Colorado: Peace Among the Peaks 

 A resting place overlooking the Mount Princeton Hot Springs. All photos by Eric Murphy. Halfway up a mountain looking over Boulder, Colorado I found a narrow rocky trail that split away from the well-worn hiking path. The trail ran alongside a steep, watery drop and arced upwards, disappearing into the

A New Stage in Canada-Hungary Relations

 There are more than 300,000 Canadians of Hungarian descent living in Canada today. Many of them are musicians, film producers and CEOs, one is even an 87-year-old Nobel Laureate. Hungarian Canadians live all over the country, from the East Coast to the West, and despite their diversity, many of them

Building Bikes a Second Life

 Photos by Eric Murphy. When you look at your old bike, the one that sat outside all winter and probably makes a few too many concerning sounds, you might see an inconvenience. However, if someone from Ottawa’s Causeway Work Centre saw that bike, they would see a treasure. For Cycle

Blackiron Takes Shape

 Gerry McGillvray, the founder and president of Blackiron. With a sleek new name, an airy office overlooking the Ottawa River and some fresh faces amongst its staff, Ottawa’s new Blackiron advertising agency has found its shape. Formerly BBandM Advertising + Media, Blackiron was forged out of the older agency’s smoothest

A Less-Than Silent Epidemic

 Photo by MCPL Robert Bottrill. Tinnitus is a word you may not know, but it describes something you’ve probably felt. It’s that ringing in your ears, the one that bubbles to the surface when you’re lying in your quiet room after a rock concert or a baseball game where the

‘Canadian Songbook’ Tour Captures its Last Note in Ottawa

 All photos by Eric Murphy.  A journey that began three months ago will end this evening when classical crossover singer Eleanor McCain and the NAC orchestra strike the last note of the seven songs they’ve been recording together. The seven songs, all re-interpretations of Canadian classics and contemporary hits, are

From Playground to Podium and Everything that Comes After

 Everyone knows that podium moment. You’re watching the Olympics late at night and the Canadian is facing the final jump, or the last lap or the breakaway goal. You hold your breath, they go for it, and after a few tense seconds…it’s perfect. “Gooooooold!” someone inevitably yells. Then it’s the

Cycle City: Where Should You Buy Your Next Bike?

 Road bikes lined up at the Glebe Kunstadt Sports. Photo by Eric Murphy.   There are a ton of decisions that go into choosing a new bike, and none of them should be taken lightly. You need to decide if the frame you like or the handlebars you like suit the

Contest: Win a Star Wars LEGO Set!

 It's time to get creative, Ottawa! The LEGO® Imagine Nation Tour is coming to the EY Centre June 10-12, and in advance of the big weekend, we're giving away two fantastic LEGO sets and a 4-pack of tickets to the event's June 10, 8 to 4 p.m session. To enter

Overkill Evolution Roars into the CT Centre

 Mike Vaters II drives Overkill Evolution over a pair of cars. All photos by Michael Wing of Mike's Media.  When Overkill Evolution revs its engine and tears across the floor of the Canadian Tire Centre this Saturday night, it will probably be the loudest thing you’ve ever heard. Weighing more

The Mechanics of Modern Art

 A glimpse of Inferno. Photo by Gregory Bohnenblust.  Imagine if before watching a contemporary art piece, you and 24 others were strapped into robotic exoskeletons that jerked, twisted and lit up in front of the rest of the still-sitting audience. Some people might say that would be hellish, which is exactly

Joyce Family Donates $2 Million to Help Alberta Fire Relief

 Photo by JasonWoodHead23, Creative Commons. On Friday, Tim Hortons co-founder Ron Joyce and other family members made the largest individual donation the Canadian Red Cross has seen in the wake of the Fort McMurray fire. “It is part of our Canadian culture to look after one another during times of

Five Unique Ways to Enjoy Ottawa’s Nightlife

 Clubbing and bars not your thing? Fortunately, Ottawa has so much more going on once the sun goes down. From fantastic quick food to quirky stops downtown, there’s always a way to turn your evening into a blast. We have a list of five off-the-wall things you can try in

Uber and the accessibility question

 Above: A user organizing a ride through UberAssist. Photo by Eric Murphy. Ottawa’s plan to legalize Uber has locals who use accessible taxis concerned that the service they’ve fought for and relied on for years may be drawn-back, or even cease to exist. “In Ottawa I can call West-Way taxi,

Giving Charitable Brands a Helping Hand

 For a charity, sometimes having your heart in the right place isn’t enough. No matter how much good work you do, not having the right look can hold back potential volunteers and donations. That’s why local creative agency McMillan is offering to help one Ottawa charity develop a new, re-energized

The True North’s Serenade

 Photo by Beverley Daniels.  What does Canada sound like? Some would say it’s the whisper of a cold wind blowing through the needles of a pine tree. Others think of the sudden crack of a slapshot and the bitter hiss of a skate blade digging into a turn. For Eleanor McCain,

High Art and Hot Tea

 Springs Dream, by Ramona Organ. The Tea Party Café is making its walls even more colourful next month with a brilliant exhibit from local artist Ramona Organ. Beginning on March 31st and lasting until the final day of April, the “Colour in Motion” showcase will feature Organ’s vibrant and flowing works.

McDonald’s Delivers Experience to Remember

 All photos courtesy of McDonald's Canada.  With new Guest Experience Leaders, cooks, Self-Order Kiosks, table service and a hundred new ways to make your burger yours, the golden arches are looking a lot different in Ottawa. McDonald’s Canada has officially rolled out their ‘Restaurant Experience of the Future’ in 25

Unforgettable Edmundston

 If you’re planning a Maritime adventure, historic Edmundston is the perfect place to start. Settled right between Quebec and Maine on New Brunswick’s left side, Edmundston is exactly the sort of greeting you want to find when entering a new province. Edmundston has far too much great history for a

Catching Up with Travis Konecny During His Race to the Top

 Photo by Valerie Wutti.  2015 was definitely the year of Travis Konecny. When it began, Konecny was halfway through his second season with the Ottawa 67s. Now, the former 67s captain is headed to the Sarnia Sting, he’s a draft pick for the Philadelphia Flyers and a World Juniors veteran.

The Five Downtown Hot Chocolates You Have to Try Before Christmas

 The Ministry of Coffee's nutty Nutella hot chocolate. Photo by Samantha Lapierre. We've all said it, there's nothing better than a hot chocolate on a cold day. A good cup warms you from your fingers to your toes and can provide a head-spinning sugar rush or a stomach settling heartiness.

Living Large at the Ritz-Carlton Montreal

 A view of the Palm Court, leading into the opulent Oval Room. Photo by Moetreal. When my girlfriend Kathleen and I stepped into the fantastically elegant lobby in the Ritz-Carlton Montreal last Saturday, I immediately thought of the book buried in my backpack: The Remains of the Day by Kazuo

A Glimpse Into ARC the Hotel’s New Winter Menu

 Photo by Eric Vance. Earlier this month ARC the Hotel celebrated their freshly-launched winter menu by treating a selection of local foodies to lunch. OLM was there and we have the low-down on what’s changed and what you have to try. What’s New The ARC Lounge menu hasn’t just changed under

CityFolk Impressions

 ABOVE: Ewan Currie from The Sheepdogs plays at CityFolk. (Photo by Michael Wing)  This year’s CityFolk festival swept into the new venue at Lansdowne Park on the perfect weekend. It was warm and sunny most days, with as little rain as anyone could have hoped for. The festival line up