Quintessential Whistler
Favourite Whistlerite
It’s the stink that just won’t wash off.
For the second consecutive year, Jeremy “Stinky” Peterson is your favourite Whistlerite.
“It blew my mind away. Wow,” Peterson said between hearty coughs, when reached by phone (“sorry, I’m smoking a joint,” he said—but no apologies necessary).
“It’s pretty cool to be Whistler’s favourite local. Pretty humbling, if you will say, because I’m just a simple guy, having a lot of fun doing what I do, and just trying to make a lot of people happy.”
It hasn’t been all fun and games this year for the owner of Village Stroll sports bar Stinky’s on the Stroll, though—with rent on the rise Peterson’s business is now up for sale, after enduring “probably the worst November I’ve had since COVID,” he said.
“It’s the shittiest thing ever, because I’ve done so much to try to do it, and it’s not me that’s failing, it’s the town,” he said. “It’s the greed of landlords who think that they are entitled to charge as much as they want.”
But even in hard times, Stinky isn’t letting it get him down.
“It is what it is,” he said, still coughing. “I can’t be upset about it. I’ve done a great run, and nobody can ever say I didn’t do anything good for the community.”
And when asked what comes next in 2025, Stinky said he’s not ready to give up the ghost just yet.
“I’ll be honest, I’d love to try to keep Stinky’s, and if it goes, then well I dunno,” he said. “I’m looking for a new place … maybe a Stinky’s 2.0, maybe a Stinky’s in the Creek—so I’m not saying no to anything, I’m just trying to do the best I can with what I got, and the cards I’m being dealt.”
Mayor Jack Crompton came second, while DJ Ace Mackay-Smith (a.k.a Foxy Moron) and local plumber Lee Carter tied for third.
Favourite Volunteer
Consider it a dynasty: for the fourth straight year, Denise Wood is Whistler’s favourite volunteer, according to Pique readers.
“That is hilarious. Really?” Wood said. “That’s so nice, and lovely, but I am surprised, yeah.”
It shouldn’t come as a surprise—Whistler is well known for being a town of passionate dog-lovers, and Wood has served as a board member at local animal shelter Whistler Animals Galore (WAG) for 15 years.
She’s also well known for her fundraisers for the shelter, including selling her hand-made dog bandanas at Whistler Happy Pets in Function Junction.
“I try to get the word out there about [WAG], and I volunteer and actively promote the animals through my own social media and that kinda stuff,” she said. “And yeah, I’m a real advocate for WAG, and passionate about all the animals there, so I don’t know if that’s why.”
The shelter is running its matching campaign through the holidays, supported by Zog’s and Moguls—there’s still time to donate at whistlerwag.com—and in 2025 will look to find loving homes for some of its long-term residents.
“Good old Lola is still there, still looking for a home,” Wood said, referring to the six-year-old pitbull who has become something of a social media star over the years. “Things are overall going well, but we’re definitely fundraising and looking for that support.”
Why should people volunteer?
“Obviously it gives back to the community, and it helps any non-profit—whatever your interest is, it helps them, because non-profits … I would say most are always financially challenged, so whatever you can give back in your expertise [is helpful],” Wood said.
“Obviously I love animals and I really care about animal welfare, but I think it’s good for people to find what their passion is [and volunteer in that area].”
Ashlie Girvan came second, while Toni Lochrie, Kevin Mikkelsen, Donna Savage and Paul Dorland all tied for third.
Favourite Whistler non-profit
This category has been dominated for years by Whistler Animals Galore—another testament to Whistler’s love for dogs—but in 2024, the crew at the Whistler Community Services Society (WCSS) earned the top honour as Whistler’s favourite non-profit.
Maybe because more people than ever before are accessing its services.
November was another record-breaking month for the WCSS-operated Whistler Food Bank, with 2,262 visits, up 35 per cent from the same period last year.
If you’re looking for ways to give back, WCSS—and all non-profits, really—can always use cash.
Perennial champions WAG placed second this year, followed by Zero Ceiling, the Whistler-based organization dedicated to ending youth homelessness.
Best decision by council
It was another busy year at Whistler’s municipal hall, and as is usually the case, council’s commitment to building housing was the best decision made at the council table in 2024, according to Pique readers.
