How To Kidnap A Cat and Fight Bed Bugs In Italy

28/9/2023

What happens when you combine a hotel cat and cheap wine? Bed bugs, that's what. Here's what happened to me.

This post contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase, we may be paid a small commission.

Close up picture of Vanessa's arm covered with pink welts

UGH! Bed bug bites are the WORST.

Venice in August is not the best time or place to get a great meal.

During this traditional month of Italian family vacations, many a restaurant shuts down for a week – or more. Despite my advanced planning, I still ended up at a tourist trap during our 2016 trip. The dour staff refused to serve free tap water. Only pricey bottled water was available, chafing against my frugal principles. Given the dire circumstances, I opted for a more economical choice: a bottle of cheap rosé. And thus my bed bug saga began.

Skipping merrily home to my clean but threadbare hotel, I encountered the property’s resident cat, Pierre, on the steps. I should pause and say I assumed it was the property’s cat, based on his cat-like claim of the courtyard space, but, as Ryan points out, it really could have belonged to anyone – or no one at all. But with the demon liquor in my veins, I considered it prudent to scoop Pierre up and bring him to my room in a brazen hope of enjoying a genuine cat nap with him.

Intoxicated with the love of a temporary pet (and bargain-basement wine) I didn’t perform my customary bed bug sheet check...

How To See The World, One Optometrist At A Time.

31/7/2023

Some people explore via food tours or shoe shopping. It seems my destiny is to discover the world one optometrist at a time.

Note that some links in this post may be affiliate links, which means we are paid a small commission should you make a purchase.

Vanessa takes a selfie in an apartment with sloped walls while wearing a purple shirt.

Crisis averted! Inside my tiny Parisian apartment, eye glasses intact!

What do Paris (France), Portland (Maine), and Yarmouth (Nova Scotia) have in common? Not much, to be honest. But I’ve come to see them through a new lens – if you’ll pardon the pun – thanks to local optometrists.

Some people see the world through – here’s that pun again – a specific lens. They explore destinations via a particular filter or set of experiences, discovering cities via food tours or shoe stores. I hadn’t thought that approach applied to me until I realized I was getting to know the globe via eye health facilities, one city at a time.

Cycling Versailles: A Day Of Travel Redemption

5/11/2022

France's Palace of Versailles is beloved by everyone - except me, it seems. Would a day of cycling Versailles bring redemption?

This post contains affiliate ads and links, which means we may get paid a small commission if you make a purchase.

Cycling Versailles: Vanessa stands in front of a green lawn, the palace way in the background, surrounded by autumn trees.

Taking a break from cycling Versailles. Can you see the palace in the background?

Every great story needs a villain and, for 21 years, the French Palace of Versailles was mine.

I visited Versailles on my very first trip to Paris in 2001 as an international student. The excursion was an optional class trip but one I had eagerly agreed to. After all, it was one of the most popular attractions in France. What wasn't to love?

Turns out: Plenty. I had a miserable visit, so bad that I've long described Versailles as my least-favourite travel destination. It was a damp, cold, drizzling April day. I was hungry. I had a headache. Versailles' pricing structure was confusing and costlier than expected. Pushy touts made for a jarring welcoming committee. I recognize now that, in retrospect, Versailles didn't even stand a chance. It was never going to be a good travel day and it (mostly) wasn't the Palace's fault. But it took me the better part of two decades to come to that conclusion. It was time to revisit Versailles and give it another shot. Could a day spent cycling Versailles provide the redemption I was looking for?

Cooking Across Continents: Preparing Turkish Cuisine, Virtually.

29/4/2021

Connecting with my Istanbul instructor, I learned about killing onions, feeding neighbours, and always adding extra olive oil.

This post contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase, we may be paid a small commission.

Preparing Turkish cuisine: Close up of Eggplants and Hungarian peppersPicture

Preparing Turkish cuisine starts with delicious ingredients like these!

There's an old-fashioned tradition which dictates that, if you cook something especially fragrant while preparing Turkish cuisine, you must share it with your neighbours. After all, you never know who might be particularly roused by your aromatic fare. Perhaps there is an expectant mother who has a craving or an elderly person who isn't able to easily visit their favourite cafe.

