Bay Street Bull SUMMER 2011

VOL.8 NO.3

CRAFT BREWERS Ontario leads the way

$7.95

THEBAYSTREETBULL.CA

TECH TOYS Gadgets that deliver

COLLINGWOOD REGION Special Summer Supplement

IN THE ISSUE:

fe a t u re s

CRAFT BREWERS 8 Ontario leads the way.

departments

16

BULL REVIEW The convertible Audi S5.

UP FRONT 6 A Moroccan resort, Triumph’s Sprint GT touring bike, the Breeder’s Cup incentive and more.

18

HEALTH TALK Lifestyle changes that work.

20

THE TREMONT HOTEL Revitalizing the ‘Wood’s downtown.

TECH TOYS 38

22

CREEMORE

24

CAFÉ CULUTRE

30

THORNBURY

32

SUMMER FUN GUIDE

36

WHAT’S ON COLLINGWOOD

50

ON THE SHELF

A rundown of the latest gizmos that deliver on their hype.

JUNIOR SECTION 43

The town that built the beer.

Coffeehouses in the heartland.

Where to wine and unwind.

Where to stay and play in Collingwood.

Events, festivals and concerts.

Murder, mayhem and mystery rule.

Cover photo by Bill Cahill/GettyImages

Outdoor activities for kids.

Photo Credits on page 50.

THE BAY STREET BULL | 3

BAY STREET PUBLISHING

Vol. 8, No. 3

EDITOR Catherine Roberts ART DIRECTOR Mark Tzerelshtein CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Anne Borden TRAVEL EDITOR Sean Litteljohn CONTRIBUTORS Bryan Dearsley Mike Dojc Kim Kerr Marc Phillips Jacquelyn Waller-Vintar PHOTOGRAPHER Ruslan Sarkisian DIRECTOR, ADVERTISING SALES Bill Percy advertising@thebaystreetbull.ca ADVERTISING SALES MANAGERS Jordan Sanders Mark Waxer Julie Card (Collingwood) HOSPITALITY DEVELOPMENT Mark Waxer ADVERTISING GRAPHIC DESIGNER Christophe Boilley COMMUNICATIONS FACILITATOR David Rees

The Bay Street Bull is published six times annually and is distributed directly to Toronto’s Financial and Business Executives.

Distribution by: Roltek International Inc. Subscriptions: $24 annually. To order please e-mail: service@roltek.com Bay Street Publishing, 305 Evans Ave. Etobicoke, Ontario M8Z 1K2

Photo: Ruslan Sarkisian

VICE PRESIDENT, PUBLISHER Fred Sanders

A

hh, summer: a time when hardworking Canadians finally take time to feel the cottage breezes, or plunge off the dock and enjoy time with their families—without their Blackberries.

Wherever you end up spending your down time, our summer issue brings you a host of interesting diversions throughout the Collingwood region.

For starters, we give you the 411 on Blue Mountain and its activities for kids and the whole family—including the Ridge Runner, ecotours and the region’s scenic caves. Then we review the coffeehouses of Collingwood, a town known for both down-home and gourmet fare. We also feature the latest on its downtown revitalization: the Tremont hotel project, inspired in part by Toronto’s Distillery District and Gladstone Hotel.

In the Nottawasaga Bay region, Kim Kerr takes you on a culinary trip through scenic Thornbury (with heritage walking and activities for the whole family that will make you hungry for the delectable eats that the town has to offer.)

Jacquelyn Waller-Vintar’s “The Town that Built the Beer” explores Creemore, including its family activities, artisan galleries, historic sites and fantastic eats, winding up with a classic tour of Creemore Springs Brewery.

Still thirsty? Bryan Dearsley explores the craft breweries of greater Ontario, including Toronto’s own Spearhead Brewing Company, Bracebridge’s Muskoka Brewery and Beau’s All Natural Brewing Company in Vankleek Hill. You may also be surprised to learn that microbrewing has been a key part of economic and social life in Ontario since the province’s very founding.

Whether you’re looking for a hot new ride for those country jaunts, or just want the latest gadget (from kayaks to Chromebooks) for your holiday, Mike Dojc’s Tech Toys column will ensure that you roll through the summer in style.

We always enjoy hearing what you think about the magazine. If you’d like to send us a letter about this issue, or have an idea you think we should explore in the magazine, please address your letter to The Publisher, The Bay Street Bull, 305 Evans Avenue, Etobicoke, Ontario, M8Z 1K2, or e-mail me at publisher@thebaystreetbull.ca.

WWW.THEBAYSTREETBULL.CA

Fred Sanders, Publisher 4 | THE BAY STREET BULL

Converts gasoline to adrenaline.

With its bold, dynamic AMG styling, the all-new 2012 SLK 350 instantly attracts attention.

And with our dynamic handling package and 302 horsepower at your disposal, the ride is as exhilarating as its look. For ultimate closed-top cruising, raise the power retractable vario-roof and witness MAGIC SKY CONTROL – our innovative panoramic sunroof that adjusts from tinted to clear at the touch of a button. Visit mbtoronto.ca

The All-New 2012 SLK-Class Total Price*: $68,925 (Taxes Extra) Total price of a new 2012 SLK 350 is $68,925. Includes MSRP of $66,500 plus Freight/PDI $1,995, Dealer Admin Fee $295, A/C levy fee $100, EHF Tires, filters and batteries $29.70, and OMVIC fee $5. Taxes extra.

Toronto Area Retail Group

Sales Inquiries (877) 366-8888

Downtown 761 Dundas St E (416) 947-9000

Maple 9300 Jane St (905) 585-9300

Markham 8350 Kennedy Rd (905) 305-1088

Midtown 849 Eglinton Ave E (416) 847-7400

Mississauga 6120 Mavis Rd (905) 363-3322

Newmarket 230 Mulock Dr (905) 853-6868

Thornhill 228 Steeles Ave W (905) 886-6881

© 2011 Mercedes-Benz Canada Inc. **Total price of a new 2012 SLK 350 is $68,925. Includes MSRP of $66,500 plus Freight/PDI $1,995, Dealer Admin Fee $295, A/C levy fee $100, EHF Tires, filters and batteries $29.70, and OMVIC fee $5. Taxes extra.

UPFRONT

Triumph Sprint GT 1050 British manufacturer Triumph has updated its Sprint ST with greater comfort and storage amenities to make a better touring bike. Powered by 1050cc Triple engine, and loaded with 31-litre hard saddlebags, the GT delivers on its promise to be a comfy, spirited ride. Available in Pacific Blue and Aluminum Silver, one can purchase accessories like heated grips, taller windscreen, gel seat, magnetic tank bags that provide an additional 30 litres of storage capacity and a large top box which features a 12volt accessory outlet. triumph.com

Breeder’s Cup For those on the hunt for a new jet, Texas-based Flexjet is offering an incentive to new fractional owners by partnering with Kentucky’s Keeneland, one of the world’s leading thoroughbred racing and action facilities. Each owner and their guest will get to enjoy the Breeders’ Cup World Championships this fall in the comfort of a finish-line owner’s suite at the iconic Churchill Downs, home of the Kentucky Derby, as well as have a one-on-one meeting with one of the elite trainers. The allinclusive three-day experience takes place from November 3-6. flexjet.com

Glenlivet Decades from Gordon & MacPhail Gordon & MacPhail, the world’s leading malt whiskey specialists, have created a new private collection for enthusiasts. The Decades Collection is comprised of five bottles representing five decades of Glenlivet—giving collectors the rare opportunity to own a selection of the company’s malts. Each bottle will be beautifully presented in a tear-shaped hand-blown crystal decanter with an elegant British hallmarked silver stopper. The decanter nestles in a sterling silver base and is framed in a handmade box, crafted in Scotland using Scottish Elm. The five-bottle pack on offer for $4,400 or individually at prices ranging from $145 to $1,900 depending on the age. gordonandmacphail.com

Wright's Fallingwater To commemorate the 75th anniversary of Frank Lloyd Wright’s landmark residence, Fallingwater, comes a book of the same name from the prestigious publisher Rizzoli. Built in 1936 for Edgar and Liliane Kaufmann, Fallingwater is hailed as a twentieth-century masterpiece—“a marvel of innovation and daring that appears to float over rushing falls”. With stunning new photography commissioned especially for this book and never before published correspondence between Wright and Kaufman, Fallingwater captures the much-loved residence by the legendary architect following its recent restoration. rizzoli.com

6 | THE BAY STREET BULL

Aman Resort Marocco Located just outside the Moroccan city of Marrakech, Amanjena is the first Aman resort on the African continent. Set within an oasis of palms and olive trees, Moorish heritage is reflected throughout the piséwalled resort, including the pavilions that radiate out from an ancient bassin, echoing the style of a sultan’s palace.

