California Dreaming in the Lincoln Nautilus

The Lincoln Nautilus

The Lincoln Nautilus

The set up for dinner on the first night.

Dara and I are truly lucky to attend the events and trips that we’re taken on and this one with our friends at Lincoln was an adventure we’ve always wanted to make. Lincoln is about to launch the Nautilus and we were lucky enough to head out to Santa Barbara California to give it a test drive. We hopped onto a flight to LAX where we’d catch our connecting flight to beautiful Santa Barbara, a 2 hour drive north of Los Angeles. Once we touched down we were greeted with a quick drive in the Lincoln Navigator to our hotel for the next two nights, the Belmond El Encanto, perched up in the hills of Santa Barbara it had the most spectacular views.

After arriving at the Belmond we made our way to our room to wash up for dinner with our friends from Lincoln. Dinner was set outside in the garden under twinkling lights with the Lincoln Nautilus lit up in the background, it was absolutely spectacular. After consuming a delicious meal we made our way to back into the main building of the Belmond for some Whisky tasting and billiards trick shots. Unfortunately I wasn’t feeling great (ended up being sick the entire trip) so I missed most of the entertainment.

On day two we woke up and ate breakfast on the patio overlooking the bay. It was absolutely gorgeous. We packed our backpacks as we knew we had a full day and finally got our hands on the Lincoln Nautilus. We picked the Rhapsody Blue Nautilus Reserve with the cappuccino interior. It looked spectacular against the California scenery. Our first stop was Ojai which is a small city in Ventura county surrounded by beautiful mountains. I got to drive and boy was it a luxurious ride, it was only an hour but I was wishing it was a little bit longer, with front seat heating, cooling and massage seats Dara and I were truly spoiled. We also got to try the Lane-Keeping System which uses a camera mounted behind the windshield to detect whether you’re straying outside of the lines. It was some seriously impressive technology. We made our way to the Porch gallery for lunch where we met a local artist and experienced her latest works. After that we were off to the Santa Barbara Marina but first we used the 360 camera to back out the parking lot and see everything around us, it uses 4 cameras to create a birds eye view of the vehicle like you’ve got your own personal drone watching you from above. We left Ojai and were on our way back to Santa Barbara to participate in a sailing regatta. We met our captain and he showed us the ropes… literally. I was made captain because of the prior boating knowledge I had, we each had jobs to do on board learning to tack and in the end win the race. We had a total of 3 races against the other boats and won all three! After our time sent on the water it was time to fill our bellies.

We made our way to Boathouse at Hendry’s Beach for amazing view, and excellent sunset and and amazing meal. I chose the Seafood Pasta and it was absolutely delicious, there was so much seafood in the dish that I couldn’t even finish it. It was a whirlwind of a trip this time with us only getting one full day with our friends from Lincoln but we had an absolute blast. We are so lucky to have such great colleagues in this industry.

The next morning we had a quick breakfast at the Belmond and then made our way down the coast. The plan was to drive from Santa Barbara down to Santa Monica and make some stops along the way (including In N Out). The total drive is roughly 2 hours but we stopped in Ventura, Oxnard (for the burgers) and then Malibu. If you haven’t done the drive along Highway 1 I would absolutely recommend it. The views are absolutely stunning and every corner looks like a post card from paradise. We didn’t want the coastline to end but sadly the drive came to a close as we approached Santa Monica. We checked into our hotel dropped off our bags and went to explore Santa Monica. I really didn’t expect Santa Monica to be as touristy as it was, the pier was very cool to see but Dara and I just aren’t that into crowds.

The next day, our last day, we woke up early and rode our bikes to Eggslut for some breakfast. I had the Bacon and Egg sandwich and Dara had Sausage and Egg. It was good but really wasn't worth the crazy line. We explored Venice for the morning then made our way back to the hotel to go for a drive and check out LA. First stop was to grab some tacos. We went to Trejo's Tacos and Throughly enjoyed the meal. Next stop was the Hollywood sign which is easy to see from a far but hard to get to up close unless you're hiking. We then drove around West Hollywood before deciding on heading back to the hotel to take our bikes back to Venice for a couple drinks.

After cleaning up we went out for dinner at The Misfit Bar. It was absolutely packed but I had the best Beef Dip sliders ever. They came on hawaiian buns and were amazing, i’m still thinking about them (it was too dark to get a quality pic). We went out for a night cap and finished our night by riding around Santa Monica on a Lime scooter. We had seen them all over the place and finally at 11pm at night I downloaded the app and we were off on our maiden voyage. These things are fast! we could only find a single scooter so we actually had the two of us on one scooter, what a blast. We can’t wait to go back and explore the rest of California. Thanks so much Lincoln Canada for helping us visit somewhere we’ve always wanted to go!

Eclipsing the Norm in Montreal

A couple of weekends ago we got back to one of our favourite Canadian cities, Montreal. It always amazes me that in just about an hour you can go from Toronto to what feels like a little part of Europe. It's not just the language differences it's the whole approach to life that makes Quebec feel European to me.

Our view at Esterel.

Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross in Octane Blue

We took off from Pearson on Friday morning and in just over and hour we landed at Pierre Elliott Trudeau Airport in Montreal where our Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross was waiting for us at the valet. From there we ventured North in an Octane Blue Eclipse Cross, it was peppy, spacious and had some excellent curves. It took us about an hour and a half to get up to Mont Tremblant, a place I'd always wanted to visit. We parked the Eclipse Cross at the bottom of the mountain and took the gondola up to the village. The weather was amazing and we decided to test our abilities on the luge which was a course that went down the hill using a small little go cart. The luge was actually a blast, the little 4-wheeler could really boot down the hill and I got going at a pretty good clip at certain points. After grabbing a quick iced tea we made our way to the Esterel Resort about 30 minutes south of Tremblant. The resort is situated on a beautiful lake in what looked like Montreal's version on Muskoka. There were some massive cottages surrounding the resort and we had a constant water ski show from the neighbours. We had dinner at the 260 Degrees restaurant overlooking the lake, I indulged in their Steak Frites and Dara decided to try the Pizza. The food was great and by the end we were absolutely stuffed so we retired to our wonderful room. 

Pizza and Steak Frites at 260

The next morning we enjoyed breakfast on the terrace before asking the valet to pull up the Eclipse Cross. It was a comfortable ride all the way back to Montreal in the Cross. I loved the quick acceleration that allowed me to overtake just about any vehicle I needed and the interior is very ergonomically designed. I also really like the large windows throughout the Eclipse Cross, it really gives you excellent sight-lines all around the vehicle. 

It didn't take long to make our way into Old Montreal, we found out our room wouldn't be ready till 3 so we parked the vehicle and decided to wander the historical streets of Montreal. We realized pretty quickly that the Montreal Triathlon had taken over a large portion of the city which caused streets to be blocked off and  made it quite difficult to navigate the city. While we waited for our room at Hotel Place D'Armes, which is basically kitty-cornered to Notre Dame Basilica, we had a quick lunch at Brit and Chips. They made some of the best fish and chips i've ever had, I was extremely impressed by the flavour in the batter and the crunch in the chips, 10/10 would recommend. After wandering the streets and grabbing some iced coffees we decided we'd go grab the Eclipse Cross and make our way over to the hotel. The problem was that because of the street closures there was actually no way to park in front of the hotel without going the wrong way down a one way street. Being a real rebel like myself I had no problem breaking the rules :). 

We checked in, jumped in the shower for a quick clean up and then made our way towards Saint Catherine St for some shopping and dinner. We were originally supposed to have dinner at Le Serpent but made an audible and decided to check out a Spanish restaurant called Iberica. It ended up being a great decision because Iberica was absolutely delicious. We started with some Serrano ham on bread with crushed heirloom tomatoes, it was simple but absolutely delicious. We then tried the chicken croquettes, heirloom tomato salad, salted cod and a giant jug of sangria... it was an incredible meal. After stuffing our faces with delicious Spanish tapas we had a nightcap at Nyks Bitro Pub where they had a great patio on the street for people watching. 

There's nothing I enjoy more than waking up early, finding a nice coffee shop at walking around the city on a Sunday morning. So that's exactly what I did on our final day in Montreal. Dara was nursing a bit of a hangover so I got up, packed and took off by myself. I stumbled upon an excellent little coffee shop called Paquebot Vieux-Montreal. It was quiet, excellently styled and they played vinyl on a record player right by the window with a massive record collection behind it. I grabbed a latte and decided to watch some of the Montreal Triathlon, the cycling portion was underway as I stood against the barricades. After hanging out for about an hour it was time to head back and see if Dara's headache had subsided.

It was a rainy Sunday so we decided what better way embrace a rainy day than to get ourselves some ramen. Dara did a search and apparently one of the best ramen joints in the city was called Yokato Yokabai. It has a 4.6 rating on Google at the time of writing this and was honestly some of the worst ramen we'd ever had. The broth was boring, the noodles were mediocre and it wasn't even hot. We were extremely disappointed (Dara actually wrote a nasty review which i fully supported). I'd never been so disappointed in a restaurant, it really made me wonder if all the reviews were made up. The only good thing that came from this excursion was finding this cute little row house that was painted the exact same colour as the Eclipse Cross. We decided to make a quick jaunt up Mont Royal with the Eclipse Cross to see how did on hills, let's just say it tackled the incline like a Montreal Alouette. 

After our little excursion it was off to the airport, if you didn't know the major highway into and out of Montreal is under repair so we had to take a crazy detour to make our way out the the airport. Make sure to give yourself time if you find yourself in Montreal anytime soon, the only good part about the detour was that we had a little bit more time with our Eclipse Cross. We dropped it off at the valet and were on our way back home.

Just wanted to say thank you to the folks at Mitsubishi Canada, we haven't been back to Montreal in a couple of years and it was great to make our way back in such a wonderful vehicle. Thank you!

Brett 

The Beautiful Bahamas

For the second year in a row we decided to take a family vacation with the Moorings program. This time our destination was Marsh Harbour, Bahamas. The last time I had been to the Bahamas was back in 2007 and it was a very sad trip because during our stay we received word that my grandmother had passed away unexpectedly. This time we visited another area of the Bahamas, the Abaco Islands. The Abaco islands are a chain in the Northern Bahamas with the largest settlement being Marsh Harbour.

There are no direct flights into Marsh Harbour so we had to first fly to Nassau with a 3 hour layover and then continue onto Marsh Harbour via Sky Bahama. After about 8 hours we finally arrived at the dock, craving a beer and some seafood we called it an early night so we could head out early the next morning. Our first stop was Great Guana Cay which we planned to stay at for 2 nights. Great Guana Cay is famous for the diving as well as Nippers, a beach front bar known for their Bahama Mamas. My parents had visited Nippers before but we did not expect the more than one hundred boats that had been parked on the beach for the July 4th weekend. We even found out later that Justin Bieber had been at Nippers on the same day, celebrating after proposing to Gigi Hadid. 

