November 2008
You are currently browsing the articles from Review and Things written in the month of November 2008.
In this book Patricia van Tighem writes her story about the attack on her and her husband by a grizzly bear protecting his food in Waterton National Park in 1983.
This National bestselling book tells the story from the attack of the bear to everything that happens after. The hospital visits, the operations and more importantly the mental stage Patricia was in.
If you expect a book just about the Bear and what happens then you will get disappointed. This book is tells the story about a survivor and everything that happens.
Patricia van Tighem did not have the best of times after the attack things like infections and reconstructive surgery where mayor things in this book but also the metal problems and her depresions and what that did to her family of 4 children.
The Bear’s embrace is a interesting book to read and it will give you a different view of how survivors of things like this feel after it happend. I would say put it on your list of books to read.
And as a final note Patricia died at the age of 47 after an attempted of suicide on December 14, 2005.
Written by George on November 17th, 2008 with no comments.
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I recently flew from Calgary to Kelowna and back to Calgary with Westjet airlines. I have done this exact flight many times before, only this time I was flying with my 2 month old infant daughter.
The Westjet staff here in Calgary was curteous (not helpful or friendly as they usually are), and we managed to check in our suitcases and baby car seat and base.
During boarding, we were allowed to board first, and could leave our baby stoller just before the gate of the airplane. I had my mom helping me so it all worked out, if I was alone, I guess I could have asked an agent for help, although at this time we were not offered a hand.
Once in the flight, we were (on both occasions) greeted and treated with respect, curteousy and given the option to ask for as much help as needed. I didnt need to change any diapers in this 45 minute flight so I cannot comment on the change table or bathroom situation.
All in all, i was very happy with my flight with Westjet, and my little baby slept (like a baby:D) throughout! I will surely use them to fly again with my baby.
Written by Smriti on November 3rd, 2008 with no comments.
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Everest Restaurant
573 Lawrence Avenue
Kelowna, BC V1Y 6L8, Canada
(250) 762-7000
If you are looking for good Indian and Nepalese food in Kelowna, give this place a try.
We called and ordered ahead (one member in our group knew the owner). When we got there, the food was ready to be served. We were all seted comfortably (6 of us, on person in a wheelchair, and a baby stroller).
The appetizers were very good, with large portions and good quantity of dipping sauce (chutney), however the foor (cream balls and paneer) had the same sauce and hence tasted the same. The bread was very very good.
The presentation of the food was quite exquisite and the overall ambience was nice, with low pleasant music and a good ventilation system.
I would surely visit here again, and I recommend to it anyone who is looking for indian food in Kelowna.
Written by Smriti on November 3rd, 2008 with no comments.
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Probaby a month ago, I was invited to a work lunch at this restaurant in Calgary. I have visited a few other Milestone’s restaurants in the past, and have always been quite happy with the food and service.
This location in Calgary is fairly new, and I was going there with a baby stroller. The restaurant itself is quite nice, its clean and spaceous, even large enough to wheel in a baby stroller. They managed quite well to seat all 18 of us together, and even found a place where I could put my baby in her stroller close to my seat.
The food, as always, was simply excellent, very well prepared and presented, tasting quite good. We had a lot of appetizers, salads as well as a few entre’s.
The waitstaff although curteous, were very lost, perhaps due to the newness of the place. Our waiter seemed a little too hyperactive and frazzled, however all in all he tried hard to keep us all (18 of us) comfortable and happy.
I would definitely visit this restaurant again, and recommend it to others. Perhaps give them a month or two to settle down and get used to the business first.
Written by Smriti on November 3rd, 2008 with no comments.
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I have visited many Applebees all over the US and Canada. I have liked them quite a bit in the past. This time on my birthday we decided to go to the Applebees on Country Hills Blv., the only one in Calgary.
We were there around 3pm on a thursday afternoon, and so needless to say, found parking right in front of the door. We were grateful for this as we were bringing in a baby in a stroller.
Once inside the greeting staff, seemed a bit lost and confused, they didnt know where to put us with a stroller and all, and so for 5-7 minutes we stood at the front as the girl frantically ran around cleanign tables and muttering inaudible stuff we couldnt understand. Finally, she took us to the back, and we realized she was looking to put us in a quiet spot with lots of space. Good for her!
The wait staff, and server were very friendly, very curteous and very caring of the fact that we were here with a baby, they even split our food, which we were sharing into two plates, so it would be easy for us to each eat our meal without having to reach over, all this with a baby.
The bathroom was quite clean and the change table functioned well and was clean.
The only complain I have is with the food, it was barely palatable, and the quality has gone down lots since I have last visited an Applebees. The Nacho’s nuevo were quite good however.
All in all, even though this restaurant has been attached to a family tradition (my husband and I allways went to an Applebees for a meal when we rented a car, yep we have rented quite a few cars :D), I must say I will pass on this restaurant in the future. Either we will need to stop renting cars, or look for a different place to fulfill our family tradition.
Written by Smriti on November 3rd, 2008 with no comments.
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I visited the Blenz coffee house on Bernard Street in Kelowna this past week. I have been to this cafe a few times before and have really liked it. I have found it to be a good alternative to the Starbucks one block up on the same street. Although its a franchise, and I would anyday prefer to visit a locally owend cafe rather than a franchise, I find this particular coffee shop a good choice. Firstly, it is a Canadian company (Go Canuks!), and secondly its new and doesnt have the crazy hype that Starbucks has associated to its name.
So this particular visit, I happened to go there with a baby in a large stroller, and 4 other persons, one of whom was in a wheel chair. Despite our crowd, we found a perfect spot in the coffee shop where we could all sit together and have a pleasant time. There was lots of space for the wheelchair as well as the baby stroller, and we managed to find chairs to pull up to the two leather armchairs.
The only few drawbacks are, this place didnt have a baby change station so I had to get help and change my baby on the sink in the bathroom, not very convenient or hygenic, and secondly the drinks, although very tastely are very pricey, pretty much comparable to Starbucks.
But if you are willing to pay a good price for a drink, dont have a baby to change and are looking for a nice ambience, I would recommend you visit Blenz coffee house.
Written by Smriti on November 3rd, 2008 with no comments.
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The KFC in Southcentre mall is based in the foodcourt but a bit away from most restaurants. When I got to KFC at lunchtime on Thursday it was not very busy there was just one lady infront of me so my order was taken quickly.
I orderd a classic combo that has a chickenburger and fries and drink. The fries where put on my tray right away while the burger still needed to be cooked. To me it would have bin better if the fries could have stayed a bit warmer instead of cooling down on my tray.
The Chicken burger was not bad taste wise but less vegtable mix could have bin nice now i needed to peal a lot of the vegtable mayo combo of because the pack was just to much for this one little burger.
My conclusion. I don’t know what will be on my food list next time I visit Southcentre mall maybe I will try a different place for lunch. But KFC was not to bad so it will keep being an option.
Written by George on November 1st, 2008 with no comments.
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