Since 2018, the municipal subsidiary Whistler Housing Authority (WHA) has opened five new resident-restricted rental apartment buildings, bringing its inventory of non-market rental housing to 818 beds. Between ownership and rental, more than 7,300 Whistlerites now live in below-market WHA housing.
Council’s decision to enact higher fines for short-term rentals was your second-favourite move, while bringing back the Whistler Village Canada Day parade, sidelined since 2020, came third.
Worst decision by council
But for all the work on housing, it’s still not enough for many Pique readers, as rents increase and availability remains scarce.
“Not moving fast enough on housing” was voted worst decision by Whistler council in 2024.
The controversial decision to end the Whistler Waldorf School’s lease at Spruce Grove came second, followed by the decision to hike building permit fees by 30 per cent.
Biggest news story
In mid-July, keen-eyed observers of Whistler’s forests noticed something concerning—trees turning red on the mountainsides.
According to the Cheakamus Community Forest, an outbreak of western spruce budworm is to blame.
In a post on its website July 24, the CCF noted red trees are showing in the areas above White Gold, Function Junction and along Sproatt and Rainbow Mountains. The outbreak is reportedly happening across the Coast/Interior transition forests from Whistler to Hope, and seems to be restricted to the band of higher elevation forests (about 800 to 1,100 metres), the post said.
“Currently, the only viable management option is to aerial spray with Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki (Btk), a biological agent that kills the caterpillar when it eats the treated tree needles and is harmless to other species,” the CCF said in a blog post.
The effectiveness of the treatment—and the impact of spruce budworm on fire risk in the resort—will be one to watch in 2025.
A drop in visitation to the resort after a poor snow year was voted the second-biggest story of the year, while a pair of on-mountain skier deaths came third.
Biggest environmental concern
No surprises here, given the challenging snow year of 2024: climate change is the biggest environmental concern of Pique readers.
The ongoing threat of wildfires—no doubt exacerbated by the devastation seen in Jasper, Alta., this year—came second, followed by logging in Whistler’s old-growth forests.
- Braden Dupuis
Restaurants and Cafés
Best Coffee
1) Mount Currie Coffee Company
2) Forecast Coffee
3) Three-way Tie: Bunker Café, Provisions, Rockit
Best Breakfast
1) Wild Wood
2) Southside Diner
3) Caramba!
Best Lunch
1) Samurai Sushi
2) Samurai Bowl
3) Splitz Grill
Favourite Takeout
1) Samurai Bowl
2) Samurai Sushi
3) Barn Nork
Best Casual Dining
1) 21 Steps
2) Earls
3) Caramba!
Best Fine Dining
1) Rimrock Café
2) Wild Blue
3) Araxi
Best Dessert
1) Purebread
2) Rimrock Café
3) Cows
Best Wine List
1) Araxi
2) Rimrock Café
3) Bearfoot Bistro
Best Burger
1) Splitz Grill
2) Caramba!
3) Roland’s Creekside Pub
Best Pizza
1) Functional Pie
2) Creekbread
3) HandleBar
Best Steak
1) Hy’s
2) Rimrock Café
3) Sidecut
Best Sushi
1) Sushi Village
2) Nagomi Sushi
3) Sachi Sushi
Best Healthy Meal
1) Green Moustache
2) Naked Sprout
3) Samurai Sushi
Best Off-Season Deal
1) Wild Blue
2) Rimrock Café
3) Araxi
All hail Wild Wood, King of Whistler’s all-day breakfast
Breakfast is, by and large, a ritualistic act. Moreso than lunch or dinner, breakfast is all about familiarity, nostalgia. Devotees of the first meal of the day know what they want and exactly how they want it.
It’s a truth Bob Haselbach, chef-owner of Wild Wood Café, voted Whistler’s Best Breakfast for the second year in a row, knows full well.
“I’ve been cooking here since 2013 and I keep the food the same way as I was showed,” said Haselbach, who took ownership of the Function Junction diner in 2020. “Our food has always stayed the same.”