The next day we decided to go scuba diving at one of the reefs neat Great Guana. At $250 USD per person the fee was extremely high and unfortunately there really wasn't much to see on the reef besides an overly friendly Grouper giving this excursion a 2/10 overall. The next day we made our way to No Name Cay otherwise known as Piggyville, easily one of the coolest experiences of the trip. The small island is inhabited by at least 100 pigs of all different sizes, the island was busy and there were a number of ignorant tourists that actually tried to pick up the piglets before being attacked by their respective mothers. Tourists need to keep in mind that these are wild animals and they must be treated with respect. After playing with the piggies we were off to Green Turtle Cay where we'd remain for the next two nights.

We lucked out and managed to be in Green Turtle Cay for the first night of their Regatta which is basically an excuse to drink a whole lot of Bahama Mamas. The event was sponsored by Mount Gay Rum and if you order 5 Mount Gay rum drinks you were given a straw hat so naturally I ordered 5 Mount Gay Rum drinks. Let's just say I wasn't feeling any pain for the rest of the night.

Green Turtle Cay is home to one of the old settlements in the Abaco called New Plymouth. The bright colours and hundred plus year old buildings were fascinating but the 100+ degree weather was tough for a bunch of Canadians to deal with. After being sufficiently scorched we made our way to Pineapple Bar and Grill on the North end of New Plymouth. We had some ice cold beers and the best conch salad of the entire trip, we'd highly recommend this spot. 

Our final island stop was Treasure Cay, I had actually visited this island back when I was only 13 years old and was excited to go back. Treasure Cay is known for it's beautiful beach which is regularly rated as one of the best in the world. We spend two nights at Treasure cay including July 4th which we celebrated with fireworks and good times at Coco's on the beach, another great spot for food including their Mahi Mahi sandwich. 

All in all we had a wonderful trip to the Bahamas, I don't think I would recommend going to the Caribbean in the Summer though as some days it was excruciatingly hot out and we found ourselves constantly searching for cover from the sun. If I were to go back I would probably target a January to May timeframe. 

Prince Edward County in the BMW X3 M40

We travel a lot. And sadly, about 95% of the time that travel is without our two fur-babies. It's usually tough finding someone to take care of Bernard and Walter but this time we lucked out in finding a fantastic Air BnB that was dog-friendly! Destination: Prince Edward County. What also made our lives easier, was driving the 2.5 hours in the BMW X3 M40 (M40 stands for Mucho Fast). This thing has a 335hp turbo 3.0 litre V6, firmer suspension and M sport brakes with painted calipers... aaaaand goes 0-60mph in 4.4 seconds. If you're not a car person then that's car-people talk for "real fast."  

So we leave Friday evening for PEC, we take the 407 and I initiate the Dynamic Cruise Control feature to make the drive that much more enjoyable. Dynamic Cruise Control adapts your speed to the car in front of you. Meaning, if you set it to 120km/h and someone pulls in front of you, the car will automatically lower its speed to ensure a safe amount of space. You can also set the X3 to keep you within the road lines, should you have to take a look in the back seat to check on your dogs. Not that I know from experience... These features are quite remarkable and clever first steps to autonomous driving.

After the painless drive, we get to PEC around 6:30pm and are amazed by the location that BMW chose. It's owned by exceptional Toronto Chef, Grant van Gameren, who owns Bar Isabel, Bar Raval and a few others. The place is stunning. We're staying the converted barn (we later find out that they used to keep pigs there). The Cressy Longhouse is decorated like a 1930's hunting lodge with some surprising twists like taxidermied chickens complete with Wu-Tang medallions. The floors are heated and the view onto Lake Ontario is spectacular. There is also a small vineyard home to Chardonnay grapes and a lavender field to top it off. 

We had a bit of a late night that night but woke up to a spectacularly sunny day and sipped coffee on the deck overlooking the vines. Our first stop of the day was Three Dog Winery for a nice light Chardonnay to kick it off. After a few more stops, we quickly learned we enjoyed the breweries more than the wineries. Parsons Brewery was a group favourite with a number of excellent craft beers on tap and a to-die-for pretzel with mustard seed. After Parsons we took a 40 minute drive in the X3 over to Wellington to see Norman Hardie Winery which I was told we had to experience. The location is spectacular and the pizza was awesome. We made a stop at Kinsip Distillery to pick up a bottle of Gin and finished the day at Barley Days for one last pint. As mentioned, our next trip to PEC will likely be more brewery-focused than winery-focused.

One thing I would say about visiting PEC, is to expect a lot of driving if you want to fully experience the county. And if you can, do it in the BMW X3 M40 because it really makes it an enjoyable ride, that's for sure.

Anyway, we finished our long day with dinner at Waupoos Winery. Our timing was perfect as we were there for Countylicious which get's you a three-course meal for $40 - not a bad deal at all. 

Waking up on Sunday, we watched the dogs run around the vineyard and while sipping on a cup of coffee and taking in the warm sun and beautiful view. We had been spoiled with another absolutely beautiful day (Saturday was so beautiful that I got a sunburn...).

Mid-morning we set out for Picton, about a 20-minute drive away. We had breakfast at the Vic Cafe, a hip, quaint little spot right next to the town's old movie theatre. The food was simple and fresh and the decor was definitely Instagram-able. 

