Wonderful turnout yesterday as the Board of Directors and Executive of the Vancouver Airport Authority honoured Graham Clarke with the opening of the spectacular Graham Clarke Atrium in recognition of Graham's more than 20 years of outstanding community service on the board of YVR..jpg)
Graham was the founding director of the Vancouver Airport Authority and led in the privatization of Canada's airports and was instrumental in bringing YVR under community control, helping to create one of the finest airports in the world.
Larry Berg, YVR President and CEO, was the emcee along with Board Chair Mary Jordan.
Some of those I spotted in the large crowd of family, friends and colleagues admiring this tranquil new space with its towering totem pole were the NPA's Suzanne Anton, The Aquarium's John Nightingale, senior VP YVR Michael O'Brian, Myrna Kitchen, Andrew Saxton Sr., lawyer and YVR board member George Cadman, Susan and Lyall Knott, Darcy Rezac and his wife Gayle, Fairmont Airport Hotel G.M. Craig Reaume and his Executive Chef (who did a fabulous job on the taste treats) Geoff Carkner, The Pace Group's Norman Stowe, Matthew and Ray (Mr. Fireworks)Greenwood and in from Toronto to head up a new communications project was the Snap Newspaper Group's Senior Vice President Jamie Kennedy. Graham has always been in the forefront of progressive thinking for this city and very deserving of this honour.
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For all those who were concerned about the non-appearance of CTV News at Six co-anchor Tamara Taggart, she has had a few medical issues over the past few weeks which resulted in emergency surgery. She is recovering well but her doctors are insisting that she take it easy and just relax. So for the next six weeks, she'll be at home watching CTV News instead of delivering the news. The lady with the gorgeous smile should be back about mid-March. Get well soon, Tamara. We miss you!
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Champagne corks were popping in the executive offices of the tony and tall Shangri-la Hotel on West Georgia last Friday as they learned that their property has been named the Number One luxury hotel in Canada by TripAdvisor Traveler's Choice Best Hotel Awards 2012 in the category Top 25 Luxury Hotels in Canada. The Shangri-la was awarded the top prize by millions of real travelers...
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Exciting opportunity for Scotch whiskey lovers to sample one of the truly great whiskies at the 39th and Cambie Liquor Store on Sat. Feb 11th. It'll be an exclusive tasting of Mackinley's Shackleton Rare Old Highland Malt Whiskey.
It's a recreation of the 1907 cache of Mackinley's whiskey discovered in 2007 in the Antarctic by a team of archaeologists from New Zealand, making headlines around the world.
Master Blender Richard Paterson, who was invited to analyze and replicate the whiskey, described the find as a "gift from Heaven" and was shocked at how light, colourful and flavourful the 100-year old whiskey was.
Mackinley's Shackleton Whiskey is a limited release with only 50,000 bottles produced. Five percent of the proceeds will be donated to the Antarctic Heritage Trust of New Zealand. The price for a bottle of this special tribute to Scotch whiskey, history and famed explorer Ernest Shackleton, is $194.99.
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While Dine Out Vancouver is still going on til Feb 5th, you simply must sample the three-course menu at The Fish House in Stanley Park and created by the talented and innovative Karen Barnaby. We sampled her $38 three course menu last week enjoying the Crispy Salmon Dumplings, heavenly puffs of delectable pastry salmon to start, followed by my choice of the very unique and tasty Low Country Surf and Turf BBQ-ed Beef Brisket with Cajun Shrimp Sauce while Capt. Bill indulged in his favourite Island Bouillabaisse. He loved this creation of seafood, salmon, mussels and prawns, awash in a thick, rich creamy coconut curry. To finish, though we were quite full, we opted for Karen's simple yet irresistible New York-style Cheese Cake.
Adding to the evening's gala feel was the excellent service by Fish House veteran, Timber. Yes, that's her name and she is attentive, professional and quite hilarious. Wonderful evening!
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One of the nicest and hard working restaurant owner/chefs, Michel Segur of the ultra-popular Chez Michel Restaurant in West Vancouver is once again fighting his battle with cancer. He overcame the first horrible bout but it has now returned and he is in Vancouver General for further treatment. His brother, Philippe Segur, who has the Bistro Chez Michel in North Van, has decided to close his restaurant of 12 years, to aid his brother in his fight against this insidious disease and run West Van's Chez Michel while his brother is ill. Our thoughts and prayers are with you, Michel, and Phillipe, we salute you for your courageous efforts.
Today is the Bistro's last day of operations. Pop by and say farewell.
Still in the same vein, there are so many strong and brilliant women I know and admire - Grace McCarthy, Wendy MacDonald, Mary Ellen Terpel Lafond, Wendy Cocchia, Barbara and Linda Stewart and Helen Hopkins.
Helen Maria Mitchell Hopkins was my only cousin, a tall, strong, determined individual who decided early in life to help sick unfortunates and become a nurse. Well, Helen did so much more than that. She was a wife, a mother and a grandmother and one of the finest and most caring nurses in our province for the past 30 years. She was an extraordinary caregiver becoming the youngest Head Nurse in B.C. when she opened the surgical floor at Richmond General. She rose to become the hospital's Director of Nursing of Acute Care as well as being instrumental in the creation of the Palliative Care Unit where she spent her final days. Despite having cancer for the past nine years, Helen was active in volunteering her time for the archives of both Delta and Richmond. She was a down-to-earth intellectual who loved life, research and learning, travelling about the world with her husband, John, the love of her life. Helen lost her battle to cancer last week and we are all saddened terribly by her loss. She is survived by her loving husband John, her son John William and his wife Dovelle and her two adored grandsons, Liam and Aiden. A Celebration of Life will be held for Helen this Friday at 2 pm at the Ukrainian Community Hall on Francis Road in Richmond. In lieu of flowers, Helen has requested that donations go to The Terry Fox Foundation. Rest in peace, lovely lady.
If you have any SCOOPS, email Joy at
joymetcalfe@shaw.ca