ClubWest Nov/Dec 2014

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER EDITION 2014

Merry Christmas

from ClubWest!

The ArT of the Pin-up Girl

beamsville bakery: Creating Christmas treats for 40 years Debbie Zimmerman: Once a hellraiser, always a hellraiser

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November/December 2014 | clubwest.ca

1

the

LIGHT UP NIGHT

VOLUME 1, NUMBER 3 • NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2014

W I T H A PA N D O R A H O L I DAY

GIFT SET AVA I L A B L E S TA RT I N G

N OV E M B E R 1

Who is Debbie Zimmerman? - Page 7 Page 12 - Nik Halkias: riding in paradise Page 14 - The music of Zach Preston Page 18 - Beamsville Bakery: A passion for pastry Page 20 - Cold nights? Hot meal ideas here Page 24 - A gem of a gallery Page 26 - The art of the pin-up girl NOVEMBER/DECEMBER EDITION 2014

ON THE COVER e Lady Luck Pin-ups photographer Jennifer McCready captures the pin-up spirit of model Catherine Bratton.

Merry Christmas

from ClubWest!

The ArT of the Pin-up Girl

beamsville bakery: Creating Christmas treats for 40 years Debbie Zimmerman: Once a hellraiser, always a hellraiser

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- Benjamin Franklin

ne of the first things taught in any self-respecting journalism school is that everyone has a story to tell.

A good reporter should be able to hang out at a gas station for 10 minutes and extract a half-dozen story leads just by listening to customers.

Over the near-20 years I have been covering all things Niagara West, I have spoken to Debbie Zimmerman countless times: in formal interviews, at public events, or over a coffee to catch up on things. Just when you think you know a person...

My goal, as always when I speak with someone I know well, is to find out things I don’t know about them because if I don’t know, chances are the general public would not either.

I learned a lot in our chats for my feature in this edition of ClubWEST. As a kid, Debbie sounds like she was a bit of a punk. And in the nicest way, she still is.

She is an intensely informed and motivated punk, ideal to have for political representation. She knows what the community needs (because she listens) and she has no problem dropping the mitts and fighting for it. She says she is taking a self-imposed break to cool her jets and recharge. Good for her!

Niagara West communities have been blessed with some talented, hard-working representatives over the years but none better.

And speaking of none better, two of Beamsville’s main street shops represented in this edition are certainly at the top of their respective fields. Klaas Salverda, now with his son Ben, at Beamsville Bakery have crafted a reputation for excellence over four decades of serving its clientele. Meanwhile, Nik Halkias at County Cycle serves as a model of what those who nibble the pastries from across the street should be doing to burn off the “donut effect”, namely cycling anywhere and everywhere.

This summer he went on an extreme bike adventure in Portugal. He can scratch that from his bucket list.

Smithville resident Jennifer McCready combines her passion for photography and empowering women to create classic 1950s style pin-up photos – including this month’s cover shot which used NewsNow’s general manager Catherine Bratton as a subject, along with a Beamsville Bakery Black Forest Cake.

There are so many people in our midst that are doing cool things every day. They are living the ClubWEST mantra of “Passions, Pursuits & Passtimes”. Our goal is to unearth these gems and serve them up to you, our devoted readers. Our other goals, like being on time with deliveries, are more mundane, but very important to running a credible organization.

Enjoy your read!

Publisher, ClubWEST Magazine Mike Williscraft

November/December 2014 | clubwest.ca

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November/December 2014 | clubwest.ca

7

CW Who is Debbie Zimmerman?

Passions

HER STORY

By Mike Williscraft

D

ebbie Zimmerman was a politician before she even realized it – bold,

confident, opinionated, and mentally tough.

After a handful of incidents proved these points to her, and an equally small

Debbie Zimmerman rappells down the side of the 23-storey Marriott Gateway as part of the Over The Edge at the Falls fundraising campaign.

8 clubwest.ca | November/December 2014

number of mentors guided her in the direction of politics, her life course was established.

The daughter of Pearl and the late Murray Roy was born in British Columbia.

Her family moved to Beamsville when she was five years old and relocated to the home she grew up in on Central Avenue in Grimsby a short time later.

She attended Park School and Grimsby Secondary School before studying journalism at Niagara College. She recalls Mrs. Harris at Park and Mr. Muir, her high school history teacher as early influences, but nobody had a greater affect on her than her father.

“I was the first female to wear jeans at GSS. It was the 60s and girls just weren’t allowed to wear them,” Zimmerman recalls.

“I was a real pain in high school: always leading a charge in some direction. One day, I decided to wear jeans because I saw all the boys wearing them.”

“My Dad came with me. Dad went with me and said to the principal, pointing at one of the boys, ‘What’s he wearing?’ The principal said, ‘Jeans.’ My dad said, ‘Why can’t she?’ And that was it.”

Her interest in politics came from a household which always had an interesting mix of polticial stripes.

Her father was a staunch Liberal, and her mother, a New Democratic Party supporter.

“My father was quite happy to tell my mom, ‘I get to cancel you out’ (with his vote),” noted Zimmerman.

If you were a Liberal fan or, perhaps, not even, chances are you might have tried to get to Place Polonaise in 1970 for a chance to see Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau at the height of his Trudeaumania.

“I was a teenage girl. I thought he was

Continued on Page 9

Passions COVER STORY with Dad’s wine?’. My dad must have been handsome and had a lot of style. My embarrassed when he would have friends dad told my mom he was taking the over and serve that wine and they would kids for ice cream and he snuck us to see say, ‘Murray, you are a terrible winemaker’.”

Trudeau,” Zimmerman said.

