A new store just opened up in Gore Bay, and you will want to head over for a visit! Located by the water and in the newly renovated Harbour Centre by the marina, this is the perfect location for inspiration. At North Channel General, you will find items of the highest quality.  North Channel General has made it their duty to bring only the best products to their customers.

The shop is beautiful and quite "Zen".  With no cluttered displays, they only showcase a few choice items.  You're not bombarded with a million different items, but presented with a handful of carefully selected pieces and they are all so visually stunning!

No kidding!  When you walk in, you immediately get a sense of "Ahhhhhhhhh".  Not only are the folks at North Channel General quite possibly the loveliest people around, but the shop itself makes you feel like all your stress and worries are melted away...even if momentarily.  It really does remind me of the shops I used to frequent when I worked and lived in Japan.  The space is "clean" (as in uncluttered) and visually peaceful.  You definitely get that feeling in this store.

Some of the items North Channel General carries are:




North Channel General also sells artwork from local artists like Jack Whyte and Ann Beam.

Among my favourites are the wicker bags.  They're perfect for a day at the beach.  The photo does not do the product any justice.  My 4 year old daughter wanted to play the budding photographer and snapped this shot while we were at the beach.  Bag seen in background.


North Channel General is also on Facebook.  Visit the North Channel  General FB page and check out all their fabulous items.

Visit their store

Location:
40 Water Street, Studio 2
Gore Bay, ON
P0P 1H0
Hours of operation:
Mon-Thurs: 11:00 am - 6:00 pm
Fri:-Sat: 11:00 am - 7:00pm
Sun: 11:00 am - 5:00 pm

website: http://www.northchannelgeneral.com/

All photos (except the photo of the bag) are courtesy of North Channel General. 

There's nothing that screams "SUMMER'S HERE!" better than an ice cream cone enjoyed on the beach and a swim on a hot Summer day.  Thankfully for Islanders and visitors alike, all of this can be found daily in Providence Bay.

Enjoy a stroll on the boardwalk, or walk along the beach and enjoy the sunset.  Providence Bay is one of our favourite places to play. This is why...


Owners of the Auberge Inn in Providence Bay have added to the Auberge Inn family by including ice cream shop, Huron Island Time.

What Huron Island Time has to offer:

When I lived in Toronto, my canine baby was a pampered pooch.  He got groomed twice yearly and had the royal treatment.  He really was a spoiled boy.

Fast forward a few years and we're no longer living in the city. We're on an island in the middle of one of the Great Lakes and in Northern Ontario!  How on earth did we get here?!

Chance seems to love rural living though.  He gets to run around our farm and be free as a bird.  He is one very happy puppy!  Okay, he's ten years old, but he looks and acts like a pup!

The only drawback of country living is that this once well-groomed city dog is now always covered in gross things and doesn't smell great at all.  I will not mention what he's covered in, but we live on a cattle farm.  You get the picture, right?

There isn't a day that I don't thank my lucky stars for Patti McKenzie, Pampered Pet Grooming owner and dog groomer.

No word of a lie, Patti is the most amazing person ever.  She is so good with the animals and has that magic touch.  I say this because my dog won't let anyone touch his paws, and Patti is always able to get him to let her do whatever she wants and needs to do to get him groomed!

You see, when Chance was a pup, an elevator incident had his paw stuck and dewclaw bleeding. Since then, nobody has been able to touch his sensitive paw. Nobody except Patti, that is!

A few years ago, he was run over by a bus and almost died.  For three months, he was pretty much in a vegetative state. Crushed organs, a crushed pelvis, and no mobility, had our canine baby out of commission for a long time.  It was a miracle when he all of a sudden decided to get up and start running around again! He looks and acts just like a pup still.

I thought for sure that no groomer would ever be able to touch him without his protests, but Patti seems to have the magic touch.  She always sends Chance back to us looking like a brand new pup.  Coat clipped down for his "Summer look", smelling fresh (the good kind of fresh, and not the "ripe" kind), and clean!  He's always so happy when he comes back from the groomer's and he looks a lot lighter too!
If you're on Manitoulin Island, I highly recommend Pampered Pet Grooming.  For more info, check out their Facebook page!

Connect with Manitoulin Botanicals on Facebook, their website, or via email ManitoulinBotanicals@gmail.com

 Disclosure - This is not a sponsored post.  Just promoting local businesses and the island we love.

Have you ever stopped to really look at an egg before?  They're so perfect and so beautiful.  Each one is so unique.

