The
DRIVE
ISSUE 126
LISA WILLIAMS AMPLIFIED
LIFESTYLE | CULTURE | PEOPLE | TRENDS
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The
PAUL ST-PIERRE
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DAVID HUNTER
Sales director
SABINE MAIN
Editorial and creative director
MEL MONCZAK
Sales
SHAWNA BEECROFT
Graphic designer
CONTRIBUTORS JEN HALE
Copy editor
SYX LANGEMANN
Lead photographer
LAUREN HAYES
Photographer
MARNIE ROBILLARD
Graphic designer
ELAINE CHATWOOD
Fashion stylist/Producer
LAYAN BARAKAT
Writer
ALLEY L. BINIARZ
Writer
CHRIS EDWARDS
Writer
KIMBERLY LOVE
Writer
KATRINA MANZOCCO
Writer
JENNIFER SCHEMBRI
Writer
JESSE ZITER
Writer
The
DRIVE
ISSUE 126
LISA WILLIAMS AMPLIFIED
On the cover: An icon in the world of radio, Lisa Williams speaks to The Drive magazine from the other side of the microphone.
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LIFESTYLE | CULTURE | PEOPLE | TRENDS
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CONTENTS
FALL II 2019
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WELCOME 6 Editor’s letter TREND DRIVE 11 Holiday table décor with Oh So Mona 14 Oh So Mona’s must-do activities
SOCIAL DRIVE Homeless in Windsor and the people taking a stand
38 PEOPLE DRIVE Lisa Williams on your daily drive with The Drive
FASHION DRIVE 26 Windsor fashionistas on holiday trends PEOPLE DRIVE 46 Artisanal cheeses and the Cheese Bar 47 Holiday charcuterie platter ideas from the Cheese Bar 52 Chef John reveals his secret ingredients 54 Recipe by Chef John in time for the holidays HISTORY DRIVE 57 A historical look at images in Windsor ECO DRIVE 58 Andrea Descargar knows all about plastics with exclusive eco-friendly tips CHRISTMAS DRIVE 64 Willistead Manor and an open door policy 66 You told us about your Christmas traditions and we share them THEDRIVEMAGAZINE.COM
30 FASHION DRIVE Modern glamour—NYE, cocktail and office holiday looks for this holiday season
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EDITOR’S LETTER
It’s that time of year... If it’s starting to feel a lot like Christmas, that’s because it’s almost here. No matter what you have planned for this time of year, chances are, you’re very busy. I know if I had to add one more item to my ‘to-do’ list on top of other last-minute preparations, I would tip over. If you haven’t ventured out, there are beautiful decorations adorning the city and adding shimmer to every corner of our streets. There are also some very frazzled people around, but that’s understandable. Most are just trying to make others happy; to give loved ones the meal or gift they think they want. And sometimes, we all need to step back from the frenzy and think of others. Others like Tweets and Sandra, two homeless women featured in our “Homeless for the Holidays” feature, will experience a fraction of the family time, warmth, food, and love that you and I will this season.
I know that this time of year is supposed to be festive; Christmas should be fun. And I know some think that it’s just for children, but it’s also for adults to step off the hamster wheel and delight in the life and people that make our everyday happen. We all want familiarity and coziness during the holidays and, on that subject, Lisa Williams, the comforting voice of our daily morning AM800 drive, shares a piece of her world off-mic with us. December is also about celebration. Bonding with friends and family over good food and cheer. We’ve curated a fashion segment featuring some of Windsor’s best trendsetters and must-have holiday party looks. Thanks again for reading, and however you celebrate, may you be happy and surrounded with joy. Merry Christmas from our families to yours. Sabine Main, Editorial + Creative Director
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NEWS DRIVE
On Friday, November 1, Deck the Dolls: ’Tis the Season to be Seen, hosted by Stephanie and Barry Zekelman, raised over $500,000 to support Transition to Betterness and the Dr. Lisa Ventrella-Lucente Greenhouse project, specifically the Community Kitchen. It was a spectacular evening with exceptionally generous donors at Saks Fifth Avenue in Troy, Michigan. We are proud to say that the Greenhouse part of this special project is fully funded by our friends at Mucci Farms and Thermo Energy. This greenhouse and community kitchen project will be the only one of its kind in Canada. Located at the Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare, it benefits their therapeutic, mental health, and rehabilitation programs.
AROUND TOWN
Welcome to our custom content page meant to highlight unique news from the Windsor-Essex region
Little Gems Children’s Consignment Boutique is nestled in the heart of Tecumseh, at 11958 Tecumseh Road East, and offers a clean, organized environment to purchase and sell gently loved items. Raising kids is expensive; we can help with that! Consignment is not only a way to make money and save money, it also lessens the environmental impact of the clothing industry. Little Gems prices and puts out hundreds of items each day: it’s a new store every day! For more information on how our consignment works, check out our website at www. littlegemsconsignment.com or follow us on social media on Instagram—@littlegemsinstagram—or on Facebook: facebook.com/LittleGemsConsignment. 519.956.8555.
Scott Black (left) and his business partner Jason Sekela (right) invite you to step inside the historic Sandwich Brewing Company, located in Old Sandwich Town at 3232 Sandwich Street in Windsor. With a love of preserving heritage and a 126-year-old building, these owners went to work to renovate, repair, and revitalize this building and create Sandwich Brewery. Its historic location has an open-concept design, which allows you to be part of the brewing experience. On the second floor, there is a viewing area that grants you full access to the canning process and the creation of the amazing craft beer. Please be sure to stop in today and try a few of their crafty creations. 519.800.2019. THEDRIVEMAGAZINE.COM
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TREND DRIVE
Holiday Table décor
SHOP THIS LOOK:
Floral arrangement—Carly Fedak Twinkle lights, plates, napkins—Indigo Cutlery and table linens—HomeSense
It’s that time of year again. Time to deck the halls and get all the holiday décor in order! This time of year always has me in the entertaining mood and I’m so excited to be sharing some tips and inspiration with you to help put together the perfect holiday tablescape.
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ADD SPARKLE TO YOUR LIFE
Take a sprig of rosemary and, using baking twine, tie it into a circle. Using cardstock, cut out a ribbon-shaped piece of paper. Write your guest’s name across the front and using a glue gun, glue each end to your rosemary wreath. If you’re looking to get that calligraphy look with your place cards, handwrite the names of your guests and then go back over the handwriting with your marker, making your lines thicker on every downstroke.
Try mixing different colours/materials in your table décor while staying within a common theme or colour family. For this table décor, we stuck with warm rose and mulberry tones, mixing glassware and plates to give the table a sophisticated Bohemian vibe.
Adding a little sparkle and shine is never a bad idea when it comes to your holiday decorating. We added miniature twinkle lights throughout our centrepiece as well as metallic linens to complete the overall look. D
Mona Elkadri is a lifestyle blogger with a fondness for everyday living and entertaining, from sweet recipes to home décor and DIY, and everything in between. ohsomona.com THEDRIVEMAGAZINE.COM
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TREND DRIVE
Windsor/Essex HOLIDAY BINGO
12 MUST DO LOCAL ACTIVITIES THIS HOLIDAY SEASON
1 3 6 9 By Mona Elkadri from Oh So Mona | Photographs by various artists, including Vicky Bartel
ENJOY SOME LOCAL WINES WHILE BAKING YOUR HOLIDAY FAVOURITES
WALK THE BRIGHT LIGHTS WINDSOR EXHIBIT AT JACKSON PARK
2. GO SLEDDING AT BRUNET PARK
5. VISIT SLOAN’S TREE FARM TO CUT YOUR OWN TREE AND TO ENJOY SOME OF THEIR MANY ATTRACTIONS
GET YOUR GIFT LIST OUT AND COMPLETE YOUR HOLIDAY SHOPPING AT LOCAL BUSINESSES LIKE THE URBAN ART MARKET OR THE POTTERY CUPBOARD
10. HAVE A RELAXING STAY AT VINEYARDS RETREAT AND ENJOY THE MAPLE SYRUP FESTIVAL AT JOHN R. PARK HOMESTEAD
GO ICE SKATING AT LANSPEARY PARK
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7. ENJOY A BROWN SUGAR SPICED LATTE FROM ANCHOR COFFEE HOUSE
11. TAKE PICTURES WITH SANTA AT DEVONSHIRE MALL
TREND DRIVE
uwindsor.ca
I am very proud to be a Superintendent of Education with the GECDSB and an alumni of the University of Windsor. My UWindsor experience provided me with the gift of professional scholarly growth, reflective practice, compassion for the world and others, and a lifelong commitment to learning. UWindsor has amazingly talented, creative and caring staff who provide exceptional service to students. Additionally, UWindsor has contemporary and innovative programs in state-of-the-art facilities and a beautiful campus. I look forward to my children attending UWindsor and joining the alumni family.
4. CHECK OUT THE AMHERSTBURG RIVER LIGHTS
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GET A DIY COOKIE DECORATING KIT FROM CAFFEINE & CO.
I am and forever will be Windsor Proud! Go Lancers!” Clara Howitt BA ’90, MEd ’98, PhD ’09 Superintendent of Education Greater Essex County District School Board
12. BOOK A MINI PHOTOSHOOT WITH ONE OF WINDSOR’S MANY TALENTED PHOTOGRAPHERS.
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THEDRIVEMAGAZINE.COM
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SOCIAL DRIVE
HOME(LESS) FOR THE HOLIDAYS GIVE A LITTLE BIT THIS SEASON TO THOSE WHO NEED IT MOST By Katrina Manzocco Photographs by Syx Langemann
The season of giving is upon us. Corporate can drives, toy collections, and general Yuletide charity often find their way to the forefront during the holiday months, but this year brings about a renewed sense of need for Windsor’s most at-risk population. Homelessness itself is not a new challenge for Windsor. “It’s been ongoing. It didn’t just happen recently,” explains Brian Yeomans, chair of Windsor’s Downtown Business Improvement Association. “Centralized social services attract people who need those things, and this happens to be downtown.” Yeomans moved to the city in 1992 and has spent nearly his entire professional life working in downtown Windsor as a business owner; he’s also lived downtown for the past five years. Yeomans is very familiar with the city’s homelessness situation as well as the misconceptions surrounding it. “It’s unfortunate that downtown has been judged as unsafe. These safety concerns are not caused by Windsor’s homeless,” he says. Originally seen as a problem specific to downtown, homelessness is no longer relegated to Ward 3, having expanded across the city and into surrounding regions, including Tecumseh and Lakeshore.
