Rhapsody Blue is best known for her fire-breathing. She also dances with fire fans and, according to her bio, performs a mean strip tease. Photography by Ben Ripley

FIRST OTTAWA BURLESQUE FESTIVAL FUNDRAISER
In an effort to raise money for an Ottawa Burlesque Festival next year, the burlesque community has come together to put on an intriguing fundraiser involving local burlesque performers and music by DJ Lowpass. Proceeds from the event will help to fun a a three-day bilingual celebration of art, sensuality, and diversity. $10 tickets at the door. Must be 19. Sunday, May 26 at 8 p.m. Held at Yuk Yuk’s, 292 Elgin St.

JEFF ELLIOTT AT YUK YUK’S
Known for his “clean” and canny comedy, Jeff Elliott has become a major talent in the Canadian comedy scene. Jeff also writes for MSN.ca, freelances for major advertising companies, and can be seen in a number of commercials. Warning: you may find yourself laughing in an uncontrollable manner. Tickets at $18. 379 Preston St., Friday, May 24 at 9:30 p.m. and Saturday, May 25 at 8 p.m. 292 Elgin St. Saturday, May 25 at 9:30 p.m. www.yukyuks.com

BIRDS WITH SKYMIRRORS AT THE NAC
A pioneer in the evolution of Pacific contemporary dance, Lemi Ponifasio and his company MAU will be performing their internationally renowned production of Birds With Skymirrors at the NAC this weekend. Inspired by an event where Ponifasio witnessed birds carrying magnetic videotape in their beaks, this dramatic performance will challenge audiences to reflect on the future of the environment. Sit back, relax, and take in this provocative and enchanting 90 minute multi-media production. Tickets starting at $38. Friday, May 24 and Saturday, May 25 at 7:30 p.m. National Arts Centre, 53 Elgin St. www.nac-can.ca

Tired Paws and Weary Wings is artist Gwendolyn Best's homage to the cats of Parliament Hill. Her show is at Orange Art Gallery near the Parkdale Market

TIRED PAWS AND WEARY WINGS (FREE!)
This exhibit pays hommage to the cats of the Parliament Hill sanctuary. Ottawa artist Gwendolyn Best is well known for her ability to capture the spirit of dark creatures, especially cats, through her paintings. Her upcoming show pays tribute to Parliament Hill’s recently dismantled cat sanctuary. Exhibit runs from Thursday, May 23 to Sunday, June 9. Orange Art Gallery, 233 Armstrong St. www.orangeartgallery.ca

GREAT GLEBE GARAGE SALE (FREE!)
Whether you’re on a mission to find that perfect item at that low-low price or you just want to be surrounded in a fun and vibrant atmosphere with your friends and family, the Glebe is the place to be this Saturday. This fantastic annual community event, which raises money for the Ottawa Food Bank, takes place rain or shine. Saturday, May 25 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Located in the Glebe, between Bronson Avenue, the Queensway (Hwy. 417), and the Rideau Canal. www.glebeca.ca

ALCATEL-LUCENT SUNDAY BIKEDAYS (FREE!)
Grab your helmet and pump up those bike tires because the 43^rd season of Alcatel-Lucent Sunday Bikedays is back! This is a great opportunity to get some safe exercise in without the frustration of dodging vehicular traffic. Three Ottawa parkways — Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway (5.5 km), Colonel By Drive (7.6 km), and Rockcliffe Parkway (7.5 km) — are reserved for not only cyclists, but also in-line skaters, runners, walkers, and people with mobility aids. Every Sunday morning until Labour Day weekend. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The post WEEKENDER: Tired Paws, Birds with Skymirrors, burlesque, plus the start of Sunday Bikedays and more great gigs appeared first on Ottawa Magazine.

You've seen dark and milk chocolate but what's that above the white chocolate? That's blond, an entirely new category of chocolate created by Valrhona.

First there was milk, dark, and white chocolate. Now there is blond.

Invented and launched recently by Valrhona — one of the top chocolate companies in France — blond chocolate, dubbed Dulcey, began its life as a happy accident.

The story has the ring of a fairy tale: the head chef at Valrhona’s chocolate school, Frédéric Bau, put some white chocolate in a bain-marie to melt it, and then forgot about it.

