Faces Magazine - Holiday Issue 2022 1/2

CLOSE TO IT ALL IN KANATA

to a community

you’re never far from life’s finest moments.

the action of downtown Ottawa via the 417, your

will be both vibrant and relaxing. Spend your weekends

nearby shopping and dining options or taking in a game at the Canadian Tire Centre. Homes are selling now at Connections in Kanata.

NANNY

In this psychological horror fable of displacement, Aisha (Anna Diop), a woman who recently emigrated from Senegal, is hired to care for the daughter of an affluent couple (Michelle Monaghan and Morgan Spector) living in New York City.

23RD

BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER

Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett), Shuri (Letitia Wright), M’Baku (Winston Duke), Okoye (Danai Gurira) and the Dora Milaje (including Florence Kasumba), fight to protect their nation from intervening world powers in the wake of King T’Challa’s death.

11TH

NOVEMBER

HERE’S HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF THIS MONTH

GOLDFISH BOWLS ARE REALLY BAD PLACES TO KEEP GOLDFISH.

They're too small to allow for adequate filtration and don't provide enough oxygen.

Are you familiar with the saying “common sense is not that common”? Celebrate this rarely used quality on November 4 with these 3 general knowledge facts.

FOR AN ASPIRIN TO SAVE YOUR LIFE DURING A HEART ATTACK, YOU NEED TO CHEW IT.

Aspirin, which inhibits platelets that speed blood clots, works fastest if chewed. Chewing delivers the antiplatelet effects through the blood vessels in your mouth instead of the digestive process.

FEEDING BREAD TO DUCKS IS DANGEROUS. Any artificial feeding of waterfowl leads to a surplus of fecal bacteria and poor animal nutrition, and it even affects migration patterns. White bread in particular distracts ducks from their natural healthy diets and can lead to unhealthy diseases.

Did You Know?

Traditionally, a cappuccino is viewed as a drink that should only be consumed in the morning. Ordering a cappuccino after 11am in Italy can get you a lot of judgmental stares from your waiter.

Drinking a cappuccino in the morning means that the lactose and fat content of the milk can provide an energy boost for the rest of the day but but it should never be taken after a meal.

TAKES THE ROAD LESS TRAVELLED

There is one thing I can say about working in a steel mill. If it doesn't kill you, it will make a man out of you.

It's a Tuesday afternoon, back in early October, and the Ottawa Senators have just left town for a road trip, leaving goalie Cam Talbot home alone.

This particular preseason trip to Montreal, Newfoundland and New Brunswick is being treated as a three-game bonding trip for the Senators – to get their players on the same page, in hopes of avoiding yet another terrible start. For the past two seasons, the Sens have completely played their way out of contention in the very first month.

But Talbot won't be part of this important final tune-up, nor will he be ready for opening night. Instead, the 2022 NHL all-star is home in his bedroom, plopped down on his bed, trying to escape the noise of a renovation going on downstairs.

BASEBALL HALL OF FAMER CHUCK KLEIN

Talbot is home dealing with a rib fracture, suffered just minutes into his preseason debut with the Sens in late September. It's definitely not the start he was hoping for in Ottawa. The 35-year-old wanted to make a good impression on his new team and fan base, not to mention competing for the starter's job and a new contract next season.

GO Ottawa Senators' Goalie CAM TALBOT

But Talbot is one of those guys who seems chill about everything. He's a pro's pro, filled with life perspective and appreciation. And with everything he's been through in a sometimes difficult hockey journey, a little rib problem is barely a bump in the road.

By Steve Warne Photography by Sean Sisk

Talbot's back story reads like a cool hockey movie – the small town, undervalued Canadian kid makes good. His formative years were completely devoted to minor hockey, but that didn't mean there wasn't time to expand his horizons with some road hockey.

Despite his obvious passion for the game, he never played a second of major junior hockey and was never drafted into the NHL. But he kept going. Statistically, at Alabama-Huntsville, his first two years of NCAA hockey were a disaster (a combined 3-26 record). But he kept going. All through college, he worked 12-hour shifts during the summers at his father's steel mill. But Cam Talbot kept going.

And every step in his hockey adventure has been worth it.

Talbot and his beautiful young family have now arrived in Ottawa for a new chapter, about to begin his 10th season in the National Hockey League. He and his wife, Kelly, are super busy with their two six-year-old twins, Landon and Sloane. And they've already bought a house in Ottawa.

“There was zero to rent for a family of our size,” said Talbot. “And we needed an extra bedroom for family and stuff. So we ended up just buying, hoping that we're going to be here in Ottawa for longer than the year. We're just finishing the basement right now, getting some extra play room for the kids.”

How did you and Kelly meet?

We met in college, but she didn't actually go to my college. Her brother (Tom Train) was like my best friend on the hockey team in college. And I always say she came for family weekend and I just joined the family. Tom was cool with it, though. I didn't do anything behind his back. We were still best friends. I was his best man and he was in my wedding party. So no animosity there. We're all good.

What are your kids into? Are they hockey crazy like their dad?

They love hockey. They love coming to the games more than anything. I think that's their favorite thing. Coming to the rink with me in the morning for practice or something like that. And then coming to games and warm up, seeing me down by the glass, banging on it, cheering for Daddy. It's the best to see them out there. But my daughter's really into dance right now. She dances for two hours a week. My son is a really good soccer player. He's playing twice a week and also just started hockey.

So it's busy. There are no off days when you're a parent, that's for sure.

Tell us a little about your childhood, growing up in Caledonia, down near Hamilton. It was minor hockey and what else?

Minor hockey (with the Caledonia Thunder) and a lot of road hockey with my friends. One of my best friends lived across the street from me growing up. A lot of gaming, Nintendo, all that kind of stuff. If it was too cold to go outside, five or six of us would hunker down in a basement for the weekend and our parents always kind of knew just where we were. Small town. You know, pick up a phone, 'Hey, is my kid there?'

'Yep. Yeah, we got 'em all. They're down in the basement here.'

Did you start out as goalie right away?

I started out as a skater where you just kind of rotate goalies, like everyone always does. But I started maybe a couple years after most of my friends, so they were all a little bit quicker than me and could handle the puck better. So whenever people didn't want their turn in net, I took their turn. I found myself taking everyone's turn and then I just ended up being stuck there. So I guess it worked out.

When did goaltending become something you loved and not just a tactic to stay on the team?

Probably around age 10 when I tried out for my first rep team. I think that was the first year I got my first actual goalie helmet. You know, before you'd just wear the player helmet with the little dangler hanging down so you don't get hit in the throat. Not exactly the safest, but most people aren't shooting that hard at that age. I also got my first set of pads around that time. And that's when you really start loving the position – when you start to get all the gear and it's all yours and you're not just sharing all the other minor hockey equipment.

So let's move forward in your hockey life. You're 19 and playing Tier 2 junior hockey with Hamilton. Back then, you probably wouldn't have dreamed you'd be where you are now, starting your 10th season in the NHL.

No, definitely not. I still wake up and I can't believe I'm going into year 10 right now. My 13th year pro, 10th year in the NHL is still unfathomable to me. Back then, you didn't really expect to get drafted out of Tier 2. I was more or less at that point, just hoping for a scholarship or maybe even an OHL team to pick me up – just to play at a little bit of a higher level. But to me, the NHL wasn't attainable at that age.

And if I'm being honest, it wasn't even attainable until probably my last month of college. I didn't have an agent or an advisor in college until about a month left in my season. My coach (former NHL player Danton Cole) called me in during my third year there and asked me, 'Do you have an agent?' I was like, 'Nope.' And he handed me a sheet of paper with like five or six names. He goes, 'You caught some eyes last week. All five of these guys have called throughout the week. If you need help, just let me know. My door's open. But give them all a call, see what they have to say. You're probably going to have to make a decision pretty soon.' And so our season ended, we won our conference tournament, went to the NCAA tournament, where we lost 2-1 to Miami, the number one seed in the country. The next day, I signed with the New York Rangers and two days later I was in the American League.

It happened that quickly. It was crazy. I had no idea I was going anywhere.

Were the Rangers the only team interested in you at that point?

So the Rangers came in and the Flyers came in. Philly actually had a goalie go down either that day or the night before. So they were actually wanting me to go straight to Philly to back up the next day. So that was a tough one to turn down. But I think one of the best choices I made was the agent that I chose. He was honest with me. He goes, 'You're a great college goalie. You're probably not NHL-ready. The best thing you can do is go to New York, then spend the rest of this year in Hartford. The next year you get to work with goalie coach Benoit Allaire and learn from Henrik Lundqvist.

