Day Trip 2021: Goodwood, Durham Forest, Uxbridge Day Trip

In planning a day trip around a hike in the Durham Regional Forest, we scheduled a stop at nearby Goodwood, Ontario, followed by the hike, then lunch at Slabtown Cider Company and finally a visit to the town of Uxbridge.  Accompanied by our friends Yim and Murray, we set off on another road trip adventure, which has become an almost weekly to bi-weekly occurrence for my husband Rich and I, to make up for the fact that we had not traveled abroad for over 2 years due to the ongoing pandemic.

Prior to the arrival of the hit Canadian comedy Schitt’s Creek, there was not much reason to stop at Goodwood Ontario, which is an offshoot of the township of Uxbridge.  All that changed when this TV show selected three buildings on adjacent corners of the intersection of Hwy 47 and Concession Rd. 3 to use as exteriors for locations featured on the show.  The faded blue warehouse representing “Bob’s Garage” is the warehouse of Goodwood handyman Joe Toby who makes special equipment for families with disabled kids. The frontage of “Café Tropical”, where Twyla served meals to Johnny and Moira Rose, is actually a private residence.  The building presented as the exterior for David and Patrick’s business “Rose Apothecary” was once Goodwood’s General Store.  It now has a sign on it for a Romni Wools store but this location seems to be permanently closed.  Crowds flocked to view these sites, especially after the show was picked up by Netflix and then swept the Emmy Awards in 2020.  The hubbub seems to have died down since, so visiting on a Thursday morning, we more or less had the block to ourselves.

We did stop by the fourth corner of the intersection where Annina’s Bakery catered food to the Schitt’s Creek cast and crew during their shoots.  The Bakery was quite busy with an unending lineup for their sandwiches and baked goods.  Apparently this has been the case ever since Annie Murphy, who played Alexis Rose, raved about Annina’s butter tarts on Late Night With Seth Meyers.  We had a quick breakfast at the bakery (not needing to wait in line for sit-down service) and sampled the butter tart (just OK) as well as some breakfast sandwiches and sausage rolls.  After breakfast, we found one last Schitt’s Creek set location around the corner.  The 145-year-old yellow-bricked building used as the “Town Hall” in the show was actually Goodwood’s Town Hall until it was sold and now has been converted to a private residence, with a chained fence blocking the front yard and a sign declaring “private property”.  The owner of the house sat in a chair on the front stoop, seemingly ready to defend his home from gawking interlopers.  We respectfully kept our distance but snuck a photo from afar.

After breakfast, we proceeded to the Durham Regional Forest to do some hiking.  Unlike many of the rail trails that we have hiked on (Caledon, Paris, etc.), the trails in the Durham Forest consist of loops of varying lengths and difficulties.  This was much nicer since we did not need to double back and retrace our steps to get back to our starting point, and we could veer off from the main trails onto smaller offshoots that had different terrains and views.  We intended to hike the 3.2km White Pine Trail Loop but along the way, we might have accidentally strayed onto parts of the Spruce, Maple or Red Oak Trails which crossed and ran parallel to the White Pine loop.  Then a couple of times, we intentionally took some smaller loops that ended back onto the Pine loop after a quick detour.

Durham Regional Forest has pretty forested trails that range from relatively flat level paths for casual walking to sloped and bumpy terrain to please the mountain bikers.  The main trails such as the White Pine Loop seem to be the flat ones while the smaller loops that we tried including “Baby Butter” and “Luce Link“ had more varied terrain.  For fun, Yim and I tried to do some yoga poses on some tree stumps although her knees were much stronger than mine and she nimbly hopped onto a taller stump that I would not have been able to manage.  The best part of the hike was discovering all the different types of wild mushrooms on the trails, which ranged in size, shape and colour and grew both in the ground and on tree trunks.  The trails were so pretty and interesting and there were so many others that we did not have time to explore, so we need to return here another time.

We had made lunch reservations at Slabtown Cider Company, a craft cidery located on Oak Ridges Moraine just south of Uxbridge, specializing in “handcrafted heritage cider crafted from 100% Ontario apples”, as well as ciders blended with other ingredients including cherry, pineapple, mint/lime or blackcurrant.  We had requested an outdoor table under a large covered patio with views of the apple tree orchards.  It turned out to be chillier than expected, so we bundled up and jockeyed for position in order to snag one of the limited propane heaters.  Despite having a later 2pm reservation on a Thursday afternoon, the restaurant was fairly full.

