Shift Mama

2018 Year In Review

Happy 2019 Everyone! 

2018 was a great year for the ShiftMama family.  We had lots of changes and adventures this year year and we're looking forward to what the next 12 months bring! 

As usual I'll start the year off with setting a new blog intention, and then like all other years probably switch that up (several times) through the year.  I think this is the year that I get back to food blogging with a touch of working mom wisdom (and failure) thrown in for good measure.   Not sure if I can get back to the one new recipe a week plan that this blog started as but I'll give it a shot!

We've been living the shift life (with my husband working fly in fly out shift rotations) for so long that it's all just normal now but I'll try to post tips and tricks about being shift mom when I come up with any new ones. 

But now for the main purpose of this post:  12 pictures to try and capture what happened for us in 2018!

January 

Family ski days are a big part of why we moved to the Okanagan.

Well of course it starts out with a skiing picture.  We skied last season at Big White. This was a rare weekend of sun, The Husband was home and we skied Saturday and Sunday so we could complete as many blue runs for Cruz the Blues as we could.  It was a great weekend and reminded us how much fun skiing as a family is.  January was mostly full of ski weekends, synchronized swimming practices, and a shift change for me to start working from 5am to 1:30pm so I could be home for The Kid after school.  

January was also when I posted this awesome slice and bake cookie recipe - mix it up and freeze it for emergencies! Slice and Bake Cookies.

February

Even though we didn't see a lot of sun we still had some epic ski days.

More skiing, a little less sun and the start of our plan to switch ski hills for 2019.  No blog posts in February though.  

March 

Winter is short in the Okanagan, sunny hiking afternoons in Mid-March.

The really cool thing about getting off work at 1:30 every day is that I can get home and get out to walk the dog.  We started taking longer walks and then those switched into hikes in the hills behind the house.  This old car keeps getting smaller and smaller each year and I wonder how much of it will be there when we start hiking up there again this Spring. 

In March I also tried to revive Friday Food Fun by posting about places to grab lunch around where I work.  This is a challenge though because my lunch is a 9am.  I did find this really great spot of quick breakfast sandwiches that was worthy of a share.  Sandwich Co. 

 April 

More sunny afternoon spring hiking, taking the trail to look over the neighbourhood.

More hikes in April.  We hit high teens and low 20s (celsius) in April so it is perfect for hiking.  This trail leads out to a rocky point that overlooks the whole Glenmore area of Kelowna.  The dog of course loves our adventures!  

In April I started to make my own breakfast burritos.  They freeze so well and take about a minute and a half in the microwave at work to heat up.  I highly recommend these! Make and Freeze Breakfast Burritos. 

May

Teammates make the best friends.

The regular Synchronized Swimming season wrapped up for The Kid.  She had a great individual year but her team routine fell apart and we learned all about competitive parents and how that type of parenting style can really (negatively) impact the entire team.  The Kid still loves the sport and went to on to compete at the BC Summer Games.   

May was also Bike To Work week and a great kick off for me to get on my bike and ride.  I got asked to write about it as well ! Bike to Work Week.  

June

Is there anything better than napping in a hammock?

Summer Games practice started for the kid in June.  We spent a lot of weekends in Kamloops but still managed to get a little camping in.  I'll have to get The Kid her own hammock this year though - she discovered the magic of hammock napping on this trip.  We also got soaked (and I mean SOAKED) on this trip!

My garden also started to take off in June and I realized I had way more sunflowers than anticipated so I posted this roasted sunflower seed recipe in advance of the fall harvest. 

July

This Kid loves Archery (and her new bow).

July was more synchro practices as well as the actual games, but the memory that stands out most is seeing The Kid really loving her new sport of archery. 

No posts in July - there was just not a lot of free time in the lead up to BC Summer Games. 

August 

Hanging out at the beach on Slocan Lake.

We escaped the smoke cover in the Okanagan for a bit less smoke in the Kootenays for a weekend in August. It was nice to get away and relax with family  over the August long weekend.  

Last summer we also got out to a few wineries, without the kid though, so that makes my Is Your Kid Wineing posts a bit different...basically all the ones we visited are best visited without kids, as I maintain in every post about wineries, the Okanagan is welcoming of families and we've never been to any wineries where kids were unwelcome but honestly, wineries are not somewhere that kids really love. 

September

An afternoon of flights at some of the local Craft Breweries in Kelowna.

