Out & About #352 | Weekend in Barrie Day 2: Exploring Downtown Barrie + Swirleez

​Ominous grey clouds and overcast weather typically means resorting to indoor activities (or at least for everyone but the ​West Coast-ers that face sun-less skies all year-round).

For me, it means sleeping in, accomplishing a list of errands, and the occasional CoCo run. However, being away from home means making the most of the day, rain or shine.

​Following a late lunch, we leisurely traversed down the 400 in search of entertainment near Allandale Waterfront GO. The idea was entirely mine, as few occasions to explore the vicinity had surfaced on our several visits to The Farmhouse.

​An incredulous amount of construction was found to have commenced along the waterfront, restricting access to the perimeter of the lake at several points along the shore. With majority of the shops appearing dilapidated and ancient, it was suggested that we continue to skim Bradford Street and venture about the Downtown Barrie BIA.

​Exempt from a proper asphalt lot, parking adopted the form of diagonally-aligned parallel parking spots. Meter payments were requested at specified periods on weekdays, while weekday evenings and weekdays were free of charge. Spots weren't scarce by any means, although securing a space within the acceptable walking distance was a bearable challenge.

​It was my second day without a proper shot of espresso; once parking had finally been found on Owen St., I knew the first item on the agenda was to tend to my caffeine fix.

Casa Cappuccino was the first shop to catch my eye, for obvious reasons. But in comparison to the slightly tattered, black and yellow lettering, a more colourful sign in the distance drew me away from the long-established cafe.

​The intended pathway around Memorial Square was obstructed with construction fences, diverting pedestrian traffic to a sliver of a brick walkway covered in utility markings. It led into a solemn-looking building whose interior was coated in a thin layer of deep brown; short staircases paved the way to local businesses.

Amongst these was The Paperie, a stationery store similar to that of The Paper Place in Trinity Bellwoods, but with fewer selection and the added area for workshops. Amusing themed cards, gradient envelopes, and patterned harcover notebooks lined the tables; kitschy pens and adorable acorn erasers were also being retailed, though at somewhat higher price point than downtown.

​One floor below ground level was Swirleez. At first glance, the shop was reminiscent of the typical Menchies or Yogurty's: the walls were bright and colourful, seating was spacious and abundant, and the atmosphere vibrant and kid-friendly.

The difference lay in the details, which really shone through with closer inspection: Chairs with blue and pink covers were arranged around the white tables such that each would consist of alternating pairs. Overhead lights in cool and warm tones shone down below for added pizzazz. Artistically arranged spoons surrounded the perimeter of the cashier in a orderly presentation. There was even a lone sofa near a (supposedly) makeshift fireplace for more lounge-like seating.

​Washrooms were also cavernous and, might I add, spectacularly clean. As a dessert parlour that also caters to birthday parties, one would expect a certain amount of filth to be present from the pre-teen customer base. I was surprised to even witness hooks on the back of the door, let alone the complimentary colour scheme of the orange Cintas soap dispenser and sky blue walls.

​In line with major frozen yogurt franchises, the steps to create (and settle the bill for) one's own froyo concoction was explained clearly on the wall space adjacent to the three-lever dispensers. I found it creative that instead of merely labelling the middle lever as "Swirl", additional effort had been spent to rename the resulting mix in a manner reflective of its flavours.
My personal depiction was "Oh Canada!", a mix of timless Vanilla and modern Red Velvet. Likewise, Chocolate x Toasted Marshmallow formed "S'Mores", and Butter Pecan x Pancakes & Maple Syrup became "Butter Me Up".

​Along with ceaseless combinations of froyo + sauces + toppings, Swirleez also featured crepes, waffles, "ice cream" sandwiches, and espresso-based beverages. The last section was of prominent importance to me, though their brewing apparatus (one with buttons instead of knobs and spouts) and rather hefty price tags had me contemplating my initial decision. Espresso and Americano were both priced at $4.25 each, with Lattes and Cappuccinos only a smidgen greater.

​At last, my heart wavered - I began to crave a sweet treat in addition to coffee after sampling. The girl over the counter was very friendly, but appeared puzzled when I inquired about affogatos. She verified with the kitchen staff before offering a compromise for my desires: to purchase frozen yogurt by weight, and then espresso separately.
Ultimately, the two items could be combined and customized, but with a price tag on par with Starbucks' Secret Menu orders.

​I reluctantly handed over payment to settle the seven dollars plus bill of my personalized froyo affogato. The conclusion of my findings, though, was nothing short of disappointing. First and foremost, the requested espresso was seriously sour - an indication of high acidity. I had specifically chosen sweeter and creamier froyo flavours (ie. non-citrus, non-sorbet) to compensate for a dark, bitter shot, though this had not alleviated the rancid aftertastes.
Another puzzling aspect was the amount of espresso that had been provided to me: it was definitely greater than the amount I was accustomer to, and caused the topmost swirl of chocolate frozen yogurt to dissolve into a dung-like clump.

​The first impression of the conscribed affogato was rather dismal. However, the acidity was found to become less noticeable with time. Admittedly, the combination hadn't been too drastic of a decision. Rather, it was the price and push-button espresso that made me wary.

On the other hand, the Cappuccino, while undeniably foam-less, wasn't the teensiest bit sour at all and had been crafted with appropriate ratios of milk and espresso.

​As we departed the quiet building to continue our journey of Downtown Barrie, the skies suddenly darkened. Within seconds of trekking up the isolated brick pathway, it began pouring. Thankfully, we had parked close enough to retrieve rain jackets and resume the now-drenched trail.

​We strolled into The Flying Monkeys Brewery, a craft brewery that prided themselves with award-winning beers and the slogan "Normal is Weird". Eccentricity at its finest, the interior was a dim yet colourful space of bar snacks, parody-style merchandise, and, needless to say, an endless supply of regular and rotating beers.

The patio was empty from the rain, but this did not stop beer-lovers from immersing themselves in the malt-derived beverage underneath the eccentric ceiling art and red-tinted chandeliers.

​Walk-in brewery tours were held on every day of the week, though at greater frequencies on weekdays. Unfortunately, we had missed the 2 pm tour by a few hours and weren't able to grab a peek of the fermentation procedures.

Continuing reading HERE for Part 2!

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