…in Newfoundland and Labrador

Local Highlight: The Rec Room

June 27, 2019 | Leave a Comment

The Rec Room is St. John’s’ newest hotspot. Located right in the Avalon Mall in the heart of uptown, this new entertainment complex features everything you could want in a night out, all in one place. I recently had the opportunity to partner with the kind folks at The Rec Room to showcase their vibrant space and exciting atmosphere. I had so much fun and I am so eager to tell you all about it!

With food, drinks, arcade-style gaming, virtual reality, bowling, and axe-throwing, nobody is bored at The Rec Room. There’s a little something for everyone and the friendly, helpful staff make the experience as smooth and enjoyable as possible. We started our evening in ‘The Yard’ with some of our favorite games like Pac-Man, Tight Rope, basketball, and essentially any racing game where we could compete in real-time. Every friend group has that super-competitive pal—well that’s me!

After we’d racked up some points on our wristbands, we got a table in the restaurant, ordered some drinks, and had a bite to eat. Aside from their complimentary popcorn, The Rec Room doesn’t serve typical arcade food— their restaurant, Three10, serves delectable dishes. They have healthy options as well as more indulgent ones; unique and unexpected options as well as classic favourites. The bar offers wine, beer, and fun cocktails. My fave was ‘Peach Don’t Kill My Vibe’—yum. They also had some live music that night, as they do most weekends, which made the whole meal even more enjoyable.

My friends and I enjoyed a variety of snacks and apps. I highly recommend the edamame hummus and the fried green beans. For the summer, The Rec Room is offering a limited-time offer menu, from which we sampled a Tropical Sundae for dessert. I’ll be completely honest, my friends didn’t even get to try it. It was so good I kept it all for myself!

The restaurant at The Rec Room is the perfect place to socialize, hang out with friends, and enjoy a great night out. The best part about having a couple of beverages at The Rec Room? Your designated driver will LOVE you because they won’t be bored like they may be at a typical bar! Also, taxis are less expensive from here than they are from other nightlife hotspots in YYT, such as the downtown area.

After supper, we ventured over to the VRcade Arena for our first-ever virtual reality experience. I was a little nervous at first, but the staff were so knowledgeable when explaining the rules and directions and kindly answered all our questions. They geared us up and off we went into the designated VR arena. It was SO COOL. You can see your friends’ characters right in front of you, and they move based on your friends’ movements, plus you can talk to everyone through your headset. They are right there with you in a whole other world. It’s tricky to get used to at first, but by the time it was over I didn’t want to stop! I can’t wait to go back and try it again. I really suggest you give VR at The Rec Room a try—your friends and family will love you for suggesting it and it’s such a laugh!

When the VR game was over and we regained our bearings (it’s a little disorienting in the coolest way!), we spent the rest of the night sipping drinks and playing games. The Rec Room is for all ages, but at 11:00 it becomes 19+, so a lot more adults feel comfortable to let loose and play, especially since they’re open until 2 o’clock am on Fridays and Saturdays. At the end of the night, we could cash in the points we collected on our wristbands for cool prizes! Along with your classic arcade plush animals and candy, The Rec Room offers high quality prizes like board games and even game consoles.

Have you been to The Rec Room yet? What are you waiting for?! Grab your friends, your family, your colleagues and get over to the Avalon Mall for the best night out you’ve had in forever. There is nowhere else on the island where you can get this kind of experience so don’t miss it. And don’t wimp out on the VR—you’ll regret it. Be sure to get in soon to grab a bite from their limited-time summer menu. Side note: this is the FIRST Rec Room location in Atlantic Canada! Go NL!

Leave us a comment or reach out on social media, @twowildtides, letting us know how you enjoyed your time at the Rec Room, what your favorite game is, and what prize you collected. We love hearing from our readers! And don’t forget to check out The Rec Room on Facebook as well as Instagram and Twitter, @TheRecRoomCA.

Have fun,
char

East Coast Trail: La Manche Village Path

May 23, 2019 | Leave a Comment

I spent Victoria Day (a.k.a. May Long Weekend) the best way possible: outdoors exploring a place I’d never been. La Manche Provincial Park has been on my list for quite a while. It’s only 45 minutes outside of St. John’s and has a lot to offer. There are swimming holes, a campground, and a hiking trail. And not just any hiking trail– one of the East Coast Trail paths runs right through the park. La Manche is the perfect day trip for anyone who just needs a little break from the city.

La Manche Village Path runs from the suspension bridge in La Manche Provincial Park to Bauline East. The website says it goes all the way to Tors Cove, which I guess is correct but the sign marks the trailhead in Bauline East so we didn’t bother with the Tors Cove arm.