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SOCIAL DRIVE
Sandra
THEDRIVEMAGAZINE.COM
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SOCIAL DRIVE With the Windsor Downtown Mission reporting a count of almost 400 people in 2019, up from 197 in 2017, the city’s homeless population continues to grow quickly.
Rita Taillefer, Executive Director. Windsor Essex Community Health Centre
According to Rev. Ron Dunn, executive director and CEO of Downtown Mission of Windsor, our city’s homelessness challenges are common to cities across North America. Similar concerns have been echoed by other Missions, including those in London and Detroit. Many other regions share opioid addiction and mental health crises, but what is unique to Windsor is the sudden change in the local housing market. “With the recent market upswing, your home may have doubled in value, which is great for owners, but not as good for renters who are being edged out by subsequent rent increases,” says Dunn. “Rental pricing is about 24 to 25 percent higher now than it has been in recent years. You used to be able to get a one bedroom for $600 to $700—now these same units are $950.” Rev. Ron Dunn, Executive Director/CEO. Downtown Mission of Windsor Brian Yeomans, chair of Windsor’s Downtown BIA
While that increase in average rental price might seem relatively inconsequential compared to other housing markets in Canada, including Toronto and Vancouver, the change is devastating for Windsor’s vulnerable populations. Ontario’s minimum wage is $14 per hour, which equates to roughly $29,120 annually. “The challenge is the people who need help with housing are on Ontario Works, which pays $7,878 per year,” Dunn says. “Adequate housing is just not available for those living on $650 per month.”
Greg Lemay. Windsor community activist and advocate for the homeless
Dunn shares that Windsor’s waiting list for affordable housing currently includes 5,000 names, many of which represent an entire family in Windsor-Essex country. There are effectively 15,000 people waiting for a place to call their own. The financial realities for many of Windsor’s services that are oriented towards the homeless are difficult. The Downtown Mission of Windsor is the largest shelter from Windsor to Toronto, but receives no government funding. The challenge, Dunn says, is that government needs to take homelessness, mental health, and addiction concerns more seriously. He adds that animal shelters in Canada
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SOCIAL DRIVE currently receive more public funding than those helping people experiencing homelessness. “If this were SARS, this would be funded, but people feel as though mental health is something we bring upon ourselves. This is a public health issue and needs to be treated as such.“
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Sandra and Tweets, two Windsorites experiencing homelessness, shared their own experiences from living on the streets of downtown. They were frank in painting the realities of surviving Windsor’s winter months. Between ensuring their cold-weather clothing wasn’t stolen from them and the ongoing challenge of finding public places to stay warm, they say libraries and public bathrooms are often the only places they could seek sanctuary. Tweets says that one of the greatest challenges for those living on the streets is the lack of activity and safe spaces for people like her, and how this inactivity and lack of stimulation spurs drug use among homeless populations. “It's a nightmare living out here. We’re not allowed inside the Mission until around 7 p.m., so many people spend the day on their own with nothing to do. That’s when people start using. This only gets worse as it gets cold and everyone tries to stay warm.”
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Greg Lemay, a Windsor community activist and advocate for the homeless, gained notoriety after spending 36 hours on the streets of Windsor during the summer of 2018, followed by another 48 hours in November 2018. His experiences also highlighted the dichotomy between the realities of what causes homelessness and what many of us assume to be the source. Through interviewing upwards of 90 people living on the streets, he found that surprisingly few homeless people start out with addiction issues, but the intensity and difficulty of the experience is enough to make addicts out of most people. “I’ve never touched a drug in my life, but another 48 hours on the streets might have broken me. It was that hard. I knew I was going home, I knew I had a family, and I knew my experience would end Sunday at 5 p.m. I can’t imagine what it might be like for someone with nothing to go back to.” Despite knowing the downtown area well, Lemay was emphatic that experiencing homelessness in a city that we’re familiar with is still a wholly unfamiliar experience for those new to the streets. “I went out there not knowing what to anticipate. You know, you don’t think about these things. Windsor is a city I grew up in and feel safe in, but when it came time to go to bed, it became a different world,” says Lemay. “You don’t feel safe. You want to go to bed but even in a city you know you can’t find a spot to put your head down. All I THEDRIVEMAGAZINE.COM
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SOCIAL DRIVE Greg Lemay connects with Sandra and Tweets
Tweets
could think was, ‘Do I want people to see me from away during the winter months. This influx of people further strains Windsor’s on this corner?’” already burdened shelters, but winter’s weather The holidays come with an important makes it all the more important for homeless brand of good cheer for Windsor’s shelters individuals to secure a bed. and not-for-profits serving the homeless— Greg Lemay’s 48 hours spent outside the season of giving is an essential source of funding for Windsor’s Downtown Mission. in late 2018 proved to him first hand that homelessness in winter presented a new set Dunn shares that this time of year is of challenges. typically what generates the funds that support “I was always wet, and I was always cold. the Mission year-round, and are essential to keeping the lights on. “The Mission is 94 I woke up to water on my face the second percent publicly funded, and from non-sus- night I was out, and it was because it had tainable sources. Eighty percent of donations started snowing.“ This year, Lemay and Dunn jointly are people sending $50 to $100 per year, and 60 percent of our funding comes in at Thanks- organized a 24-hour bench talk outside of the Downtown Mission of Windsor. From giving and Christmas.” 11 a.m. on November 14 to 11 a.m. on When asked about funding and cash November 15, Dunn spent a day without flow throughout the rest of the year, Dunn’s food or drink in support of Windsor’s answer was sobering. “Come July and August, homeless. The event, Lemay says, allowed we’re scraping the bottom of the barrel. We’re the community to visit with Dunn, to discuss thankful for any and all contributions given to the state of homelessness and the Mission’s us by the community, but we need more help. operations, and to contribute much-needed This isn’t just a holiday problem. We need donations to support the cause. The chill felt people to care all year long.” from the late-autumn season hinted at the Many experiencing homelessness are coming winter that will impact so many of attracted to Windsor’s milder climate, coming those experiencing homelessness. 22
“The cold weather brings about serious health risks for Windsor’s vulnerable homeless population,” says Rita Taillefer, a nurse of over 30 years and executive director of the Windsor Essex Community Health Centre, the organization behind Windsor’s new mobile health unit. “Frostbite becomes a major concern, which is why it’s so important to ensure that we’re able to deliver care to homeless populations in their own environment, to treat things like this.” Taillefer and WECHC plan to do this through the mobile health unit, a recent addition to their existing six brick-and-mortar locations in Windsor-Essex County. The mobile unit will service those having trouble coming to their centres, including their downtown Street Health location, which serves predominantly vulnerable clientele like Windsor’s homeless. The unit’s purpose is to go where people need them most and deliver on-the-spot care. “Whether it be flu shots, wound care, or general health support, a primary care practitioner will be on board to help with medical needs, and help in a way that’s familiar and non-threatening since we have a team of
SOCIAL DRIVE people that the population have been working with for years,” Taillefer says. The mobile health unit will operate as a medical complement to Windsor’s existing Mobile Outreach and Support Team (MOST), an initiative supporting those on Windsor’s west side and downtown with housing and health challenges. The MOST team is made up of a driver trained to support those with physical disabilities, a social worker, and outreach worker. Throughout the winter, MOST is an essential service, delivering cold-weather clothing like mittens and socks to those on the street.
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“While many of our client base miss those they’ve been separated from around the holidays, the biggest threat here is the cold,” Taillefer says. So, how can the average person help Windsor’s homeless populations this holiday season and beyond? “Time, talent, or treasure,” says Dunn. “Remember, the number one users of food banks are kids. Buy an extra box of cereal or two cans of tuna at the checkout. The Mission is made up of a lot of people doing a little bit.” Lemay echoes the sentiment. “Have something extra? Blankets? A case of water? Socks? Bring them downtown. Three dollars and 11 cents provides a meal at the Mission— why not just contribute that instead of buying a specialty coffee one day? It would mean the world to someone who needs that meal.”
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Being treated with humanity goes a long way, asserts Yeomans. “Start a conversation and try saying ‘hi.’ The stigma against the homeless is real, but there are a lot of people in a very unfortunate place through no fault of their own, after the downturn of the economy in 2008. Most people don’t want to be homeless. There is a zero percent vacancy rate in Windsor, and not a lot of people can afford rent. Look beyond where they live. “ Taillefer reminds us that we’re not immune to the struggles felt by Windsor’s homeless, and to be kind. “People come downtown and see addiction and homelessness and think that it’s beneath them. We need to change the narrative that homelessness needs to be pushed aside and ignored,” she says. “It could happen to anyone, including your family. We could all use more compassion.” D THEDRIVEMAGAZINE.COM
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FASHION DRIVE FEATURE: WINDSOR FASHION EXPERTS
FASHION FEATURE WITH WINDSOR’S FASHIONISTAS
CONNIE BONADONNA KEEPS THINGS REFINED THE OWNER OF RAFFINÉE IS AS STYLISH AS THE CLOTHING SHE CARRIES By Jennifer Schembri
University, and went on to earn a Master’s degree in Clothing and Textiles from Detroit’s Wayne State. Shortly after graduating, Bonadonna, who is also a seamstress, began to teach fashion and tailoring at her alma mater and at the Fashion Institute of America. “I taught for only a very short time because I always wanted to open a boutique and I thought that if it didn’t work out, I always had a backup plan—I could continue to teach—but I never looked back.” When she was a little girl, Connie Bonadonna loved Barbie dolls. But while all her friends were playing house, the future proprietor of Raffinée was busy designing the fashion icon’s clothing instead. “I would find scraps of fabric and spend hours creating a wardrobe for her. This sparked my interest in clothing from a very young age.”
