Biking In Niagara On The Lake
My car broke down this week and has been in for repair for 3 days. That's not a problem for me. I do all my local shopping on my hot pink bike. Many years ago, I bought a big French bike basket and I tend to shop for my groceries on a daily basis just as I would when I am in Paris. The veggies and bread are always fresher and coming from a local agricultural area opens up so many lovely options for fresh produce.
I also take my totes when I go to the library or wine store or post office. This is the hand painted tote of Manon dressed in a fashionable suit. It tends to attract a "little" attention. Manon is in my Etsy shop.
A nice woman from my town offered to take my picture as I was leaving the grocery store with some flowers and a fresh baguette. Gads, I hate having my picture taken.
Sometimes I treat myself to an ice cream cone. Because Niagara On The Lake is a tourist destination, it's fun to sit on a bench down town, have an ice cream and watch all the visitors walk by on their way to the Shaw Theatres, or on a Winery Tour and just shopping in some of our town's stores. Sometimes it's fun to pretend you are on holidays even when you are home.
Niagara On The Lake was named the most beautiful town in Canada a number of years ago. I was attracted to this area over 20 years ago by the lovely homes. Some of my favorite are the cute cottages around town. I love the color of this home in a deep teal with a pistachio colored front door.
Like my house, this is one of the oldest homes around town. This house would have been built in the early to mid 1800's and has been beautifully restored by a previous owner. It has been featured in a number of home decor magazines.
This cottage was in total disarray several years ago but the new owner has done a great restoration on this tiny little home. Some gingerbread features were added to the roof area including the cupola at the top of the home. The white picket fence, the beautiful cottage garden and the rich yellow door are just some of the details that I love about this little gem.
This is the front of my home which was built in 1815. I had come down to Niagara On The Lake to see a friend and we were riding our bikes through the streets looking at all the pretty homes. I had been wanting to move to a small town to raise my son and was on the lookout for a house that would touch my heart. I remember riding by this home and on the lawn was a FOR SALE sign. My heart stopped. It was exactly what I was looking for. Love at first sight. I bought it that weekend and moved in 3 weeks later. And to this day, I can't imagine living anywhere else.
Well ..... maybe Paris???
The two things that attracted me to Niagara was my home and the miles and miles and miles of the most gorgeous bike paths. Ride your bike along the Niagara River to Niagara Falls or bike to all the beautiful wineries in the area or just meander through the lovely streets of my town. In the summer, you can just park your car and pretend you are Angela Lansbury in "Murder She Wrote."
I will be featuring some of the wonderful activities of my very unique town over the next month, so in case you are looking for a nice summer getaway, you might just want to consider Niagara On The Lake, Ontario. We are only 30 minutes from Niagara Falls, one of the 7 wonders of the world.
Think I will go now ... I'm starting to sound like a tourist guide!!!!
