Vancouver BC – Canada by Kevin Mcneal

There’s something about a reflection photo which is beautiful, yet calming and simply an artform in itself. After a little surfing around on Flickr, I wanted to share a few great reflection shots I found from the Vancouver area. Do you have a great reflection photo? Be sure to add it to the Pan Pacific Flickr group and I’ll include it in the post!

Vancouver Skyline by Clayton Perry

Reflection on Granville and Georgia by: JimP (in Sarnia)

Canada Place Sails: by Natalia Mihai

This photo was taken by one of our very own server’s Natalia Mihai from the Cascades Lounge in the Pan Pacific Vancouver

On Golden Pond by Eyesplash

Carnival Splendor III by ecstaticist

Vancouver Reflections by Dripps

Christmas 2011! by: Clayton Perry

Reflection by Michael Whyte

City and Slope is a 4-day mountain and music festival that is taking place in Vancouver from Feb 9th to 12th, 2012. This year will mark the first in a (soon to be) annual signature winter event.

Since Vancouver is the only city in the world to feature three world-class skiing facilities within 25 minutes of its downtown sector – City and Slope has put together an exclusive bundled pass that allows guests to enjoy access to all three mountains – with a few unique themes on each mountain. From outdoor adventures at Grouse to snowboarding at Mount Seymour to Canada 2010 Olympics at Cypress Mountain. Grouse Mountain will even stay open on Feb 11-12 for 24 hours so you can ski, board or ice skate throughout the night.

City Events

In the city, the focus will be on cultural and music events, including illuminations in Yaletown and Science World; a day-long ice carving competition at Yaletown Park; animations at the Museum of Vancouver; and the music series, where a host of performances will be showcased by Live Nation and Blueprint Events – culminating in the Electric Avalanche – a 6,000 person music event featuring superstar celebrity Benny Benassi at the Vancouver Convention Centre.

All attractions and events will also come with a discounted hotel option as well including the Pan Pacific Vancouver, which is just footsteps away from the Vancouver Convention Center where the main musical performances will take place.

Pan Pacific Hotel Offer:
2 night stay: Thurs/Fri or Fri-Sat @ $366
3 night stay: Thurs/Fri/Sat @ $549

Win 2 Tickets to Benny Bennasi at the Vancouver Convention Center

Here’s your chance to win 2 tickets to see the main act DJ Benny Benassi live at the VCC

To enter

1. ReTweet the following:

“I RT’d to win 2 Free tickets to Benny Benassi at @CityandSlope Vancouver via @PanPacificVan: http://goo.gl/YgM0j”

OR

2. Tell us in the comments which is your favorite local mountain in Vancouver: Grouse Mountain, Cyrpuss Mountain or Seymour Mountain.

A random winner will be drawn on February 3 at 12 Noon!

For more information visit the City and Slope Facebook page or drop them a line on Twitter at @CityandSlope

GOOD LUCK!

Fresh Snow

Thanks for your contribution wfung99_2000!

Join the Group!

Do you have any pictures of Vancouver you’d like to share? If so, be sure to add them to the Pan Pacific Vancouver Flickr Group. Each week we’ll feature a new photo from the group on our blog.

Happy Friday!!

With Vancouver facing unusually cold, snowy weather, the Pan Pacific Vancouver is accepting donations of warm coats, hats and gloves to be distributed to those in need by the folks at Union Gospel Mission.

UGM’s emergency supplies are extremely low and could use all the help it can get! Donations can be dropped off to the bellmen at the front door of the Pan Pacific Vancouver. Just drive by and drop off. You don’t even have to get out of your car!

Warm winterjackets (preferably waterproof), warm gloves, toques, scarves, socks (new only), sleeping bags and mens winterboots and footwear would be a huge help to those in need.

*Accepting donations till Friday Jan 20

The concept is simple: Vancouver’s hottest restaurants are teaming up to offer a special 3 course menu at prices of $18, $28 or $38 per person. Dine Out is a great way to sample Vancouver restaurants at an affordable price and a perfect excuse to induldge in some great tasting food!

This year the Cafe Pacifica Restaurant at the Pan Pacific Vancouver is offering up its own unique menu and overnight package as well:

The Menu – $28 per person

Appetizer

Baby Beet Carpaccio with select greens, vanilla bean grapefruit dressing, candied pecan & shaved parmesan

or
Queen Charlotte Seafood Chowder with wild rice, black pepper straw & fresh chives – (top)

Entree

Braised Lamb Shank with root vegetables, parsnip puree, roasted garlic & cipollini onions.

or

House-Made Butternut Squash Ravioli with wild & gathered BC mushrooms, crumbled goat cheese, crispy pea shoots & aged balsamic herb oil. (Vegetarian)

Dessert

Exotic Wild Berry Mousse layered with coconut dacquoise & mango mousse.