“We had a lot of fun.”

“We never got the ice cream.”

At Niagara College, Zimmerman credits She noted that while her mother Pearl Joan Hastings-Dove as another key menwas a traditional 1960s mom, she had no tor in her life. Hastings-Dove, a long-time problem stating her views and was, like Grimsby resident, has always been one to Debbie, very opinionated. not stand for the status quo.

“Both my parents were very active. They At her first job after college, as a reporter were involved in Kinsmen and Kinettes, at the Grimsby Independent, it was Brien Rotary. They set the example for all of our Holmes who helped her navigate the formafamily,” she said. tive processes of getting things done in a With beliefs, opinions and an ethic for political way. hard work set, all Zimmerman “There was an issue with needed was a couple of menpublic access to the tennis “I wasn’t afraid to speak to people, I just tors to steer her in the right club in town. The hours didn’t know what I was going to say,” direction. Then one showed were too limited for the up at GSS in the form of Mr. general public. Brien chalMuir. lenged me. ‘Run for council - Debbie Zimmerman on her first campaign “He encouraged me to get and do something about involved. I skipped school to it’, he told me. He showed go the Peace Bridge protests. spoiled because we had to bribe them so we me what to do. I ran on that one issue and That was a big thing. I also hitchhiked wouldn’t get into trouble,” said Zimmerwon. there,” said Zimmerman, noting her mom man.

“I wasn’t afraid to speak to people during would be finding out both those things One of those things was “borrowing” her the election. I just didn’t know what I was when she reads this feature.

Dad’s homemade wine. going to say.”

“There were lots of little things that “Like a lot of people, my dad used to For anyone who knows her today, they made us the way we were. My Dad made make wine in the basement. We used to would find that hard to believe. us read the Royal Bank newsletter and we syphon out wine and replace it with water,” At her first council table, then Grimsby had to know one fact from it, then pass it smiled Zimmerman.

Mayor Ross Hall was an early political menalong.”

“My dad didn’t find this out until my tor and spent many years working closely Another thing she noticed as a youth sister Patricia’s wedding when I got up for with Zimmerman both on and off council. was that people listened to her. my speech. I talked about how we had to And for a man like former Mayor Nick “I was very vocal and very opinionated bribe her because she would see what was Andreychuk, who was also elected in the and when I spoke, people listened,” she going on and say, ‘Hey, what are you doing Continued on Page 10 said.

“I was a bit of a legend with my friends when I was 15. I was sneaking down to the lake to meet my friends for a swim. It was very late. The police stopped me and were going to take me home and tell my parents.”

“I convinced the officer not to do that.

I said, ‘Come on, it’s summer. It’s really hot. You were young once.’ He let me go.”

And she did most of the things that teenagers do that their parents wish they hadn’t, like sneaking her mom’s Studebaker out for a ride with her friends.

“The younger kids in our family got

Continued from Page 8

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Passions HER STORY Continued from Page 9 same ward as Zimmerman the first time she was elected in 1978, he has seen her develop from a different perspective.

“It was apparent that Debbie made a good alderman because she was peoplefriendly, able to listen to their concerns and then bring them to council and propose a course of action,” said Andreychuk.

“Debbie then moved along to the Region – I was also there as mayor – all along, I have considered Debbie to be a friend and colleague.”

“I was able to support and assist in her becoming Regional Chair as she had the attributes to be a good chairperson and, as it turned out, I was right. She did a good job as Chair because she had the ability to be fair and yet provide authority as required. As Chair she had to keep herself apprised of the issues in front of Council and used her people skills to get the whole picture before decisions were made.”

For Zimmerman, her two-term stint as Regional Chair of Niagara Region was the pinnacle of her political career (to date) and the culmination of decades of long hours and work.

She recalled ascending to regional chair – from Bob Saracino and Tim Kenney’s first mention of, “you may have a shot”, to a 14-ballot win.

“I was in shock. I had campaigned hard on the idea we needed to be think-

10 clubwest.ca | November/December 2014

ing and work as a unit. This was when the tri-city and uni-city thinking was out there. I told them we could have 12 communities working together but each would still maintain their autonomy.”

Zimmerman and her husband Paul had three children: Matt, who was a militia reservist and planned to go into the military; Amy, who now works in developing waste water policies at Niagara Region, and; Ben, who works in the water quality control field.

“I was loving what I was doing. I had to be flexible. I had the baby on my hip, stirring dinner and reading a report all at the same time. I found the time to make it work.”

With a family, it is always nice but difficult to achieve a harmonious atmosphete. The same was true for the Niagara Region family.

But one of the ways the Region has worked together is to pursue an agenda which includes the development of GO Train connections and a possible regional transportation strategy. Zimmerman has stressed for years that a regional transportation system is the key to the area’s economic future.

In a career path where there are a lot of considerable highs, there are also lows and none was lower than the sudden and unexpected death of her son, Matt, in 2004.

“That was a tough time. It changes you horribly. I was running federally at the time. The whole community pulled

together for me and helped us through that time,” said Zimmerman.

“There are so many cliches out there, live for the moment and all that. The number one thing I learned is simply the fragility of life.”

Her coping mechanism was to take an already busy person and ramp up the workload, getting lost in being busy.

West Lincoln Memorial Hospital, the YMCA Niagara West and chairing Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) were among the new projects.

“The pain lessens slightly but the emotion never goes away. Not a day goes by I don’t think about Matt,” noted Zimmerman, adding Matt’s death was the second time a young family member of hers had died.

When she was six, her nine-year-old brother Brad was killed by a drunk driver while standing at the corner of Park Road and Hwy. 8 in Grimsby.