More than 30 years later, Raffinée is known as the de facto source for casual luxury. On any given day you can find twentysomethings alongside women in their nineties perusing the carefully curated racks, some who have been customers since the very beginning. “The store has been successful from the day we opened and it has continued to grow every year,” Bonadonna recalls. “I have been very Launched in 1985 when Bonadonna was fortunate to have loyal customers.” just in her mid-twenties, this high-end fashion The vision for the store was to give boutique on Erie Street really lives up to its women a stylish space where they could feel at name. “In Europe, one of the nicest complihome. And it’s the personal connection that ments you can pay a woman is to tell her that Bonadonna feels really makes Raffinée stand she’s refined,” says Bonadonna, and Raffinée’s out. “Our store is all about service, which 2,000-square-foot space is just that: an effortis kind of a dinosaur concept these days as lessly chic, tightly focused, multi-brand most of the younger generations tend to order boutique that stocks established international things online,” she says. “Here, it’s a process designers like Max Mara, Roberto Cavalli, and from start to finish—we style you and do alterVersace alongside Canadian labels including ations, and our customers deal with the same Wayne Clark, Greta Constantine, and Marie salespeople every time so we really get to know Saint Pierre. your lifestyle, your needs, and how you dress. A Windsor native, Bonadonna began We grow together.”
she has dedicated countless hours organizing fundraising events for various charities, including the Hospice of Windsor and Essex County, Transition to Betterness, and Cornerstone for Caring. The philanthropist is also a member of Inspiration 100, a foundation that over a 10-year period awards grants to local charities. “We are really blessed to live in this country and have the life that we have so for anyone who needs help, I try to do my best.” Surprisingly, Bonadonna says, “I like to live very simply—less is more and I don’t like drama or complication; I just stay very focused.” She carries this understated minimalism into her own wardrobe, where black is her colour of choice. “At the store there is colour all around me. It’s not about me; it’s always about the customer. So I just like to be in the background.” She speaks with ebullience about her two sons, one a chartered accountant for GM at the Renaissance Center, the other a recent law school grad who will tie the knot in 2021. When asked if she will be involved in her future daughter-in-law’s wedding dress, she responds with a laugh, “Of course!”
At 60, Bonadonna has no plans to slow down any time soon. “I really believe in the saying, ‘Do the thing you love and you never have to work a day in your life.’ I don’t have any plans to retire anytime soon. I would love for Raffinée to keep going because I feel it working in retail when she was 16 years old, Bonadonna has made the choice to live life really has a place in the community—there’s obtained her business degree from Windsor “with an attitude of gratitude.” Over the years, no other store like it.” 26
FASHION DRIVE
LITTLE NOELE IS ALL GROWN UP THE LOCAL DESIGNER HAS PUT KINGSVILLE ON THE FASHION MAP By Jennifer Schembri
New York, Paris, London, and Milan. Not too shabby for a 21-year-old from Kingsville, Ontario, who couldn’t even sew before she began the Fashion Design Technician program at St. Clair College back in 2017. “I went into fashion design because I loved it, never thinking that I would have a career in it—especially not in Windsor or Kingsville,” Baptista muses. “I didn’t realize just how diverse the field actually was and the opportunities that it would bring.”
Earlier this year, designer Noele Baptista made her professional debut at Vancouver Fashion Week with her label Nöelziñia and a collection entitled Fleurs Pressées, which drew inspiration from women pressing flowers throughout history. Characterized by billowy silhouettes and cascading ruffles, the collection featured muted tones and romantic flourishes on sumptuous fabrics—including velvet and chiffon—and was, simply put, pure poetry. Wondering what’s next for the budding fashionista? You’ll be glad you asked. In October, Baptista showcased her second collection, Flores Del Desierto (Desert Flowers), this time during L.A. Fashion Week, and once again, the clothing, which incorporated painted textiles and hand-dyed fabrics, lived up to the hype.
The close kinship between fashion and other arts is best exemplified in designers turning to paintings for inspiration time and time again. In Baptista’s case, she didn’t have too far to search. Her mom, Susan Dupont Baptista, is a talented artist in her own right and together they own Windblown & Weathered, a charming gallery and shop in Kingsville that is a treasure trove of original artwork, select vintage, and collaborations with Celeste Sisley of the Painted Bee that include refurbished furniture and painted décor. And of course, the shop is fully stocked with the Nöelziñia brand as well. “The reception to my clothing line has been awesome. Our customers have been so supportive and it’s been really cool having our regulars come in and ask if we’re carrying anything new,” says Baptista. “Some of our customers’ wardrobes are turning into Nöelziñia, which is completely crazy! I see people on the street wearing my clothes and it’s so much fun.”
design aesthetic—“She does everything; she’s a muralist, she paints church altars and winery ceilings, custom work in people’s homes, and artwork for her own shows and galleries”—it’s her late father’s Portuguese heritage and the theme of travel and exploration that runs rampant in Baptista’s designs. “My dad was a 17th-generation Portuguese fisherman and he would travel on these huge boats and go to the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa to fish. On each trip, two or three men would die, it was so treacherous and dangerous,” she recalls. “The water and travel have always been a part of my heritage so that came as huge inspiration, especially for my first collection.” Sadly, her father passed away when Baptista was only four and a half years old. Her brand name, Nöelziñia, means “little Noele,” which is the nickname he had given her. “The name means a lot to me and I definitely wanted him to be a part of what I do.” But as much as her collections explore the recurring themes of culture and travel to faraway lands, Baptista has no plans to wander too far. “In the future, I’d like to do some local fashion shows for all of the people who have been supporting me all along,” she says. “Essex County is my home and my base of operations and I hope to represent it as well as I can to the rest of the world.
“I didn’t even know that I would be in the field of fashion so I’m excited to see where it’s going to go. I realize that this type of success And while growing up watching her artist doesn’t usually happen, so I’m really grateful Over the next two years, she’ll show her collections in the “big four” fashion capitals: mom “create” has been an integral part of her that this all came about.” THEDRIVEMAGAZINE.COM
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FASHION DRIVE FEATURE: WINDSOR FASHION ICONS
SHARP-DRESSED MAN HOW PETER LEARDI TURNED HIS LOVE OF CLOTHES INTO A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS By Jennifer Schembri
in downtown Windsor. “I’d walk into the ever come across. “My customer is the man store and I’d think to myself, ‘Wow, it would who cares about the way he looks, wants full be really cool to do this.’” service, fashion advice, and his clothing to After obtaining an economics degree from fit properly. He’s not of a particular age but York University, 22-year-old Leardi returned a particular mindset. Men don’t shop every home to Amherstburg and saw a vacant day—they are a once- or twice-a-year type of downtown building for sale. “I was never of animal—and at 67 Richmond, we can satisfy the mindset that I wanted something big; I just 99 percent of a man’s fashion needs.”
Peter Leardi, owner of 67 Richmond, was once accused of being a witch. “I asked one of my customers if he had broken his collarbone. I could tell by the way his jacket was sitting,” the men’s retailer recalls. And this knowledge and attention to detail—that goes far beyond accurate measurements—is just one of the reasons why 67 Richmond has spent decades as a staple of the menswear circuit and has become the go-to store for savvy shoppers who want to stand out from the crowd.
wanted to have a small business and make a In 1988, Leardi married his high school living off it and take care of the customers. I sweetheart, Sylvia, and together they have hoped word-of-mouth would help me survive,” three kid-ults, now in their twenties. His son he says. Eric has inherited his father’s affinity for With zero background and not a clue fashion and works full time at the store. His on how to run a business, Leardi opened 67 daughter, Meghan, has been attending shoe Richmond in 1986. Located at—you guessed shows with her dad since she was 14 to keep it, 67 Richmond Street—the store had a him company and for “her own personal very humble beginning. “I was green, green, shopping.” His youngest son, Colin, attends green but my mistakes didn’t kill me,” Leardi the University of Windsor and is the least into fashion of the three. reminisces.
Successful from the get-go, Leardi opened a second location in Tecumseh in 1995, and in 2004 the Amherstburg store moved shop, upsizing to its current location on Sandwich Street. “We’ve evolved and matured,” Leardi says. “Now a customer can come in and we can dress him in jeans and a T-shirt for weekend Leardi has always shown an interest in wear, or we can fit him for a custom suit and dressing well. As a fashion-obsessed teenager, everything in between.” he was the kid in high school most likely to At 67 Richmond, customer relationships open up a men’s store. “I’d bring home bags are key, especially in a digital age where brickof clothing and my mother would yell at me,” and-mortar is becoming obsolete. You can says Leardi. “She would say, ‘You’ve got stuff often find Leardi’s customers texting him in your closet with tags still on them!’” During after hours, and he succeeds in creating a much of the 1980s, you could often find him menswear experience for what he calls the shopping at the now-defunct Bonds Clothing “most astute fashion generation” that he’s 28
And never once has his wife given him any grief over the six-and-a-half-day weeks he’s at the store or the long hours he keeps. “She has always been extremely supportive. She has her own career and we meet at home. She’s a special woman, there’s no doubt about it.” The retail veteran has no plans on exiting the business he opened more than three decades ago. “I still love what I do. I have great customers—they’re fun, they’re sarcastic, and they’re grateful that I’m here, which is so humbling,” he says. As for his formula for success? “A lot of hard work, long hours, and a little bit of luck. In my case, luck is better than brains, but you have to be a little fortunate too.”
FASHION DRIVE
STYLE SAVVY LISA PARETE GIVES THE GIFT OF A GREAT LOOK THIS HOLIDAY SEASON By Katrina Manzocco
offering a curated mix of the latest trends in Have a big NYE bash to attend? Parete women’s wear. already has a look ready for you. “I’d wear a Parete shares that she draws style inspira- Parker sequined shirt dress or a Ronnie Kobo tion from her everyday—what she sees others dress in deep plum with a plunging neckline, wearing, as well as her moods, often dictate paired with some classic black pumps.”
Playing store has always been one of Lisa Parete’s favourite games. “Whether it was Barbies or any other dolls I could get my hands on,” she says, “I was always dressing them, and dreaming about what it would be like to work with the beautiful things I put them in. Even as a kid, I was always selling.” Some things never change. Today Lisa Parete is the owner of Tecumseh’s Savvy Boutique, the chic home to a carefully crafted selection of It Girl brands THEDRIVEMAGAZINE.COM
what appears on the racks during a given season. “My own style could best be described as minimalism meets maximalism. Old Hollywood golden-era glamour meets grunge—I love a street sneaker or combat boot with a faux fur scarf and a crystal necklace. “
In terms of the best holiday gift, Parete is partial to pajamas and robes, citing that her customer’s favourites include brands PJ Salvage and Eberjey. “They’re easy, super soft, cozy, and a give the wearer a total cabin-in-thewoods feel.”
