Escapism - 6 - Toronto, City Breaks Special

CITY BREAKS SPECIAL

T o r o n t o

◆

Chicago

◆

Glasgow

◆

Seoul

◆

Copenhagen

◆

Shanghai

◆

Mexico City

I s s u e

06

73 YEARS • 300+ TRIPS • 90+ AWARDS • 7 CONTINENTS • 72 COUNTRIES TRAFALGAR.COM

MAKE YOUR TRAVEL DREAMS REAL GOOD TIMES. GOOD PEOPLE. GOOD EVERYTHING. There are no second chances when it comes to a great travel experience, so why not join over 5 million happy past guests and choose to explore with travel’s most awarded brand.

REAL CONNECTIONS • REAL JOY • REAL EASE

De ar , s r e d n a l n i Ma

Book your Prince Edward Island vacation today at ExplorePEI.com

Come f ind your Island.

EATS & ENTERTAINMENT The perfect combination.

Whether you’re eating with friends, meeting a date, catching a show or setting a high score, it’s all happening at The Rec Room. Inspired by Canada’s vast and varied landscape, The Rec Room’s THREE10 restaurant offers a menu that is a true expression of what it means to be Canadian. Handcrafted dishes with flavours as diverse as our nation, from coast to coast.

Plan your visit at TheRecRoom.com

LI V E LI K E YO U ’ R E WAY, WAY O U T O F T H E O F F I CE

GREYGOOSE.COM SIP RESPONSIBLY. ©2019. GREY GOOSE, ITS TRADE DRESS, THE GEESE DEVICE AND LIVE VICTORIOUSLY ARE TRADEMARKS. VODKA 40% ALC. BY VOL. DISTILLED FROM FRENCH WHEAT.

ISSUE 6 • ESCAPISM • 9

EDITOR’S LETTER

CONTACT

hello@escapism.to

E D I TO R I A L

EDITOR-AT-LARGE

Suresh Doss ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Jessica Huras STAFF WRITER

Katie Bridges COPY EDITOR

David Ort EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

Taylor Newlands EDITORIAL INTERN

Sanzana Syed

DESIGN

ART DIRECTOR

Matthew Hasteley SENIOR DESIGNER

April Tran DESIGN INTERN

Adrianna Madore STUDIO PHOTOGRAPHY

Kailee Mandel COVER PHOTOGRAPHY

Borchee / istockphoto.com PHOTOGRAPHERS

Andrew Knapp

CONTRIBUTORS

Jeremy Freed Christopher Mitchell

CEO AND PUBLISHER

A

S I WRITE this, I’m perched on a rooftop patio facing the historic, colonial centre of Mexico City, the enormous Zócalo.

My first encounter with Mexico City was marred by sullenness. I was deep in another career back then, as a fixer in the tech industry, travelling on short stints to push buttons.

All I could tell you about some of the greatest cities in the world – Prague, Paris, Shanghai and Zurich – would have been about a public square, briefly glimpsed through the stained windows of a cab. Or maybe about an expensed meal that I ordered as a token of independence directed toward my bosses.

I still remember being in Mexico City, on a similar patio overlooking the Zócalo, with a glass of wine and an overpriced plate of food from the buffet. I felt unsatisfied.

As I write this, my mood is more content. With a slower frame rate and an at-ease attitude, the layers of a city are simpler to pull apart. I found the few blocks near the Zócalo known fondly as “Quesadilla District” where street vendors sell cheese-andmeat tortillas at a steady clip. To my left, a block away, a parade of vendors display colourful antiques from Jalisco or Yucatán.

As connected as we like to think we are, some discoveries still require leg muscles and a sense of curiosity.

In this issue of escapism, we head out on urban adventures in some of the world’s most underrated cities (pg. 38).

We double-down on this idea with Jessica Huras’s praises for Scottsdale (pg. 32), Elsewhere, Christopher Mitchell has a guide to Seoul (pg. 50), one of the most raucous and interesting cities in Southeast Asia, and I share tips for an express tour through Copenhagen (pg. 56). ◆

Krista Faist ACCOUNT MANAGER

David Horvatin ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Nick Valsamis Spencer Reynolds MARKETING COORDINATOR

Emily Buck LEAD DEVELOPER

AJ Cerqueti CHAIRMAN

Tim Slee PRINTING

Solisco

Made possible with the support of Ontario Media Development Corporation. omdc.on.ca

@escapismto escapism.to

Suresh Doss, Editor-at-Large

◁ Get your weekly dose of Escapism, direct to your inbox. just visit: escapism.to/newsletter

© Twenty Two Media Group 2019.

All rights reserved.

No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. All information contained in this magazine is, as far as we are aware, correct at the time of going to press. Twenty Two Media cannot accept responsibility for errors or inaccuracies in such information. If you submit unsolicited material to us, you automatically grant Twenty Two Media a licence to publish your submission in whole or in part in all editions of the magazine.

All material is sent at your own risk and although every care is taken, neither Twenty Two Media nor its employees, agents or subcontractors shall be held liable resulting for loss or damage. Twenty Two Media endeavours to respect the intellectual property of the owners of copyrighted material reproduced herein. If you identify yourself as the copyright holder of material we have wrongly attributed, please contact the office.

CONTENTS

DEPARTURES 15 ◆ In the Frame 22 ◆ Just Landed 24 ◆ The Escapist 26 ◆ In Transit ◆ Emirates Airlines 32 ◆ Short Stay ◆ Scottsdale, Arizona 34 ◆ Long Stay ◆ Chicago, Illinois

EXPERIENCES C OV E R S TO RY

38 ◆ Underappreciated Cities Guide

With so many enticing cities to get stuck into, we eschew the obvious metropolises in favour of these unsung North American heroes.

44 ◆ Grab a Glass and Go

Find out why Glasgow deserves recognition as the top city destination in Scotland for its music, food and architecture.

EXCURSIONS 50 ◆ Chicken Soup for the Seoul

Seoul has earned an identity free of comparison to other major cities and we have a step-by-step itinerary for your first visit.

56 ◆ Cyclepaths Among Us

Copenhagen might be one of Europe’s easiest cities to explore at a leisurely pace and this is a complete guide to what to eat, do and where to stay.

65 ◆ The Checklist 79 ◆ Intrepid: Gator-aid

The ecological danger faced by the Florida Everglades is much more frightening than the alligator’s powerful bite.

92 ◆ Like a Local 94 ◆ The Selector 98 ◆ Rear View

ROCK

HOUSE R ES T A U R A N T

WHAT’S OLD IS NEW AGAIN As we undertake a three-year redevelopment of our iconic Table Rock Centre at the brink of the epic, Canadian Horseshoe Falls, we launch phase one in May 2019 with the grand re-opening of Table Rock House Restaurant. Named for the restaurant that was once located on this site, Table Rock House Restaurant will present visitors with an entirely unique dining experience. Recalling the history of the destination, showcasing dynamic local food stories through expertly crafted seasonal menus including recommended pairings, and all with a side of one of the world’s most unrivalled views.

To learn more about Niagara Parks Culinary, and our newly renovated Table Rock House Restaurant, visit niagaraparks.com/culinary

Landscape hotels. Nature-based destinations.

Transformative experiences.

Shipwreck Lodge // Denzel Bezuidenhout

Escape with us at R O O M A N DW I L D .C O M

LANDSCAPE-ENHANCED ACCOMMODATION

DEPARTURES

26 Andrew Knapp

32

◆

34

15

◆

In the Frame

24

◆

The Escapist

In Transit

◆

Short Stay ◆

Long Stay

◆

◆ ◆

Emirates Airlines Scottsdale, Arizona Chicago, Illinois

where can w.e. take you?

barrels bottles & brews

North America’s Largest Distillery

J.P. Wiser’s Distillery Experience

Caesars windsor

Canada’s Largest Casino Resort Caesars Windsor

museums without walls

City of Detroit Skyline Views

Windsor Sculpture Park

Plan to discover Windsor this summer - just a 45 minute flight from Toronto.

Click visitwindsoressex.com/foodism to learn more!

IN THE FRAME • DEPARTURES • 15

IN THE FRAME

In Find Momo Across Europe, Andrew Knapp and his border collie Momo are back with another book of “aww”-inducing and travelinspiring photos – in Europe. [

PHOTOGRAPHY

]

ABOVE: Knapp

Andrew Knapp

snapped a shot of Momo riding the tube, London’s elaborate underground public transit system.

MORE MOMO FIND MOMO ACROSS EUROPE BY ANDREW KNAPP From photographer, designer and world traveller Andrew Knapp comes Find Momo Across Europe.

The latest in the Find Momo series follows the beloved border collie as he travels through Europe (along with his human, Knapp).

Covering 22 countries, Knapps’s photos capture sweeping landscapes,

LEFT: Paris’s most

bustling cities and iconic landmarks – and Momo hiding in every picture.

Along with 144 pages of “aww”-some Momo photos, Knapp shares dog-friendly highlights and stories from the duo’s travels. $13.44, amazon.ca

iconic landmark, the Eiffel Tower looms in the distance.

The wrought-iron, lattice-work tower was built in 1889 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution.

IN THE FRAME • DEPARTURES • 17

ABOVE: This is one Andrew Knapp

of three main canals, dug in the 17th century, that flow through Amsterdam.

ABOVE: Completed

in 1929 for the IberoAmerican Exhibition, the Plaza de Espana is one of Seville’s most grandiose spaces.

IN THE FRAME • DEPARTURES • 19

BELOW: On the

streets of Brussels, Knapp photographs a street performer, while Momo watches from afar.

Andrew Knapp

20 • DEPARTURES • IN THE FRAME

ABOVE: The

Andrew Knapp

intriguing architecture in this photo actually belongs to a parking garage – it’s the Hydro Multi Storey Car Park in central Glasgow, Scotland.

10

Signature

Experiences

1. BROCKVILLE RAILWAY TUNNEL Built in 1860, Canada’s first Rail Tunnel was used to connect the waterfront by rail for 110 years. Now it has a comfortable walking surface and an incredible sound and light show for the entire length of the half kilometer (1753’) tunnel. Water seeping through the walls has created beautiful formations of white calcite and yellow dolomite, and the stalactites grow about 1 mm (.04”) per year.

Photo courtesy George Fischer.

2. BROCKVILLE ARTS CENTRE This world class heritage theatre showcases the best live theatre and live entertainment all year-round! From tribute shows to concerts, from musicals to films, there is always something happening at the BROCKVILLE ARTS CENTRE! Photo courtesy Glyn Davies.

3. HISTORIC DOWNTOWN BROCKVILLE Enjoy a diverse selection of charming boutiques, restaurants, bakeries, coffee shops and galleries as you stroll down historic King Street and along the side streets leading to the water.

Photo courtesy Chris Hebert@dominionphoto182.

4. AQUATARIUM The AQUATARIUM showcases the wonders of the River and the Thousand Islands Region in a captivating and enriching manner that is sure to inspire your curiosity! Imaginative exhibit designs and live animals are combined with innovative interactive technologies to entertain children and adults alike!

Meet AQUATARIUM’s three amazing adult River Otters: Brock, Oliver and Ivy.

JUST LANDED From a new high-speed option in Britain to rebuilding Paris’s cathedrals, these are the reports we’re watching right now.

[

WHAT’S

NEW

IN

TRAVEL

]

THE FASTER-THAN-FLYING SCOTSMAN Aberdeen-based transport operator FirstGroup announced it will offer high-speed train service between London and Edinburgh starting in autumn 2021. Right now, return train journeys between the two cities can reach prices over £200 ($350), prompting many travellers to fly on low-cost airlines instead.

In contrast, seats (all in one class) on FirstGroup’s new electric trains will reportedly go for less than £25 ($44). Travelling at 125 miles-per-hour, the electric trains will also run more quietly and produce fewer emissions compared to their current counterparts.

ABOVE: The red neon

DON’T HAVE TO PUT ON THE RED LIGHT Amsterdam is as well-known for its red light district in De Wallen as it is for canals, bikes and cannabis, but changes are coming for visitors to this notorious part of the Dutch capital. As of 2020, organized tours of the provocative precinct will be prohibited. The ban is part of efforts to reduce overcrowding in the neighbourhood, and also aims to better protect the city’s sex workers. Organized tours contribute to foot traffic congestion, which often deters potential paying customers from visiting the district. In addition, tourists taking photos and selfies without permission raise significant privacy concerns for sex workers. The ban comes on the heels of several other new regulations designed to curtail the problem of overtourism in Amsterdam, including a limit on how long AirBnBs can be rented out and an increase in the local hotel room tax.

lights, advertising sex workers’ establishments, have become a familiar sight in Amsterdam

CT SCAN FOR YOUR HAND LUGGAGE

Screening machines: These CT scanners sell for US$96.8 million each and rotate 360 degrees around baggage to produce a detailed 3D image.

With the help of a shiny new scanner, the TSA will no longer require travellers in the U.S. to remove their laptops and liquids from their bags when passing through security. In late March, the TSA signed a contract for 300 new carry-on luggage screening machines. These devices create 3D images of contents and will be able to detect certain items that need to be removed. Business travellers (and everyone else) flying out of the U.S. can rejoice at the faster security process. However, the TSA has yet to confirm which airports will receive the new scanners this summer.

JUST LANDED • DEPARTURES • 23

CELEBRATING A DECADE OF CONNECTIONS Celebrating their 10th anniversary, Trafalgar’s Be My Guest allows hosts (locals) to introduce guests (travellers) to old-school food ways. People connect over one-of-a-kind experiences such as traditional ryokans in Japan, olive oil farms in Italy and foragers along Ireland’s western coast. The 10-day Great Italian Cities tour is $4,500 and the Ireland Experience goes for $3,500. The majority of Be My Guest experiences are hosted in small, regional communities – guided tourism is an opportune way to support local businesses and people who live outside big cities.

SMOKE ON THE WATER, FIRE IN THE SPIRE After a devastating fire that broke out at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, attention is turning to rebuilding the beloved site. The French government will accept proposals by architects for a redesign of the collapsed spire. While some critics argue that the architectural masterpiece should be rebuilt exactly as it looked before the fire, others point out that the spire was added during the 19th-century and therefore not part of the 850-year-old cathedral’s original design.

French President Emmanuel Macron hopes to see the rebuilding completed ahead of the 2024 Olympics.

Olena Z; FrameStockFootages; beboy / Shutterstock.com

VISA-FREE, SORT OF In 2021, Europe is rolling out a new pre-travel screening system for several countries, including Canada. Right now, visiting is as easy as buying a plane ticket, with Canadians able to travel through the 26-country Schengen Zone for short-term business or tourism purposes without obtaining a visa. We’ll

ABOVE: With a

prominent spot on an island in the middle of the Seine, Notre Dame has been a part of Paris’s image for nine centuries

still be able to travel through the zone without a visa, but will need to take an additional step before flying. Travellers will have to apply online via the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) and pay a fee. The ETIAS approval will be valid for three years, which means you don’t necessarily need to reapply every time you go to Europe.

