The second-annual Ottawa Foodie Challenge: A day of bicycle-powered fun

Hilary Duff (blog/Twitter) is a quirky 21-year-old who loves multimedia journalism, cycling, food blogging, and churning massive amounts of baked goods out of her cramped student kitchen. She is also a contributing editor for Local Tourist Ottawa.

Take a typical day in the life of Hilary and multiply it by a trillion. Welcome to my Sunday.

My days are normally composed of food, biking and roommate love, and this past weekend all three were exaggerated exponentially. To my great pleasure, I might add.

Sunday was the date of the second-annual Ottawa Foodie Challenge.

Perplexed? For those that don’t know, OFC is an event held to help combat community hunger and raise money for the Ottawa Food Bank. The day operates like a scavenger hunt: participants are given a list of tasks at the beginning of the day that they need to complete and photograph over the next several hours. This year’s challenge saw 30 teams competing for the grand prize: a load of wine, gift certificates for local restaurants and food shops, and bragging rights for the next year.

As soon as I heard about the hunt, I knew it was right up my alley. I asked my roommate Brittany if she wanted to be my partner and, just like that, Team YUKON DO IT! was born. I was more that a little pleased to become a honourary Yukoner for the day.

Brittany and I with our Yukon ski team jackets (well, with her Yukon ski team jackets..)

Being students, Britt and I faced a tricky dilemma: we don’t have a car. This concerned us. We knew the hunt would send us across the city, and that time and speedy transportation would be of the essence. A combination of determination and a desire to be active (mixed with our no-other-option circumstances) led to our decision to do the OFC on our bikes.

And so, on Sunday morning, Britt and I rolled up to the Urban Element in Wellington West for the morning kick-off. After the grand prize was announced and several delicious Life of Pie freebie scones were consumed, we received THE LIST. Our route was promptly plotted, and we left in a flurry, leaving behind a screeching of tires and a blur of saddlebags.

Task 17: You at any bagel shop with a bagel on your fingers

For the next six hours, Britt and I made our way across the city, fueled only by our competitive will to win and a bag of a dozen day-old bagels that we had bought to complete an earlier challenge. I swear, doughy carbohydrates have never tasted so good.

As far as neighbourhood hopping went, we planned the day to minimize backtracking, a goal that I think we accomplished fairly well. Being on bikes, we managed to illegally enter parking lots, dodge/carefully peddle through construction, park on sidewalks and nearly run over a few people in the Market.

This year’s tasks were fun and creative, some more challenging than others. Here are the stories that accompany a few of our favourites…

1. Task #20: You and a Kraft single beside the most expensive piece of cheese you can find

Who knew that journalism student persistence would pay off in the form of processed cheese? For this challenge, Britt and I were left stranded outside of La Bottega in the Market, at a loss for where to find a piece of cheese to juxtapose the $74.99/kg chunk we eventually found. The answer was McDonalds. Surely the golden arches didn’t use real cheese on their Big Macs, I thought. After rushing to the cash at the downtown location and pestering a couple of employees, I eventually managed to convince one of them to wrap up a piece of their processed cheese for me. Disobeying social norms and asking strange requests while pouting really pays off. 

2. Task #23: You holding a live “Sebastien” from the Little Mermaid

Come on, you can’t honestly tell me that you wouldn’t love to hang out with a lobster. Maybe it’s because I’m a Pisces and one with the water, or something, but holding a wriggling sea creature was one of the highlights of my day. 

3. Task #36: You shaving chicken off any shawarma skewer

Britt and I biked past shawarma shops all day long, telling ourselves as we whizzed past each that we were reserving this task completion for Cedar Springs, the tiny grocery shop and shawarma deli in our neighbourhood, Old Ottawa South. It was the end of the day when Britt and I finally burst into the shop and begged the men behind the counter to let us wield sharp knives and pose with their chicken spits. After some persuasive talk and a promise to plug their groceria to everyone we know (plug, plug, plug) they let us take our picture. Bonus: they even lent us a chef’s coat and hat so we could check that task off our list. Britt still has the hat and can be seen wearing it around the house on occasion. 

