My first-ever Ottawa ComicCon was everything I hoped it would be and more! From the moment I stepped into the EY Centre, I was surrounded by eager fans amazing dedicated cosplayers in costume and some impatient toddlers - ha! I left mine at home because as much as he’s begging me hourly to play his ‘special video game playlist’, I didn’t think it’d be a great place for him. I’ll be sharing some of my favorite photos of the creative costumes throughout this post, so keep scrolling!
Trying New & Unique Treats
Sometimes I go to events and I’m not sure if I’ll get interested in any of the food aspects of it. In fact, I wasn’t sure, beyond a custom craft beer dedicated to The 4 Hobbits from Lord of the Rings by Calabogie Brewing Co., whether there would be anything that would catch my foodie eye. I got to try some freeze-dried candies from @kokoscandycartel, a business started by a 14-year-old (how cool is that?!). I had seen a lot about how puffy and crispy chewy candy gets once it’s put in the freeze dryer so I was excited to try them in real life. I love supporting young entrepreneurs! The stand out was their mars bar and eating a freeze dried cheese curd followed by a freeze dried milk dud. Creamy, salty, crunchy!
There were plenty of vendors selling international, particularly Japanese, candies and drinks. Brought me back to my trip to Japan.
Meeting Dante Basco (aka Rufio from Hook)
I had the incredible opportunity to meet Dante Basco—a true childhood hero! I would often fantasize about having a sick goth costume like that and ripping through Never Never Land on a zip line. Not only was he gracious enough to chat while signing my Hook VHS tape, but he also gave me some of his @rufiomatcha to try. Again, you never know what’ll happen when you’re exploring the world through food. I’m still reeling from the fact that I got a gift from Rufio himself! BANGERANG.
The Lord of the Rings Panel: A Once-in-a-Lifetime Moment
My husband and I are huge Lord of the Rings fans, so we were thrilled when all four hobbits—Elijah Wood (Frodo), Sean Astin (Sam), Billy Boyd (Pippin), and Dominic Monaghan (Merry)—were on stage together. My husband even got to ask them a unique question (according to them!) that had the whole room laughing:
“What would the journey have been like if, instead of turning around and seeing Sam, Frodo saw Pippin instead?”
The hobbits, and the crowd, loved it! It was such a fun moment, and we even shared that we play the LOTR soundtrack as part of our son’s bedtime routine, which made the experience even more personal. Well, it was a good substitute for not being able to coordinate a photograph opportunity with them and our son.
Cosplayers & Community
I have a confession to make, for a large part of my life I’ve always found Cosplay a little cringe. If you’ve known me for a long time, that may come as a surprise. I’ve always loved theater and performing. Why? I wasn’t really sure I guess. Anyway, my mind has changed and I totally respect how much craftsmanship and thought goes into transforming into intricate anime characters to superheroes and movie icons. I’ll be including some of my favorite cosplayer photos in this post, so keep an eye out for them. If you see yourself, let me know in the comments!
Boy at the Cauldron: My Zelda-Inspired E-Cookbook
To top it all off, I’m celebrating ComicCon 2024 by offering a special one-week sale on my e-cookbook, Boy at the Cauldron. It's packed with Legend of Zelda-inspired recipes that I developed through my culinary experiences in Serbia and Ireland. Adventurous, allergen-friendly desserts and meals are perfect for gamers and families looking for something creative yet easy to make. You can grab your copy on https://chefevabee.etsy.com while the sale lasts!
Until next year, Ottawa ComicCon!
I know this seems like a silly topic because Japanese cuisine includes rice with almost every meal. After doing some perusing on the internet pre-trip, I didn’t find many reliable blog posts. Here’s what I’ve gathered from my first trip to Japan and needing to eat carnivore.