And that was probably the best decision I made in hockey. I think had I signed with Philly, I don't think I'd still be around. Getting rushed into a situation that you're not ready for. New York took their time to develop me. I spent three years in the minors before I was even called up, and I think that's what I needed. And when I got there, I was prepared.

So what's your memory of your first NHL game? You didn't have the easiest road to get there. And you weren't filling in for just any goalie. You were filling in for the great Henrik Lundqvist.

It was...it was emotional. I remember just taking everything in. It was in Philadelphia. I had a whole bunch of my family drive down for the game. A bunch of my buddies drove through the night to get there. I remember being out on the ice, listening to the national anthem, nerves going crazy, heart beating out of my chest.

And then as soon as the puck drops, you try to be as calm as possible and once you make the first couple saves, you get into it. But I'll never forget that moment. Unfortunately, we didn't win that game. But Henrik was injured for a couple of games, so I ended up getting to play the next one in Detroit too. I just remember seeing Derick Brassard scoring the game winner for us in OT. I'm pretty sure I jumped three feet in the air when I saw that puck cross the line.

And just like that, your NHL career was underway. That had to be a slightly better job than working at your dad's steel mill every summer during college.

Yeah. My dad was a steelworker for 37 years and finally retired a few years ago. But they basically had a work program where you get to work for the summer, either to pay for university, or help pay for your food, all that kind of stuff. So, yeah, it was a "12 hours on, 12 hours off" kind of thing, three or four days a week. You're on a shift, so you work Monday, Tuesday, off Wednesday, Thursday, then work Friday, Saturday, Sunday, night shift. Off Monday, Tuesday, work Wednesday, Thursday. Then you're off for the weekend, which was nice. And then that schedule just continues to roll and you alternate in between days and nights. So it was a grind.

And in between all that, I'm trying to go to the gym and get my workouts in and make sure I'm ready for college hockey season. Number one, it was great for me to see the work that my dad put in for so many years to pay for the hockey and the soccer and all the overtime that he put in too. And then it made me manage my time as well. Not only did I have to work 12 hours, I had to find some way to get to the gym and make sure I was prepared for the hockey season.

Based on your story, you're probably that much more appreciative about being in the NHL than maybe a lot of players might be.

I definitely took the road less traveled. I'm only here because of my attitude and my work ethic. Because those are the only two things I can really control. If anyone's going to beat me out of my job, then you know it's going to be because they're that much better than me, not because they ever worked harder than me, because I never took anything for granted. I still don't in year 10, and that's the only reason why I'm still where I am.

When you were backing up Lundqvist in New York, when did you transition from “Just happy to be there” to “I want as many starts as possible.”

I think it was probably in my second year. Lundqvist ended up getting injured and I got the net the entire time he was gone. Considering where we were in the standings, (it was great) for them to have the faith in me to not go out and get another veteran guy to replace him. Because he was out for 25 or 30 games. So they let me kind of roll with it and I was able to take the net.

I think I went 16-4-3 during his absence. And I think that was the time where I was like, 'You know what? I can be an everyday starting goalie in this league.' And I was lucky enough to get that opportunity when he was hurt. Then Edmonton took notice and I was lucky enough for them to trade for me that summer and give me that opportunity to be a starting goalie in the league.

What was Henrik Lundqvist like? Was he supportive? Was he a mentor? Or did he view you as a threat?

Oh, no, he was very supportive. I mean, we both wanted the same thing. We both wanted to win. The one thing I will say about him is there was always that competitiveness, that drive, and I think that was one of the things that I took notice of. It wasn't like we were competing with each other. He was competing with everybody, you know? It wasn't just me versus him. It was me versus the other guys. It was him versus the guys in practice. And that was one of the main things I took away from him.

He had the same drive during practice as he did in the game, and I think that's what made him so great. And if he let a puck in, in practice, or didn't finish a drill properly or end on a save, he'd make the guys go back and do the drill again, just so that he could do it properly and end on a save. You see the work that he puts in and it's like, okay, if I want to get to that level, if I want to be one of the best, this is the mindset that I have to have.

So now you're in Edmonton. Did being a starting goalie for the first time change your mindset?

I tried not to let it change my mindset at all, to be honest, whether I was playing every two weeks in New York my first year or every night in Edmonton, when I played 73 games. I put enough pressure on myself every game, so it didn't matter how many I was playing. The pressure, the nerves, they're always still there. So whether I was playing 20 or 50 or 70 games, it didn't matter. It was just, 'Go out there and give your team a chance to win.'

No one's harder on me than me.

What's your favorite moment so far in your NHL career?

Oh, man. I'd say one of the best for me was probably my first year in the league. Growing up a Patrick Roy fan, and a Montreal Canadiens fan, my first career shutout came at the Bell Centre against Carey Price. I think we won 1-0 in that game. So that was a pretty cool moment for me.

After that, I'd say probably the second game after my twins were born. I didn't even get to take them home from the hospital. They were born on a Wednesday. I left Friday for the outdoor game at Winnipeg, the Heritage Classic. And getting a shutout in that game too. So that was pretty cool. And a couple days after the kids were born, I brought home a couple pucks for them. You know, I finally got to see them at home. So that was cool too.

You certainly had some highs and some lows in Minnesota last season. On the one hand, you played great and went to the 2022 NHL all-star game. But then the Wild brought in veteran goalie Marc-Andre Fleury at the deadline and started him in the playoffs. How will you remember your final season with the Wild?

I still remember my time there fondly. It's just one of those things, Like you alluded to before, you've two guys, one net. It's tough when they go out and get a guy like Flower (MarcAndre Fleury). You kind of see the writing on the wall. But I like

to think that I did everything I could down the stretch there to make their decision tough. But, basically how it was said to me is he's got three Cups, you've got none, so he's the starting goalie in the playoffs.

So I mean, that kind of hurts but I made so many great friendships and they gave me an opportunity to prove that I could still be a starting goalie in the league after a down year and a half or so. They did what they thought was right. We did what we thought was right. And I'll look back on that as another great time in my career, where I was able to start a bunch of games, play in the playoffs my first year, and help lead Minnesota to one of the best franchise years that they've ever had. So, I'll still look back on it very fondly.

So that brings us to Ottawa. Obviously, with your injury, Anton Forsberg started the year as a clear number one. Did DJ Smith sit you and Anton Forsberg down at some point and talk about how the net here will be shared this season?

I think it's basically if you're playing well, you're going to keep playing. The Senators have said all along that this year is going to be different. They want a good start, number one. They don't want to end up behind the eight ball and playing catch up, coming down the stretch. So, I think they'll go with whoever is playing the

best. And there's going to be that internal competition. And that's good. Last year when the Wild brought in Flower, I played some of the best hockey I've played (Talbot finished last season with a 12-4 record). That internal competition is good for not only the goalies, but good for the rest of the guys in the room. And you want that. You don't want anyone too comfortable. So I'm looking forward to the challenge this season.

And what are your thoughts on your new team so far?

I mean, from a skill level, I don't know if there are too many teams that have as much young, talented skill as we have. So the practices aren't goalie-friendly, that's for sure. These guys are looking to score on pretty much every shot. But it challenges me, makes me better, makes them better. So that's fun to be a part of.

That's one of the other things I like is their energy – their excitement when they come to the rink. They're not only ready to work, they want to get better, and you can tell they're sick of losing here. So they're ready to take the next step, win some hockey games and hopefully make the playoffs. So it seems like a good group to be around in that sense. And hopefully it keeps me young too.

Let's close with some fun questions. You have a new mask for this season. Why did you decide to pay tribute to the TV series, "Stranger Things" with your new artwork?

I just finished watching the fourth season when I got traded. So I was like, well, the colors kind of work with the red and the black and The Upside Down and stuff like that. So I thought this would be a pretty cool concept to go with. It's a fun show to watch but that fourth season scared the crap outta me. I think I watched that first episode when all the bones were breaking on the ceiling. I was like, 'Okay, I can't go to bed. I gotta watch something funny first, lighten it up a little bit.'

Have any of your fans pushed back that you finally abandoned the Ghostbusters theme you've run with for over a decade?

No, and I was surprised at that because everyone loved Ghostbusters. But we were running out of ideas and ways to make these Ghostbusters masks. So I think it was time to switch it up. This just made sense.

