December 2022 by The Walleye Magazine

FILM FREE ARTS Vol. 13 No. 12 MUSIC DECEMBER FOOD 2022 CULTURE thewalleye.ca

Holiday Gift Guide 70+ Local Gifts for Everyone on Your List

The Jewel in the Vault Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol Bamaapii to Works by Shelley Niro

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Editor-in-chief Darren McChristie Editor Adrian Lysenko Senior Editor Tiffany Jarva Copy Editors Amy Jones, Bonnie Schiedel Marketing & Sales Manager Meagan Griffin sales@thewalleye.ca Photographers Jack Barten Olivia Bosma Kevin Dempsey Damien Gilbert Chad Kirvan Dave Koski Shannon Lepere Marty Mascarin Darren McChristie Sarah McPherson Lois Nuttall Laura Paxton Art Directors Steve Coghill, R.G.D. Dave Koski, R.G.D. production@thewalleye.ca Ad Designers Dave Koski Miranda van den Berg The Walleye is a free monthly publication distributed on racks throughout Thunder Bay and region. Reproduction of any article, photograph or artwork without written permission is strictly forbidden. Views expressed herein are those of the author exclusively. Copyright © 2022 by Superior Outdoors Inc. All Rights Reserved. Editorial and Advertising: Submissions must be accompanied by a selfaddressed, stamped envelope. Superior Outdoors cannot be held responsible for unsolicited material. Superior Outdoors Inc. 242 - 1100 Memorial Avenue Thunder Bay, ON P7B 4A3 Telephone (807) 344-3366 Fax (807) 623-5122 E-mail: info@thewalleye.ca

105 87 84

The Record Box

tbaytel.net/connectedhomepromo Limited time offer. Promotional pricing for Tbaytel services applies to new residential customers who have not subscribed to applicable services in the past 3 months. Internet promotional pricing applies to Fibre 50 or higher. TV promotional pricing applies to Basic package or higher. Promotional pricing for Internet, TV and Home Phone services reflects prices after bundle discounts are applied. Services are subject to availability where access and technology permit. Offer, prices and services subject to change anytime. Early cancellations of term offers are subject to an early cancellation fee of $10 per month remaining in the term, per service. After fixed promotional pricing ends, regular in-market pricing will take effect. Visit tbaytel.net/connectedhomepromo for more details.

The Walleye

Sharing Their Christmas Spirit

18 44

Bear Grease is the Word

100

33 118

Green Your Gift Wrap

TheWalleye.ca Where can I find The Walleye? thewalleye.ca/wherecan-i-find-the-walleye/ Ad Deadline for our January Issue December 14th

FEATURES 9 Holiday Gift Guide 10 Trendsetter 11 Foodie 14 Music Fan 15 Adventurer 18 Fitness Enthusiast 19 Animal Lover 22 Collector 23 Entertainer 26 Youngster FOOD 28 THE GRINNING BELLY 31 DRINK OF THE MONTH 33 SUPERIOR SIP 34 Social Setting 37 OFF THE MENU 38 The Jewel in the Vault 41 Sweet Nata FILM&THEATRE 43 Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol 44 Bear Grease is the Word 46 THE SECOND MOST PLEASURABLE THING WE DO IN THE DARK. A COLUMN ABOUT MOVIES THE ARTS 48 Katie Hildebrandt 50 A THOUSAND WORDS 52 Painting for Half Her Life and Just Getting Started 55 FROM THUNDER BAY ART GALLERY’S COLLECTION 56 Bamaapii to Works by Shelley Niro 58 Dwayne Wabegijig OUTDOOR 60 Black on Black

Choose your gift from over 100 popular retailers Visit an Authorized Tbaytel Dealer Call Customer Care 807-623-4400 or 1-800-264-9501

TheTOPFive

The Jewel in the Vault

CITYSCENE 63 EYE TO EYE: With Ken Boshcoff 64 Cassidy J

66 68 70 73 75 76 78

WALL SPACE: Radley's Woodworking This is Thunder Bay THE ENTHUSIASTS Bookshelf CANNABIS CORNER SECOND CHANCES GO LOCAL Thunder Bay Country Market

MUSIC 82 At One with the Boreal Forest Blues 84 Sharing Their Christmas Spirit 87 The Record Box 88 Hometown Holidays 91 Mother of Wolves 92 Hotel California 94 Things Fall Apart 96 BURNING TO THE SKY 99 TBSO PROFILE 100 Blue Rodeo 104 OFF THE WALL REVIEWS ARCHITECTURE 106 The Faces, Florals, and Shields of the Whalen Building 108 Tbaytel December EVENTS GUIDE 110 LU RADIO'S MONTHLY TOP 30 TATTOOED YOU 112 A Fish For My Dad GREEN 116 Add Some Local Flavour to Your Holiday Meals 118 Green Your Gift Wrap 121 LET'S GET GROWING HEALTH 122 Sometimes the Holidays Don’t Feel Very Magical and That’s Okay THE WALL 124 Leaders on the Storm 126 HOROSCOPES 128 THE BEAT 130 THE EYE

106 The Walleye

From Our Instagram Feed

Pick-a-Gift

You could WIN! • iPhone 14 Plus • Apple AirTag • Google Nest Mini • Blu Element UV Phone Sanitizer • Wireless Chargers • Screen protectors • Accessory Discounts and MORE!

Behind the scenes of our December cover photo shoot

Keeping Traditions

hether it’s carolling, Elf on the Shelf, or ugly Christmas sweaters, holiday traditions are important. In our household, I’ve tried to keep traditions going from my family’s Ukrainian roots, but we’ve also developed new ones along the way—like watching The Grand Budapest Hotel on Christmas Eve (I have no idea how or why this started). I believe that traditions help form strong bonds between family, friends, and community. Plus, they give us a sense of belonging and help connect us to our history. Here at The Walleye we’re big on traditions as well. For almost 10 years, every December we present our annual holiday gift guide. From the Trend Setter, Animal Lover, or Entertainer in your life, we share more than 70 gift ideas available locally. Plus, we’ve compiled a list of albums from local musicians and books from local authors that are perfect stocking stuffers. In addition, sommelier Jeannie Dubois provides some festive suggestions and cannabis columnist Justin Allec has some “season’s greenings” gift ideas.

The Walleye

Keeping with the holiday spirit, Kris Ketonen previews Barenaked Ladies’ Hometown Holidays concert, Chef Rachel Bayes serves up a delicious cranberry-orange pinwheel recipe perfect for your cookie exchange party, and Taylor Onski gets a sneak peek at Magnus Theatre’s production of Jacob Marley's Christmas Carol. Also in our December issue, we go Eye to Eye with incoming mayor Ken Boshcoff, Wendy Wright takes a tour with the Lappe Vintage Snowmobile Club in The Enthusiasts, and Darren McChristie explores the wild ice on Lake Superior in our Outdoors section. The December issue marks our 150th issue, as always, we owe our success to our team of dedicated and talented contributors and the support of our past and present advertisers. And of course, a special thanks to our readers, who support the individuals, organizations, and businesses featured in the magazine. So no matter what your traditions are, I wish you Happy Holidays and all the best for 2023! -Adrian Lysenko

Featured Contributor

Jon Thompson

Jon Thompson is an award-winning journalist and author from Thunder Bay. For 20 years, he has witnessed many of the events that have shaped Northwestern Ontario, producing news in every medium from nearly every municipality and over half of the region’s First Nations. Adjusting to a shift from daily news to balancing major projects, Jon is serving as a senior associate producer for the fourpart documentary Thunder Bay, which will air on CTV and stream on Crave in February. Read Jon’s editorial in The Wall on page 124.

On the Cover

Holiday Gift Guide Photo by Kirvan Photography Special thanks to Mayor Ken Boshcoff and Christian Ward of the Lappe Vintage Snowmobile Club

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All the phones you love, at prices that will make you merry 601 Central Avenue 345-2900 www.teleco.ca Pick-a-Gift offer is not affiliated in any way with Tbaytel and is available December 1- December 31, 2022. See your TELECO representative for details. ™Rogers and the Mobius Design are trademarks of or used under license from Rogers Communications Inc. or an affiliate.

The Walleye

Waterfront District’s

TheTopFive

1 CP Holiday Train December 2

CP Train Depot Track, 440 Syndicate Avenue

Another holiday favourite returns! After a two-year hiatus, the Canadian Pacific Holiday Train tour will resume with a stop at the CP train depot on Syndicate Avenue on December 2. Over the course of the train’s monthlong expedition, it will host over 168 live shows that support local food banks in communities across the country; here in Thunder Bay, country singer Tenille Townes and Oji-Cree singer-songwriter Aysanabee will provide live entertainment to concert-goers. While the event is free to attend, spectators are encouraged to bring donations (either cash or non-perishable food items) to support the local food bank. After two years of virtual concerts, this year’s event is a great opportunity to enjoy some live holiday music and, more importantly, spread some holiday cheer to those in need. cpr.ca/holiday-train/canada

Madison Violet’s Sleigh Bells in the Snow

December 3

Port Arthur Polish Hall

“I am a valuable partner in

my child’s education” You belong here 6

The Walleye

Ring in the season with Madison Violet’s 2022 Christmas show, Sleigh Bells in the Snow. Presented by the Sleeping Giant Folk Music Society, the concert is described as “one part Americana, two parts dancing by the tree, and three parts eggnog”— how’s that for holiday spirit? The Juno-nominated duo, consisting of singer-songwriters Brenley MacEachern and Lisa MacIsaac, will be performing their rendition of your favourite Christmas classics along with new holiday hits at the Port Arthur Polish Hall. For those unfamiliar with Madison Violet, the Maritime musicians blend folk, indie, bluegrass, country, and many other genres in their music—a feat that has landed them various award nominations and accolades. Tickets are $30 and the show starts at 8 pm. sleepinggiant.ca

NYE Family Frolic at Fort William Historical Park

December 31

Fort William Historical Park Celebrate the coming of 2023 with the whole family at the New Year’s Eve Family Frolic at Fort William Historical Park. On December 31 from 4 to 8 pm, families can enjoy a variety of indoor and outdoor winter activities along the banks of the Kaministiquia River. Attendees of all ages can look forward to forging demonstrations, a glow room, candle-making, and a cannon salute to bring in the New Year. As always, historical characters from Fort William will be there to teach about the rich history of the area during the early 1800s. Bonus: 2023 marks the park’s 50th anniversary, so this year’s celebrations will be extra special. Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for students/senior/youth, and free for those five and under. fwhp.ca

3 Parade of Lights December 10 Memorial Avenue

T h e s t re e t s o f Thunder Bay will be alight once again with the 23rd annual Parade of Lights in support of local youth and children with special needs. On December 10, dozens of brightly coloured trucks, floats, and parade participants will pass through their usual route (beginning on Main Street and continuing down Memorial Avenue, Queen Street, and Fort William Road) starting at 7 pm. Designated parade volunteers in highvisibility vests will be collecting donations towards local autism and special needs organizations and charities; last year, over $39,000 was raised! There will also be a sensory-friendly zone along Fort William Road for those who wish to enjoy the lights without the loud sounds of truck horns. If you’re lucky, you may even catch a glimpse of Santa! @ParadeOfLights.ThunderBay

Year’s Eve Party 5 New at The Foundry

December 31 The Foundry

Where will you be when the clock strikes midnight this December 31? If you are looking for the chance to dress up, grab some delicious drinks, and dance the night away, then you will want tickets to the New Year’s Eve party at The Foundry. Celebrate the start of 2023 with live music from party experts DJ Big D alongside DJ Rogue, who will be playing your favourite hits all evening. The event starts at 10 pm, and tickets are $10 at the door (for guests aged 19+). The only thing left for you to do is to find someone to kiss at midnight! @FoundryTBay

TheWalleye Walleye The

CoverStory

r e a a e f s ew e h t of

our favourite things

Holiday Gift Guide

70+ Local Gifts for Everyone on Your List It’s easy to choose local when you shop this year— just take a peek at the dozens of items crafted by Northwestern Ontario makers, created by organizations, or curated by TBay small businesses in our 2022 Gift Guide. That true-north taste and talent really shines bright. Whether you’re meeting a buddy to get a little retail therapy or are cosy in your jammies while you add-to-cart on local websites, we know you’ll find something to surprise and delight the ones you love. Happy holidays from all of us at The Walleye! - Bonnie Schiedel

find the perfect gifts for the fresh air obsessed on your list 8

7 1 0 BAL MORAL S TREE T The Walleye

FRES HA IREX PE R I EN C E.C A

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Trendsetter

trend-set-ter

foo-die

a person who leads the way in fashion or ideas

an expert judge in matters of taste

By Tiffany Jarva

Ark Fair Trade Knit Unisex Jacket 1

We can all be fashion forward and ethical at the same time, especially when gifting highquality New Zealand lambswool like the Ark Fair Trade Unisex jacket. Supporting craftspeople in Nepal for decades, Ark Fair Trade is also committed to planting 2,000 trees in Ontario every year, which means being warm and stylish this winter can be done in good conscience.

Authentique $129.99

Cree Stevens Copper Pipe Pendant 2

Cree Stevens is a multi-disciplinary Anishinaabe artist known for combining birch bark, copper, driftwood, leather, and quills with industrial components. This gorgeous pendant was created from Lake Superior driftwood charred from a fire, embellished with copper gilding, and covered with multiple layers of resin.

Goods & Co. Market $77

Port Arthur Pagoda Hoodie 3

Young and old will appreciate the iconic Pagoda in all its polka dot glory on this hoodie, a nod to vintage tourism in Thunder Bay. Other nostalgic designs include vintage tees featuring everything from FWCI Bluebears and the Hillcrest Colts, to riffs on the Inn Tower and ScuttleButt’s.

807_isc Pop-Up (at Intercity Shopping Centre) $44.99

4 Davines Products Every day can be a good hair day when using Davines Products from Evoke Salon + Spa. Davines originated in Parma, Italy in the early 80s, and their high-end hair care products are the go-to favourites of many stylists all over the world. Individual products are perfect as stocking stuffers, or gift a holiday set of three full-size products for the price of two.

Evoke Salon + Spa $30–60

By Kelsey Raynard

KAFFE Curve Anni Coat 5

The Hunter Chef Cookbook

Westfort’s Lewk Clothing is an exciting new boutique offering inclusive sizing and unique pieces designed for women of all ages, sizes, and personalities. This striking green coat by the Danish fashion brand KAFFE is full of personality and will elevate any wardrobe with its modern take on a retro Scandinavian style.

Lewk Clothing $249

Vintage Sled Club Fleece Crew Neck

$40 2

1 7

Lake of the Woods Brewing Co. $75

7 Secrid Miniwallet Stylish and tech-friendly pocket size wallets (slim, mini, and twin) are all the rage these days. The Dutch Secrid wallets, like this olive-hued leather miniwallet, are beautifully crafted and functional, because of a cardprotector mechanism that slides out cards with one simple motion, along with protection from bending, breaking, and unwanted wireless communication. Styles and prices may vary.

$24.95

Move over, Kraft Dinner! Spoil the pasta lover on your list with a homemade pasta kit from The Pasta Shoppe this Christmas. The kits are complete with a selection of fresh pasta, a jar of their signature sauce (alfredo, marinara, or rose), fresh parmesan cheese, and easy cooking instructions. Opt for their largest “Nonna in a Box” option and you may just score yourself a plate!

Impact Promotions

Wildly Canadian

3 Homemade Pasta Kit

$109.95

Who doesn’t like getting a new cap, especially one that fits properly and captures where we live in rugged, beautiful Northwestern Ontario? It’s the perfect outdoor cap to wear boating, hiking, fishing, or running. Hats are available in multiple colours with adjustable sizing to fit anyone on your holiday list.

2 The Maple Box The Maple Box by Wildly Canadian is a true adventure across the Canadian food landscape. This thoughtfully curated box contains a multitude of delicious goods from across the country, including pure cranberry juice from Quebec and wild rice from right here in NWO. With so many unique items, this is a perfect gift for anyone with a culinary flair. $99

J.B. Evans

Superior Lifestyle Cap

Help the foodie in your life level up their cooking game with Michael Hunter’s new cookbook, The Hunter Chef Cookbook. Celebrating the wild resources that are found aplenty here in Northwestern Ontario, Hunter has compiled a collection of mouth-watering recipes for everything from big game like moose and deer, to small game like rabbit and geese, to foraged goods like mushrooms and berries. Bon appétit!

Crown & Birch

The perfect gift for the sledders and shredders on your list who also happen to love a cold brewski now and again. Inspired by the staff at Kenora’s Lake of the Woods Brewery, who happen to have their very own kick-ass sleds from the 80s.

Foodie

The Pasta Shoppe $25–85

North of 48 Serving Board 4

A true foodie knows that a good presentation can make a meal. Ensure that the dinner host in your life is serving in style with this North of 48 Serving Board from Hygge Loft. These handmade walnut boards are carved by local maker Dave Heinrich, and are finished with a protective, stain resistant, food safe oil.

5 Electric Fondue Kit Melted cheese and/or chocolate… need we say more? This 10-piece electric fondue kit by Arolla is a unique, entertaining, and most importantly, delicious gift for the food lover in your life. With an adjustable, flameless heat source and dishwasher-safe pieces, this gift can be used for many holidays to come.

Kitchen Nook $150

360 Pale Ale Tomlin Mustard 6

This local collaboration truly combines the best of both worlds: beer and food. Made in-house by Tomlin Restaurant using Sleeping Giant Brewing Co.’s 360 Pale Ale, this condiment packs quite the punch, making an excellent stocking stuffer to enjoy all season long.

Sleeping Giant Brewing Company $10

7 Custom Cheese Gift Box

The Cheese Encounter’s custom gift boxes are curated with the best cheeses, jams, mustards, crackers, chocolates, and more. Customizable for your budgetary and cheese preferences, these gift boxes are available in a variety of sizes and can be tailored to suit any cheese enthusiast on your list.

The Cheese Encounter $55–200

8 Traeger Ranger Wood Pellet Grill

A true foodie can create a firstclass meal anywhere they go, and the Traeger Ranger Wood Pellet Grill will help them to do exactly that. The grill’s portable design makes it easy to bring to camping trips, tailgate parties, and weekend getaways alike, ensuring that incredible, wood-fired flavour is never far.

Maier Hardware $599.99

Hygge Loft $115

The Walleye

Carhartt Apparel

1018 Victoria Ave. E. 12

The Walleye

Carhartt Accessories

807-623-2232

Superior Lifestyle Apparel

Carhartt/Dickies Toques

www.uniformpros.ca The Walleye

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Music Fan

mus-ic fan

ad-ven-tur-er

a person who believes that music makes the world go ‘round; a toe-tapper

someone who seeks dangerous or exciting experiences: a person who looks for adventures

By Adrian Lysenko

TBSO at the Movies: Back to the Future 1

Great Scott! Let that special someone on your gift list experience the classic film Back to the Future as TBSO performs Alan Silvestri’s famous score live with the movie. In addition, the evening will feature 20 new minutes of music that the composer created especially for these unique live orchestra presentations.

Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra $90

Aysanabee’s Watin Vinyl 2

Aysanabee’s debut album is an excellent idea for the music lover in your life with a vinyl collection. Named after and featuring recordings of the Oji-Cree singersongwriter’s grandfather, Watin, this critically acclaimed album is a 19-track lyrical narrative that features power ballads, including the chart-topper “Nomads.”

ishkoderecords.com $34.99

Sleeping Giant Folk Music Society Mug 3

For over 10 years, the Sleeping Giant Folk Music Society has been bringing exceptional live music performances to Thunder Bay, so why not show them some love back with this gift idea? Featuring the society’s fox logo, the ceramic 10 oz mug is perfect for coffee, tea, eggnog, or even some Baileys on Christmas morning (we don’t judge).

sleepinggiant.ca $15

4 Tumblestone Hoodie

Transport that special festival-goer back to that memorable August weekend in Lappe where music and arts run rampant. Featuring a stunning design of the festival’s logo reimagined by local artist boy Roland, $10 of each hoodie sold is donated directly to the music festival, making it right deadly.

Superior Screen Printing

By Michelle McChristie

Sonos Portable Smart Speaker 5

Lake Superior Keychain 1

Whether it’s at the office Christmas party or on the skating rink, the Sonos Portable Smart Speaker brings big sound in a portable, lightweight package. Music fans can listen at home with WiFi, control tunes with the Sonos app, and stream with Bluetooth everywhere else. Plus, they can add more Sonos speakers around their home for multi-room listening.

This little key chain in the shape of the greatest lake is made from stainless steel and includes a bottle opener. More importantly, proceeds support EcoSuperior’s work to build a healthy future for people and the planet.

EcoSuperior $5

The Power Centre $199.99

Baby Taylor BT1 Guitar

2 Black Diamond Moji Lantern

Know a little musician looking to get into guitar? The Baby Taylor BT1 is an excellent choice. From Bono to Taylor Swift to Lindsey Buckingham, many musical greats have used one for songwriting, recording, and performing. They’ll be strumming “Feliz Navidad” in no time.

This pocket-sized lantern emits 100 lumens at its max setting. It has a collapsible double-hook hang loop that makes it easy to suspend in a tent or from a branch, or string together with other Mojis in a strand. Available in a variety of colours.

Gear Up for Outdoors $24.99

3 GSI Percolator There are a lot of options out there for making coffee on the trail, but a stainless steel percolator is classic, reliable, and durable. It’s also simple—just three pieces, no filters needed. Chaltrek carries various sizes; we like the three-cup version because it’s light and portable.

Music World Academy $519

7 Promo Man In Promo Man, Thunder Bay writer Bob Klanac explores the life of music promoter Nick Panaseiko. Featuring stories from when Panaseiko worked with and promoted acts like Queen, Liberace, The Cars, Van Halen, and the Rolling Stones, this book will have that audiophile on your nice list feel like they’re backstage with some of the greatest bands of all time.

Adventurer

Chaltrek $40

Entershine Bookshop

$25

8 Iron Maiden (Senjutsu) Guitar Picks

Whether it’ll be kept as a collector's item or used to thrash out “Run to the Hills,” this set of five guitar plectrums features striking colour-printed artwork inspired by the English heavy metal band’s Senjutsu album. Up the irons!

4 NANUK Case 903 A must-have for anyone who travels with expensive gear, NANUK cases are lightweight, unbreakable, watertight, airtight, and chemical resistant. They are made in Canada and available in a variety of sizes (interior dimensions for the 903 are 188 x 124 x 79 mm) with optional features, such as cube foam and locks.

Imagetech $46.99

Backstage Music

POC Sports Thermal Lite Gloves 5

Here are some windproof insulated gloves for the cyclist on your list who likes to extend their season to the chilly months. They feature a leather palm for excellent grip, a neoprene cuff to ensure wrists stay covered, a silicone pull tab that makes them easy to pull on, and they are touchscreen compatible.

