Scott H. Wilson

Photo by Scott H. Wilson

It has been said that photography is a picture painted by the sun.  If this is true, then a talented photographer is someone who can capture the solar “hand” of the sky as it paints its living masterpiece.

This thought crossed my mind while thinking about the gorgeous work of Scott Wilson.  Originally from the Toronto area, he moved to the National Capital Region about 1 ½ years ago to follow his girlfriend who is doing her PhD at the University of Ottawa.

Currently living in Hull, his popular tumblr blog contains a stunning collection of images that capture the natural landscape in our region.  For instance, consider these wonderful photos from a stroll in Gatineau Park, or these breathtaking shots from the Champlain Bridge on the Ottawa River.

Photo by Scott H. Wilson

“I want to get out and shoot every day in order to get better,” says Wilson, who takes a good portion of his photographs while walking his dog.  ”I try to pick a different spot (each day) to walk.”

Wilson says that he aims to tell a narrative in his shots, rather than surrendering the lens to a specific subject. “The photographers that I follow are like that,” he says.  ”They are not about pose shots or portraits, they tell a story.”

While most of Wilson’s work focuses on nature, he does shoot urban landscapes, such as the photo above.  You can see more of his urban images here and here.  If you want to know more about his work and/or hire him for a shoot, you can go to his professional web site or follow him on Twitter.

In the meantime, here are more examples of his fantastic work: these winter photos are so vivid you can feel the snow; the fiery colours of autumn sparkle here; the joy of summer is alive here.

Chris Vanderwees (Street Photography and Other Snaps)

Photo by Chris Vanderwees

The soul of a city can be found in its music halls, restaurants, art galleries and bedrooms.  If you want to see a city’s face, however, then you can turn to the street, which is arguably the only place in society where all classes, ages, ethnic groups and personalities cross paths.

Chris Vanderwees’ wonderful photo-blog is like a mirror reflecting Ottawa’s visage.  In his fantastic collection of street shots, he captures the full palette of personalities that traverse through the Glebe, Centretown, Golden Triangle and Rideau Street neighbourhoods.

“I see people from all walks of life,” says Vanderwees, who is a PhD candidate in Carleton University’s English Department.  ”There are people who are pretty poor to people who are well off.  Different ages and different professions.”

Photo by Chris Vanderwees

Having first received a camera at the age of ten, the 29-year-old decided to chronicle the various characters that he saw while walking in the street after working on his thesis.

His images range from the touching (see the two women embracing and kissing on the cheek above), to the quirky/hip (see man with the glasses on the left), to the disturbing (see anti-abortion protestor below).

Photo by Chris Vanderwees

When asked how people respond to his camera, he replies that it varies.  ”The spectrum of reaction is interesting,” he tells me.  ”Some people are indifferent, while others will have the patience to let me take a half-a-roll of film.”

While observing his work, I felt as if I was becoming better acquainted with my fellow Ottawa residents. Whether it’s drug users, hipsters, the homeless, business owners, buskers, lovers or friends, his photos make you feel like you are strutting beside him, interacting with the wide range of personalities in the city.  The non-judgmental tone of the pictures also appeals to me, as they allow the subjects to be who they are, with their unvarnished glory and faults.

While Vanderwees’ blog is a labour of love, he says it might be possible to put out a photography book with a small publisher in the future.  For the time being, however, he is content to continue chronicling the city’s inhabitants as they live their day-to-day lives.

Brian Brooks

Photo of heavy horse show, Carp Fair, by Brian Brooks

It’s tempting when writing about art to pigeonhole people into distinct categories.  In the case of photography, one can classify images as landscapes, portraits, abstract shots, street photography or countless other genres.

If we resist the urge to define, however, and let photographs speak for themselves, we can sometimes discover that a single person can cover a lot of ground with a camera lens.  As a case in point, consider the tumbler site of photographer Brian Brooks, whose wide ranging work cannot be described in a single category.

Photo by Brian Brooks

Originally from Texas, the longtime Ottawa resident shoots everything from thoughtful profiles (see here), to intriguing rock formations (see here), to artistic shots that turn mundane objects into abstract forms (see left), to interesting urban landscapes (see discussion of Texas below). The location of his pictures also vary, as he has taken shots from such places as Mexico, Australia, Texas, Montreal and Ottawa.

