Letter from the Editor
It’s never too early to start fantasizing about summer downtime.
And as spring turns to summer, the trickle of city dwellers heading to cottage country becomes a stampede and those without cottages start angling for invites to the idylls of their cottage-blessed friends. It has been a few years, so we figured it was about time we ventured beyond the burbs to check out what’s happening on the cottage real estate market. What does your dollar buy these days? In 2010, is a little piece of lakeside paradise a pipe dream for the middle class, or is it achievable?
Writers Michael Prentice and Laura Byrne Paquet fanned out in every direction, quizzing cottagers and real estate agents and returning with dispatches from the lands of the lakes. Their insights appear in the 10-page feature “Get Out of Town” (page 43). The bad news? Cottage ownership isn’t getting any cheaper. The good news? There are still deals to be had if you know where to look and are prepared to try innovative
ownership options.
On a completely different tack, writer Mark Bourrie pored through mountains of wartime interrogation documents to bring to light the little-known story of Alfred Langbein, a German spy who spent more than two years during the Second World War living within shouting distance of Parliament.
Incredibly, no one suspected the 40-year-old with the German accent, no job, and a suitcase full of $50 bills. As we pondered how to illustrate the story, Fred Sebastian’s name immediately came up. A professional illustrator who often contributes to Ottawa Magazine, Sebastian also teaches in
a new post-graduate certificate program at Algonquin College.
We hoped Sebastian and his 16 professional illustration students would relish the chance to work with the magazine. They did. The process went something like this: art director Jane Corbett visited the class to discuss the article, brainstorming key words, themes, and symbols. She then
assigned the students the task of developing three thumbnail concepts to be emailed to her. In a process that closely resembles what they would actually encounter within the industry, Corbett picked her favourite idea from each student and asked them to develop it into final artwork. Our congratulations and thanks go out to Evan Lichty, whose illustration appears on the opening page of the spies story, and to Jennifer McLeod,
whose submission appears on this page.
COMING UP: Our annual preview of the summer’s hottest events, foods, and fashions; Ron Corbett on what our city cops are really thinking; and Lisa Gregoire on how a long-ago crime continues to affect those involved.
– Sarah Brown
feedbackottawa@stjosephmedia.com
Table of Contents
Features
Cottage Real Estate Guide
Get out of town! Ottawa Magazine’s ultimate 2010 cottage real estate guide. Everything you need to know before jumping into the market. Including: When and where to buy • The trend toward fractional ownership • The burgeoning rental market • First-time buyers’ checklist • Ultimate cottage-country map • Best bargain regions • Best luxe regions
Columns
Braving the Heat
New fire Chief John deHooge has his work cut out for him. After a decade of perceived neglect at the hands of the city and a former chief so reclusive, he was nicknamed Bigfoot, firefighters pin their hopes on a leader with a big personality and — they hope — big plans
Fear Factor
When the H1N1 virus made media waves, I was vigilant, slathering my kids with hand sanitizer and standing in line for hours for the vaccine. But when that vigilance didn’t pay off, panic came quickly. Life at CHEO during last fall’s swine flu outbreak
War Stories
Talk about homeland insecurity! When he was dropped off on Canadian shores by a U-Boat in May 1942, German spy Alfred Langbein was carrying faulty documents and suspect currency. Yet for more than two years, the 40-year-old stranger with a heavy German accent and a seemingly never-ending supply of American $50 bills held court within shouting distance of Parliament and a five-minute walk from military headquarters
This City
Andrew Potter gets real • Coyote ugly • Arar’s online mission • Telling Tales of tycoons and ambassadors • Murders shake the city • The ultimate wave pool
City Select
Style
Barrett Palmer head Samantha Pitman models her fave fashions
Super Shopper
Celebrating Race Weekend and Mother’s Day in style
Food
Making history at Les Brasseurs du Temps
Drink
Sipping pretty with local sommeliers
Tasting Notes
Wild over Ontario’s 2008 whites
Restaurants
Sushi 88’s raw style • Dinnertime at Stornoway • Feng shui shake • Fabulous fougasse • Plus our star-rated reviews
April/May
Whale-watching at the Canadian Museum of Nature • Arthur Milner’s murder mystery • Chinatown Remixed on Somerset • Plus our arts and entertainment listings