To make your reservation online, click here.

Dine Out and Stay In Package – $239

The Hotel will also offer a dinner and luxury stay package which includes a 3 course dinner for 2 + overnight stay in a luxury room w/ a late checkout and complimentary parking for just $239.

You can view availability and book your reservation here.

On Sunday January 22, the Pan Pacific Vancouver will be host to a special Chinese New Year Brunch Buffet in the lobby of the Hotel & the Cafe Pacifica Restaurant.

The annual event is a fan favorite as each year the Hotel hosts a lavish buffet, live entertainment and some very unique dessert creations including this year’s chocolate dipped fortune cookies from our Pastry Kitchen.

The Spread

Next Sunday, the Chefs will put together a buffet menu including traditional Chinese items, fresh sushi and several live action stations.

A few feature items will include:

Imperial Station: Soya Marinated Sable Fish, Forbidden City BBQ Duck, Dim Sum with Shu-Mai and Szechuan Chicken w/ spicy coconuts & peanut sauce

Sushi Station: Freshly made Sushi & Maki Rolls with traditional condiments

Charcuterie: Selection of Chinese cold cuts include Pork Hocks w/ Beef Shank & Jelly Fish , Smoked meats and Gherkins w/ olives and pickled peppers

There will also a be a Jumbo Prawn & Smoked Salmon display as well as a fresh dessert buffet + more!

$49 Per person
$44 Seniors
$24.50 Children ages 6-12
Children age 5 & under complimentary

For reservations and more information call: 604.891.2555

YOU – our wonderful guests, fans and readers have made this year (and festive season) truly special. Enjoy the holidays and we look forward to welcoming you back to the Pan Pacific in the New Year!

Happy Holidays!

It goes without saying: drinking and driving isn’t cool and fighting for a cab on NYE in the wee’ hours of the morning just isn’t fun.

So since you’re already styled up for the night, be sure to reserve your ride home with Black Gloves Transportation. They have the most competitive rates of any car for hire service in Vancouver and can get you to-&-from your party in a luxury sedan, SUV or Limousine.

This Holiday season, Black Gloves is offering rates at:

$65/hour - Lincoln Town Car
$75/hour – 6 Passenger Limousine
$95/hour – 8 Passenger Limousine

*standard taxes + gratuity additional

To contact Black Gloves, call: 604.844.2826 or visit blackgloves.ca

Back for its 10th year in a row is Vancouver’s favorite food festival Dine Out Vancouver 2012.

For 17 days (Jan 20 – Feb 5) you can sample some of the finest restaurants Vancouver has to offer as they dish up three or more courses at $18, $28 or $38* per person – a great deal for some of the city’s restaurant favorites! To mark its 10th year on the scene – this year will also include culinary events, classes and tours.

This will be my third year attending the event – and if I could offer a couple suggestions it would be to book your resos early and try a few different restaurants you would normally overlook. Most kitchen teams are looking to get creative and show off their skills, so don’t be scared to try something different.

The full list of participating restaurants + bookings will available on January 9.

Make a Night Out of It!

This year, the Festival will also give you a chance to stay at some of your favorite hotels at a fabulous rate of $78, $108 or $138 per night. Of course, the Pan Pacific Vancouver will also be in the mix offering a 3 course meal overlooking the Waterfront at the Cafe Pacifica Restaurant at $28 per person. The Hotel will also offer a dinner and luxury stay package which include a 3 course dinner for 2 + a late checkout and complimentary parking for just $239. You can book your reservations before the official release through this link.

Don’t forget to check back on the blog in early January for a complete guide to Dine Out Vancouver 2012.

My favorite place to sneak a visit (especially when I need a late afternoon sugar fix) is the Cafe Pacifica Pastry Kitchen headed up by our Executive Pastry Chef Hans Pirhofer. This afternoon Hans did a special interview for Super Foodie Richard Wolak of Vancouver Foodster. Richard is a seasoned food critic in the Vancouver food scene and wanted to do a special feature on Star Pastry Chefs in the Vancouver area.

Hans was recently chosen as 1 of 5 pastry chefs in Canada to represent the country in the Gelato World Cup in January 2012 in Italy. As Hans puts it, “It’s the Stanley Cup of pastry making” – (Nothing like a Hockey reference to make sense of things right?).

Around the Hotel, Hans is known for some of his chocolate masterpieces like his famous chocolate tiger:

Photo: Jonathan Cruz

While Richard’s full post and recap are coming soon on VancouverFoodster.com, here’s a sneak peak at a few of the dishes they tasted:

The Caramelized Pineapple Tatin w/ eggnog parfet & candy’d chestnut

Lemon Brioche w/ lemon curd filling & almond crust

The Chocolate Trilogy