T8N January/February 2019

January / February 2019 t8nmagazine.com

F lavour

Fiesta Celebrating Mexican Cuisine

World Class Education Homeschooling goes on the road

Marital Status

When to say “I do” to a wedding planner

Social Swim

Try on Instagram’s trendiest swimwear

T8N January /February 2019 1

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Contents

T8N MAGAZINE

VOLUME 6 ISSUE 1 January/February 2019 PUBLISHER

EDITOR

Rob Lightfoot

Shauna Rudd

ART DIRECTION

Brenda Lakeman, Correna Saunders DESIGN & PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT

Correna Saunders PHOTOGRAPHY

Brenda Lakeman CONTRIBUTORS

Jennie Drent, Rudy Howell, Markwell Lyon, Robert Michon, Lisa Szabo, Shima Zonneveld EDITORIAL INTERN

Lisa Szabo OFFICE MANAGER

Janice Lightfoot CONTRIBUTING AGENCIES Image page 6 © Lorelyn Medina/Adobe Stock Image page 9 © tynyuk/Adobe Stock Image page 8 © artinspiring/Adobe Stock Image page 14 © vectorcreator/Adobe Stock Image page 32 © Bitter /Adobe Stock

Conversations 6

Road Scholars

Move over homeschooling— here comes a whole world of educational travel.

Arts & Culture 10 14

Bound to be Beautiful

23

26

FOOD & GATHERINGS Mexican Heat Wave

Warm up with a colourful fiesta of homemade tacos and tequila.

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THEN & NOW Leo Nickerson Elementary School

This Sturgeon Heights school honours the courage and sacrifice of a local resident.

THE 8s

Arrive at your destination refreshed and de-stressed with a well-packed carry-on.

MEET YOU THERE 3 Girls Swim & Wear Boutique

Three sisters are making social media’s trendiest swimwear accessible to all.

Justina Smith’s art journals are a study in letting beauty unfold.

Living 17

City

ISSN 2368-707X (PRINT) ISSN 2368-7088 (ONLINE)

For editorial inquiries or information, contact T8N magazine at info@t8nmagazine.com. Have something to say? Letters, suggestions or ideas can be sent to letters@t8nmagazine.com.

FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION Rob Lightfoot rob@t8nmagazine.com 780 940 6212 or visit t8nmagazine.com T8N magazine is published 10-12 times a year by T8N Publishing Inc. Copyright ©2019 T8N Publishing Inc. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is strictly prohibited.

Content marked by the Sponsored Content icon was produced in partnership between content producers and T8N magazine.

Spotlight

PRINTED IN CANADA

28

T8N PUBLISHING INC

32

Wedded Bliss

Saying “I do” to a wedding planner promises a stress-free day.

PUBLISHER & PRESIDENT

Rob Lightfoot: rob@t8nmagazine.com

The Crosswalk

See if you can find the sites in this month’s travel-themed crossword puzzle.

CONNECT WITH US

/t8nmagazine

SAVE UP TO 30% OFF RETAIL PRICE!

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From the Editor

HAPPY NEW YEAR! I actually love January—this

is when we get to slow down, take a breath, and take stock of what we hope achieve this year.

In all this snow, some of us are dreaming about tropical vacations, and it’s possible that a few lucky ones found some sparkle in their stocking and a summer wedding is in the works.

In what’s typically our coldest month, we bring you the warm and savoury flavours of Mexico. Be sure to try Shauna Rudd the juicy slow-cooked pork carnitas on page 18—a tasty change from the usual ground beef. As we recharge from the holidays, the travel journals of artist Justina Smith are not only a beautiful reprieve, we can all take a page out of her book on pausing to fully appreciate our surroundings. And for those with a wedding in the future, don’t miss our interview with wedding planner Sandra Cassios.

On behalf of everyone here at T8N magazine, wishing you a delightful New Year filled with health and happiness. Tacos and margaritas are a good start.

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On the Cover Escape to colourful Mexico without leaving home by sipping a Mango Margarita spiked with tequila and agave (p. 19).

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Home Games throughout the May–August 2019 Season

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Before

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After

Conversations

Road Scholars

Move over homeschooling—here comes educational long-term travel.

BY MARKWELL LYON

THE DREAM OF quitting your job

Hitting the Books on the Road

to travel for six months to a year is a familiar one, but it’s also one that seems less likely the older you get. Once you have a career and kids, as conventional thinking goes, it’s time to settle down and let go of those lingering romantic notions. However, more families are thinking unconventionally, embracing travel as not only a lifestyle but also as a one-of-akind educational opportunity for school-aged children. We spoke to the Thibodeau family in Sturgeon County about their experience of taking a year off to travel, and what that meant for their sons’ education.

“The intent was to see Canada,” says Chris Thibodeau. “That was the really big thing. You know, people live in Canada and don’t get see the whole thing. So, we just took the family and went to see Canada.” From July 2016 to April 2017, Chris and his wife Edith, with their sons Nicholas and Sebastien (now in Grades 9 and 7), set off on an extended road trip, travelling a loop that would take them through every province and quite a few states. To prepare, the Thibodeaus sold their house, bought a 42-foot fifth wheel, and put their jobs on hold.

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The ambitious itinerary also meant they had to pull their sons out of school for the year, and take on the responsibility of providing their sons’ education themselves. That meant planning a trip in which the kids’ schooling would be a major component. The idea of blending

travelling and learning isn’t new, but it has been gaining some steam lately among families with children. It comes in different varieties, and known by a number of portmanteaus (some clumsier than others): worldschooling, roadschooling, edventuring, and so on.

It’s essentially homeschooling, but ‘home’ is wherever the road takes you.

Canada is quite liberal when it comes to the idea of parents as primary educators.

