Birthday NOLA!

 One of the worst things about a birthday just after New Years is that everbody is partied out. Not only that but if you are born in the Great White North during January the weather is usually not conducive to having a great outdoor party (although snow parties can be fun).

With that in mind, and given the lack of travel fun since Covid began, it was time to do something different for Lisa's birthday in 2024 and it turned out that something different was New Orleans, or NOLA as it is known!

We arrived on Friday night around 9ish and checked into our cute hotel, The Peter and Paul, enjoying a stiff Sazerac before we bounded out into the night and Frenchmen Street. 

What a blast! Our first stop was the Spotted Cat where the band was bangin' and the room was jumpin'. 

A couple stiff drinks later it was down the street to some place with a DJ that had yet to get going before we popped into Bamboula's (no cover!) for some good grooves and dancing times. 

We popped back into the Spotted Cat after for another few tunes before heading to Dat Dog for a late night alligator sausage hot dog! 

Finally as we wandered along Frenchmen, heading vaguely towards our hotel, we stopped to listen to a truck based street corner rapper lay down some sweet rhymes during which mentioned his Toronto Crew (that would be us!)

What an evening and how we paid for it the next day.

Saturday was a day of big plans and smaller realities. While Christos awoke with a mild hangover, apparently its greater cousin was Lisa's for the day. A breakfast of lovely pastries and strong coffee from the Ayu Bakehouse helped to restore somewhat but not enough for Lisa to make it out. 

So Christos had a day alone to explore with a visit to the New Orleans Music Factory for vinyl purchase as well as a tour of the smallest jazz museum and lunch at Lil' Dizzy's (both in Treme, the first neighbourhood in America where free black people owned property). 

It turned out that it was the first day of Carnival so there was much buzz in Treme as well as the rest of the city. Many fancy outfits were observed! Christos passed on an invite to a party as it was time to check in on Lisa. Unfortunately she was still rough in the mid afternoon so Christos did the pre-booked Sazerac House tour by himself.

After the Sazera House tour and the walk back to the hotel, Christos was also tired out so we opted for dinner at a local hole in the wall called Coop's Place. Simple food but good and hearty, the gumbo was awesome! Just what we needed to get over the last of the hangover and go out Saturday night for more music on Frenchmen Street! 

So it was once more off to Bamboula's for the night and more great entertainment from a Joplinesque performer who engaged with the audience and had a few special guests pop by. Another night of too much fun but we took it a bit easier.

Sunday started with Christos grabbing coffee from Ayu bakehouse before we hopped in an Uber to take us to the Commander's Palace for Jazz Brunch (our slot 10:30AM). 

Brunch was wonderful but huge and as we had not walked over (our original plan but kiboshed by all the late night revelry) we were unable to finish it; truly sad. The live jazz trio during brunch was wonderful but the highlight was Christos' dessert, bread pudding souffle with whiskey cream sauce! 

Filled with a hearty brunch and now being in the Garden/Central district it was time for a wonderful Sunday afternoon meandering stroll. Our perambulation took us past old mansions (some gated and guarded by fell beasts) and gardens and into quaint boutiques along the way (Christos bought another record along the way).

It was a long walk, well over two hours with much meandering. We passed by the WWII museum (Lisa knows who won WWII so we skipped it) as well as the restaurant we had a reservation at (Peche) for Lisa's birthday dinner that night; it passed inspection so we kept the reservation! 

We made it back to the hotel with enough time to take a much needed break with a little downtime before we Ubered to our 8PM reservation at Peche. Dinner was a delight of seafood with tuna tartare, ceviche, oysters, fish sticks and more. While it was all quite yummy we both agreed that our East Coast Canada oysters are superior and that upon our return home a case should be ordered post haste!

After dinner it was time for a stroll back to the hotel with the obligatory stop on Frenchmen Street. 

Being exhausted, we decided that just a quick pop in at Bamboula's for a song or two and one drink was all we could do ... of course it turned out differently as Bamboula's was hosting a wonderful Blues trio and we ended up staying for the entire set and the end of music for the evening.

We finally made it back to the hotel just before midnite for some serious sleep!

