Toronto Distillery District – Free Mill Street Brewery Tour

We’d been in TO for nearly six months but we hadn’t both made it to the Distillery District yet.

As on their website “you must experience it for yourself. The Distillery District is an internationally acclaimed village of brick-lined streets and dozens of vibrantly restored Victorian Industrial buildings.”

55 Mill Street is claimed to be one of Ontario’s hottest tourist attractions - home to live theatres, galleries, fashion, design and jewelry boutiques, unique cafes and award-winning restaurants and of course the Mill Street Brewery! The area has a real historic vibe to it, which you don’t really tend to find in many places in TO.

There was even an English bakery which sold proper meat pies, we tried to get a cup of hot chocolate from the chocolate shop, but the queue was ridiculous and filled with staff who acted as if there were only two people in line.

There are also great art instillations around the area which contrast with the old bricks and cobbles.

We made our way over the Mill Street Brew Pub.

We had thought about going to the Steam Whistle brewery tour, but neither of us like Steam Whistle that much (although I was slightly tempted by the ride on the train!) but $25 vs free, we went with free!

The tours are available on weekends at 3pm and 5pm. We congregated in the retail store to the side of the bar at 4.45 and waited for our “tour”. At 5pm we were all walked through the busy bar and restaurant into a tiny microbrewery at the back of the bar. As we all shuffled into the small area we all listened in to a great talk on the history of beer.

How it’s made. The different stages it goes through to create the different types. It was really interesting. I never knew the reason why the Irish drank stout was because dark beer never used to be taxed.

We also found out the Mill Street bar was actually built for a set for the film Chicago! So all in all, it wasn’t really a tour, but more of a talk, but a really great one at that. We then washed our new found insight down with a nice pint of Mill Street Organic. Ahh.

Up the CN tower

Our final weeks in Toronto and we realised that we hadn’t been up the CN Tower! The tower stands 553.33 metres (1,815.4 ft) tall and you can see it from pretty much anywhere in the city. Every time we thought about going up, the weather was really bad or the sky wasn’t clear. We decided to go up just before Sunset to try and get both day and night. It was a really clear day. As it’s off season too we hardly queued. In the summer you can wait for up to two hours to go through security and wait for the lifts.


   


The view is amazing. And I try not to think that I’m standing on a round bulb sticking out of the top of a long thin spike. The lift when you go up is pretty scary as it has glass panels on the floor.


  
You can also go out and walk around the bottom. It’s a bit of a shame for pictures that they have the mesh, but I think I would be on my knees if it wasn't there!


  
There’s a glass walk way where you can see straight down to the ground. I couldn't stand on it, but managed to get this pick.


  
 There was the most stunning sunset, we were so lucky.





 
After the sun went down, the city illuminated with lights. I'm so glad we got to experience both.


 

Amazing sunset across Toronto

Walking home from work and was rewarded with the most amazing sunset. I think the pictures can speak for themselves...

Dave does the Habitat for Humanity’s Polar Bear Dip 2012!

Most people on New Year’s Day are hugging the china thrown or crawl out of bed late afternoon followed by a trip top the greasy spoon or a painful family roast. Not for us. We had a good night but surprisingly not very drunken. Dave saw this dip and was adamant he was going to take part. Of course being the doting girlfriend I volunteered to cheer him on from the side and keep his clothes dry…

Each year Polar Bear Club’s across Toronto arranges the Polar Bear Dip to raise money for Habitat for Humanity. This is basically where people turn up on New Years day, strip down to their swimming costumes and at midday all run into freezing Lake Ontario for a dip, plunge, swim!

Sound a bit mental? Yes I think so.

To be honest I was pretty sceptical that he would want to do when it was time to get out of bed, but before I could really think abut what was happening, I was out of bed trudging down towards Lake Ontario in the rain at 10.30 am. Luckily the temperature was at 5°C and not minus, but still pretty cold to get almost naked and swim.

We arrived by the lakeshore at Sunnyside Beach and I can tell you – it was NOT sunny. It was absolutely pouring down. You also don’t realise how windy it can be by a lake shore, but these great lakes aren’t like lakes at home. They are called great lakes for a reason – they are massive. Lake Ontario is apparently larger than the English Channel. You forget it’s a lake when you’re there and it just feels like being by the sea. 

The time came for Dave to strip. Thankfully the rain had stopped slightly. He realised he didn't have any decent shoes to run in with, so remedied it by taping (with Canadian maple tape of course) my Haviana’s to his feet.

I must say I was very impressed with how up for it he was. Even if a little unprepared!

Along with the 359 other Dippers he ran into the flagged off section of the beach.

“Five … four … three … two …” called an announcer.

“One!” A surge of very brave “swimmers” surged from the beach into the freezing water. It was so hilarious.

And made me glad I was the one holding the clothes.

Can you spot Dave?

Within seconds, people were running back to the refuge of the beach, with bright red faces, legs and arms. There was a real mixture of relief, elation and pain. But I could still see Dave in there splashing around.

I was freezing, and I was fully dressed with gloves on. He finally came out and was soaked by dipping all the way up to his over his shoulders. I was mighty impressed.

