ACURA FALL WINTER 2014

FALL / WINTER 2014

EXPRESSIONS ACURA MAGAZINE

STEAKING HIS CLAIM

What makes John Maxwell a truly rare foodie

TRIPLE PLAY

2015 TLX, 2016 ILX & 2015 RLX Sport Hybrid

THE DEAL ON THE SEAL

Wine’s screwcap vs. cork debate is now closed

EUROPEAN IMPORT

Canadian architecture, Continental approaches

BODYGUARD

DREAM DRIVES MAKE YOUR NEXT HOLIDAY AN ACTIVE HOLIDAY: HIT THE ROAD WITH EPIC ROUTES THAT MIX HORSEPOWER, ADVENTURE AND JAW-DROPPING SCENERY

BY J A C LY N L AW

THE OPEN ROAD: FREEDOM TO WANDER, NO ITINERARY...

Little wonder that we can’t resist the allure of driving vacations. Read on to discover reachable destinations that blend adrenaline-pumping physical activities with unforgettable scenic drives.

BANFF TO JASPER, ALBERTA Just under 300 kilometres long, the drive from Banff to Jasper shows off our nation’s unparalleled natural beauty, especially from spring to fall. The trip takes you through Banff National Park, with its rocky peaks and lush valleys, up to postcard-perfect Lake Louise. Hike, bike, ski or snowshoe the many trails — there are some challenging ones in this area, including daylong expeditions. Then, keep motoring north, along the iconic Icefields Parkway, to explore the Columbia Icefield (it’s as big as Vancouver!). There’s even more to do when you get to Jasper National Park, including hiking, hot springs, skiing and top-tier golf.

HANA HIGHWAY, MAUI Maui isn’t just for newlyweds and pro surfers. At this paradise in the Hawaiian islands, you can hike the rainforests, go horseback riding, enjoy world-class golf or whoosh down a zipline — not to mention do every conceivable watersport. One can’t-miss adventure is the harrowing drive from Kahului to Hana, on Maui’s north-eastern shore.

This coast-hugging 84-km trip boasts dozens of single-lane bridges and hundreds of curves. Sneak peeks at the breathtaking vistas (rainforests, waterfalls, cliffs, botanical gardens and more), and brake for the world-famous banana bread. If you can, spend

“Harrowing”? The dream drive from Kahului to Hana, Hawaii, on Maui’s northeastern shore

a night or two in lush, peaceful Hana and unwind at its glorious beaches — then turn the car around and do it all in reverse.

PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY, WASHINGTON TO CALIFORNIA Stretching just over 2,400 km, the exhilarating journey between Seattle and Los incredible, but you’ll also pass through Washington State’s beautiful Olympic National Park, where you can hike, fish and camp to your heart’s content or, come winter, enjoy snowshoeing and skiing. Further south, Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area offers cycling, hiking, paddling, horseback riding and watersports. And, in the Golden State, you can hike your way to the giant redwoods, then hit the road for the untamed wilderness known as Hollywood.

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PHOTOGRAPHY: HAWAII TOURISM

Angeles is truly one of America’s greatest drives. Not only are the views of the ocean

ŠUMAVA, CZECH REPUBLIC

Among the great drives is Surf Highway 45, which runs 109 km

Known the world over for its stellar beer, the Czech Republic

from New Plymouth to Hawera and boasts lots of surf spots (and,

is also a fantastic hiking, cycling and skiing destination. Hit the

if required, lessons). It also gets you to Egmont National Park,

highway for Šumava National Park (a two-hour drive from capital

where you can hike to Mount Taranaki (also a ski and snowboard

city Prague) to admire the glacial lakes and primeval forests

spot). Adventurous types might want to sign up for “dam

(you can even try mushroom hunting, something of a national

dropping”: riding a kayak down the face of a 30-foot waterfall.

obsession). Home to many endangered species, the park is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve; combined with Germany’s Bavarian

CABOT TRAIL, NOVA SCOTIA

Forest, it’s known as the “green roof of Europe.” And, yes, once

Whether driving or cycling, spectacular scenery and exciting

you’re exhausted from tromping through the woods, a tasty local

activities reward visitors to Cape Breton Island’s 300-km

brew awaits at the nearest penzion.

highway, the Cabot Trail. You’ll fall in love with the coastal views and abundant nature: one-third of the trail passes through

SURF HIGHWAY 45, NEW ZEALAND

Cape Breton Highlands National Park, a great place for hiking,

Dramatic vistas, thrilling activities — it’s no surprise that New

camping, fishing, snowmobiling, golf and geocaching. One of

Zealand sits on so many people’s bucket lists. You could join a

the most popular attractions is the Skyline Trail, open mid-May

tour (The Lord of the Rings packages are especially popular) but

to mid-October. Moose, bear and eagle sightings are common.

we suggest renting a car or camper and exploring this beautiful

The headland cliff offers stunning views of the Cabot Trail, and

country at your own pace (yes, you can still visit Hobbiton).

you might even glimpse whales in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

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C UE THE I N DUST RI A L RE-REVOLU T

BY M A R K H A C K I N G

Architectural ripples from across the Atlantic are impacting the way

URBANITES LIVE IN INTERESTING TIMES. At no point in human history have so many people in so many parts of the world chosen to settle in the city core. Historically massive gathering places such as New York, London and Tokyo move ever-inexorably towards deeper dimensions and densities. At the same time, master-planned new cities in places like China and India are springing forth from nothing and instantly becoming home to millions of residents.

For some cities — not the newest or the oldest, not the biggest or the smallest — there is a pressing need to maximize developed land and be creative when considering new buildings, with neither the space nor the budget available for large-scale projects designed by starchitects. Necessity has become the mother of reinvention and cities such as Vienna, Zürich and Hamburg are right now using the past as a springboard for the future by preserving various aspects of history to tell a new, different story.

Closer to home, the idea of preserving the past has also taken root. Canada’s urban centres, like those of any other country, contend with the push and pull among developers, city planners, residents and politicians. In the wake of the global economic downturn, Canada has also come to be considered a safe haven for foreign investment.

The person responsible for development in Toronto is Jennifer Keesmaat, chief ridiculous: every new project in the city must cross her desk. “I’m not concerned about w Louvre maintains The its deserved status as the focal point for all artistic activities

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skyline, to be honest,” Keesmaat says, referring to the fact that Toronto is undergoing more high-rise development than anywhere else in North America. “I’m concerned about place — about what happens where the building meets the street. We seek creative, innovative design and higher-quality materials. Quality is about longevity.”

FALL/WINTER 2014

PHOTOGRAPHY: HAMBURG TOURISM

planner and executive director since 2012. The good, the bad and the downright

DESTINATIONS

Canadian cities are evolving

ION

Elbphilharmonie Concert Hall in HafenCity, Hamburg

C

It’s important to remember that Canadians have never been faced with the task of having to rebuild after a major global occurrence, such as war. Collectively,

anadians have never been faced with having to rebuild after a major global occurrence, such as war [ABOVE] Yaletown,

Vancouver ; [OPPOSITE, TOP] Gasometer City, Vienna; [OPPOSITE, BELOW] Prime Tower, Zürich

it has taken us longer to find disrespectful the “slash-and-burn” approach to development. Still, in order for our urban centres to truly prosper, Keesmaat and other experts are convinced that we need to look to older cities for guidance.

IN VIENNA, numerous spectacular historic sites have proven consistently popular, including St. Stephen’s Cathedral, the Hofburg Palace and the Vienna State Opera.

This charming city, one of Europe’s most beautiful, sustained damage during the Second World War but many of its finest buildings emerged unscathed. As such, there is no compelling reason for the nascent traveller to venture beyond the core.

Still, nestled a mere six kilometres from Vienna’s centre, Donau City offers a fascinating look into the Austrian capital’s potential future. This subdivision on reclaimed land along the Danube River was initiated in 1996. A city within a city, it boasts a decidedly industrialist vibe. The area has become a tech hub with the placement of science and technology park Tech Gate Vienna, home to local outposts of companies such as IBM. It also boasts some of the tallest buildings in Austria, including the DC Towers by Parisian architect Dominique Perrault.

Another Viennese inner city is emerging in the Simmering district: a collection of four former gas storage tanks called Gasometer City (est. 1896), one of the world’s most successful examples of adaptive reuse. The gigantic cylinders were converted by 2001 for mixed use (offices, residences, shopping and entertainment).

Each building retains its original red brick exterior. Different architectural firms were commissioned to tackle the interior design: Jean Nouvel, Coop Himmelblau, Manfred Wehdorn and Wilhelm Holzbauer. The result is four distinct structures that, nevertheless, create a strongly unified whole.

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Gasometer City’s revitalization is a challenge understood by the Yaletown area of Vancouver, transformed from dismal industrial district to chic neighbourhood due to the assigning of Expo 86 to the city. At the time, the area represented one of North America’s largest urban renewal projects. A genuine success story, the area offers a number of late-19th century buildings and a strong link to the early days of the Canadian Pacific Railway — in turn, a strong link to the history of Canada.

PHOTOGRAPHY: (LEFT) MASTERFILE; (ABOVE) ROBERT HARDING IMAGES/MASTERFILE; (RIGHT) PRIME TOWER, ZÜRICH

One enduring landmark is the Roundhouse Community Centre, a former focal point for area rail yards. Today, numerous other nearby historic buildings have been also repurposed but perhaps the most striking example is the Yaletown Building, a former warehouse that has recently been home to a number of architectural firms.

At the other end of the spectrum, architect James K.M. Cheng is known for designing glistening skyscrapers from nothing rather than modifying reclaimed historic buildings. In fact, his influence on the Vancouver skyline has been so powerful, his green-skinned structures gave rise to an architectural movement known as “Vancouverism.” The award-winning architect has a clear understanding of new development’s role within established cities. “In Toronto and in Vancouver, so many towers being built at once, and in close proximity, give an impression of uniformity,” Cheng says. “This is, in part, due to the lack of coordination or attention to the design of the public realm. Towers are part of building a city, not an isolated object. They must, in some way, reflect the historic structures in the same area, working together to create a great public realm, a green and walkable city.”

IN ZÜRICH, an area of the city that has been described as the least-Swiss part of Switzerland is gaining momentum. Zürich West was previously known as the industrial part of the city, home to manufacturing facilities that churned out water turbines, electric motors, ships and the like.

