road trip

New Blog, Road Trips & A Tribute to my Aunt Colleen

May 18, 2019 by Pies & Prejudice 2 Comments

Warning: This post is gonna be a little long. You might wanna go grab a coffee first.

Hello friends! Good Morning & happy weekend. I hope you’re doing fabulously. I’m a bit overdue for a post on here, I guess it has been awhile.

I hope all of you who are Moms had a wonderful Mother’s Day this past weekend. It was my first one without my mom, so it was a bit of a tough day. Thanks to those of you who sent me note to say you were thinking of me, it meant so much xo. If your parents are still alive, hug them often, and spend as much time with them as you can. You’ll always remember all those precious times together. I’d give anything for another moment with either of my parents …

It is finally spring here in Ottawa (we had snow as recently as a couple of weeks ago!) but last week we got so much rain that our City recently declared a State of Emergency due to flooding warning– especially west of Ottawa (Dunrobin & Constance Bay), and also Gatineau.

I went to help with sandbagging last week in Constance Bay and it was amazing to see all the communities coming together to help out. As we filled the sandbags, the guys were taking them away as quickly as we were filling them!

We’re supposed to get some warmer weather and maybe even a little sunshine this weekend so that should help provide some relief to flood-prone areas.

Our famous Tulip Fest also started last week. It’s the (only) festival that I really look forward to in my hometown so I’m pretty excited to see the tulips. I haven’t had a chance to check it out yet but I probably will this weekend. I wasn’t rushing because there aren’t a lot of flowers yet -as we’ve had a cold spring. But I’ll check out the tulip situation and report back soon…

My new blog is almost ready! If you recall from my last post, I’ve decided to go back to a travel blog as I didn’t have much luck with the food blog thing. I’m travelling more than I am baking these days, so it’s the perfect time for a change.

Getting back to travel writing is something I’ve been wanting to do for a while now, so I’m excited about this new change. I’ve written several travel stories, but I’ve hesitated to share them because this was supposed to be a food blog 😀

Thanks so much for sticking around and following me in my blog adventures, everyone. I can’t wait to start sharing my road trip stories with you all again.

Now I’ve got some sad news to share…

You might recall in my last post I’d mentioned that Christmas had been kinda tough this year as I was really missing my parents. So I was extremely thankful for my friends and for my Aunt Colleen for including me in the holiday festivities. I got to spend Christmas Eve with Colleen and we also did a fun potluck dinner with my cousins at her retirement home as well. I don’t think I would have made it through the holidays in one piece without her.

On the same day that I shared that post (early March), my Aunt was rushed to the hospital and, sadly, she passed away a few days later.

I was absolutely devastated.

There are no words to describe how much the loss of my Aunt has affected me. I actually started to write this post over a month ago, just after her passing, but I had to step away from it because it was just too hard for me to write (or talk) about– with anyone. My coping mechanism at the time was to avoid thinking about her while I tried to process everything, especially since her passing was sudden and rather unexpected.

I know that talking about a loved one can help you cope with your grief, but I just wasn’t ready yet. I guess in my own warped mind I kept thinking she was coming back and it hadn’t fully sunk in that she’s really gone. Since Colleen was like a 2nd mom to me, I feel like I’ve lost another mom–and it was so close to my own mom’s passing as well. What a crappy year! I’m dealing with it as best as I can, but my Aunt’s death has really taken a toll on me–especially since I’d only just started to cope with the loss of my mom.

…

Cranberry Pie, New England & U.S Thanksgiving: Plymouth, MA

November 28, 2018 by Pies & Prejudice 5 Comments

Hello Friends!

You know we’re officially into the Holiday Season when American Thanksgiving is here (and gone). I hope all my American friends had a fabulous Thanksgiving! Since our Thanksgiving was over a month ago, I decided to make a Sweet Potato pie…to help you guys celebrate, of course. (See bottom of post for my American Thanksgiving Tribute pie. It’s really ‘corn-y’!)

Now that ya’ll have had your fill of pumpkin or sweet potato pie (is that even possible?) how about something new and different to kick off the holiday season?

I’m thinking this lovely Cranberry Pie with a Cinnamon Gingersnap Crust might do the trick.

Recipe below post.

If this pie doesn’t help make your spirits merry and bright, I don’t know what else will.

The colour is so vibrant and the filling is super creamy and tangy. It’s similar to a lemon curd (aka Lemon Meringue Pie), but with cranberries added for a little extra zip and colour. If you like lemon tart, you’ll love this pie.

With American Thanksgiving just recently, it reminded me that I haven’t even shared my New England trip from last fall with you guys yet. So this post is long overdue.

Note: you might want to go grab yourself a coffee as you could be here awhile (surprise surprise).

Before we commence with the road trip festivities, I just wanted to thank you all for reading my blog. A few people recently told me they enjoy my posts and even look forward to them (!??!). Hearing this totally made my day!! I also really appreciate the comments on my posts as well, thank you guys. I appreciate the feedback, which also reassures me that someone is reading my ramblings. SO now I’m inspired to write more often, I just have to work on slightly shorter posts, I know, I know. (um…maybe next time? haha).

So without further ado, let’s head to the Thanksgiving Capital of the World shall we? Because it’s not every year, I get to celebrate Thanksgiving twice. Boo ya!

Last Fall, Billy and I were on the East Coast visiting family and en route home we took a detour through New England as we still had a few days left of our vacation. We decided to head to Plymouth as we’d been to Boston and Cape Cod before, but neither of us had been to Plymouth. And since it was close to American Thanksgiving, I couldn’t think of a better place to spend it than in the spot where it all began: Plymouth Rock.

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock (hee hee), you probably know that Plymouth Rock is the site of the very first harvest feast (aka Thanksgiving) shared by the Pilgrim settlers & Wampanoag peoples back in 1620. While Historians disagree about a few of the details of what really happened over 400 years ago on the shores of Plymouth & Cape Cod, it’s still pretty amazing to be standing on the same shore where the Mayflower first landed on American soil (although they first arrived in nearby Provincetown, apparently). Since I’m a bit of a history buff, I couldn’t wait to check out the rock in the, er…. flesh.

Let’s hit the Open Road. Hello, New England!

After a wonderful lunch with Billy’s parents in Saint John, NB, we packed up the car, said our goodbyes, and then we were on our way toward the border. After crossing at St. Stephen’s we were finally in beautiful Maine. We stopped several times for obscure roadside attractions and, of course, I had to take plenty of photos.

If you haven’t been to New England in the Fall yet, you need to see what you’re missing. The spectacular show that the trees put on for us at this time of year is beyond stunning. And we do get our fair share of pretty fall colours in Ontario so it takes a lot to impress me (foliage-wise, anyway).

I was speechless–which rarely happens. Let’s just say Billy really enjoyed a quieter drive for a change 🙂

Not too surprisingly, it’s busier here in New England during the Fall than in the summer. So if you’re thinking about coming to check out the leaves sometime, you’ll need to plan your trip a little in advance (we may or may not know this from experience). Hotels and B&B’s are booked solid on weekends from September right through to Christmas, especially in Vermont. I might write a post on my fall New England trip to (hopefully) inspire you to come check it out. If you’ve never been here in the Fall before, you are in for a treat.

As we got closer to Portland, it was starting to rain quite heavily. Since we’d been on the road for almost 8 hours by that point, we decided it was time to stop for dinner. We also wanted to find a hotel for the night as we’d originally planned to camp at the KOA. But neither of us were overly excited about camping in the rain at all.

We parked on Main Street in Downtown Portland and enjoyed a walk along the old cobblestone streets of this beautiful historic town. After wandering around for awhile we found a great little brew pub (Sea Dog Brewery) for dinner. We had a delicious meal and tried a couple of local brews as well. It was so nice to relax after being on the road for most of the day.

