Niagara - Winter 2015

IAGAR

CHANNELING

A

JimmyStewart

HOLLYWOOD

LEGEND’S VISIT TO NIAGARA

+

Delicious whiskies that will rock your palate!

TODAY MAGAZINE

IN ROOM COPY $24.95

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FREE DIGITAL COPY AVAILABLE AT READTODAYMAG.COM

WORLD WONDERandWORLD CLASS

The perfect escape isn’t one thing. It’s many. It’s getting away. And feeling at home.

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*Room rate valid through February 26, 2015. Available Monday through Thursday. Subject to availability.

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IT'S TIME TO PLAY 1-877-8-SENECA (873-6322) | SenecaCasinos.com 310 Fourth Street, Niagara Falls, NY 14303 MINUTES FROM THE RAINBOW BRIDGE TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 3

ANDREW HIND & MARIA DA SILVA

JILL THAM

LAUREN CHARLEY

Andrew and Maria are freelance writers specializing in travel, history and lifestyle. They have a passion for new adventures and experiences, and for exploring little known stories. Andrew is never without a book or three in hand, and some obscure historical fact at the tip of his tongue. Maria is a natural storyteller who loves the paranormal, cooking and good wine (mostly, she’ll say, for putting up with Andrew). You should follow them @discoveriesAM.

Convinced she would have made a better teen in the 80s instead of the 90s, Jill’s passion for writing came after seeing the movie Stand by Me. When Jill is not moonlighting as a freelance writer, she is an Elementary teacher juggling her three children. Along with being a regular contributor to Today Magazine, Jill’s articles have been featured in Canadian Running, Pedal, Allergic Living and @OECTA. jilltham.wordpress. com @JillBT

Lauren graduated from The University of Western Ontario with an honours BA.in Media Studies, where she also completed many creative and journalistic writing courses. She loves to travel, meet new people, and take too many pictures! Currently Lauren is learning to speak Mandarin. She lives for the summertime, vacations, and anything involving lots of sunshine!

CONTRIBUTORS

LYNN OGRYZLO

SANDRA OZKUR

MARIANA BOCKAROVA

GABRIELLE TIEMAN

Lynn is a food, wine and travel writer, author of three international award-winning cookbooks and regular contributor to REV Publications. Lynn specializes in culinary tourism covering regional cuisine destinations, slow food, culinary holidays, wine, spirits and “la dolca vita”. She can be reached for questions or comments at lynnogryzlo.com.

Sandra has been a professional photographer for 30 years— from studio portraiture, weddings and families, to magazines, tourism and interiors.

Sandra also spent eight years in the wine industry doing marketing and special events. A writer/photographer for REV Publishing for 3 years, she specializes in wine, tourism and lifestyle subject matter.

Contact her at ozkur.ca.

Mariana Bockarova is a PhD Candidate at the University of Toronto, where she teaches Psychological Resiliency, the Science of Happiness, and the Psychology of Relationships.

Her research explores narrative medicine and mental health.

She also holds a Master’s degree from Harvard University concentrated in Psychology.

Gabrielle is a writer with REV Publishing and holds a passion for covering travel and event pieces. She is always up for an adventure and loves meeting new people but also maintains close relationships with her Keurig and bicycle. Her favorite time of year is scarf season and she has easily watched the movie Armageddon 200 times. You should follow her @ gabrielletieman

NOTES

Welcome to the winter edition of Niagara by Today Magazine. As a tourism publication, we bring you in depth articles on all the best things to see and do during your visit to Niagara Falls.

For this issue’s cover story, we look back to the time when Jimmy Stewart, a Hollywood legend, visited Niagara Falls. Luckily for us, we happen to know somebody who bears a striking resemblance to Mr. Stewart himself, and we managed to convince him to participate in a photoshoot. The result was some pretty great Jimmy-esque shots, bringing a little bit of Hollywood glam to the winter edition of TM.

MEGANPASCHE

This time of year is particularly beautiful in Niagara, sure, it’s cold, but the snow has a way of making everything just a little bit prettier. So get outside, stay active and explore everything this area has to offer.

Have a great winter season, and I hope you enjoy this issue of Today Magazine: Niagara.

TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 5

ONTENT

PUBLISHER Rev Publishing Inc. PRESIDENT & CEO Daniel A. Pasco SALES REPRESENTATIVES David Gibson Michael Koval Alexandra Mills Sarajane Trier Ron Bowen Carmen Toromino Shannon Panaro Gail Cerrone EDITOR Megan Pasche PRODUCTION MANAGER Tina Lanzillotta GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Tabitha MacDonald Rachel Bertrand IT/WEB DEVELOPER Justin Soungie BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Dave Mace MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA

Cortney Gusek CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Lynn Ogryzlo Lauren Charley Jill Tham Sandra Ozkur Gabrielle Tieman TO ADVERTISE PLEASE CALL 905.356.7283 or 1.877.888.2825 WEBSITE todaymagazine.ca

facebook.com/RevPublishing @revpublishing www.revpublishing.com

Today Magazine is published by Rev Publishing Inc. All opinions expressed in Seneca Magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of Today Magazine, it’s employees or owners. Reasonable care is taken to ensure that the information contained in this magazine is as up-to-date and accurate as possible, as of the time of publication, but no responsibility can be taken by Today Magazine for any errors, omissions or comments made by writers or interviewees that are contained herein.

Furthermore, responsibility for any losses, damages or distress resulting from adherence to any information made available through this magazine is not the responsibility of Today Magazine. All unsolicited manuscripts and/ or photographs submitted are assumed to be intended for publication or republication in whole or in part. The right to alter, edit or refuse photos and/or manuscripts intended for publication is assumed. All unsolicited material submitted to Today Magazine are submitted at the author’s risk. Manuscripts and or photographs intended to be returned must be accompanied by sufficient postage. Today Magazine does not assume any responsibility for any claims of our advertisers and reserves the right to refuse any advertising.

COVER STORY 62

JIMMY STEWART

Revisiting a Hollywood legend’s visit to Niagara Falls.

FOOD & DRINK 8

MY FAVOURITE NIAGARA WINE CELLARS

14

CANADIAN WHISKY

20

THE MEAT OF THE MATTER

25

CELEBRATING ICEWINE

Sandra Ozkur’s top wine cellars in Niagara.

Still the best selling whisky in North America Making mouth-watering ribs.

Niagara’s coolest export.

RECIPES

29 30

TASTY TREATS By Anna Olson

32

APPLE PIE CRUMBLE Ravine Vineyard

SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE

By Ruth’s Chris

ABOUT TOWN 34 38 45 51

SPLASH INTO FUN

Niagara’s Indoor waterparks.

13TH STREET WINERY

Majestic art and world class wine.

UNCOVERING HIDDEN TREASURES

Niagara’s antique trail.

FUN ZONE

Niagara’s newest midway attraction.

LIFESTYLE & CULTURE 67 71 74

JAM SESSIONS

Profiling Elton Lammie and Beth Moore

DISCONNECTED

Mariana Bockarova gives up her cell phone for three months

SALT CAVES

A hidden natural healer.

HERE. SEE. DO 78

WINTER FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS

82

EVENT LISTINGS

NIAGARA

Shining brighter than ever this year

ON THE

COVER

CHANNELING

A

JimmyStewart

HOLLYWOOD

LEGEND’S VISIT TO NIAGARA

+

Delicious whiskies that will rock your palate!

TODAY MAGAZINE

IN ROOM COPY $24.95

I

LOCATION: Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse. CLOTHING: Caswell’s.

(Cruze Coat Leather…$350 , Sloane Shirt Long Sleeve in White $110, Bertini Pant 5 Pocket $98.) MODEL: Anthony Petti.

FREE DIGITAL COPY AVAILABLE AT READTODAYMAG.COM

TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 7

FOOD & DRINK

MY FAVOURITE

NIAGARA WINE CELLARS PHOTO BY SANDRA OZKUR

BY SANDRA OZKUR

Since the first time I descended the stone stairs into a European wine cellar, I have been mesmerized by the mystique of this underground world hidden deep beneath the bustle of winemaking above. These dark, dank caves, or wine cellars as they are known in English, are the depositories of some of the world’s greatest treasures. The whole process of winemaking is wizardry to my mind- a winemaker, pours fermented grape juice into an oak barrel, waits patiently and then, with a fl ick of his magic wand (known as a wine thief), beckons forth that delightful elixir which man has quested after, collected, and paid grand fees for since time memorial.

Of course, what is magic to my eyes, is in reality, a carefully honed, centuries-old process. I spent many years of my career in the wine industry and for this article I have chosen ten wine cellars that stand out because of design, customer experiences, cellar lore, unique products, and consumer’s choices. Wine cellars are traditionally used to age and store wine. True underground wine cellars provide the perfect temperature and humidity for aging wine in oak barrels, often called bariques. This environment develops the wine’s character and preserves its freshness. A cellar must also be free of vibrations and bright lights so as not to disturb the wine during the maturation process.

The most common barrels in the industry hold approximately 225 litres of wine (300 bottles).

So, with a flourish of my own writer’s wand, here is the list of my favourite wine cellars in Niagara. >>

TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 9

CASA MIA Family owned and operated for 30 years, Casa Mia Restaurant ranks at the top for its authentic Italian food. Located in Niagara Falls, it boasts one of the best wine lists in town and holds a ‘two glass’ Best of Award of Excellence rating from Wine Spectator Magazine. This novel restaurant has a traditional underground cantina, (wine cellar in Italian) which is well stocked with vintage wines from around the world. A rustic wooden table runs the length of the cantina and is used for special occasions or private tours and tastings. The cantina is well stocked with high quality and rare wines such as a 2000 Château Lafite Rothschild, Sassicaia, Tignanello, Gaja Brunello Di Montalcino; Prisoner and Orin Swift. Their on-site certified sommelier is extremely knowledgeable and can help choose the best wine for your palate. Try out the self-serve Enomatic wine bar, where you can buy small samples or wine by the glass. | casamiaristorante.com

PELLER ESTATES Stately and magnificent, this winery is large and impressive but down to earth when it comes to customer care. Peller Estates Winery offers imaginative guest experiences, many of which include a stop in the winery’s elegant wine library. Situated underground inside the barrel cellar, the library is a cozy place for a sit-down dining experience. The cellar itself is kept at the cool temperature necessary for fermentation but the library is climate controlled. Glass walls allow guests to dine in comfort, while looking out at the wine barrels. Guest experiences such as the Art of Wine and Food, Estate Reds, Beyond the Bottle and Chicks and Chocolate all enhance your appreciation of wine within the quiet ambiance of this cellar. While visiting Peller, be sure to try their famous Ice Cuvee Rose-a sparkling wine with a dosage of red Icewine—irresistible! | peller.com

TRIUS AT HILLEBRAND This winery is one of the oldest and most established wine producers in the region. Hillebrand Winery has three separate wine cellars: white, red and sparkling. I chose Hillebrand for its sparkling cellar,

as this is the only winery in Niagara where visitors can see sparkling wine made on site. Take note of the large cement, egg-shaped wine casks as you walk through the white cellar to get to the sparkling cellar. Here, Trius Brut wines are made by using the traditional Champagne method to produce high quality sparkling wine. Row upon row of horizontal wine bottles are stacked to the ceiling while they go through the secondary fermentation process. This fermentation produces the bubbles in sparkling wine. Once this step is over, the bottles are transferred to cages and onto the gyro-palette that takes them through the riddling process. Riddling is the process of rotating the bottles daily, while gradually tilting them upwards until the entire yeast residue is collected in the neck of the bottle. Once the bottles are upside down, the bottling process begins. The inverted bottles are placed in a machine that flash-freezes the bottle neck and allows for the removal of the frozen plug containing all the yeast sediment. The bottle is then topped up with a dosage of added sweetness such as Icewine or grape juice to create the desired flavours for the finished product. Corking, wiring and labeling are all done on site for the visitor to see. Trius Brut and Trius Rose make perfect summer sippers. | triuswines.com

TAWSE WINERY This winery is a work of art inside and out. Nestled into a hill at the edge of a pond, the property offers a panorama of the surrounding vineyards with a view of Lake Ontario in the distance. The winery’s beauty is more than just skin deep— this gravity fed winery has received biodynamic and organic certification. It is quite a sight to see sheep grazing amongst the vines as the horse-drawn plows work the soil between the rows. The three wine cellars are just as impressive—each arched cellar serving a different purpose. The White Cellar , the Red Cellar, and the Tasting Cellar are constructed with arched ceilings to provide strength and character. All utilize the underground waterbed and natural limestone hillside to correctly control the climate. Pre-release samplings, winemaker’s dinners, a wine club, or touring events are often held in the large tasting cellar, giving customers the unique experience to sip and sample underground. |

tawsewinery.ca >>

TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 11

VINELAND ESTATES WINERY This winery is the granddaddy of Niagara wineries and is marked by a stone tower and historical farm buildings, which date back to 1877.

Situated on the scenic Niagara Escarpment in Vineland, this elegant winery was one of the fi rst to plant grapes in the area and has some of the oldest existing vines. The cellar is located in the basement of what was once the barn. Here long rows of oak barrels lead to the wine library at the far end. Follow the history of the winery all the way back to 1983 through the back-vintages that line the shelves of the library.

Group tours, educational tastings, corporate functions and wine club events are regularly held in this spacious cellar. Be sure to sample the 2012 Cabernet Franc. | vineland.com >>

MEGALOMANIAC When the former owner of Vineland Estates sold the winery, he retained a few acres of grapes for his own retirement project. He dug into the hillside of the Niagara Escarpment to create a cellar where he could produce some wine for himself, friends, colleagues and loyal customers. A generous soul, he dedicated all proceeds to charity. The arched stone entrance frames the massive wooden doors, which lead into the wine cave. Along the walls are porticos that reveal the ancient layers of limestone where the groundwater trickles down and provides humidity for the cellar. A portable tasting bar was set up among the tanks so visitors could observe the wine making process. Within a few years, word spread about this unique experience and demand for his wines grew exponentially. It was clear that more space was needed to accommodate visitors. Remaining true to its name, a mega-structure is being built right on top of the cellar. This building is designed to make the most of the view from the pinnacle of the escarpment.