The next day we had a late flight scheduled and it was a rainy Monday ... Christos went out to get baked goods and coffee int he morning and got caught in a downpour so we spent most of the day chilling at the hotel watching old episodes of Below Deck and recuperating from a weekend of excess. Our flight was delayed a bit and we finally got home at around 3AM Tuesday morning to pass out into our own bed!

Eastern Adventures Again!

With the end of summer looming it was time to head out to our favourite part of Canada (well in the summer months anyway) .... the West Coast of Newfoundland or more specifically Benoit's Cove and environs!

Our first eastern foray of the year saw us arrive on a Sunday afternoon late in August loaded with victuals from the St. Lawrence farmer's market in Toronto including many fine cheeses, steak, pork chops, fresh Ontario peaches and much more. With our visits usually being four or five nights we like to provision as much as possible in Toronto to minimize on shopping time and provide an alternative to the more limited foodstuffs available in Corner Brook. 

We hopped into Aare's car and after a quick stop to see his parents, with a light lunch of cheese and tomato toast, we found ourself at Aare's by mid afternoon with a gorgeous blue sky, warm weather and soon beverages in hand. After a couple of drinks (and much chatting) while enjoying the wonderful view over the water it was time to start thinking about dinner.

We had packed food for all four nights but ended up not needing dinner for the first two nights as the Rock provided a bounty in the form of some fresh cod (caught Saturday) for dinner on Sunday and Monday nights. It was, quite simply, the best fish ever! Cooked simply with butter, salt and pepper yet so tender, delicious and delicate. Lisa thinks it has ruined her for "Toronto" fish. Truly a wonderful meal and memory.

After dinner the bonfire was lit and by the end of the evening so were we! Clearly the long absence from Aare had been impacted us and the drinks and conversation went deep into the night until we finally stumbled into bed in the wee hours.

Monday morning it was absolutely gorgeous, with a clear blue sky and temperatures in the mid 20s celsius, so we shook off the drowsiness from the day before and jumped in the car for a drive to Gros Morne! We opted for the wonderful "Lookout" trail behind the discovery centre as it offers stunning views from the peak and we were not disappointed. 

After a good trek up and down, we decided that a second hike in the same day was not in the cards so after a bit of browsing and shopping at the tourist stores we hopped in the car for the hour and forty-five minute drive back to Aare's. 

Dinner was once more fresh cod and other victuals followed by another evening of fireside frivolities set to an amazing summer evening sky and including a cargo boat sighting.

The next day was still lovely but not quite so lovely as the day before as clouds now wandered the sky and the temperature was a bit chillier. 

We opted to stay closer to home but still get out for a hike and so we headed off to the OBIEC area and undertook the Bottle Cove hiking trail. 

Aare had a feeling we might get lucky on the trail and indeed we did as a hillside known for its chanterelles was fruitful and we managed to collect about a pound and a half of fresh ones! 

Once back at the end of the trail, a bit of kiting was attempted but the wind was evasive and so after half an hour we gave up and drove back to Aare's to prepare a dinner of pork chops and chanterelles! 

That evening by the firepit we were joined by a local toad whom we soon named Craig. He spent the entire evening enjoying the heat from the fire and studiously ignoring our boisterous behaviour. We did note at the end of the evening that we appeared to be one beer short and we all agreed that Craig was the likely culprit!

The third day was the worst of the bunch from the weather perspective with some light rain and a chill. Such is to be expected in Newfoundland! 

We opted for a trip into Corner Brook to visit a couple craft brewers (three of five stars for both) and pick up provisions, including a frog shaped solar powered light we took to calling "Green Craig" as he was covered in green plastic fur, before heading back for a low key afternoon of old TV (some A-Team and others) before dinner and another evening, this time a bit bundled up, at the firepit.

The next morning, after a hearty breakfast followed by coffee at the firepit, it was time to head to the airport and we undertook an uneventful flight home.

Our second trip out East was a month later, arriving on a Monday afternoon and leaving Friday afternoon just before Storm Fiona hit the island and wrecked Port Aux Basques. Our flight somehow arrived early and Aare was still half an hour out from the airport by the time we had deplaned! No worries as soon he arrived and we once more popped by Aare's parents' place for lunch, good conversation and of course some gift exchange. 

