Anyway, as is usually the case, my more leisurely wandering along the information superhighway led to a host of new discoveries – accompanied of course – by the requisite re-jig of my blog reader.  There is just so much out there to explore in the online universe, I often ramble way off the beaten track.  But when I return to familiar territory, there are always a number of new local destinations to add to the my list of ‘must read’ feeds.

So that you might add them to your blog reader too, here are the latest few:

Ottawa Start Blog – I can’t imagine there is anyone in Ottawa who hasn’t been to OttawaStart, an independently-run website that consolidates community information better than just about anywhere else.  Launched back in the early days of the Internet (1998) by then-student Glen Gower, this site has come a very long way over the years.  From its start as a single page of links to its present day state – with a steady stream of local news, exhaustive list of interesting events, and the blog (beginning in 2006) – OttawaStart has become the one-stop spot for all things Ottawa-related. 

Lately though, the folks at OttawaStart have upped their game even more, by streamlining their design and engaging more actively in Ottawa’s evolving social media scene.  The Ottawa Start Blog is updated quite frequently, and features fun, relevant content that is sure to increase your awareness of what’s happening around town.  With photos, guest bloggers, and a regular round-up of interesting tidbits, this feed has definitely found its groove! 

Oh, and you can find them Twittering too!

Proprpostur -  Holy smokes!  Spencer Edwards is something special.  This young man has some serious sartorial talent, an amazing eye for everyday street style, and an uncanny way with a camera.  Oh, and it seems he’s a student and a dancer too, which suggests to me his future will be very bright indeed.   He seems destined to become an outstanding creative director of some kind, soon.

In response to a very subtle Twitter hint one day, I stopped in to check out his site – Proprpostur – and was spellbound for quite awhile.   This eclectic mix of photographs, fashion, music, musings and inspiration is nothing short of fascinating, and I found myself checking twice to make sure I was really reading someone from around here!   This blog is edgy and urban, but somehow manages to be just a touch nostalgic at the same time.  While Spencer clearly has a healthy respect for history, he is definitely looking forward.   Be warned though, Proprpostur can be addictive.  

You can follow Spencer on Twitter @ProprPostur or subscribe to his Tumblr here.

{Image via  Proprpostur} 

@OttawaStyle – Speaking of style, it seems there is another bright light that has recently begun to burn, this time over at Ottawa Life Magazine.  Fashion & Lifestyle Editor, Alexandra Gunn has taken the place by storm, and this girl has got it going on!  In addition to the blog launched this summer on the Ottawa Life Magazine’s website, she has been firing off a frenzy of fashion news three times a day to a growing number of fans on her new Facebook page.  

Ms. Gunn obviously loves her gig, and is doing everything she can to make a go of it.  She must get every monthly fashion magazine there is  (internationally speaking, of course) and thanks to her generous nature,  followers like me get to see gorgeous editorial spreads, read all about the latest trends and even ask Alex for sartorial advice. 

Find the fabulous Ms. Gunn on Twitter, at @ottawastyle.

{Image via OttawaLifeStyle on Facebook)

Barristers insisting I return their communication or risk losing an estate that is my birthright contact me quite frequently, and oddly, I seem to be on a winning streak lately, having won several lotteries as well!  Indeed, the solicitations and requests that arrive in my inbox are often downright outrageous.

That said, I am also the very fortunate recipient of genuine generosity, newsworthy notes, and some really interesting invitations.  These messages are intended to inform me so that I – in turn – might inform you, the real live readers of girlaboutOtown.  Sometimes, I’m organized enough to write up a post in advance, and sometimes I get myself out to an event so I can share the experience, but far too often these interesting invitations just linger in my inbox until they are no longer relevant.

“I should really find a way to post these”, I’ve been thinking to myself, and today I decided to do just that.  While I’ve resisted the notion of becoming a blog that  simply lists events rather than reflects on them, I just can’t be everywhere all of the time.  Also, I can be selective about what gets published.  So, from here on in, when something super sweet or truly special arrives in my inbox, I will do my best to pass it along in a timely manner.

And, it just so happens that a message arrived yesterday that fits this description. 

Doesn’t this sound delightful?

