[Jamaican-Phoenix]

I was wondering what some forum-goers favourite spots in town were. Are you a Westboro fan? Glebe goer? Byward Market? Hintonburg? Old Ottawa South? What is your favourite culture zone in our fair city?

Mine would have to be the Market. :)

[m0nkyman]

^^ You missed Centretown. :P

[Jamaican-Phoenix]

So I did. Oops. :P

[movebyleap]

You also forgot Orleans Town Centre!:haha:

[Jamaican-Phoenix]

You also forgot Orleans Town Centre!

That is not a trendy hotspot, and I don't care what anyone says about that. :haha:

[movebyleap]

What do you mean? It's got a very hip and happening Farm Boy!

[Jamaican-Phoenix]

What do you mean? It's got a very hip and happening Farm Boy!

Really?! Well, I'm gonna ditch the Market for that now!


*sarcasm off* :haha:

[d_jeffrey]

No home sweet home? While would I go out when my place is the trendiest of all. :haha:

[Rico Rommheim]

I got to say the glebe on Bank st. Its where I live when I go to Ottawa and its got it all, close to the canal, downtown and its the part that reminds me the most about Montreal!

[Mille Sabords]

Even though I live near the Market and that area is not devoid of trendoid places, I'll vote for Little Italy. Italian Week is one of the best things in the summer here, the new Heart & Crown on the ground floor of Adobe Place rocks, there is a comedy club, Pub Italia, tons of good food places, Preston Hardware, a waterfall store (!! only in Little Italy) and of course the Prescott. There's a lot more too - Vendemmia, the wine festival; late summer night parties when the Sala San Marco spills out, St. Anthony's soccer games, a couple of good bars that stay open after hours... Ottawa's first after-hours bar was just off Preston about 10 years ago. It's under the radar but that's what makes it one of my favourite.

[Jamaican-Phoenix]

Little Italy is a close second for me and Chinatown comes in third.

What I love about Little Italy is that you can get a football sized sandwich for less than five bucks at DiRienzo's and there are so many places to go for delicious treats and sweets. Also, the best ice-coffees in this city are in Little Italy...

[Mille Sabords]

Little Italy is a close second for me and Chinatown comes in third.

What I love about Little Italy is that you can get a football sized sandwich for less than five bucks at DiRienzo's and there are so many places to go for delicious treats and sweets. Also, the best ice-coffees in this city are in Little Italy...

DiRienzo's is one of my favourite spots, I can't believe I forgot to mention it. I like to think of it as Ottawa's equivalent to Satriale's Meats and you can't beat their sandwiches.

[ac888yow]

For me, nothing beats an evening in the Market in the spring/summer. By far my favourite spot within the Market is the courtyard behind Social, Black Tomato, etc. I make a point to bring all my out of town guests to this spot. I only wish we had more such areas in this town.

[clynnog]

I'll vote for Little Italy. Italian Week is one of the best things in the summer here, Pub Italia, tons of good food places, late summer night parties when the Sala San Marco spills out, St. Anthony's soccer games,


You've got my vote with Little Italy...unfortunately, I couldn't be on Preston when Italy won the WC...I was in Paris with my cousin and his family....his wife is French and he is from England...needless to say it was a rather subdued affair. Pub Italia has a great beer selection and if you people watch in the summer from la patisserie gelateceria (sp?) at the crowd of older men smoking outside Sala San Marco it is quite a funny site...the men at the weddings don't want to be wearing a suit and they would rather stand outside away from their spouses and smoke and chat with their buddies.

I remember watching a Man U/Juve game in the bar at St. Anthony's and Man U won...I was the only one cheering.

[Rathgrith]

At least one person has to vote for Sandy Hill!

[Davis137]

Hintonburg/Wellington Village seems to be an area on an upswing for the better...there's only going to be more and more places to go here as time goes by...it's starting to become the downtown west of Centertown and the CBD (at least that's what some of our neighbours are saying, especially if they redevelop Tunney's). I love the vibe this area is starting to get, and I also like Little Italy too...

