All Alayna wants for Christmas … is a great day downtown

Alayna (blog/Twitter) is a proud Ottawa native who loves travelling, photography and the wonders of social media. She is a web communications specialist during the day and, in her spare time, she is often found baking, crafting and planning her next trip.

Murray Street Kitchen is located at 110 Murray Street

Ah, the holiday season downtown. The malls are packed, parking is a nightmare, and the cold is (finally) starting to set in. It’s enough to make a person want to curl up on the couch, pull out a good book and spend the day indoors.

But get out there fellow Ottawa dwellers!

There’s a hell of a lot more to see downtown besides the Rideau Centre! After a year living in the heart of downtown, I’ve found there are ton of ways to enjoy a perfect winter weekend, without being trampled by the frantic shoppers in the mall. Here are a few of my favourites …

Start the day off with brunch at the Murray Street Kitchen (110 Murray Street). For just $13, they serve up a delicious mix of flavours and unique twists on the old classics. Cheddar french toast with garlic maple syrup? Yes please! The menu changes often, so it’s impossible to get bored with the options. Be sure to get there early or make reservations, as they fill up quickly.

Alanya Wright high fives the chef at Murray Street Kitchen, which offers a great weekend brunch

If you take part in the Ottawa Foodie Challenge next year, you may even get the chance to high-five the chef!

Next, take a stroll up to the awesome shopping area of Dalhousie North. It’s a bit of a walk, but well worth the trip! Stop by Victorie (246 Dalhousie) to check out their creative and unique selection of clothing. It’s my best bet for a Christmas or NYE party dress like no other! A little further down, Workshop Boutique (242 Dalhousie) offers a great mix of handcrafted gifts — perfect for those last few people to cross off your Christmas list. Finally, pop by to visit the ladies at Luxe Bridal Boutique (206 & 208 Dalhousie). Not only do they have the most gorgeous gowns, they also have fun accessories to finish off your holiday outfit.

On the way back towards Rideau street, be sure to visit the Byward Market. During the summer, this area is packed with tourists checking out the fresh fruit and veggie stands. During the winter, the market is a bit quieter and features vendors selling maple syrup, Christmas trees, and knitted mittens.

Colourful mittens are just one of the great gifts you can find in the Byward Market

Here, you can even watch a fresh evergreen wreath being whipped together before your eyes! $8-10 will get you a handmade wreath that makes your house smell amazing.

Vendors whip up some holiday-scented wreaths in the Market

Another must-do on my list is a stop at the Parliament Buildings. Too often, it seems Ottawa natives (myself included) rarely visit this Canadian landmark. As a bit of a political junkie, I always find it exciting to walk around and see who you can run into on the Hill.

The gazebo behind the Parliament Buildings boasts my favourite view of the Ottawa River, and don’t forget to count the raccoons at the Canadian Parliamentary Cat sanctuary (located to the west of the Centre Block). From now through January, the Christmas Lights Across Canada is lighting up the Parliament Buildings and other locations around town. It’s a great way to see these well-known places in a whole new light (literally).

Christmas Lights Across Canada is a sight to see on Parliament Hill

Finally, it’s time to reward yourself for a great day out in Ottawa with a pint from D’Arcy McGees (44 Sparks Street) This Irish bar was named after Thomas D’Arcy McGee, who was assassinated just steps away from this spot in 1868, but fear no bad vibes! The cozy atmosphere and rockin’ bands always make for a great evening. Warm up in a corner booth, call a few friends, and enjoy some local beer from Beau’s or Kichesippi — both served on tap! 

These are just a few of my favourite things to do. Ottawa is a big city with a ton of great things going on every day. Get out there, find some fun, and share with us your recommendations for the perfect winter weekend in Ottawa!

Looks like Ottawa’s festivity doesn’t go way when winter comes! Thanks for your holiday tour, Alayna. Have suggestions for other great holiday spots in Ottawa’s other neighbourhoods? Leave a comment below.

Undead: A Q&A with Ottawa Zombie Walk organizer Bryony Etherington

Dig out the fake blood and get your torn clothing ready – the sixth-annual Ottawa Zombie Walk rises again this afternoon! The walk takes place from 1:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., starting at the MacDonald Gardens Park in Lowertown and ending at Parliament Hill.

We asked Bryony, the two-year organizer of the walk, for more information about the undead event. What can we say? We were dying to find out more.

Photo by Ian Flynn McDonald

What is the zombie walk?

The zombie walk is essentially a big parade of people dressed up and acting like zombies that goes through the downtown core. The event started nine years ago in Toronto with seven people and has now grown to something that happens all across the world. We’re in our sixth year here in Ottawa. Now it has gotten to the point where it’s getting complex and people are doing survivors and zombie hunter characters. It’s just a very performative act and it’s a lot of fun. It’s a big Halloween event.

That video trailer for the Ottawa Zombie Walk was created by the very talented folks at Parktown.

Bryony at her first Ottawa Zombie Walk

How did you get involved with organizing the event?

Last year around the first week of October a bunch of friends and I were chatting about the fact that we hadn’t heard anything about this year’s walk. So when we realized that no one was running it, I took the reins.

Other than the walk itself, what are some of the other activities that the zombies can participate in?

