Treadwell's

I have just returned from the finest wedding possible in a little stone church on the grounds of Ridley College in St Catherines. The bride was beautiful. The groom was so happy and adorable. The mother of the bride was glowing. Her partner (my brother) was so handsome. The music was divine.

The reception was held in this phenomenal restaurant facing the water in the charming Port Dalhousie. This little town has a buzz. It is small but has quaint shops and little bistros. The street was alive and had a positive energy. It is so close to Niagara On The Lake. I had no idea that such perfection of food was available in this area. The ambiance is charming. The service was beyond excellent.

I would not have thought it possible to serve 100 people such picture perfect, fantastic tasting food. The restaurant advertises a farm to table philosophy. On the back of the Brunch Menu a list of suppliers is presented. I found it fascinating. Many of the ingredients come from the neighboring area. For example, the Persall Natural’s Ltd of Jordan provides the 100 % cold pressed canola and soy bean oil. Whitty Farms provides some of the most delicious fruit and vegetables from the family owned farm just 15 minutes from the restaurant. Herbanity is the home for the herbs that are grown in this area.

The appetizers were plentiful and very delicious. They were passed around during cocktail hour by a very efficient, warm, young staff. We were all in anticipation of the meal ahead as we proceeded to the beautifully decorated tables with individual little boxes of chocolates. All the tables faced out to the water.

The first course was Roasted Beet Salad with a Goat Cheese Tartlet. It looked too good to eat. After the first bite there was no stopping.

A second course of Seared Lake Erie Pickerel was beautifully presented on individual large white platters. The servers explained all the ingredients and were so attentive throughout the whole evening.

The main course was a slow cooked (13 hours) Beef Ribs with leeks and fresh vegetables.

We were all full at this stage but the dessert was the ‘piece de resistance’. Sticky Pudding was served in ball form on a large platter with a caramel cream sauce. Ice cream topped the creation. I have no problem stating that this was the best dessert that I have ever experienced.

As we were leaving the magnificent wedding cake of a Gateau St Honore was served. Can you believe it?

I checked out the menus to see what is available on a regular service. Sunday Brunch will get me a return visit to this happy spot. The menu is extensive and provides a variety of choices.

A Free Range Egg Omelette with ‘Frankies Asparagus’ is served with a simple salad.($12.00) Citrus Smoked Lake Trout on toasted brioche is served with goat cheese and sauce Gribiche.($16.00)

At dinner you can order from the extensive menu or opt for a Tasting Menu. 3 courses are available for $56.00. A Vegetarian Menu is provided at $45.00 A 6 course menu is $80.00 0 or $130.00 with wine. I should add that wines of the area were served and we were thrilled with fine quality and taste.

Treadwell’s is an adventure in the finest dining.

Prairie Ink

Have you seen the new Don Mills Plaza? We felt as if we were in an American city in a posh shopping area. This is unlike any other shopping area in Toronto. All the shops are entered from outdoor. There is no high rise. The shops are designed in elegant fine lines on a series of streets that encircles the area. The quality of the merchandise is definitely up scale. There is some underground parking. Most of the cars park on the street in front of the shops. How nice that there are no meters or charges for parking. The whole area feels like a small village. It is great fun to walk from shop to shop. The centre area features the Clock Tower. Benches and a green area make it pleasant to sit and relax surrounded by these fantastic shops. Some shops are imported directly from the states and are new here in Toronto. The large book shop owned by McNally Robinson is the home for this wonderful restaurant. McNally Robinson has other book stores in Winnipeg, Saskatoon and New York. What a fantastic book store! Author events featuring local and international writers are common practice. Every Friday and Saturday evening you can enjoy free live entertainment.

The restaurant is on the second floor of the book store. Local produce and ingredients are used whenever possible. All breads and baking are done on the premises. I was delighted to hear that recycling is most important. What can’t be re-cycled is composted.

No wonder the place was crowded at lunch time during the week. The wooden floors, tables and chairs are inviting. One wall is covered completely with windows so you can watch all the action taking place outside.

Our server, Michelle, was excellent. She kept returning to see if everything was to our satisfaction. She was charming, efficient and very friendly.

