Luso Life 010 by LusoLife

stop, drop & go Nº 010

summer ‘21

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In Portugal, sardines constitute a significant portion of the fishing industry and they also inspire local culture. In Lisbon, the Feast of St. Anthony (the Sardine Festival) celebrates the city’s patron saint, who supposedly left Lisbon to go preach the gospel along the shore of Rimini, Italy. While he was largely ignored by the people, millions of sardines listened to every word with their heads above the water. Today, beautiful hand-painted ceramic fish can be seen hanging on walls throughout the country.

The views expressed throughout Luso Life belong to the respective authors, and do not necessarily represent the views of the company and team. C REA T I V E DI REC TOR David Ganhão

A DV ERT I SE info@lusolife.ca

a r t / d e s ig n DI REC TOR Noah Ganhão A D V ERTI SI N G DI REC TOR José M. Eustáquio P H OTOS Stephanie Brajkovich Maria Helena da Silva Julia Dantas Joe Dilworth Noah Ganhão Jerzy Koznik Mike Neal Shirley O’Loughlin Cover Noah Ganhão W ORDS Inês Carpinteiro Julia Dantas David Ganhão Noah Ganhão JL Leah Meddaoui Tim Wilson T r ans l at io ns Inês Carpinteiro

C ON TA C T lusolife.ca info@lusolife.ca DI STR I B UTI ON If you would like to carry Luso Life, write to info@lusolife.ca SUB SC RI B E Luso Life is released four times per year. To subscribe, visit lusolife.ca/shop Price: $10 CDN l is t e n Listen to a few of the many tunes that helped us through some long days while we were crafting this issue.

Published by MDC Media Group Manuel DaCosta, President. Printed in Toronto. ©2021 Luso Life. All rights reserved. All material in this magazine may not be reproduced, transmitted or distributed in any form without the written permission of Luso Life.

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Contents 18

A mesa da avó

One in eleven million

The two “musts” at every Portuguese gathering... a common connection and rissóis! We share a story and a recipe from Avó Beatriz.

What’s it like to be on a plane that is headed into the ocean? A passenger tells his story from Air Transat Flight 236.

Hurry up, you’ll be late for work

How far is too far? Walking the fine line between cultural appropriation and cultural appreciation.

Seven tips that will help you save time on makeup, so you can get out the door quicker.

Raincoats, punk, and the accordion boy We interview a post-punk pioneer. As a member of The Raincoats, she released her first album in 1979; In the 90s, the all female band became the darling of the Riot Grrrl movement; in 2018 [when she was nearly 70] she started making electronic music and recorded a new album in 2018. Meet Ana da Silva.

Stop, drop & go Two guys in their quarter life crisis, a Hyundai Tuscan and the Quebec backcountry. Sheer optimism and minimal expectations—the formula for a good time.

Give one, take one

Sustainable lutherie?

What is that tiny house, full of books, propped up on a stick and decorating your neighbour’s front lawn? That’s a Little Free Library® and we have ten to show you.

Too stubborn and too stupid to quit Which is lucky for us, because eating at Grāz was a fantastic dining experience... it also helps that owner David Gonçalves is a dude.

A glimpse at some environmental concerns of acoustic guitar building.

Portrait What happens when your day-trip to a fjord in Norway gets derailed? You jump on a boat, visit a tiny town and make a new adventure.

WORDS: David Ganhão

recipe: Beatriz gonçalveS

PHOTOS: mike neal

avó bEatriz

Common connections

LUSO LIFE

here are two “musts” at every Portuguese event. The first is you must try to find the common connection—where did you come from? Who are your parents? Grandparents? Who do you know in my area of Portugal? The second is rissóis”… ok, I may be exaggerating, but only a little. When I met with Avó Beatriz, we went straight from bom dia into the connections. I made mine first, telling her how we had met in her driveway 25 years ago. It was a few months before our wedding, and we needed to finalize songs with our DJ, so Isabel and I drove out to his place and spent some time ironing out the details. When we finished, David (you’ll meet him on page 68) walked us out, and when we got to the driveway, a lady who was sitting on the porch jokingly reprimanded him for throwing a cigarette butt in the flower bed. David quickly told her to leave it because he was planting a cigarette tree to save money; she laughed, he gave her a kiss, then introduced her as Beatriz, his mom. LUSO LIFE

That story has stayed with me for all these years. I found the interaction between mother and son endearing. Unsurprisingly, Avó Beatriz didn’t remember the exchange; to her, it was just another Monday night with David. She had to dig deeper to make her connection. After a short question and answer period, the connection was made: Her nephew Paulo is married to Stephanie, whose uncle is José Manuel, who lives with my mother. With six degrees of luso separation established, the path to rissóis was now open. There would be a longer delay than I was used to since the rissóis were merely ingredients staring up at me from neatly lined up bowls, but I would be ready to put my professional taste-testing skills to the test once she was finished. Cooking began, and Beatriz continued making connections. “José Manuel comes from a great family,” she stated. 22

LUSO LIFE

“One day, when I was a young girl, my mother sent me into town to quickly pick up a few things. Knowing I had to move quickly, I left my shoes at home. Our shoes were clogs with wooden soles and wearing them would only slow me down. A neighbour asked me to stop at the local shoemaker—José Manuel’s father Vidal, to pickup a pair of sandals she had ordered, so I made it my first stop. Senhor Vidal told me the sandals would be ready shortly, so off I went to do my shopping. I was quickly spotted by one of the National Republican Guards (GNR) who was patrolling the streets. He told me to stop and asked if I was aware that there was a law prohibiting people from entering the town barefoot. I told him yes, that I had left home wearing sandals but I was running quickly and one of the straps broke, so I left them with Senhor Vidal to repair. Mr. GNR didn’t believe me. He wanted to verify my story, so he marched me back to the shoemaker. I jumped in front as we entered the shop, gave Senhor Vidal a knowing wink and asked him to confirm that I had sandals to pickup. ‘I’m working on them right now’, he said….and with that, I was off the hook and didn’t have to pay the fine! I was feisty and always ready to stand up for myself.” As she cooked, I noticed that her “recipe” was a loose set of instructions stored away in her head which meant she could swap out ingredients if necessary. “David, I’m ready for the milk. No milk? Only cream? That works…. it’ll make the filling thicker.” Her daughter-in-law, Alisa, laughed, “we’ve tried to document the recipe, but she changes something every time she makes them!” Avó Beatriz continued ad-libbing her way through the recipe and telling stories until she had amassed a tray full of rissóis, ready to be fried. Portuguese “must” number two had finally arrived, and it was well worth the wait. At 79, Avó Beatriz is witty, genuine and has no desire to slow down. In celebration, I raise my rissole and toast. Cheers to being forever feisty!

LUSO LIFE

So, what are rissóis [pronounced reeSOY-ish]? Basically, it’s a Portuguese version of pierogis—crescent-shaped turnovers made by wrapping dough around a yummy filling. Avó Biatriz shared her delicious camarão (shrimp) version, but you can stuff them with anything. Other popular choices are tuna, chouriço, ground meat, ham and cheese (mista), and I’ve heard the Goans make fabulous vegetarian rissóis. This recipe is for a big batch but don’t fret, you won’t need to eat them all at once! If you have more than you can consume, you can freeze the breaded, uncooked rissóis, then defrost them slightly before frying.

makes 50-60

Rissóis de camarão

shrimp filling

3 lbs shrimp (uncooked, deveined, and deshelled)

Boil shrimp in a large pot.

2 medium onions, finely diced 4 tbsp olive oil ¼ stick of butter 3 cups milk

Once cooked, reserve 2 cups of water for later. Finely chop shrimp and set aside. Heat oil in a saucepan at medium-low heat. Add diced onions and cook until translucent (not brown).

3 tbsp olive oil

Add the shrimp water, milk and salt to the pot.

