Dote Magazine Issue 3

D OT E MAG AZINE . a well-styled and meaningful life issue three

fall / winter 2015

RUBAIYAT

722 - 17 TH A VENUE SW • 403-228-7192

WWW.RUBAIYATCALGARY.COM

be surprised be amazed be together YouShouldBeAtGlenbow Downtown Calgary | glenbow.org

TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S IN THIS ISSUE CREATING A FAMILY

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PRESERVING THE CANNING CULTURE

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DIY TAPESTRY WEAVING

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A NOBLE BRUNCH

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THE GREAT CHRISTMAS TREE HUNT

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I N E V E RY I S S U E A NOTE FROM THE CO-FOUNDERS

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BEAUTY & BLOOMS :: FORAGING FALL FLORA

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ENTERTAIN :: GATHER

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THE DIY HOME :: MAKE A STATEMENT

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A STYLED HOME :: GETTING COZY

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LOCAL LOVE :: WHEN CAMP MET COUTU

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YOUR DREAM JOB :: TURN THAT FROWN UPSIDE DOWN

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BUSINESS WORKSHEET :: YOUR SMALL BUSINESS CHECKLIST

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MARKET COLLECTIVE :: NATURALLY LOVELY

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LITTLES IN THE CITY :: EMBRACING URBAN LIFE WITH A BABY IN TOW

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A MAN WITH A PASSION :: BAKING BAD

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GIVING BACK :: SUPPORTING LOCAL

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HEALTH & BEAUTY :: A HEALTHY WINTER GLOW

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BAKED :: A CHRISTMAS COOKIE CAROL

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EMMA’S DOTEABLES :: HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

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THE DOTE BOOK CLUB

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Curating a Gallery Wall

The Outer Glow The Inner Glow

Spiced Sugar Cookies With Eggnog icing Gluten-Free Almond Thumbprints Hot Cocoa & Mallow Cookies

TRUE HAPPINESS

COMES FROM THE JOY OF DEEDS

WELL DONE, THE

Z E S T O F C R E AT I N G T H I N G S N E W.

- A N T O I N E D E S A I N T- E X U P É R Y

D OT E M AG A Z I N E .

co-founders

KATE KLASSEN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF AND CREATIVE DIRECTOR @KATE.KLASSEN

staff

JENNY FLAMAN MANAGING EDITOR

ALEXANDRA WIG STYLE EDITOR @PINKANDHONEY

SHANNON AYCOCK MARKETING DIRECTOR

VICKI MANNESS FOOD EDITOR @PRETTYSWEETYYC

BLAIR INKSTER RESIDENT PHOTOGRAPHER @BLAIRMARIE

contributors

AMANDA HOWARD COLUMNIST @AMANDAHOWARD_

ANGELA DIONE COLUMNIST @MARKETCOLLECTIVE

BETHANY GRABURN PHOTOGRAPHER @BETHANYGRABURN

BRIE WOODS WRITER/ MAKEUP ARTIST @BRIE.WOODS

DOMINIQUE ST. JEAN & JESSICA JOHNS WRITERS @SCRATCHFINEFOODS

EMMA KLASSEN COLUMNIST @EMMA_KLASSEN

ERICA COOK COLUMNIST @ERICA.COOK

GENEVIEVE RENEE JAMIE HYATT PHOTOGRAPHER PHOTOGRAPHER @GENEVIEVERENEEPHOTO @_JAMIEHYATT

JILL MAYER ILLUSTRATOR @ARTANDALEXANDER

KAIT KUCY COLUMNIST @KAITKUCY

LIDY DIPERT COLUMNIST @HELLOLIDY

MARIA LANG PHOTOGRAPHER @MARIA_LANG

MARIBETH FAUSTINO PHOTOGRAPHER @MAMA.MAR

MICHELLE WELLS PHOTOGRAPHER @MEESHWELL

MILENA PETROVIC WRITER @M_PETROVI

MORGAN CHAPMAN COLUMNIST @KIDLITBOOKADAY

NICOLE HUDSON COLUMNIST @BOTCOMM

REBECCA RAGAN ROSALYN FAUSTINO COLUMNIST WRITER @REBECCADAWNDESIGN @HABIHABILIFE

CRISTINA MARTINEZ ILLUSTRATOR @CAUTIOUSLYOBSESSED

MEGHAN JESSIMAN WRITER @MJESSIMAN

DAVID & BREANNE HEIDRICH PHOTOGRAPHERS @HEIDRICH_PHOTOGRAPHY

RYAN GARTNER COLUMNIST @RYANNEVERSLEEPS

Special thanks to Chris Brown, Maryjane Peters, Kristy Archibald, The Dipert Family, Stepper Homes, Images International Model Management SANCIA TOTH PHOTOGRAPHER @MYCANVASMEDIA

SARAH VAUGHAN PHOTOGRAPHER @SARAHVAUGHAN

SHANNON YAU PHOTOGRAPHER @SHANNONYAU

D OT E M AG A Z I NE .

COPY EDITORS Cheryl Manness Heidi Brown Breanne Adrian Laura Urban

JUNIOR DESIGNERS Michelle Radomski Brittany Balser Chalsie Henry

COORDINATOR Heidi Brown

ASSISTANT Heather Row

COVER PHOTO Photographed by Jamie Hyatt Baked by Vicki Manness Styled by Alexandra Wig

All content and images are used by express consent of the contributing authors and photographers and was created for Dote Magazine.

Printed by Transcontinental Printing Advertising opportunities email :: ads@dotemagazine.com check out our website :: dotemagazine.com follow us on instagram/ twitter :: @dotemagazine Mailing address :: #234, 5126 126 AVE, SE Calgary, AB T2Z 0H2 For more copies :: www.etsy.com/shop/dotemagazine

PUBLISHED BY Impact Group impactgr.com 403-279-0967 Contents copyright Š 2015 by Dote Magazine; may not be reprinted without express written permission from Dote Magazine. Dote Magazine will not be liable for any damages or losses as a result of the use of the reader and any information, opinions, or products expressed, advertised, or otherwise stated.

o l l e H

Hello friends, and welcome to Issue 3 of Dote Magazine . We hope you’ve had a lovely summer filled with sun and outdoor fun before the rhy thm and routine of cooler days begin again. In these pages, we take you from fall into the winter holidays by compiling some ideas to help you to brighten up the season.

Connection. That ’s what this issue is all about – its actually our Do-It-Yourself issue, but as we sat down to write this note, we started to wonder why do it yourself? Is it because it ’s less costly and better quality? Is it because it ’s more fun? Or is it because of that satisf ying sense of accomplishment?

Sometimes, but we think that it runs deeper than that. In the face of a rapidly increasing technological age, where tools of simplification are being designed each day to make our lives easier, we are still searching for meaningful connection – be it to the people around us, to our heritage, or even to the ver y moment that we are presently standing in - if we slow down, embrace all that is around us, and create something for ourselves, we might find the connection we’re looking for.

One of the things that we appreciate about the past is how much people had to do for themselves. From cooking and making clothes to building homes and communities, they hunkered down, got their hands dirty, and did what needed to be done. As much as they probably disliked the necessity of it then, it ’s hard not to look back and admire how “we” used to live.

We love that these projects can simultaneously tie us to the past, ground us in the present, and help to set the course for the future. As we plan our projects, gather the materials and a group of friends, carefully read the instructions and follow the steps, we weave a beautiful tapestr y uniting the generations before us with the generations that will come after us ensuring that these traditions remain alive and vibrant.

There are so many things that humans are capable of doing and learning and we believe that by putting a little ex tra time and effort into something , you will reap the benefits.

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fine art wedding & lifestyle photography

Now booking weddings for 2016/17 www.genevieverenee.com 5

Discover an island treasure in the heart of the city

St. Patrick’s Island is a true natural treasure in the Bow River between the reborn East Village and neighbouring Calgary Zoo. A five-year revitalization has brought the 31-acre island park back to life for all Calgarians: you’ll find pathways winding between the trees, a Playmound and a Picnic Grove, a beach where you can dip your toes into a calm Seasonal Breach, a grassy 9-metre Rise with a fire pit on top, along with innovative seating, performance spaces, public art and lots of events. It’s a beautiful breathing space in the heart of the city, and a natural destination for everyone. Come explore Calgary’s must-see new island treasure today! calgarymlc.ca/SPI

B EAUTY & BLO O MS

F O R A G I N G FA L L F L O R A W R I T T EN BY REBEC C A RAG AN PH OTOG R A PH ED BY S ARAH VAUG HAN

When you feel that first crisp breeze, you know that summer is gone and fall is in the a i r. E v e r y s e a s o n h a s i t s u p s i d e ; h o w e v e r, autumn has a particular beauty to it. Lovers of the season revel in its unique ability to turn the world into one big canvas with n a t u r e ’s p a i n t b r u s h . F r o m w a r m p u m p k i n spiced lattes to cozy sweaters, there are so many reasons to enjoy fall.

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There are a few things I especially love about this time of year. The crisp air, the smell of wild cranberries, pickling spices, and the first fire in the fireplace are among some of my favourites. I love the vibrant, almost electric, green moss that zings to life after the first fall shower. The lush contrasts of emerald amidst glowing ambers, reds, bronzes, and golds are spectacular.

You don’t have to travel very far in order to enjoy the raw beauty of nature all around us. Canopies of red, gold, and orange and rich displays of flora weave a tapestry of textures and colours across the forest. On a crisp and misty morning, there is nothing better than going for a woodsy stroll and taking in all that fall has to offer. The smells are invigorating, I find nothing more therapeutic, literally a breath of fresh air.

As the weeks pass and the weather changes, we start to bundle up in our comfiest clothing. I love switching my wardrobe to cozy sweaters, cute hats, and boots. Gone are the bright and light colours of summer. The arrival of cooler weather brings warmer, organic hues of granite, cream, taupe, and beautiful jewel tones.

One thing that I appreciate about my childhood, is that my parents encouraged me to explore the outdoors. I would spend hours foraging rich-coloured leaves, branches, flowers, grasses, and berries to make arrangements for anyone that would take one. I hope to teach my children to seek out nature and take time to relish in all the details of its beauty.

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amaranthuses high bush cranberry peony leaf

chrysanthemum spider chrysanthemum leucadendrons

rose hips

capsicums mini carnation carnation

spray rose carnation rose

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pompom chrysanthemum

Guidelines For Foraging If you’re going to pick wild plants, be safe, legal, and gentle on the environment.

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You must be 100 percent certain of the plant you’re picking. This is for your own personal health and safety.

A high-quality wildflower identification guide for your local region is a good idea too. I suggest the Alberta Wayside Wildflowers guide.

Find the abundance. Find where there is a lot of the plant growing, and always leave more than you take. Try to pick from several different locations rather than stripping all the blooms off one tree.

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Don’t pick on private property, in conservation areas, or in national parks. Check your local laws for rules in your own area.

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Put the stems you’ve cut in water immediately to prevent the blooms and leaves from wilting.

W h a t To L o o k F o r W h e n F o r a g i n g When foraging foliage and flowers for an arrangement, make sure to look for pieces with various textures and colours. Also make sure to look for long stems with lots of leaves. Long stems tend to drape more, which is what you want when you are going for an asymmetrical look. You’ll also need some shorter straight stems to fill in the gaps. This is a wonderful tool for adding organic movement to any arrangement.

Foraged Fall Arrangement The Recipe Since this design is all about taking a naturalistic approach, the exact varieties used will depend on where you live and what’s easily available at that given time of year. The main objective is to use a mix of leaves, branches, and flowers to give a great variety of texture. This colour palette was inspired by the comfort, warmth, and crisp mornings of autumn.

Focal Flowers 3 roses 3 spider chrysanthemums 3 chrysanthemums 5 standard carnations

To o l K i t Pruners – key for cutting woody-stemmed flowers and branches

Accent Flowers 3 spray roses 5 mini carnations 3 amaranthuses 3 pompom chrysanthemums 3 leucadendrons 3 rose hips 5 capsicums

Floral/paring knife – to trim stems and remove thorns

Foraged Foliage 5 peony leaves 5 high bush cranberries

Floral tape – can substitute regular scotch tape

Floral shears – for clipping stem ends (regular shears have thicker blades that tend to compress stems) Floral foam – water absorbing material which supports stems at virtually any angle — readily available at DIY stores, flower shops, and larger supermarkets Chicken wire – available in several gauges — used for securing stems in a wide-mouthed vessel 17

Foraged Fall Arrangement The Directions 1: Choose a vessel To create a loose, lengthy, and natural look, begin with a low, wide-mouthed vessel. A wider opening allows for more flowers and encourages them to have more movement and fall more naturally. There are a few options that will help you secure the foliage and blooms. Use either a piece of floral foam (see below for instructions) or balled up chicken wire ̶ attach it to the inside of the vase using floral tape for a structure that will stabilize the flowers as you start adding them.

How to prepare floral foam: Measure the size of the piece of foam required and cut it carefully with a knife. Because we are using the foam to steady the stems not to shape the arrangement, you can keep the foam flush with the top of the vessel. Place the foam in water that is a few inches deeper than the piece of foam. Allow it to sink under its own weight until the colour has changed to dark green. Always keep a reservoir of water in the bottom of your container from which the foam can draw. To secure the foam, use floral tape across the top of your foam and down the two sides of the vessel.

2: Create the framework Begin with your largest, heaviest foliage stems. This provides a structure that will hold more delicate blooms in place. Use them to set the asymmetrical framework. Next, start layering in some of your smaller greens, rotating the arrangement as you go to ensure it looks lovely from all sides.

3: Add focal flowers Now that you have a base, it’s time to add your focal flowers. Cut the stems at different lengths and experiment by placing them in varying positions in your vessel. Keep in mind the need to create asymmetry and use the longest stems to create an interesting silhouette. Push some blooms towards the back and keep some forward to create depth. Don’t be afraid to group multiples of the same flower together ̶ this helps add dimension and keeps the arrangement from looking too uniform and perfect.

4: Add accent flowers Start adding accent blooms of varying sizes and heights in the same flow as the foliage and throughout the arrangement to fill in any gaps and to enhance the asymmetrical design keeping one side dense and the other airy.

5: Polish Lastly, take time to balance your arrangement. Step back from your work area, walk around, look at other things. Return to your arrangement with new eyes. Tweak it if necessary until you are happy with your design.

R e b e c c a ' s Ti p s Don’t worry about imperfections in foliage or blooms. When you forage your arrangements, there are bound to be a few insect-eaten or weathered pieces; gently pick those pieces off. Or leave them; they can add an organic spirit and character to the arrangement.

Keep your centrepiece arrangements under 12 inches high. This allows guests at a dinner party a clear view to carry on a conversation with people across the table.

For small tablescapes, make a series of mini arrangements ̶ maybe three to five. You can have them placed in the centre of the table when everyone arrives and then tuck them in between the dishes when the food is placed.

Choose no more than three different colours for your palette. This will ensure your arrangement remains elegant and sophisticated.

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The next time you start to drift off and think about those summer days, take a second and appreciate the current season because there is no time like the present. So go jump in a pile of colourful leaves, enjoy delicious warm foods and pumpkin spiced everything, and cozy up in a soft sweater‌ because autumn is here, and we love it.

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EN TERTAIN

W R I T T EN & S TY LED BY ALEXAN DRA WIG PH OTOG R A PH ED BY HEIDRIC H PHOTO G RAPHY L ET T ER ED & I L LUS TRATED BY C RIS TIN A MARTIN EZ

Sweet summer days have come and gone, and as we slowly start t o s e t t l e i n t o r o u t i n e , i t ’s t i m e t o r e c o n n e c t w i t h f r i e n d s a n d s a y farewell to another season passed. There is nothing more memorable than conversing and dining in a beautiful environment with people y o u l o v e . Ta k e s o m e t i m e t o p l a n , c r e a t e a v i s i o n , f i n d a t h o u g h t f u l s e t t i n g , a n d s h a r e s t o r i e s o f s u m m e r w i t h o n e a n o t h e r. L e t ’s c e l e b r a t e the artful gathering and enjoy the last of the lasting light.

