Firstly I'd like to say that this is one of the best experiences that I've ever had walking into…read moreany store in Ottawa. Today (November 3rd, 2020) my mom and I decided to stop in after driving by and instantly noticing the pretty lady in the sari guiding a couple people around the store. Let me just say it was the best decision. As we walk in we are greeted by the overall amazing zen that seems to fill the store, it's very calming and very uplifting. We were greeted by the lady in the sari who I didn't get her name sadly but she was a complete joy to speak with. She made my mom and I comfortable and answered all of our questions about anything we had. She also gave us a great lesson on the singing bowls and by the end of it we were able to play them (not as good as her lol) we ended up playing a wide array of singing bowls which was very fun and super relaxing, they sound and feel incredible. They also have an awesome selection of crystals, stones, bracelets, malas, incense and anything to align your chakras and help you meditate or cleanse your space/body. Also the scent of the store is so amazing and I wish I could bottle it and wear it as a perfume haha. I also love that they offer samples of any incense and cones for you to try and I love love love that! Especially for when I want to try new incenses without buying a whole box. They also offer very cute free handmade crystal bags made of Indian silks and fabrics when you purchase crystals/stones. I 100% absolutely recommend stopping in, wether you are a pro at using crystals, bowls, etc. or are just curious. It's a magical place that I will be coming back to time and time again. Just wish I knew about this store sooner!!

The Garden of Light is a calm little spirituality shop in Old Ottawa South. Their prices are…read morereasonable and they have a wide selection of beautiful jewelry, candles, incense, cards, agendas, singing bowls, essential oils, books and music. Oddly, their book selection isn't that diverse since it seems they mainly only have books written by Sri Chinmoy. Their music selection is mainly by him too. However, if you're looking for something else but still from that genre, Soul Matters is a couple stores down and Mother Tongue Books is one block north. The service here is sincerely pleasant and I was able to pick up a couple Christmas gifts on my travels too. Definitely check it out if this place sounds like a fit for you or anyone on your Christmas list.

I visited JV Studios & Boutique for a couple of reasons: - I…read moreneeded relief from the hot weather and cooled down at this air-conditioned store - It seemed to have items that I like when I peered through the store's window. It did have merchandise that I like. I had just bought a punny card at a different store. This store has a wide assortment that I enjoy. I tend to purchase a greeting card of some sort in my travels. It comes in handy when I need to gift someone a present with a card or when I send one in the mail (what's that?!) to someone. This store had cute trinket holders. There were heart-shaped ones. I liked the strawberry ones. They were perfect for rings, earrings, and maybe my air plant. This store had artisan soap by Whiskey River Soap Co. Had I not purchase a bunch of hand-crafted soap last month, I would have bought some here. It's funny that I held back getting a thing because I had just purchased similar items recently. The drinkware was another good example. I got one with a glass straw a few months ago. I didn't need another one, but the watermelon and strawberry ones appealed to me. This store had a lot of earrings to choose from. I was happy to see a lot of cute, small earrings. I like clean designs. Simplicity is good. You got everything from crescent moons to triangles. This store had so many gift ideas. Even the pottery section made me wonder if I could gift a friend something. I enjoyed browsing at this store. I hope that I'll have the need to buy something for either a friend or me next time I'm here. (249)

Workshop is part of the original revival of Dalhousie Street as a relatively new shopping…read moredestination in Ottawa. The shop is chalk full of stylish Canadian labels, crafty accessories and handmade lines of jewellery. All of the designers are women and Canadian (many of which are local) which makes this store totally unique in Ottawa. Some cool labels include: Annie 50 and Soit Disant (both out of Montreal) and Dagg & Stacey whose latest collection feature tweeds in collegial cuts. There is also a funky line designed completely out of recycled sweaters! The store environment is inviting and chilled out with nice familial chatting amongst staff and customers. Something else worth noting is the community spirit that the shops on this street seem to have. They all seem to know each other and don't hesitate to recommend a visit to their neighbouring stores for something specific you might be looking for. I find this to be a totally refreshing take on retail and a great reason to visit this store.

If you want beautiful, original, quality clothing and great, honest service, this is the place for…read moreyou! My closet is filled with Workshop clothes and they are real treasures. They are the kinds of clothes you can wear year after year - they are so well made and so unique, they don't go out of style or fall apart. Plus, it just feels so good to wear clothing that is made and designed in Canada, and is bought from a store owned by two fabulous local women.

