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Summer Training
I recently took VIA RAIL from Toronto to Vancouver. There was zero WiFi on board, so that immediately put the kibosh on the whole the “blogging during trips” thing.
Actually, the experience was delightfully retro. The four-night, three-day journey consisted of eating, sleeping, reading and getting to know other travellers. I even considered doing a jigsaw puzzle, which is really wild.
I had the good fortune of being in sleeper touring class, which is the only way to go. Economy means trying to get shuteye in the sitting up position, which in my mind is not unlike trying to chug a milkshake while doing a headstand.
There are a few options in sleeper touring class. One is a nice private room with ensuite bathroom. Another is the hilarious “roomette” (shown above). Yes, that is a toilet. No, you really shouldn’t use it for a “number two.” Use the facilities down the hall unless you fancy living in a bathroom stall.
I can’t stress enough how wonderful the social component was. In touring class, dining is included (top-notch food, woot) and you’re forced to sit and dine with new passengers at each meal, which creates a camaraderie that is lost on buses and planes. By the end of the trip, I felt as though we were all teens away at camp.
And I’m talking about a free spirited musician from Vancouver (Robyn, see above), a retired truck driver from Ontario, a gas consultant from Edmonton, a 25-year-old tech guy from Ottawa and a German couple that barely spoke English, all laughing together like old friends. MUST BE THE STRANGE MAGIC OF THE DOME CAR! FEEL IT!!!!!!!
Here’s another car we encountered (Saskatchewan...obviously)
Somehow I always end up with condiments as souvenirs. Cause they’re so light to pack, right? Awesome flavoured honey from The John Russell Honey Company in Manitoba, and jam from BC’s Summerland Sweets!
Last morning: the heavenly sunrise in the Fraser Valley ensured that nobody wanted to get off the train.
If you’d like to know more about the train journey and its toilets, stay tuned as I will be covering it comprehensively in an upcoming Sleeping Around column.
Eat, Pray, Love Canadian Style
BY REB STEVENSON
Eating. Praying. Loving.
Incredibly common acts, if you really think about it.
But eating, praying, and loving in three exotic locales? For most people that’s an otherworldly scenario reserved only for Julia Roberts and her trusty sidekick, Hollywood.
In the bestselling memoir Eat, Pray, Love, author Elizabeth Gilbert did a pretty good job of hyping up the notion that depression and bad relationships can be conquered by spiriting oneself away to a trifecta of inspiring countries.
But just you wait until you lay your eyes upon the delicious, sun-soaked film (which opened on August 13, and really does star Julia Roberts). It brings the beauty of Italy, India and Indonesia to life in radiant colour. Furthermore, it makes the self-help section at Chapters look mighty shoddy – you’re going to want to book an appointment with your new therapist (the world) posthaste.
Unfortunately, many of us haven’t the time or the funds to embark upon a year of international introspection. With that in mind, here are some alternative choices inspired by Gilbert’s theme. Let this odyssey be called: Eat, Pray, Love, Canada.
Read on HERE...
Sleeping Around: Grand Manan Island
GRAND MANAN ISLAND, NEW BRUNWSICK – As the captain of a whale watching vessel for over three decades, James Bates had season tickets to some of the sea’s greatest shows: majestic marine life, rare birds and rugged coastlines.
You know what else he witnessed in those very waters? Fishermen heaving trash overboard.
So in 1994, when Bates got his land legs and constructed a handful of tourist cabins, it was no ordinary resort. Castalia Marsh Retreat sprouted straight out of Bates’ concern for the planet.
“We can make heaven on earth or we can make hell,” he says.
It’s clear which way he’s steering his ship.
“I try to create balance. Life to me is magic.”
It’s a quaint spot, home to three big lighthouses and a bunch of miniature offshoots that people plunk on their front lawns (a vast improvement from flamingoes, if I do say so myself).
Furthermore, the pace is slow as molasses, which is a good thing if you’re looking to get away from it all. Read More...
Take it Home...New Brunswick
Where is it? Ste. Anne de Kent
Describe it. Throughout New Brunswick, locals are buzzing about Olivier Soapery, a homegrown family business-turned-franchise that is also cleaning up in Quebec, Ontario and New York City. More than just a natural olive oil soap factory, the impressive headquarters in tiny Ste. Anne de Kent is an “economuseum” dedicated to preserving and teaching traditional soap making. There’s a dazzling shop, too, where you can buy all sorts of lovely toiletries packed in way-too-cute-to-trash boxes. This sweet butter-scented soap, for instance, is designed to refresh your own claws after a succulent (but stinky) east coast lobster feast.
