Prince Edward Island

One of the BIG destinations for us on this "East Coast Tour" was Prince Edward Island. Not only was it the North-Eastern most point of our fall route, but it was the home of Anne! Surely you know which Anne I'm talking about? The head-strong girl with carrot-red hair, freckles, and spells her name with an "e", of course.

I was an Anne fan from my early years when my Grandmother exposed me to her effervescent whimsy one excruciatingly hot summer in Florida-and there was nothing to do but sit indoors and fill one's head with all things Anne. In order to relive the glory with my girls, I purchased a radio-theater cd of the first book before we left on this trip. Emery especially fell in love with her hilariously outspoken character. We were excited to come and experience her beloved "green gables" for ourselves and see what stirred up the author Lucy Maud Montgomery to create such an iconic story set on this island.

Mystery solved: how natural to write and create fantasy here. We all got lost again in the story while wandering beside the "lake of shining waters," down "lover's lane," and the idyllic farm. It's somewhat surreal to step into the pages of a beloved, familiar story and walk it's streets, wear it's straw hat, drink it's cordial, and get spooked by it's "haunted wood". I can't wait to show the girls the movie now that they have seen the place for themselves. Also, have you heard that there is a new version coming to PBS on Thanksgiving day?! EEE! We'll definitely be tuning in.

While, touring Green Gables was enchanting, it was nothing in comparison to our day spent at the Red Sands Beach! This is literally what all of my dreams are made of... whether I knew it before or not. It was other-worldly. The girls and I did so much squealing and running that we should really be horse.

Yet again, in our true form, slow to learn that the best adventures are ones where we feel unprepared, we almost didn't get out of the car to walk the little path toward the beach. The salty air carries it's chill very differently than the dry Colorado air, and the bitter breeze tempting us all the while to shut ourselves inside the cozy car. This time tho, the dilemma to go or not was but a moment of hesitation and we both knew that we'd regret it to be only 35 feet from the coast and not at least touch the sand, so we made the frigid little jaunt down the path towards the sound of waves. As we came up over the hill and saw our own version of the mesmerizing "shining waters" and felt the warmth of the sun-toasted sand, all my little-girlie giggles rose to the surface. I was a kid again, and the girls and I ran blissfully along the shore. The sand acting as a hot plate- warming us from our feet up. Emery and Lissy searched for shells and climbed the "towering sand dunes", so they could squeal and race back down it's slopes. We were nearly the only people there, except for the occasional passing jogger.

After leaving the glorious red sand beach, we set out to hunt for lunch. Little did we know, there is a definite "off season" in the north. Many places shut down and tear down for winter season, as it's not uncommon to get 120inches (compared to Denver's average of 54inches/year). We saw people disassembling their patio decks (literally taking them apart - deconstruction in piles and heaps as people bundled up for an approaching winter), packing away furniture, and dozens of signs that read, "see you next season!" Multiple failed attempts at scavenging food, so we resorted to data roaming on our phone and still turned up unsuccessful.

After 2 hours of searching (with delightful views all along the island-don't pity us- it was in no way torturous), we stopped at an open restaurant (FINALLY!) but quickly discovered that they had just stopped serving 20 minutes before. (We revisited this sweet spot besides some lovely gardens a few days later- it was especially charming for tea, jam, and desserts.) Thankfully, they did know of a little pizza shop and bakery that was just down the road and should be open for another 15 minutes.

We jumped back into the car and made it in time to place an order for a delicious wood-fire-baked pizza complete with homemade ghouda. The man who owns the rustic shop (that is in a recently renovated farm-house) is passionate about hand-crafted goodness in every form: from his homemade cheeses and freshly baked breads, to his jars of pickled scapes and flavorful spreads- this place reeked of expert, meticulous, craftsmanship. Delicious for the eyes, stomach, and soul! We even got free samples of a brand new torte being added to the menu the next day! They had just pulled it out of the oven, but wanted opinions on the pre-menu dessert! You know me and chocolate- I'm convinced this was God's way of reminding me I'm His favorite. ;) Free gluten free chocolate torte and just a few moments earlier or later and we would have missed out.

GF CHOCOLATE TORTE: a silky smooth rich chocolatey taste of heaven made simply with cream, butter, and chocolate, with a tiny pinch of salt- (I swoon I swoon).

