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Taste of Winterlude’s impressive lineup!

6 Dec

BeaverTails on the Rideau Canal Skateway are not the only culinary delight during Winterlude!

Taste of Winterlude is a series of wine and food events in Ottawa and Canada’s capital region that take place at various venues between January 27 and February 21, 2011. Winterlude — Ottawa’s great winter festival — has slightly shorter dates, starting on Friday, February 4 and continuing through February 21.

The National Capital Commission collaborated with local wine event company Groovy Grapes to program the series of events and what a job they’ve done!

Peruse the list of activities here: http://www.winterlude.gc.ca/taste-of-winterlude/

Just a few highlights:

  • Savour Ottawa Walkabout Winter Feast (a tour of 5 restaurants in the ByWard Market neighbourhood who are members of this local foods movement) on Tuesday, February 8
  • Vegan restaurant ZenKitchen pairing their delicious food with a Niagara winery on Wednesday, February 9
  • C’est Bon Cooking offering their foodie walking tours of the ByWard Market neighbourhood on 4 consecutive Saturdays and offering a “cooking adventure” where you get in the kitchen with Chef Andrée on Friday, February 11
  • Avant-garde restaurant Atelier restaurant turning up the volume to pair their night with the music of Motorhead (!) on Tuesday, February 1
  • Le Cordon Bleu Ottawa featuring ice carving, ice wine and maple syrup (among other things) on Saturday, January 29
  • Le Nordik Nature Spa offering “Winterlude in a Bathrobe” with a cocktail reception on Thursday, January 27
  • Courtyard Restaurant offering a non-traditional Robbie Burns Day whisky dinner on Wednesday, February 16
  • the urban element offering a Niagara-themed wine and food event on Thursday, February 10
  • Le Baccara at the Casino du Lac-Leamy featuring a champagne tasting menu on Tuesday, February 1
  • And way more!

So now that you’re intrigued by the possibilities, here’s more great news. Book a visit to Ottawa and get your Third Night Free! That’s right, at participating hotels, you’ll get your third night of accommodation on the house! The offer is on now till March 31, 2011 — but that’s just for booking (your actual arrival in Ottawa can be during Winterlude, or maybe in May for the Canadian Tulip Festival, or maybe to catch some shows at the Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest or the Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival… the possibilities are endless!).

Full details are at www.ottawatourism.ca

Christmas and New Year’s in Ottawa

30 Nov

So maybe you’re planning a visit to Ottawa over the holiday season… or maybe you live here and are looking for some suggestions of what to see and do. This is a starting guide of what awaits — watch for updates as December progresses!

FREE STUFF

Christmas Lights Across Canada - last year's launch on Parliament Hill

Everybody loves free stuff, especially when there are so many other demands on your wallet! Be sure to wander the downtown Ottawa and Gatineau streets between December 2, 2010 and January 7, 2011 and admire the Christmas Lights Across Canada program — more than 300,000 coloured lights decorate Parliament Hill, the National War Memorial and other scenic sites.

It doesn’t cost anything to window shop — and some of the best can be done in the ByWard Market neighbourhood. For the three weekends before Christmas (Dec. 4-19; 12-4pm), you can also get in the spirit by singing Christmas carols (songsheets are provided) on a free horse-drawn carriage ride through the Market’s streets. Other choirs have been invited to sing during the same times at the corner of George Street and ByWard Market Square — donations are welcome.

Christmas choir in the ByWard Market

You can celebrate the Winter Solstice at the Canada Science and Technology Museum on Tuesday, December 21 with a FREE stargazing party — but dress warmly because the event is only outdoors (7pm).

 

WHAT’S OPEN ON CHRISTMAS DAY?

Most people have Christmas Day off as a holiday, but there are a few things you can do: stroll the grounds of Parliament Hill, enjoy some excitement at the Casino du Lac-Leamy, watch reunions at the Ottawa International Airport, go tobogganing in a local park (weather permitting), or grab a drink or a snack at a local hotel.

A few examples:

Grill 41 in the Lord Elgin Hotel offers a plated Christmas dinner table d’hôte (4 courses) for $49 on both December 24 and 25 — and a plated New Year’s Eve dinner table d’hôte (5 courses) for $69 on December 31.