4. Task #9: Crawl down Preston with a plate on your head! (Make sure we can see the Little Italy street sign!)

In which we convinced the fine folk at Pub Italia to lend us a plate as we biked one-handed down Preston Street holding said dish. Bikes tossed aside, we paid tribute to the next Dishcrawl Ottawa neighbourhood.

 5.  Task #32: You rolling a sushi roll anywhere but at home

This was actually the most difficult challenge to accomplish. We were close to giving up on this one after several sushi restaurant visits filled with rejection and sadness (they all claimed something ridiculous about health regulations…). Finally, one sushi joint on the corner of Murray Street and Dalhousie let me behind the counter. I think they could see the desperation in my eyes.

To see all our pictures from the other challenges, check out the Flickr set Britt and I submitted to be judged. Please ignore my helmet hair and general dishevelment.

That night at the closing ceremonies, people didn’t even recognize us. We promptly reminded them that we were the girls on bikes wearing spandex and Yukon ski team windbreakers. This helped.

When the lead organizer Carolynn got up to announce the winners, Britt and I held our breath. We had completed all the tasks except one, but were unsure how well our score would stand up to the 29 other teams.

And then we won.

It was a FANTASTIC moment, and we ecstatically jumped out of our seats to accept our prize, golden crowns and dog-toy-on-a-plate sandwich trophy, the latter of which now sits on our fireplace mantle.

The place of pride

It was the perfect end to an already great day. Thanks again to Carolynn, Larissa Beznaczuk-Smyrnew, Kyle Braatz and Matt Richling for doing such a great job planning things.

Now, would someone like to massage my calves? I’m feeling a little sore…

To check out the other albums from the Ottawa Foodie Challenge, visit their blog where they’ll eventually be posting the links to all the Flickr photo sets. Did any of you participate in the OFC? Tell us about your day! 

Dishing on Dishcrawl: Strolling food tour picking up steam

We ended our Westboro Dishcrawl with rich milkshakes from The Works

Amy (Twitter) is one of the co-creators of Local Tourist Ottawa who moved to the city more than eight years ago to attend Carleton University. Originally hailing from a small town in southwestern Ontario, she loves everything about Ottawa, from the buzz of Parliament Hill to Dalhousie’s local shopping and the thriving food scene.

There’s something about a brisk walk after a meal that wakes up the senses a bit. It’s a good thing, then, that a bit of light strolling is a central component to Ottawa’s Dishcrawlexperience — especially since last Tuesday’s Westboro event kicked off with plates of chacuterie at the Piggy Market. (Who announced that night they were shutting down for a couple of weeks to revamp the kitchen; they’ll be returning bigger and better than ever before — with the ability to cure their own meats! Yum.)

Porcine decor was a central theme of The Piggy Market (400 Winston), where we kicked off our night

Here at LTOttawa, we’ve written about Dishcrawl once or twice, but we like to share each experience with you because the event really represents a marriage of some of our favourite things: food, friends and the exploration of our city’s amazing neighbourhoods. It also aligns perfectly with our mandate to celebrate the people, places and things that make Ottawa great — because it really is a combination of all of this!

Since launching in early July, Dishcrawl has held seven events exploring the culinary culture of the Byward Market, Bank Street, the Glebe and Westboro. In fact, they’ve become so popular that the next two events — both set for Little Italy later this month — sold out in mere hours. (If you have trouble getting tickets, it’s best to watch Dishcrawl Ottawa’s Twitter feed, as well as sign up to the site.)

The Village Cafe (295 Richmond) was a welcome surprise during Dishcrawl

In case you don’t know, here’s how it works: Dishcrawl Ottawa announces it’s neighbourhood of focus online a couple of weeks before the event is scheduled to take place. Then, two days before the food fest (think of it as a culinary pub crawl), the 50 to 60-person guest list gets an email disclosing a central meeting place. From there, it’s a night of surprises, with guests being led to 3-4 different locations to taste some great food and mingle with each other as they share in the experience. With a few Dishcrawls under their belts now, your hosts — Sarah, Leanne and Andrea — are all a bubbly bunch that set the group at ease.

