5 Most Memorable Travel Meals

My favourite thing about travelling is eating (tbh that's actually my favourite thing to do at any time) the meals I have and share with travel partners become memorable moments that punctuate each country I visit.
You can experience a culture through it's national dishes and truly connect to a place with the food it feeds you. These special meals are memorable for different reasons and I like thinking back on them and where I was in my life when I had each meal.

Fish in Venice

I was in Italy with my English boyfriend. We were in Venice and had gone to the Lido and spent the afternoon lounging in the sunshine and splashing about the very warm water. This evening, we wandered the maze like streets and found ourselves in the fish market (closed for the day) with several restaurants along the canal. We had fish stew and salmon on crustinis. It was all so fishy and fresh. Also, this was the first time I tried Prosecco and oh boy!

Wood Pigeon at a hookah bar

This was a lady date. We were in central London to experience the Icebar London, once our cool cocktails were consumed, we were hungry. Next door was MoCafe (Momo Restaurant), this cool Moroccan restaurant got us to try several new things that night. We selected our flavoured Sheesha Pipes and got down to the business of ordering food. As soon as we saw Pigeon Pastilla we knew what we were getting. Wood pigeon in a filo pastry with almonds and cinnamon. It was surprisingly, amazingly delicious.

Escargot in France

I adore snails, like actually, the little slimy, slow moving slugs are incredibly fascinating to me. I even kept a few in a DIY terrarium as a kid. But never once did I think they looked tasty. That said, I was curious as to how they would taste. The verdict; I'm a fan of garlic butter and if that means eating a snail to get it, then I can be down.

Christmas Dinner in Paris 

It was 2004, I was with my parents in Paris and I was just coming off of a full week of not being able to eat from a tasty tummy bug. The restaurant was magical and Christmasy. The air was filled with piano music and the smell of garlic and melted cheese.

Thanksgiving Dinner in London 

I was on my semester abroad in London and most nights were spent in our hostel's dining hall. The food was pretty good, but I was starting to get a bit homesick, missing home cooked meals. Come thanksgiving time, I think a few of us in the class were feeling the same and we decided to plan a thanksgiving dinner for us all to enjoy. We cooked two chickens (couldn't actually find turkey) with all the fixings. It was a group effort that took over the kitchen and dining room in our residence. It was a great party!

Moose in Newfoundland

I didn't know eating moose was a thing. But when I went to Newfoundland, it became a quest to find it, to try. When had rented an airbnb in Bauline East and had to procure our own dinner for the evening. It was the perfect opportunity! We made a wonderful picnic meal and barbecued the meat. It was lovely.

What are your thoughts about eating special meals while travelling? Do you like to try the foods of the places you are visiting or is pizza just as good anywhere you go?

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2018 Best Bits

In 2015 I blogged a personal list about my favourite bits that took place over the course of the year. It's a nice little reminder for me of how my year went IRL and on the blog. This year is no different and here is my 2018 best bits (if you're interested here is 2017, 2016 and 2015).

Most popular Instagram photo:
Surprisingly my most popular post was from my winterlicious dessert at the Royal York in Toronto. It was part of a terrible date, but lovely sorbet nonetheless.

Favourite Moment:
Not a specific moment but my favourite thing to have happened in 2018 was all the cat sitting I did. It was a gig I fell into this past year, but I thoroughly enjoyed doing it. Staying in Toronto, imagining I could afford to live in the places I was living and spending time with sweet little kitties.

Most popular blog post:
Blogging kinda fell by the wayside this past year, especially these past few months.
Did you notice?
I know my mum did, when she saw me open up a draft page over the Christmas holidays she excitedly asked, "are you writing a post?!" She's my biggest fan.
So although there was a limited number of posts, I was well pleased to see my 6 Must do walks of London as my most popular post of 2018. Check it out, it's a good one!

