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CREATING A GRAZING BOARD THE ART OF CASUAL DINING
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elcome to the summer edition of Niagara On The Lake. As a tourism publication, we bring you in-depth articles on all the best things to see and do during your visit to Niagara-on-the-Lake. For this issue, we cover the artistic side of Niagara-on-the-Lake (Queenston Pottery, page 56 and the Niagara Integrated Film Festival, page 43), the tasty side (The Grazing Board, page 14, Niagara Craft Breweries, page 25), and the historical side (The Haunting of Fort George, page 49). ‌with a couple of other things in between. We’ve definitely got something for everyone. This time of year is particularly beautiful in Niagara-on-the-Lake, so take advantage of it by getting out and exploring everything this area has to offer. Have a great summer season, and I hope you enjoy this issue of Niagara On The Lake.
Megan Pasche Editor
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CONTRIBUTORS
MEET THE
LYNN OGRYZLO Lynn is a food, wine and travel writer, author of three international award-winning cookbooks and regular contributor to REV Publications. Lynn specializes in culinary tourism covering regional cuisine destinations, slow food, culinary holidays, wine, spirits and “la dolca vita”. She can be reached for questions or comments at lynnogryzlo.com.
SANDRA OZKUR Sandra has been a professional photographer for 30 years— from studio portraiture, weddings and families, to magazines, tourism and interiors. Sandra also spent eight years in the wine industry doing marketing and special events. A writer/photographer for REV publishing for 3 years, she specializes in wine, tourism and lifestyle subject matter. Contact her at ozkur.ca.
ANDREA KAISER Andrea Kaiser grew up in Niagara, and is no stranger to the Ontario wine industry. You could say she was born into a life of food and wine and now shares this passion for Niagara Flavours through her writing, teaching and work. Well, we will call it work for lack of a better word.
EVAN SAVIOLIDIS Evan Saviolidis is a Wine Tasting Challenge Grand Champion, Journalist for Canada’s largest wine magazine: Quench, Instructor for The Canadian Association of Professional Sommelier, and teaches wine appreciation courses in Niagara at WineSavvy. For complete information, please visit evanwinesavvy.com.
GABRIELLE TIEMAN Gabrielle is a writer with REV Publishing and holds a passion for covering travel and event pieces. She is always up for an adventure and loves meeting new people but also maintains close relationships with her Keurig and bicycle. Her favourite time of year is scarf season and she has easily watched the movie Armageddon 200 times. You should follow her @gabrielletieman
ANDREW HIND & MARIA DA SILVA Andrew and Maria are freelance writers specializing in travel, history and lifestyle. They have a passion for new adventures and experiences, and for exploring little known stories. Andrew is never without a book or three in hand, and some obscure historical fact at the tip of his tongue. Maria is a natural storyteller who loves the paranormal, cooking and good wine (mostly, she’ll say, for putting up with Andrew). You should follow them @discoveriesAM.
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Niagara on the Lake by Today Magazine is published by Rev Publishing Inc. All opinions expressed in Niagara on the Lake by Today Magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of Niagara on the Lake by Today Magazine, it’s employees or owners. Reasonable care is taken to ensure that the information contained in this magazine is as up-to-date and accurate as possible, as of the time of publication, but no responsibility can be taken by Niagara on the Lake by Today Magazine for any errors, omissions or comments made by writers or interviewees that are contained herein. Furthermore, responsibility for any losses, damages or distress resulting from adherence to any information made available through this magazine is not the responsibility of Niagara on the Lake by Today Magazine. All unsolicited manuscripts and/or photographs submitted are assumed to be intended for publication or republication in whole or in part. The right to alter, edit or refuse photos and/or manuscripts intended for publication is assumed. All unsolicited material submitted to Niagara on the Lake by Today Magazine are submitted at the author’s risk. Manuscripts and or photographs intended to be returned must be accompanied by sufficient postage. Niagara on the Lake by Today Magazine does not assume any responsibility for any claims of our advertisers and reserves the right to refuse any advertising.
COVER STORY 14
IN DEFENSE OF THE GRAZING BOARD An amuse to your bouche
FOOD & DRINK 19
MY FAVOURITE NIAGARA WINE CELLARS
25
HOP ALONG NIAGARA’S BEER TRAIL
34
EVAN’S WINE RATINGS
40
MEGALOMANIAC
Sandra Ozkur explores this hidden underground world Beers that wouldn’t be caught kegged
Evan Saviolidis weighs in on a selection of Niagara wines. A true Canadian winery
ABOUT TOWN 43
THE NIAGARA INTEGRATED FILM FESTIVAL
47
THE LIFE OF THE PARTY
49
AN EVENING OF FRIGHTFUL FUN
A mélange of food, film and wine
Niagara-on-the-Lake- is it getting hipper? Touring Fort George with Kyle Upton
LIFESTYLE & CULTURE 52
HITTING THE LINKS
56
QUEENSTON POTTERY
63
FROM THE ARCHIVES
66
TRAVELLING LAWREN HARRIS PAINTING
Niagara’s Golf Trail’s 7 must play courses in the Region. From oppression to expression
Delving into Niagara-on-the-Lake history Making a return to Riverbrink
HERE. SEE. DO 68
EVENTS IN NIAGARA ON THE LAKE
71
SHAW FESTIVAL LISTINGS
Destination Profile 79 EXPLORE WESTERN NEW YORK
Need a little excitement this summer? From the Seneca casino properties to the Allegany Mountains, there is certainly an adventure waiting for you.
TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 11
A hidden Niagara treasure. Two Sisters Vineyards marks the beginning of a new chapter. Gently unfolding over 7 6 acres, Two Sisters Vineyards tells a story of a simpler time, celebrating nature’s landscape and the endless beauty of graceful architecture.
Areas so inviting, you may wish to revisit your itinerary and linger a while.
Enjoy a glass of our wine and experience the art of true winemaking. Delight your palate with Italian-inspired dishes at Kitchen 7 6.
240 John Street East, Niagara~on~the~Lake, Ontario L0S 1J0
Telephone: 905.468.0592
TWOSISTERSVINEYARDS.COM
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WELCOME TO NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE Welcome to the historic Town of Niagaraon-the-Lake, the First Capital of Upper Canada in 1792. We are delighted you have chosen our town as your special getaway. Niagara-on-the-Lake has much to offer this time of year. From our beautiful countryside setting and pristine agricultural lands to premier wineries and the world-renowned Shaw Festival Theatre, there is something for everyone. Known as one of the most romantic areas and top visitor destinations in Canada, Niagara-onthe-Lake’s heritage district features many quaint shops and art galleries, outstanding restaurants, and noted historical, architectural sites. We are also home to some of the finest visitor accommodations, from local bed and breakfasts to 5-star hotels and spas.
For the shopper in you, be sure to visit the Outlet Collection at Niagara, Canada’s largest outdoor shopping centre, which opened in May 2014. This amazing retail complex features over 100 high-end retailers and a food pavilion. We take pride in our many visitor attractions, historical sites, natural trails, and heritage architecture, and hope you will experience the best we have to offer. Enjoy your stay and we look forward to welcoming you again. Best wishes,
Pat Darte Lord Mayor
TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 13
FOOD & DRINK
IN DEFENSE OF THE
GRAZING BOARD AN AMUSE TO YOUR BOUCHE BY LYNN OGRYZLO
The grazing board: it’s a funny name that conjures up images of cows in a field. Yet to me, it’s the most delicious of casual dining experiences. Of course, I’m talking about sipping on drinks that stimulate an appetite for nibbles of gourmet foods that you and your friends’ leisurely nosh while layering the experience with great conversation. Often confused with a charcuterie board, a grazing board is the cheese platter of the 1980s, reincarnated by the modern day carnivores’ lust for cured meats and demand for exciting flavours. They include both meat and cheese with accompaniments that can be tart, crunchy, smooth or savoury. When put together properly it becomes a continual play on the palate that lasts for hours. Charcuterie boards on the other hand, are only cured meats with a few condiments for flavour contrast. Notice how I said cured meats and not charcuterie. Charcuterie is a French word and yet, very few (if any) of the ingredients on the board are French. Think about it, prosciutto and salami are Italian, kielbasa is Polish and ham hocks are German. Sure, cornichons, the little French, miniature, tart pickle is the perfect foil for rich fatty meats but it has now been replaced with Korean kimchi which does the same job yet adds a modern twist with a complexity of flavours the little cornichon lacks. Creamy French pate has become passé being replaced with coarsely textured terrines, which are both English
and French inspired. So where is the justification to use the French word charcuterie? John Zagaria of Dolce Lucano, the Woodbridge equivalent to Niagara’s famous Pingue Prosciutto is a specialist in all cured meats but he refuses to use the French word charcuterie. Preferring instead to talk of salumi, the Italian word for the same family of meats such as sopressata, capacola, bresaola, Genoa salami and prosciutto. But since the word salumi is not showing any signs of popularizing the way charcuterie did, I think we’ll continue to hear charcuterie. My preference has always been for a grazing board because it offers many more options to try new and interesting foods. Organized properly a grazing board becomes an afternoon amuse to your bouche. The goal is to feel pampered and satisfied in an atmosphere of indulgence. To do this, quantities are kept to a minimum while maximizing on the number of flavour elements. Keep in mind that on any good grazing board there could be three meats, two cheeses, three accompaniments, bread and fruit. Certainly you can add more or less, depending on the number of people and the time you have to indulge. The great thing about a grazing board is that you own it. It can be as adventurous or tame as you like and get this – all ingredients can be purchased from a convenient grocery store to a well stocked, specialty food shop. How much easier can decadence be? >>
TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 15
GRAZING BOARD DESIGN MEAT The deli counter is your playground when selecting a mix of cooked and cured meats. Be adventurous with a smoky speck and creative with slices of cooked sausage. Bacon-like pancetta will add richness and real Black Forest Ham will add a bit of sweetness. You may also want a cured sausage like soprasatta or aged items like bresaola. Whatever you do, don’t forget Niagara’s quintessential cured meat, prosciutto di Niagara. If you choose two different meats, plan on two ounces of total meat per person. The more kinds of meat you have, the more people tend to eat so for three meat choices, count on three ounces of total meat per person. Bring meats to room temperature for the best flavour. To do this, remove them from the refrigerator approximately 15 to 20 minutes ahead of serving and simply include a small fork for serving.
CHEESE Don’t cut the cheese! That is so 1970s! Instead, leave it whole. To make the board more visually appealing, stick to an odd number of different favours and styles of cheese. Firm cheeses include Asiago, Grana Padano and Manchego. Everyone loves a rind cheese such as brie, gorgonzola and ash veined. If you like creamy cheeses, pull out a small bowl and fill it with rondule, buratta or chèvre. You can also try selecting cheeses by the type of milk such as cow, goat or sheep for a range of different flavours. When planning your cheeses, balance the strength of the cheese to your choice of meat. If you choose smoky meats, pair it with an equally strong blue cheese. If your meats are salty and elegant such as prosciutto, a hard cheese like Pecorino partner best. If you’re serving a really strong cheese, serve it on a separate platter to avoid flavour contamination. To serve, bring the cheese to room temperature by removing it from the refrigerator approximately one hour before serving. For firm cheese, a knife with holes prevents the cheese from sticking to it, a butter knife works for soft cheeses and for hard varieties, a cheese plane will shave off the perfect thickness of cheese for your cracker. If you don’t have special cheese knives, just remember to provide one knife for each cheese to avoid mixing the different flavours together.
ACCOMPANIMENTS Condiments, condiments, condiments! Use them generously, they build layers of flavours beyond the meat and cheese, add interest and round out the entire experience. Serve them in little bowls on the board with a small spoon or knife for easy sharing. Choose a variety from the following: Acidic foods cut the richness of cheese. Choose from gherkins, kimchi or anything pickled like red onions, artichokes and mushrooms. Fresh fruit such as slices of mild pear, the tang of an apple or grapes. Look for delicate champagne grapes for a special treat. Oily foods are a great foil to meats. Examples are olives and marinated vegetables such as mushrooms, eggplant and sun-dried tomatoes. Flavour excitement comes from sweet, savoury and salty foods. The sky is the limit here. Grainy mustards, vegetable salsa, fruit chutney, honey, ratatouille, caponata, bacon jam, wine based jelly or caramelized onions. Textural diversity is as important as flavour. You could add crunchy raw vegetables but I recommend roasted nuts or apple chips. Dense and chewy can be had from dried fruit such as figs, cherries or apricots. Bread plays a supportive role. Offer a selection of breads, including sliced baguette, bread sticks, and crackers in all different shapes and sizes. It’s not a good idea to vary the taste and texture among the breads because they will just fight with everything else on the board. If you’re serving soft cheeses and spreadable condiments, slices of fresh baguette allow for easy smearing of all the flavours.
SPREAD OUT THE SPREAD Once you've chosen your food it’s time to put the platter together. Choose a large plate, a food grade wooden board or marble slab, with plenty of room so that none of the cheeses or meats touches anything else and you have plenty of room for cutting. Really strong cheeses should be on their own platter. TM
ACCOMPANIMENTS
CHEESE
MEAT
TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 17
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MY FAVOURITE
NIAGARA WINE CELLARS WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED SANDRA OZKUR
Since the first time I descended the stone stairs into a European wine cellar, I have been mesmerized by the mystique of this underground world hidden deep beneath the bustle of winemaking above. These dark, dank caves, or wine cellars as they are known in English, are the depositories of some of the world’s greatest treasures. The whole process of wine making is wizardry to my mind- a winemaker, pours fermented grape juice into an oak barrel, waits patiently and then, with a flick of his magic wand (known as a wine thief ), beckons forth that delightful elixir which man has quested after, collected, and paid grand fees for since time memorial. Of course, what is magic to my eyes, is in reality, a carefully honed, centuries-old process. I spent many years of my career in the wine industry and for this article I have chosen ten wine cellars that stand out because of design, customer experiences, cellar lore, unique products, and consumer’s choices. Wine cellars are traditionally used to age and store wine. True underground wine cellars provide the perfect temperature and humidity for aging wine in oak barrels, often called bariques. This environment develops the wine’s character and preserves its freshness. A cellar must also be free of vibrations and bright lights so as not to disturb the wine during the maturation process. The most common barrels in the industry hold approximately 225 litres of wine (300 bottles). So, with a flourish of my own writer’s wand, here is the list of my top ten wine cellars in Niagara. >>
TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 19
NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE PELLER ESTATES Stately and magnificent, this winery is large and impressive but down to earth when it comes to customer care. Peller Estates Winery offers imaginative guest experiences, many of which include a stop in the winery’s elegant wine library. Situated underground inside the barrel cellar, the library is a cozy place for a sit-down dining experience. The cellar itself is kept at the cool temperature necessary for fermentation but the library is climate controlled. Glass walls allow guests to dine in comfort, while looking out at the wine barrels. Guest experiences such as the Art of Wine and Food, Estate Reds, Beyond the Bottle and Chicks and Chocolate all enhance your appreciation of wine within the quiet ambiance of this cellar. While visiting Peller, be sure to try their famous Ice Cuvee Rose-a sparkling wine with a dosage of red Icewine—irresistible! | peller.com
TRIUS AT HILLEBRAND This winery is one of the oldest and most established wine producers in the region. Hillebrand Winery has three separate wine cellars: white, red and sparkling. I chose Hillebrand for its sparkling cellar, as this is the only winery in Niagara where visitors can see sparkling wine made on site. Take note of the large cement, egg-shaped wine casks as you walk through the white cellar to get to the sparkling cellar. Here, Trius Brut wines are made by using the traditional Champagne method to produce high quality sparkling wine. Row upon row of horizontal wine bottles are stacked to the ceiling while they go through the secondary fermentation process. This fermentation produces the bubbles in sparkling wine. Once this step is over, the bottles are transferred to cages and onto the gyropalette that takes them through the riddling process. Riddling is the process of rotating the bottles daily, while gradually tilting them upwards until the entire yeast residue is collected in the neck of the bottle. Once the bottles are upside down, the bottling process begins. The inverted bottles are placed in a machine that flash-freezes the bottle neck and allows for the removal of the frozen plug containing all the yeast sediment. The bottle is then topped up with a dosage of added sweetness such as Icewine or grape juice to create the desired flavours for the finished product. Corking, wiring and labeling are all done on site for the visitor to see. Trius Brut and Trius Rose make perfect summer sippers. | triuswines.com
PILLITTERI ESTATES WINERY This huge cellar contains about 1000 oak barrels, and an impressive forty-one foot, polished concrete table running the length of the room. The twenty stainless steel chairs that are suspended on the walls alongside the table are each numbered and engraved for significant milestones in the family’s history. Pillitteri Winery maintains the title as the largest estate producer of Icewine in the world. Innovation is their success and they now produce thirteen different styles of Icewine. Pillitteri gives daily tours and can accommodate large groups by appointment, they will arrange for private tours and tastings in their barrel cellar upon request. | pillitteri.com
REIF WINERY As one of the pioneers of the wine industry, Reif has some of the oldest vines along the Niagara River. It also boasts some of the oldest and largest wine barrels in Canada. The owner, who is originally from Germany, disassembled these heirloom wine barrels stave-by-stave and shipped them to his new winery in Canada, where they were then reassembled. These barrels are still used and can be seen in the ‘German Cellar’, which is open to visitors. The barrels are almost 9’ high and 8’ wide and hold 9850 litres of wine. Wine is placed in these barrels at the final stage of aging to further develop the subtle flavour and aromas. | reifwinery.com
NIAGARA FALLS CASA MIA Family owned and operated for 30 years, Casa Mia Restaurant ranks at the top for its authentic Italian food. Located in Niagara Falls, it boasts one of the best wine lists in town and holds a ‘two glass’ Best of Award of Excellence rating from Wine Spectator magazine. This novel restaurant has a traditional underground cantina, (wine cellar in Italian) which is well stocked with vintage wines from around the world. A rustic wooden table runs the length of the cantina and is used for special occasions or private tours and tastings. The cantina is well stocked with high quality and rare wines such as a 2000 Château Lafite Rothschild, Sassicaia, Tignanello, Gaja Brunello Di Montalcino; Prisoner and Orin Swift. Their on-site certified sommelier is extremely knowledgeable and can help choose the best wine for your palate. Try out the self-serve Enomatic wine bar, where you can buy small samples or wine by the glass. | casamiaristorante.com
WEINKELLER As you enter this eclectic space located below street level, you are greeted with enthusiasm by the hospitable staff. Newly opened as an intimate wine-bar and restaurant, the owners have painstakingly restored antique handcarved Bavarian ceiling beams to expose the original artwork. This novel restaurant offers ‘wine on tap’ which is made in-house from local grape juice. The idea is fun and the wines are enjoyable; there is always something new and exciting to try. The Weinkeller has received great reviews for its food, which is lovingly prepared just as Grandma would have done. Yoga breakfasts are offered outside on the large heated patio every Sunday and a party room available for private functions or business meetings. | weinkeller.ca
