“Mozart and More” in a free noon hour “mini concert” at The Robert Bateman Centre.

Today we attended a free concert promoting the Victoria Summer Music Festival – 2013 Concert Season. The concert featured Trio Vivo performing “Mozart and More” in a free noon hour “mini concert” at The Robert Bateman Centre.
The woodwind trio comprises Greater Victoria Youth Orchestra clarinettist Sydney Tetarenko, oboist Patrick Conley and Eric Boulter on bassoon. Their lighthearted program delighted the crowd with Mozart’s Eine Kleine Nachtmusik and the trio for oboe, clarinet and bassoon by the popular French composer Georges Auric.
The Summer Festival takes place at the University of Victoria in the Phillip T. Young Recital Hall over 7 dates between May and September. The concert hosted in the Robert Bateman Gallery in the Victoria Steamship Building was intended to promote the Festival and bring some of the music downtown to reach more people. For more information, please go to www.vsmf.org or call 250-383-9555.
This is excellent entertainment and sells out regularly. If you plan to attend, plan ahead. Top quality entertainers at bargain prices. Check it out; you will be very glad you did!
The Robert Bateman Centre displays the largest exhibit of original works by a living legend who is undoubtedly the world’s greatest wildlife artist. The galleries in the Centre display the full scope of his work from the largest original painting to the smallest drawing. There are a total of ten galleries that cover different aspects of Bateman’s work, and two of these galleries are of special interest to youth and children. Everyone must go to see this amazing new centre in the newly renovated Steamship Building on the Inner Harbour. This is a must see for locals and visitors to our beautiful city.
For more pictures of this event, please go to our Facebook Page. 

One Flew Over the Cabernet at the Muse Winery

Saturday evening we headed out to our favourite winery to see the Peninsula Players “One Flew Over the Cabernet”, an evening of madness, music and mayhem!  The Bistro at Muse Winery (musewinery.ca) provided a wonderful buffet dinner prior to the show.  The outdoor Bistro setting next to the vineyard is absolutely delightful with friendly, helpful staff.  After a relaxed 90 minutes of culinary delights, and an excellent bottle of Muse Winery's Cabernet Sauvignon, we were ready for the 7:30 pm show.  It is held on a stage in the open-air Ortega room, under cover of a couple of parachutes to shade the audience from the mid-summer setting sun.  Last year we attended the very funny and entertaining “Suddenly Sasquatch” in the same venue.  Our expectations were high this year and we were not disappointed.  The small troup of actors, singers and performers put on quite a show.  Sasha Moriarty-Schieven, the playwright has an incredible imagination and ability to pull together the most zany stories that bring out laugh after laugh.  "Brilliantly campy" are the words Linda used to describe the play.  The story takes place in the Cabernet Insane Asylum and it seems patients and staff alike are crazy to the end.  The music is fabulous and Yanik Giroux, the music man, does a masterful job of providing the background music while being woven into the story in his own special role.  It takes a great team to pull off a  production such as this, so kudos go to all involved.   

We encourage anyone that reads this article to take in one of the remaining shows for 2013.  Choose from Aug 10, 11, 17, and 31^st.  Be sure to also book into the Bistro for their amazing buffet dinner and certainly try some of the winery's award winning wines.  Once you have experienced one of these great evenings in this very special venue, you too will be one of the annual regulars who attend.  It is very likely that most performances will be sold out, so book early.  You can find out more by calling the Muse at 250 656-2552.  Owners Jane and Peter Elman have created a winner of an evening! For more pictures of this event, please go to our Facebook page.  Enjoy.

Summer at the Muse - Why aren't you there?

Here is a brief look at what is happening at the Muse Winery in North Saanich....check it out

A Theatrical Summer

The stage is set and Opening Night of One Flew over the Cabernet premieres this coming Saturday July 20th!

Don’t forget to check out our events Calendar for the rest of the summer so that you don’t miss out on this year’s outdoor theatre and musical offerings.
We look forward to seeing you soon.
Cheers,
Jane & Peter Ellmann

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Bistro Muse
Thursday to Sunday 11 am to 4 pm
Your Bistro Muse favourites are back and we've added some scrumptious new gourmet delights all keeping in mind pairing up with the Muse Wines to delight the palette.

Your can check out the menu on the website. We look forward to sharing the Vineyard Terrace with you and your guests over the summer.

Reservations appreciated when possible. Call 250-656-2552

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July Events at Muse Winery
Keep up to date with all our events on our Calendar on the website!
One Flew over the Cabernet -
July 20th, 21st and
August 10th, 11th & 17th & 31st

Peninsula Players at Muse Winery Theatre in the Vineyard returns!

