a peek inside the fishbowl

Dear Fishies, if you are looking for something fun/novel/cool/active to do in Ottawa right now, this is IT. Click play on the video below for some “on ice” perspective of the Canada 150 skating rink:

I was the first one on the ice and it’s soooooo beautiful! #myottawa pic.twitter.com/CIyVyjpaSM

— andrea tomkins (@missfish) December 7, 2017

I came, I saw, I marveled.

Ottawa Tourism invited me to visit the new skating rink on Parliament Hill on the day it opened. (Thank you Ottawa Tourism!) It sounds strange to say but as I found my “skate” legs and made my way around the rink, I actually found myself welling up a bit. Perhaps it was a sustained deja vu of the sights, sounds, and happy feelings that are so familiar to so many of us who grew up in Canada: lacing up my skates, tightening my scarf, the sound of skates carving the ice, the smell of the cold air and the excitement. Everything about this experience is so ordinary, yet extraordinary. Everyone leaves their boots under picnic tables (no big deal), everyone knows to skate in one direction, someone wipes out on the ice and strangers go to help, music plays while you balance on ice with only two narrow metal blades between you and the frozen surface.

This is just before I went on the ice. For some reason it really cracked me up…. all of us standing around waiting for the Zamboni driver to do his laps and then for the “ice to dry.”

… and of course, then there’s that unforgettable view. There is something very special about skating under the watchful gaze of the Peace Tower. It was all so Canadian, it nearly killed me.

Sidebar: There were stories in the media about the lack of “FUN” that is allowed at the rink, e.g. no hockey sticks or games of pick up allowed. But the naysayers should remember that hockey and other shenanigans are not allowed on any indoor rink and most outdoor rinks in Ottawa as well, including the Rideau Canal Skateway. This is not to say there won’t be any hockey on the rink. There are games and hockey demos planned here. (Check the official Canada 150 rink website for the schedule and other details.)

I felt like I was PART OF HISTORY here. (Cue tears.) It was so peaceful, yet invigorating, which is weird because though those two things don’t normally go together. It was all a bit surreal, actually.

It was really nice during the day, but at night it will look amazing with Parliament Hill all lit up in the background. Anyway, go! Grab a friend, your kids, your spouse, your boyfriend or girlfriend (this is the ultimate Ottawa date night material!) and hit the ice. You’ll be happy you were part of it too.

Important things to know about the Parliament Hill skating rink before you go:

• Tickets are free but you must book them online in advance. They may tweak these rules later to accommodate walk-ups, but this is the way it is now.
• The actual skating window is 40 minutes long. Not sure if this is enough time? It is PLENTY. If you’re like me your feet will be ready to be released from their frozen enclosures by that time anyway.
• Everything is totally wheelchair and stroller accessible.
• It’s open 10-10 on weekdays, 8-10 on Saturdays.
• Yes, there are Portapotties on the site!
• It was originally scheduled to be open for a few weeks in December but will now remain open until February 25, 2018. This is great news for Ottawans as well as Winterlude visitors. If the ice on the canal isn’t great, this option is just as fun.
• No skates? Dull blades? There’s a rental place across the street at the Capital Infocentre that will set you up.

Will you be checking out the Canada 150 skating rink at Parliament Hill this winter? Let me know if you go. I’d love to hear about your experience.

The petition for a National Cycling Strategy is still open, and just passed 3000 signatures. If it closed today, we’d still rank below horsemeat for most signatures. Show how strongly Canadians support cycling and sign the petition: https://t.co/Cqyd47OiOY #ottbike. pic.twitter.com/jTzzIIgQNN

— Bike Ottawa (@BikeOttawa) December 7, 2017

• How Facebook figures out everyone you’ve ever met, gizmodo.com
• Why Do Fads Fade? The Inevitable Death Of Flappy Bird,
  startuppulse.net
• Saying goodbye: Kanata paper founded by 14-year-old is one casualty of Postmedia-Torstar deal, theglobeandmail.com
• YouTube list reveals Canadians can’t get enough of animals, Despacito and Star Wars, cbc.ca
• Top 25 News Photos of 2017, theatlantic.com
• You’ll Gladly Die for Your Children; Why Won’t You Cook for Them? weightymatters.ca

On the nightstand: Goodbye Tsugumi

In this mini-series about gifts for people who have everything I’ve written about mittens, giftie things that make the world a better place from Me to We, and air plants. Today, I am putting forth an idea that I KNOW everyone would like but wouldn’t immediately consider to be a Christmas gift: dinner.

