CadyLuck Leedy

Walking to Notre Dame: The Three Bears

Notre Dame

The Christmas Tree in Front of Notre Dame

We walked to Notre Dame our first day in Paris. These are my observations. The sidewalks are narrow, one person walkways or wide pedestrian thorough fares. No mix and match. So Baby Bear heads out first. She is a homing pigeon really. She needs no map, always knows the right direction to anything and moves right along rarely looking back to see if anyone is actually following her. Next is Papa Bear. He can walk 40 miles a day, up hill both ways, carrying an 80 pound rucksack. Lastly is Mama Bear who toddles along looking at the lights, lingering to window shop and stopping every few seconds to take a picture that the other two bears would never notice. Guess which one I am. I never know where I am because I am too focused on catching up to the other two bears! We stop frequently for coffee or wine, so we can all talk occasionally. My observations while musing in the cafes: French women come in two molds. 1. Old, waif thin, elegant, never leaving home without every drop of make up applied perfectly and sporting a real mink coat. 2. Young, waif thin, elegant without even trying to look it, pushing a baby in a carriage down cobbled streets, with a toddler at her side who is trying to learn to ride/push scooter that is new to him. Both types meet up with friends to have a cuppa or wine. Cafes are tiny, hot and the few tables are scrunched together, but hey no problem, bring all the carriages and children inside, un-wrap them from bundles of clothing, and enjoy an afternoon with your friends. The evenings follow the same routine except the men folk join in, who are also waif thin. They meet up to have coffee or the evening meal with their wives, children and friends and then after the meal the men go outside to sit under large umbrella heaters to drink some more and smoke cigarettes. When the women are talked out, they begin to kiss everyone goodbye, pass the children around to each other for farewell wishes and hugs and re-wrap the babies and toddlers in layers of warmth. The kissing, re-wrapping can go on for up to a half hour. Then out the door they go. The husbands leave at this time too or stay to drink, talk and smoke some more. The scene was very orderly and the children well behaved. This was the pattern every day. What a life! Here are street scenes on the way to Notre Dame. I gotta go catch up to the other bears! Enjoy!

The Marais

The Marais

The Gardens in Winter

The Tiny Streets

I loved the apartment in Paris! It felt like we were in an old black and white French film. Tiny, tiny streets, cafes on the corner, sing-alongs in the neighborhood, single room cave-like shops displaying clothing, jewelry, and perfume and people everywhere! Locals, no tourists! And the lights and decorations were fantastic. This is truly the city of lights! Blue, red and green glowing in the windows and on rooftops! We were in the Marais district, (the 3rd arrondissement) the Jewish neighborhood that has not changed in years, but seems to be the up and coming neighborhood keeping the charm of past times. We rented the apartment through ILoveParisApartments.com and our experience with them was one of the best. Preparations were made ahead of time and thanks to the apartment owners’ thoroughness, everything went according to the plan. Everything from directions to the apartment, how to operate the washing machine/dryer combination (who knew they made one machine for both!) and emergency numbers were given on the Apartment Fact Sheet that was emailed to us well in advance of our departure. I knew it was going to be in a quaint and coveted apartment when I got the email to be discreet, quiet and respectful of the neighbors, carry our bags over the cobblestones, and take off our shoes in the apartment. The instructions were right up there with the nuns in Rome! See the Rome trip…….https://cadyluckleedy.com/2013/04/30/off-to-roma/

In the living room and bedroom the floor length velvet drapes blocked out any drop of sunlight. The hardest bit for us, at first, was knowing what time of day it was. The sun comes up slowly around 9am and goes down around 5ish. Because of the height of the buildings and the heavy drapery it was hard to get up in the mornings, so we found we spent more time out in the evenings enjoying the lights. A very good plan!
Here are the innards of the Paris apartment. It was on the 2nd floor, (third US) reached by a one man, one suitcase elevator or stairs. Some of these pictures were made after we settled in so excuse the messiness!

The Entrance

The Apartment Entryway

The Courtyard

How About That Lock?

The Bedroom

The Living Room

The Kitchen

The Bathroom

Go to the Pot and Wash and Dry Your Clothes at the Same Time

I thought you might enjoy this washer/dryer combo commercial as well!

For more apartments in Paris see: http://www.ILoveParisApartments.com. We stayed in the St Paul 2 Picasso Apartment.

It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane, It’s a Flying Hotel!!!!!

