When Andrea, and her cousin Sue, along with their combined four children walked into their rented condo in Whistler this past Christmas, they gasped. The carpet was full of mold. In fact it was so bad, they couldn’t take off their shoes. The bathroom was even worse. At $220 a night they were angry and disappointed. This was not a wow experience for these vacation renters.

Renting properties via the Internet is a little like playing Russian roulette, you pay your money and hope for the best. The owner of this condo is actually doing themselves a huge disservice. Sure they may make money in the peak times, but this unit likely sits empty the rest of the year.
Goal is to Have Repeat Customers

If you currently rent out your summer cottage, or your are considering doing so to help cover some of the costs, one of your major goals should be to establish a regular clientele – guests that come back again and again, book a year in advance and come for out-of-season weekends, and rave about your property to their friends, relatives and work colleagues, writes Heather Bayer, a.k.a CottageBlogger, in her book, Renting Your Recreational Property for Profit.

Referrals are the easiest and most inexpensive way to attract renters. It’s also important to note that it’s not one thing that creates a wow effect, but rather a series of well orchestrated, thought-out steps that will exceed a renter’s expectations.

First Impressions Are Critical

Bayer explains, “The WOW comes from that first impression - as you enter the driveway, see the cottage, open the door etc. Check the approach to the cottage and make sure it is attractive. Hanging baskets, flower tubs and flower shrubs do the trick, but make sure they can be watered regularly, or choose varieties that can withstand hot, dry conditions and can go a week without water.”

She also notes, “Remember that sound and smells are important which is why we always leave the radio on Classic FM, and ensure the place smells really fresh. There is nothing more off-putting than old cooking smells or musty/damp odours. If the latter is a problem it cannot be masked with air fresheners. You may need to purchase a dehumidifier to take some of the moisture out of the air. I would caution against strongly scented air fresheners as they can cause allergic reactions in some people. Fresh, fresh, fresh is the key!!”

No Surprises

Make sure the guests know what to expect before they arrive. The pictures of the unit need to be up-to-date and provide as many details as possible. It’s great to have someone there to greet the guests, and provide a brief overview of the cabin or condo’s basic operations i.e. fireplace, hot tub, parking passes and garbage disposal.

Make Sure They Can Get In

If you can’t be there is person, use a lock-box and store the keys inside the unit, or pay the extra money and install a Weiser Keyless Entry System. (www.weiserlock.ca/wei-eng/powerbolt/default.htm they cost $95. This will help avoid the hassle of replacing lost keys.

Welcome book

The importance of this cannot be overstated. Bayer devotes a whole chapter to this in her book. The book should contain the following:

• Clear instructions for operating fireplaces, hot tubs, and appliance
• Policies on smoking, telephone, pets, garbage collection and additional visitors
• Emergency contact numbers including walk-in clinic, fire, police, including yourself or your property management company, how to handle noisy neighbors
• Local information on activities taking place that season
• Where to eat – very important – provide list of restaurants and telephone numbers ranging from high-end to family friendly. Note any delivery services

There are many things owners can do to create a wow experience and most of it is just common sense and empathy. If you’ve had positive rental experiences, I would love to hear about it.

Cheers,

Julie

It covers 71% of the earth’s surface. The human body contains anywhere from 55% to 71% depending on its size. As Canadians we use 343 litres of it a day, and as a country we own seven percent of the world’s renewable fresh water. Water, it’s essential to life.

Staying hydrated can be a tricky proposition, given the growing concern over plastic water bottles. The U.S. Institute of Medicine recommends women consume 2.2 litres of water a day (more if they’re nursing), whereas men should consume 3.6 litres a day.

I have discovered a great way to have my water and avoid buying plastic water bottles. Mountain Equipment Co-Op’s Tour Hydration Pack, is basically a water backpack. Its light weight canvas design contains a 2L plastic bladder that can be filled with water and still leave room for a sandwich, small camera, keys and a cell phone.

I’ve used the hydration pack hiking in Utah in 90 degree temperatures, biking, and skiing; the trick is to fill it full of ice water. I especially love it for downhill skiing, where the water stays icy cold. I also like the drinking tube design, as I can drink on the go and don’t have to worry with lids, storage or leaks. It’s also good to periodically rinse it with vinegar to kill any bacteria. I also dry it out after each use. The bladder’s and tubing can be replaced for $12.

The pack sells for $46 but I have seen similar models for almost double the price. I estimate it’s more than paid for itself, considering the price of a bottle of water. Mostly, I just like the convenience of always having fresh water to drink.