“Voice of the Turtle” just opened at the Studio Theatre in Perth, Ontario (just outside of Ottawa) as part of The Classic Theatre Festival.  It is a beautiful and tender romance set in 1940’s New York, with fabulous music and stylish costumes…

…Perth also makes a lovely day trip; beautiful Stewart Park is perfect for picnics, great restaurants, antique shops, and a farmer’s market on Saturdays. 

What do you think?  Wouldn’t it be great to make the trip, enjoy a gorgeous town and take in some very high caliber professional theatre? 

“Voice of a Turtle” runs August 6 to 29, Wednesdays to Saturdays at 8pm, with Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday matinees at 2pm.  Performances take place at the Studio Theatre at 63 Gore St. E. in Perth.

For more information, visit the Classic Theatre Festival.

{Production photos via The Classic Theatre Festival}

Cherry Pie, Ottawa’s most anticipated networking event for women entrepreneurs, will be upon us again soon.  Next Tuesday, Aug. 17th to be specific.  

This time, the party takes place downtown at the SOMA SPA on Sussex Dr., and one quick peek here suggests this stylish space is sure to be a spectacular venue.  Featuring the products and services of a select group of “Ottawa’s freshest businesswomen”, Cherry Pie isn’t just your average promotional show.  Instead, it’s a frenzy of girly fun, complete with shopping, food and fabulous cocktails.  Consider it more of a ‘free-for-all’ for any female who finds herself somewhere in the process of birthing a business.  Bring your ideas, your calling cards and your friends and be ready to meet your next client or collaborator. 

For those of you who don’t yet know, all it takes is a quick email to organizer extraordinaire Catherine Landry to get on the guest list. 

Contact Catherine at catherineknows@videotron.ca.

All things considered, I’m pretty proud to report that I did finally find a few moments to catch up on some Ottawa-related reading.  Wowza!  The Ottawa blogging scene just keeps growing.  It seems like every week, someone new joins in, and offers up yet another welcome perspective on life here in capital cool.   

Here are a few of my latest favourites:

Le Mien- You may have heard me rave before about the artful ramblings of Kim, author of amazing Ottawa blog relishing, but you may not know about her latest project Le Mien.   Combining her passion for photography with an intense curiosity about the city, its people and their personal style, Kim has set out to document the stories of 100 strangers in pictures.  She, like me, believes there is “more to this town than meets the eye”, and has found a fantastic way to reveal her truth.  I don’t know about you, but I think its inspired!

Stranger #2, Jessica.  Photograph by Kim, via Le Mien.

613Style – This sleek new site has been publishing only since May, but is already bursting with great photography, local fashion and fun shopping finds for Ottawa area men and women.  A collaborative project backed by local Twitter celeb @JamieBlades, 613Style aims to showcase Ottawa’s stylish side.  It is sure to take the town by storm.

 Three65 – Ginger of Three65 just got started too, and this girl has one hell of a great idea:  “One year, one girl, one love…my life in shoes”.   Yup, you read it right!  Each day, Ginger reviews her shoes, gives a peek of whatever pair she’s chosen to wear, and then provides a run down her day.   She has quite the selection,  is decidedly savvy and pretty damn funny too.  I know I’ll be reading regularly!  You can follow her on Twitter at @gingy007.  I do!

Ottawa Magazine – Now this gang has been around for awhile in print, but the good news is they’ve recently revamped their website and are now offering an RSS feed!  Ottawa Magazine features some of Ottawa’s best writing and most stunning photography, and they work hard keep us all in the loop about what’s truly new in this happening town.  I’ve already subscribed and am looking forward to more frequent doses of their sassy scoop and distinctive insight via my blog reader.

Photos by Joël Côté-Cright; Christian Lalonde/Photolux Studio; Peter Knippel, via Ottawa Magazine.

A tweet began an afternoon of cultural and personal discovery last Wednesday. 

It put me on to Ottawa’s Tony Fouhse’s photography exhibition “American States”, showing at the Exposure Gallery located within Westboro’s Thyme and Again Catering & Take Out.

There is something true and raw about Americana that appeals to me, and I look for similar subjects in my own photography.  I characterize it as finding beauty in what is often overlooked as mundane, if not unsightly.

Below are a few of Tony Fouhse’s pictures that drew me to the exhibit, though seeing them full size is much more satisfying.