Ten hours later, he followed the beautiful aroma back to the kitchen where it had taken on the characteristics of caramelized milk. It developed a gorgeous blond colour and an unusual toasty flavour that lingers on the tongue.

“The taste of Dulcey has an emotional dimension that makes it a very unique chocolate,” says Quentin Chapuis of Valrhona Canada. “It reminds a lot of people of the butter biscuits they ate when they were kids.”

Valrhona first rolled out the product by getting it into the hands of some of Canada’s top pastry chefs, including the chef at Maison Boulud in Montreal, Thomas Haas in Vancouver, and Nadège Nourian, a fourth-generation pastry chef with two shops in Toronto.

Adored by those I spoke to who have already experimented with it in pastries, truffles, and other baked desserts, it offers pastry chefs and chocolatiers a new level of seasonality to their menus. They say customers tend to crave dark chocolate desserts more in the winter, but in the summer they like their sweets to be lighter (and milk chocolate is often dismissed as too sweet). Blond chocolate fits the bill and also happens to pair well with fruits.

I first sampled Dulcey at a funky new chocolate shop in San Francisco where it was sold in bars in which the creamy caramelized chocolate was combined with raspberries and pralines. Divine. One bite and I knew I had tasted something completely new. I sent a tweet to Vancouver chocolate expert Eagranie Yuh. It said: “I bought a bar of something ‪@craftsmanwolves called blond chocolate. It’s fantastic — but what is it?”

Now I know. And I’m hooked. Now you know, too.

I’m happy to report that Valrhona’s Dulcey is already available in Ottawa at the following stores:

La Bottega, 64 George St.

Grace in the Kitchen, 442 Hazeldean Rd. (professional size, sold in bulk)

International Cheese, 40 Byward Market

It can also be purchased online.

The post SWEET CRAVINGS: Introducing Valrhona’s blond — a totally new chocolate obsession appeared first on Ottawa Magazine.

On Caroline: Le Chateau dress $129.99, Walmart sandals $19.99, Caroline's own earrings; on Delaney: Marshall's dress $24.99, The Shoe Company pumps $89.99, Ardene earrings $7.50, The Shoe Company clutch $24.99. Click on photo for more images. Photo by Eric Watters.

Shop Talk is written by OM senior editor Dayanti Karunaratne and Sarah Fischer, OM account executive and fashion maven.

Yes, it’s that time again: prom! Whether you are going yourself, have a son or daughter counting down the days, or just want to relive the joy (and pain) of this teenage rite of passage, this week SHOP TALK talks to stylist Erica Wark about all things prom.

Erica is fresh off a media tour with VISA, who launched a free app called Plan’it Prom. The app aims to keep prom-goers (and their financiers) on budget by monitoring spending. Perhaps the most crucial part is the first step: a set budget. The app then manages all prom-related items, allotting a dollar amount for transportation, photos, etc.

All to say Erica has been in the trenches of prom planning for the past few weeks. Here’s what she has to say about traditions, trends, and money-saving tips.

On Delaney: Envied "Supertrash" dress, $310, The Shoe Company pumps $69.99, Le Chateau earrings $18, Le Chateau bracelets $25; On Caroline: Marshall's dress $49.99, The Shoe Company pumps $79.99, Le Chateau bracelet $18. Click on photo for more images. Photo by Eric Watters

SHOP TALK: What are the big trends for prom 2013?
Erica Wark: Embellishment is everywhere this prom season; try it with jewels, lace overlay or even applique. For colours, I love cobalt blues, bold tangerines and corals, or softer hues like mint and sea foam, blush and off-white. In terms of hem length my advice is do what works for you; if you’ve got great legs show them off with a shorter dress; if you’re looking for uber-glam, go long! You can even do the high-low hem, and have the best of both!

For guys, it’s an easy choice — go with a tux. A classic black and white look in a slimmer fit with a bowtie is right on trend this spring.

ST: If you were going to prom this year, what would you wear?
EW: Haha, oh to be young again. There are so many more options now than there were 10 years ago. I’d probably do a fabulous long dress in a bold colour with cut-out or sheer paneled details a-la-Rihanna.

ST: What did you wear to prom?
EW: I actually designed my own dress; picked out the fabrics, drew a sketch, and sat down with my cousin (who used to design and teach at Richard Robinson) to create something unique and special to me. Recently, I’ve gone back and looked at pictures, and I gotta say I still love the dress I wore to prom.

