Do you remember the first time you tried pesto? I do. I had just turned 19 years old and I was living in Kingston, Ontario. I walked into a tiny, narrow, downtown restaurant on Princess Street called "Lukes!" In a few years, the titular Luke himself would turn 15, take over as the restaurant's executive chef, pivot the brand to "Luke's Gastronomy", and become Canada's foodie wunderkind. But in 1999 it was just Lukes! and I was just a student (likely with a coupon in hand...) who ordered the cheapest meal on the menu. Pesto pasta. It cost $9. Or maybe it was $12? In any case, there were long noodles and there was pesto, a deep muddy green mix of silky oils and granular cheese, nuts, and herb stalks. It was like being punched in the face with the most incredible mix of salty earthiness, the pungent herbaciousness of the basil wrestling with its own undertones of licorice and pepper. 

I was a goner. It was love at first bite.

Living in Kingston was like attending a culinary finishing school and I was a rough and tumble debutante who had never once moved past mashed potatoes. It introduced me to flavors, ingredients, and textures that were actually rather commonplace but had never crossed my path before. Things like hummus (smooth, but not too smooth, spread over triangles of firm pita bread and topped with red onion and cucumber), sky high cheesecake with ingredients like blackberry with peaches or Oreo crumble with swirls of Irish cream, scalding hot cafe au lait -too bitter for me to properly enjoy (don't worry - I evolved!) - and large, squishy cubes of tofu, flash fried, coated in a spicy sweet black bean sauce, served with bell peppers that were barely al dente. 

Amazing.

Little did I know when I was indulging on pesto pasta for the first time that I was sitting in the middle of what would soon be Canada's food capital. Today, Kingston, the first capital city of Canada, boasts the highest number of restaurants per capita in the country. It's second only to New Orleans in all of North America. When I had the opportunity to return, this time with student life long behind me, I knew I had to dive into Kingston's food scene once more.

Travel enthusiasts have probably heard of the highlands of Scotland, Iceland, Ireland, and Guatemala - but have they discovered Ontario's Highlands? The Ontario's Highlands Tourism Organization encompasses a large geographic territory in the south-eastern part of Ontario, Canada, including the Haliburton Highlands, Hastings County, Lanark County, Frontenac County, Lennox and Addington, and the Ottawa Valley. The vast landscape of Ontario's Highlands is famous for its natural wonders and its bragging rights include the title of Canada's geocaching capital and Canada's whitewater capital.  When Ryan and I visited the Highlands though, we had a different approach to discovering its outdoor treasures.

Thanks to Ontario's Highlands website, we discovered we were "Serenity Seekers", travelers who like to explore with purpose but also with leisure. People who soak in the beauty of nature in a relaxed way. Serenity Seekers are in pursuit of peace, relaxation, and rejuvenation. Sometimes that comes through a vigorous hike to see a waterfall, but it's just as likely to be found in a beautiful spa, enjoying a lovely view, or indulging at local restaurants. 

If you suspect you're a Serenity Seeker like me, there's an enticing three day itinerary to help you make the most of your time in Ontario's Highands. We did as much of it as we could, spending a lot of our time around the towns of Almonte and Carleton Place, and we added a few surprise stops of our own! Here are some of our most memorable and serene moments of discovery along the Serenity Seeker's route. 

If you hang around Kingston City Hall long enough, you might just hear a delightful rumor. Legend has it that "back in the day" (like most rumors, the exact timeline is unimportant), there were tunnels underneath City Hall. There were tunnels that led to the nearby Prince George Hotel, a notorious drinking haunt and tunnels that led down to the waterfront - depending on who you ask. It was just the kind of set up you'd need to discretely nip out for a drink between city council sessions... or be part of a bootlegging enterprise during the era of American prohibition. These rumors are short on official proof and long on delightful speculation - just as I like it! And most happily, stories like this kept coming during our free tour of Kingston City Hall, our favourite of all the free things to do in Kingston, Ontario, Canada.

What does summer vacation look like for a travel blogger? Probably a lot like it looks for everyone else! First, there are plenty of indulgent snack foods (hello there, poutine, ice cream, and popsicles). Next, there's a lot of laziness and lounging about in the sun, enjoying the breeze and watching the leaves ripple on the trees. There's even a good amount of time hanging out by the shore, collecting feathers and shells, and generally being thrilled to put social media on snooze. 

Of course, there's also the unexpected rain - but we'll get to that in a moment!

This year, our summer vacation brought us to Craigleith Provincial Park for four nights of southern Ontario camping. Ryan and I stuffed our car with camping gear, beer, extra beach towels (but no pillows.... not our finest moment), a backpack brimming with books, magazines, and board games - and, of course, our dog, Oliver! Aside from the pillows, just one thing was missing and this one was intentional. My laptop was left at home and I couldn't have been happier!

But while I had officially banished work, I couldn't turn off the blogging side of my brain. Case in point: while camping, I was able to try out an incredible travel scarf with pockets, something I've been enamored with ever since I first heard about it. And I couldn't wait to tell you all about it! An infinity scarf with pocket features has been on my travel wish list for a while now. Originally I had visions of cuddling around the campfire in a chic scarf, looking glamorous while keeping my phone and keys safe, but Mother Nature delivered a heck of a rain storm that really let me put things to the test. 

Check out our video showing just how gorgeous Ontario camping at Craigleith Provincial Park really is - on clear days and stormy ones alike! Then read on to learn more about my new favourite travel scarf (and enter to win one for yourself....)

When the cat is away, the mouse will play... or something like that! This week, Ryan is traveling to warmer shores to do something I would never be brave enough for (okay, he's on a cruise - but that's a boat and we all know that boats top my list of travel enemies. So the bravery comment stands). Regardless, it's good motivation for me to plan my own amazing staycation. And it's even better that it's happening during Ottawa's festive Winterlude season.

Ottawa is a wonderful winter travel destination and it's the perfect place for a February vacation or staycation. But, I must admit, skating and other outdoor activities aren't always my strong suit. But that's not going to stop me from having a memorable time in my hometown! You don't have to strap on some skates to join in my staycation plan. Here's what's making me love Ottawa lately.

PS Canadian readers, we have a special giveaway for you at the end!