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HELLO OTTAWA

Giveaway

We have five pairs of tickets to give away to the Capital Wedding Show at Ottawa Conference and Event Centre this weekend (Saturday January 20 and Sunday January 21).

To be in with a chance to win, send us an email (wedding@theottawan.com) with the answer to this question: Is there free parking at the Capital Wedding Show?

Martha’s Mom’s Choosin’ Hat is well warmed up this week and will select the winners on Thursday night at 8:00 pm, so be sure to send your answer by then.

We’ll announce the winners in Friday’s newsletter. Winners will receive their tickets on Friday as well.

– Martha and Darren

TODAY’S LINE UP

•  Food + Drink Update
•  Ottawa Stats
•  City Hall Agenda
•  What Ottawa is Talking About
•  Events
•  Deals of the Day

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FOOD + DRINK UPDATE

•  Amy Rawding in Eat the Strip has found a $5.95 breakfast sandwich at Esther's Cakes N Sweets on Carling. The eight month old café also has lunch specials Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday with a rotation of things like mac and cheese with barbecue chicken, chili with cornbread, and spaghetti and meatballs.
•  Alison Larabie Chase, Kiersten Vuorimaki, and Sonya Gankina at Apartment 613 have published their first Capital Brunches column. For the late risers, they recommend Pure Kitchen (‘if you’re a plant-based eater who prefers not to smell breakfast meats’), Working Title Kitchen (‘one of the most unique settings in Ottawa’), and The Hintonburg Public House (‘The menu is satisfyingly small (that’s how you know it’s good)’ and the trio notes that you can buy the decorations online).
•  Reader Linda alerted us to a new branch of German-style donair joint Wolf Down in Kanata Lakes. We took a look – and discovered something familiar. Wolf Down was in the same brand new plaza that has opened in the midst of a decades old neighbourhood off Kanata Avenue that we had just gone to when we visited the new Crust + Crate last week (thanks to the review we read in Apartment 613). 
  
  The plaza also has a Kowloon Supermarket, Equator Coffee, Windbell Sushi, Wings Up, and Jade Yi’s Kitchen.
  
  Darren did buy a Wolf Down donair – and was very satisfied. It’s the shawarma that Ottawa knows and loves, but is then put into a panini press and hot sealed. It's the first shawarma one can eat while in a car – and thus Ottawa can still claim leadership in world class tech.
•  Speaking of pizza, Jordan Pizzuti in Ottawa Life magazine cannot say enough good things about Pizza Nerds. ‘This is one of, if not THE BEST, crusts in the city, hands down’, he says. We’re intrigued by the kimchi-topped pizza ourselves.
•  The CANADALAND podcast newletter this week had a mostly Toronto taco recommendation round-up but there was an Ottawa shout out.
  
  Managing editor Annette Ejiofor says ‘No photos, because I tend to dive mouth-first once I get my order, but in Canada no one holds a candle (I think) to Ottawa’s Corazón de Maíz. A staple in the community for many years and the sweetest employees and home-feeling meals. Love love them.’ Sorry, but they don't provide a link to the newsletter. 

❤️ 5 Food Gifts and Dining Ideas for Valentine's Day

1.  Classic Chocolate: Channel Valentine’s Days of eras gone past with a classic heart shaped box of chocolates from Purdy’s. $40.50.
2.  Overflow Brewing’s next Brewer’s Dinner is on Valentine’s Day. If Your Person is also a beer person, this could be the ideal Valentine’s Day dinner. Full details haven’t been revealed yet; watch the brewery’s social channels in the coming days.
    
3. The Waverley’s Valentines Dinner includes a three course dinner with a complimentary welcome glass of Vueve du Vernay sparkling wine.
    
4.  Visit the tropics without setting foot on a plane. Robert Plante Greenhouses are holding a Valentine’s Dinner for Two event in the tropical greenhouses. What’s on offer: a three course meal provided by MyCateringGroup, a live violinist, and a heaping portion of romance (drinks available to purchase separately). $175 per person + HST and gratuity.
    
5. The Cupcake Lounge has an impressive range of sweet treats for your darling on February 14. We're particularly impressed by the Heart Shaped Cupcake Cake. 