3 tbsp corn starch

In a small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in 3 tbsp of milk then stir mixture into the pot.

parsley

Add chopped shrimp and parsley, then stir until mixture thickens.

dash of piri-piri sauce

Add a dash of piri-piri sauce.

1 tsp salt

Set aside to cool and make the dough.

dough

6 cups water

Add everything except the flour to a large pot and bring to a boil.

1 cup milk

Add the flour and mix vigorously over heat until dough forms a smooth ball.

1 tbsp salt 3 tbsp lard

Remove from heat until cool enough to work with.

½ stick butter

to finish

2 slices of lemon rind

Sprinkle counter surface with a little flour to stop the dough from sticking

1 tbsp olive oil

Cut the dough ball into smaller pieces to make it easier to work with.

7 cups flour

Roll the dough out as thin as possible. Place a tbsp of shrimp mixture on top of the dough and fold over to cover.

to finish 2 cups bread crumbs

Cut dough in a half-moon shape using a cookie-cutter [a drinking glass flipped upside down will also work].

3 egg, beaten

Press down the edges of the shape to seal it.

vegetable oil (for frying)

Continue the process until all of the dough is finished. Use one hand to dip them in the egg (wet hand) and the other to coat with bread crumbs (dry hand). Fry the rissóis in a deep fryer until the turn golden brown. To freeze any extra rissóis for later, line a baking sheet with parchment paper, place the pastries down in a single layer without overlapping and cover. Once frozen, you transfer to a bag.

LUSO LIFE

ONE IN ELEV

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VEN MILLION WORDS:

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WORDS & photos: julia dantas

UP!

HURRY

BEAUTY BY JULIA

Over the last year, people from all walks of life and industries have experienced very difficult circumstances in one way or another. This is especially true for those of us in the beauty industry. Personal care services have been shut down in the Toronto area for over 300 days during this time, and it’s no secret that the industry is hurting. For many people, a morning makeup routine has been a thing of the past ever since Covid-19 started. Working from home has meant that a bare face, pyjamas, and a messy bun are the new workday norm. But with companies slowly getting back to the office, that’s about to change. Yep, it’s time to start thinking about how you’ll save time in the morning and still look your best at the office! Here are my top 7 ways to save time on your makeup before work: have a good skincare routine

Creating a quick makeup routine starts with a great skincare routine (especially the night before). If you’re taking care of your skin, you won’t have to worry about covering up as much. Take the time to practice a skincare routine every evening that will leave you with fresh and glowing skin in the morning. This should include a face wash, toner, moisturizer, eye cream, serums, a lip mask, and any other products that you know will leave your skin feeling its best in the morning. Use a tinted moisturizer Don’t get me wrong, I love a good foundation! But if you’re in a hurry, it’s best to use a tinted moisturizer like a BB or CC cream that can both moisturize and provide coverage. A great thing about 30

LUSO LIFE

SEVEN WAYS TO SAVE TIME ON MAKEUP

tinted moisturizer is that you can also apply it with your hands for a super fast application. Ensure that it also has SPF, so you’re protected if you didn’t have time to apply any sunscreen! Get a lash tint and lift Having your lashes tinted and lifted could save you a huge amount of time by skipping mascara. Yes, mascara makes a big difference, but it can be time-consuming if you’re running late, and you also risk making a mistake. To avoid any messy mascara accidents when you’re in a rush, opt for a lash appointment that you only need to do every few weeks. Get a brow lamination service and tint Tinted and laminated brows can be a huge time-saver! Lamination gives the illusion of a more lifted eye, and the darker brow hair will look much fuller. This combination means you could completely skip the brow step in your daily routine and save some major time. Use only the products you need For a very quick routine, I recommend only using products that you really need. I recommend your base (tinted moisturizer), a concealer, brow pencil, mascara, a bronzer or contour, and a blush. While you might be tempted to

use highlighter, liquid eyeliner, and additional products, it’s best to keep it simple to avoid spending any more time than you need to on each application. Skip dark lipsticks A red lipstick can be really beautiful, but it’s best to skip it if you’re in a rush. Instead, use a light shade of lip balm or lipstick that also moisturizes so that you can avoid any mistakes and have hydrated lips all day long. Use multi-purpose cream products You don’t need 12 different products to create a beautiful look. Many brands have come out with stick products that are multi-purpose and create a flawless look. For example, you can use a blush as lipstick and a bronzer as eyeshadow. It’s all about finding the right shades that can be used for different areas of the face. I also recommend using cream products because they can be quickly blended into the skin with your fingers. The bottom line is that you’re just trying to create a quick and fresh makeup look. Focus on products that you know and love (this is not the time to try out a new mascara or brow pomade). Using go-to products that you know will work for your skin and enhance your natural beauty ensures that you don’t spend any more time than you need to on your makeup routine. And remember, you can always throw your favourite products in your purse if you need to freshen up throughout the day! @juliadantasbeauty

Cultural Appropriation

ILLUSTRATION: david ganhão

Illustration: David Ganhão

WORDS: Inês carpinteiro

WORDS: Inês Carpinteiro

here’s a fine line between cultural appropriation and cultural appreciation. Most of us – me included - navigate between one and the other without much awareness. Cultural appropriation refers to the use of objects of a non-dominant culture in a way that doesn’t respect their original meaning, give credit to their source, reinforces stereotypes, or contributes to oppression. It’s all about the power dynamics, and this can be tricky to understand. Between the ages of 6 to 9 years old, every summer, I braided my hair. I remember being excited as if that was a certification to being a cool kid, spending long days at the beach, making sure I was more tanned than the year before. When I was in middle school, I recall people using kimonos and hoop earrings. Which I didn’t, not because I thought that I shouldn’t, but just because I couldn’t pull them off. I never thought much about where all those elements came from. They just existed. Is anything even being invented these days? Should your skin colour or the place you were randomly born dictate what you can use, say or do? Personally, borrowing from other cultures seems inevitable in today’s world, and it can be potentially positive, as it can offer more exposure and knowledge about a certain culture. It would be shocking if we were born in a culture, and that would be all we had access to. That’s why we should work towards cultural appreciation, which is the respectful borrowing of elements from another culture with an interest in sharing ideas and diversifying oneself. Can you always distinguish between cultural appropriation and appreciation? Not really, as it’s mostly based on your intention. This is not a modern issue, but now it’s definitely more discussed. Is this a tangible problem or just the result of an ultra-sensitive society? Today, the internet mainly social media - is the anonymous denouncer, the investigative police, the judge, and it delivers the sentence simultaneously, without much room for discussion, leaving exposed what before would be easily swept under the rug. Many celebrities have seen their reputation tarnished after being accused of cultural appropriation. While some seem harmless and even unreasonable, other situations make me think that there’s a reason why this is an issue. The groups targeted for cultural appropriation are usually of African descent, Asians, Latinos and Native Americans. This can be expressed in something as simple as a hairstyle, music, tattoos, art, the usage of religious elements, the way we speak or in fashion. Gwen Stefani has faced criticism for her fixation on Harajuku culture from Japan. The same happened to Katy Perry as she performed on American Music Awards in 2013, dressed as a geisha – with a full kimono, tabi socks, lacquered hair, and powdered face. When in 2017, Selena Gomez wore a Hindu bindi to MTV Movie Video Awards, she suffered some backlash considering the bindi is an ancient tradition in Hinduism and has religious significance. The question is: how far can you go? Most of the negative reactions are due to the lack of knowledge and the use of elements of great significance for their own profit. Iggy Azalea and Miley Cyrus have been accused

