Pie bookazine Part 11

Style ° design ° Art ° music ° photography ° food ° travel ° INVESTMENT ° REAL ESTATE

A Relaxed Luxury Bookazine

BOOMERs chronicling an entire generation

samuel l. jackson in his own words

mariel hemingway balancing life

natural talent

nine gents loving what they do

crystal hefner

cuddle couture at the mansion

David Usher polo in tremblant

distinctive properties around the world ibiza

luxury rentals

herbert ratsch

PART 11 PIE Bookazine

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bottles the best of canada

northern exposure

calvinkleinbeauty.com

time can’t touch us. celebrating 25 years.

anniversary edition for men and women

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energy • healing • spa Be immersed in nature's elements of fire, air, wood and water as you enter the spa's organic and elegant eco-chic design in Tulum, Mexico Massage • Mayan Healing • Herbal Baths • Clay Treatments • Organic Facials • Temazcal • Energy Healing • Cleansing Programs • Sauna • Steam • Pools

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is a boutique hotel and spa

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tulum, mexico

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bamboo bikes

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All The Extras, At No Extra Charge

A VACATION with

EVERYTHING Isn’t it time to get more out of your next getaway? At Couples Resorts, our four all-inclusive oceanfront resorts give you more of everything you love. Whether you have your heart set on an extra splash of rum, another round of golf or a longer sunset sail, we serve up more fun in the sun than anyone, anywhere. And, naturally, it’s all included.

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For Couples That Want It All

Editor's Note

Part

→ 11

“There's no place like home."

“There's no place like home." Legend has it that with a click of the heels – voila – back to reality. In this issue the definition of home exceeds the norm and is even broader as we click our heels together and invite you to travel with us. From the backyard adult playground of the infamous Playboy mansion as guests of Mr. Hefner and his beautiful, thoughtful and relaxed wife to the luxury rental properties of Ibiza where true love was found many years before.

As we chase our dreams and work towards our goals the definition of home has evolved. We are excited to showcase luxury homes, private islands, lakes and richly atmospheric international real estate. It is a boundary broader than ever. Home is where the heart is, where the passion lies, where curiosity begins and exploration never ends.

Like every serving of PIE, this issue has a lot of heartfelt and beautiful stories of the friends we meet along the yellow brick road. Sometimes it's a master class in spontaneous stories and sometimes we use old school ways to capture the beauty and natural talent of a new friend.

Often the simplistic things are the most liberating as we explore the raw beauty of the North with beautiful images to match. I take great pleasure presenting the acclaimed Samuel Jackson as the Boomer-like-no-other who shares his personal and honest story, "In his own words". The legacy of a man who will continue to inspire future generations.

Pie is a good place to stroke your senses and each issue isn't released until mine are completely appeased. As we transcend according to our needs so do the pages of this Bookazine, pioneering a new way to be happy with peace and ease.

As we release another Bookazine, I offer a standing ovation to the team who has stood by me for the last 11 years as part of Pie Media Group. You are part of the filling! Your love and passion allow me to be a visionary inventor able to meet and share the stories of those who continue to inspire. Inspiration is contagious.

I hope wherever you are reading this – at home, or on the road, or some form of digital screen – that you too can take a moment to be inspired and inspire. You may never know who that will be. I never want to take these red heels off…

I AM HOME with you all.

With love, From my home.

Sandra Roberts Editor in Chief/Publisher To advertise in Pie Magazine contact us at Publisher@PieMagazine.ca Pie is published in Ontario Canada by Pie Media Group.

National Distribution Disticor Magazine Distribution services. www.piemagazine.ca

PHOTO JENNIFER KLEMENTTI

No part of Pie magazine may be reproduced in any form without prior written consent from Publisher Sandra Roberts/ Pie Media Group - Publisher@PieMagazine.ca

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Contents 32 172

the wine ladies northern exposure

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46 KENT smith

natural talent

Balance and character

Guys with vision

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Luxury Real Estate

113

samuel l jackson Living Life

ibiza Rent your dream home

Herbert Ratsch

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david usher

158

city slicker

192

fashion égoiste

142

steamfunk

CRYSTAL HEFNER Cuddle couture at the mansion

70 MaRIEL HEMINGWAY Dream career

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94 SNOW POLO Not taken for granted

discover the original wooden pocket square www.bafficollection.com PIE Magazine

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Contributors shauna ireland

Photographer/Make-Up Artist

She has a gift with aligning people and organizations together to create shining projects. ALIGN AND SHINE

An award winning short fiction author.

His career spans 3 decades as an internationally published photographer & 20 years on television as a beauty expert.

Kenesha Lewis

Photography is about who you are. The truth in relation to yourself. Seeking truth: a habit where I have found myself.

dan lim

Photographer

I'm passionate about what I do, and I apply it with equal measures of creativity, common sense, poise, laughter, hard work and professionalism.

timothy greenfield sanders

Photographer

World renowned photographer and award winning filmmaker.

chris woods

christoph strubE

Colin Keddy

Photographer

Financial Journalist

Studied Photography in Berlin and moved to Toronto in the late 80's. He has been taking pictures all over the world, ever since.

A Registered Financial Consultant and President of Equitable Financial Inc.

Kelsey nicoloff

luke woodford

Writer

Photographer

Realism artist, aspiring model and coffee enthusiast

The creator of the Abandoned Fashion Series where he uses fashion to create artistic pieces of work in abandoned locations in his home country of the UK and abroad.

LISA VELLA

gerry croteau

MUA

Writer

When Lisa is not living her passion this avid soccer player can be found traveling the world in search of new inspiration and trends

A Health Care Executive, post graduate in Gerontology and host of Man Time on Rogers.

brad conrad

Eileen Hicks

Photographer

Photographer

Support

I’m only as good as the people I surround myself with, and when I surround myself with people like this, what could go wrong?

Armed with passion and creativity, Conrad has the ability to capture the real life emotions of any subjects.

Loves spending time and sharing stories with her children and friends.

Kris Caetano

joshua shier

Photographer

Writer

Dedicated to fashioning images with impact

Behind the curtain is a life of rehearsed spontaneity, studied carelessness and meticulous nonchalance

Greg Swales

matthew meisner

Shannon Skinner

Writer

Inspiring you to tell your story

Debra Asquith

Photographer

Product Editor

Fashion Stylist

Always inspired by the extremes of beauty

Principal Designer at Torontobased boutique design agency Heirloom & Knot

A Toronto based producer and fashion stylist who celebrated 30 years in the fashion industry this year.

Ian James Hopkins

karli rockbrune

Photographer

Visual Artist

A contemporary photographer, Ian's main focus is people and portraiture.

I have the best job in the entire world.

Bruce Meyer

oliver luke

Jeff Buchanan

Photographer

One frame at a time.

marek Matwiejczuk

Professional Writer

Writer

Fashion Expert

Author of thirty-five books.

He is professor at Georgian College and Victoria College at the University of Toronto.

Haiku contest winner Oliver Luke revels in promoting innovators in finance, arts and healthcare.

In love with couture

jim barber

Music Writer

Award-winning journalist, author and communications/marketing specialist.

justin main

PIE Magazine

Korby Banner

Copy Editor

Photographer

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AARON reynolds

Public Relations

ian mcintosh

Jen Rankin

Photographer

Live the life you love Love the life you live

Has a love of creating portraits, fine art and abstract images that embody his unique artistry.

Pie Socialite

Arline Malakian

Photographer

Photographer

"If eyes are the gateway to the soul, a portrait is a highway from the heart. "

Her art is an incessant question defying what we call reality beyond what we see

Special Thanks

To all contributors listed throughout these pages.

Try Our

Latest Relea se

NEW

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November 2014

September 2014

POI NTS

POI NTS

Have you tried it?

MENAGEATROISWINES.COM ©2015 Ménage à Trois Winery, St. Helena, CA

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Exceptional Spirits

travel the world

but they never forget where they came from reserve half moon martini garnish: Flamed Orange Peel/Fresh Nutmeg Dust Ingredients: 2 oz Appleton Estate Reserve 3/4 fresh lemon juice 1/2 oz Apricot Liqueur 1/2 oz Allspice Infused Jamaican Honey Syrup 1:1 ratio (or Clover Honey) 1 oz fresh apple cider Preparation: Mix these ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice and shake vigorously.

Strain contents into a chilled martini glass and garnish.

A flamed orange peel: squeeze the navel orange peel into a lighter or match flame and the oils of the naval orange will flare and deliver a light coating of the delicate caramelized orange essence on the top of the martini. Microplane some fresh nutmeg on top. *Recipe created by Contemporary Cocktails, Inc.

caribbean cream garnish: Microplaned Lemon Zest and Allspice Ingredients: 2 oz Appleton Estate Reserve 1 oz English Breakfast Syrup 1/2 oz heavy whipping cream 1 whole egg Preparation: Combine all ingredients into a cocktail shaker and dry shake. Add ice to the shaker and shake vigorously. Strain into a glass and top with microplaned lemon zest and allspice. *Created by: Brent Lamberti - New York

the appleton estate manhattan garnish: Orange Peel and Cherry Ingredients: 1 1/2 oz Appleton Estate V/X 3/4 oz Sweet Vermouth 1 dash AngosturaÂŽ bitters 1 orange peel 1 cherry Preparation: Add the first four ingredients into a chilled, ice filled mixing glass.

Stir 16 times and then strain into a chilled glass. Twist an orange peel over the drink and garnish with a cherry.

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w w w . b a r b e r i a n s . c o m 7 E l m S t. T o r o n t o For reservations, general inquiries, to reserve one of our private dining rooms or to reserve a bottle of wine 416-597-0335 PIE Magazine

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Billy Bishop Brown English Ale 3.8% ABV 18 SRM 18 IBU

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F-Bomb Blonde Ale 4.5% ABV 4 SRM 18 IBU

Flight Delay IPA 6.5 % ABV 8 SRM 85 IBU

Not-Your-Everyday-Craft-Beer Barnstormer Brewing is the classic example of a grassroots brewery located in the Greater Simcoe Region. Our beer is handcrafted in small batches for maximum quality and flavor.

With inspiration from around the globe and over a dozen beers and hundreds of recipes under our belts our craftsmen are always hard at work keeping the adventure alive.

We make consistently delicious beer with all natural ingredients: hops, barley, yeast and water. It is non-pasteurized, unfiltered and fresh.

While we are not your typical lager we also craft Ales including Stouts, Porters, IPA’s, IIPA’s and Belgians. Whether it is satisfying the everyday beer drinker or tantalizing your taste buds, we have something for everyone!

barnstormerbrewing.com Get our beer in your favourite pub, restaurant, café or bar. sales@barnstormerbrewing.com Like Us – Rate Us – Follow Us #barnstormerbeer PIE Magazine

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The

WINE Ladies fancy

farm

girl

fashions - K. Barketti - www.kbarketti.com 2 locations: Thornhill and Oakville Hair by Linda Hall of Diva Couture Salon and Spa Oakville Ontario - www.divacouturesalonspa.com

The Wine Ladies celebrate the success of award-winning winemaker Sue-Ann Staff and the release of her latest wines, Fancy Farm Girl.

A typical day in the life of winemaker Sue-Ann Staff and best buddy BRIX, her Bernese Mountain dog - AKA the Director of Marketing, is about to become not so typical and turned into a day of lights, camera, action!

Located in the town of Jordan, the winery’s 130 acre property and vineyards are a blend of Riesling, Pinot Gris, Vidal, Cabernet Franc and Viognier that stretches to the edge of the Niagara Escarpment. Truly a beautiful site.

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As we arrive and begin to disembark and unload, we are immediately greeted by the boundless energy of the winery’s mascot, the aptly-named BRIX, whose image we soon learn graces each capsule of Sue-Ann Staff’s wines.

As the door swings open, Ken Hernder - Media Marketing Manager of the winery, welcomes us into an awesome space - a tasting room, which doubles as a kitchen and is in the home of our subject.

