DAYTRIPPIN’ WITH ANDRA ARNOLD

A ROYAL CITY BROKER AND HER HUBBY SHARE A FANTASTIC AUTUMN SATURDAY DAYTRIPPING IN (AND OUT OF) GUELPH.

ANDRA ARNOLD (BROKER, ROYAL LEPAGE ROYAL CITY REALTY), WITH HER HUSBAND KELLY ARNOLD (REALTOR®, ROYAL LEPAGE ROYAL CITY REALTY)

There aren’t many days (or hours, even) when Guelph broker Andra Arnold can get away from the ‘office’ – which is really wherever she happens to be. So when she does get some time to herself, she makes it count. Tag along with Andra and her husband Kelly as they spend a Saturday together in the region. (Just keep your phone on – after all, you never know when work might come calling.)

BALZAC’S COFFEE ROASTERS

5 GORDON ST, GUELPH BALZACS.COM 1. All great Saturdays start with coffee. While Guelph has a lot of terrific cafés (The Common, Planet Bean, Double Rainbow, Red Brick, and more), on this particular morning Kelly and I choose Balzac’s. Its beautifully-appointed downtown location is close to the Guelph Farmers’ Market, offers great Fairtrade and Organic beans, and always serves up delicious fare. I grab a latte to-go, Kelly chooses a Balzac’s Blend coffee to-go, and we keep it movin’.

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POLESTAR HEARTH

535 WOOLWICH ST, GUELPH POLESTARHEARTH.COM 2. Coffee in hand, we drive the short distance down Woolwich St to Polestar Hearth for a loaf of its awesome Superseed sourdough – perfect for tomorrow’s Sunday brunch. There’s almost always a line-up and parking’s not the greatest, but the bread is worth the hassle. Every. Single. Time. Kelly waits in the car while I collect the bread. After all, teamwork makes the dream work.

ST JACOBS FARMERS’ MARKET

878 WEBER ST N, WOOLWICH STJACOBSMARKET.COM

CAMBRIDGE BUTTERFLY CONSERVATORY

2500 KOSSUTH RD, CAMBRIDGE CAMBRIDGEBUTTERFLY.COM

LA REINA

10 WYNDHAM ST N, GUELPH LAREINA519.COM 3. By this point in the morning, we’re ready for breakfast. Today’s breakie destination: the St Jacobs Farmers’ Market. The world-famous Market is fantastic at this time of year - for autumn vibes, fresh produce, baked goods, and people watching. We find parking in the Market’s massive lots, pick up pastries from A Portuguesa Bakery and butter tarts from Bake my Day, a few new crop apples for good measure, and find a table outside to dig in. Good feelings all around.

4. After getting our fill of the hustle bustle at the Market, something a bit more relaxed is in order. The Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory is the perfect solution. Kelly and I drive from St Jacobs to the Conservatory and enjoy a walk around the place. Experiencing so many tropical plants and colourful butterflies in one place is a blessing, for sure. We agree that the Conservatory is a regional treasure.

5. Next up: lunch. A favourite spot of ours has got to be La Reina in downtown Guelph - the perfect mecca for fantastic Mexican food. Kelly and I manage to grab the last available patio table and start things off right: with a Pineapple Express Margarita for Kelly and a Margarita Clasica for me. For mains, I order a Ceviche del Mercado while Kelly gets the Baja Fish Tacos. Pure bliss.

SMITH PROPERTY LOOP HIKING TRAIL

COOKS MILL RD AT WATSON RD S, PUSLINCH

FIXED GEAR BREWING

20 ALMA ST S, GUELPH FIXEDGEARBREWING.COM

PAOLA’S FINE CHEESES

1027 GORDON ST, GUELPH PAOLASFINECHEESES.CA

ELORA MILL HOTEL & SPA

77 MILL ST W, ELORA ELORAMILL.CA

MANHATTANS PIZZA BISTRO MUSIC CLUB

951 GORDON ST S, GUELPH MANHATTANS.CA 6. While an afternoon nap could easily be in order after so much action, we don’t succumb. Instead, Kelly and I drive home, pick up the dogs, Beau and Ellie, and head to the Smith Property Loop Hiking Trail for a good hike. This well-marked 4.3 kilometre loop is fantastic in the fall – with trees turning colours, crispness in the air, and a great view from the top of the trail. Life doesn’t get much better.

7. After the hike, we hop in the car and head straight to Fixed Gear Brewing – a staple of Guelph’s hip Junction neighbourhood. Our mission: to grab some cans for a Sunday afternoon gathering we’ll be having with friends. Kelly chooses a few cans of Breakaway IPA and Dutch Classic Blonde Ale while I make sure we grab some of my fave Fixed Gear brew – the Borraccia Italian Lager. We also chat with Fixed Gear owner Mike, who’s a very dear friend and always up to something.

8. Now that we’ve collected beer, all that’s left to grab for our Sunday get together are items for a charcuterie board. For these bits, we book it to Paola’s Fine Cheeses where we settle on hunks of Château de Bourgogne and Red Storm (two of our faves), a mound of thinly sliced prosciutto, and tasty fig spread. These items will pair perfectly with what’s left of the Polestar loaf.

9. After so much non-stop activity, it’s time for some late afternoon pampering. Our solution: the spa at Elora Mill, of course. We drive through the countryside to what’s been dubbed ‘Canada’s Most Road-trippable Town’, park just across the river from the Mill, and make our way across the walking bridge to our destination. While I’m here for a pedicure, Kelly enjoys a massage. Our sessions are sublime. Having the world-class Mill so close by is a gift.

10. All blissed out and ready for dinner, we drive back to Guelph where we join friends at Manhattans for great food and terrific live jazz. While I make sure our table orders the mussels and Caesar salads, every item on the menu – from the ‘gillespie’ pie (basil pesto, caramelized onions, chicken, spinach, mozzarella, honey) to the ‘house made gnocchi’ (basil oil, ricotta, lemon) – is a winner. We sit back, catch up with each other, eat and drink, enjoy the music, and toast what has been a fantastic day.

After dinner, Kelly and I head back home for a nightcap and bed. It’s been a long – and oh so enjoyable – day in the region.