With an abundance of space, Lac La Biche Region is a great place to escape the hustle and bustle of life. Relax, restore and rejuvenate in the laid-back lifestyle of lake country. There are a variety of accommodation providers from hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts, cabins, tipis, trappers’ tents or bring your RV/camping equipment and set up your own oasis. Of course, if you are craving some retail therapy there are many unique shops throughout the hamlets of Lac La Biche and Plamondon.
Imagine breathing in the fresh air with the smell of evergreens and water surrounding you as you explore and adventure in the outdoors. Lac La Biche Region is home to the Lakeland Provincial Park which is home to Alberta’s backcountry canoe circuit. Challenge yourself to paddle and portage through the Lakeland Canoe Circuit for your next outdoor adventure.
The long history of cultural diversity of Lac La Biche Region provides the perfect opportunity to experience different cultures activities and foods. When you visit you are encouraged to immerse yourself to your level of comfort be it visiting a museum like the Mission Historical Site, learning to make a lean-to with John from Hideaway Adventures, or enjoying some dumplings and a brew at the Fat Unicorn Brewery.
Visit Lac La Biche Region to make new connections and create lifelong memories.
Enter to win a two-night three day get-a-way in Lac La Biche.
Itinerary FYI
Travel
Stop at Metis Crossing in the morning
Late afternoon/overnight arrive at Hideaway Adventure. Experience the Metis culture and overnight in Trappers tent
Museum Tours LLBC (Plamondon, Mission, Lac La Biche)
Dinner at Fat Unicorn Brewery
Overnight at hotel
Kayak ½ day
Lunch at golf course
Travel home
https://www.laclabichecounty.com/come-visit-us/lac-la-biche-region-2020-contest/
Flower pots add beauty to any home exterior. They are also easy to maintain. Anita Kuhlmann, one of the owners of Kuhlmann’s Greenhouse Garden Market, recommends using a good quality, all-purpose potting soil mix, along with a water-soluble fertilizer as often as once a week.
Kuhlmann also says that it is better to use larger containers rather than ones that are too small. “Especially in the hot sun, smaller containers dry out quickly, plants get root-bound in the summer, and it’s harder to water them well,” she explains.
This is especially important for hanging baskets, where there is both wind and sun to consider, as well as placement around the edge of the house so rain is not hitting them.
Finding the right plants to add that super splash of colour is also easy. Kuhlmann recommends the following popular annuals:
Fun and quirky sites–and sights–for physically distanced day trips
While COVID-19 has put a stop to many summer vacations, there is no reason to be totally housebound this summer. There are still things to do and see within a short drive of the area. The areas north, east, and northeast of the city are home to an array of unusual, memorable, and fun roadside attractions. Most of them are viewable from within a family vehicle, but as long as you maintain proper physical distancing, you can get closer–and enjoy some photo ops!
Lac La Biche David Thompson statue
The 3.6-metre-tall statue on the lake shore was built to commemorate Lac La Biche’s bicentennial and to recognize David Thompson’s landing on the shores of the lake–a French translation from the Cree moniker of “Lake of the Elk.” Thompson was the first European to reach the shores of Lac La Biche, arriving in 1798 while searching for the elusive Northwest Passage.
St. Paul UFO Landing Pad
You will see this landmark–the world’s first UFO landing pad–as you enter St. Paul from the west. It was built in 1967 and at its grand opening that June, St. Paul was declared the Centennial Capital of Canada. Located next door is a tourist information centre. The pad’s been a boon for tourism, including a few international UFO conferences.
Mundare Sausage Monument
You can’t miss the world’s largest sausage when driving through Mundare. It sticks out like a...big sausage. The 42-foot-tall statue is a tribute to Stawnichy’s Meat Processing, a family-run sausage factory founded in 1959 that is famous for its kielbasa. However, it’s not likely the family has ever produced a sausage as big as this one: it is over 5,443 kilos (12,000 lbs.) and made of brown fiberglass.
Vegreville Pysanka Monument
The Vegreville egg makes for an iconic photo backdrop. Located, appropriately enough, at 4500 Pysanka Avenue, the Ukrainian-style Easter egg was designed by artist Paul Maxum Sembaliuk and was unveiled in 1975. An intricate set of two-dimensional aluminum tiles make up the geometric patterns (524 hexagonal stars and 2,208 equilateral triangles, in case anyone wants to keep count) over an aluminum frame. Hey, a snow shaker replica of the Pysanka even made it into an episode of The X-Files.