Yim and I shared a cider flight of 4 different ciders.  For my 2 glasses, I selected the black currant and the cherry cider.  Rich ordered a large pumpkin spiced cider.  For our meals, Rich and I shared the Thunder Ridge bison burger topped with crispy pork belly, onion rings, a cider-barbeque sauce and scallion aioli, as well as a prime rib steak pizza with sauteed onions, wild mushrooms, mozzarella, blue cheese and tomato sauce.  For dessert we shared an apple pie topped with pecans while Yim and Murray shared a crème brûlée.  I liked the black currant cider so much that we bought a bottle to bring home.

We finally arrived in the town of Uxbridge just after 4pm with the intent to check out the shops on their main street, followed by a self-guided historic walking tour that I had found on the internet.  To our surprise, most of the stores and eateries on the main drag had closing times of 4pm and were already shut down!  We thought maybe this was because we were there on the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, our new federal statutory holiday, as was highlighted by orange ribbons tied around the trees.  But when we asked one of the few stores that was still open, we were told that this is the normal closing time.  Instead we started the historic walking tour with one of the highlights, the public library.  Unfortunately we found it covered with scaffolding, covering much of the library’s decorative features.  Given that it was getting later and the weather was continuing to dip on a grim, cloudy day, we decided to cut short the historic walk and just head towards the second highlight of the town, which is the train station.

Along the way, we did find a few points of interest on the main street.  A plaque on the wall in front of one store indicated that this was the location where Canadian artist and painter David Milne had a studio between 1940-47.  Using oils and watercolours, Milne painted Canadian landscapes.  During and following WWI, he acted as a war artist who documented battlefields, ruined cities and soldier camps.  Downtown Uxbridge features two main war memorials.  There is one next to the library that commemorates WWI, WWII and the Korean War.  A more personal memorial across the street pays tribute to Lieutenant Colonel Samuel  Sharpe who suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and committed suicide following the first world war, haunted by all the men under his command who died.  This sculpture, depicting Sharpe struggling to write a letter to the widow of one of his men, highlights the issues of mental health and PTSD.    We admired the Art Deco design of the Roxy Theatre, with 2 screens showing both first-run and classical movies.  Given its beautiful exterior, it would have been fun to check out the interior and perhaps watch a movie.  Maybe we can do this next time we visit, hopefully on a warm sunny day when we can continue the historic walking tour.

Our final stop in Uxbridge was the train station of the Grand Trunk Railway, built in 1904.  Now considered a heritage site and acting as both a railway museum and a station within the York-Durham Heritage Railway (YDHR), the station was bought by the township of Uxbridge for $1.00 in 1988 and is the only remaining station with a “witch’s hat” roof in Ontario.  The YDHR runs 20km between Uxbridge and Stouffville and hosts themed rides including autumn leaves viewing and high tea in the fall and rides catered towards children in the months leading up to Christmas including “Thomas the Tank Engine”, “Wizards’ Festival”, “Santa’s Express”,  “North Pole Light UP” and “Bethlehem Express – Nativity on Rails”.  Cookies, hot chocolate and stories are included on the ride.  We were really lucky to arrive at the train station just as the attendant was about to close the gates.  He kindly allowed us to rush in and take a look at the old platform where I could envision myself in an old movie where I would be running up the platform waving goodbye to my loved one as he rode away.  This last experience made the trip to Uxbridge worthwhile and we will definitely check out some of the autumn rides next year.

Day Trip 2021: Paris, Ontario

Since the COVID 19 pandemic has made it undesirable and inconvenient for us to travel abroad, we have been scratching our “vacation itch” by touring around Ontario. One place that we have wanted to visit for a while now is Paris, Ontario, which has been named as one of the prettiest towns in the province.  Nestled between the Grand River and Nith River, it has scenic views, green spaces and hiking trails along the rivers, a historic downtown area, interesting shops and eateries, and a unique collection of buildings with cobblestone facades.  We were excited to take this road trip, if only to be able to quote the movie Casablanca in saying “Even in a pandemic, we’ll always have Paris!”

One of the areas with the nicest views is Penman’s Dam, built in 1918 by the Penman’s Ltd. Clothing Company to provide water power to run the turbines in their mills.  From there, you can see the pretty waterfall created by the dam, and spot the outline of the downtown buildings across the water including the turret of the Arlington Hotel and the steeple of the Paris Baptist Church.  At night, Penman’s Dam is lit up with coloured lights that can be viewed from the William Street Bridge that spans the Grand River, leading from the dam to the Historic Downtown area. We did not stay overnight in the Paris on this visit, but would like to check this out in the future.

