 Photo contributedTourism Vancouver vice-chairman Robert Lindsay and Vancouver Deputy Mayor Andrea Reimer cut a link of Oyama Sausage to mark the Dine Out Vancouver promotion. |
While the event, with 240 restaurants
offering deals through Feb. 3, is in Vancouver, there's a lot of Okanagan content.
Oyama Sausage is included, of course, but Lower Mainland eateries also utilize a lot of other Okanagan produce, fruits, preserves, meats and wine.
After all, our Valley has an amazing
agricultural bounty.
The similar Wine & Dine Thompson Okanagan promotion is also underway through Feb. 3, with 41 participating restaurants offering special $15, $25 and
$35 prix fixe three-course menus with Okanagan wine pairing suggestions.
Whether the concept is playing out in Vancouver or the Okanagan, the goal is the same - to get diners out to try new restaurants and dishes during the slow period
between New Year's Eve and Valentine's Day.
In all, 25,000 meals are expected to be served during Thompson Okanagan Wine & Dine.
Check out the list of participating Valley restaurants and menus at Facebook.com/SipSavourSave.
New on board
Rather than have one president, the Westbank & District Chamber of Commerce has decided to split the top spot between two co-chairs.
So the 2013 board will be headed by business consultant Norm LeCavalier and Prospera Credit Union branch manager Marek Buryska.
The rest of the board is made up of:
- Vice-president: registered nurse Rosalind Neis
- Treasurer: Gary Schlenker of Grant Thornton Accountants
- Secretary: hospitality consultant Chris Cruz
- Matthew Kraemer of Pushor Mitchell Lawyers
- Bill Raine of Coldwell Banker Realty
- Gene Stafford, Holiday Inn West Kelowna
- Kris Smart, CIBC
- Sherri Van Doren, Horizon Travel
- Councillor Mic Werstuik, Westbank First Nation
Another big Winn
Kelowna's Winn Rentals has repeated as B.C. Rental Store of the Year.
Winn won last year and followed up again earlier this month when the accolade was handed out at the Canadian Rental Association trade show in Surrey.
Last year, Winn also snagged Canadian Rental Store of the Year and the President's Image Award.
The prizes take into account virtually everything about the business, from how it looks, the variety and condition of rental equipment, staff, customer service and
relationship with suppliers.
Winn, located at 910 McCurdy Rd., rents equipment and tools to homeowners and contractors ranging from hand tools and lawn and garden equipment to big
construction rigs.
The business is majority owned by brothers Bert and Brad Gretzinger.
Good sipping
Brit Jancis Robinson, the influential wine expert and author of The World Atlas of Wine, has awarded Kelowna's Tantalus 2008 Old Vines riesling best white wine in Canada.
"In the wine world, it doesn't get better than this," said Tantalus general manager Jane Hatch.
Robinson tasted 50 of Canada's top wines to pick her favourites.
The Tantalus 2010 riesling scored third in the same tasting.
Of the four years Robinson has been doing this, Tantalus whites have come out on top three times.
Tantalus is located on 75 acres at 1670 Dehart Rd. where it has the oldest continuously producing vineyard in B.C., which was first planted with table grapes in 1927.
Junior achievers
Prospera Credit Union has donated $10,000 for Junior Achievement to offer its Economics of Success classes for Grade nine and 10 students in the Okanagan and Fraser valleys.
The program urges students to stay in school.
Upcoming...
- Wednesday is the day to eat and drink at Wendy's restaurants in the Southern Interior to help send sick and disabled kids to Disneyland.
Wendy's donates all proceeds from the day plus staff and management wages to the DreamLift cause.
The next DreamLift plane goes from Kelowna to Disneyland in December.
- Manhattan Point Restaurant at Prospera Place hosts the next Downtown Kelowna Association After 5 reception Wednesday 5-7 p.m.
Admission at the door: $8.
- The Downtown Pentiction Association annual general meeting is Thursday 7:30 a.m. at Elks Lodge at
343 Ellis St.
To register call 250-493-8540.
- Murray GM at 1010 Westminister Way hosts the Penticton Chamber of Commerce Business After Business
networking and social mixer Thursday
5-7 p.m.
Free to attend.
- The South Okanagan Canadian Home Builders' Association Home & Reno Show is Feb. 2 - 3 at the Penticton Trade & Convention Centre.
TV and radio personality Shell Busey will be on hand to answer home improvement questions.
Admission at the door: $4.
Steve MacNaull is a business reporter and columnist with the Okanagan Saturday. He can be reached at steve.macnaull.ok.bc.ca, or by calling 250-470-0767.