The panoramic views of the farmland, Lake Ontario, Niagara Falls and a distant Toronto are spectacular. The wines are no less spectacular; each wine label has been carefully chosen to reflect the personality of the wine within. Each label has a great story behind its name: Narcissistic Riesling, Big Mouth Merlot and Sonofabitch-Pinot Noir as does the name of the winery—ask a sales associate to explain the stories behind the names, it makes for great conversation! | megalomaniacwine.com

WEINKELLER As you enter this eclectic space located below street level, you are greeted with enthusiasm by the hospitable staff. Newly opened as an intimate wine-bar and restaurant, the owners have painstakingly restored antique hand-carved Bavarian ceiling beams to expose the original artwork. This novel restaurant offers ‘wine on tap’ which is made in-house from local grape juice. The idea is fun and the wines are enjoyable; there is always something new and exciting to try. The Weinkeller has received great reviews for its food, which is lovingly prepared just as Grandma would have done. Yoga breakfasts are offered outside on the large heated patio every Sunday and a party room is available for private functions or business meetings. | weinkeller.ca

CREEKSIDE ESTATE WINERY This award winning winery is especially well known for its robust red wines. Barrel aging in their authentic cellar is a necessary step in making these outstanding wines. You enter the cellar through an exterior door that leads into the ground behind the winery. Reminiscent of my European experience, we descended down a long ramp and arrived in a dimly lit cellar surrounded by oak bariques, demi muids, and a large wooden cask. The overhead chandelier casts shadows on the walls and floor, which give a dramatic atmosphere to the space. But don’t be fooled: the mood at Creekside is always fun and upbeat, and their sense of humour is evident throughout the cellar. Each wine barrel has its own personal name. Notable vintages have been given celebrity status and named for their particular characteristics. One cluster of barrels is named Paul, George, Ringo, and Yoko.

Another group is named Aragorn, Gandalf and Salma, and a row of large and curvaceous barrels are named after their celebrity counterparts-Marilyn, Scarlett and Aretha! There is always fun to be had on a visit to Creekside— take a tour, join the wine club, or just enjoy a glass of wine with lunch on their gorgeous outdoor patio that overlooks the vineyard and the entrance to the wine cellar. | creeksidewine.com TM

PILLITTERI ESTATES WINERY

REIF WINERY As one of the pioneers of the wine industry, Reif has some of the oldest vines along the Niagara River. It also boasts some of the oldest and largest wine barrels in Canada. The owner, who is originally from Germany, disassembled these heirloom wine barrels stave-by-stave and shipped them to his new winery in Canada, where they were then reassembled. These barrels are still used and can be seen in the ‘German Cellar’, which is open to visitors. The barrels are almost 9’ high and 8’ wide and hold 9850 litres of wine. Wine is placed in these barrels at the final stage of aging to further develop the subtle flavor and aromas. | reifwinery.com

PHOTO BY SANDRA OZKUR

This huge cellar contains about 1000 oak barrels, and an impressive forty-one foot, polished concrete table running the length of the room. The twenty stainless steel chairs that are suspended on the walls alongside the table are each numbered and engraved for significant milestones in the family’s history. Pillitteri Winery maintains the title as the largest estate producer of Icewine in the world.

Innovation is their success and they now produce thirteen different styles of Icewine.

Pillitteri gives daily tours and can accommodate large groups by appointment, they will arrange for private tours and tastings in their barrel cellar upon request. | pillitteri.com

WOMEN & MEN’S FASHIONS

2015

COMING SOON

BELLAANDJOSH.COM TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 13

CANADIAN

whisky STILL THE BEST SELLING WHISKY IN NORTH AMERICA

BY LYNN OGRYZLO

“G

imme a whisky with ginger ale on the side and don’t be stingy, baby,” utters Greta Garbo in the 1930’s Anna Christie movie. Although Greta tried, whisky has mainly remained a mans drink lining the mahogany shelves of men’s clubs, guzzled by gangsters and favoured by cowboys. Garbo would be pleased to know that today, more women are drinking whisky than ever before.

If you thought whiskey making in Canada hailed from Scottish roots, think again. In Davin de Kergommeaux’s latest book, Canadian Whisky: The Portable Expert, he claims the first commercial whisky distillers were mostly Americans of English or German descent who were keen to expand business opportunities here in Canada. As for those Scottish and Irish immigrants we thought brought us the golden liquid over ice? Well, they were certainly some of Canada’s most enthusiastic consumers of it.

According to regulations, Canadian whisky must be aged for at least three years, however most are aged 6 to 8 years and are double distilled.

The final product is almost always a blended whisky, which produces a rich and complex product.

Canadian whisky and rye whisky is not the same thing as whisky can be made from rye, corn, barley, wheat and other grains. However rye whisky made in Canada is a superstar winning international awards and outselling any other whisky in the U.S.A. In fact, Americans consume a whopping 73% of the whisky produced in Canada.

When it comes to Canadian whisky, we often forget the iconic names are of family dynasties and individuals as well as products. The distinctive Canadian whisky style can be credited to James Gooderham Worts.

He arrived in Ontario from England in 1831 and William Gooderham arrived the following year. Today Toronto’s famous Distillery District is housed in the original Gooderham Worts distillery. >>

TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 15

Around the same time Henry Corby immigrated and this was also the time Joseph Seagram was born (in Ontario). In 1857, J.P. Wiser crossed the border in to Canada (from U.S.A.) bringing his American distilling methods with him and Hiram Walker followed close behind bringing his English family heritage and expectations of high quality whisky. The Hiram Walker Distillery in Windsor was the largest distiller in North America. Reading all of these stories of our spirited heritage makes you want to grab a bottle, pour yourself a drink and sit in front of a roaring fire reading all of this and more in Kergommeaux’s book on Canadian whisky.

If you’re not a whisky drinker but have a curiosity for whisky, you may want to start with a cocktail like whisky sour. It’s a pour of whisky, a squirt of lemon juice and a touch of sugar. Alternately, mix whisky with water or have it over ice, this will release more flavours and aromas. Whisky is a complex drink of toast, brioche, vanilla, white pepper, caramel, nuts, dark rye bread, licorice, smoke and spice.

Drinking whisky neat is a more intense experience than with water, ice or in a cocktail. Fill a traditional whisky tumbler a quarter full and swirl it around. Taking a sniff prepares your palate for what’s to come. Take small and slow sips and let it coat your mouth before swallowing for a full experience.

While Canadian whisky regulations are more open than other parts of the world, what Canadians do that is different (and they’re really good at) is distilling the grains separately before blending the matured spirits together at the end.

In search of “the good stuff” during Prohibition, Enoch Thompson in the popular television series, Boardwalk Empire counted on Canadian whisky to support his bootlegging activities. While this is the stuff of great storytelling, the truth is that Prohibition in the U.S. crippled the prosperous cross-border sales of Canadian whisky driving Corby’s, Gooderham & Worts, Hiram Walker and Seagram’s into near bankruptcy. The U.S. did buy its whisky from Canada but it was Scottish and Irish whisky that simply flowed through Canada to its final southern destination.

If you’re a whisky drinker, you already know Canada makes fantastic whiskies.

Canadian whisky manufacturers have become world renowned for the quality of their whisky and whisky drinking is experiencing a fashionable revival. Perhaps it’s due to the popularity of television shows like Boardwalk Empire or Suits, but whisky drinking is definitely on the rise in Ontario.

While Enoch Thompson (Boardwalk Empire) and Harvey Specter (Suits) preferred to drink their whisky from traditional whisky tumblers, you can increase the enjoyment of sipping whisky with a destemmed red wine glass or a similar shaped whisky glass that is wider at the base than at the top. Like wine, the glass is designed to concentrate the aromas in the area of your nose for a fuller experience.

Unlike wine, whisky is not always a product of one producer. Another of the amazing facts in Kergommeaux’s well researched book on Canadian whisky is that, whisky destined for the U.S. may include some American whisky in it. The same product sold in Canada will not. This has more to do with tax incentives than a flavour preference. Regardless of the intended market, small amounts of foreign spirits will sometimes be added by large distillers to enhance certain flavours. This is not a frequent practice; so it’s still fair to say that, Canadian whisky can best be described as single distillery whisky.

Contrary to Greta Garbo downing her shot of whisky in one single gulp, it’s really not a good idea to gulp whisky. Because whisky has a high alcohol content it’s best to sip it slowly to savour the flavours, reflecting on the experience between sips.

Good news for whisky drinkers, a growing craft distilling industry in Canada means there are now over 30 new distillers with more than half of them already making or planning on making whisky. This means an awful lot more whisky to experience, sip and savour. More than that, whisky lovers can now pick up the recreational sport invented by wine lovers and visit distillers to try different whiskies. Who knows, perhaps a Whisky Trail is in Ontario’s future.

Davin de Kergommeaux’s, Canadian Whisky: The Portable Expert will make you realize there’s an awful lot more to this golden drink than meets the lips. It will inspire you to get out there and try some of Ontario’s great whiskies and learn that whisky makers are as passionate about their craft as winemakers have been for generations.

H ER E A R E A F E W DIS T I L L ER S W I T H I NCR E DI BLY DE LICIOU S W H ISK I E S T H AT W I L L ROCK YOU R PA L AT E !

FORTY CREEK DISTILLERY 297 S Service Rd, Grimsby | fortycreekwhisky.com for hours and events Whisky master, John Hall has a talent for crafting award winning whiskies that are smooth, rich and clean. Forty Creek makes five different whisky products: Barrel Select, Copper Pot, Double Barrel Reserve, Confederation Oak Reserve and Evolution. Winner of 15 international awards for the best whisky.

DILLON’S SMALL BATCH DISTILLERS 4833 Tufford Road, Beamsville | dillons.ca for hours and events Dillon’s white whisky is crafted from rye but without the ageing in wood to complicate the true flavour of rye. Gold Medal winner at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition (2013).

NORTH OF 7 DISTILLERY 1733 St. Laurent Blvd, Ottawa | northof7distillery.ca for hours and events White Dog Whisky is an unaged, white whisky blended from four grains.

It’s a true reflection of the grains as it never touches a barrel. A new product, North of 7 Whisky is crafted in a bourbon style that will be aged for a minimum of 3 years. 2017 scheduled released. Watch for it.

STILL WATERS DISTILLERY 150 Bradwick Dr. Unit 26, Concord | stillwatersdistillery.com for hours & events Just released this past October (2014) is their Stalk and Barrel Rye Whisky distilled from 100% Ontario grown rye grain. Other products include Stalk and Barrel Single Malt Whisky made with 100% malted barley and Still Waters Canadian Whisky, a small batch of blended grains.

TORONTO DISTILLERY CO 90 Cawthra Ave., Unit 100, Toronto | torontodistillery.ca for hours & events Toronto Distillery’s Winter Wheat Batch #2 is a certified organic wheat whisky. Awarded the highest score for an unaged whisky in the Whisky Advocate’s 2013 Winter Buying Guide. The wheat comes from Schomberg and distilled in Toronto (in the junction).

CANADIAN MIST DISTILLERS 202 Macdonald Rd, Collingwood | canadianmist.com for hours & events Two delicious products include Canadian Mist Whisky, a whisky of blended grains with a splash of sherry. Collingwood Whisky is a blended grains aged in maple wood for a truly distinctive flavour. TM

TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 17

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TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 19

GETTING TO

THE MEAT

OF THE MATTER:

MAKING MOUTH WATERING RIBS BY: LYNN OGRYZLO

With a beautiful winter Sunday ahead of me I want a warm weather meal from the comfort of my oven. I’m in the mood for something savoury, something I can really sink my teeth into, something to satisfy my carnivorous craving for a bone to gnaw on and sticky fingers I can lick. It’s the kind of day only a rack of ribs will satisfy.

In her book Bones, author Jennifer McLagan laments how sad it is that “people opt for boneless chicken breasts, fish fi llets and cutlets when good cooks know that anything cooked on the bone has more flavour.” I couldn’t agree more with Jennifer. I like my pork chops on the bone, my prime rib still on the rack and on a beautiful winters day, there’s nothing better than stripping off those tender morsels of flesh from between the rib bones with your teeth while the sticky sauce covers your fingers (and your face).

Not only does meat cooked on the bone tend to be more flavourful, but also the meat around the ribs is marbled with fat, which means it’s always succulent. This is especially true with back ribs, the larger, meatier kind of rib most of us are familiar with.

There are two kinds of ribs; side ribs and back ribs. Side ribs are from the belly of the pig and are often times referred to as sweet and sour ribs because they are mostly used in Chinese cuisine. They are generally smaller with less meat and if you’ve ever eaten Chinese cuisine, you know they contain a lot of cartilage.

Back ribs on the other hand come from the loin, a more tender part of the pig.

They hold a lot more meat, are fattier (hence more flavour) and are traditionally more expensive than side ribs because of all the extra meat you’re getting.

“I’ve never eaten a side rib,” claims Linda Ann Vandermeer, butcher at Commisso’s Fresh Foods in Niagara Falls. “Why would you?” Linda declares she only eats back ribs. She portions her ribs into individual servings, roasts them slowly in the oven, covers them with her sweet barbecue sauce and digs into the fall-off-the-bone ribs.>>

TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 21

We tend to think that ribs and barbecue are inseparable, but like Linda, I have always cooked my ribs in the oven. The hard-working meat between the bones may be described by butchers as tender, but the reality is, if ribs are not cooked properly, they can be as tough as any other cut of meat cooked improperly. For ribs, they need time to break down the muscle and tenderize. So here is the great rib debate – to boil or to bake?

I have a friend who boils his ribs to tenderize them before he bakes them. While I think this would make delicious pork broth, I can’t see how boiling away the flavour before slathering them with sauce is going to create juicy, meaty ribs your friends will swoon over. It’s a method meant to reduce time but believe me, you’re not fooling anyone when they eat them.