Including Brad, she had six siblings.

“I got busy with those projects because I didn’t want to suffer in silence.

I appreciated what the community did for me and I wanted to give back.

The passing of the Oct. 27 municipal election marked the first time in 25plus years she did not hit the campaign trail.

“I’m ready for a break. I’m not done, but I need the down time,” she said.

“It has been a wonderful ride, but I need to refuel.

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11

CW

Travel HIS Story

Nik’s excellent adventure

Nik Halkias and Andre Manuel in Portugal

By Katherine Grant

N

ik Halkias is no stranger to mountain biking.

Whether the air is cool and misty or hot and humid, he would much rather be breathing it in as he descends a mountainside.

Halkias is back from a September trip to ride the ancient terrain of Portugal and the experience was all he hoped it would be.

He and his high-school friend Andre Manuel spent 10 days exploring, riding and forming new friendships.

“It was amazing to be among likeminded people who love what they do,” said Halkias.

There also might have been a crash or

12 clubwest.ca | November/December 2014

two along the way but it was all in a day’s ride.

Halkias is the owner of County Cycle in Beamsville which opened for business about a year-and-a-half ago.

The popular shop sells bikes, parts, accessories and does repairs.

The pair used the guiding services of The Mountain Bike Adventure, situated in Lagos, in the southwest corner of the Algarve, Portugal.

“Jim Carroll heads it up; he is just such an outstanding, truthful dude,” said Halkias. “We went into it pretty blindly, no hotels planned or anything. Jim was awesome, so accommodating. He found us a place to stay.”

Their stay was in a beautiful, converted farmhouse where they were able to store

their bikes right in their rooms. It proved to be an auspicious start.

Once settled, the biking adventure was soon to begin.

After some discussion, plans were set and they were picked up by the adventure company in a safari-style 4X4. “We were grouped together with six or seven other guys together with a trailer full of bikes,” said Halkias.

Mountain bike enthusiasts from all over Europe and North America converge on the area to take in its natural beauty and rugged terrain and there was lots of opportunity for shop talk with other enthusiasts from countries such as England, Holland, Ireland, Poland and Scotland.

Travel HIS STORY Continued from Page 12

The Algarve is an ideal location for mountain biking with peaks 1,000m above sea level and a vast expanse dotted with extinct volcanoes, ancient remains and endless dirt roads.

The group was driven to the top of each route – once they were well-fortified with coffee and breakfast – and down they rode.

The venue summons up a romantic vision of another time – the area was part of a trading route for the Romans – with cobblestone paths and Roman steps all part of the landscape.

“Some of the terrain took every grain of experience and skill we had,” said Halkias with a grin – apparently this wasn’t a bad thing.

“Everything is perfectly rounded, it has been walked on for centuries. It was slick and slippery.”

Every ride on the tour guided. “They took us up and there was a truck waiting for us when we made our way down. They

would bust out a cooler with all the fixings for a sandwich. It is a really well-organized crew,” said Halkias.

Some days they rode through cool, damp weather and other days the sun flooded the landscape providing breath-taking vistas.

“It was gorgeous, it reminded me of Greece,” said Halkias. “It was crazy, there is so much diversity in one area, some areas dry as a desert and others filled with pine and eucalyptus and cool, fresh air.”

Their European traveling companions differed as much as the landscape.

“They had a different philosophy on life; slow and relaxed, taking the time to reflect on life,” he said thoughtfully. “There is a certain peace to be found in the chaos of flying down a mountain.”

The rides were named for the landmarks they passed as they navigated the countryside through farmland; here a school and soon a convent would appear depending on the route. It was a good mix, said Halkias.

“Jim (Carroll) knows everyone, he

started out biking with the locals. When he decided to open his tour business here he spent the next few years tracking down all the farmers to make sure they were good with the routes. You would never get that here,” he said.

Halkias and Manuel also rode along the coastline with the stunning view of the Strait of Gibraltar, where the Atlantic ocean meets Mediterranean sea. The Strait of Gibraltar, which lies between the southern coast of Spain and the northern coast of Morocco, is the only place where water from the Atlantic Ocean mixes with water from the Mediterranean Sea. From the hospitality of the villagers to the food and the company, it was a good time.

“We were so fortunate to find such a cool group of people. The hospitality was amazing, we drank beautiful cheap wine among new friends,” said Halkias. “We promised we would be back.”

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13

CW

His story MUSIC

The joy of music

Zach Preston in concert in Mexico City

By Katherine Grant

L

atin music is pure joy.

The first time Zach Preston heard it played, the sound of flamenco captured his imagination and worked its way into his very being.

Now in the process of recording his third album – to be released next summer – Preston is well-known locally for his powerful performances of Spanish and flamenco guitar. In just a few short years, he has immersed himself in not only the music of Spain and Latin America but in its language and its culture. In doing so, his music and his life have forever changed.

“My life is music,” said

Preston. “The person I am came from the path I took to study it.”

It has been a path enriched by the deeply passionate and vibrant music and by the people who have come into his life because of it.

The first of these was Tony Macri, owner of Cibo Osteria restaurant. When then-18year-old musician Preston walked into Macri’s restaurant five years ago, he had no idea the swinging open of that door would mark a life-changing moment. Preston, now 23, was just looking for a place to play classical guitar– and earn money for college tuition to study music.

“I asked if I could come in and play music in his res-

14 clubwest.ca | November/December 2014

taurant, he said how about you come in tomorrow,” said Preston. He started out playing three days a week. “Tony is just an excellent person and a very good friend. The best thing I ever did was wander into his restaurant.”

