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Toronto’s St. Michael’s Cathedral at Dusk

Every Friday we feature an inspirational travel photo of a Canadian destination taken by one of our readers.

Why we chose it: Now that winter is nearly here, it can be depressing to see the skies darken in the afternoon. But if we all had this view from our balconies, maybe it wouldn’t be so bad. In capturing a gorgeous combo of man-made and natural light, the (lucky) photographer, who took this photo from home, makes Canada’s largest metropolis look downright cozy.

Want to be featured in our Photo Friday? Join our Flickr Group and upload your favourite travel shots! We’ll credit you and link to your photo.

Photo by BriYYZ.

Coming Soon to Toronto: Canada’s First Urban National Park

Rouge Valley Park. Photo by Paul Henman.

On Wednesday, the Canadian government started the ball rolling on Canada’s next national park—Rouge Valley, in the Greater Toronto Area. A preliminary “visioning” workshop was attended by park stakeholders: representatives from the Province of Ontario, local municipalities and community groups.

Not mentioned among the workshop attendees was David Suzuki, longtime proponent of a Rouge Valley national park.

The government’s intention to upgrade Rouge Valley Park to national park status was first introduced in June’s Speech from the Throne. Among the details to be hammered out: the park’s boundaries, which could expand well beyond the current 12,000 acres.

Rouge National Park will be Canada’s first urban national park, and will be easily accessible to a fifth of Canada’s population who live in and around Toronto.

Getting to the Sweet Spot in BIXI Bike Pricing

Photo by Ian Muttoo

By Amanda Yiu

Montreal-based bike-sharing company BIXI, which launched in Toronto, Ottawa, and Boston in the past few months, may be expanding to Vancouver in the near future, and plans for a 10,000-fleet New York City launch are set for next summer.

BIXI has grown rapidly since first launching in Montreal in 2009, beginning operations in Toronto, Ottawa and Boston in the past four months and rolling out overseas in 2010, in London, Melbourne and DC. The bike-sharing program is undeniably popular, with more than 3 million BIXI trips taken since the beginning of 2010.

For visitors, borrowing a bike at a pay-as-you-go rate can be a fabulous way to explore the city. But be sure to keep your ride short. A friend visiting from Australia last month made the mistake of taking out a BIXI bike in Toronto for the full day and ended up paying over $100 in usage fees. As the breakdown of non-subscriber fees (below) shows, long trips can add up quickly. (Subscribers can pay $95 for a one-year membership, waiving the $5 daily flat fee, but the same time-of-use rates still apply.)

BIXI fees for 8 hours of continuous usage:

$5 flat 24-hour access fee (includes first 30 minutes)

+ $1.50 for 31–60 min

+ $4 for 61–90 min

+ $104 for additional 6.5 hours ($8 x 13 half-hour increments)

= $113.50 before tax

Additionally, a $250 security deposit is charged to your credit card and refunded after 10 days.

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Interview With DobbernationLoves’ Andrew John Virtue Dobson

Dobson at a noodle house in Tokyo, Japan.

Andrew John Virtue Dobson started his blog DobbernationLoves (on Twitter: @dobbernation) after his first solo backpacking trip through Europe. The Toronto-based blogger’s day job is at Planeterra Foundation, the charitable arm of Gap Adventures, the Canadian-based travel company that hosts tours around the globe. The blog’s title is a clever play on Dobber (a nickname) and Nation (which he sees as “an authoritative stance on what I was doing and where I was going”). Dobson describes DobbernationLoves as a “lifestyle blog with an encyclopedia’s worth of information on travel, Toronto-based restaurants, cheese, wine and beer. I post consistently throughout the week all of the things I love, whether it be covering a fashion or arts based event, or some recipe I came up with over the weekend. I share whatever makes me smile.”

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Interview With Travelfix Blogger Timothy Chan

Timothy Chan in India earlier this year.