The big one that we’re trying to encourage is the food drive for the Ottawa Food Bank. We’re going to be collecting donations at our start location, which is MacDonald Gardens Park at Cobourg and Rideau. We’re going to have a table there and some volunteers gathering donations of non-perishable food as well as personal hygiene products.

There’s also going to be coffin rides, which are a virtual simulation of being buried alive. It’s a really cool ride provided by RUNAMOK Party Rentals, a local Ottawa party rental company. After the walk we’ve got a bunch of zombie friendly destinations for you to enjoy the after-party fun. They include a horror film short festival at the Mayfair Theatre, Dominion Tavern and D’Arcy McGees, which is very close to Parliament Hill where we end. I heard tonight that Fat Tuesday’s and the Velvet Room are also open to having people come by.

What is your most memorable moment from a past zombie walk?

Flickr photo via k-t-s photography

It was when last year’s walk ended at Parliament Hill and I got to see all the people that showed up. It was my first year organizing it and I wasn’t sure how things were going to go. I was a little stressed out, but seeing how excited people were and the amazing costumes and make-up people came up with made me really happy that we were able to keep the walk alive and even grow it last year. Aside from that, it’s the reactions from the people who don’t expect you to come through their neighbourhood: tourists, business owners who have never heard of the walk, people who are just hanging out downtown and in the Market who didn’t know we were coming by. The reactions are priceless. It’s always fun to have that spook and confusion factor with everybody.

Flickr photo via k-t-s photography

Do you have any tips for the soon-to-be-undead zombies still looking to create their outfit?

Think outside the box. A zombie is going to be anybody. In the event of a real-world zombie apocalypse, it doesn’t just target people who are already set up to look like zombies. One of the things that is really interesting about zombies is that they’re everyday people who have just been transformed into something else. I know we’re expecting Alice in Wonderland zombies, people dressed as nurses, police officers, truckers, everything. So don’t limit yourself. All you have to be is dead, or undead, but you can be any type of undead that you want. Other than that, don your fake blood and your deadly looking-ness.

Where can people go to find out more information about the Ottawa Zombie Walk?
People can visit our website, Facebook page or Twitter account. We’ll also be tweeting under the hashtag #OZW11.

Looking to catch up with the zombies on their route? Follow the trail of blood… (or this map)

View Larger Map

We’re hopefully going to head downtown later today and shoot some video of the walk – if we see you there, please don’t suck our brains out!

Parliament Hill Yoga: “All you have to do is breathe”

Melissa Dick recently became a city-dwelling Ottawan after growing up in the beautiful countryside of Gatineau, QC. She studies geography, works for a social justice organization, makes silkscreen prints for t-shirts, enjoys watching her garden grow and is on the continuous look out for the best rosemary-goat cheese croissant in town.

During the summer, most of my lunch breaks are spent sitting in Confederation Park reading a book and enjoying the sun, meeting a friend for a picnic lunch, or scurrying around doing little errands. However on Wednesdays – and I mean each and every single Wednesday in the summer – I head to Parliament Hill over my lunch hour, yoga mat tucked under my arm. Walking up Metcalfe, I often find myself among a swarm of other yoga-mat holders. Where are we all headed? To Parliament Hill Yoga, of course!

Parliament Hill Yoga on Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Parliament Hill Yoga is a free outdoor event held on the front lawn of Parliament Hill every Wednesday from 12 to 1 p.m. over the summer months. It is facilitated by lululemon athletica in the Rideau Centre, whose friendly staff bring mats to lend to newcomers and arrange for the most talented yoga instructors to guide the sessions every week. They strive to bring new instructors to the Hill every Wednesday, providing the opportunity for attendees to experience different routines and types of yoga every time they attend. 

The event has been organized by lululemon Rideau Centre for the past five years. I discovered it in summer 2010 while walking around trying to get circulation back in my legs after sitting at my desk all morning. I remember being slightly shocked at the sight of it: hundreds of men and women, of every shape and size, kids and toddlers, all doing sun salutations in front of the beautiful Parliament buildings, laughing and moving into different yoga positions as guided by the energetic instructor. From that moment onwards, I knew this would be my place every Wednesday at lunch: stretching and breathing deeply on Parliament Hill. 

The event is held rain or shine and is only cancelled in cases of particularly nasty weather. Everyone is welcome and the participation of each individual is celebrated. As yoga instructor Ichih Wang said this past week during some balancing poses, “We don’t have walls here, so pick someone’s head in front of you and focus on that to keep your balance!” Sometimes there are even groups of children on field trips who attend Parliament Hill Yoga, doing sun salutations for their first time and giggling as they try not to fall over during a balancing pose. There are many employees from the downtown core, such as myself, who venture out of their air-conditioned office buildings for some yoga time in the sun. There are elderly people, families and even babies who get to enjoy some upside-down time while their mother or father expertly holds them as they follow the movements.

Instructor Ichih Wang at Parliament Hill Yoga

To give you a sense of what a yoga session on Parliament Hill is like, here is a summary of my own experience from this past Wednesday . A striking 502 people attended on this day, where Ichih led us through an energizing power yoga sequence. The sky was slightly overcast and a light breeze blew over the Parliament Hill lawn. It was the perfect weather for outdoor yoga. Ichih had organized for a speaker system to be set up so it was easy for everyone to hear and follow her directions. I brought a colleague from work who does yoga regularly but whom had never experienced Parliament Hill Yoga before. She was amazed at the sheer number of people present, and who continued to arrive even as the session started.

