Ottawa–the eclectic Canadian capital

This weekend is Canadian Thanksgiving. With everything going on in the world right now (natural disasters, terrorism, and the pending American election) I think many of us Canadians are extremely thankful right now that we are indeed Canadian. There are many places I like to visit in the world, but there is no place like home. So in this post, I tip my hat to Ottawa, Ontario, the eclectic Canadian capital–a relatively small city of 1.25 million permanent residents, but a great destination for art, culture, great international cuisine, and as I shared in this post … chocolate.

I think that like every other Canadian, I am awed by the Parliament Buildings in Ottawa, every time I see them.

I visited Ottawa, Canada, recently on a chocolatour which gave me the great pleasure of enjoying a white chocolate truffle body wrap at Holtz Spa. I didn’t know what to expect, for as we all know, white chocolate doesn’t contain any cocoa powder, only cocoa butter. But as one of the “Top 25 Spas in Canada,” I trusted myself to the team at Holtz Spa and definitely was not disappointed. The atmosphere is chic and professional, and I learned from speaking to spa owner Donna Holtom that the formula for my treatment was especially created for Holtz Spa. It is a blend of natural ingredients that include sheabutter, coconut oil, sunflower seed oil, beeswax, glycerin, and white chocolate truffle fragrant oil.

It was an amazing feeling to be cocooned in the Hausler flotation bed while the white chocolate truffle treatment was absorbed into my body.

My body was covered with the aromatic elixir, then wrapped in a cozy fleece wrap from Germany. The fleece doesn’t absorb the product, but enables  the deep moisturizing treatment to be 100 percent absorbed by the body. Then came the fun part! My body was lowered into a ‘soft pac’ flotation bed made by Hausler of Germany. I felt like I was in a cocoon, surrounded by the warmth of 37.6 degree Celsius water without actually touching the water. It was an amazing feeling, and when the treatment was done, my skin was deliciously soft and I was consumed with an intoxicating feeling of rejuvenation. What a wonderful way to spend an afternoon in Ottawa! I would love to return to the Holtz Spa and further investigate their line of tree essences–especially the Spirit of the Forest special treatment that Donna told me about.

The charcuterie platter at The Albion Rooms was absolutely delightful.

The Albion Rooms is a funky space in the Novotel where you can dine informally on a lot of local products from the Ottawa Valley.

Could this day get any better? You bet! I met a friend for dinner at The Albion Rooms restaurant at the Novotel where I was staying–right in the heart of downtown Ottawa. We enjoyed a fantastic charcuterie platter that featured Glengarry Celtic Blue Cheese made in Lancaster, Ontario, and La Liberté Triple Cream Cheese from Quebec (Ottawa is located just west of the provincial boundary between Ontario and Quebec.) Paired with a citrusy local beer from the Dominion Brewing Company, my taste buds were transported to heaven alongside my joyful spirit. All this in my first day in the nation’s capital.

A box of Cocohari Chocolates of Ottawa was waiting for me when I checked in to the Novotel Hotel. I was happy to share these delicious Belgian-style chocolates with Kim, the uber friendly staff person who brought a welcome tray to my room.

Ottawa, Canada, is truly a destination for foodies,  patrons of the arts and chocolate lovers. Because it is the nations’s capital, there is a vibrant multi-cultural presence throughout the city that makes every day in Ottawa a day of discovery. My sincere thanks to Ottawa Tourism and Ontario Travel for making this trip possible.