50% off NAC tickets today only!

Check out the 50% off Boxing Day sale at the National Arts Centre (Ottawa), Dec. 26&27. There's a selection of music, dance and theatre performances to choose from--a great time to experience something new at a great price!

Exhibition: Who doesn't love horses?

This is your last chance to see the exhibition, The Horse, at the Museum of Civilization before it ends on January 2nd.

" For thousands of years, we have interacted with horses in many ways, creating hundreds of specialized breeds. Horses, in turn, have shaped human culture, affecting over the years how we worked, waged war, travelled, spoke, displayed our status, engaged in sports, harvested food, and soothed our souls. This
exhibition explores in depth how horses and humans have influenced each other. " - Canadian Museum of Civilization

Horses are beautiful and intellengent creatures and this exhibit gives you a chance to look into their facinating past and learn why humans are so interlinked with them. There are

As a bonus, while you're at the museum you can check out the Arabia 3d IMAX movie for an additionl $6 on your entry fee. Also showing until January 3rd are Hubble 3d and Santa vs The Snowman 3D.

Rating: easy
Venue: 100 Laurier Street, Gatineau
Cost: $12 to the CMC, or $18 for CMC and IMAX

TV: Coming to CBC this season...Pillars of the Earth

Pillars of the Earth, a book by Ken Follett that became an epic in the literary world and captivated millions of readers, is now making its debut on the CBC. Admittedly, the book was reeeeaally long and repetative, but nonetheless it created memorable heros and villains and will likely translate well on TV. The Canadian-German 8-part co-production mini-series is scheduled to air on Tuesday evenings. Watch your local listings for the start date.

Actors Gordon Pinsent and Donald Sutherland are two of the Canadians to be featured in the international cast.

Channel: CBC

When: Tuesday evening, CBC 2011 Winter launch

Rating: easy

Books: Hon. Romeo Dallaire speaks to us about child soldiers

For those of you who have followed the career of Hon. Romeo Dallaire (Shake Hands with the Devil) and cheered him on as he confronted the subject of child soldiers in Rwanda, you'll now have the chance to hear him speak in person at the Mayfair Theatre, Ottawa, on Dec. 2 at 7:00pm. He'll be speaking about his new book, They Fight Like Soldiers, They Die Like Children.

Venue: Mayfair Theatre, 1074 Bank St.

Cost: $15

Rating: medium (great experience to hear a national hero speak, but subject matter is difficult)

Music News: Great Bands at Capital Music Hall

If the falling leaves put you in the right mood to rock out, then check out these great bands coming to Capital Music Hall in downtown Ottawa:

• Josh Ritter and the Royal City Band, Oct. 25
• The Cooper Brothers and Blackie and the Rodeo Kings, Nov. 6 (so cool!)
• Bedouin Soundclash & Charlie Winston (UK), Nov. 11 (my personal favourite)

Venue: Capital Music Hall, 151 George St, Byward Market
Cost: $22,50 - $35 (advance) at livenation.com or ticketmaster.ca
Rating: medium (take an afternoon nap so you can watch the show until the wee hours of the night)

Music events: Men rule at The Black Sheep Inn this Oct & Nov

Time to go see some great male performers at the The Black Sheep Inn in Wakefield (QC) in the next couple of months. Be sure to buy your tickets now because these guys will sell out fast in such a small and intimate venue. I suggest you go really early to grab a great seat (or any seat for that matter) and order some food and drink and make a whole night of it.

Here are my picks for the top male performers coming to The Black Sheep Inn in the next couple of months:

• Danny Michel CD release party, Oct. 23 (sold out) & 24 ($20)
• John Mann (former Spirit of the West frontman), Oct.28 ($15-20)
• Tom Wilson, Nov. 3 ($15-22)
• Matt Barber, Nov. 13 ($12-15)

Location: The Black Sheep Inn, Wakefield, Quebec (30 minutes drive from Ottawa)

Cost: $12-$22

Rating: medium (you have to commit to driving out to Wakefield but it is worth it!)