I tell ya. If someone came to my door and said: “Andrea, I’ve made you SIX family dinners. All you need to do is pop them in the freezer and when the time comes, defrost and cook them according to these easy instructions… Merry Christmas!” I would fall over and die of joy and surprise right there on the spot. Wouldn’t you? The gift of TIME, my friends, is the best gift you can give.

Awhile back I was invited to attend a blogger’s evening at Supperworks.* I’ve written about Supperworks before, and you can read about the experience in my archives. To summarize: Supperworks is an easy meal-making service and there are three locations in Ottawa: Kanata, Nepean, and Orleans. It’s a great concept and so handy for all kinds of people who love to eat good, wholesome food but can’t find the time to pull it together as often as they like.

The blogger event took place at the Kanata location. Here we are, getting the lowdown from the co-owner of the Kanata Supperworks, Susanna Cooke. She was a customer before she took over the franchise. That’s got to tell you something.

Here’s how Supperworks, er, works: You select meals off their menu, online, ahead of time, show up at the appointed time, and assemble your meals in an industrial kitchen. No muss, no fuss. You can make meals for yourself, for your neighbours who just had a baby, your elderly parents, or your best friend’s family to give them a bit of a break at a busy time (e.g. the entire month of December). OR, you can make a bunch of meals for yourself AND share them.

Here’s Sherrie Mae, putting together a chicken dish for her family:

All the ingredients are chopped and prepped before you get there. All you need to do is assemble the right quantities in freezer bags (there’s a recipe displayed in front of you… so easy), slap on a sticker with prep instructions, and you’ve suddenly got yourself a freezer full of dinners made in very little time.

Honest to god, it takes less than ten minutes to pull together one family dinner. Why so fast? The recipe is right there, all the tools you need are at your fingertips (bowls, measuring spoons etc.), and you’re not washing veggies or doing any cleanup.

The menus change monthly (take a peek at the December menu) and from what I’ve seen, would appeal to a wide variety of palates. The recipes are tested at HQ. I made two entrees that night; both were chicken dishes and were very good. Here’s the interesting thing: the recipes weren’t ones I would have necessarily sought out on my own BUT were very good. Also, the portions were generous. We are a family of three at the moment and we could have had two dinners out of each single dinner. Instead, we had one family dinner and a bunch of lunches, but hey, that’s a win too.

The final item I was sent home with was a premade dinner for one. I hesitate to call it a frozen dinner. Technically, it’s dinner, and it’s frozen in little compartments, but the term “frozen dinner” has negative connotations and THIS is not THAT. This, my friends, was BBQ pulled chicken, served with mashed potatoes and a smokey corn dish. It’s exactly what you’d make at home; perfectly portioned for one.

I pulled it out of the freezer for lunch the other day when I was feeling particularly tired and dreary. I wanted something hot for lunch but frankly, I hadn’t gone grocery shopping in awhile and was craving something a little more substantial than scrambled eggs or ramen noodles. Here it is, hot and ready after a few minutes in the microwave:

It’s not a great photo, sorry, I was hungry! It may not look pretty, but it is real food, for real people, who really need a hot lunch (or dinner). :)

Thank you Supperworks, for saving my bacon!

If you’re looking to delegate Christmas dinner this year, you should check out some Supperworks options available this year.

If you don’t want to cook and gift dinner for someone, that’s ok. Supperworks gift cards make a nice gift too! And this just in! Kanata Supperworks is offering a discount of $15 on orders of six or more entrees! Just use the promo code: SWOTTAWA.

* Transparency alert. I attended an evening event at Supperworks – there were snacks too! – and was gifted the three meals I mentioned in this post. I was under no obligation to post anything about Supperworks but I wanted to share it with you because (a) it’s a great concept that deserves to be shared (b) I like good food. :)