MS travel

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SO MUCH FOR A QUIET WEEKEND

JUST RETURNED
from what was sup-
posed to be a quiet
weekend. It didn’t turn
Out quite that way but it
certainly was an ex-
perience.

Id read a column
written by Bob Hunter on
the joys of Wigwam Inn. a
short boat mde up Indian
Arm. “Fine!” I thought.
“Gréat placé to go Tor the
weekend.

Vl just surprise _

travel-
wise

drums aching, returned to
our room and a couple of
good books. By closing both
the fire doors im the statr-
well, we blotted out most of
the music.

Sunday. Bright sun over
the water and we joyfully
headed downstairs’ for
breakfast. I finally got some
coffee by crawling over the
front of the bar and making
it myse. Zombies from the

F Vi in,

‘Brian and book us in.”

That wasn't the only
surprise he encountered.
First, I'd love to get my
hands on the guy who
designed the renovations.
Now, I'm sure that the whole
place was in dreadful
condition when the
renovations began but,
whoinhell decided that the
answer was a few hundred
tons of drywall? Gone is any
character and in its place 1s
Motel 6. Despite an attempt
to restore antique charm by
using brass beds and a few
antique pieces, the rooms
are clean. modern, com-
fortable — and boring.

Off-season ts atways a
chancy time to visi! a resort.
Usually only a skeleton staff
services the place. The
kitchen is virtually closed. In
some places the remaining
staff is old, tried-and-true
retainers who manage ad-
mirably. Not so at Wigwam.

The next surprise came at
dinner. We were shown the
menu — an elaborate one —
and were told that almost
everything was available.
For starters, I ordered
escargot and Bnan. the clam
chowder. These were served
in the bar area -— no
placemats, a couple of paper
napkins, no bread, no
butter. We did get one
package of crackers.

Moving into the dining
room for the main course,
we got a bare table I moved
it around in front of the cold
fireplace, got some logs and
built a fire

Wes asked

the usual,

by Barbara
McCreadie

“What's good tonight?” and
settled on one steak and one
order of King Crab. Both
came with a mound of
mashed potatoes (ice cold in
the centre) and frozen peas.
Any idea of sharing the meal
tanjshed when Brian tasted
the cold King Crab. “Forget
it. You wanted it, you eat it.”
He ate the steak. Including a
bottle of wine, and about ?
drinks, the bill was $85.15.
The food alone was about
$40.

Breakfast. Saturday
morning, was good — bacon
and eggs, and included in the
pnce of our room. Hot dogs
and chips for lunch (no buns
— dry bread) cost $3.95
apiece.

We were told that there
was to be a dance on
Saturday night and that
there would be food served
so we had a sandwich for
dinner. Meanwhile, people
began tnckling — literally —
in, through a downpour.

The rock music, blaring
through a fancy set of
amplifiers began and

everyone got down to some
senous partying. We lasted
until 10°30 and then, ear-

“ | enquired, sweetly.
“About 6.” was the groggy
reply.

Ever see the movie,
Animal House? Remember
the party scene? Imagine the
morning after and you've got
it.

Shortly, someone with
steel eardrums cranked up
the music again. ['d had it.
Breakfast? Not hkely. We
got the water tam home and
I ended up cooking
breakfast for six in my own
kitchen. The kids were
pleased that the chef had
shown up in time to get to
work.

The
$288.85, including tax. Of
that, $59.40 a mght was bed
and “breakfast”. The water
taxi 18 $16 per person, round
trip. 1 guess we must have

weekend cost us.

eaten and drank the rest of it
but [ll swear I don't know:
how!

Please do not quote me as
a reference for Wigwam. It
has poténtial, a lovely setting
and one of the classiest
restaurant kitchens I've ever
had the privilege of working
in. Deleting the rock music,
the rooms are quiet and the
air is magnificent. A family
of eight raccoons live on the
main . verandah and cadg

Wigwam Inn has all the charm of a Motel 6

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C7 - Wednesday, March 2, 1983 - North Shore News

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