Did you know there are more than 30 golf courses on Prince Edward Island? If I were a golfer, or at least had a golfer in my life, this would probably really excite me. 🙂
An invitation to experience Prince Edward Island ~The Gentle Island~ on the Halifax waterfront turned an unsuspecting evening into one of the most fun experiences I’ve had in my favourite/home city. And now I have locked in PEI as one of my family vacation destinations for the near future.
Being from Nova Scotia, it’s not the authentic island experience that attracts me so much, or even the coastal drives (I’d actually really like to cycle the Island coastline one day), but the rich farmland of the Million-Acre-Farm right next to the coast and of course the theatrical experiences of Anne of Green Gables to share with my 9 & 11 year old girls.
Recently I’m spending most evenings on my own I decided to take a chance and invite a new friend I’d only just met to join me. Lucky thing I seem to find like-minded adventure seekers to share my time with!
We arrived as Chef Corbin Tomaszeski of the Food Network‘s “Dinner Party Wars”, “Restaurant Makeover” and “Crash My Kitchen” was introduced and he explained how we were going to have an interactive food experience cooking with a team rather than sit and listening to him as he demonstrated “How boring would that be?” But just to make things interesting, he insisted we switch partners with someone else in the room since we could/did cook with our guests all the time! I looked at my guest, we gave a little chuckle. So much for talking over our food and getting to know each other better! Chef Corbin is very entertaining. We had a lot of laughs as he described such things as his nocturnal racoon-like wife who is expecting twins in just two weeks, and “hiding” his mom’s rice under the rim of his plate as a child. He had us prepare and taste 3 different dishes that each included lobster and fresh vegetables that will be plentiful during PEI’s Fall Flavours festival, which Chef Corbin will be a part of.
After the food demonstration and tasting ended, we moved outside to the Courtyard of the Lower Deck. I love the summer experience of Halifax waterfront, and it did not disappoint. The weather was perfect. There was more food and great musical entertainment from PEI. 2011 ECMA winner Meaghan Blanchard started us off with her spectacular voice while we ate more tasty PEI treats and had a few drinks, then Paper Lions came on. Their music was a complete change from Meaghan’s and every bit as wonderful.
We mingled with the other guests had lots of great conversation, then left with a big gift basket filled with PEI delights! I’ve already devoured everything and didn’t even share. I guess I’ll have to restock when we visit.
I can’t wait to spend time getting to know the National Park of the Island, where the whole family will be able to enjoy the activities we love like cycling & running, hiking and swimming! There’s even a 75km challenge we could participate in for the 75th anniversary, if we get there before October 2012!