There are several riverside restaurants (2 Rivers, Stillwaters) with raised patios in the back that overlook the Grand River, providing stunning views.  This would be such a pleasant experience during a warm sunny day.  Unfortunately, we were there on a grey, chilly day so sitting on one of these patios will also need to wait for another visit.  There had been two days of torrential rainstorms prior to this outing.  As a result, the river was raging and flowing at an unusually fast pace. We encountered a canoeist who was carrying his canoe back to his car and complimented him on his fortitude in braving these rough currents.  He sheepishly told us that he and his friend had parked a car on each end of the river and only planned on paddling (or letting the currents push them) downstream.  Sadly, he had left his keys locked in the car parked upstream!

We had left Toronto early in the morning and were ready for breakfast when we reached downtown Paris.  During our trip research, Rich had found Dog-Eared Café, a hipster coffee shop/bookstore on the main drag.  This was the first time when we were required to show our proof of vaccination and photo ID before entering an eatery.  I was ready with a scanned version of both these documents on my phone.  When I showed my phone to the barista, he quipped that this was a beautiful sunset that I was showing him, but not what he was looking for.  It turned out my finger had slipped and I accidently scrolled to a different image than my 2nd dose vaccination receipt!  After showing our proper credentials, Rich and I ordered breakfast croissants and mochaccinos and took a prime seat on a pair of red Victorian-styled chaise lounges with a great view of the Grand River.  The café was decorated with paintings and drawings from various iconic horror films including Frankenstein and his bride, Nostradamus, Alex from Clockwork Orange, and the clown from It.  On a chalkboard outside the café were the various definitions of “dog-eared” as an adjective and as a verb.

Wandering around downtown Paris, we admired various historical sights including the lovely Arlington Hotel, built in the1850s and originally called the Bradford House.  With its unique turret that extends into the skyline that can be seen from Penman’s Dam, the Arlington Hotel was the site of the farewell gathering in 1940s before the first set of troops from Paris departed to fight overseas in World War II.  There is a small plaque on Grand River St. commemorating the locale where Alexander Graham Bell received his first successful long-distance telephone call from Brantford, Ontario on August 10, 1876.   A large mural covering the entire wall of a building highlights Hiram Capron, touted as “Founder of Paris” since in 1849, he purchased, settled on and developed large plots of land between the two rivers.  Finally the Paris town bell, which was commissioned in 1874 to hang on the Paris Town Hall, now sits on a memorial cairn at the corner of William St. and Broadway St. W.  The first bell ringer was paid $100 a year and rang the bell 3 times per day and also as an alarm to summon volunteer fire fighters in case of fire.

Continuing our historic tour of Paris, we sought out some beautiful old buildings and churches by following this self-guided walking tour.  We admired the marquetry patterns achieved by interlacing different coloured bricks on the facades of the Paris Public Library and the Paris Baptist Church, which also had intricate tiled designs on its spire and rooftop.  My favourite church was the Paris Presbyterian Church with its twin turrets and rose window. It was too bad that the back of the church was covered with scaffolding, hiding what looked like two tall chimneys.  We also found the old Paris Town Hall (where the bell was originally located), built in 1854 surprisingly in a style that resembled a church.  Later the building become the Wheeler Needle Works factory, whose sign you can still see faintly above the front door.

There were many good shopping and browsing opportunities on the main streets of Paris.  We bought some chocolate peanut butter cups and caramel/pecan “tortoises” (so as not to infringe upon Nestle’s Turtles brand) from Chocolate Sensations.  At Paris Thrift Shoppe, I found a sparkly top for $5 that I now need an invitation to a New Year’s Eve or Disco party for so that I have a chance to wear it.  At Jiggs and Reel Seafood Market, which seems to stock items from Newfoundland including chocolate style “fish n’ chips” (pieces of milk chocolate shaped like capelin fish, swimming in kettle-cooked sea salt potato chips which are also drizzled in chocolate), Gros Morne Coffee, Screech flavoured Coffee and more.  We bought some seafood chowder as well as some frozen cod cheeks and cod tongues to bring home and try,  We were told to lightly fry the cheeks like scallops, but to coat the tongues with breading and fry them thoroughly or else they would be gelatinous.  At the front of the store is a plaque full of Newfie sayings including “Stay where you’re at ‘til I comes where you’re to”.  Scattered around the main streets are metal red benches with various designs on them.. I liked the one positioned in front of the Ice Cream store with cutout ice cream cones as the backing.

