Demi Virtual Vacation

This summer's virtual vacation became a real one yesterday. Half of the "Virtual Vacation Team" appeared in Montreal last night. John is working up in Quebec this week and we met him for dinner on the first leg of his journey. To see the video message we sent Nancy, go to John's blog.

Virtual Vacation: Perch Rolls

While our friends John and Nancy are on their virtual vacation with us (travelling to northeastern Oregon, click here to see more) Richard and I headed "south" to Lancaster, Ontario.

We tracked down the elusive Lancaster Perch, cooked in a former bus...

...at the famous Loretta's Chip Wagon.

Richard couldn't wait to chow down...

...because Loretta is famous for her perch sauce...

Okay, so in the real world, we usually have meals that look more like this: everything on this table (except for the olives in the Greek salad) came from our gardens we picked that day. But we're on our virtual vacation, so a little junk food is allowed on vacation, virtual or not, right?

Poutine Chronicles Part Deux

On our virtual vacation with John and Nancy, we are in search of the ultimate poutine. While on our art tour, we spied the "Tante Doris" chip stand and knew that John would insist we stop.

So we stopped.

And ordered a poutine.

Good call John!

Art Tour

Richard and I went on the "Route des Arts" in the Laurentides, which encompasses a huge area in Quebec. We only visited a few places and saw lots of very cool stuff. A fantastic iron worker, Pius Beck makes metal into art.

Here he is posing with his work ... the papparazzi were close by.

Glengarry Highland Games

On the first weekend of August, the tiny town of Maxville, Ontario (pop. 700) hosts the Glengarry Highland Games when the town swells to over 20,000 people! Everyone is busy getting ready to welcome the masses (and the massed bands) this weekend.

Since it's only a 10 minute drive from my home, I asked my friend Peggi to snap this photo of me in front of the welcome banner and the hand-hewn MacDonald piper. Does this count as a "Big Thing" for my collection, I wonder?

Virtual Vacation: Picnic

A great thing to do with all the leftovers from our ATC lunch from the previous day? Doesn't peppered goat's cheese, wilted tomato salad, bean salad and devilled eggs just scream "picnic"?

I used my picnic blanket, always rolled up and waiting, and put it in a shady spot under the trees.

The old maple sap bucket held ice cubes, glasses and a cold bottle of lime-flavoured Perrier.

Perfect lunch. Perfect day.

The trouble with going on a "Virtual Vacation" with friends who live in the city, is that they seem to have more to do. If you want to see more virtual vacation, click on John's blog.

Virtual Vacation: Good Eats #1

Going on vacation usually means great meals in great restaurants. A virtual vacation? Local meals at local restaurants. This one at the Dong Kong Café, all you can eat Chinese buffet in Hawkesbury.

Okay, John and Nancy. It's not exactly the foie gras we had at Blue Hour in Portland (and no, Sting was not seated at the next table). But you know, it wasn't half bad.

To see more of John, Nancy, Richard and Ronna's virtual vacation click on: Nancy's blog and John's blog and Richard's blog.

The Poutine Chronicles

Since Richard and I aren't going out west this year to vacation with friends John and Nancy, the four of us have decided to have a virutal vacation together. This includes finding the ultimate poutine (easier for us here in eastern Canada than for them in Oregon!) and doing goofy things near our own homes and sharing them on our blogs.

Hey John and Nancy. Check out the chicken poutine found at Casse Croute du Coin on our way home from Lachute, Quebec yesterday.

And look at the many kinds of poutine offered at this place. Too bad we weren't together...we could've tried out a few more varieties.