There's a second part to this tradition. If you are so fortunate to receive a sample of your neighbour's cooking, you must return the cleaned plate with some cooking of your own. It's simply poor form to return a dish empty!

I first heard about this cozy custom from Aysin, my cooking teacher in Istanbul. Under her tutelage, I learned more about Turkish culture and cuisine than I thought possible - and we did it all as a virtual experience, cooking side by side even though we're half a world away.

Biking in Ottawa: See The City On Two Wheels

26/3/2021

Let's talk about biking in Ottawa!

Maria from Escape Bike Tours and Rentals chats with us about her Ottawa bike tours and seeing a new side of the city.

This post contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase, we may be paid a small commission.

I'm so excited to bring you this interview with my fellow Ottawa resident and travel lover Maria, founder of Escape Bicycle Tours and Rentals.

As many of you know, I'm an anti-adventurist. And sometimes I even get a bit nervous about bike tours, though years of experience have taught me that once I get going, I love them. In case you need a little extra encouragement like me or you just want to see all the incredible opportunities that exist for biking in Ottawa, this special interview is for you!

What makes Ottawa a great city to explore on bike?

Biking in Ottawa: Four cyclists cross the inter-provincial bridgePicture

Biking in Ottawa often means crossing a bridge to take in the view from the other side.

Maria says....

Name any of Ottawa’s landmarks or your favorite spot in the city and I will take you there safely on bike!

Ottawa has the perfect mix of nature and urban atmosphere. Ottawa is not only a very flat city, which makes it easy to cycle around, the city has also been investing in cycling infrastructure for the last 10 years. In fact, Ottawa is becoming one of the leading cycling cities in Canada.

Several new bridges have been built to improve connectivity, new bike paths have been developed, the city has adopted special cycling signals in different parts of the city and is implementing several intersections in the Dutch style, i.e. with cyclists away from motorized traffic. Combined with the NCC pathways and the Gatineau Park, the region offers hundreds of kilometers of safe cycling away from traffic. Through biking in Ottawa, it is entirely possible to see many of the important sites such as Parliament Hill, the Museum of History, the War Museum, the Ottawa River, the Rideau Canal and Rideau Hall without ever having to share the road with traffic.

These investments pay off: Ottawa sees cycling tourism from as far as Germany, the Netherlands and even someone from Uruguay. Our company has seen the increased demand that this year, we have launched and will offer Ottawa’s first ever multi-day bike tour packages for cycling tourism.

Self-Care For Travel Lovers In Times Of Crisis

15/3/2020

When planes and plans are grounded, it's time for travel lovers to help others - and themselves.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase, we may be paid a small commission.

Table filled with spider plants and alabaster picture frames Picture

On March 12, 2020, I told friends that it felt like a tiny part of me had died.

After weeks of distressing reports about the spread of COVID-19 - and an equal amount of time whereby I stoutly resolved to keep calm and carry on - the writing was on the wall. There was clearly no way that I would be able to take a long-hoped for trip to Paris in April.

This wasn't just any trip. This was THE trip. I was turning 40 and I was moving to Paris - solo! - for a month, to write and eat and dream. Bookended by a layover in London and a trip to the United States, it was due to be my longest solo adventure since I was 24 years old. Until, of course, it wasn't. I say I made the decision not to go, but in reality the decision was made for me. Within 24 hours of my choice to withdraw, borders were closing, the news cycle went into overdrive, and I hunkered down into my home, happily choosing social distancing for everyone's benefit.

I felt like a tiny part of me had died. And I was filled with shame.

What right did I have to be crying (and let me tell you, there was crying) over missed macarons and museums when people were dying, when people's entire livelihoods were evaporating in front of them? I thought of the people of Italy, an entire nation quarantined, finding solace in community song, joining their voices together from the safe distance of apartment balconies to comfort one another in their grief. What right did I have to feel sad?

But my online community disagreed. Several people reached out to say that it's both normal and expected to feel sorrow for those in need and to also be sad that someone you really wanted did not work out. That it's okay to feel blue when your dream dies, even if it was a dream built on pretty, dainty, cozy things, and you can still have tremendous empathy for those who are also suffering in their own way. Pandemic self-care for travel lovers can acknowledge and incorporate both.

The Best Family Campgrounds Ontario Wide

1/7/2019

These are the best family campgrounds Ontario has to offer - and we've
"tested" A LOT of them!