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of exploiting African American culture for profit but ignoring community issues. Someone even questioned, “What would America be like if we loved black people as much as we love black culture?” – and that gets you thinking. When you think about Rock n’ Roll who’s the first artist that comes to your mind? Maybe Elvis Presley since he’s known by being the King of Rock n’ Roll. The music style was born in the ’50s and borrowed from black musicians, like Little Richard, who never received credit. Even though Elvis Presley never claimed credit for it, the media has rewritten history. Music executives chose to promote white performers with a mainstream look and sound. This strengthens the idea that cultural appropriation involves an impact on a non-dominant group. This practice of borrowing from black artists and promoting white artists instead continues to this day. When I see celebrities being scrutinized for using cornrows, dreadlocks or any hairstyle inspired in a certain culture, I always felt that to be exaggerated. I don’t think that anyone means to be disrespectful. How can we know for sure where the cornrows come from and why should they be limited to a segment of the population? However, now I understand that the problem is how things are perceived. Suppose a black woman wears cornrows or dreadlocks. In that case, they may be looked in a different way, especially in a professional environment, but if Kylie Jenner does it - or any white woman - it’s edgy. While a black woman needs to fight for acceptance, a white woman can be admired for using the same hairstyle. In 2016, Marc Jacobs presented a runway show at New York Fashion Week in which a group of all-white models wore dreadlocks. What left most people outraged is not so much about hairstyles but the lack of black women on the runway. Cultural appropriation becomes a fundamental problem when we are trying to eliminate oppression instead of perpetuating it. When brands get inspired by another culture but don’t include people from that culture, it passes the message that what they wear or do is acceptable but not their colour/aspect. Whether it is in music, fashion or entertainment, the biggest problem of cultural appropriation is wanting to celebrate other cultures without their presence. It would be as if someone throws you a surprise birthday party but doesn’t invite you. It just doesn’t make sense. In Australia, there were cases of white Australian businesses copying Aboriginal artwork to use in souvenirs or sell as if they were authentic, which led to a movement to authenticate Aboriginal products. This practice reinforced the power imbalance between these two groups, one stealing from the other intending to generate profit for themselves. Another very polemic discussion is led in sports. The NFL team - Washington Redskins - have been constantly criticized for not changing their team’s name. When confronted by Native American activists asking for the “Indian” mascots to be removed, their spokesperson tried to defend the name’s choice by saying they are ‘honouring Indians’ or that ‘people are being too sensitive.’ The insistence is because the term ‘redskin’ was used in colonial times when the government would pay to kill Native Americans, and people used their scalp or genitalia, aka redskins, as proof of the killing. The trauma that comes from

that period of violence, slavery and colonization lasts for generations. For us, it can be just a simple word and not mean much, but it can mean something much deeper for that culture. Many cases of cultural appropriation or us not understanding it can be explained by our ignorance on the subject. One of the core objections to avoiding cultural appropriation is based on free speech. Sure, you have the right to express yourself however you want to, and there’s nothing anyone can do to stop you—even if they wanted to. However, to be more respectful, there are some rules we can try to follow. Don’t adopt sacred artefacts as accessories. Give credit, just like you would in any creative collaboration. Engage with cultures on more than the aesthetic level. Pay tribute and acknowledge their origin. Don’t dress up as an ethnic stereotype – someone else’s culture doesn’t need to be a costume or a joke. Simply, Educate yourself. In March of this year, the designer Tory Burch was in the news all over Portugal - and some other parts of the world - for copying a traditional Portuguese artisanal shirt from Póvoa de Varzim. The worst part? On her website, they claimed the inspiration came from Mexico. If you are going to copy something, please give credit to the right person, especially since the shirt featured the same marine elements as the original and the crown of the Portuguese monarchy in the middle. What is even more outrageous is that it was sold for ten times the original one’s cost. Paying 695 euros for something that they simply stole? Of course, they apologized and tried to bring some kind of benefit to Póvoa de Varzim – a little too late in my opinion; just the usual marketing stunt. But the story doesn’t stop there; it seems that the same brand also had china similar to Bordallo Pinheiro - for me, it looks pretty much the same. No need to say that I’m less than impressed with Tory Burch’s brand “originality”. However, not all integrations between a dominant culture and a minority need to have a negative impact. It can generate an interesting dialogue and even be the saviour of a cultural product that has faded away. In 2016, Oskar Metsavaht visited the Ashaninka tribe to get inspired. Based on what he saw, he brought new patterns and designs for the new collection. In return, the tribe received royalties for the sold pieces, and it was an opportunity to create awareness to the audience regarding the importance of protecting their territory against climate change and illegal deforestation. The reality is that everything seems to have been already invented, and, whether if we realize it or not, we are moulded by our surroundings, which include encounters with other cultures. There’s nothing wrong in experiencing a new music style, different art, new patterns, and designs, providing that we don’t forget where they come from. Let’s just take credit for the things we actually do. As for the rest, let’s appreciate it as best as we can.

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WORDS: David Ganhão

RAINCOATS, PUNK, AND THE ACCORDION BOY

photo: Shirley O’Loughlin

t’s no secret that as a youth, one of my favourite pastimes was sifting through old milk crates full of dusty vinyl, looking for the next surprise to add to my collection. If I drove by a yard sale and spotted crates from the street, I’d stop to see what was for sale, and if I found something I liked, I’d pay whatever they were asking—haggling wasn’t my thing. There was something surreal about standing on someone’s lawn flipping through their belongings, wondering why they decided to sell this particular piece of their history? At some point, this music must have been important to them, but now these records were displayed under the summer sun, in boxes propped up on a fold-up table, waiting for me to take one of them home for a spin. I’d look at the people hosting the yard sale and picture them grooving to their collection — the dude wearing way-too-long Bermuda shorts and a Star Wars tee dancing to “Tiny Bubbles” by Don Ho, the lady with drawn-on eyebrows, sipping coffee from a mug that reads “I’m with stupid” shaking her head to the Teenage Head…why part with these memories? To be fair, this was the period when people were replacing all their vinyl with CDs. Still, Michael Starr, the owner of my local vinyl shop, refused to stock this new technology, 38

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telling me (and anyone who would walk through his doors) that this “CD thing” was a fad that would eventually go away… technically, he was right! It was during one of these trips that I stumbled across an interesting specimen—a crayon drawing of a school choir, with a boy playing the accordion off to the side, and two words scrawled across the pink sky— “The Raincoats”. Having grown up in a Portuguese home, the accordion boy on the cover resonated with me. In our family, the accordion is a cherished instrument. An instrument played by my cousin Janette, and as a child, I remember hearing that Janette had once been featured on Tiny Talent Time. This local TV program allowed children to showcase their talents in the performing arts (putting all the money parents had spent on lessons to good use). As a child, I was much more intrigued by the electric guitar and had begged my parents to buy me one, but if the squeezebox was my ticket to fame, I was going down that avenue, so I asked Janette to give me lessons. After two or three lessons, I realized the accordion was harder than it seemed, and I quietly stopped showing up to my lessons (Interesting factoid: to this day, Janette and her accordion continue to entertain audiences). It was clear that The Raincoats’ accordion boy was coming home for a spin.

photo: jerzy koznik, 1978 Once home, it was time for my “new album routine”—place the album on the turntable, clean it, drop the needle and read through the liner notes while side one played. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much to read, but on the back of the sleeve, I did notice something on the bottom left corner which I found familiar—Ana da Silva. I didn’t know her personally, but I knew a couple of girls named Ana da Silva and knew that name could only be Portuguese. In the 80s, the cool factor of being Portuguese was low…there weren’t many musicians carrying the flag, but there was Ana, who hadn’t changed her name, identifying herself for me to see. Fast forward to 1991. I’m pretty sure that legally I have to list my profession for most of the year as “bar fly”, but by September, I had been promoted to DJ. That was the birth of FUBAR Thursday—a night where I was given free rein to play whatever I wanted and get f***ed up beyond all recognition. Looking back, I can only assume Dean (the owner) did this to help me pay my bar tab, but I’m grateful nonetheless. To fans of my music, I was the GOAT. To those who didn’t like my music, I was the worst person to ever slip on a pair of headphones and stand behind the turntables—I refused to take requests and didn’t care if people danced or stood still. My time in the DJ booth was spent drinking Scotch and educating the crowd on what I thought they should be listening to. Although that period was a bit of a haze, I remember that it was the fall of 1991. Why? Because after my second week on the job, Dean and I jumped into his 300Z and went record shopping. At the top of my list was Nirvana’s “Smells like Teen Spirit”, which had just been released and was quickly becoming the anthem for my generation. Nirvana became a staple of my sets, as did bands like the Violent Femmes, The Lowest of the Low and The Forgotten Rebels. Every once in a while, sandwiched in between these bands, I would sneak in The Raincoats’ cover of The Kinks’ “Lola”.