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A special thanks to our friends at Rubaiyat and Inspirati for the beautiful dinnerware and linens, and to our contributing designers, Rebecca Dawn Flower Design and Karakai Design and Styling.

M e e t i n g a n d d i n i n g in an unexpected location has us excited. Choose a park in your

neighbourhood, a favourite riverside spot, or a forest floor: whatever environment you are inspired by. A unique location sets the tone for a special gathering.

The vision for this particular setting began with dreams of a large hanging installation: the idea of bringing nature overhead. Boxwood, wheat, cotton, and branch varieties were transformed into a natural chandelier and then mimicked down the table as a three-dimensional runner. Natural linen, ceramic plates, and industrial seating added touches of warmth and airiness. Add some red wine and a hearty stew, and this party is set.

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YOUR G AT H E R I N G CHECKLIST 22

Creating a special outdoor dining experience takes time and planning, but is worth every effort. Here are some tips for putting together a most memorable space.

DEAREST Simply and most importantly, surround yourself with your nearest and dearest.

Keep your guest list small for more personal, intimate conversation.

Invite friends who will embrace the effort involved in creating a well-designed, onlocation event.

DINING Plan a menu that celebrates the ingredients of the season.

Invite guests to contribute items they’ve made, like homemade beer, seasonal canning, fresh baking, or homegrown produce.

Consider using compostable dinnerware as a more casual and convenient option. Check out Alberta company, Greenmunch.ca, for lovely sustainable entertaining products.

DÉCOR Consider candles, textures, fresh flowers or foliage when creating a special table. Let your environment be the guide in forming the aesthetic.

Make a list of the furniture and dinnerware items you’ll need to bring along, and delegate those items to friends.

Note: Bring along practical items like paper towels, garbage bags, lighters, and scissors. A dinner toolkit will come in handy when you’re out in nature.

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THE DIY HO ME

Make a Statement C u r a t i n g a G a l l e r y Wa l l W R I T T EN & S TY LED BY LIDY DIPERT PH OTOG R APH ED BY G EN EVIEVE REN EE L AYOU T BY MIC HELLE RADO MS K I

When it comes to the walls in our home, we want them to reflect who we are as individuals or as families as best we can. And like most personalities, walls are not one dimensional, which means a single piece of art won’t do. We often gravitate toward a generic gallery wall, but what if you could take it to the next level and make it more than just a compilation of your favourite art pieces? The good news is you can, and it’s really quite simple.

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Here are a few steps to help you create a wall in your home that not only makes a statement but reflects the many great qualities that make you who you are.

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Pick out a few favourite pieces of art in various sizes, textures, and colours. Keep a mental note of the colours you’ve chosen; you will want to keep it consistent with the rest of your décor.

To add a little more edge to your wall, think of other items that can really accent those art pieces but also add sculptural elements to help the wall become a bit more three-dimensional. This could be a small shelf, a light fixture, or fibre art. We spray painted an inexpensive shelf and styled it with a plant and some leaning art. We also bolted a painted sofa leg to the wall and wrapped a pendant light around it.

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Add something unexpected and something that really stands out as almost quirky or odd. We created a fun geometric shape using washi tape to add a playful focal point to the wall. Washi tape is very forgiving and can easily be removed. Sketch out a design on paper and then re-create it with the tape on the wall.

With all of your pieces ready to go, lay the items on the floor and play with the layout a bit before hanging. This is a good thing to do when you don’t want to make too many holes in your walls.

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Start hanging your pieces from one side and slowly work your way to the opposite side of the wall. It’s always helpful to have an extra set of eyes for hanging things straight and giving you a second opinion.

Once all your pieces are up on the wall, you can add last-minute touches, such as little décor pieces.

In the end, you have a wall that is truly one-of-a-kind and meaningful to you. All the items have a story to tell and a unique point of view that you can’t find anywhere else.

And that’s what makes a gallery wall so special.

Like most personalities, walls are not one dimensional.

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1. Drinnon Lake Print by Amy Victoria Wakefield northbirchgrove.com

2. "Bloom Sequence 6" by Anda Kubis Newzones Gallery

3. Tatooine Poster by Michael W. Mateyko komboh.com

4. Terrarium

Plant Terrariums

5. Geometric Painting by Kate Klassen 6. Sepia Portraits by Jenny Bonar jennybonar.com

7. Mutto E27 Light Kit Interior Objects

8. “The Mother of Rivers” by Pheobe Sung and Peter Buer Kit Interior Objects

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9. Buffalo Print by Tara Put etsy.com/shop/taraput

10. Thomas O’Brien Mia Table Lamp - Guilded Iron Modern Duke

11. Bronze Pillow by Amanda Hamilton Modern Duke

12. Ferm Living Kelim Cushion

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Kit Interior Objects

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13. Astier de Villatte Scented Candle Modern Duke

14. Aerin Linen Wood Stacking Boxes Modern Duke

15. Large Canvas Globe

Domain Fine Furnishing and Design

16. Dwell Studios Horse

Domain Fine Furnishing and Design

17. Cork Bubble Vase

Domain Fine Furnishing and Design

18. Aerin Sphere Nesting Bowl Modern Duke

Frames found at

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Anthropologie, HomeSense, Indigo, Ikea, and second hand stores

A S TY LED H O ME

GETTING COZY W R I T T EN & S TY LED BY ERIC A C O O K PH OTOG RAPH ED BY S H AN N O N YAU

spring / summer

As fall approaches, we all naturally feel the desire to cocoon and take to the indoors. We need to surround ourselves with interiors that envelop us and warm us when the view out our windows is of frost and snow. Statistically, we spend a much greater amount of our personal time at home in the fall and winter. We hibernate, watch more television, read more, and eat more.

How do we make interiors that comfort us and are seasonally appropriate? The process is much easier than one might expect.

Given that this is a seasonal reality, it only seems prudent and wise that we would create environments inside that best reflect who we are and how we live our best lives.

The easiest thing to tackle is your main seating area. I have a set of throw pillow inserts that I always use with different covers, in corresponding sizes, that I switch out seasonally. In the fall and winter months, it's nice to introduce heavier weight textures and textiles, such as faux fur, velvet, wool, linen, and mohair. Throw pillow covers and blankets are the most cost effective way to achieve this. Another consideration is that they take

As a designer, I have overlooked rooms that get the most abundant winter use. To decorate in a way that best supports happiness and comfort at home is an amazing investment.

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fall / winter

The first task is to isolate and edit any elements that have a light, spring or summery feel. Pack these things carefully so that you can bring them out again next spring.

up minimal space to store in the off months. Switching out drapery can also be impactful but a little more involved.

Consider layering in darker, warmer colours in artwork and accessories.

Swap out clear, airy, light pieces like glass and acrylic for heavier opaque porcelain, wood, stone, and metal dĂŠcor elements.

During the fall and winter months I'll often skip the white or pink floral bunches and pick up dark, richly coloured blooms at the grocery store

to create a moodier feel. Closer to the holiday season there is an abundance of greenery available that when cut and put in fresh water will last an incredibly long time. The great thing about incorporating evergreens into our spaces is that they give off a warm, woodsy smell.

If you have a fireplace, remember to use it. It always amazes me that so many of us have one, real or gas, but rarely use it. Placing a large bundle of fresh cut fire wood on the hearth is a nice touch, as are groupings of natural elements such as pinecones 33

and acorns. If you don't have a fireplace, candles are a lovely option. Invest in warm, rich, spicy scents, like vanilla amber or fig. One of my favourite candles actually smells like a roaring fire. The flickering flame, odd crackles, and warmth become a ceremonious experience I look forward to on winter evenings.

Having lights on a timer adds warmth and ambience, and allows you to come home to a softly lit house. A single lamp on a timer will give the impression that you're home but will also save you fumbling for the light switch on dark evenings.

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Another trick is to place a basket near your favourite seating area and fill it with a book, a magazine or two, knitting or a craft, or a favourite board game. These things become carefully chosen decorative elements but they also help ward off boredom and channel flipping on long winter nights. It's a little thing, but you'll find it imparts a great sense of joy to have something close at hand.

Taking the time to create a comforting and inviting nest is one of the kindest things you can do for yourself this season.

Sounds like kismet the way that this property just happened to fall into the right hands. The building was originally the livery stables for the neighbouring National Hotel and it only seems fitting that the space was converted into a modern day boutique celebrating all things small batch and handmade.

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LO C AL LOVE

WHEN CAMP MET COUTU WRITTEN BY K AIT KUC Y PHOTO G RAPHED BY BLAIR IN KSTER ILLUS TRATED BY J ILL MAY ER

Inspired by a space in historic Inglewood, four designers collaborate on a shop that combines their love of lifestyle curation with fashion.

Nestled in an unassuming barn on a side street in historic Inglewood, you’ll find The Livery Shop. This place can only be described as a retail experience because there is nothing else quite like it in the Calgary area. Stocked like a hipster’s general store, The Livery Shop carries clothing, accessories, jewellery, candles, and body care products along with their two house brands.

Two independent brands came together to form the shop: Camp Brand Goods, an outdoors-inspired adventure clothing brand designed by Leslie and Connor Gould and CoutuKitsch, a gorgeously designed jewellery line created

by Dorian Kitsch and Kofi Oteng. Originally, the partnership came out of both needing studio and office space to run their respective businesses, but as soon as they saw the former livery stables on their search for commercial space – they all knew they had to take a giant leap of faith.

“We originally had no intentions of opening a retail space.

When this place fell into our laps, we knew we had to take it.

The space, the location, and the community were all perfect for us to grow our businesses in a new kind of way,” says Connor.

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L ES L I E A N D C O N N O R GOUL D, A ND DOR IA N KIT S CH A ND KOFI OTEN G

Sounds like kismet the way that this property just happened to fall into the right hands. The building was originally the livery stables for the neighbouring National Hotel (which has now been converted into The Nash restaurant and Offcut Bar) and it only seems fitting that the space was converted into a modern day boutique celebrating all things small batch and handmade.

One of the greatest parts of The Livery Shop is the community that comes with it. Not only have Camp Brand Goods and CoutuKitsch fostered a sense of community with their past clients and customers, but they’ve also started building up more of that feeling with their brick and mortar location.

With several pop-up shops already under their belt, the group loves supporting new designers and businesses by providing a space for them to, essentially, meet Calgary.

“We’ve had incredible feedback from the community so far,” says Kofi. “We’ve been really lucky to work with some really creative people throughout this whole experience, and we’ve been able to handpick some fantastic brands to carry in the store full-time.”

The eclectic shop has become a full-on lifestyle shop for anyone looking to live an authentic life full of hand-crafted items made by Canadians. One of their most popular local brands just happens to be a cold-pressed juice brand based out of Calgary, CRU Juice. They only carry a small selection in store but juice lovers in Inglewood are somewhat religious about getting their green liquids daily.

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“We definitely wanted to create a space where people felt comfortable to come in, hang out, and enjoy themselves.

This space has a great feeling to it and the products we carry compliment that in a big way,” says Leslie.

“One of the really neat elements of our space is that it is completely modular at this point. We are able to wheel the walls that separate the workshop from the store into new configurations which is great when we are hosting events,” says Dorian. “We definitely plan on implementing live music and parties here at The Livery Shop – the space is kind of perfect for it.”

As they near their one-year anniversary as a retail shop, the four partners look forward to the busy holiday season – the most important time of year for small business owners and retailers.

“It is definitely our busiest season,” says Connor. “We worked really hard all summer to get our Fall/Winter collections ready, and we can’t wait to share what we will be doing to kick off the holiday season and 2016.”

It is rare to find a space quite so special as The Livery Shop.

Beyond the rustic remnants of a storied past, the positive energy of The Livery Shop’s present day shopkeepers is telling of Calgary’s growing entrepreneurial spirit. Leslie, Connor, Kofi, and Dorian all agree that collaboration is key as they navigate the world of retail while growing their individual brands. And there is nothing quite as wonderful as a well-tuned collaboration.

FOL LOW T H E LIVERY SHOP @THELIVERYSHOP

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YO UR DREAM J O B

W R I T T E N BY N IC O LE HUDS O N PH OTOG R APHED BY K ATE K LAS S EN L AYOUT BY C HALS IE HEN RY

Upside down Turn That Frown

“You have to roll with the punches, roll back up, chin high, cheek turned, willing to get punched again because it will happen.”

got married and became a mother to two daughters, she was inspired by Jessica Alba’s The Honest Company, to pay closer attention to what she was putting on her family’s skin.

Allison Cullen has a list of rules. She came up with them last year, after what felt like her dream business turned south. But it’s just like her to learn from her experiences.

Ever since she was a child, she preferred learning things on her own, figuring out how life worked through trial and error instead of trusting what people told her. There can be benefits to that but also negatives, which brings us back to her rules — which we'll get to shortly.

And so Beach Beauty was born, or at least the idea of it. Allison knew she wanted to create a space for people to get healthy manicures and pedicures, as well as fix their hair and makeup using clean, toxin-free, and organic products. Her philosophy is that “healthy beauty shouldn’t be expensive, it should be available.” She had experience in both esthetics and hospitality along with a fiery passion, making her the perfect person to bring something new and exciting to the city.

First, some background. Allison has been doing hair, makeup and esthetics on-location for almost ten years.

During the warmer months she would be busy beautifying wedding parties and on film sets, and to stay busy in the off season, she worked at restaurants. Shortly after she

But things didn’t go exactly as planned. If business partnerships are like a marriage (and they are) hers ended in an ugly divorce. It happens. A lot. People always talk about how business shouldn’t be personal — that’s the cliché anyway — but a business partnership is extremely personal.

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1

Plan your business, and know that it might not happen.

There are so many pieces in the puzzle of starting a business, but making sure you do your due diligence from the start will help you tenfold later. Write a business plan.

There are various templates and lots of advice online (and on my website, botcommunications.com), but you can also use sites like LIVEPLAN and most banks can/will help you with this.

Allison’s rule of thumb is that no matter how much you plan, usually only 10 percent will go according to plan. It’s important to be able to roll with the punches and practice dealing with the 90 percent that will go differently.

yourself, and trust 2 Know your gut.

When you start a business you really want to make sure you know exactly who you are and what you value. Keep those words that embody your core values framed on your desk so you can always keep them in mind when making decisions.

The better you know yourself, the more likely you’ll surround yourself with like-minded people who’ll lift you up, hold you accountable, and support you. The only people who really — and I mean really — understand what you’re going through, are others who have started a business, too. Build your community and start collaborating and growing together.

3 Stay positive.

It’s about sharing money, workload, and dreams, and it can be just as heartbreaking and infuriating when it fails.

Thankfully, Allison has too much determination and passion to let a few major mishaps and failed partnerships stop her from achieving her dreams. She has worked solo (aside from a supportive group of family and friends) to bring Beach: A Healthy Beauty Bar to life, which opened in August 2015. She tells me that Beach’s company values are Healthy, Happy, Beautiful — “it’s so important to care about what you put in your body, and what you put on your body. These values are what has kept me on track despite all the hard lessons learned and moments of wanting to give up,” she adds.

Failure can teach you some important lessons. As I listened to Allison’s story, and heard the rules she crafted for herself as she climbed out of the disappointment, I realized I could sum up her hard-won wisdom in three main points.

People aren’t always going to agree with you, some will be jealous and others just might not like you, and that’s totally normal. Sure, it doesn’t always feel great, but being confident in who you are helps soften the blow. Trust us!

Also, it’s important to remember that things will always work out, and whatever is meant to be will be. Sounds cheesy, I know. But it’s true. Allison is living proof that almost everything bad can happen to you and you can still have your dream business. She’d even argue that it has helped her gain confidence in herself, be grateful for her journey, and even strengthened her faith. We’ll all have obstacles to overcome in our business ventures, but sometimes remaining optimistic is all we can do.

