Although I am pretty torn on whether I would actually want to own a cottage, there is no doubt that I always love going to other people’s cottages. It’s a little bit like my relationship with pools and boats.
Luckily, we have some friends who are kind enough to invite us up to their cottage about an hour north of Ottawa at least once a year. Last weekend, they invited us up along with another family we are friends with to enjoy the lake and escape the heat of Ottawa. (Sunday was the warmest day in the past two years!)
After packing up what felt like most of our house, we were ready to go and we spent the weekend just as I’d want to at the cottage. We sat in the sun on the dock, ate lots of food, drank some cold pops, and swam in the lake. The kids all played great together, Lil’ E barely got out of the water the entire weekend, and the rest of them tried for hours without success to catch fish off the dock with a net. Sunday was a bit rough as we managed to stay up until about three in the morning on Saturday night talking around all sorts of nonsense before getting to bed.
The cottage was a perfect respite from work and home and the small roadtrip got us excited to head out on our more substantial one next weekend
Wow – summer is here and already it feels like it is flying by. After kicking off the summer with less than stellar weather, we’ve finally had a good stretch and the warm weather is most welcome.
The last few weeks have gone by so quickly; I had a quick work trip to Paris that Heidi joined me for, school ended for the kids, the big guy celebrated his fifth birthday, I acknowledged mine and we had a visit from my sister and her family after Canada Day. This weekend we had another visitor and took advantage of the great weather to get to the beach and play some golf. A couple of photos below wrap up this blur of three weeks. It seems like this pace will continue over the next couple of weeks before we leave for our own summer vacation.
This year we have left our vacation plans until the second part of the summer which I enjoy doing because by the time people at work are starting to return from their own vacations, we are just taking off and sometime the anticipation is just as much fun as the event.
Starting at the end of July, we have a trip to the Maritimes planned with stops in Gaspe, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia. A couple of other camping trips will round out the summer.
What plans does everybody else have for the summer? I trust that I am not alone in feeling like this summer is already slipping by too quickly.
Over the past couple of years, my brother-in-law and I have made an effort to set aside at least one night each year to take our daughters camping. The cousins love spending the uninterrupted time together without their brothers and they are at an age now that makes it a pretty relaxing trip for the fathers too.
Since we only go for one night, we stay close to Ottawa, heading to Fitzroy Harbour and to Lac Phillipe in the past. This year we went to a park, Murphy’s Point, that I hadn’t visited in 12 years – since the first spring I was in Ottawa.
Mandatory poutine stop
We were lucky to have great weather, and a great site (#29) to enjoy the park. After a quick lunch stop in Perth at Retro Fries, we headed out to set up camp. I always like to go on at least one short camping trip at the beginning of the year so I can remember everything that I have forgotten to put back in the bins or that has broken the year before that hasn’t been replaced. This way, I have a chance to make the adjustments without too many consequences. This year, it didn’t take long to figure out that I had forgotten to charge our pump so after it made a small dent in the air mattress, I was left to blow up the rest myself. Luckily, beyond batteries for flashlights, it didn’t seem that we forgot anything else too crucial.
Site #29
After a break to sit in the sun and enjoy a cold beverage, we did the short but satisfying Sylvan Trail, a 3km loop that provides a nice view over Big Rideau lake.
We returned to our campsite for dinner and a big fire including smores before tucking in for a pretty chilly night as it dropped down to about five degrees.
Smores!
The next morning we woke up to sun and once we had breakfast and packed up we rented a canoe for a couple of hours to enjoy the nice weather on the lake. After the girls even did some swimming (water was still freezing!) we had a picnic at the beach before heading home.
Just one night of camping was a good reminder that a trip doesn’t have to be long or far from home to serve as a nice break. Even though we were gone for less than 30 hours from door to door, it felt refreshing to get away from home and experience something different.
Even though my phone alerted me that it was -29 degrees (Celsius) yesterday, one thing that I always appreciate about this time of year though is that it gives us a chance to settle into routine a bit and get some things done that we seem to get through during the rest of the year. Ottawa has some unique outdoor activities in the winter that we try to take advantage of at least a little bit. After all, it is a four-season country and some of those seasons are longer than others so giving up on winter would be quite a waste.
Together as a family we brainstormed a list of things to do in Ottawa before the end of winter. (Which I consider to be March break, even if it often isn’t!) Many of these are things we have done in winters past but it is nice to have traditions.*
*As per my family custom, if any activity happens more than once it instantly attains ‘tradition’ status
Canadian Museum of History – The children’s museum at the former Museum of Civilization is always a hit and since we usually only go about once a year, it is a good opportunity to check out the special exhibits. A spin through the regular exhibitions is interesting as well; even if Canada’s history hasn’t changed since last year, the kids’ interests have and they tend to gravitate to different things each time.
