Blurasis

Ice Cream + Gelato in Ottawa

Ming Wu — Tue, 29 May 2018 02:05:51 +0000

Summer is around the corner in Ottawa.
We need something to cool off.
Why not with Ice Cream and Gelato?
Yes, there are the big ones like Dairy Queen, Baskin Robins, Laura Secord and etc.
I find the big places are safe with flavours and if they have Vegan options too.
So I asked people online which was mostly from Facebook.
Here are the responses I got for Ice Cream and Gelato places you should support locally.
If you like to add others, please comment on the bottom.
Moo Shu Ice Cream on 477 Bank St had the most responses.
Their mainstay flavours are Hong Kong Milk Tea (Haven’t had it but can actually taste it), Black Sesame (I know what it will taste like), Ginger Vanilla Bean, Lime Leaf + Fresh, Mint (Apr – Nov), Local Strawberry (Really good) and Vegan Chocolate.
They also have rotating flavours which you can check on their site.

Image from Bytownbites.

Stella Luna on 1103 Bank Street and 1130 Wellington Street West had the most responses for Gelato.

Image from The Lemon Kitchen.

The Merry Dairy on 102 Fairmont Ave.
Started as a truck and now has a mainstay location.
Three styles of hand-made original recipe premium ice cream: frozen custard (midwestern style), hard-scoop (premium ice cream) and soft serve (Jersey-style) custard as well as handmade Merry Pops, shakes and sandwiches. They don’t use any nuts or peanuts and make their scooped ice cream in small batches with a constantly rotating selection of new flavours.
Flavours (not sure if they have it): Bourbon dark cherry, Salted Carmel and Banana

Little Jo Berry’s on Chocolat Favouris.
Their vegan selections made by Oat & Mill are Cereal Milk, Banoffee Pie, Raspberry Lime Cheezecake and Rocky Road.

Pacasle’s Ice Cream.

Signature flavours:
Peanut Butter Salted Caramel
Raspberry & Honey
French Vanilla
White Chocolate Pistachio
Malted Milk Chocolate / Milk Chocolate Beau’s Beer
Dark Chocolate Sea Salt
Dulce de Leche / Salted Caramel
Strawberry Maple Vinegar
Banana Brown Butter
Passion Fruit
Sour Cherry Balsamic Swirl
Vegan Coconut
Vegan Dark Chocolate Cashew
Their ice cream sandwiches are my favourite!!

Chocolats Favouris in Gatineau.
Not familiar with that place but someone mentioned it.

Mantovani Gelato on 87 Murray St.

Pure Gelato on 350 Elgin St and 843 Bank St.

The Beachconers on 273 Britannia Road.

Image from Ottawa Magazine.

La Cigale on 14 Scott St, Chelsea Quebec.
Not familiar but somoene suggested it.

Image from Discover Ottawa.

Kontinuum

Ming Wu — Thu, 17 Aug 2017 02:25:57 +0000

As part of Ottawa 2017, I checked out Kontinuum.
Here are the details from the site:
“This immersive multimedia production, created by Ottawa 2017 and Moment Factory, unfolds in Ottawa’s future Lyon Light Rail Transit (LRT) station. Visitors descend deep underground into an anomaly in the fabric of reality where invisible frequencies take on physical dimension.”

Kontinuum runs until September 14th and tickets are free through the site.

Day 3 of Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival (Races) [June 25, 2016]

Ming Wu — Tue, 28 Jun 2016 16:51:17 +0000

Check out the photos from Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival 2016 on the third day.
Around 3-5pm I took photos of the races.
Hope you enjoy them.

Day 2 of Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival (Parade) [June 24, 2016]

Ming Wu — Sat, 25 Jun 2016 16:11:02 +0000

Check out the photos from Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival 2016 on the second day.
Mostly from the parade and awards ceremony events.

Day 1 of Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival [June 23, 2016]

Ming Wu — Fri, 24 Jun 2016 06:38:00 +0000

While my site Photogmusic is down, I may have to use this as a back up for now.
It was the first night of the Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival 2016.
While there was no competition for the Dragon Boat teams.
But the festival treated the city of Ottawa to four nights of free concerts.
The first night had July Talk, The Balconies, The Muscadettes, The Lionyls and Modern Space.

Headlining the first night of the Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival 2016 was Toronto’s July Talk. They were truly brilliant and wild with their alterna-rock music.

Having seen them last Saturday at Glowfair. The Balconies returned to Ottawa for this festival. As always a great rocking set where they previewed materials from their upcoming album Rhonda.

The Muscadettes from Montreal.

The Lionyls from Ottawa.

Modern Space from Toronto.

Click below to see more photos.

I Can’t Believe It’s Not : Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours – Night Two [Random Photos]

Ming Wu — Sat, 05 Dec 2015 18:13:05 +0000

If you aren’t aware, I Can’t Believe It’s Not is Ottawa finest acts where they take one album and cover it with care from top to bottom with a slew of local singers taking turns at the mic.
The album they performed was Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours which was the #1 album in 1977.
If you want to check out the performance photos for night two, click here.

