On the Boulevard - Spring 2014

TODAY MAGAZINE

Burton Cummings Anna Olson’s

Has His Own Way to Rock

Lemon Meringue Pie

The Man Behind the Magic Up close and personal with Greg Frewin

Tropical Getaways in Niagara Escaping the Winter Chill

IN ROOM COPY VOL 1 | ISSUE 3

2012 SPRING 2014

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COVER STORY BURTON CUMMINGS l 34 He has his own way to rock.

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FOOD & DRINK PEPPER PALACE l 7 The Pepper Palace

BERRIES & CHERRIES l 13

Learn from some of Niagara’s most creative chefs on how delicious Niagara berries can be.

BEING PART OF THE COOL CROWD l 16 Cool climate wines.

EATING FROM AN INTERNATIONAL GARDEN l 19

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Mastering flavours from around the world.

BUILDING A BETTER BURGER l 22 Beef lovers. This is how you do it.

PRESIDENT & CEO Dan Pasco VP OF SALES & MARKETING Nicole Guerin SALES REPRESENTATIVES David Mace Alex Mills Michael Risi Jill Tkachuk Karen Williams EDITOR Megan Pasche CREATIVE DIRECTOR Ashley Calla SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER Tina Lanzillotta

RECIPES

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Tabitha MacDonald

Recipe by Anna Olson.

IT/WEB DEVELOPER Justin Soungie

LEMON MERINGUE PIE l 24 WILD MUSHROOM SOUP l 27

Recipe courtesy of Ravine Vineyards.

ENTERTAINMENT

41

PUBLISHER Rev Publishing Inc.

THE MAN BEHIND THE MAGIC l 30

Up close and personal with Greg Frewin.

ABOUT TOWN SPYCE UP YOUR LIFE l 41

With Hilton’s nightlife options.

TROPICAL GETAWAYS l 43 Escaping the winter chill.

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Angela Aiello Lynn Ogryzlo Anna Olson Sandra Ozkur Dr. Flavio TO ADVERTISE PLEASE CALL 905.356.7283 or 1.877.888.2825 WEBSITE todaymagazine.ca

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

NIAGARA FALLS ESSENTIALS l 47 Facts about the majestic Niagara Falls.

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A WHOLE NEW WAY TO EXPERIENCE NIAGARA l 48 Niagara’s newest boat tours.

NIAGARA’S OTHER FALLS l 53 Waterfalls along the escarpment.

LIFESTYLE & CULTURE DOCTOR FLAVIO l 59 Minding your business.

FASHION SPREAD l 62

Embrace both your sweet and your sassy side this spring.

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IN FOCUS SOUVENIR CITY l 66

Take some Canadiana home with you.

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

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FOOD & DRINK FOOD

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BEVERAGES

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RECIPES

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CULINARY CULTURE

PEPPERPALACE: the heat is on

By Megan Pasche

I can honestly say that the hottest thing I have ever tasted is Death by Salsa available at Niagara’s Pepper Palace, and it’s not even the hottest thing they have there. It burned, it made me cough, it made my eyes water, and maybe most importantly, it earned me a spot on the Pepper Palace Wall of Flame, an elite group of people who braved some of the hottest of the hot, and whose burnt mouths survived to tell the tale. >>

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Pepper Palace, located in the Fallsview Casino Resort, is sui generis in the Niagara area. Though there are other Pepper Palaces around North America, the Niagara store is the only one in all of Canada, with the next closest being in Chicago.

Though they are most famous for their selection of hot items, they also sell tons of other things. Pierre Lemieux, Marketing Manager for Pepper Palace Canada notes, “We have Canada’s largest selection of hot sauce, then we also have marinades, salsas, BBQ sauces, butter, jams and jellies, and pretty soon, we are going to have over

140 different kinds of spices.”

When you walk into Pepper Palace for the first time, you’ll immediately notice the huge selection of sauces; it’s hard not to, there is after all close to 700 of them lining the walls.

Each label is different and uniquely designed, some with names like Colon Cleaner or Pain is Good. They even have a horseradish called Nasal Napalm; one good sniff, and your senses will be snapped awake. The sauces and other items are rated on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the hottest.

That salsa that I tried earlier? It’s a 10+.

There is a large tasting bar featuring over 100 different items, giving people a chance to find their tolerance level for spice. And Pierre shares that the tasting bar is one of the things that makes the Pepper Palace such a fun place to be.

Remembering back to when they first opened in May of 2013, Pierre says, “it was busy right from the time we opened up the doors. It took maybe ten minutes for somebody to try the hottest sauce.” And that’s all part of the fun right?

Seeing just how much hotness you can tolerate?

The first Pepper Palace was opened in 1989

DID YOU KNOW? The heat in peppers comes from capsaicin, which is a colourless, odourless compound. The heat is measured on the Scoville Scale, and the heat is reported in Scoville Heat Units.

The Scoville Scale goes up to 16 million units, which would be pure, crystallized capsaicin.

Ghost Peppers

rates 1 million units on the Scoville Scale

The hottest pepper in the world is the Carolina Reaper, which rates from 1.5 million to 2 million on the Scoville Scale.

The hottest product available at Pepper Palace rates 9 million units on the Scoville Scale (this product is called Mad Dog Plutonium).

Pepper Palace’s Hottest Sauce in

the Universe-2nd Dimension, rates 3.5 million units on the Scoville Scale, and is currently the hottest sauce you are able to purchase.

Things like milk, sugar and bread can be soothing to a burning mouth, but drinking water won’t help, as capsaicin is not water-soluble.

Jalapeno Peppers rates 1 million units on the Scoville Scale

in a kiosk at a mall in Wisconsin. It grew rapidly in popularity, spreading across the continent.

The Pepper Palace headquarters is located in Tennessee and this is where all the Pepper Palace brand products get made (the store sells the Pepper Palace brand, as well as several others).

Pierre relates that at the Pepper Palace Niagara Falls store, “the selection is huge. It is kind of a one stop shop for anything from grilling to gift items.”

Owner Chris Horton also notes that the things that set Pepper Palace apart from other stores are “the sample bar, the overwhelming selection and the exemplary customer service.”

Pepper Palace will be one of the main sponsors for the Big Brothers Big Sisters WingFest that is taking place in Niagara Falls on Canada Day. Not only is it a great fundraising event for a wonderful cause, but the folks at Pepper Palace will also be creating the hottest wing ever, and

Habanero Peppers rates 1 million units on the Scoville Scale

challenging people to try even just a bite.

Pepper Palace is a great place to stop by if you are looking for something a little different to try.

While their best selling products are the spiciest items, those with a more sensitive palate need not worry; there are sauces, salsas and other products to cater to those taste buds that prefer a milder flavour.

And hey, if you are brave enough, you will be able to join me (and about 350 others) on the famous Pepper Palace Wall of Flame!

Pepper Palace is located in the Fallsview Casino Resort. You can visit their website at pepperpalace.ca or visit there Facebook page at facebook.com/PepperPalaceNiagaraFalls.com.

Tabasco Sauce

rates 1 million units on the Scoville Scale

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BERRIES &Cherries By: Lynn Ogryzlo l Photos: Jon Ogryzlo

I

rresistible pints of just-picked berries, naturally nutritious, colorful and sweet will soon line tables at the farmers’ market. But before you pick up your first pint at the local market, you may want to learn from some of Niagara’s most creative chefs on how delicious Niagara berries can be.

“We all die and go to heaven when farmer Dave brings in the white buckets of blueberries,” swoons award winning pastry chef Catharine O’Donnell. “The smells that fill the room when the buckets are opened is quintessential fresh blueberry and who doesn’t get excited over that.”

At Willow Cakes & Pastries “our customers have never seen a canned fruit in any of our products,” explains Catharine who takes full advantage of working in the middle of Niagara’s best berries and cherries. todaymagazine.ca 13

“W

e use strawberries and raspberries fresh, but blueberries have become our signature here at the bakery.” At Willow Cakes you’ll find just picked blueberries topping tarts, tucked into clafoutis or buried deep into muffins, but their signature blueberry dessert is their Blueberry Panna Cotta.

“First, we slice each blueberry in half and soak them in Riesling,” explains chef Catharine. “We tried icewine and a few other wines, but blueberries and Riesling are really the best partners.” They use part of the drunken berries mixture as a base for the panna cotta then when they put the dessert together, they layer panna cotta, spiked blueberries and more panna cotta. “That puts the wine soaked blueberries in the middle,” says Catharine. It’s overflowing with blueberry flavour while the cooked cream luxuriates across your palate, a truly sensuous dessert.

Berries are nutritional powerhouses whether they’re eaten fresh, frozen, dried, freeze-dried or powdered. Blueberries in particular, may improve motor skills and reverse the short-term memory loss that comes with aging.

It’s the flavour of cherries that inspire partners Ryan Hegedus and Chef Stacey Clare of Above and Beyond Cupcakes to pick their own cherries from orchards in Fort Erie. The berry loving duo bake cakes, pastries and cupcakes in their Clean Label Bakery on Main Street in Welland. The certification of Clean Label means they don’t use any chemicals, preservatives or artificial flavours in their sweet creations.

This means they rely on fresh fruit in season for flavour.

Some of it is frozen and made into unusual creations like Cherry Aioli that’s spread on a turkey sandwich. “Cherry has a tang and sweetness like cranberry but without the bitterness,” explains Stacey. Chopped cherries are mixed with fresh house-made mayo.

The sandwich includes roasted turkey, lettuce, pepper-jack cheese, tomato and balsamic marinated red onion. It comes with a soup or a salad for only $9.00. It’s a seasonal sandwich so enjoy it now before it’s replaced with the flavours of the upcoming season.

Niagara berries have also inspired Above and Beyond’s Triple Berry cupcake. A vanilla based cupcake stuffed with strawberry compote and topped with a triple berry cream (blackberries, blueberries, raspberries and lots of butter). It’s available throughout berry growing season.

Official chef for Thirteenth Street Winery located on Whitty Farms, Oscar Turchi gets excited about the fruit that grows around the farm he caters on. It starts in the spring with fresh strawberries that he uses to top mini tarts filled with luscious lemon mousse and fresh raspberries that go on toast points loaded with prosciutto and creamy goats cheese.

His favourite season is fall when he roasts grapes with shallots, ginger and balsamic vinegar. He roasts them until the grapes pop and the juices mix together sensually. He uses this to garnish crostini, brie and pancetta. “It’s a surprising mouthful that pleases,” smiles Turchi who explains how grapes are the exception to his berry rule. “I hate cooked berries,” he says. “You have to add vanilla and sugar and heat them. It changes the flavour and colour, they’re not the same.”

Turchi is the regions hors d’oeuvre specialist creating dozens of one-bite appetizers that are available fresh or frozen in his gourmet storefront called Savoia on Martindale Road in St Catharines.

