IKEA’s Big New Ottawa Store Opens for Business TODAY!

 The highly anticipated launch of Canada’s largest IKEA store is set for today. Growing from the company’s smallest store to its largest, IKEA Ottawa will double its product offering to fill the newly-expanded 398,000 square-foot store. The new store will also offer customers double the number of parking spots, triple

Big Soul Project Delivers Huge Holiday Fun

 “We’re here to sing about peace, love and hope.” As the dozens of robe-adorned choir members of the Big Soul Project shuffled out from the sacristy of the Fourth Street Baptist Church last night – colourful cloth draped around their necks and ear-to-ear smiles spreading while they waved to family

How a Trip to California Opened My Eyes – Part 1

 Just recently I returned from California, the Mecca of wine in North America and I am still pining over the amount of wine I left behind that I would have loved to bring home.  As you may or may not know you are not restricted from buying wine abroad, I

In Search of Style

 Fashion Upgrade: Fashion Editor Alexandra Gunn answers your style questions and shares the top trends you need to try right now! Question: I never know what to wear on a date. Help! Answer: Date night can be stressful for many reasons but the underlying issue is that you want to

DIY: Christmas in a Jar

 December is finally here and with it the Holiday festivities are about to begin! It's time to dig out your holiday decorations, festive lights and other yule-tide goodies. One of my favourite Christmas decorations are Christmas Villages. These are fun and adorable but it takes years to collect a perfect

Wingin’ It is the 2011 Shaw Rocket Prize Winner!

 Toronto-based Temple Street Productions was awarded the $50,000 Shaw Rocket Prize for Wingin’ It, as voted by Canadian children in every province. A staple for Family Channel viewers, the show also airs on Disney XD Canada and is distributed internationally by BBC Worldwide. Wingin' It was chosen as the winner of

An Evening of Couture

 Over the past 15 years, McCaffrey Haute Couture has been making a name for itself at home and abroad in large part thanks to its innovative bridal designs. Each dress is precisely crafted and made in Canada using the finest silks, laces and accents. The company is very excited to

Canada’s A-Grade Teachers

 There aren’t many professions where workers pay for their own office supplies. But for Canadian teachers, it has become a trend. A 2010 online survey by the Canadian Teachers’ Federation showed each teacher spent $453 on average that year on classroom materials or class-related activities. It’s a sign the education

Ottawa Senators Monthly Report: November

 After capping off the month of October with a six-game winning streak, placing them in a tie for sixth place in the NHL, the Ottawa Senators cooled off in November, dropping five straight games before slogging through an arduous six-game road trip. The Sens would emerge in the bottom half

Canada: Apartheid Nation in Review

 Faced with extreme poverty and a harsh climate, the remote, decaying and polluted northern Ontario aboriginal community of Attawapiskat has become a national cause célèbre, one month after the Ottawa premiere of a 26-minute documentary entitled Canada: Apartheid Nation, which depicts the plight of the inhabitants of this depressed community on the desolate western shore

Monterey, California – Part 2

 Hopefully you have all read part one of my tour through the Carmel Valley in California.  This second part took place after lunch at a place called Will's Fargo in Carmel Valley Village - we visited another four tasting rooms but this time we had to do a little driving,

Family Welcome Centre Helps Newcomers Adjust to Ottawa’s Educational System

 The Ottawa Catholic School Board Family Welcome Centre (FWC) for Newcomers first opened its doors as a pilot project in February 2006. “That year, we welcomed 29 newcomer students,” recalls Nicki Dunlop, an educational consultant with the FWC. “Since then, we have supported and registered just over 1,300 newcomer students.

Three Extraordinary African Women to Share the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize

 Norway is known for many things but its most visible trait is being the country that awards what has been called “the world’s most prestigious prize”. The Nobel Peace Prize is an international award given annually by the Norwegian Nobel Committee according to guidelines laid down in Alfred Nobel’s will.

Family Vacation Delight: A Week at RIU Paradise Island, Bahamas

 Every year, just after Winterlude, I start to get irritable — like every Ottawan! I am pretty well fed up with winter and want to go south. We have three teenage children so travel destinations south becomes key. For a stress free vacation the best bet is always an all

Cyber Monday Shopping

 Did you skip the lines on Black Friday? Many stores in the Ottawa region took part in Black Friday sales in hopes of swaying shoppers to shop locally instead of crossing the border. Many Canadian retailers offered one-day-only deals similar to the deals found state side. For many, the annual

Giving while You’re Getting – or Vice-Versa

 Ottawa Valley-area high-school sweethearts Sydney and Matt Miller are newlyweds and entrepreneurs looking to make a difference. In December, the young couple is launching GettingGives.com – an online fundraising platform that uses the power of group buying to raise money for charities and causes. For every deal bought, a portion

Arctic Series: Business Goes North

 The North is open for business and it’s helping the South to get there. From airports to seaports, improved transportation infrastructure is easing the way for businesses to cash in on Canada’s North. That’s the message of the Labrador North Chamber of Commerce and the Baffin Chamber of Commerce, two

Urban VS Suburban Life in Ottawa

 Before children, I lived in Vanier and loved it. Despite my former neighbourhood being reputed as a rougher one in Ottawa, I enjoyed being close to the center of town without the expense of living in one of the more coveted neighbourhoods. But, as many couples do, once I was

Book Review: Winter ~ Five Windows on the Season

 Winter: Five Windows on the Season, by Adam Gopnik • Anansi Press, 2011, 256 pgs. Some of the finest days occur in the month of October. Warm, golden days are typically followed by cool nights. Green landscapes are transformed into beautiful combinations of red, orange and yellow. But the beauty of

Grey Cup Preview: BC vs. Winnipeg

 The hierarchy of the Canadian Football League, dominated in recent years by the Montreal Alouettes and the Saskatchewan Roughriders, underwent a significant transformation in 2011. After two consecutive Grey Cup showdowns, neither the Als nor the Riders stood as one of the CFL’s final four teams, with Montreal falling in

The Power of a Pillow

 When it comes to decor, the effect of a pillow or pillows is greatly underestimated. Most often, they are an afterthought. However, if you think about it, pillows are one element that can dramatically alter the overall mood in a room, not to mention increase the quality quotient. The pillow

Thirst Impressions: To Give and/or Receive

 It's holiday season and I've sipped and slurped on quite a few more (than usual) drinks to give you the low down on good holiday packs, gift ideas and other goodies that help make the holidays joyful. I can definitely tell you that there's not a lot of innovation or

Around Town: Absinth Cafe

 Named after the anise-flavoured drink that was made popular by French artist and writers in the late 1800s, Absinthe Café has a well-deserved reputation for its die-hard loyalty to local farmers from Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec, since opening its doors in 2003. It’s one of the first few restaurants

Note from the Publisher: Leaderless

 I consider myself to be a law and order guy. I have always been a proponent and big supporter of the police. My dad was in policing for 38 years. He trained military police and was on duty in Canada and in Europe and dealt professionally for his entire career

Flaunting it all for a Friend

 Underwear models, pole dancers and eyebrow threading; Flaunt is not your average charity event. Flaunt is the brainchild of Stacey Bafi-Yeboa, local fashion designer of the brand Kania. Bafi-Yeboa was inspired to throw a fashion fête, now in its third year, in support of Ovarian Cancer Canada after a friend