Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/130547
w TINY TEA PARTY La Petite Cuillère, East Vancouver's newest teahouse, is the perfect destination for high tea without the haughty price tag. The tiny teahouse has high ceilings that lend the room an airy, spacious quality, and the precious antique decor gives the feeling of going back in time. Dine on scones, biscuits and cupcakes with a cup of premium or blended tea that's made in house. If you don't have time for a sit-down, grab some sweets to go (don't miss the Earl Grey macarons) and a bag of your favourite blend. 55 Kingsway Street, Vancouver; 604-298-0088; lapetitecuillere.ca BAYSIDE REBUILD After a complete teardown, Vancouver Island's Oak Bay Beach Hotel has reopened its doors. "We've completely rebuilt the hotel," says Kevin Walker, one of the hotel's two owners. "Nine years ago we started casting a vision for the future of this site." The hotel kept its premium location, nestled on Vancouver Island's south coast, with dramatic ocean views. The brand-new build contains 20 private residences; 100 hotel suites; a luxury spa with seaside Fine, p16-17_LocalView.indd 17 mineral pools; the same crowd-favourite Snug Pub; gourmet dining in the hotel restaurant; and Kate's Café, a friendly joint for snacks and drinks. A n i m p o rt a n t part of the rebuild included dismantling and reassembling the Snug Pub, the beloved watering hole that resides in the hotel. "We took the beams and the light fixtures and the fireplace mantles and the leaded glass windows and very carefully removed them from the old Snug Pub," says Walker. The community was adamant that the pub retained its original charm and did not stray too far from its previous iteration. The same preservation tactic was taken with the rest of the hotel, keeping many of the original beams, bricks, furniture and windows. The result is an impeccable new property that pays homage to the past. 1175 Beach Drive, Victoria; 250-5984556; oakbaybeachhotel.com Oak Bay Beach Hotel IN FULL BLOOM The Comox Valley Horticultural Society presents its two-day celebration of gardens on June 22 and 23. The Gardens In Bloom event showcases the exquisite gardens in the Comox Valley, on Vancouver Island. Tickets are available for $15, in Courtenay at Art Knapp and Home and Garden Gate; in Comox at Blue Heron Books. For more information, e-mail gardens@comoxvalleyhortsociety.ca or go online at comoxvalleyhortsociety.ca – Kristen Hilderman she can have the house. 13-05-02 10:04 AM