Tara Shannon to light up the stage with new album “Where the Light Comes In”

 Tara Shannon is back! She has a brand new album called Where the Light Comes In, featuring tracks written by Shannon and collaborators Tony Zavitson, Kim McLean, and Lori McKenna. It also features a never-before-released song by Jeff Silbar and Carole King, the most successful female songwriter of the late

Shanaplan in Toronto heading for the dumpster

 You really, truly don’t have it all that bad Ottawa. Check out the guys down the highway. No, not Montreal. Head in the other direction. For all the mea culpa’s running through the nation’s capital the last three years, at the very least there’s some semblance of direction. It might

Ottawa company La Siembra celebrates 20 years of fair trade chocolate

 In 1999, three people bought a small mixing machine and set it up in the basement of an Ottawa church where they manually canned tins of hot chocolate and cocoa powders with the help of various volunteers.  Today, they are known as La Siembra Co-operative, a worker-owned co-operative, and as

What You Can Do To Improve Your Personal Safety

 Well, here’s some grim news for you: the crime rate is on the rise in Ottawa. According to statistics, it is estimated that crimes have increased by around 3 percent in the area. So, what does this mean for you and your family?  To start with, you need to be more

BEST OF OTTAWA 2019: Casual Dining

 After over 20-years writing about life in Ottawa, we think we have a pretty good idea of the best of what this city has to offer. In this weekly series, we’ll share our picks with you -  our top hotels, live music venues, local brews, bands and more. Check, share and discuss

Explore the Best of Ottawa’s Outdoors this Summer

 Explore the best of Ottawa this summer by cycling through the Gatineau Hills to hiking up the Eardley Escarpment. Ottawa is not only a government city but, one full of nature and hidden gems. Celebrate the best of Ottawa, this summer, through exploring the city by bike, to hiking through

Seasons of Catherine Schissel

 All photos courtesy of Catherine Schissel Catherine Schissel has been painting for as long as she can remember. Raised in Kimberley, BC, her father, a game warden, passed on his love for the outdoors to his children. Schissel’s early adulthood was spent raising her four children while farming in southern

Reawakening the past with Parks Canada

 Photos by Anne Dion Perhaps the problem with summer in Ottawa is the abundance of opportunities we have to choose from, but never take the time to indulge in. Parks Canada believes they have the answer, with activities that get you out and about while helping people of all ages

Collab Space: How Community Builds Success

 Photos by Andre Gagne Emile Salem and Blair Kilrea had a dream. The two serial entrepreneurs saw a place where artists, musicians and small business owners would come together, support one another and exchange ideas with a unified goal in mind: together they could overcome any business challenge that may

Rebuilt Redblacks Pass Defense Remains A Work In Progress

 Photo credit: Steve Kingsman/Freestyle Photography/CFL The CFL has the reputation of being a passing offenses’ league. Succeed in that area and your team has a good chance of being successful overall. More accurately however, it is a passing defenses’ league, at least this season. Success thus far in 2018 has

You Know it’s Summer in Ottawa When…

 Feature photo credit: Anna Jonas A heat wave is about to hit the National Capital Region this weekend cementing that summer is officially here! Besides the heat, here are a few other classic, tell-tale signs that the hot season has graced the city. You just know it’s summer in Ottawa

Top 5 Places to Hike in Ottawa-Gatineau This Summer

 Photos by Jake Robillard Summer may be half over, but there is still plenty of time to make amazing memories. Granted, the weather hasn’t been the best this year, but that is no excuse for staying indoors when there is so much natural beauty in every corner of the city.

Is Ottawa Safe? Gun Violence in Ottawa

 A survey conducted by H+Q Strategies in February found that two thirds of Canadians cite gun control as something that distinguishes Canada from the US. This was seconded only by publicly funded healthcare. In light of the recent gun control debates in the United States, Ottawa Life has decided to

A Night Out in the Capital: What to Expect

 Ottawa is a thriving hub of entertainment. This sprawling city features a rich cultural heritage. There are 7 national museums scattered throughout Ottawa, recounting the fascinating history of the country. Tourists from far and wide flock to Ottawa to enjoy the glittering ensemble of majestic attractions, artistic appeal, and adventure-laden

Still enjoying the season so far, Ottawa Senator fan?

 SENATORS: A Week in Review is a weekly column looking back at the week in Ottawa Senators hockey written by OLMSports Dave Gross. Feature photo Courtesy NHLI via Getty (Andre Ringuette) Still enjoying the season so far, Ottawa Senator fan? Quite the capper rolled in Friday evening when deputy commissioner Bill Daly revealed

When the Government Says It’s Ok, How Do Parents Say No?

 “Just say no!” That was the rallying cry for teens in the 1980’s. Day after day, week after week, we were told how dangerous drugs were for us. In my first year of high school, a very tall and formidable police officer came into our classroom one day, carrying a

Ottawa Fury FC show effort and competitiveness in third loss of the season

 By Devin Nguyen The beginning of the season has been trying for all involved with the Ottawa Fury FC. The USL season starts in late March, a little too early for Ottawa’s tumultuous weather, which means the Fury’s first four games of the season had to be scheduled away from home.

Senator town hall meetings fail to provide much as playoffs push on for others

 SENATORS: A Week in Review is a weekly column looking back at the week in Ottawa Senators hockey written by OLMSports Dave Gross. Feature photo Courtesy NHLI via Getty (Andre Ringuette) So, your team is out of the playoffs, what are you going to do with all this sudden free time? Reminisce? Pontificate

Citizens Demand Provincial Government Tackle Mental Health

 By Yasmine Ghania The Provincial Government is not doing enough for mental health. At a town hall in Ottawa, over a dozen citizens spoke about the insufficient funding and poor access to mental health services that they have experienced in the province. Photo by Yasmine Ghania The keynote speaker for this

Neighbourhood Spotlight: Westboro

 With Light Rail on the horizon, here at Ottawa Life we’ve decided to start a series where we break down each of Ottawa’s neighbourhoods. We’re profiling each area by price, transportation, and lifestyle. Whether you’re a young professional or a family-making nest-builder, we’re giving you the details on every corner

Vegans of Ottawa – Justin Seguin

 Photo credit:  Justin Seguin In this series, we chat with vegans from around the region to find out what it’s like to be plant-based in Ottawa, discovering tips and tricks for living a like a local - vegan style. Originally from Ottawa and currently situated in Kanata, Justin Seguin didn’t

Semi-centennial Seats: The Story of Marilyn and Mavis

 Photos and video by Amanda and Brittany van Frankfoort In the first row of Section 15 at TD Place Arena sit best friends Marilyn Campbell, 77, and Mavis Morgan, 85, Ottawa 67’s season ticket holders of 50-years. Together they have seen more than 100,000 minutes of Ottawa 67’s regulation hockey

Circa Survive and Surviving As A Band

 Photo Credits: Andrew Swartz and Hayley Rippy There's enough troubles with being in a band that any band can easily run into a dead end while trying their hardest. For Circa Survive, trouble with management and addiction meant time away and then figuring out a healthier way to make things

Ottawa’s Hidden Gig

 OLM covers a lot of events — gigs, fests, bashes, shin digs — but we have a solemn duty to tell you when a night is actually fantastic. You already know Clocktower Brew Pub and their sensational list of in house craft beer, but did you know they start serving

Dialling Into the Divine Frequency of Santana

 Photos by Dan Nawrocki Dance with the unknown  Take a leap of faith Go out on a limb Stick your neck out Face your fears Reinvent yourself -Carlos Santana- Picture yourself in a boat on a river with tangerine… No, wait, somebody already took that trip. Envision yourself pulled by