Before getting back on the road, we stopped at the Dunkin’ Donuts to grab a coffee. I also wanted to get online briefly to check out hotels. Since we were going to arrive in Plymouth fairly late, I wanted to book a room for that night–especially since we needed one that allows dogs. Traveling with your pooch requires a wee bit more planning than the road trip style that we’re used to (aka ‘winging it’). Camping is often a great option when you’re travelling with your dog, but the weather doesn’t always cooperate at this time of year.

We found a Hampton Inn in Plymouth that not only had great reviews, it was pet-friendly as well. Their pet fee was quite a bit higher ($35 per day) than the usual rate ($20-25) that we’ve paid at other hotels, even within the same chain. You know you’re in Cape Cod when….

We were back on the road and in a few hours we arrived in Plymouth! We checked into our hotel, unpacked the car and then took Mittan for a walk to stretch her legs as she’d been cooped up in the car all day. When we got back to the hotel I decided to do some research online to find out what there is to see and do here in Plymouth (besides the rock, of course) since we hadn’t planned to come here at all.

…

Just Peachy! Bourbon Peach Cupcakes

August 20, 2018 by Pies & Prejudice 9 Comments

Juicy peaches, creamy buttercream and a generous glug of bourbon….all in one delicious treat? YES PLEASE.

Let’s celebrate the end of summer with a Bourbon Peach Cupcake, shall we? Even better if you’re sitting by the lake with a view to go along with it #nottooshabby

Happy Monday, all! Or, more specifically…happy CUPCAKE MONDAY! (sorry I’m shouting but I can’t help myself when there’s cupcakes involved).

We’re having a Cupcake party today and you’re invited!

My friends’ Kelsie @The Itsy Bitsy Kitchen & Zainab @A Classic Twist came up with this marvelous idea to start off (every) Monday with cupcakes and now it’s an official Instagram hashtag. I can’t think of a better way to start off the week… can you?

If you’re a cupcake fanatic as well, join in the fun! My bloggers friends and I have come up with some delicious cupcake creations (see the end of this post for links) that will have you in the kitchen whipping up a batch in no time. Or suddenly craving cupcakes, anyway… (haha).

While I do make pies more than anything else these days, I still do lovvvvvve a good cupcake–especially fun, delicious cupcakes with seasonal fruits (or..chocolate).

As you may have guessed by these cupcakes (and my recent Peach Pie), I’m all about the peaches these days. Being fairly close to the Niagara region definitely has its perks. Did you know Niagara grows more than 80% of Canada’s peaches? Our markets are now overflowing with these scrumptious beauties so it’s the perfect excuse to bake all of the peachy desserts.

Peaches are one of my favourite fruits (peach pie is one of my top faves, actually), but–sadly– I can’t eat too many of them at once because they bother my digestive system. Peaches, and other stone fruit, are a high fodmap food which some folks (such as myself) are very sensitive to. If I eat 2 big slices of peach pie, I will sound like a trucker for a week (trust me, it’s not pretty). Luckily I share my baking creations with friends often– that way I don’t eat them all myself 😀 (thank goodness).

If you’re a peach fan like me, you don’t need to stop at peach pie or cupcakes, either. How about a glass of peach wine? Oh yeah!!!

If you find yourself in Niagara, mosey on over to Konzelmann Estate Winery where you can sample the most amazing peach wine. It’s worth the trip alone—even if you’re not a big wine drinker. Their peach wine tastes like summer in a glass…

Not a big wine fan? Ok, let’s go for a peach cider instead.

We’re gonna head over to County Cider in Picton, Ontario (Prince Edward County in South Eastern Ontario) and grab a pint while relaxing on one of their Adirondack chairs. And the view of the lake is just a bonus!

Now this is how you summer.

So, enough peachy booze. Let’s get back to peach cupcakes….

There’s not too much you can do to improve a fresh peach pie or cupcake unless, of course, you add bourbon (back to the booze—oops! Hmmm, you’d almost think I was a hardcore drinker reading this post haha).

Like my peach pie, I decided to throw some bourbon into my peach filling and loved how it really took the flavour up a notch. There’s just something about the combination of bourbon and peach that is quite magical. Now if you’re from the south, I’m probably preaching for nothing because you probably only ever eat peaches with a few glugs of bourbon, right? 🙂 (silly question, I know).

I took my favourite vanilla bean cupcake (GF), filled with a spoonful of homemade bourbon peach pie filling and then topped it with a cream cheese buttercream, a fresh peach slice and then drizzled some more filling on top. It’s creamy, boozy PEACH perfection!

If you’re on the peach bandwagon, like me, you’ll lovvvve these cupcakes. I’m pretty sure they will make your Monday better….or any other day of the week, really. But this is a pretty good ~~excuse~~ reason to get your cupcake on…. just sayin’.

The only thing better than peach cupcakes (peach wine, peach cider, peach pie…etc etc) on a hot summer day? Hanging out with a bunch of cute furry friends at the lake. Before I share my peach cupcake recipe and my blogger friends’ links, here are a few pics of puppies and flowers around the lake–just for fun.

Cupcakes AND puppies? There simply isn’t a better way to spend your MONDAY.

Dogs for days! Definitely not a bad day at ‘the office’ 🙂

Want some more cupcake inspiration? Join us for a #CUPCAKEMONDAYS party. Here are a few more cupcake creations I think you’ll love. Click through the links to see the recipes. And don’t forget to check out hashtag on Instagram for endless cupcake inspiration. You’re gonna love Mondays from now on, we promise!

Chocolate Banana Cupcakes from Itsy Bitsy Kitchen

Brown Sugar Toffee Cupcakes from Kelly Lynn’s Sweets and Treats

Piñata Cupcakes from A Table Full of Joy

Chocolate Cherry Chip Cupcakes from Love in My Oven

Mojito Cupcakes from Nourish and Fete

Thanks for stopping by and have a great week, everyone!

Dana xo

5 from 2 votes

Bourbon Peach Cupcakes

Delicious vanilla cupcakes with a bourbon peach filling and topped with a cream cheese buttercream. It's summer in cupcake form!

Ingredients

For the Vanilla Cupcakes

1 ½ cups Gluten-Free flour Packaged or your own mix
¾ cup sugar
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon xanthan gum omit if it's in your flour mix
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup butter room temp
2 large eggs room temp
½ cup milk any--cow almond, cashew, coconut etc.
1 Tablespoon vanilla bean extract or reg vanilla

For the Cream Cheese Buttercream

1 cup butter room temp
1 package 8 ounce cream cheese, softened
2 cups powdered sugar or use more if you like your frosting really sweet
1 Teaspoon lemon juice
1 Tablespoon vanilla bean extract or regular vanilla

For the Bourbon Peach Filling

3 fresh peaches chopped
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup water
1 Tablespoon bourbon
1 Tablespoon salted butter
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 Tablespoon Cornstarch + 2 Tablespoons water
1/2 tablespoon vanilla bean extract or regular vanilla

Instructions

For the Bourbon Peach Filling:

In medium saucepan place peaches, water, sugar, bourbon, and cinnamon. Cook over low heat until peaches soften and absorb the liquid.
Whisk together cornstarch and 2 Tablespoons water in a small bowl.Gradually add to the peach mixture, stirring constantly. When mixture thickens, add butter and vanilla. The peach mixture should have a jam texture.
Remove from heat and allow to cool in the fridge until ready to fill cupcakes.