ST:When you think back to your own prom experience, what would you do differently if you had the chance?

On Delaney: Le Chateau dress $150, Le Chateau earrings $9.95, The Shoe Company pumps $79.99; on Caroline: Poised Terani Couture $405, Call it Spring sandals $50, Le Chateau earrings $22. Click on photo for more images. Photo by Eric Watters.

EW: I honestly don’t think I’d do anything different. My friends and I had such a wonderful time.  We all split costs to pitch in for a limo, my girlfriends came over beforehand and we did each other’s makeup and nails, so we really had the full prom experience, without spending a crazy amount of money.

ST: How do you think prom has changed over the years? Why?
EW: Prom has gotten a little bit out of control in terms of spending; some people take it as seriously as their wedding day! It’s such an exciting time of year for teens and can easily get off track of how much money is being spent. That’s why it’s so important for parents to take this opportunity to sit down with their kids and discuss money management. After prom and graduation, teens are going to either be heading off to college or university and the workforce, where they’ll have to make big decisions on their spending; prom is the perfect time for parents to discuss and instill valuable budgeting lessons on their children.

ST: If you were going to splurge on one part of the prom experience, what would it be?

On Delaney: Envied "supertrash" dress $147, Marshall's pumps $69.99, Ardene earrings $7.50, Marshall's clutch $39.99; on Caroline: Poised dress $257.50, Call It Spring sandals $50, Le Chateau earrings $22. Click on photo for more images. Photo by Eric Watters.

EW: I would say your splurge should be the dress (or in a rental tux for guys). But splurging doesn’t mean you have to spend a ton of money. It’s all about what budget you’re working with. That’s why the Plan’it Prom app is so great — it keeps you on track and monitors your spending. And you can sync it with your Facebook and take pics of the dresses you want to get — that way you’ll know for sure someone else won’t be wearing the same one!

The event really is only one day, and it goes quickly – but pictures and memories? You’ll have those forever and you want to make sure you felt confident, beautiful (or handsome) and had a great time.
All photos by Eric Watters. All styling by Erica Wark. Thanks to models Delaney and Caroline Holley.

The post SHOP TALK: The Prom Edition with Erica Wark appeared first on Ottawa Magazine.

EAT: Ottawa’s most exciting new food businesses and best restaurants

New and Noteworthy
Fifteen of the tastiest new additions to the city’s simmering culinary landscape
By Shawna Wagman

Restaurants
Our authoritative guide to dining in the city features 100 must-try restaurants
By Anne DesBrisay

Must-Try 
Sandwiches, doughnuts, bar snacks, pickles and preserves, bread

Pouring a pint at Brasseurs du Temps

DRINK: Wines and craft beers to suit every event on your social calendar

Wine
David Lawrason selects 60 bottles to suit all occasions. Includes: A Prince Edward County Wine Tour; sparkling wines; sipping whites; barbecue reds; Euro classics; New World classics; cellar keepers

Beer
A guide to local craft breweries. Plus! Ten Ontario beers to try right now
By Travis Persaud

Photography by Christian Lalonde - Photolux Commercial Studio

SHOP: Where to head for gourmet groceries and top-notch gadgets

Food shops
Tempting the palate with the city’s top gourmet grocers, delis, butchers, bakeries, and more
By Cindy Deachman

Focus on: fair fish, vegan, gluten-free

Kitchen Stores: Where to find everything a committed home cook needs

The post ON NEWSSTANDS: Sneak peek at the contents page of the Ottawa Magazine Eating & Drinking Guide appeared first on Ottawa Magazine.

Merlot has become the great forgotten red grape since being mercilessly panned in Sideways. David Lawrason believes there may be a resurrection in the offing

Illustration by Kyle Brownrigg

Once a wine hits mainstream success, it tends to fall out of favour with wine critics, sommeliers, and even some winemakers themselves. This has been the fate of merlot, one of the world’s most widely planted red grapes.

When mellow merlot became so widely popular in the 1990s, the wine opiners began to look down their collective noses at it (it happened to chardonnay too).

This gave rise to a famous line in the 2004 Academy Award-nominated movie Sideways in which the lead actor threatens to leave a restaurant if his companion orders “a fucking merlot.”

