Kelly-Anne Maddox takes her family to the National Gallery of Canada’s giftshop

 

Photo credit: The National Gallery of Canada

Kelly-Anne Maddox relocated to Ottawa from BC in 2010 and is busy being a mom to her one-year old daughter.

When I moved to Ottawa last fall I left behind a ridiculously well paying job to become a stay at home mom.

The shift from our former financial status to a single income household was a dramatic one and for the first time since grad school we had to pay close attention to our spending habits; no more spontaneously eating out because we felt like it, gone were full price movies and, with heavy hearts, we even agreed to sacrifice full cable. Reluctant to take such a dent in our lifestyle lying down, I decided to embrace our circumstances not as an exercise in frugality, but as an experiment in creativiy. I subscribed to Groupon, took up free activities like Strollercise, skating on the Canal, and my husband and Baby started going to free museums on Thursdays.

On a blustery Sunday afternoon during Winterlude my husband and I were delighted to read in the festival guide that entrance to the National Gallery of Canada was free that day. After packing up baby, diaper bag, stroller and schlepping the lot off to the gallery we were told at the ticket counter that we had read wrong (our bad!) and that regular entrance rates were indeed in effect. Doing a quick mental calculation of our budget I balked at dipping into our reserves and instead suggested that we entertain Baby in the gallery giftshop.

National Gallery of Canada

We spent an hour browsing through the store. Baby was captivated by the bold First Nations prints emblazoned on bright tea towels, gazed with rapt attention at the Totem Tree puzzle, squished Elmer the Patchwork Elephant in her little paws, squealed in delight at the board books, and had a blast as we flipped through the poster display. On the drive home I realized that our excursion to the giftshop had made a trip to the Gallery a tangible experience for my one year old; works that she normally couldn’t see up close or touch were transformed into an interactive adventure.

I did, however, draw the line when she decided to move from tangible to edible, making sure that no giftshop items were harmed in the researching of this post.

Thanks for the great post Kelly-Anne! Do you have a frugal adventure in Ottawa that you’d like to share? Send us a note or leave a comment below!

A taste of Ottawa’s best: Beau’s, Bridgehead and Hintonburger

For more info on Beau's All Natural Brewing Company visit: www.beaus.ca

Conor (a soon be lawyer) and Renée (a dedicated public servant) have lived in Ottawa their whole lives and couldn’t imagine living in a better city.  Their love affair with Ottawa stems from the serene calm that seems to surround the city, the camaraderie of the Ottawa Trivia League (they’re both on the team Spoiler Alert) and by trying new local things.

Conor was first introduced to Beau’s in the summer of 2008 when a friend gave him one of those easily recognizable ceramic bottles.

The Lugtread was delicious, local, and family brewed.  So when we heard that another rising local institution was teaming up with Beau’s we had to make it out to Bridgehead to celebrate Winterlude with Winterbrew, a coffee infused beer.

Bridgehead

The event took place at Bridgehead’s newest location on Sparks Street.  The place was jammed with all types. Who knew so many people liked beer and coffee! While we joked that The Drew Carrey Show had this idea years ago, Beau’s and Bridgehead put a little more thought into this beer’s recipe than getting buzzed on beer and coffee.

According to a press release from Beau’s, they “wanted to go with a medium altitude Central or South American coffee, because they tend to be very clean with flavours [they] thought would be complementary to the beer – nuts, cocoa powder and warm spices. There were a few coffees that would have done the trick, but we settled upon a coffee from around the town of San Juan del Rio Coco in Madriz, Nicaragua because of the pronounced Dutch-processed cocoa aromas.”

Bridgehead

The beer did not disappoint.

We were warned that the first sip would be strange and it was.  But half way through it became really tasty.  Peter and Conor, both heavy coffee drinkers, appreciated the sensation of getting pretty buzzed  and compared it to an iced Americano.  Renee and Kristen, who do not often drink coffee, didn’t enjoy it as much but finished their drinks in true Winterbrew style.

Cynical curmudgeon, Conor, scoffed at both Beau’s and Bridgehead who pride themselves on natural and organic as well as fair trade means of crafting their brews, for serving the Winterbrew in plastic cups until Peter realized that the cups were compostable. Nice touch.

Running with the local and organic theme of the night, we headed to Hintonburger on Wellington for dinner.

