Andrew Cohen’s piece in the Ottawa Citizen last week certainly struck a nerve. At our latest “Urban drinks” at Shanghai, a few fellow bloggers spent some time discussing our annoyance at the suggestion that despite our “education and affluence” we were all working so hard to make a creative and interesting life in a city that (according to Cohen) can’t seem to do anything interesting or creative. We’re obviously Ottawa “apologists” here on Apartment613. We have a great time in Ottawa and we write about a lot of what we... | Continue reading article

You may have heard that the 417 was closing this weekend to replace the Carling Bridge. Above, is a stop motion video created by Terri Oda using data from the webcams showing the replacement. From the Ottawa Citizen: Using what’s known as self-propelled modular transporters — SPMTS — the decks of the old bridges were lifted section by section and set aside, and then the new ones are put in their place. The SPMTS, which are assembled at the site to suit the work at hand, are powerful and highly... | Continue reading article

The last weekend of July! Summer is slipping away so fast… mostly because there’s just too much to do! This long weekend is no exception, with a ton of stuff going on in addition to the usual selection of summer festivals (this weekend it’s Busker Fest, Rideau Canal Fest, Ottawa Lumière Festival and Chamber Fest up on the agenda). Those of you looking for a little greenery (other then the leafy kind) should check out Friday’s edition of Cafe Scientifique, which features a talk and film on carbon footprints and lifestyle choices. Then you can head to the Environmental... | Continue reading article

Hey Ottawans, looking for some weekend plans? The Weekend Roundup has its magnifying glass out, its trusty bloodhound at its side, and is on the case. This is one mystery we’re not going to let go unsolved. Starting with music: there ain’t no party like a B.A. Johnston party, because a B.A. Johnston party just might end with partial nudity, if the above photo’s any indication. You can catch the Hamilton indie rocker/shirt eschewer this Friday night at Irene’s. Guitar virtuoso Luke Doucet brings his White Falcon to the Black... | Continue reading article

Hey there, audiophiles! Hope you’re enjoying the final day of Bluesfest. On this music-heavy edition of the Apartment613 Live podcast, we feature a handful of artists who close out the final week of the yearly summer music extravaganza. We also speak with city archivist Paul Henry about the recently-opened archives building on Tallwood Avenue, and hear eastern Ontario artist Don Maynard give a public talk about “Archive” – his towering sculpture adorning the facility’s front lawn – on a windy Saturday afternoon. If you want to listen to Apartment613 Live... | Continue reading article

On the weekend, the city’s new three-storey, 92,000 sq.-ft. central archives building opened its doors to the public. And like the historical-document-loving nerd that I am, I jumped in my car, raced out to Nepean, and made a beeline straight for its collection of old municipal bylaws, quite possibly trampling some poor child in my fevered quest for knowledge. Allowing the public near-unfettered access to the century-plus trove of material was a great way to show off the stunning $38.6-million building, which will also house the main library’s collection and... | Continue reading article

BEEKEEPING COURSES . Want to learn how to keep honey bees? . Produce your own honey,pollen,propolis and Royal Jelly. . BERG EN DAL HONEY will be offering 3 sessions throughout the 2011 season which will cover all aspects of hive management. . Session 1 . May 22 will cover spring start-up,disease and pest control,swarm prevention and hie set up. . Session 2 . June 26 will cover the production and extraction of honey, propolis,pollen and royal jelly. . Session 3 . Aug 28 will cover fall hive management, disease and... | Continue reading article

Hacks and Hackers is an international project designed to bring together those who write about stuff (the hacks) and those who work with data, numbers and information (the hackers). And tonight, Ottawa plays host to its very own Hacks and Hackers event at the James Street Pub. The event will feature local hacker Alice Funke, the force behind Canadian election information portal Pundits’ Guide, and local hack Glen McGregor, who writes data-driven stories for the Ottawa Citizen. To find out more about the project and what they hope tonight’s event... | Continue reading article

Many of us walk through our neighbourhoods every day. Remember that old building nestled in amongst more recent additions? It looks as though it’s probably been around since Ottawa was just an outpost? So who built it? And there’s a random statue placed on the corner. Who does it honour? Why is it still around? This weekend, thanks to Jane’s Walk, you can get all of the answers to your curious neighbourhood questions. Jane’s Walk is a yearly ‘festival of walks’ – when historians, activists, planners and residents come out... | Continue reading article

Live TV : Ustream As a rule, Apartment613 focuses on Ottawa, the city, rather than Ottawa, the capital of Canada. However, during election time the distinction breaks down. Given the city’s dependence on the public service and auxiliary industries, what happens in the upcoming election has huge consequences for the vitality and prosperity of the national capital region. Support for arts and culture often gets overlooked as an issue of practical importance. Some people dismiss it as an economic issue, ignoring the fact that many art and culture institutions (theatres,... | Continue reading article