HOT

The '80s look

Video-calling

Anderson Cooper

Public art

Michelle Wie

NOT

Lolita look

Tiger Woods

Foie gras

3-D glasses

Justin Bieber (!)

City Hall

HOT: Penny-pinching

Mayor Jim Watson takes his fiscal-responsibility message to a Grinchlike extreme. Hot on the heels of swapping donated coffee and cookies for canapes and bubbly for council's swearing in, Watson called off the tradition of giving out about 200 wooden Christmas balls graced with the mayor's signature. Too bad for you, little Cindy Loo Who, but taxpayers saved five large. Look for more four-figure savings ideas from every department as they try to cosy up to the new boss.

NOT: Councillor perks

The mayor blew a gasket over the $13,000 spent to hire well-known Ottawa photographer Paul Couvrette to take councillors' official photographs, proclaiming that these kinds of expenses must come to an end. And maybe they will -- there's been no lunch or snacks served at any of the council meetings so far. That's one way to keep debate to a minimum.

HOT: Light-rail transit

The city is finally going to get going on an LRT system, complete with tunnel planned to run under downtown. In fact, the city is already taking core samples in the downtown area to figure out just what exactly they have to bore through to get this tunnel built, for a scheduled $700 million.

NOT: Regular old transit

Let's be clear -- transit will always be a vital part of the city, but there are some challenges in the year ahead for the city and OC Transpo, including low morale at the transit company, and budgetary pressures that are sure to see route cuts and fare hikes come budget time in the next couple of months. The contract negotiations between the city and the union representing OC Transpo aren't expected to be any picnic either.

HOT: Urban planning

For better or worse, controversies over the city's intensification plans -- especially one Ottawa developer's plans for the former convent in Westboro -- have more laypeople than ever interested in the city's urban development plans. Councillor Peter Hume is going to take a shot at changing some of the wording in the city's official plan that he believes could be at the root of these problems, while some city staff look to re-write infill design guidelines to make infill, well, better designed. Look for a community design plan coming to a neighbourhood near you.

NOT: Arts and culture infrastructure

It doesn't look like a promising year for a new downtown public library and while there's been much talk of a moving the Ottawa Art Gallery to Lansdowne Park, that's far from a done deal. Indeed, during the election, Watson said he didn't see where any of the money for either of these projects was coming from, and with his oft-repeated message about fiscal restraint, it's unlikely the city will borrow to re-build either of these institutions. Also watch for the much-touted $40-million revamp of Arts Court. Watson has said that as far as he can tell, there's only $12 million set aside for the project -- money that was supposed to go to the concert hall that never was.

— Joanne Chianello

Technology

HOT: Wireless charging technology

NOT: Wires for anything

Wires are becoming more of an endangered species every year. Thanks to modern technology, the days are coming to an end when people need to search out that wall charger and cord to energize their devices. With new wireless power technology, people can charge their personal electronic devices simply by dropping them on top of a special mat. The mat can fit in a drawer, or on top of a cabinet with other devices such as remote controls, video game controllers and cellular phones. By simply placing the devices on the mat, the wireless power technology will charge them so you never have to deal with dead batteries again. Even though it's been talked about for a while, this technology is finally coming around thanks to adoption by trusted big name brands such as Energizer, which has released a product called the Inductive Charging Pad.

HOT: 3-D movies, games andTV shows

NOT: Nerdy looking, and expensive, 3-D glasses

With prices falling on regular TVs, 3-D TVs are following suit and offering a real alternative to regular 2-D sets. Also, new video-game consoles such as Nintendo's 3DS, which will hit North American markets in March, aim to open a new era of 3-D technologies by allowing people to see 3-D images without the need for 3-D glasses. The reliance on 3-D glasses is seen by the electronics industry as the biggest barrier to widespread adoption of 3-D displays. The 3DS may be the first mass produced consumer electronics device to break the 3-D display's dependence on glasses, but it won't be alone for long. Numerous consumer device makers, including LG and Samsung, are working to make new TVs that display 3-D images without the need for pricey glasses. Expect to see more developments like these this year.

