Gaga for Grocery

I wish I worked downtown! I mean, I don’t think I can live there (unless I were single), but to be in the area 5 times a week would be great. Especially if I could pass by Loblaws at Maple Leaf Gardens all the time! This has got to be the best grocery I have ever seen or should I say, experienced. Let’s not talk about going downtown or finding parking downtown. I would like to skip to the part where I come up the escalators from the basement parking. What a sight! The grocery is huge at 85,000 square feet! It is a wonderful renovation of a heritage building that was once a hockey arena. While I had not seen this building prior to the renovation, I would say that the building is charming—a beautiful mix of old and trendy.

I know it is hard to believe that I am fawning over a grocery store, but it was truly a feast for the senses.  The first thing that caught my eye was the Patisserie section. Apart from the 12-foot wall of cupcakes, there were rows and rows of cupcakes, macarons, doughnuts, cakes and other goodies. A baker was cutting fresh strawberries for the cheesecake while I was going around.  Then I saw the big block of chocolate, but I wasn’t quite sure if this was the same 250-pound chocolate they had brought in on opening day 5 months ago (which apparently required a mechanical lift to drop into place!). You can buy this chocolate by the chunk, which they chisel off. I had to stop myself from buying anything at that moment, as I had not yet seen everything! And I had to remember not to shop while hungry.

Then, there was the wall of cheese--an 18 foot glass fridge full of cheese. A cheese lover’s paradise! A huge section of freshly baked artisan bread flanked this wall. It smelled heavenly. To the side, there was another section (Salume) with a full wall (yes, another wall) of aged meat. So, you can get your prosciutto, cheese and baguette in the dining area where you can either eat or simply admire the walls of food. Ahhh…

There were also a Tea Emporium, a sushi area, and a section that offered a variety of prepared food. As it was almost lunchtime, I decided to have a Salmon fish cake and chili. The food was freshly made from the huge kitchen up on the loft overlooking the bakery. The fish cake was crunchy on the outside and the flaky salmon was nicely seasoned inside. The chili was ok.  I actually wolfed it down because I couldn’t wait to go to the Patisserie for some dessert! I eventually got a Strawberry macaron for myself and some cupcakes to take home for the girls. The macaron was just ok and could have used a little more “puff” and cream.

As well, this grocery has a pharmacy, a walk-in clinic and an LCBO--a super store, indeed!  I wasn’t able to do a lot of shopping as there was no more time. Surely, the next visit will be longer and I can explore more of this wonderful “theatre of food.” Besides, I have yet to go to the 8,500 sq ft Joe clothing section on the 2^nd floor! Can’t wait to go back! In the meantime, we will enjoy the cupcakes that I got—bubble gum, cherry, peanut butter and red velvet. Yum!

  

Sound the Alarm: Nutrition crisis in the Sahel

Crops have failed in eight drought-hit countries of West Africa, leaving families with almost nothing to eat.  Right now, one million children in the Sahel are at risk from severe malnutrition and time is running out. Please share this message and, if you can, make a donation to save a child’s life.

As a mother, images and news of suffering children touch me deeply. When I learned about the situation in the Sahel, I knew I had to do what I could and I started by spreading the word. My family is very blessed to be able to dine in many wonderful places and to travel.   I try to make sure that we remember this and that the kids appreciate our many blessings. I always call their attention to a World Vision spot on TV so they are not shielded from realities. I showed them this video about what is happening at the Sahel. While I do not expect them to give up their dessert or toys, I am hoping that somehow they grow up a little more conscious of the many sufferings in the world. Maybe they can also help in their own way.

I did not post any links for donations in this page. If you noticed, you cannot even click on the posters to donate. Instead, I will direct you to unicef.ca where you can learn more about what is happening and how you can make a difference. You can also help by spreading the word through your social media channels to your friends and family.

Your support can make the difference.

Paramount Fine Foods: a taste of the Middle East

In my quest to have my kids try out different cuisines, we headed off to Paramount Fine Foods for some Middle-Eastern food. The branch downtown is always packed! I had been to the Thornhill location only once before but hubby and the kids had not been there yet. So we decided it was time for the rest of the family to try this place.