Ribs need slow and steady cooking to tenderize and keep the meaty flavour and the oven is actually an ideal environment to cook them slow enough to melt the meat and make them tasty, After a few hours in the oven, the meat is nearly falling off the bone and you'll be licking your fingers in no time.

There are other ways to tenderize ribs. If you like a tropical flavour to your ribs (which I don’t), you could actually marinate them in pineapple juice. The active ingredient in pineapple juice called bromelain is an enzyme well known for its tenderizing effect on all meats. While many like this method, I find it simply makes the meat soft and a bit on the slimy side. Alternately, you could remove the tough, translucent membrane from the back of the rack. If you’re not confident doing this, perhaps you’ll need the presence of a good butcher to do this for you. In any case, it does seem to help the tenderizing process.

Racks of sauce-soaked ribs are a specialty of southern barbecue where they’re cooked long and slow in a pit. This is where pulled pork comes from, as well as fall-off-the-bone ribs. This is opposite to grilling where food is cooked very quickly over a hot grill. You cannot cook ribs by grilling without having them do time in the oven first.

Alternately, you could turn down the heat on the barbecue and flip them often to avoid them burning. But think about it, walking away from the oven while they cook for hours is certainly much better than standing guard over the barbecue to make sure they don’t burn (even though we all know that they will inevitably burn or dry out anyway).

The choice is yours, I know some men prefer cooking over an open flame to oven roasting. I think it’s more primeval, psychological and somehow connected to our carnivorous moods than it is a good cooking method for ribs.

So let’s get to the meat of the matter. My method is simple. I love my ribs simply rubbed with an interesting blend of spices. You can buy different spice rubs in grocery stores in a wide variety of flavours from Moroccan to Italian, Caribbean to Indian. Mine consists of (take a deep breath) brown sugar, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, dry mustard, Greek oregano, garlic powder and onion powder.

If you want your ribs really smoky, mix mustard (doesn’t matter which kind as you won’t taste it) with a few drops of liquid smoke, you’ll love the results. Rub the ribs with this before applying the rub mix.

Line a shallow roasting pan with aluminum foil (makes cleanup easier) and set a baking rack on top. By elevating the ribs on a rack it ensures the heat will circulate on all sides of the ribs.

SO HERE IS THE GREAT DEBATE - TO BOIL OR TO BAK E?

If you want a deeper flavoured rib, baste and rub the day before.

Just wrap the seasoned ribs in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

When you’re ready, lay the ribs on top of the rack in a single layer.

Either way, make sure the ribs are completely coated on both sides and edges with spices.

Preheat the oven to 225F (110C). Place the ribs, meat side down in the roasting pan, cover, place in the middle of the oven and walk away as they cook for four hours. These ribs are as hands-off as it gets. Then remove the cover and very carefully, turn them over. I use two spatulas to do the job successfully without tearing the rack of ribs.

Now slather a layer of barbecue sauce on the ribs, increase the heat to 400F (200C). Return the ribs to the oven without a cover for an additional half an hour or until some browning begins to take place around the edges. The high heat caramelizes the sauce over the ribs.

They’re meaty, rich and tender on the inside and gooey, caramelized and finger-licking good on the outside.

Finally, remove the ribs from the oven and let them rest for about ten minutes. Now cut between the bones to make three to four rib serving pieces. By the time these beauties come out of the oven, you’ll be so hungry from the delicious smells circulating throughout your house you won’t even question that they didn’t come off the grill. I hope you were roasting some thickly seasoned potato wedges to go with those ribs. Pour a glass of delicious red wine and you’ve got a summer-like meal in the chill of winter. What are you eating this weekend? TM

647.748.3211

TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 23

BRANDS THAT MATTER It isn’t about being big. It’s about being good.

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Lundys Lane

Niagara Falls

Icewine

CELEBRATING

T

By Sandra Ozkur

he Niagara Icewine Festival just keeps getting bigger and better, with an ever-increasing variety of events and activities that celebrate this national treasure. Canada holds the title as the largest Icewine producer in the world and is renowned for the quality and selection of this rare and wonderful dessert wine. This is an accomplishment worth celebrating, and every January, people come from all over the world to be part of this month long celebration of Icewine.

Niagara is the heart of wine production in central Canada. Due to its unique location between the two Great Lakes, Erie and Ontario, Niagara’s climate remains moderate enough to allow grapes to flourish throughout the region. The red and

TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 25

EVERY YEAR PRADEEP LETS HIS IMAGINATION RUN WILD…“MY INSPIRATION COMES FROM INSPIRING OTHERS; THAT IS MY ULTIMATE SATISFACTION.” PRADEEP HAS CERTAINLY WHET MY APPETITE FOR THE NEXT ICEWINE FESTIVAL. I CAN’T WAIT TO SEE WHAT THIS YEAR’S CREATION WILL BE.” PRadeeP dhaRmaWaRdane, head PaStRY cheF at FaLLSvieW caSino

white wines that are produced here are highly regarded around the world. But Niagara takes wine growing one step further: Although the area is hot in the summer, it consistently experiences freezing temperatures in winter. It is this yearly cold spell that is the magic needed to produce the exotic Icewine for which Canada has become famous, so much so that Niagara’s wineries now use Icewine as their brand name for Icewines produced in Canada.

January has become the season to celebrate Icewine, when the harvest is in full swing. Each year the festival is kicked off with the Icewine Gala, which is hosted at the Fallsview Casino’s Grand Hall in Niagara Falls. This elegant affair is a sparkling wonderland of glamorous people, food and Icewine. Throughout the Hall, wineries present their best wines alongside culinary delights served by local top chefs. The highlight of the feast is the dessert extravaganza at the far end of the hall, where you will always fi nd a large crowd gathering amongst the towering displays of mouthwatering decadence.

The man behind those ingenious, sweet works of art is the Casino’s charismatic head Pastry Chef, Pradeep Dharmawardane. Pradeep was raised and educated in Sri Lanka and honed his craft while working at high-end hotels in Dubai, Toronto, Washington D.C. and the Bahamas, where he regularly catered to the palates of diplomats and celebrities.

One of Pradeeps favorite events is the Icewine Gala, where he gets a free hand at designing and creating desserts to wow the guests. Each year he comes up with new items to tie in with the festival theme. With the use of theatrical lighting and decorations, he builds a set where he displays his edible art. Last year’s Bacchus theme was evident in the rows of vines that led to his colourful display. Changing coloured lights moved and shimmered along the 15 ft. glass-like structure made of sugar. With a focus on women’s beauty, Pradeep created edible makeup: pink chocolate lipstick, chocolate eyeliner pencils, and blush compacts made of macaroons with Icewine centers to delight the ladies in the crowd. Nearby was a display of miniature cola bottles with chocolate straws, Icewine shooters with raspberries and Icewine lollipops. The chocolate section was overfi lled with Icewine fi lled truffles and chocolate dipped fruit. Pastry lovers indulged in decadent cakes, Icewine Brule, panna cotta, profiteroles, croquembouche and Icewine cheesecake. If that wasn’t enough, there were interactive stations where one could make funnel cakes with Icewine syrup, roast Icewine marshmallows or create Icewine parfaits. It was playful and fun and the grownups were like kids in a candy shop.

Every year Pradeep lets his imagination run wild, “I totally love the look on people’s faces when they see and taste my creations. Their delight and satisfaction is the most rewarding part of the job. I always try to come up with something completely new every year. One year, I created a European fruit market, where I made crates of miniature fruits, mini éclairs and strudels, as well as a full array of Icewine treats. Another year, I created a chocolate workshop where people could dip and temper their own chocolates. This year, the festival will be celebrating 20 years and the theme will be Chinese New Year. I am very excited for this year’s event. I start about three months in advance to sketch the items, develop the recipes and execute the new concepts.

There is a lot of trial and error before I achieve the exact results that I see in my mind,” Pradeep said. “My inspiration comes from inspiring others; that is my ultimate satisfaction.” Pradeep has certainly whet my appetite for the next Icewine festival. I can’t wait to see what this year’s creation will be. TM

The Icewine festival runs from January 9th to 25th and there is something for everyone.

Dress up for a classy evening of food and wine at the Icewine Gala or at the Sparkle and Ice Party.

Dress down in your snow gear and saunter through the Icewine Villages on the streets of Jordan and Niagara-on-the-Lake, where you can sip and sample your way through a carnival of Icewine, food booths, music and ice sculptures.

Drink Icewine from an ice glass at Canada’s longest ice-bar.

Watch winemakers compete in the annual wine barrel roll or mixologists compete for the Icewine cocktail trophy.

Laugh your boots off at the Icebreaker Comedy night.

Buy a discovery pass that gives you access to events at over 30 wineries that create their own inhouse celebrations.

This year, the festival continues for a third weekend of fun in Niagara Falls, January 23rd25th, staged at the ScotiaBank Centre For full schedule and more details about activities related to the Icewine, visit: niagarawinefestival.com

TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 27

The Ultimate Spa Experience

Full menu of treatments for men, women and couples Registered Massage Therapists on staff Complimentary use of dry saunas with your spa service

At the Americana Resort 8444 Lundy’s Lane, Niagara Falls

Boutique offers skin care products, cosmetics, jewelry and unique gift ideas

905-356-6068 1-800-263-3508 americananiagara.com

Come Make A Splash!

At Niagara’s Best Value Indoor Waterpark

Wave Pool • Tipping Bucket Water Slides up to 3 Storeys High Hot Spa • Activity Pool • Arcade Kiddie Pool & Slides • Snack Bar

Day passes just $26.95 pp! + tax Always

84º

New!

CONFERENCE R E S O RT S PA

8444 Lundy’s Lane, Niagara Falls ON

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Private poolside cabana rentals

BY ANNA OLSON

CARAMEL PEANUT POPCORN Makes about 7 cups • • • • • • • • •

5 cups popped popcorn kernels 2 cups salted peanuts 1 ¼ cups light brown sugar, packed ¼ cup unsalted butter ¼ cup pure maple syrup 2 tsp vanilla extract 1 tsp white vinegar ½ tsp salt ¼ tsp baking soda

1. Preheat the oven to 250°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and toss the popcorn and peanuts on tray. Keep this warm in oven while preparing the caramel.

2. In a saucepot over medium-low heat, stir the brown sugar, butter and maple syrup until the butter has melted. Increase the heat to high and boil sugar mixture until a candy thermometer reads 255 °F (just past softball stage), about 4 minutes. While boiling, occasionally brush the sides of the pot with a pastry or silicone brush dipped in cool water. Remove the pot from heat and stir in the vanilla extract, vinegar, salt and baking soda (the mixture will bubble). Slowly pour the syrup over the popcorn and peanuts, gently stirring to coat completely.

3. Bake the mixture until the caramel feels dry, about 1 hour 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven and stir the mixture before it cools completely, to break up the bigger pieces.

Cool completely in pan.

It will keep up to a week when stored in airtight container.

SWEET & SALTY TRAIL MIX Makes about 4 cups • • • • • • • • • • •

1 cup whole almonds 1 cup unsalted peanuts ½ cup shelled unsalted pumpkin seeds ¼ cup unsalted sunflower seeds 3 Tbsp maple syrup 1 tsp celery salt ½ tsp coarse sea salt ½ tsp ground cumin ¼ tsp ground cinnamon ½ cup raisins ½ cup dried cranberries

1. Preheat the oven to 375ºF and line a baking tray with parchment paper.

2. Toss the almonds, peanuts, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds with the maple syrup, celery salt, sea salt, cumin and cinnamon. Spread this onto the prepared baking tray and bake, stirring once halfway, for 18-20 minutes, until the nuts are toasted. While still warm, stir in the raisins and cranberries.

Let the mix cool and store in an airtight container.

The mix will keep up to a month in an airtight container.

From “Fresh with Anna Olson”, Whitecap Books 2009

TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 29

RECIPES

TASTY TREATS

uth’s sweet otato Casserol

M a k e s 4 Se rv i ng s

Ingredients

Crust Mixture:

Process:

¾ cup brown sugar ¼ cup flour ¾ cup chopped nuts (pecans preferred) ¼ cup melted butter

1. Combine crust mixture in mixing bowl and put to one side.

2. Combine sweet potato mixture ingredients in a mixing bowl in the order listed.

Combine thoroughly.

3. Pour sweet potato mixture into buttered baking dish.

4. Sprinkle crust mixture evenly onto surface of sweet potato mixture.

5. Bake for 30 minutes at 350°. Allow to set for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Sweet Potato Mixture:

¾ cup sugar ¼ tsp vanilla 2 cups mashed sweet potatoes 1 egg, well beaten ¼ cup butter

Recipe also available on ruthchris.com/recipes

GET WHAT YOU WANT FOR THE LOW PRICES YOU LOVE

www.grabjab.com TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 31

RAVINE VINEYARD

APPLE PIE CRUMBLE APPLE FILLING • • • • •

6 cups peeled & chopped apples ½ cup sugar ½ tsp. cinnamon ½ tsp. nutmeg 2 tsp. all-purpose flour

This recipe is to fill a 9 inch deep-dish pie. In a bowl, whisk together sugar, flour and spices. Spread mixture evenly over peeled apples.

OATMEAL CRUMB TOPPING • • • •

1 cup of oats 1 cup of all-purpose flour 2/3 cup brown sugar 2/3 cup cold butter

In a mixing bowl (or in a bowl by hand) place all ingredients and mix butter until it breaks down into small pea size bits, you don’t want to over mix! It should appear loose and crumb-like.

PIE DOUGH • • • • •

2.25 cups butter cold and grated 6.5 cups of all-purpose flour 3 tsp. salt 2 egg yolks 125ml cold water

Ensure butter and water are cold. Grate butter into all other ingredients and then mix by hand or in a mixer until just comes together –do not over mix! Gather dough into ball and flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic and chill overnight or for a minimum of 4 to 6 hours.

