OttawaStart's list of 30 essential Ottawa blogs

** UPDATE: ** We’ve updated this list - ** please click here to see the 2011 version. **

Here are 30 blogs (actually 31, read carefully) that, IMHO, you must add to your reading list. As in, if you read these on a daily basis you can almost cancel your newspaper subscription. I’ll also post this permanently to our Ottawa Blogs Guide . Comments? Suggestions?

 1. 
[
 Apartment613
](http://www.apt613.ca/)
  

An eclectic batch of local writers bring you an eclectic range of              info and news about Ottawa culture, arts, food and more.
  


 2. 
[
 Ask Around Ottawa
](http://askaround.typepad.com/)
  

The place to get and share recommendations for local businesses. If              need help finding a ukelele teacher or somebody to get the skunk out              from under your deck, this is the place to start.
  


 3. 
[
 a peek inside the fishbowl
](http://www.quietfish.com/notebook/)
and
[
 Postcards from the Mothership
](http://danigirl.ca/blog/)
  

There are many, many, many
[
 family and parenting              blogs
](http://ottawastart.com/kids.php)
in Ottawa, but these two are head and shoulders above the              rest. Lots of photos and anecdotes about family life in our city.              Even if you don't have kids, you should read these for ideas about              events and activities in our area.
  


 4. 
[
 Canadian Personal Finance              Blog
](http://www.canajunfinances.com/)
  

Daily blog posts about Canadian finance and consumerism - not so much              news as it is tips, suggestions, and real-life examples.
  


 5. 
[
 cheapeats ottawa blog
](http://www.ceotblog.com/)
  

Kinda self-explanatory ... this one is all about finding good food,              cheap.
  


 6. 
[
 Cycling in Ottawa
](http://cyclinginottawa.ca/)
  

A group blog covering Ottawa cycling issues. Mostly Ottawa stories,              but also good for seeing examples of successful cycling programs from              elsewhere.
  


 7. 
[
 Designing              Ottawa
](http://communities.canada.com/ottawacitizen/blogs/designingottawa/default.aspx)
  

The Ottawa Citizen's Maria Cook discusses "buildings, streets,              landscapes, neighbourhoods". Most posts are extensions of articles              from the Citizen, but go into way more background.
  


 8. 
[
 >Dial              6-1-3
](http://dial613.blogspot.com/)
  

Updated at least once a week with a listing of live music.
  


 9. 
[
 Elgin              Street Irregulars
](http://elginstreet.blogspot.com/)
  

I can't describe this one, you just have to read it for a few weeks              to figure it out. Even then...
  


 10. 
[
 Greater              Ottawa
](http://communities.canada.com/ottawacitizen/blogs/greaterottawa/default.aspx)
  

This one's written by David Reevely, a writer at the Ottawa Citizen.              I'll call him the "Dean of Ottawa Bloggers" - although his              blog is relatively recent, he's always highlighting great local blog              content, and his posts are always give a fresh take on local current              events.
  


 11. 
[
 Green Living Ottawa
](http://greenlivingottawa.com/)
  

This one's a must-read if you care about our planet.
  


 12. 
[
 Knitnut.net
](http://knitnut.net/)
  

She's one of those bloggers who every other blogger in Ottawa reads              ... you should too.
  


 13. 
[
 Modern Ottawa
](http://modernottawa.blogspot.com/)
  

Always a ton of photos and thoughtful writing about modern design              and architecture in Ottawa.
  


 14. 
[
 National Capital              Rock
](http://www.natcaprock.blogspot.com/)
  

A music blog by local photographer Andrew Carver. Instead of reviews              of alternative / independent rock, Andrew posts amazing pictures.              And lots of 'em.
  


 15. 
[
 Omnivore's              Ottawa
](http://communities.canada.com/ottawacitizen/blogs/omnivore/default.aspx)
  

This blog by Ottawa Citizen food writer Ron Eade will make you very,              very hungry. The best
[
 food              blog
](http://ottawastart.com/food.php)
in Ottawa - and it's a crowded field.
  


 16. 
[
 Ottawa Arts Newsletter
](http://jessicaruano.wordpress.com/)
  

Jessica Ruano's monthly newsletter of local arts happenings.
  


 17. 
[
 The Ottawa Dog Blog
](http://ottawadogblog.ca/)
  

Only worth reading if you like dogs. If you do not like dogs, please              move along.
  


 18. 
[
 Ottawa Ephemera
](http://ottawaephemera.wordpress.com/)
  

"The flotsam and jetsam of this city, washed up on telephone              poles, wastebaskets, iPhones and mailboxes."
  


 19. 
[
 Ottawa Livejournal              Community
](http://community.livejournal.com/ottawa/)
  

More of a message board than a blog, but I've included it here anyways              b/c of the variety of interesting (and sometimes useful) posts.
  


 20. 
[
 OttawaStart Blog
](http://ottawastart.com/blog/)
  

Ok, we're a bit biased, this is our blog. We try to point out cool,              useful, strange, and wonderful Ottawa things that we've seen on the              web.
  


 21. 
[
 Ottawa Street              Style
](http://www.ottawastreetstyle.wordpress.com/)
  

The authors of this blog go around downtown Ottawa and snap photos              of people who they think are wearing cool clothes.
  


 22. 
[
 Public Transit In Ottawa
](http://www.transitottawa.ca/)
  

A must-read for OC Transpo groupies. These guys are so serious about              public transit that they're starting a "Journal of Public Transit".
  


 23. 
[
 Urban Ottawa              / Ottawa Urbain
](http://www.ottawaurbain.ca/?languagerule=all)
  

Covering urban planning and development, architecture and design.              En français et anglais.
  


 24. 
[
 URBSite
](http://urbsite.blogspot.com/)
  

Robert Smythe combines history and architecture. Each post features              an indepth study of a very specific feature of Ottawa's urban landscape.
  


 25. 
[
 SENS Town
](http://senstown.blogspot.com/)
  

I wanted to include at least one
[
 Ottawa hockey              blog
](http://ottawastart.com/hockey.php)
on this list. I've chosen this one because it's updated frequently,              and has a good variety of stories and comment about everybody's favourite              hockey team.
  


 26. 
[
 The              Big Beat
](http://communities.canada.com/ottawacitizen/blogs/bigbeat/default.aspx)
  

This one's by Ottawa Citizen entertainment editor Peter Simpson, and              covers a big range of local and international arts and entertainment              stories.
  


 27. 
[
 The Ottawa Project
](http://ottawaproject.wordpress.com/)
  

David McLelland writes intelligently and convincingly about urban              issues and life in Ottawa
  


 28. 
[
 Watawa Life
](http://www.robink.ca/blog/)
  

Big, beautiful, gorgeous photos of Ottawa, posted just about every              day. (There are LOTS of nice photoblogs in Ottawa - check out
[
 this              list
](http://ottawastart.com/photography.php)
.)
  


 29. 
[
 Weighty Matters
](http://bmimedical.blogspot.com/)
  

A blog by Dr. Yoni Freedhoff, a family medical doctor and the founder              of Ottawa's Bariatric Medical Institute. He specializes in weight              management and writes a lot about healthy eating.
  


 30. 
[
 West Side Action
](http://www.westsideaction.blogspot.com/)
  

By Eric Darwin, a resident of the Preston/Somerset area, and writes              about issues affecting his area and the rest of downtown/urban Ottawa.

BTW, you can subscribe to OttawaStart’s shared items , and get updates when these and other great Ottawa blogs post interesting content.

** Related: ** Ottawa Blogs Guide