NYE Recipe: Portobello Mushroom Mini Pizzas

 If you are staying at home this New Year's Eve, or hosting a cocktail party, hor d'ourves are always a great and fun way to ring in the the new year. Many store-bought hor d'ourves, however, are full of preservatives and sodium, so why not skip all the fillers and make some

Keshia Chante at Bayshore

 It was a pleasant surprise for Ottawa to see Keshia Chanté perform in Bayshore’s E-Style lounge as a part of the Candlelighters event, a non-profit organization that provides support to young cancer patients and their families. From the performance, it is clear that Chanté has been in the spotlight for a long

DVD Review: Rise of the Planet of the Apes

 I confess to having had no desire to see Rise of the Planet of the Apes until I started hearing good reports about this latest instalment in the long-running franchise, which originated way back in 1968. As a result, I decided to bite the bullet and I rented the DVD

Bayshore E-style

 It’s no secret that holiday shopping is a crazy and hectic venture. It has become a combat sport as people squeeze through racks and shelves trying to find the perfect gift at an affordable price. Even though there are many of us who love the adventure of shopping, there is

Massimo Capra’s Confession

 “Is this my confessional?” said the chuckling Massimo Capra, as he and his assistant joined me in the booth of the monastery inspired Pub Italia. This wasn’t an inquisition nor did Capra confess his sins to me, but he did confide his love for Chicken McNuggets! “Now that’s molecular cuisine

NBA Preseason Power Rankings: Part Two

 The condensed 2011-12 NBA season is set to begin on Christmas Day. On Wednesday, we previewed the teams slated to finish out of the postseason this year. All teams are separated into tiers, based on their projected performance in 2011-12. Once again, the rankings shouldn’t be taken as an indicator

Handmade Holiday Gifts for Beginners: Part III

 Basic Cross-Stitch: Make a Fridge Magnet First rule of cross-stitch: it looks much more difficult that it is.  Cross-stitch is done on Aida cloth which has a grid (much like graph paper).  Each stitch is made up of two smaller stitches that form an “X”: the first stitch travels diagonally

Holiday Handmade Gifts for Beginners: Part II

 Basic Sewing with Felt – Make a Tree Ornament Many of us have basic sewing skills learned long ago, or perhaps no sewing skills to speak of.  But don’t let your poor memory or lack of practice stop you from learning!  Here is a basic sewing project using inexpensive felt

NBA Preseason Power Rankings: Part One

 On October 12th, I lambasted the owners and players of the National Basketball Association for their inability to strike a compromise on a labour deal that would put an end to the prolonged NBA lockout. After making sporadic progress over the next six weeks, the two sides finally managed to

Holiday Handmade Gifts for Beginners: Part I

 Venturing into the world of handmade gifts can be daunting to those of us who don’t think of ourselves as especially “crafty”.  But all you really need are some very basic materials and skills to get you started.  In the next 3 days, and just in time for the holidays,

Recipe: Holiday Pumpkin Gingerbread

 When we think of holiday baking several things come to mind: gingerbread houses, gingerbread men, log cakes and the list goes on. But why not make and bake something a different this holiday season and give your family and friends a taste of something out of the ordinary? This recipe

Wind in the Willows is a Breath of Fresh Air

 Take a classic English children’s tale, add some whimsical puppetry and spice it up with gentle humor and you have the latest offering at Ottawa’s Arts Court theatre. The Wind in the Willows by the Rag and Bone Puppet Theatre is a treat for younger children and adults alike. Featuring

Skiing the Unbelievably Beautiful Italian Dolomite Mountains

 Our stomachs did somersaults as the van wound its way up and down, through the many passes on the drive from Venice to San Cassiano, the starting point for a ski touring excursion with Dolomite Mountain s.r.l. Located in the northeastern Italian Alps, the Dolomites stand out for their dramatic

Green Cleaning

 With the holiday season in full swing, many homeowners are busy cleaning their homes in preparation for company. Unfortunately, many household cleaning products are laden with harmful chemicals, including harsh cleansing agents and artificial dyes and fragrances. These chemicals produce indoor air pollution, which is dangerous to both human health

If the Sidewalk is a Runway, then Life is a Parade

 Luxury at your fingertips. Kind of an oxymoron isn't it? Jan Gandhi and Nancy Sahota founders of online designer,  fashion retailer, The Peacock Parade said luxury is just what Canadian women want; affordable luxury that is. The Peacock Parade is like an online sample sale, which features products by all

Recipe: Holiday Peppermint Chocolate Cookies

 Everyone loves holiday sweets, how can you not - it's one of the few times of the year that we can indulge in sweets and treats without feeling guilty about our diets, waistlines etc. The holidays are also a great time bake some goodies for friends and family or share some

Honoring Shannen’s Dream

 Long before the Federal Government’s planned delivery of mobile homes and food to the remote Northern community of Attawapiskat, there was Lady Evelyn Alternative School. While Attawapiskat has recently become a household name across Canada after it declared a state of emergency, the native community has been on the radar

A Highrise of Events

 Construction in Hull is getting serious and so is the Association des Résidents de l’Île de Hull, highlighted by the lineup of events for their Mercredis de l'ARIH. “This season we wanted to cover more angles than the musical sphere,” said the President of the ARIH Paul Duval. “We wanted

Marni Set to Collaborate with Mass Retailer H&M

 Move over Versace!  There’s a new designer set to appear in stores of the mass retailer H&M in the New Year. The high fashion label Marni is set to release its Spring 2012 collaboration on March 8th and it is without a doubt that there will be a similar reaction

Bette’s Etiquette Beat

 Welcome! Bienvenue! Make yourself at home, take your shoes off and have a seat.  Can I get you anything to drink?  Few things are more welcoming than being greeted warmly and sincerely by another.  Emily Post famously said “Nothing is less important than which fork you use. Etiquette is the

Chicago Style

 Having been inspired after an annual girlfriends weekend get-a-way to Chicago this past weekend, I wanted to highlight some of my favorite spots for all things design, especially as they pertain to Chicago. Leonardo Da Vinci said "Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication".  To me, this quote perfectly summarizes my experience

How a Trip to California Opened My Eyes – Part 2

 California, for those who have not been, is a different beast when it comes to wine culture, much more different than my beloved Ontario. First, Californians are fiercely proud of what they make and it shows everywhere you go.  Second, California wines appear prominently on wine lists: in restaurants you

I’m Dreaming of a Green Christmas…

 Many people dream of a white Christmas – but what about a “green” Christmas? While the holidays are notorious for being an environmentalist’s worst nightmare (think tonnes of extra waste, overconsumption, and chopped down trees, just to name a few)! This holiday season Ottawa Life magazine offers ten suggestions to

PC Black Label Recipe: Soy and Ginger Marinated Salmon

 A few weeks ago Ottawa Life shared a delicious Yellow Tomato & Fresh Herb Farfalle recipe with ingredients from President's Choice new Black Label epicurean line (see here for recipe). Today we have prepared another exquisite recipe from the same product line. This time, however the recipe entails a whole

Local painter, Zach Flaman, talks about inspiration, style and art in Ottawa

 Ottawa, despite some rumours about its less-than-vibrant cultural scene, has a healthy art & entertainment community, offering world-class music, theatre, dance and visual art. More specifically in terms of visual art, Ottawa is home to the National Gallery of Canada, the Ottawa Art Gallery, the Ottawa Art Association, Art in