More than just Flowers – The Royal Botanical Gardens offer Paradise in our Backyard

My passion for gardening started fairly young and came from my Scottish grandfather who lovingly tended our beds of roses, irises, peonies and perennials.  I recall doing a regular tour of our small backyard, marvelling at the fragrant roses, and the brilliant colour of the confetti irises.  When I got my own home, putting in gardens was my first priority and I poured over books and catalogues selecting things with little knowledge of their size, bloom time and invasion capacity!   I could have benefitted from the knowledge and inspiration from a visit to or taking a course from the Royal Botanical Gardens (RBG).  What a resource we have available in our own backyard! 

Now that I am working in tourism I am fortunate to visit the RBG regularly and always come away with a treasure, whether it is something for the garden from the gift shop, a new variety of perennial to plant in my garden or a future event I want to attend. Did you know you can call the gardening information service,  which is a help line for your gardening challenges.  Where was this 30 years ago when I planted snow in summer and it grew everywhere?!

For gardeners or admirers of beautiful things there is always something in bloom at the RBG.  Right now the magnolias are out in the Rock Garden and the forsythia is blooming throughout the gardens.  At the main RBG Centre the early tulips and bluebells are starting

to burst with colour.  If you click on the bloom list which is updated regularly, you can discover what plants are in their full splendor. This week is the annual auxilary plant sale so it is a perfect time to buy something new for your garden or pick up that perfect mother’s day gift (how about brunch at the RBG?).  Later in May the Arboretum will be ablaze with a wide variety of lilac species – one of the most extensive in the world.  Being a May bride (a few years ago) we picked bunches of lilacs for our reception hall and now whenever I visit the arboretum it takes me back – the scent is intoxicating!  As the seasons progress don’t miss the peonies, irises, wisteria, perennials, roses, grasses, hostas, Veggie Village and more.  A handy tool for you to download is the visitor guide which highlights the blooms and includes garden maps. 

Even if gardening is not your favorite pastime there are many activities that will draw you to the RBG.  Hike along the 27 km of trails, and check out the Marshwalk Trail where you can view the Bald Eagles and their eaglets born this March.  Visit the Cootes Paradise fishway, pack a picnic and enjoy the natural areas, bird watch, try your hand at painting or photography with subject matter everywhere you look.  While visiting, stop in for refreshments at one of the three on-site restaurants. My personal favorite is the Rock Garden Teahouse with its lovely view over the gardens and it will be beautiful this week with all the tulips in bloom. 

If you plan to visit often for the blooms, festivals and courses your best value is to become a member of the RBG.   This entitles you to free admission, discounts on courses and services, member magazine and enewsletter and much more.  I hope someday soon to get in touch with my creative side by taking a watercolour course at the centre. 

You can get and stay connected with RBG in a number of ways through, Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Youtube, or sign-up for their enewsletter. 

Enjoy a visit or two to the RBG, bring your friends and family and get inspired by the natural beauty around you.

tourburlgirl

Hosting Meetings in Beautiful Burlington

Recently, I was invited by Tourism Burlington to participate of a city FAM trip where local hospitality professionals could explore the many different venues and activities Burlington has to offer for groups conducting business in the city.

As an event & meeting professional and resident of Burlington, I am embarrassed to say that prior to this FAM trip I was unaware of many of the resources that were available for hosting meetings and events in the city. Beautiful and centrally located, Burlington is going through a period of growth and increased opportunities, and industry professionals throughout the region should consider Burlington as a go-to destination for their meeting & events.

Our day started with an intimate welcome reception at the Holiday Inn Burlington Hotel & Conference Centre. Newly renovated and able to accommodate groups of over 500, this facility offers the city’s largest meeting space under one roof. The group was able to enjoy the continental breakfast and tour the hotel and meeting facilities prior to departing to our second destination of the day.

Throughout the day we were driven around in a first-class luxurious limo bus provided by Symphony Limo. The driver was extremely professional and it was nice to know that this local company has a large variety of vehicles in their fleet that can appeal to a variety of groups requiring transportation.

Next we arrived at the Crossroads Centre and let me tell you what a hidden gem this is!