[highdensitysprawl]

^^ You missed Centretown. :P

Fun cannot be had in Centretown..it is verbotten...with fun comes density and when you have density you have mass chaos.

[osirisboy]

For me, nothing beats an evening in the Market in the spring/summer. By far my favourite spot within the Market is the courtyard behind Social, Black Tomato, etc. I make a point to bring all my out of town guests to this spot. I only wish we had more such areas in this town.

I agree thats where I would always take people from out of town (I love mama grazzi). actually all the courtyards along sussex are really pretty unique. Thats one of the things I miss the most after moving from ottawa.

[harls]

Ok, I added Centretown to the poll .. wait a minute.. this thread is ages old!

For me, I'm going to have to say the Market. There's a few trendy restos (oops, restaurants... sorry, hdsprawl) on Aylmer's main street that attract a lot of visitors.. but this year might be a bit crappy as they are going to be ripping up the street.

[Ottawade]

Depends on if what you define as trendy. I think the Market still holds sway as the best spot for a variety of entertaining choices: food, wine, music, dancing.

I'd say the neighborhood with the most swing currently is Preston and that will continue along with redevelopment towards Hintonburg on Scott St especially when Lebreton and North-West Centertown reach full development swing.

Westborough is too proud of itself and doesn't have a kicking nightlife.

[highdensitysprawl]

Ok, I added Centretown to the poll .. wait a minute.. this thread is ages old!

For me, I'm going to have to say the Market. There's a few trendy restos (oops, restaurants... sorry, hdsprawl) on Aylmer's main street that attract a lot of visitors.. but this year might be a bit crappy as they are going to be ripping up the street.

Yup, 'resto' is one word that gets my goat...along with 'appie' 'cappo' and people who overuse the word 'awesome'.:slob:

I wasn't aware that rue Principale was undergoing work...how will people get to Club 61 and that cheap dep for beer on rue Front.?

[jcollins]

Depends on if what you define as trendy. I think the Market still holds sway as the best spot for a variety of entertaining choices: food, wine, music, dancing.

I'd say the neighborhood with the most swing currently is Preston and that will continue along with redevelopment towards Hintonburg on Scott St especially when Lebreton and North-West Centertown reach full development swing.

Westborough is too proud of itself and doesn't have a kicking nightlife.

Does Preston? And moving into Hintonburg?

I've heard the new Heart and Crown is pretty good, but haven't checked it out yet.

[harls]

I wasn't aware that rue Principale was undergoing work...how will people get to Club 61 and that cheap dep for beer on rue Front.?

Work is supposed to begin any time now. They are redoing the entire street - putting in new sewers, sidewalks and burying hydro lines from Broad to the Marina. They're also going to be installing a new roundabout at Front and Principale. Should look nice once it's all finished.

People who need beer and strippers will have to cope, I suppose.

[Acajack]

After dark, Bank St. in the Glebe has to be one of the *deadest* (not sure if that’s a real word in English) so-called trendy streets that I’ve ever seen. There are a handful of pubs and restos (I am allowed to use the word ‘cause I am from Quebec) that do decent business, but for the most part you could shoot a cannon down the sidewalks there in the evening. Many of the businesses (even some places to eat) don’t even bother opening on Friday and Saturday nights!

I honestly don’t know why this part of Ottawa doesn’t have more activity after dark.

Yet the Glebe is fantastically lively during the daytime, especially on weekends...

[phil235]

I live in the Glebe, but would echo the comments on Preston. That strip is really coming into its own, and I am more likely to walk over there for a night out than anywhere else. There are tonnes of great restaurants and pubs, and recently there new lounges and wine bars have opened up. Absolute Comedy is a huge success, and the new theatre at Gladstone is a great update of the old GCTC building. With the ongoing streetscaping project, Preston is actually starting to look good as well.