When Nicole isn’t chatting with inspiring business owners over coffee and writing about it for Dote, she’s teaching them the skills to get their business or blog off the ground. She is the founder of Bot Communications where she leads workshops in branding, social media, business plans and photo styling. Check out her worksheet on the next page to help you get started or move forward with your business.

FOLLOW ALLISON @B EACHB EAUTYYYC

41

Your Small Business Checklist:

A Quick Guide to Get You Started Yes

Have you chosen a name for your business?

No

IT IS

TIP

Run a quick search on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, & Facebook to see if you can get the handles. Check the domain too. You may want to reconsider the name before going further.

TIP Think of a name that will grow with you and work into your 10-year vision. Can be eponymous or ficticious

They are...

Have you checked the:

No

Domain Social media handles Business name search

Yes TIP Make an appointment with a small

business lawyer to make sure you’re protected & know your copyright and trademark options.

Have you established your core values?

Yes

No

...

TIP Visit LIVEPLAN or search online for a template.

TIP Choose 3-5 words that

Do you have a mission statement to share your purpose with the world?

embody all that you stand for.

No

IT IS:

No

Have you completed a business plan?

Yes

Yes

TIP Write a powerful few sentences that outline your motivations, goals and values to tell your audience why your business exists.

Make sure they meet these requirements: Share values Common vision Strong communication skills In it for the long haul Trustworthy, reliable Ready to experience highs and lows together

If you have any other questions don’t be afraid to ask your lawyer or contact ME! I’m happy to help.

42

Do you have a business partner?

Yes

No,

but I want some tips!

No,

I don’t need one.

No

More info:

AFA Grants Government of Canada Banks offer low interest rates Pitch to an investor

Awesome. Dust it off and keep revising it so its always up to date.

Do you have funding or financing to take your biz to the next level?

Yes

$

No need!

I’m part-time, solopreneur, side biz. I like my pace.

Looks like you’re on the right track!

www.heidrichphotography.com

M ARK ET C O LLEC TIVE

N AT U R A L L Y L O V E L Y W R I T T EN BY AN G ELA DIO N E PH OTOG R APH ED BY S H AN N O N YAU

What is life? It is a flash of firefly in the night. It is a breath of a buffalo in the wintertime. It is as the little shadow that runs across the grass and loses itself in the sunset. –Chief Crowfoot

Katie Green works magic with bone, pigment, self, and heart. Her work compels us to dig deeper into the stages of life that authenticate us all.

The beginnings of existence; bones strung together to create movement, the flow of breath as it leaves the nest and flies to new worlds. Her wisdom and vision as a woman and artist are superimposed with the freshness of a child and the dew of a spring morning. She paints, explores, laughs, and at the end of the day, rests amongst the sounds and buzz of our inner city’s score. Encounter Katie Green as you would a wise woman stringing a story, or a young faery, breathing in the morning air of a crisp new day.

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MC:

Your work is intertwined with nature and the stages of life. What drew you to this, and how does it reflect in your interests outside of your practice?

KG:

Nature has proven to continuously act as a mirror for my sense of self. As I gain a closer relationship with the natural world – in whatever form that may be – I seem to be presented with aspects of myself that help keep me centred and authentic. What started off as a thematic interest, nature has become a theme in my life, not just for my work.

It has evolved to become a place of personal reflection.

The word "hybrid" is what birthed my interest in nature.

I was given an assignment in my studies that was based on this word and from there I became interested in the relationship between humans and the natural world and how this connection (and disconnection) could be shown through anthropomorphic figures. The first piece of artwork I created [bottom right] from this concept had images of birds intertwined unsure if one is feeding the other or if they were being eaten. A human arm transparent with its bone structure reaches from under the wing to meet in the middle of a floating ring that connects to a mouse with human ears. A fruit fly sits above with its dainty human hands and dragonfly wings. All images unified together in an intermingling growth of cellular forms, endangered flowers, and tangled earthworms. That was just the beginning. From there I was able to work in a biology lab drawing preserved specimens. I was not only able to access a plethora of inspiration, but I was also able to handle these specimens creating my own still life pieces and conceptual research. All these experiences built a conceptual foundation for what has now evolved to be a much more personal relationship with nature.

Increasingly I am finding nature to be more of a teacher and reflection of my own emotional struggles and harmonies.

With this I am always reminded of the different directions I want to take in my life. In my future practice I am hoping to look at nature more as a guide rather than a concept.

Nature has a way of stripping you down and showing you the true essential qualities of yourself. I hope to see nature as a medium in which to get closer to these aspects of myself. It is continuous and forever changing.

MC:

What evokes emotions in your personal life? What makes you happy?

KG:

D I S SO LVE WAT ER C OLOU R , A L C OH O L , G OL D POW D ER , A N D C RY S TAL ON PAPER 2013 46

I am an extremely emotional person. I used to see this as a hindrance or a weakness, but I see it now as an immense strength. It would be hard for me to pinpoint certain examples of what evokes emotion in my life – I am easily triggered by so many things. Whether these emotions transpire into tears, laughter, numbness, or inspiration – it is all energy and I try to be embracing of all emotions that enter my life. We all have our highs and lows.

What makes me happy is having a connection to myself.

This is a continuous lesson that I have to remind myself of.

It is always surprising how easy it is to lose touch with this, also, knowing that my perception of happiness is constantly changing. Right now, in the exact moment I am answering this question, happiness for me has its roots in connection and trust – starting with myself. From this, I feel like I can only experience goodness whether that takes the form of struggle or comfort.

M C : In your travels, you have shared your artistic practice in a variety of ways. Can you tell us more about this?

K G : Travelling has always been a source of release and realization for me. I took my first big trip about seven years ago and drove up the coast of Australia for six months. This indubitably changed the course of my life and the perception I had of my sense of self. From that point forward I have travelled to countries such as Argentina, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, China, Colombia, and most recently, Nepal, India, and Sri Lanka. For the first time, just in September, I was able to travel and explore a little bit of my own country by paddling the Peel River of the Yukon Peel Watershed for 21 days as part of a documentary profiling six artists from across Canada experiencing this untouched landscape.

Though these experiences travelling have always shifted my perception of self, and therefore my relationship to creating artwork, it was not until my trip to Nepal in 2013 that I used art as a motive for my experience in another country and culture. Before leaving Canada, I applied for a project called Kolor Kathmandu, which was a year-long initiative to include both local and international artists in painting a total of 75 murals in Kathmandu – each mural representing one of the 75 different districts of Nepal. Not only was this the first time I had painted a mural, but it was also the first time I fully experienced how important art is in connecting people – no matter the culture or language. Having a relatively individualistic studio experience with my art practice, it was such a relief to share it with other people in the context of creating in public. I had an elderly woman come and sit with me everyday so she could keep watch of my paint buckets, which she wanted for water storage when I was done. I had young Nepalese artists come and share their work with me. I created life-long connections with other artists experiencing the program, and most importantly, travelling yet again presented a new direction I wanted to take in my life. From this experience I painted four more murals throughout Nepal, India, and Sri Lanka and from this foundation have continued mural work in my home city – Calgary. For this I feel very lucky, and I am excited to see how this develops.

MC:

What are some future adventures you are looking forward to?

KG:

The future is seemingly presenting itself with many 47

MC:

What are your thoughts on the distinction between journey and destination?

KG:

For me, these two notions are entirely intertwined.

One does not exist without the other. The journey is the process in which you get to your destination – but for me the destination is always changing. These destinations can be goals that I set out for myself which are always evolving depending on how the way in which I achieve it changes.

A major lesson for me is not to attach to the destination or have expectations about how I will get there. If I do, my process is controlled and logical, not leaving any room for my intuition to guide me. I need to remember to celebrate the different destinations in my life and allow their importance to resonate. The beautiful thing about that is this resonance comes when you least expect it.

M C : How do you see your practice evolving and how does this coincide (or differ) with your personal goals outside of your practice?

opportunities about which I am very excited and nervous. I mentioned earlier my experience paddling the Peel River. On February 29, 2016 the documentary that was filmed during those 21 days will debut in Calgary in the Engineered Air Theatre at Arts Commons. Myself and fellow Calgarian artist Daniel J Kirk will be working in the Lightbox Studio residency space at Arts Commons for two months prior to the release of the film. Together we will create studio work that responds to our experience on the Peel River.

I was in a residency program in Berlin for one month, this past summer. The desire to do this came from the same place as when I booked my flight to Nepal – seeking a brand new experience and an opportunity to step outside my comfort zone. I went alone and was happy to have space to spend time with myself. It was an opportunity to step away from my usual studio practice and do something completely new in a completely new environment.

I am also looking forward to the mural projects I have planned in Calgary – some solo and others with my collaborator Daniel Kirk. There is nothing more rewarding than making public work in the city you grew up in amongst such a supportive community.

K G : At this moment I feel very lucky to be in a place in my artistic career where things are unknown and my ability to simply say "yes" is what is guiding me. This yes is what forms and creates my path in the opportunities that enter and exit, the people I encounter, and the places I end up.

This simple word and action is what builds the foundation for the evolution of my practice, and of my life. I want to make sure these two things – practice and life – always sustain one another. That I am always making career choices that support me, and the ones that don’t will always act as teachers. I am a very driven individual and I often battle with taking on too much. Saying yes is good, but being intuitive and cautious about what I am saying yes to is important.

Right now, my personal goals are directly influencing my practice as I am continuously trying to make my work more intimate and reflective of my life.

MC:

connect?

How can people see more of your work and

KG:

You can find out more about my work through my Instagram account and my website. I often have a booth at Market Collective, which has been a huge source of support in networking with the Calgary community and an integral part in how I have progressed. But beyond this, I think our world lacks physical human contact. One of the most rewarding things for me is hearing how my work affects someone or how it doesn’t. Seeing someone’s face and hearing someone’s voice, talking about art, creation, experiences, dreams, goals, whatever it is, is very rewarding.

I would love to meet you.

FOL LOW K ATIE @K ATIEG REEN ARTIST 48

Littles in the city E M B R AC I NG UR BAN L I FE WI TH A BABE I N TO W W R I T T EN A N D C URATED BY ALEXAN DRA WIG I L LU S T RATED BY K ATE K LAS S EN L AYOUT BY BRITTAN Y BALS ER

From birth, our daughter Clover, has joined the flow of our lives.

Sometimes with ease, at other times with strategic planning, hard work, and determination. Now that she is nearly two, I am extremely passionate about creating a beautiful and curious life for her. For our family and daughter that means: creating with our hands, sharing in social gatherings, travelling, adventuring outdoors, experiencing interesting food, investing in our community, and overall engaging her in unique opportunities.

City life with a baby can be a challenge but a pretty fun one at that. This column will explore ideas and inspiration for the modern parent who is looking to continue to embrace their urban lifestyle and introduce their littles to city dwelling at its finest. Although we enjoy our cozy Inglewood infill, come fall, we will be looking for adventure outside of our home. Join Clover and me as we wander out on a day date on the town. Here’s what we’ll wear, where we’ll go, what we’ll eat and drink, and how we’ll explore and celebrate our bustling metropolis together.

Favourite head - to - toe accessories Mam a

Clover

​ u mb l e a n d B u mb l e ’s P rêt- ÀB Po wd e r D r y S h a mp o o

N u mpfer’s M u l ti - Use Bi b

E x te n d th e lif e o f a b lo w d ry w ith th is lif e s a v e r p ro d u ct f o r m am a s o n th e g o. ​ AC P re p + P r i me a n d L i psti ck M B e cau s e lip s tick is a n e as y wa y to p u ll yo u r lo o k to g e th e r. ​I lo v e a p u n c h y p lu m co lo u r o v e r a m o is tu riz in g p rim e r. ​ V b y D o l c e V i t a S li p- O n D S n e a ke rs I t’s a ll a b o u t f in d in g a b a la n c e b e tw e e n p ractica lity a n d sty le.

Ultra - so ft, a b so rb en t, a n d b est o f a ll, th e n eu tra l c o lo u rs a re p erfec t w ith a n y o u tfit.

Teepeetots & Co. L eggi n gs Ha n d m a d e, o rg a n ic c o tto n leg g in g s in th e m o st sty lish o f p a ttern s. Th ey a re w ea ra b le, p la ya b le, a n d wa sh a b le.

F resh l y P i cked M occasi n s Ha n d sew n o f d u ra b le lea th er, th ese so ft- so led b ea u ties sta y o n y o u r c h ild ’s feet a n d lo o k g o o d w ith ev ery th in g .

B um bl e a nd B um bl e ( He dk a ndi S a l o n) M AC ( M AC S to re ) DV by Do l ce V i ta ( N o rdstro m ) N um pf e r ( num pf e r. co m ) Te e pe e to ts & C o, ( te e pe e to tsa ndco. co m ) Fre shl y Pi cke d M o cca si ns ( f re shl ypi cke d. co m )​ 50

But first, coffee C afe G rav ity is o u r freq u en ted I n g lew o o d c o ffee sp o t.

Fo r m e : q u ality c o ffee, a rt, a n d p eo p le wa tc h in g . Fo r h er: h ig h ch a irs, a c h a n g e ta b le in th e b a th ro o m , a n d ro o m to wan d e r. Th e b est o f a ll w o rld s. I ’ll sip a n a lm o n d m ilk la tte an d s h e ’ ll to d d le w ith h er Klea n Ka n teen o f wa ter – o u r f av o u rite water b o ttle fo r w h en w e’re o u t a n d a b o u t.

Qu ie t t o y t ip

M e llo w, cr e a t i v e ac t i v i t i e s ar e m y ke y t o t h e s u c c e s s o f a c af e o u t i n g .

C ra ft po m po ms ar e c l e an , e n t e r t ai n i n g , an d n o n - d i s r u p t i v e t o f e l l o w co f f e e dr inke r s.

Blossoms and vines A wa n d er th ro u g h S u n n ys id e H om e a n d G a rd e n C e n tre is refreshing,

w h im sic a l a n d ed u c a tio n a l. I let Clove r c h o o se a sm a ll p la n t to ta ke h o me, and w e sm ell flo w ers a n d m ea n d er o n t o our n ex t d estin a tio n . We’ll ta ke a g ree nhouse stro ll o v er a to y sto re a n y d a y.

Mid-morning snack C lo v er

P la n n in g is ke y to h e lp in g y o u r little o n e s n a ck h e alth y, s o b len d u p yo u r o w n trail m ix w ith yo u r b a b e’s f a v o u rite f in g e r f o o d s. C l o v er lo v es C h e e rio s, k am u t p u f f s, ra isin s, d ried ch e rrie s, d rie d ap rico ts, an d c a sh ew s.

Park play N atu ra l l i g h t , t r o p i c a l p la n ts, a p la yg ro u n d , and koi fi sh p on d ; Devonian G ardens i n th e C OR E d ow n t o w n is a p e rf e ct p layd ate spot. Not o n l y i s i t f re e, it’s a g e m o f a n i ndoo r g r een spa c e i f yo u ’re lo o k in g to b e a t the c o ol w ea t h er b l u e s.

Mama

A m id - m o rn in g ju ic e fro m J u ic e Bec a u se is th e p erfec t wa y to keep fu elled . I like L en n y (sp in a c h , c u c u m b er, ro m a in e, lem o n , a p p le, a n d g in g er) fo r its lig h t g reen fla v o u r, a n d its p u n c h o f n u trien ts like m a g n esiu m , c a lc iu m a n d o m eg a 3 s.

Zzzz…

Ho m e fo r lu n c h a n d a m u c h n ee de d nap.

