Thursday, February 25, 2021

Cooking Temperatures for Beef

Temperatures for Beef - on a gas grill at sea level

Blue Rare	115F	46C
Rare	125F	52C
Medium Rare	135F	57C
Medium	145F	63C
Medium Well	150F	66C
Well Done	160F	71C

The USDA recommends steaks and roasts be cooked to 145°F (medium) and then rested for at least 3 minutes. To ensure food safety, ground beef should be cooked to a minimum 160°F (well done). Be sure to check with a thermometer, as color alone is not a foolproof indicator.

We recomment this product for checking beef cooking temperature.

Ciao,

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Items for the Office Kitchen

Hope you enjoy the products we are recommending for your small office / home office kitchen. Space is always a concern and these product fit the bill

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Thursday, December 03, 2020

Caulfeild Park Beach Front

Caulfeild Park

How to get there: Head out West Vancouver's Marine Drive towards Horseshoe Bay. Watch carefully for a left on to Piccadilly Street, left on to Dogwood Lane which becomes Pilot House Road. No park signs. Just street parking. If you have reached 4719 Pilot House Road you are there. Pay attention to the street signs. Portions of Piccadilly, Pilot House and Dogwood are all one way with the locals frowning on those who don't know the flow. When it is time to go home, you will need to continue along Pilot House Road, then take a right onto Piccadilly to get back to Marine Drive.

Not really a beach, more of a secret green belt along the ocean front. Much of the area is dedicated to restablishment of native flora. The beach area is often a hard rock bank. There are trails along the top of the rock with benches installed at various locations. There are spots where you can get out on the rocks and close up to the saltwater. The view is back towards Burrard Inlet with Stanley Park and the Lions Gate Bridge in the distance. This lends itself to two activites: 1) watching fireworks when that happens in the summer; or 2) wedding/graduation photography. On a low tide you can walk to or from Stearman Beach to this park.

Ciao,

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Wednesday, December 02, 2020

Stearman Beach

How to get there - Out Marine Drive towards Horseshoe Bay. Turn Left on the Stearman Ave. Right on Ross Crescent. About 3-4 car lenghts and you'll see 5-6 parking sports on the left. If you get to 4418 Ross Crescent you just passed it.

The beach access is hidden between huge mansions. This West Van secret beach is a great find on a hot summer’s day. It’s a smaller beach, with logs and some sand, that is great for families with kids. There are tidal pools, streams running down to the beach, and lots flotsam to discover amongst the logs. There’s a bit of shade from some trees, but it’s mostly sunny. When the tide is low the outer beach is quite rocky. This is one of the best secret beaches of West Vancouver, great place for solitude and quiet. Big freighters anchor right in front adding to the charm of the situation. Walk along the shoreline towards the left and you will see the rich folks backyards. To the right the small Cypress Creek stream flows in the ocean.
Ciao,

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Wednesday, November 25, 2020

Beach Products for Him.

We recomment these quality products for him

Hope you enjoy the products we are recommending for your next beach vacation.

Ciao,

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Wednesday, November 18, 2020

Beach Products for Her

Great Products for her when visiting the beach

We recomment these quality products.

Ciao,

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Monday, November 20, 2017

West Vancouver Real Estate Report - October 2017

In West Vancouver sales were up 18.9% from October 2016 yet were down 21.4% from September and 48.7% below the 10 year Oct average.

New listings were up 36.9% from last year and are 13.5% above the 10 year Oct average.

Total listings have steadily risen throughout the year and are now nearly back in line with historical levels, down only 3.6% from the 10 year Oct average.

The result, West Vancouver real estate remains firmly a buyer’s market, with a sales-to-active listing ratio of 6.9% (below 12% is a buyer’s market). The average sale price of a house in West Vancouver in October was $2,518,000.

Why the jump in sales in October? A lot of the activity can likely be explained to buyer’s purchasing with expiring mortgage rate preapprovals. (lenders will typically hold an interest rate for 60-90days)

On top of this, many buyers are trying to get into the market before the new mortgage lending rules come into effect in January 2018.

Ciao,

The Behavioural Effect and What It Means to Pam Goldsmith-Jones

The Fraser Institute, Professor Kevin Milligan, across the bay at UBC and others have researched and described the correlation between tax rates and tax revenues. Their findings are fairly common sense when you stop to think. Raising taxes on high income individuals, including those living in West Vancouver, introduces an incentive for those tax payers to seek relief by lowering their taxable income in other ways. The popular moniker for this action is called “tax planning.” High income tax payers are the best equipped to alter the profile of their income by taking non-taxable benefits, deferring tax, moving income to lower taxed jurisdictions, or employing alternative mechanisms for sheltering income. All these actions are legal and beyond the greedy hands of our very good friends at the CRA.

