The Word from Waterton Park
February 2004

A Note From The Editor...
Welcome to the nineteenth edition of "The Word From Waterton Park!" Thank you for expressing interest in our friendly internet newsletter. If you would prefer to be removed from our mailing list, you can e-mail us at info@watertonpark.com and we will take you off our list. If you have any feedback or if there is something special you would like to see in the newsletter, please let us know. Please note the address from which this newsletter is sent is for sending purposes only and messages addressed to that addresses might be missed. We look forward to seeing all of you in Waterton Park sometime soon!


In this edition...
1. Since We Last Spoke
2. Single Travelers Getaway
3. Once Upon A Time in Waterton 
4. Kilmorey Tasting Country
5. A Light Moment
6. Wok with James
7. Introducing
8. Monthly Draw Winners



1. SINCE WE LAST SPOKE

Hello from beautiful, sunny Waterton Lakes National Park! The weather outside is fantastic perfect for a spur of the moment drive into the mountains!

Overall, it has been a great couple of months since we last spoke. We received very positive comments on our Christmas decorations, which unfortunately were taken down near the beginning of January. Somehow the place seems a little emptier when we put Christmas away. 

New Years Eve was well attended, with a full dining room that evening. As we have in past years, we featured a five-course dinner with our New Years Package. The chefs this year impressed everyone with their creative menu items featuring everything from Prawns to Cornish Game Hen to tender Alberta Beef to an amazing Chocolate Mint Souffli.

Several people took advantage of our special Newsletter Readers Package near the beginning of January. We are glad to know there are some people actually reading every edition! Keep reading and we should be able to offer the same great deal next year!

February is known as the month of love. There were a lot of dedicated romantics here for Valentines and we provided red roses, heart shaped chocolates and candles and chilled champagnewe are dedicated romantics, too! Even the feature Valentines menu is in the mood. For everyone who stayed home on Valentines, here is a taste of what you missed!

An Island Romance
An enchanting Halibut Fillet gently massaged with Flour,
baked and bewitched with a succulent Kiwi and Lime Chutney
then graced with a touch of Dark Chocolate Sauce.

Mermaids Kiss
A sensually seasoned six-ounce
New York Steak coupled with Shrimp and Crab.
Kissed with a passionate Biarnaise Sauce.

Smoky Caress
A tantalizing breast of Chicken enveloping
Smoked Salmon and Smoked Gruyere Cheese.
Caressed with a tempting Red Wine Mushroom Sauce.

The Love Bird
A succulent six-ounce broiled Chicken Breast
lovingly splashed with an enticing Lemon Cream Sauce
then embraced by a Bouquetiere of Vegetables.

Cupids Heart
The heart of the Apple is lovingly simmered with
Brandy and Spice then snuggled in the Apple Shell
and baked to mouthwatering perfection.

Romantic Liaisons
A bewitching Chocolate Orange Crhme Br{lie
drizzled with rich Chocolate and charmed with a
sensually sweet Shortbread Cookie. Sweet Perfection.

This past weekend at the lodge there were some very strange characters around for one of our famous Murder Mystery Weekends. A bizarre film crew took the lodge over. Things just refused to work out when their production crew was prevented from crossing the border and then the star, Darla Divine, was (wait for it) murdered! (gasp!) Suddenly, people that had seemed like innocent guests were now much more sinister. In the end the villain was captured in rhyme but there were certainly some tempestuous times along the way.

We are right in the middle of hiring for our busy summer season so soon there will be a lot of new people to meet. We are also working on our new menu ideas for the summer, which is always a whirlwind time of brainstorming, creating recipes, and my favourite part  taste testing! Naturally, we are also looking for and buying new stock for our gift shops. It is a dangerous time for a shopaholic.

This week we will have a booth at the Calgary Home and Garden Show. If you are in the city, please stop by and visit us. We are always happy to see you! We also have a special price on our Romantasy Packages

Just a reminder, the Winter Spirits Getaway is coming up on March 19-21. This time we will be featuring wines from the well-known British Columbia winery, Tinhorn Creek. There will also be a chance to sample some local beers from Big Rock Brewery. Response to this weekend is getting better all the time and we hope to see some of our loyal readers there.