That consistency is what keeps Wild Wood’s loyal regulars coming back—and they can be set in their ways. Haselbach likes to joke the only time he gets his regulars to try something new off the menu is when he offers it for free.
It also doesn’t hurt that Wild Wood serves up its classic breakfast plates and bennies until 3 p.m. daily, a welcome schedule for a town that loves to keep the good times rollin’ late.
Even as the restaurant, like many others in Whistler, has struggled with rising costs and a downturn in sales—the owner estimates business is down about 40 per cent over the past two years—Haselbach has strived to keep prices affordable for the little guy.
We have lots of really good soup and lunch specials, and all the construction guys working in Cheakamus, for them to go to the village and get a Quarter Pounder meal is more expensive than some of our menu items—and ours are made with love,” he said.
Brunch is known as the bane of a line cook’s existence, with its endless parade of poached eggs and hash browns. If he had his druthers, Haselbach would focus more on his true culinary passion: barbecue.
“Ideally, if we went back to pre-pandemic volumes, it would be nice to have my guys take care of breakfast and lunch and then I’d do barbecue a few nights a week,” he said. “Out of all the food I’ve cooked, barbecue is the one I’m more passionate about and enjoy cooking. It feels less like work when I’m doing it.”
Maybe it’s time to add a Favourite Barbecue category to Best of Whistler?
- Brandon Barrett
Twenty-one years of 21 Steps
John McMillen cares about how a roll-up is done. That’s not something you can say about every restaurant owner, but not every restaurant owner is as hands-on as McMillen and Allie Warner.
“We’re in the trenches with the rest of the staff. I bartend. Allie will run the door. I’ll be doing roll-ups and polishing glasses with the staff,” said McMillen, who, alongside Warner, owns and operates 21 Steps Kitchen + Bar, voted Best Casual Dining and Best Customer Service in this year’s poll. “If you think of yourself as a guest coming into the restaurant and sitting down, we may be serving out 60 plates of garlic chili prawns a night, but when that person sits down that’s the only thing they’re gonna see, that one dish. We put care into every dish.”
Even calling 21 Steps casual dining can feel like a misnomer. While there’s no doubt the ambience cultivated by the village restaurant’s highly trained staff is warm and inviting, the service and menu, packed with generously portioned modern comfort food, is elevated to such a quality that it feels like fine dining—without all the fussiness.
“That is one thing we are always striving for. We want that fine-dining level of service where tables are clean and waters are filled and the steps of service are impeccable, and we want the personality of our servers to shine through and make it a comfortable experience,” McMillen said.
Taking over the restaurant six years ago after serving as longtime staff, Warner and McMillen know first-hand that a restaurant is only as good as the employees who make it all work.
“Our goal is to make sure we get return customers all the time and to make sure we have happy staff that feel respected and care about the work they’re doing,” said Warner. “We hire extremely qualified and professional staff. We are so blessed with the team we have. We are who we are because of them.”
21 Steps will celebrate an important milestone next year: its 21st birthday. Warner said the restaurant has a few things planned to celebrate, including a to-be-announced anniversary party and a special beer brewed by Coast Mountain Brewing to mark the occasion.
“It’s been a pretty wild ride,” said McMillen.
- Brandon Barrett
Bars, Pubs and Clubs
Best Après
1) Dusty’s Bar & BBQ
2) Dubh Linn Gate
3) Merlin’s
Best Nachos
1) Dubh Linn Gate
2) Dusty’s Bar & BBQ
3) Stinky’s on the Stroll
Best Wings
1) Roland’s Creekside Pub
2) Crystal Lounge
3) Dusty’s Bar & BBQ
Best Bar/Pub
1) Dubh Linn Gate
2) Stinky’s on the Stroll
3) Roland’s Creekside Pub
Best Patio
1) Nicklaus North Golf Course
2) Dusty’s Bar & BBQ
3) Beacon
Best Cocktail
1) Raven Room
2) Bar Oso
3) 21 Steps
Best Beer Selection
1) Coast Mountain Brewing
2) Dubh Linn Gate
3) Tapley’s
Favourite Locals’ Hangout
1) Stinky’s on the Stroll
2) Alpine Café
3) Tapley’s
Favourite Liquor Store
1) BC Liquor Store Marketplace
2) Nesters Liquor Store
3) BC Liquor Store Creekside
All in the family at the Dubh (even if you’re not Irish)
You don’t have to hail from the Emerald Isle to work at Whistler’s cherished Irish pub—but it certainly doesn’t hurt.