Some links in this post may be affiliate links, which means we are paid a small commission should you make a purchase.

Family campgrounds Ontario by TurnipseedTravel.com

Here, we hiked to the site of where Tom Thompson painted the Jack Pine in Algonquin Provincial Park.

If you close your eyes and imagine a vision of Canada, what do you see? If the first thing that comes to mind is ‘nature’, you’re not alone. Canada is filled with cosmopolitan cities and charming towns but its real claim to fame is the pristine, unspoiled wilderness. Happily, you don’t have to go on a massive expedition to the wilderness to get a taste of the true Canadian spirit. Here are 4 breathtaking family campgrounds Ontario wide, all offering a taste of the true north.

Exploring Véloroute des Bleuets - Quebec's "Blueberry Bike Route"

12/6/2019

The Véloroute des Bleuets is my favourite of all cycling Quebec adventures - even in the off season!

My trip to Lac Saint Jean was part of a hosted media visit. All research, writing, and opinions are my own.
This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase through said link we are paid a small commission.

Cycling Quebec véloroute des bleuets Vanessa crossing a bridge

With sunny blue skies and a bracing wind, I bravely mounted my bike to go searching for blueberries in the Quebec countryside. But if you're looking at my jacket and scarf in the photo above and thinking it looks far too cold for blueberry season, you'd be partially right. You see, I wasn't in search of blueberries to eat! I was searching for Quebec's famous blueberry bike route, known as the "véloroute des bleuets".

Made up of over 20 different short to medium length rides through the blueberry-producing countryside, the véloroute des bleuets circles around Lac St Jean, not far from the northern Quebec city of Saguenay. The route includes towns such as Alma (my personal favourite), Saint-Felicien, Roberval, and Sainte-Monique, as well as Pointe-Taillon National Park, and includes terrain suitable for all riders.

More, Please! The Best Meals We've Ever Had

27/9/2018

Readers always ask us "Which country has the best food?" and "Where's the best place you've ever eaten?" Here are the most delicious and undeniably amazing meals we've had around the world.

Our meal at Black Tartan was sponsored by Ontario's Highlands Tourism Organization and we thank them for their support.
Some links within this blog post are affiliate links, which means we are paid a small commission should you make a purchase .

A cube of cheese and herb encrusted scalloped potatoes from Black Tartan Kitchen.

Have you ever seen such a gorgeous square of scalloped potatoes? This cube of perfection is found at Black Tartan Kitchen.

Do you remember the time we feasted on desserts across Budapest, including some showstopping plates at a Michelin star'd restaurant? Or that time when we had an incredible meal at a near empty Parisian restaurant after a late night river cruise? We sure do! We love eating our away around the world and our list of good meals, restaurants, and experiences is endlessly long.

But what about GREAT meals and restaurants? No, not just great. How about the absolute best? People ask us all the time about the best meal we've ever had or the best restaurant we've ever visited and we always struggle to answer. I've realized it's not just that food enjoyment is subjective. For us, it's also about having our expectations surpassed, about being overjoyed to discover that a meal we anticipated would be merely satisfactory is actually sensational. Sometimes it's been an order from room service that blew us away so much that we are STILL talking about how perfectly creamy the sauce was. Other times, it's an unassuming country bistro, the last place we expected to find a cheese lover's heaven. In every case, the food isn't just good - it's surprisingly, unexpectedly fantastic.

After much debate, we've finally narrowed down our list of the best meals we've had around the world, using the criteria above. None of those incredible restaurants in Budapest or Paris made the list. They were wonderful - but we expected them to be wonderful. An element of joyous astonishment just wasn't there. We also eliminated any experiences that we enjoyed solo - this list is all about the places that Ryan and I have enjoyed together and have the same reaction to. Looking back on all our delicious destinations has been a fun trip down memory lane, but also a sad one. Should we go back? Would things be just as great a second time round or are our expectations now skewed? It's a good reminder to always savor the moment as much as the food!

Bon Appétit!

<<Previous

How To Kidnap A Cat and Fight Bed Bugs In Italy

What happens when you combine a hotel cat and cheap wine? Bed bugs, that's what. Here's what happened to me.

This post contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase, we may be paid a small commission.

How To See The World, One Optometrist At A Time.