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The year 2010 saw the opening of Im Viadukt, a century-old stone railway arch

T

he significant evolution of Hamburg, Vienna and Zürich is a model for other established cities

repurposed as a tourist-friendly market where established international brands mix with local artisans. A brief stroll past a converted Lowenbrau beer factory leads to former boat-building factory Schiffbau, now an entertainment and dining complex that includes LaSalle, one of the city’s top restaurants. Shifting south towards the network of railway tracks stands Switzerland’s tallest building: Prime Tower. Completed in 2012, this 36-storey, modernist structure boasts spectacular views of the snow-capped Alps and its own leading restaurant, the aptly named Clouds. The tower punctuates Zürich West’s skyline in much the same way the DC Towers perform the same function in Vienna’s revitalized Donau City.

As the financial heart of Canada, Toronto has an image similar to that of Zürich: serious, progressive, uncompromising. Until this past decade, the commonplace practice of tearing down old buildings in Ontario’s capital left a wake of 1970s cement structures with dubious architectural appeal, such as City Hall.

According to Ken Greenberg, an architect, urban planner and the city’s former director of urban design and architecture, this has now changed. Various pockets of Toronto stand as evidence. “One of the things that makes cities successful is diversity that’s still wired together,” he explains. “St. Lawrence Market almost disappeared in the 1970s but it was saved. This led to the development of the nearby Distillery District, which led to the revitalization of Corktown. Now in the same area: the Athletes’ Village for the 2015 Pan-Am games. The old and the new work well together — the area has great street presence.” The Distillery District, it’s worth noting, is home to the most impressive collection of Victorian-era industrial architecture on the continent.

IN TERMS OF sheer scope, the progress thus far in Vienna and Zürich is impressive.

Still, when it comes to major repurposing, both stand in the shadows of Hamburg.

Hamburg might not rank in German tourism’s Top 5, but a development called HafenCity, due to be completed in the 2020s, has transformed a former port.

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DESTINATIONS

The area covers over two kilometres, making it the largest urban regeneration undertaking in all of Europe. A reasonable walking distance from Hamburg’s centre, heading to HafenCity feels similar to visiting northern European cities such as Amsterdam and Stockholm — all have a strong connection to the water.

One particular repurposed building in HafenCity makes this link abundantly clear: a 10-storey brick structure that was a shipping warehouse in a former life, the International Maritime Museum. Considered to be the world’s largest private collection of maritime artifacts, this museum houses some 26,000 model ships, 5,000 illustrations and 1.5 million photographs. While not all items are on display at all times, there’s plenty of history to absorb during the span of one visit.

As with the developments in Vienna and Zürich, not all buildings in HafenCity are entirely historic. One project, the ambitious Elbphilharmonie Concert Hall (“Elphi”), set to be completed in 2017, will see the city’s tallest structure set upon another old warehouse. When finished, the 110-metre building will also house a hotel and condominium residences.

Like Hamburg, the Canadian city positioned at the westernmost point of the St. Lawrence River developed as an international port prior to taking on a larger life.

In 1964, a forward-thinking Québec government declared Old Montréal an historic district, saving its warehouses and commercial buildings, which were rendered obsolete when the bulk of the shipping industry moved further downstream.

It took the influence of an outsider, Dutch-born assistant planner Daniel van Ginkel, to convince the powers that be that Old Montréal merited saving. Without doubt, Montréal is richer for having preserved the New York Life Building (1888), Bonsecours Market (1847) and Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel (1771).

Today, the architects at one of the city’s best-regarded firms, Naturehumaine, clearly show respect for history — so much so, even their new builds echo existing structures through the use of similar materials and overall design ethic. Their work has been labelled industrial chic, so it follows that they would be particularly taken with former industrial areas. “Old buildings are worth saving, there is no doubt,” says Stéphane Rasselet, the firm’s co-founder and principal architect. “Even if they had a more modest purpose in a previous life, there is still an opportunity to turn them into something very special.”

The success of Old Montréal has proven to be a major tourist draw, leading

PHOTOGRAPHY: (LEFT) MASTERFILE; (RIGHT) DANIELLE PETTI /TOURISM TORONTO

to the development of the nearby Lachine Canal District where one particular project, Le Nordelac, is a former Northern Electric building built in 1913 that’s being converted into residential and office space. It’s the second-largest brick building in North America.

A theme has emerged.

[OPPOSITE] International Maritime

Museum in HafenCity, Hamburg; [ABOVE] Distillery District, Toronto

THE MAJOR REIMAGINING of Hamburg and the significant evolution of Vienna and Zürich are models for what leaders in countless established international cities have thought of beginning, if not already begun.

When it comes to building cities, Canada has less experience than our European counterparts. We also have fewer historically significant structures to preserve.

But there’s still much we can learn from the way established cities are transforming skylines, finding new purpose and staying relevant for residents and visitors from around the world.

The future doesn’t just look friendly — it’s looking downright fascinating.

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THE HIGHER THE 2015 ACURA RLX SPORT HYBRID MAKES POSSIBLE THE PREVIOUSLY

BY T R AV I S P E R S A U D

ACURA’S MOST ADVANCED sport hybrid ably

from a stop or cruising at a low speed, the rear motor

places the luxury marque in an automotive category

will yield the power; but if the vehicle enters an

unto itself. While most hybrid vehicles tout impressive

aggressive acceleration, the engine and motors kick

fuel economy figures, the 2015 RLX Sport Hybrid — to

into action.

be sure, incredibly fuel-efficient — is the first to truly place performance at the fore.

space for your life. Other hybrids lack cargo capacity

Behind this vehicle’s unparalleled performance:

because of bulky batteries that hoard precious trunk

a world’s first, revolutionary, three-motor hybrid

room, but Acura engineers came up with an elegant

system working in tandem with Acura’s 3.5-litre V6

solution. The trunk offers a total of 328 litres of cargo

engine. The first motor is attached to a seven-speed

space — including super-handy under-floor storage.

dual-clutch transmission, which rows through the

In real-life measurements, this amply provides

gears with machine-like precision but never sacrifices

enough room for four golf bags.

the feel or feedback of the road. A twin unit places the

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The RLX Sport Hybrid also excels in providing

There’s easily enough space for that golf foursome,

other two motors at the rear of the vehicle. The end

too. The RLX Sport Hybrid boasts best-in-class rear

result is true V8 performance: 377 horsepower and

legroom to complement its incredibly quiet cabin,

341 lb-ft. of torque, with a four-cylinder fuel efficiency

which is outfitted with every expected luxe feature

of 7.7 L/100 kilometres combined.

from supple leather seats to advanced technology. Just

Better still, acceleration and response surpass V8

a few of the tech goodies: Lane Departure Warning,

competition, as the twin motor unit makes full use of

Surround View Camera System and AcuraLink, which

Acura’s acclaimed Super Handling All-Wheel Drive

integrates your smartphone with your vehicle.

(SH-AWD) system. Take cornering, for example.

Numerous additional features bring nuances to

Positive torque is produced at the outer wheels; at

further enhance the sport hybrid driving experience.

the inner wheels, negative torque. In essence, the

The electronic gear selector produces clean lines

vehicle generates its own turning force. The result:

and allows the driver to shift at the touch of a button;

exceptional handling, unlike that of any other hybrid.

the Head-Up Display (HUD) shows everything from

As mentioned, the Acura RLX Sport Hybrid boasts

turn-by-turn navigation to a tachometer; and tasteful

the fuel economy of a compact vehicle, in part thanks

exterior features such as the 19-inch aluminum

to its intelligent hybrid system operation and such

wheels and gorgeous Jewel Eye LED lights make this

features as Reactive Force Pedal. The latter dampens

vehicle stand out.

the effect of strong acceleration without sacrificing

In short: Everything in the 2015 Acura RLX Sport

the way that the driver naturally feels that force. The

Hybrid works in harmony to create one stunning

former automatically alters the driving mode based

vehicle that stands apart and sets the pace. Truly, it’s

on circumstance and conditions. So, if you’re starting

the higher hybrid.

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CARS

HYBRID

UNTHINKABLE: INCREDIBLE FUEL-EFFICIENCY AND SUPERB PERFORMANCE

While most hybrid vehicles tout impressive fuel economy figures, the 2015 Acura RLX Sport Hybrid — to be sure, incredibly fuel-efficient — is the first to truly place performance at the fore

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FOOD

MAXIMUM RARE

BY J U L I A A I T K E N

MAINSTREAM STEAK DIDN’T CUT IT FOR TORONTO RESTAURATEUR JOHN MAXWELL. THE SOLUTION? RAISE HIS OWN CATTLE AND OPEN A BUTCHER SHOP

ALLEN’S LAGER-MOLASSES STEAK SAUCE Makes 2 ½ cups (625 mL)

For this slightly fiery but great-tasting steak sauce (which keeps well in the fridge for a couple of weeks), the kitchen at Allen’s uses organic apple cider from John Maxwell’s own farm and the restaurant’s house lager, but any good-quality cider vinegar and lager will work. As the last step in John Maxwell’s original copy of the recipe states, “devour” this with a good steak.

• 1 tbsp (15 mL) dry mustard powder (such as Keen’s)

• ½ cup (125 mL) apple cider vinegar

• 2 tsp (10 mL) cold water

• ¼ cup (60 mL) packed brown sugar

• 1 tbsp (15 mL) unsalted butter • 1 medium onion, finely diced

• 2 tbsp (30 mL) Worcestershire sauce

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 tbsp (15 mL) Dijon mustard

• 2 cups (500 mL) ketchup

• 1 tbsp (15 mL) cayenne

• ¾ cup (175 mL) lager

• 1 tbsp (15 mL) paprika

• ½ cup (125 mL) molasses

John Maxwell has a knack for being ahead of his time, not to mention

The festival runs for the better part of three weeks every February.

a cut above the rest. The Oxford-educated owner and founder

Boasting an impressive menu of steaks listed by breed, feed, age

of Allen’s, one of Toronto’s iconic restaurants, has favoured local

and farmer, it includes meat from such rarefied breeds as Blonde

ingredients since the day the Irish-American saloon's doors opened in

d’Aquitaine and Belted Galloway.

