February/March 2014

FEBRUARY / MARCH 2014

S E R V I N G C O M M U N I T I E S I N F O R E S T H I L L , L E A S I D E , R O S E D A L E A N D L AW R E N C E PA R K

Passion for pastry Pâtisserie La Cigogne crafts classic desserts

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contents 20 28

49 6 | Goodlife - February - March 2014

pearly greats

adrienne clarkson

in the kitchen

portfolio

spree

at home

chocolate cheer

getaways

people

‘Sea’ what’s in store with these modern pearl jewelry pieces

GoodLife pays a visit to the home of our former governor general

Pastry Chef Thierry Schmitt bakes up some sweet treats

Samantha Sandbrook looks to the runway for inspiration

This selection of table lamps will make things crystal clear

Jamie Alexander and Glen Peloso: Rosedale reno gets designer touch

Milk, dark and white chocolate make appearances in these recipes

Cheese, chocolate, castles and cows: you’ll find it in Switzerland

John Child boosts profile of volleyball in midtown Toronto

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• EDITOR’S NOTE •

Cosy up tight for a really good read

ON THE COVER: Photo of Adrienne Clarkson, by Nick Perry.

8 | Goodlife - February - March 2014

by Peter Haggert

an eye on stouts for St. Patrick’s Day. Our shopping ‘spree’ motivators give you well-rounded ideas for the home and for dressing in style. And if that’s not enough, warm up with a fiery game of volleyball, courtesy of Leaside’s John Child, an Olympic bronze medalist from 1996. An inaugural member of the Leaside Sports Hall of Fame – struck during Leaside’s 100th anniversary year – John didn’t even make his high school volleyball team in Grade 9. So he took to the beach (bet it’s warm there) and the rest is history. While perhaps we can convince ourselves winter is over – not so for our pets. Please read our tips for getting your best furry friend through the remainder of the season without having it develop cabin fever. Thanks once again for reading GoodLife magazine. Our niche is to cover your part of the city and reflect the interests of your community. As always we love to hear from you – let us know how we’re doing.

Contact GoodLife magazine Editor-in-Chief Peter Haggert at phaggert@insidetoronto.com

lease forgive us if we tended to stray to indoor topics this month. Perhaps the power of suggestion will help melt the city snow. Arcade Fire? Gone with the Wind? Monopoly? Who knew these would be favourites of former governor general, The Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson. There’s lots more exposed in writer Fannie Sunshine’s feature on the popular midtown uber-Canadian, who says she feels half her age. What a wonderful attitude for such a Canadian leader, whose life has embraced so many truly Canadian experiences. One comes away from the story absorbed by the experience and energy of the subject. And one gets the feeling there’s always another adventure in the planning. We should all plan so well. Certainly the warmth of our food selections this month will motivate a reader to stay indoors to try some of the scrumptious recipes. From the wonderful world of pastry chef Thierry Schmitt, owner of Pâtisserie La Cigogne – who delightfully shares a number of sweet-treat recipes – to recipes of chocolate, chocolate, and more chocolate, there’s definitely a theme of treating oneself with the delicate yet delicious in this edition. We round out our food and drink exploration with a menu of flavourful wines and

Publisher Ian Proudfoot

Mailing address: Metroland Media Toronto 175 Gordon Baker Rd. Toronto, ON, M2H 0A2 For further information regarding all our products, please call us at 416-493-4400

General Manager Marg Middleton Editors Julie Caspersen Alan Shackleton Antoine Tedesco Advertising Director Rob Falbo Regional Director of Production Katherine Porcheron Graphic Design Julie Caspersen Story Contributors Rebecca Field Elizabeth Glassen Izabela Jaroszynski Erin Lukas Nick Perry Justin Skinner Diane Slawych Fannie Sunshine Photography Contributors Ian Kelso Dan Pearce Nick Perry

GoodLife is a lifestyle magazine published six times per year: February/March, April/May, June/July, August/September, October/November, December/January by Metroland Media Toronto, a division of Metroland Media Group Ltd. It is delivered to 20,000 households in the Forest Hill, Leaside, Rosedale and Lawrence Park neighbourhoods of Toronto, to households served by The City Centre Mirror or The East York Mirror. GoodLife magazine is also available at select retail locations in these areas. Statements, opinions and points of view expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent those of the publisher, advertisers or GoodLife magazine. All rights reserved. Any reproduction of this publication in whole or in part must be approved by the publisher.

Ian Proudfoot Publisher Marg Middleton General Manager Peter Haggert Editor-in-Chief Warren Elder Director of Advertising Debra Weller Regional Director of Classified, Real Estate Mike Banville Director of Circulation Katherine Porcheron Regional Director of Production

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• shopping •

mother of spree By ERIN LUKAS

Jewelry that says goodbye to outdated strands

Pearl jewelry sets are covetable once again thanks to the sleek and refined design of Marina Babic’s Dew Drops earrings and necklace. Handcrafted by the designer in Toronto using 18K gold and Akoya pearls, the striking pair of pieces are perfect to wear any time and with any outfit. Dew Drops Earrings, $1,075 and Necklace, $980 by Marina Babic. marinababic.com

7 Wrap your wrist with some flair. The subtle details like the textured body of Fine Jewellery’s sturdy sterling silver and 14K yellow gold bangle refresh this bracelet silhouette. Fine Jewellery Sterling Silver, 14K Yellow Gold And Pearl Bangle, $1,000 at Hudson’s Bay. thebay.com

10 | Goodlife - February - March 2014

Opulence is no longer reserved to cocktail hour when you have a pair of pearl and cr ystal chandelier earrings by Miriam Haskell grazing your neck. Whether you reserve these dangly earrings for after work soirées or dress them down on the weekend, you’re certain to make a statement. Miriam Haskell Earrings, $295 at Holt Renfrew. holtrenfrew.com

Brighten up sombre winter days with a colourful pair of drop earrings. Made of 18K yellow gold with pink freshwater pearls, blue topazes and pink tourmalines this pair from Maison Birks are a fun twist on the classic earring shape. Marco Bicego Gemstone and Pearl Drop Earrings, $795 at Maison Birks. maisonbirks.com

Add a stylish, yet elegant ring to your collection. With its unique setting featuring a cultured Tahitian pearl surrounded by a swirl of 14K white gold and sparkling diamonds, you’ll never want this ring by Effy Collection to leave your finger. Effy Collection 14K White Gold, Diamond and Tahitian Pearl Ring, $2,900 at Hudson’s Bay. thebay.com

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ADRIENNE CL AR KS ON

• feature •

GoodLife pays a visit to the midtown home of our former governor general to chat about retirement, cooking and her charity, the Institute for Canadian Citizenship. >>

By FANNIE SUNSHINE PHOTOGRAPHY BY NICK PERRY GoodLifeMagazine.ca | 13

• FEATURE •

f you asked the 26th governor general of Canada her age, the answer just might surprise you. “In my head, I’m always 37,” says The Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson. “When I first asked my mother how old she was, she said 37. It seemed like a lovely age and I decided to stay 37.” Though she does indeed look decades younger, Clarkson celebrated her 75th birthday Feb. 10, but is saving the big party for five years down the road. “The average life expectancy in Canada is 81,” she says from a sitting room inside her 5,000-square-foot Victorian home in midtown Toronto. “We’re blessed with a great medical system. A group of us have birthdays in February and March so I think I’ll wait. My age is

14 | Goodlife - February - March 2014

always plastered across Rogers television on my birthday, but I don’t think of age at all in terms of my own life.” Since her time as governor general ended in 2005, age certainly hasn’t played a role for Clarkson, who doesn’t believe in retirement. “People will stop me on the street and ask how I am enjoying retirement,” she says. “Depending on who they are, I either say yes, I’m reading on the hammock. Or I tell them about the ICC.” Clarkson founded and co-chairs, along with her award-winning essayist and novelist husband, John Ralston Saul, the Institute for Canadian Citizenship (ICC), a national, non-profit charity encouraging active citizenship through programs, collaborations and volunteer opportunities.

“When I left Rideau Hall, I reflected on my life, my meaning,” says the daughter of Chinese immigrants, who came to Canada with parents William and Ethel Poy from Hong Kong and settled in Ottawa in 1942. “People come here with nothing and feel the sky’s the limit. I want everyone to feel they have access to everything I had: school, cultural institutions. I don’t believe in ‘I have it tough, so you have it tough.’ We must help. We came to Canada at a time when Chinese were not welcomed as immigrants, but we realized how decent and kind Canadians were to us.” Clarkson, a fixture at the CBC for years before becoming governor general, has called Avenue Road and Bloor Street home since her late teens, naming at >>

• FEATURE •

>> least four former residences within a one-mile radius of the affluent neighbourhood. “We bought a house on Hazelton in 1979 for $149,000,” she recalled. “A friend told us it was a waste.” After renting it out during her time at Rideau Hall, Clarkson felt it was too small when she returned to life in the city. “I don’t know how people move into condos when they get older,” she said. “I find I need more space, not less.” During her last year as governor general, a real estate agent friend sent her a listing for a home on the west side of Avenue Road, confident Clarkson and her husband – who weren’t even looking to move – would love it. Her first impression was not a great one. “It was grim looking,” she said of the address former prime minister Lester B. Pearson called home. “The floors were all dark, but I could see a pattern. The walls were all white when we bought it.” Speaking of white, at the time of this interview Christmas was days away, with a big tree in Clarkson’s sitting room and holiday decor throughout. But one card, white in colour, stood out on the mantle – from Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. “She always sends a card every year,” Clarkson said. “It’s hand signed in real ink.” Clarkson revamped the house, which was designated with a Heritage Toronto plaque in September, in warm, deep colours and uncovered the original cherry, maple and black walnut flooring. “I’ve never used a decorator for my own house,” she says. “Rideau Hall had an official decorator. I chose the colours and they pulled it all together. In my own life I’ve always done the decorating myself. I really enjoy doing decorating, this is the fourth or fifth house I’ve done. But I could never be a professional decorator because I wouldn’t care what the client liked, if I liked it I’m doing it.” Now one decorating question remains: what to do with the oval ceiling in the sitting room. “I’d like to do a sky with clouds, but I don’t know when I will get around to it,” she says. An avid nature enthusiast, Clarkson shuns the Toyota Avalon she shares with her husband (it has 55,000 kilometres on it and was bought at the same time as the house) in favour of walking and public transit, whether it’s to visit her children on Danforth Avenue or shop for pieces by one of her favourite fashion designers, Issey Miyake. “I’ve worn Issey Miyake for 30 years,” says >>

