Skylife - Winter/Spring 2016

WINTER 2015/2016

Escape.

Explore. Discover.

A Skyline Hotels & Resorts Publication SkylifeMagazine.ca

powder This highway is paved with

make your snow dreams come true this winter.

sweet life tap into the

Despite being Ontario’s largest producer of fresh maple syrup, many Muskoka farms still prefer to do it the old-fashioned way.

plus

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The perfect (work) family getaway, Ice Wine and Dine at the Pantages, & a day in the life at Copeland House.

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GIL’S DESK Dear Readers, As I write this today, skiers across Ontario are wishing for one thing - snow. While a late snowfall can leave powder lovers feeling antsy, it does give us all just a little more time to prepare. From waxing your skis to pulling out the skates,getting ready for the snow has an element of excitement to it too. We can all agree winter is an amazing time to get outside as a family or with friends. Sure, it’s cold, but it is definitely exhilarating! There are so many different things to do, especially at our resorts: Skiing, snow tubing, dog sledding, skating, fat biking, snowshoeing…there is no shortage of fun wintertime activities. While you may be tempted to hide away indoors, winter really is the perfect time of year to enjoy a weekend away, and where better to do that than in the great outdoors of Northern Ontario? So while we may be waiting in anticipation at the moment, by January we’ll already be sharing stories about our incredible experiences on the trails and the slopes.

In this issue of Skylife we’re highlighting how proud we are of the partnerships we have built, from helping us to advance the sport of skiing and expanding the wide variety of winter programs we offer, to giving us the opportunity to really make wishes come true. We’re honoured to have partners who help us put smiles on the faces of the guests at our properties including Make-A-Wish Foundation and Resorts of the Canadian Rockies just to name a few. Check out the article on page 49 from Freestyle Ski Ontario to read all about our new waterramp, the first of its kind in Southern Ontario. The ramp will mean the spectacular inverted twists and turns you see on the slopes during competitions, can now be practiced year round at Horseshoe Resort. We continue to strive to make our properties your favourite place to try new things, connect with nature and gather with friends, family and coworkers and our partners are helping make that possible.

I wish you and your family a very healthy and prosperous 2016!

Gil Blutrich Founder and President Skyline International Skyline Hotels & Resorts | Skyline Resort Communities | Skyline Vacation Club Email: gilsdesk@skylifemagazine.ca twitter.com/GilBlutrich www.skylineinvestments.com

THE SKYLINE COLLECTION DEERH URST RESORT, MU SKOKA 1235 Deerhurst Drive Huntsville, ON P1H 2E8 1-800-461-4393 705-789-6411 deerhurstresort.com H ORSESH OE RESORT, BAR R I E 1101 Horseshoe Valley Road Barrie, ON L4M 4Y8 1-800-461-5627 705-835-2790 horseshoeresort.com PANTAG ES H OT EL T ORONT O CENT RE 200 Victoria Street (Yonge & Dundas) Toronto, ON M5E 1E1 1-866-852-1777 416-362-1777 pantageshotel.com SH IZEN SPA Three locations shizenspa.ca P ORT M CNICOL L DISCOV ERY CENT RE (near Midland, ON) 81 Dock Lane Port McNicoll, ON L0K 1R0 705-534-1088 BEAR VAL L EY 2280 State Route 207 Bear Valley, CA 85223 209-753-2301 bearvalley.com

For projects under development, visit skylinecommunities.com.

TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 3

ONTENT

SKYLINE INTERNATIONAL FOUNDER & PRESIDENT Gil Blutrich CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Michael Sneyd CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Vadim Shub CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Raymond Zar SKYLINE DIVISIONS REGIONAL VP & GENERAL MANAGER, SKYLINE HOTELS AND RESORTS Chris Lund SENIOR VP DEVELOPMENT, SKYLINE RESORT COMMUNITIES Paul Mondell CONTRIBUTORS: Jeff Ord, Matt Mostellar, Karen Kwapien, Vakis Boutsalis, Angela Watson, Alan Bonello GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Alan Grant, Wayne Yan Zhang, Sarah Park CONTACT SKYLINE INTERNATIONAL Head Office 90 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 800 Toronto, ON M4P 2Y3 t: 416-368-2565 | f: 416-368-2572 w: skylineinvestments.com e: info@skylineinvestments.com

SkyLife Magazine is published by Rev Publishing Inc. All opinions expressed in SkyLife Magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of SkyLife 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 SkyLife 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 SkyLife 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 SkyLife Magazine are submitted at the author’s risk. Manuscripts and or photographs intended to be returned must be accompanied by sufficient postage. SkyLife Magazine does not assume any responsibility for any claims of our advertisers and reserves the right to refuse any advertising.

todaymagazine.ca PUBLISHER Rev Publishing Inc. PRESIDENT & CEO Daniel A. Pasco GENERAL MANAGER Candace LeBlanc ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER Alexandra Mills BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER David Mace EDITOR Megan Pasche PRODUCTION MANAGER Tina Lanzillotta GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Tabitha MacDonald, Rachel Bertrand, Christina Picton, Jenn Blais IT/WEB DEVELOPER Justin Soungie MARKETING AND SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR Kaila Henderson CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Andrew Hind, Lynn Ogryzlo, Lauren Charley, Angela Aiello TO ADVERTISE PLEASE CALL 905.356.7283 or 1.877.888.2825 WEBSITE todaymagazine.ca

facebook.com/RevPublishingInc @revpublishing www.revpublishing.com

FOOD & DRINK 07

THE REAL MCCOY

11

THE MESSY BAKER

14

THE MEAT OF THE MATTER

17

FABULOUS 5 BEER PUBS

A good croissant is light but not airy, buttery but not sugary, it takes practice to perfect.

Lynn Ogryzlo spends an afternoon in the kitchen with Charmian Christie.

Rediscovering the near extinct art of butchery.

The city boasts of many craft brew pubs but we’ve narrowed it down to our five favourites.

LIFESTYLE & CULTURE 20

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MUSKOKA MAPLE FARMS Despite being Ontario’s largest producer of fresh maple syrup, many Muskoka farms still prefer to do it the old-fashioned way.

HERE.SEE.DO 43

TORONTO CONCERT LISTINGS

44

TORONTO EVENT CALENDAR

SKYLINE CORNER 49

SOARING TO NEW HEIGHTS

52

THE PERFECT WORK FAMILY GETAWAY

56

A DAY IN THE LIFE AT COPELAND HOUSE

59

BRANDON GETS HIS WISH

60

THE POWDER HIGHWAY

65

ICE WINE AT THE PANTAGES

SNOWY SCENES AND SOOTHING SPAS It might be cold, but winter argueably produces the most magical scenery. Feast your eyes on beautiful landscapes as you treat yourself to some well deserved spa time.

DISTRACTIONS & EXCURSIONS 30 36

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JUST IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD Exploring Liberty Village, Distillery District, Kensington Market and The Junction

ESCAPE FROM HISTORY Introducing Toronto to a whole new genre of interactive gaming, the Casa Loma Escape Series has taken the city by storm

BEER, BACON, GRAFFITI & GHOSTS Whether you’re an architecture enthusiast, culture vulture, foodie, or simply love bacon, there are so many great ways to explore the streets and attractions of Toronto.

The newly constructed Water Ramp facility at Horseshoe Resort is a training site for grassroots and Olympic-bound freestyle skiing and freestyle snowboard athletes.

When a software developer like RL Solutions decides it’s time for a company retreat, you can bet they’re looking for an out-of-the-box experience. And they found it at Deerhurst.

The completion of Copeland House offers an exciting new way to experience the vibrant energy of the resort, and all of the comforts of home at the same time.

When he qualified to receive a wish from Make-AWish®, Brandon knew exactly what he wanted: to swim with the stingrays at Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada!

Mother Nature created a magical region blessed with an average of over 50 feet of snow, big mountains with crazy off the charts variety of terrain to explore for every ability, and vertical descents that put the region in the record books.

This November, the Downtown Yonge Business Improvement Area (DYBIA) warmed up with its annual food and drink festival Ice Wine & Dine on Elm Street and the much-anticipated KidzFest on YongeDundas Square.

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WINTER ADVENTURES After 50 plus years of providing great skiing across generations, we know a thing or two about winter. With 29 ski runs; 19 open for night skiing until 10pm every night, 5 chair lifts, 2 carpet lifts plus a totally re-designed Terrain Park Horseshoe is the place to be this winter.

Not a skier? Re-discover winter adventures with the “all thrill, no skill” fun of snowtubing, snowshoeing over 10km of trails or gliding across 40km of groomed cross-country trails.

ALPINE SKI & STAY PACKAGE

Weekday

Weekend&Holiday

Package Includes:

$195*/night

$260*/night

• Accommodation in a Horseshoe Room • Lift ticket ( Valid from 3:30pm on day of check-in until 10:00pm on day of departure )

Rates based on double occupancy; some conditions apply. Resort fee and tax extra.

FOOD & DRINK

The

Real McCoy Nadège Patisserie

Writ ten by Lynn Ogr yzlo | Photos by Jon Ogr yzlo

Some may think that croissant dough is like puff pastry because it has slabs of butter incorporated into the basic mixture and the dough is rolled, folded and rolled.

Others subscribe to the theory that croissant dough actually belongs to the family of buttery, yeasted doughs, like brioche.>>

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But there is one woman who subscribes to the absolute fact that croissant dough stands alone, not confused with or theorized to be like anything else. Fourth-generation French pastry chef and acclaimed culinary talent, Chef Nadège Nourian says while other children were chewing on cookies, she had the tiny, hallmark greasy fingers of a croissant eater.

Pain du chocolat to be exact. “It was my treat after school,” she says.

“I’m French, croissant and macaroon are part of our tradition, our heritage,” she says of her passion. To celebrate her beloved croissant, Nadège started CroisSunday the day dedicated to the celebration of France’s gift to the world.

I’ve travelled through France in search of the best croissants. They are getting more and more difficult to find. I look to fill my palate with the richest, softest, billowy butter-rich insides while my teeth are tickled with the crumbling shards of tissue thin, crispy outsides. Plain, almond or chocolate, my mood dictates but it has to be good; freshly made with high quality ingredients.

A good croissant is light but not airy, buttery but not sugary, it takes practice to perfect. Oh, I am swooning at the mere thought of one right now.

Even in Paris it is becoming difficult to indulge in something as delightful as a really good croissant. I remember one special time. My little apartment was in the 12th Arrondisement in the east end of Paris. It was out of the touristy area and in a fine residential neighbourhood where the really great croissants seemed to be living well and in abundance.

The day I was to fly home, I ran to my favourite bakery (a mere two seconds walk) and bought six croissants. In an unusual fashion, I stuffed my face in the hopes the abundance of buttery pastry would stay with me longer. Unfortunately I was only successful in adding inches to my backside.

So when I heard of CroisSunday, I headed off for what I was hoping would be a really good croissant. Anything, I thought, just please, don’t disappoint me! One bite and I knew Nadège had nailed it! The main bakery of Nadège Patisserie is at trendy 780 Queen St., West. Walk in and the little pink and white bakery reads like an upscale coffee shop with seductive Parisian treasures under a long glass case.

There are canelle’s (caramel outsides, custardy innards), little choux pastry filled with lusciousness, playful macaroons and wow, over a dozen different croissants in all manner of unconventional colours, ingredients, flavours and styles – all lined up for the celebratory day. There were even scrumptious croissant sandwiches. The air was filled with aromas of butter and sugar while large trays of croissants poured out of the kitchens continually stocking the glass case for the hundreds who came. Apparently, I wasn’t the only one in Toronto who appreciates a really great croissant. Inhaling the aromas of fresh croissant baking is like awakening from a dream that’s good enough to eat.

I’ve never attempted to make croissants at home because it just seems to be very difficult for a home cook. But it appears it’s no easier in a professional kitchen either. “(It’s) very hard to find people who can do the work,” explains Nadège alluding to the number of romanticized pastry chefs who have come to her kitchen only to go when they can’t handle the physical challenges. “We have different stations and the croissant station is the most difficult.”

At the bakery the dough is carefully worked so it’s smooth and elastic, almost the consistency of soft butter. Then it’s left alone to give

the gluten a chance to relax before it goes into the refrigerator. Next is folding the butter into the dough. For this, the dough must be chilled and the butter pliable. They both need to be perfect or it just won’t work. Beyond the technical difficulties, the volume of croissants the bakery goes through in a single day is mind boggling. That means giant bowls of dough need to be lifted, when the butter is added it doubles the weight meaning it takes more than one person to manage it. “It’s hard work making croissants,” says Nadège.

There aren’t always over a dozen different flavours of croissant in the bakery, but on this day, CroisSunday, there were lots to choose from.

“We like to take the tradition of a great croissant and mix up modern flavours,” says Nadège. I scanned the case, shall I try a Matcha Green Tea croissant or Black Squid Ink? There was a Pink Praline and Praline and Lemon. I could go traditional with a butter croissant or classic with almond. There was Cassis and Violet, Apple Strudel, Pecan Pie, Carrot Cake, Rocky Road and a Maple Bacon and Egg croissant. Whoa!

But my heart was longing for the comfort of a good croissant so I went traditional. I pull apart my butter croissant and it spirally unravels from the inside out. The billowy soft insides are kept moist and pillowy-like by the crisp exterior that was made up of millions of layers of tissue-thin dough separated only by melted butter. The first bite captured my attention, the second sent my eyes rolling to the back of my head, an involuntary swoon came with the third and by the fourth bite I found myself stamping my feet in anger because I never understand why this quality of food that evokes so much pleasure is so rare. I push the soft croissant up to the roof of my mouth with my tongue and press firmly. I never knew if you did this you could almost suck out the butter – yum!

