Happy Friday, all! I hope you enjoyed my last post about one of my favourite towns in Prince Edward County, Picton (if you missed it, click here to check it out!) Today, I’m wrapping up my Prince Edward County series with a little guide to one of my other favourite County destinations: Bloomfield.
Bloomfield is a small community, located just west of Picton, that’s home to about 600 people. They have a quaint and charming main street that’s home to some beloved local businesses that have been around for ages – such as famed ice cream joint Slickers (open since 1997) – as well as newer favourites like the trendy Bloomfield Public House. As I mentioned in my last post, I happen to know Bloomfield particularly well, as my aunt and uncle lived right on Main Street for several years! Today I’d like to take you for a brief tour through some of my favourite spots in Bloomfield, starting with my number one must-visit…
Slickers Ice Cream: Anyone who knows me knows that there are few things I love quite as much as ice cream. I’ve been to countless ice cream shops around Ontario and beyond, and of the (likely) hundreds I’ve visited over the years, Slickers will always hold a special spot among my favourites. Their shop on Main Street is small and ‘no frills’. They don’t have an Instagram-worthy interior, or an over-the-top sundae creation, or a menu of 100 flavours. But they have one particularly iconic flavour that has been my go-to since childhood, and it’s one I’ll come back for again and again: Apple Pie. What makes it unique? It’s vanilla ice cream that’s made with actual pieces of apple pie (crust included) that they bake fresh in-house and blend into the ice cream. It’s sweet, buttery, fruity and cinnamon-y… in other words, utter perfection. I’m a big apple pie fan, so I may be just a little biased, but the fact that it’s one of their most popular flavours tells me I’m not alone. Their #1 flavour happens to be Campfire Cream, which is made with toasted marshmallows. Expect a line-up, especially on summer evenings and weekends, but know that it’s worth the wait. (They also have a second location in Picton, because the only thing better than one Slickers shop is two!)
Casa Lucia: A couple doors down from Slickers is this delightful boutique that’s another Bloomfield classic: they’ve been around for 20 years. The cheery yellow building, adorned with bright blue doors and shutters, is hard to miss. The owners sell vibrant Mexican pottery, folk art, textiles and other home goods in the most beautiful rainbow of colours. On summer days, they’ll often display their pottery collection right on the sidewalk – see my note above re: it being hard to miss! Their inventory ranges from smaller homewares like cups, plates and bowls to larger statement pieces like stools, urns, vases and even sinks. The owners source all the pieces personally on regular buying trips to Mexico. If you’re looking for authentic, beautiful and one-of-a-kind items for your home, you’ll find them here. Go inside to browse an extensive selection of handcrafted silver jewelry, also from Mexico. Another plus: their prices are very reasonable, especially for a tourist town. I got one of my very favourite pieces of jewelry here: a gorgeous sterling silver ring in a braided, criss-cross pattern. It was all of $20 and I still wear it all the time.
Dead People’s Stuff: Hey, at least they’re honest… this humorously (but appropriately!) named antique store sells vintage pine furniture – painted and refinished by the owner – along with antique chandeliers, lamps, art, kitchenware, home and garden decor, and other vintage chotchkes. You never know what you’re going to find here, and you may walk out with something you never even knew you needed. It’s truly a ‘treasure hunt’ kind of place!
Andara Gallery: With its bright rainbow-striped façade, this contemporary art gallery is housed in one of the most eye-catching buildings in the County! Inside, owners Andrew Csafordi and Tara Wilkinson display their beautiful artwork and photography. Andrew was kind enough to show us around, and explained his method of “encaustic painting”, in which he uses natural materials like beeswax and tree resin to add a distinctly textured, three-dimensional quality to his art.
I hope you enjoyed this short but sweet tour of beautiful Bloomfield! If you have any ideas for somewhere I should visit next, let me know – I would love to hear them. Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend ahead!