LINCOLN/VINELAND CREEKSIDE ESTATE WINERY This award winning winery is especially well known for its robust red wines. Barrel aging in their authentic cellar is a necessary step in making these outstanding wines. You enter the cellar through an exterior door that leads into the ground behind the winery. Reminiscent of my European experience, we descended down a long ramp and arrived in a dimly lit cellar surrounded by oak bariques, demi muids, and a large wooden cask. The overhead chandelier casts shadows on the walls and floor, which give a dramatic atmosphere to the space. But don’t be fooled: the mood at Creekside is always fun and upbeat, and their sense of humour is evident throughout the cellar. Each wine barrel has its own personal name. Notable vintages have been given celebrity status and named for their particular characteristics. One cluster of barrels is named Paul, George, Ringo, and Yoko. Another group is named Aragorn, Gandalf and Salma, and a row of large and curvaceous barrels are named after their celebrity counterparts-Marilyn, Scarlett and Aretha! There is always fun to be had on a visit to Creekside— take a tour, join the wine club, or just enjoy a glass of wine with lunch on their gorgeous outdoor patio that overlooks the vineyard and the entrance to the wine cellar. | creeksidewine.com
VINELAND ESTATES WINERY This winery is the granddaddy of Niagara wineries and is marked by a stone tower and historical farm buildings, which date back to 1877. Situated on the scenic Niagara Escarpment in Vineland, this elegant winery was one of the first to plant grapes in the area and has some of the oldest existing vines. The cellar is located in the basement of what was once the barn. Here long rows of oak barrels lead to the wine library at the far end. Follow the history of the winery all the way back to 1983 through the back-vintages that line the shelves of the library. Group tours, educational tastings, corporate functions and wine club events are regularly held in this spacious cellar. Be sure to sample the 2012 Cabernet Franc. | vineland.com
TAWSE WINERY This winery is a work of art inside and out. Nestled into a hill at the edge of a pond, the property offers a panorama of the surrounding vineyards with a view of Lake Ontario in the distance. The winery’s beauty is more than just skin deep— this gravity fed winery has received biodynamic and organic certification. It is quite a sight to see sheep grazing amongst the vines as the horse-drawn plows work the soil between the rows. The three wine cellars are just as impressive—each arched cellar serving a different purpose. The White Cellar , the Red Cellar, and the Tasting Cellar are constructed with arched ceilings to provide strength and character. All utilize the underground waterbed and natural limestone hillside to correctly control the climate. Pre-release samplings, wine maker’s dinners, a wine club, or touring events are often held in the large tasting cellar, giving customers the unique experience to sip and sample underground. | tawsewinery.ca
MEGALOMANIAC When the former owner of Vineland Estates sold the winery, he retained a few acres of grapes for his own retirement project. He dug into the hillside of the Niagara Escarpment to create a cellar where he could produce some wine for himself, friends, colleagues and loyal customers. A generous soul, he dedicated all proceeds to charity. The arched stone entrance frames the massive wooden doors, which lead into the wine cave. Along the walls are porticos that reveal the ancient layers of limestone where the groundwater trickles down and provides humidity for the cellar. A portable tasting bar was set up among the tanks so visitors could observe the wine making process. Within a few years, word spread about this unique experience and demand for his wines grew exponentially. It was clear that more space was needed to accommodate visitors. Remaining true to its name, a mega-structure is being built right on top of the cellar. This building is designed to make the most of the view from the pinnacle of the escarpment. The panoramic views of the farmland, Lake Ontario, Niagara Falls and a distant Toronto are spectacular. The wines are no less spectacular; each wine label has been carefully chosen to reflect the personality of the wine within. Each label has a great story behind its name: Narcissistic Riesling, Big Mouth Merlot and SonofabitchPinot Noir as does the name of the winery—ask a sales associate to explain the stories behind the names, it makes for great conversation! | megalomaniacwine.com TM TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 21
all aboard the
C
NIAGARA BELLE
ome aboard, relax, and take in the sights and sounds. Our certified vessel, The Niagara Belle, sails on the Niagara River between Lake Ontario and the entrance to the Niagara Gorge. The river divides the historic villages of Queenston, ON & Lewiston, NY. The 12,000 years of Niagara, is encapsulated during any of Niagara Sunset Cruises sailings. The genesis of the Falls, the human struggles to reach the western frontier, the battles between the French, British, Native Indians and the US colonies… all occurred in this 11 mile long corridor of the Great Lakes. Sailing the Niagara River affords our guests the opportunity to witness the results of the Niagara’s relentless power which cut 7 miles of rock, 300 feet deep in 12 short millenniums. On the Canadian shores in Queenston, the Belle departs from the hallowed lands in which Sir Isaac Brock gave his life while turning back the oncoming American forces at the battle of Queenston Heights. Travelling northerly on the river, we pass the Village of Lewiston where the final “station” of the Underground Railroad permitted the lucky few slaves from the southern US escape to freedom by crossing the Niagara. As we continue the sail north, we see the beautiful homes which abound upon the fantastic vineyards which produce the grapes of Niagara’s now world-class wine industry. And upon rounding the final bend in the Niagara, we sail in the historic “wakes” of the British & US naval ships who fought during the War of 1812 in, and around, the majestic forts of Fort George (Canada) and Fort Niagara (US). As the River meets Lake Ontario, the experience by no means ends. At
the confluence of Lake Ontario the rushing waters of Niagara slow and create our smallest, but very deep, Great Lake. In the distance 28 miles away, we see the Toronto Skyline, and looking over our shoulders we see the same view the US and British sailors did 200 years ago. But then, if the timing is right as day becomes evening, the glow of the sun goes from high into the sky and falls onto the Lake Ontario horizon. The brilliant orange illumination reflects off the Toronto sky-scrapers, the lake-freighters going ‘to & from” the Welland Canal, and the gentle waves shine off the lake, and now day becomes night. Once the sun is down, the sail back to the dock takes on a new character. There is more time to enjoy the food, drink and the company of your on-board friends. Entertainment varies from background music, to live DJs, and live performers. The Niagara Belle’s 3 decks provide ample space to do a walkabout. Whether you prefer one of the 2 climate controlled decks, or the “open air” top deck, there is a great spot for you to escape from life’s hectic pace for a little while longer. Seating is available on all decks and handicapped persons challenged by stairs are assisted by our Transport Canada Certified crews both embarking and disembarking the vessel to assure their enjoyment, comfort and safety. Niagara Sunset Cruises is offering a variety of public dining cruises, and the Belle is always available to charter for special events, corporate meetings, private parties and much more! There is much more to be told, but we will wait to see you on board to tell you the rest! TM
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BY GABRIELLE TIEMAN
HOP ALONG NIAGARA’S
trail G
rowing amongst Niagara’s acres of grapes is a brewing community that has beer drinkers flocking to the Niagara Region in search of creative small batch microbrews. But these are not your typical mass-produced, found in a frat’s keg style beers. Focused on creating strong unique beers that mirror Niagara’s home grown produce, these small independent breweries are converting the once wine dominated region into a hotspot for exceptional Ontario craft beer. >>
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NIAGARA BREWING COMPANY 4915-A Clifton Hill, Niagara Falls, ON. WHAT MAKES PEOPLE COME BACK: Creative beers, locally sourced ingredients and traditional brewing methods The Niagara Brewing Company has big plans for downtown Niagara Falls. Opening its doors to the public this May right in the middle of the carnival fun of Clifton Hill, this latest addition to Niagara’s craft brewing route offers a varied roster of innovative and smooth drinking brews created with traditional practices and locally sourced produce. Residing in the former site of the legendary Foxhead Inn – one of the first luxury hotels in Niagara Falls – and the once WWE store, Niagara Brewing Company says they plan to honour the spirit of the fox by employing daring processes, bold flavours, and a strong desire to create the perfect beer. The multi-level on-site brewery will also offer a comprehensive craft brewing experience with a stand up tasting bar, outdoor patio, retail store and seated restaurant – featuring beer paired sharing plates like charcuteries and small plates including fan favourites like sliders and tacos. Guiding the team is legendary Brewmaster Gord Slater. An avid member of the craft brewing industry since 1969, he has held an essential part in the design and commissioning of more than 60 breweries in North America; lending his wealth of experience and passion to breweries worldwide for over 35 years. “I came out of the University of Guelph from the Agriculture program and one of my professors that I got along best with was in research with Molson,” says Slater. “So he forced me into their business straight out of school. In 1984 when the craft brewery business was legalized by the Ontario Government, that’s when I swung into developing brew pubs, breweries and brewing premises as a consultant. “[Niagara Brewing Company’s Team] was thinking about craft beer because it is a growing market segment in the alcohol business,” said
Slater. “And so they brought me down to look at two potential properties and get things going.” Slater says the company will focus on traditional brewing practices to produce canned, kegged, bottled, cask-conditioned and barrel-aged beer. Focusing on four established brands – their Honeymoon Peach Ginger Radler, a premium blonde Lager, a versatile Amber Ale and a high-hop IPA – along with four floating taps that will feature seasonal and inspirational brews crafted on whim. The brewery plans to produce 15 cans per minute and 20 kegs per hour – an incredible volume for a new craft brewery. “Our beers are not going to be your ordinary beers; they are going to be clean, smooth and easily drinkable,” said Slater. “The Radler will be a ginger peach instead of your traditional citrus base; the IPA will be more East Coast than West Coast. Some will say it’s too much of an IPA while beer geeks will find it not enough. “ The floating taps will focus on promoting Niagara flavours, drawing inspiration from the areas diverse and lush agriculture. “One of our missions here is to try and pull the regional agriculture into our plan in order to promote both the region and our brand,” said Slater. “We are using a Summer Wheat beer as our base. It’s a great base beer – it could be run either as is or have local fruit added to it depending on the season. We could add strawberries, cherries, pumpkin, whatever we decide and whatever the season permits.” Along with clean and balanced beers, Slater plans to bring new concepts to the Niagara Brewing Company in the forms of eco-friendly brewing and an established water conservation system. “There is a great concern generally in the industry, by the Ministry of the Environment,” said Slater. “The breweries are asked to partake in consulting work in order to check their discharge into the atmosphere. And some people say that is being fostered by the large breweries – which tend to be a controversy among craft brewers. So what we are doing is that we are going to take technology involved in condensing vapours. It is fairly common in many industries but not so common in the craft beer industry. So we are taking that technology and advancing it as much as we can here so that we will not be discharging into the atmosphere outside of our doors. “With the cost of energy and water and heat, we are trying to be a little more ecofriendly in conservation of our water use as well,” said
All of our ingredients are natural and if we make a special season brew, the flavours generally come from local farmers and their produce. Slater. “Whenever we cool anything, that heat will be recovered from the cooling process and put back into the system to be reused. Anytime that we can minimize the discharge down the drain we will have a process put in place. Water is a precious item and beer is 95 per cent water. So we have to be conscious of it.” Niagara Brewing Company hopes to grow not only as a tourist favourite but as a favourite amongst locals and fellow craft brewers in Niagara, with the goal of promoting the local brewing industry as a unit. “It’s not our intention to be the lone wolf over here,” said Slater. “The trouble with a growing industry is that you have a lot of people who are great brewers that don’t have management experience. I have been in the industry long enough to gain some of that so I am open to answering questions from anybody. “During the summer months our focus will be whoever comes through the doors and in the fall we already have plans in on how to draw people from the local area: Special dinner nights, brewmaster dinners, events and educational seminars. All of those to encourage both the home brewers and the people who want to learn about the brewing industry to come down here.”
TAPS ON QUEEN BREWHOUSE & GRILL 4680 Queen Street, Niagara Falls, ON. WHAT MAKES PEOPLE COME BACK: large variety of beers, live music & inexpensive daily specials Located in the heart of Niagara’s tourism and wine country, Taps on Queen is a custom crafted micro-brewery meets brew pub hybrid in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Taking clean drinking very seriously, Taps is known for strictly using only the most natural local ingredients, hops, malted barley and yeast to build their unique and refreshing craft beers. Founded in 2004 as a unique craft brewery, Taps quickly became known amongst the locals and tourism sector as a top producer of fresh and distinctive craft beers. As popularity grew, so did business in tandem; expanding their locations and acquiring Niagara’s Best Beer company along with their brewer Ian Watson to the team, expanding their Syndicate restaurant chain to open two new locations in St. Catharines and Grimsby and outgrowing their previous Taps location in Virgil, choosing to make the move to Niagara Falls. “They wanted a restaurant so they took their production brewery and made it into a restaurant,” said Phil Everett, head brewer at Taps on Queen. “The tanks are huge compared to a normal brew pub set up – about four times the average size. This allows us to produce more of
our flagship beers that people come in for.” Amongst this wide range of ales, stouts, lagers and seasonal beers on tap is Taps’ three signature pours; Logger Lager, Light Lager and Niagara’s Best Blonde Ale, one of the only beers that is bottled and distributed in local Beer Stores. Everett said that it is their pure ingredients and lack of filler that makes their beers so much better than the common name brand variety. “Sixty per cent of conglomerate beer can be made from corn and rice, which is essentially filler,” said Everett. “So in a sense, most of those brands are more not beer than beer because beer is defined as malts and barley. All of our ingredients are natural and if we make a special season brew, the flavours generally come from local farmers and their produce.” Though the seasonal beers are never a guaranteed feature, these flavoured beers when available have become the most popular amongst regulars. When brewed, the flavours stem from fruit and spices grown in Niagara, including the peach and pumpkin purees both most recently used for culinary experiments and beer production. “The pumpkin beer we bring out every fall and it is a little like a zombie apocalypse when we release it because people come swarming,” said Everett. “We come in early to pre fill growlers because we know we won’t be able to keep up. No one wants to cook a pumpkin pie to bring to turkey dinner - just bring a growler of pumpkin beer.” Everett said Taps is the creative site for their exceptional beers – with experimentation always at the forefront – including unique barrel aging projects. “We did an imperial stout in the barrels not too long ago and it was pretty popular,” said Phil. “The craft brewers brought back this style of beer production. It is very heavy, very vinous, and it works really well with the Jack Daniels style of flavours.” Other specialty brews are derived from team brainstorming and voting process called the Growler Club; a fun spirited social gathering that invites local beer lovers to meet every third Monday of the month to eat, sample new brews and discuss ideas for great beers. “I am usually presented with a few ideas and then I either run with it or create a beer inspired by one of the suggestions” said Everett. Though craft breweries still maintain only a small percentage of the beer market, Everett said it is this style of community involvement and collaboration that has helped craft breweries on their continual rise to popularity. “As craft brewers, especially in this area, we all work together,” said Everett. “Majority of us went to school together or learned together, so we all work together in a collegial sort of atmosphere to carve a chunk out of the bigger brewers. Beer overall is losing market share and we are taking what remains of that market share from the bigger brewers via education and getting people to understand why we make beer like we do.” Taps also features daily food specials and live music on both indoor and outdoor stages, showcasing music from every genre along with open mic nights, karaoke and cover bands to appeal to a more diverse crowd. >>
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SILVERSMITH BREWING COMPANY 1523 Niagara Stone Rd, Virgil, ON. WHAT MAKES PEOPLE COME BACK: Crisp draft and bottled beers and great local food. Living and brewing by the motto “We make beer that doesn’t suck,” small batch brewery Silversmith has become a favourite amongst both the locals and tourist crowd since opening in Virgil, Ontario. Known for brewing crisp, original brews with a dedication to local flavour, the modern brewery believes that as Niagara attracts more attention for their growing culinary culture, beer lovers deserve a locally produced, high quality beer to accompany it. Silversmith’s co-owners Matt Swan and Chris Pontsioen decided to build a brewery just as unique as their craft brews; the 19th century church just outside of downtown Niagara-on-the-Lake was the perfect property. “We like things of high quality and appreciate nice esthetics so we wanted a building that would fit that model,” said Swan. “We deliberately wanted to keep the character and esthetic of the church, but add features that would encourage people to stay and interact while enjoying their beer. “ Maintaining this idea that beer is inherently social, Swan and Pontsioen set to creating a modern beer hall atmosphere that would encourage people to not only enjoy beer, but relax and have fun with their friends and others visiting the brewery. “We do not operate like a winery,” said Swan. “We do not have a tasting bar but we have a full on beer hall. In a tasting room you are expected to stand, taste and purchase and leave where we encourage people to come in here and socialize and enjoy beer in the traditional beer hall feeling. We believe that beer is social and that you really can’t enjoy beer properly if you are simply tasting.” But what makes the Silversmith experience truly unique is their less
traditional methods of brewing; having begun a few years ago to experiment with a traditional European barreling program which focuses on aging beer in French or Canadian oak barrels that have previously held wine. “We leave the beer in these barrels for anywhere from six months to a year,” said Swan. “We let it sit and mature and turn into something interesting. One of the great things we get to do with that is we can add different fruits or spices or hop them differently.” “It is a different beer from what most people are expecting,” said Swan. “It is a very kind of old school European way of brewing and bottling beer, it hasn’t caught on hugely in Ontario yet. It isn’t really mainstream yet but we like to do it - it’s fun and successful thus far.” Featuring four flagship beers and monthly limited edition brews, Silversmith’s brewing team, led by brew master John Legassicke, a graduate of the Masters of Brewing and Distilling program at HeriotWatt University in Edinburgh, Scotland, brews approximately 16 beers annually and up to 3,000 litres a day. All of their beers are offered in either 650 ml bottles or in growlers – a large bottle that holds close to 4 pints each, to help conserve on waste. “If you know you’re going to have four pints, or have a party, [Growlers] are way more economical,” said Swan. “There is a lot less waste.” When possible, Silversmith uses local produce to support Niagara farmers, resulting in seasonal brews like their Oyster Stout, a traditional dry Irish stout and a collaborative brew with the Tide and Vine Oyster Company. Though their beer is what brings people in the door, it is the food that helps keep them in the building. Partnering with Mike Langley for more than just collaborative brews, the co-owner of the Tide & Vine Oyster Company, has made a home at Silversmith brewery, serving food five days a week from Wednesday to Sunday and working diligently to build a menu designed to complement Silversmith’s beer. Featuring traditional menu items from global beer cultures, Silversmith’s menu boasts traditional German sausages, baked chicken wings and poboys that reflect local, in season produce and of course, oysters. “We have American influence, we have British influence and we have German influence - three strong beer cultures,” said Swan. “The culinary experience is one that is tied pretty closely to those cultures.” Though you can find Silversmith’s brews in multiple restaurants throughout Niagara, this brewery experience is one you will not want to overlook. “We encourage people to come with their friends, try as many beers as they safely can, eat some great food and relax,” said Swan.
