T8N January 2018

January 2018 t8nmagazine.com

Farmhouse Luxe

It’s Time to Get Cozy

Life’s Better When

Things Get Saucy!

Fall in Love with Winter at St. Albert Nordic Ski Club

Beyond the Podium

Where Sports & Politics Compete

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January 2018

Contents CONVERSATIONS 6 Beyond the Podium

Where sports and politics compete

ARTS & CULTURE 9 The New History of Flight A new face for the Alberta Aviation Museum

14 Then & Now

Deer Ridge Then & Now 16 In the Spotlight

PyeongChang, South Korea Finding the Olympic Spirit in East Asia

18 The 8s

Farmhouse Luxe It’s time to get cozy

LIVING 20 TRULY DEEPLY MADLY

May We Suggest…

RSVP Wedding Rules Going, going… meh, changed my mind!

23 FOOD & GATHERINGS

Get Saucy!

Sometimes more is more

ABOUT THE COVER Indulge. Life is sweet.

IMAGE BY BRENDA LAKEMAN PHOTOGRAPHY

CITY 27 COMMUNITY CALENDAR 28 MEET YOU THERE

St. Albert Nordic Ski Club Home to local skiers since 1973

TRENDING 30 Road-Tripping

Canada’s best roadside attractions 32 Drone (n.)

The buzz around taking to the skies

Get back to your life!

Call Maximum Sleep Care today.

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Summit Galleria, St Albert across from DynaLife | 780.569.5252 www.maximumsleep.ca gary@maximumsleep.ca

T8N January 2018  3

From the Editor

T8N MAGAZINE

VOLUME 5 ISSUE 1 January 2018

WHILE DAYDREAMING ABOUT an overdue getaway,

CARMEN D. HRYNCHUK EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

I happened upon this little nugget of wisdom: “If you’re going to fall, fall forward. At least you’re going somewhere.” Not exactly your idea of travelling? Mine either, but it’s hard to ignore good advice when you hear it. And advice and travel are exactly what this month’s articles are all about— beginning with a trip to the Olympic Winter Games! Sort of…

If, like many people, you are in awe of what it must take to compete in the Olympics, consider that there’s also one giant hurdle that no athlete can ever physically prepare for—the politics. In our feature article titled “Beyond the Podium,” we look back through the Olympic years to highlight those moments where sports and politics have collided. But our Olympic journey doesn’t end there. We’re also shining a bright, golden spotlight on PyeongChang, South Korea, host of the 2018 Winter Games.

Also on our travel log is a trip to the Alberta Aviation Museum. If you’ve never been, add it to your winter to-do list. We certainly came away inspired after our visit to capture this month’s photo essay. If a road trip is more your speed, we’ve got that covered, too. From a giant Easter egg in Vegreville, Alberta, to a signpost forest in Watson Lake, Yukon, our list of roadside attractions is sure to get your motor running. As for what’s around the rest of this issue’s corners, that’s for you to discover.

PUBLISHER

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Rob Lightfoot

Carmen D. Hrynchuk

ART DIRECTION

Carmen D. Hrynchuk, Brenda Lakeman PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT & DESIGN

Correna Saunders PHOTOGRAPHY

Brenda Lakeman FOOD STYLING

Little Fire Creative SALES REPRESENTATIVE

Tricia Tuchscherer EDITORIAL INTERN

Markwell Lyon CONTRIBUTORS

Shawna Dirksen, Jennie Drent, Bruce Timothy Keith, Robert Michon OFFICE MANAGER

Janice Lightfoot CONTRIBUTING AGENCIES Image page 6 ©bluebutterfly/Adobe Stock Image page 7 © KirillS/Adobe Stock Image page 20 ©manifeesto/Adobe Stock Image page 21 ©ohishiftl/Adobe Stock Image page 30 ©Christian/Adobe Stock Image page 31 ©chesky/Adobe Stock

Enjoy the ride!

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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.

Feature Writers ROBERT MICHON

FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION

Robert has a degree in History and English Literature from the University of Alberta and is pursuing a second degree in Communications from MacEwan University. Robert fills much of his free time reading, blogging or writing fiction. But when he doesn’t have a book in hand, he can usually be found outdoors, hiking or enjoying one of Edmonton’s many summer festivals.

Rob Lightfoot rob@t8nmagazine.com 780 940 6212 or visit t8nmagazine.com

BRUCE TIMOTHY KEITH

Bruce has travelled across pretty much all of Canada by car, train, boat and plane and is constantly amazed at how much beauty there is still left to absorb. He makes, lives and works in Edmonton but likes to spend as much time as possible sailing the West Coast.

T8N magazine is published 12 times a year

by T8N Publishing Inc. Copyright ©2018 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.

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Conversations

BEYOND THE PODIUM

Where sports and politics compete

BY ROBERT MICHON

FOR TWO WEEKS this month, from

February 9th to the 25th, the nations of the world will join together in the spirit of friendship to celebrate the 23rd Winter Olympic Games. Since ancient times, the Olympics have acted as a celebration of human athletic excellence and have promoted values such as international cooperation and peaceful competition among rivals.

While these values are admirable, it’s ha rd for ma ny nations to put their political agendas aside for the games. So although Olympic athletes find themselves prepared physically and mentally to compete among the world’s greatest athletes, it’s nearly impossible for them to prepare for the political minefield that often awaits them outside of the competition. Here is a look back at some of those Winter Olympic controversies that no amount of physical training can prepare you for.

PyeongChang, South Korea, 2018 This year the Winter Olympics are taking place in PyeongChang, South Korea, a small mountain town in the north of the country.

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While the games haven’t quite started yet, there have already been controversies aplenty.

Most pressingly, North Korea has been on everyone’s minds. The small dictatorship located only 50 kilometres from PyeongChang has been testing nuclear bombs and missile launches with increasing frequency over the last few years. This, coupled with the nation’s adversarial foreign policy, has given many world leaders cause to worry.

France and Austria have both stated that their athletes will not attend the games unless safety can be guaranteed.

Russian athletes will be absent from the games as well, though not by choice. Russia is facing a ban from the games due to the nation’s state-sponsored doping program, in which athletes have been encouraged (even allegedly forced) to take performance-enhancing drugs, a practice that is expressly forbidden by the International Olympic Commission (more commonly known as the IOC). Russia has the highest rate of doping-related disqualifications of all the countries that participate in the games, and the government has been uncooperative with the IOC’s attempts to stop the practice. But while some countries pull support, others such as Mexico are excited to become more involved. PyeongChang will mark the first

year that Mexico, a warm-weather country, has qualified to send multiple athletes to compete in the winter games.

Sochi, Russia, 2014 The Sochi Olympics were filled with political controversy from the very beginning. For starters, Sochi is officially classified as having a tropical climate, making the summer beach resort a less-than-obvious choice as host of the Winter Olympic Games. Throughout the event, snow had to be trucked in from nearby mountains, and skiers routinely had to dodge puddles of water as they ended their runs. Athletes were understandably upset throughout the games, as they had to compete in conditions that they couldn’t reasonably have been expected to train for.