Since that low blow, merlot has wallowed, bruised and dejected, in the shadow of pinot noir (the star of the same film) and, to some degree, syrah. Merlot is still out there on the shelves (so someone is buying it), but wine pundits continue to ignore it.

I have decided to break the silence after finding myself actually enjoying merlot of late. To me, a good merlot is a mid-weight, middle-of-the-road red — not too light, not too heavy. The aroma is generous but not too intense, with ripe red fruit — raspberry, perhaps — and a bit of warmed fruit compote. It should also have a dried herb-tobacco note in the shadows. Ideally, the wood has been nicely digested by fruit, offering echoes of spice, smoke, and vanillin. The texture should be fairly soft but not soupy, the tannins gentle, the alcohol subsumed. And when the wine is of excellent quality, the flavours should stay focused and travel long into the finish. It’s a wine that can fit easily into casual situations but at times soar to great heights.

Here is a global selection of excellent and/or good-value merlots. Those who are geographers may notice that many come from regions near 40 degrees latitude, both north and south, the world’s temperate zones. Let’s call it merlot of Middle Earth.

Jackson-Triggs 2010 Black Series Merlot
$13.95  • Niagara Peninsula, Ontario  • 87 points

This is a fragrant, well-made merlot from the best Niagara vintage yet for this grape variety. There’s no great depth or complexity, but the blackberry, tea, fennel, and light cedary-smoky scents are spot-on and mindful of bordeaux. It’s mid-weight and fairly fleshy, with a dry, twiggy, and warm finish. Best now to 2016. LCBO 109959.

Les Jamelles 2011 Merlot
$12.95  •  Languedoc, France  •  87 points

One of the better inexpensive merlots from the sunny south of France, this style was created in the 1990s to compete with merlot success in California. It captures the essential raspberry jam and tea flavours in a typically mid-weight, soft, and agreeable style but with a bit more fruit and less earth than many French merlots on the market at this price. LCBO 245324.

Concilio 2010 Merlot
$12.95  •  Trentino, Italy  •  86 points

Northeast Italy has long been a haven for light, usually unoaked merlot. This example from the higher altitudes in Trentino is fresh, fragrant, juicy, and charming, with raspberry, currants, leafiness, and earthiness. It’s light but has some creaminess and substance, finishing with pleasant firmness and bitterness. Chill lightly. LCBO 293506.

Cono Sur 2011 Bicicleta Merlot
$9.95  •  Central Valley, Chile  •  86 points

Merlot was once confused botanically with carménère. This one packs in considerable complexity, depth, and nicely focused merlot character for the money. The nose is generous, with toasty tobacco and licorice notes around the raspberry fruit. Expect a slightly meaty finish. LCBO 457176.

Oyster Bay 2011 Merlot
$18.95  •  New Zealand  •  86 points
This is the largest-selling merlot from New Zealand in a challenging vintage that makes it leaner than in other years. It has a reserved nose, with typical berry floral and tea aromas, plus considerable oak. It’s mid-weight, fairly gentle, fresh, and spicy, with some tartness and tannic grit. LCBO 692343.

This story appears in the April edition of Ottawa Magazine. Buy the magazine on newsstands in April, or order your online edition.

The post TASTING NOTES: David Lawrason raises a toast to Merlot, that great forgotten grape appeared first on Ottawa Magazine.

"What had started out as a careful, cost-cutting approach to The Table's buffet turned into a full-steam-ahead and damn the weigh scale attack on its hot and cold offerings"

By Anne DesBrisay

Unpitted olives, as much as I craved them right then, right there, I walked right on by. I figured they’d weigh me down and spike the bill. Instead, I headed for the baby spinach salad. Light and breezy stuff.

And then I dabbled with a bit of kale and swiss chard (heavier greens, to be sure, but worth their weight in gold). The organic tofu fritters beckoned — mostly for the vegan, gluten-free onion chutney that made them seem edible — and so did the cornmeal crumble with rosemary and roasted parsnips and all that crusty-gooey cheesey goodness on top.

A bit further along The Table‘s offerings was the pan of roasted vegies — mostly onions, charred peppers, and purple skinned eggplant — and on they came. The all-veggie jambalaya promised a bit of heat (and delivered) so that was scooped, and from the cold section, an arame seaweed salad (vegan/g-f) with snow pea shoots. Finally, a healthy dollop of the g-f house hummus. No bread though.

