Bliss Bakery has opened a new location in downtown Kelowna at 272 Bernard Ave.
Owned and operated by Barry and Darci Yeo, Bliss has several locations, including Peachland, Ellis Street, Carrington Road in West Kelowna and their main kitchen on Stevens Road. They now have six bakers and six staff in the bistro department, using fresh, locally grown ingredients with no chemicals or preservatives. The Bernard Avenue location offers 45 seats and a patio, serving their delicious organic fair trade Cherry Hill coffee and specialty drinks, baked goods, soup, salads and deli sandwiches, all made in-house from scratch. The most popular baking items are tree hugger cookies, chocolate toffee nut bars and ooey-gooey cinnamon buns, along with Tiramisu, cheesecake or bread pudding. Bliss also serves Nitro cold brew which is the hottest trend in coffee. It is not iced coffee, but is steeped, resulting in a very smooth low-acid coffee. Hours are 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Fresh Air eBike Tours is operated by chief peddler Peter Jeffery at 555 Groves Ave. in Kelowna. These unique and fun tours are designed to give you an informative and entertaining group ride with electric assist bikes. Several tours are offered with durations of 2 1/2 hours to 4 1/2 hours. You can ride a less travelled route, a Tap &Pedal of exploring local craft breweries or a Vineyards &Views ride of wine tasting on wheels. Peter also offers custom group tours where you can design your own tour for your group of 12 people maximum. It’s a great way to go further and experience more around our area with the newest bikes. Contact Peter at 250-215-1226; e.peter@freshair.ca; or www.freshair.ca.
Kelly Kennedy, formerly with Western Star for many years before moving on toWestwood Fine Cabinetry, has retired from Westwood. I’m told he has a very large yard and will be doing a lot of gardening. A little birdie also told me that he is reconnecting and thinking of taking up senior badminton.
The Kelowna Art Gallery has appointed a new curator. Toby Lawrence will be responsible for gallery exhibitions, accompanying publications and all permanent collection activities. She has held several major curatorial and programming positions in B.C. most currently curator of Studio 111, an experimental arts laboratory supported by UBCO Creative Studies and the Alternator Centre for Contemporary Art in Kelowna. Contact her at 250-762-2226; www.kelownaartgallery.com.
Do you wonder who made the humongous Canada Day cake that fed 2,000 people at Prospera Place? The bakery staff at IGA Rutland considered themselves honoured to be asked again to prepare that special cake. Starting months earlier, it is a gargantuan task, designing and modifying its final look with 15 large slab cakes. Cake decorators Dara Roberts, Amanda Martin and Liza Bardwell were tasked with putting the sweet jigsaw puzzle together and delivering it in pieces to the site; beginning the final assembly of what would eventually be the gigantic Canada Day cake. Starting at 4 a.m., bakers mixed fresh icing, then coloured separate batches to achieve the final result of what would be two stylized maple leafs, with various colours, sitting atop the 12-foot long beast. Three vehicles hauled it to the arena, along with icing—lots and lots of icing. Palette knives, piping bags and piping tip sizes all had to be coordinated to create uniformity in the end result. Running short of time, the original three decorators became four after accepting help from an astute onlooker (Trixie) with cake decorating experience. Five hours later the cake was complete. Todd and Dara Roberts are the owner/operators of IGA Rutland, having taken over the store from former owner Dennis Mitchell who recently retired.
Patrick Bobyn has joined the firm of Pushor Mitchell LLP as an associate lawyer. He will be practicing primarily in the area of business law and real estate as well as wills, estates and trusts. Contact him at bobyn@pushormitchell.com. Justin Dalton has also joined the firm as an associate lawyer. He will be practicing primarily in the areas of First Nation Law, commercial litigation and real estate litigation. Contact him at Dalton@pushormitchell.com.
Director of business development for Predator Ridge, Ingrid Dilschneider, has left Predator Ridge and started Matrix Marketing. Matrix offers businesses an affordable option and assists them in navigating the mysteries of marketing or sifting through the details of event planning. After noticing a gap of affordability in the valley, Ingrid wanted to be available to those who would not consider out-sourcing such things. With her vast experience, she is now looking forward to helping clients grow their business or host a successful event. Contact her at 250-307-7963, www.matrixmarketing.ca.
Happy 50th anniversary Doug and Terry Gossoo (July 16). They met in Grade 11 and married one month after graduating Grade 12.