Ichih led us through a challenging set of 100’s after the initial relaxation pose, which left us all laughing and clutching our abdominals. As someone who sometimes gives up once my muscles start to burn, it’s definitely motivating to know that 501 people around me are feeling the exact same thing and are pushing though! Ichih continued with a modified sun salutation series, a handful of balancing poses, some seated stretching exercises and then the relaxing savasna, or corpse pose, to wrap up the routine.  She joked throughout the session and was clearly enjoying leading the immense group: “Stretch a little higher, now bend a little lower. Just like the elevator in your office!” The refreshing breeze seemed to sweep through the crowd at perfect moments, like when we were holding a pose for a bit longer or when the repeated sun salutations started to heat us up.  During the final relaxation pose, Ichih calmly said over the speaker system, “Now, all you have to do is breathe.” What better way to finish an enjoyable outdoor yoga session than with the reassurance that all you have to do is breathe? Simple as pie, and oh-so relaxing.  

Speaking to some other attendees after the yoga session, I learned why other people love Parliament Hill Yoga. “It’s like skating on the canal, but without the cold and the ice! It’s open to everyone, and so accessible,” one man, who had learned about Parliament Hill Yoga through his daughter, told me. A woman told me with a smile, “I love it because I can easily bring other people, like my boyfriend, who never does yoga.” The underlying thread that seemed to unite everyone I spoke to was the sense of community that Parliament Hill Yoga creates. It was the fact that the event asks nothing of you and leaves you feeling energetic, relaxed and refreshed, and also that it’s outside! I spoke with Ichih as people rolled up their mats and the Hill started to empty out, and she noted how Parliament Hill Yoga encourages the idea that yoga can be done anywhere and that there are no limitations. “Anyone can do it. I love it because it creates this amazing sense of community and peace that everyone can feel a part of, even if you came on your own,” she said. 

So whether you are a yoga guru capable of pretzel-poses and standing on your head, or are new to yoga and have no idea what “namaste” means, I encourage you to check out Parliament Hill Yoga on an upcoming Wednesday. Bring friends, family or coworkers and don’t be intimidated if the instructor leads you through some “Om” chants – with everyone pitching in it feels like you’re part of a sea of subtle and soft sound (and no one will notice if you’re off key!). In my opinion, yoga under the open sky with a large number of people is an experience that transcends any type of yoga that takes place in a studio. And to be able to do it over my lunch hour, outdoors, three blocks from work and free of charge? It doesn’t get any better than this.

Plus, it’s always funny to see tourists standing there, as dumbstruck as I was when I saw Parliament Hill Yoga for the first time, perhaps thinking to themselves, “So this is what Ottawans do in their free time!”

Great pictures and post Melissa – thanks for sharing your experiences with us! For more information about Parliament Hill Yoga, check out lululemon atheltica Rideau Centre’s Facebook page or events website. Will you be heading over the PHY next Wednesday? If so, we might see you there…

Up, up and away! Mike Cullen gives Local Tourist an aerial view of Ottawa

Mike Cullen (Twitter) is a young public servant who is also a regular contributor to (Cult)ure Magazine as a music editorialist. His passions include music, coffee, writing, travel and comic books. 

I combined a recent birthday gift for my father with another activity that goes towards my indulgent spring/summer 2011: we went flying, giving us a whole new perspective of the city, not only as residents of Ottawa, but in my case as a local tourist. On a very clear, sunny Saturday afternoon, my father, my friend Melissa and I went down behind the Aviation Museum to the Rockcliffe Flying Club for the trip of a lifetime!

The four-seater Cessna 172 that Mike, his father, Melissa and Megan flew in

For a very reasonable fee, you can charter a sightseeing flight with the club, for anywhere between half an hour to an hour. With a few restrictions you can even plot your own course, with the opportunity to fly over your house (if you live in Ottawa), or over particular landmarks you wish to see from a whole new angle. I left it up to our fantastic pilot, Megan, to chart our half hour trip in a little four-seater Cessna 172.

Parliament Hill, as seen from the sky

Our trip took us up towards Constance Bay and looped back, following the Ottawa River. The views of the Gatineau Hills were incredible, and we saw all of the major landmarks, from the Chelsea Electric Dam to the Museum of Civilization and even Parliament Hill. Serious credit must go out to Megan, not only as a pilot, but as a tour guide as well. She only moved to Ottawa a month ago, and yet she referred to landmarks and points of interest as though she had been living in Ottawa all her life.

And because pictures have that clichéd ability to tell a thousand words, I’ll let the photos from our trip give you a slice of what you can expect from one of these flights!

What a unique gift idea, Mike!  How about you Ottawa – what’s the most unconventional way you’ve seen the city’s sights?  Would you be brave enough to go up in a four-seater aircraft?

How Anand Chinnasamy found home in Ottawa

Anand Chinnasamy is a computer systems analyst (he affectionately calls himself a button pusher/chair breaker) who was a mechanical engineer, fixing German CNC machines before immigrating to Canada in 1997. He moved to Ottawa on a stormy winter evening in 1999 and has been a happy camper ever since.

Anand Chinnasamy

I was born and brought up in a small South Indian town that had two colleges, seven high schools and a population of 150,000 during the sixties. My uncles and my father lived together in a 900 square foot mud wall and thatched roof house (three families, a total of 14 people under one roof) along with couple of cows for milk.