That was in 2009, the year he began his study of classical guitar at Mohawk College. It was while he was at Mohawk that he first heard flamenco when a guitarist came into his classroom.

“This is music that takes you some place so beautiful,” said Preston. “It is so pure and rich; Latin music is pure joy.”

It was with Macri’s encouragement that he made the decision to go to Spain to study.

“He said, ‘go, and your job

will be waiting for you when you come back’,” said Preston.

In the spring of 2012 he traveled to Andalusia, Spain to study flamenco guitar. There he met Yliana Labrado Nieto, a woman from Cuba, and Mercedes Barbossa who was from Argentina, bothquickly became his friends.

Mercedes was co-owner of a restaurant and herself a singer who encouraged him to perform. He quickly absorbed the culture and the music and his new friends became more like family.

“These people took care of me,” he said simply. “I would go to their homes as a friend and they would scrape together whatever pennies they Continued on Page 16

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15

His Story MUSIC Continued from Page 14

could. These are people who have nothing but give everything.”

Preston found himself surrounded by acceptance and friendship but also new powerful musical influences.

He was honing his craft in the heart of its very origins.

Andalusia, Spain was the place where, 500 years ago, flamenco music was born.

Flamenco encompasses guitar, singing, dancing and even the complex handclapping as accompaniment.

Its beginnings spring from an unlikely alliance of people and cultures. Many believe flamenco to be the invention of the gypsies, and although they have been the main protagonists of the art, they are not its sole creators.

When the gypsies arrived in Andalusia from India around 1425, they brought with them many song and dance styles that have strong Indian connections. At this time Andalusia was still under Arab rule, and along with the Jews and the moors, the gypsies were soon to be persecuted by the Catholic inquisition.

The moors were forced to convert to Christianity, and failure to do so resulted in expulsion from Spain. The Jews suffered a similar fate, and the gypsies were subjected to some of the worst atrocities in an attempt to exterminate them as a race. Many laws were passed which forbid them anything to do with their identity.

These laws and restrictions

resulted in bands of gypsies, moors, and Jews taking refuge in treacherous mountainous areas, which were too desolate for the authorities to pursue them.

“Their music became a coping strategy,” explained Preston. “It was the glue that held their nomadic society together.

“It is medicine for the soul.”

These different cultures lived in relative harmony and the fusion of their music and dances are what we know today as flamenco: exciting, seductive and bold.

As Preston’s knowledge of the music grew, so too did his skills in speaking Spanish in which he is now fluent. In October 2012 he traveled to Puerto Rico to study guitar and in November he returned for a third time to Cuba.

“I am changed a bit every time I travel,” he said.

In February 2013, Preston recorded his first album of music while in Mexico and by spring he had returned to Spain to further his studies.

“When I am in Spain I think of my friends in Latin America, and vice versa!” he laughed.

Then Preston was off to teach, to give back to the communities that had given him so much.

“I started volunteering in Colombia. I developed a very remedial music program for the children in a school in Santa Marta,” said Preston.

“It was a wonderful experience.”

16 clubwest.ca | November/December 2014

Zach Preston with his music students in Colombia.

He spent two months teaching impoverished children and formed a special bond with the family he lived with: three generations of women under one roof. The youngest, the nine-year-old granddaughter of the house, is working on learning English. She has called Preston since his return to Canada for the summer and he is impressed with her progress.

“People here really don’t know what it is like to go hungry,” said Preston. “The people of Latin America live in dire circumstances and yet they open their hearts. They are the embodiment of pure kindness and family.”

His second album was recorded in Mexico City this past February, a work that had begun the previous fall. Preston returned to Canada in June and released the finished work with

the fitting title Ida y Vuelta which means “there and back.”

He spent the summer here at home – his family lives in Beamsville – but he is by no means done with his travels.

“I will continue to make music because that is what I was meant to do,” he said.

Preston is now Cibo Osteria’s house musician where he played for summer months.

“Some things are meant to be. I could have wandered into a different restaurant,” said Preston. “Tony has always supported me and continues to support me and my music. Really I think of the Cibo Osteria as my artistic home here in Canada.”

His website is www.zachprestonguitar.com; email zachpreston11@gmail.com for anyone interested in booking him to perform.

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baker profile CUISINE

Cooking with

Klaas Salverda

For 40 years Klaas Salverda has been baking tasty treats at his King Street shop in Beamsville.

Here he holds a Kerst Krans (Christmas Wreath) – Photo Williscraft 18 clubwest.ca | November/December 2014

Chef Profile CUISINE

Beamsville Bakery

F

:A passion for pastry

orty years ago lastThursday (Devil’s Night, Oct. 30), two things were going on in downtown Beamsville.

Klaas Salverda was working through his first day as owner of Beamsville Bakery and there was one heck of a pre-Halloween party going in the streets.

“It was pretty crazy in Beamsville back in those days,” recalls Klaas.

“At 9:30 at night there were burning tires rolling down Mountain Street and the mayor was walking around trying to get everyone to go home.”

Well, times have changed, but not the quality of baked treats emanating from

Scottish Christmas Cake A la Klaas Salverda

Fruit Filling • 1-1/4 cup of cherries • 3/4 cup of pineapple • 1/1/4 cup of candied fruit • 1 cup raisins • 2 Tbsp molasses • 2 Tbsp dark rum • 1/2 Tsp vanilla Combine mixture ingredients, stiff and let it sit overnight in the fridge Cake Batter • 3/4 cup sugar • 1/4 cup flour • 1/2 tsp salt • Pinch of baking soda • 3/4 cup butter • 2 eggs Cream cake batter ingredients together in a mixing bowl Bread Flour • 3/4 cup flour • Pinch cinnamon Mix bread flour with the fruit mixture which has sat overnight.

