Biker's Heaven: Niagara Trails

(Photo courtesy of wjkos)
Niagara is a biker's delight with plenty of quiet roads, wineries, historic sites, and picnic areas all easily accessible by bike. It's an ideal way to tour the region - eco-friendly, inexpensive, healthy and enjoyable. If you want to spend the night at one of the B&B's, you can extend your bike trip for the weekend. The Doctor's House, in the middle of Niagara-on-the-Lake is an easy place to stay for biker riders.

(Photo Barbara Ramsay Orr)
Many places will also provide picnic lunches for your trip too. Or stop in at one of the wineries for lunch - Ravine Vineyards in nearby St. Davids is a great place for an excellent and casual lunch.

(Photo Barbara Ramsay Orr)
Go easy on the wine with lunch, though. The wines of Niagara are seductively good, but you are still the designated driver, even if it is a bike.
Visit the Bicycle Niagara page of the Niagara Region site to search for the perfect bike route. Here you can easily choose pre-selected tours that take advantage of the Region's magnificent falls, wineries, orchards, waterways, lakes, parks, quaint historic villages, agri-tourism destinations and the Niagara Escarpment (a World Biosphere Reserve).
Niagara is one of Canada's premier bicycle touring regions. Hit the trails of Niagara this Summer and Fall, for the perfect Ontario getaway experience.

Vacation in Wine Country: There's a Muscovy Duck on the Verandah!

When the kids are home for the summer, there tends to be more time to share experiences as a family. It's a perfect time for new things to be discovered together. Like the fact that cows drool and chicken poop is stinky and roosters' feathers look like silk in the sun. In other words, a great opportunity to learn about real life in all its amazing forms.

(Photo courtesy Feast of Fields)
Book a vacation in the Feast of Field's historic 1835 cottage . This completely restored cottage lies on a demeter certified farm, where Dexter cattle, Belgian horses, Chocolate Muscovy ducks, Blue Shouldered Indian peafowl, and a few llamas live in perfect harmony. Nearby are some of the best vineyards in the Short Hills Bench and the Twenty Mile Bench appellations. Several of them can be visited on your bike.

The charms of Niagara-on-the-Lake, with the Shaw Festival, historic Fort George and fine dining, are a short drive away, and Niagara Falls is also close enough for a visit. At the end of a day of fun, shop at the local farmers' markets for local fresh fruit and vegetables - Niagara grows the best peaches, cherries and apricots in the world - hit the Upper Canada Cheese Company, snap up a bottle of chilled riesling from one of the wineries, and prepare your own family dinner in the cottage's well-equipped kitchen.
When the kids are asked to write that old canard, "What I Did on My Summer Vacation" in english class in September, they'll have a real story to tell.
Feast of Fields

(Photo courtesy Feast of Fields)

Top Five Things You Never Heard of In the Niagara Region

1. Violent Death and Romantic Proposals:

In the idylic Queen's Royal Park in Niagara-on-the-Lake, there's a gazebo that has become a popular place to get married. You can even arrange to have a local restaurant set up dinner there at sunset for a memorable wedding proposal. But the gazebo holds a creepy secret.
This structure was built by the crew of Stephen King's movie, The Dead Zone, which was largely shot in the NOTL area. The gazebo was the scene of a brutal (though fictional) murder. The gazebo was given to the town after filming as a present.
Bet most of the amourous couples never heard of that.

(Photo courtesy guillenperez)

2. A Wine Tasting in the Kitchen:

Daniel Lenko Estate Winery in Beamsville doesn't look like the slick and architect-designed wineries you have come to expect in Niagara. His is a working farm. There will, in all likelihood, be a tractor in the driveway and Blackie the dog will be your first greeter. The tasting room is the kitchen of the old farmhouse, but don't be fooled by the lack of formality. The wines are first class. His 2008 White Cabernet is a totally delicious summer wine, - "strawberry, red currant and pear combine with hints of confectioner’s sugar to unveil a fresh and lively nose. Cassis and raspberry bring together good acidity with a wonderfully balanced palate." This is my favourite wine for a casual lunch by the pool, maybe paired with summer salad, grilled chicken and a peach tart. Lenko will probably be around, and if he is in a good mood and is convinced you are serious about your wine-tasting, he'll tell you everything you want to know about his 'methode'. He has also produced the world's first gay wine - Chardonngay a "quality Unoaked Chardonnay vinified in celebration of Canada's diverse Gay culture." $1.00 from every bottle sold is donated to AIDS research.

(Photo courtesy of Daniel Lenko Estates)

3. Sleep in the Oldest Loyalist Home in Ontario:

The Historic Secord House is quite possibly the oldest house in Ontario, and it is a beautiful example of the massive stone homes the Loyalists built. This one was built in 1782 by Laura Secord's Uncle Peter and is situated in the historic hamlet of St. Davids, near to Niagara-on-the-Lake. There are two spacious rooms, both under the eaves, and both cosy, immaculately clean and decorated in an attractive country style. The main sitting room has the original fireplace, heartpine floors, windows, trim and the first french doors built in Upper Canada. You'll be sleeping with history here.