FINAL METHOD… Pre-heat oven to 350° F. Roll out dough onto lightly floured surface, then line a 9-inch pie dish with dough. Pack the apple pie filling into the pie dish then top with oatmeal crumb. Bake pie in oven for approximately 40 to 50 minute or until apples in centre are tender when pierced.

Best served with vanilla ice cream & Ravine Vineyard 2012 Vidal Icewine!

RECIPE COURTESY OF RAVINE VINEYARDS

TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 33

Splash INTO YEAR-ROUND FUN

BY JILL THAM

Gone are the days when you have to wait until the summer months to enjoy some family time plunging down exhilarating water slides. In recent years, indoor waterparks have made a statement in many communities across North America, making it possible to enjoy this once seasonable pastime year-round. The Americana Conference Resort and Spa Waves Waterpark and Fallsview Waterpark are two of the community’s hot spots for some wet and wild fun in Niagara Falls, Ont. The entire gang, young and old, will be entertained as these attractions are designed for everyone to enjoy.

about TOWN

AMERICANA CONFERENCE RESORT AND SPA The Americana Waves Waterpark differentiates itself from other waterparks by “bringing the outdoors in.”

The facility’s retractable roof and sliding doors allows guests to enjoy climate controlled waters while not losing out on the sunlight and breezes that only Mother Nature can provide. Upbeat music and fun décor complete with tropical greenery add to the feel of being in the natural environment.

Several comfortable lounge areas provide a place for parents to relax, while providing excellent vantage points to watch over their children enjoying the aquatic facilities. The park is on a modest scale making it a calming experience for parents.

Imagine plunging two storeys through a pitch black tube, venturing outside the facility and ending back inside with a splash in the pool. The Americana also has two body slides that do not require a tube, and are guaranteed to excite it’s riders over and over again. In the Aqua Play Unit, parents are permitted to coast down the slides with their children on their lap or in their arms; another unique feature not found at many waterparks.

When you need a time-out from the thrill seeking, escape to your own private getaway in one of the two new cabana rentals. Allow yourself to feel like you are on a private beach being pampered like an A-lister by your own wait staff. If the fully serviced location doesn’t entice you, the 42 inch television and DVD player may seal the deal. Whether you are with the family and putting the little ones down for a nap in the pack and play, or hanging out with friends, the cabana will provide a little bit of seclusion.

Your little ones will be filled with excitement and wonder as they explore the interactive play structure and toddler pool complete with bubblers, swings and an abundance of toys to play with in balmy 88 degree water.

The toddler slides at the Americana will have the wee ones smiling proudly as they slide safely and independently while you watch from a few metres away on one of the many poolside tables for family and friends.>> Another unique feature of Americana Waterpark is the outdoor leisure, recreational and playground areas that are available free of charge to the guests on the weekends and holidays. Nightly entertainment is also held poolside. With entertainment ranging from Mad Science demonstrations to reptile shows, your children will have plenty to see and do.

The Americana doesn’t just cater to individuals staying at the hotel. “Day passes with locker rentals are available for visitors and local residents,” states Aquatic Manager, Krista Phillips. “We also host birthday parties and special events.”

Although there are many features of the facility that keep people coming back for more, friendly staff is what makes this location stand out amongst other facilities. “It’s a family operated hotel. I’ve worked here for twenty years and loved every minute of it,” states Phillips.

If your idea of waterpark bliss includes being kissed by the sun and caressed by the breeze, the Americana Waves Waterpark and its retractable roof and sliding doors is just the ticket for you and your family. Whether or not the weather is amenable to splashing and sliding outside, the climate is always tropical and inviting in this fantastic indoor water park. For more information visit americananiagara.com >> TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 35

FALLSVIEW INDOOR WATERPARK “No one thought Dino Dicienzo Sr. was serious when he suggested building a waterpark on top of the parking garage of one of his hotels,” states Brent Gusnowski, Operations Manager of the Fallsview Indoor Waterpark. Being the only one of its kind, the waterpark is located atop of the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Niagara Falls, Ont. The 125,000 square foot facility is guaranteed to thrill the whole family, especially your “tweens” with its many features including the massive 1,000 gallon tipping bucket, 6-storey high water slides and full-sized wave pool.

This large open concept space provides a clear view of the entire facility for parents to keep an eye on their loved ones.

The facility is equipped with five tube and body slides, four extreme slides, two hot tubs, one splash pad and a dry play area.

Aside from all the impressive aspects, this indoor waterpark has another unique feature - an unforgettable view of spectacular Niagara Falls. Nowhere else can you be in a waterpark with the thunderous Falls as your backdrop.

One aspect of the facility that is guaranteed to make you feel like you are in an episode of “Cribs” or “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous” is the facility’s rooftop outdoor pool. The pool is open year-round complete with a heated floor. The pool is always packed and kept at an even 88-90 degrees, giving you an escape from the cold during the winter months. Two adults only hot tubs situated away from the main slides provides some up-close and personal time for parents and couples.

“The facility is different from other waterparks because it has a specialized “rubaroc” floor fail-safe to prevent slips and falls,” states Gusnowski. Safety is the most important aspect to Gusnowski and he ensures the facility is in top shape. “Our single rider slides for children end in 8-10 inches of water instead of a drop into a pool of water,” states Gusnowski. This thoughtful design feature adds safety for the little ones and peace of mind for parents.

The Planet Hollywood Beach Club Restaurant will provide a place to refuel before your next plunge down the adrenaline-charged slides or before having 1000 gallons of water shower you from the enormous tip bucket. Adults can enjoy some adult time at the Planet Hollywood Bar located on the second floor balcony of the facility.

At peak times, the facility employs 80 staff including guest services, pool staff, and operations. “The facility is directly connected to the Sheraton on the Falls Hotel, Crowne Plaza Hotel, and Skyline Inn. The Fallsview Water Park is also a short walk from the Clifton Victoria Hotel and Inn at the Falls.

Special hotel promotions come with four free waterpark passes making the experience affordable to many. The facility also allows walk-in passes for local residents and visitors to the city that are not staying in one of the associated hotels. There are women’s, men’s and family change rooms and lockers for guests and visitors of the hotel. Birthday parties, corporate and other special events can also be celebrated at the Fallsview Indoor Waterpark.

From relaxing in the soothing waters of a hot tub, to racing down the sky-screamer, the Fallsview Indoor Waterpark has fun in store for toddlers, adults, and everyone in between.

For some relaxation and white-knuckling excitement visit fallsviewwaterpark.com. TM

TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 37

WINERY:

By Gabrielle Tieman

13th STREET

FROM BLUES TO BBQS TO WORLD CLASS WINES Pleasing everyone on a wine tour is not an easy task. While some individuals may love a crisp, sweet white wine, others may favour a dark, earthy red. And though today most wineries grow hundreds of acres of diverse grapes and produce multiple varietals, it is rare to travel to a winery that not only appeals to the masses of wine appreciators, but those who may not favour the beverage at all. 13th Street Winery fills this industry void, providing a winery that appeals to both wine connoisseurs and the friends they brought along for the ride.

Committed to the creation of excellent wines and supporting local, 13th Street Winery serves as a well-rounded representation of Niagara wine country and the produce and artistic talent the peninsula has to offer. Blending modern sophistication with rustic country charm, the century old farm home turned contemporary winery has struck a perfect balance in the sometimes one sided industry, creating a welcoming atmosphere for a diverse array of visitors. Featuring four core lines of wine, the winery has the ability to appeal both to those in search of an elevated Niagara blend and families looking to pick up a dozen homemade butter tarts and sip a glass of chardonnay at a picnic table outside.

“We never strived to be everything to everybody,” said Peter Bodnar Rod, Director of

Media Relations and Hospitality at 13th Street Winery. “We are just an authentic reflection of who we all are. And in turn we ended up with a very rich, very contemporary art gallery and high end dining experience in one end and then across 10 metres you’re at the heart of Niagara with the smells of fresh baked goods and real jams. We are okay being both these things - we know it may be different customers, but it is an authentic expression of who we are.”

Founded in 1998, 13th Street Winery began as a small estate winery specialized in producing small quantities of hand crafted estate grown table wines and traditional method sparkling.

Though founded by four professionals whose expertise lay in fields far from winemaking, the successful amateur underground winemakers saw their 1,500 case productions quickly sell out season after season. In 2008, these partners sold the winery to new owners Doug and Karen Whitty alongside their business partners John and June Mann; both families who had been actively involved in the farming side of the wine industry for years and had decided it was their turn to try their hand at production.

“John owns vineyards and Doug had farmed them,” said Bodnar Rod. “Over the years they have always wondered if growing grapes and selling them to other wineries to use was the

best way to go. So many people who own grapes at some point in their life are going to start weighing the benefits and costs of turning those grapes that they nurture and love so much into wine and realizing the benefits of that finished good. And after some conversation they decided that is what they should probably do.”

Under this new ownership the winery quickly grew –accumulating more acreage, growing production to 10,000 cases a year and relocating the winery to a state-of-the-art winemaking facility on 4th Avenue in St. Catharines having outgrown its namesake location at 13th Street.

“13th Street was a mystery to get to,” said Bodnar Rod. “If you didn’t know it already then you didn’t know it. When the Whitty’s and the Mann’s came on board the plan was to grow the business, which involved relocating the facility from the now dead end road.

Both families came with significant vineyards as well. At that time the original owners were working with a five acre vineyard that surrounded the original 13th Street and a large vineyard called Sandstone.”

This move to west St. Catharines provided the winery with additional high quality vineyards, greenhouses and an on-site bakery and market for further expansion.

“100% of the vintages produced by 13th Street Winery are made from fruit sourced

exclusively in the Niagara Peninsula with 85% or more coming from our own vineyards,” said Bodnar Rod. “Our very first vines were planted at the 13th Street Vineyard in 1976.

In the years since, we’ve planted Gamay Noir, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Pinot Gris and now have amassed more than 40 acres of estate vineyards in the VQA Creek Shores appellation of Niagara.”

But despite all of the expansions and changes being made, the Mann’s and Whitty’s chose to stick close to the winery’s roots, bringing a world renowned winemaker on to continue the tradition of producing critically acclaimed wines – with a focus on Gamay and traditional method sparkling wine.

“We still specialize in traditional method sparkling wines,” said Bodnar Rod. “We still specialize in Gamay Noir and we are still very focused on Riesling and Chardonnay.

Those are the varietals we have always grown both on our property and others. This is who we are and there was no reason to change that - it’s what we think is right for Niagara and we have had great success.”

Jean-Pierre Colas joined 13th Street in early 2009, working alongside original winemaker Herb Jacobson up until his retirement in late 2010. Bringing with him a thorough knowledge of winemaking along with an artistic flare, Colas is known to mix his experi-

ences from his native Chablis, France along with his ten years in Niagara to create unique cold weather wines.

“Jean Pierre is a very traditional Frenchman, very hands off and a firm believer in doing everything possible to extract the maximum complexity and maximum character from the varietals from the site where they are picked,” said Bodnar Rod. “He harvests very late in the season to give the grapes maximum amount of time to mature.

“You hear stories about rainy seasons in Bordeaux and how it came down to which winemakers were going to pick and which were going to wait for the rain to go away in hopes that there will be sunshine on the other side. Well Jean Pierre was always the guy who waited. He believed we could handle a bit of rain. ‘Let’s get the sunshine, we need more sunshine, we need more ripeness and it’s not worth making wines from grapes that are only three quarters of the way there’.”

Colas continues to uphold 13th Street’s reputation for producing great Gamay and table wines, but the winery has since expanded to simultaneously showcase Colas’ unique talents for understanding diverse grapes. Showcasing four core lines of wine – the 13th Street Cream Label, 13th Street Black Label, Essence and Blended Series – each are distinguished by different flavours, level of development and Colas’ creative flare. >>

TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 39

Priced in the mid to high teens, 13th Street’s Cream Label is known as the workhorse of the series. 80 per cent developed from their estate fruit, these labels are known to continually bring wine consumers back for another bottle of exceptional table wine. The Black Label series, their reserve line, both elevates the traditional table wine flavours and includes a few special bottles – including Colas’ favourite wine Syrah.

“It is the type of wine people expect to see when they come to 13th Street,” said Bodnar Rod. “They always expect to see a cream label Gamay, the June’s Vineyard Chardonnay, June’s Vineyard Reisling, and so on.”

Though the traditional cream and black label wines have the crowds flowing in, the Essence Line, a creative collection by Colas and the winery’s most expensive collection, has slowly been growing more popular and drawing more crowds. “[Colas] is extremely creative,” said Bodnar Rod. “We always want Jean Pierre to produce what inspires him and what is unexpected and exceptional – that doesn’t necessarily have a customer yet. These are Jean Pierre’s finest art form. Completely hands off. No pressure to do or be anything. We just let the master create his masterpieces.”

And last their Palette Series is a series of blended entry level wines that have become a core series. Featuring a white, red and rose, the wines are blends of different varietals grown on 13th Street’s property.

“I believe in the past we were known as a great varietal vineyard, other than sparkling wine which tends to be a blended variety,” said Bodnar Rod. “Now I think we are known for both; some interesting blends and some traditional blends. Jean Pierre loves to have all of his raw materials ferment individually, and then assess them individually – picking blocks that can stand on their own as varietal wines and then taking others to make some interesting blends.”

And though wine is what put them on the map, the butter tarts are one component that is helping to keep 13th Street Winery on top. Conveniently located across from the wine store and tasting bar is the year round 13th Street Bakery and Marketplace. The recently renovated barn was built to feature both seasonal produce from the Whitty farm and other local producers from the Niagara Peninsula when the outdoor market was closed during the colder months. They feature farm fresh fruits, vegetables and flowers, baked goods made on site, including the famous butter tarts, an assortment of jams, jellies and preserves and even an assortment of artisan merchandise such as jewelry, books, kitchen gadgets, scarves and more.

