Hostesses Are Not Exhibits

HOSTESSES ARE NOT EXHIBITS

By Gayle Morris of The Ottawa Journal

A thousand timely tips for visiting the world on 1,000 acres have been echoed through the media since Expo's opening but someone may have forgotten to mention that visitors should consult the hostesses.

One pretty hostess remarked to me on a recent visit she was bored standing around "smiling sweetly and saying hello" as people filed by without stopping.

"It's not as if they didn't notice us," she hastened to add, "because they do. Many people just stop and stare. I do feel they are afraid to ask questions."

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IT COULD BE that the hostesses and their attractive uniforms are often regarded by many visitors as another exhibit.

The hostesses have a wealth of information at their fingertips and it would be useful to consult them, particularly in areas where the exhibits lack documentation and they are eager to explain every facet.

A Yorkshire hostess in the British pavilion keenly explained to an inquisitive visitor the origin of sculptures on display in that pavilion. She even described materials used by the sculptor. She also emphasized the correct pronunciation of "aluminum."

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HOSTESSES can often give directions from where to eat the lunch you brought, to the least expensive restaurant on the site.

Incidentally, don't be squeamish about packing a lunch. Several people have been admiring a British sculpture of a fine piece of Czechoslovakian crystal while munching on a sandwich.

The French pavilion even has a sidewalk café where you can eat your own lunch in the atmosphere of a French restaurant complete with French music including "The Poor People of Paris."

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YOU'VE probably already said to yourself "But half the fun of going to Expo is tasting the foods from various countries." This is very true and just great if you can afford the prices. However, if you want to be practical, you could solve the dilemma by having at least one meal in the pavilion of your choice, then pack a lunch for the rest.

If you happened to choose the Czechoslovakian "Praha" restaurant you may end up paying more than you had planned if you have a weakness for handsome charming Czechoslovakian waiters. Take it from two Ottawa girls.

Before entering the Praha they had decided that they would have the three dollar meal, not the five dollar one. But menus were posted on the door.

A few minutes after they had been seated, a charming waiter with an engaging smile, a heavy Czechoslovakian accent, and a large tray of hors d'oeuvres, approached the table.

"Hors d'oeuvres?" he asked.

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THE GIRLS looked puzzled for a moment, but thinking it was all part of the meal they each took one.

The waiter then motioned for them to have another.

Hors d'oeuvres hadn't been on the menu, but since they weren't having any soup, the girls thought that these were probably in lieu. So they did.

They then ordered their main course from the $3 menu.

A young couple at a nearby table did the same thing.

Half way through the delicious meal, the girls discovered that another couple following the same procedure was charged $5 for the $3 meal.

The waiter explained that the hors d'oeuvres automatically placed them on the $5 menu, even if they didn't have soup.

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REALIZING that they would be charged $5 regardless, the girls decided to take advantage of it and ordered their dessert from the more expensive menu.

After the meal, one of the girls remarked that she had enjoyed the pavilion so much and the "food was so terrific" that she didn't mind paying more than was anticipated.

While hostesses can help you choose a restaurant, there are many areas in which they can be of very little assistance.

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FOR EXAMPLE it is advisable to bring your own supply of cigarettes since dispensers are scarce and few hostesses know where they are located.

Two irate Ottawa men finally found a cigarette machine on their own after canvassing almost every hostess, host and hamburger stand on Île Notre-Dame.