Sign In Register In all the years I've been doing this feature — "What's in your fridge?" (stress the "your" when you say it) — it's the first time I've phoned somebody for the pre-interview and they've tentatively said "My fridge is full of Dom Pérignon," as if this might be a problem "Champagne — Breakfast of Champions," and we laugh So it's a go for a tour of Mario's fridge to reveal to the world what exactly you'll find on the shelves of one of Whistler's most respected A restaurateur with a backstory longer than a banquet table An original local who's become something of a fixture around town — a delightful much like that crazy chandelier some artist modified that you got on a twisty back street in Europe years ago and can't bear to part with An original that's — thankfully — its own thing From a village northwest of Madrid called Medina de Rioseco that dates back to Celtic Iberia if you've heard the stories — at age 12 he really did try to become a bullfighter only to be dragged back to reality by his dad It's also true Mario has three homes: one in Blueberry Hill Estates He fact-checked this story from Puerto Vallarta where Pat and Julie Kelly recently visited him and his own winding trail to Whistler took him from Spain to the Canary Islands and all over Europe; then London to Whistler to work for Umberto Menghi at Il Caminetto But it's Whistler that's home in the deep sense and that's where I caught up with Mario not long after he returned from Germany to visit Isabel Here at home in the typical stone-and-wood Whistler townhouse he's had for 20 years Mario has a fabulous view of the top of Blackcomb Mountain framed by trees and flowers in summer around his patio He's also got some fabulous neighbours that have turned the area into some kind of Restaurant Owners' District co-owner of Rimrock Café and another Whistler classic himself owner-operator of Caramba since 2014 when Mario sold it to him Their paths first crossed 33 years ago when Jay was 18 and Mario hired him as a busboy at Il Caminetto Jay went on to work for Mario at the popular Caramba Mario's second big restaurant hit after his first The success of both restaurants — excellent food and wine ambiance and personalized service — earned Mario kudos from locals and visitors alike culminating in the honour of being the first inductee into the Restaurant Association of Whistler Hall of Fame Coming over for lunch the Monday after we speak include: Jay and his nephew and one where all that champagne will be served Michel is the former owner of La Vallée Blanche a '70s icon that was like a woodsy chalet teleported from Switzerland but not before morphing into Rudi's Steakhouse it's like so many of these old places — alive and well in many a happy memory bank like the smell of wood smoke from a fireplace "We don't have too many people," Mario says the whole concept — goes back to the 1980s and the Sundial A mixed grill that the late Pascal Tiphine of Sundial Restaurant and (Who else but a restaurateur would remember what they ate nearly 40 years ago!) Whistler Village was dotted with an equal ratio of good intentions and failed outcomes And a bunch of these restaurant originals — Mario; Michel and his fellow Swiss countryman Pascal; the late Joel Thibault of Stoney's cum Chez Joel II (the first Chez Joel was in Vancouver's Gastown): JJ (Jean-Jacques Aaron) from Club 10 and more — would meet in someone's restaurant or another's And always the wine glasses had to be emptied and plates cleared before 5 p.m Nobody was open for lunch — not enough customers where lunch is at Mario's home with its deep red and blue rooms invites guests to sit at the counters or the table wherever they feel comfortable eating and watching Mario cook "We do all different kinds of foods in this tapas thing," he says Tune in next week to learn what else is in that fridge Glenda Bartosh is an award-winning journalist who's eaten in all of these original Whistler restaurants It has received this award from the hands of the International Jury together with the Italian city of Genoa The former Presidents of the European Parliament took part in an act of recognition that reinforces San Sebastian's commitment to an original and supportive Christmas campaign the city of San Sebastian is officially "European Christmas Capital 2022" a title it will share with the Italian city of Genoa is sponsored by the European Parliament and recognises Christmas campaigns that defend values such as peace These values are at the heart and origin of the European project The award ceremony took place