Then mix the fruit mixture into the cake batter.

When mixed, flow into two cake tins.

Bake at 350-degrees for two hours.

Klaas’ shop. Known far and wide for their from-scratch donuts, the bakery is also a popular stop for those looking to accent their Christmas table with delectible, colourful nibblies.

Salverda, who got his first job in the area at Stenson’s Bakery in Grimsby (where Amici’s Pizzeria is now), says he was born into baking as his father ran a bakery in Holland. Despite being practically dipped in batter as a boy, he still spent six-and-ahalf years in baking college to learn the finer points of his craft.

“When you understand the basics, you learn to make each recipe your own,” says Klaas.

One of his popular holiday season items is a Christmas cake with a Scottish flare.

“I worked with a fellow in Welland before I took over my shop. He was 70 years old at the time and he told me his recipe was old then,” recalls Klaas as he takes an elastic off his overflowing, yellowed-with-

age, recipe folder.

He provided his recipe for all to try, but you can certainly make it easy on yourself and drop in at the shop to pick one up.

These days, Klaas’ son Ben continues the Salverda passion for baking and he, too, got his education through work as a youth and post-secondary education attending George Brown College’s pastry arts program.

You can check out the bakery’s new website to see what other goodies they offer: beamsvillebakerypatisserie.ca The bakery is located at 4966 King Street in Beamsville.

Ben Salverda with Christmas treat, weihnachten stollen, which is great with coffee after a meal or as a breakfast item.

November/December 2014 | clubwest.ca

19

seasonal CUISINE

Cherry Berry Brown Betty When you’re looking for a dessert that’s easily portable, this one’s ideal. Combining fruit with the goodness of oatmeal and spice, it’s delicious as is or topped with a dollop of whipped cream.

Ingredients • 2 cups (500 mL) large flake rolled oats, traditional style • 2 cups (500 mL) all-purpose flour • 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) packed brown sugar • 2 tsp (10 mL) cinnamon • 1/2 tsp (2 mL) baking soda • 1/2 tsp (2 mL) nutmeg • 1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt • 1 cup (250 mL) butter, at room temperature • 2 tbsp (25 mL) lemon juice • 2 tbsp (25 mL) each of cornstarch and granulated sugar • 3 cups (750 mL) pitted Ontario Cherries • 2 cups (500 mL) Ontario Blueberries or Raspberries or combination of both Preparation sugar until cornstarch is dissolved. Add cherries and berries; Lightly butter 13 x 9 inch (3.5 L) baking dish. In large bowl, toss until evenly coated. Pour over oat mixture in pan. Sprinkle stir together rolled oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking with remaining oat mixture. soda, nutmeg and salt. Using your fingers, add butter to flour Bake in 350°F (180°C) oven 30 to 35 minutes or until topmixture and crumble until well blended. Firmly pat two-thirds ping is golden and a little crisp. Cool completely, then cut into of the oat mixture into bottom of prepared dish. squares. (Best served the same day, as juices from fruit may In medium bowl, stir together lemon juice, cornstarch and make base a little soggy.

For Christmas Cheer, Go West

Nov. 1, 2, 8, 9, 15 – Wrapped Up in the Valley. Choose a weekend November 1 & 2, 8 & 9, or 15 & 16 and explore the Twenty Valley wine route for $40 +hst. Wrapped Up is your passport to taste premium VQA wines and sample gourmet dishes from some of Niagara’s finest chefs. Join us for your choice of three weekends of exceptional wine and food pairings at 24 of the Twenty Valley wineries. Your passport entitles you to visit 24 wineries where you will enjoy a glass of wine paired with a delicious dish.

Wrapped Up is the perfect way to explore the Twenty Valley and stock up on some incredible VQA wines. As an added bonus assemble your own Wrapped Up Cookbook by collecting recipe cards at each stop along the way. Your pass port is valid for one taste-filled weekend.

Nov. 7 – Go Sip Holiday! On Main Street Jordan. Join us for a great Friday night out in Jordan Village! There are

20 clubwest.ca | November/December 2014

few things in life that go together as well wine, food, shopping and gossip, and that is what “Go Sip” is all about. Each shop in the Village will be outfitted with a different varietal of Cave Spring wine to sample, along with gourmet appetizers and of course their own unique offerings (with some special promos). Your Go Sip ticket also includes a take-home wine glass and an entry to win the Go Sip grand prize.Tickets for this great event are $40 each and may be ordered online at : www.20valley.ca/page/store or by calling 905-562-3636 Nov. 5 – Fielding Estates Winery Sip and Sparkle Ladies Night 6:30pm 9:30pm (4020 Locust Lane, Beamsville, Ont, L0R1B2) Your ticket includes:a welcome glass of sangria or Rosé, delicious light fare, $25 voucher towards the purchase of wine. Join us as we sip and shop the night away with local vendors offering handmade jewellery, gour-

met treats and more! A portion of the proceeds from this event will benefit Go Girls! programs in Niagara. Tickets $40 Regular Price or $30 Wine Club. Tickets are available by visiting or calling the winery at 905.563.0668.

Nov. 7 – Rockway Vineyards Winemaker Dinner; 7 p.m. $60 plus hst.

(3290 Ninth St, St Catharines) Join us for an intimate evening hosted by our Winemaker David Stasiuk, along with our culinary team, as they showcase the best in new release wines, paired with a seasonally inspired four-course menu.

Book your spot today 905-641-1030.

