#YQGHolidays with Mable
Original post by @withMable | December 2, 2020
The holiday season is in full swing and there is no better time to shop and support local businesses than now! I teamed up with Tourism Windsor Essex County Pelee Island to #shoplocal this holiday and share with you some of my favorite shops and restaurants in our city.
Editor’s Note: This blog was posted in 2020 and should be used for inspiration, you can check out yqgholidays.ca for all things holidays in Windsor Essex.
#butfirstcoffee… because nothing starts the day like a warm cup! Café March 21, located in Downtown Windsor, offers unique beverage and single-origin coffees with a variety of different brewing techniques such as pour over, siphon and cold brew. Their delicious cookies are all baked in-house and they also carry a variety of unique gifts for the coffee lovers in your life! I grabbed their signature holiday drink – Gingerbread Latte and a homemade butter almond cookie to kick off my day.
With coffee in hand, I took a walk down to WhiskeyJack Boutique on University Ave. This cute little shop carries a curated collection of all Canadian-made pieces. I picked up these postcard chocolate bars by Alicja Confections to send to a few friends and also grabbed a few gift certificates that can be used in-store as well as their online shop.
Shopping always make me hungry! Luckily, Windsor is home to some amazing restaurants! The Grand Cantina in Walkerville is one of my favorite spots for a quick bite and cocktails. We snacked on their yummy cantina chips and a side of salsa and guacamole while we perused their menu. Everything here is delicious but my personal favorite are their ODB (barbacoa beef) and pulled duck tacos. And of course, their shaken margaritas!
Oh, and don’t forget to leave room for dessert – their churros are soooo good!
After lunch, I headed out for a little more holiday shopping… and to burn off that delicious lunch! All the stores in this area have dressed up their shops and window displays for Christmas and I just loved how festive everything was. I started at Urban Art Market on Chilver Street. They carry 100% YQG made products from 40 different makers. From handmade toques to beautiful ceramics, there is something for everyone at Urban Art Mart
The gorgeous weather led us down Wyandotte Street to Jones & Company (a cute shop with unique and nostalgic gifts for young and old), Timeless Treasures (that perfect place to shop for the antique lover in your life), Envy Boutique (a little boutique where you’ll find that perfect holiday outfit) and then to Anchor Coffee for a mid-day caffeine fix.
Ocean Bottom Soap Company in Tecumseh was next on my list. Walking into the store, I was happily greeted by the amazing aromas of essential oils. I was lucky enough to meet the owner Charmaine who told me how Ocean Bottom started, the soap making process and the science behind her soap combinations. With over 40 different hand crafted artisan soaps, there is something for everyone!
My love for cheese runs deep and my favorite local spot to pick-up artisanal cheese is The Cheese Bar. Sarah, the owner, brings in the most delicious selections of cheeses. Her cheese and charcuterie kits are the perfect holiday gift and best part, they can be ordered online and delivered anywhere in the city. I couldn’t resist bringing home some cheese (a truffle brie that has now become my new favorite) as well as a gorgeous knife set (a little Christmas gift to myself)!
After finishing all my holiday shopping, I met up with my husband and some friends for dinner at FRANK Brewing Co. FRANK is a local craft brewing company in Tecumseh. Their local beers are available for purchase in-store and at select beer store locations. Lori, their events coordinator was kind enough to give us a brewery tour and teach us all about the different beers FRANK offers and how they are all made. Their Sunshine IPA with it’s tropical fruit flavours was my favorite! Easy to drink, it paired well with the warm pretzels, spinach dip and Jonas pizza we ordered. FRANK is also a member of the Barrels Bottles Brews Barrel Trail here in Windsor Essex – the Flight Log is a great gift idea for the beer lover in your life.
It was such a great day checking out all the local gems in our city. I feel so fortunate to live in an area with so many talented artists and makers. Be sure to check out some of these amazing places for gifts this holiday season. It is the best time of the year to give where you live and #shoplocal.