For the Vanilla Cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
In medium bowl add flour mix and whisk well (I always whisk gluten-free flour really well first), then add sugar, baking powder and salt.
Add butter to the flour/sugar mixture and, with a hand mixer, beat on low-speed until thoroughly mixed. It will be crumb-like in texture, similar to coarse sand. Add in the eggs, one at a time, and mix until blended.
Pour in the vanilla and then slowly add milk. Beat on medium for about a minute or so, until batter is fairly smooth (since GF flours don't contain gluten, you don't have to worry too much about over-mixing). If batter's too thick, gradually add an extra couple of teaspoons milk (you probably won't have to add extra milk if you're using reg vanilla extract). Batter should resemble a soft frosting when it comes together.
Fill liners with batter to almost ¾ full. Bake for about 17-20 minutes--but I usually check them in about 15 minutes. When they're slightly golden and a toothpick inserted comes out clean, they're done. Allow them to cool completely.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

Using a mixer, beat the butter on high for a minute or two until it's really creamy.
Lower mixer speed and gradually add confectioners sugar. I add about a half cup at a time to gradually incorporate the sugar into the butter (and it's less messy that way, too).
Add cream cheese (yes, after the sugar) and mix only until incorporated and smooth (you don't want to over beat once you've added the cream cheese).
Add lemon juice and vanilla extract and mix until combined. Place in fridge until ready to decorate cupcakes.

To Assemble Cupcakes:

Hallow out the centre of each cupcake. Fill with cooled peach mixture--about a tablespoon per cake (or enough to mostly fill the hole). You can use a pastry bag or a small spoon works quite well, too. Reserve a few spoonfuls of the filling for the top, if desired.
Frost cupcakes and drizzle reserved peach filling on top of each cupcake.
Garnish with a slice of peach, if desired. Enjoy!

Salty Air, Lighthouses & Strawberry Rhubarb Pie!

June 1, 2018 by Pies & Prejudice 1 Comment

Greetings, friends.

I’m in beautiful Saint John soaking up the sun & the salty air and enjoying the beautiful lighthouse-studded coastline. We’re visiting Billy’s family and having a great time here on Canada’s amazing east coast.

Our trip started over a week ago when Billy took me to Vermont to celebrate my turning a year older (my 25th birthday uh… AGAIN? haha!). And then from there we continued Eastward toward the White Mountains of New Hampshire and then up the coast of Maine before heading back into Canada.

When we got to Saint John it was fairly cool & rainy and it felt more like March than late-May (Brr!). There was even snowstorm warning in the Eastern part of the province and Newfoundland got a whopping 30 cm of snow! (Eeek). Thank goodness we didn’t get any of the white stuff, just overly cold weather for a couple of days before the temps started to rise again. We’ve been enjoying spending time with my guy’s family and I even got to do some of the cooking and baking. Which is handy because after a week on the road, I was going through severe baking withdrawals, ya’ll. But I’ve talked about this on my trip to the coast last September. I know many of you can relate 🙂

Since it’s been a whirlwind of a trip, I haven’t had much time to blog or post on social media unfortunately. But, at the same time, I’ve really enjoyed the wee break. So it’s about time I get caught up (slowly but surely) and I thought I’d start with sharing a few photos of our trip so far.

Here’s the pie I made for Billy’s parents as a thank you for their wonderful hospitality.

Strawberry Rhubarb is always a favourite. And for good reason….it’s freaking delicious! And it’s even tastier when it’s made with fresh rhubarb from the garden and pretty flowers on top. I’ll share the recipe in my next post!

Is there a better pie to celebrate summer’s imminent arrival? I love strawberry rhubarb pie so much that if I could find rhubarb (even frozen) in the winter, I’d be making this all year long. While I can’t find frozen rhubarb anywhere in Ottawa (any time of the year), I’ve seen tons of frozen rhubarb in the grocery stores here in Saint John!! Hmnnnnn…

If we weren’t going back to Ontario via the US, I would happily taken some of the rhubarb Billy’s parents offered us to bring home. But after having my grapes confiscated at the border once (from Vancouver to Washington), I decided it’s not worth the risk. At least at this time of year, fresh rhubarb is plentiful in Ontario. I just need to buy truckloads of it and freeze it for the rest of the year. Now to find a bigger freezer….and maybe a bigger house? HA

Anyone else love rhubarb as much as I do? I can’t wait to bake all the rhubarb pies when I get home.

Without further ado, here’s a few photos of our lovely time in New Brunswick so far. Happy almost-June, friends!

You cannot visit the East Coast without seeing at least one lighthouse. This one is Mittan’s favourite.

It’s been a wonderful visit with Billy’s folks

You have to walk the boardwalk at least once while you’re on the Saint John Harbour. Or, maybe run it the whole way— like our happy pup.

Spring has finally sprung out here on the coast. Which is good because we’re only weeks away from summer.

My little Monkey and I had fun wandering around St Stephen–the gorgeous little town that greeted us after crossing the border.

Have a great rest-of-the-week, all!

Cheers, Dana xo

Waterfalls, Hikes & Lemon Strawberry Tart

April 29, 2018 by Pies & Prejudice 8 Comments

Hello, everyone!

I hope you’re enjoying the start of Spring. Or, if you’re in Ontario you may be impatiently waiting for it to start like I am. We even had an ice storm recently—in late-April (!!). Mother Nature, are you drunk? Someone needs to tell her it’s almost May. We did get some warmer weather for a few days last week but we’ve gone back to single digit temps this weekend. Brrr. At least it’s not snowing, so there’s that.

Since we’re skipping Spring this year, I’m now ready for Summer….AKA Strawberry Season. If there’s one fruit that screams summer to me, it’s the lovely strawberry. When I tell someone that I bake pies, the first thing I usually get asked is: ‘What’s your favourite kind of pie?” It’s so hard to choose, but if I was gonna choose my ultimate fave is strawberry balsamic.

But I also love lemon pie (without meringue #thankyouverymuch), especially if it’s combined with strawberries. I made this luscious lemon tart last week (during our Ice Storm–Ugh!) and after just one bite, I forgot all about the nasty weather outside at the time. This pie tastes like summer… on a plate.

A few years ago, I worked at this Italian restaurant and the pastry chef often made this incredible lemon pie with sliced strawberries and a coulis drizzled on top. She was a wonderful baker and really inspired me to start baking. I loved her lemon pie and I would often enjoy a slice with a glass of vino after a busy shift. So when I finally learned how to bake, I came up with my own version of her wonderful lemon tart. Now it’s one of my favourite summer desserts.

So we’ll get to this lemon pie recipe shortly, but first let me tell you a bit about my recent trip. Just scroll down to skip my ramblings if you just want the recipe. But then you’ll miss some cute puppy photos and some awesome waterfalls…just sayin’.

I didn’t get much ‘recreational’ baking in during Easter as I went away for the holiday (and the week following), and I had quite a few pie orders leading up to Easter. A big thanks to everyone who ordered pies from me for the holiday. I really appreciate the business. You guys are the best! xo

I did manage to squeeze in one Easter pie before leaving town to share with friends: a Peach Pie with brown butter, maple and cinnamon. I know, it’s not exactly the typical Easter flavour, but the design more than made up for it. Because nothing says “Happy Easter” than Darth Vader with cute bunny ears, right?

The force is strong with this pie. Won’t you join me on the Dark Side with this yummy pie? I can keep going, but I’ll spare you the endless Darth Vader quotes hehe. Impressive, most impressive. Ok, Ok….I’m done.

So… after visiting family and friends for Easter, Billy and I did a short detour through Upstate, New York before heading home. I’ve been wanting to go to Ithaca for a long time, but somehow this town kept eluding me every time I was on a road trip in the area.

Ithaca is a small town just south of Syracuse and is known for its spectacular gorges and waterfalls. The slogan for the town is clever and quite fun: ‘Ithaca is GORGES!”. It sure is. If you like waterfalls (who doesn’t?), you will love with this town.