We make ourselves comfortable in this circa 1880 beautiful heritage white farmhouse, complete with antique furnishings, glorious Italian chandeliers, fabulous artwork and the recently renovated, eclectic art deco kitchen.

“Fabulous. This will be perfect,” we say.

In another room, we hear the familiar voice of Celebrity Stylist and Photographer Korby Banner, curiously repeating the name Claudia Schiffer. We follow the voices and the laughter to find talented winemaker Sue-Ann Staff all made up and ready to do her part, looking beautiful and very much resembling Claudia Schiffer.

Making a splash with her own superb line of wines, while still at the helm as chief winemaker for award-winning Megalomaniac wines, Sue-Ann’s personal creations reflect her extreme talent and her personality. Take her latest release for instance, her Fancy Farm Girl wines: Frivolous White, Flamboyant Red, and we must not over look her Sparkling and SASSY Riesling. This farm girl has style, and her wines speak volumes to her talent.

Sue Ann’s talent comes to her naturally. It’s in her genes, as evidenced by her family background, which going back eight generations on this very land as farmers and spanning five generations of grape growing experience.

Having studied at the University of Adelaide and practiced her craft in several major wine growing regions abroad, Sue-Ann has become one of Canada’s top winemakers, winning over 450 national and international wine awards.

She now leads her own charge at Sue-Ann Staff Estate Winery.

Today Sue-Ann elects to share with us her latest release, the Fancy Farm Girl red and white wines. We enjoy this delectable tasting by topping off the experience in the elegant dining room with a scrumptious platter of local charcuterie. Partnering magnificently with a variety of meats from Mario Pingue and mouth watering cheeses from Old Oak Markets in Vineland is Sue-Ann’s Sparkling and SASSY Riesling!

Fancy Farm Girl wines are Sue-Ann’s interpretation of her love of farm life intertwined with her Paris, her Australia, her South Africa, and her freedom.

“The farm is a metaphor, the attire an approach, and the reality is that there is a fancy farm girl in all of us,” she says.

Flamboyant Red 2012, VQA Niagara Peninsula

$14.95

No need to get too serious, but this Flamboyant Red delivers delicious bright red fruit, hints of black pepper and lots of cherry on the nose and on the palate. It also offers up a very slight touch of tobacco, is medium bodied and has soft tannins. A superbly easy drinking, delightful cheery red. Flamboyant Red is a blend of Cabernet and Merlot. Great value.

Frivolous White 2012 VQA Niagara Peninsula

$14.95

Not so frivolous, this enticing white wine, 100% Riesling, is pale straw in colour. The wine is crisp and refreshing, with a slight hint of petrol on the nose, with notes of apple, citrus and hints of peach and apricot. Seductive and medium bodied with a lingering lip smacking finish. Fancy Farm Girl wines are available at the winery and sue-annstaff.com.

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Cultivating a

Culinary Destination

By Joshua shier ~ Photography Kenesha Lewis

An instant measure of success can be judged through one’s mastery of the ever-elusive ‘fine balance’ we all seem to be in constant search of. The Italian’s refer to it as sprezzatura, studied nonchalance, or ‘the art of concealing the art behind the art’. One could almost say our society is a bit obsessed with the concept actually. Enlightenment, peace, Zen - promises of prosperity are now sold on the street-corner for a buck, but the truth is that balance isn’t something that comes as conveniently as we’d like. Time, work, knowledge, skill and understanding, empathy, suffering, adversity, love, pain – these are what build balance and character.

At PIE, we are dedicated to the pursuit of ideals, and recently had the opportunity to delve into the mind and business of one unsuspecting genius, fine balance-finder, and apparent master of this so-called, ‘studied carelessness’. After meeting and interviewing Kent Smith, owner/host/chef/magnate behind the restaurant Michael & Marion’s (Barrie, ON), and it’s lounge the Side Door Café, it became clear that the perfect example of this was right in our own backyard.

With an overwhelming amount of integrity and wisdom, and armed with the quiet confidence that comes along with finding that enviable balance, Kent’s been able to allow his natural affinity for good taste and the finer things, combined with true salt-of-the-earth appreciation for all he’s got, cultivate a culinary destination worthy of Michelin stars. It’s apparent from the moment you are first seated in the dining room that you are in a special place - a place that Kent has put a significant amount of money, time, care, and sacrifice into. It’s evident in every detail, and appreciation begins for it the minute you enter. Sublime smells wafting from the open concept kitchen foreshadow the indulgent meal to come and awaken your palate, all before you’ve seen a menu or even taken your first bite. It’s a magic this man creates in the relationships with his staff and coworkers, the intimacy he provides for his guests, the bond with the clients and the clear passion for the craft.

A key element to success in business is the ability to adapt to a changing landscape - the natural ebb and flow that time and experience in any industry provide.

With the tenure that Kent Smith has had with his restaurant, versatility has been paramount. In his words, “It’s about how we get through today, so we can do this again tomorrow.”

Twenty-five years ago, it wasn’t as clear.

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Celebrating a quarter-century as proud owner of Michael & Marion’s, marrying his wife, travelling the world to cook and having a family is what has brought Kent all that wisdom. An East-Coaster born and raised, he jumped around the Maritimes growing up. After attending school for hospitality, looking for change, Kent ended up in Ottawa, where he began further studies into the culinary world as a chef, which is something that was always in him and something he’d wanted to do since childhood. With all that education and practice under his belt, at twenty-four years of age, Kent decided to settle in the city of Barrie.

“I ended up here in 1985, with the intention to stay for three years – twenty-nine years ago. But, I ended up with a restaurant.”

The choice to invest was a good one. Even though he never considered himself a business pro, that part developed as a necessity to achieve that aforementioned balance.

“When I started, it was not about changing the world, it was about surviving. I was twenty-four years old - I had no idea!

I didn’t have that much money. I bought the name and the business, and then four years later, I bought the building. At first, I was living in the basement of this building for a long time.

Straight up!”

From then on, there was no turning back.

The most interesting aspect to Kent’s success is his commitment to one, sole brick-and-mortar location. It’s the fashion now for restaurateurs to diversify, but Kent’s philosophy just wouldn’t allow room for that nor has he ever had the desire to open a second restaurant.

“Everybody else can go open ten restaurants - good luck with that. I don’t need to be that guy,” he jokes with a smile.

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"Gone are the days of delicate dining on beet-foam and caviar, the home-cooked meal is back with a vengeance, and really, could we not be happier?"

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It’s this sheer dedication that gives him his edge and acts as evidence for his passion. And by keeping time for his family, he can maintain personal and professional success harmoniously.

“I’ve watched chefs and restaurant owners come and go over the years, because they can’t find that balance…and that balance is a quality of life, and a great career. You don’t have to have one or the other in hospitality. I come to work every day because it’s my career, it’s what I love. When I go home, I go home. There is no nonsense, no grey area.”

It’s also important to stress the focus that Kent put on the bonds and relationships the restaurant has with the people working there. Characters such as the charming Jenny Rupert, outstanding Evening Manager/Sommelier/Hostess, who has been with Kent and the restaurant for over ten years; and Kim Reily, the General Manager of twenty-plus years. Most recently, with the addition of Matthew Fournier, the ridiculously talented Chef who, only in his 20s, has been at the helm of the kitchen for the past few years now, Kent has created a dynamic group. As a team, they’ve built the brand, the experience and the taste of Michael & Marion’s and the Side Door Café. As Kent says, they all share the same mentality.

“It’s not about us. It’s about when that guest walks through the door, whether it’s their first visit or their 500th, we attack the hospitality the same every day. It’s about the genuine quality of an experience…the most important part is the human relation.”

This is clear in the way that Kent moves around the dining room as if swiftly executing a well-choreographed dance.

Bouncing from table to table, taking in each guest and spending the time to listen. Not only does it make it just plain fun to feel like you’re truly being hosted, but it makes the room feel alive. The whole thing is all a part of the bigger picture really.

“It’s been at the forefront of my mind to craft something special.

I want you to drive by here and go ‘I wonder what this place is all about.’ If we can get someone to come in and experience the hospitality we’re selling, then we can definitely get someone to come back.”

He’s right. It’s infectious.

Upon walking in, there is a feeling of elegance that comes with a side of a warm hug. It’s respectful, and relaxing - the perfect combination for a quiet, intimate, fun evening.

Aside from the ideal setting, it’s the menu and service that makes the entire experience. With the concept of “We’re open ‘til the last sorry soul goes home” being heralded as mandate from the man himself, you know you’re in with a good crowd.

And live entertainment three nights of the week adds yet another element and layer to the intimacy and energy.

The food is cool, casual, and eclectic. Every ingredient is sourced meticulously.

“It’s a blend of local sourcing, travels to Halifax and out East for specialty favourites…and I always come back with truckloads of lobsters… Spadina Ave and Chinatown for certain Asian produce.

And typically every Saturday morning I go to the farmer’s market here in Barrie.”

Working with Matt the Chef, Kent and the staff create unique menus 2-4 times a year for the restaurant, not to mention the various catering work they also partake in.

Whether it’s French, with an Asian twist (Kent’s personal favourite), Thai, or Cuban – it’s whatever the client wants, and always impeccably done. The restaurant also enjoys experimenting with various tasting menus, what Kent sees as their opportunity to have fun. Dishes like rabbit tacos with house-made Kimchi – undoubtedly to die for.

According to Kent, there are two absolute must-haves on the restaurant’s current menu. Starting with the infamous Michael & Marion’s calamari, it’s truly a dish the kitchen has got the knack of. Something as common seems misleading, but once you take your first crunchy bite into the light, yet crispy panko coating, you realize how perfect of a contrast it is to the rich and chewy squid. Accented only by simple salt and pepper, served with delicious spicy Diablo sauce, understated always takes the cake.

For entrée’s, the star of the show is Kent’s Korean braised veal osso buco, served with the tasty house-made Kimchi. Done in the classical style of the dish: a 6-hour cooking process, on the bone.

It comes beautifully plated in a pile of roasted potatoes, grilled-toperfection seasonal vegetables, topped with the slightest amount of rosemary and a pearl onion demi glaze. The description speaks for itself, and if paired with one of the Sommelier Jenny’s wine selections, you’ll find the perfect partner to a dish that deserves only the best of fine, Italian reds.

One of the kitchen’s newest developments is their dairy-free crème Brule, made with coconut milk, lemongrass and candied ginger, another original dish.

It’s Kent’s idea that “People want to be fed. Not, ‘That was nice, but I’m still hungry’…and it’s wildly important to realize that.”

Gone are the days of delicate dining on beet-foam and caviar, the home-cooked meal is back with a vengeance, and really, could we not be happier?

The next stages of development for Kent's restaurant and bar include major renovations. This is something he’s made clear he prefers over expanding via a second location.

Not only are constant interior updates always necessary - he thinks it essential for guests and patrons to see money being actively invested into the establishment – an expansion is in the works. The focus of it all will be on giving the kitchen more space in order to provide even better service, which is the heart and soul of the operation. Looking at adding up to 800 sqft, occupying an adjacent parking lot, Kent “envisions something architecturally far and away from the Victorian building itself. Something that would be impossible to ignore.”

From all the time spent with Kent, the greatest lesson to learn about his success is his ability to remain humble, keep focused on what’s important and to continue proving to not just anyone, but specifically yourself, that you’re capable of things you never even knew were possible. It’s the golden truth that connects us all really. Kent’s ability to tap into that universal ‘thing’ that makes us happy, and consequently finding that within his own life has created that magic of Michael & Marion’s. Looking on the bright side can make all difference, and for Kent Smith, it does exactly that.

“My wife says that I work every day like it’s my first day ever. I come to work and I try to make sure my attitude is in a good spot, when I answer the phone I try to put a smile on my face, because, well, I want people to feel that. And I think people get it…I mean, I know they get it.”

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all for a

cupof tea

By Stephanie Schmitt Photography Kris Caetano

I love tea, I love coffee too, but I really love tea – Rooibos, Oolong, Green, Black, White, Herbal blends alike, I love tea.

