a birthday scavenger hunt.

I planned a scavenger hunt for my birthday event this year. I hesitate to say party. I just never have the time, or energy to plan a party at the end of the summer, not to mention most of my friends are always either off travelling or back to school already.. and often that would be me, not them. So more of a get-together. Anywho, I totally went off on a tangent there.

You could organize a scavenger hunt for just about anything, it doesn't have to be for a birthday!! Mine wasn't even birthday themed, I just used my birthday as an excuse to get my friends together, hah!

Here's what I put on my invite:

It's a scavenger hunt, plus cake!

At 7 o'clock, on Saturday August 25th, you will find me "occupying" a spot between the arts and the brains of the city (un hôtel, of sorts). You will find me at a fountain across the street from a Starbucks.

I was really really excited for cake. I live for cake, pretty much.

Because my group was so small (I'm telling ya, nobody is around at the end of August, ever!), we just did a one-group scavenger hunt. Which means I just tagged along and once they solved a clue, I handed them the next one.

Here are all the clues. Can you solve them?

Let’s go shopping!

1. Take a photo of something that has the name of one of your group members on it.
2. How many different Robert Munsch books are currently being sold at Chapters (i.e. different titles)?
3. What are the two cheapest kinds of beavertails, and how much do they cost?

Sizzle sizzle sizzle. Who lit this Ottawa icon, which sits on a hill?

Find the phone number of a payphone booth. What is the last digit? If you number is even, add 1.
If I stood under a spider and looked south, what would I see? (Hint: I am green) How many vowels are there?
Subtract the smaller number from the larger number, and find this number of pennies.

This one’s easy.
☐ Take a group photo on a long set of stairs.
☐ Take a photo, imitating a statue.
☐ Take an artsy photo (get creative!).
..and I will give you your next clue.

This restaurant is your final stop. It is a place where I like to reminisce. Let’s all head there to enjoy a slice of cake, or two! I hear their pies are also divine! Still don’t know where you’re going? Singing this song might help..

All alone in the moonlight
I can smile at the old days
I was beautiful then
I remember the time I knew what happiness was

Answers and pictures, after the break.

I was sitting at a fountain in Confederation Park, which is between the National Arts Centre and City Hall (hôtel de ville in French!). It's also where Occupy Ottawa took place and there's a Starbucks across the street at the Lord Elgin Hotel.

Imitating a statue.. look how, err statue-like(?) my friends look!

There were too many Robert Munsch books and they were not organized by title, haha! I think we counted up to 20 and then saw an entire other shelf and gave up. He has published more than 50 kids books though.. wow!

Killaloe Sunrise and Cinnamon and Sugar, and they cost $3.75!

Lookin' artsy! I have no idea what this is.. Just found this blob of colour on my camera, haha!

Lester B. Pearson, Prime Minister of Canada lit the Centennial Flame on Parliament Hill.

Major’s Hill Park is across the street from the spider statue, Maman at the National Art Gallery. There are 4 vowels in the name Major's Hill Park (A, O, I, A). Depending on the digit from the payphone number, they were required to find a max of 5 pennies (9-4=5), min of 1 penny (5-4=1 or 4-3=1). It's actually very hard to find change on the ground.. so we discovered.

We found Carter on a plaque!!!

The restaurant we went to was a cute little cafe called Memories. The song lyrics in the clue are from Memory, from the musical Cats.

Ze lovely group :)

I hope you enjoyed the hunt.. wish you could've come!