The Windsor-Essex-Pelee Island region in southwestern Ontario is blessed with many gifts, among them fine people, a relatively benign climate, cool waterfront towns, and tons of great outdoor activities to try. I’ve come to understand there’s also a wonderful, rich Black history to explore that’s both painful and inspiring. On my latest visit to the area I was lucky enough to get a guided tour of the Amherstburg Freedom Museum, and to visit the Sandwich First Baptist Church. Being relatively easy to reach from Detroit, the Windsor area was a very popular entry point to Canada on the Underground Railroad, the Read more
Amherstburg
A family-run brewery in the countryside. An historic beer-making spot in central Windsor. A fine winery with classic Chardonnay. And a bustling distillery with craft cocktails and fun, casual dining. The Windsor-Essex-Pelee Island tourism region is blessed with a huge variety of beer, wine and distillery spots, which they highlight on their Barrels, Bottles and Brews trail. The trail allows visitors (and locals) to explore 11 craft breweries and two distilleries in the area, and to have a special passport stamped along the way I was fortunate enough to explore a half-dozen or so fine establishments on a recent visit Read more
WINDSOR – I was following my Google maps and heading into central Windsor to meet a fellow for a bike tour that would take us to a couple craft breweries and one of Canada’s best burger places. I wasn’t paying much attention to the surroundings, but was instead concentrating on making the turns that my iPhone kept reminding me to take. When I finally stopped the car and really looked around I was in a gorgeous neighborhood surrounded by deep red, brick homes with lush, vibrant gardens. The pale green and white hostas seemed to glimmer that extra bit and Read more
WINDSOR, ONTARIO – Fabio Muscedere is pouring samples of his family’s wine for me to try at their tasting room south of Windsor. His sister, Melissa, who’s the wine business expert and runs day-to-day operations, is bustling about and greeting others who’ve wandered into the tasting room. Outside, Fabio’s mother, Pat, is busy sliding trays of fresh-made dough into the outdoor pizza oven on their shady patio. Their Dad, Mario, is bouncing along in his tractor in the vineyards, clearing weeds and keeping an eye on the grapes that are ripening in this hot Ontario summer. The son of Fabio’s Read more
