May 2017 | Urbanicity Hamilton by UrbanicityHamOnt

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twisted Kitchen

An intimaye dining expereince

Just a Hamilton foodie, eating her way through one food truck at a time

A day on the bridge

OVO

Protect Our Greenspaces

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#UrbanicityEats

interview with artistic director, tim bennett

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Who makes the best taco in town?!

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ANDREW MACFARLANE

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U RB A NICITY . C A

a letter From P U BLISHER + EDITOR ANDREA FERNANDES andrea@urbanicity.ca

many children. It’s not that parents don’t want to feed their kids, it’s that they can’t. Whether it’s the worsening economy, job loss, physical or mental illness or they are refuges who have fled their home country, there are several reasons that parents find themselves turning to Food4Kids for support.

L AYO UT & DESIGN Tafari Anthony DISTRIB U TION urbanicity Magazine

urbanicity Magazine is wholly owned and published by urbanicity Magazine. All content copyright © 2017 and all rights to distribution are reserved by urbanicity Magazine. As a forum for ideas, issues, and experiences, the views expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of the Publisher, Editor, other contributors, advertisers or distributors unless otherwise stated. DISTRIB U TION 40,000+ readers per month. Distributed throughout Hamilton, Dundas, Ancaster, Stoney Creek, Waterdown, Aldershot, and Burlington. 12 issues per year. (289) 796.0931 A D V ERTISING IN Q U IRES andrea@urbanicity.ca www.urbanicity.ca

‘A 10 year old boy waited outside the locked doors of a church breakfast program. The program was to start at 8:15 a.m. and the child arrived at 7:15 a.m. It was dark, it was cold and he was alone. He explained that he had not had any food over the weekend and was hungry. Could he please have some food? This child inspired the launch of Food4Kids. We wish we could say this was an isolated occurrence, but there are 1,500 kids in Hamilton and 450 kids in Halton, with limited or no access to food each weekend. It’s hard to believe that the kids in our own community go hungry, but it’s a reality faced by

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Food4Kids provides packages of healthy food to children with limited or no access to food during the weekends. Food packages are assembled by volunteers and delivered to schools each and every Friday. The food packages are quietly tucked into the child’s knapsack to ensure a non-stigmatizing approach. When the child arrives home on a Friday evening, they open their knapsack to find it filled with healthy food. The agency currently provides weekend food to 1,050 children in Hamilton, 450 children in Halton and hand delivers food to 600 children throughout the summer months. It costs just $10 to provide 1 child with

Food4Kids a healthy weekend food package or $400 to feed a child each weekend for an entire school year. In addition, it costs $400 to provide 1 child with a complete supply of food during the summer. When approached by Urbanicity Magazine to partner bringing together talented local restaurants and our community’s love for tacos, all to feed at-risk children, it just made sense. We are hoping Hamiltonians will find any excuse for a night out to support local restaurants and help kids. As we launch this unique concept, the social media buzz has generated a spirit of fun and motivation to stand behind this event and to stand behind our kids. Funds raised through Taco De Mayo will be used for one purpose, to provide an 8 week supply of food for the 600 kids in our summer program. While hunger exists around the world, it is our hope to address hunger right here in our own community.

Many are not aware that Food4Kids is 100% funded through donations or one-time grants. Food4Kids does not receive sustainable funding through any level of government. It has been our community’s resolve to take care of these kids, who through no fault of their own, are going hungry. Please enjoy Taco De Mayo from May 1st – 31st and keep in mind that $1 of every Taco De Mayo dish sold will go directly to Food4Kids. Visit food4kidshamilton.ca for more ways you can help ensure that our community’s most impoverished children will not have to spend another weekend wondering how they will be fed. “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” - Margaret Mead - Le na Bassford Executive director, Food4Kids, Hamilton

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ideas

Why Hamilton Matters Culture, stories, food, architecture and infrastructure At risk of being hugely and happily controversial, Hamilton is THE hero of Canadian cities. Now, if you listen closely, you can already hear the condescension from down the road, but bear with me. This is because Hamilton is the closest thing Canada has to a large, healthy city, with a distinct character and culture, in the US sense. In fact, I will even fan these flames by gladly stating that every city not in the top ten Canadian CMA population list (and even some that are) should be rooting for it. Hamilton’s continuous re-emergence and revitalization is not simply a success story for it’s residents, but for Canadian cities, and Canadians in general. What do I mean by “the US sense?” I mean that from a domestic, or at least North American tourism perspective,

when you consider cool cities to explore in the US you of course have New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, but then you have an additional 100 or so that also have their own unique cultures, stories, customs, foods, architecture, and infrastructure. From Boston, to San Francisco, to Portland, to Pittsburgh, to Nashville, to New Orleans and so on, most of them not even state capitals. Now, I will concede that when the population of the US was comparable to Canada’s now, the year was 1860. Also, in terms of coordinated urban development, Canada is far younger than the US. Moreover, between both points, Canada has a total of six developed CMAs of over one million people, whereas the US has 53. So yes, not apples to apples, but hear me out.

I’m not saying Hamilton is Canada’s hero city because everyone should come to explore Hamilton instead (though, they should), but rather because everyone should explore beautiful Canadian cities.

