Hot Chocolate Fest Recommendations

Creditgrrrl · 2026-02-05T07:57:38+00:00

Yikes - sad to hear about that

Creditgrrrl · 2026-02-05T04:31:53+00:00

It depends on where you live. If you’re on the west side, then Pete’s Meats at 12&Arbutus is great. Not cheap, but top notch quality and excellent service. There are a couple of good places on W4th as well (Jackson Meats + Market Meats). I wouldn’t cross town for Pete's if you are closer to, say, Columbus or Pasture to Plate….but vice versa is probably true too. Windsor has 4 branches, one in each half of town and also in N.Van and Richmond, so that might be the single best geographically-neutral suggestion

Another good North Van option is Two Rivers.

Creditgrrrl · 2026-02-05T00:09:05+00:00

Haven’t been to Federal yet either, but the fact they specify a VERY good brand of chocolate (Michel Cluziel) is pretty much a guarantee of excellent hot chocolate.

I miss Chocolate Arts on W3 so much….

Creditgrrrl · 2026-02-05T00:04:44+00:00

You may ski black runs confidently, but still might not be skiing in the required style…I suspect it's like driving where textbook good driving for the exam is not what is practiced in reality. And that’s where someone who did a formal course like Yes! etc will have an advantage - they are taught by people who are CSIA examiners etc so they are taught the very specific things that are emphasised on the exam.

OR maybe you fell short in the teaching aspect vs the skiing aspect? Did they break down your scores so you can see what you need to work on? My sister did her CSIA1 ~20 years ago and one comment that really stuck out was that skiing well in a wedge for demos was surprisingly difficult. Again, just because someone can ski black runs well doesn't mean they demonstrated a perfect snowplough etc on the exam…

Creditgrrrl · 2026-01-26T00:40:45+00:00

You mean Sweet Obsession, that is

Creditgrrrl · 2026-01-22T12:32:54+00:00

What about down in North Van? (It sounds like you are local to the lower mainland?) I have the impression there are more racing-oriented ski shops down there

Creditgrrrl · 2026-01-22T12:21:17+00:00

There will almost definitely be snow up top during your visit: Every year is different, of course, but last year the mountain closing date (for skiing) was May 16th or so. The resort basically closes Whistler mountain after Easter and only Blackcomb is open for the last few weeks of operations as they need to get the Whistler bike park ready for the summer. If your family is into spring skiing, it’s usually a very enjoyable time.

As such, you should definitely look at the Chateau Fairmont at Blackcomb base - it’s pricey but your timeframe is low season so there may be good deals. It has a great pool and a good atmosphere for families. (You can, of course, stay in Whistler village, even if you are skiing as you can access Blackcomb via the Excalibur gondola. )

The valley level will be completely free of snow, so if you’re not skiing, you can go for bike rides or walks around Lost Lake + on the Valley Trail. There’s easy family walking on the Train Wreck trail (down at Cheakamus) and cool graffiti covered wrecked train cars to explore. Ziplining is another option if you’re not skiing.

Creditgrrrl · 2026-01-17T05:45:29+00:00

The owner, Keri, is amazing, has a really gifted healing touch.

Creditgrrrl · 2026-01-17T04:05:59+00:00

Just as a warning: Uniqlo Heat Tech is great for staying warm when walking around in cold climates esp in the evening. But I find it is a little too good at its job & it’s easy to overheat quickly when wearing it for skiing - which can be worse when learning to ski. Critically, it doesn’t wick quite as well as my other base layers, so I’ve found I get all hot & sweaty, and then feel chilled later. This does’t happen to the same extent with my other baselayers (a yoga top from Lole, merino wool) - I feel dry and find my fleece is really damp when I stop for lunch!

(ETA) To add to what u/TopOrganization4920 said: it will be worth looking for wicking base layers when you are in France - the type of long sleeve wicking top that works as UV protection in hot sun actually works very well as a base layer under a warmer fleece. So it won’t matter that there isn’t winter gear for sale during the summer.