1987. As Maxwell says with a laugh, “Allen’s has been serving Ontario products since before the term ‘locavore’ was invented.”

In 2008 Maxwell added “farmer” to his resumé and started raising Dexter cattle, a breed known for its very lean, flavourful meat. As if

In 2000, other city restaurateurs thought Maxwell was nuts —“they

that wasn’t enough, five years later he teamed up with three other

still do, and it’s a great comfort to me,” he admits — when he launched

partners to open a butcher shop committed to sustainability and

a trend-setting Canadian-only wine list.

ethical treatment — Butchers of Distinction — in Toronto’s east end.

So it wasn’t a huge leap when, in 2004, Maxwell introduced the

Is there anything else on Maxwell’s radar or does he have all he can

Allen’s annual steak festival to confront the mainstream belief that

handle now? He’s not saying but does concede, “I’m doing exactly

USDA Prime beef was best. “I reject the idea that a steak’s tenderness

what I want to be doing.” For that, Toronto’s steak-lovers are grateful.

equates to its quality,” explains Maxwell. “More important are the flavour of the steak and the health of the animal.”

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The 2015 Allen's steak festival runs February 3 through 22; Allens.to / 416.463.3086

POWER GRILL

RECIPES

BY A L L E N ' S F O O D P H O TO G R A P H Y

BY J A M E S T S E FOOD ST YLING

BY R U T H G A N G B A R

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In a small bowl, stir together mustard powder and water until smooth. Set aside.

In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and cook stirring, until softened but not browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Whisk in remaining ingredients, including prepared mustard. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil, whisking constantly.

Reduce heat to medium and simmer, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until sauce has reduced to about 2 ½ cups (625 mL), 50 to 60 minutes. Reduce heat and stir more often toward the end of cooking time to prevent sauce from scorching.

Remove saucepan from heat and let sauce cool to room temperature.

OYSTERS ROCKEFELLER Makes 12 servings

Based on the recipe from New Orleans restaurant Antoine’s (the birthplace of oysters Rockefeller), this classic way with fresh oysters is undeniably rich but worth every last lick of butter.

• 36 oysters • 12 slices lean bacon • 5 cups (1.25 L) lightly packed finely chopped Boston lettuce (2 large heads) • 3 ½ cups (825 mL) lightly packed finely chopped spinach leaves (no stems) • 1 cup (250 mL) finely chopped green onions (about 6) • 1 ¼ cups (310 mL) fine, dry bread crumbs, divided • ½ cup (125 mL) finely chopped parsley • ¼ cup (60 mL) finely chopped celery • 3 cloves garlic, minced • 1 cup (250 mL) unsalted butter • 2 tbsp (30 mL) Pernod • 1 tbsp (15 mL) anchovy paste • ¼ tsp (1 mL) cayenne • Freshly ground black pepper to taste TO FINISH • Kosher salt (see method) • Lemon wedges and parsley sprigs for garnish

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FOOD

SHELL GAME Scrub oyster shells. Holding oysters over a bowl to catch their liquor, shuck oysters. Put oysters in a bowl, cover tightly and refrigerate.

Measure ⅓ cup (80 mL) reserved liquor and refrigerate, discarding the rest. Refrigerate bottom shells of oysters, discarding flatter, top shells.

In a large, deep skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain. Discard fat in skillet and set skillet aside.

In a large bowl, combine lettuce, spinach, green onions, ½ cup (125 mL) bread crumbs, parsley, celery and garlic.

In skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add lettuce mixture (reserve bowl) and cook, stirring, until leaves start to wilt, 2 to 3 minutes.

Stir in Pernod, anchovy paste, cayenne and pepper to taste. Remove skillet from heat. Scrape mixture into reserved bowl and let cool to room temperature.

To finish, preheat the oven to 450ºF (230ºC). In an ovenproof platter or pan large enough to hold reserved oyster shells in a single layer, spread a ½-inch (1 cm) layer of kosher salt. Nestle oyster shells in salt. Put an oyster in each shell and drizzle with reserved oyster liquor, dividing evenly.

Top oysters with half of lettuce mixture, dividing evenly. Crumble bacon finely and sprinkle over top, dividing evenly.

Spoon remaining lettuce mixture over bacon.

Sprinkle oysters with remaining bread crumbs, dividing evenly.

Bake, uncovered, until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Garnish with parsley sprigs and serve with lemon wedges.

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FOOD

Pour mixture back into saucepan. Reduce heat to medium and cook, whisking constantly until mixture thickens, about 1 minute

TRIPLE-THREAT CHOCOLATE LAYER CAKE Makes 12 to 14 servings

This easy cake is a great way to feed a crowd and with three hits of chocolate — moist cake, creamy milk chocolate filling and dark chocolate glaze — will please the most discerning of chocoholics.

MILK CHOCOLATE FILLING • ½ cup (125 mL) granulated sugar • 3 ½ tbsp (52 mL) cornstarch • 5 egg yolks • 1 ½ cups (375 mL) whole (3.25%) milk • 1 ¼ cups (310 mL) finely chopped good-quality milk chocolate (about 6 oz/175 g) • 1 tbsp (15 mL) unsalted butter • 1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla CHOCOLATE CAKE • 1 ½ cups (375 mL) granulated sugar • 1 ¸ cups (330 mL) all-purpose flour • ¿ cup (160 mL) unsweetened cocoa powder • 1 tsp (5 mL) baking soda • ½ tsp (2 mL) baking powder • ¼ tsp (1 mL) table salt

(don’t let mixture boil).

Remove saucepan from heat. Whisk in chocolate, butter and vanilla until chocolate has melted and mixture is smooth.

Scrape chocolate filling into a clean bowl. Let cool to room temperature, then whisk chocolate mixture until smooth. Lay a piece of plastic wrap directly on surface of filling, then refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

For chocolate cake, preheat oven to 325ºF (160ºC). Butter a 17- x 11- x 1-inch (45 x 28 x 2.5 cm) jelly roll pan. Line base of pan with parchment paper.

Sift sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a large bowl. Whisk to combine.

In a 2-cup (500 mL) liquid measure, whisk together coffee, buttermilk, oil, eggs and vanilla.

Gradually stir coffee mixture into dry ingredients until well combined and batter is smooth.

Pull oven rack partially out of oven and put prepared jelly-roll pan on rack. Carefully scrape batter into pan, spreading evenly.

Gently push oven rack back into oven.

Bake until top of cake springs back when touched gently and cake starts to pull away from sides of pan, 18 to 20 minutes.

• ¾ cup (175 mL) cold black coffee

Set pan on wire rack and let cake cool completely.

• ¾ cup (175 mL) buttermilk (shake carton well before measuring)

For dark chocolate glaze, bring cream to a simmer in a medium,

• 6 tbsp (90 mL) vegetable oil

heavy saucepan over medium heat.

Remove saucepan from heat and add chocolate. Whisk until

• 2 eggs • 1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla

chocolate has melted and glaze is smooth. Whisk in corn syrup.

Let cool until lukewarm but still pourable.

DARK CHOCOLATE GLAZE • 1 ½ cups (375 mL) whipping (35%) cream • 2 ¸ cups (580 mL) finely chopped good-quality dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids; about 12 oz/350 g) • 2 tbsp (30 mL) light corn syrup • Fresh berries and sifted icing sugar for garnish

Run a knife around edge of jelly-roll pan. Invert cake on clean work surface and peel off parchment.

Trim edges of cake, then cut cake crosswise into 3 even-size pieces, each measuring about 10 x 5 inches (25 x 12 cm).

Place one piece of cake, upside down, on a wire rack set over a large rimmed baking sheet. Spread generously with half of milk chocolate filling.

Top with a second layer of cake, arranging it upside down.

Spread with remaining filling. Top with third piece of cake, right

For milk chocolate filling, whisk together sugar and cornstarch in a medium bowl. Beat egg yolks into sugar mixture until smooth.

In a medium, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, bring

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side up.

Pour dark chocolate glaze over cake to cover top and sides completely, smoothing sides of cake with a spatula. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

milk to a simmer. Set bowl with sugar mixture on a damp

When ready to serve, carefully remove cake from wire rack

folded towel to prevent it from skidding. Gradually whisk hot

with a long spatula and transfer to a serving platter. Serve cut in

milk into egg-yolk mixture until well combined.

slices and garnished with fresh berries and sifted with icing sugar.

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REAL-TIME RACING LEGEND PETER CUNNINGHAM TAKES US BEHIND THE SCENES WITH THE 2015 ACURA

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RAVE

EXTREMES

BY J O H N L E B L A N C

P H O TO G R A P H Y BY J E N M U E C K E

TLX GT RACECAR, LEADING UP TO THE PIRELLI WORLD CHALLENGE

T

he debut of the much-anticipated 2015 Acura TLX luxury sports sedan

was one of the undisputed highlights of the 2014 North American International Auto Show, held in Detroit. Less anticipated, and more surprising, was Acura’s second big Detroit show reveal: the 2015 Acura TLX GT racecar.

Available with front- or all-wheel-drive and a choice of 206 horsepower fourcylinder or 290 hp six-cylinder i-VTEC engines — in addition to a plethora of

class-leading performance, convenience and safety technologies for which Acura vehicles have become renowned — the production 2015 Acura TLX is already receiving accolades as an incredible blend of luxury and performance.

Amazingly, the new #42 Acura TLX GT racecar managed to raise that bar even higher during its inaugural season racing in the Pirelli World Challenge.

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EXTREMES

The Acura TLX GT was developed and entered in the top category of the World Challenge by owner/driver Peter Cunningham’s RealTime Racing, lining up on the grid against supercar-based racers like the Audi R8, Bentley Continental, Cadillac CTS-V, Dodge Viper, Ferrari 458, Lamborghini Gallardo, McLaren 12C and Porsche 911.

RealTime Racing team’s experience racing Hondas and Acuras goes back a long ways. The relationship started in 1987 with the first-generation Honda CRX Si, in ice racing. Cunningham’s team first entered the Sports Car Club of America Pro Racing–sanctioned World Challenge series in 1993, eventually scoring a record 85 race victories on its way to 14 Manufacturers’ Championships and 14 Drivers’ Championships — most recently with two generations of the Acura TSX V6 sports sedan.

