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Mar 2010
rebstevenson.com Giveaway!
All you have to do is watch my Sleeping Around videos (playlist HERE) and tell me which of these places you’d most like to stay overnight and why (use the comments field below). I will enter all of the comments into a draw on April 2 and randomly select the winner.
This book really is inspiring - I recently reviewed it for The Vancouver Sun. See details below!
Cheers, Reb Read More...
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Stepping into Magic
25/03/10 00:07 Filed in: England | Active Travel
Harry Potter's was a brick wall. Lucy, Edmund, Susan and Peter's was a wardrobe. Alice's was a rabbit hole.I, too, know of a magic portal in England.
It is called the Lewes Train Station. Some might argue that it's nothing special -- a place where London commuters wish away their hangovers and teens in school uniforms munch Walkers Crisps after school.
But I assure you that the instant I stepped out of Lewes Train Station, the ordinary world vanished. In its stead stood an enchanted landscape.
To my left was a small Norman castle jutting out of a cluster of heritage buildings. Before me, steep Station Street with its wee sidewalk nestling against two pubs. And to my right -- the most seductive part of all -- a dramatic chalk cliff capped with a toupee of verdant grass.
Just like that, I was under the spell of the South Downs. Read More...
The Ten Commandments of Biking
19/03/10 13:04 Filed in: Active Travel
Butterfield and Robinson knows cycling trips. The Toronto-based tour company was conceived on a bike path in Europe back in 1966.
Since then, B&R has created dozens of high-quality vacations that teach travellers how to find a different kind of balance on two wheels – namely, the art of slowing down to experience the world at a peaceful pace.
In addition to their classic trips (which include programs for beginners, adventures with kids and grand journeys), this year B&R launched two self-guided bike tours.
The Citizen asked CEO Erik Blachford for his tips on pedaling perfection.
- Do it in Europe – the roads are smaller and the drivers are respectful. For people who like great food and wine, I recommend Burgundy. People who want harder biking might try Tuscany.
- Say no to spandex – Nobody looks good in lycra. Wear mountain bike shorts that have a pad. They look better and they have pockets.
Capital C-O-O-L
1. Pricey “MP’s Wife” designer boutiques, a.k.a. SHOULDER PAD CENTRAL.
2. Musty vintage stores.
So you can imagine the combination of shock/delight that I felt when I visited Ottawa this week and found some top-notch shopping and eats. I’m talking about stuff that even us stuck-up Torontonians would call cool. Furthermore, many of them are masterminded by hip, young girls.
Another awesome pick is Workshop, a funky store that specializes in goods that are handmade by Canadian (and mostly local) women. Looking for an edgy Canadian souvenir - check out these political finger puppets, featuring Olivia Chow, Stephen Harper and the gang!
Shacking Up with Sugar
A Taste of...The Dutch Caribbean
What is it? Keshi Yena
Where is it? Aruba
Describe it? There is a very strong Dutch flavour on the ABC islands (Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao), and that flavour is gouda. Though they seem a tad incongruous with the steamy Caribbean environment, wheels of this Euro-cheese abound in local grocery stores. But the best way to go Dutch is to sample Keshi Yena at a traditional restaurant. It’s a succulent stew of ground beef, chicken, raisins, prunes, nuts, olives and spices, all stuffed into a gouda and baked.
How much? $16 at Papiamento, a restaurant set in an old colonial manor (Washington 60, Noord)
FROM MY FOOD AND SOUVENIR COLUMN IN
Read on for the recipe from Papiamento.... Read More...
On the Road with Kevin Brauch
02/03/10 08:17 Filed in: On the Road With... | Food
(Extended, unedited version) 
The Toronto-based host of The Thirsty Traveler TV show, Brauch makes a neighbourhood pub crawl look like a cakewalk: he combs the entire world in search of weird and wonderful alcoholic libations. Sixty episodes of the show are now airing on Discovery, The UK Travel Channel, Discovery Asia, Fine Living and BBC Canada.
But Brauch, a self-professed “jeans n’ t-shirt guy,” is just as happy in a dive bar as a flashy cocktail joint. Reb Stevenson caught up with him at Toronto’s Victory Cafe – over a beer, of course.
What came first, your thirst for travel or your thirst for booze?
Booze. The first drink I had was when I was five or six. My dad let me have a sip of his beer at the cottage. I hated the flavour, but I thought if I was drinking his beer, he might think I was old and I might be able to stay up later and watch more TV. The first time I was on a plane was when I was 18. Since then I’ve done almost 700 flights.
Read More...