As mentioned, last week’s event took place in Westboro and saw us stopping at the Piggy Market, Fratelli’s, the Village Cafe and the Works. (Along with a surprise, take-home treat from Three Tarts.) While I knew (and already loved) three of the venues, the Village Cafe was a welcome surprise — and as a cozy nook tucked in along Richmond, it was a place I probably wouldn’t have stopped otherwise.

Also, between those four restaurants, our group last week got to sample about eight different dishes, making the price of the $60 ticket well worth it. Check some of it out below:

Chacuterie and cheese from The Piggy Market (400 Winston)

Pesto primavera from Fratelli's (309 Richmond)

Oven-baked crab cakes with peach jam from the Village Cafe (290 Richmond)

Seared scallops with brown butter and grilled portabella from the Village Cafe

Steamed mussels with tomato bruchetta sauce at the Village Cafe

I look forward to seeing what the next Dishcrawl brings to the table: Preston has a wealth of restaurants and food shops to choose from and the community boasts a hospitality like no other, meaning it’s sure to be a memorable night. As mentioned, the tickets are already sold out, but with any luck, we’ll see another one in the near future!

Are you going to Dishcrawl Ottawa’s next event on Nov. 22? Share your experience with us via Twitter using @LTOttawa.

Small-town feel, big time taste: Stephanie Brooks visits Westboro’s Milagro Grill

Milagro Grill is located at 357 Richmond Road, Ottawa

Stephanie Brooks is an Ottawa journalism student. Originally from “the country,” she is now discovering the places and faces of her new Westboro hometown.

It’s a miracle an old diner and ice cream parlour was transformed into a trendy and picturesque dining room, bar, patio, and one of Westboro’s most popular eateries.

Brenda Freije and her co-workers from previous Mexican restaurants opened Milagro Grill in March 2006, to offer a unique atmosphere and dishes not found elsewhere in the area.

“Westboro was ideal. We’ve been trying to get in here for a very long time and finally found a perfect spot,” says general manager Freije.

The name “Milagro” – “miracle” in Spanish, just seemed to fit.

The 100-year-old hardwood floors, Latin decor and dimly-lit lanterns hanging above each table illuminating the exotic flavours on plates make the space reminiscent of a quaint Mexican café.

For more information on Milagro, visit www.milagrogrill.com

Located in the heart of Westboro Village between Churchill and Roosevelt Avenue, Milagro’s motto is “Mexican with attitude” – but the friendly service and staff on-hand have anything but.

Maybe that’s what keeps their regulars coming back. Or, it could be Milagro’s extensive and original menu, that features South American, Latin and Mexican flavours.

Whether it be the restaurant’s distinctive Kronenbourg or Tuborg beers, famous classic margaritas, or anything from the Milagro salad to the Brazilian Shrimp Stew, this restaurant has something for everyone. Sports fans can sit at the bar on one half the restaurant, families can enjoy one of the many booths, and candlelit corner tables are perfect for dates.

Freije says sandwiches at lunchtime are very popular, as it’s a go-to spot for local businesspeople. Their specials, she says, are also a big draw.

Milagro's motto is "Mexican with attitude"

“Our Brazilian chef, Lino, is always putting great specials together,” she says.

Others opt for my personal favourite: the never-disappointing Milagro Special – three enchiladas of beef, chicken, or cheese (or a combination), with beans, guacamole and salad.

“That’s the nicest if you want to try a bit of everything,” Freije says.

When the warm weather finally hits, two large garage doors will open up onto bustling Richmond Road for extra patio dining, adding to the 78 seats they have available.

During Westfest, Westboro’s annual outdoor weekend art and music festival, Milagro will join plenty of other vendors and open up their service onto closed-down Richmond Road. From June 10 to 12^th, Freije says they will turn down their menu in order to accommodate the orders, and have seating available for 65 on their extended patio.

So what’s next for the owners of Westboro’s little miracle? Trying to pull off another – right across the street.

“Churchill’s” will be opening in a couple of weeks, offering pub fare in a relaxed setting. Freije says they, too, are hoping to open up the patio onto the road for Westfest.

So if you’re strolling the street for a great meal with an inviting atmosphere and authentic Latin flare, you can’t miss the aromatic flavours coming from Milagro’s kitchen – or the colourful mural on its exterior.