Some countries outlaw the practice, notably in Europe, but in Canada it’s legal and widely accepted. Each province has its own regulations and practices, but across the country there were close to 30,000 students officially enrolled as homeschoolers in 2014-15, including 10,000 in Alberta—more than any other province. It should also be noted that many homeschoolers aren’t even registered; the Ontario Federation of Teaching Parents estimates that Canadian homeschoolers likely number somewhere between 47,500 and 95,000.

It’s unclear how many of these students are travelling. But, as with homeschooling, there are several reasons why families choose worldschooling. For some, it’s a unique and memorable way to see the world. For others, it’s a way of life borne out of necessity. “In the US, this is a lifestyle,” Edith explains. “For lots of people, that’s what they do—they follow their husbands from job to job, from rig to rig, or whatever.”

Either way, the trade-off for kids is intriguing. They miss out on the benefits of a structured routine and socialization with their peers, but they get more time with their families. And while they probably won’t get the same interaction and feedback that would come from a trained educator, travelling kids can gain meaningful, firsthand experiences that resonate in their lessons, giving a depth and dimension to learning that isn’t possible in the classroom.

For this reason, school authorities in Canada aren’t necessarily against the idea of worldschooling. “This is an educational decision made by parents, but we believe that learning goes far beyond the bricks and mortar of schools,” says Paula Power, Communication Services Manager for St. Albert Public

Schools. “A lot of learning happens outside of our school walls, and travel is one way in which children can learn about history and other cultures.”

It’s Not a Walk in the Park (Except for When It Is) Certainly the Thibodeaus agreed, feeling that their sons would gain a lot from the experience—enough to justify taking them out of classes for the year. However, the parents had to do a lot of their own homework: researching requirements in Alberta, finding a homeschool board to register with, and conducting Skype interviews with teachers. As Chris explains, they didn’t just decide to go for a long drive and let the schooling happen organically. “We actually had to submit a plan that we were going to homeschool the kids,” Edith elaborates.

“It’s no different than traditional homeschooling. We just happened to be working out of a trailer. You create your own plan, which is what we did.”

Fortunately for those on the road, this country is chock-full of educational places, starting with our national parks system. Parks Canada operates its Xplorers program in dozens of parks and sites across the country, and it’s geared toward providing educational, physical, historical, and cultural activities for kids ages 6 to 11 and their families. Its existence was a pleasant surprise for the Thibodeaus. Serendipitously, the offerings dovetailed with the Grades 5 and 7 curricula that Sebastien and Nicholas were following.

Activities offered vary from park to park, but common themes include T8N January /February 2019 9

wildlife viewing and learning about local nature, history, or culture. For the Thibodeaus, places like Fortress of Louisbourg on Cape Breton Island, the Citadel Hill in Halifax, and Province House in Charlottetown were great for learning about Canadian history. Gros Morne in Newfoundland was a lesson in geology, while New Brunswick’s Fundy National Park had ample opportunity to spot and learn about flora and fauna. Of course, being outdoors meant that the kids were also getting their phys ed fix; at Kouchibouguac National Park in New Brunswick, they took part in geocaching and completed a 10-km night hike.

It wasn’t just the national parks, either; plenty of provincial parks, museums, and landmarks are also kid-friendly and informative. Science museums can be particularly cost-effective, thanks to reciprocal agreements that give members of one museum free admission to hundreds of other science centres in Canada and the US. The Thibodeaus’ Telus World of Science membership got them into places like the Science Gallery at the Manitoba Museum in Winnipeg, where the kids built and raced electric K’Nex cars, and Science North in Sudbury 10 T8Nmagazine.com

with its interactive mining and geology exhibition.

But does this replace a traditional school setting? There hasn’t been a lot of research yet into the effects of worldschooling on a child’s educational development. A 2013 survey asked 400 American adults who had taken educational trips as teenagers what they thought now of their experiences. The respondents were positive: 90 percent reported that it helped their education or careers; 80 percent said it made them more interested in classroom subjects; and 77 percent shared that their experiences made a lasting impact.

Granted, it could be a mistake to equate fond childhood memories with measurable academic progress. But travel is by nature memorable, and there is something to be said about seeing firsthand what one would otherwise only read about.

“We learned a lot about Social Studies, apparently,” Sebastien says, relating an incident after they’d returned to Alberta.

“Our teacher asked us a question about where Confederation was signed, and I was the only who knew because I had been there.”

Fad or New School of Thought?

The Thibodeaus and many other long-term travelling families are acting act out of a genuine desire to see and learn about the world around them. Still, the idea of worldschooling feels like a very ‘now’ thing to do. The allure of a nomadic lifestyle that is the antithesis of our structured lives that are moving faster than ever, the relative ease of long-distance travel, the popularity of bucket-listing, and a growing emphasis toward collecting experiences rather than things—these and other factors appear to be turning worldschooling into a fad. It’s certainly become more visible online, in the numerous articles and listicles on the topic that have popped up in the last few years, as well as blogs and social media posts by worldschooling families.

But it’s worth keeping in mind that there’s still plenty of value in brick-and-mortar schools. As eye-opening and interactive as educational travel can be, a typical classroom offers unique interaction with other students and teachers, and the socialization that occurs at school is hard to replicate while travelling. In the Thibodeaus’ case, the younger Sebastien missed this aspect of school the most. So

much so, that when the family returned to the St. Albert area, he opted to return to school for the final weeks, even though both he and Nicholas had completed their schoolwork for the year.

These kinds of trips also get more difficult as kids get older. The depth of knowledge taught at the high-school level is likely too much for many parents to handle.

“We needed to do it at that time,” Chris says. “Now they’re both in middle school, and next year will be high school, and you can’t really take a year off [then].”