You can enjoy our great views of the Rocky Mountains further into the evening these days. With the extra daylight, warm temperatures and the consistent snow conditions, our snowshoes are getting plenty of use and the cross-country skiers are having an amazing time. You owe it to yourself to come to Waterton Park! See you soon!




2. SINGLE TRAVELER GETAWAY

On April 2 and 3, 2004 we are presenting an entertaining concept for the single traveller in Alberta... "Waterton - On Your Own," and I appreciate your assistance in helping us spread the word. This is an opportunity for single travellers who would like to get away on their own or with a roommate to enjoy a relaxing "couple free" and aggravation free weekend! 

Friday evening features a Welcome Bonfire on the lake side of the Lodge. We provide the hot drinks while you have an opportunity to mingle and get to know the rest of the weekend guests. Sleep in on Saturday morning before joining us for a Champagne Brunch in the Rams Head Lounge. A Continental Breakfast Buffet with complimentary Champagne and Orange Juice will be provided as part of the package. Some activities will be planned for Saturday afternoon or you may prefer to take the free afternoon to relax in front of the fireplace or go snowshoeing. 

In the evening we are pleased to present a cocktail reception with delectable hors douevres followed by a special five-course dinner in the award winning Lamp Post Dining Room. We will be setting up "Captains Tables" of four to six people with assigned seating. During dinner, your table may like to take the opportunity to split a bottle of wine from our extensive wine list or linger after dinner and try one of our feature libations. On Sunday morning, leave your favourite P.J.s on and join us once again in the Lamp Post Dining Room for a Pyjama Breakfast before heading back out into the "real world" again. 

The Welcome Bonfire, Champagne Brunch, Hors DOuevres, Dinner, Breakfast, all taxes and gratuities are included in the cost of the package. Come by yourself ($299/person, single occupancy) or bring a friend ($259/person, double occupancy)you deserve it!

Please feel free to call us toll free at 1-888-859-8669 if you have any questions or if you would like to reserve. See what happens when you REALLY get away...



3. ONCE UPON A TIME IN WATERTON

Strange Animal Encounters and Other Fun Stuff! by Kristin Roblick

In our last edition it was mentioned there was a herd of antelope roaming Waterton Park. Their unexplained arrival and stay in the park was short lived and they strangely disappeared and have not been seen for over a month. It is still not known why the antelope staked out Waterton Lakes National Park as a temporary home and only time will tell if they will return!

The countless deer and sheep are still freely wandering the town site streets. It is an almost daily occurrence to spot these mammals on the front step of the Kilmorey Lodge enjoying the salt grains on the ground and it is common for guests in the parking lot to have a complimentary car wash as the animals eagerly lick the salt off of the vehicles! 

The bears are still in sleep mode (for a few more months anyways) and are getting hungrier by the day. Luckily we have had a fairly moist winter so there will be plenty of berries for them to indulge in this spring. Hibernation is an interesting phenomenon and bears are not the only species that partakes in it. Squirrels, raccoons, skunks, woodchucks, and chipmunks are a few of the other warm-blooded creatures that get to sleep for the winter season. 

Did you know that bears can go up to six months without eating, drinking, urinating or exercising. Their metabolic rates cuts in half and their heart rate and breathing rate also decrease. It is also interesting that when bears are in hibernation they are only sleeping lightly. They can be awakened if suddenly disturbed. Why do bears hibernate? The reason that these furry mammals sleep for the winter months is simply to protect themselves. They adapt themselves to be able to survive in their environment. 

Soon enough however the snow will start to melt, the flowers will bloom, and the bears will be energized to meet all of the Spring and Summer travellers. Just another reminder of the natural beauty of Waterton Lakes National Park!



4. KILMOREY TASTING COUNTRY

It is hard to believe that it is time once again to taste wine for the newsletter. It seems like only last week that we tasted for the column. The nice thing is it is a true pleasure to taste a new wine (at least new to our taste buds!).

