features

Dirty Laundry: Keep on keepin on and Benny Goodman’s Nobel Prize

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on Friday, August 27, 2010

Photo courtesy of Jessica Ruano

A professional sexual health educator with an alarming lack of tact, Nadine Thornhill is used to airing out other people’s unmentionables. Her sex column, Dirty Laundry, runs the last Friday of each month on Apt613. To ask your questions, or to say hello to Nadine, contact her at dirtylaundry613@gmail.com.

There’s a guy in my life who I honestly believe I love. We’ve known each other for about 10 years, and our relationship right now is friend with insane benefits. The first time I saw him I was overcome with desire (he’s pretty hot). I wanted him so bad and he would be my conquest, and it would be a great one. These last 4-5 years we’ve maintained a very intense affair. He comes over, we talk for hours about every/anything, or we go out for drinks/movie etc, then we have absolutely mind-blowing sex. I doubt I’ll find chemistry like that elsewhere. He goes away for school from Sept to April, comes back for Christmas and summer, and we get right back to where we left off. Lately my thoughts have been consumed with wondering “how long will this go on?” “Is there something more to explore here?” I’m pretty sure he has a girlfriend. I think he LIVES with her. Last night we had very personal conversations about the dynamic of our relationship, how our desire for each other never fades, what we like about each other etc. He also opened up to me about a situation within his family and I was lending him an ear and my best advice. I can’t get enough of him. I feel so comfortable and safe around him. He’s an amazing guy. My friends who know the full story believe he has feelings for me because why would this be going on for so long? I don’t want what we have to end, I don’t want him to get freaked out that I’m bringing it up after all this time. Things he’s said and done in the past lead me to believe he does want more from me and at the same time that this is all there will be. Should I keep on keepin on, talk to him about us, or end it because it hurts too much?

In Love and Lust

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613 Style File: The boys of summer

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apartment613

on Friday, August 20, 2010

Melanie Yugo, crafter extraordinaire and co-founder of Spins & Needles, and Lauryn Kronick, a vintage-obsessed fashion junkie, compile the 613 Style File the third Friday of the month. Inspired by other style blogs, they’re hitting the streets to profile interesting fashion eye-candy in different places and at events. So keep your eyes out and funk up your style - you never know when they may capture your look!

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OIFF Music Video Challenge

Written

saxby

on Thursday, August 19, 2010

With the Ottawa International Film Festival taking place this weekend, we thought we would post a special treat from this Friday’s music video competition. Local band The Weathermakers teamed up with Darcy Lyle Productions to create this video for Stand Up in an Empty Room.

The Ottawa International Film Festival is hosting the Music Video Challenge this Friday, from 6:30 to 9:30pm at Lieutenant’s Pump on Elgin St. Tickets are $10 for the night or $25 for the full festival. More information’s available online at www.oiff.ca.

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Dirty Laundry: Literary lechery, too much of a good thing and the value of musical cards

Written

apartment613

on Friday, July 30, 2010

Photo courtesy of Jessica Ruano

For the full smorgasboard of Nadine’s musings check out her blog, Adorkable Thespian.

Dear Dirty Laundress,

I’ve been in a relationship for a few months. Things are getting pretty serious — we’ve said “I love you” and we’re even talking about moving in together if things continue to go well. He is wonderful, I trust him; however, there’s something I haven’t been able to share with him.
Don’t worry — I’m not cheating or anything like that but it is kind of odd. I’ve been reading and writing slash fan fiction for a few years. I’ve even posted a few stories online, under a pen name. I’m not sure how to bring this up with my boyfriend without coming off like a crazy geek weirdo. Any advice?

Secretly Literary and Seeking Help

Fan fiction or “fanfic”, as it’s sometimes called, is a work of fiction about characters created by fans of a work of literature, film, television, rather than the original creator. Slash fiction is a sub genre of fan fiction which involves romantic or erotic pairing between two characters of the same gender. There are massive fanfic communities, primarily online, related to popular television series and novels, called “fandoms”. This is not nearly as weird as you may think,
SLaSH. It is extremely common to have sexual fantasies involving the fictional characters we read about or see onscreen. Ask your boyfriend if he’s ever had a celebrity/character crush. Odds are that he has. Encourage him to open up about about a fantasy, tell him about a couple of yours. If you’ve never done it before, you may feel a little shy at first, but once you get passed that, you’ll probably start to have fun…and maybe get a little turned on. Eventually, when you feel ready, you can start to tell him about the fanfic, which is simply a fun, creative expression of your sexual fantasies. Remember SLaSH, geek is chic, weird is wonderful and there’s nothing crazy about a good, sexy story.

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613 Style File: The ladies of summer

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apartment613

on Saturday, July 24, 2010

Melanie Yugo, crafter extraordinaire and co-founder of Spins & Needles, and Lauryn Kronick, a vintage-obsessed fashion junkie, compile the 613 Style File the third Friday of the month. Inspired by other style blogs, they’re hitting the streets to profile interesting fashion eye-candy in different places and at events. So keep your eyes out and funk up your style - you never know when they may capture your look!

