Food Friday: New fave local restaurants

Today for Food Friday, I wanted to share some of my favourite local restaurants. I tried not to overwhelm you but there are a number in the city that I really do enjoy and go back to regularly. I've also included one place that I have tried a single time but really enjoyed so am recommending it. 

Favourites
Chanoey's Pasta  - 9.5/10
41 Portland St, Dartmouth
https://www.chanoeyspasta.com

It was opened by a married couple and named after two characters from the show Friends. A couple of their pasta dishes do have chili flakes in them so if you can't handle heat, request to have none added. They have daily pasta specials, sandwiches and salads as well. 

Stone Pizza  - 9.5/10
79 Alderney Dr, Dartmouth
https://stonepizza.ca

One thing I like about their pizzas is that if I have it for lunch, I am still full by supper time and I am one to need a snack or two in the afternoon. I haven't tried their dessert pizza but it looks delicious. If you have a dietary restriction, they also do vegan and keto pizzas.

Krave Burger  - 9/10
5680 Spring Garden Rd, Halifax
http://www.kraveburger.com

Speciality burgers (with non-traditional toppings) seem to be very popular the past decade and that is what Krave Burger does with local and fresh ingredients. Their sides are also good especially the mac & cheese. 

2 Doors Down  - 8/10
1533 Barrington St, Halifax & 149 Hector Gate, Dartmouth
https://www.go2doorsdown.com

We have had this a number of times and I haven't had anything that I don't like but they don't have a lot of options for me. It's a fancier restaurant but really cozy especially at night. They have a ice cream cookie that I love however. 

Darrell's Restaurant  - 7.5/10
5576 Fenwick St, Halifax
https://darrellsrestaurants.com

I would say this is my mom's favourite restaurant. They've done a really good job at adapting to take-out but they have plenty of room for dining in as it is two levels. Famous for their milkshakes and peanut butter burger. 

Tried & enjoyed

Cheeky Neighbour
6024 Quinpool Rd, Halifax
https://cheekyneighbour.com

Mom and I visited the Cheeky Neighbour for the first time in February during Dine Around and had a sausage benedict and it was really good. They open mid-morning even during the week and have breakfast daily. 

Maple, Snow and Waterfalls

This past weekend my mom and I travelled to the north shore of Nova Scotia for a day of walking, trying new things and exploring even more of the province. 

Our Saturday began with us driving 1.5 hours up to Earltown to check out a place called Sugar Moon Farm which is a maple farm. There's quite a bit you can do on the farm. They have a restaurant which is currently take out only because of the pandemic. I had their smoked turkey club for lunch while my mom had the breakfast sandwich, both were really good. Since it is still winter and actually quite cold that day, we ate in our car.

The parking lot is also the beginning of the Rogart Mountain Trail which you can snowshoe during the winter. It's a 6.2km rugged and often steep loop trail, that passes brooks, scenic look-offs, 17 interpretive sites and a waterfall. I only went out 15 minutes than turned back around because I went alone and had no cell service. The little bit that I did see looked pretty even covered with snow, I'm looking forward to going again in the summer or fall. 

The one thing I really wanted to do was the sugar-on-snow where you roll up your own hot maple syrup stick on ice. It costs $2 per stick and is very gooey and sticky but yummy. Pop on over to Instagram (@adventuresofansgirl) for a video of me trying it.  

We then travelled to the town of Truro and drove around for a bit before stopping in at a cafe called Jimolly's for a coffee and treat. Afterwards, we went to Victoria Park to go for a walk. I didn't realize how big the park is until I looked at the map. There are a number of trails on the 3,000 acre property as well as a playground, picnic tables, splash-pad and swimming pool. I wanted to just see the waterfalls and there is an easier route to get to them if you park at 212 Wood Street instead of the main entrance. It was easier, however since it's winter, the trail was quite icy so the walk took longer than it would in the summer. You also have to go down a number of stairs to get a really good view of the falls which we didn't do but you could still see them from the higher areas. I gotta say, waterfalls are cool looking during the winter. 