What had started out as a careful, cost-cutting approach to The Table’s buffet turned into a full-steam-ahead and damn the weigh scale attack on its hot and cold offerings.

For regulars of weighted buffets, I’m sure you get accustomed to what a $15 plate looks like. For me, as I approached the scale with my mound, I had no idea if my plate would amount to an $8 lunch or a $28 lunch. And that’s a bit worrisome. As it turned out, I was charged $18: a bit more than I’d usually spend at a cafeteria like place, but I have few complaints about the food. It was all pretty tasty stuff. Some things I thought needed salt, and some could have used a punch more flavour, but otherwise, this was a filling lunch that felt pretty wholesome.

Cost: varies, but averages $13-$20 per plate.

Hours: Open Monday to Friday, 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.

The Table, 1230 Wellington St. W., 613-729-5973.

The post WEEKLY LUNCH PICK: Attacking The Table’s lunch buffet with gusto appeared first on Ottawa Magazine.

Mark Monahan
Executive/artistic director of the RBC Royal Bank Bluesfest and the Ottawa Folk Festival 

Why I came to Ottawa: I was born here and never left.

First Ottawa job: Working a Crown and Anchor game for the Ottawa Ex at the age of 14.

My neighbourhood: The Glebe.

Most accurate Ottawa stereotype: Political junkies obsessed with The Weather Channel.

Least accurate Ottawa stereotype: Sleepy government town.

Proof I’ve made it in Ottawa: Private parking spot at the Greyhound bus station (Bluesfest is housed inside the bus station).

Five words that describe Ottawa now: Scenic, safe, energizing, green, interesting.

Five words I hope will be used to describe the city in 15 years: Scenic, safe, energizing, green, interesting.

Favourite spot: Any golf club on a sunny day.

Josie Geuer, a.k.a. Josie and The City
Program director and entertainment reporter for The New Hot 89.9

Why I came to Ottawa: I made the big move from Almonte after high school. I was buying time and taking acting lessons because I wasn’t sure about my future plans.

First Ottawa job: Mrs. Tiggy Winkle’s. I played with toys all day and listened to children’s music on repeat.

My neighbourhood: Depends on my mood: Funhaven/Farhaven/Barrhaven/The Burbs.

Most accurate Ottawa stereotype: It’s flippin’ freezing! At least that applies to this past winter.

Least accurate Ottawa stereotype: Stuffy government town. We know how to get down.

Proof I’ve made it in Ottawa: I haven’t. Waiting on the bronze statue.

Favourite spot: Along the canal, especially at night when those people who live in the mansions keep their blinds open. I love seeing how other people live.

Pierre Brault 
Actor, playwright, comedian 

Why I came to Ottawa: After the company I was working for in Montreal went bankrupt, I was given the choice of termination or a transfer to Ottawa. I took the transfer thinking I would stay in O-Town for maybe a couple of years, then leave. That was in 1990. Still happily here.

First Ottawa job: I was a corporate video producer for Pizza Pizza. I would write, act in, direct, and edit training videos with such notable titles as Cleaning Your Pizza Oven and The Art of Pizza Delivery. While it may seem mundane, the job did allow me to train myself in all aspects of production, which helped my career enormously.

My neighbourhood: Old Ottawa East.

Most accurate Ottawa stereotype: Cold winters.

Least accurate Ottawa stereotype: Officious, boring civil servants who stay at home dreaming of advancing in the civil service.

Proof I’ve made it in Ottawa: Seeing my face on a giant banner hanging off the NAC. It was an ad for my solo show Blood on the Moon, which ran for three summers.

Five words that describe Ottawa now: Dynamic, livable, breathable, friendly, scenic.

Five words I hope will be used to describe the city in 15 years: The best city in Canada.

Favourite spot: The path along the Ottawa River behind Parliament. A perfect spot for serenity and peace. I get a lot of inspiration there.

Vinod Rajasekaran
Executive director of HUB Ottawa

Why I came to Ottawa: To become a rocket scientist (seriously, I studied aerospace engineering at Carleton University).

First Ottawa job: Selling floppy drives and PalmPilots at Staples. Yes, it was 10 years ago.

My neighbourhood: South Keys.

Most accurate Ottawa stereotype: Ottawans love the outdoors.

