The Beth Lists
  • Homepage
  • Little Bear's Adventures
  • Diverse Dining List
  • 90 Notable Nights
  • Happy List
  • Quilt Adventure Blog
  • Not So Happy List
  • The Texas Twenty List
  • Mom's Picnic List
  • 18+ Dance Adventures
  • 55 Strangers
  • The Barbie Bucket List
  • 60 Celebrations
  • 57 Celebrations of the Fifties!



Diverse Dining List

Fairmont Chateau Laurier - Canada

11/20/2018

0 Comments

 

​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.
Picture
Picture
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.
Picture
Picture
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.
Picture
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.
Picture


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. 

​


Picture
Tiffany stained-glass... marble floors... I wanted to wander for hours.

​
Oh Canada!
​
​
We wandered a bit, while searching for Zoe's Lounge.
Picture
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.
Picture
Picture
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. 
Picture
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.
Picture
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. 
Picture
Picture
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.
Picture
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.
Picture
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!
​
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Picture
       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

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    December 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    November 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    January 2018
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011

    Categories

    All
    000 The Beginning!
    00 BBQ
    00 Cookbook Adventures
    00 Drive Ins
    00 Drive Ins Diners Cafes
    00 Houston Area
    00 Saloons & Taverns
    00 Tiki Time
    0 Alabama
    0 Arizona
    0 Arkansas
    0 California
    0 Colorado
    0 Florida
    0 Georgia
    0 Idaho
    0 Illinois
    0 Iowa
    0 Louisiana
    0 Michigan
    0 Mississippi
    0 Missouri
    0 Montana
    0 Nevada
    0 New Mexico
    0 New York
    0 North Carolina
    0 Oklahoma
    0 Oregon
    0 South Carolina
    0 South Dakota
    0 Tennessee
    0 Texas
    0 Utah
    0 Vermont
    0 Virginia
    0 Washington
    0 Washington D.C.
    0 Wyoming
    1 In Belize
    1 In Canada
    1 In Chile
    1 In Curacao
    1 In Guatemala
    1 In Mexico
    1 In Roatan
    1 In Thailand
    Afghani
    Argentine
    Basque
    Belgian
    Belizean
    Bengali
    Bermudian
    Bosnian
    Brazilian
    Cafes
    Canadian
    Chile
    Chinese
    Columbian
    Cornish
    Costa Rican
    Cuban
    Curacao Island
    Czech
    Danish
    Diners
    Dominican
    English
    Ethiopian
    Filipino
    French
    French Basque
    French Creole
    German
    Greek
    Guatemalan
    Honduran
    Hopi
    Houston Area
    Hungarian
    Indian
    Indonesian
    Iranian
    Iraqi
    Irish
    Italian
    Jamaican
    Japanese
    Korean
    Lebanese
    Malaysian
    Mexican
    Mongolian
    Moroccan
    Nepali
    New Hampshire
    New York
    Nigerian
    O
    Pakistani
    Palestinian
    Peruvian
    Polish
    Portuguese
    Puerto Rican
    Russian
    Salvadoran
    Scottish
    Spanish
    Swedish
    Swiss
    Taiwanese
    Thai
    Turkish
    Uruguay
    Venezuelan
    Vietnamese

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Homepage
  • Little Bear's Adventures
  • Diverse Dining List
  • 90 Notable Nights
  • Happy List
  • Quilt Adventure Blog
  • Not So Happy List
  • The Texas Twenty List
  • Mom's Picnic List
  • 18+ Dance Adventures
  • 55 Strangers
  • The Barbie Bucket List
  • 60 Celebrations
  • 57 Celebrations of the Fifties!