Throughout the summer, fresh berries adorn many sweet and savoury flavour appetizers and is why his menu of hors d’oeuvre changes frequently.

Like Chef Oscar, Antoinette D’Amico-Coles, Pastry Chef at Commisso’s Fresh Foods in Niagara Falls hates cooking berries. “I use raspberries fresh as a garnish, whole in desserts or puree them for a delicious mousse,” says Antoinette who loves walking through Niagara’s farm markets. “I go out to the markets to see what’s in season. I talk to the farmers about the season because the weather can really change the flavour of fresh berries.”

The pastry counter at Commisso’s changes dramatically through the summer but one thing you can count on are some classic desserts brought to life with Niagara’s fresh fruit. “I love the classics,” says Antoinette. In the pastry counter you may find frangipane with blueberries, raspberry bread pudding with white chocolate, cherry cobbler or classic strawberry cake with toasted almonds. “My inspiration comes from my visits to the market and talking to the farmers.”

Like Antionette, Pastry Chef Giovanni Del Priore of Criveller Cakes and Pastry in Niagara Falls loves all berries and he blends them all together in his famous Zuppa Inglese (translated it means English Soup, but this delicious creation is anything but soup).

First, he lines a cake pan with bits and pieces of sponge cake. He pours an Italian liqueur called Alkermes over top. Alkermes has flavours of cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and vanilla. He spreads a fresh berry puree over it all and tosses a mix of fresh Niagara berries over that. It’s all allowed to sit, soak and blend the flavours. To serve it, Giovanni scoops it out of the cake pan with an ice cream scooper and puts it into a dark chocolate cup. The finishing touch is more chocolate garnish and more fresh fruit. “My customers die for it and so do I,” says Giovanni.

Chef Jan-Willem Stulp at Grand Oak Culinary Market in Vineland is inspired by his neighbours produce. “Cherry Lane Farm and Allberry Farms are my neighbours,” says Chef Jan-Willem who adds Niagara cherries to grainy mustard in his signature cherry mustard that goes deliciously well on summer sandwiches, pork and even salmon. “It works like a charm, like honey mustard, but better.”

While his cherry mustard is mostly a seasonal product, he’s quick to point out that Cherry Lane Farm freezes pails of cherries so he can make his cherry mustard any time of the year, but notes, “it’s really a bright summer flavour.”

Part of Grand Oak Culinary Market includes fresh produce as well as a gourmet market and here Jan-Willem encourages his customers to pick up a pint of strawberries or blueberries as a good wholesome snack to be eaten right out of hand. In the gourmet market he offers fresh cherry juice and other artisan products from local berry growers.

Take it from these berry-loving chefs, Niagara berries and cherries have so much more to offer than the delicious pies and tarts we all love.

Lynn Ogryzlo is a food, wine and travel writer, international award winning author and regular contributor to REV Publications. She can be reached for questions or comments at www.lynnogryzlo.com.

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BEING PART OF

COOLCROWD By: Angela Aiello l Photos: The Brain Farm

W

ell, it’s winter in Canada – and it sure has been a cold one.

Other than the abundance of Icewine and partaking in a few winter activities, for me, winter is all about sipping red wine from the comfort of my own couch. Many of us escape somewhere warmer for some vitamin D and sunshine – but wine can certainly suffice if you prefer hibernation.

In the world of wine, there are warm and cool climates.

With so many grapes varieties in the world (and trust me, there are thousands of types) there are different grapes that grow better in warmer versus cooler regions. Here in Ontario, as I’m sure you can guess, we are a cool climate region. We fit into the Northern Hemisphere wine belt, which includes regions such as Germany and the Northern part of France (mostly cooler climates). The Southern Hemisphere also has a wine belt (with mostly warmer regions), and in that belt are wine regions like Australia, Argentina, South Africa and Chile.

A grapevine needs at least 100 days of full sun to fully mature. Most red wines need more days of sun to increase the sugar inside, which increases the body in red wines (hence warmer climates produce such full-bodied red wines). In Ontario, we only get warm enough three years out of every ten to produce really full-bodied red wines that compare to other warmer climates. That being said, Ontario (and Niagara specifically) produce fantastic medium to full-bodied reds, and one of my favourites is Merlot. It is a grape that is not very popular these days, in some part from the reputation it was given in the movie Sideways, but Niagara produces some amazing bottles you need to try. If you’re looking for really full-bodied reds from warmer vintages in Niagara, look for the years 2007, 2010 and 2012. If you remember, we had really warm summers those years, which makes our red wines bigger and bolder.

The other grape that thrives well in our cooler climate is Riesling (remember we’re on the same belt as Germany, which is the place where Riesling is standard). I’m pretty sure that every single winery in Niagara makes a bottle of Riesling, and each one is unique and special. It is one of my favourite grapes because it is so affordable, delicious and has the ability to age for years and years. It is a wine that pairs well with almost everything, and people always love it. In my opinion, it is the perfect go-to wine, and Niagara makes some of the best Riesling in the world.

Another amazing cool climate wine is Sparkling wine.

Most traditionally made Sparkling wine is produced with Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier grapes, but you can really add bubbles to any wine and use any grape. In Niagara, they mostly use Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, which are classic cool climate grape

varieties. The grapes in Sparkling wine are not typically listed on the bottle. However, if a Sparkling wine is made 100% from Chardonnay it can be called a “Blanc de Blanc” (translating to white of white), and if made from 100% Pinot Noir it is called “Blanc de Noir” (meaning white of red). There is a fantastic Sparkling wine from Peller Estates Winery that is called Ice Cuvée and it is made with a dash of Icewine to add a bit of sweetness.

If there is a year noted on the bottle of wine, then all of the grapes were harvested from that year and used in the bottle (very rare for Sparkling wine). Otherwise, grapes from several years are blended together to create a certain taste profile.

Today, there is a trend back to the art of the blend.

While many wineries start with single varietals, you’ll notice more producers going back to that classic style of wine making. The world of wine is much more complex than single varietals and has been built on the art of blending wines. Like any great relationship, when multiple ‘personalities’ come together, they can bring out the best in the other and complement strengths. A famous “blend trend” is Gewurztraminer and Riesling.

The combination of aromas from the Gewurztraminer and the backbone of acidity of the Riesling make for the perfect combination to enjoy. Also quite common, the Chardonnay grape is typically used in many white blends around Niagara, and these wines taste great because they bring out the best in each grape. Whether red or white – they please a crowd and are priced right.

Pinot Noir is a thin-skinned grape that is grown all over the world but thrives in cooler climate regions.

Many warm climate regions grow Pinot as well and it can be a fuller-bodied red, but it mostly is a light to medium-bodied red wine that is grown in cool areas. It is a challenging grape to grow, which is exactly why so many winemakers love it. Niagara’s Pinot Noir is really wonderful and is done really well. While you’re sipping Pinot Noir, be sure to try our Chardonnay (it is really quite unbelievable as well). Many regions all over the world make Chardonnay but some of my favourites come from right here in Ontario.

If you’re a Sauvignon Blanc fan, Niagara is the place you’ll find something right up your alley. This racy grape is the perfect wine for the Spring and Summer months.

It is crisp and fresh and a great pairing for your green vegetables and summer barbecues. It is a wine that many people really enjoy and is quite lovely when it has had some time with lees or even in oak barrels (my personal favourite).

Cabernet Franc is another one of our treasured cool climate varieties and so is Baco Noir. They are both medium-bodied reds and definitely worth trying and sharing with friends. When you’re looking for a certain style of wine, make sure you know which ones grow better in warm versus cool climates so you know what to shop and look for. The local Niagara wineries have some amazing wines that might not even be listed here, so stay cool and support our Niagara producers by trying out what they’ve been experimenting and creating! todaymagazine.ca 17

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Garden

EATING FROM AN INTERNATIONAL

By: Lynn Ogryzlo

One of these summers I’d love to plant a garden that gives me the right kinds of foods to create my favourite French dishes. Each ingredient, naturally grown and plucked from the garden at their peak of ripeness. That’s exciting. Or perhaps it will be a Thai summer. I’ve fallen in love with the way Thai cooks use combinations of lemon grass, mint and hot peppers and I want to grow some of their green leafy vegetables.

You too can explore a country this summer by planting a garden filled with the vegetables of an ethnic cuisine.

Imagine savouring the flavours of baked sweet fennel reminiscent of French cuisine, mouth watering tender asparagus picked just the way they like it in Alsace, grilled sausages over steaming German-style sauerkraut, Mexican tamales stuffed with fresh corn and a Thai stir-fry made with home-grown ginger. Let your garden and your kitchen, carry you round the world this summer in these amazing ethnic gardens.

ITALIAN GARDEN Most of the vegetables and herbs planted in an Italian vegetable garden contain tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, a variety of greens, beans and zucchini. There are differences though. Italian tomato varieties, like Roma are grown to make tomato sauce. Sweet peppers are frequently long and thin (also known as banana peppers) rather than short and blocky and the small, hot Pepperoncini is often used in antipasto. It is the red pimento variety that Italians love to char on the barbecue to make the succulent roasted red peppers.

Eggplant is one of Italy’s favourite vegetables because the flesh absorbs the flavours of other ingredients in the pan, especially garlic and oregano.

They tend to be smaller and either elongated or round. Rosa Bianco is a white variety with a creamytextured and mild tasting flesh.

Other Italian vegetables that are easily grown in an ethnic garden include arugula (rocket), escarole,

dandelion, Catalonian chicory, broccoli raab, rapini, sweet fennel and garlic. Italian herbs include the large, flat leafed variety of parsley, large, green leafed basil and small-leafed oregano bushes. You can harvest all summer long with these prolific herbs. Not all Italian vegetables such as artichoke will grow in Niagara because they like an extended and warmer growing season, but you can still create delicious dishes with those that will produce here.

FRENCH GARDEN Potage is the French word for soup and in a gardening context a potager is a garden containing whatever is necessary for making a delicious soup such as onions, leeks, asparagus and tomatoes.

The French harvest long, thin, beans and sweet salad greens daily to capture their tenderest flavours. Other vegetables like carrots, summer squash and peas are harvested early and petite for vibrant flavours. todaymagazine.ca 19

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The family of onions are much honoured in French cooking; the common onion (for spectacular French onion soup), scallions, shallots and leeks (brilliant in tarts) in particular. Leeks have their own special taste, buttery, mild and oniony They’re not used merely as invisible flavouring or stir-fry ingredients as we use them, but are served alone as a salad with vinaigrette. The baby ones are served hot with a cream sauce or cooked into a rich soup and all leeks can be used as a filling for tarts, quiches or pastry squares.

Shallots are milder and sweeter than most onions, tasting between that of garlic and onion. The rich, subtle and complex flavour is considered important in mirepoix, a basic minced-vegetable mixture which includes onions, celery and leeks and is used to flavour many sauces and stews.