Compare domestic tourism in Canada vs the US, and the number of cities that people get really, actually, truly excited about in each country. If we’re to be really, actually, truly honest with ourselves, in Canada we have what, maybe five or six? Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary, Ottawa and Quebec City? All great cities in their own right, but also all of them are just the largest Canadian CMAs in order (with the exception of QC, which is #7). The remaining CMAs? Edmonton (#6), Winnipeg (#8), Hamilton (#9), Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo (#10). Now, from those remaining, subtract provincial capitals which, again for the sake of being controversial, are just large population/tourism centres by default. What you have left is Hamilton and KCW. Taking this even further, consider the remaining Canadian cities that muster even a semblance of the same sort of excitement and interest that those US ones do, from Halifax to Victoria, what we have is still really only a double handful of destinations. And again, unlike cities like San Francisco, Pittsburgh, or New Orleans, all those remaining Canadian cities tend to be provincial capitals, in other words, default. Now, clichéd national media metaphors of Hamilton as an aged fighter punching above its weight aside, the re-emergence of both Hamilton’s economy and its once severely maligned identity on a national level is really no small feat. This is particularly true when you consider that Toronto, Canada’s economic, tourism and cultural centre is a mere 40 minutes away (on a good day). Now yes, much of the economic revitalization has a relationship to Toronto, but culture, stories, food, architecture, infrastructure? This is purely and distinctly Hamilton.

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Only 40 minutes away from the unofficial Canadian centre of the universe, and yet Hamilton remains a city in the truest sense of the word, maintaining Canada’s ninth largest population and its own distinct and proud identity, that’s an accomplishment. Pittsburgh, possibly one of the best points of US comparison has a comfortable gap of six hours from NYC, heck, even Philadelphia has two. This matters, because as we as Canadians look towards our next 150 years, we need to do a better job of not only appreciating, but celebrating our cities. As far as population trends go, we as Canadians continually drift to our large urban centres, particularly the top three. Deeper social problems aside, this allows for the slow extinguishing of our collective culture and history. I’m not saying Hamilton is Canada’s hero city because everyone should come to explore Hamilton instead (though, they should), but rather because everyone should explore beautiful Canadian cities like Moncton, Kingston, Peterborough, Kelowna, Lethbridge, and on. As a nation of adventurers and explorers, the more we prize five cities above all others, the more we lose rich, cultural, urban destinations to really and truly explore, enjoy, and continually create. In the cause of rediscovering Canadian cities, Hamilton is not only the symbol, it’s the champion.

By Ryan Moran

Ryan is a proud Hamilton, Ontario native, interested in style, travel, adventure, arts and culture and always trying to be better. In other lives Ryan is an MBA, a Senior Manager of Marketing for Niagara Parks, and a CoFounder/Owner of CoMotion On King. In his rare spare time, he enjoys writing and photography.

@ RPMoran

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U R B A N I C I T Y . C A | TA C O D E M AY O . C A

e x periences

A Day On The Bridge to Protect our Greenspace Celebrating and Protecting Cootes Paradise We have one of the most beautiful entrances to a city you will ever find. Arriving in Hamilton by taking the York Boulevard exit from the 403 reveals a welcoming vista with urban bustle to the left and tranquil nature on the right. The pinnacle of this view is the crossing of the historic McQuesten High Level Bridge.

n June 11th, spending ‘A Day On The Bridge’ will be a very unique event to celebrate this view. Heading into summer, the calendar is saturated with plenty of festivals, but adding this one to the list will certainly be worth it. The whole event takes place on the McQuesten Bridge and will welcome guests of all ages to participate in a number of fun activities and enjoy musical acts throughout the day. The evening programming brings a sure-to-be memorable dinner gala that features dishes by our area’s finest chefs – all under the twilight sky, with a view of Cootes Paradise as the picturesque backdrop. The view of Cootes Paradise is, in a word, breathtaking. Snap a picture from the bridge and it could easily be confused for a water-side escape in cottage country. But, when you consider that this view is a mere 3 kilometers from the heart of downtown Hamilton – it becomes a true treasure, well worth protecting. And that is just what A Day On The Bridge is all about. Protecting a Hamilton treasure. This event will raise funds to purchase land that will become part of the Cootes To Escarpment EcoPark System. But that’s just one of the objectives. According to Project Champion, Patrick Bermingham, the bigger objective here is to provide a showcase for the natural beauty within our city and region. A Day On The Bridge will be an opportunity to fully absorb the view of Cootes Paradise and enhance the awareness of that environment. “What most people don’t know, is that Cootes Paradise is the most biodiverse area in Canada,” explains Patrick. “There is no other pocket like what we have here.” Ensuring there is a solid understanding of this is a key part of the preservation. “The reality is that Hamilton has been blessed with greenspace. We need to recognize it’s an important part to our health – as people and as a community.” We’re lucky to be home to a handful of organizations whose primary function is conservation. Gazing from even a modest hilltop will likely have your field of view covering land under the protection of the Hamilton Conservation Authority, Conservation Halton, the Niagara Escarpment Commission or even Royal Botanical Gardens. A fortunate happenstance and an

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To reserve gala dinner tickets or to make a donation to support the Cootes to Escarpment EcoPark land protection, visit bruha.com. Even a $40 donation will protect a parking-spot piece of land forever.

