WANDER | Douglas Coupland x Suite X x Faimont Pacific Rim

"I'm very much a product of the late twentieth century."

Coal Harbour—(July 23, 2025) It was a real treat to tour acclaimed Vancouver-based visual artist and novelist Douglas Coupland's latest design collaboration, Suite X, located inside the Fairmont Pacific Rim hotel in the Corner Suite on the newly renovated Fairmont Gold floor lounge, overlooking the scenic Vancouver Waterfront.

GETAWAY | The Library by The Macallan x Four Seasons x Whistler

Whistler—(November 26, 2024) Late last month, press were invited up to the Four Seasons Resort Whistler for a quick but refreshing day trip to visit the 4-star luxury hotel's many amenities while also checking out the newly reopened The Library by The Macallan, an intimate whisky and cocktail pop-up bar, back for its second year.

FEAST | Smokehouse BBQ x H2 Kitchen & Bar x Westin Bayshore

Coal Harbour—(July 20, 2022) The newly revamped and renamed H2 Kitchen & Bar (formerly "H2 Rotisserie") family restaurant located inside The West Bayshore hotel recently refocused its dining offerings from a primarily rotisserie chicken-based array (still available) to an exciting all-new southern-style smokehouse barbecue menu.

FEAST | Mediterranean Fusion x Oo La Cha x Versante x Richmond

Richmond—(June 1, 2022) Just a stone's throw away from YVR Airport and a short walk from my apartment (true story), the swanky, year-old Versante Hotel is secretly brimming with luxurious culinary flavours and indulgent libations from the still relatively newish Mediterranean-inspired seafood fusion restaurant, Oo La Cha, found across the hall from the cavernous Cask Whisky Vault lounge—both located inside the recently established Club Versante complex attached to the hotel.

GETAWAY | Long Weekend x Pearl Hotel x San Diego x California

Point Loma—(May 19 to 22, 2022) On a May long weekend "bachelorette party" trip, our group ventured to the Southern California coastal city of San Diego—known for both its large naval fleet next to the Pacific Ocean and proximity to the Mexican border to the South.

FEAST | Italian Meets Chinese x Miantiao Restaurant x Shangri-La

"Chinese gastronomy uplifted by the elegant simplicity of Italian cuisine."

ostrica freddo (poached and chilled oysters) + Soppratutto (with bourbon, mint amaro, lemon juice, and egg white)

Financial District—(June 22, 2021) Easily one of the year's most highly-anticipated restaurant openings has been the brand new Italian-Chinese fusion concept from Miantiao Restaurant & Bar—so named after the Mandarin word for "noodle"—located upstairs inside the luxurious five-star Shangri-La Hotel Vancouver after taking over the old Market by Jean-Georges dining space.

WEEKENDER | Cocktail Hour x H Tasting Lounge x Westin Bayshore

Coal Harbour—Over the course of its short four years of existence, the fanciful H Tasting Lounge (inexplicably known as "HJU:Z" when it originally opened) has become one of my preferred cocktail bars in the city with its somewhat hidden oasis quality despite a very much prime location inside the legendary Westin Bayshore hotel near the tail end of the Vancouver Waterfront strip just before the entrance to Stanley Park.

KAFFE | Pastificio di Luigi x Giovane Café x Fairmont Pacific Rim

Coal Harbour—(September 28, 2020) After ten years, the Fairmont Pacific Rim hotel transferred operations of their street-level Giovane Café + Eatery + Market over to Kitchen Table Restaurants of Ask for Luigi, Di Beppe, and Pizzeria Farina fame over the summer.

GETAWAY | Aloha! Honolulu x Waikiki Beach Bum x Oahu, Hawaii

Waikiki—(November 19 to 22, 2019) Aloha! For four gloriously tropical days and nights, I visited the scenic city of Honolulu on the third-largest island of Oahu (aka the "Gathering Place") in the remote Hawaiian Islands—squarely located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Let's relive a few sunny highlights.

