#229 Winterlude (Ottawa)

“…The imposing Chateau Laurier remains the finest hotel in the nation’s capital, if not all of eastern Canada. Built in 192, at the site where the Rideau Canal meets the Ottawa River, the Laurier offers a historical castle-like setting, handsome furnishings, old-world service, and one of the most European hotel experiences this side of the Atlantic.”

Again, did I go during Winterlude? No. Ironically, the sun was out in full for the weekend I spent in Ottawa. Lunch on the terrace was hot enough that I worried the staff would suffer heat stroke. I had a drink coupon that I used for a fruity summer drink, the dregs of which I ultimately surrendered the bees, but mostly I drank water – lots of water, to counteract that heat. The pizza was unusual, but pretty good.

I booked tea service on check out day, and this made up for the marginal tea in Quebec. Food and atmosphere was much better here. 

#228 Carnaval in the Heart of New France (Quebec City)

“It’s all here: cobbled streets, slate-roofed stone houses, a 95% French-speaking population, patisseries, vin rouge, and fresh baguettes.”

“At the famous Differin Terrace, a pedestrian-only rampart …offers the city’s best views.”

“…nothing is more Quebec than … Chateau Frontenac, the very symbol of the city, dominating the skyline from the top of Cap Diamard, the highest point in town. Designed in the style of the Loire Valley chateau and looking as if it’s stood here forever, it is, in fact, only a little over a century old…Outside it’s all stone and brick turrets, green copper roofs, and dormered windows, while inside, it labyrinthine corridors (can personally vouch for this) lead through various wings.”

Was I there during Carnaval? No. Am I counting it anyway? Yes.

I actually was in Quebec City twice in the summer of 2023. The first was at an Airbnb (rainy and miserable) and the second was as the last port city before debarkation of the HAL cruise (sunny and much better).

I went to high tea at Chateau Frontenac on my last day of the Airbnb. My plan was to arrive early, park, and explore the Differin Terrace before my reservation. It, of course, was pouring so I ended up just kind of wandering around the hotel (see above labyrinthine corridors) and then made my way to the restaurant. The tea was really marginal, I would rank it last of all the fancy high teas I’ve done, and while I was sat next to windows looking out on the terrace, I was also sat next to a couple of women who did nothing except complain the entire time, about everything.

The shore day, I actually ditched my formal excursion and took a taxi back to the Terrace and had a lovely afternoon kind of wandering around and mostly people watching…a much better way to spend the afternoon.

#227 Vieux Montreal

Paris without the jet lag. Listen, my experience was not great, but that doesn't mean most people who go love it. The food was good, though.

#226 Charlevoix

“…the waters where the St. Lawrence and the Saguenay rivers meet are home to beluga, minke, humpback, rorqual, and blue whales in the summer.”

It rained. It was awful. The worst whale-watching experience ever. No really, when I got to the pier/dock and saw the situation I sat in my car for a full 5 minutes thinking I should just ditch the excursion and go back to the motel. Instead, I reminded myself of the other whale-watching excursions I been on and how exciting and fun they were. Yeah, I should’ve skipped it. Along with a list of not fun things about the boat, service, etc. we didn’t see whales. Or at least I didn’t. Or maybe, I did. Does this count?

*maybe a beluga?

The excursion guarantees “marine mammal” sightings, so of course we also swung by the colony of sea lions? Seals? That just live on these rocks year round. After the excursion I found a little restaurant and had poutine and a club sandwich. That was the best part of Charlevoix. 

While not actually part of Charlevoix, I’m including the HAL shore excursion to Saguenay here as well. In a miraculous turn of events, it was a beautiful day! The excursion I did went to an alpaca farm, a cheese factory, and a glass blowing studio. It really is a beautiful part of the world.

#225 Prince Edward Island

“Pastoral as a picture book, with tiny towns set among rolling green hills, Prince Edward Island (PEI) is surrounded by the cold North Atlantic and crisscrossed by red dirt roads…

PEI’s bucolic lifestyle was nurtured by isolation, and even now – with the island connected to the mainland by the 8-mile Confederation Bridge – the feel is more cow pasture than rat race.

Blue Heron Drive is probably the most traveled (and most commercial) route, as it passes through the north shore’s PEI National Park, which includes the home of L.M. Montgomery and her novel Anne of Green Gables.”

Another day, another downpour of rain. We actually lucked out a little here and while it rained off and on all day we did get well-timed breaks in the down p our at the Green Gables house.   