Vilna Mushroom Monument
The sculpture known as World’s Largest Mushrooms is located in the village of Vilna, just a block away from Main Street. The gargantuan fungi may look like something out of Alice in Wonderland, but is actually a giant replica of the tricholoma uspale mushroom which grows wild in the area and is often used as an ingredient in regional dishes. Mushroom hunting has been a tradition in Vilna since Ukrainian settlers arrived in the early 1900s.
Glendon Pyrogy Monument
If you love the doughy dumpling, you won’t want to miss seeing the World’s Largest Pyrogy in Glendon, on Highway 28. You won’t need a fork–the 8.2 metre sculpture which weighs 2,721 kilograms is already mounted on one, to make it more recognizable. It’s fiberglass with a metal frame and was built in 1991.
Andrew Mallard Monument
If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it might be a testament to the sculpture of a mallard with a wingspan of 23 feet (7.2 metres). Weighing in at one tonne, the mallard was built in the village of Andrew to commemorate the wetlands areas in the district. It comes as no surprise that the area is a popular breeding ground for mallards. No actual mallards have ever been reported as being this size, however.
Smoky Lake Pumpkin Park
Smoky Lake’s Pumpkin Park features a sculpture of seven large pumpkins. They’re not oversized, but replicas of winning entries from the town’s annual Great White North Pumpkin Fair and Weigh-Off that’s a must-see event for gourd fanatics. They’ve had a number
gigantic winners, including one weighing in at 854.5 kilos (1,884 lbs.), a site record since 2017.
Bonnyville Splash Park giant moose shower
Not many kids can claim to shower beneath a giant water-spewing moose, but then not everyone lives by Bonnyville Splash Park, where the antlered behemoth is visible to spectators up to several blocks away. It’s probably the most unique aspect of the splash park, and if you have kids, they will get a kick out of it. The park is also located near some walking and biking trails if you’re up for more recreational activity.
Cold Lake 4 Wing Gateway Park
If you feel like making the trip up to Cold Lake, a visit to the 4 Wing Gateway Park offers a number of aircraft on mounted display in striking poses near the roadway. You can park and gaze at such legendary fighter jets as the CF-5 Freedom Fighter and the CT-133 Silver Star, located outside Cold Lake Air Force Museum. If the museum’s open, more nifty displays await.
[post_title] => Northeast of Edmonton [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => northeast-of-edmonton [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2020-06-02 13:45:57 [post_modified_gmt] => 2020-06-02 19:45:57 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => http://www.summercity.ca/?p=13970 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [_excerpt] => Fun and quirky sites–and sights–for physically distanced day trips While COVID-19 has put a stop to many summer vacations, there is no reason to be totally housebound this summer. There are still things to do and see within a short drive of the area. The areas north, east, and northeast of the city are home … ) 1
A viral challenge creates this unique fashion photo essay opportunity
Crazy times call for crazy solutions. And with the coronavirus outbreak earlier this year playing havoc with social lives, photographers are coming up with creative ways to capture live images, while practising the required physical distance of two metres to curtail the epidemic.
After seeing a news story of a photographer taking portraits of subjects through their windows, our equally creative Brenda Lakeman wanted to use that method for a photo shoot. She found the ideal storefront at Who Cares Wear in St. Albert and went right to work.
Model Chloe Haughian
[post_title] => Pandemic Fashion Portraits [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => pandemic-fashion-portraits [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2020-06-02 13:41:01 [post_modified_gmt] => 2020-06-02 19:41:01 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => http://www.summercity.ca/?p=13965 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [_excerpt] => A viral challenge creates this unique fashion photo essay opportunity Crazy times call for crazy solutions. And with the coronavirus outbreak earlier this year playing havoc with social lives, photographers are coming up with creative ways to capture live images, while practising the required physical distance of two metres to curtail the epidemic. After seeing … ) 1
Pantone’s latest shade revisits a colourful classic
With all the craziness dominating current events, most folks responsible for shaping modern culture are clamoring for more calm. That’s probably why the Pantone Color Institute decided on this year’s shade labeled 19-4052, better known as Classic Blue. It’s a peace and tranquil shade, claim the style gurus, a useful hue reliable enough to blend in with other colours. Classic Blue is also versatile enough to be used on any materials from fabric to metal and really makes a harmonic statement in the items shown here.
