A Refined Weekend Experience Inside the Old Stone Inn Boutique Hotel

While Niagara Falls is known for its bright lights and buzzing energy, tucked away from the crowds is a brunch experience that brings together atmosphere, elegance, and regional flavor: Flour Mill Scratch Kitchen at the Old Stone Inn Boutique Hotel.

Located just a few blocks from the Falls and set inside a charming historic stone building, this restaurant offers a quiet alternative to Clifton Hill’s chaos—a space that feels more reminiscent of Niagara-on-the-Lake than a tourist capital.

We discovered it during our recent stay in Niagara Falls and were immediately struck by the vibe: velvet textures, stone walls, and a rustic-modern aesthetic that sets the tone for something much more curated than your average brunch.

A Sensory Experience Beyond the Tourist Trail

While we were staying at a larger hotel nearby, we found ourselves wishing we had booked at the Old Stone Inn. If we had another night, we would have made the switch without hesitation.

The “Blunch” weekend service was a standout. A live DJ curated the playlist, giving the room a gentle buzz of energy, while the service was unforced, warm, and remarkably attentive—something rare in such a high-traffic destination.

The Menu: Local, Refined, and Thoughtfully Presented

The menu reflected a strong commitment to local sourcing and seasonal ingredients, with dishes that balanced creativity and comfort. Some standouts included:

• Million Dollar Bacon Tree – A show-stopping visual centerpiece, glazed to glossy perfection. Sweet, smoky, and deeply indulgent.
  
• Blueberry Lemon Cornbread – Bright, nuanced, and layered with just the right mix of sweet, tart, and savory.
  
• Shakshuka – Deeply satisfying with a rich tomato base and perfectly poached eggs, offering comfort without heaviness.
  
• Lobster Skillet – The epitome of luxury breakfast fare: buttery, rich, and refined.
  

Complementing the meal was a selection of house-made drinks, including:

• Sour Cherry Sparkling Lemonade
  
• Fallsview Sunrise Mimosas
  
• Caramel Latte – Smooth, aromatic, and beautifully frothed.
  

Their mimosa bar and curated mocktail list added variety without compromising quality—further elevating the brunch into something full-sensory and memorable.

Final Impressions

Flour Mill Scratch Kitchen is more than a hotel restaurant—it’s a hidden gem where brunch becomes an experience. From the velvet-covered banquettes to the carefully plated dishes and warm service, it’s clear that every element is orchestrated with care.

For those visiting Niagara Falls and looking for something more curated, local, and emotionally grounded, this is an essential stop.

A Refined Culinary Experience Inside the Sterling Inn & Spa

If you’re seeking a more elevated dining experience in Niagara Falls, far from the neon lights and tourist crowds of Clifton Hill, AG Inspired Cuisine offers a different kind of atmosphere—quiet, intentional, and deeply rooted in the region’s seasonal flavors.

Located beneath the Sterling Inn & Spa, this intimate, subterranean restaurant feels like a secret worth keeping. With its moody lighting, hushed acoustics, and thoughtful pacing, AG Inspired Cuisine doesn’t just serve food—it invites you to slow down and savor it.

A Tasting Menu with Meaning

Our evening began with an original cocktail: the “Berries, Beets, Battlestar Galactica”—a bold and playful blend of beet-infused gin, fresh tarragon, and tart botanicals. Balanced yet surprising, it set the tone for a meal that would be anything but conventional.

What followed was a chef-curated tasting menu tailored to our dietary preferences, with a noticeable level of care and personal attention. Many dishes weren’t listed on the printed menu, which made each course feel like a quiet conversation between guest and kitchen.

Highlights from the Seasonal Tasting

Several dishes stood out for their precision and creativity:

• Roasted beets with restrained seasoning, reflecting respect for the ingredient’s natural sweetness
  
• A vibrant Niagara asparagus salad, fresh and clean
  
• Grilled quail served with simply prepared parsnip—understated but perfectly executed
  

The common thread was a deep commitment to seasonality and local sourcing. Much of the produce came from AG’s own farm, including the honey used delicately throughout the meal.