indication of the delicate bio-diversity of our shared home. As we see in all corners of our city, the encroachment of development is a constant pressure on greenspace and farmland. Working to prevent unabated sprawl is certainly required. “We all know that infill and urban intensification is a necessity,” states Bermingham, “but we should also be looking at a similar strategy with greenspace.” Employing this fundamental of urban development to intensifying our natural spaces was an intriguing perspective. And after a bit of thought, it felt like an obvious, yet an understated approach. You would be hard-pressed to find anyone who didn’t value the greenspace within and surrounding our city – but, ensuring its proliferation into the long-term future seems low on the priority list. People come to Hamilton for our proximity to natural areas. Visit any of the area waterfalls on a summer weekend and the crowds will attest; creating an issue where measures to control the number of visitors is being debated. Regardless, our natural assets are part of what Bermingham explains gives Hamilton a ‘Magnet City’ distinction – a city that attracts people with its created and inherent properties. This is important for our future. “Magnet cities attract talent, resources, entrepreneurs and dynamic people. A Day On The Bridge is an opportunity to focus on the appeal of our natural features.” This is where land acquisition becomes a necessity of preservation. Currently, an overwhelming amount of natural areas are under the stewardship of private land owners. Even in the delicate Dundas Valley, conservation authorities only cover about 30% of the land. A rather tenuous hold that would probably make the wildlife we share this land with a bit nervous. “Ideally, the progression of protection would take the Cootes to Escarpment EcoPark and have it become a Provincial Park”, says Bermingham. Until then, our region’s greenspace is under the watchful eye of a handful of organizations. And that’s okay, as long as we recognize that the birds and animals aren’t overly interested in our arbitrarily drawn boundaries.

Painting by ELIZABETH GRAVES SIMCOE

Bermingham stresses that we need to be making plans for our region with an outlook that spans fifty years or more. That means engaging youth to be more aware and understanding the value greenspace brings to our city and our personal health. Enable them to embrace nature and respect it – generating an appreciation that will last a lifetime and be passed on for generations. When asked how he felt Hamilton performs in managing its urban and natural balance, Bermingham shared an interesting story about Elizabeth Graves Simcoe, the wife of John Graves Simcoe – the first Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada. When they arrived in our region in the late 1700’s, she found it so beautiful she did not want to leave. “She did a watercolour overlooking Cootes Paradise. The painting was dated June 11, 1796; exactly 221 years before A Day On The Bridge. And looking at that painting, aside from a couple apartment buildings, the view is virtually unchanged. I see that as a sign that we’re on the right track.”

By Chris Sanislo

Chris Sanislo is a freelance copywriter with a passion for Hamilton. He has over 15 years of experience in the Canadian Advertising industry. Chris crafts his copy from downtown Hamilton's CoMotion on King, where he serves as the in-house blogger. @ chrissanislo

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EXPERIENCES

Twisted Kitchen An intimate dining experience with a celebrity chef

hef Patrick Wiese has cooked for celebrities all over the world and now he’s ready to cook for -you (in the comfort of his own home, no less)! You’ll leave Chef Patrick’s Intimate Series events feeling like a hotshot yourself, full to the brim with delicious food. Better yet, you’ll leave as someone who has just helped a charitable cause, and who – quite possibly – has made a few new friends.

In an unassuming east-end Hamilton neighbourhood, you’ll spot a bungalow with a vibrantly-coloured door. Inside? A man with a personality to match! He’ll welcome you in with open arms, a warm smile, and the comforting smell of brunch foods wafting in the air. You’re at one of Chef Patrick Wiese’s Intimate Dining Series events – enjoy a freshly squeezed juice and have a seat at the table!

T he man behind the meals

T he C haritable C a u se

Former personal chef to celebrities like Oprah Winfrey and Avril Lavigne, and a star on the first season of Top Chef Canada, you would think his time in the spotlight would have gone to his head - but it’s very much the opposite! Chef Patrick is down to earth, friendly, and very much Patrick. He prides himself on putting his personal twist on everything he makes (hence his choice of business name “Twisted Kitchen”). Any experience with Chef Patrick is unlike any restaurant experience you will have in #HamOnt!

Not only will you have a happy belly when you leave, you can also feel good knowing a portion of the proceeds from each Intimate Series event goes to Matthew’s Friends Canada. Matthew’s Friends Canada focuses on supporting patients, families, and professionals by providing information, training, research and grants to develop Ketogenic services and support systems for drug resistant epilepsy. It’s a cause that’s near and dear to Chef Patrick Wiese, so much so that he will be launching his own cookbook with a ketogenic dietary theme.

S o what ’ s it all abo u t ? If you’re on social media, you may have gotten wind of one of Chef Patrick’s dinner events, but did you know he’s now starting brunch? Each event features a different theme and 3 unique courses to match; an egg dish, a savoury dish, and a sweet dish to end. (Imagine dishes like a Surf and Turf Spanish Breakfast Hash with Butter Poached Crab and Chorizo, or Sticky Toffee Pudding Pancakes with Frozen Egg Custard – is your mouth watering yet?) While the menu is secret and the dishes change at each event (based on the theme of that day), the quality of the food remains impeccable. Chef Patrick creates decadent, home-cooked meals that any foodie would be pleased to introduce their palate to.

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www . twistedkitchen . ca

Upcoming events and themes are posted on his website under Intimate Dining Series, where you can also purchase tickets.

If you want to play Oprah for a day, help those in need, and dine on some of the best food in the Hammer; you’ll want to experience one of Chef Patrick’s Intimate Series Events!

