Imposing entrance to The Rooms – a large complex consisting of 4 floors of all things Newfoundland: artifacts and art that speak of the land, the people, and their lives here. Definitely worth a visit. Plan at least 1/2 a day here. And plan to eat at the Cafe. Get the cod tongues!
I wanted to try cod tongues while in Newfoundland but Joanne wasn’t having any of that. We were at The Rooms in St. John’s (mere steps from our apartment), and sitting down to eat at the excellent cafe there when I spied them on the menu. I didn’t want to eat a whole order by myself as I had my heart set on the Fisherman’s Bake (which sounded filling) so I asked Joanne if she wanted to share. She said no.
Then I thought maybe if our server described them to us Joanne would change her mind. This is the exchange that followed:
Me to server: I’d like to know more about the cod tongues appetizer. What are cod tongues like?
Server: Well, they’re not tongues, exactly. They are glands.
Joanne: OK, this is not helping.
Me to server: You are really NOT helping.
Me to server while Joanne placed her order: And can you throw a cod tongue on top, you know, for decoration?
What I imagined our server was thinking: Spare me these CFAs*!
Needless to say, Joanne did not get a cod tongue on top of her chowder. Also: I didn’t get any either.
And guess what I found out today while putting together this post? Cod tongues are neither tongues nor glands. They are muscles – like steak. Or pork chops. And a delicacy that tastes like scallops!
Next trip to the Rock it’s gonna be cod tongues at every meal, Joanne. 😉
For more stories about our trip, please visit Joanne’s blog here, here and here or mine here and here.
Rock on,
The WB
*CFA or Come From Away – a term used to describe those not born in Newfoundland. Also: a hella fine musical production and true story about the hospitality and humanity shown by the town of Gander when many planes were grounded with passengers stranded there by the events of September 11, 2001.
Warning: Do not read this post if hungry (or thirsty). Believe me, it was tough to write on an empty stomach and without any delicious beer in the house. But no one can say I don’t suffer for my art… 😉
If you think Newfoundland cuisine consists only of deep-fried everything washed down with Screech, you are in for a big surprise. Joanne and I ate like queens and drank like fishes princesses during our recent week on the Rock. You can read my earlier post about this trip here.
One of our early meals (and favourites) was brunch at the Mallard Cottage. This highly recommended restaurant is in the old-time fishing village in St. John’s known as Quidi Vidi. You’ll be seeing a lot of this name in this post as it also hosts a damn fine brewery.
The menu board and sweets table at the Mallard Cottage, Quidi VidiI started off with a High Tea Cocktail. Gin made out of icebergs, people! Oh yes.Joanne and I split the fish cakes and the Chef’s Plates (a series of dishes the chef dreamed up). We were seated at a communal table, which was the most fun as we got to chat with locals as well as fellow travellers. I would say yes to a communal table any time!Of course, we had to try some cod and chips one night for supper! Ches’s was only mere steps from our AirBnB apartment in St. John’s. And what goes better with fish and chips than Quidi Vidi beer? “Mmmmm…beer” – H. Simpson After our boat trip and hiking Witless Bay, we were starving. We stopped at the Irish Loop Coffee House just minutes before closing. They graciously fed us anyways. Such a cool little place, completely furnished with retro-style dinette sets. Joanne had the sweet potato pancakes and I inhaled the brie and bacon croissant. Sorry, no pictures were taken of our mains due to hands being occupied shoving the food in our pieholes. But I did snap the following:Is there anything better than a cold Quidi Vidi after a hike? It’s becoming a thing with us.I did manage to regain my blogger’s wits enough to snap a photo of the most amazing lemon bread pudding that Joanne and I shared for dessert, though.Just so you know, not every drink on this trip was alcoholic….LOL! After a jaunt up to Signal Hill – where we froze in the bitter wind – lo and behold a Newfoundland Chocolate Company Cafe conveniently located partway down the Hill…oh those canny Newfoundlanders and their delicious hot chocolate! Note Joanne’s restrained pose while I took the picture. Atta girl! One evening we were invited to dine at my brother-in-law’s sister’s house where we were introduced to this bad boy. Newfoundland Distillery is a business started by a niece of this lovely couple and we would just happen to be driving right by on our way to Harbour Grace the next day, to visit with BIL’s other sister. Kismet, I tell ya!Yeah, we parked in the next door church’s parking lot. Well, it was empty-ish and we didn’t stay long. Just purchased some delicious seaweed gin and went merrily on our way. After touring Harbour Grace, we took another of BIL’s sisters out to dinner at The Stone Jug, in nearby Carbonear. Which has a rich history involving a princess and a pirate. The green, white and pink flag (see also NFLD Chocolate Cafe, above) is the flag of the former Republic of Newfoundland. Newfoundland became a province of Canada only in 1949. Quite an amazing interior.