A Sweet Finish with Regional Character

For dessert, we enjoyed a delicate rhubarb mille-feuille—light, crisp, and layered with nuance—followed by handmade gelato from pastry chef Andrew, which was smooth, nostalgic, and quietly complex.

We ended the night with the restaurant’s signature: the Ultimate Icewine Martini. Sweet, rich, and deeply local, it was a distinctly Niagara expression that distilled the essence of the region into a single elegant pour.

Hospitality That Matches the Food

What truly elevated the evening was not just the food or drinks—it was the hospitality. Service was warm, never overbearing, and perfectly timed. Every detail—from the cocktail to the pacing of the courses—was handled with care.

AG Inspired Cuisine isn’t just a fine dining restaurant in Niagara Falls. It’s a reminder that, even in a city built on spectacle, quiet refinement still exists. You just have to know where to look.

A Full-Angle Exploration of Canada’s Most Iconic Natural Wonder

As two photographers from Toronto, we’ve seen Niagara Falls more times than we can count. But this time, it felt different.

On assignment for Fodor’s Travel Guide, Jesse and I set out to experience Niagara not as locals passing through, but as storytellers seeing it through fresh eyes. We wanted to capture the Falls from every possible vantage point—sky, water, tunnel, and trail—and somehow, it all felt like the first time.

Reawakening to Our Own Landscape

When you live in a country as vast as Canada, it’s easy to become numb to its beauty. You forget how wild, powerful, and emotionally overwhelming your own landscape can be. But this trip to Niagara Falls reminded us: wonder doesn’t require a passport. It’s already here.

A Multi-Sensory View of Niagara Falls

We experienced Niagara from every angle:

• By helicopter, soaring over the full curve of Horseshoe Falls, mist rising beneath us in silver spirals
  
• Behind the falls, inside the echoing tunnels where the roar becomes a full-body vibration
  
• Mid-air on the Whirlpool Aero Car, gliding above turquoise rapids between sky and water
  
• At river level on the White Water Walk, face to face with one of the fastest stretches of whitewater on the continent
  
• From inside the Niagara Parks Power Station Tunnel, where we watched fireworks explode over the Falls—framed perfectly at the tunnel’s end, like a painting suddenly coming to life
  

Each view revealed something new: grandeur, adrenaline, awe, silence, and scale.

Niagara as Story, Not Spectacle

What made this trip unforgettable wasn’t just the visuals—it was the feeling of rediscovering something familiar through a new lens. Each stop offered its own rhythm, its own emotion. Together, they told a deeper story of Niagara Falls, far beyond the postcard version.

As photographers, this was the kind of assignment that reminds us why we shoot: not to prove we were there, but to capture a feeling worth remembering.

A Travel Photography Reflection from Morocco’s Blue City

I arrived in Chefchaouen, Morocco’s legendary Blue City, at the beginning of March—right at the start of Ramadan. I had dreamed of this place since I was a child: blue-washed alleyways glowing in sunlight, cats lounging on staircases, and vivid skies above the Rif Mountains.

But dreams, like skies, have their own plans.

Instead of the postcard-perfect vision I had imagined, the city welcomed me with over 64mm of rain in a single day. The streets were nearly empty. Even the famous cats of Chefchaouen had vanished into hiding. We saw only a few friendly dogs wandering through the mist—as if they, too, were surprised by the silence.

The Wettest Place in Morocco

The clouds hung low, almost within reach. The mountains disappeared into fog, and for a moment, it felt like the sky was resting on the rooftops. Locals told us it hadn’t rained like this in years.

They were right. That March, Chefchaouen received over 403mm of rainfall—more than four times the seasonal average, making it the wettest place in Morocco.

As a photographer, the weather changed everything. My plan to capture the city in bright blue tones dissolved into a study of atmosphere—shadows, raindrops, washed-out color, and stillness.

