November 28, 2023
Here we are friends — it's holiday time!
’Tis the season for mailboxes stuffed full of annual updates from far-away family, friends and... the Hatch Hospitality team.
2023 has been a year of transition that saw us wrap up our relationship with Naramata Inn and return to Vancouver for family and new ventures. One of our most important new projects, and Ned’s biggest role this year, has been a low-profile project with huge public impact. Together with UBC Hospital, Vancouver General Hospital and the Planetary Health Lab, Ned has been revamping patient menus to bring more real food, more plants, more nutrition, more flavour and significantly less waste to hospital meals.
This year we also leaned in on our commitment to support local businesses, “Buy BC” and reduce our impact to the environment as much as possible. As the provincial government’s Buy BC Ambassador, Ned promote local ingredients, farms and artisans. Food grown and raised in BC is picked at peak freshness requiring shorter travel time to tables, for tastier food and a reduced carbon footprint, all while maintaining farmland and green space in communities.
We have been learning and supporting the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association's (TOTA) partnership with Natural Resources Canada and FortisBC. This collaboration aims to raise awareness about Renewable Natural Gas (RNG), providing a simple way for customers to reduce their carbon footprint without additional equipment or installations. Learn more at totabc.org/rng.
Finally, HatchComms is right on trend with the rest of the world in our love for Victoria and Vancouver Island. Not only was Victoria just ranked Canada's #1 city by the Globe and Mail and The Best Small City in the World by Conde Nast Traveler readers- but it's also the home of an exciting new project for us. We are excited to be working with The Westin Bear Mountain Resort & Spa in beautiful Langford and look forward to sharing its stories in the months ahead. We're in great company with Vogue who's travelling tastemakers' named Vancouver Island, the next great wellness destination."
To assist you in thinking and buying local this holiday season, we’re sharing some favourite gift ideas from clients, friends and family. Our 2023 Holiday Gift Guide includes treats for foodies, wine lovers, travel bugs, art collectors, home chefs, and more.
Thanks for reading and for all your support in 2023.
Sincerely,
Kate, Ned + Krista
2023 HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE
BOOKS + ART
Cook Like a Chef and Up Your Seafood Game with Ned’s Best Selling Cookbook
Discover real-life recipes in Ned’s book, Lure: Sustainable Seafood Recipes from the West Coast. This cookbook introduces lesser-consumed Pacific Coast fish and shellfish. Try the quick and easy Steamed Mussels with Apple and Tamari Butter (page 130) and pair with savory Kelp and Smoked Sea Salt Scones (page 172). Perfect for casual holiday meals.
Seasonal Favourites for the Youngest Readers - Spring, Summer, Winter + Fall Days
These bright and bold rhyming board books are a hit with the 0 to 5 set and feature the art of the late, and greatly missed, Dale Nigel Gobel. One of many Kate + Dale collaborations, these popular flip-books can be read forward, backward and upside down. The series can be purchased through Canadian publisher Orca Book. Click here for Summer + Fall and here for Spring + Winter.
Okanagan Eats: Signature Chefs' Recipes from British Columbia's Wine Valley
Explore the latest location-based series, "Okanagan Eats," by Figure 1 publishers. Authored by Joanne Sasvari and Dawn Postnikoff, this beautiful book showcases 70 recipes from Okanagan chefs and artisans, with stunning images from our favourite Okanagan photographer Jon Adrian. Don’t miss the overview on Thompson-Okanagan wineries by wise and wonderful wine expert, Emily Walker. Click here to purchase.
Vessels + Muses - Zoë Pawlak’s Oracle Deck
Intuitively created by Vancouver-based artist Zoë Pawlak, featuring paintings from the Vessels and Muses collections. The Oracle Deck seamlessly combines Pawlak’s words and artwork to provide profound insights and support as users navigate life's challenges. Available online for $64 +GST.
EAT + DRINK
ANNALENA
Indulge the foodies in your life with dinner at one of Canada’s very best dining experiences.
AnnaLena is a culinary gem ranked the 9th best restaurant in the country and the proud recipient of a rare Vancouver Michelin star for the second year in a row. Chef Michael Robbins' exceptional talent and innovative approach to modern Canadian cuisine is showcased through meticulously crafted multi-course tasting menus, an incredible value at $112 per person — must be booked (well) in advance. Gift cards are available here and reservations can be booked here.
Fun fact: Kate and Mike are first cousins. Their incredible grandma, Lena, just celebrated her 106th birthday and is tickled that the restaurant named partially in her honour is so beloved.
THEIR THERE
Discover Their Their, AnnaLena's sibling, for creative fare and cult-status mochi doughnuts. From brunch to happy hour, enjoy delicious offerings. Gift cards make the tastiest stocking stuffers.
LEGEND DISTILLING
Canadian chocolate giant Purdy's Chocolatiers has teamed with Naramata's own Legend Distilling for a boozy box of beautiful chocolates featuring “Manitou” for their 2023 Canadian Wine + Spirits Collection.
