April is a month I look forward to every year — it’s the Telus World Ski and Snowboard Festival in Whistler. With free outdoor concerts, such as the nostalgic 90’s group Arrested Development, the hot EXPOSED fashion show, tasty Tuscan treats at Trattoria, thanks to local gals (pictured above) for taking me, a soak in the jacuzzi at the Summit Lodge, apres on a patio at the foot of the mountain after shredding some pow (I’ve learned that lingo recently) and listening to MTVs Peak Season’s Dre Morel spin at the Savage Beagle, there’s an infectious buzz in the village.

This year I did something I’ve never done during the festival or in my life…downed 4 shots of ice cold vodka at the Belvedere Ice Room, Canada’s first permanent vodka ice tasting room at the Bearfoot Bistro (as if you need another reason to love this five star restaurant). Step up to the ice bar in this glowing, blue arctic room and sample a range of 50 vodkas from around the world. Each bottle is displayed in individual ice sculpted boxes and with a chilling temp of -24C, it’s the coldest ice bar in the world. Keep warm, cozy and stylish in Canada goose down parkas and fur trimmed hats.

As the weather warms up, here’s a new way to cool down.

Heads up fashion ninjas, I found a fun new way for you to spend your night—Sabering champagne at Bearfoot Bistro in Whistler. Head down with a group of friends or surprise your special love to a night you really won’t forget. Order any bottle of bubbly (our pick was Chamdeville) at the elegant restaurant, and you’ll be led downstairs to the chilled wine celler for a lesson and a bit of history on sabering. Wine Director Oli Bureau explained it well—slide the saber along the seam of the champagne bottle a few times and like tossing a frisbee, lightly flick your wrist as you hit the cork and pow…explosion. If you get good enough, you can use an excalibur or spartan sword and pretend you’re from the movie 300. Don’t worry the blades are dull, so even after a few glasses, it’s safe. Take the cork in a little black box as a good luck charm and souvenir, then head upstairs and finish the bottle at the lit-up ice bar.

Staying for dinner? Choose from a modern Canadian cuisine menu, created by 30-year-old executive chef Melissa Craig, that includes Vancouver Island black cod or Carmen Creek buffalo rib-eye in the dinning room or the mouth watering game burger at the chilled champagne bar.

As if this place hasn’t impressed you enough, they’ve just added a brand new Belvedere ice room, a -15 degree walk in vodka tasting room with it’s launch party happening tomorrow night. I might just have to make my way up there this weekend to give you the dish on that. Stay tuned!

So for those of you looking for something different to do, I found it, and it’s Bearfoot Bistro.