If entering the trail at the suspension bridge, you can park in the provincial park for a fee, or at the end of La Manche Road for free, which is about a kilometre past the entrance to the park. Drive down La Manche Road until the end, where there is a small parking area and a sign (pictured below) which marks the entrance to the trail. After about a kilometre and a half of easy walking, you’ll reach La Manche Village and the suspension bridge. This was honestly the best part of the whole hike. La Manche Village is a former settlement and you can still see many of the foundations of the homes that used to exist there years ago. It’s kind of an eerie feeling to stand in the very spot where someone once cooked, slept, laughed, and loved. The suspension bridge replaced the original bridge which was destroyed by waves (hard to imagine on a gorgeous day like the one we experienced) and is quite unique in the province, especially so far off the grid. Plus, the views from this place are amazing. It’s worth checking out, even if just for a perfect picnic location!

Once you’re finished soaking up the gorgeous views, waterfalls, and historic abandoned village, head across the suspension bridge and onward on the trail. Doctor’s Cove is only a short hike from the bridge. There are a few flights of stairs as well as some solid inclines, so you’re in for a bit of a workout but nothing brutal. Doctor’s Cove is a steep downhill to a rocky beach area which is so peaceful and secluded. Another great spot for a picnic. Totally worth the climb back up to the trail. We even got a small little glimpse of an iceberg that was peeking out from behind a cliff.

Honestly, once you hike up out of Doctor’s Cove, don’t bother heading all the way to Bauline East unless you’re truly just out for the fresh air because there isn’t much to see on the rest of the trail. It’s basically a backroad ATV trail. We didn’t go all the way to Tors Cove because we were bored with the trail. But please, let me know if we missed something amazing because we will go back again! From my experience, La Manche Village Path is an amazing afternoon hike if that’s all the time you have. Take your time, breathe in the fresh air, and enjoy the scenery.

Have you hiked La Manche Village Path? What’s your favourite path on the East Coast Trail? Let us know in the comments or on social media (@twowildtides), we love hearing from our readers! And please, check out our other posts about the East Coast Trail hikes that we’ve done:

happy hiking,
char

17 Spring & Summer Adventures in Newfoundland

May 2, 2019 | Leave a Comment

Warmer months are around the corner and that means you can break out your hiking shoes, summer tires, and backpacks. Here is some inspiration for your Newfoundland adventure season.

Summer Roadtrip: The Irish Loop

Hiking in Central Newfoundland: The Salvage Trails

Canada Day Weekend with Wildhood Clothing

East Coast Trail: Silver Mine Head Path

Exploring Newfoundland’s West Coast: Camping at Sir Richard Squires Memorial Provincial Park

Camping Like Never Before: Terra Nova National Park Oasis

A Taste of History: Lunch at The Stone Jug

Exploring Newfoundland’s West Coast: Shallow Bay Beach, Baker’s Brook Falls, & Western Brook Pond

My Dildo Adventure

Exploring Newfoundland’s West Coast: Trout River and the Tablelands

Road Trip: Discovery Trail

East Coast Trail: Blackhead Path

Being a Tourist at Home with O’Brien’s Boat Tours

Exploring Newfoundland’s West Coast: Hiking Gros Morne Mountain

East Coast Trail: Cobbler Path

A Bucket List Adventure with Ocean Quest

Exploring Newfoundland’s West Coast: Blow Me Down Provincial Park, Woody Point, & Green Gardens

We would love to answer your travel-related questions. Just shoot us an email, leave a comment below, or reach out on social media (@twowildtides). We’d also love to hear about your NL roadtrip experiences! What are your favourite places to visit? We love hearing from our readers!

Local Event Highlight: Savour Food & Wine Show 2019

March 18, 2019 | Leave a Comment

Every year, the Restaurant Association of Newfoundland and Labrador (RANL) puts off an amazing event that highlights local restaurants, food and beverage distributors, and businesspeople. It’s called the Savour Food and Wine Show, and this year, I was lucky enough to attend.

For those who don’t know what to expect at this type of event (because I didn’t), there are booths with local food and beverage samples that you get to try. You can mingle, chat with patrons and vendors, try some delicious snacks and drinks, and then vote on your favourites. There are also lifestyle booths and musical performances to take in.

I loved the Savour Food and Wine Show for the excellent selection of vendors (over 50!!), the friendly and helpful volunteers, and the logistics of the event– there were no lineups, traffic jams, or major hiccups (that I could observe as a guest). The venue was perfect: the Delta Hotel and Conference Centre is well-known and centrally located. After the show, my friend and I even stopped in the newly-renovated lobby bar for a final drink to end the night, which was lovely. If you attend the 2020 Savour Food and Wine Show, I highly recommend booking a room and making a night of it!

Let’s talk about favourites:

I stopped by several food tables. Restaurants at the event included local hotspots such as Adelaide Oyster House, Sushi Nami Royale, Ches’s Fish and Chips, Chinched, Gypsy Tea Room, Coffee Matters, and Piatto Pizzeria. There were also newer or less well-known restaurants like Moxie’s, Green Door, Quesada, and PJ Billington’s. My most memorable bites were the chicken and mushroom rigatoni from Moxie’s, the hand rolls from Sushi Nami Royale, and the miso and sweet potato cheesecake from Green Door. Click on the pictures below for a closer look.