“The bakery was always part of the outdoor market,” said Bodnar Rod. “We realized [the old barn] was a good spot to expand on the very successful outdoor market because it is closed from November to May. So what do you do the rest of the year to get them their butter tarts and their Thanksgiving pies and their Christmas goods and anything else?

Well you do an indoor version of it and where better to do it then at the winery.”

Included are a few accessible lunch options like flatbread pizzas, cheese boards and country accoutrements that make the winery a wonderful spot for a quick bite to eat.

“Fast, delicious, local, affordable; that is the idea with our lunch,” said Bodnar Rod. Alongside the Marketplace, the winery and tasting rooms play host to a rotating collection of Canadian art that is available for purchase.

These pieces compliment the permanent sculptures and paintings that can be found surrounding the grounds and adorning the walls – again adding to the clientele that the winery attracts year after year.

13th Street Winery also hosts seasonal wine, food and cultural events to showcase the extraordinary talents of top chefs, artists and musicians from the region – paying homage to the area and supporting local talent in every possible way.

It is this diverse array of attractions that keeps the winery not only busy, but buzzing with a positive energy that you can still feel heavy in the air after the doors have closed for the day.

“It’s not that we try to be everything for everyone, but we can be everything to everyone,” said Bodnar Rod. “We aren’t trying to be but we can’t be one thing. We have become a really comprehensive experience. In all of the years we have been together and with this move from very small to slightly bigger, we couldn’t just stick to one style – there are too many personalities. It’s about blues and barbecues, and the country market and 75 dollar multi course menus with top chefs, 60 dollar sparkling wines and 15 dollar every day picnic lights. It is about making people happy and hoping they will want to come back and further enjoy the experience.” TM

13TH STREET WINERY IS LOCATED AT 1776 Fourth Avenue in St. Catharines.

WINE SHOP HOURS: Monday to Saturday 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. June to October 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. November to May BAKERY HOURS: Tuesday to Saturday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. January to May Monday to Saturday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. June to December

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75 Shops 55 Restaurants 35 Hotels, Motels, Resorts & Campgrounds 5 Minutes from the World Famous Falls 1 Heck of a Good Time !

Waves Indoor Waterpark • Oh Canada EH? Dinner Theatre Canada One Brand Name Outlets • Live Entertainment War of 1812 Landmarks & Reenactments • Socialize with us!

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Visit Niagara’s Favourite Neighbourhood at

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TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 41

T

BY: LAUREN CHARLEY

NIGHTMARES FEAR FACTORY

our what was once the site of the “Cataract Coffin Factory”, said to still be haunted by the ghost of Abraham Mortimer. Abraham was once the proprietor of the building who died a gruesome and murderous death in his factory. Experience the chills and thrills of a pitch black nightmare, guided only by a trail of tiny red lights and blood curdling screams. Can you survive the entire tour, or will you be amongst the 125,000+ who have chickened out over the past decade?

But choose wisely, as upon yelling the safety word, “Nightmares”, something will come and escort you out.

The Nightmares experience is different for everyone, as the ghosts will pray on each individual’s particular fears and phobias. No acting, no blood, no animatronics, just a self-guided tour through pitch black darkness; that is what makes Nightmares Fear Factory so unique from other haunted houses. They say that human beings’ ultimate fear is the unknown, and this haunted house plays to that effect by giving attendees a frightening expedition where they do not known what to expect. Are you sure it’s your friend grabbing onto your arm? Will you be able to proceed if you follow the marked directions?

Nightmares is full of surprises with unexpected events around every corner. Crawl, duck, and watch your step, because this haunted excursion will not only play on your psychological well-being, but ensure you will leave with your physical senses tingling too!

Canada’s haunted charm has received global attention from media outlets worldwide, who are most impressed by the faces of visitors caught on camera throughout the tour. Nightmare’s was mentioned by Jay Leno on The Night Show as being known as “the scariest haunted house in the world.” The attraction has also received recognition by popular entertainment sources including Live with Regis & Kelly and RyanSeacrest.com.

Nightmares Fear Factory is located at 5631 Victoria Avenue, Niagara Falls, in the Clifton Hill Tourist District. Prices for general admission are $13.25 for adults and $9.50 for children. Discount packages are available, and customers can save up to 35% by purchasing their tickets online, ahead of time. Be sure to leave your nightmare with a copy of your personal photo and a souvenir to show your friends that you “survived Nightmares Fear Factory”!

Featured On: • Good Morning America • The Huffington Post • The Tonight Show • Funny Or Die

IT URR VISISIIT YOOU R VIV OSUR ASHORREECKINGFOR PAR E PA PRREEP OR TESTIMONY www.NightmaresFearFactory.com

2015

AN AT SEASONK BROC

2014

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Centre for the Arts, Brock University More than a performance. It’s a live experience.

Jill Barber Jan. 14

Bruce McColloch Spot The Dog Bettye Lavette Alejandra Ribera Jake Shimabukuro David Myles Feb. 26 Feb. 16 @2:30 p.m. Feb. 20 March 7 Jan. 17 March 6

Black Violin March 11

Mo Kenney March 12

John McDermott Ricky Skaggs March 15 @2:30 p.m March 18

Vienna Boys Choir Steven Page March 28 April 10

Kaha:wi Dance April 17

TICKETS ON SALE NOW! Become a member TODAY to save up to 20% off tickets, receive complimentary parking and bring friends for free during our 2014-15 season plus receive priority for tickets and membership at the new St. Catharines Performing Arts Centre opening downtown in Fall 2015!

Arts.BrockU.ca /NiagaraHotTickets 905 688 5550 x3257

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* All subscriptions will be considered valid until 11:59pm EST, March 31, 2015. Applies to new subscribers only. Fallsview hotel to be determined following the contest draw. Skylon Tower gift certificate not valid with any other offer, no refund on any unused portion and not redeemable for cash.

Greg Frewin Theatre tickets cannot be used with any other promotional offers or discounts and must be booked directly with the Greg Frewin Theatre.

ncovering U ANTIQUING

HIDDEN TREASURES AT NIAGARA’S ANTIQUE SHOPS

BY GABRIELLE TIEMAN

WE ALL LOVE TO STRIKE SHOPPING GOLD. Whether it be by fi nding a trinket from the past that takes us down memory lane, uncovering a long sought after addition to a collection or uncovering a really unique statement piece of furniture that will spark conversation for years in your home; we all love uncovering hidden treasures.

Whether you’re an antique collector or just looking to live out your Antique Roadshow dreams, Niagara’s antique markets have enough hidden treasures to keep you digging for gold for at least a whole weekend.

With the holidays fast approaching you may be able to discover the perfect one-of-a-kind gift at any one of these unique treasure-troves. >>

TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 45

“Each room carries copycats,” said Lidstone. “If someone brings an item in and it sells right away, usually there are three other people coming in with similar stock the next day. But this way everyone is bound to find something they like within similar objects.”

Lakeshore Antiques and Treasures is open year round, seven days a week. Special pricing and promotions will be available during their anniversary. The store offers free parking and wheelchair accessibility for tour groups and all customers.

NIAGARA COIN AND COLLECTIBLES 4936 Victoria Ave, Niagara Falls, ON niagaracoinandcollectibles.com A staple to Niagara’s collector community, Niagara Coin and Collectibles has been helping fill coin collections with unique pieces for over 27 years. Located in downtown Niagara Falls, the matchless shop is also known as one of the best pawnshops in the area – their resident pawn master John Kantymir was even featured on Pawnathon Canada broadcast through the History Channel. But this is more than a typical cash for gold pawnshop and coin collecting hot spot; with experts on hard to buy and sell quality items, shoppers and collectors alike are LAKESHORE ANTIQUES AND TREASURES bound to find high quality jewelry and watches, historic artifacts and 855 Lakeshore Rd, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON war relics, electronics and hundreds of rare and unique gifts and artilakeshoreantiques.ca facts. Where else can you find a rare Star Wars figurines nestled next to Located in the heart of historic Niagara-on-the-Lake, Lakeshore a binder of century old stamps?

If you are an appreciator of modern and historic cameras, Niagara Antiques and Treasures is just as packed full of history as the town it Coin and Collectibles has amassed a wide variety of classic antiques to calls home. With an upcoming milestone 20th anniversary to be celemodern day digitals for photography appreciators. brated in 2015, the co-op antique business only has plans to grow and Niagara Coin and Collectibles also offer appraisals to anyone curious expand for their clientele. Currently boasting 16 rooms and over six of the worth of a possession. thousand square feet of one-of-a-kind collectibles, modern art, antique furniture and retro riches, this collaborative effort by multiple antique dealers has formed a treasure hunters dream; transporting any antique FORUM GALLERIES dealer or resident looking to dig for gold back into the past with one 2017 Niagara Stone Rd, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON forumgalleries.com fell swoop.

“We carry literally everything,” said Louise Lidstone, a member of Located in the heart of wine country, Forum Galleries and Antiques the Lakeshore Antiques and Treasure team since 2004. “Everything has become a destination of choice for interior designers and antique from one dollar handkerchiefs and cookie cutters to pieces over one connoisseurs. Owned by experienced appraiser and antique dealer thousand dollars. We carry a broad price range and unique products Leon Perel since 2001, the store holds rekindled treasures from around that help us stand away from other antique malls.” the world just waiting for the perfect home to compliment.

Each room is filled to the brim; with table tops, shelves, nooks, Operating with the mission “To build not the largest, but the crannies and every available space overflowing with china, books, best antique business,” Forum Galleries has chosen to not only offer depression and pressed glass, coins, linens, silver, vintage toys, antique antiques and specialty items for sale, but round the experience with an furniture, military paraphernalia and statement items to make your educated staff to suit your other home decorating and collecting needs. home truly unique. Though it may feel overwhelming, getting lost in Offering an in-house interior designer, consignment opportunities, on this store is part of the experience and a trip into the past you will not and off site appraisals, selling assistance and Turnkey auctions, Forum want to miss.

Galleries’ team has a solution to every selling and purchasing question.

Lidstone says although they have lots of similar products, everything If you happen to be a rarity and don’t find what you’re looking for in is unique in its own way – a characteristic of a true antique store. the shop, Forum Galleries has stayed true to their name and offered

those who don’t find what they are looking for the opportunity to register specific items into an online waiting list. By visiting the My Forum section on their website, shoppers can enter in the specific items they are searching for and they will be notified upon its arrival into stores; saving you scouting trips all over town.

ANTIQUES ON THE RIDGE 3474 Garrison Rd. Ridgeway, ON antiquesontheridge.com Offering superior items at affordable prices, family owned and operated Antiques on the Ridge is an old-world antique haven tucked away in quaint Ridgeway. A quality vendor of North American and European restored home-ready furniture, estate jewelry, vanity items, glassware, china and more since 2011, owners Lori and Tal Taylor have made their retirement project into a thriving business; utilizing their antiquing experience to create a successful, one-of-a-kind shop.

Apart from the customary antiques items they offer, Antiques on the Ridge offers a diverse selection of antique wall clocks, stained glass windows, wrought iron furniture and industrial items not typically found in traditional antique stores.

Another unique addition to the store is their Wish Book catalogue allowing buyers to let the Taylors’ know exactly what they are looking for. If they cannot accommodate the demand, the Taylor’s website explains that they will try their hardest to locate your sought after treasures. They also offer gift certificates to those looking for the perfect gift for a collector in your life.

S&B ANTIQUE GALLERY 3836 Main Street, Jordan Village, ON sbantiquegallery.com If you would sell your soul for vintage fine furniture, S&B Antique Gallery will be your new home away from home. Open seven days a week in quaint Jordan Village inside the Niagara Peninsula, this oneof-a-kind store is the perfect combination of chic and affordable.

Specializing in fine furnishings with an emphasis on European and French styles, all of the furniture is hand selected from across the globe and goes through a rigorous cleaning and waxing process before being placed for sale. Specific styles that frequent the store include Louis XV, Louis XVI, French Country, Louis Philippe, Dutch Deco and traditional American and come in a variety of woods including walnut, oak, mahogany and rosewood. The condition and style of each piece is ensured to be top-notch so customers can feel confident that they are leaving with the best of the best.

Apart from the furniture S&B offers vintage jewelry, Royal Doulton figurines, various antiques and lighting fixtures.

For a sampling of their every changing stock visit their website for a smattering of the products they offer. TM

TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 47

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TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 49

fun zone NIAGARA’S NEWEST MIDWAY ATTRACTION

BY LAUREN CHARLEY

Niagara Fun Zone opened in spring 2014 and quickly gained a glowing reputation as one of the area’s most popular indoor attractions.

The arcade showcases two levels of state-of-theart games, many of which reward your skills with tickets for the chance to win prizes such as candy, stickers, souvenirs, and large plush toys. In addition to the midway, guests can participate in separate attractions spanning the 200,000 square foot facility which includes a challenging mir-

ror maze, exhilarating laser tag, a premium machine gun range, glow in the dark mini putt and one of Niagara’s infamous haunted houses. For a limited time, guests are invited to see an extraordinary travelling exhibit, “Bodies Revealed”, offering incredible insight on the mystery of the human body. Perfect for patrons of all ages, the fun zone also caters to birthday parties, corporate team-building events, and even educational programs. >> TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 51

MYSTIC MAZE OF MIRRORS

BULLSEYE PAINTBALL MANIA

Step inside this mind-blowing labyrinth, guided by the unexpected surprises of your own reflection. Unlike any ordinary maze, the Mystic Maze of Mirrors kicks things up a notch by adding glowing lights, dynamic sounds, and upbeat music to keep your energy at a high as you strive to be the first to make it out of the seemingly infinite corridors. Don’t be fooled as your companions begin to multiply along the way, as mirrors can play dangerous tricks on the mind when stuck in the illusion of the looking glass.

Come and visit this exciting new paintball attraction, the only one offered in the heart of Niagara Falls’ tourist district. The exhilarating adventure features a neoteric shooting gallery with professional equipment, crafted by experts to provide the ultimate paintball experience. The extraordinary game is enhanced with the spectacle of a glow-in-the-dark target field with moving animatronics to plant your “bullseye”.