Thanks Stephanie! We hope to see you around here again soon!

Date night: Shelly and her husband visit Westboro’s Nohkam Thai

 

Nohkam Thai Restaurant

Shelly Lyonnais is a local elementary school teacher who has been living in Ottawa on and off for 20 years.  She spends her weekends in search of Ottawa’s great date night dinner locations.

Everyone in Ottawa has their own favourite Thai restaurant, so there is a neverending supply of suggestions when you ask around.  I recently put the word out to my friends that a Thai recommendation was needed, and sure enough, a few were offered.

We decided to follow the recommendation of a friend who lived in Thailand, because if she loved it then it had to be good! Nohkam Thai in Westboro it was.

This tiny restaurant is in a mini mall that is easily overlooked, and I would never have noticed it had we not been looking for it.  Upon entering we were surrounded by tables and people eagerly awaiting the delights from the kitchen.  The walls of the restaurant are adorned with typical Thai finery, sparkling wall hangings and carnations on the tables.  There was a line of people at the bar waiting for take out.

We were seated right away, and even though every table in the restaurant was full and only two servers seemed to be making the rounds, we were very well taken care of.

Our meal arrived piping hot in the blue and white dishes that all of the food was served in. I started out with Tom Kha Goong, which is a soul warming soup –  a combination of shrimp, coconut milk, mushrooms, baby corn and Thai ginger.  I absolutely loved the tang from the ginger and the thickness that comes from the coconut milk.  My husband started with his favourite pork satay with spicy peanut sauce.  This is the first satay that we have seen that is deep fried, so I was a bit unsure of how it would taste, but my husband absolutely loved it.

My entree was a spicy green curry called Gaeng Keow Warn.  This dish is an amazing mix of chicken, bamboo shoots, and Thai eggplant in coconut milk.  This was a bit too spicy for my husband but I thoroughly enjoyed it! The second entree we had was the ever popular, Pad Thai with chicken.  My husband is not a Pad Thai connoisseur, however he has had it many times before and this was his favourite by far.

Even though Nohkam Thai is small and lost in a mini mall, it seems to be quite a popular little gem, so you should make reservations.  I know I’ll be returning to this special spot to try the list of items that caught my attention… but that I was just too full to try.

Thanks Shelly! What’s your favourite Ottawa Thai restaurant?

The hunt for Ottawa’s perfect cupcake: Part V – Three Bakers & A Bike

Three Bakers & a Bike is located at 1281 Wellington Street, Ottawa

Hilary Duff (blog/Twitter) is a quirky 20-year-old who loves multimedia journalism, cycling, food blogging, and churning massive amounts of baked goods out of her cramped student kitchen. She is currently writing an LTOttawa series on her hunt for Ottawa’s perfect cupcake.

Three Bakers & A Bike

Remember that gorgeous afternoon a couple of Fridays ago?  Well on that day I was exploring aimlessly in Westboro and I unintentionally walked past the neighbourhood’s boundaries and found myself in front of Three Bakers & A Bike.  As you can imagine, it was a pleasant surprise.  I was famished and had been shoving pieces of bready Montreal-style bagel into my mouth in a revoltingly un-ladylike way for the entire afternoon.

But of course I was never too full for a cupcake.

Three Bakers & A Bike had a rather inconspicuous front entrance, and I may have missed it completely in the shadows of the sunny day, had it not been for the map on my phone.

As I walked in the door, I was immediately struck by the relaxed hominess of the shop.  It kind of felt like the place was a combination of an old school classroom and the kitchen of a country farmhouse.  A track from the Backstreet Boys played over the speakers, and I had to restrain myself from bursting out into song.

My feet walked over the dark red flood, where paint has faded to reveal the grey concrete underneath.  The floor meets walls painted a creamy yellow, a colour that reminded me of a buttery hollandaise sauce.  Navy blue chairs and tables sit against the left wall, the latter holding colourful teacups and saucers on its polished surface.  To my right, there’s a seating area near the window, with comfy looking leather chairs ideal for a friendly meeting or an afternoon of solitary reading.  Above this seating area, as well as behind the main counter, is shelving containing several eccentric and bizarre teapots shaped like animals and ornately decorated with porcelain figures.