Moxie’s chicken and mushroom rigatoni was so flavourful.
Sushi Nami Royale’s hand rolls were so fresh and delicious! Did you know that twowildtides was actually born at Sushi Nami Royale??
Green Door’s miso and sweet potato cheesecake was absolutely mouthwatering. What an interesting combination for a dessert! It was served with a dahl dish that was also scrumptious.

I made sure I stopped by each and every beverage table (haha). There was such a wide variety of alcohol available. There was, of course, many types of wine, but there was also Palm Bay, Disaronno Amaretto, spiced rum, beer, cider, whisky, Newfie Screech, and vodka. My favourite wines, although not pictured, were the Yellowtail Pinot Grigio (which has been a go-to for me for quite some time) and the Auk Island Winery Vinland Red. Other standout beverages were the Maker’s Mark Whisky cocktails, Palm Bay’s new mimosas and rosés, Landwash Brewery’s ‘Smiling Land’ brew, and Rock Spirits’ sangria selection.

I also want to give a shoutout to NL Fruit Bouquets for their scrumptious banana split bites. I could have eaten that whole platter!!

Overall, RANL’s Savour Food and Wine Show was such a fun event. It opened my eyes to new restaurants and liquor to try and old favourites that I plan on revisiting soon. I am already planning Savour Food and Wine Show 2020 with my mom because I know she’ll love it and I am already itching to go again. Please reach out to us if you have any questions about the event or I am sure RANL will be happy to answer your questions as well. Let us know if you plan on attending next year! Did you go this year? What were your faves? Leave us a comment below or on social media, @twowildtides.

Please check out RANL: online, on Facebook, and on Instagram. You can visit the Savour Food and Wine Show Facebook page here— be sure to give them a like to be kept updated about future events!

xoxo,
char

St. John’s Cafe Crawl

December 3, 2018 | Leave a Comment

Winter is fast approaching. One of the best things about Winter is the hot drinks; coffees or cocoa in cute cafes with friends and family. Don’t get us wrong, we love visiting cafes to study or meet friends all year round, but there is something extra special about it in the wintertime.

Here are the coziest coffee spots in St. John’s:

Rocket Bakery. Could you guess this one would be on the list? The Rocket is a YYT staple. They have the best food, staff, and entertainment in the city (or at least I think so). If you can get a table, it’s a great place to hang out with friends, have a lunch, or chat with someone new. It can be a bit noisy and busy, so I wouldn’t bank on getting a lot of studying done here. Definitely a cozy place to escape the weather and maybe even grab some local Christmas gifts!

Jumping Bean, Elizabeth Avenue. (a.k.a. business meeting central of St. John’s) Here you’ll find the best coffee in the city and some healthy (or not) treats. I also recommend the veggie breakfast sandwich. Yum. Its centralized location makes it a great meeting place for new and old friends. Jumping Bean Kelsey Drive is a close second, and since it is newer, less well-known, and more out of the way, it is always quieter, which sometimes makes it even more appealing.

Starbucks Kenmount Road. I’m not big on Starbucks, but sometimes it is the most convenient option. Out of all the Starbucks in the city (and there are quite a few– the mall, Torbay Road, Stavanger Drive, Topsail Road, Water Street, Chapters…), this one is my favourite. I think it is the most comfortable and cozy; and although I hate Kenmount Road, it is the most convenient meeting point for friends and family from out of town who are visiting and want to grab a coffee.

Second Cup, Stavanger Drive. I love Second Cup for one reason: their London Fog. Linds introduced me to it back in our York days, and it changed my life. The London Fog is the ultimate cozy-day drink and Second Cup makes the best one, hands down. The London Fog is one of very few reasons I will go to a chain over a local cafe. I’m not exaggerating here. It’s a great place to study as it is pretty quiet and low key. It’s also the perfect place to chill out post-Stavanger Drive Christmas shopping.

Fixed Coffee, Duckworth Street. This is the most eclectic little cafe. Great coffee, great tea, chill vibes, cute succulents. A nice place for deep chats and long dates. 10/10 recommend.

Battery Cafe. This gem is located on the corner of Battery Road, at 1 Duckworth Street. It might be tiny and crammed, but you won’t find friendlier staff or a nicer neighbourhood anywhere else in the city. I love the oatmeal and the sandwiches. This cafe is a great stop if you’re out on a wintery walk in the lower battery and want to escape the cold; or if you’re headed up to Signal Hill for a first, second, or twentieth date; or if you just need to get away from it all for a little while.

These aren’t the only great coffee shops in the city, but they are my go-to’s. What is your favourite cafe in St. John’s? Leave us a comment or tag us in your pictures on social media. We love hearing from our readers!

xoxo,
char