Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR. Jane’s Walk Ottawa is a weekend of free walking tours that celebrate the life and philosophy of urban scholar and activist Jane Jacobs. In the spirit of Ms Jacobs, Apartment613 hosted a walk to help people get to know the personalities behind Ottawa’s newest enclave of cool – Dalhousie Street. It was a beautiful, sunny and cool day – some would say it’s the perfect weather to walk around the city. A crowd of about 50 folks from old to young joined us for our “not... | Continue reading article

If you were to open up a dictionary from oh, let’s say 15 years ago, and look up the word ‘cool’, you would probably find a picture of John Travolta. That was of course the year he played Vincent Vega in Quentin Tarantino’s now classic Pulp Fiction. But what made him so cool in that film? Some would argue that it was his laid back attitude, his suit, the fact that he happened to be a hitman, or even his haircut. Of course, any respectable authority on cool would tell... | Continue reading article

Geez, I’m really hoping this does not become a regular trend, but yet again Bank St. has suffered a harsh blow with last night’s fire of Tommy & Lefebvre, the popular sports goods store. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined, but its clear that the store is a complete loss. The estimated damages to the building and its contents hover around the $2 million mark. The Ottawa Citizen reports that Kevin Pidgeon, president of Tommy & Lefebvre, hopes in the short term to be able to... | Continue reading article

We registered, we baked, we ate…Apartment613 is usually about previews but for Capital Cupcake camp we’ll make an exception in both our policies and our diets. Over 3000 cupcakes were baked and served and the turnout was so much greater than anyone expected; great news for Cupcake Camp organizers  (Awesome job Tanya, Ian, Andrew and Nicole) and also for Ottawa’s Woman Alive/Femme Active Program. With so much to choose from and eat from, the judges, Gay Cook, China Doll, Giacomo Panico and Michael Bhardwaj, certainly had a difficult task in... | Continue reading article

For everyone who’s ever felt torn between going out to a rave and staying in to handcraft a plush monster, there’s a made-in-Ottawa solution to your dilemma. Local crafting/DJ pair Melanie Yugo and Jason Pelletier have been hosting Spins & Needles since 2005, a unique event which combines funky beats with not-for-grandma crafting. Spins has become a popular Ottawa export to creative hotspots in Toronto, Montreal, San Fransico and New York. Within the city limits the pair has also branched out to host a monthly Disco Bingo at Humphrey’s (683... | Continue reading article

There is a moment in everyone’s adolescence when they suddenly realize that playtime is over. For some people, it is the last time they put away the plush or plastic toys that no longer amuses them. For others, it is the heart wrenching instant when they realize that, no matter how much they may secretly want to, rolling in the mud while calling their buddies fart-faced butt heads will either get them shunned by their peers or institutionalized by their parents. For all of us closeted 10 year-olds, Ottawa Sports... | Continue reading article

After a huge success in Toronto, cupcake camp is coming to Ottawa. This sweet and original event will be a place for cupcake lovers to create, share and learn from others. You’ll also be able to let your appetite run loose and taste some of the delicious creations. The event is scheduled for March 29th, from 2-5pm but the organizers are still looking for a place to host, so Ottawa cupcake lovers, we need your help to find a venue! A donated space that can fit approximately 200 people would... | Continue reading article

Fans of cheap furniture will be pleased to learn that according to the Canwest News Service, IKEA has filed plans to the City of Ottawa to expand their Ottawa location, making it the largest in the country. The plan has apparently been in the works for five years. Perhaps they were just looking for the right little allen key to get started?

Not much to celebrate now that New Year’s has passed…you’re waiting for Valentine’s Day. But let’s be honest, in the dead of winter, you are just looking for an excuse to host an awesome party. Theme parties are pretty awesome if you’ve got the right hosts and fun people that buy into your theme. Last year, we hosted a pirate party and it was awesome. This summer, my friend hosted a make your own powerpoint party and he said that was awesome. The other day, we hosted a chichi party... | Continue reading article

Winter in Ottawa is cold. The weather office just informed me that the wind chill over the next day will bring temperatures down to a frightening -35 degrees. But we’ve all learned to dress for the worst. And the people at City Hall and the NCC appear to be doing what they can to distract us from bitterly cold truth. This weekend I took advantage of their most well-known winter diversion — skating on the canal. I know it’s not exactly a hidden gem, but there are few things I... | Continue reading article