Favourite trip:
I only took the one trip this year, but honestly, it was great! Reconnecting with a good friend and exploring a new place, San Antonio, Texas. We obviously went to The Alamo and did the Riverwalk, but I loved our day trips to towns outside of San Antonio. Catching a band at the Gueren Hall, a pint in the German hall in New Braunfels, it really whetted my apatite to head back again and explore more of the Hill Country.

Best meal:
Getting in right under the wire, Christmas dinner on Boxing Day in Montreal. It wasn't the food so much as it was the company and atmosphere. I was feeling a bit blah this year, until we arrived at my aunt and uncle's place. As the noise and activity grew in the familiar home so did my Christmas spirit.

Happiest moment:
Is it terrible that I had a hard time identifying my happiest moment of 2018. Looking back at the year, there were some great moments (and some not so great) and I'm not in the same spot I started out in this time last year, which is all kinds of great. I have a new job that I enjoy, my own apartment with a balcony, and a new town to explore.

Saddest moment:
Leaving Black Creek Pioneer Village after working there for 4 years. I do wish it could have provided me with a sustainable income, because quite honestly where else do you get to dress up in a pretty dress, frolic with livestock, interact with the public and make things with your hands for work? I already miss this place, but I'm glad to have had the opportunity to work here, I learned some great things and made some great friends which I hold dear.

What were your best bits of 2018?

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2019 Travel Wish List #travellinkup

I didn't get to travel much this year, so I'm glad I was able to get a trip to Texas in, early on in the year. After starting a new job, I promised myself I would definitely be booking a big trip for 2019. So Although I know I'll certainly be heading back to my favourite place and taking the number one spot on my 2019 travel wish list.

1. UK/Ireland

Summer 2019! Whooohooooo!

2. Iceland
Possible layover on my way to England? Yes, please.

3. Buffalo
A bit weird, I know, but someone told me that there is a Frank Lloyd Wright home in Buffalo and I've always wanted to see one in person!

4. Pennsylvania
I have a new interest in oil history and I'd love to check out the Drake Well Museum and Park in Titusville, PA

5. Portugal
Throwing a random one out there, because why the heck not. It seemed like everyone and literally their mother, went here in 2018, so call it a bit of fomo.

What are your travel plans for 2019? 

At the beginning of each month, I like to take part in the monthly travel link up hosted on the incredible blogs by Angie, Emma, Binny. You can join in too by leaving a comment below, checking out other posts on the link up, or adding your own post to the widget now until January 7th.

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Top Festivals in Toronto

Ohhh Toronto loves a festival. Summer is chockablock full of festivals celebrating food, music, drinks, art...you name it, there is probably a festival for it in and around the city. Here I've compiled my list of 5 favourite Toronto festivals and just so you know, not all of them are summertime deals.

1// Toronto Cider Festival

I'm not a beer drinker so all the craft beer fests usually aren't my scene, but put a cider on tap and I'm there! This end of summer fest has all the hallmarks of a great summer weekend at the cottage at the Toronto Waterfront on Sherbourne Common.

2// Toronto Light Fest

This winter festival arguably kicks off the year of fests by starting mid-January and running for several weeks at the Distillery District. It's an incredible installation of light based outdoor art pieces. Honestly, I really love this event. Cool public art is tops.

3// Historic Distillery District Christmas Market

I love all Christmas markets, but the ones in Europe are really where's it at. Short of a flight to Germany, the Distillery District for the month of November becomes a Christmas wonderland and the closest thing to a true and proper Christmas market on the cobbled streets of the former Victorian Distillery.

4 Taco Fest

Unlike the other fests on this list, this is the only one I have yet to repeat. June is a busy month for festivals and sometimes you just have to pick and choose how you spend your time. But I love tacos and a whole festival dedicated to them is a-okay in my books.

5 Brunch Fest

This festival also in June gives you your fill of breakfast themed foods. I recommend going to a early session to avoid lines and missing out on some favourite brunch items.

A festival is only second to a really good farmer's market, but what have I missed? Any honourable mentions that should be noted?

