Disappointments, and the Opposite Thereof

Blogger

Trying out the new Blogger interface.  It's like Blogger is from the 21st century and not some God-awful Netscape-era holdover like it used to was.  I could get used to this.

The Cheshire Cat

I found a new favourite pub.

I use the term 'pub' consciously.  There are a lot of places in this city which try to look like a pub, but basically, they're restaurants, or occasionally bars.  The Cat isn't trying to be a pub.  It actually is a pub.

The array of beers on tap is impressive, and includes a cask ale and no fewer than four local craftbrew specialties on tap.

The ambiance is decidedly casual.  There's a picture on the wall of the Queen drinking a beer, and carved taps, and beer labels and badges.  The furniture ranges from wooden chairs and benches to worn stuffed comfy chairs by the fireplace.

The food is where it somewhat departs from the pub style, as it is really amazingly good.  Their vegetable sides are much better than the usual steamed broccoli placeholder; their steak and kidney pie is better than anything I've found in Ottawa.  They serve a beef and yorkie dish with a yorkshire pudding the size of two hockey pucks stacked on top of one another.  

As much as possible, they source locally.  All the veggies, various meats including elk, and lots of the beer are bought within easy driving distance.  

And you can't get better service.  Friendly, helpful, and last time we were there we got a free dessert from the wine tasting they had been putting on -- chocolate mousse with 2 sauces and frozen mango.  Delish.

I have only recently discovered this place and I am distressed that it escaped my notice for so long.  Hence, this blog post.  Make ye haste.

Maryland

Off to the big MD for the weekend.  That's going to be a blast.

Star Trek: Enterprise

I've been watching Enterprise again.  Okay, I've been watching the second half of Enterprise again.  Even though seasons 3 and 4 are massive improvements over the first two, it's still remarkable that it could be as bad as it was, after 25-ish years making Star Trek shows.  

It's not a hard concept.  Humans with clunky old-school tech explore the universe and run into Klingons, Andorians, Tellarites and Vulcans.  Old-timey hijinx ensue.  Instead they insist on giving everybody forcefields and transporters (I'm surprised they resisted the Holodeck lure), not to mention new races that we've never seen before even though there's what, 25 seasons of Star Trek that take place after this one, plus dozens of movies?  

This shouldn't be difficult, and they occasionally get it right.  Every episode with Shran is roughly twelve million percent better than episodes without him.  I would watch Star Trek: Kumari.  That'd be awesome.

What else is New?

Not much else is new.  There was a provincial election, which didn't work out the way I was hoping.  There's various hippie agitations going on, which provoke in me a mild bemusement (Canada) to a sense of wonder that they haven't already started burning buildings down given how screwed things are (the US) to a sigh of resignation at the fact that some people just really like burning cars (Europe).  I've tried some good beer (Southern Tier Imperial Pumpkin, all the Beau's specialties from Oktoberfest) and some okay ones (not naming names) and thankfully not any really bad ones (although one of Kitchissippi's beers came close, but that's okay because their regular stuff is quite good).

Overall, nothing exciting to report.