Learning on the Go How a worldschooling family handles the education component of their trip depends on where they’re going and for how long. Some families are always on the move, with their children never brightening the entrance of a school building for years. Others move more slowly and stay longer in certain places, thus choosing to register their children in local schools. Others yet will work with a school district back home, as the Thibodeaus did, knowing that they will return eventually.

Although the family went through a homeschool district, St. Albert Public Schools shows its willingness to meet would-be worldschoolers halfway. “Many parents who take their children out of school for extended periods are committed to working with us to fill in any gaps,” Power says.

“We’ve not found this to be a trend that’s unmanageable.”

Whatever their methods, their numbers have converged with technology to form worldschool communities, online and off. Websites and Facebook groups devoted to the topic make finding educational resources and opportunities easier, possibly tempting more families to hit the road.

In fact, this proved useful for the Thibodeaus when they eventually turned south and headed for Florida, where they would end up staying the winter. Through Facebook, they were able to find local homeschooling groups that planned educational events and tours.

“Because we stayed so long in Florida, they learned different skills that they wouldn’t have necessarily picked up,” Edith explains. Nicholas got his scuba diving certification, while the younger Sebastien took the introductory course. Being Canucks in Florida, the two soon picked up pickleball, a sport combining tennis and badminton that many snowbirds have brought back from the southern states. They even learned some home renovation skills such as flooring, plumbing, and electrical, after their parents sold the fifth wheel and bought a place in the Fort Pierce area to fix up and reside until their return to Alberta. “That was one of the things we included in the preparation,” Chris says. “We talked to the school and told them our plans, and they were like, ‘You know what? They’re going to learn so much on the road.’” Indeed they did. t8n T8N January /February 2019 11

Arts & Culture

BOUND to be Beautiful

Justina Smith’s art journals are a study in slowing down and letting beauty unfold.

BY LISA SZABO; PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRENDA LAKEMAN

THE PAGES OF Justina Smith’s travel journals

are filled with drawings, watercolour paintings, descriptions, photos—visual reminders of days spent wandering through Toronto’s graffitied alleyways and Kyoto’s blossoming cherry treelined streets. They’re also marked with entries much closer to home. Growing up in Red Deer, Alberta, the mixed-media artist made it her mandate to find beautiful places in a city that so many of her peers looked down upon. Since then, she’s built a career capturing ordinary moments in time—across the world, the country, and her own backyard.

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Justina first put pen to page during her travels because she didn’t have a lot of money for souvenirs. But she also realized that stopping to draw a place forced her to take the moment in, rather than rushing off to see the next thing—a practise she now carries into everyday life. “Instead of just passing through I’m more of an active observer,” she says.

How does she go about finding beautiful moments in everyday life?

“I’ve cultivated the habit,” says Justina, noting that she’s spent so much time writing down ideas or taking photographs of things to paint that it’s almost a reflex now.

T8N January /February 2019 13

In addition to her sketchbooks, the full-time artist is well known for her playful animal portraits, travel paintings, and landscapes.

And all through her art you’ll find threads of found experience, details of a moment that Justina slowed down to discover.

By painting, Justina creates a visual record of how a place existed in that moment.

“Some of the buildings and other things I’ve captured don’t exist anymore, or the neighborhoods have changed, or they’ve put up a big building so the light is never going to hit that area the same way again.”

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On a recent trip to Japan, Justina encountered a practise that she already had in common with the locals: appreciation for where you live. “The people in Japan make a point of going around their own country to see the cherry blossoms. It’s a pastime called ‘hanami,’ which loosely translates to cherry blossom viewing.”

Her favourite pages from the trip are filled with a mix of photographs, sketches of local foliage, and a watercolour drawing of a thatch-roof hut in the Hashimoto Kansetsu Garden in Kyoto. “I spent half my time there drawing, and the other half just sitting there, looking at the rain and this beautiful garden.”

Justina is happy for the opportunity to travel, but her art shows that you don’t need to go far to find beauty in a place.

“There is a ton of stuff wherever you’re at if you just go looking for it.” t8n

T8N January /February 2019 15

The 8s

Keep Calm & Carry On Arrive at your destination refreshed and de-stressed with a well-packed onboard bag.

BY MARKWELL LYON

L A ST OC TO B E R , SINGA PO R E

Airlines launched the world’s longest non-stop commercial flight, a nearly 19-hour, 16,70 0 -km marathon between Singapore and Newark.

While there’s nothing quite like that from Y EG, the fact is, for Edmonton and St. Albert travellers, geography isn’t exactly on our side.

Many flights route through other airports, meaning longer travel times (and let’s not forget that 45-minute drive just to get to YEG from St. Albert).

All this extra distance makes carry-on luggage even more important. Having a few essentials on hand and easily accessible can make coach seats and long layovers—not to mention flying in general—much more enjoyable.

Here are a few tips.

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1. It starts with the bag.

The right carry-on makes all the difference. A good one stores everything you need and fits into an overhead compartment or under your seat. Look for a bag that’s compact, lightweight, and durable, and check for features such as compression systems that maximize interior space. “Wheelability” is also handy for long hikes through huge airports—a bag with four spinner wheels that lets you push, pull, and turn on a dime in any direction is best.

2. Tuck a travel wallet into your carry-on.

Air travel is nerve-wracking enough without worrying about where you stuck your passport or boarding pass.

Enter the trustworthy travel wallet.

Like your carry-on bag, a good wallet should be compact and practical, with space to organize not only your travel documents but also cash, credit cards, and a few useful extras like a SIM card

and pen. Not only is it handy, a travel wallet also protects your documents from wear-and-tear—a crucial consideration for frequent flyers.

3. Keep yourself nourished and hydrated.

It can be a long wait between meals on some flights, and prices for food on planes are literally in the stratosphere.