Timothy Chan has traveled all over the world: India, China, Uganda, and Peru, just to name a few. He started tracking his experiences and inspirations on his travel blog, travelfix.ca over a year ago, and has been working at Gap Adventures Toronto HQ as a Public Relations Specialist for about a year. Travel, for Toronto-raised Chan, is a way to immerse himself in a “completely foreign country where chaos reigns and the culture, food, transportation, language and everything in between are virtually unfamiliar.”

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Weekend Roundup: What’s Happening Across Canada

Where is lucky to enough to have editions all over the country, so here at Where Ottawa, we rounded up the fun events and activities taking place in the different cities. Check them out if you’re on the road this weekend!

Casino du Lac-Leamy Sound of Light takes place annually in Ottawa. Photo credit: Mike Alexander.

Ottawa kicks off the annual Casino du Lac-Leamy Sound of Light, an annual competition that pits country against country in a battle between the best pyrotechnics in the world.

Funny guy Jerry Seinfeld takes a break from producing his TV show The Marriage Ref and heads to Calgary for a good old fashioned stand-up performance.

Halifax hosts its yearly Halifax Seaport BeerFest, which is expected to draw some 5,000 attendees who love their beer and cider.

Get over your fear of dancing in public with Sunday Afternoon Salsa at Robson Square in Vancouver.

Why are Canucks so attached to the outdoors? The exhibition Play > Nation, on view at the Design Exchange in Toronto, explores the notion.

Got young ones? Then a trip to the newly renovated, highly interactive Children’s Museum in Winnipeg is in order.

If you’re in Muskoka, put an exciting spin on date night with the dinner theatre production of the British farce Beyond a Joke, on now at the Gravenhurst Opera House.

The CN Tower opens its latest attraction, EdgeWalk, to the public today

CN Tower Edgewalk View. Photo: CN Tower EdgeWalk

The CN Tower’s latest attraction, EdgeWalk, takes thrill seekers to new heights today. The first of its kind in North America, EdgeWalk is the world’s highest full circle hands-free walk encircling the top of the CN Tower’s main pod, 356 metres, (1168 feet, 116 stories) above the ground. The half-hour experience, which includes re-admission into the CN Tower’s other attractions (Look Out, Glass Floor, Sky Pod Levels, movie and ride) costs $175.
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Hot Dining: Notable Newcomers

Sizzling steaks at Sidecut in Whistler

The regional editors of Where recently unveiled their list of 2010’s best new restaurants across Canada.

1. Bao Bei Chinese Brasserie – Vancouver, BC; 604-688-087; www.bao-bei.ca

2. Sidecut (pictured) – Whistler, BC; 604-966-5280; www.fourseasons.com

3. Prime Steakhouse and Lounge – Victoria, BC; 250-386-2010; www.primesteak.ca

4. Charcut Roast House – Calgary, AB; 403-984-2180; www.charcut.com

5. Zinc – Edmonton, AB; 780-392-2501; www.zincrestaurant.ca

6. Habitat Restaurant – Canmore, AB; 403-678-8880; www.granderockies.com/habitat

7. Segovia Tapas Bar and Restaurant – Winnipeg, MB; 204-477-6500; www.segoviatapasbar.com

8. Enoteca Sociale – Toronto, ON; 416-534-1200; www.sociale.ca

9. Taste, the Restaurant at Touchstone – Muskoka, ON; 705-764-5353; www.touchstoneonlakemuskoka.com/taste.html

10. Town – Ottawa, ON; 613-695-8696; www.townlovesyou.ca

11. Fujiyama – Halifax, NS; 902-492-1133; www.sushifujiyama.ca

Hot Art: On the Horizon

"Blowing Light" by Sasha Rogers is at Jennifer Kostuik Gallery

A prairie girl at heart, Toronto artist Sasha Rogers reflects on the seemingly endless sightlines of her childhood environment in New Paintings at Jennifer Kostuik Gallery (Feb. 3 to 24). These are the largest works Rogers has ever produced, with paintings nearly two metres (six feet) tall (“Blowing Light,” pictured).—Kristina Urquhart

Hot Dining: Second Chances

The cast of Conviction Kitchen. Photo copyright Cineflix 2010

Vancouver’s own Delilah’s recently played host to the second season of reality show Conviction Kitchen, in which Toronto chef Marc Thuet trains rehabilitated drug addicts and ex-cons to cook delicious bistro fare. Filming wrapped in August and the wannabe chefs have since left, but you can watch them turn their lives around this fall, Sundays at 9 p.m. on CityTV.—Kristina Urquhart

Wherelist: Best New Restaurants 2009

Where editors from across the country have cast their ballots for the Best New Restaurants to open in Canada in 2009. From creative twists on traditional cuisines to stylish décors and high quality food for reasonable prices, these are the eateries you won’t want to miss from coast to coast.