HOT: Cloud computing

NOT: Storing all of your personal photos, files, videos and music in your basement

Cloud computing is a trend that is taking the world by storm, even if people don't recognize it yet. Basically, it allows people to watch movies and TV shows, store pictures and files and even listen to music by plucking it off the Internet. Every time people use Facebook, Flickr or Photobucket to upload pictures or images to share with friends, they are using cloud computing. Internet e-mail services such as Hotmail, Gmail and Yahoo Mail are examples of cloud computing. Subscribers to Netflix, the Internet-based service that broadcasts on-demand TV shows and movies, use cloud computing. Even Apple TV's new movie and TV rental service is an example of cloud computing. In the year ahead, more companies will move to offer cloud computing services. Google will release its new Chrome computer-operating system, which aims to take many of the underlying processes performed by other operating systems and serve those processes up over the Internet. The proposal would greatly increase the speed of today's computers.

HOT: Video calling

NOT: Regular phone calls

Thanks largely to Apple Inc.'s new iPhone 4 and its "Face Time" feature, video calling is exploding in popularity. The ability to see a person's face while you converse with them is an added benefit that has been promised for decades. Many of today's mobile devices are now coming with forward-facing cameras specifically with the purpose of allowing face-to-face phone calls. Several Internet chat programs are being altered to support video calling from mobile devices, including Skype and Yahoo Instant Messenger, in order to take the trend beyond simply being available to Applebranded devices.

— Vito Pilieci

The Arts

- HOT: Mark Monahan

Monahan expands the Bluesfest empire to include the Ottawa Folk Festival, which was chronically malnourished and greatly in need of rescue. The popular question now is, what will Folk Fest be in 2011?

NOT: Benjamin Williams

Court officers raided the Ottawa Reggae Festival on LeBreton Flats last summer and seized money owed to suppliers. Headliners bailed and the third and final day of music was cancelled. Then festival board members publicly distanced themselves from Williams, the young founder. Time for a redemption song.

HOT: Art in outdoor places

Public art is popping up all over, from the soccer-themed sculptures on Preston Street to the veggie hydrants on Wellington West and, most notably, Roxy Paine's 100 Foot Line at the National Gallery. Even the new arch over Somerset Street in Chinatown is a beautiful thing. Next up, the installation of Joe Fafard's magnificent metal horses outside the National Gallery.

NOT: Art in indoor places

Great idea to hang original, local art in restaurants and other non-gallery spaces, but not if it's bad enough to put you off your dinner. Hanging art in a business is a nice thought, but only if thought goes into what art is hanged.

HOT: Slam poetry

The city's slam poetry scene is energetic and bursting with edgy talent, and that's why it's growing. The Capital Slam team of John Akpata, Open Secret, PruFrock, Chris Tse and Brandon Wint is national champion.

NOT: Other poetry readings

Traditional poetry readings bring to mind the Rolling Stones' phrase "dismal, dull affairs." The atmosphere doesn't have to be so raucous that it distracts from the verse, but do they so often have to be funereal?

HOT: Art galleries in Wellington West

Though the borders of Wellington West, Hintonburg and Westboro are murky (depending on who you ask), there's no doubting it's the city's most vibrant gallery scene.

NOT: Art galleries in the Glebe

Now that Artguise is gone, there's only Snapdragon Gallery, and it can't be a scene unto itself. How can a rich and cultured neighbourhood be so indifferent to art?

HOT: Special broadcasts at cinemas

Opera, concerts, hockey games, fights. The cinema is not just for movies anymore, and the non-movie events -- usually live broadcasts of a sports or cultural event -- are helping to keep cinemas financially viable.

NOT: Matinees at cinemas

If you like the intimate feeling of empty movie theatres, then matinees are for you. At the downtown chain cinemas, at least, a matinee screening can be an almost private affair. It's a wonder the chain cinemas even bother showing movies on weekday afternoons.