Use shallots in cream soups with leeks, stuffings and wherever you want a mild onion flavour.

GERMAN GARDEN Asparagus is considered a great delicacy in Germany. The most prized asparagus are the fat, tender, white ones. The good news with this perennial plant is that it is capable of producing delicious spears for up to 20 years. Harvest them in the spring when they are is 6 to 8 inches high, any larger and they’ll begin to taste woody. Simply steam asparagus and serve it with butter or prepare it German-style with hollandaise sauce and a few slices of ham on the side (Black Forest ham, of course).

Beets are a favourite German vegetable that grow well in a sunny Niagara garden.

They’re frequently pickled in vinegar and sugar and seasoned with mustard seeds, cumin or caraway. Germans often prefer them grated and used in salads or combined with cucumbers in a pureed soup. The leaves are also delicious and can be prepared very much like spinach or Swiss chard.

Cabbage is a German staple and they grow varieties that will store well in a cool cellar so theoretically they eat cabbage almost all year round. The large, dense, velvety smooth cabbages are best for sauerkraut. The flavourful red ones are good for slaw or for pickling with vinegar and sugar and flavouring with apples, prunes, cloves and red wine. Sliced cabbage is also wonderful steamed with onions, apples, pears or prunes.

MEXICAN GARDEN Most vegetables in a Mexican garden are often the same or similar varieties to those we usually grow in Niagara; tomatoes, onions, green peppers, squash and sunflowers are often the same or similar varieties. Mexican ingredients include exotic epazote and chia (both herbs) amaranth, lima beans, runner beans, tomatillos and different kinds of chili peppers.

Hot Serrano peppers are the most popular and are used in fresh salsa, guacamole and chili to spice it up. For a milder dish jalapenos are used. You may try to seek out the variety called “Early Jalapeno” as it grows best in our shorter season or the “Texas A & M”, which is a milder form. Smoked jalapenos are called chipotles and when they’re prepared in a tomato sauce they’re called chipotles en adobo.

Both summer and winter squash are used in Mexico. Summer squash is perfect for absorbing the flavours of chilies, garlic, onion, tomato and numerous herbs. To this mixture add cubed pork and serve it with corn tortillas for an authentic Mexican meal from the garden.

Tomatillos are related to the tomato, they have a paper-like husk that is removed before eating. You can stew tomatillos with chilies and onions which complement their tart, slightly tomato-like flavour. Probably the most popular way to serve them is in salsa verde and in a sauce for enchiladas verdes.

ORIENTAL GARDEN The countries of the Orient encompass diverse climates so it is not surprising that the vegetables and herbs grown throughout are an extremely varied lot. Oriental gardeners grow such familiar vegetables as eggplants, carrots, onions and cauliflower as well as the unfamiliar.

Chinese mustard is a blanket term used to cover a whole range of mustard plants from mild to strong, that can have a slightly bitter or hot bite. They’re most often combined with ginger and used in soups or blanched and served with oyster sauce or stir-fried with meat and bean sauce.

Daikon refers to a wide range of winter radishes. The tops of Oriental radishs are braised or added to soups and the roots are cut up or grated for stir-fries of pork, shrimp or shellfish, in soups, stews and sauces but rarely used raw.

Lemongrass is an aromatic grass-family herb with a rich lemon flavour. Root several fresh stalks in a jar of water, just as you would a geranium cutting. Harvest the leaves of the lemon grass once the plant is established and use them as a seasoning in Thai dishes, sparingly in light soups and as a wonderful refreshing tea.

Lynn Ogryzlo is a food, wine and travel writer, international award winning author and regular contributor to REV Publications. She can be reached for questions or comments at lynnogryzlo.com.

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LIKE AN ARCHITECT, BACK YARD BARBECUISTS AND BEEF LOVERS TAKE BURGER BUILDING VERY SERIOUSLY. THE BEST BURGERS START WITH A GOOD FOUNDATION UPON WHICH TEXTURAL SUPPORT AND FLAVOUR FINISHES ALL COME TOGETHER FOR A GUARANTEED BURST OF PALATE EXTRAVAGANZA. HERE’S HOW IT WORKS.

BUILDING A BETTER BURGER By: Lynn Ogryzlo l Photos: Jon Ogryzlo

THE FOUNDATION: If there’s one tip that needs to be hammered home more than any other, it’s that a great burger starts with good quality beef – and not all beef is alike.

Both Alberta and Ontario beef are excellent quality but they’re fed and raised differently so the flavours are different. I find Alberta beef sweeter while Ontario is generally beefier.

Try them both for yourself, side by side, taste the difference and begin your burger building with a good foundation.

Beyond the flavour profile, good beef is also a matter of how well it cooks up. Dry aged beef is best and you’ll find it from a good butcher. I drive to Lakeshore Meats in St. Catharines, Adrian doesn’t mind questions about his beef. There are other good butchers throughout Niagara, find one close to you and ask some questions about dry beef.

If you instantly assume you’ll pay more for ground beef from a butcher, you’d be wrong.

No matter where you go, ground beef is all

approximately the same price. So it makes sense to go the extra mile to get better quality meat, you’ll taste the difference.

So important is the beef at The Works on James St in St Catharines, that Foreman, Jenna Ciccarelli buys directly from an Ontario farm. “Our beef is freshly pressed every day and our meat comes from Ledbetter Farm near Brantford,” says Jenna of their premium beef that’s 100% hormone free and grain fed. “Nothing is added - it’s just beef.”

Served slightly pink, the fresh burgers are grilled over open flame for beautiful charring.

“As the edges crisp up I can taste the flavours coming alive”, says Jenna. The burgers at The Works are grilled with a thermometer inserted into the heart of the burger. Once cooked, the burger is topped and slid into the oven for a 2-minute finishing before it’s layered onto the bun with more fresh toppings If you’re a burger fanatic, you could

grind your own beef; brisket and chuck are best. At Ravine Vineyards in St. Davids the restaurant burgers are made from chunks of meat trimmed off of their signature rib-eye steaks and ground for their burgers. Then they’re seared for a rich, beefy flavour – they’re so delicious.

There are a few chefs in Niagara obsessed with building the best burger. Some add magic ingredients that make their burgers better. Chef Rob Berry of the Bleu Turtle Restaurant in St. Catharines starts out with good quality beef and mixes it with a fist-full of steel-cut oats. “Oats soak up all the great juices and keeps all the flavour in,” says chef Berry of his popular burger topped with truffled mayo, melted brie and caramelized onions. Oh, yum!

TEXTURAL SUPPORT: Like being hit over the head with a 2 x 4, most people are astonished to hear that the bun is as important as the beef. With every

bite of a burger there is actually more bun in your mouth than beef, so it makes sense you want to strive for the perfect bun-to-beef ratio.

At Romby’s Tavern in St. Catharines, each burger stacks two, half-pound patties on a special Ace Bakery bun. Baked in Romby’s kitchen and toasted for added flavour, “the bun takes the burger from awesome to outstanding!” says burger meister, Mike Wilson. Wilson is insanely passionate about building lip-smacking, melt-in-your-mouth burgers and has a huge cult following to support his self-proclaimed “best burgers in town”.

Depending on your burger, whether it’s uber thick or thin, if there’s one patty or two, if you boost your burger with umami rich toppings or find the classic crispy lettuce and tomato to be perfect, the bun needs special consideration because it’s the most dominant textural contrast to the beef.

Buns come in a wide range of styles, textures and flavours from soft brioche or egg bun to thin sandwich buns in multigrain or vegetable flavour. In between there is an entire range of buns from crisp crust and dense innards to soft on the outside and fluffy on the inside. Take the leap from boring spongy burger buns and try them all!

Chef Elbert Wiersma of Elements Restaurant in Niagara Falls uses a softer, richer brioche bun to nail the bun-to-beef

ratio. It works brilliantly with the layered beef, Portobello mushroom, roasted red pepper, ermite blue cheese burger. While you may think the brioche is a rather delicate bun to pair with such heafty weighted ingredients, the whole burger experience comes off tasting way beyond one’s greatest burger dreams.

FLAVOUR FINISHES: While I’ve always said that commercial ketchup and relish goes well with frozen burger patties, when you’re building an amazing burger, throw out the commercial condiments and look for good quality, artisan made instead.

The newest player on the burger block is Chef Colin Goodine of The Chop House Burger Bar on Martindale Road in St. Catharines. Goodine is often said to be so insane about his burgers that he makes all of his condiments from scratch! Trusting no one, he makes a killer chipotle ketchup that goes on anything you want, a rich gherkincaper mayo for his Rueben Burger and a zesty Tzatziki mayo for the lamb burgers.

All of his burgers have a different mayo from roasted garlic mayo to black peppercorn, but also “I’m a dipper and love side dipping sauces,” says Goodine – try the Serrano really, really hot dipping sauce and the Forty Creek whisky dipping sauce to dip your burger, they’re as insane as Goodine.

IN GOOD TASTE Balancing flavours is an art that balances the burger. The options range from thick slices of house-smoked, maple bacon rashers to glistening spoonfuls of succulent bacon jam; melted chunks of tangy, old cheddar to crumbled, piquant stilton pocketed inside the ground meat; eye-popping black peppercorn aioli to smooth, spirited, bourbon barbecue sauce; char grilled, meaty Portobello mushroom caps to lusciously sweet, caramelized onions.

The best way to know what works for you is to catch some of the burger passion from these obsessed chefs and remember, when you’re building a better burger you want to aim to eat a burger that is juicy, rich and gooey with a bit of crunch and a blast of flavour. From the first bite, it should unleash a geyser of flavour onto the palate and a wave of feel-good endorphins into the bloodstream. If you can accomplish that, you’re an insanely talented burger maker with most likely, a disturbingly large crowd of friends!

Lynn Ogryzlo is a food, wine and travel writer, international award winning author and regular contributor to REV Publications. She can be reached for questions or comments at lynnogryzlo.com.

todaymagazine.ca 23

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LEMON MERINGUE PIE Recipe courtesy of Anna Olson Photo: Ryan Szulc

There’s something friendly and welcoming about lemon Meringue Pie, especially as a springtime dessert. Perhaps the yellow and white hints at the garden flower colours that will soon blossom.

Makes 1 9-inch pie Serves 8 to 10 DOUGH: 1 cup + 2 Tbsp cake & pastry flour 1 Tbsp sugar ½ tsp salt ½ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces 3 Tbsp cold water 1 tsp lemon juice or white vinegar 1 egg white, lightly whisked LEMON 1 cup ¼ cup 1 cup 6 ½ cup 2 Tbsp

CURD FILLING: sugar cornstarch water large egg yolks fresh lemon juice` unsalted butter

MERINGUE: 4 large egg whites, at room temperature ½ tsp cream of tartar ⅓ cup sugar 3 Tbsp icing sugar, sifted 1. Sift the flour, sugar and salt to combine in a bowl or using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cut in the butter by hand with a pastry cutter or on low speed until just small pieces of butter are visible and the mixture as a whole just begins to take on a pale yellow colour (indicating that the butter has been worked in sufficiently).