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What I learned in Texas

I still have posts from Newfoundland that I want to do, but writing about Texas last week has got me on a kick. I really did enjoy my time there, but I do feel a bit ripped off weather wise. It was overcast and cool most days. This Canadian was not prepared for the single digit temps so far south. Not prepared mentally or vestment-ly.

I learned that Texas isn’t always hot and this lead me to take note of other things I learned in Texas. 

1.Longhorns’ horns are longer than I had imagined 

Thanks to the rodeo being in town, I got to meet a real-live longhorn cattle. I was massively impressed by the length of the horns and equals parts not understanding how they function with such large things jutting from their heads.

2. I don’t hate country music as much as I thought I did

Part of the rodeo was a concert of Brett Eldredge. I have never heard of him or his music before, but I did find myself clapping along. I particularly like his one about whiskey. True story.

3. Friends are important 

Bathroom selfie in the wine bar Selena took me to right after I landed.

Now this one I did know, but it’s good to be reminded of this every once and awhile. My 2018 is including more self-care and as I’m figuring out what that means exactly to me, I know that carving out time to spend with friends is good for my soul and I need more of it.

4. Cactuses are super cool

I’ve seen them on tv before, but never really in actual life. Like in the wild. Even on my trip to Las Vegas, I didn’t come across too many cactus in the city, but in Texas they were all over. Each time I saw one, I was delighted (clapping and giggling like a child!). They are sooooo weird! How are they a thing?

I’m realizing now that I did see some in the desert in Bolivia, I remember a particular moment when Eimear touched one thinking it was a normal soft plant and we laughed at her silliness. Cactus are prickly! (Yes, I said cactuses)

5. Sweet tea is the nectar of the gods

Seriously, no wonder childhood obesity is such a problem, I would be a fat kid too if I had sweet tea growing up. How is this not a thing in Canada!! 
Hot Tip: Don’t want it too sweet? Mix unsweeted tea with sweet tea to taste. Damn! So good!

6. Texas has a distinct gastronomy

I didn’t particularly think of Texas having a distinct food pallet. I had assumed portion sizes were going to be giant because America, and I wasn’t wrong there, however I was still introduced to some great food. Texas BBQ is now my most favourite thing. 

Barbecued meat? Good. 

Beans? Gooooood. 

Creamed corn? Gooooooooooood. 

We need more Texas BBQs in Ontario.  I also had actual Texas Tex-Mex which included breakfast tacos, tamales, and other delicious Mexican inspired foods.

Also did you know that The Phoenix Saloon in New Braunfels is the home of chili powder?!

7. Everything is soooooo spread out

One of the best reasons about visiting places where friends live, is having access to some home conveniences, like a car. No need to rent, take a bus, or waste money on cabs. 

San Antonio is VERY spread out. A car is a must! A big thank you to Selena for letting me borrow her car!!

Have you ever gone somewhere with preconceived ideas and were immediately humbled by how much you really didn't know?

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6 Things To Do In and Around San Antonio, Tx

I have itchy feet. Always in the spring my feet begin to get really itchy and it’s not due to allergies. It’s a classic symptom of Travel Bug. Other symptoms include compulsively Googling flights and hotels in exotic destinations, big sighs when you hear about someone else’s upcoming trip, and twitching thumbs as you like every travel photo on Instagram.  To sometimes help with the travel bug, short of booking a trip, I look back on some of my previous trips that I’ve been fortunate enough to have taken.

The last time I had a bad case of the travel bug, I was able to take advantage of some Boxing Day seat sales and began planning my trip to San Antonio, Texas in February to visit my dear friend Selena.

I’ve been to Texas once before as a very young child, the last impression I had of the place was that the grass was really spiky as I tottered around and a dog ate my Barbie, obviously it was a traumatic trip.

I knew going back was going to be entirely different experience, but I was surprised by how much I actually liked the Lone Star State. I think I had a particular image (read stereotype) in mind of what I would encounter while in San Antonio and not only did it not exist it was even better than what I had anticipated. That said, I’m still slightly devastated by the lack of cowboy hats I encountered on a daily basis.