A lover of glitz, Parete is especially excited about the holiday season and the stylistic opportunities it brings each year. Are you curious about this year’s Yuletide trends? She’s glad you asked. “Embellishment and sequins are going to be huge this year,” she says. “You’ll see sparkles in-store on everything from joggers to dresses. Another great holiday fabric is satin, which can be dressed up or down depending on the holiday occasion. In terms of colour palettes, I’d say gemstone and neon hues along with metallics, especially on denim. In terms of texture—faux fur is ideal for this time of year.”
If in search of a host gift for the gatherings you’re sure to attend this season, consider Parete’s go-to chic candle brand, Voluspa, which Savvy stocks year-round. “They come in the most beautiful embossed glass jars and the five-wick candles burn for about 200 hours. The holiday scents are just incredible—we can barely keep them in stock.” As shoppers get into the spirit of giving with help from Savvy’s stylish surprises, Lisa muses on why she loves her job. “My customers are truly a gift. There’s nothing I enjoy more than someone who comes in with a love of fashion and an open attitude. I love being given the opportunity to get to know them and their individual needs. The relationships I make are the best part of this business.”
The topic of holiday festivities arises and Parete gives flawless, easy answers to what outfits she would select for different occasions: “For an office Christmas party, I’d suggest metallic snakeskin-overlaid denim and a gold button-down blouse paired with a black faux When prompted about what she would fur cropped jacket and waterfall earrings. For like for Christmas from Savvy, Parete is a little a family Christmas dinner I’d pick something shy in her answer. “I want it all, but if not that, more casual, like my favourite black Mother then maybe a nice Mackage puffer coat.” denim with an Alice + Olivia butterfly-embelYou and me both, Lisa. lished short-sleeve knit.”
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Step out in Technicolour with a bold red lip and a high-impact smoky eye for a look that’s red carpet–worthy.
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A throwback to the ’70s, this silk velvet jumpsuit by Nöelziñia ($470) gives the evening gown a modern makeover: available at Windblown & Weathered Studio, Gallery Shoppe. Earring ($22); bracelets—bangle ($145) or stacked ($22-$32): available at Savvy Boutique. Kendall + Kylie velvet lace-up ankle boots ($280): available at Shoe Box. Some things never go out of style, and the strapless dress is one of them. Cobalt blue metallic gown by Wayne Clarke ($2295): at Raffinée. Earring ($180); rings ($218); bracelet ($115); feather clutch ($110): all available at Savvy Boutique. Hogl peep-toe pumps ($299): available at Shoe Box.
Modern Glamour
Modern fit and style meets traditional tailoring in this Paul Betenly super 120’s wool suit ($590); Lugano shirt ($65); Lindemann belt ($95); Johnston & Murphy shoe ($215); 7 Downie St. polka-dot bow tie and pocket square ($60); Knotz skinny silk tie ($50); Knotz pocket square ($20); available at 67 Richmond.
By Jennifer Schembri Creative Direction by Sabine Main Photographs by Lauren Hayes Set assistant is Kay Pollock Fashion Styling by Elaine Chatwood Hair by POP Hair Gallery (Carla) Make-up by Kelly Spinarsky Models in this story are Sylvia, Ned, Victoria, Angie. Location Retro Suites, Chatham
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FASHION DRIVE
As the holiday season approaches and 2019 draws to a close, our calendars are most likely chock-full of seasonal soirees, from office gatherings to black-tie affairs. The runways have spoken and announced a juxtaposition of the uber-feminine and super cool—a balance of romantic and modern. But don’t fret: you can refrain from dressing in the same formulaic style as last season thanks to an abundance of choices from some of the city’s most fashionable retailers.
subdued choice than sequins for your festive excursions of the season. Anything but frumpy is another burgeoning trend for eveningwear: ankle-grazing hemlines in distinctive, hourglass silhouettes create an elegant, elongated torso and remain relevant for all age groups.
And when it comes to accessories, it’s all about adding a Midas touch. Ornate pops of gold encompass everything from extravagant Ruffles assert their dominance by way of beaded clutches and Byzantine-inspired belts, necklines and sleeves, while lady-like flourishes while dainty, minimalist jewelry moves aside like bows adorn everything from statement for all things chunky and stacked. blouses and frocks or as sweet embellishments Nothing sets the sartorial tone for men’s on hair accessories. holiday fashion like a great suit. Take it from Looking to stand out? Embrace the feather craze. This winter, multicoloured plumage was spotted on trouser trims, collars, and cuffs and as decoration on tiny clutches and enormous totes.
menswear designer extraordinaire, Tom Ford, who recently told GQ, “It gives you a shape. It gives you a shoulder. It gives you a chest and a waist. You look better in a suit. It’s all one colour, so you look taller. It’s still, for me, the Continuing with the romantic theme, most flattering thinvg a man can wear.” delicate, lush fabrics like velvet dominate the The new tailoring is all about sharp looks and catwalks from the likes of Tom Ford and Paco a return to elegance, thanks to structured Rabanne, while lace gets an update by way of jackets in glinting noirs and rich, retro-driven girlie dresses in no-nonsense shades of pewter, browns in shades of chestnut and mocha. ink black, and gunmetal. Spotted on tuxedo jackets and blazers in Fashion loves the ’70s right now, and we are subdued shades of midnight blue to bold seeing a chic revival in the form of lurex, bell burgundy, the introduction of fancy fabrics sleeves, and wide-leg trousers. The holidays are like velvet, brocade, and jacquard are the just the time to channel the It Girl of the disco decade, Bianca Jagger, in a classic silhouette. holiday season’s answer to texture, while Trend forecasts indicate that for a modern take stripes galore—think pinstripes for formalon the traditional evening gown, all styles of wear and classic Breton stripes for basics—are jumpsuits—whether slouchy or strapless, a mainstay on chunky knits and polos. cropped or flared—are a must in hard-to-miss A great way to keep it minimal but to still show hues and plunging necklines. some creativity: earth-coloured, small-scale Rethink the classic little black dress and switch geometric prints are perfect for the man who up your all-black winter palette. Flashes of is looking for a button-down with a little more shimmery metallics in stand-out shades of narrative—an edgy alternative to the ubiquisilver, gold, and cobalt blue crafted as cocktail tous white dress shirt. Pair with distressed dresses, trousers, and handbags are a more boots for a punchy update.
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Keep things chic with a timeless, low-slung ponytail and hit the right balance between classic and cool.
OFFICE Make a statement in a fiery faux-fur full-length vest by Cristina Gavioli ($370). 7 For All Mankind high-waist ankle skinny jeans in liquid gold ($315); Generation Love jersey and georgette blouse with embellished cuff ($335); Note Du Nord snake buckle belt ($136); earring ($28); aged gold sequin clutch ($89); Lola Cruz crystal beaded hiking boot ($428); Black Suede Studio leopard slide ($250): available at Savvy Boutique.
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FASHION DRIVE
COCKTAIL ATTIRE DOS AND DON’TS To mini, or not to mini: that is the question. As we enter the season of holiday functions replete with over-embellished invitations requesting the ever ambiguous ‘cocktail attire’ dress code, it’s only natural to feel a little bit intimidated. While there are no strict rules when it comes to choosing an ensemble, there are still a few tried-and-tested style codes that speak to every occasion. For 67 Richmond owner tPeter Leardi, the location of the soiree should dictate the outfit. “I always ask, ‘Where is the event being held? A restaurant or a classy golf club? And more importantly, what are the expectations of the host?’” And according to Raffinée’s Connie Bonadonna, a woman should forego what’s on trend in favour of how the outfit makes her feel—it’s all about power dressing. “Women are really hard on themselves. I want them to own it and to feel comfortable and confident in what they have on.” So, what’s a partygoer to do? The most difficult task might be figuring out that style sweet spot between too ‘formal’ and too ‘casual.’ Avoid making a wardrobe faux-pas with these 10 essential cocktail attire dos and don’ts:
DON’T...
DO...
• Don’t wear anything too revealing
•D o be daring and show some skin while keeping necklines and hemlines appropriate
•D on’t don the blasé and overdone little black dress
• Do express your personality and choose bold, eye-catching colours or exotic prints
FOR THE LADIES
•D on’t think you have to wear • Do opt for a fierce jumpsuit or a feminine a cocktail dress tailored suit instead • Don’t wear anything transparent or sheer
• Do choose refined fabrics like velvet or lace
• Don’t carry a large tote
• Do e mbrace the mini-bag craze and rock a teeny tiny clutch
FOR THE GENTS • Don’t play it safe and wear a black suit
•D o choose a bold hue or a textured fabric like damask or jacquard
• Don’t think dress pants are the only option • D o try a pair of dark wash jeans paired with a blazer • Don’t wear sneakers
•D o rock a loafer or a Chelsea boot instead
• Don’t wear a dress shirt
•D o try a crew neck T-shirt or polo under a sport coat
• Don’t think a tie is the only option
•D o add a personal touch like a pocket square or cufflinks
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COCKTAIL You won’t be a wallflower in this lurex lace dress with velvet waistline by Twinset ($585): available at Raffinée. Earring ($279); rings ($218); bag ($125): available at Savvy Boutique. Kendall + Kylie ankle boot with metallic rose gold heel ($280): available at Shoe Box. Rev the engines of a classic silhouette in this textured weave jacket with red topstitching by 7 Downie St. ($295); Horst shirt ($125); 34 Heritage jeans ($175); One to One belt ($85); Johnston & Murphy boots ($225): available at 67 Richmond.
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Light up your lids with delicate glitter and add a touch of iridescence to lips for a threedimensional look.