Can you believe this waterfall (at Buttermilk Falls State Park) is a 5-minute walk from our hotel on the main drag? Not too shabby at all

We lucked out with the weather on this trip. While the week leading up to Easter was cold and snowy, it warmed up right in time for the holiday weekend.
…

Movie-themed Pies & That Time I Was on the Set of a Christmas Movie

February 28, 2018 by Pies & Prejudice 2 Comments

*sorry about the multiple posts & notifications today, I’m having some technical issues with wordpress…seems to be fixed :D*

Hi Guys!

I hope you had a lovely Valentine’s Day. How are we almost at the end of February already? Spring is less than a month away now and the start of Daylight Saving (my favourite day of the year!) is less than 2 weeks away. Yes! I am beyond excited.

Since spring is just around the corner, I figured I’d better share my holiday pies ASAP. Usually the cut off for anything-Christmas (for me, anyway) is early January. So this is probably already too late but a few folks have been asking about my holiday pies so I figured I’d better catch you all up. If you can believe it, several of my closest friends aren’t on social media (Facebook, instagram etc!??) so they have been clearly missing out. Just pretend it’s still January when you’re looking at my Christmas pies, OK?

We had a pretty cold start to winter and at one point in early January it was colder in Ottawa than the North Pole… AND Mars! (Seriously). Thankfully though, the rest of winter has been quite mild and we haven’t had much snow, either. We even got to 10 degrees recently– which is pretty sweet considering we’re usually at -20 in mid February. Not too shabby at all.

But I’d still rather be Arizona if I could choose…Just sayin’. My friend Kelsie, who lives in the sunny state, is keeping her eye out for any houses-for-sale on her street for me (just kidding–I wish!). That way I can be a taste-tester for all her wonderful creations. She is the Queen of amazing dessert combos (check out her blog, I seriously drool at every dessert she comes up with). I’m making her Irish Cream/Coffee brownies for St Patrick’s Day, I can’t wait. They look incredible! I’m pretty sure she’ll make the best neighbour EVER (hee hee!).

I love Christmas but as soon as the holidays are over, I don’t want to see anything Christmas-related until next November. You cannot make me watch Elf with you in April and Hallmark doesn’t tempt me with their “Christmas in July” series at all (yep, it’s a thing). Not gonna happen. It’s bad enough some people blog about the holidays in late February (hehe). But really… who in their right mind wants to see Christmas decorations (or snow for that matter) in the middle of July? It’s just plain wrong.

Which leads to my next story….

A few years ago I was in Vancouver driving down a scenic highway enjoying a beautiful, warm summer day (in early July) when suddenly I came across snow. LOADS of it–we’re not talking about the little pile you see at the back of a hockey rink during the summer. And this was nowhere near the mountains on the north shore of Vancouver, either (which can get some snow in the summer). This was near White Rock–close to the the BC/Washington border. This area doesn’t get that much snow even in the winter (well, they get a wee bit but it doesn’t stay long).

It looked like summer everywhere else— except for this particular street. Weird. And the houses and trees were completely covered in the white stuff. Was I hallucinating? Or was I having some sort of strange delusion?

I know some folks leave their Christmas lights up all year-long, but this was way too many lights for the summer. It looked more like a Christmas village.

Judging by the quizzical look on my friend Jorge’s face, he was seeing this too. Perhaps we’ve entered the Twilight Zone? Or mayyyyvbe we were in an X Files episode? The show was filmed in Vancouver, after all (I was a huge fan of the show and did an X-Files tour the first time I was in Vancouver! #nerdalert). But the show ended a few years earlier so this probably didn’t have much to do with the FBI or aliens.

“I’m not saying this might be aliens but….it’s aliens.” I chuckled, channeling Mulder.

It turns out we weren’t too far off. We later found out that this was a film set, but there was no Mulder or Scully to be found anywhere (unfortunately).

Intrigued (and nosy as all heck), we pulled over to the side of the road so that we could fully investigate this odd phenomenon. And we weren’t the only curious folks, either. There were several cars parked along the side of the highway and many other people walking around checking out this strange sight.

My nosy-ness came in handy. As we started walking closer to the main house, a couple of friendly guys walked over and started chatting with us. They were part of a film crew (location scouts) and we were actually standing on a movie set. Yep, they were filming a Christmas movie! Now this was exciting.

I looked pretty chilly standing beside the (fake) snow in my summer outfit, don’t I? Brrr.. Don’t worry, it looked cold but it was actually 25 degrees (which is actually fairly warm for Vancouver).

Do you guys remember a holiday movie that came out a few years ago with Danny De Vito and Mathew Broderick? It’s called ‘Deck the Halls’ (2006) and it’s about two neighbours fighting over who has the best Christmas decorations. One of them (De Vito’s character) had decorations that were ‘so bright it could be seen from outer space!!’

Yep, we were on the set of THAT movie. WOOO! …

A Wedding Pie (not mine): Spiced Cherry

December 9, 2017 by Pies & Prejudice 14 Comments

Who needs a cake to celebrate your nuptials when you can have a WEDDING PIE? Especially if it’s a Spiced Cherry pie. Mnnnn…..

I made this pie for Darlene and Guy, who got married recently in their hometown of Dalhousie, New Brunswick. While visiting them there, I decided that they needed a wedding Pie. Plus, I was fairly desperate to get my bake on after several days on the road—without an oven in sight!! (the baking withdrawals are real, people!).

If you’re into pumpkin-spice-everything right now but you’re also missing summer fruit as much as I am, this is the perfect crossover pie. It’s a sweet cherry pie with a holiday twist. I’ve added cinnamon, fresh nutmeg, cardamon, brown butter, maple syrup and orange extract. I ran out of cherries while making this pie (I was travelling at the time and didn’t buy enough, oops!), so I added a few blackberries and blueberries to the mix. Super good! (recipe below post)

The wedding theme is optional, of course. But even without the bride and groom, I think you’ll like this pie.

If you look closely at the pie, you’ll notice the groom’s arm missing. After it came out of the oven, it needed to cool for a couple of hours. Unfortunately Guy had to work at 4am so he couldn’t wait to have the pie as it was getting late. Darlene didn’t want to cut into their wedding pie without him, but then she got hungry later and decided to bite a piece of his arm off (ha). The next morning she just told him a shark attacked the pie in the night. Considering there aren’t too many sharks in Northern New Brunswick, I don’t think he believed her. But it was a good attempt, anyway.

I hope you guys are doing great and having a fabulous fall so far! I’ve only been writing this post since I got back from my travels but then I got super busy with getting my baking biz up n’ running. How all my blog/foodie friends find the time to not only post on their blogs often, but also keep up with Instagram (and the comments!), facebook, twitter AND have time to recipe-test and bake is beyond me?? Teach me your ways, guys. Pleaseeeee?

Plus, I wasn’t sure how to keep my blog and business separate, so I decided to put this blog on a short hiatus. The problem was that many of my local homies were coming here looking for a menu and reviews of my treats. Instead, all they found were travel pics, food ramblings and recipes (ha ha). None of which helped them get their hands on a fresh Apple Pie whatsoever.

So, I’ve created a new Facebook page for my baking biz so that way I can keep this as my food/lifestyle blog and a place to share recipes, and anyone looking for treats can go to my Facebook page to see my menu and read reviews. That’s also where I can send event organizers who are looking to see if I’d be a viable vendor for their craft fairs. I’ll be posting my new creations there regularly, as well as events and updates.

Speaking of craft fairs…I need your help, guys! I’m hoping to get into a couple of upcoming events so I’d love it if you could stop by to check out my new facebook page (don’t forget to like/follow, too). Thanks a bunch, I really appreciate it.

I was also thinking of sharing my recent trip on here but then I remembered this is supposed to be a food blog, after all 😀 Plus my last few travel stories such as my Spring Road Trip and my Christmas holiday last year, didn’t get much traffic or feedback at all. So, I’ve decided to just keep my travel stories for when I meet friends over coffee or drinks (then they don’t have a choice–and can’t scroll either! haha) and just focus on my baking & recipes here. That also means my posts will be shorter (yay!). But don’t worry– I can talk a lot about food, too.

