Alejandro has been writing for Apartment613 since 2012 after a friend introduced him to the site. When not busy being a father to three children, he can be found reviewing books by local authors, as well as covering dance shows, concerts and live theatre.
“Happiness is a warm puppy.” ― Charles M. Schulz Legendary cartoonist Charles Schulz is best known for creating the Peanuts comic strip, with such famous characters as Snoopy. This famous dog, however, is not the only four-legged cartoon that can bring happiness to readers, as we can see from the illustrated children’s book Cocopuff: A Happy Tale by […]
Is a question more powerful than a statement? For parents, this deceivingly simple query may open doors to a fun new way to interact with your children. In her book Why Am I Perfect?, author Nathalie Beaupré offers an interactive workbook that parents can use with their kids. The main idea behind this work is the difference between […]
Ian Prattis has lived an incredibly diverse life. Now retired, the long-time professor of anthropology and sociology has travelled the world, including his stay in South Asia where he was ordained as a guru in India. A long-time peace activist, he taught at Carleton University for more than three decades, and has led Buddhist meditation […]
Why do you read fiction? Is it to fall in love with an exotic character or fantastic creature? To travel to a new dimension or a specific moment in the past? Maybe what you seek is a strange idea that sets your mind on fire? Your answer to this question – why do you read fiction? […]
Writers often find inspiration in interesting places. For local author Neven Humphrey, who has lived in the National Capital Region since 2000, the idea for his novel Dr. Jekyll’s Foxes came in a dream. The book, which is aimed at readers 12 years and up, tells the story of Zoya, a cub from a farm just north […]
While relatively new to the literary scene in Ottawa-Gatineau, Deux Voiliers Publishing from Aylmer, Quebec has already developed a reputation for releasing good books. Of the more than 20 authors that they have published, however, a strong case can be made that Wall of Dust by Timothy Niedermann is among the best works in their […]
“I think comedy comes more from a low sense of self-esteem, and I certainly have that.” – Craig Ferguson Ottawa-residents are often caricatured as a sorry lot who live boring lives. This probably explains why this region has produced so many great comedians. Wait, what? I thought this was the city that fun forgot. Not so […]
We’re giving away a pair of tickets to see the Royal Winnipeg Ballet’s performance of The Nutcracker on Thursday, December 3 at 7 pm at the National Arts Centre. To enter this contest email apartment613@gmail.com by 4 pm Wednesday, November 25, with the subject line “Contest – Nutcracker.” A winner will be picked by random […]
The mass murder of 14 women at the École Polytechnique in Montreal on December 6, 1989 is an event that will mark Canadians forever. In a horrifying act of evil, 25-year-old Marc Lépine singled out female students to kill with a rifle. In one particularly barbaric incident, he divided a classroom into men and women, and then […]
We are giving away a pair of tickets to the November 24 show of Taiwan’s U-Theatre. To enter send an email to apartment613@gmail.com by 4 pm today with the subject live “Contest: U-Theatre”. The winner will be picked by random draw and notified after 4 p.m. Taiwan’s U-Theatre is a delight to watch. With hypnotic […]
We are giving away a pair of tickets to the Wednesday, October 11 performance of Barbarians by the Hofesh Shechter Company at the NAC. To enter, send an email with the subject line “Contest – Barbarians” to apartment613@gmail.com by 4 pm Monday, November 9. A winner will be picked and notified on Monday evening. Israeli-born dancer […]
Every once in a while you come across a book that just makes you smile. A Little Walk in our Neighbourhood by Ottawa-based author JP Melville is such a work. Based on his experience living in Mali with his family from 2002-2004, this short book of less than 40 pages chronicles a single day in […]
For almost two decades, the Ottawa-based Busting Out dragon boat team has been offering inspiration and hope to women who have survived breast cancer. While there is no age limit to join (members range in age from their mid-30s to early-80s), all team members must have completed cancer treatment, and also recovered sufficiently to be able […]
In the not-so distant future, the United States has fallen prey to a secretive and authoritarian government. In this dark world, a history teacher named Laek who lives in New York City tries to hide his radical past. After a violent confrontation with police, however, he decides that he has to flee his native country. […]
We are giving away a pair of tickets to the Friday, October 30 show of The Adventures of a Black Girl in Search of God at the NAC. To enter, send an email to apartment613@gmail.com by 4 pm Tuesday, October 27 with the subject line “NAC Theatre Contest – Adventures.” A winner will be picked and […]