Bring a few light snacks for when you’re feeling peckish. As well, staying hydrated is one of the best ways to prevent jet lag: To get around airport security restrictions, and avoid singleuse plastic bottles, pack a collapsible water bottle and fill it before boarding.

4. Fly high with good oral hygiene.

Few things freshen you up like minty breath and sparkling teeth, especially after the spotty sleep that all too often accompanies a long night in coach.

A toothbrush and toothpaste are two

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items that travellers commonly forget to pack (or stow away in their checked luggage, where they can’t reach it).

Pick up travel-size versions for your carry-on bag, or keep dental floss picks or pre-pasted mini brushes nearby.

5. Take down the noise a notch.

Sure, many airlines will hand out reusable headphones.

But these tend to be uncomfortable, and you often need to dial up the volume to ear-splitting levels just to hear your movie or music over the noise of flying. Give your ears a break by investing in noise-cancelling headphones or earbuds. Bonus: These also cut down on background noise for a better sleep.

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6. Embrace the dark side.

Speaking of sleep aids, many travellers swear by sleep masks. While overnight flights tend to be fairly dark, it doesn’t match the darkness of a good mask—and if you’re hoping for a nap on a daytime flight, it’s essential. These come in a surprising range of features, from the soothing coolness of silk to weighted masks that mimic the sensation of deep-pressure touch therapy.

Featuring Authentic Full Irish Breakfast, Gluten Free Pancakes, Savoury Crepes and much more.

7. Take cover.

An overlooked clothing item that makes air travel more comfortable is a wrap, shawl, or scarf. This comes in handy for the fluctuating temperatures of a pressurized cabin, and if large enough, it can double as a blanket or be rolled up into a neck pillow.

8. Set the tablet for time travel.

Movies, books, games, and music are a great way to pass the time. However, depending on the airline and flight time, the pre-set options on your in-flight entertainment system may not be appealing (or working). A tablet or eReader, or even a smart phone, loaded with your favourite diversions can make time feel like it’s zipping by. Tip: Don’t forget the charger. t8n

11 Bellerose Drive St. Albert 780-328-4500

Connect with us on twitter @toastbl Visit us on facebook @toastbreakfastandlunch T8N January /February 2019 17

Weary & Co. Law Office Christine Maloney

Probate can be frustrating, especially if we’re still grieving the death of a loved one. And since Probate is still a mystery to most of us, we try to figure out ways to wiggle out of it. However, trying to avoid Probate may bring scarier legal issues your way than if you had gone through it in the first place. To illustrate this, read how Gina considers and discusses alternatives to avoid Probate for her sons.

It’s been just over a year since Tommy died. Gina, while still grieving for her late husband, has been executing Tommy’s Will. It’s been more time-consuming than she had originally thought, mainly due to the fact she had to apply for Probate because of Tommy’s share of his parents’ lake cabin. It took five months for Probate Court to approve the application.

This experience is something she wants to alleviate, or eliminate altogether, for her sons.

She went to see her lawyer to discuss updating her Estate Documents, and to get some clarity regarding the Probate issue. She explained that her neighbours put their children as joint land title owners so they wouldn’t have to deal with Probate when they died—the house would just shift to them. Gina felt if she gave her younger son (who is more financially responsible) joint land title ownership, he wouldn’t have to apply for Probate when she died. He would just split the estate evenly with his older brother.

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Gina: Can she avoid Probate?

By Jennie Drent

Did You Know?

In Alberta, the fee payable to the Court for a Probate Application is based on the value of the estate, currently to a maximum of $525.

Unlike many other provinces, where the Court fee is a percentage of the value of the estate. Remember - legal fees are always a separate amount. And a Probate Application is typically a desk application, meaning that no one has to physically attend court.

The problem is that her younger son is going through a divorce. Gina discovered that if he was made joint owner, the house would be considered an asset and he would have to split this with his future ex-wife even though Gina is still alive.

If she named both of her sons as joint owners, it would solve that problem, but another may arise: her older son may not want to sell the house he grew up in because it holds sentimental value. Plus, he hasn’t the finances to pay his brother his share of the house.

After talking with her lawyer, she decided not to name either son as joint land title owners. It would be easier if they went through Probate Court. Her sons may find it tedious and time-consuming, but in the long run, there would be less arguments, litigation, and stress, and that was the main goal for Gina from the beginning.

Weary & Co. Law Office hope you enjoyed and gleamed some important information from Tommy and Gina’s Estate Planning journey. If you have any questions regarding your Estate Documents, we would be happy to talk with you. And remember, stop ‘living on a prayer’ because letting fate sort everything out usually doesn’t go well. A clear and thorough Estate Plan will alleviate stress and potential litigation for your loved ones.

400 30 Green Grove, St. Albert, AB Phone: (780) 459-5596 wearyco.com This sponsored content was produced in partnership between Weary & Co. and T8N magazine.

Food & Gatherings

MEXICAN

Heat Wave

Warm up with a colourful fiesta of homemade tacos and tequila.

BY RUDY HOWELL; RECIPES & STYLING BY SHIMA ZONNEVELD PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRENDA LAKEMAN

AS WE SKATE through the

coldest months of the year, a trip to Mexico may seem like a pretty solid idea. However, getting there isn’t always an option, so we’re bringing a bit of Mexico to you. Start your New Year with juicy carnitas and creative side dishes to spice up the usual fixings of grated cheddar or Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded lettuce, chopped jalapenos, and sour cream—and finish with a delectable Mexican-style dessert.

T8N January / February 2019 19 T8N January /February 2019 19

Pork Carnitas Aside from the juicy deliciousness of each bite, these sweet and spicy carnitas free up your time to prepare side dishes as the pork caramelizes in the oven.

