So I won tickets to this gala through Yelp (woo hoo!). It was put on by an organization called…read more"Health and Charity" and was in support of CHEO (Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario). This was the first gala but it will be an annual event. There were about 300 people there and it was at the Canadian Golf and Country Club in Ashton, which was a real trek for this urbanite, but it was worth it. There was a silent auction, we ate a 3-course meal, we got to mingle, and there was also dancing. Lots of local businesses and local celebrities (like a radio station DJ) volunteered their time there. The Mayor of Ottawa even made an appearance, and also the CHEO Bear Mascot. I had a great time and I loved that I got to dress up and wear one on my many fascinators, lol ;)

The Jeanne D'arc Courtyard Gardens is a beautiful little courtyard in the Byward Market between…read moreYork St and Clarence St. There's a sculpture in the courtyard called The Dancing Bear which was installed in 1999. The sculptor is an Inuit artist named Pauta Saila. It's made of bronze and is beautiful. It's surrounded by benches, which are a great place to sit and rest from sightseeing in the Byward Market if you are a tourist, or for us locals who work in the area, it's a great place to eat our lunches in the summers to get some fresh air and Vitamin D ;) It's fairly quiet and because it's somewhat hidden, it's away from the hustle and bustle of the Byward Market. The entrances have gates that close between 11pm and 7:30am, so it's not accessible to the public overnight. Those who live in the buildings or own businesses along Jeanne D'arc Court have exclusive access during those hours.

Never heard of it about 5 years ago... Been 3, maybe 4 times…read morenow. Great small city/town (whatever it's considered..). Gan is a really good brewery, the walk downtown (river), nice to see and walk. There are multiple bars/restos.. I think a night or two is SOLID.. Not sure as a 'tourist' much more is necessary, but not a bad place to live, no doubt!

In the heart of Ontario's Thousand Island region--on the banks of the St. Lawrence River--is the…read moreexquisite little town of Gananoque. With around 5,000 people, Gananoque's not big ... but it doesn't really have to be as it is affixed to the furrowy banks of the St. Lawrence River and with views of Howe, Grindstone, and many of the Thousand Islands. First thing's first ... let's get that pronunciation right: Gan-uh-nah-qway. If in doubt, remember their saying: "The right way, the wrong way, and the Gananoque." What to do in this 230 year-old town? Well, first, I highly recommend the Town Hall. While the interior will be mostly interesting to the locals (boardrooms and meeting areas), the exterior is very park-like in its beauty. There are trees, a nice little walking path ... and even a gazebo! Its centerpiece is a statue (of a WWI Canadian solider of John Henry Brown) with a memorial remembering the locals who died in the two World Wars and in Korea. If you take a 20-minute stroll down King Street, you'll find the very less somber Leaping Muskie Fish Statue which is, as advertised. Speaking of parks, I highly recommend Sculpture Park ... the unofficial name for largest outdoor contemporary art exhibit (technically it's known as Confederation Park). It has several walkways (and good lighting for night walks), ponds, a fountain, and plenty of grass and trees. And, of course, there are sculptures ranging in dates from 1972 through 2004. We had a great dinner in the 'que at the Maple Leaf Grill & Restaurant. While it has a little of everything, their focus is Hungarian, German, and Czech foods: Think schnitzel, spaetzle, streusel, potatoes, rye bread, Pierogis, and the rest. You can read my review here: https://bit.ly/2KKPAlb And, of course, Gananoque is a great town if you love the water: Sailing, water skiing, ski-dooing (if that's even a word), fishing, cruises through the Thousand Islands, and so on. I'd recommend starting at the Gananoque and the 1000 Islands Visitor's Centre because they can give the lay of the land much better than I can. Get on your way ... to Gananoque!