These are the things I most liked about my trip to San Antonio

Pearl Weekend Market

This place reminds me of one of my favourite places in Toronto, The Distillery District, except this place is much cooler and has a weekend market. The vendors are from within a 150 mile radius and sell local produce and artisan foods. There are also some trendy restaurants, retails shops and a fabulous looking hotel, all located within walking distance to the San Antonio River. We spent a good chunk of our day here, checking out all the stalls, popping into the stores, eating market food for breakfast and people watching.

Riverwalk

In the heart of San Antonio is The River Walk, located one story below street level along the banks of the San Antonio River. This area reminded me of the canal system in East London, but on steroids. It is certainly a tourist destination and very cool to spend time along, but be aware that it is more of a tourist trap than an authentic experience. That said, I had a great time doing a bit of bar hopping and walking the length of the "River Walk" area, watching the barges filled with people. It was Mardi Gras when I was there and a big party atmosphere, but I was told that this is a normal vibe for the walk.

San Antonio Rodeo

"Let's rodeo, San Antonio!" When Selena told me she got us tickets to the rodeo I honestly didn't know how I felt about it. I'm all for doing new things, but I wondered if I was going to have issues with watching. It was the same trepidation I felt when Eimear and I planned to see the Cholitas wrestling in Bolivia. Turns out I loved this too. It was exciting to watch, no animals appeared to be hurt or stressed and by the end I wasn't sure if I was cheering for the people or the animals. Mutton Bustin' broke my heart though, every single 3-4 year old cried when the fell off the sheep.

Mission Churches

First thing people asked when I told them I was going to San Antonio, was if I was going to go see The Alamo. The answer was obvious, I wouldn't go all that way and not go to the Alamo. But did you know there are actually five mission churches from the same time period and some in better condition. I spent an afternoon exploring each of them. It's possible to walk the 14.5 km Mission Trail from The Alamo to Mission Espada. I was short on time and had the use of a car. It made the trek much more enjoyable especially considering for one reason or another I could only get inside two of the missions.

New Braunfels

New Braunfels is a city northeast of downtown San Antonio, and has an interesting history. In 1845 Prince Carl of Solms-Braunfels, Germany established the town named after his home town, and organzied hundreds of Germans to immigrate to Texas. To this day the area maintains its German heritage, even hosting Wurstfest to honour the humble sausage. The popularity of this festival has certainly grown since its inception in 1961. 

I was already enamoured with this little city and then Selena brought me to Krause's Biergarten and Cafe and then I was in love. I felt like I was back in Europe and could see this place being a fun time on a warmer day. They even had many of my new obsession on tap, Austin Eastcider. OH WHY can't I get it in Ontario?!

Gruene Hall

Gruene is a historic district now part of New Braunfels and dependant on the tourist economy, but it's worth a visit. It's tiny but it packs a lot in there. We managed to only visit the General Store, Gruene Hall, Mozie's and The Grapevine. Had we had more time, I could have spent the afternoon at Gruene Hall listening to the music and dining at the old gristmill turned into a restaurant with a view of the river. 

Do you get itchy travel feet? What do you do to scratch that itch?

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Why You Need to Stay in Rydal, England

To be quiet honest I didn't know what exactly the Lake District was when I first heard about it. A whole region named after a distinguishing geographic element, all I could imagine was the most picturesque setting of sunsets over glistening bodies of water. After doing some research I discovered that actually the Lake District has only one true lake in it (Bassenthwaite Lake) but is home to plenty of waters, meres, and tarns to deserve its name. The fells and hills created the waters, and human interaction/interference created the modern landscape over the centuries.

Thousands of tourists visit the region each year, climbing the ridges and topping the summits to glimpse the rolling, rocky countryside, dotted with trees, waterways and wildlife.

The Lake District is spectacular and whether you are an expert fellwalker or an amateur hiker, there's a footpath or byway for everyone.

