New Year's Day Dinner Buffet
$24.95
Dinner consists of homemade soup, ten vegetable and pasta salads, main entrée of prime rib of beef and baked salmon, hot vegetables, croquette potatoes and served dessert.
Dinner reservations available from 4:30 am to 8:30 pm.
Cobourg stately but relaxed
Last Updated: 9th August 2009, 4:25am
In most ways, Cobourg resident Lena Field Fisher was an ordinary person -- a good citizen and town councillor, who had a liking for big hats. But in the early 1970s, Fisher proved a great truth when she launched a campaign to save one of Ontario's historic buildings from demolition and succeeded.
The building is Victoria Hall on King St., and if and when you stand in front of it as I did recently, give thought to Lena Field Fisher. She could have said what a renowned ethicist once said: "I'm grateful for the idea that used me." In Cobourg and elsewhere people should be grateful for the idea that used Fisher: That the beauty of yesterday ought not be sacrificed for a parking lot today.
While there, I stayed at a Cobourg inn with an elegant history, The Woodlawn, where beds are deep and restful. The dinners -- Italian with a touch of new Europe -- are made even better by one of southern Ontario's finest wine lists, compiled by sommelier Stephen Della Casa, part of the family that owns Woodlawn.
When I set out the next day to see the town, it was refreshed by breezes off Lake Ontario. Cobourg has a poignant past. In the mid-1800s, serious thinkers thought the town, about two hours drive east of Toronto, could become the capital of Ontario, maybe even Canada.
It didn't happen. But by the 1870s, it was very rich, partly from wealthy Americans -- including some civil war generals from the south -- who came north to cooler summers and built residences beyond mere opulence. The very rich made it glamorous and after entering a yacht in the America's Cup race of 1876, Cobourg became known as Newport of the North.
"It was the golden age of architecture," John Jolie, a retired history teacher said as we strolled King, the town's main street. "It was excess though. They'd party at one mansion, move on to the next, then the next. One place had a pool with a raft for a band to play. One night the band fell in. The violinist was playing a Stradivarius so that was the end of it."
Many mansions have not survived but Jolie and other members of Cobourg's historical society battle to save all they can. It's worth it. Notable residences include an 1899 log home owned by the founders of Famous Players, a fine Georgian house once home of a Chief Justice of Canada, and Dressler House, named for Marie Dressler, a Cobourg woman who became a Broadway sensation in the 1900s, and whose memorabilia it contains.
For me, the most significant is original 1832 Victoria College, a forerunner of U of T's Victoria, one of Canada's first degree-granting universities with educational pioneer Egerton Ryerson as president.
Victoria Hall is a jewel. It's more than visual, it's calming. To pause beneath it is to be refreshed.
"It's not just beautiful," Tom Hall said, "it's remarkably usable."
Hall oversees its fine Concert Hall, where week after week plays are staged, conferences convened, wedding receptions held. Weddings take place in a first floor courtroom, a fine replica of London's legendary Old Bailey. Many people from Toronto have their wedding and reception at Victoria Hall.
"After all," Hall said, "there's no worry about driving after some wine, it's just a brief walk to your inn or B&B."
It may be brief but it's very deep into our history.
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IF YOU GO TO COBOURG
MORE INFORMATION
For details on visiting Cobourg, see cobourgtourism.ca. For information on Woodlawn Inn packages, see woodlawninn.com. In addition to Woodlawn's restaurant, the town has several good dining establishments including The Buttermilk Cafe, The Oasis Bar & Grill, and the Spice o Life.
Ontario is moving forward with improvements to literacy programs in Northumberland-Quinte West.
The province is investing in the Northumberland READ Centre ($70,600), the Quinte Adult Day School Inc. ($121,327) and Sir Sandford Fleming College of Applied Arts and Technology ($389,760), to strengthen literacy training provided by Employment Ontario, Lou Rinaldi, M.P.P. for Northumberland-Quinte West announced today.
Ontario is investing $3 million across the province in research projects to improve service to adult learners and create a new province-wide curriculum for adult literacy training.
“The work of organizations such as the three listed above are critical to ensuring that the people of Northumberland-Quinte West can participate in high-skilled training, required by the new economy.” - Lou Rinaldi, M.P.P. for Northumberland-Quinte West.
“We’re taking action now to help people strengthen their skills while laid off and looking for work so they’ll be better able to find jobs in the new economy.” - John Milloy, Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities, and Minister of Research and Innovation.
For information about the Ontario 2009 budget.
For information about Ontario’s services to strengthen literacy. .
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Contact:
Lou Rinaldi, M.P.P., Northumberland-Quinte West
1-800-263-3980
Cowboy Junkies Play Cobourg
Over the past few years, farmers, and food producers in Northumberland County have organized themselves to create local awareness of where they are and what they produce. Last year, they put out an excellent guide called the Proudly Northumberland Farm Gate Guide. 
The Della Casa family, owners of the Woodlawn Inn in Cobourg, are the recipients of this year's James Crossen Lifetime Achievement award. The family will receive the award officially at the Business Awards Gala on Friday, Feb. 27, 2009 at the Best Western Cobourg Inn and Convention Centre.
Gerda and Domenico Della Casa opened the Rendezvous restaurant in Baltimore in 1971. In 1986, they bought their present location, a Regency style building, and after extensive renovations opened it as a 12-room inn and 125-seat restaurant in 1988.
The couple are not quite as active in the daily operation of the business these days, relying on their son, Stephen, and daughter, Marisa, and her husband, John Sampogna, to run it.
Northumberland Central Chamber of Commerce past-president Rob Boycott, who presented the award to Domenico, Gerda and Stephen Della Casa Wednesday afternoon (Marisa was absent), said the award "recognized the family had done something special for the community." He mentioned that the inn has been a regular employer and noted the family's contributions to worthy causes.
For more than 30 years the inn has hosted fundraising dinners in aid of Amnesty International. The Salvation Army has received homemade soup from the Woodlawn for many years.
During the past few years, the inn has sponsored a yearly luncheon in support of the Northumberland United Way, with all proceeds going to the organization.
Mr. Boycott also mentioned that Stephen Della Casa was instrumental in helping to brand Cobourg as a wellness destination.
This is the third year the Lifetime Achievement award has been given out. Previous recipients are the Behan family, and Jack Russell and Limpact International.
The criteria for picking the winners -- this year there were 27 nominees -- is based on the track record of James Crossen. He opened a small foundry in Cobourg that later became the Crossen Car Manufacturing Company of Cobourg, one of the largest independent manufacturers of railway cars. From 1866 to 1915 the company prospered, at one point employing more than 400 people. Nominees are also judged on their long-term commitment to the community and its improvement.
Along with the James Crossen award, 13 other awards will be presented at the gala.
I want to thank all of those that attended our Ruffino wine dinner. It was a lot of fun, and I hope to see you many of you at our next winemakers dinner.Lover’s Salad
Bouquet of winter greens with candied walnuts,
bacon and apple-dried cranberry vinaigrette
Classic Surf and Turf
Pan roasted Canadian triple A beef tenderloin au jus,
paired with two broiled lobster tails, warm lemon
butter, lobster potato galette and fresh vegetables
White Chocolate Raspberry Mousse
White sponge and almond meringue sandwiched
with a layer of raspberry with raspberry rum coulis
49.95 per guest
Tax extra, gratuity at your discretion