All in all, I would definitely recommend checking out Prince Edward County as there is so much to do and see. It's a quick jaunt any Torontonian can enjoy time and time again. 

Wonderful Whistler with the 2018 Lincoln Navigator

Ever since my first trip to Banff, Alberta back in my teenage years something about the mountains has completely captured my heart. Maybe it's being from Ontario and the relative lack of geography that makes the mountains so appealing, or maybe it's their absolute beauty. I don't know exactly what it is but the feeling of driving into the mountains is one of my favourite and i'll take any opportunity to relive that feeling over and over agin. So when Lincoln asked if I wanted to come to BC to try the Lincoln Navigator I said "YES PLEASE!".

When we arrived in Vancouver we were greeted by the team from Lincoln and given a quick overview of the brand new 2018 Lincoln Navigator. We had a quick bite and presentation and then it was off to the races. I couldn't wait to jump into the driver's seat. The Navigator greets you much like the Continental greeted us last year, with the lights on and the Lincoln logo emblazoned on the ground below the door as you approach (a very nice touch). After lowering the backseats with ease and throwing our luggage in the trunk we were off towards the Rockies.I connected my phone and we pumped our tunes through the 20 speakers in the Revel Ultima audio system.

The beautiful interior of the 2018 Lincoln Navigator

The Revel speakers are outstanding. 

Look at that screen!

The first thing I noticed was that this was a BIG vehicle, it's got tons of space and gives you a great view of the road. The trip to Whistler from the Vancouver International Airport is just under two hours and our first stop on the way was Porteau Cove Provincial Park which we had previously stopped at in the Continental last year. We decided to forgo the Provincial Park because we had an opportunity to check out the Sea to Sky Gondola which i'd always wanted to ride. It was getting dark and we were worried we wouldn't make it in time but as we rolled up we were told we'd be in one of the last gondolas up! We grabbed our camera and headed up the mountain, as we ascended the rain that we had been driving through below slowly changed to snow and these enormous flakes completely surrounded the gondola. At the top, perched between the two peaks was a picturesque suspension bridge, perfect photo opp but was defintely a bit unnerving. 

We left the Sea to Sky and headed for Whistler. We checked into the Four Seasons Whistler, quickly washed up and headed down for dinner with the crew. It was an early night for most as it had been a busy day of travel and excitement. 

This is gonna be the poster for my new action movie.

Look at that view!

The next day we began bright and early with breakfast in bed, once we had refuelled for our busy day ahead we made our way down to the lobby where we were greeted by a driver to take us to Whistler Helicopters. The plan was to take a helicopter from Whistler to Pemberton and tour Whistler and Blackcomb from the sky. We were incredibly nervous that morning that the conditions were going to prevent us from the ride of a lifetime but to our surprise the skies cleared like an act of god and we made our way to the helipad. Riding in a helicopter was definitely a bucket list experience for me and getting to do it in such a picturesque location was nothing short of a dream come true. After strapping in, putting on our headsets and getting acquainted with our pilot we were off. I was surprised how smooth the ride was and the view was absolutely incredible, we saw Seventh Heaven, the Blackcomb Glacier and areas of Garibaldi Provincial park that most never get to lay their eyes on. After a 30 minute ride we landed in Pemberton with our Lincoln Navigators waiting for us.

Burton hooked me up with some pretty sweet gear.

That afternoon I had a snowboard lesson and got to ride my favourite mountain in the world again. The conditions were outstanding, Whistler had gotten over 120cm of snow in the past 7 days and it just kept dumping. After riding for over 3 hours my legs began to burn, I had forgotten just how much work it was to ride BC powder. I thanked my guide and headed back to our room at the Four Seasons, when I walked in the door I poured a hot bath and relaxed for the next two hours before dinner. That night we went to the Bearfoot Bistro for dinner, we began the night learning to sabre champagne bottles (it's actually really easy) and sampled some fine vodka between courses (the Vodka room was -31 degrees!). We had a lovely dinner with the folks from Lincoln and definitely made some great friends (thanks for the Nitro Martini Jim!).

I can't say enough about the 2018 Lincoln Navigator, if you're in the market for a 7-seater luxury vehicle that can get you from point A to point B in heated and cooled massage seats then this is the SUV for you. There is nothing better then throwing on that butt massager during a 2 hour car ride to combat the dead legs you normally get from sitting for too long. If you're looking for a vehicle that has such a good sound system that you'll think Justin Timberlake is actually singing to you from the backseat then this is the SUV for you and if you're looking for an extremely safe, extremely powerful and beautiful piece of machinery then look no further. 

The Perfect Sunday Drive.

With the push of the ignition button the BMW M3 roars to life. The engine rumbles as the pistons begin to warm up and the dew begins to evaporate from the vehicle's hood. It's the perfect fall day, not too hot, not too cold and just warm enough to drive with the windows down. I've been looking forward to this drive for a few weeks, as soon as BMW let me know they had an M3 I could borrow I felt like a kid waiting for Christmas day.

I've always had a thing for cars, and like I mentioned in my last BMW blog, most of the cars i've had a thing for are BMWs. The M3 is one car that really needs no introduction, it's always been one of the most powerful machines in BMW's lineup. Under the hood is a twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline-six that makes 425 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque. The lime green version with the M racing stripes that I drove had the competition package which includes the 20 inch spoked rims that you see below (excuse the dirt, we actually drove the car).