Tax revenue is comprised of two components: 1) the tax base; and 2) the tax rate. Tax revenue is the product of the two. Studies show that raising the tax rate reduces the tax base. Therefore marginal raise of tax rate does not produce a proportional increase in tax revenue due to taxpayers’ response of lowering their tax base. This phenomenon is called the Behavioural Effect.

The Behavioural Effect was certainly not considered by the federal Liberals in their introduction of 33% marginal tax rate on income over $200K per year. This is not unexpected as in 2014 their leader, Justin Trudeau, justified an election platform of spending to grow the economy with the profound explanation “… and the budget will balance itself.”

What does this have to do with Ms. Goldsmith-Jones?

Ms. Goldsmith-Jones, first time Ottawa representative of our bedroom village on the sea, certainly understood the implications of the punitive actions of Morneau/Trudeau’s tax changes for Canadian small business owners. At an October 2017 Chamber of Commerce meeting up in Squamish, Ms Gold-Smith-Jones stated that “the Liberal Government claims will make business tax structure fairer had led to more than 1,200 email messages from concerned small business constituents.” She clearly understood the constructive and even sometimes angry feedback the Liberals were receiving from their ill advises attack on West Vancouver’s small business community.

The response of Ms. Goldsmith-Jones, while expressing empathy and clear understanding the implications of the proposed plan, she did nothing. There is no public record of her advising Morneau/Trudeau of their miscalculated step. No a single snip of evidence that while she understood 1,200 constituents she chose to not take any public action to champion their cause even within her own party.

October 19, 2019 is only 23 months distant, and another impact of behaviour might be displayed. West Vancouver’s entrepreneurs, attacked for their contribution to the Canadian economy, will remember the inaction of their representative, if only resident on the backbench, and will surely seek a more effective voice in Ottawa.

Ciao,

Monday, October 09, 2017

Five Wines for your Turkey Dinner

Pinot Gris from Oregon: Before reaching for yet another Pinot Grigio from Italy, try serving the same grape — Pinot Gris — but from Oregon. It will offer more intrigue for your feast, with slightly more weight and a spritzy jolt of acidity, often joined by an aftertaste of honey and spice.

Cru Beaujolais: A somewhat more serious version of Burgundy (French Pinot Noir vines), it is light on the palate, while consistently charming with floral aromas and irresistibly lithe red fruit. You are drinking the latest Beaujolais vintage and each year is or isn't a standout.

Pinot Noir: This silky, aromatic red’s versatility with food made it popular with foodies long before it was the star of the movie Sideways. Burrowing Owl and Blue Mountain wineries have excellent VQA offerings. Its restrained frame and snappy acidity gives lift not only to poultry of all types but also to most foods associated with white wine and the majority you would relate with red.

Chinon: Light- to medium-bodied, this French red is a multitook of a wine, poised to invigorate your wine snob uncle with a uniquely tangy and herbal earthiness. Be prepared for tales of his winery bicycle tour of the Loire Valley.

Dolcetto: This Italian red has moderate weight and cherry or raspberry aromas, with ample acidity and occasionally a bit of tannic bite that will counter the feelings of fatigue that set in after your third helping of mashed potatoes and gravy. Ciao,

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Saturday, October 07, 2017

Federal Tax Changes Will Hurt West Vancouver Business Owners

Here in the cooler days of autumn, when thoughts should be drifting to turkey, a new season for the Canucks and shorter days, recent musings about the tax changes envisaged by federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau are causing significant anxiety for those who take the risk of being their own boss. There is worry, frustration and, in some cases, anger.

In Western Canada, we feel tax pain more than most. The cumulative tax burden vis-a-vis federal benefits is one of our biggest challenges and these new changes proposed by the federal government could make it even harder to bear.

The lower small-business tax rate on the first $500,000 in corporate income remains vital to the success of many small firms. Now, government officials are charging ahead to limit access to it or eliminate it.

When running for office, the Trudeau Liberals pledged to cut the rate from 10.5 per cent to 9 per cent. That hasn’t happened. These proposed changes will make things more difficult, especially for owners of smaller firms.

The idea is to make sure the wealthiest pay their fair share of taxes. Fair ball, but let’s not throw smaller businesses under the bus in the process. Unfortunately, the government appears to forget that the vast majority of independent business owners aren’t members of the so-called wealth one per cent; they’re the middle class. Two-thirds of small-business owners earn less than $73,000, and half of them earn under $33,000.

