TORONTO – The old guy is looking pretty fine. I wasn’t sure what to expect when the folks from Omni Hotels took over the King Edward Hotel in Toronto a couple years ago. Omni doesn’t have a strong presence in Canada. I stayed at a wonderful Omni in San Diego last year but it’s not a hotel chain (sorry guys) that conjures up any particular image other than being nice properties. I give them full marks, however, for what they’ve done to one of the city’s best-known and best-loved and most historic hotels. I had a tour of the newly Read more
Architecture
I’ve been lucky enough to explore most corners of this vast country of ours. I’ve kicked around Quebec City, cycled around Calgary and even take a motorcycle sidecar tour of Halifax. I’ve also found more than a few places that I think deserve more attention than they get. Here’s a look at some of them. WOLFVILLE, NOVA SCOTIA With a tidy downtown that stretches only a couple blocks, this is a town you want to pick up and hug. There’s good local wine (try Luckett Vineyards on a nearby hillside with great views) and, of course, fresh seafood. I’ll probably Read more
GODERICH – A surprising hotel in a great Ontario beach town. I’d somehow never set foot in Goderich until last weekend, when I spent a night at the lovely Samuels Hotel. But it’s a place I’d return to for certain; a charming hotel with very good food and friendly staff in a fantastic part of Ontario. The hotel, part of the Ontario’s Finest Hotels, Inns and Spas collection, is located on a quiet street a two-minute drive from downtown, an old-style neighbourhood where homes have front porhes and owners proudly fly their Canadian flags. It also backs onto the Maitland Read more
The jazz was great. The acrobats were wonderful. And the Barbu Foire Electro Trad was like nothing I’d ever seen. I spent a long weekend in Montreal earlier this month, mostly checking out festivals during the night and exploring neighborhoods during the day. It was, as always, an extraordinary trip to one of the world’s great cities. We started out with a show by Jesse Cook at the Montreal International Jazz Festival, which wrapped up July 9. Cook and his band were utterly sensational; playing a mix of Spanish/Flamenco style guitar with marvellous percussion work, as well as a great Read more
I didn’t know a lot about Saskatoon prior to my first visit late last summer. What I found was a surprising city with wonderful people, sophisticated dining, great shopping areas and a lovely setting with a huge variety of things to do. Here’s a photo essay from a memorable trip to Saskatchewan.
