Looking back over my Lakes Region reviews, I realize most of them are really positive. It’s hard not to love everything about Muskoka, whether you’re swimming in one of the bays or browsing a farmers market. Even shopping is supremely pleasant here, and Red Canoe Gallery ranks as one of my favorite stops when it comes to Muskoka shopping. For me, RCG is one of the most accessible and relatable galleries I’ve found. A lot of the art featured in the shop appeals to my personal aesthetic: stylized landscapes, folk-art carvings, turned wood bowls, simple jewelry. Much of it is unmistakably Canadian in subject, too, from a wonderful oil painting of a Mountie riding a flying loon, to a monochrome block print of a pair of Muskoka chairs. Best of all, most prices on the pieces strike me as really reasonable. Every time I’m in Port Carling, Red Canoe is always a welcome diversion.