I was lucky enough to keep the M3 for an extra couple of days after my Sunday drive and let me tell you, this thing turns heads. I really should have recorded the sound of the engine because it's absolutely sublime, it's got just enough rumble to turn heads but it's definitely not overdone. You can set it in comfort to drive around the neighbourhood stealthily or change it to sport plus if you want your neighbours to hear you coming from around the block. The change from Comfort to Sport and Sport plus also gives the M3 multiple personalities. It's just as comfortable in the grocery store parking lot as it is at the race track, and I love that. This video gives you a pretty good idea of what this beast sounds like.

I saw a turkey in the distance :).

The interior is gorgeous, there are so many little details that I absolutely loved like the M stripes stitched into the seatbelt. The seats hug you through every turn and the Harmon Kardon audio system let's you blast "Highway to Hell" as you burn rubber.

I tested the 7 speed automatic transmission and was pleasantly surprised by the fact that the M3 drives like a manual automatic if that makes sense. It feels like someone else is pushing the clutch down and shifting for you rather than the boring pedestrian feeling that you get driving a regular automatic vehicle. 

I definitely thought about high-tailing it to Mexico and disappearing with this vehicle but unfortunately didn't have the guts to do so. All in all I would definitely buy a BMW M3, it's a fantastic mix of sporty and practical, maybe I should pull the trigger on it. What do you think? 

Niagara-On-The-Lake in the BMW M550

Vrrrrrrroooooommmmmm

Now i'm not going to lie to you, this is not the first M series BMW i've driven. When I was a kid I used to work for the BMW dealer in my hometown. I worked in the detailing department and was responsible for getting new BMW deliveries cleaned and ready to go after they've come off the truck. That meant cleaning off the brake dust, vacuuming the interior and making sure there wasn't a single smudge on the glass. One of the favourite memories was driving a BMW M3 from one dealership to another, it was about 35 kilometres and I loved every minute of it. Fast forward about 10 years and I get to drive one of my favourite automobiles again.

There's just something about a BMW, i've always thought it's the perfect balance between a sporty, kind of stiff feel and a smooth luxurious feel. Some cars feel like the steering is just too assisted, like you're not really connected to the car, that's not what a BMW feels like. A BMW makes you feel like you're part of the driving experience and I like that, I like to have to do a little work. The BMW M550 is a beautiful piece of machinery, it's got all the latest bells and whistles like gesture control (you wave your finger in the air to turn the music up or down), heated a cooled seats and massage capabilities. BMW has also said this is the fastest 5 series of all time boasting a 4.4 litre V8 engine capable of 456 horses at 6000 RPM, needless to say it's fast.....real fast. 

I felt like I could park this beauty anywhere, might as well park right out front.

We got to take this beautiful car to a beautiful area of Ontario, Niagara-On-The-Lake to visit a few wineries and eat a delicious meal. We spent the night at the Prince of Wales hotel right on the downtown strip. We quickly dropped off our luggage and jump on a bus to do a tour of the wineries. Of the three we visited my favourite was definitely Konzelmann Estates. They have a signature peach wine that was perfect for the 30 plus degree weather that day. 

The grapes weren't ready yet. 

Wine tasting at Konzelmann Estates.

We had dinner in the hotel that night, I started with a Smoked Trout Salad and had the New Zealand Lamb for dinner. The meal and wine pairings were absolutely exquisite. Dara unfortunately wasn't feeling great so we had an early night, I was fine with this because it meant we'd be up earlier and I'd get back in the car sooner. The next morning we slowly made our way back to Toronto taking our time looking for some cool places to shoot this beast. All in all it definitely wasn't enough time with the M550, BMW if you'r reading this I'd love a one year lease :D. Till next time!

Brett 

Travel Diary: The British Virgin Islands

The beach at Great Harbour.

A couple of weeks ago I finally got to go on a vacation that was over a year in the making. It all started when my mom decided she wanted to take me, my two brothers, our significant others and my niece and nephew on a trip of a lifetime. We discussed different options, like a trip to Europe, but decided that warm weather was the way to go. My parents decided to charter a 51 ft power catamaran from the Moorings, a luxury yacht charter company, to explore the British Virgin Islands for 10 days. 

We had three flights to take in order to finally land int Tortola. Toronto to Miami, Miami to San Juan and San Juan to Tortola. Our final flight was on a tiny 9 seat Cessna that gave us a beautiful view of our surroundings. 

The Journey to Norman Island.

After about an 8 hour journey we landed in paradise. A quick drive from the airport brought us to our home for the next 10 days. After throwing everything on board we were off in under an hour and headed to Norman Island. The most interesting part about Norman island was the ship anchored offshore that had a bar and small kitchen onboard. It was THE place to spend your afternoon sipping on Painkillers and taking in the crystal clear water. 

Our next island was Jost Van Dyke, we stayed in one of the largest bays on the island called Great Harbour and saw our first turtle here! We also had a boat moored next to us that had disconnected one of the mast lines to use as a giant swing, it was awesome! We spent one night in Jost before heading back to the main island of Tortola but this time visiting Cane Garden Bay. Cane Garden Bay was stunning, the beach was beautiful and the sunsets were absolutely spectacular. 

The view above Cane Garden Bay.

