 Who doesn’t love a good cocktail? Toronto is full of bar’s serving up complicated and Instagram worthy cocktails that I’m always happy to order. Thing is, when I finally pick my poison off the drink menu, it magically appears completed before me and I have no idea what went into making it. I love hosting parties and our house even has its own little bar, but apart from serving up some super simple drinks (I’m talking rum and cokes, gin and tonics) and maybe some sangria, I have no idea what I’m doing.
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By this point, you know I like to enjoy a local brew or two whenever I’m visiting somewhere new. So many craft beer enthusiasts told me that I NEEDED to try Heady Topper from the Alchemist. I was excited about it! I was happy to have been able to have a delicious Heady Topper on a patio with dinner one night, but the actual brewery itself was closed on Sunday and Monday when we were in the area, what a bummer. It’ll have to be a stop for next time. (For those who don’t know, Heady Topper is a double India Pale Ale brewed in Stowe, it’s a whopping 8% but still goes down smooth with hints of citrus. It was voted the 4th best beer in the world this year by Beer Advocate, that’s a pretty big deal).  Prince Edward County is the latest getaway trend for us city folk. You have your choice of wineries, breweries, markets and hey, Countylicious is even starting soon! (April 6-29, countylicious.com). About a two and a half hour drive from Toronto (and a stop at the giant Apple) later, we pulled up to the beautiful Hayes Inn. It’s a beautiful grand colonial home that was built in 1838 and perfectly located. A short drive away will get you to Waupoo’s, Sandbank Provincial Park and downtown Picton. Oh, and did I mention the delicious locally sourced food that gets served up for breakfast? I’ve had everything from home made poptarts (I still dream about them) to Croque Madame’s. Also, full disclosure, the Inn may or may not be owned by one of my very best and talented friends. Who may or may not also own this blog. Anyway.   I love weekend getaways, I love travelling anywhere at any time, but sometimes my bank account doesn’t. I always try to find the best deals, track flight prices or look for promotions to ease my travel itch!
This is why one of my very favourite sites is TravelZoo.ca. I’ve signed up for their newsletter that I receive every Wednesday and I always really look forward to it. I’ve gotten a little more into wine recently and a Niagara on the Lake stay deal caught my eye. It was at the Pillar and Post Inn which is owned by Vintage Hotels. If you’re a frequent reader, you saw a few posts back that I had high tea at the Prince of Wales hotel which is also owned by Vintage Hotels, so I knew the quality would be great. I booked the deal for a Saturday night ($289, and you pay a resort fee of $15 per night at checkout. If you stay on a weeknight its $219). The nightly rate seems like a deal enough but this package included a 3 course meal for two at the CAA 4 diamond award winner Cannery restaurant attached to the Inn, winery passes and chocolate tasting at Reif Estate, two passes for an ice wine tasting at The Ice House winery, and some culinary samplings and product discounts at the NEOB lavender farm. Wow, right?  “We pour more beer in Canada than anybody else!” Carolyn Kerr said, leaning across the table so we could hear her over the DJ. “Is that true? Because I’m going to write about it!” I said, sipping my Rainhard Armed N Citra. “Oh, it’s totally true!” Carolyn Kerr is the day manager for the newest Craft Beer Market to pop up in Canada. This time it was on the east coast, near the financial district in downtown Toronto. “We have two locations in Calgary, one in Ottawa, Vancouver, and Edmonton…” she went on. Carolyn even picked up everything and moved from the Calgary location to run the Toronto restaurant/brew pub. “We’ve been training since July, feels good to finally be open”.
We thought the same. My friend Marc and I were thrilled to get an invite to check out Craft Beer Market before it officially opens to the public next week. Upon arrival we were told they have over 160 beers on tap (A manager at the door told me 75% of them are from local Ontario breweries, bonus points). The largest selection to choose from was on the main floor, pipes shot down from the ceiling into the large circular bar below, multiple bartenders buzzing away, filling pints and giving out recommendations. |
SarahHey! I'm Sarah! A 30 something living in downtown Toronto with a great guy and an OK dog. I love seeing what my city has to offer and try to hit up as many fun events or attractions as I can! I haven't slept since 2004.
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