Niagara Road Trip in the 2019 Ford Edge

The holidays can get so unbelievably hectic. They come so fast and before you know it you have barely had any time to enjoy them. I was not going to let that happen this year. The past few weeks Brandon and I have been on disjointed schedules. I'm home and he's at work, I'm at work and he's at home. We've been missing each other! So we knew this break would be the ideal time to get back on track with some wedding planning and just hanging out! This past weekend we made plans to have our wedding cake consultation and tasting and thought why not make it something more. We packed up our bags and, thanks to Ford Canada, we hit the road. We're getting married in Burlington so most of our vendors are in the Niagara region which gave us the idea to have an overnighter. We hit the road for Niagara in our 2019 Edge and did not look back.

So what did we get up to? Here's a mini diary of our little pre-holiday excursion!

Hitting the road with the 2019 Ford Edge
First of all, hello spacious! We fell in love with the Edge. The sound system was bumping, we literally blasted holiday tunes the whole way there! And the Co-Pilot 360 Technology is such a great bonus. It has pre-collision assist, a rearview camera, lane keeping system and more. Also, I loooooved the wireless charging dock. You just place your phone inside the centre console and it charges! So convenient.

Stop 1: Check in
Okay, so we technically didn't check in anywhere. My parents have a cottage in Vineland, Ontario which is on the way to Niagara so we headed there first to drop off our bags and freshen up. Since we decided to go so last minute we didn't really look into other accommodations. But this worked perfectly for us as it was a middle point!

Stop 2: Redstone Restaurant
Friday night we hit up Redstone Winery & Restaurant. Since the winery is so close to where we were staying we decided to take a taxi just in case we decided to have a glass of their signature wine (which we did)! The restaurant was set up so cozy for Christmas! They had a 20+ foot real Christmas tree all lit up and we dined under the twinkling lights! The food was delicious, too! After dinner, we headed back to the house and put on The Grinch by the fireplace. I fell asleep mid-movie (as per usual)! Haha..

Stop 3: Niagara Falls
We got up super early Saturday morning and headed to Niagara Falls. We wanted to take in the fresh air and just walk around and see the wonder during this time of the year. Yes, it was freezing near the falls, but we made the best of it! We took in all the Christmas music and lights and had a leisurely morning, coffee in hand.

Stop 4: Sweet Celebrations Patisserie 
Next up was our consultation at Sweet Celebrations. We got there smooth and sound in the Ford Edge and we're ready for the cake! Sharlene brought out over ten flavours of cake and different sweets and we got to tasting. I still can't decide what was my favourite. I loved the champagne strawberry flavour, and the lemon!  We left buzzing with excitement, probably due to the sugar, but also for the big day! We loved chatting about our details and finalizing some ideas for the cake. Stay tuned for more on that...

Stop 5: Toronto Prime Outlet
On the way home we popped into the Toronto Prime Outlets for some last minute shopping. It was packed! But there's nothing like seeing all the people hustle and bustle trying to pick up their last minute gifts. We were in and out as we knew exactly what we needed. So it was easy, breezy for us! Since we weren't frantic we actually enjoyed our time walking around. But man was that wind cold! Since it's an outdoor mall we left fairly quickly and set out for home!

We spent just over 24 hours away and it was such a nice treat to just be with one another without the distractions of home. Even though we weren't going far, or somewhere exotic, we got to bask in the holiday cheer of the season and spend some quality moments together before things get even crazier this week for Christmas! Sometimes taking a mini getaway can be just as sweet as going somewhere far. Bonus-- our Ford Edge got us home and back in time for Brandon to watch the leaf game.

Do you have crazy busy Christmas plans, or are you taking it easy this week? I'd love to know!


Thank you to Ford Canada for allowing us to take this mini pre-holiday excursion to experience some holiday cheer! We had a blast learning about this SUV and test driving it for the weekend. It's sleek, has some amazing driver assist features to make driving as smooth and easy as possible, and it comes in so many fab colours! Check it out for yourself at Ford Canada.

Niagara-on-the-Lake Roadtrip

Isn't there just something so picturesque and charming about small towns in Ontario? Sometimes you don't need to go very far to take a mini escape and experience new food, culture, and landscape. That is exactly what I did last weekend. I hopped into a Ford Fusion and set out on the open road with Eleni, my blogger bestie. We escaped the city for one night to discover and explore Niagara-on-the-Lake. We had so much fun cruising around making our way from the city to the countryside. It's so fun going places with like-minded people. I mean who else can you yell "PINK DOOR" at and immediately they jump for joy and start running behind you? Must be a girl thing!



Our Ford Fusion was the perfect vehicle to take us exploring! First of all, it was burgundy velvet (aka purple)! How chic. Second of all, it was packed with all the amenities-- A/C (thank goodness because I swear it was the hottest day of the summer), extra cargo room (because us bloggers like to pack), an easy to use Navigation system, lane-keeping system and more!

We started our journey in Burlington, Ontario, which is a gorgeous town situated on the water. Coming from the city you will pass Burlington on your way to NOTL. We hopped off the highway and hit up Sunshine Doughnuts Co. Everything from the giant doughnut in the sky, the outdoor wall mural, and the gorgeously styled interior made this spot a must-visit. We picked up some donuts and then made our way to discover more of Burlington, Ontario.