Amanjena offers a variety of guided excursions on foot, bicycle or private car into the medina, the souk and squares, palaces, gardens and craft shops of ancient Marrakech. There are also two Turkish-style spas or hammams (one for men, another for women) and the 18-hole Amelkis Championship Golf Course lies immediately beside Amanjena. amanresorts.com

8 | THE BAY STREET BULL

RAFT C Brewers Ontario leads the way

BY BRYAN DEARSLEY

“B

eer,” Benjamin Franklin once said, “is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.” Amen to that. But what he neglected to mention was the fact that the reference was obviously to Canadian beer, particularly Ontario’s wonderful craft brews.

Don’t laugh, but it’s a fact (though perhaps a little-known one) that beer is as important a part of our great nation’s fabric today—both economically and culturally—as it was when Canada was founded. Ontario’s economy was built upon the supply and demand of a few basic commodities: fur and lumber, naturally, but would you have guessed beer also played a role? The province’s beer industry began when the early settlers from Europe arrived and established small breweries to make beer for their own consumption, and later expanded this to include the local community at large.

The arrival of Prohibition, the Great Depression and the world wars, however, put many of these small brewers out of business. Those that did weather those storms were often simply swallowed up by larger conglomerates often more interested in quantity than quality. For a few dark, desolate decades, Canadian beer was little more than a slightly alcoholic version of pop.

Then along came the 1980s and with the big hair and new wave music came a resurgence of interest in independent brewing. In Ontario, the province’s first craft brewery was founded in 1984 by Jim Brickman whose Brick Brewing Company Ltd. was followed by several other independent breweries, each determined to create high-quality, handcrafted beers.

Today, with more than 50 craft brewers calling the province home (and at least another seven currently in the works), Ontario rivals some of Europe’s best-known brewing regions. And with names like Barley Days and Flying Monkey, as much creativity goes into the naming and branding of the brews as the products themselves.

“Like the slow food movement, craft beers have definitely become the new cool,” says Troy Burtch, publisher of The Great Canadian Beer Blog. “People are taking the time to savour these brews, and are fuelling a tremendous increase in their popularity.”

THE BAY STREET BULL | 9

FROM BAY STREET TO THE BREW HOUSE Dimitri van Kampen is a former Bay Street lawyer and beer hobbyist and the driving force behind Spearhead Brewing Company. The Toronto company’s very first offering promptly won two top brew awards within just 10 days of its launch earlier this year. Hawaiian Pale Ale is a unique, all-natural, unfiltered beer that became available across Ontario in June.

“We want to create exciting beer that challenges traditional style categories and people’s perceptions of beer,” says van Kampen. “When making our beer, we don’t want to fit in. We want to stand out. We don’t want to conform to expectations.

We will always test our imagination, and the imagination of our customers.”

Little wonder, then, that van Kampen likes to experiment with beer recipes using non-traditional ingredients like fruit and spices to create beer with complex, unanticipated flavours.

And unlike some breweries that filter their beer and carbonate it using CO2, Spearhead’s brews are unfiltered, non-pasteurized and naturally carbonated so that the flavour remains in the glass, where it’s supposed to be.

10 | THE BAY STREET BULL

COTTAGE COUNTRY FLAVOUR North of Spearhead’s Toronto headquarters is the Muskoka Brewery, one of two craft breweries now calling Cottage Country home.

Founded in 1996 in Bracebridge by Gary McCullen and Kirk Evans, Muskoka Brewery has become iconic in this vacation region—after all, what could possibly be more Canadian than sipping a fine brew in a Muskoka chair on a cottage dock just like the one emblazoned on their labels?

The brewery goes to great lengths to ensure its practices are environmentally sustainable. As a result, the beer contains no additives, preservatives or cheap ingredients to speed up the brewing process—and pasteurization is a distinct no-no. A sip of the flagship Muskoka Cream Ale is crisp and refreshingly hopped with a wonderful malt balance.

Innovation and experimentation are key to the craft beer style, and the brewery’s seasonal offerings certainly fulfill this mandate. One of the most popular is the Muskoka Summer Weiss (unfiltered and naturally hazy), a perfect balance of wheat, barley and subtle hopping for an aromatic and flavourful brew. Now in its second year, the Harvest Ale marks the end of the growing season and is brewed using premium local ingredients for a rich malt backbone; it’s dry hopped for a subtle grassy character reminiscent of the harvest. Undoubtedly the company’s most daring seasonal brew is the flavourful and warming Muskoka Double Chocolate Cranberry Stout. This rich, sturdy stout is brewed with roasted dark chocolate malts, real cocoa, a hint of vanilla and freshly harvested local cranberries, with an extra punch from its increased alcohol content.

12 | THE BAY STREET BULL

SMALL TOWN FLAVOUR Tucked away in a quiet corner of Eastern Ontario sits the community of Vankleek Hill, population 1,996—and a brewery.

Beau’s All Natural Brewing Company is family-run and unabashedly DIY, and has built a reputation for its award-winning, tasty beers. All its products are manufactured using the highest quality natural ingredients, from the certified organic hops and malts to the local spring water (which provides the brewery’s seasonal beers with their unique flavours as its mineral content changes with the seasons).

Beau’s is known for brewing according to style and tradition, letting its beer age—and then age some more—for a clean and crisp flavour. This hands-on approach is not only applied to the brewing process, but to details such as personally delivering the beer fresh each week to stores and restaurants across the province.

Its year-round flagship brand, Lug-Tread Lagered Ale (a nod to the community’s farming roots) is a golden beer that combines the fermentation of ale with the aging techniques of lager.

This provides a wonderful combination of subtle ale fruitiness with the crispness and mouth-feel of a lager. Seasonal brews include a spring beer, the wonderfully named Beaver River I.P.Eh?, a bold India pale ale, and the summery Festivale, created especially for the Ottawa Jazz Festival and based on the German alt style. For fall, the company produces its popular Night Märzen, a traditional Oktoberfest Märzen and their only beer fermented with lager yeast, and winter is celebrated with the release of Bog Water, a strong and spicy dirty brown ale featuring Bog Myrtle, an herb that dates back to the 15th century.

Clearly, Ontario’s best microbrews are all about quality—as well as the willingness to make bold choices when it comes to ingredients. “Things have gone full circle,” notes Burtch.

“Brewers are taking old-style recipes, the kind that would have been popular before Prohibition, and adapting them. And they’re getting back to their roots, operating regional businesses catering to regional tastes. The end results are more choice, better quality and big, bold beers with incredible flavour.”  14 | THE BAY STREET BULL

The world has some catching up to do.

The all-new Audi A7 is now at Audi Uptown.

Starting at just $70,890*

Winner of the Design Summit Award for the best new car design of 2011 The Audi A7 has scored a big victory: the five-door coupé has been selected the winner of the “Auto Bild” Design Summit. A distinguished jury panel evaluated the design of a total of ten new cars. The result: the Audi A7 5-door coupé was voted number one by a wide margin for its outstanding design.

Audi Uptown The Finest Cars. The Finest Service.

*Starting at MSRP including Freight & PDI - $1995 and $295 Admin fee. HST and licensing extra.