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PEOPLE DRIVE
Stepping into the Spotlight LISA WILLIAMS MAINTAINS CONTROL OF HER VOICE WHILE BALANCING THE “PUBLIC” AND “PRIVATE” VERSIONS OF HERSELF By Alley L. Biniarz Photographs by Syx Langemann
Lisa Williams is used to the captain’s seat when it comes to conducting interviews. That’s why the thought of sitting with me—a writer—throws her off a bit. Out of pure habit and wanting to be prepared, she asks me to prep her with interview questions prior to our meeting. I can’t help but feel intimidated; I’ve been in the industry an entire three seconds compared to Lisa’s 34 years. What do you ask a woman who has been a staple of Windsor’s radio community for longer than you’ve been alive? So I sent the questions off for the sake of the story, and waited patiently to meet the infamous face behind one of AM800’s leading voices. Entering the station’s building, I expect to be led to Lisa’s office by desk staff, but before I have the chance to ask, Lisa is bouncing in from the left corridor to greet me. I go for the professional handshake, but she immediately takes me into an embrace. Her smile stretches from dimple to dimple, and her eye contact with me never wavers—not once during our entire hour-long interview. Even as we’re sitting in the boardroom, not a hair flows out of place; Lisa’s curled blonde locks stay sprayed intact. I learn that she gets up by 3 a.m. to get ready for her morning show, and I wonder how anyone could come in with a full winged liner and smoky eyes, and still be this approachable. This effortlessness comes with being in the biz. Lisa is good; she even fools me into thinking that all of this is easy. That her career happened by chance and that she has stuck with it for this long just because she never felt she needed to look elsewhere for job satisfaction. She shrugs it off like it’s no big deal, but I know what it takes to thrive in the media and radio industry, and it’s anything but easy. Lisa took full-time university with a side of the morning radio shift and made it look like the norm. In reality, Lisa was in the playing field at a time where the role of the female co-host on a morning show was to laugh at the male host’s jokes. Looking at her now, all done up in professionally pressed slacks with a THEDRIVEMAGAZINE.COM
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PEOPLE DRIVE royal blue top that makes her bold eyes pop, I be present, and notes that she has to be careful can see how this wouldn’t have gone over well of the inflection of her voice on-air, as it can affect how information is digested. in her books. It all starts to piece together. Knowing that Twenty years ago, and even in some cases she’s “on” all the time as a recognized persontoday, it wasn’t out of the ordinary for the ality, Lisa is hesitant to say anything offbeat. woman to take the backburner when it came Her voice has been shaped by the airwaves, to equal pay with a male counterpart. This and the frequency translates to professional, practice didn’t sit well with Lisa either, but the powerful, and in control. industry has come a long way since then. Since she’s often recognized just by her It’s no secret that her role on The Morning voice, Lisa is incredibly aware of how she interDrive is still the one of superhero. She and her current co-host of 16 years, Mike Kakuk, have a visibly compatible relationship where, yes, they can goof off, but once the going gets tough and the shit hits the fan, #LWS (Lisa Williams Saves). She knows what works on air and what doesn’t, and often when it comes down to a few good ideas swirling around between her, Mike, and their producer Ed, she says she usually wins.
It’s not easy to stand up and say “no” when listeners are relying on her, which makes her visible boundaries with me stand out. As much as I want her to give me the intimate details, she politely ties her answers up with a bow that tells me we’re done with this question. This doesn’t mean Lisa isn’t open with her listeners; if anything, she shares more than the average radio personality. “You can’t help but share and I feel really close to our listeners. We’re a family! I’ve been
“I’ll let them know when it’s been done to death, if someone just covered it, or if people are just over it and we just need to go in another direction,” she explains. Even with me, Lisa is armed with her answers printed out in front of her, ready to save me in case I falter. I’m half expecting a mic to pop out of nowhere, and for her to take charge as she smooths out the papers on her desk. But she releases control just enough for me to take the lead, and looks down only occasionally to ensure we’re on course. A public figure like Lisa didn’t get to where she is without keeping one hand on the steering wheel at all times. Maintaining a pulse on what her listeners need is crucial to the station’s success, and is how Lisa has become such a trusted voice throughout the community. Thousands wake up to her and Mike every morning and expect up-to-date and entertaining information. Many believe that the job of a radio host lasts only four hours a day, but it trickles into every moment of their day. Most of the prep begins the evening prior, when she scrolls through her newsfeed to see what she thinks her audience will respond to.
acts with people, how she presents herself, and how she conducts business. Once upon a time, a voice is all she’d be. With the added element of modern-day visual marketing, and the show’s Facebook Live segments, she doesn’t “It’s a delicate balance going from one have the luxury of hiding how she looks. Her extreme to the other,” she explains. “I need to actions are constantly being monitored. be mentally prepared, even if I’m not feeling “I used to be the one to always show up—I well or haven’t had a good sleep. My attitude was that girl. I was pulled in so many different and my delivery on-air need to rise above directions, and it did benefit the show. The anything that may be bothering me that day.” more contact I had with people, the more they Labelled as an energizing force for the city, felt connected to me,” Lisa explains her early Lisa can’t just roll out of bed and be tuned out days of manipulating herself to fit everyone’s at work. She says she owes it to her listeners to expectations of her. 40
on the air for over 30 years and it’s hard not to feel like you owe your listeners a part of your life,” she says. “Many listeners stop me to have personal discussions, often commenting on something said on the show, or opening up about their personal stories and private experiences. This often means I’m ‘on the clock’ even on a day off,” she says. Lisa says that if she had to pick another career, it would be some sort of therapist because so many people come to her for advice. She’s not sure why, but I think it’s because she has a natural way of keeping people in line. I know this after just 20 minutes of sitting
PEOPLE DRIVE with her, as she compliments me on my interviewing skills. “It’s a marker of a true seasoned professional when they can ask a derivative question rather than sticking to the page,” Lisa smiles, and I’m not sure whether I feel comforted or fuelled. Lisa lives with this duality that allows her to be both maternal and a powerhouse all at the same time. The beauty of her intensity comes with the ability to wear her emotions on her sleeve. Since her job isn’t to be a reporter, she can let her feelings pour out into the microphone. Lisa is extremely passionate about gun control, and often finds herself getting fired up about American politics. “I’m very vocal and public about how I feel about Donald Trump, and I get some pushback on it. I don’t care, because I think he’s slowly chipping away at the moral fibre of the United States, and because we’re so close it trickles over into our country as well.” As soon as she brings up the emotional trauma of Sandy Hook, the 2012 school shooting, Lisa begins to choke up in front of me. I see her heart come to the forefront, and that passion of hers is one of her great strengths as a radio host. Lisa is very conscious of the leadership role she plays on AM800, and uses her voice to advocate for causes she believes in as often as she can. “My dad was a university professor and my mom was a city counsellor, so it’s in my blood to communicate, educate, and work in the community,” she says. This ethical responsibility to her city is what has helped her come to grips with the fact she has to be fairly disciplined and can’t always do what “normal” people do. Lisa has had to sacrifice a lot of the mundane to get to where she is. Between the hours, the research, and the added element of raising children, she had to learn the hard way to slow down. Since losing her voice not once, but twice, in the course of her career, she’s had to become more cautious of her health. The first time, she didn’t take the time off that she needed to because of the difficulty it takes to find an alternate co-host at 3 a.m. The second time, she developed nodes on her vocal cords, and worried that her voice would never get back to where it should be. “I actually said if it happened a third time, that I should start thinking about a different career. It wouldn’t be fair to my listeners and to my co-workers to have this keep happening.” THEDRIVEMAGAZINE.COM
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DRIVE The loss of her voice forced her to take a look at her health and sleep, and she worked with voice professionals on different ways to adjust her public speaking. After having tried to do it all, and aiming to please everyone, Lisa has learned to become a bit choosier about what she commits herself to.
Most people would be able to take time away from their careers in the event of illness, but Lisa continues to power through with gusto. To keep up with the hustle of her day-to-day life, which requires her to go to bed at 10 p.m. and wake up at 3 a.m. (and if you do the math, that’s not a lot of time for rest), she has to work out almost every day. She “It’s so flattering to be asked to emcee or to says she’ll never be used to the hours that she host an event, and I love all of what I do, but works, but working out gives her the added I can’t overdo it anymore or spread myself too strength to cope. thin,” she explains. “I often joke and ask Craig, ‘What’s it like She has now lived with a chronic cough for to not feel tired?’” 17 years, which many avid listeners may recogHer voice gets quiet all of a sudden, nize muffled off in the show’s background. realizing she may have strayed from her As Lisa begins to tell me about it, she starts comfort zone. I don’t ask at first, waiting for to cough for the first time in the 40 minutes her to regain her footing. As professional as we’ve been together. “See! The more I talk ever, but with the warmth of friendship and about it, the more I cough. Sometimes I think familiarity now that we’ve spent nearly an hour I’m insane.” She says the cough might be a together, she goes on to tell me about her new marker of vocal exhaustion, or maybe it serves husband Craig. as a reminder for her to take it easy and grab a drink of water. She sits with an entire reusable The two of them ran off to Muskoka cup filled to the brim with water, and has an for a secret wedding this past summer, with extra one as backup in case she needs more. just their children and parents by their side.
“We’ve been together 13 years, so we figured, ah, why not? What are we waiting for?” Lisa says they didn’t want to make a big fuss about the ceremony, so they didn’t even tell their friends, but it wasn’t long before news broke out to friends, family, and, of course, her extended radio family. As public as Lisa is with her job, she is an extremely private person and is very much a homebody. She would rather have a dinner party or gather with friends on the weekend than attend an event. Lisa’s lifelong friend, Beth Ann Prince, says that Lisa’s best quality (especially at a gathering) is her storytelling. “She can tell the same story months or years later and it’s as funny as the first time we heard it,” she says. It’s true—Lisa tells a particular story, that she calls her most embarrassing moment ever, with hilarious detail. “Let’s just say, it’s about me walking in my sleep—for the first time ever—and ending up in a hotel hallway in New York City… naked!” Her friends, and
Photograph by Lisa Craig
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anyone who hears this story, know it’s a good one—and told even better after two-to-three glasses of wine. These gatherings give Lisa new life, as her downtime often consists of unplugging from the news and negativity by putting away her phone. There’s a running joke among Lisa’s friends that she is going to start an Instagram account… soon. Lisa’s been saying this for two years and has gotten as far as activating it, but nothing more. She knows that as soon as she does, even more of her privacy will go out the window. Most people living in this digital age have their lives on display for everyone to see, and Lisa knows that she would feel like she has to share even more of her life, like the intimate details of going on travel volleyball trips with her daughter, golden dinners with her “Blended Brady Bunch family,” or photos of her trips to New Zealand or Bora Bora with Craig. It’s one thing to talk about them; it’s another to document every moment. Lisa is happy to share a lot of life’s milestones with her listeners, but there are some moments that must remain a mystery. She’s not willing to give up too much control of her voice just yet. D THEDRIVEMAGAZINE.COM
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PEOPLE DRIVE
CHEESE P leas e!