2. Stir the water and lemon juice together and add this to the dough all at once, mixing until the dough just comes together. Shape the dough into a disc, wrap and chill for at least 2 hours before rolling. Alternatively, the dough can be frozen for up to 3 months and thawed in the fridge before rolling.

3. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured work surface until it is in a circle that is just under ¼ inch thick. Lightly dust a 9” pie plate with flour. Press the dough into the pie plate and trim away any excess dough, pinch the edges to create a fluted pattern and chill for 30 minutes.

4. Preheat the oven to 400 °F. Line the chilled pie shell with tin foil and fill the foil with dried beans, raw rice or pie weights. Bake the pie shell for 20 minutes, then carefully remove the foil and weights and bake the crust for 8 to 10 minutes more, until the centre of the pie shell is dry-looking and just starts to brown a little. Immediately after removing the pie shell from the oven, brush the hot crust with a little of the whisked egg white. This will create a barrier to keep the crust crispy once filled. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 °F. 5. For the filling, whisk the sugar and cornstarch together in a medium saucepot, then whisk in the cold water. Have the other ingredients measured and nearby. Bring the sugar mixture up to a full simmer over medium-high heat, whisking as it cooks, until the mixture is thick and glossy.

6. Pour about a cup of this thickened filling into the egg yolks while whisking, then return this to the pot and whisk just one minute more. Whisk in the lemon juice and cook until the filling just returns to a simmer. Remove the pot from the heat and whisk in the butter then immediately pour the hot filling into the cooled pie shell (the filling will seem very fluid, but it will set up once chilled). Cover the surface of the filling with plastic wrap to keep it hot. Immediately prepare the meringue topping.

7. Whip the egg whites with the cream of tartar on medium speed until foamy, then increase the speed to high and gradually pour in the granulated sugar

and icing sugar and continue whipping just until the whites hold a medium peak when the beaters are lifted.

8. Remove the plastic wrap from the hot lemon filling, then dollop half of the meringue directly onto the filling (the filling will still be very soft, so work gently). Be sure to spread the meringue so that it completely covers the lemon filling and connects with the outside crust, then use a bamboo skewer or paring knife to swirl the meringue just a touch (this will secure it to the lemon curd). Dollop the remaining meringue onto the pie and use the back of your spatula to lift up the meringue and creates spikes. Bake the pie for about 20 minutes at 325 °F, until the meringue is nicely browned. Cool the meringue completely to room temperature before chilling for at least 4 hours.

TIPS FOR LEMON MERINGUE PIE SUCCESS: Adding the lemon juice at the end of cooking the curd filling ensures that it retains its fresh flavour, and also reduces the contact with the cooking cornstarch (its thickening power is reduced in the presence of an acid) It is critical that the filling is hot when spreading the meringue over.

If it cools, the meringue will sweat, creating a liquid layer in between the filling and itself.

Be sure to spread the meringue so that it joins with the crust. This will also help prevent a moisture layer from forming, and will prevent the meringue from shrinking as it cools.

A meringue that sweats or “beads” on top is a sign that the whites have been over whipped, over baked or merely a sign of a humid day. When whipping, the whites should hold a medium peak when the beaters are lifted and should still appear glossy. Once baked, the meringue should be a light brown, with still a few white patches visible. todaymagazine.ca 25

Wild

Mushroom Soup Ingredients: 500g. mixed wild mushrooms rinsed well in cold water 100g. butter 2.5–3 litres vegetable or chicken stock 1T. dried thyme leaves 1 large white onion- sliced 6 cloves of garlic- sliced Salt and pepper to taste Process: 1. Melt the butter in a pot over low-medium heat 2. Add the onions, garlic and thyme, sweat until soft.

3. Roughly chop the mushrooms and add to the pot, continue to cook the mushrooms for 4-5 min.

4. Add the stock and bring to a boil.

5. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.

6. Blend the soup in a blender until smooth. Adjust the consistency by adding more stock or water.

Season to taste.

Notes: Whisk in a small knob of butter and a few drops of white truffle oil to add richness and body immediately before serving. *Recipe courtesy of Ravine Vineyards.

todaymagazine.ca 27

todaymagazine.ca 29

“A little magic can take you a long way.”

Ronald Dahl

MAN

THE

MAGIC BEHIND THE

By Megan Pasche l Photos: Mike Farkas of G3 Designs

Greg Frewin is one of Canada’s most mind-bending magicians.

He has won every major award in the world of magic including the Magician of the Year in the World Magic Awards in 2009 and first place at the International Brotherhood of Magicians competition. He has performed on stages that span the globe and currently performs at the Greg Frewin Theatre in Niagara Falls. We recently caught up with Greg to chat all about the man behind the magic. >> todaymagazine.ca 31

Q&A

ON THE BOULEVARD: “Can you talk a bit about how you got started in magic? Did you perform magic as a child?”

GREG FREWIN: “Well, that’s a very interesting question. When

I was 8, my grandfather used to do a bunch of little magic tricks, he was always that “class magician”, doing little coin tricks. When I was 8, they bought me a magic kit for Christmas, because I had shown a little interest. So I thought it was really cool, and I played and learned all the different tricks. And when I was 12, he took me to see Doug Henning, and when I saw a live magic show for the first time, that’s the day I went, ok, this is cool, this is what I want to do. When I was about 14 or 15 years old, I met a gentleman at a magic club, who then took me under his wing and started teaching me and showing me the ropes of the real true, slight of hand and all that kind of cool stuff. So that’s kind of how it all started.”

OTB: “How do magicians learn all their tricks if magicians never reveal their magic?”

GF: “I think it’s a little different now then when I was growing up,

because with the Internet, you can learn magic tricks so easily. One or two mouse clicks and you’ve got a magic trick. When I was young, not only did you have to know somebody or read a book, but it also took a lot of effort. And it was such a tight knit sort of secret kind of world, that when you did finally get to that level where you were learning magic, you appreciated it. You had to really want to do it to be able to get that far. Nowadays, kids click, they learn a trick, and they move on to something else. So we are seeing a decline in new magicians. It’s not as popular as it once was.”

OTB: “What is your most complicated trick and how long did it take you to master?”

GF: “Well, one of them is 12 years old, the other is 16, both my kids,

pretty much the most complicated trick. [Laughs] “You know, the routines in the show, they all vary, so it’s really hard to pinpoint specifically one trick, but I have one routine which I competed in the world championship almost 20 years ago now, which involves doves, and I won the world championships and a bunch of other major competitions with this act, because it was all original. In five minutes there was more magic in that act than in about a half hour of my normal show. It was just boom, boom, boom, one trick after another, very fast paced, and choreographed to music, the timing was really important. Also, anytime you put an animal into a routine, they could decide one day not to fly the way they are supposed to, so it makes it a little more complicated. But that’s probably my most complicated and most difficult routine. Once I got that routine to where it was, you can tell the audience really appreciated it. The audience understands the difference.”

OTB: “How do you come up with your illusions?”

GF: “For the most part, I create most of my magic. In the magic community, there’s a very good brotherhood of friendship. I think it’s because we have to keep things somewhat secret, so we are all on the same side. So, we do work with each other a lot, for example, I have a car routine in the show that’s a brilliant piece of magic, that was created by a friend of mine, Matthew Beech. I called him up, asked permission, and he granted me the permission to do it.

So we do that sometimes, but when you are creating something of your own, that can happen in different ways. Sometimes, and I don’t want to sound like I dream it all the time, but I’ve had nights where I’ve been sleeping and I’ve dreamt something. It doesn’t happen all the time, but if you get one of those ideas, you need to write it down, because you’ll never remember it the next day. But then the other times, I’ll just see something in life, I’ll be out somewhere and I’ll see something that is not even related to magic, and it might spark something. And I’ll go, ‘oh, that’s really cool”, that’d be cool if I could…’ and I come up with an idea.”

OTB: “And how long does that process take?”

GF: “It can vary, but for the most part, you’re looking at two or

three months of research and development at that point. I like to draw things out and play around with them. Years ago I learned 3D studio max, which is an editing program for 3D visual cartoons. I’ll put in an illusion and design it to look like it would on stage, to get an idea of what it is going to be like. Then the process of building it and creating it comes next, and that can take up to six months, because now you’ve thought of something, but how do you make that work, and work well? Sometimes it goes faster, and sometimes it doesn’t even get out of the garage.”

OTB: “How do you factor in things like sightlines?”

GF: “None of that matters, I’m a true magician.” [Laughs]. “I never really consider that in the first stages of the thought process, in other words, the idea has to come without any limitations. You need to get the idea in your head to where you go, wow, this is awesome, I want to do this. Then, as you start designing, the limitations come at you.

Maybe it’s an angle thing, maybe it’s a distance thing, or maybe it’s a height thing. Who knows? Once they come at you, you then have to solve those problems. Just like an inventor would with a product. It’s our job now to create it, and limit those challenges to almost none.”

OTB: “Is there a magician or magicians that you look up to?”

GF: “Sure, and once again, magic is a very tight community. We

have conventions, and each night of the convention there will be big shows, and there will be close up shows during the day, so I love taking in that. I loved watching Doug Henning when I was really young, and then Doug retired by the time I was really seriously into magic, and then it was Lance Burton and Siegfried and Roy. They

were really the two acts that I watched everything I could about.

You know, watched their routines over and over again. I have VCR tapes that have wear out spots in them.”

OTB: “What is the first thing people say to you when they find out what you do professionally?”

GF: “Well usually if you say to them, well, I’m a magician, they say,

ok, but what do you do for a living? That’s the first thing I always get. Or, what’s your real job? It’s sort of worded that way. Years ago, I used to work on cruise ships and people would say, “oh, this is nice, do they give you a free cruise?” And I’m like, well, they give me the free cruise and they pay me. So I think a lot of people don’t really understand that you can make a living, and a good living, if you put the energy and time, so I think that is probably the thing I get most.

When I was 14 years old, my dad told me, you’ll never make it as a magician for a living, go to school and do something else, but you know, that’s not what I wanted to do. It wasn’t about money, it was about the passion of magic.”

OTB: “What happens at the World Championship of Magic?”

GF: “A lot! Well, basically, it happens every three years, different

country every year. 3000+ magicians show up, and there will usually be up to 800 entrants into the competition, but in all different categories. There is close up magic, mentalism magic, comedy, but the biggest one is the stage category that I competed in. There were about 450 magicians in the year I competed. And literally, it just goes on for a week. Every day, all day, just different acts. You get marked on different things like originality, execution, etc. A judging panel gets to sit there for four or five days straight watching magic act after magic act, until they award the top.”

