November 18, 2023

#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.

Bay of Fundy 1

Bay of Fundy 2

Bay of Fundy 3

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. 
Bay of Fundy 4

November 16, 2023

#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."

Massawippi

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.

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"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.


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November 14, 2023

#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.
Mont Tremblant 1

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!

Mont Tremblant

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.

Mont Tremblant 3

July 31, 2023

#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."

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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. 

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July 29, 2023

#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! 

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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). 

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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.

July 27, 2023

#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).”
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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.

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“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.”

PA Dutch Country

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 CafĂ©. 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.

Kitchen Kettle1

February 15, 2023

#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.

Golden Door Country Store