I recently discovered the wonderful effects of Raspberry Leaf tea, which can reduce symptoms of cramping and pain during both menstruation and pregnancy by helping to relax the uterine muscles. Teas have been brewed for centuries and have traveled the world. We now can access teas and blends that have come from thousands of kilometers away which we wouldn’t have had access to if it hadn’t been for colonization and the rise of global trade. The difficult history of violence and appropriation became even more poignant when I came across a report released by the CBC from 2014 which revealed something more sinister in our tea – pesticides. According to the report, “the amount of pesticide residues found in some of these teas exceeded the allowable limit in Canada and eight of the ten brands tested contained multiple chemicals, with one brand containing the residues of twenty-two different pesticides.” The article closes by advocating that consumers move towards drinking organic tea leaves, but warns that even organic teas have been found to contain pesticide residues according to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

The issue then is how are these pesticides making their way into the tea leaves and why are they not being subjected to testing that would make these abhorrent levels of toxicity apparent? When toxicity levels exceed a standard the government put into place, why are they not more concerned that pesticide ridden teas are making their way into Canadians mugs? This raises serious doubt for our national standards and raises questions of accountability for those people responsible for upholding these standards.

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Does the Canadian government not posses a strainer fine enough to stop these details from steeping through the cracks?

Maybe the problem isn’t just the national standard…

In 2014, Greenpeace also issued a report on the toxicity levels found in teas coming from India. “Of the 46 brands tested, 94% came back containing at least one of 34 pesticides.”

The report stated, “the fact that a variety of pesticides continue to be used in tea cultivation and that many of the samples contained a mixture of pesticides, raises questions about their impact on human health and the environment, from the exposure of workers during cultivation to the consumption of tea by consumers.” The tragedy of tea of being touted as a health beverage is that while people world wide consume massive amounts of tea every day, those individuals working on the front lines of the tea production industry are directly exposed to these high levels of chemicals without adequate health and safety protection.

This appears to be a global crisis. The use of pesticides and herbicides have been proven to cause cancers and other illnesses. Its been proven that chemicals like DDT and Anthraquinone, chemicals that are either illegal or not even registered for use as a pesticide or herbicide continue to wreak havoc on the health of wildlife and the very earth itself. Have we forgotten what Rachel Carson said? Silent Spring anyone? How and why are these acts of violence allowed to continue?

Returning to the teas, how can we make a change? We can start by moving away from the bigger brands and choosing to buy teas from an organic source, steeping whole leaf tea without bags and sourcing teas from responsible companies whose missions are to provide healthy and fairly traded teas. When convenience and profits drive the markets more than nutritious and sustainability we are not free. Assert yourself. Start today.

The following are tea brands that commit to fair trade and organic products: Algonquin Tea Co. Organic Teas Canada Numi Organic Teas Mountain Rose Herbs House of Energy Organic Herbs and Teas Traditional Medicinal Herbal Teas

Basic Black with Pearls

I had found a very good dry martini at the bar and decided to percolate around the periphery of the crowd at the fundraising cocktail party. The novelist, Austin Clarke, sauntered up beside me in his elegant double-breasted Savile Row suit and Order of Canada, whispering in my ear, “They have oysters over there.”

For those who have never approached an oyster bar, there are several things to know. The oyster should be shucked by a professional. Shucking involves inserting an oyster knife between the upper and lower shell, and with a flick of the wrist the top of the bivalve comes away cleanly with a snap. To make sure the oyster is fresh always follow a simple rule: no snap, no slurp.

To open an oyster is to condemn it to a death that will take place inside of you, for oysters are always eaten alive. A tight oyster is a good thing. A loser oyster is...well, the next thing to self-inflicted poisoning. The 18th century writer, Jonathan Swift remarked that, “The man who first ate an oyster was very brave indeed.” Swift was aware that oysters are bottom feeders.

Whatever is unwanted on the top of the sea finds its way to an oyster. The old story about not eating oysters in a month that has no R in it (May, June, July, and August) is just good food-handling sense. Fresh oysters must be kept cold, and if well-served are presented on a bed of ice.

Once the shell is open, eating an oyster becomes personal.

There is a little shot of brine with each one, and from there the variations in condiments are endless. Clarke proceeded to show me his version of how to dress the oyster’s glistening body. “One does not want to offend the oyster,” he stated in his diplomatic English accent as he added a drop of Tabasco and two drops of lemon. With that he threw back his head with a matador’s flair, and down it went. The oyster must slide down the back of the throat. To chew it, to even permit it to touch the teeth in passing is a no-no. Oysters are the oral sex of foods.

A person does not taste an oyster as much as one remembers it with fondness after it has disappeared into the centre of one’s soul. Oysters are a poetic experience, over the top as foods go, but then again one does not get oysters any day of the week.

By Bruce Meyer Photography Brad Conrad For this reason, oysters are associated with four star restaurants, with a cuisine of elegance, white tablecloths, decadence and formal splendour. When Jules Alciatore invented the dish named for the richest man in America and served it in 1899 at Antoine’s in New Orleans, he knew that Oysters Rockefeller would transform the working class shell fish into an up-market fancy.

I asked the shucker if he had ever found any pearls. He shook his head. “Wrong kind. You need an Indian Ocean oyster.” The ones Clarke and I had swallowed, washed down with our dry martinis, were from Nova Scotia. Pearls, alas, do not grow wild in Canadian waters. But even dreaming of finding a pearl is part of the oyster mythology. Since Roman times, oysters have been considered an aphrodisiac, though there is no scientific evidence to support the suggestion. Oysters, according to most sources, are the ideal food for vegans because the creatures have no central nervous system, which I find strange. The animal inside the shell knows when it is in danger and keeps its lid shut tight.

There is magic in an oyster. Every oyster eater dreams of finding a pearl, a symbol of how nature rises above its own pain to create a gift. A string of them goes beautifully with a black dress. My grandfather gave my grandmother a string of real pearls on their wedding night as a token of his undying love. My grandmother told me of the test for whether pears are real or not, something jewellers dismiss as pure legend, though the test is part of the mythology of oysters. A real pearl, when run across a person’s front teeth, feels gritty. Imagine the sand of the sea. The tiny bead of calcium carbonate that will become something rare and beautiful is created when an irritant enters the oyster. Rather than suffer, the creature envelops the intrusion in a round, almost mystical sphere of iridescence that grows into an object of splendour.

To remove a string of pearls from the neck of one’s lover is to feel the heat of her body absorbed by the baubles. That heat remains long after the pearls have been set aside, and long after the mythic effects of the oyster have done their work.

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FAST Food

By Joshua Shier Super foods like kale and quinoa have reached peak levels of popularity this year. The ‘ingredient transparency’, nutritional listings, and salads-as-meals trend in fast food has taken over.

Smoothie consumption and juicing is no longer saved for vegans and commune-members from California. It’s high time we applaud the big guys in those corporate corner offices for starting to take a more serious look and healthier approach to the way in which our modern society eats. Take out is king, and the king’s starting to worry about his waistline.

As the trend gains popularity, better-for-you menu choices are going to continue proliferating menus across the board at all of our favourite drive-thru spots. More brands are putting more of their budget into minor and major health tweaks, in order to meet pickier consumers’ demands. It’s no surprise that the companies that are playing to an audience looking for healthier, more natural and organic options, are booming due to the newest food fashions. We’re not only seeing this through more menu options like salads, yogurt parfaits, etc., but also in the ingredient and cooking adjustments that help improve that nutrition profile of existing items at their core.

On the other side of the coin are coffee shops and coffee culture that has always been the cool best friend of the fast food industry. Somehow avoiding the harsh label of “unhealthy”, mainly due to the fact that the core of their business is beverages, retaining this image has become a bit more difficult in recent years.

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The wool is no longer over our eyes when it comes to all those creamy frappucinos, buttery croissants and scones, and Caramel Brulee lattes. Some even joke that Starbucks is more involved with the dairy-industry than they are with the coffee industry. Now, in order to provide an alternative to the heavy, fatty, high-calorie menu choices, the coffee giants are looking to their old pal tea to breathe new life into a sinking ship. Even before when many people turned their nose up at traditional tea, new interest in the drink itself is being fostered because the industry has now added such strong sweetened fruit flavors, causing the bitter tannins to disappear.

The caveat is that it’s also just a naturally healthy beverage with none of the calories of fruit juice, and multiple healing benefits that can come from many different types of brews.

Altogether it’s clear, people are more interested, and more stringent than ever about what they are eating and where it’s coming from, and really the benefits of their food too.

What’s at the top of their list though? Wanting to know it’s being grown responsibly, a.k.a. organic and local - ultimate buzzwords in today’s food world. Two of the most obvious trends include locally sourced meats, seafood, and produce, and companies that herald sustainability and farm-branded items. Not only is this good for us and our bodies, it’s also good for these mass-market fast food restaurant’s wallets.

Fancy marketing and premium products equal a premium price. Luckily, people are willing to pay a premium for better ingredients, which are increasingly becoming more available.

Farmers are starting understand that they can now produce and deliver higher quality products, because the market for it now exists. The idea of value to a consumer is based on fresh ingredients and good-tasting quality food. We can thank this whole movement from the growth of the ‘better food for a better body‘ ideal, something that has become the norm.

Photography: Photography: bryan bryan alano alano model: model: marvin marvin cortez cortez stylist: stylist: jesse jesse jj collections collections co co stylist: stylist: lady lady phoeenix phoeenix hair hair && makeup: makeup: dominique dominique lerma lerma wardrobe: wardrobe: ken ken werks werks showroom showroom young young republic republic clothing clothing house house of of trends trends showroom showroom prop prop design: design: christine christine hsu hsu PIE Magazine

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“Reflection & Renewal” Evoking the emotion of innovation in the Greater Simcoe Region

“Perfection is the utmost whether it’s in design, service or sales.” “…Audi is bigger than just cars, and we are more than that as well.”

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audibarrie.ca

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NATURAL TALENT

Nine forward thinking gents doing what they love.

Their clear strategies and bold vision for the future may win you over.

Photography Kenesha Lewis

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Doug Grozelle

Curaçao Street Magic & The 3 Secrets To Happiness

When the Grey Bruce go-getter Doug Grozelle was a kid, his dad and main advisor – Ross, an eminent entrepreneur himself - encouraged him to go for it. After all this time, they still meet weekly to discuss their shared business interests.

Both a rock of support and the constant voice of reason, Doug credits his mom, “As the yin to his father’s yang. A necessity for success.” Along with her husband, the two shared the three secrets to happiness with their son.

His father told him that number one was finding someone to love, and Doug has honored this sage advice - especially since moving into a leadership role – by making sure at least one day off each week is reserved solely to enjoy time with his darling wife Jody and baby daughter Mackenzie.

“At the end of the day, you can’t take it with you, so taking time for family is very important,” Doug says. “Nothing feels better inside than turning your phone off everyday at 5 o’clock. It can wait until tomorrow. I spend the time reading to my daughter. I know people who like to work 24/7 would disagree, but I’m just as successful. I definitely feel better.”

The second secret to happiness?

“Find something to do and keep yourself busy.”

Words of wisdom young Doug took to heart.

Before he was 10, Doug published a local newspaper by walking around town reporting on events in his neighborhood

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and then cutting and pasting articles together with help from the photocopier at the library.

He eventually called it quits when nobody wanted to pay. But he didn’t stop there.

As a young magician, he was forced to drum up business on his own, a technique he put to use when he started his “first real company” ten years later. Dream Works Hospitality was in the business of creating hotel rating guides.

He would walk into a hotel with a fresh pair of eyes and simply note what was working and what wasn’t. Doug saw it as basic consulting. With a copyright in hand, he was able to shop the concept enough to ultimately produce a 151-page report.