“I think we’re pretty authentic. We do get a lot of that feedback from our Irish clientele, and a number of our staff, believe it or not, are Irish, and they often find their way here when they land in Whistler,” said Louise Oliver, operations manager at The Dubh Linn Gate, voted Whistler’s Best Bar for the fifth time since this category was introduced in 2018.
Clearly, the Dubh is doing something right, and that authenticity is built into its foundation—literally. The pub was designed, crafted, and transported piece-by-piece from its native Ireland across the pond to the Pan Pacific Whistler when it opened in 1997.
Then there’s the Guinness. The Dubh imports and pours more pints of the iconic Irish stout than any other bar in Western Canada, and the bar staff is very particular about doing it the proper way. For the uninitiated: A perfect pint of Guinness starts with an imperial, 20-ounce Guinness glass, poured at a 45-degree angle, without the glass touching the tap, until it hits the harp of the Guinness logo, then it should be left to settle so there are no bubbles on the head before the rest of the pint is poured.
“It is a very rare day we’ve had someone say this isn’t poured correctly,” Oliver said. “Usually, our mandate here, no matter what happens, is to never run out of Guinness.”
Add in one of the busiest live music lineups in the resort, a bountiful menu of après favourites and hearty Irish classics, and you’ve got the recipe for a proper pub outing that would make James Joyce swoon.
For Oliver’s money, the one thing that puts Dubh Linn Gate over the top year after year is the family vibe the staff have cultivated.
“Most of us know how it feels to be so far away from our families, so we do our best to create family here,” she said.
- Brandon Barrett
Arts, Media and Culture
Favourite Artist/Artisan:
1) Andrea Mueller
2) Vanessa Stark
3) Dave Petko
Favourite Major Art Show
1) Art on the Lake
2) Dirt Diaries
3) Andrea Mueller: Inconsistent Memory
Favourite Arts and Culture Event
1) Crankworx
2) Whistler Summer Concert Series
3) Art on the Lake
Favourite Photographer
1) Logan Swayze/Rob Perry
2) Joern Rohde
3) Blake Jorgenson
Favourite Filmmaker
1) Kris Dontas
2) Ryan Kenny/Mike Douglas
3) Sandy Ward
Favourite Music Artist/Band
1) The Hairfarmers
2) Ruckus Deluxe
3) Red Chair
‘Can I opt out next year?’
When Andrea Mueller learned she’d been voted Whistler’s favourite artist—again—her knee-jerk reaction was: “We need a new winner around here.”
Now, folks can’t exactly be faulted for noticing Mueller as one of the Sea to Sky area’s more prolific talents. She touched off the year with a notable exhibit in the Maury Young Arts Centre named “Inconsistent Memory” : an out-of-the-box series of visual reflections on her own childhood.
If you checked out that exhibition in January, it probably stuck in your mind.
“A lot of people were surprised, because [Inconsistent Memory] was totally different from what I usually show,” Mueller recalls. “But overall I think it was really well received, and people understood that it was a more personal subject matter. For me, it was nice to showcase some other work that I do … installation art and some of my photography.”
Mueller also partnered with the Whistler Youth Centre, utilizing grant money from the Whistler Real Estate Association to deliver a custom paint-by-numbers project. Local teenagers worked on filling it out all summer, and as of this writing the fruits of their labour await display in the Youth Centre.
Demand for child and adolescent-focused programming is tangible, so Mueller plans to establish some more creative initiatives for them at her own Creekside store: Art Pop.
“You only know what you are exposed to,” says Mueller. “In a town that’s very heavy on sports, I think the more arts programming we can have [the better]. There are so many awesome, talented musicians and artists who are doing that right now … and seeing it is actually very encouraging for me.”
On that note, Mueller encourages her fellow Sea to Sky creatives to persevere. Theirs is not an easy career, but she believes if your real passion is to make art, that passion is worth hustling for.