GALAXY QUEST LASER TAG

NIAGARA’S HAUNTED HALLWAYS

Engage in an intergalactic battle of the future at Niagara’s most high tech laser tag attraction. Inside the darkness of a 2,000 square foot room, test your skills in a challenge against other live players.

Equipped with a light-up chest pad and armed with your trusted luminous rifle, Laser Tag combines the classic games of hide-and seek and tag with a unique high-tech twist. Players accumulate points by seeking out and “tagging” their opponents when they successfully shoot each players’ colourful, luminous targets.

MINI PUTT Imagine the deepest, darkest spots of the ocean, illuminated by enchanting neon colours and hand-painted graphics of underwater sea life. Enhance the setting by placing an 18-hole miniature golf course, complete with progressive theme music and intricate 3-D sculptures in an oceanic ecosystem for all ages to enjoy.

MACHINE GUN RANGE Select your firearm of choice and step into Canada’s only true semi-automatic rifle shooting gallery. The state-of-the-art sniper range provides real rifles such as the “Magpul Moe M4”, and other models featured in your favourite blockbuster films. The weapons are supplied by the same manufacturers who sell to the North American Special Forces units, modified for entertainment purposes by using airsoft pellets.

Prepare to face your nightmares inside Niagara’s Haunted Hallways, recognized by the Niagara Falls Tourism Board as “Niagara’s most terrifying haunted house experience”. In pitch black darkness, guided only by the path of tiny red lights, your heart will race as you run from the monstrous beings who emerge from the shadows. Filled with surprises around every corner, the impressive sounds, lights, animatronics, and live characters, will heighten all five senses as you make your way through the scariest paranormal spot in the legendary tourist area of Clifton Hill.

BODIES REVEALED Niagara Fun Zone currently features an extraordinary, one-of-a-kind educational exhibit, “Bodies Revealed”. Until the end of 2015, attenders can witness the spectacle of the human anatomy up-close as they see the real-life organs, bones, and systems which comprise their own bodies. The exhibit uniquely displays authentic human bodies which have been dissected and preserved using liquid silicone rubber through a revolutionary innovation called polymer preservation; this process produces specimens that will not decay. The exhibit provides visitors with exclusive access to the detail of the human body which has historically only been available to trained medical professionals.

Guided by an audio tape with an eloquent commentary, patrons are exposed to elaborate visual displays and television screens full of fascinating information.

and special services…

BIRTHDAY PARTIES Give your child and their friends an awesome birthday by treating them to an adventure at Niagara Fun Zone. Each guest is granted full access plus 30 tokens to the facility’s Monster Midway, and a choice of three of four additional attractions: mirror maze, mini putt, haunted house, or laser tag. Parents can choose to provide their own catering or select a choice of all-youcan eat pizza, chicken fingers, or plated hamburgers from the East Side Mario’s restaurant next to the fun zone. Parties include a two hour rental of a private room plus unlimited time in the midway and attractions.

CORPORATE TEAM BUILDING Whether your are a small business or large company, Niagara Fun Zone offers an exclusive experience to bond your employees while helping to build their cognitive problem solving skills and ability to work as part of an interactive team. The corporate team building package features a specially designed scavenger hunt where participants work in groups to find clues throughout the facility, with a prize awarded to the winning team. Also included in the two hour package is access to a private room and each employee is given 30 midway tokens plus one of the following attractions: mirror maze, haunted house, laser tag, or mini putt. Restaurant packages with East Side Mario’s and Ruth’s Chris Steak House are available upon the company’s request.

SPECIAL EVENTS AND PACKAGES Niagara Fun Zone is always looking to come up with new events and promotions for both tourists and locals of Niagara Falls. The company has implemented a Kid’s Movie Night, where parents can feel comfortable dropping their children off at a highly supervised event where they will make new friends and enjoy an appropriately selected feature film and access to the fun zone. During this time, parents can spend the evening relaxing at home or indulging in the spectacles, dining, and nightlife to be discovered in the lively tourist hot spot.

If you’re looking for an original idea for you and your companion, Niagara Fun Zone offers a special Date Night package for couples of all ages. Here, you can explore the facility and bond together while engaging in a variety of attractions. Included in the package are 40 tokens to the arcade games plus a mini putt and a mirror maze pass for each person, as well as a $20 voucher to one of the neighbouring restaurants, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, East Side Mario’s, or IHOP. TM Niagara Fun Zone is located at 6455 Fallsview Boulevard, across from the Niagara Fallsview Casino Resort. To stay up to date on their current promotions visit funzonepromo.com or check out their full website at niagarafallsfunzone.com

FEATURED ARCADE GAME:

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TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 53

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TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 61

JimmyStewart CHANNELING

By Andrew Hind Photos: A.J. Harlond

A HOLLYWOOD LEGEND’S VISIT TO NIAGARA Niagara Falls can hardly be said to be star struck. Ever since Marilyn Monroe’s 1952 blockbuster film Niagara, which not only made her career but cemented Niagara Falls’ reputation as the ‘Honeymoon Capital of the World’, Hollywood has been enraptured with the natural spectacle. Some of moviedom’s biggest stars have vacationed here, and a number of movies—most notably 1979’s Superman, starring Christopher Reeve—have been shot with the thundering Falls as a backdrop.

But it wasn’t always like this. It wasn’t until 1940 when legendary actor James ‘Jimmy’ Stewart came to town for two memorable days that Hollywood took any notice of Niagara. Previously, actors may have slipped unceremoniously into town for a bit of sightseeing, but this was the first time Niagara Falls and Hollywood were linked. It was an important date in Niagara’s history. After this date, Hollywood took notice of Niagara Falls and all that it offered. >>

LIFESTYLE & CULTURE LOCATION: Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse. CLOTHING: Caswell’s. (Sloane Shirt Long Sleeve in White $110, Scala Mila Sweater Sleeveless $39.99, Bertini Pant 5 Pocket $98.) MODEL: Anthony Petti..

TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 63

CASWELL’S:. (Sloane Shirt Long Sleeve in White $110, Cruze Coat Leather…$350, Bertini Pant 5 Pocket $98.)

Jimmy Stewart (1934, via reelclassics)

James Stewart was born in small-town Pennsylvania in 1908, and initially had no aspirations of stardom. Instead, he took architecture at University and only considered the theatre classes he enrolled in there as an amusing pastime. Fate had other plans in store for the unassuming young man, however. He was discovered by a Hollywood gossip columnist who touted his wholesome appeal, effortless acting and obvious stage presence to MGM studios. Soon, Stewart had a screen test and was signed to a contract, and in 1935 made his first film appearance. By 1939, with a string of hits that included Vivacious Lady (1938), the Shopworn Angel (1938), You Can’t Take it with You (1938), and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939), Stewart had solidified a position as one of the most bankable young stars in Tinseltown.

Determined to make the most of their asset, MGM cast Stewart in three more films in 1940: The Shop Around the Corner, The Mortal Storm, and The Philadelphia Story, for which he won his one and only Oscar as Best Actor. Each of the films was a hit, but the gruelling schedule of the past few years left Stewart exhausted physically and emotionally. He was ground down by the demands of Hollywood and needed a break from being in front of the cameras and the stress of having to carry a film. Jimmy Stewart needed a vacation.

Determined to get as far away from the Hollywood lifestyle as possible, Stewart avoided the hot spots of the rich and famous and instead decided to head for the unspoiled wilderness of Lake Temagami, in northern Ontario. Unmarried at the time, he invited his parents and two sisters along for two weeks of fishing, hiking and tranquility. There were no frills and whistles here, only modest food and accommodations, and perks came in the form not of attentive service or complementary gifts, but rather endless solitude, fresh air, a refreshing simplicity to life. The time off seemed to have rejuvenated Stewart.

On the way home after his too-short respite, the Stewart’s paid a visit to Niagara Falls on September 6 and 7, booking rooms at the General Brock Hotel (now the recently refurbished Crowne Plaza Hotel). The General Brock was the place to stay in Niagara. Built in 1927 for the then astronomical cost of $1.5 million, it was the fi rst luxury hotel in the area and, due in part to its elegant ballroom and rooftop garden, was at the time considered among the most majestic and celebrated hotels in Ontario. At its opening, the Niagara Falls Review raved that the new hotel, “gleaming white in the sunshine, classic in appearance, looming over the Niagara River”, was without question “the last word in comfort and beauty.”

‘

STEWART WENT OUT OF HIS WAY TO BE APPROACHABLE AND ACCOMMODATING… SOON, AND PERHAPS DUE IN SOME SMALL PART TO THE HIGH-PROFILE NATURE OF STEWART’S BRIEF VISIT, HOLLYWOOD WOULD SOON TAKE NOTICE OF NIAGARA FALLS…

’

Guests who stayed at the General Brock during its golden years included Walt Disney, Shirley Temple, Marilyn Monroe, Gene Autry, and later, a young Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret. More recently, guests have included Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis and Jackie Chan. But though the ledger would boast many recognizable names, Jimmy Stewart was the fi rst big name celebrity to enjoy the hospitality of this fine hotel.

Jimmy Stewart’s impending arrival at the General Brock Hotel was the worst-kept secret around and it wasn’t long before the word had spread all over Niagara Falls. As a result, when the actor arrived to check-in on the afternoon of the 6th, he was met by a large crowd of eager autograph seekers. Though on vacation and badly in need of escape from the demands of stardom, Stewart was gracious with the fans and lingered to sign autographs. Such affability was typical of the man, and was undeniably part of his charm. Few fans left disappointed.

Later that day, Stewart and his family viewed the falls and toured along the Niagara River, taking in the majestic gorge and riding over the churning whirlpool in the aerial car. He was like any other tourist, taking photographs, marvelling at the sights, asking questions.

Stewart was delighted with what he saw, later telling a reporter he thought the Falls were “the most picturesque sight he had ever seen.”

The awestruck actor was also “thrilled to death” with the scenery along the river. That evening, Stewart, his parents, and his sisters were guests of the General Brock’s manager, Ronald Peck, and his wife for dinner. During the course of the evening, the party ventured up to the rooftop garden to enjoy the panorama. At ten storeys in height, the General Brock was a Niagara Falls skyscraper for its day, so the view from here would have been the best in town.

The following morning, as the Stewart’s stepped out of the General Brock elevator, they were greeted by a reporter from the Niagara Falls Review who, to his astonishment, “received a warm and cordial welcome from the family.” Stewart further surprised the reporter by granting him time for a rather lengthy, if informal, interview. Clearly, James Stewart was no ordinary Hollywood star.

The Review reporter found that Stewart’s reputation of having an easy charm and down-to-earth manner wasn’t misplaced. “Mr. Stewart is a modest chap,” wrote the impressed journalist. “He refuses to discuss his success in pictures and does not make out to be different than any ordinary person. An interesting point about him is his desire

to stand and chat with admirers.” The reporter noted, in a manner that suggested surprise, that Stewart looked in person “exactly as he does on screen.”

Stewart was nothing but effusive in his praise for Canada and Canadians. He said that Canadians were friendly and hospitable, and that he was particularly impressed with the beauty of the Lake Temagami area in which he had vacationed.

When at last the informal and impromptu interview was over, Stewart bade the reporter farewell and made for the hotel’s front door.

Once again, the entrance was crowded with fans eager for a chance to see their idol and perhaps gain an autograph. There were dozens of them, each one demanding a piece of the star’s attention, and yet the unfl appable star took it all in stride, lingered long enough to send most of his fans home happy with a signature or the memory of a brief conversation with a screen legend. He noted that he never got tired of signing his name and that he was amazed at how many people recognized him.

Later that day, Jimmy Stewart and family left Niagara Falls to return home to the States. The Canadian vacation, short though it may have been, reinvigorated the young actor and gave him the energy and passion to star in three more movies in 1941. These would be his fi nal fi lms for more than five years because, in the immediate aftermath of the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbour on December 7th, 1941, Stewart enlisted for service in the Second World War. While he was flying bomber missions over Germany, many of his acting brothers remained in the lap of luxury in Hollywood, having opted out of military duty. Stewart was a decorated war hero and rose to the rank of Brigadier-General in the Air Force. Once again, Stewart proved he was hardly the typical Hollywood star.

It was this down-to-earth, every-man persona that made Jimmy Stewart such a hit with the people during his two days in Niagara Falls in 1940. Unlike other stars who demanded special treatment, and who saw the sights under a screen of heavy protection or under a shroud of secrecy, Stewart went out of his way to be approachable and accommodating. As a result, hundreds of Niagara residents were left with treasured memories of having seen and met one of Hollywood’s greatest treasures.

Soon, and perhaps due in some small part to the high-profi le nature of Stewart’s brief visit, Hollywood would soon take notice of Niagara Falls as well. TM

TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 65

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LIFESTYLE & CULTURE

NIAGARA

JAM SESSION

BY JILL THAM

AS NIAGARA CONTINUES TO GROW AS A COMMUNITY THAT IS RICH IN ARTS AND CULTURE, MORE YOUNG ARTISTS FROM THE AREA ARE BEING GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHINE, BE IT THROUGH MUSIC, ART OR THEATRE. THE TWO MUSICIANS PROFILED ON THE UPCOMING PAGES ARE PRIME EXAMPLES OF LOCAL TALENTS WHO ARE WELL ON THEIR WAY TO MAKING IT BIG IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY, AND IF YOU ARE LUCKY, YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO CATCH EITHER OF THEM FOR A LIVE SHOW DURING YOUR VISIT TO NIAGARA.

TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 67

NIAGARA’S PERFORMER: ELTON LAMMIE Do you remember the last great musical performance you saw? The show that held your attention until the very end? Taking your daughter to the One Direction concert doesn’t count!

