confessions

The second annual Big Sexy O-Town Survey: Sex in the Capital City

Written

on Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Photo courtesy of TaniaSaiz on Flickr.

Trudeau once famously quipped that “there’s no place for the state in the bedrooms of the nation”. Of course, he never said anything about bloggers. Once again Apartment613 and Venus Envy are sticking our noses in where they don’t belong. The second annual Big Sexy O-Town Survey will get the intimate details of what really goes on in Ottawa’s bedrooms, bars and bordellos. Our goal: ~~to satisfy our own voyeuristic streak~~ to provide a safe and serious place to discuss sexual issues of great import, such as what’s your favourite Ottawa burlesque troupe and whether you’ve ever made out on Parliament Hill.

Last year, over 700 people completed the survey (you can see the results here and here). This year’s survey, authored once again by our Dirty Laundry columnist, the incomparable Nadine Thornhill, will focus on the sexy places of the NCC: the bars, parties, restaurants and landmarks that put that little extra swing in your step. The survey’s 22 questions cover four key areas: Pleasurable Places (where you go to get jiggy in the city), Getting to Know You (places to meet up or make out); Sexy Shopping (where to you go for that special butt plug) and Provoking Personalities (crush-worthy city councillors and more).

The survey will remain open until Tuesday, January 31 and the results will be released on Apartment613 on February 14 (aka Valentine’s Day). No one will know who you are (not even us!), so be as honest as you like.

Fill out the entire survey for a chance to win an excellent prize courtesy of Venus Envy – a top notch Lelo sex toy worth over $100.

Disclaimer: Apartment613’s Big Sexy O-Town survey is intended for kicks and giggles. No fancy statistical techniques were harmed in the creation of this survey.

(Click here to take the survey if you have trouble with the embedded version).

Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey, the world’s leading questionnaire tool.

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On the public service – an Apartment613 special series

Written

apartment613

on Thursday, October 13, 2011

Photo courtesy of heLENS photography

Post by Nick Charney

Recognising that “Government Town” might be one of the adjectives that come to mind when thinking about Ottawa, we recruited public-servant-blogger-renaissance-man Nick Charney for an occasional series on the culture of the public service. He will be highlighting the interesting personalities running our national government and the cool stuff they get up to in the nation’s capital. You can read more from Nick on his blog CPSRenewal.

Boring. Unimaginative. Cubicles. Red tape.

All words at the tips of our tongues whenever anyone mentions the bureaucracy. I’ve been told that serving the public used to be a noble profession, but somewhere along the way reverence for the work turned to mockery, and the archetypes of what it meant to be a public servant shifted. As a public servant myself, I find it incredibly frustrating that negative stereotypes dominate our mental models of public servants. And this raises the question: is there more to this sleepy government town than meets the eye, or is it really as drab as the cubicle farms that fill its core? In order to find out, I booked a series of interviews with public servants.

The first public servant I sat down with also happened to have an interesting night-time hobby: she is a burlesque dancer and fire-breather who goes by the name of Rhapsody Blue. I met Blue for lunch at the Cock and Lion on Sparks Street. It’s a familiar place that I had spent a lot of time in during my youth; and it was a place the two of us had been before. It was comfortable and quiet enough to carry on a conversation. The conversation was one I was looking forward to, given the steady rise in popularity of burlesque and the fact that I was completely ignorant to the Ottawa burlesque scene. I had no idea that Ottawa boasted 7 burlesque troupes (Blue is a member of the Rockalily Burlesque Troupe), and that, according to Blue, each has had at least one public servant on the roster at one time or another.

Click to continue reading “On the public service – an Apartment613 special series”

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Celebrate International Women’s Day with the women of Burma

Written

Natasha Mooney

on Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Post by Natasha Mooney

Today is International Women’s Day, a global celebration of the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future. There’s a lot going on this afternoon and evening, including great locally-focused events like the Shattered Ceiling Cabaret at the Mayfair and I might be a Feminist at the National Archives. However, if you want an event with a more international perspective, come and check out This is my Witness tomorrow at the Main Branch of the Library.

The film chronicles the journey of two women who were given the chance to testify at the International Tribunal on Crimes against Women of Burma in New York. One of the principal protagonists is Saw Mar, a Burmese housewife who decided to join the movement to replace Burma’s military government after witnessing a massacre by army troopers. Shortly after being appointed as the Organizer for the National League for Democracy, she was arrested and sentenced to three years in prison with hard labor. Tortured and subject to abuse, she bore witness to disturbing injustices and abuses of power.

