food – Page 2 – A Pursuit of Life

When in Rome, attending your first honeymoon.

So your friends just so happen to be in Rome on the last leg of their honeymoon, which also happens to be on the same continent that you are on. You missed their wedding by one week in Canada as you were due to fly back to Spain. So what do you do?!

Well you buy a ticket and haul ass to Rome to make sure you don’t miss their honeymoon. I would think it’s only proper friend etiquette to congratulate the beautiful couple in person. Not only that but I also get another check off the old bucket list, my first honeymoon. Wait! Two checks off my bucket list. It was also my first time visiting Rome. Let’s also bare in mind that they had already been touring Italy for almost three weeks. Not to point out the obvious, but they do have the rest of their lives to romance the heck outta each other. It was not honeymoon crashing so to say. They were very excited to have me visit. A couple clicks on the computer later, and I was en route to Rome. It was that easy. Boom.

As they were staying in the area of Testaccio I wanted to make sure I was nearby – and I booked my hotel across the river in the trendy area of Trastevere. I was so pleased that it was an easy reach from the airport, literally just a 27 painless minutes train ride away. Which is pretty darn good. I have been in many other countries where it is not nearly that easy.

Having arrived a bit before check in, I ended up indulging in the most delicious Frappe of my life.

Smooth, creamy and darn delicious. Hello Rome! Your already charming me.

I checked in, got ahold of my newlywed friends, and it was go time. Let the Rome honeymoon adventures ensue. First thing was first, we all needed some grub. Some delicious Italian grub that is. When in Rome.

Pretty much every restaurant in Rome happens to be a Pizzeria, which means pizza and pasta. Everywhere you look, it’s another Pizzeria. Well I could already see I was in for Carb overload. Mind you, I already knew this trip was about celebrating, endless laughter, sightseeing, food and fine wine. It was all on. Options are fantastic, but too many can be daunting. Once we debated for a bit, we finally settled on a Pizzeria amongst all the Pizzeria’s.

I had to start with a Caprice salad, not only is it one of my all time favorites, but, as I am sure you and I both know, Italians make Mozzarella like none other.

I enjoyed every morsel. I also happen to love rocket! I could eat it every darn day. So that was pleasant surprise addition. After wards, it was onto the next best thing. Pasta! I rarely eat pasta. Yet, when in Rome, there is no ifs, ands or butts about it.

I was all over it, and so was Tyler. Madison tucked into a fine looking pizza. Thin crust is the way to go! In Italy, that is just how they do it. I ordered a mushroom fettuccini myself. Cooked to its perfect ‘Al dente’ perfection, with taste and texture that explodes with freshness and flavor. Winning!! We all know in Italy they have endless courses of food. Granted, meal times are also an event, that takes place over a period of hours. The salad and pasta hit the spot though!

After filling up on all that Italian goodness, it was time to see some sights. Rome is full of incredible sights, and epic history.

It was seriously scorching hot out. The three of us little Northern blooded Canadians were melting like crayons in the sun. Freaken heck it was hot. Hot, hot, hot. That pretty much sums it up. But we trooped on. Luckily, there is some darn good shopping in Rome, with sales everywhere, and shops that include air conditioning…. Trust me, I was not using the air con as an excuse to shop. Well not completely.

Don’t judge me, you would do it too, that air con would have sucked you right in.

We seen some stunning sights over the course of a couple hours, but I didn’t want to re-take Tyler and Madison to all the places they had already seen, as I had an extra day there on my own once they left. So I knew I would be on solo Petrena adventures that day, and taking myself all over the place. So after an afternoon of taking it all in, we headed back to that trendy area of Travastere to hit up happy hour. And happy it was, as the drinks flowed, so did the personality, and also the laughter.

It was nothing less then a kickass night. The next morning however, I felt as though I got kicked in the ass. The day was off to a slow start, as you can imagine we were all feeling a bit tender. It did happen to be our last day together, and that meant it was a must to go check out more sights, and we have big plans to do a full on Italian dinner event in the evening. Obviously working up an appetite was clearly a must. One of the coolest things in Rome is the fact that they have water fountains everywhere – with clean drinking water that you can either hydrate yourself or even splash yourself to cool down from the hot summer sun. I absolutely love that! Water for all. No one in Rome goes thirsty. The water is quite tastey too.