C a f e G ra v i ty E spre sso a nd Wi ne B a r ( 9 0 9 1 0 S tre e t S E ) K l e a n K a nte e n ( R i va ’s The E co S to re, 1 2 3 7 9 Av e nue S E ) S unnysi de Ho m e a nd G a rde n C e ntre ( 3 4 3 9 6 9 S tre e t N W) Jui ce B e ca use ( j ui ce be ca use. ca ) De v o ni a n G a rde ns i n the C OR E ( 3 2 4 8 Av e nue S W) 83 51

C R E AT I N G A F A M I L Y WRI TT E N BY M I LE NA PET R OVI C P HOTOGRA P H E D BY M I C H EL L E W EL L S

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stylist alongside her handy woodworking husband, Joel, creating and sharing inspiring DIY projects. When Lidy and Joel began thinking about starting their family, Lidy felt in control and thought that it wouldn’t be long before she had the pregnancy glow, the perfect baby shower, and the countdown to the highly anticipated due date.

“I imagined getting those ultrasounds with my husband holding my hand as we tear up looking at our baby move inside my belly or hear their heart beat for the first time.

I imagined all those nights the baby would kick inside me or make me feel terribly uncomfortable when I wanted to sleep. I imagined the pain of childbirth and holding my baby for the first time. Smelling their little heads, touching their soft skin… And today, it just feels like that's someone else’s story — it’s not mine.”

Lidy and Joel spent two years trying to concieve and eventually began to understand that it wasn’t going to happen for them the way they expected. After attending a friend’s adoption ceremony, Lidy was struck by the blissful binding of people, who once were strangers, into a family.

At that moment she knew adoption was the route for them to take. She couldn’t wait to talk to Joel about the idea. “There was just this burning feeling in my heart that told me that I couldn’t turn my back on something like this; it was so much bigger than me.”

In 2011, while living in California, they made the decision to foster-to-adopt. The initial decision proved to be much easier than the process. After being certified as foster parents, their journey began with two sets of doe-eyed children curiously gazing at them. At that moment, mixed with the excitement of building her family, the reality of the children’s lives laid heavily on Lidy’s heart. Lidy felt as unknown to them as they did to her.

“You just couldn’t imagine how different life could look on the other side of what is familiar to you. And my kids came out of a very unfamiliar world to me.”

B e c o m i n g a m o t h e r is not always as easy as

expected, but we’ve all heard how simple it can sound: first comes love, then comes marriage, then comes a baby in the baby carriage. Lidy and Joel Dipert met in high school, fell in love, and have been married happily for the last seven years.

Together they had established a wonderful creative life that they wished to share with children of their own. As the authors behind the Hello Lidy blog, Lidy works as an interior

It took two years to complete the adoption of Holden (who had just turned two) and Violet (who was fifteen months) who were born in Bakersfield, California.

Lidy and Joel went through laughter, tears, feelings of apprehension, excitement, and plenty of prayers. Their path to parenthood would be labyrinthine – complicated, confusing, and questioning every step. They feared taking the leap from zero kids to two under the age of two along with all the unknowns that come with fostering-to-adopt.

As time passed, Lidy kept reminding herself that they could handle the road ahead, even though the end of this journey felt as if it were light-years away. She remembered that when they explored the idea of adoption, it was not about what they thought suited them best but about the helpless children who deserve a loving home.

53

"They are ours in every sense of the word. There is such a deep connection that goes beyond blood."

Lidy will never forget feeling full of trepidation the day they brought Holden and Violet home.

“We went to all our foster-to-adopt classes and learned all the things we needed to know. We had all the proper certifications and even CPR training, but nothing can prepare you for when you finally get placement of a child. I was so scared of a lot of things, but mostly two words: yes or no. Both weighed so heavy on me and what each word would mean if I spoke either of them out loud.”

Today Lidy is a proud mom to three stunning, loving, and energetic children: Holden (age five), Violet (age four), and their little brother, Sebastian (age two). With the unique circumstances of fostering-to-adopt, Lidy and Joel were able to get to know the children’s personalities before they named them – evidently they admired classic names.

To keep a piece of the children’s past they used their birth names as their middle names.

Having recently moved from California back to Alberta, Lidy feels lucky to be living in Airdrie near her family as her own family grows. The beautiful spaces she designs in her home have been peppered with pops of colour from scattered toys and fingerprint smudges on shiny surfaces.

The Dipert’s home soundtrack is filled with the sounds of playful scurrying feet and excited silly “Banana pants!” shouts followed by contagious giggles.

The relationships Lidy has built with Holden, Violet, and Sebastian show that the most significant characteristic of being a mother is not marked by biology but by connection.

“They are ours in every sense of the word. There is such a deep connection that goes beyond blood,” Lidy says.

It is the kind of connection where she finds happiness while watching them sleep, feels pride watching them take initiative, and is inspired by their imaginations. Her love is unconditional and unchanging. Despite that their children are not theirs by blood, Lidy is amazed at how they are miniversions of Joel and herself. Holden is charming and sensitive much like Joel, while Violet is energetic and lively like Lidy, and Sebastian is considerate and curious – a combination of the two of them.

Lidy and Joel's adoption journey pushed them through a turbulent emotional rollercoaster. During some moments they were over the moon and then in the next moment they would feel like they were plunging to rock bottom. Despite the stressful court dates and long waiting periods along the way, Lidy learned that adoption could teach someone so much more about the state of children’s lives than they could ever have imagined. “I think what we’ve learned the hardest is grace, patience, and understanding.”

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Some say that adoption is not for the faint of heart; Lidy couldn’t agree more. She adds, “But the path to adopt is nowhere near as hard as the path of a child who has been abused, neglected, hated, abandoned, and left helpless.”

Integrating the children into their serene and enjoyable pace of life was an adjustment, but Lidy and Joel did everything in their power to show them the beauty of what makes a house a home. They made every effort to make their children feel safe and to let them know their love is a constant presence.

Becoming an adoptive mother had also been a challenging adjustment for Lidy as she felt isolated when surrounded by biological mothers who could share their maternity photos, talk about the pains of giving birth, and the first time their little one called out “Mama” to them. Her experiences as a mother were incomparable.

Lidy remembers being called “Mom” by Holden the first day she met him. Unlike a traditional mom who would be repeatedly sharing the story, Lidy’s was too heart-wrenching to share at the time. At the innocent age of two, Holden had been placed in four homes prior to Lidy’s and thought anyone watching over him, was his mother. This propelled her desire to redefine his meaning of Mom. Like every mother, Lidy quickly learned that when you have children, your world is not about you anymore. Becoming a parent is the most challenging job there is but one that is full of rewards felt through cuddles and kisses – powerful little gestures reminding Lidy she is doing something right. During the adoption process, her life had been shaken, stirred, and spun around, making her every day unpredictable but worth every twist and turn of the adventure.

The finalization of the adoption and having their own adoption ceremony was a milestone in their path to parenthood, and they were so proud to share it with others.

Lidy recalls repeating, “We can do it, we can do it…” along the way and that day she could proudly say, “We did it!”

Their perseverance and devotion throughout the process proved that even when things seemed impossible, it didn’t mean they couldn’t be done.

“It’s truly a beautiful thing when you stop to think about how deep and wide our love can go when we take down our walls and boundaries,” Lidy says.

Holden, Violet, and Sebastian were woven into Lidy’s and Joel’s hearts, creating a lovely family that was uniquely knit together. With the support of family and friends along with lots of prayers, together Lidy and Joel built their own beautiful family.

87 55

M AN WITH A PAS S IO N

W R I T TEN BY RYAN G ARTN ER PH OTOG R APHED BY BLAIR IN K S TER S T Y L E D BY ALEXAN DRA WIG

G N I K BA D A B "Everyone loves bread. If you make french toast, everyone loves french toast. If you make c r o i s s a n t s , t h e r e ’s n o t a p e r s o n i n t h e w o r l d w h o d o e s n ’t l o v e c r o i s s a n t s ! I f t h e y s a y t h e y d o n ’t l i k e them, they’re lying through their teeth."

Special thanks to our friends at North American Quality Purveyors for outfitting Chris.

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Imagine a world where no law enforcement existed.

Humanity left to its own devices. People doing whatever they wanted whenever they wanted with no repercussion.

Criminals running wild, prowling our streets like seagulls in a Walmart parking lot. Safety would be an illusion, justice would never be served. There would be anarchy in the streets.

Now imagine this – a world where bread does not exist. I… can’t… even… imagine. Sandwiches, croissants, hot dogs, hamburgers, french toast! I tremble at the thought. There would definitely be anarchy in the streets.

Luckily for you and me, one Calgarian is doing his part to make sure neither of these worlds ever become a reality. A superhero of sorts. Cop by day. Bread baker by night. Or is it cop by night, bread baker by day? Does it even matter?

Friends, meet Constable Chris Wig. When Chris is not spending his time fighting crime on the mean streets of Calgary, helping old ladies cross the street, or enjoying quality family time with his wife Alexandra (A.J.) and daughter Clover, you can find Chris hunkered down in his Inglewood home, baking up some of the gooiest, chewiest goodness on this side of the Rockies. I wanted to find out how one of Calgary’s finest found himself in the dangerous world of baking bread.

“I remember especially at Christmas time, both of my grandma’s baking all the time. My mom also made sure we were all involved in the kitchen. My dad, he didn’t bake, but he cooks, so he was in the kitchen, as well. It was just natural for me to head in that direction.

“The only bread I had ever had was my mom’s homemade bread or the white store-bought bread that comes in a rectangle, like Wonder Bread or whatever, which I still love.

One night my cousin and her husband, Steve, came over for supper and he brought a loaf of bread that he made. It was the best homemade bread I had ever tasted. Up until I met my wife I was pretty much a meat and potatoes guy. I’d never had Indian food or eaten real Chinese food. When we went for Chinese food as a kid, I ordered the cheeseburger. Eating this bread was incredible, and I don’t get excited about a lot of stuff, I’m a pretty mellow dude. Steve told me that he got the recipe from Tartine, a cookbook by a baker in San Francisco. I bought it that night. I was pretty pumped to learn how to do it. That was about three years ago now, and that’s how it all began.

“You have to begin by making the starter. You mix flour and water and essentially let it rot for about a week. You literally have to feed it, to give the bacteria something to eat. It feeds off of the sugars in the flour. Before we had our daughter, Clover, my wife would make fun of me and say that it was my 57

yeast baby. When I first started I didn’t think there was any forgiveness in it. It’s a total learning process. At first I would have to feed it in the morning and at night to the point where if I was at work at night, I would get my wife to do it. But the longer you go, the more you realize it’s quite a forgiving being.

You just have to feed it and get it going again before you can use it. You can put it in the fridge and it’ll last for weeks. So if you leave on vacation for instance, you don’t have to take it with you, which I didn’t know at first. There were times we’d go to Saskatchewan to visit family and I’d take this stupid thing with me just to keep it alive.

"We went to Wynyard to visit my sister. When we left to drive home, I realized that I had accidentally left it there. We were already an hour and a half away and I had A.J. convinced to go back to pick it up. So, an extra three-hour round trip just to pick up this stupid jar of starter. My sister ended up meeting us half way, so that saved us.”

" I t ’s w e i r d , s e e i n g t w o hundred people eating something you made, b u t i t ’s k i n d a c o o l . " Temperature, humidity, elevation, and air pressure all play a role in bread making. Great bread makers spend years learning and understanding the elements on their way to perfecting the craft. One cannot simply toss ingredients into a bowl, mix, and throw it in the oven to make great bread. There is no easy step-by-step guide like you would find on your box of pancake mix. Much time, trial, and error is required before you begin to understand what it takes to make this type of bread.

“I’m a very by-the-book guy. Growing up I played piano and my mom was (is) an incredible piano player, but she doesn’t need the music in front of her to play, whereas I play what’s on the paper. With cooking and baking I need a recipe. I like it to be black and white. When I first bought the Tartine book, I tried to follow it to a tee, which in a home is impossible. The temperature in their bakery is, like, 82 degrees Fahrenheit, so trying to figure that out was frustrating because it didn’t work the first time.

"To get the starter actually going before I could even make bread probably took over a month. Even when a loaf doesn’t turn out the way I want, I'm learning to understand why.

The temperature of your kitchen, the temperature of your water, or even the final shaping of the dough can all affect 58

the outcome of the bread. To fully understand, you’d have to go to school for this."

I can appreciate the desire to do something new and to stick with it until you feel that you’ve finally gotten it to a place where you can really enjoy what you’ve made. The real joy, however, is giving what you’ve made to others, in letting them enjoy the work of your hands. Our culture is fast paced. There is so much going on at any given time it can feel almost impossible to keep up with our own to-do lists let alone think of what we can do for others. It’s not that we don’t have the good intentions. It’s just that the time and the opportunities don’t seem to be available. But the impact we can have on a person’s day, week, or even life with a simple gesture of giving, or even thinking of them before ourselves, can be incredible.

“When we lived in Marda Loop, we lived right next door to one of A.J.’s best friends. Every week when I baked, she’d get a loaf. It’s fun giving it away. For my youngest sister-in-law’s wedding, I made bread for every table at their reception.

Then my older sister-in-law asked for something for her wedding. So for that I made crackers. It’s fun doing that type of stuff. It’s weird, seeing two hundred people eating something you made, but it’s kinda cool.

“I love policing because I get to help people, which sounds cliché, but you do get to help people. Plus you get the car and get to drive fast sometimes and the lights and the uniform.

But with bread, there’s no one out there who doesn’t enjoy it. Everyone loves bread. If you make french toast, everyone loves french toast. If you make croissants, there’s not a person in the world who doesn’t love croissants! If they say they don’t like them they’re lying through their teeth. It’s just a totally different sense of satisfaction. People love the product you’re making.

“I think there’s part of me that would love to do it as a job, but I would hate getting up at 4:30 every morning to be at the bakery pumping out bread. The hours are probably worse than a policeman’s hours, I think.”

There’s a very good chance we will not see Chris Wig’s Bread Factory on the streets of Calgary anytime in the future. I’ve always been one to believe you have to be careful when entertaining the idea of turning your passion into a day job.

There’s probably a reason Da Vinci didn’t teach art classes Monday to Friday. We’re always told to find our passion and do it for a living. What do we do then when we want to get away from making a living for a few brief moments?

“Baking bread is something that I will enjoy for the next forty years of my life. Hopefully Clover will get into it as well and she can pass it on to her kids."

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P R E S E RV I N G THE CANNING C U LT U R E WRITTE N BY JE SS I C A J OH N S & D OM I N I QUE S T. J EAN P HOTO GRA P H E D BY M A R I A L A N G STY LE D BY A LE X A N D R A W I G & VI C KI M A N NES S

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Growing up, canning was a ritual that a lot of us witnessed our parents or grandparents practicing. Canning fresh produce was a necessity during the long Canadian winters, and as we look for ways to dig into our roots and return to our heritage, it is a tradition that can invoke nostalgia in more ways than one.

Heading to the farmer's market to buy stone fruits en masse, carting them home, and prepping everything for a day of chopping, sanitizing, and canning brings back those long summer days when the world lay before us full of endless possibilities. Waiting for those tops to pop and then stocking the shelves for the chilly months ahead.

The day when the jars could finally be opened signaled shorter days, evenings gathered around the kitchen table, and the flavours of home and of comfort.

These days, we’re embracing the desire to do things ourselves. Canning allows us to make sustainable food that can last us through the winter. Although we can buy pickles, sauerkraut, and salsa at the grocery store all year round, being able to do it ourselves is something we can experiment with, create, and be proud of.

Jessica Johns and Dominique St. Jean came together through the love of locally-minded food and culture to create SCRATCH Fine Foods, a sustainable catering business specializing in preserves and fermentation and making all food from “scratch.�

Jessica and Dominique have shared some recipes and tips for modern canning and preservation.

JES S IC A J O H N S A N D DOM INIQUE S T. JE A N

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A GUIDE TO CANNING Sanitization:

Some people think that the most daunting part about preserving tends to be the process of sanitizing and preparing your kitchen ahead of time. Canning preparations don't have to be strenuous. Once you’ve found the right equipment and have become familiar with the process, you’ll be a seasoned preservationist in no time.