MACRON HOPES TO SEE THE REBUILDING COMPLETE BY THE 2024 OLYMPICS IN PARIS

24 • DEPARTURES • THE ESCAPIST

THE ESCAPIST

Extra-long flights don’t need to be arduous marathons of boredom and discomfort.

Jessica Huras has a plan for making the overnight trip a breeze.

[

LONG-HAUL

JOURNEYS

PICTURE PERFECT These free apps will help you up the FOMO factor of your photos.

]

VSCO Photo editing, including 10 preset options, meets social app with basic editing tools and a community to help you level up travel photos without delving into the nitty gritty of design.

SNAPSEED Enhancing options include a dozen different filters and a wide range of editing features. Use the brush tool to adjust exposure, saturation and temperature in a certain area.

W

on entertainment prior to your trip. These days, I never go on any journey, short or long, without cramming my phone with as many offline Netflix downloads and podcasts as its memory can hold. A portable power bank is another holy grail item for long journeys – it’s such a relief to stay charged up without crouching on the terminal floor near the only available outlet or praying for working outlets on-board your plane or bus.

There is one other key comfort factor that’s easy to overlook: seat selection. Personally, I’m a passionate aisle-seater because I want to be able to get up and stretch or use the bathroom freely throughout the flight without having to awkwardly wake up a sleeping seat mate; but window is a better option if you’re a heavy sleeper and don’t want to get up and down yourself.

My other tips for long journeys come down to common sense: wear comfy, layered clothing; bring snacks and water; pack earplugs and an eye mask.

No amount of preparation, however, will ever make long-haul journeys a joy, so get as comfy as you can, tune out and remember it’ll all be worth it when you arrive. ◆

ADOBE LIGHTROOM The healing brush tool ($4.99 premium only) lets you remove almost anything from your photo – including a gawking tourist or two in the background.

ABOVE: Not all

airlines are created equal, but with a little extra planning you can stay amused even without in-flight entertainment

Omar Prestwich

HETHER IT’S A 21-hour flight from Toronto to Sydney or an overnight train ride from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, travel enough and you’ll eventually come face-to-face with the dreaded long-haul journey.

One of my first seriously long-distance trips was a flight to Hong Kong that I couldn’t have been less prepared for if I had actively tried. I’d been on a decent number of flights at that point in my life, but somehow I’d never found myself on a plane with no seat-back TVs. I got on the Hong Kong-bound plane with zero personal entertainment, fully expecting to watch in-flight movies for the better part of 15 hours.

I’m sure you can guess where this woeful story is going: I boarded what turned out to be an older plane equipped with just the small drop-down overhead screens located every few rows, which were tuned to muted episodes of Just for Laughs for the entire flight. I learned a hard lesson during those boring 15 hours: longhaul journeys require preparation (if you want any hope of being comfortable and entertained).

Fortunately, it’s now easier than ever now to stock up

@APEROLCANADA @BARAPEROL.TO

IN A L ARGE WINE GL ASS FULL OF ICE, COMBINE P R O S E C C O F O L L O W E D B Y A P E R O L I N E Q U A L PA R T S . A D D A S P L A S H O F S O DA . GA R N I S H W I T H A N O R A N G E S L I C E .

PLEASE ENJOY RESPONSIBLY. MUST BE LEGAL DRINKING AGE.

26 • DEPARTURES • IN TRANSIT

IN TRANSIT

LOUNGE AROUND Business class passengers transiting through Dubai have access to their massive lounge. There are multiple dining areas – including spaces created with Costa Coffee and Moët and Chandon – with tons of seating and you can board directly from the lounge.

Can flying be a civilized, enjoyable experience again? Jessica Huras checks in on what Emirates is doing to get us there.

[

EMIRATES

AIRLINES

]

ICE, ICE, BABY Featuring over 4,000 channels and a super wide screen, Emirates’ ICE in-flight entertainment system regularly scoops up consumer choice awards. Content is updated monthly and the system can be controlled via touchscreen, handset or tablet.

W

STARRY NIGHT Transitional lighting shifts gradually and changes colour throughout the flight to mimic natural sunlight, helping passengers move smoothly from asleep to awake. The A380 also adds sparkling lights overhead to simulate stars in the night sky.

Emirates Airlines

HEN YOU’RE ACCUSTOMED to the cramped, crowded economy flight experience like I am, flying business class on any airline is enough to inspire spontaneous tears of joy. All the increasingly dehumanizing experiences that make air travel stressful are gone and replaced with loads of leg room, complimentary booze and a super speedy exit from the plane.

Emirates takes this standard business class experience and douses it in champagne and gold (mostly metaphorically, but the cabin is literally trimmed in gold and you will be handed a glass of champagne on boarding).

First off, the plane (I flew on the A380) actually has two floors: the economy cabin is on the lower floor, while first and business class seats are up a flight of stairs. That’s a perk for all, really, since economy passengers are spared the depressing walk through business class, past relaxed passengers sipping from flutes of the aforementioned bubbly.

Every business ticket holder gets a small pod with a flat bed seat, mini-bar stocked with soft drinks and water and a widescreen entertainment system. At the back of the plane is another next-level feature: an on-board lounge. With a sleek bar (complete with bartender), benches for sitting and tables laden with snacks, it’s a space that makes it genuinely easy to forget that you’re on a plane.

While Emirates are known for flashy features like the lounge, they also excel at small details. For example, passengers get seat stickers that allow you to let flight attendants know if you want to be woken up to eat. If you’re like me, you’ll find yourself not wanting to sleep, so you don’t miss a minute of the experience. ◆

28 • DEPARTURES • HOT SHOTS

JESSICA HURAS IN MEXICO CITY, MEXICO

HOT SHOTS Team escapism shares some of our favourite travel photos from the past few months. Follow @escapism on Instagram to see more.

[

FLORIDA,

MEXICO,

DENMARK

The fact that three escapism staffers, including me, have visited Mexico City in the last two months should be all the confirmation you need: this city is seriously cool right now. While I loved diving into the city’s various markets (pg. 88) and scarfing down street tacos, one of my highlights was a day-trip to the historic temples of Teotihuacán.

]

SURESH DOSS IN COPENHAGEN, DENMARK Copenhagen is impressively walkable and has plenty of bike infrastructure. I took advantage of that when I had a few spare hours during a recent food-filled jaunt (pg. 56), and squeezed in an exploration of Nyhavn, one of the liveliest parts of the city. There, you’ll find restaurants and cafés amongst the historic and colourful townhouses, with the canal as a backdrop. ◆

KATIE BRIDGES IN THE EVERGLADES, FLORIDA On a recent trip to southern Florida (pg. 79), I encountered a different kind of traffic jam while touring around Babcock Ranch on a Swamp Buggy (an old, camouflaged school bus with monster wheels to manage the bumpy terrain).

In addition to the cows, turkeys and wild hogs that crossed our path, we were halted by some scaly friends at the aptly titled Alligator Crossing. Luckily, our guide was able to dissipate the gator gridlock by tossing bait into the water.

TO INFINITY AND BEYOND

ROOM SERVICE

On the sixth floor, the crystal-clear waters of the outdoor infinity pool appear to stretch right into the strip of ocean that can be seen on the horizon. Each morning, enjoy poolside yoga classes. Lined with halfsubmerged loungers and completely shaded by the floor above, the pool is the best place to beat the heat when temperatures climb. Sun worshipers can soak up the rays in the late afternoon when the sun is low enough in the sky to shine in. Order the strawberry mojito or a piña colada from El Faro Pool Bar and curl up on one of the daybeds, loungers or couches.

Classic touches and rooftop vistas tie these three noteworthy, downtown hotels together.

[

HAVANA,

TORONTO,

SINGAPORE

]

FROM COFFEE TO COHIBAS Home to three different bars and five restaurants, the Iberostar Grand Packard is a luxury hotel with the feel of a resort. Included in your stay, a full buffet breakfast is offered every morning with fresh fruit, pastries, an egg station and more. For an additional cost, dine at Biscuit gourmet restaurant for fine dining or Español for Spanish-style tapas. In a designated dining area on the pool terrace you can order from the Snack Bar or Tradiciones Cuban restaurant. Take in nightly music performances in the lobby’s piano lounge or puff on a Cohiba or a Montecristo in the smoky cigar lounge.

IBEROSTAR GRAND PACKARD, CUBA Outfitted with dark windows and stark white columns, the Iberostar Grand Packard stands out like a glistening pearl against the backdrop of Havana’s wellworn, pastel-coloured buildings. Sleek and modern, this hotel is all about luxury. In Old Havana, the Iberostar Grand Packard is the perfect home-base for exploring Cuba’s capital. The nearby Paseo del Prado doubles as a tree-lined walkway and a gathering place for locals. For ocean views, the Grand Packard is a fiveminute walk from the Malecón, the seaside boardwalk that stretches along the outside of Havana for miles.

Rooms from $253. iberostargrandpackard.com

ABOVE: Iberostar

Grand Packard stands out from the Havana streetscape with its modern construction and unmissable infinity pool

ROOM SERVICE • DEPARTURES • 31

MARINA BAY SANDS, SINGAPORE This landmark property, often called one of the world’s most unusual-looking hotels, can be spotted as you approach the city from the airport due to one prominent feature: three hotel towers connected at the top by what looks like a large ship. That vessel is MBS’s SkyPark, the 57th floor rooftop which includes an iconic infinity pool, a half-dozen bars and restaurants and an observation deck. Think of MBS as a resort rather than a hotel. The hotel and entertainment complex sprawls above and below ground, with close to 100 eating establishments and shopping options.

If you prefer to mix resort-like amenities with easy access to the city, then this is the place to do it.

Rooms from $494. marinabaysands.com

SINGAPORE SKYLINE SCENES The view really is something from the hotel’s iconic infinity pool. It offers a stunning panorama of the densely populated yet still very green city. There are two ways to enjoy the top deck. Go early for a frontrow view of Singapore’s breathtaking skyline. Or if you’re in the mood for seaside views, get a reservation at Spago, celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck’s international offshoot where you can enjoy California-inspired food with views of the Singapore Strait.

ST. REGIS, TORONTO The former Trump Hotel on Adelaide has been transformed into the St. Regis Toronto. Owned by Marriott International, St. Regis is an upscale brand with over 40 properties around the world and the new Toronto hotel marks their first project in Canada.

Luxurious decor and exceptional service are the brand’s signatures and St. Regis Toronto delivers. With a top-notch restaurant and stylish lobby bar, the St. Regis is poised to be popular with well-heeled tourists, expense-account travellers and locals, too.

Rooms from $448. marriott.com Iberostar Grand Packard; Marina Bay Sands; St. Regis Hotel

THE REGIS RITUALS St. Regis is known for its long-standing, signature rituals, which are common to their properties across the world. The St. Regis Toronto serves traditional afternoon tea in the lobby-level Astor Lounge and sunset sabrage in the same space.

Louix Louis, the hotel’s 31st-floor restaurant, hosts two more rituals: they serve a midnight supper and pour a locally-inspired Bloody Mary cocktail.

The restaurant draws inspiration from New York and Paris’s glamorous early 20th-century lounges, featuring a swirling ceiling mural, dramatic chandeliers and a show-stopping two-storey bar. ◆

ABOVE: An overhead

view of the Marina Bay Sands with its distinctive ship-inthe-sky on top of the three main towers

THE ICONIC INFINITY POOL OFFERS A STUNNING PANORAMA OF THE DENSELY POPULATED YET STILL VERY GREEN CITY

SHORT STAY

GETTING THERE

Jessica Huras visits Scottsdale for a taste of Arizona’s panoramic desert scenery without giving up the creature comforts and artistic experiences.

[

SCOTTSDALE,

ARIZONA

]

BY AIR: Air

Canada offers multiple nonstop flights per week from Toronto’s Pearson airport to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

Journey time is around 4 hours. aircanada.com GETTING IN:

Phoenix’s airport is a 15-minute Uber or Lyft ride from Scottsdale.

In town, take advantage of ridesharing bike and scooter services like Lime.

TWIN CITY

There are two sides to Scottsdale: the well-heeled, modern Scottsdale with its top-notch golf courses, lavish spas, swish resorts and progressive restaurants; and the rustic, cowboy Scottsdale that fully embraces its slogan “the West’s most western town,” where you can horseback ride along rugged paths, hike up mountain trails fringed with cacti and generally be bowled over by the beauty of the area’s untamed desert scenery. It’s a city that has perfected the art of laid-back indulgence, where days begin with challenging sunrise treks and end with poolside cocktails.

COWBOY CHIC

In the former home of cowboy artist Lon Megargee, the Hermosa Inn is a boutique retreat with oodles of southwestern charm. Low, adobe buildings – some that date back to the 1930s – are spread between six acres of pretty pathways lined with bougainvillea, cacti and palm trees. Handsome private casitas feature Arizona-inspired decor like leather chairs, Native American rugs and beehive fireplaces. Their popular restaurant LON’s offers crowd-pleasing seasonal cuisine and an impressive wine list, while the Last Drop bar has a big patio with comfy sofas and lovely views of Camelback Mountain.

ABOVE: Sunrise and

sunset are the best times to capture the Sonoran Desert in all its colourful beauty – and also when the temperature is more pleasant

SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA • DEPARTURES • 33

RISE AND RAMBLE

Scottsdale sits in the Sonoran Desert, one of the most biodiverse deserts in the world. The Gateway Loop in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve is a great, moderately challenging option for visitors looking to dip their toe into the area’s vast network of trails and admire Scottsdale’s distinctive natural scenery. Taking hikers around the McDowell Mountain, the trail stretches for 4.5 miles and offers some pretty vistas over the city and lots of opportunities to spot Saguaro cacti, a species of cactus unique to the Sonoran. It’s a popular trail, so go early to avoid crowds and catch the stunning sunrise.

McDowell Mountain: Fans of rock climbing can also trek up the mountain with the fixed bolts that are drilled into the hard, granite rock to ensure a secure anchor for ropes.

IN THE ARI-ZONE-A Stay well-fed (and wined) between desert hikes with these three local-first spots.

ART AT HEART

Taliesin West is an essential stop for art and culture lovers. The one-time winter residence of famed 20thcentury architect Frank Lloyd Wright, it was built in the late 1930s and features intriguing examples of organic architecture. In other words, the buildings were designed to flow cohesively with their natural surroundings. On Thursday evenings, join Scottsdale ArtWalk when dozens of galleries in downtown Scottsdale open their doors to visitors. Make sure to check out River Trading Post, which works with local Indigenous tribes to source a cool collection of American Indian art. ◆

BELOW: Frank Lloyd

Wright’s coolseason digs were built to connect harmoniously with the natural environment

FNB James Beard Award winner Charleen Badman and co-owner Pavle Milic were early pioneers of Arizona’s farm-to-table scene when they opened FnB in 2009. They continue to serve some of Scottsdale’s best cuisine paired with local vino.