Here are random people shots from the event.

I Can’t Believe It’s Not : Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours – Night One [Random Photos]

Ming Wu — Fri, 04 Dec 2015 15:29:27 +0000

Here are random people shots from the event.

Beau’s Oktoberfest 2015 [Photos]

Ming Wu — Sun, 04 Oct 2015 16:14:37 +0000

Had an amazing time at Beau’s Oktoberfest.
There was no rain and mud which put a damper on things.
I rather have the cold and the wind.
For the music part of the festival, click on here.
This is mostly photos from the festival like people having a great time and other stuff.

Click below to check them out!

What I Thought of Uncle Tetsu’s Japanese Cheesecake

Ming Wu — Sun, 21 Jun 2015 22:45:31 +0000

I happened to go down to Toronto for the music festival NXNE.
So on a lovely hot sunny Friday, having alot of time on my hand.
I decided to hit up Uncle Tetsu’s Japanese Cheesecake.
The shop is located on 598 Bay St. (Corner of Dundas St. West)
Read mostly about this place from BlogTo and The Globe and Mail.
Getting there at 11:30am there was already a line-up.

While waiting in line I happened to chat up with this lady (Who happened to be Chinese) and talking about how the crazyness about the cheesecake.
She was there to buy the cheesecake and cupcake for her son.
While we “Chinese people” can be critical and cynical about these kind of things.
She was like it’s ok but not what it’s crack up to be but better to try it for the first time.
She mentioned when it opened up in March it was so crazy.
With the oven, they only decide to have two of the slots working.
I thought this isn’t a good way to do this with the hype it’s been getting.
With long line-ups there tends to get really angry people.

During my wait in line, a police man just enters the place asking why is this place so popular.
I felt that he has been living under a rock.
Then there was a barber shop beside it and one of the staff was getting really pissed off on how the line-up is blocking their business.
Who can blame them, if it’s been like that since March.
They are either doing a bad and good thing for something simple as a cheesecake made in a Japanese style.
While it was shocking to see how much butter is put into making them.

When waiting in line, the store does have free wi-fi for those really needing to pass the time.
But no power outlet in case your phone runs out of battery power.
It’s been told that the approximate waiting time to get them cheesecakes varies from 1 hour and 40 minutes to 2 hours.
My experience came up to about 1 hour which I got out of waiting in-line at 12:30pm.
Not bad for myself or I was just lucky.
Considering this review is spent most of the complaining about the line-up.
Let’s get the cheesecake itself.
I decided to bring it back home to Ottawa so I can let my parents try it.(Ya I know it’s not as fresh when it’s out of the oven)
My dad liked it while my mom (being the typical Chinese person) that you can get it at T&T and didn’t need to wait in line.
It’s not like the usual cheesecake with it’s thick creamy sweet cheese cake.
More like a sponge cake that taste like cheesecake.
Not to get too racial/stereotypical to me it’s just a cheesecake made by Japanese people. (I hope they were?)
Any publicity is good publicity.
While the hype hasn’t died down on the lone Toronto location.
Just pray that they don’t crash and burn like a-la Krispy Kreme Donuts.
I say plan out your time accordingly.
It’s a decent Japanese (Using Canadian ingredients) cheesecake which I say it’s good to try out for the first time and brag about it.

613 Day on June 13, 2015

Ming Wu — Wed, 10 Jun 2015 18:56:54 +0000

Poster by Anthony Parravano

This Saturday should be a great day in Ottawa.
For those not aware about our lovely city.
613 is Ottawa’s area code hence June being the 6th month.
Since people have called Ottawa a “boring” city.
Why not make it a change and let people know what to do for this unofficial day to call “613 Day”.

Encourage anyone to do a pop-up impromptu BBQs/day parties something for the family and friends.
Pending the weather, let’s hoping for something great!
For what I have gathered up.
Here is a list of what to do this Saturday (If I forgotten something please make a comment):

Ottawa Makers Market FREE from 10am – 3pm on 715 Cooper St
https://www.facebook.com/events/889049694489413/
Ottawa Showbox Day Summer BBQ at Mugshots
12pm – 6pm FREE!
https://www.facebook.com/events/877891095639032/
the ottawa small press fair, spring 2015 edition at Jack Purcell Centre
12pm – 5pm
https://www.facebook.com/events/637336289746456/
Porch View Dances from 2pm-3pm. Part of the Canada Dance Festival
Ottawa Just For Cats Festival.
https://www.facebook.com/events/876182589110858/
Live Jazz! at Mugshots at 9pm
https://www.facebook.com/events/100613056947635/
Jackpine 613 Day Sunet BBQ party at 6:13pm!
https://www.facebook.com/events/1599145976994968/
First night of WESTFEST featuring performances by Sarah Harmer, Craig Cardiff, Rae Spoon and many more.