Speaking with Expressions, Cunningham has plenty of Acura racing success stories to tell. “With the NSX, we won 14 races out of 50 over the course of five years, including the 1997 GT Championship,” he says.

The last car that RealTime Racing raced, the 2013 Acura TSX V6, was no stranger to the winner’s circle, either. The first-generation TSX earned 21 victories; the second-gen, 12.

Combined, the vehicles won six of Acura’s 10 Manufacturers’ Championships.

“OVERALL, THE PERFORMANCE POTENTIAL FOR THIS CAR IS AMAZING.” — PETER CUNNINGHAM

Just like the production cars, RealTime Racing’s new #42 Acura TLX GT racecar marks a significant upgrade over its predecessor, featuring many Honda Performance Development chassis and aerodynamic performance parts approved for World Challenge competition.

Notably, the TLX GT is the only car in its class competing with four-wheel drive. (Also well worth noting: the TLX road sedan’s top trim level boasts a racing-inspired Super Handling All-Wheel Drive system.)

Cunningham says the most obvious difference between the road and the track sedans is the latter’s extra horsepower, with a direct-injected, twinturbocharged V6 engine yielding 200 hp more than the front-wheel-drive TSX racecar’s 350 hp. “The old TSX racecar was like a second skin by the time

we were done racing with it,” he says. “The extra 200 hp in the new TLX GT is incredible and, certainly, the all-wheel-drive is fantastic for putting all that newfound power down to the track. Overall, the performance potential for this car is amazing.”

The racing legend views the Acura TLX GT’s first season in the Pirelli World Challenge as a “get it up and running” year. He’s looking forward to the winter off-season to prepare two TLX GT racecars for the 2015 championship.

He’s equally optimistic about the road-going version of Acura’s sports sedan. “I got a chance to drive all three of the new TLX models earlier this year,” says Cunningham. “Each version marks a huge step forward. The TSX was evolutionary and it improved with each model, but the TLX is absolutely fantastic with its refinement, quietness in the cabin and the incredible way that it communicates with the driver.

“I think it’s a fantastic road car.”

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TOPLINES

THE RIGHTEST STUFF ACURA EXCELS AT GETTING IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME — AND THEN, AT GETTING IT RIGHTER DURING A DRIVING IMPRESSIONS trip to Virginia in August, dispatched to test the brand-new 2015 Acura TLX luxury sedan (page 30), I overheard a fellow automotive journalist make a most telling comment: “The TL was always a great car, and the TSX was even better. This TLX, though,” he said, “it really represents the best of both.”

That journalist was right. From the TL: the foundation of a luxury sedan.

From the TSX: the enhancement of a sport sedan. The 2015 TLX is just one dynamic example of Acura taking already superb engineering and design one step further — the right stuff, made righter.

Here are two similar examples: the 2016 ILX (page 44) and the 2015 RLX Sport Hybrid (page 18).

The ILX enters its second generation restyled and re-engineered. The hybrid RLX achieves what was previously thought to be impossible by delivering both incredible fuel economy and spectacular sport performance, and is sure to bring radical change to the hybrid market.

For any regular readers of this magazine, none of those statements about superlative achievement will come as a surprise: Acura customers tend to be brand-loyal, which only makes sense given the marque’s consistent excellence. In this issue, we meet some very happy, very loyal, and very different customers. Jim Matheson of Halifax (page 46) has owned an astonishing 26 Acura vehicles in just over 20 years, and shows no signs of stopping. Jeanne Marsh and Paul Pidcock of Toronto (page 47) took their MDX on a road trip from the top of the world to the bottom in 2003, still own the SUV and can’t imagine parting with it.

That’s the thing about getting it right the first time: you also get a reputation.

The only thing that’s better? Getting it righter. Acura, of course, will never stop in the quest for the rightest. You wouldn’t expect anything else.

GARY B UT LER E di t or

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CARS

THE 2015 TLX, ACURA’S BRAND-NEW SEDAN, IS A THREE-IN-ONE POWERHOUSE PACKAGE GUARANTEED TO PLEASE EVERY DRIVER

BY G A RY B U T L E R

MIDDLEBURG, VA.: Driving the beautiful backcountry of one of America’s most affluent rural regions, I find myself to be of three minds. The 2015 Acura TLX is encouraging me to follow all of them.

Quaint and quiet, this northwestern corner of Virginia is dotted with horse ranches, winery estates and luxury resorts; it’s green, and it’s spacious. It’s an area of spotless, tiny towns (Middleburg’s population sits just under 650), where brick bridges with stone fences, hand-hewn, connect immaculately maintained, tree-lined, two-lane highways. It’s a place where luxury sedans belong.

It’s also a place to do business. These are ranches, not farms; estates, not mansions. Plus, I’m not out for a Sunday drive, however luxurious the vehicle in which I’m comfortably ensconced. I have a lot of work to get done today, and test driving the TLX — I know, tough job — is just part of it.

Finally, Middleburg and surroundings are a natural, perfectly picturesque home for performance sedans. Those aforementioned two-lane roads — long and winding, and pothole-free — all but beg for a driver to open up the engine and head straight for the distance.

Lucky for me, then, that Acura’s brand-new luxury sport sedan is three cars in one...

CARS

This three-in-one concept is easiest explained in terms of the fact that the TLX capably replaces two extraordinary Acura sedans — the elegant TL and its sportier sibling, TSX — carrying over the finest characteristics of each vehicle while bringing additional attributes unique to the brand-new model’s DNA. So, it’s having your cake and eating it too. Not just any cake, either — perhaps the ultimate ideal of what a cake should be.

Sedans drive prestige in brands, which Acura designers and engineers understand well. Still, not every driver shares the same vision of prestige. The 2015 TLX is packaged in three variants, each appealing to different demographic groups while maintaining a unified front. On another scale, the vehicle is the final dot connecting the other sedans in the marque’s family: ILX, the entry-level luxury option, and RLX, the flagship.

Three vehicles in one; three trim levels; three car types in the Acura sedan family... As the saying goes, good things come in threes. Let’s take a look at the goodness.

In terms of size, the TLX is remarkable for being 97 millimetres shorter than the outgoing 2014 TL, while maintaining the exact same wheelbase. The TLX also boasts a lower roofline, by 12 mm, as well as a shorter rear deck. The visual result is a sporty, classy TSX-leaning performance stance that suggests motion even when

the sedan is still.

Despite taking performance to a higher level, the TLX manages an impressive weight reduction over both of its predecessors, primarily via a new rigid, lightweight high-strength steel body.

The numbers are significant no matter which variants you compare, but consider that the 3.5-litre V6 Technology Package TLX weighs 66 kilograms less than the equivalent, current TL.

That new body, lighter but stiffer, also yields a dramatic reduction in low-frequency impact booming. It’s just one of many notable factors contributing to the sedan’s hushed cabin, where the only noises the driver will hear are the desirable ones.

The TLX features Acura’s first-ever application of acoustic spray foam, sure to become a future industry standard.

Further enhancing the hushed cabin experience is the likelihood that the first-time TLX driver will be rendered speechless. Softtouch materials, alloy and wood-grain accents, power moonroof, available perforated Milano leather, heated steering wheel and seats, ample room for five adults (with 60/40 split folding rear to extend the sizeable 405-litre cargo capacity) — consistent with the Acura sedan family, this is a driver’s cabin.

Rounding out the powerful combination of sport-luxe exterior and interior cabin comfort is the TLX’s impressive host of advanced and new technologies, both under the hood and the instrument panels.

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THE

VISUAL RESULT: A SPORTY

The TLX boasts two new high-output direct-injected i-VTEC engines — both of them exclusive to Acura — in addition to two new advanced transmissions

PERFORMANCE STANCE THAT SUGGESTS MOTION EVEN WHEN THE TLX IS STILL

THREE

VEHICLES IN ONE; THREE TRIM LEVELS; THREE TYPES IN THE Start with the engines. The TLX boasts two new high-output, The TLX capably replaces two extraordinary Acura sedans — the elegant TL and its sportier sibling, TSX — carrying over the best characteristics of each vehicle while bringing additional attributes unique to the brand-new model’s DNA

direct-injected i-VTECs, exclusive to Acura, and two new advanced transmissions. The base model offers an ample 206 horsepower from a 2.4-litre, 16-valve, four-cylinder engine mated to an eight-speed dual clutch transmission with torque converter. Those seeking more power can get 290 hp from the 3.5-litre, 24-valve V6 mated to an Acura-first nine-speed automatic transmission. (That V6 features Variable Cylinder Management, which deactivates three cylinders when power demand is low, such as at cruising speeds.)

The TLX includes all-new next-generation Precision All-Wheel Steer (P-AWS), notable because the first-gen version debuted just one year ago in the RLX; it delivers unprecedented braking stability, particularly at highway speeds. Upping the ante is all-new, nextgeneration Super-Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD): downsized to be 25 per cent lighter but yielding the same performance as its predecessor. Acura’s Integrated Dynamics System offers four modes:

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CARS

ACURA SEDAN FAMILY... AS THE SAYING GOES, GOOD THINGS COME IN THREES Econ, Normal, Sport and Sport+. Drivers can emphasize performance or fuel economy, or achieve an eminently satisfying compromise.

Beyond the engines: Highlights of the numerous standard features include a multi-angle rearview camera with dynamic guidelines, Siri Eyes Free to enable voice commands and a Canada-exclusive front windshield de-icer. The Tech Package brings a navigation system with voice recognition, ELS audio and Canada-exclusive power-folding side mirrors. The V6-only Elite Package debuts Acura’s latest enhanced breakthrough: Road Departure Mitigation system.

No matter your trim, this vehicle represents a tech type’s dream.

MY DRIVE DAY DONE in Virginia, I head back to Middleburg’s “downtown” to see the sites (I’m a when-in-Rome kind of roamer).

From a café patio, an admiring couple asks if I’m driving a new sports car or executive sedan. “Both,” I tell them. Both, but more. The TLX kept all of my minds in thrall; three in one, and then some.

