[  ](http://ottawastart.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/IMG_2348.jpg) ** Farrhaven Family Fun Pack: ** Enjoy re-creating suburban life with this exciting WASP family& Golden Retriever! Beige minivan not included. [ **  ** ](http://3. ...

[ ](http://ottawastart.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/weekly-event-roundup250.gif) _ Here are our contributors' picks for the best events in Ottawa for the week of December 22-28. Share your picks for great Ottawa events in the comments below. _ _ _ ** Ruvini Godakandae ** from ** Ottawa Festivals ** : ...

Katherine from HeartFelt recently published this great list of local gift ideas (republished here with her kind permission): * [ Cha Yi - Maison de thé ](http://www.chayi.ca/english.html) (downtown Gatineau) - $20 gift certificate for an "Animated comparative tasting: Exploration of about ten varieties of tea along a theme of your own choice, tasting and appreciating tea from a visual, olfactory and gustative perspective. ...

Thanks to Sean McConnery for sending along this photo of the Wilson Carbide ruins. He shot this during a hike in Gatineau Park. Sean says: _ The ruins are located about 1.5 km from P11 (O'Brian Beach). Mother Nature had provided me with the dramatic lighting of the ruins which makes it an excellent black and white photo. ...

[ ](http://ottawastart.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/taylorswiftfarmboy.jpg) _ Nashville _ Following in the footsteps of fellow country singer Carrie Underwood who dated former Ottawa resident Mike Fisher, country-pop star Taylor Swift has announced a relationship with Ottawa’s own animatronic Farm Boy. Recently spotted performing alongside Swift at the American Music Awards, Farm Boy has also been caught on camera with Swift at various restaurants and nightclubs in Los Angeles and New York City. ...

[ ](http://ottawastart.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/weekly-event-roundup250.gif) _ Here are our contributors' picks for the best events in Ottawa for the week of December 15-21. Share your picks for great Ottawa events in the comments below. _ ** Laura Nicol , aka @311Laura : ** ...

Here are a couple of photos from Ross Brown of the Christmas lights downtown. For more photos from Ross, check out his blog . [ ](http://ottawastart.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/HDR_01.jpg) [ ](http://ottawastart.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Lights_03.jpg) ** ** ** See also: ** Ottawa Parliament Hill Guide ...

[ ](http://ottawastart.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/condo1.jpg) _ Ottawa _ The approval of a 28 story model condo development in a ceramic miniature Christmas village at the Devonshire Retirement Residence has some residents upset and wanting answers. A tradition at Devonshire since 1999 when resident Doris Hillman began her quaint miniature village, residents are concerned the new condo tower planned for the model village will ruin the nostalgic feel of their Christmas village and create unwanted traffic woes. ...

[ ](http://ottawastart.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/weekly-event-roundup250.gif) ** Ruvini Godakandae ** from ** Ottawa Festivals ** : ** MUSIC: ** Juno award-winning jazz singer Kellylee Evans will be performing at the Ottawa Jazz Festival’s annual fundraiser on Thursday, December 8, and it’ll be a performance you won’t want to miss. ...

Big thanks to everyone for reading and responding to OttawaStart via this blog and our other channels. Hope you enjoy what you read here on a regular basis. _ _ _ Did you know… _ * You can [ subscribe to this blog via email or RSS ](http://ottawastart. ...