“For a lot of the abstract stuff I walk down the street and it just happens,” says Brooks, when asked how he tackles different subject matters.  ”When it comes to portraits it’s planned.”

One of the things that I particularly love about his work is a series of recent photos that he took while travelling in his native Texas.  These photos include beautiful images, such as his shot of the the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame in Fort Worth Texas, which can be seen below (original here), to haunting shots of small towns in Texas that have been hard hit by the recession.

Photo by Brian Brooks

“You could see the impact of the economic downturn,” says Brooks, as he recalls his Texas trip.  ”Many stores on the main streets where closed down.”

While reflecting on his voyage to the Lone Star State, he made reference to a photograph of a church parking lot (see here for photo).  In the image, there is a parking spot that is labelled “handicapped” and which lies below three crosses.  The parking spot for the pastor, in contrast, is located a bit to the side.

This image, says Brooks, represents for him the religious idea that the weakest members of society should be looked after, a thought that comes to mind when thinking of the brutal economic impact that many regions in the United States have recently suffered.  This analysis, however, is unusual for Brooks, as he normally shies away from defining his photographs.

“I don’t want to tell you want it means,” he says when asked to comment on his work.  ”I don’t want to ruin it for you.”  This is another thing I like about his photos, namely, that he completely trusts his audience to make their own judgements.

On the second floor of her home, in a room filled with guitars, books and walls smeared with colourful brushstrokes, Manon Labrosse creates her intriguing abstract paintings.

For several years, her practice combined abstract forms with images of telephone poles or power lines, such as the painting below (one of my favourite pieces by her).  Inspired by memories of road trips to a family farm in Northern Ontario, the colour tone in these paintings is dark – to the point that one can imagine being on the side of a highway at dusk, looking at electrical lines.

In contrast, her most recent work contains much brighter colours and has as its theme tree logs, an idea inspired by the former tree farm that her father owned for many years.

“I didn’t appreciate what I had,” recalls Labrosse, as she reflects on her teenage years, while growing up in the small francophone community of Hearst.  “I didn’t take advantage of [the tree farm].”

If you look at the top of this post,  you will see the progress on her current series of paintings called Thaw, which combine abstract techniques with log images (the latter being based on two photographs taped to the wall).

With her earlier work, Labrosse says that she ended up feeling constrained by the darkness of the colours and painting style.  In a quest for more artistic freedom, she started experimenting with lighter colours, as well as the intriguing technique of letting drops of paint roll down the canvas in order to leave clear lines.

“Now I want to relax more and be more messy,” says Labrosse, who has lived in Ottawa since 1998.  ”I just like the drips and I added more colours, added more white.”

My initial reaction when I saw the drip lines was to think of teardrops or rain drops.  These lines, however, can also symbolise an awakening, such as in her Thaw series, where the drips can be seen as the melting of snow and ice.

As for her style of combining abstraction with images of a specific “real-world” objects, she says that this comes from inspiration during her student days.

“I started in university,” says Labrosse, who graduated with a B.F.A. from the University of Ottawa in 2002.  “At the time I was obsessed with Radiohead.  The guy who did their album covers was Stanley Donwood, who works with symbols.”  This interest in symbols lead her to create themes inside otherwise abstract paintings.

While Labrosse has no plans to exhibit this year (her focus is to finish the Thaw series), she hopes to participate in this year’s Nuit Blanche with a video project.

As well, her work will be on display at the Le pARTy yearly auction at the Ottawa Art Gallery (stay tuned for a ticket giveaway contest next week).  The fundraiser at 2 Daly Avenue is scheduled for May 30, and is a great opportunity to buy art from local artists.

In the meantime, her paintings can be found at Galerie St-Laurent + Hill.  For specific examples of her work at the gallery website click here.

After viewing the very funny and intriguing production of In the Next Room (or The Vibrator Play), I can report that, yes, a play about vibrators can be great theatre, as well as being a fun evening out with a parent.

Written by U.S.-born playwright Sarah Ruhl, In the Next Room is set around the 1880s in a town outside of New York City.  The play, which received three Tony award nominations in 2010, focuses on the medical practice of Dr. Givings, played by David Whiteley, who uses an electrical vibrator to treat women for “hysteria”.  (Science and electricity are recurring themes as the story is set during the dawn of electricity).

