So Canada Day 2013 has come and gone and I’m slowly recovering from the awesome high of Canada Day in Ottawa. Being more prepared for the ensuing patriotic enthusiasm, I was ready with temporary tattoos, my ridiculously kitsch red Canada Day cowboy hat, and a good pair of walking shoes.
This year we had some company in the form of Ottawa Canada Day newbies KT and Clint! Chris decided to really get into the spirit and transformed in to your friendly neighbourhood Canuck, Captain Canada.
A highlight from this year’s experience would have to be running the Canada Day Game of Life 10k. It was my second 10k ever and Chris’ first. We both were able to get sub 60 minutes and had the bonus of running through some of Ottawa’s best riverside trails. I’m so proud of us! I hope my next 10k will be just as much fun!
We also decided to do the Firework Cocktail Cruise with Capital Cruises. Forty dollars nets you a 3 hour cruise around the Ottawa river, lots of great picture taking moments and then an unobstructed view of the fireworks. So close that bits and pieces of the fireworks were landing on us!
Overall, it was really a memorable experience and I can’t wait to do it again next year hopefully with more of my Toronto friends coming down for the experience. Also getting into the Canada Day spirit was none other than Kettleman’s Bagels. An Ottawa staple, Kettleman’s has been keeping the nation’s capital stocked with quality Montreal style bagels over the last 20 years. They had their special Red Canada Day bagels available over the weekend.
You haven’t really experienced a bagel until you’ve had a freshly baked bagel out of a wood burning oven. I love tearing away pieces and slathering Kettleman’s many homemade cream cheese spreads – my favourite is their unique horseradish cream cheese. I could eat 10 bagels in one sitting this way! I always plan to bring a dozen home to Toronto but they never last that long! This weekend I decided to go with my all time favourite bagel sandwich the Vegetarian. I never thought I’d go bananas for eggplant but I can’t get over the marinated spicy eggplant that acts as the ‘meat’ of this sandwich. I mean, look at this monster:
Chris went for their Breakfast Special which includes their Breakfast Bagel (Bacon, Egg and Cheddar Cheese) plus a side pickle, latke (make sure to ask for it warmed up) and coffee:
Their Bank St. location is open 24 hours a day so at 4 AM you’re probably enjoying your bagel in the company of club goers in various states of undress (mind you, if you’re up at 4 AM and at Kettleman’s you’re probably one of these people!) 
I could go on and on about Kettleman’s but really you just have to GO THERE. And mark your calendars now for Canada Day in the Capital 2014. Benny and I will see you there!
Happy Brunching! 
congrats on the run lovely! I want that bagel. See you when I come visit SOON (aka few months). xx