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BESTOF

ADVENTURE

BY I A N M E R R I N G E R

In a country as fair-minded as Canada, you’d expect a ski resort round-up to take in the whole country. Not today. There are no two

ways about it: If you want to ski the best combination of big mountains and deep snowpacks, you must head west. Unless you already live there. Everybody else should book a plane ticket for March. Now. >BRITISH COLUMBIA

REVELSTOKE Airport: Kelowna (2.25 hr) Area: 1,263 hectares Terrain: 65 trails; 47% expert, 46% int., 7% beginner Vertical drop: 1,713 m Summit: 2,456 m Average snowfall: 1,400 cm Lifts: 5 Lift ticket: $84 RevelstokeMountainResort.com Though only in its eighth season, Revelstoke suffers no inferiority complex. It puts North America’s highest vertical drop to excellent use, carving into it the longest, steepest, most sustained fall line runs anywhere. Step into the centralized hub at the base to make reservations for a day of walk-on heli-skiing or cat skiing. The railway town of Revelstoke offers ski-town room and board for those who don’t like to be cloistered in purpose-built resorts.

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PHOTOGRAPHY: IAN HOUGHTON

THE WEST

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BIG WHITE Airport: Kelowna (0.75 hr) Area: 1,119 hectares Terrain: 118 trails; 28% expert, 54% int., 18% beginner Summit: 2,319 m Vertical drop: 777 m Average snowfall: 750 cm Lifts: 16 Lift ticket: $84 BigWhite.com

PANORAMA Airports: Cranbrook/Cdn Rockies Intl. (1.5 hr); Calgary (3.5 hr) Area: 1,152 hectares Terrain: 120 trails; 25% expert, 55% int., 20% beginner Vertical drop: 1,225 m Summit: 2,375 m Average snowfall: 479 cm Lifts: 10 Lift ticket: $82 PanoramaResort.com

“How much farther?” is a question kids won’t even think to ask given the 45 minute drive from Kelowna’s direct-flight airport hub (easterners can travel in the morning and ski that afternoon). The road climbs steadily to the family-friendly enclave that is Big White’s ski-in/ski-out village. Beyond the resort’s excellent ski school, families in full swing will enjoy tubing, skating, sleigh rides and ice climbing.

Canada’s Kingdom of Cruise just got cruisier. Panorama has added to its rich store of intermediate ribbons of corduroy with Discovery Chair, a new quad for 2015 servicing beginner terrain. Predictable twists and turns on the mountain lead to a similarly contained, on-hill village. Outliers wanting a challenge will find stashes of variable terrain in Taynton Bowl and the Extreme Dream Zone.

RED MOUNTAIN Airports: Spokane (2 hr); Kelowna (3.5 hr) Area: 1,164 hectares Terrain: 110 trails; 51% expert, 31% int., 18% beginner Summit: 2,075 m Vertical drop: 890 m Average snowfall: 750 cm Lifts: 7 Lift ticket: $79 RedResort.com

WHISTLER/BLACKCOMB Airport: Vancouver (2 hr) Area: 3,307 hectares Terrain: 200 trails; 27% expert, 55% int., 18% beginner Summit: 2,284 Vertical drop: 1,609 m Average snowfall: 1,165 cm Lifts: 37 Lift ticket: $119 WhistlerBlackcomb.com

Known for tight trees and wide streets, Red Mountain and Rossland combine Canada’s toughest, steepest off-piste skiing with a town, just a five-minute ride away on a free shuttle bus, that’s kept its century-old gold rush feel. Last year, Red got 60 per cent bigger by adding a chair up Grey Mountain; there’s now more intermediate skiing. And, yes, more steep trees off the backside. Just try to stay off yours.

The numbers don’t lie. Boasting more than 3,000 hectares and a kilometre and a half of vertical serviced by three-dozen lifts, Whistler/Blackcomb is as big as they come (with prices to match). Being coastal, it gets massive amounts of snow, sometimes wet, sometimes perfect. Expansive alpine bowls will keep adventurers happy, while the sprawling pedestrian village means après-ski is as exciting as you want.

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PHOTOGRAPHY: (TOP) TOURISM ROSSLAND/SARA RAINFORD; (BOTTOM) BIG WHITE SKI RESORT

ADVENTURE

Red Mountain

Big White

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So much performance.

So little fuel.

I N T R O D U C I N G T H E 2 015 R L X S P O R T H Y B R I D S U P E R H A N D L I N G A L L-W H E E L D R I V E ™ S T A R T I N G F R O M $ 6 9, 9 9 0 * The power versus effciency conundrum has confronted automotive engineers since the very beginning.

Working in harmony, a potent direct-injected V6 and 3 hybrid-electric motors transform our newest executive sedan into a 377-hp sports car. Leave it to Acura to reconcile such contradictory ideals.

acura.ca/RLX

SPORT HYBRID ®

*Selling price is $69,990 on a new 2015 Acura RLX (KC2F9EKN). Price excludes $1,995 freight and PDI, fees, license, insurance, registration, and taxes (including GST/HST/QST). Some terms/conditions apply. Model shown for illustration purposes only. Offer is subject to change or cancellation without notice. Dealer may sell/lease for less. Dealer order/trade may be necessary. While quantities last. Visit acura.ca or your Acura dealer for details. © 2014 Acura, a division of Honda Canada Inc.

>ALBERTA

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FERNIE Airports: Cranbrook/Cdn Rockies Intl. (1 hr); Calgary (3.5 hr) Area: 1,013 hectares Terrain: 142 trails; 30% expert, 40% int., 30% beginner Vertical drop: 1,082 m Summit: 2,149 m Average snowfall: 1,139 cm Lifts: 10 Lift ticket: $87 SkiFernie.com

CASTLE MOUNTAIN Airport: Calgary (2.5 hr) Area: 1,416 hectares Terrain: 104 trails; 45% expert, 40% int., 15% beginner Vertical drop: 863 m Summit: 2,273 m Average snowfall: 910 cm Lifts: 6 Lift ticket: $69 SkiCastle.ca

Fernie’s bowls runneth over. Blessed with an inordinate amount of snow for the Rockies, Fernie’s alpine bowls get ample coverage. Don’t let ideas of “alpine bowls” intimidate, though. There’s an intermediate run starting from the top of every chair, so most skiers can explore the whole mountain before exploring the laid back ski town below.

You heard it here first: Approaching near-profitability for decades without huge infusions for infrastructure (or marketing), Castle is Canada’s most underrated mountain. If you want to see or be seen and are concerned about thread counts and expansive menus, go elsewhere. If you seek snow that lasts and uncrowded expert terrain, storm the Castle.

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PHOTOGRAPHY: (LEFT) DESTINATION BC/DAVID GLUNS; (BOTTOM RIGHT) AL HEIDEL, (TOP RIGHT) ERIC FRIGON

Fernie

THE grand dame of Canadian skiing

remains as digniďŹ ed as ever

LAKE LOUISE Airport: Calgary (1.75 hr) Area: 1,700 hectares Terrain: 145 trails; 30% expert, 45% int., 25% beginner Vertical drop: 991 m Summit: 2,637 m Average snowfall: 700 cm Lifts: 10 Lift ticket: $89 SkiLouise.com The grand dame of Canadian skiing remains as dignified as ever. The views will make anyone but tongue-wagging powder hounds look past the modest annual snowfalls.

Varied terrain includes solid steeps above stately hotels in the midst of a famous national park. A reliable destination.

Castle Mountain

Lake Louise

TECH TALK

B Y I A N H A RV E Y

QUIET VICTORY WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT TO HEAR IN THE CABIN OF AN ACURA RLX OR TLX? THE SOUND OF PERFECTION

SHHH... LISTEN, CAN YOU HEAR? Cruising along in the sumptuous cabin of the Acura RLX and TLX it’s what you don’t hear that tells the story — and that’s entirely by design.

Acura engineers are relentless in their quest for the world’s quietest luxury automotive cabin, applying a range of solutions from special glass and electronic technology to foam that expands to fill space when the body is baked after painting. They’ve even re-engineered structural and mechanical components to reduce vibrations and noise.

Every vehicle makes noise. It’s part of what engineers call NVH; an acronym for noise, vibration and harshness. How engineers mitigate cabin noise makes all the difference in terms of true quietness. It starts with the basics such as insulation under the carpets and behind the headliner. More recently, manufacturers have gone further, encasing the engine in its own cowling to not only make it look clean and tidy, but also to capture noise and prevent it from being transmitted to the cabin.

tools such as thicker sound-insulating glass, laminated with

It’s not just a physical strategy, either. Electronic technology

polyvinyl butyral (PVB), in the side doors of the 2015 RLX. It’s a

supplements — and improves — the luxury cabin experience.

key component of safety glass, which also blocks 99 per cent of

Acura’s Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) system works like noise

incoming ultraviolet radiation and reduces wind noise.

cancellation headphones: a series of microphones in the cabin

Indeed, wind is one of the three basic sources of noise; the other

detect sound; a computer program determines the frequencies

two are tire- and mechanics-generated. Research hours in the

emitted; and a waveform is broadcast to cancel out the noise.

Acura wind tunnel aren’t just about creating sporty silhouettes

A secondary system that works with ANC is called Active Sound Control (ASC). It dynamically suppresses engine noise as that noise rises and falls in the course of driving.

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These technologies are just part of an array of sound mitigation

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and better mileage — they are also dedicated to reducing noise.

Designers and engineers work to shape every Acura vehicle’s body seams (where the doors close, for example), headlights

and hood, windshield and even windshield wipers. The goal is

Voice Recognition and, in the RLX Elite, a Krell Industries audio

ever the same: to eliminate those little eddies and currents of air

system, whose 14 speakers offer unparalleled sound quality.

that would otherwise cause noise.

AcuraLink is your concierge on the go, providing two-way voice

Additional targets for noise-dampening insulation include

communication for any conceivable need or occasion. You have

under the hood and fenders, in the doorposts, and at the firewall

but to ask and AcuraLink can source an up-to-the-minute traffic

between engine and cabin. Every little bit counts, right down to

report, make immediate reservations, point you to a destination

the design of the dash, the placement of the door panels and the

or, if needed, call for help.

choice of seat upholstery material.

Mitigating NVH improves the appeal and comfort of driving a luxury Acura vehicle. This is enhanced by the marque’s suite of on-board technologies such as the Acura Navigation System with

AcuraLink also connects to your smartphone, allowing you to remotely lock/unlock doors, track your vehicle’s location in the event of theft, and be notified of any alarm triggers.

That’s not just quiet. That’s comfort.