BROTHERS BREWING CO. Pelham, Ontario & Various Restaurants in the Niagara Region WHAT MAKES PEOPLE COME BACK: Experimental brews & a continually evolving roster of Pale Ales
B
rewing is a family passion for twin brothers Colton and Asa Proveau. Co-owners and brewers at Brothers Brewing Co. in Pelham, Ontario, their craft brewery is a long harbored dream that has begun to take route within the Niagara Region. Founded in 2014 on the goal of providing beer drinkers with well-crafted beers, this young addition to Niagara’s craft brewing circuit is quickly developing into a sought-after favourite on many local bars’ tap rails. Offering growing core-brands like their evolving Pale Ale series, a steady stream of experimental batches, periodic multi-brewery collaborations and a rotating selection of seasonal brews, the Proveau brothers are constantly experimenting and evolving their brand into something unique. “When you’re so small you want to be so creative in every aspect of the process,” said Colton. “The idea was to make something fairly crafty that wasn’t readily available around here but was still drinkable and enjoyable. Something that people could drink and say ‘Oh that’s different’.” Strategically choosing different educational paths to nurture their independent skills necessary to building a successful venture, Asa enrolled in Niagara College’s Brewmaster and Brewery Management Program while Colton chose the Business Administration program at Brock University. Following the two year program, Asa continued to dive head first into the
craft, gaining experience from established breweries throughout Ontario and fine tuning his skills at Sleeman Brewery and Muskoka Brewery. “We always want to brew with heart and versatility in it,” said Colton. “The reward is just being able to brew.” It is this creative drive that has grown their evolving Pale Ale series and developed signature favourites like Tandem Pale Ale, White Stout and Pelham Pale Ale – the later brewed using their own home grown hops. “The big breweries can’t come out with a new product on a whim because of the size of their production,” said Asa. “That’s what people like about the small guys. We come out with things on a whim that have diverse flavours and different takes on classics.” Though they currently do not have a facility open to the public and brew on contract, Brothers Brewing Co. has made their beer widely available to the public – holding permanent taps at popular pubs Iggy’s Pub and Grub in Fonthill and Kully’s Sports Bar in St Catharines along with a dozen pubs on a rotating basis in Niagara, Guelph, Hamilton, Kitchener and Waterloo when excess beer is available. Though they currently brew at Niagara College and on a homemade small scale electric system developed by Asa, Brothers Brewing Co. has big plans on the horizon to further expand and establish their brand once Colton graduates. This duo said they hope this expansion will allow for further collaboration with farmers and vineyards in the area, allowing for experimentation with wine barrel brewing and more seasonal brews. “Niagara Region is a bountiful place and we like to use as much local produce as possible,” said Asa. “We were born and raised here and we are very influenced by that culture. We want our brewery to be more than just a manufacturing facility, we want to create something that the community can relate to and pride themselves in. We plan on working with local businesses, sourcing local ingredients to develop a really Niagara centric thing.” >>
“That’s what people like about the small guys. We come out with things on a whim that have diverse flavours and different takes on classics.”
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OAST HOUSE BREWERY 2017 Niagara Stone Road, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON. WHAT MAKES PEOPLE COME BACK: Local flavoured seasonal beers and winery style tasting bar Great beer is just down the road. No truer statement can be used to describe Oast House Brewery, the new kid on the block in Niagara’s quick growing brewery community. Founded in 2012, this winery inspired craft brewery has taken beer enjoyment to a new level, converting a century old barn into an upscale tasting bar and modern brewery for the public. Drawing inspiration from both its European hops kiln namesake and the local Niagara farming community, Oast House has evolved their brews into an elevated flavour experience, profiling the unique produce flavours of the region and filling a niche in the wine centric community. “Whether it is France, Australia, Argentina, you would always find in wine regions that there would be a microbrewery tied in,” said Cian MacNeill, marketing manager and partner with Oast. “After you have finished wine tasting all day, you need something refreshing – especially on a 30 degree day where you’ve been drinking red wine. When there is a brewery nearby to cleanse the palate, well it just seems to work.” Housing a 40 barrel system and strong brewing team lead by head brew master Mike Pentesco, Oast has created a group of flagship beers that have put Oast on the map both in Niagara and the city of Toronto; including their Farm House Ale collection featuring their Barn Raiser Ale, Saison and Biere De Garde prepared in similar fashion to champagne. “We liked the idea of a really premium beer that is made the old way,” said MacNeill. “They spend a month, sometimes two months, just in the stainless steel and then they’re not done. Then you take them out, add more yeast and sugar and then they stay on their side
and go into another cellar so that they are naturally fermenting in the bottles. I just find that there is so much more complexity and depth to these beers when you do them like that because it not only traps the carbonation but the flavour is trapped as well.” Alongside their Farm House collection is a diverse array of local brews that complement the harvest seasons and work with challenging produce to create intense flavours; including the wildly popular strawberry rhubarb beer, peach beer and Country Bumpkin pumpkin ale made entirely from locally sourced pumpkins and squash. “In the summer we try to keep up with seasonal produce and create beers that mirror those seasons,” said MacNeill. “Our strawberry rhubarb beer has taken on a life of its own. There was a lavender company down the road and [the owner] came by and dropped off a bag of lavender and said ‘Can you do something with this’ so we made a lavender cardamom beer.” Oast also works hard to source their hops primarily from the Niagara Region, with the rest coming from Northern Ontario farmers. “Some local farmers have started growing us hops and we are trying to use as much of those as possible,” said MacNeill. “Which I always say is the Niagara way of doing things. If you can grow it yourself, do it.” Another way Oast has chosen to support local is by bringing in chef Adam Hynem-Smith, owner of El Gastronomo Vagabundo food truck, every Friday as the brewery floor is converted into a modern bistro, featuring live music, great local food and inexpensive pints of beer. “It’s Adam’s kitchen when he comes in here, he gets to make whatever he likes,” said MacNeill. “Adam is a huge beer fan and loves our beer so it came together really naturally.” “We think beer is much more versatile in terms of pairing because of the carbonation. If you have one type of wine that pairs with everything it’s sparkling. That taste and that body and that dryness; sparkling wine has it and beer has that too. It has that carbonation and that body which pairs so well with rich foods like in a gastro pub.” This evolving brewery has even added a new private events space to their breweries roster of entertainment value. The Hayloft, a new private events space, features harvest tables and jaw dropping views of the surrounding vineyards and is perfect for a holiday get together or corporate event.
We brew our flagships pretty much constantly to keep up with demand and try to experiment as much as possible with the others. Our Enlightenment Pale Ale makes up 75 per cent of the beer we brew, we just can’t brew it fast enough.
BRIMSTONE BREWERY 209 Ridge Road N, Ridgeway, ON. WHAT MAKES PEOPLE COME BACK: Unique and environmentally conscious brews Sometimes, good and evil can create something exceptional. Inspired by their brewing environment, Brimstone Brewing Company, an independent nano-brewery located in a re-imagined 20th century church in Ridgeway, Ontario, is handcrafting distinct beers and expanding on traditional styles of brewing to create inspired blends. What began as a hybrid between a glorified home brewing operation and a small scale commercial production, with great brews in place and mass expansions on the horizon, this small scale, environmentally friendly brewery is only growing more prominent with age. Having already outgrown their original 150 litre batch operation, Brimstone has since expanded into a 1500 litre batch brewery, featuring a beer hall, mini tap room and venue for local music. Owner and head brewer Rod Daigle says this limited space for small batch brewing never hindered their creative process and if anything, allowed their beers to become more unique and evolve into something really special. “We aren’t brewing by the glass - but it’s close,” said Daigle. “But brewing on such a small scale means you can play around with the flavours and create beers that are new and interesting.” Featuring unique flagships and seasonal beers, Brimstone manages to cover a broad range of styles and tastes despite their brewery size. Though the majority of their beers are sold exclusively in house, Daigle, along with brewing partner Mark Stephens, are known to brew at a frequent pace multiple times a week to keep up with the demand. “We brew two to three times a week and then the periphery work we fit around that,” said Daigle. “We brew our flagships pretty much
constantly to keep up with demand and try to experiment as much as possible with the others. Our Enlightenment Pale Ale makes up 75 per cent of the beer we brew, we just can’t brew it fast enough.” Other fan favourite beers include the refreshing and hoppy Hail Mary American Pale Ale and seasonal brews like their Bitchy Witch Pumpkin Ale, Midnight Mass Oatmeal Stout and the Cranberry Dunkel Weiss – refreshingly carbonated dark wheat ale that is fermented on whole cranberries. But it is the emphasis on environmentally friendly brewing that has captured the attention and devotion of local beer consumers. “Breweries use a lot of resources,” said Daigle. “An inefficient brewery can use three times its water to brewing ratio. We try to minimize our consumption of water; we recapture water with tanks inside the brewery and if there is extra water we pump it into other tanks and use it to wash with and water plants.” Brimstone has also started a hops growing initiative that gets interested locals involved in growing hops with the help of rhizomes – small roots that are cut from the main root system of a mature hop plant – to help Brimstone cut down on their outsourced hops. “We do grow our own hops, but we don’t use them exclusively because we would run out very quickly,” said Daigle. “We started the hop growing initiative by asking locals if they would help us grow hops. We had 25 interested locals – and we could have had even more. We sourced hop rhizomes from the Ottawa area and said if you grow these for us we will brew a Thank You Ale and have everyone in for a celebration.” Included in their environmentally conscious efforts is a beer centric food menu that is constantly evolving to compliment the in house brews and make use of the produce left behind from brewing. Featuring gastro pub style food Thursday to Saturday, in house chef Matt Macgregor utilizes both the beers made on site and strictly local produce to craft home style food. “Our chef utilizes the spent grains from the beer to make pretzels and pitas and then from there he makes fish tacos and others,” said Daigle. “Then the grains he doesn’t use he donates to a local farmer who raises quail and then exchanges that for local produce that we then use in our menus.” The bar also features local music and open mic nights that have performers playing right amongst the brewery equipment, adding unique sounds and a unique experience. TM
TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 31
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EVAN’S
WINE By Evan Saviolidis
RATINGS
WHITE 91 Konzelmann Estate Winery Vidal Icewine 2010, Niagara ($65)
This Icewine has started to reveal mature notes of caramel, alongside the dried apricots, peach compote, marmalade, nuts, spice and honey. Full bodied and super rich, the acidity is on the low end, so chill it well and drink with blue cheese or a terrine of foie gras. (ES) 91 Tawse Winery Quarry Road Gewürztraminer 2013, Vinemount Ridge ($24.95)
Without a doubt, this is a brilliant off-dry Gewürz! It serves up peach, honey, rose water, cardamom, ginger, cold cream, lychee and pineapple. The palate is thick with soft acidity, 12% alcohol and a super satisfying finale. Drink until 2016 to take full advantage of it exuberance. Pair with Thai food. (ES) 91 Vineland Estates Elevation Riesling 2008, Niagara Escarpment ($30)
For me, 2008 was one of the best vintages ever for Riesling in Niagara. That said, Brian Schmidt, Vineland’s winemaker, saw something special in this wine, and decided to age a few cases so as to allow nuance to develop in the bottle – a judicious call! Perfumed, the bergamot, honey, peach, lime, crushed rock and white flowers beguile. The balance, crisp acidity, concentration and a long finale will ensure another a decade of aging, at least. If you are a Riesling lover, do not miss out on this beauty! (ES) 90 Two Sisters Vineyards Unoaked Chardonnay 2013, Creek Shores ($24)
Two Sister’s is a stunning new winery right beside Peller Estates in Niagara-on-theLake. Think of this wine as an amped-up, ripe Chablis, what with all of its aromatic pear, green apple, citrus, white peach, lime, yeast and minerals. Oysters and freshwater fish were made for this beauty! (ES) 90 Stratus White 2012, Niagara ($44)
The release of this Stratus White celebrates two significant milestones- the 10th bottling of this wine as well as the 10th anniversary of the opening of the winery itself. Unlike previous renditions, this full-bodied white is a blend of only three grapes (usually 5 to 6) - 43% Chardonnay, 42% Sauvignon Blanc and 15% Semillon. A bouquet of peach, pineapple, honey, pear, spice, vanilla, wax and cream is complimented by sound acidity. Fleshy, with excellent length, it should drink well over the next 3 to 4 years. (ES)
Evan Saviolidis is a Wine Tasting Challenge Grand Champion, journalist for Canada’s largest winemagazine, Quench, Instructor for the Canadian Association of Professional Sommelier and teaches wine appreciation courses in Niagara at WineSavvy. For complete information, please visit evanwinesavvy.com 100 Point Scale 95-100= Outstanding 90-94=Excellent 85-89=Very Good 80-84=Good 75-79=Drinkable
90 Mike Weir Family Vineyard Limited Edition Unoaked Chardonnay 2012, Niagara ($19.95) This non-forested Chardonnay offers up generous aromas of peach, honey, mango, banana, pineapple and sweet apple. The palate is ripe and concentrated, adding dashes of spice and cream, as well as an extended finale. It is ready to drink tonight with a filet of mahi-mahi topped with a fruit salsa or roast chicken. (ES)
90 Thirty Bench Winery Small Lot Riesling Triangle Vineyard 2013, Beamsville Bench ($30)
From a vineyard planted in 1981, comes this redolent Riesling full of bergamot, kaffir lime, white peach, petrol and smokey minerals. The tension between acid and slight residual sugar is beautiful. The long finale will ensure a decade or more of life ahead. Red snapper in a red curry/peanut sauce or chicken satay will be magical with this wine. (ES ) 89 Palatine Hills Sauvignon Blanc Neufeld Vineyard 2013, Niagara Lakeshore ($18)
This is a superb barrel fermented Sauvignon Blanc. Huge fruit salad, honey, passion fruit, guava, pink grapefruit, cream, spice and mineral weave around a core of refreshing acidity. Fine depth and excellent length make for an ideal partner with a halibut filet or even a grilled rosemary scented veal chop. (ES) 88 Ravine Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2013, Niagara ($28)
Lime, gooseberry, nectarine, white grapefruit, herbs and minerals weave around a medium body and crisp personality. It is linear with very good length and is a perfect pairing with a grilled vegetable salad topped with goat cheese or chilled shellfish. (ES) >> TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 35
88 Palatine Hills Prestige NV, Niagara Lakeshore ($22.95)
Even though the label says it is non-vintage, the majority of the base wine for this bubbly came from the cool 2009 vintage, which was perfect for sparkling wine production. Made from 100% Chardonnay, it spent 30 months on the less, imbuing the wine with yeast, brioche, cream, peach, anise, and apple qualities. The palate shows fine mousse, fresh acidity and superb length. (ES) 88 Riverview Cellars Angelina’s Reserve Gewürztraminer 2012, Niagara River ($19)
A rather opulent and creamy Gewürz with a fragrant nose of pineapple, flowers, peach, lime, green melon, ginger and spice. There is some residual sugar and solid acid to round out the rich texture. Chill well before serving. (ES) 88 Legends Estates Terroir Semillon 2013, Lincoln Lakeshore ($17.50)
This is one of the few mono-varietal Semillons produced in Ontario - a grape which suffered substantial damage from the severe winter of 2014. Peach, honey, kiwi, wax, spice and lanolin meet up with crunchy acidity and a slight sweetness. Drink now. (ES)
RED 91 Pondview Winery Bella Terra Cabernet Sauvignon Unfiltered 2012, Four Mile Creek ($34.95)
Being a big fan of the 2010 version of this wine, I was hoping that the 2012 rendition would be just as glorious - well, it is! Full-bodied, yet elegant, this 14.3% alcohol wine doles out the blackberry, cassis, violets, raspberry, mocha, mint, roasted herbs and graphite qualities. The tannins are still forceful, so hold for two years and then drink until 2022. (ES) 91 Reif Estate Winery Meritage 2012, Niagara River ($34.95)
For the number lovers, this is a blend of 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. For the wine lovers, this is a full-bodied red with a complex bouquet of sweet vanilla, cassis, violets, raspberry, cocoa and mint. Length is fabulous with tannic structure to ensure a decade of aging. (ES) 91 The Foreign Affair Dream 2012, Niagara
This appassimento-style blend of 33% Merlot, 33% Cabernet France, 29% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot is truly impressive. Clocking in at 14.7% alcohol, it sings with chocolate, blackberry, kirsch, violets, dark cherry, prunes and a hint of rubber. Full-bodied, with some residual sugar, the wine is already approachable, but will handle another half decade in the cellar. (ES) 91 Trius Grand Red 2012, Niagara ($55)
If you thought the 2012 Trius Red was great, wait until this beauty crosses the lips. Full-bodied and elegant, the layers of cassis, dark cherry, vanilla, violets, herb, spice and earth carry long on the finale. The fine tannins will ensure it ages over the next decade. A blend of 37% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot and 27% Cabernet Franc. (ES) 90 Two Sisters Merlot 2010, Niagara River ($48)
A broad shouldered, fruit forward, oaked Merlot, which is starting to show some complexity from age. The plum, cherry, blackberry, cocoa, coffee, spice and cedar are layered on a thick texture, soft tannins and a long finale. Drink over the next 2 to 3 years. (ES) 90 Reif Estate Winery Merlot Reserve 2012, Niagara River ($25.95)
There is almost a port-like quality with all the overripe plum, blackberry and cherry qualities. Add in the spice, cocoa and earth, as well as a rich texture and great length and you have one fine bottle of Merlot which will age gracefully over the next five years. (ES) 90 Ravine Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2012, St. David’s Bench ($35)
Elegant, the opaque black colour heralds the cassis, vanilla, spice, mint, violets,
cocoa and smoke which are framed on a refined, medium body. There is great length and suave tannins, so drink until 2020. Pair with rack of lamb. (ES) 90 Château des Charmes Merlot St. David’s Bench Vineyard, St. David’s Bench ($29.95)
This is one serious Merlot, which has benefited from the heat of the 2012 vintage. Full bodied, it hits the senses with plum, blackberry, vanilla, cocoa, vanilla, anise and dried herbs. It is concentrated, with a long finale and gritty tannins which require some more bottle age to sort themselves out. Drink from 2016 to 2021. (ES) 89 Redstone Pinot Noir Limestone Vineyard 2012, Twenty Mile Bench ($29.95)
Even though this Pinot comes from the warm 2012 vintage, it displays poise and elegance. The brilliant ruby colour heralds the plum, raspberry, cherry, earth, cocoa and spice. The acid is fresh and the tannins are supple, so drink now over next two to three years. Pair with charcuterie or ahi tuna steak. (ES) 89 Rockway Vineyards Reserve Meritage 2012, Twenty Mile Bench ($19.95)
This wine proves why we blend Cab Sauv, Cab Franc and Merlot together - each varietal compliments the others! This rich and velvety red doles out the dark fruits, mocha, vanilla, anise, coconut, mint and violets. It is stylish with excellent length. Drink over the next 8 years. 89 Rockway Vineyards Small Lot Block 11-140 Cabernet Franc 2012, Twenty Mile Bench ($24.95) With 18 months of barrel aging under its belt, this medium to full-bodied Franc shows off raspberry, coconut, herbs, cassis, violets and vanilla qualities. There is very good length as well as some unresolved tannin which suggests aging until the end of 2015 and then drink until 2022. (ES) 89 Malivoire Stouck Vineyard Meritage 2011, Lincoln Lakeshore ($29.95)
Here you will find a great Meritage from a less than easy vintage for dark grapes. Medium body, the raspberry, cassis, savoury herbs, tea, toast and violets are supported by some granular tannins. Great length. Now to 2018. (ES) 89 Henry of Pelham Baco Noir Reserve 2012, Ontario ($24.95)
For my taste, this is the best Baco in Ontario. Full bodied, there is copious amounts of jammy dark fruit which is supported by smoke and cocoa notes from new barrel aging. Fresh acidity and a slight sweetness rounds out the texture. There is solid length and 5 to 6 years of life ahead. (ES) 88 Konzelmann Merlot Barrel Aged 2012, Niagara ($19.95)
Here you will find a straight-up fruit driven Merlot with flavours of raspberry, cherry, spice, dark cocoa, vanilla and toast. Medium in body, the tannins are soft and the finish carries the fruit. Ready to drink tonight with duck breast or a charcuterie board. (ES) 88 Henry of Pelham Family Tree 2012, Niagara ($18.95)
This delicious blend of 48% Shiraz, 23% Cabernet Franc, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and 9% Merlot offers enticing flavours of pepper, plum, cassis, roasted peanuts, cocoa, roasted herbs, vanilla and incense. There is richness on the palate before the juicy acid and round tannins fill in the finale. Very versatile as a food wine! (ES) TM TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 37
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MEGALO
A TRUE CANADIAN WINERY BY GABRIELLE TIEMAN
Megalomaniac Winery is nothing short of jaw dropping. Original in their product, bold in their flavours and audacious with their branding, this groundbreaking winery continually crafts wines of distinction – but with a touch of sass. This cheeky line is a daring turn for a Niagara homegrown – touting brand favourites SonofaBitch Pinot Noir, Bravado Cabernet Sauvignon, Narcissist Riesling and Bigmouth Merlot. But though Megalomaniac may use their unique branding and attitude to poke fun at the occasionally rigid and traditional Niagara wine industry, each wine remains loyal to the Niagara Region with their elevated homegrown characters; creating a truly unique reflection of a Canadian winery with a global perspective. What began as strictly a retirement side venture for owner John Howard has since rapidly grown – evolving from a brand of limited quantity, hand-crafted wines made by some of the finest winemakers into an established world class award winning winery. Megalomaniac’s 120 acres of vineyard on the Vineland Upper Bench in Lincoln has been cultivated and restored to its natural glory; boasting five varietals on premise and a newly constructed multi-level winery featuring an open concept tasting bar, retail facility, private tasting rooms and a rooftop terrace. The winery is even believed to rest upon the highest vantage point on the Niagara Escarpment between Milton and Niagara Falls; so no matter where you find yourself standing and in which direction you may glance, you receive incredible panoramic views of both the Niagara Region and Toronto and Niagara Falls skylines. Howard, the former proprietor of Vineland Estates Winery and Executive Vice-President for Canon’s North American operations, is no stranger to the evolution and growth of industry. Under Howard’s innovative eye, Vineland Estate’s once petite winery grew into a highend operation with much acclaim; expanding vineyards
by 300 acres and growing production from its humble 2,000 case beginnings into a 50,000 case operation over the course of eight years. Howard has done much the same with his newest venture. What began as a single vintage meant to help financially support his charity Kids’ Health Links Foundation, which provides computers for children in hospital so they can stay connected to family and friends, took off. And though Howard’s initial goal was to limit annual production to a few thousand cases while keeping the bottle price low, the winery has continued to grow exponentially; developing from 2,000 cases to roughly 35,000 cases in a few years and boasting a 50% compounded growth rate for four years running. "I was going to spend my retirement f ly fishing, I was going to spend time in Bordeaux [France], and I was going to farm this property,” said Howard. “I wasn't really keen on the notion of making wine again. For me, I was done making wine in Canada; I had two Wine Chateux in France [With the Jeanoueix family, a dynasty in the wine industry]. So we did one vintage, where a portion of the proceeds would go to the charity, and called it Megalomaniac. “I called it Megalomaniac frankly to poke fun at people in the wine business who take themselves too seriously,” said Howard. “And I didn't care, because it was only going to be one vintage. Everyone will know who I am poking fun at and in a year, it will be over.” But the vintage sold out within 90 days and in tandem with the wine’s success, the foundation established a threshold. It became clear to Howard that the foundation could have a huge impact on children hospitals across the country. The notion of taking it national came up, so he made another vintage. Today, neither the winery nor the foundation has ceased growth; with the foundation currently residing in 11 of the 13 children’s hospitals across Canada.