Our final shopping destination was a food and market hall housed in the historic building originally owned by the Paris Wincey Mills Company, whose name is still emblazoned on the façade.  Built in 1889, Wincey Mills manufactured clothing including socks, underwear, and Canadian military uniforms.  Wincey is actually the name for a British fabric with a plain or twill weave made from cotton or wool.  Once this mill closed, the building exchanged hands several times including a spell as a Canadian Tire store and automotive centre.  Now there is a cake shop, flower shop, beer store, and food stalls selling artisan breads, gelato, perogies, popcorn, cheese and more.  At the Link Street Sausage House, we were tempted by the offer of 5 breaded pork schnitzels for $10 and butter chicken sausage.  Unfortunately when we returned at the end of the day, the butter chicken sausages were sold out, but we did get the schnitzels as well as some Buffalo Wing, Jalapeno and Cheddar, and Feta and Spinach sausages.   We spent much time browsing through the cool knickknacks in the Bird & Bee Vintage Store, where I bought a necklace which is a tiny clock on a chain.

Paris, Ontario is known for its Cobblestone Buildings whose façades are lined with horizontal rows of small, round, smooth, similarly sized glacial-deposited river stones set into mortar.  There are twelve cobblestone structures within Paris, making it the most structures of this type of architectural design in Canada.  They were mostly built between 1839-1860s by master stone mason Levi Boughton, whose own home can still be found on 19 Queen St.

We took a quick tour of some of the cobblestone buildings around the downtown area, three of which stood out from the rest. The Sowden House (7 Burwell St.) is shaped like a rounded flat iron building with decorative pendants hanging from under the eaves.  This was the home of Dr. Samuel Sowden who dispensed medicines from within the building.  St. James Anglican Church (8 Burwell St.) is designed in the Classical Gothic Revival style for the windows and door and was the first commission for Levi Boughton.  Mitchell House (16 Broadway W.) was built in Greek Revival style with fluted Doric columns at the entry way and a wrought iron widow’s walk at the top of the house. The houses and church are all gorgeous in their own right, but made all the more special when you can walk up close to see the patterns made by the rows smooth round stones.

Our initial plan for the afternoon in Paris was to walk the Distillery Lane Trail and then the Nith Trail as they followed north along the west shore of the Nith River.  Unfortunately when we got to the start of the Distillery Lane Trail, we found that it had closed for construction just a few days earlier.  Luckily we found a detour that took us to the start of the Nith Trail, which began at Lions Park, a pretty green space with multiple playgrounds, a community pool, splash pad and baseball diamond with a nearby sculpture of a giant baseball.  Continuing along the Nith Trail, we found various activities to entertain hikers (especially those accompanied by children or the young at heart) including a table with a painted checkers board on top, bongo drums and a xylophone to make sounds with, a giant bug sculpture on and mushroom seats to sit on.  Yes, I admit I did all these things :)

Once we passed through the green space portion of the Nith Trail, it grew more rugged and forest-like until we reached Penman’s Pass where a bridge would allow us to cross back to the East side of the Nith River and back towards the main streets.  At Penman’s Pass, we learned more about the John Penman who founded the clothing company that became the most dominant knitwear manufacturer in Canada.  Known for his generosity, he built the Paris Presbyterian Church (my favourite with the turrets) and also financed the YMCA and community Centre as well as contributed to the cost of building the new central school.

Part of the reason for visiting Paris, Ontario was to check out the nearby 18.6km Paris to Cambridge Rail Trail that followed old railway tracks that used to run between the two locations.  We were scouting it out to see if it would be suitable for a biking excursion next year.  I am a bit of a diva when it comes to cycling conditions since I like surfaces that are relatively flat and without larger or loosely packed gravel that might make my tires skid if I hit a small stone.  I deemed the path to be acceptable and would add it to our list of possible bike trips for next season.  We started at Glen Morris, the midway entry point to the trail and hiked about 2km to the ruins of the German’s Woollen Mill in Brant, another defunct clothing mill run by the German family, early settlers to the area.  While the ruins looked interesting, we could barely see them due to the trees and foliage blocking the way.

After spending most of the day in Paris, Ontario, we decided to find somewhere to eat dinner rather than trying to drive back to Toronto in rush hour.  When we were heading towards Paris in the morning, I had spotted a cool looking building with a sign for the “Olde School Restaurant”.  We called and were able to make reservations for an early seating.  I mostly wanted to go there so that I could take photos of the exterior, but when we walked into the restaurant, we were blown away by the interior décor.  We were led into a room with a pressed tin ceiling, stained glass windows depicting school-related scenes, and high back chairs with intricate wood carvings.  As indicated by the name of the restaurant (and the “Teachers” door on the side of the building), the restaurant was originally a schoolhouse dating back to the 1870s when it was known as the Moyle School.

