The following passages describing Ottawa, the city capital of Canada, are taken from the Whine and Cheese Cozy Mystery Series books Asiago and the Accomplice, Ice Whine and Irish Cheddar, and Feta and the Fat Bastard by Judy Volhart. The books are available from all online major retailers including Open Books Direct.

Sparks Street Mall

Having moved here only two years earlier from the Toronto area, Nicole loved the Byward Market, as I’m sure all locals and tourists do. Ottawa has a business district in one section, with all the taller buildings in one area. This section includes Spark Street, a very quaint cobbled street that was often closed to traffic while it hosted special outdoor events such as the summer busker festival.

Looking for something to do this week? @ottbuskerfest has begun! pic.twitter.com/KgjSR4Qncc

— Sparks Street (@SparksStreet) August 3, 2017

Parliament Hill

Next, we have the section with the parliament buildings…

Chateau Laurier

the infamous Chateau Laurier…

National Arts Centre, Ottawa

the National Arts Centre…

National Gallery of Canada

and the National Gallery of Canada, an art museum once famous for making a big to-do about a painting that consisted of two colors.

Voice of Fire

The Voice of Fire cost the city 1.8 million dollars and was two navy blue stripes with a red stripe in the middle. I recalled having done a similar piece in kindergarten. I, however, did not get 1.8 million dollars for my efforts.

Byward Market

Not far from the art museum, we have our Byward Market, a charming area with a plethora of restaurants, many that offer outdoor dining during the warmer months, cafés, outdoor markets, delis and a representation of many different cultures and languages. The majority of the action took place on about a half-dozen streets that hosted many outdoor festivals in the summer.

Winterlude

The only festival that I knew of in the winter months was Winterlude, when ice sculptures and skating on the Rideau Canal while munching on a Beaver Tail pastry were the Ottawa thing to do.

Rideau Centre

We made our way toward the liquor store on Rideau Street that carried the wines I was looking for and then stopped at the Rideau Centre for a bite to eat at the mall’s food court. Finally, it was time to hurry back to the bistro.

Last minute shopping? We’ve got you covered! We’re open today from 9:30 am to 5 pm for all of your holiday needs! #CFHolidayMagic pic.twitter.com/gpgVv9mxSA

— CF Rideau Centre (@CFRideauCentre) December 24, 2016

Ottawa Waterfront

We drove toward the Ottawa River then turned left, meandering along the street and admiring the eclectic mix of old cottages and remodeled mansions. A number of them were in transition in this area that was being bought up by the more affluent residents of Ottawa who wanted waterfront property that was still close to the city.

Fantastic view of the #Ottawa River. Biking along the waterfront of this city is breathtaking. @ottriverkeeper @onec1883 #Rideaurockcliffe pic.twitter.com/EceZ0EkmG2

— Alexandre LeBlanc (@AlexLeBlanc1867) August 30, 2017