We inhaled enjoyed delicious Quidi Vidi iceberg beer with our equally delicious burgers. Beer made out of icebergs, people! Oh, yes!
Even our last meal (at the St. John’s airport, in the YellowBelly Brewery Pub) was delicious. Here are Joanne’s steamed mussels (with curry sauce).And here is my scrumptious cod burger with side salad, liberally doused with candied nuts. Not pictured – our yummy YellowBelly beers. I don’t know why.
Oh my, this was a tough post to write – but now I’m ready to wipe the drool off my chin find something to eat (and drink) in Chez Badass. Hope you enjoyed our culinary adventures in Newfoundland!
Well here I am with my Monday night Game of Thrones lack-of-sleep hangover, trying desperately to get my April post out before much more of May gets away from me…
In retrospect, April in Ontario was pretty meh with respect to the nicer aspects of spring. It remained cold and grey for most of the month. So it was a relief mid-month to head south to Augusta, Georgia for a few days of spring (and a couple of days of summer-like temps) before coming home to yet more chilly rain.
Here are some photos, that capture my month:
Start of Mandala painting Apr 4. Starved for colour and spring isn’t coming across with the goods!Apr 6 Attended the Lineup Reveal concert for August’s KW Bluesfest. Lucky Peterson performed.Apr 7 Still plenty of ice on the trail.
Apr 7 Sign of spring: fuzzy caterpillarApr 7 Another sign of spring: first frog sighting!Apr 10 Daffodils spotted in Pennsylvania. Enroute to Augusta.Apr 11 Tulips in Wytheville, VirginiaApr 12 Our home for the weekend, outside of Augusta. From spring to 30 degrees C!Apr 13 & 14 at the Masters. I didn’t take this picture as cameras weren’t allowed on tournament days. Someone snapped it on one of the practice days.Apr 21 Speed River flooding just off the trail I walk. Some areas of Ontario were very hard hit by flooding. Apr 21 Colt’s Foot blooming in dry areas.Apr 28 65th birthday party for my BIL at Lionhead Golf Course. It was a surprise party, and it was my job to get him to the course under pretext. I did a great job – he was completely stunned to find out it was his birthday party and that I actually didn’t need his help in planning a corporate golf tournament – but it tore me up inside. I don’t like deceiving people, even for happy reasons, I have discovered.Apr 28 My BIL (in blue) making the rounds of his party. Note the media screens. There were 4 in total. I gave a slideshow of our trip to Augusta.
Apr 30 Progress made on mandala painting
For some reason, WordPress is cutting off some of my photos. Or is it? On some devices I can see the entire photo, and on some they remain cut off. This is aggravating as I do spend some time cropping my photos to enhance them, and then to have them further cropped…well, colour me pissed. I don’t know what I am doing or not doing to cause this to happen. Argh!
Anywho, that was my April. The Changing Seasons is a monthly photo challenge hosted by the ever lovely Zimmerbitch. Please check out her blog and the other bloggers who participate!
When last I left off, gentle readers, I was planning to take a portion of my dead husband’s ashes down with me to Augusta, to scatter them on the hallowed grounds of the golf course there, during the 2019 Masters event.
Well, I am happy to report that my mission was accomplished with no drama. Kinda anticlimactic, really.
Not only did I NOT get dragged off the course in ignominy, but my own people didn’t realize what I had done. Even though I made a point of making eye contact with them while I was doing it. I was amazed when I was asked – safely back at the hospitality suite – did I do what I set out to do? Perhaps I need to go into the spy business. I seem to be (too) good at covert operations.
