Winterlude: the key to enjoying winter in Ottawa

 By Katie Burley (Photo courtesy of Canadian Heritage) From Jan. 30 to Feb. 16 Ottawa's winter comes to life as people gather from all over to enjoy Winterlude in the nation’s capital. On the weekend of Feb. 7 and 8, many gathered in the frigid cold to enjoy ice-skating, beavertails

Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame profile: Toller Cranston

 Toller Cranston: Athlete, Figure skating Toller Cranston lived up to the expectation of his first name—a German word meaning “beyond great.” Cranston can be credited for revolutionizing men’s figure skating by bringing a form of artistry to the sport. It was his creative free-skating style that helped push figure skating

The Strumbellas on music, tour life and making it big

 Photo credit: Heather Pollock “I know I’m supposed to say my favourite part of being on tour is meeting the fans,” says the Strumbellas frontman Simon Ward. “But really it’s trying all the different food from everywhere we travel.” If I wasn’t a fan of the Strumbellas before, you can bet

Spread Some Good this New Year With FlipGive

 Just because it's January doesn't mean the giving season has to end. Why not give two gifts, with one card? FlipGive is a Canadian company founded in 2008 connecting shoppers and local fundraisers with major online retailers. The website raises money for community-based causes through gift card purchases. For each sale

Catching Up With Singer-Songwriter Amir Brandon

 Photo courtesy of Alyssa Balistreri Since winning the 2014 Singer-Songwriter Mentor Experience, a contest for unsigned Canadian singer-songwriters, what have you been doing? Amir: Writing, performing, making YouTube covers, and writing some more. A lot more! Since last summer, I've been working on a new album with a fellow musician

Talking About a Murder

 Why is the podcast “Serial” so popular? The place of podcasts in the wider culture is still uncertain. I have a few friends who embrace the medium. They might listen to Radiolab or The Partially Examined Life or to CBC podcasts. They think of podcasts as part of a freely

The Sound of Strings: Stellae Boreales

 The Ottawa Suzuki Strings Music School has a vision to “create a music school that is internationally recognized for the quality of its pedagogy and the achievements of its students and faculty, resulting from a culture of innovation in training and development.” The Stella Boreales Violin Ensemble is a perfect testament to

How to Make the Holidays Truly Magical for Kids

 We’ve all felt the pressure to attend every holiday movie, try every sweet goodie, and pile up all of our presents under the tree. Yet many parents find that it’s not the gifts their kids remember. Children most enjoy the traditions, the time spent together and the moments of connection

A Song to Play, A Story to Tell

 Music has always been a part of Steve Bell’s life. His mother was a singer, songwriter and piano player and his father also fostered the family’s passion and love for music. “I have almost no memories of not being involved in music,” Bell says. “It’s always been a part of the

Dr. GM Geldert: A Pioneer of Radio Broadcasting

 Laudreville Daytime C.K.C.O. Studio, Somerset Street Ottawa native Shirley Shorter recalls a time when Canadian radio broadcasting was no more complex than a local talent performance airing live from the dining room of her Somerset Street West home. A recent interview with Mrs. Shorter, now 94-years-old, captures a period in

Music Meets Medicine: Allison’s Brain

 Robert McMechan and his wife Allison Woyiwada recently released Allison’s Brain, a book they wrote together. It is the story of Allison’s medical journey, from diagnosis to recovery. Woyiwada was diagnosed with a large brain aneurysm in 2011. In a surgery that followed, the aneurysm was clipped. After the procedure,

Support Lung Cancer Canada with an Evening of Hope

 My friend and colleague, Philip Clarke, a seemingly healthy and vibrant individual, was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer on November 12, 2012. Fourteen months later, on February 7, 2014, at the age of 48, Philip lost his battle.  The diagnosis was a shock to Philip, and to his family, friends and colleagues. But the shock soon turned