G et tickets of yo u r own

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TOP TO BOTTOM: 1. Chef Patrick Wiese at Twisted Kitchen // 2. The surf & Turf Spanish Breakfast // 3. Sticky Toffee Pudding Pancakes Photos by HEATHER PETER

By HEATHER PETER

Heather Peter is a restaurant marketer, food industry graphic designer, writer, blogger & avid home-cook. When not out supporting the local food scene, Heather immerses herself into the culinary community. Beyond food, Heather loves tea, animals, & exploring Hamilton’s green spaces. @ hamontsmallfry

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U R B A N I C I T Y . C A | TA C O D E M AY O . C A

EXPERIENCES

The Meat of the HAMBRGR Burgers, Beers and Business The burgers in Hamilton are different. For one thing, they don’t need no vowels, like in the case of HAMBRGR on King William St. and Ottawa St. Vowels are just filler anyway. The real meat is in the strong ethics and values that Mike and Paula Cipollo bring to their two burger joints and one fish and chip shop (or FSH & CHP if you’re following the lead here.) In 2015 Mike and Paula Cipollo saw an opportunity to build a business in a city they could see was growing, despite its gritty exterior. While their sights were initially set on a “grandiose” 200 seat restaurant, they took an opportunity on King William to open a small, efficient restaurant in a space they felt comfortable to grow in. “We saw this little place that had just closed up and thought this would make a great burger place,” explains Mike, who is the Executive Chef for all three locations. It came together in about four weeks. “We’ve been full since we’ve opened. The wait has only gotten longer.” Which explains the need for expansion. The new location is warm and boasts the same fun and friendly atmosphere of the original location. A chalk mural of Ottawa St. greets you at the door. The garage door front window is waiting for those summer days so that HAMBRGR can spill its life out onto the streets, enticing more to come in for a burger and a pint. The Ottawa St. space is the largest out of all three restaurants, with 45 seats, and plans for an additional 50-60 upstairs. King William has 35 seats. FSH & CHP next door to the King William HAMBRGR has 25 seats and an office in the basement. “We could finally stop doing paperwork in our cars,” Mike says with a laugh. HAMBRGR is a welcome boost to the Ottawa St. neighbourhood, which is seeing its own revival akin to the James St. changes and Mike and Paula are excited about making an impact in Hamilton, which they feel has welcomed them into the business community. The Cipollos have spent their careers in hospitality and it’s easy to understand why their business is growing – they know what works. Both are weary of growing too big, too quickly. Decisions

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ABOVE: Mike & Paula Cipollo of HAMBGR / Photo Courtesy of HAMBRGR BELOW: Photo by Andrea Fernandes

can become mathematical formulas rather than firsthand observations. “Corporate restaurants tend to play the short game. Big companies are average. There’s a reason you don’t see a lot of them in Hamilton. And that’s one of the reasons we came [here],” adds Mike. “This city thrives on independence, entrepreneurship, small business.” Paula is the Director of Operations and oversees customer relations. After going back to school to become a teacher, she was drawn into corporate restaurant training, a role she enjoys. “Not everyone wants to stay as a server. Being part of [their development] helps me grow.” Mike and Paula are eager to work with the city to provide as much of an economic impact as they can through their restaurants. They’ve seen how much potential there is from day one and know there’s much more they can do to help. Mike recounts a story of the parking lot attendant who would frequently be gone by the end of the work day, around the time when Mike would drive in from Newmarket, their former home, to begin working on HAMBRGR’s launch. “I’d pull in and say, where’s the guy? Where do I pay?” He

wasn’t there, so he would park for free. That quickly changed when the proprietor of the lot noticed that HAMBRGR was drawing in new customers to the neighbourhood. King William now has a full strip of businesses and residential units, and parking is at a premium. The Cipollos are also proud to work with the multigenerational Jepson’s Fresh Meats butcher shop based in the Hamilton Farmer’s Market. Their business relationship is so fruitful that Ron and Raymond Jepson are able to remain competitive while many similar businesses are seeing a lack of growth. From employee training to helping the city identify ways to improve the neighbourhoods they are in, HAMBRGR is more than a place where you can “come as you are and have a good burger and beer in a casual space,” as Paula describes it. HAMRBGR’s motto is the old KISS acronym: Keep it simple, stupid. For them, simplicity includes good ingredients, excellent beer pairings, and a commitment to creating good spaces in the city they’ve chosen to build their business in.

By OLGA KWAK

OLGA KWAK is a Hamilton-based writer and marketer. Her work has appeared in She Does the City, Torontoist, Toronto Star, The Genteel, and PRODUCT Magazine. She builds websites and writes from her office on Barton Street East. Visit www.olgakwak.com for more advice on doing the right thing online.

@ olgakwak

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S P R I N G

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Exterior Rendering Affordable retail space for a new business, located in a dense residential community plaza. New facade renovations coming Spring 2017. Ample parking for staff and customers. Tenant incentive available to customize units. Book a viewing today.

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Urbanicity is proud to present, Taco De Mayo, a fundraiser for Food4Kids. Restaurants throughout the city of Hamilton have worked hard to create specialty tacos for hungry Hamiltonians to feast on from May 1st – 31st. The best part? $1 of every taco sold will go directly to Food4Kids. Let’s eat our way through the city of Hamilton together to help provide healthy food to elementary school students. Vote for your favorite taco at tacodemayo.ca

3 for $

2 for

#UptownBrunch

Spiced Apple with Pancetta

Papa Leo’s Restaurant

The Butcher and the Vegan

3 taco flight: 1. Grilled sweet potato, chorizo, goat cheese and cilantro. / 2. Smoked bacon, scrambled egg, cheddar, pan fried potato and green onion. / 3. Nutella, crispy banana, peanut butter cream and minted strawberry salsa.

Caramelized spiced apples, crispy pancetta with fresh arugula.

638 Concession St, Hamilton, ON

61 Barton St E, Hamilton, ON

Low Country chicken taco Saltlick Smokehouse Fried chicken thigh, pork jowl, collard greens, Brad's Ranch, Honey Frank's Red Hot, green onions, white corn and flour tortillas.