(Photo courtesy of Historic Secord House)

4. Share a Glass of Wine with Chantal Kreviazuk and her husband Raine Maida:

So, you will actually be sitting in the audience, - they won't be sitting at the bar with you - but you will be able to listen to artists like Chantal and Raine, (Aug 8 & 9) drink a glass of wine and enjoy hearing great music in the surroundings of a famous vineyard in Niagara. The Twilight in the Vineyard series that runs each summer at the Jackson-Triggs Winery presents great performers in the fine outdoors. There is wine and nibbles, and you can arrange to have a cellar dinner beforehand.


(Photo courtesy of P Keigan)

5. Shhh! A Secret Restaurant:

There are no signs, no walk-ins. This hidden restaurant is actually a culinary studio run by acclaimed chef Mark Picone, the man who was responsible for the fabulous fare at Vineland Estates and who now teaches at Niagara College and runs the restaurant of his dreams. He does dinners only on reservation, and they all happen at the large table in his kitchen. Guests can watch him cook and are sometimes invited to help. He imparts wisdom about food, cooking and whatever else you want to know about, while he prepares dishes that are spectacularly special - made froom local ingredients, often from his own garden. This is unique dining, a celebration of local food by one of its best practitioners, in the close proximity of his kitchen. Truly memorable. A secret to be shared.

(Photo courtesy of Mark Picone)

DeLuca's Wine Country Bistro: Superb Dining in Niagara

There are so many good places for lunch or dinner in the Niagara Region that sometimes it's hard to choose. Niagara-on-the-Lake has numerous popular restaurants, and all throughout wine country, there are culinary gems. But some are better than others, and some suit your travel plans more accurately. If you are touring the Niagara-on-the-Lake wine appellation area, or if you have plans for either an afternoon or evening performance at the Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake, DeLuca's is a superb choice.

It's close enough to NOTL that you can be at the theatre fifteen minutes after you finish dessert, and it's smack in the centre of the appellation. The bistro is intimate and welcoming, prices are reasonable and the food is consistently wonderful.
Anyone who has been around Niagara for a while knows Chef Tony DeLuca. All of his food initiatives have been stellar, but this new restaurant, DeLuca’s Wine Country Bistro, is one of his best. The small, artfully decorated resto is just outside of NOTL, right across from Jackson-Triggs Winery. The decor is warm and inviting, the food innovative without being overwhelming.
For a recent lunch, Tony was offering his market inspired baked egg special, which varies often. This day it was topped with smoked salmon and accompanied by an asparagus and rocket salad and fresh crostini. ($11)

His Mac’N’ Cheese is a heart-warming riff on this childhood favourite, with brussel sprouts, Niagara Gold cheese and chorizo sausage topped with shitake crumbs.($9)

This classic Shepherd’s pie is a real new twist – made with braised pork shoulder and spring vegetables, and horseradish infused cheddar mash piped on top. Rich but delicious, and not too large a portion for lunch. ($16)

Brown Bag Salmon comes in – a brown paper bag! – perfectly steamed, with a maple glaze, wild rice and spring greens. (($18)

The sandwich was a house smoked brisket sandwich served with aged cheddar, cracked mustard, cabernet pear relish and napa slaw. (($14)

Desserts change with the season, and there are many lovely Niagara wines, by the bottle or the glass, to enjoy with your lunch.
This is one of my favourite places to dine in Niagara, either as a special destination meal, or a great lunch stop on the way to the Shaw Festival.

DeLuca’s Wine Country Restaurant
111C Garrison Village Drive
Niagara-on-the-Lake
(across from Jackson-Triggs and Stratus on Highway 55, Niagara Stone Road)
905-468-7900
www.tonydeluca.ca

To Paris, With Heartfelt Love

A New Love Affair with Paris

I fell in love with Paris on my honeymoon and have blamed the city's hold on me to the 'cloud of matrimony'. But I went back a few weeks ago, and found my heart stolen again. And I've been married for more years than I care to admit, so the 'cloud', though still there of course, is no longer fogging my judgement.
It's true love, and I realize I am not the only suitor paying hommagae to the lovely lady. Right now, Paris is so hot she sizzles.

Midnight in Paris, The Paris Wife, The Greater Journey - all recent books and movies that have explored Paris - are part of the reason. But the basic attraction of this city just doesn't go away.
Primarily I love the sidewalk cafes. Such a cliche, I know, but here in the streets of Paris I can sit alone, with a book, or my journal or sketch book, nursing a coffee, and no one will disturb me. Not only that, but the shifting landscape of Parisiennes and tourists is unendingly fascinating.

Paris is the only city I know where I can do nothing and be completely entertained.

