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Football

It’s a great matchup on paper, with the NFL’s top quarterback (Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs, a number 10 draft pick) against San Francisco 49ers signal caller Brock Purdy, a kid taken last in the NFL draft in 2022, 262nd overall. It’s also a fun matchup of cities that are quite unalike; one smack dab in the middle of the American heartland and solid as Midwestern rock; the other perched on the edge of the continent and known for its breezy, live for today attitude. Here’s a look at the two cities. Full disclosure: I grew up in Read more

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It’s almost Valentine’s Day, and that means it’s time for romance. The folks at Ubuy.com looked at TripAdvisor data to score each European capital city for romance. The criteria included the number of fine dining restaurants, 5-star hotels, and romantic tours. A romantic tour only gets one point, which I don’t understand. I also would put more emphasis on a five-star hotel than an expensive restaurant, if only because you’re likely to have more time to enjoy a hotel than a restaurant. It’s a tad arbitrary, and it doesn’t take the look or feel of a city into account. But Read more

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Sports travel has become big business around the world, and Canadians are doing their part. We’re also seeing a good deal of Canadian interest in visiting the U.S. A report released today by Expedia, Hotels.com, and Vrbo finds that almost half (42%) of Canadian sports fans were more likely to travel and see a game on the road rather than attending a game at home or in their closest sports city1.   The Sports Travel Road Game Report also found that the average fan takes approximately three sports trips per year, and that 80% of fans are looking to take either Read more

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With the Canadian women’s soccer team about to start their quest for a FIFA World Cup title in Australia, here comes a great sale from Qantas. Qantas today released its Australian “Red Tail Sale” offering discounted airfares for round-trip nonstop flights between Vancouver and Sydney. Flights are available from $1,499 CAD.* The sale will run July 18-24, 2023 across all cabins for varying travel periods in 2023 and 2024. Selected travel dates and days apply.     Onboard Savings & COVID Credits   Qantas international fares include checked baggage, food and beverages, and in-flight entertainment as standard with every booking. Customers Read more

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My  latest “Canada Shorts” item is centred on Regina, a city I visited a few years ago and quite enjoyed. One of the things I liked most in Regina was the Farmer’s Market, where there stands  selling lemon kombucha and locally made chutneys. There was also a Pride display on a day in mid-June and a stand selling gluten-free ginger snaps. The best thing I sampled were the cakes (some with fresh ginger, pear and lime) from a stand called “The Cake Witch.” Crave Kitchen and Wine Bar served up a perfect plate of duck confit when I was in Read more

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