Italian Bistro IL Tavolino has opened at 106-3200 Richter St. in the new KPMG building.
Owned and operated by Alessandro and Sarah DeAngelis, who have relocated from Florence, Italy, this small bistro has lots to offer.
Along with their Italian Fantini coffee, the menu includes Paninis, a fresh pasta special every day, in-house made meatballs and lasagna for eat-in or take-out for your dinner at home.
The bistro also offers 16 different flavours of home-made Gelato. There are several tables inside and a lovely patio. Open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m Tuesday to Friday, and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday. Closed Sundays. Call 250-212-6903.
Long-time friend and hotel colleague Michael Wynne, general manager of the Holiday Inn Express, 2429 Highway 97 North, is retiring Oct. 10. Michael has been at the hotel for 21 years, starting five months after it opened in October, 1993. This was the first Holiday Inn Express in Canada. At that time it was owned and operated by Terry and Clarence Rempel, who also owned and operated the Ramada Hotel for many years. When I asked Michael what he will be doing in his retirement he said: “Short term answer—I do not want to hear a phone ring first thing in the morning! Will probably do very little for the first while.” Maria Pucci has also retired from the Holiday Inn Express after 20 years of hostessing in the breakfast bar in the hotel.
Vector Powerboats of Kelowna has finished first in both races in Vector Martini Racing at the prestigious annual Cowes Classic Offshore Powerboat Race. Also known as Crowes-Torquay, Cowes is regarded as the oldest and toughest powerboat race in the world. The team, headed by chief pilot Peter Dredge, picked up seven trophies including the Beaverbrook Trophy for overall winner, Mellery-Pratt Challenge Trophy, Cougar Trophy and Waynefleet Challenge Trophy. The team opened up a four minute lead early in the race and continued to stretch away, to win in dominating fashion. This is the first time that the Vector Martini team has raced in the UK. Rex Jardine is the president Vector Powerboats.
Torino Ritz Clothing has opened in the Mission Park Shopping Centre at 24-3155 Lakeshore Rd., owned and managed by Vic Spolia with help from his son, assistant manager Vineesh Spolia.
The men’s clothing store boasts brands of Puma, Antonio Valente dress shirts (Toronto), Lloyd shoes (Germany), St. Croix, Meyer (casual) and Lipson shirts. The store also offers made to measure garments and tuxedo rentals. Accessories include belts, underwear and the popular funky coloured socks. Call 250-869-0167; online torinoclothing.com.
Tom Wolf is the new president of the Okanagan Military Museum Society and is also president of the Kelowna Museums Society. Call 250-764-0762; email tom.wolf@shaw.ca.
Local author Mark Carlile has published his first book, “Sid Diqui is My Friend.” It’s a memoir that has been released in paperback, Kindle e-book by Amazon, in e-book for Android devices by Google on Google Play and free delivery by the author in Kelowna. The book is about the lure of high salaries and exotic travel working for big oil in Saudi Arabia and the potential risks working in foreign countries for over five years. Carlile is now working on his second book, “The Disappearance of Albert Swanson,” which is based on a true story. Call 250-769-6558; email coates41@telus.net.
Carol Dodge’s Sun Country Furniture, at 160-2463 Highway 97N (by Costco/Joey’s), is closing at the end of September. Watch for 70 per cent off savings on everything in the store.
Born to Birth Maternity and Wellness is owned and operated by Christy Philips, a certified hypnobirthing practitioner and breastfeeding counselor. Philips offers a confident approach to a safer, easier and more comfortable birth in your home or hospital. She also offers a six-week course starting Sept. 28 on hypnomothering. Other courses offered will include he hypnobirthing childbirth education program, The Mongan Method, and hypnomothering and hypnobirthing fertility support program. HypnoBirthing is as much a philosophy as it is a technique. The method teaches you and your birthing companion that in the absence of fear and tension, or special medical circumstances, severe pain does not have to be an accompaniment of labour. For more info and to get a better understanding of her business call 250-808-6321 or email e.christy@borntobirth.ca.
The Maxine DeHart, United Way-Ramada Hotel Drive-thru Breakfast is just around the corner, set for Thursday, Oct. 9, from 6 to 9 a.m. at the Ramada Hotel (enter the parking lot off Enterprise Way). The RCMP and traffic volunteers will be out to guide you to the right place where many sponsors will be on hand helping out and dishing out goodies while you wait in the line-up to get your breakfast bags. Watch for RONA, Okanagan Women Magazine and Dasani water, which is sponsored by Coca-Cola. This year, hidden in one of the bags will be a $700 cellular smart phone sponsored by Tom Harris Cellular. Heritage Office Furnishings, who have been sponsors for many years, are back again, donating as a draw prize one of their fabulous leather office chairs, which are always a big hit with everyone that has won one in the past.
