12/04/2025
Last night, something extraordinary happened: I was honoured with the Pineapple Award. And to understand why this means so much to me, you need to know the story behind it.
I’ve worked in hospitality my entire life. Not because it was easy, not because it was glamorous, but because it felt like home.
It felt like him.
My grandfather Albert was the person who shaped me in ways I didn’t fully understand until he was gone. He taught me what real hospitality is: noticing the little things, making people feel seen, choosing kindness even on the days when it’s hard. He showed me that welcome is a feeling, not a room. That a gentle word can change the course of someone’s day. That you can be a soft place to land for people you may never see again.
When he passed away, something inside me shifted. I didn’t just lose him — I lost the sense of “home” he created in the world. I kept moving, kept working, kept doing what I knew best, but there was a quiet ache inside me I couldn’t name.
One day, I packed up my life and came to Nova Scotia. Not searching for a new home — I didn’t believe I’d ever find that again — but searching for something I had lost.
I had no intention of staying.
Absolutely none.
But then Nova Scotia wrapped its arms around me.
The small towns.
The stories tucked into every shore.
The ocean that makes you breathe differently.
And the people — the ones who invite you in, offer you a cup of tea, and treat you like a neighbour long before you are one.
For the first time since losing Albert, I felt that spark again.
That warmth.
That sense of belonging I thought I’d never feel.
I found myself in the magical, postcard-perfect town of Shelburne, and suddenly life handed me an opportunity I had dreamed of quietly since I was a child: the chance to build something of my own.
And not just anything — but something that carried his name.
That’s how Albert’s Inn was born.
Not just a business, but a love letter.
A tribute.
A way to carry on the legacy of the man who taught me the heart of hospitality.
Every check-in.
Every homemade touch.
Every moment we go above and beyond.
Every detail we perfect.
It’s all for him.
Because he taught me the secret:
Hospitality is not a job. It’s a way of loving people.
So last night, standing there at the gala dinner during the Tourism Summit in Halifax, hearing my name called for the Pineapple Award… it hit me like a wave.
This award represents kindness, compassion, warmth, excellence, and the magic found in small gestures — the very things my grandfather instilled in me.
And I just kept thinking: Grandpa, I hope you’re seeing this.
But here’s the truth: I didn’t build this alone.
At Albert’s Inn, we are tiny — small but mighty. Barely a team, really. More like a duo with big hearts and impossible dreams.
And the other half of this magic is Cheryl.
Cheryl, you are the woman who sprinkles pixie dust on the most ordinary days. The one whose smile melts stress off anyone who walks through the door. The one who lifts, builds, supports, laughs, and shines in every corner of this place.
You are my work wife, my best friend, and my daily reminder that energy matters. You make everything brighter. Thank you for believing in this dream with me — and for believing in me.
And to every guest who nominated me, I will never forget this.
You didn’t just check a box.
You didn’t just fill out a form.
You took the time to say, “What you do matters.”
In doing so, you changed my life.
You showed me that even the smallest places can hold the biggest love.
That even a heart from far away can find a home again.
That if you lead with kindness, people feel it — deeply.
You showed me that no matter how small you think you are, if your heart is open, you can reach for the stars — or in my case, the pineapple.
I am humbled.
I am grateful.
And I am so, so proud.
This is only the beginning. Shelburne, Nova Scotia, and every traveller who finds their way to our door — I can’t wait to show you what comes next.
Thank you for letting me live out a dream I never expected to find in the most beautiful corner of the world.