To further add to the frustration of many athletes, there were 33 doping investigations over the course of the games, with over half of those directed at Russian athletes. This overwhelming number of performance-enhancing drug offences is a large part of the reason why Russian athletes are facing a ban during this year’s games.

Many athletes from Georgia and Ukraine, two nations that Russia had recently invaded, boycotted the Sochi Olympics, along with many LGBTQ athletes, as a response to Russia’s anti-homosexuality laws. These boycotts

led to many protests in and around Sochi.

Between the need for increased security and the herculean task of converting a summer beach resort into a winter sports facility, Russia spent over 51 billion dollars on the games, making it the most expensive Olympic games of all time.

Vancouver, Canada, 2010 2010 marked the second time that Canada acted as host to the Olympic Winter games, and the third time hosting the Olympics overall. Vancouver is not a cheap place to live at the best of times, and the Olympics only aggravated the housing crisis further. Prior to the games, the City of Vancouver created new laws and housing policies that many feared would be used to hide the city’s homeless population from the world. While there were no major incidents during the games, CBC later reported that the games, intentionally or not, had pushed much of Vancouver’s homeless population out of the more visible areas of the city.

Deaths at the Olympic games are not unheard of, but they are certainly not something that most athletes are prepared to deal with—and in such a public manner. On the day of the opening ceremonies in Vancouver, athletes, coaches, organizers and fans came together to mourn the death of Nodar Kumaritashvili, a Georgian luger who lost control of his sled during a practice run. As one would expect, this tragedy set a somber tone for athletes during the remainder of the games.

Turin, Italy, 2006 The weather during the Turin Olympics was almost perfect, and athletes and fans alike were excited for the games to begin. As host, the city of Turin spared no expense, either.

In fact, it ended the games with a deficit of 3.2 million dollars and had to be bailed out by the Italian government. A special national lottery was created as a way to cover the costs of the games without increasing taxes, a plan which many Italians seemed happy to support.

Though the games were a success, they were not free of doping scandals. A total of eight athletes were disqualified, including six Austrian skiers and biathletes whose quarters were raided by Italian police during the games.

Salt Lake City, United States, 2002 America hadn’t hosted the winter Olympics since Lake Placid in 1980 and was excited to once again host, after a 22-year wait.

Though experienced, Salt Lake City also became the first Olympic Games to follow the terrorist attacks of 9/11. As such, security was higher than it ever had been at previous games. Thankfully, the games were relatively peaceful. They were not, however, without scandals.

The 2002 Olympics witnessed one of the worst bribery scandals in Olympic history, with officials from Salt Lake City sending lavish gifts to voting members of the IOC in an effort to ensure that their city would be chosen to host the games. Many IOC members lost their jobs, and the scandal led to tighter restrictions regarding contact between IOC voters and potential host cities.

There was also a figure skating controversy that many Canadians probably remember to this day. The Russians were accused of bribing the judges to vote in favour of the Russian team. Canadian duo Jamie Salé and David Pelletier skated a flawless program but received a lower score than their Russian rivals who had made several obvious mistakes.

Salé and Pelletier were eventually awarded a set of gold medals, but the extent of the cheating scandal was never fully uncovered or publically disclosed.

Nagano, Japan, 1998 While most host cities worry about the weather being too warm, Nagano had the opposite problem. A cold streak coupled with an earthquake delayed many events during the games, but despite a few mini avalanches on the slopes, no events had to be cancelled and no athletes sustained any injuries.

The Nagano Olympics also marked the debut of snowboarding as an official Olympic sport, but the inauguration came with its own doping scandal. Canadian snowboarder Ross Rebagliati was stripped of his gold medal after marijuana was found in his system.

That medal, however, was later reinstated after the IOC discovered that marijuana was not actually on its banned substances list.

Nobody really knows how much the Nagano Olympics cost, as the financial documents were ordered to be destroyed by Nagano official Sumikazu Yamaguchi, who claimed that he “didn’t want to make the IOC uncomfortable” by what the records said. It has been long suspected, but never proven, that this was done to hide evidence of bribery. The estimated cost of the games is 10 billion in total, including

DID YOU KNOW? Due to a controversial NHL decision, professional Canadian and American hockey players will not be allowed to compete in PyeongChang. This won’t, however, be the first time that Canada sent amateurs to the Olympics. In 1948, Canada sent the Royal Canadian Air Force’s team to compete, and they still brought home the gold. infrastructure development and is generally assumed to have been a net loss for Japan.

Lillehammer, Norway, 1994 The Lillehammer Olympics were held during the ongoing Bosnian war. Both the IOC and the United Nations asked the combatants to agree to a traditional Olympic ceasefire, evoking the memory of the nearly-destroyed Sarajevo, the capital city of Bosnia, which had hosted the Olympics 10 years earlier.

However, while a multi-ethnic Bosnian/ Croatian/Serbian bobsled team competed together in the spirit of peace and cooperation, the war itself raged on for another two years.

Despite the Bosnian team being celebrated for its diversity, the IOC limited the overall diversity of the Olympics by raising its qualifying standards to such a high degree that the majority of athletes from warm-weather countries were effectively prohibited from participating in the games.

T8N January 2018 7

FUN FACT There are records of Olympic scandals tracing back as far as ancient Greece. Bribery and sabotage were rampant in the ancient world. One of the myths of the foundation of the games even includes an athlete praying to the gods to sabotage an opponent’s chariot.

Lillehammer was also host to perhaps one of the most famous Olympic scandals of all time. American figure skater Nancy Kerrigan was attacked in the weeks leading up to the games by a man hired by the ex-husband of her main competitor, Tonya Harding. Despite Kerrigan’s injury and Harding’s suspected role in the attack, both women completed their performances. Harding placed 8th, while Kerrigan won the silver medal. The

gold medal was awarded to an unexpectedly brilliant skater, 16-year-old Oksana Baiul of Ukraine. The media continues to be so consumed by the rivalry and scandal that a movie dramatizing the incident was released this past December, 23 years after the event.

Lillehammer was also celebrated as the first “eco-friendly” Olympic games. Sporting structures were built from natural materials, and all infrastructure had to blend in with the natural landscape. Despite their lofty economic and environmental goals, the games put Lillehammer 711 million dollars in debt, and the city had to be bailed out by the Norwegian government using money earned from the country’s vast oil reserves, undoing the environmentalist reputation that organizers had worked to promote.

Albertville, France, 1992 The 1992 Olympic games were the first games to follow the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. This lead to many new nations competing in the games, including Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania who had not made independent appearances at the games since they were absorbed into the USSR in 1936.

Germany also returned to the Olympic stage as a unified nation for the first time since 1964.

As would become the norm, Russian athletes were involved in doping scandal, one of which was almost deadly. The Russian biathlon team performed illegal blood transfusions before their event, and athlete Sergei Tarasov was given the wrong blood. He had to be rushed to the hospital to avoid complete kidney failure that would have resulted in his death.

1992 was also the final year that demonstration sports were allowed at the games.

Demonstration sports are not official events, and no medals are awarded to their winners.

Their purpose was simply to give the host country a chance to promote their unique national sports. Albertville audiences were treated to events like curling, speed skiing and ski ballet. Some of these demonstration sports would go on to become regular events, while others were forgotten.