GETAWAY | Sightseeing x 2 Days in Whistler x Pangea Pod Hotel

Whistler—(October 23 to 24, 2019) A small group of us were invited on a guys-only media trip to experience the still-newish Pangea Pod Hotel located in the middle of the mountain village. As the first pod hotel in Canada, Pangea aims to offer modern delights and amenities in an affordable package when staying at the (usually expensive) resort town.

FEAST | Greek to Me x Hydra Estiatorio Mediterranean x EXchange Hotel

Financial District—(July 18, 2019) Vancouver's newest Greek-inspired restaurant, Hydra Estiatorio Mediterranean & Bar (pronounced: HEE-dra), located inside the EXchange Hotel Vancouver and named after the culinary island in the Aegean Sea, opened recently to much fanfare in the heart of the downtown core.

FEAST | Yew Seafood + Bar x Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver

Financial District—(April 25, 2018) The brand new culinary team over at Yew Seafood + Bar celebrated the warm weather by unveiling a complete revamping of all their menus inside the Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver.

IMBIBE | H Tasting Lounge x Westin Bayshore x Coal Harbour

House of Fabergé (Yakutsk) with vodka, toasted hazelnut, green peppercorn, lactic acid, and served in a breakable egg

Coal Harbour—(February 13, 2018) Originally launched as HJU:Z Lounge (confusingly pronounced "Hughes"), the newly and more conventionally renamed H Tasting Lounge inside The Westin Bayshore hotel celebrated Chinese New Year with some Year of the Dog appropriate libations.

GATHER | The Victor Restaurant x Opening x Parq Vancouver

"To the victor belongs the spoils."

False Creek—(January 17, 2018) The Victor restaurant—inspired by Queen Victoria and the British era of history bearing her name—officially opened late last year just across the terrace from The Douglas, Autograph Collection Hotel, inside the brand new Parq Vancouver Casino Resort complex.

SPOTLIGHT | The Douglas Hotel x Opening x Parq Vancouver

False Creek—(November 30, 2017) The Douglas Hotel, a part of the Autograph Collection Hotels, located inside the Parq Vancouver Casino Resort complex, was unveiled last week as the modernist hotel of nature and city threw a lavish grand opening party dubbed a "Living Room Social".

IMBIBE | HJU:Z Lounge x Opening x Westin Bayshore

"Rules don't apply."

Coal Harbour—(November 16, 2017) The shiny and new but awkwardly named HJU:Z Lounge (pronounced "Hughes"), quietly nestled inside The Westin Bayshore hotel, was unveiled recently to much glitz and glamour—just down the hall from the still fairly recently opened H2 Rotisserie & Bar from earlier this year.

WANDER | Dîner en Blanc Vancouver 2017 x Coal Harbour

Coal Harbour—(August 24, 2017) Vancouver's most stylish once again gathered en masse and descended down to dual locations this year, Devonian Harbour Park (where media were situated) and Harbour Green Park, both located near the entrance to Stanley Park.

WEEKENDER | Brunch x Rosé All Day x Market by Jean-Georges

Financial District—(June 25, 2017) The fanciful Market by Jean-Georges restaurant inside the Shangri-La Hotel on Alberni Street introduced their new summer social brunch series and menu, very appropriately dubbed "Rosé All Day".

GRUB | H2 Rotisserie & Bar x Opening x Westin Bayshore

Coal Harbour—(June 1, 2017) The newly opened H2 Rotisserie & Bar inside The Westin Bayshore hotel toward the end of Waterfront may specialize in upscale comfort food, local craft beers, and regional spirits, but its the scenic location and view that sells the revamped dining establishment.

IMBIBE | Botanist Restaurant x Opening x Fairmont Pacific Rim

"Step inside Botanist, a world where day blurs into night..."

Coal Harbour—(April 19, 2017) The hotly anticipated Botanist Restaurant and its and new culinary-forward concept located on the second-floor inside the Fairmont Pacific Rim opens soon featuring a west coast floral theme taking over the old Oru Cuisine space upstairs.