Category Archives: Travel

Where are Ginger and Nutmeg

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Where is Nutmeg?

She is very busy, Ginger is just about finished his time away from home, so Nutmeg has been preparing his “To Do” list.  Besides that, she has been working with a team to improve your reading experience and enjoyment.  Very soon you can expect a great new look, a printable recipe format and improved search capability.  You can still expect the ongoing restaurant reviews, recipes and fun travel stuff.  In addition, to all that Nutmeg is working on a Market Series for the summer and starting a series called the France Chronicles.

Ginger will be completing his To Do List.  😉

Thanks for the continued support and stay tuned.

Hot World Cup Fever and Cool Green Buildings

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Finally!!! The NHL hockey season is over in JUNE!  Nutmeg is a fan a couple times a year, if the Calgary Flames ever show any spark and when the Montreal Canadiens make a play for the cup, like they did this year.  So hockey is done for at least 2 months and the greasy, long-haired, unshaven players can work on their golf games.

So what is a sports fan to do?  Turn up the South African heat and watch the FIFA World Cup Soccer 2010.  FIFA = Federation Internationale de Football Association (Nutmeg did not know).  For the next 30 days, 32 teams will battle it out for the title.  Ladies: these guys are athletes, fit, hot and worth watching.  There is tons of cool stuff on the FIFA site so check it out.

However, what Nutmeg really likes is all of the great looking ecofriendly stadiums.  You can read the full article and see the photos in Inhabitat.

So what could be better Hot World Cup fever and really Cool sustainable green stadiums?

Enjoy.

Coffee it’s an art at Caffe Artigiano

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It is not every day that Starbucks gets run out of town… OK not exactly out of town. Nutmeg is pretty certain that their lease on 3rd Street SW in Calgary was up and it may have been an under-performing location, so they have closed up shop and Subway is going in.  Caffe Artigiano has certainly not missed the competition.  On a recent Wednesday afternoon Nutmeg was a bit early for her meeting with Cilantro, so popped in for a latte. Their signature latte is the Spanish Latte with a touch of condensed milk – heaven in a cup!  At 2:30pm there was barely a seat to be had in the place and a line up at least 20 deep.  These guys have perfected the system, you order and pay as normal at the till and your order comes up on a print out (in order) at the barista end.  Unlike Starbucks: no yelling, no call backs, no cups out of order – do you honestly care what the person ahead of you in line is ordering?

Continue reading →

Kaffa Coffee and Salsa House – It is Quirky

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Some of you may think that Nutmeg is quick to form an opinion and in many cases you might be on the mark.  The truth is the case of Kaffa Coffee and Salsa House in Marda Loop (Calgary SW) she has tried to find the nugget in this place over several visits.  It has certainly been around for a long time, the parking is good and free (you have to pay just down the block), they have a sunny patio and the coffee is hot.  Continue reading →

The Bump and Grind in Palm Desert

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Before you let your mind get too far with that, it is the name of a HIKE!

Nutmeg is terrified of snakes and a good girl scout, so there is no way she is going hiking alone.  The Bump and Grind hike is different, it is like going to the gym outside.  You park in a very urban setting, right behind Target and basically follow the crowd.  It is a very good workout, 2 miles up and about 750 feet of elevation gain.  The path is wide so you can easily pass slower walkers and you can see the snakes if they are on the trail (thankfully none in sight).  Like every hike in the desert make sure to take water, a hat, sunglasses, wear sunscreen and do not wear white shorts (no one should).  Other than a decent workout, the people watching is certainly lots of fun.

Here is Nutmeg’s association of hikers on the trail to the cars parked at the start;

Chevrolet

  • Roadster:  with some new shiny, enhanced parts
  • Ferrari: in a big hurry and strutting their stuff
  • Wide Load:  I am sure you get the picture
  • Rag Top:  some good-looking California men with their tops off
  • Classic: slow and steady every morning
  • Pick-Up:  Well I am sure you can figure that one out

Bottom line – Do the Bump and Grind in Palm Desert – it’s a spectacle and a good work-out.  Drop by the Starbucks on El Paseo after and you have had a really great morning of people watching.