Least accurate Ottawa stereotype: Ottawa is boring and has nothing interesting going on (if you’re in this boat, stop by The Hub).

Five words that describe Ottawa now: A city realizing its creative talent/innovation potential.

Five words I hope will be used to describe the city in 15 years: Best G20 capital to kick-start solutions that change the world.

Favourite spot: The O-train. Trains help me problem-solve — I sometimes ride it back and forth many times. Looking forward to an expanded offering.

Lucy van Oldenbarneveld
Anchor, CBC News Ottawa

Why I came to Ottawa: I came here permanently in 2002 to take a job as the field reporter for CBC Radio’s Ottawa Morning.

First Ottawa job: Working at Harlow’s bar and restaurant in the Market as a summer job when I was 21.

My neighbourhood: Centretown.

Most accurate Ottawa stereotype: Bad drivers. Holy mackerel, don’t get me started!

Proof I’ve made it in Ottawa: Having people recognize me as “that woman with the long name.”

Five words that describe Ottawa now: Best-kept secret in Canada.

Five words I hope will be used to describe the city in 15 years: Creative, green, livable, affordable, innovative.

Favourite spot: Dundonald Park in my neighbourhood. It’s so vibrant and always filled with a wonderful assortment of characters. People love their area green spot. Centretown movies are there, too, in the summer.

The post ASK A LOCAL: 5 Ottawa notables discuss political junkies, canal spying, bad drivers, and other city stereotypes appeared first on Ottawa Magazine.

Sound Seekers by Fateema Sayani is published weekly at OttawaMagazine.com. Read Fateema Sayani’s culture column in Ottawa Magazine and follow her on Twitter @fateemasayani

The Ottawa Rock Lottery is a big ol’ love-in for the local music scene. It’s the community cup of spontaneous music-making that happens annually with proceeds going to charity. The fifth edition takes place this weekend with 25 musicians participating.

Daniel Spence, centre, of The Pelts will participate in the fifth annual Rock Lottery.

It works like this: on Friday night, organizers put the names of individual musicians into a hat. They draw out five names at a time and put those people together to form an insta-band. Over the next 24 hours, those five new bands create a half-hour set of original music to be performed on Saturday night for all to see.

The hilarity, camaraderie, rivalry, shining moments, and flubs are what make the show interesting, particularly to those who see live music often and are familiar with the city’s band-folk. The Ottawa Rock Lottery deck-shuffling allows those people to display talents that may be hidden in their other bands — or perhaps the deadline pressures will be evident. As organizers promise on their Facebook page: “It could be great. It could be awful.”

Sarah Bradley of The Fevers. Photo by Mélanie Broguet.

It is all in the name of charity. Proceeds go to the Ottawa Food Bank and the goal is to raise $1,500 for 10 emergency food baskets. Participating bands also get a chance to win a record session with Steve Foley at Audio Valley Recording Studio — though the best bait, for some, is the chance for creative growth.

Songwriter Kalle Mattson is participating for the first time this year. “I’ve been asked to play in the past, but my band and I have been on tour each time, so I’m really excited to be playing this year,” he says. “I’m usually the guy who writes the songs and sings them, so it’ll be really awesome to play in more of a supporting role.”

Singer Sarah Bradley of Fevers says the rock lottery requires a lot of effort and compromise in order to churn out a half-hour set in less than 24 hours. “You have to combine your different song writing processes, styles, and tastes to create music together. It’s a mega challenge, but it’s also kind of a bonding experience,” she says.

Singer Daniel Spence says he’s looking forward to a change of scenery after nearly five years of being “locked down with my dear lads,” in reference to his band mates in The Pelts. “There’s nothing like having a peek out into the world to make you appreciate what you’ve got back home, and maybe I can even bring back something new.”

Kalle Mattson

Bradley’s soft vocal touch is a big part of her band’s sound. In Fevers she sings contemporary indie-pop tunes, but is looking forward to branching out at the rock lottery.

“I learned how to sing by covering Destiny’s Child and Mariah Carey, and I feel like that says something significant about me,” she says. “I see the Ottawa Rock Lottery as an opportunity to unleash my repressed diva. I suppress some of my inner-sass with Fevers, but I am really excited to let my freak flags fly this weekend.”

Spence of The Pelts also hopes to loosen up this weekend. He says he’s not much for restrictions, despite having the stage name of Revered D. Spanx.

