Viva Las Vegas Hits the ‛Peg at Legacies Cabaret

HOLIDAY/WINTER ISSUE 2005
Viva Las Vegas Hits the ‛Peg
at Legacies Cabaret
Randy Wall delves into
the underground world
of toys created as art
www.cobblestonesmagazine.com
www.cobblestonesmagazine.com
In this issue
Holiday/Winter 2005
Arts & Entertainment
on the cover
columnists
Viva Las Vegas Comes
To the ‘Peg
Music in the ‘Peg with
Donnie McDougall
Legacies Cabaret showcases
Manitoba’s incredible talent.
12
features
Enjoy Diverse Ethnic
Cuisine in Winnipeg
Some of our favourite small, quaint,
multicultural eating establishments
in Winnipeg.
6
15 Minutes with
Howard Manshein
Burton Cummings reveals that he
wished he sang the original version
of American Woman differently.
9
Toys R Art
Randy Wall delves into the exciting,
but virtually unknown world of
creating toys as a form of art.
13
The former Guess Who guitarist
reflects on how growing up in
Winnipeg influenced his music.
8
Dez Says
Q94 FM’s Dez encourages able
bodied souls to turn to Yoga
for stress relief and refuge.
14
Willow Wolfe baffled by
Winnipeg’s dating scene
Willow Wolfe tries to catch up on
the education she missed while
married and out of single scene.
23
4
Cobblestones - Manitoba’s Magazine
cobblestones shopping
PUBLISHER/EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
Jamie Saari-Alvarez
[email protected]
(204) 772-0440
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Linda Baird
Trevor Kennerd
Glen Swifte
Chad Friesen
Gord Mackintosh
Randy Wall
Michael Jack
Lloyd Axworthy
Donnie McDougall
John Thomson
Candace Caligiuri
Wayne Hamel
Colleen Swifte
Willow Wolfe
Catherine Strong
Arlena de Bruin
Donnie McDougall
Linda Vermeulen
Josh Theissen
Howard Manshein
Michelle Swanson
Rudy Epp
LAYOUT & DESIGN
Melanie Matheson
Jamie Saari-Alvarez
PHOTOGRAPHY
Sarah James & Jamie Saari-Alvarez
ADVERTISING SALES
Denise Unrau
(204) 801-0644
[email protected]
Colleen Swifte
(204) 485-4025
[email protected]
SUBSCRIPTIONS
Cobblestones Magazine is available at
no charge to our readers. You can pick
up a copy of Cobblestones in racks
throughout the city. For exact locations
of distribution please go to our website
at: www.cobblestonesmagazine.com
A one-year subscription costs:
$20 for four issues (taxes included).
Please mail cheque or money order to:
Cobblestones Communications
26 Carnarvan Road
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3J 0X3
Phone: (204) 772-0440
Fax: (204) 772-0662
[email protected]
www.cobblestonesmagazine.com
Cobblestones Magazine is published
quarterly or four times per year.
Cobblestones Magazine is a
conglomerate of Cobblestones
Communications. All rights reserved.
The contents of this publication may
not be reproduced in whole or in part
without the express written consent of
the publisher. Cobblestones Magazine
makes every effort to ensure the
accuracy of the information it
publishes, but cannot be held
responsible for any consequences
arising from errors or omissions. The
opinions of our columnists do not
necessarily reflect those of
Cobblestones Magazine as a whole. ♦
Shop in Osborne Village
D
Find the perfect gift in Winnipeg’s most dynamic shopping district
o your holiday shopping this year in
Winnipeg's most eclectic and dynamic
shopping district - Osborne Village.
Escape from the crowded malls and
enjoy traditional boutique shopping that allows
you to step outside and enjoy the bright lights,
beautiful decor and the fresh, crisp winter air.
In Osborne Village you’ll find an array
boutiques and shops featuring clothing, crafts,
gifts, books, gourmet chocolates, specialty
coffee, designer furniture, artworks and unique
kitchenware. It’s Winnipeg’s most densely
populated neighbourhood and is always a
beehive of activity. Here are just a few exciting
holiday events taking place in Osborne Village.
GAS STATION THEATRE
For the second year in a row, the Gas Station
Theatre will be hosting "Christmas in the Village"
from December 21, 22 and 23. Enjoy Christmas
carolling each of these days from 4 p.m. to 9
p.m. in the Courtyard at River and Osborne.
Classic Christmas cartoons will be playing at the
theatre and everyone is welcome to come in and
enjoy some fresh coffee, hot chocolate and ovenbaked cookies. For more information phone
(204) 996-0842 or go to their website at
www.gasstationtheatre.com
MEDEA GALLERY
As Medea Gallery celebrates its 30th anniversary
of being in Osborne Village, a number of
celebratory events have been planned. The first
is an exhibition showcasing six emerging artists
with ties to Osborne Village. As part of a
community outreach project, Medea Gallery is
offering these young artists the opportunity to
display their work in the gallery during the holiday
season from December 18 to January 14. The
exhibition will feature a variety of original art
works in oil, acrylic, watercolour, pastel and
mixed media. All artists will be featured together,
www.cobblestonesmagazine.com
with the show changing after two weeks. This will
allow each artist to show several pieces. The
featured young artists will be Katya Adamov,
Arlea Ashcroft, Crystal Dolph-Jones, Michelle
Moulson, Benji Todd and Natasha Torres-Garner.
The goal is to promote local emerging artists and
increase public awareness of the talented young
artists in Osborne Village. It will offer the young
artists an opportunity to learn about the
operation of a co-operative gallery and give them
valuable experience preparing for and presenting
a group exhibition. The public is invited to an
open house on Sunday, December 18, from 1 to
4 p.m. The artists will be in attendance.
HEARTSEASE
Do you have a cause you wish to support? In
keeping with the spirit of the season, Heartsease
is now booking private shopping evenings for
groups and/or individuals where 10 per cent of
all sales will be donated to a community
organization or charity of choice. Mulled cider as
well as ginger and lavender cookies will be
served. Call Gwen at (204) 474 -0470 to book
your own exclusive shopping evening. The
Heartsease manufacturing studio is now located
alongside the store at 478 River Avenue. All
products are lovingly made on the premises. For
more information, go to www.heartseaseinc.com.
STRADA PERSONAL SPA
Do your holiday shopping online with Strada
Personal Spa. Simply go to their website at
www.stradapersonalspa.com and choose from a
wide variety of custom-designed spa packages
that will pamper the ones you love. There’s truly
something here for everyone - from romantic
Romeo & Juliette couples packages to the everpopular Forever Young package. Take a moment
to peruse Strada Personal Spa’s website and
you’ll be very tempted to do this year’s holiday
shopping online. ¡
5
cobblestones picks
Enjoy Diverse Ethnic Cuisine All Year Long
by Colleen Swifte & Jamie Saari-Alvarez
C
anada is built on immigration and we have the great
privilege of being a country that is home to people of
hundreds of different nationalities and cultures. As a result,
we have many diverse choices in culinary, entertainment
and culture. Here are just a few of our favourite small, quaint,
multicultural eating establishments in Winnipeg.
Caribbean Spice Restaurant
613 Sargent
If you want the best and most authentic ethnic Jamaican food go
where the locals go, to Caribbean Spice Restaurant. We held a
Cobblestones Magazine staff meeting at Caribbean Spice restaurant
recently and were happy we decided to try this little Sargent Avenue
gem. While we were there the restaurant wasn’t full, but take-out
traffic was non-stop the entire evening. This is where Jamaican-born
Canadians gather to visit with others who share their country’s
culture, music and cuisine. Owner, Judith Christianson, is a fantastic
cook and a warm, wonderful person. It’s a real compliment to
Judith’s cooking that Jamaican Canadians, who already know how to
prepare traditional meals, opt to order take-out food from Caribbean
Spice Restaurant. The menu items were a little exotic and we
weren’t sure what to order. Luckily, we had a special guest with us
that night, Bindy from Bindy’s Caribbean Delights in The Forks
(across from Branigan’s Restaurant). Bindy was appointed our
culinary guide and we weren’t surprised to learn that Caribbean
Spice orders their rotis directly from Bindy, who’s famous for having
the best rotis in town. We started by ordering some appetizers
including stewed oxtail, fried plantains and jerk chicken ceaser
salad. Each dish was excellent and we were amazed at how
flavourful and tender the oxtail
meat was. The meat seemed
to just melt in your mouth. The
plantains were prepared
perfectly and not too sweet.
The salad was tangy and
flavourful, but not for the faint
of heart as it was VERY spicy.
