Author: Rae

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The Best Pizza in North America (or, at least, Canada & the US)

I think pizza buffs will agree with me that there is one pizza against which you measure all others. In all my travels across Canada and the US, I have yet to find a pizza has good as that offered by Tre Colori, a restaurant situated in my hometown of Chambly, Quebec. Imagine that!

Tre Colori’s pizza sauce is savory, but not, too pungent. The cheese is greasy and generous. The crust is what makes this pie stand out. Under the pizza, it is thin but not crispy, and at the edge it is doughy and yeasty. I like most pizzas with a lot of toppings, but Tre Colori’s has to be eaten plain.

the box hasn't changed since I can remember

the box hasn’t changed since I can remember

my half is plain; the other half has onions and mushrooms

my half is plain; the other half has onions and mushrooms

close up of the texture

close up of the texture

close up of the yummy dough ball they use to keep the lid away from the pizza

close up of the yummy dough ball they use to keep the lid away from the pizza

The restaurant has been in business since 1967 and I have eaten there all my life. It was one of my dad’s favourite restaurants, so I celebrated many milestones there, most notably my thirteenth birthday. The decor has changed over time, but the food is the same. They serve pasta and non-Italian dishes, but it’s only the pizza I crave when a wind blows me back into town.

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Transitioning to the RV Nomad Lifestyle

Many people who transition to the full-time RV nomad lifestyle do not realise that they are moving to another version of ‘real life’ and that full-time RVing is not a perpetual vacation. You will find yourself facing the same responsibilities, from bills to housekeeping, and ‘tourism’ will eventually become less of a priority as you discover that every town is pretty much the same.

There will probably always be a bit of an exploration component, a given when you move from one strange locale to another, but there is more to discovering a community than hitting every museum. You can learn a lot about a town by spending a morning at a diner listening to the locals.

Moreover, full-time RVing does not change who you are at the core. A homebody recluse will most likely not become the star of the Sunday potluck and the neatnik won’t forgo the Saturday morning housekeeping blitz.

For more on this topic, read Jennifer’s post Learning Nomadism at livinginmycar.com

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I Love Flying!

I am in Calgary and approaching the end of my last layover.

Airport security procedures continue to suck. I was subjected to an incredibly invasive pat-down in Penticton, but once that was done, it was smooth going. I’d never done a cross-country flight with layovers, so I didn’t realise I only need to do the security thing once. When I’ve flown to the US with layovers, I had to clear customs while still on Canadian soil, so there were two security checks.

But once the security hassle is over, I remember why I don’t mind going through it. There is something about flying that gets me every time. I just love that little hitch in your throat at the moment of takeoff; it is so exhilarating. I was seated right next to the landing gear on the flight to Vancouver, so I had a chance to see how it works. It was cool to actually see the plane bounce at touch down!

Everyone needs to both drive and fly across the continent once. By tonight, I will have seen the Pacific Ocean, the Rockies, the prairies, and the Canadian Shield before descending into the familiar St Lawrence Lowlands that were home for thirty years.

The layover in Calgary turned out to be a most pleasant respite. I had a nice lunch at the Chili’s restaurant, then caught up on some work. I need to pack up now and go off in search of snacks since I’ll be landing in Montreal at 11PM local time, which is dinner time for me!

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Almost Packed and Waiting for Morning

I’m leaving for Montreal first thing in the morning, which is absolutely surreal! Since I am taking three flights both ways and do not trust Air Canada, I’ve decided to try to carry on all my luggage. When I checked-in an hour ago, I did say that I would be checking one suitcase, in case they decide not to let me carry on. Had I selected the ‘no checked luggage’ option, Air Canada would charge me $50 if they deemed it necessary for my luggage to be checked! Crazy!

Air Jazz, the puddle jumper that’s taking me from Penticton to Vancouver will require me to put my luggage under the plane at the point of embarkation because of the lack of cabin space. I went through that routine when I went to Chicago in ’99, so I know what to expect.

I’m allowed my suitcase, a laptop case, a small purse, and a coat, so that is what I will need to juggle through the airports tomorrow. My suitcase is very nice and has a place from which to hang the laptop case, so at least I won’t need to carry myself in most cases. Needless to say, I am going to have my eye on it the whole time!

I read the updated rules about liquids and noticed a new clause–the liquids must be identifiable. Last time I carried on my luggage I transferred my products to small bottles and they went through fine. But this clause makes me think that I need to be carrying original bottles. So, I went to Shopper’s Drugmart today and bought $10 worth of travel sized bottles. *sighs*

I have not decided to what extent, if any, I will be blogging about my trip.

I’m off to finish packing since I need to hit the road for 7:30. *yawn*