We’re getting to know our neighbours! People on Preston? is a collection of street portraits and short interviews with merchants, residents and patrons who live, work and play on Preston Street. There will be six new stories each week. Click on an image below, or click here to see all of the People on Preston stories in one place.
“We opened in 1981. This is the original Trattoria in Ottawa and it’s family-run. My sister Connie is at the helm as our chef. She’s always been a cook; since she was a little girl. My brother Dominic and myself handle front of house. Our sister Maria does the accounting. All the food is homemade; the pasta, the pizza and the desserts. We also cut our own fresh meat and fish.” (Read more)
“I always had a bit of an interest in sciences, yet I was a bit of a people person. I was studying at Ottawa U in biology and spending the summers in labs, seeing the same three or four faces all summer long. I was stimulated by the intellectual side of it but there was definitely a lack of people contact.” (Read more)
“Our family’s been in the food business for generations, starting in Italy where my dad’s father was a butcher. His kids had a store too and they still do in Cleto Cosenza where I was born. It’s pretty nice.” (Read more)
“I was involved in a lot of athletics from a very young age. I hit a bit of a wall and had some physical limitations as a result of my childhood asthma. That led me to look at other avenues to try and improve on my health and that’s when I stumbled upon not only exercise, but specifically weight training.” (Read more)
“I love food. I was a home cook. My daughter was home from university and her friends would come over for supper Sunday nights and I’d feed them. They’d say ‘Oh Mr. Russell, it’s so delicious, you should open a restaurant.’ I’m very proud and humbled.” (Read more)