My sister, cousin Helen and I had a delightful afternoon in spite of the cold winds outdoors. We had heard that the Crab Cakes are excellent. They are seasoned with ginger, lemon grass and lime leaves, served with lime aioli.($12.00) Sweet Potato Perogies are filled with sweet potato and a mixture of smoked and aged cheddar cheese.($11.00) Macaroni and Cheese is always a good bet for a satisfying lunch. It is home made with aged and smoked cheddar cheese and served with mixed greens.($10.00)

All sandwiches are served with choice of sweet potato fries, salad or a cup of soup. Helen ordered a Caesar Wrap with Chicken. She chose the Red Pepper Soup. It was a generous portion and thoroughly enjoyed.

My sister ordered the same wrap but with the sweet potato fries. Delicious!

I opted for the Roasted Beet and Goat cheese Salad. A mixture of Ontario beets and fresh goat cheese, toasted walnuts, oranges and mixed greens were lightly mixed with shallot vinaigrette.($10.00) This was a wonderful combination of the finest fresh ingredients. I considered the Warm Asparagus Salad served with roasted red peppers, proscuitto, toast and a balsamic reduction.($9.00)

Two pages of tantalizing desserts are tempting. They are all made on the premises Come for a full meal or afternoon coffee with a sweet. You will feel very welcome. This new restaurant in town has become a hub to meet friends and have satisfying dining in fine style.

We had a great family visit and vowed to come back again for more shopping and another satisfying dining experience.

Up

This is a very creative brilliant film. When I first heard about this animated film I was thinking of a story for children. I recommend this picture for anyone from 5 years old and up. Truthfully the story makes more sense for a mature person. .The story is clever and the creative execution of the animation is such fun and so entertaining.

Mr. Carl Fredrickson is an older retired balloon salesman. living alone in his little house with the beautiful memories of his lovely wife Ellie. They had always promised each other that they would save their money in order to make a wonderful adventurous journey to South America.

Ellie became ill and died. Poor Mr. Fredickson only had his wonderful memories of a great relationship. Construction was taking place all around his house and he became totally isolated in every way. I read that the caricature of Mr. Fredrickson was based loosely on Spencer Tracy. The voice is by Ed Asner. He is the most delightful character. I mentioned that this film can be enjoyed by retired folk. When poor Mr. Erickson gets out of bed in the morning and tries to straighten up I could relate. He sits in his comfortable chair and lets out a sigh.

A knock at the door introduces us to the cutest character, Russell. He is a scout looking to get a badge for helping an elderly citizen. At first Mr. Frederickson is rude and nasty to poor Russell. He doesn’t want anything to do with him. Russell looks like a butterball all decorated with his numerous scout badges.

The excitement begins when the house takes off with a multitude of balloons pulling it up into the sky. A knock at the door and we find the delightful faced Russell hanging on for dear life and wanting to come in.

The film tells the adventures of Russell and Mr. Erickson as they soar in the sky inside the little house. They face a series of problems and disasters. A wild scientist, a giant bird and a delightful dog are all part of the series of events faced by the characters.

A young child might be frightened by some of the scenes. At today’s showing there was a lot of laughter from a few children and several adults.

We all have dreams and often they are not realized. Mr. Erickson waited a long time and finally was able to have the adventure of his life. He changed from a lonely angry man into a kind person. He was sorry that he didn’t have the chance to travel with his dear Ellie but promised her he would take the trip they had always imagined.

The adventures are all wild and wonderful. The animation is the most creative I have ever seen. It is a fun story. I laughed and I shed tears.

This is a must for persons of all ages. I think it would be fun to see the film with a child so that you could discuss it from different points of view.

Bar Mercurio

Elaine and I had just seen a terrible film. We needed to discuss why we thought it was so bad. Elaine suggested a short walk to this favorite fine dining spot in the neighborhood. It was early yet the restaurant was almost filled. By the time we left it was packed. This is a family run business and it shows. Both L’Espresso (across the road) and Bar Mercurio are owned by the family. Mother still makes the bread and let me tell you it is delicious. The white bean paste, a glass of wine and that delicious bread would make a fine dinner for me anytime. Theresa, the daughter, is mainly at L’Espresso and I greatly admire the friendly efficient way she manages that restaurant. Brother Joe and other family members are always in touch with the guests and make sure all is done to perfection.

At lunch there is always lovely jazz music playing in the background. You order your food at the counter and you are called when it has been prepared. The food is so fresh and tasty and absolutely authentic Italian.

In the evening candle light and full table service makes this a delightful place to dine. Do make a reservation because this is one hot spot.

Everybody is greeted as if they are family members. These servers are extremely attentive and good. I have always felt that the food was superior, fresh and beautifully presented.