At the opening of the play, Dr. Givings begins treatment on a woman named Sabrina Daldry, played by Ottawa-native Sarah Finn, who complains of being too sensitive to light and cold, as well as being unable to play her beloved piano.  In reality, Mr. Daldry is sexually frustrated with her husband, played by David Frisch, and is delighted when she starts experiencing orgasms with the electrical machine.  The vibrating sessions are administered by Dr. Givings and her assistant Annie, played by Ottawa Theatre School graduate Michelle LeBlanc.

Dr. Givings wife Catherine, meanwhile, can’t help but notice all the moaning in her husband’s office, and soon discovers the pleasure of the electrical machine herself.  Unlike Mrs. Daldry, however, who is happy to reach climax in the doctor’s office and then return to a boring home life, Mrs. Givings demands more passion from life in general, and her husband in particular.

In her quest for joie de vivre, Mrs. Givings, who is played by Sascha Cole,  falls in love “a little” with a painter named Leo Irving, who is one of her husbands rare male patients.  Played by Robin Toller, who attended Canterbury High School’s drama program before moving to the United Kingdom to study at the The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, the artistic Leo captivates Mrs. Givings with tales of Italy, love and beauty.  As a new born mother, Mrs. Givings also struggles with motherhood and breastfeeding, with the latter issue leading her to hire a wet nurse named Elizabeth, played by Ottawa Theatre School graduate Dilys Ayafor.

While the plays’s subject matter may raise some eyebrows, the show is performed in a completely tasteful, albeit hilarious, fashion.  For me, the characters almost childlike discovery of the vibrator, coupled with genuine tender moments like the beautiful ending, make this production a lot of fun to watch.  So if you have a free evening in the next two-and-a half weeks, do yourself a favour and see this show, and don’t be shy about inviting a spouse, family member or friend.

In the Next Room (or The Vibrator Play) is directed by Bronwyn Steinberg and is playing at The Gladstone at 910 Gladstone Avenue until June 1.  Shows take place Tuesday to Saturday (see schedule here), and tickets range from $23 for students to $39 for adult, tax included.

Music Writers

Most local bloggers probably don’t consider themselves to be journalists or writers in the strict sense of the word.  However, given that many music-related blogs contain interviews, previews of upcoming shows, reviews of new releases, insightful analysis and interesting bits of information, it is fair to say that many area bloggers are producing work that is comparable to traditional music journalism.

As a case in point, Ottawa Showbox, which we have mentioned before on Tour de blogosphere, is a great blog for music news. (I reviewed OS on my local blog recently).  Couch Assassin is another fantastic site where you can find, among other things, previews of upcoming shows and musician profiles.  For punk rock lovers, Ottawa Explosion (alternative tumble site here) is worth checking out, while those interested in reading about classical music can link to The Heckeler.  Music Inkorporated, meanwhile, is another blog that you can read to get news and music-related analysis.

Concert and Event Listings

Besides Apartment613, numerous local sites contain information about musical events in our region. If you are a fan of traditional Irish music, then the Irish Music Ottawa – blog is the place to go. Classical music fans can read Music and Beyond, while devotees of folk music should check out Spirit of Rasputin’s.  For blues fans, Ottawa Blues This Week is an indispensable source of information, with its extensive list of shows and events.

Birdman Sound is another good site where you can find upcoming shows, along with posts that contain musical playlists.  Hardcore and punk fans can read Ottawa Hardcore, while patrons of Raw Sugar Cafe can follow the hip cafe’s tumblr site to see upcoming shows. My Ottawa Show Listings was quite active last year, although it seems to be currently dormant.  That said, this site is worth bookmarking in the event that it starts up again.

Blogging Musicians, DJs and Radio Show Hosts

Ottawa Live Music bills itself as the only interactive live music show in the city, while Harmony & Groove, who mix pop, funk R&B and soul, also have a blog.  Ditto for local jazz vocalist and songwriter Renée Yoxon, who has a tumblr account, and piano player, singer and songwriter Tyler Kealey.

Local hip-hop innovators A Tribe Called Red have a blog, although it hasn’t been updated since this past January.   Similarly, Brad Turcotte, who performs under the name Brad Sucks, has a web site / blog, though it appears to have been last updated in mid-March.  The Souljazz Orchestra also has a site where they post news about their musical careers which is updated on a periodic basis.