Chapters in Orchard Park Mall have come on board as a brand new sponsor to provide goodies in the new kids’ bags as well as Energy Plex, Umberto Morales and Daniel Boundy of Trawlings. Remember we will also be providing our new walk-up line for people who want to park, walk into the Ramada and grab a bag. Doug Gossoo, of Pro Sign, will be providing all the signage to make the morning run smoothly and show walkers where to line up for their bags. It will be right in front of the hotel by the main entrance and Perkins Restaurant. Pro Sign will also be providing the popular caricature stickers for your car (that don’t stick).
Okanagan Strata Management will again be sponsoring major prizes in the bags while both Bernard Dental and Dr. Tom Martin will provide their popular tooth-brushes; some for adults and some for kids. This week, Sherry Cote, of A Vista Villa, called and generously donated a $250 gift certificate redeemable toward a “Pampering Getaway” in a gorgeous jacuzzi suite with continental breakfast that will be hidden in one of the bags. Remember all donations raised stay right here in our community and there is not one-cent in administration fees for this event. Please open your hearts and your wallets. If anyone would like to donate a gift certificate please give me a call at 250-862-7662 or 250-979-4546. All greatly appreciated.
CARP-Okanagan-A New Vision of Aging for Canada, formerly called the Canadian Association of Retired Persons, will celebrate National Seniors Day in partnership with Sparkling Hill Resort. Oct. 1 is the UN International Day of Older Persons, referred to as National Seniors Day in Canada. To honour the contributions of older adults in our community, CARP will mark the occasion with an afternoon lunch, fashion show and entertainment at Sparkling Hill Resort from noon until 3 p.m. Featured speaker will be Susan Eng, vice-president advocacy for CARP National. Call 250-826-4151 or online carpokanagan@hotmail.com for tickets. The Okanagan chapter of CARP has about 1,700 members and spans from Osoyoos to Sicamous.
The Central Okanagan Hospice Association will offer an eight week adult grief group open to anyone who has lost a loved one, even if the loss occurred outside of hospice house. It is facilitated by trained COHA volunteers and councillors on Monday evenings from Sept. 22 to Nov. 17, from 6 to 8 p.m. at 104-1456 St Paul St. A new theme is discussed each week so attendance at as many sessions as possible is preferred. There is no cost to attend. Registration is required as space is limited at 250-763-5511 or email bereavement@hospicecoha.org.
The Kelowna Bridal Swap is Sept. 28 at the Laurel Packinghouse, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. With the peak wedding season of 2014 coming to an end, many brides find that they are left with wedding decor that they have only used once. The Kelowna Bridal Swap plans to help those brides sell their gently used wedding accessories and decor to next season’s brides. Past brides can pre-book rented tables to sell their items by emailing info@kelownabridalswap.com. A portion of the proceeds are going to the Kelowna Women’s Shelter.
For all you dog lovers who walk your dogs, our neighbor Jo-Ann McLellan showed me some new designer doggie bags to use on your walks. They are small, come in a roll and in an array of colours and designs like pink with hearts and blue with silver strips. You can get them at the Dollar Store in the Mission. I think they’re really cool and I do not even have a dog!
Rutland’s 2nd annual Fill the Shelves Food Drive for the Kelowna Salvation Army Food Bank and Rutland Community Life Centre takes place Saturday, Sept. 20, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Coopers parking lot on Highway 33.
Birthdays of the week: Happy 60th Maureen (Mo) Crosby, BCAA (Sept. 19); Hildegard Oldendorf (Sept. 13); Jeannie Russell, Kelowna Capital News (Sept. 18); Greg Salloum (Sept. 18); Chris Jennens (Sept. 18); Felice (Felix) Benincasa (Sept. 19); Margo Carson, Peachland (Sept. 19); Jim Herperger, FH&P Lawyers (Sept. 20); Lea Gray (Sept. 20); Laurel D’Andrea, URBA (Sept. 21); Linda Willms (Sept. 21); Gorden James (Sept. 22); Nathan Pinfield (Sept. 22); Gwen Zilm (Sept. 22).