We had only three seasons: hot, hotter and hottest – so I never had to buy a sweater or jacket. Education was free up to high school, but my parents made lot of sacrifices to give me a decent engineering education so that I could have a better life.

The farther I moved away from my home town, the longer I kept my jobs. First I moved to Madras (present day Chennai), second to Calcutta, then to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

I worked and lived (if it can be called living) in Riyadh for 15 long years. ID cards were issued in white and brown colours to distinguish the guest workers of the official religion from other religions. Businesses had to close during prayer times (five times a day). Eating and drinking (water and soft drinks) in public was not allowed during the month of Ramadan from sunrise to sunset and restaurants did not serve food during those times. Women had to wear burqas and they could not drive.

Two successive events brought down the proverbial last straw for me: my employer’s refusal to acknowledge my contributions, and the closure of our children’s school by the religious police on the grounds that co-education violated the local religious laws. They let the schools operate again only after another school was built for girls, five kilometres away from the boys’ school.

Then in 1996 I came across an article published by the United Nations Development Programme about Canada being voted as the best country to live based on many indicators like human rights and the environment. Moreover, Canada had a fair, point-based immigration system that granted permanent residence based on qualifications, professional experience and the ability to pay the immigration and application processing fees of about $1,475 per person.

We applied, paid the required fees and and moved to Toronto in 1997.

Like every other new immigrant, I too went through initial struggle of settling down in a new country. With my 18 years of solid experience in procurement, installation, maintenance, dismantling and scrapping of machines, I thought getting a job in Canada would be a piece of pudding. But I could not even rent an apartment since most rental companies asked for pay slip copies as proof of employment. I moved in with one of my friends who was kind enough to give me shelter and free food until I found my own place and job. Eventually, I found an apartment by giving post-dated cheques for six months. Lack of Canadian experience and accreditation were cited as reasons for not giving me a job, so at last I had to switch my profession from engineering to IT consulting.

The next year I moved to New Jersey, but moved back to Canada (Ottawa) on a snowy January evening in 1999 to work as a consultant for Mitel. Now that I have the necessary Canadian experience, life is always on fast lane.

Anand and his sister in front of Ottawa's Parliament Hill

Kanata welcomed me with open arms.

My team lead at Mitel taught me the two most powerful words in English: “Please and Thanks.” And my colleagues quickly brought me up to speed both professionally and culturally.  First impressions of this great city are still the best even today after 12 years – it is clean, quiet, friendy, colourful, cheerful and always wonderful. Compared to New York, Mumbai, Chennai and Toronto, commuting time here in Ottawa is much less, and drivers are more polite. For those of you who appreciate the long term benefits of Yoga, Ottawa also offers many choices.

Ottawa always has something to make me happy on any day. I like to drive along the Ottawa River Parkway, stop at every lookout and enjoy the views, walk along the Rideau Canal, view the Hog’s Back Falls, roam around all the beautiful parks, taste a BeaverTail, poutine, or Ottawa’s best dessert: sticky toffee pudding from Moxie’s. Gatineau Hills is another one of my favourite spots.

Even better, ethnic community functions and festivals happen all through the year, bringing all Canadians closer and makes them more familiar with each other’s food, dress, custom and habits.

I owe my thanks to Ottawa and its great people who were very instrumental in transforming my life from uncertainty to one that is filled with humour and happiness. My sons are in university, and my wife wouldn’t trade Ottawa for any other city in North America for one single reason.

I am happy because my family is happy here in Ottawa.

Thank you so much for sharing your story Anand!

Agonizing and celebrating every close call, every hit, and every goal: Jeremy Milks talks Ottawa Senators

 

Chris Neil #25 of the Ottawa Senators stands outside the dressing room. (Photo by Andre Ringuette/NHLI via Getty Images)

Jeremy Milks is the writer/editor of the blog Black Aces which covers the Ottawa Senators on a day to day basis. He is also the author of a book of short stories, “A Sane Man vs. The Thing From The Woods.”

It’s not the only game in town, but for many, it’s the only one that matters.

That’s life in a hockey-mad city, and the local NHL team, the Ottawa Senators, have given local fans a roller coaster ride ever since returning in 1992, marking an absence of nearly 60 years after the original franchise moved to St. Louis in 1934 to become known as the Eagles (who ceased operations shortly after).

To say the city has embraced the new Senators in their near 20 years of existence is an understatement, although the success of the team on the ice has not always been what everyone expected.

Fans from all sections of the Ottawa Valley make the pilgrimage to Kanata where an arena many thought would never be built now stands in what was once an undeveloped area of farmland. Taking a look around the area now, you can see the accelerated development that the Senators helped to bring to Kanata, thanks in part to the Senators original founders who, quite naturally, came up with the idea to bring a team to town in a dimly lit locker room after a game of shinny.

As author Roy MacGregor recounts in his book “Road Games” about the Senators eventful first year back in town, local businessmen Bruce Firestone, Randy Sexton and Cyril Leeder set out with a vision to bring the Senators back to Ottawa even though everyone who heard their idea thought they were crazy.

Resilient to the end, they overcame both perceptional and financial odds to beat out rival bids, one in particular by the city of Hamilton, to finally bring back NHL hockey to Canada’s capital city.

