When we got the call that we were being stationed to Trenton, Ontario, I was nervous. Where is this place? What am I going to do for work? For fun? How will I make friends? Being a military spouse or family comes with the reality that you likely won't be anywhere for very long. I know it's not unique to the military to move around, but in this career, you have a high chance of relocation with little notice every few years. And that's what happened. We went from Halifax, Nova Scotia, which is my home province, to Trenton after a few months notice. Big city life to small-town living within a span of ten weeks.
So how did that all go? Well, I won't lie. We drove into Trenton and my first thought was "oh no... we need to move back to the city," and that remained my impression until we actually started exploring the area. Our very first visit was to Wild Card Brewing Company right in town and I was put at ease after chatting with one of the owners, Nate. The owners of Wild Card probably don't know the impression they left on me, but it made me feel like we'd be okay here. Next, it was finding a spot at The Grind Cafe, then a favourite dish at Tomasso's. Eventually, we were out exploring every weekend!
It has now been 2.5 years of being stationed in Trenton. That's 30 months of finding new places, trying new food, meeting new people, and having new experiences. Outside of Trenton, we started to discovered other parts of the Bay of Quinte, and it made me passionate about sharing this area with everyone, especially military families who may be apprehensive about coming here. This area is exploding with local talent in every form. There are so many crafters, content creators, bakers, mixologists, brewers, and entrepreneurs in this area that I am still discovering. We are very lucky to be posted to a place that offers so much.
This area really started to feel like home over the last year when I started sharing my favourite spots. I now know pretty much all of the staff at The Grind, and I'm also a regular at The Port. I try my hardest to support local every week, whether it be gifts from a local crafter or buying fresh vegetables at the market. Supporting local means so much to me, and I hope by being here in this space, I can introduce you to a new spot or give you some inspiration to buy local too!
-- Jennifer Lindsay