BULLREVIEW

AUDI S5 CABRIOLET Convertible Luxury For the driver not interested in compromising, the 2011 Audi S5 Cabriolet has it all: luxury, power, and performance. This low-slung stunner is a variant of the popular A5. Yet, due to rising gas prices and budget conscious customers, Audi sidestepped the usual V8 engine in favour of a supercharged V6. But the muscular V6 is up to the challenge, moving the S5 from 0-60 in a mere 5.1 seconds. The Audi S5 Cabriolet is available in two trims: Premium Plus and Prestige. The Premium Plus comes standard with 19-inch cast-aluminum wheels, performance tires, automatic xenon headlights, LED running lights, heated eight-way power front seats, leather upholstery, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, tri-zone automatic climate control, a split-folding rear seat, an auto-dimming mirror, Bluetooth, dash-mounted Multi Media Interface (MMI), a CD player, satellite radio and an iPod interface. The S5 Prestige adds auto-dimming exterior mirrors, keyless ignition and entry, a Navigation package and a 14-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system.The Prestige can be equipped with optional adaptive cruise control, a blind-spot warning system, and the Audi Drive Select package, which includes driver-selectable settings for adjustable suspension, throttle, transmission and steering. Audi’s renowned Quattro fulltime AWD system, which regulates torque and power between all four wheels, is standard on all models. — MARC PHILLIPS

Engine Type: 3.0-litre supercharged V6 Maximum Speed: 250 km/h Acceleration 0-100: 5.1 seconds

16 | THE BAY STREET BULL

THE BAY STREET BULL | 17

HEALTHTALK

HEART SMART Lifestyle Changes That Work

BY CHRISTINE GIANOUTSOS e’ve all heard the sobering statistics.

Eight out of 10 Canadians are at risk of developing heart disease. It kills 74,000 of us each year. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in Canada, more than all forms of cancer combined.

But did you know that by making lifestyle changes, you could reduce your risk of heart disease by as much as 80 percent?

Below are some tips for a healthier heart and a healthier you.

W

KNOW YOUR NUMBERS. Your blood pressure, cholesterol level and waist circumference are important numbers to know.

Having a baseline reading for these modifiable risk factors will let you measure how much they improve as you adopt healthy behaviours. Once your numbers are within a normal range, keep your blood pressure less than 140/90, LDL-C cholesterol less than 3.5, and waist circumference less than 40 inches for men and 35 inches for women.

18 | THE BAY STREET BULL

EAT FIBRE. AND GOOD FATS. Research suggests that inflammation of the arteries may be as big a risk factor for heart disease as the build up of cholesterol deposits. A highfibre diet that includes healthy fats has proven better at controlling inflammation than the standard low-fat diet. Good sources of fibre include fruits, legumes, unsalted nuts, whole grains and vegetables. The best type? Soluble fibre from barley, beans and oats. As for fats, choose fish high in Omega-3s but low in mercury, such as wild salmon and trout, and vegetable oils such as canola and olive oil.

MINIMIZE YOUR MIDDLE. Even if you are not significantly overweight, carrying extra fat around your middle can be bad for your heart. It raises blood pressure, increases cholesterol levels, causes insulin resistance and produces substances that inflame the arteries. Contrary to the myth, no amount of crunches or other exercises will

spot-reduce belly fat. The only way to get rid of it is to lose weight overall.

GET MOVING. The heart is like any other muscle—it needs a workout to stay strong and healthy. The Heart and Stroke Foundation recommends at least 30 to 40 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio per day. Strength training, in addition to improving overall fitness, improves fat-burning capacity by increasing muscle mass.

KNOW YOUR FAMILY HISTORY. It’s important to know the specifics of your family heart health. For instance, was a parent or sibling diagnosed with heart or cardiovascular disease before age 65? Your risk of cardiovascular disease is greater if there is a history in your family. If you are at greater risk, you will need to work with your physician to develop a specific action plan that reflects your risk.

DE-STRESS. People who experience high levels of stress, anxiety and depression may make lifestyle choices (such as avoiding exercise or eating poorly) that increase their risk of high blood cholesterol, and increase blood pressure or atherosclerosis (narrowing of the arteries). Making lifestyle changes to reduce stress goes a long way towards reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke.

KICK THE HABIT. If you think you are doing your heart and lungs a favour by smoking only a little, think again. Cigarette smokers are twice as likely to have a heart attack as non-smokers, even moderate smokers. Quitting can reduce the risk of heart disease; in fact, some studies show that risks are reduced as soon as one to two years after quitting.  Christine Gianoutsos is a cardiology nurse at Cleveland Clinic Canada in Toronto.

By the

y a B

Collingwood Region: A Special Summer Supplement

With its steep hills and ample snow fall, the Collingwood Region is known for it’s wonderful skiing. Today, people come to enjoy the superb cuisine, charming towns and natural wonders. We’ve chosen the best on offer this season. >>

THE BAY STREET BULL | 19

THE TREMONT

Hotel Revitalizing Downtown Collingwood

BY KIM KERR

T

he Tremont hotel project (inspired in part by Toronto’s Distillery District and Gladstone Hotel) has brought new life to Collingwood’s historic downtown core. This 3-story 19th-century hotel was on the brink of demolition when Richard and Anke Lex took ownership and transformed it into a cultural hub—home to a cafe, art school, bookstore and artists’ studios.

Originally built in 1889 by John McCormick, Tremont House was one of 16 hotels erected in the downtown core when Collingwood was a seafaring town. Constructed after the 1881 fire that devastated a large part of the downtown area, the Tremont was completed in just three months during a time when many of the town’s wooden structures were replaced by brick buildings. Its proximity to the railway station made it a popular destination for travellers and it remained operating as a hotel into the 1980s, although more of a low-end tavern and nightspot.

20 | THE BAY STREET BULL

Today, it is a hot spot for artists, students and art-lovers, as well as an architectural highlight in the Collingwood area.

THE ULTIMATE FIXER-UPPER Dreaming about fixing up a historic building is one thing, doing it right is quite another. The process for the Tremont project was a complex balance of preservation, restoration and revitalization of a landmark-designated building. The yearlong restoration project began in June of 2009 and included using salvaged materials and introducing a roof garden.

The restoration of the building’s original facade was crucial to the project’s success, and has been protected for future generations by a heritage conservation easement agreement with the Town of Collingwood. Inside, too, the attention to detail is remarkable.

Evidence of a major fire that occurred in the 1920s is still to be found in the burn marks visible on the building’s carefully preserved original pine flooring.

Just three years after residents were calling for the former eyesore to be demolished, the Tremont is receiving accolades as a heritage building. Its developers were recently presented with the prestigious Peter Stokes Award for Restoration at the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario’s annual awards in recognition of their work restoring a significant heritage structure. It’s a fitting tribute for the couple, given that Stokes— one of the first full-time heritage architects in the province—was involved in the early days of designating Collingwood’s downtown as a heritage district.

“Buildings that are supposedly only fit for demolition can become vibrant cornerstones of a community,” says Annette Snowdon, vice-president of the Collingwood chapter of the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario. “The Tremont proves that landmarks should not become

landfill. They’re a major component of a community’s social, economic and environmental sustainability.”

Since reopening in 2010, the Tremont has already attracted a variety of interesting businesses as tenants. Walk through the beautifully restored main entrance with its heavy wooden door, and you will see the Tremont Café on one side and the Bay School of Arts on the other. Established in 2006 to encourage artists in the Collingwood area to continue developing their artistic skills, the school offers a variety of courses and workshops designed for all ages and skill levels. Programs include the KinderArt program for pre-schoolers and a KidsArt weekend program for elementary age school children.

Teens, too, can express their artistic flair while at the same time building their

portfolios in preparation for competitive college or university applications. Adults can choose from a series of classes and workshops to build their artistic skills.

The exquisitely designed and furnished Tremont Café features a full lunch and dinner menu. A new summer brunch menu has been added, and a fine selection of baked goods, espresso coffees and alcoholic beverages are available. Also on the main floor, the Elihu Book Room offers a broad selection of hard-to-find magazines, art and architecture books and some classics from the world’s most recognized authors. Upstairs, nine art studio spaces have been created for area artists and a series of live-in studio apartments are also planned for the building’s top floor.

Like all good renos, the Tremont has made the old new again—with a twist.  THE BAY STREET BULL | 21

CREEMORE The Town that Built the Beer

BY JACQUELYN WALLER-VINTAR

O

ur tour guide at Creemore Springs Brewery said it best. Back in 1987, the town of Creemore had three retirees with everything to make the beer: pure spring water from an artesian well, a fitter-welder who could work on the equipment, a glass bottle manufacturing executive and a marketer. All they needed was the know-how, and they got that from brewmaster Doug Babcook, who crafted the original Creemore Spring recipe using 100-year-old yeast.

Brewery Tours: Tours of Creemore Springs Brewery are free and fascinating—you’ll get a sample or two, see the barley and hops, the copper kettles, the fermenting cellar with its 30,000-litre tanks, filter room, the kegging, bottling and canning operations, and then, if you’re lucky, you’ll stand in the fridge that every beer lover dreams of—with beer as far as the eye can see. You can pick up ice-cold Creemore Premium Lager, traditional Pilsner, unfiltered Kellerbier and (in the winter months) Urbock. A must-see in Creemore.

