Karen at the Vancouver Island Outdoor Expo
OK, how does a little hotel chain like Accent Inns combine our love of the cycling community, our fun loving style, our search for adventure (well most of us…) and our key value of community support? It’s easy. A prime example was two recent events we supported; The Banff Mountain Film Festival’s Radical Reels Tour and the Vancouver Island Outdoor Adventure Expo. more on Accent Inns events & community support
Join the fun and checkout the 2013 show!
March 20,2013
The 4th Annual Vancouver Island Outdoor Adventure Expo comes to Victoria at the Pearkes Recreation Centre this weekend on March 22, 23, 24, 2013. This three-day event features camping, kayaking, hiking, fishing, biking, outdoor getaways, travel, products and accessories – plus so much more!
..read more about the outdoor adventure show
One of the best parts of my job as Sales Manager for Accent Inns on Vancouver Island is having the opportunity to visit many of our guests at their own work places. For most of these companies, the work place is not unusual – an office, a warehouse or a retail outlet. However, sometimes I come across work places that are just a wee bit different.
For instance, the first time I paid a visit to JACO Powerlines in Cobble Hill, I have to admit, I did have some expectations. I was expecting an operation similar to a B.C. Hydro operation with work areas, offices and a lot of vehicles. I was not prepared for what I found. In fact, I was pretty sure that my GPS had guided me to the wrong location. ,,,read more on powerlines dogs & aplacas
Although I am a dedicated coffee-drinker, I must admit I have been attending tea parties for a very long time. It all started when my sister received a blue and white china tea set for Christmas. We spent many hours sipping Kool-Aid from the delicate cups, always careful to crook our pinkie fingers and discuss the weather in a very genteel manner.
Unfortunately I don’t go to nearly as many tea parties as I used to but when I do, they are pretty spectacular.
For example, in 1990 I attended a tea party at Buckingham Palace. I had managed to get an invitation for myself and my husband to attend the Queen’s Garden Party and was quite thrilled to be picked out from the crowd of 6000 guests to be presented to the queen. After my private meeting with her majesty I sipped tea and nibbled cucumber sandwiches while strolling through the palace’s private gardens. .. read more on "grown up" tea parties
A few years ago some friends were planning a trip to the South of France. Some other friends offered a suggestion of a restaurant that was in their words “the best meal we have ever had!” Unfortunately for my friends it was “the worst meal they ever had!” A lot had changed in the three years since their friends had eaten at this restaurant.
These days that is a lot less likely to happen. A person can check the reviews on any hotel, restaurant or attraction anywhere in the world. While this is an amazing tool, it is also important that we keep it in perspective. After all, an online review is simply a matter of opinion. The secret, when reading these reviews is to determine which opinions are valid and reflect your own expectations.
I like to read at least 10 reviews of any hotel that I am planning to visit. I know full well that there will be at least one review among those 10 that is quite negative. After all, of every 10 people I meet, there is always at least one who can find fault with just about anything. Remember when you see the TV ads for toothpaste; it’s always 9 out of 10 dentists that recommend a certain product! ....more about online reviews
Dogs have become such an important part of our private lives – so much that many of us consider them a part of our families. They live with us. They play with us. They travel with us. And now, they even work with us.
I love going into businesses in Victoria that have an office dog. When I enter Marlin Travel on Oak Bay Avenue, Mickey gives me the best welcome I could imagine. I’ve been to a doctor’s office where I was welcomed by an adorable Westie . However, one of my favourites is Paisley, the dog in my dentist’s office. ..read more on being pet friendly
A long time ago I must confess, I was a little bit in love with Tony Bennett and although he is older now, I must also confess that I may still be!
I’ve never been to a concert where the performer received a standing ovation before they actually performed but that’s what happened a few nights ago when Tony Bennett took the stage at the Royal Theatre in Victoria B.C. after a 20 minute performance by his daughter Antonia Bennett.
Many in the audience had grown up with his music and there was no denying the love as Tony reminisced about the early days of his career, telling everybody that he and Rosemary Clooney were the original “American Idols”. He also shared how Bob Hope had given him his stage name – a shortened version of his birth name Anthony Dominick Benedetto. ..read more on Tony Bennett performing in Victoria BC
At Accent Inns we not only speak Kamloopsian, we also speak Pekinese and Boxer and Terrier. And while Kamloops B.C. is a great city to visit for many reasons; one of the best is its dog-friendliness!
Activities ranging from kayaking, hiking and rock hounding to rollerblading, GeoCaching and beach walking are all possible with your four-legged family members. Kamloops has 15 off-leash dog parks, 14 on-leash parks and 3 off-leash dog beaches. If this isn’t doggie heaven, it’s certainly on the way!
The City of Kamloops is so dog-friendly Tourism Kamloops actually has a doggie mascot – a Golden retriever named “Kamloops Kooper”. Kooper is especially fond of hiking in Kenna Cartwright Park and Peterson Creek, and wandering among the downtown sidewalk cafes where there are always doggie water bowls to help keep him cool on those hot and sunny Okanagan summer days. Read more about Dog Friendly Kamloops
BC Flag
For some people BC Day (Aug 6, 2012) is just another excuse for a long summer weekend. But for many, it means much more than that.
People who grew up in BC may sometimes take this province for granted but for those of us who are here by choice, it is really a very special place. We came here for many reasons but no matter the reason, most of us are totally enthralled by the weather, the natural beauty, the diversity of the population and the healthy lifestyle. Whether we moved from the East Coast, the Middle East or the Far East – British Columbia is special in so many ways.
Anybody who has ever visited BC goes away with tales of the beauty of the mountains, the ocean and the parks. But for those of us who live here, there is a great deal more to celebrate. We may get used to living in such amazing beauty. We may even complain about the weather. But given the choice most of us would not live anywhere else. Read more about beautiful BC
Amazing Mural of the Titanic
Every once in a while there is an event that we know will stay with us in long-term memory as a very special night. And while it seemed a bit wrong to be attending a party that re-enacted the hours before such a tragic event, the Titanic Party that I attended was one of those nights.
Everyone that attended knows that our friend who played hostess is an amazing party planner but I don’t think anybody was prepared for the large mural of the Titanic and several shimmering icebergs that adorned the garage as we approached her home. She had spent most of the day painting the mural, the final step in months of planning and preparation. Both she and her husband proved to be amazing hosts for this unique event held on the 100th anniversary of the tragedy. Read more about the Titanic event
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