The Great Canadian Towns and Villages Thread - Page 24

rousseau · #**461** Posted **May 28, 2023, 9:12 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wigs

Ming Teh in Fort Erie is one of the best Chinese-Canadian restaurants in Niagara. It's been around for 30-ish years and when it opened got a rave review from The Buffalo News food/restaurant reviewer at the time. It's one of those old school places that still has Peking Duck on the menu.

Even though Western NY now has a better selection of Chinese and Asian cuisines in 2023, many still cross the border to eat at Ming Teh and do some grocery shopping for items they cannot find in the Buffalo Metro.

Groovy building. I wonder what its provenance is?

What kind of foodstuffs are available in Fort Erie but not Buffalo?

Wigs · #**462** Posted **May 28, 2023, 9:22 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by megadude

Not just aesthetically does it not feel like Canada, but that's also a gated community there, so feels more American than Canadian. My aunt lives in one in Florida, surrounded by others.

A couple of us discussed the history of that pier there, either in this thread or the beach one. Very interesting.

By Niagara prices, you pay through the nose to live in the gated Crystal Beach "Tennis & Yacht Club" lol
This was the site of the once awesome and uniquely bi-national Crystal Beach Amusement Park that closed in 1989.

Also the early 20th century playground of wealthy Buffalonians and their grand cottages, Point Abino. My favourite is the private road just before the gated community, called Abino Hills. Nice on the bluff overlooking Lake Erie.
https://www.pointabinoassociation.com/

One of the vinyl 2-storeys built in the 1990s on the water is asking $1.9M. Association fees are pushing $400/month. Have no idea about property taxes.

https://www.realtor.ca/real-estate/2...-crystal-beach

$1.4M for a 6yr old one further from water

https://www.realtor.ca/real-estate/2...lane-fort-erie

TownGuy · #**463** Posted **May 28, 2023, 9:36 PM**

Do people live there year round? It has such a summer aesthetic I can't imagine it in the winter time.

Wigs · #**464** Posted **May 29, 2023, 10:37 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TownGuy

Do people live there year round? It has such a summer aesthetic I can't imagine it in the winter time.

I would assume most that bought them originally in the 1990s were for summer homes with a large amount of wealthier Western NYers.
Warm weather is usually nice until end of September/early October. Asking prices back then would have been 25-33% of what they are now.

But now the prices are so high it makes me wonder if some are now full time residents/retirees from the GTHA

Wigs · #**465** Posted **May 29, 2023, 10:46 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by rousseau

Groovy building. I wonder what its provenance is?

What kind of foodstuffs are available in Fort Erie but not Buffalo?

A lot of Yankees are obsessed with Canadian junk food. All Dressed or Ketchup chips, Smarties, Coffee Crisp. They love Bulk Barn.
Ikea in Burlington is another go-to as the closest one is Rochester and any excuse to come to Canada, Western NYers will make

A quick reddit search of Buffalonians pulled up:

Quote:

Chocolate-Aero, Crunchie, Coffee crisp, caramilk, mars...Greaves Jam (made in Niagara on the lake), maple candies, baked items (Nanaimo bars, butter tarts). Their ketchup is a different recipe and it's sweeter, we used to get that because my hubby is Canadian. Also, tea cookies like "peak freans" are very good and more like what you would get in England.

Quote:

Junk from Dollarama.

Quote:

So much better than dollar tree

Quote:

Butter tarts and more butter tarts! And a sausage roll for the road from that bakery in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Quote:

Swiss Chalet, IKEA stuff, Tylenol with Codeine

Quote:

Bulk Barn, Sobeys, Dollarama, Ming Teh and whatever I can bring back in the trunk I do

Quote:

As a Buffalonian who now lives across the border in Canada, I still cross to buy certain things.

The stuff I like in Canada that we don’t (commonly) have in the states:

butter tarts

maple candy

celebration cookies. The caramel ones are my favorite. Celebration cookies are great for s’mores.

kielbossa from Big Red’s in Thorold (it’s cheaper there. Brandt makes a similar one that is commonly found in grocery stores. The texture is way better than something like hillshire farms. That being said, Wardynski’s polish sausage with marjoram is probably my overall favorite sausage.

everyone seems to love aero bars, Cadbury milk, smarties, and coffee crisp.

liberté méditerranée yogurt is delicious

Niagara peaches (august/September). You can bring Canadian grown produce across the border - be sure to claim any produce. They will take it if you’re not allowed to have it but as long as you declare it, you won’t get in trouble. https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/res...eler-canada-fv

peameal bacon

Cost savings stuff:

no name Chocolate hazelnut spread is a bit cheaper than Nutella. ($4CAD at no frills for 24.5 oz)

lots of cookies and crackers, like Oreos, are cheaper here with the sales (check Flipp app)

Big Red’s (Thorold) bacon is also pretty good and is cheap

eggs are currently a bit cheaper over here (always check USDA before importing as this can change at any time) I think beef is cheaper over here.

Also, there is a Costco in Niagara Falls and a Costco business centre in St Catharines. Some good deals to be had there but you need to know what you’re buying (like any warehouse club)

source: https://www.reddit.com/r/Buffalo/com...siting_canada/

If Buffalonians can justify a trip to Niagara/Burlington/Toronto they will do it. They luuuv Caaaaynaaduh

rousseau · #**466** Posted **May 30, 2023, 12:05 AM**

Perused that Reddit page, and this is off topic, but how did Bulk Barn turn into this exclusively Canadian thing that Americans who find out about it love and wish they had?