For our trip to the Lake District, we didn't mess about and went straight for the middle to a small village in Cumbria. Rydal is found between Ambleside and Grasmere and made up of a small cluster of houses, a church, and a large hotel. It might not seem like much upon first view, and you might miss it if you aren't careful, but hear out my reasons why you too need to pick Rydal as your Lake District hiking base.

Rydal Hall

This Grade II listed building and spectacularly Grade II listed gardens. It's now a hotel with some beautiful interiors (go in an have a peek). The Old School Room Tea Shop located on the grounds is a great spot to stop after wandering around the formal gardens. The Grot and waterfalls were even the subject of a William Wordsworth poem published in 1793, 'An Evening Walk'.

Coffin Trail

This trail runs from Grasmere to Rydal and is so named because it was the path used to take the dead from Rydal to the consecrated church grounds in Grasmere for burial. The path winds on the high ground, through tress and across fields. From this route you can spy Rydal Water below and the hills above. The Lake District is full of great walks, but really this little route is not one to be missed.

Rydal Caves

Rydal Caves aren't actually caves but rather disused slate quarries from 200 years ago located in Loughrigg Fell. Man made or not, this cave is beautiful. There's a stagnant pool that runs into the shallow depths of the cave walls. Climbing on top of the cave there are views of Rydal Water and the rolling hills around. It's a great spot to stop and have a packed lunch.

Badger Bar

The Badger Bar is a proper oldie worldie pub in the Glen Rothay Hotel. Kind of a funny name for a pub (scratch that, this is England, so actually it's a completely normal name for a pub), but it's really a literal name as come dark you can head out to the back garden as watch real live badgers feed. They also have 4 locally brewed ales, 40 whiskeys, food, board games, welcome dogs and loos built into the rock face. But did you hear me? Badgers! And if you can't get enough of them live you can watch them feeding on the webcam.

Rydal Mount and Rydal Church

Rydal Mount was the home of poet William Wordsworth from 1813 until his death in 1850 and today it's run as a museum and gardens to the poet. It is a beautiful and pleasant setting and even offers an afternoon cream tea in the old saddlery above the coach house.

We visited the gift shop but didn't actually go inside. We did, however, go into its neighbour down the street, Rydal Church, build in 1824 and where Wordsworth worshiped when he lived in the village. Next to the churchyard is Dora's field, originally planted by Wordsworth and his wife with hundreds of Daffodils to memorialize their daughter who had died in 1847. Today the field is still filled with hundreds of Daffodils and we even spotted a deer strolling through.

Rydal Water

It's not a very large lake, but sits in the centre of the Lake District and its glittering shores can be seen from many of the surrounding fells. There's a path that follows around it which passes the caves and the two homes Wordsworth lived in; Dove Cottage and Rydal Mount. But you can only admire these calm waters from the shore as only residences of Rydal Hall are permitted to navigate the lake.

Rydal Lodge 

Rydal is dotted with houses and many of them are actually hotels, bed and breakfasts, and lodges. We stayed at the Rydal Lodge located right on Rydal Road. It was super convenient the bus we took in from Kendal train station stopped right outside the hotel. Rydal Lodge is made up of several constructions some of it even dating back to the 16th century! As you can imagine, wifi was a bit spotty in some of the older bits (#firstworldproblems). The gardens of the lodge are lush and back on to the River Rothay. There are several spots perfect to rest after a hike and enjoy a book.
I love an English breakfast and the one served at Rydal Lodge ticked this box perfectly.

Close to Ambleside

Rydal is conveniently located between Grasmere (if you found a need or want to go to Grasmere) and Ambleside. Taking some of the paths, you can walk to Ambleside in an enjoyable 35 minutes. Once there, you have your pick of restaurants and pubs, and honestly, we didn't have a bad meal while there. Along with food and drink there are a few things to do in Ambleside; visit the Roman ruins, pop into The Bridge House, there's the Armitt Museum and Library, and even a relaxing spa.

The village of Rydal is tiny, but really it's at the centre of it all. To me, it's the perfect spot to start and end a day in the Lake District.

Do you agree? What do you think of Rydal as your Lake District home base?

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