We get our eggs from Hubby's sister, who as chickens.  We also get eggs from Blue Jay Creek Art Farm.  For the most part, we try to grow what we can and eat and buy locally as much as we can.

Link up your Wordless Wednesday posts! We'd love to check them out!

With the school year coming to a close, and kids ready for Summer, you'll no doubt want to look into cottage rentals and vacation plans for the family!  I may be a bit biased, but if you're planning a road trip, Manitoulin Island should be on your bucket list!

Experience Manitoulin Island

Bayside Resort

Beauty and Comfort: The Cabins

With the MS Chi Cheemaun sailing again and the everyone celebrating the unofficial start of Summer, you're now ready to plan on your amazing Manitoulin Island Summer vacation. Right?

I'm not lying when I say that Mantioulin Island is truly a magical place.  I left Toronto in 2004 and fell in love with the Island. I've been living here for almost 10 years and love living here. Plus, being close to so many stunning beaches and lakes is pretty sweet (especially in the Summer)!

Places to Stay & Things to Do on Manitoulin Island this Summer

Manitoulin Island is known as an outdoor haven for those who enjoy hiking, cycling, boating, canoeing, kayaking, camping, fishing, and other outdoor activities. The Island is also fabulous for those interested in visiting museums, art galleries, farmers' markets and local shops.

Accommodations

There are many places to stay on the Island. Here are but a few of the places my friends and family have stayed at:
Manitoulin Inn
Turtle Creek
Auberge Inn
Buckhorn Motel
Gordon's Park
Big Buck Cottages
Hutchinson's Cabins
Meldrum Bay Inn
Manitoulin Resort
Timberlane Rustic Cottages
Fred's Camp
Sunset Bay Resort
Black Rock Resort
Rock Garden Terrace Resort
Southbay Guest House
Paradise Motel
Tehkummah Tipis

For a complete list of accommodations, visit the Our Manitoulin site.

Places to eat

Attractions

Other

Websites/Resources:

My "Go-To" site for all things Manitoulin is Our Manitoulin. Local events, accommodations, business links, and everything you need to know are all listed on the website.

Other sites to peruse for planning your Manitoulin vacation are: Manitoulin Tourism, Manitoulin Island, Manitoulin Island Cottage Rentals,

If you're planning on visiting beautiful Manitoulin Island, there are many things to see and do! Be prepared to be amazed by the white sand beach at Providence Bay and the crystal clear, turquoise water of the many lakes on the Island.

Manitoulin hospitality awaits!

Ferry information can be found here.

Watch for my #ManitoulinSpotlight posts. I'll be featuring a different Manitoulin business every Monday beginning next week!

Another Reason To Visit Manitoulin Island

One of my addictions is Zumba. I LOVE the energy and the music! My only problem these days is that I don't have time to drive to my Zumba lessons. Zumba DVDs it is, then. *sigh* It's not the same as taking a class with a Zumba instructor who has enough energy to keep the entire class dancing and having fun!  Let me tell you, Casey is has lots of great energy and her enthusiasm and passion for Zumba really show in her classes! She is so fabulous at what she does.

As part of my Manitoulin Spotlight this week, I want to introduce my Zumba instructor to you.


1. Briefly tell us about yourself. Where you live, what you love doing, hobbies, etc.
 My name is Casey Boisvert and I live in Little Current on Manitoulin Island. For the most part I have always been an Islander, despite being born in Sudbury, and the small stint I spent in North Bay getting my BA in Psychology and the Bachelor of Education Degree at Nipissing University. 
Right now I don't have a lot of time for hobbies since I am running a Service Canada Program in M'Chigeeng, tutoring, and running Zumba. I think given all that I do, it is safe to say that I love teaching in any capacity it comes in. I think I have always been a bit of a performer, and I am sure my family will attest to me loving attention, so this all seemed like a natural fit. It is such a powerful feeling knowing that you have helped a student learn something even in the smallest capacity, be it tieing there shoes, reading a few words, or making life decisions.
I used to love writing, poems mostly, as I felt that it was always a release of emotions. I love sports, and used to be involved in several volleyball leagues, and I played Ultimate this summer. I am trying to learn French as a second language right now, as I feel that this will benefit me and make me more employable with the Rainbow District School Board. I also fancy myself as a bit of a creative person, give me some crayons, scissors, or glue, and I am sure to be able to make something out of it. Of course, I have to listen to my music in order to come up with all these Zumba routines.

