(SOLD) Buy me! And live in the Foothills of Vernon.

Post by Saffron Quist

*Saffron is a Licensed Realtor with Venture Realty Corp. This property is listed with MLS #10207128*


Looking out from The Foothills, this lovely lady is ready for her new family!

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Showing off her lengthy windows, this girl has some extra height in the living room with a lofted upper floor and double-sided fireplace. Her kitchen has undergone a few “procedures” making her appear even younger and fresher than most of the other girls on the block. On her backside, you’ll find things to be flat in all the right places and well manicured.

With 3 bedrooms up and 1 down, plus 3 full bathrooms, she’s the perfect host for a young family or crew that likes to vacation in the Okanagan. And, she’s a Sommelier!.. offering up your favourite wines at just the right temperature and vintage from her cellar. She will share her views of both Kalamalka and Okanagan Lakes with you and send you skiing up to Silver Star, which is practically next door.

This lady is not only elegant, she’s also functional. She knows that a well organized laundry room, bright office, large bonus room, soaker tub with a view, and super gigantic walk-in closet are all a essential.

No speculation tax in Vernon. Offered at $649,500

-View the MLS Listing-

CLICK HERE FOR A 3D TOUR 👇

7074 Foothills Pl, Vernon, BC V1B, 2Y4.

OR SCROLL THE ALBUM 👇

7074 FOOTHILLS PLACE 👇

To arrange a date, contact your matchmaker!

And if you don’t have one of those, give your Buyer-Agent a call.

And if you don’t have either of those contact Kara Torgasows at Venture Realty Corp!


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Kara Torgasows

Venture Realty Corp

250-859-5901

kara@venturerealtycorp.ca


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1593 Ellis Street Kelowna

774-484-5322

venturerealtycorp.ca

Galentine's Day Date Ideas

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What more could a woman need in life than a tribe of incredible soul-sisters, a stack of fresh waffles, and an excuse to get together to celebrate each other? Well, that’s what Galentine’s Day is all about! Gal-ah-what’s day? GALENTINE’S DAY, you guys! The day before Valentine’s Day! Feb. 13? Ever heard of it?

Let’s pause for a second to appreciate the wise words of Parks and Recreation’s Leslie Knope, who didn’t create Galentine’s Day, per se, but certainly helped launch it into the mainstream:

 
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Ya feel? We feel! So much so, that the ladies of Do the Okanagan got together to celebrate Galentine’s Day early this year, by…

  • playing ping pong at Hotel Zed Kelowna’s Ping Pong Lounge

  • enjoying the finest local pizza from DunnEnzies (seriously - so so good!)

  • partaking in an assortment of adult drinks, featuring Kristen’s three current favourite wines (Bling Rose by The View Winery, Reserve Merlot by Hester Creek, and Autumn Gold by Wild Goose Winery)

  • and enjoying the most delicious dessert you could ask for: Okanagan Ice Pops’ boozy Valentini popsicles and The. Most. Delicious. Candied Nuts. Ever from Sweet Hoopla.

  • And so we could enjoy our drinks (and because most of our team is Vernon-based), the amazing people at A1 Bus Ltd actually took care of the driving. Fun and safe - we would have made Leslie Knope proud!

Photos by the talented Aimie Roussel, Carousel Studios

View full photo album here


If you want to celebrate your fellow babes on Feb. 13 (or any day, for that matter!), here are NINE awesome things to do around the Central and North Okanagan!

 
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Correales’ Wine Cellar

The only thing more fun than drinking wine is making it - yourself! With help! Drop by Correales’ Wine Cellar (in VERNON) with your girlfriends before heading out to your evening Galentine’s Day activity. Pick your wine and labels, and “pitch the yeast”. You’ll need to come back in 4 to 14 weeks (depending on the wine) to bottle your wine.

SWEET PROMOTION: Mention DoTheOkangan.com, and Correales will send you away with one complimentary bottle for your evening, a $15 discount off your batch, and free personalized labels and shrink wraps. YUSSS!!

 
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Hotel Zed’s Ping Pong Lounge

If you didn’t know that Hotel Zed in downtown Kelowna had a Ping Pong Lounge, you do now! And … you’re welcome!

Kelowna’s Ping Pong Lounge is a bright and sunny space with ample room to sit and chill out or - of course- play ping pong! There’s also a Wii station, lots of games, and cozy nooks for reading or chatting.

