Get your travel revenge and treat yourself in vibrant Toronto

 ABOVE: Toronto’s hottest outdoor space, RendezVous, with its bright colours, lively atmosphere, and all-around great vibes. (PHOTO: Curtis Pixels) We’ve all been cooped up over the past couple of years, but with travel restrictions gone and pandemic mandates lifting, it’s time to get your revenge and make this your ultimate

Ottawa teen researcher and author Naila Moloo releases new book

 Ottawa teen Naila Moloo is making big waves. When we last chatted with Naila in August 2021, she had recently released her debut novel Chronicles of Illusions: The Blue Wild and was keeping busy with her research into the uses of duckweed and improving solar panels. Less than a year

The Canadian Tulip Festival celebrates its platinum anniversary

 What: Canadian Tulip Festival When: May 13 - 23, 2022 Where: Commissioners Park Cost: Free After going virtual for two years in response to the pandemic, the beloved Canadian Tulip Festival returns in-person this year. The ten-day festival kicks off on Friday, May 13th, and promises to be bigger and

Unplug and get in touch with nature for Earth Day

 Earth Day was officially declared in 1970. Every year since on April 22nd, people around the globe are encouraged to think about environmental issues, how our actions impact the natural environment, and what we can do to minimize our carbon footprint. Here are some enviro-friendly things you can do to

Pique spring edition is on this weekend featuring Sook-Yin Lee , Kiki Coe, KAR33M and more

 What: Pique Spring 2022 When: Saturday, March 19, 2022 Where: Arts Court (2 Daly Ave.) Tickets: Pay-What-You Can via Eventbrite For the second year in a row, Ottawa-based art and multimedia organization Debaser is excited to kick off another season of Pique! The seasonal music and arts fest showcases local

Local skater talks returning to the ice for Disney On Ice presents Mickey and Friends!

 We are all excited for the return of in-person, live performances here in Ottawa. What better way to kick things off and put a smile on your face than with some wholesome Disney magic? After three years, the ever-popular Disney On Ice returns to the Canadian Tire Centre on Thursday,

Artin Avaznia leaves it all on the dance floor in four-part visual project

 Ottawa might be known as a “government town,” but it has a rich creative arts scene. Two years of lockdowns have greatly affected the performing arts community, which needs our attention and support now more than ever before. No one exemplifies Ottawa’s unique and creative flair more than Artin Avaznia. At just

Celebrate Black history all month long with webinars, panels and more

 Though the impact, resiliency, and cultural influence of the Black Diaspora is something we should be thinking about year-round, Black History Month is an extra significant time for us to come together as a community to reflect on both the bad–continued systemic racism and violence against Black people–and the good–Black

A huge light exhibit is hitting downtown Bank next month

 What: Fire & Ice Winter Exhibit When: March 11 - 13 Where: Bank Street (Between Cooper and Slater) Price: Free Throw on your warmest coat and grab your phones and cameras, Downtown Bank’s beloved Fire & Ice Winter Exhibit is back this year! Hosted in collaboration with EXAR Studios, this year’s event is a

Ottawa isn’t called the Winter Capital for nothing–let’s embrace it

 ABOVE: Ottawa influencer Marilou and family member on Rideau Canal. (PHOTO: 20ys) Between the lockdown and record-breaking cold temperatures, winter in Ottawa has been . . . rough to put it simply. However, you gotta admit, if you’re looking for winter-friendly fun and activities, Ottawa really is one of the

5 things to do on the Rideau Canal Skateway this weekend

 Photo: @lilyslensonlife Ottawa rejoice! The world-famous Rideau Canal Skateway is finally open for the season, and we can hardly contain ourselves. For the first time in 20 years, the entire 7.8 km of the Skateway was opened simultaneously on opening day, and Ottawans can’t get enough with thousands already taking advantage

Winterlude gets the big freeze again as all in-person events cancelled

 After announcing last month that Winterlude would be returning with in-person events for the 2022 season, Canadian Heritage has been forced to ice the popular National Capital Region festival for the second year in a row. With the increasing severity of the COVID-19 Omicron situation across the country, Canadian Heritage

Ottawa’s NLN shares new single “BALLIN ON ICE” and plans for 2022

 When we last chatted with rapper, producer, and songwriter NLN, he was fresh off the release of a new single and was celebrating getting airplay on the region’s biggest radio station, Hot 89.9. Seven months later, NLN has only continued his upward trajectory. The talented teen has gained even more

Ottawa Comiccon returns this weekend with Holiday Edition!