OTB: “Do you have a favourite trick to perform?”

GF: In an overall blanket, I really love working with the animals.

When I was a kid, I always thought it would be cool to be a veterinarian, but the sight of blood and all that stuff just doesn’t work for me. I’m a wimp.”

OTB: “Why did you choose tigers as the major animal in your act?”

GF: “I got an opportunity about 18 years ago to meet a gentleman

who works in the movie industry and I was going into Malaysia in a show and I pitched it to them and he came there and spent a year with me, and we worked hand on hand every day. He taught me throughout the whole year, how to work, train and take care of the animals, not only how to use them on stage, but also how to have them in your life. Because it’s not just about the show, I mean, it’s a 100%, every day job. If they don’t love you and there is not that bond, they are not going to do anything. You have to understand them. You really have to have that connection and it’s built up with time, effort put in and just that trust, that bond”

OTB: “How much training is involved to get the tigers ready to perform?”

GF: “Well, we do it in stages. We always start training when young,

because we have to know everything about them, and they have to know everything about us. We can’t just get a cat when they are three, four, five years old and start training them, because we just don’t know what has happened in their past life. But we usually start young and bring them into the theatre and get them used to the stage, and the smells and the different environment, and things that they have to feel comfortable with. And then, usually around 4 or 5 months old, we’ll start introducing them by walking them out on stage and getting used to the crowd. And from there, we have an illusion that’s designed for a one year old cat, so when they are about a year, we introduce them into the show and train the routine, and by the time they are about two to three years old, they’re fully fledged, ready to run and do whatever.”

OTB: “Who does all the training?”

GF: “A gentleman named John and I work together. One of the

things with these animals is that you can’t work on your own for safety reasons. If they ever get spooked or something happens, you need to have someone there who knows what they are doing. So we work together, and we train together. They have to know who he is, they have to know who I am, and they have to trust both of us. They have to know his position in what they do, and they have to know my position in what they do.”

OTB: “Are their personalities much like house cats?”

GF: “Yeah, there are a lot of similarities. I always tell people they

are ten times everything, ten times as big, ten times as loving, they eat 10 times as much, they poop ten times as much. But very similar in all ways in the sense of how they play, how they hunt, etc.”

OTB: “Are your children into magic at all?”

GF: “I would never force my kids to be magicians. My son goes to

magic camp every year, it’s very cool, I think he enjoys it, but I don’t think he has a passion yet. Whether or not he gets that magic bug, we call it the magic bug, because once it gets you, it’s like a disease, you can’t get rid of it. He hasn’t got that magic bug yet, but he enjoys it, and I think that’s ok. If that’s where it goes with him, that’s fine. My daughter on the other hand, she’s an artist. She draws at least six or seven hours a day. She’s only 12, and if I showed you pictures that she drew, you wouldn’t believe that she was 12. And that’s great, and I’m glad that they both have their passions that they enjoy, so whether or not they get into magic, I’m not sure. But I’m not forcing them. I don’t think it’s important for them to do what I like, it’s important for them to do what they like.”

OTB: “What would you say is the most rewarding aspect of performing here?”

GF: “Umm sleeping in.” [Laughs] “Having your own business, even

when I was on the road, means that you are kind of your own boss.

You are only as good as you make yourself become. So if I get lazy and slack off, the show gets lazy and slacks off, but then maybe I don’t work. There is really no one telling me to do this, or how hard to do it. So there is no one really to answer to, but there is also no one pushing me. And I think that’s probably one of the best parts about what I do.”

More information on purchasing tickets to see Greg Frewin live can be found by visiting gregfrewintheatre.com todaymagazine.ca 33

Way

HIS OWN

TO ROCK By: Megan Pasche

MUSICIAN. AUTHOR. HALL OF FAMER. One of the most celebrated rock artists in Canadian music history, is coming to the Fallsview Casino Resort. >>

todaymagazine.ca 35

C

5 with BURTON TAKE

CUMMINGS

By Megan Pasche

ummings was born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The first band he ever played in was called The Deverons and they were an R&B group based out of Winnipeg. They released two singles on a small label. In 1965, Cummings joined The Guess Who, a band that would go on to become one of the greatest in Canadian history. Their first hit “These Eyes” was released in 1969. It was co-written by Cummings, as were the majority of The Guess Who’s most memorable songs eventually would be. Hits that followed the first included “Laughing”, “Star Baby”, “American Woman”, “Share the Land”, “Clap for the Wolfman”, “Dancin’ Fool” and more. By the time 1970 rolled around, The Guess Who was the best-selling band in the Canadian Music Industry. They were actually the first Canadian group to reach #1 on the Billboard charts. >> The Guess Who disbanded in 1976, and Cummings went on to pursue a solo career. Cummings’ talent continued to serve him well, as he released hit after hit. His first hit as a solo artist was called “Stand Tall”. It was followed shortly after with “My Own Way to Rock”, “I Will Play a Rhapsody”, “Break It To Them Gently” and many more. Cummings was playing sold out shows all throughout Canada and the United States.

Between the years of 1977 and 1980, Cummings won five Juno awards for Best Male Vocalist and Best Album. In 1978, his album Dream of a Child was the first platinum selling album by a Canadian.

In the 80s and 90s, Cummings continued to tour and record. He joined Ringo Starr’s All Starr Band, and during that time, he also tried his hand at acting, taking a roll in the film Melanie, which also starred Don Johnson.

With the release of the movie Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, there was renewed interest in The Guess Who. This was due to Lenny Kravitz doing a cover of “American Woman” for the film. In 1999, The Guess Who reunited to perform at the closing ceremony of the Pan-American Games and launched a number of successful tours. In 2006, Cummings got together with Randy Bachman, one of the former members of The Guess Who and they recorded The Bachman-Cummings Songbook. The recording went on to be another platinum seller.

In 2008, Cummings released another solo album entitled Above the Ground.

It was his first CD that featured all original songs by him. It was lauded by critics and fans alike as one of his best pieces of work ever. In 2012, Cummings released his first ever live solo album, entitled Massey Hall, which included performances of some of his greatest hits.

Cummings continues to tour and play sold out shows all over the continent, and he remains one of Canada’s most outstanding artists. He will be playing the Fallsview Casino Resort on April 24th. For more information on purchasing tickets please call 1-877-833-3110 or visit ticketmaster.ca

1. IN HIS HONOUR. There is a theatre located in downtown Winnipeg named after Cummings (it’s called the Burton Cummings Theatre for the Performing Arts). There is also a community centre named in his honour in Winnipeg.

2. MADE TO ORDER. On December 30, 2009, Cummings was made an Officer of the Order of Canada. This is one of Canada’s highest civilian honours. He has also been appointed to the Order of Manitoba.

3. CLAIM TO FAME He was inducted into Canada’s Walk of Fame in 2011 (The Guess Who also have a separate star). He has also been inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, The Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame, the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Prairie Music Hall of Fame.

4. ON RECORD He has recorded 50 albums and released 47 singles. 23 of those were Canadian Gold singles.

5. GOING FOR THE GOLD. 22 of those albums were Canadian Gold Albums and 8 were Canadian Multi-Platinum Albums. He has had 6 American Gold singles, and 1 American Platinum album.

todaymagazine.ca 37

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22 NIGHTMARES FEAR FACTORY 5631 Victoria Ave 905.357.3327

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THE HOUSE OF FRANKENSTEIN 4967 Clifton Hill 905.357.9660

BRONTOS 4943 Clifton Hill 905.357.2202

NIAGARA IMAX THEATRE FREE 6170 Fallsview Blvd RIVER 905.358.3611

26 THE CRYSTAL CAVES 4967 Clifton Hill 905.357.9660

34 GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS 4943 Clifton Hill 1.866.656.0310

42 WAVES INDOOR WATERPARK 8444 Lundy’s Lane 905.356.8444

27 CAPTAIN JACK’S PIRATES COVE 4955 Clifton Hill 905.371.1331

35 THE HAUNTED HOUSE 4943 Clifton Hill 1.800.668.8840

43 OH CANADA EH! 8585 Lundy's Lane 905.374.1995

28 MYSTERY MAZE 4943 Clifton Hill 905.357.2200 ext.6612

36 CASINO NIAGARA 5705 Falls Ave 905.374.3598

29 THE FUN HOUSE 4943 Clifton Hill 905.357.2200 ext.6612

37 NIAGARA HELICOPTERS 3731 Victoria Ave 905.357.5672

30 BRICK CITY 4943 Clifton Hill 905.357.2200 ext.6612

38 FALLSVIEW INDOOR WATERPARK 5685 Falls Ave 1.888.234.8408

31 DRACULA’S HAUNTED CASTLE 4933 Clifton Hill AMER ICAN FALLS 905.357.1282

39 WHIRLPOOL 3850 Niagara Parkway 905.468.4800

32 GREAT CANADIAN MIDWAY 4848 Clifton Hill 905.358.3676

40 SOUVENIR CITY 4199 River Rd 905.357.1133

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44 HORNBLOWER NIAGARA CRUISES 5920 Niagara Parkway 1.905.642.4272

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On the Boulevard todaymagazine.ca 393

73

ABOUT TOWN NIGHT LIFE

|

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

|

SPYCE } UP YOUR LIFE

The Spyce Lounge, located on the ground level of the Niagara Falls Hilton is the Hilton’s newest bar and lounge. My friend and I stopped by on a Friday night to check it out, after we were lulled by the sounds of live music filling the air. We sat at a tiny table near the back, and huge windows gave us a full view of the front of Niagara Fallsview Casino, and it was a great place to sit in comfy seats, have a drink and relax.

The live band played some great covers from groups like Oasis, Pearl Jam, The Beatles and more. Our server Taylor informed us that there are live bands every night of the week, Monday to Friday and the Spyce Lounge works hard to support all the Niagara Region bands that they can.

The décor was fun and funky, with an industrial feel, and the stage itself was great...it had a white grand piano, and the lighting highlighted the band beautifully. We tried a couple of drinks off the extensive cocktail list. Sarah started with a mojito, which she loved, and I went with the Spyce Punch...something to invoke a little bit of island flavour in the colder winter months. Next up was a Long Island Ice Tea, which packed quite the punch. There is also a full lounge menu available at the Spyce Lounge, featuring smaller appetizer items such as nachos. Once the weather gets nicer, the big windows that I was talking about actually open up onto the street, making the Spyce Lounge the perfect place for sitting on

WHERE’S WENDY?

Hilton’s with Nightlife Options

By: Megan Pasche

warm spring or summer days.

The Spyce Lounge opened up about six months ago and serves as a great addition to the entertainment options The Hilton already offers.

