just percolating...
Lately, I'm finding it tough to pick out gifts for my Mom. It's not that she's picky or hard to find things for ... it's just that I feel like she already has the things she really wants. With all four of her birds out of the nest, she has the freedom to buy the things that catch her eye. So for her birthday this year, I decided that I'd take her out for a night on the town. To come up with ideas, I did what now comes natural to me -- I asked … [Read more...]
When I was younger (and er, smaller), I loved clothes shopping. But now, I only like (love!) shoe shopping. Everything else leaves me feeling very, very grumpy. It is simply not fun to try on 10 pairs of pants just to find one that looks "okay." Not "great" and "fabulous" -- but just okay. And when you have very little spare time, I think you'll agree that this is pretty much the last way you'd want to spend it. To add insult to injury, you … [Read more...]
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I'm the kind of girl who packs the night before. Okay, sometimes even the morning of. So hubby reviewed the itinerary for my upcoming adventure to Saguenay, Quebec on my behalf and suggested that I'd better buy some hiking boots. And also, some waterproof pants and proper rain jacket. Seeing as how I don't think I'll be heading out on lots of adventures involving lots of rain over the next few years, I told him I'd buy some boots, but that … [Read more...]
I'm really thrilled to be hosting a guest post tomorrow by Julie Henning of Road Trips for Families! But let me back up a little in order to introduce her ... While I was at BlogHer, there were "Birds of a Feather" lunches that we could join. I dropped into a seat at the "travel" table and met some really cool women who run really clever blogs. These included (and please let me know if I've forgotten someone!): Traci from Go BIG or … [Read more...]
Not long back, I wrote a post which shared my excitement in being able to hear the voices behind blogs. In it, I noted that many of the blogs I read include a photo of the author, so the voices were going to be the big draw for me. Well, I was wrong ... my dear Ottawa bloggers and their readers are just so darn gorgeous in real life that the faces really made the entire night last night a real treat. A real treat that was entirely made … [Read more...]
Some people hate it when their favourite books are made into movies. The movie just never measures up. That's generally a given. But personally, I love it. I love comparing how I imagined a character to look -- and move and speak -- to the movie's version. Sometimes it's very close, but sometimes it is so vastly different that it simply reinforces why reading is just such a wonderful, uniquely personal experience. In some ways, reading a … [Read more...]
Stop #1: Anna Fine Thai Cuisine Where: 91 Holland Avenue (Parkdale market area of Ottawa) What: Super-yummy Thai food with great service. My Mom had the seafood Pad Thai and I had the Dinner for One, which came with soup and a selection of tasters including ginger fried veggies and red chicken curry (see how cool the dishes are! and even better? it was a lazy-susan style platter. Life doesn't get better than this!) Cost: $6 for a white wine, … [Read more...]
Here I am with Joanne Harris, author of one of my favourite books Five Quarters of the Orange but most famously known for her novel Chocolat, which was made into the Oscar-nominated film with Johnny Depp and Juliette Binoche. I recently had the chance to hear her read from her latest offering blueeyedboy when she came to Ottawa as a guest for Writers Fest. She was part of a series of events that Writers Fest puts on called The Writing Life. As … [Read more...]
Good Monday morning! My daughter Stella has shared her top tips for successfully camping with kids in a post that is now live on the Kids in the Capital blog. If you are ever in the care of children in Ottawa, this is the blog to hit for ideas! It covers activities, playgroups, books, crafts, cooking -- you name it! -- all neatly organized under the "Categories" listing on the right-hand menu. Definitely worth a visit. Hope everyone has a … [Read more...]
When you live in Australia, as we did just recently, you very quickly realize how seriously they take their sun protection. The combination of a light-skinned population with prolonged sun exposure leaves Australians at real risk. The risk is so high, in fact, that according to its Cancer Council two in every three Australians will develop skin cancer before the age of 70. More than 440,000 Australians are diagnosed with skin cancer every year … [Read more...]