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OTTAWA STATS

Sports

• 🏒 NHL Ottawa Senators 4 – Colorade Avalanche 7 last night

CITY HALL AGENDA

What’s going on at City Hall
 

No more meetings this week.

WHAT OTTAWA IS TALKING ABOUT

🚨 Ottawa Police Service

•  Ottawa Police Service constable convicted of assaulting ‘extremely vulnerable’ man will receive no jailtime. Constable Goran Beric had been convicted for striking the man with his baton and then stepping on his neck for two minutes and five seconds. Beric was admonished by the judge for authoring a ‘false’ report and exaggerating the threat. The man assaulted was a resident of Ottawa Community Housing and was in mental distress. Ultimately, the man was taken to hospital and released. Goran was sentenced to 30 months of probation and 200 hours of community service and remains suspended by the Police Service with pay. (Aedan Helmer in the Ottawa Citizen)

🚌 OC Transpo

•  A man found on an OC Transpo bus after it returned to its garage has died. Staff at the garage found the unresponsive man at 1:00 am. OC Transpo special constables applied CPR but paramedics eventurally ruled the man dead at the scene. (Josh Pringle at CTV)

🏠 National Capital Commission

•  The National Capital Commission is looking for someone to operate the O’Brien House at Meech Lake. The mansion in Gatineau Park was built in the 1930s  J. Ambrose O’Brien, born in Refrew and founder of the Montréal Canadiens. Most recently it was a boutique hotel, and the Commission hopes it can continue as one or as a restaurant open to the public. (Blair Crawford in the Ottawa Citizen) (Info page)

💥 Eastway Tank Explosion

•  Eastway Tank Pump and Meter is suing its insurance company for $14 million. Eastway says that it lost $13 million in business after the explosion, which killed six workers in 2022, and accuses its broker of not ensuring it was properly covered. (Guy Quenneville at CBC)

🏒 Professional Women’s Hockey League

•  Ottawa’s Professional Women’s Hockey League team, the Mighty NoNames, has release more tickets for this evening’s match. The first ever home match Jan 2 not only sold out extra seats, it set an audience record for women’s professional hockey. Tonight is the second ever home game, against Minnesota. (CTV) (Tickets)
  
  ➕ Related The Mighty NoNames have adopted Lando, a two-year-old golden retriever, as their mascot.
  
  ➕ Related The Ottawa Senators have changed goalie coaches,  assigning it to Justin Peters from Zac Bierk.
  
  ➕ Related The Ottawa BlackJacks head coach James Derouin has also been given the role of General Manager.

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MORE FROM THE OTTAWAN

• 🍺 Our Ottawa-Gatineau Craft Brewery Map

•  

• 🏆 The Best Of Ottawa Awards 2023

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• 🎧 Best Podcasts from Ottawa

EVENTS

Is there an event we should know about?
Please use our easy event submission form
 

Today

•  Jazz Vespers @ Knox is a monthly one hour concert of music and poetry in a sacred space. This month's musicians: Doug Martin (saxophone) and Ian Card (piano). No charge, donations welcome. 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm, Knox Presbyterian Church, 120 Lisgar Street (corner of Elgin and Lisgar).

•  Congratulations to Canadian fashion brand Kaela Kay, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary. If you require an über glam outfit for Valentine’s Day, we recommend that you start here. The incredible dresses and separates are crafted in Toronto using fabrics from Ankara textiles.

•  Learn how to decorate sugar cookies with ease at the Capital Cookie Company Sugar Snowman - Cookie Decorating Class. It’s happening at Overflow Brewing, so there will also be great beer. $81.21 per person.

•  The noon Doors Open for Music at Southminster church (DOMS) concert is a jazz and gospel affair. The Jazz Psalm Project uses music in the two genres to bring psalms alive. Free to attend.

•  Restaurant e18hteen’s 4 Chefs 4 Plates is a four course, fine dining meal hosted by Chef David Godsoe and includes a welcome drink and wine pairings. John Kim, Jason Laurin, and Alexander Dunham round out the Chefs line-up. $225 per person plus gratuity and tax.