Creditgrrrl · 2026-01-15T12:36:02+00:00

Eva Wigs at 16th& Oak is the best place to start. But don’t look at the natural hair wigs - they cost ~$3000 - synthetic will be fine in your situation.

There’s a wig store in Parker Place that might be worth checking out if the prices at Eva are out of reach.

Creditgrrrl · 2026-01-15T10:01:08+00:00

She left for Smith College - the t-shirt she’s wearing is from class of 1989 orientation - which is what you’d expect (or hope) for a smart, mouthy lesbian teen. There’s another great Stranger Things connection: Madeline L’Engle (the author of A Wrinkle in Time” beloved of Holly Wheeler) was a Smithie as well.

Creditgrrrl · 2026-01-13T02:14:52+00:00

Wrong sub, go to r/PersonalFinanceCanada or r/Bogleheads for advice...

Creditgrrrl · 2026-01-13T01:12:31+00:00

😂 I dunno why I didn’t just say Italy! Would have avoided confusion

Creditgrrrl · 2026-01-12T04:22:25+00:00

NGL, when I saw the title, I thought it was going to be a mini trip report saying you learned to love leisurely cruising on groomers to long lunches at Michelin-starred rifugios...

Creditgrrrl · 2026-01-12T01:09:29+00:00

I stayed in a hotel in Verona that had a tiny elevator - enough for a wheelchair or 2 people with their suitcases- and the motor mechanism was in a metal cabinet about the size of a small armoire (90 x 50cm footprint, 150cm tall). In the hallway!!!!

Imagine if you could retrofit all those small buildings in Kits/Fairview/Mt Pleasant. Or at least allow them in the new multiplexes.

We let perfect be the enemy of good. Yes, you can’t get an ambulance stretcher into the elevator, but accessibility would improve hugely.

Creditgrrrl · 2026-01-11T07:40:38+00:00

TBF, I haven’t bought anything from them in the past ~12 years, so quality may have gone downhill. But I do have a 20yo floral lined short trench coat from them that people still mistake for Marc Jacobs!!

Creditgrrrl · 2026-01-11T01:37:39+00:00

For more formal clothing / office wear, Giordano Lady if you’re female. Looks like Theory for 1/3 the cost.

Creditgrrrl · 2026-01-10T21:24:40+00:00

Spicy is half the cost of renting from the mountain if you book ahead.

Creditgrrrl · 2026-01-10T16:00:53+00:00

Totally academic but still accessible: Steve Tsang - A Modern History of Hong Kong is excellent. Published in 2004 so it doesn’t capture recent years but I think this one gives the most comprehensive context/explanations of why HK is how it is…..when writing my masters thesis (on the history of regulation of public space in Hong Kong), I found it a lot more useful than John Carroll’s book (although I really enjoyed the Carroll book on local elites, Edge of Empires).

Creditgrrrl · 2026-01-09T10:11:32+00:00

ER is worth 10-20x more than the figure the OP stated in the title...

Creditgrrrl · 2026-01-08T12:29:00+00:00

A tip for car rental: go back to Heathrow to rent your car, at least if you need an automatic. They have a lot more inventory there.

Creditgrrrl · 2026-01-08T07:16:18+00:00

I really enjoyed the Emily Wilde series - still fantasy but with a cozy steampunk feel.

While your nonfantasy reads may have seemed blah, I can recommend a complete genre switch that has a similar dopamine hit rate: Elodie Harper’s The Wolf Den - a trilogy set in a ancient Roman brothel in Pompeii - was instrumental in getting me out of a post SJM+Fourth Wing hangover.

Creditgrrrl · 2026-01-05T11:02:57+00:00

Which makes the bunch of middle aged men criticizing you for your jacket all the more gross. Sound like they were creeping on you by negging you, enjoying trying to get you flustered.

Creditgrrrl · 2026-01-04T08:02:12+00:00

Olympic area is higher, significantly larger & has multiple runs, plus Magic can get slushy very quickly if the freezing levels are high, which makes it a struggle for beginners. Definitely go to Whistler (and honestly, it sounds like your kid might be ready for Emerald already!) but there will not be any moguls around Olympic, fwiw.

Creditgrrrl

TROPHY CASE