Bindy was the only one who
could handle the salad. But we
discovered that the perfect
way to cool down our burning
mouths was to take a nice big
swig of Red Stripe beer,
Judith Christian, owner of
Jamaica’s most popular beer.
Caribbean Spice Restaurant
For the entree we tried curried
with her daughter Jenny.
goat which was tender,
flavourful and not too spicy.
We also ordered the Red Snapper stuffed with calaloo. It was
definitely Colleen’s favourite and she has been raving about the dish
ever since. Entrees all came with traditionally prepared Jamaican
rice, peas and roti. Bindy suggested that we try the national dish of
Jamaica, ackee & salt fish. Ackee is a Jamaican-grown fruit that can
be poisonous if not canned properly or picked when perfectly ripe.
Great care is always taken by chefs when preparing this national
dish. The salt fish is soaked overnight to bring out its flavour. We
were a little apprehensive, but decided to be brave and give this
exotic dish a try. Everyone agreed is was delicious and definitely
worth trying. For dessert we enjoyed some delectable mango ice
cream. The service was excellent and we really liked that the
restaurant has a comfortable, homey atmoshphere to it. We highly
recommend Caribbean Spice Restaurant to anyone wanting to try
something out of the ordinary. Not every dish is hot and spicy, so if
you are sensitive you’ll only need to ask your server for guidance and
a few recommendations.
Mooshiro Japanese Cuisine
B-667 Stafford
When you walk through the doors of Mooshiro, you have to take off
your shoes because you’ll be sitting on the floor. Each eating area is
carpeted with pillows and has a pit for your legs, so it is actually
quite comfortable. This 80-seat sushi bistro has unique décor that
distinguishes it from other traditional Japanese restaurants. You’ll
find 1960s beaded curtains, bamboo rustle curtains and a stylish,
contemporary interior. You’ll discover a very diverse menu featuring
traditional Japanese dishes and more exotic choices like unajya
(eel), sunomono (octopus, shrimp & seaweed) salad, teriyaki tofu,
sushi pizza and a full-service sushi bar. Most meals fall within the
$12 to $20 price range and come with soup, salad, vegetable
tempura and rice. Service is excellent and waitresses wear
traditional Japanese gold and black kimonos. If you try Mooshiro in
the evening, you’ll be in for a rare treat. They sometimes feature
Japanese karaoke at night. If you want to sing a song in English you
are welcome to, but we prefered watching others try it in Japanese.
Continued on next page ...
6
Cobblestones - Manitoba’s Magazine
cobblestones picks
J & H Restaurant Greek Cuisine
2635 Portage
We absolutely Greek food and
culture, so you can imagine our
delight when we walked into J & H
Restaurant and felt like we’d walked
onto the set of “My Big Fat Greek
Wedding.” Owners of this quaint,
family-run restaurant enthusiastically
greeted us at the door, showed us to our table and showered
Jamie’s four-year-old daughter with love and attention. (Greeks sure
adore young children!) Owners John & Helene and their son, Spiro,
were working the evening we walked in. Loud, boisterous and very
likeable, they had us feeling like part of the family in no time. We
weren’t surprised to discover that regular customers not only come
back for the food, but also to visit and socialize with the family. John
and Helen immigrated to Winnipeg from Sparta, Greece in 1971.
They opened J & H Restaurant in 1976 and word of mouth has kept
the restaurant going ever since. We were pleasantly surprised to see
how much genuine thought and care is put into the preparation of
each and every meal. This isn’t a typical restaurant where you order
from the menu and get what they prepare. Spiro asked us questions
to get a better idea of how we wanted our food prepared. Each dish
seemed to be individually prepared just for us. Entrees are quite
large, so most people get to go home with a doggie bag. And in true
form to the movie “My Big Fat Greek Wedding,” we had to answer to
some concerned, but good-natured questioning when we didn’t
clean every morsel from our plates. This family will not allow anyone
to walk out of their restaurant less than 100% satisfied. It’s hard not
to leave J & H Restaurant with a huge smile on your face and
planning to come back soon.
James, she has tried to convince Tony to share his secret recipe with
her. But Tony is a smart businessman and knows people will travel
to St. James from other areas of the city for his food. We
recommend trying Tony’s amazing Greek salad with the chicken
souvlaki pita.
Charisma Authentic East Indian Cuisine
D-83 Sherbrook Street
Charisma Restaurant is a quaint little East
Indian restaurant on the corner of Sherbrook
and Westminster. The eatery’s niche is its
delicious buffet featuring authentic East Indian
cuisine at a fraction of the price of its
competitors. Although the buffet is not as large
as many others, the food is fantastic. You can
also take in some great cultural entertainment
on weekends when the restaurant brings in
belly dancers. There is not an empty seat in the
house when they feature belly dancers as
entertainment. The owner, Metish, is really on
to something here. If you want a good seat for
the show, you’ll have to arrive early or call
beforehand to make a reservation. Charisma
features traditional East Indian cuisine and also
popular North American dishes. Vegetarians
and vegans also have several options to
choose from. We highly recommend Charisma
Restaurant for both its buffet and fantastic
entertainment. ¡
George’s Burgers on Ness
2253 Ness
Greeks might not like reading this, but the best Greek salad we have
EVER tasted is at George’s Burgers on Ness Avenue. What makes
this statement a bit controversial is that the owner, Tony, is not
Greek. He’s actually Italian. Tony has invented an amazing, tangy
Greek salad dressing that is
George’s Burgers on Ness has the
deliciously addictive and has
best Greek salad in town. Try it
patrons always coming back for
with their chicken souvlaki.
more. Unfortunately for those
living outside of St. James, Tony’s
amazing Greek salad is unique to
the Ness Avenue location. (Each
George’s Burgers restaurant has
its own recipes.) Since Jamie
recently moved away from St.
www.cobblestonesmagazine.com
7
cobblestones music
Music in the ‘Peg
H
with The Guess Who’s Donnie McDougall
i everyone in Winnipeg! It is that time again to bring you
my thoughts. I sincerely hope you have been enjoying my
columns in Cobblestone Magazine. This issue’s column
will be about growing up in the ‘Peg and the influence it
has had on my life and musical career.
I grew up in St. Vital on St. Michaels Road, which was a dead end
street at the time. We were the last house on the block and my
parents owned a couple of acres, so there was plenty of room for us
and other neighbourhood kids to play. In the summer we would
always play touch football and baseball. In the winter my dad, bless
his heart, would make us a skating rink with boards and nets. We
would play for hours and as a result, I still enjoy participating in and
watching sports.
When I was about 14 years old, I started taking guitar lessons
after seeing a band from England on the Ed Sullivan Show. They
were called The Beatles and I really wanted to join their band. It was
a crazy dream, but they encouraged me to pick up the guitar and
start playing. The first band I was in was called The Gentry and
included my brother Robbie, Terry Michalski and Tony Siragusa.
We began by playing community clubs, sock hops and school
dances. The band was together for a couple of years before we all
moved on to other bands and choices in life.
I later played in several other bands including The Sticks and
Stones, Watt and the Blazes and my personal favourite, The
Sons and Lovers, which included Kurt Winter, Randy Peterson
(Garry’s brother) and Fred Hendricks. It was a great band with
great vocals and for the time, we made great music. We were
influenced by a lot of British bands like The Beatles, Manfred
Mann, The Rolling Stones, Gerry and The Pacemakers, The
Hollies and The Zombies, which brings us to my story.
Last summer I was in the ‘Peg and ran into an old friend,
Dave Perrich. It just so happened that he was working Summer
Fest as a band driver, bringing out the different bands that
were playing throughout the weekend. He asked what I was
doing that weekend because he needed an extra driver to help
get the bands to the festival grounds. I agreed to help out, not
knowing who I would be driving. I was secretly hoping I would
meet some of my idols from my youth. It sounded like fun and
would give me a chance to see some old friends and also get to
know the great staff at the show.
As it turns out, The Zombies were on the show. To say the
least I was thrilled to learn that I was going to be their driver
and meet them in person. I have to admit I was trembling and
had goose bumps when I picked them up at the airport. The
Zombies had an incredible influence on me when I began my
career. My favourite song by The Zombies is She’s Not There which was a major hit for the band. They followed up with
another great song called Tell Her No and had yet another huge
hit with Time Of The Season. Over the years they wrote many
great songs.
When introduced to Colin and Rod, we started talking about
music and what an effect they had been on me while growing
up. Burton and I tried to sing and emulate the Zombies. When
we arrived, I made sure to watch and listen as they performed
their great songs live.
