Multi-faceted music studio Artist Alliance opens downtown

 Photo credit: Laura Collins Elvis Presley once said, “Ambition is a dream with a V8 engine.” In other words, you can dream all you want but unless you’ve got the ambition to see that dream through it won’t come true. With 25 years of experience in songwriting, performing and production,

It’s The Greatest Wine Festival On The Planet

 Feature photo credit: Christine McAvoy Article by: Debbie Trenholm, sommelier and founder of Savvy Company In the middle of February, the Ottawa airport is full of people heading south destined for sand and sunshine.  On the other hand, I was heading to Vancouver. I’m trading in thoughts of rum punches and

Which Canadian City Could Rival Vegas?

 Las Vegas has cemented itself as the world capital of gambling, gaming, and everything involving cards, a dice and a weekend of high entertainment. But surely somewhere else in the 57,308,738 square miles of planet earth there could be a contender for the crown of the best city to escape

The Whimsical Worlds of Emily Cooper

 Ottawa Life’s Festival City Series is back! We'll provide a unique look at some of your favourite events. We’ll go beyond the music with artist interviews, volunteer profiles, concert reviews and spotlights on the tastes, sights and sounds of the festival season.  Your city! Your festivals and events! Like a good sunscreen,

JUNO Spotlight: Bria Skonberg

 Nominated For: Vocal Jazz Album of the Year (Bria) When asked how she feels going into the JUNOs next week, Vocal Jazz Album of the Year nominee Bria Skonberg keeps it simple. “Happy,” she says. Her path there, however, hasn’t been as straightforward. Born in Chilliwack, British Columbia, Skonberg didn’t

Tommy Chong’s High on Life

 Listen to our interview with Tommy Chong above. You know, for a guy who’s probably smoked a couple of acres of marijuana in his day (or maybe just yesterday), Tommy Chong’s memory is pretty damn good. He can take you all the way back to the first time he smoked

Canada at the Forefront of the FinTech Scene

 According to Gerald Cotton, CEO of the Canadian Bitcoin exchange, Quadriga, “The FinTech industry has done a great job of positioning Canada high up on the global scale.” Over 100 FinTech start-ups have emerged in the country since 2010, collectively raising over $1billion, and this has served to draw attention

3D Art Portrait Comes to Ottawa

 What does a group portrait of Canadians look like in the 21st century? Canadian novelist and artist Douglas Coupland intends to find out. “What do we look like now and where are we going with technology?” said Coupland in a press statement. “3DCanada will present a glimpse of what a

Luring Millenial Gamers: Lottery vs Jackpot Slots

 It has become quite apparent to gaming operators around the globe, that the millennial gamer is not overly interested in regular casino gambling activities such as table games and land-based slot machines. They don’t seem to be buying lottery tickets either, and this has left said gaming operators with the

A Trainload of Memories

 All photos by David Eisenstadt. Raised in Calgary, I visited Banff year ‘round, travelled by car through the Rogers Pass and saw much of BC’s interior. I never travelled there by train. That changed when my wife Rhoda and I discovered the Rocky Mountaineer and their various routes through the

Sleeman #RailsideReps are Living the Dream

 Many Canadians dream about going on a cross-country tour by rail. Leaning back against a comfy seat and watching lakes, rivers and, eventually, mountains pass by while the nostalgic clank of the rails rattles beneath you sounds like a great way to see the country. But even in their wildest

Pour A Cold One: CRAFT Beer Market Opens in Lansdowne Park

 Photo courtesy of Alexandra Gunn. Could it be a coincidence that CRAFT Beer Market opens its doors on one of the hotter days this spring? Likely, but there couldn’t be a better excuse to head to Lansdowne Park to taste test one (or two) of their 100 plus beers on

Turkish Canadian Community Raises Money for CHEO

 On Saturday April 23, distinguished guests gathered to celebrate Turkish National Sovereignty and International Children’s Day at a fundraising gala organized by the Turkish Cultural Canadian Association (TCCA), the proceeds of which will be donated to the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO). This yearly event, organized by the Turkish

The Many Journeys of Laila Biali

 “Intense focus on the verge of chaos at all times,” says Laila Biali on how her new album House Of Many Rooms began its journey in the studio. With a full choir steeped in gospel grace, a 15-piece string section, one wailing sax solo and tonal shifts accentuating a more

New Government Should Start by Making the RCMP More Accountable

 Photo by Flickr user Jamie McCaffrey. CC. Now that there’s a new Liberal government in power in Ottawa, one can only hope that a new public safety minister will make it a priority to address the myriad problems created by the Harper government in the criminal justice system over the past 10

One Giant Step for the Tourist Company

 L to R: Swindells, Parry, Levey and Quezada. All photos by Brian Chan photography.  Vancouver’s own The Tourist Company formed in 2013 after camp friends Taylor Swindells (singer/songwriter/multi instrumentalist), Jillian Levey (vocalist) and Brenon Parry (drummer) began playing folk music together. After recording the trio’s first album, Brother Wake Up,

Luxury Sale Leads Into Winter Season at Mirror Lake Inn

 LAKE PLACID, N.Y. – For the first time in its history, the elegant Colonial House at the Mirror Lake Inn Resort and Spa in Lake Placid, N.Y., is offering an ‘Ultimate Suite” sale. To appreciate this event, one must understand that the Mirror Lake Inn has been AAA Four Diamond

An Interview With the Adventurous Adam Lolacher

 Photo courtesy of Elysse Gilbertson on the set of Medic Ottawa born and a University of Ottawa alumni, Adam Lolacher is an actor with some stories to tell. After giving up his basketball aspirations at a young age due to injury, Lolacher got into acting. Now living in Vancouver, the

Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame Profile: Peter Reid

 2015 marks the Year of Sport and the 60th anniversary of Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame. In recognition of these important milestones, OLM will be featuring Honoured Members of Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame in a weekly Profile piece. Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame aims to share the stories and

Folk Rock Hits the Road to Ottawa

 Shining headlights across the country, Vancouver-based folk rock band The River and The Road are touring Canada in support of their new album. They will be stopping in Ottawa on Thursday, May 14, for a performance at Cafe Dekcuf. The band started off as a busking duo, consisting of singer

Travel With the Tourist Company

 The Tourist Company is living up to their name this spring. Cities across Canada are welcoming the Vancouver experimental folk band throughout February and March as they tour the country. Be sure to catch the Tourist Company when they stop at the Raw Sugar Café in Ottawa on March 12.

Sole-Searching in John Fluevog Shoes

 Written by: Lainie Towell The Mexican painter Frida Kahlo once said: “Feet, what do I need you for when I have wings to fly?” Surely Frida never had her heels wrapped in John’s brilliance and style. Yes, it is true. It is hard to imagine my life before John. Because

6 Weeks, 5 Countries, Countless Adventures

 Traveling is a safe romance—it can be as brief or as long as you want and it doesn’t demand much except a sense of adventure. It adds a wealth of stories to your conversation arsenal, more weight in souvenirs to your luggage and obviously a better understanding of the beautiful,

Canadian Athletes and a Look at Canada’s 2014 Olympic Men’s hockey team

 I can't wait for Men's Olympic Hockey to start. Will there be another Crosby dream moment or will the Russians take it this year? Canadians look forward to the Olympics to watch many winter sports but in the end the juggernaut is the Olympic Men's hockey team and the most

Mother Mother: Back to Basics on The Sticks

 At the peak of digital possibility, for every one artist capitalizing on the technology age, two are cursing its contribution to the demise of good music. For every Rebecca Black, there is a Neil Young – an established artist there to remind us that it didn’t used to be all