Home to the Canadian Television Studios – the longest running broadcast studio in Canada – this exceptional venue offers many unique settings for all kinds of events, and seats up to 700 people theatre style. The Crossroads Centre features a large atrium, the Founder’s Hall, and several filming studios that can be completely customized and transformed for your event. The best part? Their in-house production crew can build an entire studio set as a background or décor for your event; not to mention that video, lighting and AV is all part of the package. As I walked through this venue I saw its true potential not only for meetings and events but also for team building activities, corporate promotional videos, and much, much more.

The following stop in our VIP FAM Trip was the Royal Botanical Gardens. The RBG is a gorgeous facility with an incredible amount of green space for outdoor events; and although the gardens were not fully in season during our visit, we got to tour the indoor meeting facilities such as the breakout rooms and the main atrium which can hold over 500 people. Through its living walls, plants and greenery, the RBG offers planners a really organic and relaxing setting to host meetings with a myriad of activities to offer attendees. At the end of the tour our group was treated to a delicious coffee break with snacks from the in-house catering and we participated in a group activity where we each got to plant our own lavender herb and take it home as a gift.

After this, we headed to the Burlington Art Centre – THE BAC. Our group had a blast at this

venue! Even though we didn’t get to see many of the event facilities, we did get to experience many of the group activities first hand. The BAC offers a variety of unique workshops for business groups where they can have a great time creating art, working in teams and developing their creative skills. This venue does have three meeting rooms and is able to hold up to 200 people.

 

On our way to lunch our group got the chance to experience an on-the-road fitness break lead by Sue Abell of

Tread Powerfully. Sue is passionate about fitness and has incredible experience working with corporate groups developing customized fitness-based programs such as fitness breaks, team-building, guided walks, and more. As our industry moves forward in a certain direction; we as planners need to ensure that the importance of health, nutrition & fitness be taken into consideration when planning any event. This break was certainly a nice treat as it boosted our energy and kept us alert for the remainder of the day, and I have no doubt these fitness-based programs can offer several other benefits for meeting groups.

Lunch was actually held at Burlington’s very own microbrewery -

Nickel Brook Brewery. A local deli catered our freshly made meal and our group had the opportunity to tour the facility and learn about the brewing process as well sample the many different beers offered at Nickel Brook. Their Green Apple beer is by far my favorite, but this particular brewery offers locally sourced ingredients, naturally made beers and even has a gluten free beer! It is certainly a great activity for groups to experience and the venue is extremely flexible when customizing tours & tastings for each party. 

After lunch we continued with our VIP FAM trip and headed to the  Burlington Golf & Country Club. The lake views from the meeting facilities are breathtaking and will set the mood for any event. This venue can hold up to 200 people and offers a beautiful walk-out terrace which can be used for outdoor events during the summer months. Although the Golf & Country Club offers members-only private golfing; curling is becoming an increasingly popular team building activity for groups and this venue features a curling rink on-site that is open year round and available for corporate bookings.

Our next stop was at the stunning Paletta Lakefront Mansion where our group got to tour

the facility. This 1930’s Edwardian style mansion has so much history behind it, and its original fixtures, details and décor are what make this venue truly special. With an 80 max person capacity, this mansion creates a very intimate setting for meetings and events while at the same time offering versatility through its different indoor and outdoor spaces.

As we got on our limo bus to go to our next location we were joined by Sharon Correia – General Manager of Celli’s Osteria in downtown Burlington who is also an experienced sommelier. Sharon shared her knowledge on basic wine pairings as the group got so sample a delicious ice wine served in mini chocolate cups. In fact, these were so delicious I had three of them! Celli’s Osteria features an elegant and rustic atmosphere with high-quality dishes and a large wine selection, proving to be the perfect setting for private corporate dinners. This facility has three separate private dining areas that can seat up to 100 people in one room and can also host wine tasting activities and pairings.

