Monday, July 26, 2021

HELLO OTTAWA

We were pleased to be invited to visit the Beyond Van Gogh exhibit at the Aberdeen Pavillion last Thursday.

On one hand, it's a slick all-senses-encompassing video presentation of Van Gogh’s paintings, presented to a string version of Don McLean’s Starry Starry Night, sponsored by a bank.

On the other hand, to be submerged in Van Gogh's swirling sunflowers, and fields, and stars on all sides – and below – can bring forth all sorts of emotions. Very few of us will be able to travel the world to see every Van Gogh painting, and  Beyond Van Gogh not only brings them all, it brings them close enough to see every brush stroke. It's a marvel of tech and art and showmanship.

We even got to see Mayor Jim Watson talk about how the show will bring in tourism to Ottawa.. 

Cities just love the show. Our Van Gogh is currently in 15 cities; in Canada it’s showing in Vancouver and in Calgary. Torontonians, however get the competing show, Immersive Van Gogh, which was a hit in Montréal last year and is currently in New York, Los Angeles, and 17 other cities.  

Cartoonist Ward Sutton makes fun of it all with 'Beyond Van Gogh: More Immersive Art Experiences’.
 

Deal of the day

Until August 6, get 5% off the price of apparel online at Maker House, using code SUMMERCLOTHES. If you need hoodies, tees, snapbacks, or accessories, now's the time to update your Canadian-made wardrobe.
 

We'll see you tomorrow – Martha and Darren

? Is there something that Ottawa should know about? Email us at [email protected]. We read every single comment.

STATS

Weather: ☔️ 30 per cent chance of showers. High of 27°, low of 15°

Number: 20. The number of plots on the shortlist for the first Ottawa's Best Garden contest. With pictures. Voting opens July 31.  [Apartment 613]

Ottawans of the Day: Mason McTavish and Brandt Clarke. Both junior hockey players were selected in the NHL draft Friday. McTavish will be going to the Anaheim Ducks, Clarke to the Los Angeles Kings. [CBC]

Quote: ‘I’m getting frustrated again. This should not be happening with a brand-new bridge that’s been tested’ – River Ward councillor Riley Brockington cannot understand why the Hogs Back Bridge is continually out of service after millions of dollars of refurbishments. [Ottawa Citizen]

Sport: CEBL Niagara River Lions 94 – Ottawa BlackJacks 92, last Saturday. Ottawa plays host to Saskatchewan this evening. Olympics Ottawa cyclist Michael Woods misses out on bronze by less than a second, with a time of six hours, six minutes, and 33 seconds in the the men’s cycling road race. Ecuador's Richard Carapaz took gold at six hours, five minutes, and 26 seconds. 

CORONAVIRUS UPDATE

All data is as of this morning, changes are compared with Friday.

ONTARIO

Ontario COVID Page    Ontario Vaccine Rates 

QUEBEC

Quebec COVID Page     Quebec Vaccine Rates

OTTAWA

* These per centages are not official numbers, they are calculated by the ottawan. Consider them iffy.
 

Ottawa Public Health     Ottawa Vaccination Rates.    Ottawa Wastewater 
 

OUTAOUAIS

Outaouais Public Health    Quebec Vaccination Rates
 

EASTERN ONTARIO HEALTH UNIT

Eastern Ontario Health Unit

COVID-19 NEWS

⭕ Ottawa Public Health says that 80 per cent of the population must be vaccinated with one dose and 75 per cent with two doses before more COVID-19 restrictions can be removed. 90 per cent of the population must be vaccinated in order to reach herd immunity. [CBC]

⭕ The Ottawa Hospital and Queensway Carleton Hospital are not requiring their staffs to be vaccinated. [Ottawa Citizen]
 

WHAT OTTAWA IS TALKING ABOUT

▪️ Passenger rights campaigner says Air Transat got off too easy on Ottawa airpot swelter fest. Five hundred and ninety passengers were stuck in a hot day for nearly five hours on July 31, 2017 with limited water, food, and toilet paper. Air Transat eventually paid most passengers $500 compensation. Later, a judge allowed that money – $240,000 – to be applied against the $295,000 Transport Canada fine leveled against the airline. Campaigners say Air Transay should pay the full fine. [Ottawa Citizen]

▪️ Susan Sherring at the Sun gives a run down of who are the front runners if Mayor Jim Watson put himself up for another term. Gloucester-Southgate councillor Diane Deans is Sherring's stone cold lock. Watson has not said whether he is running again or not. [Ottawa Sun]

▪️The Debout! Light Trail has launched in Gatineau. Every evening in Portage Park, from 8:30pm, large spheres are illuminated with shadow theatre. It looks pretty trippy. Debout! continues until September 6. [Le Droit] 

▪️ Beware of insulin shock: here's a look at a few couples who have put padlocks of love on the Corktown Footbridge. [CBC]

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