Nov. 8, 9, 15, 16, 22, & 23 G² Release GreenLane Winery 11am-5pm| $10+HST (3751 King Street Vineland) Make a date with the crew at GreenLane to try our NEW 2013 Gav’s Gamay (G²). Named for our assistant winemaker’s love of all things Gamay, Gav’s

seasonal CUISINE

Bacon, Egg and Cheese Muffins

Here is a savoury breakfast muffin that can be made ahead and frozen for breakfast on-the-go.

Ingredients • 1 small Ontario Onion, diced • 1/3 cup (75 mL) each diced Ontario Sweet Red and Green Pepper • 1/3 cup (75 mL) vegetable oil • 2 cups (500 mL) all-purpose flour • 1/4 cup (50 mL) cornmeal • 1 tbsp (15 mL) granulated sugar • 1 tsp (5 mL) baking powder • 1/2 tsp (2 mL) each baking soda and salt • 1/4 tsp (1 mL) each pepper and dried thyme • 1 cup (250 mL) shredded sharp (aged) Ontario Cheddar Cheese • 1/2 cup (125 mL) diced cooked bacon (4 slices) • 1 Ontario Egg • 1-1/4 cups (300 mL) milk mixture and vegetable mixture to dry mixture and stir just until Preparation In microwaveable bowl, combine onion, red and green peppers moistened.

Spoon batter into greased muffin cups. Bake in 375°F (190°C) and oil. Cover and cook on High for 1 to 1-1/2 minutes to oven for 15 to 18 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centre soften. Set aside. comes out clean. Let cool in pan on rack 5 minutes; turn mufIn large bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, fins out to cool completely. baking soda, salt, pepper and thyme. Stir in cheese and baTip: Try diced ham or smoked sausage instead of bacon. con. In another bowl, lightly beat egg; stir in milk. Add milk

For Christmas Cheer, Go West Continued from page 20 Gamay (G²) is an artful blend of stainless steel and barrel fermented Gamay.

The notes of fruit and spice pair perfectly with GreenLane’s version of a Tuscan Chili. Stop by and chat with Gav and warm up with a glass of Gamay and a bowl of Chili. Vegetarian option available upon request.

Nov. 14-16 – Christmas in the Village.

Join the Jordan Village Merchants as they Kick off the Holiday Season! In-Store Christmas Specials and Extended Holiday Hours.

Nov. 14-16 – Christmas Handmade Market. Honsberger Estate Christmas Shopping with 80-plus Artisan Vendors Friday - Sunday 11am - 4pm Daily $4 Admission - Park & Ride Free Shuttle.

(4060 Jordan Rd, Jordan Station). Featuring artisans offering jewellery, handsewn bags, fashion accessories, preserves, natural bath and body products, original

art, designer and children’s clothing, home decor, artisan wood products and time pieces, leather goods, hand bound books, live music, gourmet food, wine by the glass and more! For more info http:// www.handmademarket.ca/next-marketinfo Nov. 15 – Vertical Full Appassimento Cabernet Franc Dinner at the Foreign Affair Winery. Please email – wine@ foreignaffairwine.com to be added to the wait-list; 4890 Victoria Ave, Vineland.

Nov. 15 – Seeing Red with Chris Waters at Fielding Estates Winery (4020 Locust Lane, Beamsville) What’s not to like about the 2012 vintage in Ontario? Weather conditions throughout the growing season right up to harvest were as close to perfection as we’re likely to see. Now comes the fun part, tasting the very best wines produced from such wonderful circumstances.” - Chris Waters Sessions will be held at 11am, 1 pm and 3 pm and space is limited to 12

people per tasting. We will be offering special pre-release pricing of 10 per cent off these wines for this day only. Cost is $20 per person or $10 for Wine Club Members.Contact us at 905.563.066 or email jennifer@fieldingwines.com to reserve.

Nov. 22-23 – Flat Rock Cellar Annual Christmas Open House Weekend Celebration. Join us for a weekend of cheer.

New releases, cellar finds, great friend, great music and great food. Get an early start on gift-giving. 2727 Seventh Avenue Jordan. T: 905.562.8994 Nov. 30 – Riedel Stemware Event At Tawse Winery; (3955 Cherry Ave, Vineland. Compare wines in the appropriate glasses and experience first hand the difference proper stemware can make. Stewart Risto, from Riedel will be on hand to host this event and will guide you through the tasting. Best of all you will take home a set of four glasses that November/December 2014 | clubwest.ca

21

seasonal CUISINE

Baked Pizza Penne A delicious twist on a traditional Italian meal. Perfect for chilly winter nights with a crisp salad.

Ingredients • 1 onion, chopped • 2 cloves garlic, minced • 1 sweet red pepper, diced • 2 tbsp (25 mL) vegetable oil • 1 can (28 oz/796 mL) diced tomatoes • 2 tbsp (25 mL) tomato paste • 1-1/2 tsp (7 mL) each dried basil and granulated sugar • 1 tsp (5 mL) each dried oregano and salt • 1/4 tsp (1 mL) red pepper flakes • 2-1/2 cups (625 mL) cubed pepperoni (about 350 g) • 2-1/2 cups (625 mL) penne pasta • 1-1/3 cups (325 mL) shredded mozzarella cheese • 1/4 cup (50 mL) grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation In large deep skillet, cook onion, garlic and red pepper in oil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, sugar, oregano, salt and pepper flakes; bring to boil. Add pepperoni cubes; reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, cook pasta in boiling salted water for 8 to 10 minutes or until tender but firm. Drain

well and return to pot.

Add sauce, stirring to coat.

Place mixture in 11- x 7-inch (2 L) baking dish. Sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Bake in 400°F (200°C) oven for about 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and top is golden.