3RIDE Bicycle Co. $79.99

6 Glerups We know, slippers are a predictable gift, right up there with socks and pajamas. Trust us, Glerups will not disappoint with their comfy slippers handmade with 100% pure wool. Imagine how nice these will feel after a day in boots! Plus, their leather sole makes them ideal for scurrying out to the woodshed or sauna at camp.

J.B. Evans $99.99

7 Solstice 1/4 Zip Stony Wilds is a locally owned company and their new 1/4 zip arrived just as outdoor temperatures plunged. The Solstice is made with an incredibly soft bamboo blend fabric that is lightweight, stretchy, and resilient—great on the links or on the trail.

Stony Wilds $115

8 Patagonia Micro Puff Hoody

This jacket boasts Patagonia’s best warmth-to-weight ratio and is available in multiple colours for men and women. The shell fabric is made with recycled fishing nets and the insulation is 100% recycled polyester. It’s also Fair Trade Certified sewn, and ALL of Patagonia’s profits support environmental causes.

Fresh Air $409

$10.99

$78.20

The Walleye

Wishing you a quiet and peaceful holiday season.

The Perfect Christmas Gift!

rder Pre-O your:

Seafood Boil n' Bag Gift Pack

Lobster Mussels Shrimp Old Bay Local Sausages

$150 No tax.

Seafoodthunderbay.ca

Happy holidays from the team at Ericksons LLP. We look forward to assisting you with your legal needs for 2023. For more information about what we do, please visit ericksonsllp.com

Ph (807) 345-1213 Geraldton 16

The Walleye

Manitouwadge

TF 1-800-465-3912

Marathon

Red Lake

info@ericksonsllp.com Thunder Bay

Terrace Bay

Cooler Bag Bibs Mats Instructions

595 Arthur St. West

807-577-6111

Christmas calories don't count Everybody knows that . . .

thesalthunderbay.com

118 Frederica St. West

807-577-8635 The Walleye

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Fitness Enthusiast

fit-ness en-thu-sia-st

a person who is focused on well-being and likes to keep an eye on their pulse

Animal Lover

an-i-mal lov-er

a person who feels great fondness for non-human creatures

By Bonnie Schiedel

1 BlenderBottle Make sure their protein shake stays properly mixed with this 28-oz cup that has an innovative removable whisk ball. It’s all dishwasher-safe and BPA-free, and features handy measurement markings and a spout guard to protect the spout from grubby gym hands.

Tim’s Whole Health $11.99

2 Keto Cake Mix For the fitness buff with a sweet tooth, look no further than this keto-friendly chocolate cake mix. Made with almond flour, cocoa powder, and stevia leaf extract, it’s a quick and easy way to satisfy those chocolate cravings.

Superior Bakes $14.99

3 Explore Card Parking Pass

Here in the Lakehead we are blessed with a variety of beautiful conservation areas, ideal for hiking, snowshoeing, and other outdoorsy fitness pursuits. With this parking pass, your day parking fees are covered for 2023.

Lakehead Region Conservation Authority $40

Miesten Sauna Seat Cover 4

After the workout comes the sauna. Keep things classy and hygienic with a sauna seat cover, woven in Finland and made with a blend of organic cotton and European linen. It measures 46x60 cm and shows the art of Matti Pikkujämsä.

By Michelle McChristie

6 Workout Set Style meets function in workout gear designed right here in TBay by a family-owned company. Available in a variety of colours and styles for women in a nylonspandex blend, the line also includes workout shorts and shirts for guys. A portion of each style launch is donated to a local charity.

Kwik.co $33–70

Cryotherapy Session 7

The hottest workout recovery trend is actually cold! New to Thunder Bay, this service combats inflammation with brief, intense dry cold therapy in a fullbody chamber cooled by liquid nitrogen. Infrared sauna, red light therapy, and compression massage therapy sessions are available as well.

3 4

$95 8

6 Bonobo Long Sleeve T-shirt

Laura's Micro Mart

Bonobo’s Foods

Laura Whitlock’s store in The Hub Bazaar is full of fun gifts for animal lovers. While most of her portraits feature cats and dogs, she’s also had requests for geese and a bearded dragon. Whitlock just needs a photo of the pet— framed prints are available for pick up at her store.

$29.99

Indigenous Paisley Pet Clothes 4

Finnport $27

Makwa Water Bottle 5

Created by an Indigenous-owned local company, this bottle holds an impressive 1.2 litres, comes in two colours, and is adorned with a powerful bear design. Double-wall insulation means the bottle is sweat-free (even if the recipient isn’t!). Every purchase helps a school in a First Nation community.

2 Custom Pet Portraits

Great Gifts and Parties

The Bodymind Centre $99

$47.99

Creekside Nursery and Garden Centre

Locally made by Etsy seller Stacey Voss, these coasters feature four iconic forest animal and mountain scenes. They are made of wood with vinyl designs that are sealed for protection. The coasters have a felt backing and are available in dark and light wood designs.

Turn post-workout time into a relaxation sesh with this eye massager. It features an adjustable headband, different settings to provide heat or massage, and a wireless connection so they can synch to their phone to hear their favourite tunes as they unwind.

Northern Lilac Studio

3 Forest Animal Coasters

Smart Eye Massager

5 Bird Feeder Birding is an enormously popular hobby, and wild birds that have access to supplemental food sources in the winter tend to fare better. This high-capacity bird feeder will keep hungry birds happy and complement any style of outdoor decor.

$20

Celcius

1 Don Horse Stickers Northern Lilac Studio is a local Etsy seller with a huge assortment of animal-themed gifts. We love their vinyl animal sticker sheets because they are perfect for personalizing laptops, windows, and water bottles. The large horses are about 5 cm long and the sheet is about 15x20 cm.

This irresistible T-shirt is part of Sister Bear Designs’ Gaazhagens & Animosh Collection and is also available as a hoodie. Designed by Calgary-based 49 Dzine, they come in sizes extra-small to large for cats and small to medium-sized dogs—who, no doubt, will be the envy of the neighbourhood.

Sister Bear Designs

Eat your veggies, not your friends! Bonobos (Pan paniscus) are an endangered great ape found in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Their diet is predominantly herbivore, which is one of the reasons local vegetarian restaurant Bonobo’s Foods chose them as a mascot. $20

7 Gift Card Furry friends are great for so many things, but their fur and dander can be a pain to get out of all of the nooks and crannies in a vehicle. Treat the animal lover on your list to an exterior and interior cleaning or detailing— they might even let you ride shotgun next time!

Central Car Wash $Various

KUMA Lazy Dog Bed 8

This is the cat’s meow of dog beds. Seriously though, you probably have a comfy chair at the lake or around the bonfire, so why shouldn’t your pet? KUMA’s dog bed is made with the same sturdiness as their chairs (rated to 80 kg) and comes with a removable pillow and mesh bottom for easy cleaning.

Gear Up for Outdoors $144.99

$40 8

Omba Products $49.50

The Walleye

Best Wishes for the Season REAL ESTATE & MORTGAGES | FAMILY LAW, DIVORCE & MEDIATION WILLS & ESTATES, POWER OF ATTORNEY | CORPORATE LAW | NOTARIES *ACCREDITED FAMILY LAW MEDIATOR

Daniel R. Filipovic, B. Admin., LL.B., AccFM* Samantha A. Filipovic, B. FA. (HONS), LL.B. John P. Filipovic, B. A., LL.B., (1929-2019) Michael D. Conway, B. A., LL.B., Retired

807-343-9090

www.filipovic.ca | 1020 E. Victoria Avenue 20

The Walleye

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Collector

Entertainer

col-lec-tor

en-ter-tain-er

a person with an affinity for art and other unique gifts

a person who is always ready, willing, and able to throw together a soirée

By Amy Jones

Bead n’ Butter Earrings 1

These stunning earrings are handmade by Jessie Pruden, a Métis, queer, disabled beader from Winnipeg. Pruden’s colourful and contemporary designs are inspired by her friends, family, nature, and her culture, and would be a delight for anyone to find under the Christmas tree.

Thunder Bay Art Gallery $100

2 Paint Kitz Challenge the art lover on your list to make a little art of their own with Paint Kitz from The Creative. Paint Kitz include an 11x14" screen printed canvas with a variety of charming designs by local artists such as Steve Gerow, Kevin Belmore, and more, as well as paint, a quality brush set and palette, and a pointers sheet.

The Creative $40

Chilling Tales of Thunder Bay 3

Sure to become a collector’s item, Chilling Tales of Thunder Bay is a 28-page horror/comedy comic from the twisted, brilliant mind of Thunder Bay multimedia artist Merk. Help the art lover on your list discover the true horror of their hometown—there’s even an appearance by Paul Shaffer!

Weird Works Studio (Thunder Bay Country Market) $10

4 The Joy of Winter There’s no better way to make an art lover happy during the holidays than gifting them with a gorgeous piece of art all their own—and this whimsical 10x14” conservation framed collage by Quebec artist Claudette Castonguay is sure to make them smile.

Chenier Fine Arts $389

Cork Base Travel Mug 5

Beautiful and practical, this 20 oz travel mug features a sweet hummingbird design by Simone Diamond, as well as a high-quality stainless steel interior, doublewalled construction, and cork base bottom to keep tabletops scratchfree. Perfect for that special someone who wants to be ecofriendly while still staying stylish!

Foghat Cocktail Smoker

$29.99

$110

$Various

The Finnish Bookstore

Charkuu 102

Northern Party Pack

Flexi-Pass Subscription

The name says it all: this gift is perfect for the party lover on your list. SGBC’s Northern Party Pack is a collection of six tall cans, including four tried-and-true classics as well as two exclusive seasonal options: Snow Goose and Port Arthur’s Fog. We’ll say cheers to that!

Fireweed Crafts $325

Sleeping Giant Brewing Co.

Speedball Screen Printing Kit 7

Have an aspiring screen printer on your list? Gift them this introductory screen printing set from Speedball, and they’ll be whipping up designs like a pro. This kit introduces artists to the method of using drawing fluid and screen filler, and comes with everything you need to get started, including a wooden screen frame, a squeegee, ink, drawing fluid, screen filler, a utility knife, and more.

Help the entertainer in your life impress all future guests with this stylish and sexy cocktail smoker from Foghat. Handmade from white oak, this modern kitchen gadget will transform both food and drinks alike. This kit comes complete with the smoker, ember guard, whiskey barrel oak fuel, and instruction booklet.

5 Sausages A good party can clean out the fridge… fast. Gift the host in your life a selection of local sausages from Charkuu 102, available at Nomad Bakeshop and Sandwich Bar, for their next soirée. Available in a variety of unique flavours like beer, garlic, cheese curd, and charred peppers and tequila (hello!), this gift may not even make it to the party.

International House of Tea

6 Hoito Stained Glass An exquisite statement piece, a collector’s item, and a meaningful tribute to the past—the art lover on your list would be thrilled to unwrap this striking Hoito stained glass piece by local artist Kim Ready. It’s sure to bring back a few warm memories of gathering with family and friends (and, of course, pancakes!).

By Kelsey Raynard

Magnus Theatre

3 Moscow Mule Kit Trendy glassware is the mark of a true entertainer (sorry, red Solo cups), and local company Rum Runner Cocktail Co. has created the perfect gift box for drink enthusiasts this holiday season: a Moscow mule kit, complete with copper mugs, housemade ginger cocktail syrup, lime rounds, club soda, and a citrus reamer. Bottoms up!

7 OONI Pizza Oven Is there anything more impressive than fresh, stone-baked pizza at a party? We think not! The OONI Pizza Oven reaches 950°F (500°C) in just 15 minutes and can cook a pizza in as little as 60 seconds. Lightweight, portable, and fun, the host in your life is sure to enjoy this gift for years to come.

Mandible & Mushrooms T-Shirt

Creekside Nursery & Garden Centre

Lake Superior Serving Plate

The Quick and the Undead

Whether you’re serving up a charcuterie plate full of local meats and cheese or a sweet selection of locally baked goods, what better way to display a party platter than on a locally made Lake Superior serving plate from POTS2GO?

Let that special someone on your list wear their art on their sleeve (okay, their chest) with this stylish and quirky T-shirt, featuring a custom mandible and mushroom design by the artists at At the Well Tattoo. Printed locally at Superior Screen Printing on a super soft Bella canvas t-shirt, it’s sure to be a piece they’ll wear for years to come!

NWO Clay Collective 1

$235

Rum Runner Cocktail Co. 4

$83.20

A true entertainer enjoys good company anywhere they go. Magnus Theatre’s Flexi-Pass Subscription is the perfect gift for theatre lovers looking to see the second half of the season with a friend or partner. The pass includes six tickets that can be used for any of the final three mainstage shows.

$21.99

$60

Painted Turtle

$140

$479.99 8

For the host who loves a good board game night, The Quick and the Undead is sure to be a hit. Created by local entrepreneur Conor McGoey, this wild west/ zombie mashup is set in the fictional town of West Fort (sound familiar?) and will have your party goers stealing and shooting their way to victory.

Inside Up Games $42

At the Well Tattoo $40

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TOP TEN

this Christmas

2022

Holiday Wishbook

Y O U R O N E S TO P S H O P F O R H I M & H E R

01. P.J. SALVAGE FLANNEL SET A favourite for all the good reasons: easy fit & comfy shape, and available in many fun prints. Comes with matching hair tie.

02. ANDERMATT BIRKENSTOCK SLIPPER 03

BE GOOD. SHOP LOCAL.

Authentic, cozy and oh so comfy. Featuring the original Birkenstock footbed. A variety of shearling slippers and sandals available for women & men. Give the gift of comfort this holiday season.

03. BLUNDSTONE LUG SOLE New styles available. We carry the largest selection of Blundstones in town! Add sheepskin footbeds for extra warmth.

04. JENNY BIRD MONOGRAM NECKLACE

Designed in Canada and unlike anything else on the market. Initials available in gold or silver plating; embrace these unique, sculptural shapes!

04 06

05. BRAVE TOTE Handmade in Toronto from

gorgeous Tuscan vachetta leather that is soft to the touch. Limited quantities available.

06. SECRID WALLET Protects both your privacy and your money with style. Available as a slimwallet, miniwallet or twinwallet. 07. NSTP TOQUE Made in Canada, this rib-knit

toque is available in a variety of colours and sizes for adults, youth & toddlers.

08. GABBA OVERSHIRT Plaid is in! This is the perfect addition to anyone’s collection of practical all-season wear. A large selection available for women & men. 09. SAXX Get in the spirit with life-changing underwear featuring the BallPark Pouch™. Underwear, shorts, tees, loungewear and more. Fine tuned for maximum comfort.

R VENDORS U O WE

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D-F RI 11-7 pm

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10. SOCKSMITH SOCKS Wrap your feet in some feel-good socks that are available in a wide variety of unique prints & patterns. Fits U.S. men’s shoe size 7 to 12.5.

G I F T C E R T I F I C AT E S AVA I L A B L E !

J B E VA N S . CA The Walleye

CoverStory

Youngster

young-ster

a small human under age 12 (or someone young at heart) By Bonnie Schiedel

1 Persian Bath Bomb Why not take bath time to the next level with this stocking stuffer? This unique bath bomb is handmade in Canada in small batches and smells just like the real thing with cinnamon and strawberry fragrances.

Stella WaxBar $12

Raised at the Rink Sweatshirt 2

Ideal for hockey kids (or hockey siblings), this made-in-Canada sweatshirt is a cosy and comfy way to stay warm at the arena. Made of a blend of rayon derived from bamboo as well as cotton and a bit of spandex, it’s available in sizes ranging from 0–6 months up to size 6.

Lullaby’s Boutique $40

Kiss Naturals DIY Craft Kits 3

Crafty kids will love these allinclusive hands-on kits, and grownups will love that they’re made in Canada, contain highquality natural ingredients, and come with a dollop of science education. Bonus: fabric gift wrap and a gift card are included in each kit so you’re ready to wrap and go!

Norm and Lou $27

4 Sleeping Giant Onesie

We can’t guarantee sleep, but little ones aged 3–24 months will look darn cute in these organic cotton “Snoozin’ Like the Giant” onesies made with non-toxic, eco-friendly dye. And good news: this new design comes in youth and adult sleep shirts for the whole family too.

5 STIHL Toy Chainsaw Many Northwestern Ontario households aren’t complete without a trusty chainsaw. Get ‘em started young with this toy version with a revolving rubber chain and chainsaw noise with adjustable volume. Suitable for kids aged 3 and up. Northern Turf Equipment $49.99 6 Starry Night AirFort Forts are the best. This durable, breathable, inflatable fort uses any standard-sized box fan (not included) to blow up the fort in under a minute. There are several different designs available, but how dreamy is this celestial version with glow-in-the-dark stars on top? Suitable for kids aged 3 and up.

Toy Sense $79.99

7 YBike Cruze Scooter Zoom! Made for riders aged 2–5 (or maximum 44 lbs), these scooters are designed for kids still learning to balance. They feature a wide rear wheel for extra stability, easy-to-use rear foot brake, and raised grip surfaces on the scooter deck. Available in several colours.

Toy Sense

$119.99

8 4-Pack Private Ski or Snowboard Lessons

Ideal for beginners or kids who want to brush up on existing skills, this set of four, one-hour private lessons with a certified instructor is sure to be a hit with junior skiers or snowboarders. The package includes gear rental and full-day use of a lift ticket as well.

Mount Baldy Ski Area $169.99–239.99

Ungalli Clothing Co. $32.50

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MEET SANTA. SLEIGH RIDES. RETRO SNOWMOBILE SHOW. REFRESHMENTS & SNACKS. The Walleye

Food of cookies (usually 8–12 cookies per participant, depending on how big the guest list is), so everyone leaves with the same amount of cookies. Also, including the recipe with your cookies is a nice idea, but isn’t necessary. I have a few different tried-andtrue recipes I like to use, depending on how much time I have. For instance, a quick fudge recipe cut into neat squares takes far less time than shaped, chocolate-dipped, and gold lustre-painted sugar cookies. And I usually go for a recipe that

freezes well. After my cookies are ready, I like to pre-package them in paper take-out containers, making exchanging easy and COVID-safe. Have cookies, will travel! And that’s it—all that’s left is to decide what you’re going to make. This is a new-to-me but classic recipe that I’m going to try out in our cookie swap this year. The cranberries give the cookies a beautifully tangy taste and bright colour, and the recipe makes 60 cookies—perfect for swapping.

Cranberry-Orange Pinwheels Makes 60 cookies 1 c fresh cranberries 1 c pecans ¼ c packed brown sugar

1 c unsalted butter, softened

Using a mixer, beat butter for 30 seconds, until fluffy.

1½ c white sugar

Add sugar, baking powder, and salt to butter. Beat well, scraping down sides of the bowl occasionally.

½ tsp baking powder ½ tsp salt

Cookies to Pick and Chews From

2 eggs 2 tsp orange zest

THE G IN GR NIN Y L L BE

By Chef Rachel Bayes

ey, how about organizing a cookie exchange party this year? After almost three years of pandemic life, ringing in the 2022 holiday season with your friends and some baking might be just what you need to get some pep back in your step. Nothing brings people together the promise of laughter and snacks—especially when you get to leave an armload of cheery holiday cookies. And December 22 is National Cookie Exchange Day, so if you start now, you can get a

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cookie swap planned just in time! Cookie exchanges work best with about 6–10 participants, so begin with thinking of a few people you know who enjoy baking (as opposed to people who may get stressed out over the idea of baking for a crowd), and who you might not otherwise get to see over the busy holiday season. It’s a good idea to circulate a running list of what everyone’s bringing, especially if someone has allergies or dietary restrictions, and it’s best to ask your guests to bring a set amount

In a blender or food processor, combine cranberries, pecans, and brown sugar. Blend or process until everything is finely chopped. Set aside.

3 c all-purpose flour

Beat in eggs and orange zest, incorporating everything well.

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THE MORE THE MERRIER Celebrate this holiday season with us at the Thunder Bay Keg.

Beat in flour until dough is uniformly mixed. (Start slow with the mixer, so you don’t have a flour explosion in your kitchen!) Divide dough in half, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for about an hour.

Roll half the dough between pieces of waxed or parchment paper into a 10” square. Spread half the cranberry filling evenly over the dough square to within ½“ of the edge. Roll up dough, dampen edges, and pinch to seal. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 4–24 hours. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.

THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING Gift cards are available for purchase at the Thunder Bay Keg or at thekeg.com

Preheat the oven to 3750F, and line cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking sheets. Slice rolls into ¼“ slices, and place 2” apart on cookie sheets. Bake for 8–10 minutes, until cookie edges are firm and bottoms are lightly browned. Cool on pans for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Book your holiday reservation at thekeg.com

Thunder Bay Walleye Ad__Oct2022_8.25x5.1_v8.indd 1

The Walleye 29 2022-11-08 5:16 PM

Food DRINK OF THE MONTH

The Spiced Claus Madhouse

Story by Jeannie Dubois, Photo by Adrian Lysenko

he forever warm, cosy, and relaxed ambiance at Madhouse already sets the mood for an enticing and easy-drinking seasonal cocktail to come sliding across the bar—delivered by the lovely Riley no less, who thoughtfully curated this festive spin on the distinctly more sun-soaked Paloma. Upping the straightup lime, tequila, and grapefruit ante is the addition of freshpressed cranberry juice, inhouse simple syrup imbued with vanilla, cinnamon, cloves, and anise, as well as handsugared cranberries to top it all off. Looking like nothing less than Christmas in a rocks glass, the Claus’s rosy tone

A Tradition of Giving

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Madhouse 295 Bay Street 344-6600

Helping families put toys under the tree.

Rockin' around the safety tree, is a happy holiday!

AGENTS OF GOOD

is reminiscent of a certain you-know-who’s cheeks. Garnished with cinnamon sticks, star anise, and twinkling cranberries, it sets the seasonal tone with lovely baking spice aromas, and segues on the palate to warm, swirling citrus and cranberry notes curled around the round, mellow tequila at the heart of the cocktail. The lingering finish is both sweet and bright—a taste of how all our holidays ought to be. Spice it up this season with a Claus!

Donate Today! tree Online at: tbaytoysfortots.ca

tree

Visit the Toy Fire Station at Intercity Shopping Centre

tree

Go to any TD Bank Location

tree

Support the Thunder Bay Professional Firefighters Association 2022 Toys for Tots Campaign. All funding stays local.

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Food

Festive Finds Denizen Gifts Paired With Superior Sips

THE BEST STOCKING STUFFER

By Jeannie Dubois, Certified Pommelier and Sommelier

W GI V E T HE GIF T O F

HE A LT H & W EL L NE S S with our one month

CHRISTMAS MEMBERSHIP

inter (I know! I started with that word!) swept in with some gusto this year in our lovely enclave in the north, and snow, ice, and wind were all duly visited upon us. However, a softer, gentler, holiday vision of said hibernal shift, redolent with twinkling lights and dancing flakes, is nearly here. Places to go? People to see? This approaching festive season we have so many

R SUPERIO SIP

reasons to be grateful and to gather as we may, to celebrate together and to suffer through the cold in community once again. Whether you are gifting a good host or placing a thoughtful gift under the boughs, here is a short list of some top-shelf made-inOntario drinks and handcrafted local gifts to pair together to spoil someone on the nice list.