This year's production takes place in an insane asylum, where the inmates all believe that they are fairy tale characters. When a new patient, a Sleeping Princess, is admitted and is awakened by the doctor, things get crazy...

Tickets will be $25 for all performances. Saturdays are 7:30 pm curtain, Sundays at 3 pm

Our Special Island Harvest Table will be offered for dinner for the Saturday evening performances with sitting available from 5 to 6:30 pm. Please call to reserve. Click for the MENU

Choose from the Bistro Menu for lunch or a plate to share before the Matinee performances. Please reserve ahead. Call 250-656-2552 or email


Evening performances are July 20th, August 10th and August 17th and August 31st
Matinees are July 21st and August 11th only

Don't miss out on this unique experience of outdoor theatre at Muse Winery.

The Black Hat by Bistro 28 - Good Food in Victoria

For a quite a while we have been hearing from friends and colleagues about just how good the Black Hat Restaurant is. So, tonight was a special anniversary for us, so we thought we would give it a try. We found paring just across the street on Broughton just a few steps away from the restaurant. Three cruise ships were in the harbour tonight and the city was crawling with tourists. There were a number of special events in downtown Victoria tonight, so we anticipated having difficulty finding parking. No trouble here and we were only two blocks from the Inner Harbour. Officially, it is called the Black Hat by Bistro 28. The 85-seat restaurant is in a gorgeously restored Rattenbury building in the heart of old town Victoria and is surrounded by a host of other restaurants. It is only one block off Wharf Street, which is the waterfront of Victoria. The décor consists of salvaged wood tables, vintage lighting, lots of windows with ample bar seating. A first impression might be a formal restaurant, but the owners ensure us that Black Hat does not mean “black tie”. If you know Victoria, most places are casual. Check out their menus. They have a great menu, very good service by friendly staff and plenty of drink choices including updated classic cocktails and a substantial wine list. The Black Hat is located at 1005 Langley Street and is open 7 days a week. It is also one of the moe quiet restaurants we have been to. We could actually have a conversation with each other without yelling. We strongly suggest you give it a try. You will be glad you did.

For more pictures, please go to our Facebook Page.

Chinatown Night Market

Victoria has a number of great markets. Last night we visited the market in Chinatown. Although it is called a night market, it closes before it gets dark. There were lots of food vendors, a good number of market sellers (not vegetables). In addition, the street vendor also put products on the street for sale. Some of those are vegetables. This event takes place in historic Chinatown, always worth a visit. Check it out! For more pictures check out our Facebook page.

Cobble Hill Tour

We decided to meet up with our friends Darrel and Edith from St. Albert today at Arbutus Ridge Golf Course. Arbutus Ridge is located in the seaside community of Cobble Hill within the Cowichan Valley amongst nine of Vancouver Island’s finest wineries and 10 minutes from the cultural city of Duncan. The terrifically scenic 40 minute drive from Victoria or Nanaimo prepares you for the pure natural charm of the country setting. The Arbutus Ridge Golf Club is a part of the Victoria golf mecca and in the heart of Cowichan's wine country. Arbutus Ridge Map From Victoria it is about a 35 minute drive north on the Trans-Canada Highway. After Mill Bay, watch for Hutchinson Road. Turn east (right) and in a couple of clicks, turn left on to Telegraph and you are there. It is kitty-corner from the Damali Lavender Farm. We had a delicious lunch on the well shaded deck overlooking the 18th hole with views of Salt Spring Island just across Satellite Channel. Great food while feasting our eyes on captivating views of the Golf Course, Satellite Channel and Salt Spring Island, who could ask for more. After lunch Linda and I went to the Lavender Farm and into Cobble Hill Village on our way home.
For more pictures of this Tour, please go to our Facebook Page.

Ogden Point Breakwater - A Very Special Place

There is no better place to be on a warm summer day than the Breakwater. The new protective railing makes it so much safer and it seems like a lot more people are using in now. Every time we go there, there is always something new to see and do. Today, three cruise ships came into port in rapid succession. As that happened, pilot boats came and went, air craft landed in the inner harbour, the Victoria Express came into the harbour, a kayak started to cross in front of a docking cruise ship (until a loud blast of the horn), and a whole lot more happened. See the pics below. Enjoy.

For more pictures, please go to our Facebook Page.

Bastion Square

During the summer months spectacular Bastion square comes to life. There is a market where you can by crafts, jewelry and food. Bastion Square has a number of restaurants and pubs in the short two block long square. It is very active during the summer months and it has spectacular views of the Inner Harbour as you will see in the pictures. Some of Victoria's alley ways take you out of Bastion Square. At the top end of the square you step out on to Government Street. Come Check out Bastion Square.

For more pictures click here.