Adrienne Clarkson’s favourite things Favourite travel destination: France Favourite movie: Gone With the Wind Favourite food: foie gras Favourite band: currently it’s Arcade Fire, but The Beatles overall Favourite TV show: Homeland Favourite accessory: currently it’s a necklace made up of little wire squares Favourite colour: periwinkle Favourite holiday: Italy Favourite scent: lilac Favourite board game: Monopoly

GoodLifeMagazine.ca | 15

• FEATURE •

Clarkson, who briefly searched her home, along with an assistant, for a multi-coloured frock by the designer which she immediately donned. “I like Japanese designers because they are original. Originality is important. I keep clothes for a long time. The secret is keeping the same weight.” Of course, her wardrobe is also made up of more casual, everyday pieces, including clothing from the Gap and Mark’s. In many ways Clarkson, who finds joy in the kitchen and garden, is just an ordinary citizens. She learned to cook in France during her post-graduate days, and likes to come home to make French, Italian, Chinese or North African dishes. “We made the most marvellous meals you could ever imagine,” she says of her time in France. “Six people is the maximum I can cook for. After six, it becomes a managerial problem. If you want to do it well, you cook for four to six people. What I like best about

it is the rewards are immediate. If you’re writing, you have to wait months or years (for reaction), it’s delayed gratification.” Come spring, she can be found in the garden tending to her hellebores and toad lilies. And three times a week, Clarkson is at a pilates studio. Exercise and walking, weighing yourself every day, and getting into nature are her top health tips, for which she leads by example. And she is still close with her friends from Sunday school. “I’ve always wanted to live an interesting life, and I have,” Clarkson says. “I’ve been lucky, I’ve had reasonably good health and a pacemaker doesn’t hold me back.” But not everyone has travelled the world, met royalty, and attended the memorial for the late South African president Nelson Mandela, who died Dec. 5. “It was extraordinary,” Clarkson says of the memorial. “South Africa and apartheid was our defining political cause in the ’60s. We boycotted South African wine and Rothman

cigarettes.” Clarkson incorrectly stated Mandela would never taste freedom in a documentary she flew to South Africa to make in the late ’70s, a prediction she is happy was wrong. Mandela came to Canada four months after his release in 1990 and was scheduled to stay at Rideau Hall, but problems navigating stairs meant he ended up staying at the Fairmont Château Laurier. “He was the greatest man who ever lived,” Clarkson says of Mandela, who was made an honourary Canadian citizen in 2001. Asked if there was somewhere she always wanted to visit, she says Ethiopia topped the list, to which she travelled last year with her husband as part of his work as president of PEN International, a worldwide association of writers. “It was marvellous!” Clarkson says, hand on chest, eyes wide, her voice rising from her usual measured tone. “It’s a wonderful country.” GL

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16 | Goodlife - February - March 2014

• FEATURE •

‘Six people is the maximum I can cook for. After six, it becomes a managerial problem. If you want to do it well, you cook for four to six people.’ ~ Adrienne Clarkson

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• IN THE KITCHEN •

SWEET

PASTRY CHEF THIERRY SCHMITT, OWNER OF PÂTISSERIE LA CIGOGNE, TRANSLATES THE FLAVOURS OF FRANCE FOR TORONTO TASTEBUDS

BY REBECCA FIELD PHOTOGRAPHY BY NICK PERRY

verywhere you turn in Pâtisserie La Cigogne, you’ll encounter the delicious smell of fresh-baked macarons, almond croissants and Madeleines. Under the tender love and care of owner and French pastry chef, Thierry Schmitt, and his wife, Juan, the patisserie has brought the tastes of Strasbourg to Leaside for the past decade. GoodLife: Where did you study in France? Thierry Schmitt: In Strasbourg. I did my masters degree in pastries and confectionery – in chocolate. It’s a long process because to start the masters you need to be working four or five years as a professional. 20 | Goodlife - February - March 2014

GoodLife: What made you want to get into this career? Thierry Schmitt: I didn’t have a real reason. I was young at this time. You have to do something with your life. You only become very good at this if you have patience or if you like to do it. You’ll know after a year or two if you’re fed up with it or if you still have the patience. You have to create your own stuff, you have to make it, you have to decorate it and after when you sell it to somebody, it’s a gift. It has to look attractive. It’s the eye who buys it. The key is to sell it, it’s not to put it there for days. GoodLife: Where did you work when you came to Toronto in 1995? Thierry Schmitt: I worked for a few companies

in Toronto, Mississauga and Thornhill. My English was not as good. My knowledge about Canadians was not good – you know you have to learn about them. If you want to make food for them you have to be very close, what are their tastes? What’s good here in Toronto is that you have so many multicultural people, which means you can make any cakes. I make 25 to 30 different varieties, there’s always one that’s going to feed you. It’s a challenge for me what with the nut allergy – I’d never heard of that in all those years in France. In France most of the pastries are with almonds, they’re our most popular overall. I just had to make up and adjust some recipes to be able to sell some cakes also without almonds. >>

• IN THE KITCHEN •

GoodLife: There are Canadian cities where people predominantly speak French. Why did you choose Toronto? >>

Thierry Schmitt: I came here in the ’90s as a tourist. I already had an established business in France. I was thinking about doing something here because there were not a lot of patisseries like I had in France. Especially in France, you have one patisserie on each corner. Montreal, it’s the same – you have a lot of patisseries. I saw the need here in this city. You have to follow your instincts. (The patisseries) are very well appreciated. I would always get good feelings and good feedback. After I met my wife in 2001, she pushed me – she wanted to work with me and run a store.

Clockwise from above: some of Chef Thierry Schmitt’s tools of the trade; almond croissants; a display of hand-made truffles; fresh loaves of French baguettes. On the previous page: Chef Schmitt at the Bayview Avenue location of Pâtisserie La Cigogne; inset, a heart-shaped cake that promises the perfect combination of dark chocolate mousse and raspberry mousse (recipe on the next page).

Goodlife: What made you decide to open in Leaside? Thierry Schmitt: The products, probably somewhere else they probably won’t go as well. It’s important to focus somewhere where you have potential clients who are going to buy a highend product. Leaside is one of those locations in Toronto. I have clients who come in every day, I have clients who come in two or three times a week and I have clients I see once in a while. It’s a food business. People are eating two or three times a day. I have some retired people who are coming in for breakfast, coming in for lunch, and then sometimes I see them again. Goodlife: What are your busier times of the year? Thierry Schmitt: Every month there is something going on. February it’s St. Valentine. The cakes are mostly little things, small portioned. It’s not a family celebration, it’s couples, so a little bit smaller stuff. GL The French word for stork is la cigogne, a symbol of good luck in Alsace, a region in the northeast of France. Pâtisserie La Cigogne offers classic recipes from the land of the stork at its location at 1626 Bayview Ave. Call 416-487-1234 and visit patisserielacigogne.com

GoodLifeMagazine.ca | 21

• IN THE KITCHEN: RECIPES •

Desserts for your loved ones from the kitchen of chef thierry schmitt

raspberry & dark chocolate heart-shaped mousse cake INGREDIENTS

METHOD

Royaltine sponge 65 g milk chocolate 34 per cent

Royaltine sponge:

Raspberry mousse 35 g sugar

Use a rolling pin to crush the royaltine cookies. Use microwave to melt the milk chocolate. Please use with caution, only 25 to 30 seconds each time. Stir until it becomes creamy, smooth and reaches body temperature. Pour melted milk chocolate, hazelnut praline or Nutella and royaltine crumbs in a large bow; stir to mix properly. Place the mixture at the bottom of a mould, press it flat and even. Place it in fridge to set.

165 g raspberry puree (you may use fresh raspberries crushed in a blender)

Raspberry mousse:

Dark chocolate mousse: Melt dark chocolate in microwave, 30 seconds at a time, until it reaches body temperature, or becomes a runny liquid. Meanwhile, whip the 35 per cent cream until it forms soft peaks. Cook 30 g of water and 100 g of sugar to boil until 115 C Beat the 2 egg yolks in a large bowl, add boiled (115 C) sugar syrup mix into the yolk. Stir the melted dark chocolate into the egg yolk/sugar mixture. Finally, add the whipped cream into the chocolate mix, folding gently until evenly mixed; pay extreme attention, do not over mix.

Soak gelatin leaves in cold water until they are softened. Pour 35 per cent cream in a countertop mixer. Start on low speed. After a minute turn to high speed and whip until it forms soft peaks. Place the soft and wet gelatin in a bowl. Melt in the microwave for 10 seconds or until the liquid reaches body temperature. Pour gelatin liquid into raspberry puree and sugar, stir until sugar is melted. Fold the whipped cream into raspberry puree/ gelatin mix, fold gently until evenly mixed – do not over mix. Set it aside until ready to use.

Bring out the mould that has royaltine bottom from the fridge. Pour the chocolate mousse in mould, fill to 60 per cent of the mould, sprinkle some fresh raspberries and pour raspberry mousse in mould and fill up to the top, level it with a palette. Put the cake and its mould in freezer to set overnight. The next morning, run the mould under hot water. The cake will easily pop out. Garnish with more raspberries and serve. You can make this cake in small, clear plastic cups and serve them as individual dessert.

65 g hazelnut praline (you may use Nutella as a substitute) 85 g royaltine cookies (crushed egg roll cookies; you may find tins of egg roll cookies in Chinese supermarkets)

300 g 35 per cent whip cream 6.5 g gelatin leaves half pint of fresh raspberries Dark chocolate mousse 300 g 35 per cent cream 165 g 72 per cent dark chocolate 100 g sugar 30 g water 2 egg yolks 22 | Goodlife - February - March 2014

• IN THE KITCHEN: RECIPES •

macarons Makes 12 to 15 heart-shaped macarons 180 g egg whites 2 g cream of tartar 45 g sugar 225 g fine white almond flour 400 g icing sugar Whip the egg whites, cream of tartar and sugar together until soft peaks form. Add colouring if desired. Mix almond flour and icing sugar. Make sure these two dry powders are mixed properly.