Five outlets with five of the wildest ice cream flavours in town
Gone are the days when all you could get to crown your cone was ice cream available only in chocolate, vanilla and strawberry. Today, there are hundreds of flavours out there, and if you want to indulge in something other than the tried and true, a few outlets would love to tempt your palate. We found the wildest options we could think of that exist in town as a challenge. Thankfully, at press time, all the venues in this top five list have pickup or curbside delivery, but check their websites for updates.
Choc ‘n’ Chili (Marble Slab Creamery)
Some like it hot, some like it cold. But Marble Slab took both preferences into consideration with this food fusion that’s bound to wake up the taste buds. Lest you think that the scoop will involve a messy blend of chocolate, ground beef and kidney beans, worry not. This spicy and sweet offering includes dark double chocolate, some vanilla and cinnamon and a hit of cayenne. (marbleslab.ca)
Peanut Butter Heat (Revolution Ice Cream)
This Old Strathcona spot certainly comes up with some ideas about as irreverent as the neighbourhood surrounding the establishment. This flavour consisting of peanut butter with a healthy kick of chili spices will likely push your senses in overdrive. And as proof of their community spirit, they also have a flavour dedicated to the famed local district called the
Scona Fog. (revolutionicecream.com)
Sweet Corn and Blueberry (Kind Ice Cream)
We know we live in an age of food pairings, but who would have thought that corn from South America would make for a good match with the local, venerable blueberry? The folks at Kind who created this combo claim that the two items balance each other out for a unique taste. And it was concocted for a good cause as part of proceeds from sales of this flavour go to the Youth Emeregency Shelter Society. (kindicecream.ca)
Toyo with Carmeled Chow Mein (Yelo’d Ice Cream & Bake Shoppe)
Nope, you’re not looking at part of an Asian menu. This is an ice cream flavor that comes from the local mom and pop shop that does everything by hand. In this case, the flavour consist of soya sauce which apparently tastes like brown sugar and salted caramel. And for a crunch you might not expect, sink your teeth into the chow mein noodles added to the mix. (yelod.ca)
Matcha Green Tea (Scoop n Roll Creamery)
For those who like an ice cream that has loads of antioxidants to improve the well-being of your vital organs, you can’t go wrong with this flavor that’s probably the most exotic in this franchise’s lineup. The added benefit to health fanatics is that the flavour’s also totally vegan. (scooproll.com)
[post_title] => Crazy Edmonton Ice Cream Flavors [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => crazy-edmonton-ice-cream-flavors [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2020-06-02 13:18:00 [post_modified_gmt] => 2020-06-02 19:18:00 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => http://www.summercity.ca/?p=13951 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [_excerpt] => Five outlets with five of the wildest ice cream flavours in town Gone are the days when all you could get to crown your cone was ice cream available only in chocolate, vanilla and strawberry. Today, there are hundreds of flavours out there, and if you want to indulge in something other than the tried … ) 1
Some grape advice for vin blanc neophytes
You can’t be a connoisseur of the finer things in life without first boning up on the basics. A good place to start is with some rudimentary knowledge about white wines, which is where we come in. With some essential tidbits about some of the most popular grapes out there–from characteristics to pairings–you’ll be impressing your family, friends and physical-distancing entourage in no time!
Also known by its French version, Chablis, this wine is typically available either oaked or unoaked. Unoaked is the preferred French product.
Body: from dry and crisp to rich and creamy
Flavours: citrus to tropical fruit, vanilla and butterscotch
Pairing: lobster, oysters, pasta and cheese
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A typically aromatic wine with a floral accent, it’s also sweet with a low to medium acidity.
Body: made in both dry and sweet, very eclectic
Flavours: grapefruit, florals
Pairing: curries, Indian food, Asian dishes, pork with fruit, spicy
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Also well known as Pinot Grigio, this is a light, fresh wine.
Body: crisp, simple
Flavours: melon, citrus
Pairing: poultry, fish, lighter salads
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While German Rieslings can be very sweet, many new world Rieslings are more often dry.
Body: a wonderful balance of acidity and residual sugar.
Flavours: apricot, citrus, green apple, peach, honeysuckle.