Other blogs that you may be interested in checking out are the CKCU show Debaser, the site for DJ CPI, the blog of JayBizz LeFresh, and the one for DJ Hobo & Sweet Cheeks, who uses a SoundCloud account to post musical mixes.

Miscellaneous

Finally, Pearl Pirie, whose impressive blogging we have already profiled,  started earlier this year the music-related site earworm curation.

Know of any other local music blogs?  Please let us know in the comments section below.  In the meantime, if you want to know more about local bloggers, please go to The Ottawa Blogging Library, a blog that I created to accompany the Tour de blogosphere columns.

For in a world where 140-characters are all the rage, who has time to read hundreds of pages, let alone invest the mental effort to process a story full of complexity, nuance and wonder?

Fortunately for book lovers (and there are still many), English-born writer Edward Rutherfurd puts the lie to the view that epic literary sagas are passé.

“People are reading more than ever,” says Rutherfurd, when asked to comment on the popular claim that the novel is a dying art form.

Local bibliophiles can see his brilliance in person this coming Monday, May 13, when he speaks at Saint Paul University Amphitheatre at 223 Main Street.

For me, Rutherfurd is a fantastic writer who is the antithesis of the overhyped Tweet.  Known for writing long, epic novels like Sarum, a sweeping look at English history, or works like London and New York that tell the brilliant stories of those incredible cities, he has now released a new work of fiction called Paris, a riveting saga about the City of Lights that runs more than 800 pages and looks at Parisian history over a span of more than 700 years, from the 13th to 20th centuries.

The book moves back and forth across time by focussing on the lives of several families, whose political passions, love affairs, secrets and human dreams / frailties criss-cross with each other and the city’s history.  The captivating saga covers such moments as the building of the Eiffel Tower, the construction of Notre Dame Cathedral, the horror of the First World War, the upheaval of the Paris Commune, and the joy of the Belle Époque.

“I fell in love with Paris at a young age,” says Rutherfurd, who has regularly visited France throughout his life.  ”I have also fallen in love in Paris.”

His wonderful new book on Paris is a fantastic journey through time, which quenches the human desire (which has existed for thousands of years) for being entertained with dramatic stories. In fact, and notwithstanding our culture’s obsession with Twitter, popular culture is still filled with epic tales full of complexity.

“Look at Game of Thrones,” says Rutherfurd about the popular book and TV series.  ”This is old saga stuff.”

This interest in epic stories also exists with the millennial generation, who supposedly have the attention span of a two-year-old toddler.

“I have two children in their 20s,” says Rutherfurd.  ”It’s not that they have no attention span, but that they want instant gratification …. But even they, when you grab their attention (with a story), they get riveted.”

Looking forward, Ruterfurd reveals that he is working on a TV series that he would like to release in the future.  As well, he says that he has the professional goal of writing a novel that is his best yet.  In the meantime, you can see him this coming Monday as he talks about his wonderful new book.

Edward Rutherfurd will be speaking on Monday, May 13, at  Saint Paul University Amphitheatre at 223 Main Street.  General tickets are $15, reduced tickets $10, and the event is free for members of the Ottawa Writers Festival.  Ottawa-based author Charlotte Gray will be the moderator of the event, which is scheduled to start at 7 pm.

“It looked like the zombie apocalypse had come,” recalls Mike Libbos, as he describes the band’s experience recording the EP Demonstrations in New York City. The band had completed about 75 per cent of the five-song album  and were starting their third week of recording in a Brooklyn studio when Sandy hit.

“We didn’t know if the studio would be there, let alone the album,” recalls Libbos, who co-founded the band with his brother Bruce. “That’s when you saw New York unravel for a few days because of the gas shortages.”

Fortunately, both the studio and recordings survived, and the band went back to the recording studio a couple of days after the storm devastated the city.  Things were so chaotic, however, that they had to stay for a few days in the house of their producer Gus Van Go, who has also worked with such groups as the The Stills and Hollerado.

“It was one of these things that we had a deadline to meet,” says Libbos, when asked how the were able to focus during such a difficult time.

Demonstrations went on sale earlier this week. The album release party will take place this Saturday, May 11, at Mavericks at 221 Rideau Street.  Tickets are available online for $12 and doors open at 8 pm.  Also on the bill are The Murder Plans and MATT Dorgan PROJECT.