3 lb or 1.5 kg of pork shoulder or butt

2 tsp pepper

2 oranges, halved and juiced

2 tsp chili powder

3 limes, halved and juiced

1 tsp ground coriander

4 whole garlic cloves, crushed

12 corn or flour tortillas for serving

4 tsp kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 275°F. In a deep roasting pan, combine the orange juice, lime juice, and the whole garlic cloves.

Give the mixture a stir and set aside.

Cut the pork shoulder into roughly 4 equal pieces.

In a bowl, combine the salt, pepper, chili powder, and ground coriander seed. Generously rub each piece of pork with the spice rub, and place in the roasting pan.

Cover the pan tightly with foil and slowly cook for 2–2 ½ hours. Remove from the oven and shred the pork in the pan, discarding any bones. Turn up the oven to 425°F. Put the shredded pork back in to crisp the edges of the meat—about 15–30 minutes.

Heat corn or flour tortillas in a skillet for 30 seconds on each side to slightly char the edges.

Or wrap a stack of tortillas in foil and heat them up in the oven. Fill the tortillas with pork and top with your favourite fixings.

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Fresh Salsa

Mango Margaritas

This salsa is guaranteed to be a smash as a dip, or as a topping for Pork Carnitas. Tip: Turn up the heat by adding a small seeded and diced jalapeno pepper.

What’s a fiesta without margaritas? This fruit-infused drink is the perfect refreshment before or after a spicy meal, and is sure to put a smile on your face (or maybe that’s just the tequila).

1 cup tomatoes, diced (heirlooms are lovely in this) ⅛ cup white onion, finely diced

½ lime, juiced ½ tsp kosher salt ½ tsp pepper

1 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

½ ounce agave syrup 3 cups ice 3 cups frozen mango 4 ounces tequila

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and serve immediately.

If preparing ahead, drain any excess liquid before serving.

1-2 limes, juiced (to taste) tonic water or club soda (to taste)

2 ounces triple sec

Put the first 6 ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.

Mix with tonic water or club soda to the desired consistency (use less for a slushier margarita).

Creamy Avocado Spread This guacamole-like spread makes for a great multipurpose dish that can be a chip dip, taco topping, or simply on top of toast. It will keep in the refrigerator for 3 or 4 days.

2 large avocados, halved and pitted

½ tsp pepper

2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

2 Tbsp water, more as needed

1-2 tsp lime juice 1 tsp coarse kosher salt

Place the avocado, fresh cilantro, lime juice, salt, and pepper into a food processor, and process until creamy. Add the water, and continue to process until smooth (more water can be added to achieve desired consistency). Transfer to a serving bowl, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

T8N January /February 2019 21

Red Onion Quick Pickle With their tangy crunch, these quick-pickled onions make a great topping for a variety of dishes, including Pork Carnitas.

They’re best eaten within a few days, but will keep in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks. ¼ cup red wine vinegar

1 cup water

1 tsp kosher salt

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

2 Tbsp white sugar

In a small pan, combine the vinegar, salt, sugar, and water. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat for 2–3 minutes.

Pack down the red onions in a mason jar, and place it in the sink (to contain splashing of the hot mixture). Carefully pour the mixture over the onions. Using a spoon, press down on the onions to remove any air bubbles in the jar (but don’t seal the jar yet).

Once the pickles have cooled to room temperature (about 20–30 minutes), they are sufficiently pickled for serving. Or feel free to seal the jar and store in the refrigerator.

Cilantro-Lime Slaw This slaw combats the spice of Pork Carnitas with a cool refreshing crunch. It can be made up to 8 hours in advance and stored in the refrigerator until serving time.

Salad Mix

Dressing

1 ½ cups purple cabbage, finely shredded 1 ½ cups green cabbage, finely shredded

½ cup sour cream or mayonnaise (if using Miracle Whip, omit the sugar)

2 carrots, coarsely grated

1 tsp lime juice

1 red pepper, thinly sliced

½ tsp salt

¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

¼ tsp pepper

3 green onions, finely sliced

1 tsp sugar

In a large bowl, combine all the salad mix ingredients. In a small bowl, whisk together all the ingredients for the dressing, and pour over the salad.

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Refried Beans This classic Mexican recipe is a beloved fiesta favourite, and will keep well in the refrigerator for up to a week.

1 Tbsp olive oil 1 small yellow onion, finely diced ½ tsp kosher salt ½ tsp chili powder ¼ tsp ground cumin ½ tsp pepper

2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained ½ cup water 3 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped ½ Tbsp lime juice coarse sea salt or flake salt

Warm the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat.

Add the onions and cook until translucent, 6–8 minutes.

Add the salt, chili powder, cumin, and pepper. Continue to cook for another minute, and then add the beans and water. Cover and cook for 8–10 minutes.

Reduce the heat to low and, using a potato masher, mash up at least half of the beans. If more texture is the goal, stop there. If less texture is the goal, mash up more beans.

With the lid off, cook the beans for another 5–10 minutes.

If the beans seem a bit dry, add another splash of water.

Remove from heat and stir in the fresh cilantro and lime juice. Finish with a sprinkle of coarse sea salt.

T8N January /February 2019 23

TIP: To make homemade vanilla bean sugar, split one vanilla bean lengthwise, scrape the seeds, and place the seeds and the pod into two cups of white sugar in a mason jar. Seal the jar and infuse for 1–2 weeks.

Cinnamon Crunch Ice Cream Rounds This recipe calls for feuilletine – a crispy sugar-cone-like confection made from thin, sweetened crêpes that can be found at specialty bakeshops. In a pinch, cornflakes will also do the trick.

Serve with Dark Chocolate-Cinnamon Drizzle and mango slices.