My husband and I were in Brockville on a day that was 36 degrees Celsius (43 with the humidex. For…read moremy American friends, that's 97 Fahrenheit and 109 with the humidex). It was HOT! We needed some ice cream to cool us off. Who are we kidding, I'll eat ice cream anytime, but it was a great excuse for ice cream. So Cowan's Dairy is a convenience store plus an ice cream shop. We did not go into the convenience store, we just ordered ice cream from the ice cream window. They have both hard ice cream from Nestle and soft serve ice cream. I initially wanted a scoop of Cherry Cola and half a scoop of Apple Pie (you can get 1 scoop, 1 1/2 scoops or 2 scoops), but they ran out of Apple Pie, so I just got a scoop of the Cherry Cola. My husband, the strange man who he is, got a scoop of Heavenly Hash and a scoop of Mint Chocolate Chip in a waffle cone. Now this order in in itself does not make him strange, but in my opinion, if I'm going to an ice cream shop that serves Nestle ice cream, I'm gonna get me a flavour that I can't easily get at the grocery store. We have Heavenly Hash and Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream in our own freezers at home all the time!! I guess he likes what he likes! And as his wife of many years, I should appreciate that and not call him strange, right? Well, I don't necessarily think strange is a pejorative word. My husband knows he's strange, and he owns and rocks it, lol, but I am digressing from this review. I thoroughly enjoyed my Cherry Cola ice cream. The flavour was subtle and it didn't have that effervescent quality that I was hoping for, but it was still very good. And very different from flavours that I can easily obtain at the grocery store. My husband enjoyed his ice cream too, lol. The one thing I did not like was that no prices were listed. So I actually don't know how much each item cost. We paid $9.16 taxes included for 1 single scoop in a regular cone and 1 double scoop in a waffle cone. The serving size was large. My cone was really big. I really liked that in addition to traditional flavours they had unusual/more exotic flavours. Service was friendly and efficient. Lots of free parking in their private parking lot. There are picnic tables nearby where you can sit and eat. They are right next door to George's Fish and Chips.

Ok but yelp listing misleading. Was expecting local dairy ice cream. Instead basic fudge and ice…read morecream shop serving several flavours of Chapmans commercial ice cream. Their one dairy free offering strawberry sorbet sold out during mid week visit.

It's a beautiful city by Lake Ontario and St. Lawrence River with many different attractions, the…read moremost amazing one being The Thousand Islands. It's nice to walk around the city and specially by the water and learn about the history behind this beautiful city and also enjoy the gorgeous view of the islands. Many historical places to visit.

My first time in Kingston, ON was many moons ago at a biomaterials conference held at Queen's…read moreUniversity. I remember thinking "what a charming little town." Since then I've been to Kingston several times, for various events, parties and weekend getaways for a change of scenery. One thing that struck me about Kingston is that it has an usually high number of Cambodian restaurants. I mean it's about a sixth of the size of Ottawa yet has 6 times the number of Cambodian restaurants! Walking around, I don't really see a huge Asian population, but somehow there are lots of Asian restaurants. In fact, there are a lot of restaurants in Kingston in general and many of them are quite good. It's really pretty by the waterfront, and the Public Market is really cool. I also like walking along Princess Street, as there are a lot of shops and restaurants along there. I have noticed on my most recent visit that there are a lot more panhandlers and street-involved people along Princess than in the past. I guess Kingston is becoming like the big cities in that regard. RMC (Royal Military College) is in Kingston, so there is a strong military community there. And Queen's University is also there, so it is a bit of a university town. There's also Fort Henry, originally constructed to protect the Royal Kingston Naval Dockyard, and is now a National Historic Site that is popular with tourists. It employs lots of students in the summer. In fact, all my friends who grew up in Kingston worked at "The Fort" at some point in their lives, lol. There's also the (in)famous Kingston Penitentiary, another National Historic Site, which was a maximum security prison, but closed in 2013. They now have tours of the former prison (I've never been though). I like visiting Kingston and I think it's a good location for a low-key weekend trip :)