We saw more signs of this in terms of old school desks and chairs displayed up high as decor and photos of the original one room school house as well as other memorabilia from the old school days.  There was also a photograph of the last school teacher as well as some former class photos.  Leading down to the washroom were more paintings of teachers and school children, possibly drawn by former students.  The Moyle School closed in 1964.

The food was fun and reminiscent of an old 70’s steakhouse. Prior to our order, we were served fresh, warm bread that came with an artichoke spread which was so delicious that we had seconds.  We ordered the “Touch of Each” Chef’s dinner special which started with the “Dean Martin Shrimp Cocktail”, consisting of 5 large shrimp hooked to a martini glass with a bed of shredded lettuce and shrimp cocktail in the middle.  Next we were given a small plate of lemon sorbet as a palette cleanser.  Then came our main course of medallions of veal in a peppercorn sauce, served with a good-sized lobster tail.  The candle-lit butter warmer for the lobster was a nice touch.  Finally our set meal came with a choice of either gelato or buttercream cake with raspberry sauce for dessert—all for the price of $49.95!

During the meal, we were serenaded by a live pianist and singer who crooned old jazz tunes and show tunes including Crazy by Patsy Cline, Don’t Cry for Me Argentina from the musical Evita and Memories from the musical Cats.  We learned that Queen Elizabeth II had visited at this restaurant back in June 1997, in the same room where we currently sat.  There was a photograph of her visit as well as a commemorative painting hung on the wall over the table where she dined.  They were so proud of this fact that there was note boasting about it on our printed bill.  After we paid, we were handed a “report card” that we could use to grade our food and service.  I kept it instead as a souvenir, but had I filled in the survey, I would have given passing marks in all categories.  This was a fabulous experience and a great way to end our day trip.

We definitely want to return to Paris when the weather is nicer.  I would like to stay overnight in the Arlington Hotel, preferably in the cool turret but also in any one of their fun themed rooms that include Dr. Seuss, Stan Lee, Stanley Kubrick, Monty Python, Lewis Carroll, Agatha Christie, Leonard Cohen, Ernest Hemingway, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and more!  By staying overnight, it means we would be able see the Penman’s Dam all lit up in multi-colours.  And hopefully on a bright warm sunny day, we could sit on the one of the restaurant terraces overlooking the Grand River and enjoy the view.

Niagara on the Lake 2021: Day 3 - Home via St. Catharines, Grimsby

Before checking out of our accommodations in Niagara on the Lake, Rich and I went for a final early morning bike ride around the quiet suburban neighbourhood of our rental home.   For the most part, the houses were bungalows or two storied structures that were much more modest than the ornate mansions that we saw in the Historic Old Town.  But they still sat on relatively large properties and often had beautiful gardens covered with flowers and shrubs.  One of the larger homes on a corner lot had a gorgeously landscaped front yard that was oddly juxtaposed with multiple large gargoyle sculptures situated amongst the flower beds—the epitome of “beauty and the beasts”.

After returning to the rental house for a final breakfast with our friends who were staying with us, we packed up, mounted our bicycles back on our bike rack and were on our way.   As part of drive back to Toronto, we planned two stops.  First we would visit the 13th Street Winery in St. Catharines, followed by a stop in Grimsby to visit an interesting attraction called the “Painted Ladies” (more on this later).  We would grab some lunch in Grimsby before continuing home, hoping to reach Toronto before the rush hour crush that had slowly resumed now that the pandemic was more under control.

The 13th Street Winery is situated on 25 acres of estate vineyards just west of St. Catharines and offers a unique combination of wine, food and also art!  On the same property, we would see vineyards full of purple grapes, a wine store, bakery, bistro, indoor art gallery and an outdoors sculpture garden consisting of huge fields full of large-scaled sculptures. This especially appealed to me since I am not particularly fond of wine, but I really like art and particularly giant sculptures.

We started our visit by checking out the sculpture garden which covered a huge grassy expanse the size of several football fields.  There were huge sculptures scattered throughout, as far as the eye could see!  Each sculpture is accompanied by a plaque describing its name, artist and a QR code which leads to a more detailed description of the work including its size, medium, and artist’s intent. My favourite sculptural installation is called “The Hunt (2015)” by Toronto artist Ken Hall.  It consists of five bounding wolves each made from laser-cut, welded, weathered steel, racing through a patch of (deliberately) overgrown grass and wildflowers.  You can sense the energy and movement in the animals by the way they are depicted mid-stride. What totally makes the piece work is the perfect integration of the art with the natural surroundings.  We viewed The Hunt from afar and up close from every angle, each time getting a different effect.