Yelping about Canada in a Basket for me is akin to a public service announcement for tourists. This…read moretiny store located in the Market Building of the Byward Market should be a definite stop for anyone looking to bring home Canadian goods, whether you are a foreigner or Canadian. Jammed into every shelf and corner and carousel display of this store are goodies native to Canada. You won't find cheap souvenir T shirts here but items like local honey from numerous provinces, Saskatchewan jams, bison pate, Ice wine flavored teas--a truly dazzling assortment of authentic Canadian goods, for every budget, and from the familiar to the different. If your loved ones have had enough of maple, impress them with Ice-wine syrup then. Unlike the Ottawa duty free shop, which only has the cheaper version, Canada in a Basket has the premium one also. It must be good since I bought it and sis hasn't shared any with me. If you have an OCD friend you need relief from for a few hours, bring them here and let your buddy pore through what seems like an endless array of items, food items, jewelry, clothing etc. While I I don't envy the proprietor at inventory time, I am grateful she took the time to amass such an array of uniquely wonderful items. Canada in a Basket will even customize a basket for you and ship it, hence the name. Seriously, there was so much here, I was actually getting dizzy just looking at a few shelves of jams, and I hadn't even ventured to the Byward Market bars prior. You don't need to agonize over the meager pickings at the airport duty free shop. Come to this fun place to shop for Canadian souvenirs.

The store is an absolute delight! The staff are so friendly and helpful. They will personalize your…read morepurchase perfectly. So much attention to detail goes into both of the shops. This season, it's even more important to buy local. Give this place a look. It will immediately put you in the Christmas spirit and make 2020 a little more merry and bright.

This is my happy place hands-down. Run by the amazing, patient and kind Audy, I discovered…read moreTinseltown on an emergency off-season Christmas buying spree for a local film and have been back every single time I've been in Ottawa. Audy also curates a lovely everyday gift collection next door, all of which would look perfect in my house. Audy, please open a Los Angeles branch stat!!!

I love this gallery especially since they have jewelry from my favorite artist Anne-Marie Chagnon…read more Her jewelry is amazing since it gives you the power to change it. Maybe from a long necklace to a short one, or by reshaping a part. I went with a friend and she noticed pieces by a couple of her previous art teachers here and was excited. The highlight for me was definitely the jewelry. There were some really large striking pieces that would be totally unique to wear to an event. Of course they are a bit pricey, but it's art. The woman working in the store was really helpful and gave us a lot of additional information on the jewelry and how it could be changed, about the artists etc. She noticed my earrings and that they were by one of the artists also. This is one place I will visit soon when I have a special event to find accesories for!

Adorit is such a cute and fun little shop. It reminds me a bit of Courage My Love in Kensington…read moreMarket in Toronto. It has that hippie vibe and smells of patchouli. It has vintage items but also new items. Their new items are all ethically sourced/fair trade, most are made of organic materials and the designers are Canadian. The owner, Emma, is very sweet and is so passionate about the items she sells. She introduced me to 2 designers that I totally love now: Smoking Lily, and Rabbit & Empee. OMG, why did I not know about these designers earlier? Their pieces are gorgeous! Most of the clothes in the shop are somewhat quirky with a bohemian vibe to them, some with slight steampunk elements, but there are pieces that look more mainstream too. They also have unique jewelry pieces, hair accessories, belts and purses. Prices run the gamut from less than $1 (vintage jewelry) to over $150 (new clothing). New clothing starts at about $35 for T-shirts and goes up to $100+ for dresses. The shop is small and is in an old converted residential unit in the Byward Market. If you are looking for a cool and unusual piece, Adorit is the place to go! ;)

Adorit is a lovely boutique in the ByWard Market that specializes in vintage, Tibetan and designer…read morerecycled clothes. The vintage selection is small and it's the only part of the store that has men's clothing, but they do manage to have some very unique finds. The new clothing is "environmentally friendly" and it's often made out of recycled clothing material with some really great patterns. The clothing is usually made in Tibet (fair trade) or Canada, including some work by local designers. The clothes are usually quite nice and Bohemian-inspired, although the prices run a bit high sometimes. However, they often have a sales rack and trunk with some great pieces, including my favourite coat that probably gets more compliments than any other article of clothing I own. They also have wonderful accessories and Tibet products.The owner is very nice.

Very fun. In addition to great magazine selection, there's lots of fun (even quirky) gifts…read moreincluding writing related items, gag gifts and baby gifts. Enjoyable browsing through what's there. Need something for a Kris Kringle / Secret Santa exchange? This is your store. Good prices and many price ranges. Staff are great too! Would I recommend: Yes Would I return: Yes

This is by far the best selection of magazines in Ottawa that I have come across…read more It's been an institution in the city for what seems like forever but they're still around because if you're looking for something, no matter how obscure, they seem to have it. The magazines are arranged by category and they cover everything from the home to computing, finance, fashion, celebs and pets and seem to come from every part of the globe. They also have all the major newspapers including a cross section of not so top-of-mind Canadian cities like North Bay. I was there looking for a particular title and although they didn't have it in stock they were going to be ordering it and the salesperson told me the exact day in which I would be able to find it in store which was quite impressive. All that said, whether you're looking for something niche or mainstream Mag & Fags seems to have it all!