Games begin: Olympic ski cross gold medalist Ashleigh McIvor clocked in at Omega's London Calling party. Looking podium pretty, the London-bound McIvor attended the watchmaker's swish soiree with her main squeeze, Vancouver Whitecaps FC captain Jay DeMerit. The couple was amongst a stylish crowd at the Hotel Vancouver boutique bash. Also on hand were rower Jake Wetzel, gold and silver medalist at the Beijing Games, and five-time Olympian Charmaine Crooks.

Still reaching: After successfully scaling Mount Everest, Sam Wyatt and Steve Curtis continued their mission of raising $150,000 for their Take a Hike charity. The duo shared their triumphant climb of the world's tallest mountain (in a week that saw five deaths including that of a Canadian woman) with friends and supporters at a Welcome Back benefit held at Earl's V Lounge.

Sea to shining C: The sustainable and prized sockeye salmon from B.C.'s Skeena River was the featured fish at C Restaurant's Wild About Wild party. On a patio overlooking False Creek, guests enjoyed drinks and nibbles of the featured fish landed by Fred and Linda Hawkshaw. The fish is provided each season by the Hawkshaw family, whose "tangle net" technology-fish are caught live with minimal injury-is lauded as one of the most environmentally friendly catches in the province.

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Hear Fred Mondays 8:20 a.m. on CBC Radio's The Early Edition; email yvrflee@hotmail.com; Twitter: @FredAboutTown or fredabouttown.blogspot.com.