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CARS

LOOKS THAT THRILL RESTYLED AND RE-ENGINEERED, THE 2016 ACURA ILX IS REBORN TO BE WILD

BY B R A D L E Y B A R N E S

NOT JUST A SPORT SEDAN TO SEE, the 2016 ILX is one to be seen in. When Acura’s second-generation entry-level luxury vehicle debuted in November at the Los Angeles Auto Show, attendees were already expecting a sporty compact. From the moment of reveal, though, the ILX’s exterior proclaimed next-level achievement.

Just one look...

Dynamic front and rear fascias, a new grille and Jewel Eye LED headlights are just some of the notable exterior restyling touches on the 2016 Acura ILX [PICTURED: U.S. model, with accessory wheels]

To be sure, this gateway vehicle — designed by Acura to be the sedan of choice for drivers entering the luxury category — wants to be looked at. Dynamic front and rear fascias, a new grille and Jewel Eye LED headlights are just some of the notable exterior restyling touches.

It’s hard to look away but you’ll have to because inside, the improvements only keep coming.

The 2016 ILX is available in four trim levels but all models come standard-equipped with AcuraWatch driver assist and sensing technologies, including Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Keeping Assist System and Collision Mitigation Braking System. The touchscreen connectivity and media system benefits from over 50 design enhancements. Under the hood: a new 201 horsepower, direct-injected i-VTEC engine with an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission. That’s right: It’s the same advanced powertrain driving the brand-new TLX. There’s an available A-Spec package, too.

Design, technology and performance — the 2016 Acura ILX is next-level across the board.

While this sport sedan doesn’t need to be seen to be believed, you can catch your first glimpse in early 2015, at Canadian dealerships. As the saying goes: eyes on the prize.

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Track-tested luxury for seven.

T H E 2 0 1 5 A C U R A M D X . S T A R T I N G F R O M $ 4 9 , 9 9 0 .* An inspired journey continues with the 2015 Acura MDX. Tested and tuned at the famous Nürburgring Track in Germany, the fully independent front and rear suspension give you enhanced control and improved ride quality. Pair that with One Touch Walk-In third row entry and enough rear cargo space to suit any family’s needs and you have a vehicle that packs a punch with plenty of room to spare.

acura.ca/MDX

2014 AJAC AWARD WINNER FOR BEST NEW SUV (OVER $60,000). *Selling price is $49,990 on a new 2015 Acura MDX (YD4H2FJN). Price of model shown, a new 2015 Acura MDX Elite (YD4H8FKN) is $63,990. Prices exclude $1,995 freight and PDI, fees, license, insurance, registration and taxes (including GST/HST/QST). Some terms/conditions apply. Model shown for illustration purposes only. Offer is subject to change or cancellation without notice. Dealer may sell/lease for less. Dealer order/trade may be necessary. While quantities last. Visit acura.ca or your Acura dealer for details. © 2014 Acura, a division of Honda Canada Inc.

EXPERIENCE

MY RLX JIM MATHESON MIGHT GIVE UP HIS NEW ACURA LUXURY SEDAN — TO GET A NEWER ONE

BY EMMA ALVAREZ GIBSON PHOTOGR APHY BY SHANNON GEORGE

THERE ARE UNDERSTATEMENTS, and then there are

Jim’s passion for autos began early on. Growing up, money was

understatements. For instance, to say that Jim Matheson is an

tight, and a car for the family just wasn’t an option. “To get my

auto enthusiast would be akin to saying that Canada seems to

first car, I worked three jobs,” he reminisces. Today, he’s down to

have a certain degree of weather, seasonally. To wit: Jim has

one job — insurance executive — and focused on the future. “With

owned 26 Acura vehicles.

Acura, I’ve gone from the Integra all the way up to the RLX Elite.”

“It’s staggering,” he laughs, when he considers the numbers.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Jim’s appreciation for the marque has

Still, for Jim, Acuras hit the sweet spot in terms of reliability,

engaged his family: his wife also drives Acura exclusively, and

quality, resale, performance, and mileage — something he

his brother and sister both are Acura drivers. He estimates he’s

discovered in 1992. Fed up with American vehicles he’d driven up

helped create a dozen customers via personal recommendation.

until that point (“There always seemed to be quality problems, with brand-new cars!”), he visited Atlantic Acura in Halifax.

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“For the money, Acura makes very high-quality, well-built automobiles that hold resale value very well,” he says.

“I told them that if they would give me the same trade-in

“They also provide a great deal of driving satisfaction,” he adds,

as my GM dealer, I would try an Acura. I took an Integra GSR.

and points to his RLX. “To look at it, people would see a luxury

I absolutely loved the car. Zero problems,” he says. “Just change

sedan. But when I’m on a twisty road and I push the sports button,

the oil, drive, and enjoy.”

I’ve got a large sports sedan. The character changes immediately.

It was the start of something extraordinary. Jim apprised the

It handles so well. Every once in a while, to get into that groove, on

dealership that he tends to trade in his cars annually, sometimes

a country road — there’s nothing like it. You kind of become one

more often, and that he could be a very good customer.

with the automobile.”

“Atlantic Acura has been terrific, all these years. I’ve come to

Given his love for this particular Acura, might it not prove

know the owner, Bruce Hill, and his son, Brian, very well, and

difficult for Jim when the annual trade-in comes around? He’s got

the members of the service department and sales team, too,”

it figured out. “I’m getting a 2015 MDX Elite,” he says. “It’s due to

Jim says. “They treat me like family. I really appreciate that.”

arrive at the dealership in time for my 60th birthday.”

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MY MDX JEANNE MARSH AND PAUL PIDCOCK ALWAYS FEEL LIKE THEY ARE ON TOP OF THE WORLD WITH THEIR ACURA SUV

BY S H A U N A M c L A R N O N

P H O TO G R A P H Y B Y J A I M E H O G G E

JEANNE MARSH AND PAUL PIDCOCK may be Toronto-based,

Jeanne and Paul still regularly take Arden across Canada to

but their Acura luxury SUV has led them across continents. The

visit Paul’s children and grandchildren in B.C., and Paul’s father

intrepid couple’s 2003 MDX, lovingly named Arden, took them

in northern Ontario. They have also driven the MDX to hike in

from the top to the bottom of the world on a year-long trip along

Alberta, ski in Vermont and tour Québec’s Laurentian Mountains.

the entire Pan-American Highway.

Despite extensive travel, there is little sign that their vehicle has

“We chose the MDX for performance, design and safety,” says

seen a decade on the road, clocking almost 250,000 km. “It looks

Paul. “We never looked back.” In 2003, they were looking ahead.

like it just came out of the showroom,” Paul beams. Downtown

Jeanne, who worked in dentistry, and Paul, in IT, were eager to do

Acura, the Toronto dealership where he and Jeanne purchased the

something adventurous on a road less travelled. They left their

SUV, still services Arden three or four times annually.

jobs and set out with Arden along a highway almost 48,000 km

Not just a mind-blowing journey, the Pan-American Highway

long, running from Alaska through to Patagonia, Argentina. When

proved a life-altering adventure. In Costa Rica, the couple stayed

they returned 13 months later, the MDX had logged 66,000 km:

at Junglavista, a literal treehouse in an eco-forest. They ended up

equivalent to 1½ times around the equator.

buying the vacation home and now manage it as their own rental

During this epic journey, Arden guided the couple through extreme climates and harsh terrain, including dense jungles, arid deserts, coastal zones, volcanic craters and mountain passes. At

property and getaway. When they visit, they fly.

Go figure: Jeanne and Paul don’t rule out driving back to Costa Rica at some point — with Arden, of course.

times, altitudes climbed to over 5,000 metres. Temperatures could jump from –15 °C to +30 in the same day.

For more information about Junglavista, visit Junglavista.com FALL/WINTER 2014

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INSIDER

THE NEW YORKER ACURA SPONSORSHIP HELPS STEER NYC’S ANNUAL CULTURE SUMMIT B Y J O E K N YC H A

A who’s-who of politics,

the arts and social

dissertation, The New Yorker Festival launched 15 years ago and quickly became one of the Big Apple’s most anticipated, talked-about annual events. Like the magazine that started it, the festival places cultural luminaries in active discussion and interview situations with attendees and New Yorker contributors, through Q&A sessions, interactive tours, historical talks and urban foodie excursions.

An active sponsor since 2007, Acura provided eight MDX sports-utility courtesy shuttles, wrapped in commemorative 15th-anniversary graphics [PICTURED, TOP RIGHT], to help this year’s festival attendees move between various venues around the city. Acura also secured the three-day event’s largest venue, Studio Instrument Rental Stage 37 — renamed “Acura at SIR Stage 37” — and used it to blend social, digital and physical spaces when presenting speakers. Guests included TV celebrities Lena Dunham, Larry David and Mindy Kaling,

and outspoken activist musician/rock legend (and classic-car collector) Neil Young.

Past festivals have included talks led by Malcolm Gladwell [PICTURED, BOTTOM RIGHT];

tours of popular city museums

before they open to the public; excursions to various neighbourhood restaurants for food, drink and discussion; and interviews with authors such as Margaret Atwood and Stephen King. Even controversial National Security Agency whistle-blower Edward Snowden took part this year, albeit via a live video feed from Russia.

Two of Acura’s pillars — innovation and technology — were directly reflected in a life-sized photo booth, which allowed attendees to take pictures of themselves “inside” a virtual 2015 TLX sport sedan within a New Yorker-style cartoon [PICTURED, MIDDLE RIGHT], then immediately send it to friends

via social media channels.

New Yorker vice-president and publisher Lisa Hughes called the photo booth a perfect example of social media messaging. Better still, from our position in the driver’s seat of the TLX, we call it a case of being drawn to drive.

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FESTIVAL 2014 THE 2015 TLX AND THE NEW YORKER TEAM UP TO PUT THE “CAR” IN “CARTOON”

BY S H A N N O N R E I D

Legendary, cutting-edge automotive design intersected with legendary, cuttingedge cartoon cheekiness this summer when Acura and The New Yorker magazine launched a creative partnership steering fans of both brands towards a new kind of interactive engagement.

The New Yorker is famous for publishing smart-minded,

sophisticated

cartoons

executed as classic black-and-white line drawings. Concepts and imagery constantly challenge contemporary society in categories like art, fashion, commerce and relationships and — with new emphasis — automotive.

