White Sails

I am always on the look-out for new places to eat and drink. Places I have never visited - it is rare for my boyfriend and I to frequent the same place more than once (although we do have a few tried-and-true's). I have a mental list of places that I hear about and would like to visit sometime, and it only seems to get longer by the week (why this list is in my head and not on paper, I couldn't tell you).

I visited a new place I discovered through Facebook this past weekend - White Sails Bakery and Deli on Peggy's Cove Road:

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It's hard to miss, that's for sure! Not just because of the vibrant stripes, but also because the parking lot is almost always packed with cars and motorcycles. They certainly picked a great spot for the place - directly on a main thoroughfare to one of the most iconic and visited landmarks in Nova Scotia (the Peggy's Cove lighthouse). And check out the view:

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Another smart thing they did was install a speaker outside, so that you can hear your order called even though you are sitting outside staring over the water! Because, I mean, where else would you be sitting, really?

I was surprised to see that they offer more than just sandwiches and baked goods - you can get a great hot lunch here, including a delicious burger and poutine. The boy and I had their daily special, a peanut butter burger, loaded with toppings and condiments. $6.50 may seem a little steep for a burger but it was so filling I didn't need anything else. We didn't get a chance to try any baked goods on this visit for that reason, but don't worry, we will be back for our sweet fix.

I was disappointed to see that there were no mango and coconut biscuits left because those sounded amazing - I have a feeling you need to get here early in the day to get the fresh stuff! However, they did have some yummy-looking donuts, oatcakes, cookies and pies for the tasting. They also offer lattes and caps and coffee if you're looking for a hit of caffeine with your sweet snack.

White Sails - carry me away to my happy place.

Food Fantasy

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Three of my favourite things are food, exploring and walking so I was really excited to head out on the Local Connections North End Fantasy Food Tour on Saturday. I was extra happy because two biz's were featured on the tour that I have been meaning to visit for a long time - Ace Burger Co and DeeDee's.

I lived in the North End for close to 4 years. I had an apartment I loved and it was my first apartment so you can imagine the plethora of memories and emotions that I had tied up in it. When my bf and I decided to shack up we picked suburban Clayton Park to hang our hats, sacrificing character and centrality to get more for our money. I'm happy with that decision, but I sure do miss the NE. I miss being able to walk everywhere, particularly all the wickedly creative small businesses that have cropped up in recent years.

Ah well, perhaps I will move back someday but in the meantime I have to be contented with driving my butt down here to enjoy it. The important thing though, of course, is enjoying it and we sure did on this tour!

One of my favourite NE spots is the Brooklyn Warehouse. I could walk here in 10 minutes from my old apartment, which was dangerous both for my waistline and my wallet. I think George Christakos and gang are doing awesome things for the food culture in Halifax, so when I heard they opened a new establishment, I couldn't wait to try it out.

Gus' Pub was packed to the rafters when we arrived, which meant we had to stand and wait for a table for about 15 minutes. We didn't mind though - we grabbed our Pop Shoppe sodas (the black cherry was delish!), bobbed our heads to the band and chatted up a few other waiting patrons. Clearly this place is popular! The food was worth the wait, though - our Classic and Lamb burgers were both packed with flavour and super-fresh toppings.

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The prices are very reasonable, too - about 7 or 8 bucks for most patties and you pay additional for a side but fries are only $3.50 and tax is included in all prices. Warning: They only take cash, but there is an ATM on site.

Sidenote: They had a stack of their "Big F'n Cookies" on the counter when we were ordering and I wanted one sooooo bad! They are half-dipped in chocolate and...well, F'N big! Seriously, the size of my head (and that's saying something). Maybe next time...

Next the group trooped down to Dee Dee's Ice Cream.

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I was expecting a treat but not one quite as awesome as we got. Not only did they have special "tasting" options ready for everyone but they had Jim the owner of Java Blend Coffee (another NE fav of mine) making espressos and caps for everyone! For ice cream, everyone had a choice between 3 fruit flavours and 3 sweet (i.e. caramel, chocolate, almond). I, of course, chose the chocolate option and was completely happy with my choice.

First of all, look at the beautiful presentation:

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That pink spiral on the centre one? That's edible! And the third ice cream selection (far right) is a chocolate stout flavour (as in beer), believe it or not. I was not sure what to expect in terms of flavour but I actually didn't mind it! Everything tasted so fresh and had such a great texture - you can tell they make everything with good quality ingredients and a lot of passion. We received a lot of personal attention on our visit and were invited to sample as much ice cream and coffee as we wanted.

My lovely Java Blend espresso finished off my meal nicely. Sidenote: Java Blend was established in 1938! I had no idea it had been around so long!

Photo by Me (the cup looks giant but it's actually quite tiny :)

The tickets for this event were $17, and I definitely think we got a great deal. I may not be able to get much apartment for my money in the North End, but I KNOW I can get great food, drinks and service and that is a suitable substitute :)