The feds’ plan is to eliminate or restrict how some business owners save on taxes, including:

Sharing income with family members that contribute to the success of the business

Saving passive investment income in a corporation that is taxed later when withdrawn

Converting a corporation’s income into capital gains which are taxed when realized

These measures are currently legal and are often used by independent businesses to re-invest, ensure stability, offset federal programs that business owners haven't ability to access, or save for the owner’s retirement.

Most worrisome is the proposal to make it difficult for small-business owners to share income with family members working for them and the success of their firms. The support of family members in formal roles is often key to the success of a firm, and any limitations could have significant, unintended consequences.

On passive income, we know it is much more difficult to borrow money as a small-business owner. A business’s passive income acts as insurance against emergencies and unforeseen costs. Business owners need to be able to rely on their investments — in their own business — to protect them against the risks of owning a business.

Also, since business owners don’t have the kinds of generous pensions available to public servants, or giant salaries creating RRSP room, they need to depend on the value of their business, including any of its investments, for their retirement years.

These proposed changes would come into effect in 2018. A public consultation process has been launched and the Canadian Federation of Independent Business vigorously brought forward the concerns of small-business owners. Did the Trudeau Liberals listen? We will soon know.

Typical self-employed individuals are professionals, university educated and have vast contacts though out a community like West Vancouver. Assume the miss-calculating Liberals continue to bully small business. Seems to be a very risky proposition for their re-election on October 19, 2019. After all, those business owners will have memories longer than two years. After all, the victims are exactly the kind of individuals that will take action to protect themselves, their families and their businesses.

Ciao,

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West Vancouver Real Estate Report - Aug 2017

Canada’s national median home listing price this month is $290,900, which means that West Vancouver is in the top 20% for Canada.

The $1,488,000 price tag on the median West Vancouver home means that it is quite highly priced by Canadian standards.

If you’re looking at investment properties in West Vancouver, then you’re most likely to find homes with 3 bedrooms on sale this month.

Is West Vancouver a good investment prospect? It’s never a perfect science, but the data we have gives us a number of positive indicators.

Over the last three months in West Vancouver, housing stock available seems to be falling – this could mean that homes values might recover later.

Ciao,

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Back when we had a superstar!

Pavel Bure Stands up for himself. Ok I was an elbow. A well deserved elbow.
At 28 seconds in watch the Dallas fans cheer for the hit on Bure.

Sunday, November 04, 2012

What is a Ferry Terminal Worth?

Christy Clark's provincial government stuck it to the District of West Vancouver recently in ruling by the province controlled Property Assessment Appeal Board related to the Horseshoe Bay Ferry Terminal. The dispute is over land taxes for the Horseshoe Bay Ferry Terminal.

The ferry terminal sits on two parcels of District of West Vancouver land valued in 2002 at $41.4 million and $6.3 million respectively. In its ruling, the Appeal Board reduced the assessed values for these two parcels to $10.00 each. The decision is retroactive to 2010 and will require the District to repay property tax revenues collected for the last three years. The annual tax bill for the properties has been about $250,000 per year according to the Districts records. West Vancouver residents are expected to shoulder the three quarters of a million dollar bill. Estimates are that residential property taxes will need to raise by 2% to cover the cost.

While the province has tried to make BC Ferries look like a private company, the facts are 100% of the shares of that private company are owned by the provincial government. Looks pretty much like Premier Clark had her Property Assessment Appeal Board give her Ferry Corp a pass on future property taxes and a nice little $750,000 kickback at the same time.

Every municipality that is home to a Ferry Terminal needs to rethink their revenue forecasts for land owned by Provincial Government owned/operated organizations.

Ciao,

Tags: West+Vancouver;

Saturday, November 03, 2012

SNAF between West Van District and DFO over Lighthouse Maintenance

The support facilities around the navigation beacon in West Vancouver's Lighthouse Park at Point Atkinson Lighthouse continue to be at risk of falling into ruins according to the heritage group that oversees it, in part because of the administrative limbo it, along with other lighthouses in Canada, has fallen into. The light was designated a National Historic Site in 1994 and was added to the West Vancouver Community Heritage Register last summer. The caretaker duties have been divided over the years, the neglect has caused some buildings to fall apart, according to Elaine Graham, of the West Vancouver Historical Society’s Point Atkinson Light Station subcommittee.

The lighthouse was automated in 1996, and the last lightkeeper, Graham’s late husband, lost his job. However, he was hired on to perform groundskeeper duties for two on-site homes that were taken over by the city, but that did not include upkeep of the main structures. Those remained under the Canadian government’s jurisdiction. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans took care of the lighthouse proper, but the other buildings, walkways, and helicopter landing pad were left to decay.

