Monthly Archive for February, 2009

CARMELLOS On Cooper - Refuses to Honour Coupons

Written
by
apartment613
on Saturday, February 28, 2009
.

If you’re like me and look forward to your weekly coupon packages - there’s one downer in this month’s Centertown batch.

Carmello’s, that tried and tested neighbour italian joint on Cooper Street that’s perfect for take-out, has decided it won’t honour its coupons for February and March (Free Dinner buy one main course & receive a second main course of equal or lesser value free).

Brian Rainville said the owner, James Canoy, has decided he’ll only accept the coupons for dine-in guests only.

There is no mention of this new policy on the coupons.

Apt613 thinks if you make up a policy on should write it on your coupons.

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Great Bowls of Fire!

Written
by
Katie
on Thursday, February 26, 2009
.

gbf-lg It’s not a Jerry Lee Lewis Cover Band, or an ancient Polynesian ritual. If your third guess was a yearly fundraiser for the Ottawa Food Bank, then you are more astute then I (my third guess was one of those science fiction conference where every one dresses up like a dragon).

Great Bowls of Fire features delicious soup by local restaurants  served in one-of-a-kind handmade bowls. Both the soup and bowls are donated, the latter by the members of the Ottawa Pottery Guild. Last year’s event featured  soups from Thyme and Again, Wellington Gastropub and the Urban Pear. Music and entertainment will be provided by Andrea Rheaume.

The event isn’t taking place until March 21, but tickets reportedly sell fast so get yours soon. For $25 a pop you get soup, music and of course the pretty bowl. The fun (and the soup) will be going down at the Glebe Community Centre, 690 Lyon Street South.

Click to continue reading “Great Bowls of Fire!”

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Bottled vs Tap: the great debate

Written
by
Karen
on Wednesday, February 25, 2009
.
photo courtesy NatBat on Flickr

photo courtesy NatBat on Flickr

Locked in a quarrel with your best friend over whether bottled or tap water is the healthier choice? Solve that argument tonight at Science Cafe - Banu Örmeci of Carleton’s civil and environmental engineering department will be on hand to answer all of your water-related questions.

And what is Science Cafe? It’s that biweekly gathering down at the Wild Oat (817 Bank St) that you’ve heard so much about, organized by Carleton’s Faculty of Science. Be there before it starts at 6.30 pm to grab a good seat - these things fill up fast!

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Raised in a barn? Learn how to hide it.

Written
by
Katie
on Wednesday, February 25, 2009
.

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There’s a scene in Pretty Woman where Julia Roberts asks the nice hotel manager guy for a lesson in forks: that is the extent of my schooling in manners. Much to my mother’s chagrin, I have never taken much interest in expanding my knowledge of the art of politeness. If you want to use me as a cautionary example (and if you’ve even eaten with me, you probably do), then I urge you to head over to Ottawa U for an Etiquette dinner next week. Because the event is being organized by the Alumni Association I suspect that you might have to be affiliated with that fine institution, but maybe if you eat while on the phone they’ll see that you really need help and make an exception. That’s my plan.

Tickets are $25 for students and alumni, $30 for guests. For that price you’ll get your choice of a chicken or vegetarian dinner plus instruction on how not to gross out your boss next time you’re eating on the company dime.

Dinner will be served en français on Wednesday, March 5th, and in the Queen’s English Thursday, March 6th, at Tabaret Hall at the University of Ottawa, Room 112. For more information, please contact the Alumni Association at alumni@uOttawa.ca or 613-562-5857.

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Zaphod’s, best live music club in Canada? You decide.

Written
by
Francois
on Tuesday, February 24, 2009
.
Photo courtesy of Blurasis on Flickr

Photo courtesy of Blurasis on Flickr

You may be one of the many Canadian music fans following CBC Radio3 Searchlight - Best Live Music Club contest. The competition has been going on for a few weeks now, and we are down to the top 10.

At the beginning of the competition, the Ottawa area was relatively well represented with the likes of Babylon, Mavericks, Blacksheep Inn and others. Now there’s only one O-town destination left: York Street’s own  Zaphod Beeblebrox.

Zaphod’s is an great place to check up-and-coming acts from all over Canada, but looking at their past gigs there is amazing diversity ranging from K’naan to the Dandy Warhols to Malajube to Jeff Buckley. According to patrons, it’s a great place to go because you are close to the action, there’s good acoustics and, if you’re lucky enough, you might just get to meet the band members after their set. Just ask our friend Ming!