Coop Wicked Chicken

The Chicken & Waffle Taco Lou Dawg's Southern BBQ Hamilton

3 for

2 pan seared flour tortillas with shredded lettuce, breaded chicken pieces, General TSO sauce, citrus cilantro aioli & sriracha mayo drizzle. Garnished with a fresh mango slaw, green onion and sesame seeds.

Freshly baked waffle taco shells filled with Lou Dawg’s famous Southern Fried Chicken, cabbage & cranberry slaw, spicy maple aioli, pickled red onion, jalapeños & cilantro.

272 King St W, Hamilton, ON

116 George St, Hamilton, ON

3 for

Dirty Bird Taco

Roasted butternut squash, grilled asparagus, arugula and candied pecan pesto.

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Harvest Tacos

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Tempura Lobster Tacos

Rony’s Rotisserie

Serve Ping Pong

FSH & CHP

Pulled chicken with a romesco sauce, confit duck, pickled vegetables, all served on a crispy cheese shell.

Buttermilk battered chicken breast, red cabbage slaw, cilantro and goat cheese cream, Serve house hot sauce and lime zest on flour tortillas. Salsa and Guacamole served on the side.

Crispy tempura Langostino Lobster, adobo crema, avocado, pico de gallo, Cholula Hot Sauce and shaved cabbage, on grilled flour tortillas.

312 Grays Rd, Hamilton, ON

47 King William St, Hamilton, ON 282 James St N, Hamilton, ON

107 King St E, Hamilton, ON

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Octo Taco Uno Mas Braised octopus, truffle aioli and iberico chorizo. 150 James St S, Hamilton, ON

Bevs Desayuno Taco / #BevsTaco The Beverly on Locke Scrambled egg, chorizo, potatoes, tomatoes, avocado and cheese served on a flour tortilla. 254 Locke St S, Hamilton, ON

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2 for

Mexican Stand-off (Gluten Free)

Nellie James Too Chickpea Taco (gluten free) with King Cole Duck, Guajillo Chili, Cilantro, Goat Cheese Crème and Chicken Cracklin’

We Be Clubbin’ Mezcal Tacos and Tequila Aged cheddar, roast turkey, guacamole, bacon and alfalfa sprouts. 150 James St S, Hamilton, ON

164 James St S, Hamilton, ON

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U R B A N I C I T Y . C A | TA C O D E M AY O . C A

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2017-05-04 2:57 PM

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Put the Century 21Â® Gold Standard to Work for You! MAUREEN MOLONY Sales Representative (905) 510-4785

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2017-05-04 2:57 PM

U R B A N I C I T Y . C A | TA C O D E M AY O . C A

q u estion & answer

OVO Bringing a message of inclusion to Hamilton Q: Can you speak to the theme of OVO? What does it represent?

Artistic Director , Tim Bennett

A: The theme is really about inclusion, and discovering how people fit in together. The rough outline of the story is there's a community of insects and they're going about their daily lives and a foreigner comes in. He's a bug that they've never seen before and he's very different from them. Initially they're a little afraid of him and they reject him and through the process of the show they discover that he's a lot more similar to them than different. There's also a little bit of a love story woven in there. The foreigner is a fly and there's a lady bug that's part of the community and they fall in love with one another. So they're sort of discovering their differences and how to come together and what's really interesting to me is, it's sort of a representation of how Cirque is. Cirque is a collection of people from different countries, cultures, languages and disciplines, and they all come together to successfully create this show

Cirque du Soleil will once again be bringing its magic to Hamilton. Their newest show, OVO, takes audiences on a colourful journey into a community of insects who deal with surprises, but end up finding love and acceptance. The show has spread its message of tolerance, lively music, and incredible acrobatic acts to over five million people since it premiered in Montreal in 2009, and now the City of Hamilton gets to experience this performance as well. We spoke with Tim, the Artistic Director of OVO to learn a little more about the show and what Hamilton can expect when the circus comes to town on June 7 - 11, 2017.

Q: Tell me about your role as the Artistic Director of OVO. What does your typical day look like? A: I'm responsible for the artistic integrity of the show. I do a whole collection of things from oversee rehearsals, to watch the show and take notes, to work with the head coach on training, to a little bit of office administrative work, to casting. It all really depends on the show's needs in the moment. An average day would be coming in around eleven or noon and working with the head coach on training and targeting things if we're having any issues. This mixed with running back and forth to the office, doing a couple of emails, dealing with the replacements that are coming up down the line, and dealing with casting or working with some other shows.

Q: Is there anything you enjoy the most? A: The thing I enjoy the most is working with the artists. I was originally a performer myself and spent most of my career as a director of choreography. So the part of working with the trainers, artists, clowns, and acrobats, one on one and in groups, is my favourite part by far.

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That's a message that the world really needs right now. A: It couldn't be more timely! We have Americans and Russians and Ukrainians all working together side by side and without a spot of politics or anything like that. People are people. I always say, if we can work together, why can't everybody else?

Q: Cirque has so many incredible shows, but what do you think makes OVO really stand out and differentiates it from a lot of the other shows? A: There's a couple things about OVO. One is that it does have a little more of a linear story line. A little more of a narrative than some of the other shows. Another thing is that OVO is very bright, colourful, positive, fun and playful. Although most of the other shows have elements of that, many of them are a little darker and will have more mysterious themes.