The new album, says Libbos, is completely different from their début effort Glowscape.  While the group aimed for a pop appeal the first time out, their second release is quite emotional, with some songs being very personal.

“This is completely different from our first album,” says Libbos.

Band members have said that they the new release is darker and more emotionally connected than Glowscape.  As well, while the songs were written before Hurricane Sandy hit, the impact of the storm had an influence on the recording.

“(Bruce) felt like it really affected his mood,” says Libbos, adding that the emotional tone of the vocals, which were recorded right after the storm hit, reflect the difficult period that the band was living at the moment.

As for the show on Saturday, Libbos promises that it will be special.  ”This is going to be our biggest headline show in Ottawa,” he says.  ”We are going to have some visual treats for the show.”

Recommended Starting Points

The Ottawa Mommy Club is a fantastic source of information for parents and anyone else interested in family-related posts.  Their list of bloggers alone has dozens of sites that cover everything from parenting to home design to managing family finances.  Created by Lyne Proulx in May 2011 this is a wonderful resource.

One site that I regularly read is Kids in the Capital, which has numerous listings for family-friendly events.  Thanks to this blog, I have found recommendations for children’s books, planned family outings and discovered kid-friendly sites, like this great post on different parks in the city.

Another blog worth checking out is Ottawa Valley Moms, which was founded in July 2012.  You will find posts here that include parenting tips, product reviews, recipes and podcasts.  (Note: I reviewed this blog on my personal site back in March).

Blogging Moms and Dads

The National Capital Region is filled with blogging parents.  They include 2Cute, by a mother of twins, and Yes Please, Mom, which is written by a mom of a baby girl.  Other blogging mothers include Coffee With Julie, which I reviewed on my site, Mommy C and Trending Ginger Mom.

Katina Michelis, meanwhile, is the blogger behind You’re Pregnant, Now What?  “I want to say that I hated being pregnant,” she writes on her blog bio.  “Did it twice, and hated it twice.”  This honest voice may appeal to readers looking for posts that describe, in real world terms, the good, bad and ugly side of parenting.

Correr Es Mi Destino is not a parenting blog per se.  However, blogger Juliette Giannesini is a new mom and she regularly blogs about her son Mark.  I also reviewed this blog on my site.

Not all blogging parents are mothers.  If you want to see a blog written from the perspective of a father then read the QUINN’tessential blog.

Family and Living

Blogging parents will inevitably write about different topics.  Whether it’s a love of photography, managing home finances, posting recipes, or discussing interesting moments in their lives, almost all family-related blogs will end up covering different issues.  With this in mind, some sites worth checking out include a peek inside the fishbowl, Postcards from the mothership, Life in the Hutch, Otownmommy’s Blog and Mercurial Mind.

If you want to know if raising children on one salary is possible, then Christa Clips blog SAHM: Save-At-Home-Mom! is worth a look.  Angèle Lafond, meanwhile, is the creator of Domestique Manager, as well as the business blog Making ¢ent$ of Business.  For her part, Kamerine Gardam writes The Life of K.  While Gardam is currently at home with her children, she also started her own business as a birth doula.

Finally, if you are a parent who likes to run, then the blog Running. Food. Baby. is for you.

Know of any other local family friendly blogs?  Please let us know in the comments section below.  In the meantime, if you want to know more about local bloggers, please go to The Ottawa Blogging Library, a blog that I created to accompany the Tour de blogosphere columns.

What some local residents may not be aware of, however, is his remarkable literary career that has seen Doucet publish numerous books and several plays.

“The reality is that I have always been an artist and a writer,” Doucet tells me in a phone interview.  ”This is my lifetime’s work.”

While his involvement in city politics from 1997 to 2010 saw him focus primarily on urban issues, he has now returned to his literary roots with a new novel called Shooting the Bruce (click here for eBook).

Photo of Clive Doucet by Andrew Balfour

This touching story revolves around Tom Travis, a Canadian soldier who served as a peacekeeper in several countries. When he is stationed in Bosnia and Herzegovina, however, during the brutal war that took place there in the 1990s, he has a mental breakdown.  After witnessing the most violent war in Europe since World War Two, he wakes up one day and can no longer recognize himself in the mirror.