I scattered some of JD at 2 different locations, during the 2 days we spent at the tournament. Saturday was at the Amen Corner; Sunday was near the pond on Hole 16 – another pretty spot. Do I feel guilty about doing so? Not one bit. I am sure I am not the first, nor will I be the last to do so. Plus, the tablespoon of cremains I deposited is nothing compared to the amount of cigar ash deposited on the grounds daily, based on my observations.
As I mentioned in my previous post, no electronics were allowed on the course during the final days of the tournament so I don’t have any pictures to share…yet! I did get sent some pictures taken by someone who was on the course on the practice round days, when photography was allowed. I’ll post those after first debuting them in a slideshow at a special event I will be attending next week.
These (and accompanying verbiage) will probably make up the most of my upcoming Changing Seasons post for April.
Tomorrow I am leaving for Augusta, Georgia, to attend the Masters Tournament being played there on the weekend.
Some of you may be wondering how I ended up in this delightful situation, not being a golfer (or rabid golf fan) and all that. Well, wonder no more! Get yourself comfortable as the Widow Badass tells all…
My late husband came from a family BIG on golf. I mean seriously addicted to the game. JD started golfing when he was 4 years old, with his dad, who LIVED for golf. Big Daddy D often held down multiple jobs at once to provide for his family but Sunday morning golf with his JD was sacred. Even when everyone else had packed it in for the season, Daddy D and JD would be out there, using coloured balls so they could be seen despite the snow dusting the course.
So golf was a big part of JD’s life and he became very good at it. So good, that at one point Daddy D’s golfing buddies asked him not to bring JD because they were tired of getting their asses severely beat by the young lad – every time. So Daddy D told his golfing buddies to take a hike. As one does…
Anywho, life happened to JD as it does to us all and instead of pursuing life as a golf prodigy, he went into accounting, got married, got divorced, blah blah blah.
Then we (former elementary and high school-mates) got reunited and JD introduced me to the enjoyable yet exasperating game of golf.
Long story short, JD came to an turning point in his career and I suggested he finally realize his golf dream and become a teaching pro. So he did – he was into his apprenticeship when he got lung cancer and passed away. I put away my golf gear – such as it was; I was more of a caddy for JD than an actual player myself. The game held too many memories and associated emotions for me, both good and bad. The onslaught of those while playing the game are still too much to bear.
Back to today: JD’s sister (B) and her husband (M) are also fans of the game and have been putting their names into a draw for spectator tickets to the Masters for about a decade now. Last summer their names were finally drawn and they purchased a package including 4 tickets for Saturday and Sunday. If JD were alive, he would have been the one going but since he is not, I was invited to take his place. So B, M, me and M Jr. are heading down to Augusta. B, M and me will be going by car; M Jr. is taking a plane, to minimize his days off work.
I have never been to a major tournament like this. It’s pretty damn rules-y, that much I can tell you. There is a dress code (no jeans, no short-shorts, basically dress as if you were playing); there will be no electronics allowed (cell phones, cameras, tablets, laptops, watches that can accept phone calls); there is absolutely no running allowed; no food or drink allowed; no noise at all when the volunteers hold up the Quiet sign; etc. etc. Happy Gilmore, it won’t be!
I’ve decided to pack a bit of JD, to bring along with me. So I opened up his urn (on my dresser still, along with the cremains of my dog Lucy and my mom – quite the collection!), and scooped a tablespoon of his ashes into a little plastic container. I plan to sprinkle him somewhere on the grounds. Not sure where yet. When I see it, I’ll know it. I didn’t read anywhere in the rules about “no sprinkling of human remains on the grounds of Augusta National” so I’m going for it. After all, it’s basically bone meal fertilizer, right? Wish me luck.
March was typical in many ways. Ontarians spent the days waiting for the weather to change, and the ice and snow to melt. And it did! We had a glorious day on Friday:
No wind and plenty of sun. Temperatures reached double digits. A great day to get out for a walk. Sunlight sparkling on the water flowing over the Village dam.Sun highlighting the pampas grass.
Then Saturday came and brought steady, heavy rain. Joanne of My Life Lived Full came to visit for the weekend and join me for a couple of events. We didn’t let the rain stop us from heading out to Crawford Lake Conservation Area’s Sweetwater Festival, and A Taste of Maple, presented by Chef Johl Whiteduck Ringuette of NishDish Marketeria, a Toronto restaurant and catering business serving Indigenous cuisine.