Photo Courtesy of CIRQUE DU SOLEIL

Q: How do you feel about performing for the city of Hamilton? A: I'm very excited! Cirque is a Canadian based company. We have a lot of Canadian artists. I think going back into Canada and playing the Canadian cities is really wonderful. I think we have sort of a special connection with Canadian audiences and I think they welcome us and feel a little bit of ownership of us at the same time.

Q: Is there anything else that you'd like to add? Anything else you want to say about the show?

Q: Is it true that Cirque du Soleil makes it a practice to hire local workers to help with the show? What exactly is that going to look like in Hamilton?

A: It's one of the Cirque shows that I think is so broad spectrum. It appeals to families, it appeals to children. People of all ages, of all cultures. It has a universal message, universal themes. Someone who maybe feels that they've seen Cirque before, OVO will come to them and bring new ideas and new elements to them. So anyone that's seen the other touring shows will really have a different experience with OVO.

A: When we come in we always hire a very large crew to help us load in. We'll hire about 60 to 80 people for the first two days that we load in. Then, our load out we'll actually hire about 80 to 100 people because we have to load out much more quickly.

Be sure to check out a performance of OVO and let the music, dancers, and acrobats transport you to an insect utopia! The show will be playing at the FirstOntario centre from June 7 until June 11th. Tickets can be purchased from TicketMaster.

So we'll come in and we'll be a big employer for a bit. We'll come in and snatch up about 100 hotel rooms and kind of descend on all of the restaurants and clubs in the area. We travel with a catering company and they'll come into the community, and they'll shop and look and see what the local foods are and they'll create the menus and everything around the local experiences.

By Christina Kwiczala

Christina holds a MEd from Queen's University and has taught both in Canada and overseas. She currently works as a high school teacher and is becoming a certified yoga instructor. When she's not reading voraciously or watching films, she spends her time volunteering at the library, taking photographs, hiking through Hamilton's trails, and travelling the world.

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SUN–THURS 11:30AM–9PM FRI–SAT 11:30AM–10PM 255 KING ST. E. | BLACKFORESTINN.CA

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IDEAS

Cannabis: A Possible Solution A Hamilton Doctor leading the way in medical cannabis

pioid abuse is an arising crisis in Canada, and the prescription rate is soaring in Ontario. The dangers of the drug are harsh and with little success of rehabilitation. High addiction and severe depression are among the many side effects that these narcotics have. A crisis this large spread, with no sight of slowing down, it seems that there should be many solutions and ideas looking to help curb the situation. Here enters Dr. Ira Price. He’s an emergency room doctor at the Juravinski Hospital here in Hamilton. Working there, Dr. Price has seen a lot of patients come and go with addictions to opioids. They’re coming in either overdosed, experiencing withdrawal, or requesting early refills. “All the drugs you are seeing on the street like Carfentanyl, is causing an immediate loss of consciousness and death. There has to be a solution. We have such a poor understanding of the complexity of pain,” says Dr. Price. “I needed to find something that was safe, and cannabis happens to be that”. Cannabis. That’s the drug that Dr. Price felt was not necessarily the answer to the addiction crisis but one of the many possible solutions that could help his patients. Opioids sit at a 20-30% addiction rate, and along with a 500%

LEFT: Dr. Ira Price photographed at Synergy // RIGHT: Synergy located in Burlington // All Photos by EMILY Kertcher

prescription rise, there’s an unsettling feeling with these high numbers. “When you’re looking at cannabis you’re maybe looking at a four percent addiction rate, which doesn’t have a withdrawal comparison to being able to die from the severe intoxication and withdrawal harsh opioids can produce,” explains Dr. Price.

The patients have the potential for full body shut down. A three-month period of following Dr. Price’s guidelines is how long it typically takes to make the successful switch.

After creating his protocols Dr. Price, in 2010, opened up a small one room operation devoted to evaluating patients for medical cannabis, called Synergy. He received a lot of negative feedback from the community, When I first started which he chalks out everybody was up to people not knowing and negative in the u n d e r s t a n dcommunity, and that ing what he was was because nobody doing and what knew what I was doing his goals were.

Talking to his patients was the starting point for Dr. Price. At the time, nobody in the medical community was prescribing medicinal marijuana, but he was desperate for a way to learn more. From the conversations with the patients, Dr. Price was able to reach out to the cannabis community for more information.

He started learning about the benefits the plant could have for addictive patients. Dr. Price created what he now calls “The Price Protocol”, which are guidelines on how to treat and switch patients effectively and safely over to cannabis. “If you take someone off opioids too quickly they could potentially die from intoxication, and there could be serious side effects from withdrawal”, says Dr. Price.

Over the years, Synergy grew. Research and education on medical cannabis was evolving, and eventually he hired other doctors and re-located to a bigger clinic. Still Dr. Price wanted the clinic to grow larger, and wanted something that could provide patients with more opportunities. This May, Dr. Price will be opening a brandnew wellness centre in Burlington which provides exactly that, more opportunities. No longer focusing on just the pain of the patient but all other modalities.

Bringing in services such as massage therapy, physio therapy, naturopathic medicine and yoga. “It seems that most people have forgotten that mindfulness and exercise is important still,” says Dr. Price. Another concept that Dr. Price has put together is his ‘exploration centre’. Inside, the centre will provide the patients with the ability to explore all aspects and different extracts of medical cannabis, safe accessories, and different ways for consuming like vaping. Dr. Price has seen a total turn around in his patients. From being unable to work, depressed, and nonfunctional while on the opioids, he now hears them report of better sleep, talking with their loved ones again and finding employment. “When I first started out everybody was negative in the community, and that was because nobody knew what I was doing,” says Dr. Price. “I took a lot of heat but I stuck with it and finally the medicine has caught up.”