1.5 L container vanilla ice cream 1 tsp cinnamon 1 cup feuilletine ¼ cup light brown sugar 2 Tbsp melted butter ½ tsp vanilla bean sugar (purchase, or make your own)

Let the ice cream soften on the counter.

Once softened, scoop into a large mixing bowl and add the cinnamon. With electric beaters, thoroughly beat the ice cream and the cinnamon. Transfer the ice cream back into its container and refreeze.

In a bowl, combine the feuilletine, brown sugar, melted butter, and vanilla bean sugar.

Using a large scoop, make ice cream balls, and roll in the crumb mixture. Place on a parchment-lined pan, and freeze again until ready to serve. (These can be frozen for up to 2 hours before the crumb mixture starts to soften).

Dark Chocolate-Cinnamon Drizzle

½ cup whipping cream

Perfect overtop of Cinnamon Crunch Ice Cream Rounds, but great on any ice cream, and makes a decadent addition to morning pancakes or waffles. This sauce will keep in the fridge for up to a week.

100g dark chocolate(70%), chopped

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¼ cup water 4 tsp white sugar 1 tsp cinnamon

In a small saucepan, combine the whipping cream, water, and sugar. Bring the mixture

to a simmer and cook for about 3–5 minutes until the sugar has dissolved.

Remove pan from heat, and add the chocolate and cinnamon. Return the pan to low heat and whisk until the chocolate is fully melted and the sauce has slightly thickened. Cool before serving with ice cream. t8n

Meet You There

NEATLY LAID OUT on the shelves and

3 Girls Swim & Wear Boutique Three sisters are making social media’s trendiest swimwear accessible to all.

BY LISA SZABO; PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRENDA LAKEMAN

tables of 3 Girls Swim & Wear Boutique are a selection of sunglasses you’d expect to find in a Kardashian’s closet, boxes of popsicle pool floats, and a tidy selection of bikinis made in LA and Bali. The contents of the shop look like they’ve been pulled directly out of your favourite Instagram accounts, which is kind of the point.

Sisters Erin, Amie, and Abbey Kirchner opened 3 Girls Swim & Wear Boutique as a result of being consistently frustrated with the lack of trendy swimwear available in stores. With the encouragement of their mother, the trio took to Instagram to source some of the swimsuits they saw featured on fashion blogs and worn by celebrities, and in 2016 their St. Albert boutique was born.

T8N January /February 2019 25

At ages 24, 23, and 18 respectively, the girls have made their endeavour a success through youthful confidence and a firm finger—or three—on the pulse of millennial fashion. Abbey, the youngest of the bunch, is currently in California taking Fashion Marketing, and Amie jokes that her favourite hobby is creeping Instagram bloggers.

“Most of the brands you see on Instagram aren’t available in Canada,” says Erin, a political sciences student, and the oldest of the three. That’s where the girls have found their niche. As the only store in North America to sell brands like Loving Tan—which has an impressive 660,000 followers on Instagram—3 Girls Swim & Wear Boutique has developed a reputation for carrying swimwear and accessories that aren’t usually found this side of the border. They’ve even expanded their stock to include a few choice items for men.

But that’s not all they’re known for.

Buying a swimsuit can be a trying and emotional task, and the girls have built their brand around making the shop a supportive and inclusive place. Erin says her favourite moments are when customers—who’ve struggled to find even one suit they feel comfortable wearing—come in and now have to choose from all of the options they love.

SWIMWEAR CARE 101 Stay away from rough surfaces.

Swimsuits are usually made from nylon, which can snag or pill if caught on something rough (like sand or a concrete bench). Put some distance between your suit and rugged surfaces with a cushy beach towel.

Rinse in cold water. After a day of swimming in chlorine or salt, your 26 T8Nmagazine.com

suit could use some rehydration in pure water. A quick cold rinse after each wear will help preserve the material, and protect your skin from irritation, too.

Blow it dry. Keep swimwear out of the dryer, which can break down the elasticity, and out of the sun, which can fade the colours. Instead, hang to dry or blow-dry it on the cool setting to help speed up drying time.

“Being trendy is sometimes really exclusive,” she says, and the girls are taking the opportunity to make trends accessible for all body types, personalities, and styles. They’ve taken this idea so far as to launch their own swimwear line, 3 Girls: The Label. “It’s stuff we were still waiting to find,” says Erin. They filled this gap by designing two tops and two bottoms, each updating a trendy style with a unique function they hadn’t seen in any other brand. The bandeau-style Amie top has straps to keep it from falling down; and the Ashlee top, a fully-adjustable triangle top with full side coverage, is designed to fit nearly any body type. It seems they weren’t the only ones waiting, because even after a reorder only a handful of items from the girls’ collection still hang on the walls.

The sisters didn’t plan on being entrepreneurs, but they’re surprised at how much they’re enjoying it. And for pool and beach-loving St. Albertans, their venture is a refreshing one. The young trendsetters at 3 Girls Swim & Wear Boutique have stitched together the best styles social media has to offer, with the inclusivity that it can sometimes lack, and tied it together with youthful ambition.

“I came from retail, so I knew what I was getting into,” laughs Amie. “But being one of the owners is way better.” t8n

Abbey, Amie and Erin Kirchner.

TIPS FOR CHOOSING THE PERFECT SUIT

you’ll have a better idea of what styles look best on you.

Finding a suit that looks and feels right can be a long process. Set yourself up for success with five tips from three girls who know what they’re talking about.

Ignore the size. “If you like it, take it,” Amie says. Every brand fits differently, and every style will too.

Focus on how it fits and how you feel, rather than the letter on the tag.