Chef Nadège prides herself in the ingredients she uses. Only good quality flour, a bit of honey and since sugar is now bad for you, she uses a good quality sugar that is better. The most important ingredient, the butter, is a special Ontario high fat butter. “My butter has a high fat content (for flavour), but I use less of it.” She’s right, I looked down at my fingers and they were not covered in buttery oil like other croissants.

Unless you’ve had a homemade croissant handcrafted by a patient, gifted, strong baker, you may not recognize the real thing from the overblown confection you’re accustomed to. The difference is that dramatic. Most croissant from commercial bakeries and restaurants are more like cake than bread, more sweet than buttery, more shapely than flavourful. Making them right produces croissants of a quality rarely found in the world and rapidly disappearing in France. Savour a real croissant and you’ll know why they have been celebrated for more than three hundred years. TM

Nadège Locations 780 Queen St. West – 8:00 am to 9:00 pm 1099 Yonge St. – 9:00 am to 7:30 pm PATH 120 Adelaide St. West – 7:30 am to 6:30 pm Holt Renfrew Yorkdale – 10:00 am to 9:00 pm Holt Renfrew Bloor – 10:00 am to 9:00 pm Pricing: $2.30 each, 12 for $27.50, 16 for $38, 25 for $55 Visit nadege-patisserie.com for more information. TM

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A good croissant is light but not airy, buttery but not sugary, it takes practice to perfect.

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TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 9

EXPLORE MORE.

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THE

MESSY

BAKER …is not so messy after all WRITTEN BY LYNN OGRYZLO | PHOTOS BY JON OGRYZLO

Mason jars filled with baking supplies line the shelves. She pulls one filled with white powder laced with long slivers of black and shakes vigorously, spins off the top and dives in with as much glee as a banker fanning through a stack of thousand dollar bills. “It’s my vanilla sugar, it just tastes better,” says Charmian Christie, author of my favourite baking book, The Messy Baker.

Charmian lives in a beautiful, 100-year old farmhouse in Guelph. Her kitchen is filled with yellow-pine cupboards, flooded with soft light from the multi-paned windows and infused with a sense of peace from giant trees shading the

kitchen from glaring sunlight. It’s a kitchen that would inspire anyone to bake and here I am, invited to spend a day baking with the Messy Baker in her century-old, inspiring kitchen.

If I were to write a cookbook about baking, I’d like to think I could write one as good as this. The recipes are simple enough to keep you relaxed in the kitchen with flavour combinations so creative they make your mouth water, seductive photographs that stir you into action and it’s crammed with so much of Charmian’s personality that it makes you feel like she’s with you baking in your kitchen. >>

TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 11

Charmian pours some vanilla sugar over a twisted knot of dough; it’s her homemade pastry. She begins to roll it out. The chilled dough layered with cold, hard butter flattens easily beneath her rolling pin. It’s easy to see who’s in command. “I thought I’d make Palmiers,” she says as she feels the top of the sheet of pastry every so often, gauging the thickness like a medium studying her crystal ball. Like any other skill, “you have to practice to get good at it.”

She’s making Vanilla-Scented Palmiers from her cookbook, the little ears of flaky, sweet pastry. She continues to sprinkle handfuls of vanilla sugar over the dough and roll. She shakes her foot as some of it falls to the floor. She laughs, talking about some of her baking disasters then shrugs her shoulders and says, “life is not perfect, baking is not perfect but they’re both pretty good.” When the pastry is ready, she pours more sugar over the top, running her hands over, ever so lightly to make sure it’s coated evenly. She flips the dough over and does it again until the raw dough is covered in coarse vanilla-scented sugar.

Like any good baker, she’s anxious for the flavours that will materialize when the pastry and sugar bake together and she can’t wait, “I love the caramel flavour from all the baked sugar.”

She trims the edges to carve a perfect rectangle shape on her large pastry board. “It’s my lucky pastry board, it was my aunt Hilda’s and now it’s mine.” She folds the pastry into a long log shape, wraps it in plastic wrap and spins around to put it in the refrigerator. It needs to chill again. The little trimmed bits go into a sandwich bag, “these are the bakers treats,” she says with glee.

The Messy Baker cookbook is filled with both sweet and savoury baking, it’s for people who cook and would like to bake if only someone made it easy enough or fearless enough. “I tried to remove as many barriers to baking as possible.” Inside the book are recipes for Chili Cheese Twists and Blueberry-Lime Muffins, Smoky Mushroom Crepes and Boozy Chocolate Torte. “It’s important to make food yourself, (that way) you control what’s in it.”

She begins to clear away all the sugar and wipes down the board. Out of the refrigerator comes another knot of dough that she flattens with ease. She’s now making a leek and mushroom tart. “You can buy the puff pastry dough if you want, just make sure it’s an ‘all butter’ puff pastry. It cooks up with the best flavour,” she advises. Back to the board, Charmian is rolling the dough into another rectangular shape.

She trims it to perfection, maneuvers the soft dough onto her rolling pin and maneuvers it to the centre of a parchment paper lined baking sheet. She scores the edge, about an inch all the way around. “This edge will puff up creating sides to the tart.” She pops it into the refrigerator to chill and she turns her attention to the stove.

In a large skillet she melts a huge knob of butter and microplanes a garlic clove. The garlic pulp dissolves into the frothing butter and fills the air with the seductive aromas of butter and garlic. Now we’re getting hungry. As it bubbles away, in go the leeks and mushrooms and they cook until they’re both soft and firm. She seasons them with thyme, stirs one last time and tosses them into a large strainer that hovers inside an even larger bowl. She’s draining the mushrooms and leeks, “so they don’t turn the dough soggy.”

“If you want to switch the vegetables up for others that you like better, go ahead,” Charmian talks while she wipes down the counters, “the toppings are up to your imagination, it’s the dough that you don’t want to mess with.”

Charmian doesn’t remember when she first fell in love with baking, she thinks perhaps she was born

“

LIFE IS NOT PERFECT, BAKING IS NOT PERFECT BUT THEY’RE BOTH pretty good.”

with a wooden spoon in her mouth except for Charmian, the spoon was covered with cookie dough; “chocolate chip,” she declares. Some of her earliest memories were of her mom making cookies and giving her the wooden spoon to lick clean. Sadly her mom was such a good baker that the bowl was almost completely cleaned out by the time Charmian had finished the spoon and set her sights on the bowl.

When she was old enough, Charmian would come home from school and bake up a batch of cookies almost every day. “I love chewy cookies, the kind that have a chewy bite. I think that’s why I love cookie dough so much,” she says, “food is memories and my fondest are of my mom and I in the kitchen baking.”

The tart shell comes out of the refrigerator.

She begins to top the dough with heaping spoonfuls of the mushroom and leek mixture, careful not to place any over the score line.

“Think of it as colouring inside the lines,” she laughs, the edges will become the puffy sides to the tart. Lastly she grates a thick coating of Gruyere cheese over the tart before popping it back into the oven.

Now comes the best part of baking: the eating. We dig into the tart and the warm cheese strings as a piece is pulled away. I sink my teeth into it and the rich savoury flavours of the earthy cheese, meaty mushrooms, sweet leeks and crisp buttery dough fill my olfactory senses with divine satisfaction.

I sip on my warm mint tea and set my sights on the vanilla-scented palmiers. They’re little, the perfect size for a sweet treat. The caramelized sugar has cooled and it crunches beneath my teeth as the fine, layered pastry crumbles into buttery shards. As I chew I get that big caramelly, sweet taste that creams across my tongue and works so seductively well with the buttery, flaky dough. This is simple food, good food, food to live by.

As I bask in the aromas and daylight that is Charmian’s kitchen, it appears pretty neat and tidy, certainly very clean for the amount of activity that just went on. For the messy baker I imagined a face covered in streaks of flour, open jars and canisters of baking ingredients littering every counter and smears of food from the various stages of cooking across every counter, stovetop and cupboard door. But rather than being a messy baker, Charmian is really giving everyone who has ever hesitated to bake, permission to ‘get messy in the kitchen’. TM

TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 13

OF THE MATTER The Loss of Neighbourhood Butchers WRITTEN BY LYNN OGRYZLO

He sat across from me in a blood stained white jacket, his ball cap pulled down just above his eyes to shade his face. A man in a black leather jacket approaches and hands over a bundle of twentydollar bills, a few hundred dollars worth I’m guessing, maybe three-hundred, maybe even five. They talk chicken and bones then the man walks into the meat locker and closes the door behind him.

This is how business is done at Upper Cut Meats in the heart of the St. Lawrence Market. Bob Stoyanovski started working here to put himself through college. Then a change in circumstances put a butchers knife in his hand and he jumped in with a love for the business, the art of butchery and the neighbourhood appreciation for their butchers.

Bob has been a butcher and now an owner of Upper Cut Meats for 36 years and the man in the black leather jacket is one of his trusted customers where business is based on a handshake.

Bob is a natural butcher, he finds the sight of a well-aged steak as sexy as ever, the smell of fresh blood exciting and what he likes even more—his life, tightly intertwined into the fabric of the neighbourhood. Bob is the go-to meat guy in the St. Lawrence Market who has cultivated tight relationships with 38 restaurants, 57 caterers and countless regular customers; they get the best meat, Bob gets to be the best butcher.

“About forty years ago you would find a butchers shop on almost every street corner in the city,” laments Bob. Back in the mid 1970s, your friendly neighbourhood butcher was as highly regarded as the doctor or lawyer. But with meat so easily available and seductively displayed at large grocery stores, most people have opted for one-stop shopping and have turned their backs on the relationship they once had with food, the people who grow it, raise it, harvest it and especially those that sell it. These are our greatest friends, our avenue to optimum health and our best access to food in its prime, in this case, meat.

I ask Bob about the future of butchery.

“There aren’t many butcher stores so not many jobs left,” explains Bob, but is quick to add, “no one wants to be a butcher anyway. No one knows what good meat is anymore.”

Bob explains how everyone thinks it’s romantic, even nostalgic to be a butcher, but butchery is a really difficult job involving the strength to lift a 220-pound carcass, the patience to be splattered with blood, the tolerance to smell raw meat and the stamina to slice and saw large volumes of meat in cold conditions. The days are long, it’s stressful and not so glamorous. “I start out with a clean white jacket at 5 a.m. every morning,” says Bob pointing to his blood stained overcoat.

But most of Bob’s customers know a little about meat, that’s why they come to a butcher, “they know we have the best. It’s the job of a butcher to know what he’s doing.” Bob spends some of his time at abattoirs selecting the best carcasses, and that often means with some aging. Then he hangs them in his cold storage where he ages them even longer. He makes sure his cuts are aged a minimum of three weeks, often more. Bob points to a few steaks that have a brownish ring near the outside edges. Like a fine wine, the brown ring eludes to aging.

Bob sees the future going towards more Halal and Kosher meats.

“It’s the same price so why not,” he says. There’s more demand because of the growing populations.

But time has not been kind to butchers. With the expansion of supermarkets in the 1980s, huge hinds of meat were now starting to be cut at large packing facilities and distributed. This was the first departure away from butcher shops and away from butchers who were once as well compensated as plumbers and electricians.

Throughout the next decade butchers grew less and less relevant

and the industry was no longer willing to pay well for a skill set that could be done more efficiently with general labourers at huge meat packing facilities. The devaluing of butchery as a trade coincided with people spending less and less time in the kitchen, consumers were losing their culinary skills and opting for one-stop shopping at grocery stores. Now, the neighbourhood butcher is almost extinct and consumers seldom understand the difference between a flank steak and a tenderloin.

Today we see chefs and artisan farmers learning a few butchery skills to offer consumers ‘nose to tail’ cuisine, but unfortunately this new interest hasn’t revived the profession. Today, grocery chains have taken over a market that once belonged to independent butchers.

Most grocery stores today have full service meat counters as well as ready-cut options available in large meat departments. The efficiencies of central cutting facilities means that meat can reach the consumer at a better price and for those who want a specific cut of meat, well, the full service counters have trained staff that will happily do it for you. Abe Van Melle is Resident Butcher and Technical Manager at the Canadian Beef Centre of Excellence (CBCE), owned and operated by Canada Beef in Alberta. Abe is a butcher at the heart of butchery worldwide.

Abe works with beef industries from all over the world from France to Argentina, China to Norway. “We’re all learning,” says Abe who goes on to give an example of French butchery. “The way they cut meat in France is different than Canada,” says Abe who explains they’ve learned that if they isolate a certain muscle in the shoulder of cattle, they can take an otherwise tough piece of meat and make it a tender piece just by the way it’s cut.

As quickly as our meat industry discovers new ways to bring us delicious cuts of meat, consumers would rather buy a steak in a restaurant than venture into a meat counter surrounded with choices never available to their grandparents. Today, we have more types and grades of meat with dozens of different varieties of cuts, thickness levels, grades and degrees of marbelling. It’s all a bit confusing for consumers.

To reacquaint consumers to the best way to enjoy meat, Canada Beef has developed a phone app called, Roundup (available for iPhone, Android and iPad). This simple app is geared to helping consumers buy, cook and get more enjoyment out of every mouthful of beef. If you’re like most consumers who wander the meat department of a grocery store until you’re inspired by a great looking cut of meat. Now you can instantaneously look up dozens of different ways to cook it complete with recipes. Then, while you’re still in the grocery store, you can pick up any other ingredients to make the recipe for dinner that night. It’s brilliant. Just search the Roundup app for your free download.