I was amazed that they still sounded just like their records. I
got goose bumps and am sure everyone else watching the
8
show did too. It was a great experience and one that I will always
remember. Interestingly, they told me they were equally impressed
that I was in The Guess Who and how The Guess Who had
influenced them. I had met Rod Argent back in 1973 when he
toured with The Guess Who to promote his new band, Argent. I
remember their huge hit Hold Your Head High. We laugh and joked
about how much older we are getting.
As a musician you never really know who you might meet and
how your music will affect other people over the years. It was an
incredible experience for me to meet John Lennon when he and
Yoko did “Bed In For Peace” in Montreal.
I had the opportunity to sit and talk with John Lennon for the
entire day. At the time I was in a band called Mother Tuckers Yellow
Duck and we were promoting our first single, One Ring Jane.
I was completely blown away when I gave him a copy of our new
album, Home Grown Stuff, and he said he already knew who we
were and that he liked our music. We were also promoting World
Peace at the time and it was a great honour to meet and be
acknowledged by the one-and-only John Lennon.
These are memories I cherish and will remain with me for the
rest of my life. Thank you Winnipeg for all you have been and done
for me and The Guess Who. Without the experience of growing up in
Winnipeg, these memories might have only been dreams. ¡
Cobblestones - Manitoba’s Magazine
cobblestones music
15 Minutes with Howard
Howard Mandshein interview with Burton Cummings
Howard:
You’ve won yet another award. What award is it?
Burton:
This a kind of lifetime achievement award from the
Association of Canadian Broadcasters. The award is for
Randy Bachman and myself. It’s a prestigious award
because all the broadcasters get together to vote on
who has made a long-time contribution ... who has
never gone away off of the radio. They feel our songs
have been around so long and will never go away.
Howard:
You’ve teamed up with Randy Bachman?
Burton:
Yes, we are the Bachman/Cummings band and will be
touring together as such.
Howard:
You’ve always been a child of the 60s and you’ve
always done the unexpected. Have there been things
you wish you had done that you haven’t?
Burton:
grateful for what we have. I’m most grateful for the
lasting power of our songs.
Howard: Are there certain songs that stand out as special?
Burton:
I have been told that “Stand Tall” is my best vocals. I
was pushed hard in the studio for it to sound like
that. My personal favourite is “I’m Scared.” I liked the
vocals on that very much. The funny thing is, as far as
The Guess Who is concerned, I never felt I nailed the
vocals on “American Woman.” It never came out as
gutsy as I wanted it to. There was a time I wished I
had another chance with “American Woman.”
Howard:
How has your career changed along the way? You’re
not the kind of guy with a lot of regrets, are you?
Burton:
I think regret is a useless emotion, I’ll be 58 in a few
months and I’ve lost a lot of very close friends along
the way. I’ve lost Gary MacLean, Kurt Winter and Darryl
Brewingham. They’re all gone. I’m concentrating on
staying healthy and looking forward to doing a big tour
with Randy. I don’t have a lot of regrets. I’m just
grateful to be here.
Howard:
Thank you and welcome home.
Burton:
Thank you. Winnipeg will always be my home town. I
just want to say hello to everyone here and say how
happy I am to be back. This will always be my home. ♦
There have been many awards & achievements. It’s
hard to think about what we haven’t done. We’re very
Burton Cummings and Randy Bachman
performing at the 2004 Junos in Winnipeg.
www.cobblestonesmagazine.com
9
music
Manitoba
Music Review
O
by Michael Jack
n Tuesday, September 27,
2005, I found myself in
Club Dak at the Dakota
Motor Hotel. So did a lot of
other folks, and we were all there to
catch the man known as Blind Dog.
Blind Dog’s performance was
impressive, rivalled only by his
personal story. His name is a literal
description, as Blind Dog is unable to
Blind Dog
see. After heart attacks, two major
heart operations, cataract surgery, neck injuries and the loss of
an eye, this resilient musician has seemingly overcome
whatever obstacles he has encountered to persist in fulfilling his
love of the blues.
Also known for his work with Winnipeg band Mud Belly, this
blues man has been a vital part of Winnipeg’s blues scene for
15 years. This may have been the reason for the ample turnout
at Club Dak, where we were treated to a couple of sets of Blind
Dog’s mixture of blues, R & B and good ol’ classic rock from
bands like the Stones.
Blind Dog plays at Club Dak on every second Tuesday
evening starting at 8 p.m. For more Blind Dog info, visit
www.blinddog.ca.
I caught the CD Release for Matt
Epp’s debut CD, “You’ll Find Me Alone”
on September 1, 2005 at the West End
Cultural Centre. Judging by this evening,
it would be safe to say that Matt Epp
clearly has his ego in check, given his
willingness to pass the microphone to
anybody who would take it.
In fact, Brandy Zdan jokingly referred
to the evening as the Last Waltz. I
Matt Epp
agreed, with the only difference being I
wasn’t familiar with most of these participants; however, that’s
not a criticism – I look forward to seeing more from them.
The Most opened up with three songs, the last being a
welcome rendition of Lady Madonna. Kristjanna Oleson started
Matt’s set with a solo violin piece. Matt then moved right into
the title track “You’ll Find Me Alone”.
Dan Donahue, who also produced the disc, played guitar.
Friends and cohorts Matt Willliams, Jon Parks, Julie Kasdorf,
Dan Donohue, and Brandy Zdan each added their contributions
on the mic throughout the night.
Matt’s voice had the smooth, soulful timbre of some
personal favourites of mine like Martin Sexton, highlighted when
he ventured out to the extremes of his range. Although only a
small portion of the set was performed solo, I clearly got the
sense that he could easily pull it off for an entire set. Although
with a group of musicians like this around him, why would he
bother?
Check out Matt at www.sonicbids.com/mattepp.
Continued on next page ...
10
Cobblestones - Manitoba’s Magazine
H
cobblestones music
ave you ever wondered
about the lyrics behind
some of the most
popular songs you hear
on the radio? In this new, regular
Cobblestones column Howard
Mandshein (92 CITI FM) and
Howard Mandshein
Wayne Hamel (music guru) tell the
& Wayne Hamel
stories behind some of the most
famous songs of all time.
Rod Argent (The Zombies):
Time of the Seasons
“We used to do a cover of a
Smokey Robinson song Tracks of
My Tears. The words are ‘If you
look closely it’s easy to trace the
tracks of my tears.’ Records didn't
reproduce that well back then and
I actually thought he was singing ‘It’s the time of the season to
trace the tracks of my tears.’ When I found out what he was
actually singing I was really disappointed, so I thought I’ve got to
use the phrase somewhere. It became the beginning of the song
Time of the Seasons."
Ray Manzarek (The Doors): Light My Fire
“One Friday at practice Jim Morrison asked if anyone had a new
song. No one did, so the band members were instructed by Jim to
come to practice the following Tuesday with a song. Only Robbie
Kreiger had come up with a song. It was a work in progress called
Light My Fire with chord changes A minor to F#. Robbie was asked
to play the song for the other band members. While the other
members liked the song, John felt that it sounded too folk-rock like.
The sound was changed to a more Latino hard rock. Robbie had
only written the first verse, so Jim Morrison wrote the second verse.
The song didn't have an intro, so I wrote the catchy organ part.
When Robbie wrote the song it was not intended for any one in
Story Behind
the Song
particular, but rather to any woman who might date him. The song
reached #1 the summer of 1967."
Fred Turner (BTO): Let It Ride
"While spending time in a hotel room in New Orleans between
shows, Randy (Bachman) came in and played a somewhat Doobie
Brothers-sounding guitar rift. I wrote the lyrics and Randy finished
the guitar in about 25 minutes. Randy has said that he was told to
‘let it ride’ by a trucker at a rest stop after a minor confrontation. So
that phrase had stuck with him.”
Fred Turner (BTO): Roll on Down the Highway
"Our roadies had decided to put their own band together and had a
date opening for Ted Nugent. Robbie Bachman had an idea of this
yellow Ryder truck rolling down the highway, running to do our
shows and running to do their own shows. He brought an idea to
me. Being a real ‘car guy’ I wrote the lyrics for the song.” ♦
… Continued from previous page
At the beginning of the CD Release
performance for her third disc, “Paper
Anniversary”, on July 28, 2005 at the
Times Change(d) High & Lonesome
Club, Christine Fellows explained that
she had chosen the venue because
she wanted the feel of a cozy party in
a friend’s basement.
The evening had that feel, partly
Christine Fellows
due to the size of the venue, and
partly because of her warm, welcoming nature. Oh yeah…and
partly because we got cake.