Finding Shelter, and Something More

After walking for hours through the rain, soaked and shivering, I found refuge in a tiled bathroom, drying my clothes with a hairdryer and doing everything I could to save my camera. And yet, I felt strangely calm. Content, even.

I had lived my dream.

Just not the way I imagined.

Sometimes, the version of a dream that gets washed in rain is the one that stays with you forever.

A Travel Photography Essay on Faith, Architecture, and Quiet Moments in Morocco

My journey through Morocco began in Casablanca, where heavy rain and coastal wind swept across the wide Atlantic shoreline. Despite the stormy skies, one of the most anticipated moments of my trip was visiting the Hassan II Mosque—the only mosque in Morocco open to non-Muslims.

The Architecture of Awe

Built partially over the ocean and home to the world’s tallest minaret, the Hassan II Mosque is a true masterpiece of Moroccan craftsmanship and contemporary Islamic architecture. Its scale is monumental, but its details are deeply human—carved marble, hand-painted tiles, cedar ceilings, and Atlantic spray.

Yet, what stayed with me most wasn’t just the beauty of the structure. It was the conversation with our local guide, who walked us through its vast corridors during Ramadan.

What Ramadan Means in Morocco

When I asked him what Ramadan meant to him, he didn’t speak in facts. He spoke in feeling.

“Fasting,” he said, “is a way to clear the soul.

A time to be quiet inside yourself.

To think about your life,

to be close to God through good deeds,

and to silence everything else.”

His words echoed more powerfully than the call to prayer. They transformed the mosque from an architectural wonder into a living spiritual space—a place of devotion, reflection, and stillness in the middle of wind, rain, and city noise.

A Monument That Feels Alive

In that moment, I wasn’t just photographing stone and space. I was documenting silence. The stillness of Ramadan. The reverence of sacred space. The emotional presence of faith. The mosque felt more than monumental—it felt alive.

A Travel Photography Reflection from Morocco

Most guidebooks will tell you that Fes is chaotic, especially during the day—and it’s true. The Fes Medina, one of the largest and oldest pedestrian-only urban zones in the world, pulses with life: over 9,000 tangled alleyways alive with voices, spices, smoke, and centuries of trade.

But when I visited during Ramadan in early March, with cold rain falling on the ancient stones, I experienced something else—something quieter. Something sacred.

Sacred Stillness in the Medina

By day, vendors stood silently behind their stalls piled high with olives, saffron, camel meat, and seafood, but they weren’t eating. It was Ramadan. And despite the hunger and fasting, there was no restlessness. Just a deep stillness, a kind of collective breath held in reverence.

Shops were closed. Lanterns hung above shuttered doors. And yet the medina wasn’t asleep. It was humming with something ancient—a presence held in the bones of the walls and echoed in the call to prayer. As a photographer, I wasn’t just observing the city; I was absorbing it. The textures. The silence. The discipline. The rain made it all glisten.

The Mellah: Memory in Stone

We wandered into the Jewish Quarter—the Mellah, a historic district that holds the memory of a vanished population. No Jewish families live there anymore, but every Moroccan city still holds space for its Jewish past. In the Mellah, I felt unexpectedly connected—not as a tourist, but as someone with roots in many places, woven through language, exile, and memory.

This was more than sightseeing. It was something ancestral. Something lived.

What Fes Offers

Fes doesn’t offer itself up easily. It’s not a city that tries to impress you. It asks you to slow down, get lost, forget what you were looking for—and maybe, find something unexpected in return.

As a travel photographer, this is the kind of moment I live for: the in-between space where beauty, history, and mystery collide.

The new Ossington location of The Lunch Lady Toronto carries more than just bold flavors—it carries legacy. The restaurant’s founder and spiritual leader, Mrs. Nguyễn Thị Thanh, is a legend in Vietnamese street food culture.

