Toronto Uncovered

I have always loved to travel. Last year at this time, I was in full preparation mode for my first solo trip to Brazil and Argentina. Since I had decided to go it alone (and South America has the potential of being a little dangerous) I chose to go with Toronto-based travel company GAP Adventures.

If you’re looking an escape, set your sights South of the equator. I say this for a couple of reasons: First of all, our Winter is their Summer so it is hot hot hot! Second, it’s far less expensive than anywhere in Europe, the US or Mexico. And third, it’s way cooler than going to the Dominican or Cuba (which are fine choices, but don’t offer much in the way of an adventure).

I would return to South America in a heartbeat. Our trip kicked off in Rio, which delivered an instant infusion of Brazilian culture: warm, beautiful and passionate.  It is a city that loves good food, loud music and vibrant parties. From Rio, we took a bus trip to Paraty (pronounced Par-a-chy), a small village surrounded by lush mountains and five interconnected beaches. The cobblestone streets of Paraty are lined with restaurants, tourist shops and outdoor markets. During the day, tourists take a short bus ride through the mountains to the beaches, rent boats, or charter a private tour of the surrounding islands. When the sun sets, they wander the streets, entertained by buskers and filled with cake from passing carts. It is truly a great escape. Our last stop in Brazil was Iguassu Falls. This is the site with the most waterfalls in one spot, with upwards of 275 drops . I wouldn’t recommend spending more than a day or two here, because aside from the falls visit there isn’t a whole lot to do or see.

Buenos Aires, known as ‘The Paris of the South’, was the first and only location we visited in Argentina. I’m a true city girl.  I love getting lost wandering among unfamiliar streets lined with architectural masterpieces. I felt instantly at home in Buenos Aires and wish I had been able to spend more than 1 night. Like Brazil, they love their beef buffets. I had never seen more meat lined up and ready to devour. Needless to say, I spent my only night there eating, drinking and comparing travel notes. The next morning, I walked along their pedestrian only street, Calle Florida, picking up trinkets for friends and family at home. I was surprised at how inexpensive the shops were.

If you’re thinking of heading down South, here are some tips:

1. The sun down there is intense. Make sure you take lots of high SPF sunscreen and reapply like mad.

2. GAP guides often have deals worked out with a lot of the local restaurants. This is both good and bad. Good in that they know with places to take you to that serve quality food. Bad in that they are often expensive, touristy and not really indicative of authentic dishes.

3. Hit at least 1 proper Brazilian or Argentinian buffet. If you like meat, you won’t be disappointed (cheese and wine infused beef = died and gone to heaven).

4. Brazil’s national drink is called the Caprihina. It is made with their national liquor cachaca and lots of lime and sugar. If made properly, it is delicious and extremely potent. Drink with caution.

5. Buy your Haviana sandals from the markets and make sure you bring your best bargaining skills!

Haven’t taken a trip to the windy city yet? Get a move on! Last weekend I toured Chicago for my first time with a couple of good girl friends. It was a girls trip through and through, filled with shopping, eating, dancing and laughing. It was truly a whirlwind of activity, without a minute of downtime to spare.

For anyone thinking about taking a trip to Chicago below is my itinerary, hopefully it inspires you:

Friday:

Friday night we went to a Mexican resto-bar called Mercadito to start our trip with some seriously potent margaritas. This is the only bar I have ever been to where there were full bottles of tequila on the tables and shots as big as my head. Ummm, Awesome! Needless to say, a great way to start off any night!

Post margaritas, mojitos and tequila shots, we made our way to a club called Crescendo. Crescendo reminded me of Embassy (the old System Soundbar). Had we been in Toronto, I would probably have scoffed at the half naked girls dancing on platforms, the mirrors that lined every wall and the wanna-be, wished-it-was “house music”. I find I am far less picky as an out-of-towner and danced to the poorly mixed beats nonetheless. We had fun, but unless you really like the cheesy club scene, it wouldn’t be top on my list.

Saturday:

On Saturday afternoon we went to the Park Hyatt’s NOmI Restaurant in search of some over priced, high-end burgers (aka The Twenty Dolla’ Burger). Unfortunately, this particularly delectable item was no longer on the menu, forcing us to select other over-the-top munchies instead. We ’settled’ for ‘The Park’ (which is basically a chicken avocado club), an order of Kobi Beef sliders and mini pulled pork sandwiches, served with salads and fried plantain chips. Nothing warms up your stomachs or your wallets quite like a swanky hotel lunch.

Chicago has no shortage of shopping. Whether you’re in search of a Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s or a smaller boutique, you’ll find something to suit your tastes and budget. I picked up some awesome boots from Bloomy’s and a great pair of pants from a boutique called Intermix (highly recommend checking this one out!).

Saturday night we decided to treat ourselves to a steak dinner at Epic, a trendy new restaurant spanning three floors. The top two were lined with booths and large round tables full of diners and daters, while the first floor, reserved for dancers, pumped out classic dance hits from the ’90s. The food was great, but definitely very rich. We ordered a spread of appetizers, most notably the sausage gnocchi and brazed scallops. We were also treated to light appetizers and deserts, compliments of the chef – I love when restaurants shower me with love in the form of free snacks!

