"Hey, I found a great little spot I think all the locals go" "Damn, we should have come here....."
Here a little tune for the road as we close out our tour or Penticton:
"Staring at the Sun" - TV on the Radio (Hollertronix remix)
After one night in Penticton, we realized that we were amped up and this city wouldn't be able to handle the energy of the Girls Who Wine. It seemed that almost all of us knew someone that was also in the Okanagan Valley but were staying in Kelowna, a larger and more populous city about 45 minutes away from Pencticton. So we packed up our bags and made our way towards more adventures with wine.
Amy, Stefanie and I had lunch at the the restaurant within our hotel, The Penticton Lakeside Resort and Casino, but were left utterly unsatisfied with our experience. We met up with Katie aka Princess in Training, who had gone for an early morning run. She had spotted a great little spot where all the locals seemed to visit. The Bench Market is a terrific space for food stuffs. While it seems small from the outside, the space is quite expansive and is chalk full of delectable eats and treats. Selling a large number of local products from British Columbia, The Bench Market boasts that they serve the best coffee in town and based on the glowing remarks from the people around us, their boastfulness is fully justified.
As soon as I set my eyes on the food offerings I immediately regretted spending my time and money at the hotel restaurant - but the past is the past. Lovely breakfasts, pastries, flat breads, you name it - I wanted it all. Alas, my stomache was full.
The Bench Market is clearly a labour of love - a love for food and drink. Owners and sisters, Dawn Lennie and Debbie Halladay, felt that the food scene in Penticton just didn't match the wine scene and decided to step in to change that inconsistency. With shelves lined with balsamic and wine vinaigrette, spices, local coffee and other foodies staples that were taunting and tempting me, I ferociously snapped away with my camera to capture the smorgasbord of delights.
BBQ sauces, chocolates, homemade granola and locally roasted coffee
Vinaigrette, spices and rubs, various gourmet oils - oh swoon!
Based on the rave reviews from the other Girls Who Wine, I bought a bag of the Wake Up Bomb coffee beans from Summerland's Backyard Beans Coffee microroastery. I love the packaging:
The Bench Market gives me something to look forward to when I come to visit Penticton, in the future. This was a very lovely way to complete our stay. Bye Bye P-town!
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