The smoke lingered into September this year, but The Husband and I ventured out to visit the local craft breweries in Kelowna.  It was really weird that we had only been to one of them so we had to fix that.  It was a great afternoon and definitely something that should be on anyones Kelowna Must Do list, unless you don't like beer. Kelowna Brewery Tour. 

October

Fintry Falls: Did I mention there were stairs?

I realized that even though we've lived her for five years, The Husband had never been out to Fintry Falls.  This is a standard easy hike that "everyone" does.  October is still really nice in the Okanagan so we made the drive and walked up alllllllllll the steps to the top of the falls and then followed the easy hiking path back down.  More of these adventures to come in 2019!

Not a lot of blog posts through the fall though, too busy walking up stairs I guess. 

November

Hawaii Vacation 2018.

Hawaii.  We took our biannual tropical family vacation.  Lots of sun, beaches, and family time. 

December

So much snow....reminding me that my ski pants aren't really waterproof anymore.

And we finish the year with Skiing.  We switched hills and look forward to skiing, cross country skiing, snowshoeing and tubing at Silverstar Mountain Resort this year.  So far we haven't seen any sun filled days, but for the most part (unlike our time at Big White) we have had decent visibility.  We also found an amazing bakery at the hill for mid morning snack, so what more could we ask for!? 

Oh and I bought an Instant Pot so get ready for those food posts in 2019!  Instant Pot Mac and Cheese. 

Is Your Kid Winery: Naramata Bench Part 2

 

Although The Kid is now "too old" (her words) to come to wineries with us, I think it's still valuable to report back on the local wineries to let you know which ones will be a better option if you need to bring your kids and which ones are best left as adult only. 

The other really great thing about The Kid being older and more independent is that we can head out for a few hours and just visit whichever wineries we come across - less planning and more spontaneity means we have discovered a few really cool new wineries to add to our list of favourites.

Recently we headed out to Naramata on a Friday afternoon with no agenda, just a plan to stop by one or two wineries and then grab dinner.  We of course forgot about the golden rule when planning to have a meal in wine country: make reservations.  But more on that later! 

Bing off season by the time we made it to Naramata we were nearing closing time so pretty much just stopped at the first one that looked interesting, and open, have to say we really lucked with our choice. 

Little Engine Wines

Little Engine is relatively new on the scene and their winery itself is really beautiful.  We opted for the Collector Tasting ($18 per person) on their patio.  This included tasted five wines on their outdoor patio.  In the offseason, I would say that providing your kids are able to sit (or at least remain) in the area designated to you during the tasting, this could be a good option.  Seating is limited, and reservations are recommended so during the peak summer months, I would skip the Collector Tour and instead opt for the regular tasting (The Enthusiast at $8 per person). We really enjoyed the wines here and indoor tasting room is on the larger size so your kids would have a bit of elbow room while you try out these great wines.   There is also a good amount of space outside (I didn't notice benches or seating but there was a great view of the lake and the vineyard to occupy kids while some members of your party partake in a tasting). 

Little Engine Winery, from the Little Engine Winery Website

Hillside Winery

.Second stop for the night was Hillside Winery and Bistro.  This has been on our to stop at list for a while.  Hillside is a long standing winery in Naramata, I think one of the first on Bench, and the buildings all have a lot of character.  There is a lot of parking, and the KVR rail trail runs behind the winery and there is an access point from the parking area so this is a great stop to let your tasters taste, and the kids in your party out to run off some steam on the rain trail (supervised of course).  The tasting room itself is quite small, so this one is best to leave the kids outside.  Tasting at this winery runs $5 per person.  

We missed out on Poplar Grove because we just never learn and constantly forgot to make reservations when we want to eat at wineries.  We decided that Poplar Grove would just have to wait for another day and instead headed back to Hillside for dinner. 

We enjoyed the menu at Hillside and were able to get a table without a reservation but the bistro did fill up right after we arrived (around 5:30 o a Friday, offseason), it's tapas style, so part of the fun was deciding between the three of us (all with very different tastes) what to order.  In the end I think we did a great job, all dishes were shared and enjoyed equally.  The only downside to the menu was the desert selection - nothing really was outstanding bt honestly that could be because we were just too full to me tempted.  We did find that service was a bit slow, but it is likely due to us being there during offseason - they might not have had a full staff hired on yet.  

It can get chilly on the patio at Hillside, but I did see that there were blankets available which was a nice touch. 