Once we arrived at Aare's it was down to the firepit for chit chat over drinks before preparing a lovely roast beef dinner (with plenty of left overs for sandwiches!) and then back to the firepit for frivolities into the wee hours.

With a month having passed since our last visit, the weather had turned more autumnal and with the exception of the first 36 hours it was pants, as opposed to shorts, weather.

The first day was full on summer with a clear blue sky and warm weather and we opted to revisit Bottle Cove hoping to find more chanterelles and while there were none, the wonderful hike and a successful kiting expedition made up for the lack of fungi. 

Aare and Lisa managed to catch a good wind on a lovely day so we spent around forty minutes enjoying the peace and quiet of hiking far away from anyone else in the world!

After Bottle Cove we undertook the nearby Cedar Cove trail which offers lovely views of the bay, albeit not from sea level rather than at a elevation, at its end. 

Our second day of the second trip (Wednesday) was a bit more overcast but still decent so we opted for one of our favourites, the Copper Mine Trail.

A good hike up and down, Copper Trail offers wonderful views over the Inner Bay of Islands as well as a great way to spend a few hours! 

Unfortunately, we had a slight challenge this time as Lisa had a bit of a slip (she insists that sandals are for hiking) and managed to pop her toe out on the way down, putting an end to her hiking for this trip!

Still there is always the firepit, good times and late nights!

Our final day saw a visit from Bernard and Corynn (and their dog Jasper) who had been driving east from Ontario for several days and had just made landfall at Port Aux Basques to the south. 

After a pitstop and breakfast they continued on their way to Rocky Harbour.

The next day we were on our way to the airport for the return trip. 

Good thing too as we got out on basically the last plane to Toronto before the Hurricane hit!

Western Wanderings - Port Renfrew!

Our next and last place visited on Vancouver Island was the charming Port Renfrew, located in the far south and west of the island near one entry to the Juan De Fuca trail.

Our friends James and Ria had arranged a rental cabin with two bedrooms for three nights at Wild Renfrew on the pier. 

The cabin was simple but lovely with a small cooking area and an amazing view from the veranda/deck. The only drawback was the adjoining neighbour on one side and the other nearby neighbours. Oh well, not completely private but still a long way from the sights and sounds of old Toronto!

We arrived in the late afternoon before James and Ria and settled in to enjoy the view and a cold beverage. Christos procured some smoked salmon from the next door First Nations fishery outlet and we enjoyed a dinner of salmon salad, having done some stocking up (beer, wine and other basics) in nearby Lake Cowichan on the way to Port Renfrew.  

James and Ria arrived after dusk and after much embracing the four of us relaxed on the deck until the wee hours draining most of our immediate alcoholic resources! 

After much catching up it was finally time to hit the sack and get ready for our first full day in Port Renfrew.

We awoke groggy but happy to all be together on Thursday June 30th and, after James set up his crab trap off the local pier, managed to get out for an early visit to a section of the Juan de Fuca trail at low tide  as well as enjoyed a lovely hike on the trail in and out. Giant driftwood, amazing views, no bugs and 

Then it was back to the cabin for a lunch of avocado toast and super yummy hearty salad courtesy of Ria! Crabbing had at this point yielded no results so James moved the trap. 

After refuelling with lunch we hopped in James and Ria's car for the 20 minute drive to Avatar Grove and more adventure!

The Grove is two paths leading away from either side of the road and is a short hike through a copse of old growth forest. Christos had seen giant trees once before in the US but the magnificent trees were a first for Lisa. 

The four of us did both hikes, taking perhaps an hour and a half to complete, with numerous tree hugs as we hiked. 

On the way back we stopped off at a local beach within the territory of the First Nation. Gorgeous beach and perfect for an album cover photo! We checked in on James' crab trap and he had two crabs in it but alas they were two small for eating and were returned to the sea. 

That night we had a decent dinner at the local pub before drinking on the cabin deck which led to chit-chat with our neighbours. 

These neighbours turned out to be from Alberta and were on the anti-vax train! 

Chatter got heated and first Ria bade an Irish farewell and then James got a little belligerent (rightly so) with our Albertan neighbours before it was time to head to our rooms for some drunken slumber.    

Our final day in Port Renfrew was Canada Day! We started the day with another visit to the Juan de Fuca trail with a particular focus on the area around "Botany Bay" with its numerous tidal pools. 

