Ethel M Chocolate Factory & Cactus Garden

Location: Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Address: 2 Cactus Garden Dr.
Date: March 2020
Website: www.ethelm.com

    Franklin Mars started the Mars Candy Factory in 1911 with his wife Ethel.  Today Mars makes Snickers, Twix, Mars bars and more.  Ethel is the Ethel M from a popular chocolate factory near Las Vegas, Nevada.

    While in Vegas you can take a short drive to see Ethel M chocolate being made in the factory.  It is made in small batches with no preservatives.

  The tour starts with a taste of some chocolate.  So far so good.  You then wander past the machines where the chocolate is prepared.  Next it is more machines that fill multiple molds and create patterns on top of the chocolates and then put them into cases and boxes.

  The end result is something like the giant chocolate wall at the end of the tour.  Thanks to all the different shapes and patterns you can identify which pieces to eat first when sampling from a box.

  After our tour we enjoyed a chocolate cappucino and some chocolate dipped strawberries. Very nice.

  Next it was outside to take a tour of the cactus garden located just behind the factory.  A little desert after dessert.

  If you still feel like food, there was purple pancake cactus on display.  We don't think they were very edible.

  There was a couple of Joshua Trees.

As well as a nice view of the mountains.

  There was also wildlife to be found in amongst the cactus.  Above is a male Costa's Hummingbird that is known for its purplish head if caught in the right light.  Its head feathers also sort of flare out on the sides.  It was sitting surprisingly still for a hummingbird.

  A small white, grey bird with a yellow head was all over the place.  We managed one good photo of it as it moved from branch to branch faster than we could get it into focus.  These birds are fairly common in Nevada and are known as Verdin.

  We enjoyed our visit to Ethel M.  A great chocolatier knows that chocolate and cactus work well together late in the afternoon.

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Map of Our World
Ethel M Cactus Garden
Ethel M Chocolate Factory

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Post # 280

Valentine's Day List

1. Roses at the Ice Hotel
2. LoveBot
3. Teuscher Valentine Truffles
4. Luzon Bleeding Heart Dove
5. I Heart ...
6. Heart's Content
7. Distillery Heart
8. Blue Whale Heart
9. Lovebirds
10. LOVE on the High Line

This is a list of things from our travels that remind us of Valentine's Day.  Love is in the air and maybe you will get an idea of what to get or do for your special someone this February 14th.

1 ) Roses at the Ice Hotel

Roses are a nice touch on Valentine's Day, but why not a wall of roses carved out of ice and lit up above your own private bed.  Sure it's below zero celcius in the room but the Hotel de Glace is a beautiful place.

2)  LoveBot

Around Toronto we have encountered LoveBot.  We have spotted him in several graffiti filled alleys.  He is just a little expressionless robot but he is filled with love.

3)  Teuscher Valentine Truffles

When it comes to cute truffle boxes, Teuscher is the best.  This Valentine's couple is a great gift for anyone who likes cute and chocolate.

4)  Luzon Bleeding Heart Dove

A Luzon Bleeding Heart Dove looks as if it has been stabbed in the chest. Don't worry it is alright. What looks like a wound is just part of its plumage used to attract a mate.

5)  I Heart...

As campaigns go, the I Love New York campaign has been very successful. The word love has been replaced by a heart.

 We also encountered the I Love Regina sign when we were in the capital city of Saskatchewan. You would probably have a hard time finding someone called New York, but if you know someone called Regina then this is where you should take them on Feb 14th.

6)  Heart's Content

To do something to your heart's content is to do it until you are completely satisfied.  It is also a small town in Newfoundland.  Perhaps your heart will be content in Heart's Content.

7)  Distillery Heart

As you enter Toronto's historic Distillery District you will see a heart that has sunk into the brick walkway.  A very popular spot to take photos with the one you love.  In fact, try as we might, we still couldn't take a photo without at least one person being inside the heart.

8)  Blue Whale Heart

The blue whale has the biggest heart of any living creature on earth.  We have a great love for blue whales.  Imagine one of these hearts filled with love.

9)  Lovebirds

Some more love comes in the form of lovebirds.  These three birds are Lutino Peach Faced Lovebirds at Bird Kingdom in Niagara Falls.  Lutino means they are albino so they have different colouring.  Being albino has absolutely no affect on their capacity to love.

10)  LOVE on the High Line

The High Line is a park created in New York City from old elevated train lines.  On one of our visits we found LOVE.  We hope that everyone finds love this Valentine's Day.