Extreme close-up!!!

We got him dry and dressed and went to a café on Roncesvalles for a delicious New Year’s brunch to celebrate his triumph.

What a way to start the year - Happy 2012!

Our Canadian Christmas Cabin Adventure – Part 3 – Boxing Day

Boxing Day is now officially buttermilk pancake day. Fact. I did cheat and bought the mix, but it was so easy and made the best pancakes – although I did opt for the add eggs and milk rather than just water (give me some credit please).  Pancakes, scrambled eggs, streaky bacon (yes the maple kind) and of course… maple syrup. It was almost as good as my favourite International House. Almost. 

After another huge feast of pancakes we took a drive to find Eugenia Falls. We ended up getting the car stuck on the hill down to the car park. Luckily we remembered we were in Canada and people are very helpful and friendly. Within a few minutes of burning the rubber of the tyres trying to reverse, a whole family joined me in pushing the car (including two really cute kids) back up the hill and off the ice. As much as we were embarrassed being the “English couple that got stuck” we weren’t made feel that way at all. I’m sure if that was England, if someone did come to help you, it would have had to end in some smart arse comment I’m sure. After finding a safe, horizontal and non iced surface to park and went for a walk on a side trail of the Bruce Trail along Eugenia Falls. The weather was just perfect.

Our walk had worked up an appetite of cold cuts, home made sausage rolls (I used the left over stuffing for the middle) Bubble and squeak cakes using all the left over vegetable from Christmas lunch and not forgetting yummy Home made coleslaw. Ever since my friend Lizzy made me home made coleslaw, it was so delicious I don’t think I would ever buy it again. You can read my recipe here: Home Made Coleslaw.

Our Canadian Christmas Cabin Adventure – Part 2 - Christmas Day

Christmas morning came. Dave was up and making me coffee and getting the Pillsbury croissants in the oven. I love Christmas! We had bubbles opened our prezzies, called our families and watched the BEST CHRISTMAS FILM EVER – Elf… Saaaantaaaa! I know him.

It was so nice to chat to our families over Skype. It felt really weird to not be with anyone else, just us. After a walk around the lake we had our delicious feast. While I prepared we watched a friends DVD from the video store – it’s amazing how comforting it is to see Friends - especially after not seeing any for a while. I think the last time I saw an episode was in Vang Vien (but that not so comforting – just weird!).

Our Festive Feast (all recipes derived form the good old BBC Food site – thank you beeb!)

For starter Creamy pesto with prosciutto dippers - This was really easy and not too heavy.

Followed by wrapped turkey breast stuffed with cranberries and chestnuts. As there were only two of us I used chicken breast instead, which I think, was actually nicer than turkey. It came out so good, especially with the other stuffing. We had loads left over for cold cuts too.

With the chicken: Spiced red cabbage (I didn’t have all those things so I just used wine, all spice and orange – like mulled wine I guess!), rosemary and garlic roast potatoes, honey glazed carrots and parsnips and or course Devils on horseback and pigs in blankets. What do you think? MMMMM If I do say so myself.

It’s after eating all of that massive dinner you wonder why, oh why did I thin I could eat this and everything else planned?!! Although… we did manage to tuck away a large amount of chocolate and cheese during the day too. Oh and chocolate Yule log. Ha.

You can read Part 3 here

Our Canadian Christmas Cabin Adventure – Part 1 – Christmas Eve

As soon as we had decided to stay in the Ontario for a while we book ourselves a little cabin for Christmas. We had been looking forward to it for ages!

It would be our first and probably only Christmas we would have on our own, so we wanted to make it really special. We booked the smallest and most secluded cabin at Cedars, which is a year round, family oriented cottage resort, located on Lake Eugenia, 1 1/2 hours north of Toronto.

You can read my review of our stay at Cedars here: Trip Advisor link.

We had both been praying for snow, and luckily there was a sprinkling of snow when we arrived on Christmas Eve. We had brought so much stuff it looked like we were moving in – most of it was food and drink! It’s funny as we did think we had been quite reserved on what we had brought, but it’s amazing how much you end up getting in the worry that “you might not have enough”.

After the unpacking was done we explored the resort – there were a few other families but everyone was scuttling into their chalets or cabins giggling. It was really nice actually, really gave the pace a real atmosphere along with the now and the lights. I also bought a few decorations from Dollarama (my secret favourite shop) to put around the cabin.

Christmas Eve dinner consisted of steak and chips, which I think might have to become a tradition in our house from now on. Think we have made quite a few of those this year!

It was the best cooked steak, even if I do say so myself, and Dave did! After either over or undercooking fro so long I think I might have cracked it: How to cook the perfect steak.

Afterwards we adjourned to the sofa to watch Scrooged. I also developed a taste for brandy and cigars – perhaps snot the best think to develop a taste for, but I had always hated brandy before. When it’s really cold and you are standing outside in the snow it’s surprisingly good. As our parents weren’t around we allowed ourselves one present each to open, we both sort of knew what they were and we wanted to wear them – Jammies!! Dave bought me Snoopy and Woodstock ones, which I love – thank you Dave.


You can read part 2 here.