Spartacat, the Ottawa Senators' Official Mascot, made his first home game debut on October 8th, 1992 against the Montreal Canadiens at the Ottawa Civic Centre.

People were stunned at their success but quickly jumped on board. The Senators began play out of the comfy confines of Ottawa Civic Centre at Lansdowne Park (now the site of a major redevelopment slated to begin in the next few years) while they built their more permanent home in Kanata and suddenly the likes of Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier and Mario Lemieux were coming to town to play four or five times a year, being spotted dining out at Hy’s Steakhouse on Queen Street and adding a bit of star power to what many mistakenly thought was a sleepy government town.

The first season was a huge success off the ice, but an unmitigated disaster on it. A then somewhat unknown local singer Alanis Morissette sang the first national anthem at the premier game, which the Senators won against the Stanley Cup bound Montreal Canadiens, but they didn’t win many after that.

Most fans were just happy to have a team back in town and the expected losses of a young team didn’t seem to bother them so long as the entertainment was there. As expected, with the city in the middle of Montreal and Toronto on the Canadian map, both with traditional “Original Six” NHL teams,  Ottawa was filled with either Leafs or Canadiens fans for many years prior to the Senators reappearing on the scene.

Some switched their allegiances to the Senators right away, particularly the younger fans who didn’t have longstanding attachments to the other clubs, but many found old habits hard to break. To this day you still see many Canadiens and Maple Leafs sweaters in the crowd at Scotiabank Place but as the years go on (the Senators will be celebrating their 20^th anniversary next season) and the younger fans grow up and start to have kids of their own, we are starting to see that deep, ingrained fan base that is loyal to the core that other, more traditional clubs have enjoyed for generations.

In particular, the Senators run to the 2007 Stanley Cup Final seemed to convert many disbelievers who were disappointed in some of the team’s playoff failures up to that point, many of them against Toronto, their biggest rival in the league.

Although they didn’t beat Toronto on the way to the championship series (there are actually fans who would view beating the Maple Leafs in a playoff series just as satisfying as winning the Stanley Cup!), they were led by captain Daniel Alfredsson who cemented himself as a hero in this town by scoring the overtime goal against the Buffalo Sabres to send them to the final round.

Matt Carkner and Chris Phillips (Photo by Andre Ringuette/NHLI via Getty Images)

After that franchise defining game, Ottawa erupted like never before. Fans flocked to downtown Elgin Street, now known as “Sens Mile” since that historic run, shutting down traffic and many even marched to Parliament Hill, holding an impromptu rally on the ground usually used for political demonstrations or more serious purposes.  The original Senators had won 11 Stanley Cups between 1903 and 1927 (4 of them under the name of the Silver Seven) but most modern fans didn’t even have grandparents who remembered those games.

The final series against the Anaheim Ducks did not go in Ottawa’s favour but for many fans it was well worth the excitement and the team was expected to  challenge for the Cup for the next handful of years.

All the best laid plans went awry and the Senators began to struggle shortly after, resulting in this season’s edition where the organization has decided to rebuild with younger players, trading away local favourites like Mike Fisher and Chris Kelly for draft picks and futures.

About 400 children from 25 "priority neighbourhoods" in Ottawa were invited to Scotiabank Place for the season finale of the I Love To Skate presented by Canadian Tire Jumpstart program (Photo by Jana Chytilova/Freestyle Photography/OSHC).

But not all is gloomy. The arena is filled to capacity most nights, even though a lot of fans have to travel quite a distance from downtown or other areas to catch the games. Daniel Alfredsson remains on this team and vows to be part of the rebuild and stay in his adopted home city. He even hints that Ottawa will be his permanent home after he is retired instead of returning to his home country of Sweden as maybe he once expected.

Over the years, a lot of players have come to Ottawa from other parts of the country (and the world) and have made it their home after they have retired. This city remains a priority destination for a lot of NHL free agents who enjoy the community for its high standard of living, its green space and the rabid hockey fan base that lives and dies with the team year after year.

Going to a Senators game in Kanata is an experience not many should miss if they happen to be in town during the winter months.  Win or lose, most come away feeling they’ve experienced an event, not just a hockey game. There is a certain community spirit in the rink that perhaps gets lost in translation in other big cities and the players themselves are some of the most accessible in the NHL as far as getting out into the community to meet the fans.

Just a quick look around the arena on game nights gives you one clue to the future success of the Senators in this city – the sea of kids wearing Senators jerseys.

When they grow up into adults and remain Senators fans, the franchise will take their place among the most traditional and storied  clubs in the entire NHL.

Until then, there’s a lot of hockey to be played. And an entire city will continue to agonize and celebrate every close call, every post hit, and every goal scored.

All we can say is ‘wow’ – big thanks to Jeremy for providing this great snapshot of the Sens!

Ottawa’s Amazing Race: Q&A with Urban Quest’s Anthony Woods

Anthony Woods, emceeing at the Sears Great Canadian Chill

Anthony Woods is a consultant and entrepreneur who has lived in Ottawa his whole life. In his spare time, Tony enjoys paintballing, musicals, and participating in City Chases.

So, tell me about the history and premise of Urban Quest.

The founders of UrbanQuest love reality TV shows like the Amazing Race that combine challenges and travel, and require resourcefulness. The idea was to recreate a smaller scale version of the experience that’s available to the average person and isn’t hugely expensive.