Albertville, like many other Olympic hosts before and after, required a major bailout from its federal government in order to recover from the games. The games, while deemed to be culturally successful by France, resulted in a 56.8 million dollar deficit for the city.

Calgary, Canada, 1988

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While Albertville had trouble managing its finances, Calgary made profit a priority during its games, resulting in a net gain of 40 million dollars for the city. However, some within the city’s planning committee took this idea a little too far. While a percentage of tickets are usually held for locals to use, a full half of the tickets for the events were sold off the books, meaning many Calgarians could not even attend their own city’s event.

Additionally, some ticket vendors began selling tickets in American prices, skimming the difference off the top.

The 1988 Olympics gave Calgary the now-iconic Saddledome. But this decision was not without controvery. Many low-income homes were demolished to make room for the arena, displacing many long-time residents of Victoria Park East.

While Calgarians are normally proud of the strong Chinook winds that heat up their city in the dead of winter, an inopportune Chinook brought daily temperatures as high as 17 degrees Celsius during the games. This marked the first time that ski events had to be performed on artificial snow, though it certainly wouldn’t be the last. t8n

THE NEW HISTORY OF

FLIGHT

A new face for the Alberta Aviation Museum PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRENDA LAKEMAN WORDS BY ROBERT MICHON

WITH THE RECENT closure of Edmonton’s City Centre

Airport, you might have wondered if the airfield’s historic aviation museum would be shutting down, too.

Well, wonder no more. Not only is the museum staying open, the staff and the volunteers have been hard at work (for over a year) reinventing the hangar to attract a new generation of museum-goers. The results are nothing short of impressive. Their growing collection

of exhibits tell the story of central Alberta and the role that airplanes have played in our history—from transportation, to exploration, to war. In fact, if a visit wasn’t on your winter to-do list, squeeze it in. You’ll discover new exhibits, new stories and maybe even a passion for all things aviation. We certainly did.

Take a look.

T8N January 2018 9

A Proud Legacy The Aviation Museum is only 25 years old, but Blatchford Hangar, the name of the building that houses the museum, will be celebrating its 91st birthday this summer. In those 91 years, the airport has played a huge role not only in Edmonton’s history but in world’s history, too. “The history of aviation in this city is simply incredible,” says Zena Conlin, the museum’s marketing manager. “And you can really see it all here, right down to the plough that was used to break ground on the airport over 90 years ago.”

It may be hard to believe, but during the Second World War, the Blatchford Airport was the busiest airfield in the world. Over 800 allied planes would fly through on a daily basis, using Edmonton as a final stop before heading off to their wartime destinations. Since then, it has served as a home to bush pilots making trips to Canada’s north, as well as to regular passengers, hoping to return home for the holidays.

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An Evolving Story In the past, the hangar of the museum housed dozens of aircraft, each paired with a plaque. Today, the planes are still there but are now surrounded by life-sized dioramas, each telling an engaging story. “We’re really trying to focus on the storytelling element,” says Conlin. “Instead of just plopping down an aircraft with a description next to it, we’re trying to put it into context through the visual design of the exhibit.”

A new focus has also been placed on the exploration of forgotten or ignored histories from Blatchford’s past. “There were quite a few female pilots in the early days of aviation that haven’t really been glorified in the same way as their male counterparts,” explains Conlin. “The same can be said of women who worked in the hangars or in radio control.”

T8N January 2018 11

Living History As impressive as the exhibits are, they take up only half of the double-wide Blatchford Hangar. On the other side, you’ll find the museum’s workshop space, where retired pilots, mechanics and hobbyists volunteer their time to restore old aircraft and talk to the public about their work. While some may find it hard to relate to statistics and names on plaques, the restoration space is where you can see history come alive.

“We wouldn’t be able to do any of this without our volunteer team,” says Conlin. “As aviation technology changes, the knowledge and skills that older generations carry is in danger of being lost.” With the restoration space, this expertise and the living connection to history can be put on display for all museum-goers to see.

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A Permanent Fixture The Aviation Museum is planning to become the major attraction of the upcoming Blatchford residential neighbourhood, and a major tourist site for visitors to Edmonton, too. As the volunteers continue their work, the exhibits will expand, and more stories will be recovered from the archives, bringing a love of aviation history to generations to come. t8n T8N January 2018  13

Then & Now

DID YOU KNOW? Despite the rapidly changing demographics in Deer Ridge, it is still home to the largest high school and young-adult population in St. Albert.

DEER RIDGE THEN & NOW

DEER RIDGE IS a young community,

not only in terms of when it was founded but also in terms of the people who live there—its residents have the lowest average age in all of St. Albert.

Coincidence? Not at all. Many of the com munity’s first residents were young couples interested in starting families, and the demographics reflect this. However, Deer Ridge is no longer just known for being full of children. In fact, it’s now gaining buzz for having the most rapidly declining population, as the children of Deer Ridge grow up and leave to start lives and families of their own.

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1980s The construction of Deer Ridge first began in 1982, but the original vision for the neighbourhood was much smaller than the Deer Ridge we know today. The subdivision was originally planned to cover only the area east of Bellerose High School and south of Deer Ridge Drive. The northern, far eastern and western areas of Deer Ridge wouldn’t be conceived of until much later.

While Bellerose High accounted for one of the boundaries in the initial plan of the area, it wasn’t completed until 1988, when it opened as St. Albert’s second public high school. Previously, all non-Catholic highschool students in the city had attended Paul Kane, and the idea of a closer, newer

high school was an appealing draw to many young parents, even though many of their children wouldn’t be attending high school for a few more years.

1990s Deer Ridge continued to grow into the 90s, with more houses being added around the perimeter of the original street plan. Muriel Martin Elementary School was completed in 1991, giving the younger children of the community a school close to home. Not long after, in 1998, J.J. Nearing Elementary School opened its doors, giving Catholic families a nearby school as well.

2000s Construction in Deer Ridge had more or less ceased by the year 2000, and the community

settled into its role as a place for young families to raise their kids. It had great parks, great schools and a multitude of family-sized homes. Almost anywhere you looked, you could find well-worn street-hockey nets, play structures tucked between houses and sidewalks covered in chalk drawings. As children turned into teenagers, things changed a little bit. Noise complaints and reports of minor vandalism began to rise, and youth-focused community programs began to rise alongside them to provide positive outlets for bored teens.

Today Deer Ridge’s status as a community of young families will not be accurate for much longer.

As the children of the community grow up and leave to make lives for themselves, the empty nesters who remain will shape and reinvent the neighbourhood’s identity, just as the residents of so many other communities have done before. In fact, they’re already off to a good start. In 2017, Deer Ridge hosted more than 15 block parties as a way for neighbours to get to know one another and build stronger bonds throughout the community.

New parents will, of course, continue to move into the area to raise their children, but the age demographics of Deer Ridge will be far more mixed than ever before. The next few years will also no doubt bring other new changes—though less in the buildings themselves, and more in the relationships and organizations formed between neighbours. t8n

Image Credit: Musée Héritage Museum Aerial of Deer Ridge looking east, September 1997 Depicts Deer Ridge Drive and JJ Nearing School

FUN FACT It’s normal for residential developments to be built in a few phases over a few years, but Deer Ridge’s construction was so spaced out that it’s experienced a whopping 25 phases of development.