Although the slushies we sipped on later were also quite refreshing. Refreshing, but a bit too sweet, and I kept getting freaken brain freeze! I think I set a world record for how many times in a row a person can get brain freeze off one small slush.

Hightlight of the day: Getting personalized aprons. When Rome, and you see a apron shop – you get one! Simple pleasures. I absolutely love cooking, which would be why one of my other jobs is chefing. Now we will be the coolest hosts at any dinner party. No big deal. They also make great gifts.

The day had gotten away with us, and it was approaching dinner time very quickly. So we headed back to the apartment with Prosecco in hand(did I mention we were in Rome?!), in preparation for our dinner that was sure to be very memorable. Not before we had a photo shoot with our new aprons! As any classy ladies with with brand spanken new personalized aprons would do. Da Oio a Casa Mia, was the name of the dining establishment chosen. Madison had her eye on the place, so it was where we chose to dine. Table 38. That was us. We most certainly did make an event out of this dinner experience. Starting of course with water and wine. Who am I kidding….. Primarily wine. We tried every course, in proper Italian fashion. From beginning with bread, shaved meats, and mozzarella.
After which moved onto more perfectly delectable Al dente Pasta.

Honesty the pasta in Italy. That’s all I have to say.

Already feeling pretty stuffed, yet we had no choice but to troop on. Our main courses consisted of Lamb, Veal, and Italian meatballs with vegetables.

Umm, where are the stretchy pants when you need them?? We took our sweet ass time though. Sipped on our vino, had great chat, loved life, and then after it all, somehow squished in dessert.

An amazing end to my first honeymoon. Well I suppose it was all of our first honeymoon.

The next morning we caught up for a last Coffee and Croissant together on Italian soil before they hit the skies. The fact that I was even there with them was surreal from begining to end for all of us.

Once they left, ‘me time‘ adventures ensued. For hours! It was necessary, I needed the exercise by that point. But seeing as how I only had the day, I took in as many sights as I darn well could.

Yah I may have done this a few times. Making me nothing less then a sightseeing pro. And I walked the whole way! Boom.

Let’s not forget….. The Vegan gelato.. Being more of a vegetarian then a meat eater, it rocked my world! Rome is amazing. It’s incredibly rich and preserved history exudes a massive energy. And after missing Tyler and Madison’s wedding, it made Rome even more special to spend time with them there and congratulate them in person.

When in Rome: Attend your first honeymoon, take in the rich history, shop, eat fabulous food, drink incredible vino, and just be awesome. There is no other way.

Spontaneously, I woke up back in Spain.

As per usual Petrena style, I made the spontaneous decision to return to Spain for a bit. My other home. Palma de Mallorca, Spain. It seems I just can’t stay away for that long, it drags me back. Well, in all honesty it doesn’t take much dragging. Hello Palma!!

Holy man, first of all, the mid summer heat nearly did me in. My Arctic blood always has an interesting go at acclimatizing to the heat. Trust me, I am not in my most attractive state when I am sweating my ass off…. It’s a great way to detox your body. At least that is what I keep telling myself in order to power through. It’s a small price to pay though to be back in the one of the most epic places on this planet. Although summer is ridiculously busy on the island, and there are loads and loads of tourists – so I still prefer the winter here, however, I love it any and all times of year. It’s just undeniably amazing.

I also decided to bring my sweet ass Canadian made Lochside bicycle on the journey with me. I have traveled with quite an array of interesting things, from a massage table, to hoola hoops, and onward. This was my first time with a bicycle though. So packing it was also an interesting little feat.

Yet with some bubble wrap, tape, and some help from my awesome friends after a few glasses of vino, she was pulled together quite well. I even used a piece of rope to make a handle(which ironically was very handy). She made it though! Intact(well just a couple bumps and scrapes) and equally as excited for the Mallorca experience.

We were greeted by one of my best friends, and a fab wine and cheese spread. Let me just say, I am beyond happy I brought my bike, we just rock these bike paths together. She really is just such a smooth ride. It helps that the island is built for cycling, and there are loads of bike paths all over the place. I knew I wouldn’t regret bringing her along. My piece of home that I get to share with my other home.