Jackson Triggs 2001 White Merlot is a pleasant, quaffable (this is a real wine tasting word!) wine. This is not a full Merlot as it is much lighter in colour hence the white in its name. There is less colour because the juice was only left on the skins for a short time during the crushing process.

This wine starts with a fruity nose of plums and peaches, which lead to a light, fruity and refreshing taste. We found this wine less sweet than expected with a pleasant cherry/strawberry taste and light tannins on the finish. Try this white Merlot as an aperitif or with spicy food.

Enjoy!

Your taster,
Paul



5. A LIGHT MOMENT

A lawyer returns to his parked BMW to find the headlights broken and considerable damage. There is no sign of the offending vehicle but he is relieved to see that there is a note stuck under the windshield wiper.

Sorry. I just backed into your Beemer. The witnesses who saw the accident are nodding and smiling at me because they think I am leaving my name address and other particulars. But I am not.


Bonus light moment for the ladies who failed to receive a Valentines Getaway!

Mary, asked Dawn thoughtfully one day, What would you do if you caught your husband with another woman?

Another woman with MY husband? Mary thought it over.

Lets see. Id break her cane, shoot her guide dog and call a cab to take her back to the institution she escaped from.



6. WOK WITH JAMES

It has been suggested to me by some of our newsletter readers out there that you want to hear some funny story or something in the kitchen having to do with humourous things. We have a close team here, and the fact that I still have my job after this proves it! This is just a little thing that I did to our general manager, Paul, in fun. It sure made everyone laugh even him eventually! Ooohhh well!

One day after the lunch rush he came to me and said he was hungry. The suggestion was I could go ahead and be creative and prepare whatever I would like for a quick lunch.

I am easy to get along with so I took a Chicken Breast, sliced it up, sautied it with Red Peppers, Yellow Peppers, Mushrooms, Red Onion, Green Onion, Garlic, White Wine, Salt and Cracked Pepper. Added a splash of White Wine and some Cream and Penne Noodles. Reduced for a couple of minutes and then poured it in a casserole dish, topped it with some fresh basil and feta cheese. A slice of garlic toast on the side and voila! A meal fit for a king. An idea is born!

I then called our manager Paul on the radio to tell him his lunch was ready. He said great and he would be right there. When he arrived I had the meal in my hand and told him it was fit for a king. He responded, Great, Im starved! 

Oops! Forgot to mention I once had a dog named King. So, instead of giving him the meal in his hands I turned around and proceeded to whistle and call Here King! Come on King! Everyone around laughed and thought it was a good joke and said that I was the only one that could pull that off. Paul did take his plate like a good boy but to this day I expect payback!

Editors Note: Paul has said he bears no ill will toward James. Rather, he says the lunch tasted great and if James prepares such meals for all his pets, they are very lucky indeed. So if you ever get the munchies when driving through Hillspring, you might want to check out the dog dishes at the Rowley household!



7. INTRODUCING

and in this corner, standing at ALMOST five foot one, weighing next to nothing, its the French Bulldog!

Okay, so there are other names she prefers, but this one was awarded to her in her second summer in Waterton Park and it sort of stuck. 

Nathalie Marie-Hugette Collin was born in Montmagny, Quebec in 1974. Except for a few years in St. Jean Chrysostome, her childhood and teen years were spent in the town of her birth. She has only one older brother  a small family compared to the seven siblings in her mothers family  all of which lived nearby in Montmagny. This may be why they took a break in St. Jean Chrysostome for a while!

While she was growing up, Nathalies family spent a lot of time together in the outdoors. Her father was, by Nats description, a crazy fisherman. The whole family would spend practically the entire summer in a little tent by the lake. In the winter, there was cross country skiing and later on, some downhill skiing as well. She started downhill skiing when she quit competitive figure skating. Eventually she cut back on the skiing as well..it is difficult to be efficient in the kitchen with a broken leg!

Upon graduating from high school in 1992, Nathalie wished to pursue further education in Photography. Fortunately for us, the program was full. So, for lack of a better idea, she started the cooking program at LEnvoli. She found she enjoyed cooking and after she received her diploma, she studied for her Red Seal certification. While Nat was in school she worked as a line cook. After obtaining her diploma she worked as Sous Chef for 5 years in two different fine dining establishments in Montmagny before deciding to head west for an opportunity to work on her English.

