Five small Ottawa-area towns to visit this summer

 By Hilary Thomson The COVID-19 pandemic has put a damper on many people’s travel plans this summer. Road trips have been postponed, flights have been cancelled and hotel reservations have been refunded. Despite the fact that many Ottawans are itching to leave the house after several months of isolation, many may

4 Best road trips from Ottawa

 By Martha Fischer From canals to historic buildings, Ottawa is jam packed full of attractions. Nevertheless, it is always nice to leave the city behind for a day or two. Luckily, Canada’s capital is in a close proximity to some of the country’s most epic destinations. Whether you are interested

The Organized Chaos of Ronley Teper

 Being creatively multifaceted can help you conquer just about every medium, and it certainly makes for some interesting art. For Ronley Teper, managing her different disciplines has meant producing many ends of her art from the music to the videos to the live shows as well. On top of this,

Crazy for the Fools

 Ottawa Life’s Festival City Series is back! We'll provide a unique look at some of your favourite events. We’ll go beyond the music with artist interviews, volunteer profiles, concert reviews and spotlights on the tastes, sights and sounds of the festival season.  Your city! Your festivals and events! Like a good sunscreen,

Kaia Kater: An old soul adds a contemporary twist to traditional banjo blues

 “These clothes you gave me don't fit right The belt is loose and the noose is tight I'm drunk out looking for a fight I'm soft and heavy as the night” Photos courtesy of Tamara Kater How do you define diversity? Canada, as a country, likes to brand itself as

Cancer Survivor Finds Strength Through Yoga

 Photos by Melanie Shields Photography and Joel Bedford Most of us are aware that the ancient East Indian practice of Yoga has spread like wildfire internationally over the past ten years. Yes, most of us are aware that it physically, mentally and spiritually benefits us. But for Alan Viau, a

Passion, Ghosts and the Roots of Royal Wood

 Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he. -Proverbs 29:18 “To be honest, I can't remember a time where music wasn't my driving passion. Nor can I recall a moment in years gone by, where music didn't surround me at every turn,” said

Fiery Folk: Union Duke Lights Up the Blacksheep Inn

 Matt Warry-Smith, a member of the Toronto band, Union Duke, has a tattoo on his leg of the words “Keep Music Evil” that’s visible below the cut off point of his Bermuda shorts. The audacity of the phrase, coined by Anton Newcombe, epitomizes the band’s fresh and furious take on

One Year (A)LIVE on Elgin!

 ABOVE: Father son team of Jon and Lawrence Evenchick celebrate year one at LIVE! on Elgin. (Photos by Andre Gagne) He’s been a booking agent, a promoter, a manger and a band member. For a guy who’s been involved with the local music scene for nearly 10 years, it only

Bucket List: Go Bungee Jumping!

 Believe it or not, one of my bucket list dreams was to throw myself off of a 200-foot-high bridge. Seriously… I’ve always thought about bungee jumping, but it was really on a whim last summer that I actually booked my spot. On Sunday, August 26th (2012), my boyfriend Jeff and

Fall Back on an Old Favourite or Find a New One…

 As we head into fall, we swap those light and fruity whites for the heavier, warming appeal of reds. I like to give you the latest releases available, but it’s always good to step back a few weeks to see if certain faves are still kicking around the LCBO. We’re