By Emily Kertcher

Emily Kertcher is a photographer and journalist. With a passion for Hamilton she seeks to visually capture the city and write about its experiences.

emilykertcher.com

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e x periences

#UrbanicityEats Just a Hamilton foodie, eating her way through one food truck at a time Chocochurros: With the nice weather here, it must mean that food truck This food truck started in New York, but found its way to Toronto to provide the GTA with their super delicious churros. I am a huge fan of their traditional-style churros, with a crunchy golden outside and fluffy inside. For those with a sweet tooth ask for the filled churros or have them drizzled with dulce de leche or chocolate sauce. Did I mention they are very affordable? I know I will be walking around with a bag of them at Sew Hungry.

season is near! With Sew Hungry event (Ottawa street’s restaurant and food truck rally on May 5th), I was inspired to share some of my favourites from Hamilton and beyond.

jonny blonde: A true Hamiltonian, Jonny has been serving up some of the best sandwiches from his food truck since 2013. He makes everything from scratch, even going so far as to bake all of his own bread. Jonny recently opened up a brick and mortar shop on Concession Street, where he is thinking ‘outside the bun’ and showing Hamilton what he is really capable of. Try any of his sandwiches and you will not be disappointed!

Festival Fun Food: Is a festival really a festival without funnel cake? The answer is simple, absolutely not. This truck specializes in all things deep-fried. There are no gimmicks to be found here. From pickles to cheesecake if you can think of it, these guys have probably battered and fried it. I'm a sucker for funnel cake, I know I won't be leaving the festival without a classic funnel cake with ice cream and strawberries.

Meatventure’s Meatwagon: Hey you, meat lovers! Look out for this Hamilton based food truck! Their Torcino sliders, “Bacon fatty” and Candied bacon creme brulee will definitely satisfy your bacon cravings. Don’t worry if you are not a fan of meaty things, their Parm Fries are to die for! Crispy waffle fries coated with Gochujang butter and topped with a load of parmesan. I’m drooling just thinking about it. I hear that there will be a new surprise item or two as well so put this food truck on your check list.

Panwich: I haven’t tried this truck yet but I am planning to this year. According to their website Panwich is a delicious invention created using gourmet fillings, battered and then deep fried’. They’ve got cheeseburger, KD mac n cheese, and more. I can’t decide which one to try. If you’re feeling dangerous how about their Hot Diggity Dog? A hot dog wrapped in american cheese, battered, wrapped in bacon and then deep fried… Let’s call this event our #CheatDay.

Buster’s Sea Cove: This is the mobile version of the famous Buster’s in Toronto’s St. Lawrence market. If you are craving seafood then this is the place for you. From lobster roll to octopus tacos, this truck will feature all of your favourites from under the sea. This is one of the places where you can see and also taste the lobster in the lobster roll. If you are lucky, maybe you will get a big beautiful chunk of claw meat for the Gram.

Photo Courtesy of PANWICH S O L U T I O N S TO C R O S SWORDS #tacodemayo 1

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All photos by @TASTEHAMONT

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By jennifer shin

Jennifer Shin is a proud Hamilton foodie. She has been sharing her love of the growing foods scene on her Instagram account since 2015. She always keeps a finger on the pulse and is determined to showcase the best of the Hamilton food scene.

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@ tastehamont

n Across

1. The cylindrical half-cousin of the taco. 2. The 'old' home of packaged late night taco spice mix (2 words).

10. The only way to have your cheese on a taco.

3. Tacos or Tequila, you've probably been here.

11. The cheesy chipper cousin of the taco.

5. Probably your first media encounter with tacos: a dog breed and Mexican state.

13. This popular guac ingredient is also known as Chinese parsley.

Urbanicity_May_2017.indd 16

Down

4. Meat in Spanish. 8. Actually considered a large single-seeded berry, mash it into guacamole.

17. These can be hard or soft. 18. A soft wrap made from corn.

6. The start of Once Upon a Time in Mexico. 7. The origin of fish tacos, the end of the Californian peninsula.

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AT THE ART GALLERY OF HAMILTON WHAT’S ON IN MAY

Sara Angelucci, Mano D’oro, 2016, ink jet printS, Courtesy of the artist

FINAL DAYS! CLOSES MAY 14

SARA ANGELUCCI: PIECE WORK ALSO ON VIEW | Last Folio: Yuri Dojc (until May 14) | The Living Room: Subject. Object. Verb. (until May 21) | Expanding the Circle: Robert Davidson and the Ancient Language of Haida Art (until May 28) | Central Ontario Art Association: Artistic Meanderings (opens May 13) | Nature and Man Revealed: The Mr. and Mrs. H.J.M. Watson Collection of British Drawings | Collection Classics | Evolution of Form: 150 of Sculpture from the Collection | Staging Abstraction: Paintings from the Collection | Kim Adams: Bruegel-Bosch Bus Wednesday, May 24 at 7 pm | AGH TOWN HALL AGH Annex, 118 James Street North The Art Gallery of Hamilton’s new strategic plan presents new directions for exhibitions, programs, and day-to-day functions of its main space and the AGH Annex. Come to the AGH Town Hall to learn more and share your ideas. The evening will include a participatory discussion. Don’t miss this important opportunity to help shape our future. FREE admission. Saturday, June 3 from 9 am to 1 pm | HISTORICAL WALKING TOUR HAMILTON’S STONE AGE OF ARCHITECTURE, 1800-1900 By Confederation in 1867, the city of Hamilton had established itself as a major cultural, commercial, and transportation centre in the new Province of Ontario. This status was reflected in many of the city’s public and private buildings. Unfortunately, over the many decades, only some have survived. Join Hamilton historian and AGH docent, Bill Manson and docent, Ann Manson, on a 5km walk to explore Hamilton’s “Stone-Age” through an illustrated talk, followed by a walk through the North Durand neighbourhood. A buffet lunch will follow at The Junction, in one of the survivors of Hamilton’s “Stone-Age” buildings on James Street South. 9:15 am: Registration and refreshments, AGH 9:30 am: Illustrated talk: Jean and Ross Fischer Gallery, AGH 10:30 am: Guided walk 12:30 pm: Buffet lunch at The Junction, 154 James Street South AGH Members $40 | Non-Members $50 Buffet lunch included in price. NOTE: The luncheon venue is not wheelchair accessible. The return walk to the AGH (and parking) is about 10 minutes.

