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I totally outdid myself last Friday discovering too many new things around downtown Winnipeg.

In no particular order, I recommend checking out the following:

* A new 'mural' behind the City Hall, just across from Chinatown - the floor is painted vibrant hues of pink, red and purple. Too pretty not to share!

* The Coal and Canary pop up shop at 73 Princess Street - my favourite local candle company has a storefront and it's everything I imagined it to be: pretty, pink and fabulous!

* Mur Lifestyle Studio at 70 Arthur Street - not a new spot but this well curated lifestyle store has a whole bunch of new home goods that I'm adding to my wish list. 

* Pop Cart has an UBE Bubble Tea popsicle - if you know ube, need I say more?

* Locally grown flowers from Prairie Blossom - I had to stop over these bouquets while at Alleyways Market. To know that they were grown locally made me even more in awe. 

* Cordova Tapas & Wine - a new spot for drinks, imported cheese, tapas and good times. I totally recommend their cheese platters.

* All the happenings at The Forks for the Canada Summer Games 2017 - As this year's host to the festivities, this place has been packed with tons of outdoor activities including markets, art installations and free concerts.

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I've been taking advantage of the summer season by going out of town more and exploring the different things my province has to offer. Case in point is the strawberry picking experience I finally got the chance to do at Prairie Berry. Everyone I know has done it except for me so when I heard about Prairie Berry and its farm being located just 10 minutes away from Winnipeg, I knew I had to plan a visit. As you can see in my pictures, I had too much fun picking strawberries, haha! I went early in the day to avoid the crowds and the humidity. The strawberries were so red, juicy and sweet (half of my pick has already been eaten, the other half will be turned into a compote). I'm definitely heading back to Prairie Berry for next year's picking. 

Afterwards, I checked out the St Norberts Farmers' Market to grab some fresh produce and try the new ice cream from Black Market -- a sister company to Pop Cart Winnipeg. Not only are they selling popsicles now, but also doing small batch ice cream. Yum!

For lunch, I got to try the Lebanese restaurant, Baraka. The place was packed and when I had their Lamb Kabob shawarma, it was not a surprise why this place continuously had people lining up. Generous servings, affordable price points, wonderful service and flavourful food! 

I decided to spend the rest of the day walking around Kildonan Park. I haven't been there in a while so it was nice to see some old spots including the Rainbow Stage, the Witch's Hut and the North Flower Garden.