How does your schedule look on a game day?

The kids are usually up around 7am. They don't even set an alarm anymore, which is nice. They're my alarm clock. So they'll come running in and I'll help make them breakfast, then shoot off to the rink for the pregame skate. I won't eat lunch at the rink. I'll come home. My wife usually makes me my pre-game meal. It's chicken, gluten-free pasta, broccoli, pretty standard, some avocado on the side.

Then I'll usually play with the kids for about an hour. I'll lay down, take a nap from 2pm until about 3:15. Sometimes I don't even nap. Just close my eyes, lay in bed, just kind of relax and have some quiet. And then I wake up. I'm usually at the rink about two and a half hours before puck drop. Once I get there, I'm getting so old now there's a lot more prep work to be done before warm up, I get my long warm up in and get on with the game.

Are you one of those twitchy goalies that teammates can't even talk to before a game?

No, no. I hate that. Too serious! I'd rather just walk around and have conversations. I can't just shut myself from the world. I'll have my headphones on for about 10 minutes, just after I've got my pads on, just to get in the zone before warm up, but that's about it.

Besides hockey, what's your favorite sport, player or team to watch?

Probably football. I'm a big NFL guy. It seems like D.J. gives us a lot of the Sundays off, which is nice. So I spend the day on the couch. My son's getting into it with me, which is good. I just kind of cheer for my fantasy team players. If I had to pick a team, I'd probably say the Bills, just because they're the closest. They're an exciting team to watch now, and their fan base is nuts, so it's fun to watch their tailgates.

What are your fantasy football team names? Are they awesome?

No comment. You wouldn't be able to print them [laughs].

What was your favourite purchase after you first started making serious NHL money?

Probably my first car. Yeah. Never owned a first car. So with my signing bonus from the Rangers that summer I bought a brand-new Toyota 4Runner. I guess you could say the engagement ring that I bought that summer too. My wife would kill me if I didn't say that one. But I like the car [laughs]!

Speaking of family, with the holidays coming up, tell us about the Talbot Family Christmas.

My wife loves to decorate. My kids love to decorate the house. Our house is always full of decorations everywhere. Usually, we kind of just stick around home if family wants to come in. Now that we've got the kids. We usually get three days off, so I don't want to spend two of them traveling. So it's kind of tough. You only get Christmas Eve to Boxing Day off (from the NHL schedule). So we pretty much just tell our family if anyone wants to come over, feel free. But we just kind of stick around home and do our own thing.

Have you and the family found anything about Ottawa you like so far?

Yeah. Before we moved into our place, we had to stay downtown for a few nights until our furniture arrived. So we got to walk around the Byward Market, see the Parliament buildings and everything, which I'd never even seen before. Every time you come into town, you stay out in Kanata at the Brookstreet. Downtown is really nice, good restaurants. It'd be nice to get out there without the kids for a night, but we haven't been able to do that yet. Just kind of getting around here, going to farmers' markets, going to the Carp Fair. All those little things that you want to see when you get in town.

One of the things we want to do is begin work with Ottawa's children's hospital (CHEO). We're in the process of getting something done with that, maybe bringing kids to a game every once in a while. We've been throwing around the idea of “Talbots Tots” or something like that. We've done that kind of thing in the past with the Oilers. We worked a lot with Ronald McDonald House through the team. But this would be kind of separate, on our own. My wife and I always love doing it, especially around the holidays. It's nice to go and lift the spirits of kids that aren't as fortunate or are going through a tough time.

In recent seasons, Senators' GM Pierre Dorion has put a strong emphasis on filling his roster with high character players. Whether Talbot is here longer term or not remains to be seen. Stranger things have happened. But Dorion definitely found another good one in Cam Talbot.

By Steve Warne

BASELINE ROAD, OTTAWA

For the better part of twenty years, when you thought about health and fitness in Ottawa, Tony Greco was one of the first names that jumped to mind.

Greco and his fitness franchises were everywhere. He was a regular guest on CTV Morning Live, giving fitness tips to viewers, and preaching his popular message: “Live Lean, Live Fit, Live Well.” For 12 years, he also hosted “Greco Lean and Fit,” his weekly Saturday morning radio show on TSN 1200 radio.

But six years ago, he and his business partner made the decision to sell the Greco brand. While they did extremely well on the sale – enough to cruise into retirement – it wasn't long before boredom began to set in.

Greco said. “But I was so bored. All I was doing was calling up friends to go for coffee. It's like, what am I going to do from here on out? What do I love?

“I'm definitely not a guy who could sit behind a desk. I love being on the floor, helping people get stronger and better, physically and mentally, and uplifting their spirits, watching them persevere in their own life. That's what makes me feel really good. So, I said, 'This is what I'm going to do.' It's really not a job for me.

“And if I didn't go back into doing something I loved, I would've been discouraged, miserable, and unhappy. It would've affected everything, including my family life. There's no way I could sit still. It's just not in my genes.”

And with that, Greco vaulted back into the fitness world, where he's most at home – quite literally. He constructed a beautiful fitness facility right in his backyard, just outside of Manotick. If not for all the fitness equipment, one might mistake it for a small, high-end ski chalet.

“I started during COVID with two white tents in the backyard.” Greco said. “And I was sometimes putting a fire on in the morning or having clients training in the rain and I thought, 'This is crazy.' So, I finally said, 'You know what? Build it and they will come. I'm going to build something that people understand.'

“When I sold my brand, Itook some time, about six months, and I really triednot to do anything,”

“I could have just rented some space and signed a lease or done whatever. But I said, 'I'm going to put my money where my mouth is.' And people have seen that. They're like, 'You know what? This guy's serious.' And now it's attracting those kinds of people – people who want to be serious about their health.”

With the famous Greco name being packaged up in the sale six years ago, Tony's new brand is TG Athletics. And with the new banner, Greco (who looks as fit as he did 20 years ago) has also strengthened his fitness concepts, incorporating the latest science, working with Cal Dietz out of the University of Minnesota and Dr. Ben Peterson, now fitness director for the San Francisco 49ers.

“I've learned a lot of lessons and I'll continue to learn more,” Greco said. “TG Athletics is definitely more sciencebased. For example, we know that every dynamic movement has three different tempos: the eccentric component, the isometric component, and the concentric.

“Let's say I'm throwing you a football. My arm would recoil with the ball. And that would be the eccentric component. The slight pause with the football before throwing would be isometric. And the concentric would be the actual throw.

So when we train these three tempos, you generate maximum force of power, becoming stronger and more explosive.”

“We also base a lot of the training on longevity goals. It's all about keeping you much stronger so hopefully, when you're 60 or 70, you don't need a cane to get around.”

Greco continues to train a number of elite hockey players including Vegas Golden Knights' defenceman Ben Hutton; Buffalo Sabres' 2020 first rounder Jack Quinn; LA Kings' 2021 first rounder Brandt Clarke; New Jersey Devils' 2019 third rounder Graeme Clarke; Vancouver Canucks' 2021 6th rounder Connor Lockhart, and OHL players such as Henry Mews (Ottawa 67s) and Stuart Rolofs (Oshawa Generals).

Greco's biggest client remains Claude Giroux, who’s usually leaving for Philadelphia right about now. This year, he's staying put, signing on with the Ottawa Senators over the summer. Now 34, Giroux has been training with Tony through his whole NHL career, and has a good chance to close it out with a spot in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

“Claude is heading into training camp in phenomenal shape. He's just so mentally strong. He's embraced our new training and definitely at the strength and fitness level of these young kids. That's why I'm super confident he's going to do amazing for the Senators. His strength is way up and his speed is still there.”

To that end, Greco and his most famous client have a lot in common. They’re just a couple of veterans, showing no signs of slowing down, and now starting new professional chapters right in their own backyards.

tgathletics.com training@tgathletics.com

By Steve Warne Photography by Sean Sisk

Ifyou’re relying on that single pair of Derby’s in the back of your clos et to fulfill all of your formal-wear needs, then we have bad news: there is a wrong way to wear a dress shoe. Considering that there are dozens of formal footwear options that all fall under the umbrella of “dress shoe”, it’s easy to choose one based solely on looks; unfortunately, this method disregards a few key for mal-wear rules that you should know before you add to cart. To simplify the process, here are the 3 dress shoes that every wardrobe needs—and what makes them different from each other.

