This is such a pretty venue! I wish I had taken photos of those fancy chandeliers. This would be a…read moregood place to host a wedding. And as a bonus, the washroom stalls are quite private. Nice... Unfortunately, we didn't get to try any food here; we were here for a presentation. One of the presenters intimated that it was an expensive venue, but I can't really comment on that as I have no idea. However, I looked them up on the internet, and it seems that they do have a good reputation, apparently especially so for weddings. Good to know! Here's a link to their current lunch menu http://salasanmarco.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Lunch-Buffet-New-Menu.pdf The room was plainly laid out for the event I went to - no tables with tablecloths, just row upon row of chairs, all facing front. The sound system was fine; so was the video. Not sure if the equipment belonged to the presenters or to the hall. There were quite a few people here, but it didn't feel crowded. I will keep this place in mind as a possible venue for future events. If anything comes of this, I will then update this review.

I came here once in university: I liked this Italian girl who invited me here for the Italian…read moreclub's party. I remember it being dark and out-of-date.I also remember wanting to leave pretty soon after I got there. :) Today, 12 or 13 years later, Sala San Marco seems like a hip banquet hall in the new updated and appealing section of Little Italy. During the Labour Day weekend this year, I was a groomsman at a large wedding. It was a 17-hour active day, and at least seven of those hours were spent here at Sala San Marco. Now, I can't tell you exactly who did what to make this place as beautiful as it was that night. But it was just that... Beautiful. The chairs were wrapped in a white cloth. The tables had a metalic, jeweled pattern on top of the white table clothes. The whole thing said "Classy!" The food was great. But the best dishes were (obviously) the Italian ones - tasty penne pasta, creamy tiramisu, pizza served at midnight. The staff were on the ball - very quick. They were like a well-oiled engine running around serving the 200+ guests. Anthony (who introduced himself to arriving guests) was on hand to fix any hiccups, but there were none. During the reception, I was on my third or fourth Molson Dry (remember that stuff?), and my wife said "Gee, wouldn't Sala San Marco be perfect for our daughters' communions?" For a second, I felt like she took me away from my temporary bliss and enjoyment. I didn't want to think about money and my kids right then. Then I thought "Perché no?" It would be perfect for that!

Beautifully new conference centre. I went to the FI conference here, and felt the venue contributed…read moreto the success of the event. Lots of natural light, comfortable seating, and modern interiors. Conveniently located right next to Rideau centre, and it connects to the mall too!

Since it's opening, I've been to the Ottawa Convention Centre about 6 times, with the latest visit…read morebeing today, for the Wedding Palace Bridal Show. My husband-to-be and I just got engaged and decided to attend the show to get an idea of all the things we should be planning for in the next year or two. While being around hoards of women tend to give me "b*tch, please" anxiety, all of the vendors' booths were set up in organized aisles, which helped us weave through the crowd and tame my OCD tendencies as much as I could have in such sardine situations. I've been here for the Food and Wine Show, a couple of women's shows, Sexapalooza, and last year's wedding show. Though it's always packed with people, I don't remember there being this many vendors wall to wall. Not going into too much detail about the specific event, the actual venue itself is pretty ginormous for its prime, downtown location. With all of the glass globe windows, it's pretty hard to miss. I must admit, however, that because the large events I've attended are held on the top floor, it takes 2-3 escalators to get up there, and though I'm not afraid of heights, my first time going up those things made my eyes pop out of a head a little bit when I looked back and down after getting to the top. They seem so long and steep! Obviously, considering the height of the building, but still! Oh, and who could forget the ATM so strategically placed right at the top of the escalators before entering the main area through the open doors. It's been awhile since I've bought anything to eat there, but they usually have food and both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks available. You can take the drinks around with your while you peruse whatever show is currently happening at the time, and there's also a fair-sized seating area with tables to eat at, and some couches to lounge on when your feet need a rest. Multiple restrooms are also easily accessible all around, though I found waste bins to be scarcer than they should have been for such large groups of people. The decor isn't anything special, really. It's generally a greyish color, but at night they turn on different colored lights, like pink and blue. Because of this, the venue lends itself to both business- and pleasure-related events. Of course, you can rent out the space for your own events, but I'm sure the cost will be up the wazoo, just like the coat check, which was $3 each and no two-coats-on-one-hanger allowed (whatever, I'm cheap, so sue me). 5/30 #30DaysOfYelp