Ever see the movie Cocktail? Doug was living in Northern Canada and thought, “That’s what I want to do!” So he saved up and bought a little bar and restaurant in the Caribbean with his dad, who co-signed the loan. Doug went down there thinking he’d be wearing flower-patterned shirts, flipping bottles and surrounded by women.

But no. Employees not showing up for work were the least of his worries. He admits he lost a lot of money. “It was my first real failure,” he says. “It was devastating. But it would be fair to say you need to fail. I mean really fail before you make it. If you don’t know what it’s like on the other side, you can’t appreciate how hard you must work to never let that happen again.”

On the upside, his adventurous spirit got him down to the islands. Still a magician, he made his way to Curaçao and performed magic tricks for food and drinks to survive - his second real low. In time, Doug connected with other movers and shakers, learned the art of selling and just kept with it.

He now owns at least a 50% - if not 100% - share in more than 21 different businesses spanning the globe, including the Las Vegas film festival, a music production company, nightclubs and a restaurant in Punta Cana, a call center in Thailand, as well as major international marketing and sales operations, in addition to a close protection and security company, the backbone of his empire.

Doug says, “Surround yourself with amazing people and pay them well.”

I asked him for his definition of success.

“My definition of success is meeting your goal, whatever it is.

Mine is a hybrid, both monetary and emotional. You can sell your soul either way, and you won’t be happy. When I reach my goal it doesn’t mean I’m done, it means I ask how far can I go?”

“Like athletes who keep running to break their last record, I believe you need that same work ethic and mentality. Often I start work at 3am.”

But acknowledging his adversity to risk, Doug reflects, “In archery, you need to pull the arrow back to launch it forward.

You pull back to sky-rocket forward.”

Before he divulged his third secret to happiness, Doug wanted to share his philosophy and insight into ‘paying it forward’. In the early days, limited resources were a good reason to promise to share his future wealth.

One way he demonstrates this promise is to anonymously pick up the tab for families eating at restaurants or by donating to families who may be in need. Another way is by throwing appreciation parties for his team, complete with open bar and celebrity appearances. Finally, he will simply donate cash to the causes he believes in.

“It’s important. Yes there’s a limit, you have to make sure you’re not taken advantage of, but it’s good for the soul. We’ve all got enough.”

I ask Doug why he does it, and this is his reply: “There is no money on earth that fills the soul with the feeling I get after reading this.” [Doug shows me crayon doodles made on a placemat by children thanking him for his generosity].

The third secret to happiness?

“Have something to look forward to,” he says. “Everyone has a retire date, but I don’t. I like working. I want to build a company and pass it on or sell it off. In twenty years, I will be writing a novel about my life.”

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Sean o'reilly good design is good business

“It all starts with a spark. A collision of images, associations, memories, feelings and passions that at some point coalesce into the essence of an idea.” For Sean O’Reilly, principal of 3 stones architecture + design, this is the moment in his design process which he lives for. “Once you find that idea, that inspiration, you work it, massage it, test it and rework it until you have a design that is the perfect harmony of built and natural space, form and function.”

There was never any doubt as to Sean’s vocation. “I knew I was going to be an architect since I was 10 years old. I was always modeling, sketching and taking things apart. Occasionally, I even managed to put them back together again,” says Sean. By 12, he could read building blueprints and was already very familiar with construction. He recalls, “A friend once referred to me as a creationist. I need to make things. Even when I am not working in the office I am constantly designing and building something.”

Besides his passion to design and make things, one of Sean’s greatest inspirations is the environment, both built and natural.

He is an avid outdoor and wilderness enthusiast, his most recent trek was hiking the Inca trail in Peru. This appreciation of the natural environment has had a profound impact on his approach to the design of buildings. Sean took advantage of his university’s co-op program to live and work in the heart of major cities across Canada, Europe and the US. After school, Sean interned in Toronto and ‘cut his teeth’ on numerous notable projects large and small. “I had the great fortune of working for some of the finest architects in the country. Each one had great lessons to pass on and I am grateful for that.”

Community is another passion, particularly strengthening the community through active involvement. He is a Rotarian and has contributed to Habitat for Humanity projects both locally and abroad. He has always believed in the social value and importance of architecture. To that end he served on the Council of the Ontario Association of Architects (OAA) for six years, including a term as President. His most meaningful contribution was participating in the creation of the Canadian Architecture Licensing Examination. “I think volunteering to help your community, whatever that community is, is the essential glue which makes our society better as a whole. It demonstrates an understanding of the world beyond one's self. Without volunteers, our world as we know it would fall apart.”

His most satisfying endeavor has been the formation of the architectural firm 3 stones architecture + design. “It has been an opportunity for me to bring to bare the principles I believe are most important to design.”

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The fundamental principal is that good design can be achieved with any project regardless of size or budget. The firm’s success has proven this to be true. Their project list is as diverse as their clientele. Their design approach is a collaboration of the studio with the owner to explore possibilities to generate designs that are engaging and stimulating to the senses. “I love that every project is different, each offering it’s own challenges, which we turn into opportunities.”

“Our clients come to us to provide designs which are creative, affordable, energy efficient and very sustainable. We start with lowtech design techniques and build in the high tech solutions where appropriate. Our commercial clients understand that good design is good business.” They have found their clients have become increasingly knowledgeable about environmentally responsible design. Fortunately, advances in materials and systems in recent years allow buildings to perform better without significantly increasing their cost. “Our goal is to marry outstanding design seamlessly with environmental sustainability to create great unique designs.”

3stones.com

Kevin Richards Belgium Maître Chocolatier

By Gerry Croteau

At first glance, Kevin Richards is what we would call the ‘total package’. Extremely easy on the eyes, great conversationalist and very charming. The man is far more complex. His strong roots into family, work ethic and community reveal a man passionate about how he lives his life. Kevin takes nothing for granted and is truly appreciative of what life has given him thus far. He’s been on the mountain top and down in the valley. I sat down with Kevin recently to further discover the man behind the apron!

Kevin wasn’t always in the kitchen donning an apron. At seventeen, his entrepreneurial skills led him into screen printing T’s with an artsy flare that were all about cows. I was curious and asked, “So, T’s with cows on them?” “Oh yes,” Kevin said and added, “It was their names that made them awesome.”

Their names? Kevin gave me two names and I got it – Picowso and Moodonna!

The man is creative and understands Marketing 101 – give the customer something to talk about. So, fast forward to 2015 and Kevin is embarking on a new branding for his chocolates under ‘Fitkatchocolate.com’ in partnership with his new wife. New branding, new wife and a new life.

I asked Kevin who inspired him and who gave him the strength to weather life’s changes and challenges. Without hesitation and with a Cheshire smile Kevin said, “My Mom, Barb Richards.”

Kevin went onto say that his mom’s generosity, integrity and her desire to give back to the community impacted his life forever.

Anyone else come to mind in influencing your work ethic?

Kevin looked over and said, “Arch Brown, a man well-known in Canadian Tire circles.” Kevin quickly reminded me that Arch Brown was the creative genius behind Canadian Tire money. So creativity is Kevin’s forte.

As Kevin put it, “Creating something nobody has seen before and improving on what already exists.”

G. Olivier, Chocolat Connoistre, had this to say about Kevin, “Until recently, there were three World's best-known chocolatiers: William Curley (London, U.K.), Patrick Rogers (Paris, France) and Jacques Torres (New York, NY, USA). And now there are four Chocolatiers that come under Best-known – add Kevin Richards’ name.” In fact, Olivier goes on to state that Kevin is ‘Le Grande Maître Chocolatier’ of all. In the World of ART Making Chocolate Mastery, Kevin has found his place with fabulous, most-refined, and tasty chocolate delicacies possible! Kevin Richards, the man behind the apron!

Kevin’s transparency and honesty enabled me to see far more than his award-winning chocolates. I see a self-taught man who isn’t afraid of failure and knows that taking risks is part of the entrepreneurial spirit. Kevin understands that life holds hurdles and that problem solving is exciting. In Kevin’s own words, “I’d like my kids, wife and parents to be proud of me. Then I can sleep. Takers can’t sleep well, but givers sleep the best.” fitkatchocolate.com

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derek mccurdy searching for everyday random opportunities “This is it, I think I’m going to die,” thought Derek McCurdy. “From that day on, everything was just a bonus,” he says, referring to dodging depth charges and cannon fire aboard Captain Watson’s ship, Whales Forever, while trying to avoid the Norwegian Coast Guard.

After working with the Robert Redford film crew on an extreme ski video in Lake Louise, Derek was asked if he’d like to fly to Amsterdam and board the Whales Forever ship. Sea Shepherd's plan was to steam into the North Atlantic and sink Norwegian whaling ships.

What would you say?

“Sure. Sounds great,” was Derek’s reply.

He tells me the Norwegian government knew they were coming, so they sent a warship to shadow them up the Norwegian coast, far enough north to see the midnight sun.

His 8-hour shift of steering the ship coincided with Captain Paul Watson’s watch, so Derek was regaled with stories of how the “Save the Whales” movement came to be.

Following Greenpeace, Captain Watson started the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. Derek asks me, “Have you seen Whale Wars on television? Whale Wars is about Captain Watson and Sea Shepherd, and how they’re still trying to stop illegal whaling around the world.”

“Captain Watson lived by something called 'Hoka hey', which was an Oglala Sioux Indian warrior expression meaning ‘it’s a good day to die.’ I thought about what he meant, and I understood it as, if you’re at peace with what you’ve been doing, and why you’re dying, then it’s a good day to die.”

Prior to this transformational experience as a videographer, his Dad got him started as a young entrepreneur, starting his own woodworking business at 14 making hundreds of Loonie Banks in his garage. While other kids were just starting to think about getting their first job, Derek was already self-employed, producing his wares and selling them at craft shows and local stores.

“To work for myself was great.” Derek recalls. “I remember throwing a party in high school. My place was full of teenagers having fun, but I knew I needed more Loonie Banks by the next morning, so I was out in the garage cutting and sanding, coming in on breaks to party, then back out to the garage to get tomorrow’s work done. It was never an option to miss a deadline, fail or let someone else down. As much I wanted to be inside at my own party, I knew I had to get the work done,” he laughs.

When I ask Derek for his formula for success, he’s quick to add, “I am fascinated by meeting people. I have a genuine thirst for finding out what other people do.

I try and surround myself with extraordinary people.

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By Oliver Luke

I look for the opportunities all around us in the everyday randomness. It could be holding a door for somebody, or saying hello to someone in an elevator. In my experience, my craziest days are what have led me to the most exciting opportunities and the most interesting people.”

What has he learned from his business failures?

“I never enjoyed being under the thumb of a boss who was a candle blower, somebody who tries to snuff your light out to make theirs shine brighter. Any time I was working for someone like that, I like to say I was not manageable.”

Derek’s candle has always burned bright. He turned golf pro in 1999 and rode an incredible wave of success, including apprenticing under master professionals, caddying for Sir Nick Faldo, being involved in winning two awards for The Best New Course in Canada, and teaching golf to everyone from a princess to a 90-year-old first timer. He now spends most of his time at the golf club helping his insurance clients with their swing, or volunteering his time with the local Jr. programme.

When I ask what wisdom he bestows on young golfers with entrepreneurial dreams, Derek says, “Start treating yourself like you are the boss, and you’re not an employee. There is no punch clock.”

He takes his own advice. When offered the opportunity to take over the family Insurance business 10 years ago, he jumped at the chance to learn alongside his father-in-law. Now running the business on his own, Derek deals directly with small-tomedium-sized business clients.

Derek is particularly proud to be one of a select few recognized

by Healthsphere as an Accredited Benefit Consultant. Headquartered in Simcoe County, Healthsphere allows him to help clients by controlling their health costs while introducing wellness initiatives. Derek and his clients believe that: “Healthier employees are more productive employees, and company owners are happiest with a healthy bottom line.”

Derek shares some industry folklore. “They always say ‘you’re in the life insurance business until you deliver your first death claim. Once you deliver your first death claim, the insurance business is in you.'” Sadly, his first death claim was for a close friend. With a heavy heart, he delivered the death claim cheque to his friend's widowed bride and 3-year-old daughter.