SARAH TRAVELLED AROUND THE WORLD IN PURSUIT OF PURPOSE, AND LANDED BACK IN WINDSOR TO SHARE THE GIFT OF QUALITY CHEESE By Alley L. Biniarz | Photographs by various artists
Before Sarah Barrette was known as the spunky owner of The Cheese Bar, she was an ambitious world traveller. She got her first taste of the travel bug after her high school graduation, when she left for Europe and toured on her own for six weeks, even celebrating her 18th birthday abroad. She didn’t know this would set her off on a lifelong journey of exploring the world. When she came home, Sarah worked in factories before pursuing interior design at St. Clair College. Then, right out of college, she landed a job with Peter Anthony Design Ltd., and it was while she was working there that she got the call from her best friend. “She was complaining about having to hire a stewardess to work on her charter boat and after listening to her for a bit I offered to fly down and take the position.” Sarah says that her friend was extremely taken aback by the offer. Why would she leave a design job that she loved? Sarah figured that, at 22, she had her whole life to work on her passion for design. Now was her opportunity to travel. Five days later, she was on a plane and moving to the island of Saint Martin to start a career in yachting. She cruised the northern Caribbean, the eastern United States, and most of the Mediterranean through this job. Then, one Christmas, Sarah came home to an invitation to join her best friend on a trip to Asia. Once again, she packed her bags and took off to Asia for a quick stop before being convinced to move to Australia.
Photograph by Syx Langemann
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Sarah saw it all, starting at Karratha in the northwest and travelling south to Perth. She road-tripped with some Germans in their van through the Adelaide hills along the great ocean road to Melbourne. After reaching Melbourne, she had come to a crossroads with her visa expiring.
PEOPLE DRIVE
WINE AND CHEESE ANYONE?
THE EASY EATING BOARD • • • • • • • •
Brigid’s Brie—Gunn's Hill Artisan Cheese Co. Chèvre—Fromagerie Kapuskoise Celtic Blue Reserve—Glengarry Fine Cheese Co. Cow's Extra Old Cheddar—Cow’s Creamery Sheep Gouda—Crossroad Farms Hungarian Salami Soppressata Noah Martin Pepperettes
SPARKLING BUBBLY
THE SWEETER BOARD • • • • • •
Mocha D’Or Lemon Zest Shortbread Mango Ginger Stilton Koko's Coconut Gouda Grand Noir Matilda in the Buff
FRUITY TEMPTATIONS
LCBO: Look for Prosecco or Champagne LOCAL: North 42 Sparkling Sauvignon Blanc
LCBO: Look for Port or Madeira (Malvesia) LOCAL: Black Bear Farms 2009 Bear’s Reserve
The crisp acidity will cut the richness of the cream and fat; its fresh citrus, pear and melon fruit flavours will provide a nice contrast to the spicy charcuterie; and the bubbles will refresh your palette. Try it with the tangy chèvre, and you will see why Sauvignon Blanc and goat cheese are considered a classic pairing.
Pay a visit to ‘Bear’ at Black Bear Farms of Ontario Estate Winery, who is creating some award-winning port style wines from berries and fruit grown on his farm in Kingsville. It’s hard to pick a favourite amongst his wines, but this dessert board requires a wine with sweetness. A wine must be at least as sweet as, or sweeter than the food you are serving to make a good match. With luscious black raspberry flavours, Bear’s Reserve makes for a fine digestif after a holiday meal.
All cheeseboards provided by The Cheese Bar. All wine pairings provided by Renée Nantais, Neros’ in-house Sommelier
THEDRIVEMAGAZINE.COM
THE CONNAISSEUR BOARD • • • • • • •
Dutch Premium 3yr Gouda Little Boy Blue Mattagami 1yr Five Brothers Saganash Saucisson Sec Smoked Duck Breast
EARTHY GOODNESS Variation 1: LCBO: Look for Chablis LOCAL: Coopers Hawk 2016 Reserve Chardonnay This wine offers perfect complementary buttery, nutty, and green apple flavours. Variation 2: LCBO: Look for Beaujolais Villages or Cru Beaujolais LOCAL: Oxley 2016 Big Bluff Vineyard Pinot Noir With flavours and aromas of sour cherry, Christmas spice, and forest mushrooms, this medium-bodied, low-tannin wine would particularly complement the Juliette from BC. Pinot Noir is also a great match for smoked duck. Avoid big, bold, full-bodied reds, as they can overwhelm a charcuterie platter. Hard cheeses, like the Mattagami cheese from Kapuskasing, pair best with reds.
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PEOPLE DRIVE “I decided to apply for a farming position in Tasmania on a wild game and fishing retreat. I come from a background where my dad, grandfather, and brother would hunt and fish, so moving to Tasmania for me was a beautiful setting and I felt like I fit right in.”
the world that boasted amazing wine and the customer can take pieces of it and share cheese regions, and knew she had to supply that experience with others. It creates a sense this need for a rapidly growing wine region of memory and belonging,” she says. like Windsor. That’s the beauty of cheese—it’s a product “I registered my business in 2015 and met that brings people together. No matter where with cheesemakers across Ontario. When I you are or what you’re doing, if you put some said to them that I’d like to sell cheese in Essex cheese out, people congregate around it and County, three out of five of them had never engage in conversation. considered retailing cheese west of London. She and noted Windsor sommelier Renee They didn’t think there was a market for it,” Nantais have put together a charcuterie board she says. and pairing list for the holidays, but they want
Sarah’s only looming deadline was that she promised a childhood friend she’d be back for her wedding in September 2014. Before returning to Windsor, she had one more stop to make. After spending a lot of her time working abroad, she treated herself to a trip to She explains that many people have South Africa and celebrated her 29th birthday convinced themselves this region is a write-off, while on safari. but it’s all about education. We don’t have “It was incredible and that day I realized many cheeses local to Windsor, so her focus I’d lived my life without any regrets and that I is on small-batch Canadian-made products. wanted to continue to live that way. Whenever Now, Sarah shares the art of cheese with an opportunity presented itself, I went for even the most inexperienced of cheese lovers. it. Whenever I was unhappy, I changed my “That’s why I tell my customers about my travel course to ensure that I was always happiest with stories. I’m this interior designer–turned-cheewhatever I was doing.” semonger, and I knew nothing about cheese! What does this have to do with cheese?
I came from a family that never ate cheese. Well, Sarah did make it home for that So, I’m perfectly okay if you come in here and wedding, and it was at the time she decided you’ve only ever had marble cheese. That’s why to organize a wine tour with her friends we’re here.” and their mothers. While planning, she was Sarah’s business revolves around building surprised to see that Windsor-Essex didn’t trust and education through storytelling— have a cheese shop along the wine route. because each cheese has its own story. “As soon She had just come from places all around as there’s a story and heart behind a product,
to remind readers what the holidays are really about. “It would be so unfortunate if a hostess were reading this and got caught up in the precision, rather than seeing the beauty of the fact that they have friends and are able to spend this time with them. That’s the magic,” Renee says. With the complexities sitting across the board, hosts: don’t overpower those flavours. Renee says this isn’t the time to pull out your super fancy aged Bordeaux. Pop a bottle of bubbly, and let the wine play a supportive role for the flavours and the company. Sarah encourages the reader to take any story about travel, food, wine, or cheese—it could even be this one—and let it navigate them and their guests towards an adventure outside of their palate’s comfort zone. D
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PEOPLE DRIVE
TASTES LIKE TEAM SPIRIT CHEF JOHN KUKUCKA’S SECRET INGREDIENT By Jesse Ziter | Photographs by Syx Langemann
One of Essex County’s longest tenured and most decorated chefs opens up to The Drive about 30-plus years of success. According to him, if you’re the smartest chef in the kitchen, you’re in the wrong kitchen.
gem dotting the Adriatic Coast, the oldest continuously-inhabited city in what is now Croatia. “On Saturday morning, a friend and I walked over to the market in the old city by the sea,” says Kukucka. “We walked by the old Chef John Kukucka was staying out of the bridge, and all these fishermen were pulling in kitchen. He got away with it for about eight their catches. This guy’s cleaning a huge tuna, and he says, ‘Do you want a taste?’ hours. A few years ago, Kukucka (kuh-KOOCH-kuh) returned to the former Yugoslavia after four decades. As a 13-year-old, he’d immigrated to Canada with his family in 1968. “I told my cousin before we left,” he recalls, “I said, ‘Look: I haven’t been home in 40 years. I am not going to cook.’”
“I cooked every day—breakfast, lunch, and dinner—after that.” Chef Kukucka couldn’t help himself, because he can’t help himself; he lives to cook.