Hope you’re having a great start to the holidays! Let me know if you try this cherry pie, it’s one of my faves. I’m also sharing my latest holiday creation— White Chocolate Cream pie’– soon, too. If you like white chocolate, I think you’ll love it. Stay tuned!

Happy Weekend, friends!

Love, Dana xo

Spiced Cherry Pie

Summer and Fall Flavours combined into one very tasty pie. Perfect for the holidays, too!

Course Pies, dessert, Holiday

Author Dana

Ingredients

For the Filling

2 cups each cherries, blackberries and blueberries 6 cups total (or another mix of your choice)
1 small apple grated
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fresh nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cardamon
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup maple syrup
3 tablespoons tapioca starch (or cornstarch)
1/4 brown butter or regular butter
2 teaspoons vanilla bean extract or regular vanilla
pinch of sea salt
1 tsp orange extract (optional)

Instructions

Roll out your favourite pie dough and put into a 9" pie plate, or skip if using a storebought unbaked pie crust.
Place 2 cups of frozen cherries (or other fruit) and brown sugar in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until the cherries soften and they become saucy (I use a fork or potato masher to help break them down). The mixture should reduce by approximately a third to a half, usually in about 10 minutes or so. Allow to cool slightly. *While this is not a mandatory step, I always do this because it takes some of the 'water' out of the filling and adds a condensed sauce to the pie filling.
Add brown butter, maple syrup (or reg/brown sugar), cinnamon, cardamon, nutmeg and salt to the cherry mix. Set aside to cool
Grate apple and squeeze some of the moisture out with a cloth or paper towel. Add to the cherries
Add the remaining 4 cups frozen (don't thaw) to the cooled cherry mixture and then add vanilla, orange extract (if using) and tapioca. Mix gently until tapioca is absorbed into the berry mix.
Scoop filling into shell. Place lattice or a full crust on top, if using. I generally bake my shapes/pastry letters separately. Place in freezer for about 15 minutes.
While your pie is chilling, preheat oven to 400F. Remove pie from freezer and brush egg wash along crust sides and top or lattices, if using.
Bake at 400F for 15-20 minutes then reduce heat to 350F and cook for another 30 minutes or so, or until filling is bubbling and crust is a nice golden brown. I use a pie shield (or tin foil around top crust sides) for the last 1/2 of baking if the crust is getting brown too quickly.
Allow pie to cool for at least a couple of hours, at room temperature. If you slice into it before it's completely cooled, it'll be very soupy (I know from impatient experience haha). If desired, add some fresh cherries berries to the top of your pie when it has cooled. This adds a nice freshness to your pie. Add your pre-baked pastry toppers or just whip cream/ice cream. Enjoy!

Spring Road Trip and Maple Blueberry Pie

June 13, 2017 by Pies & Prejudice 10 Comments

Hey guys, how is your spring going so far?

Spring is my (only) favourite season so I reallllly don’t want it zipping along so fast thankyouverymuch. If it were up to me, I’d be more than okay with spring all year-long. Just sayin’…

So in attempt to extend spring, I made this Maple Blueberry Pie. Can’t hurt, right? We just wrapped up our Tulip Festival not too long ago so I thought it’d be fun to add a pretty tulip. You’re probably surprised to see that there is no Pac-Man or a Superhero on this pie, right? (I get that a lot).

(scroll to the recipe below if you don’t want to read my ramblings—WHAT?? That’s crazy talk).

Thank you ALL so much for coming to check out my new blog, all the positive feedback and your messages and comments on my blog and social media. It’s super fantastic. I’m very happy to finally share more recipes with you guys, too (don’t worry, my geek theme is optional). Been a long time coming…

So far it’s been a fabulous Spring so far and, as always, it’s been absolutely gorgeous here in my hometown (Ottawa). Our world-famous Tulip Festival just ended (if you missed my post last spring, read about our tulips here) and I managed to get a few nice pics of the tulips again this year. If you’re coming to Ottawa for a visit, I strongly recommend planning your trip in May. This is thee best time to see the tulips in full bloom, and it’s usually too early for the hot, sticky weather as well (huge bonus!).

One thing is for sure, you’ll love our gorgeous, colourful tulips. The gardens are sure a sight to behold…

This also happens to be my ‘office’ as I also work outdoors. Not too shabby at all, right? #selfemployment #perks

I’ve also done quite a bit of travelling this spring as well…2 road trips already, and it’s not even summer yet (crazy, right?).

In April my guy and I went to Vermont for Maple Fest (post coming soon), and then during the May long weekend we went to Niagara-on-the-lake for the holiday and to also celebrate my birthday. We had a fabulous trip!

Since we haven’t been on a proper road trip since last summer, I knew I couldn’t wait until the Fall to get outta dodge. Desperation really starts to kick in when it’s been almost a ~~month~~ year since I last roadtrip’d (ha ha).

While I don’t travel nearly as much as I used to (hence the new blog theme), my guy’s work closed down for a couple of months (for renovations) this spring so we decided to sneak away for a bit. He figured it was a good time to use his summer vacation while it’s quieter (he still did occasional private parties in the basement). By travelling during this time, he now won’t have to burn any time off during the busy summer season. So we probably won’t be going anywhere ’til early Fall, when we’ll likely head to the East Coast visit his folks.

There is no better place to kick off the first unofficial weekend of Summer (Victoria Day weekend in May) than Niagara-on-the-Lake! This was my 3rd time visiting and it was more stunning than ever. I’m not at all surprised that NOTL is considered ‘The Most Beautiful Town in Canada’.
As soon as you get here, you won’t want to leave…

The town is chock full of tulips, lilacs and every other flower under the sun at this time of year.

I’m a complete lilac addict. It’s actually bordering on a problem because as soon as I come across them, I’ve got my face stuck in the flowers to give them a good sniff. I probably look crazy(er), but I just can’t stop. There has gotta be a LA (Lilacs Anonymous) group for this, right? Probably only runs for the month of May though….haha

And, of course, this is wine country so you could spend all your time going from one vineyard to the other, and sipping a glass of wine on a garden patio in between tours.

Even if you don’t like wine, the scenery alone is worth the visit here

We did a few wine tours, a couple of brewery tours and ate LOADS of amazing food as well.

There are also loads of scenic areas for bike rides and nice walks.

I’ll be doing a full recap post on our Niagara adventure soon! If you haven’t been there yet, hopefully I can encourage you to check it out. Just a warning though….this place can be completely addicting (almost as much as chocolate…or lilacs)

We also did the boat trip under Niagara Falls, so you’re guaranteed to see some fun pics in my next post. Let’s just say I would have been LESS soaked if I’ve gone over the falls in the barrel like I was hoping to do (silly rules/by-law restrictions).

BTW, if anyone from the Niagara Falls Tourism Board is reading this, you guys really need to hire Superman to give free rides over the Falls. If that doesn’t boost tourist to the area, I don’t know what else will (um, not that you need any help really….the place has been packed anytime I’ve been there).
The movie Superman (the 2nd one, actually) is one of my favourite flicks, so I may be biased. Anyone else think of Lois and Clark while visiting the Falls?…. or am I just crazy? (um, maybe don’t answer that question).

Here’s a sneak peek into our fun at the Falls. This is right before Billy threw me over the railing (I only wish I were kidding :D).

So…. let’s get down to the most important thing about this post (well, besides Superman)… how about a PIE?

Oh look at that, I’ve combined pie AND superman. Whoops. How did that happen? It’s a bird…it’s a plane…no, it’s a….. BLUEBERRY PIE?

