Last Thursday, I had the pleasure to attend the opening reception for Canadian artist, Heather Benning's Field Doll.  The exhibition features a 16-foot long doll placed on the floor of the gallery space, accompanied by photos of the doll in locations across Canada.  The doll looks pretty awesome in pictures, but I highly recommend checking this out in person - it is so much cooler! - J

For more information on the exhibit, click here.  The exhibit is open until March 3 at the Karsh-Masson Gallery. 

Karsh-Masson Gallery

136 St. Patrick Street 
613-580-2424 (ext. 14167)  TTY 613-580-2401
Free admission. Wheelchair accessible.
facebook.com/Public.Art.Ottawa

Bluebird Coffee

For not even being a whole four months old yet, Bluebird Coffee definitely seems to be off to a good start.  Located on Dalhouse (right around some of our other favourite places!), this not-so-little coffee shop is the perfect place to cozy up with a warm drink while you watch the snow fall outside.  They impressively brew their own beans so the coffee is always fresh and delicious.  They also offer free wi-fi, which is a huge bonus, especially during exam season.  And, if you plan on spending a while there, they have paninis and soups too, so you won't have to rely on muffins to keep you full . S and I are definitely fans - maybe we'll see you there sometime!  -J

*On a side note, our photos seemed to have gotten much bigger and on some screens, they may be wonky - bear with us as we try to fix!*

 

Dans La Rue: Winter Wears

Resisting the temptation to go the puffy parka-route in the winter time (and don't get me wrong, considering Ottawa's sometimes-artic temperatures, the puffy-parka is often the most logical option) is very difficult. Despite our best attempts, it becomes more and more of a challenge to be chic when you're so chilly your nose has been running for the past half hour and you were too cold to even notice. Somehow, these ladies were able to emulate some impeccably stylish winter-looks regardless of low temperatures, and for that, I commend them. They make stylish winter wear look like a piece of cake. Layer* cake, that is...considering their....you know, layers. -S

Capital Oh-So-Cute

Puppies! All the puppies! Put your pawz up for these friday-furballs. - S

Why We Love It: Melt 

I strongly believe that any meal is made 1000x better if you melt cheese on it, unless of course you're lactose-intolerant, in which case I strongly apologize for the following post. Considering my love for all things melted cheese-related, I was obviously pretty pumped to visit Ottawa's Melt, a gourmet grilled-cheese sandwich shop located just off Rideau Street that opened in the summer. This place is fantastic: you pick your bread, your toppings, your cheese, and then you watch it get grilled into gooey deliciousness right before your eyes! I had spicy eggplant and caramelized onions, while J had bacon, avocadoes and tomato. Both choices left us convinced that we'll no doubt be back soon. - S

As S said, any meal is instantly improved with the addition of gooey, melted cheese.  And, with a wide selection of toppings and delicious sides, Melt is sure to have something you will thoroughly enjoy. They even have yummy dessert options too, like the Sweet Tooth and The Campfire (Nutella, marshmallow and graham cookies...mmmmmm).  Another good thing about Melt is their prices - super affordable, which is perfect for us students.  (It is a small place though, so don't plan on a sit down meal) Once S and I got our sandwiches, we couldn't even hold off long enough to take photos of them.  Too much cheesy goodness, that needed to be eaten immediately!  - J