How much? $9.95 at www.oliviersoaps.com
FROM MY FOOD AND SOUVENIR COLUMN IN
Ab-zorbing a New Sport
Read more: http://www.ottawacitizen.com/life/kind+adventure/3204368/story.html#ixzz0sGiJu68t
Tootie the Cutie
BY REB STEVENSON
QUALICUM BEACH, B.C. – The year was 1943, and newlyweds Jeanne and Bruce Box were looking for a sweet little getaway.
They heard about St. Andrews Lodge and Glen Cottages on Vancouver Island, a family-run guesthouse by the sea. It sounded nice so they booked it – via telegram, naturally.
Since then, they’ve gone back to that selfsame spot every single year. Put simply: 67 years straight.
“We treated it as the poor man’s Hawaii,” says Bruce, from his North Vancouver home.
The Boxes are both turning 90 this year. But is that stopping them from renting their favourite one bedroom cottage for four weeks this summer? Not a chance.
It’s easy to see what keeps the couple so spellbound.
Situated along a pretty stretch of the Island Highway, St. Andrews Lodge greets you like a vintage postcard from holidays of yore. It consists of a main lodge building (constructed in 1938) and eight cottages that sprang up between 1939 and 1952.
Anyone who has stayed there will tell you that the biggest component of St. Andrews Lodge is actually something little.
Miss Elizabeth Little, to be precise. Read More...
The Big Picture: Saint John, New Brunswick
It was a foggy, sleepy Sunday morning in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. The dead outnumbered the living - at least in the Old Burying Ground. I spent the morning wandering around downtown, thinking about my grandma who grew up here and never stopped reminiscing about the days on Princess Street. She had red ringlets and doughy dimples and said “oh my land” instead of anything even resembling a swear. Have you ever visited a place with family significance? You ought to. Perhaps memories of a place are embedded in our DNA...RIP Grandma Starr, 1916-2008.
Ten Hot Summer Festivals
BY REB STEVENSON
Do you really need another reason to attend an event or festival this summer? If you’ve only got one marked in your daybook so far (that being Canada Day, which is imprinted on your calendar thanks to the manufacturer, so it doesn’t earn you any points) then perhaps you should tailor your summer plans to one or more of these:
Where: Vancouver, B.C.
When: June 3 to September 25
What: Bard on the Beach, a summer-long Shakespeare festival presented against a breathtaking British Columbian backdrop: mountains, sky and ocean. This year’s lineup includes Much Ado About Nothing, Antony and Cleopatra, Falstaff and Henry V.
More info: www.bardonthebeach.org
Where: Pincher Creek, Alberta
When: June 17 - 20
What: Cowboy Poetry Gathering, where cowboy poets and musicians will try to fling a lasso ‘round your heart with something softer than rope: words and feelings. Also includes ranch roping, old fashioned dancing and cowboy church.
More info: www.pcgathering.com
Read More...
Goodbye Stodgy Ottawa - Hello Stockwell Day Finger Puppet
OTTAWA – So you think you know Ottawa.
If you’re an Ontarian, it’s easy to trace the origin of your “been there, done that” mentality. It was that mandatory class trip in eighth grade, when you reluctantly dragged your awkward limbs around Parliament Hill, the war museum and the mint.
Who gave a hoot about Sir John A. Macdonald back then? You were more impressed by lunch at the Rideau St. McDonald’s.
All of those stodgy old attractions continue to bore teenagers to death. But if you haven’t visited the capital since Brian Mulroney ruled the roost, you’re in for a pleasant surprise.
You can still absorb lots of Canadiana, only without the clichés. Here are a few Ottawa tourist activities with updated options.
Read on HERE
It's a Shoe Inn!
Opus is known for chic, creative flair (rooms are designed around five fictional “lifestyle concierges named Mike, Billy, Pierre, Susan and Dede) while Fluevog has been an eccentric fashion icon on the West Coast for decades.
“Both organizations have a loyal following and neither are afraid of a splash, a dash or a pop here and there,” says Fluevog.