Insalata Mercurio offers mesclun, apple, parmeggiano chards, sautéed mushrooms, with a house vinaigrette.($10.00) Carpaccio Di Tonno is so delicious with tuna carpaccio served on a dollop of salsa verde layered on a bed of shredded mango.($14.00) Calamari Al Ferri are Cajun-spiced calamari served on a mango salad.($11.00) Antipasto di Beets is so delicious. I have enjoyed this salad with beet wedges, pine nut sprinkle and gorgonzola cheese.($12.00)

On this visit I had the need for a pasta fix. I was not disappointed with my Linguine Al Frutti Di Mare. The linguine was perfectly al dente. The sea food was plentiful and very tasty. The Al Pomodoro Sauce was so tasty and fully flavored.($25.00) Elaine also enjoyed her Orecchietti Della Casa cooked with rapini, white Tuscan beans and aglio e Olio.($18.00)

The pizzas are large and delicious. I used to meet my grandson here for lunch every Wednesday when he was going to school across the road. Each week Alex would order the Pizza Margarita.($11.00) The Pizza Gorgonzola tops the delicious crust with gorgonzola cheese, mozzarella, caramelized onions, walnuts and apple.($16.00) Pizza Yuppie features toppings of pomodoro, mozzarella, in house smoked salmon and sun-dried tomatoes and chevre.($17.00)

If you prefer a full entrée you might want to try the Bistecca. USDA Prime tenderloin steak is served with in- house frittes and seasonal vegetables.($49.00) Cappone Arrostito offers roasted crispy and honey glazed capon, house frittes, chipotle aioli and seasonal vegetables.($26.00)

Check the pastries in the counter as you enter. You may be tempted to save some room for these tasty desserts.

I love this restaurant. I have always had superb food, beautifully plated and served in a warm atmosphere. I salute this family for running an outstanding restaurant. I will keep going back.Elaine and I had a wonderful evening in spite of the terrible movie and the downpour of rain as we left the restaurant.

Easy Virtue

I have been following the promos for this Noel Coward story and frankly I couldn’t wait for it to open. What a disappointment! Worse than that. It was terrible. I usually love period pieces. I love to view the old English mansions with the vast grounds. The clothes and the large extravagant rooms are fascinating. Noel Coward was a good author. So what went wrong? My friend Elaine and I disliked it from the very beginning. I had to step on her foot to keep her from leaving. She wanted out. We had quite a laugh when we left the theatre and two lovely senior ladies said,” Wasn’t that marvelous?” We spared them our views and just smiled. In spite of it being so bad we did spend the next few hours over dinner discussing the film and trying to understand why we didn’t like it.

The film was meant to be a farce and therefore it should have been funny. I just felt the characters were foolish and their portrayal became boring. I blame the director. There were several silly scenes. We did get a laugh when two of the characters were dancing the Can Can at a big party and it was revealed one dancer was not wearing underpants.

John is the son of a family living in a grand manse in the English countryside. John has just married the beautiful American widow. John is bringing her home to meet the family. She is totally different from the English in-laws. She is a racing car driver and a free thinker. She believes in talking with the kitchen help and smoking. This beautiful, well dressed free spirited lady just didn’t fit in. The only good part of the film was appreciating her magnificent body in those great clothes.

The mother was stodgy and snooty and always sticking to her English traditions. She is in an unhappy marriage. Her quite handsome husband came home from the war and just didn’t relate anymore to the silly way of life. He was happiest in his garage working on his motorcycle. Both daughters are pathetic.

The new bride doesn’t fit in at all. She does relate to her father-in-law because he understands her and accepts her for being different and fresh.

The bride just wants to leave this unhappy house. She wants to go to live in London. John is weak and takes his responsibility of looking after his mother and the house as his first priority.

In a good farce the comings and goings mock the mores and the events taking place. This film tries to do this but misses the boat.

It is not a musical but from time to time a few lines of a song are sung. The story tries to portray the English standards of the day and show how difficult it was for an American girl to come and try and fit in with this society. We also learn that the family is in debt and will have to sell off some of the land. In these times of recession I could certainly relate to the economic problems.

Maybe the acting was overdone. I still think the story line could have been fun and interesting.

There are many films that are much better. Why waste your time?

The Chef's House... again

The minute I approach this favorite spot I feel good. It is worth going to appreciate the fine décor. Both indoors and outside the designers have crafted an elegant, modern but warm ambiance. The subtle use of color is so creative. I love the monitors on view to watch the chefs preparing the great food. This is a school for Culinary Arts and a School of Hospitality.