Coming home Palma always also means one thing(among many). Catching up with my awesome friends. With time away, the excitement to catch up is always building.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder. Absence also creates in-between adventures, which in turn creates loads to talk about. Never a dull freaken moment. Between catch ups, cycling, and visiting my favorite restaurants, with Vintage(pictured below) in the trendy area of Santa Catalina being one of my all time favorites, I have been kept very busy.

I even had a quick trip up to Northern Spain, where I was able to have another reunion.

And while I was there, a visit Santiago De Compostela.

A place full of mucho history, it’s a beautiful area.

There is a well known pilgrimage called the Comino de Santiago, which takes about a month to complete. I have wanted to do it for years, more so for the fact that I want to say I have completed a month tour by foot. Santiago De Compostela is where the pilgrimage ends. So you see loads of happy people with their backpacks, exuding satisfaction at what they have just completed. Being there and seeing that reinforced inside me that I want to do the walk. And I will indeed.

I also checked out the little town of Poio. It is a small place with nothing too major to see. However it is still rich in history, and I fell in love with it’s little old town. It came out of nowhere. We went from a quiet lunch and streets of not much.

To jam packed little old town streets. In the matter of a turn of a corner.

I loved the atmosphere it had. Until it started raining. And then I was soaked. I love playing in the rain, I will dance in it, put on my swimsuit and love life in it. I just wasn’t equipped with the proper footing for it at that moment. However it was a memorable area.

Oh Spain. I absolutely adore you. Your just so darn fantastic. Not a bad place to wake up to – if I do say so myself.

Cheese tasting, drive in movies, and serious classy camping. All in a days road trip.

Even though being immersed in all those British Columbia winery’s was absorbing my attention. I still was up for checking out anything and everything else that popped up along the way and peaked my interest. So, needless to say, in my world that leaves the options pretty wide open – as I can find entertainment in almost anything. I absolutely feel lucky in that sense, as I am not easily bored. I can make an adventure outta thin air if need be.

Being such an avid wine lover, you can only guess what else I love. It pairs perfectly with vino, and I admit it – I am a self proclaimed addict……. Cheese. Glorious freaken cheese. I love it. Except for blue cheese. I know, I know, it’s known for being a refined tasting cheese. Sorry though. I may be a classy lady with refined taste buds, yet, I have tried to acquire the taste for it on numerous occasions. Alas, it still just tastes pungent and moldy to me. Who knows maybe one day my taste buds will change, as they get older, they will also like older cheese perhaps.

However, that aside, the Salmon Arm area also has some excellent cheese farms! Among plenty of other things. I absolutely love the Salmon Arm area, almost as much as cheese. This was my first time back since I went house boating in the Shuswap when I was 13.

Well I do believe with all that being said it’s pretty obvious there is no possible way I could pass up a cheese farm tour. I was in need of something to cleanse my palette between all that vino sampling as it was.

I ended up choosing Grass Roots Dairy Farm to venture off too. Not for any particular reason, it’s just the one I decided to pull into. OK, well that isn’t entirely true…. I remembered reading a pamphlet about it, and the fact that it said they pride themselves on their grass fed cow’s, really is what peaked my interest. Long behold I was cruising down the highway and stumbled across the sign for Grass Roots. The sign said cheese farm, and I said GO! For some reason I kept missing the darn turn off though, so 2 U-turns later, and I finally got er!

What??? It was a small turnoff. You would have done the same. Trust me. Once off the highway and onto the little dirt roads, I easily found it.

You can see how eager she was for me to sample some of that queso.

It’s a quaint little farm, with some top notch cheese production. Mainly producing various types of Gouda, they have also incorporated Maasdammer into their array, which is a Dutch Swiss style of cheese. I sampled them all. One by one.

They had loads of other products on offer as well, from milks, to preserves, and on wards.

Every little cheese morsel I tasted was divine, literally, not simply because I love cheese. They were really really good – and fresh!

After my sample sesh, I got all settled in on a chair in the back room and sat to watch a little 10 minute informational video about how their cheese comes into production – while at the same time getting a prime view of the guys working hard creating the good stuff. If your there you mine as well take it all in. I was like a little sponge, eager to absorb all the cheesy info.

