My Awesome Day in Nelson featuring Kootenay Insurance Services and Fresh Tracks Cafe Express from Whitewater

I had a kick ass day in Nelson yesterday!

Yes, my humpday was a little different than a normal day. I was on-location at Kootenay Insurance Services for their first annual Community Appreciation Day. On top of all amazing presentations to Nelson's hard working first responders I got to hang out with the AWESOME staff at the Nelson branch of Kootenay Insurance Services. We have worked with Kootenay Insurance Services in the past, they are a huge supporter of community initiatives--- last fall they actually ran a contest with us where they gave a $1000 to the Kinnaird Youth Indoor Skate Park. 

Here are John and I holding the big ole' check with Kootenay Insurance Services CEO John Sullivan. 

On top of an inspiring day with with local heroes from Nelson & Beasley Fire Department, Search & Rescue, the Nelson Police and RCMP I had a killer day food wise. 

Our awesome Account Executive Dustin picked up lunch for us from the new Fresh Tracks Cafe Express from Whitewater Ski Resort. Honestly I am getting hungry again right now at 9 am writing about my amazing burger. 

I absolutely love it when a restaurant (or in this case a food-truck) can find a way to disguise or add incentive to eat foods that I would normally not eat. With burgers it is so easy to pick off things that are outside of your comfort-zone. But, even though I don't eat wheat or onions I found myself downing every last bit of my burger. 

I had the handmade pork and BBQ duck burger. I absolutely love duck, but unfortunately rarely see it featured on menus so I was ecstatic to see it on the Fresh Tracks Cafe Express menu. Worth every carb this burger features pineapple peanut slaw, sesame caramelized onions, tomato, spinach and honey miso mayo! Yes, it was cheat day for me and I will happily admit to you that before I touched my burger I ate every last fry. I don't normally eat fries, but these fries were incredible. Perfectly crisp I did not share; I kept them all for myself. 

I absolutely loved my burger; it is how I imagine summer tastes as a flavour. Like I said, I normally do pick onions off my burgers but the caramelized onions really added to the mixture with the honey miso mayo and pineapple peanut slaw. It was the perfect combination of flavours; light and balanced. I can't wait to have this again and try it with the spelt bun!

I try to hold off mentioning things I have not tried myself. Usually whenever I eat out I am with others and we all kind of share tastes of everything, but Dustin and I had the same thing so I have only gathered taste bud feedback from the handmade pork and BBQ duck burger with fries. But, everyone at our office in Nelson has been raving about the Glory Bowl from the Wild Side of the Fresh tracks menu. Featuring roasted tofu, candied almonds, spinach, grated beets and carrots on a brown rice bed with house made dressing; it has sparked my interest and may be the first meal I have had without meat ever. Yes, I can honestly tell you I cannot remember ever eating a meal without any meat! 

I did hold off ordering the Filipino Tacos because of my recent tirade of Mexican meals from Confusion Taco and the Element, I can guarantee that I will explore this dish this summer as well. 

You can check out Fresh Tracks Cafe Express from Whitewater Ski Resort in Nelson outside of the Whitewater offices on Lake Street. Tuesdays they make an appearance in my neck of the woods in Castlegar outside the Sandman Hotel and on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays they are on Baker Street in Nelson around the 200 Block.

For the full menu from Fresh Tracks Cafe Express click here. They also have a page for you to 'like' on Facebook too! 

On top of that awesome meal I got to wash it all down with Riva water--- from Nelson! A pretty cool story, my new friends from the Okinshaw Water Company were hydrating everyone who stopped by the Kootenay Insurance Services event. With bottled water straight from the mountains near Nelson it really added to my ultra-Nelson day! 

I had such a great time with the entire crew of people who made this awesome day possible. I really hope Kootenay Insurance Services puts this event on again next year! 

Confusion Taco is Back for Summer 2014

There is no need at this point in my blogging career to tell you how much I love food. I absolutely love cooking and eating the things other people have cooked for me, I hold no bias towards my own creations; my mouth welcomes all foods all the time. 

From our first trip of the season to Confusion Taco!

