Pre-wedding activities are not complete without a stagette event with your besties. And since Vancouver is a world-class city with many natural and cultural delights to enjoy, why not treat yourselves right here in your own backyard? Or, if you have friends or guests coming from out-of-town for the big day, any of these destinations and activities are sure to please and impress. In December, our Managing Editor Angie Ishak, her gal pal Corrie, and several out-of-town women in media enjoyed three days of girl-getaway fun in and around our “City of Glass”. First stop, the Sutton Place Hotel.
The Sutton Place Hotel, with it’s warm yet grand and opulent ambience was a great start to our activities. The hotel is ideally located in the heart of downtown on Burrard Street, close to Robson Street for shopping and dining, and English Bay and Stanley Park for a seawall stroll with inspiring ocean and mountain views. The others wisely took in these local pleasures during their stay. After our bags were taken up to our rooms and we freshened up for the evening, we met up with the group and headed to CinCin for dinner. Our lively and chatty evening was fueled by amazing cuisine and local wine from Poplar Grove Winery on the Naramata Bench. Our out-of-town guests thoroughly enjoyed every minute.
The next morning, we headed off to Harrison Hot Springs Resort & Spa for another luxury stay and some pampering in their spa and hot springs. General Motors Canada supplied new, top-of-the-line 2010 hydrogen fuel cell vehicles for the scenic drive. Our 2010 Cadillac SRX SUV carried us comfortably along snow-covered lanes through Langley’s pastoral countryside along the Fraser River. The car’s fuel cell technology allowed us a road-trip sans guilt; it allows for lower carbon emissions than fossil fuel power. (Coincidently, Chevrolet is the officialy vehicle sponsor for our 2010 Winter Games.) With our Sirius XM radio tuned to 80s Hits, we made our way to Fort Langley for a coffee stop at Wendel’s Books and Cafe. Fort Langley’s small-town charm was a contrast to the city’s hustle and bustle and a fitting transition between Vancouver and Harrison.
For lunch, we stopped at the River’s Edge Restaurant at Rowena’s Inn in Harrison Mills, only a 20 minute drive before Harrison Hot Springs. This unique, lakeside venue consists of a golf course, restaurant and reception venue, the last being a grand estate, perfect for an elegant and intimate wedding celebration. [Check out the Rowena's Inn feature in real weddings Bridal Style!]
Our first order of business at Harrison Hot Springs was our spa appointments at the Healing Springs Spa. My deep tissue massage was a very welcome and much needed tension reliever. Before dinner, we ventured out into the snowy chill for a soothing dip in the outdoor hot springs. It was equally invigorating and relaxing being immersed in a healing hot spring while snowflakes fell on our hair and piles of snow surrounded us.
Fresh from all our spa treatments, our group of lovely ladies gathered for cocktails and dinner, excitedly sharing stories of our morning Vancouver adventures, driving experiences, and afternoon pampering. Amongst our group, Amy and Jocey of www.weddingchicks.com discovered the to-die-for pain au chocolat at La Baguette et L’Echolat Bakery on Granville Island. They also experienced the saving grace of their vehicle’s Onstar and GPS navigation on their journey to Harrison.
The next morning, we said our reluctant farewells to our new friends and drove back to the city, trading our Cadillac SRX for an equally luxurious Buick LaCrosse.
It was truly a pleasure to meet the other girls: Jennifer Reynolds from Canadian Family, Montrealers Marie-Eve and Vicki from www.divine.ca, and the Wedding Chicks, Amy and Jocey. A huge thank you goes out to our hosts, the gracious and fun Adria MacKenzie from GM Canada, and Lisa Calvi and Gary Sowerby from Odyssey International.