Walk Historic Creemore: The Station on the Green, on Caroline Street, is a public events building modeled after the original rail station once shipped hogs down to Hogtown. Across the street, the historic Fire Station #4 now houses Village Builders. On Mill Street, an 1881 heritage building is home to a butcher shop.

Galleries: The Mad and Noisy Gallery is a bright airy space with accessible art for sale on the walls, in the windows and on every display surface. Fat glass birds sparkle, hand-turned wood bowls yearn to be 22 | THE BAY STREET BULL

touched, digital art paintings show soulful heifers, and framed images make you wonder: photorealism in oil, or real photographs? Exhibits change every three weeks in this artists’ co-op gallery.

Maplestone Gallery is devoted to contemporary mosaic art. For $9,400, there’s Giulio Menossi’s Terra, an incredible piece whose glittering glory drew us across the street and through the door. But there are many smaller mosaics for sale, as well as a wide selection of beautiful hand-crafted jewellery.

For Kids: Visit Cardboard Castles for truly unusual and fun toys for all ages. Owner Laurie Copeland selects her wares with a careful hand, stocking only games of imagination such as Rory’s Story Cubes and Karito Kids, multicultural dolls with an online component that lets the recipient decide which charitable project his or her purchase will support.

Eats: Affairs Catering Bakery and Café offers tasty ice cream in a variety of

flavours, as well as butter tarts that are famous throughout the region. Butter tart flavours include chocolate caramel, hazelnut chocolate, raisin, pecan, maple walnut, almond butter, coconut and chai.

At six for $11, or 12 for $20, nirvana comes cheap.

For lunch or dinner, Chez Michel offers scrumptious authentic French fare and the Old Mill House Restaurant serves up delicious eats with—guess what?—Creemore’s finest beer. 

THE BAY STREET BULL | 23

COLLINGWOODDINING

24 | THE BAY STREET BULL

CAFÉ e r u t Cul Collingwood Coffeehouses Serve Gourmet Fare

BY KIM KERR

W

ith its verdant streets, fine boutiques and bustling restaurant patios, there’s something undeniably European about Collingwood. Located on the southern shore of Georgian Bay, the city’s je ne sais quoi is heightened by its cafés, where you can find the perfect espresso as well as gourmet fare to complement your java.

Each of these cafés has its own special charm, and most have wonderful street-side patios for that most European of pastimes: whiling away the hours watching the world go by. In our research, we’ve done just that, to create a perfect day of café crawling in Collingwood.

BREAKFAST: CAFÉ CHARTREUSE Hurontario Street Located on Collingwood’s main thoroughfare, Café Chartreuse is one of the longest-running and most successful of the city’s cafés.

This bright, cozy establishment owes its European influence to head Chef Patrick Bourachot, born and trained in Le Lude near Le Mans in the Sarthe region of France.

As Collingwood’s top spot for petit dejeuner, everything at Café Chartreuse has a French flare. Baked goods—all prepared from scratch—include flaky croissants, pain au chocolat and pain raisin.

For those seeking a heartier breakfast, try the almandine, omelets (we enjoyed the broccoli with cheddar) or thick stacks of buttermilk pancakes served with fresh fruit (peaches, blueberries and others in season) and maple butter. For the health-conscious, they also offer Bicher muesli, a raw oat porridge served with fresh fruit.

If you’re visiting on a weekend, try Chartreuse’s light and crispy yeast-raised waffles, its classic Eggs Benedict or the French toast. Made in the form of a bread pudding from leftover pain au chocolat, croissants, pain raisin and chocolate cake (it all starts when Patrick shaves off the cake’s top crust), this mouthwatering favourite is served with warm maple butter. Incredible. Round things off with a cappuccino or espresso, or perhaps a ginger latte.

Café Chartreuse also offers homemade gourmet foods (such as pâté) to take away.

THE BAY STREET BULL | 25

Cook Like a Pro

Led by Chef Philip Tarlo, the Collingwood Cooking Academy offers a variety of fun, hands-on cooking classes for wannabe chefs looking to improve their skills and enlarge their gastronomic repertoire. Located close to Collingwood’s downtown core, the school offers a first-class culinary educational experience in state-of-the-art facilities.

Chef Philip is no stranger to teaching. With over 40 years of experience, he has taught in Europe’s leading kitchens, including the Savoy Hotel in London. Although trained in classical French and European cuisine, his many years of experience operating restaurants and teaching has made him an expert in contemporary international culinary trends.

Classes are intimate affairs, and whether attending a single- or multi-session experience, students get plenty of one-on-one help. Courses range from basic cooking to specialized classes such as the fine art of sushi (including maki and tempura) or Thai cooking (which includes the history of Thai cuisine).

One of the most popular courses is a two-part culinary “tour” of Italy, revealing the secrets of pastas, sauces and various specialties from the north, south and central regions. An interesting twist is provided in the Iron Chef competitive cooking class, which has proven almost as popular as one aimed at chocoholics, which teaches everything from truffles to tortes.

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LUNCH: CABIN BISTRO Located off Hwy. 26 in the Cranberry Mews Retail Centre on the Blue Mountain side of Collingwood.

Don’t be deceived by the trendy décor (a modern take on the traditional Canadian chalet), the folks at Cabin Bistro take a decidedly old-fashioned approach to sourcing their food. With a firm belief that fresh, local produce is best— and also a restaurant’s obligation to the community—Cabin Bistro sources most of its ingredients locally. When it has to go beyond the Georgian Triangle, every effort is made to use Canadian products.

The bistro’s Canadian-inspired menu changes with the seasons and offers fresh, sustainable products and items produced in-house by Justin Miller, former sous chef at the Toronto Hilton. While dinner, dessert and small-plate menus are available, it’s the lunch menu that caught our attention. Starters include market fresh soup, baby salad greens with orchard apples, candied pecans, strawberries and poppy seed emulsion, and the wonderfully-decadent aged bison tartar with its fried quail egg, white truffle, matchstick pommes frites and sauce gribiche.

Mains include a delightful Muscovy duck club with pan fried hen’s egg, garnished with smoked bacon, lettuce, vine tomato, roasted garlic aioli and hand cut French fries. My personal favourite is the Bourbon barbequed Cornish hen with French bean salad, fingerling potatoes, blond frisee, and cherry tomatoes. A burger isn’t just a burger here: it’s a grilled bison patty topped with Niagara Gold cheese, Port wine caramelized onions, mesclun greens, tomato and truffle mayo. Vegetarians (or those looking for lighter fare) can’t go wrong with the tasty peaches-and-cream corn risotto with truffle foam, toasted Arborio rice, roasted cauliflower and garlic cloves.

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Dinner: 3 Guys & A Stove The Village at Blue Mountain There are chefs and then there’s Chef Jeff. 3 Guys and A Stove owner Jeff Suddaby knows a thing or two about good food. Fortunately for us, he’s more than willing to share his knowledge. With two best-seller cookbooks under his belt (Who’s Coming for Dinner? and More From Jeff’s Kitchen) as well as countless TV appearances, Suddaby takes pride in his kitchens. And he’s not afraid to use the experiences he’s attained while travelling the world. Ask him and he’ll happily confess how his travels turned him on to the wonderful tapestry of spices available for an adventurous chef. His menus showcase multi-layered seasoning and flavours applied to down home comfort foods, all of them healthy, aromatic and addictively good.

Example: shrimp aren’t just shrimp at 3 Guys and A Stove. Instead, they’re a generous serving of tasty coconut encrusted delicacies served with a dab of rice vinegar and chilies. 3 Guys is also one of the only restaurants in the area daring enough to tackle rice dishes, which include a vegetarian “Hoppin’ John” with blackeyed peas and salsa, and the lamb cutlet with curry, chutney and blueberry yogurt. Top it off with homemade baked white chocolate cheesecake.

Chef Jeff also offers food products (such as jams and dressings) to take away.

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DESSERT: HEAVENLY SWEETS CAFÉ Pine Street The sign hanging over the porch of the Heavenly Sweets Café should be warning enough. It reads, simply, “Decadent Desserts”. So no excuses when you depart a pound or two heavier than when you entered. If ever a restaurant lived up to its name, it’s got to be Heavenly Sweets. Take a peek into the well-stocked pastry counter, chock-full of decorated cakes. With names like Death by Chocolate, Skor and the always popular Red Velvet Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake, cakes are delivered fresh weekly from Toronto’s Phipps Bakery Café, while a line of fancy pastry treats is brought up from Rahier Patisserie.