Film event: Ottawa International Animation Festival

The Ottawa International Animation Festival is a great chance to see some fun, innovative and crazy animation from all over the world...and it all happens Oct. 20-24th right here in Ottawa! The festival is a great spot for those of you with short attention spans because there are all kinds of shorts to choose from. The other great thing is that the festival is really well organized so it all take place in theatres in or near The Market, making it easy breezy to go out for drinks and appetizers afterwards. Plus, check out this Downtown Rideau website for a 2 for 1 dinner coupon to go with your screening.

About the OIAF: From October 20th to 24th, the nation's capital will once again become the center of the animation universe. The Ottawa International Animation Festival (OIAF) is the largest event of its kind in North America, a major film event attracting attendees from around the world. Film buffs, art lovers and cartoon fans won't want to miss this year's great line up of screenings taking place at ByTowne Cinema, National Gallery of Canada, Canadian Museum of Civilization, Empire Theatres Rideau Centre and Arts Court Theatre.

Check out all the screenings on the website and plan to have a fun weekend downtown!

Venues: ByTowne Cinema, National Gallery of Canada, Museum of Civilization, Emiire Theatres, Rideau Centre, Arts Court Theatre

Cost: $7-$9

Rating: easy

Art news: West End Studio Tour

For all you art lovers out there, here's your chance to experience some local fine art and craft and to get an early start on your Christmas shopping. Ottawa's West End Studio tour will take place over two weekends on September 18-19 and 25-26 (10am-5pm). Plan to spend a couple of hours driving, or better yet walking and biking, from studio to studio with a few coffee and snack breaks in between. There are over 20 artists participating in the tour this year, plus there's all kinds of other great shopping around in this Westboro/Hintenburg community.

Location: Westboro/Hintenburg (see sideways map on website)

Rating: medium ($$ and time)

Film news: Bytown movie line-up for Sept

It`s time to go out and get yourself a good dose of independant film. Like homemade chocolate chip cookies, these indie films are a good mix of quality ingredients, imperfection and charm.

Here are some of the films in the September line-up at Ottawa`s finest indie theatre ByTowne Cinema:

ByTowne Cinema:
325 Rideau St., Info Hotline: 613.789.film

• Whale Music, featuring Paul Gross
• Hugh Hefner Playboy, Activist, Rebel, you`ll be surprised what you learn about his life
• Coco Channel & Igor Stravinsky, a tantalizing love affair between a powerhouse couple
• Exit Through the Gift Shop, a close look at street art gone wrong

Cost: movies are $8 for non-members
Rate: easy ( good entertainment for low cost)

Event news: One Love...Ottawa Reggae Festival

If you're looking for a groovin' good time, then check out the Ottawa Reggae Festival this weekend at Lebreton Flats. It's a chance to hang-out in the sun and listen to cool accents waft over the loud speaker with messages of peace and love. Plus the super chill environment will be good for all you Type A personalities.

The line-up for this year includes Sean Paul, Barrington Levy, Tarrus Riley, Biggie Irie, KyMani Marley, Lutan Fyah, Hawkeye, S. Roy & Conrad and more.

Venue: Lebreton Flat

Costs: Day passes range from $35-45

Rating: easy listening

Event news: Opa!!!

OK, let's not kid ourselves. Although we like to think of ourselves as outwardly seeking cultural experiences, the real reason we go to the Ottawa Greek Fest is for the food. Am I right people?!

I highly recommend that put down your pots and pans and decide to eat out at the Ottawa Greek Fest sometime between Aug 12-22. The festival organizers have the food preparation and serving down to a tee--and it's well worth the wait in line. Also, thank you to the volunteers that make it all happen!!

You can check out the website for more details on the Zorba dancing, vendors, etc....but really it's all about the food.