The Sating Arrangement on the Double Decker Air France

The Seating Arrangement on the Double Decker AirFrance

This plane is HUGE!!!!!!

My last post, before leaving for Paris, was of the wonderful treatment by WestJet at least once a year to their patrons. My flight to Paris reveals a different story. I am starting this post with Day 1 and Day 10 to get them out of my system. I am not one to complain, but hey I think it is good to know about different experiences and what can happen. I should have suspected something when I started getting emails from Delta well before my departure date. I book flights six months in advance to get the seat I want, so I was surprised that my seat had been changed over the months several times. I really didn’t think too much about it since I had paid extra for the seat and I was sure I would get an equivalent seat. Twenty-four hours before the departure, when I checked in online, I was again offered to upgrade my seat, paying even more money, which I did. Row 10 Aisle was my seat. When I get to the check in gate imagine my surprise when I was told my seat is Row 90 Middle.
“What row did you say I was in?” my eyebrows shoot up. “How many rows are on this plane?” I ask.
“We have seated you on the upper deck, for your comfort,” is the reply.
“How many rows are on this upper deck?” I ask.
“52 rows on the lower floor and 34 rows on the upper deck,” is the reply.
“OMG, what kind of a plane is this?”
“An AirFrance AirBus 380, ma’am.”
When I get to the departure gate I stare at the biggest airplane I have ever seen! There are over 600 passengers getting ready to board this plane. There are four departure gates, two above and two below deck. We snake around the airport in long lines just to board in the right line. On board my seat is in the back door exit aisle, plenty of leg room since the exit door must be five feet wide to allow a quick get away. OMG! There are no side aisles here either. I have lots of space so no problem, let’s get this baby off the ground! We sit another hour in the plane. It takes forever to get all the baggage on. The women next to me gives me the evil eye and then complains she has been bumped from her original seat separating her family of four to various seats around the plane. I am in one of her seats she explains. I tell her my story about seat changes and we commiserate together. I don’t know how Air France knows who is in what seat by now. When we take off, it is flawless. You don’t even know you are flyng it is so quiet and smooth. Six and a half hours later we land at Charles De Gaulle Airport where we taxi for an hour and wait. The plane is so big we land a good way from the airport and then have to slowly, slowly taxi in to a gate that is large enough to take the huge plane. It is another hour to deplane, and another one to go through a maze of buildings and on and on and on through the airport to the baggage claim. It feels like it takes us almost as much time on the ground as the flight time. But, we are here! Hooray!

Day 10: We are on the way to airport at 0800. We get a text saying there is an airplane delay, but departure is as scheduled. We get to the check in gate and are told the plane is delayed…… in Japan. WHAT!!!!!!! Our 1pm departure is now 7:45pm. “Have a voucher for lunch on us madame.” The small food stands will only let us use our “lunch vouchers” on plastic wrapped nasty looking sandwiches. No thank you, Air France. We wait and wait. There are hundreds of us and we are not happy. Again, we are waiting on the Airbus 380. Finally it arrives but there will be another 5 hour delay to clean, restock, refuel and find a flight crew because we are now 12 hours behind schedule! “Have another food voucher madame.” At last at 11 pm we re told we can begin to board. It takes forever; there is only one entrance level for all of us. UGH! When we are seated we are told the head count is inaccurate and they must count again. Everyone stay in their seats!!!! They count again and again. Then the captain says we need more fuel. So we sit another hour. Will we ever leave? Once we are finally off, there are not enough stewards to attend and serve meals properly. No coffee, no tea. The customers who pre-ordered mangoes or whatever meals are served and an hour or so later the crew heads down the rows for the rest of us. What a disaster. We arrive in DC at 3 am in the morning of the following day. That is 9am in Paris. This 6 hour flight has now taken over 24 hours. No weather delays, no break down. Just poor planning. The plane is way too big to handle properly. I am a day behind schedule. So my lesson is this. I will never, repeat never, fly Air France again. I will check the carrier I book with and make sure he has not dished me off to Air France.

Tips for Air France. The plane is way too large. The airports are not equipped to service the plane properly. The gates are not large enough to handle a small city of paying customers. Get two small planes and save us all a headache. We will not forget this disastrous flight. Now to tell you about my great time in Paris!

Another View of the AirFrance Airbus 380

NOTICE THE SIZE OF THE PEOPLE TO GET AN IDEA OF THE SIZE OF THIS PLANE!!!!!!