Ciao,

Tags: West Vancouver;lighthouse;

Friday, July 22, 2011

Hollyburn Sailing Club Dinghy Races

Season 2011
For the remainder of the summer the races organized by Hollyburn Sailing Club are:

Date	Class
24-Jul-11	Mirror #3
	Long Distance #2
7-Aug-11	Laser Cup
	Albacore (Tuna) Cup #3
21-Aug-11	Long Distance #3
11-Sep-11	Glenfiddich Cup
25-Sep-11	Mirror #4
	Fall Series #1

Check in for each race day is around noon. There is a Skippers meeting around 12:30. First of five races starts at 1:00PM. The fifth race never seems to finish by the expected 3:00PM end time. The light winds and tricky currents off Ambleside Beach make for interesting race conditions.

Lots of fun - come out and give it a try. Contact the club for access to one of their coop boats for less than a couple hundred dollars for the season.

Ciao,

Friday, June 24, 2011

That not so special moment.

As is the rite of Spring in Vancouver, that moment arrived, it passed and life goes on. I'm getting better at spotting the moment. That moment is the fleeting instant when the reality of the current season are replaced by hopes for a future success. In the spring of 2011, the moment for me was marked at about 7:45 PM PDT on June 15. Bergeron had just scored Boston's third goal of game seven and Boston's third shorthanded goal of the series. And for the 40th time the thought crept across my mind; "maybe next year."

The cup was not lost in that moment. It had been lost, in my opinion, back in game 2. I'll share those thoughts with you another time.

Congratulations to the Bruins. For the Canucks, I can't say "well done" just as I can't say "disaster." Mike Gillis has a task ahead of him. Gillis has met the enemy and he is us. Gillis needs to find an combination of players that foster an environment where the Twins can flourish when the compete level raises. Likely this means a fourth line with enough skill to play in a cup final. Players with enough grit or Power Play skill to deter the aggression of a play off opponent. Gillis needs to bolster the mind a fragile net minder. When the battle grew close the Bruins stepped up and the Canucks stepped aside. The spring of 2012 will tell us if the Canucks learnt from this painful experience. Or is this a team not able to win on the largest stage?

For Vancouver, we have met the enemy and he is us. The inappropriate mob response to Game 7 is unacceptable. It was unacceptable in 1994 and it is even more so today. As a community of fans we need to behave in a manner befitting Canada, Vancouver and the Canucks. The entire country has been tarnished by the actions of a few. In the science of mob situations there is often the, almost apologetic, explanation that "it only takes a few to turn the mood of a crowd." This may be conventional thinking on what happened in downtown Vancouver on the evening of June 15, 2011. We may also state that "the few" would have done this regardless if the Canucks won or loss. Isn't the exact opposite true? Isn't it the actions of the many that should turn the mood of the few? Indeed we met the enemy and he was us. We stood by and let the few allow the situation get out of hand. Shame on us. The spring of 2012 will most likely give Canuck's fans another chance. Vancouver: take that opportunity to justify our civic and team pride. Expo 86 and the 2010 Olympics set the example. There is no place for our sensless response to Game 7's in '94 and '11.

Ciao,

Tags: hockey; Vancouver+Canucks;

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

2011 Canucks Playoff Summary

Round 1

Canucks 4 - 3

Round 2

Canucks 4 - 2

Round 3 - Conference Finals

Canucks 4 - 1

Round 4 - Stanley Cup Finals

Boston Bruins 2010-2011 Stanley Cup Champions

Ciao,

Tags: hockey; Vancouver+Canucks;

Friday, June 10, 2011

Home Ice Advantage

The adage goes "you are not in trouble until you lose on home ice." Tonight we see if the shift in momentum that occurred in Boston has lead to "trouble." It is like tennis, you need to win more games regardless of the number of points won. The lack of offence and leaky defence in Boston means that the series is tied 2 - 2; nothing more. It is 2 out of 3 with home ice advantage for the mug. The boys need to stay on the body, finish the checks and the odd powerplay goal (say 1 per 4 chances) would help. Mathematically the boys are two goals away from a successful campaign. Two goals plus two shutouts and it is over. Two 1 - 0 games on home ice? Why not. Back to back shutouts for Luongo? More likely than one half of the goal tending tandem on Jennings Trophy winning team giving up 12 goals in two games. I like our chances even if I suspect a Game 7 might be in our future.

Ciao,

Tags: hockey; Vancouver+Canucks;

Saturday, June 04, 2011

Playoff Schedule

The Stanley Cup finals games are all at 5:00PM Pacific time.