On sale until Dec 31/22 and must be activated by Jan 31/23

SPECIAL

$61.65 +TAX For the apple of your eye:

Thornbury Limited Edition Craft Sparkling Cider

O T H ER GRE AT GIF T OP T ION S! 12 admission coupons for price of 10 Gift certificates starting at $5

HEA RT B E AT HOT STICKS NOW AVAILABLE IN THUNDER BAY

CHARKUU102.COM

$9.95 for 750 ml The classy cork and cage bottle makes you feel like you’re opening the champagne of apples. Pair with: Lovely Body Orchard scented products such as silk shampoo bars, satin body butter, cold process soap, or sugar scrub, all locally made. They’ll make you feel like cider is definitely the new Chanel. Find at: Lovely Body Products 266 Red River Road

For the camp coffee lover:

Vodkow Cream

$29.95 for 750 ml This nifty new product is a fresh spin on cream with a kick, using milk sugar to create a glutenand lactose-free spirit. Pair with: Roots to Harvest enamel camp mug ($15 from each mug goes to the local food fund) and throw in the (tea) towel too. Or add some delicious freshly made Growing Up Granola. Find at: Roots CFC 450 Fort William Road

Have a truly lovely holiday season, Thunder Bay!

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For the red wine knockout:

For the craft beer cultist:

$17.95 for 750 ml This absurdly stubby bottle is as quaint and charming as the winter warming blend of Merlot, Cab Franc and Cab Sauv that fills it. Pair with: Nanny’s Knits, made by none other than Chef Andrew Stone’s lovely mom. They’re the perfect foil for our winter woes, keeping fingers and toes (and ears and noses) cosy in colourful, chunky knit cowls, scarfs, mitts, etc. so that your extremities will be ready for that waiting glass of red wine. Find at: Daytona’s 965A Cobalt Crescent

$3.45 for 473 ml Move over Germany! This killer crisp, fresh, and floral new take on pilsner is next level and made by an epic on point and kitschy Toronto brewery. Pair with: A box of delicious treats from Dolce Coffee House. It will hit all the right notes for a EuroPils sweet pairing. For the most flavourful effect, pick a rainbow of melt-in-your-mouth macarons with nuances of all the ripe and mellow hop tones in the beer. Find at: Dolce Coffee House 345 Kingsway Avenue

Creekside Red Tractor Cabernet/Merlot 2020

Indie Ale House Marco Polo Italian Style Pilsner

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Food

Your Car Care Centre! 80 S. Court St., Thunder Bay sales@auto-onecars.com

OPEN Mon to Fri 8am-6pm | Sat 9am-2pm

PHONE: 807-344-2644 TOLL FREE: 1-888-568-9716 www.auto-onecars.com

Theresa Stewart, owner of The Social

Social Setting The Social Opens in Dawson Heights By Matt Prokopchuk

“A

place where people feel like it’s their second home” is how Theresa Stewart describes what she wants her new venture to be to her patrons. Stewart is a veteran Thunder Bay bartender and bar manager, having worked in the local scene for years (alongside her day job as a dental hygienist), but is now trading that in to strike out as a first-time pub owner, purchasing the former Melizana Mediterranean Restaurant in Dawson Heights and reinventing the space as The Social, a casual pub with an urban flair. “I love the bar industry. I love the people you meet,” she says. “The customers kind of just become a little family and I just wanted to recreate that in my own space.” Stewart says she’s been eyeing such an opportunity for a while and when the opportunity came (Melizana closed up shop in September), she took it. In the meantime, there’s been “a lot of long hours,” in getting The Social up and running, and turning the space from a sitdown restaurant into more of a bar setting, Stewart says. That has involved removing many (but not all) of the existing booth-style tables and replacing them with more pub-like seating, installing televisions and a karaoke stage, changing some of the lighting, and significantly updating, enlarging, and reconfiguring

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the bar area—specifically the installation of a large, liveedge wood and galvanized metal bar structure. The overall urban-industrial look of the space, however, remains intact. “Given the name of the place, it’s about being social,” Stewart says of her vision of the bar and its renovations. “So opening up the space, making it more inviting, [means] you get to chat with everybody. Anywhere that we did keep the partition walls, we just raised the tables up so people can still see each other and chat.” As far as what’s on tap, Stewart says it’s a place where anyone can grab a beer after work, but also one where there’s a variety of wines available, as well as a specialty cocktail menu. For food, she says she wants to keep the menu to “pub food”—things like burgers, wings, poutine, and nachos. Karaoke nights run Fridays and Saturdays, and Stewart says she’d also like to start booking smaller musical and other entertainment acts; the pub, she adds, accommodates party bookings too. “It’s just always been a big interest,” she says of running her own establishment—specifically one with a strong communal vibe. “It’s just about being social.” Find The Social on Facebook or visit thesocialtbay.com.

Low Shop Rates Keep your vehicle cruising through the cold months!

From the Management and Staff of Auto-One Car Care & Service Centre:

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

From Full Automotive Services to Quality Pre-Owned Vehicles Daymak E-Bikes, Mobility Scooters & Electric ATVs The Walleye

Food

Shop Fort William This Season Gott Cupcakes Roots Salon Victoriaville Hair & Esthetics Samantha's Hair Design Pie.ology Marv Chony Jewelers The Mandarin Restaurant Hollywood Hair styling Sew Flippin' Creations Ham's Vision Centre Cajun Fuzion Tammy's Tailoring Up Shot Coffee House Tracy Lee Nails Ski Haus Thrive Gym Axel's Plumbing Mister J's Fashion Royal Unisex Hair Sweet Cherry Spa Cell City Sit 'n' Pretty Dog Grooming Monty's Joint Beauty and the Best Bella Curves Valley Fire Protection LTD The Hub Bazaar Tattoo Barber TBay Modular Floors Natural Health & Chiropractic Collin's Family Thrift Unique Clothing PARO Presents Switzer Floral Design Croc N Dial Sandwhiches Home Sweet Home Cafe Victoria's Cupboard Petrie's Cycle & Sport Thrifted Fashion The Gameshelf / Bookshelf Giorg Cucina e Barra Tilted Turret Pinball Pub

Seafood Thermidor

E OFF TH U N E M

Prospector Steak House Story and photo by Jack Barten

WWW.FORTWILLIAMBUSINESSDISTRICT.COM 36

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estled on the corner of Park Avenue and Cumberland Street, the Prospector Steak House has stood resolute for nearly forty years now. The classic restaurant has intergenerational nostalgia, and this month I’m sure some of you will get an extra jolt of said nostalgia with the return of the seafood thermidor. While it hasn’t been on the menu for nearly 10 years now, the thermidor has remained a favourite

of those Prospector diners in need of a fix of creamy seafood goodness. “For a few years we worked to streamline the menu. But now we are working on bringing back some of the classics,” manager Tony Hockenhull says on the subject of the thermidor’s return. But nostalgia aside, how does the thermidor hold up all these years later? Lobster, shrimp, and cod are smothered in a rich bechamel sauce

and then baked in a bread bowl topped with cheese. One probably does not need to be told that this rich combination works exceptionally well. The creamy flavours mixing with the seafood and cheese all cradled by the bread makes for a comfort food experience not soon forgotten, and leaves you understanding why it was a fan favourite. W ith my thermidor experience I also had Prospector’s house-made

blueberry wheat beer. It’s specifically paired with the dish to cut the creaminess with some crisp, cold fruit notes. This combination further enhances the experience, really bringing out the individual flavours of the dish. Overall, my first seafood thermidor experience proved to be a memorable one as I gained insight into those who dreamed of its return to the halls of the Prospector.

“The thermidor has remained a favourite of those Prospector diners in need of a fix of creamy seafood goodness.” 27 Cumberland Street South 345-5833

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Food

Making the holidays

a little easier

Touch Unwired is your one-stop location for all of Tbaytel’s great products and pricing!

Mobile Phones • Voice & Data Plans Accessories • Tbaytel TV & Internet

(L–R) Steven Beery and Scott McNab

The Jewel in the Vault

3 convenient locations: 1080 Lithium Dr. • 540 W. Arthur St. Intercity Shopping Centre Kiosk

Pressed For Time Café

Story and photos by Jack Barten

ome ideas brew for a while before being executed. For Scott McNab, the idea of opening a coffee shop in his cowork space The Vault had been on the back burner for a while. With a passion for coffee, he wanted to bring a consistently good experience to patrons of The Vault and the people of downtown Port Arthur in his own way. The concept further solidified when McNab met Steven Beery, now the manager of Pressed For Time. “I knew Steven was a great barista when my daughter and I would go into Starbucks and he would ask her questions about what she liked to make her a perfect custom drink,” McNab says. With the partnership established, they then went about designing a space that was welcoming, comfortable, and most importantly, made great coffee. “We triple-filter the water for all our coffee, and we use that water to make the

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ice for our cold drinks, so you get a consistent experience every time,” McNab says. Consistency seems to be the main concept at Pressed For Time. With no dedicated seating, McNab and Beery put effort into ensuring an enjoyable customer experience before sending them back out into the world (hopefully with more caffeine in the system). During my visit, Beery made me an oat maple latte. As someone who doesn’t usually drink oat milk, I admit I was skeptical at first. But this proved to be unfounded, as Beery produced a perfectly balanced beverage that was great for the ever-colder November days. Overall, it’s clear that Pressed For Time has carved out its own place in the growing Thunder Bay coffee shop community, and is an easy recommendation for all you readers in need of a caffeine fix.

Spend $150

ON A GIFT CARD AND BE ENTERED TO WIN THIS WINE TASTING DINNER FOR 6. VALUE OF THE DINNER $1,600

Oyster Rockefeller-Louis Bouillot rose Cremant de Bourgogne Quebec Foie Gras w/poached pear-Alsatian Pinot Gris Beef Carpaccio/Truffles-Benton Lane Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2020 Rack of Lamb w/cherry port reduction- Duck Horn Merlot Napa Valley 2018 Miyazaki A5 Kobe NY-O’Shaughnessy Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2018 Flourless Chocolate Torte-Port

231 Red River Road 355-0812

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Food

holidays

from the Thunder Bay 55 Plus Centre

NE E D A GI FT F OR SOME ON E 5 5 PL US OR B E T T ER ? We have gift certificates available for:

Kicksledding has been enjoyed for over a hundred years and is perfect for the Canadian outdoors. Imported from Esla Finland, our kicksleds are versatile, fast, safe, solid, built tough and even easy for Fido to pull.

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Registered Programs River Street Café Drop In Programs Call for more information

(807) 684-3066

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AT ANCHOR & ORE

If the ‘Best of Thunder Bay’ issue had a law firm category

Table d’Hôte Menu: Smoked Duck and Apple Phyllo Pouch on Berry Sauce

A Place to Call Home

Review by Susan Pretty, Photos by Adrian Lysenko

404 Balmoral Street • 807-577-8848 • www.chaltrek.com

New YearsEve

Sweet Nata

... WE’D BE A SURE THING

Butternut Squash and Pear Purée Soup Beef Bourguignon or Cajun Chicken Supreme

Andre Pires and Paula Costa, owners of Sweet Nata

ith a temping name like Sweet Nata, it’s difficult not to want to find out more. Newly opened in August, the coffee and pastry shop is owned by Paula Costa and Andre Pires, a mother and son team who are all about bringing the taste of Portugal to Thunder Bay. Looking to leave the rat race of Toronto, this dynamic duo sought out a less frantic pace. “The community has been incredibly welcoming,” Pires says. He’s the friendly frontof-house face that greets the customers, while Costa works her baking magic in which to stock the shelves. And the shelves! Customers

are treated to a wide array of stunning tarts, muffins, breads, and other treasures that are freshly made. The nata, the pastry for which the cafe is named, is a Portuguese custard tart with a decadent, velvety filling housed in a flaky shell. Or try the palmiers (gorgeously rolled sweet puff pastries), a variety of fruit tortas (including raspberry and strawberry) as well as a myriad of other delectables in a range of flavours, including lemon, coconut, apple, chocolate, Nutella, and caramel. The bolo de arroz (Portuguese rice muffins) are a must with coffee, and a favourite of the regulars. The showstopper is

a custard made with natas do céu (heaven’s cream), which is a layered dessert with sweet cream. Grab a loaf of Portuguese sweet loaf to take home, too. Don’t forget the savoury treats—the sausage roll and bacon and tomato tart with cheese make for delightful breakfasts. Keep in mind these are just the offerings from the dessert case, and a whole host of made-to-order breakfast muffins, sandwiches, and salads await to fill those cravings. Find them on Facebook @sweetnatabakery, or visit 270 Bay Street.

Sticky Toffee Pudding $

89 /PERSON PLUS APPLICABLE TAX

5:00 PM TO 10:00 PM With entertainment by MOOD INDIGO

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Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol Story by Taylor Onski, Photo by Matthew Goertz

his year, amidst the yuletide hustle and bustle, take a break and venture out for a night of theatre for the return of Jacob Marley's Christmas Carol at Magnus Theatre. Written by Tom Mula, Jacob Marley's Christmas Carol follows the ghost of Jacob Marley, Ebenezer Scrooge's deceased business partner. Clad in chains of immense weight, M a r l e y m u s t re d e e m someone with a far worse soul than his own to be redeemed himself in death, or be banished to hell. The soul in question? Scrooge himself! "It's a ghost story where

you're getting an image of an Edwardian Victorian afterlife," says production director Thom Currie. "You're watching this single actor onstage play Jacob Marley, and seeing snippets of Christmas Carol. When Scrooge goes back in time with the ghost of Christmas past, Marley's visiting his past." The show ran at Magnus Theatre last year as well, at 50% capacity. When Currie heard that people were coming back multiple times to see it, he decided to bring this twist on the classic Charles Dickens tale back this year with 100% occupancy. "Coming to Thunder Bay,

I wanted to do something different,” he says. “I want every experience the audience has to be different every single time. Thunder Bay already had this great tradition of A Christmas Carol with the annual production at Fort William Historical Park. It was really cool, so why would we touch that story?" As with previous Magnus Christmas productions such as It's a Wonderful Life and Miracle on 34th Street, Jacob Marley's Christmas Carol offers a space for looking back on the past year and thinking about how to carry forward onto the next. As Marley's journey

follows a man reflecting on his legacy and how he can aid one soul—the only soul far worse than himself— Currie notes that this piece ties together all the themes of past Magnus Christmas productions. When asked what he hopes audiences take away from the show, Currie recollects an audience member who, last year, told him they would never look at the stars in the same way again after seeing the play. "I hope that when people walk out and look up at the stars, they look up at the beautiful Christmas sky in Thunder Bay and go, ‘I see myself in the sky.’”

“I want every experience the audience has to be different every single time.”

Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol runs from December 6–24 at Magnus Theatre. For more information, visit magnustheatre.com.

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Bear Grease is the Word

where you make

An Indigenous Twist on the Classic Musical Review by Taylor Onski

hen I first heard about Bear Grease, I expected a word-for-word adaptation of Grease with an Indigenous twist and some changes to context and lyrics. However, what I saw was way more electrifying. Written and directed by award-winning hip-hop artists (and husband-andwife duo) MC RedCloud and Crystle Lightning (who is also an Canadian Screen Award-winning actress), Bear Grease brings a talented allIndigenous cast together to perform an exceptional mix of musical theatre, comedy, hip hop, and social commentary that both Indigenous and nonIndigenous audiences will enjoy. Set in a universe where

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Christopher Columbus’s ship didn’t make it to shore—and thus, brought no colonization or genocide—the Thunder Bay production of Bear Grease follows the story of Danny and Sandy who, after meeting at the summer Mount McKay pow wow, try to be together on Fort William First Nation while navigating their friendships with the Tug Boats and the Pink Aunties (Bear Grease changes the names of places in the show to reflect the traditional land on which it is being performed). Calling Bear Grease an innovative piece of theatre is an understatement. It redefines the traditional theatre experience with its eclectic hip hop, drumming, musical theatre, soul, and classic 50s soundtrack, and

takes a well-known musical, turns it on its head, and reinvents what musical theatre can be. Similar to Hamilton, Bear Grease blends genre— while MC RedCloud’s opening freestyle excites audiences, covers of 50s classics showcase beautiful vocals. The dancing ranges from jingle dress dancing to the familiar moves of “Greased Lightnin’.” All the while, the story and lyrics reflect the Indigenous experience with humour and insight. Combine all of those factors, and you have audiences laughing, cheering, and becoming energized. It also features what is probably one of the best performances of “Greased Lightnin’” I’ve ever seen. While the show is a fun

night filled with laughter and talent, it also offers a time of reflection. Grease and most media from the 1950s and 1960s lacked Indigenous representation. Potlatch was banned until 1951, and residential and boarding schools still operated, prohibiting First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people from practicing their traditions. Bear Grease explains why representation matters and how there has been progress, but there is still ways to go. The touring production has future stops on the prairies and the west coast of the United States. But next time Bear Grease makes its way to Thunder Bay, clear your plans, get a ticket, and go experience something that truly is “the word.”

“Calling Bear Grease an innovative piece of theatre is an understatement.”

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FilmTheatre

Gifts in Films By Michael Sobota

THE ST ND MOLE O C E S B A R PLEASUG WE THIN HE DO IN TK DAR A COLUMN ABOUT MOVIES

Well, my job is to, every Christmas, have to help one person, that’s feeling down, to get into the Christmas spirit. -Gideon (Harry Dean Stanton) in One Magic Christmas

t’s holiday time, and time for gift giving. There are hundreds of holiday movies, and most of them will include a gift or two—think about Elf or The Grinch. Some movies have gifts or are about gifts and are not holiday movies. They might feature unusual gifts. And some movies are so full of joy they are gifts themselves. Here are four for your consideration, with my sincere wishes for your happy holidays.

VICTORIA’S CUPBOARD Est. 1990

Savour Life

One Gift at a Time One Magic Christmas (1985) The great Canadian film director Phillip Borsos made this film in small town Meadford, Ontario. It’s produced by Disney, and they wanted it to look like any small town in America. But if you look at the mailboxes and the car license plates, you comfortably know where it is. The story is a timeless tale about getting someone into the holiday spirit, and helping to believe again as children do in the goodness and joy of the season. In this case it is an adult mom, Ginny (Mary Steenburgen), married to Jack (Gary Basaraba), a good man. Borsos forces Ginny and the viewers into darkness before struggling to find light when Jack is killed while trying to stop a local bank robbery on Christmas Eve. The film features Harry Dean Stanton as a genuinely reimagined Christmas angel and the best Santa Claus ever created on screen (Jan Rubes). This is my favourite Christmas movie.

The Gift (2000)

Working from a script co-written by Billy Bob Thorton and Tom Epperson, director Sam Rami brings us a southern gothic horror thriller. He assembled a stellar cast of some of the best young actors including Cate Blanchett, Keanu Reeves, Katie Holmes, Hillary Swank, Greg Kinnear, and Giovanni Ribisi and set them loose on this clunky script. At the heart of the story is the gift that Annie Wilson has. She has psychic powers. Like most of Rami’s films, the story is a potboiler full of murders, sexual assaults, threats, a lot of yelling, fire, and drownings. Annie Wilson is able to “see” both forward and backward, piecing together elements that become evidence in unravelling the dire deeds. It is to her credit that the character is believable, not histrionic or distorted in any way. The movie is a fun, trashy couple of hours of entertainment.

The Holiday (2006)

Writer and director Nancy Meyers creates an adult Christmas romcom. Iris (Kate Winslet) and Amanda (Cameron Diaz) find themselves bereft of the men they thought they wanted in their lives just as the holiday period arrives. Iris lives in Surrey, England. Amanda lives in Los Angeles. The gift here is the internet, and more specifically a house-exchange website. In a couple of clicks and flights, they find themselves traveling over 6,000 miles (er, 9656 kilometres) to cities and homes neither are familiar with. Comedic complications occur, surrounded by Meyers’s clipped, sometimes witty, and smart dialogue. New romances occur as well. For Iris it is Graham (Jude Law) and for Amanda it is Miles (Jack Black). A further complication is that their distant holidays are time-limited, as are these new romances. What to do? Meyers will deliver a mutually satisfying resolution.

Nothing Like the Holidays (2008)

Director Alfredo Rodriques de Villa shows a large Puerto Rican family converging for the holidays on the home of the parents (Alfred Molina and Elizabeth Pena) in snowy Chicago. We get to watch them for a full week before Christmas actually arrives. This is a loud, brassy comedy with some serious undertones, full of secrets revealed, forgivenesses accepted, and lots of food shared, as well as quirky jokes and laughter. A special gift is that Maurico (John Leguizamo) and Sarah (Debra Messing) reveal they are expecting a baby. There is a running visual gag about various family members attempting to take down a tree outside the family home that dad promised mom he would remove when they initially bought the house decades ago. The tree wins.

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Katie Hildebrandt A Clearly Creative Abstract Artist By Taylor Onski

Amalgamation

s e l f - t a u g h t contemporary abstract artist, Katie Hildebrandt developed her passion for art as a creative outlet during the pandemic. “My mom owns a sewing business and always encourages me to be creative and use my imagination,” she says. Hildebrandt’s first piece, an acrylic painting on a 5 x 3½foot canvas, had Hildebrandt hooked. Since then, she’s been studying artists and painting weekly in her home studio (formerly her husband's man cave) while listening to music from Norah Jones, Elton John, and The Beatles as her soundtrack. “I always paint with music. When I get stuck, I change the type of music I’m listening to and it helps me get through my block.” Further inspiration for Hildebrant comes from the wabi-sabi movement: a traditional Japanese aesthetic that appreciates the beauty in imperfection, impermanence, and incompleteness, found in things such as pavement cracks, snow, rusted trucks, and cargo trains. H i l d e b r a n d t c re a t e s beautiful paintings on canvas and tiles, and on 8x12" pieces of wood, which she also carves into, inspired by her grandfather, a carver. Carving into paintings gives them more depth and honours her creative legacy. “Ultimately, when people see

my art, I want them to feel an emotional connection,” she says. “With abstract [work], I think everyone will see that piece differently and have a different idea of how they might connect with it.” Another of Hildebrandt's goals is to make art more accessible. “I want an accessible way for people to grow an art collection. Art can be a bit daunting because of the price tag. I hope the tiles become treasures for people that they’ll keep forever and grow a collection from.” As for the future, Hildebrandt hopes to grow her amazing body of work— which you can see in galleries and shops, and on the walls of Celsius, Seler Restaurant, Bistro One, and Lot 66—as well as collaborate with local artists and interior designers. “I just go with it and don’t put a lot of energy into worrying about what’s next,” she says. “It’s already led me to some cool places so far. The Thunder Bay community is so welcoming to artists.” Hildebrandt's advice on how to begin creating art is just go for it, remember success does not happen overnight, and find beauty in the imperfections around you.