Paris for Christmas

In a few days we are headed off to the City of Lights for the Christmas holidays. At this time of year traveling can be a real headache. Will the weather be frightful? Will the lines be as long as waiting for Santa? It is getting harder to get from Point A to Point B without going to A1, A2, and A3 in between! Ugh! Which airport do I have to take my shoes off at? Which airport do I have to take my umbrella out of my carry-on? Which airport does not allow any lap top cords or electronics unless they are all bundled together in a plastic bag? It’s enough to give you a gigantic headache! But, I found one airline, WestJet, a Canadian airline, that treats it’s guests at least once a year to a great time! Be sure to watch the video to put a smile on your face!

Joan of Arc Park, Quebec City

One of the Displays in Joan of Arc Park

Yesterday we took a carriage ride through Quebec City. The guide was very attentive and we learned more about this fabulous city. We eventually rounded the Joan of Arc Park and I knew I wanted to come back on my own time to take pictures of the wonderful decorations in this neighborhood park. So early this morning we piled into a cab and asked to go to the Plains of Abraham, the large stretch of parkland and battleground where the Joan of Arc Park is located. We roared up the hill and through the town and through the town and through the town. I was thinking I didn’t remember it being very far, but hey I had been enjoying the carriage ride so maybe it was. We got out at a field track and the taxi driver pointed to a bend in the road so we were sure the Joan of Arc Park was right around the corner, even though we didn’t see it. We walked around the corner and nothing, just another road going along the St Lawrence River, but it did look to be a park.

The Beautiful Gardens we Walked through to Get to the Park

The Woods where the Kids were having the Best Time!

We walked back to the field track where several people were jogging or walking, enjoying the beautiful warm fall day. An elderly woman stopped to ask if we needed help. Ah! The babushka lady to the rescue again! See https://cadyluckleedy.com/2013/03/27/safety–and-the…ndparent-types When she realized we spoke English and she spoke only French the pantomiming began. Basically we got the message to follow the river road. So we started walking. And Walking. And walking. There were woods between the river road and the river and in the woods we could hear the voices and laughter of children. Lots of children. They must have been on a field trip we decided. Boy were they having fun whooping it up! We walked on. We had a map and finally came to a sign that was actually on our map. We were outside the boundaries of our tourist’s map! We kept walking. We walked on the road then we walked on the path. Then we walked on the road again. I decided to walk up up up the hill in the grass to see if anything looked like what were looking for. I could see another path up there but wasn’t sure I could reach it without going all the way along the bottom of the road until the two paths finally met up. How far would that be? We walked some more, passing joggers, more joggers, and those show offs jogging pushing a baby carriage too. Finally another couple, that looked as pooped as we were, moved across a wide meadow and we decided we would follow suit. We FINALLY made our way up to the higher street where there was a bench to rest on, thank goodness! There were kids everywhere! School outings! One group of nine and ten year olds were lined up on the grass: one group dressed as Indians the other group dressed as soldiers. They were having such fun and so were we watching them! We eventually made our way to the Joan of Arc Park where there were more students and teachers. What a great way to teach history! The displays were eye catching, entertaining and there were signs pointing out the historical meaning to each display. I learned a lot!

The Joan of Arc Park and Garden

One of the displays in Joan of Arc Park

Flowers and Foliage

The Scarecrow in the Middle

The Rock

Purple Foliage with Red Berries

More Pumpkins

Still More Pumpkins

The Tunnel Pumpkins

The Pirate Ship

You Are a Monster If You Pick the Flowers!

The Gaol

The Chain Gang Sign

The Duelers

Grave Markers

The Coffin

The Pumpkin Street Light

Several times during our stay in Quebec City we ate at the Buffet de Antiquaire, clustered in a row of antique shops. Every time we ventured by this restaurant it was packed! One evening we decided that this had to be the place to try. Walking up a few short steps into a cozy diner atmosphere we were greeted by a young waitress who promptly seated us. There was a tiny main floor room and a room upstairs. The chalkboard revealed the “Specials of the day.” The food was generous in proportions, home made like grandma’s and the atmosphere welcoming! One of my best local finds! Enjoy!

Buffet de Antiquaire

It’s October! City Hall Decorations in Quebec City, It Doesn’t Get Any Better Than This!

