a peek inside the fishbowl

Posts Tagged ‘outdoors

11 Aug, 2019

Hike to Eagle’s Nest Lookout, Calabogie

Posted by: andrea tomkins In: Ottawa|Recipes and Food

I’m posting this today in case you are looking for something to do that includes a good drive, good food, good views, and a good hike. Spoiler alert: This outing covers all of those things! Last weekend Mark and I drove to the Calabogie area to check out the trail to Eagle’s Nest Lookout. It’s […]

18 Sep, 2018

A fishing expedition to beat all, part 2

Posted by: andrea tomkins In: Sponsored posts|travel talk

Just catching up? Read yesterday’s post right here. The cool thing about Kenauk Nature is that it feels remote, but it isn’t very far from civilization. That being said, it was a bit of a rough road up to Twins Lake, but we felt safe and secure in our vehicle. I seriously doubt our Prius […]

08 Sep, 2015

A very Ottawa weekend to cap off summer holidays

Posted by: andrea tomkins In: Ottawa

The girls are back at school today and I am happy to return to regular routines again. I love this time of year. Love it. I always feel like September is a chance to start again with a blank slate – refreshed, reinvigorated – ready to tackle the challenges that lie ahead. I am just […]

09 Sep, 2014

The view from Champlain Lookout

Posted by: andrea tomkins In: Easy ways to make kids happy|Ottawa

On the way home from our trip to see the old ruins we decided to check out another famous landmark in Gatineau Park, the Champlain Lookout. Have you ever been? It’s a must-see if you ever find yourself in the area, as it affords us ordinary mortals a rare bird’s-eye view of a particularly pretty slice […]

The first time, and last time, I visited the ruins of the old mill in Gatineau Park was sometime in the mid-90s. Back then it was still mostly a secret, and not a place that families would necessarily venture out and explore. I’m happy to report that this area has become a lot more mainstream and […]


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  • Gretchen Humphrey: I had a beautiful bee& birdbath filled with a solar fountain and dozens of antique marbles that were suddenly disappearing. At first I thought my
  • Jinjer: I am sobbing reading this post. And you're right, companion is not enough. Little furry treasured gifts that they are. Thanks for sharing cutie-pi
  • Karen: Dear Andrea, Mark and your daughters I am so very sad for your family xxx Piper was/is my favourite Instagram post. You shared with us so intimately
  • Christina Banuelos: Thank you for sharing Pipers life with us. Your posts of Piper brought me joy. Every time I see your post and see what kind of mischief Piper was gett
  • Carla Slocum: I am sitting here yet again crying at your loss. We have known that loss with Asta the WFT our first pup but now have the enormous gift of Stryker the
  • Janelle Brown: Dear Andrea Thank you for sharing Piper’s story with her followers. I empathise with your grief and emptiness as I lost my 14 year old Westie last
  • Natasha McReynolds-Nicholl: My god reading this is heartbreaking. December 1st was the as you describe longest day of my life, we lost out beautiful WFT hazel. Pipers final momen

The Obligatory Blurb

My name is Andrea and I live in the Westboro area of Ottawa with my husband Mark and our dog Piper who is kind of a big deal on Instagram. We also have two human offspring: Emma (24) and Sarah (22). During the day I work as a writer at the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre. I am a longtime Ottawa blogger and I've occupied this little corner of the WWW since 1999. The Fishbowl is my whiteboard, water cooler, and journal, all rolled into one. I'm passionate about healthy living, arts and culture, travel, great gear, good food, and sharing the best of Ottawa. I also love vegetables, photography, gadgets, and great design.

If you'd like to contact me, please use this form. If you're so inclined, you can read more about me here. Thank you for visiting!

 


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