After a stunner of a day wining and dining myself in true taste tester fashion, there was only one way to finish off my ‘take yourself on a date day‘ and that was to take myself to the drive in movies! The Starlight Drive-in Movies, in Enderby, BC, approximately 20 minutes outside Salmon Arm. It’s one of the very few drive in movie theaters in Canada, so there is no way I couldn’t go.

I got there nice and early so I could get a prime spot and got all settled it. Literally, like 2 hours early. Tick tock, tick tock.

You can either sit in your car and listen to the movie tuning in over the radio, or you can bring some chairs and sit outside your car where you can hear it over the loud audio system. It get’s jam packed! So getting there early is a good plan. They play two movies a night, both are included in the one price, and this night it was Minions, and Jurassic Park. It was actually super enjoyable, and one of those novelty activities to partake in. Fun for the whole family.

Gosh I am good at taking myself on the best dates ever. Not to boast. I just happen to nail it every darn time.

So that being a long day of epic and random adventures, it was time to find a place to get my beauty sleep. Instead of picking a Bed & Breakfast this time, I remembered I had seen there just so happen to be a random tent in the trunk of my car. No idea where it came from – a mystery tent. Didn’t matter though, I figured I would switch up my accommodations and book a campsite. I do love camping. I picked up some supplies and then was off the pitch my tent at the campgrounds I booked into.

Was I ever in for a treat.

Note to self: the next time you decide to book a campsite and use a random tent that is sitting in your trunk, DO first open it up to check it out and make sure it has all its proper pieces, and is possibly made of some nice and quality material, not your everyday dollar store disposable tent.

So after some struggling, and wondering if I was going to be able to even make anything out of this pile. Not to mention, almost diving under the picnic table out of sheer embarrassment anytime people came by and seen my ball of mess(and me looking like a total novice), I was able to Jimmy rig it to as luxurious of a tent as I possibly could.

Barefoot & High heeled, prepared for a little bit of everything and more. I did sleep pretty darn good though. Although I was happy to ditch the tent for a nice bed in Revelstoke the next night after I did some hiking at Herold Provincial Park, where I checked out their wonderful little waterfalls. Being in the forest is also my kinda stomping grounds, most of my childhood was spent out in the bush, so I feel so at peace when I am in it. The waterfalls may be small, but they were big in beauty.

And let’s not forget the pit stop I made at the Crazy Creek Suspension Bridge, where there was also some sweet little waterfalls with stunning green water flowing down them. Also located there is a resort if you feel as though you want to kick back for a couple days.

Oh, and there were a couple more random unplanned wine tastings thrown into the mix. It’s not my fault there are vineyards everywhere. Twist my rubber wine loving arm why don’t yah?!

Next destination on my list was one of my favorite places EVER. Golden, BC. Are you ready?

Wining and dining on the deck.

Do you ever just get the urge to prepare a beautiful, healthy, love filled dinner at home? Well I know I do. As it often does – the mood to hang out with my little inner chef struck me. So I did what any person would do in that situation; I voyaged straight to the grocery store to stock up on some goodies to wow myself with.

Nothing too fancy and crazy. Just a nice veggie dish is what I was feelin’. In my mind I had decided I would make a Veggie Lasagna, accompanied with a Roasted Spaghetti Squash and Quinoa side dish. Once I was done perusing the store I ended up with Zucchini, Spinach, Sweet Potato, Eggplant, Spaghetti Squash, Ricotta, and some Tomato paste. Upon returning to my little Zen pad, I opened the deep freeze and took out some northern mushrooms, that were literally picked in my back yard. Ummmm, did I mention – they are darn delicious!! Every time I return to Northern Canada, I always look forward to chowing on some delectable local mushies. I Grabbed the quinoa from the cupboard, and was ready to rock and roll. In order to do that though I needed music, so I got some toe tappin’ tunes going. Music always makes things more fun. I can’t imagine my every day life without it.

There is nothing like eating healthy. It just makes your mind, body, and soul, so freaken happy and rejuvenated. Fueling my body to be it’s best.

Prior to my prep work I cut the Spaghetti Squash in half, drizzled olive oil on it and a wee bit of sea salt, and put er’ in the oven to roast, while also getting the quinoa cooking. I sliced up all the veggie’s, after which I salted the zucchini slices to get some of the water out of them. Otherwise it all comes out when it’s baking, and then you have to drain it, and well, with that also drains flavor…. So yes, I salted those bad boys and let them sit for a bit before I dried them with paper towel.