2. How did you end up as a Zumba instructor? Was it something you had always wanted to do?
I have always loved dancing. While living in North Bay I had the opportunity to sign up for a dance class. We loved it and I noticed that I had a natural ability to remember routines and keep the counts in my head. Due to a conflict with my volleyball schedule, I wasn’t able to sign up for this class the following year, so me and several other girlfriends looked elsewhere. We found a little dance studio downtown North Bay and they were offering something called Zumba. The price was right so we decided to try it. It is kind of funny to think back on now, but my friends always wanted to hide in the back, and I was always gung-ho to be up close to the teacher so I could get all the moves just right. My friends would often stand behind me and say things like how do you know what to do and I have just been watching her feet. Again, I seemed to be able to pick up the steps and remember the routines. Well as fate would have it, I moved back to Manitoulin and there was a woman on the Island who had just got her training to be an instructor. I thought, well I know what this is all about I am going to go out and have some fun. It wasn’t long after that the Instructor and I became friends, we were discussing music, I was making up some of my own routines to teach, and a few times she called on me to cover her class. Eventually, it was like why don’t you just become an instructor? So I did. I went to a CanFit Pro conference in Toronto, got stuck in a room with probably 500 other people, and became an Instructor. It wasn’t long after that that I started up my own classes and I have just hit my year anniversary this month since I began on my own. 
Zumba wasn’t something that I really planned on making a career out of. It was just a passion that I followed, and in all honesty, I thought that maybe I could use it as an in with schools on the Island to teach dance or drama programs. Even though it is hard work, I can’t really picture myself not doing it anymore. Any time a song comes on on the radio I am instantly mapping out moves in my head, the routines play over for songs I have already done, and given the opportunity and the audience I will bust out some moves just to show people what it is all about. 

3. For those unfamiliar with Zumba, could you explain what it is?
Zumba Fitness is a Latin inspired cardio dance fitness program is you want the official definition. But really what I like to tell people is that it is fun. A lot of people get too hung up on the word dance, but really we just get out there and move to the music. The music is loud and upbeat to make it feel like a party atmosphere and it is exercise in disguise. I think you just have to try it to get what it is because it means something different to everyone. Some I am sure like it for the party atmosphere and it is a mood elevator and stress reliever. Other like it because it has a social aspect to it. It is appealing because you are getting a great workout but having fun at the same time. There is great love and support in the room and really, everyone can do it. You don’t need any experience or special equipment. It works for people at all fitness levels and for people with any type of limitation. I always tell my first timers it about feeling the music and having fun, they know their limitations and restrictions and they can work within them. There is no wrong way to do Zumba because everyone has their own flavour to bring to the group. I always say if you smiled and had fun then you did it right. 

4. Quick! 5 reasons why you think people should take Zumba lessons!
- Great Workout
- Fun Atmosphere that is low risk (meaning that you can feel comfortable to try something new because everyone else is doing it with you, it doesn’t matter if it looks the same as someone else)
- It is for Everyone
- No special equipment or training required
- Breaks out of the normal routine, where else do you get to dance and shout out whenever you feel like it!

5. What's your favourite Zumba song/routine? (Is there a YouTube video you can recommend?)
I have done so many that it is hard to pick a favourite, and there are ones I like for different reasons. Some I like because they are the first ones I ever made, some I like because of the choreography and it is so cool watching a group of people come together to do your moves, and some are just crowd pleasers – when the song comes on you can see that they are excited, or they scream louder, or give a little extra of themselves to the music. I feed off their fun. I think last year one that everyone enjoyed was Moves Like Jagger, this year I feel like it is going to be Gangnam Style. 
There isn’t a video I would recommend watching, I make up most of my own routines, or sometimes for inspiration I watch other routines for new moves. I would just tell people to pick a song they like and type Zumba behind it. Or to just type Zumba on its own and there are going to be thousands of options that come up. This way they can get an idea of what it is all about. There are some really awesome routines out there, but there is a lot of junk too. The best way to really know is to try it yourself. 