Equipment: Large, wide canning pot Medium-sized saucepot Dry tea towels Spring action canning tongs Canning rack (optional) Mason jars Unused metal lids and rings Metal tray/baking sheet

Sanitizing Procedure :

Pasteurizing Procedure:

Clean jars, lids, and rings very well in hot soapy water.

Cleanliness is essential to prevent the growth of bacteria.

Place filled and sealed jars in a boiling water bath, making sure there's at least 1 inch of water above all lids, and boil for 20 minutes.

Bring canning pot to a boil and add about 2 tablespoons of white vinegar. This helps prevent mineral buildup on the jars, lids, and rings.

Submerge empty jars for 15 minutes in a boiling water bath, making sure there is at least 1 inch of water above the jars.

Keep jars in hot water until it is time to fill.

To sterilize lids and rings, bring water in medium-sized saucepot to a boil and sterilize lids at a rolling boil for 15 minutes. As with jars, keep hot until ready to use.

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Remove carefully with tongs and place onto a clean tray lined with clean tea towels.

Leave jars undisturbed for 12 hours.

Check the seal: it should be flat, NOT rounded. If lids are rounded, they haven’t been properly sealed and you will need to repeat the procedure.

Basic Brine

Recipe by Jessica Johns and Dominique St. Jean

750 ml vinegar 250 ml apple cider vinegar 2.75 L water Âź cup salt â…“ cup sugar Peppercorns Bay leaf Garlic clove

In a large saucepot, bring all ingredients to a boil, turn off heat.

Keep warm on the stove until ready to pickle.

Note: This recipe will vary on individual taste. Feel free to add more garlic if desired, or less sugar or salt. Experiment! Make sure to keep the acid level high to ensure safe preserving.

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Pickled Beets

Recipe by Jessica Johns and Dominique St. Jean

1 pound baby cylinder beets, golden beets, or chiogga beets Basic brine (see recipe on page 63) Peppercorns Garlic clove Fresh thyme Vinegar Salt Cook washed beets in simmering water with a generous amount of salt and a little vinegar. Cook each type of beet separately to ensure the colour doesn't bleed.

Beets are done when a toothpick or sharp paring knife goes through them cleanly. Do not overcook otherwise beets become mushy.

Let cool slightly, peel right away with a damp tea towel. Use a paring knife to cut the stem and root ends off, try to trim off as little as possible. Scrape away any peel still left on.

Beets should be the same size when pickling. If necessary, quarter beets as you like or cut to desired size.

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Using tongs, carefully remove sterilized jars from hot water and place on a clean tray lined with a clean tea towel. Fill jars with beets (keeping them separate so colours don’t bleed), peppercorns, garlic, and a sprig of thyme. Make sure they are tightly packed, while leaving an inch of headspace from the top of the jar.

Fill jars with hot brine, leaving about a ½ inch of headspace from the top. Remove any air bubbles with a sterilized knife. Lightly wipe the top of the jar with a clean cloth to remove any debris. Seal with sanitized lids and rings and tighten.

Proceed with the pasteurizing procedure on page 62.

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Plum & Mint Jam

Recipe by Jessica Johns and Dominique St. Jean

5 lbs plums, ripest variety available 1 large bunch of mint, chiffonade (cut into very thin strips) 2 cups white wine 3 cups sugar 1 tsp salt 1 vanilla bean, scraped, OR 2 tbsp vanilla extract Roughly chop washed plums (about ž - 1 inch chunks) Marinate chopped plums in sugar, white wine, salt, and vanilla overnight in a covered mixing bowl.

Bring plum mixture to a boil in large, flat-bottom saucepot.

Boil for about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally until proper thickness is reached; test by spooning a little jam onto a plate that has been chilled and then place in freezer until 66

completely cooled (one or two minutes). If not desired thickness, boil and reduce further, testing again.

Once desired consistency is reached, fold in mint, turn off heat & let steep for about an hour.

Fill jars with hot jam, leaving about a ½ inch of headspace from the top. Lightly wipe the top of the jar with a clean cloth to remove any debris. Seal with sanitized lids and rings and tighten.

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I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields, that it kisses them so gently?

And then it covers them up snug, you know, with a white quilt; and perhaps it says, "Go to sleep, darlings, till the summer comes again."

-Lewis Carroll

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G IVIN G BAC K

S U P P O RT I N G L O C A L W R I T T EN BY AMAN DA H O WARD PH OTOG R APH ED AN D ILLUS TRATED BY S AN C IA TOTH

G IVIN G BAC K

Kelsey Kashluba could possibly be one of the most involved/inspiring/ devoted/selfless people to grace the pages of Dote Magazine. Since the age of 12, Kelsey has been part of C a l g a r y ' s v o l u n t e e r i n g c o m m u n i t y.

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" P e o p l e a r e a b e a u t i f u l t h i n g , a n d i t ’s a m a z i n g w h a t t h e y c a n d o , s o I t h i n k i t ’s i m p o r t a n t t o v o l u n t e e r s o w e b e t t e r u n d e r s t a n d e a c h o t h e r. I t ’s a m a z i n g w h a t y o u c a n l e a r n f r o m j u s t s p e n d i n g time with someone who has gone through a hardship you know nothing about."

“I don’t actually know how I started volunteering. My parents weren’t big into volunteering and never pressured me. Just, one day, I wanted to do it,” Kelsey states. “I love volunteering and I think it is wonderful to help. We have a huge need for local volunteers, and we need to start right here at home base, building and supporting our city.”

Not only does Kelsey recognize the way volunteers help our city on a local level, she believes it also teaches more about what is happening on a global scale.

“We aren’t guaranteed this life and the lifestyles we lead. I only hope that if I was ever in these situations that people find themselves in, that someone would do that for me,” says Kelsey. “People are a beautiful thing, and it’s amazing what they can do, so I think it’s important to volunteer so we better understand each other. It’s amazing what you can learn from just spending time with someone who has gone through a hardship you know nothing about.”

Now with a few more years under her belt, Kelsey has spent hours at numerous recognizable organizations such as The Distress Centre, The Drop-In Centre, The Mustard Seed, Inn From the Cold, Kids Care, and many more.

She has had great times and not so great times, even being mugged one evening leaving a shift, but she wouldn’t change any of her experiences. Kelsey believes that dipping her toes in everything allowed her to realize what she actually liked doing, and she is a strong advocate for volunteering for a cause that is personal or important to you. Kelsey decided she would focus on organizations that allow her to spend more time with children.

She now allocates her volunteer time (anywhere from 4060 hours a month) to different organizations such as Ronald McDonald House, Kids Up Front, and Inn from the Cold, focusing on helping children within those organizations.

“I have tried to slow down, but I always come back to it.

Without volunteering, I wouldn’t know what to do,” says Kelsey. “I once had someone tell me that I was selfish for

volunteering because I did it because of how it made me feel. I would never object to that. I do it because I love how I feel when I am done dinner service at the Ronald McDonald House or finish a third party fundraiser. The happiness in another person is so incredibly rewarding to me.”

Kelsey’s day job, a social media strategist, has been an integral part of her lifestyle. “My business goes hand-inhand; everything just matches up.” Kelsey has been able to leverage her skills and experiences to help organizations in different ways. She helps support Missing Children Canada as the social media ambassador, and she is an active committee member of Alberta Burger Fest that took place in Calgary from May 1 to 10, 2015.

Now that Kelsey has been involved in the volunteer community for so long, she has started to branch off and develop her own projects. 11.23 (her grandfather’s birthday) is a not-for-profit clothing company that designs and prints t-shirts for specific charities. The t-shirts can then be sold at events or through the charity and all proceeds, above costs, are donated back to that charity.

Kelsey is also in the process of developing an app that helps solve the problem of where to volunteer.

“One of the biggest issues is that people want to volunteer but don’t know where to start. They have to want to do it to make it successful.”

The app will walk the user through a series of ten questions and will suggest several different organizations based on the answers the user provided. The app will also provide the contact and other details for the recommended organizations.

Kelsey’s passion is to get many more young Calgarians involved in volunteering through her app, launching in late Fall 2015. To learn more about Kelsey or any of her ventures, please visit kommunitykonsulting.ca or contact her by email at kelsey@kommunitykonsulting.ca.

FOL LOW K ELSEY @KOMMUN ITY_YYC 71

I l o v e g i v i n g b a c k a l l y e a r, b u t t h e r e ' s s o m e t h i n g special about the holidays that makes it feel extra warm to lend a helping hand. I also understand that not everyone can financially afford to give back or may not have the time to give back during the holidays, rest assured there are plenty of options to lend a helping hand!

This is a great way to give back and have fun! Join a group or start your own by contacting the Drop-In Centre.

Whether you are donating Canadian Tire money or vegetables, the Wildlife Wish List is always grateful.

This is a great one for sports fans! Take the training with Kids Up Front and supervise the suites at the game. A lot of people get extremely busy around the holiday season, so smaller organizations like Kids Up Front are always in need of volunteers.

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Ever buy y year th makeing a prepe Drop-In s a hu aid vis Cent r ge im pact.a or a gifte releases certif a wish cate.

Thouglist for all h a sm the r all tim esident e com s stayin mitm g with ent is them requir This o . ed thIt ’s as ea case y ne does is exp sy as erien gathe ou are s require a ce r a gr ick), p oup o lan thbit more ti f six t e m e o sev ntire me e as you en pe ople at l, purchahave to att o coo se the end a k it w ith yogroceries,training se u. This get th ssion is a fu e meal (you an n eve a nt thapproveddbone othe This p r t's gre y the works rogram is at for staff aperson in group nd the them is you a fun and s. n r off in timee given aslio rewardin for Ch s g t . a Y n o d ristm as. you go uo can join ut an the fo d pur rces a chase t Inn the it from t ems f he Co or the ld or C family UPS. H , wrap ow th If you them is optio , and n they a want to drop Some re short dedicate organ on. On a bit m izatio ns toce you havore time, consid e the p ka n er: Ne list, cic ighbo reate aorganizati urlink n onli on, co , Inn F ne ite n rom t m drivtact them he Co e and and fi ld, YW invite nd ou CA, D your f t what rop-In r nd produ Centie re. s and familcts We a y. ll love a cho No matter what, giving thenice? Do a good holi eat, d small rink, a presdeay party ack makes a difference, b nd be ntatio so wh merry n expla y not from small time h ! o ining the ost one and mitments to large m o c rganiz h a ation ve ever and w yone you are changing , s e n o hat th donate ey do to a c e ’s l i f e b y d o i n g n o e m o s in the harity comm of you good this holiday unity r and season!

H a p p y Vo l u n t e e r i n g !

Love, Kelsey

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HEALTH & BEAUTY

A Healthy Winter Glow W R I T TEN BY BRIE WO O DS PH OTOG RAPH ED BY BLAIR IN K S TER S T Y L ED BY ALEXAN DRA WIG

When you are balanced listen and attend to the b o d y, m i n d , a n d s p i r i t , beauty comes

and when you needs of your your natural out.

- C h r i s t y Tu r l i n g t o n

Our skin is the largest and most tale-telling organ of our body’s health, and the winter months can really do a number on us. Aside from stocking up on lip chap and hand lotion, I started wondering how else we can maintain a beautiful glow during this unforgiving season.

The winter months are harsh on our skin for a multitude of reasons. I tend to hibernate indoors, training for my latest Netflix marathon, but this decreased level of activity leads to reduced circulation in the body, which in turn hinders the amount of hydration and nutrients supplied to the skin. When we do spend time outdoors (even just running from a warm car to the nearest warm building), the wind chill can strip our skin of naturally occurring moisture. The furnace heat we rely on isn’t doing us any favours either, and taking hot showers to warm up further strips the skin of moisture. This dehydration can cause reduced skin elasticity, dull complexion, and rapid skin aging.

Special thanks to Adorn Boutique for outfitting Carly Jade and to Brie Woods for makeup.

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r e t u O w o l G A HE A LT HY

F OR T HE WI NT E R

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With the endless winter that Canada too often delivers, it can seem like a healthy complexion is a lost cause. Thankfully Melissa Kimbell, founder of Sweet Living Company, has recipes for exactly what our skin needs to stay polished, vibrant, and glowing.

Melissa took the challenge to her own kitchen and became devoted to creating traditional, healthy, anti-aging skincare formulas. Luckily her combination of heirloom family recipes with modern botanicals has created products that far surpass anything I’ve bought off a shelf.

To help ease our winter blues, Sweet Living Company has provided some beautiful recipes to brighten, polish, and plump us out of hibernation.

These ingredients can be found in your own kitchen. Every ingredient has a purpose. I promise, just one sniff of the Lemon & Vanilla Sea Salt Scrub and you will be hooked.

L E M O N & VA N I L L A S E A S A L T S C R U B Recipe by Melissa Kimbell, Sweet Living Company Ingredients:

125 g sea salt (I prefer Pink Himalayan ) ground to medium-fine 1 vanilla pod, seeds scooped out Zest of 1 lemon 75 g virgin coconut oil at room temperature

To o l s :

Kitchen scale 200 g capacity glass container with a tight lid Glass mixing bowl Fork

Optional:

Handful of rose petals or other edible flowers 3-5 drops of lemon essential oil

Directions: Combine the vanilla seeds and the remaining pod with the salt in your jar. Add the lemon zest and mix thoroughly with a fork until well 1 combined. Pop the lid on and let it infuse for two days, giving it a shake now and then. Optional: If you have dried flower petals, crush them up very finely with a pestle and mortar and add them to the container.

2 3

In a glass mixing bowl, mash your coconut oil with a fork until it is light and creamy. Add in the sea salt mixture, discarding the empty vanilla pods, and mix by hand until well combined. You should have a thick, creamy paste. Optional: Add 3-5 drops of lemon essential oil for more lemon scent.

Spoon the mixture back into your clean glass container and tightly close the lid. Your body scrub is ready to enjoy in the shower or bath.

Simply scoop out your desired amount and exfoliate from the feet up. Body scrubs can be uncomfortable for those with very sensitive skin, so it is usually best to concentrate on especially dry areas like elbows, hands, knees, ankles, and feet. Follow up with a body butter or lotion to lock in moisture.

Storage:

Store your jar of Lemon & Vanilla Sea Salt Scrub in a cool, dark place, out of direct sunlight. Avoid getting water in the container.

Use within 1 month.

Benefits:

Sea salt :: Unrefined sea salt has long been appreciated for its high mineral content, improving the skin’s own barrier function and helping to reduce inflammation in the body. Due to its high magnesium content, bathing with sea salt helps moisturize and rejuvenate the skin. It also helps to detoxify the skin by flushing out toxins from the pores and boosting blood circulation.

Virgin coconut oil :: Is there anything coconut oil can’t do? It is one of those miraculous plant foods and in this case, coconut oil is drenching your skin with medium-chain fatty acids, which keep the skin hydrated, smooth, and supple.

Lemon zest :: Not only does lemon zest smell amazing and lift your mood, it also benefits the skin. High concentrations of its essential oil, limonene, flavonoids, and citric acid help enhance the clarity, glow, and softness of your skin. In our scrub, the plant acids in this amazing fruit work hard to cleanse, brighten, and stimulate cellular turnover. Note: Conventional lemon zest can contain a lot of pesticide residue, so always wash thoroughly.

Vanilla :: One of the biggest advantages of this tiny bean is its powerful aroma. A natural antidepressant and aphrodisiac, the smell of vanilla is guaranteed to boost your mood.

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S E A M I N E R A L D E T O X & H Y D R AT I O N M A S K Recipe by Melissa Kimbell, Sweet Living Company

Ingredients:

1 tsp raw honey 1 tsp sweet almond oil (cold-pressed and unrefined) 1 tsp plain, full-fat organic yogurt 1 tbsp ultrafine glacial marine clay 2 drops geranium essential oil

To o l s :

Small glass mixing bowl Mixing utensils (glass/porcelain/wood) 15 g glass container with lid (optional)

Optional:

1 drop lavender essential oil 2 drops cedarwood essential oil

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1 2

3

Directions:

Combine wet ingredients in a glass bowl and mix thoroughly until well-combined and uniform in texture.