Overall, I think if you HAD to take your kids on an Okanagan Wine tour these two options would be fine for kids, for a short time.  As always, please be mindful that Wineries really are aimed at adults and you should ensure that your children are supervised at all times and that you are ready to end the tour as soon as your kids lose the ability to be patient while adults do their thing.  

 For some tips and advice on taking kids to wineries - please see:  IIs Your Kid Wineing 

For some other Naramata Wineries reviews please see this page:  Mini Naramata Bench Wine Tour 

 

Is Your Kid Wineing? Hester Creek and the Osoyoos Desert Centre

A single winery stop for our recent adventure to Osoyoos.  

We have been to Hester Creek in previous years and enjoyed both the wines, and the welcoming sprit of the staff, in the wine shop.  The wine shop and tasting bar is in a large space with doors opening out to a patio - making it a good stop for families, someone can supervise the kids out in the open air while the other adults enjoy a tasting (and then trade off).  Hester Creek does have sparkling apple juice for Kids who Wine if they want to join their parents at the tasting bar.  

We purchased The Judge (for a special occasion) and their 2015 Cabernet Franc.  We would have picked up a bottle of their Late Harvest Pinot Blanc (it's similar to a desert wine) but they were sold out! 

While we do enjoy their wines our real purpose for the trip to Osoyoos and Hester Creek was to have lunch at Terrafina, the bistro at the winery. This year it was been taken over by the talented crew that own and operate Raudz in Kelowna.  We're big fans of Raudz but it's so popular that it's hard to get a table so we decided to treat ourself to an adventure and fabulous lunch at Terrafina and we were not disappointed.  

The menu is not extensive and is designed with an adult palate in mind (of course) so for younger kids I would suggest bringing a picnic and enjoying that with a glass of wine in one of the picnic spaces at the winery.  You can also purchase picnic items there as well.  We did eat at Terrafina and The Kid and I shared a pizza and the risotto (both awesome kid options but still with enough flavour to satisfy the adults).  Yves and I shared the Carpaccio and both decided next time we would do the Make Your Own Terrafino Board option - we saw some amazing looking things coming from the kitchen! 

 

Grab some picnic items and a bottle of wine from the wine shop and enjoy the view from the terrace

 

Bring your own picnic and enjoy on the Hester Creek picnic grounds.

Before heading to Hester Creek we made a few Osoyoos tourist stops, starting at the Visitor Centre for a map then up to Spotted Lake (it was too early in the season to see the spots unfortunately) and finishing up at the Osoyoos Desert Centre.  This should be on anyone's must do list when visiting the area.  The Desert Centre has a small interactive display showing the different kinds of animals, insects and plants that live in BC's desert region, and a 1.5km outdoor board walk that winds through the desert eco-system with information spots along the way.  Go early as it does get super hot out there!  Dogs are not permitted on the boardwalk but the centre will watch over you (well behaved) dogs while you explore.  Don't forget to bring your water with you on the boardwalk as well! 

Spotted Lake - too early in the season for the colours to show though.

 

Cactus and desert grass at the Osoyoos Desert Cetre

 

Cool flowers at the Desert Centre

 

On the Boardwalk.

 

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Is Your Kid Wineing? Mini Naramata Bench Tour

It's going to be a summer, and probably year, of staycations for us.  Luckily we live in an amazing area with a lot of different things to see and do, so we figured it was time to start visiting some wineries again. 

For our first adventure of the year we decided to visit a region we haven't been to before and headed to the Naramata Bench.  We wanted to keep it short and decided to visit just two or three wineries this time.  The Kid decided she'd rather stay with a friend,  so this Is Your Kid Wineing doesn't actually have any kid opinions. 

So, first, because it's been a while since I'be done an "Is Your Kid Wineing" post, it's important to note that wineries really aren't the best places for kids.  Some are more kid tolerant than others,  and almost all of them (that we've been to) will welcome you and your small human, because like many places in the Okanagan they depend on tourism business and they understand that sometimes tourists DO have to bring their kids.  But please, do yourself, your kids, and the other wineries visitors a quick favour and take a look at this post: Is Your Kid Wineing and be prepared to skip a winery, because some of them are not for kids, and some kids are not for wineries.   