Today we are going to discover the fabulous decorations at City Hall and around Quebec City! I just love all the beautiful displays at this time of year!! Enjoy! There was construction around and drilling going on, they are making an underground parking lot with a garden above. Can’t wait to see that when it is finished!

Pumpkins for Everyone!

The Bat Tree

The Bat Tree With Spooky Cats!

The BiiiiiiiiG Witch!

The Witches Clothes Line

The Street Lights are Even Decked Out!

The Pirate Ship with Cargo of Purple and Orange Pumpkins!

The Mast

The Fog Rolls in For Effect!

Another Pirate Ship!

The Pirates have Arrived!

I Love the Orange and Red Grass!

It must take them forever to work out the artwork, set up the displays and plant the planters! Unbelievable and sooooooo enjoyable!

The Plant Scapes

And here are a couple of shots of cool buildings in the area!

Serenity

The Half Round Building

I think they are putting in an ice rink! Looking ahead to the Christmas Season!

The Coach Ride with The Dog

Ok, we are heading out of the protective walls of Quebec City! Come back tomorrow to see what is in store for us on the other side!

Out We Go!

Oh Canada!!

Street Folk Music

Basse-Ville

The Beauty in the Walls

Today we are walking to Haute-Ville, the next layer of Quebec City. We leche-vitrine (window shop) along the Petit-Champlain passing lovely art galleries and shops, when I am compelled to stop at Pot en Ciel, a delightfully and artistically decorated kitchen ware shop that always seems to have the latest in cuisine accessories, cooking and table ware. Afterwards, mingling with the tourists from the cruise ships that dock and depart here, we take the funicular to the promenade walkway that is in the front of the famous and majestic Chateau Frontenac, the most photographed hotel in the world, due in most part because of how it dominates the skyline of Quebec City. Designed by American architect, Bruce Price, it was one of a series of “chateau” style hotels built for the Canadian Pacific Railway during the late 19th century. The hotel was named for Louis de Baude, count of Frontenac, who was governor of the colony of New France from 1672 to 1698, with a few years off in the middle. In 1944 the Chateau became the action center of Quebec Conferences of WWII. A tour of the Chateau with costumed tour guides gives you a glimpse into the rooms of “The Who’s Who of Who Has Slept Here” (my term, don’t ask for that as the tour!).

A View from the Funicular

The Cruise Ships

The Frontenac Hotel

The Promenade

The View of the Frontenac and the Promenade

The sight is breathtaking. Here artists and musicians reveal their talents as we walk the promenade gazing down at the cruise ships in Vieux-Port and up, up, up at the Frontenec Hotel. It looks like a castle, but has always been a grand scale hotel. I am sad to say many tourists go no farther than the promenade and surrounding shops and restaurants. Meandering through the streets we find shops, cafes, restaurants and charming fall displays.

Aux Anciens Canadiens Restaurant

Haute-Ville Streets

Some make it the tiny rue du Tresor, a small alleyway lined with working artists. For those who trek on, meandering the winding streets of Haute-Ville there are the Christmas shops, boutiques, plant landscapes and the Morrin Center awaiting you.

Plant Displays!

What Great Pumpkins!!!

The Morrin Center is one of my favorite stops. I can’t wait to show you this years decorations and pictures from past years! We’ll start there tomorrow! As we finish up the day we return to Vieux Quebec and one of the best restaurants in the quarter, the Lapin Saute, the rabbit restaurant. I love the food, ambiance and the outdoor decorations of this restaurant. It is truly what you would imagine a French bistro to be!

Le Lapin Saute

Outdoor Seating at Le Lapin (Notice the Rabbit Tables)

Le Lapin at Night

Inside Le Lapin

The Menu

The French Onion Soup

I began my meal with the french onion soup studded with a thick white Canadian cheese followed by the rabbit (french) cassoulet. Absolutely yummy! I was so digging into the cassoulet I forgot to take a picture!!!! I’m headed back to the Germain-Dominion Hotel and after a mocha night cap I’m off to bed! See you tomorrow at the Morrin Center!

For more information about Pot en Ciel, 27 Petit Champlain, Quebec, Canada view http://www.quartierpetitchamplain.com for a street map of all the shops and restaurants located there.

For information on the Chateau Frontenac, 1 Rue des Carrieres, view TripAdvisor.

For information on Le Lapin Saute, 52 Rue Du Petit-Champlain see TripAdvisor.

The Most European City in North America!