Lane’s Restaurant in the Holiday Inn & Suites is open on December 25 and on Boxing Day (December 26) as of 11:00am, as well as on December 31 and January 1.

101 Café (in the Crowne Plaza Ottawa offers a five-course meal with holiday entertainment and dancing on December 31 and a January 1 New Year’s Day breakfast buffet.

As I mentioned, this is a first post — watch for more info as we get closer to the holidays! Or post your own suggestions below!

Do you speak Ottawan?

2 Nov

If you’re a visitor to Ottawa, you might not recognize everything that comes out of a local’s mouth. Here’s a guide to some unique-to-Ottawa expressions that you might find useful!

That's "The Château" (centre) and "DND" (right) in the background of this photo of skating on "The Canal." Read the text for a translation!

GEOGRAPHY

Some of the expressions are geographical in nature. You should know, for instance, that “The Hill” refers to Parliament Hill, home of the House of Commons and Senate and the core of Canadian democracy.

“The Market” refers to the ByWard Market – not just a building, or a one- or two-day-a-week farmers’ market, but a whole neighbourhood. Bounded roughly by Susssex Drive, Murray Street, Dalhousie Street and George Street, “the Market” is home to a 363-day-a-year outdoor market; shops and boutiques; 120+ bars, restaurants and other places to eat and drink; and a thriving residential district.

If you listen to a traffic report, you’ll hear mention of “The Queensway” but they’re really referring to the main east-west thoroughfare–Highway 417. “The Split” refers to the segment in the east end where Highway 174 splits off to head to the neighbourhood of  Orléans while the 417 continues through eastern Ontario and the Québec border.

“The Château” (often pronounced more like “shadow”) refers to the Fairmont Château Laurier. “The Canal” can only refer to the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Rideau Canal. And “ LeBreton Flats” is the area just outside the Canadian War Museum that is also hosts the fabulous  Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest each July.

Before 2003, the downtown area across the Ottawa River from downtown Ottawa was the City of “ Hull“. But following an amalgamation of several Québec municipalities, the correct name is now Gatineau, though many still refer to Hull (or at least the “Hull sector” of Gatineau).

Ottawa went through a similar amalgamation of 11 municipalities to create a new, larger City of Ottawa in 2001. You’ll still hear people refer to “Kanata,” “Nepean,” “Vanier,” and “Rockcliffe Park,” among others, that used to be separate municipalities.

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PRESENCE

As the capital, Ottawa hosts most of the federal bureaucracy and with that comes a love of acronyms that knows no bounds. You’ll hear talk of “DFAIT” (pronounced DEE-fate), “DND,” “PWGSC,” “PSAC,” “the GG,” “PMO” and more. (For those who are paying attention, that’s the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, the Department of National Defence, Public Works and Government Services Canada, the Public Service Alliance of Canada, the Governor General, and the Prime Minister’s Office.)

You might hear those acronyms if you’re hobnobbing in an establishment such as Hy’s Steakhouse or among cabinet ministers’ staffers at D’Arcy McGee’s Pub on Sparks Street, or enjoying your $1 oysters at “Hill Hour” (not Happy Hour) at Métropolitain Brasserie.

SPORTS

Welcome to the Sens Mile, aka Elgin Street.

Ahh, the Ottawa Senators, our local National Hockey League franchise! They’re “the Sens“ and they play at “the Bank” (Scotiabank Place) and you can cheer them on at an establishment on Elgin Street, also known as the “Sens Mile.” If you do, you’ll become part of the “Sens Army.” Some still refer to Scotiabank Place as the “Corel Centre” or even the “Palladium“–both former names of the building. Oh, and “Alfie” is Daniel Alfredsson, the beloved team captain.

Among the university and college teams, cheers on the “Ravens” at Carleton University, the “Thunder” at Algonquin College and, um, the “Gee-Gees” at the University of Ottawa. I’m an alumna, so I can tell you what the heck a gee-gee is: it’s the lead horse in a race.

FOOD & DRINK

BeaverTail, anyone? It's not what you might think!

What’s a “chip truck,” you ask? It’s a (usually mobile) truck or cart on the street that serves fast food — usually hot dogs, burgers, fries and “poutine” (French fries, gravy and cheese curds).