The next morning we made our way towards Marina Cay with a quick stop snorkelling at Monkey Point. Out of all the snorkelling spots we checked out this had to be one of the best. We saw schools containing hundreds and hundreds of Blue Tang (Dory!). This was the first night we spent at a marina. We chose the Scrub Island Marina and it was an excellent place to hang by the swim up bar and soak up the sun. That evening we took a water Taxi over to Marina Cay to visit one of the most famous Pusser's Rum locations, the one with the telephone booth! Our ride back was an interesting one, in an effort to get back to the marina as soon as possible we paid a man to take us back across the channel in his tiny little dinghy. There was barely enough room for the 4 of us and I actually had to stand up in order to balance out the weight in the boat. The boat sat so low that when the waves hit the side of the dinghy they actually came right over the edge. Needless to say it was worth the ride to Marina Cay.

Pusser's Rum dock at Marina Cay.

Anegada, an island on the outskirts of the BVI's, was our next destination. We spent two amazing nights there and got to see some of the most beautiful beaches i've ever visited. The sand was soft and white and the water was incredibly clear. We couldn't have asked for better weather.

After Anegada it was off to the Bitterend. The Bitterend Yacht Club felt like being in a movie. The hammocks, the water, the ambience was spectacular. We sadly didn't stay the night at the Bitterend due to the fact that the prices were a little steep so instead we made our way over to Levereck Bay to moor up for the night. 

Hanging around the Bitter End Yacht Club

How cool are the Muskoka Chairs!?

Spanish Town was our final stop. Spanish town is the largest city on the BVI's second largest island, Virgin Gorda. It's home to the most famous attraction in all the islands and that is the Bath's a cluster of massive boulders that litter the beach on the Southeastern side of the Island. They were brought to the surface by volcanic eruptions hundreds of years ago. The Baths was my favourite spot on the entire trip. The rocks were absolutely spectacular and the water was so clear and warm, just an absolutely beautiful spot. 

We spent the last day at Cooper Island and did some more snorkelling. This time we took the dinghy out to the point and tied up. After swimming around the reef for a good 10 minutes I spotted a beautiful shell maybe 20 feet down. I asked my sister-in-law Karen to go grab it for my mom because I had damaged my eardrum earlier that week snorkelling. She asked to borrow my GoPro to try and pull the shell away from the coral reef so I handed it to her and she dove down towards the shell. She reached toward the coral with the GoPro extension arm and out of the darkness came a tentacle pulling the shell back toward it's lair. Karen let out an underwater scream and came swimming back to the surface "did you see that!?" she yelled. There was a tiny little octopus that had collected all the most beautiful shells to keep as it's most prized possessions. It was such a cool experience to see the interaction with such an intelligent Cephalopod.

Our last night at the Moorings Marina.

We spent the final night in the Moorings marina because we had to be up early to catch our flight. It was a whirlwind 10 days and they went by faster than I ever could have wanted. The trip that took a year to plan has come and gone and now I can't wait to see where we get to go next. 

The view from the van on the way back to the airport.

Beautiful British Columbia with Lincoln Canada

The 2017 Lincoln Continental

Just over a year ago, Dara and I decided we really needed to see the rest of Canada. In 2015 we drove east to Nova Scotia and this year we finally got to see the west coast, British Columbia. Now I've done a lot of travelling but like most Canadians I've always really considered "travelling" leaving the country. There is so much to experience within our own borders and I truly encourage all Canadians to explore Canada before you venture abroad, and if you're not Canadian then come visit! 

Vancouver Island, BC

We were lucky enough to partner with Lincoln Canada to test drive the brand new 2017 Lincoln Continental on the other side of the country. Lincoln flew us out to Vancouver where we met our ride for the week outside the Fairmont at YVR. After we were handed the keys we drove directly to the Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal in order to board a ferry bound for Victoria. Like most of our trip, it rained the entire day, after settling into our Air BnB we had a nice dinner and called it a day.

The next morning we got up bright and early to explore the west coast of Vancouver Island. We had been told the night before to change routes and forego Nanaimo and instead check out Mystic Beach. I was sold pretty quickly because the name alone sounds pretty cool and from the pictures we saw online it looked like an oasis. Unfortunately as soon as we past Sooke we had zero cell phone service and never managed to find Mystic Beach. Instead we found China Beach which was still pretty fantastic. 

China Beach on the Juan De Fuca Trail.

We explored the West coast of Vancouver Island for most of the day and stop for lunch in Sooke on the way back to Victoria.

Vancouver -> Whistler, BC 

The next day we woke up early... to more rain. We packed the car and headed back towards the ferry terminal on route to Vancouver. We spent the day exploring Gastown in the rain and enjoyed a few beers at a great bar called the Lamplighter. I had bought us some tickets to see the Vancouver Canucks and we were really looking forward to the game after a soaking wet day. We arrived 1:30 into the first period and the Vancouver Canucks were already down 2-0, it was a terrible game. All in all the first half of the trip had been a very wet experience. It had literally and figuratively put a damper on the whole vacation. 

The next morning we packed up the Continental again and headed off to Whistler. Once again it rained the whole way up and was incredibly foggy. We did however stop at Shannon Falls which was absolutely spectacular. We knew the drive was supposed to be beautiful but we really couldn't see much with all the fog. 

The winding roads through the mountains made for a very entertaining drive and really allowed me to see what the Continental was capable of. It felt smooth but sporty rounding each bend in the road and the Revel sound system and SiriusXM radio gave us the beats we needed to really enjoy ourselves. 

The massage seats in the Continental are phenomenal.

The drive from Vancouver to Whistler is about an hour and forty five minutes with Squamish being about halfway between the two. Do you know what made the drive that much better? Massage seats, the Continental has seats that massage both your butt and lower back which makes a long drive feel like a short one. After a little over 3 hours (we stopped a lot) we arrived at the Four Seasons Whistler, an absolutely spectacular resort. We were pleasantly surprised by the room and the beautiful view of the mountains. 