MANIAC "At the beginning, we were cautioned that wine journalists would beat us up pretty badly because of the name,” said Howard. “But our sense was that if we produced a really good wine at an affordable price, there would always be a place for that product. That has been a bit of a threshold; producing the best wines we can, but presenting them at a very affordable price. Our underlining theme is value and it is very important to us and our customers." Following the success of the vintages, Megalomaniac quickly found themselves at the forefront of interest in the wine world. Their brilliant packaging – which portrays a faceless figure of a male executive wearing a bowler hat – received much acclaim in 2007 when Narcissist Riesling was singled out as the only individual design to earn double-gold honours at the San Francisco International Wine Competition under unanimous vote. "I really think the branding struck a note with wine people internationally," said Howard. "To win gold, first you have to have more votes than anyone else from the tribunal, but to get double gold it has to be unanimous. It's a pretty big deal for Napa [Valley].” Though Howard says he had no aspirations to expand the brand past its original concept, Howard said they had no choice but to build the new building – which opened in 2014 – to accommodate current and future growth. Rising upwards from the Underground Cellar Howard had constructed years previous to house farming equipment, a winery of esteem rose with one reoccurring theme; that it be Canadian. “I wanted it to be Canadian,” said Howard. “And I wanted it to be organic. All of the stone is from the escarpment. Majority of the wood is Canadian. It’s supposed to look Canadian and I want it to look Canadian because we are in Canada. This idea of trying to emulate Italy, France; I don't get that. You want property that looks French? Buy in France!" Though they farm a variety of Bordeaux varietals imported from France on the property, this passion for a true Canadian winery can be found flowing effortlessly among the grapes surrounding the vineyard – with Howard’s patriotism mirrored by the Crimson King Maple Trees that line the drive into the winery. “Anyone who takes a photograph - there is a maple leaf in front of it," said Howard. "That's who we are. But it was natural that we would
have Bordeaux varietals here because of what we were doing in France. Some of the same vine clones we have on our properties in France are planted here so it gives us an interesting dynamic." The winery farms a traditional blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot on the home vineyard and an evolving crop of five varietals on the rolling fields of the main vineyard including all Bordeaux varietals – Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc – and Pinot Noir and Riesling. “We are very keen on farming what we put into the bottle,” said Howard. “We want people to see that and see the commitment we have got in terms of owning and operating and maintaining the amount of vineyard that we have.” The winery also features on premise labs and state of the art fermentation and barrel rooms for on-site wine tasting, testing and experimentation. Megalomaniac chose to invest in both high end cigar barrels and traditional round barrels for developing their wines – allowing their wine makers the opportunity to experiment and test aging and development components on the same grapes. But expansions are not set to cease in the near future. Howard said the winery is currently working on the addition of an 8,800 square foot patio accompanied by large stone pillars that will surround the tasting bar and retail facility in order to help soften the concrete exterior and provide even greater views of the surrounding region. Another 1,800 square foot balcony will rest above and a 4,200 square foot roof garden that will offer a seating area with breathtaking views will adorn the top of the building. Howard said they are also looking to build an experimental kitchen for catered events and add drone technology into the vineyard for live profiles of the grapes. All renovations sit with the same goal of creating an all-encompassing Niagara wine experience. “We really want people to come out here and have fun and get a perspective of Niagara that is traditional," said Howard. "If it wasn't for this industry, all of this land on the horizon could soon be planted with basements. We’ll always pride ourselves in protecting our Agricultural Heritage." “We’re proud of our Niagara Heritage and we’re certainly proud of our Homegrown Wines!” TM
TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 41
about TOWN
FILM, WINE FOOD:
&
THE NIAGARA INTEGRATED FILM FESTIVAL BY GABRIELLE TIEMAN
Film, wine and food are coming together once again to celebrate fresh and unique cinematic finds at the annual Niagara Integrated Film Festival (NIFF) this June. Returning for their second year to shine a cinematic spotlight on the natural beauty of the Niagara Region, NIFF will once again take full advantage of the region’s resources by combining the best of Niagara’s offerings into an amalgamated masterpiece of wineries, nature and top shelf independent films from across the globe. 40 films and 100 screenings will be showcased over the June 18-21 weekend throughout St. Catharines, Niagara-on-the-Lake and Twenty Valley. Sticking to the precedent set during last year’s successful festival, the films will premiere in an assortment of venues – ranging from traditional such as local cinemas, auditoriums and theatre halls to the unconventional vineyards, amphitheatres and even airport hangars which will host outdoor screenings amongst the grapes in full summer glory. >>
TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 43
THE FESTIVAL IS NOT JUST ABOUT SEEING A MOVIE, IT IS AN EXPERIENCE. - KATE YORGA
Kate Yorga, the Programming Director for NIFF, says the festival is not just about seeing a movie, it is an experience. "We all remember the first non-typical film we saw,” said Yorga. “Because it does take a while to get your palette adjusted to something that doesn’t have the typical story structure or a different style of storytelling. This is a great chance to explore those kinds of films." Yorga says veteran programmer Tony Watts has been globe-trotting and attending film festivals for months now, chasing over 100 films for 40 slots and scouting critically acclaimed features in preparation for making his best picks for what to be showcased at NIFF. "There are thousands of films around the world and it is a complicated process but mainly we are looking for premieres: world premieres, international premieres, or national and Canadian films," said Yorga. "We are always asking ourselves: is it a great film? Is there something entertaining or informative about it in the sense of a documentary? What is their plan for the film? Distributors make a plan for each particular film that they choose and they set up which festivals all over the world to release it to audiences. If it has already played in Canada, we probably won’t take it, because again, we are looking for premieres." This year’s festival will present three Canadian premieres over the course of three days: the documentary The Lost Aviator and comedies People, Places, Things and Unexpected. They will also showcase a vast variety of genres and styles in order to appeal to a greater audience. Featuring a smattering of sci-fi, fantasy, comedy, spotlight films, dramas, shorts and everything in between; ensuring every genre is properly represented and that there is something to appeal to the vast demographic audience present in Niagara. “Festival audiences are a special breed of people,” said Yorga. “These are people that are adventurous and are willing to see something that is not showing at the regular multiplex theatre. We are lucky to have a vast audience in Niagara and we choose films that suit a wide range, from dramas to comedies, to family films and documentaries. Some thrillers and darker fare. Maybe some foodie films and anime.”
Set in the golden age of Aviation, The Lost Aviator director Andrew Lancaster follows the life and times of his great uncle, Captain Bill Lancaster and uncovers a fascinating tale of high adventures, obsession, a love triangle and a sensational murder trial. People, Places, Things directed by James C. Strouse stars comedian Jemaine Clement and will have audiences in stitches. Follow Will Henry, a newly single graphic novelist, balancing parenting his young twin daughters and a classroom full of students while exploring and navigating the rich complexities of new love and letting go of the woman who left him. Unexpected, a comedy by director Kris Swanberg, features a large cast including academy award nominee Elizabeth McGovern and How I Met Your Mother alum Cobie Smulders. An inner-city high school teacher discovers she is pregnant at the same time as one of her most promising students and the two develop an unlikely friendship while struggling to navigate their unexpected pregnancies. Other movies to screen at NIFF include I’ll See You in My Dreams; a soon to be favourite directed by Brett Haley starring Blythe Danner, Sam Elliott and Martin Starr. Yorga said that though their team travels around the globe to try and choose films that are unique and different from the norm, it is impossible to reach every international film festival. Online screening processes and the internet have made it easier for festivals like NIFF to capture a broad scope of films and uncover cinematic masterpieces from around the globe. "It is a great process now with online screeners," said Yorga. "In the old times you had to get film teams to send the hard copy [of the film] to you. Even with DVDs it wasn't the easiest. But now you can send them to us online and everything is protected by watermark so we can watch them and see what we think without fear of it getting into the wrong hands." Along with the feature length films, The World’s Smallest Film Festival competition is back featuring one to three minute shorts shot entirely on any smartphone or tablet. This year’s theme for the films is
Scan here to preview the movie trailers!
water, staying true to Niagara’s defining characteristic, and must be shot entirely on either a smart phone or tablet. Niagara Rises will also return for a second year. The program exclusively showcases homegrown features made by Niagara Region’s resident film makers, writers, directors and producers. Other events returning include food and film events Filmalicious and Film Fest. Filmalicious will pair local wineries and world renowned cuisine with original feature-length films for a night of world class dining and film outside in the vineyard; with Film Feast, wineries will once again host an evening of food, wine and short films. "There is so much to do in the Niagara Region so the fact that you can combine seeing a great vineyard with having a wonderful dinner and enjoying a film is a special thing," said Yorga. "It's about making magical memories." Ticket prices start at $25 dollars for individual films and move upwards depending on the event. Yorga said she encourages movie goers to choose at least one foreign film to view throughout the course of the festival. "I always advise people to check out the foreign films in particular because those especially will not be coming to a theatre near you and this is probably your only chance to see amazing cinema from around the world," said Yorga. "It is a special opportunity." NIFF was brought to reality by the legendary Bill Marshall, one of the original founders and chair emeritus of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). Widely known as the world’s most successful public film festival, TIFF, originally known as “The Festival of Festivals,” was first brought to life in 1976 as an outlet for international producers and film makers to showcase their films and original productions to a broader audience. Showcasing an average 350 films from over 70 countries annually, the festival is widely known for jumpstarting the careers of many actors and directors and placing Canada on the map for film excellence and appreciation. For more information on the festival schedule, events and purchasing tickets, visit niagarafilmfest.com. TM
Josh Silburt, Morning Fog - Ottawa Valley (detail), acrylic and oil on panel, c.1985, Allan Silburt Family Collection
2015 EXHIBITIONS: JOSH SILBURT: ARTIST IN TURBULENT TIMES ARTHUR LISMER: THE ARTIST AS TEACHER CARTOONS, CARICATURES, AND SATIRICAL PRINTS MARC AURÈLE DE FOY SUZOR-COTÉ AT RIVERBRINK AVANT LA LETTRE: CANADIAN LANDSCAPE BEFORE THE GROUP
Summer Hours: (May 15 - Oct 25) Daily 10 am - 5 pm
Winter Hours: (Oct 25 - May 12, 2016) Daily 10 am - 5 pm
116 Queenston Street, Queenston (NOTL), ON www.riverbrink.org
905.262.4510 TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 45
“Dancing Polar Bear” by Noo Atsiaq, 22” tall x 12” x 8”
Native Canadian Art Gallery 129 Queen Street, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON, L0S 1J0 Canada Phone: 905-468-8787 Toll Free: 1-855-668-8787
Native Arts Niagara 3845 Main Street Jordan, ON, L0R 1S0 Canada Phone: (905) 562-8888 Toll Free: 1-800-646-2848
www.canadiannativeartgallery.com canadiannativearts@outlook.com
www.nativeartsniagara.com scottdaly@nativeartsniagara.com
facebook.com/nativecanadianartgallery facebook.com/nativecanadianartgallery
THE LIFE of the PARTY
BY ANDREA K AISER
Maybe I’m getting older or maybe Niagara-on-the-Lake is getting hipper but it occurred to me last summer – I live in a cool part of the world! As a teenager I certainly don’t recall having similar sentiments and having worked in hospitality my entire life I can recall on many occasions being asked by visitors where they could find some local ‘action’ after nine which was met by me, for the most part, with a bit of a chuckle at the assumption that anyone was even up after the sun set. Okay yes, the Angel Inn did have live music, even in ‘those days’ and still does every weekend but ask me on a weekday and I was hard pressed to come up with any suggestions. That is not to say I still don’t live in a quiet community by big city standards, but the pulse of the town has quickened and when the sun sets on wine country the lights do not all go out. My all time favourite night on the town – bar none - has to be Jackson Triggs Winery Amphitheatre. I mean really, what can compete with Canadian artists performing live in such an intimate venue amongst the vines? Not to mention the amazing wines and fabulous food trucks. And this year’s line-up will not disappoint. To name a few, The Sam Roberts Band is back for two nights along with the Arkells who were named Group of the Year and Rock Album of the Year at the Junos this year.
Several great Canadian icons are also slated for the stage including Spirit of the West, Jann Arden, Jim Cuddy and Steven Page. Peller Estate Winery has recently come to the table with some lively events that keep rocking after the sun goes down with their Food Truck Eats in May and the new Wine Country Fair in August. Trius Winery Movies in the Vineyard are also back by popular demand – showings include Grand Budapest Hotel, Princess Bride and Guardians of the Galaxy. Wine and Sci-fi; what could be better? If quaint venues with live music are more your style, you must try one of our new local brew pubs. Oast House and Silversmith Brewing Company offer entertainment most weekends and often feature casual fare to pair with their local brew. Local favourites however still include the Angel Inn, an institution of sorts and more recently the Irish Harp – where you can raise a ruckus singing along to the likes of Finnegans Wake, Vox Violin and Celtic Cross. Ravine Vineyard Restaurant also offers entertainment but during the week on Thursdays and Sunday evenings. All summer long you can of course enjoy great wines on their patio or have a friendly game of ping pong. Yes, move over beer pong. Local talent, local beer, local wine – where else would I be but Niagaraon-the- Lake? This little town has become the life of my party. TM
TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 47
TODAY’S
ENTERTAINMENT & ATTRACTIONS
L et o u r on line c ommunity gu id e y o u t o p o p u la r lo c a l d e s t in a t io ns, event s & act ivities . D is c ov er what’s n e w & e x c it in g , g e t s p e c ia l o f f e r s, and e xpe rien ce the fun y ear-round !