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Sunny Citrus in California

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Nutmeg was curious, in December she and Ginger had fresh squeezed orange juice every morning from the tree outside the door in Palm Desert.  However, in June no decent oranges, lemons or grapefruits for any juice.  The trees are still very healthy and there are signs of fruit to come, although not anytime soon…

So Nutmeg wondered: do the trees only bare fruit once a year? The answer is yes, unfortunately.

Is California really the place for citrus?  The answer is yes although it is not the leader in US production.  The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) publishes monthly results and forecasts by state and by type of produce; oranges “non-Valencia”, oranges “Valencia”, grapefruit, tangerines, tangelos, lemons etc.  Florida by far has the largest production (131 million boxes – forecast for 2010), followed by California (59 million), Texas (1,6 million) and Arizona weighs in with some minor production.  Total US production forecast for 2010 is 192 million boxes. Interesting to note, Brazil is actually the largest producer of orange juice in the world, followed by the USA, then Mexico.  Europe’s overall production has been declining although Spain does produce lots of oranges – hence the names Valencia and Seville.

Although not entirely precise it is widely thought from the research that citrus fruits began to appear in Asia around 4000BC.  The name orange is thought to have derived from Sanskrit.  From Asia the cultivation spread slowly to Africa then to southern Europe.  The Spaniards brought the plants to the Americas.  World trade in orange juice began in the 1940s.

A few more interesting tidbits:

  • Blood Oranges were discovered and cultivated in Sicily in the 15th century
  • The Chinese have the largest world wide production of those fantastic little mandarins
  • The navel orange was a result of a single mutation in the 1820s, at a monastery orchard in Brazil
  • The Spanish Valencia orange was the official mascot (“Naranjito“) of the 1982 FIFA World Cup

Christmas Clemantines

So Nutmeg’s questions are answered and she is having to satisfy her thirst with Tropicana OJ – made from Brazil and US oranges.

Cheers!

Dogs and Vitamins

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Nutmeg and Ginger have two black Labradors.  These ladies have a very good life; they get a few walks a day, lots of food and water, they have a nice backyard to laze around in and they get to swim in the nearby rivers.  In addition to that, they have two great doggie caregivers who pitch in for walks and when Nutmeg runs away from Calgary’s weather.  Nutmeg is away (did I mention the weather?) and she got an email this morning… Jade ate a vitamin is that OK?  Well if you own a Labrador you know the answer – ask Oregano to tell you the story of his dog and the socks one day.  Of course a vitamin is certainly not going to hurt and is 1000 fold better than half the stuff she finds in the park.

That was not enough for Nutmeg though she was curious – would human vitamins actually have any effect on dogs?  Well first of all on a Google search that question surfaces over 4 million results, so the jury is obviously out. Veterinarians are undecided, some think there could be some benefits while others feel there actually could be harmful side effects.  Commercially processed dog food is said to have a complete, balanced nutritional level (unless it comes from a suspect Chinese factory 🙁 ).

The vitamin manufacturers must love this statistic!  It is estimates that nearly one third of pets in the United States receive nutritional supplements.  The largest focus is relief of joint pain and arthritis that is common in older animals.  Other common supplements are fatty acids to improve coat shine and probiotics to reduce digestion issues.  You can read the full article on Wikipedia and surf a few credible sources for review including Vet Info.

So the answer to the question about dogs and vitamins?

Jade will be just fine.

What Nutmeg found more interesting, is the full list of foods that dogs should not eat.  The condensed list is below, with Nutmeg’s comments:

1. Onions (contain the toxic ingredient Thiosulphate also found in garlic) – apparently in can be toxic in one large dose… Note to self: better stop feeding the girls leftovers!
2. Chocolate (contains Theobromine, a compound that is a cardiac stimulant and a diuretic) – Nutmeg had heard that chocolate could be fatal for dogs, although over the years Skoki has eaten (in one sitting) 3 pounds of chocolate almond bark and another family dog ate ALL of the Christmas tree chocolates.  In both cases, they were a bit sluggish (wouldn’t you be) but certainly no terrible side effects
3. Grapes and Raisins (can affect canine’s kidneys)  – I will have to tell the girls as they eye my cheese and grapes every night!
4. Macadamia Nuts (contain an unknown substance that is toxic to dogs)  –  these nuts are really expensive so don’t feed them to your dog
5. Bones (in particular chicken or anything that might splinter)  – I wonder about all the sticks they chew instead 🙁
6. Potato Peelings and Green Potatoes (Contain Oxalates, which can affect the digestive, nervous, and urinary systems) – our dogs are much too picky to eat these anyway they just want the good stuff
7. Yeast Dough (can produce gas and swell in your pet’s stomach)
8. Coffee, Coffee Grounds, Tea, Soft Drinks (are dangerous due to the caffeine)
9. Beer/Wine/Alcohol of any kind (could lead to coma or even death) – or a few quiet hours 🙂
10. Moldy or Spoiled Food (I think this goes without saying.)  – interesting considering the quality of stuff they have found over the years in the park
11. Persimmons (Persimmons can cause intestinal blockage)  – not sure why anyone eats these
12. Raw Eggs and Raw Fish (can cause Salmonella poisoning)
13. Salt, Baking Soda, Baking Powder (In large amounts these can cause an electrolyte imbalance which can lead to muscle spasm or even congestive heart failure)
14. Mushrooms (may contain toxins which could cause liver and kidney damage)  – our dogs love the spring and fall for the array of new wild mushrooms…
15. Avocado (All parts of the avocado and avocado tree are toxic to dogs)  – again way too expensive to feed to your dogs anyway
16. Diary Products (do not usually pose a great danger; although many pets are lactose intolerant) – not ours – just ask Chili he loves feeding the girls pieces of expensive cheddar!

So there you have it the secret to happy, healthy pets?  Everything in moderation and the odd vitamin will not hurt either.

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Bonterra Is it patio weather in Calgary yet?

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Nutmeg has a beef with Calgary’s weather, in a nutshell it sucks.  For many years now she has heard all the noise about “Chinooks”….” shorts weather in February”… “it never lasts”… “you can golf in all four seasons”!!  Bottom line the weather is unpredictable and only “died in the wool” Calgarians like Ginger really embrace the constantly changing environment.  The great thing about Calgary, is when the weather does cooperate and that rare, yet fantastic Summer night appears – a restaurant patio is a must!  There are patios everywhere to try and take advancement of the rare moments.  One of the Calgary gems is the well protected and well heated (over-head heaters and out-door fireplaces) patio at Bonterra Trattoria.

Earlier this week lucky Nutmeg was treated to dinner by CardaMOM and Montreal Steak Spice at Bonterra Trattoria.  It was way too cold for the patio, at barely 8 degrees Celsius, so we huddled in the very warm and cosy wine room.  The restaurant had valiantly set the tables on the patio and it looked lovely, however it was too cold so there were no takers.

Both Nutmeg and CardaMOM tried the mixed greens with poached pear, it was a nice fresh mix, although heavily laced with garlic.  Then we followed with the daily special of roasted Halibut on green beans with almonds and romesco sauce.  It was delicious and beautifully presented.  Montreal Steak Spice had 6 of the tiniest oysters followed by the Caesar salad with chorizo sausage, the presentation was a bit “rustic”.

Bonterra Trattoria continues to deliver on fresh creative food.  Although the main focus is Italian there are obviously influences from Spain with the romesco sauce and chorizo.  So Nutmeg’s word of advise on that one rare perfect Summer evening, rush over to Bonterra Trattoria, take advantage of the great patio and indulge in the fresh creations.  You can also read about it in Fast Forward this week.

Is it patio weather in Calgary yet?

Nutmeg says NO and has retreated to Palm Desert to try and wait it out :-).  Chances are good thought that she will be on the Bonterra Patio for the one night of Summer.

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UNESCO Sites and Fancy Dining in Helsinki

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Hot Sauce a Chili were recently in Estonia (Officially the Republic of Estonia).  Estonia is divided into 15 counties and operates as a democratic parliamentary republic, if you are interested to find out more check out the Wikipedia related information.  With a population of only 1.34 million, Estonia is one of the least-populous members of the European Union.  The country is blessed with a temperate season climate.  Estonia’s language is very close to Finnish. The capital and largest city is Tallinn, with a beautifully preserved old city.  One of UNESCOs World Heritage Sites, is Bergen’s Old Quay.  From Hot Sauce directly, “I have never seen so many church spires!”

