meet up

Free Star Party at the Canada Science and Technology Museum

Written
by
Katie
on Wednesday, March 10, 2010
.
Photo Courtesy of Adcuz: N00bs on Flickr

Photo Courtesy of Adcuz: N00b's on Flickr

Didn’t get your fill of stars last Sunday at the Oscars? The Museum of Science and Technology is hosting a Free Star Party this Friday, March 12., at the Helen Sawyer Hogg Observatory. Weather permitting, you can head up to 1867 St Laurent Blvd from 7 to 8:30pm for a chance to get a proper look at the night sky with the museum’s old-school telescope or binoculars.

The 105 year-old telescope in the Museum’s Technology Park comes from the Dominion Observatory, formerly situated on the Central Experimental Farm property, which opened in 1905 and ceased operations on April 1, 1970. Its a great way to start off a Friday night and celebrate the impending spring.

Other star paries will be held at April 24 at 8pm, May 14 at 8:30pm and July 16 at 9pm.

Filed
in calendar and meet up
. 0 Comments

Best Open Mic Nights in Town

Written
by
apartment613
on Monday, March 8, 2010
.

Photo courtesy of PitsLamp Photography on Flickr.

Photo courtesy of PitsLamp Photography on Flickr.

By long-time Ottawan, Samantha Everts, who ended up out west for love but quickly came back to the city she loves.

A while back, my best friend decided to cut his teeth on the open mic scene of Ottawa. Having worked on his own stuff for a while he still wasn’t brave enough to go it alone, so I dutifully padded along. Disclaimer- this research has been conducted over the last few years.

The first place we hit up was the now closed Elephant and Castle in Rideau Centre. It was the most bizarre setting to consider original music was being heard every Thursday night with Ottawa songstress and now Big Money Shot signed Amanda Rheume hosting the thing. People masquerading as cowboys without horses, high school kids in their first band, and this one guy that without fail played the same song set every week. Tourists and alternative rock radio listeners made up the audience. The waitresses would constantly hassle the crowd to buy more drinks or get out. A good first time.

The Royal Oak on Bank Street’s open mic is a bit of a secret. A local musician doing covers of Sweet Home Alabama and Honky Town Blues encourages bar goers to drink more. The few open mic’ers that do go ahead in are for the most part are ignored. There’s a reason why know one knows about this one. Even the placard on the street’s chalk writing has been smeared, ‘open m’’ This Royal Oak is not to be confused with the Royal Oak in the Glebe that has a thriving open mic crowd.

Click to continue reading “Best Open Mic Nights in Town”

Filed
in best of..., concerts, meet up and music
. 6 Comments

Venus Envy and Agitate! collaborate for a fun evening of performances

Written
by
Francois
on Sunday, March 7, 2010
.

Sunday March 14, 2010 at 6PM at Venus Envy (320 Lisgar St.)

A lovely Sunday evening of fun and performances featuring d’bi.young.anitafrika and two other poets soon to be announced.

Everyone Welcome.

Suggested donation of $5-10 but no one will be turned away because of lack of funds…

Founded in 2004, Agitate! is a queer, Ottawa-based organization for indigenous people, mixed race people and people of colour. Although the governing board is open exclusively to indigenous people, mixed-race people and people of colour, allies from all communities and of all genders and sexual orientations are encouraged to get in touch with Agitate for information on how to volunteer.

Venus Envy Ottawa is an education-oriented sex shop located in downtown Ottawa. Knowledge is key to enjoying a satisfying, healthy, and erotic sex life, so we offer workshops on sex and relationships where people can ask questions and share their experiences in a safe, non-judgemental environment. Some of our workshops are for women only, but most are for everyone.

d’bi.young.anitafrika is a jamaican-canadian dub poet, actor, and playwright who believes in life. love. and revolushun. her first play yagayah, co-authored with naila belvett, was published in volume II of Testifyin’: Contemporary African Canadian Drama edited by djanet sears in 2003. her first book of poetry art on black was published by women’s press in 2006. blood.claat is the first play in the three faces of mudgu trilogy. the other two plays are androgyne and chronicles in dub.

Filed
in activism, calendar, centretown, concerts, listing only, meet up and spoken word
. 0 Comments

Making Waves with Ripple Adventure

Written
by
apartment613
on Saturday, March 6, 2010
.
Kayaking this Spring?

Photo courtesy of Robbie's Photo Art on Flickr.

By Aneka Rao

This year marked my first winter in Ottawa. I’d heard horror stories about the wet, bone-chilling cold and snow piled up above your head. Stay inside and hibernate, that was the advice I got. But four months is a long time to be cooped up, so in January, I signed up for the Intro to Winter Mix with Ripple Adventure.

Every Thursday, I go on a different winter adventure – downhill skiing at Camp Fortune, snowshoeing along the Ottawa River, cross-country skiing in Gatineau Park, speed skating on the Rideau Canal. As a newcomer to winter sports, which I traditionally avoid like the plague (chalk it up to laziness and an aversion to cold weather), it’s been an incredible experience and a great way to beat the winter blues by staying active. Plus, we get personal instruction from certified professionals, which greatly diminishes my fear of breaking bones and/or making a fool of myself.

Click to continue reading “Making Waves with Ripple Adventure”

Filed
in meet up and sport
. 5 Comments

Voices of Venus featuring Ruthanne Edward

Written
by
Katie
on Wednesday, March 3, 2010
.

Returning to their regular scheduled programming, VoV brings you the story-telling stylings of Ruthanne Edward. Swing by Umi Cafe on Tuesday, March 9th for a sellection of tales featuring ass-kicking heroines, selkie sweeties, and a few stories picked special with women’s history in mind.
Doors open at 7pm.