By Christmas 1992, I had hung up my headphones, retired from the DJ booth, and was purchasing music for my personal consumption—enter Insecticide by Nirvana. This album had three pages of liner notes written by Kurt, and almost half were dedicated to Ana da Silva and The Raincoats. WTF? Kurt knew The Raincoats? I quickly started riffling through my albums only to find that my copy of “The Raincoats” had been liberated from my collection. Maybe I left it at a party; maybe someone thought Accordion Boy would make a great art piece on their wall; or maybe someone really loved that version of “Lola” I kept shoving down their throats and wanted to discover the rest of the album; or maybe someone hated that cover of “Lola” and wanted to destroy it forever like I had done to Meatloaf’s Bat out of Hell when I dragged the needle across side two hoping to render it useless (sorry Dean). All I knew for certain was that it was gone, and it was out of print. Fast forward to present times, and I’m playing an Alternative 70s playlist on Spotify—Iggy, MC5, Buzzcocks, Bowie… and 76 songs in “No Side to Fall In” by The Raincoats! Here they were again. I did a quick search, and there they were— the full discography—The Raincoats (1979), Odyshape (1981), Moving (1984) and The Kitchen Tapes (1988). Ana had also released albums in 2018—The Lighthouse (solo) and Island (with Japanese musician Phew). Over thirty years had passed since I had taken someone’s discarded memory home for a spin. I used that album to make my own memories, I shared it with others, I discovered that it had influenced oodles of 90s bands, and now Spotify was serving it up to me digitally, bringing all those memories to the forefront. The logical next step was to chat with this extraordinary lady, to make new memories that I can share with you…so I reached out. LUSO LIFE

Luso Life: You were born in Madeira during the Salazar regime. I’ve heard that the further you were from Lisbon, the tougher life was because of Salazar’s cuts. Being an island, Madeira was hit especially hard. What was that like? Ana da Silva: My personal experience was that growing up in Madeira, it was such a small place that my horizons were small. Most of what is now seen as a lack of liberty were then seen as normal. All my life, I had lived under this regime. I didn’t know the alternatives first hand. There was a heavyweight in all our lives. In the summer of 1967, I was 19 and legally emancipated. I and my sister were going to Germany for a few months to live and study the language. Our parents drove us there and, when we arrived at the Portuguese border, I realized that my mother, who was nearly 55, could have been forbidden from leaving the country. To travel out of Portugal, then, my mother had to present the border police with two documents offering permission, one from her employer and one from my father. I can’t imagine American/British rock being played on Portuguese radio in the 50s or 60s. What music were you exposed to growing up in Madeira? All my life I enjoyed listening to music. As a child, I heard Elvis and the Everly Brothers on my older cousins’ 45s, and from then on, I developed a passion for music. I also sang in a choir and had some piano lessons, which gave me a basis that is still helpful to my music-making today. In my late teenage years, I came to England for two months, heard The Beatles, saw The Rolling Stones and a few others, bought a few magazines, 45s and albums by the above to take home and play for my friends and a really precious piece of clothing – a black polo-neck sweater. That was cool (when cool was cool). I went to Germany a few years later and learned a few guitar chords from an American girl. Eventually, my sister bought me an acoustic guitar, and I played Bob Dylan songs, just like everybody else. This was an awakening time as I realized then that so much could be said and expressed through music and 40

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that it was such a powerful, rich and easily available medium. It is poetry, movement, structure, personal experience turned into a shared one, it’s immediate, or it can take you into a complex journey, it’s fun, introspective, and so varied - not only because of what’s in there as far as lyrics and composition go, but because of the variety of instruments that exist and the advancement of technology which brings new possibilities and sounds into the mix. How and when do you end up in London? I moved to London on December 13, 1974, not intending to stay forever. I was excited to go through an unknown experience. Being in London, I felt very free, excited to feel free, although, at the same time, I was learning to be free. It takes a while. You only realize how free you are after you’ve lived within the oppressive chains of the Portuguese dictatorship until the moment of the revolution on the 25th of April 1974. Maybe I brought to our work certain anguish from that time and a will to break down the walls that had surrounded me. I met Gina at art school in 1976. And a couple of other things happened there that were really important for me/us. There was a female model and also another student who played electric guitars during the lunch breaks. I was drawn to that and bought a Fender copy at the Portobello Market and later a small amp. This made me really happy. The other important thing was that there were two boys at the college that knew the Sex Pistols’ roadie and who introduced me to punk. One of them asked me to cut his hair badly, which I did and enjoyed doing so. Gina and I started to go to lots of gigs. Everybody was saying you didn’t need to know how to play well to do something interesting and strong. Early 1977, we were both sitting in a pub and decided to start a band. The Raincoats career intercepted with other (now) legendary punk musicians like The Slits, Sex Pistols, PIL, and The Clash, but in 1977, the DIY punk era was in full force, and most of you were squatting and creating art, writing songs, designing posters, etc. What was that scene like? Was there a communal/collaborative feel? I read an article in a music magazine (can’t remember which) Vivian Goldman wrote about girl-bands. I remember The Slits and Girlschool were two of them. I don’t think The Slits had played yet, but Vivian knew about them. I didn’t think women weren’t capable of doing whatever, but the limitations were

photo: joe dilworth 1995 photo: maria helena da silva, 1978 so engraved in the general psyche that something like that article had an impact on me. I also had a book about girlbands. So, to me, it wasn’t a completely strange thing. What was encouraging at the time was the idea that you could start from almost nothing - just knowing three chords was enough to start something of value. The Slits were truly irreverent, and that was beautiful to watch, more than to listen at that point, although they already had some great songs, mainly written by Palmolive, who had also started their band. I wasn’t like them or aspired to be like them, but the fact that they were local and Gina knew Palmolive’s sister made it look more possible to start a band. They were ‘real people’, as opposed to almost feeling that the people on the records I was familiar with didn’t exist in the real world. They were sort of mythical and unapproachable.

Loud” and “And Then it’s OK” respectively. We just always tried what came to our heads. We never really sat down to make big decisions, and that included what sort of music we were going to play. Things always tended to evolve organically. So, musically and lyrically, each of us expressed herself in a particular way, depending on our character, tastes, background, etc. It was the differences and mix of these four people that created the sort of music we played. But, of course, we lived in a particular time and punk heavily informed this early body of work. Therefore, it sounded immediate and loud.

