The “New” Seasons in the Park: Same Fabulous Views, New Attitude

Seasons in the Park Restaurant. Photo: Sequoia Company of Restaurants

There are few restaurants in Vancouver that can boast views as breathtaking as those at Seasons in the Park Restaurant. Perched on a hillside atop Queen Elizabeth Park—the highest point in the city—the restaurant’s floor-to-ceiling windows and rustic patio take full advantage of the gorgeous vistas of downtown Vancouver’s skyline and the northern mountains. It’s one of the Top 5 Vancouver Restaurants with a View.

I had lunch at Seasons in the Park last week and was surprised to discover that this local favourite has been quietly making substantial changes over the last year. In the past, Seasons was best known as a fine-dining destination, a place for celebrations, family reunions, and other special occasions. Today’s Seasons is still worthy of special events, but it’s evolving away from its former “fine-dining” designation to a more relaxed one: it has changed its menu to include a wide variety of reasonably-priced (though still delicious) casual fare, has extensively renovated its Winebar, and has launched a new cocktail list, too.

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The “New” Seasons in the Park: Same Fabulous Views, New Attitude

Top 5 Vancouver Parks for Strollers & Wheelchairs

Paved walkways perfect for wheels at Queen Elizabeth Park Quarry Garden. Photo: Dana Lynch

As the mother of a one-year old, I’m always looking for places to take the kid. When the weather is gorgeous, one of Vancouver’s beautiful parks should be the ideal day trip. But not all of Vancouver’s great outdoor spaces are stroller- or wheelchair-friendly. And there’s nothing more disappointing than reaching your destination only to realize that you can’t actually do anything while there.

So I’ve compiled a quick list of the Top 5 Best Vancouver Parks for Strollers & Wheelchairs:

1. Queen Elizabeth Park
Queen Elizabeth Park is the perfect wheelchair- and stroller-accessible park. Not only can you wind your way through both its quarry gardens on wheels (there are even wheelchair symbols painted on the pathways to guide you), you can enjoy the top of the park, too, including the dancing fountains and Bloedel Floral Conservatory.

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Top 5 Vancouver Parks for Strollers & Wheelchairs

Vancouver Summer Gardens: Queen Elizabeth Park

Flower bed at Queen Elizabeth Park. Photo by Dana Lynch

I often think that, given all the hype Vancouver beaches get every summer (rightly so—our beaches are amazing), people forget about our other, equally gorgeous outdoor spaces: Vancouver’s gardens.

I know I’m not alone in loving Vancouver’s gardens; they attract millions of visitors every year. And summer is the time to visit: the weather is better and seeing everything in bloom is just magical.

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Vancouver Summer Gardens: Queen Elizabeth Park

New Life for Vancouver’s Tropical Conservatory

A story in the Vancouver Sun last week announced a new proposal to save the Bloedel Conservatory, the giant biodome high atop Queen Elizabeth Park that houses a range of exotic plants, birds and fish.   According to the report, authorities are considering merging the conservatory with nearby VanDusen Gardens, creating a kind of one-stop shop for garden and nature lovers.  This is promising news for fans of the conservatory, who learned last year that the iconic landmark was losing money and threatened with closure by the city.

I recently had a chance to check out the conservatory, which – at 43 meters in diameter and 21 meters in height – is the second largest domed conservatory in the world.   The moment you step into the giant dome, you’re greeted with a blast of warm, moist tropical air (especially nice on a rainy Vancouver weekend).  Pass through the tiny gift shop, pay your admission (a steal at $5 for adult tickets) and suddenly you find yourself in a a dense rainforest.

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New Life for Vancouver’s Tropical Conservatory

Rumble in the Jungle: Bloedel Conservatory Fundraising Gala January 30

A couple of weeks ago, I posted about the upcoming closure (due to a budget shortfall) on April 30, 2010, of the Bloedel Floral Conservatory, the domed nature conservatory that sits atop Queen Elizabeth Park.

If you’re as upset about the impending closure as I am, you have a chance to do something fun and helpful this coming weekend: attend the Rumble in the Jungle fundraising gala on January 30, 2010.

Organized by the non-profit Friends of the Bloedel to raise funds to keep the Conservatory open, the Rumble in the Jungle gala will be a night to remember. Taking place at the Conservatory itself, 200 – 300 guests will enjoy jungle-themed food and drink, Tahitian fire dancers, live music from Vancouver musician Dal Richards, and “surprises galore”.

Tickets for Rumble in the Jungle are $125 each or $200 for a pair, and are available from Southlands Nursery, 655 Balaclava St. (604-261-6411), Bacci’s at 2788 Granville St. (604-733-4933) and Thomas Hobbs Florist, 2129 West 41st Ave. (604-261-5998).

For more information, call Terri Clark at 778-866-9875 or John Coupar at 604-818-2756, two of the event’s organizers.

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