“Endearing” was a word commonly used by the friends
accompanying me to describe Christine Fellows and her
performance that evening. Joined initially by Leanne Zacharias,
then later with a full string trio, Christine moved delicately through
the intimately personal, almost conversational songs from the disc
being released.
Christine was capably backed by a Weakerthan-heavy band, all
of whom demonstrated abilities in a style quite different than what
we’re used to from them. She used many of the tools at her
disposal, and the incorporation of the string trio provided dynamics
that wouldn’t have otherwise been available with her assembled
cast. Speaking of tools at her disposal, honourable mention goes
to the use of a “Speak ‘n Spell” as an added touch.
Learn more about Christine at www.christinefellows.com. ¡
www.cobblestonesmagazine.com
11
front page feature
Viva Las Vegas hits Winnipeg!
Legacies Cabaret showcases incredible local talent
by Jamie Saari-Alvarez
T
here were moments during the Viva Las Vegas Show at
Legacies Cabaret where I almost felt like I was in Vegas. I
definitely had just as much fun! The Viva Las Vegas dinner
theatre show at Legacies Cabaret (beside the Victoria Inn) is
a definite crowd pleaser and a must see for all Winnipeggers.
I have to admit I was a little apprehensive when I first heard a
group in ‘little old Winnipeg’ was attempting to put on a Vegas-style
show. Las Vegas is my favourite city in the world and I’ve had the
privilege of taking in some pretty spectacular shows in the City of
Lights. I wondered how anyone in Winnipeg could even come close
to doing Vegas justice. It didn’t take long into the show to realize
exactly how they did it. Somehow they found the most incredible,
talented performers in the province and brought them all together
into one hysterically funny show. I had no idea that such incredible
talent existed in Winnipeg.
Eight local impersonators and a three-man band kept the
audience captivated and often in stitches as they made us almost
feel like we were watching some big Vegas acts. From Elvis to
Marilyn Munroe and from Celine Dion to Bette Midler, every
performer did a fantastic job.
The show was hosted by Brianna Schofield, who was adorable
playing a young Marilyn Munroe. Schofield showcased her diverse
musical talents intermittently throughout the evening as she sang,
danced and played both the flute and saxophone during other
performances.
The first big name superstar was brought to life by Delilah
McGinnis, who impersonated Cher. McGinnis has mastered Cher’s
throaty voice better than anyone else I’ve ever heard. Her sexy
costume and perfectly choreographed Cher movements were quite
convincing and she truly put on an excellent show.
The superstar of the night was definitely Scott Cranwill who took
the stage as Neil Diamond. Before this, I didn’t realize Neil Diamond
could be so funny! Scott’s voice was identical to Neil Diamond’s and
I laughed so hard that I almost lost control of my bladder. A member
of our party even began to choke on her food from unexpectantly
laughing so hard. So be forewarned, put down your fork when Neil
Diamond is announced. Cranwill’s performance is truly one of the
funniest impersonations I have ever seen.
The evening went on to feature more fantastic impersonations of
Celine Dion, Bette Midler, Olivia Newton John, Yasmina the Belly
Dancer and beautiful dancing showgirls.
No Vegas-style show would be complete without a visit from “The
King” and Vic O’Neail definitely delivered. O’Neail owns Scheme a
Dream and has been an Elvis impersonator for more than six years.
His showmanship and perfect comedic timing brought the evening
to a perfect end. We loved the show and had so much fun!
The Viva Las Vegas Show will be performing at Legacies Cabaret
until January 13th. For more information call (204) 786-0870 or go
to their website at www.legaciescabaret.com. ¡
Scott Cranwill had the audience in tears while
doing his hilarious Neil Diamond impersonation.
Vic O’Neail as the
King of Rock & Roll
12
Brianna Schofield
as Marilyn Munroe
Cobblestones - Manitoba’s Magazine
cobblestones guest columnist
I
TOYS R ART
by Randy Wall
'm sitting here in my Winnipeg studio listening to Alex Gopher
and taking a break from a game I'm designing for a client. He’s
in a mad rush to get into next year’s Toy Fair in New York City.
For those who don’t know, this is the mother of all toy shows.
Everyone with a toy product and thousands of buyers gather at New
York City’s Javits Center every year for this convention. Unlike toy or
comic conventions, this is not open to the general public and
children are not allowed to attend. The only people allowed to
attend are us grownups who never
actually grew up.
As a designer and artist working in
the toy industry, I make my way to
New York City every February to
explore and learn what is happening
in the industry. It's always exciting to
see some of my artwork on display,
blister sealed and packaged in its final
stage. To me, this is my own personal
artwork. Believe it or not, I own
hundreds of toys still in their
packages, never to be played with. It’s
sad, I know.
At the convention I usually hook up
with a friend or two and walk around
the show to network, connect with old friends and introduce myself
and my services to new people.
When Jamie (Cobblestones Magazine’s publisher) asked me
to contribute an article about the Toy Fair, I wasn’t sure what to
write about. There are a lot of things going on in the industry, but
what should my column’s angle be?
I guess I could tell you about all the cool stuff I saw and what I
think the hot new toys are going to be next year. Na, that has
already been done. I could tell you about all the retro toys coming
back as new toys like Vertibird, YoYos and G.I. Joe.
I could talk about how some investors put every last penny they
have into a bad idea and definitely won't be returning to the toy fair
next year. (What were they thinking?)
Or maybe we could have a long-winded talk about action figures,
collectable dolls, designer bungalows and celebrities selling
different brands of snake oil.
I could go on about how
important it is to guard creative
sketches, ideas and prototypes from
uncreative, ruthless toy companies
who would love nothing better than
to "borrow" your idea for next year’s
line.
I could tell you about some weird
toys that are slowly being accepted
by the mainstream public and make fun gifts for teenagers and
adult collectors. Some examples of this would be Living Dead Dolls
(www.mezco.net), Uglydolls (www.uglydolls.com), Teddy Scares
(teddyscares.com) or Bleeding Edge's Goth dolls
(www.begoths.com).
How about an intellectual debate about how specialty toy retail
is in trouble because of big box stores who undercut pricing and
make it hard on ‘little ol’ Ma and Pa toy shops. But no, that would
be boring old shoptalk and not very exciting.
Instead I’ll tell you about a small, very exciting, virtually unknown
group of underground toys. These toys are designed specifically as
art and manufactured in limited small runs of a hundred or so. They
have been around in one form or another for years, but have
recently become popular with collectors and lovers of pop culture
art. Most are simple, rotomolded vinyl figures with no purpose other
than being pure art for avid toy collectors.
Some have moving arms and heads. Many are one-of-a-kind and
come painted in different variants. Size doesn’t always dictate price
and some eight-inch figures can cost hundreds of dollars. The price
is usually driven by the fame/popularity of the artist and the number
of toys actually manufactured. Some are designed by popular
mainstream artists and others are self-financed and sculpted by
crazy creators who do it just for art’s sake. You can usually find toy
art in trendy toy boutiques. They’re usually displayed behind locked
glass or on high shelving unreachable to children.
The majority of toy art pieces are manufactured in Asia to keep
production costs down. They come in colourful, custom packaging
that is also usually designed by the toy’s creator. Many of these toys
are strange and have unusual names like Dunny, Halfsies, N3B,
TeddyTrooper and PandaZ. Most are completely unexplainable.
To my delight, the market for toys as collectables has grown and
more toy art booths popped up at last year’s Toy Fair.
I had been describing the concept of toy art to a friend and after
spending hours exploring toy art booths, he was intrigued. He
started talking to manufacturers about pursuing this as a hobby.
The idea of designing, manufacturing and distributing his own toys
appealed to him. We talked about how much fun it would be to
design our own line of toys without rules. Like any creative service,
when I design prototypes for clients, it is always to their
specifications and they have the final say on the finished product.
Although I love doing this work, creating toys as art is different. You
can be as creative as you like and the only limit is your imagination.
So, if you're a toy or art lover and looking to rekindle that
childlike spark, check out this hip new form of art at stores like
Kidrobot in NewYork, LA or San Fran or shop online @
www.kidrobot.com. Now … back to the drawing board here in
Winnipeg. ¡
Randy Wall owns Art Lab a design studio offering illustrations, product
development, prototype scultures, 3D graphics, animation and more.. For more
information, go to www.artlab.ws.
www.cobblestonesmagazine.com
13
cobblestones columnist
Dez Says
Q94 FM’s Dez on the joys of being a working mother in Winnipeg
H
ot damn, my shoulder hurts. It’s like a guitar string
cranked way too tight to something it doesn’t belong to,
like a muscle booby trapped to explode in pain if I turn my
head the wrong way. It began innocently enough; a little
nursing here and there and lifting of baby, cooing the words, “Look
at our precious little miracle!”
