Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Diplomatic Relations

The High Commission for Trinidad and Tobago is here in the Glebe, housed in a century old building that was once occupied by Bell as a telephone exchange. A High Commission is the same as an embassy- it's just the term used if you're a member of the Commonwealth having a diplomatic mission in another Commonwealth country.


It's brightly decorated inside, a combination of office space and reception space featuring cultural items of the two Caribbean islands. I imagine this fashion statement might only be taken out for special occasions.


This reception hall no doubt gets used often. The High Commission regularly participates in Doors Open each year, but this was my first year stopping in.


A short walk away is Vietnam House. It's the home of the Vietnamese ambassador, a Spanish Colonial design on a quiet street in the Glebe. This is also one of the homes designed by architect W.E. Noffke.


This was its first year participating in Doors Open. 








36 comments:

  1. What a warm atmosphere...and I love the colour scheme.

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  2. Wonderful reflection. Love the furniture's. They look big and beautiful!

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  3. The Vietnam house looks like a craftsman house. I'm a big fan of that style.

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  4. Office fashion only for those really warm days in Canada. 8-)

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  5. @Linda: both places have a warmth to them

    @Weekend Windup: the furniture in the last shot, the sunroom, particularly appealed to me.

    @Ciel: very different.

    @Stuart: I like its style too.

    @revrunner: not for January!

    @Hilary: it is quite vibrant.

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  6. So interesting to see both William, very different in style.. Love all the wood in Vietnam House..

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  7. i wear that same outfit to clean house...NOT! :)

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  8. Some very interesting architecture, but I really love the furniture in the last shot!

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  9. That Vietnam House looks like something I would see in Phoenix or Scottsdale. Beautiful furniture inside.

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  10. Funny thing--when I saw the first building I thought to myself that looks like the telephone company. I chuckled!
    The Vietnam house is very nice. I love to see inside houses. MB

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  11. @Grace: there's such a rich variety of wood in there.

    @Tex: I wondered if someone might remark on that!

    @VP: it really drew my eyes too.

    @Luis: thanks!

    @Sharon: I imagine Spanish colonial would be common in architecture there.

    @Jose: very colourful!

    @MB: I've enjoyed getting into these ones.

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  12. wow, that furniture! and i have that exact same outfit!

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  13. It is so fun seeing all these places that normally have their doors closed!

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  14. Fascinating places. And you have found things that would not normally be part of Ottawa's ambience...in both houses. I guess the wood furniture caught everyone's attention.

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  15. How interesting to visit places like this. Your photo´s give a great impression.

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    1. Much fun to virtually visit a High Commission!

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  16. I love visiting Doors Open. It's such a great opportunity, and usually a fundraiser! Great post, you are so funny!

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  17. High Commission sounds much more important than a mere embassy!

    Can't believe that lovely wooden furniture in the Vietnam house.

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  18. @Tanya: I thought about writing in a comment about Bill Clinton and that outfit...

    @Halcyon: it really gives us a great opportunity to get out into the community and learn new things.

    @Lowell: oh, yes, there were others in the vicinity when I was in that sunroom that commented on it.

    @Marleen: thank you!

    @Jennifer: here it's free, but I've heard of similar events that tend to be fundraisers.

    @Norma: a big contrast!

    @Cheryl: it does have a grander sound to it.

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  19. Thanks so much for your taking us along on this sojourn. She'd be very cold in winter.

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  20. It's great to get inside these houses - it seemed to be mostly institutional and corporate buildings open here - or I just hit the wrong places.

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  21. I would just be repeating what was already said in the comments.

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  22. I thought that was a real person, for a minute.

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  23. The mannequin needs a little more exotic costume.

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  24. I suspect the mannequin is a year round favorite.
    The comments regarding fundraising remind me what a treat it is that Doors Open is free. My experience has been that it's been necessary to pay to get into the more interesting places I've heard of.

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  25. The last pictures show some ugly furniture, the last photo look almost like the Flintstones furniture. :)

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  26. @Birdman: she definitely would.

    @RedPat: we have places like that in our list- I tend to not be too interested in that side of things.

    @Mariusz: I think so!

    @Mari: thanks for looking in.

    @Whisk: I can see that!

    @Linda: that's not exotic enough?

    @Kay: it's been done that way in regards to private homes in other cities for architectural tours.

    @Bieb: I hadn't thought of it that way, but I see what you mean!

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  27. The telephone exchange building has had quite a transformation inside!

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  28. It seems strange to see a Spanish Colonial home in Ottawa! OK, maybe it's just me. ;)

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  29. @Hamilton: it really has!

    @EG: it's not the typical style.

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