National Art Gallery – Our attempt to ingest some culture; we usually get to this gallery once a year as well and wonder why we don’t go more often. On the weekends, they run Artissimo which has interactive components for the kids that have been quite a hit in the past.
Skating – Over the Christmas holidays we finally got the Big Guy going on skates so it should be fun to do this as a full family now. Of course, Ottawa is most famous for the Rideau Canal but there are other great spots for a family skate as well. After discovering the great ice at the Rink of Dreams last year, we will definitely be back there and Lil’ E was also intrigued by the rink at the Governor General’s residence, originally built in 1872 by the Earl of Dufferin. The new skating court at Landsdowne also looks interesting to check out so there is no shortage of places to try.
The Rideau Canal – one of our many skating opportunities
Hockey game – I realized that the Big Guy has never been to one. I am not too sure that he has the attention span to sit through one, and Lil’ E is terrified of mascots but I think we will still give this a try, either with some cheap Senators tickets through Stubhub or one of the Family Packs that the 67s (our local junior team) have been advertising.
Museum of Nature– We still have our annual pass but have not yet been to check out the new special exhibit on Arctic Voices, so I expect we will do that soon. The transformation of this museum over the past years has been amazing and has really made it into a favorite for the kids. Ottawa is lucky to have this museum in addition to all the others.
These were the few ideas that we came up with to keep us busy over the next couple of months but there are also lots of good ideas on local blogs such as Kids in the Capital, OttawaStart, and others.
As a function of the way our days work, since I leave early before the kids are even dressed, I get home first with the kids and often while they are eating their snack after school, I will be starting to prepare dinner. They ask some pretty funny questions, particularly about meat – what kind of animal is that? what part of the body does it come from? what are you doing now? It makes me proud that they take an interest in what actually goes into a meal and how it’s made. I think they have watched enough ‘Chopped’ and ‘Cutthroat Kitchen’ to see cooking as something that is exciting and their interest is piqued.
More recently though, instead of being bystanders, I have tried to incorporate them a bit in making the meals and for the most part, they’ve been pretty enthusiastic. This works pretty well (most days) for a couple of reasons; it keeps them busy while I get dinner ready, and it seems to result in them being more likely to eat what we make.
My sous-chef at work
A real favorite to make seems to be chicken fingers – since they both love eating them and they also seem to enjoy the assembly line process of putting them together. Other things we have made recently include meatloaf, cinnamon buns, pizzas and some homemade macaroni and cheese. The big guy is always in charge of stirring, and likes to think he should also be in charge of breaking in the eggs, which usually puts me in charge of sifting out egg shells for the next few minutes. Lil’ E is a bit more versatile now, and also a little less to clean up after.
Chicken finger assembly line
I have found this to be a really fun activity to do with the kids, and have started to learn a few things about how to make it more enjoyable. I know enough now to have everything prepped prior to getting them involved, and also to work with them to pick a recipe that they are interested both in making and in eating.
One of the great things about living in the nation’s capital is the availability of many great museums and historic sites that draw in tourists from across Canada and other countries. Despite this, I think a lot of people in Ottawa may take these for granted but we have tried our best not to become part of this group, visiting our favorites on a pretty regular basis. This summer we managed to hit four of them – The Nature Museum, where we have a pass, the Canada Food and Agriculture Museum, the Canada Space and Aviation Museum and finally, the Canadian War Museum.
The kids have aspects of all of these that they really enjoy so it is fun to take them and try to hit a few different parts each time without the pressure to take it all in at once.
One thing that ensures we make regular visits to these museums is the ability to visit them for free, with a little legwork. Most of the museums in Ottawa are free on Thursday nights after 4pm – an incentive to get people out that may not make a visit otherwise. Another tool we also take advantage of are the museum passes that are available through the Ottawa Public Library. I think these are both an excellent idea to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to visit the museums that are meant to represent all aspects of our country. I know that without them, we would be guilty of not visiting as often.
Canada’s war museum Pumping water at the Food & Agriculture museumTaking off at the Space and Aviation museum
Previously, I covered some of my favorite places east of work that I enjoy hitting on a lunch hour or that are part of our rotation for picking up staples for home. Since I’ve been off for a bit, I actually kind of miss the ability to just walk out at lunchtime and pick up some ingredients for dinner.
