East Coast Daydream with Shirley

My friend Shirley, from A Bow for Mama, is taking over the blog today with a little trip to one of her favourite areas. Follow her daydream and visit a beautiful spot, and make sure to stop by her shop and see her amazing products!

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Hello captive audience, our sweet friend Margot allowed this Southern gal to take over her blog for a few minutes today and here is why. You see Margot and I have something in common; we both enjoy daydreaming of far off places. If you've been a reader here for any length of time, you know that a little part of Margot’s heart has found a permanent home in Newfoundland. (Oh, perhaps I should introduce myself. I’m Shirley. Margot and I "met" through the fabulous TSU A-List.)

My heart tends to wander a bit more, but has found a few favorites along the eastern coast of North America. If you love to dream, through Margot, about Newfoundland and its timeless beauty, then come along with me for a few moments as I talk about the places my heart longs for.

Once referred to as the "Crystal City" a favorite Northern destination for my husband and I is the charming city of Corning, New York. Relatively small for a city, it is jam packed with elements I am passionate about. Corning’s history dates back to the 1790’s, but the scope of the city has developed beautifully over time. Those passionate about American art and history will absolutely adore the Rockwell Museum of Western Art.

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The abundant collection of history offers a rare link to the past while another city museum pulls visitors to the future. Corning Museum of Glass (CMOG) is a must for travelers in south central New York. With exhibitions ranging from glass blowing techniques to stunning, intricate, even mind blowing works of glass art, CMOG is a fascinating destination.

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At times during a CMOG tour you will be walking on a second story, with a pane of Corning glass beneath your feet. (instead of traditional floor!) You will see folks below you, exhibits, and a gift shop, and you’ll be acting brave. (Silly, the glass is incredibly strong and completely trustworthy!) After exploring this beautiful little city you could travel to the nearby, stunning Watkins’s Glen or perhaps visit Finger Lakes Region for an afternoon of boating or wine tasting. You probably shouldn’t mix these two, but as you can tell, there’s something for everyone in this diamond in the rough.

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I dearly love the culture of Corning and all the beauty that surrounds it, but my heart also longs for the historical delight, Williamsburg, Virginia. Ah, what a neat place! In fact, I think it’s a place Margot would love. Beautiful in every season it hosts some of the finest glimpses of early North America. Talented men and women pose as early colonials in a full scale representation of the earliest colonies. You can see true-to-the-time brick laying, roof thatching, war reenactments and more. But if you’re not an avid history buff like me, you can always enjoy more modern tourist attractions. If you love all things spooky you might enjoy the witch trial plays that Williamsburg puts on from time to time.

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Still further south I must brag up my own home sweet home. If you’ve never visited Savannah, Georgia, you absolutely must come! Famous for history, culture, art and so much more, Savannah is truly the gem of the South. You will fall in love the moment your feet hit the cobblestone River Street or the first time you snack on a picnic lunch in one of our famous town squares! Savannah will be a big hit if you love historical architecture, beautiful homes and character galore.  Gorgeous, beautiful, stunning, are all too mild words for this breath taking city! 

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Dreaming yet?
Thanks Margot for letting me brag up my favorite locale's!

Camping... It's a park thing!

I work for Ontario Parks, as an Outdoor Educator. One of the problems of being a part of an operating park is that it is difficult to visit and learn from the styles and programs of other parks. This year I decided to take my summer student to a distant park, Samuel de Champlain Provincial Park, that has different but relevant programming (their program is much larger and they are doing programming that I aspire to at our little park). We were lucky enough to be able to camp during our stay, and take in a few of the sights while we were there:

 

 

 

We had a beautiful site, and it was a quiet park of the week so there weren't many people around. Upon our arrival there was a torrential downpour happening and we passed some time looking around the brand new museum/visitor centre. Once the rain stopped, we had a fire and some s'more making (more on that later :). And we even had time for a short trail - holy bugs!

It's been a really busy summer so far, so I was happy to fit this in! I know I have been neglecting my blog a little, and I'm sorry - lots on the go! However, I do have a few posts in the works, including some wedding updates! I hope everyone is doing well and enjoying their summer (or winter if you are below the equator!). See you soon!
xox

Wine Tour & New Friends

Last week I mentioned (here) that I was heading to the St. Catharine's area to present research at the 13th Canadian Congress on Leisure Research. Well my mom went with me, and we started off the trip with a wonderful wine tour. The tour company was Crush on Niagara Wine Tours, and our tour guides name was Jerry. We had such a fantastic time, and I learned a lot! I have always liked wine, and thought I preferred red, but I decided to try mostly white, because I didn't know much about it. And I loved it! I will tell you which I preferred later on.

Our first stop on the tour was the Henry of Pelham Family Estate. It was a beautiful place, where the tasting bar was decorated as an old wine cellar. This winery is owned and operated by the Speck Brothers. Their line of Sibling Rivalry wines are the most recent additions to their vintages (if you live in Ontario, you might have seen these in the LCBO).

 A little wine-cellaresque, don't you think?

 

 

 The whites lined up for me to taste! And for others also :)

 

 

 Mom, enjoying the Sibling Rivalry Rosé.

 

The next stop on our tour was Flat Rock Cellars, a new winery founded in 1999 they have an eco-conscious look at the production of wine.

The tasting bar and sales area is located high on a hill, overlooking the acreage.

 

And our final stop was Vineland Estates. A very well established, and much larger winery than the previous two.

 

My first taste of Icewine was at Henry of Pelham, but at Vineland I tried the Cabernet Sauvingnon Icewine, which is a pretty pink colour, and tastes of Strawberry-Rhubarb and warm spice.

Many people have weddings, or at least wedding photos taken at Vineland Estates, and you can tell why.

 

 So all in all, a lovely day, full of new experiences, tastes and friends!

And my favourite wine of the day? It's a tie between the Henry of Pelham Reisling and the Vineland Cabernet Sauvingnon Icewine. Each for very different purposes of course!

What is your favourite wine?