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Cookbook Adventure in Ottawa In July, Don and I traveled to Ottawa for Canada Day. We weren't staying at the lovely Chateau Laurier, but we had a view from our hotel window. Our Westin room was lovely, but I looked towards the grand hotel longingly. I've had the Chateau Laurier (now a Fairmont hotel) on my need to visit list, since spotting it in one of our old cookbooks. Ford Motor Cookbook We were of course traveling with our vintage Ford Motor cookbook. It's what we do. I wanted so badly to grab the old book and head over to the classy Laurier Dining Room, for a little adventure. I thought there might be a chance they would still serve the Seafood Cocktail that was a featured recipe in the book. Short on Time But, we were celebrating the weekend with my sister-in-law and her dear friend. The 4 of us had lots of celebrating to do, during our short stay in Ottawa. I was pretty pleased when Jane and Dick were game to head over for a drink at the French Gothic Hotel. As we crossed Rideau Street, we could see how the hotel was build to compliment the adjacent Parliament buildings. Conical turrets, dormer windows and copper roofs! Beautiful! Into the Cool As we came through the revolving door, a whoosh of cool air greeted us. I'm not sure if they had air conditioning in 1912, when the hotel was built. We were grateful for it, that July day. We had come from Texas, expecting cool Canadian temps, but it was actually hotter in Ottawa than in Houston! Marble, Tiffany and Chandeliers I was a giddy tourist as we wandered through the lobby. I believe the chandeliers and hand moulded plaster decor were original. Tiffany stained-glass... marble floors... I wanted to wander for hours. Oh Canada! We wandered a bit, while searching for Zoe's Lounge. The flags displayed from the mezzanine, were a continuation of what we'd seen on the streets earlier. Hours Before You could look any direction and see red maple leaves. They were hanging on poles and waving in hands. Lounging We walked into one of the lovely sitting areas in the lobby. I had to wonder how many of those seated, were actually hotel guests and not just overheated folks who had wandered in from the street celebration. I imagine the lobby atmosphere was not quite so casual, back when King George and Queen Elizabeth visited in 1939! (Important cookbook trivia!) Zoe's Lounge Zoe's Lounge felt like a cool oasis, after a day of wandering. I was surprised there were no crowds gathered around the marble bar, at 6 pm. Zoe's - a 1985 Addition Zoe's Lounge was not around when the cookbook was printed in 1955. The glassed-in area was added in 1985, probably before our cocktail server was even born. I failed to get a photo of our enthused young server, but she snapped a couple of us. She was surprisingly curious about the book and the the old recipe. (at least the book made it in the photo) Dining? As much as I would have loved to have had a complete dining adventure at the Chateau, we just had a liquid celebration. Since we weren't going all out with a meal, I went all our with a drink called, "Oh Canada!" For $17, I had a perfectly refreshing beverage with Ontario Vodka, Maple Syrup, Cranberries Peychaud's Bitters & Lemon Juice! Cheers! A Good Start The old cookbook may not have gotten a huge spotlight on our short visit to the Chateau, but it at least led us there. We enjoyed the clean, bright, historic atmosphere, with some refreshing drinks. Best of all, we celebrated the iconic hotel with Jane and Dick! Next time, I hope we can go back for a meal AND an overnight!