Venue: 1315 Prince of Whales drive (Greek community centre)

Cost: free entrance plus $ for food

Rating: easy

Event: It's time again for classic rock and Curious George...and a little throw-up

One of the highlights of living in Ottawa is going to the SuperEX to hear live classic rock, eat poutine, and throw darts at ballons to win a Curious George knock-off doll.

From Aug 19-29, the 122nd SuperEx will be in full tilt-a-whirl at Landsdowne Park. If ever you were going to re-visit the SuperEx as an adult, now is the time because it may be the last year that it's located on the grounds of the soon to be over-developed Landsdowne Park.

Here's the low-down on cool events at the EX:

• Lots of carnie games and scary rides sure ot make you hurl!
  
• Nightly acrobats, juggling and fire poi from 7:30-8:30pm


• Country music concert on Aug 20th: Jason Blaine


• Hard-rock concert on Aug 22nd: HELIX (this is pure 80's classic rock!)


• Kitchen party concert on Aug 26th: Irish Decendents (a good foot-stomping beer drinking time)


• Rock concert on Aug 27th: Honeymoon Suite (...I got a new girl noooow)


• Demolition Derby Aug 29th at 3:pm

Cost: $12 adult admission plus $1.75 per ride ticket, concerts are FREE once you're inside
Rating: Easy (lots of entertainment for the admission price)

Book review: The Golden Mean by Annabel Lyon

The Golden Mean is an insightful new book by Canadian author Annabel Lyon. It gives a fictional account of the emotional life of Aristotle as he struggles with his own intellect and the task at hand of tutoring the future king, Alexander the Great. The story leads the reader throught the dark and light aspects of ancient Greece and the crude beliefs at the time, like how depression is the result of too much black bile in the body. The book is written from the point of view of Aristotle, bringing you a first person look into how his mind and reasoning works.

Winner of the Roger's Writer's Trust Fictional Prize, Finalist for the Governor General's Literacy Award for Fiction, and Finalist for the Scotialbank Giller Prize.

Note: the only weird thing about this book is the image on the cover. At no time in the book is there a naked man riding a horse through a swamp. If someone can explain this to me I'd love to know.

Rating: easy

Music news: Blue Rodeo at the rodeo

If you love music, horses and lots of action then you have to go see Blue Rodeo perform live at the Nepean National Equestrian Park on Saturday, August 21st. How cool is that?! The cost of admission is $58.50 and it includes entry to the country's top Equestrian Show Jumpers competition worth $75,000, featuring none other than Olympic Gold Medalists Ian Miller and Jill Henselwood.

Book your tickets at capitaltickets.ca and use the promo code: fbook for $5.oo off.

Rating: medium (event is one of a kind but a little pricey)

Music news: Orchestras in the Park

A relaxing and laid back event is coming to Lebreton Flats Park next week and I highly recommend you go and experience it. Orchestras in the Park is a free offering of Canada's best in classical music and operatic singing, plus a few surprise collaborations mixed in.




Let's face it - classical music is not accessible to everyone. If you are not familiar with the repertoire, composers or musicians, there is a good chance that you just won't 'get it' and likely become bored after the first 20 minutes. Likewise, if you don't have the $100 for two tickets to see a performance by a symphony orchestra at the National Arts Centre, then how are you ever going to be able to grow your appreciation for the music.

All of these reasons are precisely why you should go and spend an evening at Orchestras in the Park. It is highly accessible in so many ways. Firstly, it's an outdoor performance so there's lots of open space to walk around and be part of the crowd. It's OK to talk during the performance and you can bring snacks and drinks too. The show is kid friendly so no one will care if your child decides he needs to run around your lawn chair and do fifteen cartwheels. Lastly, you will have FREE access to some of the best musicians in Canada. Make a commitement to go and start building your knowledge of classical music! If not for yourself, do it for the children. They are our future.