T8N January 2018 15

PYEONGCHANG, SOUTH KOREA Finding the Olympic Spirit in East Asia

IT WAS THIRD time lucky for PyeongChang when it was

finally chosen to host the 2018 Winter Olympics. After unsuccessful bids for the 2010 and 2014 games, the South Korean county is all set to welcome athletes and viewers from all over the world this February. Whether you’re planning to go yourself or are content just to kick back and watch the coverage on TV, it’s a good time for a backgrounder on the upcoming festivities.

The Host PyeongChang is a county located in Gangwon, the largest of South Korea’s nine provinces. Known throughout Korea for its rugged forested terrain, much of Gangwon is covered by the Taebaek Mountains, a range that descends along the eastern side of the Korean 16 T8Nmagazine.com

peninsula. The altitude and location make for cold and snowy winters, with PyeongChang sporting an average February low of -10.5 ºC. For the Olympic period (Feb. 9 to 25), PyeongChang’s record low is -27.6 ºC, set in 1978, and on one particularly nasty day in February 1989 the area received 87.6 cm of snow. Ouch!

The Games & Venues The PyeongChang games will be Korea’s second (after Seoul in 1988) and the third winter games in Asia (after Sapporo in 1972 and Nagano in 1998). Gold medals will be awarded in 102 events, the most ever for a Winter Olympics. Four of these events—mixed-doubles curling, mass-start speed skating, mixed-team alpine skiing and big-air snowboarding—are brand new. Additionally, four countries are set to make their Winter Olympics debut: Ecuador, Eritrea, Kosovo and Malaysia.

Most of the venues will be concentrated in two clusters. Ski and sliding events will be held at the mountain cluster in the northeast corner of PyeongChang County. The coastal cluster, located in the nearby port city of Gangneung, will house the ice events. Yes, that includes women’s and men’s hockey, the latter of which will be lacking NHL participation for the first time since 1994.

DID YOU KNOW? Alberta and Gangwon have had a sister province relationship since 1974. The Korean pavilion at Government House in Edmonton was a gift from Gangwon in 2005 to mark both the 30th anniversary of this relationship as well as Alberta’s centennial.

Getting There In the past, the rugged PyeongChang area was a difficult one to reach. These days, though, South Korea’s advanced transportation network makes getting around a breeze.

For starters, most travellers enter the country at Incheon International Airport (ICN), about an hour west of central Seoul. The airport serves about 60 million passengers a year and has frequently been named the world’s cleanest and best airport. Even better, the airport is now connected to the KTX, South Korea’s excellent bullet-train network.

With a new KTX extension to Gangneung opening in December 2017, visitors will be able to travel the 250-plus kilometres from airport to opening ceremonies in an hour. The train passes through Seoul Station, making it easy for tourists to hop off and explore the Korean capital on their way to or from the games. For more information, and to reserve tickets online, visit the Korail website at www.letskorail.com.

That’s Not All If you’re in PyeongChang and find yourself overdosing on sports, fear not—there’s plenty else to do in Gangwon. Check out the nearby national parks at Odaesan, Seoraksan or Taebaeksan (if you’re wondering, san is Korean for “mountain”). Each has gorgeous alpine scenery year-round, along with scores of hiking trails—just remember to dress for

WINTER OLYMPIC TRIVIA • The games in 1940 (Sapporo, Japan) and 1944 (Cortina, Italy) were cancelled due to war. Cortina later hosted in 1956, and Sapporo did the same in 1972.

• Discontinued sports include bandy, sled-dog racing, speed skiing, military patrol (which evolved into biathlon) and skijoring (like sled-dog racing, but on skis). a winter hike. Alternatively, take a short trip to the town of Jeongdongjin, just south of Gangneung. It’s famous in Korea for its scenic beach-side train station, and the beach is also a popular place to catch a sunrise. If your leanings are more spiritual in nature, you can easily visit a Buddhist temple or two.

Woljeong Temple, conveniently located in northern PyeongChang County, dates back to the 7th century and has a number of cultural and historic relics, including a thousandyear-old stone pagoda. t8n

T8N January 2018 17

The 8s

1

FARMHOUSE

LUXE

It’s time to get cozy DREAMING OF A decadent getaway to the French

countryside or even a cozy weekend tucked away at the cabin? Well, there's no need to dream— or pack—because the farm-luxe look is bringing it all home. Copper pots and handsome charcuterie boards, French linens and alpaca throws, handpoured-and-scented soy candles—and that's just for starters. In fact, the farm-luxe look leaves no room (or daydreamer) uninspired. Here are a few of our favourite finds.

1.

Pokoloko Artisan Alpaca Wool Throw and Shawl, from Modern Eyes Gallery and Gift , $74 & $68 with Simply Noelle Throw, from Seasons Gift Shop, $75

2.

Caldrea Aromatherapeutic Homekeeping, from Swish Flowers, $15 to $25

3.

Mame Luxury Soy Candles, from Swish Flowers, $28 with Galvanized Iron Candle Holders, from Modern Eyes Gallery and Gift, $32 & $36 and Cedar Mountain Studios ‘Big Red Bike’ Mini Art Block, from Modern Eyes Gallery and Gift, $36

4.

Mahogany Vintage Napkin Set, from Hillaby’s Tools for Cooks, $15 each

5.

TruWood Culinary Black Walnut Charcuterie Board, from Hillaby’s Tools for Cooks, $180

6.

Timbers ‘Muskoka’ Maple Spoons, from Hillaby’s Tools for Cooks, $9 to $20, each with Cartwright & Butler Lemon Curd, from Hillaby’s Tools for Cooks, $15

7.

Staub Ceramic Pie Dish, from Hillaby’s Tools for Cooks, $52 with Handmade French Rolling Pin, from Hillaby’s Tools for Cooks, $30

8.

Mauviel Copper Sauce Pans, from Hillaby’s Tools for Cooks, $200 & $260 t8n

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Truly, Deeply, Madly

May We SUGGEST...

RSVP WEDDING RULES Going, going… meh, changed my mind!

THE PERFECT FAIRY-TALE wedding…

it’s something many couples dream of when they’re tying the knot. It’s a lso a lot easier sa id tha n done.

Behind every ideal wedding is a lot of stressful planning and out-of-pocket expenses. That’s why RSVPs are so useful. Short for Répondez s’il vous plait, RSVPs take some of the uncertainty out of planning such an important event. Naturally, there are things you should consider when answering an RSVP card. Read on to find out more.

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RSVP, QU’EST-CE QUE C’EST? Oddly enough, the initialism RSVP isn’t used in France. While SVP (for s’il vous plaît) is common enough, RSVP has disappeared from use.

French invitations will instead ask, sans abbreviations, invitees to respond before a certain date.