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Unexpected Lunch Stop Don and I made an unplanned stop at Timberline Lodge last August. We were on our way to Portland, when road issues took us on a different route. We saw signs for the lodge and suddenly decided it must be time for lunch... even though it was 10 am. Mount Hood It was pretty exciting to see Mount Hood as we approached the lodge. As we got closer, we could see skiers on those snowy patches. It was August first! Not So Eerie On a sunny, blue day, it was hard to imagine the creepy snow scenes from Stephen King's thriller movie,The Shining. Evidently, Timberline Lodge has been a film location for numerous movies. Breezy Terrace It was early for lunch, so Don and I did some wandering first. We thought about eating on the sunny terrace... but, the wind was whipping those flags like crazy! Too bad I didn't get a video of the 750-pound "Snow Goose" weathervane, right above us! Fireplace Column The exterior of the hotel may get a lot of film focus, but the interior is where the lodge really shines. During the Great Depression, local workers and artisans spent a couple years, building and furnishing the lodge. The 6-sided, fireplace column in the head house, is the most impressive of all. Fireplaces Below We went down a level and found the area where I'm guessing many skiers have prepped for the slopes. I loved the photo of the injured men, lounging in front of the giant fireplace with crutches and cigarettes. The fireplace was enormous. I could have used it as a stage. The fireplace screens were made of old tire chains and the andirons were made from old railroad rails. Artists Don and I explored the 4-story main building, while we worked up an appetite. We ran across numerous murals and mosaics. Some of the murals were made with pieces of glass. Sweet Critters In the stairwell, we found some perfect examples of how repurposed materials were used throughout the lodge. We climbed the stairs using the sturdy, steel railings and discovered numerous carved critters. I learned later that there are 19 newel posts, made from discarded utility poles. Each had a unique little animal, native to the area. Ram's Head Bar We could have dined "lodge-style" in the Cascade Dining Room, but we were drawn to the view at the Ram's Head Bar. Ram's Head We were wandering up on the second floor's circular balcony at 10:30, when we spotted the cozy bar opening up for the day. That's a little early for a bar and kind of early for lunch. View of Mount Hood But when you can get a table with a view of the mountain, the time hardly matters. We took a seat! Love it All I loved the rustic little table set. I loved the leather menu. I loved the original patchwork curtains. I loved the Black Forest Ham Steak Sandwich with Pimento Cheese on a Cornmeal Bun AND the Carrot, Cranberry, Walnut Slaw! More Wandering After our tiny "brunch" we continued to explore. I wanted to stay for days. I could have hiked in the day and played pingpong on a handcrafted table, at night! WPA Work If I'd had a couple days, I could have studied every nook and cranny, created by the rotating workers, 80 years ago. There were about 100 working at a time. Doors I'm always delighted when I spot an unusual door and the Timberline had so many! Don at 6'2", helped me show just how large and small, some of these doors were. Next Time We had a just enough time to hike up the trail a bit, before heading off to Portland. We'll have to return and give some time to those great wooden chairs. Better yet, we'll make sure to have time to book a room and see what the lodge is like at night. When it gets late and scenes from The Shining play in my head, I'll just have to keep reminding myself. "No scenes were filmed inside the lodge!"
A Dining & Cookbook Adventure Don and I had so many reasons for stopping at The Pink Adobe, when visiting Santa Fe, in July. The restaurant opened in 1944, in a house that is now over 300 years old. That's a good reason there. Memories Don and I also have fond memories of the restaurant from when we dined with our kids, 18 years ago. They loved the cozy little rooms inside the pink building... but they hadn't learned to love Santa Fe style cuisine yet. The Patio Don and I arrived at 6 and found quite a few seated on the patio, between the restaurant and the Dragon Bar. We headed left into the Dragon Bar. Our son and daughter-in-law had been recently on their honeymoon and raved about Happy Hour. Cheers! We sat at the bar and soaked up the colorful atmosphere. An upside down Christmas tree hung from the rafters and a few dragon images lurked nearby. But the most interesting decoration was the tree trunk behind us, wrapped in colorful lights. The Tree in the Book The live tree, was the very tree, shown on page 228 of our Ford Motor Cookbook from 1959. We of course had our silly cookbook with us and hoped to have some fun sharing with others. But things were pretty busy for a while. We grabbed some popcorn and took a look at the page ourselves. Funny. The book illustration showed the tree