But of course I wasn’t there to ogle over collectibles. Walking up to the counter, I admired the “baby cakes” on display.  They’re miniature cakes that are as cute as a button.  The cakes are decorated with vanilla or chocolate icing and an assortment of brightly hued sprinkles.

Cupcakes at Three Bakers & A Bike

In addition to these cakes, there are bunches of sugar cookies, all wrapped in clear plastic packaging and labeled carefully with homemade lilac tags.  Other than these small cakes and cookies there are, of course, a variety of cupcakes – both regular and miniature sized.  It appears that Three Bakers & A Bike is big on this whole “mini-size” phenomenon.  No complaints though, as it allows me to sample two of their smaller cupcakes in favour of just one Hulk-sized regular.  I ask the cashier which ones she recommends and end up with the vanilla cupcake with chocolate icing and a double chocolate cupcake.

HIlary's selection from Three Bakers & A Bike

Before I could get my paws on the cupcakes, however, I had to run to the nearest bank after discovering the shop only accepts cash and cheque, neither of which I had in my university-student wallet.  Keep this in mind when planning your visit, dear cupcake lovers.

Now, before I go on with my review, I would just like to say that no cupcake is ever bad.  I believe it is absolutely impossible to destroy a cupcake.  Even if I criticize one, the worst cupcake I ever eat will likely still be semi-delicious to me.  On that note, the two cupcakes I ate from Three Bakers & A Bike were nothing special.  To be honest (and I hate sounding mean, I’m so sorry!), it tasted like the cake came from a box and the icing was of the canned variety.  I’m not sure if the flavour just had a strikingly similar taste to the boxed mixes my mom used to make for my elementary school classes, but it contributed to an overall mediocre vibe.

Three Bakers & A Bike

The cake was still moist, but it was moist in the sense that it left a discomforting cakey layer on my tongue; a cakey paste that I’ve never experienced from cupcakes made from scratch.  If you were in the neighbourhood looking for a quick sugar fix, these cupcakes would definitely suffice, but in my search for Ottawa’s perfect cupcake I came up a little short here.  Three Bakers & A Bike also only had three flavours that day: chocolate, vanilla and lemon.  I’m willing to give them the benefit of the doubt – a small menu told me that they sold “designer cupcakes” at $4.50 a pop in flavours such as strawberries and cream, Kahlua mousse, and mocha almond.  Consider, however, that other shops I’ve visited have sold similar “designer” flavours for a significant $2 less.

In the end, I don’t want to doubt the credibility of the baking at Three Bakers & A Bike.  Half a dozen people came in to buy cupcakes or a cake in the hour and a half that I was there, so clearly there isn’t this issue of taste for everyone.  The focus of the shop isn’t strictly cupcakes either, and they had a generous looking brunch menu that was enough to make my mouth water.  The cashier was also extremely nice and helpful, and service overall was great.  So my verdict is that if you’re in the neighbourhood and looking for a place to swing by for a bite to eat, Three Bakers & A Bike is an ideal destination.  If you’re looking for Ottawa best cupcake, however, you might want to consider continuing your search.

Cupcake personality: *½

Cake: *½

Icing: *

Cupcake overall: *½

Do you want to help Hilary find Ottawa’s perfect cupcake? Leave a note below!

Ode to Westboro: Natasha becomes a Local Tourist

Natasha Derouchie is an Ottawa native, who in her free time can be found exploring all the city has to offer with her husband, family and friends. She’s a blogger and aspiring author who is currently working on writing her first book.

It must have been about a year ago when my mom asked me “Do you want to explore Westboro today?” She had asked me many times before and I always brushed it off because I was too busy.

On this particularly cold Ottawa winter day, I had “nothing better to do”, so I decided to tag along.

 

Natasha Derouchie

Even though I have lived in the Ottawa area (other than my brief stints in Jasper and Toronto) my whole life, I have someone managed to miss so many wonderful parts of the city. Growing up in the town of Richmond (west of Ottawa) and moving to Jasper at the age of 19 probably had something to do with it.  This is also compounded by the fact that I am normally a person who goes from point A to B with a specific purpose or direction.  When I’m shopping, I have a clear idea of what I am going for and why.