JOIN SCOTTSDALE ARTWALK WHEN DOZENS OF GALLERIES OPEN THEIR DOORS

CRAFT 64 This casual spot features wood-fired pizzas topped with locally sourced produce, dairy and meat, along with over 30 Arizona craft beers on tap. Order a caprese salad or a simple margherita pizza to best taste their housemade mozzarella.

Scottsdale by BCFC / Shutterstock.com; Taliesin West by Andrew Pielage

THE MISSION It would be a crime to travel this far south without sampling Latin cuisine. Start with white bean purée and tableside-prepared guacamole, blended with cotija and roasted pepitas. Try one of the nine margaritas – Arizona’s unofficial cocktail.

LONG STAY

No American city has upped its game in the last 20 years quite like Chicago. Suresh Doss goes beyond deep dish and Yeezy.

[

CHICAGO,

ILLINOIS

]

SEE PADDLE THE CHICAGO RIVER

Chicago’s skyline is world-famous for blending bold and contrasting architectural styles, from art deco and neoclassical to modern and commercial. The river has unobstructed views of a city that has influenced American architecture. Urban Kayaks offer two tours: the Chicago Riverwalk snakes through the city’s urban setting, or the Monroe Harbour tour will take you further out into Lake Michigan for a bit of tranquility.

CITY PASS

Things can get pricey when you’re hopping between aquariums and art museums. The CityPASS eases the burden on your wallet and allows you to enjoy the city’s top attractions in VIP style. For $150, the pass grants access to major landmarks like the Field Museum, Skydeck and the Art Institute, and is valid for nine days after the first use. The best part? Skipping the ticket line every time.

MAGGIE DALEY ROCK CLIMBING

Chicago’s Millenium Park is a year-round hub for tourists but really comes to life in the summer.

Adventure seekers should head to the climbing walls, a dramatic outdoor structure that is one of the largest of its kind in the world. Different styles of rock climbing are available to suit individual experience. The 40-foot peaks have great views of Grant Park.

REST THE GWEN

A short walk from the Magnificent Mile, the luxurious Gwen Hotel pays homage to the glamour of 1930s Chicago. Art deco design is prevalent from the lobby to the spacious suites and the hotel bar. The bar is a great place to get acquainted with Chicago’s celebrated cocktail culture. In the summer, the hotel has a “glamping” suite with outdoor accommodations on a private terrace. Rooms from $269. thegwenchicago.com

KIMPTON GRAY HOTEL

One of Chicago’s newest hotels, the art deco-style Kimpton Gray is a slightly upmarket stay in the Loop with easy access to entertainment and shopping on Michigan Avenue. A lively rooftop lounge, Boleo, offers panoramic views of downtown Chicago. Kick off the evening with the cocktail bar’s silver-cart champagne service. Rooms from $214. grayhotelchicago.com

W HOTEL LAKESHORE

Chicago’s waterfront is often overlooked in lieu of skyscrapers and art exhibitions. The W Hotel offers affordable luxury in a boutique-like setting, and draws a younger crowd to the area across from Ohio Street Beach. All rooms are equipped with W’s signature plush bedding. At night, the lounge livens up with guest DJs and dancing. Rooms from $201. marriott.com

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS • DEPARTURES • 35

EAT REVIVAL FOOD HALL

Consider it one-stop shopping for your stomach. Revival is part of the current wave of downtown food halls.

Evolving from dawn to dusk, the hall features some of the city’s best pop-ups, rotating throughout the seasons.

All 15 fast casual establishments have roots in Chicago, with a menu that presents an impressive array of options, spanning Americana to Tex-Mex. Stop in for Chicagostyle deep dish pizza, third-wave coffee and tacos.

ABOVE: Dante's

Tavern will bring their NY-style pizza to Revival Food Hall this September as part of an ongoing pizza pop-up curated by Steve Dolinsky

GIANT

Oleg Podzorov / Shutterstock.com; Clayton Hauck; Fight Club

As one of the city’s flourishing food neighbourhoods, Logan Square has many small bars and restaurants that present a refreshing, intimate feel. Giant wins for its unpretentious vibe and Midwestern menu, accented by international notes. Start with biscuits served with jalapeno butter but save room for king crab tagliatelle. If you want a show with dinner, ask to sit at the chef ’s rail.

It's noticeably livelier than the rest of the space.

Logan Square: About six miles from downtown Chicago, the area is known for its wide, tree-lined boulevards and historic greystone mansions.

START WITH BISCUITS SERVED WITH JALAPENO BUTTER BUT SAVE ROOM FOR KING CRAB TAGLIATELLE

FIGHT CLUB

There’s no shortage of bar-meets-gaming experiences in Chicago. Our pick is the British import that pairs darts with bespoke cocktails and bar snacks. Fight Club takes the kinetic experience of throwing darts and combines it with automatic scoring tech for an addictive experience.

The social phenomenon is suited for all group sizes, too; face off with friends or network across the entire room for a super-charged battle. Skip the beer, the bar’s classic cocktails are more suited to missile tossing. ◆

ELEVATE YOUR CHEESEBURGER Bring your burger to the next level with the distinct flavour and satisfying texture of Jarlsberg®

• ENTER NOW •

THE JARLSBERG BURGER

RECIPE CONTEST Share a photo and description of your best Jarlsberg burger for your chance to win a WEBER Spirit II gas grill, or one of 12 Jarlsberg BBQ kits! Contest ends August 30, 2019. Get contest details and enter at jarlsberg.com

EXPERIENCES

Ulmus Media / Shutterstock.com

38

◆

Underappreciated Cities Guide 44 50 56

◆ ◆

◆

Glasgow, Scotland Seoul, South Korea Copenhagen, Denmark

[

UNDERAPPRECIATED

CITIES

GUIDE

]

ITTY BITTY CITY COMMITTEE Get out of the big-city groove and visit these smaller Canadian and U.S. burgs. Our guide will help you find a great time in unexpected places.

42%

Of Americans have a passport

W

106

U.S. cities at 200k - 1 mil. population

E ALL LOVE a good trip to a big, bustling tourist hot spot like New York or L.A., but at some point, the throngs of people all flocking to the same attractions can become a little pedestrian. There are only so many ways you can pose next to an iconic landmark and just about every one has already been overdone (we’re looking at you kitschy leaning on the Tower of Pisa photos). Sometimes the best and most rewarding trips are the ones that take you on the path less travelled.

From authentic Mexican fare in Tucson and fresh seafood in Saint John to whale watching in Victoria, we bring you our list of underappreciated Canadian and U.S. cities. >

84%

Canadians live outside our 3 biggest cities

Checubus / Shutterstock.com

RIGHT: Milwaukee’s art museum is one of the unsung heroes of architecture in the Midwest. Plus, it has nearly 25,000 works of art in its collection

UNDERAPPRECIATED CITIES GUIDE • EXPERIENCES • 39

LEFT: Saint John is breaking out of its image as New Brunswick’s industrial port and becoming a lovely East Coast destination

> SAVANNAH, GEORGIA While Charleston may be renowned for its Old World charm, Savannah, located on the other side of the Savannah River, is equally blessed with Southern hospitality.

Walk the cobblestones of the Historic District, which has been around since the 1700s, saunter under the trees in Bonaventure Cemetery, and stroll through Forsyth Park. Spot the famous bench where Forrest Gump waited for his bus in Chippewa Square. When your legs get tired, hop on a trolley tour and take in Savannah’s antebellum architecture.

The Telfair Museums, made up of two National Historic Landmark buildings from 1820, as well as the contemporary Jepson Center showcase an impressive collection of fine art and period rooms. Savannah is

also home to the first and only museum dedicated to the history of Prohibition.

After your visit, head to the iconic Pinkie Master’s Lounge and raise a glass to its repeal in 1933.

Visitors could dedicate a whole trip to eating in Savannah – but we recommend heading to the Grey for some of Mashama Bailey’s reimagined southern cuisine, located inside a renovated 1960s bus terminal where passengers were once segregated by race.

Savannah has several beautiful examples – 40% of its prominent buildings, by one count – of these styles built before the American Civil War started in 1865.

SAINT JOHN, NEW BRUNSWICK We’ve seen many a Canadian traveller go starry-eyed over the prospect of

SPOT THE BENCH WHERE FORREST GUMP WAITED FOR HIS BUS IN CHIPPEWA SQUARE

visiting Newfoundland or PEI, but New Brunswick doesn’t seem to inspire the same romanticism. Saint John, the province’s second-most-populous city, certainly isn’t one of the East Coast’s classic, postcard towns but it has plenty to offer.

The city’s historic core is defined by sandstone and red-brick 19th-century buildings – well-preserved but handsomely weather-worn – many of which now house cool restaurants and shops. The Bay of Fundy peeks out between these rows of historic commercial structures, reminding visitors of the city’s dramatic shoreline setting. It’s a lively port city, shaped by centuries of sea traffic and immigration, with just the right amount of grit.

Start with Uncorked’s Seafood City Tour to get a feel for the layout of Saint John and its history, plus the opportunity to stuff your face with fresh seafood while you learn. Most of the city’s key attractions are concentrated in the downtown area, known as Uptown. Check out Port City Royal for trendy, local fare and craft cocktails, or head to Hopscotch to dig into an extensive whisky menu that’s over a dozen pages deep.

LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY

As bourbon continues to experience a second renaissance in Kentucky, Louisville receives much of the tourism. But we’re here to tell you to skip the baseball museums and big-city vibes of Louisville and head to its charming sister city.

Lexington is one of the state’s fastest growing cities, but it still maintains its historic charm and pastoral surroundings. In the heart of America’s horse country and the home of bluegrass music, you’d be remiss not to take a Blue Grass Tour, which will acquaint you with the state’s love affair for horses, bourbon and roots music.

In the downtown core you’re treated to photogenic 18th-century facades.

The historic scenery is contrasted by the independent spirit of artisans and entrepreneurs who have made their way here from bigger cities to open boutique

UNDERAPPRECIATED CITIES GUIDE • EXPERIENCES • 41

distilleries and breweries, and an impressive lineup of art galleries. Lexington is a city that caters to every type of traveller without the claustrophobia of a metropolis.

The geography helps, too. To wind down even further, a quick drive out of the city presents rolling hills and endless views. Just 45 to 60 minutes away, highly acclaimed whiskey distillers like Woodford Reserve Distillery and Evan Williams Distillery provide immersive tours.

WINNIPEG, MANITOBA

Sopotnicki, casadaphoto / Shutterstock.com

We know, we know. We can practically feel your eyes rolling from here, but the Peg has come a long way in the last decade or so, transforming from a city known for being located in the middle of nothing to one that’s embracing its identity as a place that’s at the literal heart of everything. Winnipeg is close to the geographic centre of Canada and its setting at the junction of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers has made it an important meeting place for more than 6,000 years.

Its isolated location fosters a strong sense of community and a drive to support locally owned businesses. The result is a creative, friendly city with an independent spirit.

Known as The Forks Start with a visit to by locals, Winnpeg’s the Forks, a multimain waterfront is a busy hub and level dining and gathering place for retail space, set in a outdoor activities, pair of early 20thfestivals and shops with plenty of century rail company eateries. stables. From there, it’s less than a five-minute walk to the ground-breaking Canadian Museum for Human Rights. Hop across the Red River to explore Manitoba’s francophone culture in St. Boniface, and save time to browse the hip restaurants and art galleries found in the downtown Exchange District.

VICTORIA, B.C.

Don’t let its reputation (or lack thereof ) fool you – British Columbia’s capital city might be less appreciated than its counterpart

RIGHT: Victoria’s Chinatown, centred on Fisgard, is the oldest in Canada going back to the gold rush of 1858 that brought immigrants to B.C.

START WITH A VISIT TO THE FORKS, A MULTILEVEL DINING AND RETAIL SPACE across the Straight of Georgia, but Victoria has an abundance of unique experiences to offer. Visit the museums, landmarks, Indigenous cultural sites and also Canada’s oldest Chinatown.

Located on the south end of Vancouver Island, Victoria has one of the mildest climates in Canada. Lush temperate rainforests thrive here – go on a hike to discover hidden waterfalls and shallow tidal pools filled with aquatic life. For a tamer nature experience, walk through one of the dozens of flower gardens and parks that give Victoria its nickname, the City of Gardens.

Victoria offers the chance to swim, sail, kayak and partake in just about any other water sport. In a prime location for whale

sightings, Victoria’s orcas, humpbacks and minke whales can all be seen on boat tours just off the coast.

After getting your fill of the outdoors, head inside (or to a patio) to taste the island city’s culinary offerings. Fresh seafood, a farm-to-table movement and an up-andcoming craft beer scene make Victoria a great destination for getting your nosh on.

TUCSON, ARIZONA

There’s more to this Arizona city than rodeos and cowboys (although, there’s plenty of that, too). Bursting with beauty, both natural and homegrown, Tucson is the perfect place to plan an adventure.

With its proximity to Mexico, you won’t >

42 • EXPERIENCES • UNDERAPPRECIATED CITIES GUIDE

LEFT: The ampitheatre at Red Rocks Park, just west of Denver, is a unique venue for a broad range of concert acts from Billie Eilish to John Fogerty

sample cheese at boutique shops and urban dairy facilities. There are over 50 cheese producers spread throughout the city.

Then there’s the beer. For decades Milwaukee has been one of the largest beer producers in the U.S., whether it’s commercial brands like Miller High Life or industrial-chic microbreweries like Urban Harvest Brewing Company. But despite the high gloss, big box beer culture, aficionados regard Milwaukee as having a thriving craft brew scene. Hop on an Untapped Tour – you’ll visit four microbreweries across the Riverwest neighbourhood.

For those breaks in between cheese boards and beer tastings, stroll through the impressive flora installations at Mitchell Park and take in some American pride at the Harley-Davidson Museum.

DENVER, COLORADO

TUCSON IS BLESSED WITH GREAT TACOS – BUT ITS CULINARY CONQUESTS GO DEEPER views from 1,429 metres.

If culture’s your thing, head to the University of Arizona Museum of Art for permanent exhibits of works created by Jackson Pollock and Georgia O’Keefe. Or simply tilt your head – thanks to ongoing efforts to reduce light pollution, Tucson’s skies are ripe for stargazing.

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN

Chicagoans love their city, but we’ll wager that if you spend enough time talking to inhabitants of the Windy City, they’ll also celebrate their affection for nearby vacation destination, Milwaukee.

Mention Milwaukee to friends and the first thing that will probably come up is cheese (besides baseball, of course). As a city in “America’s Dairyland” Milwaukee gets a fair share of tourists who come to

Radomir Rezny / Shutterstock.com

> be surprised to learn that Tucson is blessed with great tacos – but its culinary conquests go deeper. The Old Pueblo is designated UNESCO City of Gastronomy for its rich culinary tapestry of Mexican and Native American traditions dating back 4,000 years.

