Alaska Highway House Interpretive Center

I've been reading about the history of the construction of the Alaska Highway. Many of the people I grew up with knew someone who worked on the construction. Maybe you do too.

Thousands of men living together had to overcome, improvise and adapt to the harshest climates and wilderness in North America.

• How would you like to eat 3 meals a day out of a can for 9 months?
• How would you like to wash your army issue, green wool underwear in ice-cold water and hang them on a line to freeze-dry?
• How would you like to sleep in a tent on a cot without a mattress night after night?
• How would you like to be eaten alive by mosquitoes and flies for months on end?

Not much of a recruitment poster is it? But that is exactly what the thousands of troops and civilians signed up for when they came to Dawson Creek to lend their skills and strength to the enormous task punching a road through some of the north's most rugged landscapes in extreme temperatures.

When you come to Dawson Creek, make sure you take an afternoon to visit the Alaska Highway House Interpretive Center and learn about the history of this project that brought so many thousands together in very adverse conditions.

See for yourself what that green wool underwear looks like and imagine wearing it, check out the actual Willy Jeep on display and imagine bouncing around in it for 18 hours a day over corduroy roads... take a close look at the cans of 'food' and imagine eating it... check out the pictures of what being eaten alive by mosquitoes or incapacitated by frost bite actually looks like...

Then... say a big thank you to anyone you know who worked on the Alaska Highway. I know I do...

Alaska Highway House Interpretive Center

Browns SocialHouse is in Dawson Creek and it's Great!

I went with a friend to lunch at this new restaurant in town. From the topiaries at the front and the hostess opening the door to welcome the guests, we had a great time!

The restaurant is big and tastefully decorated with several TVs, a great sound system with music and a Sports Bar in the center. On the day I was there, the place was full of people laughing and enjoying lunch.

The menu has a lot of fresh food dishes and I was especially pleased to have a choice of very healthy items to choose from. I had braised cabbage with feta instead rice with my lunch.

The service was excellent as well.

My prediction is this place will be around and popular for a long time. I know it will be a favorite for me.

Browns SocialHouse is in Dawson Creek and it's Great!

Northern Toy Box in downtown Dawson Creek

Everyone loves a toy store. The Toy Box on 10^th street Dawson Creek is one of the busiest and most popular shops in town and a real hit with visitors looking for a special souvenir. This store is known in neighboring communities as a destination for shopping as well as a favorite with locals.

The store is packed to the rafters with toys, games, crafts, books, puzzles, remote control airplanes, trains, models, art supplies, teacher resources, science kits and wind chimes.

No one gets bored in this store, it doesn't matter how old a person is, there's a lot of great stuff to check out. Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to look around, you will need it.

Northern Toy Box in downtown Dawson Creek

Café Canadiano in the Sunshine and Fresh Air Downtown

Right in the middle of town on 102^nd Ave is the Hug-A-Mug coffee shop and it has a couple of tables outside. I met my friend there the other day and really enjoyed just sitting in the sun enjoying my favorite specialty coffee.

There was a constant stream of people passing by consisting of both locals and visitors. It was great to say hello, have a few mini visits.

The Hug a Mug is less than ½ a block away from the Mile O Post that sits in the middle of the main intersection so we had a great view of the visitors who were jaywalking over to have their pictures taken.

The Mile O Post is one of the most recognized and photographed monuments in Canada. We noticed how patient the motorists are with the people jaywalking to get to the post and also saw a local offer to take the photo so that both visitors could get in on it. It reaffirmed what a friendly community we have.

Hug a Mug is a popular spot for lunch. Laurie and her staff are really friendly and make great food.

Café Canadiano in the Sunshine and Fresh Air Downtown

The Dawson Creek Farmer's Market is open!

One of the best things about spring is the opening of the Farmers Market and this year is no exception!

Although May is a bit early to find produce, it's the best place to find fresh homemade baking, preserves and local eggs.

Along with the poppy seed cake, cinnamon buns and chocolate chip cookies, I bought a big loaf of unsliced white bread and a jar of local Saskatoon jam.

Cut a big thick slice of bread, toast it, butter it and slather it with jam... can a Sunday morning breakfast treat get any better than that?

There are lots of craftspeople that bring their wares to the market too.

The market is held in and around a big white tent on 8^th Street on the corner of the Co-op Mall parking lot. The tent is stuffed with vendors!

There is plenty of easy parking for RV's and such and along with the locals who make the market part of their weekly shopping; visitors enjoy the bounty as well.

The Dawson Creek Farmer's Market is open!

A Great Hamburger at Stuies Diner

Stuies Diner is one of the newest restaurants in Dawson Creek. The parking lot is often full and it is very popular with both the locals and visitors.

It's a big shiny silver metal building with a 50's retro theme. You can choose to sit in a booth or sit at the old fashioned counter.

There is a big jukebox in a corner and the music is nostalgic. The waitresses were wearing 50's style uniforms too. We listened to Elvis Presley and Buddy Holly while we ate.

The menu has mostly hamburger and fries and the portions are generous. We got there just as the supper crowd was starting to come in and within minutes the place was full.

It's on the east side of 8^th Street, which is one of the main drags in town and there is easy parking. It's a great trip down memory lane.

A Great Hamburger at Stuies Diner

The Place To Go For Cupcakes in Dawson Creek

There is a new coffee house in town and it's really great! It's called Cups Tea & Cakes and I spent a morning there last week. I brought my laptop to catch up on some work, sat at a high table in the corner with my favorite coffee and watched the scene on the street and the constant comings and goings in the shop.

Cupcakes are the specialty of the café and they have upwards of 20 varieties for sale each day. The mixing, baking and decorating are done behind the counter for customers to watch and I admit to watching with great interest as batches of icing were flavored and piped onto the many cupcakes.

Strawberry Shortcake, Black Forest, Coconut Lime, Cookies 'n Cream, Red Velvet, Mocha are just a few of the names. It's as hard to choose your favorite cupcake as it is to pick a favorite ice cream. I guess the best way is to just try a different one every time.

Another feature worth noting in this café is their beautiful washroom with granite counters and glass basin... everything sparkling clean.

This is going to be a favorite spot for locals and visitors, make sure you check it out when you come to town.

The Place To Go For Cupcakes in Dawson Creek

A House Warming Gift From Olde Creek Store

Our friends just moved into their new house. They are having a house warming party to celebrate.

Knowing where to go for the right gift was easy. I headed to her favorite store: the Olde Creek Store on 10^th Street, one block south of the Mile O Post.

Finding the gift proved harder. There is so much in that store; I didn't know where to start.

What caught my eye first was the huge display of cast iron reproduction hardware. I chose a chickadee towel hook for them and a set of kitchen drawer pulls for me.

I obviously had to start two piles... one for them, one for me. I decided that a gift basket was the way to go for the party.

The next area I checked out was the bath and linens. Wow! Egyptian cotton hand towels were perfect.

I had to walk by the jewelry display on my way to the antiques, and although jewelry didn't seem like a great house warming gift, I found a great sterling silver bracelet for my pile.

My friend collects antique dinnerware, and I chose a great Royal Dalton teapot that I know she will love and a 1955 Webster's Dictionary in great shape for their collection of antique books.

A couple of stained glass candleholders for me, a sterling silver picture frame and wicker basket for them and I was done.

The woman behind the counter, decorated the basket and gifts with beautiful tissue and ribbon.

A House Warming Gift From Olde Creek Store