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Map of Our World

Toronto Zoo , Bird Kingdom
 Royal Ontario Museum , Heart's Content Cable Station , Hotel de Glace
Teuscher Toronto
The High Line , Distillery Heart , Regina City Hall , Laguardia Airport

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Post # 277

Ranney Gorge Suspension Bridge

Location: Campbellford, Ontario
Address:  Ferris Provincial Park
Date: Aug 2019
Website: www.visittrenthills.ca

    On the August long weekend we took a road trip to Bancroft, Ontario.   We went up in search of precious gems.  The Rockhound Gemboree was being held in Bancroft that weekend and we hoped to find something special.  We didn't find exactly what we were looking for but also didn't leave empty-handed.  We managed to get a few gifts from the show.

     The Gemboree is the biggest gem and minerals show in Canada and Bancroft is often called the "Mineral Capital of Canada".   The Bancroft community centre, curling rink and hockey rink were filled with vendors.  A lot of the sparkling rocks had come from nearby areas. 

  After attending the show we headed across the York River and stopped at The Granite for lunch.  We both had wraps and shared some truffle root fries which were delicious covered in parmesan cheese.  In a town known for minerals the restaurant was aptly named.

  Our journey continued south west towards Ferris Provincial Park.  Ranney Gorge suspension bridge is located on the western side of Ferris Provincial Park and offers some great views over the Trent River.

 

  To the south you can see the river cutting through the gorge.  To the north is a small waterfall.

  The metal bridge hangs 30 feet over the river and is 300 feet long.  As people walk on the bridge you can feel it moving beneath you.

 After making it safely across the bridge we noticed several large birds circling above.  Closer inspection revealed the markings of an osprey.  The brown face mark that goes across their eyes and then curves up onto the back of their necks is the most obvious identifier. Osprey love to fish so the nearby river passing through the gorge is a great place to spot one.

  We crossed back over the bridge once more to continue our trip home.  We had tried our luck hunting for precious minerals, enjoyed a nice meal and swung over a gorge.  All in all it was a beautiful day.

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Map of Our World
Rockhound Gemboree
Ranney Gorge Suspension Bridge
The Granite

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Post # 259

Hello Kitty Grand Cafe

Location: Irvine, California, USA
Address:  360 Spectrum Center Drive
Date: June 2019
Website: www.sanrio.com

  Hello Kitty was created by company Sanrio in 1974 and since then she has appeared on everything from pencil cases to electric guitars.  Hello Kitty products generate billions of dollars every year.  People just can't get enough of that cute little kitty with no mouth.  That includes us.  When we heard that California had a Hello Kitty Cafe where we could also have tea, we made our reservation right away.

  The Hello Kitty Cafe is located in the Irvine Spectrum Center.  The Irvine Spectrum Center is located about 1 to 3 hours drive (Welcome to LA!) south of Los Angeles.  Once you arrive you can load up on Hello Kitty shaped cookies, cakes, macarons and more.

  The cafe is decorated with drawings of desserts that feature Hello Kitty.  Some of them were available and very similar to what was pictured.  Anyone can purchase items from the cafe but you need a reservation to have tea in the Bow Room.  There are only about six tables in the Bow Room so book ahead.

  The Bow Room is located through a door at the back of the cafe.  If you have a reservation you are welcomed into this room, while everyone else looks up from their Hello Kitty cookies to try and sneak a peak.  It is called the Bow Room after the little pink bow Hello Kitty always has in her hair.  Sorry Pochacco but this is not the Bow Wow room.  Only Hello Kitty is featured, none of her large group of Sanrio friends.

  We were seated at our table for two.  We had place settings of gold cutlery, pink tinted glasses and a Kitty shaped plate.  We each had pink sugar shaped like Hello Kitty herself.  How sweet.

 

  The tea cups and tea pots all had a gold Hello Kitty on them and of course a bow.  It was too cute.

  We started our meal off with a fruit salad topped with coconut cream.  It had a Hello Kitty face inside a heart on top.

  Hello Kitty's backstory claims here real name is Kitty White and she comes from England.  For this reason we hoped she knew a thing or two about high tea service.  She did not disappoint.  We enjoyed everything.  We were served 3 tiers of scones, quiches, sandwiches and desserts.

  We devoured everything in between sips of tea.  One of the last desserts we ate was a square cake with a frosted Hello Kitty on top.  Sorry Kitty but looking cute will not stop us from eating you.  Same goes for you Hello Kitty shaped sugar.  Into the tea cup you go.

  The Bow Room serves cocktails in the evening.  But it also looked like you could have your tea around the Hello Kitty silhouette bar.  We enjoyed the Bow Room and our visit immersed in Hello Kitty.  As we left the cafe we passed a Hello Kiity near the entrance.  Goodbye Kitty.......for now.

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Map of Our World
Hello Kitty Grand Cafe

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Post # 257