American Road Trip: W Hotel at the Foshay

Minneapolis, Minnesota: Under the category of Knock Your Socks Off Hotels is the W at the Foshay. This one-time office building is now the hippest hotel in the city (although it's not the only hip hotel). Surprisingly, rooms start at about $116 and range up to $415. Judging from the look of the lobby, I thought they would be a lot more. About the lobby. It looks like it was designed by Prince, circa 1984. There are at least 20 sitting areas with jumbo couches, purple velvet, crystal accents and lots of leather. All this is a drop-dead gorgeous Art Deco space with marble floors and impressive ceilings. The lighting is low, low, low so don't even think about bringing a book. Just sit there and look cool. Ultra cool.

American Road Trip: The Juicy Lucy

Minneapolis, Minnesota: I had been throwing out the term 'juicy lucy' before I left home, mostly to sidelong stares that suggested I had some something inappropriate. I'm here to tell you right now just exactly what a juicy lucy is. As luck would have it, the local magazine called Mpls St Paul included a feature story about the best burgers (big hint) in town. I will steal their definition. A juicy lucy is a homegrown favourite. It's stuffed with cheese, griddled and served with a molten interior. Get it? The cheese is on the inside of the patty, just like those cheddar cheese smokies we all love so much.

We headed to The 5-8 Club last night, one of two bars in a lifelong battle over who created the local treat. It's beside the freeway and a stone's throw from the Mall of America. It's been around since 1928 so the local know this place and tend to account for the lion's share of business. It was a speakeasy back in the days of prohibition, serving illegal hooch out the back door. It was rather nostalgic that we had to wait in a line at the back door to secure a seat.

There's nothing fancy about the 5-8. In fact, that same magazine included in its review the following line. "The vibe inside the place isn't especially evocative or fun, particularly near the pull tab lady." Guess where we sat?

The menu suggests a Juicy Lucy may take a while to prepare but that wasn't the case. Our meals arrived with lightening speed. Everything I read about juicy lucys cautioned me to wait a few moments before biting in, so I did. I have to admit that it's kinda cool seeing cheese ooze out of the centre of the burger, but what really impressed me was the taste. A 5-8 juicy lucy tastes like a homemade burger fried in a pan, all crispy, greasy and delicious. It comes with only pickles on the bun and I kept it that way, dipping it in a pool of ketchup with each bite.

I'm not sure if it makes any difference if the cheese is on the inside or the top but I have to admit it's a novelty to have a juicy lucy. It's even more fun to say you had a juicy lucy.

The Olympic Oval

I've seen it in the Rona television commercials but it was wonderful to see it in person. This is the venue where the speed skating will take place in the 2010 Winter Olympics. The ice is open for public skating. In about a year, I suspect it will be home to folks who can skate a little faster than the ones I saw last night.

My First Outdoor Meal of 2009

The temperature was hovering around -20C when I left Winnipeg early Wednesday morning. By mid afternoon, I was noshing on hot-out-of-the-fryer halibut and chips at Pajo's, a cute-as-can-be fish'n'chip joint in Steveston, a tiny spit of land south of Vancouver, Canada. And best of all, I was eating OUTSIDE! Now this might not seem like a cause for all caps but let me explain. When you're a Winnipegger and you've been living through roughly 60 days of cold that grips the small of your back and won't let go, having a meal out of doors in February really is cause for celebration.

Lay Your Head Down

If you've heard the term boutique hotel but don't know what that means, check it out. This was an old Holiday Inn that's been transformed. Across from this giant bed is a sitting room with a 42 inch plasma.

At The Zoo

It was a gorgeous day today and it seemed everyone in Calgary was at the zoo. Here are a couple of the cool critters.

Little Drummer Boys and Girls

Today we took part in a drumming circle inside an old Anglican church in Calgary. It's great for blowing off some steam and finding your groove. We felt like the Khartum Temple Shriners in the parade.

Show Me Your Mussels

This was the first course of our cooking class at Fuze Finer Dining in Canmore. It was followed by tomato tarts, beef curry and pinapples in butter rum sauce.

Where The Elk Play

So I says to the cabbie, "Let's go find some elk." I had noticed a herd of about 50 in a meadow a few miles out of town on Monday. When the driver called dispatch to let them know what we were up to, the nice gentlemen on the other end informed us that the elk were in 'the compound'. So the driver wheeled around and pulled up to an spot beside the highway, just a stone's throw from the townsite. Sure enough there were dozens of cows and young bulls lounging around. They were okay with me taking pictures. Soon after, a man and his wife pulled up, got out of their car and were obvisouly talking too loudly. The elk started to scatter but not before I snapped a few shots.

Standing On The Divide

If I fell to the east, I would end up in Hudson's Bay. If I fell to the west, I would be in the Pacific. Here I am standing on the continental divide in the Canadian Rockies. The snow was fresh and deep. Good thing I was wearing snowshoes (apparantly the Japanese photographer who took the shot didn't understand that I would have like the shoes in the shot). That's Mount Whimper in the background.

Am I In A Budweiser Commercial?

About 30 minutes before spring officially arrived in the Canadian Rockies tonight, this is what it looked like. These sleighs took us on a short ride around the grounds of the historic Chateau Lake Louise.

Banff Upper Hot Spring

Oh so this is what the rich people do on vacation! It's hovering around zero outside but here in the pool, it's a beautiful 39C. I'm convinced that 'taking the waters', as they used to say back in the day, really does have health benefits. Even if it doesn't, what a great way to spend a Monday afternoon.