Take a bite from a slice of history at Barrio Bread with an artisan loaf, or El Charro Café, a Mexican family-run restaurant in operation since 1922, both of which are nominated for the prestigious James Beard Awards.

Expect to see Walk off lunch at more than a sandy the Saguaro National terrain, this trail leads trekkers into Park, split into two a historic past sections flanking the through a stonecity. Hike along the walled building and some mysterious King’s Canyon Trail petroglyph symbols and climb Wasson etched into rocks.

Peak for unparalleled

Oft seen as only a stopover on the way to the ski hill, Denver has more than enough attractions to be considered a travel destination in its own right.

Follow the Denver Beer Trail to sip your way through the Mile High City’s more than 30 brewpubs, breweries and taprooms.

Divided up by neighbourhood, the trail maps out the most efficient way to get from point A to point B(eer).

Just west of Denver, Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre holds concerts and performances all summer. A geological formation made of sandstone, Red Rocks is a natural, open-air amphitheatre. The park is also home to the Colorado Music Hall of Fame, a hotel, restaurants, hiking trails and camping grounds.

Culture vultures will find plenty of activities to sink their teeth into. Tour one of the city’s many art museums, or just walk the graffiti-lined streets in one of Denver’s seven art districts. Then, chug on over to the Colorado Railroad Museum. Experience the old west at the Buffalo Bill Grave and Museum and be sure to stop at the Buffalo Herd Nature Preserve to see descendants of the last wild buffalo in America. ◆

d. And being outside.

Buffalo loves a good party. And good foo rituals – the days that bring We love traditions, parades and annual ex-pats and hip visitors who together thousands of locals, homesick vibe. Now it’s your turn to have picked up on Buffalo’s fun-loving plan your trip around. party like a local. Here are my picks to

IN the

VITED YOU’RE IN

UFFALO B D E T C EXPE TO THE UN

6Events

Taste of Buffalo Prepare for the best food that Buffalo has to offer. More than 50 local restaurants dish out delicious samples, from local specialties to global cuisine. With live music and culinary demonstrations, the largest two-day food festival in the U.S. is a foodie’s paradise.

July 13-14 » tasteofbuffalo.com

Garden Walk Buffalo Garden Walk Buffalo is the largest free event of its kind in the entire United States, regularly attracting 50,000 visitors to more than 400 private gardens over the last weekend of July.

To commemorate its 25th anniversary, Garden Walk is expanding into the city’s Parkside neighborhood and planning some very special events. Did we mention it’s FREE? July 27-28 » gardensbuffaloniagara.com

TO PLAN YOUR

TRIP AROUND

Cobblestone Live!

Cobblestone Live!, located in the Historic Cobblestone district of downtown Buffalo, features three outdoor stages, one inside Buffalo Iron Works, and another inside Lockhouse Distillery. Along with nearly 40 bands, you’ll find beer, wine, cider, food trucks, as well as games and activities for all ages.

August 2-3 » cobblestonelive.com National Buffalo Wing Festival After you’ve traveled the Buffalo Wing Trail, join thousands of wing fanatics as they make the annual Labor Day pilgrimage to the birthplace of this signature Buffalo delicacy. Sample more than 100 varieties of wings and watch the U.S. Chicken Wing Eating Championship.

August 31-September 1 » buffalowing.com

MUSIC is art FESTIVAL Founded by Goo Goo Dolls bassist Robby Takac, Music is Art is a daylong festival filled with non-stop live music, dancing performances, food and drink, and fireworks.

September 7 » musicisart.org BorderlanD MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL This weekend-long music and art festival headquartered at Knox Farm State Park in East Aurora embodies the spirit of this crafty village. Local and national acts take the stage, fine craft breweries pour a glass and local restaurants dish out incredible eats while local woodworkers, glass blowers and smiths show off their meticulous skills.

September 21-22 » borderlandfestival.com

VISITBUFFALONIAGARA.COM/ESCAPISM

[

GLASGOW,

SCOTLAND

]

GRAB A GLASS AND GO From industrial centre to moribund grit and back to prominence, Jeremy Freed details how Glasgow shows the marks from the changing tides of history.

20

Museums and art galleries

F

1872

First football game was played here

ROM THE TOP of the Glasgow Necropolis, a view of the biggest city in Scotland spreads out below in shades of green, grey and blue. Occupying a lush, grassy slope on the eastern edge of the city centre, the Necropolis’s moss-covered gravestones and ornate monuments pay tribute to some of Glasgow’s most important citizens of the Victorian era. As impressive as the history of its tobacco barons, war heroes and captains of industry is, the Necropolis is in fact a relative newcomer to the neighbourhood. St. Mungo’s Cathedral at the foot of the hill was consecrated in the 12th century, >

3rd

Oldest underground metro system

Words by JEREMY FREED Natakorn Sapermsap / Shutterstock.com

RIGHT: St. Mungo’s Cathedral in the Scottish Gothic style has dominated the Glasgow skyline from the top of High Street for nearly 900 years

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND • EXPERIENCES • 45

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND • EXPERIENCES • 47

> and the Tennents brewery down the other slope has been operating here continuously since the mid-1700s, replacing another brewery that had already been there for two centuries before that. Between these three sites, dedicated respectively to Victorian industrialism, medieval Christianity and Scottish lager, the complex puzzle of Glasgow’s identity reveals itself.

While Edinburgh’s castles are picturesque, and Islay is Disney World for scotch lovers, Glasgow offers something altogether different and uniquely its own. From its beginnings as a sleepy backwater town to its heyday as the second city of the British empire, and from its gritty postwar hangover to its current era as a dynamic centre of museums, food and culture, Glasgow has ridden the wave of history from medieval times to present day, with each era leaving its mark on the landscape and the people.

Each piece of the city’s history connects to the next, recounting the drama of human

turned Scotch into a global phenomenon, the story of Scotland’s signature spirit is also in many ways the story of the country itself.

Built on the site of the former Queen’s Dock, the last stop for untold quantities of Scotland’s whisky before it was shipped Regional groups around the globe, of distilleries – Clydeside is as much highland, lowland and Islay – produce a working distillery whisky with similar as it is a cultural characteristics. institution. While For instance, Islay is smoky, highland Clydeside’s first batch tends to be robust of whisky won’t be and lowland floral. ready until 2022 (it’s been maturing in oak barrels since operations began here in 2017) the tour concludes with a tasting of three drams of spirit, each indicative of Scotland’s three primary whisky regions. “The colour of your scotch whisky always tells you what kind of oak it’s been matured in,” says Burslam, outlining the key characteristics

CLYDESIDE DISTILLERY IS A LIVING TRIBUTE TO SCOTLAND’S MOST BELOVED CREATION

Clydeside Distillery

LEFT: Locals and visitors will have to wait until 2022 for the first batch from Clydeside Distillery to be fully aged

endeavour, prosperity and folly over the last thousand or so years.

Down the hill from the Necropolis and just across town another piece of this story sits on the banks of the River Clyde.

Between two of Glasgow’s most impressive latter-day additions, the undulating Zaha Hadid-designed Riverside Museum and the flying saucer-like SSE Hydro arena by Foster + Partners, the Clydeside Distillery’s historic, brick building is a living tribute to Scotland’s most beloved creation.

“There are so many variables when it comes to whisky, it’s never ending,” says Michael Burslam, the chatty Glaswegian who spends an hour walking me through the intricacies of “Scotland’s gift to the world,” Scotch whisky. From the “surgeon barbers” who prescribed aqua vitae for aches and pains in the 1500s, to the Glasgow grocers of the 1800s who refined the art of combining single-malts into more palatable blends, to the marketing whizzes of the 1900s who

that differentiate the output of Scotland’s 120-plus distilleries, from the source of the water, to the grain used, to the barrels in which it was aged. The whisky museum’s gift shop, with 200-plus varieties is one of the best places in town to find a rare bottle, as well as a Cuban cigar to enjoy with it.

Even at the height of Scotland’s 20thcentury whisky boom, not everyone in Glasgow was a fan of the stuff. While the city’s dram shops did a brisk business, its tea rooms provided a more refined menu, as well as a gathering place for recently emancipated middle-class women, now free to roam the city unchaperoned. Foremost among these shops was Miss Cranston’s Willow Tea Rooms on Sauchiehall Street, which was designed by celebrated Glaswegian architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh and opened in 1903.

Cranston and Mackintosh, each pioneers in their own right, made a formidable team.

Kate Cranston was one of Scotland’s first >

ABOVE: The Willow Tea Room has stuck faithfully, more or less, to Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s design

> female entrepreneurs, running a chain of tea houses across the city, including one at the 1901 Glasgow International Exhibition.

Mackintosh, considered Europe’s answer to Frank Lloyd Wright, was responsible for landmarks like The Glasgow School of the Arts and the Lighthouse. While an entire Glasgow itinerary could be dedicated to Mackintosh and his wife, artist Margaret

Macdonald, Mackintosh at the Willow serves as an excellent entry point. An interactive exhibition at the adjoining visitor centre (complete with Victorian dress-up station) offers further insight into life at the turn of the 20th century, and a fitting prelude to taking tea, scones and clotted cream next door.

From May 2 to November 4, 1901 the fair attracted 11.5 million visits and turned a profit of £35,000. Canada, Japan and Russia all had pavillions for their creations.

KATE CRANSTON WAS ONE OF SCOTLAND’S FIRST FEMALE ENTREPRENEURS

With no disrespect to the Willow’s watercress sandwiches, the bar for Glasgow’s dining scene has risen considerably since Miss Cranston’s day, mostly in the last decade. While there are plenty of takeaways offering such famous local delicacies as deep-fried Mars bars and the “Munchy Box,” a pizza box stuffed with chips, donair meat and chicken wings (both absolutely worth a try after a late night out), Glasgow’s culinary spectrum has grown to feature a huge range of restaurants serving everything from tweezer-plated nouveau cuisine to Malaysian street food. Among those hard at work redefining Glasgow’s culinary scene are Peter McKenna and Ian Stein, the chefs behind the Gannet.

“This place was derelict for years,” says Kevin Dow, the Gannet’s maitre d’, of the

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND • EXPERIENCES • 49

Willow Tea Room; The Gannet

stretch of Argyle Street where the restaurant opened in 2013. “You would drive right through. There was nothing here.” From where I sit in the Gannet’s front window, making my way through a six-course tasting menu of seasonal, locally-sourced dishes, this is clearly no longer the case.

In addition to the Gannet, Finnieston, a west Glasgow neighbourhood nestled between the River Clyde and the stately Kelvingrove museum, is now home to at least half a dozen more noteworthy restaurants. Across the street is Alchemilla, whose chef Rosie Healey worked under London culinary darling Yotam Ottolenghi before bringing her vision for minimalist Mediterranean cuisine and biodynamic wine to Glasgow. Next to that is Six by Nico, a concept that sees rising star Glaswegian

chef Nico Simeone reinvent his tasting menu every six weeks on diverse themes like “Forest,” “The ’70s,” and “Route 66.”

At the Gannet, meanwhile, Scottish ingredients like monkfish, scallops, lamb and venison are the stars of the ever-changing menu, each one delicately prepared and elevated with the addition of indigenous herbs and local Jersey milk butter. There isn’t a single ingredient, boasts McKenna, that doesn’t come directly from the source: a farmer, a fisher, or a forager that he’s chosen specifically for quality and provenance. It truly tastes that way.

For all of Glasgow’s stately oldness and slick newness, there is still the question of the city in between, the one that links its Victorian past to its cosmopolitan present. The decline of industry here in the mid-20th century, and the urban decay and unemployment that followed, earned Glasgow a reputation as a rough-edged place with more than its share of social problems.

While much of the Glasgow of the ’80s and ’90s has been razed, aside from comedian Billy Connelly (who enjoys a godlike status here, hence the three giant murals erected for his 75th birthday) Glasgow’s music scene is one of the few things to emerge from that turbulent time.

Nowhere is this legacy as alive and well as at King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, Glasgow’s foremost live music venue. After opening its doors in 1990, King Tut’s quickly earned a reputation as the best place in the city – if not all of Great Britain – to catch the next indie act before they hit the big time. Blur, Oasis, The Verve, Pulp and Radiohead, among countless others, crossed the stage here on their way to global stardom. While the halcyon days of ’90s Brit-pop may be gone, King Tut’s maintains its edge in the new millennium with performers like Ellie Goulding, Metronomy and Alabama Shakes.

You’ll still catch the occasional big-name See works of art act here, but the

by Old Masters like best time to come to Rembrandt, French impressionists King Tut’s is still on Monet, Renoir and a random weekend Cassatt. Plus, they night, when the have one of the best-preserved headliner could be collections of suits a bunch of nerdyof armour. looking university

kids from Dundee for whom Oasis and The Verve legitimately qualify as “oldies.”

There, in the loud, sweaty darkness of the club, surrounded by bopping students spilling lager on each other, you might well discover your favourite new band. At the very least, when the show ends and the bouncers funnel you into the street and off to the next bar or the nearest chippy, you’ll have experienced an important piece of the centuries-spanning puzzle that is Glasgow. ◆

ABOVE: The tasting menu at the Gannet is comprised of small plates that show off local meat and produce gathered from nearby producers

[

SEOUL,

SOUTH

KOREA

]

CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SEOUL Christopher Mitchell takes us on an insiders’ tour of Seoul, Korea’s thriving capital city. We find out what street food to eat, where to play and what to see.

4

Different names since 18 BC

W

8 times

More densely populated than Rome

ITH A CITY like Seoul, it’s far too easy to paint its electric energy and bright lights with a broad and tired brush. It’s “the New York of Asia,” they say clumsily, when it’s more apt to focus on the notion that it is Korea’s vibrant capital with a story and vibe that is unequivocally its own.

What’s perhaps most striking about this city is the sheer diversity of experiences on offer, which make Seoul a true feast for the senses. It’s easy to make a day of taking a stroll along the Han River, walk with quiet contemplation through one of Seoul’s grandiose palaces, then turn on a dime and >

13

Hours ahead of Toronto time

Words by CHRISTOPHER MITCHELL Travel Take Photos / Shutterstock.com

RIGHT: Seoul’s Lotte World Tower is the fifth tallest building on the planet and overlooks the city

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA • EXPERIENCES • 51

ABOVE: Of the so-called Five Great Palaces built during the Joseon dynasty, Gyeongbokgun is the largest and most impressive

> shift your focus to the allure of sizzling BBQ, followed by the beautiful chaos that only noraebang (karaoke bars) can offer. In fact, to do Seoul right, your day should be filled with a schedule of conflicting experiences.