Fountain in Vieux Quebec near Hotel Le Germain-Dominion Hotel

Driving the back roads to Quebec City, I am on the lookout for the signs warning of the snow mobile crossings. The paths zig-zag along the highway and at intervals swoop across the road. I daydream about going to grandma’s for Thanksgiving in a snowmobile. The trees would zip by, the air is filled with the scent of pine and wood smoke, and the wind puts roses on my cheeks! I’d get to grandma’s ready to sit by the fire with the aroma of the Thanksgiving meal surrounding me! Heaven! I get that comfortable and at home feeling when I go to my favorite hotel in Quebec City, the Hotel Le Germain-Dominion in the old town of Quebec City. The hotel is easy to find, has an attendant parking lot that is located behind the hotel and is in a perfect location for exploring Quebec City. The hotel itself is in a section of bank buildings. With the first bonjour you are in for a very special stay.

Le Hotel Germain-Dominion, Quebec City, Canada

I’m not talking Bank of America here, I mean when banks were banks with grand entry ways, fresco ceilings and huge draped crystal chandeliers. It looks more like a ballroom. THAT bank is still here on the corner. Can you imagine? Just walking in you would hope for a line to wait in, so you could enjoy the surroundings! It takes up the entire block and one section on the opposite end corner has been converted into Le Germain-Dominion Hotel. When one walks into the lobby of the hotel, it is a small part of a larger room.

Inside the Lobby le Germaine-Dominion Hotel

Inside the Lobby Le Germain-Dominion Hotel

A room with a huge fireplace and comfy squashy sofas and chairs surrounding the fireplace. In the center of the room is an extensive coffee station with a massive brewer to make cafes, au laits, mochas, and more, to serve in china cups and bowls. You know already how I like the bowls (bols) of au lait!

Le Cafe Station at the Germain-Dominion Hotel

There are also large tables, I’m talking wide, wide, wide dining room size tables and chairs to sit and spread your favorite newspaper out before you as you eat a healthy delicious breakfast in the morning. Or you can just relax and have coffee, tea, wine or liqueur at any time of day. In the mornings I love to come down here and see everyone spread out at the tables. Eating like this also makes it easy to join in conversation with other guests as we sit, eat and enjoy our spread out newspapers. I love the Globe and Mail Newspaper! The paper is thin, shiny and in color, with the best articles ever on what is happening in Quebec. I can really enjoy the morning breakfasts. No one seems rushed, although there is an additional section where the business men tend to gather for early or late meetings. In the evenings the guests linger by the fireplace drinking coffee or wine and discussing their day, politics, where they are from or where they are going. Great conversations, and just as comfortable and hospitable as being at grandma’s for the holiday. Taking the elevator to the rooms, stepping off the elevator you enter a bank vault door (an original) which tells you which section of the hotel you are in.

The Room at Le Germain-Dominion Boutique Hotel

The rooms are very large, modern, boutique style with HUGE walk in, glassed, rain showers that offer every amenity possible.

The Glassed Rain Shower

Returning downstairs, after my bol de au lait, I am out the door to walk the 17th Century neighborhoods of Vieux Quebec /Old Town Quebec City.

The Restaurants on my Walk in Vieux Quebec

A Restaurant along my Walk in Vieux Quebec

A View of the Frontenec Hotel and the Funicular from Vieux Quebec

A View of the Frontenac Hotel and the Funicular from Vieux Quebec

The Funicular to Upper Quebec City

Shops in Vieux Quebec

Rue du Petit-Champlain

A 360 Degree View of Vieux Quebec

Place Royale

Place Royale Square

Notre Dame de Quebec Basilica as Night Falls

As night begins to fall, our destination is the La Piazzetta, on the corner of rue Saint-Paul, right across from the hotel. The restaurant offers a tiny cozy atmosphere and friendly knowledgeable staff helping us with our french, and serving home made pizzas with farm fresh ingredients. The pizzas are so large the pizza tin in perched on a side extension of the table, so it looks like it is floating in the air. We started off with an appetizer of Canadian cheese and warm fruit and an assortment of bread and sticks. The cafe was a buzz of guests enjoying their meals.

La Piazzetta

The Fruit and Cheese Appetizer

Afterwards we return to the hotel for a good night’s rest and look forward for our day tomorrow in Basse-Ville, the lower town of Quebec City. See you there!