I spread tomato paste on the bottom of the baking dish, and started to layer the vegetables, adding a nice layer of ricotta cheese in the middle.

I made two layers of each veg, drizzled it with olive oil and topped it with a bit of grated marble cheese.

Swapped out the squash from the oven with the veggie dish.

Baked it at 400 degrees for about an hour – and Voila!! Behold a veggie lasagna.

I was having issues getting the sweet potato to stay on the top as the dish wasn’t quite deep enough. I pulled it together the best I could though. As you do.

Front deck ambiance? Or back deck ambiance? Decisions, decisions. After a coin toss with myself, it was front deck action that was in order. I checked my watch, and it just so happened to be Wine O’clock. Well look what time it is?? Being known for always being prepared for anything, I had a wine for exactly that time. The wine of choice was of course Canadian, as I always drink locally no matter where in the world I am.

The wine was a delightful Pinot Grigio, with notes of peach and apple, and the name was literally Wine O’clock. One of the best times, if I do say so myself.

I set the table, and it was show time!

Who needs to go for dinner when you got it all in your own yard. What time are you coming over?

Healthy treat anyone? A day with my dehydrator.

Putting healthy and whole food in my body is just something I can not live without. If you don’t love your body, it ain’t gonna love you back. True story.

I am a huge believer in treating myself and my body as good – if not better as I treat other people. It is so easy for us to go above and beyond for others, yet in the midst of it all, we often times never take the time to do it for ourselves. I take myself of dates, I spoil myself, and I treat myself. In return my body glows with vitality, health and happiness. I encourage other’s to do these exact things for themselves all the time.

So it is no surprise that I have some of the best times ever preparing healthy treats for myself.

I had a craving. A craving for something sweet, crunchy, healthy, and ridiculously simple; Not the first time I have found myself in this situation.

Looking all inviting on my counter was the dehydrator. It wanted to be used, and I wanted to use it.

Not to mention, I had a bag of green apples that also needed to be used. So I set up my little station, grabbed a few super easy ingredients, and set off to continue being awesome and make an awesome and delicious snack at the same time.

Actually, let me start from the top again. I turned on some Spanish guitar music to serenade myself with – and right before I was off to the dehydrated apple chip races; I found myself in dire need of some thirst quenching and soul soothing sustenance for my ‘me time’ kitchen adventures – SO I made a superb(if I do say so myself) ‘party in your mouth’ kinda green juice. Pure veggie happiness. Once I was all equipped and ready to rock and roll – it was time to get this show on the road.

Luckily I wasn’t in any sort of rush for this snack….. Or considering the fact that I was using the dehydrator; The waiting process could have became very painful, and quite hungry.

After I gave the apples a good little scrub and dry, I proceeded to slice em’ up. This knife was not the best tool for the job, but I am settling back into life in Canada, so not as equipped as I normally would be. Desperate times call for desperate measure, and sometimes it’s just whatever gets the job done.

After I finished slicing the apples, I poured some Apple Cider Vinegar over them. I love ACV, and it has myriads of health benefits.

Then I sprinkled a generous amount of Cinnamon on top.

And, last but not least, liquid Stevia – for a little none blood spiking, calorie free, added sweetness.

Gave er a good stir to get the apples all coated, and gracefully placed them in the racks of the dehydrator, sealed it up, and turned it on.

6 hours into the whole process, I opened it up and turned the apples to make sure they were evenly dried.

And boom! 6 more hours after that – and I had me some tasty raw apple chips. Not sure it can get much simpler then this. Just a few easy ass ingredients, a bit of love, 12 hours, and happy snacking days!!

The sun was shining, and the weather was darn sweet. Since it was 12 hours later – it was time to treat myself to another daily veggie juice, and, well, a ‘me time’ date on my back deck. One of my favorite pastimes.

Some of the best adventure’s are in the middle of Africa – and others are in your own back yard. Literally!

Tantalizing my taste buds with market perfection;)

It was one of those days where I had a craving for some fresh food and Spanish market ambiance. After gathering the troops and getting a meeting point sorted, I was off to Mercat de l’Olivar, to indulge in some fresh seafood, and in addition to that of course, some very tasty Vino.