After working for credit unions in various leadership capacities, Lorraine Richardson’s career has advanced towards the group retirement savings and benefits sector where she continues her passion of offering high-level care, advice and guidance for clients. Her financial and coaching background strategically aligns well in her new role with ENCOMPASS Benefits &HR Solutions Inc. The company is a benefits and human resources consulting firm that serves clients across Canada. They provide strategic counsel to clients in the areas of group benefits, pensions, human resources and health and wellness initiatives. Call 250-763-6464, email Lorraine@encompassbenefits.com.
Advocis has a new board of directors for 2016-17: Caroline Radics, president; Cheryl Hatfield, Mike Mervyn, Kevin Zakus, Michelle Aucoin, Chrissy Lwowski, Les Zacharais, Tom Gaymer, Lu Chase, Bob White, Rob Reid, Rob Bauml, Sandy McAllister, Alex Herron and Ed Grainger. At the National Chapter Leadership Conference, the local chapter was awarded a tie for first place with a chapter from Ontario for the Totem Pole Award. Throughout the year, the Advocis chapters have the opportunity to earn points of merit in the categories of membership, program, education, advocacy, communications/public awareness and fellowship.
Mark Hauptman’s HBR Co., producers of Haupy’s Beaver Rub, has introduced a new spicy flavour. It’s a blend of 13 premium spice ingredients and can be used for soups, sauces or marinades. It has a great kick for those how like it hotter. Available at many local grocers. www.haupysbeaverrub.ca
Stages is a Kelowna-based jazz quartet consisting of Jordan Manderioli on piano, Adrian Russouw on bass, Griffin Hodge on saxophone and Curtis Hamm on drums. All the quartet members are award winning musicians on their own and together they form a sophisticated quartet performing a mixture of jazz genres from the 1940s to the present day. This is a truly versatile band of excellent young musicians. Stages can provide all of your musical entertainment, from relaxed jazz during dinner and drinks to up-tempo on the main stage. Call 250-862-0743; email stageskelowna@gmail.com. Check them out as well at Facebook.com/stagesjazz.
In celebration of Canada’s 150th anniversary, Shaw Communications recognized 50 outstanding Canadians for their work to support children and youth across Canada. Locally, Tom Warshawski was recognized for his work with the Childhood Obesity Foundation and Noel Wentworth was recognized for his contribution to the KGH Foundation. They each received $1,500 to support a charitable organization.
Canada 150 Heritage Tea is Saturday, July 22, from 1 to 3 p.m., at the Okanagan Mission Activity Centre on Hobson Road. Come hear and share memories of growing up in the Mission area of the city. Dress in garden party attire with a favourite hat. Tea, refreshments, music, and historical entertainment. For more information call Myrna at 250-762-8949.
On Friday, July 14, Shoe Bank Canada’s free shoe store will be closing its doors at 1264 Ellis St. and relocating a few hundred yards down the street at their shoe sorting facility, 9-368 Industrial Ave. Donna Moyer and her team of volunteers will continue to oversee the day-to-day operations of the shoe store and look forward to welcoming everyone at the new location. Contact Sue Ross at sue@shoebankcanada.com or 1-844-94shoes (700). Jim Belshaw is chair of Shoe Bank Canada.
Kelowna Branch Okanagan Historical Society will host their Family Pioneer Picnic at Parkinson Recreation Centre on Sunday, July 16, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., recognizing Canada’s 150th Anniversary. All OHS members and pioneers are welcome with their families. Bring a bag lunch. Coffee, juice, cake and ice cream provided.
Birthdays of the week – Henry &Albert Willms, twins (July 13) Cathy Comben (July 13); Gerry Moller (July 13); Moni Schiller (July 13); Luanne Chore (July 14); Jim McLellan (July 14); Stacey Metcalf (July 14); Fabio Santana (July 14); Dawn Hurry (July 14); Robert Jay (July 14); Judy Hoeght (July 14); Pat Korthuis (July 14); Bo Skapski (July 14); Magda Kapp (July 15); Lil Moller (July 16); Bill Jack (July 17); Linda Yandel (July 17); Dave McLean (July 18); Mario Pare (July 17); pastor Don Richmond (July 18); in memory of Doreen Ross (July 12);
Maxine DeHart is a Kelowna City Councillor and local hotelier. Phone her at 250-979-4546, 250-862,7662, fax 250-860-3173,email maxdehart@telus.net.