What’s more is, unlike most hotel uniforms, The Porter Shoe is not mere eye candy: guests can purchase a pair of their own from the mini bar menu for $329.
For more information, visit www.opushotel.com or www.fluevog.com
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
Heating up in Icy Places
Sometimes, you just need to kick back and chill out in order for that romantic spark to ignite. Besides, there’s nothing quite like the threat of frostbite to send you running into your honey’s arms for a good, old fashioned body heat exchange session.
Make one of these icy places your next hot destination:
Read More...
Good FOUR You!
This year, I’ve had the opportunity to experience LOTS of fine dining in various countries. And eating rich, cream-smeared, foie-gras injected foods day after day is great - especially if you want to be a contestant on the next Biggest Loser. Seriously...this is one of my major travel pet-peeves. I’m all for indulgence, just not for a week straight.
That’s why I was delighted to discover FOUR - a restaurant in downtown Toronto where all the dishes weigh in at under 650 calories.
Is it called FOUR because they only use lettuce, celery, water and aspartame? I wondered that myself. The answer is...(drumroll) no. Actually, I don’t know the real answer. And lets not ruin the mystery by finding out.
Given FOUR’s slick, modern ambiance, it’s especially popular with the Bay Street lunchtime crowd (types that are eating out 5 days a week), but I think it would be a wise choice for health-conscious travellers as well.
Chef Matt Rosen consults a nutritionist about each and every creation to ensure that meals are balanced and within the calorie limit.
“It’s a challenge to make something that tastes good and is under the 650 calories,” he says.
“The key is to use things that have really intense flavours, like a tapenade.”
Instead of going all funky and serving things you’d have to look up in the Dictionary of Rare Hippie Health Foods, FOUR is decidedly traditional. Think Beef Tenderloin, Greek Lamb Salad and Chicken Meatballs. Sure, elements like bran fusilli and flax seed crisps sneak in there, but they don’t overwhelm the dishes.
I really enjoyed my meal at FOUR...in fact, I could hardly discern that I was eating at a “healthy alternative.” I especially loved the fresh-squeezed blueberry lemonade, the brie, almond and apple burger ($9) and the cute little shot glass desserts ($2). Of course, if you shoot more than one you’re also shooting your calorie count in the foot.
FOUR VITALS:
Address: 187 Bay Street
Hours: 11:30am to 11pm, Monday to Friday
Phone: 416-368-1444
Price Range: $9 to $25 for a main.
Also, note that FOUR is participating in Toronto’s Winterlicious Event. Check out their menu here:
FOUR Winterlicious Menu 2010
Break a Leg, Thomas Cook!
a) Not going to Disneyland instead.
or
b) Declining travel insurance.
Now, being part of the 50 per cent of Canadians who don’t bother with travel insurance due to cost and hassle, I’m no expert in this domain. But I thought I’d let you know that Thomas Cook announced today that they’re launching their own travel insurance. For as little as $10 per trip, you can cover your ass (and head, and chest, and...well, you get it). All the details are HERE.
And on another cool note, last year Thomas Cook rolled out Canada’s first four currency ATMs in Toronto, Barrie, Mississauga, Saskatoon, Kelowna and Ottawa. They dispense Canadian and American Dollars, Euros and GB Pounds. Machines in Markham and Waterloo are also slated to open in early 2010.
So...We Thought We Could Dance
Last year around this time, my dad Jack started exhibiting some bizarre behaviour. Whenever he had a spare second, he would obsessively watch instructional dancing DVD’s as though they were a combination of cocaine and porn. Sometimes, when I got up in the morning, there he was, dancing on the spot in the living room. He might have been there all night. I’m not sure.
Now, my dad has had many obsessions over the years - guitar, baseball, apple orcharding, chemistry, Mac computers, cashews...- but this once seems to be enduring. Flash forward one year and he is still taking multiple dance lessons every week.
.
We Tree Kings
For years now, I’ve been meaning to check out the annual Festival of Trees at Victoria’s ivy-clad stalwart hotel, The Empress. Mostly because I heard it was free. Today that dream was realized.
It’s actually a charity fundraiser - you spend $2 to cast a ballot for your favourite tree and the proceeds go to the BC Children’s Hospital. The trees have all been decorated by various organizations and businesses.
My fave? No contest, it’s the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Tree. Hang Quatchi (the sasquatch mascot) on anything and it will win my affection. A ticking bomb with a Quatchi on it? Gimme!