Photo by Tony Fouhse, via Exposure Gallery 

If you are attracted to these pictures as much as I am, you may also find the work of renowned American photographers William Eggleston or Helen Levitt appealing.

Photo by  William Eggleston, via The Love Magazine Blog

Photo by Helen Levitt, via Artnet.com 

Most satisfying about the afternoon was what I wasn’t expecting.  Thyme and Again is a great lunch spot, attested to by the bustling numbers found there at 1:30 on a weekday afternoon. 

It seems to be part gift shop, part deli.  Either part on its own may seem whimsical or everyday, but together the two create a vibrant ambience that is easy to appreciate. 

Then there was the food.  There is something about seeing half a cow on the grill in front of you and absorbing the savoury aroma wafting off of it that makes a grilled roast beef and Havarti sandwich irresistible.  Combine this with a clearly not-out-of-the-can frothy cup of tomato and red pepper soup, and you have a return diner. 

It is hard not to appreciate after last Wednesday afternoon, that every bit of life can be an experience!

Lastly, you might be interested to learn that Tony Fouhse will be speaking this Thursday, April 1 at 7:00 pm at the Exposure Gallery, as part of  First Thursday Art Walk, an initiative of Wellington West Business Improvement Area (BIA).   On the First Thursday of every month, west end art galleries stay open into the evening, and visitors are invited to browse.

Winners of passes for two to the advanced screening of Greenberg on March 24th were randomly selected and notified this past Saturday. 

Congratulations to Kim, Krista, Zoe and psychgrad, one of the hilarious voices behind Ottawa food blog Equal Opportunity Kitchen. 

Hope you enjoy the show! 

Photo credit

Just when I find myself in the mood for a new film that might fit one of my aforementioned favourite genres, along comes Greenberg opening in select cities this upcoming March 26th.

And – as if there wasn’t enough good to go around, out of the blue pops a friendly  message in my inbox from the fine folks at Alliance Films!   They want this girlaboutOtown to help giveaway free passes to see this quirky fun film that is sure to generate at least a little bit of semi-serious reflection among those of us approaching a midlife crossroad of some kind or another.  Here is a synopsis:

“Roger Greenberg [Ben Stiller], single, fortyish and at a crossroads in
his life, finds himself in Los Angeles, house-sitting for six weeks for his more successful/married-with-children brother.  In search of a place to restart his life, Greenberg tries to reconnect with old  friends including his former bandmate Ivan [Rhys Ifans].  But old friends aren’t necessarily still best friends, and Greenberg soon finds himself spending more and more time with his brother’s personal assistant Florence [Greta Gerwig], an aspiring singer and also something of a lost soul. Despite his best attempts not to be drawn in, Greenberg and Florence manage to forge a connection, and Greenberg realizes he may at last have found a reason to be happy.”

So, I figure – why mess with the gods, especially when it comes to the magic of movies?  Instead, why not help spread a few smiles…

To win one of 4 passes for two to see a special advanced screening of Greenberg, on Wednesday, March 24, 2010 at the Empire 7 Cinemas, just leave me a comment letting me know two things that are on your mind. 

The giveaway ends next Thursday, March 18 at midnight and I will randomly select the winners Friday.

This girlaboutOtown was lucky enough to win two tickets to the February 21 matinee performance of Girls Night: The Musical, at Nepean’s Centrepointe Theatre.  Admittedly, it was my first visit to this west-end gem of a facility, and I was suitably impressed.   Apparently, I’m not alone!  This classy community venue was awarded Performing Arts Centre of the Year (2009) at the Canadian Music and Broadcast Industry Awards last March.  

Anyway,  Girls Night: The Musical was a barrel of laughs, and was followed up by “Girls Night: For Real” at one of my perennial favourites, the always fantastic 4th Ave. Wine Bar.   What more could a couple of gossiping girlfriends want on a Saturday night?

Fast forward to last Thursday, and it was over to Somerset Street’s Raw Sugar Cafe to see Ottawa’s own Kirk Ramsay aka Giant Hand, and opening acts Ben Somer and Matt Paxton both from Hamilton, Ont.   For someone like me, who is a sucker for singer songwriters, these young artists offered up acoustic music that was intelligent and provocative, but each in their own way.  Warm but not raucous inside, the Raw Sugar Cafe was the perfect setting for an intimate couple of sets, and the show an excellent antidote to the cold and snow outside.