So though I had always heard of the area, until recently I never found a reason to explore it – but I am sure glad I finally did.

After just a few minutes into my arrival into Westboro my mind began to go into overdrive: each store I went in to led to a new and unique new delight. The diversity of the shops was a great experience because each store held its own individual intrigue.

Our exploration brought us to a collection of interesting clothing, toy, gelato and truffle shops. We spent hours walking in and out of the store, filling our bags and bellies to the brim. It seemed that no matter what store we went into the staff were genuinely happy to be there – they were knowledgeable, friendly and a pleasure to be around.

So let’s start with The Candy Store. Walking in there made me feel like an excited kid again! Childhood memories flashed before me as I looked at candies I hadn’t seen since I was little! They had everything from wax lips, chocolates, and gummy bears that had been to space (some of the gummy bears, none that you will get to eat, were taken on a space mission. Curious? Check the store out for more information). We sampled and explored the candy; and reminisced over funny childhood memories that were sparked by our visit.

Even though we spent just a few hours in Westboro it felt like we barely scratched the surface. I wanted to share the experience I had so I brought my family each a little something home. Even my dog got a special treat from my visit to Bark and Fitz; a wonderful dog-inspired store dedicated to providing healthy food and treats to your pooch.

My little present to me was from our visit to lululemon athletica, which I have avoided in the past because I thought it wouldn’t be for me – well, I was wrong. Walking into Westboro’s lululemon was more like walking into a different culture, rather than a mere store.

This warming experience on such a cold day has forever changed the way I think about shopping or spending my free afternoons. I would have no qualms about spending a day like this while on vacation, but I never thought about doing it in Ottawa.

Thanks to this great day, exploring Westboro has now become something that my mom, sister and I look forward to!

Thanks for sharing your story Natasha!

Holiday shopping in Ottawa – Part II (Westboro – Wellington)

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Annie McEwen is the best. She is currently studying at Oxford University in the United Kingdom. We miss her! And we’re sure she misses us too. Last week, Annie shared a little holiday shopping nostalgia with us, writing up a great guide to shopping in Ottawa’s Glebe.

This week? Westboro – Wellington.

I’ve lumped these together, which is sure to offend some, but maybe it’ll inspire and extra long Christmas walk from one end to the other? Or maybe I’m forgetting how cold Ottawa winter is…. in any case, here’s my picks East to West of this constantly evolving area.

Wabi Sabi

Too the very far east you’ll find Wabi Sabi. I love this place. If you’ve got a fibre-artist in your life, or would-be-knitter, consider encouraging them with some of the beautiful yarns and fibres stocked here. Maybe if you’re lucky you’ll be regifted the yarn as toque or socks! Also consider checking out their workshops on offer for everything from dyeing to weaving.

World of Maps

Whether outdoor adventurer, global backpacker, or armchair traveller, this place inspires. From travel books to posters and topomaps, this place is interesting even if it doesn’t fit the bill for someone’s gift.

Nectar Fine Teas

Specialty teas from a special place. Stop in to collect a stocking stuffer of exotic tea, or warm up with cup yourself!

Ottawa Bagel Shop and Deli

I prefer Kettleman’s Bagels for my bagels, but the Bagel Shop is stocked to the brim with interesting foodie delights and chocolates. Stop by to pick up finishing salt or a pound of Callebaut chocolate (apparently at a much cheaper price than the competition I’m told).

Bushtukah

Westboro it the mecca for yuppie (that’s Young Urban Professional, in case you’re too young to know the less-derogatory origin) outdoorsy gear, and heading east to west it starts with Bushtukah. Even if you haven’t got a skier on your list, you might find something neat for the world traveller or summertime camper in here. You can also check out Mountain Equipment Co-op in this area, if that is your preference.

Quichua World Market

A relatively new addition to the Westboro scene, this import store has some great affordable gifts from South America and the wider world, including some very cozy alpaca toques last I was there!

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Roots, Lulu Lemon, and American Apparel

If you really must go for the big brands, a few have storefronts on Richmond Road. Easy in and out without the mall music.

