The bravest seat in the restaurant.

I adore open kitchens in restaurants for the very fact you can see where the chef and cooks are dipping their spoons and fingers. No hygiene infractions were observed at The Flying Pig in Vancouver.  

Not just wearing the gloves.

The Jugo Juice employees I've encountered at their Vancouver International Airport location always observe proper glove etiquette. Meaning, not once I have caught them doing anything other than what they are supposed to be doing with their food prep gloves on. And, that would be handling food and only food. Thank you Jugo Juice employees for preventing cross contamination.

Sorry.

Seriously, sad puppy dog eyes have no effect on the Hygiene Hunter. I wouldn't even touch my dog's chewy thing.

What's right at the Opus.

Everything on this tray delivered by room service is either covered or turned upside down! That means my food is protected from sneezy-coughy germs that could be encountered enroute to my room. And that makes me ecstatic.

Stymied by the Opus

I spent the last few days attempting to inspect my mattress at the Opus Hotel in Vancouver. As hard as I tried to find an opening in my bed-in-a-bag, I couldn't. So what did I do? Unlike a disgruntled hockey "'fan" I didn't torch it. Since the cover was stain-free I, The Hygiene Hunter, decided to let loose and just sleep on it. Ah, the faith I havet in the Opus. Unbelievable! When I woke up the following morning I didn't even grow an extra head. I do, however, plan to learn more about this impenetrable mattress cover.

Lint-free Fairmont Pacific Rim.

Another nice detail that caught my attention at this hotel was the colour of the slippers -- in addition to white, they offered black. A brave colour choice because black attracts dust. Mine remained dust-free. Kudos to housekeeping.

A Fairmont Pacific Rim surprise.

In all of my travels I have never encountered pink tissue to signal the end of a box. Pink definitely looks fresher than the traditional yellow found in most boxes. I wanted to work through the tissue box faster just to reach the pink tissue, but I practiced self-control.

Awesome Possum.

Day Two and my Kale Shake at the Opus Hotel is made perfectly. This shake is a great way to start your day and incorporate into your travels almost wherever you go. A high-powered blender is a must -- possum doesn't blend that easily;) Once again the recipe is 2 cups of organic kale, 1 ripe organic banana and 1 cup of spring water.

Yeah Opus!

Some people like to have "Travel Companions" waiting for them in their hotel room. I am perfectly content with slippers. Two pairs is pure joy.

Another quirk of mine.

In my personal, humble, hyper-sensitive opinion, seeing kitchen staff smoke is as appealing as seeing kitchen staff exit a washroom without the benefit of a paper towel escort.

Spot the Sushi Cam.

A bartender with a conscience.

David, chief mixologist at West Restaurant in Vancouver, is saving mankind from pedestrian cocktails with his devotion to quality everything. He is also saving the planet from destruction by using stainless steel forks instead of disposable straws to taste test cocktails prior to serving. (The taste test involves a dip and a lick.) David's artistry results in many orders in the course of a night. The forks bathe in vodka between testings. The vodka kills germs. All the more reason to consume more vodka.

Clean and Twisted.

I loved, loved, loved the Twisted Fork in Yaletown. Obviously, hygienic practices were in play. And, the Baked Eggs I had for brunch were perfection. I am told, this dish is also the chef's personal favourite. Eating with a twisted fork made the meal interesting though. Wink.

The Towel Pyramid.

And I was the first to use it. The staff at Blue Water Cafe & Raw Bar in Yaletown is as attentive in the restaurant as they are in the restrooms. The Towel Pyramid was rebuilt many times during the night I was there. Coincidence?

Do you see what I see?

Vancouver is webcam mad. Look up towards the right. This webcam is not keeping tabs on the kitchen staff though -- that is what I am for. And I am happy to report no fingers were dipped into any pots at Blue Water Cafe & Raw Bar in Yaletown. When the restaurant first opened images were broadcast online. The quality wasn't good enough so they killed the feed, but kept the webcam.

Has the Opus Hotel gone too far?

The Opus Hotel can definitely be thought of as one sexy place.

Exhibit A. Their closed-circuit system broadcasts lounge images into the restrooms so you can spy with your little eye even when nature calls. I would prefer the system to broadcast images of the restrooms into the lounge so I can see who is washing their hands and who isn't. (This system, BTW, recently caused a CBC TV reporter to say WTF.)

Exhibit B. Webcams above the bed. My husband was seriously excited when he saw what he thought were webcams on the left and right side of the bed. Unlike the CBC reporter, he said WTF when he discovered these nifty gadgets are merely reading lights.

Alleluja!

Thank you Opus Hotel. Pillows that do not end up on the floor during turndown service. My husband agreed, although he wondered whether luggage may have been stored on the rack at some point or other causing cross-contamination from the wheels. Seriously. Why is everyone around me so paranoid?

Proof it is new.

Some of the rooms at the Opus have just undergone a renovation. You know what that means ... NEW MATTRESSES. Gloriously clean and unspoiled. Even the tag is pristine. This mattress also offered a perfect sleep. Once I removed the bowling pins. Was the perfect sleep due to the coil configuration? Or the lack of stains? In my opinion, both.

Hello Vancouver.

First things, first. Vancouver, British Columbia is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. To live in. And visit. It continually rates highly in Surveys of the People. Visitors to the Capital of Luon -- for those unfamiliar with Luon it is the fabric used to create the most flattering yoga apparel on the planet; known to flatter even the widest bottom; courtesy of Lululemon Athletica. Moving on. In my opinion the best place to stay in Vancouver is the Opus. A boutique hotel in Yaletown. The lighting is right. The toiletries are delicious (smell only; do not consume.) And ... they offer a car service. Which is lovely. The car is super clean. And it takes you where your Louboutins cannot.

A safer bet?

According to a recent Stanford University study your smartphone touchscreen -- that's yours; not mine -- may have 18 times more germs than a public toilet flush handle. I wonder how this pay phone would fare in comparison to your personal mobile device? With so many personal mobile phones it may just be cleaner. If I were forced to use this phone I would sanitize the receiver and use a tissue to press the buttons. Back to your smartphone. If you avoided public touchpoints your phone could be just as clean as mine.