Westboro is a cool neighbourhood that I got to frequent for the first time last month in Ottawa. I…read moreliked it so much that I returned one last time before I headed home. If you are a resident living in this area, practically everything that you can think of is here. The Shoppers Drug Mart is great, with everything that you need for your health and more. There's a lot of shopping. From local boutiques and gift stores, to franchises like MEC and Roots, there's everything for everyone. You have no problem finding an eatery here. I saw so many restaurants that you feel like you're travelling around the world, but you save a ton on travel itself. We sat outside Fratelli, for instant. The area is also accommodating to visitors like me who do way too much walking in new sandals that benches to rest my tired legs helped a ton! Both times that I was here, I found free street parking. I liked that it wasn't difficult to find some. I parked by Highland Park Lawn Bowling Club my first time. I felt like I was transported back to the Beaches in Toronto, as there's a lawn bowling club there. There were some folks crazy enough to do lawn bowling when I left the area at around 5 or 6 pm. It was a hot, humid day and they were out there enjoying themselves. Do you like cafes? I saw many that were local. They were cute and quaint. There were even spots outside to chill. Nice weather helps get folks out and about. There were a lot of healthy-looking people walking around. Many had their cherished pet dogs on leashes with them. Others looked like they were either going to the gym. The LCBO and Real Canadian Superstore would be two reasons to drop by. Booze and groceries. Perfect! They are huge stores. I didn't frequent the latter, but the former had a better selection of beer and spirits than my local one that I don't enjoy visiting. My friend showed me Winston Square. It's not every day that you see a concrete park. It was cool. Sadly, it's not recognized as a listing on Yelp. Ugh! It's a quaint neighbourhood, offering different glimpses of its personality. You see modern, intricate artwork on some businesses. You then see a classy clock that transports you to years past. I hit COBS Bread on my second visit. I could live in this store alone. It's nice that my first visit to COBS was in this neighbourhood. I don't know if other COBS locations give you free samples all day long. This one does. So generous and nice! It's a lovely area of Ottawa. I'm so glad that I got to visit it. (305)

Making my way through Ottawa's Local Flavours, this review is for Westboro. So I'd say Westboro…read morespans from Scott St to the north and Carling Ave to the south. The eastern boundary is Island Park Dr, and the western boundary is a little fuzzier, I'd say probably around Broadview Ave. However, most of the action is along Richmond Rd from Golden Ave to Island Park Dr (where all the businesses are), the rest is mostly residential. The thing I love about Westboro is that everything is within walking distance in the community: grocery store, pharmacy, restaurant/café/bakery, clothing/shoe/accessories store, liquor store, hair salon, spa, gym, medical clinic, and dental offices. There are schools, churches, and a large Community Centre - Dovercourt (with a swimming pool) nearby too. There are so many cute little independent shops along Richmond Rd and a good variety of restaurants. There are lots of pubs, but there's also Italian, Japanese, Indian, French, and more. There could be more variety in my opinion, but it's still pretty good. There's a good mix of pricier places if you want a special night out (e.g. Gezillig or The Savoy) and more low-key places with more affordable prices if you want a casual "I don't want to make dinner, let's just eat out" spontaneous dinner out (e.g. Churchill's or MHK sushi). There are also plenty of cafés (both chains and independents) where you can sit and chat with a friend over a cup of coffee/tea and a pastry. There are lots of Yoga studios in Westboro, and several outdoor adventure stores like MEC and Bushtukah. It's also a very dog-friendly neighbourhood. In the summers you will see almost every business along Richmond Rd with dog dishes filled with water outside their door. Westboro also has a Farmers' Market every Saturday from 9:30am-3pm from May to October along the Byron Linear Parkway. Westfest, a street festival along Richmond Rd used to be in Westboro, but has since moved to a park in Hintonburg. Now Westboro's street festival is called Fuse, which happens in August. Richmond Rd is closed off to vehicular traffic and there's a huge street sale with musical performances and other entertainers. There are events like face painting, henna tattooing, and sometimes even a huge bouncy castle. It's lots of fun. Westboro is a great neighbourhood and definitely worth checking out!