“That’s a difficult and very emotional way to have to hand out your first death claim,” Derek says. It was at this point that Mr. McCurdy realized how powerful and meaningful his work is. “Prior to that I thought I was just an insurance salesman.

That day I quickly realized there was a need not only for life insurance, but for all forms of insurance. I work hard every day to help protect my family, friends and clients, because you never know when life is going to throw a depth charge at you.” groupbenefitbroker.com

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Tyler Murray

President & Co-Founder. Tyger Shark Inc.

By Gerry Croteau

“Our reputation has been built on creating stunning interactive websites and content management systems that capture the imagination of the visitors while delivering a unique experience for your brand. We’ve been called a creative agency however our geeks tend to disagree.”

I sat down with Tyler Murray recently to learn more about the creative mind that swims around in the ‘Shark Tank’ - code for the Tyger Shark offices. Who is Tyler and what motivates him to rise and shine every day? Tyler was quick to say that he comes from an entrepreneurial family who owned a golf course business.

He attributes his parents for being his strongest motivators. “I worked at the golf course from an early age. I had a sense of what was needed to succeed and knew that hard work pays off.” Tyler is naturally driven and as he puts it, “My normal is to hustle.”

When it comes to discussing Tyger Shark Inc., Tyler is definitely swimming in the 'Shark Tank'. As Tyler puts it, “Business is business, it hasn’t changed. Customers are still customers.

Hard work is still hard work.” I have the sense that this man’s passion is very much a part of who he is. In his own words, “Demonstrate your passion and others will see it.”

Tyler was on the internet from its inception and has never left it.

The technology is critical to staying alive and viable. His discipline was garnered from his martial arts training, which equipped him to handle both the physical and mental pain that comes from hard work. In his 2010 book, ‘The Revelations of Man’, which Tyler wrote and published he states, “There is no formula for success, no steps, everyone has failures and successes.”

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For Tyler, it is about breaking new barriers and making the company one of the top creative agencies worldwide. Is this ambitious? Yes. Is this possible? Yes. As Tyler puts it, “Creative art goes beyond language, it translates everywhere.

That’s one of the reasons I admire McDonald's. They’ve perfected their processes.”

I asked Tyler to be somewhat reflective about how he has taken Tyger Shark from a small company of two to a company of over twenty swimming in the ‘Shark Tank’. He states, “It’s gratifying to now see the staff who put their trust in me and seeing their successes. The biggest sacrifice I’ve had to make is less time with family. However, my wife, who is fully engaged in the company and totally committed to doing what we need to do to bring the successes we want is priceless.”

Tygershark.com

Jimmy Furlano Co-Founder. Tyger Shark Inc.

By Gerry Croteau

To say we make kick ass websites would only be half the truth. Just as technology constantly moves forward, so do the Sharks.

We discover, invent, adapt and create new and original ideas that identify brands, move traffic and generate revenue.”

Jimmy holds an undergrad degree in Commerce from Ryerson University in Toronto and is more on the business development side of Tyger Shark Inc. “I have a strong sense of purpose which derives itself both from the past and where I want to be,” says Jimmy. He continued with a gem from his past. “When I was five, I asked my parents for a rock tumbler. The commercial showed a kid throwing rocks and stones into a rotating piece of Tupperware and coming out on the other end like gems. I figured I had easy access to rocks, if only I had a rock tumbler – I’d be rich.”

So, early on Jimmy had the entrepreneurial spirit that has served him well. Jimmy notes, “As an entrepreneur I always go with my gut. Risky or not. It hasn’t let me down yet.”

The one company Jimmy most admires is Apple. As Jimmy says, “They just get it. Their attention to detail is insane.”

What impressed me about Jimmy is how grounded he is. He is aware that technology moves quickly and it isn’t stagnant.

It’s become social and business models are changing. Young entrepreneurs like Jimmy aren’t afraid of risk. They try it and keep trying. His love for the tech industry has allowed him to be comfortable within the sector. He does caution the reader not to get lost in the virtual world like some have.

He meets regularly with the business community he serves.

“Collectively we all learn from each other’s mistakes,” he is quick to add.

Jimmy has also been coaching top-level soccer, which helps him hone in on and perfect his skill sets when swimming in the ‘Shark Tank’. A phrase which is very much a part of the culture at Tyger Shark Inc.

I ask Jimmy as the interview winds down what has he learned so far in his career and what advice he has for our readers. “You have to believe in yourself,” he says without any hesitation, adding, “My drive, my passion is in everything I do. It really comes down to trust and gut feelings. These two things have been the best judge for me.”

Jimmy closed off the interview by saying, “Not everyone understands the sacrifice and its impact on relationships.

I have a very understanding partner. She shares my vision and we look at the future with that in view.”

A profound statement from a remarkable man who swims daily in the ‘Shark Tank’.

Tygershark.com

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dustin leigh paying it forward

Owning his first business at fourteen years old, the entrepreneurial spirit was instilled in Dustin Leigh at a young age.

“I grew up in a house that pushed me to never get a job, but to create a job for myself.”

With parents coaching multiple World and Olympic champions, the love of competition and passion to be the best has always been engraved in Dustin.

Moving to Los Angeles at seventeen after graduating as an Ontario Scholar with multiple awards, Dustin went to school at Universal Studios in LA to perfect his skills and passion for video production and marketing.

Dustin was nineteen years old when he got his first taste in the entertainment industry at The Mansion Nightclub in Barrie, Ontario and hasn’t looked back since.

"I think the biggest advantage I had was that I was the same age as the people attending the bars, I could directly relate to the college age group. I not only understood what they wanted, liked, and what grabbed their attention… but I had the tools to make it happen.”

Once things took off, Dustin ran with the momentum and by twenty-three he had owned and been a part of seven different nightclubs and bars throughout Ontario.

“It's an industry built around making people happy, how could you not love it?”

Dustin is known to be bold in his marketing and take negative situations and turn them into a positive. One of his businesses, Lazy Eye Entertainment, is named after his lazy eye, while a sports bar franchise he owns, Holbrooks, is named after someone who broke into one of his clubs and stole his safe.

He commented, “I figured if I wasn’t going to get the safe back, that I needed to make my money back off of him somehow, so I named the bar after him.”

Accomplishing a lot at a young age, we asked Dustin how he got his start.

“Everyone has opportunities or knows someone, but I made sure to not take those opportunities for granted, I took full advantage of my advantages. I was given my initial opportunity and guidance unselfishly from a man named Mark Porter and his family, an opportunity that I'll never be able to repay.

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Because of this it's very important to me that I pay it forward to the next motivated young gun and change their life, the way that Porters changed mine.”

Having been thrown head first into an aggressive industry with little experience, we asked Dustin about some of the lessons he’s learned and what he'd share with future young entrepreneurs.

“Don’t be scared to fail. I've learned more from my losses and failures than I learned in years of school. Just make sure you never miss the lessons that the failures bring, because if you re-fail and make the same mistake twice then you're an idiot.”

Another piece of advice Dustin gave was to work with passionate mindset.

“Don’t start a business for the sole reason of ‘I think this can make a bunch of money’. Pick an industry you actually love and are passionate about, and then once you do, think BIG. If you are opening a restaurant, don’t just think ‘I want to open a restaurant at this location and make money'. Instead think ‘I am going to create the next big restaurant chain, and this is the first location’. If you are an entrepreneur and truly love what you’re doing, why wouldn’t you aim to be the best ever?”

And speaking of mindset, Dustin got into more depth about the importance of controlling your thoughts and its effect on your life/business.

“It seems simple but paying attention to the quality of your thoughts is super important. Your thoughts are seeds that become your actions, so pay attention and make sure the people you surround yourself with, listen too, and how you talk to yourself is positive and progressive, if you want positive and progressive things to happen to you and your business.”

What does the future hold for Dustin Leigh?

“I am bored easily, so I am going to continue taking risks and taking on projects that align with interests that really excite me. I am currently looking into more real estate opportunities and putting focus on building our high-end sports bar chain, Holbrooks.”

Any final words?

“Competition improves you, make decisions based on information, not emotions and don't do tomorrow what you could do today.”

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Gerry Croteau Fighting Stigma

By Kevin Richards

My passion is to help those individuals fighting against stigma.

Whether it’s because of their HIV status, gay, a senior or just weird; it’s truly been about making a difference in peoples’ lives. I am very proud to be the Executive Director of the AIDS Committee of Simcoe County and the Board President of the John Howard Society of Simcoe Muskoka. I’m also on the Provincial Board of the John Howard Society of Ontario and these positions allow me to fight against stigma and to assist in bringing about policies that may bring change into our communities. So that at the end of the day, I feel completely satisfied when I do what I needed to do; that to me is a true sense of accomplishment.

I didn’t aspire to have my own business, however, I did aspire to earn a living. I have always worked for someone else, but I have definitely been fortunate to be in key positions to make things happen. My roots are not from an entrepreneurial family. My father was a mill right by trade and my mother was a housewife at a time when women were truly stay at home moms. I was not a latchkey kid. I really admire women in business today that have taken a cottage industry to the next level like a Martha Stewart. You know from a home catering business to Martha Stewart Living.

I’m definitely not comfortable with failure and I measure success differently today at sixty-five then when I did when I was thirty-five. It’s about being in the moment….now. What is happening now in my life as opposed to what was? For example; I’m in a third season of my Rogers TV show - Man Time, my monthly newspaper column in Focus 50 Plus – ‘View from the Front Porch’, my grandchildren and driving around in my Mini Cooper.

I find comfort to know that tomorrow is another day and to no longer panic. A good night’s sleep can bring clarity and sometimes even solutions. Things do tend to work themselves out. My most significant mentor was a man named Joe Paul.

Here was a man that truly led by example.

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I recall when I worked as an administrator at a senior’s complex and the chimney needed to be cleaned. Joe, who could easily have paid for a chimney sweeper went up the chimney and cleaned it himself. My motto from that moment on is: ‘Joe went up the chimney’. Really in all we do it is in our best interests and to those we come in contact with always be true to ourselves and transparent. Lessons that I have come to embrace.

I am a believer in volunteering. To whom much is given much is expected. I enjoy giving back without anything in return. I realize some can cut a cheque which is always great coming from the not for profit sector but I enjoy the doing, the sweat equity. I was taught to use elbow grease by both of my parents who were hard workers and never expected life to land them on easy street. I love to share with my family and we try to support each other. My family is very important to me. I have two daughters, a son and three grandchildren. I know that I am a better grandfather than I was as a father. I have learnt not to repeat some of the mistakes I made as a father. I enjoy just being a part of all that grandfatherly duties may bring. I won’t wake up a multimillionaire but I will hopefully wake up to meet the challenges ‘head on’ that a new day may bring. acsc.ca

Johan Klepp i wear no disguise

By Gerry Croteau

“I was a tough guy. I was into many scenes in my teens and twenties. I left home at sixteen. Got on my bike one day and just never looked back. Went to a friend’s place and started to make a life for myself.”

Growing up in a large family of nine kids didn't leave much room to breathe; life was tough. His life experience throughout his teens and early twenties forged a man who appreciates hard work. The life lessons learnt in those formative years have been applied to Johan’s work ethic and life style. By the time he was thirty, he and his wife had three children under two years old (a set of twins) and plenty of sleepless nights. In those years he was working in the hospitality industry and real estate so not only sleepless nights but also busy days.

Today Johan is far more relaxed. His work and home life are a lot less hectic. Johan chose to have family time over burying himself in work. “My wife and I wanted to make sure that our kids always had a parent at home. We didn’t want our kids raised by the daycare system.” At this point in his life what truly matters is a happy family, appreciative clients, smooth transactions and sweet reggae music!

