Blogs

We recently were invited to Airport Nordic Ski Club located just outside of Gander, Newfoundland to do some ski clinics with some of their ski instructors and jackrabbit leaders. While we were there we also had a chance to view their scenic trail system with several of their members showing us the way.

To find such a fine restaurant tucked into a tiny, relatively remote village, is very unusual. It’s why most of us who love food actually travel.

Last year was a pretty amazing ski year in the northeastern United States - abundant and high quality snow continued well into March for some wonderful spring skiing (which I missed out on since I was in Chile). However winter 2011-2012 in the northeast has so far failed to produce more than a sprinkling of snow, which is why I headed north to Newfoundland with my friends Bruce and Nate in search of natural snow in excess of 3 inches.

Last winter we had a chance to head to Happy Valley- Goose Bay, Labrador and were most impressed with the cross country skiing trails and lodge at the Birch Brook Nordic ski club. As well as enjoying the skiing we were invited to a potluck supper at the lodge which was a great way to meet many of the club members.

One Friday morning this past August we started our journey to the Great Northern Peninsula in search of what everyone was talking about, the icebergs that broke off of the Petermann Glacier in August, 2010. Iceberg season on the Northern Peninsula of Newfoundland typically begins in late May however it was closer to the end of July before icebergs began to arrive this year. These late arrivals were due to the 280 square kilometre ice island that broke off of the Petermann Glacier near Greenland last August. The late arrival was not the only surprise this year, the sheer size and large number of bergs was also quite astonishing. Reports indicated that over seventy-five icebergs could be seen in the St Anthony area and that’s what we were setting out to see.

It was a day ripped straight from a Star Wars movie. There we were, heading into the wild unknown aboard our airship, all seemingly unaware of what may lay ahead.

Cross country skiing is alive and well in Canada's eastern most province. Cross Country Newfoundland and Labrador (CCNL) is the umbrella group for cross country ski clubs and there are dozens of kilometres of groomed tracks waiting for any visitor.

I might have mentioned once or 300 times that I grew up in central Newfoundland, and yet my jaunt around the area this past summer had many surprises in store. That’s what happens when you live somewhere for 18 years: you start taking things for granted.

Five years ago I started snowboarding. I was 34. And I learned here at Marble Mountain. 

At the time it seemed like the perfect suicide mission. I was petrified. But it matched my criteria: face fears of heights and speed. My friends thought I was nuts.

Last weekend, hundreds upon hundreds of people in St. John’s paraded through the streets. Men were dressed as women, women were dressed as men. Underwear was worn as outerwear and even small children were merrily sporting bras stuffed with socks over the tops of their various layers. There were lots of ingeniously creative hobbyhorses prancing around and it was almost impossible to count the number of ugly sticks and accordions.

It’s all just another Christmas in Newfoundland and Labrador.

The first time I saw folk trio The Once, I was sitting in The LSPU Hall – the historic downtown theatre in St. John's – watching Feast of Cohen, an annual concert where local artists gather to perform their own versions of Leonard Cohen songs.

Frolicking on a beach in Newfoundland and Labrador doesn't always top the list of must do's when visiting the province. Much less during the month of December! But a trip to King's Point and area reveals a beach that can be enjoyed any time of the year.

It’s almost Christmas. Have you heard?

I for one tend to get a bit twitchy when November starts to gallop towards December and public places set their sound systems to Jingle Bells 101. So I find it helps my Christmas spirit (or lackthereof) to remind myself of the good things about the season. The things that don’t involve frantically running around malls full of people mowing you down to get better spots in cash register line-ups so long there should a surprise pop-up concert by Adele waiting at the end.

We’ve all said things like “that meal just changed my life.” And if you haven’t, well… you might want to take a serious look at what you’re eating. I’ve eaten lots of meals that have changed my life. I probably overuse that phrase, but that’s how much I love food. There’ve been a few recipes (especially over the course of this past year) that I’ve made again and again for friends and family that I love and yeah, I think they’ve changed my life. They wake me up a little, they make me better. So… yeah. But the closest I’ve come to food tears was a couple of months ago at the Roots, Rants and Roars Festival in Elliston.

If giant rocking chairs and huge lobsters rank amongst your list of things to see while travelling, then Central Newfoundland is one destination you won't want to miss. Check out a few of the wild and wacky attractions that can be found in Adventure Central.

Up until this summer, I didn’t even know it was possible to go rafting in Grand Falls.

Growing up in St. Alban’s, Grand Falls was the place to go when I needed to do some shopping. Home to Salmon Festival and the old Animal Land. And then Adventure Central Newfoundland sent me there this summer to do some exploring, and I changed my mind. I had one of the best meals I’ve ever had at 48 High, and met some fantastic people will exploring the Salmonid Interpretation Center.

But it was the rafting that won me over.

St. John’s is a city that has been on the go for over 400 years. That’s a whole lot of life, death, love, murder, passion, intrigue, treachery and… did I mention death? That’s a whole lot of history, spilling out into the twists and turns of the narrow streets. No wonder it’s a hotbed of hauntings.

It’s one of my absolute favourite events of the year. The St. John’s International Women’s Film Festival kicked off its five-day run last Tuesday night by slamming it down and packing a few punches.

The autumn colours are usually at their peak over the Thanksgiving weekend in western Newfoundland but this year they seem to be lasting longer. Over the past few days we have been out kayaking down the Humber River and hiking through the fall splendour in the Humber Valley.

Lauren Suarez, a 17-year-old high school student from Greenwood Indiana, recently travelled to St. John's for the first time with her mom and her mom's best friend, Laura. They stayed with Laura’s relatives who made the experience so unforgettable that Lauren wrote to tell us how completely she fell in love with Newfoundland & Labrador and its people.