Combine the egg white mix and almond flour mix into one bowl, fold evenly, until the mixture becomes shiny. Place a sheet of parchment paper or silicone baking mat on a baking tray. Pour mixture into a piping bag, and pipe on the tray. If you are not comfortable with heartshaped piping, try starting with 1 1/2-inch round shape. Set the tray aside to dry for half an hour. Bake for 25 minutes at 250 F. Let cool. Add desired filling – jam, butter cream, sea salt caramel ganache. Put two shells together like a sandwich.

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300 g flour 15 g baking powder Melt the butter in microwave for 30 seconds. Stir the whole eggs and sugar together at low speed. Gently add milk, flour and baking powder. Add the melted butter at the end. Blend at low speed until evenly mixed. Put the mixture in fridge to rest for two hours. After two hours, pour mixture into a piping bag, pipe into a Madeleine mould. Bake at 400 F for 12 minutes. GoodLifeMagazine.ca | 23

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• SHOPPING •

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are created with high-end saffiano leather, resistant to scratches and stains. The Prada Bauletto bag screams style – whether it’s going to work or a night on the town (and this bag is tough enough to handle either). $1,650 at Holt Renfrew, holtrenfrew.com

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We have the cure with these dazzling pieces in one of the season’s hottest shades By Elizabeth glassen

Kimberley Newport-Mimran for Pink Tartan, this gator-inspired dress is made for comfort and its formflattering shape fits perfectly to your body. Made with a soft cotton, Pink Tartan’s Gator Knit Dress is the perfect choice for an outfit that can take you from workday chic to night-out sleek. $425 at Pink Tartan, pinktartan.com

7 Made by Canadian designer

Known for his fashionforward designs, Manolo Blahnik has become the authority in the world of shoes and this flat is no different. Covered in satin and topped with a crystal embellishment at the toe, Manolo Blahnik’s HNG FLT shoe is sure to stand out no matter where you take it. Not a fan of flats? This style also comes as a stiletto with a four-inch heel. $955 at Davids, davidsfootwear. com

Perfect for an at-home manicure, Essie’s Butler Please polish provides a great pop of colour that will spruce up any outfit this spring. Pair this polish with a like-coloured purse to really make it stand out, and don’t forget to use a clear top coat to keep this perfectly polished mani looking great for longer. $9.99 at Shoppers Drug Mart GoodLifeMagazine.ca | 25

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• PORTFOLIO •

ARTISTprofile Samantha Sandbrook by rebecca field Photography by DAN PEARCE

ntering into the whimsical home of Samantha Sandbrook is like walking into a fairy tale. The painter’s canvases are hanging on the walls, setting the aesthetic for the ethereal style that is present both in her Forest Hill home and in her artwork. What’s selling best right now is Sandbrook’s ‘Runway’ series: a manicured hand; a pair of shoes; a designer dress worn by a model as she walks down a runway. Visible on the canvas are flashes from cameras – the ever-present voyeur watching her every move, or in this case, a frozen moment in time created by the strokes of Sandbrook’s paintbrush. “These are probably the most conceptual pieces I’ve done. It has that sense of ‘you’re not alone.’ There is someone else in the painting but you just can’t see them,” says Sandbrook from her home near St. Clair Avenue and Yonge Street. Many of her clients use the paintings in their spacious closets or dressing rooms. “They’re also selling really well because they’re sort of objects of beauty,” says Sandbrook, who has a bachelor of fine arts from Queen’s University, and also studied at OCAD University to become a children’s book illustrator before working as an art consultant and finally moving on to private sales and gallery shows. The ‘Runway’ works are water-based oil paintings with a shiny resin on top to give them more of a magazine feeling. “They’ve been selling really well in Toronto. I’ve actually been having a really hard time keeping up with it right now,” says Sandbrook. She’s sold around 30 paintings from the series in just over a year of working on it. Up at the top level of her four-storey townhouse is a wall displaying some more of Sandbrook’s muses. Six youthful, fresh-faced >> 28 | Goodlife - February - March 2014

Samantha Sandbrook in her Forest Hill home, one of her ‘Runway’ artworks behind her. Below, a water-based oil and resin painting called Dissolving Marilyn; an oil and resin painting titled Ophelia Softening.

• PORTFOLIO •

Runway 15 is part of Samantha Sandbrook’s ‘Runway’ series. >> women are immortalized on the wall outside her two daughters’ bedrooms. “For whatever reason I’ve been obsessed with wistful women looking off into the distance, like what are they thinking of?” says Sandbrook, who boasts being able to recite much of Romeo and Juliet and the Lady of Shalott by heart. The paintings are surrounded by hundreds of butterflies hand cut by Sandbrook herself. The portraits were inspired by the literary characters Ophelia, the Lady of Shalott and Juliet. Sand-

brook admits an attraction to creating “unabashedly girly” artwork. She attributes her girly style to her two daughters, who are five and two years old. “Ever since I’ve had them I just feel like I’ve become a little girl again,” says Sandbrook. “I’m able to look at the world with this childlike naïveté.” “I’ve always been told that portraiture is really hard to sell. But I think that because they’re painted in this sort of soft, wistful way, they find

them really beautiful,” says Sandbrook. “I had a woman cry in my booth looking at them at the One of a Kind Show,” a Canadian shopping tradition for those in search of the unique, handcrafted and the fantastic. Her focus is to target those with an appreciation of her use of soft palette colours instead of appealing to a mass audience. Up next is an experimentation in Degas-style behind-the-scenes paintings of fashion shows to complement her Runway series. “When you’re not aware that people are looking at you, there’s something about that idea,” says Sandbrook. “The idea of being watched but not knowing about it and how that changes the way we walk; what does our quiet face look like?” GL

Samantha Sandbrook is a participant in The Artist Project, a contemporary art fair set for Feb. 20 to 23 at the Better Living Centre, Exhibition Place. Visit http:// samanthasandbrook.com

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• WINE •

favourite finds

from Sonoma, with cassis, violets and inding worthy luxury wines for black cherry lushness. The drink is the wine connoisseurs in this Vinmost sumptuous California pinot noir tages “Smart Buys” release was I have tasted in the last year. a challenge because it’s a sea of subTurning away from Vintages, I sel$20 goodies. dom write about general list wines And as usual, a price tag of $50 is no priced more than $20, usually conguarantee of high quality in the bottle. centrating my relentless focus on inIn fact, I always marvel at the number BY GORD STIMMELL expensive bargains. of wines that sell for $30 or more that A couple of the pricey reds are worth pointing out for weekend fine dinI wouldn’t pay $10 for. ing. Chateauneuf Du Pape 2011 Clos Du Calvaire (No. 296855, $29.95, 91) The handful of outstanding whites includes Chateau Vitallis Vieilles Vignes shows complex violets, blackberries, spice box, vanilla bean and garrique in a 2010 Pouilly Fuissé (No. 360495, $27.95, 91), a big expressive Burgundy mellow blend of grenache, syrah and cinsault from the Rhune. white with smoke, yellow apple and crisp minerals, perfect for seafood. A second highly recommended red is Bonacchi 2007 Brunello Di MonAlso from France is Jean-Pierre & Alexandre Ellevin 2011 Chablis (No. talcino (No. 266965, $35.80, 91+) with fragrant spicy black cherry, violets, 160200, $22.95, 90+) with lemongrass, lime and zingy clean apple crispsmoked meat, vanilla and lavender nuances, a 100-per-cent sangiovese from ness. sunny Tuscany. Despite the vintage, 2007, this is still an infant. Turning to luxury reds, there’s only one for connoisseurs: the stunning Happy wine hunting! Kistler Russian River Valley 2011 Pinot Noir (No. 330274, $77.95, 93+)

Seven Falls 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon $18.95 (Washington State)

First Press 2011 Chardonnay $19.95 (Napa)

Bischofliche Weinguter Trier Dom 2011 Riesling $16.95 (Germany)

A fabulous value, from bright northwest fruit. Black hued, with blackberry, vanilla, cedar and mocha aromas and rich flavours of mocha, intense black cherry, plums and bittersweet chocolate.

Lavish smoky aromas of hazelnut, apricot, banana and spiced apple. The flavours are clean, with smoky-edged yellow apple and lemon zest. Could be riper, but nice, with almonds on the finish.

A lovely succulent Mosel River riesling from slate soils. Aromas of peach and yellow apple lead into tangy flavours of tangerine, lemonade and jasmine. Quince shows up in the gently sweet finish.

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Rating: 91

Rating: 90

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30 | Goodlife - February - March 2014

Cusumano Noa 2010 $19.95 (Italy) The best Italian of this Vintages release. This red is dark, brooding and inky from sun-stroked Sicily. Blackberry, cedar and vanilla aromas and rich blackberry, chocolate, vanilla and black cherry flavours.