What led you to start such a unique business?

There was a long time that we couldn’t figure out how to make the model work.  We could build a huge experience that had a secret ending – but the costs involved meant we’d need to charge hundreds of dollars per experience.  And we felt sure that immediately after we had finished all the answers would be posted on the Internet. The breakthrough for the company was actually the release of the newest Zelda game. The day the game was released, you could pick up a full walk through at EB Games. It made us realize that it was the user’s experience. Give them the answers and if they want to use them, it is their choice. It allowed us to build something cost-effective because we didn’t need to keep everything a secret.

Who is your target audience? Locals or out-of-towners?

The original thinking behind UQ was that it would be a fun activity for locals. In particular, we thought it was going to be “the greatest date night ever.” What we’ve found is another market that loves Quests which we didn’t see coming: families.  Parents started telling us stories about how they loved doing it with their kids and how their kids loved the “treasure hunt.” We are working now to build more family oriented events – we have three museum Quests in queue.

How do you write the quiz questions?

Writing the Quest clues isn’t exactly a science but we do have a methodology worked out.  We always try to design the clues more around shapes, colours and numbers rather than making them trivia based.  We also do a lot of puzzles, books, games, etc. We also read a lot of tour books, surf the web, and a few late night brainstorming sessions over some beers and a game of settlers never hurt either!

Bryan McKenzie running at the launch of Urban Quest's Museum of Nature Quest

What kind of reaction are you receiving from people?

We have actually been receiving an overall positive response to the company’s idea and to the Quests themselves. The vast majority of people are up to the challenge and absolutely love the idea.  We’ve had second hand stories come back from people we know that had friends telling them about this “great puzzle, Amazing Race” thing they did and how they have to try it.  It’s interesting to create that kind of buzz.  There are a few people that have come back without enjoying the experience, but in those cases we have found that we didn’t manage customer experience well enough.  For example, a grandfather did it with his grandson and came back saying that it was way too much walking – so we now post on each quest how much walking you can expect to do.  We listen to our customers and work to improve the product with every response.

Do you have goals for expanding your business in the future?

We recently launched our first Quest in Toronto, with more to come. We’ll also be moving to Kingston soon. We will continue to work the east coast from there.  We also recognize that we will have to move past our small crew writing all the clues and are working on a writing contest to try to get others involved in the process.  Becoming mobile is also key for us – both Blackberry and iPhone versions of the product are in development.

What do you think is the number one misconception about Ottawa?

Ottawa’s painted with the stigma that we are a boring government town!  There are two things I have against this. First, Ottawa is one of the most diverse and beautiful cities out there.  We cover the range of winter sports like skiing to summer activities like white water rafting.  The second is as a government town, Ottawa isn’t without entrepreneurialism.  If you look to some of the historic companies that have come out of the Ottawa area, especially Kanata, it is tough to say we are without business innovation.  We’re hoping that UrbanQuest can be just another one out of this great city.

Can you describe your perfect day in the city?

Of course my first natural answer is “spend my day doing an Urban Quest”.  That aside – it depends on the season.  In the winter, a day snowboarding.  In the summer, that’s a tough one but I’d probably say a day on the Ottawa River.  Either way – this is a city that requires going outside!

Why do you think it is important for people to get out, pound the pavement a little bit, and explore this city?

This city is filled with hidden spots and neat areas.  How many people drive to work every day passing the Parliament buildings but have never heard of the cat sanctuary or the whispering wall?  People spend lots of money to go visit foreign places but especially in a tough economy, one of the cheapest things people can do is visit their own city!  Urban Quest just makes doing so a lot more fun!

Thanks for dropping by Tony!

Also: this just in — LTOttawa will be doing an Urban Quest and writing about it (as soon as the weather and our schedule clears up!). If you’d like to tell us about your Urban Quest, send us a note and we’ll bring you in on the fun.

Through a photographer’s eyes: looking at Ottawa from a different angle

Justin Van Leeuwen is an Ottawa-based event and portrait photographer who, in his spare time, takes pictures without people in them. Many of the images seen in his LTOttawa posts can be purchased as limited edition canvas prints through his website.

Ottawa photographer Justin Van Leeuwen

Ottawa is a lovely city.

If you live here, you might not be appreciating all of the wonderful sights there are, simply because you are used to them. We may not have the appeal of the “BIG” Canadian cities: Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal (the former of which I lived in most of my life), or the exotic feel of a foreign land… but remember: more than seven million tourists come to our city every year.

They’re obviously seeing something – so what are we, as locals, missing?

This is our nation’s capital, and there are many unique opportunities, locations, and events every week, thanks to bodies like the National Capital Commission whose “job, simply put, is to plan, develop and use these properties as a source of pride and unity for Canadians.“

Do you know what this means? It means the city is clean, it has monuments, museums, art galleries (all with great architecture), and more than 60 festivals throughout the year, winter, spring, summer and fall. Those are, of course, the obvious examples. But as an outsider looking in, I can appreciate how “normal” or boring your every-day city looks.

But think about it; what is it that almost every tourist, but few locals, marvel at the minute they pass by: our parliament buildings. They are simply STUNNING!