We finally arrived at Mr. B’s Gift House for a short coffee break and it was a great surprise

for all of us. Having never heard of this shop, I was quite impressed with what they could offer meeting and event planners. This shop creates all kinds of traditional and unique gifts baskets and more. Planners can use this resource for all their gifting needs such as speaker gifts, attendee giveaways, auction prizes, etc. and it is all right here in our own backyard. The most popular gift from this shop has got to be their home-made biscottis! This place is known for their freshly baked biscottis of all kinds. Not only do these make for a delicious gift, but the shop allows for groups to come in and make their own, providing planners with yet another great activity for their attendees.

 

Our final stop for the day was at

Climbers Rock, which is a premiere indoor rock climbing facility – one of the best in the country. Our group actually got to climb and experience this venue first hand which was so much fun! Climber’s Rock provides a state-of-the-art facility and a safe environment for groups to participate of different team building activities and experience something new.

After a very busy yet wonderful day, the group returned to the Holiday Inn. Everyone was incredibly satisfied with the overall experience and Tourism Burlington did a fabulous job at executing this FAM trip. It definitely served its purpose by creating awareness and allowing local industry professionals to experience everything first hand so they could offer the same to business groups visiting the city.

If you are a meeting or event planner looking to host an event within our region, I highly recommend taking a look at this beautiful city to host your function. I guarantee you will find the best value, and you will be able to provide your attendees with something special and unique with the help of an incredible team of local professionals who will assist you through the entire process. If you are a local meeting and event professional, I encourage you to explore the city further and consider hosting your meetings in your own backyard. 

Note: Tourism Burlington offers a Cash Back incentive program of up to $3,000 for hosting meetings here.  *conditions apply, visit website for details.

Guest Blogger - Mariella Irivarren

Mariella Irivarren is a passionate　event professional with an Event and Meeting Management Certificate from George Brown College.  Her previous experience includes planning and executing events across the industry spectrum, but her true expertise lies in the corporate sector. Mariella is currently the Operations Coordinator at JPdL Toronto & Niagara and was recently appointed the Social Media Ambassador for CanSPEP (Canadian Society of Professional Event Planners). She continuously demonstrates her commitment to the industry by being an active member of MPI (Meeting Professionals International), attending several industry events, and volunteering in multiple event planning committees including eventConnect, and MPI's Toronto Education Conference (TEC).

Burlington knows what's hot in restaurant trends!

Recently an article entitled “What’s Hot, 2013 Chef Survey” from the National Restaurant Association (U.S.) came across my desk and being the culinary person I am,  I was anxious to see what the hot trends are in cuisine and how our restaurants stack up.  I believe that Burlington has a great culinary scene and some amazing chefs including some up and comers and as I suspected, our restaurants are on trend if not ahead of the curve.  Read on and discover what’s hot on restaurant menus and where to find it in Burlington!

Red Canoe Bistro

The top two trends for 2013 are locally sourced meats, seafood and locally grown produce which is something we promote through our Taste of Burlington partnership with Foodland Ontario and our Halton Region Culinary Group.  Over the past few years there has been a shift to try and incorporate more local ingredients on the menu and in Burlington there have been two champions of this movement – The Red Canoe Bistro and Spencer’s at the Waterfront.  Both these restaurants share a philosophy that brings locally sourced menu items to the forefront.  At the Red Canoe Bistro, Chef and Owner Tobias Pohl-Weary has created relationships with local farmers and can often be found at the local farmers’ market shopping for his menu.  Over at Spencer’s, Chef Andrew McLeod's commitment to regional cuisine is evident on his menu.  Other notable restaurants offering local fare include The Water St. Cooker, Celli’s Osteria The Naked Sprout, The Martini House and Kindfood.

When you think of enviromental sustainability for restaurants you think food but The Naked Sprout is very conscious of their environmental impact with everything. From the bamboo floors, mango wood chairs, barnboard tables to the cloth towels in their bathroom, the natural dish detergent and compostable take out cutlery/containers/napkins they strive to be green.  Some of their staff even ride bikes to work!