Rain or shine from July 22-25 at Lebreton Flats Park, shows start at 7:30pm...just in time to watch the sun set.

For the full progam, check out the National Capital Commission website.

Rating: easy

Restaurant Review: Druid in the Market, plus Funk Your Junk shop

A delicious new pub "DRUID" just opened in the Market on the corner of Murray St. and Parent Ave in behind the Heart & Crown. If you like Irish pubs then you will definitely like Druid. It has Old World decor in a comfortable and friendly atmosphere with Celtic music playing from the speakers on the patio. The menu is similar to the Heart & Crown, except they have more meat options, like different cuts of steak and lamb. I highly recommend the pub's signature french fries cooked to a dark golden brown and served with a spicy mayo dip. Yum!!!

While you're sitting on the patio enjoying your Beau's All Natural Beer, you'll have lots of time to people watch and look over at the stores across the street. A new store that just opened and has lots of potential is Funk You Junk. It carries new and gently used clothing and some cool one of a kind designs: watch faces turned into rings, candy wrappers configured into change purses, and vintage jean with patched up holes. If nothing else, it a nice place to peruse after Druid to walk off all the food and drink!

Rating: easy

Visual Arts review: PopLife at the National Gallery

Before going to the Pop Life art exhibit at the National Gallery of Canada, I was most worried about my reaction to the embalmed ponies, but in the end it was the porn art that left it's impression in my naive little brain.

Pop Life: Art in a Material World explores the complex relationship between contemporary art, marketing, and the mass media that has evolved since the 1980s when Andy Warhol uttered his provocative maxim that “being good in business is the most fascinating kind of art.” - Organized by Tate Modern, London, in association with the National Gallery of Canada.

I do recommend going to see this temporary exhibit because you may never see this collection of pop art again in Ottawa. There are works by Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, Damien Hirst, and many more. However, a note of caution--you will see some things that challenge you and will likely make you squirm. Let me put it to you this way: Imagine you are the famous artists Jeff Koons and you've just married a porn star and you decide to take graphic photographs as 'art' of the consummation of the marriage. Imagine what those photographs might look like, add on 10 times the shock factor and then enlarge the photographs so that they are bigger than life size. Need I say more.

The twins are in! If you're lucky, you'll show up at the exhibit on a day when the twins are in. Yes, real live twins take part in the exhibit.

I highly recommend you pay attention to the small area of the exhibit dedicated to Canada's own General Idea. You'll find a sample of their work on the right-side of the wall leading into the Keith Haring room. (Plus, more of their work can be found in other exhibits at the gallery) If you are like me and were only born in the 70's you don't know a whole heck of a lot about these guys but you should. An article in yesterday's newspaper sums it up best by saying that Canadian artists are a big part of the contemporary art seen, but Canada is not. i.e., the average Canadian has no idea just how important our Canadian artists are on the global art scene.

Finally, as you make your way into the last exhibition room, you'll be greeted by the fun and quirky media art of Takashi Murakami, featuring of all people Kirsten Dunst! Here's a sneak peek:

Rating: hard (subject mature is very challenging)
Until September 19th

National Gallery of Canada

380 Sussex Dr., Ottawa, ON

Movie news: Where to watch movies outdoors in Ottawa

A great way to be outside and experience a totally unique and fun evening is to go to an outdoor movie screening! It allows you to escape the big city and do something that feels like you are in a small town. Since the death of the drive-in theatre :( this is the next best thing and it will leave you feeling like you are part of a community of cool people that like to do cool things together. Here is what's coming up:

93.9 BOB FM Movies on the Beach

Theme: movies that should have won Oscars

Time: movies begin at dusk

Schedule:

Friday, June 25 at Westboro Beach, Avatar

Friday, July 9 at Walter Baker Park in Kanata, TBA

Friday, July 23 at Petrie Island, TBA

Friday, August 6 at Mooney's Bay, TBA

Friday, August 20 at Petrie Island, ,TBA

Note: anything happening at Westboro Beach is so much fun because they have a beach front bar that serves strawberry daiquiris drinks that you can sip on as you watch the sunset. How cool is that!