I do not discriminate when it comes to food. I would rather go out for a nice supper than have a night on the town and I have no qualms about eating the cheapest street food on vacation. In fact, it is my staunch belief that some of the cheapest food I have ever consumed has been better than some of the meals I have had at swanky restaurants. Fish tacos in So-Cal are a prime example of this. 

One absolute treat living in the Kootenays is the extensive list of impressive food establishments. I've told you about my love for the Element and their monthly feature menus and I have even featured the subject of today's blog on a previous blog... today we are talking Confusion Taco!

I am a BIG fan of Confusion Taco. To be honest with you I have already visited twice this month in celebration of their return to Castlegar. Jenny Fines and I have established Taco Tuesday at the office; this Taco Tuesday the highlight meal of my workweek (not like the Taco Tuesday in the Lego Movie). I actually look forward to Tuesdays now; previously Tuesdays had been my least favourite day of the week. 

Anyways, check out Confusion Taco Tuesdays and Thursdays in Castlegar on Columbia Avenue and you can check them out Wednesdays and Thursdays in Trail on Bay Avenue. They can get you a late breakfast, lunch and supper as they are open from 11am until 6pm at those stops! 

"The Great Canadian Taquito"

Let me stop you for a second before you head to check them out. I am slowly working my way through the entire Confusion Taco menu and recommend the Baja Fish taco, fish tacos are one of my favourite food items that I don't even try to make at home because they deserve perfection and someone amazing making them. I trust my fish taco experiences to both the Element and Confusion taco. I am debating my next order; it is between the Dy-No-Mite prawn tempura taco that is Jenny Fine's jam and the Maui Beef taco (beef… yum!). Decisions; decisions.

Actually, I am seriously considering cheating on the tacos with Confusion Taco's "Sloppy Jalopy”. I know you are thinking, “Kate what in God’s name is that?” Let me tell you my friend. The “Sloppy Jalopy” is one of those food items that you work your butt off at the gym to be able to eat. It is the ultimate breakfast sandwich; two buttermilk waffles with two pieces of bacon, cheddar cheese and two over easy eggs with maple mayo for just a little more Canadian flavor. Yum!

I love fusion foods, so for my first Confusion Taco of the season I chose the Bombay Chicken. It was popular; three other people in the late-lunch crowd ordered the same thing after I did. The butter chicken mixed with crispy rice, spicy cashews and mango salsa is a tasty combo. I am not normally a fan of cilantro but I did not even notice it in the cilantro slaw, it was an impressive fusion of Indian and Mexican food!  

My latest order from Confusion Taco was the Great Canadian Taquito--- pulled pork in a fried crispy tortilla wrapped in bacon with chipotle salsa. It was the perfect take on a Canadian Taquito, and it was filling! It was the perfect size for my hungry self; it was a nice median meal between the small 7 inch tacos and the large 12 inch tacos. 

Dy-No-Mite prawn tempura taco

I think this week I may have to branch out into the tasty world of Confusion Taco sides, I'm thinking the super creamy Mac & Cheese or kettle chips will have to be an addition to this week's Taco Tuesday! 

For the full Confusion Taco menu click here.

Check them out on Facebook as well :)

And to revisit my first Confusion Taco experience from last summer click here!

June 2014 Update:
I can now recommend the pulled pork taco and Dy-No-Mite prawn tempura taco too! The pulled pork taco is perfectly crisp with the amazing crispy onions and the Dy-No-Mite prawn tempura taco (pictured above) mixes the most amazing flavours together impressively. 

The amazing pulled pork taco! 

Lisa Nicole on Mountain FM’s Morning Rocks

Today I ended my two-day stint co-hosting Morning Rocks on Mountain FM with John Helm; the lovely Jenny Fines was away celebrating her birthday.

Lisa Nicole joined us on the morning show in anticipation of her big show on Saturday night at the Old Theatre in Castlegar. Fresh off winning two Kootenay Music Awards a couple of weeks ago at the 3^rd annual ceremony, Lisa Nicole will be putting on quite the show with opening act Jason Thomas Saturday, May 24^th. Get your tickets now!