Photo courtesy of RBG

At number seven on the list is hyper-local sourcing which includes restaurant gardens. What you may not know is that in-season the Garden Café at the Royal Botanical Gardens uses produce from Veggie Village located in Hendrie Garden on their menu.  Thoughout the summer the RBG also features a series of edible weekends featuring cooking demos and sampling from the garden harvest.  Starting this year, The Naked Sprout has a spot in the Burlington Community Garden where they will be growing their own fruits & vegetables for use in the restaurant.  The Martini House in downtown Burlington has a fresh herb & tomato garden each summer – it doesn’t get much fresher than that.

The Naked Sprout

Coming in at number eight is gluten-free cuisine which is no surprise considering the media around this “trend”.  Many of our restaurants offer gluten-free options but the stand-outs in this category are Kindfood and The Naked Sprout who are completely gluten-free (in addition to being vegan & organic).  At Kindfood you can nosh on delicious choices like the Happy Buddah Bowl (my personal favourite). The Naked Sprout features both raw and cooked menu items – just look at this picture of their delicious fare and try not to be hungry. Some other great choices are The Alex Restaurant who offer almost everything with gluten-free alternatives and The Water St. Cooker who have a gluten-free menu for their guests.

Kelly's Bake Shoppe

If you have a sweet tooth, don’t fret, Kelly’s Bake Shoppe has you covered with a wide variety of tasty treats.  This vegan/gluten-free bakery offers cookies, cakes, cupcakes (their specialty), muffins and brownies including the mile high brownie - a rich brownie topped with chocolate buttercream and a dollop of Vanilla Buttercreem, another brownie, chocolate ganache and homemade caramel sauce. Wow, that’s all I can say.

Sea 2 Fork 

Oceanwise is an organization that is dedicated to the promotion of sustainable seafood which comes in at number eight.  Just over a year ago Sea 2 Fork opened with a mandate to know when, where and how their fish where caught and their menu reflects this commitment.  Other Oceanwise partner restaurants serving sustainable seafood on their menus include Earls and Spencer’s at the Waterfront.  Water St. Cooker also features sustainable seafood.

Non-wheat noodles such as quinoa, rice and buckwheat come in at twelve but to be honest, I don’t see this as a trend anymore.  Almost all of the casual and fine dining restaurants in Burlington offer at least one of these options on their menu.  One of my personal favourites is the veggie burger at the Purple Heather, a quinoa-blackbean patty topped with avocado, caramelized onions and basil aioli.

The Naked Sprout

Tired of bacon and eggs?  Look for trend fourteen – ethnic inspired breakfast items on the menu.  This dish from The Naked Sprout looks like a winner to me.  Their Chocolate Coconut Crepes with Blueberry Whipped Cream are made with a very dreamy blueberry whipped cream ...better than ice cream!  If you are in the downtown core, visit Kindfood for their coconut milk pancakes - my kind of breakfast.

If you still are craving more, here are some other fun and delicious trends that I thought I would share from the category listings.

The Alex Restaurant

In the appetizer category, look for house-cured meats/charcuterie at the top.  If you have never tried one of these plates adourned with cured meats, cheeses and other delectible goodies you don't know what you're missing.  If you are looking for charcuterie in Burlington, be sure to visit The Alex Restaurant where Chef & Owner Matt Kershaw (a meat aficionado) creates an outstanding charcuterie board.

The Stone House Restaurant

Dessert!  My favourite part of a meal and the trends are sure to please.  When the Stone House restaurant opened in Burlington, one of the cool things on their menu was their mini-desserts, little did we know that this would be a trend in 2013.  From cheesecake to key lime pie these decadent treats are served in tall shooter glasses and are the perfect end to a meal. 

Southeast Asian flavors are a top trend in ethnic cuisine and we are lucky to have many great restaurants catering to this fare.  Nothing beats the green beef curry lunch at Siam Dish and the waterfront views don’t hurt either.  Other notable restaurants include My Thai and Pomelo.

Are you an adventureous eater?  Then the trend of alternative meats is one you will appreciate.  From game meats to alternative red meats Chefs are stepping outside the box and creating new and exciting dishes.  Restaurants like Red Canoe Bistro and Blacktree have rotating monthly menus and often feature these choices. 