Whistler, BC 

Four Seasons Whistler

After a walk around the village we went back to the room to get ready for our snowmobile adventure that evening. We were taking a snowmobile up Blackcomb mountain to have dinner in a fondue hut at the top of the hill. The Snowmobile tour was amazing, we were up above the clouds ripping around on an incredibly powerful machine. After stuffing our faces with cheese fondue we went back out into the cold and back down the mountain twice as fast as we came up. 

Dara and I riding up the mountain.

Crystal Hut, where we had Fondue dinner.

Now after all the rain and crappy weather I was seriously worried when I went to bed that night. The next day was a day I had looked forward to since I was a teenager. I had always wanted to ride Whistler, and I was worried that the rain was going to ruin this once in a lifetime experience. Thankfully I woke up the next morning to clear skies and what I was told was one of the nicest days they had all year. I was greeted at the bottom of Blackcomb by my guide for the day, Darren Chalmers, who was a former member of the Canadian Olympic Snowboarding Team. Darren spent the morning giving me a tour of Whistler Blackcomb. He was incredibly knowledgable and I have no idea how I would have made it around the slopes without him. The experience was everything I could have asked for and more. 

Darren Chalmers and I

Whistler Blackcomb

Lunch at Christine's

Whistler -> Vancouver, BC

We were treated to a clear day on Friday as we made our way back to Vancouver. It was quite amazing to see the difference in landscape when the mountains weren't being shrouded in fog. We stopped numerous times on the way back to Vancity to take in the spectacular views and to try and figure out a plan to move here. 

One of my favourite stops was Porteau Cove Provincial park. This stop along the Sea to Sky highway gives you excellent views of the mountains as well as Howe Sound. It's a must see during your next trip to British Columbia. 

Porteau Cove Provincial Park

After a spectacular drive back down to Vancouver, in one of the most comfortable but also sporty vehicles I've ever driven, we arrived at the Pan Pacific Vancouver. We dropped the Continental off at the valet and checked-in only to find out we had been upgraded to a junior suite (if you watch my Instagram stories you would have seen this amazing room). We had a panoramic view of Vancouver that was absolutely spectacular. 

The view from our balcony at the Pan Pacific Vancouver. 

This was one of the most spectacular trips i've ever been on and a trip that I have always wanted to accomplish. I couldn't have asked for a more luxurious and beautiful vehicle to drive around an equally beautiful province. The Continental makes every drive, whether it be your commute to work or your drive to Whistler, that much more enjoyable. 

Brett

Couldn't wipe that stupid grin off my face all trip.

Best of Project Show Vegas 2017

Last week I made my first ever trip out to Las Vegas to attend Project Show. Myself along with 15 other bloggers were brought out to Project show to work and collaborate with the many brands that attended the show. I met some very talented individuals and was lucky enough to introduce myself to some very creative brands. These were a few of my favourite brands from Project Show 2017. 

Check out the video I shot with my new GoPro HERO5 Black from Best Buy Canada. Check out Best Buy Canada's IG Profile for more great camera gear. 

Norman Russell 

Before attending the show I hadn't heard of Norman Russell, but that's exactly what Project Show is about. You get to meet the designers and creatives that build these brands, like Kortney Hastin , who is the creator of Norman Russell. Kortney believes in quality over quantity and that's why they don't churn out massive quantities of product. Instead each pair of jeans is hand numbered and every piece is carefully crafted using high-end unique fabrics. Check out Kortney's booth below.

F/W 2017 from Norman Russell

I love this camo bomber from the collection.

Billy Reid

Another of my favourites from Project was Billy Reid, the heavy weight fabrics and classic designs make Billy a go to. Every piece is very well thought out and is sure to make a statement this F/W 2017. Check it out below.

Billy Reid F/W 2017 

How nice are those boots!?

So many wants.

Michael Bastian 

One of my favourite designers in the game, Michael Bastian, needs no introduction. Ever since his inclusion in the Best New Menswear Designers in America for GQ in 2007 I have loved his work. There is no detail that goes overlooked, the fabrics and fit are perfect and if you're a suit lover like me you won't be disappointed. Check out F/W 2017 below.

So much yes!

The suede bomber jacket was a definite favourite. 

Suiting is always on point.

Mackage

Being from Toronto Outerwear is very important. We spend around 4 months of the year below 0, (celsius...obviously) which means you better have a warm jacket. Mackage knows a thing or two about warm and stylish jackets but my pick from F/W 2017 is their awesome Moto Jacket pictured below. I truly believe every guy needs a staple moto jacket that can take them anywhere they go.

F/W 2017 at Mackage

Moto Jacket Goodness.

Hudson Jeans

Most of you know me for my suits and ties, but in reality I don't wear a suit and tie ALL the time. Most weekends and even during the week you'll see me out in my streetwear. That's why I love the guys over at Hudson Jeans, unfortunately by the time I got over to snap some photos of their booth they had started to pack up so I guess you'll have to check out their swag over on their IG page.

A half empty Hudson Jeans Booth.

Raleigh Denim Workshop 

Raleigh Denim was another brand I had never heard of going into Project. My buddy Drew from Everyday Drew introduced me to their awesome selvedge denim and unlined jackets. These guys are sure to be a staple in my closet in 2017. 

F/W 2017 by Raleigh Denim Workshop

Up close and personal with Raleigh Denim.

