Beyond Old Age Security

 Sifting through the minefield of pension terminology is not for the faint of heart. With terms such as defined DB plans and DC plans right through to DPSPs, EPSPs, group and individual RRSPs, LIRAs, LIFs and TFSAs, to name but a few, retirement pension plans can be confusing to the

DIY: Cut-Out Shoulder Blouse

 The cut out shoulder blouse is one of this summer’s hottest essentials and fortunately it is very easy to make. The cut-out shoulder blouse is versatile as it can be worn with dress pants or with a pair of shorts for a weekend brunch, lunch or simply for a day around

Education Series: Dr. Agatha Sidlauskas

 Known simply as “Doc,” Dr. Sidlauskas’ lifelong dedication to child development in North America and Europe culminated in her founding the Venta Preparatory School in 1981. Located a five-minute drive from Kanata, Venta specializes in drawing out the potential of gifted children. While most students are from Ottawa, the day

Summer Sizzlers: Escape to Indulgence with Flaunt

 The third annual Flaunt event, held by local designer Stacey Bafi-Yeboa, will take place on the rooftop of the National Arts Centre on June 29th from 7 PM - 12 AM. This edition of Flaunt is called 'The Pre - Party' - kicking off Canada Day weekend in style, said

Persona Non Grata

 persona non grata |p?r?s?n? nän ?grät?| noun ( pl. personae non gratae |p?r?s?n? nän ?grät?|): an unacceptable or unwelcome person. The Persona Non Grata Art Initiative was started to break the stigma of HIV/AIDS and end the cycle of poverty in Lesotho while exposing the orphans at Rachel's Home, an orphanage in Maputsoe, Lesotho to art. We will accomplish our goals by providing post-secondary

Putting the “Science” in “Science Fiction” – Spiderman

 There are many superheroes and villains who rely on technological gadgets and devices to provide them with their superhuman abilities, and inventors and scientists often look to these characters for inspiration for new technology. However, it is not only these gadget heroes who are being imitated by scientists in the

Ottawa, A Very Scary Town: A Conversation with Howard Sonnenburg, Founder of OTTAWA HORROR

 Started in 2008, Ottawa Horror is a blog and portal dedicated to all things horror in our nation's capital. If you are a filmmaker, musician, artist, or fan, this is the place for you. Founder Howard Sonnenburg urges you to recruit minions! Ottawa Life met with Sonnenburg on June 8.

Greenstream Series: From Knowledge to Action

 Urgent action is needed on climate change and the time to act is now. That was the main message to emerge from an Arctic conference attended by the world’s top polar scientists in Montreal this April. The 2012 International Polar Year From Knowledge to Action Conference (IPY2012) saw more than

Putting the “Science” in “Science Fiction” – The Invisible Woman

 The Invisible Woman is a superheroine with the ability to turn herself invisible, becoming almost impossible to detect. This ability protects her from enemy attack and allows her to infiltrate guarded areas while remaining unobserved. The Invisible Woman's powers manifested after she was exposed to cosmic radiation, but this fact

Recipe: Homemade Organic Granola Bars

 There are few snacks that are as nutritious, quick and delicious as granola bars - throw one in your purse and you are good to go! Although there are a variety of granola bars available in-store, if you have a little time it's always great to make your own and

A Presidential Election Campaign Heats up as America’s Economy Cools Down

 After months of campaigning and mudslinging, the Republican primary race is over. Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney will challenge the incumbent President of the United States of America, Democrat Barack Obama, in this November’s presidential election. Romney’s decisive win in last week’s Texas Republican primary pushed him above the 1,144

From the Horses’ Mouths: The Mystery of Choreography Revealed

 If you read my last article for Ottawa Life here you are now familiar with the Kafkaesque life many choreographers lead in the game of grantsmanship. However, there is so much more to this art and therefore this article is dedicated to how choreographers create a dance. Recently I had the chance

Homes: Bathroom Bliss

 Hmmm – bathroom and bliss: an oxymoron in your home? Is your toilet the first thing you see when you walk into your bathroom? Do you have sufficient storage for all your bathroom essentials or is all the clutter driving you mad? Do you long for more space in sharing

An Evening of Nordic Music

 Opera Swedish style is coming to Ottawa with a performance this week by one of that country’ most talented young opera singers. Swedish mezzo soprano Josefine Andersson winner of the prestigious Jenny Lind scholarship will perform in Ottawa at An Evening of Nordic Music this Thursday. Andersson’s presence at the

Jennifer Lawrence Takes on Horror in Ottawa-Made House at the End of the Street

 Movie  summary: A mother and daughter move to a new town and find themselves living next door to a house where a young girl murdered her parents. When the daughter befriends the surviving son, she learns the story is far from over. Robert Menzies, president of Zed Filmworks and line

Somatic Movement, Computers & the Red Light Reflex

 Today we spend much of our work or personal time in front of computers.  While this is often considered normal in the frantic pace of contemporary life, working on computers can be a great source of muscular tension and stress in the body.  Long hours in front of the computer

A Business with Pop and DNA!

 It began like many good ideas do – idling around the office printer. Ottawa-born-and-bred whiz kids and lifelong best friends Adrian Salamunovic and Nazim Ahmed (Naz for short) had already come up with one genius multi-million dollar business idea. And while waiting for a picture to emerge from a printer

What It Takes to Be a Top Money Manager

 Business Profile by: Dan Donovan and Dalal Saikali Kash Pashootan is calm and focused. It’s just before 8:00 a.m. when his team’s morning meeting comes to a close. At 8:45 a.m. the team will reconvene to review the latest news from the global capital markets, ensuring they are well informed

The NHL’s Strange Cup Final

 The Ottawa Senators faced the New Jersey Devils four times in 2011-12. Two of these games went past the allotted 60 minutes of regulation; the Sens won once, in a shootout, while the Devils claimed the other three games by narrow margins. On none of these occasions, or at any

Putting the “Science” in “Science Fiction” – Batman

 Batman is probably the most famous and beloved of all the heroes who rely on gadgets to fight crime. One of the reasons may be that most of Batman's tools appear to be within the realm of conventional technology. The realism of these gadgets help the viewer, or reader, to

Business Profile: Winning at the Carney-val

 By: Dan Donovan and Harvey Chartrand Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney was called a “hot commodity” by Postmedia News in April. Carney, 47, has been credited with shielding Canada from the worst effects of the 2008 global financial meltdown, when the United States’ and Europe’s financial systems nearly collapsed.

Lace up for CHEO on June 2nd.

 Now that the Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend is over, runners and walkers alike may be feeling a bit lost now that all that excitement is over.  Looking for another race to get your fix? Here’s one for you. Next Saturday, June 2nd at 11:00 a.m., you can lace up your

Recipe: Gluten-free Vanilla Mini-cupcakes

 Continuing my adventures in gluten-free baking, here is an adaptation of my great-grandmother’s vanilla cupcake recipe made with white rice flour and almond flour.  The challenge is getting the ratio of white rice flour to almond flour just right for your taste buds.  Almond flour makes the cupcakes lighter in

Behind the Seams: Designing the Perfect Dress with David McCaffrey

 For years, I have been refining my style, sharing fashion advice, answering your ‘Ask Alex’ questions. Now I’m embarking on a whole new world – designing my wedding dress. Like most women, as soon as I got engaged, I began to think about one of the most important aspects of

Broken and Bankrupt: Greece Stares into the Abyss

 Before the turn of the twentieth century, America’s premier financier, John Pierpont (JP) Morgan, famously coined a phrase which has since become a common saying in the English language. Morgan remarked that, “If you have to ask how much it costs, you can’t afford it.” More than a century later,