We spent a good portion of the day there before returning to the cabins, doing some more fish shopping (as the stand was now open) and checking on the crab trap (one crab still not big enough for eating). The afternoon was spent resting and puttering before Ria and James prepared a wonderful dinner of morel gnocchi and salad. 

That night witnessed a massive fireworks display at the end of the pier and we had access to the best seats in the house! 

Western Wanders - Chemainus

With the wake of Barbara behind us it was time for Lisa and Christos to explore Vancouver island, something Barbara had always encouraged us to do. So we hopped in our rental car and headed off to Chemainus on the east coast for the next two nights. 

Along the way we stopped off at the Raptor Center in Duncan for an hour and a half of wonderful and informative fun visiting various birds in their aviaries and watching flight demonstrations for four birds of prey, the Bald Eagle, the Harris Hawk, the Peregrine Falcon and the (absolutely adorable miniature) Screech Owl pictured here.

Our diversion complete it was back on the road, with a pit stop for lunch subs, to arrive at the Eagle Cove B&B in the late afternoon.  

Our B&B was run by a lovely couple who kept a very clean and tidy, as well as comfortable, establishment within their home just meters from a park on the water. 

Dinner was at the local craft beer restaurant where a simple but hearty meal was served with several tasters of Vancouver Island craft beers. After dinner on the walk back to the B&B we spotted several wild bunnies and encouraged them to be careful given our knowledge of the local birds of prey! We then spent some quiet time down on the waterfront looking out over a calm bay from the comfort of a park bench. What a lovely view to have from one's home!

The next day, after four days of glorious sun and heat, the weather returned to the norm for the Island. After a hearty breakfast we drove up top Nanaimo to check the town out. The weather was a bit inclement and managed to cut our trip short but we did visit the local museum (complete with new addition on First Nations relations) as well as a photo op at "The Bastion" and the ibligatory Nanaimo Bar purchase.

Then it was back to the B&B for a quick refresh before heading back to north Nanaimo for dinner with a work colleague of Christos' at an amazing sushi place. Christos' colleague ordered everything and it was all fresh and delicious. Dinner included scallop sashimi (wonderful), amazing tuna and salmon sashimi, sunomono (totally new for us) with a soft shelled crab for dessert all accompanied by copious amounts of sake. Lisa sadly had to keep it relatively tight for the early drive back to our B&B (dinner started at 4:30pm as it was the only reservation available and went to 7:30pm). Back at the B&B it was time for a quick trip to the water's edge (with wine) before retiring for the evening. 

 

Western Wanders - Victoria

With the anniversary of the passing of Barbara upon us it was time for a visit out West to Vancouver Island. 

We arrived on a Friday afternoon in June apparently having brought the summer weather with us from Toronto! 

We checked in to the lovely Fairholme Manor for three nights, encountering the resident doe and fawn being fed apple scraps from the kitchen window. Sylvia, the owner, informed us that the fawn (named Fairholme) were living in a grove on the property and we encountered them several times during our stay. 

After dropping our luggage at Fairholme, we popped in on Gary to say hi before heading downtown for a stroll through the old city and a visit to our favourite streetfood vendor in Canada, the amazing Red Fish Blue Fish!

With it being the most lovely day of 2022 so far for Victoria, the line at Red Fish Blue Fish was longer than any we had seen before. We opted to wait the 45 minutes for service and it was well worth it; two lovely pieces of fresh fish deep battered and fried as well as chips and deep fried pickles! Now that is a lunch worth waiting for! 

A stroll back to Redfern was followed by dinner and drinks with Gary and fond remembrances of Barbara. After an evening of freely flowing wine it was time to head back to our B&B for a good night's rest in our cavernous lovely suite.

The next day started with an amazing breakfast at Fairholme and a stroll through the gardens next door before heading over to Gary's later in the afternoon for tea with the family. The lovely Hanna brought all sorts of goodies which were enjoyed by Martin, Gary, Lisa, Ingunn, Hanna and Christos. 

More remembrances of Barbara and family, as well as a look through some of her wardrobe for the ladies, ensued followed by a visit to the Marina Restaurant for dinner. Lisa and Christos opted for a stroll over while the rest of the party walked. Dinner was wonderful with fresh fish all around served with yummy accoutrements. 

