Ms D

Newfoundland Guru

Newfoundland came naturally as a destination of focus for me – the people, the history and art, the food and music are all so intriguing…and the landscape, completely raw nature! Mallard Cottage, where many of my travellers dine, is my ‘happy place’ and their team has become like family to me over the years. I’ll never forget sitting around the fire out back at Mallard Cottage with a group of guests, noted celebrities and restaurant staff – hilarious stories being told and Canadian music icon Alan Doyle playing guitar with everyone singing along… Fogo Island and St John’s are incredibly warm, hospitable places that I love sharing with my travellers.

Over the years that I have been visiting Newfoundland, I’ve hiked the trails, dined on the incredibly fresh local cuisine – true farm- and sea-to-table – and relished the luxury of the heartfelt service. I’ve designed Fall foliage and culinary tours for my clients that highlight the areas best tables, small inns and local guides.
By six months old I had visited six counties and there was no turning back, the travel bug was instilled in me.

Italy was my first experience living abroad and it shaped me significantly. At seventeen, I left Canada and spent the summer living in Siena, Italy studying Medieval & Renaissance Art and traveling the country at every opportunity. While I studied, I guided trips in Europe for a top North American tour company, laying the ground-work for my travel planning future. Even though I returned home, the taste of foreign living was too enticing to pass up and I moved back to Europe to finish my degree and stayed for nearly three years. I later lived in Burgundy and I worked for a French company planning luxury tours throughout Italy. After years of living in France, I returned to Toronto and eventually launched my own travel company in 2005. I’ve since focused on serving travellers who seek ‘real’ local experiences, but simply don’t have the time or resources to pull together the trips they’ve dreamed of. That’s where my expertise and little Black Book fill the gap and make the magic happen.