Add the clay. Mix well with a small glass, porcelain, or wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth in texture. Note: When working with pure clays, it is important not to inhale the dust particles, as doing so may be unhealthy for the lungs. Also, clays are super absorbent by nature – even in their dry form – so it is very important not to use metal or plastic bowls, tools, or containers when working with any type of clay.

For those looking for some top-notch skin care solutions but don't have the time or the desire to make your own, here are a few recommendations to help your winter s k i n g l o w.

C E Peptides

Keep refrigerated. Avoid getting water in the container. Use it up within 5-7 days.

C E Peptides from Viverskin contains pharmaceutical grade vitamin C, which is a potent antioxidant that can treat and prevent changes associated with photoaging and protect skin from damages caused

by UV light including brown spots. Vitamin C in conjunction with peptides also increases collagen production and rejuvenation, which will give you firmer skin and fewer wrinkles.

C E Peptides also contains vitamin E, which heightens the potency of vitamin C, making it four times more effective. As an added bonus, C E Peptides also contains grapefruit extract, which is an antibacterial that helps protect against acne.

Benefits:

Pigment Correctors

Your fresh mask is ready to slather on! You can use it straight out of the mixing bowl, massaging it over your face, neck, and chest before getting into the bath or shower. Or spoon it into a small glass jar and store it in the fridge for 5-7 days. Apply liberally and relax for 10-15 minutes for best results. Rinse with warm water and finish with a high-vitamin facial oil or moisturizer.

Storage:

Raw honey :: The legendary Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt, was known for her exquisite complexion. It is said that one of her secrets was adding raw honey to her milk baths and directly to her skin as a moisturizer.

Raw honey is composed of natural alpha-hydroxy acids that gently exfoliate dead cells. These acids also increase elasticity, balance out oily skin, stimulate collagen production, and minimize wrinkles. Bonus: We have an abundance of beautiful raw honey available from local beekeepers in Alberta.

Sweet almond oil :: Rich in omegas, sweet almond oil is reknowned for its excellent moisturizing properties.

It is a beautiful oil to use during the winter when our skin tends to be dry, rough, and flaky. The abundance of vitamins A, D, and E combined help plump up fine lines, reduce discolouration, and rejuvenate lackluster skin.

Organic yogurt :: The naturally occurring lactic acid in yogurt gently exfoliates, hydrates, and soothes the skin. It is great for reviving and lightening a tired and dull complexion.

Ultrafine glacial marine clay :: Glacial marine clay is naturally sourced and scooped off the coast of Vancouver Island. This is one of the purest clays on the market in terms of its concentration of beautyenhancing minerals. Glacial clay’s net negative ion charge attracts most positively-charged bacteria and toxins, so it’s an excellent choice for detoxifying, rejuvenating, and revitalizing the skin. The rich sea minerals in this special Canadian clay also stimulate blood circulation, soften skin texture, and help plump up fine lines.

Geranium essential oil :: This marvelous oil balances the nervous system, reduces anxiety, and raises the spirit. It is great for balancing the skin, keeping it supple, and for its ability to hydrate and nourish. It is beneficial for all skin types and is excellent for helping heal eczema and other dry, chapped skin conditions.

SkinCeuticals' Advanced Pigment Corrector contains salicylic acid, which is an organic substance found in plants that aids in plant growth and development, photosynthesis, and ion uptake and transport.

When used as a skin treatment, salicylic acid is an antiinflammatory that helps against acne, psoriasis, calluses, warts, and various other skin disorders.

It also helps to remove dead skin and open and clean clogged pores. Advanced Pigment Corrector also contains ellagic acid, which is commonly found in fruits and legumes such as various berries, pecans, walnuts, grapes, and peaches. Ellagic acid is an antioxidant that helps preserve collagen and fights wrinkles and inflammation associated with photoaging.

Retinol Retinol 1.0 from SkinCeuticals is a retinolbased product that also contains bisabolol, which is taken from the German chamomile plant and enhances the appearance of dry, damaged skin by reducing flaking and restoring suppleness. Bisabolol is also an anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial substance and helps to stimulate the skin’s healing process. Retinol is a form of vitamin A, which can be found in milk, eggs, liver, fortified cereals, darkly coloured orange and green vegetables, and orange fruits. Retinol is an antioxidant that promotes collagen production and UV protection. It also improves discolouration and wrinkles while managing acne and eczema.

F O LLO W M E LIS S A @S WE E T L IV INGCOMPA NY

All products are available at Vive Rejuvination, viverejuvenation.com

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r e n n I w o l G A HE A LT HY

F OR T HE W I NT E R

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Although it's necessary to take care of our skin from the outside throughout the winter months, it's equally important to care for our skin from the inside. It’s easy to cozy up with a warm, heavy meal and decadent sweets, but what we digest translates to our skin, painting a picture of our internal health. Holistic Nutritionist, Anise Thorogood, emphasizes how eating a balanced diet of whole, fresh, clean, and seasonal foods is the first step in seeing a radiant and healthy complexion.

We all have our favourite products and routines that work for us, but beautiful skin also comes from within. The most important factor is hydration. Those eight to ten glasses of water per day are no joke. Without adequate hydration the skin cannot maintain its flexibility and will appear dry, cracked, and dull. If you find it difficult to drink plain water all day long, try adding a few slices of lemon. It not only tastes refreshing, but lemon supports your liver’s ability to expel toxins from the body so that your skin doesn’t have to – keeping you blemish free.

Anise also recommends avoiding too many sugary drinks, caffeine, and trans and hydrogenated fats that all work to dehydrate the skin and hinder liver function. When added to your diet over time, superfoods can drastically improve your healthy, natural glow. See our list of superfoods that promote amazing skin benefits below and get ready to show Mother Nature who’s boss by taking care of your health and your skin naturally from the inside out.

Foods that are beneficial for your skin: Salmon: • Omega 3 • Zinc • Selenium • Helps repair skin cells and is used for collagen formation Av o c a d o : • Omega 3 • Glutathione Green leafy vegetables: • Vitamin A • Vitamin E • Vitamin C • Vitamin B • Fibre • Aid in liver detoxification Citrus: • Vitamin C • Vitamin A

V i t a m i n A : Combats aging of the skin and helps regenerate skin cells; also prevents dryness, roughness, and scaliness V i t a m i n B : Required for the growth of new skin cells and replacing those that have died; helps prevent peeling and cracking of the skin; also assists in hormone balance V i t a m i n C : A potent antioxidant, combats skin aging; also used for collagen formation and helps the skin look luminous and young V i t a m i n D : Encourages cell growth and helps absorb calcium which aids in bone growth V i t a m i n E : A potent antioxidant, combats free radicals that age the skin

Hemp seeds: • Omega 3 • Vitamin B • Zinc • Vitamin E Dark pigmented berries: • Silica • Vitamin C • Fibre Cod liver oil: • Vitamin A • Vitamin D Fermented and prebiotic foods: • Fermented foods are needed for healthy gut flora which boosts immunity, helps break down food so that nutrients are taken to the cells efficiently, produces B vitamins, and helps excrete toxins (rather than excreted through the skin) • Prebiotic foods such as cabbage and asparagus are good for healthy gut flora so the good bacteria can flourish

F i b r e : Aids in bowel health, helping to excrete toxins efficiently G l u t a t h i o n e : An antioxidant, helps combat aging O m e g a 3 : Reduces skin dryness and improves skin’s elasticity; also anti-inflammatory S e l e n i u m : Improves elasticity and luminosity of skin S i l i c a : Promotes skin hydration and skin cell proliferation Z i n c : Improves skin luminosity and assists in the structure of cell membranes, helping to keep moisture in

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C A J U N S A L M O N TA C O S W I T H O R A N G E F E N N E L S A L S A A N D C A B B A G E S L AW Recipe by Anise Thorogood Serves 4 Ingredients: Orange Fennel Salsa

¾ cup orange segments, chopped (approximately 2 small mandarin oranges) 4 tbsp fresh fennel, sliced or chopped 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped 2 tbsp fresh lime juice 1-2 tsp minced jalapeno, depending on taste ½ tbsp flaxseed or hempseed oil (if you don’t have these, extra virgin olive oil works fine) ¼ tsp minced fresh ginger

1 ½ cups shaved green cabbage ½ cup shaved red cabbage ¾ cup grated carrot 1 tbsp fresh orange juice 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice 2 tbsp fresh basil, tightly packed 1 ½ tbsp hemp seeds ¼ tbsp dijon mustard 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 large pinch of sea salt

Cabbage Carrot Slaw

S a l m o n Ta c o s

1 ½ lbs of salmon, pin bones removed 2 tbsp of MSG free, sugar free, all-natural cajun spice blend (I love Silk Road Spice Market spice blends) 2 tbsp coconut oil 1 avocado, sliced 4 whole grain tortilla shells (I like Tres Maria’s Spelt Tortillas) Extra cilantro and lime for garnish

Directions: Preheat the oven to 350°F.

S a l s a : In a small bowl, combine orange segments, fennel, cilantro, lime juice, jalapeno, oil, and fresh ginger. Stir to combine and set aside.

S l a w : In a medium-sized bowl, combine green cabbage, red cabbage, and carrot. Set aside. In a food processor, combine orange juice, lemon juice, basil, hemp seeds, dijon, oil, and, sea salt. Pulse until well combined. Drizzle over the cabbage mixture and toss to combine.

S a l m o n : Rub flesh side of the salmon with the cajun spice blend and pat into the meat thoroughly. In a grill pan, heat 2 tablespoons of coconut oil on high heat. When the grill pan is hot, add the salmon, flesh side down. Cover and cook over high heat for 5 minutes. Flip and cook for another 3-5 minutes, depending on the size of your fillet and desired doneness.

Set aside.

Place the tortillas in the oven to warm.

T a c o s : Divide the salmon, slaw, and salsa over each tortilla. Top with avocado and extra cilantro.

FOL LOW AN ISE @LOVE_AN D_G ARN ISH

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D I Y T A P E S T R Y W E AV I N G W R I T T EN BY RO S ALY N FAUS TIN O PH OTOG R A PHED BY MARIBETH FAUS TIN O S T Y L E D BY ALEXAN DRA WIG

A step-by-step guide to learning the art of tapestry weaving

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Ta p e s t r y w e a v i n g i s a w e f t - f a c e d w e a v i n g t e c h n i q u e , so when you are choosing your colours, keep in mind that you will still see the warp (vertical yarn) colour in between the weft (horizontal yarn, the yarn you are weaving with).

Basic weaving terms: B e a t : To force down the weft, usually with a beater, or the point of a bobbin

B e a t e r : Heavy tool with teeth used to compress the weft into the bed of cloth, usually applied with some force, also known as a comb

B r o c h e : (French) Bobbin (high warp) with one pointed end

H e d d l e : Wire or string with an eye through which the warp thread passes

P l a i n w e a v e : Simple over-and-under interlocking of warp and

weft

B o b b i n : Tool on which the weft is wound in an orderly fashion and which is passed between the sheds of the warp

T a p e s t r y w e a v i n g : A type of fibre weaving, a weft faced, woven cloth with discontinuous wefts, usually plain weave

W a r p : Threads stretched lengthwise on the loom

W e f t ( o r w o o f ) : Threads crossing the width of the loom

Directions: I m a g e 1 : String your frame: Choose your warp (vertical) yarn and feed through the first screw eye on one side of the wood frame and feed it through each screw eye up and down, all the way through to the other end. Allow the yarn to continue without making any cuts.

I m a g e 2 : At the end, tie a knot through the screw eye on the other side.

I m a g e 3 : Time to weave: cut 2 yards of the thickest yarn and start weaving leaving a 1-2 inch gap from the bottom of the loom. You will be using a plain weave technique throughout this whole project.

Plain weave is an over-and-under interlocking of warp and weft.

I m a g e 4 : When you get to the other side from where you started, continue upwards in the reverse direction. You will know that you are correctly doing it if it goes against the previous warp thread.

I m a g e 5 : Use a beater (comb) to bring the threads closer together.

I m a g e 6 : Cut 2 yards of your next yarn colour and wrap it around your bobbin needle. Start weaving 10 rows to both ends, back and forth. Make sure you leave a tail of yarn at the start and at the end of each yarn colour change so you can weave it through at the end.

I m a g e 7 : Cut 2 yards of your next colour and wrap it around another bobbin needle. You will be making a triangle by weaving until about 他 88

of the way across and return to the beginning. To create a triangle, you will decrease one warp thread each time you make a new row.

I m a g e 8 : At the same time, you can use the grey bobbin needle and fill in the other side of the pink triangle. To continue with the pattern, visit dotemagazine.com/bits-pieces/downloads.

I m a g e 9 : Finishing your ends: use a crochet hook to weave through between the warp 3-4 times and bring it all to the back of the woven piece.

I m a g e 1 0 : Once all the ends are woven through, snip the ends with a pair of scissors.

Weaving is complete: you can leave it on the loom or create a hanging piece. If you would like it as a hanging piece, continue to the next steps.

I m a g e 1 1 : Cut the ends as close to the screw eyes as possible, having more warp thread at the top and bottom of woven piece for knotting the ends.

I m a g e 1 2 : Knot the ends at the bottom and tuck in the loose ends with a crochet hook.

I m a g e 1 3 : Knot the top end onto a piece of driftwood or dowel.

Gather your materials 3-6 balls of yarn – this project used 6, all with different weights (make sure all your yarn skeins are wrapped in a ball so they will be easier to unwind)

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Bobbin Beater Scissors Weaving loom (see instructions on page 90)

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Driftwood or dowel Crochet hook

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*All of the materials for this DIY can be found at specialty yarn shops. We sourced all of our tools and yarn from Stash Needle Art Lounge, stashlounge.com.

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HOW TO BUILD A LOOM FRAME

Wr i t t e n a n d i l l u s t r a t e d b y R o s a l y n F a u s t i n o

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A NOBLE BRUNCH W R I T T EN BY MEG HAN J ES S IMAN PH OTOG R APHED BY S ARAH VAUG H AN

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Special thanks to Fleurish Flower Shop for creating the beautiful table garland.

Follow her @fleurishflowershop.

Order something Benedict-esque and start really listening to what your tablemates are saying. Pass the pastries and let the mimosas f l o w a s e a s i l y a s t h e i n s i d e j o k e s a n d l a u g h t e r. F o r g e t t h e W i F i password. The only connections you need to worry about are right there around your table.

Michael Noble knows good brunch

when he sees it and as the chef-owner of two of Calgary’s most popular spots for upscale comfort foods, Notable in Bowness and Inglewood’s The Nash, he knows exactly what it takes to create a memorable and enjoyable mid-morning meal. We’d expect nothing less from a man whose resume reads like a hit list of Western Canada’s top restaurants, but hey, it’s always nice to know that the man behind the Benedict is as big of a fan of slow-paced, libation-heavy opportunities to connect with friends and family as we are.

Though brunch has never gone out of style, Noble has watched the meal’s popularity wax and wane many times over throughout the course of his nearly three decades-long career. During the early 90s as the Executive Sous Chef at the Four Seasons Hotel in Vancouver, Noble remembers a time

when brunch was truly for everyone. “We were serving 400 people every Sunday,” he recalls. “But then the whole brunch thing just kind of disappeared off the radar for a while.” These days, especially in metropolitan hubs, the concept of brunch – and even “brunching” as a verb – is back in a big way.

No other meal is quite as polarizing as the breakfast-lunch hybrid, though. You either love it or you hate it, or as Noble sees it, sometimes you can experience both emotions simultaneously. “People have a love/hate relationship with brunch. There’s this kind of self-loathing thing that happens sometimes,” Noble theorizes. “You haven’t just sat there and had a fruit plate – you are fed! It’s mid-Sunday and you’ve just had this hearty meal and all of a sudden your brain tells you you should have been out jogging and you start feeling bad about yourself.”