While our meat industry has become global, stronger and increasingly efficient with more choice in more places for consumers, it has also become less personal. While consumers are excited to have industry wide advancements like never before, we still pine for our neighbourhood butchers who put a trusted face behind the food we feed our families. It is a new world meat lovers so embrace it. Now get out your iPhones for that’s now the new way to choose a great piece of meat. TM

TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 15

BOLD F L AV O U R awaits

wit h AAA

Big and bold flavours, the freshest of local ingredients and select steaks make the new Inn Steakhouse at Horseshoe Resort a fresh, new dining option.

This new dining experience offers a wide variety of AAA farm raised Canadian steaks in cuts that will satisfy the heartiest of appetites. Choose from a full selection of entrees, salads and appetizers all prepared under the award winning, culinary direction of Executive Chef Dylan Tulloch.

Reservations are recommended

Please call 1-800-461-5627

We are Ontario’s first Vacation Ownership, drive - to town and country, points - based Vacation Club. Our Members enjoy unmatched customer service, and convenient, flexible points to use for their choice of three collections: Downtown, Cottage Country, and Across the World.

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FABULOUS BEER PUBS

BY LYNN OGRYZLO

It’s official, Toronto beer landscape is exploding with as many brew pubs as Ontario has artisan, craft breweries. To keep track of them all is a tough job but these are the joints du jour that everyone talks about, where the selections are exciting and that make you want to go back again and again and again. Check their websites for their in-house festivals where beer exploring reaches formidable heights. >>

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THE BIER MARKET BRASSERIE thebiermarkt.com TWO LOCATIONS, 58 THE ESPLANADE & 600 KING STREET W HOURS DAILY, 11:30AM—12AM, 2AM THURSDAY TO SATURDAY Walk right in, The Bier Market has all the hallmarks of a great beer hall, but it’s what’s underneath in this small chain of beer gardens that makes all the difference. All of the staff undergo intensive training so they know what they’re talking about and it’s their job to share that passion by encouraging customers to explore more beer within their favourite style profile. And there’s lots to choose from. On average, The Bier Garden offers 46 taps, 128 bottles from over 30 countries and many others through their various programs. Corporate clout means they are able to bring in rare, seasonal, small craft beers from around the world and offer them exclusively. “It’s a real beer discovery zone with a huge culinary component,” says Nathan Cameron, National Beverage Manager. They have an OCB (Ontario Craft Brew) rotating tap that changes every few months with some brews offered for the very first time on tap in a bar, others never before offered in Canada and a Cameo Tap reserved for the irresistible finds that don’t meet the menu printing.

The menu is organized by style of beer so it’s easy to expand your beer experiences without surprises, especially with food. Try the creative beer cocktails – they’re delicious! The Bier Market standards for their beer friendly dishes are just as high as their beer offerings. They just seem to have the beer magic going on here.

BAR VOLO barvolo.com 587 YONGE STREET HOURS DAILY, MONDAY TO WEDNESDAY, 2:00PM—2:00AM, THURSDAY TO SUNDAY OPENS AT 12:00PM In the heart of Toronto a little south of Bloor on Yonge Street is Bar Volo, an addictively delicious place to eat, meet and drink. Inside the original brick and dark wood décor hangs elegant Victorian lamps that are a contrast to the giant blackboard beer menu that hangs in the centre of the little bar. It works to set the upscale casual mood for sipping on suds. Pick from 36 to 100 beers on rotating taps, 24 drafts and casks.

Owner Ralph Morana with his sons Julian and Tomas specialize in sour barrel aged, sacicones, farmhouse ales. Their latest favourite find is the Quebec Dieu du Ciel Solstice d’ été, Belgian Season Farmhouse Ale aged in Pinot Noir skins. The brew on draft rotates daily and their very own import company Keep6, brings in small batch brews from Belgium, Switzerland, Italy, England and across North America that you can’t get anywhere else. There’s even a secret beer menu reserved just for the ‘regular’ customers so they can get the really small batch brews. To wash it all down is one of Toronto’s most amazing charcuterie boards that is built to your liking on a Ballar Board. It’s Volo’s version of antipasto, the perfect nibbly for a brew enjoyed at the communal tables where everyone gets to know each other. Bar service only in this screen-free drinking zone. They just seem to have the beer camaraderie going on here.

IT’S A REAL BEER DISCOVERY ZONE WITH A HUGE CULINARY COMPONENT C’EST WHAT? cestwhat.com 67 FRONT STREET EAST HOURS DAILY, 11:30AM—1AM It’s been said before that C’est What is to beer what Rodney’s is to oysters. George Milbrandt and Tim Broughton are two local boys who opened a pub for their own neighbourhood. That was over 20-years ago. While they don’t like being referred to as a pub, the lower man cave is one of Toronto’s most unpretentious, warm, casual places to hug the bar, sip away and talk to your neighbours about the brew in your glass. If you’re not into bar hugging, perhaps a game of billiards or board games are what you want over a beer. All of the beers in house must meet their own Pledge of Quality. While the range of beers are all across the board, they are all first rate brews. They started out making their own house-brews and today they’ve contracted them out with their specific flavour profiles. At anytime there are roughly 42 beers on tap and 8 cask choices and a few bottle selections. Check their website for their own festivals where dozens of new beers are offered at tasting portions and irresistible prices. You’ll love the no kitchen hours here. No matter what time of day or night, if you’re hungry, they’ll cook up whatever you pick from the multi-cultural, pub grub menu – it’s the best! They just seem to have the local vibe for appreciating a great brew here.

BAR HOP barhopbar.com 391 KING STREET WEST HOURS DAILY 4PM—2AM Ok so get this. Beer fanatic and part owner, James McDonald spent a year pursuing his goal to drink 1,001 beers from around the world.

One year later, 1,001 beers under his belt and he has a new bar to show for it. His partner, Rob Pingitore is the brains behind the business and

makes it possible to achieve what has become both their passions and the name? Well, beer is all about barley and hops, shorten those words and you’ve got Bar Hop. It’s a place that McDonald and Pingitore like to kick back, drink and hang out. It’s a super casual place where the 24 taps continually rotate and where you can get Nickel Brook Pissed Off Petes Pumpkin Porter or unique and small batch brews like Le Trou Du Diable L’Ours mixed-fermentation farmhouse ale. While casual may be the atmosphere, Chef Antoinette Sacco certainly doesn’t know it. She offers unique dishes like black olive spaghetti with black tiger shrimps or her signature dessert, ‘beeramisu’. Yes, they also have gourmet burgers, vegetarian options, mussels and beer themed sandwiches.

This place has got the casual beer joint all sewn up!

PRENUP PUB prenuppub.com 191 COLLEGE STREET HOURS DAILY 11AM—2AM It feels more like an elegant Italian restaurant than a beer pub but that’s because Atef Mikhail Girgis likes diversity and with three other beer pubs (Sin & Redemption, The Town Crier and The Village Idiot) he’s, “doing my own crazy thing”. You can count on 70 beers on draft and 40 more choices in the bottle, many focusing on old world styles. Prenup is two floors servicing large groups in their 100 seat capacity (on each floor) bars and in the centre of each bar is a beautiful, horizontal, brass German beer tower that never lets you forget you’re really in a beer hall.

Beer prices seem to be the best in town for beers like Xingu, a Brazilian dark lager and Thurn & Taxis, a German lager claimed to be the excellence in Bavarian brewing. The food is European with an emphasis on Belgian and German. The Duck Confit Salad goes well with the deep, dark Abby beer, Leffe Brun and the Steak and Frits must be savoured with the barrel aged Cuvee des Jacobins Rouge. This place puts the elegance in beer! TM

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LIFESTYLE & CULTURE

Snowy Scenes + SOOTHING SPAS

BY ANDREW HIND

M

any people don’t appreciate winter for the unique joys it brings. Yes, the cold can be biting and snow can grind traffic to a halt. But if you find the right setting—that beautiful, natural spot where snow mounds up like fluffy pillows and drapes evergreens like Christmas garland—there is no season more beautiful. It’s places like that where you’ll be inspired to get out and play in the fresh air, to experience all the adventure that winter affords. Snowshoeing, skiing, snowmobiling or horseback riding—after a few hours you’ve earned the right to return to a roaring fire and maybe the comforts of a soothing spa.

Thankfully places like this do indeed exist. Snowy scenes and soothing spas merge at Skylife’s resorts, Horseshoe Resort in Simcoe County and Deerhurst in Muskoka. When flurries fall and the thermometer dips, these are the places you’ll want to go for memorable escapes. >>

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Whether your interests lean towards the adrenaline-filled or the relaxed, or perhaps a little of both, it’s here for your enjoyment.’

HORSESHOE RESORT Horseshoe Resort, located near Barrie and spread out over 680 acres of wooded hills and valley, is famed for skiing.

Never tried your hand at skiing and not sure it’s for you?

Here’s a rule of thumb: if you like the outdoors and are even remotely athletic, you’ll love it. From the adrenaline to the great sun tan, it’s the best way to fill that dull gap between November and April. And there’s no place better to do it than Horseshoe Resort, with its state-of-the-art snow making equipment and 29 alpine runs. With a layer of pristine snow draping the trees, the hilly landscape is so perfect it almost looks computer generated.

“For those new to skiing and snowboarding or anyone looking to just improve their skills, Horseshoe offers many different lesson options,” explains Susan Ramey, Marketing Manager at Horseshoe Resort. “Children ages 3 to 12 years can join us for full day or half day lessons with the famous Kids Korral lesson programs. Adults and children 10 years of age and up are recommend to try the Discover Ski and Snowboard lesson system where they can learn the basics at their own pace with our professional instructors. For those looking for season long fun, we offer 8 week programs on nights and weekends for all ages and ability levels. No matter what your experience level is we have the right lesson for you!”

If the adrenaline of racing down a slope is too much to handle, you can make fresh tracks another way by trying your hand at cross-country skiing. The cross country facilities at Horseshoe Resort include 40kms of groomed trails for both classic and skate skiers to enjoy.

Not everyone will take to skiing. It can be tiring and tough to learn. Even if you have no interest in strapping on a pair of skis you can still enjoy the beauty of the winter-hushed outdoors with any number of other activities at Horseshoe Resort. For those looking to enjoy nature and explore the serenity of the Copeland Forest, snowshoeing is a great option with beautiful trails and rentals available onsite. Want something a little more adventuresome? Try fat biking. These bikes are designed to be used on snow trails and are a great workout in a winter wonderland. Staff will guide you through the ins and outs of handling these winter cycles.

And for the ultimate in family-friendly thrills there’s snow tubing, essentially the tobogganing of our youth with the adrenaline dialed way up! “Winter snow tubing is an exhilarating way to get out with the whole family or a

group of friends this winter. Horseshoe Resort has 5 great chutes and a magic carpet to take you back up to the top.

You can come out for just a few runs or join the resort for a few hours,” Ramey enthuses.

Perhaps your idea of heaven is nothing more strenuous than a two-hour facial followed by a good, long wallow in a steam room or hot tub. Horseshoe Resort has you covered as well.

The Shizen Spa at Horseshoe Resort is a great place to retreat from the cold and to shake off the winter doldrums.

Long, cold winters can make you feel lethargic, stressed and chilled to the bone. One of the most effective ways to remove the deep chill of winter is to warm your muscles and relax your mind with a therapeutic massage. For added heat choose the Shizen Signature massage with hot stone placement or a Horseshoe Hot Stone massage.

“If a facial is more to your liking the Shizen Spa offers a variety of facials to meet our guests’ varying needs. A popular winter treat is the Beaute Neuve facial by Guinot, France. This specialty facial is a winter must do! It has not one, but two citrus peels that will help bring back radiant skin for the long winter months ahead,” says Ramey.

“Perhaps you are looking to shake off those winter blahs? Then consider a Phytomer Re-Mineralizing Wrap.

If you are feeling tired and sluggish, this wrap is for you.

Featuring 104 trace elements from the sea as well as sage, sandlewood, and basil this wrap will increase your sense of well-being while it revitalizes and re-mineralizes your body from head to toe. You will leave feeling energized and invigorated!”

For a more social spa experience, bring a friend or mate and enjoy the comfort of the open and social manicure / pedicure room. With the gas fireplace, the large picture window and complimentary hot beverages it’s the perfect haven from the stresses of the world. Treat yourself to the Shizen Signature treatments that include a hot stone foot massage–what better way to warm up your poor cold feet?

Horseshoe Resort is a winter vacation that’s tailormade for you. Whether your interests lean towards the adrenaline-filled or the relaxed, or perhaps a little of both, it’s here for your enjoyment. Hit the slopes, unwind with a stress-melting massage, indulge in a savourful meal, and then cozy up alongside a fire for the evening—that’s how a typically memorable winter’s day at Horseshoe Resort unfolds.

Taking

THE SPA

HOME

Just because you’ve reluctantly said goodbye to Horsehoe Resort doesn’t mean the pampering has to end. Bring the spa home with you, courtesy of some winter specific tips from the staff at Shizen Spa at Horseshoe Resort. *Dry and cracked hands and cuticles can be reminders of our winter weather. Soothe your hands and feet in a paraffin wax treatment.

Paraffin hydrates and its great secret: Increases circulation! The cost is nominal and the benefits lasting. Add it to your next manicure or pedicure.

Giselle, Esthetician

*Winter time is bath time! Epsom salts in the bath is a great natural muscle detoxifier and stress reliever. The trick is in the quantity too. Remember to use at least 3/4 to 1 cup of salts per bath to really enhance these benefits for you.

Melony, RMT *Mandarin oranges are a true sign of the holidays.