We went for early lunch one Saturday. We ordered some falafel (fried ground chickpeas made into balls) for appetizers.

My two girls and I decided to share a couple of Chicken Shawarma (grilled, shaved chicken meat) plates and hubby ordered the Lamb sandwich. While waiting for our order, the kids entertained themselves in the play area, which was located in one corner of the restaurant. Aren’t play areas great energy consumers?  They let kids unleash their restlessness prior to eating, allowing them to settle down during the meal. For me, having a play area also classifies the place as truly a family restaurant.  While the kids were playing, hubby and I browsed through the huge section of desserts. All sorts of Arabic sweets lined up one side of the place. They all looked so good, it was very hard to pick! Good thing our appetizers and bread arrived, allowing us to postpone the decision for later.

The falafels were good-sized (for $0.99 each), crunchy on the outside and moist inside. The tahini sauce (from sesame paste) perfectly complemented the dish. Included in our meal was fresh, hot pita bread which was wonderfully puffed. It was hard to resist not playing with our food!

Then, our Chicken Shawarma plates and Lamb sandwich arrived. The servings were quite generous. We were stuffed and even had leftovers at the end. Hubby said the Lamb sandwich was satisfying, but I think the Chicken Shawarma was a good choice for the kids. The chicken was nicely grilled and the marinade was not too spicy. And as it was already shaved chicken, I did not need to help the kids cut the meat! I got some rice to go with the chicken which DD#2 loved. DD#1 opted to have her chicken with the puffy pita. The garlic sauce was so yummy, it was worth the bad breath! After all, we would have some dessert later to top it all off, right? The girls enjoyed their meal and ate quickly so that they could go on the play area again!

For dessert, we finally picked several types of baklava (priced per kg)—with cashew, with pistachio, and with both. This lovely pastry coated with honey and crushed nuts were absolutely wonderful. We even got some more to take home. Complimentary Arabic coffee nicely capped our lunch.

It doesn’t matter now whether it was the cuisine or the play area (or both) that got the kids to enjoy their meal. I am just all too glad they are willing to try new things because we will be back.  We have to try the manakeesh and their hummus next time (and maybe order the Chicken Shawarma again)!

Taste all you can Japanese and Thai at Spoon and Fork

What happens when two of my favourite cuisines, Japanese and Thai, are combined in one restaurant and I can eat to my heart’s content? It more than makes my day. It makes my week! So, on Easter Sunday, to set me up for the week, we went to Spoon and Fork restaurant in Vaughan.

We started pretty late, for our family’s standards, at 12:45 p.m. (we usually have lunch around 11:30am). So by then, we were starving—which was great before embarking on an “all you can taste” meal (that’s how they call it over there, as one is not supposed to gorge on gourmet ;P). We started off with some Miso soup for the kids and Thai lemongrass soup for the adults while we figured out what to order. The lunch menu was not as extensive as the dinner menu (quite often the case even for other all-you-can-eat or AYCE places), but there was sashimi. We got our usual sashimi of salmon, white tuna, kani (crab meat), and butterfish (this one is not readily available in other Japanese AYCE places). We ordered the kids’ favourite California roll as well as a couple of spicy salmon hand rolls. The sashimi was fresh and the sushi great! The rice was perfectly cooked and the nori (seaweed) wrapper was wonderfully toasted for a nice crunch.

I think the shrimp tempura was a bit on the oily side. The beef teriyaki, though, was wonderfully grilled. As for the Thai dishes, we ordered Pad Thai, Beef red curry and Panang curry (thick curry peanut sauce), and crab fried rice. They were all so yummy, I wish I had room for more! The Pad Thai noodles were al dente and had a chewy consistency. It was not the best I’ve tried but good enough. The curry, on the other hand, was quite tasty. It definitely did something the wasabi could not--clear up my sinuses. Next time, I think we’ll  try the yellow and green curries as well, but the red curry will be a constant on our order list.

The meal did not include dessert, but nobody had room anyway. Both service and the quality of the food were commendable.  After an hour and a half (and four bowls of Miso soup for DD#2), we were ready to call it quits. A nap would be nice after a lunch like this!