Rodney Strong 2010 Merlot $21.95 (Sonoma) An absolutely hedonistic red, with lush cassis and blackberry aromas, and luscious flavours of chocolate, blackberry, cola and black currants wrapped in a velvet texture. A monster-sustained rich finish. Food suggestion: grilled bone-in tenderloins Rating: 92 LCBO No. 497933

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• BEER •

Cobblestone Stout Mill Street Brewery (Toronto, ON)

If you’re looking for a classic, smooth Irish style, dry stout from a local brewery, Cobblestone is the perfect choice. Mill Street has even taken the extra effort to utilize nitrogen instead of carbon dioxide, giving it the thick creamy head and rich but light body you would expect from a dry stout. It has a slightly roasted flavour with dark chocolate and coffee notes with a subtle sweetness. Rating: 4 out of 5

Stout in flavour A

PHOTOGRAPHY and Words BY NICK PERRY

s St. Patrick’s Day approaches, it seems appropriate to stock up on Guinness. It is the prototypical dry Irish stout and practically the official beer of St. Patrick’s Day. We’ll just assume you know better than to reach for the food colouring green beer you may find at some pubs. Guinness may intimidate some drinkers, but it’s a very approachable beer. Irish stouts are typically lower in alcohol and the low carbonation helps keep them from becoming overwhelming on the palette. Stout is a category of beer that evolved out of the porters popular in England during the industrial revolution. The development of new malt roasting technology at the time paved the way for the delicious black, inky beer we know and love today. All stouts fall on the dark end of the colour spectrum – many completely black and opaque. But there are a great variety of characteristics and even a number of sub-categories within the style. Dry stouts come in on the lower end of the alcohol range, usually between 4% and 5%, while sweet stouts and oatmeal stouts are richer, more full bodied, and are often as high as 6% alcohol by volume. Sweet stouts, also known as milk stouts, utilize lactose, which yeast cannot digest. The result is a high level of residual sweetness. Oatmeal stouts, as 32 | Goodlife - February - March 2014

the name implies, contain flaked oats. This proteinrich grain adds to the body and helps produce luscious, long-lasting foam in the glass. As with many styles, the American version of a stout tends to be bolder in just about every way and showcases more pronounced hop character. Russian Imperial Stouts get their name from the historical practice of English brewers producing strong, high-alcohol stouts for export to the Russian court. These imperial stouts can reach into the double-digit alcohol percentages. They are very full bodied and rich. Some brewers even age their imperial stouts in oak barrels for additional complexity. While Guinness will surely be the drink of choice for most as they celebrate St. Paddy’s Day, the GoodLife tasting panel thought it would be a good idea to explore some of the stouts available from Ontario breweries just in case you want to try something new on March 17. We sampled a dozen different stouts, ranging from the classic dry, low-alcohol, Irish-style Cobblestone from Mill Street, to more intensely flavoured examples like Beaus’ milk stout, Railway City’s Black Coal Stout, Granite Brewery’s Keefe’s Irish Stout growler, and the Double-Chocolate Cranberry Stout from Muskoka Brewery. But three stood out:

Stone Hammer Oatmeal Stout F&H Brewing Company (Guelph, ON)

The addition of oats to the grain adds to the body and leaves behind more sweetness. The coffee and roast flavours are backed up by dark fruit. Stone Hammer is a rich, complex beer. It’s almost completely black in the glass with a frothy tan-coloured head. The aroma is full of roasted malt with a hint of cherry sweetness. More intense in flavour than the others we sampled, but not overwhelming. Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Skinny Dipping Stout Sawdust City Brewing Co. (Gravenhurst, ON)

This beer pours black, with a light brown head that dissipates to a ring around the edge of the glass. The aroma is subtle with hints of yeast and a touch of vanilla. It has an earthy flavour, with a strong hop presence and pronounced bitterness. Skinny Dipping Stout is a hoppier alternative for those looking to try something a little different this St. Patrick’s Day. Rating: 3.5 out of 5

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• SHOPPING •

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1 2

add chandelier sparkle at eye level with these glittery table lamps

by Elizabeth Glassen

1 Created by British designer Timothy Oulton, the Gyro Antique Table Lamp was designed with an ancient armillary sphere in mind – using rings that represent the longitude and latitude of the earth. The interior of the sphere contains chandelier-inspired lights for an eye-catching statement piece that vintage lovers will drool over. $795 from UpCountry, upcountry.com 2

Created by the Danish designer Verner Panton, the Fun 1 Table Lamp is an elegant yet modern accessory. Its versatile design makes it complement many spaces and the hand-cut mother-of-pearl discs help bring a soft glow and warmth to your room. $1,500 from Design within Reach, dwr.com

3 This Four Light Table Lamp modernizes the chandelier lamp. As opposed to the more classically constructed designs, a rectangular frame holds up this lamp. The frame supports curtains of crystals that cascade down and refract light from the halogen bulbs within, creating a soft glow. $469.99 at royal lighting, royallighting.com 4

4 A modern take on a classic, the Liza Lamp incorporates a chandelier-inspired design with a more contemporary shade for lighting with a twist. The lamp is available in three colours – black, white and silver – that any modern furniture lover can agree with. $249 at Urban Barn, urbanbarn.com 5

This table lamp takes the classic chandelier down to eye level. Created with an iron frame and cascading crystals, the 19th century Rococo Iron & Crystal Table Lamp has a truly authentic feel. Opulence at its finest and is fitting for any antique aficionado. $895 from Restoration Hardware, restorationhardware.com GoodLifeMagazine.ca | 35

• AT HOME •

finishing touches

Designers Glen Peloso and Jamie Alexander create a comfortable yet elegant Rosedale home

by IZABELA JAROSZYNSKI

hen renowned Toronto designer Jamie Alexander met fellow designer and TV personality Glen Peloso, he knew he’d found a kindred spirit. Both men have been in the design business for two decades and share one vital design philosophy: that the client’s needs are most important. They decided in early 2013 to join their separate design firms into one, creating Peloso Alexander Interiors. “We have a consistent design philosophy that says, ‘We work with the hopes, goals and aspirations of the client, taking into consideration the architecture of the space and then furthering it with our design experience and expertise,’” Alexander says. “By virtue of that philosophy, the personalities of the clients are an integral part of the process.” One stunning example of their creative collaboration to date is the design of a new build 36 | Goodlife - February - March 2014

in Toronto’s Rosedale neighbourhood. The homeowners, a professional urban couple, wanted a space that would allow for comfortable everyday living and yet work for entertaining as well. “The house was built approximately four years ago as a new build but was in an older neighbourhood,” Peloso says. “The idea was to have the house blend in the surroundings and have the feeling of being vintage while being newly made.” Alexander took the lead on the project and brought the firm on during the last leg of the construction process. “We were able to add details, colours, layout suggestions, double the size of the kitchen and provide furniture selection,” Peloso says. The biggest change was in the kitchen. The original layout called for a smaller kitchen that would allow for a larger den. However, Alexander says that once the layout was completed, it be-

came apparent the den would have been wasted space that couldn’t be used effectively. “We took the space allotted for the den and added it to the kitchen, leaving the whole space well used,” he says. The kitchen, with its state-of-the-art appliances, custom cabinetry and granite countertops, fits the homeowners’ lifestyle well. In addition to the kitchen redesign, the duo also removed a corner fireplace, added built-in custom cabinetry with a modern linear fireplace and a new floor throughout the lower level. Being a new-built, the luxurious home was not plagued by some of the design and structure problems associated with many older Toronto homes. “This particular project was a tear down and rebuild so the normal problems of structure, alterations from the past, the changing building code requirements and the simple fact that currently people use homes in a different way than they >>

• AT HOME •

used in the past, means that you have to marry the current functions with older design details where sometimes both are highly desirable,” Alexander says. “Ideally, your designer will help you to establish what details should be enhanced and which should be rethought and seamlessly marry those two things together.” At about 3,500 square feet, the Rosedale luxury home was not tight for space. Inside it contains three bedrooms, four-and-a-half bathrooms, a wine cellar, an office and a third-floor balcony. On the main floor, the den and eat-in kitchen are complemented by a dining room and a formal living space. The house also contains an elevator and a workout room. Peloso says what makes the house really stand out are the finishes such as coffered details, trim moulding and a lighting layout. The homeowners were away while the team finished the final details and Peloso, who has worked extensively in television on such hit shows as Restaurant Makeover and Take This House and Sell It, says watching them return to the finished product reminded him of that experience. “It was a bit like a television show where the clients get to see the final product completed all at one time,” he said. “Upon their return, they were completely blown away how those touches completed the space and took it from a house to a home.” The design duo strongly believes in creating spaces that work for their clients and this one was no exception. Having the homeowners’ personalities shine through in the final design is the real success, Peloso says. “Some firms clearly have a style in place, or clearly have a budget they will work with while we are able to be relatively flexible in that regard,” he says. “Design is ultimately about the user’s experience in space, not the space itself.” Alexander and Peloso have both travelled extensively throughout North America and Europe, giving them experiences of how space is used by different cultures and in different climates. “We combine the practical experience of the more modern clean lines with the traditional, a retail sensibility, a custom furniture program, hospitality, corporate and branding skills and a love of the residential experience,” Peloso says. “We bring a combined 40 years of experience in the world of design and still get excited about new challenges, people and projects,” he says. “Creating anything with a partner is always a more joyous experience.” GL >>

Toronto designer Jamie Alexander in the den, above. Below, a formal living space and dining room complement the design of the rest of the home. Previous page: state-of-the-art appliances, custom cabinetry, and granite countertops in the openconcept kitchen fit the homeowners’ lifestyle well.

GoodLifeMagazine.ca | 37

• AT HOME •

For more on Peloso Alexander Interiors, call 416-368-0320 or check out www.pelosoalexander.com One of three bedrooms on the second floor of the new-build home in Rosedale.

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• RECIPES •

Chewy Chocolate Fudge Pie

Heavenly Chocolate Mousse

Chocolate Pecan Pie

Served warm with its gooey rich filling, this pie is a chocoholic’s dream.