 

Parliament Hill (JVLphoto.com)

And that stagnant body of water running right beside it. You’ve seen it a thousand times right? Let’s revisit this…the Rideau Canal is something not just unique to Ottawa but to the history of Canada, and honestly, it’s not like it’s Toronto’s Don River.

It’s a lot of fun to photograph under the right light:

The Rideau Canal (JVLphoto.com)

And is even more dynamic during Winterlude:

The Rideau Canal (JVLphoto.com)

From there we can travel down to the ByWard Market, which maintains a local, home-grown feel about the vendors within the area – and doubles as a great spot for people watching (if you’re into that sort of thing).

The ByWard Market (JVLphoto.com)

Jumping back onto tourist attractions, there is always the recently renovated Museum of Nature. My boys, ages three and one, absolutely marveled at it’s offerings.

Of course, while they were fixated on the dinosaur bones, I took in the lovely glass-lantern tower which, despite it’s apparent simplicity, seemed to present more photographic opportunities than I could work out of it in a single day.

The Museum of Nature (JVLphoto.com)

After moving here three years ago, I took it upon myself to thoroughly explore my new home, on foot, so that I could immerse myself in some of the things that would too quickly become commonplace to me. It took me a long time to actually see the O-Train, despite crossing over it’s bridges twice daily, and even longer to photograph it.

OC Transpo's O-Train (JVLphoto.com)

Further North of the O-Train tracks (no longer connected, but part of the same line) lays the Alexandria Bridge. While there are “no trespassing” signs, and I have heard tales of fines being issued for a careless few, this bridge is explored, traversed, and photographed often. You can quickly cross it and go all the way to Quebec and back – my favourite view of it and the Ottawa River, comes at sunset (protip: most of your good light for photographs will come at the extremes of the day, so make a habit of taking a walk just a few hours before sunset).

The Alexandria Bridge (JVLphoto.com)

I should mention, I didn’t “see” the images I’ve shown here the first time I stumbled upon a location. But I did note them for their potential to photograph, either alone or as a backdrop to one of my portraits, just under different circumstances. Even after living here for three years, there are places I pass by every day -  places many people I know have passed by even more.

If you just take the time to look at things differently, from a different angle, you might see Ottawa in a way nobody else has before.

The Glebe (JVLphoto.com)

The Elmdale Tavern (JVLPhoto.com)

World of Maps (JVLphoto.com)

I encourage you to explore your neighbourhood, your block, your city.

Do it with your family and friends, or go alone – just get out and spend some time actually seeing, opening your eyes, and observing this wonderful city we live in.

It will surprise you.

Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful photography in such a thoughtful post. We hope to see more of you soon!

Do you have a photo of Ottawa you’d like to share? Send us a note!

My frugal Valentine: last minute VDay advice from Frugal Fun Ottawa

"Love Canal" was taken by photographer Robin Kelsey (www.robink.ca/blog)

Josée is an Ottawa engineer and mother of two who loves to find free and frugal activities and events happening in Ottawa. She puts her research to good use over at Frugal Fun Ottawa.

It’s Valentine’s Day! If you’ve left the planning to the last minute, you may be wondering if it’s too late to wow your sweetie. But I have some frugal, yet romantic, suggestions that will keep you out of the doghouse and out of the poorhouse.

My first suggestion is very old-fashioned, but that’s precisely why your sweetheart will love it. I suggest that you both take some time to write hand-written letters to each other. My husband and I have been doing this for years, since we decided that Valentine’s Day was just becoming too commercial. I love this tradition for many reasons: the process of writing the letters forces us to put into words how much we love and appreciate each other; it’s wonderful to have the letters to re-read and remember major events in our lives; and the whole family is included – when our children were born we started writing them Valentine’s Day letters too. If writing a letter isn’t your style, you can write little notes on heart-shaped paper and hide them around the house or your sweetheart to find. Hide some in hard-to-find places so that Valentine’s Day lasts longer than just one day!

If writing letters seems like too much work for a Monday, take your partner to the movies – but not just any movie! Only a romantic comedy will do on Valentine’s Day, and if it happens to be a French romantic comedy, well, nothing can top that. Amélie is exaclty what Cupid would recommend, and it just happens to be playing at the Bytowne Cinema tonight at 6:30. Tickets are $10 for non-members (members pay $7.00). My husband and I went to see it when it first came out, and he describes it as “a decent story that is well-written, that just happens to be a romantic comedy.” Pretty much the highest rating a romantic comedy will get from him. And don’t worry if French isn’t your forte, the Bytowne is showing it with English subtitles.

Today’s forecast is calling for mild temperatures and light snow, so don’t be afraid to ditch the traditional restaurant supper and box of chocolates and opt for some outdoor fun instead. How about taking your sweetheart for a romantic evening skate on the Rideau Canal? (Don’t forget to share a BeaverTail!)

If he or she is the adventurous type, visit UrbanQuest.com and purchase their Original Quest package: tor $19.99 (plus tax) they will provide you with clues that lead you around Parliament Hill and other downtown locations. It’s a fun way to explore the city to see downtown Ottawa in a whole new light.

Happy Valentine's Day from Local Tourist Ottawa!

If your date is more historically-minded, take in the city by following one of the three downtown walking tours in the NCC’s Discover the Heart of the Capital brochure. It includes interesting facts about various Ottawa landmarks and points out interesting sights along the route. Be sure to bring your camera – the view from the Portage and Alexandra Bridges is particularly beautiful at this time of year.