T O D AY- M A G A Z I N E . C O M / / F O L L O W U S
AN EVENING OF
T FRIGHTFUL FUN BY A NDR EW HIND A ND MAR IA DA SILVA
AT FORT GEORGE WITH KYLE UPTON
It’s the kind of atmospheric night Kyle Upton loves. The night is dark and the moon, poking through clouds above, casts an eerie glow on the sleeping town. Every shadow seems to hide a lurking spirit, and every rustle of the leaves suggests the movement of some unseen ghoul. Upton wraps his black cape tightly around him to ward off the evening chill as he raises aloft his lantern and greets those who have ventured out into the stygian darkness to explore with him Niagara-onthe-Lake’s haunted history. It's the perfect evening for ghost hunting, and Fort George – said to be Ontario's most spiritually active location – is the perfect setting. "We can't promise you'll have an otherworldly encounter, but they seem to happen frequently at this time of year," explains Upton, who founded Ghost Tours of Niagara and for the past 20 years has escorted wide-eyed tourists through darkened Fort George with only lanterns to guide their way. "There's an unusual amount of ghostly activity both at the fort and in the town itself during the autumn. It makes for an exciting evening. Fort George, which was the scene of fighting and devastation in the War of 1812, is said to be haunted by dozens of ghosts, including spectral horses, a door that appears at night but doesn't exist during the day, an ethereal cat in the sumptuously recreated officer’s quarters, and of course an number of shadowy soldiers. Interestingly, it wasn’t the ghosts that initially drew Upton to Fort George. “Initially, the tour was designed as a history project. I volunteered at the Fort as a teenager and became addicted to the history. On stormy days, with lightning crashing in the distance and dark thunder clouds rolling above, when there were no tourists, the old hands would introduce me to the fort’s ghost stories,” explains Upton. “This stayed with me and so, years later, I took a ghost tour at Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia, and thought ‘what a cool way of getting people interested in
history—why not try this at Fort George? The ghost stories were a hook to get people exposed to history.” Inspired, Upton put together a tour itinerary and approached Parks Canada. While they were impressed and saw the potential, officials of Parks Canada couldn’t get actively involved because the Federal government doesn’t acknowledge the existence of ghosts. Instead, the tour would have to go through the volunteer Friends of Fort George. Upton wasn’t deterred, put the idea before the Friends, and was pleased when the idea met a warm reception. That was 20 successful years ago. “Though it started as a history project, as we had experiences of our own during the tours our perceptions of ghosts changed,” says Upton. “Rather than as a hook to introduce history, the ghosts became the focus. I began to realize our ghost tours are the only way these forgotten spirits are remembered, so we have a responsibility to tell these stories and tell them properly because the dead no longer have a voice.” If that’s the case, it’s a heavy responsibility as there are a lot of stories for Upton and his guides to relate. One of the most frequently reported spirits is that of a little girl in search of playmates to pass the time. This young girl, named Sarah Anne, trails behind the tours, following from building to building, playing peek-a-boo with visitors and playing mischievous pranks, giggling quietly to herself. Then there’s the ghostly sentinel who died of exposure one frigid night in 1811 and remains at his post to this day. He walks back and forth on the bastion, musket shouldered, with only the glowing embers of his pipe to warm him. Oftentimes, only his upper torso is present, his legs disappearing into the earth—which makes sense, since the bastion is three feet higher than it was in 1811. It seems every building on site has a spirit or two lurking within. >>
TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 49
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Upton vividly remembers the first time he experienced the paranormal for himself, and considers it a life-changing moment. “I believed in ghosts when we started the tours, but it was a belief based on research and weight of evidence. It was an intellectual thing, not one based on feeling. That changed when I had my first ghost experience,” he recalls. “It happened one stormy night in the middle of a tour in our 2nd year. I was standing deep in the tunnel at the back of the fort and looking past the group towards the entrance when I saw a child standing outside the tunnel, peering in.” Thinking that perhaps the kid had become separated from the tour, Kyle did a headcount and was surprised that everyone was accounted for. Maybe it was a kid from town who hopped the fence for a free ghost tour? Now his concern was that the child would be a prankster and close and bar the heavy doors, locking the tour into the subterranean tunnel. “I kept talking but watched to make sure the door didn’t start closing,” Upton continues. “Whenever the sky was lit up by lightning, and the tunnel entrance was illuminated with a flash of white, I saw nothing. As soon as the light faded there was the kid again, clear as could be. I realized there wasn’t anyone physical there, and at that point your world changes forever.” Since then, Upton has had numerous other experiences—some chilling, some simply unusual—that have served to reinforce his belief in ghosts and the supernatural. He has a theory as to why Fort George is so haunted: "Powerful, emotional experiences happened here during the war and that taints the area, staining the earth with that psychic residue." When the midnight hour is close at hand, the ghosts of Fort George are said to seep forth from their dark haunts. Join a ghost tour and brace yourself for an evening where you question reality; that shadow flitting across the wall might just be a long-dead soldier. TM
Tours run from May to October, according to the following schedule: May and June: Sundays at 8:30 July and August: Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays at 8:30 September: Sundays at 7:30 October: special Halloween tours, contact for specific days and times To book a tour, email admin@niagaraghosts. com or go to www.niagaraghosts.com
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Nothing quite says summer like golf. Once the air warms up and the greens dry out, courses become flooded with golfers – and the Niagara Region is no exception.
An internationally respected golfer’s paradise, the Niagara Region boasts over 50 of the most beautifully tailored and artfully designed golf courses in the world – creating the greatest concentration of golf facilities in a single region in Canada.
But, with 50 golf courses throughout the Niagara Region, it can be hard to decide which courses to schedule into a vacation. Niagara has simplified the choosing process, compacting seven of the must play courses open to the public into the Niagara Golf Trail.
BY GABRIELLE TIEMAN
on Niagara’s golf trail
Heralded as a golfer’s dream, the Niagara Golf Trail has something for every golfer. Whether you are a seasoned veteran or a casual player, there is a course that caters to your individual ability, price range and preference. The trail’s courses range from world class to entry-level, all designed by the best in the sport. Featured courses on the trail include Beechwood Golf and Country Club, Grand Niagara Golf Club, John Daly's Thundering Waters Golf Club, Legends on the Niagara Golf Complex, Royal Niagara Golf Club, Whirlpool Golf Course and new this year is Seneca Hickory Sticks Golf Course, the first American course to join the trail. To find out more about the Niagara Golf Trail, golf packages and green fees, visit niagaragolftrail.com.
GRAND NIAGARA GOLF CLUB When a course is designed by an architect as internationally celebrated as Rees Jones, you are guaranteed an exceptional round of golf. In its tenth season, the Grand Niagara Golf Club does not disappoint, with uniquely crafted holes that pay homage to world-renowned courses. Known as the “Open Doctor,” golf architect Rees Jones is famous for revitalizing PGA championship courses across North America. Upon completing his design for Grand Niagara, Jones told reporters he had “built a golf course worthy of a major championship.” Bob Culig, PG member of Canada and head golf professional at Grand Niagara, says what Rees Jones has done for this course is make it user friendly. “All skill levels can come and enjoy the course and what we have to offer,” said Culig. “Even the most experienced golfer can receive a challenging game while someone less familiar with the game can get out, have fun and enjoy the nature of the course while learning how to golf.” But as a championship golf course only minutes away from Niagara Falls, crowds could be a worry; but Culig guarantees golfers never feel rushed at the Grand Niagara. “When you are playing it is like you and your partners are out by yourself,” said Culig. “There is so much land, it is a large property, and even though you’re not by yourself, it feels like it – even on those busy days. [Rees Jones] has taken a large piece of property and made it very nice for the golfer who enjoys being out in nature.”
Operating as a semi-private facility, the Grand Niagara caters to locals who are looking for memberships and individuals who want to drop in for a game.
BEECHWOOD GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB Having recently celebrated its fiftieth anniversary, the Beechwood Golf and Country Club boasts a rich history along with a tough game of golf. Located in St. Catharines, it sits on preserved history, a landmark which was once the scene of “musket fire and fighting,” and the site of the Battle at the Beech Woods in 1813. This par 72 layout and semi-private establishment features gently rolling terrain, contoured fairways and strategic water hazards that combine to make each hole a unique experience – and equally as difficult. Golfers can expect to find eighteen classically designed holes, each moderately difficult. Another semi-private facility, Beechwood is a welcome course for locals and tourists alike.
JOHN DALY’S THUNDERING WATERS GOLF CLUB A landmark golf course in Canada, Thundering Water’s Golf Club is famed golfer John Daly’s first signature golf course in the country. Located in Niagara Falls’ Fallsview Tourist District, it is a mere 1,500 yards from the iconic Horseshoe Falls – and just as impressive in stature. Sitting at a challenging par 72, this John Daly signature course is not to be taken lightly. Designed in collaboration with Canadian TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 53
LIFESTYLE & CULTURE
HITTING THE LINKS
golf architect Bo Danoff, Thundering Waters brings Daly’s “risk for reward” strategy to life and places it onto the fairway. Combining nature’s tranquility with obstacle treachery, Thundering Waters features sweeping fairways, sculpted bunkers and creeks all nestled between sand dunes, which combine for a difficult, yet, enjoyable, game of golf. These aesthetically pleasing sights also function as interesting obstacles for the gentleman golfer. The course tests your accuracy and offers a challenge for golfers to improve their game. Though not for the weak of heart, the course is friendly to golfers of all skill levels.
LEGENDS ON THE NIAGARA GOLF COMPLEX The largest of the seven courses on the trail, Legends on the Niagara Golf Complex has not one, but two exceptionally crafted eighteen hole championship level golf courses. This natural setting is a golfer’s dream getaway, sitting on one thousand acres of natural turf, water hazards, sand traps and landscaping. If this wasn’t enough, the course also plays host to an extremely large driving range and bonus 9-hole course. The impressive Battlefield course is located on the north side of the Legends on the Niagara property. Designed by Canadian golf architect Douglas Carrick, a veteran who has created a truly unique course that challenges every level of golfer. The course features a nice mix of wide, links style holes with generous fairways and greens that are bound by dense forest and brush. The second course, Ussher’s Creek, located on the south side of the property, is one of Canadian golf architect Thomas McBroom’s finest achievements.
This challenging course features thick stands of trees, wetland hazards, knee-high fescue rough and impeccable conditioning from tee to green. These all combine to make Ussher’s Creek a classic parkland course. Both courses feature four sets of tees, catering to all levels and encouraging play from juniors to the most advanced golfers.
ROYAL NIAGARA GOLF CLUB Known as a must play course of international standing, the Royal Niagara boasts 7,000 yards of sculpted fairways, rolling greens and water, designed by landscape architect Ted Baker. Baker, the founding member of the Stanley Thompson Society, is known for preserving famed golf courses throughout North America. Tucked away next to the historic Welland Canal, Bruce Trail and Niagara Escarpment, the unique golf course incorporates natural landscapes to make for a difficult course. Although heralded for being a championship golf course and fairly challenging – it was host to the Telus Skins Game in 2003 – Velizar Amoff, operations manager at the Royal Niagara, says the course has a little something for every level of golfer. “The course has five sets of tees so it is accessible to all calibres of players,” said Amoff. The golf club’s three individually designed championship level 9-hole courses allow golfers who place a high premium on originality to thoroughly enjoy themselves. Amoff said it is the unique layout of the course and its convenient location to the border that keeps tourists coming back to their courses each season.
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•Wine Sensory Garden • •Open 7 Days a Week • • Award Winning Icewines • WHIRLPOOL GOLF COURSE Revered as one of the highest rated and renowned golf courses in Canada, Whirlpool Golf Course is an 18-hole championship public course in the Niagara Region. The course features challenging designs by renowned golf architect Stanley Thompson, one of Canada’s most accomplished and respected golf course architects. Before Thompson’s premature death at 59, Thompson designed and remodelled over 145 golf courses– with the majority throughout Canada. Known for his strategic design tactics, Thompson was steadfast in his belief that golf must be played with the mind as well as the body. His courses reflect this thoughtful design tactic in its artfully crafted sand traps and bunkers. Dramatically situated next to the Niagara whirlpools, it is hailed as one of the most challenging courses on the Niagara Golf Trail. But this should not dissuade any golf lovers to try out this course. Its intrinsic design and prestige that accompanies its 72-year heritage makes for an appealing course for all experience levels.
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SENECA HICKORY STICK GOLF COURSE A new partner with the Niagara Golf Trail, Seneca History Stick Golf Course is the trail’s first American partner. Located in Lewiston, New York just over the border from Niagara Falls, this picturesque public course is aptly named to reflect the presence of the rare and protected Shellbark Hickory trees that line the course. Designed by architect Trent Jones, whose repertoire consists of over 500 golf courses throughout the United States, is known for working with nature when designing a course – and Seneca Hickory is no exception. The course mirrors with its natural surroundings of lakes and mature trees to create a serene course for all playing levels. And don’t overlook warming up before you hit the greens. Seneca Hickory Stick boasts some of the most realistic practice facilities in the area, including a natural grass driving range, vast putting green and designated grass and sand chipping areas. TM TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 55
CREATING WORKS OF ART FOR 40 Years
Queenston
POTTERY Written and photographed by Sandra Ozkur
Every day for 40 years, Eva and Frank Mlcak (pronounced malcak) have walked up the steep hill from their Queenston Pottery studio to place the open sign at the end of their driveway on York Road in Queenston. This quaint gallery, tucked away on the escarpment among trees and flowers, is a testament to the couple’s skill and hard work. Besides the ceramics, almost everything on the property was made with their own hands, including the house, studio, gardens, and manufacturing facility. Their life is a story of struggle, survival, starting over, and succeeding in a new land. Born in Czechoslovakia, both Eva and Frank are professional engineers, but the circumstances of history changed the direction of their careers. Frank had been working in Afghanistan as an expat engineer when the Prague Spring of 1968 erupted. They had a narrow window of time before the Soviet crackdown instituted oppressive new laws in their homeland. So, the couple made a radical overnight decision not to return to their homeland. Instead, they decided to flee to Canada where they had relatives and the promise of freedom. The next six months were spent in Germany, waiting for their immigration application to be approved. In 1970, Frank and Eva finally arrived in Canada with two suitcases in hand and a babe in arms. Although they were thrilled to become new Canadians, it meant starting over from scratch. Neither of them spoke English, so it was impossible to find work in their professional field. Being hardworking and determined, they both found temporary odd jobs to support their family while they looked for a home and better employment. Eva had always had a creative flair and started taking pottery classes, at which she excelled. “When I showed Frank some of my work, he thought perhaps I could sell some of my pottery from home,” Eva said. “Frank is extremely resourceful and skilled at many things, so he also took a pottery lesson, came home and immediately built a potter’s wheel. He perfected the craft and in a very short time was making pottery much better than I produced! When Frank decides to do something, he focuses single-mindedly until he perfects it,” Eva stated proudly. The Mlcaks forged ahead, investing in pottery supplies and a small kiln and kept practicing until they were producing excellent results. Frank mastered the potter’s wheel and created all kinds of original raw pieces of green ware, which Eva then painted and glazed. She loved >>
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creating motifs and designs and working with unique glazes to produce unusual colour combinations. “I think we were able to succeed because we worked as a team; each of us became expert at our portion of the process. Frank understood the chemistry of mixing the raw materials and the intricacies of creating vessels out of clay, as well as the technicalities of the firing process. I mastered the finishing process, understanding surface design and the subtleties of mixing and applying glaze,“ Eva explained. “By working together, we were able to produce quantities that a single potter couldn’t physically make on a consistent basis. Pottery making is an extremely physical process: from the mixing of the clay, to the wheelwork, to lifting the individual pieces, loading the kiln, and stacking the finished product. Frank was able to handle the more strenuous tasks so I could focus on the design work and business end of things.” The couple started selling their work at craft shows in Hamilton, Toronto, and Niagara. It wasn’t long before they were getting regular orders. They realized that in order to meet demand, they would need to take their pottery making from a hobby to a business level. Frank set to work building a shop behind the house and converting their garage to a showroom. He designed and built two large, downdraft car kilns in order to fire a large quantity of pieces at one time. To consistently make a perfect piece of pottery, an expertise in science and engineering is required. Frank had the education to master the craft and went about engineering and building an entire pottery factory from scratch. He built moulds, an automated jigger, presses, workbenches, racks, spray booths, heating and ventilation systems, as well as elevators and railcars for moving heavy loads. He refined his kilns with gauges and controls to precisely control the temperature and oxygen intake required to produce exotic glazing techniques. Their Chinese inspired, copper red glaze technique is sought after by many of their clients. “There is nothing that Frank can’t build or fix,” says Eva proudly. Over the years, business increased and the Mlcaks were distributing pottery across Canada. Eva remembers, “We were working round the clock to keep up with demand. We had over 14 employees and yet we still had no time for ourselves. So, we gave up the wholesale business and went back to just selling from our studio. We made less money but had more time for family.” Life now is much more manageable: “We prefer the personal contact with our customers. They now come from all over the world to visit our studio; we have regular clients that have been collecting our pottery for years as well as tourists who seek us out.” Over the years the products have evolved with current fashions, colours, and trends. Queenston Pottery has a full line of dinnerware, as well as serving platters, mugs, plates, and bowls that are very popular. My favourite items are the wine coolers and decanters, which are appropriate items for Niagara’s wine country, as are the berry and fruit bowls that can be used to hold Niagara’s bounty. Each piece has a unique hand painted design and glaze that make them one-of-a-kind items. For the art collector, there are wall tiles with indigenous plant imprints or large art pieces with intricate designs and motifs. Their business has sustained them for forty years, and now Franc and Eva look back fondly on the interesting people who have visited them during their career. The couple have begun to slow down and now spend a few months in the off season back in the Czech republic with family and friends, but as spring approaches they return home to fire up the kilns and open their door for another season. TM Queenston Pottery is located at 1648 York Road Niagara-on-theLake. 905-262-4196. Open from March through December.
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Although famously known as a well preserved 19th century village, and the heart of the wine region, this historic town was progressive for its time and was the centre of many “firsts.”
NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE
St. Mark’s Church was built in 1791 and is the oldest Anglican Church in Ontario.
Niagara-on-the-Lake was home to many “firsts” in the Province. The first newspaper, first lending library, first historical museum and first provincial parliament.
I
n 1974, Inniskillin was given the first estate winery license since the days of Prohibition. This was the start of what would become a huge industry in Niagara. TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 63
The majority of the military sites in town (Fort George, Navy Hall and Butler’s Barracks) have all been restored and are open to visitors. Photo: Waymarking.com
Fort George was restored during a “Make Work Project” during the Great Depression in the 1930s. Niagara-on-the-Lake served as a stop on the Underground Railroad. The town’s historic district was designated as a National Historic Site of Canada in 2003. Specific buildings that have been designated as National Historic Sites include: the Battlefield of Fort George, Fort George itself, Butlers Barracks, Fort Mississauga, Old Court House Theatre and The Niagara Apothecary (which is the oldest apothecary in Canada)
The historic old town is a popular film location, and films such as The Dead Zone, The Experts, The Ref, Canadian Bacon, That Old Feeling and Amelia have all been filmed there. Above: The picturesque gazebo that sits on the shores of the lake was actually built for the filming of The Dead Zone and donated to the town when filming wrapped.
McFarland House is the oldest surviving building in Niagara-on-the-Lake, and was used as a hospital and Officer’s Quarters during the War of 1812. Because of this, it survived the burning of the town in 1813. Niagara-on-the-Lake is the only town in Canada whose elected official is known as Lord Mayor. This title is much more common in Britain. In addition to the main area of Niagara-on-theLake, the town also encompasses several different villages: Glendale, Homer, McNab, Queenston, St. David’s and Virgil. It was the site of an old Neutral Indian Village called Onghiara. Niagara-on-the-Lake was originally known as Butlersburg, named after Colonel John Butler, who was the commander of Butler’s Rangers. In 1781, the town got its official status and became known as Newark. It was used as a British military site, and was a popular spot for British loyalists from the United States to flee in the aftermath of the American Revolution. It had a third name change in 1798, when it was called Niagara and named as the first capital of Upper Canada. The capital of Upper Canada was changed to York (now Toronto) during the War of 1812. The town was burnt to the ground in 1813, as American troops retreated and made their way back to Fort Niagara.
I
n 1996, Communities in Bloom, a national beautification program, named Niagaraon-the-Lake the “prettiest town in Canada.”