 
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A1 Bus Ltd

Leave your keys at home and hop on the bus - and we don’t mean public transit (although that’s also a great option, too!). A1 Bus Ltd, for example, provides group transportation for, well, anyone! They have passenger vans and coaches for as few as 15 guests, and as many as 37 (hats off to you if your Galentine’s Day group is that big!). They’ll take you anywhere, but we recommend WINE TOURS! Booya!

 
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Just For You Spa

Get your relaxation ON with a glorious side-by-side service with your bestie at Just For You Spa in Vernon. Side-by-side spa services include pedicures, manicures, massages or facials (ummm … yes to all of those!), and as someone who has booked a “couples massage” with her best friend in the past, I (Kristen) can attest to how awesome it is!

 
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Not just for lumberjacks! Get out some good ol’-fashioned aggression by launching an axe at a bullseye. Cheaper than therapy! (although therapy’s great, too).

  • In KELOWNA: Axe Monkeys. Offering a variety of sharp throwable weapons, this is a great spot to join friends and burn off steam. Book a one-hour or two-hour session, or kick it up a notch in the rage room.

  • In VERNON: Beyond Belief. Throw axes - in Vernon! Book a one-hour or two-hour spot, or check out their league nights and special occasion options.

 
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Let your creative side out with a Paint Night outing. Paint Nite (by Yaymaker) is hosting two Feb. 13 paint night events:

  • VERNON: Taking place at Wings at 7 p.m. Find all the details here, including discount codes!

  • KELOWNA: Taking place at Wings (in Rutland) at 7 p.m. Find all the details here, including discount codes!

Included in your ticket is the painting adventure and a glass of Wings house wine.

 
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Throw some heavy balls around while imbibing your favourite hard or soft beverage at BNA Brewing in downtown Kelowna. Make reservations for one of their 10-pin bowling lanes from 5 to 8 p.m. (after that they are available on a FCFS basis). Lanes are $35/hr, and can accommodate up to six people (but if your group is larger, you can book side-by-side lanes). Orrrr hit up the bocce lane! (Kristen recommends). Bonus: The food is great!

 
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Put your collective thinking hats on and to problem-solve your way out of an escape room! (Spoiler: They don’t actually LOCK the doors on you). Most rooms take an hour to solve (or not solve, depending on how clever/sober you are), and we can attest to how amazingly fun they are. Check them out:

 
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“We need to remember what’s important in life: Friends, Waffles, Work. Or: Waffles, Friends, Work. Doesn’t matter. But work is third.” - Leslie Knope

  • EATology, 3100 30 St., VERNON - open until 3 p.m. on Feb. 13.

  • The Jammery, 8038 HWY 97, LAKE COUNTRY - open until 3 p.m. on Feb. 13.

  • IHOP, 1950 Harvey Ave., KELOWNA- open until 10 p.m. on Feb. 13.

 

Happy Galentine's Day to all you beautiful tropical fishes!

It's time to kick it breakfast-style.

 
 

Monsters of the OKV: The biggest and baddest wines!


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Welcome to Monsters of the Okanagan: A comparison of some of the biggest and baddest wines in the valley.

I guarantee you’ve heard of one of these, if not all, and you may think some are missing, which they are, but hey, we scrounged up what we could from our cellars and liquor stores and ended up with a pretty insane line up of 2015’s.   

Before we got too far ahead of ourselves, it’s important to know this is an opinion piece, and NOT another Battle of the Okanagan article, so there’s no holding back. 

2015 was one of the hottest and longest summers we’ve had in a very long time – perfect for growing monster black grapes. I read an article that said 2015 was the best growing season the Okanagan has seen in a century (Google it) and that’s a pretty bold statement. That was four years ago and with wines like these, four years of age, almost makes them ideal for drinking RIGHT NOW!!  Mind you, a few more years in the cellar probably wouldn’t hurt since they could easily handle 7 – 10 years....or more. These wines are complex, bold, voluptuous, savoury, face ripping, long, outright delicious and any of them could’ve taken the prize as our....scariest monster?  

The price range was roughly between $45-$60, other than one, who was our winner of Battle of the Okanagan red blends - 2015 Young & Wyse Black Sheep Blend which sells for $28.  As the winner of the red blends category I was really curious to see how well it would hold up against these bad boys.  As a benchmark, we’ve included the Prisoner from California.  We all know the reputation California has for its big reds and the Prisoner is a favourite of many, plus it’s within the same price point, so it’s a great measuring stick. Okanagan wines also have a bit of a reputation of being overpriced, so why not compare our “expensive” wines to a wine from California in the same range and see where we stand.

