Deep in the heart of Derbyshire, the village of Duffield and its surrounding area are home to some of the best pubs in England. From affordable, quality pints and bites served in 17th century snugs and riverfront locales to a delightful wine bar and some of the best wood-fired pizza outside of Naples, Duffield's pub game is strong. Here are some of my favourites. The post Pubs to Visit in the Heart of Derbyshire appeared first on West Coast City Girl ..read more

Picture this: Savoury sandwiches, fluffy scones with jam and cream, mini sweet treats that pack a tiny but mighty punch of cheer, served on a pretty three-tiered tray… getting hungry? I’m salivating just writing that. And let’s not forget the pretty pots of piping hot tea, to be enjoyed from delicate porcelain cups in a comfortable, yet elegant, setting. This is afternoon tea, a much-loved British custom, and one of my favourite activities to enjoy in good company.  I recently enjoyed a day trip with a fab afternoon tea at the World of Wedgwood in nearby Stoke-on-Trent in Staffordshire. A ..read more

The Distillery Bar + Kitchen in Yaletown makes excellent whisky cocktails and their Yaletown Distilling Co. just launched their first small batch whisky in February. (To go with their house made vodka and gin!) With the idea of making more use of my own cocktail set, I recently got behind the bar with their Bar Manager, Roman Kardos, for a whisky cocktail tutorial. The post City Girl Whisky Diary: Making Whisky Cocktails at The Distillery in Vancouver appeared first on West Coast City Girl ..read more

Wine Thursday is a weekly tradition where me and The Brit try a new wine or re-explore a favourite. These are the BC wines we've sipped and savoured in 2020 — all great value for money and accessible for all budgets. The post Welcome to Wine Thursday appeared first on West Coast City Girl ..read more

Keen to still get your favourite BC wines during lockdown? Fear not, many BC wineries are offering free delivery across the province. Sharing some under $30 favourites from three wineries I love. April is BC Wine Month. And this year, we celebrate BC wines from home instead of in winery tasting rooms. I'm a little late to sharing this with you, but there's still a few days left---and really, every month should be BC Wine Month, don't you think? As we navigate COVID-19, many BC wineries are offering deals and free delivery and for BC residents. So for anyone not comfortable going to the liquor ..read more

Sharing affordable BC wines priced $35 and under. All perfect for gifts or to add to your holiday season wine rack this Christmas. It's the most wonderful time of the year, and in my world, wine usually plays a big part of a) festive meals and b) gifts (both given and received). Between said meals and gifts, that can get expensive. Similar to this summer's affordable wines post, Town Hall Brands partnered with me this holiday season to share some affordable BC wines to help you celebrate in quality #GetThrifty style. The Brit and I tasted seven lovely BC wines over the last couple of mont ..read more

Enjoying craft beer, West Coast City Girl style. Practical tips and tricks for enjoying a day or evening of hoppy libation with fun, grace and gumption. While summer tends to host the bulk of the adult beverage festivals in BC, they happen year round. Particularly in Vancouver and Victoria. The Brit and I recently attended the immensely popular Great Canadian Beer Festival (GCBF) for the first time, and I think it's one of my favourite festivals I've been to---and the weather was perfect! Because the blog has become a little more liquid focused, I've attended a lot of craft beer event ..read more

With summer shining through, it's time to sip some lighter wines; pretty Rosés, crisp whites and, and plummy Pinot Noirs. And let's not forget some vibrant bubbly to toast at all the events of what I like to call 'celebrate everything' season. (Weddings, birthdays, bridal and baby showers, graduations, barbecues, you name it... It's that time of year.) Over the years, I've become more conscious of shopping, eating, and drinking local. The reality of this is that it's not always budget-friendly. But the good news is that there are many quality, affordable BC wines available in the #GetThrifty ..read more

If you're not from the UK (or have been living under a rock since Harry married Meghan), your first question is possibly "Where is Sussex?". Answer: Sussex is in south-east England. Your next question might likely "England has a wine country?" Answer: Yes. East Sussex wine country. Actually, wine countries, plural. And they make damn good wine. When you think of England in terms of alcoholic beverages, you might think of an ale or bitter; maybe a a refreshing gin and tonic. Likely not wine. But East Sussex wine country happens to have soil very friendly to the grapes used for sparkling and Ros ..read more

Continuing with our #friendsinbeerplaces road trip along the Coastal Ale Trail... When I travel,  I'm all about convenience, efficiency, and quality. No set order. All three things come in handy when exploring, but sometimes you need to go the extra mile (or ferry) in order to find quality. The road less travelled, if you will. And that is why the Brit and I are big fans of Love Shack Libations and Townsite Brewing - they are craft breweries that go the extra mile for their customers, which makes going off the beaten path completely worth it. The post Coastal BC Craft Breweries That Make ..read more