The town was entirely rebuilt, and they focused the residential area around King and Queen Streets, which were out of firing range of Fort Niagara. The town was once again renamed in the 1880s, this time to what it remains today: Niagara-on-theLake. This change was made because to avoid confusion with Niagara Falls. The town got its first school in 1859, and it was called Niagara Public School. TM
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TRAVELLING
LAWREN
HARRIS RETURNS TO RIVERBRINK
BY DAVID AURANDT, DIRECTOR/CURATOR AT RIVERBRINK ART MUSEUM
The RiverBrink Art Museum collection comprises works of art by a number of artists important in the history of Canadian art and culture. Lawren Harris is one. He was a founding member of the Group of 7, a major influence on his colleagues, and prominent among those who responded to the restlessness among painters in Europe and America. From mid-to-late-19th century, a growing number of Canadian artists gradually threw off what they experienced as stifling constraints of tradition and conventions. Many of them felt a burgeoning enthusiasm to develop a new voice in form and content at home in Canada. The birth of a unique modern style was clearly evident by the time of the first Group of 7 exhibition at the Art Gallery of Toronto in 1920. Modernism in painting stretches from Edgar Degas to Joan Mitchell, that is, from “Realism through American Abstract Expressionism”. Harris and the Group were in the middle of it. The main influences on those who would be Group members came from German Romanticism/ Expressionism and French Impressionism. Harris studied in Germany, A.Y. Jackson in France; Lismer, Varley, and MacDonald came from England; Carmichael went to school in Toronto, Johnston in Germany and Philadelphia; Thomson was largely self-taught under the influence especially of Harris and Jackson. The new subject was “the land”, especially wilderness; the new style a version of Impressionism with some reverberations of Expressionism. RiverBrink has some significant examples, one being Tom Thomson’s sketch for his iconic “Jack Pine” painting, which is also our Museum logo.
But subjects other than landscape also attracted these artists, and in those other interests we find several unique paintings at RiverBrink. Two of them are the “…in the Ward 1…” by Harris, and another sketch by Thomson, an oil painting on wood panel, dated pre-1914. An early guess at the subject was that it is Thomson’s shack in the Don Valley. The sketch is done at night or just at twilight. The artist liked to paint when available light would make for expressive colour possibilities that were not available in daylight, as he often did in Algonquin. Looking closely at this painting we do not see his shack but a low building more like a contractor’s shed, and behind are orange lines indicating the structural metal of a taller building under construction. This turns out to be what we know today as “The Studio Building”, still visible along the Rosedale Valley Road which becomes Aylmer as you drive from Bayview up to Yonge Street through “Lawren Harris Park” in Toronto. The Studio Building was initiated and funded by Lawren Harris and Dr. James MacCallum, designed by architect Eden Smith, well-known for his arts and crafts design style. For a time after 1914 when the building was completed, Thomson shared a space, but he was not able to afford the very small rent and not comfortable in the city anyway, so he did not stay or work at the Studio Building for long. This Tomson painting is particularly interesting because it is quite unusual, not a landscape as we know so much of his work from the woods north and east of Toronto. The Jack Pine sketch was the reason for the Lawren Harris study to be away from RiverBrink for several months. Thomson’s painting to
THE HARRIS RETURNED IN MARCH THIS YEAR, AND THE PAINTING AND ORIGINAL FRAME WERE WONDERFULLY CLEANED AND RESTORED, THE COLOURS LOOKING AS THEY MUST HAVE LOOKED TO THE ARTIST WITHIN HOURS OF HIM PAINTING IT.
the National Gallery of Canada last year as a collegial-museum favour in exchange for their borrowing of our “Jack Pine sketch….” In partnership with the Art Gallery of Ontario, The National Gallery needed that small work for their exhibition: Tom Thomson: The Jack Pine and the West Wind-Masterpiece in Focus. This painting had also been on loan to the NGC for their participation in Tom Thomson and the Group of Seven, an exhibition organized by the Dulwich Picture Gallery in London in 2011. Thus our painting travelled with this remarkable exhibition to England, Norway, and Holland, then back to the McMichael Canadian Art Gallery before returning to us in 2014. For RiverBrink’s agreement to loan the Thomson once more, we were offered the exceptional opportunity to send the National Gallery a work they would analyze and provide cleaning and conservation for, something we would not have been able to do on our own or afford otherwise. The Harris returned in March
this year, and the painting and original frame were wonderfully cleaned and restored, the colours looking as they must have looked to the artist within hours of him painting it. Once more, the painting’s importance is partly due to its rarity. It is not one of the more familiar landscapes, nor an abstraction. Harris here simply and boldly depicts two women in conversation on a street, perhaps Chestnut Street in early 20th century Toronto. For RiverBrink it is demonstrates how important our small collection is, and its absence last year is a very good example of how museums share their collections, resources, and expertise. TM
TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 67
SUPPERMARKET
May 20 to Mid September
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Taking place at Garrison Village in Niagara-onthe-Lake, this event features food trucks, prepared foods, fresh produce, live music, wine and beer from local vendors, artisans and more. More information is available at marketatthevillage.ca.
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EVENTS
IN NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE
MARKET AT THE VILLAGE Every Saturday starting May 23
The community farmers’ market showcases quality local food brought to you by Niagara Region vendors. The market opens is open from 8:00am to 1:00pm. More information at marketatthevillage.ca
WILLOW BANKS 12TH ANNUAL JAZZ FESTIVAL June 14th
The annual jazz festival returns this June featuring outstanding musical talent, silent and live auctions, and delicious food and wine. Musical acts include Bourbon Street Buskers, Tyler Yarema & His Rhythm, Climax Jazz Band and many more. The festival begins at 1:00pm and will continue until 6:00pm, rain or shine. Tickets are $45 and available at the door, online or by phone. More information can be found at willowbank.ca
WHITE EFFECT DINNER June 18th
Enjoy dinner beneath the light of the full moon, along with a catered picnic, local wines, craft beer, and live music for a night to remember. The event will take place from 7:00pm till 11:00pm at Queenston Heights. The night costs $30 per person and tables and food can be reserved in advance online. Visit niagaraonthelake.com for more information.
TD NIAGARA JAZZ FESTIVAL July 23rd- 26th
Live.Love.Jazz. The TD Niagara Jazz Festival includes both ticketed and free events. For more information contact 1.844.548.5299 or visit niagarajazzfestival.com
10TH ANNUAL NIAGARA PUMPHOUSE ART BY THE LIGHTHOUSE SHOW August 1st
Come to the annual art show and sale at the Niagara Pumphouse Arts Centre to view unique art by professional artists. Admission to the event is free. More information available at niagarapumphouse.ca TH
25 ANNUAL PEACH FESTIVAL ON QUEEN STREET August 8th-9th
Celebrate the local peach harvest with a two-day festival featuring live music, vendors, entertainment, and fresh peaches. The event runs from 10:00am to 5:00pm taking place on Queen Street on Saturday and St. Vincent de Paul Church on Sunday. More details at niagarafallstoursim.com
SHADES OF SUMMER August 9th
The peach harvest celebration continues at night on Queen Street by purchasing a ticket to enjoy gourmet food, live music, dancing, and an unforgettable evening. Bring your own tablecloth, dishes, cutlery, table settings, napkins, and glassware. Tables of eight can be purchased for $240. See niagaraonthelake.com for further details.
NOTL THEATRICAL CEMETERY TOUR September 18th-19th, 25th-26th
Walk through history and discover the stories of local residents buried at St. Mark’s Cemetery. Tours run at 6:00pm, 7:00pm, and 8:00pm. Tickets must be purchased in advance for $10. Visit niagarahistorical.museum for more information.
BATTLE OF QUEENSTON HEIGHTS COMMEMORATIVE TOURS October 10th-11th
Join the Friends of Fort George and Parks Canada in commemorating the 203rd anniversary of the Battle of Queenston Heights and the death of Major General Sir Isaac Brock. Tours of the battle site will take place at 11:00am, 1:00pm, and 3:00pm. For further information visit niagarafallstourism.com
THE “RED” SALE AT REIF ESTATE WINERY October 29th-November 1st
Visit the Reif Estate Winery this fall for great prices on limited edition and estate bottled red wines. The event is a perfect opportunity to stock up on red wines for the upcoming season since these prices are only offered once a year. The event will also feature complimentary wine tastings. For more details see localwineevents.com TM
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CHECK OUT THE UPCOMING PLAYS FROM THIS WORLD CLASS ONTARIO THEATRE, THAT SHOWCASES THE WORK OF GEORGE BERNARD SHAW AND HIS CONTEMPORARIES. >>
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“This piece requires a type of theatrical storytelling that we rarely get the opportunity to practice here at The Shaw. Instead of gloriously furnished drawing rooms or brilliantly conceived habitats, you will see a bare stage with an assortment of ladders, ropes and rigging. With the power of your imagination combined with ours, however, we will be able to travel absolutely anywhere … in any way. I can’t wait!” —JM This production is recommended for age 11+. Running time is approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes including one intermission.
YOU NEVER CAN TELL RUNNING UNTIL OCTOBER 25
ROYAL GEORGE THEATRE PETER AND THE STARCATCHER RUNNING UNTIL NOVEMBER 1 Imagine a creaking frigate with an orphan boy in its hold, a disguised pirate ship following in the distance and a trunk carrying stardust – the kind that could let a child float into the air or freeze him in time. A theatrical prequel to Peter Pan, this magical play takes you on a journey using the power of music and story-telling to chronicle the adventures of an orphan soon to be called Peter Pan, and Molly, a girl charged to protect a parcel of stardust from falling into the wrong hands. The Broadway production opened in 2012 and went on to win five Tony Awards delighting audiences young and old.
In one of Shaw’s most light-hearted plays, we meet Mrs Clandon and her three children, twins Dolly and Phillip and Gloria, her prototype of the modern woman. They have just returned to England after 18 years on the island of Madeira and are readjusting to British life at a summer resort. The children have no idea who their father is and, through a comedy of errors, end up inviting him to a family lunch. Meanwhile, a dentist named Valentine falls for Gloria whose ideals don’t include marriage. And through it all, the friendly waiter William dispenses wisdom with the phrase “You never can tell.” Part of Shaw’s collection called Plays Pleasant, the play’s family mishaps and romantic skirmishes still resonate in today’s battle of the sexes. “Once again, I am happy to bring another Shaw play into the Royal George to allow you to experience it in a new and intimate manner. This, plus the fact that Jim Mezon has directed and acted in more Shaw plays than virtually any artist on the continent, should open up this delightful piece in a fresh and revelatory way.” —JM This production is recommended for age 12+.
THE DIVINE: A PLAY FOR SARAH BERNHARDT JULY 5 – OCTOBER 11 A new play by acclaimed Québécois playwright Michel Marc Bouchard about the legendary actress Sarah Bernhardt and her controversial performances in Quebec City at the turn of the 20th century. Two young seminarians – Michaud, an engaging theatre enthusiast and Talbot, a moody new recruit from a poor family – are charged with telling the “Divine Sarah” that she is not welcome by the Catholic Church. But the show must go on, and as the young men become involved in her world, their lives are forever changed by their encounter with the theatrical superstar. Commissioned by the Shaw Festival, Bouchard wrote this play as a tribute to Bernard Shaw, the Festival and the power of theatre. “My first season at The Shaw, in 2003, I programmed Michel Marc’s play The Coronation Voyage. I wanted to introduce Shaw audiences to this extraordinary writer whose plays are a unique mix of poetry and politics. I am thrilled, now, to be premiering a play he has especially written for us – one that is notably premiering in Linda Gaboriau’s beautiful English translation … a first for Michel Marc!” —JM This production is recommended for age 17+.
COURT HOUSE THEATRE
THE TWELVE-POUND LOOK JUNE 11 – SEPTEMBER 12
Harry Sims is about to be knighted. However, the typist he has hired to answer the messages of congratulation turns out to be the wife who left him several years ago without explanation. Unaware of their connection, the new Lady Sims admires the typist’s capability. When Harry privately confronts his former wife, she leaves him with a warning: he (or any man) should watch for the ‘look’ that may grow in a woman’s eyes when she is with a man she cannot love. And that twelve pounds is all it may take to buy her freedom. Best known as the writer of Peter Pan, this play has been called a feminist battle cry by a 20th century nobleman whom we usually associate with boyhood fantasies. “The joy of watching a one-act play is to see and hear a story told in deft, essential strokes, with characters brought to life swiftly and RUNNING UNTIL SEPTEMBER 13 succinctly. J.M. Barrie was a master of this form, which is why I programmed this tart, surprising tale. Also, I liked the idea of having the Ellida, claustrophobic, restless and haunted by the past, swims in the writer of the original Peter Pan in the same season as its putative presea every day. She is married to small town Doctor Wangel who has quel, Peter and the Starcatcher!” —JM two teenage daughters by his previous wife. As her husband tries to This production is recommended for age 12+ cure her ennui with old friends and cheer her with affection, she plays the dutiful wife. But always in her mind is what happened years ago, when she promised herself to another man. On a late summer’s day he comes to claim her. Governor General Award-winning playwright Erin Shields gives us a sharp new version with a fresh take on a rarely produced Ibsen classic. “The connection between Shaw and his early contemporary, Ibsen, is a strong one and so I think it behooves us to explore the latter provocateur here at The Shaw. This time we are bringing you a very different Ibsen, however, with a play which I would call a romance, where the pull of family and the recognition of deep true love are portrayed with great empathy.” —JM
THE LADY FROM THE SEA
STUDIO THEATRE
This production is recommended for age 11+.
TOP GIRLS
THE INTELLIGENT HOMOSEXUAL’S GUIDE TO CAPITALISM AND SOCIALISM WITH A KEY TO THE SCRIPTURES
MAY 23 – SEPTEMBER 12
JULY 11 – OCTOBER 10
What does it take for a woman to make it to the top? Marlene has just become the boss at the Top Girls employment agency. In the play’s dazzling and highly theatrical first act, she hosts a dinner party to celebrate with iconic women from history and hears their stories of struggle and success. We also see the world of poverty she escaped from – one that still holds her stay-at-home sister Joyce. Slowly, we discover what Marlene had to give up to become a success. Since its premiere at the Royal Court Theatre in 1982, this play has become a contemporary classic and remains a significant achievement by one of theatre’s most inventive and boldly political playwrights. “After presenting Caryl Churchill’s Serious Money in the Studio Theatre in 2010 – a play which exposed greed in the world of high finance – I felt we needed to keep exploring some more of the very diverse plays by this extraordinary ‘Contemporary Shavian’. This play, written and set in the era of Margaret Thatcher, explores the changing roles of women with the same surgical precision and lacerating wit … with a dash of astounding theatricality to boot.” —JM
Gus Marcantonio – retired Brooklyn longshoreman and family patriarch – has been behaving very oddly. An intervention is staged by his sister, three children and their various spouses and exes which leads to a rollercoaster ride of argument and revelation as family, political and personal values are wrestled noisily and passionately to the ground. The title – from Shaw’s The Intelligent Woman’s Guide to Socialism and Capitalism and Mary Baker Eddy’s Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures – reflects the work of two powerful 19th century thinkers, as Gus, a powerful 20th century thinker on the verge of defeat, struggles to understand the 21st century. The New Yorker called Tony Kushner’s sweeping family drama one of the Best Plays of 2011. “Tony Kushner is without doubt one of the most influential and thought-provoking writers currently at play in North America. This piece is a major work — a far-reaching examination of contemporary values which introduces us to one of the most argumentative and, at times, hilariously thorny families in recent theatre lore. It is also a delight to us here at The Shaw, that the first argument in the play is whether Major Barbarais really a ‘great’ play!” —JM
Mature content and coarse language. This production is recommended for ages 17+.
Mature content and coarse language. This production is recommended for ages 17+. >>
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FESTIVAL THEATRE SWEET CHARITY RUNNING UNTIL OCTOBER 31 Experience the bold and colourful world of 1960s New York through the eyes of Charity Hope Valentine. The dance hall hostess dreams of a brighter future but she can’t help but give her heart to all the wrong guys. Then she meets the meek but sweet Oscar Lindquist when they get trapped in an elevator. Could he be the man to change Charity’s luck and take her off the market as a heart-for-hire? Cy Coleman and Dorothy Fields’ bright music and dance numbers like ‘Big Spender’ and ‘If My Friends Could See Me Now,’ paired with a book by Neil Simon made this a Broadway hit when it premiered in 1966. “Musical Director Paul Sportelli and I are excited to introduce a musical from an era new to The Shaw – the 1960s, by way of New York City. Here is an opportunity for director Morris Panych and his brilliant design team to revel in the crazy energy and visual opportunities of this burgeoning time, exploiting the jazzy funky ‘vibe’ that propels the story of our very Sweet heroine, Charity.” –JM This production is recommended for age 13+. Running time is approximately 2 hours and 40 minutes including one intermission.
he can transform her into a duchess. As Higgins strives to do the impossible, Shaw examines with his trademark wit, issues of class and women’s independence. First produced in English in 1914, the play ran for months in the West End and toured the United States and Europe. Shaw quipped about the play’s popularity, “There must be something radically wrong with the play if it pleases everyone,” he said, “but at the moment I cannot find what it is.” “The last time this story was played out on the Festival Stage, it took the form of the musical My Fair Lady. It will be fascinating, then, to go back to the source, and follow this beloved, timeless tale to its original and much more ‘Shavian’ conclusion! Helping point out the difference will be director Peter Hinton’s new contemporary take on the play.” –JM This production is recommended for age 12+.
LIGHT UP THE SKY JUNE 25 – OCTOBER 11 Playwright Moss Hart was one of Broadway’s biggest stars who cowrote the hit comedies You Can’t Take It With You and The Man Who Came to Dinner. This play is his comic love letter to the theatre world. A new play is about to have its first out-of-town tryout and assembled in a suite at the Ritz-Carlton are the leading lady, the naive playwright, the emotional director, the vulgar producer and his ice-skater wife. Everything is love and kisses and toasts to the “magic time” of theatre. But when they return to the hotel after the show, things aren’t quite as rosy. “Any reader of Moss Hart’s popular biography Act One will recognize in this play the wry examination of the foibles of theatre folk and the affection with which they are depicted. The result is a rollicking comedy with every part a heaven-sent opportunity for a Shaw actor!” —JM This production is recommended for age 13+.
PYGMALION
THEATRE LOCATIONS:
MAY 31 – OCTOBER 24
Court House Theatre | Located at 26 Queen Street
A flower-seller and a linguistics professor’s unlikely pairing are at the heart of this classic. Eliza is the flower girl who dreams of moving up in the world but her accent keeps her in her place. Her chance encounter with Henry Higgins, a world expert on speech, inspires a bet that
Royal George Theatre | Located at 85 Queen Street Festival Theatre | Located at 10 Queen’s Parade Studio Theatre | Located at 10 Queen’s Parade Tickets are available at shawfest.com TM
“SECRET” GARDEN & GALLERY NOW OPEN TO VISITORS!
