SARNIA, ONTARIO – A sleek new craft brewery. A stunningly designed art gallery with some of Canada’s top works of art. Inventive restaurants run by outrageously entertaining foodies. This is a city that has come a long way in a short time, with a vibrant and growing downtown that seems to be torqueing up the cool factor on an almost daily basis. Almost everywhere I went during a two-day visit in June I ran into someone with a story about something new in town. At Refined Fool, a wonderful craft brewery, they had just put the finishing touches on a Read more
GRAVENHURST, ONTARIO – In one corner is a mock-up of the glorious Segwun steamship, symbol of Muskoka. In the other corner is a fabulous re-creation of an old-time Muskoka resort, complete with a front porch. In the middle are wonderful old-style postcards and a gleaming wooden boat from the days when craftsmanship was more than a marketing buzzword. Mary Patterson, a delightful historian, is giving me a tour of the Muskoka Boat and Heritage Centre on the Gravenhurst waterfront. It’s a fun spot with interactive displays that not only show wonderful wares but tells great stories of both society’s elite Read more
Golf and lobsters and Anne of Green Gables you probably know about. But there’s so much more to Prince Edward Island; cool shops and restaurants and bars in Charlottetown, fine distilleries and craft breweries, marvellous country inns and beautiful beaches. And much more. I haven’t had nearly enough time to explore the island as I’d like (especially the northern/western sections), but what I’ve seen I’ve thoroughly enjoyed. So here are some of my favourite shots from my various trips over the years…
I’m lucky enough to have called Canada home for 34 years now. And I’ve been lucky enough to have visited many of its precious and beautiful corners, from Bonavista to Vancouver Island. Here’s a look at the provinces (plus the Yukon) I’ve made it to so far. Happy Canada Day one and all.
Not only do they have the number one pick in today’s NHL draft, almost certainly Connor McDavid, but the folks in Edmonton also can lay claim to living in a city that’s definitely on the rise. I’ve been in town a few times in the past few years and have been happy to see so many new developments to go along with old favourites. Here are some photos that show a city that is most definitely moving up. Now let’s see how the NHL Oilers can do! The Art Gallery of Alberta is a great symbol of the renaissance of Read more
Hungry Canadians should head for Halifax if they want to save. A new study by hotels.com and hotels.ca looked at the price of a days’ worth of food at hotels around the world and came up with some fun findings. In the past they looked at the cost of a club sandwich on the road, which I always enjoyed (the study, I mean, not the sandwich. Although a good club sandwich is a wonderful thing as long as you leave out the lettuce, mayo and tomato and skip the extra layer of bread). Now they’ve taken it further and figured Read more
I’m utterly astonished. It was one thing for a bunch of young Canadians on holidays in Malaysia to peel off their clothes and take selfies on a mountain that locals consider sacred. And it was another thing for some goofball Canadian in Florence to pee on the beautiful monument known as Il Duomo the other day, after complaining there weren’t enough washrooms around. Those are just people being stupid and hurting themselves. But now I see reports on how the Mounties, authorities at Vancouver International Airport and others are seeking a crackdown on folks who point lasers at aircraft. I Read more
