workshop

Les Ateliers turns 1 1/2! Old school b-day party is in order

Photo courtesy of Jane in Ottawa on the Apt613 flickr group

Photo courtesy of Jane in Ottawa on the Apt613 flickr group

Politicians are by no means the craftiest people in Ottawa; the city abounds with knitters, bakers and I’m sure a few candlestick makers as well. By that metric, Lauren Potosky and Rachel Thera, the organizers of Les Ateliers, are in the running for the craftiest people in Ottawa. The duo organize low-cost workshops on a wide range of skills: handmade lotions, chocolates and truffles, silk screening, sprouting and canning, writing/poetry, animation shorts/pixellation, urban gardening, vegan nutrition…. the list goes on.  Each workshop takes place on the last weekend of the month and features a local expert sharing their hard-earned knowledge. The cost is never more than $10, and often provide an opportunity to find new uses for old stuff.

This Sunday marks one and a half years since Les Ateliers set up shop, and the group is celebrating with a old-school birthday party this Sunday, August 29 from 4 to 8pm at the Montgomery Legion Hall (330 Kent). On the agenda are sweet treats, party games, music and crafts. Best of all, admission is free. According to Rachel, the whole shindig will be a tribute to the birthday parties of yore.

“For our one and a half year birthday party, we wanted to come up with a creative way to celebrate all of the amazing people - facilitators, volunteers, participants- that have made Les Ateliers such a success. Lauren and I came up with the idea of doing up the party almost as a tribute to the child’s classic birthday party - something we both miss. There’ll be party games, such as pin the tail on the donkey, musical chairs, hot potato, balloon stomp, giant jenga, and bingo (with a few handmade door prizes, too). We’ll have birthday-appropriate treats like cupcakes and lemonade, fresh popped popcorn from an old-timey popcorn machine, and if all things go according to plan, a saltwater taffy pull to boot.”

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No need for Hot Yoga, these Yogis are taking it outside!

Photo courtesy of matthew palmer on Flickr.

Photo courtesy of matthew palmer on Flickr.

Finding a free, no-strings-attached yoga class is hard to do in Ottawa, but luckily summer is here (at least for a little while longer) and the classes have been brought outside for all to enjoy. Maybe you haven’t seen people in the park doing sun salutations, but they’ve been there since the beginning of the season.

Yoga with Manohar

After a little investigation it was revealed that Yoga with Manohar is also known as Victor, a professionally trained dancer that has been teaching yoga since 2008. His class runs on Wednesdays from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. in Dundonald Park on Somerset Street West (across from the Beer Store). It is a balance of Hatha yoga (a more gentle style that emphasizes physical detail and focus), so it is suitable for beginners to expert downward doggers. Manohar requests that if it is your first time to come a little early to center yourself before practice, and be sure to bring a mat, blanket or towel. Given Ottawa’s weird weather, it’s best to check the website to make sure the class is still on.

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Cherry Pie: Networking without the pits!

Cherry Pie 2010

Networking is normally like taking out the garbage: you know its good to do, but it ain’t gonna be fun. However, if you’re an established businessperson or wannabe tycoon who happens to be of the female persuasion, you have an alternative to the old wine and cheese or breakfast lecture. For the past six years Catherine Landry has been organizing Cherry Pie, an informal meet-and-greet for women that seeks to take the work out of networking. “No nametags, boring guest speakers, styrofoam coffee cups, obligatory 7am breakfast meetings and blah blah blah. Everything is fresh and exciting.”

The next Cherry Pie will take place on Tuesday, August 17 from 6 to 11pm at Soma SPA (700 Sussex Drive). If you are thinking of starting your own business or are already on your own payroll but are looking to make some new connections, the event provides an opportunity to meet some women with similar interests. If you are just looking to hang out, Cherry Pie also offers snacks,  mini-massages and shopping. I had the chance to ask Catherine a few questions about the event, the biggest business breakthroughs and tips for breaking into the business world.

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Twirling titties and titillating tales! Burlesque this weekend

Photo courtesy of ikyotochan's on flickr

Photo courtesy of ikyotochan's on flickr

Summer is the season of sexy: short shorts and tank tops, tanned bodies glistening with sweat, frolicking on the beach… you get the picture (and if you don’t I’m sure you can find some online). So it makes sense that Ottawa’s thriving burlesque community would be planning a couple of events for the most titillating time of the year.