But don’t under estimate Vitamin C for the skin!

Vitamin C serum can be found in many health food stores and does wonders for anti-aging and is an anti-oxidant for the skin. Try one of our two Vitamin C facials - Beaute Neuve or the Age Summum.

Lyne, Esthetician >>

TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 23

DEERHURST RESORT Outside, snow fell gently from a grey sky, floating down to a landscape peacefully settled under a cloak of white.

Nestled warmly inside, from the comfort of our dining table, we watched through frost-rimmed windows as flakes danced lazily upon the breeze and a string of cross-country skiers glides past. This is the true definition of winter wonderland. This is Deerhurst Resort.

That afternoon we opted to enjoy the comforts of the resort. And who could blame us. There’s just something about settling into a comfy chair, pulling up the blanket right to your chin and sitting back to enjoy a hot toddy while gazing out the window unto a pristine landscape of white. But the real thrill from a December day at this Huntsville property comes upon bundling oneself up and heading outdoors to enjoy the majesty of a Muskoka winter. The silence is peace-inducing, the beauty of the snow-draped forested hills blissful.

“We have so many outdoor activities to choose from you could spent days here and not repeat the same experience,” enthuses Laura Kennedy, Deerhurst’s Marketing Manager.

“People think they know Muskoka, but it’s transformed into a whole new world once the snow arrives.”

If you want something perhaps a bit romantic, enjoy a ride straight out of a greeting car aboard a horse-drawn sleigh, jingle bells and all. Feeling a bit more adventurous?

Horseback riding through the snowy hush of pine trees or, better yet, mushing through the hills on a dogsled (you can handle your own team or have a guide take the reins, so to speak) are must tick-off winter experiences. In a nice touch, outdoor skating, cross country skiing, and snowshoeing are all included with room fees.

“We cater a lot to the snowmobile crowd and are blessed to have 2000 kms of beautiful groomed trails right outside our doors,” explains Kennedy, noting Deerhurst offers great deals for sledders. “You can explore the trails by yourself or take part in a guided snowmobile tours through our partner, Yamaha Riding Adventures. Even novices can feel the adrenaline of gliding across fresh powder; guided tours begin with a tutorial on safely operating a machine so no experience is required.”

Deerhurst prides itself on welcoming families, especially during the holidays, and so there is no shortage of activities for little ones well. From pint-sized snowmobiles to junior dogsleds and a petting farm, children will never grow restless.

All that, plus downhill skiing at Hidden Valley and the unique ice-skating trails at Arrowhead Provincial Park are just minutes away. The region is a natural playground for winter sports.

Whatever the outdoor adventure you feel great afterwards, glowing, as you come in from the chill. And at Deerhurst, the pleasure doesn’t end once you shed your coat and take off your mittens. There’s a fine-dining restaurant to thaw out in even as the temperatures plummet, an indoor pool, and an exercise room. Don’t miss the opportunity to clap and dance the night away with the cast of the famed Hit List live stage show as they get belt out top tunes of yesterday and today.

But if you really want to unwind after a day of mushing or slushing, head over to the hotel’s luxuriant 8,000 square foot spa, an oasis of wellness and relaxation and intimacy amidst one of Muskoka’s largest and liveliest resorts. “Experience the place where harmony and relaxation not only meet, but also work in tandem to help you achieve complete and total well-being,” says Corrina MacConnell, Spa Director of AMBA Health and Beauty Spa Deerhurst. “We have the best amenities designed to indulge the five senses, and you can enhance your stay with a treatment package custom designed just for you.”

The spa offers six full-body treatment rooms, five pedicure & three manicure stations, an intimate couple’s massage room, steam room, swimming pool and whirlpool.

An afternoon at the spa is a sumptuous way to reward yourself for braving the chill of a morning of winter activity outdoors.

Winter in Muskoka is a magical experience, and nowhere is it better enjoyed than at Deerhurst Resort. Dress up warm to enjoy the frosty fairy tale that is this timeless property.

COLD-WEATHER

Skin Care

Cold weather in winter brings unpleasant dryness to the skin of the face, hands, and feet. The skin starts to lose its moisture from the cold weather and from the heat from oil, wood, or electric heating. As weather conditions change, so, too, should your skin care routine.

Here are 10 tips for boosting your winter skin care regimen, so that your skin stays moist and healthy through the winter months, courtesy of Corrina MacConnell, Spa Director, AMBA Health and Beauty Spa Deerhurst 1. Having a facial is a great way to refresh your skin and start a new season. As the climate changes, so does our skin. An aesthetician can help ease the transition. Starting the season with a healthier, cleaner skin allows your cold weather skin-care routine to be more effective. The Guinot , Hydradermie and Liftosome facials, fill the skin with new energy, moisture and elasticity.

2. Protect your skin from the elements. Skin gets more dry and sensitive in the winter so think of a richer cream as an extra layer of protection. Protecting your skin from wind and frost is important during the cold winter months. Avoid staying too close to the heater since the hot air can also dehydrate your skin.

3. The winter sun combined with snow glare, can damage your skin. Sunscreen is a good choice year-round. Apply it 30 minutes before going outside, to reduce and prevent damage to your skin.

4. Remember to drink water to stay hydrated in the winter, and avoid excess alcohol, which is known to dehydrate the body, leading to flaky skin.

5. Wet socks and gloves can irritate your skin and cause itchy dry skin. Take care to moisturize both hands and feet in winter, and make time for a manicure and pedicure.

6. Lips can get cracked and very dry during the winter when they are exposed to cold air. Use a lip moisturiser when you are outdoors.

7. Exfoliate with a scrub on a weekly basis to remove dead skin cells 8. One of the best ways to protect the skin in the winter is to eat a healthy diet full of vitamins, especially vitamin C and D. Choose fruits and vegetables that are high in vitamins and minerals to protect your skin.

9. Find an esthetician or dermatologist. Such a specialist can analyze your skin type, and give you advice on the skin care products you should be using.

10. Constant exposure to hot water, cold and wind will crack the skin; use a moisturising wash with warm water, in the shower and oil, in your bath. Warm your moisturiser in the microwave for a few seconds to give yourself a warm luxurious spa treatment after your bath or shower. TM

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TAP INTO SOME OF

BY GABRIELLE TIEMAN

MUSKOKA

MAPLE FARMS When the air warms up and the sap starts running, Canadians flock to the woods to gather their favourite all natural sweet– the beloved maple syrup.

World renowned for producing this family favourite, Muskoka is one of Ontario’s largest producers of fresh maple syrup – housing a high concentration of sugar shacks and maple farms in the region.

Though modern technology has made sugar shacks more efficient, many maple syrup farms in Muskoka continue to do it the old-fashioned way – hand tapping trees, trudging through the forest with buckets and sledding and snow shoeing to harvest the finished product.

So whether you prefer it smothering a stack of pancakes, marbling your fudge or coating your pulled pork and ribs, the Muskoka maple syrup scene encourages families to help tap some trees, enjoy fresh toffee on a stick and gain a true appreciation for this authentic Canadian delicacy.

SUGARBUSH HILL MAPLE FARM 2389 Muskoka Rd. #10, Huntsville, ON sugarbushhill.com Sugarbush Hill Farms is your picture perfect Ontario cabane à sucre. Ranked as the Number Two “Things to Do” in Ontario by Trip Advisor and one of the top things to do in Muskoka, this state of the art family owned and operated maple farm is no small country attraction. This modern farm features top of the line equipment, 3200 tree taps and over 100 acres of sugarbush all that amount to the production of over 2746 litres of 100 percent pure maple syrup and products each spring.

“When people say Canada, they think maple,” said Tom Stehr, owner and sugar maker at Sugarbush Hill. “We work hard at it and it is not easy but when you have a passion for something it does not feel like work at all.”

Located conveniently along the roadside ten minutes from the town of Huntsville, Sugarbush Hill is the only maple farm in the area to offer year round free guided tours. >> TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 27

day’s real Canadian syrup. As the spring progresses, they produce early lights to rich dark amber syrups and offer a variety of sizes for purchase.

Tours are welcome to come visit their establishment during boiling season to taste the syrup at its earliest stages.

Along with maple syrup and sugar products, Brooklands Farm also crops a wide assortment of seasonal and annual produce for purchase – including vegetables, berries and free-range eggs – and offers both pick your own excursions into the fields and pre-packaged options for fast and easy take home.

Brooklands Farm offers a number of on-site event packages ideal for weddings and special events – including two unique indoor venues in their restored heritage buildings and a picturesque outdoor venue. Their team also bottles miniature portions of their maple syrup ideal for unique wedding and event favours.

MAPLE BLUFF FARM 398 Williamsport Rd, Huntsville, ON facebook.com/maple-bluff-farm

These one hour tours are hosted by owners Tom and Pauline and cover the maple sugaring process from tree to table –giving an educational experience on the history and work behind maple sugaring along with plenty of free samples.

“We share the story of maple that is centuries old in Canada,” said Stehr. “Our guided tours provide visitors with a full look at how maple syrup is made.”

Along with witnessing the latest in modern maple equipment and technology, tours also include a look at Stehr’s extensive antique and artifacts collection which includes rare wood gathering tanks, sugar molds and sap buckets, maple tins from the 1800s and an antique gathering sleigh.

Sugarbush Hill’s modern facility also functions as a renewable, sustainable and environmentally friendly operation, choosing to run on wood-based fuel, utilizing water preservation tactics and maintaining a plastic bag free facility.

Though Stehr said maple syrup is their most popular product, Sugarbush Hill also produces maple fudge, maple mustard, maple jelly, maple butter and 100 percent pure maple sugar.

“The days of using maple syrup just for your pancakes is over,” said Stehr. “It has expanded by leaps and bounds - chefs from all over the world are using maple products for cooking.”

Whether you are there to stroll through the forest, take in the sights from the observation deck, or simply pick up some of your favourite maple products, Stehr and his team are happy to accommodate. Guided tours and store hours fluctuate according to season. Please visit their website to confirm the time of their free sugarhouse tours and tastings. Drop in visits are encouraged.

BROOKLANDS FARM 1375 Butter & Egg Rd, Bracebridge, ON brooklandsfarm.ca Celebrating locally grown produce since 1879, Brooklands Farm is a sixth generation family owned and operated facility in the heart of the Muskokas. Over the years, Brooklands Farm has undergone multiple transitions; evolving from dairy farming and market gardening to a thriving maple syrup operation and a premiere event venue.

Creating a hybrid environment of traditional principles with modern technology, Brooklands Farm maple syrup is a true representation of to-

Famous for producing all things maple, Maple Bluff Farm located five minutes from downtown Hunstville, is a must visit when stocking up on your favourite maple treats. Open year round, this 3000 tap maple sugaring operation produces both pure Muskoka maple syrup and a line of maple products and candies with seasonal variations. All products are made right on premises – including their maple butter, sugar, jams, spices, beets, red pepper jelly, coulis, fudge candy and their famous maple barbeque sauce that you will want to pour on just about everything.

Maple Bluff Farm is open seven days a week during the maple sugar season and offers free tours of their modern operations facility along with tasting samples of their products. Their team can also be found at a number of farmers markets throughout the region all year long.

Maple Bluff Farm packages a selection of miniature bottles to order of their products that are perfect for thank you gifts, wedding favours and celebrations.

MAPLE ORCHARD FARMS 14 Gray Road, Box 1377 Bracebridge, ON mapleorchardfarms.com Cooking up maple products fit for royalty, Maple Orchard Farms of Canada is committed to quality and perfection in maple sugaring. Harnessing the delicate sweet flavours of maple straight from nature, Maple Orchard Farms is dedicated to their mantra that all maple products are not created equal and theirs must be the best of the best. They have broken farming maple down to a science – creating a rigorous testing process and a conscientiously clean atmosphere to guarantee that all of their products are the highest caliber and deemed Kosher Certified.

This factory outlet store located in Bracebridge sells numerous maple based treats to please every member of your group while visiting. Their retail facility vends their premiere maple syrup in a variety of sizes – including by the gallon, in a decorative maple leaf bottle, a traditional round bottle, a wine bottle or a miniature version – as well as a number of other maple products including maple sugar, maple pops and cream chocolates, maple barbeque sauce, butter and more.

Tours are also available for groups wishing to learn more about the sugaring process. These guided tours include a tour of the maple syrup kitchen, an educational lesson on how maple syrup, butter and sugar are made and free samples of their product. TM

200 Victoria Street, Toronto | pantageshotel.com | 855-852-1777 TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 29

NEIGHBO

DISTRACTIONS & EXCURSIONS

Toronto is a city full of widely diverse neighbourhoods; many feel like their own cities within the big city. Each unique neighbourhood offers an array of places to go, things to see, and foods to eat. Read on, and discover the Toronto that exists beyond the beaten path. >>

WE WERE

JUST IN THE URHOOD...

TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 31

LIBERTY VILLAGE Nestled in the west end of Toronto, Liberty Village was once home to Toronto’s greatest industries and most infamous institutions. Now, the battle between gentrification and preservation has created a mix of industrial grit with contemporary designs to host some of Toronto’s most unique, bourgeoning companies. The revitalization of Liberty Village has made this the designer hot spot for locals and tourists who are looking for a taste of what’s next in Toronto.

SHOP SOMETHING DIFFERENT WEST ELM When it comes to home decor, West Elm is at the top of its game. With an incredible assortment of accessories and furnishings that range from modern to abstract, West Elm will surely inspire your inner designer. Make it an afternoon excursion and check out the competition at both Casalife and EQ3, both quickly becoming Liberty Village favourites.