Rainboots, umbrellas and smiles – all a must in this weather!
We started our culinary adventure with maple taffy, made on a bed of ice in lieu of snow, which had finally melted away (or so we thought! Uh oh.).A documentary was being filmed on the traditional Indigenous view of food as medicine (Chef Johl’s talk).
Joanne and I were so engrossed in Chef Johl’s talk we (almost) forgot we came also for a food tasting. He spoke so eloquently and passionately about his culture and experiences growing up, lacing them with traditional stories about Nanabozho and the origins of maple syrup making. His honest, heartfelt stories of working with Aboriginal Legal and the treatment of the native people in Toronto made me tear up.
Chef Johl started us off with a smudging ceremony, to cleanse us and bring us together for good intentions. Look for a documentary in about a year we were told before the talk, on Traditional Food as Medicine. Chef Johl’s recommended reading for those who were interested (yes, please!).The order of lining up for food: elder women, then other women, then everyone else. On the tasting menu: bannock with maple butter and jam, salmon, and blueberry wild rice pudding. Closeup of blueberry, maple and wild rice pudding in a corn husk bowl.
Once back at Chez Badass, Joanne and I spent a delightful evening and the next morning trading information. I showed her how to make art with spray inks and shaving cream, and she taught me all about Airbnb (teaser: more about why in an upcoming post…hehehe). This was awaiting us outside in the morning:
March 31, 2019. No one is up for a winter wonderland come spring. Even though we woke up to this on Sunday morning, we weren’t going to be stopped from enjoying the day.
Late morning it was off to our second event of the weekend – exploring St. Jacobs and taking in a show at the Country Playhouse.
FABULOUS. The best Drayton production I have seen yet.
Before the show started, we had time to do some shopping and eat lunch at the Stone Crock.
When bloggers are let loose in St. Jacobs, the streets are no longer safe.
I was so excited when I found something I had been searching for since I saw one at Karen Hume’s (of Profound Journey) last summer. (Bloggers: always learning from each other!) It is going to solve one of life’s big (hah!) problems for this badass widow.
Yeah. I made this meme. Hard for me to eat the butter (no matter how minuscule an amount) before it goes bad as I like to keep it on the counter. Because: spreadability!
I was really happy to have finally found one of these butter keepers. I first learned of these at Karen Hume’s house last summer. She had one. I thought it was genius.
The water in the base (must be changed every few days) keeps the butter fresh AND spreadable, on the counter!
And so ended my March, absolutely delightfully despite ALL. THE. WEATHER!
The Changing Seasons is hosted by Su Leslie of Zimmerbitch. Please be sure to check out her blog!
February was an incredible month for me – and one of extremes. In temperature and geography! You can read about my travels here, here, here, here and here.
I started off the month on Vancouver Island, which is surrounded by the Pacific Ocean.
Yep, those are surfers behind me. On Groundhog Day!
Surfer!
After a few short days back at Chez Badass (and work), it was off to Barbados, an island surrounded by the Caribbean Sea in the Atlantic Ocean:
2019 Barbados sign on the beach, just off the boardwalk.
Island of glorious sunrises…
And restful beach vistas…
And beautiful flowers. This one is called Pride of Barbados (aka peacock flower).
And green monkeys. This elusive guy shot by CJ on a morning walk.
And cute little crabs that are really hard to see when not scuttling around the beach.
And racehorses reluctant to be bathed in the sea, after early morning exercise.
And less reluctant horses actually swimming in deep water, for non-weight bearing exercise…
And tall ships (spotted along with the horses, in Carlisle Bay).
But all good things come to an end, eventually. This is how I ended my magical month of February:
Using a hatchet to break up my driveway’s ice.
Observing ice formations on my walks.
Trying to be as stoic about the weather as the Buddha of the Patio.
Today’s weather – I can be forgiven for shedding a tear or two, right?
March and the Spring Equinox – bring it on!
The Changing Seasons is a monthly photo challenge, hosted by Su Leslie at Zimmerbitch. Go check her beautiful blog out!