Hintonburger is located at 991 Wellington Street West

From the outside, it looks like a dive, but you should never judge a book by it’s cover because within is pure deliciousness.

The beef comes from Ottawa O’Brien Farms and are filled with herbs and seasoning.  No pictures of the burger themselves because we were too busy eating them and/or they were so delicious we ate them too fast.   We haven’t ventured away from the burger, but I hear they’re corn dog is delicious (and can’t wait to try it).

If you’re in Hintonburg you really need to stop in and try anything on their menu, but make sure to have money on hand as it’s cash only.

Thanks for the post you two! We hope to see more of you here…and in person!

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!

Q&A with award-winning photographer Paul Couvrette

Paul Couvrette, of Couvrette Studio

Paul Couvrette is an Ottawa-born, award-winning photographer whose been practicing his craft for 35 years. Shooting everything from portraits of prime ministers to weddings to advertisements, his downtown Ottawa space, Couvrette Studio, is a hopping place. Named Canadian Photographer of the Year in 1994, Paul has shot more than 300 magazine covers, his work gracing the front of Time, Reader’s Digest and Ottawa Life.

When did your passion for photography begin?

I did a Journalism degree at Carleton University and freelanced as a writer for two years, primarily as an art critic for a number of magazines and the Ottawa Citizen. During that time, every time I was asked to do photojournalism to accompany the articles — editors praised the photography as much as the writing. Frankly, I was paid as much to write as the shoot … and I simply liked shooting better.

You’ve shot some big Canadian names, from Rick Mercer to former Olympians, even Prime Minister Stephen Harper. What’s been the most memorable shoot in recent years? Any funny stories?

Rick Mercer, taken by Paul Couvrette

There are literally hundreds of memorable shoots from my time covering Trudeau to my assignments in the Arctic.

Funny stories … Well, just before I did Rick Mercer’s portrait he asked me to make certain I did not make him look like a comic. And he was serious!

Photographing Trudeau on Canada Day once I saw Justin Trudeau pop a balloon on a hot video light. The “POP” resulted in two RCMP undercover men pulling weapons and pointing them right at me since I was a foot from Trudeau. I asked him about the scare a bit later and he said the he wasn’t worried “since they were good shots.” I think he meant the RCMP.

How do you put those in front of the lens at ease? Any secrets?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Capital Style cover of Amanda Forsyth

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are a lot of different techniques, but primarily I tell them that I sympathize … since I, too, hate being in front of a camera.

In your opinion, what makes a photograph sing?

Expression, composition, tonality and storytelling are the key elements of a good photo. I respect any artist who has a strong command of their medium as it still stands out amongst the digital onslaught of our time.

You also seem to be a photographer of many hats, shooting weddings, portraits, architecture and ads. Do the same basic principles apply to each style? How do they differ?

Yes, I am a bit of a rarity in that not only do I shoot all these styles, but I have won major awards in each area. Yes, the same basic principles apply, except of course that in photographing people you have both the challenge and the benefit of using expression to tell the tale.

Photo by Paul Couvrette

Any favourite shooting locations in Ottawa? (Besides your studio, that is.)

I love my large studio since it lets me shoot things most people can only dream of. If I was to choose another location it would have to be on the Ottawa River in one of the beautiful spots in Beachburg (about an hour’s drive west of the city.)

Ottawa's skyline by Paul Couvrette

For those photo junkies out there, what gear do you use?

My main camera is a Canon 5D Mark II … Though I wish film was still around.

Beyond the camera, how else do you enjoy exploring Ottawa?

I have two children aged 11 and 15 who have forced me to have a second childhood. On Sunday night, I was sliding at Winterlude.

What do you think about the state of the photography industry?

Digital impacted the public quite negatively in that many have a lower expectation of end product than they did only a decade ago. Sadly, the bulk of people are so overworked that they can barely make time for a family portrait and settle for a WalMart snap. I am certain that many people will regret their choice of poor quality images to remember the key times of their lives. Everything comes back around and I’ll be here waiting.

Christmas Portrait taken in Couvrette Studio

Thank for the chat, Paul! Check out more of his amazing work on both his portrait and commercial sites, and on his blog.

Daddy blogger Thomas Lynn takes his family on a Winterlude adventure

Winterlude runs until February 21, 2011

Thomas Lynn is a proud father of three young sons, and can be found exploring the region looking for that next ‘special adventure’. Using his blog and twitter feed to share his stories, as well as topics that are affecting his boys, Thomas is currently building his ‘daddy blogger’ reputation.