Levi Hart: Ottawa’s Country Star

 The Canadian country music scene is a hub for undiscovered talent. Case in point brings us to this week’s musical feature, Levi Hart. Native to Ottawa, Hart is a gem that has yet to be fully appreciated. Which is strange considering he has opened the stage for Kid Rock and

You Belong Here: Carlingwood YMCA

 Now that fall is officially here, the days of frisbee in a wide-open field or stepping up to the plate for a game of baseball are gone. With the brisk air setting in, families can look to the newest YMCA at Carlingwood Mall for indoor family fun. The YMCA offers

Must Visit: West End Well

 What do you get when you combine a co-operatively run grocery, café, meeting space and some of the friendliest personalities in Ottawa? The answer is West End Well Co-op in Hintonburg. The Well is a centre for the community to come together and share food and drink, connect with the

Let Opera Lyra’s Tosca Take you Away

 Photo courtesy of Marc Fowler. There is nothing quite grander than hearing beautiful voices singing about love, betrayal and politics. There is one chance left to catch Opera Lyra’s production of Puccini’s Tosca and you shouldn’t miss it:  Saturday night.  The singing, set, costumes and music will instantaneously transport you

Back In The Classroom At Wanderlust

 The mission of Wanderlust is to nourish and revitalize the mind, body and soul. By now we know the array of yoga classes and hiking excursions available will work the body and the top-notch musical performances will invigorate the soul, but what about the mind? Don’t worry; Wanderlust has it

Festival of India

 Over 4,000 attendees took in the sounds, smells and tastes of India at the third annual festival this weekend. The festival took place in front of City Hall and the grounds were complete with a stage, vendors, food tents, a cooling tent, picnic tables and an area where various workshops

Wanderlust: What’s new at this year’s edition of the festival?

 Photo courtesy of Maria Gotay. So now that you know all about the Wanderlust Festival at Mont-Tremblant this August, I bet you are just dying to find out why this year’s event is going to be better than any other! We know about—and are still awe-struck over—the breathtaking views and the

Pilar’s Picks: Glenn Morrison

 Multitalented, and that is putting it lightly! I am talking about the superstar Glenn Morrison. He is a Toronto native DJ, producer and performer. Morrison has worked with world-class acts, such as Tiesto and Deadmau5. I’m almost positive you all are familiar with his smash single played overtime on all

Babes4Breasts and the OICC

 You have cancer. Breast cancer. Those are words that can instantaneously send bad chills up and down your spine and take your breath away in the worst way. A cancer diagnosis can leave a person feeling helpless and all alone, and, understandably, wanting care to start right away. The problem

Ottawa Lebanese Festival—A Scene of Cuisine

 The grounds of St. Elias Cathedral are busy this time of year—full of Lebanese festivalgoers eager to eat, enjoy music and have fun celebrating Middle Eastern culture. I went to the festival on an empty stomach so my first stop was the Tannis food tent. The tent had multiple line-ups

Pilar’s Picks: Julie Crochetière

 Canada definitely has talent. I’d love to introduce you to singer-songwriter Julie Crochetière, born and raised in Montreal. Her music tugs deep into your heart and each track has you feeling passionate emotions. Crochetière recently released her fourth solo album Counting Dreams, and you need to give it a listen to! I’m

Making Music Magic: James Leclaire

 Today marks the opening day of RBC Royal Bank Bluesfest! OLM is ready to groove—and so is James Leclaire! Leclaire and The Cable 22’s hit the Barney Danson Theatre tonight at 6 p.m. to bring you some of Ottawa’s best musical talent. Compared to the likes of Steve Earle, Leclaire

Samantha Testa: Sing Your Soul Out

 Samantha Testa, 21, is a bona fide pop rocker. Writing music, playing guitar and piano and singing her soul out is just another day in the life for this young Ottawa talent. From singing for the American and Canadian Women’s Olympic Hockey teams to co-writing with Suzie McNeil from Rock