Award winning musician and performer, Elton Lammie, certainly fits into an exceptional category all of his own. His concerts are highly original as he performs four different types of music in one show including: rock, country, Broadway, and opera. Regardless of the genre of music he is performing, the depth of Elton’s immeasurable talent will captivate you. From songs “You Got It” by Roy Orbison, to “Bring Him Home” from Les Miserables, you will be overcome by the power, range, and versatility of Elton’s voice.

Although Elton’s mother sang and played guitar in a country western band, she did not pressure Elton into pursuing a career in music.

“My parents wanted me and my brother in sports more than music,” Elton recalls. However, the music bug didn’t escape him, and at the age of 14 Elton and his brother started a rock and roll band. Elton was the drummer and his brother was the lead singer. “We performed for hundreds of people in a sold out arena for the town festival. It was a big deal for me,” recalls Elton.

“Vince Gill was probably my biggest influence in becoming a singer,” says Elton, who is truly a country boy at heart. “I heard him sing and I thought I have to do that.” Country music has not been his only musical inspiration.

Elton, like many others, was awestruck when he heard the glorious voice of Colm Wilkinson. “When Colm became the Phantom of

the Opera and sang in Les Miserables - I was changed. I know it’s a cliché, but Colm’s performances convinced me that I could become an opera singer,” says Elton. And he did just that. Elton took home top honours in the Bravo television show “So You Want to Be an Opera Star: Bathroom Divas.”

Elton grew up in the Okanagan Valley, BC, and eventually relocated to Hamilton, ON. “I tried living in Hamilton for a bit, but I didn’t care for city life,” explains Elton.

He packed his bags and headed for peaceful Ridgeway, ON. “I did not know anyone in Ridgeway or Crystal Beach. It is a quaint town fi lled with many award winning artists, writers, and musicians,” says Elton. Since his move, Elton has been a crowd favourite at the Crystal Chandelier in Crystal Beach, Ont., where every week the tables are littered with “reserved signs” and toes are always tapping in a room fi lled with chandeliers.

His modesty and sense of humour are qualities that draw in an army of loyal fans. Maureen Walker, a supporter of Elton’s talent, enjoys his low key demeanour. “He interacts with his audience and you can tell he is having a good time,” says Walker. The personable approach he takes to performing is another way that Elton sets himself apart from other artists. “He remembers what the crowd likes. He knows I like Patsy Cline, so he plays it for me,” says Walker.

The range of Elton’s talent also allows him to perform in various venues across continents.

“I do everything from Toronto concert halls to small town church halls,” says Elton. “I have a few wealthy fans that fly me to a tropical island

to play a private show for them,” says Elton. “I don’t mind that at all.”

Before Sunrise, Elton’s third album, can be described as a mix of everything from country to what he refers to as “old soul” music. “It is a sound similar to what Ray Charles would have recorded and borders on the lines of blues,” says Elton. Elton’s passion for writing original music stems from his experiences and the people he has met on his journey through music and life.

“There was a girl that came to one of my shows two years ago. She wanted to use my song at her wedding. Her fiancé had cancer and was given six months to live. I got off the phone with her and wrote ‘By My Side,’” says Elton.

In the past 25 years, Elton has donned many hats. He started out as a drummer, saxophone player and evolved into a multi-faceted musician. “I have had to venture into different genres of music in order for me to make a living as a musician. Crossing all these genres has definitely made me a better musician,” says Elton.

To say that Elton’s performances are a “must see show” is an understatement. Whether you see Elton in a concert setting such as the Jackson-Triggs Amphitheatre or at a private backyard party, you will be impressed/enamoured by his charisma and stage presence. Not only is he one of the most talented musicians from the Niagara Region, but also one of the most humble people you will ever meet. Maureen Walker summed up Elton best when she said, “One of the things I like about him is that he makes you feel like we are all in this together.”

For more information and upcoming gigs, visit www.eltonlammie.com

MAKING HER

musıcal MARK:

BETH MOORE When Beth Moore was 18 years old, she picked up a guitar for the fi rst time. A mere three weeks later she was playing her fi rst gig. “It was one of those moments where you knew it was what you were meant to do,” recalls Moore. Now in her late twenties, this singer songwriter is embarking on the release of her second album, Get Low. Moore grew up in a highly musical family.

Her parents met while travelling by bus across North America performing in a Christian rock band. Her older brother is a jazz musician and her younger brother was a member of a punk rock group. “I was the only unmusical one in my family. I was actually asked not to sing in the high school play,” Moore recalls.

“In choir practise, I would pretend I couldn’t sing alto, so I became a very bad soprano singer instead of a great alto singer,” says Moore.

It was a while before Moore accepted the low range of her tessitura, but when she did, her talent exploded. “So when I found my voice I was willing to say what I needed to say in music and write the songs that needed to be sung,” adds Moore.

Moore describes her album as a modern style of indie folk art. “I never set out to find a specific style of music. My sound came simply from how I wanted to play,” says Moore, whose sultry voice is often compared to singer Nora Jones. “My voice is not dainty,” she laughs. Moore has certainly hit a right chord with the smoky sound of the songs on her second album.

The Port Colborne, ON, native finds solace in writing original music. “I wrote 60 songs for this album and my record producer, Tim Abraham, was very honest about all of them,” says Moore. She is grateful for the support she received from Abraham and from The Hive Recording Studio in Toronto, ON. “In a time where artist development is extinct, Tim believed in me when no one else would,” states Moore. Throughout the recording process, Moore and her team strove for perfection, resulting in a cohesive and satisfying album.

“I enjoy singing the songs I write because it is sort of a release,” says Moore. From a small café to Parliament Hill on Canada Day, Beth enjoys performing for all types of crowds. “I could have had the worst day, week, or month, but when I am on stage I am home and it’s the place I am most comfortable,” says Moore.

She admits that she sometimes hopes people are not listening to her lyrics as she describes herself as an “open book.”

Nevertheless, she is able to put those thoughts aside when she believes her music is reaching people. “If my music helps people not feel alone in what they are going through, then I am satisfied with that,” she states. Moore was honoured to have one of the songs off her new album, “Love Now” featured in an episode of Degrassi, a favourite Canadian television series.

“I had no business trying to make this album, seeing how broke I was,” states Moore.

“I was sleeping on bath towels because I couldn’t afford a mattress.” Moore didn’t allow her financial situation to be the end of her dream. Although the project had to be put on hold a few times, with a great deal of patience, Moore’s album was fully funded by the Foundation to Assist Canadian Talent on Recordings, the Ontario Arts Council and through the kindness of strangers who made private donations. “I want the people that invested in me to reap everything they have sown into my career. Lots of people have taken a risk on me, I hope I can spoil them one day,” says Moore.

Moore’s character has been shaped by not only the hardships she has endured, but the perseverance she has demonstrated in overcoming obstacles to reach her personal goals.

“I never let qualifications or lack of money stop me from doing the things I want to do. I am surprised how things come together when you don’t quit,” states Moore. “My main goals are to keep playing music, tell more stories, and it would be nice to be able to afford mattress.” Although Moore may belt out the lyrics “I don’t know what tomorrow will bring” one thing is for certain, Beth Moore is making her mark as one of Canada’s leading ladies in song.

To listen to Beth Moore and see dates for upcoming shows, visit bethmooremusic.com TM

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DIS

CON NEC TED WHAT I LEARNED

BY GIVING UP MY CELL PHONE FOR THREE MONTHS

BY MARIANA BOCKAROVA

I

t was around this time last year that the unprecedented ice storm hit Toronto and I found myself, like thousands, without power for a staggering 85 hours in the freezing cold.

Within the first 12 hours, I sat in my living room bundled in blankets, shivering, but finding comfort in the dim glow of my cell phone. I cleaned up my email with a sense of satisfaction; the proverbial ‘break from life’ the otherwise heinous ice storm had given me allowed a surprisingly high amount of productivity. As hours passed, I searched through my Facebook newsfeed, visited friends’ profiles who I hadn’t recalled in some time, and read through my twitter feed, with the hashtag #darkTO proving particularly entertaining. With a slight smile noting the communal outrage that was experienced towards the ice storm, though I was without power, the little device in my hand kept me feeling well connected to the rest of the world.

I felt alit, that is, until the “spinning wheel of death”, as it is known in the iPhone community, became the last light I saw that night. Then, everything really went dark: Within the first hour of being cell-less, I felt okay. Although, that isn’t to say I wouldn’t habitually check my phone to see if I had any incoming text messages, only to be cruelly reminded that while my phone was physically there, I was, for all intents and purposes, cell-less. The second hour was full of self-distraction by the means of contemplating how to cook in the cold and trying to clean my house with only a candle in hand (which never bodes well). I found myself routinely wandering into my pocket and digging at my phone, wondering whether it had miraculously sprung to life. It really wasn’t until the third hour that I became desperate – who had called? Who had texted? Despite it being two o’clock in the morning, how many “important” emails had I received? Yes, I gather from staring at my wristwatch that night, it had taken me a total of three hours to feel totally and completely severed from humanity.

I woke up the next morning with thoughts sprinting about my flatlined connection to the external world: I wondered how many laws of social etiquette I had violated by not having replied to an email or text in an appropriate amount of time. After all, in the context of social game theory, taking too long to respond could constitute a chief offense. Early that morning, then, I found the dissipation of my distressing thoughts to be proper justification to walk a half hour in knee-deep snow to a local library where I planned to charge my phone. Upon arrival, and subsequent realization that TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 71

NEXT, I LEARNED THAT PEOPLE ARE, IN FACT,

the library was not yet open, I stood outside for hours, burrowing my feet in the snow, contemplating how it was possible that this little device had such a hold over me: Marshall McLuhan, famed Canadian scholar and writer, wrote that technologies become an extension of our physical and mental selves. I had become so reliant on my cell-phone, on this seemingly wonderful extension of myself, that I never once thought of the ramifications of this over-reliance: In storing numbers, and using Siri to voice-to-text record notes, I no longer used my memory in order to recall thoughts, but rather I would refer back to my saved data. Through using my cellphone’s built-in GPS, the navigation portion of my brain, which should have evolutionarily been fine tuned in providing a sense of direction by now, had likely weakened as well. I thought about McLuhan’s words and how many times I had wandered on Facebook mobile, particularly during a tiring or boring moment to watch other people live their lives instead of truly living my own.

Perhaps it was a moment of learned helplessness, knowing the batteries of my cellphone would continuously die and I would be launched into cell-less despair again, but I decided in that moment to bury my phone in the folds of my purse, walk home, and embrace my newfound cell-less existence.

The next three months were met by confusion, anger, and – surprisingly – admiration, by both myself and anyone who had attempted contact with me. Not having a cellphone meant not having instant access to my social and professional network, not receiving information at my fingertips whenever it was wanted or needed, and not being able to respond to emails and text messages within seconds. These were all matters of efficiency and productivity, but the poignancy of not “being connected” really boiled down to having to re-awaken the uncomfortable feelings we have whenever we reach into our pockets to distract ourselves from the harsher realities of life; the moments wherein we’re awkward and feel alone. The first time I came to this realization was at the two-week mark, during my daily subway commute downtown. By this point, the novelty of being cell-less had worn off. I looked around at the bizarre nature of what is a human with a cellphone; each passenger connected to a world of their own, together. Surrounded by each other, the only interaction each had would be an accidental bump and

WONDERFUL,

ONLY THEY AREN’T

GIVEN AMPLE

OPPORTUNITY

TO EXPRESS

THIS QUALITY.

a half-hearted apology. Though they were all connected – pods in ear, cell in hand – they were inevitably alone, the cellphone a crutch to make it seem otherwise: As a man sitting next to an attractive young woman peered at her cellphone, she jerked up in surprise. He had violated her somehow by just by a glance. He then noted something about the nature of Candy Crush and for a brief moment, she looked up at him and smiled, albeit reluctantly, before slumping back, eyes to phone, gawking. He re-initiated contact a few times, before her response was clear: No, thanks. To anyone observing the interaction, her phone was not merely an escape, but a protective friend replacing a physical one.

Where she felt she couldn’t speak, her cell did all the talking. With every rejection that faced him, he, as well, would turn to back his phone; too important, too busy to care: The avoidance of those uncomfortable feelings substantially mediated by a cell in hand.

Next, I learned that people are, in fact, wonderful, only they aren’t given ample opportunity to express this quality. This recognition came as I stood outside a subway pod, waiting to be picked up by a friend for dinner. I had no way of alerting her that I had arrived a half-hour early, so I resolved to stay and wait. As I stood there, a middle-aged woman coming out of the subway rushed towards me; “Do you need a token? I have plenty.” I hadn’t approached her, but she must have seen a mark of disappointment on my face and assumed it was due to financial reasons on my part. I explained to her the situation I had put myself in, and she was quick to offer me her phone, as well as admiration for the project I had undertaken. We exchanged numbers – home phone, in my case – and have been friends since. Without my phone, I made a greater effort to connect to friends and saw the quality of my social and family life improve…all without lifting a finger – no pun intended.

Lastly, I learned to sleep. The blue light emanating from our screens suppresses our production of melatonin, a hormone which helps us fall into restful slumber. Decreased melatonin has been linked to higher rates of breast, ovarian, and prostate cancers, and studies have found that wearing amber glasses, which block blue light rays, is linked to lower cancer rates. This particular blue light exposure has not only been found to directly correlate with higher cancer rates in mice, but it has a profound effect on mood as well, being linked to higher rates of depression in mice.

My life without a cell phone lasted a total of three months. I feel like I could have extended it for more, had I not recognized that in unfortunate times of urgency, when needing to be reached is essential, a cell phone proves to be an invaluable tool. Nevertheless, I learned lessons I had forgotten for years in my voyage of cell-lessness, which I hope to remember for many more years to come. If not, a three-month cell-less retreat would do just fine. TM

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Niagara’s own SALT CAVES:

2 for 1 deal!

BRING A FRIEND WITH YOU TO THE HEALING SALT CAVES, AND GET TWO SESSIONS FOR THE PRICE OF ONE. PLEASE BRING THIS MAGAZINE ARTICLE WITH YOU WHEN YOU COME.