1 cup cold two per cent milk

2 Tenderflake Pie Shells

1 envelope unflavoured gelatin

3/4 cup pecan halves, divided

1 Tenderflake Deep Dish Pie Shell, thawed

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided

12 packets Pure Via Turbinado Raw Cane Sugar and Stevia Blend or substitute 6 tsp Pure Via Turbinado Raw Cane Sugar and Stevia Blend

1/3 cup Lactantia salted butter

5 tbsp unsweetened cocoa

1/3 cup sugar

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

3 eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups prepared light whipped topping

2 Naturegg Omega 3 eggs

shaved chocolate (optional)

1/4 tsp salt 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts (optional) vanilla ice cream (optional) Heat oven to 350 F. Melt 1 cup chocolate chips with butter in a medium saucepan set over medium-low heat. Remove from heat; cool for five minutes. Whisk in sugar and vanilla. Whisk in eggs, one at a time, until fully incorporated; add salt. Stir in flour until no dry streaks remain. Stir in remaining chocolate chips and walnuts (if using). Scrape batter into pie shell and smooth top. Bake, on lowest rack, for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out slightly moist. Serve warm with ice cream. ~ Recipe courtesy of Tenderflake

40 | Goodlife - February - March 2014

Place milk in small saucepan. Sprinkle gelatin over milk. Let stand two minutes to soften. Stir in Pure Via Turbinado Raw Cane Sugar and Stevia Blend sweetener. Heat on low heat for three to four minutes, stirring frequently, until gelatin and Pure Via Turbinado Raw Cane Sugar and Stevia Blend are completely dissolved. Remove from heat. Stir in cocoa and vanilla until well blended. Pour mixture into a medium mixing bowl and let cool slightly. Gradually fold in whipped topping until blended. Pour mixture into one large bowl or individual serving dishes. Refrigerate for two to three hours before serving. Garnish each portion with shaved chocolate, if desired. ~ Recipe courtesy of Pure Via

2/3 cup corn syrup

Heat oven to 400 F. Remove frozen pie shells and place one on baking sheet. Set aside second pie shell. Coarsely chop 1/2 cup of the pecans and set aside. Melt chocolate in double boiler or in microwave on medium for two to three minutes. Combine melted chocolate, corn syrup, sugar and eggs in a large bowl. Stir in chopped pecans. Pour mixture into pie shell. Arrange remaining pecan halves over top of filling. Remove remaining pie shell from foil and place on a floured surface, gently flattening edge. Cut shapes, using holly, star shaped, maple leafs, etc. cookie cutters and arrange, slightly overlapping on edge of filled crust. Bake in oven for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 F and continue to bake for 20 minutes or until filling is set. Allow to cool before serving with ice cream or whipped cream. Refrigerate any leftovers. ~ Recipe courtesy of Tenderflake

• RECIPES •

White Chocolate Pie with Berries 1 Tenderflake Frozen Deep Dish Pie Shell, thawed 3 tbsp white cacao liqueur (or water) 1 1/2 tsp unflavored gelatin 1 1/4 cups chilled whipping cream (35 per cent), divided

Bittersweet Chocolate Cake

7 oz good quality white chocolate, chopped mixed seasonal berries

6 tbsp butter, softened Raspberry Coulis: 2 (6 oz/170 g) containers fresh raspberries 1/4 cup sugar Bake pie shell according to package instructions. Set aside to cool. Heat white cacao liqueur in a small saucepan over medium heat. Sprinkle with gelatin and let stand for five minutes. Add 3/4 cup cream and stir over low heat until gelatin dissolves. Add white chocolate and stir until smooth and melted. Transfer to a medium bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes, stirring several times. Whip remaining whipping cream until soft peaks form. Fold into white chocolate mixture.

4 oz unsweetened (115 g) chocolate Spoon filling into cooled pie crust. Smooth surface with a spatula or palette knife dipped in water. Refrigerate for two to three hours until filling is set. Raspberry coulis Combine berries and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook until sugar is dissolved. Push mixture through a mesh sieve; discard seeds and cool liquid until ready to use. Slice pie and serve topped with coulis and mixed berries. ~ Recipe courtesy of Tenderflake

mmm...

chocolate

Chocolate cake

This delicious chocolate cake is a testament to the versatility of barley flour. 2 cups granulated sugar 2 eggs 2 tsp vanilla 2/3 cup canola oil 3 cups whole barley flour 2/3 cup cocoa powder 2 tsp baking powder 2 tsp baking soda 1 tsp salt 2 cups boiling water Heat oven to 350 F. Grease a 9×13-inch pan or a 12-cup Bundt pan. In a large bowl, beat sugar, eggs, vanilla and oil for four minutes. In another bowl, sift together barley flour, co-

coa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Starting and ending with dry ingredients, stir dry ingredients into liquid mixture, alternating with boiling water. Beat until smooth. Pour batter into the pan. Bake for 45 minutes or until center springs back when lightly touched. Cool, then, if desired, dust with icing sugar or frost with your favorite icing. ~ Recipe courtesy of Alberta Barley Commission and GoBarley.com

1/3 cup non-fat milk 1/3 cup sugar-free apricot preserves 2 tsp instant coffee crystals 1 egg yolk 1 tsp vanilla extract 38 packets Pure Via sweetener or 1 2/3 cups Pure Via Granulated 3 egg whites 1/8 tsp cream of tartar 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/8 tsp salt Glaze: 1 oz (30 g) semi-sweet chocolate 1 tbsp butter fresh raspberries and fresh mint (optional) Heat oven to 350 F. Spray bottom of an eightinch cake pan with cooking spray. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper or waxed paper. Spray again; set aside. For the cake, heat butter, chocolate, milk, preserves and coffee crystals in small saucepan on medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until chocolate is almost melted. Remove from heat and whisk until chocolate is completely melted. Whisk in egg yolk, vanilla and sweetener until smooth. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar in mixing bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold chocolate mixture into egg whites. Fold in combined flour and salt. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in centre comes out clean. Be careful to not over bake. Carefully loosen cake from sides of pan using a small sharp knife. Cool cake completely in pan on wire rack, then cover and refrigerate one to two hours. For the glaze, melt chocolate and butter in small saucepan on medium heat. Remove cake from pan and invert onto serving plate. Spoon glaze over top of cake, letting it run down sides. Let stand for one hour or until the glaze is firm. Cut cake into thin slices and garnish with raspberries and mint, if desired. ~ Recipe courtesy of Pure Via GoodLifeMagazine.ca | 41

CONSUMER FEATURE: KEATING ROOFING & EXTERIORS

Brothers Justin (l) and John Keating are the third-generation owners of Keating Roofing & Exteriors.

The expert Keating Roofing & Exteriors team responsible for rescuing a west end roof.

KEATING ROOFING & EXTERIORS J O H N K E AT I N G , CO-OWNER AND PROJECT C O N S U LTA N T

A whole family of home renovation services under one reliable roof. Renovation projects are often so complicated and unpredictable that it’s something of an adage to say“whatever your time line is, double it.” The frustrations and aggravations of homeowners undergoing renovation projects have become so standard that they’re well documented in a whole host of reality TV shows. But the complications aren’t without reason.

With a homeowner who has no construction experience acting as a general contractor, often on top of juggling their regular 9-5 job and family schedules, it’s natural that mistakes and miscommunications will occur. “The common thing I’ve seen over the years, every trade is married to another trade at some point. Stone is tied to stucco, stucco tied to roof, roof to framing, and so on,” says John Keating, co-owner and project consultant for Keating Roofing & Exteriors, a family-owned and operated renovation company that can simplify your home renovation project by handling a variety of jobs under the umbrella of one trusted team. “It saves time, aggravation, and money,” says Keating. “We can isolate and make sure every detail that intersects is done properly. It’s done from start to finish off one plan, rather than different people’s different plans. It expedites the project, and being able to deal with one person, there’s no downtime between trades. The only other way to do that is hire a general contractor who works with third party contractors - but his contractors may not be able to work on your schedule.We can shift crews on schedule to keep projects consistently moving.“

The Keating team recently took over the reins of a complicated renovation project on a 1960’s side-split home that was essentially original. “The initial call was for a roofing inquiry, then during the meeting, they found out they provided all these other services, so it grew to a complete renovation, and it was managed by us the whole way, from permits to breaking ground,” says Keating. “We sat down and came up with a plan of attack, because it was a huge project. We tackled in it stages, we did the structural and ventilation issues, then built the front porch, then did the roof. For us, it makes sense, you build a house from the ground up, and when you take it apart, you work from the roof down.“ The team also built overhangs above the front and rear windows, cedared the walls above, vaulted and cathedraled the ceilings in the kitchen area, stuccoed the entire home except for the front facing, and closed the existing carport and installed a proper roof on it. Separate from the home, they also constructed an additional garage which was stuccoed and stoned to match the house. “They love it, and all their neighbours want to buy their house!”says Keating.

Brothers Justin (left) and John Keating of Keating Roofing & Exteriors.

Finding dependable, honest, trusted and reliable contractors can be a daunting task, especially when it comes to respecting the unique character and charm of historic West Toronto homes. Over the last 13 years, John Keating, co-owner and project consultant for Keating Roofing & Exteriors, has helped many customers recapture their home’s curb appeal and beauty through experienced, invested and quality exterior remodeling work. Today, Keating Roofing & Exteriors has 27 inhouse full time employees – a team of several different crews, each consisting of five to six professionals, including a licensed carpenter, a cabinet finisher to handled detailed mouldings, an aluminum crew, flat roofers, shinglers, a stucco and stone crew, and door and window installation professionals. “There’s a lot of skill, a lot of knowledge, and everybody really does care,” says Keating. “When they finish a job, they stand back and admire the work they’ve done. There’s a great appreciation for what they do.” The company is so committed to quality workmanship that they have created a full training facility in their warehouse that contains an entire model home. Keating welcomes prospective customers to the facility and gives them the opportunity to see products and installations in person, instead of in pictures alone. Three generations of the Keating family have created something special in West Toronto, fostering relationships with their clients that extend far beyond the remodeling job. “I have had families invite me in for dinner and a glass of wine to thank me for the work our company has done. Nothing beats the feeling of satisfaction, knowing that not only are your customers pleased with the work, but they have also gotten to know us on a personal level, and have the same appreciation for our family business as we do.”

Top: New exterior stucco and stone, and new cedar on front porch. Middle: Construction begins on garage with solid foundation and framing3. Completed garage.

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• CALENDAR •

february

& march

what’s happening in the communities of forest hill, leaside, rosedale & lawrence park MARCH 1 The Ontario Society of Artists Artist’s Choice Annual Members’ Exhibition of Selected Works The Papermill Gallery, Todmorden Mills, 67 Pottery Rd. Time: 1 to 4 p.m. http://ontariosocietyofartists.org/ events_exhibitions Opening reception is March 1. The exhibit is on display until March 23.

MARCH 1 TO 31 Chasing Light: Paintings by Sue Simington North District Library, 40 Orchard View Blvd. 416-393-7610 www.torontopubliclibrary.ca Where she can find light dancing on form, Sue Simington is there with her brush in her hand. MARCH 1 TO 31 Everyday Quilts by Joanne Lynes Deer Park library, 40 St. Clair Ave. E. www.torontopubliclibrary.ca 416-393-7657 Commercially printed fabrics and quilt construction come together in these works - creating a dialogue between the two. MARCH 2 Handel’s & Haydn’s Masses Christ Church Deer Park, 1570 Yonge St. Time: 4 p.m. Tickets: Adults $30, students $25 416-443-1490 www.torontoclassicalsingers.ca George Frideric Handel: Dettingen Te Deum, and Joseph Haydn: Mass in the Time of War. Two great works celebrating two great victories. Presented by Toronto Classical Singers.