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Dirty Laundry: Hair-y situation and polyamory?

Written

Francois

on Friday, June 25, 2010

Photo courtesy of Jessica Ruano

For the full smorgasboard of Nadine’s musings check out her blog, Adorkable Thespian.

Dear Dirty Laundress,

I started dating this guy a few weeks ago. He’s really great, really smart and nice. The sex has been great too and we’ve both been really into it, until about a week ago I noticed he seemed a little weird about going down on me. I didn’t say anything, but then it happened again and so I asked him if something was wrong. He said he didn’t want to make me feel bad or anything, but that he just wasn’t used to hair down there. He said the other women he’s been with have all been bare. I do a little shaving, you know, to keep things tidy but that’s it. I asked him if he wanted me to get it waxed and he said that it was up to me. Now I don’t know what to do. I love when we have oral sex and I don’t want him to feel weird about it, but I’m also kind of scared about getting everything waxed. Does it really hurt as much as they say? And do they really wax your bum and everything?

Hair Today. Gone Tomorrow?

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The 613 Style File

Written

apartment613

on Friday, June 25, 2010

As lots of independent shops and cool events continue to pop up in the city, we couldn’t help but notice that the city is home to some extremely fashion-forward, stylish people. Melanie Yugo, crafter extraordinaire and co-founder of Spins & Needles, and Lauryn Kronick, a vintage-obsessed fashion junkie, are starting a new column in Apartment613 that will (usually) air on the third Friday of the month. The column aims to debunk the myth that Ottawa is the town that fashion forgot. Inspired by other style blogs, they’re hitting the streets to profile interesting fashion eye-candy in different places and at events. So keep your eyes out and funk up your style - you never know when they may capture your look!

Fouad Matar

Occupation: Civil Servant. (Neither civil, nor servant.)

Outfit: Shirt from somewhere in Philadelphia, pants from www.revolveclothing.com, belt from Norml sample sale, suspenders from dad’s closet, tie from grandfather’s closet, bracelet from Marrakesh, socks from J. Crew, Shoes from Sisley store in Lebanon (they’re 12 years old), briefcase from African folk art store in Montreal, insanity from his childhood

Style influence: My grandparents. The tie I am wearing in the photo belonged to my grandfather. I have a black and white photo of my grandmother and great aunt at my desk, it reminds me how fashionable she was.

Things to do for fun in the city: Gyrate

Sébastien Mayer

Occupation: Researcher

Style influence: Yves St-Laurent, Eugene and Dan Levy, Justin Theroux, Hyman & Sylvia Moscot, Alexis Carrington and Joan Crawford’s eyebrows and shoulder pads.

Things to do for fun in the city: Drinking a Manhattan at Metropolitain Brasserie, drinking a Negroni at Trattoria Caffee Italia, drinking a Femme Violet at the Collection… Drinking, mostly! Shopping at Preston Hardware, visiting La Petite Mort Gallery and the Pop Life Exhibition at the National Gallery!

Tyler Johnston

Occupation: Bad-ass barista, solo musician (guitar, singer/songwriter)

Favourite store in Ottawa: Ragtime

Outfit: Hat and shoes from Value Village, Shirt from Ragtime, Jeans from Lucky Brand

Tattoo artist: Jimmy from Planet Ink

Style influence: “I am a complete sucker for plaid - I have a country taste without admitting to being ‘country.’ I’m a hick with an indie edge. I’m also DIY - creating jeans shorts, I’m an amateur in hemming and sewing

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Dirty Laundry: New trends in porn and what to do over the long haul

Written

apartment613

on Friday, May 28, 2010

Photo Courtesy of Jessica Ruano

For the full smorgasboard of Nadine’s musings check out her blog, Adorkable Thespian.
_________________________

Dear Dirty Laundress

When partners have been together for a while…let’s say 3, 4, 5 years - how do you keep things interesting in bed and in your daily lives without it becoming a boring routine? Any advice?

Slightly Scared Of Future Trends

Having been in a monogamous relationship with my current partner for almost fifteen years, I’ve formed a few opinions about keeping the spark alive long-term. I’m going to assume, SSOFT that you’re familiar with standard magazine wisdom about weekends away, naughty toys and athletic, new sex positions, all of which are great ideas. A couple of carnal days at a bed and breakfast just may provide the kindling you need to keep the flames of passion burning.

But trips and contortionist tricks aren’t always practical or even desirable for every couple’s in their day-to-day lives. We get busy. We get stressed out. We get tired. Often, we experience all three at once. That early relationship energy, which has us making mad monkey love at every opportunity, it wanes over time. That’s normal. But I think it’s important to remember that while our libidos change over the course of a relationship, attraction and desire remain.

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The Final Chapter (until the play): Airport Security Episode Four

Written

saxby

on Friday, May 21, 2010

Just in time for the Queen’s Birthday, we are pleased to present the fourth and final (cue single tear) Airport Security webisode from the talented team at Gruppo Rubato. You can now look forward to getting the live Airport Security experience starting June 4th when the show opens at the Irving Greenberg Theatre. You can get the details on the show online here.

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