THE OXFORD

What makes them different:

Perhaps the most popular choice for a dress shoe, the Oxford is a minimal style that is both versatile and timeless. The Oxford gained momentum in the early 1800’s, par ticularly among students at Oxford University (hence the name), and has been a staple in menswear ever since. This style is characterized by the closed-lacing created by the structure of the facing and vamp (the portions of the shoe from the front of the ankle to the base of the toe), this closed look creates a very snug contour of the foot, making the shoe appear long and slim.

Where to wear them:

Oxford’s are popular because of their versatility. You can wear this style with any formal attire and it will look sharp—making this an ideal option for those looking to add just one dress shoe to their wardrobe. Black leather is the safest choice, as these work for tuxedos, business suits, and even more casual day-to-day styles. Brown leather is also an option— though these won’t work in a black-tie setting.

What makes them different:

The Derby is the Oxford’s more casual younger brother. To the untrained eye, this style can be confused as an Oxford due to its overall look, but the difference between the two changes the structure entirely. The Derby has its facing and vamp in the opposite position as that of the Oxford, which creates an “open-lacing” silhouette, for a wider fit. These shoes were originally used as hunting boots, which explains the prioritization of comfort over style.

Where to wear them:

The Derby is not the shoe to wear with a tuxedo or black-tie outfit. The wide silhouette creates a more casual look (the lacing style is more akin to a running shoe than an Oxford), and pairs better with business-attire or casual outfits, like khaki pants or tailored jeans. These are a worthwhile purchase for those who wear suits to work, or prefer a more elevated look when they’re off the clock.

DERBY THE LOAFER

What makes them different:

If you’re looking for something to set you apart, a loafer is a stylish alternative to the oxford in terms of versatility. This style originated from house slippers worn by British royalty, eventually gaining populari ty as a formal shoe in North America between the 1930’s-’60’s. Loafers are characterized by their lack of laces and a lower topline—giving the shoe a slipper-like appearance. Loafers are often decorated with a saddle or metal feature across the facing.

Where to wear them:

Loafers rank nearly as high as Oxfords for versatility; a classic leather pair will work for both a formal event and a dressed-down occasion. The loafer offers the freedom to show your personal style with the socks you choose and the hardware/decoration that’s used on the facing. Gucci is the brand that brought the loafer into the formal menswear world, so you can’t go wrong with a classic pair from the renowned fashion house if you’re looking for an investment piece.

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The Delfino Group Difference

INVESTING:

everyone agrees that it’s im portant, but no one can seem to agree on much else. With a new survey finding that nearly a quarter of Canadians are look ing to cash out on their invest ments due to market volatility, it seems that the world of per sonal finance has never been more confusing. Enter Paul Delfino, the Senior Financial Advisor and Associate Portfolio Manager of the Delfino Group at Raymond James––who has been walking the walk when it comes to investment advising for nearly 30 years.

Paul’s career began at Royal Trust, taking a position as an Account Manager following his

graduation from the University of Ottawa, where he obtained a Bachelor of Commerce. His career then led him to Scotia bank, where he built his wealth management practice, The Delfino Group, over the course of 25 years. Most recently, his career has brought him to Raymond James, which is one of North America’s leading in dependent full-service invest ment dealers––a move which has solidified Paul’s commit ment to his clients, “Raymond James gives me the platform to build my practice in a more intimate way,” he begins, “[…] our relationship with our clients is the most important, and they are here to support us in that”.

By Maijia Stevenson Photography by Sean Sisk

“I DON’T FORECAST. I BELIEVE THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF FORECASTERS: those who can’t forecast, and those who don’t know they can’t forecast”

The aforementioned confusion surrounding the personal finance world is not news to Paul, and neither are the very real fears that accompany it for his clients; “surprise is the mother of panic,” Paul explains his methodology, highlighting that he takes the time to help his clients understand and plan for volatility in the market, “if they’re not surprised they don’t panic, if they don’t panic they don’t sell, and if they don’t sell they don’t lose”. He describes this as a ‘life boat drill’, comparing the process to the one that you can expect when boarding a cruise ship, “whether it’s your first cruise, or your thousandth, you do a life boat drill,” Paul starts, “before we manage someone’s money or what their plan will be, we show them the ups and downs and historically what they can expect—this is the life boat drill”.

Paul’s focus when managing investments is first and foremost his client’s goals, lifestyle, and needs, “I’m here to give my clients context and insight,” he states, “we don’t time markets. Our plans are 20, 30, 40 year plans, so we’re very detailed, and we’re very strategic”. Risk manage ment is a large part of the service provided by The Delfino Group, which is why they use tried and trusted methods to get you the most out of your investment plan, “we’re not tactical,” Paul explains, “I don’t forecast. I believe there are two types of forecasters: those who can’t forecast, and those who don’t know they can’t forecast,” he continues; “we set up tried and true struc tures, that we know work, and we explain it to our clients so that they can feel confident.”

With his team located in the new Raymond James office in Kanata, Paul is hitting his stride with a strong team of trusted advisors in a prime location for his clients, “many of my clients are in the private sector; a lot of high tech profession als, a lot of engineers—so we opened this office up right on the high tech campus. This sector is growing in Ottawa, and we wanted our branch right in the heart of it,” Paul explains.

The Delfino Group is one of five advisor teams in the Kanata office, each of which with a specific set of skills that offer each client a personalized portfolio management team to best suit their needs––and their team is continuing to grow. “Paul is our anchor tenant, and the reason we opened the Kanata office,” explains Branch Manager, Sarah Brillinger, “since then we have been filling it up with other excellent financial advisors, but we are looking to hire one more advisor team to that space. We at Raymond James believe every financial advisor, like Paul, should have the freedom to grow their practice in the way that suits them best,” she continues, going on to highlight that advisors at Raymond James own their own books, and aren’t held to quotas. “The power is in [the financial advisor’s] hands to run their business as they see fit, with our support. Our firm generally attracts entre preneurial minded individuals who are ready for a different kind of firm.”

As their team of investors grows, Raymond James continues to offer a client-focused approach, which aligns strongly with Paul’s methodology for his practice, as each client is a unique story of a person or family who he has helped through what can feel like a financial minefield. “The thing that makes me most proud in my career is that we’re often lucky enough to work with three generations of a family,” Paul tells Faces, “there’s no better testimony to our service than that loyalty and trust”. When it comes to his team, Paul focuses on their unique abilities to offer his clients the best service, “I like to make sure that we have processes that clear the challenges in the path of my staff, so they can get to work and genuinely enjoy doing what they’re best at,” he explains.

“I believe in processing the pre dictable and personalizing the unpredictable for my team.”

While nothing can match the benefit of sitting down with Paul and his team of ad visors, he is graciously forthcoming with his best advice for those just beginning their investment journey, “spend less than you make,” Paul laughs, “it sounds simple, but it’s strong advice for those starting out with investing,” he continues. “Some peo ple have pension plan, some don’t. If you have a pension plan, you actually invest in it before you feed your family––that disci pline is built in,” he goes on to explain, “if you’re in the private sector, you may not have a pension plan, so you should invest before you pay your rent and before you buy groceries––make those contributions first thing, and you’ll always spend less than you make—18% of your gross income is a good place to start.”

Off the clock, Paul admits to being both an avid golfer, and a huge fan of Jane Austen-style films, “I think people would be surprised to learn that about me,” he laughs, “but I’m a sucker for period pieces!

The more dramatic, the better”. While this revelation may come as a surprise, Paul’s success in the personal finance world remains a logical product of his work, pol icies, and processes. In the words of Jane Austen, “It isn't what we say or think that defines us, but what we do,”—and with a 97% satisfaction rate from his clients, it’s safe to say that what Paul does, he does exceptionally well.

Vitamin D

Your body produces vitamin D when your skin is exposed to sunlight, which can be a bit problematic during the winter when the days are shorter and it’s too cold to spend a lot of time outdoors. Taking a vitamin D supplement has lots of health benefits like healthy bones and improved resistance against certain diseases. It can also help you fight the winter blues.

Beta Carotene

Beta Carotene is vitamin C’s partner in anti-ag ing, and is actually a pigment that’s found in red/orange vegetables like carrots and pump kins. The reason this is such a powerful anti-ag ing agent is because it converts into Vitamin A in your body—also known as retinol. You’ve

Vitamin C

This is many people’s holy grail skincare secret. Vitamin C is an incredibly popular ingredi ent in many topical skincare products, and for good reason—the vitamin has been shown to prevent the signs of aging, prevent sun damage, and improve the appearance of wrinkles, acne scars, and sun spots. Vitamin C also helps to strengthen the immune system, which can prevent stress and fatigue—both of which can contribute to overall skin health. Try adding foods to your diet that are high in

vitamin C— citrus fruits like lemon and oranges, or vegetables like bell peppers and broccoli are great examples. A vitamin C sup plement is also a great option for those who are looking for consistency and routine.