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Salem

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

The Rhyme & Reason

For more info, visit katiehildebrandt.art or follow @katiehildebrandt.art on Instagram.

“Ultimately, when people see my art, I want them to feel an emotional connection.” 48

Untitled Tiles

One of these Nights

Think About It

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Action and Stillness

A AND THOUS DS R WO

Anna Buske Photographs Fast-Paced Sports and Tranquil Landscapes Story by Bonnie Schiedel, Photos by Anna Buske

 Mazukama Falls

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 Bull Moose Encounter

 Fishing in the Mist

 Misty Marina Morning

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 Chillin’ Fox

“I

'm always looking at things with a photograph in mind,” says Thunder Bay photographer Anna Buske. Her love of photography started in childhood and really took hold when she learned analog photography from geography teacher Brian Shields as a student at Hillcrest High School, where she and fellow students worked on the yearbook and developed film in the school darkroom. As a radio, television, and broadcasting student at Confederation College, she learned more skills in photography instructor Ray Baker’s class. Work and family commitments sidelined her interest for quite a while though, and it wasn’t until about 10 years ago that Buske started moving from “dabbling” to a more serious focus. She taught herself digital photography through online and local photography groups, and her camera started coming with her everywhere in her downtime from her job as a registered nurse at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. Buske’s portfolios reveal several areas of interest: sports photography, nature photography, and a dash of travel photography too. The challenge of documenting high-speed sports ranging from barrel racing to ice motocross to kiteboarding intrigues her. “I’ll go just to try and improve my skills and try to capture that one good shot that you’re always trying to achieve and attain,” she says. The natural beauty of the northwest’s wildlife and landscapes is close to her

heart as well. “Wandering the back roads of Northwestern Ontario lets me disconnect, recharge and rejuvenate.” One of the images that was most rewarding to capture was a close shot of a moose in Minnesota’s Gunflint Trail area. The appeal of wildlife photography, she says, is that “it’s difficult. It is challenging. And it takes a lot of patience. Sometimes you have to sit there for an hour, a few hours or whatever to try and capture something that’s elusive.” After recent trips in North America, Buske is looking forward to travelling again, and would love to visit Iceland or go on an African safari with her camera in hand. “There’s so many beautiful places in the world,” she says. “And the thing is that you don’t really have to go that far either,” pointing to the Sleeping Giant as an example. “When I retire [I want to] capture a sequence of photographs of the Giant, because it is different every day.” A member of Professional Photographers of Canada, Buske meets with a small local PPOC group monthly to go out for a shoot together or to critique each other’s work. “I like to hear what’s wrong with my photo!” she says. “So many people like to look at a photo and say, ‘Oh, that’s beautiful, that’s great, that’s a lovely photo’ and I’m thinking, ‘Well, it could be better.’”

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To see more of Anna Buske’s work, visit @anna.buskephotography on Instagram or find Anna Buske Photography on Facebook.

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Three of a kind

Painting for Half Her Life and Just Getting Started Regan Ferris and Her Woodland Art By Roxann Shapwaykeesic

ven though Regan Ferris (only distantly related to local artist John Ferris) is only in her early 20s, she’s already facilitating workshops to inspire and help others to paint in the Woodland style. She’s been working in partnership with Neechee Studios, and has guided other workshops around Thunder Bay over the last few years. “I love being able to share art and talk about art with others. I try to share as much knowledge as I’ve gained

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throughout the years and pass it on,” Ferris says. Ferris moved to Thunder Bay from her home community of Constance Lake First Nation when her parents pursued their post-secondary education. She tells the story of how her mom had an assignment in her Aboriginal advocacy class and brought home a large canvas, paints and prints of Indigenous artists Roy Thomas and Norval Morrisseau. “I would come home and sit by her while she worked on the artwork. I

remember being so intrigued and curious about what she was doing. I loved the style of it, and how vibrant the colours were,” Ferris says. With globs of paint shared by her mother, Ferris started painting at the age of 11. Through her parents’ encouragement and support she soon received her own large canvases to work with. “As I got older, I started to put more stories behind my artwork,” she says. “When I was around 15, I started to

become more traditional and do ceremony, so some of my artwork includes teachings that I've learned along the way.” Her paintings have messages about issues she’s seen as well. “A story I painted was called Off Balance Systems. I painted it about the education system and how unfair the systems are,” Ferris says. The title refers to the lack of resources and inequalities in the educational system for people who live in northern reserves versus those who live in the city—people just can’t get as good of an education in the north, and struggle in high school compared to those from the city.

“When I was 16 a lot of issues people would go through were [related to] substance abuse,” Ferris adds. “So I did a painting of a fish in a bear. It was a symbolization of how people would be consumed by their addictions.” To inspire artists, Ferris encourages people to just paint. “It doesn’t matter who sees or likes your artwork. Just keep painting for yourself,” she says. Regan Ferris is also available for commissions. To view more of her work, follow her on Instagram @onewho_opensdoors.

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Shaganash Bearing Gifts By Penelope Smart, Curator, Thunder Bay Art Gallery Artist: John Hartman Title: Shaganash Bearing Gifts Date: 1987 Medium: Ink on paper Dimensions: 28.3 × 38 cm (11 1/8 × 14 15/16 in) Collection of the Thunder Bay Art Gallery, gift of the artist (2000) ohn Hartman is known for his paintings, drawings, and prints of

J 54

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the landscape. “Shaganash” is an Ojibway word used to refer to English-speaking white people. In this ink sketch, a group of three figures with outstretched arms stand in relation to objects and symbols with colonial histories such as a cross, a dollar sign, and a bottle. While the artist offers a descriptive title and place name in sparing text, the human and animal figures

are ragged edged outlines, and the narrative is unclear. Places, like people, can be full of intricacies and hard to read. John Hartman was born in 1950 in Midland, Ontario. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from McMaster University in 1973 and taught painting as a parttime faculty member for Georgian College in Barrie, Ontario from 1986 to 1996.

HE FROM T BAY R E D THUN LLERY’S ART GA TION E L COL C While Georgian Bay was home, he lived and worked in Collins, a small, isolated community on the railway north of Thunder Bay from 1976 to 1981, and in Heron Bay, another small, northern shore community, east of Thunder Bay. While his wife taught for the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, Hartman painted and sketched. Several years later, Hartman

drew on his memories of his experiences in Collins to create a dynamic body of work, including this drawing, which he donated to the Thunder Bay Art Gallery.

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TheArts the person who spends a great deal of time making objects.” When asked about her reflection on the work for this exhibition, Niro says: “I love the work because it has my family members in it. Whenever I see it, it feels like I’m visiting an old friend.” Two of the individuals pictured have passed on since Niro created the work in 1995. Bamaapii: See You Later is a powerful honouring of not only a truly impactful artist, but also of the creative women in her life and their influence. The exhibition runs until December 31. For more information, visit theag.ca.

Bamaapii to Works by Shelley Niro Retrospective Exhibition Showcases Artist’s Career and 90 Works of Art By Sarah McPherson

here’s a new exhibition at the Thunder Bay Art Gallery, but the artworks themselves are old friends of the space. Shelley Niro’s Chiquita, Bunny, Stella is exhibited in the front foyer in a show titled Bamaapii: See You Later. The work will be leaving the gallery this month after years in storage and heading to New York to take its place

in the multidisciplinary artist’s international retrospective exhibition, Shelley Niro: 500 Year Itch. But it’s not “goodbye” for the work, but rather “bamaapii,” which means “see you later” in Anishinaabemowin—fitting, as the pieces will return to the gallery’s collection in 2026. Chiquita, Bunny, Stella is a multimedia project

created by Niro in 1995, with the intent to highlight the skills of significant women in Niro’s life. Niro’s mother, sister, and daughter are all pictured working on their respective crafts: Chiquita’s image is paired with a dancing fan, Bunny’s with a cornhusk doll, and Stella’s with a beaded bag. In the exhibition, curators Meaghan Eley and Caitlyn Bird also

included quotations about each person, pulled from Niro’s original statement about the work. “We all know people like [these women]—not them, exactly, but they exist in our families and communities,” Bird says. “There’s an importance, a need for these pieces to be shared with the community.” The work specifically highlights the individuals as

they relate to their creations, and the importance of recognizing the role of the artist in a craft. In her statement from 1995, Niro says: “Although the work these women do is based on cultural elements from Iroquois society, their work is an expression of themselves and is contained within themselves. With these pieces, I wanted to highlight

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Beyond words The Walleye

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great

Dwayne Wabegijig Indigenous Artist Finds Inspiration Everywhere

Gift Ideas!

By Kris Ketonen

walk around the city, watching some TV, flipping through a comic book: Thunder Bay artist Dwayne Wabegijig finds inspiration everywhere. “It’s whatever catches your eye,” he says. “Maybe it’s a good story, maybe it’s a certain artist, his technique or his colours. It’s anything and everything.” “I grew up liking comics,” he adds. “Conan the Barbarian s t u ff , y o u k n o w, F r a n k Frazetta, all that. Also, when I started studying artwork on my own time, I grabbed art biographies. I gravitated towards Dali, van Gogh, Picasso. I liked them for their colours, and obviously Picasso for his experimentation.” Other inspiration for Wabegijig comes from Indigenous artists from Manitoulin Island (his mother is from the area), including James Simon Mishibinijima and Leland Bell. As far as his artwork itself, experimentation is a big part of what Wabegijig does. “Art is often just about finding your own way,” he says. “I see a lot of my contemporaries, and people in the past—you associate a style with that person, and they don’t really move forward. I’m trying to find a new way to move forward with my artwork, blending different styles. I’ve managed to blend it a little bit here and there, but I don’t think I’m where I should be.” Wabegijig says it’s a matter of finding the right feel. “Sometimes I like to do the backgrounds abstract, with just a blending of colours. Other times it’s just the techniques that you’ll use that are more texturized, as opposed to just the flat-coloured backgrounds of a lot of Native artwork,” he says. “I kind of like to blend them more.”

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Currently, Wabegijig is a full-time artist, working 12-hour days a few days a week “just painting non-stop. Then I’ll rest for a couple of days,” he says. “A lot of time I’ll watch, maybe some documentaries, look at artwork, do some sketching.” “I try different techniques and mediums just to experiment, play with them, find anything that I can use, or that I like.”

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Outdoor

Black on Black

Exploring Wild Ice on Lake Superior Story and photos by Darren McChristie

ce formations on lakes are intriguing and beautiful. The jagged ice along the shoreline, fracture lines, frozen bubbles, and colours that range from white to deep blue and black form intricate patterns that seem to invite closer inspection. Skates are a natural choice for an afternoon adventure or a weekend expedition. Lake Superior’s massive Black Bay is often the first part of the Great Lakes to freeze. A combination of shallow water and protection from large waves allows fast ice (fastened to the shore) to form on Black Bay, often by early December. Three friends and I had the gumption to drive to Hurkett Cove Conservation Area in search of

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skateable Superior ice in early December 2020. As experienced seekers of wild ice, we had been studying ice charts and satellite images for weeks and Hurkett Cove provided easy access to the lake. Several cold, clear days and nights with light wind and zero precipitation provided the right conditions for the formation of seemingly endless epic black ice. Careful planning and preparation is necessary prior to heading out to enjoy gliding on the wild ice of Lake Superior. I proceed onto frozen lakes with this mantra: there is no such thing as safe ice. Clear blue to black ice is strongest. You can often see the thickness of the ice when you spot a crack. The Canadian Red Cross suggests

avoiding ice that is thinner than 20 cm. On this day, the ice was black and we were taking a risk skating on an average thickness of 15–20 cm. For added safety, life jackets and throw-bags were part of the equipment along with hockey sticks and skates. We passed around the puck (it's amazing how far a puck will travel when not impeded by boards), but were eventually lured out to the vast openness of Black Bay. For a few minutes, the heavy clouds cleared and the ice turned from black to stunning shades of turquoise. It looked like we were skating on a mirror and it felt amazing —I was relaxed, but my senses were heightened. Occasionally my heart skipped a beat as the ice bellowed, popped, and pinged below by skates, contracting and expanding in the changing light. Wild ice skating is one of the many ways to enjoy the vast beauty of Lake Superior, but you have to act fast when smooth ice forms. Snow is the enemy of seekers of skateable wild ice and, inevitably, the best ice will be covered in a blanket of snow. We returned to Black Bay a couple more times that month, but the ice wasn’t never quite as smooth. Undaunted, we swapped our skates for fat bikes with studded tires, but continued to chase black ice all winter. This year, the ice is forming later than normal due to a mild and snowy fall. The Canadian Ice Services daily updates show new ice on Black Bay had finally formed by the middle of November with the long-term forecast settling into normal temps by December.

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Randle’s Candles Co. a We Pour One Candle at a Time

Holiday Scents! • Arctic Bitterness • Santa’s Kitchen • Snowberries • Winter Wonderland

• North Pole • Cranberry • Eggnog • Balsam Citrus

• Sugared Spruce • Sweater Weather • Coziness • Home

At the Thunder Bay Country Market

Stop in and see what’s new!

807-627-6827 randles.candles@hotmail.com

MARCUS POWLOWSKI MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT, THUNDER BAY - RAINY RIVER

905 Victoria Ave E, 2 Floor, Thunder Bay nd

(807) 625-1160

Marcus.Powlowski@parl.gc.ca

Helping make your realty dreams become a reality! Let me take care of all the work while you enjoy the results.

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ELTRES.CA |

269 RED RIVER RD. (807) 343-3443

EXTERIOR FINISHING T H U N D E R B AY, O N T. 882-A Tungsten Street • 807-623-1135 www.exteriorfinishing.ca

We are thankful this holiday season to be blessed with so many wonderful clients! Season’s Greetings from all of us at Exterior Finishing.

Please change to new logo for North Star

pie.ology HAND PIES MADE WITH HEAR T

eat . more . pie. y Happ Holidays! ilovepieolo

Your Best Source for Firewood! Birch | Poplar | Black Ash | Dry Pine Pick-up or Delivery Available

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Pie.ology

pie.ology_

3079 Dog Lake Road

807.632.5220 | DogLakeFirewood.ca

With Ken Boshcoff

CityScene

As told to Matt Prokopchuk, Photo by Shannon Lepere

hunder Bay’s city council now has several new faces as it gets down to business after this fall’s election, but a familiar one has returned to the mayor’s chair. Prior to his recent win, Ken Boshcoff also served as mayor from 1997 to 2003; he has additionally sat on council for a number of terms dating back to the late 1970s and was a Member of Parliament for four years in the mid-2000s. Away from the political spotlight, Boshcoff has also worked in business development and with a number of community organizations. Boshcoff spoke to The Walleye about his priorities for the new term, his interest in Antarctica, and receiving a shawl from the Dalai Lama. The Walleye: What’s your top priority now that the new council has convened? Ken Boshcoff: There are so many barrels really that have to be addressed. From the social side, clearly the coming winter and the homelessness is there. At the same time, there’s reason for optimism with the number of mining operations that are looking to set up here. So if we could get even four or five or six of the head offices for those companies, that would provide an impetus for some very serious longrange economic development. So it’s a double-barrel push right now. TW: Away from work, what do you enjoy spending time doing? KB: Well, I have been saving up most of my life to start travelling. Of course that’s been set back two or three years. I will actually have [to] set that aside for another couple of years, but I have a couple of trips that I will take as breaks—even a mayor gets holidays [laughs]. T W : W h e re a re y o u wanting to go?

EYE EYE TO

KB: My Antarctica trip has been postponed for about three years in a row— apparently now it’s going ahead, so I’ll take some time off in January to go from ice and snow to ice and snow. TW: What would a trip to Antarctica entail? KB: I’ve been a big historical fan of people who achieve against hardships that none of us could even conceive of, so it’s always intrigued me and it’s just something that’s been on my wish list. When I retired [laughs] a few years ago, I bought [the trip] and it’s just been postponed because of COVID for three years running, but apparently it’s going to go now. It would be on a scientific vessel, visiting animal colonies and whalewatching, things of that nature. TW: What’s on your music playlist these days? KB: I managed to get to Eagles’ final concert in Ottawa, so that was nothing short of spectacular, of course. There are a couple of entertainers coming to the Auditorium. I really enjoyed The Mavericks’ last show [here], they’re always an exceptional show band. I hope to get more music in my life again, and as you know I’m a big supporter of musicians and talent. I will catch a [Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra] show or two—it looks like a great season they’ve got coming—as well as Magnus. So I’m glad we have all this here and an auditorium to show it all off in. TW: Where did that support for the arts come from? KB: It came from my awareness that I would never be talented enough to be an entertainer, so I better start enjoying it. I’m a great admirer, particularly, of people who do comedy. One of the joys of life is the fact that we can make fun of ourselves. The last comedy show that the Investors

Mayor Ken Boshcoff at Prince Arthur's Landing

Group brought here to the Auditorium was a gutsplitter from start to finish and showcasing Canadian talent in particular. TW: Do you have a treasured possession? KB: I do. I have a shawl from the Dalai Lama, and I have a Terry Fox print that Mrs. Fox gave me after I declared our area as keepers of the flame when they opened up the Terry Fox monument. They are treasured things. I have a rattlesnake skin that shed

when I was in the jungles of Kenya. I don’t save much stuff—people know I’m a great gifter, so as long as I know it’s going to be treasured as much as I would then I like to pass it on. TW: Tell me about the shawl from the Dalai Lama. KB: When I was in Parliament, a group of people decided that the Chinese oppression [of Tibet] was getting too much, and we would form a Tibetan friendship group of parliamentarians—all-party.

So as the Dalai Lama came to different places, the friendship group would go meet him, whether it was Ottawa or Montreal or Vancouver. In Thunder Bay, actually, [when] Lynn Peterson was the mayor, we raised the Tibetan flag. We were one of the few cities in Canada that did it, so the Dalai Lama was quite enthralled with that, and he was very effusively grateful. The interview has been edited for length and clarity.

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CityScene

Cassidy J

HOME OF

Taking Social Media By Storm By Kim Latimer

assidy J, the vibrant, energetic Thunder Bay-based content creator, has amassed over 1.5 million followers on TikTok and over 64,000 followers on Instagram. She’s worked with major international brands including Spotify, Samsung, L'Oréal, and Marc Jacobs. Her recent gig is creating content for Disney. Cassidy says the key to her success is staying true to her own personality, style, and values. “I work only with brands that align with me. I want my content to inspire you to be yourself,” she says. She started creating content at age 14, attracting followers who enjoyed her dance and hair videos. Now, at age 21, with an audience across North America, her content comes with visceral, highenergy, high-impact messages about self-acceptance and the shared experiences of Persons of Colour (POC). Her following blew up this past August after she posted videos titled “Things White Men in Thunder Bay Have Said to Me” and “Things White Women in Thunder Bay Have Said to Me.” She had over a million views on the videos from across Canada, in the U.S. and in Europe. “It’s the common shared experiences of POC, like me, and [social is] a place to just share those experiences. [...] They're comments you would not get unless you’re a brown person,” she says. Racism is an issue she wants to draw attention to in Northern Ontario. And it goes beyond those microaggressions, she says.

“It's more this overwhelming feeling that you're different, and that maybe people think that you can’t achieve the same things as them. Or they're surprised that you've achieved as much as you have given your family's past or given how you look, and that's something that's always really bugged me. […] It's the systemic stuff that really gets to people.” She says the pandemic allowed for more safe spaces and that meant she should keep going. “I’m really reaching people, and this is important,” she says. “I should not step down.” Creating has been her passion. In her third year of a business marketing degree at Lakehead University, Cassidy plans to someday start her own social media marketing firm with a focus on inclusion, and creating a hair care product line for all hair types. "I want to inspire people to be comfortable in their differences and embrace the unconventional within. Don’t be afraid to be different,” she says. “Particularly with hair care, I know it's hard to wear your natural hair sometimes because it could be a lot of work, or you can have people touching it and unwanted curiosity.” Her point is “everyone can do what they want [with] their natural hair.” With a true talent for creating captivating content, she is, as she puts it; “a young, brown girl killin’ it.”

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Give the Gift of

Winter! FREE SKI DAY DECEMBER 24TH + 50% OFF Rentals

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The perfect gift for them and a little something for you.

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CityScene

 Various clamps and other tools of the trade

 Dining room chairs: A dining room chair that Radley made in 1986.

 Red Pine for bookmatching: Bookmatching is a practice of matching two (or more) wood surfaces to mirror each other, giving the impression of an opened book. “It has much more presentation,” Radley says.

WALL SPACE

Radley's Woodworking

 Turning bowls: “Turning another bowl is another tough thing to do,” he says. “And the thinner the bowl, the better. You don’t want a bowl to be super heavy, otherwise you won’t use it. And the thinner it is, the more talents you have.”

 Windsor chair: “Chairs are probably the hardest thing. There are so many competing pieces to making a chair,” he says. “A chair has multiple directions on it, and a little deferred one way or the other and you won’t be sitting in that chair. There’s either a comfortable chair or not a comfortable chair.”  Live edge bowl: A live edge bowl is a bowl that uses the natural contour of the bark of a tree for its rim.

Story and photos by Adrian Lysenko

rom bowls to chairs to tables, David Radley of Radley's Woodworking makes it all. “I’ve always done woodworking,” he says. “I make everything, anything that’s made out of wood.” Woodworking is also in his blood. “My greatgrandfather was from England,” he says. “All he did was fix picture frames for some rich SOB.” Aside from the tools, sawdust, and scraps of wood inside Radley’s shop, many of his creations are on display. But he says the thing he enjoys the most about woodworking is getting the satisfaction that someone is using what he's made. “I’ve got bowls that are 30 years old and they’re still using them to this day,” he says. For more information, visit radleyswoodworking.com

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CityScene H W Y 61 TO M E M P H I S

This is Thunder Bay

presents...

BLUES C H A L L E N G E

Interviews and photos by Jack Barten This month The Walleye asked: What is the most memorable gift you’ve ever received?

Kerry: My husband bought me a heart-shaped box from the dollar store and he filled it with yellow stickies that each said something that he loved about me. It’s been on my desk for eight years and it won’t ever leave my desk.

Fenton: The greatest gift I’ve ever received would have to be my children and the love of my family.

RETURNS IN JUNE 2023! The winner will go to Memphis, TN in 2024 to represent the Thunder Bay Blues Society at the International Blues Challenge

For more information visit: w w w . th u n de rba y bl u es s oci et y. c a

HOST Your Client Appreciation Event HERE! Chenier Fine Arts gallery | 14 Court Street S. Red Lion Smokehouse Presents

NEW YEAR'S EVE DINNER & DANCING

For more information call Debra Chenier at:

807-346-0409 or text her at 807-630-2799

WITH ROBIN RANGER Six Course Meal | $95+tax Champagne Toast at Midnight

Aya: The best gift I have ever received was coming to my new home in Canada and starting a new life. Even though it was full of challenges, it made me a better person and helped me to improve.

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Deanne: The best gift I’ve ever received is my standup paddleboard because I use it everyday in the summer, and it was something I’ve never done before and I fell in love with it.