The various faces of Seoul don’t always add up, so leave your preconception of what a city should be at home, and dive in – it’s a lot more fun that way.

SEOUL SEARCHING

As much as Seoul is a city where you can merely wander and still “see” quite a bit, there are a selection of sites that you ought

to take the time to connect with in order to understand the city.

Not visiting Gyeongbokgung Palace, for example, would be bordering on blasphemy.

Gyeongbokgung is the most impressive of the “Five Great Palaces” built by the Joseon dynasty. There is something stunning about the perfect symmetry and aesthetic appeal of the ancient Korean architecture, set against the emphatic backdrop of Mount Bugak.

Be sure to experience the Changing of the Royal Guard Ceremony, which takes place at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. every day, in front of the main gate, at Gwanghwamun.

Changdeokgung, another of the standout palaces, is also a must-see for the way it’s playfully integrated into the natural surroundings, which makes it a pleasant, relaxed escape from the bustling city.

Once you feel refreshed, it’s back to the hubbub. Myeongdong is the ideal neighbourhood to put your finger on Seoul’s racing pulse, and embrace a little sensory overload.

Hear the sizzle of street food, the K-pop music bumping out of storefronts, and then bask in the glow of neon signs. Finally, catch your breath at the decidedly less intense 19th century Myeongdong Cathedral.

If Myeong-dong isn’t your vibe, then test the waters in Insa-dong, a quaint, cozy cultural neighbourhood. The main throughway is lined with stores offering Korean pop music has become a global phenomenon by combining a distinctive blend of addictive melodies, slick choreography and vibrant production techniques.

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA • EXPERIENCES • 53

site which aims to communicate the hope for peaceful reunification with North Korea, while politely noting that if things ever went the other way, they’d be more than prepared.

If you want something lighter, you can’t beat the Trick Eye Museum, in the Hongdae neighbourhood, which is a photographer’s absurdist heaven.

Lastly, don’t sleep on the Bukchon Hanok Village, a traditional Korean village within the city confines that will take you back more than half a millennium.

SEOUL FOOD

Artit Tongvichit / Shutterstock.com

Korean goods from times past including pottery, tea and crafts. Stop by the Korea Engraver’s House, open since 1972, to get a piece of Korean art made with traditional methods. And don’t leave Insa-dong without visiting Ssamzigil, a multi-storey shopping structure that is the cultural heart of the lively district.

Neighbourhoods offer a glimpse into the past, but, in Seoul, it’s also important to take the time to actively learn about the city and country’s history. There is no better place to do that than the National Museum of Korea, located in the Yongsan District. You’ll need several hours here, but you’ll leave with immeasurable context that will come to good use throughout your visit. You’d also be wise to visit the War Memorial of Korea (also in Yongsan), an extensive museum and

In Seoul, do yourself a favour and start with the street food. To get a good sense of what’s on offer in the realm of street food, head for Gwangjang Market (near Jongno Station), one of the most famous markets in the country.

If it’s on your bucket list, this is a good place to try live squid, but you might want to start with some street food classics. One of the most popular street foods is called tteokbokki (rice rolls in red chili sauce), and it’s regularly served with eomuk, or fish cakes, within the broth. If you’d like something a little less spicy, then try hotteok, a Korean sweet pancake. Gwangjang Market is also renowned for its kimbap, which are rice rolls in the same vein as Japanese sushi.

Korean BBQ is, no surprise here, exceptional in Korea’s capital. For a memorable experience, consider Yeonnamseo Sikdang, a restaurant near Sogang University Station, where you’ll actually be standing up around your lit BBQ to enjoy your meal. The price is reasonable, the meat is high quality, and the experience is authentic. In general in Seoul, only BBQ places of a certain quality can survive, so taking a gamble on a busy spot is rarely a bad idea. Wherever you eat, don’t forget to try doenjang-jjiggae as a starter, it’s a Korean soybean paste soup worth dreaming about.

If you want a fine dining experience, then

look to Jungsik, a restaurant in Gangnam that creatively combines traditional Korean cuisine with modern gastronomy.

Conversely, If you’re merely looking for something cheap and easy, then head to Hongdae Dakgalbi for spicy stir-fried chicken in Seoul’s nightlife hub, Hongdae.

LIFE AND SEOUL OF THE PARTY

To truly understand and appreciate Seoul, you’ve got to go beyond just the historical sites and the cuisine, and dig a little deeper.

Wondering about the prevalence of people in brightly coloured, athletic gear?

That’s because Korea is a hiker’s paradise.

Bukhansan National Park, near central Seoul, is an ideal place to stretch your hiking legs and experience nature in Korea. Just catch the metro to Dobongsan Station, and follow the hikers to the entrance.

You’ll also want to make sure you experience the cat-café culture, which is as magnificent as you’ve heard. The Bukhansan means best plan is to head “mountains north of to the lively Hongdae the Han River” and neighbourhood contains a fortress originally built in for the highest 132 AD. It sustained concentration of cat significant damage cafés anywhere. Y Cat during the Korean War and has since Cafe, formerly Cafe been restored.

Gio Cat, and Table a Cat Cafe are two cafés in Hongdae that are known for treating their cats and customers very well. If you’ve got time, go to both.

After you’ve had your fill of felines, take the opportunity to immerse yourself in another classic Seoul experience – nightlife in Hongdae! Part of the fun of Hongdae is blindly wandering from one establishment to the other, but if you like to have a plan, stop by D. Still for a cocktail, get nostalgic at the RetroGameBar, then finish your night at Mike’s Cabin, where they’ll have great tunes spinning well into the early morning. >

ONLY BBQ PLACES OF A CERTAIN QUALITY CAN SURVIVE, SO TAKING A GAMBLE ON A BUSY SPOT IS RARELY A BAD IDEA

54 • EXPERIENCES • SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA

ABOVE: Brightly lit by neon and filled with bustling crowds, Hongdae is the heart of Seoul’s famously active and eclectic nightlife scene

LOTTE WORLD, IN SINCHEON, IS THE LARGEST INDOOR THEME PARK IN THE WORLD

you visit, you’ll be at the Joint Security Area, where you’ll note that guards on both sides are still at the ready. Simply hop on the Gyeongui Line from Seoul Station towards Dorasan Station – it’s regularly referred to as the “DMZ Train,” and should take about one-and-a-half hours.

The city, for one reason or another, doesn’t often make it onto the travel lists, but slowly and surely Seoul has carved out its own viable list of what makes it special.

For far too long Korea’s ability to express its own unique way of life was repressed and now, finally, you’ve got a Korea that is triumphantly spreading its wings. ◆ The buffer zone between North and South Korea is now open to visitors.

Sights include observation towers and secret tunnels the North Koreans dug near the border.

Kelli Hayden / Shutterstock.com

> If the sun is up and you want to treat yourself, go to Butterfinger Pancakes in Gangnam on your way home – there’s no judgment for all-nighters in Seoul. Or, head to a noraebang for some karaoke to wrap up the night. They’re everywhere in the Hongdae neighbourhood, but Su Noraebang is especially good.

If it’s an adrenaline rush you’re after,

then consider going to Lotte World or Everland. Lotte World is the world’s largest indoor theme park, and is located in Seoul’s Sincheon district. For something more expansive, Everland is a little outside Seoul in Yongin, but it’s got all the bells and whistles. In fact, it’s regularly one of the top 20 most attended theme parks on the planet.

Both are enjoyable in their own right, and if you’re bringing kids with you to Seoul, then you’ve just hit the proverbial jackpot.

Finally, history buffs might be keen to visit the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), which separates North and South Korea. If

lineup

FESTIVAL SEASON

THAT’S MUSIC TO OUR EARS JUNE 8, 2019

JUNE 19 – 23, 2019

AUGUST 10 – 11, 2019

YGK CRAFT BEER FEST forthenry.com

SKELETON PARK ARTS FESTIVAL skeletonparkartsfest.ca

WOLFE ISLAND MUSIC FESTIVAL wolfeislandmusicfestival.com

AUGUST 18, 2019

AUGUST 22 – 25, 2019

SEPTEMBER 14, 2019

MACKINNON BACK TO THE FARM FESTIVAL mackinnonbrewing.com

LIMESTONE CITY BLUES FESTIVAL downtownkingston.ca

ROCKIN’ THE BIG HOUSE rockinthebighouse.ca

KINGSTON LIVE PODCAST Catch up on the scene before the fests begin.

DO NYHAVN

Copenhagen is well-suited to travellers who love to explore by walking and biking. The city’s world recognized biking infrastructure opens its neighbourhoods for quick navigating. One of the must-see stops is the idyllic canal-side district of Nyhavn. The historic 17th-century former port neighbourhood is now a destination for restaurants, pubs and independent shops. Nyhavn is where you’ll find food and music festivals, including the popular Christmas market. It is also one of the most photographed parts of Copenhagen thanks to its colourful, historic townhouses.

TIVOLI GARDENS

As one of the longest-operating theme parks in the world, the 176-year old sprawling city park is part carnival, concert venue and games museum rolled into one. Hop on the Fatamorgana, a tower ride where you get the best views of the city, or take a serene trip on Tivoli’s lake in a dragon boat. As day turns to night, locals gather around the park’s numerous drink kiosks for a refill.

If you prefer a sit-down affair, head to the outdoor German-style beer garden.

STRØGET

Some of the best shopping in Scandinavia can be found here in the city centre.

On Strøget’s car-free streets you’ll find everything from antique shops and art galleries to some of Europe’s top luxury brands. For all things Nordic, visit shops like Illums Bolighus or Time’s Up Vintage. The area is also known for its dizzying number of boutique cafés, where you can enjoy cups of hot chocolate and Danish pastries while people watching. Nearby, Gråbrødretorv Square is a hot spot for photographers and Instagrammers alike.

COPENHAGEN, DENMARK • EXPERIENCES • 57

[

COPENHAGEN,

DENMARK

]

CYCLEPATHS AMONG US Explore one of Scandinavia’s best preserved and most accessible cities with Suresh Doss as he pedals from amusement parks to unsung eateries.

2025

The goal year for being carbon neutral

Words by SURESH DOSS

403

KMs of bike lanes across the city

1795

A fire razed most medieval buildings

LEFT: Despite their name – dragon boats – this is a peaceful and relaxing way to spend some time in Tivoli Gardens

BELOW: The sleek and carefully designed pool is one of the featured amenities at Hotel d’Angleterre

STAY RADISSON COLLECTION, ROYAL COPENHAGEN

Copenhagen’s first skyscraper, the nearly 60-year-old Royal Hotel was conceived

by Danish architect and designer, Arne Jacobsen. Picture livable spaces equipped with modern amenities paired with an environment that feels like you’ve time travelled to a modernist art museum. With egg chairs and a spiralling staircase, the lobby features contemporary Scandinavian elegance, and the art deco rooms open up to sprawling views of the city centre.

Rooms from $300. radissoncollection.com

HOTEL D’ANGLETERRE

If you’re seeking a little luxury with quick access to shopping, consider the 264-year-old, five-star hotel near King’s New Square. Guests are greeted in the hotel’s champagne bar – Balthazar is the first of its type in Denmark – a fitting introduction to the indulgent offerings at Hotel D’Angleterre. Rooms and suites are designed in cream and gold tones, with opulence in mind. Select water-facing suites offer views of the new square. The hotel has a luxury pool in the basement.

When you’re ready to head out, everything from Copenhagen’s top bars to best shops are located within a minute’s stroll.

Rooms from $680. dangleterre.com

HOTEL SKT. ANNÆ

You can enjoy a pure expression of Copenhagen’s signature minimalism in this boutique property, which was designed to be as residential and cozy as possible. While the hotel has nearly 150 rooms, the staff at Skt. Annæ have a way of making you feel like you’re the only guest in the house. Stay here if you want to complement a night out with a lazy morning enjoying a classic Scandinavian breakfast of open-faced sandwiches and pancakes, and cozying up with your current read and a glass of wine in the rooftop garden. Copenhagen’s vibrant and lively canal-side area, Nyhavn is nearby.

Rooms from $201. hotelsktannae.dk

COPENHAGEN, DENMARK • EXPERIENCES • 59

GETTING THERE Hotel D’Angleterre

Air Canada operates daily flights from YYZ to CPH. From the Copenhagen airport, downtown is a quick 20-minute cab ride. aircanada.com

EAT HART BAGERI

The artisanal bread craze has brought an obsession for rye bread and Parisian viennoiserie to Copenhagen and the newly opened Hart Bageri celebrates this rising trend. Located in upscale Frederiksberg, the small café sees daily lines. You’ll find Britishborn chef Richard Hart, of San Francisco’s Tartine, serving loaves of his popular sourdough and an assortment of pastry items. Go early for flaky croissants and buttery cardamom buns. There’s also a small rotating menu of breakfast sandwiches.

PUNK ROYALE

Foodies from all over the world travel to Copenhagen for the impressive Michelinstarred lineup of fine dining. Locals, however, favour Punk Royale for its breathe of fresh air. From the moment you set foot into the smoke-filled dining room, you’ll get an adrenaline-fuelled crash course in luxury dining. Sans tablecloth, this is dining that has been stripped down to its bare necessities. From the moment a scoop of local caviar is dropped on your hand to the shots of schnapps and the fire-included flambé main course, it will be unlike any other restaurant experience. Picture dining backstage at a Metallica concert.

KADEAU

One of the most memorable moments of eating here happens before you get to your table – every diner passes through the stateof-the-art kitchen. Kadeau sticks closely to the minimalist ideal, from the combination of Japanese and Scandinavian elements in the dining room to the sleek workspace of the kitchen. While open kitchens are not uncommon, Kadeau’s is so quiet you can hear a pin drop. A small army of chefs act as the engine and backdrop for tasting menus that celebrate the seasonality of Bornholm Island. The menu is a journey through forest and sea, and each course is presented with theatrical finishing touches at the table.

COPENHAGEN, DENMARK • EXPERIENCES • 61

BELOW: Minimalist white walls and blonde wood allow the food to act as the star of the show at Kadeau

Marie Louise Munkegaard

EXCURSIONS

65 79

◆

◆

The Checklist

The Intrepid Series 92

◆

Like a Local

Michael Moran

94

◆

98

◆ ◆

Everglades, Florida Rome, Italy

The Selector ◆

Rear View

Savour Stratford CULINARY GUIDE 25th edition celebrates the #nextgen

visitstratford.ca

THE CHECKLIST • EXCURSIONS • 65

CHECKLIST

[

‘GRAM

GEAR

]

THE CHECKLIST From travel tripods to photo printers to the best smartphone options, we take you through the kit that will deliver better travel snaps.