I felt close to Rough Trade, because I worked there sometimes and knew about new music from the shop. Mostly, we spent a lot of time together as a band, composing, rehearsing, chatting and making decisions as we went along. The communal/ collaborative feel was more within the band but with awareness of what was going on outside. You all wrote songs and contributed to each other’s music. What was the songwriting process? Mostly, one of us would bring the lyrics and maybe a guitar part and singing melody and then we would work on the arrangements together, constantly changing and trying ideas. On the first album, The Raincoats, we each played, with a few exceptions, our own instruments, me on guitar, Gina on bass, Vicky on violin and Palmolive on drums. It was recorded mainly live, and so the music sounds quite direct. Odyshape was a lot more spacious, and we used lots of acoustic instruments and noises (no acoustic guitars, though), and some people thought it was a bit folky; others found it experimental. This shows we didn’t really fit or wanted to fit, in a particular style or genre. Things evolved because of quite simple things. For instance, when we went to play on the east coast of the USA, we bought a kalimba (thumb piano), a sruti box and a balaphone. They are as far from punk as you can get, but we didn’t think in those terms and, because we liked their sound, we used them mixed up with more edgy sounds on “Only Loved at Night”, “Shouting Out LUSO LIFE

Although some of your peers like Chrissie Hynde or Siouxsie Sioux are strong female icons, The Raincoats really introduced the music world to feminism. Was this a conscious decision, or did you and Gina just click artistically, and things fell into place? I think that the fact that me, Gena, Vicki and Palmolive were in a band and collaborating with Shirley, was in itself an act of feminism, as generally, it wasn’t accepted that girls should be in a band unless they sang or played acoustic guitar. We formed the band because we wanted to, and not to prove anything or as an act of conscious feminism. I never thought we shouldn’t or couldn’t form a band if we wanted to. We just had to find out if we were able to write good songs and play our instruments in a creative way, and this had nothing to do with the fact that we were women. To me, the punk ethos is breaking creative rules. It’s passion over perfection. When you started making music, the Billboard charts were dominated by artists like Jimmy Buffet and ELO. You weren’t interested in mastering your instruments; you wanted to get your message out to anyone who would listen. Music was a conveyor of rebellion. Do you see that in any of today’s bands? We were one of Rough Trade’s best-selling bands in that period. So, we always had people who enjoyed what we did. You can’t please everybody. Had we been men, maybe the reaction would have been different, and we would have been considered geniuses. It was all too quirky for easy assimilation. Artists are always rebelling, and, at the moment, it’s important to rebel against government corruption, unequal status imposed on women and people of other races, cultures, religions, sexualities, etc. It’s also so necessary to do something big about climate change. 42

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As a youth, I spent too many hours sifting through bins filled with vinyl, looking for the next masterpiece to spend my money on…. Some of that money was used to purchase a used copy of The Raincoats debut, which was purchased solely for Accordion boy on the cover. I’ve since found out it was a painting by nine-year-old Pang Hsiao-Li. Where did you find this, and why did you decide to use it? The painting by Pang Hsiao-Li was chosen from a book called Pictures by Chinese Children, published in 1976 and is credited on the album sleeve. We chose this painting as a basis for the cover because it was musical and had girls and boys. You mention the accordion boy. Someone that came to one of our gigs had a tattoo done with that boy. It looked really nice! I had read that Moe Tucker was raising a family, working at Walmart somewhere in Middle-America and totally unaware of the renewed interest in the Velvet Underground. What was going on in your life when Kurt Cobain declared The Raincoats one of his favourite bands? Were you aware of Nirvana or any of their contemporaries? Although our music had been appreciated, everything was a bit quiet after we disbanded in 1984. The records stopped being available for a while. We were doing other things. In the early ‘90s, though, we started thinking we should re-release them on CD. Meanwhile, we realized that some people were mentioning us as an influence, so it seemed even more appropriate. I’m not completely sure why they liked us. Some people do think we were and still are ahead of our time, especially with Odyshape. I wouldn’t know because of my close relationship with it. I think we are still popular due in great part to the fact that a lot of people got to know about us through Kurt Cobain.

photo: shirley o’loughlin He was a fan and talked about the band on the liner notes to Incesticide. We also asked him to write something for the liner notes of the re-issue of our first album, which he did. That meant so much to us. Also, many people are interested in the music from the late 1970s to the early 1980s. I wasn’t very aware of what was going on musically in the early 1990s but, after meeting Kurt, I decided to find out more about the bands of that period and started going to gigs again and met Bikini Kill and lots of the Riot Grrrl bands. Like punk, that time was also very creative musically. All this led to a sort of The Raincoats revival… It made us play again, do another album, Looking in the Shadows, and we have been getting new followers all the time. We can say your band wrote the blueprint for the Riot Grrrl movement, you’re revered by music icons like Kim Gordon, John Lydon and (of course) Kurt, and your debut is ranked 398 in Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time (right between Brian Wilson’s Smile and When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? by Billy Eilish!). How does it feel to finally have your proper place in rock n’ roll history? We’re not in bad company in the Rolling Stone list! It’s the most rewarding thing to feel that what we did is still meaningful and giving pleasure to a lot of people and inspiring other artists. People contact us through social media, and we have been quite touched by the comments, messages, and friend requests that we’ve received. This makes us aware that people from all over the world have taken something from us, even from countries where our albums were not released. Another amazing thing is that very young people also like our music. There are always a lot of young people, including lots of girls at our concerts. I just discovered your solo album, The Lighthouse—I think it’s brilliant. How did you make the transition into electronica? Was it a comfortable move? I don’t remember how I started looking at electronic equipment. Somehow in 2005, I came across a digital device - a Yamaha QY70 - which was supposed to be good for composing. I also saw Björk in a documentary walking along the beach with this instrument, with which she was writing an album. I got curious and ended up buying it, because I thought it would be good to take it with me, at a time I had to go to Madeira a lot and for long periods. I thought I’d have to eventually transfer everything to a more complex digital instru-

ment via MIDI and adapt it all, but I ended up liking how it sounded and the fact that it was such a small instrument, accessible, inexpensive for what it did, and roughly the size of a VHS cassette. So, in the end, all the instrumentation in ‘The Lighthouse’ is done on the QY70, except for the vocals. Nowadays, it could all be done on a computer. Your music draws influence from a lot of different places. I love that “Disco Ball” has that distinct Portuguese baseline that we hear in so many traditional songs. Do you find yourself turning to Portugal for inspiration? I don’t actively look for inspiration in Portuguese music, although it’s always difficult to know where ideas and feelings come from exactly. I’m a product of the time I’m living in. The bass line (well spotted David!) on “Disco Ball”, though, was a sort of ‘perverse’ idea I had. It is taken from ‘Bailinho da Madeira’, which is a very popular country song in Madeira, the most typical song there. I think I just wondered what I would end up with if I started with such a bass line. I built everything on top of it. What music is getting you excited today? In the last few years, I’ve been very interested in some electronic music. I love the sounds you can get from synthesizers and the moods you can create. Also, the possibilities for sounds are endless. Because of all this, I ended up buying modules to build a modular synth. With this, I played my parts in my collaborative album with the Japanese musician Phew, called ‘Island’, released in late 2018. We performed the festival MADEIRADiG in December of the same year. Being Portuguese, there’s an ingrained sense of family and a guilt-fuelled obligation to please our parents. Were your parents supportive of your art? I’m sure they were sad when they realized I had definitely moved to the UK but never said anything about it. They didn’t interfere with our decisions and were very accepting and proud of what I did. anadasilva.net listen to our ana da silva spotify playlist

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shot on kodak gold 200 film with a konica z-up 70 super and zenit e

sheer optimism and minimal expectations —the formula for a good time.

photos and words by noah ganhão

If the saying is true and it really is ‘pics or it didn’t happen’ then this trip very nearly did not happen. A mere 10 minutes after finishing our celebratory peanut butter sandos and beers, my phone tumbled over a kilometre down the side of the mountain. Two weeks —the generous gift that comes along with working the other fifty of the year. But how best to spend those weeks? What needs to be done to return to work satisfied — or even better, fulfilled? That is the question my friend Fin found himself facing for the first time in his 22 years. Aware that this would soon be my reality, I was not taking this time lightly either. Early this year—in the midst of assembling the 13 foot cruise ship of a couch that we designed and built for Fin’s 5502 foot condo — we decided that a road trip would be in the books for the summer. With that agreed upon, we planned just about nothing until two weeks before leaving. Knowingly forgoing the promise of the west coast, we set our sights on the uncharted roads of Quebec. With few plans and fewer expectations, the trip was free from the typical pressures that come with travelling and just about everything else in life. So here we were, two guys in their quarter life crisis, a Hyundai Tuscan and the Quebec backcountry. We were thrilled. With the rental car packed, tracks cued up and cold brews in hand, we hit the road for what was sure to be an eventful week.