Omega 3

Don’t let the fact that this is technically fat scare you off. Omega-3 is a good fat which contributes to overall skin health by maintaining the cell membrane and naturally lubricating the skin with a protective barrier. This is an especially important item to supplement if you follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, or don’t eat fish often, as omega-3’s are found almost exclusively in fish. This is perhaps the most important to consume, as vitamin C and Beta Carotene (aka retinol in the skin-care paradigm) can both be topically applied for similar results, whereas omega-3’s are absorbed only through consumption.

probably seen retinol advertised on skin care products at the store, mainly because of its anti-aging properties as it increases cell turnover and boosts antioxidants in the body. Beta Carotene supplements are a great addition to any skincare regime, or you can naturally increase your intake by eating more spinach, kale, pumpkin, and carrots.

Cailin McDowell shares her favourite memories from Ottawa and the CFL, and gives us a glimpse of her life as a Cheerleader for the Philadelphia Eagles, both on and off the field.

What were some of your favourite memo ries of growing up in Ottawa?

I grew up in the west end of Ottawa and at tended Sacred Heart Catholic High School. Most of my favorite childhood memories revolve around being at the ice rink. When I think back on my childhood, I think about driving to and from the rink with my dad, going camping in our beautiful provincial parks, watching my favorite movies over and over again with my mum, while Sunday din ner was cooking in the kitchen and hanging out with my best friend Lauren, we were in separable growing up.

What sports did you play growing up? When did you first get into cheerleading?

I grew up as a competitive figure skater! I began skating at the age of three, started competing at the age of five and continued through the Junior competitive level for Skate Canada until I was in my early twen ties. Skating was my everything, and I will be forever grateful to the sport that raised me.

I only started cheerleading at the age of 19, for Ravens Rhythm, which was my universi ty’s sideline dance team. I attended Carleton University, where I obtained my bachelor’s degree in Political Science with honors.

I was also on the Carleton Figure Skating Team at the time and practices were very early in the mornings. Because of this I felt like I had the time to do another activity as I wanted to become more involved in campus life. I had attended a homecoming football game, and that’s where I saw the cheer team for the first time. I loved how confident they looked, and how much joy it seemed to bring them. I knew almost immediately that it was something I wanted to be part of. I will never forget my head coach, Melany Morrison, yell ing “impress me #17!” at our auditions. She saw something in me and pushed me to be the best that I could be. Performance quality did come very naturally to me from my years in figure skating, but it did take time to learn all the basics sideline cheer has to offer.

Tell us about your experience being a cheerleader for the Ottawa Redblacks. What are some of your favourite memo ries from that period of time – and who were some of the people that helped you the most when you first started out?

I cherished the five seasons I had with the Ot tawa Redblacks Cheer & Dance Team. It was truly some of the best years of my life. I made lifelong friends, had the opportunity to travel the country and get a taste of what it felt like

to be a part of something bigger than my self. My most treasured memory was being on the sidelines, cheering the Redblacks on to win the 104th Grey Cup. There is nothing like hearing the roar of the crowd, seeing ev eryone’s hard work pay off, and representing your hometown as they achieve a franchise milestone. The Redblacks program really pre pared me for the high standards and practic es that the Philadelphia Eagles have. Though out of all the veterans who came before me, Jenny Laviolette was a standout. Jenny was a captain on the stunt side of the team, but her kindness, professionalism, attention to detail, and her desire to want our team to be the best that it could be, really inspired me to want to be a captain and lead in the way that she did.

You and your husband, Daniel, both met while working in the sports indus try. Tell us about how you first met and have bonded over sports. Was it love at first sight for you both – or did he have to work on you (or vice versa) to win you over?

Daniel definitely took interest in me first haha! But he was very persistent, and it didn’t take very long at all for me to fall in love with the amazing person that he is. We met in Ot tawa and had to do long distance for a cou ple of years before I made the move to be with him in the United States. We are both extremely competitive and are hugely into sports. We are lucky enough to be located very close to all the major stadiums in South Philadelphia, so we spend a lot of our free time attending Philly sporting events. Dan iel loved converting me into an all-around Philadelphia sports fan and when we’re not cheering on our teams, we love to go golfing together.

You and Daniel were married in June here in Ottawa, why was it important to both of you to be married here in your home town?

It was extremely important for the both of us to marry in the city where we met. We got engaged in Philadelphia at Dil worth Park on the ice rink in front of City Hall. So, it was special for us to have gotten engaged around where Daniel grew up and married where I did.

I also think it was especially important for me to get married in my hometown because it was a reminder that no mat ter where I’m going, or where I’m at, Ottawa will always be my home. We

FACES MAGAZINE OTTAWA also fell in love with our venue, the Fairmont Chateau Laurier, which was the perfect place for us to welcome Daniel’s family to Ottawa, a city that holds a very special place in our hearts and will always be a reminder of the time we shared there.

Tell us about how you became a Cheerlead er for the Philadelphia Eagles. Was it a long tryout process, was it intimidating/were you nervous or are you not someone that gets anx iety about things?

Cheering in the NFL was always a lifelong dream. I was lucky enough to have cheered for five seasons in the CFL and spent two of those seasons as team captain. It shaped who I am as a dancer and as a brand ambassador. However, when I retired from the CFL, I never really felt like that chapter of my life was fully closed. I had auditioned for the Eagles two times before I made the team. I took a step back, and thought what can I do to make myself the best version of myself I can be? I joined the Philadelphia Flyers Ice Team, which was an incredible experience and gave me experience cheering in the United States. But I knew that cheering for the Eagles was my ultimate goal. The audi tion process really showcases what amazing talent we have come to auditions every year. It is very competitive, and the organization is always looking for well-rounded individuals who have a passion for cheer and dance and want to represent the city and team as global brand ambassadors. We have nurses, teach ers, chemists, engineers, etc. on this team and it really is an honor to be amongst them. Yes, I was very nervous! I put everything I had into auditioning and it’s always scary putting yourself out there, but you never know, unless you try, and I’m so glad I never gave up on my dream.

You are one of only 9 new members this season to the Eagles Cheerleading Team, chosen out of hundreds of applicants around the world, which is truly a remarkable feat. Who was the first person you called and why was it import ant for you to call that person first when you got the news you made the team?

I was lucky enough to have received a call from one of the veterans, letting me know that I had made the team. We had been wait ing all day to find out the results. I must have refreshed my email and the official page about 500 times! As fate should have it, my mum was in town visiting so both she and my husband got to witness the call when I found out I made the team, which was really special. I then called my dad back home in Canada, followed by several members of my husband’s family, who have been die hard Eagles fans for generations!

The Eagles Cheerleaders are well-known for their com munity service. What are some things that the team is going to be doing this year in the Philadelphia community and why is it important to you that the team gives back to the city?

One of the best things about being on this team, is being able to give back to the community. I recently obtained my United States Permanent Residency, which allowed me the opportunity to integrate into the Philadelphia community and connect with people from all different backgrounds who have this shared experience. I love being able to meet people from all different walks of life. The effort that the Eagles organization puts forth to ensure that we have the opportunity to be involved in as many community events as possible is outstanding.

One of the biggest reasons why I wanted to be a part of the Eagles Organization, is their commitment to the Autistic community. I have a family member on the spec trum and so it really drove me to want to be a part of an organization that brings so much awareness to a cause so near and dear to my heart. The Eagles Autism Foun dation raises hundreds of thousands of dollars every year in support of this initiative, and I am so proud to be an extension of that important community outreach.

What are you excited about the most this season being an NFL Cheerleader?

I am most looking forward to being back on the field. For me, home is where the field is. One of our captain’s Shardae, shared a quote with us by Scott O’Neil at the beginning of the season, that says, “Be where your feet are”, meaning be present, be mindful and soak in every extraordinary experience that we are given as cheer leaders. Our choreographer Brielle has worked tireless ly to create awe-inspiring routines that showcase the incredible talent we have on the team this year. I love the game of football; I love the city of Philadelphia and I’m so excited to perform for the best fans in the NFL. The energy in the stadium is electric so I’m really look ing forward to looking up and seeing 70,000 faces in the crowd, knowing I am a part of something bigger than this small-town Canadian girl could have ever dreamed of.