Cheers,

Julie

I am pulling Zinetti’s Chicken Florentine out of the freezer and my heart is sinking. Staring down at the shrink wrapped frozen mass, I am trying to imagine what this dish is going to taste like.

Yes, I want out of the kitchen, but I don’t think frozen florentine is the ticket. I am haunted by a comment a fellow cottager, Duke 6979, left for me on Cottage Life’s forum:

I HAVE NEVER TASTED A FROZEN DINNER THAT TASTED ANYTHING LIKE FRESH HOME COOKED. SPENT THE TIME AND ENJOY THE REAL TASTE.

I have to admit Duke, you have a point. Thus far we’ve tried Costco’s pre-made spinach salad ( a good 8 out of 10), their Chicken Enchiladas (not a hit) and the Sheppard’s Pie, which I actually didn’t think was too bad. Although a friend declared it, “Just above edible.” These prefab dinners are a poor substitute for the real thing.

It’s not like I don’t have a million cook books, or access to to online recipes. The simple fact is, I don’t have the time it takes to think through a week’s worth of dinners, let alone do the necessary shopping or cooking. I am challenged enough by breakfast and lunch.

Survival Tips

This week I am trying to focus on taking it one day at a time, or in my instance, one meal at a time. I also find when we get home from the cabin has a big impact on our meals. Arriving home late Sunday night with loads of laundry and no food in the fridge is a bad way to start Monday morning. Now when I am grocery shopping on Friday, I make sure I’ve stocked the fridge and the cupboards with milk, fruit, cereal and lunch stuff, enough to get us started.

I have a freezer full of frozen prefab dinners if I need them, and I am always interested in hearing what you’ve sampled and love.

These are my survival tips thus far, please add your’s to the list.

Cheers,

Julie

PS - Thanks Debb for your recipe suggestion from Rachel Ray, I am going to give this one a try tonight.

Quick, look at the ingredients listed below and name that beverage.

Mystery Beverage

• Sugar, corn syrup solids, hydrogenated vegetable oil (may contain coconut, palm kernel, and/or soybean oil) modified milk ingredients, cocoa, cellulose gum, salt, dipotassium phosphate, silicon dioxide, artificial flavour, mono-and diglycerides, guar gum, sodium aluminum silicate

It’s a very popular winter drink, most people add hot water or milk to it. It originated in Mexico, but Spanish explorers brought it to Europe, where they kept this delicacy a secret for the next 100 years. It was the Europeans who added sugar to counteract the natural bitterness. They also removed the chilli pepper, replacing it with vanilla, cinnamon and other spices.

It was Hans Sloane, who in the 17th century added milk to the mixture and thereby introducing milk chocolate to Europe. Due to the expense, it was considered a drink for the elite. (Source Wickepedia.org)
Give up? It’s hot chocolate, or at least Nestle Carnation’s powder form of hot chocolate . Somehow I don’t think this is what the Europeans were drinking. When we were kids, my mom used to make homemade chocolate syrup using Fry’s Cocoa. Now I am not comparing the two, but if you are looking to make a real cup of cocoa from scratch, you may want to whip up a batch of the homemade stuff and keep it on hand in the fridge. It also tastes great drizzled over vanilla ice cream.

Fry’s Cocoa Chocolate Sauce

Ingredients (makes 10 servings)

• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup Fry’s Cocoa
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 tsp vanilla

Combine sugar and cocoa in a small sauce pan. Stir in water. Cook on medium heat until it comes to a boil. Reduce heat and boil gently for five minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla. Cool then store in the refrigerator. It will last up to one month. For hot chocolate, pour a couple of table spoons into warm milk and top with whip cream or marshmallows. For adults, add Bailey’s or Kahlua.

Cheers,

Julie

The cold air fills my lungs as my body struggles to navigate the hill in front of me. I am skiing the top portion of the Dave Murray Downhill, a black diamond run and future race course for the 2010 Olympic games. Despite the steep pitch and sharp turns, I am not afraid. I am mesmerized by the cedars framing the edges, so loaded down with snow, they can barely stand up. The wind is swirling around me, engulfing me like a snow globe, so that all I hear is quiet.

I have found my breathing space. I feel a sense of calm, surprising, considering I am on a mountain that attracts over 2 million skiers a year. This is why I have come here. I am in search of calm. Getting outside and playing in the snow, or kayaking in the early morning, helps me connect with myself.

I’m discovering the further away I get from civilization - stores, houses, people, the happier I seem to be. In fact, you could almost describe it as a love-hate relationship. I am attached to my material possessions, but they can’t provide me with the satisfaction and peace I feel when I am sitting on the dock - motionless.