Centertown Movies Outdoor Film Festival

Theme: 2-weeks of movies to celebrate the 10th year of the festival

Time: 9pm

Where: Dundonald Park at the corner of Somerset and Lyon streets

Schedule:

Friday, August 6, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

Saturday, August 7, How to Train your Dragon

Friday, August 13, Radiant City (highly recommended mockumentary about suburban life)

Saturday, August 14, Some Like it Hot (highly recommended - Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon and Marilyn Monroe, 1959)

Important: remember to bring your own chair or beach blanket, bug spray, and snacks.

Rating: easy (screenings are free or pay what you can)

Event news: Bluesfest...but which night??

One of the most mega festivals in North America is happening July 6-18 in Ottawa and you absolutely have to go see at least one night of it! BLUESFEST is a mash-up of all that is music - blues, rock, metal, country, alternative, intergalactic pop - and it's even added a comedy stage to the line-up this year. I know musicphiles from Toronto that actually take a week off work, buy a festival pass, and basically spend their vacation sitting in front of music stages, eating poutine, and drinking draft beer. People - can it get any better than that?

So for all of you who know you want to go to Bluesfests for at least one night, but you're not sure what to see because the line-ups are overwhelming (I'll admit, there is a lot to choose from!!), here is a list of what I recommend you see, based on the style of music you like.

Note: times and venues could change so consult the website Bluesfest for the final progam.

Heavy Metal Madness, Tues., July 6th

• Iron Maiden - this doesn't even require an explanation, 9:pm
• Faber Drive - JUNO-nominated, smooth radio-friendly rock, 9:15
• Loudlove - funky, groovy, guitar driven rock, 8:pm
• Lights - JUNO award winning, super cute, super awesome girl-pop, that will give a nice break from the metal, 8:pm (highly recommended)
• Dream Theatre - contemporary heavy metal with great vocals! 6:45 pm
  

Throw-back to old school Thriday, July 8th

• The B-52s - love shack baby, 9:15
• The Bacon Brothers - six-degrees of separation is the only thing that's keeping you from rockin' with Kevin Bacon and bro, 7:pm (highly recommended)
• Opensouls - a complete throw-back to r&b from the 60s with strong female vocal, 9:pm
• The Moody Blues - a la Nights in White Satin, 8:pm
• Great Lake Swimmers - folk, alt-country Canadian band, super-duper laid back performances, 7:30pm
• Lindsey Ferguson - beautiful, alt-rock/country local singer/songwriter, 6:pm (highly recommended)
  

Chicks that R-O-C-K, Friday, July 9

(all of these acts are highly recommended - this could be the perfect evening!)

• Joan Jett & The Black Hearts - only the coolest rock chick ever!!! 9:30pm
• Hole - you've got to see the raw Courtney Love in person, it's a once in a lifetime experience, 8:pm
• Lindsey Ferguson - beautiful, alt-rock/country local singer/songwriter, 6:pm (highly recommended)
• Phantogram - electro-pop with nice loops and sweet vocals, 7:15pm

Rock Icons meet New Blood, Sun., July 11

• Levon Helm - rock icon, Levon takes his passion from years as the drummer/singer/songerwriter for The Band and channels it into his new album of country-fied workin' man songs, 9:pm (highly recommended)
• RUSH- go see this show and stand where you can actually hear the lyrics and be amazed at just how nerdy these guys really are (I mean that in the best possible way!!), 8:pm
• Charley Winston - simply put, the guy looks cool, acts cool, and has the whole world in his hands, 7:15pm

One Man Band, Mon, July 12th on York St. Stage in the Market

• City and Colour - one of the most beautiful male vocals I've ever heard...he's such a softy behind all those tattoos and his role in screamo band Alexisonfire, 8:30pm (highly recommended - go just to see him and have a fun evening in the Market)