Mountsberg Conservation—Easter activity, Maple Towne, and so much more!

We usually try to supplement our very limited in-home egg hunt with an outdoor activity to maximize our Easter weekend. This year, we went to Mountsberg Conservation with some friends. We arrived at Mounstberg a little after lunch. The kids headed right away to the Easter Egg Hunt area. Theirs was not a typical egg hunt. The kids picked a number from a bucket and then proceeded to look for the paper egg with the same number on it within the enclosed section. Parents were allowed to help, especially the younger kids. The children could then redeem their paper egg for some candy sticks. The hunt was pretty easy, so we were off to the next activity soon after.

Hillary the Percheron

Next, we went to the barn where the kids enjoyed petting the animals. It was also where the majestic Percheron horses were housed. There was one horse, Hillary, at the time and she was huge (Percheron horses are often used as carriage or farm horses. They have also been used as warhorses.  They usually are about 17 hands tall and weigh at least 1600 pounds)!  After getting up close with Hillary and petting the goats, the kids went off to the playbarn.  There they enjoyed some indoor gym. They only stopped when the Bubble station was set up outside and it was time to play with bubbles.

Mountsberg has many points of interest which we mostly covered in the Scavenger hunt (we had to guess the message from seven Easter-related clues around the conservation). We started near the barn where there was a Discovery centre and gift shop, the duck pond and the Cameron house.

As it is spring, the Maple Towne section was still open (where there was yet another scavenger hunt clue). They had a sugar bush and the smell of smoke wafted from the pots where sap was being boiled down to syrup (Check out our other sugar adventure at Horton's). Here you could do a walking trail or take a wagon ride. There were also various cabins where the main steps in making maple syrup (or sugar) were highlighted. Of course, they had a gift shop and Pancake house to complete the town!

Pavillion at Maple Towne

After our sugar bush adventure, we went to the Raptor Centre where we looked at the various birds of prey. We saw turkey vultures, barn owls, red-tailed hawks, etc.  It was the nesting season of the bald eagles so we were asked to be quiet around them--pretty tough with many kids wanting a glimpse of the magnificent birds. Many of the residents of the Raptor centre have permanent injuries which make them incapable of surviving out in the wild. So, through the centre and the Birds of Prey shows, the conservation helps educate the visitors about how we can co-exist well with these birds of prey.

There are other activities you can do at Mountsberg such as taking a wagon ride to see the bison herd or watch a Birds of Prey show (both of which we did last fall). One thing is for sure, this is a place you can go back to again and again through different seasons.

Wining and dining at Niagara-on-the-Lake

Niagara-on-the-Lake is a small town with a quaint Heritage District. From the Niagara falls area, you can get to Niagara-on-the-Lake via the scenic Niagara parkway. Many beautiful houses line the shores of the lake. When you get to the Heritage district, just look for one of the Green P parking areas, but be prepared because parking slots are limited.

 There are many boutiques and art galleries in the area. Our favorite store is the Just Christmas store where Christmas items are sold year round. Nothing beats feeling Christmasy in July!

There are quite a few dining places, some fancier than others. We have enjoyed lunch at Bistro Six-One, and recommend it for a nice casual lunch.

  

 Stagecoach Family Restaurant, on the other hand, will satisfy the usual burgers and fries that the kids want. And for dessert, you can have yummy ice cream at Cows or get some tea at Victoria Café.  Once you’ve satisfied your hunger, it is nice to just walk around and look at the boutiques. Horse carriage rides are offered seasonally, and if you are into theatre, you might want to catch a show during the Shaw Festival (which runs from April to October).