Thomas' son at Winterlude

Like many parents, my wife and I are always looking for something to entertain the kids during weekends. But with three boys under five years of age, the options can be fairly limiting, if not too expensive.

Luckily, the National Capital Region welcomed Winterlude last weekend: the annual celebration of Canadian winter! We were excited for the opening weekend and took the boys out to enjoy two of the main family activities the annual festival offers.

Our first stop was an evening visit to Confederation Park and the Rideau Canal. It had a fantastic atmosphere that started the second we walked into the park. We entered at the gate on the corner of Laurier and Elgin, and it was like entering a different world.

There were smells of campfire and BeaverTails lofting through the air, music playing, children yelling and looking at the ice sculptures (parents yelling at the children to not touch the ice sculptures) and wonderful displays of talent everywhere we turned.

When we first walked into the park, on the right hand side was a breathtaking carving with Koi fish on it. We continued along the paths, stopping for photos and to ‘ooooh’ and ‘aaaah’ at the precision the sculptors were demonstrating while working with chainsaws to sculpt their designs.

Ice sculpture at Winterlude

The next stop was the canal. This was the first time the boys skated on it this year, and they weren’t entirely sure what to make of it until we arrived. But after seeing all the people, I couldn’t get their skates on fast enough. It was like my five-year-old was possessed. He was swinging his arms and skating like a mad man! Unfortunately our three year old is more of a tippy toe skater and his speed was lacking in his brothers’ eyes – so of course that meant I skated and carried him at the same time.

We all made it down to the first corner, just past the University of Ottawa, but decided to turn back to ensure sufficient time to consume our required dose of BeaverTails. After a great time, a hot chocolate spill and a freak out in response to the hot chocolate spill, it was time to go home.

Our next Winterlude stop was to Snowflake Kingdom at Jacques-Cartier Parc on the Gatineau side. If you have never taken your children, or even gone for a fun date, GO… NOW! This place is beautiful. With downtown Ottawa as the backdrop, the organizing team has put together a setting that is screaming Canadian fun. From giant snow sculptures, to horse drawn sleigh rides, to the giant snow mountain that is home to countless ice slides… there is plenty to keep you and your loved ones laughing and smiling for an entire afternoon or evening.

Thomas' son at Winterlude

The highlight for the boys (and me) had to be the ice slides. The kids were a little nervous but built up the courage (“I’ll get you both a treat later”) and we went off to the little slides first.

“Can we do that daddy?”

“Yes. We. Can.”

So off we went. Even though the line was all the way out the back, it moved very fast. The slides look huge from the bottom, but because of their design, there is nearly no way to get hurt. Five-year-old went screaming down the hill in burst of speed and then my three-year-old and I went tearing after him. It was great.

The overall theme of Winterlude? Fun. The beautiful scenery and fantastic job done by the organizing team has created an atmosphere that is truly amazing.  Take the kids, take some friends, go alone…whatever you do, go. It’s a free event (minimal charge for some things… like BeaverTails) and an amazing family adventure.

Who knows, maybe we will go back there this weekend too!

Taking your family to Winterlude? Tell us about your favourite parts!

Ottawa Citizen: Winterlude needs private funds to continue, NCC chief warns

The Ottawa Citizen’s Kristy Nease has a story today about the future of Winterlude.

She writes:

National Capital Commission CEO Marie Lemay warned Friday morning that the popular Winterlude festival is no longer sustainable — unless private business moves in to take part.

Lemay made the announcement in front of a sold-out crowd of businesspeople at the Sheraton Hotel, hosted by the Chamber of Commerce for its Eggs ‘N Icons breakfast lecture series.

“We know that if we don’t change, really, fundamentally, the way we look at our business, the only thing we’ll end up doing at one point is having to cut an arm,” Lemay said. “That’s the only result at the end of the day if you’re not able to reinvent yourself and make really good use of your funds.”

From now until about 2013, Winterlude will transition to the new approach, becoming a testing ground for how to involve the private sector in future NCC events and plans, Lemay said in an interview following her talk.

Traditionally, the NCC takes on the role of sole producer, but in order for 32 years of Winterlude tradition to move forward, that has to end.” Click here to read the full article …