Nutmeg was curious, what exactly is UNESCO and how many sites are there?  UNESCO is the acronym for United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.  This is a web site that you could spend days reviewing.  There are currently 890 Properties world wide (689 Cultural, 176 Natural and 25 mixed).  Canada boasts an impressive 15 sites and Alberta has 5 of those.  The process to have a site nominated is not surprisingly very lengthy, there are 10 base criteria and 53 page document describing the process for submission of nominations.  Clearly this is the purview of career diplomats.  There is a very cool interactive map (for big and little kids) that can be found on the UNESCO web site.   Try it out, you can “travel” around the globe and learn all about the very interesting sites.

So here is the concern,  Nutmeg thinks that Hot Sauce and Chili are traveling a bit blind.  They are fully equipped with GPS, iPhones, laptops and iPads, yet they seem never to have heard of Zagat or Michelin food rating guides.  One afternoon in Helsinki, they stumble across a restaurant called Ravintola Nokka, here is the story from Chili:

“We park and walk there to find one of those places that Saffron surely has in her book, and if she does not, she will the next time she visits Helsinki.  First, even though there is but one other patron in the place, the maitre’d is only too delighted to provide us with a table and, shortly, a chef and two sous-chefs appear in the ultra modern kitchen which is glass enclosed from the seating area.  We are provided with menus and starched napkins the size of small blankets.  It turns out that we have arrived at The Place that specializes in the best of Finn cuisine.  Only deals with farmers that live up to it’s norm of organic and ecologic standards, which Nutmeg would think of highly, and gives them a royal stamp of approval.  Anyway, in for a penny in for a pound, we decide to order the five course special menu de degustation.  Hot Sauce has nettle soup, I have something strange that I thought was going to be prawns but looked like a tiny bit of mush with a tiny bit of arugula on top.  Lamb for the main course was fine, but Hot Sauce, having asked for hers to be cooked medium well, resulted in both dishes being pretty much dry.  Then, this was followed by a cheese course and a dessert combination.  The good thing was that I ordered some Chardonnay and a glass of Torres’s ‘Celeste’, both quite outstanding.  The whole thing cost more than our stay at the hotel but, as they say, it was an experience and we laughed a lot.”

So the morale of the story no matter where your travels take you, make sure to check the following:

  1. Are there UNESCO World Heritage sites nearby?
  2. Are there restaurants that are listed on Zagat or Michelin?
  3. Buyer beware…

Happy travels!

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Happy Mother’s Day

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Happy Mother’s Day to CardaMOM, Dilly-Gilly, Hot Sauce, Cayenne, Cinnamon, Cilantro, Mint, Curry Murray, Sage, Bearnaise and many more of you out there.

This day was NOT invented by Hallmark or the card industry, in fact it has a long history.  It is celebrated in many countries during May, although in some places the festivities occur in March and April.   Here is some of the history:

The day emerged from a custom of mother worship in ancient Greece, which kept a festival to Cybele, a great mother of Greek gods. This festival was held around the Vernal Equinox around Asia Minor and eventually in Rome itself from the Ides of March (March15-18). The ancient Romans also had another holiday, Matronalia, that was dedicated to the god Juno.  Mothers were usually given small gifts on this day.

In Europe there were several long-standing traditions where a specific Sunday was set aside to honor motherhood and mothers such as Mothering Sunday. Mothering Sunday celebrations are part of the liturgical calendar in several Christian denominations, including Anglicans, and in the Catholic calendar is marked as Laetare Sunday, the fourth Sunday in Lent to honour the Virgin Mary and your “mother” church (the main church of the area). Historians think that children who served in houses were given a day off on that date so they could visit their families.

International Women’s Day was celebrated for the first time in 28 February 1909, in the US, by which time Anna Jarvis had already begun her national campaign in the US. It is now celebrated in many countries on March 8.

Everyday, should be a day to celebrate our fabulous mothers.  So gentlemen, if you have not already done so buff-up a relaxing day and a nice dinner for the mothers in your life.

Happy Mother’s Day!

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