There is nothing like enjoying a good meal at a favourite restaurant – and there are a few on my list.

Today I had lunch with friends at BRIGADOON – a lovely restaurant with fabulous food located in Oxford Mills.  It is well worth the drive.  And here’s a tip:   You don’t have to go to The Empress in Victoria  to enjoy afternoon tea – Brigadoon offers the whole 9 yards, including little sandwiches and mini cream puffs, scones with preserves and devon cream, custard tarts with fresh fruit – is your mouth watering yet? The house was built in 1853 and the owners have gone to great care to preserve original fixtures and the Victorian ambiance.  The menus for lunch and for dinner will leave you torn when trying to make a decision.

What else is on my list of favourites?

THE LONE STAR always makes my list.  I’ve had fajitas in Dallas, I’ve had fajitas in San Antonio – but nowhere do they make better fajitas than our very own Lone Star restaurants.  Of course many other things are on the menu – I just don’t usually get around to them.  Give me a platter of fajitas and a pitcher of sangria and I’m a happy camper.  Word to the wise:  it may take a few days to get the mesquite smell out of your clothes – so best to leave jackets in the car!!

It may be more because Tuesdays are half-price wine nights (ya think???)  – or because there is a great round corner table that will seat a group of 8 to 9 people than because of the actual food (which is fine but not fantastic) – but MOXIES at Kanata Centrum is a great place to go – on a Tuesday night – with a group of friends who like wine.

If you don’t mind the noise level, POCO PAZZO makes the list of dining establishments with wonderful food.  They now have two locations – one at Hazeldean Road and Stittsville Main and another on March Rd in the new Sobey’s plaza.  The jumbo shells filled with a veal mixture and topped with gorgonzola sauce is one of my favourites – never on the menu – but often one of the “specials”.  I’ve never had anything other than a great meal in either location.

So – let’s dress it down a bit and get more casual.  THE WORKS makes a mean burger – if you can wend your way through the menu and the 50+ burger options on it.   The “Tower of Rings” is an absolute must – there aren’t better onion rings ANYWHERE!  But unless you are really really hungry, be prepared to share – it’s a lot of food!!

Fish and Chips brings two restaurants to mind:  LAPOINTE’S and THE GLEN.  Lapointe’s (in Kanata and Bells Corners) has provided fresh fish to Ottawa folk for years and years – the first shop being on the Byward Market.  Fish is fresh, batter is light and the ff’s are like real chip wagon fries. The zucchini appetizer is absolutely yummy – but huge – so it’s another dish to share with a friend.   The Glen is a Scottish restaurant in the same plaza as Poco Pazzo – and features all sorts of scottish delights (food as well as drink), including a great fish and chips plate.  The Glen did a Robbie Burns night complete with scotch tasting this year – an event I would be happy to make an annual booking in my calendar.

If it’s something spicy you are looking for – I would recommend HOST INDIA on Montreal Road.  They offer a lunch and supper buffet with an absolutely amazing Butter Chicken.  The buffet isn’t large, but the food is excellent.

For Chinese, I return, year after year to MAPLE COURT on Kakulu.  The egg rolls are almost as good as those at the Golden Palace and it’s closer to home!!  They offer a small (but yummy) buffet Wednesday through Sunday evenings.  The family has managed this little place since 1983 so they must be doing something right.

JACK ASTOR’S makes the very best chicken caesar salad ever – they add real bacon bits, fresh parmeson and likely thousands of calories in the salad dressing – but it works.

When it comes to breakfast – there are a few that pass the test:  CORA’S and PERKINS immediately come to mind.  And then, for sheer location and view, try CONSTANCE LAKE LODGE – a 1930’s float-plane base right on the lake!

I could go on and on – but I’m making myself hungry.  I have, no doubt, missed several that should be included here.

What are your favourite places to eat……and why?  Let’s share information!!

My oldest nephew, his wife, 2 children, 3 cats and 1 very large dog are moving to the Orlando area of Florida from North Vancouver.

I’m very excited for them – this will be a family adventure.  They’re driving one of the cars (plus the dog) to get there!  I was curious enough to discover that this is at least 52 hours of non-stop driving.  I hope they are all speaking to one another when they arrive at their final destination.  I also hope they get to see a few of the spectacular sights along the way – there won’t be a lot of time for sight-seeing!!

The new home looks absolutely divine – complete with screened in lanai and swimming pool.  I’m hoping I can combine a visit (I haven’t been invited yet) with an item that has been on my bucket list longer than getting a tattoo was – swimming with dolphins.  Since the new home is probably within reach of Discovery Cove – I just might get this one crossed off the list before too many more years pass by.  A little bird told me that swimming with dolphins is a favourite of my great-niece so I might even have company!!

British Columbia’s loss will be Central Florida’s gain!!  Lots of luck with the move J&C!!

My 3 nephews will soon be spread all over the continent – one in Toronto, one in the Vancouver area and one near Orlando!  Wonder where family events will take place?

Just booked the next “big” trip – for 2013!

Heading to Provence, Monaco and Tuscany on what they call “a leisure tour” (by bus, but with multiple nights in each of 3 hotels).

I’m way beyond wanting to (or even being able to) pack my suitcase to have it outside the door at 6am each morning to move on to the next place!  This sounds lovely – and we get to train through (and eat lunch somewhere at) Cinque Terre on the northern part of the Italian Riviera – a place that has been on my wish list.  Our stays will be in Avignon, Monaco and Florence.  Doesn’t that sound darned near perfect……and with good friends too!!

WOO HOO!  Now to save the money!!!

I knew there was somebody at City Hall with some common sense to bring to the table.

In today’s Sun, Hubley suggests that City Staff take a look at costs/savings for a process where we dump all of our garbage, together, into however many containers we need weekly, we have one pick-up and then the City does the sorting into the various recyclables, landfill, etc.

For sure, if they do their job, we would very quickly achieve all targets in terms of landfill avoidance (something we are not even inching towards on our own).

Given fewer garbage trucks and fewer drivers, an ability to meet the commitments to green bin tonnage we are already paying for, and yes, some costs associated with sorting – it sounds like a win-win scenario to me.

I certainly hope this idea is given serious consideration.

Any thoughts?

Ever read a book that made you laugh, made you shed more than a few tears, made you want the end to NEVER come?

Dewey (who’s full name is Dewey Readmore Books):  The Small Town Library Cat Who Touched the World by Vicky Myron is a story that does all of that and more.  The following is the description of this lovely little book.