Click here to check out Lisa Nicole on Facebook.

FYI Lisa Nicole took home two Kootenay Music Awards on Friday May 9^, 2014 at the Spiritbar in Nelson. She was voted to have the “Album of the Year” for It Got Ugly and was voted “Best Roots, Country” or Folk Artist as well.

Not in Castlegar this weekend? Lisa Nicole has a bunch of BC and Alberta tour dates coming up this summer! Check them out here.

Here is Lisa Nicole's video for  It Got Ugly.

Calgary Hosts Canada's Only Lego Kidsfest 2014

Over the weekend I got to take part in an amazing event in Calgary. It was Canada’s first Lego Kidsfest at the BMO Centre. On the one and only stop in Canada (ever), the Lego Kidsfest sold-out every session over the weekend of brick-filled fun.

The model museum is one of the highlights of the stop on Lego Kidsfest. It is an incredible display of what Lego can build. Darth Vader, Batman, Lightning McQueen, Gandalf, R2DC, C3P0 and Boba Fett are just a few of the full-size models on display in this part of the festival. Throughout the over three acres of Lego related fun there are many full-size models.

As you can see, I managed to find Lego Cinderella in the Disney Princess display.

I spent my days hanging out in the Brick Battle Zone with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I think this is the most fun of all the Lego zones. The Brick Battle Zone is an area where kids take part in Lego related activities for prizes. Lego pizza relay races, Duplo bridge building contests and tower races were my jam for the weekend. It was a lot of fun, but Lego sure is hard on the hands. If you are taking in Lego Kidsfest on one of its tour stops make sure you keep an eye on this section of the festival so that your kids get to take part and take home some great prizes.

Other really cool parts of the festivals are the Lego Super Heros and Lego Disney Princesses areas; both of these zones have free photo booths!

Creation Nation is an interactive section of the festival where kids build inside a template of the Canadian flag to make a pretty cool version of Canada in Lego inside the flag.

Another thing you need to check out while at Lego Master Builder Academy. Sign up as soon as you arrive to insure you get a session with a Lego Master Builder. These sessions run about 40 minutes and teach you skills that the people who create the most impressive Lego works have developed. On top of learning the art of crafting the most magnificent Lego works you can enter a raffle for Lego MBA prizes. There are limited spots in this zone so make sure you get in on it quickly!

If you have not watched the Lego Movie yet I strongly recommend it, even if you are not a huge Lego fan. I watched it with a bunch of twenty-something guys stone sober and absolutely loved it. It is hilarious and features some of the funniest actors in Hollywood right now. My favourties Chris Pratt and Will Ferrell start in the movie along with the amazing Elizabeth Banks and Alison Brie. Also, Liam Neeson and Will Arnett are hilarious as Good Cop/Bad Cop and Batman/Bruce Wayne. The star-studded cast really delivers for adults and kids, see this movie now!

Another cool thing about the Lego Movie and the Calgary connection is that Canadian songstresses Tegan & Sara sing the theme song for the Lego Movie, “Everything Is Awesome” with the Lonely Island. I don’t think I have ever heard the word awesome used more over the span of a weekend than at Lego Kidsfest. It was a very appropriate descriptor for the weekend.

On the left is the HUGE pile of free play Lego for kids to go wild in. Seriously, kids went CRAZY over this massive pile of bricks. It was like a day at a multi-color bricks. I saw kids building and burying themselves in this huge mound of Lego. It is crazy to see how much kids love and respect the patterns and models, but still want the freedom of free play.

Get your tickets early if Lego Kidsfest is coming to your area, it is well worth your time!

Mountain FM and AM Ford Ride the Heart & Stroke Big Bike!

Team AM Ford... not everyone was ready for the picture!

On Tuesday Jenny Fines and I experienced our first Big Bike ride together as Team Mountain FM, a division

of Team AM Ford. It was so nice of everyone at AM Ford to invite us to take part in this massive fundraiser for the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada. We were a little intimidated by the huge 29 seat bike, but the hardest part was getting on. 