Kara: The most memorable gift I’ve ever received was a train set from my father. He stayed up all night with his friend to set it up.

16 Cumberland Street S. 807.286.0045 hello#redlionsmokehouse.ca

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CityScene

“We will improve and adapt over the years. I’ll put on as many shows as people want.” Part of this is bringing on sponsors and trophies who make it all even more exciting. “My main goal is to save as many old sleds as I can from going to the

scrapyard,” he adds. “There are often people who find an older machine when they buy a property or find one out in the middle of nowhere. We want to save those. Someone within our group would fix them up.”

CityScene

Find @LappeVintageSnowmobileClub on Facebook for details on upcoming shows, and go out to have a look sometime this season. It’s a great family event, fun and educational for everyone!

“My main goal is to save as many old sleds as I can from going to the scrapyard.”

 1971 Ski Doo Olympique

THE SIASTS H ENT U

Lappe Vintage Snowmobile Club

 1965 Ski Doo Olympic

Story by Wendy Wright, Photos by Through My Eyes Photography

s winter blows into Northwestern Ontario, it’s time to pull out the sleds! There is a certain cachet to a brandnew power snowmobile; however, it can’t compare to the soul of a vintage machine. Christian Ward started the Lappe Vintage Snowmobile Club as a hobby about three years ago, and it has grown to approximately 210 members who share stories, hints and tips for fixer-uppers, and new ways to show off their talents on their club’s Facebook Group. Every year, there have been at least a couple of shows for the public to come out and have a look

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at these vintage (pre-1998) snowmobiles and talk with the owners who have lovingly restored them. The oldest snowmobile within the group is from circa 1960. The first show took place at Lappe Store in 2021 with 16 sleds. By February 2022, there were more than 30 at a show at Dawson General Store, and the most recent show took place at the Canadian Tire store on Arthur Street, with nearly 70 vintage snowmobiles and their proud owners there to answer questions from intrigued onlookers. “It’s nice to see people who like to look at the old machines that are kind of forgotten about,” Ward says.

 (Left) 1972 Moto Ski cadet

 Bolens Diablo Rouge

 1965 Polaris Mustang

 1964 Arctic Cat model 170

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CityScene

DAVID RADLEY SAMEDI 3 DÉCEMBRE 18 h Valhalla Hotel

Bookshelf

“A

book is a gift you can open again and again,” wrote American author Garrison Keillor. With that in mind, every December we look back on all the books published by Northwestern Ontario authors. From fiction and poetry to children’s stories, here are 22 new titles for that special book lover in your life.

Kids/YA

Souper de Noël et Soirée dansante How I Found My Voice Meghan Gagliardi

A producer of fine furniture and timeless architectural elements. The only way to get exactly what you want is to have it custom made.

radleyrdavid@gmail.com + 807-621-4127

16 years or older? Physically able to shovel a walkway or porch? Willing to help a senior in your neighbourhood? Excited for snow?

Billets en vente à l'ESC de La Vérendrye, au Centre francophone et etransfer (écrire à ccf.thunderbay@gmail.com)

When I Listen to Silence Jean Pendziwol

Sonny’s Big Game Maya Saggar

Wiijibibamatoon Anangoonan/Runs with the Stars Darcy Whitecrow and Heather M. O’Connor

Death on the Water Marianne Jones

Five Stalks of Grain Adrian Lysenko

Took You So Long Cindy Matthews

The Sugar Thief Nancy Mauro

Fiction and Poetry

MERCI D'APPORTER DES DENRÉES NON PÉRISSABLES POUR LA COLLECTE DES PANIERS DE NOËL DE L'ACCUEIL FRANCOPHONE

WRAPPING PAPER IS NOT RECYCLABLE

Dragon of Sand & Storm: The Autobiography of a Goddess H. Leighton Dickson

A Burning We Will Die Betty Guenette

The Wolf of River Terrace Katherine Poulin

The Copper Kettle Margaret Schweitzer

It Was Never About The Money Jensen Thomas

Selling Katie Donna White

Dear Bill Cindy Long

Only Birds are Free: Nursing Stories from Jail Kristina Schelhaas

No More Needles: A Cancer Survivor's Stories Jensen Thomas

Building That Bright Future: Soviet Karelia in the Life Writing of Finnish North Americans Samira Saramo

Non-Fiction

ALL CAPS: Stories That Justify an Outrageous Hat Collection Craig Colby

Promo Man Bob Klanac with Nick Panaseiko

Due to the extremely high ink content of the paper, gift wrappings cannot be recycled, and must be put out with your regular garbage. FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL 625-2195.

thunderbay.ca/christmas

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Kate and the Dragon Val (Susie) Murray

Prix des billets : 40$ avant le 20 nov. 45$ entre le 20 nov. et le 3 déc. 50$ à la porte

SOLID WASTE SOLID WASTE && RECYCLING SERVICES RECYCLING SERVICES

The Little Bird Learns to Fly Zachry Hendricken

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ELIMINATE BOREDOM

CityScene

Season’s Greenings A Cannabis Corner Gift Guide By Justin Allec

Big Bag O’ Buds Pink Cookies

($143.92/28 g, THC 18.00– 26.50%, CBD 0.00–1.50%) This Ontario-grown indica is truly the gift that keeps on giving— with a 28-gram bag, how could it not? An incredibly potent mix of minty GSC and sweet Cherry Pie, this strain is relatively new but is here to stay thanks to bold flavour and a high THC content. One big bag should be good for the holidays, but I have a feeling Pink Cookies would be welcome at any time of the year.

24 Js for the Holidays Advent Calendar ($69.96/6 g, THC 3.00–28.00%, CBD 0.00–10.00%) Here’s a fun one that’ll help the cannabis lover in your life celebrate all month long. There’s a variety of strains and strengths in these pre-rolls, but like the best advent calendars, each day is a surprise. Forget chocolates or Kinder toys—a joint a day will chase the scrooge away!

BIS CANNAER N R O C

or yourself or that special someone, a gift of cannabis or the right accessory can help make the season bright. All these items are small enough for a stocking but the thrill is just the same as opening a big box. Give the cannabis enthusiast in your life something they really want… but don’t hold it against them if they forget to write you a thank you card.

Keef - Orange Kush Classic Soda

($8.50/1x355 ml, THC 10.00 mg, CBD 0.00 mg) That classic C’plus taste gets a cannabis update with Keef’s Orange Kush. Cannabis beverages have only improved in the last few years, and this may be the pinnacle of taste and experience. Each can is infused with a hybrid cannabis oil that’s just potent enough to be refreshing. One can is good for an evening, but I’d suggest two if you want to stay up and watch for Santa.

Juicy Jay’s 1¼” Papers – Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

($2.99) Rolling papers are a great stocking stuffer, but if you’re overwhelmed with the selection of novelty papers, you can’t go wrong with Juicy Jays. Unlike a lot of flavoured papers I’ve tried, Juicy Jays have their taste worked right into the paper, instead of just the glue. Pair these with a strain that has taste to match for a potent combination. Available at Rainbow on Bay/May.

Cali Crusher 4-Piece Pollinator Homegrown

($104.99, 2.35", blue) Give those hands a rest and use one of the best grinders on the planet instead. Precision machined from aluminum with four sifting screens, Cali Crushers are heralded for never sticking, never jamming, and always breaking your cannabis down to the density you need. Available from Kia Ora.

Beamer Candle Co. Candle Smoke Killer Collection

($19.95, 12 oz glass mason jar with handle and metal lid, CoCanna Banana scent) Cannabis has a rather distinct smell, and if you’re consuming indoors, it can become quite overpowering. Beamer candles help control both smoke and odour. Light one up before you actually light up and fill the air with a gentler scent. There’s a variety of flavours and the convenient mason jar container can be closed at the end of the session. Available at Toke House.

SuperiorKiteboarding.ca 74

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CityScene

Get your event listed Second Chances

Inclusive Secondhand Fashion with Previously Loved Plus

D SECONES C N CHA

By Kelsey Raynard

he societal shift away f ro m f a s t f a s h i o n t o w a rd s t h r i f t i n g stands to benefit everyone, regardless of your race, gender, sexuality, or physical attributes. However, for those of us that fall outside of society’s norms, the burgeoning Instagram resale world might feel out of our reach. Enter Previously Loved Plus: a low-cost, POCowned, size-inclusive thrifter who is sharing her eclectic secondhand collection with the Thunder Bay community. Lindsay Shay, creator of Previously Loved Plus, says that while secondhand

The Walleye

shopping has an array of environmental benefits, it is still important to ensure that these spaces are inclusive and diverse. “The LGBTQ+ community is something I have been involved in since the age of 14, so it’s very important to me that people know when they’re shopping with me, it doesn’t matter who you are or how you identify,” she explains. “A lot of my customers identify as female, but I want everyone to know they are welcome; if you see something you like, reach out! I want to be able to put clothes on every person.”

S h a y ’s e c l e c t i c a n d inclusive collection is a great reminder that clothes have no gender, and that secondhand shopping is about making environmentally conscious decisions that feel best for you. “For people new to thrifting, I recommend looking through every section; when you branch out and look at other areas, you can find a whole slew of new items. I love to go through the men’s section; they have so many fabulous sweaters there,” she recommends. Not only are the sizes at Previously Loved Plus inclusive, but her prices

are too. Shay emphasizes that times are tough, and if someone sees something they like that’s out of their price range, she is always open to offers and negotiations. Otherwise, she actively tries to keep all of her prices as affordable as possible. This month, Previously Loved Plus is showcasing a funky outfit, fully accessorized, that is perfect for upcoming holiday parties. First, Shay has an eclectic, patterned knit sweater that you can rock long after the “quirky sweater” parties have ended (fits like an XL

Add it to our Events Guide for free online & in print. thewalleye.ca/events

for $15). Next, we have a pair of 725 Original bottoms made of cotton/spandex blend with suede and lace detailing (plus size 21 for $15). Lastly, finish off your look with two great thrifted accessories: a pair of vintage gold hoops and a delicate, tiered necklace ($3 each). Ultimately, Shay wants re a d e r s t o k n o w t h a t fashion—and specifically secondhand fashion—is for all bodies. With low cost options, reusable packaging, and a wealth of fashionable options, Perfectly Loved Plus can be your new go-to online thrift store. Follow Shay’s journey at @PreviouslyLovedPlus on Instagram.

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CityScene From your friends @

The Little Pie Shop

AL GO LOC R E D THUN TRY N U O C BAY T MARKE

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

Story by Wendy Wright, Photos by Adrian Lysenko

Tami Siver, owner of The Little Pie Shop

ami Siver has been cooking and baking for those around her since she was young, to great accolades and demand. From catering to restaurants to feeding family and friends, Siver has the taste buds of hungry folks on her mind. “High-quality ingredients are the most important in my business,” she says. For the past four years, Siver has been running her business The Little Pie Shop at the Thunder Bay Country Market, where you will find her completely from-scratch homecooked meals, soups, snacks, and spreads, and of course, pies. As the holidays approach, she also serves up homemade holiday treats to save you time. Her “sidekick” (her cousin Keli) is there to help and make sure everyone has something hearty and delicious in their freezer. Part of the lineup at The Little Pie Shop includes the ever-popular chicken pot pie. This is one of Siver’s best sellers, whether in mini or family size. The sweet pies are also popular, including fruit pies and cream pies—there are many flavours available, all with a flaky, handmade crust. The only thing that rivals the number of pie flavours is the number of soup flavours available. “Currently there are

more than 50 types of soup on the menu, and country harvest chicken is the favourite,” Siver says. “There are 13 different seasonings in that soup, with fresh chicken and vegetables. Everyone loves it.” “The meals are very popular with busy professionals, shift workers and families. It’s easy to get homemade food fast this way,” she says. “People can quickly get a home-cooked meal that is nutritious and delicious. The meals and soups started with seniors remarking they like the little pies they could purchase and wishing there were other things that I made.” From listening to her clients and pivoting with food selection, Siver has built a broad base of offerings for everyone. Seasonal changes come into play and The Little Pie Shop is so much more than pies. It’s a flavour beacon in a world of quick food that can be a bit tasteless. For more information, find The Little Pie Shop on Facebook or visit them at the Thunder Bay Country Market on Wednesdays 3:30–6:30 pm and Saturdays 8 am–1 pm and add more flavour to your life!

“People can quickly get a home-cooked meal that is nutritious and delicious.”

Good Vibes • Awesome Coffee

194 ALGOMA ST S. | BEANFIENDCAFE.COM

Are you in crisis?

Call or text, any time. There are options 24/7.

7:09

thunderbay.cmha.ca/

BRING JOY Talk to Text Phone Line

1-866-888-8988 807-346-8282

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YOUR DONATIONS STAY 100% LOCAL, ALWAYS.

to Children, Families and Seniors this Holiday Season. Donate by December 31st to help people living in poverty.

DONATE TODAY

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Get advice you can trust. Since this is our home too, our advisors understand the unique needs that come with living in Thunder Bay. We'll work with you to find the most comprehensive coverage at the best value! Start dealing with a broker that will get to know YOU and advocate on your behalf. Call us or visit us online to request a quote today.

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TF: 1.866.418.3672 info@standardinsurance.ca

standardinsurance.ca

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Music

At One with the Boreal Forest Blues Nick Sherman Shines with the TBSO

Guest conductor Janna Sailor

Story by Michelle McChristie, Photos by Lois Nuttall

t’s a blustery Saturday night in November and people are filing into the DaVinci Centre, picking out their seats among the round tables in the banquet room. It’s a small venue for an orchestral performance, so there’s not really a bad seat in the house. At the same time, members of the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra take their seats and start warming up. It’s a soft cacophony of chaos, much like the chatter in the audience. Then, the guest conductor—Vancouver’s Janna Sailor—takes her place and the musicians are silent. After a musical prelude, Sailor welcomes singer-songwriter Nick Sherman. Sherman establishes an easy rapport with the audience. He’s as much of a natural storyteller between songs as he is during them. He talks about spending time with his grandfather on his remote trapline north of Sioux Lookout, hanging out with cousins off-grid and unplugged (except for an hour a day when his grandfather would fire up the generator). He reflects on people he met working the graveyard shift at Robin’s Donuts in Sioux Lookout, the morning when he was working with CBC and news of a missing Anishinaabe high school student came in, and missing his wife and children while touring—stories told with insight, respect, and optimism.

In the span of two hours, Sherman played songs from each of his three albums. Although his songs are powerful on their own, being backed by the TBSO playing incredible scores, arranged by Justin Sillman and Ted Vaillant, brought a new dimension to the music. It was obvious that the conductor and musicians had worked hard to perfect each note. Sherman is clearly the kind of guy to give credit where it’s due—he thanked Sailor, the symphony, sound engineer Rob Nickerson (who can make any room sound like a concert hall), and his friend Alan Cranton, who lent Sherman his beautiful custommade guitar for the show. At the end, the audience rose to their feet with applause and polite cheers, so Sherman and the TBSO came full circle and replayed the opener, “Northern Ghost.” I’m sure I’m not the only one who had that chorus playing in my head for the rest of the weekend.

Singer-songwriter Nick Sherman

Principal timpani Kevin Brohman

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Borest Forest Blues featuring Nick Sherman was part of the TBSO’s Northern Lights series, which continues on January 20 and 21, featuring Sara Kae. For more information visit tbso.ca.

Visit ontarionorthland.ca or call 1-800-461-8558 to book your trip today.

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Sharing their Christmas Spirit Fort William Male Choir to Kick Off the Festive Season By Pat Forrest

or some, it might be the first snowfall, or maybe when the twinkle lights start going up. But for many in and around Thunder Bay, the perfect start to Christmas is when the members of the Fort William Male Choir take to the stage to share their Prelude to Christmas concert. Set for December 9 and 10 at Hilldale Church, this year’s concert is focused exclusively on winter and Christmas. “Every year, we love to mix things up, focusing on different themes, showing a variety of videos, and making set and

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costume changes. This year, people will be treated to songs of the season—some classical, some secular, and some humourous,” says choir president Gerard Tremblay. The choir has been entertaining their many fans from all over the world for almost a century. It was a humble beginning. Eight members of the choir of St. Paul’s Anglican Church decided in 1927 to form a male voice octet and this group was the nucleus of what later came to be the Fort William Male Choir. Dues at the time were five cents per practice, and the men chipped in another 35 cents

each week for refreshments. The group made its first outof-town trip to perform in Kakabeka Falls, where an audience of approximately a dozen enjoyed a one-hour concert. Membership grew over the years, but things really took off in 1946, when Norman Klevin took over. Known as a perfectionist, Klevin led the choir to new levels. They began making LP recordings starting in 1955, joined the Associated Male Choruses of America, attended Big Sing events (and even hosted one here in Thunder Bay) and won the title of Canada’s

Centenary Choir in 1967. They undertook three world tours from 1967 to 1973, when they performed for Pope Paul VI and a crowd of 15,000. Kendall House assumed the role as full conductor in 1978, having initially joined the choir as a bass in 1954 and taking over as assistant conductor in 1966. House introduced a more contemporary repertoire with music from Broadway shows such as Les Misérables, Phantom of the Opera, and Man of La Mancha, along with classical and spiritual selections. Prelude to Christmas was launched

and became the vehicle to kick off the festive season. Tremblay says that this year there will again be special guests. As they have for years, both shows will end with the everpopular “Feliz Navidad.” The choir is currently led by director Darlene Chepil Reid with accompanist Carol Wehrstedt. The Friday evening concert starts at 7:30 pm with the Saturday matinee getting underway at 1:30 pm. Tickets are $30 for adults and $15 for youth under 16. Call 7673612 or email tickets@fwmc. ca for tickets.

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ere at The Walleye, we love music, especially when it comes to the Northwestern Ontario variety. Luckily for us, this has been a banner year for artists from the region. Here are 34 albums released this year by NWO musicians (in no particular order) that make great gift ideas for your resident music lover. Please message us if we missed any releases from this year, or give us a heads up about any coming out in 2023!

Collin Clowes Lily

Zakwithdapack Supa Pimp

Carver Ghost

Femur Altamadum Live at Brent St. Public In My Blood House (07/09/21)

Jim Hamilton The Stories We Tell Ourselves

Yakob Woods Songs From the Road, Vol. 1

Nadjiwan Star Nation

Ryan McCulloch Lifestyles of the Young and Aimless

FAT COP The Last Love Song on Earth

Soapboxer Something Nobody Asked For

Rival Town Useless Hands

Aysanabee Watin

Kandy Roar Demon Blues

Mountain Mansion Songs From A Fire Tower

Along the Lines Our Dear Finale

Alienatör Regrets

Connor McMahon Crimson Clown

VHS Deep Gashes and Long Lashes

[ASS] [ASS] [INS] Underneath

Chemical Bank Distortion+

Pansophic Bred To Annihilate

Burial Etiquette Post Marked Stamps

Shibastik The Braid Remains

Jay Walker & the Delinquence Jay Walker & the Quarantine Quest

Jay Walker & the Delinquence Evolution of a Dragon Pt.1

VHS and Ghetto Ghouls Cannon Vigilante of Justice

Shared Image Along the Way

Chemical Bank Get So Strange

KC Westfort Long Way to Paradise

Andrew J. Edwards NotAtFault

Karma Karuna Stargazer: Destination

Darren Foley Hymns of the Sun

Lev Lemarchant Ease Your Troubled Mind (Don't Forget Anything)

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Barenaked Ladies to Perform Christmas Concert Story by Kris Ketonen, Photo by Matt Barnes

rom Christmas classics to their own hits, B a re n a k e d L a d i e s are bringing a show to Thunder Bay this month with something for everyone. “People are in the mood at holiday time to listen to music,” drummer Tyler Stewart says. “To me, that was always the best part of the holidays. Sure, it’s great getting presents and

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all that, but I always thought the music was the best part of the season, and that was really a big part of us deciding to make a holiday album in the first place— we were all fans of holiday music.” That album, Barenaked for the Holidays, was originally released in 2004. However, in November of 2022, the band re-released

the album as a deluxe edition, complete with nine bonus tracks. “During the pandemic, we recorded a holiday special that we put out as a webcast,” Stewart says. “Luckily, we could get into the studio and make that, and we had a great time doing it. It turned out that some of the recordings from that are really quite good, so we decided to add those

as bonus tracks to the rerelease of Barenaked for the Holidays.” The band is bringing those songs on the road with the Hometown Holidays with Barenaked Ladies tour. It kicked off in Vancouver on December 1, and will wrap up in Toronto on December 22—with a stop in Thunder Bay along the way, of course. “We like to leave people with a smile on their faces, so we’ll definitely be playing some of our Christmas hits,” Stewart says. “The other thing is, we’ll be playing our hits, so people will get a

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chance to hear some of their favourite Barenaked Ladies songs. Mostly, we want to put on a fun show. There’s always surprises. Every Barenaked Ladies show is different, so we pride ourselves on surprising people and giving them a fun, energetic show that they’ll remember for a long time.” Hometown Holidays with Barenaked Ladies stops at the Thunder Bay Community Auditorium on December 13. For more information, visit tbca.com

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(L-R) Nathan Forte, Paula DiGiuseppe, Landon Sprock, and Harley Curley

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s signs of life in the local music scene continue to emerge, bands who hit their stride away from the stage during the pandemic are seeing the payoff. That’s how you’ll find Mother of Wolves—a local hard rock band with pop influences, made up of four friends who enjoy the hell out of playing with another. Mother of Wolves is Paula DiGiuseppe (lead vocals), Nathan Forte (bass/backup vocals), Landon Sprock (guitar/backup vocals), and Harley Curley (drums). “The bands we were

in, they just weren’t exactly hitting the criteria we wanted. That’s kind of what drove us to seek another avenue,” says Forte. “I feel like all of us bring a different element of the genre.” The band was called in as a last-minute replacement at The Hunger 2018 for their first gig, and the rest was history. Originally, their sets consisted only of cover songs, but as live music came to a permanent halt, they took time to reinvent themselves. “The pandemic really helped us find ourselves. We figured out what we want to do and

where we want to go,” he says. The band now has eight original tracks, which they mix in during their performances. They say they intend to release original music in the near future. As tenured performers, the members have seen a noticeable shift with local crowd reception “When me and Landon were growing up, it was all metal bands,” Forte says. “The scene has definitely made a big shift toward [country], to how it was, say, five to 10 years ago.” They’ve noticed some challenges with crowd engagement and

the tastes of a younger generation, but the thrill of live performance pushes them to keep trying for something that sticks. “There’s something to be said about live music… It’s a universal language.” Forte says. “I call it ‘chasing the dragon’ – every weekend just getting amped up and ready to go,” Sprock adds. Those who see Mother of Wolves on the bill will know exactly what to expect: “A sheer rock and roll performance,” says Forte.

“There’s something to be said about live music… It’s a universal language.”

Mother of Wolves will perform at The Foundry on December 10. Keep up with the band by following them on Instagram at @mother.of.wolves.band.