MILANO COFFEE
Milano Coffee Roasters unveils Turks Crown, an exclusive 20th anniversary espresso blend just in time for the holiday season. Priced at $100 per 1lb bag, the limited-time blend will be available at all Milano locations and online while supplies last.
1 MILL ROAD
Looking for a bottle or two of something special? 1 Mill Road is a premium boutique winery with a pretty romantic backstory and some exceptional wines. Keep your eye on new owners Katie Truscott and Ben Bryant, a dynamic wine power couple who purchased the winery from Naramata wine royalty, Cynthia and David Enns. Available in limited quantities, their Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are available for purchase online at 1millroad.ca in quantities of 6. Never purchased before? Join the list and keep your eye out for a two-bottle taster pack for a secret link on their website.
NARAMATA GENERAL STORE WINE CLUB
Curated by sommelier Mike Bernardo, winemaker David Enns, and Master of Wine Geoffrey Moss, the wine club offers fabulous finds and untold stories. Choose from Best of BC, International Gems, or All the Wine options. Shipped throughout BC. Learn more at naramata.store/wine-club
THINGS
BRITTON DIAMONDS
Hit a home run with that special someone this holiday season with a modern, sustainable, and much-more-affordable take on gorgeous, glamorous diamonds. Britton Diamonds knows that you can never go wrong with an iconic pair of diamond stud earrings or an elegant tennis bracelet. Vancouverite and Britton owner, Renee Chen has a beautiful collection of lab-grown diamonds available now for holiday shoppers. These sparklers represent incredible value and quality, offering all the fire and drama of their "natural" counterparts because they are optically and chemically identical.
NUMPFER
Numpfer is a favourite of new parents for good reason. These ingenious multi-use bib, bath towels, and sheets set from Vancouver-based Numpfer make a truly useful gift for babies and toddlers. Made from soft, organic bamboo cotton, the fabric is hypoallergenic, absorbent, anti-bacterial and odor resistant. Get yours at numpfer.com.
ODD ONE OUT
Signature items include a mini basketball hoop that offers a luxe, grown-up take on a childhood classic, as well as thoroughly modern planters in unexpected shapes like game console and full-sized "basketbowls." The “touch n go” table lamp has a timeless aesthetic that can be operated from a touch pad on its base with full dimming capability. East Vancouver’s Odd One Out has a playful, nostalgic and contemporary aesthetic. Products are designed and crafted by Ryan Murphy, Sean Robbins, and AnnaLena’s Michael Robbins. Purchase online at oddoneoutdesign.com
TRAVEL + EVENTS
NARAMATA SLOW’S THIRD ANNUAL COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS MARKET - DECEMBER 1
Don’t miss this European-style market full of holiday spirit. The celebration centres on the best things slow - food, drink, arts, crafts, treats and designs personally made, baked or grown. With an infectious community spirit and a family friendly line up of activities and delicious vendors, it’s a great way to kick off the holiday season and support a local village full of #NaramataLove, on Robinson Avenue from 5-8pm. Find this, and all things Naramata, at discovernaramata.com.
TRUFFLE PIGS
Nestled in the heart of Yoho National Park, Truffle Pigs Bistro and Lodge is a warm retreat known for its exceptional hospitality, great food and drink and access to incredible adventure. The bistro menu is a celebration of Canadian and international flavours from Chef Everett Cooper while the charming 12-room lodge is full of rustic elegance. With awe-inspiring snowy landscapes, frozen lakes, and majestic peaks, the Yoho National Park locale provides an inspired backdrop for unforgettable winter adventures. Book your escape at trufflepigs.com
WESTIN BEAR MOUNTAIN RESORT & SPA
Located near Langford, this 91-room island resort is a sanctuary where relaxation meets adventure. Enjoy the area’s natural beauty, an incredible spa, beautiful restaurants and stunning spaces sure to elevate every meeting, event, wedding, wellness retreat and culinary getaway. Learn more and book here.
EDITION HOTELS
EDITION Hotels hold back nothing with their gorgeous design-focused worldview and premium culinary and social experiences. With the goal of infusing emotion into a check-in/check-out world, each location is brought to life with a thoughtful mix of authentic design and gracious, sophisticated personalized service. Those looking for an over-the-top luxury travel experience will have the best time exploring the global glamour and glory that is EDITION.
-30-
About Hatch Hospitality:
Hatch Hospitality is a one-stop shop for PR, marketing communications, culinary consulting, brand partnerships, tourism consulting, hospitality management and more.
Kate Colley and Ned Bell bring a shared love of great food and inspiring travel to the table, and combine it with their proven track record of creating and marketing culinary occasions and travel experiences that memories are made of. The duo are elevated by hospitality and tourism MVP, Krista Lochhead, a proactive and savvy specialist who has been closely involved with every client, project, paragraph of fine print and challenging task that Ned and Kate have taken on in pursuit of their big dreams. Learn more about the team here or visit hatchhospitality.com. Connect socially at @hatchhospitality
Media Contact:
Krista Lochhead
778.227.2396
Hatch Hospitality