#explore edmonton

Edmonton Tourist: Vacation Plans

I lost my glass of water and spent about thirty minutes looking for it. You know where it was? Sitting in the water dispenser waiting for me. It was full. I don’t remember filling it. The phone rang this morning and it was my colleague. He needed a report I was supposed to run. I thought I had run it and I looked in the file – nope. There was no record of downloading it either. Sent it to him…

Edmonton Tourist: University of Alberta

It is the time of year when students are heading back to school and participating in a once in a lifetime pandemic. Life is strange and unfamiliar right now. Both my adult children are attending classes but not at their campus of choice. They are attending classes via Teams, Zoom and eClass. This is how I finished my degree, so I know a little bit about what they are going through. It is hard to…

I had a medical appointment early in the day that required the hubs to drive and chauffeur me around. After I finished I suggested we head to a winter patio because it was only -14C and was warming up! He is always game for any of my hair-brained schemes so he obliged.

We arrived just after 11:00 am and the thermometer had risen to -10C, perfect for a fire but when we looked at the patio it was empty. He asked me if I still wanted to go or did I want to try Little Brick? I had not had coffee yet and I said, let’s get some coffee and maybe a bite to eat.

We walked into a jam-packed house of people speaking French and eating brunch. Café Bicyclette is located in Edmonton’s French Quarter and as French as the hubs is, I speak more of the language than he does and my French is limited to cereal box and hockey French.

He looked at the menu and said I think the Pain Perdu French Toast -I agreed as I usually do. Rarely we have different things and I suppose that is what happens to couples to live together for a quarter-century, you kind of morph into the same being with the same likes. Their coffee is some of the best in the city but I noticed they get it from Ace, a local coffee roaster. I really need to get there and have it live and in person. (Hey Dad…we need to have a date!)

We placed our order at the counter and they gave us a number so they could bring our meal out to us. I asked them what are the parameters for the patio to be open because I always seem to miss it. Francois replied, oh, I can open it up for you! So he went in the back and send out someone else to start the fire and get the sofa cushions for us. We stood at the high bar while we waited. Our coffee arrived and I sipped and watched.

When the cushions were out, we grabbed a few wool blankets from the box at the door and joined the fellow outside. The woodsmoke was lovely. I am not a rookie to outdoor winter fires. Insulation is the key. Place a blanket under your bottom, one behind your back and neck and one over your legs. We stayed there until close to 1:00 p.m.

I drank my coffee and the french toast arrived. I cut it all at once like I am 3 so I wouldn’t have to fuss on my lap, springing my dinner all over the floor. I love eating here. There is a lot of traditional French Candian fare, their poutine is some of the best in the city. I have had crepes and croissants but this french toast was likely the best thing I have ever eaten here. If I could only eat one thing for the rest of my life, this would be it. Event the watermelon mint salad was over the top delicious.

The patio is charming with old wooden windows defining the space. We sat alone by the fire until the end when a gal and her dog stopped to enjoy the fire. You could see the remnants of the Flying Canoe Festival, (the ice slide and ice sculptures on the outdoor bar.).  I was content to stay longer but the hubs was cold. He caught a chill and became hypothermic…. reluctantly I agreed to go.

I was so pleased to know the staff was happy to open the patio just by asking. I will make sure I ask the next time it appears closed. I think I will make my way to the Little Brick next and invite a friend who just celebrated her 50th birthday. She seems the type who likes to sit outside and enjoy a fire.

There is a website that lists local winter patios. Check out Winter City Edmonton for all the info. Here is what I found. Maybe I will explore more patios before spring comes.

Winter Patio Locations

Café Bicyclette / 8627 Rue Marie Anne Gaboury (91) Street

Cask & Barrel / 10041 – 104 Street

Little Brick Café & General Store / 10004 – 90 Street

Rocky Mountain Ice House / 10516 Jasper Avenue

Sandwich & Sons / Edmonton Valley Zoo

Say Uncle / 10184 – 104 Street

The Billiard Club / 10505 Whyte (82) Avenue

Urban Green Café / Louise McKinney Park

Get out and explore people!

Fast forward to today, Biera is still going strong, Acme Meats had people lined up, Transcend coffee roasters were packed and the new kid on the block was all white and shiny and pretty.

Little Duchess has now opened on the south side.

Little Duchess isn’t as large as the location on 124 street, but it had all the things I look for in a great patissier, croissants, macarons, cookies and scones. They don’t bake onsite – but neither does its larger sister. Everything is baked offsite at their kitchen in the garment district so everything is EXACTLY THE SAME. They even have a small Provisions section, just like the other location.

The hubs ordered a pain au chocolat and I had a raspberry white chocolate scone. We walked over to Transcend and decided against their amazing coffee because I already had a pot that morning, and we both ordered hot chocolate.

If you didn’t know, Transcend is some of the best coffee in the city – likely because they are roasters. Fresh roasted locally is the next level in coffee. It is so good, but so is their hot chocolate. It is not overly sweet and they mix it by hand.

They even place their signature leaf on top.

Paired with the scone, I was in heaven.

The hubs had demolished his croissant before I could grab a pic.

Acme meats were thriving and one day I think I will stop and bring something marvellous home. We joked about them only selling Road Runner.

After our treats, we walked around the neighbourhood to see what was around. Did you know that Doughnut Party just opened a second location here? Perfect for us south siders. We each picked up a doughnut for home. It was a decadent day.

Raspberry Earl Grey for me and Double Chocolate Brownie for the hubs.