All and all, it was a great day and I can't wait to go back later in the year when it's warmer. 

Nova Scotia trails

There are many trails in Nova Scotia and even in the winter, you can still enjoy some of them. While it is cold in Canada, the east coast tends to be a little bit nicer than the rest of the country so getting outside isn't too bad except for the wind. One thing I wanted to do in 2021 was walk more either for fun or participating in events. These walks aren't just to get out and prepare myself for the events, I thought I would give my recommendations if you are looking for hikes/trails to do as well. 

I will update this post throughout the year to talk about some of the trails I explore in 2021. 

March 6

Cole Harbour Heritage Park 

There are 7 main trails (7.9 km total) which highlight the area's heritage and natural flora and fauna, as well as woodlands, fields and salt marsh shoreline. Eagle nexts are in the area. The trailhead and parking lot are located at 256 Bissett Road in Cole Harbour. The trails running from this main trailhead interconnect; each trail has its own character. The trails are open year-round (no winter maintenance) for all to explore the area's wildlife, including bird watching, while hiking, cycling, skiing and snowshoeing along the trails. from novascotia.com

It was a beautiful day to get out for a walk, just above freezing and sunny. There were quite a few people there which surprised me as it was a Thursday afternoon that I went. Part of my walk was on the Panorama trail which gives you a nice view of the lake. With no winter maintenance, parts of the trails were covered in ice and some of the areas that weren't were a little muddy. Despite the hills, all and all I had a nice enjoyable walk. Trails are well marked with name signs (I would still take a pic of the map however), there are outhouses and benches in different areas. 

Shubie Park

A beautiful 16-hectre urban park in Dartmouth, contains over 9 kilometres of wooded walking trails, including part of the Trans Canada Trail. Some of the trails of the park follow a portion of the abandoned Shubenacadie Canal, which passes through the park. The park includes designated areas for dogs to be off-leash, and an interpretive area called the Fairbanks Centre next to the canal.  from novascotia.com 

This park certainly is not a hidden gem. Even on a weekday in January, the main parking lot was almost full. You can also join onto the trail from parking behind Hockey Life in Dartmouth Crossing and going across the bridge over the highway. There's a beach, playground and baseball field on the other end of the park which doesn't have to be accessed by the main lot. The trails are easy to walk through. One could certainly make a day out of activities at the park while also getting exercise in. I took my friend's kids here once and they love it so now every time I see them, they want to go to Shubie Park and because of that, we try to not go the same way. 

Spring 2021 list

Another season is coming up so I've got another fun list of things I would like to do. While spring isn't these exact days, I wanted to do it a little earlier to fit the weather around here a bit more. I haven't done a spring list before because I find it really hard to do much in the spring, with the rainy weather and it seems like there aren't as many events. However, I have even more family living close to me now and I also want to make 2021 a year of spending more time outside so I've come up with some activities I would like to do. 

Spring 2021 (March 1-June 6)
Visit OnTree Fun & Adventure Park
Spend the day at the zoo
Have a yard-sale
Eat strawberry shortcake
Try two new recipes
Read a new book
Watch the sunrise
Shop at a farmer's market
Play mini-golf
Hang memorabilia in apartment
Grill outside
Cheer on Team Canada during the Women's Worlds
Eat at 3 new restaurants
Try sugar-on-snow
Visit a waterfall
Have some ice cream with my cousins
Do a nature themed scavenger hunt
Walk in a 5K event
Spring cleaning

Annapolis Royal Historic Gardens Aug. 2017

I will update this post after the season is over and let you know how I did. Keep checking back on my blog the next few months too as I will make individual posts for some of the activities once I complete them. 

Food Friday: A new feature

Welcome to Food Friday, a new feature on my blog I thought I would do. I am no expert on food and really, I wish we could live without having to eat. However, there are some dishes that I do enjoy eating and there are so many restaurants in the city that I wanted to share them. This blog is all about sharing my opinion and adventures and food is part of that. 