Dance Party! Thriday, July 15

• Crowded House (Autralia/NZ) - I guarantee you don't even realize how many of their songs that you know - you will love this live show (highly recommended) 9:30pm
• Konono #1 (Africa)- musicians from the Congo and Angola regions, style described as Bazombo trance music - definately worth experiencing, 9:30pm
• Matthew Good Band (Canada) - go to this show and be reminded of their many hits off their 13-albums, like Hello Time Bomb, Everything is Automatic... 8:15 (highly recommended)
• Woodhand - A synth and drum duo with danceable beats and a big sound - a must see if you want to shake your booty, 6:30pm

For the love of Country - Sat., July 17

• Keith Urban - an amazingly talented guitar player and super-polished country singer, who is a fantastic songwriter and Grammy award winner, which gives him serious street cred. If you don't know his songs, you need to learn them. 9:30 (highly recommended)
• Kevin Costner & Modern West - I'm not sure what to say about this...but I'm curious enough that I think I need to see it with my own eyes, 8:pm
• Tye Tribbet - High-energy gospal show that will blow your socks off! 9:pm
• Note: there's live music playing all day so go early and just bounce around from stage to stage.
  

Where: Lebreton Flats, plus the Pop Art stage on York St. in the Market

Cost: single tickets range from $40-$60 and festival passports range from $140-$255

Rating: medium (tickets can get pricey but it's worth it to see so many acts all at once, and the venue is excellent when rated on food, space, vendors, access to washrooms)

In the news: Only 5% of us engage in arts and culture

The Globe and Mail recently reported on a study that shows we're spending less time on social activities and only about 5% of us engage in arts and culture. Say what?! Since I'm a culture junkie, this is disturbing news to me. I can't tell you how many times that music, books, or art have pulled me out of a slump on those days when it just seems like the world is going down the toilet. I completely rely on artistic release to keep some semblance of balance in my life.

Seriously, arts and culture are available all over your city if you just know where to look for it. Go check out a local gallery (Gallery 101 on Bank St.), buy tickets to a theatre show (GCTC on Wellington), buy a festival pass and see some live music (Bluesfest at Lebreton Flats), check-out the local crafters at the weekend farmers market (Ottawa Farmers Market at Lansdowne), go to art in the park events (check out Kiwi Gardens near Perth).

Here's more from the article:

Visits to parks occur less often...and the window of time for attending plays and concerts is shrinking. Caught between caring for children and elderly parents, stressed by jobs that require weekend and evening work, the average person is more likely to turn to the television or the computer for entertainment than to take a walk in the woods or play pick-up hockey.

In short, the hours Canadian spend refreshing their minds and their bodies through leisure and cultural activities--and moments shared with families--are being condensed and it's affecting their well-being. Those are the findings of the report by the Canadian Index of Wellbeing called Caught in the Time Crunch: Time Use, Leisure and Culture in Canada.

Event review: Luminato's smokey, dreamy light show...for FREE

If you find yourself in Toronto this weekend, there is a ton of cool stuff going on for the Luminato festival of arts + creativty, June 11-28th. You name it - theatre, dance, art installations - they've got it. Some of the stuff is weird, as art tends to be, but that makes it all the better! Here's what I recommend you go see and it's all FREE:

• Smokey, dreamy light show: At first, I thought the art installation, Solar Breath (Northern Caryatids Light Air, would be interesting just because it was curated by Atom Egoyan who is one of Canada's most acclaimed film directors. However, once you arrive on site and read the preamble on the wall about the meaning behind the work, you realize that you are about to see something of deep significance. The works, by Michael Snow and Mani Mazinani, are a tribute to the late Luminato co-founder David Pecaut and inspired by an email sent by Pecaut to Egoyan in which he described his experience with dying:
  
  "One of the funny things about my situation is how I wake up each morning. Most mornings I wake up happy and feeling good. My first thoughts are like the thoughts I would have had before the cancer....As I gradually gain conciousness, I begin to become aware of my situation and the illness and how much things have changed....Each time is unique, rich in its own way. Never the same....It is not a depressing feeling, but I marvel each time that it feels like a modest surprise."
  