File photo by Dan Pearce

MARCH 1 Rennie Harris Puremovement Koerner Hall, 273 Bloor St. W. Time: 8 p.m. Cost: $40 and up http://performance.rcmusic.ca/ event/rennie-harris-puremovement Rennie Harris has been known to mix hip hop with poetry to rap to Shakespeare in a raw and visceral dance rooted in African-American traditions. Arlene Hazzan Green of The Backyard Urban Farm Company prunes her plants during a Seedy Sunday event last year. This year, a Seedy Saturday and Sunday event takes place March 8 and 9 at Evergreen Brick Works.

MARCH 3 TO 9 Canadian Screen Week Various locations info@academy.ca www.academy.ca Produced by the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television, the week takes place from March 3 to 9 and features seven days of activities to celebrate the best in film, television and digital media. Activities range from screenings, fan zones to award ceremonies. MARCH 5 Film Screening: Sisters of Gion Textile Museum of Canada, 55 Centre Ave. Time: 6:30 p.m. Cost: $12 416-599-5321, ext. 2228 www.textilemuseum.ca Screening of the classic 1936 film directed by Kenji Mizoguchi that follows the story of two sisters working as geisha in the Gion pleasure district in 1930s Kyoto, the period when Ichimaru was transitioning from geishahood to a career as a recording artist.

MARCH 8 AND 9 Seedy Saturday and Sunday Evergreen Brick Works, 550 Bayview Ave. Time: March 8, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and March 9, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. www.ebw.evergreen.ca 416-596-1495 Community seed exchange and fair. Buy, sell and trade local heritage and heirloom seeds. Children’s and family activities. MARCH 16 St. Patrick’s Day Parade Parade route: Starts at St. George and Bloor streets heading east, then turning south on Yonge Street until Queen Street, where it makes a final turn to head west and finish at Nathan Phillips Square. Time: noon to 4 p.m. info@topatrick.com www.topatrick.com The parade features entertaining floats, bands, dancers and marching groups from Toronto’s Irish and multicultural community. This year’s Grand Marshal is Irish boxer Katie Taylor, the reigning Olympic, World, European and Irish Champion.

MARCH 26 The Toronto Mendelssohn Choir: Mass: in B Minor Koerner Hall, 273 Bloor St. W. Time: 7:30 p.m. Cost: $35 to $87 www.tmcchoir.org Be both emotionally uplifted and intellectually challenged by Bach’s imagination. MARCH 29 Israel Galvan Koerner Hall, 273 Bloor St. W. Time: 8 p.m. Tickets: starting at $45 www.performance.rcmusic.ca A flamenco maverick takes the dance style to a whole new level. MARCH 30 Wychwood Vintage Clothing Show Artscape Wychwood Barns, 601 Christie St. Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Cost: $8 www.antiqueshowscanada.com Top vintage dealers arrive with men’s and women’s clothing, accessories and costume jewelry.

GoodLifeMagazine.ca | 45

• CALENDAR •

out

& about

Toronto has plenty of events, destinations and attractions; here is a sampling of what’s on around town with a coffee, pastry, a film and post-screening discussion with an expert. Movie titles are not announced ahead of time and many films have not yet been released. Sneak Preview and Contemporary World Cinema films.

Feb. 23 at 3:15 p.m. at Walter Hall,

Various dates until March 30 (Sneak

Edward Johnson Building, University of

Preview) and April 6 (Contemporary

Toronto, 80 Queen’s Park. Tickets are

World Cinema) at TIFF Bell Lightbox,

$30 or $20 for those under age 30. Visit

350 King St. W. Call 416-599-TIFF. Cost:

www.moredaleconcerts.com

various prices. Visit tiff.net/reeltalk

MASTERPIECES FROM THE GUGGENHEIM COLLECTION Featuring pieces from the Guggenheim collection of 1910 to 1918. Included in the 70 works are pieces by Picasso, Kandinsky, Chagall, Modigliani and Mondrian.

OUT OF THE BOX: THE RISE OF SNEAKER CULTURE An exhibit about the history of sneakers with more than 120 pairs to view spanning the past 150 years. Sneakers from the archives of adidas, Nike, and designers like Christian Louboutin and Prada.

Underway until March 2 at the Art

Photo/SIAN RICHARDS

MOOREDALE CONCERTS: THE PARCIVAL STRINGS PROJECT Brahms’ profound Clarinet Quintet shares a program with Haydn Quartet, Bach violin sonata and traditional Georgian and klezmer music.

Tafelmusik’s music director Jeanne Lamon, Wen Zhao and Aruna Narayan Kalle will be performing The Four Seasons: A Cycle of the Sun featuring Vivaldi’s concertos with a few special guests.

Call 416-979-6648. Cost: $25, $16.50

markets in Toronto with a guided tour and tastings.

for youth and free for children five and

March 15 at 11 a.m. at the market bor-

under. Visit www.ago.net

dered by Spadina, Dundas, Bathurst

Gallery of Ontario, 317 Dundas St. W.

and College. Tickets: $69. Visit http://

THE FOUR SEASONS: A CYCLE OF THE SUN Tafelmusik’s virtuoso violinists perform Vivaldi’s Spring, Summer and Fall concertos and Wen Zhao (Chinese pipa), Aruna Narayan Kalle (Indian sarangi), and Aqsarniit (Inuit throat singers) bring to the stage seasonal music from other traditions. Grand finale is Winter by Mychael Danna, who scored Life of Pi.

bit.ly/1aqIldq

March 6 to 8 at 8 p.m., March 9 at 3:30

Hall, Edward Johnson Building, 80

p.m., and March 12 at 7 p.m. at Trinity

Queen’s Park Cr. Cost: $30 to $39. Visit

St. Paul’s United church, 427 Bloor St.

www.mooredaleconcerts.com

W. Cost: $39 to $67.

SPANISH PIANIST PERFORMS IBERIA Mooredale Concerts presents Spanish pianist Guillermo Gonzalez playing his country’s greatest masterwork featuring folkloric rhythms, flamenco music and dances like the fandango, jota and azpteado. March 16 from 3:15 to 5 p.m. at Walter

atre, Todmorden Mills, 67 Pottery. Rd.

WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR An exhibit from the Natural History Museum in London features 100 photos selected from more than 48,000 entries from around the world.

Cost: $22; students $15. Visit eastside-

Underway until March 23 at the Royal

players.ca or call 416-425-0917.

Ontario Museum, 100 Queen’s Park.

NUDE WITH VIOLIN East Side Players presents the Noel Coward light comedy of the art establishment. Feb. 20 to March 8 at Papermill The-

ONE OF A KIND SPRING SHOW AND SALE The annual show offers hundreds of artisans from across North American under one roof. The event includes fashion, rising stars and flavours.

46 | Goodlife - February - March 2014

$24.50 for students and seniors and $19 for children. Visit www.rom.on.ca

Shoe Museum, 327 Bloor St. W. Call 416-979-7799. Visit www.batashoemuseum.ca

March 26 to 30 at the Direct Energy

HOT DOCS Canadian international documentary festival features films from around the globe.

Centre, Exhibition Place, 100 Princes

April 24 to May 4 at various venues.

Blvd. Cost: $12 and $7 for youth,

Visit www.hotdocs.ca

children and seniors. Visit www.oneofakindshow.com

ROYAL ONTARIO MUSEUM’S FORBIDDEN PROM Step into the inner courts of the Forbidden City at the ROM for the Young Patrons Circle (YPC) annual fundraising event in support of the ROM. The event features dim sum, oolong-infused cocktails, Chinese astrology readings, live entertainment and dancing. March 29 from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. at the ROM, 100 Queen’s Park. Tickets cost $150 or $125 for YPC members. There is a VIP experience beginning at 8 p.m. Visit www.rom.on.ca/en/support-us/ get-involved/special-events/prom

Call 416-586-8000. Admission is $27,

A TASTE OF KENSINGTON FOOD TOUR Explore one of the last authentic

Underway until March 30 at The Bata

REEL TALK Reel Talk is a popular series where you can enjoy a Sunday morning

HANDS IN THE BOWL Saturday cooking workshop for children aged four to seven. Kids get their hands dirty while learning about the importance of smell, taste and touch when cooking. After rolling up their sleeves they have a treat to take home. Underway until April 26 at Evergreen Brickworks, 550 Bayview Ave. Cost: $5. Visit www.evergreen.ca

THE KIDS’ GALLERY - JUST LIKE ME The Art Gallery of Ontario now has a space for children and parents to experience art first hand. Exhibition-inspired costumes and props are available to try. Underway until Aug. 1 at the Art Gallery of Ontario, 317 Dundas St. W. Call 416-979-6648. Cost: price of admission. Visit www.ago.net

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48 | Goodlife - February - March 2014

• GETAWAYS •

s w bliss s s

Top, at the Folklore Festival at the Maennlichen in the Bernese Oberland alphorn blowers and flag swingers perform in front of Mount Jungfrau. At left, clockwise: cows descend from Alpine pastures, adorned with flowers and ribbons, an event celebrated in many locations in Switzerland; Old Town Fribourg; taste testing at La Maison du Gruyère; making sweet treats at Maison Cailler, the Swiss chocolate factory, in Broc.

photos courtesy Switzerland Tourism GoodLifeMagazine.ca | 49

• GETAWAYS • Built in the Gothic style, on a rocky outcrop 50 metres above the Saane river, the Cathedral of St. Nicholas towers over the medievel town of Fribourg.

by DIANE SLAWYCH

isitors in search of Switzerland’s quintessential experiences would be wise to make their way to the Fribourg region. This western canton has almost everything you’d expect to find in this postcard pretty country: cheese and chocolate factory tours, castles, a cathedral, mountains, cows, and well-preserved medieval towns. Plus you’ll find a few surprises, including galleries devoted to the work of world-renowned Swiss artists. Seeing all this, and more, is possible in as little as two days.