Before we hopped back into the car, I noticed Kind Ice Cream – I wasn’t really sure where it was but now I know how close it is to home! I will be back for SURE.

This is exactly what this neighbourhood needed. I wish I was so lucky to live here.

What interesting places are near you? Get out and explore your city!

This place is probably the busiest of all the valley parks. It hosts festivals, races and large enough to always find a picnic spot in the summer. As a kid, we used to picnic here on a Sunday afternoon with every other Edmontontonian. Then we stopped. The World Triathlon Games are held here, I come for the Freewill Shakespear Festival every summer and I walk through this park to get to somewhere else. My health is back on track and I am working towards longer distances again. Not running, but definitely walking longer distances. This place made sense to come to because two loops = 5km. Plus the added benefit of plowed roads. The paths are packed and easily traversed.

Cap and I parked in the southwest corner of the park and picked up the trail along the river. It was later in the day and the sun was low in the sky. To be fair, this is Edmonton in January, the sun is always low in the sky.

The trail quickly entered the woods.

  We saw lots of cross country skiers and runners along this path, with a few dogs and their humans. This trail leads towards the off-leash that runs along the North Saskatchewan River all the way to Keilor Lookout. We were not going that far.

When we made it as far as the bridge, we crossed over to check out the views. The bridge was pack with more dogs and their humans coming from the Buena Vista Dog Park over by the Valley Zoo. We didn’t go that far either. Just to the end of the bridge and back.

After our return trip, we walked towards the park centre. Did you know there is a skating rink on the lawn not just the pond? I had no idea! This is particularly good because the pond was not ready for people yet. Too risky.

The best rink, in my opinion, is over at Victoria Park, especially at night with the pathways lit up with Dylan Toymakers’ beautiful lanterns. But, this place has ample parking and is lit at night too. Just not with the special lanterns.

We headed towards the north end of the park and past by the playground and many picnic sites that sat empty today. That also surprised me. Lots of people come for a fire and a chance to roast a hot dog or marshmallow. We kept moving forward and walked along the Ice Castle. I went once but don’t feel the need to go again. It is very beautiful at night but this attraction is pricey. Plus I have issues with the amount of water it uses. However, it is pretty.

  WE walked along the north end of the pond where the triathlon athletes enter the water. It looks different without all the geese on the lawn.

You can see the amphitheatre in the back and to the left. The new Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues is building something back there to commemorate 100 years in Edmonton. Construction had begun.

Cap and I passed some incredibly large trees on our walk. I have looked at these trees for so many years, they always seemed the same, but today, they were huge. I couldn’t put my arms around this guy.

We jumped back onto the path and passed copious amounts of feeds for both squirrels and birds.

Soon we were back at my car with the sun lighting up the downtown.

People don’t think of winter as a time to be active outdoors, but in Edmonton, if you only went out in the spring and summer, have your life is gone in a blink. This park is filled with all-season activities.

Get out and enjoy your city people!

This place has everything you expect from a good deli from matzo ball soup to a bagel and lox platter. There is even egg cream on the menu! For Canadian’s who don’t know what that is: an egg cream is essentially a chocolate soda. It is devoid of eggs and cream. But Wikipedia explains the name origins from Stanley Auster, the grandson of the beverage’s alleged inventor, has been quoted as saying that the origins of the name are lost in time. One commonly accepted origin is that egg is a corruption of the German word echt — also found in Yiddish, meaning “genuine” or “real” — and this was a “good cream“. It’s weird and I wanted to try it, but more on that later.

We (the hubs and I) decided to for lunch. Well, he wanted brunch and a benny for some sort and a latte. I took a peek at the on-line menu and landed on a Reuben and an egg cream. We arrived to find this nifty sign.

Yes, please! There was a bit of a line to go to Fox Burger next door and If I learned anything from Seattle with my sister is, always go to the restaurant with the line. So I will head there next time. But it’s not like June’s was empty. We came as several people were leaving so that freed up a table for us.

  The first thing I noticed was the cool back and white tile and vintage tin ceiling. The vibe was fun and definitely a pleasant change from the dark and worn out La Boheme.

We stuck to our game plan and ordered the items that were on the on-line menu. It wasn’t different from what they placed in front of me. The hubs had the Benny and I had the Reuben.

Mine was delish! I loved the pickles and kraut on the side, the corned beef was lean and delicious. The hubs enjoyed his except he said beef bacon is weird. Fair. I didn’t try it.

Now, normally I enjoy a coffee or a latte. I did neither. I had a chocolate egg cream. My mom warned against them. She had one in New York City and said it tasted like water-downed chocolate milk. Well, that is exactly what it is. Except I loved it. There was a texture from the seltzer water. Seltzer is different from club soda. I don’t know what it is or why it’s different but it is and I loved it. I will forever be an egg cream lover.

That is a thing of  beauty/

The hubs’ coffee was delicious, exactly what you expect from Ace Coffee Roasters.

You go to the counter to order and they bring your food out to you or you can go fetch it. either way, it is a lovely relaxed and casual meal and I will be back. In fact, I am bringing my parents when they come home from their European travels. I think my mom will love this place too.

June’s is only open until 4:00 and closed on Mondays.

Get out there and explore your city Edmonton! There are fun and delicious things everywhere.

6427 112 AVE NW | 780-752-5863

TUES-FRI 8AM-4PM | SAT/SUN 9AM-4PM

CLOSED MONDAY | NO RESERVATIONS