Saying Yes RSVPs are a wedding planner’s friend because they provide a head count of how many guests can be expected. This number is passed on to the vendors so that they can provide the right amount of food, drink and favours—as well as determine the bill and set payment deadlines. In other words, there’s

always something riding on how you respond to an RSVP card. So, if you plan on confirming an invitation, always be sure that you really can attend.

The time frame in which you respond to an invite is also pretty important. Most invitations will include a deadline so that wedding plans can be finalized in a timely fashion. If no

lightly. If you’re unsure whether you will attend, it’s a better idea to decline an invite than risk having to back out later. Few things are as annoying to someone planning a wedding as a last-minute cancellation or a no-show. In fact, it can sometimes go beyond annoying and be taken as an insult.

Nonetheless, mistakes inevitably happen. If you have erred, or if something pressing comes up, the best thing you can do is be upfront and admit it promptly. Contact the host ASAP and let him or her know. If final numbers haven’t been submitted, it may not be a huge problem, as the host won’t be left holding the bag financially. Then try your best to make it up to the host, perhaps by treating him or her to a nice dinner out the next time you meet. You’ll also definitely want to send a card and a wedding gift, as well.

Money, Money, Money

deadline is mentioned, a good guideline is to give an answer at least three weeks before the big day. But an even better suggestion is to respond as soon as you can. As busy as our lives are, it’s all too easy to procrastinate and then forget or misplace an invite. Not only that, a quick response also shows your host that you’re enthusiastic about attending. And that's a great way to thank someone for wanting to include you in one of life’s biggest events.

As anyone who’s planned or paid for a wedding knows, these ceremonies can easily get pricey. No-showing or cancelling when refunds are no longer possible only make things worse. When catering and other expenses are taken into account, a wedding can cost upwards of $500 per guest. For destination weddings, where the hosts are paying for hotel rooms and possibly group activities, the cost can really skyrocket.

Every confirmed guest that doesn’t show represents wasted money and food. With this in mind, try to be the sort of guest you would want at your own wedding—be there, have fun and share in the big day with the people you care about. t8n

FROM TICKETS TO ETIQUETTE The word etiquette may have originated from little cards that had written instructions on how to behave at court. These cards, or estiquettes (“tickets”), were carried by French courtiers and eventually became shorthand for polite, refined conduct.

Sending Regrets Regardless of whether or not you’re able (or willing) to accept a wedding invite, you should always respond to one. Don’t assume that no response will be taken as a “No.” Your answer, whatever it is, will still be needed to finalize the guest list, seating chart and other plans.

Sure, you might be worried that declining an invite will be seen as rude, but just remember that responding late or not at all creates additional stress for the host and planner, at a time when additional stress is the last thing anyone wants. A timely and polite “No” will almost always be preferable. Do, however, send a card and your best wishes.

Backing Out Many wedding planners and etiquette mavens will say that death and illness are the only acceptable reasons to cancel after you’ve confirmed. In other words, a “Yes” response should never be made

Wedding dates must fall between: January 02 to May 13, 2018 OR October 26 to Dec 21, 2018 OR January 04 to May 12, 2019 Valid towards all food & beverage purchases.

Does not apply to guest rooms.

Subject to availability.

T8N January 2018 21

The many tiers of a wedding

T

he vows, the first dance, the speeches—all are integral parts of any wedding ceremony.

Yet, it’s the wedding cake that stands on a pedestal. It doesn’t matter if it’s elegantly simple or outrageously fun, the wedding cake should be a feast for the eyes as well as the stomach.

My team and I can take your wedding cake ideas and make it a one-, two- or three-tiered reality. We offer free consultations that include a cake sampler for two people, though we can accommodate extra persons if you wish.

In order to fully get the cake you want, we’ll discuss your colours, theme, serving size and budget, plus draw up a rough sketch right there in order to give you an idea of where the design is headed.

At Whisk, we understand that in today’s economy, having a large, grandly decorated cake may not be in the budget. We offer suggestions within your price range, such as having a small, decorated cake for the cutting and photos, plus a dessert table where guests can choose from a variety of treats such as mini-cupcake, macarons and squares. We also have “dessert shots” in assorted flavours, such as salted caramel mousse with a chocolate-hazelnut cream and panna cotta, all served in elegant plastic shot glasses.

But what we really love to do and are renowned for are the unique cakes that speak to the personality of the couple. Take our “Half and Half” cakes. One side is the elegant design and the other side is the whimsical flair; an example of this would be cascading flowers on

one side and Marvel comic characters on the other. One of my favourite cakes is when we combined Harry Potter and the Walking Dead; the bride topper was holding a wand, the groom topper was holding a gun, and Harry, Ron and Hermione were zombies crawling up the side. People are still talking about that cake, and the wedding was a few years ago.

Taking both of your interests and incorporating them into the design of the cake is a great way to make a personal statement.

THINGS TO CONSIDER Some venues charge for “cutting and plating” your cake(s), so consider a dessert table with individual desserts, or have someone else cut and plate.

Be aware of where the cake will sit.

Is it a “Half and Half” cake sitting snuggly in a corner? Is it by an exit sign that might be seen in photographs? Is it a small cake on a large table?

You don’t need to see us the moment you get engaged, either. Since it’s common for wedding dates, venues, guest numbers and themes to change, we recommend that you visit us six to eight months prior to the wedding for a consultation where we can sit and talk about your ideas over delicious cake.

This sponsored content was produced in partnership between Whisk Dessert Co. and T8N magazine.

2 SIR WINSTON CHURCHILL AVENUE (CORNER OF LEVASSEUR RD) I ST. ALBERT I 780 458 2922 I WHISKCO.CA

Food & Gatherings

Get Saucy!

Sometimes more is more LIFE’S BETTER WHEN things get saucy,

and this month’s recipes are proof of that.

From the sweet to the savoury, there’s a sauce here for every occasion and palate.

For the most part, we stuck with the classics: a dip-everything-in-it romesco sauce, spaghetti alla puttanesca and the mother of all ice-cream toppings—homemade rum and butter sauce! But that’s not all. We’ve included some wild cards, too, and a bunch of mouth-watering tips for non-traditional pairings. Yup. Sometimes more is definitely more. And thank goodness for that.

T8N January 2018 23

Puttanesca

Classic Carbonara

Spaghetti alla puttanesca is a classic dish that can be on the table, wowing guests in less than 15 minutes. Yes, please!

Most purists agree that a classic carbonara is made with egg yolks—not cream. This mouth-watering version honours that.

3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 2 large anchovies 1/4 cup roughly chopped Kalamata olives 2 cloves garlic, chopped 2 tbsp capers, roughly chopped 1 tbsp tomato paste 1/4 tsp salt

3 impeccably fresh, extra-large egg yolks 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino cheese 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper 1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp chili flakes (more if you like) 3 large tomatoes, roughly chopped 1/4 cup water 1 handful fresh parsley, roughly chopped 1 tsp freshly grated lemon zest

2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil 2 cups cubed slab bacon (about 8 oz) Freshly cooked pasta (enough to serve 4 hungry people) 3/4 cup hot pasta water (reserved from your cooked pasta of choice)

In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, cheese, pepper and salt, and set it aside.