Veneto Tapa Lounge, Victoria

Victoria’s best new restaurant takes traditional tapas to a whole new level. Led by chef Tod Bosence, the sophisticated, urban Veneto Tapa Lounge offers both a hip bar area and quieter dining room, ideal for enjoying Bosence’s creative dinner menu. Each entree is presented tapas style – those in the mood for beef, for example, will enjoy it three ways: veal ravioli with portabella mushroom ragout and roasted garlic cream sauce; marinated short rib with parmesan polenta cake; and New York strip roulade with spicy lobster stuffing and bordelaise sauce.

Cibo Trattoria, Vancouver

With London’s River Café alumnus Neil Taylor heading up the kitchen and ex-Lumiere general manager/sommelier Sebastien Le Goff in charge, it didn’t take long for Cibo to gain a solid reputation for its vibrant rustic Italian cuisine, thoroughly grounded in West Coast ingredients. Taylor’s dishes, which change by the week (if not the day), are constructed with uncomplicated—but wickedly exacting—flair.

Parker House Grill & Wine Bar, Calgary

Parker House is the kind of place where diners can experience high quality service, ambience and food, for a reasonable price tag. Chef Andrew Keen, known for his excellence in “forgotten fare,” has created a menu inspired by traditional New England comfort dishes with creative twists. For dinner, most entrees (with the exception of their steaks) sit in the mid-twenties range, while diners on a budget can try one of their thin-crust pizzas for as low as $12.88.

Creations Dining Room & Lounge, Sawridge Inn Edmonton South, Edmonton

Artful, delicious dining at Creations—the paint’s barely dry and the buzz is on for the eclectic Canadian fusion cuisine of Creations, the stunning new dining room and lounge in the atrium of the Sawridge Inn Edmonton South. Walls of fire, water, badlands hoodoos and a huge dreamcatcher treat the senses as menu items entice patrons to explore palate pleasers such as Sherried Beef Caprese.

Rustica Steakhouse, Canadian Rockies

Rustic has earned its place as one of the Canadian Rockies’ top restaurants for its elegant ‘mountain lodge’ atmosphere and uncompromising dedication to Canada Prime Beef. But it’s the cuisine of Caribbean-born Chef Stefan Mahon that keeps them coming back for more. Only the top 0.3% of beef in Canada earns Prime designation (a superior grade to AAA)—Stefan’s New York cuts, grand filet mignon and prime rib chops are prepared with a signature dry rub, seared under a 1500°F (815°C) broiler and presented on 500°F (260°C) plates with garlic butter.

Hermanos, Winnipeg

Winnipeggers are feeling the Latin heat thanks to the fiery flavours of South American cuisine at this year’s arrival of Hermanos Restaurant and Wine Bar. Set in a 5,500-square-foot warehouse in the Exchange District, fast lunches, tapas and mains are found on the mainly Argentinean- and Brazilian-influenced menu. The crispy fried empanadas are a must-try.

Raw Aura, Mississauga

Raw Aura, true to its name, offers a menu of entirely raw cuisine—the better to emphasize the natural and nourishing properties of fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds and sprouts. In an intimate yet airy space, friendly staff dish out delectably fresh fare including a “peace wrap” bursting with avocado, tomatoes, carrots, kale, sprouts and hummus, and zesty lo-mein featuring noodles made of zucchini and golden beets.