Tonight, the Coalition for a Carleton Sexual Assault Centre is hosting Artgams, a night of art, dance and sex-positivity with performances by radical folk group Three Little Birds, Rockalily Burlesque and an array of spoken word artists. The event is a fundraiser to support their sexual help line. Show starts at 7 at the Mercury Lounge (56 Byward Market Square). Tickets range from $8 to $12 and are available at Venus Envy (320 Lisgar Street). A few will be available at the door.

Those of you who are more hands on can get some professional burlesque start training this Thurday at Sacha’s Dance Studio (346 Richmond Rd – 2nd Floor). This workshop will not only teach you how to make your own pasties with tassels like the ones pictured above, but also how to twirl them like a pro! Cost is $20 and space is limited. Reserve your space by contacting the studio at info@sachasdancestudio.com

Last but not least, the provocative (and very productive of late) ladies of Rockalily will also be putting on a show this Friday at Mavericks (221 Rideau St.). Bringing a new ‘twist’ to traditional fairy tails such as Hansel and Gretel, Robin Hood and Beauty and the Beast, BurlyTales will be set to live music performed by Thundercunt and Goldenrod’s Electric S…hock Therapy! Doors open at 9. Tickets are $8 in advance and $10 at the door and can be purchased at Vertigo (193 Rideau St.) and Tuesdays the Romance Store (1239 Wellington St.)

Does anyone know of upcomming events for Sexual Overtones or the Sin Sisters?

Discover Cooking at the LCBO

Photo courtesy of thekuster on Flikr

Photo courtesy of thekuster on Flikr

Despite the torrential rain we saw this week: IT’S SUMMER! With summer comes the need to exploit every possible opportunity to enjoy the refreshing wares available at your local LCBO. This summer the LCBO is also offering Discover Cooking Classes, providing you with the skills to create even more opportunities to imbibe.

With class names like “To Copenhagen with Love” and “The World on a Plate” there’s bound to be something to tempt your taste buds. Although not particularly hands on, for ~$50 a pop you get a sample of each dish, wine pairings with some of the menu, and the know how to re-create the deliciousness once you get home. For those of you with bigger appetites (and bigger wallets), classes such as the “East Coast Beach Party” feature full portions of each entrée at a cost of $85 per person.

Taught by local chefs like Hector Diaz of the Casino du Lac-Leamy and Ken Harper of Chop Chop Catering, most classes are 2 hours in length and are offered on weekday evenings. Classes are held at both the Rideau and Nepean Crossroads locations (not all classes are offered at both locations) and pre-registration is required.

Les Ateliers: Small Business Info Session at Raw Sugar Cafe

Sunday, July 11 - 1-3 pm - $5

This month Les Ateliers is hosting an information session on starting up your own small business! Local business owner Nadia Kharyati of Raw Sugar will talk to us about what it takes to get your business idea up and running. The talk will be followed by a question and answer period, and an opportunity to brainstorm new and creative ideas with likeminded individuals. Sometimes all it takes is a little information sharing and networking to get things going!
Information will also be available on starting up business support groups, a great way to keep yourself and your business on track! Bring a pad and paper and your amazing ideas and we’ll give you some new insight into what it will take to make your small business happen!

The cost to attend is $5, which will include a snack (no potluck this time, folks) and a resource booklet. In addition, we are not asking you to RSVP (although seating is limited so you’re safer off being punctual). Everyone is welcome to come by and attend.

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/event.php?eid=131051296934592&ref=ts

Community Garden Tour & Workshops

Everyone Welcome - Free Event - Learn from your Local Community Gardeners! Where: Nanny Goat Hill Garden (corner of Laurier and Bronson) When: Saturday July 10th, 11 am - 2 pm. (Rain date: Sunday, July 11th) Refreshments will be served. Mini-workshops on: - plant teachings - edible wild plants - square foot gardening - composting and soil structure Resident gardeners will be on hand for discussions and knowledge sharing. Organized by Transition Ottawa and the Community Garden Network of Ottawa

Free Yoga at Wall Space Gallery

When: Thurs. July 8 from 8-9:30 am
Where: Wall Space Gallery,Westboro Village
Admission: Free trial class!
Please RSVP with patricia@wallspacegallery.ca
Spaces limited. Anne will be offering sessions in the fall.