Place the olive oil and anchovies in a large pan over mediumhigh heat, and stir until the anchovies “melt.” Add the olives, garlic, capers and tomato paste, and keep stirring. Next, add the salt, chili flakes, chopped tomatoes and water. Stir, reduce the heat to medium-low and let cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the parsley and lemon zest, and toss over cooked spaghetti.

This also makes a wicked pizza sauce or dip for grilled shrimp.

Romesco Sauce This Spanish sauce is delicious on everything from flatbread and potatoes to grilled shrimp and pasta.

Perfect for vegetarians and vegans.

1 jar roasted red peppers (7 oz), drained 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1/4 cup toasted panko bread crumbs 1/4 cup toasted almond slices 2 tbsp capers, drained

1 pickled jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 1/2 tsp smoked paprika 1/2 tsp ancho chili powder 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp cumin

Place all the ingredients in a food processor, and pulse until smooth. Taste, and adjust the seasoning to your liking. The perfect dipping sauce for tapas.

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Next, heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat, add the cubed bacon and fry it until golden and lightly crispy (3 to 5 minutes). Remove the pan from the heat, and add the cooked pasta and 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water. Return the pan to the heat, and gently toss the pasta and water until it’s hot and bubbling. Remove the pan from the heat, and while stirring continually and quickly, pour in the egg-and-cheese mixture. As you stir, the eggs will cook (but not scramble) from the heat of the pan and pasta. If the sauce becomes too thick, thin it out with a bit more pasta water. Serve immediately.

Balsamic Brown Butter & Sage This sauce is always delicious tossed with warm gnocchi and a grating of Parmesan. But for a real game-changer, drizzle it over butternut squash or mashed potatoes.

5 tbsp unsalted butter 12 fresh sage leaves 1 shallot, thinly sliced 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper 1/4 tsp freshly grated lemon zest

In a medium skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the sage, and cook it until crisp. Remove the sage, and add the shallots. Stirring often, allow the shallots to cook and the butter to just begin turning brown. Remove the skillet from the heat, and stir in the balsamic vinegar, salt, black pepper and lemon zest.

Calvados & Apple Jelly Glaze This classic glaze for tarts and strudel doubles as a spectacular “BBQ sauce” for grilled pork chops or baked ham.

1/2 cup apple jelly

2 tbsp Calvados (apple brandy)

Heat the apple jelly in a small pot until it “melts.” Remove the pot from the heat, and stir in the Calvados. Brush it warm over your favourite pastries or grilled pork, and serve.

Rosemary & Honey Balsamic Glaze This glaze is particularly delicious on lamb chops but will also do wonders to grilled chicken breasts and roasted carrots.

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar 1 tsp freshly grated lemon zest 1 1/2 tbsp honey 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp freshly 2 tsp freshly chopped rosemary cracked black pepper

Place the balsamic vinegar, honey, chopped rosemary, lemon zest, salt and pepper in a small pan, and bring it to a simmer over mediumhigh heat, stirring often. Reduce the heat to low, and let simmer until reduced by half. Brush the glaze over grilled meat or your favourite roasted vegetables, and serve.

Cinnamon & Star Anise Cranberry Sauce Cranberry sauce isn’t just for turkey. Spread this glorious sauce atop peanut butter and toast, or use it as a glaze for ham or roast chicken.

1 bag of fresh cranberries (340 g) 1 1/4 cups sugar 1/2 cup orange juice 1/2 cup water

1 1/2 tsp freshly grated orange zest 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon 1 star anise

Place all the ingredients in a small pot, and bring them to a boil over medium-high heat. When the cranberries start popping, reduce the heat to medium-low, and let the mixture boil gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the star anise, and pour the sauce into a serving bowl. Cool to room temperature, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed.

Homemade Rum & Butter Sauce There’s not much that this sauce doesn’t make better—including a bad day. Give it a try.

1/2 cup maple syrup 2 tbsp unsalted butter 2 tsp spiced rum 1/8 tsp salt 2 tbsp whipping cream

Place the maple syrup and butter in a small pot, and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Remove the pot from the heat, and stir in the rum and salt. Let the mixture cool to room temperature, and then whisk in the cream. Serve over warm cake or drizzle over a decadent cup of affogato (ice cream “drowned” in hot espresso). t8n

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EVENT

Resolution Run Is exercise on your resolution list? Then participate in the 33rd Annual Resolution Run. You can run, jog or walk off the holiday treats while raising money for the YMCA; plus there’s a new 1-km kids’ route this year that starts and ends at the William Lutsky YMCA. Date: January 1 Location: William Lutsky YMCA, 1975-111 Street, Edmonton For more info: visit resolutionrun.ca

COMMUNITY

CALENDAR Things to do, watch, hear and see this January.

EVENT

EVENT

Calvin Vollrath

Mid-Life Employment Moves for Older Workers

Alberta-born fiddler Calvin Vollrath has composed over 600 tunes, been inducted into the North American Fiddlers’ Hall of Fame and is an expert Métis-style fiddler. Hear him play everything from jigs to waltzes from his vast musical repertoire.

This workshop is designed for people re-entering the workforce after a long absence or making a career change. Participants will learn how to navigate the ever-changing world of finding and getting a job through discussions and small-group work.

Date: January 11

Date: January 27

Location: St. Albert Community Hall, 17 Perron Street

Location: St Albert Public Library

For more info: visit stalbert.ca/exp/arden

For more info: visit sapl.libcal.com/event/3431589

EVENT

EXHIBIT

Lisa Loeb

VASA All Members Winter Show

Making her Arden Theatre debut, Lisa Loeb will sing her rock, pop and folk music hits. Her hit “Stay (I Missed You)” from the Reality Bites movie launched her career, and since then she’s recorded children’s albums and scored the acclaimed musical Camp Kappawanna.

Date: January 12 Location: Arden Theatre, 5 St. Anne Street For more info: visit stalbert.ca/exp/arden

This exhibit will display pieces from all members of VASA. There’ll be over 60 pieces of art of all shapes, sizes and mediums on display to purchase. This is a “cash and carry” show, and VASA welcomes people to drop by Tue to Sat, 10 am to 5 pm.

Date: Until January 27 Location: VASA, 25 Sir Winston Churchill For more info: visit vasa-art.com

T8N January 2018 27

Meet You There

ST. ALBERT NORDIC SKI CLUB Home to local skiers since 1973

THE ST. ALBERT Nordic Ski Club

formed 44 years ago in 1973, when a group of St. Albert families banded together to turn our city’s winter trail system into a paradise for cross-country skiers. Though it started off with just a few families, the club has grown tremendously over the years and now offers services to hundreds of skiers throughout the city. But this public 28 T8Nmagazine.com

interest in the club didn’t come out of nowhere. According to two of the current club executives, Laurie Hunt and Ken Chin, all of the club’s popularity and success is owed to the hard work of their volunteer team.