Eatalia

Waste not, want not.  Nose to tail dining is gaining popularity and at Eatalia they have been creating special one night dinners (on request) featuring a whole pig sourced locally from Highland Farms.  Chef Jake Rujevic looked to his Eastern Europeon roots and the tradition of slow roasting an entire animal as a symbol of celebration with family and friends when planning a nose to tail dinner.  This feature is not available on their everyday menu but can be booked through the restaurant for a large group.

We haven’t mentioned every trend or all the great restaurants and cuisine that you can find in Burlington but we hope that you will consider going on a culinary adventure and visiting our restaurants.  If you need assistance finding a restaurant that suits your taste, get in touch, we love to talk food and can recommend a restaurant by cuisine, price, location and more.  Drop by our visitor centre at 414 Locust St., call us at 905-634-5594 or email us.

Bon Appetit!

Burlington Women's Show

New location, new you?

New, new, new...that seems to be the theme for this year’s Burlington Women’s Show. So, on Sunday, Feb. 24 it may be our 16^th Annual Burlington Women’s Show from noon to 5 p.m. but here’s what’s NEW:

• A fantastic new location: The Burlington Performing Arts Centre
• A new easier way to buy tickets: at BPAC or on-line
• An awesome new presenting sponsor: CHCH TV. Have you seen the fun spot they did for us and have been running during Morning Live?

And speaking of CHCH, we have an inspiring new MC for the event: Nicola Jones, Weather Specialist, host of Take it Outside and author/facilitator/speaker. She’ll be teaching us about Finding your voice and using it!

Salon Sponsor Cosimo’s made all our models absolutely gorgeous last year so they’re not new to us but we know that they will give all this year’s volunteer models new looks so they can strut their stuff as they hit the catwalk.  This year the talented crew at BPAC have made us a new catwalk to extend their main stage just for our show!

You can't talk about fashion shows with thinking about fresh, new daytime looks (hint – spring is just around the corner!) coordinated by Slice Network’s Nicole Manek! These fun fashions will be showcased on volunteer models at 12:30.

Be sure to head to the main theatre at 3 p.m for our second fashion show. Nicole Manek will feature evening fashions on our volunteer models. Check out their evening hair and make-up by Cosimo’s Salon and get inspired for your next date or girls night out!

We are excited to welcome great, new speakers to the Community Stage: Leigh-Ann de Jonge, Registered Dietician will tell us all about Nutrition Myths Busted!, Anastasia Vaskova of ContractHER is going to share Simple tips to make your house reno great, and Dr. Jenna Davis, Family Wellnes/Natural Fertility Specialist will speak on You and Your Fertility: It Takes a Village.

Don't worry, we haven't forgotten about wine and cuisine. Nosh on delicious tidbits from our restaurant friends, new as well as, returning Burlington favourites: Boston Pizza, Emma’s Backporch/The Water Street Cooker, Jack Astor’s, Ivy Bar & Kitchen, Stonehouse Restaurant, the little gourmet, Tamp Coffee Co., and Tasty Cups Cafe  - their slogan is ....Eat Dessert First! Sounds good to me. Be sure to visit new wine partners Kacaba Vineyards and Skinnygrape for tastings of their offerings, you might just find a new favourite.

Everyone loves a giveaway and new this year is a great reusable gift bag to the first 500 women to arrive at the show filled with full size products, gift cards, coupons and great swag!·        

    

And last but certainly not least, we have lots of great new exhibitors so you can chat, learn, sample and shop til you drop!

Get all the details on the show at www.burlington.ca/womensshow and remember to visit, call or click on www.burlingtonpac.ca to get your tickets soon. They are selling fast! And I’m not just saying that, they really are.

See you there!

BurlEventsGurl

Follow us on twitter

Family Day in Burlington Ontario

No matter what the weather is on February 18th, there are lots of great activities to enjoy on Family Day.  You can spend time in Burlington or the surrounding area and be sure that the little ones have no reason to say “I’m bored.”

If the snow remains you can dig out those toboggans, ski’s, skates, or snowshoes, blow off the dust and put them to good use.  The Conservation Halton parks are a great place to hike, bird watch, enjoy nature, and use those snow toys. Please check individual park sites to find out what activities are available at each location.