#224 Bay of Fundy

"Fundy is a place of absolute wonder where the world's highest tides rise as much as 48 feet in six hours - more than twenty-two times greater than the average in open seas. Fundy National Park, established in 1948, protects 80 square miles of the land along the bay's west coast. ...Visitors can walk nearly three-quarters of a mile across the tidal flats to the water's edge - then kayak that whole distance a few hours later, when the 100 billion tons of water have rushed back in."

I had two excursions scheduled for Bay of Fundy, the first in New Brunswick which are the first three sets of pictures, and the second on the Nova Scotia side. The weather was raining both days, but was atrocious in Nova Scotia. Like, downpour, fully soaked, miserable, atrocious. It was also the day we were supposed to "walk the ocean floor". Sounds like fun, right? It started with the tour guide telling us we needed to sign a waiver because nobody was liable for any injury. Ok. The

 he talked and talked and talked and talked some more about how dangerous the stairs would be, especially in this weather. How slippery they are and on and on. So, when we got there and it was still a downpour, I decided I would not be risking life and limb that day.

As folks came back on the bus talking about how glorious it was and how it was a once in a lifetime opportunity, and how I would surely regret it if I didn't go down there, well, I couldn't take it anymore. I kindly(?, less than kindly?) explained that I was so happy they got to have a once in a lifetime experience, and I would hate it if they had regrets. I however, do not view this as once in a lifetime experience. I will be back during better weather, where I can stay in these cottages (right next door) and sit in a hot tub while watching the tides come in and go out. And that the only thing I would regret, is breaking my femur on those fucking stairs. Here is where I mention that someone on the tour actually fell three times out there. 

#223 Lake Massawippi

"Ten-mile-long Lake Massawippi sits in the southeastern part of the Townships, less than a half hour's drive from the US border, and is its most desirable resort area, especially around the northern end's North Hatley. ... Hovey Manor is one of these. Built in 1899 by Henry Atkinson, an Atlanta electricity baron who arrived every summer accompanied by eighteen servants and ten horses, it was designed in the style of George Washington's Mount Vernon, with a broad, white-columned veranda. Outside, its 25 hillside acres feature English-style gardens sloping down to two small lake beaches. ... The inn's award winning restaurant delight."

I also took advantage of the "half hour's drive" back to the US to order a much-needed rain jacket. Crossing the US the border agent was weirdly intent on discovering any limes that might be in my possession, and on the way back the Canadian border agent just wanted to make sure I was gonna take the jacket home with me when I left. Border control is wild, y'all.

"In the Eastern Townships' Brome Missisquoi district, the landscape is not just for viewing, it's for savoring. This lovely area of rolling hills and valleys serves as the breadbasket of Quebec, and more than 60 winemakers, farmers, maple syrup producers, beekeepers, cheese makers, cider brewers, and other producers of fresh local food products open their properties to visitors."

I only took one photo, it appears of this part of the district, but I did a bunch of driving area and can vouch for it being a lovely area. It was also rainy (so much of my time in Canada had just the worst weather) so I didn't stop everywhere I'd planned, but where I did stop I had a lovely time. The lady at this ciderie did not speak any English, and of course, my French is non-existent, but with Google translate and a lot of laughing and nodding we made a tasting and purchase happen.

#222 Mont Tremblant Resort

“…Fairmont Mont Tremblant, located on a crest above the village [is] pleasantly scaled, homey, and harmoniously integrated into its natural setting, the hotel has a feel of a country inn, its north woods decor drawing from the tradition of Quebec’s 19th century Provencal style residences and its lobby warmed by the requisite huge stone fireplace.”

This was a quick one-night stop and it happened to be the day when there was a race the next day (10k, marathon, who knows?) and most of the roads were going to be closed for until noon and some of the roads were closing the night before. I'd had a really long driving day to get there and had just planned to eat dinner at the resort and hang out. As I was checking in the reception desk clerk reminded me that my "welcome" snack package" was waiting in my room. Some days, past Jalaire really comes through in the crunch and makes sure I'm gonna have snacks to watch a movie and relax after a long drive.

I headed down to Le Comptoir for dinner and beat the rush enough to be able to chat with the waitress a little bit. I also belong to the Accor loyalty program and you get a free drink coupon with every stay. I'd been lazy and not changed the guests from 2 to 1 and they'd given me 2 drink tickets. The waitress was lovely enough to let me use both. So, I had a delicious pear cocktail to start with the gnocchi primavera and focaccia and the limoncello and pistachio cream with a glass of ice wine for dessert. Delicious!

After dinner, I walked around the resort a little bit, but honestly it was raining. A very, very common experience during the entire time I was in Canada. So, I took a few pictures and went back to my room to eat my snacks and watch a movie. 

