It's become a yearly tradition: every year around this time DaniGirl from Postcards from the Mothership posts her annual list of Eastern Ontario Christmas parades.
The earliest is November 14 in Kanata and the latest is in Kilaloe on December 12. The biggest is the Ottawa Help Santa Toy Parade on December 5 downtown. This year it's starting at 6:00pm -- in the evening for the first time. Here's the full list.
Related: Ottawa Events Guide
November 02, 2009
October 30, 2009
A bunch of H1N1 links for people in Ottawa
Here are some links to information about H1N1 / Swine Flu, including vaccination clinics in Ottawa. We'll update this blog post with more info and links over the next few weeks.
Local links:
Local links:
- Press release (Oct 30, 2009: New wristband process introduced to minimize wait times at H1N1 clinics
- Press release (Oct 21, 2009): H1N1 flu vaccination clinics open Monday targeted to residents who need it most
- Ottawa Public Health: H1N1 Vaccination Clinics
- Ottawa Public Health: Questions & answers about the H1N1 Vaccine
- Ottawa Public Health: H1N1 FAQ & Resources
- Ottawa Public Health on Twitter
- Health Canada: FightFlu.ca
- Ottawa Citizen: H1N1 coverage
- Globe and Mail: H1N1 news and features
- CBC.ca: Health
- CTV.ca: Health
- Globe & Mail: Swine Flu
- World Health Organization (WHO): Pandemic (H1N1) 2009
- Wikipedia: H1N1
October 27, 2009
Cool City of Ottawa interactive traffic map
My pal DT just sent this link to an interactive traffic map from the City of Ottawa. Built on Google Maps, you can view a variety of information overlays, such as construction zones, "incidents" (is that accidents or other significant traffic delays?), park-and-ride lots, and more.
I think the coolest thing is seeing what's currently displayed on "VMS" Message Signs around the area. Like this "deer warning" message on Frank Kenny Road in the eastern Ottawa.
Related: Ottawa Maps Guide
I think the coolest thing is seeing what's currently displayed on "VMS" Message Signs around the area. Like this "deer warning" message on Frank Kenny Road in the eastern Ottawa.
Related: Ottawa Maps Guide
September 28, 2009
Rant of the Day: "My Dear OC Transpo"
Here's a rant that is destined to become a classic. Written by XUP, after spending over an hour to bus home when it would have taken ten minutes to drive the same distance.
Sample just one paragraph of ten: "You do everything in your power to discourage transit users and yet some of us just won’t give up. You hiked our fares by 15% right after going on strike for 52 days, making us walk to work in the middle of winter. (Good one!) And still some sad-sack people insist on trying to riding the bus." Read the entire post...
Related: Ottawa OC Transpo Guide
Sample just one paragraph of ten: "You do everything in your power to discourage transit users and yet some of us just won’t give up. You hiked our fares by 15% right after going on strike for 52 days, making us walk to work in the middle of winter. (Good one!) And still some sad-sack people insist on trying to riding the bus." Read the entire post...
Related: Ottawa OC Transpo Guide
September 17, 2009
Big changes coming to OttawaGasPrices.com
Some big changes are coming to OttawaGasPrices.com next week, when it becomes part of the GasBuddy.com network. Here's a link with some more info...
September 12, 2009
September 11, 2009
Rant of the Day: Automatic door buttons
XUP says:
You know those automatic door openers next to mall doors and the doors of some shops? Sometimes they’re just red buttons, sometimes they’re big metal buttons with a stick figure in a wheelchair in the middle of them...
It’s always been my impression, wrongly or rightly, that these automatic door devices are for people in wheelchairs or maybe people with baby buggies or shopping carts, right? And maybe little kids because they like to push the button and watch the door magically open.
But able-bodied people just strolling by? Put it down to my teutonic sense of following rules, but I don’t think these able-bodied, unencumbered people ought to be pushing the automatic door button. Read on...
August 26, 2009
We're selling our house through Grape Vine
The big news at the world wide headquarters of OttawaStart is that we're selling our house -- and we're selling it through Grape Vine.
Here's our listing - 60 Dunoon Place, Kanata. Three bedrooms plus bonus room, quiet cul-de-sac, and a big backyard. (End of sales pitch.)
Grape Vine lists "private sale" homes. In other words, homeowners selling without the help of a real estate agent. You've probably seen a sign in your neighbourhood. They are a force on the Ottawa real estate scene.
Crunching some numbers: On the Grape Vine web site (see screen grab above), it says that Grape Vine clients have sold 368 resale homes since July 1. That's a huge number, when you consider that about 2,000-2,500 homes sell in the Ottawa region in a typical summer month. So Grape Vine sales could account for as many as 5-10% of all resale homes this summer.Our house has been listed for one week. No buyers yet, but we've had steady traffic with people viewing the house just about every day. Our Grape Vine listing has had over 3,000 pageviews, which tells us that the web site has a lot of reach and generates a significant amount of traffic.
I've always wondered by Grape Vine was so successful compared to other private sale web directories. I think there are four keys to their success:
- It works, so it generates great word of mouth. I know of at least 6 co-workers who've sucessfully sold through Grape Vine, and at least 4 more close friends who've also had success. And everybody who's used the service raves about the process and the money that they saved.
- Nice, clean web interface. It's easy to navigate and search the site, the pages are uncluttered, and you can even subscribe to new listing alerts via email or RSS. (Why doesn't MLS.ca offer an RSS feed?) Behind the scenes, uploading our photos and entering our property description was quick and painless.
