October 4, 2006
Hello from Nova Scotia – The Garrison
House Bed and Breakfast in Annapolis Royal
After last night's entertaining and informative Candlelight
Graveyard Tour I had a wonderful night of sleep at the Garrison
House. In the morning before breakfast I was already able to
log onto the wireless network to check all my messages, conveniences
that a writer on the road always enjoys. At 7:30 I was ready for
a hearty breakfast and I went downstairs into one of the dining
rooms. I requested one of the friendly waitresses to put me in touch
with the owner because I always like to learn about the people behind
the destinations.
The Garrison House - a unique historic property
I had just ordered my delicious breakfast: homemade organic granola
with berries and yogurt, when Patrick Redgrave, the Garrison House’s
owner, joined me at my table. Patrick first filled me in on the
history of the Garrison House: it was built in 1854 on the former
grounds of the Lieutenant Governor. Annapolis
Royal is one of the most historic towns in Canada and served
as Nova Scotia’s capital until 1749 when Halifax took over
that role.
The property became the “Temperance Hotel” from 1854
to 1870 when it was turned into the “American House”
from 1870 to 1920. Then it was purchased by a physician with a large
family who converted it into a medical practice until 1970 when
another individual turned it into a bed and breakfast. Patrick finally
bought it in 1980 and spent more than a year renovating the entire
property and brining it up-to-date. This meant completely rewiring
the building, redoing the plumbing and modernizing the seven bedrooms
and the common areas that today make up the restaurant.
Patrick Redgrave - owner and world traveller
The Garrison
House finally opened in 1982 and since then the property has
undergone minor transformations on a regular basis. Most recently
a porch has been turned into a screened-in veranda, providing a
beautiful open-air dining space with a perfect view over Fort Anne.
Patrick himself is not from Nova Scotia. I was surprised to hear
that he actually hails from Oakville, Ontario, and spent his early
years in Toronto where he went to school. He later attended university
in Kingston, Ontario, to study history and political science. His
original intention was to become a lawyer, but during one of his
trips to Europe, Patrick worked in vineyards and as a waiter, and
fell in love with French wine. After his return to Toronto in 1977
Patrick connected with individuals who were opening the first wine
bar in Toronto and, enthralled with this business, Patrick decided
to get into the wine trade and became a wine merchant.
My scrumptious homemade granola breakfast
Of his move to Nova Scotia in 1980 he says that it has been a wonderful
experience. In his words, the people of Nova Scotia are a “throwback
to the old values of civility, friendliness, openness and helpfulness.
People here are self-reliant and multi-talented.” Patrick’s
love for his chosen home town and its people shines through.
He went on to say that the tourist season here consists primarily
of summer and fall. Accordingly, the Garrison House is open from
early May to late October. During the past few winters Patrick has
been traveling a lot and he has visited places as far away as Burma,
Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and Thailand. He has fallen in love with
these places and feels that in many way people’s mentality
in the Far East is similar to that of Nova Scotia.
One of the dining areas at the Garrison House Restaurant
As far as food is concerned, Patrick is a consummate chef and his
restaurant has garnered various awards. Fodor’s has recommended
the Garrison House Restaurant as the best place to eat in the area.
I certainly enjoyed my dinner
last night where I had a chance to speak with the other chef, Norah
Folks, who has been working with Patrick now for the last 20 years.
His trips to Asia give Patrick new inspiration for his own restaurant.
Patrick loves Asian street food and refers to his culinary experiences
as an “assault on the senses”. He indicates that the
richness of Asian cuisine and the opportunities to learn about cooking
are extensive in Asia and could in theory be compared to the Caribbean.
However, the cost of an extended stay in Asia is much less expensive
than that of the Caribbean.
Another cozy marine-themed dining area
So during the last few years Patrick has chosen the Far East to
recharge his batteries and to come back to Nova Scotia with fresh
ideas for his
restaurant. Along the way he has not only learned about Asian
cuisine, but has also gained a good understanding of the various
South East Asian countries, their history and current state of development.
He recounts visiting a French colonial town in Laos, which is just
starting to develop its tourist infrastructure. There he found some
of the best French baguettes in the world. He also told me about
a French fusion cooking school located in Laos. Obviously Patrick
is committed to continuously innovating his cuisine.
Of his home in Nova Scotia he says that a lot of new people are
moving into the area. Many people from the British Isles and the
European mainland are moving here and buying a lot of properties.
When speaking of his personal choice to become a bed and breakfast
owner in Annapolis Royal he said that you definitely do not come
here to get rich, but you get rewarded in so many other ways. Patrick
has discovered a unique historic area with special people and a
special mentality.
I would soon have a chance myself to see more of this special region
by continuing my drive along the Evangeline
Trail down to Yarmouth. So I thanked Patrick for his time and
hospitality, packed my car and set off on a new day of discoveries…
Useful books about travel to Nova Scotia:
Related articles:
My five whirlwind days in Nova Scotia
Acadian
history at the Grand Pré National Historic Site
400 years of history at Annapolis
Royal
Port-Royal, a French habitation from 1605
Dinner at the Garrison House
in Annapolis Royal
The Annapolis Royal
Graveyard Tour
The Garrison House Bed and Breakfast
Exploring the Evangeline Trail from
Annapolis Royal to Yarmouth
Learning about Mi'kmaq heritage at the
Bear River First Nation Heritage and Cultural Center
Victorian heritage in Yarmouth
The MacKinnon-Cann Inn: Where Home
and Garden Television meets the Travel Channel
Yarmouth explained - the Yarmouth
County Museum
My car is in the ditch in Chebogue
River
The Lighthouse Trail from Yarmouth
to Shelburne
The Lighthouse Trail from Shelburne
to Lunenburg
The Town of Lunenburg - a UNESCO World Heritage
Site
An interview with the owners of the
Lunenburg Inn
The Lighthouse Trail from Lunenburg to
Halifax via Mahone Bay and Peggy's Cove
Arrival in Halifax and a stunning
musical performance - DRUM!
A Halifax city tour, the city's
connection to the Titantic and the 1917 Halifax Explosion
Exploring the Halifax Harbourwalk and
Pier 21 - Canada's immigration museum
A ferry trip to Dartmouth and saying
goodbye to Halifax
An interview with Pier 21 -
Canada's immigration museum
Helpful links for travel to Nova Scotia:
Tourism
Nova Scotia
Destination
South West Nova Scotia
Halifax Tourism
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