Martin had to depart after dinner but the rest of the group was back at Gary's after dinner for more chit chat and catching up in the lovely back Sun room. Finally in the weeish hours it was time to head back to to Fairholme to collapse into bed for another sound sleep.

Sunday in Victoria involved some down time as well a buying a new pair of sandals for Christos (and saying goodbye to the ratty old ones!) and another lovely garden stroll through Governor's House before meeting up with Gary for a dinner of delicious burgers. Bedtime came earlier after several late nights!   

And then we take Paris!

We left Berlin on Tuesday afternoon, arriving in CDG around 2PM and getting to our hotel before 3. Wine (a very decent sancerre for 14 euros!) was soon acquired at the local Carrefour which we sipped as we rested a bit before heading out for the 30 minute walk through the 1st and 4th to dinner at the wonderful Robert et Louise, a high end wood fired steak joint. 

A wonderful dinner of lamb chops (Christos) and rare steak (Lisa) accompanied by a cote de rhone wine was enjoyed before we embarked on a leisurely evening return stroll to our hotel on Rue des Pyramides. The remainder of the wine procured earlier was dispatched before retiring to bed.

The next day we first visited the Tuileries Gardens just down from the hotel for an after breakfast stroll before a deeper walk into the 4th and surroundings exploring new ground for us. 

We lunched at a popular falafel place that despite the 15 minute wait (which was filled with people watching anyway) was well worth it; the best shawarma we have ever had covered in fresh toppings!

Our wander through the 4th continued during the afternoon with a soap purchase as well as a bottle of white wine from a farmer's market! 

We made it back to the hotel with enough time for a little break before heading out across the Seine to the 6th and one of our favourite places in Paris, Huitrerie Regis , for a dinner of smoked scallop, oysters, bulot and shrimp! 

Dinner was accompanied by a lovely bottle of sancerre and over the next two hours chatted with both the owner, the waitress and the lovely Parisian lady behind us who treated us each to a glass of meursault wine! 

After dinner we wandered to Cafe Des Beaux Arts which to be blunt is not really worth it but is a bit of an institution for us as a place we would have a late night carafe of wine and call Mom from as we looked out at the bank of the Seine (and the traffic). 

The time difference (ie 11PM in Paris versus 6ish in Ontario or 3ish in BC) was ideal for calls and while we decided to bury the tradition, we did so in style by calling some of our closest family and friends and sharing with them the memory of this spot. Ah well, nothing lasts forever. 

After the 1/2 litre of wine and litre of water were done it was time for the 1/2 hour stroll back across the river to our hotel; it was particularly windy and chilly as we crossed the Seine but that did not detract from our enjoyment of such a fine night in Paris.

Thursday in Paris was a stroll north to the cemetery of Montmartre, where we visited the graves of Dalida, Berlioz and others including some unknowns (as pictured!). 

The tour continued along boulevard de Clichy past the Moulin Rouge to rue Des Martyrs and the surrounding area where we shopped for lunch and other goodies. 

We got back to the hotel in the late afternoon and enjoyed a late lunch of the goodies we had bought earlier (with plenty left over for the next day) and then rested a bit before heading out for our lateish (9PM) dinner at La Bourse et La Vie  which served traditional Paris bistro food but upmarket. 

While the pate on artichoke heart appetizer was excellent and the mains were good (rib of veal and steak), the overall value for money was a bit lacking and the experience felt a bit rushed. Still an excellent dinner in Paris. 

Our final day in Paris was the most glorious from a weather perspective with sunny skies and temperatures in the high teens Celsius. We opted for a long stroll west through the Tuileries and then across the Alexander III bridge to arrive at Les Invalides. 

Here we visited the tomb of Napoleon with hardly anyone there unlike the time some twenty years previously when it had been swarming with tourists. 

We also toured the museum visiting the medieval arms and armour displays as well as the Napoleonic arms and armour displays. After a good tour of the museum (and the purchase of some Napoleon socks) we returned to the hotel for a rest before heading out for a long wander north and east through the 2nd, 10th, 3rd and 4th before stopping off for a pint of Guinness in the early evening. 