Chef Nguyen Thi Thanh ran her food stall for years in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and was discovered by Anthony Bourdain, who featured her on his show. That appearance brought her international attention, eventually leading to a collaboration with Vancouver restaurateur Michael Tran. Together, they launched her North American success story—earning multiple recognitions from Michelin Guides.

Just a week before they expanded to Toronto, she tragically passed away at 75 after deplaning at Pearson (YYZ). But the show must go on. A month later, the new restaurant—now in Boehmer’s former Ossington space—opened its doors.

And it’s bounced back like a fierce Vietnamese warrior with Cà Phê Sữa Đá (Vietnamese iced coffee) coursing through its veins.

A Nine-Course Journey Through Modern Vietnamese Cuisine

We didn’t get to try everything on the menu, but nine dishes at the opening—and a generous doggy bag—were more than enough to get a rich sense of the kitchen.

Mo Hanh Focaccia

A deconstructed bánh mì, if you will. Scallion oil–drenched focaccia layered with foie gras pâté, churned butter cream, and pickles. Bold and memorable.

Beef Carpaccio

Thinly sliced beef with a vibrant Vietnamese blend of peanut, lime, basil, fried shallots, and lime—echoing the flavor profile of a typical bún bowl.

Crispy Prawns

Delicious but slightly confusing in presentation. It looked like a shared prawn dish, but each serving offered one empty battered shrimp shell alongside one whole, chunky prawn.

Eggplant Marrow

A clever mock bone marrow dish using roasted eggplant and fermented tofu yogurt—reminiscent of labneh or tahini sauce. Earthy and deeply satisfying.

Garlic Egg Noodles

Vietnamese flavors meet Italian pasta. Egg noodles with a poached egg, XO garlic butter, red crab, and parmesan. Rich, silky, and indulgent.

Lok Lak

A standout steak dish with peppercorn sauce, scallion butter, watercress, and cassava fries. A balanced blend of spice, crunch, and umami.

Pork Tomahawk

A pork chop served with a bright vinaigrette for dipping—perfect for wrapping in salad greens. Juicy, tangy, and fun to eat.

Dessert Highlights

Three-Layer Dessert

A layered creation of pandan sticky rice cake, mung bean streusel, and coconut ice cream. A balanced finish with rich texture and subtle sweetness.

Viet Coffee Tiramisu

A hybrid dessert with hojicha + espresso mascarpone sabayon, ladyfingers, and a hit of Grand Marnier. Aromatic, bold, and memorable.

Drinks

The cocktail and iced coffee program deserves mention, especially the peanut butter horchata—a summer-ready drink that’s as nostalgic as it is inventive.

Final Thoughts

The Lunch Lady Toronto honors Chef Nguyen Thi Thanh’s culinary vision while confidently stepping into Toronto’s dynamic food scene. It’s an emotional, textural, and flavorful tribute to Vietnamese street food, reimagined with precision and personality.

A Travel & Food Photography Review of One of Muskoka’s Rising Culinary Gems

During our latest travel assignment in Ontario, we had the pleasure of dining at The Pearl in Muskoka, a refined yet laid-back restaurant nestled in the heart of cottage country. Known for its inventive takes on seasonal Canadian cuisine, The Pearl has quickly become a standout destination for both locals and visitors looking for a thoughtful and elevated dining experience.

While Muskoka is known for its lakes and leisure, The Pearl brings something deeper to the table—culinary precision with soul.

Small Plates, Big Vision

The menu at The Pearl changes with the seasons, featuring locally sourced ingredients and inventive textures. One of the standouts of our meal was:

The Pearl Greens ‘n Crispies –

A vibrant salad of local greens, pea tendrils, fresh peas, sugar snap peas, and green beans, layered with sherry vinaigrette, green goddess dressing, puffed rice, crispy shallots, and toasted soy nuts. The mix of crunch and silk, earthiness and citrus, made this dish far more than a starter—it was a tribute to Ontario’s early summer.