EVENTS AT THE AGH ANNEX | 118 James Street North Wednesday, May 10 at 7 pm | AGH ANNEX READS The Fishers of Paradise by Rachael Preston. FREE admission. Thursday, May 11 at 6 pm | JC VILLAMERE: A BOOK LAUNCH JC Villamere launches her first book Is Canada Even Real?, a sort of hipster quiz focused on everything that is quirky about our country. FREE admission. Friday, May 12 from 6 pm to 10 pm | ART CRAWL The Hamilton Youth Poets presents Underground Indies, a survey of the best university level slam poets in the country. Art installations, participatory activities, performances and more. FREE admission Saturday, May 13 from 12 pm to 2:30 pm | COLLABORATIVE FAMILY CANVAS Celebrate family by working together to create a work of art. Artist-instructor Amanda McKinney will guide you and your child through the painting process. You will go home with a completed 16”x20” canvas and lots of memories. A ratio of one adult to one child is recommended. One canvas provided per registration. AGH Members $50 | Non-Members $60 Friday, May 26 at 7 pm | PAINTING UNCORKED For this session, participants will have Anemones by John Goodwin Lyman (Canadian 1886-1967) as inspiration. All materials provided and fee includes one drink. Doors open at 6:30 pm. AGH Members $50 | Non-Members $60 Tuesdays, May 30, June 6, 13, 20 from 6 pm to 8:30 pm | ART JOURNALING Keeping a sketchbook is an important practice for many artists and can be fun for anyone! Artist-instructor Tyler Vanholst will introduce several mixed media techniques and ideas to spark your creativity. All materials provided. AGH Members $120 | Non-Members $150

123 King Street West, downtown Hamilton L8P 4S8 905.527.6610 www.artgalleryofhamilton.com

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games

crossword

STEVEDOKU

*A n s w e r s o n P a g e 1 6

*A n s w e r s o n P a g e 6

Puzzle 1 (Easy, difficulty rating 0.39)

PUZZLE 1 LEVEL: EASY

#tacodemayo

9 8

8 9

6 9

7 8

11 Puzzle 1 (Medium, difficulty rating 0.57)

PGenerated U Z Z LbyEhttp://www.opensky.ca/sudoku 2 L E V E L : M E DonI Wed U MMay

3 02:33:35 2017 GMT. Enjoy!

8 9

3 Across

Down

4. Meat in Spanish.

1. The cylindrical half-cousin of the taco.

8. Actually considered a large single-seeded berry, mash it into guacamole.

2. The 'old' home of packaged late night taco spice mix (2 words).

10. The only way to have your cheese on a taco.

3. Tacos or Tequila, you've probably been here.

11. The cheesy chipper cousin of the taco.

5. Probably your first media encounter with tacos: a dog breed and Mexican state.

13. This popular guac ingredient is also known as Chinese parsley. 17. These can be hard or soft. 18. A soft wrap made from corn. 20. You may have seen Peter Griffin awkwardly mispronouncing this at a drive thru.

9. Similar to the El Salvadorian pupusa it is stuffed with cheese and has a 'crunch'.

21. This white paste actually is not very sour.

12. Spanish for donkey.

23. A popular pickled side dish, found at Mezcal.

13. A ground seed spice ingredient to your taco mix.

9 1

Puzzle 1 (Hard, difficulty rating 0.66)

PGenerated U Z Z LbyEhttp://www.opensky.ca/sudoku 3 L E V E L : H A RonDWed May

3 02:33:25 2017 GMT. Enjoy!

6. The start of Once Upon a Time in Mexico. 7. The origin of fish tacos, the end of the Californian peninsula.

1 7

14. Jerry Seinfeld thinks people just like to say this word when ordering.

15. They say there is two ways to pronounce this red fruit, usually diced in this case.

16. Native home to the great taco!

6 2

7 5

19. You might said this is any tacos main 'squeeze'

22. The key kernel ingredient in any taco outer.

Generated by http://www.opensky.ca/sudoku on Wed May 3 02:33:30 2017 GMT. Enjoy!

WE ARE ACCEPTING NEW PATIENTS!

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COMING SOON # E AT H O N E S T

L I T T L E B I G B OW L .CO M

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C O R K T O W N P L A Z A , 2 2 5 J O H N S T. S . U N I T 1

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coming soon # E AT W E L L # E AT H O N E S T

G O E AT W E L L . C O M

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C O R K T O W N P L A Z A , 2 2 5 J O H N S T. S . U N I T 1

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