Bon Voyage – Page 5 – LuceStellare

Destination St. Lawrence Market Toronto

The St Lawrence Market on the corner of Front Street East and Jarvis in downtown Toronto is a must stop for foodies. Whatever the weather is outside, it’s warm and wonderful in the old building. A public market has been on this spot since 1803 with farmers and vendors bringing in the freshest foods and products for sale.

There are cheese purveyors with hard and soft varieties. The French counter features Camembert, Brie de Meaux, Roquefort, Reblochon , Muenster, Pont l’Évêque, and Époisses. There are wheels of Swiss Formaggini, Appenzeller, Scharfe Maxx, Emmentaler and Sbrinz. And, many more from England and Italy.

Vendors offer produce from all over Canada and USA. How beautiful to walk down the aisles with mountains of fresh table ready fruit and vegetables. The fragrance of fresh berries, citrus and mushroom opens the senses. The day may be blustery and cold outside, but the chocolate dipped strawberries will soon chase away the blues.

The people of Toronto seem to be especially keen on olives. The fragrance of many varieties scented the air. There were three large olive bars with sampling encouraged. Alongside were luscious mounds of stuffed grape leaves and prosciutto wrapped around soft cheeses.

The meats and fish markets are well stocked offering so many choices for dinner. A taste for the exotic? No problem. One vendor offered packaged wild boar, kangaroo, ostrich and other game meats from Australia. How inspiring to the weekend chef. Imagine having this lovely market to walk into on Saturday afternoons, strolling around the aisles, really perks up the possibilities. Need a gadget? Not to worry, if there’s a tool for cooking, that could be found too.

The breads are fresh from the oven. Take home what you like be it brioche, boules, challah, focaccia or chapati. It’s also convenient to buy fresh roast chicken, pizza, or the local favorite, a pea meal bacon sandwich! Everything is market ready. Nothing sits around here very long.

Of course, be sure to go downstairs and feast the eyes and palate with the beautiful pastry display. Try the rumble crumble tart, I highly recommend this lovely treat. Stop at the Ukraine market in the back. Look at the vendor offering so many varieties of fresh ground flour! All the choices in coffee and tea.

Stop in Inti Taita Impressions and meet Silvia. She sells the loveliest garments from Peru. The fabrics are 100% organic pima cotton and baby alpaca. Gorgeous dresses, shirts, and scarfs for women and children.

There is so much to see and enjoy with musicians entertaining the crowd from every corner. The market is open Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Stop in and plan to stay for several hours. It’s unique and a lot of fun.

Destination Allan Gardens Toronto

While visiting the northern city of Toronto, take a break from all that glass and steel to visit the Allan Gardens. The conservatory is a delightful refuge from the hustle of busy streets. There are five greenhouses including a palm and cacti house.

The tropical house includes a turtle and koi pond. A paddle wheel gently stirs the water making a sweet splashing sound. Enjoy bromeliads and orchids, shrimp plants and ficus vines.

The second house has a delightful pair of topiary bunnies. They spend their days gazing at Leda and the Swan sculpture in the shallow pond. The house is filled with cineraria, primula, seasonal hyacinth and jonquils.

Stroll along the pathways and enjoy this garden under glass. Admission is free!

Hours are Daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

On Jarvis Street, Toronto Canada

Destination Sicily ~ Magnolia Grove at Ortygia

Sicily is a fascinating vacation destination. Lovers of Greek mythology will be dazzled ancient temples all around the island. The people who had these structures built, mostly by forced labor, valued and honored a wide pantheon of gods and goddesses. Some of the sites command a spectacular view of the Mediterranean Sea.

On the Eastern side of Sicily is the island of Ortygia just a short walk from Siracusa. This old city dates back to 734 BC and is perhaps one of the most sacred places for the student of mythology or a modern pagan to plan a visit. There is so much to see here. One park not to miss is the grove of magnolia’s. This spot is located at the far end of the island to the right of Arethuse Fountain. On a hot day, wander into this oasis of green and be amazed.

These magnolia’s are enormous. This may be their ideal environment as the trees are so wide around the base it might take ten people holding hands to circle the trunk. How cool and peaceful this shady grove is on a warm sunny day. There are perhaps nine trees. This number would be sacred to the Goddess Artemis who watches over this place. Indeed, this is her and twin brother Apollo’s birthplace. Their mother Leto, goddess of the night, was transformed into a quail and came to this island to give birth. She was in labor nine days and nights. The Greek name for Ortygia is Ortyx which means quail.

The magnolia in bloom are exquisite fragrant flowers that resemble tulips. They are pure manna on earth. A fantastic idea would be to plan a visit when these trees blossom. As with many places in Sicily, the visitor will believe they are touching a bit of heaven on earth. Visit Ortygia! Honor Artemis and be reborn.

#sicily #ortygia