“I’m flexible, multi-instrumental, and not burdened with any particular notion of musical theory. I just play by gut and by ear, so my role will depend on the strengths and interests of my other rock lottery band mates and the chemistry we develop,” he says.

“My normal approach to song writing involves a great deal of solitary crafting on the guitar before introducing a nascent song to the band, where we re-work it for weeks until it starts to feel mature enough for our live show. With the ORL, I look forward to experimenting with pretty much the exact opposite way of writing music, relying on the talent and creativity of my fellow lottery winners to help make something beautiful crawl out of our little petri dish after 24 hours.”

Ottawa Rock Lottery. $10 or $9 with canned food donation. Saturday, May 18. Mavericks, 221 Rideau St. Doors at 8p.m. 19+. 

ALSO ALSO ALSO
On the subject of possible train wrecks, we bring you to the phenomenon that is Hip Hop Karaoke — that’s where people dress up and imitate their favourite rap tunes from the ‘80s and ‘90s. It started up in Ottawa last summer and it’s been a hoot to watch. The evening’s hosts are MC Atherton and DJ So Nice and they are gracious. Before an evening of hip-hop karaoke, they instruct the crowd with some ground rules. The first of them being that “everyone is a star at hip-hop karaoke,” meaning you can’t boo the tuneless ones off stage. There is also a no N-bomb rule. They suggest using the word “ninja” or “neighbour” in place of that word. (Think “Neighbours With Attitude” or “Sucka Ninja.”) The event happens monthly throughout the year. The summer schedule sees HHK go down on the third Friday of every month in the Mugshots Courtyard of the Ottawa Hostel.

The post SOUND SEEKERS: Fame! Fortune! Creativity! Revealing the secret desires of Rock Lottery participants appeared first on Ottawa Magazine.

Curators from the National Gallery of Canada began scouring the globe a few years ago to find, in the words of one of them, “great” contemporary art.

Richard Bell Life on a Mission, 2009 Acrylic on canvas National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa Purchased 2011 © Courtesy of the artist and Milani Gallery Photo © NGC

The only other ingredient beyond “greatness,” according to the gallery’s chief aboriginal curator Greg Hill, was that the artists had to be “indigenous,” a term generally referring to the original people of a particular geographic area who, over the centuries, have been swamped by colonists to the point of becoming a minority.

In the Americas, indigenous refers generally to First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people. But there are indigenous minorities in Scandinavia, Taiwan, India, Australia, New Zealand, Russia, and other countries.

Once examples of “great” indigenous contemporary art were identified, Hill and his team selected the best of the best and created the newly opened exhibition Sakahan, the largest show ever staged by the National Gallery in its history. Sakahan fills the usual prime temporary exhibition space on the main floor, expands into rooms in the contemporary wing of the building and fills the second floor exhibition space normally displaying temporary shows of prints, photographs or drawings.

There is no overall theme to the show. That gave the curators the freedom to concentrate on the truly “great” and not feel restricted to selecting art that fit into a particular thematic box.

That tactic was wise. The show is indeed great. The “wow factor” is higher than anything the gallery has done since Diana Nemiroff stopped curating contemporary shows there many years ago.

Rebecca Belmore's Fringe is part of the new exhibit at the National Gallery of Canada. National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa. Purchased 2011 Photo © NGC

Among the Canadian highlights is Rebecca Belmore’s photograph called Fringe. A nude aboriginal woman lies on a mat. On her back, a horrific looking scar travels from her left shoulder to her right hip. Blood-red lines (beaded strings, actually) drip from the scar.

In this one scene, Belmore has encapsulated the history of violence against aboriginal people, especially aboriginal women. The beadwork is a nod to traditional aboriginal handicraft but the medium – photography – is very much a contemporary, Western form of expression.

Similar themes related to violence and colonialism and marginalization do run through many of the artworks from around the world, from Australia to Lapland.

The wow factor is also high with the photographs by Maori artist Fiona Pardington from New Zealand. She has photographed the life-casts of the heads of some Maori and other South Pacific indigenous men that were created between 1837 and 1840 under the orders of French explorer Jules-Sebastien-Cesar Dumont d’Urville.