For more information about Le Hotel Germain-Dominion see: http://www.germaindominion.com, 126 rue Saint-Pierre, Quebec City, Canada

La Piazzetta is located at 63 rue Saint-Paul, Vieux-Port, Quebec Canada

Notre-Dame de Quebec Basilica, 16 rue Buade, is free and open to the public. There are also tours of the crypt available. See: http://www.patrimoine-religieux.com

Sutton Re-Visited

Le Pleasant Hotel/B&B

This morning we are up and at ‘em very early to make our way into Canada and our second stop after the French-Canadian hunk, who checked our passports and asked us a bazillion questions, is one of my favorite villages, Sutton. This year we are staying at Le Pleasant, the village’s turn of the century grand home of the local doctor turned restaurant, hotel/bed and breakfast. We were greeted warmly by Micheal and shown to our bright front room-second floor guest suite in modern black and grey decor.

Our Room at Le Pleasant

The entire home was lovingly restored by Bertin and Michael who moved from Montreal to Sutton to start their bed & breakfast business. The hotel is centrally located in the village, which is easily walkable in fifteen minutes. After settling in we headed over toLe Cafetier, the local cafe for my coffee fix.

Le Cafetier

A Bowl of Cafe au Lait

This is cafe au lait that I can drink from a bowl here. The Canadians have got coffee right. We ordered sandwiches and enjoyed the ambiance of the small French village.

Le Sandwich

Our next stop was Au Couer des Saisons, a beautifully decorated shop for all seasons owned by Elaine. She is the owner of the kitchenware and gift shop which includes being the local florist, and jeweler.

Ou Couer des Soisons

We spent a lively time translating, talking and laughing with Elaine (I hope I am spelling her name correctly) while discovering the credit card safe wallets, new kitchen gadgets and every soap and fragrance! This is what is so magical about a locally owned shop and small village, you get to know the locals and feel part of the neighborhood. That afternoon Micheal suggested a restaurant in nearby Frelighsburg, since their restaurant is closed on Monday evenings. He made the reservation and printed out a map for us. Traveling in the country, at night, can be a challenge for the map impaired like I am. My car had a GPS system that did not know where I was either! So early evening, while it was still light, we set off for Frelighsburg and the Lyvano Restaurant. Now, I want you to know it is VERY DARK in the country here. There are no country light posts and the homes are few and far between. However, they have the most amazing guard rails where needed. Believe me when I say they glow in the dark! They glow in the dark BRIGHTLY and can be seen only when your headlights shine on them. I couldn’t figure out how they worked. Were they actually small lights? Reflective tape? I slowed down and pulled over to take a closer look. Reflective tape!!!!!! It is truly amazing. This stuff should be slapped on your child at night! I kept thinking how very dark it was with no lights. Is this the dirt road where I turn left? It crossed my mind, “Is this where flying saucers land and abduct you”? Just as I was getting a little nervous I would see the reflectors. “Hmm…… This would make an excellent landing area for those space ships and here is the way!” I pointed out markers to help me remember where to make critical turns on the way home when it would be REALLY DARK! Turn left at that thingy that looks like a white cross swooping in the woods, turn right at the thing on the fence that looks like a scarecrow, turn left at that sweet woman’ s house (that I know must live in that one house) that has it’s porch light on. We made it into Frelighsburg as the mist and light rain set in. Now where was the parking lot? I didn’t see one and there was no parking in front of the restaurant with the “Ouvre” flag blowing in the breeze. Hmm. I pulled into a tiny shopping area parking lot to a few blocks away to sleuth. I waited. Surely, there would be others going in the restaurant? I had time to wait. Finally, a car rolled slowly down the street and pulled between two buildings across the street from Lyvano. I watched as several people walked to the restaurant from those buildings and then drove my car to the buildings as well. There was no parking there unless you wanted to park in someone’s driveway. I went back to the grocery parking lot, parked and got out. As we walked to the restaurant I heard the rushing of water and noticed there was a roaring river or stream on the backside of the restaurant where tables with umbrellas were set up. How beautiful this setting would be on a clear night! Tonight was a Halloween night, misty, windy and spooky. We entered the tiny restaurant decorated as a Paris bistro, including a twisted tree vine intertwined with soft white twinkle lights on the ceiling.

Inside Lyvano

After the waiter helped us interpret the menu we were delighted to eat one the best meals I have ever eaten.

Filet et legumes

After that we had to try the desert.