The Candy Store

Well, the name sort of gives it away. Stop in to treat yourself or grab something to stuff a stocking.

The Expedition Shoppe

Another source for outdoorsy and travel things, but really, who doesn’t love smartwool socks?!

Ten Thousand Villages

If you’re feeling a little more ethical and the consumption of Christmas is getting you down, the fairtrade offerings of Ten Thousand Villages might be a good idea.

Food and drink while you shop…

Thyme and Again

A well-known Ottawa catering institution. Mostly I’m listing it here because it carries my very favourite bread in Ottawa… and no, I’m not talking about the ubiquitous Art-is-in breads. True Loaf bread is simply the most marvellous baked thing to have hit Ottawa since the French Baker brought real croissants to town, and last I was there Thyme and Again was stocking it!

Three Tarts

I simply love everything they bake. No place really to sit down, but consider picking something up for a treat on a cozy evening in.

Bridgehead

Always popular for a break from the winter weather.

Where are you doing your holiday shopping?

Q&A with Nadine Thornhill, award-winning playwright, actor and spoken word poet

Nadine Thornhill

Nadine Thornhill is an award-winning playwright, actor and spoken word poet.  She honed her theatre  skills amongst the freaks and geeks at the University of Waterloo.  Upon graduating, she moved to Canada’s capital where she has been living, loving and working ever since.   By day, she is the program coordinator for Planned Parenthood’s Insight Theatre. In her spare time, Nadine enjoys running, an occasional triathlon, and the antics of her husband and son.

Where did your passion for theatre begin?

When I was four or five, living in Toronto, a local designer asked my mom if I could model part of her upcoming collection for a fashion show.   I was a pathologically timid child, so I’m not sure why she thought I could handle the runway.  But my mom said yes and not long after, I was strutting my little stuff in front of a crowd.  And even though I could barely say two words to most people, as a model, my relationship to other people was different.  On the runway, I knew exactly what I was supposed to do.   And I knew exactly how the audience was going to respond.  The social interactions were all prescribed, which put me very much at ease.  I quickly developed a strong association between being on stage and feeling secure.

I sought out experience to perform and be on stage throughout my childhood, but it didn’t develop into a driving passion until I was twelve.  My parents took me to see Les Miserables. The first notes of music sounded through the theatre and within five minutes, I was head-over-heels with the conviction that I wanted to be on that stage.  Now that I’m an adult, my interests have expanded, but I can’t imagine that I’ll ever stop loving the theatre.

As a playwright and actor, how would you describe Ottawa’s performing arts scene?

I think Ottawa’s theatre scene is coming-of-age, so to speak.  The talent, intelligence, desire and resources required to be a strong presence in Ottawa’s art community all exist, but we’re still in the process of discovering and developing a unique, authentic identity.  In the eleven years I’ve lived in this city, I’ve seen incredible growth in Ottawa’s theatre scene.  It has grown, matured, and I have every confidence that it will continue to do so.

Meanwhile, I think Ottawa’s spoken word community has really come in to its own. This past October, Ottawa’s spoken word team won the national title for the second consecutive year, and  the world slam champion is an Ottawa poet.  Every spoken word event I attend is packed.  Every open mic seems to reveal a brilliant new artist.   Spoken word in this city was strong when I first got involved five years ago, but the work Ottawa poets are producing today is incomparable.

As an actor, how would you describe the Ottawa audiences you perform in front of?

I find Ottawa audience very generous.  Literally.  This past February I was the spoken word feature at Voices of Venus. It is a monthly event that takes place at Umi Cafe, and during my set, I mentioned how much I love Umi’s Nanaimo bars.  When I finished performing, three different people offered to buy me a bar.  It is possible I accepted all three…

But that experience is typical of the audience members I meet.  They’re very friendly.  And I think they appreciate that a lot of Ottawa performers are local people who live in their communities.  What better way to get to know your neighbour than over a rich, chocolately sweet, post-performance dessert?

Where do you find inspiration for your writing?

I’m self-centered, I’m opinionated and I’ve been through a LOT of therapy.  My poetry and plays are either thinly veiled autobiography; pontificating on various social issues; pseudo-psychoanalysis of an emotional problem I’m having; or some combination of the three.