It’s ironic that I spend a lot of money, time and energy to get to the place of nothing. I do know I go there so I can reconnect with myself, my kids and my husband.

I would love to know where you find your calm, is it at the cottage or on a running trail, are you alone or with a group of people?

Here’s to finding some breathing space,

Cheers,

Julie

Imagine walking into a property you’ve rented via the Internet and being greeted to the following:

The woodstove was alight; the table decorated and set for two; Christmas music was playing on Classic FM; table lamps were softly glowing, the hot tub up to temperature, and the lights on the mantel and tree completed the picture. We left a festive wicker gift basket filled with chocolates, wine and some scented candles, and for a couple enjoying their first Christmas together, I can’t think of a more welcoming effect.

This is how Heather Bayer, owner of the above property, prepares her cottage for her renters. She calls it the WOW effect. Bayer is a seasoned pro when it comes to cottage rentals. She along with her partner, Craig White, operate CottageLink, a cottage rental management business in Ontario.

I don’t think I have ever walked into a vacation rental, five star hotel or otherwise, and received the kind of treatment Bayer provides her guests.

During our recent stay in Whistler, I was thrilled that the owner of the unit was actually there to let us in, help us with our luggage, and explain the keys and locks. It would have been great if he was more familiar with the Internet connection, something we struggled with over the next five days. They didn’t leave any candles or chocolates, just some brochures from local tour operators.

Both my husband I agreed that although the place was immaculate and had great amenities, we would not likely rent there again. Why? Because two nights in a row, we were woken up at 3 a.m. by weekend partiers who stayed up listening to music. When I inquired at the front desk the following morning about what we could do, the concierge just shrugged her shoulders and informed us that unless the owners retained the services of a security company, which they did not, there was little that could be done. The broom handle on the ceiling seemed to settle things down around 5 a.m.

Next month, we will take possession of townhouse in Whistler. Our plan is to rent it out when we’re not using it. Based on my previous rental experiences and Bayer’s advice, I’ve realized that I too would like to WOW my guests. Not an easy task considering we live two hours away.

On Friday, I will provide some tips on how to create a welcoming experience for rental clients. It will include: providing a welcome book that covers not only how things operate, but great places to eat, how to prevent guests from locking themselves out, and how to can provide emergency service for guests if you are unable to respond to them yourself.

I love it when my expectations are exceeded. It’s even more delightful when I can exceed others’.

Cheers,

Julie

What is your favourite frozen entree? Is it ribs from Costco, President’s Choice lasagna?

Like most of us, I spend an inordinate amount of time worrying about food. It usually starts first thing in the morning with my children’s breakfast, followed immediately with their lunches, which can turn into a tug of war - trying to determine what they want versus what they’ll eat. There’s a bit of a lull, and then it’s after school snack time if left unsupervised turns into a grazing period. The hardest part comes last - dinner. Here, everyone wants in on the act, that is everyone except me. I want out of the kitchen.

So this week I am hosting The Great Frozen Dinner/Prepared Entre Cook-off - I would like to know your favourite frozen entree, prepackaged meat, even salad. Tell me where you shop i.e. Costco, Safeway, Superstore or IGA, what you’ve tried and what you like.

I will post the results so other readers can give their opinions too. I am on a quest to find the best pre-made entrees, thereby freeing myself and hopefully others from their kitchens.

I am especially interested in these for the weekends. Often arriving at the cabin after a four hour car ride, the last thing I want to do is start making dinner. The same holds true on our way home from the weekend. Wouldn’t it be nice to wave a magic food wand and have a healthy dinner appear, one that everyone likes?

Send me your favourites. Contest closes next Wednesday January 16th - the winners will be announced on January 31st.

Here’s to getting out of the kitchen and into ……(I’ll let you fill in the blank)

Cheers,

Julie

One snowmobiler is confirmed dead and another body remains buried in what the Canadian Avalanche Centre is reporting their deadliest season yet. “Canada has never seen this many fatalities this early in the season,” states to Greg Johnson, an avalanche forecaster with the Canadian Avalanche Centre.

Four avalanche slides were trigger yesterday in British Columbia. Two separate avalanches, both in southern interior near Grand Forks region, caught snowmobilers off guard, resulting in their deaths. Two other slides were also reported, one at Big White ski resort, near Kelowna, where a snowboarder remains unaccounted for, and the other on Blackcomb Mountain in Whistler. While two skiers were partially buried at Big White, ski patrollers were on the scene and quickly dug them out. According to Johnson, rescuers are continuing their search for the missing snowboarder.