In the morning, I ordered room service (it was fine, nothing spectacular) pocketed the mini jams and condiments for future use, and by that time I was headed out.

#221 Montreal's Summer Festivals

"Part iconoclastic Francophone outpost in otherwise anglais-speaking North America, part skyscraping internationalist city, Montreal is also a festival town par excellence, boasting several major festivals and a number of smaller events that fill the summer months."

"Just for Laughs (Juste pour Rire) Festival promotes the idea that humor can be reinvented, with artists stretching the boundries of the form. Founded in 1983, when sixteen French-speaking comedians performed for a total crowd of 5,000, the festival has grown to host approximately 2,000 artists annually, performing for a million and a half laughers at more than thirty venues along Rue St.-Denis."

I purchases a "passport" that included ticket options to pre-selected shows. I only had 2 weekends to choose from, the festival was nearly over by the time I arrived in Montreal so choices were limited, but I did find a show to attend.

Just for the Culture, is a comedy showcase formerly known as The Ethnic Show, and features a diverse line-up of comedians from a variety of cultural backgrounds. The show this year was hosted by Alonzo Bodden and featured Zarna Garg, Gianmarco Soresi, Joyelle Nicole Johnson, Judy Gold, Arthur Simeon, and Malik Elassal. It was pretty funny even if the show was at 4:30 in the afternoon - a fact that was the punchline of several jokes throughout the show. 

#192 and #193 Revisited: Vermont (Stowe and the Northeast Kingdom)

I stayed in an Airbnb in the border of New York and Vermont for the express purpose of spending at least 2 weekends in Vermont during the month I was there. I managed one day. A very, very rainy day. 

The weather was so bad that I contemplated turning around several times, but just as I’d decide it was better postponed the rain would let up a little and I would press on. But it did mean that things kept getting cut from the itinerary. In the end I only stopped at 3 of the 6 or 7 places on my list that day. Cabot Country Store, Trapp Family Resort, and St. Johnsbury. 

By the time I pulled into St. Johnsbury and made my purchase, I told the cashier that I was thinking I might get food as well, just let me check the radar and see what the storm was going to do. She looked at me and quietly said, “It’s only going to get worse; the streets are going to flood. You should head home now.” 

I took her advice and drove another 3 hours home through ever worsening weather. The next day I woke up to news that the roads I had just traveled were indeed under water, washed out, massive flooding throughout the area I was just in. I’m sad I didn’t get to do everything on my list and I’m very glad that I was safe and sound. I hope that is true for everyone in the flood zones. 

Cabot Country Store –  Pre-COVID Cabot had several farm stores open around Vermont. Now there is only the one, but they still have cheese tastings available. The day I stopped the tasting theme was their cheese paired with condiments, mostly fruit-based items like jams, preserves, compotes, etc.

The person running each station decides what to pair together and present. It was all delicious, but this garlic herb cheddar paired with Southern style rustic mustard was my absolute favorite! 

Next stop was Trapp Family Lodge, yep, the von Trapps of Sound of Music Fame. When I was last here in 2019, I had lunch and then stopped at the Kaffehaus for the most amazing pastry (almond horn) ever. 

When I got there this afternoon the almond horns were all sold out, but I asked the cashier if he happened to have any hiding in the back. He rustled up 2 (1 to eat there, and one to take home). 

No photos in St. Johnsbury, it was in and out with the sage advice from the cashier. I didn’t stop at Ben & Jerry’s, Cold Hollow Cider Mill, and Prohibition Pig, and there’s a glassblowing studio that I’ve seen a million times driving around that area that I don’t know the name of, but always think about stopping.

#24 Revisited: Pennsylvania Dutch Country

“The English are encouraged to respect the privacy of these insular, but kind people and their simple lifestyle, but that doesn’t mean you can’t take a nice, aimless meander down the area’s backcountry roads, which take you past one-room schoolhouses, neat fields cultivated by mule-driven plows, quaintly named towns like Bird-in-Hand and Paradise (and Blue Ball or Intercourse).”

My experience this time around is that they aren’t as insular as they once were. While the Amish, specifically, still like their privacy, they are more actively participating in the commerce of tourism. While I was looking up things to do, there was an option to visit The Amish Farm and House and have dinner with a local Amish family, in their home. The reviews were spectacular, and it seems the family looks at it as an opportunity to meet others and develop friendships. I wish my schedule had allowed me to participate.

