There is a lot going on at Maker Space North. There are all sorts of different small businesses…read moreworking out of the main building and event within the Maker Space as well. Also, the main large space can be rented for different events such as craft fairs and other trade show events. I attended and participated (with Yelp) in one such craft show, and was really impressed by the turn-out at this location, even though the main doors have an unusual entrance situation. They do well to make the most of the space, but warning, it gets HOT in this space in the summer. It's also conveniently located in the same space as the Art-Is-In bakery, so certainly worth checking out next time you are grabbing some yummy baked goodies.

This is a great not-for-profit event that helps promote local up and coming artists by allowing…read morethem to display and sell their art to a wider audience. It's held for a weekend in June at Central Park with free admission. You can come to just peruse, and if you're a more serious buyer, there's plenty of selection amongst the dozens of tables of art, photography, clothing and trinkets. Also, the artists are usually very friendly and eager to talk about their work. The Central Park location is wonderful and serves to augment the beauty and dreaminess of the surroundings. This is a great way for families, friends, singles and couples to spend an afternoon.

My Father and I attended the Vietnamese class recently and found the 3 hour long class to be great…read morevalue for our money. First the food was wonderful and the instruction clear. Second the knowledge provided on actual Technics was invaluable, from simple knife work advice to use of a loose tea holder for spices for Pho. Third the advice on where to find some hard to find ingredients was also very much helpful. Pens and recipes are provided so if you take notes finding the right brand of coconut milk is't that hard. We are signing up for another class in March and hopefully arrange a cooking party with friends sometime in the spring.

Huanmei is an experienced, clear and well-prepared teacher. My wife & I greatly enjoyed our class…read moreon Japanese cooking at her home and learned a lot from it.

I attended a piano lesson here with my friend and her daughter (it was the daughter's lesson). I…read morehave to say that as a fellow music teacher, I was extremely impressed with the teaching style. The lesson was well rounded, including games, improvisation and theory, as well as the practical playing aspect. The teacher welcomed us to stay in on the lesson. The prices here are a bit lower than the average in the area and you can tell that the teachers love their jobs. Private or semi-private lessons are offered and available in several languages. There is also an option here to rent keyboards or violins if you don't have your own yet. The owners also perform and are available to provide music for special occasions.

Great experience with the teacher, horrible experience with administration and location. Lack of…read moreresponse from the owners when there are student issues. They are pushy, rude and quick to respond only when it is to their benefit. Definitely not a school for adult students with busy schedules. Make sure to read their whole website before agreeing to attend this school. Disappointing.

Cooking with Chef Burcu is a fantastic experience! We had fun learning new cooking tricks/skills…read moreand the food was delicious!

Yelping about Canada in a Basket for me is akin to a public service announcement for tourists. This…read moretiny store located in the Market Building of the Byward Market should be a definite stop for anyone looking to bring home Canadian goods, whether you are a foreigner or Canadian. Jammed into every shelf and corner and carousel display of this store are goodies native to Canada. You won't find cheap souvenir T shirts here but items like local honey from numerous provinces, Saskatchewan jams, bison pate, Ice wine flavored teas--a truly dazzling assortment of authentic Canadian goods, for every budget, and from the familiar to the different. If your loved ones have had enough of maple, impress them with Ice-wine syrup then. Unlike the Ottawa duty free shop, which only has the cheaper version, Canada in a Basket has the premium one also. It must be good since I bought it and sis hasn't shared any with me. If you have an OCD friend you need relief from for a few hours, bring them here and let your buddy pore through what seems like an endless array of items, food items, jewelry, clothing etc. While I I don't envy the proprietor at inventory time, I am grateful she took the time to amass such an array of uniquely wonderful items. Canada in a Basket will even customize a basket for you and ship it, hence the name. Seriously, there was so much here, I was actually getting dizzy just looking at a few shelves of jams, and I hadn't even ventured to the Byward Market bars prior. You don't need to agonize over the meager pickings at the airport duty free shop. Come to this fun place to shop for Canadian souvenirs.

I came here for the Vintage Village of Lights…read more Similar to Upper Canada Village,closer for the "east enders" It was just under $20 to get in. Babies are free. Free parking, and everything was included in the entry free: parking, visit with santa, gingerbread cookies that you can decorate, wagon rides and games. If you come here during the winter, I recommend dressing VERY warm as most of the activities are outdoors, and to skip the stroller and bring a sled if anything. Strollers are also not allowed in the indoor exhibits, so your stuck leaving them outside. Much smaller than Upper Canada Village, but did the trick for a festive night out.

This place was such an amazing, fun and educational way to spend the afternoon. It was inexpensive,…read moretoo. What's more, the staff were very friendly, helpful and the demonstrations of skills from the period were interesting and informative to watch. Having travelled to Ottawa more times than I can count, the only thing I wonder is why I hadn't discovered this gem sooner. The place is very family-friendly and has lots of space for young ones to burn off steam - as they often don't have the patience to see everything that's offered. If you want a great way to spend a few hours with the family, it's worth considering the Cumberland Heritage Village Museum.

Grace in the Kitchen is a kitchenware and gourmet foods store in Kanata…read more I went in in search of some scones because I was served some of their scones at my in-laws and they were delicious, but I went on a Friday and was told they only have them on the weekends :( I browsed around and they have lots of cool products, but they are pricey. They do have a clearance section towards the back of the store, but most of the stuff there was actually past its best before date. If you love gourmet stinky cheeses, they had lots! As for me, I'll just stick to brie, harvati and other benign to the nose cheeses thank you very much ;) Fun store to poke around. Lots of free parking.

This place is awesome! I have never been in before, although my husband was in over the holidays…read more(lucky me was the recipient!) What an awesome shop! And HUGE!! They have everything an upscale kitchen could need - from the tools to the groceries, including (but not limited to) spices - right down the pepper and salt mills, cheeses, chips, dishes, pots and pans, and top end coffee makers. I will definitely be back to try out the coffee shop in the corner. You need the rest that refreshes (coffee) after a stroll through this shop. What was I waiting for?? They had some very good sales - leftovers from Christmas. I picked up a mug for myself (which had the design of a scarf and mittens. What can I say? I'm a knitter!) and one of those stoneware cookie molds which came with a recipe. This was on sale at a good price; I've seen it at double that elsewhere in the city. Did you know that there's a difference in the mechanisms of a pepper and salt mills? Apparently the salt can rust and corrode a pepper mill, and the pepper is too hard for a salt mill. Whodathunk?! I actually went in looking for coffee pots. The ones we have at work have been seriously used and abused. I'm also feeling the need for an espresso or latté machine, and was hoping I might find one of those nifty combo things here. Turns out that the design I'm thinking of is a bit passé. Too bad for me! However, the good coffee makers they have here are too good for work (read: expensive), and could almost be professional, like for coffee shops. So, I will have to keep shopping. Yum. I've just gotta say this place was very inspiring!!