The glamour of the 1940s and 50s lives on at the Rosewood Hotel Georgia which is being featured in the Conde Nast Travelers annual Hot List this month. The magazine lauds the refurbished downtown Vancouver hotels extensive art collection and attentive and gracious staff (who also know when to leave you alone), as well as Hawksworth, one of the best restaurants in the city. Then, next month, Conde Nasts Travel + Leisure magazine includes the Rosewood Hotel Georgia in its coveted 2012 It List of Best New Hotels. The writer says the four-and-a-half-year renovation made sure the hotel retained the same intimate scale that drew both Elvis Presley and the Beatles. Of particular note are the service levels: The chauffeured hotel Bentley was available when we wanted to explore the city; our reading glasses were wiped clean at turn-down; and, on our final evening, a U.S. customs form was slipped under our doormaking for a seamless trip back across the border. (RosewoodHotelGeorgia.com)
Judy Adams is the new regional general manager for the Coast Coal Harbour Hotel and Coast Plaza Hotel and Suites, both owned by Coast Hotels. Shes been in the hospitality business for 25 years on both the East and West Coasts, including postings with Delta and Fairmont; prior to her new position she was the general manager of the Marquise Group of companies in Richmond, overseeing the Vancouver Airport Authoritys customer care service program. She was also managing director of EHTOS BC, a non-profit society dedicated to sustainable tourism practices.
Large, vacant parking lots in the middle of the city dont exactly enhance Vancouvers green reputation. But a new makeover for the asphalt jungle next to BC Place definitely will. With $475,000 from the Radcliffe Foundation and a $175,000 loan from VanCity, SOLEFood is creating a two-acre urban farm. Work on the raised garden beds has already started by the inner city urban farm that provides urban agriculture employment and training opportunities for Vancouvers inner-city residents.
Just in time for Vancouver Craft Beer Week: Earls restaurants are offering a new array of artisanal beers. The BC restaurants will feature BC beers from Phillips Brewing Co. (Blue Buck Pale Ale, Slip Stream Cream Ale), Howe Sound Brewing Co. (Devils Elbow India Pale Ale, Four Way Fruit) Whistler Brewing Co. (Albino Rhino house and seasonal beers) as well as bottled microbrews by Whistler Brewing Co. (Whisky Jack Pale Ale, Grapefruit Ale). Beverage director Cameron Bogue oversaw the blind tasting to decide which brews to include, along with executive chef Reuben Major and wine buyer George Piper. If you want to follow do your own taste-testing, from 4 to 6pm on May 20, Earls is also hosting Earls Gets Crafty as part of VCBW; $25 includes 8 beer samples, food and gratuity. For tickets go to VancouverCraftBeerWeek.com.
As part of Dignity Month, the Salvation Army and Cartems Donuterie, will be honoring this occasion with Sally Ann red velvet donuts this Thursday to Sunday. Get involved in the social media campaign by tweeting your support at #donuts4dignity.