I love the fact that it is winter and the market is remarkably empty, in such a way that you can actually walk around it and even better than that, ‘find seats’!!
In the summer it just gets chaotic, and because of that, it can kind of lose the charm it has in the quieter winter months, where you can actually move and not get claustrophobic;)

We ended up at a little place called, Bar del Peix, well I didn’t actually pick it, it was my friends choice, yet cu-do’s to her, as it was a fabulous choice. Funny enough I made a pit stop to the ladies room, and upon my arrival there was a weigh scale welcoming my entrance. I suppose that is one way to make sure you keep your portions in control, as the food is pretty ridiculously awesome;) Only in Spain….. I love Spain, and its randomness. Well hello there Mr. Weight scale, it’s not everyday a public bathroom comes equipped with one of those bad boys.

After jumping on the scale(isn’t that what it’s there for?!) to make sure I had some room to spare for some tasty splurges, I set route back to the market stall we chose to dine at. At which point we ordered up, and preceded to feast on mussels, calamari, a little seafood mixture in a tomato based sauce, sardines(one of my personal favorite’s of all time at any Spanish market ), and last but not least fresh bread with olives. Mmmmmm, did I happen to mention how much I love a good ol’ mussel?! not just on my men, but also on my plate;)

Everything was spot on. You could taste the freshness of it, nothing was chewy or stringy, just tender and melt in your mouth delicious. They offer 1/2 orders or full orders of most dishes, but most things are so good that you start with a 1/2 order just to be classy and then end up ordering another half anyway. Oops!!! – Yes, and maybe I am referring to the mussels…..

I have to say the service we received was also fantastic and friendly, and at this establishment they leave the bottles of wine right in front of you for you to help yourself, no need to order a whole bottle, just order a glass and get in there! And that we did. Yes Sir, that is exactly what I was after to wash my tasty cuisine down with. Thank you very much. My kind of establishment!

I would say if you wake up and find yourself in Mallorca, then take yourself on a date or amuse a group of friends – head to the Mercat de l’Olivar, and treat yourself to a culinary and cultural experience. Happiness is guaranteed to ensue. That just so happens to be an above average day if you ask me!

Inspiring myself in Barcelona:)

I decided to take myself on a little trip to Barcelona. And it definitely did not disappoint, in fact, it was nothing less than super impressive. From appreciating the work of Gaudi and his masterpieces that are now world heritage sights, to enjoying history a plenty at different museums, fabulous restaurants and nightlife, cafes, markets, and plenty of monuments. There is a certain unmistakeable energy to the city, and something for everyone. A few of the highlights for me on this particular ‘take yourself on a date day’, would absolutely begin with relishing in the work of Gaudi.

His work was influenced by what were his passions in life, Architecture, Nature, and Religion. I am absolutely drawn to his style and flare, and all the beautiful colours he incorporated into his magnificent creations. Park Guell, constructed between 1900-1914, and was originally built as a commercial housing site, yet was unsuccessful, and is now a municipal garden. It is astounding in its architecture and artistic beauty. A perfect place to get some creative inspiration while appreciating Gaudi’s work.

Another very interesting Gaudi piece is the Sagrada Familia, this was his final project, and what his last years were devoted too. It is his personal rendition of Gothic Architecture. He was never able to see the project through, and it is still not finished, with the completion date expected to be 2026. It just so happens to be the most visited sight in Barcelona.

Of course after all this sightseeing, and historical time trip, I worked up an appetite! So off I went to the famous Barcelona market, ‘La Bouqeria’, and all its splendor. Its colourful, packed with people, has endless wonderful, awe-inspiring things to tantalize your taste buds, and your eyes with. Everything laid out so proud and perfectly, it’s a postcard in itself.

There are plenty of little restaurants all over, where they prepare market fresh food right before your eyes. Decisions, decisions. I finally picked one, and it’s really because they had in impeccable selection of fresh mushrooms that caught my eye. I love mushrooms! Especially when they are sautéed in fine olive oil, and well especially when I am in Barcelona;) Not a bad backdrop to add to the culinary experience. I ended up getting fresh sardines, mushrooms, and some bubbly to wine and dine myself with. It’s always best to treat yourself just as good, if not better, as if you were treating someone else. Yup that’s right, some of the best dates I have been on, are the ones I have taken myself on.