▶ P30

BY HUAWEI: Huawei

delivers exceptional photo quality with its Leica Triple Camera System, which includes a 40 MP Super Sensing Camera, a 16 MP Ultra Wide Angle Lens and an 8 MP telephoto lens. It’s especially great for correcting back-lit selfies and capturing low-light detail. $899, huawei.com/ca

◀ IPHONE XS

BY APPLE: Features like portrait mode control and sharper action shots make the iPhone XS’s performance closer than ever to a DSLR. It also sits near the top of the smartphone market for video quality. $1,379, apple.com/ca

Kailee Mandel

▲ GRIPTIGHT POV KIT

BY JOBY: Take photos and videos from your point of view with this adaptable smartphone mount.

The comfortable hand-grip rotates 180° for getting just the right angle.

It comes with an integrated Impulse Bluetooth trigger for both Android and iOS devices. $49.99, bestbuy.ca

▶ GRIPTIGHT ONE GP SMARTPHONE STAND

BY JOBY: Stabilize your shots with this compact, flexible tripod. Bend the legs around various objects to capture steady photos and videos wherever you are, or create graspable handles for taking smooth selfies and firstperson videos. $59.99, bestbuy.ca

THE CHECKLIST • EXCURSIONS • 67

CHECKLIST

▶ IVY MINI PHOTO PRINTER

BY CANON: This pocket-sized printer makes it easy to print photos from any Bluetoothenabled device. It comes with two packs of smudgeand water- resistant photo paper with peel-andstick backing for displaying your prints. $159.99, bestbuy.ca ▶ INSTAX SHARE SMARTPHONE PRINTER

BY FUJIFILM: Print instax-style photos from your phone or social media feeds using this compact printer. It prints in less than 10 seconds and allows you to get creative with your photos by adding filters, graphics and templates. $199.99, bestbuy.ca

▼ SPROCKET 200 WIRELESS INKJET PHOTO PRINTER

BY HP: Use this wireless inkjet photo printer to print travel photos on the go. Equipped with Bluetooth connectivity, it prints high-quality, 2 X 3 inch photos directly from your smartphone in seconds. $159.99, bestbuy.ca

Kailee Mandel

CHECKLIST

68 • EXCURSIONS • THE CHECKLIST

OH, SNAP! SMARTPHONE CAMERA LENS KIT

BY BLUEHIVE: Take your phone camera to the next level with this handy lens kit. Use the wide angle lens to broaden the camera’s angle of view, or snap on the macro lens to capture detailed shots of small subjects. $39.99, canadiantire.ca

Kailee Mandel

SMITH RESTAURANT

MADE IN CANADA FOOD TOUR @smithwinnipeg

CHARLOTTETOWN

UDUPI PALACE

LITTLE INDIA + GERRARD EAST FOOD TOUR @udupipalacetoronto

TASTE THE WORLD WITH OUR AWARD WINNING

FOOD TOURS Savour the country’s most delicious local food + drink experiences with Culinary Adventure Co., the trusted name in culinary adventures since 2010.

P-RATED O TO

N

TAKE A BITE

OTTAWA

@culinaryadvco

TORONTO

MIKE’S FISH MARKET

ST. LAWRENCE MARKET FOOD TOUR @mikesfishmarket

KINGSTON

WINNIPEG

ESCAPE THE CITY™

CANOE PADDLE + DINING ADVENTURE @culinaryadvco

HALIFAX

GRAFFITTI ALLEY

QUEEN WEST BRUNCH FOOD TOUR @culinaryadvco

Whether you’re traveling across Canada or hungry to celebrate a special occasion in a tasty new way, our neighbourhood food tours are jam-packed with entertainment, discovery and delicious memories. Join us.

USE PROMO CODE ESCAPISM

TO ENJOY AN EXCLUSIVE

EXTRA BITE ON YOUR TOUR.

BOOK TODAY

1.877.317.4870

culinaryadventureco.com

[ NIAGARA PARKS ]

INSIDER’S GUIDE

In association with

NIAGARA PARKS • INSIDER’S GUIDE • 71

I NP SRI DOEMR ’OS TGIUOI DNE

Fall for Niagara Parks Niagara Falls is often the first thing that comes to mind when planning a trip to the Niagara region, and for good reason; this incredible wonder has captivated visitors from around the world for centuries. But the falls is just the beginning of what Niagara Parks has to offer. Spanning the entire length of the Niagara River from Niagara-on-the-Lake to Fort Erie, Niagara Parks is like a 56km outdoor adventure museum. This expansive parkland is home to breathtaking natural experiences, botanical gardens, historical sites, a thriving culinary scene, wellness programmes and a vibrant music scene — all located just over an hour away from downtown Toronto. niagaraparks.com

SPOTLIGHT CULINARY SCENE

falls to table dining Home to five Feast On certified restaurants, including the historic Table Rock House Restaurant and just steps away from the falls, Niagara Parks is an up-and-coming foodie destination.

Niagara Parks might be known for its stunning landscapes, outdoor activities and (of course) the famous falls, but the region has plenty more to offer than backdrops for pretty pictures. Home to five Feast On certified restaurants, the local culinary scene in Niagara Parks is flourishing. Just over an hour from downtown Toronto, Niagara Parks is the perfect distance for a weekend

getaway or summer daytrip to escape from the hustle and bustle, relax and enjoy the best of the region’s local food and culture.

After having undergone an extensive renovation, the new Table Rock House Restaurant opened at the beginning of May. Steps away from the Horseshoe Falls, the dining room features floor to ceiling windows for stunning panoramic views.

Each night as the falls becomes illuminated with multicoloured lights, enjoy the ambience as you dine on delicious, locally sourced fare. Feast On certified, the menu at Table Rock House Restaurant is centred on locally sourced ingredients – right down to the bar programme which features a wide variety of Niagara wines and craft beer.

Located in the Table Rock Centre, the

NIAGARA PARKS • INSIDER’S GUIDE • 73

I NP SRI DOEMR ’OS TGIUOI DNE

Pop(-up) on over Get a taste of Niagara Parks local culinary scene with their Pop-up Dinner Series. Set in unique venues throughout the Niagara Parkway, each night features a variety of delicious local food and drink offerings served to live musical performances. For more information visit niagaraparks.com/ popup 5:30 p.m. Saturday July 20 McFarland House 5:30 p.m. Thursday September 19 Floral Showhouse

Niagara Parks

name Table Rock House Restaurant is a nod to the history of building. Named after a large, flat rock that jutted out over the falls, Table Rock Centre has roots dating all the way back to the 1800s. Now, an extensive redevelopment of the property is underway. Phase one saw the return of the historic Table Rock House Restaurant, while phases two and three will see even more improvements to the Table Rock Centre.

In addition to Table Rock House Restaurant, Niagara Parks is home to four other Feast On certified restaurants, all recognized for sourcing Ontario-grown food and drinks. Dine at the 113-year-old Queen Victoria Place Restaurant or enjoy casual pub fare at Legends on the Niagara Restaurant, located next to the historic War of 1812 battlegrounds. Queenston Heights

Restaurant pairs spectacular views of the winding Niagara River and local vineyards with an award-winning brunch. At Whirlpool Restaurant chow down on pub-style fare before tee off at Whirlpool Golf Course.

Niagara Parks’ culinary offerings don’t stop at their five restaurants – their Pop-up Dinner Series allows you to experience the flavours of the Niagara River Corridor at exclusive, one-of-a-kind dining events.

Each dinner is hosted at a different location along the Niagara Parkway, in a unique

and unexpected venue. The all-inclusive experience allows you to enjoy all of the delicious offerings available from a number of food and drink stations. Created by expert Niagara Parks chefs, the menus feature locally sourced ingredients and offer a wide variety of dishes, including both vegetarian and gluten-free options. Guest speakers, storytellers and live musical performances from local artists provide the entertainment while you dine, to create each memorable and magical evening. ◆

enjoy the ambiance as you dine on delicious, locally sourced fare

SPOTLIGHT NAMASTE NIAGARA

namaste all day From yoga at the base of the falls to river-side meditation, Namaste Niagara is an unforgettable wellness experience.

We all love a good yoga session, but doing a sun salutation in a studio that lacks any sunlight can get stuffy and (let’s face it) boring. The most invigorating yoga and wellness experiences involve getting outside and being energized by the nature around us.

Set amongst Niagara Parks’ breathtaking natural wonders, the Namaste Niagara programme is a health and wellness experience like no other. Feel the power and energy of water thundering over the Horseshoe Falls as you participate in an outdoor yoga session on the lower observation deck. Let the sounds of the rushing white water soothe you as you

yoga-nna love it Yoga at Journey Behind the Falls Every Saturday and Sunday from July 6th to September 1st starting at 8 a.m.

The post-yoga breakfast alternates between Queenston Heights or Whirlpool Restaurant, depending on the date.

Guided Meditation at White Water walk 8 a.m. Sunday July 7 Followed by brunch at Whirlpool Restaurant.

8 a.m. Sunday July 21 Followed by brunch at Queenston Heights.

8 a.m. Sunday August 4 Followed by brunch at Queenston Heights.

8 a.m. Sunday August 18 Followed by brunch at Queenston Heights.

follow along with a guided meditation overlooking the Niagara River.

On the lower observation deck at the base of the 13-storey high waterfall, Namaste Niagara: Yoga at Journey Behind the Falls is an unforgettable experience. Led by professional yoga instructors on weekends throughout the summer, each 45-minute yoga session will leave you breathless and exhilarated. Every second, up to 2,800 cubic metres of water pours over the Horseshoe Falls, casting off a spray that mists over you while you perform each pose and stretch.

Travelling at 65km per hour, the force of the water is palpable and invigorating.

Taking place on select Sundays throughout July and August, Namaste Niagara: Guided Meditation at White Water Walk is another wellness experience not to be missed. On the boardwalk at White Water Walk, beside the rushing waters of the Niagara River, allow yourself to enter a state of mindfulness through various meditation techniques and practices. Led by a meditation researcher and practitioner completing a PhD in psychology, neuroscience and behaviour, this guided workshop explores meditation and peaceful surrender. Feel the force of the flowing river and the energy of the nature surrounding you as you move towards a sense of inner calm and peace.

After nourishing your mind and soul with yoga or meditation, nourish your body with a locally sourced meal. Included in the cost of your yoga or meditation session, enjoy breakfast at one of Niagara Parks’ Feast On certified restaurants located along the Niagara Parkway. Dine in the airy space at Whirlpool Restaurant, with views of the Niagara Parkway and Whirlpool Golf Course; or get a taste of Queenston Heights Restaurant’s award-winning brunch. ◆ For more information on Namaste Niagara and to buy your tickets for yoga or guided meditation, visit niagaraparks.com/namaste

NIAGARA PARKS • INSIDER’S GUIDE • 75

I NP SRI DOEMR ’OS TGIUOI DNE

Niagara Parks

S P O T L I G H T N I A G A R A S TA G E

take the stage On Saturday evenings throughout the summer, the Niagara Stage Concert Series features a variety of incredible musical performances from talented Canadian artists.

While few things can live up to the wonder of the falls, Niagara Parks is home to plenty of other experiences that will move you. Their robust live music programme shines a spotlight on Canadian artists making authentic, original tunes. On Saturday evenings, stroll along the main street to take in epic views of the falls on one side, the sweet sounds of live music floating over from Queen Victoria Park on

the other side and the orange glow of the sunset all around you.

Presented by Niagara Parks and supported by the Polaris Music Prize, the Niagara Stage Concert Series takes place every Saturday, including Canada Day, all summer long. Set outdoors on the Queen Victoria Place stage, you can listen to the musical performances as you walk by, stop and groove along to the music, or pull up a

chair and stay a while. The concert series features a lineup of incredibly talented, up-and-coming artists who have all been awarded, recognized or listed by the prestigious Polaris Music Prize at some point during its 12-year history. Enjoy performances from a wide variety of artists with different styles and sounds, who run the gamut of musical genres. â—† niagaraparks.com/niagarastage

NIAGARA PARKS • INSIDER’S GUIDE • 77

on the go (train) Only a short drive away and easily accessible by GO Train, Niagara Parks is the perfect place to escape the city for a weekend getaway or a daytrip this summer.

Just over an hour’s drive from the downtown core, Niagara Parks is the perfect destination to escape the hustle and bustle of the city this summer.

Even on transit, Niagara Parks is easily accessible for a weekend getaway or just a daytrip. The summer-long seasonal GO Train service will take you straight from downtown Toronto to Niagara Falls in just two hours. From June until September, a train departs from Union Station every Friday at 5:15 p.m. On Saturdays, Sundays and holiday Mondays, train service leaving Union Station for Niagara Falls begins as early as 9:00 a.m with the last return train disembarking from Niagara at 11 p.m. Best of all, your round-trip ticket includes hopon-hop-off WEGO bus service throughout the city of Niagara Falls, Niagara Parks and Niagara-on-the-Lake. ◆ niagaraparks.com/go

win a niagara parks prize pack Get a jump start exploring all Niagara parks has to offer with a prize pack including two passes for the White Water Walk, the Butterfly Conservatory and the Whirlpool Aero Car. Then, enjoy lunch for two at Queen Victoria Place Restaurant. Two tickets to the Namaste Niagara event of your choice allow you to experience Yoga at Journey Behind the Falls or Guided Meditation. The prize also includes dinner for two at the newly renovated Table Rock House Restaurant where you can dine on locally sourced cuisine with a breathtaking view of the falls.

Niagara Parks

For a full list of terms and conditions and to enter, visit the website at: escapism.to/competition

I NP SRI DOEMR ’OS TGIUOI DNE

CONTEST

Explore

Edmundston

tourismedmundston.com 1 866 737-6766

THE INTREPID SERIES • EXCURSIONS • 79

INTREPID

[

EVERGLADES,

FLORIDA

THE INTREPID SERIES

]

W

ELCOME TO THE Intrepid Series, the part of Escapism where we put away our guidebooks and send our boldest writers to venture off the beaten path in pursuit of exhilarating adventures and white-knuckle experiences.

Many know Florida for its miles of beaches, as well as some of the world’s best known theme parks. But head further south and you’ll find that the Sunshine State is teeming with options for adrenaline junkies to mine. We send staff writer Katie Bridges

to wrestle some alligators (we’re only half kidding) and take an airboat tour through the Everglades – the largest subtropical wetland ecosystem in the country.

Rich with beauty and wildlife, the system of swamps and mangrove forests is under intense scrutiny right now, and with numerous species of animals and plantlife at stake, it’s now or never when it comes to preserving the area. Turn the page to find out how Katie fares on her first trip to Florida in over two decades. ◆

[

EVERGLADES,

FLORIDA

]

GATOR-AID Katie Bridges takes her fear of reptiles in hand – and then cradles an alligator – as she tours Florida’s ecologically important Everglades.

EVERGLADES, FLORIDA • EXCURSIONS • 81

INTREPID

T

HE LAST TIME I visited Florida, I was eight years old and excitement levels were about to reach fever pitch. With eyeballs wide and autograph book at the ready, I stepped off the plane onto North American soil for the first time, stunned by the (self-titled) “chunky” heat that slapped me in the face and covered me like a winter coat on the tarmac. No matter. I had a hot date with Mickey, Minnie, Belle and the gang, and no amount of rejected pleas for exorbitant souvenirs or long lineups for rides was going to dampen my spirits.

