Alex Kagel, Sommelier and Maitre D' of Kettle Valley Steakhouse has developed Big White Resort's most sophisticated cocktail list on the hill. Here's a sneakpeak of the menu. Make your way up for a spirits-ual experience this holiday season. Alex Kagel runs his buiness 21C Mobile Cocktail Bar during the summer season for the ultimate craft cocktail experience at your event, be it a wedding or any other special event that deserves some celebratory imbibing. 

Now here's the spirits, from Fancy to Refreshed  and complete with Canadian Classics..

Cabbage on its way in to fall

As inspired as I am by Spring's awakenings, I am moved by Fall's transformations...

For the unprepared, going to the Westjet Wine Tasting event, the kickoff consumer tasting of the Okanagan Fall Wine Fest is like arriving off a plane in Kelowna with your canapé plate-come-wine glass holder, expecting the best to arrive on said plate and best glass of wine to slide in to the little wine sling on the side of said plate. It's not going to happen! You need to plan a route. 

Last Sunday, September 27, 20 odd small wineries (those that produce under 1000 cases - fyi that is really small) came together in Kelowna at The Laurel Building for Garagiste North, The Small Guys Wine Festival.

For the adventurous romantics, for the food lovers, and picnicers, here is your complete checklist for dining out-of-doors... Anywhere you ever dreamt of. Don't save the experience for your wedding day. Just do it now, and do it in any season of the year. Heres how---

Don't let the season change fool you. Al Fresco is on, 12 months a year. It's primal - eating outside is always a pleasure. It connects you, it inspires. Skiers, just think, what is greater than a burger campfire-side at the ski resort? Ice fishermen, outdoorsmen, I ask, what beats a beer with the boys (and ladies too) around the fire?  Not much. 

Woody Allen movies, Paris, Mimosas, French 75's, Saint Germain des Pres, sounds and images from the time of Duke Ellington. These things come to mind for me the moment I hear the tones of a Django Reinhardt jazz tune played out on a Selmer-Maccaferri Guitar. That's a world of awesome to me. But to you it may just be an enjoyable new sound for your event. And that is my point here in this Field Note...

If there is a late summer event (scratch that - event of the year) you really shouldn't miss it's this excellent culinary evening at JoieFarm with Wolf In The Fog. Voted Canada's Best New Restaurant of 2014 by En Route magazine, its a good sign we are in store for something extraordinary from this Tofino restaurant's Chef Nick Nutting teaming up with resident Chef Benz Henrikson.

Okanagan wine 'characters', Matt Sartor, Aaron Olfert and Lee Holland form The Van Horne Trio. Last night I caught their set at The Elite in Penticton, a favourite watering hole of the cellarhanding, vineyard-tending, and winemaking crowd of the South Okanagan.