It’s no surprise this one-of-a-kind “must visit” destination is a TRIP ADVISOR TRAVELLER’S CHOICE! Renowned Niagara-on-the-Lake artist Angie Strauss is best known for transforming her gift of colour and nature’s beauty into wonderful oil paintings that just seem to make people happy. Angie’s “secret” garden and gallery is hidden from street view behind her beautiful 1860’s Victorian home. Enter through the garden gate and discover a magical world... and the one where she finds her inspiration! A tranquil fish pond & waterfalls, abundant with waterlilies and water hyacinths leads you into a large rambling perennial English country garden, filled with countless varieties of flowers and trees- and the garden chosen by the Town to be judged when it won the prestigious honour as “The Prettiest Town in Canada.”
Follow the meandering brick path and under a majestic sixty foot high weeping Beech tree to discover Angie’s studio and gallery, where you’ll be greeted by the artist herself. There you can enjoy her vibrant oil paintings, art prints on canvas or watercolour paper, art cards, as well as her affordable handmade jewellery. Hers is a unique and special world, filled with beauty and charm...including Angie herself, with a personality that is an inspiration to all who meet her!
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VOYAGE TO THE FALLS BOAT TOUR The legendary boat tour of Niagara Falls is Canada’s most iconic visitor experience. It’s been thrilling millions from all over the world for more than 150 years. You may have seen the Falls before, but you’ve never seen them quite like this! So why just look at them when you can get right in? Hold onto your heart and get ready for the thrill of a lifetime. Hornblower will take you on a ride you’ll never forget. Into the very heart of the mighty Horseshoe Falls! Prepare for an awe-inspiring journey aboard Hornblower’s state-of-the-art 700-passenger catamaran boats. You’ll experience the famous boat tour of the Great Gorge, American Falls, Bridal Veil Falls and of course, an up-close and personal connection with the world’s most famous cataract – the Canadian Horseshoe Falls. Hornblower’s Voyage To The Falls boat tour is a once-in-a-lifetime experience and an absolute must for every visitor to Niagara Falls. Open daily from 8am, boats sail every 15 minutes until dusk.
FALLS ILLUMINATION CRUISE & FALLS FIREWORKS CRUISE Featuring on-board licensed bars, light snacks and music, these extended 40-minute cruises are Niagara’s ultimate evening entertainment. Set to the backdrop of starry skies, the dazzling city skyline and amazing coloured illumination of the Falls these intimate cruises are the very best way to view the Falls at night. Guests can savour fine Niagara wine and beverages on-board while cruising the Gorge and taking in the magic of Niagara Falls at night. There’s no other evening entertainment quite like this! Falls Illumination Cruises operate daily in season and sail 9:45-10:25pm. Falls Fireworks Cruises include a bonus 10pm fireworks spectacle directly overhead. This is a Niagara Falls experience not to be missed. As colours whirl and sparks fly above, this incredible Falls cruise is the ultimate highlight of any evening out. Falls Fireworks Cruises operate every Friday, Sunday and holiday from May 15 through September 7. Boats sail 9:45 to 10:25. With limited availability tickets sell out fast.
If daytime thrills aren’t your cup of tea, then be sure to enjoy Hornblower’s all new night-time Falls Illumination Cruise or Falls Fireworks Cruise.
If you’re one of the lucky few who can snag tickets to the Falls Illumination Cruise or Falls Fireworks Cruise, be sure to go early and take in the evening sunset while relaxing at Hornblower’s unique new Fallsview Patio. Nestled in the gorge at the river’s edge there is nowhere else you’ll get a view anything like this. Enjoy the remarkable setting, great music and Hornblower’s famous hospitality before or after sailing. If you’re lucky and the breeze is just right, you can sometimes catch a soft waft of fine Falls mist. It doesn’t get any closer than this! Whatever you do while visiting, be sure to plan an evening out with Hornblower Niagara Cruises. They are certain to deliver an amazing experience and memories that will last a lifetime.
To reserve your ticket book online at niagaracruises.com or call toll free 1-855-264-2427. Located at 5920 River Road (Niagara Parkway) at the foot of Clifton Hill, Niagara Falls CANADA.
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THERE IS NO SHORTAGE OF THINGS TO DO, EXPERIENCE AND SEE DURING YOUR VISIT TO WESTERN NEW YORK; WHATEVER KIND OF ACTIVITY YOU SEEK, INDOOR OR OUTDOOR, ACTION PACKED OR CALM AND RELAXED, THERE IS CERTAINLY SOMETHING FOR YOU. FROM THE EXCITEMENT OF THE SENECA CASINO PROPERTIES TO EXPLORING THE SHOPS AND RESTAURANTS OF ELLICOTTVILLE TO THE ADVENTURES AWAITING YOU IN THE ALLEGANY MOUNTAINS, WESTERN NEW YORK REALLY DOES HAVE IT ALL.
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FABULOUS FIVE UNDER ONE ROOF From quick food, take-away to luxurious fine dining experiences, the Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino has it all. BY LYNN OGRYZLO | PHOTOS BY A.J. HARLOND $ - GREAT VALUE | $$ - UPSCALE CASUAL | $$$ - LUXURIOUS FINE DINING
THE WESTERN DOOR STEAKHOUSE Reputed to be the best steakhouse in Western New York. The Western Door offers a full range of dishes to satisfy the most earnest carnivore. Expect the beefiest flavour to come from the Bone-In Rib Eye or Bone-In Fillet Mignon, the most luxurious meatiness from the CastIron Porterhouse or the Foie Gras & Truffle Burger and the most tender mouthful from the Kobe Filet Mignon or the Rack of Local Lamb. Add seafood to your steak for a dinner of Surf & Turf. Impressive wine cellar is heavily stocked in full-bodied reds for a perfect steak dining experience. Must-try non-steak dishes include Mushroom Flatbread, Lobster Mac & Cheese and the chef ’s special, Pork & Polenta. PRICE: $$$ HOURS: Open 7 days a week at 5 p.m. RESERVATIONS: Recommended, 1-877-873-6322 >>
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THE THREE SISTERS The twenty-four hour taste sensation, The Three Sisters from Seneca legend were the three main life-sustaining crops of corn, beans and squash. Today, the menu has grown well beyond those three ingredients and offers a wide range of delicious dishes. Start the morning right with sizzling Steak & Eggs, bulging House-Made Omelets or luxurious Nutella Stuffed French Toast. Lunch options are a dizzying array of dishes; Baltimore Crab Cakes, Buffalo Chicken Wings and Montreal-Style Poutine. From the sandwich board, try the local Beef on Weck, the juicy Reuben or the popular Turkey Club. Salads are large and creative, burgers are a whopping half-pound of certified Angus beef and desserts are seductively irresistible. The cafe spills into the open-air lobby for opulent dining or take a seat inside the cozy cafe. PRICE: $ HOURS: Open Monday through Friday at 11 a.m., Saturday and Sunday at 9 a.m. RESERVATIONS: Not necessary
KOI ASIAN CUISINE Open for dinner only, Koi is the perfect spot to savour the exotic, elegant flavours of Asian fare. Start in Thailand with a steamy bowl of Thai Tom Yum Soup, experience Japan with Teriyaki Chicken, walk through the flavours of China with Black Pepper Tenderloin Beef or let a dish of Crab Rangoon take you to Hong Kong. It’s Asian Fusion at its best! Clean modern décor and sultry lighting with a center open kitchen for full view of the chopping, rolling, steaming and searing. Enjoy the culinary theatre or linger by the fireplace. PRICE: $$ HOURS: Open Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday at 5 p.m. Closed Wednesday and Thursday. RESERVATIONS: Recommended, 1-877-873-6322
THUNDER FALLS BUFFET This large Marche-style buffet restaurant is already a food destination for its eclectic mix of dishes and specials. Every Thursday and
Friday evening is all you can eat Snow Crab Legs ($29/person, with Player’s Club Card) and Saturday and Sunday evenings is Prime Rib and Shrimp ($24/person, with Player’s Club Card). Clean atmosphere, colourful décor and an open concept means full view of the circular buffet and comfortable dining. Start at the salad bar, the carving station or the pasta station. Wood fired pizza oven means fresh, delicious pizzas to order. There is an Italian section offering beans and greens, lasagna and ravioli, an Asian section with hot pork, beef and chicken to go over fried rice or Asian noodles. There’s also a Buffalo cuisine section offering up typical dishes from the region like Buffalo Wings, Beef on Weck and Slovaki. PRICE: $ HOURS: Open Monday through Friday at 11 a.m., Saturday and Sunday at 9 a.m. RESERVATIONS: Not necessary
BLUES BURGER BAR Building your own burger may appear a bit daunting, but you can do it! Start with a half-pound of premium ground beef, select a bun, your favourite cheese, toppings that inspire you and pull the flavours together with a sauce of your choice. No one can top the Blues burgers except you! You can even choose from beef, chicken or a black bean veggie patty. Eat in or take out, you can call your order in and it’s ready when you arrive. Also on the menu is an irresistible Chicago Dog, juicy “Lucky Pulled Pork Sandwich” and delicious Italian Sub Combo. Must try the ice cream based milk shakes for a thick, retro flavour of lusciousness. Fries are hand-cut, extra crispy and can be enjoyed neat or topped with chili, cheese, BBQ Pulled Pork or loaded with bacon, cheddar cheese, sour cream, tomatoes, scallions and jalapenos. Atmosphere is totally relaxed with paper plates, cups, plastic cutlery and plenty of paper napkins to wipe the juices from your chin. Don’t miss the specials during Happy Hour, Mondays through Friday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. PRICE: $ HOURS: Open seven days a week at 11 a.m. RESERVATIONS: Not necessary TM
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LEWISTON, NY
KC KRATT
Built to Last
The list of masters behind Buffalo’s most beautiful buildings and neighborhoods reads like a “Who’s Who” of some of history’s greatest architects: Frank Lloyd Wright, Louis Sullivan, Stanford White, Eliel & Eero Saarinen, Henry Hobson Richardson, Frederick Law Olmsted. Buffalo’s extraordinary collection of architecture and urban design is a proud reminder of the city’s heyday and a catalyst for its renaissance. Explore Buffalo’s vast outdoor museum of American treasures on one of our many five-star house and walking tours.
Buffalo has one of the most extraordinary concert halls in the United States. A gift to the city from a deeply generous music-loving family whose name graces the building, Kleinhans Music Hall combines elegant simplicity with vibrant acoustics. Once new seating is installed to celebrate the hall’s 75th Anniversary in October 2015, it will comfortably seat 2,400 people while making each person feel the concert is being played for them alone. JOANN FALLETTA, MUSIC DIRECTOR, BUFFALO PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA
DARWIN MARTIN HOUSE
CINDY KINCAIDE
Buffalo seems to be built of the Wright stuff. Spread throughout the city are a collection of homes and buildings – some that were only dreams of architect Frank Lloyd Wright – that in some way rivals the cluster in the Chicago area. PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
I guarantee that this will be the strangest, most unusual tour bus you will ever have the pleasure of riding. Built from a vintage school bus and retrofitted to be sans-roof, the Open-Air Autobus sports leopard-print seats and has some of the most enthusiastic architectural tour guides this side of the Erie Canal. DESIGN SPONGE
A T R AV E L E R ’S R E V I E W
BUFFALO CITY HALL TOURS
“Wonderful tour” BUFFALO AERIAL PICTURES
This beautiful art deco building is a treasure. Our guide was full of information and anecdotes. View from the observation deck is amazing!” Reviewed by SkanLaker, a TripAdvisor traveler Skaneateles, NY » September 22, 2014
A T R AV E L E R ’S R E V I E W
FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT’S GRAYCLIFF ESTATE
“What genius” “If you are going to visit the Darwin Martin House, be sure to take some time to drive to Graycliff. We purchased in-depth tours for both properties before we traveled to Buffalo and I would recommend doing this.” Reviewed by don9290, a TripAdvisor traveler » Minneapolis, MN » October 1, 2013 NANCY VARGO
THE WESTERN
DOOR
FOOD FROM THE HEART,DRINKS FOR THE SOUL From professional musician to top bartender, you can find the name Frank Ryan in the Buffalo Bartender’s Hall of Fame and you can see the man in the Seneca Niagara Resort & Casinos fine dining restaurant, The Western Door behind the bar, mixing the best drinks in Western New York. “You have to be where people can find you,” says Frank. Probably a philosophy from his musical days but Frank has approached his bartending career in much the same way and it’s worked for him. Just like mixing music notes together to make his runaway songs, Frank now uses all kinds of spirits, bitters, liqueurs and mixes to create his runaway drinks. His first award winning drink, the Crystal Clementine you’ll find on the Western Door drinks menu. He made it for me during this interview. Crystal Clementine: Svedka Clementine Vodka, DeKuyper Cheri-Berri Pucker and Orange Juice, a melody of tantalizing flavours. Unlike most bartenders who mix drinks based on pure science, Frank mixes cocktails and infuses spirits purely for flavour. He’s a master mixologist proudly boasting that the first eight blended martinis on The Western Door drinks menu are his babies. The signature drink he’s most proud of is the Seneca Sweetheart. It’s the perfect blend of DeKuyper Watermelon, Bacardi Grand Watermelon and Pomegranate Juice. After sipping one I have to say it definitely falls under the category of eyes rolling to the back of your head delicious. I wondered how a musician became an award winning bartender and he explains, “I started out mixing drinks every Tuesday night at home in my basement.” Well, that sounds to me like a band schedule but Frank is a very nontraditional bartender. Behind the bar are two large glass jars with magical concoctions of marbles and fruit. These are Frank’s vodka infusions. Each year he plays with different seasonal fruit and you can look forward to tasting them in one of his specialty drinks. Frank poured me the strawberry infused vodka over ice and I immediately got a bold burst of autumn strawberries, you know the ones at the end of the season that are super, candy sweet? Oh Frank, try to resist mixing these, these are beautiful savoured neat, over rocks. Like me, if you’re wondering about the marbles in a vodka infusion, Frank explains, “You fill the (infusion) jars with marbles until there are enough marbles to reach the top of the spigot. This means the fruit
UNLIKE MOST BARTENDERS WHO MIX DRINKS BASED ON PURE SCIENCE, FRANK MIXES COCKTAILS AND INFUSES SPIRITS PURELY FOR FLAVOUR.
never gets to the spigot to clog it up.” Another brilliant Frank Ryan invention that I’m going to use in the summertime with my own fruited waters. Thanks Frank. I can’t help but wonder if any of this deliciousness spills into the kitchen but unfortunately, it doesn’t. The concept is that the drinks are an accompaniment to the kitchen, but never do the two intermingle. I suppose that makes sense, although I can’t stop thinking of a strawberry vodka infused panna cotta (hint, hint Chef Joe!). Western Door Room Chef Joseph Belardi is a relatively new chef brought in as part of the new culinary program at the resort. He may be young but he’s not inexperienced and he’s already making significant changes to the traditional fine dining restaurant. “My secret is to start with the best (quality ingredients) and do it well. If you cook from the heart your food will be great,” says the Italian with just enough hand gestures to make you salivate over every word. “When you’re paying $75 for Kobe beef, $44 for a porterhouse or $35 for a fillet, it’s got to be great.” Chef insists his beef is full of fine marbling and is dry aged for at least 48 days. The Western Door is a popular steakhouse in Western New York State. The 200 seat restaurant can easily be grilling up 200 steaks on a weeknight and can almost double that on a weekend. So how does each steak get grilled to perfection? “Our steaks are simply seasoned, crisscrossed on the grill four-times then broiled to the customers liking. We don’t cook it in the oven where the air circulates all around it. We broil it so the heat is top down.” Besides a cooking method that gives him ultimate control, chef explains, “it’s either me or Tommy on the grill. Tommy’s great, he can tell the temperature of a steak just by looking at it.” Chef Joe has added a few new dishes to the menu. A man with a love for comfort food, Joe has up-scaled his Pork and Polenta to gourmet levels. He starts with tiny slivers of raw garlic that he inserts into the bone-in (loads of flavour) pork butt. It’s then marinated for 24 hours, seared, submerged in pork fat, covered, and cooked low and slow for 8 hours to become fork tender. On the plate the pork is sitting on a polenta crouton rich in cream and roasted garlic. It’s dressed with shaved fontina and prosciutto. It’s Joe’s signature dish and even though it may be overshadowed in a steakhouse, it truly is out of this world.
