Burlington
is a city that has many wonderful things to offer. Restaurants, shows, lakes
and shopping – it’s no wonder so many have fallen in love with it. While I knew
that Burlington offered a variety of activities, I was shocked to find out that
they also offered a Chocolate Trail. For a self-proclaimed chocoholic like
myself, I have to admit that upon hearing the news, I almost broke into song
and dance.
Reaching
across the entire city, this trail has vendors inviting you to taste their
sinfully sweet desserts. It’s a tour that can fill an entire day. Eating chocolate all day long? I felt like I
had just won Willy Wonka’s golden ticket.
My
friend and sweet tooth sidekick, Ashley joined me on this delicious venture.
Our
first stop of the day was Sweetness Bakery located in downtown Burlington. A
nut-free bakery, this little slice of heaven specializes in cupcakes, custom
cakes and other baked goods. They even have Food Trucks that can be spotted
about town on a regular basis. Who needs an ice cream truck when you can chase
cupcakes instead?
While
at SB, Ashley and I sampled their Brownie Explosion cupcake. This cupcake will
Change. Your. Life. Not only is it a
delicious chocolate cupcake with beautifully whipped chocolate icing on top
(which has also been infused into the center of the cupcake), but it’s also
topped with a chunk of brownie drizzled in chocolate sauce. If that doesn’t
make you drool, the sheer size of it will. When being presented with this
chocolate delight, Ashley and I both had our eyes widen and stomachs
growl. Because this dessert is large in
terms of height, it did take us a minute to figure out how to even take the first bite. After deciding there was no
lady-like manner to accomplish this task, we simply cut one in half and dove
in. I’d be lying if I said chocolate wasn’t covering our faces.
After
parting ways with Sweetness Bakery and seriously craving the world’s tallest
glass of milk, we stopped in next at Blair Lancaster Spa for their chocolate
pedicure treatment. Having never heard of a chocolate pedicure in my life, I have
to say that my interest was peaked.
First
off, for those that have never been to Blair Lancaster Spa, let me tell you,
you’re in for a treat. This cozy spa is extremely inviting to walk into. After
picking out our pedicure nail polish from a mass selection, we were asked to
sit down in shiatsu massage chairs while warm neck wraps were prepped for us.
In between my chair and Ashley’s, chocolate treats awaited us as well as
chocolate chai tea. Yummy. From there, our feet were soaked in a fabulous
bubble bath infused with chocolate herbs to help detox our bodies. Once relaxed
and exfoliated, our legs and feet were given a luxurious massage. Let me tell you, after that, I never wanted to
leave. Ever. From there, our feet were groomed and our selections of hot red
and pink were painted on our toes. The entire process took an hour and a half
and was heavenly from start to finish.
Having
forgotten to bring appropriate footwear after the pedicure, Ashley and I waddled
our way over to Red Canoe Bistro in spa flip-flops to grab a bite to eat and
taste the dessert offered as part of the chocolate trail. A cozy and intimate
restaurant, Red Canoe Bistro was the perfect place to retreat to on the rainy
day we were having. Treated to rich, indulgent main courses (gourmet mac n’
cheese anyone?), the dessert equally matched. We were served chocolate espresso
brownie. Rich, moist and topped with a berry – it was the perfect sinfully
sweet dessert. I’m pretty sure each bite taken induced an eyes widening, ‘can
you believe how good this is?’ look at each other. Everything in Red Canoe is
made fresh to order also, making everything we ate taste that much better. The
service was also extremely personable and quick – always a bonus in any
restaurant. This place is a must visit if you’ve never been.
Next
on the agenda was Cupid’s Cupcakes, a boutique that takes pride in using no
Following
our cupcake sampling, we were off to Mrs. B’s Gifthouse – one of my favourites
of the day. When walking through the
front door, you’re not only welcomed by the incredibly delightful staff, but
are instantly carried away by the warm, gooey scents of chocolate and fresh
biscotti baking in the back. Ushered to the back, we were shown the famous
biscotti – what the store is known for.
Explaining I hadn’t been a fan of biscotti in past because of it’s hard
texture, Mr. B immediately said that I must try theirs. It was sensational. Not
only did it taste delicious, but it was soft, chocolate coated and melted in my
mouth. Heaven. I’d never tried one like that before! Theirs are always made
fresh daily and have a faithful following in the community. Those that stop in for fresh biscotti
everyday also get a cup of coffee on the house.
It’s the perfect pairing! My delight with this boutique didn’t stop
there. In addition to the fresh baked goods, candies and gift baskets are also
made to order. The candy, I had to sample. Fresh licorice dipped in milk
chocolate and sprinkled with caramel. It’s as good as it’s sounds. Marshmallow
lollipops and other novel ideas for kids are also scattered throughout the store.
The gift baskets too are something to marvel at. Beautifully wrapped and custom
filled with goodies from the store, let me tell you, they are the perfect gift.
This store is a must-visit.
The
last stop on our chocolate trail was Christy’s Gourmet Gifts. Originally
mentioned in
The
Burlington Chocolate Trail was everything I was hoping for and more. Ashley and
I had a fabulous time touring some of the delicious spots this trail has to
offer and recommend highly that you try it also. All that is required of this fabulous day is a
deep love of chocolate and a life-sized glass of milk.
For
more information see www.burlingtonchocolatetrail.ca.
Guest Blogger
Christie Ressel
Christie is an International Image Consultant, Editor, and expert shopper that helps women find their own signature style. She is the Editorin-Chief for FashionTranslated.com. She and her company, Personal Power Image http://www.personalpowerimage.com) are regularly featured in the media and press such as CosmoTV, Chatelaine Magaine, Huffington Post, Lucky Magazine, and more. Having delivered hundreds of lectures and interviews across North America on style and fashion, and seen even more closets -- she is the go to fashion and style expert.