For Christmas Cheer, Go West Continued from page 21 you use for the tasting. Cost is $70 per person ($50 for our Wine Club members) including wine, cheese and stemware set. Seminars will be held at 1pm and 3 pm. Reservations are required. For reservations please call us at 905-562-9500 or email v.smyth@ tawsewinery.ca Dec. 6, 7 – The 5 Elves Yuletide Tour: at Vineland Estates Winery, Ridgepoint Winery, Tawse Winery, Malivoire Winery and Featherstone Winery. Enjoy a Five Winery Tour when you spend your day in Twenty Valley. Each winery will be offering complimentary experiences giving you a more compelling reason to make time during the busy Holiday Season.

Winery offerings and further details available at www.vineland.com Dec. 6 – GreenLane Estate’s Holiday Open House, 11am-5pm| FREE (3751 King St., Vineland) Come and celebrate

22 clubwest.ca | November/December 2014

with the crew as we have a sweet and savoury holiday cook off between winemakers Dianne Smith and Gavin Paton.

Help fight hunger this holiday season with a donation of canned or dry goods for our food drive in support of the Beamsville food bank.

Dec. 6, 7 – Calamus Holiday Open House, 11 am to 5:30 pm, Christmas Open House at Calamus: Food, Wine, and Merchandise specials in time for Christmas, (3100 Glen Road, Jordan) T: 905-562-9303.

Dec. 6, 7 – Thirty Bench! Holiday Open House; 2012 Small Lot Red Wines Release, from noon to 5 pm Save this date! (4281 Mountainview Rd, Beamsville). We invite you to join and celebrate with us the release of our 2012 Small Lot Red Wines: Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Benchmark Red.These wines were produced from one of the best and most talked about vintages in Niagara according to

our winemaker Emma Garner and she is very excited to release these amazing wines. Whether you’re entertaining dinner guests, or looking for the perfect gifts for your wine-loving friends, these bold and beautiful reds from our limited Small Lot collection will impress every palate. Join us and sample our new releases paired with gourmet cheese.

This event is open house $10 per person reserve your space now or payable day of.

T: (905) 563-1698 Dec. 7, 13, 14 – Puddicombe Farm & Estate Winery Polar Express. Celebrate the season with our version of the Polar Express! Children love this Christmas pajama party where Mrs. Claus tells the story written by Chris Van Allsburg while guests enjoy nibbling on cookies and sipping on hot, hot hot- hot chocolate. Children will enjoy a train ride to the Magical North Pole, or wagon, weather permitting, (1468 #8 Highway, Winona), T: 905-643-1015.

seasonal CUISINE

Apple Pie French Toast Crisp on top and moist in the middle, this French toast studded with tender sweet apples will be a big hit with everyone. Drizzle it all over with warm Ontario maple syrup and enjoy for breakfast or brunch.

Standing Time: 30 minutes Baking Time: 50 minutes Ingredients • 10 cups (2.5 L) cubed (1-inch/ 2.5 cm) egg bread • 3 cups (750 mL) diced Ontario Apples (about 3 medium apples) • 2 tbsp (25 mL) packed brown sugar • 1-1/2 tsp (7 mL) ground cinnamon • 6 Ontario Eggs • 3 cups (750 mL) milk • 1/3 cup (75 mL) Ontario Maple Syrup • 1 tbsp (15 mL) vanilla • Ontario Maple Syrup, optional Preparation Spray 13-x 9-inch (3 L) glass baking dish with vegetable spray; spread half of the bread in dish.

In medium bowl, toss together apples, sugar and cinnamon; scatter half over bread. Top with remaining bread and apples.

In same bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, maple syrup and

vanilla; pour over bread mixture. Press down gently with spatula to coat in liquid. Let stand for 30 minutes. (Make-ahead: Cover and refrigerate overnight. Let stand at room temperature while preheating oven.) Bake in 350°F (180°C) oven for 50 to 55 minutes or until golden brown and egg mixture is set.

Drizzle with warm maple syrup, if you like.

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23

CW

PURSUITS ART

Christmas gifts with an artistic flare

I

f you are looking for a truly unique Christmas gift, a visit to the Grimsby Art Gallery gift shop is in order.

The Gallery Shop offers a wide array of exclusively Canadian, hand-crafted giftware with much of its stock coming from regional artists. Gallery members enjoy a 10 per cent discount on their purchases and an annual members’ sale before the holiday season. It is open every day of the

year during gallery hours with the exception of statutory holidays.

“We carry all Canadian, hand-crafted giftware and represent artists from right across Ontario and beyond,” said shop manager Iris Garber.

“Several of our artists are from right here in Grimsby; from Vineland and St. Catharines. We are really fortunate to have so much talent and creativity in the Niagara Potter Jill Crown is longtime resident of Grimsby. She creates both playful but practical pieces such as this fish platter clay pottery & does lovely fused glass work. Jill is a member of the Hamilton Potter’s Guild

At the left of the photo is jewellery by Krista McMillan of Vineland.

It is 14k gold filled wire with natural semi-precious stones; she also uses silver and coloured wire to craft her jewellery. On the right are pendants by Josephine Martin of Grimsby. She uses dichroic to make her fused-glass pendants.

These beeswax candles were made by Bruce Brown of Clover Hill Bee Products of Grimsby. They are longburning candles (eg: votives burn for 15 – 18 hours) and are made of 100% per cent beeswax with cotton wick. Natural colour, hypo allergenic, no additives, neutralizes pollutants.

24 clubwest.ca | November/December 2014

Wine totes by Rhona Wenger, gallery director, who makes her home in Grimsby. Each tote is hand sewn from new & repurposed fabric. Signature style is repurposed blue jeans with pocket. All proceeds from wine tote sales goes towards the gallery.

area. It makes it easy to find and display beautiful work.”