I’ve stolen only a few minutes of Chef Kukucka’s prep time in the Essex Golf & Country Club kitchen, but I get the sense On Friday night, Kukucka checked into an that we (mostly he) could talk for hours about apartment in Zadar—a UNESCO-recognized the Old Country’s crookedly perfect tomatoes, 52
PEOPLE DRIVE weirdly spectacular mushrooms, and leaky unpasteurized cheeses. “It’s Chef Kukucka specifically looks back to the great French chef, just different,” he stresses, recalling a banquet-scale list of his favourite restaurateur, and gourmand Georges Auguste Escoffier, whom he calls ingredients. “It’s like heaven, man!” “our great grandfather of chefs and cooks.” Closely associated with He won’t like me saying it, but Chef Kukucka is near enough a deity London’s Savoy Hotel, Escoffier is largely considered responsible for in Windsor culinary circles. Since 1988, Kukucka has been Execu- bringing French recipes, techniques, and kitchen-management stratetive Chef—or chef de cuisine, if you prefer—at LaSalle’s Essex Golf & gies into the 20th century. Country Club, a century-old private members club that caters to about “It’s a circular evolution—or a revolution, if you wish to call it that,” 500 of Southwestern Ontario’s best-heeled families. he says. “I stated in true French classical cuisine, and we ended up Tal Czudner was General Manager of Essex Golf and Country Club going all the way around to Escoffier. If you go to the finer restaurants, for more than eight years, and he’s known Chef Kukucka professionally the plates are smaller—more of a grazing, sharing thing—but the cuisine for a quarter century. (Disclosure: Czudner is now Vice President of is classical that’s done the modern way. Stuff like bone marrow and Landscape Effects Group, which publishes this magazine.) “He’s kind beef tongues and hearts are coming back. Butchers used to beg you of been the godfather of the culinary industry in our area for the last to buy ‘lesser’ cuts like short rib. Now, we’re paying top dollar for it.” 30 years,” says Czudner. “He’s the guy who hauls his ass out of bed first While food trends can be slow to reach Windsor-Essex, Chef thing in the morning and he’s there until late at night. He’s extremely Kukucka dismisses any suggestion that local diners’ palates are any passionate about the food that he prepares, and he’s really made an less sophisticated than their big-city equivalents. “As much as people effort to develop the local culinary guild.” say, ‘Yeah, but it’s Windsor,’ people here are very sophisticated when A product of W.D. Lowe High School, Chef Kukucka got his start it comes to dining,” he notes. “They know what they want. And if it’s at 18 as a busboy and later cook at The Chicken Court, a longtime good food, they’ll pay for it. You have to keep in mind that they travel, so they experience different cultures, different foods, and different Pelissier Street landmark. tastes.” After showing some promise, he moved to Toronto to study culinary Working in a private club, Chef Kukucka is in a privileged position arts at George Brown College, graduating in 1980. Out of school, to observe and influence changing individual tastes over years of dining. Chef Kukucka honed his chops at the Four Seasons in Yorkville before “The beautiful thing is, we pretty well cater to the same families every returning to Windsor to take a job at Roseland Golf and Curling Club. day, every week, every month,” he says. “I’ve been here for 32 years and In 2011 he was inducted into the American Culinary Federation’s Linda’s been here for 42, but some of our members have been here for honour society and the American Academy of Chefs, and the Canadian 45 years! You get to know what they like and what they don’t, and you Culinary Federation’s equivalent the following year. get to suggest things to them.” “Chef John is one of the few chefs who doesn’t say no, which is a little bit unique in our business,” Czudner continues. “Everything is à la minute. If there’s a function for 240 people, he’s not pre-preparing plates of food. The beef is coming out of the oven, he’s cutting it, and it’s going on the plate and out the door. “He was born to be a chef.” You’d be forgiven for demanding to know the secret to Chef’s success. According to him, he owes a large part of it to the team he’s built around himself in the Essex kitchen. “I cannot stress enough that the Essex Golf culinary team is what makes my job so easy to do,” he insists. “When you work, success depends on other people. If you have people you don’t trust around you, in any business, there’s no chance in hell you can survive. It’s impossible. My theory has always been to surround myself with people who know as much as I do, if not more.” Apprentices aside, Kukucka reckons his eight-cook kitchen team’s most junior member can boast 12 years of service—a remarkable statistic in the hospitality industry. Kukucka’s inner circle includes Sous-Chef John Romiens (“my righthand person”). A 20-year Essex veteran himself, Romiens worked the Ritz Carlton kitchen in Dearborn earlier in his career. Linda Nelson, Chef Kukucka’s pastry chef, has been with Essex for a remarkable 42 years. Elvis Presley was still alive when she served her first dessert course in LaSalle. During their decades of service, Kukucka, Romiens, and Nelson have witnessed plenty of change, but the former is lately celebrating something of a return to form in their line of work. THEDRIVEMAGAZINE.COM
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PEOPLE DRIVE Chef Kukucka was kind enough to share a special holiday entrée with The Drive. “Everybody is used to having turkey at Christmas,” Chef explains, “but periodically, you have to change it up. With a stuffed breast, the possibilities are kind of endless.” This year’s rendition fills a flattened turkey breast with a separately prepared, hand-ground stuffing made with dark meat from the same bird and a hint of veal. Wrapped in fatty, moist bacon or turkey skin, it’s a fruity, nutty, umami bomb that remains as familiar as your favourite Christmas stuffing. Sometimes, though, being a great chef means knowing when to defer to conventional wisdom. “There’s no turkey without cranberry sauce,” Chef clarifies. “That’s a given.”
STUFFED BREAST OF TURKEY FOR THE HOLIDAYS rkey breast (3-4 lbs) • One boneless tu al • 2 lbs ground ve rk po nd • 8 oz. grou n co ba • 4 oz. ground ts nu • 4 oz. pistachio berries • 2 oz. dried cran d ld mushrooms, dice • 4 oz. mixed wi • 2 eggs bs • 8 oz. bread crum taste to er pp pe • salt and co ba n • 32 pieces sliced ). from top to bottom half (on the middle in st ea br ey rk tu t 1. Cu ss, then cover ey in half again acro rk tu e th t cu ife kn approximately 2 2. With a sharp e turkey meat until th en att Fl . ap wr with plastic rries, cm thick. , bacon, nuts, cranbe rk po al, ve wl bo g in mix 3. Mix together in and bread crumbs. Set aside. , gs eg s, m oo hr us m n strips across icken. Layer the baco ch e th m fro ap wr c into two parts. 4. Remove plasti stuffing and split it the table. Take the top of the flattened ng and place it on ffi stu e th con and of rt pa e Place over layered ba 5. Take on y. vit ca e th se clo to meat. Roll the sides half of the breast. ocess for the second wrap. Repeat the pr ok for approxon baking sheet. Co st ea br ey rk tu ed pp 6. Place pre-wra 325°F. s imately 1½ hours at l temperature reache eter, when interna re om fo m be er es th t ut ea in m m a for 10-15 7. Using e oven and let rest 170°F, take out of th slicing. rlic GRAVY • 1 tsp chopped ga d pe op ch , • 1 onion • Sage to taste ck sto ey rk tu L 1 • rlic until translu, sauté onion with ga grocery store). ep de L 2 ly ate im ox l In a saucepan appr ey stock (buy at loca roux to the ge and pour in turk th wi en ick Th . ste cent. Season with sa ta asoning to se e th k ec Ch il. bo Bring to a ire. • 1 lb flour consistency you requ lb butter 1 • til • Roux mix well. Cook un at. Add flour and he w D -lo m iu . ce ed m sau e er Melt butter ov re adding it to th allow it to cool befo golden brown, then
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HISTORY DRIVE
1943 2019
A legendary resort situated on Dougall Rd., the Elmwood was a fine Art Deco–style hotel, first built in 1943. It enjoyed a great run for almost 30 years, with entertainers like Tom Jones, Tony Bennett, Liberace, Ella Fitzgerald, Sammy Davis Jr., Barbra Streisand, and Wayne Newton headlining the floor shows. The Elmwood fell on hard times, and owner Al Siegel filed for bankruptcy, closing the hotel in December 1974. Kay and Jim Ryan reopened it as the Brentwood Recovery Home for people with substance abuse issues in 1984, and the couple worked with Father Paul Charbonneau to give assistance, shelter, and aid in recovery to addicts in the Windsor-Essex area.
From Windsor Before and After: a new book from Walkerville Publishing Inc. Release date: Fall 2019. WPI is owned by Chris Edwards and Elaine Weeks. THEDRIVEMAGAZINE.COM
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THE BUSINESS OF PLASTIC ANDREA DESCARGAR LEADS THE CHARGE ON THE LOCAL BAN OF SINGLE-USE PLASTICS By Layan Barakat | Photographs by Syx Langemann
“The world is waking up and change is coming.” These hopeful words echoed around the globe as 16-year-old Greta Thunberg took the stage at the U.N. Climate Action Summit. Her viral speech had been on a constant loop for 24 hours after she gave it—each fact, each statement ringing in my ears and leaving me to wonder if I was doing enough. I grabbed my keys next to the S’well bottle I proudly toted around with me as a badge of honour. “See? I’m doing my part,” I thought to myself as I slid my keys into the ignition and heard the roar of the carbon-producing machine come to life. As I pulled out of my driveway, I caught a glimpse of the reusable bags I stored in the back seat of my car, a smug smile forming on my lips. “I’m definitely doing my part.” Little did I know, my journey and education on the subject of single-use plastics was just beginning. I was heading off to meet Andrea Descargar, an advocate on the issue and a jack of all trades in the industry. Not only is she the sales rep at Green City Plastics, a local plastic reprocessing company, she’s also the CEO of two other companies: Launch events, a complete event-planning service for private and corporate functions; and Canadian Eco, an eco-friendly wholesale retailer that also doubles as a platform for all local retailers with a sustainable business model. I pulled into the parking lot for Green City Plastics, where I was greeted by Andrea. “Let me show you around,” she said as she led me through the facility. Gigantic bins of plastic THEDRIVEMAGAZINE.COM
waste were piled into the 20,000-squarefoot warehouse, contorted and melted into swirling shapes of toxic art that had been deemed unusable by the company that discarded it. The team at Green City Plastics gathers post-industrial plastics that would otherwise end up in a landfill and breaks them down into regrind form—like small bits of plastic mulch. The plastic is then sanitized and resold to be reused and repurposed. “See this?” Andrea said, holding up a chunk of plastic. “This is HDPE [High-Density Polyethylene]. This is the same stuff that makes totes and recycling bins.” She whizzed past rows of bins, her knowledge clearly driven by passion. “See those? That’s polypropylene. Because of the high cost that the bin providers charge commercial companies to remove plastics and recycle, it’s not cost-effective for them, so what they’re doing instead is they’re throwing it in a landfill. You have no idea how much is produced! What we do here is offer the free recycling program for commercial and industrial companies to process their plastic and find a home for it.” Before taking on the sales role at Green City Plastics, Andrea, like most of us, was blind to the amount of plastic that was being thrown into landfills every single day. “I never went to school for this—I knew nothing,” she said. “I would have never gone into recycling but my friend opened up this plastic reprocessing company, Green City Plastics, so I took on the role. I had this idea to go up to 59
ECO DRIVE manufacturers and say, ‘Hey, let’s take your disgusting,” she said, a fiery passion showing plastic.’ I had no idea what I was doing; I didn’t through her words. “There aren’t many know anyone in this industry.” younger people, especially women, in the What started out as an idea quickly turned industry who highlight this stuff. I just really into so much more. The woman who knew wanted to be the voice behind this and shed nothing about recycling became an advocate some light on how we could be eco-friendly for change, a leader in her industry, and the and hopefully grow some kind of movement.” voice for the ban on single-use plastics. “What really opened up my eyes and drew out my passion for recycling is working here and seeing how companies just throw out brand new helmets, headlights, Tesla bumpers, everything,” she said. “Even if it just has a small scratch, it doesn’t make the line and it gets thrown out.” With her first company, Launch Events, Andrea saw first-hand that there was a need for eco-friendly options not only for the industrial companies, but for the average consumer. “Being in the event industry, I see so much waste, but a lot of people are actually saying that they don’t want plastic cups and they want something more eco-friendly,” she said. Her mission was clear. “Just seeing everything getting tossed in the landfill is just
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to a position where she can not only help reuse thousands of pounds of plastic within the region, but she’s also educating consumers through her Canadian Eco platform. “I think if we all just start this small movement and have it spread across Ontario, we can do the same thing that Greta [Thunberg] is doing. It Andrea’s passion stems from a particularly is possible!” eye-opening experience at a Toronto trade She continued, “Every now and then show, where she learned about the versatile use you hear about countries banning single-use of polylactic acid, otherwise known as PLA, a plastics, but what are we actually doing about common plastic substitute mostly made from it?” The question lingered in my mind for the fermented plant starch. “It looked and felt like rest of the day: what can we actually do about plastic,” said Andrea, excitement building in it? her voice, “but it was actually all plant-based Whatever you’re capable of. I can talk and decomposes in 120 days.” That’s when about it, write about it, and pass the torch she realized the world of opportunity that was of knowledge to the next person who wants available and thus, Canadian Eco was born. “I to make a change. As for Andrea, she plans wanted to start selling [PLA alternatives] but I to continue to grow her platform, support realized it’s a bit too much right now because other local changemakers, and supply more I have my other business. So I said let me eco-friendly options to environment-conscious just start with straws.” Since its inception, consumers. Canadian Eco has expanded its platform to highlight all eco-friendly retailers in the city. For more information about Canadian Eco, visit Descargar’s eco-friendly journey has led her their Facebook page at Facebook.com/CanadianEco
ECO DRIVE
ANDREA’S ECO-FRIENDLY TIPS FOR THE HOLIDAY SEASON GIFT WRAP PACKAGING
COMPOST ALL YOUR LEFTOVERS
Make this the year you reuse gift bags, wrapping paper, even cards that haven't been written in. Save yourself one less task during your holiday shopping and don’t be afraid to reuse your gift-wrapping paper. Even if it seems like the piece can’t be salvaged, you can always use the wrapping for smaller gifts. Not only are you being eco-friendly and saving paper, but next year you’ll have several wrapping options!