This is my Witness aims to raise awareness of the violence and crimes against women through the harrowing testimonies of women’s experiences of rape, sexual violence and trafficking. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion with Kate Heartfield from the Ottawa Citizen, as well as Nobel Peace Laureate Jody Williams. Nisha Toomey from Canadian Friends of Burma and Sheila Htoo, a participant of the Tribunal itself, will also participate in the panel.

This is my Witness film screening and panel discussion will be held at the Ottawa Public Library Main Branch (120 Metcalfe), this Wednesday March 9 from 7pm-9pm. Admission is free.

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The Big Sexy O-Town Survey results, part two!

Written

Katie

on Monday, February 21, 2011

Photo courtesy of Lew57 on Flickr.

Last week, we posted the results of Apartment613′s first ever Big Sexy O-Town Survey. However, because there was just way too much information (both literally and figuratively), we split those results up into two parts. Today, we’ll be revealing how our readers learned about sex and how they now put that knowledge into practice. The 28 question survey was designed by our own sex columnist, Nadine Thornhill, with some helpful input and prize give-away from Venus Envy’s Shelley Taylor.

So, when did Ottawans first learn about sex? What are the city’s top fetishes and kinks? Do people accessorize (their sex life, that is, not their outfits)? The answer to these questions and many more await below.

Needless to say, viewer discretion is advised!

Click to continue reading “The Big Sexy O-Town Survey results, part two!”

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The Big Sexy O-Town Survey results, part one!

Written

Katie

on Monday, February 14, 2011

Photo courtesy of TaniaSaiz on Flickr.

In the immortal words of either A.J. McLean or Swami X (the internet is having trouble deciding), “Sex isn’t the answer. Sex is the question. ‘Yes’ is the answer.”

But yes to what? Threesomes, foursomes, twentysomes? Do you like to watch? Does your cat? Are plugs, clamps and rope things you store in your toolbox or your nightstand?

We, the voyeuristic inquiring minds at Apartment613, wanted to know – and seriously, what’s the point in running a blog if you can’t use it to ask hundreds of strangers the most intimate details of their private lives?

More than 700 people took part in the first ever Apartment613/Venus Envy Big Sexy O-Town Survey. The purpose? Your entertainment, dear reader, and if a little sex positive dialogue comes out of it, so much the better. The survey was conceived of and designed by Nadine Thornhill, a sexual health educator at Planned Parenthood Ottawa and Apartment613′s very own sex columnist. Shelley Taylor, the brains behind Ottawa’s favorite sex store, Venus Envy, provided some useful feedback, as well as a prize for one lucky survey respondent – a top notch Lelo sex toy (congrats to our winners!).

The 28 survey questions were grouped into three basic topics – sex partners, sex education and sexual practices – plus one question on sexual assault. We originally intended to release all the results in one fell swoop, but due to the amount of great material you all gave us, we decided to break it up into two segments. Today, we’ll focus on your answers to our questions on sex partners and sexual assault. A big thank you to everyone who took the time to take the survey.

Needless to say, viewer discretion is advised!

Click to continue reading “The Big Sexy O-Town Survey results, part one!”

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Dirty Laundry: lap dances explained, text messages decoded and relationship psychic powers

Written

apartment613

on Friday, January 28, 2011

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 new 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.

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

Dear Dirty Laundress,

What exactly happens when you buy a private lap dance at a strip club — one with female dancers? I am especially curious to know what strippers do for lap dances bought by heterosexual couples. I have heard rumours that strippers take care to make sure that nobody feels left out…but what exactly goes on in that private room? And are there rules about who is allowed to touch whom in those situations (and are they different for female customers as opposed to male)?

-Baring My Curiosity

Wonder no more, BMC! Routines may vary from club to club, but generally speaking when a male customer pays for a lap dance he expects a nude or at mostly-nude performance. A dancer may straddle, caress or otherwise touch the customer; however, the customer typically isn’t allowed to touch the dancer.

A local club owner gave me the low down on lap dances for heterosexual couples. A couples dance most of the action is focused on the female customer, while the guy watches. Female customers are often granted more leeway when it comes to touching the dancers. The couple are allowed to touch one another, but unlike their private dancer they’ve got to keep their clothes on.

Dear Dirty Laundress,

In the dating world, what is the difference between a winky face and a smiley face in a text msg from a guy?

-SMS Illiterate

I’m not a guy and as such, I didn’t feel qualified to answer your question. SMSI. So, I assembled an elite team of my guy friends to crack the texting code. They’re smart, they’re sexy and they all have phones. I call them The Text Team Ten!

Click to continue reading “Dirty Laundry: lap dances explained, text messages decoded and relationship psychic powers”

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Let’s get it on, Ottawa! The 2010 Big Sexy O-Town Survey

Written

apartment613

on Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Post by NeoGaboX on flickr

Post by Apartment613′s own sex columnist, Nadine Thornhill, with help from Venus Envy’s Shelley Taylor.