BEAT THE WINTER WOES JOE ROCKHEAD’S For the summer sports enthusiast, try Joe Rockheads. As the first indoor rock climbing gym in Canada, Joe Rockhead’s delivers an unparalleled experience for both beginners and more advanced climbers. After their comprehensive three hour course for first time climbers, you’ll be hooked. More info at joerockheads.com

SATISFY THAT SWEET TOOTH FOR THE LOVE OF CAKE If you’re looking to try something sweet, For the Love of Cake Bakery on East Liberty St. will not disappoint.

Specializing in custom cakes and cupcakes, they set themselves apart by

offering unique twists to the traditional cupcake. Proudly offering the only 4-Dimensional cupcake in Toronto, they use ingredients like bacon, Japanese ginger and even Guinness beer. More info at fortheloveofcake.ca

EAT, DRINK AND BE MERRY THE BRAZEN HEAD The Brazen Head Irish Pub is the perfect place to seek warmth. This twostory establishment offers traditional Irish fare, an inviting atmosphere and live music every Thursday and Saturday.

Located in the heart of Liberty Village, everything from the modern Irish décor to their extensive selection of locally and internationally crafted beers will give you a little taste of Ireland.

YOU CAN DANCE IF YOU WANT TO VOGUE SUPPERCLUB If you’re looking for some late night cocktails and dancing to finish off the night, Vogue supperclub has what you’re looking for. Situated at the corner of Liberty St. and Mowat Ave., the exposed brick walls and contemporary design sets the urban chic, yet casual tone that Liberty Village has to offer.

DISTILLERY DISTRICT If you’re looking for a genuine taste of culture in Toronto, you won’t want to miss the Distillery District. The Gooderham and Worts Whiskey Distillery landmarks this historic district set in Toronto’s east end. After its revitalization in the early 2000’s, the distillery now boasts a pedestrian-only building filled with one-ofa-kind boutiques, art galleries and restaurants heavily inspired by creative arts and entertainment. The perfect mix of European boulevard design with Toronto’s urban charm creates the perfect backdrop to host the hub of arts and culture in Toronto.

DRINK SAKE FROM JAPAN THE ONTARIO SPRING WATER SAKE CO. For a break from the beer tours that dominate the city of Toronto, try out the Ontario Spring Water Sake Company for a little taste of Japan. Using Ontario spring water, they offer fresh, unpasteurized, traditional Japanese Sake brewed directly in store. On weekends, they also offer incredibly informative brewery tours, which include four sake tastings.

HAVE LUNCH IN FRANCE CLUNY For a bit of haute cuisine in the distillery district, try Cluny. This classic French bistro boasts a unique menu of traditional French favourites with a few modern twists; the Ginger-Chili Fried Frog’s Legs might be the perfect example. The interior design fits in perfectly with the Victorian architecture of the building it resides in, setting the tone of an authentic Parisian bistro.

SHOP CANADIAN DISTILL GALLERY Specializing in a variety of goods including clothing, jewellery, glass and metalwork, Distill Gallery is 100% proudly Canadian. Showcasing some of Canada’s well-established designers and those still emerging, there is a myriad of unique, one-of-a-kind items that are worth seeing for men, women, children and even your furry friends.

DINE IN ITALY TAPPO WINE BAR AND RESTAURANT With their extensive and impressive wine list, and traditional Italian fare, Tappo Wine Bar offers an unforgettable dining experience. With a name that literally means “corked” in Italian, Tappo’s wine bar selection is clearly thoughtful and notable. The ambiance is warm and inviting, and fits perfectly amongst the vibrancy of the Distillery District. With menu items that aren’t afraid to cross any lines, it’s a place where you can feel free to be bold. >>

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KENSINGTON MARKET In addition to being designated as a National Historic Site of Canada, Kensington Market is the perfect place to hang out due to the eclectic mix of shops and cafes. It is one of Toronto’s most unique neighbourhoods. The houses that line that street at great examples of Victorian architecture row houses. The area remains one of Toronto’s most multicultural, with various goods from Europe, the Caribbean, Middle East, South America and Asia being available.

GO VEG URBAN HERBIVORE If you are vegan or vegetarian (or maybe you just like vegetables), you’ll want to try out this yummy restaurant. You will find loads of organic salads, soups and curries.

LET’S TACO BOUT IT SEVEN LIVES This cash only taco shop serves up Baja style tacos, and they are some of the best tacos this city has to offer. The owner originally came from Los Angeles, and there is no doubt he knows what he’s doing. This is not really a sit down restaurant though, more of a grab and go. It’s also very reasonably priced!

TASTE OF THE ISLANDS RASTA PASTA This Jamaican restaurant boasts some of the best jerk chicken in Toronto. It is a takeaway restaurant, so don’t expect to dine in, but do expect to be blown away by the food.

BEAT THE BURGER BLUES THE BURGERNATOR This is a fast food joint you’ll want to check out: every kind of burger you can imagine, you’ll be able to find it here (and fit in a game of Cards Against Humanity at the same time). This business is family owned and operated, and is definitely worth dropping by for a quick lunch or dinner.

VINTAGE FEVER COURAGE MY LOVE This shop is a Kensington Market fav, and has been open since the 1970s. It’s a great place to find vintage clothing, beads, trinkets and jewelry from around the world. It’s a pretty cool place to browse around.

GO WHERE IT’S ALL THE RAGE Here you’ll find deconstructed t-shirts, hand-painted items, jewelry and more.

This place showcases the work of dozens of local street wear designers.

THE JUNCTION Vogue recently named Toronto’s Queen West district the world’s second coolest neighbourhood in the world. With that in mind, The Junction is widely considered to be Toronto’s next up-and-coming west-end neighbourhood, rivaling the development of Queen West.

With its charm still intact avoiding the widespread gentrification of surrounding neighbourhoods, the Junction is where you’ll see Toronto at it’s most honest. Vintage boutiques, smaller scale breweries and restaurants of every kind line the streets, making this neighbourhood well worth the visit.

BEST IN THE WEST VESUVIO PIZZERIA

SHOP AROUND BLACK DAFFODIL

For arguably the best pizza in Toronto, Vesuvio Pizzeria has it made. As one of the oldest pizzerias in Toronto, they have mastered the craft offering New York style pizza to the patrons of Toronto. Each pizza is crafted using ingredients of the highest quality with the exact same recipe that was developed when they opened in 1957. In addition, Vesuvio also offers homemade pasta that is just as mouth-watering as their pizza.

The Junction is host to a number of vintage fashion boutiques and second-hand finds. Nestled amongst them is Black Daffodil created by designer Cynthia Rae, who also carries designs by other notable Canadian brands. With a strong retro fashion appeal, you can be sure to find a really great variety of clothing, jewellery, handbags and accessories.

SAY CHEESE CUT THE CHEESE

This small independent craft brewery exceeds all of the expectations that a good brewpub should offer: an incredible selection of beer, delicious food and a laid-back atmosphere. The Indie Ale House features a collection of their own craft beer to accompany your pub favourites. Taking each dish a creative step further has easily made this gastropub a Junction favourite. TM

While visiting the Junction, lovers of all things cheese should make it a point to check out Cut the Cheese. The highly anticipated opening of this takeout joint focuses on gourmet grilled cheese and mac n’ cheese that will keep you questioning how they even came up with these unique creations. They pride themselves on offering as many housemade ingredients as possible including their pickles, ketchup and hickory sticks. You will not leave disappointed.

THE GOOD OLE’ BREWPUB INDIE ALE HOUSE

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IT IS ONLY WITH THE RIGHT MEASURE OF WIT AND TEAMWORK THAT YOU CAN COMPLETE EACH PUZZLE AND WIN THIS GAME

History ESCAPE FROM

BY GABRIELLE TIEMAN

Introducing Toronto to a whole new genre of interactive gaming, the Casa Loma Escape Series has taken the city by storm –engaging groups with mind-stretching puzzles and creating an all-encompassing entertainment experience. Recreating history and breathing life back into the rich gothic estate for a new generation, the historic castle has been transformed into the centre stage for the world class escape game and a desperate race against the clock.

Reviving Toronto’s interest in history and adventure for audiences is gaming experts Company & Co. – the Toronto based company that introduced Canada to the Real Escape Game series in 2014. In today’s digital era of multimedia overload, Company and Co. has made it their goal to design, develop and deliver immersive experiences and promote more curiosity in the world.

The immersive theatre set gaming experience focuses on challenging groups to channel their inner strengths and utilizes their guts while working as a unit to solve each floor’s set of puzzles – because it is only with the right measure of wit and teamwork that you can complete each puzzle and win this game.

“We have created an immersive theatre set inside Casa Loma where players enter and play this game within history,” said Michael Keenan, head of Canada for Real Escape Game and one of their game designers.

“We design all of the puzzles in the space, the flow of the game and added narrative.” >>

TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 37

The estate is complete with 98 rooms, decorated suites, secret passages, stately towers, estate gardens and luxurious stables, all of which promise a demanding backdrop to accompany each mind boggling puzzle. Keenan says along with having access to the historically rich backdrop and unique architecture and design for each immersive game, their team also creates each interactive escape game’s plot line with the history of Casa Loma at the forefront.

“There is quite a bit of actual history in the game,” said Keenan. “We used historical locations in the puzzles and we try to display things as accurately as possible - including using a variety of real historical props that are actual pieces direct from Casa Loma, like original authentic electrical components.”

During World War Two, Casa Loma was home to the top-secret Allies Anti-Submarine Detection Investigation Committee (ASDIC) following the bombing of its headquarters in London, England. Today, that piece of history is the foundation for Casa Loma’s inaugural immersive game Escape from the Tower. In Escape from the Tower, players must find enemy U-boat coordinates and transmit the information back to the allied forces – before time runs out.

Taking place within all four floors of the tower, each floor focuses on a different theme and within each theme its own set of puzzles that need to be solved before the hour is up.

“Each floor is in itself its own mini game and then there is the larger puzzle in the background to be solved,” said Keenan.

“We want people to work together to solve a puzzle as a unit. Every game requires different skillsets.”

Unlike other escape rooms, this one is as much theatrical performance as it is a complex puzzle; featuring a cast of improvisation actors that gamers can speak to and interact with to further enhance the immersive quest and solve the puzzles. All actors are fully invested in their roles and remain constantly in character no matter the questions they are asked; committed to guiding and aiding you through the puzzles while remaining an intricate part of the historical basis of the story.

“What we are doing is trying to merge the escape game experience with that type of immersive theatre experience,” said Keenan.

“With its design, one part of the players’ experience is the game element but the other is about an actually theatre experience.”

“A play is going on in this space and [the actors] move in this space according to a script – but gamers can move among the space freely without a script,” said Keenan. “People can move through the space and experience a play so up close they can be right in front of the actor and the actor will continue to act.”

Keenan said the Casa Loma Escape Series would never have been possible for Company and Co. without the help and vision of Liberty Entertainment Group and CEO Nick Di Donato who first approached them with the idea of using Casa Loma as an escape series location.

“Without [Di Donato’s] visionary and his partnership we would not be able to accomplish something of this grandness and make this ideal genre exist,” said Keenan. “To be able to merge the theatre with an escape game is incredible; Nick has provided us with this ability and opportunity and it is super beneficial both to our audience and to us.”

All ages are encouraged to take part in the game series, with children under the age of 12 requiring a waiver and parent or guardian. Company and Co. recommends each group be between eight to 12 people all able to contribute a different set of strengths to the game. Keenan said it is an ideal event for both corporate groups, families, couples and ideally everyone in between.

Company and Co. plans to have four escape games in Casa Loma by spring 2016.

Keenan said the second game, entitled King/ Queen of the Bootleggers, will be released in late November 2015 and be set in prohibition based 1920s. The game will move away from the towners and take place within the tunnels and secret passageways of the castle.

Private rentals for corporate and group events will soon be available as well as dinner packages to create a fully rounded Casa Loma experience. TM

W H A T ’ S O N Y O U R M U S T- D O L I S T T H I S W I N T E R ?

Come experience Muskoka’s magical transformation into a winter playground at Deerhurst Resort. From tons of activities onsite like dog-sledding, sleigh rides and guided snowmobile tours to nearby fun at Hidden Valley Highlands Ski Club and the

unique Arrowhead Park ice-skating trail, you’ll remember why you loved winter so much as a kid. Except now there’s the grown up benefits of a full service spa, locally inspired dining and an incredible live stage show too.

M u s ko k a B e d & B re a k fa st Pa ck a g e fr o m

* C o n d i t i o n s a p p l y.

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Your Success is our Business When choosing a law firm, you want a legal partner that truly understands your business. Our lawyers combine in-depth business knowledge with exceptional personal service to deliver the high quality advice you need when you need it.

(However, negotiating your way down the slopes is entirely up to you.)

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BEER

BACON GRAFFITI &

GHOSTS SEEING TORONTO IN A WHOLE NEW WAY

BY GABRIELLE TIEMAN

W

hether you’re an architecture enthusiast, culture vulture, foodie, or simply love learning as much as you can about the city you are in, there are so many great ways to explore the streets and attractions of Toronto in a short period of time. But navigating Toronto’s city grid on your own can be overwhelming and sometimes, we all need a little guidance so we don’t overlook the little things. Enter, the Tour Guys.

Guiding groups through the lesser traveled grooves of Canadian cities, the Tour Guys – along with their sister company Toronto Urban Adventures – have been hosting regularly scheduled diverse tours for over a decade in Toronto, Ottawa and Vancouver. Founded as a tour guide cooperative, the Tour Guys offer both free and paid walking tours as a way to have fun, get outside and meet people from around the world with the shared interest of experiencing the city.