The decor of this large heritage home is inviting, with soft tones that entice you to slink onto one of the couches and never leave. (If the weather’s nice, park yourself outside on the tree-shaded patio as you dine.)

Heavenly Sweets is home to the most decadent cinnamon roll to be had, anywhere. The size of a dinner plate (so don’t be shy to share), it has become the café’s signature treat. What sets it apart (aside from its size) is the absence of the traditional raisin filler, in its place a warm caramelized topping made from brown sugar, butter, pecans and copious cranberries—the whole mixture’s poured liberally over the bun, and you won’t be able to resist mopping up every last drop of that sugary frosting.

There’s also a gelato bar and an espresso bar—add a shot of thick, rich Italian chocolate for a truly indulgent experience. 

Enjoy three courses with the Georgian Bay Golf Trail.

705.445.0231 georgianbaygolftrail.com

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THORNBURY In a day Where to Wine and Unwind

BY KIM KERR

W

ith its quaint heritage homes and treelined streets, Thornbury is one of those charming Ontario towns that Torontonians seem inexorably drawn to. With a population of just 1,700, the town boasts more eateries and classy retail stores than a community this size could ever hope to support without a steady influx of cottagers, day-trippers, skiers and boaters.

Located where the Beaver River flows into the Nottawasaga Bay section of Georgian Bay, Thornbury is well worth spending a day exploring. Whether you add it to your next trip to Collingwood and Blue Mountain Resort, or come up especially to see all the town has to offer, you won’t be disappointed.

MEANDERING ON MAIN STREET After exploring the harbourfront and fish dam, you’ll be ready for a snack (if not lunch). Just follow the crowds (or your nose) to the delightful Thornbury Bakery Cafe on Bruce Street, the town’s main street. Its interior is designed to look like a step back into the 1940s, with a rustic charm and an incredible array of baked goods on display.

Once you make it to the front of the line, you’re going to have to choose between the bakery’s famous Chelsea buns (be sure to arrive before 10 am

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to claim yours), spicy-sweet chop suey buns or cupcakes with delicious inch-high buttercream icing.

Everything is made from scratch by owner Trish Smith and her staff.

Across the road is the aptly named Cheese Gallery.

Part deli, part art gallery, this wonderful shop is perfect for a late afternoon snack. Owned by former corporate types Casey Thompson (Intrawest) and Wendy Bannerman-Clark (Wall Street), the store boasts cheese from around the world including Gruyere from Switzerland, Parmesan from Italy and an array of delicious aged cheddars from Ontario and Quebec.

DELIGHTFUL DINING Start your evening with a wee dram at The Dam Pub, a Scottish Whisky establishment at the top of Brice Street. With its more than 500 whiskies from around the world, you’ll never run out of new things to try. If you time it right, you may also find yourself participating in one of the pub’s famous music nights (Celtic of course), a whisky tasting, or the ever-popular Martini and Manicures fundraising night. Held monthly, these fun girls night out events take over the top floor of the pub.

Once you’ve whet your whistle, it’s back down the hill to the recently opened Simplicity Bistro on King Street East (just across the fish dam). This quaint restaurant with its simple decor serves both traditional and haute cuisine meals, showcasing the skills of chefs Scott Chalmers and Andrew Barber. The food is incredible and given the fact that “slow Wednesdays” aren’t so slow, you may want to make a reservation).

Start with an amuse-bouche of bruschetta, followed by tasty appetizers of pizzeti trios, spinach and Caesar salads, and mouthwatering stuffed mushrooms (crammed full of spinach and roasted peppers). Entrees include on-site smoked pork back ribs with homemade BBQ sauce; braised pork belly on a crispy potato and mushroom pierogie in a cola gravy; Diablo fettuccini with sundried tomatoes, chili flakes and spinach capers; and venison loin cooked on salt, with a ginger soya reduction, mushrooms, spinach and artichoke. A perfect way to end the day. 

Harbourfront Stroll A visit to Thornbury should start at the waterside.

Park in the public parking by the marina (or lock your bike at the Municipal Harbour building) and head for the large breakwater guarding the harbour entrance, which offers an incredible panoramic view of Georgian Bay that stretches all the way from Collingwood to Tobermory. Grab a handful of pebbles for an impromptu game of checkers on the heavy blue metal table there, watch the yachts come and go, or just kick back and watch the kids on the other side of the harbour jump into the water at Little River Park’s Blue Flag beach.

If you’ve got young fisher-folk with you (kids under 18 don’t need a license), grab a rod and fish for lake or rainbow trout. According to Harbour Master Ryan Gibbon (he’s the guy with the world’s best office view), the fish are plentiful. He’ll also point you in the direction of the Thornbury Fishway, a unique fish ladder that helps trout (spring) and salmon (fall) circumvent the town’s dam. Running under the bridge over the Beaver River, the fish ladder was designed to provide the trout a route from Georgian Bay to their spawning beds upstream. Best viewed from the stairway and platforms accessible from the parking lot next to the Town Hall, the path’s interpretive storyboards tell the structure’s unique story.

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SUMMERFUN Guide Collingwood for Grown-ups

BY JACQUELYN WALLER-VINTAR

T

hey say summertime is for kids: swimming, playing on the beach, bicycling, swinging and watching the clouds. In Collingwood, kids have a huge range of things to do, and luckily, so do adults. After all, grown-ups can play all day, too.

The Blue Mountains offer skiing, snowboarding and snowshoeing in winter, but in summer they provide a verdant canvas for hiking, biking, strolling, ziplining, coastering and gondolaing (which isn’t technically a word, but you get my drift). Blue Mountain Activity Central in the Blue Mountain Village is the one-stop shop for scoping out daily hikes, with maps, equipment rental, and passes for activities such as spa services, wagon rides and Hummer tours.

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One of the coolest features of mountain biking and hiking at Blue Mountain is that you can load your bike and float up the mountainside in the open-air gondola, then choose your own trail down. The map at the mountaintop offers numerous options, from the easy Slow Train, Memory Lane and Happy Valley trails to the experts-only Shot Glass, Big Sleeze and The Wall treks.

There’s more at the top of the mountain than a spectacular view of Georgian Bay—the Scenic Caves provide self-guided tours of caves and caverns at this highest part of the Niagara Escarpment, with geographical and historical facts posted all along the way (including a sign that you have just finished the

toughest part of the hike: well appreciated information if your legs are starting to hurt).

You’ll see the Ice Cave, the narrow Fat Man’s Misery, and the Indian Council Chamber, a freestanding spot that Council Chiefs could only reach by crossing a log, then taking it up so no one else could follow. (Today, there’s a narrow bridge.)

Scenic Caves also features a tree-top canopy walk and THE BAY STREET BULL | 33

Leave No Stone Unturned.

Go to mycollingwood.ca and discover everything to see and do in the Collingwood area.

Like great spots for a family meal or intimate dinner for two. Live theatre, the latest films and places to dance the night away. Fabulous shopping from fashion and footwear, to arts and antiques. Beautiful courses to tee it up on, thrilling runs to ski down on. You can even check out where to stay with our Stay by the Bay online booking service. Do yourself a good turn, go to mycollingwood.ca...the most popular web site in Collingwood and Surrounds.

mycollingwood.ca

TM

the place to be in Southern Georgian Bay

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ziplining, in groups of 14 or less with two instructors.

EcoAdventure Tours provides equipment and all the training you need to push off the platform with confidence.

Most visitors know and love the north side of Blue Mountain, but what about the other side? Wednesday through Saturday afternoons, enjoy a wine tasting at Georgian Hills Vineyards, a small winery with 12 acres of viniferous and hybrid vines on the south side of Blue Mountain. Savour tastings of chardonnay, pinot gris, pinot noir, baco noir and two sweet fruit wines; all are available at the tasting cottage.

