Boot 'n Bonnet British Car Club Spring Tour!

As classic British Car enthusiasts, and owners of a few, my 'riding mechanic' and I participate in many club functions.  With the signs of spring in the air, we dusted off our 1969 E type Jaguar and headed out to The 1,000 Islands to meet up with fellow BnB members.  

Our gathering point was Peggy and Paul's beautiful home overlooking the St. Lawrence River.

 An array of different types and models of cars participated, but our hosts have a special spot in their hearts for the MGA!

Homemade shortbread, emblazoned with the MG logo, sustained us before heading out for our country tour.

Always looking for a 'photo opp', we gathered to show off our 'pride and joy', using the 1,000 Islands as our backdrop!

Once underway, the back roads boasted many scenic views.

Our destination was fellow member's car restoration's business:

Classic Automotive Repair 

You should check out Steve's work!

One of the cars that he is working on is a 1931 Cadillac.

This is how it looks now.....

 I hope he takes pictures of the final restoration - I would love to see the difference!

The view from his shop is pretty good too!

It was a wonderful outing with 'like-minded' people showing off their 4 wheeled loves.

Madison's 18th Birthday

As you live your life, time seems to go by slowly.  You enjoy your daily activities; work, fun and family.  Time goes by, but reality comes home to roost when you realize that your second youngest niece is about  to turn 18!  Where did the time go?

 The occasion called for a family reunion with 2 of my sisters in Montreal.  The weather was perfect for a stroll along the lake and a stop for some family pictures.

And no birthday party is complete without a feast

 to share with friends and family

Madi had been begging for a kitten for a number of years, so was thrilled to bits to meet Winnoskee!

Winnee meets his new house mate, "Fritz the dwarf rabbit"....

 ....they both don't seem too sure about it

The following day took us into St Lambert, on the south shore, to visit Fusion Bijoux's 'open house' 

 Established in 1998, Fusion Bijoux offers beautiful, handmade jewellery from Indonesia.  Designer, Roger Brunet, works closely with talented Balinese and Javanese silversmiths, who use increasingly rare ancestral techniques to create unique pieces.

Roger only sells to retail stores, 

but twice a year he opens his studio to the public.

I took advantage of the opportunity to buy a ring and a pair of earings.

Buying jewellery is exhausting, so we had to stop for the traditional Montreal Smoked meat....

 It was lovely enough to eat outside at Kapetan Restaurant which is a St Lambert institution.

Since it was such a sunny warm day, we headed up to the Westmount 'lookout', which boasts a stunning view of Montreal.  Most visitors take in the view from the top of Mount Royal, but this gem of a place offers a different perspective.

Talking about time......the weekend went by way too fast.

 Happy birthday Madison!

March Foodie Tour!

We are extremely lucky to be living in an area where fabulous restaurants abound; some only a short drive downtown and 

others worthy of a day trip.

Our first trip took us to Prince Edward County for lunch at

 Agrarian Bistro in Bloomfield,

to meet up with old friends.

Along our country route, we passed my favourite runoff...

It was so much fun to find our friends in good spirits

 and full of laughter!

We dined on on Fish and Chips

and finished off the meal with butter tarts and creme brule

We had such a fabulous time!

A few weeks later, we joined friends for dinner at Megalos Restaurant in downtown Kingston, before going to the theatre.

Their 'prix fixe' menu had very generous portions and was delicious.

I started with a huge salad...

.....then a 'huge' burger!

Desert was included, but I couldn't eat another bite, so took it home for another day....peanut butter cake.....yummo!

As all good things come in 'threes', 

my honey and I celebrated our recent anniversary at

Le Chien Noir Bistro, also in downtown Kingston.

They also have a 'prix fixe' menu.  The menu has a 'french' slant to it with many surprising additions.

I started with a roasted squash risotto, where instead of rice, the chef used cauliflower, finishing it with shaved pecorino romano.

then on to more traditional french fare, mussels

and, in case you haven't figured it out yet, my favourite desert, creme brule!

As spring is just around the corner, I took a short drive to see how my stream looked today.....almost all the snow gone, 

but still gushing water.

The Lucas Push

When you live in the Great White North, you are constantly looking for diversions from the never ending snow and cold.  When you wake up in the morning and find this.....

In 'Waldo' fashion; Can you find the car???

.....you jump at the chance for a road trip!

The night before heading to Toronto, 

a sushi dinner out with my honey was in order.

In case you are wondering, The Joseph Lucas Memorial Push is organized by the 'Canadian Vintage Motorcycle Group'.  To quote them: " why not have a social event and poke some fun at Joseph Lucas? Lucas was the owner of Lucas Electrical, the company which supplied parts for the somewhat troublesome electrical systems of British motorcycles and became known jokingly as

 “The Prince of Darkness”.

My traveling companion was none other than V-Star Lady,

an enthusiastic motorcyclist and blogger.

The event revolves around a 'pub crawl', where a 'hurting motorcyle' is 'pushed' from venue to venue.  The first pub was The Madison, so it made sense for us to stay at their adjoining Madison Manor Boutique Hotel.  It is a charming vintage house turned into quaint rooms.  It has a old fashioned rooming house feel to it and although not luxurious, was comfortable.

The hotel is to the the right, with the pub being the 2 adjoining buildings to the left

 Toronto was in the midst of an early spring, making it a perfect opportunity for a walk along Bloor Street.  Honest Ed's is a landmark 'everything you could possibly want store', covering a full city block renowned for its 'serve yourself policy'.

Bloor Street boasts everything from expensive designer shops to graffitti covered music venues

Once the sun set, first point of order was dinner, and what better to have in a pub, than wings...

....shared with artist and ex road racer Ron Peter 

 This story would not be complete without letting you know what was "pushed' from pub to pub.  I would like all my motorcycle friends to post a comment if you know what this is, including the year.

 All good things must come to end, so home we went.  

I suppose the snow and cold is not so bad afterall......

"Super" Roger Hodgson

I have an absolutely amazing sister. 

 Actually, I have 3, but I want to talk about this one.

She called me up about 3 weeks ago and excitedly said, "I just got 2 tickets to see Roger Hodgson, who was the lead singer and major songwriter of the 70's group Supertramp......He is playing Place Des Arts in Montreal next week.....Do you want to come with me???"

Well, I didn't have to think about that twice - booked my transportation and away I went for a weekend of dining and music!

Before the concert, we decided to have dinner at the restaurant Brasserie T, the little brother of Montreal's Toque, which is known to be one of the city's best! 

The Brasserie is situated on the sidewalk near Place des Arts and is totally encased in glass.  No matter where you sit, you have a wonderful view of all the street activity.

The menu had too many tempting things to choose from, 

so we settled on a few sharing plates.

Goat Cheese + Potato Gratin

Beef Tartare

Mushrooms & a soft boiled egg

Duck Rillettes

All enjoyed with a cheeky red...

Off to the concert.....

Place Des Arts was built in 1963 with architecture that highlights that era.  Inside the concert hall the ceiling was 'art' itself.

Rodger and his band took to the stage

When I closed my eyes, I was transported back in time to the many Supertramp concerts I went to in my youth

The following evening, the girls and I all rolled up our sleeves, got our fingers sticky with rice and produced mouthwatering, homemade sushi!

No visit to Montreal would be complete without a smoked meat and pickle, so throughly enjoyed my parting lunch.....

    and hometown beer.....Molson Export!

Thank you Belinda for such a wonderful weekend!