The Royal George theatre where the Shaw Festival is held

The main attraction for me, however, is the winery trail (and the many wine-related events that are held every so often).  I do not claim to be a connoisseur but I do love a good glass of red, white and rose.  As for dessert wines, ice wine is pricey (about $80 for a bottle) but is worth every penny.  There are many companies which offer tours that take you winery-hopping through the region.  I’d recommend this if you prefer a structured excursion. Here you can learn more about pairings and sample the wines of several wineries (depending on your package). As for me, I try to go to a different winery every time we are in the area--that is the luxury of living an hour away from the region. Here are some wineries I have visited (in alphabetical order):

·         Hillebrand

·         Inniskillin—hubby and I love their Select Late Harvest Vidal from 2004!  I also got some Gewurtzraminer there as well which would have been perfect for that Winterlicious dinner at Lee’s

·         Jackson Triggs

·         Joseph’s

·         Peller Estates

·         Pillitteri Estates

·         The Ice House 

The last one we visited was Chateau des Charmes.  The chateau was just lovely!  Nestled in a vineyard, the grand structure is also known as a beautiful setting to many weddings and special events.  Here, I got some Cabernet-Merlot. While it tasted good, I was told that it would even be better in 4 or 5 years!  I guess that bottle is not going to be opened anytime soon.

I recommend going on a tour of a winery where you can learn a lot of things about wine-making.  Just ask the winery if they offer tours; some would have this information posted up front. Wine tastings are a must, of course! Charges do apply in some wineries.  My final tip: make sure you have a designated driver.  Cheers!

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Niagara Falls attractions: our must-see/do

We go to Niagara two to three times a year—sometimes more. We go there when we have guests and we go there for family excursions. A day trip to Niagara would suffice for the top attractions. Staying overnight, however, is a different experience altogether.  There are a multitude of things to do and see that each return visit can offer something new.   For first-time Niagara goers, here are my top recommendations for must-see or must-do attractions:

American Falls

       1. Maid of the Mist—this is the seasonal boat ride that has brought millions of visitors close to the Falls since the mid-1800’s! Surely it is not the same set of boats! From the docks, the ride takes you to the base of the American Falls. You will be given a raincoat as you are bound to get slightly wet when you get up close the Horseshoe Falls. It might sound silly, but some people do ask if the boat goes under the Falls. The answer is no. I have gone under a waterfall about one-fiftieth the size of the Horseshoe Falls and it hurt! I would not dare go under this majestic sheet of water!

2.       Journey behind the Falls—this is quite an interesting experience which allows you to see the Falls from a different perspective. You take an elevator 150 feet down to get to tunnels carved out of the bedrock behind the falls.   You can also go out the deck at the foot of the Horseshoe Falls for a fantastic view. As with the Maid of the Mist ride, you are provided with a biodegradable poncho to keep you dry.

Horseshoe Falls

These attractions take about 30 minutes each. Be prepared for long line-ups, especially during the summer peak season.   

You can also check out the Whirpool Aero car—this is a cable car ride over the Niagara whirlpool. I went on this one many, many years ago. While this was nice, I feel it can be skipped if you are pressed for time. This is quite far from the main area of the other attractions.

If you are staying overnight, Clifton hill would be the place to go if you have kids or if you are out with your friends. There are many haunted/horror attractions, mazes, rides, movies, arcades and everything fun for the kids. There you will also find the Ripley’s Believe it or Not museum, the Movieland wax museum, and the Niagara sky wheel (a giant ferris wheel). You can also go to the MGM store (which has its own rides and shows), have some dinner at Rainforest Café, and go to the Hershey’s store on Falls Avenue.

At night, the Falls are illuminated with spotlights that change colors, making the scene so much more spectacular and so much more romantic (Niagara is a favorite honeymoon destination). In the summer, they would have fireworks as well (be sure to check the fireworks schedule to better plan out your itinerary). You can also catch a show at the hotels or hit the “arcade for adults”—more commonly known as casinos. Casino Niagara and Fallsview Casino will surely keep the more senior guests entertained.

If you have more time or have a chance to go back, the Fallsview Indoor Waterpark will definitely be a hit with kids. There are hotels connected to the Waterpark and various packages which include park passes and accommodations are available. When the kids (and most likely the adults) get tired of water fun, there are many other attractions to check out in the area. You can also go to the Botanical Gardens and Butterfly Conservatory. The gardens are lovely and great for photo ops—that is if you have not had enough pictures of the grand Niagara Falls.

There are many more attractions we have yet to see in Niagara. As for those we’ve already seen, there are simply too many to cover in depth in one blog. I hope I have captured the highlights. Almost each time we go back, we are able to check out something different.