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As we drove, the language changed, accents got thicker, gas more expensive and beer labels more eccentric. The further we travelled, the closer we got to something neither of us knew we were looking for. Not necessarily a place or thing but a feeling — a state of living. As mountains became increasingly common and cell service increasingly scarce, loose routines were developed and egos forgotten. We allowed ourselves to be shaped by the days’ events. Gratefully, no day was like the other. They shared a similar framework but each had it’s own main event. Typically we would get up between 7 and 8 — groggy but optimistic for what the day would hold. Our arrival time at camp the previous night would determine the degree of stiffness faced at wake-up. If we arrived early enough to set up a tent then not so bad, but if the night was spent reclined in the front seats, the story was a bit different. By the end, it was about a 60/40 split… for the car unfortunately. When it came to breakfast , we had that locked down to a perfect science , usually falling before or after a little trek around the area. That was it, the springboard for a great day.

One of the few ‘plans’ on this trip was to simply disconnect from reality for a bit—literally and metaphorically. No social media and only the occasional text or call home (hi mom, hi dad, love you emily). The phone was used for three things; scanning iOverlander for campsites, using google maps to find sites or hikes and of course documenting the shenanigans over the course of the week. Safe to say that between this and a couple of film cameras, I was not lacking photos. Day 5, another day, another hike. Now with the previous days experience, we had our approach locked down, which made this a pretty smooth (albeit steep) ascent. The Acropole des Draveurs trail has three summits and once we reached the first, it was time to break and enjoy the view. A mere 10 minutes after finishing our celebratory peanut butter sandos and beers, my phone tumbled over a kilometre down the side of the mountain. It was jarring, perplexing and then calm. Every photo taken that week was gone and after a brief moment of shock— when I was certain a part of me had fallen down there as well—I felt something like relief.

Easy gourmet breakfast; requires salami, eggs, cheese, croissant, pan, heat. Salami doubles as a tasty accoutrement and the perfect non-stick medium. Cook salami until it crisps up and eat this as an appetizer because you’re probably hungry. Crack eggs into the pan and cook so the yolks are still a bit runny (you’re outdoors, don't mind the mess). Slice up cheese (we opted for old white cheddar), toss the eggs into the croissant, cheese on top and cook up some fresh salami since you already ate yours. This gets the pan ready for the next batch and now you’re golden. Enjoy. LUSO LIFE

BRIEF REST AT THE TOP OF A HIKE IN PARC DES GRANDS JARDINS.

Reality; A word with the same expectations and lack of clarity as ‘normal’. The criteria always seems to be shifting and never quite where we want it to be. This trip was just enough to give us a glimpse at another reality… perhaps one day the two can cross.

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How did it happen? In the middle of making the swap from phone to film to catch Fin doing something most adults would deem nothing short of stupid. Just as quickly as I reached for the camera, my phone missed the pocket and WHOOSH; it’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s an iPhone 12 Pro! It was us and two other hikers that shared this intimate moment. The two strangers with a concerned and mildly disturbed look on their face, myself with what must have been a very blank “wow that really happened” face and Fin, laughing hysterically. “Well… summit 2?” I asked. There wasn’t much point hanging around and dwelling, so we got walking.

With no chance to revisit those photos, I was just left with memories that for better or worse, couldn’t alter my recollection of the week’s events. My assessment of the trip was purely instinctive. How did it feel? Like a great big breath of fresh air. It was exactly what I needed. That is something I’m certain of, photos or not. To stay somewhat true to these circumstances, most of my thinking and writing about the trip has been done without referencing photos—including the film photos that fill these pages. Though thrilled to have them, the experience without photos massively shifted my last days and post-trip experience.

For the time being, I’ve avoided replacing the phone and as a result, also stopped documenting daily life. When I leave the house, I am untethered from people, expectations and in a way, even time. Regular activities have looked a bit different and perhaps for the better. I rented a bike and took whatever roads I felt like to get to the train, not worrying about which way was quickest. I dropped in on a friend sporadically and without notice. I miss messages and updates and realize it hardly matters. It’s a reminder of how insignificant I am. It’s liberating.

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TAKEAWAY 01 O P P O R T U N I T Y Create a routine that lends itself to opportunity. Not “oPportUnitY” in the dreary student desperate for a job sense but opportunity for fulfillment, to be surprised, scared, excited. We all yearn for spontaneity but it can only happen if you’ve taken pressure off by having the basics in order—otherwise you’re stressed and scrambling. I think this is what let us look positively on each day, even when we had just about no clue what we were doing. Also learned this recently when going out wth friends... there’s nothing sexy and spontaneous about walking up and down the street looking for a table when everyone else has a rezo.

TAKEAWAY 02 M E

Proceed with caution when relying on tech to remember things for you.

TAKEAWAY 03 R E F L E C T I O N Try to live in the moment. Actually, just don’t try. Reflect afterwards, talk about it, mull it over, do your thing. But while you’re there and doing it, make sure to do just that in whatever way feels right.

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TAKEAWAY 04 D I S C O N N E C T I N G I cannot vouch for this enough. This pairs with liberation. Drastic changes of scenery, being with new people, being without something that is always with you *cough* phone... All of these things are forms of disconnecting. All of them are bound to do something if approached willingly and with an open mind. It is difficult to disconnect when your best reference for it is momentarily losing reception on the subway. You may need to try to make it happen—force it even—unless your phone happens to fly off a mountain, and in that case, let it.

TAKEAWAY 05 L I B E R A T I O N Freedom baby! So many of the things we value and desire come down to this and so many of the things that burden us come when we feel we lack this. Feeling free is a delicate balance of so many things and truthfully, I am not qualified to offer a formula for it but for me, I think a combination of these other takeaways is what let me experience this.

TAKEAWAY 06 B Y

T H E

W A Y

All encounters with locals were extremely pleasant so I’m not sure what people are complaining about. Sounds like you’re the problem to me!

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WORDS: David ganhão

PHOTOS: Mike Neal

Little Free Library

Give one, take one Some are short, and some are tall. Some are painted in bright colours, while others are plain. They’re called Little Free Libraries® [LFL], and they are adorable. I had noticed this new form of lawn decoration springing up in my area for the last few years—mini houses propped up on poles filled with books for people to borrow. Visitors can choose a book and either return it when they finish or replace it with a different piece of literature. It’s always open, and you don’t need a library card. Neighbours encouraging people to read and share—brilliant. Personally, I love real “brick and mortar” libraries [see “Palaces for the people” in Issue 006] and don’t believe the LFLs are a replacement, but I do see them as a fantastic alternative. If you’re looking to spruce up your front lawn, you can order an LFL from their website, and you too can start spreading literacy in your community. Think before you drop It’s probably not a good idea to drop off that Windows 95 manual that has been collecting dust in your basement. If you think it’s useless, it probably is. No dictionaries, textbooks, atlases, travel guides, etc. Goodwill may be a better option for these items. Don’t overdo it Although you may think you’re being generous, overfilling is a no-no. Drop off a few at a time and leave space for others to donate. Keep it pretty Nobody wants to pick up a dirty, stained, creased, water damaged or mouldy book. You may think the crayon drawings your child made throughout his copy of Charlotte’s Web are cute, but unless his name was Jean-Michel Basquiat, they are probably just gross. littlefreelibrary.org

t h e b e ach e s

b r o a d vi e w n o r t h

27 hambly aveneue

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charter #101977

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peters’ little library

steward: ilana wilner LUSO LIFE

t h e d an f o r t h

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stewards: hilary & peter gray

steward: mitzi reinsilber

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g r e e k t o wn

hi g h p a r k n o r t h

51 playter crescent

111 fulton aveneue

charter #115716

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dragon library

steward: claire franceschetti LUSO LIFE

k o r e a t o wn

parkdale

663 euclid ave

151 marion street

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steward: ryan penn

steward: jewel envy

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r iv e r d a l e

r u nn y m e d e

193 riverdale aveneue

666 durie street

charter #65917

charter #42641

steward: alan liang

steward: susan rogers LUSO LIFE

WORDS: Tim wilson

PHOTOS: Stephanie Brajkovich

Sustainable lutherie? A glimpse at some environmental concerns in acoustic guitar building

