The other night I met my brother in law for dinner at Lefty’s in Parksville.  We have dined several times at their Qualicum Beach location but never in Parksville.  If you have not been, it is right beside Thrifty’s.

The restaurant was a nice surprise, much nicer than I expected. The dinner menu runs from salads ( a good variety) to Burgers to Seafood, Ribs and Steak. I chose the spicey Thai Prawns which were served with rice. Delicious. Murray had a fabulous looking burger. We washed it down with O’Douls Amber which was served icy cold.

On a Wednesday in January, Lefty’s was not very busy so the service was prompt and charming.

If you don’t feel like cooking and want a really good lunch or dinner that is delicious and not too pricey, you ought to try Lefty’s Fresh Food Restaurant. I’m planning on trying their patio this summer. It looks like a good wine sipping spot.

Lefty’s has been in business since 1996.  Flourishing for over 20 years is an indication of a well run operation with consistently good food.

Just saying…

With just 1700 miles to the finish line in Les Sables d’Olonne, France, Englishman Alex Thomson on HUGO BOSS has a real chance to catch up to race leader Armel LE CLÉAC’H.  Only 113 miles seperate the two.  Thompson led much of the race as they headed south down the Atlantic two months ago  he only fell into second after damaging one of the hull foils on his boat after hitting an unidentified floating object. The damage affected his speed on one tack so he has been handicapped all the way across the Southern Ocean and the climb back up the Atlantic

This morning he is running about a knot faster than Armel.  Thomson says he needs to be within 50 miles of the to have a chance of catching him.  It could be an exciting finish to this amazing race. Can the BANQUE POPULAIRE III maintain the lead?  In just a few days we will know.

In  third place is skipper Jeremie Beyou on MAITRE COQ, but he is 561 miles behind the leader and there is not enough time left for him to catch Thomson.  The rest of the fleet is spread out over 8000 miles and I’m sure most of those adventurers will be happy just to finish.

An epic journey.

Just saying…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Although I spent most of my career in hospitals as a supplier of orthopaedic implants, we have had almost no personal experience as patients in our health care system. Recently we have had some experience and despite the illness involved, we have been very impressed with the system.

Two visits to the Oceanside Health Care Centre in Parksville were very positive experiences. The facility is excellent, well equipped and well run. The nursing staff were efficient, knowledgeable, caring, and thoughtful. The two staff doctors with whom we dealt were also very good. We are fortunate to have this great facility in Oceanside.

We also had occasion to partake of the BC Paramedic Service. My favourite girl fell ill just before New Years and I called 911. The two paramedics arrived promptly and were very impressive. Gentle, thoughtful, and competent. This is a wonderful service. (As an aside, not everyone gives their partner an ambulance ride for their wedding anniversary).

If you have had occasion to visit the Emergency Room at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital, you will know that it is an amazing, very large, state of the art department. Certainly the best I’ve ever seen and I’ve seen many in my career. The staff are terrific, too. Nanaimo has become the major trauma centre on the island outside of Victoria and they certainly have the facility to handle it.

With my sweetheart now on a ward I can comment on nearly two weeks of the health care system. The Registered Nurses are fantastic. On the 3rd floor at Nanaimo Regional, they are all young, mostly in their 20’s or early 30’s. They too, are efficient, knowledgeable, compassionate, and charming. They all work 12 hour shifts and seem to really enjoy their jobs.

The Health Care Aids are delightful. Not a glamorous job, for sure, but they do the tough task of moving patients, helping them with hygiene and daily needs. These ladies have even helped feed our patient. All of the aides we have encountered do their job with  dedication, enthusiasm and a smile. They are the unsung heroes.

Finally, we have interfaced with three Hospitalists. These are doctors who only work in the hospital. General Practitioners or Family physicians by training, they work on salary and look after in-patients. As a result, it is unnecessary for your own doctor to visit patients in the hospital. It’s a relatively new specialty. In Nanaimo, the Hospitalist service began about 13 years ago and it seems to work really well.

Complain about the Health Care System in BC?  Not us. Our experience has been first class.