Another favourite was “Tia (2019)” by Tamara Plugers.  An acronym for “Thankful in Adversity”, TIA depicts a tattered woman who raises a chalice in thanks, despite having faced the “winds of adversity” that have been blowing against her.  In a technique similar to papier-mâche, the sculpture consists of a wire frame, layered with strips from discarded t-shirts, tablecloths and rags, sealed with Paverpol, a water-based substance that is waterproof and weather resistant and then painted.  We spent some time walking around and around TIA, admiring the detailed textures in her hair and the flow of her robe.  Amusingly as we were leaving the 13th Street Bakery after viewing the sculpture garden, we spotted another tiny Paverpol figure with her arms in the air, peeking out of some tall grass.

We also loved the works by Floyd Elzinga including “Unzip the Earth (2018)”, which once again cleverly integrates the art piece with the environment. Using stainless steel for the slider, concrete bricks for the elements or teeth, and exposed earth to contrast against the grassy “tape” of the zipper, Elzinga channels pop artist Claes Oldenburg in making giant versions of common, every day objects.  He is also the artist who created “Prayer Seed (2018)”, the giant thistle seed made out of steel and metal parts from food industry manufacturing machines.  We continued to see more of Elzinga’s work later when we explored the 13th Street Art Gallery.  Perhaps because I was not viewing it from the right angle, I did not know what I was looking at when I first saw Ilan Averbuch’s piece comprised of curved vertical Douglas fir logs with a long horizontal log spanning the top.  But then I read the title “Endless March (1991)”, stepped back and saw the group of laden men, trudging along with their heavy burden hoisted on their shoulders.

“The Necklace (circa 1990s)” by Karoly Veress turned out to have much more depth and personal meaning to it than you would think if you just gave it a cursory glance and went by its title, which seemed to label it as just an ornate, decorative piece of art made from painted sheet metal.  But reading the artist’s description from the QR Code, you find that each gem on the necklace has significance to Veress’ life.  Looking from left to right, the plum shaped piece represents “ a life cut off suddenly” when he was forced to leave Hungary after the revolution in the 1950s, fleeing to the Netherlands.  The yellow is for hope, the red is love, black is war and revolution leading to tears, and orange is warmth and shelter that he has since found.  There were two other pieces that I really liked but unfortunately neglected to capture the names of the artists or the works.  One was a mesh-like maple leaf that flitted in the wind, surrounded by a bright red frame that perfectly matched Rich’s shirt.  The other was the tail of a whale as it plunged into a pool of actual water, which was perfectly set with the vineyards in the background.

The 13th Street Art Gallery holds rotating exhibitions highlighting different artists.  We saw more works from Floyd Elzinga including some stunning 3-dimensional landscapes made from scratched and etched steel to form mountain and lake scenes and intricate metal trees with sprawling branches and roots attached in the foreground to give the works depth.  We also liked the colourful palettes and thick layers of paint in the works of Carlo Amantea.

But one of the most surprising things “on sale” in the gallery was an old 1980s Mercedes-Benz SL Class that sat at the front of the display floor.  It was a beautiful vehicle in pristine condition with gorgeous red leather seats, and both a removable, interchangeable hard top and a soft top.  I had to ask whether this was an actual car that was for sale or some sort of artwork that I did not understand.  The owner of the gallery collected old cars and decided to sell this one.  It will be interesting to see what car might be on sale the next time we visit.

Finally before leaving the 13th Street Winery, we actually went to buy some wine.  Had we planned our timing better, we would have stayed for wine tasting and made reservations to eat lunch at the beautiful outdoor patio.  But we had just eaten a large breakfast and were on a schedule to get to our next stop while still making it home before the rush hour traffic crush.   Rich picked up a couple of bottles of the Cuvée Rosé NV and then we went to the bakery to buy some of what were touted as “Canada’s Best Butter Tarts” to bring home.  They were extremely good butter tarts and very close but not quite matching our favourites (Madelines in Stratford, Ontario), although what people like in butter tarts is really subjective.

Our last stop before heading home was Grimsby, Ontario where Grimsby Beach used to be a Methodist meeting ground and campsite for religious gatherings from 1859 to 1875. Worshipers would camp overnight with their tents to listen to preachers during the day.  The area was known as “Chautauqua of Canada”.  At the centre of a circular park named Auditorium Circle, a memorial cairn with plaque marks the spot of the first  Methodist Camp meeting held in 1859.  It was erected to mark the centennial of that event.  In the aptly named “Bell Park” sits a bell that was originally meant for the Grimsby Temple, built in 1888 to sit in the middle of Auditorium Circle but since demolished.  At 1577 pounds, the bell was too heavy for the temple and instead was placed in the park where it rang to call people to worship, or as an alarm in case of fire.