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usical Instruments have always been objects of grandeur, both in sight and in sound. Part of this gravitas comes from the material from which they are constructed. It stands to reason then, that one of the most beloved instruments in the collective consciousness, the acoustic guitar, would also be the most scrutinized. A culture around treasured wood species, and a desire for specific sonic characteristics, has developed over the past decades, as players, manufacturers, and luthiers alike experiment to create the best-sounding and best-looking acoustic guitars. However, in recent years it has become increasingly evident that the availability of materials used for acoustic guitar construction has been threatened by over-harvesting and over-production. There isn’t enough of the traditionally used “good wood” to go around, and using up what little is left has come with its fair share of ethical infamy. Bob Taylor of Taylor Guitars says that he “has seen one vital wood species after another become unavailable in the 35 years he has been in business.” 1 So, as musicians, consumers, audiophiles and audience members, we are left with several questions: • What is considered good-wood in the context of acoustic guitars? • Can the un-aided ear even tell the difference in sound between different woods? • Why are we running out of these materials? • Can guitar manufacturers switch materials? Why/why not? What trees make for a good guitar? Over the last several hundred years, a handful of particular species have become tradition for acoustic guitars, and resultantly a needless, and potentially stubborn fixation on only using these woods has arisen. Some of the favourites of the industry are Brazilian rosewood, Indian Rosewood, Mahogany, Koa, Spruce, Redwood, African Blackwood, and of course, Ebony. For a tree to be suitable for musical instruments, it must be exceptionally tall and straight, with minimal to no irregularities or knots. It must have a diameter sufficient enough to yield the width of a guitar top. This means usable trees usually have to be particularly large, old and have grown slowly, in consistent climates and regular precipitation.

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Durability, workability, bendability, and glue-ability are important attributes. Other important physical characteristics include straightens of grain, the tightness of the grain (how close the grains are together), and even consistency of density. In summary, wood has to be workable to even be considered for use in an instrument. Some woods, like oak, are too heavy and dense for use in guitar. Others like walnut even cause skin irritation when tooled. Woods like bamboo are useful for other building projects but don’t’ have near the structural characteristics for an acoustic guitar. …can people even tell the difference between woods? So, if certain wood species are so desirable for their physical characteristics, it stands to reason that there is a difference in sound, too, right? Any luthier will argue that absolutely, wood species, age, dryness and density, among other factors, will contribute significantly to the sound of a guitar. This over-harvesting of endangered trees would be all for nought if it didn’t make a guitar sound better, right? But can the average person actually tell? It might depend on what part of the guitar we’re talking about. Some parts, like the back, sides and necks of guitars, might have a negligible effect on the tone of a guitar. This might mean that those components could be built out of just about anything, as long as it looked half-decent and was structurally stable. However, the naked human ear can perceive wood species variation in components of the guitar that are more integral to what Grit Laskin calls its “tone color”. Participants in blind tests were in fact able to audibly perceive between woods species

variation in top bracing and soundboards, but not in backs, sides, necks or fingerboards. 2 What this suggests for sustainability endeavours is that because components like backs, sides and necks are less likely to change the sound of a guitar, the industry should investigate and experiment with alternative materials for backs, sides, necks, headstocks and fretboards, while reserving quality material for soundboards, tops, and bridges. Why are we running out of materials? What can we do? A major paradox facing mega-manufacturers like Taylor and Martin, is that they aren’t even the ones causing the availability issue. Sitka spruce used by guitar makers is a tiny fraction of the total shipped. As few as 150 logs are enough to supply the whole industry each year. 3 Nearly 80 percent of the spruce cut in Alaska is shipped to Asia, for home building. 4 At the end of the day, 400-year old trees are getting buried in the walls of homes in Japan. 5 Thusly, the sustainability issue facing some woods like spruce will be unaffected by manufacturing changes from guitar makers. They might be too small of a portion of the forestry industry. Even extreme efforts for wood substitutes by two of the largest manufacturers of guitars on the planet would have a negligible effect on the total availability of spruce, rosewood, ebony and mahogany, among other woods. This leaves the industry in an unfortunately powerless situation to save their supply chain without appealing to higher powers of international authority. …then, how do we fix the problem? Many people ask, why can’t we simply grow more

trees? We can, but unfortunately, the resultant instruments would only be ready decades from now, and few investors are willing to invest in something they won’t see a return on in their lifetime. Even so, the cost of a guitar made of farmed wood would be astronomical…nobody could afford it. Think of all the costs involved with operating a tree farm for 60 years, then accumulate that into the sale of maybe a couple dozen instruments. You’d be looking at a guitar that could cost a hundred thousand dollars. Researchers argue that the industry must change its practices if it is to sustain production. Because of the high pedigree of woods required for instrument building, despite the guitar manufacturing industry being a small part of the forestry industry, the current practices are not sustainable. They suggest the following changes that need to be made to move towards a more sustainable industry. • Prejudice against guitars made of laminated materials must be overcome. Usually, plywood guitars are limited to student grade instruments; however, laminate wood demonstrates physical properties that are appropriate even for higher-end instruments. • Prejudice against non-traditional materials must be overcome. Luthiers and large-scale manufactures alike should seek out new and more sustainable wood alternatives. • Switch to faster-growing tree species. One of the only ways to accommodate the volume of guitars being manufactured whilst still maintaining a net growth of trees necessitates the industry to switch to wood species that have a higher reforestation rate. Overall, while the larger global forestry industry dwarfs the guitar building industry, it does compete for plant harvest and build with some of the most prized and precious woods on the planet. The demand for this high pedigree necessitates vigilant management of forest ecosystems to provide a sustainable supply chain and be an ethical steward of the planet. Research conducted on the perception of quality of materials such as rosewood and ebony suggests that in many instances, the indoctrinated quality we expect to hear is audible only in some instances but not perceivable in most. The industry must continue to identify areas of guitars that can be replaced with more sustainable options. This so that the acoustic guitar can be played for generations to come, under the shade of the trees saved by our new environmental efforts.

1 Rifkin, Glenn. “Guitar Makers Regret Loss of Rare Woods.” The New York Times. The New York Times, June 6, 2007. 2 Merchel, S., Altinsoy, M. E., & Olson, D. (1970, January 1). Perceptual Evaluation Of Bracewood And Soundboard Wood Variations On The Preference Of A Steel-String Acoustic Guitar. 3 Ibid. 4 Ibid. 5 Ibid.

LUSO LIFE

TOO STUBBORN WORDS: David ganhão

AND TOO STUPID PHOTOS: Mike Neal

TO QUIT

grāz - [graze] Informal. to eat small portions of food, as appetizers or the like, in place of a full-sized meal or to snack during the course of the day in place of regular meals. eat lightly, try different dishes.

fter a year-and-a-half of shut-downs, partial re-openings, and more shut-downs, it’s no surprise that this moment in history has been a struggle for many people. On a positive note, this slow-down has created a lot of free time and has allowed us to reflect on life and reconnect with old friends. After hearing that an old friend of mine had left the city to open a restaurant in cottage country, I immediately reached out. Meet David Gonçalves—you may remember him from page 21. To borrow from Noel Gallagher’s colourful lexicon, David is a dude. A dude is that guy who is always happy to see you and always in a good mood. If you ever heard anyone complain about a dude, you’d know it’s the other person with the problem. A dude can do no wrong. I am not a dude.

