Downtown Ottawa June 2009

Ottawa, originally uploaded by Fun Lilliy.

I remember taking these photos of Ottawa with a broken foot last year. I had also taken a hop on hop off bus tour that was awful the driver wont give a single moment where he wasnt driving fast and all the photos were moving photos. I took many bus tours of cities before and many hop on hop off buses Ottawa's was the worst.

Post #9: "Talk about Food and Bistro… La Bottega Nicastro at ByWard Market"

La Bottega Nicastro at ByWard Market Ottawa Canada June 09, originally uploaded by Fun Lilliy.

This is from my orginal site "Travel Sights with Lilliy.com"

Transfer post #9:

Original post and link:
Talk about Food and Bistro… La Bottega Nicastro at ByWard Market


With a painful broken foot. It is not the best day for touring. But with the true spirit of a travel blogger it was important for me to get out and document my travels. So I did. I got off after an hour of a very fast half tour around Ottawa from the Hop on Hop off bus at The ByWard Market stop and started hoping with my clutches. After an hour of the turtle style walk. I was ready to sit down and have a bet of rest. Just as that thought was appealing to my mind. I saw in front of me tables outside with people sitting and opening up wraps of paper with delicious looking sandwiches. That just might have been my hunger talking. I looked behind the tables and saw a food market of some sort. I thought to my self may be they bought it from an inside sandwich counter. To my delighted surprise when I walked all the way to the back of the store I found a small deli around a kitchen and in it the cook (who as I understand is from Sicily) was preparing a small gourmet pizza. Ah that was just what I needed. I found a stoll to sit on right in front of the cook and ordered what ever he was preparing with a large glass of cool sparkling water.

I turned around and gazed at the area it had wooden chairs and tables filled with casual wearing shoppers sitting sipping there drinks chatting away. They seem like they know the eatery very well as some were sitting and giving their orders without looking at a menu. The Deli had a nice small bistro feel to it with an Italian authenticity. Neutral arched walls and dark colored wooden settings all set in a dimmed comfortable light. It reminded me of one of my favorite eateries in a small minimarket in Como Italy along one of the brick paths in the heart of the old town. The one person pizza, soups, and many tasty looking sandwiches at La Bottega had interesting very fresh ingredients and combinations. Some customers would make small conversation with the cook or waiter standing to take the orders. It had a homey feel to it.

I sat there for almost an hour resting sipping my drink feeling very happy that my hunger was filled. Then took my clutches and looked around the market. It was mostly filled with Italian imported, and gourmet food. Nice collection of crusty bread. Rows of olive oil. Defiantly a Mediterranean feel to it.

I love finding these hidden eateries because sometimes you find the best gourmet food that comes in the neck of time with the cheapest prices.

The name of this gem and literary a hole in the wall eatery is…
La Bottega Nicastro
64 George St.
ByWard Market
Ottwa, Ontario
Canada
Tel: +1 (613) 789-7575
Email: info@labottega.ca

Suggested links:
Check out their website they have a monthly Italian cooking classes for a fee. Posted recipes of the month. I am defiantly going to try the Tiramisu recipe its one of my favorite desserts in Italy.


Write to you soon…

Hotels.com by city, dates and number of guests

Post #7: "Local Markets of The World... ByWard Market Ottawa"

Historic ByWard Market Square, originally uploaded by Fun Lilliy.

This is from my original site "Travel Sights With Lilliy.com"

Transfer Post #7:

Original post and link:

Local Markets of The World… ByWard Market Ottawa

One of my greatest enjoyments even at home is going to the Local Market and that is no different when I am traveling. I look for them and I enjoy visiting them. I have a habit of picking up fresh local seasonal fruits that I nibble on during my travels as snacks.

The ByWard market isn’t your ordinary farmers market it’s actually one of the trendiest places to go to in Ottawa be it day or night. If you ever visited a resident of Ottawa and it’s your first night there, most likely the first restaurant that they will take you to have dinner at will be at this market area. When night falls you will find many different styles of restaurants with the tastiest cuisine from seafood to Asian, and price ranges from expensive to what suits budget pockets.

Day time you will be able to visit the many fashionable boutiques, coffee shops, and gourmet minimarkets. In the mid of it all the daily farmers market stands will be selling all kinds of seasonal fruits, vegetables, and homemade food. Spring which is my favorite time to go visit these local markets I enjoy the sight of colorful flower pots rows and rows of them that revive your senses. During this last visit which I traveled over seas I was almost tempted to buy a pot or two because you can’t resist the beauty of the flowers. I didn’t of course.

The history of this area which is the oldest part of Ottawa goes all the way back to 1812 when the British after the war choose The Rideau River for a waterway to go through between Kingston and Montreal as a precaution against hostilities from the Americans . They needed a canal to be built to bypass The Rideau Falls. A settlement was started for canal workers on the south shore of The Rideau River as there was only Wrightsville lumber town, but it was located on the north shore. Slowly a small town developed in the area between the river and the canal known as Lowertown the heart of it is today’s ByWard market.

If you are ever visiting Ottawa I am sure that you will not miss this lively market. It’s a must see…

Tomorow find out about the little hole in the wall eatery that I found in ByWard Market.

Suggested Links:
Ottawa Tourism
ByWard Market official site
Ottawa's historic ByWard Market Square official site

Write to you soon…

Expedia.com.au