We really did have so much fun ripping around downtown Trail with our friends from AM Ford. We made a lot of noise as we passed through the streets and people inside businesses came out to cheer us on. We may have run a few red lights, but that is not why cars honked and people waved at us--- everyone we passed in Trail was super supportive. 

I still can't believe we were invited to take part in this incredible event! 

Not that it is a competition (but it kind of is) but when we sat our butts on the bike we (Team AM Ford) were tied, neck and neck with Teck's fundraising efforts!

Our fundraising goal for Team AM Ford is $3000.00; right now we have about $500.00 to go! You can donateby clicking here. 

Daily Dose of Weird May 13, 2014- Nova Scotia's Proposed Ban on Breakfast Sandwiches and Driving

My home province is the feature of today’s Daily Dose of Weird. This story makes me laugh because it is so ridiculous. I have never been in an accident because I was eating at the wheel, but before I cut out wheat I definitely was guilty of eating delicious breakfast sandwiches and driving. To be honest with you my go to driving food is chicken nuggets, not much safer when you factor in dipping sauce.

I would love to see the stats on how many morning accidents are happening in Nova Scotia. It must be absolutely staggering to warrant this response. Although, I am guessing there has not been more than a handful of occasions when people have been pulled over using electric razors… one of the other problem distractions plaguing Nova Scotian drivers. Check that, it might be one of those “only in Nova Scotia problems” that happen around our province frequently.

On a serious note, shouldn’t the argument be to ban all sandwiches while driving if we are going this far down a crazy path? What about the rush hour double-cheeseburgers? The late night grocery store clubs--- they are all equally distractingly delicious.

So much silliness! For more click here to see the full responses from a Nova Scotian Police Officer who should have his own comedy show. 

Mountain Middays - Daily Dose of Weird May 13, 2014- The Post-It Note Divorce

There are lots of weird divorce stories out there; this one takes the cake for me. After fifteen years of communication with post-it notes this couple is ending their marriage.

Mexican Fiesta All May at the Element!

If you have read this blog you have noticed that I am a massive fan of food. I hate the foodie label, but it is pretty appropriate. I have been off the restaurant blogs lately because there has been so much going on lately, but I could not resist a trip the Element for Mexican Fiesta. All May the Element is celebrating one of the most fun ethnic cuisine's with an entire menu of Mexican treats.

The fish tacos are my go to on the Element's standard menu so I branched out and was a little more adventurous and had the handmade braised pork corn tamales. I had never had tamales before and this was the perfect first occasion. Two salsas topped the tamales, one red (roja) and the other was my favourite... salsa verde . So good! If you are wondering what the tamales are photo’d sitting in that is a steamed corn husk. The team at the Element really does pay attention to detail and go out of the way to make every meal an experience.

The legendary fish tacos

My friend had the fish tacos by my recommendation and was not disappointed. As I have said before on the blog, the Element's fish tacos rival the best fish tacos I have had in Southern California. Try the lobster option too, they are my absolute favourite! Every Tuesday I have to fight the urge to go to Taco Tuesday--- they are just $2.99 on Tuesdays!

Make it a Mexican date night with the fajita for two special and have it all served up in front of you hot and ready for you to customize yourself! Take your pick steak between certified angus steak, chicken or jumbo black tiger prawns and get ready to fight over the last fajita with whoever you are sharing with!

After we sipped our afternoon mojitos that were on special and then topped it all off with two amazing desserts including the feature Mexican crème brûlée with tequila and lime. It was divine; you have got to feed your sweet tooth if you are visiting the Element for the May-long Mexican Fiesta.

My amazing crème brûlée! 

I am excited to take Jenny Fines for her birthday girl date to the Element to try the feature Mexican drink the "Spicy Jalisco Heat" made with reposado tequila, lime, muddled cucumber and jalapeños! I tried a Caesar for the first time on my birthday at the Element so I think I will continue down the spicy path for her birthday! Maybe we will skip lunch and go for supper for the more appropriate tequila taster plank to drink that is right up our alley and sounds like a fun decision.

