Follow the Witches

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The Scone Witch @ 150 Elgin St, Unit 105, Ottawa, ON

If there’s a brunch spot fit for philosophical discussions while enjoying scrumptious scones, it’s The Scone Witch. For all you scone lovers looking for a quick bite of sweet or savoury scones coupled with jam and a cuppa coffee on the side, this is the place to go. I’ve lost count of how many times friends and I have ventured here over the years. But one thing remains constant: the scent of warm scones in the oven is enough to get my stomach dancing the cha-cha-cha.

Today, when visiting The Scone Witch, a friend and I noted that they’d moved to a new location: 150 Elgin St. Arriving at said address, a new building still under construction, we stood in the middle of the entrance awkwardly scanning the whereabouts of the shop, so the security guard kindly advised us to follow the little witches down the hall, and after what felt like an awkward adventure through a maze of hallways and file rooms, we finally made it.

The first thing we noticed when we entered the new shop was its incredible spaciousness, especially in comparison to their old store on Albert St., which was immeasurably small. Now that it’s located in the hub of the downtown core, it’s also more convenient for government workers, and workers in the surrounding area alike, to drop by and grab a bite during their breaks. And did I mention it’s now a five-minute walk from the OPL? Friends, you know what this means: scones and jam, and then books and more books.

Whereas my friend ordered her usual oatmeal scone, I chose my all-time favourite: the orange-cranberry scone coupled with a side of wild blueberry-raspberry jam and devon cream. It was quite appetizing; however, I noticed that as with my last few visits, the scone didn’t have that fresh-out-of-the-oven oomph that it once had. I feel that their scones were more scrumptious 2-3 years ago, when I began frequenting the shop with mates. Back then, their scones were heaven-sent.

Make the Beavertail stand your life goal

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This winter, the Rideau Canal Skateway opened as early as the 31st of December; and today, which marked my first skate of the season, all 7.8 km of the canal was made available to the public.

Back in February ’11, somehow friends and I had managed to skate the whole stretch back and forth for a total of approximately 28 km in a single day. However, this time since ice conditions were rough and we were both on the verge of a brain freeze, J and I ended up covering just a small portion of the canal — that is, just until we made it to a Beavertail stand.

We’re living proof that even if your limbs feel dead from the deep chill and you’re on the verge of surrendering to Mother Nature, you can still go far in life if you make that Beavertail stand your raison d’être. I think we can all agree that Beavertails and hot chocolate for a sugar rush and some friendly warmth, definitely constitute the highlight of the skating experience.

The simple things in life enjoyed in the heat of the moment — skating on the canal, sharing laughs with a friend, and enjoying delicious Beavertails — are the most heartfelt. I’m now looking forward to more rounds of skating, and of course, Winterlude.