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side from a deep love of the band, there’s one main driving force behind the longest-running Eagles tribute band, Hotel California: authenticity. “I started it in like ‘86,” says Michael Dimoulas, Hotel California coowner and band member. “Nobody was doing it back then, and it was quite the challenge, with all the vocals, and all the guitar work. Every single instrument has its own little melody, basically, in

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their music, and their stuff is brilliant.” Recreating the music of Eagles, Dimoulas says, is an involved process. It includes a lot of rehearsals, and an eye for detail in terms of not only how things are played, but how things sound. “You’ve really gotta sit down and meticulously listen to every part,” he says. “Some people, when they do top 40 and stuff like that, they’ll learn a song, but they’ll sort-of learn it and add little things of their own in there. We go

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out and they’re like ‘This brought back so many memories of my late husband,’ let’s say, or as a child, or so forth,” Dimoulas says. “And you know what’s incredible is also the younger generation comes out, because they’ve listened to the music through their parents, and they’re loving it. They’re being introduced to some fantastic music.” Hotel California plays the Thunder Bay Community Auditorium on December 18.

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Things Fall Apart

(L-R) Sean Skillen, Brad King, and Simon Paquette

Alienatör Celebrate the Ruins By Justin Allec

t’s a fitting time for local trio Alienatör to release their second album Ruins. For most of us, including the band, this “new normal” looks and feels just as bad as the “old normal,” meaning this local trio have all the justification they need to bring the misery. The band’s 2019 debut Pariahs was a cold shot of sludgy metal, a punkedup collection of bangers announcing to Thunder Bay that hey, here’s a band with convictions and the abilities to match. One pandemic and a lot of downtime later, Ruins finds the band leveling up with confidence. “It’s a more cohesive batch of songs. The pandemic allowed us to

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slow down, to focus on writing the best songs without any distractions. We couldn’t play any shows or do any promotion, so that whole side of being a band got ignored,” band member Brad King says. Ruins goes for the throat from the first track. This is a different band from their debut album. For one, the line-up has been solid for years. Brad King still mans guitars and vocals, the ever-reliable Sean Skillen provides bass and backing screams, and not-so-new drummer Simon Paquette shows just why he was such a catch with propulsive, inventive skin bashing. Alienatör’s new songs may be misanthropic, but they’re also exciting, with

a unique blend of the downtrodden sounds of punk, sludge, noise, and crust. There’s more room to breathe on each track, which makes the multitude of twists and turns hit a lot harder—by second listen you’ll be screaming right along with the choruses. It’s tough to pick favourites, but the band did you a favour by filming three livefrom-the-basement videos that showcase the intensity. Check out “The Priest” on YouTube for starters, then dive into the rest of the album. Along with making new music, Alienatör is also playing shows again, which is a different kind of work. “Ugh, we had to get back in shape again. I hadn’t sung in years,”

King laughs. It’s here that Alienatör does notice a change for the better. With restrictions on social gatherings in place for so long, a live show feels more like a celebration than an obligation. “There’s a whole group of kids that came of age during the pandemic that didn’t get a chance to go out. People are excited to be at shows again; no one is taking it for granted,” King says. With recent performances at Tumblestone and an album release show at Black Pirates Pub reigniting the band’s spark, Alienatör are ready to show audiences how much fun it can be to tear it all down. Ruins is available everywhere digitally now.

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Gord Ellis tuning up for Christmas merriment in December 2020

Christmas and Music

G BURNINE H T TO SKY

Story by Gord Ellis, Photo by Jacquie Kennedy

here is something about Christmas that brings out the music in just about everyone. There is, of course, the ubiquitous muzak that we usually begin to experience in mid-November and seems to carry on well past December 25. But cheesy renditions of “Let It Snow” are not really what bring me joy. My musical Christmas

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memories are more organic. One great thing about Christmas is the gifting and receiving of music. It may seem quaint now, but I still like buying CDs and vinyl for people. Perhaps that’s because 40 years ago, I’d nearly always get some music under the family Christmas tree. Broad hints would be dropped to the parental units about the best choices

of music to buy. One very clear memory for me is the Christmas of my 17th year. I came home from working my part-time job as a nighttime security guard at St. Joseph’s Heritage to my family opening Christmas presents. Needless to say, I was a bit bleary-eyed, but that was overcome by the excitement of a very nicely wrapped gift that contained a vinyl album. A double album. It was Quadrophenia by the Who and, at that point in my life, I was immersed in the writing of Pete Townshend. So that was a Christmas gift that I always remembered (and still have).

It was also in my late teens that I began learning to play guitar. The ability to negotiate a few chords somehow led to playing guitar while caroling. The non-guitar player might assume Christmas carols are simple and can be banged off with little effort. I may have thought that too until I looked at the chord sheets. For some reason, the writers of the classic carols did not adhere to the structure of folk music and blues. They preferred to have a chord change with nearly every word of the song. Sadly, many carols were horribly mangled as I tried

to negotiate this rapid-fire chording. To this very day it is still a challenge to pull off “Good King Wenceslas” and “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” on the six string—well, unless you are Bruce Cockburn. While carols are tricky, there are a few more modern Christmas songs that are a bit friendlier to the guitarist raised on British blues and American rock. One of my all-time favourites is “Run Rudolph Run” by Chuck Berry. The song encompasses every guitar lick Berry knew, and tells the tale of Rudolph leading Santa’s sleigh down a freeway. There are many covers, but the version done by Keith Richards in 1979 remains the greatest, as it is both scorching and fun. Super fun to play too. Christmas is also a great time to share live music with others. A couple years back, my friend Jacquie Kennedy invited me and Thunder Bay jazz musician Robin Ranger to play a Christmas song for a holiday feed she was doing from her gym. It was during the pandemic, so this was the closest thing to a party she could have. Robin and I were both gym members, so we agreed. On the chosen Saturday afternoon before Christmas, we got dressed in some Christmas-type clothes and went to the gym to do the show. We had decided on Tom Petty’s “Christmas All Over Again,” a jaunty little tune with more than a little George Harrison influence. Robin and I ran through it a couple of times and then were ready to go. We both had a blast, and Robin played his bass like the Grinch after he discovered the joy of the season. Having negotiated that song, Jacquie requested one more. A carol of course. We slightly bobbled “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” but in the most joyous way possible. That musical joy, my friends, is what Christmas is all about. Merry Xmas.

A Musical Christmas Tradition The Fort William Male Choir Presents:

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long before she developed an interest in the violin. “The place where I studied piano was a music studio, and they often had violin teachers there,” Lee says. “After hearing someone play violin, I was like ‘I want to do that instead.’” “I find it really rewarding, and just enjoyable to be able to make music with people,” Lee adds. “Also, every musician is so different, so it’s really cool to work with different kinds of people, and hear their ideas and learn from them.” Lee did her undergrad at the University of Alberta, graduating in May. Over the summer, Lee enrolled in a program in Hamilton with another TBSO violinist, who recommended her for the job with the TBSO. “The position that I got is a one-year position,” Lee says. “I would love to stay here, but I also do want to do a Master’s, as well, so I’ll kind of have to see how that goes.”

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Birthplace: Edmonton Instrument: Violin Age you started to study music: Piano at age 4, violin at age 6 How long have you been with TBSO: In her first season What’s on your personal playlist: Berlin Philharmonic, Itzhak Perlman, Eric Chou t’s safe to say Allison Lee is enjoying her first full-time gig with an orchestra. “It’s been really cool,” says Lee, who’s in her first season with the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra. “I really enjoy the huge range of repertoire we get to play, because in university you really stick to classical things. But here, we get to play all kinds of music, like movie music.” “It’s been really fun, and everyone in the orchestra has been really friendly and nice, so it’s been a really good time so far.” Lee got her musical start on piano at age four, but it wasn’t

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(807) 623-8775 snpcatering.com @saltpeppertbay The Walleye

Music

Music last stop” on a tour. The band was touring in support of their latest album, Many a Mile, and the newer songs from that release, including “Ride Your Bike” and “When You Were Wild” stood up well when mixed with the crowd-pleasers like “Rose-Coloured Glasses,” “What Am I Doing Here,” and “Five Days in May.” One of the highlights was “Bad Timing,” an achingly sweet Cuddy-sung ballad. When Cuddy and Keelor harmonized on the song’s chorus, the yin and yang of their voices was perfection. I could not end this review without mentioning what a great live band Blue Rodeo is. Cripps and Bowskill were superb all night, while keyboard player Michael Boguski

was magnificent on organ and shone on accordion. Longtime bassist Bazil Donovan and drummer Glenn Milchem remain the most potent rhythm section in Canadian roots and rock. They both had spotlight moments during the show closer “Lost Together,” and deservedly so. If I had any quibbles with the show, it was the lack of songs from mid-period albums including Palace of Gold, Are You Ready, Small Miracles, and especially The Things We Left Behind. Yet with a songbook like Cuddy and Keelor have, it’s hard to please everyone. I’d guess most people left the TBCA on November 10 feeling very satisfied indeed.

Blue Rodeo

Live at the Thunder Bay Community Auditorium Review by Gord Ellis, Photos by Lucas Augustyn

hunder Bay has had a long love affair with Blue Rodeo, one that dates to the band’s first appearance here in the late 80s. The band skipped the city on its last (prepandemic) cross-country tour, and the November 10 show has already been rescheduled once, so there was a lot of anticipation for this appearance. Blue Rodeo did not disappoint a nearly full house. The band came rolling out of the gate with a double shot of fan favourites. The first song

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was the smouldering Jim Cuddy-sung “Trust Yourself,” which allowed the band to stretch out musically. Newest band members, guitarist Colin Cripps and multi-instrumentalist Jimmy Bowskill, shredded at the front of the stage, something that would be repeated later in the show. Cuddy was in great voice, which is usually the case, and hopped around the stage with a youthful exuberance that belied his 66 years. The second song was the moodier, Greg Keelorled “Diamond Mine.” This

is where it became obvious Blue Rodeo was firing on all cylinders. I’ve seen a lot of Blue Rodeo shows, and there have been a couple where Keelor seemed to be in another galaxy (he admitted as much later in this show). Yet that was not the case on this night. Keelor was all-in, leading the group through the instrumental sections of “Diamond Mine” with nods of his head and smiles as he chewed gum. Keelor also acknowledged Thunder Bay’s long history of supporting the band, and how it is usually “the first or

JUST IN TIME FOR THE HOLIDAYS!

Tickets for Back To The Future Live with the TBSO are available now! Get yours at tbso.ca today! The Walleye

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OfftheWall

Lily

Collin Clowes Lily, the second EP from local singer-songwriter Collin Clowes, opens with the disarming sound of birds chirping before descending into the melancholic lyricism of the opening track, “Nightmare.” With this allusion to the sounds of spring, the album’s opener becomes the first of many tracks to evoke the same air of bittersweet nostalgia that motivates much of Clowes’s debut release, Sleepy. However, towards Lily’s conclusion there seems to be a perspective shift in Clowes’s lyricism as he evokes the much colder imagery of his hometown on the song “Toronto.” Through this transition from warm summer memories to a gloomy winter homecoming, Clowes introduces listeners to a more introspective side of his songwriting. Alongside this matured lyrical voice is Clowes’s growing knack for crafting expansive soundscapes that lure you in with vulnerable guitars and sentimental pianos before building towards an urgent catharsis. This aspect of Lily lends itself beautifully to Clowes’s themes of loss, grief, and ultimately, healing. -Melanie Larson

Reviews

Being Somewhere Dan Mangan

Two-time Juno Award winner Dan Mangan has come through with another fantastic album, Being Somewhere—the sixth in a steadily rising line of fantastic modern folk. The magic of Mangan’s work is that he speaks of stark reality and the impermanence of life, using what can only be described as beautiful music that somehow lifts the listener’s spirit instead of darkening it. “In Your Corner (For Scott Hutchinson)” is a heartfelt tribute to the former frontman of Frightened Rabbit, who passed away in 2018, and is a prime example of Mangan’s ability to elicit emotion through song. “All My People” has a perfect balance of traditional and modern elements, and “Fire Escape” walks us through an artistic masterpiece about battling our inner thoughts. Being Somewhere is exactly what anyone should expect from Dan Mangan—more excellence. If you don’t already know Mangan’s work, you can start here and be just as enriched as a regular listener. And if you have been listening, I don’t know how you can be anything but impressed. -Jamie Varga

Changes

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard

The Loneliest Time

Our Dear Finale

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard return with Changes, their fourth album of 2022 and their 26th album overall. Funky, jazzy, and fun, this record lives up to its name, as it feels like every other week the band releases a project that changes the band’s direction and sound. This constant change would be detrimental to some groups, but King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard always seem to put out quality albums, and offer something new for those listening. Changes is no different, and sees the band diving further into making funky pop music. With more of a focus on crisp bass lines and keyboards, this album feels like the soundtrack to driving down a velvet highway at night. Multiple tracks are more than five minutes long, which does a wonderful job at throwing you into the mix and making you lose track of time. Overall, this album really drives home the idea that change is good, which is also the band’s biggest strength.

Canadian pop sensation Carly Rae Jepsen has released her sixth studio album The Loneliest Time. As the title suggests, the 16-track collection explores the depths of loneliness and the resulting yearning for connection that so many of us have experienced in some capacity over the past two years. However, Jepsen explores these sometimes dark motifs with her signature optimism and catchy hooks. Unlike her 2011 breakout hit “Call Me Maybe,” the songs on this album demonstrate a much wider breadth of pop (and much deeper lyrics, too). There are airy, ambient ballads like “Western Road,” alongside dialed-up, synth-heavy jams like “Talking to Yourself.” Her love for the 80s is clear throughout the album, and her bouncy, bubblegum-pop voice is hard to get out of your head… sometimes annoyingly so. Whether you loved or hated “Call Me Maybe,” it is hard to ignore Jepsen’s talent in constructing an exemplary pop song: catchy, effortless, and emphatic.

Capitalizing on post-lockdown momentum, local metalcore act Along the Lines have at long last released a six-song EP to follow up the excellent “Sanguine” video released two years ago. Our Dear Finale offers that rager of a song, along with five more tracks (and a techy instrumental)—more than enough material to justify destroying stages. Like most ultra-modern metalcore, the real attraction is how well the band plays with dynamics, and Along the Lines do an admirable job. Our Dear Finale is all about extreme contrasts: the pummel of djent-y guitar rhythms, the roaring harsh vocals, the softer sections as pretty as pop, all carefully arranged for maximum impact. The production on these songs is hyper, which lets all the details reach your earholes. I know the band had to wait a while for these songs to reach the masses, but they should be proud of what they’ve released. Hopefully it won’t be another two years before we get more new music from them.

-Jack Barten

Carly Rae Jepsen

-Kelsey Raynard

Along the Lines

-Justin Allec

PainKiller

City Fidelia

Canada’s hip hop scene is at an inflection point, with a sea of talented underground artists constantly being overshadowed by something more stylish and trendy. The good news is that Ottawa’s City Fidelia—nicknamed “The Mayor”—does a better job representing this scene than any elected official ever could. City doesn’t leave any room for doubt that he belongs. On his debut album, he switches through flows like a six-foot-nine NBA wing— whether it’s towering R&B vocal performances or airtight bars about overcoming the odds, the talent is crystal clear. City’s voice sounds warm and familiar so it’s no surprise that he sounds right at home over more pop-leaning songs like “Therapeudick,” but where this album really shines is when City’s paranoia cuts through the pleasantries on tracks like “Can’t Sleep,” or in the chilling bars he raps over a blues-y gospel beat switch on “T.A.P.” This album has no time for the vanity of the moment. One can only imagine the possibilities of this artist once he develops even more confidence and is given more of the artistic freedom he deserves.

Frog of the Week @OhKimmies

As someone who was completely obsessed with frogs as a kid, this podcast has re-opened the floodgates for my love of these astounding amphibians. Frog of the Week is a delightful, bite-sized podcast that serves up exactly what the name suggests. Listeners get a no-nonsense, threeminute dose of the frog world, along with some quirky tidbits and hilarious wordplay. One of my favourites was about the gray-eyed frog, which lays its eggs on the tips of leaves that hang over bodies of water, protecting them from their aquatic enemies. The eggs are surrounded by a unique substance that is produced and literally whipped together by the mother’s back legs. Once the tadpoles hatch, bam! They conveniently drop into the water below. How cool is that?! So perk up your tympanums, hop in the pond, and enjoy learning about the largest and most diverse amphibian group on the planet. -Andrea Lysenko

GROUP RATE: $25 /person for 4 hours Min. 9 people The Walleye

This charming children’s story follows Juliette, a young girl who is visiting her Canadian cousin Theo over the Christmas holiday. On one page, we see Juliette’s letters home to her parents after she, Theo, and their grandmother visit a different Canadian city/province, and on the facing page, we see a Canadian twist on the classic carol “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” This version features things that our young characters enjoy doing or seeing in each province, such as a loon in a maple tree, sled dogs, hockey players, and more. The family start their journey in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island and head west, ending in Victoria, British Columbia. I wish the family had travelled north to the territories to fully make it around Canada and give readers a chance to learn about these places and cultures as well. (Juliette actually mentions that this should be their next trip—perhaps a sequel is in the works?) There are some great facts about Canada listed at the end of the story, making this an entertaining and educational read.

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and Vallance, meant these embellishments to proclaim our connection to the British Empire. Upon further consideration, this might make sense. Floral patterns are found throughout, including the curved arches of what were once the entranceways, and below the second-floor string course. Other plants include the maple leaf of Canada, but also thistles, oak leaves, and roses—all symbols of the United Kingdom. Shields with the nine provincial coats of arms (such as they numbered in 1913) are significantly topped by a crown. There are more shields of various sizes, some held by heads and others by lions. Many of these shields are blank, perhaps representing an unwritten future between the two countries.

Courtesy of the Thunder Bay Museum

he Whalen Building has been iconic to Thunder Bay since it was built in 1913. What is perhaps most intriguing about this heritage property, located at 34 Cumberland Street North, isn’t that it was the city’s first skyscraper, or the story of the build itself. It is the faces, floral patterns and shields that adorn the building, and the ambiguity of what they represent. Upon closer inspection of the well-known structure, the intricate terra cotta details throughout are what make it so fascinating. There are varying viewpoints when it comes to what these adornments mean, and why they were used. It was widely believed the architects, Montreal’s Brown

Jennifer Bonazzo is a member of the Heritage Advisory Committee, which advises city council on the conservation of heritage buildings, sites, and resources, and their integration into development. For more information on the city’s heritage resources, visit thunderbay.ca.

Courtesy of the Thunder Bay Museum

By Jennifer Bonazzo

Courtesy of the Thunder Bay Museum

Adrian Lysenko

Adrian Lysenko Adrian Lysenko

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The Faces, Florals, and Shields of the Whalen Building

Another intriguing detail is the eight faces that repeat on the east, west, and south sides. Shown in pairs, these are commonly known as “Uncle Sam,” “The Scandinavian,” “The Dutchman,” “The Frenchman,” “The Englishman,” “The Scot,” “The Irishman,” and “Eve or Ceres,” based on the carved detail. With the absence of names, locals had taken to calling them “the people who settled Canada.” This could again be a nod to the British Empire, until you look more closely at the architects’ previous works. And thus comes the other viewpoint. While these types of adornments were unusual on our city’s properties at the time, Brown and Vallance had become known for including them. The Southam Building in Calgary, designed by the duo in 1912, also showcased eight faces, and were named for newspaper people (“The Editor,” “The Typesetter,” etc.). In that case, the christening was deliberate, as the building became the quarters for the Calgary Daily Herald. One must wonder, then, if it was a coincidence they included the face of Ceres— known as the Greek goddess of agriculture and grain crops—on the Whalen building, when N.M. Paterson and Co., grain brokers, was listed as a tenant in 1915. Canada Life Assurance Co., whose corporate symbol was a pelican, was also a tenant, and that bird too, adorns the building. It might not be implausible then to believe that these design details were deliberate. Whatever the intent, it is indisputable that the Whalen building has left an indelible mark on our city’s skyline. Next time you are in the area, why not take a closer look to see which viewpoint you agree with.

Adrian Lysenko

Architecture

Adrian Lysenko

Architecture

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DecemberEventsGuide Due to ongoing and changing pandemic-related restrictions, we recommend checking for updates with each venue.

December 1 & 15, 7–9 pm

December 1–3

Giinawind Co. Collective Art Space

Man of La Mancha

Magnus Theatre The beloved Broadway musical Man of La Mancha continues on the Magnus stage early this month. This inspiring musical is a story of a person who seeks decency and beauty in a cynical world.

magnustheatre.com

December 1–4, 8–11, 15–18

Willow Springs Holiday Market Willow Springs Creative Centre

Come find that special gift at the Willow Springs Creative Centre’s holiday market. The market runs Thursdays to Sundays until December 18, from noon to 5 pm, and the theme this year is “holiday book club”—all things cosy, tasty, book-related, and more.

@willowspringsCC

December 1, 8, 15, 22, 7–10 pm

Open Mic Night Lakehead Beer Company

Sing for your pint! Sign up at the bar and sing for a free beer, or come cheer on the singers from the comfort of your seat.

lakeheadbeer.ca

Community Big Drum Teachings Giinawind Co. in partnership with the Thunder Bay Indigenous Friendship Centre, will be hosting community Big Drum teachings every second Thursday until December 15. Coffee, tea, and refreshments available.

345-5840 ext. 9054

December 2

CP Holiday Train CP Train Depot Track, 440 Syndicate Avenue

After a two-year hiatus, the Canadian Pacific Holiday Train tour will resume with its Thunder Bay stop. Over the course of the train’s month-long expedition, it will host over 168 live shows in support of local food banks. See this month’s Top Five for more info.

cpr.ca/holiday-train/ canada

December 2, 5:30–11 pm

All Ages Punk Show/Kids to the Front Port Arthur Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 5

An all ages punk show featuring Forever Dead, the Thunder Bay debut of Crayon Eaters, Slugbate, and more. Diversity, no discrimination, no gender bias, no racism, no aggression, a safe and friendly inclusive environment for all. Admission is $20, including two pizza slices and chips.

@portarthurlegion

December 2, 6:30 pm

Fundraiser for Ukraine and local women’s shelter Urban Abbey

Urban Abbey is hosting an evening of Christmas and folk music, featuring TBay Trad, Zhuravli Ukrainian Folk Ensemble, Chaban Ukrainian Dance Group, and Dave Jonasson + Bohdan Tkaczyk. Proceeds to humanitarian efforts in Ukraine and the Abbey’s emergency overnight women’s shelter. There will be a symposium starting at 6:30, and music begins at 7 pm. Tickets are $20.

@urbanabbeycanada

December 2 & 3, 5–9 pm & 10 am–3 pm

Christmas Craft Sale

West Thunder Community Centre Over 40 tables of great crafts, food, and even a visit from Santa on Saturday afternoon. Admission is by cash donation or nonperishable food items in support of the Thunder Bay Food Bank.