Pairing: shellfish, Asian food, fresh fruit
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This is an even-bodied, smooth and very enjoyable wine, but with its acidity and fermentation,
it often displays pungent aromas that can be off-putting.
Body: a body influenced by the soils in which its planted to offer a herbaceous quality
Flavours: like grass, herb, citrus, pineapple, peach
Pairing: grilled vegetables, salmon, shrimp, heavier salads, sushi
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Once a scarce French wine, this one is intensely aromatic with apricot and peach scents.
Body: a rich wine with a well-rounded body
Flavours: floral, citrus and apricot
Pairing: ham, roasted vegetable, goat cheese n
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Wine storage: Store your wine in the basement, in a cool corner. Never put a wine rack by a window or on top of a refrigerator.
Wine serving: Fill your wine glass to about 40 percent of capacity. This allows you to swirl the wine and allow it to be exposed to oxygen, adding to the overall flavour.
Temperature: Remove the bottle from the fridge about a half-hour before serving, to allow it to warm to ideal serving temperature.
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Waiter corkscrew: It is compact and the most clean and efficient tool to open a bottle of wine. The corkscrew can be inserted cleanly, then using the lever, apply upward pressure to the side of the bottle. The lever can be moved easily to allow for the cork to be removed cleanly and slowly.
Aerator with filter: With this tool, you can have your wine exposed to more oxygen as you pour. It allows the flavours and odors to be released.
[post_title] => White Wine [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => white-wine [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2021-06-08 23:12:19 [post_modified_gmt] => 2021-06-09 05:12:19 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => http://www.summercity.ca/?p=13948 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [_excerpt] => Some grape advice for vin blanc neophytes You can’t be a connoisseur of the finer things in life without first boning up on the basics. A good place to start is with some rudimentary knowledge about white wines, which is where we come in. With some essential tidbits about some of the most popular grapes … ) 1
Summer isn’t summer without these fruit suggestions for your favourite cocktails
You can’t get much more laid-back than stretching out on your porch, deck or yard under a blazing sun with a glass of cold spirit in your hand. Add a fruit element to your summer drink and you’ve got the ultimate in a season refreshment. To that end, we’ve added a few fruit elements to inject a bit more fun while you imbibe during those lazy, hazy crazy days of summer.
Saskatoon & Lime Whisky Lemonade
The berry and spirits are a dead giveaway that this one’s a true Canuck concoction to have during Canada Day!
Add the saskatoons, sugar and pomegranate juice to a medium-sized pot, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low, and let simmer 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Press the softened berries and syrup through a sieve or a food mill. Place the collected syrup in a pitcher, and place in the fridge to chill. To the chilled pitcher with syrup, add the whisky, lemonade, club soda, lemon juice and lime juice. Stir, and pour into 4 or 5 glasses filled with ice. Top with a splash of sparkling wine, and garnish with a sprig of basil and a wedge of lime.
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Peach Bourbon Smash
Here’s a popular drink from the south, but it’s not necessary to have Georgia on your mind every time you take a sip.
Combine all the syrup ingredients in a small pot, and bring it to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat, and set aside to cool completely.
To a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add the bourbon, lemon juice, ginger-lime syrup and peach nectar. Shake vigorously, and strain into a tumbler filled with ice. Top with a splash of ginger ale, and garnish with a slice of peach and a sprig of thyme.
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Kiwi & Blueberry Mojito
Looking for a new take on a classic rum mojito? It’s kiwis to the rescue.
Place the quartered kiwis, blueberries, mint and white sugar in a cocktail shaker, and muddle them until pulverized. Then, place two tablespoons of the mixture in the bottom of a tall glass,followed by ice cubes, kiwi slices and blueberries.
Next, fill a cocktail shaker half-full of ice, and add the rum, lime juice and honey. Secure the lid, and shake until chilled. Strain the mixture into the prepared glass, and top with club soda to taste.
[post_title] => Summer Fruit Cocktails [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => summer-fruit-cocktails [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2021-06-08 23:10:29 [post_modified_gmt] => 2021-06-09 05:10:29 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => http://www.summercity.ca/?p=13944 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [_excerpt] => Summer isn’t summer without these fruit suggestions for your favourite cocktails You can’t get much more laid-back than stretching out on your porch, deck or yard under a blazing sun with a glass of cold spirit in your hand. Add a fruit element to your summer drink and you’ve got the ultimate in a season … ) 1
A growing movement toward wild-harvested food has no trouble seeing the forest for the trees.