MYST LOUNGE Located 33 stories above the falls, the Myst Lounge is open every Friday and Saturday night, and features live music and an extensive and creative cocktail menu. The Myst Lounge also offers an appetizer menu with yummy dishes such as coconut shrimp with curry spice dip and jalapeno poppers with salsa, crudité and dip.

Their dessert menu features delightful dishes such as Chocolate Pecan Toffee Fudge Pate and Espresso Cheesecake. The chic décor of this bar makes for the perfect place to go for a fun night out.

BRASA BRAZILIAN STEAKHOUSE Showcasing the flavours and culture of Brazil, Brasa offers an unlimited portion of meat that is carved table side. Twelve different cuts of meat are featured, as well as over 70 hot and cold buffet items.

Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday there is a live house band.

All the bars and restaurants at the Hilton are directly connected to the Niagara Fallsview Casino via a beautiful walkway. Whether you are staying at the Hilton or just want to stop in to check out the nightlife entertainment, there are fun choices available for everyone. todaymagazine.ca 41

Journey Behind the Falls

Niagara Parks is...

The Ultimate Falls Experience.

Experience the incredible power and beauty of Niagara Falls at Ontario’s Niagara Parks. Get as close as you can to the thundering water at Journey Behind the Falls and White Water Walk, then dine with a panoramic view at Elements on the Falls. Explore the Butterfly Conservatory and the Botanical Gardens or play Whirlpool Golf course in the fabulous setting beside the Niagara Glen. History, nature, gardens and so much more at Niagara Parks.

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Getaways

TROPICAL

IN NIAGARA Written and photographed by Sandra Ozkur

Got the winter blues?

Had enough of the cold and grey?

Longing for a tropical getaway?

It doesn’t have to involve an airplane ride or a lot of money. You can have a touch of the tropics right here in Niagara. Under glass ceilings you will find rainforests, tropical birds, butterflies, exotic plants, rare orchids and wildlife. Whether you are a visitor or a local resident, you only have to take a short trip to the Butterfly Conservatory, the Floral Showhouse, or Bird Kingdom to find yourself in the midst of a tropical paradise. >> todaymagazine.ca 43

THE FLORAL SHOWHOUSE This is one of the oldest conservatories in Canada and is maintained by the Niagara Parks Commission. The original greenhouse was erected in 1894 to provide ornamental plants and shrubs for the parklands along the Niagara River. In the summer, these spectacular gardens and floral displays help showcase the natural beauty of the waterfalls. As the park expanded through the years, more greenhouses were needed and in 1897 the first public conservatory was erected to propagate and display ornamental plants. In 1945, more greenhouses were built at the current location and in 1980, a 40-foot glass-domed visitors reception area was added to permit the growing of full sized

tropical palms and other exotic plants for the enjoyment of visitors to the Falls.

As you enter the front door, you are enveloped in the moist air, lush sights and exotic sounds of a tropical rainforest. Water trickles into a pond where fish and turtles hide among the rocks. Almost 1000 unique species of tropical plants and succulents are displayed here throughout the year. Wayne Hoeschle, a tropical specialist, is constantly changing the floral display as the plants come into bloom. He fondly cares for over 400 varieties of orchids and propagates many other species of rare plants.

As I tour the greenhouse, he points out some of the more unusual species, such as the carnivorous Pitcher Plant which

produces a leaf extension shaped like a pitcher that traps insects on which it feeds.

The rare wollemia nobilis originates in Australia and its lineage traces back to the Dinosaur Age. One of the most interesting plants is the Vanilla Orchid Vine with long tentacles that reach throughout the gardens.

The Pineapple Plant has produced a fruit just about ready for picking. As you wander through the greenhouses don’t forget to look up—to see the birds that make their homes in the tree canopy. Live tropical songbirds dart in and out of the plants and their calls echo throughout the conservatory. One of the most beautiful birds is the Long-tailed Paradise Whyda with its golden breast and graceful tail feathers. If you look closely you

can see a Basket Weaver nest hanging from a branch.

The conservatory staff are very proud of their forest family, but their favorite child is the rare and exotic Amorphophallus Titanum, which can grow up to 25 feet tall and produces a blossom nearly 8 feet high!

In 2012 the country watched in awe as this rare event was broadcast on national television. There are generally 2-3 years between blooms, this year everyone is on the lookout for signs of an emerging bud so that the world might once again witness this rare event.

Throughout the year, the Floral Showhouse features eight different themed plant exhibitions. The Spring Show starts in January and runs until Easter. It features a variety of potted spring flowers guaranteed to cure your winter blues.

BUTTERFLY CONSERVATORY Located along the Niagara River, the Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens are easy to reach by WEGO bus or car. Throughout the summer, acres of outdoor gardens are beautifully manicured for the enjoyment of all. But come fall, the floral beds are put to rest to be covered under a blanket of snow. However, not all is dormant in the dead of winter. The Butterfly Conservatory, situated in the heart of the gardens, offers a year round respite from the cold. The Conservatory draws visitors, like butterflies to nectar, to bask in the warmth and beauty of this indoor tropical paradise. Visitors and locals are privileged to be able to slip into summer and enjoy the warmth and sunshine among thousands of tropical butterflies and flowering plants without ever leaving Canada At the Butterfly Conservatory, a rainforest has literally been recreated under glass. The

entire display is designed to replicate the natural habitat of a rainforest as realistically as possible. Real quarry stone is used for the walkways and waterfall in order to provide a natural environment for over 50 species of butterflies. The plants are deliberately chosen to help the butterflies thrive.

Great care is taken to provide the proper habitat that the creatures need to live.

Nectar feeding butterflies, such as the Rice Paper, Zebra, and Julia Butterflies, require constant supplies of flowering plants as a source of nourishment. In order to satisfy the needs of fruit feeding butterflies such as the Blue Morpho, Crackers and Owl Butterflies, fruit stations loaded with oranges, bananas and other tropical fruits are strategically placed for your viewing throughout the conservatory.

Caretakers educated in horticulture and entomology are on site to oversee the ecosystem and professionally trained staff put in a lot of work behind the scenes to make sure that everything is monitored, catalogued and well cared for. The staff keeps busy rearing butterflies, growing plant materials for nectar and propagating new plants. New shipments of butterfly chrysalises are received weekly to replenish the butterfly population, as butterflies have a life span of only 2-3 weeks. Once a butterfly emerges from its chrysalis, it is released into the conservatory where it is free to play among the foliage. No butterflies are sourced from the wild. The Canadian government strictly monitors the importation of the butterflies and all are purchased from reputable farms in countries that use sustainable practices.

Both children and adults are amazed to see the butterflies emerge from their chrysalises in the butterfly incubators.

Many school groups come through the

Conservatory on educational field trips to marvel at this wonder of nature. Children are delighted to watch these colourful creatures chase each other through the leaves and are in awe if they are lucky enough to have a 6-inch giant blue Owl Butterfly land on their shoulders. Curator/ Manager Cheryl Tyndall explains, “People have many reasons for visiting the Butterfly Conservatory- some people return year after year to celebrate an occasion, bring their children or just sit and read a book and enjoy the tropical getaway for a couple of hours. “ Special programing is offered throughout the year, which includes interactive displays, videos and wild animal exhibits, which this spring will feature a program called Swamp Creatures. Starting February 8th and running until Mother’s Day, there will be incredible live demonstrations with some exciting creatures from the world’s swamps and wetlands. Come to see the Stink Pot Turtle, Caiman, a Green Anaconda or perhaps a Pink Salmon Bird Eating Tarantula! This exhibit is included with regular admission.

Educational events are also scheduled throughout the year for public and private groups. Monarch Teachers Network workshops are held annually, and in the fall, the Majestic Monarchs event is offered to visitors who come out to learn about the Monarch Butterfly migration. Academic tours of the production facility can also be arranged by special request (fees apply).

The facility is available for rental in the afterhours for weddings and special occasions.

For details about events, tours, fees and hours of operation of the Floral Showhouse and the Butterfly Conservatory, check their web site at niagaraparks.com todaymagazine.ca 45

BIRD KINGDOM As blustery Canadian winds blow the snow and cold in my face, I approach the door to the world’s largest indoor, free flying Aviary, with anticipation of my tropical getaway within. Within minutes I am greeted by the friendly staff and assigned to Hayley, senior bird keeper and my very enthusiastic tour guide. She gives me a quick tour of the historical museum, displaying interesting historical photos and local artifacts from the early years of Niagara Falls.

We proceed to the first Encounter Room where visitors can get up close and personal with several species of birds and reptiles.

Hayley fondly picks up her friend, an African Tortoise, and lets me feel his leathery shell and scaly legs. A Kookaburra knows her well and responds to her request for a litany of songs. The Toucan looks on from his branch with his fruit-loop colored bill, while a couple of Boa Constrictors and a Python curl up in their cages. A very large Iguana suns himself on the window ledge and rolls his eyes at me as we pass by. Hayley says the live interaction between animal and human creates an appreciation for these magnificent creatures and encourages a desire to protect and preserve them in their natural habitats. As with the Butterfly Conservatory, no animals in the collection are sourced from the wild; they are all acquired through licensed breeders, zookeepers or private donations.

Each collection is sectioned off to allow for proper habitat maintenance. The Small Bird Sanctuary houses over 40 species of songbirds, which show off their talents as we pass through. I was fascinated watching the African Village Weaver tie knots out of grass to skillfully weave a nest! Continuing on, we arrive at the nocturnal section where the lights are kept low in order to simulate night-time when the animals become most active. There is an

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array of creatures to see, a variety of night owls, bats, spiders and snakes. Children love to spend time at the archaeological dig site where they can sift through sand to uncover buried treasures. Stick around to experience the daily bat feedings. It is a delight to watch their acrobatics as they struggle to chew their food while hanging upside down!

Next, for the grand finale, we enter the Main Aviary. Hundreds of birds fly freely in fifty thousand square feet of open space. The area is filled with tropical trees, plants and birds displayed against the backdrop of a 40-foot waterfall. The birds flit among the trees and perch upon the ledges and branches of this lost kingdom. Some of the birds are very comfortable with humans; a large African Pied Crow lands near my arm to check out the shiny lens of my camera. It is thrilling to be able to get so close to the birds— I make friends with a Victoria Crowned Pigeon from New Zealand, who follows me up and down the paths of the Aviary. The Scarlet Ibis are breathtaking as they swoop high overhead to land on the ledge of the waterfall.

The most popular birds are the brightly coloured Lorikeets, which will land all over you if you hold up a cup of nectar. Children squeal with delight as these friendly birds sit on their heads and shoulders.

As you wind your way slowly through the aviary, be sure to pause at the little café inside at the authentic Javanese teahouse. This rare example of an intricately carved teak teahouse from Indonesia is nothing less than a work of art.