I visited Le Belvedere last night for a wedding, and was very impressed with the setting and…read moreambiance. The building is at the top of a hill. Drivers take note: the road up Le Belvedere is basically a glorified dirt path. It was extremely steep and twisty. I cannot imagine what it would be like to drive through in the rain. Let's just say with drove with great caution! Also, be sure to keep a look out for the street signs because the GPS on my iPhone didn't recognize all of the tiny roads. Once you safely reach your destination, you will find a pretty building overlooking gorgeous trees and lakes as far as the eye can see! It was truly spectacular. The view alone is worth the trek up the hill! The building itself is a decent size. The wedding I attended was around 120 people and we all fit comfortably inside. There are massive windows showcasing the spectacular views, a bar, patio/deck space, and even a fire pit for those chilly nights. The food was good, as far as wedding food goes. I had grilled salmon with vegetables. The salmon itself was overcooked. The outside was actually crunchy, almost more like chicken than fish. However, the flavors were great and the presentation was very appealing. The drinks at the bar were very tasty and the bartenders were super friendly. All of the staff we encountered were very hospitable and helpful. It made the wedding experience very enjoyable, at least from a guest perspective! Overall, I would say, if you are willing to make the drive out, Le Belvedere is an excellent event destination.

I was here for a wedding. The views were fantastic, you can see for miles. In the autumn, the…read morecolours of the trees is majestic. The food I had here was wonderful. We had a summer salad with strawberries and pecans, and a healthy portion of peppercorn seasoned filet mignon. The speakers are as high quality as any urban night club. The sub woofers have ample power and there were over a dozen speakers pouring top quality sound onto the dancefloor. I think this is a great place to have a wedding. It was worth the approximately 60 minute drive from Ottawa. If you're driving, ask for directions before you go, the GPS satellites get poor reception up in these hills/mountains and all of the big 3 cell companies lose signal here at times.

I went to a Gala Dinner at the Infinity Convention Centre recently. While the place was modern and…read moreclean looking, and the service was very good, the food fell short of my expectations. The function occupied Salon B&C, which I would say would fit about 400 people. The chandeliers were beautiful and there was a pretty water structure in the lobby that served as a nice backdrop for photos. We had a four course meal. The first course was a roasted tomato bisque. I ate one spoonful and gave the rest to my husband (and he ate it not because he thought it was delicious, but because he was incredibly hungry (as was I, but my actions were still as such)). I found the soup incredibly watery and the texture was not smooth. It tasted to me like watered down pasta sauce. Fortunately, the food got better from there. The second course was a salad which consisted of mixed greens wrapped in cucumber slices, with olives, grape tomatoes, mini bocconcini cheese balls, and croutons. The presentation was interesting with the salad wrapped in the cucumber. I still don't know how they kept it together because there was no toothpick. The taste was satisfactory. The dressing was a little too oily with not enough flavour in my opinion. However, the vegetables were fresh. The main course was a Tandoori chicken breast with basmati rice and roasted vegetables, with raita on top. I found the rice on the dry side, and the vegetables (zucchini, squash, and sweet potato) not particularly flavourful. The chicken had a mild tandoori taste to it, and I appreciated that it was de-boned, save for the wing drumette. The chicken was moist, so at least it wasn't dry. The dessert was my favourite course. It was a chocolate hazelnut mousse with meringue and half a strawberry. The mousse was rich and creamy and the meringue was fluffy and delicious. The servers were all very good and competent. This convention centre is by the airport and surrounded by many hotels. I think the location is convenient for events where attendees may be flying in and staying near the airport. There is free parking in their private parking lot.

I recently attended a wedding here and would say that the venue exceeded my expectations. The…read morefacility is nice and clean and has an elevated feel to it that sets it apart from other venues. The lighting and sound system they have in their halls is absolutely amazing and makes the night that much more enjoyable. The food at the venue was pretty good. We were served a salad appetizer with fresh rolls, followed by a steak with potatoes and vegetables. Lastly for dessert was a cheesecake. Overall the food tasted good and had good portions. The only downside to the night was that a wedding beside ours were not following the rules for outside equipment and when loud music could be played, which put a huge damper on the speeches as no one could hear them.

We had our small wedding at the Orange Art Gallery and the venue was perfect.  The art on the walls…read moreadded a very nice dimension and the character of the building and terrace were enchanting.  The bar was flexible in meeting our desire of showcasing Canadian craft beer, wine and liquor and the bartenders were, as several guests commented, extremely nice and friendly yet professional and mixing a mean drink. Art on the walls also provided spectacular and unexpected backdrop for some of our best wedding photos.    We recommend Orange Art Gallery for small to medium weddings and other functions.