Two other trees worth noting:
1. Not since the Michael Keaton seasonal family flick Jack Frost has a snowman seemed so freaky and inhuman: yes, meet the Twilight tree.
2. You should have seen the looks of heavenly delight that lit up the kiddies’ faces when they saw this tree festooned with realtors’ business cards. Binab, Desmond, etc: you guys sure know how to keep Christmas commercialism at bay. Thank you for your festive gift to mankind.
Another Notch on the Bedpost
Sorry I’ve been lax on the Christmas posts over the last few days, but I wanted to let you know (brace for excuse) that I’ve been busy filming my fourth SLEEPING AROUND segment here at the loverly Sooke Harbour House near Victoria, British Columbia. It’s going to be a winner! And I promise the video will be far better than my totem impression, right!
Back soon with some cool xmas recipes and such. How are your holidays going (please make my day and comment below)?
Nanaimo: Refreshed
Story and photos by Reb Stevenson
NANAIMO, B.C.–When I was growing up in a small town on Vancouver Island, every weekend I longed to hear my dad say these magical four words: "We're going to Nanaimo."
My brothers and I would leap for joy. We'd even take the monumental step of voluntarily abandoning the Nintendo for a few hours.
But the thing is, in our minds Nanaimo wasn't a city – it was a mall.
I didn't even discover that Nanaimo, which lies 115 kilometres north of Victoria, had a downtown until I was in my late teens.
The buildings were neglected and dilapidated. A scent of danger (in the form of cigarettes and booze) was in the air. Characters who looked like their mailing address was simply "JAIL" stumbled around. Read More...
10 for T.O.
By Reb Stevenson
Hogtown is abuzz with events this fall: between the Toronto International Film Festival, Nuit Blanche and about a zillion boring work conferences, there is a good chance that you, too, will be sucked into the “T-Dot.”
As the rest of Canada likes to point out as often as possible, Toronto herself is a high maintenance female dog. So it should come as no surprise that the city isn’t content relinquishing all the glory to George Clooney and other incoming celebs. She wants some of the attention for herself.
Throw her a bone, would ‘ya? While you’re in town, check out some of Toronto’s best nooks and crannies.
Dine in the dark at O. Noir (620 Church Street), www.onoir.com
Even if you’re not on a blind date, eating at this restaurant – which just opened in late June – is out of sight. Literally. Taking after the popular pitch-black dining trend that has already swept through Europe, Australia, L.A., New York and Montreal, O.Noir both scares and thrills by leaving you at the mercy of your remaining four senses and the charity of the visually impaired wait staff. At $39 for a three course meal, it’s pleasantly affordable (they save on lighting costs) and daredevils who don’t mind pawing at their plates can opt for “surprise” meals.
Read More...
Five Feasts in Vancouver
By Reb Stevenson
Finding a restaurant while travelling is a lot like lookin’ for love.
a) You want something you can brag about.
b) You don’t want to think that too many people have been there before you.
Vancouver boasts schools of fancy fish restaurants, where fillets are stacked just so atop rare root vegetables and drizzled with some sort of reduction or foam. And while these high maintenance lovelies are nice to look at, they’re not the charming down-home locals that you could be meeting.
Here are five independent Vancouver restaurants that are delicious, unusual and off the beaten path.
It's a Bird! It's a Plane! It's Free Food!
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU Porter Air, for being the last airline in Canada to provide free food to customers. Sure, it’s just half a boring sandwich, arid Melba Toast and a wee Babybel, but it’s appreciated, as is the classy glassware.
From Toronto, Porter now flies to Ottawa, Quebec City, Montreal, Halifax, Thunder Bay, St. John’s, Boston, Chicago and New York. So if you don’t feel like blowing $8 on a roast beef wrap that looks like it’s been trampled in a stampede, consider flying Porter.
Photo of the Day: Sunset Wake
Normally, I turn my nose up at sunset pictures (too typical, bad eye-to-camera translation), but I couldn’t resist this dramatic sunset scene last month when I was travelling on The Clipper ferry between Victoria, B.C., Canada and Seattle,Washington, USA. The air was thick with grey storm clouds but somehow the sun managed to peek out before retiring into the horizon.