So like I sorta mentioned above, these posts will be about anything food including recipe ideas, food events, restaurant suggestions, etc. I'm not sure how often I will post but like the name suggests, they will be done on Fridays. 

For the first one, I wanted to share a recipe that has been dubbed as my speciality. I will point out that I did not create the original recipe, Clubhouse used to sell recipe cards that came with already measured spices and this was one of them. 

Rosemary roasted chicken with potatoes
Preheat: 425 F    Serves: 4-6    Total time: 45 minutes

Ingredients 
2tsp paprika
1 1/2tsp crushed rosemary leaves
1tsp dehydrated minced garlic
1/2tsp ground black pepper
1tsp salt
2tbsp olive oil
1 1/2lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs (12 pieces)
1 1/2lbs small red potatoes

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 F
2. Mix oil, all of the spices and salt in a large mixing bowl
3. Add chicken and potatoes to bowl, toss to coat well in oil mixture
4. Arrange chicken and potatoes in a single layer on foil-lined baking pan
5. Roast in oven for 30 minutes (or until fully cooked)
6. Dish and serve 2-3 thighs each 

Notes

You can eat with a side of vegetables or a salad. I normally change out the potatoes with a bag of green beans because I can't eat a lot of potatoes so I just don't add them if it's just for me. If you'd like, add green beans and/or asparagus along with potatoes during Step 3. 

Christmas lights at Evergreen Festival

This past December, a new festival came to Halifax called the Evergreen Festival. The Facebook page about says 'Community comes alive with music, light and joy. Evergreen Festival is a new holiday festival on the Halifax waterfront, throughout downtown, and online.' Just like almost everything in 2020, the event planners were forced to put a portion of the festival online so I didn't experience as much of it as I wanted to. 

There was a virtual market with local businesses, a virtual screen with musical performances on Facebook live each weekend, Evergreen Bright, and a food portion. 

I checked out Evergreen Bright which showcased different Christmas light displays around the city. It was nice to see so many lights be put up on government buildings and watch some of the projection shows. On December 4, my mom and I went down to the Halifax waterfront and walked the length of it before going back up to Grand Parade. The park across from the Westin Hotel lit up the tree in the middle of the park and put some decorations on the light posts surrounding it so that was our first stop. Small Christmas trees were in amongst the drunken light posts while the Waterfront Warehouse had a projection of snowflakes. The Salt Yard was sparkling with decorations. City Hall had a light show on the front of the building containing holiday images including a toy train, presents, snowflakes and turning it into a gingerbread house. 

A similar light show was projected on the front of the old post office in Dartmouth which I visited on a different night. It wasn't as interesting as City Hall. While there was no official tree lighting this year in Dartmouth, the tree by Sullivan's Pond was lit up so I checked that out and the bridge across the salmon ladder even had lights on it. 

Many other displays were around including at Bishops Landing, the Citadel signal mast, Killam Brewery Market and the Historic Properties. I really enjoyed the part of the festival that I did participate in and hope they can have the 2021 version not online at all so I can check out more. 

Exploring my own province (pt. 2)

Completed: August 21, 2020 

This is a continuation to last week's blog as the 2017 trip made for a long post. Here I'll share about the other two. 

2018

High-tide at Burntcoat

Our next trip was for just as long and just as busy. We had our vacation booked for August 9 to August 19 in 2018. Mom and I visited some places we already had but we also travelled to some new areas of Nova Scotia. In 2017, we went to Burntcoat Head at low tide so for this trip we wanted to go back but at high tide. The difference is crazy. Since we were up that way, we visited the Walton lighthouse and Lawrence House Museum. The museum was really interesting, I've always been interested in seeing how people lived before I was born. There was a long enclosed walkway attached to the house that led to the outhouse the Lawrence family used for a bathroom. On our way home, we stopped at the Shubenacadie Provincial Wildlife Park and spent the afternoon looking at animals. It was a lot bigger than I thought it would be but still cool to see all the different wildlife. I was expecting peacocks to be walking around on the paths so that freaked me out a bit but they are so majestic. 