FRIBOURG CITY A good base for a couple of nights is the city of Fribourg (the capital of the canton). Nestled on a rocky hill, surrounded on three sides by the Saane River, it’s notable for its Old Town with more than 200 Gothic buildings. A miniature train that makes a one-hour circuit of places of interest offers a good introduction to this bilingual (French/German) university town. Arrive on a Saturday when merchants and farmers set up their produce stalls outside the 16th century town hall (Rathaus in German). To get the lay of the land, climb the 368 stairs of the 74-metre-high tower of the Cathedral of St. Nicholas for a view of the historic town, its 50 | Goodlife - February - March 2014

many bridges, hillside monasteries and the Bernese Alps. From here it’s a short walk to an unusual art gallery, the Espace Jean Tinguely-Niki de Saint Phalle, which contains the work of Fribourg artist Jean Tinguely, a pioneer in the kinetic art movement. One enormous piece on display is a conglomerate of interconnected metal scrap objects that spin, whirl and clank at the press of a button. Another wall features the art of his wife, Niki de Saint Phalle, a painter and sculptor known for her colourful oversized figures. Some of her sculptures can also be found in a lovely garden at the excellent Art and History Museum nearby. In Fribourg, it’s possible to walk to most of the attractions. Part way down the stairs that lead into the lower town, I discovered a café with a charming outdoor terrace offering breathtaking views of the tree-covered hillsides and the river below. Continuing down the hill, past a few of the city’s 12 historic fountains, many of them topped by statues of biblical figures, I wandered into the Musée suisse de la marionnette then walked across Berne Bridge, a covered wooden structure built in 1580, making it the city’s oldest bridge. To get back up the hill, I hopped on a local

bus using my Swiss Pass, the most convenient way to explore the country as it includes local transportation in 75 cities and towns, unlimited train, bus and boat travel as well as entrance to more than 470 museums, discounts on hotels, city tours and more.

MURTEN In the afternoon, I joined friends for a side trip to Murten, a beautifully preserved town just 30 minutes away by train (18 kilometres north of Fribourg). At the scenically situated Restaurant des Bains in Murten where we stopped for lunch, we pondered our options: a boat trip on one of the three local lakes; a 40-km bike ride (about four hours) around Lake Murten, which is often described as one of the “best” or “most enchanting” bike trips in Switzerland; or a guided tour of the town. We settled on the latter and began with a walk atop the town’s medieval ramparts that have survived virtually intact. It’s also the only fortification of its kind in Switzerland visitors can walk all the way around. After enjoying views of the old town, the 13th century castle, the lake and Jura Mountains, we returned to the main street. Hauptgasse has one of the country’s oldest clock towers (dating to >>

• GETAWAYS •

The medieval town of Murten has preserved its original appearance. It has a lovely lakeside promenade and offers a range of water sports, cultural activities and other excursions.

>> 1712), and the Aebersold bakery that sells Murten’s famous Cream Cake. Outside on the cobblestone street, we encountered a group of musicians who had just begun playing their alphorns. A long hollow wooden instrument with an upturned bell – jokingly called the mobile phone of the Alps – the alphorn is a national symbol. Its resonant, earthy tones are said to produce a calming effect on the nation’s cows. People enjoy it, too, judging by the crowds that typically gather whenever it is played, whether at the International Alphorn Festival in Nendaz

(July 25 to 27), on Swiss National Day (Aug. 1), or at most village festivals. We return to Fribourg for dinner, which according to one guide is a gastronomical hotspot with 14 restaurants in the region garnering Michelin stars or impressive reviews in the Gault & Millau restaurant guide. Fondue is not something you typically find in the middle of summer in Switzerland, unless you happen to be in Fribourg. And that’s how we decided on Café du Midi, a local institution that has been serving cheese fondue since 1877. Try one made with a blend of local cheeses – Gruyère

and Vacherin. Switzerland produces more than 450 varieties of cheese, and Gruyère AOC is one of the best known. The next day we take a train to Pringy to visit their demonstration cheese dairy, La Maison du Gruyère. The tour engages all senses, beginning with taste, when you’re handed three samples of cheeses with your admission ticket. In the small, informative exhibit you can hear cowbells and the streams that rush down the mountain-side, smell the flowers and grasses of the high pastures, and watch cheese being >>

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GoodLifeMagazine.ca | 51

• GETAWAYS •

>> made in large vats, before ending in front of a glass window looking into the cellar where 7,000 wheels of cheese age on rows of tall shelves.

GRUYÈRES From here it’s a short walk up a hill passing by cows grazing in lush green fields, to the picturesque medieval town of Gruyères with its 13th century castle. The pedestrian-only town is one of Fribourg region’s most popular attractions, so it’s best to arrive in the morning before the crowds. Highlights of the castle’s 16 rooms include the Knight’s room where mid-19th century paintings decorate the walls, a small upper floor art gallery with a balcony that looks down onto the colourful and well-manicured French-style gardens, and the music room which contains a piano made for Hungarian composer, pianist, and conductor Franz Liszt. The castle grounds contain one of the most peculiar attractions in Switzerland, the HR Giger Museum, devoted to the work of the Swiss surrealist artist and Academy Award-winning designer of the “Alien” in Ridley Scott’s film. After lunch at restaurant La Fleur de Lys in Gruyères we travelled to Broc, home to one of the country’s oldest chocolate factories, Maison Cailler, the Swiss chocolate factory, established in 1796 by François-Louis Cailler. We passed through the gift shop that was doing a brisk business in chocolate sales, and took a tour that began with a short multi-media exhibit on the history of chocolate, then progressed to the production room where you can sink your hand into a tall sack of cocoa beans or watch chocolate being made, before concluding in the tasting room with its generous samples. We ended the day in the beautiful garden of the Auberge aux 4 Vents (inn of the four winds) restaurant, two kilometres from Fribourg, which proved an ideal place to recover from overindulging in all those sweets. We’d come for dinner in the 17th century manor house, which offered fine French cuisine, a pleasant ambiance, and, surprisingly, a touch of humour. Outside on the lawn we watched a guest staying in an upper level room, demonstrate how his bathtub slides on rails through the glass doors into the open air! Tinguely, no doubt, would have approved. GL For more information, check the official Switzerland tourism website: www.myswitzerland.com 52 | Goodlife - February - March 2014

Top, a view of Gruyères, the medieval town dominated by its 13th century castle. In the background is Mount Moleson. Above left, cheese ages at La Maison du Gruyère. Above, the picturesque town of Gruyères is pedestrian-only. Left, a peek inside the HR Giger Museum, devoted to the work of the surrealist artist.

3 ways to enjoy

SWITZERLAND

SAVE

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FOR MORE INFORMATION OR RESERVATIONS, PLEASE CONTACT YOUR TRAVEL AGENT OR CALL: 855.219.8624. Featured prices are per person, land only, based on double occupancy, departure dates as indicated and do not reﬂect the Globus $150 per person, Cosmos $50 per person or Monograms $100 per person discount offers. Flights and travel insurance are additional. Air-inclusive prices are available. * Book and deposit a 2014 Globus Best of Switzerland (ZG) vacation to receive the $150 per person off the land price. Book and deposit a select 2014 Cosmos Grand Tour of Switzerland (6020), Scenic Switzerland by Train (6010) or Swiss UNESCO World Heritage (5050) vacation to receive the $50 per person discount. Book and deposit a 2014 Monograms Geneva, Lucerne & Lugano with Mont Blanc vacation to receive $100 off per person on the land price. Must be booked, under deposit and discount applied between February 18 and March 25, 2014 for travel in 2014. Offers apply to new 2014 bookings only, and will not be applied to pre-existing bookings. Not combinable with other offers other than the Journeys Club Repeat Traveller beneﬁt and the current $100 per person air offer. Offers reliant on space availability at time of booking. Full cancellation penalties will apply. Additional restrictions may apply. May be withdrawn at any time. Centre Tower, 3300 Bloor St. W., Suite 2400, Toronto, ON M8X 2X3 TICO#1893755/50015835

• BEAUTY •

TRENDING

TRESSES Here’s a peek at what’s making waves, from the runways, to the stars, to the streets, in 2014. Trend #1 The Sombre The ombre was made popular by Gisele Bundchen in 2007 and this trend – darker hues at the roots with gradually dyed lighter ends – is still seen on red carpets and is popular on the streets of Toronto. If the ombre coloring technique is done right, it can give you a gorgeous sun-kissed look, not to be over-done. The ombre has evolved into a Sombre professional colouring technique that delivers a gradual seamless hair colour from scalp to ends. It creates just the right amount of dimensional colour to give you a fresh new look. Hair colour can change how you look and feel about yourself; it’s all about creating the right shade for your skin tone and eye colour. The right colour can turn back time, lift your spirits and infuse sparkle into your personality.

GRACE TARTAGLIA is a beauty specialist who is a regular on CityLine. Her salon, Image Makeover, is the Revlon Professional flagship salon.

54 | Goodlife - February - March 2014

Trend #2 The Choppy Bob

Trend #3 Long live length!

Fabulous, trendy, cool and just sexy. It’s the little black dress of perfect cuts, just change it to suit your facial shape and it’s perfect for all age groups.

Luxurious, softly textured, natural looking waves. Free flowing, modern and contemporary. Find the right finishing product for your hair type to achieve this long and lovely look.

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56 | Goodlife - February - March 2014

ANATOMY TECHNIQUES

Colin Outram is a South Riverdalebased massage therapist, personal trainer and kettlebell instructor. Visit bodyworkathletics.com

The most unique exercise in kettlebell training is the swing. The ballistic, swinging forces generated by the kettlebell helps engage what’s called “total body activation”, where a combination of muscle groups fire simultaneously, resulting in a greater caloric burn and more power. And then there’s squats, presses, rows – as well as several other more technical lifts commonly practiced in kettlebell sport. Kettlebells are portable and scalable. Most workouts only call for one or two bells, which makes for a great session at the beach or park.

benefits

Four years ago, I was 50 pounds overweight, suffered from back pain and couldn’t run up a flight of stairs without gasping for air. My body fat percentage was equal to my age, 31, and much of my diet consisted of junk food and takeout. Around the same time, I started dating a fitness instructor who inspired me to start eating healthy and exercising regularly. She helped me to improve my nutrition habits and peaked my interest in the fitness industry. I became a certified personal trainer and kettlebell instructor to complement my career as a registered massage therapist. I’ve used kettlebells in some capacity almost every day since, teaching classes and workshops, working with personal training clients and my own personal practice. Now, I am under 200 pounds and 15 per cent body fat. I compete in kettlebell sport and running events, teach fitness classes and train regularly in Olympic weightlifting. Since losing 50 pounds, my blood pressure has normalized, my posture has straightened considerably and my back pain has disappeared. My energy levels have improved dramatically, and I’m physically stronger than I’ve ever been.