*The Superman logo is optional, but it will definitely win you points with your geek friends (like me! haha).

This is one of my new favourite pies. It’s a baked pie but with added fresh berries on top after it’s cooled. Throwing on some fresh berries is a little easier if you’re not using a top crust, of course. I usually make fancy pastry shapes or words and place them on top afterward. If you decide to do a top lattice, just throw a few berries around the lattice strips.

I’ve also used a combo of other berries to make this pie. You can just use whatever you like or have on hand. Blueberry and cherries are a fabulous mix and a bit different from the usual combos–that’s what I used in the Superman pie (above). Like most pies, the berries are fairly versatile.
So… let’s get on with our pie baking fun, shall we?

(I’m working on my recipe format, please bear with me! thanks 🙂

Maple Blueberry Pie (baked & fresh)

A delicious baked blueberry (or a combo of berries) pie with fresh berries thrown on top for a more 'fresh' taste during off-season. So yummy and versatile, too.

Course Dessert

Prep Time 1 minute

Servings 6

Author Dana, Pies & Prejudice

Ingredients

CRUST

Pie Crust for a single 9" pie (*Double if you want a top crust, lattice or shapes)

1 1/2 cups GF Flour (your own mix, Bob's GF flour, cup4cup etc)
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
*pinch of cinnamon (optional but adds a really nice flavour)
1/2 cup cold/frozen butter , grated
1 tablespoon lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
1 egg
2-4 tablespoons very cold water or milk (any)
*Egg Wash to brush crust before baking *optional:
1 egg yolk + 1 teaspoon water or milk/cream

For the Filling

6 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (do not thaw if using frozen) or use a mix of different berries
1 small apple , grated (my favourite is Granny Smith or Golden Delicious)
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown or coconut sugar (you can use all-- 3/4 cup--coconut sugar if preferred)
3 tablespoons maple syrup
2 teaspoons cinnamon
3 tablespoons tapioca starch/flour (or use cornstarch, if preferred)
pinch of sea salt
1/2 tablespoons vanilla bean extract , or regular vanilla extract is fine
3 tablespoons butter , cut into pieces

Instructions

DIRECTIONS

For the Crust (if using storebought or your own, go to the next step)

In large bowl combine the flour, sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Add cold, grated butter and mix lightly until combined. Add in lemon juice or apple cider vinegar and egg and mix together. Gradually add in cold water or milk, about a tablespoon at a time until the mixture looks dough-y and sticks together (I often do it gradually because it's easy to go overboard and then the dough its too wet). Add in a bit more flour if that happen.
Roll into a flat disc and put in freezer for a bit to let the dough relax and for the butter to get 'cold' again (helps with flakiness) while you prepare the filling.

For the Filling:

set aside about 1 cup of berries to put on top of pie after it's cooked
Place 2 12 cups blueberries (or half/half if you are doing a combined blueberry/cherry pie) in saucepan over medium heat and cook until the berries half broken down and they become saucy. I use a fork or potato masher to help break them down. The mixture should reduce by approximately a third to a half, usually in about 10 minutes or so. Allow to cool slightly. *While this is not a mandatory step, I always do this because it takes some of the 'water' out of the filling and adds a condensed sauce to the pie filling. Skip this step if you just want to cut time and use all 5 cups in the next step.
Grate apple and squeeze some of the moisture out with a cloth or paper towel.
In a large bowl add the remaining berries 2 1/2 cups (or 5 1/2 cups if skipping the step above), grated apple, lemon juice, sugars, maple syrup, cinnamon, salt, tapioca starch, salt and vanilla. Add your cooked berry filling, if using (from step 1). Set aside.
Roll out pie dough and put into a 9" pie plate. Scoop filling into shell. Scatter the 3 tablespoons of (cold) pieces of butter on top of filling. Place lattice or a full crust on top, if using. I generally bake my shapes/pastry letters separately. Place in freezer for about 15 minutes.
While your pie is chilling, preheat oven to 400F. Remove pie from freezer and brush egg wash along crust sides and top or lattices, if using.
Bake at 400F for 15-20 minutes then reduce heat to 350F and cook for another 30 minutes or so, or until filling is bubbling and crust is a nice golden brown. I use a pie shield (or tin foil around top crust sides) for the last 1/2 of baking if the crust is getting brown too quickly.
Allow pie to cool for at least an hour or two, at room temperature. If desired, add some fresh berries to the top of your pie when it has cooled. This adds a nice freshness to your pie. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

As always, thanks for stopping by lovelies! I’ll be sharing my Niagara adventure and a butterscotch pie on my next post. Stay tuned 😀

Dana xo

Mackinac Island: Time Travel, Bikes & Movie Sets

December 3, 2016 by Pies & Prejudice 6 Comments

Hello from one of my favourite places in North America: Mackinac Island in Northern Michigan. Warning: this post is pretty long (no surprise there I’m sure) but it’s a lot of pics and recommendations if you’re heading there. If not, I hope this post inspires you to go.

It’s time to pack the car, hop over the border (if you’re a fellow Canadian) at the Sault St Marie crossing and head to beautiful Mackinac Island… so we can go back in time a hundred years, or so.

Main Street Mackinac Island

While I’m not a big fan of Fall, I’m happy to start off the season on the right foot….with a ROAD TRIP! (well more car than foot, really). I actually haven’t gone anywhere in nearly a year (big reason this blog is becoming less travel-focused) so this trip was long overdue.

I’ve been to Mackinac Island before but it was nearly 15 years ago and that trip was a brief half-day visit so I’ve been wanting to go back here for a long time now. The Island is close to the border (near Sault. St Marie) and lies between Michigan’s Upper and Lower peninsulas.

1014036_10153829065350601_225785584_n

This island is also where one of my favourite time-travel movies ‘Somewhere in Time’ (with Christopher Reeve & Jane Seymour) was filmed in 1979. The movie became a huge cult classic and the famous Grand Hotel, where most of the movie was filmed, still holds the popular ‘Somewhere in Time’ convention every October (that’s how big of a fan base it still has, even this many years later).

The Famous Grand Hotel from the ferry

This photo (below) was taken during my first visit on the island in 2003 just behind the Grand Hotel along the shore of Lake Huron. It’s also where some of the movie was filmed.

Is it you? No..it’s actually me! Way back in 2003

Hmmm….I think I’d like to do some time-travel myself and maybe go back to this time (early 2000s) when I was just a Spring Chicken (*sigh*). Time travel is possible, right? Man, that’s heavy.

Here’s my good friend Al hanging out with the horses on Mackinac. He looks like a ~~spring~~ chicken, too!

1794754_10153822066105601_1543844767_n

The best, and possibly the biggest, draw to this lovely Island (aside from the Grand Hotel) is that there are NO Cars allowed on the island at all. Except for emergency & construction vehicles (and maybe the odd DeLorean).

Which means you’ll have to leave your car in St Ignace or Mackinaw City if you want to go to the island. The ferry goes back and forth quite regularly and it’s a super short trip– only about 15 minutes to the island.

Waiting for the ferry in St Ignace

You get a great view of the island as you approach it. It’s pretty magnificent…

Ferry to Mackinac Island, Michigan

This is the humongous bridge that connects Lower & Upper Michigan. You’d take it if you’re driving between Detroit and the Can/US border.

I missed this bridge on my first visit to this area because after leaving the island I headed back up to the border. On this trip, however, Billy and I were going to Ann Arbor (near Detroit) next so I got to drive over this time around. It’s not as long as Confederation Bridge (which connects Nova Scotia to PEI) but it’s still pretty impressive.

Ferry to Mackinac Island Lake Huron, Michigan

Hello Mackinac Island! We’re heeeeere. Within minutes of getting off the ferry, Billy made an instant friend. Not too surprised…he’s such a charmer that boy. Look closely at his arm to see his new pal/stalker.