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Though he has been known to jog, there is no self-loathing for Noble. As much as he loves to serve it up (and curate seriously good menus for Calgary’s brunch-enthusiasts to indulge in), the reason he’s such an expert is undoubtedly because he is a huge fan of brunch – the meal and the verb – himself. But while the food does play a role, for Noble his fondness is more related to the people you choose to dine with.

According to Noble, it’s those who relish in interpersonal connection who love the whole brunch thing. “Brunch is the best meal for socialization in my mind,” he says. Normally it’s on a Saturday or a Sunday so people have the day off and it’s early in the day so you’re feeling fresh. You have the time to really indulge in and enjoy conversations.” These days with his restaurants booming Noble finds it challenging to carve out the time to kickback and drink a few cups of coffee and indulge in the leisurely art of brunch. When he does, though, he’s often found in his own establishments.

Other local places he feels are worth the brunch-rush line up? Edmonton Trail’s OEB Breakfast Co. “OEB was one of the first places in Calgary doing breakfast seven days a week and Mauro [OEB's head chef and owner] makes food that people want to eat.” And The Beltliner, “I haven’t been yet, but I’m looking forward to seeing what Brendan has cooked up.”

Noble’s brunch roots run deep. One of the earliest jobs he had as a chef was doing all the hot food at The Panorama Roof at Hotel Vancouver. “I was in there at 6:00 a.m. cooking off tray upon tray of bacon and sausage, scrambling eggs, and getting Bennies ready to be put together, and that’s when I started to love the whole brunch thing,” he says. Years later when he was running Vancouver’s Diva at the Met, Noble found himself in the position where it was a hotel restaurant, but with a reputation as one of the best dining establishments in the city. “365 days a year we 94

cooked breakfast,” Noble recalls. “I wanted that menu to be just as good as the dinner menu.”

How does one create such a menu? Well, the essentials to a truly great brunch all boil down to breadth in Noble’s opinion. A little something for everyone, it needs to blend both breakfast-inspired dishes and lunch items. “Someone may come in and just want the best damn burger they’ve ever had.” There must be griddled items – your french toast, your pancakes or your waffles – and great egg dishes. What’s a truly great egg dish, you ask? “Something more than an eggs Benedict,” Noble says decisively. “Something like duck confit perogies topped with perfectly poached eggs.” Classics are great and they have their place, but chefs need to think a little bit more playfully these days to keep diners on their toes.

That being said, when he orders for himself Noble goes back to basics. “I like anything of a Benedict style. Anything with the combination of potatoes, hollandaise, and runny yolks makes me a very happy camper,” he says with a grin. As for who comprises his usual brunch bunch: longterm love Megan Szanik and close friends and family. “On those occasions when I can round up my adult children with their busy lives, well, those are really special meals.” (Michael's daughter, Laura, pictured far right.)

The next time the skipped-jog blues start rearing their ugly head on the weekend, take a page out Chef Noble’s book: order something Benedict-esque and start really listening to what your tablemates are saying. Pass the pastries and let the mimosas flow as easily as the inside jokes and laughter. Forget the WiFi password. The only connections you need to worry about are right there around your table. And if we can suggest taking one more cue from Noble, it’s ordering a Whisky Sour instead of your usual Caesar. As Chef says with a chuckle, “There’s an egg white in there, no need to feel guilty!” Like we said, Michael Noble knows good brunch.

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N O B L E WA F F L E S Recipe by Michael Noble

Ingredients 2 cups all purpose flour 3 tsp baking powder 1 tsp salt 3 tbsp sugar 2 cups milk 3 eggs, separate yolks and whites 5 tbsp vegetable oil

Method

Place all dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl, stir to combine.

In a separate bowl combine milk, egg yolks, and oil using a whisk.

Form a well in the centre of the dry ingredients, pour the wet ingredients into the well. Stir the ingredients together from the inside out only until a batter is formed. Set aside for 5 minutes while you whisk the egg whites.

Whip the egg whites until soft peaks form.

Fold the whipped egg whites into the batter, leave a few pieces of the whipped whites visible, don’t overmix at this point as air will escape and the waffles will be heavy.

Preheat a waffle iron.

Place a spoonful of the batter on the iron and close.

Cook the waffle until the steam stops rising or until desired doneness is achieved.

Eat the waffle immediately when it is light, crispy, and fluffy.

Enjoy!

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FOL LOW MICHAEL @N OTAB LECHEF

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BAK ED

A CHRISTMAS COOKIE CAROL W R I T T E N BY VIC K I MAN N ES S PH OTOG RAPHED BY J AMIE HYATT S T Y L ED BY VIC K I MAN N ES S AN D ALEXAN DRA WIG

I t h i n k b a k i n g c o o k i e s i s e q u a l t o Q u e e n Vi c t o r i a r u n n i n g a n e m p i r e . T h e r e ’s n o d i f f e r e n c e i n h o w seriously you take the job, how seriously you approach your whole life.

– Martha Stewart

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Many thanks to Commonwealth Bar & Stage for allowing us to take over their dark and twisty space with our buckets full of cookies - it was the perfect setting for our Dickensian shoot.

Follow them @commonwealthyyc.

There is one thing that I believe we can all agree on: cookies are a staple for the holidays. The ritual of getting out those old recipe books that are tattered and torn with endless notes and revisions from generations past, heralds in the holiday season for me. The minute you take the first batch out of the oven you can’t help but reminisce of Christmas past.

Traditions are essential to my family’s holiday season, and one tradition that I take incredibly seriously is holiday baking. I have a soft spot in my heart for cookies, so when it was time to make them I would always be the first one to the kitchen to help my mom. Things haven’t changed over the years; I still love making cookies.

Every year I try and evolve a holiday recipe that we’ve used in the past, breathing new life into it, which can keep those traditions alive but introduces new flavours and maybe even a new tradition.

Here are a few ideas of how to take those age-old recipes and add an exciting twist that will be sure to impress!

The Sugar Cookie Instead of rolling out your sugar cookies, try making them drop cookies instead. Add some spices, roll with sugar, and top with an eggnog icing to really make things festive.

The Jam Thumbprint Make these with ground almonds instead of flour, add a bit of cardamom for a deep chai flavour, and pair with a dollop of homemade jam. Best part is – they’re gluten free!

The Chocolate Crinkle Cookie Eliminate the powdered sugar on the outsides and add a giant marshmallow to the top. It’s like a cup of hot cocoa in cookie form.

Try pairing these cookies with the Cold Bourbon Wassail created by Sean Doherty from Commonwealth Bar & Stage, on page 103, to create a new tradition that you can really take seriously.

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SPICED SUGAR COOKIES WITH EGGNOG ICING R e c i p e b y Vi c k i M a n n e s s

Cookies Ingredients:

2 ¾ cups all purpose flour 1 tsp baking soda ½ tsp baking powder ½ tsp salt 1 cup butter 1 ½ cups sugar 2 eggs 1 tsp vanilla extract ½ tsp cinnamon ½ tsp nutmeg ½ tsp ginger ½ tsp cardamom ⅛ tsp allspice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices into a bowl and mix together. Set aside.

In a mixer on medium speed, cream softened butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.

Add eggs and vanilla and mix until light and airy.

In a separate bowl, mix ½ cup of sugar with 1 tsp cinnamon.

Roll dough into 1-inch balls, roll into the cinnamon-sugar mixture and place on a baking tray 2 inches apart.

Bake for 12-14 minutes.

When cooled, ice with eggnog icing.

Makes 24 ish cookies.

Eggnog Icing Ingredients:

½ cup unsalted butter 1 ½ cups powdered sugar ¼ cup eggnog 1 tsp vanilla extract ¼ tsp nutmeg ¼ tsp cinnamon Pinch salt

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Directions:

In a mixer, cream softened butter until smooth.

Add powdered sugar ½ cup at a time on low speed, when all incorporated, mix on medium for 2 minutes.

With mixer running, slowly add the eggnog and mix on medium for another 2 minutes.

Add the spices and salt, mix together and spread on cooled cookies.

GLUTEN FREE ALMOND THUMBPRINTS R e c i p e b y Vi c k i M a n n e s s

Ingredients:

6 cups ground almonds 5 eggs 2 cups sugar 1 tbsp ground cardamom 2 tsp cinnamon Icing sugar Seasonal jam

Directions: Preheat oven to 350째F. Place first five ingredients in a medium bowl and mix until combined.

Roll into 1-inch balls and coat with icing sugar.

Place on a baking tray 2 inches apart.

Using your thumb or finger, press into the middle of each cookie leaving an indent.

Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until edges are a tad crispy. If the cookies are still soft, give them another minute or two.

When cookies are cool, top with a dollop of seasonal jam. We suggest using the delicious plum and mint jam. Recipe on page 66.

Makes 24 ish cookies.

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HOT COCOA & MALLOW COOKIES R e c i p e b y Vi c k i M a n n e s s

Ingredients:

2 cups all purpose flour 2 cups sugar 1 cup cocoa 2 tsp baking powder Pinch of salt 4 eggs ½ cup oil 1 tsp vanilla 24 jumbo marshmallows 1 block bittersweet chocolate

Directions: Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl.

Add oil, eggs, and vanilla to dry mixture and mix on medium speed until combined.

Cover dough and keep in the refrigerator for an hour or two.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place on a baking tray 2 inches apart.

Bake for 10-12 minutes until cookies are still soft but have cracked on the edges.

Place a marshmallow on top of each cookie and put back in oven for 1 minute, or until mallows are puffy and melted.

Once cooled, top with freshly grated bittersweet chocolate.

Makes 24 ish cookies.

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C O L D B O U R B O N WA S S A I L

Created by Sean Doherty of Commonwealth Bar & Stage * Wa s s a i l i s a t r a d i t i o n a l s p i c e d a l e o r m u l l e d w i n e generally enjoyed during holiday celebrations.

Ingredients:

2 oz bourbon 2 oz cold apple cider 1 oz cinnamon-ginger simple syrup (recipe below) Sliced fresh ginger Cinnamon stick

Directions:

Pour first 3 ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice and sliced ginger.

Strain into a rocks glass.

Garnish with cinnamon stick.

Cinnamon-Ginger Simple Syrup Ingredients:

2 tsp cinnamon ½ tsp fennel seeds 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger ½ cup sugar ½ cup water

Directions:

Roast cinnamon and fennel seeds in a pan on mediumhigh heat.

Add grated ginger and slightly caramelize.

Add the sugar and let it start to melt and caramelize.

Pour the water into the pan and dissolve the sugar.

Simmer to desired thickness and strain.

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ENGAGE. DISCOVER. CREATE. COMMIT. DELIVER.

www.impactgr.com

T H E G R E AT CHRISTMAS TREE HUNT W R I T T EN A N D PHOTO G RAPH ED BY BLAIR IN K S TER

There is something so blissful about escaping the city on a clear winter day and heading into the forest. Few things can compete with the open sky, the fresh air, and exploring the wilderness with your best friends.

We started our tree hunt tradition two years ago with dear friends, Steph and James, and what started as simply wanting a freshly-cut Christmas tree blossomed into something so much more.

A Christmas tree that has been sought out, selected, and cut down with your own hands is a truly rewarding experience. Nothing beats the smell of pine filling the house with festive spirit or the way the lights seem to glow a little brighter once it's dressed.

Christmas has always been important in my family and I have cherished it deeply all my life. My family is rich in tradition and I have grown up spending Christmas Eve at Babas, with a big dinner, Christmas service, presents, and midnight snack. Growing older, this is something I value more each year. Since meeting my husband, it has been beautiful to see my family accept him into our tradition and have him come to love it as his own.

Now our traditions span the month of December beginning with our Christmas tree hunt. We start with coffee (of course) sometimes champagne, and breakfast, and then we are off to the mountains. We caravan through the forest until we find the right spot, and then we hunt. One by one we trail through the forest. We can usually spot the boys deep in the forest, consulting one another on the shape and size of the tree. The saw appears, and the perfect tree is one step closer to gracing our home with its fresh scent and Christmas spirit. We secure it to the roof of the vehicle and make our way back into the city. The

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rest of the day is spent enjoying one another’s presence, hot chocolate, and old records filling the room with cheer. We dress the tree with modest decorations, the lights offering the warmest winter glow on cold nights. Soon our home and tree is ready to welcome friends and family in for the celebration of traditions, new and old.

Be sure to get your Tree Cutting Permit and follow your Provincial guidelines before harvesting timber. Check out alberta.ca for more information.

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EMMA'S DOTEABLES H O L I D AY GIFT GUIDE The well-curated wishlist of a ten-year-old WR I TTEN BY EMMA K LASSEN P H OTOGRAPHED BY B ETHAN Y G RAB URN

F O R M Y H O L I DAY G I F T G U I D E I H AVE C HO S E N G I F T S T H AT I W O U L D LOVE TO GI V E A L L OF T H E S P ECI A L P EO PL E I N M Y L I F E . I TR I ED TO F I N D LOT S O F LO C A L THI NGS AN D A L M O S T EV E RY T H I N G I S AVA I L A BLE RI G H T H ERE I N T H E C I T Y. I HO P E T HI S I N S P I RE S A N D H E L P S YO U TO F I ND A T HO U G H T F U L G I F T F O R EV E RYO N E O N YO U R L I S T.

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FOR THE LADIES

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F O R AL L O F TH E L ADIE S IN MY L IF E , L IK E MY M O M , M Y N AN A, MY F IV E AUN TIE S, AN D MY DAN CE T EAC H ER S, MY G IF T IDE AS AR E AL L ABO UT CO ZY G L A M O U R . I E S P E CIAL LY LOV E TO G IV E MY MO M S P E CIAL PR ESEN T S, AN D S H E W O UL D LOV E AL L O F TH E S E TH IN G S! I LOVE TH E S E P R E TTY E AR R IN G S ( 1) - TH E S E W O U L D B E T H E MO S T S P E CIAL G IF T, E V E R . I AL S O R E AL LY LOVE T H I S G IV IN G K E YS N E CK L ACE ( 12) . E V E RY N E CK L AC E I S A N O L D K E Y TH AT H AS A W O R D E N G R AV E D O N I T, YO U W E AR IT UN TIL O N E DAY YO U F E E L TH E UR G E TO G I VE IT AWAY TO S O ME O N E TH AT YO U ME E T. T H I S I S SO CO O L AN D A R E AL LY AMAZIN G IDE A.