 Photo: Kat Walcott Back this year at the EY Centre, the Ottawa Comiccon Holiday Edition is a three-day geeky shopping celebration that will feature local crafters, artists, retailers and vendors with original art, comics, toys, collectibles, statues, and so much more! In addition to the best pop culture merchandise. Hours:

Where to get spooky in Ottawa this Halloween weekend

 PHOTO: iStock This Halloween get out and enjoy some thrills with these spook-tacular local events! The Sawmill Haunt – Lansdowne Park What: The Sawmill Haunt When: Until Oct. 31st, 2021 Where: Lansdowne Park Price: $10 - $30 If you’re up for a good scare, grab a group of your friends

CRANIUM 2021 will feature performances by over a dozen local hip-hop and R&B artists

 After a successful online edition last year, CRANIUM Festival and Conference returns for in-person fun for 2021! Here’s the official release about the upcoming event: Following up on their successful virtual event in 2020, the Cranium Arts Project is set to host the third annual Cranium Festival and Conference and

Ice cream is a family affair with Neale’s Sweet N’ Nice

 It’s officially fall but if you are not ready to say goodbye to summer don’t worry, with Neale’s Sweet N’ Nice you don’t have to. Now available in Ottawa, this Canadian brand is more than just a creamy sweet treat — it’s about family legacy. The story of Neale’s starts back in the

Ottawa International Animation Festival returns both online and in-person

 North America’s biggest and longest-running animation fest, Ottawa International Animation Festival (OIAF), kicks off this week! After switching to a fully virtual format last year in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the fun-filled festival returns for the 2021 season in a hybrid format with a mix of both online

A huge multi-media art fest is taking over Club SAW this weekend!

 In-person festivals are slowly starting up again in Ottawa and Pique, a brand new art-focused event produced by Debaser, is joining the roster! Taking place this Saturday, Sept. 11th, the Fall edition of Pique will feature visual, musical and multimedia artists performing and showcasing their art at Club SAW’s Art Court,

I used VR fitness app Supernatural for a month and this is what happened

 I love walking and occasional yoga, but I’ve never been a gym buff. I’ve never had a gym membership and I have probably stepped into a gym twice in my life. However, since turning 30, I made a conscious effort to incorporate a fitness regimen into my daily routine. So, when

Ottawa’s NLN is an up and coming musical mastermind to keep on your radar

 Photo: NLN When I think back to being 18, I remember being in my first year of community college, studying hard, and still trying to figure out who I was while I bridged the gap between teenhood and adulthood. That was almost thirteen years ago and it seems like the

Local business Boxhim makes underwear sustainable and recyclable with hemp

 ABOVE: Boxhim currently makes men’s underwear, long johns and socks too! (PHOTO: @Dlmengistab) Hemp, a variety of the cannabis plant that is grown specifically for industrial use, has been found to have a variety of uses and, because of how fast it grows, is highly renewable. Hemp has gained popularity over

Melanie Durrant returns after six years with cerebral third album

 Toronto singer and songwriter Melanie Durrant has 20 years behind her in the Canadian hip hop and R&B scene. Durrant first shot to mainstream fame with her 2005 hit “Bang Bang”. Kardinal Offishall and since then has been a staple in the Canadian music scene with multiple JUNO nominations and

BEST OF OTTAWA 2021: Murals and street art

 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 share our picks with you — our top spots for takeout, live music venues, local brews, bands and more. Check, share

Megan Soo brings her own, unique flavour to K-pop with “Let Me Love Me”

 Twenty-four year old Megan Soo is doing it all. The Toronto born-and-raised multi-talent is an actress, dancer and social influencer – with almost 40k followers on Instagram alone – and she is now making the big step into the music scene with the recent release of her debut single “Let Me