There are a number of tour operators in the Collingwood area who can set you up with bicycle, boat, hiking, and art studio tours. One that allows you to tour at your own speed while exploring the favourite fruit of the region is Blue Mountains Apple Pie Trail tours. The trail celebrates apples in all their glory—on the trees, in the markets, as cider, pies, jellies, butters, salads—by pulling together 32 establishments on the Apple Pie Trail map. From June to October there is a different adventure package for every day of the week—some guided, some self-guided and all of them bookable at Activity Central. Or you can open the map and create your own apple tour. Some of the participating restaurants are Rusty’s at Blue Bar and BBQ, Oliver & Bonacini Cafe Grill and The Pottery.

For some, golf figures into any day not spent in the office, and the Collingwood area boasts many courses. Chief among them are the Tom McBroom-designed Monterra Golf, a 6,581-yard, par-72 course, certified by the Audubon Society’s Cooperative Sanctuary Program and

the 18-hole, 6,750-yard Cranberry Golf Course (also Tom McBroom designed), which has earned the Environmental Stewardship Award. Both can accommodate players of every skill level.

After golf, ziplining, hiking and mountain biking, you deserve to de-stress and relax. The Spa at Cranberry offers massage and hot stone services, as well as a selection of spa packages. Kalola has two locations—Kalola Boutique and Spa in a beautiful Victorian house downtown, and Kalola at Blue Mountain Resorts, where there are four outdoor hot plunge tubs, a dry sauna and a pool. Kalola also offers couples massage, where the two of you lie side by side on your own tables, each with your own massage therapist and have your knots worked out in tandem. How romantic.

A slice of Scandinavia waits for you not far from the Village: Scandinave Spa Blue Mountain captures the ambience of hannan (outdoor Finnish spa). This is not a spa in the sense of many North American spas—you bring your own flip-flops and robe (or rent a robe there) and there are no pitchers of cucumber water (bring your own water or drink from the fountains), but you do get two towels, and for one price you can stay all day and move between hot baths, Nordic waterfalls, cold plunges, Finnish sauna, eucalyptus steam bath, hammocks and loungers. There are registered massage therapists for Swedish, hot stone and sports massage services if you book ahead, as well as a bistro and boutique.

Summer fun in Collingwood and Blue Mountain— relax or go all out—it’s your choice. 

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WHAT’S ON d o o w g n Colli July 21-24 The Elvis Festival, the largest of its kind in the world, takes over downtown Collingwood for three days and features some of the greatest Elvis tribute artists. Now in its 17th year, it has something for every age group and every budget, with Vegas-style concerts ranging from $8-$70.

JULY 2011 Collingwood Music Festival is a summer concert series that runs from July 8-28. This year marks the 12th exciting year of the festival.

July 11-August 27 Theatre Collingwood features three excellent productions during the summer at the Gayety Theatre.

Tickets available one hour prior to performance.

July 15-17 FAMARAMA A family festival for all ages that includes everything from buskers and magic shows, to scavenger hunts and drum circles.

July 16 Creemore Children's Festival, a one day only affair, allows kids of all ages to join a variety of activities such as mask-making or a song-writing workshop.

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AUGUST 2011 The Peak to Shore Music & Arts Fest (Aug. 12-14) is a free music extravaganza held in three spectacular destinations (Blue Mountain Village, Collingwood and Thornbury) and features over a dozen Canadian performers. Suzie MacNeil will be at the festival in Thornbury, while Sarah Harmer will be at the Village on Saturday, Aug. 13.

Aug. 27-28 Cedar Run Rodeo, presented

by Rawhide Rodeo, is the perfect place to watch cowboys from around the world compete for $20,000 cash and prizes in steer wrestling, bull and bronco riding, barrel racing and more.

SEPTEMBER 2011 Sept. 2-5 Summer Sundown is a wonderful way to say farewell to summer. The weekend includes live bands, fireworks, street performers and more.

Sept.10 Taste of Blue Enjoy local culinary creations and take in a fashion show and a gondola ride while you’re at it. You can purchase a tasting kit for food, local cider, wine, beer and all things apple for $20. All entertainment is free.

Sept 16-18 Centurion Cycling & Concert Participate in the “fun division” or watch top international riders compete for the title at this fun-filled sporting event that includes a live music stage with the Sam Roberts Band.  THE BAY STREET BULL | 37

TECHTOYS

HEATWAVE

BY MIKE DOJC

Rolling with the Summer Only in the heat of summer’s fuzzy glow would the world’s largest social network hold a press conference in the middle of the afternoon to announce something “awesome”. Surprisingly, Mark Zuckerberg delivered on his big promise by unveiling a new video chat feature for Facebook’s 750 million users. While tech companies are noted for their hype, few live up to it. For those looking for the flashiest whizbang available, we’ve shortlisted the marvels of the moment that deliver on their frothy buzz.  TOSHIBA CAMILEO P100 While improved smartphone video may eventually negate the need for flyweight camcorders, there’s still some time left. Camileo’s P100 (pictured) and Flip Video styled B10 crisply record full HD 1080p video and can also take 16 megapixels snapshots. The P100 even throws in 5X optical zoom—a rare feature in the pocket cam category. More distant action can be scoped out with 8X advanced zoom and 16X digital zoom, though at that distance pixels scale up so image quality degrades noticeably. The 128mb of onboard flash memory will shoot approximately 70 minutes, but put a 64 gig card into the SD slot and you’ll be rolling for another 10 hours. toshiba.com

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 PLAYSTATION VITA Gamers who relish steep learning curves and plenty of buttons may feel they’ve been left out of the conversation in the era of Zyga’s Farmville and Rovio’s Angry Birds. Gamers, don’t despair: Sony’s got your back. Playstation’s first handheld console arrived in 2004 and while it’s since been updated and tweaked with minor upgrades, the Vita is its first complete reboot. The next generation thumb tapper boasts a 5-inch (16:9) OLED multi-touch screen with a rear touchpad, a pair of analog control sticks (the PSP only sported one nub), and the six axis motion-sensing system found on the PS3 system.

Under the plastic, it packs a monstrous ARM Cortex-A9 CPU and a PowerVR SGX543MP4+ GPU—instantly minting the Vita gamer Mecca of the moment. playstation.com  2012 MERCEDES-BENZ SLS AMG ROADSTER Like her hard-topped sister, the Roadster’s 6.3-litre V8 dials up 563hp and 479 pound-feet of torque and her seven-speed dualclutch transaxle transmission can shift its way up to 317 km/h.

Doing everything in a jiffy might as well be this beauty’s credo. Not only can she hit 90 km/h in 3.7 seconds, but her soft top will open (or shield you from the rain) in eleven seconds flat. Accoutrements include a Bang & Olufsen BeoSound system, perfect for cranking up the volume on the way to the cottage. mercedes-amg.com

 GM EN-V This urban-transport concept looks like designers mounted a helicopter cockpit on top of a Segway.

Launched at the 2010 Shanghai Auto Show, the electric networked vehicle is aimed at decongesting crowded cities. Its autopilot features go well beyond self-parking. This intelligent gobot can also be summoned to your exact location via a smartphone app, while collision detection technology helps it avoid obstacles, traffic and gawking pedestrians. With a top speed of 40 km/h, the ENV won’t be able to handle highways but with a pint-sized carbon footprint and a Segway vibe, expect to see a lot of them on urban streets. gm.com

 MOMENTUM MONOBLOCK AMPLIFIER Audiophiles need no introduction to Dan D’Agostino. The hi-fi legend cofounded Krell and was the company’s chief engineer. He has recently forged ahead with his new namesake operation and their first CES product hits the ball out of the park. Lacquered copper sides provide more than an aesthetic flourish—they also serve as heat sinks for 28 high-bandwidth output transistors that can reach a top speed of 69MHz. The focal point of the petite aluminum billeted package is a power gauge reminiscent of an exquisite vintage timepiece. The dial needle pays homage to Abraham Louis Breguet’s signature hour hand. Technically, the amp delivers 300W into 8 ohms, 600Watts into 4 ohms, and 1,200W into 2 ohms. dagostinoinc.com THE BAY STREET BULL | 39

 SENSOGLOVE .38 Special’s biggest hit inadvertently contained excellent golf advice: “Hold on loosely, but don’t let go.” However, precisely figuring out the happy pressure medium between a vice grip and cupping an egg can be a daunting challenge. Hanging on to a club too tightly saps power from your swing and can cause a nasty slice, but veering too far on the delicate spectrum can be as humbling—a flying 5-iron being the worst case scenario. This digital screened glove will help you achieve the perfect grip strength with audio feedback that will chime in midswing so you can pinpoint when your problem arises and make the necessary adjustments. sensoglove.com  SCOOBA 230 BY IROBOT Roomba’s pint-sized cleaning cousin specializes in scrubbing bathroom and kitchen floors, sliding into hard-to-reach nooks and crannies to get the job done.