HOT: Small music venues

Any band that's playing a club or small theatre is probably not in it for the money. It's a labour of love or an investment in what could become a more lucrative career. That offers some resilience against economic downturns, as seen in the wealth of great shows in city clubs in 2010.

NOT: Large music venues

The problem is not the venues themselves, but the anemic state of the touring industry. Poor ticket sales across the continent scuttled or curtailed tours and that meant less music than usual at Scotiabank Place and the Civic Centre.

HOT: SPAO

The School of Photographic Arts Ottawa in the ByWard Market has a buzz. It's the energy of faculty and students who share a vision and are willing to struggle to make it happen.

NOT: Canadian Screen Training Centre

The Ottawa film school shut down this year, all for want of a couple of hundred thousand dollars.

HOT: Public interest in Barrymore's

People are still interested in hearing quality live music at Barrymore's Music Hall, the most storied club in the city. If they had the opportunity to do so ...

- NOT: Barrymore's, still

The current managers are trying to bring back live music, but cover bands on Saturday nights is a cautious gamble that'll never win back the crowds of yore. Meanwhile, local promoter Rob Reid is trying to restart Friday nights with a mix of DJs playing quality music, and more live bands. Perhaps the venerable space will be hot again by next year.

— Peter Simpson

Fashion

HOT: White with black

NOT: Florals

Remember what your mother told you? Never, ever wear black tights with a white dress. Or black tights with white pumps. Sorry, Mom, that dictum has gone out the window. Try wearing that white dress with black tights and white shoes. Or a black blouse with a thin white belt. Meanwhile, striking black and white prints that look like shattered pixels or fractured geometrics are popping up everywhere from T-shirts to ball gowns.

HOT: Stratospheric heels

NOT: Sensible shoes

This is not the year for mundane footwear. This is not even the year for safe footwear. Just call them the new orthopedic shoes because they are going to be a gold mine for orthopedic surgeons. Lofty, tottering, reach-for-the-stars, how-high-can-you-go high heels. Wedges, stilettos, platforms and stilettos with platforms and permutations thereof -- strappy, peep-toe, embellished with velvet, sequins, metallics, butterflies or fruit. Just check out Gucci's "Lola" boots, which look like spiked motorcycle boots that got mixed up with legwarmers. Gene Simmons is surely smiling.

— Joanne Laucius

Sports

HOT: Cricket

NOT: NBA

Go ahead, laugh if you want, but it's a slam dunk -- cricket has more fans, roughly two billion, than basketball can even dream about. And it has a lot more sex appeal. While the NBA prepares to lose as much as $200 million for the second year in a row, cricket is getting ready for its World Cup in February, a six-week extravaganza that will feature some of the hottest sports celebrities on the planet. Like Mahendra Singh Dhoni. MS is not only India's captain and a batsman with few equals, he's also considered the coolest, handsomest athlete in Asia. He has 10,000 billboards to prove it. Lebron James? Not so much after his cynical desertion of the loyal fans in Cleveland.

HOT: Michelle Wie

NOT: Tiger Woods

Just a few years ago, no one would have believed the one-time wunderkinds of men's and women's golf would be heading in opposite directions -- with Woods the one in freefall. When she turned pro at 16, Wie faced impossible expectations and inevitable comparisons with Woods, whose star shot up from the moment he became a pro at 20. But in 2010, at the ripe age of 19, Wie showed she's ready to make her move, winning her first two tournaments, including the Canadian Open. Woods, on the other hand, well, no need to go over that story ...

Michelle Wie won her first two tournaments in 2010, proving she's ready to make her move.

HOT: Ottawa 67's

NOT: Ottawa Senators

When playoff excitement strikes Ottawa next spring, don't expect the Senators to be spreading the fever. Sure, there's still more than half an NHL season to go, but does anyone really believe the Senators will do more than squeeze into the playoffs and get bounced in the first round? The way the team has played so far -- two steps forward, three steps back -- even that seems a longshot. Instead, local hockey fans will be watching the juniors, who are looking more and more like Memorial Cup contenders.