growing through a roof, but there was no enclosed bar. Sharing Conversation... and the Book After a while, we began chatting with Bob, who was eating dinner at the bar, beside us. We had a lot in common and the conversation was entertaining. I asked him a lot of questions about Los Alamos, where he works. I really wanted to ask him why he was letting the bartender eat off his plate. It turns out that Randy the bartender, was Bob's son. He had missed lunch that day and Dad was happy to share. I was amused. At some point I shared the book with Bob and he was clearly amused. He shared it with Randy, when the rush was over. Another restaurant server walked by and Bob showed her the cookbook, featuring Pink Adobe. Hungry We had such a good time at the Dragon Bar, we hardly needed to amuse ourselves more. But we were starved. It was time to revisit the cozy restaurant, we had enjoyed 18 years ago. We headed over to the original pink building. Remembering I recognized the cozy room where we once dined with the kids. I can't remember what we ate, but I do remember there had been a fire burning and it felt like we were dining in someone's home. Our Room The hostess seated us at a corner table, in a room beside the courtyard. The adobe and beams and colorful artwork, made the room equally inviting. Bread and Menu I would have been happy with a meal of bread! We dug in, while we looked through the menu. Enchiladas and Gypsy Stew Carolina was our server. She was attentive and quick. I didn't bother her with the cookbook until she brought my enchiladas and Don's Gypsy Stew. Then I dared to ask. "Do you think they still use this recipe for the enchiladas?" She glanced at the book and said she didn't think so. Time to Eat Don and I chuckled to ourselves when she left. You just can't expect everyone to get excited about the silly cookbook. We dug into our food. Don's green chile stew, was thick and tasty with Gruyere. Evidently the soup was served when the restaurant opened in 1944. I'm sure my Enchiladas Pink Adobe was better than the recipe in the book. It was made with Chimayo red chile, served on blue corn tortillas with cheese, beans, rice & posole. More Chatting with Carolina The crowded restaurant began to empty and Carolina ended up spending a little more time at our table. We talked about the wonderful cat painting behind us and Carolina chatted about her upcoming trip to New Orleans with her mother and daughter. She was so excited. Carolina took another peek at the book and offered to pose for a photo. I asked if she thought the tree in the book was the same tree in that's in the bar, today. "Yes!" She assured me. "Go out and look!" I looked through the window bars first and then I stepped out the side door. More New Friends As I stood in the courtyard, I studied the illustration. Then, I looked at tree growing through the roof. Some nearby diners, (who happened to be right beside our window) noticed me with the book. "Have you noticed this very special tree over here?" I asked. Before long I was practically seated at their table and the book was being passed around. I introduced them to Don, through the window. We gabbed a few more minutes about Rice University and law and blue states... Then they insisted it was my turn to be in a picture. Through the Window I handed over my camera and headed for the side door. Once at the table, Don and I leaned towards the book, that I displayed between the bars. Oh what a silly time. Good-Bye Pink After a bit, Don and I headed off for our B & B, just a short walk down the road. What a fun memory. The sweet pink house was as cozy as I remembered. The food and drink was yummy. And the people were fun. Our cookbook did another good job of bringing people together!
Brigham City, Utah Don and I had to go a little off our road trip route, to find this restaurant. I spotted the large, twirling sign first. Then I saw their other sign, with a little bowtie-wearing dude, running with a tray of root beer mugs! Maddox Ranch House It was our silly cookbook that guided us towards the Maddox Ranch House... as it was called in our 1962 book. I was sad that the restaurant no longer had an exposed chimney or logg-y exterior. A Dining Oasis The rambling structure didn't look much like the image in our vintage Ford Motor Cookbook. But it still looked like a welcoming dining spot, along the highway, with the mountains beyond. Now and Then As I headed towards the front entrance, I saw there was a fake little hint of the old log look, above the door. The words mentioned the Famous Fried Chicken, just like the illustration. When I got inside, I saw a displayed photo from the 1950's, that looked very much like the cookbook image. Yay for Knotty Pine! It was 11 am and the restaurant had just opened when we arrived. I was so glad I could take a moment to peek around before guests filled the place up. I was so delighted to see some retro pine as I headed towards one of the many dining rooms. Better yet, there was a hostess who was more than willing to chat about Maddox's history. Sharing History