Tell us a little about you away from the field:

What is the best concert you’ve ever been to?

The best concert I’ve ever been to was the Shania Twain half time performance at the 105th Grey Cup hosted by Ottawa. It was snowing, she entered on a sleigh pulled by huskies, wearing a bedazzled red jumpsuit… how Ca nadian … how iconic!? Plus, we were on the field in the crowd for the show, best seats in the house.

What is the best movie you’ve seen?

I love Remember the Titans; I watch it every fall. Though, I think a Stranger Things adaptation into a movie would be epic!

Who is someone you admire and why?

I admire my mother most. She is the strongest person

I know and carries herself with such grace, class and always leads with kindness. I hope to be even half the woman she is one day.

What song reminds you of your childhood?

Anything by The Beatles or any rock song from the 70’s. Very thankful that both of my parents have amazing taste in music, so I grew up with the classics!

What are 3 things you never leave home without?

I never leave home without my cellphone, my passport (they won’t accept any other form of my ID in the US) and a package of gum.

What are your 3 favourite places to eat in Ottawa?

I am a diehard Mucho Burrito fan! Chipotle has nothing on them! Lonestar’s fajitas are unmatched and if I’m looking for good food with a good atmosphere, I love grabbing food and drinks with friends anywhere at Lansdowne or in the Market.

Tell us about your family and the role they’ve played in supporting you?

My husband is the most supportive person in the entire world. He was there for me when I didn’t initially make the team and encouraged me to never give up on my dream. With Daniel as my partner, I know that together we can achieve great things in life.

My dad has always said that “you get out of life what you put into it”, which has always driven my work ethic and my mum has always been my biggest cheerleader, reminding me that I can do whatever I set my mind to.

What piece of advice would you give to someone reading this that aspires to follow in your footsteps one day?

I would say that it’s never too late to pursue something that you love! I could have easily taken my ‘no’ from the Eagles the first two times and given up. I could have been discouraged that I don’t come from a studio/com petition dance background and thought I’d never make it. I could have said, 'You know what Cailin, you’re get ting older, time to hang up the poms.' But I persevered, I quieted all the discouraging voices in my head telling me why I couldn’t do it and focused on why I had to do it for myself. I will be forever grateful for trusting that God had bigger plans for me and would encourage any one to step out of their comfort zone and always believe in the power of manifesting your dreams.

W

ords to live by—and to operate a successful wealth management firm by. That’s what Jerry Witteveen and his team at Valcore Planning Solutions have been doing since 2000, growing from a small unit of two (Witteveen and Portfolio Manager Heather MacDonald) to a team of eleven in their Ottawa offices and three in their satellite office in Alexandria.

The collective noun “team” is not an idle selection. At

Valcore—the name is a play on “core values”—financial services are a team sport. Witteveen and his fellow advisors and administrative professionals consider themselves a “family office.” It’s even truer in the literal sense: their client base features multiple generations of the same family, mostly introduced by referral. What draws them to Valcore is the firm’s self-styled approach, which company members proudly hail as “more than a little different.”

By Dan Lalande Photography by Sean Sisk

''IF YOU HAVE INTEGRITY, NOTHING ELSE MATTERS. If you have no integrity, nothing else matters.''

Valcore prides itselfon offering simplesolutions to complexproblems.

Even its motto, all of three emphatic words, is steeped in a persuasive simplicity: Design. Implement. Manage. The company offers insurance and investment solutions, retirement, tax and estate planning. They also excel at working with business owners, offering group benefits and retirement products while helping owners manage their net worth, and succession, tax efficiently. Valcore is stocked with experienced personnel dedicated to the clear definition of their clients’ goals and the installation of investor confidence.

All of this operates by way of a unique internal architecture: “Our practice is very much set up as a corporation,” Witteveen explains.

“We have an insurance department as well as financial planning, portfolio management, tax and estate and group benefits committees. We have a central administration team, headed by Sylvia Giannetti, that ensures the same quality and continuity of service is delivered by all advisors to all clients. A key focus for us and something unique in our industry is that we have a central investment committee that meets regularly to not only make macro asset allocation decisions, but challenge each other on positions, products, and market assumptions. Our Portfolio Managers are able to ensure that our models and portfolios are put together with extensive research, followed daily, and changed when necessary.

Well thought out customized portfolios, not throwing darts.

When explaining how wealth should be managed to a business owner, this type of organization resonates. By nature, entrepreneurs are great at building their businesses, affirms Witteveen. That said, they need an advisor that not only understands the complexities of their corporate structures but is also able to fit those structures into a comprehensive financial plan.

“One of the best qualities most entrepreneurs have is the ability to delegate,” Witteveen cites. “A businessperson needs an advisor in their corner that not only can help manage assets but one that understands their business structure and can translate the legal and accounting noise into solid decisions. Delegating this responsibility to a trusted advisor allows the business owner to concentrate on their business while knowing thoughtful financial planning is being done. It’s also a benefit if the advisor is a businessperson themselves and knows what it’s like to sign the payroll in good times and in bad. I look at it as having a seat at the table of the business owner’s personal board of directors, helping him or her make decisions that will affect them and their family.”

Not an easy role, given the fluidity of the current financial landscape. But Valcore has a solution to that: “Market volatility can be taken advantage of by an investor who knows that there are no liquidity needs from a portfolio when a well thought out plan is in place. Every investment decision we make is made in the context of a plan. Goal-based investing ensures that assets that are required in the

short term are not tied up in investments meant for the long term.”

The steady hand of a trusted advisor, adds Witteveen, referencing his much prized and growing team, has never been more important. “So much has changed over the last number of years: taxes are more complex, markets, products…and access to information is easier than it’s ever been. The industry is complicated, but the job is pretty simple: work hard, keep up with the changing landscape, and always do the right thing. If every action we take is made with integrity, and with the client’s best interest at heart, we know we will make good decisions.”

As for the future of wealth management, Witteveen and his team are brimming with excitement. “I’ve seen the role of a wealth advisor change from a sales job to a professional consultancy relationship,” Witteveen reflects. “There are still salespeople in our business, but the professionals have risen to the top. Wealth management teams with Portfolio Managers that have access to all markets, that take a goals-based approach to investing are managing the assets of Canada’s high-networth clients and their families. I do not see that changing. If anything, I think those relationships will become more entrenched.”

As the founder of Valcore Planning Solutions, Jerry is proud of the team and honored at the trust that clients have placed in them.

The Team: Heather MacDonald (Portfolio Manager); Wade Bedard (Portfolio Manager); Matthew Patafie (Investment Advisor); Justin Downing (Investment Advisor); Loic Kamoso (Investment Advisor Assistant) and the operations team led by Sylvia Giannetti (Financial Advisor) are all passionate about being a part of cutting-edge wealth management office that certainly is “More than a little different” than the rest.

valcore.ca

HANGXIETY: What Is It And How To Avoid It.

dehydrates the body and affects the normal sleep cycle, it becomes glaringly obvious where the correlation occurs. When the body is put in a state of recovery—as is the case the morning after drinking—the physical stress placed on your body can manifest itself emotionally and mentally too.

We’ve all been there: you wake up after a night of drinking in the early hours of morning to a headache, a pit in your stomach, and an overall sense of dread.

Experts are calling this hangxiety, a bout of hangover-induced anxiety that occupies all of the senses and accompanies the general unpleasantness that’s known to come with hangovers (headaches, nausea, exhaustion, etc.).

Those who suffer with hangxiety after a night of drinking share common symptoms: elevated heart rate, paranoia, and an overwhelming feeling of embarrassment, guilt, or worry over their actions from the night before—to name a few.

While experts have concluded that hangxiety appears to be more prominent in those who are predisposed to social anxiety or depression, it can affect anyone, and there are many factors at play that can contribute to this unpleasant experience.

Dehydration and sleep deprivation are two major contributors to the symptoms of hangxiety, as both have been proven to increase anxiety and stress in the body—when you pair this knowledge with the understanding that alcohol

To avoid hangxiety, there are a handful of things you can try both before and after a night on the town to curb or eliminate the symptoms. Preventatively, enjoy drinks in moderation and stay on top of keeping yourself hydrated and wellfed throughout the night, this will help you make a faster recovery the next morning, and may help your stomach settle, prompting you to sleep better.

