Advice for Tourists: Best of qathet 2021

Advice for Tourists: Best of qathet

It’s summer 2021. If you’re like the staff here at the magazine, you’re newly vaccinated, pandemic-pudgy, and eager to live la vida loca - with the help of qathet Living’s sixth annual “Best Of” contest.

Hundreds of local readers chose the winners by voting. While this isn’t as lengthy as our usual “Best Of” contest (we called this one the “Resilient Edition,” due to COVID’s impacts), we hope you find it as inspiring as we did. Welcome back, qathet.

Advice for Tourists

Best attraction

1. Willingdon Beach 2. Sunshine Coast Trail 3. Events (Blackberry Fest, PRISMA,

Logger Sports)

Best answers: The sea lions, Popeye, Seawalk, sunsets, the Patricia Theatre

Best hike under an hour

1. Valentine Mountain 2. Willingdon Beach Trail 3. Scout Mountain / Kelly Falls

Best place to paddle

1. Powell Lake 2. Inland Lake 3. Copeland Islands

Best beach

1. Mahood’s 2. Donkersley 3. Palm Beach

Best answers: no sand fleas, 1st, 2nd, 3rd? A secret one. Anywhere on the lake that’s quiet. Hulks Beach (ignore the sewer outfall sign.) Staff notes: This category was full of answers like, “It’s a secret,” or “The beach that no one else is at.” That surprised me, because there’s no better place on earth to people-watch than a beach. In part because you can see human bodies in all of their glorious ages and stages. And in part because beach-goers tend to be comfortable and happy, which makes good viewing. Historically, beaches have been social meeting hubs, where people canoodle and later get frisky. Maybe qathet’s preference for lone beach days explains our region’s extraordinarily low birth rate?

BEST PEAK: Matt McDowell and Kevin Sigouin at the summit of Beartooth Mountain, above Powell Lake, during the summer of 2019 with the wildfire smoke. Matt won the “adult” category with this photo in the Powell River Public Library’s 2021 Photo Contest in June. It was taken with a drone, so yeah, that’s Matt in the picture, making it the first time a “selfie” has won the contest. For more winning images from the contest, see Page 24. qathet LIVING • July 2021 • 7

MILLING AROUND: Arwen Anderson, 11, snapped this photo atop the Best of qathet #1 Best Hike Under an Hour winner, Valentine Mountain, winning the youth category of the Powell River Public Library’s 2021 photo contest. The view is the Catalyst Paper Mill. See Page 24 for more Library contest winners.

Advice forTourists cont.

Best Souvenir

1. Pollen Sweater 2. Thick swag 3. Townsite Brewing swag

Best answers: Texada flower rock, a fresh caught fish, a suntan, carved seal head by Debra Bevaart, beach glass, blackberry tattoo, anything from Paperworks, photos of sunsets, photos from mountaintops, beer / growlers, stickers from the Visitor Centre.

Best Gallery

1. Tug Guhm 2. Turadh 3. Artique

Best Hotel or B&B

1. Old Courthouse Inn 2. Town Centre Hotel 3. Bliss Suites

Best Neighbourhood

1. Westview 2. Townsite 3. Wildwood

Staff notes: Westview should be able to win this hands down every year, based simply on its larger population. But fans of Townsite are vociferous, and again gave Westview a run for its money. And Wildwood is gaining in popularity. Cranberry was a distant thought, down there with Stillwater and Lang Bay.

Best Realtor

1. Neil Frost 2. Josh Statham 3. Lyn Adamson

Best answer: “The one that buys me a drink.” Staff notes: Wow – nearly every realtor in town got votes in this popular category. Two of the most popular are retiring: Brandy Peterson and Lyn Adamson.

Best Campsite

1. Haywire Bay 2. Inland Lake 3. Willingdon Beach

Best reason to move here

Best answers: The sunsets • The community • the people • the outdoors • quiet • remoteness • isolation • too far from civilization for relatives to visit often • where young people move to retire (like Portlandia) • you can ALWAYS get a free parking spot

Best reason to stay away

Best answers: Housing crisis • BC Ferries • Bears • Drama / Gossip • Gas prices • If you’re cranky • No jobs • Nothing open past 6 pm • We’re full. of qathet

www.costadelsollatincuisine.com

#1 Best Dessert - Key Lime Pie - six years in a row! #1 Best Cocktail - Rumbo #2 Best Appie - Poblano Fritos

www.coastalcookery.com

#1 Best Salad #1 Best Appie - Buttermilk Chicken Bites #2 Best Burger #2 Best Cocktail - River City Breeze

www.culaccino pr.ca

#1 Best restaurant for a birthday / anniversary splurge #3 Best Salad