The Butterfly Whisperer

Since there aren’t any cars allowed on the island, it forces you to get active. You gotta walk or bike everywhere if you venture further from Main Street. Or you can ‘cheat’ and take a carriage ride around the island if you’d like. We rented bikes so we could see more of the island.

Fortunately they even allow kooks like this one to rent bikes here (explains the extra ‘fee’ ha ha).

Main Street Mackinac Island Michigan

Most of the hotels, Inns & B&B’s are on the main drag, or at least fairly close by. We didn’t actually book anything before coming (ya, we’re wild and crazy) but it was near the end of the season so we figured we’d find something. A lot of people do travel in September as the kids are back in school so it’s quieter everywhere…meaning less crowds and cheaper for travel as well. Luckily we did find something–fortunately–but the pickings were surprisingly slim. The locals told us it was because the weather was very summer-like that weekend (about 25C, or 75F) which was pretty hot for late September. So there were tons of ‘spontaneous tourists’ like us arriving on the island the day we got here.

We choose The Harbour View Inn which is a beautiful hotel. I highly recommend it.

Our Hotel: The Harbour View Inn

It’s a short 5-minute walk to the main drag, so it was a perfect location as well. A wee bit further than some of the places we’d looked at (the closer ones were filling up fast and were crazy expensive) but not right in the thick of things, either. The Harbour View is definitely more of an Inn than a hotel since it’s relatively small… but not ‘B&B small’, either.

How ’bout sitting out here in the morning with your coffee while listening to the sound of horses galloping nearby? Pure bliss.

We’re thinking of looking into this hotel next time.. The Chippewa Hotel. It’s right on main street (very close to the ferries etc) so it’s much busier, but super close to everything which is always convenient. Plus it’s got lots of history too, which I really love. If you’ve stayed here, please let me know if you liked this hotel. I’d love to get feedback besides the reviews I’ve read online (thanks!)

Chippewa Hotel

The famous Pink Pony bar is in this hotel too, which might be dangerously convenient 😀 The food here is delicious!

You can’t come to Mackinac Island without going to the famous Grand Hotel– especially if you’re a fan of the movie ‘Somewhere in Time’. Since I didn’t get to see the inside of the hotel the first time I was here (which I always regretted), I wasn’t missing out this time. No way.

It was just as lovely as I’d imagined!

Built in 1887, the Grand Hotel is commonly touted as ‘America’s Summer Place’. In 1972 it offically became a National Historic Landmark. It also boasts the world’s largest front porch–at 660 feet!

The Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island

Grand Hotel Mackinac Island

The front of the hotel from the lovely huge park close to the entrance.

The Grand Hotel Mackinac Island

At the back of the hotel you can walk along the shoreline of Lake Huron and see the famous rock where part of the movie was filmed.

75603_10153822070830601_194803774_n

Somewhere in Time Mackinac Island

If you love the movie as much as I do, you can’t stand against the beautiful tree and take a selfie like Jane Seymour and Christopher Reeve, right? (google Somewhere in Time tree for the official photo). I did eventually get Billy to see the movie years ago and he actually enjoyed it 🙂 You can never go wrong with time-travel, right? This is a beautiful spot to walk along the lake, too.

Mackinac Island Somewhere in Time

Even if you’re not a fan of the movie, this hotel is outstanding and definitely worth a tour. Though you might have to put on your invisible cloak to get inside the hotel if you’re not a guest (I wouldn’t know this from experience, of course…*cough cough*).

They’ve got a wall of cool memorabilia from the movie located in the gift shop near the lobby.

This pic was taken in front of the Grand Hotel on my first visit there almost 15 years ago:

My first visit to the Grand Hotel 2003

Even though it was the middle of July, it was pretty chilly that day (as you can tell by my fleece sweater. BRR!).

Annnnnd, this was taken on my recent visit this past September. Much nicer weather this time around!

The Grand Hotel Sept 2016

Blly wanted a fun photo for his upcoming rap album and thought the Grand Hotel would make the perfect backdrop for his album cover.

Totally awesome dude! Gnarly to the max. Womp womp womp…

1619625_10153829065280601_1505678667_n

Main Street is where all the action is (aside from the Grand Hotel, of course) on the island. Since this is where all the ferries come in, you can’t avoid it even if you tried (you wouldn’t want to, anyway). It’s absolutely gorgeous and so vibrant with all the flowers lining the street.

the Bustling Main Street

I’d really like to come here during the Spring when the Lilac Festival is on. I’ve heard it’s just incredible. Hard to believe that this place could get any prettier, though.

mackinac island

streetscaep

inns on mackinac island

Since it was early Fall, a good part of the street was decked out in gorgeous fall decor. As it was really close to our Thanksgiving (early Oct.) as well, this was a really nice festive touch.

Mackinac Island

There are quite a few restaurants, cute shops (most of them are very touristy, not too surprisingly) bike rental kiosks and about 783 fudge stores lining main street. Okay, I’m exaggerating about that last one, but not by much. I think Mackinac Island has the highest per capita of fudge shops in the world.

fudge

Needless to say there was a LOT of free sampling to be had.

Yep, fudge isn’t paleo-friendly so I was a bit of a bad-ass while I was here (please don’t tell the Paleo Police). I must have tried every variety of chocolate fudge I came across. It’s probably a good thing I didn’t read the ingredient lists before imbibing though as I generally avoid foods with nasty vegetable oils (Yikes!). But SO tasty…mnnn.

We wandered up main street munching on our fudge samples and soaking in the beautiful scenery with all the hustle and bustle of folks arriving from the ferries. With all the pretty horses trotting along beside us, it really felt like we’d gone back in time a century (did they have fudge back in 1916? If so, I bet it was probably much better then).

Now, where did I park my DeLorean again? (ha ha).

mackinac island Michigan

After we checked into our hotel, toured the Grand Hotel and wandered around main street (eating way too much fudge), it was time to do a bike ride so we could see more of the island and work off all the food/fudge. There are several bike rental kiosks to choose from here on Mackinac Island, so it wasn’t an impossible feat in the least.

Just a few minutes away from main street there are tons of trails (many of them are uphill though..just a warning!) so we got to explore a few quieter areas of the island which was really nice.

It also reminded me that I need to get in better shape…

Someone was lagging behind because he was busy taking photos (silly photo nuts).

Oh look a painting! In the middle of the forest?

We biked and hiked to a couple of really cool spots like this one: Arch Rock.

This is a rare limestone arch which was formed during the Nipissing (post-glacial) period when the water levels of both Lakes Huron & Michigan were much higher than they are today. This hunk o’ rock rises 146 feet above Lake Huron and is pretty spectacular to see up close and personal.

It’s absolutely stunning and the views of the lake aren’t too bad at all, either.

Selfie time!

The hike to Arch Rock wasn’t too hard at all. It was just a handful of stairs to get to the top (don’t worry,the view is so worth the work)

We also biked to this spectacular spot…. Sugar Loaf (sweet!)

Sugar Loaf Mackinac Island

This is an enormous 75 feet-high landlocked rock that stands almost smack-dab in the middle of the island. Pretty impressive geological action going on here….

On the way back from Arch Rock and Sugar Loaf, we checked out Fort Holmes as well. This is the highest point on the island and was a strategic location for the military during the War of 1812.

After a couple of hours of biking & hiking it was time to head back into town for a bite to eat and a refreshing drink to quench our thirst. But first…. coffee time!

No Starbucks here, fortunately. This is the town’s favourite coffee shop, apparently. The Lucky Bean.

A few of the locals and friendly tourists told us it’s the best spot in town. When it comes to coffee, always trust the locals, right?

Coffee sure was great, but I was disappointed they didn’t have any treats that I could eat (evil gluten)…darn!

