DAYTRIPPIN’ WITH NEIL MOSER, TROY DETTWILER & DERBY MD

A FAMILY THAT PRIORITIZES FITNESS & DOG-FRIENDLY ADVENTURES SHARES AN IDEAL SUMMERY SATURDAY DAYTRIP IN AND AROUND THE REGION.

NEIL MOSER (SALES & MARKETING MANAGER, INSIGHT EYE CARE), WITH TROY DETTWILER (IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST, WRDSB) & DERBY MD (CUTE DOGGO)

Neil, Troy, and Derby (aka Derbalicious) love spending as much time outside as possible and eating well – although Derby will eat anything (including that nasty wrapper on the side of the road). In this daytrippin’ installment, this loving family plots a course that’s filled with fantastic coffee, stellar food, and quality outdoor time. Take a peek:

SHOW & TELL COFFEE

30 ONTARIO ST N, KITCHENER SHOWTELLCOFFEE.COM 1. We like to start the day earlier than most. As such, we’re up at the crack of dawn and walk over to Show & Tell (which opens at 8) for caffeinated beverages. The baristas at this unassuming coffee shop know their way around a bean, that’s for sure. Troy and I each get pour-overs and talk about the never-ending revitalization of Downtown Kitchener. Derby lies at our feet bathing in the early morning sun.

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KITCHENER MARKET

300 KING ST E, KITCHENER KITCHENERMARKET.CA &

GOLDEN HEARTH BAKERY

343 KING ST E, KITCHENER GOLDENHEARTH.CA

BLUEVALE CALISTHENICS PARK

310 BRIDGEPORT RD E, WATERLOO WRDSB.CA 2. After the beans, we head over to the Kitchener Market. As Troy is the family chef, he pops into the market to pick up some fresh produce and eggs from local vendors to make a delicious frittata back at our place for breakfast. I walk over to Golden Hearth with Derby to pick up our favourites: raisinwalnut sourdough, spelt pizza dough, and a bag of honey oat granola. Derby waits politely in line with me and receives many compliments.

3. After Troy’s glorious homemade breakfast, we drive over to Bluevale Collegiate Institute where the school has an awesome calisthenics park. We love this space because Derby can join us while we exercise. I play ‘Fitness’ by Lizzo and start dancing: ‘Independent. Athletic. I been sweating, doing calisthenics.’ Troy rolls his eyes and briefs me on today’s programming – which always hits the glutes.

LOST & FOUND CAFÉ

45 MILL ST W UNIT 3, ELORA THELOSTANDFOUNDCAFE.COM 4. After our workout, we decide to get out of the city and head to one of our favourite lunch spots: Elora’s Lost & Found Café. The café’s patio is dogfriendly – and the kind staff even give Derby a special treat. To start things off, I order an americano and Troy orders an espresso while we both take a seasonal soup. For mains, Troy gets a TLT sandwich and I get the place’s Roast Beef Toastie. I can never leave this café without getting baked; that is, without getting a bite from Something Baked – a regional off-site bakery whose treats are available at Lost & Found. I scoop up a Something Baked blueberry muffin and Troy takes a powerball.

ELORA GORGE – GRAND RIVER CONSERVATION AREA

7400 WELLINGTON COUNTY RD 21, ELORA GRANDRIVER.CA

ADVENTURE GUIDE

225 THE BOARDWALK, IRA NEEDLES BLVD, KITCHENER ADVGUIDE.COM

RISING MOON GALLERY

8 REGINA ST N UNIT 3, WATERLOO RISINGMOONGALLERY.COM

TASTE OF SEOUL

154 VICTORIA ST S, KITCHENER TASTEOFSEOUL.CA 5. We can’t go to Elora without descending into the beautiful gorge. We put on our water shoes so we can stroll through the shallow pools and enjoy the natural landscape. Derby is ecstatic as he runs around splashing and making friends. Once we’ve made our way down to where the current is strong we do some serious splashing around. Derby stands up on the rocks and yells at us to stay safe. Even though we’re only forty minutes from Kitchener, it feels like we’re hundreds of miles away.

6. Enjoying an afternoon outside always inspires us to anticipate even more outdoor adventures in the future. On our way back from Elora, then, we stop at Adventure Guide to pick up a few backcountry camping essentials for our next portage trip. Troy gets something practical like stove fuel while I get a new pair of running shoes that I won’t even take backcountry – but they look real nice though.

7. I need to pick up a gift for a friend’s upcoming birthday so our next stop is in Uptown Waterloo at Rising Moon Gallery. Owner and artist Andrea Hildebrand showcases the works of twelve different local artisans – including her own. Andrea’s shop is inclusive and she uses art and craft to elevate human consciousness. There are so many beautiful works of art and soul here that I linger until I can almost hear Troy’s stomach rumbling. I settle on forest green ceramic mugs from Dianne Lee and natural dyed handcrafted baskets from Julia Masci and we beeline to pick up dinner.

8. For dinner, we swing by Taste of Seoul for take-out. I order a delicious bibimbap, Troy orders the japchae, and we split the mandu (which are, delightfully, not deep-fried). I practice my Korean with a ‘kamsahamnida’ and an ‘annyeonghi gaseyo,’ although I am a bit rusty. The staff are super friendly and the place’s dishes are the epitome of comfort food: fresh and flavourful.

VICTORIA PARK

32 DILL ST, KITCHENER KITCHENER.CA 9. We decide to bring our food to Victoria Park because the weather is warm and we appreciate the diverse groups of people coming together to spend time with each other in the park. It's early enough for us to enjoy watching children ripping around the playground and dancing through jets of water. Groups of friends and families are laughing around picnic tables and sprawled on blankets; dogs are playing with each other. We set up our slackline between two trees and try our best to make it from one side to the other.

After all, life is about balance. We seek to enjoy our work and our play. While we teeter on the line, Derby sniffs a goose poop. Thankfully he does not partake. DAYTRIP, TAG & POST! @TOQUELTD #TOQUEDT #TOQUEDAYTRIPPING