Top 10 places to shop in Parry Sound

1. Beverley's - for all those special touches
2. Parry Sound Book Store - you can get the latest books here!
3. Huckleberry's - it's a fun place to get the unusual
4. Whiskey Jack - lots of Canadian jewelry and other fun stuff!
5. Bearly Used Book Store - it's a great place to browse
6. Florence's Finery - for that special outfit you couldn't find anywhere else
7. Wolf Den - for native crafts
8. Christmas and Other Occasions - it's fun any time of the year to explore
9. Somewhere in Time - old fashion candy and so much more!
10. White Squall - for everything the nature enthusiast could ask for

Top 10 things to do on a rainy day in Parry Sound

1. Check out the books at Bearly Used Book Store and Parry Sound Book Store
2. Go to a movie at the Twin Strand Theatre
3. Try your hand at 5 pin bowling at Georgian Lanes
4. Curl up with a magazine on the chaise lounge at 40 Bay Street B&B
5. Visit the West Parry Sound District Museum
6. Borrow an umbrella and go for a walk in the rain
7. Visit a day spa and have a massage
8. Browse through all the merchandise at Beverley's or Whiskeyjack's
9. Have a cappicino at Mad Hatter's Cafe
10. Check out the souvenirs at the Wolf Den and Trading Post

Top 10 foods to eat in Parry Sound

1. Enjoy the ice cream at the Kawartha Dairy
2. Get a capacunno at Mad Hatters
3. Have a real, old-fashioned hamburger at Lil's Restaurant
4. Take a break with date squares at The Country Gourmet
5. The best dessert is carrot cake at Bay Street Cafe
6. Try the pasta at Christina's...
7. Or the prime rib at Wellingtons
8. A romantic dinner at Log Cabin Inn
9. A german meal at Cafe Waldhaus after a day at Killbear Provincial Park, or...
10. The smoked fish from Georgian Bay at Gilly's in Snug Harbour

How bad is next winter going to be!?!

This is the fourth trip the (road) salt boat has made to this landing in Parry Sound on Georgian Bay so far this year! This is a privately owned pile that is sold to keep parking lots in the area free from ice throughout the winter. Normally, I've seen two to three trips/year....

Festival of the Sound celebrates 30 years! Week Three Highlights

There are several special events happening this final week - on Tuesday evening, Mary Lou Fallis is featured in "Primadonna Goes into the Woods" and on Friday, the Opera Gala introduces a new program of great arias, duets, trios and quartets. The closing program showcases the Elmer Iseler Singers, four soloists and the Festival Chamber Orchestra presenting Handel's Messiah.

One of our guests that week is a special favourite of ours - Guy Few, playing both the piano and trumpet in his various appearances. To meet Guy, call about our vacancy on Tuesday August 4th at 40 Bay Street Bed & Breakfast

Festival of the Sound celebrates 30 years! Week Two Highlights

Old friends and new musicians are a feature every year at the Festival of the Sound. For this year, the Monday Sunset cruise continues, with the Elora Singers and a sing-along. The popular dinner and concert at the Inn at Manitou features Russell Braun and Carolyn Maule on Tuesday. The Leipzig and Lafayette String Quartets and Trio Hochelaga are featured. And as always, the long August weekend features Jazz Canada, with special guest Peter Appleyard.

For more information, check out the Festival of the Sound web site. 40 Bay Street Bed & Breakfast has a vacancy on Sunday August 2nd.

Festival of the Sound celebrates 30 years! Week One Highlights

On Friday July 17th, it will be 30 years since the first Festival of the Sound performance, and James Campbell's 25th anniversary as Artist Director.

The Gala Opening Weekend features "fanfares" by the Canadian Brass, Hannaford Silver Band, the Gryphon Trio and New Zealand String Quartet, along with the RBC Stockey Young Artists - Jan Lisiecki and Frederieke Saeijs.

On July 20th, there is a special gala dinner at the Stockey Centre, with food, music and laughter. The rest of the week's highlights include Mendelssohn at 200, a Sunset cruise and Benny Goodman at 100. The piano is featured by musicians Janina Fialkowska, Leopoldo Erice, Rian de Waal, Jan Lisiecki, and Anagnoson & Kinton.

40 Bay Street Bed & Breakfast has one room available on July 19th and 20th if you are interested in attending this week.

Top 10 ways to enjoy the water in Parry Sound

1. Go for a swim at Waubuno Beach anytime
2. Watch the water from the sun porches at 40 Bay Street Bed & Breakfast
3. Go for a sail at Sail Parry Sound on Saturday afternoon
4. See the sunset from the deck of the Stockey Centre
5. Go fishing off the dock across the road from 40 Bay Street
6. See Georgian Bay's 30,000 Islands with a cruise on the Island Queen/Chippewa
7. See the water from a floatplane
8. Go diving with Divers Nook
9. Take a water taxi
10. Try out a kayak at White Squall

See the 30,000 Islands via satellite

The 30,000 Islands are considered the world’s largest freshwater archipelago. Located in Georgian Bay, the area is sandwiched between the Canadian Shield and the younger sedimentary rock of the Niagara Escarpment.

The islands were created during 3 different "mountain building' periods and polished by glaciers. They are typically composed of two types of rock - igneous (volcanic) rock called orthogneiss, pink and red in colour and sedimentary rock called paragneiss, which has alternating bands of pink and grey.

It is the vastness and variety that makes the islands so incredible. To understand the scope, visit the web site of the West Parry Sound Geography Network (you need to use Internet Explorer to access the site).

For a closer look of the 30,000 Islands, take advantage of the various local tours - the Island Queen or Chippewa cruises, Georgian Bay Airways or White Squall, all located just steps away from 40 Bay Street Bed & Breakfast. You won't be disappointed!

Top 10 free things to do in Parry Sound

Parry Sound has lots of things to do that won't cost you a penny - one of the advantages of living right on Georgian Bay!

1. Go for a swim at Waubuno Beach
2. Wish upon the stars at night
3. Watch the sun set at the Salt Dock
4. Sit in the gardens at 40 Bay Street Bed & Breakfast and watch the world go by
5. Build a sandcastle
6. Go for a walk along the Fitness Trail
7. Climb the Observation Tower for a world-class view
8. Collect some beautiful rocks
9. Go window-shopping
10. Go bird-watching

We'd love to hear what you think should be added to this list!

March 1933 pickle recipe book offers additional tips

I was looking for a favourite rhubarb pie recipe and came across a booklet called "New and Old Pickle Recipes that was published in March 1933 by Canada Vinegars Limited.

The picture on the cover shows the factory, located at 112 Duke Street, Toronto Canada and the caption underneath states "The largest vinegar works in America". There is a note on the back cover that the company will send 50 free copies to any grocer who undertakes local distribution to "lady customers who pride themselves in making the very finest pickles". The spot where the grocer could have put their name and address on the back cover is blank. In the middle of the book is a picture of the company's exhibit at the Royal York Hotel during the Retail Grocer's Convention - as my grandfather was working on the construction of Maple Leaf Garden's at the time, it's quite possible that he picked it up.

In addition to pickle recipes, there is information on other uses of vinegar - including beauty tips to cure oily skin and "whitening and healing hands that are stained and roughed by work". It is also recommended for an antidote for poisons (both internally and externally); can be mixed with mustard and applied for easing lung aliments and/or rheumatism; as a cure of headaches; adding lustre to hair and soothing sunburn.

You never know what you're going to learn when you visit Parry Sound and 40 Bay Street Bed & Breakfast!