When it comes to his work with Bosley Real Estate Limited, he is rather fortunate to have what is referred to as a ‘Boutique Brokerage’. That is to say, it allows Johan to still run his own show, by himself and outside Toronto. Johan has a respect for the integrity of his name within the real estate market. He values success and concludes that it’s found in many ways. There is no formula to being a positive, engaging, honest person. It’s just in you or it isn’t. As Johan clearly articulates, “There should simply be a pattern of relentless pursuit of positive thinking…stay calm in stressful scenarios and always look at both sides of the story.”

“I can appreciate that risk is part of today’s business world,” says Johan. “But I’m not so comfortable with risk if it could possibly affect my family financially or a client’s perception of my abilities. Some risk is okay if I feel I can mitigate the downside.”

For Johan, failure could be as small as missing an email or as serious as representing a client in a market you have no experience in and botching a deal. Johan in a reflective thought notes that failure would simply be over promising and under delivering. “I always try to be pragmatic and have realistic expectations for me and my clients.”

On the flip side, success for Johan is to make his clients informed buyers or sellers, to navigate the process and the actual transaction. He gives his clients the confidence in their decisions that stems from being knowledgeable. As Johan puts it, “Success, for me, is not in the volume of business I achieve but in the trust and satisfaction my clients receive.”

Looking to the future, Johan sees himself in a team of unique Bosley Reps that are the buzz of Simcoe County and the Muskokas for the work they do in waterfront and rural estates.

Personally, he wants time to pursue his interest in finding one of a kind, hard to find, rare reggae music and attending festivals internationally. To get in his jeep with the top down, the music loud and roll through small country roads with great views.

Johan loves travelling in real estate. As he says, “Camp fires, close friends and family hanging in the back yard.”

Johan, a man that is totally transparent – he wears no disguise.

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Grant Fuhr the story of a hockey legend

By Phil McRae ~ Photography Peter Yan

Chapters has a buzz of excitement and anticipation as patrons await the arrival of one of hockey’s most decorated stars.

He strides into the building with a calmness of someone picking up the mail, smiling at his neighbours, his pulse arguably in double digits. That is the aura of the legendary Grant Fuhr, who backstopped the high-flying Edmonton Oilers dynasty to five Stanley Cups. Chapters is but one stop among a whirlwind tour for the launch of his autobiography, "Grant Fuhr: The Story of a Hockey Legend."

Adopted at two weeks of age, Grant Fuhr grew up in Spruce Grove, Alberta and soon adopted a love for hockey. His resume is one of legend: five Stanley Cups, a 1987 Canada Cup, a Vezina Trophy, and a six-time NHL All-Star during his nineteen-year career.

Possessing a “Bob Newhart-style” sense of humour, Grant was quick to respond to an unsuspecting reporter in 1996 while he made an NHL record 79 starts with the St. Louis Blues. When the reporter suggested his name was being mentioned in trade rumours, Fuhr responded, “That’s great.

I’m 100 years old and people are still interested!”

I had the chance to sit down with Grant for a Q & A: Q – What was the influencing factor in your decision to author your life story as one of the greatest goaltenders of all time?

A – People had approached me several times over the years, but the timing was just never right, you know? Then a couple years ago, my neighbor in Calgary, Bruce Dowbiggin, convinced me to tell my story.

Q – What is your first memory of taking to the ice?

A – My first memory was playing on an outdoor rink in Spruce Grove. I was four or five years old and I absolutely loved it from day one. I played goal that first time and I never ever wanted to play any other position.

Q – At what point did you realize you might have a chance to actually “make it” to the NHL? A – It’s probably a little different for everyone, but it really wasn’t until I actually played my first pro game that I truly believed I could do this.

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Q – Who would you say influenced your hockey career the most?

A – I would have to say my parents. They were always my biggest supporters and provided the encouragement every step along the way. I also had some great friends who always supported me too.

Q – Clearly, you’ve played with some of the game’s greatest players, but who would you say are a few of the more underrated teammates you played with?

A – I think you could look at any number of guys who played on those Cup teams and call them underrated because they were all about “the team” and not about the glory. A lot of them never realized just how good they were. Jari Kurri was the most talented of the group and although he was known as a premier goal scorer, he was, in my opinion, the best defensive forward in the game at that time.

Q – What goaltenders influenced your style or approach to the game?

A – My favourite goalies growing up were Glen Hall and Tony Esposito. I tried to incorporate a little of each of the goaltenders I watched and played with, and always tried to learn something from all of them.

Q – Of the five Stanley Cups, which one ranks as the most memorable or significant?

A – The Cups were all great in their own way. Each one, there were two or three different teammates that were involved and they’re all significant because you never know if you’ll ever get another chance to win one again.

Q – Favourite restaurant for pre-game meal?

A – Our favourite restaurant was always Coliseum Steak and Pizza. The food was always great and it was close to the rink.

Q – Last question. What advice would you have for kids pursing a hockey career?

A – I learned that the sport can certainly open a lot of doors for you, but the biggest thing is to have fun and enjoy life.

I stress that with the kids because it goes by so fast that if you don’t enjoy it, you’re really missing out.

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Carol Elizabeth redefining the m.e. in me

By Ahmed Saleh - Photography Miz Monday

Carol wears many hats. She is an adoring mother of three outstanding kids, a wife to her incredible and supportive husband (Michael), a National Level Figure Athlete, and a successful entrepreneur focusing on helping women reach their health goals. Providing an innovative approach to reaching optimal health, Carol aligns the fitness goals of women with the pillars of a healthy lifestyle by creating interactive programs that are founded on an energy and support building community.

After the birth of her first child, Carol experienced the ‘tired new mom’ feeling that many mothers endure after childbirth.

Noticing the need for a personal transformation into peak health, Carol also experienced the guilt as a mother trying to find that much needed ‘me time’ to begin a journey to a healthy lifestyle. “There is often a negative connotation when we as mothers discuss ‘ME time’. We feel guilty when we do anything for ourselves, but I had a mission set out to wipe away that guilt by redefining ME as My Energy – Mothers Energy – More Energy,” says Carol. When coming to this understanding of what ‘ME’ meant to her, Carol embarked on a journey that was not only for the betterment of her own health, but also her family’s.

Feeling overwhelmed when trying to fit in her personal goals on an already full plate is something Carol continued to experience through her journey to self-transformation.

“Sometimes as women, we don’t feel like we get what we put out when it comes to our health and fitness goals. This is why one could easily start resenting their journey towards a healthier lifestyle,” says Carol. It wasn’t until she started sharing her experience with other mothers that she realized these roadblocks were quite common when trying to rebuild a relationship to a more healthy lifestyle while focusing on her main priority: her family. Deciding to think outside the box, Carol aligned her experiences with an innovative way to inspire change in not only her life, but also in lives of other mothers who want to experience their own self-transformation, but who need a bit of guidance, a sense of community, and a plan.

“One of the most profound experiences one can go through in life is the journey of self-transformation and the ability to reinvent oneself,” says Carol, making it her duty to share this philosophy with women from all walks of life. Starting the ‘Carol Elizabeth ME Slim Down’ Program in 2013, Carol has helped women reach their health goals by understanding the need for convenient ways to add fitness into their day. The ‘CE ME Slim Down’ program was built around innovative ways to incorporate on-the-go and home-based workouts with nutritious meal plans, and the missing link to any success: a community. Having new CE ME members all starting together in the beginning of the month and inviting them to a private CE ME community social media group provides full circle support.

Carol caters to women at all levels of fitness and healthy living. Her 'CE ME Tone-Up' program allows women to take their fitness a step further to get that toned physique of their dreams. Built with the same foundation as all CE ME programs, the unique design of ‘Tone-Up’ gives women the tools to see the difference that training has over working-out. “You have a roadmap to get you to your goals as training allows you to be mindful of the steps you are taking rather than working-out which is like punching in at the gym making it feel like a work shift,” says Carol.

This year will see Carol and her husband, Michael, entering in the Arnold Amateurs, an annual competition in which they will be focusing on figure and men’s physique. Looking to dominate this segment of the 2015 Sports Festival, created by none other than Arnold Schwarzenegger himself, Carol plans to “spread the sparkle” on the stage for her beloved CE ME community.

“I love to continue to show my community and the world that pushing yourself to go that extra bit further is what living a happy, healthy lifestyle is all about,” says Carol.

As a community leader in building esteem in women all over the world, a 2013 Miss Figure Universe, a Top Network Marketer, and the best mother in the world, there really is no stopping Carol from accomplishing whatever she puts her mind to. This is exactly what Carol Elizabeth shows women how to do by beginning to help them rediscover their ‘ME’.

Photography: PAUL ALEXANDER producer/creative director & stylist: shauna ireland and crystal carson production assistants: layla lane and elena safonova hair: mary tripi colourist: nicholas vrettakos Make up: sb 890 studio cheryl gushue model: moe kelso, yana katsey, kathy deemar stylist: Crystal Carson stylist assistant: Marie Powell Jet Black/Grey Dress Religion | Jewelry MAKARA Fuchsia Blouse MALENE BIRGER / CORBO STUDIO INC | Cream Camisole MALENE BIRGER / CORBO STUDIO INC

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Mariel Hemingway Finding the balance in life

By Shannon Skinner ~ Photography Dan Lim

Mariel Hemingway has lived the dream career of many people around the world. The Academy Award-nominated actress, who began acting at the age of 16, has played roles in many film and television productions, including Manhattan, Lipstick, Personal Best, Star 80 and Superman IV: The Quest for Peace, among many others.

Today, the 52 year-old California native and mother of two adult daughters focuses her time and energy, full-time really, on being healthy from the inside out. She has the vitality and unstoppable energy of someone you know would be hard to keep up with, and probably eats - and lives - healthier than anyone I have ever met. While she has achieved a successful career on the screen, her greatest passion and life’s mission is advocating for healthy living.

What stood out for me is that once I looked beyond the external beauty and Hollywood star factor, before my eyes appeared a big-hearted woman who really wants to connect and be understood. There are no airs about her, just a deep-rooted mission and commitment to her message of inspiring others to live healthy lives.

Photography: dan lim Location: Cambria Studio Hair: Mary Tripi Hair assistant stylist: Stacy Brumble of The Private World of Mary Tripi Make up: Gig Szabo Styling: Nicola Smith Styling assistant: Elena Safonova Producer: Shauna Ireland

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White blouse and jeans Models Own

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Coming from a famous American family that has had its share of mental illness, most notably her sister, actress/ model, Margaux, and grandfather, acclaimed author Ernest Hemingway (one of my favourite writers, I might add), and having experienced her own health issues, Hemingway is determined to make a difference.

She has been busy at it. She is a prolific author herself, having penned a memoir and several self-help books, as well as co-authoring the popular Running With Nature with her partner, Bobby Williams, who she lives with at their cool ranch in California. She has hosted yoga videos with guru Rodney Yee. More recently, she made a documentary film, Running From Crazy, which chronicled the Hemingway family’s history of mental illness, addiction and suicide. It was executive produced

by Oprah, aired on OWN and screened at Sundance, as well as other festivals.

“We all have a story,” says Hemingway in her trademark breezy, disarming way. “Sometimes we need to tell our story for healing to begin.”

It is a story she tells so well.

We live in a society where celebrity activism is popular and growing; that is, celebrities using their clout to impact social change, sway public opinion or shape public policy.

It can be extraordinarily powerful.

The issue of depression and mental illness - and needing to have a big conversation about it -- is a hot topic in the media these days given the recent suicides of celebrities, such as comedian Robin Williams.

While many celebrities are jumping on the activism bandwagon and shedding light on a wide-range of issues and causes, I believe the key to their success on impacting social change is authenticity, and the right alignment of celebrity and cause. With Hemingway, who has a mind and passion for adventure “that I hope never ends,” and a large following of fans who want to live their best lives, we have that authenticity in spades.

Adds Hemingway: “You already know what’s right for you. You don’t need somebody else to tell you. But sometimes you need the tools to trust yourself.”

For that, Hemingway is our beacon of light to show us the way.