All in all, Barcelona is one of my favorite cities, and this was only ‘one’ of the magical days I was so fortunate to enjoy. Happy sightseeing days! And that it was;)

That’s a Catch!!:)

When in the Northwest Territories Capital city of Yellowknife, a must stop for some incredible ‘Fish & Chips’ is Bullock’s Bistro. Located in the Old Town, in an old building full of character, run by a very friendly and talented chef named Andre, it is one of my absolute favorite restaurants. Ever. 🙂 Any time I am back in home in Northern Canada, and in YK, I make it a point to go and eat there.

What are you waiting for?! Come on in!

It is by no means a high end restaurant, its more of a relaxed environment, where you can just chill out, take a load off and give your tastebuds a run for their money. You can help yourself to the drink fridge, unless its a Alcohol filled beverage you are after, in which case you will have to ask for assistance. There is a tiny patio outside as well, where in the summer you can enjoy the ambiance of the outdoors while deliting your palate.

It’s considered a bit pricey by some, with a fish and chip meal begining at about $26, but the fish is fresh from the ‘Great Slave Lake’, and you get a good portion, with fresh cut chips(not sure if he picked the potatoes himself tho, a salad, and ridiculously delicious hot out of the oven buns. On a day where the reel won’t stop turning, and there are lots of good catches, you can be lucky enough to have the wide array of options that consist of Whitefish, Cod, Pike, Trout, Pickerel, and Arctic Char.

I don’t know, but I do not mind paying the price for the quality, and freshness. It is well worth it.

One thing Bullock’s in known for is their secret sauce they make, that you pour on your fish. It truly is delicious!! Hmmm, and as would everyone else, I want to know what’s in it!! They also have a really delicious home made feta dressing for the salad, which I thoroughly enjoyed! 😉 All these little touches just add to the dining experience. If you want to get into the true spirit of visiting this little Bistro, then you can grab a pen and leave your mark on the wall. The whole place is covered in people’s markings;) So of course I got right in there!! Gotta keep the traditions rollen on!:)

Make sure you go there with an appetite and sweat pants. Cause you are gonna leave full and your top button of your pants undone. Yes, if you want a truly nothern experience, in a way that you don’t have to physically go out and catch some fish yourself(although, that’s always fun too!), then ‘Bullock’s Bistro’ is a great choice, and will provide you with nothing less then a memorable experience. DeeeeLish!!

Copenhagen by quick storm;)

It was a whirlwind 1 night stop in Copenhagen while I was on route back to my home and native land of Canada for this month long visit:) So of course you have to make the most of it. I have always wanted to see Copenhagen, and this was a good chance to get a little sneak peak around the place. I rented a little hotel room near to the airport, and enjoyed a bit of my evening. Then the next morning once I was up and attem, I was ready to head downtown and see a few sights before I had to fly out again. I hopped on the bus, and off I went. Yup it looked like your typical European city, but with its little Danish charm and energy.

I found this interesting little market that was being set up, and it was more like things you would find at a garage sale, or antique shop. Not gonna lie though, I thought it was pretty cool. AND I found the coolest record player!! It should have been mine. But the fact I was on route to Canada, held me back from adopting it. It just would have been a little difficult to transport. But it would have looked so freaken cool in my place. Oh well, agleast I got to appreciate it for a few min. The guy was very cute, and made sure he fired it up and played it for me. Not sure how much music I would actually play on it, but it did look super cool!!!

After my pit stop at the market, it was time to get some breaky!!! I thought it was only fitting to go and get a Danish pastry! A real cultural experience;) It didn’t take me long to find a bakery. It was busy, with a line up, and you needed to take a number to get served. So I couldn’t help but think, ‘Yup, this must be the bakery to be at’. That’s a fact. Those were my exact thoughts in that moment. Nothing like a vivid description, to bring you along on the experience with me. I ended up grabbing a coffee, and a DELICIOUS pastry, with some thin layer of custard tasting stuff in the middle, and coated with a thin layer of poppy seeds. Every bite was a small party in my mouth. Not a bad way to start the day! After that I made a quick stop at the Guinness Book of World Record Museum. Mainly cause I was walking past it, and it looked cool. That it was! World Records are always in interesting thing to look at, and the museum is like stepping into the book:)

Well after I dipped my toes in the ambiance of Copenhagen, and had my taste tester, it was time for me to find the Metro and head to the airport. One thing I noticed from the get go of arriving in Denmark, was that the Danish people are some of the most Friendly, polite and hospitable people I have ever had the pleasure of encountering in my 9 years of travelling the world. For that fact alone, I absolutely plan on returning to Denmark. I wouldn’t say no to see more of the country and learning more about their culture. Happy Dayz!!