On this visit to the Sunshine State, my plane touches down almost four hours south of the Magic Kingdom in Fort Myers, and while temperatures far exceed the sub-zero climate back in Toronto, it’s a much less energy sapping 24 degrees. Despite being 150 miles away and more than two decades removed from my trip to Orlando, I still can’t quite shake the sense of wonderment I attach to this part of the world. Yet, here,

up in the rearview mirror and wondering exactly what my deal is. “Well, I’m sure you’ll be fine,” he decides, not entirely convincingly. I wasn’t worried before but now I’m nervous. Are alligators known for their appetite for solo female travellers? I make a mental note to sit in the middle of the boat with at least one wholesome family flanking me on either side.

Twenty minutes later I am dropped off in a carpark (alone) at Corey Billie’s Airboat Rides, where I check in and await my session. I’m handed a pair of noisecancelling headphones that I recognize seeing on babies at music concerts and other ear-deafening events, and warned that things get “almighty loud” because of the large engines on the back of the boats.

The airboats in question became iconic to the Everglades after they were first used in the First World War by the British Army.

The flat-bottomed vessels have an aircraftlike propeller enclosed within a metal cage

HERE, WHERE PANTHERS, ALLIGATORS AND SNAKES ABOUND, I WOULD DO WELL NOT TO TREAT WILDLIFE LIKE CUDDLY DISNEY ANIMALS

Katie Bridges

LEFT: Airboat tours like Corey Billie’s are popular with groups of sightseeing families

where panthers, alligators and snakes abound, I would do well not to treat the wildlife like the cuddly, anthropomorphic animals from Disney movies.

Among other things, I’m here to take a tour of the Everglades; a 1.5 million acre wetlands preserve located on the southern tip of Florida that’s home to a wealth of wildlife. Established as a national park in 1947, the sprawling freshwater marsh now occupies roughly the same amount of space as the state of New Jersey.

I take a cab to Collier Seminole State Park from my hotel – the beautiful JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort in the city of the same name – which is an adventurous pursuit in itself. My driver asks me if I’ve been there before (no), if I know how to get there (no), and if I’m taking an airboat tour alone (yes).

“It’s normally only families on those tours,” he chuckles incredulously, sizing me

on the back of the boat, allowing them to glide through shallow, marshy areas of water without disturbing the delicate ecosystem.

They weren’t exaggerating – watching the tour group ahead of me set off from the jetty impedes my hearing to such an extent that I miss my name in the roll call on the first few tries. By the time I figure out what’s happening, I’m the last to join my group and I approach the three families already on The 7,271-acre park the boat. lies within one of “Just you?” my tour the word’s largest guide, a strapping mangrove swamps and contains many gentleman in a different wildlife trucker hat, asks, with species, including just a hint of pity. the American alligator.

“You can sit right by me,” he says, patting the seat directly to his left and in immediate gator danger.

Sheepishly I accept, stepping across the >

> driver's seat as the boat gently bobs and I do my best to hold on to my camera.

As I look around for some sort of seatbelt or fastening device and find absolutely nothing, our guide launches into a safety demonstration, which lasts a hot 10 seconds.

“Well, you’re all adults,” he shouts over the roar of the engine, addressing a group that includes at least two children under the age of ten. “Don’t lean out of the boat, and hold on tight. Let’s go!”

Cheers and excited whoops erupt from the other passengers, who seem much less concerned by the lack of tethering to a boat that in essence consists of several cushioned chairs attached to a fast-travelling raft going quicker than a car in a residential area. Still, with the exception of a few fellow airboats whizzing around in the distance, it’s just us out here on the 200-acre preserve.

The boat really opens up when we’re zipping across open stretches of swamp.

But if 45-mph speeds were not enough to get the blood pumping, our guide ensures a white-knuckle ride by turning on a

heebie jeebies. Their placement on the side of the head, though imperative for gliding unnoticed, gives them a pretty serious blind spot straight ahead. In fact, a human could place a hand (or even a head) in the gator's mouth without being bitten – something we see firsthand when the guide on a nearby boat picks the reptile up by the mouth.

Due to a lack of sex-determined chromosomes, the gender of alligators is decided by the temperature inside the egg.

Temperatures of 30 C and below will form female sex organs, while 34 C and above will be male (meaning any nest you see in the sunlight will likely yield boy gators).

However, with its belly under water, it’s impossible to know the gender of this particular specimen.

Despite our run-ins with a gargantuan gator, our sightings for the rest of our tour are fairly limited. We spot a handful of fish peeking out between the mangroves and a few wading birds – but when you consider just how many species call this area home, it’s hard not to feel bad for the planet.

IT’S ESTIMATED THAT 36 THREATENED OR PROTECTED SPECIES INHABIT THE PARK dime and bringing new, frightening meaning to the term ‘showboating’.

Just as I’m starting to feel more like a teenager doing donuts in the carpark than a tourist at a national park, the engine cuts out and the boat slows to a stop. My first thought is that we’ve broken down, but dramatic gesticulating to my immediate left informs me that we’re not alone any more. No more than 50 metres away, an American alligator slinks through the water, measuring around 10 feet long from tooth to tail. We inch nearer to our friend, who I can see at close range is an almost-black shade of dark green. Though his teeth are submerged, his large lurking eye is enough to give me the With a lifespan of up to 50 years, these alligators are a rare example of an endangered species who was saved from extinction. They are darker coloured and do better in cool temperatures than the crocodile.

As the largest remaining subtropical wilderness in the United States, the Everglades acts as a safe space for both plant and animal life, many of whom have ceased to exist elsewhere. It’s estimated that 36 threatened or protected species inhabit the park, among them the West Indian Manatee, the Florida panther and the American crocodile, plus 300 types of fresh and saltwater fish, 350 birds and 50 reptiles.

Though the Everglades once covered almost three million acres, it is now a third of the size. In the last 100 years, attempts to drain the Everglades, plus an increased need for water supply, has resulted in a reduction in the quality and quantity of fresh water flowing across the surface. The fresh water in the Florida Bay that meets the salt water of the Gulf of Mexico creates the perfect ecosystem for animals in the Everglades – something that will be lost if its water levels continue to steadily drop. >

EVERGLADES, FLORIDA • EXCURSIONS • 83

INTREPID

Katie Bridges

ABOVE: Mangroves are a shrub-like tree that grow in clumps within areas that are touched by tides

INTREPID

84 • EXCURSIONS • EVERGLADES, FLORIDA

LEFT: The side-of-the-head eye position means that alligators can see while submerged but also have a blindspot that makes them easier to lift up

Katie Bridges

HE IS COMPLETELY STILL, MAKING IT EASY TO THINK I’M HOLDING A PLUSH TOY AND NOT AN ANIMAL WITH A DEADLY BITE

> And it’s not just animals that would suffer. The mangroves that grow out of its waters are a great coastal defence against hurricanes, since they absorb energy from storm surges in their roots. The protected shrubs also soak up carbon dioxide, storing 10 times more per acre than rainforests and slowing down climate change.

When our airboat returns to basecamp, my hair in a wicked pompadour and my mouth completely devoid of saliva, we’re directed to a smallish pen where staff member, Pat, is holding a baby alligator.

“Hold him close to his legs,” he says, when it’s my turn for a cuddle. The gator, who feels bigger than a baby now that I’m cradling him unaided, is softer than expected. Aside from his little legs, which Located in Charlotte dangle below, he County, beach replenishment has is completely still, connected it to making it easy to its neighbouring think that I’m holding islands, but a boat is needed to reach a plush toy and not the islands from the an animal with one of mainland. the deadliest bites in the wild.

My trip around southern Florida presents many more opportunities to spot wildlife.

An encounter with a dolphin while kayaking around Don Pedro Island, and a Swamp Buggy Eco Tour which takes me up close and personal with roseate spoonbills, wild hogs and more alligators, is a reminder that you’re never far from some of nature’s most beautiful (and terrifying) inhabitants.

Doing our best to preserve the Everglades will ensure that’s still the case when future travellers visit in another 100 years.

During my stay, I’m reminded of a quote from The Office: “Florida is America's basement,” says Robert California. “It's wet, it's filled with mould, strange insects and alligators.” While I can’t refute the analogy altogether, perhaps that’s not such a bad thing. After all, the basement, like Florida, is the perfect place to get away from it all, crack a beer and forget all about your perpetually spotty WiFi connection. ◆

lucky kentucky The Bluegrass State is more than just horses and bourbon - with deep musical roots and a thriving culinary scene, Kentucky’s charm and southern hospitality is unbridled.

Most north American states are synonymous with their crowning glory.

However, while Kentucky is well known for the Kentucky Derby, the southeastern state has more than one string to its bow.

Kentucky offers visitors a 360 experience of food, drink and culture, all set against a backdrop of rolling hills and the Appalachian Mountains. From Louisville to Lexington

and Pikeville to Paducah, every city is rooted in rich heritage and history.

As the birthplace of Bluegrass music, you’ll find reminders of Kentucky’s musical legacy everywhere you go. From intimate concerts and world-famous festivals to a pilgrimage along the Country Music Highway, the rhythm is sure to follow you.

Art enthusiasts will love Paducah, a

UNESCO Creative City of Crafts and Folk Art. Explore the community of painters and sculptors and take home some souvenirs.

Kentucky didn’t just get a reputation for bourbon – Kentucky is bourbon, with an incredible 95 per cent of the world’s supply produced here. Don’t just drink it; learn about its history on a tour or ride a bike through stunning bourbon country.

KENTUCKY TOURISM • PROMOTION • 87

PROMOTION

Soak up all that juice with some Kentucky flavours, like a Hot Brown open-face sandwich or ‘burgoo,’ a rich stew native to the state. Make sure you try a mint julep, the official Derby drink for almost a century.

Prefer your adventures al fresco? The water is a great way to see Kentucky; paddle along the Upper Cumberland River or pontoon boat along beautiful Lake Barkley and its 100+ miles of shoreline. Hike and canoe through Mammouth Cave National Park, home to the world’s longest cave system. Or place your bets at the greatest two minutes in sports – the Kentucky Derby.

Whether you’re sipping on bourbon or finding hidden gems in the Bluegrass state, Kentucky’s been expecting you. ◆ Plan your trip now at kentuckytourism.com

MARKET

88 • EXCURSIONS • MEXICO CITY, MEXICO

SPECIALTIES OF THE HOUSE

LUCHADOR MASKS Watching a lucha libre, or Mexican wrestling, match is a key Mexico City experience for many visitors. You’ll see detailed copies of many famous luchador – an important symbol for the city – masks for sale. [

MEXICO

CITY,

MEXICO

]

TARGET MARKET La Ciudadela focuses on traditional Mexican folk art and artisan creations from across the country. Jessica Huras helps you plan your visit.

O

to explore as a first-time visitor. There are beautiful wool blankets and woven rugs to splurge on, but you’ll also find plenty of cute, affordable items like tortilla warmers and glass-blown swizzle sticks.

The market’s stalls are partially covered so it’s best to visit in the morning during the hotter months, since the tin roofing can make the heat intense later in the afternoon.

There’s a decent open-air restaurant at the heart of the market where you can take a break and have a snack or a drink to refresh yourself for a second round of shopping.

La Ciudadela is known for having pretty reasonable prices compared to many of the city’s other craft markets, but don’t be afraid to haggle them down further. You’ll often see similar items at numerous stalls, so shop around a little before committing to buying anything. It’ll put you in a great position to bargain with vendors to get the best price. ◆

TALAVERA POTTERY Known for its bold colours and intricate patterns, the talavera style of pottery was introduced to Mexico by the Spanish. Many of the hand-painted earthenware pieces you’ll find at the market come from the Puebla region.

April Tran

RIGINALLY FORMED IN the 1960s when Mexico City hosted the Summer Olympics, Mercado Artesanal de la Ciudadela was established to showcase the diverse handicrafts produced by the country’s artisans. Decades later, it continues to bring together artisans from across Mexico every day of the week. From Guerreren silver to Chiapan ceramics, each of Mexico’s regions is known for a specific type of handmade products and most are well represented at La Ciudadela. It’s the ultimate one-stop shop for authentic souvenirs and gifts to bring home.

La Ciudadela is located about a 15-minute walk from Palacio de Bellas Artes and 20 minutes from ZÓcalo, making it an easy addon to a day spent discovering Mexico City’s Centro Historico neighbourhood. Although the market features hundreds of stalls, its grid-like layout makes it fairly approachable

OAXACAN TEXTILES The southern Mexican state of Oaxaca is known for its traditional weavings and naturally dyed textiles. If you don’t have time for a trip to Oaxaca, you can still pick up some of these fine woven goods at La Ciudadela.

Cr e

di t:

Ri ck

O

’B rie n

CASH OR CRUNCH

90 • EXCURSIONS • SHANGHAI, CHINA

outer garden and inner garden laid out in traditional Chinese fashion. Spread over 20,000 square feet, Yu Garden features all of the intricacies you could expect, from grand pavilions and sparkling ponds to miniature mountains and rock arrangements. Located in Shanghai’s old town, the neighbourhood is worth exploring afterwards.

STAY

Cash: The Peninsula Shanghai Billed as the only new building in the historic Bund area, the Peninsula Shanghai offers luxurious rooms (from $503) in a great location. Amenities include a fitness centre, five-star spa and a magnificent heated pool set under a skylight. The on-site dining options include Sir Elly’s Terrace, a rooftop lounge with panoramic views of the Huangpu River and Pudong skyline; and the two-Michelin-star restaurant Yi Long Court.

Crunch: Meliá Shanghai Hongqiao This hotel might be a bit of a drive from central Shanghai but what it lacks in location it makes up for with just about everything else. Room rates as low as $92 per night are hard to beat – especially for a five-star hotel. The Meliá Shanghai Hongqiao’s rooms are modern, slick and come equipped with flat-screen TVs, iPhone docking stations and luxurious bathroom amenities.

EAT

[

SHANGHAI,

CHINA

]

CASH OR CRUNCH In China’s biggest city, experiences run the gamut from extravagant Michelin star dining to low-cost but history-rich ancient garden tours.

Cash: M1nt Club Atop a 24-storey skyscraper, this highend nightclub’s floor-to-ceiling windows and rooftop terrace provide spectacular views of the Bund and Pudong. Drinks and reservations at M1nt are pricey but it’s well worth it to rub elbows with the glamourous

crowd (a strict door policy rejects anyone not dressed the part). Fish tanks with circling sharks knock the luxury right up to James Bond villain level.