Scooba utilizes a three-stage process starting with a wash, followed by a scrub and finished with a final squeegee vacuum phase to remove all the grime off floors.

You do have to sweep up first before letting Scooba have a go at it, so iRobot’s fleet of mechmaids hasn’t completely eliminated household chores— yet. irobot.com  WITHINGS WIFI BODYSCALE Want to get your personal trainer off your case about your diet? Keep your trainer in the loop, following your weight loss progress between sessions. Everyday weigh-ins on this WiFi scale don’t just record the top line poundage, they also record lean muscle mass and fat percentage for accurately tracking and graphing your fitness evolution. Keeping tabs on your progress from your laptop, tablet or cell phone will help you stay motivated and act as a stern reminder to order healthy next time you pull into the drive-through lane of your favourite fast food joint. withings.com  KAWASAKI VULCAN 1700 VAQUERO When you think of comfy bikes with frame-mounted front fairings and hard saddlebags, “badass” isn’t exactly the first word that comes to mind. The slickest addition to Kawasaki’s Vulcan family aims to change that, redefining the practical bagger genre with a fighter jet aesthetic that has even sport bike riders taking notice. This weekend-tripping touring motorcycle is outfitted with a liquid-cooled, fuel-injected 1,700cc Vtwin and a 6-speed transmission. The short windscreen still buffets the breeze—and keeps the rider from looking anything like a highway patrolman. kawasaki.com

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 GRACE ONE The genesis of this newfangled electric motorbike disguised as an e-bicycle was inventor Mikel Hecken’s quest for a hip mode of transport for his day trips between Biesenthal and Berlin. The Grace One’s elegant pedal-assisted engine can reach speeds of 45 km/h.

The 1.3KW motor is powered by Li-ion batteries hidden in the frame and can get up to 50 zero-emission kilometres on a one-hour charge.

Because it looks like a normal bicycle, you can still get full credit for using carbohydrate-burning pedal power to get to work, even if you are breaking far less of a sweat than your bike lane colleagues. grace.de

 NECKY VECTOR 13 KAYAK What you gain in comfort in an open-air kayak, you typically sacrifice in speed and maneuverability. This 3.96 metre Necky ($900) sets out to close that gap and blend enclosed kayak performance with sit-on-top freedom. The result is a nimbler polyethylene vessel that exceeds the expectations of the most discerning paddle lord. A backband touring seat and a mesh storage pouch and bottle holder will leave you sitting pretty on extended trips. Getting on course is less of a chore with an optional rudder system controllable via foot pedals, for an additional $200. neckykayaks.com

 MCLAREN MP4-12C You can thank McLaren for bringing a finely tuned Grand Prix pedigree to your local highways and byways. With a 3.8-litre twin-turbo dry sump V8 that generates 592-hp and a seven-speed twin clutch Graziano gearbox that will rocket this carbon fibre supercar from 0-60 in 3.2 seconds and 0-125 mph in 8.9 quick ticks, this beauty could easily be besties with Lambourghini and Ferrari’s sassiest offerings. Thanks to an advanced hydraulics system, adaptive damping and stability electronics (combined with the Mp4-12c’s brake steer system) any speed fiend will be able to drive smoothly during rapid acceleration. mclarenautomotive.com

 GOOGLE CHROMEBOOK The emergence of tablets may have put netbooks on the endangered tech species watch list, but leave it to search Goliath Google to resuscitate the nothingbut-net space. By tapping into cloud computing technology with the browser-based Chrome OS, the Chromebook cuts out load times and boots up in eight seconds flat. And with all your files, apps and settings stored online, if you damage or misplace your Chromebook, you will never lose information.

Both 3G and WiFi only models are available. google.com/chromebook

 GOFLEX SATELLITE This battery-powered external storage solution with WiFi plugs into your USB and grabs movies, pictures, mp3s and documents from your hard drive. Once they’re loaded, you can wirelessly stream content to your iPad or other tablet device. If your neighbours on the plane are envious, go ahead and share the media wealth. GoFlex has the capability to transmit up to three different movies to three separate tablet devices. At 500GB it can store approximately 300 HD movies and the internal battery will hold its charge for five hours. seagate.com 

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This summer, it’s time to elevate the family vacation. Blue Mountain is the place with more amazing things to do. More action in and around the Village. More great places to eat. More outdoor adventure and more freshwater beach are waiting, semi-patiently, for you. See our ever-growing list of summer activities at

www.peakingamazing.ca

Junior If you've heard it once, you've heard it a thousand times: summer is for kids.

So to is Collingwod.

There's a roller coaster, a plunge pool, scenic caves, a skateboard park and lots more. >>

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JUNIORFUN

JUST FOR Kids Blue Mountain Was Made for Fun

BY BRYAN DEARSLEY

W

hen it comes to finding outdoor activities for the kids, Blue Mountain’s got you covered—whatever the weather. Already popular as Ontario’s premier winter destination thanks to its excellent ski slopes, this scenic area of Georgian Bay is fast becoming a top destination for summertime fun as well.

With the Village at Blue as its anchor—the multi-million dollar Intrawest Resort located at the base of the ski slopes—Blue Mountain has enough going on during summer to keep the most active of kids busy, whatever their age. The same hills where they learned to ski or snowboard also attract mountain bikers from across the province, and the area’s unique topography (the northern end of the Niagara Escarpment) is perfect for extreme adventures such as rock climbing, caving and ATVing.

The newest addition to its kid-friendly activities is the Ridge Runner, Ontario’s first mountain coaster. What’s a mountain coaster? Well, think of it as a rollercoaster that winds and weaves its way down the mountainside using good old gravity to get you there. This thrilling ride—so good that once is simply never enough—took a year to construct and involves an exhilarating one-kilometer downhill ride at speeds of up to 42km/h.

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Your journey begins in the Village itself, where you climb aboard your personal sled (think of it as a futuristic toboggan) for the ride straight up the mountain (children ages three to 12 can ride as passengers). Once at the top, gravity does its bit and you’re whizzing along the track at breakneck speed as you twist and turn down the Niagara Escarpment (a hand brake is available to slow your descent if speed’s not your thing). The views of Georgian Bay will take your breath away as you whizz around the trees and embankments some 3 to 6 metres above ground level.

TAKING THE PLUNGE Need to cool off after all the excitement? A visit to the Plunge Aquatic Centre is always a highlight when visiting the Village at Blue. With three-hour, full-day or multi-day passes available, teens can come and go as they please in this huge indoor-outdoor boathouse-themed water park.

With its large indoor-outdoor heated pool, hot tubs, rope swings and slides, Plunge is an all-ages, four-season water adventure that’ll keep the kids busy for hours.

Parents with younger children may consider the “Date Night” program. While your youngsters experience supervised play between 5 and 9 pm, you can be just a few minutes’ walk away at the Village’s many wonderful restaurants, enjoying some quality time as a couple. Activities for the wee ‘uns include arts, crafts, swimming and park play.

Be sure to check in advance for program availability.

Other fun activities for the kids in the Village take place around the Mill Pond next to Plunge. At the pond’s Dockside area, kids can enjoy a leisurely paddle in a kayak or explore the water in a multi-person paddleboat. On land, they can try their hand at trout fishing or grab a net and observe and explore the shoreline, checking out the many creatures that inhabit the pond. Other Dockside activities include tabletop games, Bocce ball, beach volleyball, shuffleboard, horseshoes, geocaching and scavenger hunts.

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SCENIC RAVES Older kids won’t want to miss the incredible Scenic Caves Nature Adventure. And trust me, if you haven’t visited this Blue Mountain attraction in the last few years or so, then it’s about time you did. Once known for offering not much more than a simple cave climbing and hiking experience, the Scenic Caves today is the kind of place you can take the kids for hours without ever hearing the word “bored’.

Activities run the gamut from three-hour eco tours to walks and hikes along Ontario’s longest suspension footbridge.

Standing near the highest point of the Niagara Escarpment— more than 300 metres in elevation—the footbridge arcs high above the treed valley some 30 metres below. The views are simply breathtaking, with a panorama of the Georgian Bay and Collingwood area that stretches below.