What about her secret to success? “The key to my joy, wellness and happiness is my willingness to tell the truth and be authentic with who I am,” she says. “People resonate when they know you’re telling the truth.”

And so, if there is one take-away I got from my time with the extraordinary Mariel Hemingway, it is this: she is not only the messenger, she has become the message.

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White Dress Germanozama | Jewelry MAKARA

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Vintage Coat 69 Vintage | Shoes Mariel Own | Jewelry MAKARA PIE Magazine

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David Usher Moist frontman builds a business out of his exploration of creativity

By Jim Barber Watching children play, we can see unbridled, unfettered, unwavering creativity in action. The imagination of a child opens them up to new worlds, new ideas, and new ways of viewing their pint-sized worlds.

Somewhere along the way, many adults see that notion of borderless creativity diminish and disappear in their lives, particularly in their careers.

For David Usher, the 49-year-old frontman for popular Canadian alternative rock band Moist, which reunited in 2013 after a 12-year hiatus, and released the album Glory Under Dangerous Skies in 2014, his entire life has been about creativity – not just his own, but encouraging others to continue to explore theirs.

During the band’s hiatus, and while he was enjoying a critically-acclaimed solo music career, Usher’s fascination with new technology and the creativity that is involved in starting, building and growing businesses, fostered in him a desire to delve deeper into the nature of creativity and its applications in all aspects of life. The result was an innovative company called CloudID Creativity Labs, as well as an adjunct career as a public speaker, consultant and now author.

Usher recently published his practical ode to creativity, Let the Elephants Run, through House of Anansi Press, and the book has become a Canadian bestseller.

The title comes from a slogan that Usher posted on the wall of CloudID’s headquarters in Montreal that says ‘Dream big, let the elephants run!’ And the book itself demonstrates, through personal stories and also real-life examples from various business, non-profit and artistic sectors, that creativity is an inherent human trait and learning to apply it almost as a template to various life and business endeavours is something that can be harnessed and applied in a practical way.

The transition into entrepreneurship and public speaking began for Usher when the internet and the advent of various music-sharing technologies began to break down the traditional paradigms of the music industry in the late 1990s.

“It started when I was living in New York and that was really when the music business was imploding with the rise of digital downloading. I got very interested in the web and that interest led me down a whole other path. By then I had been doing music for a long time and I was really getting the urge to do something different. And when the Internet really hit the music business I felt there were two reactions you could have: you can desperately hold on to the way you have been doing things, or you explore this new modality,” he told Pie Magazine recently.

“For me, I got incredibly interested in the rise of this new technology, mostly in the way it changed the way ideas flow. It’s changed the speed of ideas; it’s changed how they’re presented and it’s changed how we’ve interacted with them. And that got me very interested. That curiosity let to a long run down the rabbit hole back to learning. Once you start learning again then the world opens up for you.”

Usher got involved with a social media aggregation company for a number of years as social media began it’s ascent into the popular consciousness.

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But he soon moved on as he discovered he was becoming more interested in the impetus behind the various start-up companies that were creating cutting edge applications and web-based ideas, as he was the ideas themselves.

“What I really began to notice was how much the creative process within the arts for artists and the creative process within start-ups is very, very similar.

We work very much the same in terms of being in small teams. We iterate our ideas quickly, we learn to pivot well. The way, say a band, learns and the risk/reward structure is very similar to that of an innovative start-up company.”

The ‘eureka’ moment was when he realized that it was the common thread of creativity and building creativity into the infrastructure of not just a company or organization, but into an individual’s life.

“Listen, the creative process is not random – it’s not just chaos. There are not this elevated class of creative people and then everyone else who is not. Everyone is creative; but a lot of people are disconnected with their creativity. As you get established and settled in your life, with kids and bills and things like that, you get more rigid about things. To remember to be open and take those creative risks and put yourself out there gets more and more difficult,” Usher said.

“For me, the way I have learned to think about creativity is to see it as something that is separate from genre or from the activity you are doing. It’s a way of thinking about the world and a way of problem solving that you can impose on many different things. You can take your creative process and creative thinking and if you separate it from genre, you can transpose it onto many kinds of genres.”

Usher speaks at many different types of conferences about creativity and also works with various companies on a more intimate level to help them tap into their creativity or reignite their creativity when they are looking at specific projects.

“A lot of the newer companies, especially in the IT field, grew up with a culture of creativity and they have been able to maintain it, like the Googles of the world.

They were start-ups at one point and they understand that milieu and are desperately trying to hold onto that creative spirit and they actually build it into their structure no matter how big they get,” he explained.

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“Established companies are really looking internally as to how they can restart and integrate creativity and innovation into their own structure. It’s not easy to do and it’s not something that happens overnight. It’s something that needs to be invested in and thought out thoroughly.”

And the structure of the book itself demonstrates that Usher is willing to walk the talk. Its use of a non-traditional book format, interesting and engaging photos and startling graphic elements make it not just a polemic on creativity, but an exercise in creativity.

“I wasn’t sure if people were going to like it or think that it was cartoony or that the design would detract from the ideas of the book. But I wanted to do something that was a bit different. I was trying to demonstrate what I was talking about while I was talking about it.

And it’s the same thing that I do at conferences; they are interactive and there’s music and there’s video and improvisation with the audience,” he said.

“This book isn’t meant to be an academic book. It’s not written by a journalist. I am just someone who does this for a living so I am just talking about it from that perspective.”

And the risk he took with the design of the book also illustrates another key factor in tapping into one’s creativity – building failure into the infrastructure.

“The way that I have found things work is that one thing leads you to another if you’re open to it. And you can win or lose. I have tons and tons of projects that have come and gone. For everything you see there are a lot of others that didn’t make it for whatever reason. Kids try and fail all the time and it doesn’t bother them. It’s what you learn from the failures or the different paths that it takes you down that can lead to something amazing.”

Simply juggling his schedule is an exercise in creativity for Usher. Besides his speaking engagements, meetings with corporations and organizations, he is also touring regularly with Moist, is working on an assortment of new projects with CloudID and most importantly, revels in being a husband to wife Sabrina Reeves (a photographer and theatrical artistic director) and a dad to their two daughters, Coco and Oceane.

American Standard’s tradition of innovation and quality continues with the new Beale Touchless Kitchen Faucet. Its intuitive, hands-free operation easily converts to manual. Plus, the sleek, high-arc design is a stunning complement to a range of modern kitchen designs.

Discover more at americanstandard.ca

Beale Selectronic ® Touchless Faucet

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People can’t keep their hands off it. Should we tell them it’s a touchless faucet?

By Bruce Meyer Photography Krzysztof Szkurlatowski

Handwriting one of the last gracious arts

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Handwriting Handwriting is one of the last gracious arts. A fine script, wrought with care and precision remains the hallmark of a personality. Cryptologists say they can tell a great deal about a person by the way they shape each letter. More than just the process of putting words on a page, handwriting is a mystical, sensual experience especially when it is done with a fine fountain pen, exquisite paper, or in a time-trusted notebook.

The nib on the page, the glide of the ink, is something a dedicated fountain pen enthusiast feels down to the core of his soul.

Countless contemporary authors cling to their fountain pens.

Canadian novelist, Austin Clarke, has a calligraphic hand that resembles the letters medieval monks set down on velum in their scriptoriums. The Irish Nobel Prize-winner, Seamus Heaney, compared the fountain pen to a shovel with which his ancestors carved peat to heat their homes or dug potatoes to feed their families. Heaney held to the belief that the words in the mouth needed to be spooned onto the page. That spooning is the reason why many elderly people still lick the ends of their pencils before writing, though when asked why they do so, they cannot provide an answer.

As the most refined tool of handwriting, an object of taste and refinement that has withstood the ravages of time and word processors, the fountain pen remains the one, great, objet d’art, the surgeon’s blade of the language, and the precision instrument of the wordsmith. Those who love fountain pens never go anywhere without at least one in their pocket. Fountain pen users have their favorite pens. To lose a pen will send a writer into mourning. The devotees of the fountain pen gather at the few pen stores that remain bastions of handwriting and marvel at the exquisite beauty and high craftsmanship of the contemporary fountain pen.

Laywine’s in Yorkville, is one of those temples. Businessmen in suits, well-dressed women, even threadbare writers, gather there to stare into the cases of writing instruments and to hold the pens and test them with a holy reverence. The owner, Peter Laywine, understands what fountain pens mean to such writers. “I prefer lightweight pens because I prefer to have lighter ones in my pocket. I carry two with me at all times. One is a smooth flowing nib for when I have to write something quickly, and the other has what is known as a slight drag to it for when I want that experience of the nib gently massaging the paper.”

On the tip of every fine fountain pen, is a small bead of a metal called rhodium. The rhodium is the angel that dances on the head of the pin, the point of contact between what is being thought and what will remain as a record of that thought. A rhodium can take almost a year to train, to adjust to the writer’s hand, but when it has finally shaped itself to the angle of the grip and the unique qualities of a person’s script, it is that writer’s and that writer’s alone. A good pen is like a lover. Canadian poet Dennis Lee refered to his fountain pen as “pen-ultimate lady.” Fountain pen users never permit another person to use their pen. That would be a betrayal of the relationship between the writer and his beloved instrument. Another hand would damage the delicate balance between the rhodium and the writer. Pens are personal.

They can also be expensive. The Fountain Pen Hospital in New York City, a mecca for pen lovers around the world, lists fountain pens for as low as twenty-nine dollars, and as high as... well, if you have to ask the price you cannot afford it.

From plastic to sterling silver to solid gold casings, the fountain pen is one of the last great expressions of craftsmanship. For those who have never experienced the sensual pleasure of the flowing ink and the glide of a good tip, Peter Laywine suggests starting off with something “reliable, comfortable, and inexpensive.” He usually recommends the Lamy Safari or the Lamy All-Star. The Lamy pens are to writing what the Glock pistol is to shooting: reliable, consistent, and always at the ready when they are needed. The Lamy pens start anywhere from twenty-five to sixty dollars, depending on the material of the cap and barrel. From there, however, the sky is the limit. Mont Blanc offers limited edition pens that celebrate the great authors and composers of history. These run into the thousands of dollars, yet for their beauty, grace, and what they say about the writer, they are worth it.

As status symbols, a fine pen says a great deal about a person’s social standing, wealth, prestige, and care for detail.

They are the final element in the well-attired person. “Pens are specific in that they are more like watches,” Laywine explains without airs. “You have to be in the know about them. You look at someone’s wrist and can say ‘Ah, that’s a Rolex from the 1940s.’ It is the same thing with fountain pens. If you are in the know you can say ‘Ah, that’s a Dupont.’ Pens are a lowkey status symbol for those who have the knowledge and the eye to spot a fine pen. A pen doesn’t scream expensive: it whispers it.”

The pen, however, is only part of the equation when it comes to the gracious art of writing. What one writes on is equally important. Most pen stores such as Laywine’s offer a range of notebooks. There are the finely tooled and hand-made leather-covered volumes that carry an air of antiquity and stately elegance about them. There are the paper-covered notebooks that are useful training grounds for practing one’s hand. But, the notebook that is known throughout the world as the writer’s notebook is the Moleskine. Beloved by Ernest Hemingway and Bruce Chatwin, these sturdy notebooks, with their black elastic closure, are what writers carry with them along with their favorite fountain pens. Dylan Thomas lost a Moleskine that contained forty-nine poems that never saw the light of day. That book recently turned up at an auction where it sold for three hundred thousand pounds.

What the fountain pen and the notebook say to the world is that writing is not a transitory business. What one sets down on paper, even if it is only a work of art in progress and not the final version, is that the written word is something that outlasts the more transitory elements of life. There is magic, not only in what one says, but in how one says it. “When Lewis Waterman invented the fountain pen in the Nineteenth century, he couldn’t explain why it worked,” Laywine muses.