Loire, Toronto

Loire, a self-described “casual gourmet” spot, well-situated along increasingly foodie-friendly Harbord Street offers fresh, seasonal dishes that could include chili- and cornmeal-crusted Lake Erie whitefish, grilled New York striploin and a succulent beef or lamb burger on challah bread. This intimate restaurant effortlessly straddles the line between relaxed neighbourhood fave and boldface fine-dining destination.

Teca, Muskoka

Overlooking Lake Rosseau is Teca, a fine Italian restaurant located within the luxurious Rosseau Resort & Spa. Surrounded by the natural beauty of the Muskoka Lakes, find this decidedly urban dining room and a centrally located open kitchen that dishes up authentic rustic Italian fare. Tuck into freshly made pasta—from papperdelle and gnocchi to spaghetti and meatballs—or thin crust pizza made in a wood-stone oven, as well as veal chops, fish, striploin and rack of lamb.

The Grand Pizzeria & Bar, Ottawa

Nestled on one of the most auspicious corners in Ottawa’s bustling ByWard Market, The Grand Pizzeria is a popular addition to the downtown dining scene. Built in the late 17th century, this enviable location once housed The Grand Hotel. Today, it’s home to the perfect pizza pie. Traditional Italian appetizers (antipasti, salads) make way for the main attraction: authentic Napoletana pizza. The dough is created and hand-pressed by Master Pizzaiolo Pasqualino Oliveri, who placed first in the 2004 European Pizza Championship, among other honours.

Pipa Restaurant & Bar, Halifax

Chef Luis Gaspar and partner Victoria Dunham Gaspar are longtime veterans of Halifax’s dining scene. And when they decided to embark on a project all their own, they saw a glaring omission in the city’s dining scene. Specializing in Portuguese cuisine, with rich, filling and full-flavoured dishes. Pipa is the only restaurant of its type in Halifax, specializing in Old World and Brazilian dishes such as Moqueca (fish stew) and Feijoada (a stew of meats and black beans). Seafood dishes abound, including fresh grilled sardines.

What’s Hot in January Across Canada

Halifax

Roots-rock legends Blue Rodeo return to the Halifax Metro Centre on January 28, performing concert classics like “Hasn’t Hit Me Yet” and “Diamond Mine,” along with their newest material.

Vancouver & Whistler

The 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games are almost here, and they’re bringing a lot more than just sports to Vancouver and Whistler. The Cultural Olympiad 2010 (Jan 22 – Mar 21) is the culmination of three years of Cultural Olympiads on the West Coast, and it features some of the world’s best artists, musicians, dancers, actors and performers. Vancouver highlights include Joni Mitchell’s The Fiddle and the Drum at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre (Jan 22 – 24), Nevermore: The Imaginary Life and Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe at the Granville Island Stage (Jan 21 – Feb 6), and Steve Earle and Joel Plaskett at The Orpheum (Jan 23).

Whistler highlights include Canada’s first theatre of snow and ice, Nix (Jan 22 – Feb 27), Corb Lund at Whistler Village Square (Feb 19), and the Nunavut-based circus Artcirq at the Squamish Lil’Wat Cultural Centre (Feb 20).

Ottawa

During the Carleton Cup Triathlon on Jan 30, fearless participants—athletically inclined or otherwise—skate for nearly 7km up and down the Rideau Canal, run through the ByWard Market, then slide into The Aulde Dubliner & Pour House to pound back a drink. First one in gets the bragging rights, but the real winner is the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Led by controversial-yet-charismatic frontman Axl Rose, the newest incarnation of Guns N’ Roses will tour to promote Chinese Democracy, an album that was 15 years in the making. They stop into Ottawa Jan 31.

Calgary

Known for its memorable songs like, “Matchmaker, Matchmaker,” the Tony Award-winning musical, Fiddler on the Roof plays at the Jubilee until Jan 17. Throughout the month of January, One Yellow Rabbit’s High Performance Rodeo offers theatre-lovers innovative plays, skits and acts from around the world. Highlights include Kawasaki Exit, a play about the dark-side of Japanese social networking sites and The Pajama Men, a comedy duo who perform their act in their pjs.