Suffering from post traumatic stress disorder, Travis leaves the army for a civilian life.  Unfortunately, his mental struggles continue to haunt him and he breaks up with his fiancé.   Alone, unemployed and unsure where to live, he eventually settles in the fictitious small town of Wemje, Ontario, in Bruce County, where he establishes a wildlife photography business and begins the process of psychological healing.

“He went to hell and back,” says Doucet when asked about Travis.  ”Going from Sarajevo … to Bruce County is a big step.”

The ensuing novel focuses on how people reinvent themselves.  In regard to Travis, this can be seen in the play on the verb “to shoot,” where he goes from a world where he routinely fires guns, to a tranquil rural setting where he shoots photographs of wildlife.

He is not the only character, however, who is changing or searching for meaning.  There is Hannah Eaglesmith, the reporter for the local newspaper the Wemje Advocate, who is moving on from a failed marriage, while doing everything she can to teach her children about their aboriginal roots.

Then there is the young son of the owner of the Wemje Advocate, who first meets Travis while sports shooting, but then starts changing his views on nature after accompanying Travis on awe inspiring trips to photograph eagles.  In fact, this questioning of hunters who kill animals for pure sport is a recurring theme in the book, as Travis, the former soldier who is traumatized by war, criticizes rural sportsmen who kill for pleasure.

“I was the media officer for gun control at the Department of Justice,” says Doucet, when asked why the use of guns play such a strong role in the book.  ”I feel very strongly about gun control and this spilled over into the book.”

While Doucet’s past government experience does influence this novel, the heart and soul of the story lies with Travis’ struggles as he transitions to civilian life.  So make no mistake, this very well-written book is not a didactic attempt to push forward a viewpoint, but rather a beautiful story about healing and rediscovery.

“That is the fundamental nature of the human condition,” says Doucet.  ”We are always inventing ourselves… The great job for humans is a constant struggle for meaning.”

Before proceeding, however, I would like to give a shout-out to foodiePrints, who compiled this great list of almost 150 food-related blogs.  While some of these sites are dormant, most are active and provided me with a strong starting point for this post.  (Note: foodiePrints also has recipes).

Cooking blogs

Double Trouble Kitchen Edition is written by Eleanore and Emily, two economists who love to cook.  Eleanore is a marathoner who prepares balanced and nutritious meals, while having a soft spot for chocolate.  Emily’s culinary repertoire includes traditional Chinese dishes and decorated desserts.

Tea for Two Sisters is also written by a duo, this time sisters Christine and Lucy, which showcases their cooking and photographic skills.  Two Vegan Sisters, meanwhile, is managed by Tracy and Sarah.

Another collaborative blog is TBBs, created by six women who met while completing a residential décor program.  While the site contains posts on wine, food travel, love, design and shopping, it also has cooking tips.

Kelly Brisson of The Gouda Life is well known in the local blogosphere for her excellent recipes.  Her cooking suggestions include creative dishes like this recent post for caramelized fennel, roasted garlic and tomato soup with lemon.

Asha of beFOODled says that she likes to document her food adventures, be they successful, complete failures or moments of pure befuddlement.  For its part, the blog Dude COOK! not only has a great name, but also shows the average busy person that they do have time to cook.

Sheltered Girl Meets World and Eaten Up, two blogs previously mentioned in Tour de blogosphere, are also worth checking out.

Handmade is an interesting site from freelance illustrator and animator Cara Rowlands, who combines her drawings with recipes.

One blog that I follow regularly is culinarilyinclined, which offers numerous suggestions.  Recent posts include recipes for jam-filled doughnut muffins, baked artichokes, and baked eggs over sautéed mushrooms and spinach.

La Cuisine d’Hélène, which I reviewed on my personal site, is an excellent source if you want to expand your cookbook collection.

Sybaritica, which I also reviewed on my personal blog, is written by lawyer C. John Thompson.  Despite living in Nunavut, (yes you read that right), he blogs regularly about Ottawa restaurants when not posting his interesting recipes, many of which manage to use tropical fruits.

Other sites worth checking out include the wonderfully named blog Bacon Avec Bacon, as well as these sites: Food Gypsy, Mon Food Blog, The Lemon Kitchen, AKsKitchen, Barrhaven Bites and Eat, Drink and be Murray.

Other blogs where I have seen recipes include Simply Fresh, Happy Mouth, Otownmommy, In a Nutshell, Thrive, Ottawa Valley Moms, a peek inside the fishbowl, Earthward by blogger Valerie Ward, and Meaghan to the Max, which I reviewed on my blog.