Because what does one do after they pick up doughnuts? They need lunch, of course! We walked around Burlington and opted for a healthy lunch at Lettuce Love Cafe. I always make a point to eat here; it's one of my favourite spots for bites, bowls, and salads. Yummie! We may have been extremely full but one does not go to Burlington without making a stop at Kelly's Bake Shoppe. We walked our way over to Kelly's to pick up my favourite gluten-free, vegan, healthier goodies! It was Eleni's first time at Kelly's so I knew she was in for a treat. Eleni picked up the red velvet cupcakes, while I may have got four cookies to go! Haha! I swear I didn't eat them all right away...

Make sure to hit up Anise Apothecary to stock up on green beauty products and Centro Garden for some home decor goodies while in Burlington. And if you have time, check out Amanda Steene Cosmetics to make your own lipstick shade.

A couple of iced coffees, a crazy rain shower and a few stops for photos along the way, we arrived at our destination-- The Queen's Landing Hotel in NOTL. Pulling up into this hotel was breathtaking! The manicured lawns, the columns, it was all so stunning!



We checked into our room, relaxed for a few seconds and hit the town to discover more of NOTL. So much charm! It really is a real live Star's Hallow. We popped in and out of shops, walked along the water, passed by some vineyards and made our way to Balzac's Coffee to, yet again, caffeinate before dinner. If you're in NOTL be sure to explore some of the shops! There are so many vintage finds, one of a kind goodies and delicious eats. After wandering into the shops we made our way back to our hotel for dinner. They had the loveliest patio so we relaxed and had a quiet night after such an eventful day!

The next morning we woke up early and went for a lovely walk to grab coffee and plan our day. Niagra is known for all the fruit trees so we made our way to a fruit stand where we tried the sweetest Sugar Baby plums! We also took home some delicious cherries. The owners were so lovely-- we chatted, they let us try their goodies then we headed back into the Ford Fusion to our last stop, Neob Lavender.





We may have missed the Niagara Lavender Festival by one week, but it's still lavender season and we knew we had to get to the fields nice and early! The smell is intoxicating. I love lavender! It's so amazing for multiple purposes-- headache relief, body aches, relaxation, to induce sleep. I could go on! We stopped in the shop which was conveniently located beside an antique market. We pursued all the goods then finally made our way to the fields. It's a stunning view... the rows and rows of lavender plants!

By mid-afternoon, we were ready for our drive back to the city. It was the perfect girly summer escape! Next time I would definitely check out one of the fabulous spas or vineyards that Niagara is known for. So much to do, so little time! All I know is I'll definitely be back!

Thank you to Ford Canada for sponsoring this post. All opinions are my own.

Explore More with Ford Canada

When I agreed to go on an excursion with Ford Canada to the McMichael Canadian Art Collection I had no idea what to expect. All I knew is that we were meeting in the city, then we would be driving up to the gallery to be one of the first to experience the Higher States: Lawren Harris and His American Contemporaries exhibit. The whole idea of the day was to let Ford take you to places unknown and I love that! Experiencing new things out of my norm is definitely something I'm looking to do more and more. Enhancing my knowledge of Canadian art? Well, it definitely hit that target!

To be honest, I knew next to nothing of Lawren Harris so I jumped at the opportunity to learn more about this iconic Canadian painter. He was a member of The Group of 7 and is actually buried on the grounds of McMichael!

I decided to bring my mom along for the ride with Ford. You all know we are as close as can be, so I thought it would great to have her by my side. We started the day with brunch at School Toronto for some delicious eats with the rest of the bloggers. It was a great way to chit chat, mingle and learn more about how our day would go. Delicious food, huge portions!

{photo c/o Rebeca Zulch}

After brunch, I got into my Ford Edge (which I was able to loan out for the weekend!), and drove the scenic, smooth drive up to Kleinburg, Ontario. The Edge is so comfortable and offers all the fixings! Heated seats, a sweet navigation system, backup camera, sun roof-- I was in all my car glory! And it handled so smoothly! I actually live quite close to Kleinburg so I already knew of it's charm. It has a very Stars Hallow kind of vibe and is perfectly quaint. If you're ever visiting I recommend hitting up  White Cherry Boutique for your dose of Kylie & Kendall, Brunette the Label, and other amazing designers. For treats or brunch check out Cookie Crumble Café, and for dinner, definitely check out Avenue Restaurant. I love visiting in the summer and sitting on the patios!

{photo c/o Rebeca Zulch}

{momma and I-- photo c/o Rebeca Zulch}

When we got to McMichael we had a mini introduction from the guest curators, Dr Roald Nasgaard and Gwendolyn Owens, where we learned a bit more about Lawren Harris. We took a tour through Harris' revelations-- from his landscape paintings of the 1920s to his abstract paintings of the 30s. It was all so interesting, so curious and so complex. I loved the shapes and colours of his later paintings, done in the 30s and 40s. Check out Oversoul, Spectre, Untitled, and J.W.G. "Jock" Macdonald. 

{photo c/o Rebeca Zulch}

After viewing the exhibit we had a surprise paint lesson! I haven't painted in years so this was a highlight of my day! Did you catch my masterpiece (lol)? I went with soft pinks and rose shades. We were short on time but made the best of what time was left to enjoy each other's company and paint away. It's amazing what painting can do for your mind. It's so relaxing and makes you feel so free. You just let go of everything around you and get into the zone. I guess sort of like colouring... Definitely makes me want to sign up for a painting night with friends!

{Rebeca & Chloe -- photo c/o Rebeca Zulch}

{the group! photo c/o Rebeca Zulch}

Thank you to Ford for this awesome experience!