in the plenary hall of the Donostia City Hall The former President of the European Parliament said in his speech that the award is "a powerful element of integration and knowledge of the values of Europe among its citizens" recognising the high technical quality of the Christmas campaigns in Genoa and San Sebastián The title of European Christmas Capital was presented by the former German Ambassador to Spain and was collected by the Mayor of San Sebastian and the Councillor for Economic Development who as head of Development is responsible for the city's Christmas campaign Eneko Goia thanked the city for the recognition as it places it "in a space in which we share values with other European cities Christmas is more than just a festive season It is associated with a series of values that are shared by millions of people in the western world and which unite people from different origins and geographies" "the fact that Donostia is recognised as the capital of Christmas is a recognition that we welcome with pride and which we will show off when the time comes" Marisol Garmendia indicated that "this distinction consolidates the city as a tourist destination at Christmas and will strengthen the attraction of a programme that has already managed to reach 2 million visitors" which was presented by the Mayor of Medina de Rioseco a town in the province of Valladolid which has already received this distinction on previous occasions It was collected by a representative of the Department of Trade and Tourism of the Comune of Genoa taking advantage of the award and also congratulating San Sebastian The event was closed by José María Gil Robles the first Spanish President of the European Parliament which has demonstrated the importance of Europe in solving citizens' problems we are returning to the European Christmas Capital Award in the hope of sharing the values of solidarity that the Christmas season inspires in us" The event was attended by representatives of the municipal groups that make up the board of directors of Fomento as well as the sponsors of Christmas in San Sebastian as well as some of the members of the Gabonetako Azoka The award ceremony for the cities of San Sebastian and Genoa also marks the beginning of the presentation of candidatures for the European Christmas capitals and cities for the celebration of Christmas in 2023 the organisation has decided to include Ukraine as a new country with a special European relationship which are the two main values that inspire this distinction Saadaasha Shabakadda » Dhacdooyinka saadaasha hawada » Hirar qabow halka Medina de Rioseco iyo Sardón de Duero heerkulku uu gaadhay -6.8ºC y -6.1ºC siday u kala horreeyaan Qabowgu waxa uu beddeshay muuqaalka gobollo badan isaga oo inta badan dalka ku daboolay buste cad oo baraf ah Xaaladdan ayaa keentay in si qasab ah loo isticmaalo silsiladaha waddooyinka kala duwan si looga fogaado dhibaatooyinka amniga Xaaladda cimiladu waxay u baahan tahay jawaab ku habboon si loo xaqiijiyo badbaadada iyo wanaagga dadweynaha Waxaa lagu talinayaa inaad raacdo talada soo socota: waxaa muhiim ah in lala xiriiro adeegyada degdega ah ama adeegyada bulshada xaafad walba waxaa jira xog laga yaabo in ay xiisaynayaan oo bixisa macnaha guud ee qabowga daran Mowjadda qabow ee dalka ka jirta ayaa horseeday qorshayaal degdeg ah oo laga hirgeliyo dhowr ismaamul Wakaaladda saadaasha hawada ee gobolka (AEMET) ayaa soo saartay digniino dhowr gobol oo ay soo mareen xaalado aad u daran hoos u dhaca heerkulku waxa uu ahaa mid caan ku ah: Bulshada ee Andalusia Waxa kale oo ay la kulantay kulayl qabow, oo uu hoos ugu dhacay 1°C gudaha Cordoba iyo 4°C gudaha Granada. Gudaha Extremadura, digniinaha hoos u dhaca -4°C ayaa laga soo saaray meelaha qaarkood. Macluumaad dheeraad ah oo ku saabsan saameynta qabow ee Spain, waxaad kala tashan kartaa maqaalka Spain barafka hoostiisa Imaatinka DANA (Niyad-jabka Heerka Sare ee Go'doonsan) wuxuu la socdaa kororka xasilloonida jawiga Nidaamkan ayaa la filayaa inuu roob iyo baraf u keeno bulshooyin dhowr ah oo ismaamul gaar ah: Meelaha ugu badan ee uu saameeyay waxaa ka mid ah silsiladaha buuraha Teruel iyo Catalan Pyrenees, halkaas oo baraf fudud la filayo, oo ay isku urursan yihiin inta u dhaxaysa. 1 iyo 3 cm. Wax badan oo ku saabsan shuruudahan ka ogow maqaalka ku saabsan Dareen qabow marka uu baraf da'o Beeraha loo baahan yahay waxaa lagu calaamadeeyay la * comment * document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id" "a40217cfacb9fb92261d72a3dd0d5695" );document.getElementById("f3ff4e1098").setAttribute( "id"