We also couldn’t resist the Black Sesame Asparagus Fries—a limited seasonal special that paired the vegetal bite of spring asparagus with the nutty umami of sesame in a light, crisp batter.

The Showstopper

The highlight of the evening was without question:

Grilled Australian Wagyu Coulotte Steak –

Perfectly cooked and served with crispy maitake mushroom, shallot-red wine marmalade, and a touch of 18-year-old balsamic and bordelaise sauce. This dish delivered on every level—rich, balanced, and plated with intention. A true showstopper worthy of its name.

Sweet Ending with Coastal Flair

We finished with the Coconut Tres Leches, a semolina cake soaked in coconut milk, offering a beautiful balance of texture and subtle tropical sweetness. Light but indulgent, it was the perfect closer to a well-structured meal.

Atmosphere & Cocktails

The Pearl’s cocktail program deserves its own spotlight. Trendy yet grounded, the bar team crafts drinks that complement the menu’s seasonal focus. Expect house infusions, fresh herbs, and playful, minimalist presentation.

The interior design feels curated but relaxed—modern Muskoka with a city edge. Floor-to-ceiling windows, warm textures, and thoughtful lighting make it just as fitting for date night as it is for a food-focused detour from the lake.

Final Thoughts

Dining at The Pearl Muskoka felt like stepping into a different rhythm—where every detail on the plate speaks to place, season, and care. It’s not just a restaurant—it’s a sign of where Ontario’s cottage-country cuisine is heading: local, elevated, and full of personality.

If you’re planning a weekend trip to Muskoka and want more than just burgers and beer by the water, The Pearl is a must. Come hungry, bring your camera, and prepare to be surprised.

 Featured In:

Fodor’s Canada Travel Guide 2025

Published Travel & Food Photographer: Misha von Shlezinger

A Travel Photography Story of Human Connection During Ramadan

When we set out that afternoon in Fez, Morocco, we thought we were simply heading to dinner.

Our guide, Miriam, had arranged for us to experience iftar with a local Moroccan family—a common cultural activity for travelers visiting Morocco during Ramadan. At first, we weren’t sure what to expect. Would it feel performative? Or staged for tourists?

But the moment we stepped through the door, all doubt dissolved. There was no performance. No formality. Just a family opening their home to strangers, and a room filled with kindness, ease, and quiet joy.

For those unfamiliar, iftar is the evening meal that breaks the fast during the holy month of Ramadan. Each day, Muslims fast from sunrise until sunset—abstaining from food and water as an act of spiritual devotion. Iftar marks the sacred moment when the fast is broken, traditionally beginning with a date, followed by a nourishing meal shared with loved ones or guests.

That night in Fez, we were honored to be those guests.

We gathered around the table, where bowls of harira—Morocco’s signature Ramadan soup—were served steaming hot. Rich with tomatoes, lentils, chickpeas, and warming spices, it was hearty and deeply comforting. Alongside it were boiled eggs, chebakia (rose-shaped pastries soaked in honey and sesame), and fruit tarts topped with whipped cream. One of the most surprising and satisfying dishes was bread stuffed with spiced meatballs, a modern twist on tradition that felt homemade and heartfelt.

As the rain tapped gently on the roof outside, conversation flowed in French, English, and laughter. The room felt intimate—like having dinner with friends you didn’t know you were missing.

And then, something small caught my eye.

Among the everyday objects and family trinkets, there was a small sign. It simply read: LOVE—written in English. A soft, quiet detail. But it struck me deeply.

That word—love—summed up the entire experience.

In a world often divided by language, faith, or geography, that rainy evening reminded me of something simple and essential: we may live differently, but we all long for the same things. To be seen. To be welcomed. To feel at home—even when we’re far from it.

That night in Fez wasn’t just a meal. It was a reminder that travel isn’t about checking boxes. It’s about connection. And at the heart of every meaningful journey is one truth: we all want to love and be loved.