The Scenic Caves’ Eco Adventure Tour is your best bet if you have several hours to spend there. Your guided tour begins with gear outfitting and a short hike to check out the suspension bridge. A wagon ride through the forest provides a glimpse of the Escarpment’s unique ecology before the real fun begins—the treetop walk. This thrilling adventure takes you 600 metres across narrow bridges suspended as high as 18 metres in the air (almost treetop level), all while safely attached to guide ropes. The excitement of overlooking the stunning vistas beneath you is an experience unlike anything else. As the sway of the bridges and cables causes you to constantly re-adjust your balance, you’ll find yourself hanging on tightly as if your life depended on it (don’t worry, it doesn’t; the ropes could hold up a small car). Your treetop walk ends with an incredible 90 metre zip line ride to the ground (although less brave souls can take a rope ladder).

The fun doesn’t stop here, however. An even longer zip line awaits at the Scenic Caves Lookout Point, this one some 300 metres from start to finish. Exhilarating! Then, try your luck squeezing through “Fat Man’s Misery”, a cave with a twist-and-turn exit that requires a little agility. There’s also a hidden natural cave fortress which once sheltered the native Petun people from their enemies, and a cave so deep and cold that snow and ice often remain there well into the summer months. Before leaving, pan for mineral treasures as you sluice for quartz crystal, gold ore, amethyst and many other semi-precious gemstones. Or try your hand at the new minigolf course.

A final note for the teens in the family: Collingwood’s continued efforts to be one of the kid-friendliest communities in Ontario has led to the opening of a fantastic new Skateboard and BMX Park. The public and family-based facility is located on High Street (the Blue Mountain side of Collingwood) and is supervised (10am to 6pm), with riders expected to abide by the Town’s rules and regulations. Collingwood is a pedestrianand bike-friendly community, so even if you’re staying in the Village of Blue, you’re connected to the downtown core—and therefore the skate parks—by its scenic and well-maintained bike trails.  46 | THE BAY STREET BULL

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JUNIORATTRACTIONS

MOVIES Under the Stars

Under the Stars There’s nothing better than watching the latest flicks on the big screen. Better still when that big screen is outdoors and smack-dab in the middle of a village square, and within arms reach of great restaurants and pubs—not to mention an ice cream parlor and chocolate emporium.

So never mind the popcorn.

The Blue Mountain Village’s Movies Under the Stars program runs throughout the summer until Labour Day. Movies are screened in the Village Square every Wednesday and Friday at dusk, and include such family-friendly titles as Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Rango and Justin Bieber: Never Say Never. (Tip: Arrive early for a chance to win a door prize and to claim your Muskoka chair). 

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Wednesday, July 20

Diary Of A Wimpy Kid 2: Roderick Rules – (Pg)

Friday, July 22

The Chronicles Of Narnia:

Wednesday, July 27

The Dilemma – (Pg)

Friday, July 29

Soul Surfer – (Pg)

Wednesday, August 3

Tron: Legacy – (Pg)

Friday, August 5

Yogi Bear – (Pg)

Wednesday, August 10

How Do You Know – (Pg)

Friday, August 12

Justin Bieber: Never Say Never – (Pg)

Wednesday, August 17

Just Go With It – (Pg 13)

Friday, August 19

Tangled – (G)

Wednesday, August 24

Rango – (Pg)

Friday, August 26

Hop – (G)

Wednesday, August 31

Mars Needs Moms – (G)

Friday, September 2

Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides – (Pg)

ONTHESHELF STATE OF WONDER

by Ann Patchett (Harpercollins) is set deep in the Amazon jungle where Dr. Marina Singh, a research scientist with a Minnesota pharmaceutical company, is searching for her former mentor who seems to have disappeared while working on a valuable new drug. A wonderful narrative filled with poison arrows, snakes and cannibals.

HIT LIST

by Laurell K. Hamilton (Berkley Trade) is the latest installment in the Anita Blake vampire hunter series. With a serial killer on the loose in the Pacific Northwest, the local police suspect, given the gruesome way the victims have been murdered, that ‘monsters’ are involved and have called in Ms.Blake, who knows a thing or two about monsters, to help them catch the killer.

Murder & Mayhem North Americans have a fondness for Scandinavian crime writers.

Stieg Larsson’s Millennium Trilogy has been on the New York bestsellers list for 52 weeks and Henning Mankell’s Wallander series has been made into a critically acclaimed television series, starring Kenneth Branagh. And now, Norwegian writer Jo Nesbo’s Harry Hole series is gaining a following. The first Harry Hole novel, The Bat Man, was published in 1997, and was an instant success in Norway, eventually becoming a bestseller and winning the Glass Key Award for Best Nordic Crime Novel (an accolade shared by Peter Hoag, Henning Mankell, and Stieg Larsson.) But it wasn’t until last year, with his English translation of The Snowman, did Nesbo receive widespread North American praise. The book opens in Olso in November, after the first snow fall.

A young boy named Jonas wakes and finds his mother gone, but inexplicably, outside his window, he sees a snowman with his mother’s pink scarf wrapped around its neck. Inspector Harry Hole suspects a link between a threatening letter he’s received and the disappearance of Jonas’ mother and perhaps that of more than a dozen other women, all of whom vanished on a winter’s first snow fall. As the hard-boiled policeman is pitted against a brutal killer, he is driven over the edge, while the plot makes many twist and turns before heading to its gripping climax. Mystery lovers will enjoy Nesbo’s pared-back prose, intellectually satisfying characters and its addictive quality. 

Photo Credits

THE PARIS WIFE

by Paula McLain (Doubleday Canada) tells the story of Ernest Hemmingway’s Paris years through the eyes (and voice) of his wife, Hadley. We experience the disillusionment of the Lost Generation, meet intriguing characters such as Gertrude Stein and Ezra Pound, and find ourselves in the middle of an engrossing and wrenching love story.

CARTE BLANCHE

by Jeffery Deaver (Simon & Schuster) sees James Bond, now in his 30s, recruited by a new organization that will work independently of the MI5, MI6 and the British Ministry of Defense. Its aim: “To protect the realm by any means necessary.” If you think Agent 007 has seen it all, think again. The master of the thriller genre, Deaver, has remade and retooled Bond for the 21st century.

Page 9: Beau’s All Natural Brewing Company Lug-Tread Lagered Ale. 10. (top) Modern brewery equipment, (bottom) Spearhead’s Hawaiian Pale Ale. 12. Muskoka Brewery Mad Tom IPA (top) and Harvest Ale (bottom). 14. Modern brewing vats. Photo: Mime Emil/iStockphoto. 20. (top) The Tremont Hotel. Photo: Julie Card. (bottom) Collingwood, circa 1924. 21. (left) Hurontario Street, 1890 (right) Tremond Restaurant. Photo: Julie Card. 22. Creemore Springs Brewery. 23. (top) Creemore streets. Photo: Julie Card. (bottom) Creemore classic car show. Photo: Bryan Davies. 26. (sidebar) Chef Philip Tarlo, (top and bottom) Cabin Bistro. 27. Justin Miller, Chef of Cabin Bistro. 28. Heavenly Sweets Café, and Jeff Suddaby from 3 Guys & A Stove (sidebar). 30-31. Thornbury Marina (bottom), (left) Thornbury street and The Mill Cafe (right), Photos: Julie Card. 32. (bottom) Nice River kayaking. photo: Julie Card. 34-35. Monterra Golf Course. 36. (left and bottom) Collingwood Elvis Festival, (top) Centurion Cycling Race. 37. Suzie MacNeil (top) and Blue Mountain village (bottom). 44-45. (left and centre) Blue Mountain Plunge Pool, (right) Children’s train.

Photos: Julie Card. 46. Scenic Caves Nature Adventure Zip Line: Photos: Julie Card. 48. Movies under the stars. Photo: Dave West.

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Imagination meets engineering.

Sometimes it’s the idea. Sometimes it’s the execution. Sometimes it’s both. Introducing the new Audi A7.

A progressive new design that’s as functional as it is beautiful.

Born in the minds of our engineers, brought to life by their passion.

The new Audi A7

YouTube.com/AudiA7 © 2011 Audi Canada. European model is shown.“Audi”, “A7”, “Vorsprung durch Technik”, and the four rings emblem are registered trademarks of AUDI AG. To find out more about Audi, see your dealer, call us at 1-800-FOR-AUDI, or visit us at www.audi.ca