The Gallery Shop, run by volunteers is a major source of funds for the gallery.

Its annual Christmas sale will be held Nov.13-15 and members will receive a 20 per cent discount, non-members 10 per cent. December will see Tax Free Tuesdays at the shop, located at 18 Carnegie Lane, Grimsby.

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Floyd Elzinga is an internationally known metal artist www.floydelzinga. com. The Beamsville resident has a number of pieces at the gallery shop including this metal and stone candle holder.

Public commissions of his work include the lobby of the new RitzCarlton Hotel in Toronto Silk scarves by Grimsby native Tania Love. Tanya uses plant based dyes (sumac, black walnut, gallnut) and natural fibres (cotton, silk) to create these beautiful hand-screen printed designs, inspired by nature.

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November/December 2014 | clubwest.ca

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CW

Her story PHOTOGRAPHY

The art of the pin-up girl

By Katherine Grant

I

f a woman entering the Lady Luck Pin-ups studio is at first bashful or reticent, those aren’t feelings that will last. As she slips into wardrobe, has her hair skillfully styled and her face made up to accentuate her best

features, she begins to transform – mentally as well as physically.

As the modelling and photography session unfolds, she begins to embrace who she is becoming – no matter her size or her age – and that, is a beautiful thing.

Jennifer McCready is the photog-

Catherine Bratton enjoyed a modeling session with Jennifer McCready of Lady Luck Pin-ups.

26 clubwest.ca | November/December 2014

rapher behind Lady Luck Pin-ups.

Deanna Spencer-Walker is the hair stylist and make-up artist. Together, theirs is an alliance that creates magic for those who walk through the door.

The premise for Lady Luck Pin-ups began about a decade ago – and it has

Her Story PHOTOGRAPHY Continued from Page 26 evolved as all good things do.

A photographer with the ability to draw out even the most bashful of subjects, McCready, a resident of Smithville, herself had experienced the world of being a pin-up girl but she took the long way around.

A photographer friend asked her to model and, as a plus-sized woman, the discovery that you didn’t have to be a size 2 to be a pinup model was a revelation.

In fact, in the world of the pin-up girl, curves are what it is all about.

“It changed who I was,” says McCready of the experience. “I got to see what I really looked like.”

“I wanted other women to feel how I felt.”

McCready has photographed pets and does baby photography and other standards with equal skill but it is with the pin-ups that her passion really shines through.

She understands the self-doubt and pain of feeling fat in a society that worships thin.

“I never felt normal,” she said adding she experienced heartbreaking attacks – even having eggs thrown at her – during her years in school just because of her size. Fat kids are easy targets and grow into men and women with body image issues.

She decided to use the power of what she could do with a camera to make other women, of all sizes, feel good about themselves. Armed with her camera and an ever-growing collection of vintage clothing and props, she set up shop.

Pin-up girls are most synonymous with the 1950s. The term was coined in an earlier decade as men away at war clipped and pinned up

photos of movie starlets. Pin-up girls gave the GIs of WWII something to dream about and a reason to come home. The ever increasing popularity of the movies in the early 40s kept them well supplied with pictures of a multitude of young starlets. The perfect pin-up girl was a sexier version of the girl next door. These women and the movies they made, gave the soldiers a brief distraction from the war they were fighting.

Pin-up girls of the day were women like Betty Grable: feminine, playful and flirtatious. With plunging necklines and high-heeled pumps, they were still tasteful and sweet, leaving something to the imagination.

The Lady Luck Pin-up experience is made highly personal through the efforts of McCready and SpencerWalker. The latter has her own business in Ridgeway called Revival Salon and she travels to McCready’s studio to do hair and make-up.

A consultation is in order first to discuss the shoot, wardrobe and styling. Props are considered. A theme might be chosen.

Then the fun begins. Today’s shoot is with Catherine Bratton, general manager at NewsNow community newspaper for the Christmas cover of ClubWEST magazine.

Spencer-Walker, whose own personal look is decidedly vintage – “I found a way to combine my love of feminism with my love of lipstick” – works on hair and then make-up with brushes swirling expertly.

Catherine’s hair and make-up takes 90 minutes and is transformative. Her hair is taken from straight to tight blond curls and then is swept up and back, smoothed into November/December 2014 | clubwest.ca

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Her Story PHOTOGRAPHY Continued from Page 27 soft waves and sprayed creating a classic Hollywood glamour-girl look. Her dress is deep red as is her lipstick.

McCready sets the stage, the props and arranges the lighting. Upbeat music plays – 90s pop.

As the shooting begins, the photographer and make-up artist work in concert, coaching their model who has their undivided attention and encouragement.

McCready walks Catherine through the poses; Spencer-Walker casts a critical eye over her work and steps forward to adjust a wayward curl.

Catherine is laughing; it would be hard not too, McCready has a fun-loving nature and her passion and enthusiasm for her craft is contagious.

With every flash of the camera McCready walks her through her moves.

“Turn your head a bit.. that’s it!

Beautiful!”

Props are exchanged, a change of shoes is in order, more photos.

Catherine is glowing even as the session winds down. It is hard to tell who among them had more fun.

The work of Jennifer McCready and Lady Luck Pin-ups can be found at www.lady-luck-pinups.com Her new studio is located at 296 Ridge Road, Ridgeway. Email ladyluckpinups@gmail.com

Photographer Jennifer McCready of Lady Luck Pin-ups, back, with stylist Deanna Spencer-Walker of The Revival Salon.

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