Winnipeg

World-class men’s curling talent sweeps into Winnipeg for the BDO Canadian Classic Open Jan 20 – 24. Top names like Canada’s Olympic representative Kevin Martin and Scotland’s reigning World Champion David Murdoch are expected to participate.

Edmonton

Coleman Lemieux & Compagnie, one of Canada’s most accomplished dance organizations, brings three brilliant performances to Edmonton Jan 20: In Paradisum; Soudain, l’hiver dernier; and Fifteen Heterosexual Duets, all choreographed by James Kudelka. Artistic Director Laurence Lemieux promises “an exhilarating voyage to the heights of paradise and the depths of the heart.” Edmontonians revel in the winter months at the Winter Light Festival. Every weekend brings a blizzard of family fun with many events such as ice carving, ice-skating, art shows and much more. On until Mar 12, free admission.

Canadian Rockies

The Olympic Torch Relay comes through Banff Jan 20 and the town is celebrating outdoors with live music. Watch as teams carve massive blocks of ice into glittering sculptures at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise during the Ice Magic Festival, Jan 22 – 24 (if you can’t catch the carving, admire the art until it melts away in a few months). Or hit up Jasper in January for ski lift ticket and hotel discounts, plus fun events like the polar bear dip, Taste of the Town, music and skating parties, Jan 15 – 31.

Toronto

Important figures of history continue to draw crowds in the present. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart looms large over the city on select dates between Jan 13 and 24 as the Toronto Symphony Orchestra presents the Mozart@254 Festival, its annual concert series commemorating the 1756 birth of the Classical Era’s greatest composer. This year’s program features guest artists including famed baritone Russell Braun, violinist Pinchas Zukerman and many others. Or, have an archeological encounter with the great rulers of Egypt, by visiting the Art Gallery of Ontario’s ongoing exhibit, King Tut: The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs. The massive display showcases rare artifacts from the days of Khafre, Amenhotep IV, Rameses II and other significant monarchs, as well as more than 50 exquisite treasures from the tomb of Tutankhamun. On until Apr 18.

Eagles in the City

When it comes to public art, there’s no question Vancouver has an animal attraction. First it was orcas, then it was spirit bears. But from now until spring 2010, eagles rule the roost

By Kristina Urquhart

Bald eagles have flocked to Vancouver, but you’ll be hard-pressed to find real feathers on these 2.3-m (7.5-ft) fiberglass birds.

"Under Aurora" by Rod and Connor Charlesworth is perched outside Science World at Quebec Street and Terminal Avenue. An inukshuk, the official logo of the 2010 Winter Games, and Aurora Borealis are painted on the eagle. Photo by KK Law

Canada Place Way at Howe Street is home to "Balancing the Life Giver" by Andrew Dexel (left), "Spiritual Celebrations from East to West" by Andrew Dexel and Mark Anthony Jacobson (middle), and "The Search for Midnight Water" by Mark Anthony Jacobson (right). Photo by Sheri Radford

Eagles in the City is the third installment of public art by the BC Lions Society, following the popular Orcas in the City and Spirit Bears in the City projects. Local artists were commissioned to create a design for each eagle, from First Nations motifs to BC landscapes, and more than 130 birds have been installed in public spaces across Vancouver, Vancouver Island, Whistler, Prince George and BC’s Interior.

BC is not the only area to hone its animal instinct. In 2000, Toronto welcomed Moose in the City, and more than 50 international cities have been included in CowParade, a travelling exhibition of hand-painted bovines, since 1999.

The eagles are on display until April 2010, when they will be auctioned to benefit children’s charities Easter Seals and Canucks for Kids (see below).

For a fun souvenir, stop by Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory for a 156-g (5.5-oz) solid milk chocolate eagle. And don’t forget to pick up a Bald Eagle Flight Path Map at Tourism Vancouver for a bird’s-eye view of where the eagles are nesting.