She had learned a small amount of English in school. She could pronounce cloud and chair but there was definitely still room for improvement in regular, conversational English. Consequently, her job interview for the position of Saucier at the Kilmorey Lodge was a challenge on both ends of the phone line! The interviewer had limited French to go along with her limited English. Before he finally gave up and called in a translator, Nathalie thought she was going to a place called Winter Creek.which she could not find anywhere on a map of Alberta!

Whether it was in French or English, she must have provided the right answers because in May of 1999 she found herself in Waterton Park. Initially, it was difficult to be in a new place with people talking all around her in a language she was still fairly new at. The head chef at the time, who could speak French fluently, refused to speak to her in anything but English. Consequently, most of the communication on her first day was accomplished with gestures and pointing. Knowing how to say chair and cloud was less than useful!

During her first summer in Alberta there were several Francophones working at the Kilmorey Lodge and they spent a lot of time together speaking French. So at the end of the season, Nat stuck around to learn more English. Several years later, she is a lot more talkative now that we all speak the same language. It has allowed the rest of the staff an opportunity to learn of her honest attitude and interesting sense of humour. 

Since she has been in Waterton Park, Nathalie has achieved her Red Seal, spent plenty of time outside in the mountains hiking, tried out some great cross country skiing, shovelled plenty of snow and picked up a fianci named Pete! Actually, Pete and Nat picked each other up three years ago on the ski hill in Whitefish, Montana. It is interesting they had to go all the way to Whitefish to find each other. Pete works at the American Goat Haunt Ranger Station just at the end of Upper Waterton Lake and thus spends quite a lot of time in the Waterton townsite. The important things is they did find each other and are engaged to be married this summer in Nathalies home town of Montmagny. 

Pete and Nathalie hope to be in the Waterton Park area for several yearswhich may be how long it takes to fill out the endless forms required for a Canadian and an American to marry, get citizenship and everything else the government requires! In the meantime they would like to buy a house in the area and furnish it with all the old wooden furniture Nat has reconditioneda relatively new hobby of hers. 

So things have changed a lot for Nathalie since her arrival in Alberta almost five years ago. In addition to her increased language skills, new fianci and furniture making talents, Nathalie is the Sous Chef of the award winning Lamp Post Dining Room. She says she has learned a lot at the Kilmorey Lodge about working with a large menu as well as the organizational challenges of running a small kitchen. We are lucky to have her great creative talent working for us. Her strong pride in the quality of her work, along with her exacting standards, has earned her the previously mentioned title of The French Bulldog. This is definitely to the advantage of our guests who are the ultimate beneficiaries of her detail-oriented attitude. 

At age 29, Nathalie has already accomplished a great deal. We can only anticipate more positive things for the future. The next time you enjoy a delicious dinner in the Lamp Post Dining Room, you will know Nat was here, helping us maintain a tradition of excellence!



8. MONTHLY DRAW WINNERS

Two lucky ladies were rewarded for filling out their comment cards in the Lamp Post Dining Room. Lindsey Thompson visited Waterton Park in December from Post Falls, Idaho. Joan Glaister visited us in January  all the way from Waterton Park! Both have received a gift certificate for Lunch For Two in our award winning Lamp Post Dining Room.

We would like to thank Ms. Thompson and Ms. Glaister again for filling in their comment cards. The feed back regarding your service, your meal and your overall dining experience is extremely valuable to us in maintaining and improving the quality of our product and service. 

We look forward to welcoming our two winners back again soon!


Thank you for reading our friendly Internet Newsletter! If you have any feedback or if you would like to contribute to our newsletter, please e-mail us at info@watertonpark.com, attn: Nicki. For more information on Waterton Lakes National Park and links to many other area attractions,
check out our website at www.watertonpark.com

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Waterton Park Information Services
Box 100, Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta, Canada. T0K 2M0
Phone: 403-859-2252  **  Fax: 403-859-2342

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