Together, Tour Guys and Toronto Urban Adventures have become two of the highest-rated activities in Toronto on TripAdvisor and the go-to tour company for many travelers, locals, businesses, schools, and other organizations.

Hosted by engaging, knowledgeable tour guides affectionately known as experts in all things Toronto, groups are lead through a variety of niche tour experiences geared towards entertaining and delighting while supplying a healthy dose of educating history. Scheduled public tours include themed tours on craft beer, bacon, graffiti, ghosts, death and disasters; or you can stroll popular neighborhoods like Kensington Market, the downtown core surrounding the Financial District and City Hall, the beautiful waterfront or historic Old Town Toronto.

The free 90 minute public walking tours – celebrating its five year anniversary and fame in the region – are not only renowned for their lack of price tag, but for their diversity of sights and unique anecdotes on Toronto’s most famed neighborhoods and districts. Choose from one of four free tours: Power, Politics and the PATH – a walking tour of Downtown Toronto with a focus on the financial district and the famous PATH Underground Pedestrian Walkway – which links over 30 kilometers of shopping, services and entertainment underneath the city; Death, Disease and Destruction – a dark history tour through Old Town accompanied by a rich commentary on the catastrophes and murders that occurred in the district; Trains, Teams and the CN Tower – visit the newly renovated Union Station [Toronto’s primary railway station and intercity transportation facility], the Rogers Centre [home to Canada’s only Major League Baseball team the Blue Jays], stand at the base of the famous CN Tower and finish the tour off with a pint at craft brewery Steam Whistle; and Sails, Sand and Seagulls – a tour of Toronto’s expansive waterfront and an education on its importance to the city’s landscape.

Tour Guys’ sister company, Toronto Urban Adventures, operates small group niche walking tours from March to November and private tours year round. The tours support local businesses and are intimate, consisting on average of six to eight people and never exceeding their maximum of 12, so participants are given lots of one on one attention while being encouraged to ask lots of questions throughout the walk. All tours cost between $30-$35 dollars per person for a three hour tour and include samples and perks at select destination stops.

There are so many great ways to explore the streets and attractions of Toronto Choose from one of three Toronto Urban Adventures tours: Beer Makes History Better – a booze infused off the beaten track walking tour on the history of beer and alcohol in Toronto. The tour features stops at a number of Toronto’s greatest hidden pubs, their newest distillery and ma and pa food trucks. When Pigs Fry – a foodie tour focusing on all things bacon from the butcher block to bistro boards. You will visit restaurants that specialize in bacon and pork on their menus, hear a history on domestic pig farming in the region and the development of the pork industry in Canada – you will be a pork aficionado before you know it. Kensington Market and China Town – Toronto’s most eclectic neighborhoods will be a feast for your senses. Walk the sights, witness the sounds and enjoy the smells of the constantly evolving areas all while learning about the history of Toronto’s growing Chinese community.

Other notable seasonal paid walking tours for you to choose from include: Graffiti in Toronto – a look at Toronto’s street art and a lively discussion over the famed controversial debate of whether graffiti should be considered vandalism or public art. The two hour tour has groups stroll through the lesser traveled alcoves of Toronto – from back alleys to crevices between streets – to witness what has been deemed as the best graffiti in the city. Discussion and debate is highly encouraged. Fact or Fiction Ghost Tour – not only for the Halloween season, this after dark tour is known to be a gem from the Tour Guys’ repertoire. Gimmick and lantern free, the authentic and gritty ghost tour attempts to separate folklore from fact by looking at both sides of every ghost story: natural phenomenon’s that are continually mistaken for paranormal occurrences and reported hauntings and legends from actual history. Their only seasonal tour, Unwrapping Christmas: a Holiday Season Walking Tour is a revealing walk through the heart of downtown Toronto.

Delving into the origins and the history of the Christmas season’s traditions celebrated throughout this city, the tour discusses folklore and religion alongside anecdotes on Toronto’s traditional holiday landscape – including city hall’s Christmas tree tradition, the origins of the Santa Claus Parade and what the real deal is with caroling.

Guided tours are also available for schools interested in hosting student trips and educational excursion. Tour Guys are available for private rental ideal for groups looking for a custom tour of the city – perfect for special occasions, bachelorettes/bachelor parties, family holidays and corporate outings. TM TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 41

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HERE.SEE.DO

FEBRUARY 10

Emilie-Claire Barlow | Massey Hall

FEBRUARY 16

Josh Ritter | Phoenix Concert Hall

FEBRUARY 18–19 MARCH 1

Blue Rodeo | Massey Hall The Who | Air Canada Centre

MARCH 10

Dr. Dog | Phoenix Concert Hall Leon Bridges | Massey Hall

MARCH 15

Bonnie Raitt | Sony Centre for the Performing Arts

MARCH 16

David Gilmour | Air Canada Centre

APRIL 3 APRIL 21

Iron Maiden | Air Canada Centre Randy Bachman | Massey Hall

MAY 22

Selena Gomez | Air Canada Centre

MAY 28

Carrie Underwood | Air Canada Centre

TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 43

BY GABRIELL E

TIEMAN

VENT CALEND A

TORONTO

N A D I5 5 5

THE TORONTO CHRISTMAS MARKET THE DISTILLERY HISTORIC DISTRICT | NOVEMBER 20– DECEMBER 20, 2015 torontochristmasmarket.com Celebrate the love and magic of Christmas at the Toronto Christmas Market. This annual street festival that captures the charm of a traditional European Christmas market will put anyone into the holiday spirit; featuring over 320 musical performances, midway activities for children, countless vendors, Segway walking tours and, of course, visits from Santa Claus.

The not-for-profit market offers free admission Tuesdays to Thursdays; Saturday and Sunday a five dollar ticket is required to enter the Christmas dream land. All funds raised are to be reinvested back into the festival as a way of furthering the festival’s infrastructure and growth. Other proceeds will go towards three partner charities: the Daily Bread Food Bank – which provides nutritious food to people struggling with hunger; Plan Canada – which helps break the cycle of poverty in developing countries; and the Toronto Star Santa Claus Fund – a program that provides gifts to underprivileged children.

Immerse yourself in the sights, snap a photo under the giant Christmas tree and finish your holiday shopping while embracing the true spirit of the magical holiday season.

TORONTO TANGO MARATHON LITHUANIAN HALL | JANUARY 8–10, 2016 torontotangomarathon.com A weekend of non-stop Tango! The fifth annual Toronto Tango Marathon features 30 hours of world-class dancing and outstanding DJs from around the world that will have you dancing until the sun illuminates the floor.

Focusing on the Argentinian tango, this three day and three night event welcomes all levels of dancer to participate. The marathon team will also host a weekend for beginners inviting all individuals interested in learning the fundamentals of the tango to join and get a crash course. This six hour intense workshop, held January 9-10, will cover all of the material needed to enjoy and conquer the intricate and fast paced dance.

Marathon attendance is limited to 250 dancers and registration is $100 dollars.

LA POUTINE WEEK

M IR O V R L IK P H OTO GR

APHY

VARIOUS LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF TORONTO | FEBRUARY 1–7, 2016 lapoutineweek.com Canada’s favourite indulgence, poutine has become an integral part of our culinary make up. The classic Canadian dish will be taking on a global flare and kicking it up a notch during Toronto’s La Poutine Week.

The new annual event takes over 23 Toronto restaurants that will be offering their own special twists on the Canadian classic for Poutine Week. Past unique twists have included the likes of butter chicken and perogie poutines, lobster bisque gravies and vegetarian routes with mushroom fries – all which became instant favourites throughout the city.

For only $10 dollars, try a unique poutine dish from any participating restaurant and vote for your favourites on Poutine Week’s website. >>

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WINTERLICIOUS VARIOUS LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF TORONTO | JANUARY 29–FEBRUARY 11, 2016 toronto.ca/special_events/winterlicious Indulge in creative cuisine and culinary feats from across the globe at Toronto’s premiere cold weather foodie celebration. Winterlicious Toronto brings a series of mouth-watering food centric events to over 200 of the city’s more savoury restaurants and gives you a chance to indulge without breaking the bank.

The event’s popular prix fixe menu program offers three course menu options at participating restaurants; so you can sample, sip and enjoy each restaurant’s chosen pairings orchestrated by world-class chefs.

CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL AUTOSHOW METRO TORONTO CONVENTION CENTRE | FEBRUARY 12–21, 2016 autoshow.ca Glimpse into the future of transportation at the Canadian International Auto Show. Celebrating over 40 years in the city of Toronto, the event provides a jaw dropping, all-encompassing total automotive experience; featuring over 60,000 square feet of engaging displays and incredible vehicles by leading manufacturers and designers.

Dancing a fine line between art and automobile, world class car exhibitors showcase the latest and greatest in their fleets. New to the show this year is the AutoConnect Showcase, a brand new feature illustrating the many advanced connectivity and safety technologies already available on the roads. This showcase as well will explore the future of driving with a look at fully independent vehicles and the progress that is being made towards making self-driving cars a reality.

For ticket pricing, special coupons and group packages, visit their website or box office.

memory are the musical scores of each film.

Sony Centre for Performing Arts will be presenting a collection of music and video clips from a number of Pixar’s feature films performed by a full symphony orchestra; with hits including “You’ve Got a Friend In Me”, “When She Loved Me” and the Oscar-winning “If I Didn’t Have You”.

Two performances will be held with tickets ranging from $40-$110.

TORONTO SPORTSMEN’S SHOW

WORLD MASTERCARD FASHION WEEK

INTERNATIONAL CENTRE | MARCH 16–20, 2016 tss.sportshows.ca

DAVID PECAUT SQUARE | SPRING 2016 (DATES TO BE ANNOUNCED) worldmastercardfashionweek.com

Canada’s premiere outdoor supershow, the Toronto Sportsmen’s Show unites all outdoorsmen and enthusiasts with the common ground of sharing the latest tips and techniques on how to conquer the great wilderness. The event is known to have introduced countless generations to the immense heritage behind Canada’s outdoors and many have said to have purchased their first fishing, archery and camping gear at this annual event.

Event features and entertainment include demonstrations from the WoofJocks Canine All Stars, chainsaw carving demos, axe throwing demonstrations and more.

Held over March Break, this is an ideal event for kids interested in getting outside, learning a new skill and exploring the outdoors safely.

Listen to the pros and observe the latest in new hunting, fishing, and outdoor products from hundreds of leading suppliers all under one roof.

PIXAR IN CONCERT SONY CENTRE FOR PERFORMING ARTS | MARCH 18, 2016 blogto.com/events/pixar-in-concert Since its inaugural launch in 1986, Pixar Animation Studios has warmed the hearts of adults and children alike. With over 15 feature films, including cult favourites Toy Story and Finding Nemo, Pixar has found a place in every Canadian home. But it is not only the story and characters that are noteworthy; equally capable of striking up an instant

Celebrating the biggest names in Canadian and global fashion, the World MasterCard Fashion Week gathers leading designers, world recognized brands and famed fashionistas for a week of runway shows, exclusive parties and the latest in 2016 fashion trends.

Toronto runways will be graced by designs from chic womenswear brand Pink Tartan, eclectic luxury streetwear designer Hayley Elsaesser, creative professional designs by Rachel Sin and many more.

Ticket information is available on the website.

TORONTO FOOD AND DRINK MARKET ENERCARE CENTRE - EXHIBITION PLACE, HALL D | APRIL 8–10, 2016 www.tofoodanddrinkmarket.com/ Devour, learn and shop at the Toronto Food and Drink Market – the weekend that revolves around eating, drinking and enjoying the best culinary feats in the area.

Featured events include Food Truck Alley showcasing the latest and hottest food trucks and All You Need is Cheese which has participants join Dairy Farmers of Canada to taste recipes made from 100 per cent Canadian cheeses and learn about the foodie favourite by renowned cheese experts.

Seminars will be held throughout the weekend and hosted by an array of Master Class Chefs and health and wellness speakers.

DIMITRY MORGAN

HOT DOCS INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY FESTIVAL VARIOUS LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF TORONTO | APRIL 28–MAY 8, 2016 hotdocs.ca North America’s largest documentary festival and conference, the Hot Docs International Documentary Festival showcases a selection of more than 200 cutting-edge documentaries from Canada and around the globe.

Renowned for being outspoken, edgy and outstanding, the festival is known to bring in audiences of over 200 thousand strong who wish to enjoy film and voice their opinions on popular topics in the film industry.

Showcased f ilms will be announced in late winter 2016 and will include a variety of topics, themes and indie exhibitors.

Independent cinemas and non-traditional screening venues are utilized for both screenings and forums. Hot Docs also hosts a full roster of conference sessions, market events and services for documentary practitioners, including the renowned Hot Docs Forum and The Doc Shop.

Individual tickets and packages are available on their website.

TORONTO BRIDAL SHOW ENERCARE CENTRE - EXHIBITION PLACE, HALL C | APRIL 8–10, 2016 blogto.com/events/torontos-bridal-show-3 Joining the latest trends and fashions from the bridal industry all under one roof, the Toronto Bridal Show is known as the trendiest show in the city.

The weekend is filled with a one-of-a-kind runway shows, hundreds of vendors, prizes and more that will have all brides checking wedding day to-dos off of their lists at record speed. Exhibitors include industry experts, gown retailers, venues, florists, bachelorette planners and more.

Tickets are $20 and available at the door and online.

CANADIAN MUSIC WEEK VARIOUS LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF TORONTO | MAY 4–14, 2016 seetorontonow.com/annual-events/#sthash.1whxfSuk.dpuf Revered as one of the premier entertainment events in North America, the 33rd annual Canadian Music Week is five nights of world-class performances.