Ottawans’ favourite sweet treat is a “BeaverTail” and no, it does not have much to do with the iconic Canadian animal (except that its shape is reminscent of the posterior appendage of the rodent). It’s a hot wholewheat pastry treat topped with a variety of toppings — the most popular of which is cinnamon and sugar.

NEIGHBOURHOODS

Ottawa’s “Chinatown” is found on Somerset Street West between Preston Street and Bay Street and “Little Italy” is along Preston Street. The “French Quarter” is the name given to the former (mostly francophone) municipality of Vanier and “The Village” is the name given to a burgeoning LGBT area of town, along Bank Street (between Nepean and James Streets).

So how ’bout it, Ottawans? Have I missed anything? And for all you visitors out there, are there any terms you’ve heard that haven’t made sense to you? Let us know and we’ll try to help!

One day only? Secret beer from Beau’s All Natural

8 Sep

Beau’s All Natural Brewing Company in nearby Vankleek Hill is known not just for its great brews but also its innovativeness. They’ve now just announced that they’ve brewed a special, extra malty, extra hoppy version of their beer and are selling it tomorrow — Thursday, September 9 — at their brewery and at select bars and restaurants.

Known as ‘sticke’ – German slang for ‘secret’ – it’s supposedly a tradition of  brewers of Alt Beer in Dusseldorf.

Beau’s has brewed an amped-up version of FestivAle – their summer seasonal beer (which recently won a gold medal at le Mondial de la Biere in Strasbourg, France).

Ask for “Festivale Plus” tomorrow at the following locations in Ottawa: Arrow & Loon, Atomic Rooster, Play Food & Wine, Imperial Café, Irene’s, Wellington Gastropub, Whalesbone & Town On Elgin.

Ballygiblins in Carleton Place also has it, as does the Cheshire Cat in Carp.

In Toronto, try it at Bar  Volo, Bryden’s, C’est What, Highway 61 & The Rhino. In Cambridge, visit Golden Kiwi.

Gananoque’s Old English Pub, Guelph’s Woolwich Arrow, Kemptville’s Salamanders & The Branch are also serving it.

In Kingston, visit Queen’s U Grad Club & Kingston Brewing Co; in Perth, visit The Crown & Stone Cellar, and in Vankleek Hill, go to lueberry Hill.

Cheers!

Savour Ottawa Chef/ Media Farm Tours

23 Aug

Last year, Savour Ottawa, an initiative that links local farmers and local chefs, hosted two Chef / Media Farm Tours, where we invited travel and food journalists and Savour Ottawa member chefs to a daytrip in Ottawa’s countryside to visit three different Savour Ottawa farms. We’re doing it again this year!

On Monday, September 13 and Monday, September 27, we’re hosting two different tours. We’ll meet in the ByWard Market for breakfast and quick tour, then head out on the road. We’ll visit three farms, and enjoy a delicious lunch prepared by The Branch Restaurant. We’ll return to the ByWard Market in the mid- to late afternoon.

Limited places are available to travel and culinary journalists (including bloggers). We’re sorry but this tour is NOT available for the general public. If you are interested in participating, please send an e-mail to media@ottawatourism.ca with your name, contact info, outlets and preferred date. Please note that the number of places on the tour is limited so participation is not guaranteed. We will confirm your participation as early as possible.

See what last year’s participants had to say:

Savour Ottawa is overseen by Ottawa Tourism, the City of Ottawa (rural affairs and markets management) and Just Food, an organization that works closely with farmers and on sustainable agricultural practices.

Restaurants, caterers and retailers who join Savour Ottawa have shown a commitment to sourcing local food, which is identified as coming from inside the boundaries of the City of Ottawa, any county that touches the borders of Ottawa or from the Outaoauis region in neighbouring Québec.

A guide to beer in and around Ottawa

11 Aug

The distinctive ceramic swing-top bottles are now used for Beau's seasonal brews.

