THE ALFIE ISSUE
He’s the face of the Ottawa Senators. Daniel Alfredsson. Captain, hero, hockey god. Father, mentor, community builder. As Alfie winds down his 17th season with the team, Ottawa Magazine deconstructs an icon: 11 perspectives on Number 11
Letter from the Editor
Thirteen years ago, Toronto’s late, great Saturday Night magazine published a brilliant article on a rising NBA superstar by the name of Vince Carter. The magazine’s editor asked 15 writers and artists for their impressions of Number 15, the new face of the Toronto Raptors. The resulting piece made for a great read. Carter was analyzed as a cultural invader, a Torontonian, even as an armpit (basketball fans will understand this — there are a lot of armpit shots at the free-throw line). You didn’t have to be a sports nut to enjoy the story, just a follower of local news and pop culture. After all, this guy was everywhere.
Which brings me to Daniel Alfredsson. For years, I would periodically ponder that Saturday Night article, waiting for the right moment to profile an Ottawa sports personality so well known that even the least-sports-minded local would recognize him on sight. That man is Number 11, the captain of the Ottawa Senators. A private person in a very public role, Daniel Alfredsson is both the face of the team and a community builder. In media interviews, he’s open and honest, sensible and direct. We feel as though we know him, but we don’t really. And that’s a credit to a huge star who has managed to protect his private life and self. We asked an array of accomplished writers — some who know the captain personally, others who have never met him — for 11 perspectives on the multi-faceted star wearing jersey Number 11. The results,
I hope you’ll agree, are both fun and revealing.
COMING UP: You’ve been asking for it ever since Ottawa Magazine published the first “101 Tastes to Try Before You Die” in 2009. That issue disappeared off newsstands within days and remains a popular page on our website. This past spring, food editor Shawna Wagman teamed up with food writers Anne DesBrisay and Cindy Deachman to comb the city’s bistros, bars, and markets in search of the 101 most enticing flavours of 2013. What does this list have in common with the one that caused such buzz in 2009? Absolutely nothing. And that’s a testament to just how fast the food scene is evolving — and how delicious and ambitious it has become. Get ready to be tempted all over again by the city’s bounty. Also on the bill: summer fiction to enjoy at your leisure and an Asian-inspired cottage-home on the water.
Sarah Brown, EDITOR
feedbackottawa@stjosephmedia.com
FEATURES
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20 Top Neighbourhood Enclaves
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COLUMNS
The Rise and Fall of Patrick Brazeau
An outspoken advocate for Aboriginal rights, he made history as one of the youngest people ever appointed to the upper chamber. Four years later, Brazeau has been forced to take a leave of absence from the Senate as he fights criminal charges. A chronology of a Senate appointment gone terribly wrong. By Mark Bourrie
Back to the Future
The founders of the Fairhaven co-operative in 1947 combined revolutionary architecture with plain old-fashioned independence, hard work, and community spirit. By Janet Uren
THIS CITY
JITH PAUL’s winding journey to film industry mover and shaker • Solving a cycling mystery • Wired for success in academia • TELLING TALES of births and blogs • City-sponsored cool, one futuristic art project at a time • Chatting about debt and Dragons with DAVID CHILTON
CITY SELECT
My Look
Melissa Reeves aims for a city-hippie vibe
Super Shopper
Old Ottawa South becomes a go-to destination for modern furniture
Tasting Notes
Celebrating the return of spring with New Zealand sauvignon blanc
Restaurants
Food trucks on a roll * Popcorn with pizzazz * Spotlight on Almonte Riverside Kitchen * Plus our star-rated reviews
May Events
STAR WARS lands in the capital • Belting out gospel hits with BIG SOUL PROJECT • Five JANE’S WALK routes to try out • Exploring home and habitat with ceramic artist LISA CRESKEY • Plus our arts and entertainment listings