- [Gunnarolla] How do you like living in Parc Omega?
(chewing)
(laughing) (upbeat music)
- [Gunnarolla Voiceover] Hey everyone, Gunnarolla here,
and today we're heading out to Ottawa,
the capital city of Canada.
We are braving the cold and making the most of the season
with outdoor activities
and some exquisite dining experiences.
Here are some spots to check out.
If you're visiting during the first three weekends
of February, you can experience Winterlude,
a free annual festival that takes place
in the Ottawa Gatineau region.
Skate along the Rideau Canal,
the world's largest naturally frozen ice skating rink
and a UNESCO heritage site that spans four point eight miles
and winds through downtown Ottawa.
If being on the ice isn't your thing,
you can be a spectator at the Ice Dragon Boat Race Festival,
featuring dragon boats outfitted with special blades.
Each team consists of eight to 10 paddlers,
one steer person and one drummer.
Of course, when we visited it just happened
to be a little windy.
(rowers yelling over wind)
(laughing)
The weather in Ottawa can be a little unpredictable
so make sure to bundle up.
Ottawa is host to various ice carving competitions
during Winterlude, featuring sculptures crafted
by artists from around the world.
- And we're done!
It's me.
What is your favourite thing about working with ice?
- Ice is different material.
When I'm doing, for example, a wood carving,
that's gonna stay, that's gonna be in somebody's home.
That's gonna stay there.
With ice there's light coming through it like a crystal.
I love that.
- [Gunnarolla Voiceover] Ottawa also celebrates
the LGBTQ community with WinterPride,
featuring parties and performances.
Canada embraces diversity and WinterPride is just one
of many celebrations to show that.
- All right, I'm here with drag royalty, Mado.
How's it going?
- I'm fine, I'm not frozen at all.
- Speaking of that, we're
at Canada's very first WinterPride.
Did you have to make any special considerations
when you put together your outfit today?
- I will not tell you what I'm wearing under my dress
but I had to take care of my undergarment
to make sure that I'm not gonna freeze
and I'm gonna be able to do the show tonight.
- And drag is becoming such a big part
of the mainstream pop culture now.
What are your thoughts on that?
- I'm happy because now I've got little kids
that come with their mother to see my show
and they say, "I wanna do that when I'm gonna get old"
and their mum says, "Why not?"
So people are getting cool about what we do
and thank God we're not marginalized like we used to be.
It's a real show.
People come for the show, they don't come to judge anymore.
And this is a big step since the thirty years I started.
- Awesome, well you led the way so thank you so much.
- I hope I open some door and I'm not finished
to kick the doors.
- [Gunnarolla Voiceover] We're capping off a busy day
with a spectacular meal.
If you're looking for a restaurant to take a group
of friends, or you just wanna try a lot of menu items,
visit Play Food & Wine.
They're menu consists entirely
of small plates using local, sustainable
and seasonal ingredients that are designed to share.
You've got to try the ricotta gnocchi
and make sure to save room for their inventive desserts.
It's a new day in Ottawa and we're heading out
on a guided tour.
C'est Bon Gourmet Food Tours offers a variety
of different walking tours with the goal
of introducing you to Ottawa's vibrant food scene.
Our tour takes us through local favourite restaurants
and shops downtown, ending at Byward Market,
one of Canada's oldest market places.
The market and surrounding area have such diversity
of food, you're sure to find something here for everyone,
from pastries to pizza.
Make sure to stop for a Beaver Tail,
an iconic Canadian pastry that's deep fried
and comes with various toppings and was invented in Ottawa.
If you're looking for something more refined,
head to Zoe's in the Fairmont Chateau Laurier
for afternoon tea set in a grand space
that was once a concert hall.
Here, you'll find an extensive menu of savory
and sweet bites, from a double-stacked smoked salmon
and cucumber sandwich, to a chocolate cake
with Bailey's and Kahlua.
After a morning of exploration and indulgence,
we're relaxing at Holtz Spa, a full service spa,
fitness studio, and hair salon.
They've got a variety of treatments to help you unwind
and if you're looking for something unique
and very Canadian, try the maple body scrub.
- If we had to estimate how much younger I'm about to look?
- [Beautician] I'd say like at least 10 years. (laughs)
- [Gunnarolla Voiceover] We're kicking off the evening
with cocktails at Copper Spirits and Sights,
the city's tallest rooftop bar sitting on the 16th floor
of the Andaz Ottawa Byward Market Hotel.
By nightfall it's a pretty lively spot
with mood lighting and a DJ.
You might not wanna leave.
We're ending the day at Fairouz,
an upscale middle-eastern restaurant located
in a heritage mansion in Ottawa's Somerset Village.
Here you'll find a menu
of modern middle-eastern cuisine utilizing local ingredients
and farm-fresh produce.
If you want to discover Canada's wildlife, history
and heritage, make a day trip out to Parc Omega.
Just one hour outside of Ottawa, this nature park
is home to many species of Canadian wildlife,
all within their natural environment.
It's a family-friendly experience that's educational
and even interactive.
(laughing)
We are ending our time in Ottawa with dinner
at Riviera, an upscale restaurant housed in what
was one a bank.
This grand space channels glamor and luxury
with a menu to suit.
Oysters, scallops, steak and lobster.
Each dish on the menu is elegant and impressive.
It's the perfect spot for a posh and classy evening
and a must for special events.
So those are just a few of the spots
to hit up during our winter weekend in Ottawa, Canada.
If you've got a favourite, let us know!
See you next time.
A la prochaine!
- (laughs) Is this weird?
Yeah, this is gonna go in that vault of weird footage
without context.
Like, what was happening that day?
We're gonna look back on this and wonder.