February is coming up roses for Eva Avila, the Quebecoise Canadian Idol winner who starts her first national tour this month.

And although this may be the time of year for love, she confesses to not having many great Valentine’s Day memories—except for the cute boy in Grade 4 who moved away, yet still remembered to send her a card.

“I was so excited because I thought he’d forgotten about me,” she says.

No one’s forgetting this dark-haired beauty these days.

Avila recently released her first album, Somewhere Else and soon after that she signed a modelling contract with Ford Agencies.

Although born in Ottawa, she was raised across the river in Hull (now part of Gatineau), and today lives in Toronto. She worked in a post office before auditioning for Canadian Idol, and she busked alongside her father when she was three years old.

She also turns 20 this month—Feb. 25—and she hopes to celebrate with her family and friends at home in Gatineau, her favourite place.

“Gatineau, my hometown, is very warm and friendly. Probably because I’ve been living there all my life, I’ve always said I never want to live anywhere else. It’s familiar. It’s not too big, not too small.

“I’m from Hull, one of the small towns that became Gatineau. I was born in Ottawa, but grew up in Hull. I went to Ecole Secondaire de l’Ile, a public high school.

“I live in this cozy, peaceful neighbourhood; it’s very safe and close to schools and stuff, and there are all these great parks around, like Parc [de le] Gatineau, where people go mountain biking and jogging. It’s just beautiful.

“The downtown in Hull is not big, but that’s where the nightlife takes place. There aren’t many coffee shops. It’s mostly bistros and bars and nightclubs. The one I always go to is called Le Bistro. It’s not gigantic, but everybody goes there. It’s the main Hull nightclub. That’s the only one I go to; all my people are there.

“They play typical nightclub music, mostly hip-hop, dance, some reggae, some techno, a lot of Quebec music. It’s not like a nice classy lounge where you sit and talk. Everyone’s standing up and drinking and dancing.

“My favourite restaurant is called The Station—or Le Station in French. I actually worked there for a few months. It’s a loud, noisy family restaurant with amazing food and amazing service. It’s always busy for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

“All the food is good and it’s not expensive. I’d get the combo plate—half a waffle with whipped cream and fruit, and eggs Benedict with a side of hash brown potatoes.

“The Museum of Civilization is in Hull, too… You can sit there, in Quebec, and look right over to Ontario, and you have this beautiful view of Parliament Hill. It’s really special. It’s my favourite view in the city.”