing, making this place worth visiting again for that alone! But when I noticed that I’ve seen similar elsewhere (especially after having sushi in four different cities), well, perhaps they are not? I was seeking a taste of the old country — traditional — and this place certainly delivers. On a busy night, I managed to get a seat at the sushi bar. Reservations are certainly recommended, especially if you’re planning on seeing a yuletide production at the MacPherson Playhouse. In fact, I recommend doing so for the four operations that run here. If time is tight, then the time is best maximized by being here early and just enjoying the scents.

If only I had two hundred dollars, I would be feasting on the variety offered here for an entire month. I could on a weekly basis, though I have to spread the love between here and Omakase. When considering their motoyaki is made from scallop and prawns, I’m already drooling. When I saw that this operation offers monkfish liver, they have a one-up on many other local places I’ve been to. In what I tasted is divine, and I was tripping at the variety of garnishes used on each slice. Each serving was floating in a lake of light soy sauce, and that was just my starter!

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12.14.16
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Qu’est Ce Que C’est Favoris? Gotta Taste Them All!

simg_1027Les Chocolats Favoris
1010 Government St
Victoria, BC
(778) 265-7050

JS: Move over Beacon Drive-In, there is a new ice cream shop in town and they speak Québécois French. Can a bit of olde England (Victoria) stand up to the noveau French invasion? Personally, I will say Beacon has little to worry about. But careful, do not drop your guard. Do not take Favoris lightly. Sure Beacon has their own lightly creamed sweet ice cream but when the urges take over, now and again, I want a hearty ice cream that is less on cream but more filling. For these urges, I shall run to Les Chocolats Favoris.

ES: I like the fact that the president of this company, Dominique Brown, decided to open up shop here in Victoria instead of Vancouver. They are based out of Quebec and to have an operation here is a gamble. Over the summer, during the busy tourist season where a cruise ship stops by every few weeks, this place was busy! Of course, James and I were late in learning about it and we still wobbled our way over to try ice cream off-season.

The draw has to be with the size of the portions offered. When I was walking to the Inner Harbour later, some tourists gawked at what I had left and I pointed them to where they could buy one.

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12.11.16
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Vic Film Fest Brings Tidings of Joy and a Look at What to Expect for 2017

vff2017logoChristmas comes early to film lovers in the form of the Victoria Film Festival. The annual event, established in 1994, has released a snippet of what entries are being offered in the new year long after the presents have been unwrapped and the bottle of Sheri has been thoroughly emptied.

The Victoria Film Festival will take place February 3-12, 2017 in the seaside city of Victoria, British Columbia (BC). The capital of BC is known for many things including the annual Chalk Festival, International Busker Festival, and the Fringe Festival. To learn more about VFF 2017, visit their official website at http://www.victoriafilmfestival.com/ Continue reading →

12.07.16
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[Vancouver, BC] Am I on the “Fritz” Loving American Cheesesteak Co.?

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The American Cheesesteak Co.
781 Davie St.
Vancouver, BC
(604) 681-0130

Most Philly cheesesteak lovers will say a fantastic sub has to be slobbering over with greasy goodness. The beef juices have to drip upon every bite and I must add an additional requirement: a gentle crisp is needed and the cheese must ooze all over. As most folks know, (from American CheeseSteak’s website) Pat and Harry Olivieri created the sandwich at their hot dog stand near South Philadelphia’s Italian Market in the 1930s. The cheese steak became so popular that the pair stopped selling hot dogs altogether, later opening the renowned Pat’s King of Steaks in the place where their stand once stood. Today, Philadelphia has more than 2000 restaurants dedicated to serving this indulgence.

Now just how this iconic morsel that can feed a state migrated to Vancouver, BC (let alone Lake Tahoe when I first sampled an ‘authentic’ style) almost needs to be questioned, current US politics notwithstanding. More Yanks should come north as long as they bring more of their trade cuisine secrets to indulge Canadians with! The South really must migrate so more Cajun style restaurants can open up! But I digress. For the sandwich, I feel that the New Yorker is over the top. My gut is simply busting after taking a few bites and the only reason I got it is to tide me over for 30 hours as I make the most of my last days in the big city.  Of course, I’m writing this review a few weeks later, but I needed time to fully digest that meal.

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