the deadly duo at sita's is melt in the mouth yum

it's a pasta restaurant - so you will be eating carbs here & lots of them.

The arctic system that is hitting us right now might not make it feel like spring is almost here. But it is, kinda sorta and the good news is that carbs are back in! Ish. Anyway, we have a good excuse to chow down some pasta now that Sita's Spag Shack has opened up in its new location in Upper Gibsons. The fact that the car park is jammed full every night makes us really wanna be first in line for a table.

For someone like me who loved the quaint charm of the old location in lower Gibsons with those breathtaking views, the move into the space which formerly housed Robbie's Pancake House was kind of puzzling. It's like going from Le Jules Verne on the top of the Eiffel Tower (voted the restaurant with the world's best view) to well errr Upper Gibsons - enough said. Anyway, the new Sita's is a no-frills space but the addition of the sports bar gets a big thumbs up! Though who the heck really cares where Sita's goes as long as it still has the Deadly Duo on the menu. The ribs+spag combo is to die for, without doubt the best ribs on the Coast - the kind that fall off the bone and melt in your mouth. Divine. The menu still offers all its staples including nice, fresh apps, and a decent selection of drinks of the alcoholic kind but it's the pasta itself that is the main attraction. 

What’s also cool is that they do take reservations, and believe me, you betta make one or you could find yourself waiting an hour for a table. Cause even though they now have a bigger space, they still have a few thousand fans on the Coast who would eat there every night if they could. 

Sita's Spag Shack, 851 Gibsons Way, tel 604-886-7721

super bowl sunday

There's the smell of liniment and testosterone in the air this morning and that's because it's Super Bowl Sunday... not your odiferous hangover (though god help you if it is!)

We all know that there's no better way to cure a hangover than the hair of the dog. Combine that with a major sporting event and you've got the perfect excuse to get back on it again. And the best place to do that today is my 'home away from home', Grammas Pub in Gibsons. Gramma's has put on quite the Super Bowl special, for 10 bucks you get a bottle of ice cold bud, 1lb of wings and loads of chances to win prizes, including a 32 inch flat screen HD TV. Doors open at 11am so you just have to roll out of bed and plonk yourself in front of one of their big screens to catch all the action.

For details see Grammaspub.com

saturday's a laugh

Sometimes we just need to have a good laugh - whether it's at ourselves, or at someone else's expense. Tonight should offer some side-stitch funny moments as long as you're prepared to drag yourself off the couch. And really, there's no excuse cause both Gibsons and Sechelt are putting on the shows.

The totally cheesey Neil Diamond wannabe 'Nearly Neil' is getting his groove-on on stage at the Lighthouse Pub in Sechelt at 9pm. You gotta love a sparkly night out with Neil belting out his classics, Sweet Caroline and Cherry. It's the kind of thing that small towns excel at. There's no nightclub on the lower Sunshine Coast, but we DO have Nearly Neil who comes our way every now and again to save us from the Winter blues. The Lighthouse also has some great pub nosh on the menu - potato skins, chicken wings, and some totally indulgent burgers. So start fine-tuning your disco moves and bring them out with you tonight - the wackier they are, the more you'll giggle! The show costs $12 and is usually a sell-out.

For those in Gibsons who think the 25 minute drive to Sechelt is just too arduous, then try the laugh-out-loud, politically incorrect Yuk Yuk's stand up comedy show at Gibsons Cinema. Totally shameless about taking a dig at everyone and everything - ethnicity, lifestyle and political beliefs are all fair game during this 2-hour skit. Does anyone feel another Ricky Gervais Golden Globes moment coming on? Just be prepared to roll with the punches! Ticket prices range from $18 to $25 and the show is on at 8pm.

eat: chinese new year

It takes A LOT to drag me away from the Thursday night Prime Rib Special at Grammas, but Benjamins have come out with a Chinese New Year menu that just might tempt me.

Tonight (Thurs 3 Feb) they're having a Year of the Rabbit buffet bonanza with two of my favorites on offer - Roast Duck and Chinese Custard Tarts. Mmm. Let's hope the roast duck comes with pancakes, but this is Gibsons, not Chinatown, so it may well not.

The buffet is $25.00 per head or $45.00 for 2 people. Phone 604 886 1646 for details and reservations.

home sweet home

My boyfriend's mom is about to undertake the daunting task of holding an open house. As to be expected, there's been plenty of talk recently about design and style and what people look for when they're thinking of buying a house. The thing is, she has the sweetest little home with some amazing vintage pieces but like most 1950s houses it needs a little refining before it's put on display. She also happens to be a fabulous artist (what to do with all the paintings?!). It got me thinking walls, colored cushions, textures, mirrors - all the things we can do to highlight the 'English Cottage' feel of the house while also giving it a modern twist. I found most of these images on Miss Moss' site. The girl has a wicked eye for design.

If you're on the hunt for house knick knacks on the Coast there are PLENTY of rad places so make sure you check them out. The Swallow's Nest in upper Gibsons is a must, as are ReDecor and Redfish in Sechelt. There are tonnes of others also worth sticking your nose into too (the Trading Post in Lower Gibsons is a guilty pleasure for vintage finds). Happy home styling!

Images: Miss Moss

farewell beautiful swan

I was saddened to hear today that Canada's first principal ballerina for the National Ballet, Lois Smith, passed away last weekend. Lois retired to Sechelt in 1988, though she continued to be involved in the dance scene on the Coast helping to establish the Sunshine Coast Dance Society.

A memorial will be held for Lois on Friday 28th January at 1 p.m. at Gibsons United Church and will be followed by a gathering. Everyone is welcome to attend. 

Images: Ballet.ca, Artsalive.ca

dedicated follower of fashion

I love my Beatles and I love my fashion. My favorite go-to store on the Coast for vintage finds is Starlet Vintage. If the posters plastered around Gibsons haven't been enough to drive you in store, then a few of these pieces should tip you over the edge. The storefront for Starlet Vintage is located in Molly's Lane but they also have an online shop with etsy (etsy.com/shop/starletvintage) which carries an incredible range of vintage pieces. These are a snapshot of some of my current faves.

Left to right and top to bottom:

1950s Vintage kelly green dress
1980s Vintage briefcase style black convertible bag
1970s Suede gray vintage skirt
1970s Vintage dark chocolate leather jacket
1980s Vintage sand suede cowboy boots
1960s Vintage cloppenburg brown felt hat
1980s Scarlet and gold angel sleeve dress
1980s Chocolate velvet vintage envelope clutch
1970s Vintage classic white shirt
1960s Oatmeal Vintage faux fur jacket
1980s Vintage fur lined suede boots
1960s Vintage olive green straw fedora
1980s Chocolate velvet vintage envelope clutch
1980s Vintage red suede elf boot
1980s Vintage classic black leather pencil skirt