A cave at Ovens

The next day we went back to Lunenburg so I could have the peanut butter pie again. To make it worthwhile, we booked a whale watching tour. I enjoyed the tour but the water was really rough so I actually ended up feeling seasick for most of it. We didn't see any whales but we did see some dolphins and seals. We checked out Ovens Natural Park and the Fort Point Lighthosue as well than I wanted to see the sunset at Peggys Cove which was so pretty. 

We drove up to the valley on the Sunday because we were picking up my grandfather's car for our next bit of travelling. In Windsor, there is a museum dedicated to the history of hockey in NS as the town is dubbed the birthplace of hockey. I had never been before which is surprising since I had been a huge hockey fan for about 10 years. It was cool to see all the old gear and everything else in there. 

We then spent 3 days in Cape Breton. We made a stop just outside Truro at the Millbrook Cultural & Heritage Centre on our way up. Once we got to CB, we drove straight to the Miners' Museum to check out the history of mining in the province and we had dinner at their restaurant which was quite good. The next day, we went to the Fortress of Louisbourg. Mom had been there back when she was in high school and mentioned that they had workers who showed you how people lived in the time period the Fortress was used so I was expecting that and there were only a few. That evening we drove along the cabot trail to the CB Highlands National Park so we could spend the night at one of the campgrounds. I forget what the kind of camping we did but all we had to bring was food and our clothes. The tent was set up on a platform when we got there and they provided us with all the tools for a fire and mats to sleep on. Neither of us had actually made a fire before and it was dark by the time we got everything sorted out so we were about to eat 'raw' hot dogs when a nice man from the site beside us came over to help. We cooked all the hot dogs because we didn't want to struggle again the next morning, it wasn't a very healthy breakfast but it was fine. We went on a hike at the famous Skyline Trail and I can see why it is so popular. The whole of the cabot trail that we were able to drive is beautiful. 

Fortress of Louisbourg

End of the Skyline Trail

To finish our vacation, we went to Joggin's Fossil Cliffs and did a bit of exploring in Pictou. 

2020

There were still some parts of the province we hadn't seen by this summer; the north shore and the Yarmouth shore so we checked off them during two different trips. Mom and I love the south shore so on our way to Yarmouth, we made another stop in Lunenburg but this time I didn't have the pie because I wanted to try a new restaurant. We did a walking tour of the town and it was really nice. With COVID, you had to make a reservation for the tour and the guide said that we were the first customers of the season even though it was the end of July by this time. The tour was very informative and our guide was really nice. I really wanted to do the Lighthouse Route so we drove most of the whole way to Yarmouth on the old Highway 3 which led us to some small towns like LaHave where we took a ferry across the harbour. We stopped at almost every lighthouse on our way which were all cool to see. We stopped in Shelburne for the Black Loyalist Heritage Centre and explored the Acadian Village in Pubnico. While we were in Yarmouth, we visited the Cape Forchu Lighthouse which had a nice walk on the grounds and checked out the Firefighters Museum.

Old fire 'engine' at the Firefighters Museum

In late August, we went to the north shore. I found a cool little place for us to stay while we were in that area called the Train Station Inn. We made our base for the few days in Tatamagouche and spent two nights in a remodelled train caboose. Not all my plans for this trip worked out so it was more relaxing than our other ones. We checked out the Museum of Industry in Stellerton, drove around New Glasgow, Pictou and Trenton, had some good food, watched the sunset at Blue Sea Provincial Park and a couple of other things. I would recommend getting the seafood chowder at Chowder House in Tatamagouche, it was delicious. 

Sunset at Blue Sea

All and all, a few really great summers. It was a little strange to travel around during 2020 because of COVID and all the restrictions put in place but I'm glad we were still able to explore. If you live in Nova Scotia, I would really recommend that you go out and explore, there are many interesting things to learn about especially the history of the province and beautiful scenery. Really, I would recommend anybody explore their own province or state or city region.