By 1875, organizers began building Victorian Gingerbread-trimmed summer cottages to house the worshippers.  These sweet structures had ornate trim and mouldings, gable accents, decorative railings and some had double-decker porches.  The cottages encircled Auditorium Circle and also lined Temple Lane and were given cute names such as “Dunworking” and “It’ll Do”.  Over the next century, the houses fell into disrepair and many were destroyed.  In 1986, Ed Giernat purchased and restored one of the original cottages, painting it with bright colours to bring character back to it.  After that, many of his neighbours asked for similar treatments to be applied to their homes, resulting in a group of homes that are affectionately known as “The Painted Ladies”.

The vivid colours and cute décor can be found not only on the Gingerbread cottages but also on fences in the front or back yards and on garages and tool sheds.  Even the “free little library” box is decorated in the same style as the houses, with ornate trim, bright purple paint and embellished with a vintage plate, mug and tea pot.  These vibrant, whimsical houses have become a tourist attraction and a reason to stop by Grimsby.

Niagara on the Lake 2021: Day 2 - Niagara Glen, Downtown, Peller Estates

 

The second day of our Niagara on the Lake vacation started with a leisurely breakfast at our rented home before we bid goodbye to our first day’s house guests and planned to go for a long hike prior to welcoming our next guests.  We drove to the Niagara Glen Nature Reserve, located on the Niagara Parkway just south-west of the Botanical Gardens and Flower Clock.  Situated in the Niagara Gorge, the glen has 4 kilometers of short hiking trail loops and paths that lead down steep, rocky terrains, through Carolinian forests and past varying flora and fauna towards the Niagara River whose waters pick up speed as you get closer to the Whirlpool.  As we walked along the top of the Glen, we could look down upon the gorge, across the blue-green waters of the Niagara River to see the cliffs on the American side.

To get down to the hiking trails, we had to descend a steep set of metal stairs with multiple landings where you could look directly down through the metal grates to see the bottom.  Note to self .. don’t do this if you are not fond of heights!  Once we reached the bottom of the stairs, we could follow the Cliffside Trail, marked by yellow plaques with the image of a mollusk shell, perhaps representing fossils that might be found in the rock-faces. As indicated by its name, this trail took us past overhanging cliffs, prehistoric geological formations, ledges and crevices, and down large stone steps that challenged the strength of my knees.  I was thankful that I had prepared for this trek by wearing my hiking boots and bringing my walking poles.  The grip on my footwear kept me from slipping on the uneven steps and I used one of my poles to help support me as I descended the steep-rising steps, not designed for people with short legs.

This trail eventually connected with the River Trail (marked by aquamarine plaques with the image of waves), which would follow the Niagara River as it descended towards the water’s edge.  The terrain on the River Trail changed dramatically as the rock climbing ceased and we were now hiking through woodlands from which we could first only glimpse and then clearly see the river getting closer and closer to us until eventually we reached the bottom.  We had wisely followed the trail in the direction away from the whirlpool, so the water was calm and clear and warm to the touch.  There was a trail going the other way towards the whirlpool, but we had been warned that it was considered “difficult” while the trails we were on were merely “moderate”.  It did not help that the symbol on the plaques for the whirlpool trail was also a “black diamond” which sounded scary and reminded me of the ski hill that I once accidentally arrived atop of.  We had already spent 3 hours at the Glen so we decided against trying the Whirlpool trail on this hike.  The next time we come back, we will consider taking the Whirlpool Trail first while we are not yet tired, and also try some of the other interior trails that have more cool rock formations on them.

We retraced the steps of the River Trail to head back towards our starting point, and continued closer towards the Whirlpool, watching as the currents picked up speed.  As we did so, we continually spotted the Whirlpool Jet Boats that we saw the previous day , moored at their launching point at the northern point of Niagara on the Lake.  It was fun watching the jet boats motor through the rapids, doing quick violent spins to deliberately cause waves to crash onto the boat as it lurched precariously.  I suppose this was fun for the occupants of the boat as well or they would not have paid for this experience, but I was happy to witness it from my nice dry perch.