Crunch: Yu Garden Dating back to the mid-1500s, this stunning historical landmark is comprised of an

Crunch: Wujiang Road Lined with stalls, vendors and restaurants all serving authentic fare, Wujiang Road is one of the most popular snack spots in Shanghai. Eat your way down this street and you’ll get to try a wider variety of dishes since the prices are low. Look for steamed buns, noodles and be sure to visit the small outpost of Yang’s Fry Dumplings. ◆

zhusijia1011 / Shutterstock.com

DO

Cash: Ultraviolet One of only two restaurants in Shanghai to receive three Michelin stars, Ultraviolet is more than a restaurant, it’s a full-body sensory experience. A 20-course tasting menu is presented to 10 guests at a time, in an almost bare room that’s brought to life with sounds, lights, projections and scent diffusers, all used to elicit emotional responses to the flavours of chef Paul Pairet’s avant-garde cuisine. It might run you upwards of $1,000, but it’s a once-in-alifetime experience.

FLYGTA • CONTEST • 91

P R OW M ION TION

FLIGHT OF FANCY Skip the traffic jams and fly to Niagara-on-the-Lake in style.

With our busy schedules, it can be tricky to carve out enough time to escape outside the city. Unfortunately, that doesn’t dampen our desire to explore all of the gems in Toronto’s backyard. Is it really too much to ask for a time machine to transport us to dreamy destinations without wasting precious hours at the airport?

Well, no, actually. FlyGTA understands that for busy people, time matters – which is why they run daily flights that deliver you from downtown Toronto to Niagara in a speedy twelve minutes (yep, you read that right). The Canadian air operator flies passengers from Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport across the lake in a private executive plane to Niagara District Airport, right in the heart of wine country.

Not only does FlyGTA’s quick service allow you to bypass the four hour round trip (and the brutal highway gridlock), it also gifts passengers with scenic views of the lake. From the moment you fasten your seatbelt, you’re embarking on an adventure that maximises all the best parts about travelling – and removes everything else.

In addition to Niagara, FlyGTA also has routes between Toronto and popular spots like Muskoka, Waterloo and Tobermory, as well as sunset tours around the city and 100 km aerial experiences over Niagara Falls.

To celebrate, we’re giving you the chance to win a day trip to wine country in NiagaraOn-The-Lake including flights, a Ravine Vineyards tour and a gourmet lunch. ◆ To plan your getaway, head to flygta.com

win the ultimate day trip to Niagara-on-theLake We’re giving away two pairs of tickets to the ultimate day trip to NiagaraOn-The-Lake. Winners will start their getaway with a scenic 12 minute flight from Toronto to Niagara, where a limo will be waiting to whisk you on a 10-minute drive through the orchards of NOTL. Guests will arrive at Ravine Vineyards where they’ll receive a tour from a 5th generation grower, taste incredible wines, before enjoying a gourmet lunch from chef Matt Payne.

End the day with a sunset plane ride back to Toronto.

For a full list of terms and conditions and to enter, visit the website at: escapism.to/competition

LOCAL

92 • EXCURSIONS • ROME, ITALY

[

ROME,

ITALY

]

LIKE A LOCAL Sophie Minchilli hosts food tours and cooking classes based on her experience living in Rome. Here are her favourite places to eat in The Eternal City.

SANTO PALATO

MERCATO DI SAN GIOVANNI DI DIO

JANICULUM

TESTACCIO

FOOD TOUR IN TRASTEVERE

This to-go food spot in the heart of Trastevere is a hole-in-the-wall that serves Roman street food at its best. Grab a suppli (sauce-filled rice balls), a piece of pizza marinara and a beer. At one of the two standing tables you can people-watch – all the locals come to I Supplì to grab lunch.

Choose a clear, sunny day to hike up the Janiculum Hill in western Rome. From this vantage, you can take in the capital’s vastness. You can even see the small towns and mountains that surround Rome. Walk a little further to the Villa Pamphili park to admire Rome’s umbrella pine trees.

One of Rome’s newer-generation restaurants, Santo Palato’s chef Sarah Cicolini cooks delicious and hearty recipes, some of which she learned from her grandmother. Rome is famous for its “quinto quarto” recipes, and Santo Palato is the place to try these offal-focused dishes.

Take a short taxi ride or the metro to Testaccio, the old meat-packing district.

This is the best neighbourhood to find classic Roman dishes such as amatriciana, carbonara and cacio e pepe. Go to Piatto Romano, Flavio al Velavevodetto or Perilli – my three favourite restaurants in Testaccio.

If you want to get away from the tourists, hop on the Line 8 tram to Monteverde Nuovo, a very Roman, residential neighbourhood. The San Giovanni di Dio market is huge and a great way to taste things you might have never seen before. It’s also the best place to people-watch.

Go on a food tour in this amazing neighbourhood of cobble-stoned alleys.

On my tour of Trastevere, I take visitors to shops, markets and restaurants where only the locals go. We’ll eat some of the best food in Rome, while learning about culture and what life is like in the Eternal City. ◆

Luciano Mortula - LGM, Catarina Belova / Shutterstock.com

I SUPPLÌ

something for everyone

[

EXCURSIONS

]

THE SELECTOR

1

A guide to graffiti, cities where cycling is top-of-mind and the credit cards that offer the best perks for globetrotters.

3

2

G o F or G ra f f i t i As it completes the transition from vandalism to art, graffiti has become a tourist attraction, especially in these five cities.

1) BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA The walls of B.A. have always been a canvas for

activism during its tumultuous political past, but today they’re a freewheeling showcase for the many artists around the city.

Due to a lack of painting restrictions, the city is full of frescoes – from Villa

Urquiza’s abandoned buildings, which have been painted over, to incredibly realistic large-scale murals in Palermo.

If you’re looking for some context on the graffiti, join a daily ‘Free Walk Buenos Aires’ tour.

2) BOGOTA, COLOMBIA Since graffiti was decriminalized in 2011 (when a 16-year-old was shot by police for tagging his signature Felix the Cat) street art has flourished in the Colombian

capital. With creative freedom, the walls of the city have become an experimental platform. From feminist murals and paintings depicting the war on drugs to colourful staircases, the city – and especially La Candelaria – is covered in graffiti by artists like Stinkfish.

This is the most vibrant and historic district in downtown Bogotá.

It has landmarks like the colonial-era cathedral, La Catedral Primada, and narrow streets lined with shops and indie vendors.

THE SELECTOR • EXCURSIONS • 95

SELECTOR

3) MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA Melbourne completes the hipster holy trinity with epic street art to go with all the coffee and cocktails.

Hosier Lane, just across from Federation Square, is a cobblestone pedestrian laneway filled with shops, sunsinger; Matyas Rehak; ymgerman ; R.M. Nunes; PortlandSeminary; Sandra Mori / Shutterstock.com

4) CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA Originally emerging in the ’80s as artistic protests against apartheid, the Mother City has developed some beautiful streetscapes that serve as a powerful reminder of its troubled past. Visit Woodstock just

bars and tons of vivid graffiti. Next up, check out AC/DC Lane for bogglingly realistic artwork that jumps right out of the wall – the arm doodling robots and David Bowie with crayons is particularly mind-bending.

Pay homage to the down-under musicians the lane is named after by stopping at music venue Cherry Bar.

outside central Cape Town for some of the best the city has to offer, like Freddy Smith’s blackand-white mural commemorating 20 years of democracy in South Africa. Or head to District Six, an eclectic area with a chequered history that has been transformed by art pieces like the Nelson Mandela mural by eminent local artist Mak1one.

Zacharevic brings artwork to life with interactive murals that show children in the midst of playing. Ideally, people who see the murals are inspired to feel the same childlike curiosity and sense of fun.

5) GEORGETOWN, MALAYSIA Back in 2012, when London-trained Lithuanian artist Ernest Zacharevic was commissioned

to paint a series of murals, new life was breathed into the UNESCO World Heritage site. The street art project, called ‘Mirrors George Town’ consists of a handful of (now slightly fading) murals like

4

This mural was created to commemorate the life of the former South African president and Nobel prize winner. It contains a quote which emphasizes the feeling that Mandela’s life work is complete.

P eda l- o p o lis es 5

Little Children on a Bicycle, a 3D piece that features an old bike mounted to the wall. Stumble on other artists’ works in the back alleys, like the ice cream cone with melting flowers on the wall of B Street Hotel.

1

Want to take your two-wheel habit with you when you hit the road? These cities know how to do cycling right.

1) AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS Known as the bicycle capital of the world, Amsterdam’s elaborate network

of cycle paths make biking the preferred method of transportation.

Amsterdam’s cycle paths are separated and often elevated from other vehicle lanes – much safer than a painted

line. Many streets have limited access for cars and are reserved for pedestrians and bicyclists.

Even toddlers and the elderly pedal the streets of Amsterdam.

2) KYOTO, JAPAN

3) BUDAPEST, HUNGARY

Although Kyoto’s transit system is efficient, cycling is the most sane way to get around.

Running right through Kyoto, the Kamo River is recessed from street level and shrouded with greenery. Paved pathways on either side of the river allow cyclists to quickly see the city.

Don’t forget that traffic (including bicycles) travels on the left in Japan.

The city’s Pest side offers a flat, easy ride through bustling urban areas; on the other side of the Danube, the quiet, more residential Buda features hilly terrain that will challenge experienced cyclists.

Bike rentals are easy to find or pick up a bike from one of the MOL Bubi docking stations scattered throughout the city and choose between a variety of passes.

The Danube River is Europe’s second longest river (at 2,872 km) and flows through the heart of Budapest. In total, it passes within 10 countries, starting in Germany and draining into the Black Sea.

4

5

2

4) RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL

3

This sprawling coastal city is

5) SEVILLE, SPAIN A new addition to the growing list of cyclable cities, Seville saw a huge uptick in cyclists after increasing the number of segregated bike lanes in the early

home to over 450 kilometres of bike lanes and paths, along with plenty of bike share stations.

Choose between an abundance of scenic options: busy city streets, lush rainforest and

turquoise waters hugging white sand beaches. For a challenge, bike the Vista Chinesa or any of the other circuits used for cycling events during the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio.

2010s. Moderate temperatures, apart from a little heat in July and August, and low precipitation make for perfect cycling conditions.

Bonus: by bike it’s easier to cover more ground so you can explore all of the Andalusian capital’s stunning cathedrals, plazas and monuments.

Seville, the fourth largest city in Spain, is famous for flamenco, featuring Andalusian music, poetry, singing and dancing. Every two years, Seville puts on a flamenco festival, so plan the timing of your visit carefully.

THE SELECTOR • EXCURSIONS • 97

3

Pl ast ic Pe rks Credit cards can be a confusing maze of rewards, fees and benefits. These are the five best for die-hard travellers.

2) AMEX COBALT

This card helps you save money on foreign transaction fees and also earn points to pay for future travel dreams. For every $1 spent on groceries, at restaurants and for those annoying bill payments, you get 1 TD points.

A “shop the mall” feature allows you to easily redeem points for online purchases from major retailers like Hudson’s Bay, The Gap, Walmart, Roots and more.

Sign up additional cardholders for free.

Amex offers a specific credit card for nearly every type of spender and we chose this one because of its sweet food and drink perks.

The annual fee is $120, but you can sign up additional cardholders for free.

If you spend the majority of your dollars on dining, this is the card to help you rack up points when you shop: five points for every $1 at grocery stores, bars, restaurants and food delivery

With a “you do you” approach, the card lets customers decide what they want to redeem their points for, whether concert tickets, shopping on Amazon or booking flights.

3) SCOTIABANK PASSPORT INFINITE VISA

1

2

This is the bestoverall card to use for points and perks. For a $139 annual fee, the card rewards you with $300 cash if you spend more than $1,000 within the first three months

5

4

of membership.

You earn 30,000 bonus points with $1,000 in everyday purchases in the first three months.

Use it to shop online at Apple, Best Buy, or for booking a vacation. For every $1 you spend at partner retailers, you earn 2 Scotia points. Bonus, you get six Priority Pass lounge tickets, and pay no foreignexchange markups.

SELECTOR

Cycle cities: Sean Pavone; Yasonya; Catarina Belova; LucVi / Shutterstock.com; Cards: Mike Seehagel

1) TD REWARDS VISA

services. Plus, you get double points on travel bookings and transit fares.

Being a part of the AMEX family also means perks like getting front-ofthe-line access to theatre tickets, concerts and special dining events. You’ll also be eligible for room upgrades and amenities credit when you stay for two nights at 600 select hotels.

4) BMO WORLD ELITE MASTERCARD

5) TANGERINE MONEY-BACK MASTERCARD

If you’re looking to quickly step up a few notches in travel class, look at the BMO World Elite Mastercard. The annual fee is $150, with the first year free. If you charge $3,000 to your card within the first three months, you’re rewarded with 35,000 points. Four free annual airport lounge passes, valid at any Mastercard Airport Experiences worldwide, come with the card.

Membership also comes with well-rated travel insurance coverage and emergency roadside assistance, should you need it.

Many points cards come with an annual fee and minimum spending requirements. If you’re a credit rookie looking to establish a good score and get some cash back, look into Tangerine Money-Back. The no-fee card offers two per cent on two categories of purchases, so you can customize your spending based on whether it’s on dining, travel, home improvement or paying bills. Our favourite parts are there’s no limit on cash back and additional cards are no extra charge.

REAR VIEW

98 • EXCURSIONS • NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK

[

NYC,

NEW

YORK

M

ANHATTAN’S SKYLINE MIGHT already be a who’s who of attractions, but the Big Apple just got another must-see landmark at Hudson Yards. Vessel is a permanent art exhibition that’s been cheekily dubbed “The Shawarma” because of its uncanny similarity to the rotating kabob.

The sculpture, created by English designer Thomas Heatherwick, is comprised of 154

interlocking flights inspired by the ancient stepwells of India. The 2,500 individual steps and 80 landings create an Escher-like labyrinth of possibilities for exploring.

Climb the 150-foot-tall landmark or visit the Observation Deck at 30 Hudson Yards – the highest outdoor viewing platform in the Western Hemisphere. ◆ Book free tickets at hudsonyardsnewyork.com

Forbes Massie Studio

REAR VIEW

]

REAL

CONNECTIONS THE CREATORS OF TRAVEL’S ORIGINAL LOCAL EXPERIENCE

For 10 years, our exclusive Be My Guest experiences have connected our travellers to the true soul of a destination: the people that call it home. One of our richest travel highlights, our passionate hosts open up their homes and their hearts, sharing their stories through the universal language of food, giving guests a taste of the cultural heritage that makes each place so special.

100+ ONE-OF-A-KIND EXPERIENCES DISCOVER OUR STORY AT TRAFALGAR.COM/BEMYGUEST

REAL

JOY

CONNECTING YOU TO PEOPLE, PLACES & EXPERIENCES SINCE 1947.

90+ AWARDS • 72 COUNTRIES • 300+ TRIPS TRAFALGAR.COM