Some people explore via food tours or shoe shopping. It seems my destiny is to discover the world one optometrist at a time.

Note that some links in this post may be affiliate links, which means we are paid a small commission should you make a purchase.

Cycling Versailles: A Day Of Travel Redemption

France's Palace of Versailles is beloved by everyone - except me, it seems. Would a day of cycling Versailles bring redemption?

This post contains affiliate ads and links, which means we may get paid a small commission if you make a purchase.

Cooking Across Continents: Preparing Turkish Cuisine, Virtually.

Connecting with my Istanbul instructor, I learned about killing onions, feeding neighbours, and always adding extra olive oil.

This post contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase, we may be paid a small commission.

Biking in Ottawa: See The City On Two Wheels

Let's talk about biking in Ottawa!

Maria from Escape Bike Tours and Rentals chats with us about her Ottawa bike tours and seeing a new side of the city.

This post contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase, we may be paid a small commission.

What makes Ottawa a great city to explore on bike?

Self-Care For Travel Lovers In Times Of Crisis

When planes and plans are grounded, it's time for travel lovers to help others - and themselves.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase, we may be paid a small commission.

The Best Family Campgrounds Ontario Wide

These are the best family campgrounds Ontario has to offer - and we've
"tested" A LOT of them!

Some links in this post may be affiliate links, which means we are paid a small commission should you make a purchase.

Exploring Véloroute des Bleuets - Quebec's "Blueberry Bike Route"

More, Please! The Best Meals We've Ever Had

Readers always ask us "Which country has the best food?" and "Where's the best place you've ever eaten?" Here are the most delicious and undeniably amazing meals we've had around the world.

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What happens when you combine a hotel cat and cheap wine? Bed bugs, that's what. Here's what happened to me.This post contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase, we may be paid a small commission.

Some people explore via food tours or shoe shopping. It seems my destiny is to discover the world one optometrist at a time. Note that some links in this post may be affiliate links, which means we are paid a small commission should you make a purchase.

France's Palace of Versailles is beloved by everyone - except me, it seems. Would a day of cycling Versailles bring redemption?​​This post contains affiliate ads and links, which means we may get paid a small commission if you make a purchase.

Connecting with my Istanbul instructor, I learned about killing onions, feeding neighbours, and always adding extra olive oil. ​​​This post contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase, we may be paid a small commission.

Let's talk about biking in Ottawa! ​Maria from Escape Bike Tours and Rentals chats with us about her Ottawa bike tours and seeing a new side of the city. ​​This post contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase, we may be paid a small commission.

What makes Ottawa a great city to explore on bike?

When planes and plans are grounded, it's time for travel lovers to help others - and themselves. ​Note: This post contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase, we may be paid a small commission.

These are the best family campgrounds Ontario has to offer - and we've ​"tested" A LOT of them! ​Some links in this post may be affiliate links, which means we are paid a small commission should you make a purchase.

Readers always ask us "Which country has the best food?" and "Where's the best place you've ever eaten?" Here are the most delicious and undeniably amazing meals we've had around the world.

Post Categories

Posts by Date

What happens when you combine a hotel cat and cheap wine? Bed bugs, that's what. Here's what happened to me.

This post contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase, we may be paid a small commission.

Some people explore via food tours or shoe shopping. It seems my destiny is to discover the world one optometrist at a time.

Note that some links in this post may be affiliate links, which means we are paid a small commission should you make a purchase.

France's Palace of Versailles is beloved by everyone - except me, it seems. Would a day of cycling Versailles bring redemption?

This post contains affiliate ads and links, which means we may get paid a small commission if you make a purchase.

Connecting with my Istanbul instructor, I learned about killing onions, feeding neighbours, and always adding extra olive oil.

This post contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase, we may be paid a small commission.

Let's talk about biking in Ottawa!

Maria from Escape Bike Tours and Rentals chats with us about her Ottawa bike tours and seeing a new side of the city.

This post contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase, we may be paid a small commission.

When planes and plans are grounded, it's time for travel lovers to help others - and themselves.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase, we may be paid a small commission.

These are the best family campgrounds Ontario has to offer - and we've
"tested" A LOT of them!

Some links in this post may be affiliate links, which means we are paid a small commission should you make a purchase.