After dinner we hit the clubs, and hit them hard. Since bars and clubs in Chicago are either open until 2 or 3 on Fridays and 4 or 5 on Saturdays (depending on their license), we had enough time to hit 3 post dinner spots. The first two, Lumen and Y Bar, were pretty loungy and reminded me of King Street West. The third club, Spy Bar, had much more of an after hours vibe, with DJs JJ Flores and Alex Peace cranking out well mixed house music. I wish I could remember more of the finer details, but all I can tell you is that I danced until I could literally not feel or move my feet any longer. And then it was time to tap out!

Sunday:

Sunday morning we dusted off our 48 hour hangovers, threw on our leggings (have i mentioned lately how much i love leggings?) and sat our danced-out asses down at Kitsch’n, a typical mid-western greasy spoon, comparable to Mel’s or Boom. Our meals were pretty basic but nonetheless delicious. Id suggest hitting this place up if you’re looking for a cheap and cheerful brunch spot.

Before catching our 6:30pm flight, we toured Millenium Park and ogled the beauty that is the Nugget. We even made it to the famous Art Institute of Chicago for a little culture. No matter how hungover and tired you are, this is a MUST! Plus, they have the coolest museum shop Ive ever been in – so many neat and interesting gadgets and doohickeys.

It has taken me 8+ days to get over the partying and sight seeing that was Chicago – truly a great city to visit!

Last night I was among the lucky bloggers and journalists in Toronto to receive an invite to a very intimate Inniskillin wine tasting.  The event was hosted in the back room of  Nancy’s Cheese at Dupont and Spadina, which provided  amazing cheese and a cozy atmosphere for us learn about the various wines that make up Inniskillin’s Winemaker Series.

I am definitely no wine connoisseur, but I do know what I like when it hits my pallet. Throughout the evening we tried four wines from the series and listened as Marketing Director, Scott Starra, regaled us with stories of Inniskillin’s past and present accolades.

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We started the tasting with a 2008 Two Vineyard Riesling. Unlike most Rieslings this particular blend was not overly sweet, but instead had strong notes of citrus, leaving a refreshed feeling in your mouth. If you like your Rieslings dry with higher acidity levels this is a great choice. It is also highly versatile for food pairings, going well with Asian, Thai and Indian dishes as well as squash soups.  Scott explained that if you are ever unsure of what to pair with a particular meal, a dry Riesling is a good choice as they often accent most flavours and foods.

Our second wine was a 2008 Three Vineyard Chardonnay, oaked in both French and American oak for a full robust bodied taste.  As with the Riesling, this Chardonnay was high in acidity, which is a common element in 2008 white wines because of the long, warm nights that summer was blessed with. I usually prefer an unoaked Chardonnay, however, found this one to be really tasty when paired a strong cheese  like the Roaring Forties Blue from Australia. You can also pair it with buttery foods like lobster, seafood, buttered popcorn (with truffle oil if you’re feeling swanky), and even turkey.

It was finally time to move onto the reds. While I enjoy my whites, I am a red wine girl at heart. I was thrilled to learn our first selection was a Pinot Noir. Maybe it stems from the scene from Sideways in which Miles gives a full description of the delicacy, sensitivity and temperament of the Pinot grape, or maybe its just because i have good taste, but Pinot has been high on my list of favourites for some time.

The 2007 Three Vineyard Pinot Noir owes its full body and distinguished tastes to the hot summer we had in 2007. If you’re looking for a mild Pinot, this is not for you. On the other hand, if you like your wines to have a little bit of attitude and be able to stand on their own this is a great choice.  In terms of pairings, Scott suggested anything with earthy mushroom flavours, pork, duck, or a good brie. I also liked it with the Blackburn cheese from Quebec that we sampled last night.

Our final vino of the soiree was a 2007 Cabernet Franc from Inniskillin’s Reserve Series. As with all wines from 2007, the Cab Franc was very full bodied, without being too strong or intrusive on the pallet.  I liked this wine a lot and since it is the only one we tried last night currently on the stands in the LCBO will definitely be picking some up for the holidays. Priced at $16.95 you’re getting a lot of value at a low cost. This wine is well paired with lamb, steak and grilled chicken as well as a strong well-aged cheese.

The first three wines featured will be hitting the shelves in the near future. If you’re not already familiar with the different wines Inniskillin and other Niagara region wineries have to offer, its high time you get acquainted. For more information on Inniskillin check out their Facebook page, including videos, interviews and recipes.

Growing up, apple picking was an annual tradition in the Morrison household. I used to love running up and down the rows of blossoming apple trees, plucking only the shiniest and ripest apples to catch my eye.  My brothers and I used to climb the larger  trees to get to the best, sun-kissed apples at the top.

I am happy to admit that not much has changed. Last weekend, some friends and I took a short road trip to Chudleigh’s apple orchards. Luckily, the weather was on our side – sun shining and not a cloud in the sky. This made for a                                       great escape from the city. Almost immediately, we returned to our childhood, lowered our already questionable maturity levels, and ran around the orchard picking apples of every variety we could find. We eventually tired our selves out and found a spot to lay in the sun and enjoy our surroundings.

Everyone left with a few bags of gorgeous apples, and some jams and other baked goods from the Chudleigh’s store. The best part of having all of these perfectly ripe apples is the inevitable baking to follow. Below are some delicious apple recipes I plan on trying out this week!

Apple Crisp Recipe via Roberts Place

Apple Stuffed Chicken Breast

Other Apple Recipes via Ontario Apple Growers