If you’re visiting Ottawa, and work up a thirst while touring the region, you may want to indulge in a local pint. Here’s a guide:

Sidle on in to a one of Ottawa’s many drinking establishments (we’re really partial to pubs, you know!) and order a Beau’s. That’s short for Beau’s All-Natural Brewing Company, a great family-run brewery that just celebrated its 4th anniversary in July. Their signature brew, Lug Tread Lagered Ale, is deliciously refreshing and has won several awards, including Best Beer in Ontario at the Golden Taps Awards. They’re located in Vankleek Hill, about an hour’s drive east of downtown Ottawa, and at dozens and dozens of great bars and restaurants in Ottawa, eastern Ontario and now even Toronto. They provide the beer at the annual Ottawa International Jazz Festival and many other events. Check out their seasonal beers as well, including Bog Water Dirty Brown Ale, Beaver River, or Night Märzen.

Donna from Heritage showing off her beer!

Heritage Brewing has been around since 2000 and features a Premium Lager and a Traditional Dark Lager. Their seasonal beers are great, too, including the fun Maple Bush Lager, made with maple sap instead of water. It’s only available at the end of spring and sells out every year. Delicious, with a hint of maple flavour. Their brewery is at 866 Campbell Avenue in the west end of Ottawa and they share it with the Scotch Irish Brewing Company. Scotch Irish is known for their ales, including a very hoppy Sgt. Major India Pale Ale.

The newest beer in town was launched in April/May of 2010. It’s named after the original aboriginal moniker for the Ottawa River and the Kichesippi Beer Co. currently brews a pale ale known as Natural Blonde. This beer can be found at several Ottawa locations, including Whalesbone Oyster House, The Manx, ZenKitchen and D’Arcy McGee’s.

The HogsBack Brewing Company launched only a handful of weeks earlier than Kichesippi. Brewed in small batches, and made from all-natural ingredients, HogsBack Vintage Lager can be enjoyed at the Black Tomato and the Fish Market Restaurant in the ByWard Market neighbourhood and the Wellington Gastropub in West Wellington.

You might also enjoy a visit to one of the three Clocktower Brew Pub  locations for some of their original brews—the original is at 575 Bank Street in the Glebe, the second location is on 422 Mackay Street in New Edinburgh and the newest location is at 89 Clarence Street in the ByWard Market neighbourhood.

Cheers!

Great outdoor patios in Ottawa

3 Aug

Ottawans love their patios. Whenever we can sit outside, we do. Here’s a short guide to some of the most unique patios in town, listed by neighbourhood.

BYWARD MARKET

The restaurants and bars of the ByWard Market neighbourhood are experts at maximizing sidewalk dining space. But some of the nicest patios aren’t on the sidewalk at all!

The Tin House Courtyard in fall -- the Black Thorn patio is barely visible on the right.

Visit the courtyards behind the shops on Sussex Drive for cobblestoned bliss! The Clarendon Courtyard (between George and York Streets) is home to no less than 5 restaurants: Social, Black Tomato, the Clarendon, Mamma Grazzi’s Kitchen and the aptly named Courtyard Restaurant (which is due to reopen in September after a small fire in its kitchen area in July 2010). Two blocks north, you’ll find the Tin House Courtyard and its greenspace, fountain and tin façade of a house mounted on a huge stone wall. The Black Thorn Café has a great view of it all, making it one of Ottawa’s most romantic patios.

The Grand Pizzeria & Bar at the corner of William and George Streets is probably the largest patio in town and offers some of the best people-watching opportunities in town (plus it’s near the original BeaverTails pastry stand — that’s handy for dessert!). The Hard Rock Café at 73 York Street is also a huge space, with rockin’ good tunes (check out the upstairs patio, too!). Both are family-friendly.

More intimate options include the hidden gem behind Murray Street (110 Murray Street), with its romantic grape vines, fountains and various representations of pigs! Neighbouring Sweetgrass Aboriginal Bistro (108 Murary Street) has a similar off-the-street space that will delight.

Another great people-watching corner is Clarence Street at Parent Avenue and you can go upscale outside at Empire Grill and watch the action over steak, or enjoy a pint and a pie at the Heart & Crown pub (frankly you’ll be amazed at all the nooks and crannies — inside and out — at the whole Irish Village complex, not to mention the live music every night).

