Home Show has something for everyone

If you’re itching to tackle that home renovation or design project but not sure where to start, Ridge Meadows Home Show should be your first stop.

“Consumers have two choices when they start a project. They either pick up the phone and find someone to handle everything from design through to completion, or, they opt to do it themselves. That’s where the home show comes in,” exhibit manager Deb Labossierre said.

“A lot of our exhibitors supply everything from concept plans through to completion, others specialize in working with the do-it-yourself market, providing materials, individual components and, of course, advice.

“Shoppers today are educated,” Labossierre said. “They want selection, they want information and they want the best possible price. Home show shopping addresses all their requirements. In most cases, you’re talking to the owner or manager of a company – someone who knows his stuff and has hands-on experience with today’s new materials and building techniques.

“There are also a lot of great deals. Part of the Home Show’s appeal is that everyone is vying for customer attention and that kind of competition results in great prices and frequent deal-making.”

Labossierre said in decades past – the show is more than 40 years old – it was more of a social gathering place and a community showcase for clubs and service organizations.

“We learned petty quickly that what our customers really wanted to do was shop. So we obliged them,” she said.

“Now the show has the distinction of being one of western Canada’s largest home show with close to 400 booths on site.”

Each Home Show is a sellout, with waiting lists in virtually every category.

“It’s a fact of life that we are forced to turn people away,” Labossierre said. “As a sales vehicle, we are a source to be reckoned with and retailers know this. We have a reputation for doing a great show and that draws thousands of people from throughout the Lower Mainland.

“This year won’t disappoint. We have tons of new exhibitors and once again – we’re showcasing everything to renovate, decorate and landscape your home – with additional features such as wellness, decor, housewares and taste samples.”

Woodopolis Bath and Home Centre

Explore bathroom fixtures and cabinetry options with Victor Dinez of Woodopolis Bath and Home Centre in Maple Ridge.

The local flooring and renovation store recently moved from Laity Street and Lougheed Highway to 22575 Lougheed Highway, near Thrifty Foods at Haney Place Mall.

Be sure to check out the new lines of kitchen and bathroom cabinetry at this year’s Home Show.

Grill and barbeque

Grilling versus barbecuing – there is a difference.

Warm Hearth BBQ Party has Chef Dez primed to teach you all the insider secrets of the “low and slow” barbecue method, different entirely from the slap it down, turn up the heat, “hey, let’s eat” method of grilling, the technique most of us have mastered.

Working with the amazing quality of Meridian Meats, Chef Dez will share all the pros’ secrets Friday and Saturday. Watch step by step instructions then enjoy generous “tastes.”

Sunday, Warm Hearth’s own Lisa Blaine will be sizzling her way through a variety of favorites designed to showcase grilling methods. If a new BBQ is n your future, here’s a tasty place to start.

Grilling is still one of the preferred ways of cooking, especially during the summer, because of the distinct roasted aroma and flavor meat gets from being exposed directly to heat.

“Grilling” technically means you’re cooking food fast and hot and directly over fire, the direct method. The cuts of meat used for grilling are steaks, pork chops, sea food, chicken, hamburgers and hot dogs. Many vegetables can also be cooked this way.

Barbecue, on the other hand, is cooked low and slow. Meats being barbecued are cooked for a long period of time ( from two hours up to 18 hours) by the smoke and heat produced from the burning of wood or coals.

The choice of meat is also another differentiator between grilling and barbecuing. Typical cuts of barbecue meats: ribs, pork shoulder and butt, beef brisket, mutton (lamb), even goat, whole chicken and turkey. These cuts of meat, apart from chicken and turkey, tend to be tougher because there is a lot of fat and connective tissue in them. By cooking these meats between 225-249 F, the toughest of meats become the tender, juicy, melt-in-your-mouth delights we love today.

Follow your nose

Take your taste buds on a trip around the world.

“Great food is a highlight of any event, and the Home Show is no exception,” project coordinator Graham Vanstone said.

The tastiest event of the year takes place alongside the Home Show, with the third annual Food Truck Festival on the fairgrounds by Planet Ice.

Take your taste buds on a trip around the world.

“We do a lot of searching to get the right mix of really great vendors to keep everyone happy.”

In addition to traditional western fare – burgers piled high with fried onions and served alongside tasty home cut fries – people flock to the food event to sample the many international offerings.

The event this year will feature Greek, Mexican and Thai food, as well as more traditional fare.

All you have to do is follow your nose to find an endless array of tempting snacks and entrées. Also on site, Insomniac’s Coffee – a full-serve coffee house, offering a wide variety of freshly brewed coffee beverages, chai tea, espresso, machiatos, even frozen coffee.

Must-see

Ridge Meadows Home Show is a “must-attend” for several direct sale marketing companies that travel throughout North America and even overseas to sell products at trade shows.

“We count ourselves very lucky to have reputable companies that showcase unique products that aren’t sold in stores. Our objective is always to send people home saying: ‘You should see what I saw at the home show,’” Home Show executive director Cass Winder said.

A few of the memorable items Winder recalls include a bathtub shaped like a high heel, the world’s best dog brush, and the Mission nudist club – who were attired for the show.