The summer season is amongst us!! And so is the Sunshine

Well summer is well on its way here in Mallorca! and you can absolutely feel it! All around the island, the streets are getting full of people, and all the shops that closed for the winter are once again opening up their doors:) Too be honest it is pretty exciting, I thought I would miss winter, as I had such an amazing winter here, and I do love being places in the low season. However, the energy changes in the summer, and of course, so does the weather, everything just heats right up! I can’t really help but be excited to embrace it all.

What better way to do it then to hit the cycle path, and cycle your little heart out. The Gals and I decided to do the usual cycle to Arenal, a nice little round trip that tally’s up 30km, which is always beautiful and never gets old. You just bask in the beauty of the coastline, soak up the sun, and of course do some people watching. It starts to get a bit hectic on the bike paths in the summer, lots of traffic! That’s where your trusty little bell comes in handy.. Ok, so I do try to refrain from being too eager to ring my little bell.. But sometimes, it’s just so darn fun!! not to mention necessary at times. I can’t imagine my bike without my bell. It’s those cheap thrills that can be the most enjoyable. It is so fun to do this cycle with friends. I am terrible though, because I am an avid cycler, I always accidently leave everyone behind, and then have to pull over and wait for them.. Haha.. I tend to think I am going slow.. but obviously not.

Since the establishments that were closed for the winter are unveiling themselves once again, we had no choice but to stop at one of my absolute favorite restaurants called El Penon, YAY!! We all worked up a good appetite after our cycle, so it was time to get some grub! I love this place, because first of all the location, its right on the water basically on a rock(hence the name in English meaning ‘The Rock’), and there is a small beach right beside it, so if you fancy swim after getting all sweaty riding your bike, you can hop right in and refresh yourself:) Oh why not, chill for a bit and get your tan on while you’re at it too. Nothing like getting your Ol’ bronze goddess sun kissed look on. Ok, back to El Penon… Its super local, typical Spanish food, and nicely priced, not expensive at all. They have this awesome little roof top terrace, and in the summer, it’s great to sit up there for sun downers, and they have DJ’s there at times too, it Rocks! But in the summer you must reserve a table, cause it is popular, and hard to get a table on the terrace.

Well as there was only one next step to take, we locked up our bikes, and we were ready to get this show on the road!

Look at that spectacular view! You just need to stop in those moments, and let your eyes absorb it all.

This particular day though it was windy, so the terrace was not a good option.. but the outside Patio was a fantastic option! Not a bad view, if I do say so myself. So we grabbed ourselves a round table, and got right into it. When you are with a group of people, it’s always so much nicer to be at a round table where you can see everyone, rather than a long one where you are looking around each other. See, look how easy it is for everyone to visit;)

We started off with some Bread, Aoili and Olives, your typical Spanish snack, which didn’t last long at all, but that was all good! As we had our appetizers on the way. We ordered a nice spread of Fried Sardines, Mussels, and some sort of little Fried Chicken pieces… I love the Sardines and Mussels there, they are always a winner!

For our Mains, I had Cod, two of the girls shared a very typical dish, a Paella with seafood, and there was a Salmon dish. The Spanish take great pride in their Paella’s, and great care when then are dishing it up. Literally placing piece by piece on the plate, so it is presented just right. It’s actually fun too watch, I appreciate, watching people take pride in their traditions. The servers were really friendly here in general, not withholding any smiles;) Not one of us was dissatisfied, and we all totally enjoyed the ambiance of the place! I can’t wait for that roof top terrace to get going so I can enjoy some sun downers after a kick ass cycle. One of my favorite Mallorca pastimes:)

Bye guys!! Don’t forget to take the garbage out;) Here is too just another Epic day, and equally as fantastic company!!

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