RIDEAU CANAL

Dining at Le Café gives you a great view of the Rideau Canal

It can be romantic to dine overlooking the beautiful Rideau Canal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that winds its way through downtown. One

option is to dine within another impressive national institution, the National Arts Centre, Canada’s premier performing arts venue. Le Café is located at the level of the Rideau Canal, very close to where Paul’s Boat Lines offers Rideau Canal cruises, and you’ll find delicious offerings from across Canada, including an impressive Sunday brunch (reservations recommended).

Farther down the Canal, on Queen Elizabeth Drive at Fifth Avenue, is the Canal Ritz, a casual Italian restaurant that juts out into the waters of the Canal. Very picturesque!

There are also three restaurants — all with patios — overlooking Dows Lake and the floral beds and arboretum that surround it: the casual pub Malone’s Lakeside Grill, the fun Tex-Mex cantina Mexicali Rosa’s and the beautiful Lago Bar / Grill / View, with the most impressive wrap-around patio overlooking the lake.

ELGIN STREET

Don’t miss the beautifully decorated patio at D’Arcy McGee’s Irish Pub on the Sparks Street Mall at Elgin Street. There’s always a good time brewing at this lively pub!n Farther down Elgin Street, at #283, you’ll find the Fox & the Feather, another great pub with a second-floor patio overlooking the action on the street.

OTHER NEIGHBOURHOODS

In Chinatown (Somerset Street West), it can be rare to find an outdoor patio, but ZenKitchen doesn’t disappoint, either with its comfy front porch or its tasty morsels. This gourmet vegan restaurant sports a varied clientele that more often than not includes serious carnivores who are drawn by the kitchen’s dedication to presenting flavourful food!

Great Tex Mex can be found at various Lone Star Texas Grill restaurants around town, many of which have patios. They’re a great option for celebrations, teams and other large groups with large appetites!

You can explore Ottawa’s fascination with pubs in Little Italy (Preston Street), too. Pub Italia has a great patio space overlooking the street and features Italian comfort food with an extensive beer list (both draught and bottles).

New Edinburgh (the neighbourhood of Rideau Hall, home and workplace of Canada’s Governor General) has some gems including the tiny Zazaza pizza place with same-size patio (143 Putman at Beechwood, no website),  the delicious Fraser Café (technically no patio but the windows open wide — it’s just too good to leave off the list!), and the casual rooftop pub at the New Edinburgh Pub.

Lesser-known events happening soon

22 Jul

Like my previous post on the weird collection of photos that end up on my BlackBerry, sometimes I hear about so many cool events, it’s hard to keep track. Here are a few, all coming up in the next couple weeks, to look out for here in Ottawa.

Orchestras in the Park: Free concerts by the National Arts Centre Orchestra on LeBreton Flats (outside the Canadian War Museum). Four nights of performances, July 22-25, including Canada’s own Nikki Yanofsky on Saturday.

Ottawa Turkish Festival: A free event this weekend (July 23-25) in Confederation Park downtown. All things Turkish, including music, dancing and delicious food!

Some concerts at the Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival are in beautiful downtown churches -- like Dominion Chalmers United Church, shown here -- but on July 24 and 25, you can hear free concerts outdoors at Rideau Hall, the home and workplace of Canada's Governor General!

Free concerts at Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival: Okay, so people have heard about the Chamber Music Festival, July 24-August 7 (it’s the world’s largest, after all!). But did you know that they offer 4 free concerts at Rideau Hall on July 24 and 25? Bring a picnic and enjoy!

Midsummer Herbfest: A nice drive west through the countryside on Sunday, July 25 will bring you to the Herb Garden just outside Almonte. Spend a day learning about herbs, enjoying a chef cook-off and meeting some cool people!

Odyssey Theatre: Like my post on a Company of Fools, Odyssey Theatre performs outdoors in the beautiful Strathcona Park in the Sandy Hill neighbourhood just east of downtown. From July 29 to August 29, after a hiatus of a couple years, they’ll be back in action with the world premier of Janet Irwin’s They All Do It, inspired by Mozart’s opera, Così fan tutte. Great fun!

