LiveWinter Like theEdition Locals By Victoria Gilbert Canadians are polite, kind and sweet. This lovely stereotype pleases most of us Canadians because well, we are nice aren’t we, eh? Another handle we Canadians should have on the world stage is our HEARTINESS. Our winters are cold. There are days in January and February where going outside is a mental battle with the elements for even the toughest among us. We pull down our tuques and layer our clothing and make the most out of the five cold months of winter. Our fun and friendly natures don’t freeze on the coldest nights. In fact, the colder it gets, the greater the excuse to snuggle up closer at a cozy local pub or pump your legs faster on an outdoor rink under the stars. The locals have mastered the art of enjoying winter and so can you.
“Baby, it’s cold outside,” but Niagara’s got you covered. So pull down that hat, pull up those long johns and explore all this region has to offer.
The Olde Angel Inn 224 Regent Street, Niagara-On-The-Lake | angel-inn.com This traditional English pub right in the centre of old town is a perennial favourite among locals and tourists alike. The Angel Inn’s website boasts “great food, historic accommodations and good friends await you here at Ontario’s oldest operating inn.” A Union Jack waves in the breeze above the entrance to the Angel and beckons visitors with a style of Niagara’s past. The pub was established in 1789 and rebuilt in 1815 after the War of 1812. Sit up at the bar, like the locals do and ask people about the place with no hesitation — Niagara-on-theLake has recently been ranked “Canada’s friendliest town” by Expedia.ca’s annual list of the Friendliest Communities and Towns in Canada. So, while you drink your beer (try a local one: Oast House or Silversmith) and munch down on a huge portion of Bangers and Mash, while you chat about the ghost who lives there (his name is Captain Colin Swayze) or about the War of 1812, which some people still argue about to this day: was it a war or a battle? Most locals are very proud and very knowledgeable about their town and will be happy to talk battles and ghosts with visitors who are interested. The Angel boasts an all-local wine list and a number of local beers, including their own IPA brew, “Angel Inn Lager” which you can sip over live music on Fridays & Saturdays, 9:30pm – 12:30am year round.