La Frenz

I would put this winery on the NO list.  This is one of the oldest wineries on the Naramata Bench and is really set up as a sit down, learn about the wines, slowly savour what you are tasting and converse with the staff kind of place.  The tasting room is small so on a busy day personal space and room for small people to wander/stand/be noticed and not bumped into, is minimal.  If you are travelling with small people I would skip this one and come back another time.   This winery also takes reservations for their tastings, so even of you aren't travelling with kids in tow, call ahead during high season to be sure to get a seat at the bar (it's worth it). 

We did enjoy their wines and learning about the area and history.  We purchased their Riesling and Syrah on this trip, both will be great backyard patio/bbq wines to enjoy this summer. 

  

Bench 1775

This looks like the kind of winery that our kid would have enjoyed (if she had come with us that day!).  We also saw some other kids there with therir families as well.  Bench 1775 has a large open concept tasting room and winery complete with restuarant and picnic area.  There is space here that one adult could occupy the kids while the other adult (or adults) took part in a tasting.  The views of the lake and room to explore here are amazing! 

We tried a few wines here and brought home a Cabernet Franc to enjoy later this summer, or this fall.  

 

Therapy Vineyards

Let's call this a maybe take your kids with you winery, leaning more towards the no side.   Therapy does have quite a bit of outdoor space surrounding the tasting room for kids (and adult) to explore as well as an outside patio area to sit down and enjoy the amazing Okanagan Sunshine. The road to the parking lot runs right past the tasting room and patio area though so be aware at all times of traffic!   The tasting bar itself is small, so would not be a great place for kids on a busy day.  Older kids that know anything about Freud, or word play, would probably get a kick out of the clever names of the wines at this winery!  Therapy was actually our destination winery, we sampled a few of their wines at the Spring Wine Festival this year and realky enjoyed them. 

We brought home Super Ego and considered purchasing the Port (Freudified) but decided to wait until our next visit for that one. 

 

If you are bringing your kids to the Naramata Bench with you, take some time and investigate some spots in the area to let them out to play!  Check out the Naramata Elementary School (for summer only, of course!) and it's playground and awesome Maypole Statue.  Other places you might want to check out include Manitou Park which has a beach, playground and adjacent dog park, The Kettle Valley Railway Trail and the Wednesday afternoon community market. 

Five Mother's Day things to do in Kelowna This Weekend: May 12-14

If you are reading this looking for Mother's Day ideas this late in the week there is a good chance you haven't planned anything for your mom yet, or maybe you're like me and your other half is working away this Mother's Day and you are planning for your own Mom's Day celebration.  In either case, if you haven't reserved brunch yet, you are probably too late, so here are five ideas for mom that won't break the bank (I hope) and don't require reservations. 

1.  Moms are Fab: Mother's day tastings at the Fab Five Wineries.  The Kid and I did this the first year we lived here and I really enjoyed it.   It was nice to be able to venture out to some of the local wineries and do a tasting in an atmosphere where we knew that kids would be expected.   Each winery also has a small gift for moms that stop in.  When we did this last time we opted to just go to Camelot for our Moms are Fab adventure.  Camelot is a small winery but has  a lot of character and of course Camelot themed decor which gives the kids something to look at while you do a tasting.     If you go to Moms are Fab, please sample responsibly! Pick one winery, do a tasting and pick up a bottle to bring home and enjoy on your patio or deck.  Of course the better option is to have a driver and visit all of the wineries!  
   

   Check Out Camelot and all the Fab Five Wineries as part of Moms are Fab this weekend.
2. Spring Artisian Fair at Glenmore Elementary, Saturday the 13th.  Always a fun event with a lot of local crafters, bakers, and artisans showing off their products.  Definitely a place where you will be able to find a unique Mother's Day gift! 
3. Fintry Spring Fair, Sunday the 14th, a different type of fair from the Glenmore one.  Head out to Fintry Provincial Park on Sunday to check out the manor house, exhibitors, and kids games and activities.  Beside to take a hike up the stairs to see the waterfall out at Entry as well.  The fair is an annual event, but be sure to double check before you head out - Fintry might be under an evacuation alert due to the rains and flooding this year!  
   

   Look waaaaay up! The stairs at Fintry take you up there.
4. Head the Farmer's Market and put together your own picnic/brunch, Saturday May 13th.  The Farmer's market is on every Saturday morning and is a great place to pick up everything you need for a Mother's Day picnic or BBQ.  
5. Yoga - there are a lot of Yoga classes happening this weekend in honour of moms, everything from mom and daughter yoga at Ivviva to a super cool but difficult sounding hike and yoga activity happening at Mount Baldy (Kelowna not Osoyoos!)  I quite like the sound of this Mamas & Malas event happening at The Women's Place, make a bracelet and then learn to meditate - seems to be what everyone mom needs: jewelry and peace and quiet! 