[highdensitysprawl]

Work is supposed to begin any time now. They are redoing the entire street - putting in new sewers, sidewalks and burying hydro lines from Broad to the Marina. They're also going to be installing a new roundabout at Front and Principale. Should look nice once it's all finished.

People who need beer and strippers will have to cope, I suppose.

Thanks for the update...the businesses along there won't be thrilled. I kind of like that coffee place at Principale/Frank-Robinson (work takes me to Aylmer about twice a month..which usually co-incides with trips to la roi de la biere).

Will the roundabout look anything like this...

http://www.swindonweb.com/index.asp?m=8&s=115&ss=289

One thing that gets me riled up in Ottawa and Hull is the fact that people don't seem to signal appropriately once they are in the roundabout.

[highdensitysprawl]

There are a handful of pubs and restos (I am allowed to use the word ‘cause I am from Quebec)

If you are french, I'm fine with 'resto'...

There is a poster on SSP (not from Ottawa) who uses 'resto' 'cappo' 'appie' etc with great affectation and it comes across as very pretentious. This poster has been called out on this by myself and others. This poster is not french.

[waterloowarrior]

Will the roundabout look anything like this...

http://www.swindonweb.com/index.asp?m=8&s=115&ss=289

One thing that gets me riled up in Ottawa and Hull is the fact that people don't seem to signal appropriately once they are in the roundabout.

That annoys me too, I see the same thing in Waterloo... no one seems to yield to pedestrians trying to cross either (you are supposed to), I dunno if they do in the UK?

[Acajack]

I live in the Glebe, but would echo the comments on Preston. That strip is really coming into its own, and I am more likely to walk over there for a night out than anywhere else. There are tonnes of great restaurants and pubs, and recently there new lounges and wine bars have opened up. Absolute Comedy is a huge success, and the new theatre at Gladstone is a great update of the old GCTC building. With the ongoing streetscaping project, Preston is actually starting to look good as well.

Yeah, Preston has an interesting and budding street life that has emerged fairly recently. Just a few years ago it was actually pretty dead, but what’s happening there now is pretty cool.

[harls]

Thanks for the update...the businesses along there won't be thrilled. I kind of like that coffee place at Principale/Frank-Robinson (work takes me to Aylmer about twice a month..which usually co-incides with trips to la roi de la biere).

That's Moca Loca - there's a couple of locations in Gatineau, one at the University I believe, and there might be another near Maloney, Acajack might know.. I've been there a few times and it is a great place.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/232/521701299_bdaa9d4d23_o.jpg

I finally saw Roi de la bière (drove past) but didn't go in. My wife needed to go to the clinic on Couvent and I thought it might be a little mean to drop her there with the kid while I went for beer. Plus it was Easter monday, they probably weren't open. If they were, I would be ecstatic.



Will the roundabout look anything like this...

http://www.swindonweb.com/index.asp?m=8&s=115&ss=289

One thing that gets me riled up in Ottawa and Hull is the fact that people don't seem to signal appropriately once they are in the roundabout.

It will probably look like the ones already implemented on Allumettières. The city engineers likely have only one blueprint and will be sticking with it. That intersection has even less available land for a roundabout, so I'm curious as to how they're going to squish that thing in there.

[Acajack]

That's Moca Loca - there's a couple of locations in Gatineau, one at the University I believe, and there might be another near Maloney, Acajack might know.. I've been there a few times and it is a great place.



Did someone call my avatar? Not sure if I’d call Moca Loca a trendy hotspot, but I do admit to liking the place. There are three within a 3 or 4 km radius in the area near Maloney and Les Promenades de l’Outaouais, almost as bad as Tim Hortons in the Toronto suburbs!

One is in the mall with the Maxi and Toys R Us on Chemin de la Savane at Gréber near the Costco, and another one is in the Library and Archives headquarters at the corner of La Gappe and La Cité across from the Maison de la culture.