“Production right now is relatively minor, but in two or three years we’re going to start seeing our first flush of fruit,” remarks Kenton Zerbin, permaculture teacher and consultant. Zerbin is referring to the St. Albert Community Food Forest, the first of its kind in town.
Together with local urban agriculture enthusiasts, Zerbin designed this site using permaculture techniques, an approach to growing food that mimics the design of natural ecosystems for self-sufficiency. He estimates that in five-to-seven years the forest will reach its capacity, offering a safe nutritious source of edibles such as plums, red currants, gooseberries, haskap berries, saskatoons, comfrey, and more. And lots of it—free for whoever wants it.
Ripe for the Picking
Food forestry and permaculture might be unfamiliar concepts to many, but they’re part of a growing realization that cities are chock full of potential when it comes to food. It’s literally all around us—in city parks, in the woods, alongside rivers and roadways. Numerous books detail the variety of edible fruit, plant, and mushroom species available in Central Alberta—much of it on public land, available to anyone with a bucket and a little know-how.
The appeal of urban foraging is understandable, as any trip to the grocery store will uncover. Healthy food ain’t cheap. In 2013, the Edmonton Community Foundation reported that food costs had risen by more than double the overall inflation rate over the past 10 years. Food prices are notoriously volatile—in 2018 the Edmonton Food Bank distributed more than $22,000,000 worth of food.
A World of Foraging Possibilities
On paper, it seems there’s little stopping us from getting out there and taking advantage of the cornucopia of produce growing wild all around us, but obstacles exist. The first is knowing where to look. Cue the Internet, where maps have been popping up pinpointing precise locations of fruit trees and other edible plants around the world.
The biggest roadblock, however, is probably time and energy. Supermarket produce might be pricer, but it’s easy, and this is the likely cause of why so much backyard fruit goes to waste. Considering that an average apple tree can produce more than 100 kg of apples in a year, for some households even a single tree can be too much. And when you consider how many trees a city may have, both public and private, this adds up to a staggering amount of food that’s, unfortunately, for the birds.
Locally, Operation Fruit Rescue Edmonton (OFRE) musters volunteers to harvest backyard trees of homeowners unable to use their fruit. The haul from each pick is divvied up, with roughly a quarter each going to the homeowner, the volunteers, OFRE, and a charity such as the Food Bank or Hope Mission.
Reshaping Cities and Attitudes
In Edmonton, a food forest has sprung up in the MacKinnon Ravine, just west of downtown. The MacKinnon Food Forest began in 2014 as part of Root for Trees, an initiative by the City to plant trees, with a minimum target of 16,000 a year in order to increase Edmonton’s canopy cover from 10 to 20 percent.
The MacKinnon Food Forest bears highbush cranberries, currants, beaked hazelnuts, saskatoons, chokecherries, pin cherries, raspberries, elderberries, and strawberries. All are native plants, as designer Dustin Bajer points out.
“That was one of the ways we were able to do something like this,” Bajer says. “I don’t think the City would’ve been onboard had it been non-native species.”
Building a Food Forest 101
Permaculture aims to re-create ecosystems that not only produce food, but are also self-sustaining. Fortunately, Mother Nature gives us a pretty good model to riff on. Forests are made up of layers, from the canopy and understory to the ground cover and roots—and each has a function.
Canopies provide shade and protection so lower plants can thrive; meanwhile, perennials in the herbaceous layer die each year, feeding essential nutrients back into the soil. It’s this interplay between layers that makes a forest more than the sum of its parts, and it’s an incredibly efficient and resilient system that sustains many species of plants and animals in a small area.
As such, a good food forest design optimizes available sunlight, water, and soil through the careful arrangement of elements. Beyond that, the forest is more or less left to its own devices.
[post_title] => Urban Foraging [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => urban-foraging-2 [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2021-06-08 23:08:27 [post_modified_gmt] => 2021-06-09 05:08:27 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => http://www.summercity.ca/?p=13939 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [_excerpt] => A growing movement toward wild-harvested food has no trouble seeing the forest for the trees. “Production right now is relatively minor, but in two or three years we’re going to start seeing our first flush of fruit,” remarks Kenton Zerbin, permaculture teacher and consultant. Zerbin is referring to the St. Albert Community Food Forest, the … ) 1