Things to do in Tillsonburg: This former tobacco mecca is now humming a new tune."Tillsonburg, Tillsonburg - my back still aches when I hear that word." Canadian folk singer "Stompin" Tom Connors' lyrics rang true as he sang about the backbreaking work of tobacco picking in Tillsonburg's famous fields. Located in Ontario's southern agricultural belt, a mild climate and rich soil made Tillsonburg the ideal location for tobacco farming. It was a prosperous industry, supported by the kind of arduous work that made such an impression on Stompin' Tom.
It was an industry that thrived for decades until the decline in tobacco usage, combined with less expensive growing regions in the United States and elsewhere, spelled hardship for the entire region. Like so many communities in Ontario, Tillsonburg has had to sing a new tune to ensure its continued prosperity. Part of their strategy includes embracing art, culture, and heritage. Stompin' Tom may not have been fond of the Tillsonburg of yester-year, but I feel confident that his spirit smiles down on the town's endeavors today. Here are some of the best things to do in Tillsonburg. Going to Newfoundland is an amazing journey. But how do you get there? Should you take the ferry crossing to Newfoundland - or is there another option?
There are few places that can boast such stark beauty and warm hospitality as Newfoundland. It's with good reason that so many people travel there each year. But getting to Newfoundland takes a bit of foresight and travelers always debate if they should fly or take the ferry. And if they do take the ferry, which one? I'm hoping my research and personal experience will help!
The province of Newfoundland and Labrador has two distinct (and equally amazing) parts. Labrador shares a border with northern Quebec and is accessible by plane and by car. Visiting there also requires planning and preparation for transportation -a topic deserving of it's own future blog post! The more visited island of Newfoundland is traditionally accessed by commercial airlines from other Canadian provinces (plus some international flights) and by passenger ferry run by Marine Atlantic from Nova Scotia's Cape Breton Island. But which way of travel is best? I've experienced all the ferry routes multiple times and have flown in and out of St. John's and Cornerbrook quite a bit as well. I even lived in St John's for a few years during grad school! So while I'm no means an expert, this is the information I wish I had before my first few trips and some tips and tricks I learned along the way. Planning a romantic escape to Quebec City? Here's how to show your wallet a little love.What are the most romantic three words in the English language? “I love you”? “Please marry me?” How about “All expenses paid!”? I know that's what would set my heart aflutter! It’s an unfortunate prosaic truth that most of us mere mortals and, not being blessed with unlimited travel funds, we have to temper our heartfelt voyages with realistic budgets. But in at least of the world’s most romantic destinations, Old Quebec City, your love affair - and your love affair with travel - doesn’t have to break the bank.
In Ingersoll, Canada, step inside a shop where homemade chocolates meet international teas.One of the sweetest things about travel - literally - is the chance to discover delicious bakeries and cafes around the world. You don't always have to head to Europe to satisfy that sweet tooth either. Some of my favourite delectable treats and treasures have been unexpectedly found in small towns and Chocolatea is the perfect example of that. Frankly, you'd never expect to find gourmet homemade chocolates in a town as small as Ingersoll, Canada, but Chocolatea isn't one to play by the rules.
By the way, in case you're wondering where, exactly, Ingersoll is, you aren't alone! This small town is in southern Ontario, approximately 30 minutes east of London and 2.5 hours southwest of Toronto. In other words - Ontario roadtrippers have no excuse not to visit! Wheat flour, winning food, and Will Ferrell come together...Have you ever seen the movie "Stranger Than Fiction" with Maggie Gyllenhaal and Will Ferrell? There's a great scene where Ferrell's character, Harold Crick, presents Gyllenhaal's baker character, Ana Pascal, with a huge basket of flours - buckwheat, oat, whole wheat, you name it - as a peace offering. "I brought you some flours" he deadpans.
Of course, as a baker Ana Pascal knows that blossoming flowers are nothing compared to baking flours. The 2006 movie was well ahead of its time, exhaling the virtues of diverse flour and food before words like locavore or farm-to-table had even entered our vocabulary. And the southwestern Ontario county of Chatham-Kent has its very own Harold Crick. Who's watching you from the trees at Annapolis Royal's Historic Gardens?Have you ever had that unnerving feeling that someone or something is watching you while you travel? Knowing that a set (or several sets!) of eyes are on you but you just can't tell where they're coming from? That was definitely my experience while visiting the Historic Gardens in Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia - but it wasn't scary at all. In fact, the garden actually wanted it that way!
I picked up a few 'outrageous' lessons in local food when I traveled to Southwest Ontario to the Art and Cookery Bank. It's not everyday you're invited to a food fight, especially one that takes place in a barn that's over 130 years old! But West Lorne, Ontario, is anything but your usual destination. The community manages to walk the fine line between preserving the past and focusing on heritage while still moving forward with a modern style and focus. And their location in the heart of southwest Ontario's farmlands means that local food is at the heart of all that they do - including the odd food fight!
The local food movement may just be the biggest culinary trend in the world, but there's still a lot to learn about what it really means. And West Lorne was ready to teach me some crucial lessons. Culture and community come together in one of Canada's most colourful festivals.Where would you go if you wanted a spicy travel destination? I'm guessing London, Ontario isn't on your list, and it wasn't on mine either at first. But London has a large Mexican and Latin American community, whose culture, traditions, talents, and delicious flavors come together each year for Fiesta London, an amazing event. So if you're looking to spice up your travels, look no further! I think you'd love the experience as much as I did. Here's what made my Fiesta experience so memorable.
"This market feels like home" Learn what makes this London, Ontario, farmers' market so special.The owners of Booch Organic Kombucha don't look like your typical farmers' market vendors. They haven't been tending a farm for decades, nor were they up at dawn to pick bushels of tomatoes. But, like their fellow vendors at the London (Ontario) Covent Garden Farmers' Market, Shannon and Shawn are highly passionate about their product. In their case, that product is kombucha. Kombucha, for those who don't know (and that included me until recently), is a lightly effervescent, fermented tea beverage that uses bacteria and yeast in the fermenting process. And at Booch, organic produce is employed to create incredible flavor combinations. Their homemade kombucha is just one of the many diverse products that are part of the market's "grow it, raise it, make it, bake it" philosophy. And while Shannon and Shawn have only been in business for a few months, they're the embodiment of all that's fantastic about this market: they are committed, ambitious, welcoming, and hold themselves to a high standard. While kombucha was admittedly one of the more unusual items we found at the Covent Garden Farmers' Market, we were still eager taste testers - just as we had been at so many other booths! Here are some more of the people and products that inspired us. |
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