Inside the Team Store at GM Place, "The Luongo Ealge" by Dean Lauze is a tribute to the Vancouver Canucks and its star goalie, Roberto Luongo. Proceeds from next year's eagle auction will go to Canucks for Kids, which raises money for children's causes such as literacy, health and wellness. Photo by KK Law

The WHERE List: Canada’s Top Ten New Attractions for Summer 2009

From coast to coast Where Editors have chosen the best new or improved attractions in the country. From dramatic glass pyramids in the prairies to canopied aerial bridges in the rain forest to exploring the wonders of the ocean, these are attractions you won’t want to miss.

Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre – Victoria, British Columbia
At the new Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre, explore the wonders of the Salish Sea, the name given to the inside waters off Vancouver Island. Designed to appeal to all ages, visitors can chat with knowledgeable Oceaneers about the wonders of the ocean and enjoy “hands on/hands wet” experiences, surrounded by massive aquarium habitats showcasing hundreds of fish, invertebrates and marine plants.

Greenheart Canopy Walkway – Vancouver, British Columbia
Walking the nine aerial bridges of the Greenheart Canopy Walkway at UBC Botanical Garden is a unique experience; from high in the forest canopy, it’s possible to see unusual insects and birds. You don’t have to be a daredevil to enjoy this eco-attraction, which opened last year, but you can’t fear heights: the 308m (1,010ft) walkway tops out at more than 17.5m (57ft) off the ground.

Peak 2 Peak Gondola – Whistler, British Columbia
Whistler’s new $52-million Peak 2 Peak Gondola boasts the world’s longest unsupported lift span. State-of-the-art 28-person cabins travel a 4.4km (2.7mi), 11-minute journey between the two mountains, affording a spectacular view to all on-board.

Stoney Nakoda Resort – Morley, East of Canmore, Alberta
Nestled on the eastern edge of the Canadian Rockies, Stoney Nakoda Resort offers Vegas-style gaming while the 111-room hotel boasts an indoor waterpark and meeting facilities. Along with a restaurant, café and sports lounge, guests can also catch live entertainment and dinner shows.

Gasoline Alley Museum at Heritage Park Historical Village – Calgary, Alberta
In the last year, Heritage Park Historical Village has expanded their size from 66 acres to 127 acres, and added five new attractions, including the Gasoline Alley Museum. The museum is made up of a $5 million collection of restored vintage cars, gas pumps and paraphernalia.

The Muttart Conservatory – Edmonton, Alberta
Four glass pyramids in Edmonton’s lush river valley make up The Muttart Conservatory, home to a spectacular display of flowers and vegetation. Newly expanded and renovated for 2009–with more educational program space as well as a gift shop and cozy cafeteria–it’s a memorable destination for all ages.

The West End BIZ Mural Tours – Winnipeg, Manitoba
The West End BIZ Mural Tours’ stunning outdoor mural galleries tell visitors about the West End, one of Winnipeg’s oldest neighbourhoods. Stories about the area’s prominent people, culture and heritage are depicted, while tour guides share related facts and history.

Art Gallery of Ontario – Toronto, Ontario
The Art Gallery of Ontario has undergone a massive redesign by famed architect Frank Gehry completed in late 2008. An additional 97,000 square feet means striking visuals abound in both edifice and artwork: rooms devoted to the ambitious Thomson Collection–Canadian paintings, European objets d’art, First Nations works and much more.

Canada Aviation Museum – Ottawa, Ontario
When the Canada Aviation Museum opened at Ottawa’s Uplands Airport in 1960, it contained a small collection of aircraft owned by the Canadian government. Nearly 50 years later, it houses over 130 aircraft and artifacts celebrating aeronautical achievements. After some recent major renovations, the museum has emerged as one of the most esteemed institutions in Ottawa, and a major player on the world stage, even hosting the Genie Awards in April.

Murphy’s Cable Wharf – Halifax, Nova Scotia
Although Murphy’s has been a landmark on the Halifax waterfront for years, 2009 saw dramatic changes. The restaurant, store and tour operator is now known as Murphy’s Cable Wharf. The restaurant is now open year-round, and the $1.6-million facelift includes a catch-your-own lobster tank, an interpretive walkway along the wharf and a tank showcasing local marine life.