After your quest or walking tour, warm up and get a romantic view of the snow-covered city by going up the Peace Tower at Parliament Hill. (If my husband planned this one for me he would earn himself a whole lot of brownie points!) The Peace Tower is open today from 9:00 a.m. to 2:50 p.m.; visits are self-guided. Keep in mind that you will have to go through security so there may be a line-up.

You really don’t have to spend a lot of money to have a romantic Valentine’s Day. All it takes is little imagination, and being lucky enough to live in a wonderful city like Ottawa!

Thanks for the ideas Josée!

Single or coupled up, how are you spending your Valentine’s Day?

Q&A with the President of the Ottawa Flying Club

Marc Desjardins, President of the Ottawa Flying Club

Marc Desjardins is an employee of the City of Ottawa/City Council, who has lived in Ottawa for 43 years. As the President of the Ottawa Flying Club, he leads a volunteer Board of an organization with 83 years of Ottawa aviation history.

So tell me a bit about yourself; how did you get into flying?

My father was in the Royal Canadian Air Force and as a child I remember going to Air Force Days at Rockliffe and Trenton.  For years I wanted to get into flying, but always had trouble finding either the time or the money. Finally in 2002 things all came together and I began my flight training at the Ottawa Flying Club.

I attained my private pilot license in 2004.

For anyone who has not been up in a small plane, how would you describe the experience?

The sensation of flying in a small two-seater or four-seater aircraft is very different than a passenger jet.  At first you may be a little anxious, but quickly that changes to exhilaration… and the world below you becomes a wonder and beauty.

I’m not sure a lot of people know about the Ottawa Flying Club, can you tell me a little bit about its history?

The Ottawa International MacDonald-Cartier Airport was originally known as The Hunt Club Field. It was used intermittently by aircraft, including Department of National Defence planes. Charles Lindbergh landed his Spirit of St. Louis at the Hunt Club field on July 2, 1927 on a flight from New York, and the public’s interest in aviation in this region followed.

In 1935, the facilities of the airport were operated by the Ottawa Flying Club and included a club house, an office, one hangar (35 by 40 by 14 feet), two private hangars for light aircraft, refuelling services by Imperial Oil, and a wind-sock. The Club’s first home was an old, two-storey, white clapboard house located on the east side of what is now PAPA taxiway. At the time, club members and students were flying Avro Avians, powered by the Genet engines, purchased from the Ottawa Car Company, which made street cars for the City of Ottawa.

Now, 83 years later, the Ottawa Flying Club has graduated thousands of pilots and has even trained a few of the Canadian Astronauts. Many graduates of the Ottawa Flying Club have established themselves as professional pilots in various Canadian, US and International Airlines as well as within other aviation related jobs such as Air Traffic Control.

Photo Credit: The Ottawa Flying Club

Paint me a picture of the OFC today: what services do you offer?

The commitment of the Ottawa Flying Club is to produce safe and competent pilots through comprehensive and high quality training. Membership has its benefits and Ottawa Flying Club members have access to our fleet of aircraft for rent and to the frequent seminars, movie nights and social events.

More importantly, members get to participate in our challenging cross-country trips. Club members have organized trips of with four or five aircraft to California, Bahamas, Florida, both coasts and many other destinations. These trips provide are both an adventure and an excellent way to build experience and confidence that you won’t find at other clubs.

As a social center, the Ottawa Flying Club Café & Lounge provides a comfortable place to spend the day with free WiFi. The Café (open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.) provides all day breakfasts and an excellent selection of Asian cuisine.

Who are your members?

We have about 250 members from the Ottawa area and beyond, who range in age from 17 to 84.  Many of our student pilots have gone on to become pilots with Porter, Jazz, Air Canada and airlines around the world.

I read that you offer flying tours of the city, what does that involve?

Aerial view of Ottawa's Parliament Hill

Ottawa Scenic Flights are offered seven days a week. Our staff of instructors can take up to three passengers in our Cessna 172 aircraft.  Departing from the Ottawa International Airport flights can be customized to go where you want.  Typical views include, Gatineau Park, the Ottawa River, Parliament and downtown Ottawa.

People can book by calling the Club at 613-523-2142 or visiting us at 20 Lindbergh Pvt and getting a tour of our aircraft.

What are people’s reactions, the first time they get up in the air?

I think some people are very apprehensive when getting into a small plane but after five minutes of flying and seeing what’s around them or even taking the controls, that feeling quickly becomes… “how do I learn how to fly?”

Can you tell me a bit about Fly Day with the Ottawa Rotary Home?

Fly Day is an annual charity event organized by the Ottawa Flying Club as a way of giving back to the community.  It has been doing so for 53 years now.  In past years it has helped such organizations as the March of Dimes and partners with the Rotary Club to raise funds for the Rotary Home which is respite care facility for children with disabilities.

Describe for me your perfect day in Ottawa.

I’ve lived in Ottawa for 43 of my 56 years, and my perfect day in Ottawa is a beautiful late June morning with barely a whisper of wind, getting into a Cessna 172 and flying 3,000 feet over a luscious green city, the sun glistening over the waters of  the Ottawa, Rideau and Gatineau River, with only me and a few birds soaring below me and sky and land for as far as the eye can see!!

Thanks Marc! Now…who wants to go flying?