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1. TRI LO GY DIA M O N D S T UDS IN 18KT YE L LOW GOL D - BRIN K HAUS, PRICE AVAILAB LE UPON REQUEST L I PS TI C K IN R U BY WO O, $19 - NOR DS T R OM 3. P OL KA D OT SW EATER, $236 - ADORN B OUTIQUE D RY ER, 4 F O R $ 1 2 5 - G L E NBOW GIFT S H OP $14 - OLLI A

5. BE S P OKE CUSTOM PERFUME , $425 - PURAB OTAN ICALS. COM

7 . E AT DR INK NA P BOOK , $37.95 - CR U JUICE

6. MACARON S, 7 F OR

8. LEAH ALEXAN DRA LAB RADORITE RIN G, $98 - RUB AIYAT

W O O L T H R O W 1 0 0 c m X 70 c m , $400 - WINT E R WOOL IE S H OP. COM

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2. MAC RETRO MATT E

4. FRIDA K HALO ART TILE BY AMY

10. TEA, 3 TIN S FOR $15. 50 - OLLIA

9 . MER I N O

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11. JU LI A N A R E M P E L C E R A MICS S M A L L COLOUR BLOCK MUG, $30 GI V I NG K E Y S N E C K LAC E , $45 - CR U JUICE A NY AM O U N T - S A N T E S PA PO P E

CUP, $25 - THE CRAFTED ARTISAN TRUCK

15. 3-DAY CL E A NS E , $190 - CRU J UICE

TE RRA RI U M S

14. SPA G I F T C AR D,

16. DI SAN TA MARIA N OVELLA ALMON D SOAP, $22 - G R AVI T Y

1 7 . H E R B IVO R E R OS E H IBIS CUS COCONUT WAT E R FACE MIST, $39 - FRESH LAUN DRY

B O DY C R È M E , $ 9 0 - N OR DS T R OM

12. " IN SPIR E" T H E

13. LOV E LY B LON DE K IMON O, $76 - B UTTERCREAMCLOTHIN G. COM

19. OH DE E R BAT H S ALTS, $18 - PLAN T TERRARIUMS

2 1 . C H U N KY KNIT S WE AT E R CA NDL E , $25 - COALAN DCAN ARY. COM

18. J O MALON E POMEG RAN AT E N OI R

20. OH DEER B ODY OIL , $22 - PLAN T

22. MARC J ACOB S LEATHER STRAP WATC H, $ 2 3 5

- NO RDS T R O M 111

FOR THE GENTLEMEN 1

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H ERE ARE S O ME G REAT THINGS TH AT I WO ULD LOVE TO GIVE TO MY DAD, MY PAPA, MY UNCLES, AN D AN Y O LD DUDES THAT I K N O W. MY FAVO URITE IS THIS WATC H ( 7 ) - IT' S REALLY COOL BEC AUS E IT DO ES N ' T NEED A BATTERY. IT' S AN AUTOMATIC WATC H WHIC H WIN DS AS THE G UY WEARIN G IT MOVES HIS ARM. I ALS O LIK E TH E IDEA OF G IVIN G MY PAPA A BOX WITH A WH O LE BUN C H O F SHAVING S UPPLIES ( 9 - 1 2 ) .

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16 OP P OS IT E PAG E : 1. CREW N ECK SW EATER BY TELLASON, $170 - N ORTH A ME R ICA N QUALITY PURVEYORS $19 - M ON OG RAM COFFEE FR IDAYS OCK . CO

2. EN AMELWARE MUG, $25

ESPRESSO B EA N S,

3. THE VAN COUVER MISMATCHED SOCK S, $12 -

4. FILSON B AG, $248 - HAN SON 'S FISHIN G OUTFITTERS

5. FIS H ING FLIES, $3 - HAN SON 'S FISHIN G OUTFITTERS CA S E BY A LTO COLLECTIVE , $40 - MODERN MEN 'S W EAR

6. K AN YE IPHON E 7. TAG HEUER

CA R R E R , CALIB RE 6 ALLIG ATOR WATCH, $3, 700 - J. VAIR AN DERSON HAND MADE IN ALBERTA

GE NT L E M A N SPRAY BY HAPPY SPRITZ , $28 - PLAN T TERRARIUMS IN GOL D, $ 83 - K EN T OF IN G LEW OOD INGL E WOOD

8. RUG GED

9. MERKUR R AZOR

10. PARK ER SHAVE B RUSH, $57 - K EN T OF

11. D. R. HARRIS PIN K AFTERSHAVE $67 - K EN T OF IN G LEW OO D

12. D.R . H ARRIS ALMON D SOAP IN A MAHOG AN Y B OW L , $54 - K EN T OF INGL E WOOD THIS PAGE : 10. CHEESE OF THE MONTH CLUB, STARTING AT $330 FOR 4 MONTHS - JANICE BEATON FINE CHEESE

11. FOG LINEN POT, $67

12. ACACIA SPOONS, $16-$20 - OUR DAILY BRETT - MOUNTAIN MERCATO

TEA TOWEL , $22 - OUR DAILY BRETT 13. BELAZU BALSAMIC PEARLS, $18.95

14. BLACK TRUFFLE SEA SALT, $22.95 - MOUNTAIN MERCATO

15. MAKERS & MERCHANTS INFUSED OLIVE OIL , $39.95 - MOUNTAIN MERCATO 16. SKIPPING STONE SERVING BOARDS BY CAMP + CITY, $200 - CRU JUICE

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FOR THE TEEN LADIES 1

HAND MADE IN ALBERTA

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TH IS WAS MY FAVOUR ITE C ATEG O RY N OT ONLY BEC AUS E IT IS ALL S TUFF THAT I WO ULD LIK E , BUT BECAUSE IT IS WH AT I WO ULD BUY FOR ALL O F MY BES TIES ! PLEASE N OTE TH E MIN I THINGS (1) - I MADE THEM! I H AVE BEEN MAK IN G TH EM S IN CE I WAS S IX . I ALS O REALLY LOVE THESE RAW RUBY EARRIN G S (4) MADE RIG HT H ERE IN C ALGARY BY J EN N EA FRIS C H K E , WHICH I WO ULD G ET FO R MY BEST BEST FRIEN D.

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1. M I NI T H IN G S, $ 1 0 - E T S Y.COM /S H OP /DOT E M AGA ZINE 2. C O M M E DE S G A R C O NS P OL KA DOT S WA L L E T, $160 - G RAVITY PO P E

3 . H E LLO N E C K LACE , $16.95 - JOCE LYN.MYCOLORBYAMB ER.

COM

4 . R AW R U BY & S ILV E R E A R R INGS, $65 - JE NNE A FRISCHK E .

COM

5 . A N I M AL K I N GDO M : CO LO R M E , D RAW M E BY M ILLIE

M A ROTTA , $ 1 6 .9 5 - C H A P T E R S & INDIGO

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6. H A NDPA INTED

MO ONR I S E K I N GD O M A R R OWS, $115 - T H E UNCOMMON S 7. B A N. D O G E TAWAY DUFFE L , $78 - A DOR N BOUT IQUE SU GAR M I N I LI P C O LLE C T ION, $42 - S E P H OR A B RAC EL E T S, $ 4 E AC H - R UBA IYAT $100 - G R AV IT Y P O P E

12. S AT UR N P R OJE CTOR DOME , $20 -

TE LU S SPA R K S C IE N C E S TOR E B O U TI Q U E C U PCAK E S 114

10. NE W BA L A NCE 420 S,

11. 5 WAY "H E T TA " H E A D WR A P, £11. 99

- L I NE SA N D C U R R E N T. C OM - AD O RN B O U T I Q U E

8. FRESH

9. FR IE ND SHIP

13. BA N.DO H A IR P INS, $38 EACH

1 4. S UGA R PA P E R L A JOUR NA L , $22 - ADORN

1 5 . DIY C U PCA KE KIT, S TA R T ING AT $34.95 - CRAVE

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FOR THE LADY BABIES

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FO R ALL O F THE S WE ET LITTLE LADIES IN MY LIFE , I HAVE C HO S EN S O ME S PEC IAL PIECES - N OT TO O G IRLY, BUT A LITTLE BIT G IRLY. MY FAVOUR ITE IS TH E ADD -A- PEARL NECKLACE ( 1 ) . YO U G IVE YO UR LITTLE G IRL O N E PEARL EVE RY YEAR TO BUILD HER A BE AUTIFUL PEARL N EC K LAC E . PLUS, HOW S WEET IS THAT HANDMADE DO LL! ( 6 )

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1. A D D -A- P E A R L S ILV E R CH A IN, $80 A ND P E A R L S, FR OM $9 EACH - J. VAIR AN DERSON A NTH ROP O LO G IE

C DA ND B R E E @ G M A I L . C OM

5. BUNNY T E E T H ING R IN G, $12

MIN I TEETHIN G B LAN K ET, $15

6. BOOL A H BAGUE T T E H A NDMADE DOLL , $74 - RIVA'S THE ECO STORE

B L ANKE T, $ 1 6 - N O R DS T R OM KI EH L ' S, C H IN O O K C E NT R E

7. MULTI- USE B IB, $1 2 -

10. M OMMY AN D ME N AIL POLISH, $16 - AN THROPOLOG IE

12. NUR T UR ING BA BY CR EAM, $23

4. JU LIA , CHIL D ,

SILICON E TEETHIN G RIN G, $ 8 -

8 . M E RINO WOOL S L E E P E R , $97.50 (2 Y R & UN DER) , $126. 50 ( 2+) - RIVA'S THE ECO STORE

PU L LOV E R , $ 2 7 .9 5 - G R E YNOR T H S H OP.COM

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2. MERCURY G LASS J AR, $14 -

3 . BR OT H E R V E L L IE S NE ON TOE CA P MIN I ERON G O DESERT B OOT, $95 - HOLT REN FREW

$19. 99 - C H A P T E R S & INDIGO NU M PF E R .C O M

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G EN TLE HAIR AN D B ODY WASH, $19. 50

9. CROSS MY H EAR T

11. B ABY SWAD D L E B ABY LIP B AL M,$ 1 1 -

FOR THE BABY DUDES 1

HAND MADE IN ALBERTA

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I REALLY O N LY K N O W THR EE BABY BOY S AN D THEY AR E ALL "C O O L DUDE" LITTLE GUYS. TH ES E G IFTS ARE TH E COOLEST TH IN G S ARO UN D! HOWEVER , ALL LITTLE BOY S S HO ULD R EAD THE Q U IET BO O K BY DEBOR AH UN DERWO O D ( 1 0 ) . IT' S A SUPER C UTE BO O K WITH S O ME GOOD ADVIC E ABO UT BEIN G QUIET!

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1. A L P H A B E T B LO C K S, $ 75 - T H E UNCOMMONS C H I L D OR G A N IC S, $ 2 .4 9 - S UNT E R R A M A R KE T

2. FUR POM TOQUE STRIPE , $20 - MYMILA. CA

3. ALL N ATURAL SN ACK S - LOVE

4. BA BY PEN DLETON B LAN K ET, $96 - RIVA'S THE ECO STORE

O PTI CALS S U N G LA S S E S, $18.50 - CH A P T E R S & INDIGO A ND S' M O R E S, $ 1 3 0 - KR A ZYM OOS E T E NT S.COM VI L L AGE F OX , $ 5 5 - R U B A IYAT

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5. MUSTACH I F I ER BABY

6. LITTLE CITIZ EN S HOODIE , $38 - ADORN B OUTIQUE

7. W OOL F I R E PI T

8. CAK E FOR B REAK FAST AMPERSAN D TEE , $27 - ADORN B OUTIQUE

10. T H E Q UIE T BO O K, $12. 99 - CHAPTERS & IN DIG O

9. H AZEL

11. B ABY DR. MARTEN S, B ROOK LEE , $ 8 0 -

GRAVI TY P O P E 117

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WRITTEN AN D REVIEWED BY MO RG AN C HAPMAN BO O K C OVER ILLUS TRATIO N S AN D LETTERIN G BY J ILL MAY ER O F ART + ALEXAN DER

Fiction

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr In this beautifully crafted historical fiction that reads with the pace of a thriller, we were taken on a journey through World War II unlike any other. This novel was on the beach blankets of many Dote readers this summer, and seemed to capture us all in its magic.

Reader feedback for All the Light We Cannot See: “I was enchanted by this novel. Didn't want to put it down, and didn't want it to end even as I chased every last word down at a ravenous rate.

Beautiful, gut-wrenching, suspenseful, expertly plotted, and filled with the kind of lingering prose that elevates a novel to unforgettable status.” Averil Kenny

Non-Fiction

Better Than Before by Gretchen Rubin

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Annie Dillard famously said, “How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.” In Gretchen Rubin’s newest book we were expertly presented with research, anecdotes, and a plethora of strategies to make the most of our days through changing our habits to change our lives. Whether it’s using the strategy of pairing to complete a workout while indulging in a favourite guilty pleasure TV show, or invoking the strategy of scheduling to ensure a specific activity occurs each day, Rubin encourages us to live the life we have always imagined by creating positive daily habits that move us closer to becoming the people we want to be.

Inspiring and practical.

Reading this classic tome from the perspective of an adult was an inspiring experience. I caught myself reveling in the childhood play of Jem and Scout, laughing to myself at JeanLouises’ interactions to her grumpy old aunt, indignant at the injustice of wearing frilly dresses when she would rather be wearing overalls, and touched by her earnest love for her father. Most poignantly, I adored how Atticus parented his children and lived his life, rooted in deeply held values of human dignity, kindness, and justice. Books like these have lessons to impart at each stage of our lives. I’m sure this one won’t sit on the shelf for long before it’s picked up for another thought-provoking read.

Open your eyes and see what you can with them before they close forever - All the Light We Cannot See, Anthony Doerr

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Classic

The Book With No Pictures by B.J. Novak This book continues to be a favourite among my students and my own children. They especially love foisting it on unsuspecting special guests, friends, and teachers. We hope B.J. Novak comes up with more paradigm-shifting books that will be equally enjoyed by children and their parents alike. Until then, we will keep sharing a few giggles with our little audience each time we read this unconventional book which forces us to practice our most dramatic voices and silly facial expressions.

Picture Book

Read along with the Dote Book Club and let us know what you think! Send your comments to hello@dotemagazine.com and we may print them in our next issue!

Use #dotebookclub on social media if you are reading along with us.

Non-Fiction

Fiction

Classic

A Mountain Story by Lori Lansens

Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling

Tender is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald

From the celebrated Canadian author of The Girls comes a thrilling survival story of an unusual group of hikers, stranded together for five days in freezing temperatures without food, water, or shelter. Wolf Truly has gone up the mountain to take his life on his 18th birthday, grieving the tragic loss of his best friend. Three generations of Devine women have taken to the mountain for different reasons, and when all four are brought together, they soon realize that there is strength in each other. Told from the perspective of an adult imparting the lessons he learned on the mountain to his only son, we’re looking forward to diving into this compelling story about how ordinary lives can be changed by an extraordinary mountain experience.

Raise your hand if you secretly wish Mindy Kaling was your best friend (everyone raises hand). We couldn’t be more pleased that the creator and star of The Mindy Project, and author of the New York Times bestselling book, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?, is back with a collection of hilarious, insightful, and personal essays.

We can look forward to her unique and witty perspective on friendship, appearances, and body shape in Hollywood, and the secrets of her close relationship with ex-boyfriend B.J. Novak.

She shares how this book differs from her first: "I know now that people like me, so I'm incredibly honest and vulnerable in this book. It's a little scary, actually, but I think it makes it funnier.” We can’t wait to peek inside the life of our favourite actress/writer/pretend bestie this fall.

Set on the French Riviera in the late 1920s, Tender Is the Night is a tragic romance, often compared to The Great Gatsby, by the author who seems to specialize in the troubled lives of the rich and beautiful. For those familiar with Fitzgerald, this novel is a fictionalized peek into some of the circumstances of the writer’s own life. It tells the tale of Dick and Nicole Diver, an adored and stylish expatriate couple, with no obvious worries, for whom life is one grand party. Of course, things are not always as they seem. Though this novel emerged during an extraordinarily difficult period in Fitzgerald’s life, and was the last book released before his young death, the exquisite prose makes this haunting story a worthy classic to explore.

Picture Book

This is Sadie by Sara O'Leary, Illustrated by Julie Morstad She is curious, she is playful, she is imaginative. She is a hero, she is an explorer, and she is brave.

She loves birds and books and has wings of her very own. “The days are never long enough for Sadie. So many things to make and do and be.” This book is an absolute gem, a celebration of childhood play, imagination, and storytelling. Canadian author/ illustrator duo Sara O’Leary and Julie Morstad have created a modern classic with the infinitely re-readable quality of all wellworn favourite childhood books.

Young Adult

Nightbird by Alice Hoffman Twelve-year-old Twig and her mom live in the woods near the quaint town of Sidwell, where people whisper that fairy tales are real.

In this vividly written middle grade novel by acclaimed author Alice Hoffman readers are enchanted by the ethereal magic of Hoffman’s expert storytelling. Hoffman writes: “For my readers who are searching for the same things I searched for, Nightbird is a book of hope, for the lonely, the friendless, the girl who is different, the boy who has secrets to keep. In it, magic can be found in unexpected places, right next door or scrawled on a piece of paper hidden in an old desk. It takes place in a summer when everything changes, when the moon is red, when friendships are forged, and when love can be found at your own front door."

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