However you spend your Mother's Day weekend I hope it is amazing! 

 

Cheers to all the Moms!

 

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Is Your Kid Wineing: Scenic Sip Winter Tour

The Scenic Sip is a group of six wineries in the Lake Country area of the Okanagan.  They are the closest to our house and yet are the ones that we visit least.  We recently did a winter wine tour though and took the kid along to see if they are Kid Wineing approved. 

We didn't get to all six wineries, but I have been to four of the six so have a pretty good idea of which ones are kid approved (and welcoming).  We also took adavantage of the fact that over the holiday season many of the wineries band together to host special "family friendly" days.  The Scenic Sip held their Christmas Weekend Wonderland event the first weekend of December.  We visited Gray Monk, Arrowleaf, and Intrigue.  We had loosely planned to also visit Ex Nihilio but the kid's interest in the tour was quickly deteriorating after winery #2 so we skipped it and will visit another day.  

 Gray Monk: 

 One of the original wineries in the region Gray Monk Estate Winery has an impressive selection of award winning wines and an equally impressive view of Lake Okanagan from their tasting room.  

The tasting room is big, which means more room for small people to wander around (under supervison, of course) without too much worry about bumping into things or other people.  Gray Monk also offered sparkling juice to The Kid, which is always a hallmark of a great kid friendly atmosphere.  

I loved the Gray Monk assortment of gift baskets - perfect for the holiday gift giving.  

Arrowleaf:

Another great view of the lake from this winery. Arrowleaf Cellars is a smaller and newer winery. We love their blends and this was the first time The Husband had been to this winery and tasted some of their other wines as well.  We both loved how understated the pride in their award winning wines was.  Instead of medals hanging around announcing their awards the staff just casually mentions it, like an after though almost.    

The tasting room is smaller, still with some room to move though which is great, and this winery has a really great grassy lakeside picnic area that really lets kids get outside and shake out some of their sillies.  I'm looking forward to a return visit in the summer with a picnic, grabbing a bottle of wine, and spending some time just relaxing and taking in the view. 

The tasting bar didn't have juice for kids that day,  but I think I saw a water dispenser over by their small food counter.  

Intrigue:

Intrigue Wines is another small and newer winery along the scenic sip, actually I guess most of the wineries in this region are newer. When we arrived at this one there was a bus load of people there. Literally ... a friend of mine and some of her friends rented a bus to take in the entire Scenic Sip tour that day and we met up with them at this location.  The tasting room is quite small so I was glad to learn that they had just opened a new barrel room just off the main room.  Intrigue had a hot chocolate bar set up on that day which was a nice touch for kids.   There is also a large green field/yard behind the winery where kids can run around (and there were half a dozen kids doing just that on this day). 

I have in the past enjoyed their "Social" White Blend and I guess lots of other people do as well - they are sold out of that wine already! We picked up a couple other bottles including their pink bubbly "I Do" to drink on New Years.   Hard to tell if they offer juice for kids as there were so many people the staff were just trying to get everyone through and they had the hot chocolate station happening.  

We had a great time visiting these three wineries and brought home a selection of bottles to share over the holidays! 

Is Your Kid Wineing: Tinhorn Creek

Somehow it is already November!  The summer and long days with lazy trips to the wineries are all over and somehow we only made it to one new winery this year?!  How is that even possible?  I'll try harder next year I promise!  

We did visit Tinhorn Creek Vineyards and had a great time.  We took not only our kid, but two other kids, so I feel pretty confident in my ability to judge if this winery is appropriate for kids or not.   Now, before you get all up in arms about how kids should never go to wineries...or maybe you are of the kids should go everywhere I want to take them belief, take a look at the original Is Your Kid Wineing Post to help you understand why I write these pieces (spoiler...not all kids should go to wineries and very few kids actually want to). 

Alright, now that is out of the way, let's talk about Tinhorn Creek Vineyards.  Located in Oliver it's a bit of a drive from our homebase here in Kelowna but definitely worth it.  We were fortunate in that our friends who were visiting had set up a bit of a private tour and tasting through their work so we saw some areas that we normally wouldn't have (like the tank room and outside to see the crushing machine) and it gave the kids a bit of a break from the confines of the tasting room.  