We were in Ottawa to attend a small wedding and this gallery was the venue. It was very charming…read moreand we enjoyed viewing the art as we mingled with other guests over champagne. If you are in the neighbourhood it is an interesting spot.

The Glebe Community Centre is a unique structure in the heart of the Glebe. It offers a multitude…read moreof programs for every age group and interest, including painting, theatre, yoga, pottery, sports, dance, baking and cooking classes, dog obedience classes and even random classes like soap and bath-bomb making. Their prices are usually reasonable, but the classes fill up very quickly, so make sure to register well before the first class begins. If you live in the area, you'll receive a calendar for the upcoming season with a grace period to plan your next class. The centre also has many day or weekend long events, such as plays, craft fairs, jewelry shows and food shows. If you're in the area on weekdays between 11:30am-3pm, stop by The Pantry Vegetarian Tea Room for some food. The prices are a bit high and there's not much selection, but the food is fairly wholesome and usually organic. They don't accept debit or credit card, so bring cash!

This is an amazing community feature right in the heart of one of the loveliest spots in the city…read more I've recently had the opportunity to drop by with two little ones to bring them to playgroup and their toddler music class, and I was blown away. I would never have suspected from the relatively boring outside of this building that the inside is alive with great programming. You're greeted by a lovely staircase that leads up to Scotton Hall - the "gym" that Reviewer R mentioned. This is a stunning room with huge vaulted ceilings, stained glass, a kitchen and tons of room for the little ones to run around during playgroup (which is what I was there for!). It would also be amazing for an event. The playgroup was amazing. The facilitator Andrew, was great with the kids and there's even snacktime for kids and parents. The music class is similarly well-run and all the staff I have interacted with her are sweet and friendly. There' a whiteboard in the front lobby that details all the happenings going on that day and it's always packed! They have tons of classes (I even say mention of a "mother-daughter glee group" - unreal!) for all ages and the prices aren't bad at all. There's a great play structure outside for the little ones, as well as a sweet Thomas the Tank Engine table under the stairs. Be sure to ask the lovely lady at the front desk for the trains - clearly these have gone missing in the past, haha! If you're in the area, this is a great option for activities for kids and adults alike. Pop in and see the space - you won't be disappointed!

I did not have fun because my ride was slow. The lady in front of me was going so slow, it was like…read moreshe was walking in the park. When we got to the bottom, I told the crew that I did not enjoy myself because the lady in front was so slow. The lady said, "I need to enjoy the view for the $20 I paid." Lady, if you want to enjoy the view, go for a walk in the park. Don't take the mountain coaster.

I went here skiing on a perfect Friday afternoon. Pro's :…read morenice friendly site, nice variety of runs, great vegetarian food selection. Con's: too expensive, the runs are pretty short. I think next time I will go for another site, however this is not a bad option only too expensive than what I expect to pau for a ski pass.

Dow's Lake is a man-made lake on the Rideau Canal. It's the site of many fun activities and there…read moreare several restaurants there with beautiful views of the water. You can rent canoes, kayaks, and pedal boats/paddle boats in the summer. In May there's the Tulip Festival which is technically in Commissioner's Park, but this park surrounds Dow's Lake. In the winter when the lake freezes over, you can skate on it, and it's connected to the Rideau Canal, so you can skate for a pretty good distance. There are 3 restaurants at Dow's Lake. Over the years they have changed, but currently the restaurants are Lago, Umbrella Bar, and Mexi's (aka Mexicali Rosa's). There's a paid parking lot nearby ($3.50 per 30 minutes up to a maximum of $14), or street parking ($0.25 per 6 minutes) a bit further away, or free parking on residential streets in neighbouring Little Italy (3 hour limit as per by-laws).

Dow's Lake Pavilion is a short distance away from the airport and Ottawa's downtown core. I like…read morethat you can escape from your daily routine to this picturesque area without doing a road trip. There are canoes and pedal boats that you can rent. You are required to sign a waiver, wear a life jacket, and put down a $20 deposit. You can use cash, and debit and credit cards, except for American Express. Sadly, Amex doesn't seem to be as widely accepted as it used to be. There are lockers where you can store your belongings when you are on the water. I recommend coming with what you truly need. I parked in the lot across from the Pavilion. Parking is $3.50 for 30 minutes, to a maximum of $14. I paid by credit card, which was great. I didn't risk parking on the street, but I know that I can now. It's cheaper that way, but you do have to be cognizant of the time. You can also dine here after a fun time out on the water. We ate at Mexi's. You have the option of dining in the restaurant or sitting out on the patio. I missed the tulip festival. Perhaps I'll plan my vacation and take them in next time. (254)