There were eight of us sitting around the table sampling the wines blind, what else is new, our scoring was to rate the wine out of 10 and It didn’t matter how we came up with our number, because in the end, we totaled all the scores and divided by eight to get an average.   We also had a lot of appetizers to help soak up the wines and part of the judgment was to see how they paired with the food and if the pairing was good, then most of us gave an extra half point, sometimes even a full point.  

Before we start, you’ll notice there was a Culima – Hypothesis in the initial group photo and that was a 2011, so it wasn’t part of this comparison. It was a wine to get our palate started and for those who have a bottle of the 2011, I’d suggest drinking it now, just an FYI. 

Now, let’s get into the wines and find out who’s who…

THE WINES

 
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Lariana Cellars, Fifteen

  • $44.90

  • 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Syrah and 17% Carménère

  • Osoyoos, B.C.

My favourite winery that I haven’t been to. I had their 13 at the Black Hills winemakers dinner two years ago and was seriously impressed, I told everyone I could, and now everyone I know has been to Lariana, yet I still haven’t been. It’s sad. They are an Okanagan secret and at the top my list of wineries to visit. 

Our comments:


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Cassini Cellars, Maximus

  • $48.95

  • 60% Cabernet Franc, 16% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot, 8% Malbec

  • Oliver, B.C. - South Okanagan

There are a couple wines I can speak to from Cassini, but in this article it’s all about the Maximus. Remember what I said about being face ripping, well, that’s the Maximus, by far the most aggressive wine of the bunch. 

Our comments:


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The Prisoner, California Blend

  • $54.99 

  • California blend

  • St. Helena, California - Napa Valley

Like I said earlier, this is a bottle that most wine drinkers know about. It was my wife’s favourite when we first met and lots of people I know love this wine. It was a great wine to have for us to compare against. 

Comments: 


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Osoyoos Larose, Le Grand Vin

  • $47.99

  • 71% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon 5% Petit Verdot and 4% Malbec

  • Osoyoos, B.C. - South Okanagan

Another winery I’ve yet to visit.  I’ve had the Le Grand Vin a number of times and never been disappointed.  It was the first monster I had from the Okanagan, oh so many years ago, and was my benchmark big red for years. 

Comments: 


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Young & Wyse, Black Sheep Blend

  • $28.60 (60% Cabernet Sauvignon

  • 20% Zinfandel, 10% Merlot, and 10% Malbec

  • Osoyoos, B.C. - South Okanagan

Please read Battle of the Okanagan – Red Blends for more on the Black Sheep Blend.  I’m not sure how happy Young & Wyse is with me for putting this wine up against wines twice its price, but I really do think our readers are just as curious on how it’ll do as I am.     

Comments: 


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Laughing Stock, Portfolio

  • $44.99

  • 45% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Cabernet Franc, 4% Malbec, 1% Petit Verdot

  • Penticton, B.C. - South Okanagan

I may as well be honest, this is my favourite wine from the Okanagan, it’s the wine I’ve been buying every year since I tried the 2010 vintage.  Laughing Stock is another small winery doing big things.  It’s located in Naramata and tastings are only by appointment, so it’s not meant for one of your impromptu wine tours. 

Comments: 


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Black Hills, Nota Bene

  • $59.90

  • 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38%, Merlot, 16% Cabernet Franc

  • Oliver, B.C. - South Okanagan

If you haven’t heard of the Note Bene, then you’ve probably been living under a rock over the last several years.  This could be, if not, the most popular monster from the Okanagan, it’s the one everyone seems to know of and name drops when asked about the big wines from the Okanagan.    

Comments:


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Fairview Cellars, The Bear

  • $49.50

  • Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot) with Cabernet Sauvignon being at least 50% of the blend, sometimes reaching as high as 75%. 

  • Oliver, B.C. - South Okanagan

Another winery that I haven’t been to…yet.  I had a different of the vintage of the Bear a while ago and was impressed on the quality and structure, it certainly was a monster. The owner says they won’t submit bottles for competitions, but this article isn’t a competition and an opinion piece, so fingers crossed I’m not crossing any lines here.  

Comments:


 

THE RESULTS

As expected, every wine was amazing, however with eight bottles that are all so close in quality, you’d be surprised to hear there was one that really did stand out.

Out of the eight judges six gave it a perfect score and the other two, they were close to perfect. No other bottle throughout the night received a perfect score, so that says a lot!  Maybe the bottle was in that perfect spot to drink whereas the rest weren’t, or maybe it’s just that much better, who knows. 