If it’s too little too late for preventative measures, the best thing you can do is rehydrate and sleep it off; oftentimes it’s the symptoms of a hangover that wake you early the morning after drinking (think pounding head or nausea). Falling back asleep after this initial waking period can do wonders for your physical and mental wellbeing, and is

a true fail-safe way of feeling better. During sleep, your body is able to slow down the processes that exert energy and propel you through the day, giving your vital systems time to recover—this is especially important after a night of drinking, when the internal systems of the body are under greater stress. Combining a prolonged sleep cycle with rehydration can help to treat both the physical and mental burdens of a hangover.

If the sense of dread is still lingering after the physical symptoms subside, then it may be time to turn to a combination of holistic and medicinal approaches. An over the counter pain reliever can help to alleviate any remaining physical ailments that are contributing to the experience of anxiety, and when paired with mindfulness activities—like completing a crossword, meditating, or hitting the gym for a laid-back session—these small things can make a big difference in your mood.

By Maijia Stevenson

By Steve Warne

Thepast few Canadian Football League seasons have been something of a whirlwind for Ottawa REDBLACKS quarterback Nick Arbuckle. There have been ups and downs, peaks and valleys, but through it all, the thing that’s kept Arbuckle energized and inspired is family.

In the summer of 2019, Arbuckle began to turn heads with the Calgary Stampeders, filling in for injured starter Bo Levi Mitchell for a couple of months. In his final game before Mitchell’s return, Arbuckle walked off the stage with a mic drop, completing 31 of 36 pass attempts for 370 yards and four touchdowns.

That impressive stretch suddenly made Arbuckle a known commodity around the league – a fresh, new CFL quarterback, apparently about to move into a full-time, starting role.

Well, he was definitely about to move all right. A lot.

After that season, his rights were traded to Ottawa, where he was scheduled to be the starter in 2020. But then COVID hit, and asbsolutely no one started that ill-fated season. By the following January, as the league prepared to restart operations, the REDBLACKS decided to go in a new direction. They released Arbuckle, who then signed in Toronto.

Near the end of the 2021 season, the Argos traded Arbuckle to Edmonton, where he immediately signed a one year extension. But then they fired their staff a week later. He was back with the Elks to start this year, but when starter Jeremiah Masoli was hurt in Ottawa, Arbuckle was traded back to the nation’s capital where the whirlwind began.

The 29 year old became the starter in Ottawa for the second half of the season. The team was 1-8 at that point, and their playoff hopes were fading. But with Arbuckle under centre, the team fared considerably better, going 3-3 in his first six starts.

Masoli is under contract for next season, while Arbuckle’s deal has just expired. But that doesn’t close the door here. Masoli is 34, five years older than Arbuckle, and has had two major leg injuries in 3 seasons.

So it’s hard to know if Arbuckle’s football version of “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” is ready to slow down or not. But the journey has definitely been fuelled by family, particularly his wife, Zakiyyah, and his two year old daughter, Aaliyah, who’ve been at his side for every step.

“Oh, yeah,” said Arbuckle, with a beaming smile. “There's nothing I love more, or makes me feel happier and more special than my wife and my daughter. For one, they've been through so much with my career, with the support and everything they’ve done. My daughter's been just amazing with the experiences and things she's had to do in just a little over two years of her life.

“It’s just been a unique, special experience from when my wife and I first came up to the CFL in 2016. At that time, I had just finished playing college football and got cut from the NFL. I was living on the couch of one of my teammates from college and Zakiyyah was living with her dad, just outside of Atlanta where we went to college.

“That was our first time being separated from each other. I spent five weeks up here on the practice roster and put together just enough money to come back. We decided to take all of our money that we had saved up out of our accounts, which was just enough to pay for the application fee, the first month's rent and the security deposit to move in together to an apartment. We didn't have jobs at the time, but we said, ‘You know, we're going to do this and figure out how to pay rent going forward.’

“I got back to playing in Calgary and we used the money I made in my first year to pay for our wedding. And then my second year, we got pregnant with our daughter, who was born here in Ottawa during COVID.

“My daughter has now lived in six homes since she was born two and a half years ago. This is her sixth house, fourth city and second country. And that's been a roller coaster for my wife, who's been taking care of her while I've been away for a month at training camp twice, and being away when I got traded here to Ottawa. It was over a month before I was able to get them to move here with me from Edmonton.

“So they've gone through everything to support me and be here for my career. There's no way I could even thank my wife enough and show enough love and care for her and my daughter. And my daughter loves football.

“She always just wants to go to daddy's work, wants to go play football and go on the football field. That’s all she talks about every single day. So it's just fun.”

That created one of the best social media posts of the summer – that video the REDBLACKS put up when Zakiyyah and Aaliyah came to see you at a practice, watching from up in the stands. And you’re down on the field – the big, strong, pro football player – waving and blowing kisses back and forth with your little girl. That was a really nice moment.

Oh, yeah [laughing]. I mean, it's amazing how fast a two year old learns and what they grasp and how their brain starts to put together what's happening in routines and all that stuff.

And just seeing how happy she is every time I come home. This past bye week, she wouldn't let me out of her sight because I was home finally. She's usually not super cuddly. She likes having her own space and playing and running around. But during the bye week, all she wanted to do was just lay on my chest on the couch and cuddle and watch the movie Moana, two or three times a day.

Every time I'd get up to go to the bathroom or get a drink, she would just yell for daddy to come back, like, ‘Come here!’

Let’s get into your formative years. Where did you grow up?

I was born and raised in Camarillo, California.

Any brothers or sisters?

Yeah, three older brothers. The oldest is Matt. He’s 43 this year. And then my next brother is Eric. He’s 34. My other brother is Jarrod. He's 32.

That really seems to be a common thing for pro athletes to be the youngest in the family, chasing older brothers around. Do you feel like that got you off to a great start in sports?

Oh yeah. I mean, just being the youngest and having older brothers who all played sports, were all athletes. Especially having two that were pretty close to me in age with my brother Eric and Jared, who I grew up watching play sports and then playing against them in the yard, playing basketball, football, just getting that competition, that mindset of competing and not wanting to get beat up on while growing up.

And I grew up to be bigger than all of them.

Was there a tune up phase, once you got bigger than them, or a moment in time where the tables turned?

Yeah. Because I got bigger than them very quickly. Going into eighth grade, I was the same size I am now, about six feet, 205 pounds. And I quickly became like the biggest person in the family before I even got to high school.

And competition was everything. When you have older brothers and everybody's an athlete, you're competing to see who finishes their food first, because then you're the person who's going to get seconds.

And who knows if there's going to be enough food for whoever finishes last?

What else can you tell us about childhood in Camarillo, beyond sports and all that competition?

I didn't really have any extracurriculars outside of various sports. And then when I got to high school I committed to being a football player year round. When I was a sophomore in high school and we had 6 am weight lifting, it was my goal to make that lift my second workout of the day.

I’d always go workout at the beach or at the football field at five in the morning. Then I’d lift at 6 am, then do more training after practice or after school during the off season. So I never really did anything other than training and football and other sports growing up. That was kind of always my passion.

Can you tell us about your parents, and how they supported you along the way?

My dad (Steve) was a football coach. So growing up, he coached my brothers. Some of my earliest memories are being on the football field, too young to play. And hanging out there at practice, stealing the water from the players’ water bottles.

My dad always supported me in everything, football or otherwise. Once I got to the high school level, I was known as the huge kid who was a good athlete and dominated on the offensive and defensive line. So I had a conversation with him. I said, ‘I think I'm

athletic enough and good enough to play this past high school. But I know if I'm an offensive lineman, I have to be 300 pounds. I don't really want that. I want to be like my brothers and have the life of a quarterback they had in high school.’

So he came out of retirement to coach my eighth grade team because nobody else really wanted me to play quarterback or even saw me as a quarterback. The other coaches in youth football at that time always knew me as a lineman in my city. And so my dad decided, ‘I'm going to come back to coach so you can play quarterback and get this experience you want to have.’

And so that kind of put me on my path.

Anything I ever needed to do: quarterback coaching camps, going to different colleges and college camps, he invested more money in my career than he probably could afford, just because believed in me and wanted me to have everything I wanted.

And so now, going into my professional career, I'm just trying to repay him for all that.

And then my mom (Michelle), she was always the team mom. She coached my soccer teams when I was like five or six years old. In football, she did all the oranges and snacks, made the t-shirts and the jerseys and she was the loudest one in the stands at every single sporting event that me and my brothers always had.