George Washington came to Barbados in 1751 while he was still a relative nobody – hoping for a career as a land surveyor and farmer – in the company of his older brother Lawrence. Lawrence was suffering from tuberculosis, and they hoped the climate in Barbados would cure him. It didn’t – Lawrence died the following year, unfortunately. While in Barbados, George contracted small pox and did survive. This gave him immunity and saved him from potentially dying of it later, as an outbreak occurred during the American war of independence. And we know how the rest of that story went…Barbadians are proud of the small but significant part their country played in America’s history.
Very close to our hotel is the George Washington House, in the heart of the Garrison District of Barbados. CJ and I discovered this on a morning walk around the racetrack, which sits in a bowl-shaped area known as the Savannah.
Map of the Garrison District, as it exists today.
The Savannah used to fill up with water every rainy season, and as a result mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria and yellow fever would increase during that time. The British did not know the cause of the diseases at that time, but did recognize they coincided with the sitting water, so they created tunnels under the Savannah, to drain the water and for stealthy troop movements in case of attack. The tunnels go on for miles underneath, to a variety of buildings, eventually leading to the sea at Carlisle Bay.
The existence of the tunnels were the stuff of rumours and almost forgotten, until someone needed to do some work at George Washington House and rediscovered them during the process.
Our morning visit to George Washington House included an informative short video about George Washington’s stay, followed by a tour of the tunnels and the house.
Our guide (one of two during our tour) Wilbert provided us with a fascinating tour of the 200 feet of the tunnels we were allowed to travel.
Wilbert in the tunnel. Not for the claustrophobic, he warned us. This section of the tunnel was made with bricks previously used on sailing ships as ballast. Some of the tunnel is dug right into the coral that makes up the island of Barbados.
After our tunnel tour, we were handed off to Martin, who showed us the house itself.
George Washington House exterior, with separate kitchen building on the right
Entryway and 30 seat dining table, built expressly for GW House’s Monday evening “Dinner with George” (which we did not know about until too late, unfortunately).
View of table from opposite end
Recreation of period tea set from broken pieces found in the gully beside the house. Love the criss-cross handle detail, and the pie crust table.
Period liquor cabinet on wheels. Handy!
Martin showing us an 18th century rum bottle brought up from Carlisle Bay. Sailors would throw them overboard once empty. Damn litterbugs!
George’s bedroom. On the ground floor, off the main hallway. Not his actual bed as none of the original furniture was saved due to GW’s relative nobody-ness at the time. Furnishings are typical of the period, however. I need to paint a room this colour.
18th century tall boy, once owned by actress Claudette Colbert, who lived on Barbados once she retired from film.
Close up of gorgeous hardware on the tall boy.
Brother Lawrence’s bedroom – bigger and better as befits the elder son. Across the hall. Love the hide-covered chest.
18th century gentleman’s bag. I call it a murse (man purse).
Medical text of that time period. Includes cures for hangovers and cancer…
Next door to the house was the kitchen – separated from the main house in case of fire.
This was the closest thing to refrigeration in the tropics, at that time. A room off the main kitchen, kept cool by wetting the earthen floor and capturing the breeze through the slit in the wall.
The kitchen sink, complete with jukking board, for washing clothes.
After the main floor tour, we were invited to explore the second storey exhibits, on our own.
Stairway to second storey of GW House.
The second story of GW House (thankfully air-conditioned!) was filled with exhibits about the life and times of the inhabitants of Barbados in the 18th century.
Informative signage.
Slaves outnumbered owners 4-1 at one point. Which led to the “creolization” of the Island, according to what we read. (Which I think means there was a lot of mixing going on.) Also, the white people were terrified of being overtaken, so control was tight and punishments were extremely harsh. Sad part of the history of this beautiful island.
We were told by others to definitely stop at the onsite cafe (formerly the stables) for refreshments. It did not disappoint! Try a lemon square, if you ever visit.
Of all of the sights CJ and I have seen so far in 3 years (well, 4 years for me) of visiting Barbados, this one has to be my favourite. Thanks in no small part to Wilbert and Martin, our knowledgeable and charming tour guides.
If you ever are in Barbados (and I hope you get the chance to visit), I recommend a trip to George Washington House.
CJ caught this picture of me taking a picture of the Barbados 2019 sign, and a rainbow in the distance!
After a few short days back in frozen Ontario from delightful Vancouver Island (here and here), I was once again boarding a plane – this time for Barbados!
Mizz J pointed out to me that I will be visiting 2 oceans in the same month (never likely to happen again), and I think that is pretty cool!