Curious about the others on the top 10? In alphabetical order they are:

  • Aeolian Hall, London, ON
  • Amigo’s Cantina, Saskatoon, SK
  • Baba’s Lounge, Charlottetown, PE
  • Call The Office, London, ON
  • The Capital Bar, Fredericton, NB
  • George’s Fabulous Roadhouse, Sackville, NB
  • The Grad Club, Kingston, ON
  • The Phog Lounge, Windsor, ON
  • The Starlight Social Club, Waterloo, ON

It’s all about bragging rights It’s partly for bragging rights but sources tell me the winner will recieve CBC Merchandise, Sirius radio and a CBC Radio 3 live show taping with Grant Lawrence hosting.  So if you like Zaphod’s, and think they deserve to be win best live music club in Canada, go vote for them at http://radio3.cbc.ca/. The winner will be announced February 25th.

While you’re here, why don’t you tell us what you love (or hate) about Zaphod’s…

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Cheap Opera at Ottawa U

Written
by
Katie
on Tuesday, February 24, 2009
.
Courtesy of ittybittiesforyou's on flickr

Courtesy of ittybittiesforyou's on flickr

I love the opera. I also love things that are cheap. Reconciling the two seemed a bit daunting until I stumbled upon the U of O’s Faculty of Arts’ Events Page. The Students of Opera Workshop are staging a production of the Old Maid and the Thief by Menotti, the first opera commissioned expressly for the radio. The moral of the story: “The devil couldn’t do what a woman can: make a thief of an honest man!” There will be three shows this weekend:  Saturday and Sunday at 7pm and a matinée on Sunday at 2pm. Tickets are only $10 for the public and $5 for students. The drama will be taking place at Freiman Hall at Ottawa U, room 121 in the Pérez Building (610 Cumberland Street).

I’ve never seen an Opera Workshop production, so I can’t make any assertions as to quality. However, for that price it will have to be pretty crappy to disappoint.

Click to continue reading “Cheap Opera at Ottawa U”

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Scribology at Library and Archives

Written
by
Katie
on Monday, February 23, 2009
.

Ottawa's Ritalin performs at the Canadian Festival of Spoken Word. Courtesy of vasta on flickr

Ritallin, Cytopoetic’s creative director,  at the Canadian Festival of Spoken Word.  Courtesy of vasta on Flickr

The inaugural edition of the capital’s newest annual multi-artist showcase, Scribology, takes over the Library and Archives Canada
 Auditorium (395 Wellington Street) on Friday, February 27 at 7 p.m.

 Presented by Cytopoetics and 10milligram promotions, Scribology is an 
annual spoken word and music concert series that exposes Ottawa to the
 very best in poetry & music fusion.

Click to continue reading “Scribology at Library and Archives”

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Battle of the Bag

Written
by
Karen
on Sunday, February 22, 2009
.
photo courtesy Sascha W. on flickr

photo courtesy Sascha W. on flickr

The plastic bag - a staple, a common sight. Yet perhaps not the convenience that it’s become. Oil execs might tell you otherwise, but many environmental activists are clamoring to have the plastic bag banned. Why all the controversy?

Check out the Battle of the Bag, a CBC documentary playing at the Bronson Centre on Feb. 23. It delves into the plastic polemic, exploring the worlds of oil, activists and even the man with the largest collection of plastic bags - ever.

This Eco-Film Night is - like many of those bags - free. And it starts at 7pm.

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Play - It’s getting better…

Written
by
apartment613
on Sunday, February 22, 2009
.
Photo courtesy of fieldtripp on Flickr

Photo courtesy of fieldtripp on Flickr

I was going to title this review “not so fun” since my first experience at Play was just that. I went with a group of friends on the first Friday the restaurant was open. Everything was wrong but the food. There were 5 red wines available by the glass - how one can offer 5 glasses and call themselves a wine bar is beyond me. Our waiter was inattentive (I might have more service experience than he does) and our table was near the window and we were all freezing.

We ordered two cheese plates, each with five different samples. There were no accompaniments with the cheese - no jams or jellies or olives or anything. Worst? We were served only six crostinis. ?!?! We were four people. There were ten cheeses. Six tiny pieces of dried bread?

When we asked our waiter for some bread, he came back and gave us another seven pieces. Gee. Thanks.

The good part? The food is delicious. Especially the gnudi. The prices are pretty decent.

When I went back last night, our new waiter - waitress I should say - was terrific. The gnudi was just as delicious and there were far more wines on the list.

Hopefully, the improvements will continue… oh yes, and she did offer us a bit more bread to go with that cheese.

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The Best Croissants in Town

Written
by
Katie
on Saturday, February 21, 2009
.
Courtesy of fieldtripp

French Baker Croissants Courtesy of fieldtripp

They’re tasty, flaky and french… kinda like my boyfriend. Add a latte or a cappuccino et Voilà! Instant sophistication. Here’s where to go in Ottawa to get a little taste of Paris.

Click to continue reading “The Best Croissants in Town”

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