 

I really liked that this winery has a large green space just below the tasting room where we could send the kids to unwind a bit, and when I saw unwind I don't mean run wild like screaming banshees, I mean they were away from adults so they could move around a bit more and be a bit louder.  Please don't assume though,  that because there is a large area that your kids should start a game of tag or soccer or wrestle!  And if you are tempted to leave them unattended out there, just remember that this desert and there are all kinds of animals out there...like rattlesnakes.  So keep a close on your kids! 

The tasting room is a fairly good size and there was sparkling apple juice (which adds to the kid-worthiness scale).   We also really liked that there were lots of areas set up where you could see what was going on and had some signage  letting you know what happens in the area that you are looking at.    

We ate lunch at the Miradoro during our stay, and in a funny coincidence were seated at the exact same table we had eaten at about four years ago when we met my brother and sister in law for lunch.  It occurred to me that they might have an informal "kid area" as the tables around us all had kids at it too.  But don't worry, the view from this area is still amazing - looking down over the entire valley, I'd take a seat in this section over an inside seat anyway!  Miradoro does have a kids menu that the three kids with us all approved of.  My only critique would be that the kids pasta dish was quite small in comparison to some of the other items on the kids menu, luckily there was lots of sharing happening so no one went hungry.  

Tinhorn Creek Vineyards does fall into kid friendly in our books.   Oh, and the wine is pretty spectacular too!  We purchased the Oldfield Series Cabernet Franc and a bottle of the 2Bench Red as well.  

See you there next year? 

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Is Your Kid Wineing? One Stop Shopping

Sometimes when you come to the Okanagan with your kids you really don't have time to stop at a winery, or maybe you know that your kids will just not be able to handle the sitting and being quiet and quite frankly a little bored, while you taste a few of the Okanagan wines.  No problem. We have a solution to that problem. 

I'd like to introduce you to the BC VQA Wine Information Centre in Penticton and the BC Wine Museum & VQA Wine Shop in Kelowna.  Both locations have a large selection of local wines, feature wine tastings on a regular  basis, and best of all - have some other things to keep kids somewhat entertained.  They are also pretty centrally located and within walking distance to the lake, hotels, and restaurants. 

VQA stands for Vinters Quality Alliance and means that they only sell 100% BC wines.  

In Penticton the VQA Wine Info Centre houses the wine shop and Penticton Tourist Centre.  It's a nice open building and each time we've stopped in there has been a small table set up with colouring sheets and crayons for the younger kids.  The visitor centre also has a large collection of maps and brochures which could keep older kids occupied - looking for new more exciting places to go.   The Wine Info Centre  hosts in-store events throughout the year so you never know, you might get a chance to meet a visiting author, or see a local artist in action. 

The Kelowna VQA shop is located in the Kelowna Cultural District   The wine shop also houses the small, but interesting BC Wine Museum (when I say small, I mean it) and is housed in the same building as the BC Orchard Museum - also small but The Kid loves it, especially once the Bees are active and you can watch them tend to their hive.  Museum admission is by donation, please donate , and please don't leave your kids in there unattended.   Like the Penticton shop, the Kelowna one also frequently has wine tastings so you can still have that experience, without the drive.   The Kelowna VQA/BC Wine Museum  hosts special events and demonstrations throughout the year and if you are in town on the first Thursday of the month you can pop in for Neighbourhood Nosh - a new winery is featured each month and visitors get a chance to sample their wine and meet the people behind the wine. 

Staff in both locations are extremely friendly and knowledgeable about wine.  We had a great time talking with a staff member in Penticton who helped us find some wines we had already tried and recommended some great ones we hadn't.  We've had the same experience at the Kelowna shop as well. 

Even though we do have the opportunity to make it out to the local wineries throughout the year, we still stop at the VQA shops to pick up wine when we are looking for a new wine to try, or just to pick up a favourite when we can't make it to the winery.  I recommend you stop in and check them out! 

A few pictures from the Kelowna location

 

 

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Is Your Kid Wineing? Camelot Vineyards

Well, it's wine season again in the Okanagan Valley.  Actually every season is wine season, but spring is when the wineries kick into full swing - opening tasting rooms and wineshops and getting set for visitors. 

The start up of wine season is nicely (cleverly) closely placed to Mother's Day and this past weekend a group of wineries in Kelowna hosted a special Mother's Day event.  The Fab Five: The View, Camelot Vineyards, House of Rose, Vibrant Vine, and Spierhead Vineyards, all held special tasting events celebrating moms. 