On The Western Door menu you’ll find traditional dishes like Clams Casino with new additions like Chef Joe’s Lobster Mac & Cheese. From a man who grew up making home-made pasta with his grandmother, this new reincarnation of everyone’s beloved comfort food includes large chunks of pink and white, sweet lobster, loads of lavishly creamed smoked cheddar cheese and a crispy topping of crumbs make from their popular focaccia bread. Joe is an obsessed chef, he loves to read about other chefs like Thomas Keller and Anthony Bordain on his days off. He’s also a chef full of surprises. He dedicates his life to perfecting steaks but he secretly longs to sear the perfect fish. “When you get a perfect sear on that skin, when it’s cooked properly, it’s, well, there are no words for it. It’s just so good.” When most chefs cook food the way they like to eat it, Chef Joe cooks it until it’s the best it can be. That’s real talent. A typical evening at The Western Door could go something like this. Start with one of Frank’s martinis and a Chilled Seafood Tower of lobster, shrimp, King crab legs, clams and oysters. Sip and nosh in a lingering atmosphere with soft lights and the sounds of chiming silverware at work in the background. Next, a steak. Perhaps the popular 20-ounce Bone-In Rib Eye Steak with a bottle of Cabernet from the wine cellar. If you feel like it, you can add Diver Scallops, Alaskan King Crab or a juicy lobster tail. Wind down the evening with a light Crème Brûlée and one of Frank’s browns (bourbon, Grand Marnier or single malt scotch) For me? I like to buck the trend and dine in style with a Foie Gras Burger, a crock of Lobster Mac & Cheese and one of Frank’s signature martinis. The Western Door can be as casual as upscale allows. It can also be theatrical with tables that look over the gaming floor or if you don’t have a front row seat to the action, Frank will accommodate with a bit of inside theatrics; a tableside mixed, layered martini. The Man Overboard martini is a blend of Malibu Coconut Rum, Midori Melon Liqueur and Pineapple Juice. Just as a Caesar salad can be made tableside, Frank pours a shot of Gaetano Blue Curacao and Grenadine into the martini and it magically layers in the glass. The Western Door may look a little formal, it may be a bit theatrical, it may offer the best food in Western New York, but it’s the friendliest place on earth to share a meal. TM TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 87
BUFFALO BILLS
Home Field Advantage It’s 8:30 a.m. on a Sunday: time to crack open a cold one, fire up the grill
and start the party with 70,000 of your closest friends. Tailgating at the Ralph before a Bills game is a time-honored tradition that goes back decades. So is the Friday Night Bash, where fireworks cap off a summer evening of Bisons baseball in downtown’s retro-style Coca-Cola Field. Buffalo’s professional teams – the Bills, Sabres, Bisons and Bandits lacrosse – pride themselves on honoring the city’s proud sports history and treating you to the best fan experience in their leagues. Charlie Fashana
BUFFALO BISONS
Baseball is the greatest game and all generations go to it. I always get that at the ballpark. ‘Oh, you used to serve my grandfather.’ Or, ‘I used to come here and sit on my dad’s knee, and now I’m getting a beer from you.’ It’s amazing how many people come to me for their first legal beer and get their picture with the Conehead getting that first beer. It’s a rite of passage. I can’t sell it cheap, but I can sell it cold. CONEHEAD AS TOLD TO MILB.COM
@CharlieFlash23
BILL WIPPERT
“Love how the @BuffaloSabres honor their heritage at the FNC with remnants from the Old Aud. #Tradition”
JOHN PAGET JOHN PAGET
JOHN PAGET JOHN PAGET
This might be the last simple place left in the NFL. A place where fans navigate tiny roads and pass signs for $10 parking on people’s front lawns, and they can walk to a stadium that doesn’t look like the Emirates Palace. And when they do visit they can find an RV in the middle of the parking lot where a Hall of Fame quarterback tailgates just like them – every game-day morning. YAHOO.COM
DON’T SETTLE FOR ANYTHING LESS THAN
SPECTACULAR Just minutes away from Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino is Seneca Hickory Stick Golf, WNY’s premier course – a course so beautifully designed, it doesn’t stand “on par” with the region’s best courses… it soars like an “eagle” above them. So much so, the course was recently recognized by Golfweek magazine as one of the Best Casino Courses, and Golf magazine ranked Hickory Stick as #12 public course in the entire New York state area. Located in scenic Lewiston, N.Y., Seneca Hickory Stick Golf Course offers 18 holes of championship-level golf on a challenging PGA-style terrain designed by world-renowned course architect Robert Trent Jones II, who has designed more than 270 golf courses in 40 different countries. For avid golfers this is sure to be on everyone’s “must-play” list. Named to reflect the presence of rare and protected shellbark Hickory trees on site, Seneca Hickory Stick features a picturesque layout highlighted by tranquil lakes and ponds, native plants and grasses that are surrounded by large mature trees. The course fits in and feeds off of its natural surroundings to create an experience that those who play the course will appreciate and enjoy. It will take golfers on a unique
journey throughout their round. Several years in the making, the 257-acre, 7,026-yard course provides a test of skill and finesse for every shot. The largest hole is a massive 620-yard, par-5 at the 11th hole, and the shortest hole – a 159-yard, par-3 at the 18th hole – presents a challenging water hazard. Additionally, Seneca Hickory Stick Golf Course features a unique double green at the ninth and 18th holes. It’s a fitting way to cap off the perfect round of golf. No membership is required, and golfers are encouraged to purchase the Seneca Hickory Stick Loyalty card that provides benefits like discounted green fees, advance tee-time booking options and a special birthday bonus. In addition, members of Seneca Resorts & Casinos Players Club can use their points earned through their casino play to pay for green fees, retail merchandise or food & beverage at Hickory Grill, located in the Clubhouse. Call 1-877-8-SENECA and ask about Golf & Stay packages in conjunction with Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino. Visit SenecaHickoryStick.com for more details. TM
15‘15 IN
AARON INGRAO
Here are 15
more reasons
to visit Buffalo
KC KRATT
this summer
Taste of Buffalo
Erie County Fair
July 11-12, 2015 Delaware Avenue, Downtown Buffalo www.tasteofbuffalo.com
August 12-23, 2015 Erie County Fairgrounds, Hamburg www.ecfair.org
Elmwood Avenue Festival of the Arts
City of Night July 18, 2015 Republic Street, Buffalo’s Old First Ward www.cityofnightbuffalo.com
August 29-30, 2015 Elmwood Village Buffalo
National Buffalo Wing Festival
Canal Fest July 19-26, 2015 15 Webster Street, North Tonawanda www.canalfest.org
Galbani Italian Heritage Festival
June 5-7, 2015 Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church 146 W. Utica Street, Buffalo www.buffalogreekfest.org
Allentown Art Festival June 13-14, 2015 Allentown Historic District, Buffalo www.allentownartfestival.com
Juneteenth June 13-14, 2015 Martin Luther King Jr. Park, Buffalo www.juneteenthofbuffalo.com
Grease Pole Festival July 10-12, 2015 Olivencia Community Center, 261 Swan Street, Buffalo
Roycroft Summer Festival June 27-28, 2015 Parkdale Elementary School, East Aurora www.ralaweb.com
Garden Walk Buffalo July 25-26, 2015 Elmwood Village, Buffalo www.gardenwalkbuffalo.com
Eden Corn Festival August 6-9, 2015 American Legion Post, Route 62, Eden www.edencornfest.com
For a complete calendar, go to www.visitbuffaloniagara.com
KC KRATT
Buffalo Greek Fest
July 16-19, 2015 Hertel Avenue, North Buffalo www.buffaloitalianfestival.com
September 5-6, 2015 Coca-Cola Field, Buffalo www.buffalowing.com
Music Is Art September 12, 2015 Marcy Casino, Delaware Park, Buffalo www.musicisart.org
GET OUTSIDE + GET ACTIVE OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES NEAR SENECA ALLEGANY RESORT & CASINO
Cattaraugus County is comprised of Olean, Salamanca, Ellicottville, Gowanda, Ashford and numerous other small towns. There are tons of different outdoor activities to partake in, and the best part is, there is something to do year round. Given it’s location in the Allegany Mountains, the activities are as varied as downhill skiing, golf and hiking. It’s a place that is not only picturesque, but a veritable outdoor playground.
DOWNHILL SKIING There are a couple options for great downhill skiing and they are only about a ten minute drive from the Seneca Allegany Resort & Casino. Holiday Valley is a large ski resort located in Ellicottville, and has 58 day slopes and 37 night trails. Both day and night skiing are available. There are slopes for all levels of skiers, as well as instructional classes for all ages. Rates vary on weekdays and weekends, and passes can be purchased for different time increments (4 hrs., 8 hrs., night, weekend) There are 13 chair lifts, and several lodges with food and drink options. Ski rentals are available right at Holiday Valley if you don’t have your own equipment. More information at holidayvalley.com Holimont is also located in Ellicottville and is North America’s largest private resort offering 52 runs and 8 lifts. During the week, non members are allowed, rentals are available on location. More information at holimont.com
TUBING Just down the street from the Holiday Valley ski area is the Holiday Valley Tubing Company. The tubing area has 12 different lanes and a tow rope to get you up the hill. During open hours at Holiday Valley, there is a free shuttle service that runs to and from the tubing area. Winter time hours are Thursday and Friday from 4:30 to 9pm,
Saturdays 11am to 9pm and Sundays from 11am to 6pm. Make sure to dress warm and dress in appropriate snow clothing (no cotton). Prices vary depending on how long you want to slide for. More info at holidayvalley.com/explore-our-mountain/other-winter-activities-tubing
ZIPLINING/TREE TOP TREKKING SKY HIGH ADVENTURE PARK This aerial park sees you climbing through trees, up on platforms, and zipping from tree to tree. This all happens while you are harnessed in, so you get all the exhilaration and none of the danger. There are 13 different courses available, and they all range from very easy to very difficult. There is also a “climbing forest” and a mountain coaster that winds down through the mountains. Riders are able to control their own speed as well, so the ride can either be thrilling or a scenic glide. More information at holidayvalley.com/explore-our-mountain/ sky-high-adventure-park
CROSS COUNTRY SKIING/SNOWSHOEING/HIKING If you are not up for the fast speeds of downhill skiing, why not try cross-country? It’s definitely a great workout and when you are in Western New York, it will be scenic as well. The Allegany State Park is full of different trails that can be used for cross country skiing, snowshoeing or when the weather gets warmer, hiking. The park has 18 trails which span over 20 miles, most of which are used year round. Stop by the visitor center and grab a map so you can see an outline of all the trails and how to access them. A good reference is also enchantedmountains.com. Holiday Valley also offers cross country course area. To get to the hills on top, you need to buy a 2 ride cross country ticket.
GOLFING There are numerous golf courses in the area: Double Black Diamond Course is a picturesque 18 hole, par 70 course located at the foot of the mountains. St. Bonaventure Golf Club is located in Allegany, New York. 9 holes par 36. Elkdale Country Club is a challenging 18-hole course located halfway between Salamanca and Ellicottville. It is a semi private course, you just need to make a tee time reservation. Concord Crest Golf Course is located close to Seneca Allegany casino, just off Genesee Rd. There is wetlands, creeks, ponds and trees. It is a 18 hole course with a par 71. Bird Run Country Club is located in Allegany and is a great 9 hole course if you are looking for a quick and fun round of golf.
RAFTING If you are up for a bit more adventure, why not go for a wild ride down the Cattaraugus Creek? Trips take about three hours and run from March 21 to May 17 on Saturdays and Sunday. Weekday trips are available, but only upon special request. Costs are either $50 or $40 a person, depending on the part of the river you raft on. All costs include a pizza party at the end of the trip and as a bonus, if the price is paid two weeks in advance of the trip, wetsuit rental fees are waived. The rapids can be strong in this area, especially in early Spring. There are two different sections of river this company rafts on, and the one chosen for each trip is determined by water flow in the river. You’ll be rafting through the Zoan Valley State Forest Preserve, a very remote and beautiful area of western New York. Depending on which section of the river you are rafting, you’ll either encounter class II/II + rapids or III & IV rapids. More information is available at adventure-calls.com
CYCLING/MOUNTAIN BIKING There are tons of great trails to explore in the region, everything from paved paths to old railway lines to rough terrain for the mountain bikers. The Allegany River Trail runs along the river and covers 5.6 miles through Olean out to St. Bonaventure University. Allegany State Park has several miles of both paved and unpaved trails. The Pat McGee Trail is an old converted railroad line. It winds 12.14 miles and is quite scenic. State Bicycle Route 17 is part of a path that covers almost the entire state. The portion in this area runs parallel to Interstate 86. For the adventurous mountain bikers, Holiday Valley offers a 4.5 mile race loop at the top of one of mountains. There is no cell service available, so you’ll need to use a map to find your way up and around once you get here. There are maps available for download on enchantedmountains.com TM
TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 93
A JOURNEY THROUGH THE PEOPLE’S PAST AT THE SENECAIROQUOIS NATIONAL MUSEUM BY LAUREN CHARLEY
THE SENECA NATION OF INDIANS The Seneca Nation of Indians is the largest of six Native American nations, which comprise the Haudenosaunee or Iroquois Confederacy, also commonly referred to as simply the Six Nations. The confederacy is a democratic government that predates the United States Constitution. As the Seneca Nation is the Westernmost of the Six Nations, they are known as “The Keeper of the Western Door”. This door to the symbolic longhouse is shared with the other five nations which include Cayuga, Oneida, Onondaga, Mohawk, and Tuscarora, which are collectively called “Hodinöhsö:ni’” or “People of the longhouse”. They are known as the People of the Great Hill or “Onöndowa’ga’:”, but referred to as Seneca with many spelling variations by the non-natives. The Onöndowa’ga:’ is comprised of eight different clans, with an animal side, or a bird side. “Lineage, or the blood line, is matrilineal (through the mother). So mothers, sisters, and daughters in the Onöndowa’ga:’ world define the family,” explains Sue Grey, External Relations Manager, SenecaIroquois National Museum. Members of the animal clans, which include the bear, turtle, wolf and beaver, marry those from a bird clan, including heron, hawk, snipe, and deer, to prevent marrying a family member. Seneca keeps their rich history and proud traditions alive by promoting their culture through awareness, education, and festivities to encourage both natives and non-natives to learn about their interesting past. Unlike some other Native American cultures, Seneca has not assimilated entirely into mainstream, North American culture, and has even kept alive their own language that is separate from English. Today the Seneca Nation of Indians is comprised of a population of over 8000 enrolled members. They are the fifth largest employer in Western New York, creating thousands of jobs and playing an integral role in the region and New York State’s economy. THE SENECA-IROQUOIS NATIONAL MUSEUM Visitors are invited to join the Seneca people as they are guided through a history of their past, and are presented with an informative overview of their culture and traditions. The collection of permanent and temporary exhibits provide guests with an introduction to the ideas and values that reflect those of the Onöndowa’ga:’ and Hodinöhsö:ni’ people. The permanent exhibits deliver an exceptional analysis of the most important part of the Seneca’s roots and the history of the Six Nations. The “This Is Where We Walked Exhibit” guides visitors through a journey of the hardships endured by the Seneca Nation of Indians, and the challenges they faced with losing their homes, land, sense of community, and lifestyles. Attendees are welcome to check out two models of real Iroquois dwellings including a log cabin and a longhouse room, where they can learn
“THE ONÖNDOWA’GA:’ ARE WHO THEY ARE BECAUSE OF OUR RESILIENCY, OUR LANGUAGE, HISTORY AND CULTURE. ONCE ONE OF THESE DISAPPEARS, WE WILL DISAPPEAR AS A UNIQUE PEOPLE.” - SUE GREY, EXTERNAL RELATIONS MANAGER, SENECA-IROQUOIS NATIONAL MUSEUM
about daily life as a member of the Seneca Nation. Additionally, the “Ga’säde:ngö (clans) - “Why Animals and Birds” exhibit explains why these clans are an essential and lasting component of Hodinöhsö:ni’ culture. Non-permanent exhibits are also vital to the changing curriculum of the museum’s programming, as there are always new and exciting presentations that cater to visitors of all ages with different interests. One of their most recent temporary exhibits during the later months of 2014, the “We Play Lacrosse Exhibit” attracted local lacrosse teams to the museum to learn about the history of their favourite sport and a background about the culture it came from. The Seneca museum also frequently hosts educational and leisure events open to the public. These include language classes, farmer’s markets, and spiritual wellness sessions to unite both native and non-natives by experiencing the traditional ways of life of the original settlers. A majority of the Seneca population continues to reside today in the Allegany Territory (Salamanca, NY) and the Cattaraugus Territory (Irving, NY). VISIT THE SENECA-IROQUOIS NATIONAL MUSEUM Be sure to discover all that is offered at the Seneca-Iroquois National Museum during your next trip to Salamanca and the beautiful surrounding towns in the Allegany Territory. The area is rich in divine natural beauty and offers many activities in which to enjoy the spectacular scenery. The spirit of the SenecaIroquois Nations is kept alive at the museums’ superior exhibitions. Authentic Native American made souvenirs are available for purchase at the museum’s gift shop. Seneca-Iroquois National Museum is located at 814 Broad Street, Salamanca, NY 14779. For a current listing of hours or more information, visit senecamuseum.org. TM
TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 95
KATIE AMBROSE
W Want more? Scan here for a full line up.
In Buffalo we have something to fit everyone’s style. For shoppers looking for the best deals of the season, the Walden Galleria, Fashion Outlets of Niagara Falls USA and Boulevard Mall fit the bill. If you love to spend an afternoon browsing from shop to shop, you’ll enjoy our hundreds of boutiques along Hertel and Elmwood Avenues and in Allentown, East Aurora and Williamsville. And if you’re seeking a one-of-a-kind treasure, our antiques stores, museum gift shops and flea markets probably have what you’re looking for.
Many years of cross-border trips from Southern Ontario to Buffalo had followed a predictable pattern of suburban shopping, but for this trip, I wanted to get out of the malls and explore what else Buffalo had to offer. I learned that Buffalo is a cosmopolitan city with great theatre, trendy shopping streets, historic buildings, and a
perfect place for a girlfriends’ getaway. DREAMSCAPES
THE SPLENDOR OF SPRING AWAITS YOU AT ALLEGANY STATE PARK By: Jg Bailey
Imagine it; you step from the stuffy confines of your car surrounded by a world of rich evergreen and deep brown tones. You roll up your collar and zipper your jacket a little higher as the cool damp air of spring hits you with a sudden shock to the senses, but it’s a pleasant shock as it brings an instant memory of the deep rich scent of the wild and free air that you have been longing for. A wave of exhilaration washes over you as you realize, you’re here. You’re in a place where you have been longing to be for many weeks now, outside of the confines of winter and once again free to roam. You’re in Allegany State Park, the heart of the Enchanted Mountains. >>
TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 97
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IT’S IN PLACES LIKE THIS WE ALL SEEK TO ROAM. WE ROAM IN THE WILD TO LOSE OURSELVES, IN A BID TO REDISCOVER OURSELVES AMONGST NATURE’S DIVINITY.
You’ve parked at a trailhead, one of many in Allegany State Park’s 100 square mile wilderness; but this one you have never explored, so as with any adventure the excitement builds with every stride you take down this unknown path. You stride away from your daily routine, and the distance between you and the intimately known grind is ever increasing. With a growing lightness in your step, you are lured ever forward into the natural world while absorbing the majestic sights, the earthy smells, and the whispering sounds of the forest and streams that surround you. The glistening gray wetness of moss laden rocks catches your eye as you pass through a soft meadow of green ferns that are beginning to unfurl for the ever increasing sunlight of growing days. Ahead a steep hollow, crowned with the solemn majesty of giant hemlocks that tower over a babbling run of clear cold mountain water with wide pools brimming with native brook trout. The melodious sing-song of nature’s avian choir swells in crescendo each day as the migration floats in on southern winds like an aerial flood overtaking the rich forest. Then in the near distance, a flash of black, so stark it seems as if darkness itself has come to life; and there you freeze still as stone, without breathing and with your heart racing you realize you are witnessing the first appearance of a wild black bear that has slumbered through the passing of winter’s cold. It is in places like this we all seek to roam. We roam in the wild to lose ourselves, in a bid to rediscover ourselves amongst nature’s divinity. In our own unhurried time, each of us finds what we are searching for within ourselves. You may find it hiking miles of rugged trail abounding with wildlife, to witness incredible vistas unseen by scores of men, while you push yourself physically to unwind mentally. Or, perhaps you’ll find it roll casting a dry-fly upstream of a densely covered pool, the tiny fly and gossamer tippet gently kissing the water’s surface with a subtle dimple, and the fly drifts down on delicately rolling currents, bending around a sleek bolder into the slack water behind where a miniature monster lurks in the deep. In the end though, it doesn’t matter how you find it, it only matters that you take the time to look and renew. So, if this magical place sounds appealing, its splendor awaits you now – right now. You only have to take the first step to get there. Whether you plan a short day trip to the Enchanted Mountains to witness the wonders of Allegany State Park, or you plan an extended stay for several days to immerse yourself in nature, you have a wide variety of options to take advantage of in your recreational pursuit. Don’t put off the opportunity to commune with the outdoors in solitude, or have a meaningful outing with family and close friends. If you enjoy hiking, fishing, cycling, mountain biking, jogging, canoeing, kayaking, birdwatching, learning, or dozens of other activities; there is something here of value for you, your family, and your friends. The park offers camping in cabins and full service cottages in early spring as well as campsites starting in May, or you can take advantage of upscale lodging accommodations with lively entertainment immediately adjacent to the park, and in the local area. For more information including maps, events, and lodging details please visit nysparks.com, EnchantedMountains.com, and senecaalleganycasino.com. TM
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4 Queen Street, Niagara-on-the-Lake Opposite the Prince of Wales Hotel
905-468-4648
skylon.com
905.356.2651