Hope you guys enjoyed this recap of my experience at Project Show in Vegas. I'm going to be putting together a video walkthrough as well so stay tuned!.

Brett

2016 Calgary Stampede

The Stampede has always been on my bucket list. I've heard from countless friends that it's something that has to be on your bucket list. The Calgary Stampede claims to be "The Greatest Show on Earth". Did it live up to all the hype? Check out my photos and story below.

The view from the apartment. 

So this trip had been planned for months, the plan was to stay with a buddy of mine from University. Two weeks before we were supposed to leave for YYZ I get a message that he had accepted the opportunity to continue his education back in London, Ontario. That meant that I would now be staying with his roommate (who i've never met) for the weekend. Needless to say i was a little hesitant but our host was extremely gracious. We arrived, on Thursday morning to rain in Calgary (and rain the entire trip). Jordan's place was directly across from the Stampede grounds, putting us as close to the action as possible.

The midway at night. 

The first night was spent taking in some live music by Mother Mother and checking out the fairgrounds, nothing too crazy.

Bareback riding. 

On Friday we went to the Rodeo which was by far my favourite event of the Stampede. We got to see bull riding, barrel racing, steer wrestling, tie down roping, saddle bronc and bareback riding. The bareback riding and bull riding were by far the most impressive. The power and strength that the horses and bulls exhibit are awe-inspiring and the ability to hold on to these animals is absolutely crazy. I thoroughly enjoyed the Rodeo and would highly recommend it to anyone attending the Stampede, it's a must see. That night we headed over to Nashville North which is one of the tents on the Stampede grounds. They have live bands and an overall great country feel.

Fireworks every night. 

We finished the night by watching the fireworks from the apartment balcony.

Chuck wagons. 

The next day was pretty low key but we spent the evening attending the Chuck wagon show which was another great time. If you're going to the Stampede make sure you get tickets to the Rodeo and the Chuck Wagons as these two events are the cornerstones of the festival. 

What better way to travel than by Jeep

On my last day in Calgary I convinced our host to take us out to Canmore, Alberta. There is no better feeling that driving into the Rocky Mountains. The size and beauty of this mountain range is incomparable and I absolutely love being there. I just wish I could have spent more time, we were only out there for a couple of hours and I really should have spent a couple of days. 

Canmore, Alberta

All in all I would highly suggest you check out the Calgary Stampede for yourself. The people of Calgary are lovely and would love to have you. The scenery is absolutely stunning and the event itself is something you've probably never seen before. I hope I get back soon,

Brett

Montreal with National Bank for #Altcourt

Entering the #Altcourt party (© Karel Chladek)

There are a lot of great cities in Canada but one has always stood out to me, Montreal. Maybe it’s the French, maybe it’s the old town but I always feel like i’ve travelled across the pond to Europe when I make my way to Montreal.

Montreal

This time I was lucky enough to be sent to one of my favourite cities by National Bank of Canada to attend the #Altcourt party for Rogers Cup. I love tennis and attend the Rogers Cup in Toronto almost every year, so I was quite excited for this jam.

Poutine and Steamies

After landing and getting into the Marriott Hotel I quickly grabbed a bite at a classic Quebec institution, La Belle Province. Famous for “Steamies” (steamed hotdogs, with coleslaw on-top) and poutine. After that it was a quick change at the hotel and then off to Uniprix Stadium for the event.

My outfit for the night. 

All of the lights at #Altcourt

Sunset at the main court. 

We arrived just as the sun was setting and got to watch some excellent dancers at the Uni Prix  Stadium. With light installations, a ball pit, 10 person table tennis and a massive game of Pong the "Alternate Court" event was something i've never experienced before. The fabulous bartenders whipped up some very unique drinks as well.  It was a great way to kick off the start of an excellent Canadian Tennis Tournament. I’ll be cheering for Milos Raonic and Eugenie Bouchard! Check out the Rogers Cup in Montreal from July 22-31st 2016. 

Check out the awesome video below:

Waldorf Astoria Golf Experience in NYC

The Park Avenue entrance of the Waldorf Astoria with my black card. 

On Monday June 20th I was lucky enough to be sent to NYC to stay in one of the nicest hotels in the city, The Towers of the Waldorf Astoria. The hotel was completed way back in 1931 and was home to Herbert Hoover and Frank Sinatra for many years, it's a very impressive piece of NYC history. Waldorf Astoria and Golf Digest Magazine have created a once in a life time Golf Experience putting you up at one of their iconic properties and allowing you to participate in a round of golf at a private Top 50 Golf Digest course with your own caddie! The participating hotels are: Waldorf Astoria Chicago, Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh, Waldorf Astoria New York and Waldorf Astoria Orlando. Only four foursomes will be able to attend each location, making this a very special opportunity.

It's not easy to swing in a Hardy Aimes suit. 

To celebrate the launch of this once-in-a-lifetime experience Waldorf Astoria threw a party at the only "Golf Club" in Manhattan, Golf and Body. With simulators set up and putting challenges put together it was an excellent way to get the ball rolling (I kill myself). I want to thank the Waldorf Astoria team for having me, I had an excellent time and believe that the Waldorf Astoria Golf Experience is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity. You can find more info regarding the Waldorf Astoria Golf Experience on their Social channels: 

• Facebook https://www.facebook.com/WaldorfAstoria/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/waldorfastoria
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/WaldorfAstoria/

The amazing views from outside the Waldorf Astoria NYC.

The hallways of the Towers of the Waldorf Astoria.