She’s also good with taking a break from the limelight.
“I definitely feel the love and I’m excited that the community is supportive of me,” Mueller says. “I do wish there were more artists able to stay in Whistler, so we would have different people winning this award. Can I opt out next year? Let someone else have a crack?”
- David Song
‘The essence of the song’
It’s not easy being a cover band. That line of work means you’re inherently judged on your ability to replicate someone else’s content. They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but flattery alone won’t pay the bills—especially in an arts environment like Whistler where standards are high.
Cover bands come and go. The Hairfarmers are here to stay.
Now entering their 25th season, “Guitar” Doug Craig and “Grateful” Greg Reamsbottom have redefined the meaning of the term “workhorse.” They play more than 200 gigs a year, from intimate private venues to grand arenas. They’ve opened for or co-headlined with musical royalty: the Tragically Hip, Our Lady Peace, and Tom Petty, just to name a few.
Perhaps most amazingly of all: Craig and Reamsbottom do not rehearse for any of their shows. They go in with their fingers firmly on the pulse of their audience, confident that their experience and raw talent will help them perform any song requested—even if they’ve never played it live before.
“We can’t be going back to practice and thinking about how to make things perfect,” explains Craig. “We’ve got a very distinct sound.”
The Hairfarmers song list includes more than 2,500 tracks, and their website bills it as “everything from Johnny Cash to Jimi Hendrix and U2, Bob Dylan to Led Zeppelin and Coldplay, Willie Nelson to the Grateful Dead, the Black Keys to Taylor Swift.” Not every show is perfect, but more often than not they do their source material justice.
“The challenge of our format is we basically [have] an acoustic guitar, a tambourine, a pair of conga drums and some harmonicas,” Reamsbottom says. “It’s sometimes harder to pull off a Pink Floyd song where they’ve got a much bigger ensemble playing it originally … but even though we have a limited scope as far as the tools we’ve got to work with, we always try to capture the essence of the song.”
Adds Craig: “We have to feel it. We’ve got to actually believe the song, feel the song and put ourselves in the songwriter’s shoes.”
- David Song
Sports and Recreation
Favourite Summer Athlete
1) Georgia Astle
2) Finn Iles
3) Jesse Melamed
Favourite Winter Athlete
1) Stan Rey
2) Marcus Goguen
3) Marielle Thompson
Favourite Junior Athlete
1) Jude Oliver
2) Saxon Berry
3) Anthony Shelly
Favourite Park
1) Rainbow Park
2) Lost Lake Park
3) Alpha Lake Park
Favourite Ski Run (Whistler or Blackcomb)
1) Peak to Creek
2) Dave Murray
3) Ridge Runner
Favourite Slackcountry Area
1) Million Dollar Ridge
2) Flute Backside
3) Khyber’s
Favourite Bike Trail
1) Crank It Up
2) Flashback
3) Top of the World
Favourite Golf Course
1) Nicklaus North
2) Fairmont Chateau Whistler
3) Whistler Golf Club
Favourite Adventure Tour Company
1) Canadian Wilderness Adventures
2) Ziptrek Ecotours
3) TAG: The Adventure Group
Favourite Fitness Activity or Provider
1) Meadow Park Sports Centre
2) Altitude Fitness
3) Whistler Core Climbing and Fitness
The passion burns
Not every teenager can speak eloquently about their sport, nor does every teen approach their craft with a mature mindset. Jude Oliver does both, and he fully deserves to be known as Whistler’s favourite junior athlete.
At just 15 years old, Oliver was named to the Freestyle BC High-Performance Park Team this April. He has never failed to podium at a Timber Tour event, won the provincial Style Matters award in 2023 and clinched a pair of Junior Nationals medals (big air gold, slopestyle bronze).
Oh, and just so you know: the kid netted slopestyle silver at home during Senior Nationals in April, coming within two points of 18-year-old victor Mattheus Heslop’s score.
Oliver’s humility, work ethic, talent and respect for people convinced the Sarah Burke Foundation to award him its Up & Coming Scholarship, which will help fund a season that includes travel to Europe and the United States. He brims with gratitude for their support—and the backing of his fellow Whistlerites.