Then the colic hit and hours of nursing and walking turned into
endless nights, turned into teething, turned into a 31-pound one
year old and the next thing I know the good doctor is telling me,
“you’re going to have to quit yoga for awhile.”
Whoa, sir. I may have voluntarily signed up for nappies and 18
plus years of sleep deprivation. But nowhere in the manual does it
say anything about giving up yoga (or, as it’s known in my house,
Desiree’s last string of sanity). It has been a friend to me since my
college days; I have often ignored it for a good party or required
overtime, but always came crawling back in my moment of need.
And since our son was born, yoga in my life has also enjoyed a
rebirth. It took tendons shortened by stress and made them lithe
and limber. Baby weight melted off with every shoulder stand and
downward facing dog.
Most importantly, it was a beacon. On the days I did not think I
would make it from exhaustion, I would force myself into –30
degrees and make the drive to the studio and never be sorry I did.
I really thought there was nothing this ancient tutorial could not
fix. Then came Judas, in the form of a nerve between my fifth and
sixth vertebrae.
I begged Jana the yoga teacher to tell me the best thing would
be to keep coming to class. She gave me that incredible,
transcendent smile and said, “Yoga is very powerful. It will
probably make your shoulder worse.”
Even then, I refused to panic. I pursued every available option
of rehabilitation. One pushy physiotherapist, some acupuncture
with short-lived success and a lot of ice later, I trudged back to the
Pan Am clinic.
The doctor gave me that requisite patient smile and told me I’d
get a call for an MRI. That was three months ago.
I am a little bitter. When I want to feel less bitter, I reread the
article about the guy who got his arm caught under a rock while
rappelling down a canyon and had to cut if off to live. Then I go
back to feeling bitter.
Even more sadly, the golden ticket out of this funk is about 90
minutes of pranayama and asanas. I am bitter because every day,
I see people who could turn their life around with this beautiful
science. It has been documented to relieve arthritis pain, asthma,
heart conditions and ironically, most types of backache. It lowers
cholesterol and blood pressure, and stress of all kinds.
With yoga, your body is at first unwilling to comprehend what
you are asking it to do. In spite of itself, it becomes stronger, yet
more yielding at the same time. Then one day you suddenly do the
unthinkable, as if your muscles have just recovered some lost
memory. You blow your mind and know you are never going back.
Even Mr. “PMS joke-telling, Sunshine girl staring, eyeballs
lower than they should be” at work is transformed. He’s just a sad
little boy with no confidence! It makes sense, when you stop
thinking long enough to figure it out.
It is so powerful you just want to shout it from the rooftops; in
14
fact, an upcoming reality TV
show called “Gurus2Go” will
have two Los Angeles
practitioners giving yoga
instruction to people on the
street. I know a lot of people
will laugh at them, as they
have at my Moonie-like
attempts to convert.
Not that it bothers me
anymore. Or shall I say,
won’t bother me once I can
return to my mat.
I’m not going to get
arrested trying to get the guy
who washes my car to do
“The Locust.” But I hope I
can convince at least a few of the reasonably able-bodied to try
what some of us yearn for, but can’t have. I’m keeping the faith. If
the news is grim, there’s always Pilates. ¡
Cobblestones - Manitoba’s Magazine
ADVERTORIAL
Making your event special
E
ver wonder what difference a professional event
coordinator can make in your next special event? We did,
and more. Here are some of the questions we asked Nancy
Buchanan of Peg Events and Entertainment.
What can a professional event coordinator do for you?
A good event coordinator can give you basics; however a fabulous
coordinator can provide you with a seamless event. When necessary
they will be able to contact volunteers in their own database, to assist
you in your event. In addition the coordinator should provide you
with a marketing strategy to promote your event by using specific
advertisers and media that target the demographic you are after. This
is key to the success of any event.
When choosing an event coordinator what should you look for?
An event coordinator must be able to provide their client with a
critical path for a successful event. They should be able to establish a
meaningful goal and then follow up with objectives on how to reach
that goal. It is important your event coordinator be able to provide a
detailed, well thought out plan for the entire event. In addition they
should provide a portfolio highlighting past events as well as have
key references on hand.
Where did you get your start?
Prior to launching my own business I have been involved in
organizing special events with several charitable organizations.
Dreams Take Flight was one that is very dear to me. It was Theresa
Sokyrkafantastic to be part of the team creating a 10-year celebration
at the Centennial Concert hall. The evening featured Chantal
Kreviazuk along with Theresa Sokyrka, the 2004 Canadian Idol
runner up. Being involved was both a lesson in humanity and great
experience in hosting a fantastic special event. I will forever be
thankful to them for the opportunity!
What have you done lately?
Recently PeG Events and Entertainment has just completed our first
Halloween event. It was a wonderful success. We were able to make
a substantial donation to Cancer Care Manitoba while providing our
entertainment with vital exposure. This focus expanded our client’s
fan base within their target audience. The activities and décor were
the absolute “icing on the cake.” In an event you must have a synergy
between all the activities as well as a blend of stimulants in your
décor. PeG was able to showcase these talents that evening. Thank
you to everyone in attendance, it was our pleasure to meet you all!
What do you love about the business the most?
I would say what I love the most is the fact that I can do what I love
and still help others through fundraising. To me being an event
coordinator means to create an event that is second to none. Your
event should define itself the moment you set foot in the door. It is so
rewarding providing an event that makes people drop their jaws and
then pick it up with a SMILE!
Any tips for the upcoming holiday season?
Planning is the most important part of your Holiday event. Be sure to
prioritize your most critical elements of your event in order from
most to least important. There is nothing like cocktails precisely at
5:30 p.m., piping hot dinner served at 6 p.m. followed by an over
night chilled wintery dessert. Intimate home soirees may consist of a
well-decorated table, ambient music and light hors d'oeuvres to
begin. A welcoming atmosphere that inspires conversation and
laughter are required for any holiday event! Be sure to choose a dish
that is "holiday or event" appropriate. A choice that is tantalizing yet
generic at the same time. This can be very difficult, so be sure to refer
to an experienced professional, event coordinator, banquet manager
or caterer, to guide you along the way.
Nancy Buchanan is a certified event planner with her own business, PeG
Events and Entertainment. When planning your next event please feel free to
contact her and see how she can help make yours one to remember.
www.cobblestonesmagazine.com
15
parenting
Tooth Fairy Tale
A
by Arlena de Bruin
pparently I should be fired as the Tooth Fairy. Hang up the
iridescent wings. Put away the fairy dust. Let me introduce
myself as a mother facing dishonourable discharge for
jeopardizing a boy’s belief in innocence and magic. I forgot
to be the Tooth Fairy.
It wasn’t that I intended to crash on the couch and crawl to bed
without a thought for my ethereal obligations. I mean really, would
you choose to wake up to an eight-year-old boy by your bed, bottom
lip protruding, sandwich-bagged tooth clutched pitifully in hand?
“Mommy, how come the tooth fairy forgot me?”
My heart stops. Never mind the countless exercises in building
and fortifying my child’s self esteem. Never mind the recent “Iknow-Santa’s-not-real-and-you’ve-been-lying-to-me” inquisition,
(thank you neighbour boy!) or last winter’s equally traumatic
“Santa-gate. (Yes honey, Santa always hides presents in Mommy
and Daddy’s closet before Christmas. Do you know how many
children there are in the world? Have you seen the size of his sled?)
But now this … possibly outing the Tooth Fairy as another parent
perpetuated hoax? How do I live with the guilt?
I shake my sleepy head and groan. Of my twins, Eden’s the
more critical thinker. He can blast a hole through a story like a
cannon through a window pane. One false detail and my hypothesis
is shattered.
“Well,” I clear my throat. “I bet the Tooth Fairy had so many
children to visit last night that she ran out of time. I’m sure she’s
feeling wretched this morning. With government cutbacks and a
shrinking tooth economy, she’s obviously seriously overworked.”
The bottom lip protrudes farther. He’s not buying the political
Tooth Fairy conundrum. Perhaps I should follow with a dissertation
on the importance of forming a cohesive Tooth Fairy union.
“But why’d she forget me?”
“Don’t worry honey,” I say. “I’m sure she’ll be here tomorrow.
And lucky for you, that toonie is earning you interest.”