We chatted with some other tourists while sipping a cuppa out front on their little patio area. One of them graciously offered to take our photo, although they accidentally drop the camera right after snapping the pic (Oops! All was good– it didn’t break..until Billy dropped it a few days later in Indianapolis)

It was time to hit the patio to soak up the late summer sun. We choose the Pink Pony as they had a big patio overlooking the lake. Billy ordered a local lager and I went with a blood-orange cider. Yum!

Patio at the Pink Pony

The food here is fabulous and after spending a few days on the island, we both agreed this is one of the best restaurants here. SO if you come to Mackinac, make sure you have one meal (or a drink) at the Pink Pony. Tell them we sent you (ha ha).

Lunch at Pink Pony

Well, this is probably long enough already so I think we should wrap it up. What a long but fun first day on the Island.

Mackinac Island Michigan

We’re off to Indianapolis next! I haven’t been there in a few years–since my visit to Gen Con in 2010. Can’t wait to get back to Indy. Have a great weekend, everyone!

Love, Dana xo

Back to the Future Day, the Ride that I missed in Florida & a McFly/Doc PIE!

October 21, 2015 by Pies & Prejudice 8 Comments

(Geek Alert). Great Scott, it’s here!

It was on this day…..October 21, 2015, that Marty McFly and Doc Brown went ‘back’ in time to the future and they arrived in a very different version of their hometown of ‘Hill Valley’….complete with Hoverboards and flying cars zipping all over the place.

Welcome to the ~~Future~~ er, I mean the present! (update: now the past)

This movie is no longer about the future, boys n’ girls. Yep, now when you watch it, Doc and Marty will be going to the past (well, our past). Man, that’s heavy.

“Heavy! There’s that word again. Why are things so heavy in the future?Is there something wrong with the earth’s gravitational pull?”

If you were a kid/teen in the 80s, like me (but seeing as I’m ~~still~~ only 25, I’m not sure how that’s even possible?) you probably loved this movie and maybe even saw it in the theatre, too. I’d like to say it’s timeless, but given that it IS a time-travel movie, that doesn’t make a lot of sense. Moving on….

It’s definitely my all-time favourite movie. Who wouldn’t want to go back (or forward) in time and see your parents as teenagers or your kids a heck of a lot older? Exactly.

And it’s even more fun when you can travel in time with these guys. Here we are stopping to take a quick pic before getting into the DeLorean.

Now this is what I call a throwback…uh, er….back to the future? Or the past? Or maybe this is the present. Confused yet? hehe

I was ~~in High School~~ not born for another 25 years when the second movie came out. After seeing the original, we couldn’t wait to see the sequel (three years was a long wait). It was fun to see them go into the future instead this time around. While watching it for the first time (back in 1989), we couldn’t really critique their rendition of the future since 2015 was nearly 25 years away. Who knew Hoverboards and self-tying laces weren’t actually going to be all-the-rage now?

Today we can (obviously) see what they guessed right (and wrong) in their take of 2015. There are several great articles written about it like this one and this one , in case you’re interested in reading more. If you’re a BTTF fanatic like me, they’re definitely worth checking out.

I can’t believe it was 30 years ago (32 now) that Doc and Marty punched ‘2015’ into their time-machine and headed to the future. I still love this trilogy just as much today as I did back then and I even loved the 3rd one, too. But since I’m a Wild West fanatic, that probably doesn’t seem too surprising for those who know me.

There are so many things about this movie that makes it a great story: time-travel, great characters played by totally awesome actors (I LOVE Christopher Lloyd– but Crispin Glover and Michael J Fox are great, too), romance, tons of action, and, of course—the villain ‘Biff’ (make like a tree and leaf!). And, it has the best score/soundtrack ever.

Every time I hear the theme music for this movie I feel like I’m getting ready to hop into the DeLorean to go back in time to 1955 as well. Although I think 1985 would be better because I can go back to my childhood and do things a little differently. I would also go to the location of where the movie was filmed (in California) to give the producers some insight into what they should do for 2015. Then, many years later, they’ll wonder how this chick they met back in 1985 managed to predict everything right. Are you telling me you time-travelled in a Delorean all the way from 2015 to tell us how to film the movie?

But seriously, while I LOVE anything time-travel related, the ‘Scully’ in me (yep–X Files fan as well) doesn’t believe time travel is possible. Not yet, anyway.

Over the years I’ve heard rumours about a 4th movie or—worse–a re-make !?? Noooooo! Thankfully none have come to fruition at this point. While it’d be interesting to see another take on the story, a remake of this would probably be awful. So leave well enough alone, Hollywood.

Without further ado….let’s add a bit of a time-travel element to this story, shall we?

It was April 2007 and I was heading to Florida for the first time ever with my good friend Al. I was SO excited because we were going to Universal Studios and I couldn’t wait to finally get to check out the Back to the Future ride that I’d been hearing about for years.

Or not.

Guess what I discovered when we arrived at the Back to the Future Ride? A closed sign, and not just ‘temporarily’, either. The ride was shut down & boarded up and another sign announced: ‘Coming soon: The Simpsons Ride.

NOOOOOOOO! Apparently I looked like a 4-year old who’d just dropped her favourite ice cream cone. That’s exactly how I felt.

Seriously, though? The ride has been around for almost 15 years at the time (this trip to Florida was a decade ago, so now we’re talking 25 years ago since the ride had been there). It opened its doors in Universal Studios, Florida in 1991.

The worst part? I missed it by A FEW DAYS!! Oh yes, you read that right. I couldn’t have had worse timing if I tried. It closed down permanently on March 30th, 2007 and we arrived April 5th, 2007. So my only option was a time machine so I can go back to, say–a week earlier–to do the BTTF ride.

Lesson learned. If that didn’t teach me to see something sooner than later (be it a place, ride, event etc) before it’s gone, I don’t know what else could.

At the very least, they did keep the Gift Shop open so we could check out some fun BTTF-themed clothes and gadgets.

I’m glad I got to see the store, at least, as it was gone when I came back to Florida a couple years later.

They also had ~~actors,~~ er, I mean the real Doc Brown and Marty McFly walking around chatting with everyone. Doc is such a nice guy, even if he is slightly eccentric. He hasn’t aged much since 1989, either.

And the DeLorean was still on display. The real one too, not just a replica. I think I’m gonna take this for a spin. Maybe even drive it home? Wonder if they’ll notice it missing? hehe

Here’s the Jules Verne train from the 3rd movie.

These cheered me up slightly and almost made up for missing the ride….*Almost*. I’m still upset, but I eventually got over it. If you ever had the pleasure of experiencing the Back to the Future ride in Orlando (lucky duck), I’d LOVE to hear about it. Let me know in the comments, I’ll try not to cry 😀

When I returned to Universal a few years later, this is what replaced the Back to the Future ride:

The Simpson’s ride was actually pretty cool. It’s a roller-coaster simulator/3-D ride, and even my dad (who hated roller-coasters) enjoyed it when we were here together. While it was fun, it ain’t no Back to the Future Ride! (Harumph).

They also had this guy wandering around pretending he was the Doc….on a bike!??? He looked 30 years old… at most. Seriously? For the DOC? The cosplay actors whom I met a few years earlier were much more realistic.

Update: While this post was written on the actual day when Marty & the Doc went into the future: Oct 21, 2015, now that I am baking themed pies, of course I had to make a Back to the Future pie for the 2 year anniversary.

It’s a Spiced Cherry Pie with Cardamon, Cinnamon and brown butter—and a Delorean, Marty and the Doc. Great Scott, this is yummy.

Happy BTTF day everyone! Hope your week is filled with pie, time-travel and maybe even a road trip?

Roads? Where we’re going we don’t need roads!

Dana xo (your friendly Canadian Geek)