The event features over one thousand bands and performers at more than 60 live music venues in downtown Toronto and covers every genre and style of music.

Enjoy extended bar hours, live outdoor performances, local immerging bands, intimate acoustic sets at Toronto restaurants and a city’s environment that vibrates with music. Past performers have included Death Cab for Cutie, Monster Truck, Billy Talent, Lights and hundreds of local bands and up and coming stars.

Ticket prices vary according to event.

DOORS OPEN TORONTO VARIOUS LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF TORONTO | MAY 28–29, 2016 toronto.ca/doorsopentoronto This free annual event held on the last weekend of May each year celebrates 200 years of buildings in Toronto. This Doors Open event, the largest in Canada, gives tourist and residents alike a backstage pass behind the scenes of over 150 instrumental buildings to Toronto.

Since its inception in 2000, over 600 architecturally, historically, culturally and socially significant buildings across the city have opened their doors to the community and over two million visitors.

Past Doors Open Toronto events have featured unique themes to commemorate special events [the 2015 event revolved around the theme Sports, Recreation & Leisure in honour of Toronto’s Pan Am and Parapan Am Games]. Past buildings presented include the Archives of Ontario, BMO Field, Gibraltar Point Lighthouse, Jing Yin Temple and many more. TM TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 47

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SKYLINE CORNER

SOARING TO NEW HEIGHTS: THE NEW HORSESHOE RAMP

Water

Freestyle Skiing Ontario (FSO), Snowboard Ontario (SO) have struck a unique partnership with Horseshoe Resort to build and operate a summertime training facility. The newly constructed Water Ramp facility at Horseshoe Resort is a training site for grassroots and Olympic-bound freestyle skiing and freestyle snowboard athletes. >>

TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 49

WITH THE WATER RAMP FACILITY, AND EXCELLENT FREESTYLE PROGRAMMING AT HORSESHOE RESORT WE HOPE TO CONTINUE THIS LEGACY BY INCUBATING NEXT GENERATION SKIING SUPERSTARS RIGHT AT HORSESHOE RESORT!

A water ramp is a sloped sliding surface that leads to a jump where athletes then land safely in a pond. Under the supervision of a certified coach, athletes use this facility to safely practice acrobatic maneuvers into the water before they perform their tricks in the winter months.

This partnership between the athletic community and Horseshoe Resort will allow our next generation athletes to drastically increase their skill in their own backyard. The nearest facility of it’s kind is outside Quebec City, so this new facility will drastically increase the number of training days in Ontario while they push their skills to new height!

In the late 90’s and early 2000’s Horseshoe Resort was home to a thriving competitive and introductory Freestyle program producing some of Canada’s top talent. Most notably, the late Sarah Burke called the slopes of Horseshoe Resort home. After honing her skills with the Horseshoe Freestyle Team, she moved onto becoming an international freestyle skiing superstar, attributed with seeing Halfpipe Skiing introduced to the Olympic Games Program. With the Water Ramp facility, and excellent freestyle programming at Horseshoe Resort we hope to continue this legacy by incubating next generation skiing superstars right at Horseshoe Resort!

In partnership with Freestyle Skiing Ontario, Horseshoe Resort boasts a wide range of certified programing and excellent coaches that will give young skiers the foundational skills required to peruse their ski and snowboard dreams. Horseshoe’s central location, excellent facilities, supportive staff, on site accommodation, food and beverage made it the obvious partner resort for Freestyle Skiing Ontario’s Water Ramp Training Facility. Additionally, the on site amenities, with golf,

skiing, biking, and restaurants serve the lifestyles of a busy and active skiing family! When parents drop off their kids for skiing or water ramping there are lots of activities for them to do on site.

The training facility will serve all freestyle skiing and snowboard athletes across the province. Our highest-level provincial team and Olympic level athletes will be able to use this facility to hone their skills. The water ramp also is designed to serve the needs of first time jumpers and grassroots level athletes that want to safely learn their first flip on their skis or board. All training and activities are supervised by a Canadian Freestyle Skiing Association Certified Air Coach to ensure that most up to date acrobatic training knowledge is being taught to the athletes. The Water Ramp Training site also boasts a trampoline facility, so before athletes hit the ramp, they practice their acrobatics on the trampoline under the supervision of the certified coach.

The Water Ramp Facility is now virtually complete, and is scheduled for opening in May of 2016. Athletes in freestyle skiing and snowboard programs will have their first jumps in the spring! This is an amazing opportunity for athletes to pursue their training and passion for the sport year round.

Want to catch some air and safely enjoy the thrill of freestyle skiing under the supervision of highly trained and certified coach? Join a freestyle program! Priority access to the facility is given to athletes that are registered with freestyle programs, so please sign up for the Horseshoe Resort Freestyle Program or check out ontariofreestyle. com for more information. TM

BUILDING

your dream

HOME CHOOSING THE RIGHT BUILDER

Choosing the right builder is no easy task but it is the most critical step when planning to build your dream home. According to Infinity Fine Homes founder, Paul Barber, “The experience of building your dream home is similar to a roller coaster ride. There may be ups and downs relating to unplanned situations and unforeseen challenges so you need to be prepared to be patient and flexible.” When considering potential builders, don’t be afraid to ask for references and to request a tour of completed projects. It is important to hear about the building experience, the working relationship between builder and client and to see firsthand the quality of the workmanship you can expect.

Infinity Fine Homes has over 25 years of experience providing turnkey solutions that include designing, managing and building traditional, timber frame, post & beam and modern structures. Our team of highly skilled craftsman knows how to handle challenging building sites, complex designs and high-end finishing resulting in unparalleled quality.

Designing your dream home to meet your unique lifestyle requirements is usually a once in a lifetime venture and an experienced builder has the advantage of knowing all the right questions to ask when considering your needs. They know what works and what doesn’t and can help guide you through difficult decisions and you will be faced with many. Whether you are engaging the design services of your builder or using an architect, an experienced builder with a solid reputation and decades of experience will make your home-building journey a positive one allowing you to enjoy your dream home for years to come.

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TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 51

(WORK)

THE PERFECT FAMILY

GETAWAY

DEERHURST HOSTS RL SOLUTIONS FOR AN UNFORGETTABLE WINTER RETREAT

W

hen a software developer like RL Solutions decides it’s time for a company retreat, you can bet they’re looking for an out-of-the-box experience. Keynote speakers and breakout sessions are fine, but RL Solutions has a work culture that emphasizes comradery and a head office that comes equipped with its own ping pong stadium and pub. Any corporate culture that views colleagues as friends and the work day as a communal experience is going to demand fun alongside a weekend of learning and collaboration.

“Our CEO Sanjay Malaviya has always believed that the treatment of staff will be reciprocated back to the client,” says Mike Etzinger, VP of Marketing for RL Solutions, a Toronto-based software company focusing on the healthcare industry.

It was already mid-December when the management team at RL Solutions decided to round up all 160 of their employees for a strategic conference retreat creatively dubbed “RL Collabratory.” The new year was fast approaching and the window to align an all-staff conference with the new fiscal was shrinking.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR FUN AND SOCIAL INTERACTION WERE WEAVED IN AND AROUND KEYNOTE AND EDUCATIONAL BREAKOUT SESSIONS. “As a management team, when we made the decision to invest in this conference we knew it had to be done quickly,” says Etzinger. “Giving all of our staff less than a month’s notice that they would be required to take a weekend away from their family was something that we were concerned about.”

There was intense pressure to produce a conference that would satisfy the strategic goals of the retreat, while delivering a fun, memorable experience that would both excite the team and justify the tight turnaround.

In Deerhurst, RL Solutions found the perfect partner to pull-off that ambitious goal. Not only could the resort offer the sought-after balance of immersive activities and conference amenities to host this innovative retreat, but the Deerhurst staff pulled out all the stops to make it all happen for their client regardless of the timeline.

“The Deerhurst name is iconic. It’s a place that a lot of staff have heard of before but might not have had the chance to visit,” says Kate Zaparanuik, Brand Experience Manager at RL Solutions, and RL Collabratory’s key organizer. “Working with the Deerhurst staff to turn something like this around in a few weeks over the holidays was such a great experience. Everyone was so helpful.”

“We really didn’t want to wait. This was something we wanted to get done right away,” says Etzinger. The decision to fast-track RL Collabratory meant the weekend would take place in the middle of winter under a blanket of snow, forgoing the warmer atmosphere typically associated with these kinds of retreats.

“I grew up in Northern Ontario and always loved the winter,” says Etzinger. “We have a lot of new Canadians in the company and realized some people might not have ever experienced that true Canadian winter experience.”

Deerhurst staff and RL Solutions developed a flexible agenda that emphasized choice and collaboration. Opportunities for fun and social interaction were weaved in and around keynote and educational breakout sessions. If employees weren’t taking over the Maple Pub &

Patio for a private pub night, complete with a campfire on the deck, they were indulging in the vast and varied buffet of wintertime activities Deerhurst has to offer.

Upon their arrival the first night, team members had the choice of either attending the resort’s popular live stage show, night skiing at Hidden Valley Highlands, or just relaxing at the bar or in their room. Being able to set their own pace the first night was appreciated by staff, and made everyone both comfortable and excited from the get-go.

The adrenalin really started to flow in the great outdoors, with pond hockey, skiing and snowmobiling being some of the more popular choices for RL staff over the rest of the weekend. Zaparanuik says there was one specific activity that left several staff members, many of whom were experiencing winter in Muskoka for the first time, positively giddy.

“The people who had the opportunity to go dog sledding were absolutely blown away. They could not stop talking about how amazing the experience was,” she says. “Overall, the sheer beauty of Deerhurst in the middle of the winter was something I don’t think a lot of people were expecting either.”

Etzinger looks back at what RL Solutions was able to accomplish in their inaugural “RL Collabratory” and was pleased that it exceeded expectations.

“Initially we were looking at a program that went from Friday to Monday and we scaled it back by one day thinking, we couldn’t ask our staff to give up four days on such short notice. As it turned out, people had such an amazing time and the experience was so wonderful, they didn’t want to leave,” he says. “Our objectives were comradery, team building, and spirit, and I believe we exceeded the expectations of our staff.”

In doing so, two things became abundantly clear: that work families can benefit as much from ‘quality time’ away as any family, and that winter can become a new favourite experience in the right setting. TM TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 53

Mansion on Delaware Avenue

Royal Treatment Girlfriends get the

Y

ou know it’s going to be a great girlfriend getaway when your weekend starts with an eager-to-please butler jogging out to your car to unload your bags even before you’ve popped the trunk.

“James” (yes, that’s really his name) is one of a half dozen butlers on staff at the elegant 28-room Mansion on Delaware in downtown Buffalo that dates back to 1869. The butlers are happy to drive you around town, pour you a complimentary drink in the drawing room at cocktail hour — even run you a hot bath in your whirlpool tub. Their white glove treatment sets the stage for a couple of days of being spoiled rotten in Buffalo.

BY ANNE BOKMA

in BUFFALO

StAr trEAtMENt At GrOOM SErvicE The pampering continues when we head to Groom Service Beauty & Dry Bar, an upscale beauty bar on the ground floor of the elegantly restored Hotel Lafayette. Here, positive feminine energy abounds, and not just because this grand neoclassical hotel was designed in the early 1900s

by Louise Blanchard Bethune, the first American woman who worked as a professional architect.

Katie Ambrose, a New York makeup artist to the stars who recently moved back to Buffalo to open the salon, gives her clients the kind of luxurious beauty experiences usually Groom Service Beauty & Dry Bar

reserved for celebrities. My girlfriend Donna and I spend a couple of glorious hours with Katie that begins with a mini meditation session involving crystals and “angelic spray” to help balance our chakras and continues with a facial, “intuitive make-up lesson” and hair styling. A final application of feathery false eyelashes has us coquettishly batting our eyes over our lunch menus when we pop in next door to the Pan-American Grill & Brewery to fortify ourselves for an afternoon of shopping with scallop cakes and sugar beet salad.

EMPORIUMS ON ELMWOOD It’s no secret that Canadians love to power shop Buffalo’s outlet stores, but we opt to bypass the mega malls for some good old fashioned street shopping.

We spend a few hours strolling the mile-long Elmwood Avenue, checking out the eclectic range of dozens of retail offerings. We peruse furnishings made by local craftspeople at RÓ, float in the aroma of hundreds of exotic seasonings at the elaborately stocked Penzeys Spices, ooh and ahh over the unique gift selections (dragonfly salad tongs anyone?) at the charming Everything Elmwood, browse best-

sellers at Talking Leaves, the city’s oldest bookstore, and try on flowing summer dresses in a range of boutiques, from Anna Grace to Blush and Second Chic, an upcycle consignment shop where I pick up a vintage halter dress for a bargain basement $22. When we stop to fuel up on caffeine, even the SPoT coffee shop is

Second Chic

a delight with its powder blue Victorian settee and tempting display of red velvet donuts, a local specialty that proves irresistible.

OUT ON THE TOWN

After the show, we aren’t quite ready to call it a night.

Fortunately, another theatregoer recommends a stop at Buffalo Proper, a restaurant and bar that tips its hat to the prohibition era when wealthy Buffalonians found a way to sneak a drink in defiance of the 18th amendment. Here, master barman and cocktail curator Jon Karel regales us with further theatrical Shea’s Performing Arts Center antics, displaying his frenetic energy while concocting fancifully named drinks such as Bare Knuckle Boxer, Snake Charmer and Killer Bee’s.