By chance, the artist discovered a trove of these heads — some of her own ancestors — at a Paris museum in 2007. The resulting photographs of these heads are simultaneously horrifying and hypnotic and definitely a reminder of the colonial era when indigenous peoples were treated more like wild animal specimens than humans.

Two Ottawa artists are in the exhibition. There is a Jeff Thomas photograph from a series he did spoofing the statue of Samuel de Champlain on Nepean Point. And there are two drawings by Ottawa-based Inuit artist Annie Pootoogook, one a self-portrait lying down and another unusually large one for her (about 3 metres by 1.5 metres) showing a scene in Cape Dorset of Inuit shoppers peering into a large freezer in a grocery store. That scene naturally makes one think of that old joke about a salesman who was so skilled he could sell “a refrigerator to an Eskimo.” These drawings are two of the most technically skilled I have seen Pootoogook do. She has had a rough patch the last few years, basically living on the street. Let’s hope she gets back to a stable life and lots of drawing.

Sakahan continues at the National Gallery until Sept. 2.

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CHINATOWN REMIXED (FREE!)
The fifth annual arts festival on Somerset Street West, aka Chinatown Remixed, launches this weekend. This unique month-long event includes exhibits of visual and performance art of all kinds located in various establishments from restaurants to hair salons. Take a stroll through Ottawa’s vibrant Chinatown to experience over 40 artists’ works in unconventional locations. One of many displays is Christine Mockett’s The Machine Project, a video installation presented at Tang Coin Laundry. Live music, workshops, and local foods are all part of this one-of-a-kind celebration. Takes place on Somerset Street between Bay and Preston streets. Grand opening and vernissage from 1:30-5:30, May 18. Exhibits continue until June 18th. www.chinatownremixed.ca

Get to know Star Wars on a whole new level at the Canadian Aviation and Space Museum.

STAR WARS™ IDENTITIES
See the characters of Star Wars like you’ve never seen them before at the traveling exhibition currently at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum. This weekend, discover how Luke and Anakin turned out to be such different people, view the vast collection of over 200 iconic props, and engage in a multi-media identity quest to see what you would look like as a Star Wars character. $24, teens and senior $20, children (3-12) $13.25. Friday, May 10 to Monday, September 2. See website for hours of operation. Canada Aviation and Space Museum, 11 Aviation Pkwy. www.aviation.technomuses.ca

INTERNATIONAL MUSEUMS DAY (FREE!)
Thanks to the International Council of Museums, we have International Museums Day on Saturday, May 18. In Ottawa, two museums are opening their doors to the public, free of charge – Museum of Nature and Bytown Museum. Educational, fun, and free! The Canadian Museum of Nature is at 240 McLeod St.; find Bytown Museum below the locks at 1 Canal Lane.

MISS CALEDONIA AT THE NAC
Written and performed by Melody A. Johnson, this 70-minute play set in 1955 tells the true story of a woman desperate to escape her dull life by setting out to win the local beauty pageant in hopes of getting closer to Hollywood fame. The hilarious story of Peggy Ann Douglas’ quest to obtain the tiara at Miss Caledonia is surely to be one entertaining adventure. Tickets starting at $30. Tuesday, May 14 to Saturday, May 25. See website for show times. National Arts Centre, 53 Elgin St. www.nac-can.ca

KON-TIKI AT THE (NEWLY RENOVATED) BYTOWNE THEATRE
Check out the newly renovated and historic ByTowne Cinema as it re-opens this weekend, May 17. The makeover includes installations of 435 brand new seats that are wider and more comfortable with greater legroom than what was previously in place. (Unlike before, you now have the option to raise the armrest if you want to get extra cozy with that special someone.) Premiering on May 17 for the re-opening are Canadian drama, Still Mine and the Oscar-nominated adventure, Kon-Tiki. See website for ticket information and show times. ByTowne Cinema, 325 Rideau St. www.bytowne.ca

VICTORIA DAY FESTIVAL (FREE!)
Take advantage of the long weekend and head over to this family-fun event right by Dow’s Lake. With plenty to do and see, such as rides, musical and bandshell entertainment, a petting zoo, face painting, concessions, and fireworks, this is a guaranteed good time. With the Canadian Tulip Festival just steps away, the gardens can serve as a getaway from the crowds. Wednesday, May 8 to Friday, May 24. Victoria Day Festival, Queen Juliana Park near Carling and Preston.

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