Kettlebell training promotes an improved posture and helps to prevent osteoporosis, a condition leading to the deterioration of bone tissue. The weight-bearing nature of kettlebell training helps to strengthen bone density, promote long, lean muscle growth and teaches how to express power through the body. They are highly effective for fatloss, athletic conditioning and clinical rehabilitation.

for everyone

know-how

Kettlebell training is not just for professional athletes and personal trainers. An experienced instructor will be able to assist you to experience the movements, pain-free and with good breathing and form. The exercises start off with one kettlebell and get progressively more challenging by adding a second bell, increasing the weight and performing longer sets. In kettlebell sport, competitors are challenged to perform a designated lift for 10 consecutive minutes.

education

kettlebell

“Girya” in Russian, a kettlebell is essentially like a cannonball with a handle. They come in a variety of shapes, sizes and weights. Originally used as a weight to measure goods, kettlebells were later developed as a dynamic tool for strength and endurance training.

Personal trainers with no background in kettlebells are encouraged to learn how to properly use kettlebells with clients and in classes. The basic level courses typically work on the fundamental techniques listed above, while subsequent levels focus more on sport lifts.

free class

• FITNESS •

Simply mention this column and come out to my Monday 8:15 a.m. Kettle-Fit class at EnergyXchange Life and Body Science (myenergyxchange. com), a Leslieville-Riverside fitness studio and clinic where I continue to teach classes and offer personal training services in the mornings.

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GoodLifeMagazine.ca | 57

• PEOPLE •

NET GAIN john child: Olympic bronze medallist, leaside sports hall of famer, champion of sport

BY JUSTIN SKINNER PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAN PEARCE

hough his earliest experiences on the volleyball court didn’t exactly point to a sterling future in the sport, natural talent and perseverance wound up carrying Leaside resident John Child to the Olympic podium and a spot in the Leaside Sports Hall of Fame. Child, along with partner Mark Heese, earned a bronze medal in the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta and the duo notched fifth-place finishes in both the 2000 and 2004 Olympics. Their success was a far cry from Child’s teen days, when he didn’t make the school volleyball team at Midland Collegiate. “I got cut from the Grade 9 volleyball team in 58 | Goodlife - February - March 2014

high school, but there were a couple of friends of mine playing for a local rep team,” Child recalls. “At a practice, their coach was there and he asked me to come out and play.” He didn’t start playing beach volleyball in earnest until a couple of years later, when he joined a friend in playing at the Balmy Beach Club in the summer. He worked evenings, allowing him to spend his days bumping, volleying and spiking. Child played the tournament circuit for a couple of years, just as beach volleyball was growing in prominence, partnering with Heese in time to qualify for the 1996 Olympics – the first year the

sport was played in the Summer Games. Despite their success, Child admits to having misgivings at first when Heese asked if he wanted to partner up. “I didn’t say yes right away,” he says. “At 6’3”, I’m about the size of a defender and Mark’s only six feet. We were one of the smallest teams internationally, but we had success right away.” Though not physically imposing for beach volleyball, the duo nonetheless reached lofty heights due largely to their on-court chemistry and impeccable ball control. “We were both good defenders, and that’s >>

â&#x20AC;˘ PEOPLE â&#x20AC;˘

>> definitely a trait that helped us internationally,â&#x20AC;? he says. Though injuries, including a dislocated shoulder, forced him to retire from playing competitively, Childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s passion for beach volleyball never dimmed. He founded the Leaside Volleyball Club (www.leasidevolleyball.com) to fill a niche in the community. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There were no real volleyball clubs in the immediate area,â&#x20AC;? he says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s such a great sport and Leasideâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s such a great area to live, it just fit perfectly.â&#x20AC;? The club started out small, with just one rep team on which his daughter, Jenna, played. It has grown over the years to include 10 rep teams, house league teams, learn-to-play classes for younger kids and private instruction. They play out of the York School, St. Michaelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s College and Havergal College, but Child would love to secure space closer to home. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We just donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have the facilities in Leaside. Leaside Highâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s already permitted out,â&#x20AC;? he says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d love to grow the league, but gym timeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an issue, for sure.â&#x20AC;? The league has made a huge difference in the lives of many of its members. While most go on to play for their school teams, others have parlayed the skills they learn into university scholarships, particularly south of the border. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Those schools have huge (scholarship) bud-

gets for football and soccer and they have to balance it out with other sports,â&#x20AC;? Child says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Especially for girls, the two big sports are volleyball and soccer.â&#x20AC;? Child notes Leaside was the perfect place both to start up the league and to settle with his wife, Bridget, and his children, Jenna and Adam. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I like the family feel to it. We have a lot of friends in the neighbourhood with similar interests,â&#x20AC;? he says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;People support sports well here. You see kids on the street playing ball hockey or shooting some hoops, growing up how I think kids should grow up.â&#x20AC;? He and his family also enjoy the shopping Leaside and the surrounding area have to offer. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Most meetings (for the Leaside Volleyball Club) we have at the Fox and Fiddle on Eglinton, and my daughter and I go up the Bayview strip for sushi at California Roll,â&#x20AC;? he says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We support the Leaside community because this is where we spend most of our time.â&#x20AC;? For his work both in international competition and in championing volleyball in the Leaside community and giving local kids a chance to learn and play the sport, Child was named to the Leaside Sports Hall of Fame in November 2013. A plaque noting his accomplishments now hangs alongside those of his fellow inductees in Leaside Memorial Community Gardens. GL

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â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;People support sports well here. You see kids on the street playing ball hockey or shooting some hoops, growing up how I think kids should grow up.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x201C; John Child

GoodLifeMagazine.ca | 59

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• PETS •

Winter Warmth Keep your pets safe from the elements during our cold, long winter

Help your pooch bundle up. For longhaired breeds, let their coats grow in the winter to provide the insulation nature intended. For short-haired breeds consider purchasing a sweater or jacket with a high collar or turtleneck that provides full-body length coverage.

62 | Goodlife - February - March 2014

Be cautious when letting your dog offleash. Some dogs love to frolic in the snow while others will shudder and dream of warm places, but all dogs can be injured by slipping on ice. Check your path carefully for trouble spots before giving the go ahead for winter playtime. Keep in mind that during intense snowstorms dogs can easily become lost so keep the play area small.

Wash your dog’s legs, stomach, and paws

thoroughly after winter walks. Salt and sand can cause irritation, and unnoticed anti-freeze can pose serious health risks and can be fatal if ingested. Doggie boots are an easy fix for paws, but make sure they don’t cause extra slippage risks.

Keep your cats inside. Period. From extra hungry predators to cars that may have trouble stopping to hiding under car hoods for warmth, the cold months pose numerous risks to cats. If you’re a driver, always give the hood of your

car a friendly thump before you start the car. If you have feral cat colonies in your area there’s a good chance you’ll save a life.

very winter the same thing happens – the weather becomes increasingly colder. Mother Nature provides plenty of warning with the leaves falling and gradual temperature decrease until we see the first frost, then the first snow, and then the bitter January and February temperatures. Mammals like bears heed the warning and hibernate, but not us. We simply put on extra layers and go about our business. Life for humans doesn’t come to a halt just because frozen water falls from the sky, and it doesn’t for your pets either. Here are some tips to keeping your furry ones safe during the short but frosty winter days.

Everyone knows not to leave a pet in the car on a hot day, but the risk is equal on a cold day. Cars can be as cold as the outside, and if left for extended periods hypothermia can set in. Winter can be a wonderful time to introduce your pet to the great outdoors, or a blissful time of cuddling up with them in the warmth of your home. Whatever you choose, remember Mother Nature is reliable and spring will come. Pia Lauretti is volunteer president of the Etobicoke Humane Society. Visit www.etobicokehumanesociety.com

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• SOCIAL •

Above, Jack Finch laces up his skates, ready for the ice. At right, Leaf Mark Fraser poses with Easter Seals Ambassadors Emily Shrubsall and Tai Young. Below, Leaf Nazem Kadri takes Easter Seals Ambassador Tai Young for a spin around the rink.

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS’ SKATE FOR

On Sunday, Jan. 5 players from the Toronto Maple Leafs took to the ice at the MasterCard Centre for Hockey Excellence – not for practice, as they usually do on that ice, but to skate with children with physical disabilities as part of the 36th annual Toronto Maple Leafs Skate for Easter Seals Kids. Participants raised pledges for the cause and the event was a huge success, raising a total of $150,000. Since its inception, the skating event has raised more than $5.3 million for Easter Seals Ontario.

Photography By IAN KELSO

At left, Toronto Maple Leaf Nazem Kadri signs Victoria Quance’s hockey stick, while at right, former NHL great, Leaf legend and Hall of Famer Johnny Bower signs Janice Wagner’s jersey. 64 | Goodlife - February - March 2014

• SOCIAL •

Above, eight-year-old Nate McCarthy with his dad, John, mom, Elaine (rear left), and Nate’s favorite teacher, Cheryl Kewley, line up to register for the skate event at the MasterCard Centre.

Above, three-year-old Carson Simpson shows he’s ready for some hockey action, while below, Leaf Jonathan Bernier poses for a photo with Leaf fan Tyrone Mueller. Above, Toronto Maple Leaf great Johnny Bower takes to the ice with (l-r) Stephanie Bruno, Rachel Gallagher, Donna Krochak and Nicole Nouvion. Below, Mark Rogers, his son, Mas, and wife, Amanda, skate around the rink.

GoodLifeMagazine.ca | 65

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