Bird Kingdom is open year-round and offers private tours, birthday parties, wedding facilities and outreach programs for the community. With loads of parking and a great view of the American Falls, there is no better place to escape a Canadian winter right here at home. birdkingdom.ca.

NIAGARAFALLS ESSENTIALS HOW HIGH IS THE FALLS? HOW FAST IS THE WATER? The Niagara River is about 58km (36 miles) in length and is the natural outlet from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario.

The elevation between the two lakes is about 99m (326ft), half occurring at the Falls themselves.

The total area drained by the Niagara River is approximately 684,000 sq. km (264,000 sq. mi) Below the Chippewa-Grass Island Pool control structure, the river falls 15m (50ft) to the brink of the Falls.

The deepest section in the Niagara River is just below the Falls. It is so deep it equals the height of the Falls.

The Chippawa Channel is approximately 17.7km in length and varies from 610 to 1220 m in width. Water speed ranges from 0.6 to 0.9 metres per second to 3 ft. per second.

This channel carries approximately 60% of the total river flow.

WHERE DOES THE WATER COME FROM? The Great Lakes are the world’s largest surface freshwater system in the world.

The Canadian Horseshoe Falls drops an average of 57m into the Lower Niagara River.

The volume of water in the Great Lake would cover North America in about 3.5ft of water.

The crestline of the Canadian Horseshoe Falls is approximately 670m wide. The plunge pool beneath the Falls is 35m deep.

Today less than one percent of the water of the Great Lakes is renewable on an annual basis (precipitation and groundwater). The rest is “fossil” water, a legacy from the last ice age.

IS NIAGARA FALLS THE HIGHEST IN THE WORLD? About 500 other waterfalls in the world are “taller” than Niagara. The Angel Falls in Venezuela is tallest at 979 m. However, some of the tallest falls in the world have very little water flowing over them. It’s the combination of height and volume that makes Niagara Falls so beautiful.

More than 168,000 cubic m of water go over the crestline of the Falls every minute during peak daytime tourist hours.

The height of the American Falls ranges between 21 to 34 m. This measurement is taken from the top of the Falls to the top of the rock pile at the base called the talus slope. The height of the Falls from the top of the Falls to the river is 57 m. The crestline of the American Falls is approximately 260m.

The rapids above the Falls reach a maximum speed of 40 km per hour. The water through the Whirlpool Rapids below the Falls reaches 48 km/hr. and the Devil’s Hole Rapids 36km/hr.

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A WHOLE NEW WAY TO EXPERIENCE NIAGARA FALLS! The legendary boat tour of Niagara Falls is Canada’s most iconic visitor experience. It’s been thrilling millions of visitors from all over the world for more than 150 years. A ride into the heart of the Falls aboard Hornblower Niagara Cruises is an absolute must. Visitors aboard Hornblower’s Voyage to the Falls will experience the legacy boat tour of the Great Gorge, American Falls, Bridal Veil Falls; and of course, an up-close and personal connection with the thundering water, awesome power and amazing mist of the mighty Horseshoe Falls!

Hornblower has taken this legendary Canadian experience to a whole new level. State-of-the-art 700-passenger catamaran boats feature all new on-board passenger comforts and conveniences including tiered decks for 360-degree unobstructed viewing, dry-viewing areas, on-board concessions and passenger washrooms.

There’s no better way to view the Falls at night than aboard one of Hornblower’s extraordinary new night-time cruises.

These extended one-hour experiences include Sunset Cocktail Cruises, Falls Illumination Cruises and Falls Fireworks

Cruises. Set against the backdrop of evening sunsets, the dazzling city skyline, the colored illumination of the Falls and the Falls Fireworks spectacle, these amazing new Falls cruises are complete with on-board music, licensed bar and snacks. The ideal complement to any Date Night or evening out.

Hornblower offers customers the added convenience to purchase their tickets online and print at home in advance. Visitors can also select the date and time of their preferred tour or cruise, alleviating the long waits experienced in the past.

Customized private charter tour are also available for special events, private functions and weddings. What a way to say “I do”!

No matter what the time of day or evening, if you’re visiting Niagara Falls, Hornblower Niagara Cruises is the ultimate must-do experience. Hornblower’s signature Voyage to the Falls boat tour and new night-time cruises are overflowing with excitement and amazement and promise a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Reservations online at: niagaracruises.com Tel: 1-905-NIAGARA todaymagazine.ca 49

Fallsview Casino CELEBRATING 30 YEARS

LEGENDSin CONCERT SHOWTIMES

With incredible costumes and awardwinning performers, discover the unbelievable impersonations of Whitney Houston, The Blues Brothers™, Michael Bublé, Bruce Springsteen and Madonna - a truly legendary experience. The Blues Brothers

April 3-13 (Excluding April 9)

April 3, 7, 8 & 10 ...........3:00PM & 8:30PM April 4........................................... 9:00PM April 5, 12 .....................3:00PM & 9:00PM April 6 & 13 ..................3:00PM & 7:00PM April 11 ......................................... 9:00PM

is a registered trademark owned by Dan Aykroyd and Judy Belushi.

Tickets Start at $30

STEVEMARTIN & MARTINSHORT In A Very Stupid Conversation appearing with the Steep Canyon Rangers All-time favourite funnymen Steve Martin and Martin Short bring their award-winning blend of humour to Fallsview. With witty banter, signature stand-up and impromptu hilarious musical numbers, Martin and Short discuss, in their own unique way, their experiences in show biz.

SHOWTIME April 16 & 17................................. 8:30PM

April 16 & 17

Tickets Start at $75

April 24

BURTON CUMMINGS

April 25&26

SUGARRAY

Described as Canadian rock royalty, former lead singer of The Guess Who, Burton Cummings performs his renowned hit singles such as “These Eyes”, “American Woman”, “Clap For The Wolfman”, “Stand Tall”, “Break It To Them Gently” and “You Saved My Soul”.

The Southern California-based, multi-platinum pop rock band Sugar Ray is known for their infectious summer singles of the late ‘90s including “Fly”, “When It’s Over”, “Someday”, “Falls Apart” and “Every Morning”.

SHOWTIME

SHOWTIME

April 24....................................... 8:30PM

April 25 & 26 .............................. 9:00PM

Tickets Start at $55

May 3 & 4

ALBANO & ROMINAPOWER

For the second time in 18 years, reunited on stage, the internationally acclaimed Italian pop music duo Al Bano and Romina Power perform their sensational hit singles “Felicità”, “Sempre Sempre”, “Nostalgia Canaglia”, and “Libertà”.

SHOWTIMES

May 3 ......................................... 9:00PM May 4 ......................................... 7:00PM

Tickets Start at $30

Tickets Start at $90

Buy your tickets at Fallsview Casino Resort’s Box Office (open Noon on show days), at all Ticketmaster locations, by calling Ticketmaster at

Know your limit, play within it! www.knowyourlimit.ca

Resort presents…

DANCINGQUEEN Celebrate the 1970’s disco era with a dance extravaganza that brings the timeless hits of Abba, The Bee Gees, Village People and many more to the stage, including “Dancing Queen”, “Thank You For The Music”, “Waterloo”, “Winner Takes It All”, “Saturday Night Fever”, “Celebration”, “Y.M.C.A”, “In The Navy” and many more!

SHOWTIMES May 8, 12, 13 & 15 ........... 3PM & 8:30PM May 9 & 16 ........................................ 9PM May 10 & 1 .............................3PM & 9PM May 11 & 18 ...........................3PM & 7PM

Tickets Start at $25

May 8 - 18 (Excluding May 14)

LITTLEBIGTOWN Famous for their trademark harmonies, Grammy Award winning country quartet Little Big Town perform their Billboard topcharting hits such as “Bring It On Home”, “Little White Church”, “Life In A Northern Town”, “Boondocks”, “Pontoon” and “Tornado”.

SHOWTIMES May 22 ......................................... 8:30PM May 23 ......................................... 9:00PM

Tickets Start at $45

May 22 & 23

KEVINNEALON With his signature wittiness, friendly humour and downright entertaining standup, Kevin Nealon has set himself apart from other comedic performers. Nealon is best known for his nine-year stint as a cast member for NBC’s Saturday Night Live, and has received critical acclaim for his role in the Showtime series Weeds.

SHOWTIME May 24 ......................................... 9:00PM

Tickets Start at $30

May 24

CREEDENCECLEARWATER REVISITED Legendary Creedence Clearwater Revisited take the stage to relive such hits as “Born On The Bayou”, “Proud Mary”, “Fortunate Son”, “Down On The Corner”, “Have You Ever Seen The Rain” and “Bad Moon Rising.”

SHOWTIMES May 30 ......................................... 9:00PM May 31 ......................................... 9:00PM

Tickets Start at $25

May 30 & 31 1-877-833-3110 or online at www.ticketmaster.ca. Must be 19 years of age or older to purchase tickets or attend Avalon Theatre performances.

Know your limit, play within it! www.knowyourlimit.ca todaymagazine.ca 51

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Beyond

WATERFALLS ALONG THE ESCARPMENT

Niagara Falls By: Megan Pasche l Photos: Michael Risi

The Niagara Escarpment was formed over 400 million years ago, and those 400 million years of history are visible in the layers of rock along the escarpment walls.

These rocks layers are basically a time line, showing how the escarpment has eroded and changed over time. >> todaymagazine.ca 53

One thing this erosion has resulted in, is the creation of an amazing gorge, which hosts a series of waterfalls. The most famous of which is the thundering waters of Niagara Falls.

But all along the entire Niagara Escarpment, are a series of slightly lesser known waterfalls, not quite as grand as Niagara Falls, but beautiful none-the- less.

DECEW FALLS

VARIETIES OF WATERFALLS PLUNGE

water falls vertically and loses contact with the bedrock in the process.

HORSETAIL

the falling water maintains some contact with the bedrock, and the crest of falling water gets wider as it drops.

CATARACT

a big, powerful waterfall.

MULTI STEP

a series of waterfalls that are all around the same size and that each have their own pool.

CASCADE

water falls down what looks like steps made by rock.

SEGMENTED

a waterfall that has distinct flows as it falls

PUNCHBOWL water falls in a constricted form, but spreads out when it reaches the pool. *these are just some of the types of waterfalls.

Positioned beside a picturesque mill, this waterfall is one of Niagara’s lovelier hidden gems. There are actually two waterfalls at this location, though one of them requires more of a commitment to hiking if you want to see it. Upper Decew Falls is a tall waterfall that is approximately six metres wide. The water falls into a pretty pool, where it then continues downstream until it reaches Lower Decew Falls, which is a significantly smaller waterfall.

This spot is perfect for hiking as the Upper Falls sits adjacent to an entrance to the Bruce Trail. The Upper Waterfall can be viewed from the top of the escarpment, but if you decide to hike the trail, be cautious at all times, as the trail has a steep drop on one side.

