​Out & About #655 | Serene Sunday Sojourn + COWS Niagara-on-the-Lake

​Summer and ice cream go hand in hand, as do weekend drives out of the GTA (when fatigue trumps all potential for hiking).

​Some may have found peak COVID periods to be restricting, though I personally found it an all-encompassing exercise of distinguishing the essentials from the ancillaries. And should some of those ancillary acts been near-crucial to one's overall wellbeing, a workaround would have been established. The pandemic hadn't eliminated safe outings executed by residents of the same household, nor had it hindered the progression of essential services and construction projects.

Stage 3 is, frankly speaking, not that extravagant of a departure.

Beyond playing doubles on the courts, making reservations to exercise, and dining in at your favourite restaurant, Ontarians are permitted to engage in their run-of-the-mill, seasonal activities - masks in tow, of course. Social distancing rules apply nonetheless; similarly, mandatory hand sanitization and one-way navigation persist in the "new normal".

​COWS' sole outpost in the province featured quite the steady lineup on a Sunday afternoon. That said, the wait time wasn't nearly as lengthy as I had feared. Some fifteen minutes of lingering under the shade, we were invited into the premises by a masked staff member, a bottle of disinfectant readily harnessed in her hands.

View the full album HERE !

Staff members of the dairy bar were quick to serve customers in the queue, facilitating visitor flow within the space. In addition to the menu posted on the wall, the PEI franchise was also offering half litre tubs to take home.​

​Our Double Scoop of Coffee and Sea Salted Toffee melted more rapidly than expected. By the time the payment process had concluded, half of the top scoop has disintegrated, dribbling onto the merchandise floor. With reference to said process, I was grateful for the availability of an unsharpened pencil to tap the number pad, whereafter it was wiped after each use with a scrunched sheet of (presumably) Lysol. In hindsight, its dingy yellow hue may have been grounds for interrogation. That said, all cones were wrapped in napkins prior to handover.

Racing the rate of dissolution of our rimmed waffle cone's contents, we plucked several items from their clothing rack, rather unapologetically if I may add. A small tub of (extremely melty) Moo Crunch and Maple Walnut were taken to go.

​Vamoosing from the tourist-laden district in search of washroom facilities, we landed at a particularly serene Starbucks en route to the QEW.

Tall ceilings, individual bathroom stalls, plenty of A/C, and the availability of Nitro Cold Brew were all stunners in their own regard. ​​

​Alas, the sunlit hours were diminishing: caffeine would have been an ill-advised choice. Taken to the patio in its stead were a Chocolate Chunk Cookie and Iced Guava Black Tea Lemonade - a duo as refreshing and well-received as the location itself.

​And as for those driving by without fear of minimal washroom facilities, the location was also equipped with a Drive Thru window.

​Our final stop of the day was largely unplanned.

​Nestled between the innumerable wineries along Niagara Stone Rd was a quaint lavender field, home to the NEOB Boutique (otherwise recognized as an abbreviation of "Niagara Essential Oils & Blends"). We had, in spite of the impromptu decision and painstaking three-point-turn ordeal, succeeded in entering the premises for a compact five-minute retail endeavour.

"Our fields are closed and all the lavender has been harvested, so there's nothing to see." We had been informed upon disembarking our vehicle. "We're closing in two minutes." The store attendant withheld no frustrations at our arrival, and reasonably so given the proximity to the store's closing time.

​In agreement of their policy, we stepped foot onto the establishment for a quick gander of their selection. Another staff member, who donned a face shield in place of a mask, rushed to our assistance, presumably to quicken (or eliminate) the browsing process. Contrary to their concerns, it didn't take long for us to narrow down our items of interest.

​With swiftness and great grace (or so I'd like to think), we exited the Great Mountain Center plaza with lavender hand soap, lavender sparking water, and a jar of culinary lavender.

Empowered with the delicate, fragrant buds, I may now opt to attempt the boutique's very own Lavender Shortbread, or orangecane's tea latte-ready syrup.