Kudos to all the doctors, nurses, aides, and paramedics.
Just saying…

67 days after leaving France, the lead boat BANQUE POPULAIRE III, skippered by  Armel LE CLÉAC’H, is still in first place with less than 2000 nautical miles to the finish line. On board HUGO BOSS is Alex Thomson just 200 miles behind. With the right winds Thomson still has time to catch  LE CLÉAC’H.  800 miles behind the the leader is Jerimie Beyou.

18 off the 29 staters are still in the race but there are still 8 boats that have not yet rounded Cape Horn. The poor chap in last place is 9000 miles behind the leader.

The lead boats should finish the race within the next week. 24,ooo nautical miles, circumnavigating Antarctica on a 60 foot sailboat all by yourself. That is a special kind of crazy.

Just saying…

 

Going out for Breakfast or Brunch is always a treat. Recently, I met some pals for a late  breakfast at LEFTY’S in Qualicum Beach.  First time here for Breakfast and it was very good. Two eggs, bangers, pan fried potatoes and sourdough toast.  All the ingredients were perfectly cooked to my taste.  Two of my tablemates had omelettes which looked pretty inviting too.  ‘LEFTY’ the owner came buy to refill our coffee and we had a delightful chat with her.  She opened the Qualicum Beach location about 18 years ago.  There is also a Parksville branch.  Thinking of Breakfast?  Think LEFTY’S at the light!

Probably our favourite brunch is one that involves Eggs Benedict.  The best Benny around these parts is at the SHADY REST,  on the water in Qualicum Beach. Try the traditional Benny with Black Forest Ham, or the Seafood Benny with Scallops, Prawns and Dungeness Crab.  Or you might choose the Florentine with Spinach or the West Coast with Smoked Salmon and Goat Cheese.  If you like Hollandaise Sauce you will love the homemade deliciousness here. All the Benny’s include a side of the best roasted potatoes ever. Oh you can order omelettes,  french toast and some other typical breakfast fare, but for me it’s all about Eggs Benedict.

In the summer you can enjoy brunch on the patio overlooking the water. It’s hard to beat!  The Shady only serves brunch on Saturday and Sunday and they open at 11.

Just saying….

 

 

It’s day 57 in the Vendée Globe Round the World Sailing Race and six boats have now rounded Cape Horn. The leader Armel LE CLÉAC’H, on BANQUE POPULAIRE III, has just 4500 miles to the finish. Alex Thomson on HUGO BOSS, is 147 miles behind. Third placed skipper Jeremie Beyou has made significant progress and is now only 790 miles astern of the leader.

Away at the back of the fleet, Sebastian Destremau on TECHNO FAST, is 7500 miles behind and is sailing just south of Tasmania. Yesterday, the Irishman, Enda O’Coineen , retired from the campaign after losing his mast. So now there are 18 skippers still racing as 11 have retired.  The retirements are all due to equipment failure or damage.

The Vendée Globe is proving to be an extreme test for the skippers, the vessels, and the sophisticated electronic navigation and communication equipment.

Just saying…

On day 50, the top two boats in the Vendée Globe Race have rounded Cape Horn and are making 16 knots past the Falkland Islands.  Armel LE CLÉAC’H, the leader, has 6200 nautical miles to the finish. Alex Thompson is just 379 miles behind and has a very good chance of catching LeCleach now they are in the Atlantic. Jeremie Beyou, in third spot rounded Cape Horn today.

19 boats are still racing but 10 skippers have dropped out for a variety of damage. Two were dismasted,  one smashed the hull open after hitting a container, another lost a rudder.  In 19th place is Frenchman, Sebastian Destremau, but he is 7600 miles behind the leader. The leader is shown below.

We wish all our readers a very Merry Christmas❗We hope you all have a wonderful Holiday Season with family and friends. And may you have A HAPPY & PROSPEROUS 2017.

Just saying… Continue reading →

 

Forget the Okanogan. forget Napa. We have our very own wine valley right here on the island. The Cowichan Valley. We have made a tour of many of the wineries 4 times in the past couple of years and enjoyed it every time. You can easily do it in a day and include a winery lunch too.

