This week’s column is dedicated to Norbert Heinzelmann who passed away Sept. 7. I was saddened and surprised to hear of Norbert’s passing and will truly miss him on Kelowna Rockets game nights. Personal condolences to Pam and his entire family.
The Tokyo Asian Buffet/Bar has opened at 2125 Enterprise Way with a brand new concept in dining and ordering.
The entire restaurant has been beautifully renovated with both table and booth seating. Owned and operated by brothers Hong Lin and Hui Ming Lin, the restaurant is not actually a buffet as we know it. You choose your own individual buffet items, all you can eat, dish by dish. There are a total of over 150 individual menu items to choose from. Here’s how it works. At each table there is an iPad. At the top of the iPad there are headings of appetizers, soup, salad, sushi, sashimi, seafood, beef, chicken, vegetarian, rice, noodle, specialties and dessert. Under each of the main headings, there are sub-headings of the food items that you order. Each item that you pick comes with a full colour picture of what you are ordering, what ingredients are in the item, and what quantity it comes in. After you have selected your items, the server comes to your table to confirm the order and then submits it to the kitchen. It’s slick and easy. You can order as much food as you wish, but order only what you really feel you can eat. There was four in our party and we dined for quite some time, ordering one or two items at a time. We tried many items, some of which were tuna sushi, wonton soup, Alaska roll, gyoza, shrimp tempura, grilled beef short rib, grilled eggplant, red curry beef, cheese wontons, teriyaki shrimp, Pad Thai chicken and dessert. It seems like a lot, but the portions are medium to small in size, not like you would regularly get ordering one large dish at a time. But remember, you can keep ordering as much as you like and everything is cooked fresh. You really have to try it to get the experience. Open seven days a week for lunch and dinner, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Call 250-980-7999.
Trina Warren, CPA, CA is the new regional managing partner for MNP LLP for the Thompson-Okanagan region. Relocating from Regina and with more than two decades of experience providing assurance and tax solutions to owner-managed businesses, including those in the construction sector, Warren would like to grow these practice areas and lead MNP’s team of business advisors in Kelowna, Vernon and the new Kamloops office. Call 250-979-1749; email tina.warren@mnp.ca
Chris Walker, pharmacist and owner of Lakeside Medicine Centre, has been elected to the B.C. Pharmacy Association board. The association represents over 3,000 pharmacists at more than 900 drug stores in B.C. Lakeside Medicine Centre is located at 112A -2365 Gordon Dr. Call 250-860-3100.
Mona Hennenfent is the new CEO for BrainTrust Canada, an Okanagan based non-profit association that provides community rehabilitation for individuals with brain injury as well as a strong focus on brain injury education and prevention for youth. Previously, Hennenfent was the CEO of charitable organization, Deaf and Hear Alberta. She is experienced in multiple sectors including corporate, education, government and not-for-profit, developing sustainability within the charitable sector through team effectiveness, operational efficiencies, social enterprise and fund development. Call 250-762-3233.
After 30 years in practice, well-known Kelowna dentist Dr. Tom Martin has sold his business, Kelowna Family Dental, located at 1710 Ellis St., to Dr. Robyn Issacs. Dr. Issacs lives in Kelowna, but has been practicing in Vernon for the past three years. But don’t fret, as Dr. Martin will be staying on part-time with Dr. Isaacs, saying that his clients cannot get rid of him that easy. A little trivia. This business is the oldest dental practice in Kelowna. Dr. Shepherd started it in 1949 and then it was purchased by Dr. Geis before Dr. Martin purchased it in 1986. Both Martin and Issacs graduated from UBC dentistry. The office has now expanded and has been completely renovated. Martin has been a sponsor of the Maxine DeHart, United Way-Ramada Hotel Drive-Thru Breakfast for many years and Isaac has agreed to continue on as a sponsor. Call 250-762-2223.
Keith Inman has joined Pushor Mitchell Lawyers LLP as associate counsel. He specializes in corporate and commercial law with a broad practice that includes advising companies and underwriters with respect to public and private financings, asset and share purchases, mergers and acquisitions, amalgamations, plans of arrangement, take-over and issuer bids, reverse take-overs, changes of business and corporate restructuring and reorganizations. Call 250-869-11195; email inman@pushormitchell.com.
Cara Operations has purchased the majority of shares of the Original Joe’s Franchise Group, which has two restaurants in Kelowna —on Pandosy Street and in West Kelowna. Cara also provides meals to several airline companies and also owns Swiss Chalet, Harvey’s Milestones, East Side Mario’s, Kelsey’s and Montana’s, along with other joint ventures. The company have over 1,000 properties and close to $3 billion in sales.
Blake Pachenski has joined Peacock Sheridan Group as a financial advisor. Pachenski spent the past nine years working with a large chartered bank and brings experience to the firm supporting business owners and individuals. Call 250-869-1451.
Craftsman Collision has hired Jolene Grigg as the new manager of the Vernon location. Grigg formerly worked with her parents in their long-time business Springfield Autobody, which they recently sold after 22 years. Jolene was in North Vancouver and Richmond training and learning more about the Craftsman “sparkle” before starting her new position as the Vernon manager. Craftsman Collision has 38 locations in B.C. and is the largest independently owned body shop chain in Western Canada with certified tradesmen to restore your automobile to its original condition.