The FabFive have been on my list of wineries to visit so I decided that this would be the perfect time to stop in and do a quick wine tasting.  I have driven past Camelot a few times in the past year and have always thought it looked the type of winery that would hold The Kid's attention for just long enough to allow the adults to do a tasting and I was not wrong. Here's how our visit to Camelot Vineyards went. 

Camelot is a small winery, but it has some serious charm and the owners have fully committed to the Camelot theme.  The Kid enjoyed the thrones outside as well as Camelot's own excalibur.  Inside the tasting room were a few more fun items to look at (like a suit of armour).  

I had a quick tasting of four of their wines, and really I need to remember to make notes when I am at wineries when I visit.  I liked them all (of course) but decided on buying just a bottle of the White Night 2011 because it was just a nice easy drinking, front deck wine, type of wine.  

 

Thank you Camelot Vineyards for the special Mother's Day Candle.  

Another really great thing about this winery is that is located right night door to an elementary school - a great place to let your kids run off a bit of steam on the weekend (please don't take your kids during school hours), and on the other side of the school - a field full of goats.  

The lovely woman at the tasting bar also recommend House of Rose as a good place to go if you need to drag your kids along - she mentioned lots of open spaces.  We didn't make it there this trip but will be sure to stop in another day. 

 

 

 Need a refresher on tips and tricks to wintering with kids?  Check the original "Is Your Kid Wineing" post. 

Is Your Kid Wineing? Mission Hill Family Estate

It's December now and I realized there were a few wineries that we visited this summer that I hadn't posted about.  It's time to play catch up, starting with Mission Hill Family Estate. 

So this one is a no brainer.  Yes, this a good place to bring your kids (as far as bringing kids to somewhere whose purpose is to produce and sell alcohol). 

Mission Hill Estate Winery is a large property, with lots to see. The tasting room and wine shop are huge, but to be clear that's not an invitation to let your young ones roam free.  There are alot of breakable things and anytime we've been there a lot of people who aren't really aware of small people at their feet.  For a refresher on Winery Visits with Kids check out my "Is Your Kid Wineing" main post. 

We've been a few times to Mission Hill, and although it isn't my favourite spot to visit (it's just too busy) we always enjoy their wines and the interaction with the staff at the winery.  We've only done the regular tastings but I hear amazing things about their private tastings and wine tours (reservations required for both).   

During our last visit we took the opportunity to grab lunch at the Terrace Restaurant and really enjoyed it, it's pricey (naturally) but it does have an amazing view, and if you're travelling with kids, it's an open air venue - meaning the kids can step off the patio and onto the grass to let of some energy (although probably not recommended, we did let our kid roll down a pretty long steep hill while waiting for lunch, the chairs being set up for a concert the next day kind of got in her way). 

A few notes about Mission Hill, if you go during peak season the upper parking lot can get super packed, so give yourself a break and make your way down to the lower level lot and walk up.   The same can be said about the tasting bar.  The last time we visited it was August and it was packed.  We were elbow to elbow with other customers and while we still enjoyed the wines, it was a much more rushed and less relaxing experience than some of the other wineries we have visited. 

If you are travelling through and can only stop at one Okanagan Winery (which would be really sad) I would suggest that Mission Hill might be at the top of the list, along with their wine, space to let the kids roam a bit, and great views, their wine shop also carries a pretty extensive selection of make in BC and made in the Okanagan food/gift items - making it a one stop foodie shop option. 

I'm not sure that this was The Kid's favourite winery, that honour is still reserved for Quails Gate.  She did enjoy the space at this winery, and there was a small glass of apple juice to sample.  We did not locate a winery dog, so her streak of not finding one continues! 

 

 

One of our first visits, late spring, pretty quiet on the Estate. 

 

A selection of lovely items in the wine shop (and a wall of people behind).  This is during our August visit.

Mission Hill featured scultures from an Icelandic artist last year.  We loved seeking them all out, roaming the grounds to see if we coud find them all. 

 

Planning a trip to the Okanagan and looking to visit some wineries with kids in tow?  Check out my Is Your Kid Wineing Posts for some details on where to go (and not to go) with your kids. 

Black Hills Estate Winery

Meadow Vista Honey Wines 

Quails' Gate

SummerHill

And more to come! 

 

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Is Your Kid Wineing? Black Hills Estate Winery