OTTOWA – US President Barack Obama will make his first foreign visit as President on Thursday, February 19, spending the day in Ottawa, Canada’s capital city. Short videos of Ottawans welcoming the President and giving him advice on what he should see in Ottawa and know about Canadians have been posted at www.ottawatourism.ca.
To celebrate the occasion, the local tourism industry has created several Obama-themed offerings, including:
The Obama BeaverTail, also known as an ObamaTail. A BeaverTail is a hot pastry treat born in Ottawa. It’s made of wholewheat dough stretched into the shape of the tail of one of Canada’s national symbols — the beaver — then float cooked in canola oil and served hot with a variety of delectable toppings. Usually Canadians choose from a topping of cinnamon and sugar, chocolate hazelnut, maple butter, or apple cinnamon, but on February 19, the ObamaTail will be served with cinnamon and sugar, then a whipped cream “O” topped with chocolate sauce and a splash of maple. They’re $3.75 each at the flagship store in the ByWard Market neighbourhood, or $4 each at kiosks along the Rideau Canal Skateway. ObamaTails were also served to 1,000 guests of the Canadian Embassy in Washington during President Obama’s January inauguration.
A five-foot tulip painted with President Obama’s likeness by Ottawa artist Jill Alexander will be presented to the Embassy of the United States by the Canadian Tulip Festival. This annual event in Ottawa is the world’s largest tulip festival and runs May 1-18, 2009. Similar large painted tulips decorate the major festival sites.
A non-alcoholic Obama Hawaiian Punch will be served to all guests at the Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Ottawa Airport on February 19.
An Obama-themed menu will be offered on February 18 and 19 at Graffiti’s Italian Eatery at the Holiday Inn Select in Kanata (west Ottawa). The menu features the Senator Obama Chicago-Style Omelette, the Barack Burger, the Inaugural Dinner Washington-Style and the Obamatini!
And “Claudio the Soup Guy” at Muffins Plus in the World Exchange Plaza’s food court downtown continues to sell out of his President Obama Chili Soup. He’s been making it — and selling out — since President Obama’s election in November.
Donating prizes also pays off! Click here to contact our publisher to discuss more.