Keep in mind that your servers are students and in fact your visit is part of their classroom work. I always like to congratulate a server for a job well done. Tanika was our server today and also on my last visit. I couldn’t believe it was only her third classroom meeting with actual diners. Her smile would warm any room. She is so efficient and willing to help. This young lady has a future in hospitality.

The food preparation is all supervised so that the student chefs get a lot of practice under professional care. The food is outstanding. There are several options in each category. The price depends on the number of courses not the choices on the menu.

For lunch, 2 courses are $18.00. 3 courses are $22.00. 4 courses including a cheese plate are $25.00. Dinner is slightly more expensive. Wine and cocktails are extremely reasonable because this is a hospitality school and also a culinary arts program.

By the way you definitely need a reservation. On several occasions the restaurant was fully booked when I tried to get a reservation. I noted that this week the restaurant is featuring a Viva Italia evening. Chef Marco Soldat from Italy will be working with the s students. The price of $125.00 is high but you are guarant4eed 5 courses of gourmet food. It is totally booked and I am sorry. I will definitely try another special evening if I hear about it in time.

On this occasion I was treating my dear friend G.R. She needed a hug and I wanted to see her before her upcoming trip to Europe for a friends wedding.

I started with the House Cured Salmon Gravlox served with fennel slaw and honey mustard sauce. I have it on several past occasions. The presentation is artful and the taste is majestic. On my previous visit I chose the Asparagus, Quinoa Tomato Cucumber Salad with guacamole. Delicious! The only appetizer I have yet to try is the Arugula and Chicory Salad with walnuts, goat cheese and herb vinaigrette. G.R. enjoyed her Parsley Frittata with Garlic Sautéed Shrimps and tossed greens. I had enjoyed this dish on my last visit. It is wondrous.

We shared a Rhubarb Ginger Crumble with house-made-ice cream of the day.

I know I will be back. I hope it is soon. What could be better than excellent company and divine food? YUMMERS!

Mothers and Daughters

This interesting mock documentary is playing at the Royal Cinema. I love this little down town theatre. It is nicely re-furbished and very comfortable. They always show top art films. The problem is that the cinema is not open in the daytime during the week. That means the only chance you have to see the excellent films is at night or once over the weekend. The films do not play continuously as in other theatres.

I must confess that I thought this was a documentary. It is not a great film but the subject matter was very gripping. Every mother and daughter will relate to some of the issues and at best will examine one’s own relationship with a daughter or mother.

Throughout the film we follow the story of three mothers and two of the daughters. Some of the lives are interconnected. The film does bounce back and forth telling us incidents of a mother or daughter. Sometimes we see the mother and daughter in conflict during communication. The jumping around and flitting from one story to another could be unsettling for many.

Mickie is a successful writer. She thrives on her fame and is totally self absorbed. She is artistic in her dress and life style. She goes to an anti-aging clinic. She has a party to celebrate her latest book. I found it interesting that all her guests were men. The men did nothing but argue and in my opinion the dinner was a disaster. Her daughter was also an interesting study. She was also a writer. I found her very attractive but her makeup was always heavy and extreme. She claimed that she was very close to her mother but they did nothing but fight. In one argument she slaps her mother across the face. Mickie did not approve of her boyfriend. On this fact I could agree with the mother. When Mickie kicked her daughter out of the house she went to her boyfriend’s house. We meet a young man completely absorbed in his sports on TV and sloppily eating a pizza. He didn’t actively hear anything his girlfriend said to him. Probably many can elate to this character.

For some reason my heart went out to Brenda. She was a middle aged rather frumpy housewife. She appears to be stressed and nervous. She discovers that her husband has a new lady and in fact a baby. The daughter is a psychotherapist who excessively works out at the gym. She is supportive of her mother. Brenda is also having economic problems and doesn’t know how to solve the situation.

Celine is a touching character. She paints houses. During one job she discovers that the young single homeowner is pregnant. Celine offers her empathy and counseling. I found her to be very touching. Because of her own past experience Celine was able to relate to the problems of this young woman.

At one point one of the characters states, “I would say to daughters to forgive your mothers because they didn’t know what they were getting into.” I couldn’t help but wonder what my own daughter would have to say if interviewed and how I would come across as a mother. If nothing else it made me think. I could relate to many of the problems faced by the mothers and daughters even if their life story was not my own. I found it very interesting.