— Doug Fischer

Food

HOT: Foraging in the wild

NOT: Winter asparagus from Peru

Thoughtful chefs have figured out it's not de rigueur to serve flaccid greens imported from plantations far, far away when seasonal products grown, raised, pickled or canned in their own backyard are nutritionally superior and certainly more friendly to the environment. But beyond that, adventurous chefs like Matt Carmichael at Restaurant E18hteen, Richard Nigro at Juniper Kitchen, Marc Lepine at Atelier, and Robert Jutras at Culinary Conspiracy (to cite just a few) are hooking up with foragers or braving brambles on their own to harvest delectables from the wild -- everything from chanterelle mushrooms to tender spruce buds. Others are buying direct from those who comb our boreal forests, presenting more interesting garnishes and side dishes than you'll find in crates sitting on a loading dock.

HOT: Foie gras

NOT: Foie gras

What happens when a politically correct committee plans dinner? Controversy, that's what. Only hours after the National Capital Commission announced TV's celebrated Montreal chef Martin Picard, a.k.a. The Wild Chef, will serve a special rustic Quebec meal Feb. 4 to kick off Winterlude, almost 500 salivating fans signed up at $125 a pop (plus tax) for a taste of his iconic dishes -- expecting generous servings of the very foie gras that made him famous. That tells you where paying gastronomes in Ottawa are at. But, no, a handful of animal rights activists who decided foie gras is not cool (and wouldn't have paid five cents for animal products, anyway) picketed outside an NCC press conference at a downtown hotel to protest any notion of serving fattened duck liver at the festival. Despite hundreds of customers who voted with their wallets, the NCC caved in by assuring one and all that no foie gras would appear on the chef's calorific menu, period. As one disappointed foodie put it, "A Martin Picard meal without foie is like a Ferrari without wheels."

HOT: Gourmet takeout meals

NOT: Hungry Man frozen TV dinners

Processed frozen dinners, pizza in a box and Hamburger Helper have long been staples of weary parents looking for fast, cheap eats to stuff in the kids before everyone heads to hockey practice. But, these days, gourmet takeout food shops that specialize in nutritious, often organic and always tasty meals for the family have responded with their own convenient servings that won't make you crave water for the rest of the day. Expect even more good takeout in the new year as Les Fougeres, the popular restaurant in Chelsea, Que., and Murray Street Kitchen in the ByWard Market, open and/or expand their own line of handmade gourmet takeout, joining others like The Red Apron on Gladstone Avenue and Epicuria in New Edinburgh, to name but two who have already demonstrated that quantity does not always mean quality.

HOT: Chef-owned restaurants

NOT: Chain-owned eateries

While the likes of Montana's, Dennys and Kelseys will not fall out of favour any time soon -- their food is OK, usually tasty, reasonably priced and piled in abundance -- more discriminating gastronomes have come to appreciate the variety and adventurous pickings at small chef-owned bistros and restos that have proliferated in the capital like morels in the woods. In fact, these are the very kitchens winning awards and harvesting accolades from critics in Canada and the United States. In addition to dining rooms already mentioned, check out Benitz Bistro, the new Town gastropub, and ZenKitchen. Taste the difference ownership makes. At these places you'll hear no buzzers beside the stove to tell part-time attendants when the chops are done; here the chefs pay very close attention because they have a vested interest in doing just that.

HOT: Homemade charcuterie

NOT: Meats processed in a central plant

With news aplenty telling horrifying stories of mass listeria, campylobacter and other food-borne pathogens traced to centralized processing plants in an industrial park somewhere, small wonder that consumers and chefs are rediscovering the simple pleasures of local handcrafted charcuterie -- sausages, cured meats, terrines and pates. Think Murray Street Kitchen, Play Food & Wine, John Taylor's Genuine Food & Wine, among others. A logical result of the snout-to-tail philosophy, where no part of an animal is wasted, charcuterie is not only wholesome, delicious and user-friendly to eat, but it is a vehicle for creativity at the hands of talented chefs. And in Ottawa, there are more than a few. Enjoy their good works.

— Ron Eade