- Customer service. Our email questions have been answered within minutes, and our phone call was answered within 2 rings by a real person. The front lawn sign arrived on time too!
- Price. $225 for the most basic listing (internet only, no signs), $795 for the full listing that includes professional photos & write-up.
Related: Ottawa Real Estate Guide
(Updated at 9:50pm - fixed typo - changed "Grapevine" to "Grape Vine".)
August 25, 2009
Archie & friends visit Ottawa
One of our favourite new local blogs is Ottawa Ephemera, posting the "flotsam and jetsam of this city, washed up on telephone poles, wastebaskets, iPhones and mailboxes". Earlier this week they featured the cover of a 1992 Archie comic book where Archie & friends visit ... Ottawa! Here's a scan of the cover -- you can read more about it here.
Related: Ottawa Tourism Guide
Related: Ottawa Tourism Guide
August 17, 2009
OttawaStart's list of 30 essential Ottawa blogs
Here are 30 blogs (actually 31, read carefully) that, IMHO, you must add to your reading list. As in, if you read these on a daily basis you can almost cancel your newspaper subscription. I'll also post this permanently to our Ottawa Blogs Guide. Comments? Suggestions?
Related: Ottawa Blogs Guide
- Apartment613
An eclectic batch of local writers bring you an eclectic range of info and news about Ottawa culture, arts, food and more.
- Ask Around Ottawa
The place to get and share recommendations for local businesses. If need help finding a ukelele teacher or somebody to get the skunk out from under your deck, this is the place to start.
- a peek inside the fishbowl and Postcards from the Mothership
There are many, many, many family and parenting blogs in Ottawa, but these two are head and shoulders above the rest. Lots of photos and anecdotes about family life in our city. Even if you don't have kids, you should read these for ideas about events and activities in our area.
- Canadian Personal Finance Blog
Daily blog posts about Canadian finance and consumerism - not so much news as it is tips, suggestions, and real-life examples.
- cheapeats ottawa blog
Kinda self-explanatory ... this one is all about finding good food, cheap.
- Cycling in Ottawa
A group blog covering Ottawa cycling issues. Mostly Ottawa stories, but also good for seeing examples of successful cycling programs from elsewhere.
- Designing Ottawa
The Ottawa Citizen's Maria Cook discusses "buildings, streets, landscapes, neighbourhoods". Most posts are extensions of articles from the Citizen, but go into way more background.
- >Dial 6-1-3
Updated at least once a week with a listing of live music.
- Elgin Street Irregulars
I can't describe this one, you just have to read it for a few weeks to figure it out. Even then...
- Greater Ottawa
This one's written by David Reevely, a writer at the Ottawa Citizen. I'll call him the "Dean of Ottawa Bloggers" - although his blog is relatively recent, he's always highlighting great local blog content, and his posts are always give a fresh take on local current events.
- Green Living Ottawa
This one's a must-read if you care about our planet.
- Knitnut.net
She's one of those bloggers who every other blogger in Ottawa reads ... you should too.
- Modern Ottawa
Always a ton of photos and thoughtful writing about modern design and architecture in Ottawa.
- National Capital Rock
A music blog by local photographer Andrew Carver. Instead of reviews of alternative / independent rock, Andrew posts amazing pictures. And lots of 'em.
- Omnivore's Ottawa
This blog by Ottawa Citizen food writer Ron Eade will make you very, very hungry. The best food blog in Ottawa - and it's a crowded field.
- Ottawa Arts Newsletter
Jessica Ruano's monthly newsletter of local arts happenings.
- The Ottawa Dog Blog
Only worth reading if you like dogs. If you do not like dogs, please move along.
- Ottawa Ephemera
"The flotsam and jetsam of this city, washed up on telephone poles, wastebaskets, iPhones and mailboxes."
- Ottawa Livejournal Community
More of a message board than a blog, but I've included it here anyways b/c of the variety of interesting (and sometimes useful) posts.
- OttawaStart Blog
Ok, we're a bit biased, this is our blog. We try to point out cool, useful, strange, and wonderful Ottawa things that we've seen on the web.
- Ottawa Street Style
The authors of this blog go around downtown Ottawa and snap photos of people who they think are wearing cool clothes.
- Public Transit In Ottawa
A must-read for OC Transpo groupies. These guys are so serious about public transit that they're starting a "Journal of Public Transit".
- Urban Ottawa / Ottawa Urbain
Covering urban planning and development, architecture and design. En français et anglais.
- URBSite
Robert Smythe combines history and architecture. Each post features an indepth study of a very specific feature of Ottawa's urban landscape.
- SENS Town
I wanted to include at least one Ottawa hockey blog on this list. I've chosen this one because it's updated frequently, and has a good variety of stories and comment about everybody's favourite hockey team.
- The Big Beat
This one's by Ottawa Citizen entertainment editor Peter Simpson, and covers a big range of local and international arts and entertainment stories.
- The Ottawa Project
David McLelland writes intelligently and convincingly about urban issues and life in Ottawa
- Watawa Life
Big, beautiful, gorgeous photos of Ottawa, posted just about every day. (There are LOTS of nice photoblogs in Ottawa - check out this list.)
- Weighty Matters
A blog by Dr. Yoni Freedhoff, a family medical doctor and the founder of Ottawa's Bariatric Medical Institute. He specializes in weight management and writes a lot about healthy eating.
- West Side Action
By Eric Darwin, a resident of the Preston/Somerset area, and writes about issues affecting his area and the rest of downtown/urban Ottawa.
Related: Ottawa Blogs Guide
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