We had planned for dinner at Chez Michel this evening but were not feeling up to it after all the walking so we cancelled and instead enjoyed a cheap and cheerful dinner in our room from the decent place across the street from our hotel while we watched some shows on Lisa's laptop.

The next day is was a quick breakfast before hopping on the plane to Toronto and home!

First We Take Berlin!

Our dear friend Ferdinand in Berlin reached out to tell us that his lovely daughter Clara would be getting baptized and confirmed in March 2022 and that it would be wonderful if Christos, Clara's Godfather, could attend.  

With the pandemic having curtailed our travels for the last two years an opportunity to once more cross the pond was well received by both of us so we booked a flight for a four night stay in Berlin but decided to add a bit and booked the return flight another four days after that but from Paris! 

The flight over was great for Lisa who got upgraded but less so for Christos with his sciatic pain and reliance on pills to get through the flight. Ah well, the rigours of getting old!

We made it to Berlin on Friday morning and stayed at the same place as when we visited in 2019, the Sir Savigny Hotel. Christos had wisely booked the previous night so we could collapse into bed at 10AM (rather than 3PM) and get a nap in before meeting up with Ferdinand later that evening. 

Around 4PM we met up with Ferdinand and after reconnecting went out for a tour of short Charlottenburg as the sun was setting. With the tour done it was time for dinner at a local restaurant where we both had enormous schnitzels accompanied by several glasses of simple but delicious pilsner beer. 

We left Ferdinand after dinner but ended up at a local bar near our hotel called Dicke Wirtin where the Guinness is only euro 5.30! 

Several pints were enjoyed as we watched the nightlife unfold (it being Friday night) before stumbling back to the hotel for a solid sleep.

The next day started with a lovely breakfast at our hotel before meeting up with Clara for a walk to pick-up Ferdinand at the local coffee shop and, after a brief pitstop at his place, to enjoy a sunny albeit brisk forty-five minute walk to Charlottenburg Palace. 

At Charlottenburg Palace Ferd and Clara left us, as Clara had to be back at her mom's soon, and the two of us enjoyed a leisurely stroll through the Charlottenburg Palace Gardens and then along the Spree and through Berlin for the sunny afternoon. 

We met up with Ferd in the evening at his place and had a few drinks before the two of us set off for a lite night dinner at a local, and very popular, Taiwanese Noodle House. After dinner it was back to Dicke Wirtin for our evening ritual of Guinness and people watching. 

The next day was the main event, Clara's baptism and confirmation into the Anglican faith! All told six kids were being confirmed and only Clara baptized and an Anglican Bishop had been brought in for the service. 

We arrived at the Church dressed in our finest at 10:30AM and the service began fairly soon thereafter. Some hymns were sung, some preaching was spun and about an hour later it was done! The only disappointment is that the planned standing of the Godparents for Clara's baptism did not occur so the need to be there in person was theoretically diminished but it was good to be there nonetheless.

After a quick trip back to our hotel, the afternoon was spent with Ferd, Lilly and two of Ferd's relatives back at Ferd's apartment chatting until Clara arrived a little later and then more chatting over beef ragout that Dorte had made earlier. Sadly Dorte was out of sorts and could not attend the day's festivities.

After Ferd's relatives departed we idled some more until it was time for Ferd to take Lilly back to her place. While he was gone, Clara and the two of us played cards (Clara's choice of game was called "Dog") and it was great fun as Clara's charm and fun-loving nature were on full display. Clara was exhausted after a long day and when Ferd got back it was time for us to go (the next day also being a school day with tests for Clara!), although not quite time for us to go to bed! So off we went for another night at Dicke Wirtin although this one was much subdued given it being a Sunday evening.

Our final day (Monday) was a subdued affair. We met up with Ferd in the early afternoon and the three of us went antiquing in Charlottenburg (no purchases were made but many fine things were viewed!) before Lisa and Christos headed back to the hotel in the early evening. Dinner for three was at a nice Prussian place where we enjoyed traditional German food such as duck with dumplings and purple cabbage (Christos) and veal in a white sauce with spetzel (Lisa). Bidding good night to Ferd it was time for one last trip to Dicke Wirtin (yes that makes four evenings in a row) where we closed down the bar with the staff.

The next day ... of to Paris!