Christopher Weyant, one of the magazine’s leading cartoonists, propelled car culture into an unprecedented forward motion with his “Thrillustrations”: cartoons rendered in signature New Yorker style, starring Acura’s brand-new flagship sedan, the 2015 TLX. From 15 cartoons, one was turned into a live experience for The New Yorker Festival

[SEE PAGE OPPOSITE]

while three were used for caption contests promoted from

of what is and isn’t for achievable. Every cartoon in the series touched on what we’ll call TLX culture.

September to October on both Acura’s and the magazine’s web

The portfolio of Christopher Weyant includes numerous

and social media sites. The remaining 12 were published with

national campaigns, making the award-winning artist the perfect

witty one-liners that highlighted the TLX’s notable class-leading

choice to translate New Yorker–approved concepts conceived by

technology, luxury and performance.

Acura and Mullen, Acura’s advertising agency for the U.S. region.

Each installment in the campaign bore the title “It’s That Kind

These exceptional drawings delighted readers and drivers alike,

of Thrill” — a catchphrase that embodies the TLX experience.

fuelling both with the sense of thrilling fun that only a true

Unique satirical captions drove home universal truths about

performance vehicle can deliver. For the full “Thrillustrations”

all-too-human automobile aficionados. The “Thrillustrations”

series, please visit: Facebook.com/AcuraCanada

were published weekly on Acura’s Facebook and Twitter pages, fuelling anticipation leading up to The New Yorker Festival.

Pictured here, the campaign’s debut installment saw a TLX

“Thrillustrations” brought to you by The New Yorker magazine cartoonist Christopher Weyant and #TheNewTLX

driver ask a real estate agent, “How much for just the driveway?”

Its exaggerated, snake-like driveway humorously hammered home the point that Acura owners are driven by different ideas FALL/WINTER 2014

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26

CONTENTS 06 CULTURE Acura sponsors sport 07 INVESTOR Topping up wine’s screwcap vs. cork debate 08 STYLE Chill-chasing winter gear

EXPRESSIONS

VOL. 15 ISSUE 2

ACURA MAGAZINE

30 CARS The 2015 TLX: Luxury intersects with performance in Acura’s brand-new sedan — a three-in-one, premium package 36 ADVENTURE Canadian ski resort round-up: eight spots prove that the west is the best

Editor Gary Butler Art Director Lina McPhee Production Director Maria Mendes CONTRIBUTORS Julia Aitken, Emma Alvarez Gibson, Paul Auger, Bradley Barnes, Chris Chase, Kerry Doole, Shannon George,

10 BODYGUARD Worldwide active drives: Maui, Cali, Banff and more

42 TECH TALK Inside scoop: luxury cabins in the TLX and RLX drive tomorrow’s Acura experience

12 DESTINATIONS Classic European architecture influences Canada’s modern urban centres

44 CARS The 2016 ILX: restyled, re-engineered and truly reborn to be wild

Mark Hacking, Ian Harvey, Jamie Hogge, Joe Knycha, Jaclyn Law, John LeBlanc, Shauna McLarnon, Ian Merringer, Jen Muecke, Travis Persaud, Janet Pigeon, Shannon Reid, Michele Sponagle, Andrew Stone, James Tse

18 CARS The 2015 RLX Sport Hybrid: fuel efficiency meets performance 20 FOOD High steaks in Toronto with John Maxwell, owner of Allen’s 26 EXTREMES Exclusive interview: TLX GT driver Peter Cunningham of RealTime Racing

ACURA ADVERTISING COORDINATOR Dave Butts

ACURA CONTRIBUTORS

46 ACURA EXPERIENCE Profiling personality: Canadian Acura owners Jim Matheson (Halifax, Nova Scotia) and Paul Pidcock & Jeanne Marsh (Toronto, Ontario)

Ken Dick, Ricky Mak, Pierre Yelle EXPRESSIONS is published in English and French twice a year (Spring/Summer, Fall/Winter) by St. Joseph Media Inc. and is distributed exclusively to Acura automobile owners.

The publisher accepts no responsibility for advertisers’

48 ACURA INSIDER Sponsoring spectacle: Acura at the 2014 New Yorker Festival; plus, TLX-themed New Yorker magazine cartoons

claims, unsolicited manuscripts, colour transparencies or other materials. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. All rights reserved. ©Copyright 2014 St. Joseph Media Inc. Please send all correspondence, including letters to the editor and any

50 DRIVING TIPS Zero-weight motor oil is here

stories and photos (accompanied by name, address, phone number and email), to EXPRESSIONS, c/o St. Joseph Media, 111 Queen St. East, ste. 101, Toronto, ON M5C 1S2.

For more information on Acura or any of our fine products, please call 1-888-9-ACURA-9 or visit our website, Acura.ca.

Canada Post PM No. 41137046 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: EXPRESSIONS MAGAZINE C/O HONDA CANADA INC. 180 HONDA BOULEVARD MARKHAM, ON L6C 0H9

10

FALL/WINTER 2014

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DRIVING TIPS

ZERO THE HERO THE “WEIGHT” FOR THE ULTIMATE OIL GRADE TO PROTECT YOUR ENGINE IS FINALLY OVER, THANKS TO CUTTING-EDGE ACURA R&D

BY C H R I S C H A S E

While reducing fuel consumption was the main driver behind Acura’s decision to switch to 0W-20, the goal achieved is not the only positive result. The optimal cold-weather viscosity of zero-weight allows faster flow through an engine’s narrow passageways at start-up, providing critical protection when internal components are most vulnerable to wear.

Regardless of grade, the most crucial consideration is the use of high-quality oil. Your Acura dealer’s service department will always perform oil changes using the recommended quality and weight.

For car owners accustomed to heavier grades of oil, the move to 0W-20 may seem counterintuitive.

Rest assured: zero-weight is the perfect oil to keep your Acura running efficiently — not just today, but for years to come.

JUST AS EATING the right foods can increase our chances of living a long, healthy life, using the right kind of oil in an automobile’s engine is essential for longevity and performance.

In the past, 5W-30 and 10W-30 oil grades (also known as weights) were considered the gold standard for protecting an engine’s internal components from premature wear. Acura engineers have been conducting research and development tests for years to achieve “zero-weight” (specifically, 0W-20 grade) compatibility.

As of the 2015 model year, all Acura vehicles come from the factory filled with 0W-20, specifically recommended for engine life.

The primary goal here is to reduce fuel consumption, and the results are tangible. Natural Resources Canada fuel consumption estimates for a 2011 Acura TL (FWD), using then-recommended 5W-20 grade, were 11.6 L/100 km (city) and 7.5 L/100 km (highway).

In the equivalent 2012 model, use of 0W-20 oil contributed to reducing those estimates to 10.4 L/100 km and 6.8 L/100 km.

The numbers in a lubricant’s weight rating refer to two different characteristics: The first relates to how well oil flows at low temperatures (the lower the number, the better the flow), and the second is an indication of oil viscosity at an engine’s normal operating temperature.

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EXPR ESSIONS

FALL/WINTER 2014

Fuel For Thought THERE’S NOTHING REGULAR about your Acura: every one of the marque’s vehicles provides a premium experience. What you might not know is that, across the full Acura line, you can use regular or premium fuel. The choice is entirely up to the individual owner-driver.

To be sure, premium gasoline is recommended for any Acura: higher-octane fuel allows engines to perform as designed, particularly in terms of horsepower. Still, every one of those models will operate at the standard minimum 87 octane (available at any gas station).

Why the cut-off? Fuels rated to less than 87 octane can result in engine knocking (when the air/fuel mixture’s in-cylinder combustion misses the ideal moment, negatively impacting pressure) and preignition (ignition before the ideal compatibility window; admittedly, less common in modern engines but undesirable regardless).

Acura engines are designed to ensure that cylinder pressure prevents both knocking and pre-ignition, while yielding maximum performance — particularly with premium fuel. The best option for the discerning driver? TOP TIER detergent gasoline, which is free of metallic additives and therefore hands down the best for meeting stringent Tier 2 emission standards as well as protecting the life of your engine. Acura was one of the original equipment manufacturers involved in setting the standard for this class of fuel. Give it a try.

Not only is your Acura worth it — its performance will prove it.

• For more information, including retailers: TOPTIERgas.com

CULTURE

PARTNERS IN EXCELLENCE ACURA CELEBRATES SPORTS WITH SPONSORSHIPS

BY A N D R E W S TO N E

FIELD OF DREAMS Acura has been an official sponsor of the Toronto Blue Jays since 2013, with the opening of 131 Acura Luxury Suites on the 300 and 400 Levels of Rogers Centre. Parties of all sizes can be accommodated and the full-field panoramic view offers a great ballpark experience. Visitors to the luxury suites and the entire domed stadium alike were treated to an all-out Acura extravaganza during late-summer series against Tampa Bay, Boston and New York: A brand-new 2015 TLX was on display (bearing the clever slogan, “When engineers swing for the fences”) and the marque’s logo dominated the ribbon boards, the outfield wall, and behind home plate signage.

LINKS FOR THE FUTURE CN Future Links is a Golf Canada initiative that offers a full suite of junior golf programs for youth aged six to 18. Acura is the official vehicle sponsor, providing each of Canada’s 10 provincial golf associations with a current-year MDX that has been badged with the CN Future Links logo. Taking the drive to succeed at the sport even further, these Mobile Clinics vehicles can travel to almost any location, including parks, recreation centres and schools, bringing golf to where the kids are. Over one million Canadian youth have benefitted from the program since its inception in 1996.

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EXPR ESSIONS

FALL/WINTER 2014

INVESTOR

THE TURN OF THE SCREWCAP DECANTING THE CANT FROM THE WINE WORLD’S BIGGEST DEBATE

BY K E R RY D O O L E

THE BIGGEST CONTROVERSY in the world of wine for some two decades has seen passions run high, with winemakers and consumers alike arguing the merits of preferred closure for their beverage. Given the immense challenges involved in wine production, protecting the liquid is crucial.

So, in a discussion pitting science against sentimentality, let’s decant the cant.

Cork has enjoyed a long run as the champion of closures, with glass bottles first used to store wine in the 17th century. Earlier methods included goat bladders, animal hides, clay amphora and pitch-sealed hollow logs.