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I’ve never been afraid of working hard. I’ve had some difficult jobs in my life, but none as demanding as this one.

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When I finally spoke with David, we did our best to catch up—exchanging bullet points of what had gone on our lives over the last 20 years. He married Ailsa (who has an adorable Scottish accent, BTW), they have two young boys, and they all share a love for the outdoors, boats and ATVs. This love for the cottage-life convinced the couple to liquidate their assets in the city, open a restaurant in Bobcaygeon and move their family to the Kawarthas… and did I mention that neither of them had any restaurant experience? As crazy as that idea may seem, I understood where they were coming from. It’s all about the quality of life, and if it means working harder to attain those goals for the family, that’s what needs to be done. “I’ve never been afraid of working hard. I’ve had some difficult jobs in my life, but none as demanding as this one,” David says with a (tired) smile. It was 2019 when Gonçalves’ purchased a restaurant at the bottom of Bolton Street in Bobcaygeon, overlooking Lock 32 of the Trent-Severn Waterway and across the street from Bigley’s. They christened it Grāz Restobar, opened their doors, and had a successful first year. They were now restaurateurs. In a perfect world, the steady stream of cottagers and loyal locals would’ve continued to pour in. I could stop writing this article here, and we could go directly to the end of the story, where David prepares Portuguese mussels that we eat before raising a glass of beer from the Old Flame Brewing Co. to toast our friendship. Instead, the globe got infected, which turned everyone’s life upside down. “If Covid hadn’t been part of our lives for the past couple of years, we would’ve been on top of the world. Unfortunately, we’re just working to survive. We’re too stubborn and too stupid to quit.” And that’s not a bad thing. I would assume that statement is felt by many, if not all, small-business owners. They’ve invested in the future, and now because of circumstances that are out of their control, they are at risk of losing everything. As I said before, David is a dude, and dudes find the most favourable solution to any situation, so when the government shut down all restaurants, David and Ailsa went into construction mode and remodelled the bar and one of the two dining rooms. “Electrical work aside, the two of us and one of our cooks did all the renovations. When we finally reopened, it was a big surprise to our regular customers.” On my first visit to Grāz, four of us showed up for dinner on a Saturday afternoon this summer. We were seated at a table by one of the garage doors, and I ordered the Jalapeño Burger and a pint (this time, it was something from the Bobcaygeon Brewing Co.). When David visited the dining room to do his rounds, he came straight to our table, “I thought I heard a familiar voice! How’s dinner?” It was fantastic. This was possibly the best burger I had ever tasted. 74

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“Our food isn’t ridiculously fancy, but it’s all made from scratch, and it’s delicious… at least that’s what our guests tell us [laughs]. We serve staples like burgers and sandwiches and ‘fancier’ meals like prime-rib and seafood rice. Right now, the only thing holding us back is staff, or shall I say lack of staff. We have great people working here, but unfortunately, we don’t have enough people to allow us to stay open for seven days. In 2019 we had a stack of applications taller than the Toronto phone book; we had two applications this year. It’s like people don’t want to work in 2021.” So, what does a dude do in a situation like this? A dude adapts. “We need to give our staff time off, which means we can only open four days per week— Ailsa and I work seven days, but that’s the choice we made.” Despite the setbacks, I predict a sunny future in Kawarthas for the Gonçalves clan, as they continue to serve us scrumptious food with a “hint of Portuguese.” I look forward to the day when I can enjoy my meal on the rooftop patio overlooking the Bobcaygeon River, but we’ll have to wait a few years before that plan goes into action (fingers crossed). My visits to Grāz have reinforced a few things. 1: Many times, success escapes us because we’re afraid to get our hands dirty and do some hard work. 2: A good friend is a person who answers the phone after not speaking with you for 20 years, and the conversation continues as if you had spoken yesterday. 3: David is still and will always be a dude. Cheers. grazrestobar.ca

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Serves 4

Portuguese mussels 4 lbs mussels (cleaned and debearded)

Heat oil in a saucepan over a medium low heat.

8 tomatoes, peeled and deseeded

Add chouriço and sweat gently until the red oil is released from the sausage.

4 tbsp olive oil

Add onion and garlic, and cook until soft.

4 chouriço 1 diced onion 1 green pepper, deseeded & chopped 2 jalapeños chopped 3 tbsp all purpose flour 4 cups white wine parsley, finely chopped salt & black pepper to serve

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Add the diced green pepper and jalapeños, and sauté for a couple of minutes. Stir in the flour and cook for a few more minutes. Add wine and stir until mixture has thickened. Add mussels and cover the pot with a lid. Steam mussels until they have all opened. Stir in tomatoes and parsley. Add salt and pepper if necessary. Serve with a spoon and crusty bread or garlic bread to soak up the broth.

Symington 337 Symington Ave, Toronto. 416-535-9993 | Crossroads Plaza 2625-A Weston Rd, Unit 2, Toronto. 416-245-3847 Dundas & Ossington 1209 Dundas St W, Toronto. 416-534-3847 | Dundas & Jane 3497 Dundas St W, Toronto. 416-761-9499 Westside Mall 2406 Eglinton Ave, Toronto. 416-657-1999 | Etobicoke 1451 Royal York Rd, Unit 101. 416-241-9993 Mississauga 5425 Creditview Rd, Unit 14. 905-814-0049 | Bradford 442 Holland St W. 905-775-7400 Vaughan 3651 Major Mackenzie Dr, Unit E5. 905-303-3847 | Whitby 301 Dundas St W. 905-668-2253

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WORDS & PHOTO: Leah meddaoui better than i expected

Portrait

After what seemed like a lifetime of research and and a fair amount of convincing, I planned the adventure I dreamt of for years—a family trip to see the sights of Norway. On my agenda was a hike up a glacier in the fjords. This dream was almost quashed the moment our rental car arrived—it was a manual transmission. Mom, the only insured driver, was not willing to risk our lives and just when we were ready to concede defeat, the hotel manager made a call. He had a friend leading the first-ever zodiac tour to this small town. We jumped on the opportunity (and the boat). Wearing our protective suits, boots and goggles, we docked at the small village of Ortnevik. Nestled in the Sognefjord, it is home to only 35 permanent residents, including Anders and Kristi Brekke, an older couple who welcomed us with open arms. They insisted on driving us around, offering their homemade cooking and teaching us their rich history, ensuring we got the most out of our experience. After taking us around Ortnevik, they showed us their farmland which had been in Anders’ family for centuries. While Kristi milked their cows for us to try, Anders took us to the small hydro-electric power station he built himself. Not only did he construct the power station, but every building on their property, including a Viking stave church where we enjoyed 98

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fresh milk and traditional Norwegian food. The Brekke farm was also home to intricate wood carvings, some standing ten feet tall. All beautiful creations sculpted by Anders, each with its own story and born from a lifetime of experience dating back to his childhood; a childhood spent building Viking boats on the family farm—you read that correctly. The Brekkes are an incredibly talented and intelligent couple, who also happen to be two of the nicest people I have ever met. In one word, they are inspiring. When we asked how they were able to do so much, Anders’ response was simple; reading. All of the knowledge he acquired to build and sculpt, came from his perseverance of seeking out information. He read books, articles and reports to learn as much as he possibly could. He “just figured it out”. What was supposed to be a planned day-trip to a nearby glacier, turned into an unexpected and unscripted adventure I wouldn’t trade for anything. It’s not only a highlight of our visit to Norway, but of all my travels. It reminds me of the beauty in experiencing other cultures and the people that make them. Who would have thought that mom’s inability to drive a manual car would have such a positive finale. Embrace the unexpected because a change of plans, just might end up better than you expected.

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WELCOME BACK WE’VE MISSED YOU We are currently operating on a reservation only basis and look forward to serving you 501 Davenport Rd, Toronto flordesalrestaurant.ca info@flordesalrestaurant.ca 416.923.2604