EVENTS GUIDE KEY General Art Food Sports Music young and old. Featuring the TBSO’s own Thunder Bay Symphony Chorus.

tbso.ca

December 3, 8 pm

Madison Violet’s Sleigh Bells in the Snow Port Arthur Polish Hall

sleepinggiant.ca

December 3, 11 am–4 pm

Sparks and Fire Winter Artisan Show

Sleeping Giant Brewery Celebrate the spark and fire of creativity and come see a curated group of interesting established and new artisans to pique your interest in time to shop for this holiday season.

@westthunder communitycentre

@SleepingGiant BrewingCo

December 2 & 3, 7:30 pm

December 3, 10 pm

Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra Presents: Handel’s Messiah

St. Paul’s United Church A fixture of the holiday season, Messiah was written by George Friedrich Handel over 250 years ago and it still inspires awe in audiences

Ugly Christmas Sweater Dance Party The Foundry

Join in for the annual ugly Christmas sweater dance party. Special guests DJ TanZ and DJ Big D will be bringing the vibes all night long. Admission is $5 with an ugly sweater, $10 without. 19+, photo ID required.

thefoundrypub.com

December 3, 10, 17, 6–10 pm

Christmas Dinner and Dance

Royal Canadian Legion Slovak Branch #129 The Slovak Legion is once again hosting group and small business Christmas parties. This includes a superb buffet dinner and dancing to great music. $50 per person in advance, cash bar. Symposium at 6 pm, dinner at 7 pm.

catering@ slovaklegion.com

December 6, 8 pm

Consortium Aurora Borealis Presents: Angela Park in Concert Trinity United Church

Award-winning pianist Angela Park returns with an exquisite solo programme of Mozart’s Fantasia in D minor, K. 397, Schubert’s Sonata in G major, D. 894, and Beethoven’s Sonata in C major, Op. 53, “Waldstein.” Tickets are $25, $15 for students.

consortiumab.org

December 6, 13, 20, 10 pm

Karaoke

The Foundry Karaoke is back at The Foundry. Every Tuesday night, dust off your old performing gear, warm up your vocal cords, grab your friends, and show everyone what you can do.

thefoundrypub.com

December 6–24

Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol Magnus Theatre

A holiday classic returns to the Magnus Theatre stage. Written by Tom Mula, Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol follows the ghost of Jacob Marley, Ebenezer Scrooge’s deceased business partner. See this month’s Film and Theatre section for more info.

magnustheatre.com

December 7, 14, 9 am–4:30 pm

Pierogi Days

Polish Combatants Branch No. 1 Head over to the Polish Combatants Branch No. 1 every Wednesday to buy perogies, cabbage rolls, chicken, penne and meatballs, vegan beet soup, and more.

345-1861

December 7, 2–4 pm

Babies & Brews

Red Lion Smokehouse Connect with new moms and dads in the Red Lion Smokehouse Lounge. Bring your little one and hang out with other new parents. Nursing is welcome and both washrooms include changing facilities.

@redlionsmokehouse

December 8, 5–9 pm

Westfort Wonderland Westfort Village

The Westfort Village Association can’t wait to see everyone again for its Westfort Wonderland. Featuring sleigh rides, a fire and s’mores, Santa, live music, a retro snowmobile show, and giveaways—the list goes on.

@WestfortVillage

December 8, 7:30 pm

Tbay Trad Plays Red Lion Smokehouse

Red Lion Smokehouse Come down to the Red Lion Smokehouse and support traditional live music with Tbay Trad pub sessions.

@redlionsmokehouse

December 9, 8 pm

The Roosters Port Arthur Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 5

Come out for a night of rock and blues at the Branch 5 Legion. The Roosters bring their signature sounds to the legion’s stage. Tickets are $10 at the door.

@portarthurlegion

December 9, 10

Fort William Male Choir: Prelude to Christmas Hilldale Lutheran Church

An evening of music celebrating winter and the holiday season. The Fort William Male Choir will bring a show of songs of the season, including the classical, the secular, and some humourous. See this month’s Music section for more info.

fwmc.ca

December 10

Mother of Wolves Concert The Foundry

Local pop-tinged hard rockers Mother of Wolves take to the Foundry stage for an evening of great music. See this month’s Music section for more info.

@mother.of.wolves.band

December 10, 11 am

New smartphones shining bright

Annual Christmas Party The Hub Bazaar

Come out to The Hub Bazaar’s Annual Christmas Party. Santa will be there from 1:30 to 3:30 pm. Twelve shops and eight pop-ups to enjoy and shop. Live music by Equality Rocks Choir at 1 pm. No cost to attend.

facebook.com/thehub bazaar

tbaytel.net/mobility ™Rogers and the Mobius Design are trademarks of or used under license from Rogers Communication Inc. or an affiliate.

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December 10, 11 am

Holiday Craft Sale Moose Hall

Join in for the holiday craft market at the Moose Hall. There will be 64 different vendors. Admission is $2 and doors open at 11 am. Concessions will be on-site.

345-5129

December 10, 1 pm

The History of Santa St. Paul’s Anglican Church

Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Kris Kringle, or simply Santa: he’s a tradition that’s been passed down from generation to generation, but how much do we actually know about him? Join this workshop where we will delve into the history of Santa and how he came to be the legend he is.

FoodForTheSoul@ tbaytel.net

December 10, 7 pm

Parade of Lights Memorial Avenue

The streets of Thunder Bay will be alight once again with the 23rd annual Parade of Lights in support of local youth and children with special needs. Dozens of brightly coloured trucks, floats, and parade participants will pass through their usual route. See this month’s Top Five for more info.

@ParadeOfLights. ThunderBay

December 10 & 12, 7:30 pm

All The Daze Productions Presents: Annie Jr.

Thunder Bay Community Auditorium Directed by Marcia Arpin, All The Daze Productions brings the Broadway favourite Annie Jr. to the Auditorium stage. Tickets are $20, and available on the Auditorium’s website. The show is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International.

tbca.com

December 11, 11 am–1 pm

December 17, 6 pm

Red Lion Smokehouse

Crickets Comedy Club

Wine & Yoga

Join in for a one-hour flow class followed by a wine tasting. Certified yoga instructor Mel Ollivier of New Earth Wellness will lead the group through the hour-long class followed by a tutored wine tasting and some light snacks. Vegetarian snack options will be available.

@redlionsmokehouse

December 13, 7:30 pm

Barenaked Ladies: Hometown Holidays

CWE Live In Thunder Bay

Canadian Wrestling’s Elite returns to Thunder Bay with a night of action, featuring IMPACT! Wrestling’s Hernandez. VIP/meet and greet will be at 6 pm, doors at 6:30 pm, bell time at 7 pm. Meet and greet tickets are $28, general admission $23 in advance, $26 at the door.

tickettote.com/brand/ cwewrestling

December 17, 7 pm

TBSO Pops 2: Home for the Holidays

Thunder Bay Community Auditorium

The Barenaked Ladies will perform holiday fan favourites from the Barenaked for the Holidays album, as well as a few other chestnuts and surprises. These special performances offer fans a rare opportunity to celebrate the season with Canada’s favourite foursome. See this month’s Music section for more info.

Principal pops conductor Jeff Christmas will lead this show, which brings together numerous community groups to perform alongside the TBSO. The night features classic holiday music, popular seasonal favourites, and everything you need to get you in the spirit of the season.

tbca.com

December 16, 6:30 pm

Christmas Charity Dinner

Italian Cultural Centre An evening of Christmas music, food, laughter, and dancing, with performances by Chris Talarico and Katherine Nemec, plus special guests. Tickets are $90 (available at Carlito’s Game Cafe or by calling). Tables of eight available. Proceeds support Isthmus Thunder Bay.

621-4537

December 16, 23, 30, 8 pm

Live @ Loch

Loch Lomond Ski Area Live @ Loch returns with months of fresh live music and great local talent every Friday night. Ryan MacDonald of The Honest Heart Collective, who will also be a recurring musician, kicks things off on December 16. The music pairs well with the incredible menu offered by Tony Catanzaro in the kitchen.

facebook.com/ lochlomondskiarea

tbca.com

December 18, 11 am

Diving Demonstration Canada Games Complex

The Thunder Bay Diving Club is thrilled to present a diving demonstration by Molly Carlson (2022 Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series silver medalist) and Aidan Heslop (2022 Commonwealth Games and Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series competitor) in this free, open-to-all event.

facebook.com/Thunder BayDivingClub

December 18, 7:30 pm

Hotel California: The Original Eagles Tribute Band

Thunder Bay Community Auditorium Enjoy an evening of the music of one of the quintessential bands of the 1970s. Hotel California, billed as “the original Eagles tribute band,” celebrates the songbook of this legendary group. Tickets available at the Auditorium’s website. See this month’s Music section for more info.

tbca.com

December 24, noon–4 pm

Christmas with Mrs. Claus Dagwoods Bakery & Deli

Dagwoods Bakery & Deli will bring Mrs. Claus to help Santa out. Come in to see some Christmas decorations and take photos with Mrs. Claus.

facebook.com/ dagwoodsbakery

December 31, 4–8 pm

NYE Family Frolic Fort William Historical Park

Attendees of all ages can look forward to forging demonstrations, a glow room, candle-making, and a cannon salute to bring in the New Year. Admission is $10 for adults, $8 for students/senior/youth, and free for those five and under. See this month’s Top Five for more info.

fwhp.ca

December 31, 10 pm

New Year’s Eve Party at The Foundry The Foundry

Celebrate the start of 2023 with live music from party experts DJ Big D alongside DJ Rogue, who will be playing your favourite hits all evening. Tickets are $10 at the door (for guests aged 19+). See this month’s Top Five for more info.

@FoundryTBay

December 31

New Year’s Eve Gala

Royal Canadian Legion Slovak Branch #129 The Slovak Legion presents a New Year’s Eve gala with live band 21 Gun Fun. Ring in the new year with this hot band. Tickets are $75 per person. Call or stop by the Slovak Legion to get yours. Symposium starts at 6 pm, dinner at 7 pm.

623-3354 Ext. 1 or 2

Until December 31

Nadya Kwandibens: The Red Chair Sessions Thunder Bay Art Gallery

The Red Chair Sessions is an ongoing opencall portraiture series by Anishinaabe artist Nadya Kwandibens, and places importance on the acknowledgement and reclamation of Indigenous lands and the revitalization of Indigenous languages.

theag.ca

Until December 31

Margaux Williamson: Interiors

Thunder Bay Art Gallery

Margaux Williamson’s first museum exhibition takes her interior views and the interiority of the imagination as its central themes, bringing together more than 30 paintings dating from 2005 to the present. Organized by The McMichael Canadian Art Collection.

theag.ca

Until December 31

Shelley Niro: Bamaapii: See you later Thunder Bay Art Gallery

In the Anishnaabe language, there is no word for “goodbye,” only “bamaapii” (“see you later”). In this new exhibition series, say “bamaapii” to Shelley Niro’s Chiquita, Bunny, Stella, which will be leaving the Thunder Bay Art Gallery and travelling as part of the upcoming international exhibition. See this month’s Art section for more info.

theag.ca

Until January 23, 2023

The Legend of Wendell Beckwith

Thunder Bay Museum The Thunder Bay Museum presents a new exhibit about the life and work of scientist, engineer, and inventor Wendell Beckwith. Beckwith lived alone on Best Island in what is now Wabakimi Provincial Park.

thunderbaymuseum.com

TheWalleye Walleye The

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Music

LU RADIO’S MONTHLY TOP 1 Alvvays* Blue Rev

Polyvinyl

7 Sampa The Great As Above So Below

Loma Vista

8 Blue Moon Marquee

Scream, Holler & Howl

Self-Released

9 Yeah Yeah Yeahs Cool It Down

16 Ora Cogan* Dyed EP

Self-Released

CILU 102.7fm’s Monthly Charts for this issue reflect airplay for the month ending November 8, 2022. Check out our weekly charts online at luradio.ca and tune in to the Top 20 Countdown, Mondays from 7-9 am, or catch one of the rebroadcasts throughout the week! Keep it locked on 102.7 FM, online streaming at luradio.ca.

25 Sloan* Steady

Yep Roc

17 Makaya McCraven In These Times

International Anthem

18 Dry Cleaning Stumpwork

4AD

Secretly Canadian

2 Zoon*

A Sterling Murmuration

Paper Bag

3 Alex G

God Save The Animals

10 Heaven for Real*

26 MVLL CRIMES*

Energy Bar

You Embvrss Me

Mint

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TattooedYou

A Fish for My Dad Story and photos by Leah Morningstar Tattoo by Meg Niittynen of Ink Factory

want to tell you about two tattoos. The first is a small rainbow trout and the second is a set of four small black dots. This is the third fish-themed tattoo I’ve talked about over the last 12 months, but this one is different because it’s on me! Two years ago, in honour of my dad’s 70th birthday and a childhood full of fishing memories, I got this little rainbow trout tattooed on my arm. My dad’s reaction to the tattoo was barely perceptible… but I think it was positive. Or maybe he hated it, but that’s okay. I already knew he didn’t care for my evergrowing tattoo collection. He just wasn’t fond of tattoos. But he was fond of fishing. He loved being out in nature with a fishing rod and a metal lunch box. Often he went with his buddies, sometimes with my brother and me, and frequently he went out alone. He never had a boat of his own, but he never tired of telling anyone who would listen about his favourite hike-in fishing spots. Early in October of this year my dad was diagnosed with

 Leah and her dad, 1983

 Leah and her dad, 1986

lung cancer. Shortly after his diagnosis, he got four tiny black dots tattooed on his chest: medical tattoos. In radiation therapy, the little dots are used to line up and aim the radiotherapy machine. Unfortunately, my dad didn’t get as far as starting treatment and passed away in his sleep on October 24, 2022. It happened really fast, but I like to think I turned him into a tattoo fan at the end. My mom told me that after the medical tattoo appointment, my dad said, “Well I have tattoos now, so I guess Leah will be proud of me.” And I was proud of him. When I was a kid, I was proud of how strong he was and how tall he was; he could build anything and fix anything, and he made people laugh. I was also really proud of him when he brought home a lot of fish. Now, as an adult, I’m proud of how he kept going. No matter what life threw at him, he just kept going until he couldn't anymore. Then he went to sleep. And I guess it is pretty badass to get your first tattoo at age 72, even if it’s for medical reasons. Rest in peace to my old dad Paul. I hope all the fishing holes beyond the veil are well stocked.

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Meet Jason Feller, science enthusiast and founder of The Boreal Museum. Jason is a life-long resident of Thunder Bay with a passion for science. A graduate of Lakehead University in biology, Jason also spent many years working at the Thunder Bay Historical Museum. Through his love for Thunder Bay, science, and natural history, Jason was determined to share his passion with our community, so he started The Boreal Museum in 2021. The business started out of Jason’s home, delivering seasonal science kits across the city, and opened its doors to the public in late 2021 inside the retail business incubator The Hub Bazaar. At his new location, Jason offers free exhibits featuring natural history and science along with a variety of hands-on science kits. To learn more about The Boreal Museum check them out on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok @BorealMuseum or on their website borealmuseum.com.

Q & A with Jason

What drew you to entrepreneurship? I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit, from selling crafts as a kid at the end of my driveway to selling handmade crystal jewelry at craft fairs. So I think most people

who knew me really expected me to one day start my own business venture. After seeing a large gap in science education and accessibility in Thunder Bay, I wanted to give back to my community and provide services that are accessible to everyone. The easiest way to do this was to start my own venture. What inspired you to launch your business? I’m really passionate about the natural sciences, and it’s really important to me for education to be accessible and hands-on. Many supplemental educational supplies and programming can be quite expensive and become out of reach for many people of Thunder Bay. I really want to make The Boreal Museum a space that focuses on the fun of education and science. There’s always something at The Boreal Museum for everyone to learn no matter how old or young you are, or how much money you have. We have free exhibits at our location and affordably priced take-home science kits and programming in many topics! Knowing what you know now, is there anything you would have done differently when you were first starting out? Most of the preventable struggles that I've faced in the past year

were accounting related. I wish I had an accountant right from the start—that’s something that I would recommend to any young entrepreneurs beginning their journey. Running a business will take a lot of time and energy, and something that can be as daunting as accounting is better outsourced to someone who knows exactly what they’re doing. We have a volunteer accountant at the moment, and we would be very behind without her! What advice would you give to someone who is trying to become an entrepreneur? For any new entrepreneurs out there, I think the hardest hurdle to overcome is yourself. I’ve held myself back just because I thought I wouldn’t be very good at it or I would embarrass myself. Looking back, after I actually tried the task, I always thought “Why did it take me so long? It really wasn't that bad.” Starting out, you especially have to be able to take your business in stride and be ready to always pivot. You’ll always have good days and rough days, and you just have to know and trust that starting a business is always like that. What are you working on now? We’ve worked very hard to establish ourselves in our space;

now, our focus is getting into classrooms, and booking group sessions. We’ve already run a few programs with really great reception, and we can’t wait to offer even more. Topics in our programs range from everything about dinosaurs and ancient life to exploring physics and chemistry. Our programming list will be available through our website with a catalogue of what we can do! Of course, we know each group is different out there, so anyone looking for unique programs and education in science, please reach out to us! Is there anyone specific you would like to thank? First and foremost I have to thank my community of Thunder Bay (and around!) for supporting The Boreal Museum. Everything we do is because of you, and we can’t express our gratitude enough for helping us get to where we are! A huge thanks goes to my partner, Mariano, and my friends and my family. They all really believe in and support what I do, and help at every twist and turn of this adventure—everything from artwork, exhibit fabrication, programming support, and video editing. I wouldn’t have been able to make the strides I have so far without them and their belief in me and The Boreal Museum. I also really want to thank many of the professionals in my past who have encouraged me, as well as the professors in the biology department and many other departments [at Lakehead]. The Thunder Bay Historical Museum and the staff, both past and present, really gave me the tools I needed to be able to help bring the magic of science to our community. Specifically, I’d like to thank Marissa, Breanne, Margaret, Nick, Kathleen, Michael, Scott, and Tory. I’d also like to thank the Thunder Bay CEDC for helping me in all the ways they have, and the staff of Magnus Theatre for guiding us and mentoring us. Let’s all build a brighter Thunder Bay together!

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Rachel Cheng

Green

Add Some Local Flavour to Your Holiday Meals By Karen Kerk, Coordinator, Thunder Bay Food Strategy

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n the blink of an eye, the lot of hustle and bustle and cultural traditions your holiday season is social gatherings; for others, community celebrates, why H THE BEASwinter T! upon us. This includes it’s a quieter affair. But the not incorporate more local International Human Rights one thing everyone has in and sustainable food this 877-351-5604 Day, Chanukah, Winter common is preparing and holiday season? The Thunder 383 Fort W illiam R d. Solstice, Kwanzaa, and sharing delicious food as the Bay region is home to a (Acros s from PU S H Fitnes s ) RIGHT PART AT THE RIGHT PRICEcommunity of committed Christmas, to name only centrepiece. FOLLOW UP SERVICE CAN’T BE BEAT a few. For some, there’s a Whatever religious or farmers, food producers, and

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food processors dedicated to growing, raising, and preparing delicious foods for you to enjoy. There’s also an abundance of wild harvested forest and freshwater foods. So, who’s using local foods in what ways this holiday season? Jessica is from Long Lake #58 First Nation and loves the winter holiday season as it gives her family a chance to use some of the foods they’ve gathered, foraged, and processed in the summer and fall seasons in their holiday menus. Some of these foods are manoomin (wild rice), cranberries, blueberries, moose, geese, teas, and some medicines, all harvested together. "It's the absolute best feeling to be able to use seasonal harvesting and storing to feed our entire family during the winter months,” she says. “The experience of harvesting, processing, and eating together brings our family closer and provides us with a conduit to reclaim and relearn some of the ancestral food teachings that we lost during colonization.” Charles is excited to celebrate Chanukah with his friends and family. The eightday festival of lights marks a rededication to traditions, communities, and justice, and the celebrations involve music, stories, sharing gifts, and, of course, food. Treats include fried foods like potato latkes (or pancakes) and doughnuts. “I love frying up latkes with my kids,” Charles says. “They are especially

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delicious with local potatoes and stone-ground flour and topped with applesauce. We always need to make extra because the smell attracts all our neighbours.” For those celebrating traditional Christian-based Christmas gatherings, consider a local ham, roast, or chicken as your main serving instead of turkey. There are so many amazing options in the region to surround the main dish with sides, like local potatoes, squash, carrots, parsnips, and sourdough bread stuffing. How about homemade pumpkin pie for dessert (with gelato)? Are you getting hungry yet? Along with ingredients to make your own meals, there are some fantastic local processors whipping up everything from cheese and bagels to prepared meals, preserves, hot sauces, honey, and so much more. Whether you’re a total newbie to local foods or consider yourself a local foodie, there is always something new to taste from our region. You can find all the local food goodies at local retailers and markets including the Thunder Bay Country Market, Superior Seasons Farmers Market (online and inside Goods & Co.), and many local shops. Share the love of local food this season.

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Green

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By Denise Smith, Rethinking Waste Coordinator, EcoSuperior

hen caught up in holiday cheer and the full swing of the shopping season, gift wrapping is often the last item on our holiday lists. Grabbing a roll of wrapping paper from a bargain bin might seem like the only option, but there are many creative ways to wrap that are more delightful for the environment—and each other. Most store-bought wrapping paper, tissue paper, bows, and tags can’t be recycled; worse, they will contaminate any recycling they end up in, leading to even more waste in our landfills. Chock-full of coloured inks, glitter, metallic plastic, and a slew of other additives, gift wrap has become the nightmare

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after Christmas for the recycling industry. G re e n y o u r g i f t giving by choosing kraft paper for wrapping, or plain paper bags. Personalize your present with natural materials like jute, pinecones, cedar, and cinnamon sticks. Get creative and reuse paper you already have, such as maps, newspapers, old posters, and calendars for wrapping up your muchanticipated surprises. Collect festive fabric bags and ribbons or create personalized gift bags for each family member to be reused year after year. After the gift-giving is over, sorting the trimmings into the recycling, compost, or reuse pile will be a breeze. Furoshiki, a traditional Japanese fabric wrapping

technique, is another charmingly green giftwrapping option. By using beautifully designed pieces of square cloth to wrap gifts, furoshiki is the original eco-friendly wrap. With many different methods of wrapping, it’s a go-to for gifts of all shapes and sizes. Interested in giving it a whirl? Follow along for a simple fold that works for a variety of items. We used a tea towel, which doubles as a part of the gift, but any rectangular piece of fabric will work for this wrap.

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PARTY WITHOUT WASTE Have sustainable fun with these simple changes when hosting events & parties! Skip the single cans/bottles and fill pitchers with water, festive punch, or cider. Offer drinks from a local microbrewery or winery. Consider having a keg of local beer (returnable, refillable & recyclable). Avoid single-use items and use reusable plates, cups, utensils & napkins. Use your own, borrow from friends, or rent them! Don't forget to ditch the straws or replace them with reuseable ones. Prepare your own veggie & fruit trays to avoid plastic trays. Buy food in bulk to reduce packaging waste. If you must offer party favours (it's okay not to), share homemade treats, plants, jars of honey or jam, locally made soap, or a snapshot of each guest enjoying the party. Avoid balloons, glitter & shiny foil. Reuse party decor or make your own with natural materials such as sprigs of evergreen or potted plants. Set up a waste area with bins for trash, recycling & composting. If you're hosting people who smoke, have a place to dispose of butts.

