From Divey Dougie to Rico Rialto

Ah, the Douglas Hotel … a veritable flophouse with the type of bar that became a “first shot/drink” rite of passage for young men on their 19th birthday (19 years of age being the legal drinking age in B.C.). In short, a seedy operation that no self-respecting young woman would step foot in (your Hedonista [...]

Sleep, Slurp, Spy, ‘n’ Spa This February Month of V-day

Since it seems that – for better or for worse – day-long holidays (pagan or not) are now marketed as month-long events, this month your Hedonista will focus on the month of pure hedonism: February.
Why February, you ask? Well, there’s Valentine’s Day, with all of its pampering of your respective loved one (or ones). However, [...]

Nary a Neopolitan … Not

Pizza – it’s one of those things you either like, or you don’t. What’s more, there are so many ways to make it. If you ask the Associazione Vera Pizza Napoletana (AVPN), however, there is only one way to make it: the traditional way. In fact, they have pages and pages of legal verbage regulations [...]

Bard & Banker = Beer Pairings

With everyone and their dog providing food & wine pairings, it’s so refreshing to see good food & beer pairings….
And what better venue than at a pub … and a gastropub, no less?
Victoria’s the Bard and Banker Scottish Gastropub is named after Robert W. Service – a man who was, well, both a bard and  [...]

Devour the Delicious

Devour is possibly one of the best foodie-fantastic places in Victoria. Open not even a year, this teeny, tiny treat of a restaurant – a licensed Euro-bistro with deli-style ambiance that seats 12 on a good day (that’s 12 people, dear hedonists, not tables) – is the brainchild of Jena Stewart and Alison Bigg.
This perfectly [...]

Dig da Pig

As every good foodie knows, it’s often the hole-in-the-walls that are – to quote Tina Turner’s Top Ten 90s song – simply the best.
Take Pig BBQ Joint – or Pig for short – the brainchild of Jeff Hetherington, a world-traveler-and-chef who became beguiled by the southern United States.  His decision to open Pig is a [...]

Red Fish + Blue Fish = Best Fish

Victoria’s red fish, blue fish on Wharf street is, quite frankly, da bomb.
Since August 3, 2007, this place – located, rather appropriately, in a sea cargo container – has offered sustainable, 100% Ocean Wise seafood (Ocean Wise being a Vancouver Aquarium conservation program launched to help restaurants and their customers make environmentally-smart seafood choices.) They [...]

Kiss That Foo

It’s now a new year, dear hedonists.
Know what that means? Chinese food – a New Year’s Eve tradition for many families (including mine).
Which brings me to Victoria’s Foo Asian Street Food (Foo for short). Opened only 4 months ago – on September 9, 2009 – this former liquor store site is run by co-owners Sterling [...]

Cocktail? Clive’s!

‘Tis the season for cranberries, candy canes and … cocktails. (Incidentally, the first two make great ingredients for the third.)
Should you ever play word association with your Hedonista and select the word “cocktail” do you know what word I’ll come up with?
Clive’s.
Clive’s Classic Lounge – the ultimate old school cocktail lounge – is located in [...]

Follow the Silk Road

Tea is truly one of life’s greatest pleasures (simply type that three-lettered word into the search box on this site and see all the pleasures it has to offer).  That said, spa and aromatherapy also has its hedonist holding in your Hedonista’s heart (again, type in this three-lettered word and see what reveals itself).  What [...]

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