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DD#2’s Howling birthday at Great Wolf Lodge

  

When my elder daughter (DD#1) turned four, we took her to Great Wolf Lodge in Niagara.  While my younger daughter ( DD#2) was just under two at time, we enjoyed ourselves so much that we decided we would go back when DD#2 turned four as well.

Recently, DD#2’s fourth birthday came around.  So, off we went to Great Wolf Lodge. DD#2’s birthday usually falls during March Break but there was no way we were going to brave the crowds there (or anywhere) during that time. This year, her birthday fell a few days after March break, so the timing was just right.

We had lunch at Niagara prior to checking in. Good thing our room was ready because the girls couldn’t wait to go to the waterpark! Getting to our room on the 4^th floor was quite the trek, as it was at the end of the hall. Thankfully, we discovered an elevator closer to our room which saved us a long wait for the main, central elevators. We had neat wristbands which served as our room keys and “charge account” for resort expenses. We could also use them to have our photo automatically taken at some of the waterpark rides.

We hit the Beartrack Landing as soon as we got our swimwear on. The girls stood against a board that measured how tall they were.  Based on their height, they were each given a wristband that indicated which rides they could go on. DD#1 could go on any slide except the Kiddie Slides. DD#2, on the other hand, could only get on the Kiddie Slides and the Wooly Mammoth.

It was tough to get the girls away from Fort Mackenzie—a treehouse water fort—to line up for the Wooly Mammoth.  As the crowd dwindled around lunchtime, we had to take advantage of the shorter queues (15 minutes vs. 30 minutes during peak time). Atop a winding staircase that went three stories up, all four of us rode on a big, circular raft which took us through twists and turns in an orange slide.  Seeing the joy in the girls’ faces was just priceless! DD#2’s first words after we got down the slide: “Let’s go again!” So, we obliged. In the two days we were in the park, we rode the Wooly Mammoth about 6 times. We also scanned our wristbands before going on the ride each time so that we could get a decent photo. Sadly, no picture had a good shot of the whole family so we opted not to get any.

Since DD#1 could go on all the other slides, Hubby and I took turns in accompanying her. We went on the slides of Fort Mackenzie as well as the 1,100ft-long Eagle falls ride. Our favourites, however, were the Canada Vortex and the Niagara Rapids Run. I had to carry the double tubes up the many flights of stairs to go on the Canada Vortex. It was worth it. The thrill of the 40’ drop into a giant bowl was just awesome! However, it did leave that uncanny feeling that you were being flushed down the toilet. Hubby and DD#2 rode the Niagara Rapids Run so many times they lost count. I only rode that once with DD#2 and, I swear, I was screaming louder than she was. Well, what other opportunity do I have to scream as loud as that with the water all around to drown the sound, right? This thrilling water roller coaster ride features a 52’ drop!

The rest of the time we spent chilling at the Frog pond’s lily pads and water snake, being swept along the Crystal River, and playing water basketball at Otter Lake. After eating our dinner (the resort’s Antler Shanty was quite good the last time we were at the resort, but this time, we brought the girls’ favorite fastfood chicken), we were off to the Northern Lights arcade. The girls were quite happy with the stuff they redeemed from the tickets they earned.  How wonderful it is to be a child and be happy with the simplest (and cheapest!) things.   At 8pm, we went to the lobby for the story time session where the kids can come in their pajamas. It was very fitting that the story that was read was Robert Munsch’s Wait and See, which was about a little girl named Olivia who got her birthday wishes. The girls were looking tired, but they were such troopers and participated in the interactive story-telling.

We did the rides all over again the next day-- the actual birthday of DD#2.  We swung by the Cub Club first thing in the morning to get a birthday balloon hat for DD#2. She also got her name written on the board for special greetings on that night’s Story time. After many more hours of water play (and check out in between), we headed home. We brought along snacks which we ate in the car.  The girls took a nap promptly afterwards.  Meanwhile, I did my side trip in Niagara-on-the-Lake (will write about this next time) to get some wine.  When we got home, we did the whole birthday thing—cake, balloons, and gifts. DD#2 said it was her best birthday ever!

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