With all the food we indulge in, especially with kids, there always tends to be a large amount of leftovers and scraps. We don’t think of composting during the cold winter months; however, a local company in Windsor called GreenerBins Compost offers the option of composting your household food waste for you.
SHOP LOCAL FOR HOLIDAY CANDLES Nothing says Christmas more than the smell of Mom’s cinnamon spice candles. If you’re going to buy your own, shop from your local candlemakers as most of the commercial candles are made with toxic ingredients. According to KeeperoftheHome.org, “Paraffin is the major ingredient in most conventional candles and is a sludge waste product from the petroleum industry. It releases carcinogenic chemicals when burned. The soot/ fumes are similar to that released from a diesel engine and can be as dangerous as secondhand cigarette smoke. This can contribute to serious respiratory issues like asthma.” One local alternative is Walkerville Candles— not only would you be supporting local, but this is a recommended, eco-friendly choice.
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TAKING LEFTOVERS HOME Reusing plastic zip bags, or subbing beeswax wrap to cover your leftovers in the fridge is the eco-friendly way to go. A local company in Windsor called Beekeeper Food Wraps creates washable and reusable food wraps made with local beeswax, jojoba oil, and tree resin. There are also vegan wraps available!
FAKE TREE OR REAL TREE? A lot of people want to get a fake tree, thinking it’s more sustainable—you’re using a fake tree instead of cutting down a real tree. But the real ones come from tree farms and are harvested, and the city offers a recycling program for them when the holidays are over. There are also a lot of toxins in the plastic trees; it takes about 20 years of use to make that one fake tree sustainable. D
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CHRISTMAS DRIVE
WELCOME TO WILLISTEAD MANOR A PLACE THAT TRANSCENDS THE ORDINARY By Kimberley Love | Photographs by Culture Collection, City of Windsor
Anyone who walks the 15 acres of parkland property that surrounds the grand Willistead Manor knows what a special place it is. The history behind Willistead Manor is as beautiful as the property itself. The breathtaking main building was built by Edward Chandler Walker, the second son of Hiram Walker, who was the founder of the world-famous Canadian Club Distillery. Walker had lived in the manor for only nine years when he died in 1915, and six years later, it was deeded to the town of Walkerville for preservation. Now everyone can enjoy the stunning structure through events, tours, and Art in the Park.
they are able to maintain such a beautiful establishment year-round; we have the Friends of Willistead to thank for that. They are a non-profit volunteer organization that works to raise funds that are used for restoration, preservation, and acquisitions on behalf of Willistead Manor. The 65 members who make up the Friends work tirelessly to organize and execute all the events in which visitors can take part throughout the year. The Friends of Willistead decorate the manor during the Christmas Tours, or hold the luncheon during Art in the Park. There are plenty of events throughout the year that these Friends make possible for the community.
Over the years, Willistead has served as an art gallery, a public library, and a beautiful location for wedding receptions. The design itself encapsulates the vision of Albert Kahn, who wanted it to reflect 16th-century Tudor– Jacobean architecture.
As the holiday season is fast approaching, visitors eagerly anticipate Christmas at the Manor. The decorating of the manor is something that is planned well in advance, so it’s always a busy time for the members. They decorate the conservatory, the butler’s pantry, Mrs. Walker’s dressing room, the morning room, the Great Hall, and the Walkers’ bedroom, as well as the cabinet located in the second-floor hallway. The transformation begins in November to prepare for the Christmas tours that run from December 1 to 22 on Sunday afternoons and Wednesday evenings.
When Willistead was being built, it was obvious from the beginning that the Walkers wanted to have a home that would be perfect for intimate soirees as well as large formal parties. Even though the manor now has 36 rooms, it had only two large guest rooms when it was built, so there wasn’t a lot of room for the family to take in a lot of overnight guests. Christopher Lawrence Menard, who is the The manor did have accommodations for cultural development and Willistead Manor their large staff, which included their visitors’ coordinator for the city, says the Friends of coachmen, personal maids, secretaries, valets, Willistead follow a long and detailed process and chauffeurs. to ensure the Christmas tours dazzle visitors There is something romantic and elegant every year. “Kathie Renaud, with the FofW, about the landscape of the property as well as believes that the people come out to the the architecture. You might ask yourself how manor each year to see the decorations, to get THEDRIVEMAGAZINE.COM
new ideas, to check out the themes, and to imagine what it would be like to live in such splendour,” says Menard. “Our holiday tours are one of the highlights of the year, providing an opportunity to experience the magic of Windsor’s historic gem. There is never a bad time to see Willistead Manor. But there is something truly special about walking through the gated courtyard, through the gigantic front door, and stepping into the Great Hall when it is glistening with lights, wrapped in garlands, and dominated by a breathtaking tree all decked out. That image stays with you long after you’ve left the building.” In 2020, the Friends of Willistead will be celebrating their 40th year as an organization, with hopes of continuing their passion for preserving the enriching history of Willistead Manor for years to come. “The City of Windsor is honoured and proud to operate and care for Willistead Manor,” says Menard. “The events, programs, and initiatives we develop and host are about helping people create special moments and memories. They’re about bringing new audiences into Willistead Manor, and finding non-traditional ways of connecting people to this incredible heritage facility in our community. Willistead is so many things to so many people—wedding venue, meeting location, photo op, museum, gallery—it’s a part of holiday traditions and is connected to many memories and stories of people from all across Windsor-Essex. The ‘At the Manor’ series lets us show off the manor, show what it’s capable of, and make it accessible to new and developing audiences at a time when the community craves unique, unforgettable experiences.” D 65
CHRISTMAS DRIVE
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ASKED
“ What's your Christmas tradition?” LOCAL WINDSORITES ANSWER OUR QUESTION ON CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS
“Decorating the tree.”
—Pam Brown
“Getting the tree up as early as I can and leaving it up as long as I can. I love everything Christmas.”—Cynthia Killoran “The entire family packs up to spend the night at the grandparents’ house on Christmas Eve. There is not enough room to now house what used to be a family of six but after marriages and kids, well... it’s not the best night’s sleep but the chaos in the morning—the kids’ excitement and the joy my parents have watching their grandkids on Christmas morning—is better than any gift you can give someone.”—Anonymous
“Our tradition is to cook breakfast for all the grandchildren on Christmas morning. We gather all the required ingredients and head out Christmas morning to one of our daughters’ homes and get the grill going. This year we have two new additions to the family-London and Leadonis. Merry Christmas indeed!.”— Keith Rivard
“Getting the Christmas Eve box that has Christmas pajamas, hot chocolate, and marshmallows, and watching Christmas movies while tracking Santa”—Sam Antha Toff
“Watching National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation while wrapping presents.”—Jen Brignall-Strong
“Everything, it’s Christmas.”
—Linda Laine
“A few years ago my parents wanted to change things up on Christmas Day and came up with the ideas of distributing gifts in a new way. They introduced the “auction” of presents: they got some fake money for each of the family members (divided by siblings’ families), and we started bidding on a brown bag with no idea what was in it. There is always something for everyone (the auctioneer sometimes manipulated the bidding to make sure the gift goes to the appropriate person) and there are usually a few very random things we end up with as well. It’s always good for a laugh and the kids love it.”—Anonymous
“I used to sit with my kids and string popcorn and cranberries for the tree.”—Janet Johnston
“Christmas brunch with the family. German Pancakes with caramel syrup and home made cinnamon buns. At night time, before dinner, we stand in a circle, say a prayer, and finish with family announcements; we had engagements, pregnancies, etc.”—James Klie
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