“You mean tomorrow I’ll get even more money?”
The bottom lip transforms to a smile.
“Ah, ya… that’s it. She probably skipped you because she knew
you’d appreciate the extra cash.”
Eden disappears down the hall to inform his brother that he’ll
be the richer and I sigh. Fortunately, I’ve been saved by my son’s
obsession with increasing capital.
So, when did being the Tooth Fairy become so complicated? It’s
not like we haven’t had fairy issues before. There was a time when
his brother insisted we put his tooth in a cup of water so he could
tell what colour his fairy was. Considering the stain factor, I decided
his fairy was yellow. Lucky for me I have only yellow carpet to
contend with.
Then there’s cross-talk between kids. Moms and dads, can we
be consistent? What do you do when one child gets five dollars for
her first tooth?
Or as we experienced this past summer while camping with
friends, what do you do when the smallest denomination of
currency in the campground is a ten dollar bill? Every child in the
campground is now convinced the camping tooth fairy is ‘the bomb’
and my son spent three days with a crowbar in his mouth to try to
capitalize on a greater return for his baby tooth investment.
Not to mention questions like: “If I was to ‘accidentally’ hit
another boy in the mouth and steal his tooth and put it under my
pillow, would the Tooth Fairy still give me money?”
Continued on next page ...
16
Cobblestones - Manitoba’s Magazine
Young dance
prodigy putting
Winnipeg on the
international map
by Candace Caligiuri
A
t only eight-years old,
Sydney Bomek has already
achieved more recognition
Sydney Bomek
than most people will in
their entire lifetime. This tiny, but
accomplished dancer, is affectionately referred to as a “little
ball of fire” by her mother, Tannys.
“Her dad and I always say she could dance before she
could even walk,” Tannys says proudly.
Sydney started dancing when she was only two years old,
taking ballet & jazz classes at Marquis Dance Academy and
highland dancing at The Irene Baird School of Highland
Dancing. She currently attends dance lessons five days a week,
for two hours each night. Sydney then comes home and
tirelessly practices in the mini dance studio her father built in
their basement. Her home studio features a dance support bar,
stage and mirror.
“Sydney would take dance lessons every day of the week if
we allowed it,” said Tannys. "But she still needs to be a kid."
In December of 2004, Sydney auditioned for a role in the
Royal Winnipeg Ballet’s “The Nutcracker” and earned a spot as
one of the mice. She proudly performed with RWB dancers and
had a chance to meet world-renowned ballet dancer, Evelyn
Hart, who she excitedly struck up a conversation with.
In 2004, Sydney won gold at The Western Canadian
Highland Dance Championships in Kelowna, BC. She also
represented Canada at the World Ballet Cup in Orlando, Florida
where she competed with children up to three years her senior
and took home a silver metal and trophy. In total, Sydney has
won more than 150 medals in the six years she has been
dancing.
Sydney dreams of one day landing the lead role of Clara in
“The Nutcracker.” She also hopes to have the opportunity to
compete in the World Highland Dance Competition, held every
August in Cowal, Scotland.
Wherever this young prodigy's incredible talent takes her, it
looks like Sydney Bomek will continue putting Winnipeg on the
international map and making everyone proud. ¡
… Tooth Fairy continued from previous page
It’s enough to make my head spin. And to think this is
happening all over the province. According to the last census, if
there are 150-thousand children in Manitoba of tooth-losing age
with twenty primary teeth to lose, that’s three million visits from
the tooth fairy! Multiple that by two dollars a tooth. (Can we all
be consistent?) That’s six-million dollars in baby teeth
expenditures!
Personally I think there should be a 1-800 crisis line to
support us poor Tooth Fairy impersonators. Not to mention a
wake-up service to spare those of us with wretchedly forgetful
souls. In a time when Santa’s no longer real and childhood
innocence is overshadowed by bikini-clad singing icons and
violent video games, I’d like to stretch this one magical moment
out as long as I can.
So in the name of consistency, and for those of you facing a
forgotten Tooth Fairy visit, I offer you this: Buckle down and
buck up because Tooth Fairy interest pays a loonie per night. ¡
www.cobblestonesmagazine.com
17
cobblestones guest columnist
Portage & Main: A Right of Passage?
W
by John Thomson
hat the heck is happening at
Portage and Main? When I was
growing up along Sargent
Avenue in the 1960’s, crossing
Portage and Main was a right of passage.
Skipping across those multiple lanes of
traffic was a challenge, but ever so
rewarding if you managed to make it to the
other side without losing a leg. Ah, to be
young and nimble again.
I moved away in the nineteen seventies,
with limbs attached, only to read in my local
paper that Winnipeg’s City Hall had installed
concrete barriers to stop pedestrians from
running into cars. It had even built an
underground concourse to take the
miscreants to the other side.
Now Portage and Main is slated for yet
another makeover, a beautification project
to make the corner more enjoyable and
even, dare I say it, a destination point. I’m
referring of course to the “Urban Forest of
Light and Trees,” the winning entry in last
year’s City Crossing International Design
Competition.
A mix of indigenous plants and manmade polymer light tubes connecting the
sidewalk to the concourse below, the “Urban
Light Forest” aims to turn drab into dynamic.
For awhile it looked like the project had
died. After an initial burst of publicity nobody
heard much about it. But the rejuvenation of
Portage and Main is very much alive.
Toronto-based Janet Rosenberg and her
Winnipeg partners Corbett Cibinel Architects
are presently conducting a feasibility study,
finding out where the pipes and conduits are
located as well as trying to foresee the
impact a revitalized corner would have on
traffic and pedestrians.
The study will be presented to the City’s
Planning Department no later than January.
“After this feasibility study we’ll have a
pretty good idea of what it will cost,” says
John McNairnay of the City’s Planning
Department, adding that the “Urban Light
Forest” won’t be a done deal until the City
has come to grips with all the issues the
study will reveal like cost, traffic flow and
retail consequences. Ideally, construction
could begin as early as 2007.
As an ex-Winnipegger visiting my
hometown after an absence of many, many
years, I have several thoughts on this
pending urban makeover.
The underground concourse will remain,
thank God, a welcome respite from the
howling winter winds swirling above.
Believe me, it was no fun standing at
18
Canada’s windiest corner in January waiting
for the light to change. On the other hand
the corner is a bit dreary in its present form,
indistinguishable from the concrete jungle
that surrounds it. For a famous Canadian
landmark, Portage and Main is well, how to
put it, dull.
“We believe opening up the corner is
healthy, not just for business in the area but
for downtown in general,” said Diane
Bampton, President and CEO of
CentreVenture Corporation, an organization
that promotes and facilitates downtown
business expansion. Bampton isn’t just
talking about the infusion of new money,
after all over $650-million dollars worth of
new investment has gone into the downtown
core since 2001 - and that’s without a
revitalized Portage and Main - but about
making the corner more “human.”
“There are people who avoid the corner
because they don’t understand it,” she says.
A re-designed corner, she feels, would
encourage people to stick around, not drive
them away.
Stefano Grande, Executive Director of the
Downtown BIZ says city downtowns are
evolving from “places to go through” into
“places to get to.”
The time is right for a rejuvenated
Portage and Main because with so much
other development planned or under
construction in the immediate area; it’s only
a matter of time before the corner evolves
from a transitory space to people place.
“People are re-discovering downtown,”
he says. “At one time people flocked
downtown to shop but times changed. Now
it’s a place where the public can come to
enjoy leisure activities, sports, theatre and
restaurants.”
Lisa Holowchuk, Executive Director of
The Exchange District BIZ says a revitalized
corner would help stabilize the historic
district.
“We have little pockets of activity
downtown,” she says, referring to the cafes
and businesses that support office workers
by day and a growing residential population
at night. “Bringing life back on the streets
will bring vitality back to the area.”
And the way to do that, say all three
executives, is to follow through with the
“Urban Light Forest” concept and let
pedestrians cross at grade.
“I liked every part of the design except
for the painted crosswalk on the street,”
says Frank Sherlock, CEO of the Oxford
Property Group.
Cobblestones - Manitoba’s Magazine
Artist’s rendition of winning architectural
design, “Urban Forest of Lights & Trees.”
Of the five stakeholders that own or
manage properties at the corner, Oxford is
the one that has publicly voiced it’s
displeasure with the proposed changes.
Like the corner’s other stakeholders,
Oxford is helping to pay for the feasibility
study, but so far is sticking to its original
position of opposing street level pedestrian
crossings.
“Our 49 shops and services benefit
tremendously from forced pedestrian traffic
and we’re not keen on changing that,”
Sherlock says.
