Thursday, January 26, 2006

A January Treat

It was a cold and windy day here in Mills, but we ended up having a most delightful lunch At The Dam Cookery. Yuppers, that's what they call this restaurant because it is the site of an old dam way back in the 1800s until I don't know when. Apparently, it became an auto shop of some sort until 2001 when it was turned into a very nice little eatery. You can see some of the interior in the first photo below, complete with fabulous wooden beams.


As I said, it was rather delightful. They even had linen tablecloths, and we don't see that much anymore, not in the run of the mill establishments that we frequent anyway. And, as you can see from the other two photos, it was a gorgeous day, just as long as you weren't outside because it was très froid as they say in Canada's other official language, or very cold as they say in this official language — although you can hear stronger language when it's this cold. (Long sentence, eh?)


at the dam inside
at the dam northwest
at the dam northeast

But, while the weather outside was frightful, inside it was so delightful (la la la). We sat by the window, and the other two photos show our view. My view was the first photo (with the red brick house and the hundred pigeons on the roof and in the dormers — they do show up if you click) while Cuppa beheld the church in the last photo.


Back to photo 2: beside the red brick building is a smaller building which is called The Leather Works, (click to see sign) for rather obvious reasons I assume. It is a pub which has an outdoor patio in warm weather. We plan to stop in there in the appropriate season and, hopefully, take some pictures looking back thisaway.


While we were enjoying ourselves so much, we reflected on the number of restaurants in this little town. Although many are small by city standards, we feel as though we have more choice than in our former and appreciably larger city — about eight times larger. We don't have the chains like Swiss Chalet, East Side, or Boston Pizza, but we do have wonderful and unique little independent places like this one: At The Dam.


Not that we mind winter in this house, but we do find that little outings like this one do help to buoy one's spirit as the light struggles to return to us.


 

12 comments:

mreddie said...

Beautiful place, did you have to pay extra for such a great view? Those small locally owned places usually have the best food as well. ec

PBS said...

That was some view! It's always nice to take a break and go out to eat.

Anonymous said...

I love to visit quaint little Inns such as this one. What a marvellous view.

Gina said...

Our favorite places to eat, sans child, are independently owned restaurants.

Lovely photos!

Turtle Guy said...

http://madrinasristorante.com/
This is one of my favourite little places to eat - it's 20 minutes west and south of Calgary and is much the same by way of experience. Thanks for sharing this with us - I'll have to put it on my list of places to visit when I'm next in your neck of the woods!

Bonita said...

An outing for two, with a view - and how many pigeons? Indeed, the winter doldrums must take a back seat now and then. Lovely place, and nice photos.

Ginger said...

What a charming spot!

Valerie - Still Riding Forward said...

Just stopped to say thank you for your prayers.

I need some sunshine, too.

The MacBean Gene said...

Lost you for a while when I changed ISP. Nice to have found you again.

Heather Plett said...

I'd trade all those chain restaurants for a few Dam Cookeries any day!

Sue said...

Ooh, gorgeous views!! I don't like snow when I'm in it, but I love to look at it from a distance. We have to go into the mountains here for any snow, so usually we don't bother.

Lora said...

I think you got the better view.

Photos like these make me long for a real winter, I shutter at what a weather wimp I'm becoming.