Unwind, reflect and rejuvenate in the beauty, calm and artful inspiration of the gallery. Unlearn habitual tension, be present and feel fully alive in an unhurried experience of yoga. Come home to yourself through this gentle, mindful and embodied practice. No experience necessary. No sweating likely. Bring a mat, or a blanket and some muscular tension to work with.

Queer Youth Comics Project

In partnership with SAW Gallery and Pink Triangle Services (PTS), the Trans Arts Collective is presenting the Queer Youth Comics Project (QYCP). The QYCP is a French and English workshop series teaching LGBTTQ youth how to write and draw comics for self-expression in a supportive environment. This is an innovative initiative to establish more arts programming for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, two-spirited and queer youth in the Ottawa/Outaouais region between the ages of 16 and 25 and their allies.

The last workshop will be a community panel discussion on queer youth open to the public. Discussions will be generated from the workshop participants? comics. All members of the public are invented to attend to learn more about queer youth. We hope to continue the community dialogue on LGBTTQ youth with an exhibition at the Shenkman Arts Centre in January 2010.

Workshop Dates:
Tuesday, September 14, 6:00-9:00 p.m.
Tuesday, September 26, 6:00-9:00 p.m.
Tuesday, October 12, 6:00-9:00 p.m.
Tuesday, October 24, 6:00-9:00 p.m.
Tuesday, November 9, 6:00-9:00 p.m.
*French and English workshops will be at the same time but at different locations except for the final workshop. The November 9 workshops will be at Club SAW.

English Workshop Location:
Club SAW at SAW Gallery
67 Nicholas Street
Ottawa, ON K1N 7B9

French Workshop Location:
Pink Triangle Services (PTS)
251 Bank St, Suite 301
Ottawa, ON
K2P 1X3

Workshop fee is $100 per workshop participant.

Donations to the project are welcome. Business and community sponsorships are available. Volunteers are needed.

For more information, please contact:
Trans Arts Collective
queeryouthcomics@gmail.com
or
PTS
pinktriangle@bell.net
(613) 563-4818

For QYCP updates, please visit www.facebook.com/qyouthcomics or www.vecroyale.com.

Ottawa Fringe Lunchtime Artist Series

Join us for lunch in the Fringe Courtyard June 21-25th for interviews and discussions with some of the writers, creators and performers whose work is in this year’s Festival.

Admission: Pay-what-you-can


Monday June 21: Fringe and Beyond

Sponsored by the Magnetic North Theatre Festival
Hosted by Lise Ann Johnson, Artistic Director, Great Canadian Theatre Company
In this panel we are going to examine the role that Fringe Festivals play in the development of theatre in Canada by speaking to artists who choose the Fringe as an important outlet for the work they do. Find out why more artists than ever are choosing the Fringe as a platform for new work and creative experimentation and why theatre and festival producers look to the Fringe as a resource of new and interesting work.


Tuesday June 22: Better Know An Artist

Sponsored by the National Arts Centre English Theatre
Hosted by Sean Fitzpatrick, Communications Officer, NAC English Theatre
The Fringe Festival brings together artists from all kinds of backgrounds and from all over the world. This gives us the unique opportunity to get to know them - who are these people anyway? What drives them? What influences them? What inspires them? Whether they live in your neighborhood or on another continent, find out more about the people who participate in Fringe.

Wednesday June 23: Bare Knuckle Debate
Hosted by Andy Massingham, Guerilla Heart Juice
Using equal portions of opinion and satire, watch as Fringe artists go head to head on such topics as: does collective creation really exist? Are Fringe shows really ‘on the fringe’ of theatre? These debates are no holds barred, and the audience will decide who emerges victorious.

Thursday June 24: Writing Life
This panel on playwrighting will bring together artists who have decided to turn their own life stories into a piece of theatre. Find out about the challenging process of writing your own life, and explore the question: what is truth in theatre?

Friday June 25: Ignite the Fringe
Presented in collaboration with Ignite Ottawa
Ignite the Fringe is a unique blend of networking, information, and fun, encapsulated in the Ignite motto: “Enlighten us, but make it quick.” Presenters will give 5-minute talks on the theme “art as business, business as art”. Ignite the Fringe is a force for raising the collective IQ and building connections between the arts and business communities.

For more info, including the full line up of participants, visit: www.ottawafringe.com/lunchtime