Canada's gay capital
By
Bobby Stevens
The gay scene in Ottawa may surprise you. The city's cute gay boys and girls are the reason why! In the Centretown section of Ottawa there's action on every floor at the long-standing Centretown Pub (340 Somerset Street West). The main floor lounge is where the regulars hang out, and there's a pool table and a terrace in the back and a popular sidewalk terrace in front. The Silhouette Lounge is CP's piano bar, and Cellblock its men's bar, upstairs. Club Polo Pub (65 Bank Street, 2nd and 4th floors) is the city's popular cocktail and dance bar located just opposite Parliament Hill. New for me this year were the fourth-floor lounge and open-air patio where they do a daily barbecue. Those interested in strippers will be happy to know that at Franky's On Frank (303 Frank Street), guys perform daily, starting at 10 pm. There's plenty of other action, though, starting at 5 pm, when the bar opens! V.I.P. (313 Bank Street) is gay Ottawa's neighborhood cocktail lounge. Icon Dance Club (366 Lisgar Street) is the city's long-standing dance club where they've made some changes since my last visit. There's more focus on the main floor lounge, where they've initiated a cocktail hour and an end-of-week (starting Wednesdays) $5 buffet featuring remarkably good food. Dancing is on at the end of the week. Downtown in the trendy Byward Market, cafes and boutiques predominate. Catch the good vibes at the handsome Lookout (41 York Street, upstairs), with its balcony overlooking the market scene. The barmen and barmaids here are adorable, and the clientele is predominantly gay, but mixed, and original art adorns the walls. There's a pool table in the back, too. Market Station Bar (15 George Street, also in the market), is a beautiful space drawing an attractive crowd. There's also a pretty outdoor terrace, and The Well, downstairs, for dancing. Rock Bottom Grill (307 Dalhousie) is the popular gay restaurant located two minutes by foot from these two bars. Patrick is the comely, hard-working host here. For sauna action get to Steamworks (487 Lewis Street) a multi-level affair in Centretown, or visit Club Ottawa (1069 Wellington Street; take Somerset west through Chinatown and continue over the overpass to Wellington), Ottawa's original. For browsing and shopping, stop in at Wilde's (367 Bank Street). It's full of stuff like lubes, toys, videos, and knick-knacks. Or visit One In Ten (216 Bank Street) which specializes in videos, sex toys, and rainbow paraphernalia. The city's gay bookstore is After Stonewall (370 Bank Street). Across the river in Hull, Quebec, two places of interest include the timeless Pub de la Promenade (175 Promenade du Portage) for cocktails and dancing, and Le Twist (88 rue Montcalm), the resto-bar with a garden patio. Accommodations For places to stay choose from among the Inn on Somerset (282 Somerset St. West, 613-236-9309) and Ambiance Bed And Breakfast (330 Nepean Street; 613-563-0421). The three story Rideau View is a classic, with finely-cut wooden appointments and a fancy dining room on the main floor where guests have breakfast. The beds here are the finest I've slept on in my travels. Please note the Rideau View will be moving soon to a Somerset Street West location so that the current facility can be converted to the "Rainbow's End Seniors Residence," a first in my travels. Like the Rideau View, Ambiance Bed and Breakfast is located in Centretown, and has a mixed clientele.
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