The Perfect Pant: Aella

 The perfect pair of pants is waiting for you. Yes, I said it--the perfect pair of pants. Dreams really do come true! We all know the horrible feeling of going into a dressing room with a stack of pants, crossing our fingers one pair, just one, will fit and look

A Taste of the North: The Boreal Feast

 Photos courtesy of Cathie Archbould. Take a culinary journey through the North with The Boreal Gourmet’s Michele Genest and her new recipe book The Boreal Feast. Explore the northern boreal forest with Genest as she cultivates ingredients and stories to share with you in a stunning collection of wild, seasonal

Inspiring Korea

 Korea is a vibrant place. It has modernized itself over the past 50 years while still maintaining a strong flair for its traditional culture. Many of the country’s tourist attractions focus on feeding one’s well-being, be it physical or spiritual. There is phenomenal food to nourish your appetite and there

Fulfill your Wanderlust and Travel the World in Just One Day!

 Traveling is such a beautiful thing. To see and to experience unknown culture is a definite learning experience -- such picture perfect sights can be absolutely breathtaking. The only problem is being able to afford this luxurious experience as well as being able to afford taking time off work. Well,

Be the Change Challenge Rallies Ottawa Women to Improve Mind, Body and Soul

 By: Kimberly Lochhead Thirty days doesn’t seem like enough time to drastically overhaul one’s life, improve overall health, emotionally detox and help educate women in Nepal—but Megan Campbell, founder of Journey of the Yogini (JOY) is making all of that possible. And she’s helping others do it without going to

Bucket List: Spend a Day at the Spa

 It was finally Friday, and my boyfriend Jeff and I were zipping along Highway 5 to begin our day at the spa. We arrived at Le Nordik Spa (16 chemin Nordik, Old Chelsea, Quebec) and were immediately transported to a purely natural world. After waiting comfortably for a few minutes

No Matter the Season The Laurentians Has it All

 By Rachael Desjardins Need a break? Want to have some family fun time, or need to reboot your romance? Head to the beautiful Chalets Chanteclair, nestled in the heart of the Laurentians. Located in Val-David, Qu.bec, these lovely authentic Swiss-styled chalets are only minutes away from the popular town of Saint-Sauveur, known for its boutiques and restaurants and only

Discover Belgium

 By Emma Truswell Belgium is all about indulgence, whether it is in food, history, beer or architecture, France’s northern neighbour is worthy of exploring. Ypres, now know as Ieper, in Flanders Fields Country, or Westhoek, is the perfect destination for history buffs, due to the town’s powerful associations with World

Travel: Discover Slovenia

 Nestled between Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Croatia to the south and southeast and Hungary to the northeast is one of the most beautiful and yet relatively unknown European gems, Slovenia. Whether it’s food, geography, landscape, architecture, activities or even climate, diversity permeates everything. It may sound

See the World On Display at the Travel and Vacation Show

 Spring is just around the corner and has everyone flooding to The Travel and Vacation Show at the Ottawa Convention Centre. This year, the 19th annual show, displays 190+ travel and vacation exhibits: 50+ countries are represented by their tourist boards or embassies, which, along with tour operators, agencies and

Conference and meeting venue delivers extraordinary value close to Ottawa

 It's event planning season in Eastern Ontario and the largest conference and meeting venue in the region is gearing up to make sure everyone leaves a winner — especially those who make events happen. Situated on the scenic banks of the St. Lawrence River in Cornwall, the NAV CENTRE is

Travel: Arras, Lille & Normandy, France

 Vive La France! (PART 1 OF 2) We arrived at Charles de Gaulle/Roissy International Airport in Paris and transferred to the Train à grande vitesse (high-speed train) for Arras, Nord Pas de Calais. Arriving in Arras, opposite the railway station, is the War Memorial, which depicts a French WWI soldier

Chicago Style

 Having been inspired after an annual girlfriends weekend get-a-way to Chicago this past weekend, I wanted to highlight some of my favorite spots for all things design, especially as they pertain to Chicago. Leonardo Da Vinci said "Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication".  To me, this quote perfectly summarizes my experience

The Coolest Capital in Europe and the German Riviera

 The Germans do it all and have it all. Exceptional in every way, it is no surprise that Germany continues to hold the annual record as one of the world's most visited countries. In fact, it is one of the most educated and economically successful countries in the world. It

Ireland Welcomes You Home

 Your Irish Heritage Is Waiting To Be Discovered. It seemed fitting to take my daughter on a trip to Ireland to explore the land of her paternal ancestors. Thanks to the mild oceanic climate, the south and south west of Ireland are a beautiful lush green carpet peppered with towns,

Some Day at the Beach! Destination Weddings: Cuba

 When my brother-in-law announced his intention to wed in Cuba, my wife Trine literally jumped for joy. She had seriously considered holding our wedding party on a beach in the Caribbean, so she could get hitched while barefoot in the sand. I was happy too – I like a beach vacation

Have you no shame — The shocking expenses of our unelected city managers

 By Claire Tremblay & Dan Donovan Shocking. That’s how Auditor General Sheila Fraser described the waste of $100 million of taxpayers’ money in her February 10 report to Parliament on the Liberal government’s sponsorship fiasco in Quebec. But for jaded Canadian taxpayers, the waste of their hard-earned money is nothing

Jim Watson’s mission: Reverse post-9/11 tourism slump

 Concerned about a "travel deficit" in Canada resulting from the combined impact of terrorist attacks and a stagnant economy in the United States, Jim Watson, president and CEO of the Canadian Tourism Commission, spoke to these concerns in a recent interview with Ottawa Life reporter Hank Reardon. An abridged version

Awakening the giant: The return of Poland

 In this issue of Ottawa Life, we begin the first of a two-part series on Poland. That is to say the new Poland – a country with a most intricate history of war and ideological conflict, but also one of sophisticated art and culture. Polish influence extends to Canada and