The Maxine DeHart -United Way, Ramada Hotel Drive-Thru Breakfast is coming up on Thursday, Oct. 13, from 6 to 9 a.m. Again this year, Dennis Mitchell, of IGA Rutland, and Kevin Kothlow, of IGA Glenmore, are donating a grand prize of a $500 shopping spree. Who would not want that! In your Interior Savings bags you will find Sun-Rype juice and bars, BC Tree Fruit apples, Tim Horton’s Tim-bits, Kellogg’s cereal, Kozy-Shack pudding all the way from Hicksville, N.Y. and Old Dutch chips for a snack. Re/Max Kelowna will again be on-hand in the line-up handing out their famous red bags and Rona, along with donating in-store gift cards, will also be giving out items in the line-up. Mario’s Towing are back on board as a major sponsor and as in past years, will have one of their tow trucks on the Ramada lot directing traffic. The Booster Juice truck will also be back on the lot giving out samples of their product. You might be lucky enough to get a popular Scotiabank Scene movie pass, a free Papa John’s pizza gift certificate, a Sun Valley Window Washing gift certificate or a gift certificate to Mamma Rosa’s popular Italian restaurant. Keep tuned for more news about new sponsors that have come on board this year. If anyone would like to donate a gift or gift certificate(s) for the bag(s) please give me a call at 250-862-7662 or maxdehart@telus.net.
Thank you for your support. Much appreciated.
Received exceptional service from three people this week that I must mention. Huge thanks to Adam Adrian, of Lakeview Market, Chris Holtz, of London Drugs and Aniko Szabo, of The Bay. Three wonderful people who serve their companies well.
Southern Interior Development Initiative Trust (SIDIT) celebrates 10 years of operation. SIDIT was started in 2006 when the B.C. government enacted legislation launching the trust, providing a one-time funding allocation of
$50 million. SIDIT is managed by an independent board of directors comprised of 13 members, eight elected officials and five provincial appointees from the SIDIT region. Over the past 10 years, SIDIT has disbursed $49.8 million into economic development initiatives in the Southern Interior and created 2,609 jobs. A decade later, SIDIT has sustained its initial funding allocation and as of March 31, 2016. SIDIT’s current assets total $50.6 million. Grace McGregor, Christina Lake director, area C-RDKB, is the chair and Luanne Chore is the CEO.
Your marketing and sales efforts will benefit from clear, concise and well-written articles, case studies, white papers and press releases. Jim Mahannah, a professional copywriter and engineer, is offering his commercial writing services to marketing managers of clean tech companies selling their product and services to other businesses. The objective is to move them to act on the next step in the sales cycle, whether that is requesting more information, calling for a face-to-face meeting, asking for your detailed proposal or whatever your call to action is. Mahannah works with industries of water and wastewater treatment, air quality treatment, energy recovery, renewable energy and building systems. For more information visit JamesEasyWriter.com or call 250-859-4280.
Congratulations to Howard and Wendy Soon who recently celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary. They spent the day in Naramata where Howard was checking out grapes at the King Vineyard.
The Fall Wine Festival Winemaker Dinner at Sandhill Winery on Saturday, Oct. 1, will feature master winemaker Howard Soon’s Small Lots wine and award-winning students from the Okanagan College culinary arts program under the direction of chef Bernard Casavant, culinary arts manager. Chef Bernard’s team will take guests down the Road to Riccione with Italian-inspired dishes created with local ingredients, perfectly paired with Sandhill’s limited production wines. Partial proceeds of the dinner will go towards an awarded student trip to Riccione to work with chefs from this spectacular region in Italy. Call 250-979-4268; online sandhillwines.ca.
The Sons of Italy, Galileo Lodge will host a picnic lunch on Sept. 18, noon, at the Bocce Club, Aberdeen Street and Rose Avenue. All welcome. $15. For tickets call 778-477-5505. All proceeds being directed to Italy earthquake victims.
Kudos to Michael Coulthard, with Kelowna Flightcraft, who aced his second hole-in-one at the Pinnacle Golf Course on hole #3 with his 52-degree lob wedge.
Birthdays of the week: Happy 65th Chris Jennens (Oct. 18); Kristine Jones (Sept. 14); Bonnie Anderson (Sept. 14); Kim McKechnie (Sept. 14); Breanne Bergvinson (Sept. 15); Marj Roseberry (Sept. 16); Marilyn Hedman (Sept. 16); Krista Marble (Sept. 17); Jeannie Russell, Kelowna Capital News (Sept. 18); Greg Salloum (Sept. 18); Mo Crosby (Sept. 19); Margo Carson (Sept. 19); Lea Gray (Sept. 20); Luanne Kumagai (Sept. 20); Peter Baker (Sept. 20); Scott Patten (Sept. 20); Jim Herperger (Sept. 20); Sandra Babbel (Sept. 20).
Maxine DeHart is a hotelier in Kelowna. Phone her at 250-979-4546, fax 250-860-3173, email maxdehart@telus.net.