Nadine Thornhill performing in "Oreo"

Why do you think it is important for Ottawa to have a vibrant arts community?

I think it’s important for Ottawa for exactly the same reasons I think it’s important for any place.  The arts are a mode of communcation and interpretation.   We rely on artistic products to make sense of our world every day.  Even something as routine as a daily commute on the bus, involves an encounter with artistry.  Every ad on a bus was conceived and executed by a creative team.   A graphic designer determined the look and layout of the tickets we use.  Even the maple-leaf motif that identifies the vehicle as being part of the OC Transpo fleet is art.  What we read, what see, the way we speak, even the way we move through our community, is influenced by art and creativity.

It’s a necessary part of life.

You answer sex and relationship questions for our friends at Apartment 613, can you tell us a bit about that?

I LOVE writing Dirty Laundry, my column for Apartment 613.  As I said, I’m opinionated.  I also love talking about sex.  Once a month I get to combine all my loves into one awesome writing assignment.  I’ve had some very interesting, intelligent questions.  I enjoy the challenge of an unexpected letter that really forces me to consider an issue I may not have thought about much before.

You also have your own blog, and you are a pretty active participant in Ottawa’s social networking community – what are your favourite local blogs to read?

Ottawa is bursting with must-read blogs.  Apartment 613 is all excellence all the time.  I also love Spacing Ottawa.  Hello Ottawa is a newer blog that features everyday Ottawans and what they love about this city.  The O-Dot is a hilarious, satirical Onion-esque blog, but with a local focus.  A couple of my friends have launched a new blog, Ottawa Sneezers, a place where people can spread the word about must-see arts events around the city.

I gather from Twitter that you’re an avid jogger – what is your favourite route to run in our city?

There are a lot of great places to run in this city.  The recreation paths along the canal and by the river are beautiful, especially in summer and fall.  But there’s something about running in the city that I absolutely love. I like to start out from my home in Westboro and run out the University of Ottawa – that route takes me through Wellington West, Hintonburg, Little Italy, Chinatown, Centretown, Sandy Hill…some of my favourite neighbourhoods.

You recently performed at Our Unspoken Words, a book launch and fundraiser for the Sexual Assault Support Centre of Ottawa, as well as the Ottawa Storytelling Festival. Can you tell us a bit about those events?

Our Unspoken Words was powerful, but challenging.  The evening began with women reading stories from the book, Our Unspoken Words.  Those performance were challenging – affecting, but brutal and heartbreaking.  I was part of quintet that also included Danielle K.L. Gregoire, Jessica Ruano, Michelle Blackburn and Faye Estrella.   We were all very emotional charged.  After hearing stories of women whose children had been killed, I had a great deal of difficulty performing a piece a wrote about my own son.  At the same time, I knew I had the support of my fellow poets, and the audience was one of the most attentive I’ve experienced.   In the end, I was honoured to have been part of it.

The Ottawa Storytelling Festival was a blast.   I didn’t really perform, but I had the privilege of introducing Ben Haggarty, a world-reknowned professional storyteller.  My favourite part of the evening was sitting backstage before the show.  Mr. Haggarty and a couple other storytellers were chatting – small talk between storytellers is conversation on a level that I have never experienced.  There were metaphors, characterization, and witty rejoinders flying around the room.  I was so riveted, I forgot to be discreet about the fact that I was eavesdropping.

What’s next for you?

I definitely want to do more spoken word in the new year.  I  would love to create a collection of my poems, either as a book or a CD.  I have a really exciting project in the works with Apartment 613.  We’re not quite ready to announce it yet, so I can’t say more, but I think it’s going to be a big hit!  I’m writing a new script which I plan to produce for next summer’s Fringe Festival.  And I’m going to try my hand…erm…feet at a half-marathon in the spring, so I’m learning to embrace the chilly joys of winter running.

What is one thing about Ottawa you think people don’t know that they should?

Did you know that it’s illegal to eat ice cream on Bank Street on a Sunday?  Apparently it’s an old obscure law, that’s never been taken off the books.

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