Following this terrific hike, we stopped by The Pie Plate in Virgil to pick up some sandwiches for lunch and a blueberry-cherry pie that we planned to share with Dave and Virginia, our house guests for the second night.  While waiting for them to arrive, we ate our sandwiches in the lovely backyard of our rental home.  Our plan was to tour the historic downtown of Niagara on the Lake and originally we considered walking the 45 minutes (and back!) from our home.  But after the exertion spent in the morning, we decided it would be preferable to drive.  We wanted to get a closer look at Fort Mississauga, which we quickly cycled past the day before and spotted what reminded me of “lawn roombas”—remote controlled lawn mowers roaming up and down a mini slope.

Walking west on Queen Street, we had the southern edge of the golf course on one side and beautiful houses on the other.  One gated mansion had Doric columns leading up to a pediment in the front, two levels of large verandas on the side, and a giant water fountain topped by a sculpture of a woman pouring water out of an urn, all surrounded by a gorgeous array of pink hydrangea flowers.  Other homes were more in the Gingerbread style with the ornate wood trims and the wicker furniture on the porch, making me imagine that little Winthrop from the Music Man would come running out at any minute.

Walking along the boardwalk that borders the northern boundaries of the Niagara on the Lake Golf Club, we spotted a gigantic fish that seemed to be dead since it was bobbing just below the surface of the water near the rocky shore.  But after watching it for a while we saw its tail flick as it swam away, so possibly it was feeding on something under water.   We arrived at the remnants of Fort Mississauga, the former barracks, guard room and cells of a fort built around 1815 as a replacement for Fort George.  Its strategic location allowed it to serve as defense against any actions from the American Fort Niagara located directly across the river.  A square brick defensive tower with star-shaped earthwork, it was manned until 1870 and is the last remaining example of this type of fortification in Canada.

Just off the main drag of historic Niagara on the Lake, we visited the Voices of Freedom memorial which opened in November 2018 to commemorate the town’s Black history and celebrate the 225th anniversary of the Act Against Slavery law of 1793 which made it illegal to bring enslaved people into Upper Canada.  The memorial includes a long “Freedom Pathway” leading to a “Communal Circle” comprised of metal cutouts representing Black men, women and children who endured slavery and strived for freedom.  Two large curved steel panels flanking the Freedom Path are etched with the names “Solomon Moseby” and “Chloe Cooley”.  Moseby was a Kentucky slave in 1837 who stole his master’s horse and fled to Niagara on the Lake in Ontario to live as a free man.  When his owner tracked him down and tried to retrieve him, a riot broke out allowing him to escape again.  Chloe Cooley was a slave held in Fort Erie, Ontario who was beaten and tied to a boat which carried her across the Niagara River to be sold in the United States.  Witnesses to this incident petitioned the Executive Council of Upper Canada, leading eventually to passing of the Act Against Slavery law.  The website for the Voices of Freedom memorial includes a historic Niagara on the Lake Black History Walking Tour. 

After our tour of downtown Niagara on the Lake, we returned to the house to dress for our dinner at the Peller Estates Winery and Restaurant.  We had wanted to dine at a winery restaurant as part of our trip after a previously successful meal at the Trius Winery Restaurant.  Peller is known for its beautiful setting and elegant restaurant with chandeliers that aptly looked like a bunch of grapes.  

The outdoor patio overlooked the lovely property but would have been chilly as the evening set, so we chose a table inside.  Trying to fill out the COVID survey was a bit of a challenge as there was a glitch in their app that required the hostess to intervene each time, causing a bit of a backlog as diners waited to enter.

Rich and I found the food to be good but nothing special, especially having dined the night before at Ruffino's Italian Restaurant and Pasta Bar which we really enjoyed for its fresh, locally sourced ingredients.  For example we had a version of the tomato salad both nights and the tomatoes and cheese from Ruffino’s won hands down.  It might have been a matter of pre-conceived expectations which were non-existent for Ruffino’s so we were pleasantly surprised, but were extremely high before coming to Peller.  At Peller, I had their signature dish of Lobster linguini with black truffle, handmade pasta, icewine poached lobster, smoked backon and chardonnay cream.  It was tasty but needed more sauce for my taste (although I almost always would like more sauce), and for the price, it could have had more lobster.  Rich had the wild salmon with asparagus, garden peas, yellow beets, chanterelles, wheat berries and a Chardonnay Soubise (onion-based sauce) and I coveted all the vegetables that he got with his meal.  Rich and our friends enjoyed a nice bottle of Riesling with their meals. For dessert, we had an ice wine chocolate ganache bar with ginger shortbread, a raspberry compote and candied chili.

This ended our mini two-night stay at Niagara on the Lake.  We would check out of our rental home the next day and head back to Toronto, with two interesting stops along the way.