Sure, Winnipeggers will use the
concourse in wintertime, but in the
summer?
“July and August are the two toughest
months in retailing,” he says. ”Don’t kick
them (the retailers) when they’re down.”
Supporters say rejuvenating the corner
and making it people friendly will bring more
people downtown and thus create more foot
traffic.
Oxford says it will lose consumers.
Trouble is, there are no numbers to
substantiate either position. That’s where
the feasibility study comes in.
“My feeling is that we’ve got to get them
all on board,” says John McNairney of the
five stakeholders.
“If we can’t convince them that their
properties will be worth more when this is all
over, then it won’t happen. We need to
approach this cautiously.”
As for cars, McNairnay hints at a
compromise, limiting the flow of traffic at
key intervals rather than a complete closure.
Portage and Main continued on next page ...
cobblestones anonymous rant
A Police Officer Speaks
W
Anonymous
ell, Mr. Cop Hater, it seems you've figured me out. I fit
neatly into the category where you've placed me. I'm
stereotyped, standardized, characterized, classified,
grouped and always typical. Unfortunately, the reverse
is true. And I can never figure YOU out.
From birth, you teach your children that I'm the boogeyman.
Then you're shocked when they identify and associate with my
traditional enemy ... the criminal.
You accuse me of coddling criminals, until I catch your children
doing something wrong.
You may take an hour for lunch and several coffee breaks each
day, but point me out as a loafer for having one cup of coffee.
You pride yourself on your manners, but think nothing of
disrupting my meals with your troubles.
You raise Cain with the guy who cuts you off in traffic, but if I
catch you doing the same thing, I'm picking on you.
You know all the traffic laws, but you've never gotten a single
ticket you deserved.
You cry "foul!" if you observe me driving fast to a call, but raise
the roof if I take more than thirty seconds to respond to your
complaint.
You call it part of my job if someone strikes me, but
call it police brutality
if I strike back.
You
w ou l d n ' t
think of telling your
dentist how to pull a
tooth or your doctor
how to take out an
appendix, yet you are always willing to give me pointers on the law.
You speak to me in a manner that would get you a bloody nose
from anyone else, but expect me to take it without batting an eye.
You complain that something has to be done to fight crime, but
you can't be bothered to get involved.
You have no use for me, but it's alright if I change a flat tire for
your wife, deliver your baby in the back of a patrol car, save your
child’s life with mouth-to-mouth resuscitation or work many hours
of overtime searching for your lost daughter.
So Mr. Cop Hater, you can stand there on your soapbox and rant
and rave about the way I do my work, calling me every name in the
book, but never stop to think that your property, family, or maybe
even your life depends on me or one of my colleagues.
Yes, Mr. Cop Hater, it's me the cop. ¡
… Portage and Main continued from previous page
“If it’s opened up to pedestrians, it doesn’t have to
be all the time. It could be seasonal or it could be
according to the time of day,” he says. Clearly, City Hall
is prepared to tinker with the plan to make it work.
Cost, traffic flow, unanimity among the
stakeholders; there are obstacles to overcome to be
sure. Will tabling the feasibility study lead to further
investigation and ultimately construction? Well, an
“Urban Light Forest” is pretty enticing. Large, breezy
entranceways to the concourse, prairie grasses to
break up the monotony of concrete and real trees pine, hemlock and red ash – planted on medians along
Main Street. It certainly looks inviting.
Let’s keep in mind that Portage and Main is
Canada’s most famous intersection, a Canadian icon.
It is arguably the very thing that defines Winnipeg, at
least to the rest of Canada.
And as Stefano Grande points out, “it belongs to
the people.”
Sure, I’m now a tourist since I no longer live in
Winnipeg, but it seems to me that a place this
important should do more than simply move people
from one side of the street to the other. It should draw
attention to itself.
Portage and Main is symbolic. It’s something
Winnipeggers can relate to. It speaks of home. And if a
makeover can reinforce that point, then it will have
done its job, for Winnipeggers and visitors like me. ¡
Winnipeg is filmmaker, John Thomson’s, home town. For the past 25
years, Thompson has crisscrossed the country on behalf of CBC,
CTV and various regional broadcasters. Now based on the West
Coast, he produces television programming for BC’s Knowledge
Network and the City of Vancouver. He jokingly confirms that
everything you’ve heard about Lotusland - the outrageous house
prices, the constant rain and indulgent lifestyle - is true.
www.cobblestonesmagazine.com
19
cobblestones sports
I
Good Sports with Trevor Kennerd
f you are a parent whose kids are in or have completed their
years of community club sports, this column may bring back
some pleasant – and possibly some unpleasant – memories.
Everyone has some great wide world of community club sports
stories to tell and likely some horror stories as well. But if you are a
parent whose children have not yet experienced the thrill of victory
and the agony of defeat, buckle up.
Registering our first born for his first year of community club
sports was a great experience. I knew then that he would be
embarking on a journey that would bring him much joy and would
help to shape him into a strong, fit, competitive, fair-minded athlete
and a good citizen.
As a rookie community club parent, I assumed that all I would
need to do was register my son, pay the fee and the community club
would take care of the rest. I thought that there would be kind,
enthusiastic, skilled coaches on hand that would help to teach my
son the intricacies of sport. I assumed that the role of the parent
was to be supportive of the program and to cheer your kid and the
team on. Boy was ‘Pollyanna’ in for a surprise.
Actually, the first few years were wonderful. The 5 – 9 year olds
played sports for the sheer fun of it, parents ran the show, and it
didn’t much matter if the coach was an elite player back in the day,
or just a good person. But as the kids got older, and
tiering began to occur (as it should) some interesting
trends began to develop.
In most cases, the community club did not provide
skilled coaches at any age level and it’s pretty much left
up to the parents to scramble to find a coach, any
coach. Sometimes there is a kind, fair and technically
skilled parent coach who comes forward and all is well.
Not as good but still okay, is the parent coach who is
kind and fair to the players, but may not understand the
sport.
The ones to watch out for however, are the parents
with an agenda. You’ll know when it happens. This
coach’s kid is usually found playing centre ice in hockey
and never seen in the outfield in baseball.
Only the few top players get to play the preferred
positions on the team with the other players assuming
lesser roles. A winning record – and the coach’s ego –
take precedence over player development and fairness.
I’ve seen otherwise decent people turn into
manipulative monsters as they try to ensure that they
have all the best players on their team and feel that
winning at all costs is everything. Keep your eyes open
for these guys – they’re not good for sport and they’re
not going to help your kid develop unless he or she is a
superstar.
It was as a result of our first son’s community club
sports experience that I decided to be part of the
solution and brought the issue of coaching to our local
community club board of directors. I had spent many
hours researching the subject and had interviewed the
president and sport directors from Sport Manitoba.
What I had prepared was an analysis and
recommendation on how our community club could
improve the sports experience for our kids by recruiting
skilled coaches.
20
How we could be fair and kind to all kids and at the same time
teach them proper sports techniques – maximizing the enjoyment
for all participants.
As the community club meeting began, the club president
covered a number of irrelevant issues, while I patiently waited to
deliver the presentation that I thought would revolutionize
community club sports and make the world a better place. I
observed that as each sport convenor delivered their report, it was
followed by a good discussion by the group.
When it was my turn to speak, I passionately outlined the
benefits for recruiting qualified, non-parent coaches for all sports,
and provided a model for the sport convenors to do so, including
names and phone numbers of elite, skilled coaches.
Upon completing my presentation, I waited for the ‘hear hears’
and the many questions and comments to follow. Silence. “Thank
you Trevor, the next order of business is the location of the foosball
table in the community centre,” mumbled the president.
For the next full hour of the meeting, there was a lively debate on
where the foosball table should be located. That was the last
community club board meeting that I ever attended. If you care
about your kid’s sports experience, you need to do more than simply
register him or her to play.
Continued on next page ...
Cobblestones - Manitoba’s Magazine
cobblestones art
Gerald Kuehl, Manitoba’s
Premier Pencil Artist
by Michelle Swanson
T
Gerald Kuehl
he first picture Gerald Kuehl ever
drew was for a girlfriend in high
school and his love for drawing grew
from there. He enjoyed drawing
things with character and combined his
passion for drawing with his love for hockey.
In
1996,
Molson
Canadian
commissioned Gerald to produce a drawing
commemorating Winnipeg Jets Molson Cup
winners for the entire history of the
Winnipeg Jets. His sketches included NHL
superstars such as Teemu Selanne and
Eddie Belfour.