Be excited. The best time to shop for a swimsuit is the day after booking a vacation. “Someone who comes in just after they’ve bought their trip, and has time to spare, is 10 times more likely to find something than someone who’s leaving the next day and is stressed out,” says Erin.

Try on something outrageous.

Unique styles can have the most flattering fits. Try on something you wouldn’t normally have considered, and you might be surprised.

Look around—twice. Do an initial sweep of the store, and try on anything that jumps out. After that,

Tell us what you don’t like. “We know everything in the store,” says Amie. Telling a staff member what you like—and don’t like—will help them find you better options.

Visit us at the Edmonton Motorcycle Show January 11th–13th

Location 28A St. Anne Street Service Hard-to-find swimwear styles sourced from star social media brands Specialty Their own private label of innovative designs Fun Fact The boutique is known colloquially as “The Suits of Instagram.”

BOOTH SHOW SPECIAL

3 Girls Swim & Wear Boutique at a Glance

#422 #424

th ANNIVERSARY

TNTMOTORCYCLING.COM T8N January /February 2019 27

Then & Now

Leo Nickerson

Elementary School

Then & Now

Portrait of Leo Nickerson by J. Gordon Sinclair.

BY MARKWELL LYON

THE STORY OF Leo Nickerson

Elementary School starts with a storm—an unfortunately tragic one. On July 14, 1961, St. Albert resident Leo Nickerson was leading a Cub Scout camp at Wabamun Lake when turbulent winds and waves threatened a number of boys in the water. Although the 36-year-old managed to rescue two, he and three boys succumbed to the strong waves. For his heroic actions, the Protestant Separate School District No. 6 decided three years later to name their new elementary school in Sturgeon Heights after him.

1960s The school was the fourth to open in the fast-growing district and the first not to be named after a prominent figure from Canadian history. An official ceremony 28 T8Nmagazine.com

was held on June 24 1964, at which Nickerson’s widow Sylvia laid the cornerstone. Classes began on September 1 for 225 students, with local high school teacher Joseph Garber taking the helm as principal. Getting in slightly ahead of the kids, though, was the local Anglican church, which decided late August to move its services from Paul Kane to the newly built school while its own building was being constructed.

Leo Nickerson parents took an active role in the school. The Parent-Teacher Association was meeting monthly from as early as the 1968-69 school year, and for a time, they were the only PTA in town. The group was front and centre during the spring of 1969 as reports emerged that some teachers at the school were somewhat liberal with their use of corporal punishment and even foul language around the students. The controversy led to Principal Garber’s resignation, with Lowell Throndsen taking over as his replacement.

1970s and 1980s The school’s second decade saw a few interesting attempts at innovation.

In 1970, the idea of replacing the traditional report card with parentteacher interviews was briefly floated— and just as quickly shot down by parents.

The results of a survey came back 151 against and only 10 in favour. Then, in 1974, years before the Sorting Hat put a young Harry Potter into Gryffindor, Leo Nickerson implemented its own sorting system. The brainchild of incoming principal Frank Carnahan, students

1990s and 2000s Glenys Edwards took over as principal in 1997, a position she would hold until her retirement in 2012. One of her first actions was to add a third track, Logos Christian Education, to its English and French programs in September 1998. The Logos program, a concept that places the curriculum in a faith-based context, began with 80 students and has since grown to cover Kindergarten through Grade 9, with 200 students split between Leo Nickerson and Elmer S. Gish. (All will be moved to Joseph M. Demko when it opens in September 2019.)

The program’s success led to a population boom at the school during Edwards’ tenure. Through the mid-90s, enrollment had hovered around 300 students before climbing to 481 in 2000-01 and 555 in 2005-06.

Today Close to 700 students called Leo Nickerson home when it celebrated a milestone anniversary near the end of the 2013-14 school year. On June 24, 2014, 50 years to the day of that inaugural stone laying ceremony, students, staff, and guests— including Sylvia Nickerson and her daughters—gathered to A Child’s Realm / Le Royaume de l’Enfant. By Stan Phelps, staff, and students to commemorate the school’s 50th Anniversary on June 24, 2014.

mark the occasion. t8n

JOSEPH M. DEMKO SCHOOL When it opens later this year, Joseph M. Demko will be the newest public school in St. Albert.

The two-storey, $15.9-million school is going up in Jensen Lakes, not far from the new Catholic Sister Alphonse Academy. It will have two program tracks—English and Logos Christian—and will accommodate a whopping 900 students.

The school’s namesake, Joe Demko, joined the district as a teacher in the late 1960s, and later served as Superintendent before retiring in 2005. were divided into four houses: Aquarius, Gemini, Scorpio, and Taurus, with the goal of creating a sense of belonging and friendly rivalry.

During the mid-1980s, the school saw some longer-lasting changes. A French Immersion program was introduced, initially serving Kindergarten to Grade 4. Renovations to the tune of $1 million resulted in a new gym in 1986, marked by the unveiling of a commemorative plaque by Sylvia Nickerson.

In June of 1987, a new playground was opened, led by a committee of students, teachers, and parents who raised $77,000 to finance the project. Students’ Union president Shannon Hayes “cut” the ribbon by riding her bike through it.

T8N January /February 2019 29

Spotlight

Photo: Bubble Rock Photography

Wedded Bliss Saying “I do” to a wedding planner promises a stress-free day.

BY LISA SZABO; IMAGES SUPPLIED BY SANDRA CASSIOS

THE QUESTION HAS been popped, the answer is a go, and you’re getting

married. Congratulations! Now what? Depending on your skills, planning a wedding can be daunting at best; disastrous at worst. Enter the wedding planner: A good planner can realize your wildest wedding dreams, or turn a total lack of vision into a memorable event that reflects your personal style.