All aspects of the club—from coaching to trail maintenance—are run by volunteers hoping to make wintertime in St. Albert a bit more accessible and exciting. For the most part, the accessibility comes in the form of skiing

lessons. Every January, parent coaches and youth instructors begin to offer ski lessons for kids on a weekly basis. These lessons are affectionately called “The Jackrabbit Program,” and according to Laurie, this is one of the most popular aspects of the club, attracting more than 100 kids from around the city every year. Through the help of city funding and government grants, the Nordic Ski Club has been able to expand its programming to a wider audience. “About 10 years ago, the Nordic Ski Club was able to acquire a

lot of youth ski equipment for the kids to use during lessons. Those rentals have really helped parents out. They don’t have to keep buying new equipment every year as their kids are growing.”

ST. ALBERT NORDIC SKI CLUB AT A GLANCE Location: 395 Sir Winston Churchill Ave

DID YOU KNOW? Eventually, the Nordic Ski Club would like to see a winter trail system that extends from one end of the city to the other, so that residents could head down to the river and then ski downtown to access the library, or even just to get a cup of coffee.

In addition to its youth lessons, the club teaches adults as well. Drop-in lessons and workshops can help out-of-practice skiers sharpen their skills before they head out on the trails, and latecomers to the sport are able to get the fundamentals down and start developing skills of their own. “In the past there has been a real focus on kids and families,” says Laurie. “Moving forward, we’re really trying to expand our adult programming to include adults that might want to ski socially or just develop some of those finer skills.”

For members of the club who have put in the practice and have developed the necessary

President: Katie Laviolette Programs: Cross-country ski lessons for kids and adults Interesting Fact: The ski club maintains all of St. Albert’s cross-country trails, and creates ski tracks for local schools as well.

skills, the club also plans excursions to trails outside of the city. “A lot of club members take advantage of programs like our loppet training to prepare for some of these out-of-town events, like the Birkebeiner out in Elk Island.”

Loppets are essentially fun, long-distance races, and the Birkebeiner is one of the best in the world. During this event, inspired by a Scandinavian legend, participants ski 55 kilometres with heavy packs on their backs that approximate the weight of a young prince that was said to be carried to safety by skiing solders during a time of war.

The other side of the volunteer-run club is comprised of the maintenance workers. It might come as a surprise to learn that, unlike the majority of the city’s recreational infrastructure, the skiing trails of St. Albert are

constructed and maintained by the Nordic Ski Club—not the city’s parks department.

“There is a lot of behind-the-scenes work when it comes to trail maintenance here in St. Albert,” says Ken. “Our volunteers wake up as early as five in the morning to break up the ice and re-form the trails.”

Though the trails don’t extend the entire length of the city quite yet, the Nordic Ski Club has already built an extensive system of trails throughout the city, and the city as a whole has benefited from the efforts.

“We always welcome anyone who wants to get involved with the club,” says Laurie.

“Whether they want to take on a planning role, a maintenance role or just get involved in lessons, we’re always eager to get new volunteers.” t8n T8N January 2018 29

ROAD-TRIPPING Canada’s best roadside attractions

BY BRUCE TIMOTHY KEITH

ROAD TRIP! In a country this big, there’s a lot of road to

travel, and nothing makes a good road trip better than taking in some roadside attractions. Lucky for us, no matter where you’re headed in Canada, you’re sure to find something spectacularly big, culturally significant or downright oddball around most corners. And who wouldn’t want to grab a selfie with the world’s largest endangered ferruginous hawk (in Leader, Saskatchewan) or spend some time exploring the two-hundred-year-old Old Fort Henry (in Kingston, Ontario)? So, the next time you’re planning to hit the road, schedule a few 10-minute breaks—or a whole afternoon—to take in a few sometimes-strange-butalways-wonderful roadside attractions. Enjoy the ride!

Giant Easter Egg Vegreville, Alberta Constructed in 1975 and dedicated to the centennial of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, this Ukrainian Easter egg, called a pysanka, honours the early Ukrainian settlements in the area. Three-and-a-half stories high and constructed of anodized aluminum, this giant pysanka showcases 524 star patterns, 3,512 facets, 2,206 equilateral triangles, as well as 6,978 nuts and bolts, and 177 internal struts. It sits in a small park where you can admire it while stretching your legs or enjoying a picnic lunch. For a more immersive Ukrainian experience, continue on your way west down the Yellowhead Highway for 30 minutes and visit the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village.

The Frank Slide Frank, Alberta In the wee hours of April 29, 1903, half of Turtle Mountain slid down and obliterated the town of Frank in the deadliest rockslide in Canadian history. One-and-a-half hours west of Lethbridge, the Crowsnest Highway passes right through the middle of this site, so be sure to plan to stop for a few minutes, climb one of the giant boulders and stand in the shadow of a shattered mountain. If you have the time, don’t miss driving up to the Frank Slide Interpretive Centre and spending the afternoon exploring the museum and walking the trails.

It’s an experience not to be missed.

The Beach Experience Grand Marais, Manitoba Just an hour north of Winnipeg at Grand Beach Provincial Park lies one of the best beach experiences in Canada. Situated on the shores of Lake Winnipeg, this huge stretch of soft beach is the hot spot for sun seekers and campers. The powdery, white-sand beaches 30 T8Nmagazine.com

CANADA’S LARGEST ROADSIDE ATTRACTIONS In 1998 Ed Solonyka started roadsideattractions.ca and created the list of large roadside attractions in Canada. Over the years, travellers have added their own discoveries and continue to plan their vacations around the over 1,350 attractions.

Ed passed away in 2015, but the website is still maintained in his memory.

and grass-topped dunes make this one of the top beaches in North America and brings an astonishingly Caribbean experience to our “frozen north” vibe. Whether you want to swim, wind surf or hike, the park has it all: a campground, outdoor amphitheatre, picnic shelters, restaurant, concession services, playground and wheelchair access down to the beach. It’s the perfect stop for a chill afternoon of working on your tan.

A Big Nickel Sudbury, Ontario This world-famous Big Nickel is the largest coin in the world. The 1951, 5-cent piece was built in 1964 to celebrate the long history of mining in the Sudbury region, which includes copper, silver, cobalt and—yes—nickel. This massive twelve-sided monument weighs approximately 13,000 kilograms (64,000,000 times the weight of a real Canadian nickel!), stands 9 metres tall and is constructed from stainless steel. You’ll find it on a small hill overlooking Sudbury, nestled among two world-class science centres: Science North and the Dynamic Earth Science Centre. A must-see whether you're wanting a short stop or to make a day of it.

SUPERSIZE THAT! The idea that bigger is better is alive and well in the world of roadside attractions.

Giant beaver—Beaverlodge, AB World’s largest dinosaur—Drumheller, AB Giant tin soldier—New Westminister, BC Giant van Gogh painting—Altona, MB World’s largest curling rock—Arborg, MB Giant swan—Swan River, MB World’s largest lobster—Shediac, NB Giant squid—Glovers Harbour, NL World’s largest illuminated fiddle—Port of Sydney, NS Giant loonie—Echo Bay, ON Giant twoonie—Campbellford, ON Giant Spirit Catcher—Barrie, ON World’s largest tomahawk—Cut Knife, SK Giant moose—Moose Jaw, SK Giant cross—Mont Royal, QC

two sections (one that is 163 feet tall; the other 10 feet). The totem, carved by Chief Kwaxsistala Jimmy Dick, represents the different families of the Kwakwaka’wakw people with figures like the Sun God, Whale, Wolf, the Thunderbird, Bear and the Salmon, and Raven Holding Copper. Alert Bay also is home to the U’mista Cultural Centre, which houses the recently returned sacred regalia that had once been scattered to museums and private collections around the world. The ferry runs every three hours, so although it’s a bit off the beaten track, it’s worth an afternoon’s detour if you are heading up the island. If you have time to spend the whole day, be sure to explore the trails, museums and the fantastic collection of memorial totems.