More than 16,000 copies of programs
featuring his sketches were handed out to
people who attended the final Jets home
game. After the Jets left Winnipeg, Gerald
discovered a new passion in drawing
Aboriginal people.
Gerald's first subjects were elders in
Manigotogan and Hollow Water First Nation.
Each year he traveled north to meet with the
Cree and Dene of Manitoba's most northern
communities.
Gerald also set his sights on Nunavut.
Sponsored by Calm Air Aviation, he traveled
to Baker Lake and Rankin Inlet and Repulse
Bay, located on the Arctic Circle.
Gerald's goal for his “Portraits of the Far
North” collection is to produce 70 portraits
of elders from all seven of Canada’s major
Inuit communities in the Keewatin District.
Twelve of Gerald's portraits are now
displayed in the Community Hall of Baker
Lake.
Gerald's artwork is a two-step process.
First he uses his camera to capture a
particular moment that displays an
individual's character. Then he translates
that character with his pencil.
His drawing is a fusion of what the
subject revealed to him when they met and
what he experienced in their culture.
With Gerald's superb eye for detail, he
has sketched portraits that truly brings
… Good Sports continued from previous page
All parents have the ability to recruit qualified coaches for their
kid’s sport. The late teen or ‘20-something’ athlete, who’s
competitive sports career has just come to an end, is the perfect fit
for any community club sports team.
They know proper sports techniques, can demonstrate the
proper skills to the players and can be wonderful role models for
young athletes. These young coaches do not yet have the
responsibilities of marriage and children of their own and have the
time to give.
They have a passion for the sport and offer a wealth of
knowledge that can be passed on to the next generation. Parents
should still stay involved with the team as managers and mentors
for the young coaches. There are many places to begin your search,
and one of the best is probably your own community’s most senior
elite amateur program.
individuals to life.
Every portrait Gerald draws captures the
very essence of his subject. Every drawing
has its own mood and emotion; each one
telling its own unique story.
Gerald Kuehl has become one of
Manitoba’s premier pencil artists and
resides and works in Winnipeg.
Gerald’s Portraits of the North collection
will be touring Manitoba in 2005-2006 and
later in the northern Territories.
His tours are being sponsored by the
Manitoba Museum.
To find out more about this artist and see
more of his work, go to his website at:
www.portraitsofthenorth.com. ¡
Contact the team directly and ask the coach or manager for
names of former players they feel have the leadership skills and
desire necessary to coach.
Ideally, the prospective coach has recently completed the
competitive elite part of his/her career but still has a desire to
remain in the sport in another capacity.
You may also wish to contact the respective sport director at
Sport Manitoba. They will have rosters on file of the top amateur
teams in Manitoba, many of which will have former players who
may be interested in coaching.
Each year, hundreds of former athletes are available to coach
your kids and it’s rare that they are even asked. ¡
Trevor is a 3-time CFL all-star and a member of the Winnipeg Blue
Bombers Hall-of-Fame. He operates a successful marketing
communications company in Winnipeg - Trevor Kennerd Marketing
Inc. (TKM Inc.) E-mail: [email protected]
www.cobblestonesmagazine.com
21
cobblestones art
Art by the flame
by Linda Vermeulen
A
s we are feeling the chilly days of winter, I thought I would
focus on two art forms you can "warm up to." Each involves
flames: Lampwork Glass and Raku Pottery.
Lampworking is the art of melting and forming raw glass
into artistic shapes while heating with a special, high-temperature
torch. Although glass blowing is often mistakenly used to describe
this form of glass art, the correct term is actually lampworking.
As a lampwork jewellery designer, I create one-of-a-kind,
wearable glass pieces including earrings, bracelets and necklaces. I
love working with glass and the limitless creative ideas one can
come up with.
Historians believe the first man-made glass was created around
3500 B.C. in Mesopotamia (now Iraq). In medieval Europe, the art of
beadmaking and lampworking was passed from father to son.
Venice, Italy became the glass centre of the world during the
Renaissance period. The Venetian Republic later ordered
glassmakers to move their foundries to the island of Murano
because glasswork had become a fire danger to Venice since its
buildings were mostly made of wood at the time. Murano
glassmakers were the first people who knew how make mirrors.
To this day, Murano glass is considered the finest in the world, so
it is the glass I use to create my pieces. Heated with a controlled
propane torch, I melt and wind the glass around a steel
mandrel. Many layers of glass can go into each piece, as well as
Raku frit, pure silver, gold and silver leaf.
Special eye protection must be worn while lampworking because
you are looking directly into a flame. After a piece of jewellery is
designed to my liking, I place in a small kiln where the temperature
is reduced slowly to strengthen, or anneal, the glass. Slow reduction
of heat is what gives the glass its hardness.
The art of Raku Pottery originated in Japan in the 16th century
during the Momoyama period
(1573-1615). In this traditional
Japanese firing process, the
pottery piece is removed from a
hot kiln and put directly into water
David Campbell,
or allowed to cool in the open air.
Interlake Raku Artist
Raku is considered the traditional
method for creating clay bowls for the Japanese tea ceremony.
One of our featured Raku artists in Mermaid’s Kiss Gallery is
David Campbell. David is an Interlake resident with a home and
studio along the shores of Lake Winnipeg. He is a retired educator
whose talent with Raku and smoke firing techniques has gained him
a global following of collectors.
His artistic designs include beautiful bowls, tea lights, sculptural
kimonos, boxes and leaf shapes. His work can be found in private
collections all over the world.
The term Raku means "Happiness by Chance" and it is always a
bit of a surprise for the artist to see the final result. Raku enhances
any decor and makes a lovely gift. The play of sunlight on a Raku
piece as the day changes brings a truly magical quality to it.
So please think "art" for your holiday lists this year. The gift of
original Canadian art will be cherished for years and generations to
come. You can view David Campbell’s artworks and more at
Mermaid’s Kiss Gallery in Gimli. www.mermaidskissgallery.com ¡
Linda Vermeulen designs one-of-a-kind
glass jewellery pieces through lampworking .
22
Cobblestones - Manitoba’s Magazine
cobblestones singles
Willow Wolf
T
What the %@#$?
Winnipeg’s single scene completely baffling
here are those moments in life when
there is only one expression that
encompasses the way you feel,
“What the %@#$?” It’s those
moments when you phone your boyfriend ‘s
hotel room and some woman answers his
phone. Those moments when you are
intimately locked in a passionate embrace
and he looks at you with fiery eyes and
lovingly whispers, “One day you will make
some man very happy.”
It is these inexplicable moments when I
ask myself, “Did I imagine this? Did I just put
up with that?” The life of a newly single
woman in Winnipeg is almost wholly
comprised of “What the %@#$?” moments.
I am friends with a group of single
women living in Winnipeg. We are ambitious
and intelligent blonde, brunette, redhead
and raven-haired beauties. We have varied
professions and are dancers, editors,
writers, lawyers, mothers, doctors,
executives, artists, waitresses and reporters.
The group of us is a sight to behold. Are we
attractive? Yes. Are we supermodels with no
flaws? No. We are healthy, beautiful women
who love life and have much to offer. So
what’s the problem? Well most of us are in
our late twenties and recently out of longterm relationships. Relating to the modernday single crowd can only be described as
completely baffling.
For women who have been out of the
dating scene, we seem to have missed an
incredible era of change. A new generation
of single women are participating in what
was once considered the “player’s circuit.”
For years, only men were thought of as
“players.” A player is a man who morphs
himself into whatever the woman he is with
wants. He is charming, charismatic and a
real gentleman until she sleeps with him.
Then he immediately becomes her ex.
Today’s single women are savvy and
want to know exactly what they are getting
into. Living hectic, fast-paced lives, today’s
single women have taken back control and
become what I refer to as “cool girls.”
Single men seem to LOVE “cool girls”
because they are everything in one and
www.cobblestonesmagazine.com
come with no commitment. “Cool girls” are
female players who also date without any
commitment. Men can be completely
straightforward with “cool girls” because
there is no pressure. They are fun, athletic,
sexy, put together, exciting, educated, great
in bed and, of course, have abs of steel.
They have perfectly manicured nails and
their blonde, brown, black, red hair has
perfect lowlights and highlights.
They take no prisoners, aren’t afraid to
be sexy and enjoy being independent and
unhitched. Those of us, fresh from married
life in all its varied forms, find the “cool girl”
phenomenon fascinating, but hard to keep
up with.
But how do “cool girls” stay true to their
hearts? We’ll explore that in the next issue.
To be continued in next issue.
23
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