Zahlicious by Laura Zahody also has recipes, although the blog does not appear to have been updated since late-February. (Update: Shortly after publishing this post Laura posted a new recipe online).

Know of any other local cooking blogs?  Please let us know in the comments section below.  In the meantime, if you want to know more about local bloggers, please go to The Ottawa Blogging Library, a blog that I created to accompany the Tour de blogosphere columns.

Ricardo Ramirez, the police inspector in charge of the Havana Major Crimes Unit, can see dead people. Yet again, his ability to interact with the ghosts of murdered victims may be nothing more than a mental disease, perhaps even the same one that killed his grandmother.

Amidst this personal anguish inside the head of a Cuban detective, a Canadian police officer from Ottawa on vacation in Havana is arrested for the rape and murder of a young boy. From this captivating beginning, local mystery writer Peggy Blair opens her fascinating debut novel The Beggar’s Opera, which tells the story of what is arguably Cuba’s greatest fictional police inspector.

The sequel The Poisoned Pawn, released this past February, continues the highly complex plot, which encompasses Canada-Cuba relations, an international criminal ring with links to the Vatican, and images from the streets of Ottawa that residents often ignore.

The idea for the books stem from a trip that Blair took to Havana in December 2006 with her daughter.  Having just left a 30-year legal career, which included working in the heart wrenching residential school process, she was in a period of transition.

Photo of Peggy Blair by Ryan Parent

“I was trying at the time to decide what to do next,” Blair tells me in a phone interview. “It was at this time that my daughter came home from McGill and said, ‘Mom you can’t just sit around.’”

Moved by her daughter’s words, as well as her trip to Old Havana in Christmas of 2006, Blair came up with the idea of writing a mystery set in Cuba. While she had never written fiction before, she did have many years of experience working as a criminal defence lawyer and a Crown prosecutor.

Blair’s literary efforts have resulted in some unforgettable characters. There is Inspector Ramirez, a first-class detective who sees the ghosts of murdered people. In addition to solving crimes, he has to deal with the shortages facing Cuba, such as the lack of fuel for police vehicles.

Then there is Hector Apiro, a brilliant pathologist and one of Cuba’s top plastic surgeons who suffers from dwarfism. His small physical stature hides his genius mind and deep compassion.

“I see Apiro as the moral compass of the books,” says Blair. “You know those stickers that say, ‘What would Jesus do?’ Well, ‘what would Apiro do?’”

I completely agree with Blair’s assessment, as I always found myself siding with Apiro, even in the second book when … well, you will have to read the novel to find out.

Then there is Charlie Pike from the second book, an aboriginal police officer who started as a beat cop on the streets of Winnipeg, and who escorts Ramirez during his trip to Canada. (The first book takes place in Havana, the second in Ottawa). Pike and Ramirez talk a lot about the horrific effects of Canada’s residential schools, a subject that Blair knows very well due her work in aboriginal law, and which plays a central role in the plot.

Photo courtesy of Peggy Blair

Combine these characters with a cop accused of murder, malevolent priests, a kind hearted Ottawa police chief, a failed marriage and the death of a police officer in Ottawa, and you have the script for a soap opera. Thanks to Blair’s excellent writing and attention to detail, however, the books turn out to be page turners rather than a cheesy telenovela.

“You have these characters who are grounded in fact, because you have to or else it is not believable,” says Blair.

Inevitably, people reading the books will compare them to present day Cuba. Blair quickly points out, however, that she only went to Cuba once, and that the story is set during the holiday season in late-2006 and early-2007.

“The books are in a very tight time frame,” she says. “I had one reader who just contacted me about (the books saying that) Cubans cannot go into tourist restaurants and that is just not true,” says Blair. ”But it was true from 2006 to 2009.”

She also says that she has no plans to return to Cuba. “I will forget what it was like if I went back,” she says.

If you want to see Blair speak, she will be participating in the Criminally Great Writing event at the Ottawa Writers Festival that is taking place Sunday, April 28, at 8:30 pm at Knox Presbyterian Church at 120 Lisgar Street (at Elgin).  Tickets are $10 to $15.

You can follow Blair on her blog, author website, on her twitter account, and her Facebook page.