Read More...Cheese As Entertainment
STORY AND PHOTOS BY REB STEVENSON
You could call it the mother of all cheesy tourist attractions: Little Qualicum Cheeseworks, a place that prides itself on delivering “cheese as entertainment.”
Set against picturesque Mount Arrowsmith in the middle of Vancouver Island, B.C., the Cheeseworks is both a mecca for foodies and a destination for a simple, tasty afternoon in the country. Read More...
Canada: Sleep Cheap
Super chic Opus Hotels sent me an email regarding a 50% off deal. Book before August 15 and you can score a room in Vancouver for $165/night or in Montreal for $119/night. Click HERE.
Smells like Savings in Toronto
Now that the interminable garbage strike has come to an end (mine still hasn’t been picked up, mind you. I might open my own raccoon zoo soon), Toronto is desperately trying to coax tourists into spending the last of their summer vacation in the big smoke. Check out The Best of Toronto Package, which includes an overnight stay at The Sheraton Centre Toronto or Westin Harbour Castle, a top-priced ticket to a Mirvish Productions theatre performance (such as The Sound of Music), a three-course dinner at one of 14 nearby restaurants and admission to one of the following: the CN Tower, Ontario Science Centre or a Toronto Tours city bus tour. At just $149 per person, perhaps you shouldn’t turn your nose up at it.
Go to www.seetorontonow.com/summer or call 1-800-461-3333.
Summer Camp...in Downtown Toronto
By Reb Stevenson
Move over Algonquin Park, there's a new destination for happy campers in Ontario: downtown Toronto!
(Cue chorus of laughter from tents everywhere.)
Adopting a carved wooden bear as its mascot, the hotel aims to summon your best memories of summer camp -- in a less supervised setting, of course.
"It's an adult return to that free-wheeling, nostalgic feeling of long summer days," says manager Ana Yuristy.
Read More...
Simulator Takes Flyers to New Heights
BY REB STEVENSON
VANCOUVER–The ticket looks like any other boarding pass. But my seat isn't 8A or 29C ... it's a comfy chair in the cockpit of a Boeing 737 jet. Furthermore, I'm going to be flying the big metal bird.
Now, before you swear off air travel forever, I should probably clarify something: This cockpit is in an office building on the outskirts of Vancouver International Airport.
A new attraction for tourists, Flight Adventures is a simulator that gives everyday folk a taste of pilothood. Read More...
All Aboard at Steam Whistle
By Reb Stevenson
FREE BEER.
If you're female, the acquisition of said beverage usually necessitates some serious eyelash batting and a plunging neckline. For males, it probably entails something a bit shadier, like cooler raiding at a campground.
None of the above applies at Steam Whistle Brewery in Toronto. You get two eight-ounce glasses of their premium pilsner beer just for walking in off the street -- you don't even have to take the brewery tour.
Read More...
Extra! Extra!
Here is a round-up of some of my work that has appeared in papers across Canada over the past few weeks.
ST LUCIA: JAW-DROPPING ACCOMMODATION
ENGLAND: A TIMBERED TOURIST MAGNET
Rye’s Mermaid Inn is uber-haunted...by Tudorphiles like me.
BOX SET! Watch my video on Rye here.
TORONTO: 37 TAKES ON COOL
MADAGASCAR: THE MOVIE 
Read my interview with writer/directors Eric Darnell and Tom McGrath, who explain how a special trip to Africa inspired the creative team of Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa.
Shi's So Lovely
What is it? Hand Crafted Jewellery by Shi Studio
Where is it? Victoria, B.C.
Describe it: If you want a lasting memento of Victoria’s Chinatown but shun the sweatshop-direct fans, tea sets and Hello Kitty paraphernalia, consider one of Shi Studio’s stunning pieces. Local designer Cory Judge paired sumptuous Chinese silk with glass and the outcome is eye-popping, one-of-a-kind jewellery. Shi’s selection ranges from elegant classics like pendants and earrings to edgier items like belt buckles, cuffs, chokers and cufflinks.
How much? From $48 (small earrings) to $135 (sterling silver cufflinks). Available at Oscar & Libby’s (770 Fort Street in Victoria) and online at www.shistudio.com
I’ve had this Shi pendant for years, and every time I wear it I get compliments.
FROM MY BIWEEKLY FOOD AND SOUVENIR COLUMN IN
YES! This product has been tested and approved by REB
Niagara Falls Showdown
