Parkside Victoria Travel Blog

We love a romantic story at Parkside. So when one of our guests decided to propose to his girlfriend in our atrium lobby on Friday, we couldn't resist sharing the news.

Kelowna residents Manjit and his girlfriend, Jillian, stayed with us for a romantic weekend getaway, but Jillian also got a lovely surprise! Armed with a bouquet of red roses, Manjit requested the help of our Guest Services team to deliver the flowers, one at a time, to Jillian, who was seated in our atrium thinking she was simply meeting a friend.

When half of the bouquet had been delivered, Manjit appeared with six more roses, got down on one knee and proposed to Jillian. Our Guest Services team was all smiles when she said YES!

Congratulations to Manjit and Jillian - we wish you much health and happiness in your union!

Photos: Gwendolyn Ewart Photography

By Jessica Woollard

Tea is trendy right now. Somehow in the last few years, the stuffy English staple has been wholly made-over into a hip libation, attracting a cult following of connoisseurs who can distinguish rooibos from oolong as quickly as a wine dilettante knows gris from grisio.

No doubt, walking around downtown Victoria, you’ve noticed there are more tea shops here than in most cities. All within a few blocks of each other, you’ll find smaller enterprises like century-old Murchie’s and Victoria’s own Silk Road and Special Teas, as well as one of three Victoria locations of the über trendy David’s Tea.

Having established itself as a centre for tea enthusiasts, Victoria proudly hosts North America’s largest tea exhibition, the Victoria Tea Festival, running this year on February 18 and 19 at Crystal Garden. Now in its sixth year, the tea festival has evolved from a small, one-day exhibition, to a two-day event featuring more than 40 exhibitors and 200 volunteers and attracting more than 3,300 people, some making Victoria a yearly destination holiday because of the Tea Festival.

Parkside is proud to partner again with the Victoria Film Festival as a venue. Our HD movie theatre with large, plush seating is all set for February. 

Here's a list of films showing at Parkside Feb. 2-10.

Belcanto

Friday • February 3rd • Parkside • 7:15
Director: Ryszard Maciej Nyczka
Poland • 2010 • 107 min • Digital
Canadian Premiere

When Mariusz Marzeda, a provincial opera and operetta tenor, comes into neighbourly conflict with a local escort of considerable influence he loses his job and becomes a social outcast. His old friend General Ogórcow, a commander of the armed forces, who is totally in love with music, decides to defend him by dropping two atomic bombs on West Berlin.

By Churchill Foundation Vancouver Island

For several years Les Leyne of the Times Colonist and admirers of Sir Winston Churchill have braved the elements and gathered at the hawthorn tree in Mayor's Grove, Beacon Hill Park, to mark the death of SWC, January 24, 1965 and to celebrate his life.

This year, the Churchill Foundation Vancouver Island has added to the celebration with a Chatfest of pithy and fun observations and stories! The Chatfest will precede the tree ceremony running across lunch from 11:30am to 1:30pm on Sunday (Jan. 22) in the beautiful (and warm) atrium of Parkside Victoria Resort & Spa.

By Jessica Woollard

Ah, January... the month of fresh starts and fitness regiments. Like several million people around the world, I’m committed to staying in shape through to the end of 2012—after all, it might be the last chance I’ve got!

I’ve made this promise to myself in past years, along with eating more broccoli and buying fewer flavoured coffees; but while I still cringe at the sight of green flowers on my plate and give in, at least once a month, to the sweet aroma of a Caramel Brûlée Latté, I have found the key to sticking to a fitness plan: signing up for races.

Photo/Tony Austin

This year, we're making the crown jewel of Parkside available for your private New Year's Eve party!

Sweeping views of the city, rooftop gardens, chic design... the Penthouse City Club Lounge is the perfect venue for hosting private, festive gatherings in style. Located at the top of the Rockland Tower, the City Club Lounge features luxurious open living spaces and accommodates up to 80 guests.

Reserve the Penthouse City Club Lounge for your New Year's Eve party and receive a free e-reader. Contact events@parksidevictoria.com for details.    

We are often asked about the captivating paintings that adorn Parkside's front and rear lobbies. Well, guests will soon be able to ask the artist in person.

Salt Spring Island painter Wesley Clark is featuring recent works of acrylic on canvas in Parkside's atrium during a free art show on Saturday and Sunday (Dec. 3 and 4) from 10am-6pm.

Selected themes will include landscape, fish and antiquity. Experienced in the local environmental scene, Wesley is well known for depicting wilderness areas around British Columbia.

Guests attending the show can receive special nightly rates at Parkside starting at $119.

About the artist:

Parkside Victoria Resort & Spa is pleased to welcome back three truly talented local painters to our atrium on Saturday Nov. 26.

Erica Messing, Shari Young and Jonathan Gleed will be displaying new works of acrylic and watercolour from 6-9pm during a public art event entitled "Connections." Guests can also enjoy wine and cheese while receiving artists' insights.

"Connections" is the trio's second art show at Parkside. In May, "Going Places" attracted about 150 art lovers to Parkside's atrium, which complemented the show's exploration of the environment with its tropical gardens and fish-filled ponds. Watch our video documenting "Going Places."    

About the artists:

Erica Messing fell in love with BC during a family trip to the Kootenays. A prairie girl whose existence was marked by the swings between the extreme heat and cold of Winnipeg, her move to BC provided an evergreen and ever-growing calmness. She chooses her landscape subjects based on depth, light, movement, and patterns of texture and colour. She paints to communicate the feelings she experienced in a place.

Every WOMAN™-Victoria is an interactive and fun health conference designed to inspire everyday women and to promote the opportunity to try fitness, dance and wellness workshops in a comfortable setting.

The day of activity at Parkside connects, supports and motivates women of all ages, shapes and sizes to be active. It features more than 30 workshops in one day, including: Bellyfit Flow, Bellyfit Warrior, GrooveFit, Nia, DownDawg Yoga, Gentle Yoga, Hatha Yoga, Your Future By Design, Red Carpet Walk, Capoeira, African Dance, Zumba, Your Best Self, StreetStrider and more.

Register by Nov. 11 using promo code "PARKSIDE" to receive $50 off. Participants also receive a special $99 rate in a One Bedroom Deluxe Suite at Parkside!   

More than 11,000 people from 16 countries are registered to participate in GoodLife Fitness Victoria Marathon events on Sunday (Oct. 9).

Runners, local dignitaries and volunteers gathered at Frontrunners today (Oct. 7) to launch the 32nd annual marathon weekend, which also includes a 1/2 marathon, 8K race and Kids' Run. The group celebrated a few of the reasons we run here in Victoria.

For instance, World Champion rower and Victoria local Silken Laumann of the GoodLife Kids Foundation noted that part of what makes the marathon so special is that many people are running for personal bests and beyond.