BIBLICAL INSPIRATION
There is plenty to discover in eastern P.E.I.
Charlottetown artist creates comic about Barabbas, the man spared when Jesus was crucified
It doesn’t take very long to get anywhere on P.E.I. Trust me. After living years in rural Newfoundland, you begin to understand the true meaning of “living out of town”.
But despite its small size, P.E.I. is packed with stellar destinations, restaurants and events.
A few months ago, I reviewed Trailside Cafe as a place to visit in Mount Stewart. I had the pleasure of spending an evening there in July and took in a concert. The location and the food (plus the mojitos) were the perfect prep for the music. Musician Mel Parsons from New Zealand set the tone for the night, followed by Laura Cortese and the Dance Cards from Boston. The group’s blend of string instruments and vocals matched the easy vibe of Trailside perfectly, though the golden part of the night was at the end. They turned down the lights and brought their instruments into the middle of the crowd for the ideal finale.
The eastern end of P.E.I. also boasts some of the best beaches on the Island. During the summer you’ll usually find me next to or on the water, so I’ve seen my fair share of shorelines. One of my friends recommended St. Peter’s Harbour Lighthouse as a place to visit, and she wasn’t wrong. The red dirt road down to the lighthouse is lined with daisies and, at the final moment, it opens up to a view of the dunes.
To get to the beach you walk through mulberry bushes, and it’s secluded enough that you’ll also avoid big crowds once you get there. No trip to that area is complete without a visit to Rick’s Fish
‘n Chips – the best way to end a day at the beach.
Over the past few years, a
number of breweries have been popping up all across the Island. Last fall Copper Bottom Brewing opened its doors in Montague. While this company is new, the building has a long history in the town. It’s been the town hall, fire hall, jail, library, hardware store and home to the Eastern Graphic. Co-owner Ashley Condon and her partner, Ken Spears, opened it with the vision of creating a community gathering spot.
“I think what is a little more unique about what we’re doing, and what was important from the beginning, we really wanted to do the community hub in Montague…We wanted something for the younger generation to come in and for art and music,” said Condon.
“(The brewery) has become this thing where people have their birthdays, they have their anniversaries. We have knitting clubs. It really has become something for everybody.”
Being a musician, Condon made it a goal to offer events all year. This includes Pizza and Vinyl Nights and The Popalopalots, which is an improv comedy troupe. There is also live music (and oysters) on Saturdays and more throughout the week.
“And we’re in a beautiful little town, and my perspective is you should get out of the Charlottetown and into the outskirts,” said Condon.
“I think people have given people the opportunity to see Montague and everything it has to offer. At the end of the day, we’re happy to have this for our town.”
And the best part of visiting Copper Bottom and the perfect way to toast a trip to eastern P.E.I.? Some of their beer, of course. I would suggest the Rabble Rouser Red.