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Photo: Eternal Reflections Photography

Photo: Bubble Rock Photography

Photo: Tracy Jazmin Photography

Sandra Cassios, owner and lead planner of Sandra Bettina Weddings & Events, does just that. After falling in love with planning her own wedding in 2014, the Bachelor of Commerce grad opened a wedding planning and design boutique, which specializes in a la carte services for every budget. Offerings range from hourly consulting on decor or vendors to finalizing the details a couple of months before the big day to full nuptial planning packages. A wedding planner takes the stress and distraction of organizing an event off of the happy couple so they can focus on each other and enjoy their special day. What’s not to love?

What does a wedding planner do?

One of the most common misconceptions is that a wedding planner is a decorator, or just does the setup. Certainly there’s that side to it, but a wedding planner is so much more. Most of our clients hire us for a month of management.

This means they organize most of it themselves, and we step in two months before the wedding to help them bring it all together. Full planning is exactly that—couples come to us and say ‘we want to get married,’ and we execute the entire event from start to finish.

T8N January /February 2019 31

TOP 5 WEDDING TRENDS With most couples now footing their own bill, weddings are trending away from tradition and toward expression of the pair’s unique style.

1. Personalization Some are choosing to serve a favourite dessert instead of wedding cake, or introducing activities such as hiring a dance instructor to teach guests their favourite style.

2. Small and Casual More couples are celebrating with close friends and family in an intimate ceremony where candles, farm tables, and a laid-back atmosphere are on the menu.

3. Mix and Match We’re seeing eclectic variation in decor elements that would traditionally be matching, such as different centerpieces on tables, or white chairs in a variety of shapes.

4. Hand Lettering Rather than using a typical paper seating chart, couples are handwriting guests’ names onto clear acrylic at place settings.

Ask your wedding planner about hiring a professional hand-letterer for fonts with flair.

5. Dance Floor Wraps A new and glamorous way to liven up the dance floor is to use vinyl floor wraps. These can be designed however you like, and can turn your venue into a modern ballroom.

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Photo: Tracy Jazmin Photography

What is your top priority as a planner?

I want our clients to have the wedding that they envisioned, with the least amount of stress and the most amount of fun. I want them to feel incredibly comfortable.

How does a couple know if they need a wedding planner?

Every couple needs a wedding planner. It doesn’t matter how organized you are— you’re busy getting married on your wedding day, and you can’t be there to

make sure everything goes according to plan. Ideally, you want to show up at your wedding not knowing the backdrop fell three times, or the cake almost didn’t make it.

What are the most important characteristics to look for in a planner?

You never want the experience to feel like a transaction. You want somebody who will give you all of the options and their honest opinion and expertise, but ultimately respect your choices.

TOP 5 DON’T FORGETS When planning a party for 300 guests on average, some things are bound to slip through the cracks. Here are a few often forgotten tasks to keep your eye on.

1. Include vendors in your guest count.

Photographers, wedding coordinators, and the DJ all need to eat, too. Don’t forget to budget for their meals and plan for decor at their tables.

2. Find out when the decor needs to come down.

Vendors often charge additional fees for picking up items late at night. Ask the venue about your teardown options beforehand so you can budget accordingly.

3. Have a ‘bad weather’ contingency plan.

Bad weather can ruin months of planning when you’re not prepared. If you’re going with an outdoor wedding, have a covered backup location (or a few hundred umbrellas) ready to go in case of rain.

Photo: Kristin Zabos Photography

4. Stay hydrated.

Bring a water bottle wherever you go. A headache is the last wedding gift anyone needs.

You also need somebody who is good at written communication and is incredibly detailed—whether it’s with design or a timeline, it’s those details that take your wedding from a decent event to an absolutely great event.

5. Bring a change of shoes.

Even the most comfortable heels will have feet aching after a full day. Bring an extra (and reliably comfortable) pair for the late-night part of the reception, so you can focus on your dance moves, not your sore feet.

What advice would you give to a couple planning their wedding?

If you choose to go with a planner, and when dealing with other vendors, let the professionals do their jobs. And try not to lose sight of the fact that at the end of the day, the ultimate goal is to marry the person you fell in love with. t8n

Photo: Eternal Reflections T8N January /February 2019 33

The Crosswalk Across 2 City of Lights 4 It’s impossible to walk the streets of this city 6 Most visited national park in Canada 7 UNESCO World Heritage Site and popular tourist destination in Vietnam 9 US city where you’ll find Little Havana 11 A monumental icon of ancient civilization in Peru 12 European city where Games of Thrones films its “King’s Landing” scenes 13 What happens here, stays here 14 The most famous timepiece in the world 15 One of the world’s most multicultural cities with 160 languages spoken 16 “The Rock” (aka Dwayne Johnson) will never be as big as this rock in Oz 17 The largest amphitheater ever built 19 This city is famous for its opera house 20 Pots of honey preserved for 3,000 years were found in one of these 21 They say beer is cheaper than water in this European city

Down 1 The country where Africa, Europe and the Middle East meet 3 American Blues musician and majestic Indian monument 5 Home of the Forbidden City 8 St. Albert’s beloved historic structures 10 This structure is an enduring symbol of ancient Greece 15 The most populous metropolitan area in the world 18 The Score starring Robert De Niro was filmed in this Canadian city

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Wanderlust JOURNEY INTO THIS month’s travel-themed crossword puzzle and test

your knowledge of the world’s most famous cities, sites, and structures.

For answers, visit t8nmagazine.com

VOTING IS NOW OPEN

Cast your vote today! Voting open until February 15th, 2019.

Coming ! this Spring

VOTE IN OVER 140 CATEGORIES 2019

Best New Business, Best Restaurant, Best Gift Shop, Best Wine Store, Best Spa and many more!

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T8N January /February 2019  35

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