But she also had a mental illness. She was clinically bipolar and was diagnosed with that around the time that I was born. And that's what took her out of her career. She was one of the top paralegals in our county. She actually started the paralegal association in our county. But her bipolar disorder took her out of being able to work. And so our family suffered through those ups and downs that come with having a parent that has a mental disorder.

And then my freshman year of high school, my mom committed suicide.

Oh, man. I’m sorry.

Thank you. And that's kind of what set me up on my path of working the way I worked and training the way I trained, because it started as a way to kind of escape the thoughts and the kind of the pain and depression that could set in when you lose your parent like that.

And it was just me and my dad in the house at the time. My brothers were away in the Marine Corps and in college so it was always just me and my dad at that point. And my dad retired so he could take care of me. He's 74 now, so he was in his 60s when I was in high school.

So I just buried myself in training because as long as I was training and exerting energy, I wasn't having negative thoughts and all that kind of stuff. And then, in that process, I fell in love with the training and working out and that love of football I developed.

Has that experience contributed to the perspective you have for life and football? Because you seem to have an amazing head on your shoulders.

Oh, yeah. I mean, you never want to lose, but at the same time you have to understand that, just like life, there's always going to be adversity and ups and downs and peaks and valleys.

That's one of the things I've always loved about football. I feel like it's a perfect simulation of what life is all about. And it’s kind of what brings people together on a football team as a family. You have a common opponent or something you’re all trying to overcome together.

And there’s preparation and everything that goes into that. You're all striving for one goal. Sometimes you fall short and it's about how you handle yourself, knowing there's always going to be another opportunity. As long as you're still playing, that's just another opportunity, another day to make up for any mistakes you've made in the past and to always try to improve yourself. You learn a lot more from losing than you do from winning.

Talking about perspective, if you’re watching game film and doing it from the eyes of a winner, you're not focused so much on correcting mistakes because you made up for them and won in spite of the mistakes. But when you lose, you look at every mistake on the game film as an opportunity of what could have been – to change the outcome at the end. So you're looking through everything that happened from the first play to the last play, and if you just did this little thing differently, how could that have changed the outcome? So you learn a lot more.

So we need that adversity – in the game, or football, or in our life in general. It’s how we grow. And that's kind of what I learned, unfortunately, at a younger age than most when you're losing your parents. If you're living a long enough life, you're going to lose your parents one day. And that's going to be for all of us, hopefully, to live long enough for that experience. You don't want it to be when you're in high school and in an unexpected situation, but you still have to keep going and carrying their memory, and making sure you're still striving every day to be better, to keep growing and overcome adversity.

And that's just kind of what I've carried on through my life going forward.

With that level of thoughtfulness and perspective, combined with a tireless work ethic, and galvanized by love of family, it’s impossible to imagine Arbuckle being anything but a success, no matter where his path takes him.

The show I watch the most is The Office. I've seen the Office, all nine seasons, at least 10 to 15 times. It's background noise when I'm not paying attention to what's on the screen. But right now, my wife and I really love Game of Thrones and now, of course, House of the Dragon. Those kinds of shows have really been what my wife and I gravitate toward.

Favourite movie?

I would say one of the movies that I would stop and watch anytime it's on is a movie called Warrior with Tom Hardy. It’s probably not the best movie, but it’s the one that I enjoy watching the most.

Tom Hardy's great in everything. Favourite sports movie?

Friday Night Lights. Okay. Spoiler alert because the hero team doesn't win at the end. So I think it's a little bit different than most of your miracle stories.

Favorite food or meal?

Crab legs. If my wife and I want to celebrate something big and spoil ourselves for dinner, we usually go to a southern seafood restaurant and get king crab legs and all that.

The quarterback from any point in history you most admire?

Tom Brady for sure. Just the longevity and everything he's done.

What’s the best advice you'd give to a young football player or athlete?

Be the hardest worker. I'd say it’s one of the things that helped me the most. Because playing quarterback and playing sports is all about confidence and I wasn't a naturally super confident person. If you work the hardest, you can build confidence and build your belief in yourself off of that, just knowing that every time you step on the field or at the court or whatever you're playing, that nobody's worked and trained for that moment more than you have.

TWO

DRILL: SIX FUN QUESTIONS FOR NICK ARBUCKLE

By Steve Warne

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He had started his first business at twenty and had helmed three others by the time he reached twenty-seven. That’s a lot of ownership in a small amount of time. Switching tack, he worked in a variety of industries for other successful entrepreneurs, taking him to Burlington, Louisville, Kansas City, Brampton, Mississauga, and Niagara, among other places.

or rather, an HR specialist from Ottawa. Trico, a family-owned printing business, found itself in need of a proven, hard-working sales manager with general manager aspirations. Having spent some time in the printing business, Hothi instantly recognized the opportunity to relocate to a vibrant mid-sized city and to put his cando spirit to constructive, career-making use, with plans to expand the company’s capabilities and client base. It would also allow him to be more present for his children.

A mere four years later, with the dramatic disruption of the pandemic no less, Trico Packaging and Print Solutions, as it’s known today (but not for long; more on that development later), is the fastest-growing commercial printer in Eastern Ontario. It recently acquired So-Tek Graphics and Marquardt Printing, has converted its packaging arm into an environmentally minded separate interest, Iron Bull Industrial Packaging and Sanitation, and continues to actively entertain partnership and acquisition opportunities.

IN 2018, MICHAEL HOTHI HAD COME TO A CROSSROADS.

That’s when providence interfered—

Tries it all at Trico

By Dan Lalande Photography by Sean Sisk

The big push was put into motion after Hothi became principal owner in February of

2020…we all know what happened the following month.

“It was pretty scary,” the normally undaunted Hothi reflects. “Almost instantly, you had everybody press pause. There was an aggressive growth model that I had been planning, but that needed to change because now, there were no doors open.”

Never one to shirk from a challenge, Hothi, sharing Canadians’ frustration over the unreliability of early offshore mask production, recognized a way to buoy his company while accommodating the greater good. “A week later,” he explains, “we were a buyer-seller in the mask business. We began by supplying local hospitals and businesses. Then, we installed a cleanroom right here in our own facility and obtained the necessary medical device licensing from Health Canada. By July, we were rolling masks off of our own production line. By September, we had a second machine and were running two shifts on each, 24-7.”

Local supply of much-needed healthcare devices remains a viable part of Trico’s business. The company has even expanded into a successful line of Health

and Safety products. “We’re very proud of the path we’ve taken,” beams Hothi about Trico’s exemplary pivot. “We were fortunate too that over that time, the printing business started to revive. Today, business has returned to normal.”

That normality includes the reclamation of Trico’s top-dog status in Ottawa’s commercial printing space and the continuation of Hothi’s expansionist vision. As was announced as this year’s FACES-sponsored National Capital Charity Classic golf tournament, Trico Packaging and Print Solutions will soon rebrand as Trico Communications (told ya we’d get there). Under this banner, Trico will offer full media campaign development solutions, from print and digital requirements, like the direct mail services that have been a mainstay of their business, to data collection capabilities.

“Ottawa has a number of agencies who do those things very well but on a limited basis; they have outsource partners. Plus, it will allow us to sit with a customer and get to know them intimately.”

The latter is a matter of reputation at Trico. As one satisfied online reviewer put it, Trico is a “big operation with a small shop heart.” Vows Hothi, “That’s something I want to maintain as an owner. Coming to the Ottawa market from the Toronto area, my definition of the place was a ‘big little city’—so I

“It’s something that makes us unique,” Hothi maintains.

want us to be a ‘big little company.’ We want to be the one that can always say, ‘Hey, sure, we can do that’ or ‘No problem.’ We want to remove the burden so that they can run their business and allow us to support them any way we can.”

While Trico’s heart remains in Ottawa, its eye is on greater geographic territory—something that for now, the ever-driven but smartly cautious Hothi can only hint at. “We can’t name names right now,” he offers with delicate excitement, “but we’re looking at an acquisition that will help us expand into the Toronto market by the start of next year.”

If his propensity for grandiosity and the hard work that comes with it makes Hothi sound like someone who always needs to have something going, you’ve got him properly pegged.

“I’m a businessman. I enjoy the game of business,” he declares with a winning mix of matter-of-factness and palpable enthusiasm.

“Whether that’s widgets or gadgets or whatever, it doesn’t really matter. It’s the thrill of playing I enjoy.”

tricopps.com