Our last wonderful discovery of the Island was the charming town of Charlottetown! Adorable! A wonderful fishing town with an energy of "college-town" hustle and bustle. Lots to eat, see, and explore. We spent a few evenings walking the friendly streets- they were very reminiscent of "Old Town" in Fort Collins, (the cozy city we once called home), so we felt right at ease. With the soothing views of the ships at the dock (the giveaway that this was NOT home-haha), the art museum, delicious selection of craft coffee, seafood, pho, and more, plus the familiar specialty "etsy-esque" shops, we could have lingered for days on end.

Fletcher came down with a little cold that slowed him down a smidge- so we were extra grateful for a cozy glampsite secluded amidst the towering trees, atop one of the rolling hills with a magnificent view of the island's grandeur. We had the whole grounds to ourselves for most of the week, except for the family who owns the meticulously maintained property. The "momma" of the beautiful site, gave us free passes to tour Green Gables, and searched all the local libraries for an available copy of the movies -(sadly with no luck)- but the generosity and care they shared with us made us feel more at home than ever!

The glampsite is a five minute drive from the best local fish shop on the island- literally! We went twice in our week stay: the first meal and last, as it was just SO deserving! Our first taste of chowder from the area, and it lived up to it's reputation- rich, creamy, savory, bowl-licking, seconds-begging, GOOD! My mouth is still watering as I think about it days later. This was just one of the local spots that we scouted out on our mission to find the best seafood, and I wish we wouldn't have set the bar so high because nothing has matched it's freshness and flavor.

We tried "Lobster Supper" which a big deal out here: think all-you can-eat bread, salad, mussels, soup, dessert, with a perfectly cooked 1 or 2lb. lobster. The lobster was tender, juicy and delicious. With the lobster swimming when you walk in the door, and screaming a moment before it's served, you can't get fresher than these places. It's a very memorable experience, and Fletcher is still convinced that his lobster was the best lobster he has ever tasted- (even after a few recent Maine experiences... we'll keep you posted on that).

Emery's first lobster experience left her disappointed that it wasn't as delicious as she had anticipated. She literally has been talking about going to get lobster since we first started dreaming of this trip. I told her that she will get many more opportunities to get used to the new FRESH flavors of the sea along our journey- no rush to have to love everything, all at once. Lissy, on the other hand, devoured it happily-along with mussels and clams, and everything else we've had so far on this trip!

Food is a HUGE part of this trip for us- we are not just food lovers- we are MEAL experiencers. HAHA! We revel in the entire dining "journey"... from a restaurants' decor and atmosphere, banter with a friendly waitstaff, to a meal that compels a "must focus on savoring face". I've given this some thought as I have made this face more frequently as of late. It's an expression that comes without warning, when I suddenly get lost in the moment after my first bite with the divinity in food form (haha). All of my senses go silent except for taste. My mouth shuts around the bite, my hands always meet together at my chest-sometimes still holding the fork, and my eyes close tight making every muscle in my face appear like it's trying to get closer to the lips -as if envious of the role they play in this experience. "OH YUM!" I love when meals catch me off guard like that!

I'm a Southern by birth (FOREVER TEXAN!), and so it comes second nature to share food with friends, family, and sometimes even strangers. I'm always quick to offer tastes to everyone at the table so I can be audience to their own "encounter" as they taste the most perfect bite of whatever for the first time. haha!

It is so much more than physical nourishment- some meals transcend and tend to the spirit and heart. When you feel someone has spent hours creating, experimenting, and perfecting the ideal combination of flavors and that these flavors somehow are exactly what you have been wanting all day/week/year- it feels like you're seen. You're known. You're not alone. Some animal, some hunter/fisher, some farmer, some chef, some waitstaff- and it could be broken down even beyond that, but sometimes, I feel like I can taste ALL of that work and effort and attention and excellence and love in my meal- and that's when the savor face comes- and there are no words- just warmth and gratitude. That's where I find myself a lot these days. FULL of gratitude, and lots of scrumptious new meal experiences.

Do you have any "transcendent meals" that we should put on our Bucket List of experiences? If so, leave us a comment and you might find your meal up on the "Dream List" for future travels.

Want to feel like you are journeying with us?

Angie