Wellington West 1st Thursday Art Walk: On the first Thursday of every month, the art galleries of Wellington West, a dynamic, funky neighbourhood in the near west of Ottawa, open their doors from 5 to 9pm. Wander in and see what’s happening! If you like that, you’ll love the guided art gallery walking tour offered every Saturday from May 1 through October 31 in the ByWard Market neighbourhood. It starts at the great Gordon Harrison Gallery on Murray Street.

Pipefest 2010: A collection of pipe bands, drummers and Highland Dancers will raise money for the Canadian Cancer Society on Parliament Hil on Saturday, August 7. This is part of a 24-hour, worldwide initiative. And if you like Pipefest, you’ll love the Glengarry Highland Games in Maxville, east of Ottawa, on July 30 and 31. Tons of Scottish fun!

Capital Hoedown: This is a brand new country music festival, to be held August 5, 6 and 7 at the Rideau Carleton Entertainment Centre. Headliners include Vince Gill, Dwight Yoakam and Alan Jackson. Yahoo!

So get out there and enjoy!

Ottawa in the news! What are they saying about us?

13 Jul

Recent media coverage of Ottawa has done a good job of showing off Ottawa’s attributes.

A July 11 travel article in the Washington Post described Ottawa as “Canada’s cool capital.” Journalist Michael Kaminer spent some time in Ottawa in April and was impressed! A quote: “In fact, if anything now characterizes the city, I’d say it’s an unselfconscious cool. There’s a proudly indie aesthetic in its neighborhoods… “

Or this: “And there’s a buzzing food scene that turned out to be the weekend’s big reveal. Larger cities get the glory, but Ottawa’s kitchens might be some of North America’s best-kept secrets. Locavore-fueled creativity here arguably rivals that of San Francisco or Chicago, albeit with less ego, zero attitude and gentler prices.”

Ottawa’s culinary scene also received great coverage at LuxuryWeb.com, where writer Barbara Angelakis waxed poetic about our offerings: “There are in fact so many high-quality dinning establishments located throughout Ottawa’s downtown and neighborhoods that, like her more famous foodie sister cities of Quebec and Montreal, she should also be considered “destination gastronomic” when planning a toothsome getaway.”

And overall look at the city formed the basis of another post, as did a visit to Holtz Spa.

And if you’ve been watching OMNI TV, you may have seen one of Lucy Zilio’s fun “Tuned In” spots. My favourite is the Yoga on Parliament Hill piece that shows a colourful group enjoying free yoga classes each Wednesday in front of Canada’s seat of government, thanks to Lululemon Athletica.

The piece on the Haunted Walks of Ottawa is pretty darn good, too! You can also watch a piece on the Rideau Canal, the ByWard Market neighbourhood and La Terrasse at the Fairmont Château Laurier.

Enjoy!

Music abounds this summer

7 Jul

Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest -- one of the side stages between the Canadian War Museum and the Ottawa River, with Parliament Hill in the distance.

Last night, the incredibly popular Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest began its 13-day run (it ends on July 18). What a show — from Iron Maiden last night to Arcade Fire, Santana, Rush, Weezer, Keith Urban, the B-52s, Gipsy Kings, Moody Blues, Crowded House, Joan Jett and more, there’s a lot more to the fest than just the blues!

New this year is a comedy component, featuring Lewis Black, Mark Forward and many others.

As well, the popular Bluesfest in the ByWard Market is back this year with FREE concerts in Ottawa’s most eclectic neighbourhood. In conjunction with the National Gallery of Canada‘s blockbuster summer exhibit, Pop Life: Art in a Material World, you’ll be able to catch performers between July 8 and 13 on York Street on the Pop Life stage.

But Bluesfest is not the only game in town.

Lovers of classical music can indulge in the brand new Music and Beyond festival by noted impresario Julian Armour. Music and Beyond runs July 5-14 and in its first year, it has an impressive lineup: soprano Kathleen Battle; pianists Peter Serkin, Menahem Pressler and Janina Fialkowska; the Emerson String Quartet; the Hilliard Ensemble, Daniel Taylor and the Theatre of Early Music; the Canadian Brass; Les Violons du Roy; and literally hundreds of the best musicians from across Canada and around the world.

So there’s absolutely no excuse not to get out and enjoy the music this summer in Ottawa!

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