We start at AVERILL CREEK Vineyard on the north side of Duncan. Take a right off of #1 at Somenos Road and follow it for 2 or 3 kilometres until you see the Averill Creek sign. Our first visit was quite a surprise. We were not expecting such a large facility. A modern building with a spacious tasting room and a delightful picnic area outside. A bonus is the spectacular view of Cowichan Bay. If you wish, you can purchase cheese and crackers, a cold white wine and relax on the patio.

 

The wines here are really very good.Try the Pinot Gris or the sparkling Charme De L’ile. Friends from Ontario had a case  of Averill Creek wine shipped home they enjoyed it so much. Their wine is available at SaveOn in Parksville.

http://www.averillcreek.ca

Nearby is The Deol Estate Winery, a small funky joint. We have had a great tasting here offered by a very enthusiatic lady. Worth a stop if you have time.
There are a couple of lunch options. One is Vinoteca Zanatta, the oldest winery in the area. The food here is excellent and weather permitting is served outside on a big wrap around porch of the 1903 Zanatta Farmhouse. The chef is a gal from Mozambique, Fatima DaSilva. Go figure! I guarantee you will enjoy the food here. One of the anomalies here is that while noshing in a vineyard, you may see loaded logging trucks going by.

We Have not done a tasting here as the tasting room is very small and often crowded. Reservations for lunch are recommended. Zanatta is just south of Duncan on Marshall Road.

http://zanatta.ca

Another worthwhile stop is Blue Grouse Winery on Lakeside Road not far from Zanatta. A really impressive building that reportedly cost a couple of million dollars contains a very spacious tasting room. No restaurant here but a generous tasting experience of some very drinkable wines. I like the ORTEGA and the PINOT GRIS. You will want to take a bottle home from here.

http://www.bluegrouse.ca

In Cobble Hill, between Mill Bay and Shawnigan Lake are two must visits. The MERRIVALE CIDERY is an impressive facility with a tasting room, gift shop, and a very large restaurant. We have not yet eaten here but the menu looks inviting. There is also a Bakery and Deli.

In addition to a range of Ciders, Cowichan Gin and Cowichan Voka are produced here. I bought a bottle of the Gin on our last visit. Is it good? Don’t know. I’m waiting for our friend Joan to try it. She likes gin.

Merrivale’s grounds are impressive and special events like weddings are popular here.

https://www.merridale.ca

Just a skip down the road is UNSWORTH Vineyards. Another must stop. Although quite new, Unsworth is already producing some nice wines. We have slurped their Pinot Gris, Rose, and Pinot Noir. Spend some time in the tasting room, a separate building beside a pond, waterfall and patio. Since they are into marketing there is an assortment of stuff to buy.

Across the parking lot a restored vintage home contains the restaurant. Great food. The Burger is outstanding and the Moules Frittes looks fabulous. Great service inside or on the patio. You don’t want to miss this winery. Reservations for sure.

http://www.unsworthvineyards.com
Just one more. Rocky Creek Winery is a small place with a tasting room in the basement of a home. Excellent tastings every time we visited. We first visited because we had tried their Pinot Gris at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Victoria. The Pinot Gris is good and the Robin’s Rose is perfect on a summer afternoon on the patio. We always take some home from here.

http://www.rockycreekwinery.ca

There are several other wineries one can visit, but in one day that’s enough. Most of them are not open in the winter so it’s a summer / early fall event if you want to partake. Weekdays are less busy and most are open Wednesday to Sunday.

Google maps has all the wineries in the area marked.

Just saying…

If you are visiting Comox, maybe on a Costco Run, may we suggest stopping for lunch at The BLACKFIN PUB. We have lunched here several times and have always been really pleased. Although it’s a Pub, it really has more of a restaurant atmosphere. The Blackfin is very well appointed with upholstered furniture, a cozy bar and a view from most tables. It’s about a nine iron shot above the government dock. In the summer there is also outdoor seating.

We have found the food to be excellent. Halibut and chips, seafood chowder, fish tacos are a few of their great selections. Check out the full menu here: http://www.blackfinpub.com/menu-copy
The service has always been excellent too!

If you are in the area it’s a must. Or, if you are going for a drive, take 19A up the coast and make The Blackfin a destination. It’s just a block off the main drag in Comox.

Just saying…