When it comes to sex, we couldn’t help but be a little curious about what is (and isn’t!) going on out there. In order to get some answers, we’ve teamed up with the fine folks at Venus Envy to bring you Apartment613’s Big Sexy O-Town Survey. There’s no such thing as an overshare as far as we’re concerned, so take the survey and help shed some light on what goes on behind Ottawa’s closed doors.

The Survey!

The survey has a total of 28 questions and you can answer as many or as few as you like. It takes about 10 to 15 minutes to answer them all. Most questions are multiple choice and all include space if you need or want to explain your answer further. The questions cover a range of topics from orientation to masturbation to kink to sexual health to abstinence. The survey will remain open until Monday, February 7. No one will no who you are (not even us!) so be as honest as you like.

The Results!

Once we’ve collected and collated the data, we’ll release the results of our Big Sexy O-Town Survey on Valentine’s Day. We may share some of our favourite answers but rest assured, we won’t reveal any identifying details.

Fabulous Prizes!

If you’ve completed the survey and you’d like to be included in a draw to win a fabulous prize courtesy of Venus Envy, email apartment613@gmail.com with the magic words found in the last question of the survey. Participation in the draw is voluntary — and your information will not be linked to your answers in any way. The draw will take place when the survey closes on February 8th.

Trigger Warning: Please note…one of the questions deals with sexual assault.

Click here to take the Apartment 613’s Big Sexy O-Town Survey.

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Charlie for Mayor – A documentary short

Written

Francois

on Monday, December 13, 2010

The Ottawa municipal elections are already a few months past. Is it silly of me to miss the #ottvote hash tag on Twitter? Out of curiosity, I did a search last week to see if anyone still uses it and found a tweet by mayoral candidate Charlie Taylor.

He had, like many other candidates, retired his campaign Twitter account, but recently used the tool to share a documentary short – an inside look at his campaign. It’s an interesting look inside the ambitions, joys and frustrations of running a campaign when you’re not one of the leading candidates.

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These Are Not Movies: Screenplays for films that will never be made

Written

Katie

on Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Photo courtesy of Matt-Richards on flickr

An art show consisting of blank canvasses and untouched tubes of paint would probably befuddle its audience – isn’t there a step or two missing? A book of screenplays risks a similar response. Where’s the cinematography, the acting, the special effects? Ask your audience to fill in too many of these rolls, and they may respond by signing up with ACTRA and picketing your book launch.

That’s the gamble that long-time Ottawa resident Adam Thomlison took when he compiled These are not movies: Screenplays for films that will never be made. As suggested in the title, These are not movies consists of nine short screenplays that are not intended for the silver screen. Instead, the idea is to explore the screenplay, its conventions and constraints, as a genre in itself. The local authors who Thomlison collected to participate in the project – none of whom typically write for film – were asked to work within the conventions of the form, from the emphasis on imagery to the use of 10 courier font.

The result is a very entertaining and engaging little book. Much of its appeal comes from the fact that it gives you a choice on how to approach it: you can enjoy each piece as either literature or as the film that it was never meant to be. Often the choice of one of these perspectives - reader or imaginary film director – leads to a different assessment of each story.

Click to continue reading “These Are Not Movies: Screenplays for films that will never be made”

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Inside Out: Queering films from the outside in

Written

apartment613

on Tuesday, November 30, 2010

The Secret Diaries of Miss Anne Lister

Post by Lauryn Kronick. Apartment613 wants to send you and a guest to the Inside Out opening gala of “The Secret Diaries of Miss Anne Lister” on Thursday, December 2 at the National Gallery of Canada at 7pm. This gets you in to the after-party at SAW Gallery as well. Leave your name and e-mail below in the comments and we’ll draw a winner’s name Wednesday at noon.

Queer film lovers will get their fill of international screenings at the fourth edition of Inside Out, Ottawa-Gatineau’s LGBT Film and Video Festival. Inside Out boasts a diverse selection of more than ten screenings including documentaries, dramas, comedies and short films from 14 countries including Peru, Bosnia, Turkey, and Israel and features a number of Canadian works as well.

The international aspect of Inside Out is a major draw to the festival – it gives us a view of queer issues in countries where we’re not accustomed to hearing about sexuality in a public domain. This year, as programming director Jason St-Laurent explains, queer issues have frequently appeared in the mainstream news – from international human rights cases, military service and the recent teen suicides in the U.S.

This is where Inside Out becomes more than just a film festival, he says: “If people stay in the lobby and discuss after the film, that’s when we know we’ve moved an audience.”

Click to continue reading “Inside Out: Queering films from the outside in”

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