Category Archives: Travel

Camino de Santiago ABCs

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You have watched “The Way” the 2011 movie staring Martin Sheen, written and directed by his son Emilio Estevez.

 OR

You have a friend who has walked the Camino and now you are thinking of walking to Santiago de Compenstela.

Where to start? What to carry? What footwear? Which route? It is confusing.

The following is not a checklist but rather a few things every potential pilgrim should know about the long route to the renowned cathedral. Given the nature of this trek there are a few extra letters (C,P and S) in this ABC list. Camino Directions Continue reading →

Foodie Pages Delivers Artisanal Food to Canadian Mailboxes

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Nutmeg knew immediately that there was an interesting story to be told when she stumbled across Foodie Pages a company founded by Erin Maynes. This brilliant concept brings specialty Canadian food and culinary related products to your mailbox. Erin’s vision was to use the power of the Internet to create an online farmers’ market, a “place” where consumers can buy directly from some of Canada’s creative food producers and specialty farmers.

Foodie Pages Products

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Symons Valley Ranch a Fresh New Food Experience

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In June, the City of Calgary just barely survived a “100-year” flooding event, and possibly the worst natural disaster in Canadian history. In response to this terrible occurrence resilient Calgarians rallied. They pumped water from their basements, tossed furniture into dumpsters, and helped their neighbours dry out precious belongings.

Then they partied!

Despite incredible obstacles, the 101st Calgary Stampede proceeded as scheduled – spurred by this outlook “Come Hell or High Water.” This year there was more to celebrate than usual – diets be damned, bring on the beer and corn dogs!

Now it is the middle of July, the middle of Calgary summer, and the city may just have a minor liquid induced hangover. There is a cure!

Symons Valley Logo

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Canmore Underground Discovery Tour

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Quarry Lake with a sweeping Bow Valley view is perched above the Town of Canmore. It is a popular recreational location in summer months for picnics and wedding photos. The lake is the result of a successful mine reclamation project on a site that was at one time known as Canmore Creek #3, a strip mine.

Nutmeg is fairly confident that the buffed athletes who swim in the lake waters when participating in the annual Canmore Triathlon and families who enjoy leisurely summer picnics on the rocky shores have no idea of the lake’s history.

Quarry Lake Today

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The Fabric of Provence

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It was a solo visit for Nutmeg. Ginger had no interest in the Souleiado fabric museum in Tarascon. The display provides a historical overview of their fabrics and methods of textile printing.  The lighting in the small museum could be improved, and the information provided could be more explicit. The history of Indian fabrics in Provence is long, with imports starting in the late 16th century.  These brightly coloured and heavily patterned cloths were cherished when they first arrived. French production of Indian patterns started in Marseille in 1648. Initially, the output was of poor quality in comparison to the imports. However, as designers and printers mastered the trade, their capabilities expanded and the quality of products improved over time.

Souleiado Fabric

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Nourish Bistro Opens New Doors in Banff

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Heather McCoy had a dream that most of us would not dare execute – she wanted to open a café in a resort town.

Nourish is defined by the Merriam Webster Online Dictionary as:

• to promote the growth of
• to furnish or sustain with nutriment : feed
• to nurture, support or maintain

Nourish beautiful burrito

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Marseille France All Dressed Up

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The maze of construction hoarding is gone. Vehicle congestion is a mere shadow of its former chaos. As Cultural Capital of the year, Marseille is ready to welcome the world this summer.

The exact value of total funds dispensed for urban infrastructure projects, new artistic exhibition space, and other enhancement work would require a forensic accountant. The results of this massive undertaking are changing Marseille’s scruffy image and vastly improving the previously underwhelming waterfront.

View to Fort St NicholasHere are some of the highlights:

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Switchel Liquid Gold from Vermont

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Nutmeg’s heartstrings are tethered to the State of Vermont. In fact, if Ginger had not entered the picture 20+ years ago, she likely would living in the Green Mountain State instead of Alberta.

Vermont is a near perfect destination all-year round. Well, maybe not during mud or black-fly season(s), but certainly the rest of the year. A natural beauty, graced with; pastoral farming scenes, gentle flowing rivers, rolling hills covered in iconic maple trees, black-diamond ski runs and refreshing swimming holes. Are you starting to get the picture?

Switchel Logo

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Exploring the California Desert by Jeep

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Flawless green lawns, vivid crayon-coloured annuals, miniature potted palms and manicured golf courses all exist on land that was once desert scrub. Nutmeg disgusted with her golf game and not a dedicated shopper decided that it would be time well spent to understand more about their natural surroundings.

Classic Desert

Good news – she found Desert Adventures. Not knowing much about the company she asked Kimberly Nilsson one of the co-owners for a bit of background.

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