Learn more about greening your events at ecosuperior.org!

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Poinsettias By Hedy Koski

his iconic Christmas plant has been given and received by many in December. It is no wonder why—the beautiful bright colours tell us the most wonderful time of the year is near. Christmas! Fun fact: what we call poinsettia flowers (those coloured parts of the poinsettia) are actually called bracts (modified leaves). The flowers of the poinsettia are the tiny clusters of yellow, green, and red in the centre of those colourful leaves. In the past, poinsettias have had a bad rap for being deadly if eaten. There have been studies that have since proven it is not fatal if eaten, but this plant may still cause nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea if consumed in large quantities. As well, the milky sap contains chemicals

that may cause a rash in people with a latex allergy. When it comes to caring for your poinsettia I want you to keep in mind it’s like any tropical plant you have in your home, but with a few diva-like qualities. One thing for sure is you need to protect your poinsettia from extreme cold when transporting it from where

you purchased it to its destination. It may be a Christmas plant, but it cannot handle cold temperatures at all!

Marc from Trevisanutto’s Greenhouse has a few tips for success when you get your poinsettias home. They do well in bright, indirect sunlight at regular household temperatures. Keep in mind, however, that they hate extreme temperature fluctuations like cold drafts from an open window or a door that opens frequently—not to mention extreme heat like being near a heat register or a fireplace. Marc also points out that the biggest cause for the demise of the poinsettia is being too wet or allowed to dry out too severely. They like to be kept evenly moist at all times!

If you’re like me, you enjoy giving and receiving your poinsettia with pretty wrapping on the pot. I have decorated many poinsettias in my career. But with this beautiful decoration, you will have to keep checking that your plant has no water accumulating in the wrapping, which will quickly kill your poinsettia well before Christmas even arrives. There is no need to fertilize your poinsettia while it is blooming. If you intend to keep your poinsettia beyond just being a Christmas decoration, start fertilizing your poinsettia in the spring with a well-balanced organic or synthetic fertilizer of your choice.

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Nothing says Christmas quite like a poinsettia, They’re beautiful and festive.

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Sometimes the Holidays Don’t Feel Very Magical and That’s Okay By Kayla Waddington, Mental Health Promotion Planner, Thunder Bay District Health Unit

he holiday season is supposed to be filled with love, laughter, and joy… right? Well, not everyone feels that way. As winter approaches, the festivities begin, with holiday shopping, family dinners, travelling, parties—the list goes on. The pressure and expectation to have a smile, spend money you may or may not have, and indulge in festive cocktails and/or edible goodies can often contribute to worsening symptoms for those living with mental health challenges, or for those whose mental health

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seems to become worse during these busy months. If you feel like this is you, you’re certainly not alone. Many Canadians find this time of year overwhelming, but thankfully there are some things you can do to help you get through it. Create a budget Financial strain is a common reason that many people dread the holidays. Take this time to go through your finances and set an appropriate budget for yourself. The ultimate gift to your loved ones is having you there, not the gift you brought.

Set family boundaries Having a busy social calendar can feel overwhelming. Please know it is okay to say no if you can’t meet on everyone’s timeline, or if you need “just me” time. Communicate with your family about what your expectations are this holiday. Keep a connection On the flip side of having too many social obligations, for some, the holidays can feel isolating. In fact, one in 10 Canadians experience some form of loneliness during this season. This may feel daunting, but calling an old friend or family member

can go a long way, as they may be feeling the same as you. Other ideas include volunteering at food banks, or sending out holiday cards. Don’t give in H o l i d a y s a re o f t e n associated with indulgence around food, gifts, and p a r t i e s , s o n a t u r a l l y, substance use—and abuse— is on the list, too. People often use substances as an escape, but the aftereffects—including feelings of sadness, anxiety, or isolation—can often make you feel worse. Those of you who are abstaining or trying to drink less, please don’t

feel the pressure to give in if you don’t want to. You can offer to be the designated driver or bring a festive non-alcoholic drink to the party to share with others. Remember that if you do consume, always plan a safe ride home. Check out tbdhu.com/ mentalhealthsupport for a list of local resources. On behalf of the Thunder Bay District Health Unit, we wish you a safe and joyfilled holiday season!

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TheWall

Leaders on the Storm By Jon Thompson

hey’ll be serving fish at Shelter House on Christmas Eve. There’s no volunteer moment like it. The traditions we carry through the year’s darkest days bring out compassion like no other time. A week later, the city with the giant heart will step up again for the turkey feast on New Year’s Eve. Some will give year round, but many who dip in through December tend to dip out at New Year’s. It’s fleeting, the spirit of this season. Come January, we’ll have a new city council, one elected from a fall campaign focused on helping those who need it most. The public forums were dominated by the bundle of systemic dysfunction we call “social issues,” encompassing homelessness, mental health, the poisonous illicit drug supply, crime, and public safety. Conflating the swelling number of people forced to live outdoors with gun violence and everything in between might be an indication that we don’t all

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agree on the problem, but elections are for solutions. Candidates promised miracles on “social issues,” from reopening the Lakehead Psychiatric Hospital (which the city doesn’t own) to looting the provincial government for police and/or social services funding. If there was a visionary among them, their message didn’t connect with voters. The ballots hadn’t even been counted before efforts to temper expectations began. City manager Norm Gale appeared on televised election coverage to remind the public that “social issues” are not the municipality’s responsibility. The front-page newspaper story the following day announced Ken Boshcoff had been elected mayor without really having promised anything. It was a recordscratch end to a hopeful—if ambitious—campaign, and we barely missed a beat before the austerity song came on. City administration will have to, “do more with less,” Boshcoff says. He hopes to hold regional meetings over

new data that shows the poor are urbanizing into Thunder Bay. He also intends to gather social agencies in January on a suspicion that services are being duplicated. It’s a tone that foreshadows managing problems rather than solving them, but the next Thunder Bay council will face a storm far greater than its ability to control. The federal and provincial governments are dealing most of the cards, and the realistic hand council is playing until 2026 is not falling further behind. The highest inflation rate in four decades guarantees northern towns will lose more ground on our infrastructure deficits. Replacing the most urgent liabilities will be an exercise in triage. The unions will be hungry to limit their members’ falling living standard and a sizable bill is being arranged that will promise to bring competent policing to this town. The “plan” many espoused during the campaign to get Toronto and Ottawa to bail out

Thunder Bay is not in those cards. Instead, the federal government is deliberately triggering an economic slump to rein in inflation over the next two years. Higher borrowing rates will limit growth and sustained high unemployment will curb consumption, particularly afflicting the working class. To absorb that blow, Ontario is foisting a 1.5-million-unit housing construction boom on 29 municipalities, none of which are northern. Thunder Bay’s long-standing, near-zero growth may slip into recession, which will put pressure on the residential property tax base, all while homeowners are seeing rising mortgage rates. How deep the local slump goes will depend on whether the economy can sustain demand for mineral resources. Boshcoff is betting the mining sector can carry us through. This is all consistent with the recommendations of the International Monetary Fund. If we’re predicting how Canada might support those whose plight dominated our municipal election conversation, the IMF’s suggestion is, “while some space could be made for

limited and highly targeted programs to buffer vulnerable households from high fuel and food prices, more generalized spending increases should be avoided as not to undercut monetary policy.” It’s hard to hear, especially in this season when we gather to wish each other peace on Earth, but the help Thunder Bay needs is not coming. Council can aim scant resources to reduce harm at the points of greatest impact. If the rest of us can find a moment to step away from the bustle and reflect on how this season makes us feel like we can give more of our humanity, and if we can capture it and recall it when it needs us, we can use this time to help people directly and build community. “Social issues” is abstract but the more engaged we are, and the more we see needs and people instead of problems, the better equipped we’ll be to demand the changes we need. There’s biblical poetry in having to make fish and loaves go further for the hungry in hard times, but we can’t wait for a miracle. Elections don’t make leaders, leadership does. The rest will follow.

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DecemberHoroscopes Aries

(March 21–April 19) It’s no secret that the first sign of the zodiac needs to lead the charge in the seasonal decorating. Yes, we all know that your tree has been up for a month now— and that’s okay! Someone needs to be the first in the neighbourhood, and it’s reliable you. Always the feisty fire sign, your energy is full-speed ahead. Plan a day of shopping with a pal and load up on local treasures. Romantically, the stars are aligned in your favour for the spiciest holiday yet! Someone new wishes to pick your brain, but will you let them? Look closely under the tree—the perfect gift awaits!

Taurus

(April 20–May 20) This is a festive season indeed. Plan a family cookie night where the gang comes over to swap some seasonal sweets. It’s a great way to exchange some baking and try some new noshes. Enjoy some downtime from the workplace and let yourself truly relax. Perhaps a cosy night in with some favourite classic movies are in order. Bulls can be notoriously stubborn about tradition, but do keep an open mind (and an open heart) and there’ll be some lovely new memories to look back on. Friendships made this year promise to last for the long-term.

Gemini

(May 21–June 20) The Twins are all about the festivities, and are usually the star of the office party. Spearheading the “ugly Christmas sweater” event, Geminis refuse to let this tradition die. The merrymaking at the office will be memorable—there’s almost a sense of wanting to make up for previous years that may have fallen flat. The Secret Santa game is just getting started, but watch

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By Sunny Disposish

out for the Grinch! This airy sign might find themselves in new surroundings this season—perhaps another small seasonal gathering or party would be just what the doctor ordered. The full moon in your sign on the 7th gives you a boost of energy. Enjoy all the healing energy of the Long Nights’ Moon.

Cancer

(June 21–July 22)) Travel is strongly featured in your stars this month, Cancer, and that could include air travel as well. Don’t worry about those jitters— just make sure you make a list and check it twice, and get all your papers in order. A little bit of preparation will ensure smooth sailing for your seasonal travels. Whether you are heading home or zipping off to the tropics, a favourable vacation ensues. As the year end approaches, take some time to reflect on the previous months, as well as set some goals for the upcoming new year. New Year’s Eve finds you in a particularly bountiful mood and ready to watch the ball drop. Out with the old, in with the new! A fresh start awaits. What are you waiting for?

Leo

(July 23–August 22) It’s been a year, Leo! It’s had its ups and downs, but overall it’s been an incredible journey of self-growth and realizations. Things that were foggy before are now crystal clear to you. Take a close look at all your relationships and take note of where improvements can be made. Communication is key. This month’s theme is abundance. It’s not always about receiving—but you knew that. Generous Leo takes great pride in curating the perfect gift for family and friends. Nothing brings you greater joy than giving to others. A surprise gift leaves you wondering. Stay late at the office party—you only live once, right? New friendships prove promising.

Virgo

(August 23– Septembe You’re counting down the days on your advent calendar, Virgo, but please remember to enjoy the process. It’s not just all about the big day itself. Spend some time in the kitchen baking up some traditional fare—and if you have to wipe away a nostalgic tear, that’s ok too. Look back on the previous months and reflect on what a whirlwind year. Spend some time in nature with a loved one. You love supporting local, so don’t forget to order some nontraditional takeout—the more unique, the better! Curl up with some hot cocoa and a new book (or two!) and let yourself be immersed for a while. A furry friend brings joy.

Libra

(September 23– October 22) You may find yourself hosting a small soiree around Yule on the 21st. Enjoy some outdoor fun at a local park making snow angels. Spending time with young people opens your heart and brings tidings of joy while remembering the true meaning of Christmas. This is a lucky month for airy Libras, and you might find interesting coincidences occurring just in the nick of time. December marks a busy time for those under the sign of the scales. The kindness of strangers is overwhelming. Give thanks to a volunteer. Why not check out a promising new bagel shop while in the area one day and enjoy the carbs!

Scorpio

(October 23– November 21) I t ’s a l l a b o u t transformation for Scorpios this month! Now is the time for a fresh start. It’s easy to get caught up in the “new year, new you” hype—but why not you? This intense water sign has been doing

some deep inner work for quite some time now, so New Year’s Eve has a special place in your heart this year. Whether you’re keen to say goodbye to this year, or eager to greet the new, it’s a good idea to celebrate in style. Mercury is going into retrograde (again?) on the 29th, so the time is nigh. Grab that cheese board and that charcuterie board and gather your nearest and dearest. Pop the champagne and celebrate like never before. Cheers!

Sagittarius

(November 22– December 21) Happiest of birthdays to all the December Archers! It’s never quite fair that we have to celebrate our big day with the biggest holiday of the year, but that makes us the fiery folx that we are! Enjoy the extra attention that comes along with the festivities this month. Maybe birthday/Xmas present combos aren’t that bad after all? This is certainly going to be a unique month for Centaurs, but not at all in a bad way. You may be spending your big day with a different gang than usual, but it’s all for the best. Enjoy because there’s lots to celebrate here. Have an extra slice of cake—it’s more than deserved! Bon appetit!

Capricorn

(December 22– January 19) Happy Birthday to all December Goats! This is a busy month for Capricorns, so make sure there’s time for some rest and relaxation as well. Feeling crafty? It’s all about the self-care. Spend some time relaxing at home making your unique, one-ofa-kind seasonal decorations. Listening to some favorite Christmas music invites some thoughts about the good ol’ days. Romance spices things up this month, and if you play your cards right, you could have a special person in your life into the new year. Select

the perfect gift for your new friend. A neighbour appears at your doorstep with tidings of great joy, and you plan on secretly returning the favour. The new moon on the 23rd is all about instant manifesting

Aquarius

(January 20– February 18) Aquarians love sitting by a cosy fire having deep conversations. Pour yourself a warm cider and nestle in. Always the non-traditional ones, airy Water-Bearers like to spend their holidays with a few wacky twists. Eschewing the norm, Aquarian folk enjoy creating new traditions. There was a bit of a rough patch this year, true, but the learning that came from it was transcendent. Spirits are high this year within your household and small circle. As you spend time recapping your year—which you always do—know that there’s a lot to be thankful for. Raise a glass of eggnog and toast yourself. You deserve it!

Pisces

(February 19– March 20) It’s okay to be tired. Yep, even exhausted. Self-care comes into play for Fish in leaps and bounds this month. There’s nothing more that sentimental swimmers enjoy than having a houseful, particularly when it comes to some of the youngsters. Put on your favourite album and stock up on the spirits. Gone are the crazy days of cramming in too much visiting in a short span of time. If there’s one thing we may have learned collectively, it’s to keep things simple and enjoy the small things in life. Hang those stockings from the chimney with care—you may find a special surprise in there from a secret admirer.

This is A P P LY N O

(807) 475-6110 | 1-800-465-5493 (toll free) recruitment@confederationcollege.ca

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

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TheBeat

TheBeat man wears a suit and a bowtie while holding a violin. Gervais Brothers’ Violins, learn to play at home! Be your own music teacher with the Sears Study Book... it's easy! “I sure do miss the music back home.” Hugo exhales. Yuri’s gaze slips down to the bottom of the clipping. Only $50! “Do you play anything?” Hugo asks, rolling a cigarette.

Carpathian Spruce

Carpathian Spruce, digital painting, boy Roland

By Adrian Lysenko

December 21, 1951 Cochenour-Willans Mine, Northwestern Ontario Yuri wakes in the fetal position under the coarse wool blanket. The fire has long gone out in the bunkhouse the 12 miners occupy. He sits up and rubs his arms, still sore from using the jackleg drill the previous shift. Despite having just turned 30, he takes longer to recover since he started at the mine five years ago. Maybe it’s the cold winters in Canada, Yuri thinks. Lviv would go just below the freezing mark in December. He peers outside the

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frosted window. The snow reflects the few lights around the gold mine; darkness otherwise swallows the surface world. The shortest day of the year. He hasn’t seen daylight in a week. But tomorrow he’ll loll in the sunshine. A f t e r a b re a k f a s t consisting of a pickled egg, stale bread, and some lukewarm coffee, Yuri stands in the cage with the other miners as they descend more than half a kilometre down to their assigned drift. Soon the chill is replaced with the humidity of the underground. Along with the operator, six men have crammed into the

lift the size of a twin mattress. He breathes from his mouth, avoiding the must, body odour, and wafts of booze. The men will replenish the latter at the end of the shift. It is the second Friday after all, payday. He calculated his hours and knows he’ll receive exactly $50. Every time he ventures underground, he returns to the cave in Romania where he and his family hid more than seven years ago. Hand trembling, Yuri brought the lit match to the small pile of wet tinder he’d collected. Katya clutched Ivan and watched on the

opposite side; both shook uncontrollably. Their fiveyear-old’s cheeks were bright red. The match went out, failing to catch. “Kurva,” Yuri muttered and moved his violin case to the side to get closer to the sticks. They’d travelled in rain for the last four days and everything was drenched. The only solace was finding the mossy cave by the waterfall. He guessed it was already September because the days were getting colder, especially during the night. Yuri opened the box of matches in the cave. Only

two remained. He sighed. Ivan continued to shake as Katya kissed the top of his small head.

“I used to play the violin. I was in the orchestra back in Lviv.” Hugo’s lamp moves to Yuri, blinding him. “That’s great! I’ll teach you the ‘Red River Jig’!” For a moment, Yuri thinks he sees something scuttle on the wall—a fire salamander by its black and yellow skin colouring. He searches the rock, using his headlamp like a spotlight. It reveals wiring hanging down from one of the many holes drilled in the blasting face. “What is it?” Hugo asks. “Nothing.” Yuri shakes his head and hands his companion back the wrinkled magazine page. “Come on, let’s finish loading.” As Yuri changes in the bunkhouse, the other miners huddle in the corner, pouring whiskey, lighting cigarettes, or shuffling cards. “Have a drink with us, Georgie!” Duke, the mine’s mechanic, says to Yuri. “No, thanks.” Yuri grabs the cross-country skis from

under his bunk. “One drink and one hand. I thought Russians liked to drink?” Duke offers a chipped enamel mug. “He’s Ukrainian,” Hugo says, putting on his coat. “Same difference.” Duke chuckles and picks up his hand. Yuri ties up his laces and leaves with Hugo. The cold hits him as he opens the door. Stepping outside, Yuri wraps his scarf tightly around his head, leaving little exposed skin. Near the bunkhouse, the beetle-like blue Bombardier B12 snowcat idles loudly. “You sure you don’t want to give them weary bones a rest?” Hugo asks. “Just a dollar for the ride across the lake.” Clicking into his skis, Yuri shakes his head. “No. I’ll meet you in town so I can see your new violin.” Hugo smiles and scurries into the snowcat, packed with eleven other miners. As the B12 disappears onto the expansive lake, Yuri grabs his ski poles and follows its tracks. A slight tailwind gives him a push. Despite the soreness, he keeps a steady rhythm. You only feel the cold once you stop moving. Away from the mine, the stars shine as aurora glows like wisps of jade-coloured smoke. Swishing over the snowy surface of the lake, Yuri imagines he’s gliding on

the moon. The only telltale difference is the thousands of trees around the lake. Spruce similar to those in the Carpathian Mountains. His mind drifts back to the cave, back to the Carpathian spruce violin. Yu r i s t r u c k a n o t h e r match to the wet sticks in the cave, so close that the sulphur tickled his running nose. Slowly the small flame disappeared into smoke. He glanced up at Katya; her eyes were shiny with tears while Ivan’s teeth chattered. They can’t die here, Yuri thought. Not after coming so far already. He leaned back, put a hand on his violin case, and pulled out the instrument. “Do you know that this was your grandfather’s before it was mine?” Yuri asked his son. Coughing, Ivan shook his head. “He told me once that it was made from Carpathian spruce that had been struck by lightning.” The fading daylight spilled in from the cave’s mouth and illuminated the light brown instrument, showcasing its various scratches. “That’s what makes it magical.” With his left hand, Yuri rested the violin on his collarbone and shoulder. Grabbing the bow, he proceeded to play the second movement of Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto. Yuri closed his eyes and

shut out the rest of the world, as he would often do while playing. Gone were the retreating Nazis, the advancing Soviets, and the Ukrainians caught in the middle. His father had taught him the piece while they were staying at their dacha in the foothills of the mountains. He finished, opened his eyes, and noticed Ivan staring up. Yuri followed his son’s gaze to a fire salamander that clung to the cave wall. The amphibian’s black body was barely visible in the dying light but its yellow spots glowed like stars. Gripping the neck of the violin, Yuri brandished the instrument and smashed it against the rock. Ivan and Katya jumped. Fragments flew around them. The salamander darted away. Yuri kept hammering until it was reduced to splinters. Moving the wet tinder aside, he piled the pieces of the violin into a small teepee. Yuri struck the last match and placed it at the base of the pile. The dry Carpathian spruce caught and crackled. He moved closer to his wife and son so the three of them could warm themselves by the fire as the smoke drifted out the mouth of the cave. Yuri emerges from the Lizabeth General Store with two paper bags in his arms. He peers inside to make sure he hasn’t forgotten anything: eggs, milk, bacon, sugar, oil,

flour, and a frozen chicken. Shifting the bags in his hands, he picks up his skis leaning outside the store beside a sign in the window. Not too late! Still taking orders from Sears Catalogue for Christmas! As Yuri heads further down Howey Street, he hears a violin. Hugo jigs around a barrel fire and plays the instrument while two other miners pass around a wine jug. “Yuri!” Hugo calls out. “Come play us a tune!” “No, thanks. I’m worried I’d break it.” Yuri smiles and continues down the street. As the music fades behind him, Yuri walks up to a small shanty. Inside the light glows, revealing two silhouettes waiting for him. “Carpathian Spruce” is the winner of the Shevchenko Foundation 2021 Emerging Writers Short Prose Competition. The prize is awarded annually to a Canadian writer for the best piece of unpublished prose of up to 1,500 words in the English language on a topic with a tangible connection to the Ukrainian Canadian experience.

At lunch, Yuri sits on a box of dynamite near the blasting wall. His electric cap lamp illuminates the thin cheese sandwich in his black hands. Beside him crouches Hugo, a young Métis. Among the mine’s ragtag mix of Swedes, Finns, Poles, the two formed a close comradeship. “Take a look at this,” Hugo says, handing him a torn page from a magazine. “Should be ready to pick up at the general store tonight.” In the clipping, a young

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TheEye

DEEPLY CONNECTED TO WHAT SURROUNDS US

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Juha (JJ) Kuokkanen practices his stick-handling skills at Silver Harbour Conservation Area Photo by Anna Buske

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The all-new Touring Hybrid Equipped with a 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder Atkinson cycle engine coupled with two electric motors, 19" aluminum-alloy wheels, perforated leather-trimmed seating surfaces, 9" Touchscreen Display Audio with BOSE® Premium Audio, front & rear USB ports (x4), and wireless charging.

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