“It’s amazing. I’m really grateful to everybody that voted for me [in the Best of Whistler poll],” said Oliver. “And just to stand in Sarah Burke’s name is such an honour. It’s crazy to be associated with one of the greatest of all time. She was such a big influence on our sport.”
Six-time X Games medallist Burke passed away in January 2012 from a tragic head injury at age 29, but had she lived to meet Oliver, she might have been proud of his passion for freestyle skiing.
His mom, Louise, certainly is. “I’m proud of Jude every day, not just skiing-wise. I don’t know how, but we got lucky to have such a great kiddo,” she remarked. “He’s had some incredible coaching, no question, but Jude puts the work in. He goes to the gym, wakes himself up at 6 a.m., and that’s all on him.”
As of this writing, Oliver’s arsenal of midair manoeuvres includes double 1440s with grabs, a triple-cork 1440 and a switch triple 1260. He next aims to master a switch 1800, and for him, the process of learning any given trick is almost as fulfilling as the moment of success.
“I love progressing in my skiing, and especially being able to do that with all the people on the mountain who are my best buddies,” Oliver said. “The fact I’m around all that culture and travelling around the world to see more just with my sport really contributes to why I love it so much. That feeling when you land a new trick keeps me going, and my passion just keeps burning and burning.”
- David Song
Business Services
Best New Business
1) Provisions
2) Flute & Fromage
3) Kiki’s Beauty Bar
Best Ski Shop
1) Coastal Culture
2) Fanatyk Co.
3) Comor Sports
Best snowboard shop
1) Showcase Snowboard Surf & Skate Shop
2) The Circle
3) Evolution
Best Bike Shop
1) Coastal Culture
2) Fanatyk Co.
3) Evolution
Best Clothing Store
1) The Beach
2) Aritzia
3) Lululemon
Best Used, Vintage & Consignment Store
1) Re-Use-It Centre
2) Deja Vogue
3) The Velvet Underground
Best Cannabis Store
1) A Little Bud
2) SpiritLeaf
3) This Is Cannabis
Best Jewelry Store
1) Keir Fine Jewelry
2) Ruby Tuesdays Accessories
3) 3 Singing Birds
Best Store for Gifts
1) 3 Singing Birds
2) Whistler Kitchen Works
3) Get the Goods
Best Grocery Store
1) Creekside Market
2) Nesters Market
3) Fresh St. Market
Favourite Whistler Realtor
1) Carmyn Marcano
2) Dave Brown
3) John Ryan
Best Hair Salon/Barbershop
1) Mountain Chic Hair Lounge
2) Elevation Hair Studio
3) Süco’s Hair Salon
Favourite Hotel
1) Fairmont Chateau Whistler
2) Nita Lake Lodge
3) Four Seasons
Best Mortgage Provider
1) Blueshore
2) Eileen Craig
3) Sally Bennett/Jennifer Brophy/RBC
Best Property Management Company
1) WRM
2) Whistler Wired
3) Whistler Platinum
Best Landscaping Company
1) Pika Landscapes
2) Heike Designs
3) High Country
Best Construction Company
1) TM Builders
2) CV Custom Builders
3) RDC Fine Homes
Best Electrician Company
1) Rainbow Electric
2) Green Lake Electric
3) Spark Electrical
Best Plumbing Company
1) Lee Carter Plumbing
2) Spearhead Plumbing & Heating
3) Red Mechanical
Best Automotive
1) Barney’s
2) Whistler Automotive
3) SMD
Best Transportation to Vancouver
1) Epic Rides
2) Skylynx
3) Whistler Connection
Best Customer Service
1) 21 Steps
2) Stinky’s
3) Mountain Chic Hair Lounge
Treasures abound at Whistler’s Re-Use-It Centre
With countless treasures available inside the walls of Whistler’s Re-Use-It Centre, it should come as no surprise the Whistler Community Services Society (WCSS) offshoot won best used, vintage & consignment in the first year Pique has run the category.
Louise Caparella, director of social enterprise for WCSS, said she appreciates the community’s support.
“It’s very exciting—there are quite a few other thrift stores in Whistler, so it’s nice to be recognized,” she said.