While this girlaboutOtown thoroughly enjoyed all three performances, it was Giant Hand I went to see.  Having taught himself to play guitar only 2 years ago, Kirk Ramsay has been steadily gathering steam ever since, and has found himself stage front in record speed.  Not only has he conquered the instrument, he has confronted his pent up emotion with raw honesty and shaped it into a series of hauntingly beautiful folk ballads.   If you haven’t heard him yet, listen here and/or check out Ramsay’s next show coming up March 20 at the Irving Greenberg Theatre.

                                 Photo by Aaron McKenzie Fraser for Ottawa Magazine, via Giant Hand. 

Finally, last Friday afternoon, I managed to squeeze in a lovely lunch with friends at one of my favourite new stops, Babbo’s Italian Food Shop on Main St. at Lees.  This unassuming little eatery specializes in panini sandwiches, homemade pasta and Italian pastries made from scratch.   With just a few window tables, the food is good to go -  but if you’re eating in – the service is super friendly and the short wait painless. 

This week is shaping up nicely too, as my lucky streak continues!

Thanks to a great giveaway over at arts & culture blog OttawaTonite, I won another set of tickets, this time to see STOMP at the National Arts Centre tonight.  I’ll be taking my equally lucky little girlaboutOtown, who will no doubt be inspired to continue her improvisational kitchen dances once she’s seen what can happen when you follow the beat of your own drum.  

Thursday, the good folks at the Great Canadian Theatre Company are hosting a few very fortunate OTown bloggers for the opening night presentation of blood.claat, a one ooman story, and for this opportunity, I am most grateful.  I look forward to seeing the coming of age story of a 15 year old Jamaican girl performed by award winning dub poet, actor and playwright  d’bi.young anitafrika, and to experiencing an entirely new perspective.

All in all, not a bad stretch for a culture-loving, bootstrapping businessperson on a budget!

This girlaboutOtown is gearing up for a great 2010 though, and will be back after a brief break with lots of good news to share!  Wait and see.

In the meantime, I have a giveaway to offer as my gift to you!

Send me an email describing your top 3 New Year’s resolutions before midnight on December 30th, and win one of three double passes to a special advance screening of Creation, the story of Charles Darwin author of legendary book “On the Origin of Species”.

The film stars Paul Bettany, Jennifer Connelly and Jeremy Northam, and explores Darwin’s struggle between faith and science as he completed his watershed work.  Based on the personal letters and diaries of the Darwin family, the film launched this year’s Toronto International Film Festival. 

Creation opens in theatres January 22, but Ottawa’s advance screening will take place Thursday, January 7th at the World Exchange Plaza.  Passes admit two to the show, and were provided courtesy of d films.

Winners will be selected randomly and notified in plenty of time for to make plans! 

To my readers, thank you again for your wonderful enthusiasm and encouragement.  Without you, there would be no blog by now!  May your holiday season be filled with love, laughter and many fine memories.

Until soon…

Regardless, tonight’s Hope Live 2009  gala event at the Great Canadian Theatre Company hosted by CTV Canada AM’s Seamus O’Regan, is shaping up to be one fabulous night out.

Featuring food & wine by Stephen Beckta and Chef Michael Moffat and a hilariously funny show by Rick Mercer, proceeds from the evening will go to support Fertile Future.  This organization works to provide vital information about fertility preservation so that young cancer patients can have the fullest life possible after cancer, including the possibility of being able to have biological children.

Each year, an estimated 10,000 young Canadians face a cancer diagnosis. Approximately 8,000 of them will go on to win this battle. Sadly, without knowing the importance of fertility preservation prior to their treatment, many are left infertile with few options.

By providing information about fertility preservation to those facing medical treatment and to oncology professionals alike, and by offering  support services, Fertile Future aims to change this reality for young cancer victims.  The organization raises awareness, shares information and hopes to establish a financial assistance program to help reduce the high costs associated with fertility preservation.

Unfortunately, this girlaboutOtown won’t be able to go to this star-studded gala, despite a kind and generous invitation to join.  Instead, I will have watch live updates via Twitter and Facebook from where I am.

If you’re interested in following too, search Hope Live 2009 on either, and stay close to the scene.

Learn more about Fertile Future, check out their online store or click here to donate.