Johnson attributes the high mortality rate to the province’s unusual snow pack. “We have had fluctuating temperatures, followed by rain, and then cold and now heavy snow.” It’s not necessary the amount of snow, he explains, but the ability of the snow pack to adjust and stabilize to the added weight of the new snow.

The weaknesses or faults become buried deep in the snow. Avalanches occur when the pack becomes destabilized. The southern interior’s snow pack is creating a dangerous situation and poses significant avalanche concern from Rossland to Castlegar, to Fernie and now Kelowna, Johnson cautions. “They are bigger. They are more dangerous and there is very little chance you will escape if you become caught in one,” he warns.

He recommends people venturing into these areas to go back country skiing, or snowmobiling, educate themselves first. “Check the avalanche reports, talk to local guides and make sure you know the conditions of the area your in.”

I must admit, having spoken to Greg at the start of the season, my heart sinks every time I open the paper and read about another avalanche fatality. Please play safe.

Cheers,

Julie

Whistler is filled with hidden treasures. Every time we come here, we discover a few more gems. The snow this week is  phenomenal. It’s like someone turned on the snow tap and forget to shut it off. It’s spewing like an out of control garden hose. Skiing down Ptarmigan, there is so much powder I get stuck and have to cross-country ski my way out, passing a snowboarder, buried to his waist in the fluffy stuff.

There is not enough room to list all of Whistler’s good qualities, but here are a few of my favourite moments.

1. Taking a break from skiing to enjoy a cup of white hot chocolate from the Second Cup (located in the village beside Lululemon)
2. Tubing on the #7 black diamond run at the Tube park (we rope all four tubes together - thrilling doesn’t even begin to describe it)
3. Dusty’s for Happy Hour today - it’s crazy busy and we have to sit on the pool table, but the wings make it all worth while.
4. Snowball fight/snowball war with the kids on our way home from the hill.
5. Walking around Nita Lake on one of the many trails that surrounds the Village.
6. The friendly hellos and greetings from the lifties. The staff that operate the chairs come from all over the world to experience Whistler. It’s their enthusiasm and vitality that make the village a fun place to hang out, especially on Aussie Day.
7. The Fire and Ice show that takes place in the village every Sunday night (see above photo)
8. Skiing with my buddy, Jean, who is a level four ski instructor. Part coach, part tour guide, I have never skied so many black diamond runs in my life. Thank you Jean, for getting me down in one piece.

I could list the best restaurants, bars, and pizza joints, but part of the fun of Whistler is discovering them on your own. O.K. if you absolutely must know, according to the Pique Newsmagazine, here are some of the winners for 2007:

1. Rimrock Cafe voted best overall restaurant, best dessert - sticky toffee pudding, best service, and best place to go if someone else is paying
2. Samurai Sushi - best value & best take-out restaurant
3. Tapas - Urban Tapas Parlour
4. Steak - Hy’s Steakhouse (although the 3rd place winner - Ric’s Grill is my favourite, and good place to go if you have kids)
5. Best Burger - Spitz Grill
6. Breakfast - Wildwood Cafe (locals also love Southside diner at Creekside)
7. Apres Ski bar - The GLC - Giribaldi Lift Company (Dusty’s came in second)

Tomorrow wraps up our holiday. You know it’s a good one when nobody wants to go home.

Cheers,

Julie

It’s not a family holiday without at least one trip to emergency. Usually it’s to replace a forgotten asthma inhaler, sometimes it’s croup, we’ve even had the odd ear infection. Today when the phone rang at 2:30 p.m., it was the Whistler Kid’s Centre informing us that our daughter had hit a pole and was on her way to the hospital. Neither my husband or I were prepared for this one.

Fortunately, she’s OK. Her face is bruised, but other than flatly refusing to go skiing tomorrow, she will be just fine. Which is good, because in all the commotion, she lost her skis. Sigh.

Today’s skiing is pretty good. The crowds on the Blackcomb side, where the above photo is taken, are pretty thick, possibly the result of a couple of chairs being closed due to high winds. Apparently it’s quieter over at Creekside - a better bet in high winds.

Finding a good place to eat that’s not crazy busy can be a bit of a challenge. You definitely need dinner reservations or be prepared to wait it out in the bar. We often have a big lunch and then make a lite dinner in the condo. Our favourite lunch spot is located right in the village above the gondola entrance, The Garibaldi Lift Company, also voted best apres ski bar by the Pique, is a great place to grab a bowl of soup or a loaded pizza. The service is fast and friendly, and the food costs the same here as it does on top of the hill. I highly recommend getting there before noon if you want to snag a table.

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s Best of Whistler winners.

Cheers,

Julie