Caparella pointed to the variety of items the centre has on hand for deal-seekers and vintage fanatics, combined with the low price point offered, as reasons why Whistlerites voted for the Centre.
Some favourite finds she’s seen people go home with include high-end cookware, retro ski suits and electronic gaming systems. Visitors can pop in for a can opener and end up finding a whole new winter wardrobe. Heck, you could stock an entire kitchen cupboard with enough visits.
The Centre is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, and accepts donations from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
A full list of what the Centre accepts is available on their website at mywcss.org.
Caparella highlighted all proceeds from the Centre go back into programming for WCSS, from the food bank that has seen use increase by 34 per cent by the end of 2024 financials, to outreach services. WCSS’s outreach team is available for no-cost support to community members undergoing challenges to mental health, finances, housing, physical health and injury, substance use, and more. The team can meet folks where they are, and services are also virtual.
- Liz McDonald
Like going shopping with your best friend
With big names in the fashion industry calling Whistler home, there are so many options to choose from when searching for the perfect outfit or voting in Best of Whistler. But one store rose above all others: The Beach in Town Plaza.
Fashionistas looking for the newest finds will often end up here, where they’ll find great clothing and advice only a best friend would give.
Store manager Louise Heyman said the reason they often end up on the top three list for Best of Whistler comes down to offerings and service.
“We get a variety of stock in store. Our buyer is ahead of the trends, so our clothes are a little bit different. And we also try to give customer service that is honest and make it feel like they are shopping with their friends,” she said.
Their buyer is an avid traveller and takes inspiration from Europe, while keeping up with trends in fashion news through social media. And just as a good friend wouldn’t let someone leave the store with an outfit that isn’t quite right, the staff at The Beach won’t, either.
While some clothing stores only offer one brand to choose from, variety stands out at The Beach, with companies like Ray-Ban, Lune Active and Fjallraven to name a few, and despite the store’s name, they cater to clothing offerings for almost any occasion. There’s even a small vintage section to search for treasures from days gone by.
But they are The Beach, after all, and understand just how important the perfect swimsuit is. Swimwear brands come from Australia, America and Colombia, with brands people can’t find elsewhere in the ski town.
- Liz McDonald
Health and Fitness
Favourite Fitness Activity Provider
1) Meadow Park Sports Centre
2) Altitude Fitness
3) Whistler Core Climbing and Fitness Gym
Favourite Massage Service/Spa
1) The Spa at Nita Lake Lodge
2) Scandinave Spa Whistler
3) Peak Performance Physiotherapy and Massage Therapy
Favourite Chiropractic Practice
1) Whistler Chiropractic
2) Creekside Health Clinic
3) Whistler Wellness
Favourite Physiotherapy/Acupuncture Provider
1) Back in Action Physiotherapy
2) Peak Performance Physiotherapy and Massage Therapy
3) Creekside Health Clinic
Favourite Dental Practice
1) Creekside Dental
2) Whistler Dental
3) Alpenglow Dental
Favourite Optometrists
1) FYidoctors Whistler
2) Bailey Nelson
3) Sea to Sky Optometry
Favourite Medical Practice
1) Whistler 360
2) Creekside Health
3) Sea to Sky Orthopedics
Favourite Aesthetic/Dermatologist Service
1) Kiki’s Beauty Bar
2) The Spa at Nita Lake Lodge
3) Be Beauty Laser & Esthetics
Favourite Esthetics Provider
1) Kiki’s Beauty Bar
2) The Spa at Nita Lake Lodge
3) Be Beauty Spa & Tanning Lounge
Favourite Tattoo Parlour
1) Death Proof Tattoo & Barber
2) Black Ohm Tattoos
3) Pokieheart Piercing & Tattoo
A sports complex for everyone
Whistlerites love to move and groove, whether it’s on a mountain or in the gym. But their favourite place for healthy indoor activity is the Meadow Park Sports Centre (MPSC).
Roger Weetman, manager of recreation at the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW), said in an email the centre appreciates Whistlerites’ vote.
“On behalf of all the staff at the Meadow Park Sports Centre, we would like to thank the community for voting for MPSC as favourite fitness activity provider,” he said.