The Laughing Stock Portfolio was the wine that took it and that makes me happy. Not only because it’s the bottle I buy year after year, but it also beat out the Prisoner.

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Want more? Read up on all things WINE on the Blog!


6 Fun Things To Do In Kelowna's Mission

By KRISTEN THOMPSON


Looking to spend a lovely fall day in Kelowna? We spent a sunny, crisp Sunday in the Mission (part Lower, part Upper) with no plans whatsoever, seeing where the day took us. And man, did we have a great day! Follow along on our adventure, and check out these six great Mission-area spots:

 

1. Barn Owl Brewing

What: We started our Mission adventure by fuelling up at Kelowna’s newest (don’t quote me on that) brewery, Barn Owl Brewing. The kids were thrilled with the snack options (Munch Mix and pepperoni sticks?! YES!). The renovated heritage barn features an incredible, spacious upstairs with cozy seating, board games and even shuffle board. Plus there’s a patio!

FYI: Open 7 days a week. You can order in pizza from DunnEnzies across the street!

Where: 4629 Lakeshore Rd, KELOWNA (see map below)


2. Don O Ray Farms

What: The kids have been begging us to get pumpkins, and since we’d never been to Don-O-Ray Farms before, this seemed like the perfect spot to stop. Right on Benvoulin, this family-run farm features a market with fresh produce and local groceries (we picked up fall veggies, butter chicken, and samosas!). In the fall, there are fresh-from-the-field pumpkins and decorative gourds. There’s also petting zoo and hedge maze as part of the Don O Ray Farm Adventure, but these attractions are seasonal.

FYI: The farm will be hosting a drop-in fall photoshoot event on Sunday, Oct. 22! More info here

Where: 3443 Benvoulin Road KELOWNA (see map below)


3. Summerhill Pyramid Winery

What: Summerhill Pyramid Winery has been one of our family’s favourite spots since moving to Kelowna. The views are spectacular, there are games for the kids out front, the restaurant serves delicious, locally-sourced food, and we love their wine. Bonus: They’re passionate about organic and biodynamic farming.

FYI: Summerhill uses no animal byproducts in its wine-making, and is therefore vegan friendly. More info here.

Where: 4870 Chute Lake Road, KELOWNA (see map below)


What: Hands down, Quilchena Park is our kids’ favourite playground in Kelowna. This amazing spot up in beautiful Kettle Valley has tons of play structures, is appropriate for toddlers all the way up to big kids, and has a giant tube slide! In the summer, the splash pad is a perfect way to keep cool.

FYI: We wrote more about this awesome park here.

Where: 5636 Jasper Way, KELOWNA (see map below)


5. DunnEnzies Pizza

What: Pizza! On the patio! We’ve always loved DunnEnzies, and their Lower Mission location has an amazing outdoor patio underneath a lovely mature tree, overlooking a grassy lawn. We ordered breakfast pizza and tacos (all of which was delicious), and the kids loved playing in the grassy area.

FYI: Mission location is dog-friendly. You can also find DunnEnzies downtown, at Landmark, and at the Airport Village. More info here.

Where: ​4638 Lakeshore Rd, KELOWNA (see map below)


6. It’s a Bakery

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What: Our Mission adventure came full circle with a trip to It’s a Bakery (next door to Barn Owl Brewing) for an afternoon pick-me-up: A sweet treat for the kids, and caffeine for the grownups. They’ve got lots of house-made breads and sweets, as well as grab-and-go lunch items, but we were particularly excited about all the pumpkin spiced options (we blogged about it here).

FYI: Learn more about It’s a Bakery by checking out their website.

Where: ​4629 Lakeshore Rd, KELOWNA (see map below)


CLICK HERE to customize map!

Fall Bucket List (free printable)

Fall is upon us! *twirls with hands in air as leaves fall all around* And we want you to get outside and enjoy the best of the Okanagan this season. So we’ve made the ultimate Fall-in-the-Okanagan Bucket List (scroll down a bit to print this off at home), featuring our favourite things to do in September and October! (Made in collaboration with The Local Gift Card).

Check any of these items off, and tag us in your pictures! Have fun! And enjoy your fall :)

 
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FALL BUCKET LIST ON THE BLOG

We’ve been crossing off some of the ideas in our September Bucket List, and blogging about it. Check it out, and let us know if you get the chance to try any of these awesome activities!