Le dessert

We enjoyed talking with the waiter, and talking to Elizabeth, the twenty something chef, who is also the owner of this superb restaurant. Completely satisfied we ventured out into the night to make our way down the twisted country roads between forests and cornfields. Following my girl-map markers we found Le Pleasant again and took the staircase to our warm comfy beds. In the morning we were again greeted by Bertin and Micheal at breakfast, served in their lovely restaurant on the first floor of the hotel.

The Restaurant at Le Pleasant

Breakfast at its Best!

The food was delicious, but it was time to say goodbye for this year to our good friends in Sutton. We travel north to Quebec City on some roads with fields marked with Celtic rock mounds!

The Road to Quebec City!

For details about Le Pleasant Hotel, 1 rue Pleasant, Sutton, Quebec, Canada see: http://www.lepleasant.com

For the best shopping in Sutton see: Ou Couer des Soisons, 4 rue Maple, Sutton, Canada

For an incredible meal see Lyvano Restaurant, 4 rue Principale, Freilighsburg,Canada and Le Cafetier is the best cafe in Sutton, found on the main street, Sutton, Canada.

Cinnamon, Apple Cider and Cloves! Oh My!

Soup and Sandwich at King Arthur’s Bakery

Bonjour! I have returned from a wonderful vacation in Quebec Canada! It is always so beautiful there at this time of year and the Quebecois go all out to make sure everything is decked out for their Thanksgiving on the first Monday in October. My first stop was Burlington, Vermont where I flew into on a bright sunny day and then drove on to White River Junction, where I stayed overnight so that I might visit King Arthur Flour Bakery, Store and Cafe in Norwich, Vermont, before heading into Canada. I am a big fan of King Arthur products and was not disappointed with their new facilities for a baking school, cafe and shopping. King Arthur’s Bakery Cafe was packed on Sunday afternoon!

King Arthur Bakery Cafe

I wish my blog post could have one of those scratch and smell labels on it! Can you smell the pumpkin spice scones, cheddar and herb biscuits, and caramel apple cinnamon buns? I liked it when I received my receipt for my food and it showed all the ingredients of the sandwich and soup and who had made it. We were seated in a large room where the guests could leisurely eat and relax, while some drank coffee and read the newspaper or worked at their computers. Next, I spent a long while looking over all the aisles of cooking goodies in the shopping area. I could spend hours, and usually do, in any kind of cookware or kitchen shop.

The Bakery Store

It was interesting to see the displays of the items I order online along with new items just released in time for the upcoming holidays. Heaven! A new product I had not seen before and proved to very popular at King Arthur’s and later in Sutton and Quebec Canada as well, were the Sunflower lids in the US and the Lily Pads in Canada.

The Sunflower Lid

The Lily Pad Lid

They are silicone lids that seal tight on all smooth rims, stainless steel, glass, plastic and melamine. They stay air tight to prevent spills in the refrigerator (no more looking for the right lid or stretching the plastic wrap) to preserve your food. Use in to the microwave (no paper towel to cover that food) and oven to seal for reheating or baking. Saves on plastic wrap, can be reused forever and they come in all sizes! They are good up to 428 degrees, or -40 degrees, oven, microwave and dishwasher safe! I bought two sunflowers at King Arthur, two different sizes of Lily Pads in my favorite shop in Sutton and three more in my favorite cooking shop in Quebec City. The Bakery and Store is located in a valley and as evening came upon us the clouds drifted down to create a Halloween atmosphere as we headed back to White River Junction for the evening.

Decked Out for Fall

King Arthur Bakery and Store

EEK!

On to Canada!

Follow the road as we head into Canada! The scenery is gorgeous!

For more information on the best baking products in the world see:

King Arthur Flour and the Bakers Catalog, or http://www.kingarthurflour.com for products, recipes, videos and more!

or visit their Baker’s Store at 135 Route 5, South Norwich, Vermont, 05055

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Travel, Gardens, Food, Photography, Books, Shoes

Posts by CadyLuck Leedy

Walking to Notre Dame: The Three Bears

The Marais

It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane, It’s a Flying Hotel!!!!!

Paris for Christmas

Joan of Arc Park, Quebec City

It’s October! City Hall Decorations in Quebec City, It Doesn’t Get Any Better Than This!

Oh Canada!!

The Most European City in North America!

Sutton Re-Visited

Cinnamon, Apple Cider and Cloves! Oh My!

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