The hostess was seasoned enough to be pretty amused when I shared the old cookbook with her. She seemed thrilled that I was so interested in the history of the restaurant that began as a drive in, in 1949. She pointed out the log walls and explained how they had once been the exterior. She pointed to the stairway. "There's a dining room up those stairs now, but the Maddox family used to live up there." I loved knowing the restaurant was still owned and operated by the Maddox family. Through the Years I loved studying the old photos on the walls. I'm guessing back in 1949, that Irv and Wilma probably had not clue how popular their tiny cabin restaurant would become. Yay for Drive Ins! Luckily, Maddox's still keeps the drive-in running. Don and I had eaten a huge breakfast and we couldn't even imagine having a big meal before noon. So we parked under the carport and hoped to get a little something for later. Park and Order We joined the line up of cars. The place was pretty hopping at 11:15. Tramway We studied the hanging menus and signs. I read the words, "Keep off the Tramway" and did as I was told. Hmmm? That's an odd word for the platform, where the young girls rushed back and forth. Chicken Basket Tiffany Our server, Tiffany greeted us through the window. I knew she was far too young to be thrilled by an old cookbook, but I had to share. I reached across Don and asked if they still served the Potato Soup that was shown on the page. "Only on Wednesday." Tiffany answered. She started to hand the book to Don, then pulled it back to have another look. "How old is this!" She laughed and I was delighted that she'd passed the cookbook test with a good reaction. She was nice enough to pose with the book for a photo. Picnic Time! We ordered a 4-piece chicken basket, along with some root beer and had a lovely truck stop picnic, a couple hours later. The chicken would have been much better on a china plate with mashed potatoes... seated beside a logg-y wall. But our picnic was a yummy way to complete our funny little dining/drive-in adventure!
Colorado in July Don and I opted out of our hotel's complimentary breakfast, to have a meal at an iconic diner on Main Street. The Durango Diner no longer has its fabulous old sign, but there was a happy plate with egg-y eyes, smiling in the window! The Window Table If there'd been more than 2 of us, we would have opted for the sunny spot in the window. We were happy just to get a seat at all. The narrow diner was pretty packed at 8 am. The window table was full, a moment after I took the photo. Debbie Feast Don ordered the corned beef hash with fried eggs, hash browns and sourdough toast. My giant blueberry pancake was jammed with juicy berries. I smothered it in warm syrup and even with Don's help couldn't eat half.
I was curious about the whole diner, starting with our funny table, built right into the wooden wall. I like a little curious woodwork in my diner. Stools at the Counter After working on my pancakes a while, I just had to get up and have a look around. I think I counted 20 stools. Every stool was taken, as well as a couple of small tables in the back. I wandered behind the stools and studied the wall, filled with framed photos and articles... and a little booster seat. I'll bet there are adult customers who once sat on that blue seat. Griddle View I told the man that it looked like he had the best stool in the house, with a good view of the griddle. He laughed and said he'd been eating at that counter for 40 years and was getting some good cooking lessons. He pointed to the owner on the right and made some playful remarks. Gary Gary, the owner heard us gabbing and turned to chime in. I asked if I could take a picture of him and he answered with a firm, "No." I played along and apologized, until he laughed and posed. "You can tell I hate pictures..." he said as he gestured towards the wall of photos. There were quite a few John Waynes on that wall! Good Bye Diner
We hadn't gotten out of town before I realized I'd left my sweater. We turned and headed back to the diner. Debbie had rescued my sweater and hung it on a hook, right beneath the classic booster seat. "I was hoping you'd be back." She said.
That somehow made my day! |
The Dining Blog
This is a blog about Dining Adventures. Sometimes, I talk about food. Below, you can read how this started. On July 4th 2011, I set a goal to try 50 culturally diverse restaurants in one year! (I knew that was possible, living in the Houston area) I spent the year pulling in friends and family to join me, on some unusual dining adventures. I met some curious people, tried some scary foods and explored places and cultures I never would have otherwise. Even though I met my goal, I learned too much to end my adventures in dining. I have continued blogging about memorable dining adventures of all kinds, near and far... and all the discoveries and funny things I've learned along the way! Locations and types of dining adventures, are listed further down. Archives
November 2023
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