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BritishColumbia

Opus Vancouver Gears Up for Winter Olympics

Filed under: Journeys, Events, Sports


Planning a trip to the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, B.C. this February? If you're quick you might still be able to snag one of the 96 rooms at the Opus Vancouver, the city's top luxury boutique hotel. Located in historic and fashionable Yaletown steps away from the inner harbor, the Opus has played host to a long list of A-listers including Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore, Zac Efron, Janet Jackson, R.E.M., and The Pussycat Dolls, to name a few. The lavish rooms boast five different décor schemes to suit every taste, ranging from modern and minimalist to artful and eclectic, with comfort and style as the unifying elements. In addition to standard amenities, luxuries for guests include Frette bathrobes, L'Occitane bath products, an in-room oxygen dispenser and complimentary transportation within the downtown area via the hotel's luxe 7-Series BMWs. The penthouse suites feature wrap-around balconies, floor-to-ceiling windows, and double-sided fireplaces; all suites have a wet bar, while the hotel also features a fine French bistro, Elixir, as well as the Opus Bar, voted "Vancouver's Most Popular Nightspot" by the Zagat Survey.

Saturna Island Vineyards, Estate of the Day


There are some properties that just stick with me. This is one of them. I first wrote about the Saturna Island Winery back in 2006. The property is a vineyard on one of Vancouver's scenic Gulf Islands. The 78-acre estate has a mature 62 acre vineyard, 10,000 sq.ft winery, wine shop, tasting room, and a licensed bistro. This unique winery can only be reached by boat or float plane. The winery grows Pinot Noir, Gewurztraminer, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and more on four separate vineyards. Although it is a young winery, they have already received many Canadian wine awards. Back in 2006, the property was listed at $6.5 million Canadian.

Fast forward to now and Saturna Island is back on the market. The name and brand, "Saturna Island Family Estate Winery," the equipment, furnishings and fixtures used in the operation of the vineyard and winery as well as the vineyard machinery and equipment with bottled and bulk wine inventory are included with in the sale. The winery can process up to 20,000 cases of wine per year. The property is also zoned to build a Vineyard Inn for overnight stays. The main home is on two acres and has four bedrooms. There is also a guest cottage and an infinity edge pool and hot tub which look out over the ocean. It is now listed at $15 million.

Experience more lush living in luxury homes and mansions or see the stars living large with celebrity homes galleries at AOL Real Estate.

Pym Island, Estate of the Day

Filed under: Estates


Today's home is the chance to get your own private island in British Columbia. The five-acre island is 35 miles across the water from Vancouver and includes a four-bedroom main house, four guest cottages, a caretaker's home, dock and tennis court. The main home has a large living room, library, dining room, games, room, his and hers master suites, a nanny suite and even an indoor pool. The island can be reached by floatplane or by private boat and is connected to power, via cable from Canoe Cove, near Sidney, and also has a back up generator system. This home is listed at $9.8 million Canadian.

Experience more lush living in luxury homes and mansions or see the stars living large with celebrity homes galleries at AOL Real Estate.

Gallery: Pym Island

The World's Most Expensive Ski Pass for $80,000

Filed under: Journeys


Great Canadian Heli-Skiing in British Columbia is now offering a Platinum Heli-Skiing Season Pass for CDN $100,000, or about $80,000 US, making it quite literally the world's most expensive lift ticket. The Platinum Pass from GCH offers unlimited "vertical access" to the world's best deep powder skiing in the heart of British Columbia's Purcell and Selkirk mountain ranges.

The pass absolutely guarantees the holder a seat on one of GCH's A-Star B2 helicopters - forget about ski lifts or gondolas in this extreme terrain - every single day of the heli-skiing season, from December 26 to March 28, overriding all other bookings. The $80,000 also gets you a personal "powder concierge" to keep you up to date on conditions and forecasts and advise you on getting the ultimate heli-skiing experience.

[via JustLuxe]

Whistler's New Gondola Goes Peak To Peak

Filed under: Sports


Those skiing in Whistler this winter will have a new to ski both Whistler and Blackcomb mountains. The Peak 2 Peak gondola will offer an eleven-minute trip that spans the two mountains. The gondola will link 8,171 acres of terrain into one continuous lift system so that skiers and riders can move across the valley to the best snow and weather in each area.Each gondola cabin can hold 28 people and can transport 4,100 people per hour. Two of the 28 gondolas will have glass bottoms allowing a birds eye view of the Fitzsimmons Valley below. The gondola will also be open during the summer months. Whistler Blackcomb's Unlimited Adult Seasons Pass is available for $1879. The Peak 2 Peak gondola opens on December 12.

Tree Pods: The Next Big Thing

Filed under: Estates, Gadgets

Remember the Ewokes from Star Wars? You know those furry little friends of Chewbacca, who lived up in the trees? Well, if you ever had the urge to make like an Ewoke and live in the trees, I have good news! Now you can.

A company out of British Columbia has developed "Free Spirit Spheres," which are pods-houses suspended from trees. According to the company, these durable spheres can be used for all sorts of purposes: healing, meditation, photography, canopy research, leisure and game watching.

If they sound a little dangerous, don't worry, they're not. Spheres can be hung from the trees or any other solid objects like buildings or rock faces.  A web of rope is connected to any solid surface, thereby replacing the foundation of a conventional building.

If nothing else, these Free Spirit Spheres redefine what it means to just be hanging out.

Rayburn 88 Flybridge Motoryacht

Filed under: Water

In the world of not-so megayachts, it is hard to find vessels that aren't chock full of swooping, modern lines that end up looking like a rocket ship and not a yacht. Rayburn Yachts, a custom builder in British Columbia, has some vessels that are not massive, but still manage to keep traditional yacht style. Rayburn's 88' is a lovely  flybridge motor yacht with 4 cabins that sleep a total of 10 guests. What I love most about this boat is the interior. It is a definite step up from numerous competitors who love the glossy and leather look for smaller yachts. The interior is inspired from the classic motoryachts of the 30's - 50's. With matte finished mahogany and cherry paneling  and free-moving furniture, the feel is luxury residential, not RV tacky.


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