As a food lover, of course I find Paris is palate pleasing. I spend as much time in the food halls at the Galleries Lafayette and at the Bon Marche as I do at the art museums. Food is not just displayed with artistry, it is treated with loving respect and a bowl of perfect eggs is arranged with an almost erotic precision. Mustard, in all its many colours and varieties, verges on an obsession.

And there is so much more. But on a chilly and damp Fall night in Canada, with frozen Pizza on the menu for dinner, I can't help but heave a sigh and long for Paris.

Kaua'i - Hawaii's Garden Isle

In Kaua'i, you can never forget that the ocean is in charge. The waves throw you over like a toy, soaking you completely when all you meant to do was get your feet wet. At night, the surf is a constant and powerful lullaby that rocks you to sleep. And it lures fools like me into thinking they can boogie board.

This green island is often called the garden island for good reason - there is frequent rain, warm temperatures and graceful mountains covered in vegetation.
When we first arrived on the island, there was stormy weather, grey skies, turbulent seas and high surf.  There were warnings not to swim because of the unpredictable currents, and one tourist was swept away to his death when he ventured into dangerous undertow.
It was, however, spectacular to witness the skies lit by lightning, the seas almost black, the clouds a smokey purple.

And when the sun came out, the island glittered like a jewel, and the sea was irresistable. My little three year old swimming companion spent hours in the waves, not minding being upended by them, or that they disolved his sand castle as soon as he built them.

The Wild Coast of Africa - One of the World's Best Hikes

TIA – This Is Africa.

From the cosmopolitan beauty of Cape Town to the raw energy of lions in the wild, South Africa is an unforgettable travel experience.

I was ready to admit that I may have made a terrible mistake.  I had lured my friends into an uncomfortable, maybe dangerous, adventure on a whim.

Things couldn’t get much worse. We were somewhere in the Transkei province of South Africa. Night had fallen precipitously, rain and fog were all around us, and the dirt road we were following was a rutted sloppy mess, narrowing by the mile.  Visibility was near zero.

As we drove slowly around curves and over hills, things emerged from the fog and just as suddenly disappeared.

-Two cows and a goat, perilously close to the side of the road.

-Three women, with high headdresses, wrapped in yellow, blue and red robes.

-One large unhappy bull.

-A man in a full length white coat with a green and yellow knitted dreadlock cap.

-A group of men sitting on crates under a light in a lean-to. 

Their eyes followed us as we passed on into the fog and the total blackness of a countryside that had almost no electricity.

What had I done?

It had seemed like such an appealing idea months before, back in Canada, planning the trip.  Six of us had put together our ideal three week trip to South Africa, mapping out the places we wanted to see.  I had read about the Wild Coast, an area of the Eastern Cape bordering the Indian Ocean in Xhosa country, the birthplace of Nelson Mandela.  Far removed from the tourist spots, it was famous for its untouched shoreline and the walking paths that looped along the coast, from one small inn to the next.

Despite the long drive to get there, I really wanted to do this hike, and swept the others along with my enthusiasm.  Perhaps I just wore them down, or maybe they thought that because I was a travel writer, I knew what I was doing.

So here we were, and it wasn’t looking good - middle of nowhere, bad roads and utter blackness except for the triangle of our headlights.

And then we drove into the warm circle of light at the Kobb Inn, with the throb of breakers in the background, where gin and tonics and roast lamb were waiting.

We slept in a modern version of a rondavel, the thatch roofed round cottage found everywhere in rural South Africa, and the next morning set off on the walk I had dreamed about.

You know those days in your life that are golden, to which, when times get tough, you can mentally escape?

This was one of those days. The beaches were pristine, untouched it seemed by anyone but the occasional villager, and the cows.  It was strange to see the cattle cooling their legs in the ocean, and sunbathing on the wet sand. 

When we approached an estuary that at high tide was too deep to walk across, a little boat manned by a friendly local would magically appear, and for a few pennies would ferry us to the other side. 

There were no resorts, no strip malls, no stores, no advertising signs.

Later that evening back at the Kobb Inn, we feasted on whole local fish that had been roasted on the barbeque and swayed to the music while ladies from a nearby village performed their traditional dances for us.

The Kobb Inn is the starting point for the Wild Coast Meander, a hotel-to-hotel hiking trail covering 56 km of the southern region of the Wild Coast. The terrain is aawesome in its isolation and natural splendour. Accommodation is provided nightly in the coastal resorts, and guides from local Xhosa communities accompany hikers every day, sharing their local knowledge and customs.

At Trennery’s, further down the coast and near the mouth of the Kei River, we met up with a group on horseback.  Julie-Ann from Wild Coast HorseSafaris, who leads groups on what has been called the ‘best horseback beach riding experience in the world’, told me that the riding tours she leads along the beaches were aggressive but carefully guided, and very popular with European and South African tourists. 

So despite its inauspicious beginning, the Wild Coast was everything I had hoped Africa would be. But the Wild Coast is just one very small part of the pleasures of this large country of South Africa.