I can’t wait to go back and be faced with the dilemma of what to order from the Mexican May menu again! I’m already thinking about the Cabo Mussels from PEI with coconut milk, tequila, lime and garlic toast. Maybe some Mexican bacon chips and dip too!

Check it out this weekend and get a seat on the patio, it is the perfect way to celebrate May long weekend! Make your reservation now by visiting www.clubelement.ca! 

To check out our last trip to the Element for Lobsterfest click here.

Mountain Middays - Daily Dose of Weird May 12, 2014- The Cat Came Back... 3 Years Later

From PopDust.com

Today’s Daily Dose of Weird was a happy one. Unfortunately the tsunami that happened in March 2011 in Japan does not have any redeeming factors, but this is a small wonder in the midst of so much tragedy.

After three years Suika that cat has found his way home after surviving the tsunami. Over the weekend Sukia was returned to its owners after being found in a forest in Rikuzentakata. The strangest thing about the story of missing Suika is that he was home alone when the tsunami struck and the house survived the disaster.

The cat did come back… this time 3 years later.

Mountain Middays - Daily Dose of Weird May 09, 2014- The Most Ironic Prison Assignment Ever

Have you watched Orange is the New Black?

Watch it. It has changed the way I look at jail time. In fact it actually has made me fear going to jail more than I did before I watched the show.

All I could think about while I read this story was a character in the show, Red, and what her response would be to this guy. The culprit in this story is a former New York City Police Officer who is behind bars for allegedly planning to take part in cannibalism in real life online.  I think it is great that he is now working to pursue becoming a chef; but it is so ironic and strange.

Part of me wonders if he maybe should have been a chef instead of a police officer. Maybe all of his alleged cannibalistic online crimes would not have happened if he was pursuing his dream to make people food… phrasing. Maybe he should have always been in the kitchen cooking for people… better?

Urg. Choking on irony. 

For more click here.

Castlegar Sculpture Walk Kick-Off 2014

Another sure sign that we are in the last weeks of spring and that Summer 2014 is rapidly approaching

is that Castlegar Sculpture Walk is once again beautifying Downtown Castlegar.

Saturday night it was my pleasure to represent Mountain FM at the Sculpture Walk Opening Gala. Many of the artists were on-hand to meet-and-greet sponsors, volunteers and fans of Sculpture Walk.

The event was held (fittingly) at Kootenay Gallery and catered by the Element Club Bar and Grill.

To be honest with you, I had visited The Element earlier in the day for lunch. If you read this blog you know that I am a BIG fan of the team at the Element and I visit at least once a month to check out the monthly special. This month is Mexican Fiesta and features authentic tastes of Mexico. I'll have a blog with all the mouth-watering details on the amazing new additions to the menu tomorrow.

Now, back to Sculpture Walk talk.

Castlegar can now say that it is “The Sculpture Capital of Canada”, the phrase has been trademarked --- just one of the many happy announcements from last night’s gala.

I have never seen anything quite like Sculpture Walk. I think it is absolutely fabulous. For those who are not familiar with Sculpture Walk it is an impressive mixture of sculptures from local, Canadian and international artists spread throughout town. Sculptures are sponsored by businesses and compete for thousands of dollars in prize money throughout the summer. You can vote on your favourite for the annual People’s Choice Award.

Mountain FM is on the Sculpture Walk route and the work we sponsored last year (“The Green Man” by Daniel Kloc) was constantly being viewed by passers-by and people doing the sculpture walk until it was removed to prepare for this years showcase.

Here is a photo of all the artists that were at the Opening Gala.

For everything you need to know about Castlegar’s Sculpture Walk “The Sculpture Capital of Canada” click here. When you visit the event page you can see work’s that have been part of the previous Sculpture Walk’s and the maps for this year’s exhibition.

If you get a chance, visit Kootenay Gallery and checkout the very talented high school students artwork that is being displayed right now. We were blown away by the local talented youth that have their work displayed at Kootenay Gallery.

Next week I will do the entire walk and update you on it! For now here is our Mountain FM/1035 The Bridge sculpture Echino II by Greg Jones.