The impetus towards an alternative seal was spurred by frustration at unacceptably high incidents of wines marred by problems linked to cork, notably trichloroanisole, or TCA, known to impart rotten egg or chlorine

defunct — mission accomplished. Australia’s

smells. AromaDictionary.com implicates the

industry further accelerated change when it

chemical compound in over 80 per cent of

conducted a highly scientific 2001 closure trial

cork-tainted wines. It won’t kill you, but it’ll

that landed firmly in favour of the screwcap.

curtail sensual imbibing pleasure.

(as the closure is semi-permeable) helps

ruined or flawed by being “corked” (between

change wine’s chemical composition for the

three and 15 per cent). Quality has improved: a

better, enabling flavour and aroma. Screwcap

2012 Wine Spectator study of 3,269 Californian

boosters point to international comparative

wines found TCA flaws in some 3.7 per cent.

studies indicating that metal seals eliminate

Compare this to 2007’s 9.5 per cent.

all oxidation issues to ensure taint-free sips

Still, why tolerate any failure rate when

PHOTOGRAPHY: MASTERFILE

Cork proponents argue that entered air

Estimates vary as to the percentage of wine

Cork has enjoyed a long run as the champion of wine closures but the screwcap appears to be taking over

of well-aged, high-quality wine.

a proven superior alternative exists? The

This may all be moot. Do you drink wines

screwcap was unveiled in 1959 but not properly

more than one decade old? Over 90 per cent of

recognized until around the millennium. Led

international wine production is designed to be

by the less–tradition shackled Australasian

consumed within two years. Canadian studies

wine industry, the debate over screwcap

show a similar percentage of purchased wines

versus cork is essentially finished.

being consumed within days of purchase.

The New Zealand Screwcap Wine Seal

The cork vs. screwcap battle is virtually over.

Initiative, an unbiased advocacy group, so

Next time you’re in a provincial wine-selling

thoroughly educated the industry on its seal’s

outlet, check how many bottles are now under

superiority that the organization is now

screwcap. Science, it seems, is winning.

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STYLE

WARMING TREND COZY UP ON A WINTER’S NIGHT WITH THE HELP OF THESE WARM-HEARTED CHILL CHASERS

BY M ICH ELE SPON AG LE

1 2

3

1/ BANG & OLUFSEN BEOLAB 5 LOUDSPEAKER Fill your room with concert-calibre sound. The latest tech-forward speakers from Bang & Olufsen use adaptive bass control to “read” the dynamics of any space and adjust their performance accordingly, delivering up to 2500 watts of output per unit. Slick design boosts the chic factor for any décor. $23,000 (pair), Bang-Olufsen.com, 800.971.1255 8

EXPR ESSIONS

FALL/WINTER 2014

2/ FORTNUM & MASON CLASSIC WORLD TEAS RUSSIAN CARAVAN Britain’s world-famous department store, Fortnum & Mason, started selling high-quality goods in 1707.

As of 2014, selections from their line are available in Canada at Holt Renfrew. Try this delicate, beautifully packaged tea, a blend of China black Keemun and oolong, perfect for a snowy night warm-up. $24, HoltRenfrew.com, 416.922.2333

3/ KOBO AURA H20

Catch up on the latest literature with this waterproof, sand-proof and dust-proof e-Reader. Keep the pages turning for up to two months without charging, thanks to extended battery life. The touch screen reads like print on paper, even in direct sunlight, minimizing eyestrain. Four million titles available, so there’s no risk of having nothing good to read. $180, Chapters.Indigo.ca, 800.832.7569

4/ CRYSTALLO DIRECT VENT WALL NAPOLEON FIREPLACE Turn up the heat for an evening at home with a stylish, contemporary fireplace that can pump out up to 17,000 BTUs. Flick a switch to light, adjust desired heat levels and flame height, then soak up the warmth and ambiance. Add an LED light to cast a hue in white or in a décormatching colour of your choice. $2,300, NapoleonFireplaces.com, 800.461.5581

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4

Blanket Expression

5

5/ MANITOBAH MUKLUKS MOCCASINS Based in Winnipeg, this Aboriginalowned company uses traditional methods to create artisan-crafted footwear suited to any Canadian winter. These moccasins feature the delicate beadwork for which the Métis are well known, and keep feet comfortably toasty while allowing airflow. $100, Manitobah.ca, 855.685.5857

6/ HAMMACHER SCHLEMMER STANLEY CUP POPCORN MAKER Home theatre nights are always winners when the Stanley Cup sits front and centre. This popcorn maker is a replica of the same championship trophy commissioned in 1892 to annually honour the best team in the NHL. Pop up to 10 cups of popcorn in five minutes without oil, and serve in the shiny chalice. Works whether or not you’re watching sports. $115, HBC.com, 800.521.2364

The first Hudson’s Bay point blankets appeared on the scene in 1780. Europeans in general loved them because of wool’s ability to hold heat; French craftsmen in particular preferred them because they were easier to sew than other types (made of bison or deer skin).

Set against an ivory background, the famous four-stripe pattern — in red, green, yellow and indigo — differentiated the HBC from those created by other French Canada voyageurs to trade for fur, especially beaver pelts, with First Nations and Native Americans. The colours chosen were based primarily on what good-quality, colourfast dyes were available at that time.

Today, the 100–per cent wool blankets are still made in England and have become highly collectible. They have also been adopted into the collections of major museums.

The Bay sells various versions of the famous blanket for $275 to $475. Those recognizable HBC stripes appear on a slew of additional items, from coffee mugs and mittens, to plush toys and teapots. Though sold around the world, and deserving of its international reputation, the HBC point blanket is a true Canadian icon.

FALL/WINTER 2014

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Experience Acura British Columbia LOUGHEED ACURA Coquitlam, BC 604.522.6118 HARMONY ACURA Kelowna, BC 250.861.3003 NORTH SHORE ACURA North Vancouver, BC 604.929.6736 RICHMOND ACURA Richmond, BC 604.278.8999 ACURA OF LANGLEY Surrey, BC 604.539.2111 BURRARD ACURA Vancouver, BC 604.736.8890 CAMPUS ACURA Victoria, BC 250.383.0088

The Prairies NORTHWEST ACURA Calgary, AB 403.239.6677 SILVERHILL ACURA Calgary, AB 403.253.6060 SOUTHVIEW ACURA Edmonton, AB 780.989.8888 WEST SIDE ACURA Edmonton, AB 780.484.5444 ACURA OF RED DEER Red Deer, AB 403.343.0400 DILAWRI ACURA Regina, SK 306.525.5600

ACURA CENTRE OF SASKATOON Saskatoon, SK 306.242.8688

ACURA OF OAKVILLE Oakville, ON 905.825.8777

ACURA SAINTE-JULIE Sainte-Julie, QC 450.922.1222

CROWN ACURA Winnipeg, MB 204.269.9551

CAMCO ACURA Ottawa, ON 613.728.8888

PRÉCISION ACURA Sherbrooke, QC 819.564.8909

Ontario

PERFORMANCE ACURA St. Catharines, ON 905.937.1811

ACURA MÉTROPOLITAIN St.-Léonard, QC 514.362.2872

ACURA OF NORTH TORONTO Thornhill, ON 905.882.9660

TROIS-RIVIÈRES ACURA Trois-Rivières, QC 819.377.7050

BALMORAL PARK ACURA Thunder Bay, ON 807.345.1212

Atlantic Canada

ACURA EAST Ajax, ON 905.428.8888 STERNE ACURA Aurora, ON 416.324.3232 ACURA OF BARRIE Barrie, ON 705.734.3734

DOWNTOWN ACURA Toronto, ON 416.867.1577

ATLANTIC ACURA Halifax, NS 902.457.1555

ACURA 2000 Brampton, ON 905.458.7100

Quebec

PRECISION MOTOR CAR Moncton, NB 506.853.1116

ACURA ON BRANT Burlington, ON 905.333.4144

ALMA ACURA Alma, QC 418.668.4000

TUCKER ACURA Mount Pearl, NL 709.364.2423

ACURA SHERWAY Etobicoke, ON 416.620.1987

ACURA PLUS Blainville, QC 450.435.4455

ACURA OF HAMILTON Hamilton, ON 905.528.7335

ACURA BROSSARD Brossard, QC 450.659.1616

KINGSTON ACURA Kingston, ON 613.634.2322

ACURA GABRIEL Dollard-des-Ormeaux, QC 514.696.7777

FAIRVIEW ACURA Kitchener, ON 519.893.9000

CASINO GATINEAU ACURA Gatineau, QC 819.777.1771

ACURA WEST London, ON 519.657.1557

ÉLÉGANCE ACURA Granby, QC 450.378.4969

MAPLE ACURA Maple, ON 905.832.1277

ACURA DE LAVAL Laval, QC 450.682.4050

MARKHAM ACURA Markham, ON 905.948.8222

LUCIANI ACURA Montréal, QC 514.340.1344

ERIN MILLS ACURA Mississauga, ON 905.828.5800

CIRCUIT ACURA Québec, QC 418.622.8180

acura.ca

A DRIVER’S SECRET WEAPON. IT’s that kind of thrill.

T H E A L L - N E W 2 0 1 5 A C U R A T L X . S T A R T I N G F R O M $ 3 4 , 9 9 0 .* The all-new 2015 Acura TLX is putting conventional thinking on notice with technologies and performance options that will soon be in the hands of TLX drivers: two high-revving, highly fuel-efficient new i-VTEC® engines; new 8-speed and 9-speed electronic transmissions; next-generation Acura Super Handling All-Wheel Drive™ (SH-AWD ®) and Precision All-Wheel Steer™.

acura.ca/TLX

*Selling price is $34,990 on a new 2015 Acura TLX (UB1F3FJ). Price of model shown, a new 2015 Acura TLX V6 Elite (UB2F7FKN) is $45,290. Prices exclude $1,995 freight and PDI, fees, license, insurance, registration, and taxes (including GST/HST/QST). Some terms/conditions apply. Model shown for illustration purposes only. Offer is subject to change or cancellation without notice. Dealer may sell/lease for less. Dealer order/trade may be necessary. While quantities last. Visit acura.ca or your Acura dealer for details. © 2014 Acura, a division of Honda Canada Inc.