Here are some of the spots we seem to hit on a pretty regular basis.
Although the Parkdale Market is there for most of the year, this grocery store also stocks lots of local products and has an interesting selection of things that you might not find anywhere else.
Probably my favourite all-around restaurant in Ottawa – great food, excellent and consistent service as well as menu that changes every day. This place is equally good for lunch or dinner and every Christmas we also organize a group dinner in their private room. Another nice addition this year is the patio that they are planning to put in.
This is at least a once-a-week stop for us. There is nothing better than one of the warm sesame bagels right out of the oven. Not so fond of all the other flavours of bagel but the sesame are delicious.
One of my go-to spots when I have forgotten a lunch, and also a good spot for take-out sushi. The owner in here is really nice – always looks after the kids when they come in and is really not afraid to try new things in his restaurant which is cool to see. Really delicious sushi as well and some things that I am not sure you can get at other spots in Ottawa.
These people are probably sick of seeing H and I in there, although alot of our house is furnished by them. We continually stop in to take a browse since they have a constantly changing stock and lots of great furniture. Our bank account would be a lot healthier if this wasn’t so convenient.
Blueprint Home
Although these are some of our favourite spots, there are plenty others worth mentioning as well. Parma Ravioli provides excellent fresh pasta that we enjoy cooking at home pretty regularly. Restaurants such as The Foolish Chicken, Les Grillades, and Allium on Holland are all great spots for lunch. On Wellington, although I have only eaten there a couple of times, The Flying Banzini wins points with me for his dedication and interesting insight on running a small restaurant that the owner shares on his blog.
Four whole days off with no travel plans – it’s been a while since that has happened but we did make the most of it this weekend – with my birthday, the big boy’s birthday, lots of relaxing and a few local activities here in Ottawa.
MJMD Pizza
On Friday, we ventured into Quebec, stopping at MJMD Pizza in Old Chelsea first. This is a nice spot, located right across the street from the Chelsea Pub – you make your order inside and they have a really nice patio setup in the back with picnic tables where they bring it out. Good pizza too. After dinner, we were off to DunnD’s mini-golf for a round. Ella appointed herself scorekeeper and not coincidentally, also had the lowest round. She’s figured this game out…
The champThe Musical Ride
Although we had never taken advantage of it, every year the RCMP performs Sunset Ceremonies at their training facility just off the Rockcliffe Parkway. The highlight of this event is the Musical Ride, a Canadian tradition in line with the Snowbirds and Tim Hortons. It was a beautiful night for it and people were packed in. It was the fourth night in a row and I overheard one of the parking attendants mention they had about 1100 cars every night.
On Monday, H was back to work so it was the first day of #dadcamp. We headed to the Canadian Agriculture and Food Museum by taking advantage of a library pass. The kids enjoyed making donuts in the kitchen, petting calves, riding on the tractors and exploring the other animals.
You think you’re bigger than me?
Finally, on Canada Day, we had made reservations to visit the Billings Estate for their special tea service. The three-course tea highlighted the countries involved in WWI but they run it throughout the year with a regular menu as well. We were all pretty impressed and for only $12.50, the tea service and museum admission is all-inclusive. We will have to remember this for out-of-town visitors as well.
Tea for one
The weather held out much better than expected all weekend and we were able to enjoy plenty of hours in the backyard relaxing with friends and family as well. Happy Canada Day!
When I first started working at Tunney’s Pasture, the neighbourhood was a wasteland. Lunch options consisted of a place called 3 Kings and Wings or McDonalds. In the twelve years that have passed things have changed considerably and it is now a great spot to go for lunch and run errands during lunch hour. Here are some of the spots we frequent on the east side of Holland.
Rosemount Library
Rosemount library
Bread by Us
A new addition to the ‘hood; fantastic bread, has overtaken Art-is-in as our go-to spot.
Bread By Us
Hintonburg Market
Another new addition to the neighbourhood, this is a nice place for some staples and also for their in-house butcher that makes excellent sausages.
Hintonburg Market
Hintonburger
One of the originals in the neighbourhood’s rejuvenation – this place is maddeningly inconsistent and lines up badly if you get there at the wrong time but most of the time they deliver a pretty great burger and fries.
Hintonburger
SuzyQ donuts gets an honorable mention for making Ottawa’s best donuts; they don’t quite live up to the Doughnut Plant or Dough standards but they definitely raise the bar here.
Suzy Q
I also realize now that I haven’t even mentioned Back Lane Cafe or the Elmdale Tavern, my two favourite spots for lunch on this end of the street.
a work in progress – our adventures here and there
m&h 