Open mic at 8pm. $5/PWYC. See you there! :-D

.

Filed
in activism, calendar, listing only, meet up, music, sight & sound, spoken word, theatre and think
. 0 Comments

Dusty Owl Reading Series “Open Hoot”

Written
by
Katie
on Wednesday, March 3, 2010
.

Sunday, March 7 @ 2:00: The Dusty Owl “Open Hoot” returns

In the six years we’ve been housed at Swizzles, the open mike has been one of our favorite aspects of the Dusty Owl. Always entertaining, often surprising, our open mike has seen everything from song to storytelling, from poetry to drumming, from interpretive dance (yes, interpretive dance) to improv comedy.

So we’re kicking off our anniversary month with another classic Open Hoot. Bring your songs, your stories, your poems, your rants and raves. Bring your instruments and your voices. Our shiny antique mike and friendly, welcoming stage are waiting for you. And so is our Object of Desire - the strangest on-the-spot poetry competition in the city!

We’re at the corner of Queen and Kent, down the stairs beside the Thai restaurant! See you there!

Filed
in DIY, books & lit, calendar, listing only, meet up, spoken word, think and workshop
. 0 Comments

I’m still not a feminist but…

Written
by
Francois
on Wednesday, March 3, 2010
.

feministCome celebrate International Women’s Day

When: Monday, March 8, 7-10 pm (doors at 6pm)
National Archives

The evening includes:
★ A bilingual improv comedy show
★ The Femmys (the National Capital Region Feminist Awards)
★ A short (and hilarious) film
★ Readings by youth writing contest winners
★ Mingling, networking, and info on women’s organizations in the Ottawa region
★ Nibbles and a cash bar
★ Fun!!

Event is FREE & bilingual, donations accepted.
Childcare available! Contact: svaw@amnesty.ca

Filed
in calendar, centretown, listing only and meet up
. 0 Comments

So You Wish You Could Dance - A fundraiser for the Children’s Wish Foundation

Written
by
Francois
on Wednesday, March 3, 2010
.

soyouwishOn March 28th at Live Lounge, there will be a Hip Hop and Break Dance showcase and competition to raise funds for Children’s Wish Foundation.

Culture Shock and other local dance crews from Carleton, Ottawa U and Algonquin will be performing. The Doors will be opening at 9:00pm and tickets can be bought at the door for $10 with all of the proceeds will be given towards The Children’s Wish Foundation charity to help children living with a life threatening illness.

There will be many prizes given away throughout the night, as well as programming to involve all participants. Check out their Facebook page here.

Filed
in DIY, calendar, dance, listing only, market, meet up and music
. 0 Comments

Umi Cafe - The Documentary

Written
by
Francois
on Wednesday, March 3, 2010
.

Director Katherine Eastwood, up and coming film maker has been working for over a year on capturing the essence of what happens inside the Umi Cafe.
Through her own personal journey and funding it through her own funds, she has completed her project in capturing a naked depiction of all the activity and community building that occurs inside the Umi Cafe, Ottawa’s own social and business experiment. Whether its the challenges faced by a young blossoming co-operative, the birth of a community, the transformational power of music and art or the ideological debate of a “different way to envision business”, this documetary offers an entertaining, genuine and beautiful view into the possibilities of young and brave entrepeneurship.

With many appearances, by your favorite local artists such as Brandon Wint, Sean O’Gorman, Brad Morden, Balam Santos, Nathaniel Larochette and many others, it offers an exceptionally original soundtrack as well.

Come and catch a sneak preview of the Umi Cafe Documentary before they are shown at different festivals and is officially released.

All Funds from this night will go towards the Umi Community Garden Project for 2010.

Come one Come All.
Umi Cafe (610 Somerset W.) 7pm
$5 suggested donation

Filed
in activism, calendar, centretown west (chinatown), cinema, listing only and meet up
. 0 Comments

A B Series presents Gary Barwin at Mercury Lounge

Written
by
Francois
on Tuesday, March 2, 2010
.

When: Saturday, March 27, 7-9pm

Where: Mercury Lounge (56 Byward)

Cost: $7 admission at the door / $5 low income

GARY BARWIN is active as a writer, composer, and performer. His music and writing have been published and presented in Canada, the U.S., Japan, and Europe. He has published numerous books and chapbooks of poetry, visuals and fiction, including Doctor Weep and other Strange Teeth, and, with derek beaulieu, frogments from the frag pool. Forthcoming book include his third poetry collection with Coach House, The Porcupinity of the Stars and The Obvious Flap, written with Gregory Betts (BookThug) and, Franzlations (New Star) with Hugh Thomas and Craig Conley. His chapbook, Inverting the Deer (serif of nottingham) was a co-winner of the 2009 bpNichol Chapbook Award. He edits the Supernova Tadpole series for Paper Kite Press in Pennsylvania. His writing and visual texts have appeared in numerous anthologies, and magazines. His work has been commissioned and broadcast by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

Barwin received a PhD in Music Composition from SUNY at Buffalo. He graduated from York University with a BFA in Music and a BA in Creative Writing. He was the recipient of the 1998 Emerging Artist Award in Literature from the KM Hunter Foundation and the Ontario Arts Council. Seeing Stars, a YA novel, was a finalist for both CLA YA book of the year, and an Arthur Ellis Award.

Barwin lives in Hamilton, Ontario.

Doors open at 7pm / Reading at 7:30pm

Filed
in calendar, listing only, market, meet up and music
. 0 Comments