This past weekend, we hit several of the sites participating in Doors Open Ottawa, which is an event where buildings of architectural significance and places that generally aren’t open to the public—you guessed it—throw open their doors to the sweaty, unwashed masses. For Doors Open Elsewhere, check in with Jay.
Our first stop was the Algerian Embassy which is at the east end of our street. For those of you who don’t know our neighbourhood (I’ll see you at next year’s Movie Marathon), Sandy Hill is an area filled with old homes and embassies. The Algerian Embassy is a gorgeous building with marble floors and columns, red tile roof, and a huge garden. It put most of the buildings that followed to shame. (And this is where my knowledge of architecture falls short. I should be able to say something somewhat insightful here, but all I’ve got it; pretty!)
It was down the road to Laurier House next, former home to two prime ministers: William Lyon Mackenzie King, and buddy on the five dollar bill. We learned that the Lauriers were great entertainers, with house guests left and right, and poutine on every plate. Whereas Mackenzie King was more of loner, playing the piano for his dog, Pat, or holding up in a dank closet with his crystal ball, trying to contact his dead and creepily missed mom.
We stopped by Blackburn House, which is across from Laurier House, and almost entirely unremarkable except that it’s the headquarters for Heritage Canada, the orginization resposible for putting this event together in the first place.
Next, we checked out the former Ottawa-Carlton County Jail, which these days is just a youth hostel. The building has been kept in reasonably good repair, and we got to see the gallows (with a noose made of yellow utility rope), and death row--where folks like James Whalen (Darcy McGee’s assassin) stayed a brief stay. Interesting place, but they came up short when it came to guides; basically there were two kids watching so you didn’t scratch your initials into the wall or try to hang anyone.
There was a brief stop over at the Registry Office, which was just a big room where they handed out Heritage Ottawa information, so we hit our last stop of the day, The Croatian Embassy. Nice enough building, beautiful photography display, but it paled in comparison to Algeria’s pad. All in all a busy day, but nothing compared to Sunday. Sunday kicked my ass.
--to be continued--
Our first stop was the Algerian Embassy which is at the east end of our street. For those of you who don’t know our neighbourhood (I’ll see you at next year’s Movie Marathon), Sandy Hill is an area filled with old homes and embassies. The Algerian Embassy is a gorgeous building with marble floors and columns, red tile roof, and a huge garden. It put most of the buildings that followed to shame. (And this is where my knowledge of architecture falls short. I should be able to say something somewhat insightful here, but all I’ve got it; pretty!)
It was down the road to Laurier House next, former home to two prime ministers: William Lyon Mackenzie King, and buddy on the five dollar bill. We learned that the Lauriers were great entertainers, with house guests left and right, and poutine on every plate. Whereas Mackenzie King was more of loner, playing the piano for his dog, Pat, or holding up in a dank closet with his crystal ball, trying to contact his dead and creepily missed mom.
We stopped by Blackburn House, which is across from Laurier House, and almost entirely unremarkable except that it’s the headquarters for Heritage Canada, the orginization resposible for putting this event together in the first place.
Next, we checked out the former Ottawa-Carlton County Jail, which these days is just a youth hostel. The building has been kept in reasonably good repair, and we got to see the gallows (with a noose made of yellow utility rope), and death row--where folks like James Whalen (Darcy McGee’s assassin) stayed a brief stay. Interesting place, but they came up short when it came to guides; basically there were two kids watching so you didn’t scratch your initials into the wall or try to hang anyone.
There was a brief stop over at the Registry Office, which was just a big room where they handed out Heritage Ottawa information, so we hit our last stop of the day, The Croatian Embassy. Nice enough building, beautiful photography display, but it paled in comparison to Algeria’s pad. All in all a busy day, but nothing compared to Sunday. Sunday kicked my ass.
--to be continued--
Comments
Never too early to start planning the food, after all.
Seriously, though, if there is a way that I can be there, I will!
I always have something on the go, and can never visit these friggin' places at these times.
BAH.
The part of your entry that started with "Next, we checked out the former Ottawa-Carlton County Jail, which these days is just a youth hostel" totally reminded me of that scene in So I Married An Axe Murderer, when they're on Alcatraz getting the tour. (**COURTNEY-O, IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THIS MOVIE, SKIP TO ITEM 2**)
John "Vicki" Johnson, Tour Guide (Phil Hartman): 'Now this is something the other tour guides won't tell you. In this particular cell-block, Machine Gun Kelly had what we call in the prison system, a "bitch". And one night in a jealous rage Kelly took a make-shift knife or "shiv", and cut out the bitch's eyes. And as if this wasn't enough retribution for Kelly, the next day he and four other inmates took turns pissing into the bitch's ocular cavities.
(short pause)
This way to the cafeteria!'
SO GOOD!
Item 2:
Your 'Sunday kicked my ass. To be continued' wrap-up is a totally Dan Brownian hook. You owe that wealthy bastard $2.73 for its use. He invented it, and didn't copy anyone else, and if you take him to court to try to prove otherwise, you will lose.