“The Historic Smithton Inn, [has been] welcoming guests since 1763, when it was built as a stagecoach stop. … It’s located adjacent to the Ephrata Cloister, an historic site [,] composed of more than twenty beautifully restored buildings. It was once home to a Quaker-like monastic sect whose population reach 300 in its 1750 heyday.”

Last, but never least – I stopped by Kitchen Kettle Village. They were offering a package where you pay, like $30, and get a free gift from several stores as well as $15 toward lunch at Harvest Café. Since I was planning to go anyway, it seemed like good motivation because I really hate shopping. (I was gonna go anyway to get a soft pretzel, but that may have been the extent of it without the incentive to go into stores.) Anyway, it’s grown quite a bit since the last time I visited and I ended up spending way more than I planned, and it was during the worst of the bad air quality days from the Canadian fires, but man, it still felt like going home. And that pretzel was still delicious.

#220 The Golden Door

So, this one is a little bit of a cheat. The Golden Door spa takes 40 guests at a time, for a week-long experience costing around $10,000/week. That is....definitely out of my budget. They also make super clear that they do not have day passes and you cannot book one-off services. I'd ruled out crossing this item of The List a long time ago. However, in double checking while preparing for this trip, I noticed they'd opened a Country Store - open to the public. So, yeah, I went to the store and not the spa, but it's my version of The List, so I make the rules and the exceptions.

From their website: 

"Since introducing bio-intensive farming methods to our kitchen garden and groves, we've found ourselves with a bounty beyond our needs. Now we're delighted to share our seasonal, organic, flavorful and nutrient-rich harvests as our way of nurturing community beyond our doors."

I bought an "everything" baguette, some fig salami, a couple of different snacks: mint cookies, sweet potato chips, organic dried pineapple, and some of their newly-introduced spa products. I haven't tried those out, but am excited to. The cashier also threw in some oranges because I mentioned I was at a hotel for a week and he wanted me to have fresh fruit.

#219 Hotel del Coronado

"It is eternal spring on the curved isthmus of Coronado ... this is the home of Hotel Del Coronado (aka the Del, aka the Grand Lady by the Sea), which sits like a Victorian wedding cake on 26 lovely beachfront acres."

I had to travel back to Long Beach for work and decided I'd fly out for the weekend and cross a couple of things off the list. Because I didn't have the chance to cross anything off in 2022, I also decided that this weekend would be a huge splurge where I just went, stayed in the fancy hotel, and didn't look at the prices. 

I got to Hotel Del around 6 o'clock. There was a fancy black-tie gala going on at the hotel in the courtyard that my room overlooked.

  

Once checked in and settled, I headed down to the restaurants to get dinner. They have a pizza place on site, and I was hoping that it wouldn't be too busy. I ordered a Quattro Formaggi (mozzarella, gorgonzola, provolone, grana padano, garlic, chile, mentuccia). The wait wasn't as long as expected and it was really good.

  

They also have a grab and go bakery, coffee shop, etc. and I stocked up on waters and caffeine. 

After dinner, I stopped at Babcock and Story for an after-dinner drink and people watching. It was a little chilly so I got a hot drink - a Maple Toddy: Maker's Mark, maple syrup, fresh lemon juice, and cinnamon stick. Honestly, it was just okay, but did its job of warming me up a little bit.

On my way back to the room, I also stopped by the shops and bought some new sunglasses. Somewhere between the airport in Long Beach and the drive to San Diego - I'd lost mine. I met some women who were there on a "girls' trip" from Philadelphia, one who owns a yoga studio in Plymouth Meeting...small world.

Sunday, I woke up and went to cross #220 off the list. When I got back to Hotel Del, I decided to grab lunch. I went back to the pizza place thinking it was so good, and I'd try something else, but ended up getting the same pizza. It was genuinely so delicious. Then, I walked around the beach front a little. More people watching, and then as the sun started going down back to B&S for afternoon old fashioned(s) for the sunset.

Dinner was at Sheerwater. I loved the beachy blue color scheme. I started with the sourdough boule (cultured butter, EVOO, olive tapenade, Himalayan salt). It was so good. That tapenade - I could eat gallons of it. My main was a roasted chicken breast with broccoli rabe, gnocchi, green sauce, queso anejo. It was delicious. The gnocchi was so soft and pillowy. So good!

The couple next to me at dinner was celebrating their 51st anniversary. They'd spent their honeymoon at Hotel Del. He couldn't help, but recall that rooms back then were $45/night and breakfast was $5. 

I planned to go back to Sheerwater Monday morning for their breakfast buffet, but ultimately decided to chill on my balcony instead. It was a really great weekend - much needed. It was great to cross another place off The List.