Game 1 is on June 1 in Vancouver (Canucks won 1-0)

Game 2 is on June 4 in Vancouver

Game 3 is on June 6 in Boston

Game 4 is on June 8 in Boston (potentially the first opportunity for the Canucks)

If needed Game 5 is on June 10 in Vancouver (potentially the first opportunity for the Bruins)

If needed Game 6 is on June 13 in Boston (one team will have the opportunity)

If needed Game 7 is on June 15 in Vancouver (the game ends with one team is taking the cup)

Ciao,

Tags: hockey; Vancouver+Canucks;

Friday, June 03, 2011

Celebrating Stanley

Recently it has been too much for me to write. The Chicago series was intense. Nashville was a gasp for a small breath. Then the Sharks when away easier than I expected. Now the Bruins. The boys have one win in the bank. Three to go.

Alanah McGinley is a virtual acquaintance. I've never personally met the lady. She currently writes for Paul Kukla at KuklasKorner. She stopped writing some time back with the lame excuse of taking time off to have a kid. I was disappointed in her for that. I am pleased to see with our 'Nucks in the finals she couldn't resist. As one of a very few Bloggers with real press credentials (and not a press person who moved to the bloggoshere) Alanah is a inspiration to many bloggers. Me included. Her recent post on why she would celebrate a Stanley Cup is here. She makes some very good points.

My thoughts on who deserves mention in a celebration of Stanley:

The other players: The cup means so much to us because of the names. It is the only professional sports trophy that has the names of all the previous winners engraved into the cup (well the bands around the base). If you are Alex Burrows or Kevin Bieksa and you do go on to win this series, your name gets added to the cup along side Jean Beliveau, Wayne Gretzky, Gordie Howe and every other icon of the game that has had the past good fortune to have contested for and won the cup. What an honour. Every fall we start out wanting to give that honour to the current year's version of the Canucks. Every spring we have that moment when we sigh and say "maybe next year." So far for in 2010-11; not yet. Looks are OK so far. Over the forty year history of the team, we seem to have our best chance. In 1994 one more win was needed. In 2011 two more wins are needed to reach the same point - but I still like our chances. The celebration of the third and fourth lines the fifth and sixth defence men. That is what I want to see.

Fred: While the fact that the Canucks have never won the cup is true, Vancouver HAS won the Stanley Cup before. Lead by Fred 'Cyclone' Taylor the 1915 version of the Vancouver Millionaires beat the Ottawa Senators to win the Stanley Cup. Cyclone's grave is a few hundred meters SW of the corner of Imperial and Willingdon in Burnaby. I'm sure Fred is looking down and smiling at the prospect that the cup might be coming home after 96 years.

Trevor: For 16 of 20 NHL seasons the lanky kid who was the son of a Medicine Hat trucker defined class and grace. He took us on the 1994 run. He came within one goal of putting a Game 7 into overtime. He went on to lead the NHLPA trough some very serious times. When his tenure was complete he quietly stepped aside to let a new generation of leaders take over. The PA has never since had the creditability it had when Trevor was at the helm. His dedication to the city and people of Vancouver continues today. Ask yourself: who would you rather have for a best friend? Trevor Linden or Mark Messier? New York may have won the cup in '94 but we were the winners because we still have Trevor Linden.

Pat and Pasha: The Big Irishman brought us Kirk McLean, Trevor Linden and Pavel Bure. Bure was the most exciting thing I have ever seen on skates. I was there on November 12, 1991 when he scored his first NHL goal. I had no idea who Bure was. All I knew was we stood and gave him a standing ovation for what seemed like 10 minutes. Gretzky (the LA version) was the opponent. Bure then scored a second goal and was by far the best player on the ice. We won 8-2. I remember March 9 1993, Bure scored his 50th goal of the season. It was a, on CKNW only, neutral ice game against Buffalo played in Hamilton. After the game Tommy Larcheid, with his trademark impish glee, asked Bure "do you know who was the last Canuck to score 50 goals?" Bure dead panned, in his charming Russian accent, "me?" Quinn brought us those times. He lifted the team to a new level. Harry Neale may have brought the team along from an expansion door mat but Quinn laid the foundation to build the team into a legitimate NHL contender. Pat Quinn still lives in West Vancouver. If you'd like to meet him, hang out for brunch on a Sunday at Fraiche restaurant up at the top of the British Properties. He is often there around 11:30AM.

Stanley: The park and the cup are named after Lord Stanley. His name was also Fred - the karma is aligning! Isn't appropriate that the Lord's mug be once again returned to our park that shares its name?

Ciao,

Tags: hockey; Vancouver+Canucks;