•  Stand up and improv on the same bill? Yes, and it's happening at House of TARG. The lineup features comics Jeff Davis, David Brennan, Lorenzo Patio, and others followed by improv pros Chelsea Fahey and Woody McCadden.

  
  Gigs

•  Elaine Key Band Jazz Nite. Queen St. Fare

•  Trivia Night. Cafe Dekcuf

•  Storytelling Open Mic. Old Firehall Community Centre, Old Ottawa South

•  Jazz Jams with the Peter Hum Trio. Montgomery Scotch Lounge

•  Taproom Trivia. Stray Dog Brewing

•  Bytown Ukulele BUG Jam Live. Red Bird

•  Urban Chaos with Nick Admen & Noah Preminger. Irene’s Pub Restaurant

•  Danny and the Deep Blue Sea (play). LIVE on Elgin (until January 20)
   

Tomorrow

•   Watch what was happening at Digital Arts Resource Centre in 2023 with the Resolution 2024 screening party. As well as the screening and reception, the participating artists will be in attendance for a Q&A. $10 per person.

•  The Ottawa Home & Remodelling Show runs today through Sunday at the EY Centre.

  
  Gigs

•  Throwback Thursday Jazz Nights. Apothecary Lounge

•  Thursday Nights are a Drag: Who Let the Dogs Out? Fundraiser. Swizzles Bar and Grill

•  Comedy Night. Pour Boy

•  AnjChito & Dan Kelly. Overflow Brewing

•  The Death Wheelers, Hazehound, Empress. House of TARG

•  Two-Funny Comedy-Trivia-Improv. Calabogie Brewing Kanata Taproom

•  Irene’s Thursday Blues Sessions. Irene’s Pub Restaurant

•  Open Mic. Stray Dog Brewing
   

Friday

•  Let the moon guide you as you Snowshoe Under the Stars in Gatineau Park on Friday nights until March 29. These evening excursions are guided by experienced nature interpreters from Friends of Gatineau Park, and no snowshoeing experience is necessary. $20 for Members, $25 for non-members.

•  Are you free Friday? Go birding with guides on the Sarsaparilla Trail in the Greenbelt from 8:00 am to noon. The plan is to search for Red-breasted Nuthatch, Pileated Woodpecker, and Chickadees as well as Finches, (including Crossbills), Redpolls and Pine Siskin. If all goes well, there may also be sightings of the Snowy Owl or Bald Eagle.

•  It’s Opening Night of Backra Bluid, the new photography exhibition at SPAO by Stacey Tyrell. In her series of self-portraits, Tyrell transforms herself into her imagined white relatives.
  
  Gigs

•  Derecho Party & Friends LIVE! Avant-Garde Bar

•  Alex Lopez. Lorenzo Bar and Grill

•  Wyntr, Handsome Sandwich, Holly Acres, The Turning Lights, Marble Ghosts. Dominion Tavern

   

Just Announced

• This Sunday (January 21) from noon until 3:00 pm, in celebration of World Snow Day the Ottawa Outdoor Gear Library will be on the Rideau Winter Trail, lending out free snowshoes for adults and children. Bird Friendly Ottawa will also be on hand, to help walkers and snowshoers identify the species in the trees and skies. Ottawa Gear Library will have binoculars to borrow.

•  On January 22, Coconut Lagoon will mark the National Day of Bahrain and the Indian Republic Day with a menu that fuses Arabic and India flavours. The Bahraini and Malabar Feast Collaboration dinner will be prepared by chefs Suman Ali and Joe Thottongal. $90 per person.

•  Pleasure expert Venus Envy has a series workshops in the near future that might tickle your fancy. Since we don’t want today’s newsletter to become lost in Spam, we’ll just direct you to the shop’s website.

•  Overflow Brewing welcomes Garden of Roses, the Montréal-based, all-female Guns ’n’ Roses tribute band on February 23. Tickets $20.

DEALS OF THE DAY

BUT, ONE MORE THING ...

The worlds of inconspicuous Ottawa sports continues to give up great stories. Yesterday we mentioned the unusual topic of the history Ottawa golf course design. Today, we discover out that Ottawa is a hot spot for weightlifting and that the CanAm Barbell Club in Nepean is the largest weightlifting club in Ontario. 

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