It's popped up in my YouTube feed too. "OMG Bulk Barn is the greatest!" Isn't it fulfilling a basic need that Americans would latch onto immediately if they had it? So why don't they have something like this?

We've had bulk stores like this for going on four decades now, though the independent ones have mostly disappeared because they can't compete with Bulk Barn. My wife and I regularly get the ingredients for homemade granola there, and I stop in for herbs and spices all the time. I can definitely see why candy lovers go nuts in there.

megadude · #**467** Posted **May 30, 2023, 2:12 AM**

I've been going to Bulk Barn a few times the past couple months for party related stuff. It really does come in clutch when you need a bunch of stuff without buying entire packages. However, for certain things, you have to wonder about the quality of it -- whether it's stale from just sitting there for so long. Once you figure that out then you're good.

Dollar Tree hired the CEO of Dollarama years ago because Dollarama really is a phenomenal store and no dollar franchise I've been to in the US can compare. So I do wonder why some corporation didn't hire the Bulk Barn CEO or a VP to come to the US and set up something like that there. Or really anywhere in the world like in Europe or Australia where there might be market for that.

And I have only been in that Ikea in Burlington once. I was surprised to see just how many NY plates there were.

urbandreamer · #**468** Posted **May 30, 2023, 3:01 PM**

Bulk Barn is gross. If you want quality herbs and spices .. grow your own herbs and go to specialty spice stores or Whole Foods etc.

I wonder why Anna Mae's etc can't make a shoo fly pie-inspired butter tart?

The past week I went camping (or rather slept in my car because it was very muddy and mosquito ridden at Rideau River Provincial Park near Kemptville) and explored dozens of cute small towns around Ottawa/Gatineau. Some faves being Winchester, Bishops Mills, Carleton Place, Perth, Ventnor, Spencerville, Crysler, Moose Creek, Prescott, Brockville, Gananoque; and numerous dairy farms/hamlets throughout Quebec. In June, I'll be spending a week exploring the Eastern Townships.

Like in Quebec, I noticed small hatchbacks like the Nissan Micra are very popular around Ottawa and Eastern Ontario, not just driven by teenaged girls but men. I love the Scottish, Irish and French dominance of these towns - I could easily live here.

harls · #**469** Posted **Jun 1, 2023, 2:43 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wigs

This lawn looks almost fake. May as well lay down some synthetic Canadian Tire green carpet.

esquire · #**470** Posted **Jun 1, 2023, 3:19 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by harls

This lawn looks almost fake. May as well lay down some synthetic Canadian Tire green carpet.

Wait, you're coming down on someone for having too nice a lawn?

I should show you mine in that case, I'm sure you will approve the gritty realism

Those homes on the lake are very lovely but man. If I had $1.9 million to spend on a recreational property I could do a hell of a lot better than that.

ScreamingViking · #**471** Posted **Jun 1, 2023, 9:13 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by harls

This lawn looks almost fake. May as well lay down some synthetic Canadian Tire green carpet.

Lawns suck. Bigtime.

I am in an apartment now, but the house I co-own with my ex has flower gardens in the front, and flowerbeds in the back flanking a gravelled area beneath an old tree with a flagstone path beside it and small area of artificial turf beside that (old home, alley garage behind the house). While the upkeep of the flowerbeds was essential, and removal of weeds that creep up along the concrete, not having to mow a lawn was a huge benefit.

So yeah. I'm agreeing with you.

harls · #**472** Posted **Jun 1, 2023, 9:44 PM**

There is a dude that lives not too far from me that babies his lawn so much.. I saw him one day out with scissors trimming along the curb. Like come on man.

esquire · #**473** Posted **Jun 1, 2023, 10:00 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by harls

There is a dude that lives not too far from me that babies his lawn so much.. I saw him one day out with scissors trimming along the curb. Like come on man.

I am a shitty suburbanite in that I only do the bare minimum to keep up my lawn

ScreamingViking · #**474** Posted **Jun 1, 2023, 10:06 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by harls

There is a dude that lives not too far from me that babies his lawn so much.. I saw him one day out with scissors trimming along the curb. Like come on man.

And yet I would wager his nose hair is out of control.

harls · #**475** Posted **Jun 1, 2023, 11:05 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScreamingViking

And yet I would wager his nose hair is out of control.

I see we are the same age.. along with those other old codgers esquire and Wigs.

Wigs · #**476** Posted **Jun 2, 2023, 12:35 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by harls

This lawn looks almost fake. May as well lay down some synthetic Canadian Tire green carpet.

It's giving Truman Show vibes

• Video Link

Wigs · #**477** Posted **Jun 2, 2023, 12:41 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by harls

I see we are the same age.. along with those other old codgers esquire and Wigs.

Hey now, I'm at the beginning of the Millennials

Aren't you guys Gen X?

Quote:

Encyclopædia Britannica defines millennials as "the term used to describe a person born between 1981 and 1996, though different sources can vary by a year or two."

Wigs · #**478** Posted **Jun 2, 2023, 1:20 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by esquire

Wait, you're coming down on someone for having too nice a lawn?

I should show you mine in that case, I'm sure you will approve the gritty realism

Those homes on the lake are very lovely but man. If I had $1.9 million to spend on a recreational property I could do a hell of a lot better than that.

esquire, you're in luck. A home cutesy cottage without a lake view in this gated community just came up for sale.