  As you enter the dark, dreamy spaces of the installation, with the above quote fresh in your mind, you'll see a looped video of a curtain flapping in the breeze, leading you to a quiet moment to contemplate the natural repetativeness in daily life. Next, you'll make your way to the back room, a dark and smokey cave, where you will think there is not much to see until you realize that you can walk through the wall of smoke to find a surprise waiting for you on the other side. This event is calm and thoughful and a welcomed solitude away from the loud traffic filled streets of downtown Toronto. Brookfield Place, 181 Bay St., until June 20th.
  


• Ship O' Fools: Based on name recognition alone, I ventured off to see this art in the park work by acclaimed visual artists Janet Cardiff and George Bures Miller. If you are looking for a bizzare quirky 5-minute art experience then this is it! Think Pirates of the Caribbean meets a fantasy land of miniature people, meets clangy objects on pully systems. This is really a fun, interactive experience for the whole family that requires you to actually board the ship and take a tour through the 'S' shaped gallery constructed on the inside. Weird, fun! Trinity Bellwoods Park, corner of Strachan Ave. and Queen St. W., until June 28th.
  


• The Ascension of Beauty: I highly recommend seeing this art installation because visually it is quite beautiful and will make you wonder - how long did it actually take to knit (weave?) a 3-mile long rope! The first thing that will happen when you enter the light filled atrium is you'll notice the amazing arch in the glass ceiling reinforced with a skelecton of white metal ribs. Although this has nothing to do with the installation, the space alone is stunning. Then, as you walk further into the building and search for the actual exhibit, a rose knit dress by fashion designer Mark Fast, you'll notice a thickly woven white rope hanging from the massively high glass ceiling. As you keep walking, you realize that the rope is draped the entire length of the atrium and leads you right to the heart of the exhibit - a dedazzled, red-knit dress on an arms-stretched-wide manaquin. The rope effect is by far the best part of the exhibit! ! Brookfield Place, 181 Bay st, June 20th.

Rating: easy (free events mixed with moderately weird art installations)

Event news: Visit national parks for FREE

On July 17th, you can visit for FREE any national park, national historic site and national marine conservation area to celebrate national parks day with Parks Canada! This year celebrates the 125th birthday of Canada's first national park.

If you live in the Ottawa area and you are looking for a day trip, then here's what I suggest:

• Laurier House National Historic Site in Sandy Hill, Ottawa
• Battle of the Windmill National Historic Site, Prescott (ON)
• Invararden House National Historic Site, Cornwall (ON)
  (note: I haven't been to these sites, but I think they're worth recommending because they're close to Ottawa)
  

Or better yet, plan your vacation around July 17th and go camping someplace really cool like the Georgian Bay Islands or Point Pelee!!

Rating: Easy (for all taste & budgets)

Music review: 2010 The Year of K'naan

For those of you who haven't already been caught up in the K'naan buzz, then you need to know why K'naan is truly one of the best Canadian artists of 2010. Don't get me wrong, this guy's been around for awhile, but it's taken all this time for him to permeate pop culture and for the celestial alignment of key events to enable his star to rise. Here's what you need to know about why K'naan is so amazing:

• Unlike other hip-hop artists, K'naan has a unique perspective on life, having grown up in war-torn Somalia (PS - I'm beginning to think that all Somalian artists rock - Sade is from there too! Her new album is awesome, but I digress...)
• The dude is such an unassuming looking guy, yet his lyrics are deep, captivating and positive.
• Recommendation: go to iTunes right now and buy the following tracks: Fire in Freedom Town, Fatima, and Wavin' Flag (original version from Troubador album)
• Have you heard Waving Flag!!! There are a bizillion versions of it. I prefer the original, but they are all good. The song is featured on the NBA 2k10 (xbox, playstation), it's been translated and sung in a bunch of other languages, it was recorded by A-list Canadian artists as a way to raise funds for Haiti releif, and.....wait for it....it's the anthem for FIFA 2010!!!
• He won Artist of the Year and Songwriter of the Year (ya!) at the 2010 JUNO awards.
• K'naan represents freedom and hope. He was able to have his song become the FIFA anthem, while his country is controlled by the militia group called al Shabaab, who have decided to ban Somalis from watching this years World Cup because it goes against their Islamic religion. Anything is possible. Peace.

Rating: Easy

Event Review: Roller Derby

YOU HAVE TO GO SEE ROLLER DERBY LIVE! There are only a few chances a year to see this sport in all its glory and cheer on the local league and if you're seeking to tap into a unique experience: this is it! Ottawa's all-female flat track roller derby league, Rideau Valley Roller Girls, has some of the coolest and toughest chicks I've ever seen and they put on a show that is totally awesome. Here's why you need to go:

• Rollery Derby bouts only happen once in a blue moon so when you hear of one coming up you've got to go and check it out.


• Roller Derby is real and raw and the girls are fierce. You can pick out your favourite girls, based on her name (ASSASSINista, Soul Rekker, DDT) and watch the purple bruises grow on their legs as the game progresses.


• The outfits (neon rollerskates, red tights, helmets, tattoos....anything goes!) are so cool. Seriously, men and women will love them all equally.
  
• The rules aren't too difficult but you should brush up on them before you go. Essentially, the goal of the game is to get the jammer (the smallest, fastest girl) on your team to whip through the other team's defence and gain points by passing them all.
  
• Buy your ticket in advance and show up to the venue early to make sure you get good seats and/or to get into the beer section.
  
• Have fun in the stands by watching the show and thinking about what your rollery derby name would be - if only you were tough enough to race!!
  
• Recommendation: Watch the movie Whip It! (featuring Canada's own Ellen Page!) before you go and you'll learn all the rules and fall that much closer in love with the game.
  
  
  
  Related news: Juliette Lewis who had a starring role in Whip It! will be in Ottawa performing with her band at Mavericks on Rideau St. on Aug. 12. Tickets are $23.50 advance and available on ticketweb.ca.

Rating: Medium ($, push yourself out of your comfort zone and see this!)

Date: June 26th

Location: Sandy Hill Arena, 60 Mann Ave, Ottawa ON

Tickets $12 Advance / $15 at the Door
Doors open at 7pm. Game starts at 8pm
Rideau Valley Roller Girls

Exhibition review: The SPAO Motto

If you are looking for a fun Saturday afternoon to experience photos + fine desserts, then I recommend you go see the new exhibit at Exposure Gallery - Vision, Content, Craft: The SPAO Motto Exhibition - showing from June 10 - July 27th. Here's why you need to go:

• Tap into local culture: go and support the up-and-coming photographers featured in the exhibit and make sure to sign the guest book too!
  
• The School of Photographic Art: Ottawa (SPAO) is a really cool school....seriously, they focus on the 'art' of photography, not just technique.
  
• Unlike abstract art, everyone can relate to--and understand on some level--photography, so you are guaranteed to like something you see.
  
• The exhibit is curated to include photos that touch on universal themes like life and death, nature, humour, and the photogaphic eye for detail.
  
• Seeing the exhibit is a great way to spend time with family and friends, and then you can go downstairs to the Thyme & Again cafe and eat the most devine key lime cheesecake and sip on fair trade organic coffee (yum!) and talk about which photos you liked the best.
  

Location: 2nd Floor Studio of Thyme and Again, 1255 Wellington Street West, Ottawa

Rating: Easy (for all tastes & budgets)