October 29, 2005
WHISTLER
Resort towns in winter are by definition an endless party, and Whistler’s reputation was already snowballing before it was designated as host for the biggest party of all – the 2010 Winter Olympics.
“The word is out that Whistler is a party town. We are insane-crazy packed on weekends,” says Mike Hofbauer of Garfinkel’s, a nightclub that hosts acts like Obie Trice, 2 Live Crew, and Nashville Pussy. Think “hot Aussie surfer chick” has a nice ring to it? So does Hofbauer. That’s why he staffs Garfinkel’s with the likes of Nikki, a 20-year-old blonde Aussie bikini model. Sound sweet? Well, there’s a lot more from Down Under up north. “There is no snowboarding in Australia, and it’s like surfing. So there’s always a ton of little Aussie girls here on a work visa,” Hofbauer explains.
After just one visit, who could blame a guy for daydreaming about Tommy Africa’s and its go-go dancers, high energy hip-hop and house music, and eye-candy wait staff? We all know ski towns can look more like an Oktoberfest sausage party than a good place to meet women, but Whistler ain’t that town, and Tommy’s ain’t that bar.
Getting into Garfinkel’s is tougher than fleecing gold from Fort Knox. Garf’s is Whistler’s biggest club and the only one with VIP and champagne booths. It also boasts a back bar where Justin Timberlake and Queen Latifah have kicked it. If you lost her number, you’ll probably see her again – at the Longhorn Saloon, where everyone goes to aprés. Also worth a look: the Savage Beagle, a busy nightclub; MoJo’s, a jamming Aussie nightclub with a beer-and-darts feel; and Buffalo Bills, for a break from the younger crowd.
Hungry? Good. Four words about Bearfoot Bistro: great steaks, cigar room. If you slow down enough in this town, why wait for them to cook it? The best sushi in Whistler can be found at Teppan Village, and it has a hoppin’ atmosphere to boot.
Executive suites at the Four Seasons, the resort’s newest lodge, offer step-out balconies, fireplaces, and huge slate tile bathrooms. But the Fairmont Chateau Whistler? It’s so spatial and palatial that if you’ve got the money, this is where to stay. If you want to try something different, Whistler Executive Accommodations will set you up with a firstclass home or condo as well as handle personal requests.
DON’T MISS: Strap them on and take a run down the 2010 race course. If you visit after New Year’s, check out the Snowboard World Championships, an every-other-year event that comes to North America for the first time in 2005. And if you have the cajones, buck up, buckle down, and bail out of a helicopter to ski the ice-cream peaks surrounding Whistler Blackcomb.
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