The third is just one block away from the latter and is the original one for the chain located at the corner of La Gappe and Rue de Rouville. I haven’t been to the others in Aylmer or Hull but this is by far the nicest one in this part of the city. It also has a babacool bohemian student coffee house atmosphere to it, as it is right across the street from the CEGEP college and also draws theatre and concert goers from the Maison de la culture and movie buffs from the Cinéma 9 just across the way.

Keeping us on topic, the original Moca Loca is also a good example of urban design as it is on the ground floor of a four or five-storey condo building that also has a hair salon as ground-level retail, so you also get many local residents (mostly smartly-dressed affluent seniors) who come down for a coffee and brioche/croissant and read the paper.

The more I think of it, between the seniors, the CEGEP students and the concert goers, it’s actually a little oasis of urbanity in sprawling suburbia of Gatineau (Gatineau).

It’s actually part of what was supposed to be the downtown of the former city of Gatineau. The plan is still on the books, although only part of it has been built:
http://www.info07.com/imgs/dynamique/articles/gros/concept_cite.jpg

Maloney is the road at the bottom, St-René is at the top, boul. De l’Hôpital to the left and Montée Paiement to the right.

The bottom half is about 75% built, and that is where the Cinéma 9, Moca Loca, condos, the Maison de la culture, the new sports complex (under construction), the CEGEP, Library and Archives HQ, a new public square with a skating rink and outdoor theatre and some other buildings are located.

In the top half, pretty much only the huge national archives warehouse (light blue) on the right has been built.

All told, I think this is a pretty good plan, and I hope it will be fully realized in the next few years, as it’s not too far from my place.

[highdensitysprawl]

That's Moca Loca - there's a couple of locations in Gatineau, one at the University I believe, and there might be another near Maloney, Acajack might know.. I've been there a few times and it is a great place.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/232/521701299_bdaa9d4d23_o.jpg


That is the place. Everytime, I've been in there, there have always been visual distractions to keep my mind occupied:tup:

[harls]

Another good coffee place in Hull is 'La brûlerie' on Montcalm. I used to live behind it and every weekend they would roast beans and like that dog from the yogi bear cartoons, I'd drift out of my bead hugging myself going 'mmm... mmmm'

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/85/260792710_9d8006e9f3_b.jpg

underrated place in my opinion.. plus it is right next to the future micro-brewery at the old Hull waterworks building. Why did I move to Aylmer again?

[m0nkyman]

Rue Montcalm has my vote for "next street to go trendy" for retail in the Ottawa/Gatineau metro.

[Acajack]

That is the place. Everytime, I've been in there, there have always been visual distractions to keep my mind occupied:tup:

Bienvenue au Québec!

[rodionx]

The more I think of it, between the seniors, the CEGEP students and the concert goers, it’s actually a little oasis of urbanity in sprawling suburbia of Gatineau (Gatineau).

It’s actually part of what was supposed to be the downtown of the former city of Gatineau. The plan is still on the books, although only part of it has been built:
http://www.info07.com/imgs/dynamique/articles/gros/concept_cite.jpg



I remember that map. I'm glad to hear they've done some more work on it and it's starting to develop. That area needs people, people, and more people. I was one of the Library and Archives employees shipped out there about three (?) years ago. Our building wasn't big enough to warrant a cafeteria, so Moca Loca was it. There were no other eateries in the area. Once, when I needed some bread for sandwiches, I decided to walk over to the big box strip mall for it. It turned into a half hour trek across snowy fields, a raging highway, and an endless parking lot. All for Wal-Mart bread. I started sending out CVs shortly after that.

As a result of my experience with that place, and the fact that I see that tragic, lonely building in the middle of Lebreton Flats almost daily, I'm kind of skeptical of planned urban areas. I hope both projects work out in the end, but IMO it makes more sense to clean up an existing urban area and let the people and amenities find their own way there, like what is happening on Preston and could happen on Montcalm.