I don’t normally take vacations back to back like this. I would have rather been visiting Vancouver Island over the Christmas holidays. Work/staffing commitments decided this timing for me.
Anywho, once again CJ and I are in Barbados, for our annual 2 week beach vacation.
So far there has been a lot of these:
Bajan sunrise, as seen on our de riguer 6 am walks.
And these:
Glorious Bajan sunset – 6 pm on the dot.
And this:
Happy toes in the surf.
Just to spice things up a bit, we decided to forgo the beach walks some mornings to head north to explore the Garrison District instead, which includes the racetrack.
Watching the horses and jockeys at practice
Entrance to grandstand. This horse and handler were just back from the morning sea bath. More on that later…
Directly across the street from the grandstand entrance. Bajan trees can hold their own with Vancouver Island’s giants.
We saw horses crossing the highway to head to the beach, so of course we followed. And we were not disappointed.
So many horses coming back from the sea, we thought maybe we had missed seeing them in the water.
Luckily, plenty of horses still at the beach, including this stunner.
Bathing beauties
Heading for a swim in deeper waters
This horse was playfully pawing at the water.
Yesterday we realized, after a full week of lounging on the beach (in the shade, of course!), that we had achieved peak “sluggitude”, so we decided to walk to the Barbados Museum, located behind the racetrack. We needed a dose of culture; to hell with the heat of the afternoon.
This building used to be a military prison. Couldn’t take pictures inside the museum, of course. It was filled with exhibits of all things Barbados – natural, social, cultural, and military history. Worth a visit!
After the museum, we had time to kill before the restaurant we wanted to visit opened, so some rehydration was in order.
Deadly rum punch, at the Radisson Aquatica. The bartender referred to us as “my queens”. A girl could get used to this. (Well, we did give a nice tip. 😉 )
And then it was on to dinner and dessert, at Brown Sugar.
Brown Sugar Restaurant’s specialty: Bajan Bread Pudding. Bread soaked in rum, with rum-soaked raisins, in a rum sauce. Sensing a theme here? You could light my breath on fire. I could only eat half despite its deliciousness. CJ could only eat half of her chocolate mousse cake (in background). We will enjoy the rest today!
Before we leave on Friday, we are planning a visit to this place:
Conveniently located beside the racetrack, in the Garrison District. George Washington stayed here, in his only visit outside the US. Open Monday – Friday. Don’t know much more about this other than I heard it has a delightful cafe. Also something about tunnels. I’ll let you know.
The beach is calling my name ever more loudly, so until next time…
On my last full day on Vancouver Island, the three of us (Mizz J, K and I) got up early and hit the road to Tofino!
We stopped along the way at a picturesque mountain lake.
I think this is called Kennedy Lake.
Tofino straddles the tip of a peninsula on the west coast of the Island. One side is quiet inlet.
Calm waters of the inlet
Tofino Totem Pole
And the other side is a paradise for surfers.
The surf at Chesterman Beach. Yes, there were many surfers in the water (2 in this photo) on Groundhog Day, February 2.
Admiring the view and soaking up the sun.
One of the many pretty shells to be found on the beach.
Both sides of Tofino are beautiful and cool.
We drove downtown and parked near this place as we just had to see what it was all about.
A large gallery featuring the works of native artist Roy Henry Vickers. Loved his stuff. Someday I will be back and buy a print or twelve… 🙂
Inside the gallery.
We also visited a series of stores, surf-related shops, and restaurants inside and just outside of the downtown. And there were flowers blooming outside! On Groundhog Day!!!
Crocuses blooming already!
I loved the signage of this coffee shop:
I had a London Fog here and it was so. damn. good.
The wildlife at the Wildfire Grill were very assertive. The restaurant had signs up, warning people of crow thievery. They just came for us. With their buddies. (OK, so we encouraged them. Because of the novelty. We’re just the kind of people that like birds landing on our picnic table and staring at us.) Like a scene from The Birds. 🙂
We also did a short walk on the Tonquin Trail, that led to another beach.
Sign at entrance to trail.
As the day drew to a close we visited another beach – Long Beach.
Beautiful Long Beach scenery.
And so ended our last day together (for a while). It was a glorious one, filled with sun, surf, art and togetherness.