Did you know that Niagara Falls has its own man-made salt cave? Amidst the many popular new-age holistic medicines and healing procedures, the healing benefits of natural salt is gaining more and more recognition as people turn to Halotherapy or Speleotherapy (therapeutic exposure to salt air) for a natural cure to common respiratory illnesses.

The history behind the salt stems back to 14th-century Poland, where the salt was mined for use and trade: In the central city of Wieliczka, many large salt mines were developed, utilizing traditional methods of mining as a means of preserving the salt’s chemical characteristics. In 1843, a physician at a Polish salt mine in Wieliczka, Dr. Feliks Boczkowski, found that none of the workers suffered from respiratory problems or lung diseases.

The idea that these salt miners worked with their hands and were constantly inhaling the salt, influenced successors to build upon the idea of a salt spa. This led to more modern use in Germany by Dr. Karl Hermann Spannagel, who had noticed improved health in his patients. The salt therapy practice started to become more widely used across Europe, including Slovakia, Ukraine, Hungary, Poland and the UK. Today, there are salt spas and caves across North America, and we finally have one in our very own city of Niagara Falls. Owner and proprietor of Healing Salt Cave, Wojtek Chalcarz stands by the beneficial effects of his salt cave, noting, “I can claim (that) this really works as far as getting rid of allergy symptoms.” After 17 years of suffering from allergies, for the past three years he is free from its symptoms during the allergy season May- June and ragweed season. “It is a drug free treatment at Healing Salt Cave that works,” he says. He relates, “lots of people come in with sinus or respiratory problems, but people also come in for stress relief because being inside the salt cave is a very unique experience – it’s very relaxing, and the environment inside the salt cave is very pure, very clean, and 250 million year old Himalayan and Klodawa Salt gives you a lot of good energy.”

With a background in interior design, Wojtek designed and built the cave himself.

The microclimate within the salt cave is created by using 12 tons of salt, saltwater cascades which contain special water with natural iodine, bromine, magnesium and calcium, (specially imported from Rabka – Poland), and a SALSANO Halogenerator. This environment has been proven beneficial to the respiratory system and skin. The Halogenerator, which is a certified medical instrument, crushes salt grains into small particles 1-5 microns, creating dry salt aerosol that penetrates and cleanses the airways. This process aids the body’s healing by alleviating bronchial

WHAT IS HALOTHERAPY? Simply, it refers to therapy that uses salt in the healing process. There are several different forms of it including: saline solution inhalations, dry salt aerosol inhalations, irrigation and lavage, saline and brine baths. The practice originated in Poland.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS? Halotherapy can help with conditions such as: skin disorders, allergies, fatigue and stress, sleep disorders, sinus and ear infections, colds and flus, asthma, cystic fibrosis, sore throats and more.

A Hidden Healer

When going to a salt cave, make sure to do your research first. There are certain conditions that must exist in order for it to be an effective experience.

inflammation, removing pathogen agents, and speeding up mucociliary transport. Halotherapy can help victims of asthma, bronchitis, sinus infections, pneumonia, and can even be applied to allergy issues and skin problems, like psoriasis or eczema. According to lab tests, pink salt has more than 84 minerals, and those minerals work to rejuvenate the skin. It can also help with clearing up acne.

A typical session in the Healing Salt Cave lasts 45 minutes; no special clothes or preparations are needed; however, the cave tends to be 16-18 degrees (simulating an authentic salt cave), so one might consider dressing warmly. There is also a kids’ area to keep the young ones entertained; up to the age of 8, kids can enjoy the benefits of the salt cave for free with a paying adult.

The operation and maintenance of the salt cave is of primary importance to Wojtek; in response to how he went about building the cave, he responded: “Building the salt cave is a very specific process – you have to consider all the ventilation and heating systems separately, and you have to have a UV light to kill bacteria.”

For dry aerosol dosage and number of treatments, Wojtek provides information based on published clinical reports from Europe. This knowledge can help maximize the healing potential for whichever ailment you are addressing, whether it’s a respiratory-related issue or simply stress-related. Stress relief is imperative to living healthy; the salt cave is a perfect (and healthy!) escape from your fast-paced life; Wojtek asserts, “When people walk in, they feel totally removed from daily life because of the environment I created. The spectrum of light from the salt lamps (orange, pink, and yellow) provides relaxation as well.”

The Healing Salt Cave carries and sells the handcrafted salt lamps, as well as other salt products like bath salts, massage salt stones, and gourmet salt for culinary use.

Wojtek is currently amidst building a second salt cave located in Brantford at the new Grand Wellness Centre. It will be the second Cave of its kind under supervision of Salt Caves Canada Inc,. For future endeavours, hopes to organize two to three-week natural-healing vacations to Europe; these vacations will include holistic treatments, as well as dietary and exercise plans that will help promote healthy living. In an age of prescription medication and antibiotics, it’s refreshing to see all-natural solutions to health issues, big and small.

More information can be found at healingsaltcaves.com and saltcavescanada.com

TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 75

A TRAVELER REVIEW

Worth a Visit While in Buffalo!

Reviewed by jinkabel, a TripAdvisor traveler » Cocoa Beach, FL » November 17, 2014

BUFFALO TRANSPORTATION PIERCE-ARROW MUSEUM

RHEA ANNA

“The Frank Lloyd Wright gas station is really beautiful. Lots of history, period costumes, toys, bikes, etc. The Pierce-Arrow was certainly one of the most beautiful machines ever created, and there are other cars to drool over as well!!”

Dear Canadians, You’ve tailgated at the Ralph. Caught a flight, found a bargain, been to a game and returned home the same day. You’ve been here, done that.

But do you really know Buffalo?

Have you seen a Broadway show at Shea’s? Tried the beef-on-weck sushi at Seabar? Quaffed a craft brew at Cole’s? Toured a Frank Lloyd Wright masterpiece?

Walked and gawked and windowshopped in the Elmwood Village?

Caught an alt-country show at an opening at the Burchfield Penney? Segwayed through Delaware Park? Stopped to smell

BIFF HENRICH

Sportsmen’s Tavern? Been to

ERIC FRICK

the flowers at Garden Walk? Taken the kids to the Buffalo Zoo? Had an artisanal cocktail at Vera?

Been to a classical concert at Kleinhans?

Kayaked through Elevator Alley?

Gone to a food truck rodeo at Larkin Square? Tried your luck at the Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino?

No? Then what are you waiting for? That’s 15 things you didn’t know about Buffalo Niagara. Pop over the Peace Bridge and see for yourself. The nearest faraway place is just a short drive away.

Sincerely,

Buffalo Niagara

VisitBuffaloNiagara.com » 1.800.BUFFALO TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 77

here . SEE . do

BrighterTHAN EVER: WINTER FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS

BY GABRIELLE TIEMAN

N

iagara will once again sparkle under millions of lights as the Ontario Power Generation Winter Festival of Lights returns for its milestone 32nd year, transforming the city’s tourist district into a winter wonderland up until January 12.

Globally recognized as North America’s premiere illumination festival, this annual winter event boasts five kilometers of dazzling illuminations.

But this will not be a typical year for the world-renowned festival. Shifting its focus towards increasing engagement, the festival has turned its eyes to the future by adding new high-tech 3D illuminations, animated glasses that convert lights into 3D objects, interactive shows, Sylma displays and light projections by Shear Display all choreographed to music.

“We really want to work on bringing us back to lights, but continuing to be a world renowned festival,” said Tina Myers, program director for the festival. “We realized we have become tired and old over the years – we are 32, it’s like we hit that midlife crisis. So we are completely starting over and making everything really animated and fun, beautiful and charming.”

Dufferin Island’s previous light displays will all be retired and recycled this year, with a new focus on music choreographed DMX projection lighting which will wall wash the bridges and trees. Along with the projection lighting will be Sylma light displays scattered throughout the park; including a shimmering animated fountain, a 3D cascading water display and five to 11 foot 3D illuminated animals that will also change colour to the music.

“In the past, we have always had two dimensional lighting displays,” said Myers. “It kind of carried a wildlife perspective and it was beautiful, but it had been the same lights for many years. This year we took all of those lights, they’re going into storage, and this time when you go through Dufferin Island everything will be choreographed to music.”

The music will be broadcasted throughout the park for those who choose to walk the route as well as available over the radio for any choosing to drive the festival. >>

TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 79

“We have some people who come in their PJs and hot chocolate and they drive through,” said Myers. “But we do encourage people to get out of their cars and embrace the winter – we are Canadians. But whichever way you do it, we just want to make sure that they are doing the entire parkway and having fun.”

Along the Niagara Parkway, Queen Victoria Park will take your eyes upwards to a 60 foot tree being placed in front of Queen Victoria Restaurant covered in thousands of twinkling lights. This tree will be the focal point and torch of the event’s opening ceremony.

“We are going to flip the switch and the tree will become illuminated,” said Myers. “It’s going to be really exciting.”

Zero Gravity Circus will also be joining the festival for the opening ceremony as well as performing daredevil acts and circus style acrobatics every Friday to Sunday at the bottom of Clifton Hill, in front of Queen Victoria Restaurant and on Dufferin Island near the Sylma displays.

“This is entirely new and exciting,” said Myers. “All of their costumes are going to be LED illuminated or black lit and there is going to be a finale with fire artists. We really want to engage the visitor.”

Working towards their plans for the future, the festival has partnered with Paramount in order to incorporate fan favourite movie characters into the festival’s interactive shows and performances. For the 2014/2025 season, this means bringing the hit Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to Niagara for a special fireworks performance, 2D light displays and exclusive movie screenings of the film before its DVD release.

- Tina Myers “We will be bringing the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to the top of Clifton Hill,” said Myers. “There will be four 2D displays perfect for photos with your favourite characters. As well, we will be turning the fireworks green for a special tribute to the film and handing out poncho slickers that look like turtles. There is going to be a sea of green all there to see the fireworks.”

Volunteers will also be handing out a custom form of the animated glasses so that kids will be able to see turtles in the sky as the fireworks are set off.

“On top of working on any kind of strings of light, [the animated glasses] also work on the fireworks,” said Myers. “We are going to encourage people to go down into specific lighting areas so they can see different winter characters in the fireworks.”

Though the festival is free, donations are gladly accepted – with an annual generation of over $100 thousand dollars – all of which help to maintain the event, grow and evolve new initiatives.

The Winter Festival of Lights generates $25 million in economic impact for the region and hosts approximately 1.5 million visitors annually with a large percentage of attendance drawn from outside the Niagara Region. Following an economic impact study, the festival is said to support the equivalent of 452 full-year jobs, helping to grow Niagara’s economy.

With their five year plan to fully animate the festival, the 2014/2015 season is a huge leap into the right direction.

“We want to make the visitor engaged,” said Myers. “We want them to really take control over the displays. We are looking big and it’s only going to get better.” TM

WE WANT TO MAKE THE VISITOR ENGAGED. WE WANT THEM TO REALLY TAKE CONTROL OVER THE DISPLAYS. WE ARE LOOKING BIG AND IT’S ONLY GOING TO GET BETTER.

For more information on the festival visit wfol.com

116 Queenston St., Queenston (NOTL), ON Autumn 2014 Exhibitions John Abrams: Land Mark Combine Landmarks: An Exploration of Place 35: Women Artists in the Riverbrink Collection The War 0f 1812-14: People and Places It Takes Two: Artists and Models in the RiverBrink Collection Group of Seven Project: Fred Varley

RiverBrink Art Museum features exhibitions of fine art organized from the Samuel E. Weir Collection and temporary loans from both public and private fine art collections.

William James Glackens, Washington Square (detail), n.d.

Samuel E. Weir Collection, RiverBrink Art Museum

Summer Hours (to Oct 26) Daily, 10 am-5pm www.riverbrink.org

Winter Hours, Wed-Sat, 10am-5pm 905.262.4510

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EVENT

LISTINGS

NIAGARA PARKS FLORAL SHOWHOUSE ANNUAL CHRISTMAS DISPLAY Running until January 12 at the Floral Showhouse 7145 Niagara Parkway This annual tradition has holiday displays, including a miniature village, a poinsettia tree and other floral displays. Open Sundays to Thursdays from 9:30 to 5, Fridays and Saturdays from 9:30 to 8. Admission is $5.

More information available at niagaraparks.com.

NATURE January 3-April 5 at Niagara Falls History Museum 5810 Ferry Street, Niagara Falls This exhibit celebrates the diversity of life on earth. Learn all about biodiversity through various exhibits (different habitats, the relationships between species, and gene pools of various species). More information at niagarafallsmuseums.ca

SKATE NIAGARA ICE SHOW January 30, 7:30pm Meridian Centre Headliners include skating superstars Kurt Browning, Scott Moir and Tessa Virtue.

Tickets are $49, and can be purchased at ticket master.ca

FRESH HORSES: A TRIBUTE TO GARTH BROOKS January 31 at Greg Frewin Theatre 5781 Ellen Ave Dinner- 6:15, Show- 7:30 This high energy show celebrates all of the greatest hits of Garth Brooks. Ticket prices range from $24.98 to $44.98, and are more if you want to have dinner with the show.

More information at greg frewintheatre.com

CUVEE WEEKEND February 27 to March 1 at Niagara Fallsview Casino This year will mark the 26th for this exciting event that celebrates Ontario’s growing food and wine scene. For a full listing of everything that will be taking place over the course of a weekend, visit cuvee.ca

FABULICIOUS February 26 to March 5 This is a great opportunity to dine at some of NOTL’s best restaurants, which will be offering special three course menus at amazing prices.

Spaces fill up quickly, so make sure to call in advance. More information at niagaraonthelake.com TM

TODAY’S FOOD & WINE

Le t ou r on line c ommunity gu id e y o u t o p o p u la r lo c a l d e s t in a t ions, event s & a ct ivities . Dis c ov er what’s n e w & e x c it in g , g e t s p e c ia l o f f e r s, and e x p e rien ce the fun y ear-roun d !

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