VANCOUVER – The Parq Vancouver complex has only been open a year, but it’s already left an indelible mark on this city. Parq Vancouver is a major development in downtown Vancouver, just a few steps from False Creek and adjacent to BC Place Stadium; home of the Vancouver Canucks hockey team and terrific concerts. It’s a game-changing complex that consists of the JW Marriott Parq Vancouver and The DOUGLAS, a Marriott Autograph Collection property. There’s also a glittering (and thankfully subdued) casino, the only one in downtown Vancouver, a massive convention centre with the city’s largest hotel ballroom, a terrific Read more

TORONTO – Really good food. Really great seats for a ballgame. The new Sportsnet Grill at the Rogers Centre (just off the lobby of the Marriott City Centre hotel) looks like a big hit so far. The Blue Jays aren’t having their best season, but the restaurant was busy Wednesday and all the window tables overlooking the field at Rogers Centre were taken. The table behind us was packed with young folks celebrating a friend’s 22nd birthday. The Sportsnet Grill opened earlier this month as a new , 220-seat endeavour for Rogers and replaced a restaurant called Arriba. Not every Read more

Now that fall is on the way in Canada and the U.S. (sorry about that), it’s time to think about a trip to a hemisphere where spring is about to begin. Not that one needs a reason to visit Australia or Tahiti, but both locations have something to celebrate in the coming months. It’s wildflower time in Western Australia. And time to celebrate the natural heritage of Tahiti. Tahiti Tourisme launched a campaign in Canada this month to promote Tahitian Guesthouses in The Islands of Tahiti. Now through December 30, 2018, Tahiti Tourisme will share exciting reasons for Canadian travellers Read more

It’s like Siri combined with a TV remote and the Internet. The new Rogers Ignite TV is a marvellous product that puts a world of television within easy reach; classic movies, your favourite sports, kids shows and just about everything in between. They’ve set up a Rogers Command Centre down near the Rogers Centre in Toronto (look for it at the southwest corner of Bremner Boulevard and lower Simcoe, just inside Roundhouse Park), and the public is welcome to drop by today, tomorrow and all through the Labour Day weekend. For folks who may not be up to date on Read more

LAS VEGAS – A beautiful hotel with spacious suites. World-class cuisine. And great, classic cocktails. The Palazzo Las Vegas has pretty much everything you’d want from a hotel on The Strip. And some things you might not expect. I recently had a 24-hour visit that I wish had been considerably long. We started things out with a classic daiquiri at Rosina, a great bar that feels like Chicago or New York, with lots of gold lights and shiny mirrors and some Art Deco elements. It’s a fairly intimate affair; designed to seat 60 guests. The idea, I was told, is Read more

LAS VEGAS – A soothing retreat in the middle of one of the entertainment capitals of the world. I recently had a night at the new Park MGM Hotel and Casino in Vegas, formerly the Monte Carlo. It’s been given a spectacular facelift, with a welcoming lobby, a great swimming pool complex, sensational food (with more to come, including an Eataly outlet) and relaxing, restful rooms. The room I had was decorated in soft shades of green with gold accents and a big comfy cushioned seating strip by the window. They had nice art on the walls, including a series Read more