Have you ever heard of Snowsnake?  I honestly had no idea what this was when it was first mentioned to me, but I found out that this is a traditional Iroquoian game taking place at Crawford Lake Conservation Area as part of their Snowflakes & Snowsnakes event.  This unique event includes winter survival hikes, legends in the longhouse, hemlock tea tasting, and much more.

If you are more interested in an event that includes snuggling up and keeping warm, you can head to Mountsberg Conservation Area for Tales by a Winter Fire starting at 10am. You will be able to toboggan, hike, and enjoy an outdoor bonfire and if you prefer not to trek through the woods, relax on a horse-drawn sleigh or wagon ride being offered ($) through the fields and forest. 

Glen Eden offers tubing, fresh slopes, and even nighttime lighting for those of us who want to sleep in.  Although I am not much of a skier, I was able to master the bunny hill at Glen Eden.  If you are looking for a challenge or just trying something new it is it is well worth it, with their Discover Skiing and Snowboarding packages, this is a day of fun which is easy to organize.

Bronte Creek is always an inviting location to spend the morning, afternoon, or evening!  With the Olympic-sized outdoor rink you can lace up your skates and enjoy the pleasure of skating outside from 9am-9:30pm.  I personally love this because my friends enjoy skating while I am more of a watcher.  No matter how many times I try, I can never seem to get the hang of things, which ends up with me falling down constantly.  So instead, I’d rather sit and sip on a cup of hot chocolate, while they enjoy themselves.  With heated change rooms, washrooms, music, skate rentals, farm and play barn open from 9am-4pm, this is something that both friends and family can enjoy together.  Sometimes I even bring my dog, Nyssa, to run free in the leash free areas.  She is just as much a part of my family as my younger sister! 

The Rotary Centennial Pond offers a stunning view of the waterfront to enjoy while you skate.  Public skating is open daily from 10am-10pm depending on the weather. Don’t worry if the weather is not looking great for outside skating, The Appleby Ice Centre will be open with drop in programs for the entire family.  Check the website for skate types and times.

If you prefer the indoors, why not spend some time at the pool.  Pull out the swimsuits, goggles, and nose plugs and splash around in the water with public swimming at Aldershot Pool or Angela Coughlan Pool. Check the website for swim types and times.

Have your kids saying “RARW” at the Royal Botanical Gardens – Battle of the Titans.  Visitors can learn about paleontology, see a Tyrannosaurus Rex/ Triceratops life size diorama, play dress up, see dino prints, or try the digital dig pit. On February 17^th & 18^th Dr. Phil Manning, an internationally renowned dinosaur hunter from the University of Manchester will be on-hand to answer any of your questions on these prehistoric creatures.  The RBG is an affordable day out at only $30.50 for a family of four.  Once you’ve had the opportunity to see through dino-vision and learn about dino-diets, you will likely become “dino-hungry.”  The Garden Café at the RBG is featuring a Family Day Feast feeds two adults and two children and includes a salad, entrée and drink for only $30 + HST. (reservations are recommended).

For those that are more dramatically inclined be sure to get your tickets for Sing-a-long A Sound of Music at the Burlington Performing Art Centre. This interactive screening event is complimented with onscreen lyrics, props, costumes, and vocal warm-ups.  Be sure to visit the website to get a real feel for this cool interactive event and for ticket information.  

If you need a little extra incentive to get out of bed on the 18^th, the Burlington Chocolate Trail is a delectable treasure path Take your teen, best girlfriend or a special individual out to enjoy some decadent treats on this self-guided trail.  Is there anything better then spending the day with a little self enjoyment and chocolate - I don’t think so! 

Don’t worry about finding somewhere to eat on your day out, the restaurants of Burlington are always offering tasty meals. If you are looking for a prix fixe dining experience be sure to try one of more of the 23 restaurants participating in the Taste of Burlington from February 17 – March 10, 2013. 

Tourism Burlington will be open on Family Day from 9am-4pm,  and we are always available on the web, via Facebook or Twitter.

Whatever your plans are this Family Day we hope you enjoy your time together!

TourBurlGrl2