The mill itself is an industrial heritage site and features a working gristmill, a turbine shed, a sawmill, a blacksmith and carpentry shop and a historic home.

All buildings are owned by the City of St. Catharines and are maintained by a group of dedicated volunteers.

Come May, the mill is open for tours on certain days.

Decew Falls is a great waterfall to visit if you are looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of Niagara Falls and want to get a little more in tune with nature.

BALL’S FALLS

This set of waterfalls is located in Jordan, and is another of Niagara’s beauties. The flow varies greatly according to the season (same goes for the rest of the Niagara Escarpment waterfalls), so spring is probably the best time to visit. There is a charge to park here, but the hiking is lovely and the Falls itself is a beautiful sight to see. The Falls is located within the Ball’s Falls Conservation Area and is home to two waterfalls, the upper and the lower. Marked paths will guide you to areas where you’ll be able to view both waterfalls.

While you are there, you’ll also be able to explore a village of early 19th century buildings, which include a historic home, privy/tool shed, smoke house, a barn, grist mill, and church. It is a really interesting area to explore for both the historical and natural aspects.

ROCKWAY FALLS.

This is another beautiful site that is perfect for hiking, and there are marked trees that lead hikers through different paths. Parking is available at the Rockway Community Centre, which is located on Pelham Rd. In addition to the large falls, there is also the middle and small falls further downstream.

LOUTH FALLS.

This waterfall takes a little bit more of a hike to reach, but you’ll end up with a good view and a secluded location. It is located within the Louth Conservation Area, and parking is available on Staff Ave.

BEAMER FALLS

This area contains both an upper and lower falls that are located in the Beamer Memorial Conservation Area, on the corner of Mountain and Ridge Roads.

If you would like to find out more information about all the waterfalls on the Niagara Escarpment, check out gowaterfalling.com. There are maps available so you can plan out a drive from waterfall to waterfall. Many of the falls are within hiking distance of each other, so if you are up for a day full of hiking, you can reach many waterfalls by foot.

Due to it’s unique geological history, the Niagara Escarpment is basically a cliff that runs from Tobermory to Niagara, and any water that is trying to make it’s way to Lake Ontario or Georgian Bay, needs to fall off the escarpment somewhere along the way.

Luckily for us, this history has resulted in nature taking quite a picturesque route. TM

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Lundys Lane

Niagara Falls

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LIFESTYLE & CULTURE DOCTOR FLAVIO

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FASHION

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NIAGARA FACTS

MIND YOUR BUSINESS By: Dr. Flavio Iammarino

The success or failure of any business is determined by a person’s state of mind and how they choose to respond to a given situation. When events occur, whether it is in our personal/ family life or in our business/work life, there are two ways a person can choose to handle the situation. Some people “react” to a given circumstance and some people choose to respond in a proactive way.

We have all heard sayings like, “do you look at the glass as half full or half empty,” “a pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity while an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty,” “every cloud has a silver lining,” and “when written in Chinese the word ‘crisis’ is composed of two characters—one represents danger and the other opportunity.” But what kind of truth do these sayings hold? And how much do our thoughts, attitudes, and the way we choose to react to situations affect the outcome?

In the last few years we have all heard about a troubled global economy. There are fewer job opportunities and many people have lost their jobs and subsequently their homes because they were unable to make ends meet. And yet at the same time we see new companies emerge and new jobs being created. Some people struggle to find new opportunity after a job or business loss, while others seem to flourish in troubled times coming out further ahead of the game. But why are the outcomes often so different? >> todaymagazine.ca 59

During difficult times many businesses choose to become “reactive”—they panic in fear of what is happening around them.

They begin to worry and focus on what they may lose instead of what opportunities could be created to gain from the changing times.

The worst thing a business can do is change their focus to a state of “survival” instead of becoming more innovative and proactive. In troubled times some companies choose to call in business “experts” or “coaches” to help them to revive their business. Many practices that once made their business successful are forgotten and/or discarded in an effort to improve the bottom line. Often experts or coaches suggest eliminating the expenses and or job positions that cost the company the most money without really examining the long term outcomes caused by doing this. In a poor economy businesses should invest in marketing and advertising just as they would in a normal healthy market, and yet you will see many tightening their purse strings rather than spending when it is needed most. Not to say money should be thrown to the wind… but it is important to research and measure what marketing and advertising works best for your business—disappearing from the consumer’s eye is certainly not to any businesses’ advantage.

As a clinical counsellor and mental coach, it is easy for me to recognize what the problem with all of this is—the problem is the “focus” and where the energy is being directed. Too often the focus is on what is not there or what is lacking. The problem may be money that is lacking, and rather than focus on strategies that can create more of it, the focus is put on how to survive with the limited amount. If the mind focused on new and innovative ideas to create new possibilities: new ways to bring in clients, new products to develop, and new ways to create wealth for a business, this energy would deliver all the resources required to accomplish a positive outcome.

In my personal experience, working in the clinical, sports and business coaching field, I have worked with many different people who faced many different challenges. The ones who succeeded were

able to remain focused on the outcome they wanted and had a very proactive way of thinking. Yes, it is important to cut the waste and overspending, but then the focus must be on setting new goals and creating new strategies. This energy will direct a business in a new direction towards success.

Most importantly, you have to believe in possibilities, and then the opportunities will present themselves. Stay focused on your goals. In every economy there are individuals and corporations that seek opportunity and make a lot of money and create great things by staying on their path. If you are innovative, creative, and determined you will succeed. Surround yourself with people who have the same mindset and you will be successful.

For those of you who believe in creating new possibility in troubled times, kudos to you! For others who may be living in fear, and worry about the outcome, it is never too late to change this way of thinking. You can start by saying, “I don’t like the situation my business is currently in, and I don’t know how I’m going to change it, but I’m now going to believe that positive change is possible.” By making this simple shift you can begin to change your destiny.

If you have questions about this article or need help making change please contact me at 905-684-1717.

I can teach you how powerful your mind is and how, if your energy is channeled in the right way, you can be lead on a path to accomplish great things in your life. Opportunity is knocking… make the call!

Dr. Flavio Iammarino, Ph.D, SW, C.Cht Niagara P.T.S., Anxiety & Stress Management Centre www.drflavio. ca 905-684-1717personalgrowth@ cogeco.ca

Open Mid - May to Thanksgiving

* These attractions available from June to Labour Day.

Safari Niagara will be closed August 13th for a private function.

u o Y e c a l P e h T ! e B o T t n a W

At Fallsview Casino Resort, the excitement begins the minute you walk through the doors of

Canada’s most spectacular casino resort facility, with more than 3,000 slot machines, 130 table

games and a poker room. The action is non-stop! Fallsview is a food-lover’s paradise, with over a

dozen unique dining options to choose from, including the very best in fine Italian cuisine at Ponte Vecchio and the latest addition to our stellar line-up of restaurants, 21 Club featuring prime-aged steaks and seafood. Ponte Vecchio and 21 Club are both recipients of the prestigious CAA Four

Diamond Award. Or if it is exhilarating entertainment you’re after, get up close and personal in the intimate 1,500 seat Avalon Theatre featuring the biggest names in show business. And with more than 20 stylish specialty shops, Fallsview truly has something for everyone.

Niagara Falls, ON

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Must be at least 19 years of age to enter the casino or attend Avalon Theatre performances.

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STORE LOCATIONS: CANADA ONE FACTORY OUTLETS: 7500 Lundy’s Lane; GALLERIA SHOPS AT FALLSVIEW CASINO: 6380 Fallsview Blvd 1. Dress from Melanie Lynn 2. Vest from Danier Leather 3. Blouse from Jones New York 4. Necklace from Laura 5. Necklace from Laura 6. Jacket from Danier Leather 7. Sleeveless blouse from Jones New York 8. Scarf from Laura 9. Skirt from Danier 10. Purse from Danier 11. Trench coat from Mexx 12. Outfit from Melanie Lynn.

IDENTITY CRISIS? Feeling naughty? Nice? or a little of both? With these hot spring fashion staples, you can mix and match and embrace it all.

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Niagara's newest lounge is now open! Street level in the heart of the Niagara Falls entertainment district, you will be in the centre of the action. Located in the Hilton Niagara Falls and connected to the Fallsview Casino, Spyce offers a sophisticated and lavish escape from life's hustle and bustle. With nightly entertainment and a full lounge menu, Spyce will be your perfect way to start, end, or enjoy your entire night! We'll see you there.

Located in the Niagara Falls Hilton ¡ 6361 Fallsview Boulevard, Niagara Falls, ON niagarafallshilton.com ¡ Across from the Fallsview Casino Resort todaymagazine.ca 65

in foCuS soUvenir city

SOUVENIR CITY 4199 rIver rd. nIaGara Falls, ontarIo SouVenirCiTY.Ca

located right along the picturesque niagara river parkway, souvenIr cIty has over 15,000 square feet of canadian themed gifts and collectible items for visitors to peruse. the complex also includes rossi Glass, where you can watch a live glassblowing demonstration, the First nation craft store, which carries native crafts such as totem poles, dolls, carvings and more and chocolate world, a candy coated wonderland featuring over 1,800 square feet of mouth- watering goodies. the souvenir city headquarters also offers tons of great opportunities for the perfect canuck photoshoot. at souvenir City, you’ll find everything you need to take a little bit of Canada home with you.

About WEGO

WEGO Routes & Schedules

Ride to Fun! This state-of-the-art bus system connects accommodations and tourism attractions throughout the city of Niagara Falls, the Niagara Parks, and along the Niagara Parkway from the Floral Showcase to the Butterfly Conservatory.

All bus lines meet at the Table Rock Centre.

This is the main transfer hub between the Blue, Red, Purple, and Green lines.

Scan the QR code below to see bus arrival times.

405

All WEGO buses travel directly to the Falls.

While there, transfer onto buses travelling to all the major attractions throughout the Niagara Parkway, Lundy’s Lane, Victoria Avenue, Clifton Hill, Fallsview Area, Main and Ferry, and Queen Street.

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Boarding a WEGO bus is easy! Buy a summer Niagara Falls Adventure Pass*, a winter Niagara Falls Wonder Pass*, a WEGO Pass, use a Niagara Falls Transit 30-day pass, or ask your accommodation host if they take part in the “Host Card” program. Exact fares only.

Operators do not provide change.

Stanley Avenue

WEGO Destinations

St. Paul Avenue

WEGO Fares

Lew Que istonen Brid ston ge

*Includes admissions to Niagara Parks attractions

Purple Line Map

WEGO Routes & Schedules

All bus lines meet at the Table Rock Centre.

For Routes and Schedule information, This is the main transfer hub between the Blue, Red, Purple, and Green lines. visit www.WEGOniagarafalls.com PURPLE LINE DOES NOT RUN SUNDAY TOkindly THURSDAY

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