There's so much happening around Ottawa that I think one can be forgiven for missing out on even something as fantastic as the NAC's Kinderconcert series. It seems this series is one well-kept secret; one that -- happily -- I have now stumbled upon! Here's what I found when I attended my first Kinderconcert, titled Giggle & Stomp ... Before the show: there were fun interactive activities and displays set up for the children to enjoy. My … [Read more...]
1. Call up a good, true friend that you haven't seen lately because the mundate elements in life keep stealing all your time. 2. With only one day's notice, ask that she join you for an evening out. 3. As you step into the car pulled up at your driveway, you can already feel that the mad rush to get dinner and homework completed early was worth it. 4. Darkness starts to set-in fully as you drive from your outskirt homes to the city, all … [Read more...]
We're about the same age, the National Arts Centre (NAC) and I. It would seem that, like most of us, the NAC's biggest fans are its parents -- the generation that created and brought this centre to life. But there's no doubt about it, its biggest fans are getting older. The people who are their most loyal subscribers will soon be retiring from their seats in the audience. Fresh bottoms will be needed to fill these seats. Bottoms like … [Read more...]
Thanks to everyone who came to visit and enter their name into the draw for 2 tickets to see Mysterioso: Music and Magic opening at the NAC this Thursday! I just entered all of your names into random.org and the winner is KELLI! Congrats Kelli - I will contact you directly with the details. … [Read more...]
Magic shows make me think of a Ken-doll look-a-like man, a Barbie-esque assistant, and tacky costumes with too much skin. And velvet -- lots and lots of velvet. But I've never actually seen a live magic show though, have you? Well here's your chance: Joseph Gabriel will be performing a magic act in concert with the National Arts Centre orchestra. The show is called "Mysterioso: Music and Magic." I'll admit it does sound a bit cheesy and I've … [Read more...]
I was so pleased to see the interest in blood.claat -- a unique and fabulously performed piece -- playing at the Great Canadian Theatre Company (GCTC)! I entered everyone's name into random.org to come up with a winner's name (and no, Kaitlin, you weren't too late!) and the winner is: STEPHAN. Congrats! I am sure you'll have a wonderful night out. I will be in touch with you directly to organize the details. If you are still planning on … [Read more...]
When I was a teenager, every so often word would spread that a "bush party" was going to take place on the weekend. Unlike the "house party" which took place at some poor unsuspecting parent's home while they were away, a "bush party" involved no house, just a location in the woods somewhere. The two types of parties still shared some commonalities -- no parents, underage drinking and police showing up. The last item on the list being why the … [Read more...]
She's a 15 year-old kid in a school uniform. And she's just given birth to a baby conceived through violence. That is her story. But it's also the story of her mother. And her grandmother before that. This is a cycle that's fairly common in Jamaica, according to a 2006 Unicef report: Approximately 20% of births are given by adolescents. In other words a child gives birth to a child in one out of 5 births. Had all teenage pregnancies been … [Read more...]
Although I gave up New Year's resolutions ages ago, I have made a winter resolution for this year. I've got a terrible track record with resolutions, and thus why the New Year's ones were deemed a fruitless exercise. But I am hoping I can make some progress on this. For my own sanity as well as for my family. My resolution is this: Find a way to enjoy winter. I just don't like winter. My husband finds this "cute" since I am the Canadian … [Read more...]
One of the absolute best things about living in Ottawa, particularly if you are a parent, is our museums. It's something a lot of us take for granted, but they really are fantastic and make entertaining kids sooooo easy. Yesterday we did a long-overdue family trip out to the Canada Science and Technology Museum. This museum is a perennial favourite at any time, but until January 4th, Ottawa is host to the Wheels, Wings and Waves - A LEGO … [Read more...]
"When I first attended a slumber party some 25 years ago, we prided ourselves on avoiding sleep. Sprawled out on the floor of a friend's basement with pillows and sleeping bags, my companions and I would heartily fight any drooping eyelids by ingesting sugar and cola. Fast-forward to this morning, and slumber -- in lush, high-end bedding no less -- resumes its rightful place in the term "slumber party." Tip-toeing down the stairs to join me in … [Read more...]
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