Sign Post Forest Watson Lake, Yukon Venturing north? Then a stop at the Sign Post Forest on mile 635 of the Alaska Highway is a must. Back in the 1940s, it became a practice for the US Army of Engineers (who were building the Alaska Highway) to put up directional signposts in their camps that gave directions and mileage to their hometowns. The tradition caught on, and today there are over 77,000 signs that make up a literal forest of signposts. That number continues to grow as travellers from around the world carry on the tradition of posting hometown signs, and the forest now occupies acres, featuring everything from street signs to license plates from around the world. If you want to take a longer break, check out the Northern Lights Space and Science Centre to learn about the famous Aurora Borealis. t8n

The Orange Julep Montreal, Quebec No trip to Montreal is complete without a stop at this massive orange just off Décarie Boulevard. Originally built in 1945 by Hermas Gibeau to house his two-storey-high, orange concrete restaurant, it was rebuilt in 1966—even larger—using prefab fiberglass segments laid over a wood shell. Once noted for its roller-skating waitresses, today the restaurant is most famous for its namesake Orange Julep and its classic fast food that can be enjoyed outside at one of their picnic tables. Or, if you want a longer break, order takeout and head down the road to dine among the maples in lovely Mount Royal Park, just 15 minutes away.

The World’s Tallest Totem Pole Alert Bay, British Columbia In the village of Alert Bay on Cormorant Island (a short ferry ride from Port McNeill) you will find the world’s tallest totem pole. Standing 173 feet tall and raised in 1973, this wooden totem was built from T8N January 2018 31

DRONE (n.)

The buzz around taking to the skies M AY B E YO U ’ V E N OT I C E D t hem

hovering above the action at football games and outdoor concerts. Or maybe you’ve spotted them in quiet, rural areas, as they skitter noiselessly through the air. In more and more places, drones are becoming a common sight. These aircraft, also known as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), are proving to be useful and versatile in a wide range of fields. With that in mind, here’s what you need to know about these “flying robots.”

From Bees to Bombs The word drone originates from Old English in reference to a male bee. After World War II, the term was borrowed to describe the pilotless aircraft that militaries were beginning to develop. And it’s easy to understand why.

With their quiet engines and ability to hover, the flight of a drone resembles that of a bee. As intriguing a technology as that was, militaries were far more focused on building rockets during the Cold War, and it wasn’t until the 1970s that drones stepped into the spotlight when Israelis equipped them with cameras and advanced telecommunications, which made video-streaming and real-time reconnaissance possible. Further advancements in the 1980s and 90s made drones even more versatile—and deadly.

In the 2000s, the US began carrying out targeted strikes using drones armed with missiles. As precise as these strikes have been, they have also frequently put civilians in harm’s way.

Taking Flight Although drones were originally developed for their military value, their commercial and recreational value have skyrocketed in significance. Civilian drones are, of course, a lot different than their warlike predecessors—but 32 T8Nmagazine.com

they don’t lack sophistication. Civilian drones are often quadcopters, with four rotors that can work at variable speeds. This makes it possible for the drone to move, change direction, hover and so on. And all of this is controllable from the ground, thanks to computerized controllers, sensors and software that essentially turn drones into smart machines. In fact, many civilian drones can fly autonomously using preprogrammed waypoints.

THE HIGHS & LOWS LiteHawk Quattro Radical • $49.97 • Just 2.75” across • Remote controlled • Can perform tricks • Rechargeable battery • Up to 8 minutes of flight time DJI Inspire 2 • $8,059 • Top speed of 108 kph • Camera and image processing system • Up to 27 minutes of flight time • Operating range of 7 km • Works in -20ºC As a result, many commercial drones are fairly easy to fly, even for beginners.

So what about the legal fine print? In Canada, drone use is regulated by Transport Canada. Recreational pilots with drones weighing more than 250 grams but less than 35 kilograms do not need special permission to fly. A number of rules must still be followed, though. A recreational drone must be flown within 90 metres of the ground and, depending on its size, a certain distance from vehicles and the public (see the Transport Canada website at www.tc.gc.ca for more rules).

Exemptions are granted, however, if you’re flying at a sanctioned field or event. Nonrecreational users—those flying drones for work or research—and pilots flying drones weighing more than 35 kilograms must obtain a Special Flight Operations Certificate.

DID YOU KNOW? According to a 2015 report by Jane’s Information Group, global investment in drone hardware will top $12 billion (US) by 2021. About $9 billion of that will come from governments, with another $2 billion from consumers and $1 billion from business and entrepreneurs.

Getting Out in the World Drones are still primarily a military technology, but their civilian use is rapidly growing.

No wonder, too, when you consider all the different uses people are finding for them.

Photographers and journalists use drones to gather images and film events. Utility companies use them to inspect infrastructure, such as pipelines and transmission towers. Drones are even playing important roles in disaster management, as a tool for assessing damage, assisting search and rescue and tracking the progress of storms and forest fires. Last but pop-culturally not least, people everywhere are using hand-sized drones to snap the perfect selfie. There are still privacy and safety issues surrounding their use, but with the growing popularity of drones, chances are we’ll be seeing a lot more of them. t8n

Graphic Design Intern Needed Sales Enthusiast Needed Job Description T8N is seeking a Sales Enthusiast to join its team. The qualified applicant will promote our vibrant St. Albert publications to advertisers.

This position is ideal for a local St. Albertan who has as many as 40 hours or as few as 20 hours, per week, to commit to the task.

If you want to be part of the most read summer tourism publication and be well compensated for your success, this position is for you.

Visit t8nmagazine.com/opportunities for more information

Job Description T8N Publishing is seeking a Graphic Design Intern from January/ February through May 2018. The qualified intern will report to the Senior Designer and be responsible for assisting with any and all aspects of creative production. The successful candidate will build both technical and professional skills that will benefit him or her in the job market. This person is expected to take direction well, be a team player and contribute actively to his or her role at T8N Publishing.

Qualifications • Either working toward or has a Diploma or Degree in Graphic Design • Proficient skills using Adobe Creative Suite (Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign) • Strong understanding of prepress and print production • Understanding of design principles and industry standard specifications • Excellent team member who is able to take direction well • Punctual and accurate communicator, responsive to email and direct communication Please email a copy of your resume along with a PDF or digital link to your portfolio to: art@t8nmagazine.com Subject Line: T8N Internship

Summer is only 5 months away!

SITC 2018 hits the streets on

MAY 26

SUMMERCITY.CA

Your Guide to the Summer. Easy access on desktop and mobile devices to help make your summer awesome!