It’s the perfect end to a perfect day. Tomorrow, we have a couple more stops to finish our Buffalo getaway – including an afternoon outing to Canalside, a beautiful new waterfront area with free events from pilates classes to classical concerts, and what will prove to be a very memorable five-course prix fixe menu with wine pairings at Martin Cooks, the city’s first example of chef’s counter dining where guests look on while the chef prepares his signature dishes in an open kitchen.

But right now, as the clock hits midnight, we’re ready to head back to our fluffy beds at the Mansion.

We ring our butler who arrives in minutes. As I climb into the backseat I utter words I’ve been looking forward to saying all day: “Home, James.”

Buffalo Proper

Our extended shopping trip means there’s little time for dinner so once again the butlers at the Mansion accommodate us by preparing plates of pizza and fresh fruit before driving us to the opening night of the raucous musical, The Book of Mormon, at Shea’s Performing Arts Center. The restored theatre, which features a full season of blockbuster Broadway musicals, boosts eight-foot tall crystal chandeliers and intricately painted ceilings in the lobby, recalling its glory days as an elaborate movie house dating from 1926.

Mansion on Delaware by KC Kratt. Groom Service and Second Chic

by Katie Ambrose. Shea’s by Jim Bush. Buffalo Proper by Lisa Lubin.

TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 55

a day in the life at

COPELAND

HOUSE Just an hour north of the GTA, winter fun & adventure live in the hills of Horseshoe Valley.

An easy drive through the relaxing hills is exactly the gear shift you’ll look forward to as you anticipate taking in the natural beauty to come. Horseshoe Resort has been the winter playground of avid alpine and nordic skiers alike for decades. This pristine, forested wonderland enchants visitors year after year as families and friends make it their destination for a variety of year round recreational activities. The resort continues expanding to include exciting new sports and programs for outdoor enthusiasts (and enthusiastic spectators) of all skill levels.

Own the Slopes This winter marks a new chapter at Horseshoe, as visitors who’ve always dreamed of making their getaways last longer begin to move into their new Copeland House slopeside whole-ownership condos at the base of the hill. The completion of Copeland House offers an exciting new way to experience the vibrant energy of the resort, and all of the comforts of home at the same time. The first phase of this development from Skyline Resort Communities opens the door to welcoming a brand new community centred in the heart of Horseshoe Resort which will continue to expand in the coming years.

Coffee and Corduroy

Connect in Comfort

With a fresh cup of coffee in hand, a smile stretches across your face as you take in the view from your slopeside retreat. 29 runs of freshly groomed, finely ridged corduroy are calling for you to claim first tracks. It’s easy to become a morning person around here, as you grab your gear and make your way out to the lifts.

Get back out on the slopes for the remaining afternoon right until the sun sets and the lights come on to set the stage for the magic of night skiing under the stars. Perhaps you’ve already earned your sore muscles and are ready for therapeutic massage at the Shizen Spa? Hot stones, aromatherapy and serenity are all available at your convenience. When it’s time to meet back at the condo and decide where to have dinner you may have some trouble deciding between the casual atmosA full day of outdoor adventure is yours on and phere of the Crazy Horse or fine dining at the off the hills at Horseshoe. Take a few runs, Inn Steakhouse. After all, every chef needs then join the family for an “all thrill-no skill” a night off now and then. The apres life at afternoon of snow tubing. 45 kms of groomed Horseshoe includes music, laughter and great nordic trails wind throughout the Copeland food for all tastes. forest for those looking for a heart healthy way to enjoy their winter workouts. Snowshoeing, skating on the pond or taking an exhilarating ride on snowmobiles are great ways for you and Retiring to your suite may just be the easiest a group of friends to get together and make trip home you’ve ever made after a full day new memories while you enjoy the vast won- at Horseshoe Resort. With your fireplace derland outside your backdoor. casting cosy warmth throughout your stylish With a healthy outdoor life, come healthy living room, this is a place where everyone appetites! Warm up in the comfort of your suite can gather to play board games, enjoy a glass with enough room for everyone to enjoy a relaxing of wine or quietly surf the web together to lunch prepared in your fully equipped kitchen. unwind before calling it a day. As you settle From granite countertops to stainless steel appli- into the luxury of your bedroom, you note ances, everything you need to create high energy the softly falling snow outside your window. meals to satisfy your team is right here in your Looks like tomorrow’s conditions are already beautifully appointed designer space. shaping up to be great.

Afternoon Adventure

Suite Dreams

Horseshoe …has been the birthplace for a number of noteworthy and accomplished Ontario alpine and freestyle ski athletes and offers programs that can take the tiniest snow bunnies from learning the basics to tearing up the racing circuits. If you’re an aspiring skier or just a little rusty, you’ll find the warm and friendly team of experienced instructors make learning fun again as you develop your skills and take on new challenges. TM

TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 57

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BRANDON GETS HIS M

eet nine-year-old Brandon. Like many kids his age, he is full of energy, adventurous and curious about the world around him. He absolutely loves water and animals so it comes as no surprise that he is especially fascinated with marine life.

Brandon also lives with a life-threatening illness – a congenital cardiac condition that he has had since birth.

When he qualified to receive a wish from Make-A-Wish®, Brandon knew exactly what he wanted: to swim with the stingrays at Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada!

This past August, Brandon’s magical wish came true with the help of many special people, including those at Skyline International Development. Accompanied by his mom, Jessica, the pair travelled from their hometown in Southwestern Ontario to Toronto, where they stayed at the Pantages Hotel in the city’s downtown core.

When his special day finally arrived, Brandon could not wait to explore everything the aquarium had to offer, not to mention having the opportunity to swim with some new underwater friends. He wanted to make sure he saw everything he could in the time he had to

visit. The minute his eye caught something exciting, he was there in a flash, never staying in one place for too long. He loved every second of it!

Before Brandon knew it, he was suited up and into the water he went, with his mom and the instructor. He reveled in the experience of being so close to the stingrays that he was able to pet them. Brandon was all smiles. The entire experience made it clear that he was passionate about these majestic underwater creatures.

In addition to swimming with the stingrays, Brandon experienced many other ‘firsts’ during his visit to Toronto. He enjoyed staying at the Pantages Hotel, just minutes away from all of the exciting activities and adventures he took part in during his stay, including a visit to the CN Tower and a trip to the Royal Ontario Museum. From the limo and train ride to travelling on the subway and everything in between, Brandon’s visit to the big city gave him memories that will surely last a lifetime.

“Thank you for helping to make my wish come true, it was the highlight of my summer!” – Brandon TM TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 59

THIS HIGHWAY

BY POWDER MATT MOSTELLER

is paved with

POWDER M

other Nature created a magical region blessed with an average of over 50 feet of snow, big mountains with crazy off the charts variety of terrain to explore for every ability, and vertical descents that put the region in the record books. Easy airport access makes it so unique that you can enjoy three World Class ski resorts in a ski week or choose one to make your snow dreams come true this winter!

The passion of the people along the famed Powder Highway, have created three communities each rich in its own story, tightly woven within nature’s threads, which when you leave, you will bask in the wild afterglow that will lift your spirits like no other place.

Are you ready for a winter escape with a difference? British Columbia beckons, and Fernie, Golden and Kimberley are calling you! >>

TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 61

the powder highway GOLDEN, BC

Close proximity to six of the most stunning national parks that Canada has to offer, you feel immersed in the wild here. The only challenge here is choosing your powder play, as it is in the heart of the region with the most cat skiing, heli skiing, and backcountry touring operators in the world! Home to Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, the 4th biggest vertical in North America and topped with champagne powder, skiers and snowboarders, donning big smiles while enjoying the endless variety of terrain. Breaks are taken over dining delights at Eagles Eye, Canada’s highest restaurant, and after all the yahoos on the slopes, retreat to one of the many high end, boutique lodging options that dot the slopeside.

FERNIE, BC

One word, tops skiers and snowboarders mind here: powder. And lots of it! Fernie Alpine Resort is massive, encompassing five white-gold filled alpine bowls, the deepest snow and biggest vertical in the Canadian Rockies. Don’t miss a peak experience with a ride to the sky raking polar peak. Hollywood happens here, location for such classics as Hot Tub Time Machine and Inception, one place where you may find friends like Justin Timberlake on a powder day. At the end of the day, everyone becomes friends at the Griz Bar, Canada’s #1 apres ski spot.

KIMBERLEY, BC

A snowball’s throw away from Fernie, sits this alpine city, perched high in the Purcell Mountains, known for copious amounts of ‘fairy dust’, some of the driest and lightest snow in North America.

Tree skiing here is a real treat with the largest gladed skiing terrain in canada. And the fun doesn’t end at dusk. Kimberley is home to one of North America’s longest illuminated runs, making it a moonlight favourite. Skiing under the stars, combined with ski in and ski out lodging, slopeside hot tubs and pools, and a dedicated kids trail network, make this a perfect family ski vacation destination. Snow unlike any other is a big reason why these communities along the powder highway of British Columbia stand out, but again the spirit and passion of the people will be what brings you back. Here is a great place to be.

further east MONT SAINTE-ANNE

The ski slopes rise from the shores of the mighty St. Lawrence Seaway giving you a skiing backdrop of spectacular views. Incredible snow and the biggest mountain experience in the east, you will be tested to try what Ski Canada Magazine says are some of the best ski runs.

STONEHAM

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ski Canada card

Horseshoe Resort is coming out of the gate strong this year with an exciting new partnership with Resorts of the Canadian Rockies that creates an amazing opportunity for their season ski and snowboard pass holders.

Located just an hour north of Toronto, Ontario and offering 29 runs for all levels of skill from beginner to advanced, Horseshoe Resort has introduced the Ski Canada Card for just an additional $99 as an added benefit available with the purchase of any Horseshoe Resort season pass product.

The Ski Canada Card option gives season pass holders access to six of Canada’s iconic Ski/Snowboard Resorts including Fernie Alpine Resort, Mont Sainte Anne, Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, Stoneham, Kimberley Alpine Resort and Nakiska. Two days of skiing at any of the six world-class resorts, plus a bonus of 50% off each subsequent day of skiing at their resort of choice.

“We’ve had loyal passholders year after year at Horseshoe, many of whom are actively involved in our race programs and love knowing the slopes are just an hour out of Toronto. I’m really excited that we’re bringing this opportunity to our skiers to offer them another way to experience incredible skiing across Canada, while also delivering a great “at-home” ski resort experience on the best groomed runs in Ontario” said Jonathan Reid, Director of Operations at Horseshoe Resort.

In addition to being open for Alpine day and night skiing seven days a week, Horseshoe Resort also offers a variety of other ways to make the most of the winter sport season including fat bikes, snowshoeing, Nordic skiing, and snow tubing. Each winter, the resort hosts a variety of ski and snowboard competitions, weekly events and a vibrant apres scene. TM

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& ICE WINE DINE at the PANTAGES

This November, the Downtown Yonge Business Improvement Area (DYBIA) warmed up with its annual food and drink festival Ice Wine & Dine on Elm Street and the much-anticipated KidzFest on Yonge-Dundas Square.

“November is a great time to bundle up the entire family and enjoy some fine food, good wine and live music outdoors,” says DYBIA executive director Mark Garner. An annual event, Ice Wine & Dine offers the chance to sample a range of delights from the cafes, pubs and bistros on Elm Street, one of the city’s favourite restaurant rows. >>

TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 65

ICE WINE & DINE OFFERS THE CHANCE TO SAMPLE A RANGE OF DELIGHTS FROM THE CAFES, PUBS AND BISTROS ON ELM STREET...

Participants were encouraged to take a stroll along the festively-lit street and take advantage of various tasting menus, or stop for a drink at the wine bar. The much-anticipated ice martini bar, run by Stages Restaurant & Lounge at the Pantages Hotel, concocted a few special Ice Wine & Dine cocktails including a festive Candy Cane Martini, Chocolate Raspberry Martini and Christmas Cookie Martini.

All proceeds from the ice martini bar went to the DYBIA’s charity partner, Raising the Roof, an agency dedicated to finding long-term solutions to homelessness in Canada. Donations were also collected at various locations along Elm Street throughout the evening.

“Stages deserves a special thank you for donating not only all the ingredients for the martini bar, but also their staff time,” added Garner.

Live entertainment took to Elm Street throughout the festival, with fire performers, aerialists and acrobats, sketch artists and handwriting analysts onsite.

ABOUT STAGES RESTAURANT & LOUNGE: Formerly the Martini Bar, the newly opened Stages Restaurant and Lounge offers a fresh take on downtown Toronto dining. Tucked into the lobby of Pantages Hotel, this chic restaurant and lounge provides the vibrant atmosphere where you can witness the awakening of downtown Toronto through floor to ceiling windows. Sip on a hand-crafted cocktails or a glass from the curated wine list, and savour the flavours that the fresh Canadian menu has to offer.

Stages Restaurant & Lounge is located in the heart of downtown Toronto, an ideal location to unwind after a busy day. Stages is a perfect venue for business dinners, weekday happy hours, pre or post theatre tapas, and blissful night caps. TM

Make-A-Wish Canada ÂŽ

grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy.

Donate at makeawish.ca

Skyline Hotels & Resorts is a proud supporter of Make-A-WishÂŽ Canada.

TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 67

B A R R I E

MOVE IN THIS SKI SEASON Unleash the possibilities of a new slopeside experience. Come be part of a one-of-a-kind resort community, nestled in the heart of Horseshoe Resort. Enjoy access to a 680 acre playground offering every winter activity you can imagine - right at your door.

Then, step into your new four season, cottage home and experience the luxury of unwinding in your own après ski retreat. All for a price you can actually afford.

Slopeside condos starting from low $200s

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