I was at the fair Thursday evening. Was looking at items with vendors. One vendor kept insisting I…read morebuy something when I went to leave she grabbed my wrist and I had to pull my hand away and leave quickly to get away. It was a strong grip not just grabbing to me nobody has the right to grab you by the wrist and force you to buy something.

It was a packed day and lines were insanely long. The quickest wait we had was approximately 30…read moreminutes. While waiting in one of the long lines there was a smoker not far in front of us in line. After stopping and asking one of the personnel on a golf cart if he could ask the individual to stop smoking, I was bluntly told, "This isn't city property, people can smoke where they want, sorry". I went to their website at carpfair.ca and used their chat option to ask what their smoking policy was. Their response was "9 meters from any building and that it's best to be off to the side away from people". I asked for them to clarify if smoking in the line was permitted and their response was "I would not do that". I asked if it was allowed in line again and received the response,"With the amount of people we have on the grounds and the amount of children we would respectfully ask you not to and to go to the designated smoking areas around the grounds." When I brought up the exchange I had with their employee and requested clarification I received an automated response saying they would get back to me and if this is urgent to call their office. Any subsequent questions were responded to with this same automated response. Had I known the smoking policy prior I would not have gone. For the price of admission which does not include rides I find it ridiculous that there isn't a policy for smokers to smoke else where. Their comment about a "smoking area" appeared to be false, as I walked around the grounds I could not see a single visible smoking area. I detest the run around I received when inquiring about their own policies. If you enjoy second hand smoke, this fair is the right fit for you.

Went there early on Saturday in Autumn and the place was pretty empty - plenty of parking and it…read morewas only us and another couple on the guided tour. So much history packed inside and the tour didn't bore me for a second in those 50 minutes. So far I've been to the citadel in Halifax, Quebec and now Kingston. Love all of them.

I go here every time I visit Kingston. Everything about this is awesome and recently the Tattoo was…read morea ton of fun watching different bands play different songs. Would recommend to anyone going to Kingston for the first time.

If driving from Toronto to Montreal (or vice versa), I highly recommend stopping and spending at…read moreleast one night in Leeds and the Thousand Islands. Not only is it the perfect "half-way point" for that loooooong drive, but Leeds and the Thousand Islands is a lovely, picturesque community worth spending some time in. Canada defines a township as a conglomeration of small communities, and Leeds and the Thousand Islands has nearly 50 of 'em (and a little under 10,000 people) spread over the Township's more than 610 sq. km (240 sq. mi). On the banks of the St. Lawrence River, Leeds and the Thousand Islands is a great place to enjoy the outdoors ... but, of course, I'm visiting in the summer, so take that with a grain of salt. There are several hiking and conservation trails, biking routes, beaches, lakes (and boating options). You're on a freshwater river in an area of lush greenery ... so there are endless possibilities. One of the most popular activities is to take your car (or bike, if you're really ambitious) along the Rideau Heritage Route through the towns and scenic beauty of the area. It's most renowned site, the Rideau Canal, is a must-see. I also highly recommend the Rideau Canal Garden Trail, found in the Leeds/Greenville community, which is a beautiful path of plants, gardens, and trees. Or, you can just chill and enjoy the surroundings. We stayed at the Riverview B&B and not only loved the accommodations (see https://www.yelp.com/biz/riverview-b-and-b-lansdowne) but the beauty and tranquility of the surrounding areas. We walked and walked and walked. The burning question: "How is the Thousand Island Dressing? Is it like the most amazing ever?!?" Sadly (and, I guess, saladly) we did not partake in any of the orangish lettuce coverer. Luckily, however, I will have that salad someday, as I plan to be back in this wonderful community!