6. Anything else you'd like to add or would like readers to know?
I often tell my first timers that it is going to feel overwhelmed the first time and probably a little lost and to at least give me two classes before they decided on whether or not this is for them. They are learning the routines for the first time and hearing the music for the first time so the learning curve is huge. I tell them that I do my best to verbally and visually prompt them so they should never feel like I am going to leave them alone to figure it all out. Everyone was once in their shoes, we all have to start somewhere. They shouldn’t feel like they look stupid because Zumba lets you add your own style to every move we do. And trust me everyone feels the way you do, but everyone is so focused on me and getting th moves they aren’t going to see how hard you are shaking your hips, or if your left arm went up first. I want everyone to feel comfortable with and love who they are, I am not here to judge, I love all of my Zumba-ers. Without them everything I have done wouldn’t be possible, without their energy, love, and support, I could have easily of given up. They are the reason I keep going, and I want them all to know that some days seeing them smile and hearing them cheer gets me through my day. I love hearing that they loved a song, had fun, or are achieving their weight goals. It’s a wonderful feeling knowing that I am making a difference to someone one song at a time. 
Lastly, if you aren’t sure about a move, ask me. Teaching is what I do and I want you to feel like this is something you can do!

If you are on Manitoulin Island and are looking for a fun way to keep active, I would definitely recommend taking Casey's Zumba classes!  I'm so looking forward to my schedule slowing down so I can re-join the classes! Like I said, Zumba DVDs are great (love them), but the vibe from an actual Zumba class is beyond compare! Definitely an adrenaline rush!

For more info, check out zumba.com!

By now, most of you know how much I absolutely love this island I now call 'home'.  Apart from being a majestic, magical, peaceful place to live (for those of us who love being in nature and enjoy outdoor activities), Manitoulin Island is home to many incredible small businesses.

I love supporting local businesses.  There's something so special about the love and time small business owners put into their craft.  Whether it be products or services, our household definitely supports local Manitoulin businesses.

One of the newest businesses I have had the pleasure of discovering is BabyBits.ca! I was given a few items to try on Little One.
My little girl  loves the headbands and elastics she was given. Very cute, comfortable, and well made.

Every single item is made lovingly by hand.  When visiting BabyBits.ca, I was shown many different fabrics, shades of material and other items used to create these beautiful headbands! The flowers are all so unique and pretty! I have little secret. I actually use some of the hair ties that were given to Little One!

Here are some beautiful items BabyBits has for little cuties!






I am happy to have been able to interview Bev, the owner of BabyBits.ca.

1. Please tell us a little bit about yourself. 

If you live on Manitoulin Island, you'll have likely sampled some of the amazing items Our Garden creates.  If you've been to the Farmers' Markets on the Island, you'll most likely have chatted with the friendly Chuc and Linda Willson, owners of and masterminds behind Our Garden products.

Since I moved to the Island a few years ago, I've been a fan of Chuc and Linda's jellies, vinegars, and other goodies. I pick up a few items every now and then to mail to friends and family for Christmas presents. They are SO delicious!

Their products are made fresh with local fruit of the field or naturally sourced herbs from their own garden. They never add artificial flavour to any of their products. They also do not mix any of their products, because they want  you to enjoy the true taste of the fruit or herb. Another thing I love is that they use organic fair trade sugar to assure their product is eco-friendly, the growers get a fair price, and because it's better for us.

Just last year, Linda introduced me to Our Garden's vinaigrettes! I'm not a fan of creamy salad dressings (Okay, I am a fan, but my waistline isn't!), and I absolutely love vinaigrettes!


What you do is you buy the basil infused vinegar and whatever basil jelly you prefer from Our Garden.  Then you follow one of the amazing recipes Chuc and Linda have so generously shared on their Our Garden pamphlets.

Here's one of my favourites from Chuc and Linda:

Ruby Raspberry Vinaigrette
1/2 cup Ruby Basil Vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
3 Tablespoons Raspberry Jelly or to taste
3 Tablespoons Ruby Basil Jelly or to taste

Combine ingredients in tall narrow jar or a vinaigrette bottle for easy pouring. Let stand at room temperature overnight. Shake well before using. If not used up within a week, store in refrigerator.


Chuc and Linda Willson's Our Garden is a MyPick Verified Local Farmer.  The MyPick logo is your assurance that Farmers' Markets Ontario has visited their farm and confirmed that they are indeed a bona fide  local producer.  Everything at Our Garden comes straight from their farm and is a result of their hard work.

I should also add that Chuc and Linda are two of the nicest, kindest, loveliest people you will ever meet!

Find Our Garden at the Farmers' Markets  on Manitoulin Island and on Facebook!

Disclosure - This is not a sponsored post. I am not being compensated for any of my Manitoulin Spotlight posts. I have chosen to showcase local businesses because I would like to support them and spread the word about all the wonderful hidden and not so hidden) gems we have on the Island. All the opinions written here are honest and my own.

 I absolutely love the fact that the paintings and art work in the shop are by local artists.

 Even the decorative pillows are made by local artist, Madonna Aeschlimann.