“We are all very proud of the work we do and the amenities and programs we get to provide for our guests. As a bonus, we love the opportunity to connect with our community and be a part of their lives at all ages and stages. Thank you, Whistler!”
The RMOW-run facility offers a one-stop-shop for fitness. Swimming, a gym and personal training, skating, squash and basketball are all in the same complex.
Specialized programming for cardiac rehab, a cancer exercise program and a Parkinson’s Disease exercise program are offered based on request and interest.
With tight budgets for pretty much everyone these days, the accessible prices are another benefit of using the facility.
Community nights on Tuesdays and Fridays offer 50 per cent off rates after 6 p.m., and there are discounted membership prices on the same days. Then, there’s off-peak pass discounts midweek, providing discounted access during less-busy hours.
The space is open daily from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., excluding holiday hours.
- Liz McDonald
A personalized hiatus from life’s stress
After a long day skiing and riding, or a stressful week at work, Whistler residents and guests have their eyes on the perfect place to decompress.
This year, they’ve chosen The Spa at Nita Lake Lodge for a hiatus from life.
Rebecca Mullan, spa manager, said what sets the Lodge apart comes from the nexus of amenities and environment.
“At The Spa at Nita Lake Lodge, we offer a personalized experience that connects guests with the natural beauty of our surroundings. Our treatments are customized to meet individual needs using high-quality, locally sourced products,” Mullan said.
“Our serene lakefront location offers a peaceful escape from the hustle of Whistler Village, providing the perfect retreat for those seeking a more intimate and calming experience.”
Relaxation is built into the decor, with rustic and modern elements made from natural materials and earthy tones which reflect Whistler. The ambiance is designed to calm guests, with soft lighting, tranquil music and mountain views.
With an average visitation of 15,000 guests each year, Mullan said they have many returning customers, a testament to the quality of personalized service they provide.
“I believe Whistler voted for The Spa at Nita Lake Lodge because of the exceptional talent and dedication of our team. They focus on crafting personalized treatments that address each guest’s individual needs, creating an experience that is both revitalizing and restorative,” she said.
“Whether it’s a relaxing massage, a refreshing facial, or specialized treatment, our team is committed to delivering outstanding service with a personal touch. This dedication ensures that every guest feels truly cared for, leaving the spa feeling rejuvenated. We are deeply honoured by the recognition, which reflects the professionalism and passion our therapists bring to each treatment.”
- Liz McDonald
THE BEST OF MAXED OUT
In case you haven’t heard the news, Pique’s longtime back-page columnist, the incomparable rabble-rouser G.D. Maxwell, is retiring at year’s end.
For 29 years—nearly as long as the paper has existed—Max has provided cutting insights, shone light on pressing issues, and provided more than a few big laughs along the way.
Whether your love him or hate him, his influence is undeniable—and he will be dearly missed.
Of course, there is an endless list of highlights you could pick out from his 1,500-plus columns published over nearly three decades. But in the interest of saving us all some time and space, here are just a few of Max’s greatest hits. You can find most of them online with some incisive Googling, or at the Whistler Public Library in Pique’s printed archives.
The Annals of Greed:
A three-week dive into greed and sustainability. Aug. 21, 28 and Sept. 11, 2003. Why the week delay before part III? “Surgery on my hand, itself a very amusing look at one man’s experience with the Canadian health-care system,” Max says.
The J.J. Chronicles:
Aug. 29, 2002—J.J. heads south with his idea for the World Trade Centre monument. March 24, 2006—The Holy Panini Sandwich Bar, Yoga Studio, Esthetics and Wellness Centre. Dec. 8, 1995—J.J.’s first appearance in the pages of Pique.
Cowboys and Indians:
A two-parter in October 1999.
Killing the Golden Goose:
Another two-parter, published in the last two weeks of July, 2001, in which Max delves into the difference between condo hotels and real hotels in Whistler.
Peace in Our Time:
Published Aug. 11 and Aug. 18, 2014, this two-parter outlined Max’s plan for peace in the Middle East. “That’s right, give Israel Florida, peace in our time and the thrill of watching Arabs go back to fighting each other,” he says. “The fact this got me called a Nazi by one reader is a bonus!”
