February 25, 2008

shake to escape.

what to do in ottawa, ontario.

- go to chapters. grab at least a dozen magazines, some overly expensive ones you know you will never purchase (think, clear) some trashy & entertaining (think, cosmogirl) and some just entertaining (think glamour uk). hit up the adjoining starbucks for oriental noodles & a frapuccino. find a corner free of bookworms & seat yourself comfortably. stay put until you've flipped through the final pages of us weekly. leave magazines hidden beneath french cookbooks covered in dust. catch a bus home.


- visit parliament. as nerdy as it sounds, you'll feel extremely enriched by the time you exit. take note of the architecture, the details, & the excessive amount of tourists. chat up the pair of timid security guards. don't forget the gift shop.


- check out the national art gallery. it will barely cost you anything, and you'll be thoroughly entertained. make sure to get the audio guide, preferably the children's version, for interesting facts on all the pieces you're seeing, with cute music softly playing in the background. and again, don't miss the gift shop.


- spend way too much time sitting pretty in your bedroom. switch up the advertisements taped to the wall. play loud music. try on different outfits & dance around in between. clean, clean, & clean some more. organize. read. check the time every seven minutes.


- go outside. x-country ski. that air you smell, it's fresh. who cares if the only actual outerwear you own can't repel water? snow seeping into your behind is infinitely better than a day spent doing, well, nothing. call up some friends & head out in your family's beat up suv. nature awaits.


- go shopping. our two finest shopping centres are rideau & bayshore. rideau: aritzia, american apparel, old navy, banana republic, gap, club monaco, aldo & aldo accessories, payless, transit, town shoes, bcbg, lechateau, athlete's world, sirens, suzy shier, the bay, mac, inglot, soon-to-be sephora, american eagle outfitters, bluenotes, shepherd's, tim hortons. bayshore: i barely ever go, but i do know they too have an american eagle, bluenotes, lechateau & aldo, aswell as boathouse & winners.

i'm sure there's more than that, i just can't think right now.

zoë.

9 comments:

Sister Libby said...

Thanks for telling me what to do in Ottowa! The bookstore routine sounds like an excellent plan, and you seem to ski like me.

A. said...

oh the first sounds lovely! i wish we had more public transportation here. then, perhaps, id get out more :/

thats your room, no? it is perfectly messy! i have that same benefit bag/box. so cute.

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daisy is amazing. i love it too. im not sure if chloe is worth the purchasing with out smelling...it is lovely though. im still not sure if im willing to spend 85 on the smallest bottle when i already have too many bottles filling up my vanity...

aschlee said...

I do the same thing at books stores like boarders ...I get magazines, buy starbucks, 'n read my to my heart's content. It sounds like you had a fun day.
P.S. I really like the first photo, it's got a nice artistic vibe to it.

Kira Aderne said...

your city is great!
i wish i go there one day!

magazine´s and starbucks sounds great to me ;)

a kiss

-S said...

oh i just love ottawa! i have spent many a summers there!

Isabel said...

Ottawa is cool, I have a lot of relatives there and I've been going to Bluesfest for the past two summers. But my grandparents live near Carlingwood, so that's the only mall I ever get to go to. Eww. :(

the assistant said...

wow umm i need a plane ticket

LDF said...

Did you get a Beaver Tail!
Did you???

alana de haan said...

that is exactly what i do at chapters!
every saturday morning i take the subway to chapters, buy my venti vanilla latte, and read iD and pop magazine until lunch.
i'm glad i'm not the only one :)