“You’re dealing with surface tensions and the consistency of ink and the flow of the ink in the pen. It is the combination of ink and pen and paper that make the magic happen. The rest is up to the writer. Fountain pens are about elegant ritual. Anyone who enjoys a ritual that slows one down and focuses attention is someone who will love a fountain pen. With a fountain pen it is about the connection between the brain, the hand, the eyes and the paper.” If that sounds like making love, just try writing with a fine pen.

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“To think how far we have come in just my lifetime.

I never thought that we would get to where we are right now in terms of homosexual acceptance and rights.” ~ Rosie O'Donnell

BOOMERS

CHRONICLING AN ENTIRE GENERATION

It was no easy task for acclaimed photographer and filmmaker Timothy Greenfield-Sanders to chronicle an entire generation through the eyes of only nineteen subjects. But as in his previous projects, "The Black List", "The Latino List" and "The Out List", Greenfield-Sanders again manages, with "The Boomer List", to capture a specific group of people, permit them to share their stories and experiences, and give us entertaining and relatable concepts.

The baby boomer generation, born between 1946 and 1964, came of age during a time of great societal change and unique personal struggles. Greenfield-Sanders’ diverse group of notables from the “Boomer” generation reflect that experience. With support from AARP, we are presented with a powerful documentary on PBS’ American Masters series and a 9-month museum exhibition of Greenfield-Sanders’ large format portraits at the Newseum in Washington, D.C. “The Boomer List” DVD and coffee-table book.

Subjects in “The Boomer List” include musician Billy Joel, journalist Maria Shriver, environmentalist Erin Brockovich, actors Samuel L. Jackson and John Leguizamo, entrepreneur and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniack, AIDS activist Peter Stanley, and entertainer Rosie O'Donnell. They, often candidly, reflect on their experiences of growing up and the changes that occurred around them.

Photography: Timothy Greenfield-Sanders

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“The '60s helped break down that '50s mentality - everybody trying to fit in and that was the beginning of people exploring themselves, exploring feelings and exploring a different way of living and sharing life” ~ John Leguizamo

"Our parents' generation had it a lot tougher than we did.

They had to live through the Depression, World War II and then they had to, you know, try to pick up the pieces of their lives and bring up their children," says Billy Joel. "It was a great example for us. I guess we grew up with a certain amount of the ethics our parents had: work hard, make your own way, be independent."

Maria Shriver adds, "I feel really blessed to have grown up in a family where people expected you to go out and change the world, encouraged you to do so and actually demanded it of you."

Those ideals pushed the Boomers to demand equality for people of different races, genders, and sexual orientation.

"To think how far we have come in just my lifetime. I never thought that we would get to where we are right now in terms of homosexual acceptance and rights," says Rosie O'Donnell.

Over and over, the subjects being interviewed recall the change they experienced beginning in the 1960's.

"The '60s were a turbulent time in American history and certainly in my own family and certainly in American history," says Shriver.

Actor John Leguizamo explains it as, "The '60s helped break down that '50s mentality - everybody trying to fit in - and that was the beginning of people exploring themselves, exploring feelings and exploring a different way of living and sharing life."

But, many of the generation had to suffer before change was realized.

"I've always been cognizant I lived in a separate and not necessarily equal world. My whole upbringing was black.

All my friends were black. All my teachers were black," says Samuel L. Jackson. "Everything that I've gone through informs me and my opinions in a way, I guess, because I am a child of segregation. I lived through it. I lived in it. I was of it."

Leguizamo also felt the pressures of race growing up, "I wasn't supposed to make it. I just wasn't. Not statistically. I didn't see my people anywhere that was important, except in the news, which is where you don't want to be. I just didn't feel like I was part of the American fabric.

"I didn't start acting 'cause I wanted to be famous. I did it 'cause it made me feel good.

But, every audition I would go to, you know, was either for a drug dealer, a murderer or a janitor," Leguizamo says.

But rather than accept the status quo, he created change.

"I would go to these performance art spaces downtown.

And I could write whatever I want. I could be lead in my own stories. And all these white kids would be watching and they'd be laughing and I was like, 'Oh my god. I found myself.'"

While their peers suffered, privileged Boomers were getting a look into how the other half lived for the first time.

"Television really started to take off when we were children," says O'Donnell. "We all were brought into the consciousness of what was happening in our country by a fourth estate.

There was a war in Vietnam and it was the first war that was televised. When CBS news anchor Walter Cronkite actually said, 'There’s no way we can win this war,' it meant something. We saw students shot at Kent State. We saw it on the news. It galvanized us, and it forced the government to change their policies."

Jackson recalls his own experience with the news saying, "The first national news that affected me, I was in high school and somebody came in and whispered in the band director's ear. And he told us, you know, that President Kennedy had been assassinated. And then we get home and my grandfather had all the guns out. My whole neighborhood was primed for a race war. They just knew if Kennedy's dead, oh lord, it's about to jump off."

Through turbulent times of race riots and the Vietnam War, massive political change and the AIDS epidemic, the Boomer generation endured. Now, as its youngest members hit fifty and its oldest are retiring, Boomers are asking themselves what comes next.

"I'm gonna be 65 this year," says Billy Joel. "What am I gonna do, retire? I gotta keep my mind active or else my mind will occupy me and that's when you get in trouble."

It's Maria Shriver who offers up an answer for what role her generation should ultimately play.

"People of my generation were in a hurry to be the first of everything: the first woman to anchor a television news cast, the first woman to go up into space, the first man to walk on the moon" says Shriver. "We as a generation can take a beat and think about how best to use our talents right now, today."

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“I'm gonna be 65 this year. What am I gonna do, retire?

I gotta keep my mind active or else my mind will occupy me and that's when you get in trouble.� ~ Billy Joel

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“I feel really blessed to have grown up in a family where people expected you to go out and change the world, encouraged you to do so and actually demanded it of you.� ~ Maria Shriver

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Samuel L. Jackson

In his own words Photography Timothy Greenfield-Sanders

I've always been cognizant I lived in a separate and not necessarily equal world. My whole upbringing was black. All my friends were black. All my teachers were black. Everything that I've gone through informs me and my opinions in a way, I guess, because I am a child of segregation. I lived through it.

I lived in it. I was of it.

The first national news that affected me, I was in high school somebody came in and whispered in the band director's ear.

And he told us, you know, that President Kennedy had been assassinated. And then we get home and my grandfather had all the guns out. My whole neighborhood was primed for a race war. They just knew if Kennedy's dead, oh lord, it's about to jump off. You know, 'cause at everybody's house there was King, Kennedy and Jesus, the pictures on the wall.

That was-- that was triumvirate.

Education was valued in my household. I started reading somewhere between three and a half and four years old. So, when I went to school they understood what the expectations were in my house of me. When other kids were diagramming sentences I was reading Shakespeare or Beowulf or whatever. When I started to read I started to realize the world was a lot bigger place than Chattanooga, Tennessee.

I'd been walking 4 1/2 to 5 miles to school every day. From house to house we picked each other up. And we walked.

They weren't training us to go to Yale or Harvard or whatever.

Location Hotel Saint Germain

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They were training us to go to Tennessee State, or, you know, hopefully FISK or maybe Morehouse.

I had applied to UCLA, UC Santa Barbara, University of Hawaii, all these exotic schools that my mom didn't know anything about. I was getting accepted and she finally realized that I was doing that and she said, "You must be out of your mind."

She pretty much, you know, grabbed me by the collar and took me to Morehouse and said, "This is where you're going to school."

My junior year I took this public speaking course. The guy offered us extra credit if we do Threepenny Opera. I didn't realize the play took place in a whorehouse. These girls are in corsets and garter belts and, hey now! I've discovered my future.

But you want to talk about me being a role model don't talk about my characters. Talk about me. I'm a good father, husband, son. Have never been arrested or gone to jail. That's not a rite of passage for every black person. I have never been in jail. I've been questioned by the police, yeah. Been run out of town by the FBI, yes. I don't advertise all the things I do. I don't take a camera crew with me to Africa to show them that I actually, you know, have dug a well. I dug a well.

I have an education. I believe in education. I read, write, I conjugate.

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SnowPolo in tremblant

By Colin Keddy Mont-Tremblant and Hôtel Quintessence played host to the first ever Snow Polo World Cup under what could not have been better conditions. The field, or pitch as it’s called in polo, was on a groomed portion of frozen lake right in front of the stunning five star hotel and the amazing backdrop of Mont-Tremblant. This event has been in the making for nearly half a decade by its founders: Herbert Ratsch of Sotheby’s International Realty Quebec, and avid polo players, Marc Perreault of Landco and Justin Fogarty, longtime member of the Toronto Polo Club and managing partner of Regent Law Professional Corporation as well as a passionate skier at Tremblant.

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The founders aspire to do for Snow Polo in Canada what has already been accomplished in other areas of the world, such as the US, Switzerland and China for decades. The World Cup at Mont-Tremblant is no different and has all the makings of a world class event.

“We all love Tremblant and wanted to showcase its beauty to Canadians, many of whom take it for granted,” says Ratsch.

“This sport deserves to be enjoyed by a greater audience. They just have to be exposed to it and they will be hooked. There were so many people who doubted. We proceeded much like the movie Field of Dreams ‘build it and they will come’. No was not an option.”

As a sport that is typically held in private settings within a very tight community, it is no surprise that most would question what degree of interest such an event might garner. And although there was virtually no advertising, the event was a resounding success thanks to the considerable media attention throughout the Quebec region and the title sponsorships of Bell Media and Sun life Financial.

Crowds will come to any sport in this country where it’s Canada vs. the World and that incorporate a ball, sticks, ice and high intensity in a fast paced game. And come they did! The VIP section that anticipated 150 spectators drew over 400 of Canada’s elite professional athletes as well as the country’s most prominent and influential business people.

"We all love Tremblant and wanted to showcase its beauty to Canadians, many of whom take it for granted."

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There was literally no way to anticipate general attendance, but it was estimated to have exceeded 2,500 cheering fans electric with excitement for 'hockey on horseback' or 'Formula One on ice'.

Over the weekend, I had an opportunity to speak with captains of the Canadian and international teams and get their take on the event. Marc Perreault, captain for Team Canada said, “MontTremblant is a world class location, and has all the makings of a first class event, and I believe it will grow in popularity exponentially in the years to come. By next year, we will expect many more players and teams throughout the world.”

After the title match on Saturday and just moments after the game, Justin Fogarty shared his experience.

“It has been a dream to play here today with my good friends and in front of so passionate and enthusiastic fans, many of whom are old and new friends. Our vision to showcase Tremblant and Canada to the world in the years to come has taken its first big step. With great success and the momentum created from today, our dream has become a reality for the community and the charities we hope to support.”

The real icing on the cake of this event was Canada winning the World Cup that was then ceremoniously presented by members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. I don’t care what sport it is, we love it when Canada wins! Based on the success of the inaugural event, you can be assured that the Snow Polo World Cup will only grow in popularity in the coming years as a must-attend event.

"2,500 cheering fans electric with excitement for 'hockey on horseback' or 'Formula One on ice'."

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Herbert Ratsch Bottles The Best of Canada

By Oliver Luke He’s not a hunter, but the pivotal moment in his career as a luxury real estate tycoon was the sale of a spectacular hunting camp, complete with bred-on-site world champion elk and European red stag, let loose in their wild preserve. Herb remembers trophy hunters were shelling out $100,000 for the once-in-a-lifetime experience.

At first he wasn’t sure if he could sell it, so he put together a marketing plan, detailing asset, land and herd values, before targeting world-class hunters who would not only value – but also invest in – such an asset. Herb remembers wondering, “I hope this is going to work.”

But it played out exactly as he hoped it would.

And then he was able to replicate his success by selling the biggest land asset in Canada – 65,000 acres – including 25 km of frontage on Lake Papineau. Listed at $81,250,000.00 and once the home of The Scenery Club (one of the most prestigious clubs in Canada at one time) Herb divulges how spectacular this property was.

Their strategy was unique. They chose not to discuss the net price; instead they focused on the price per acre, a mere $1,250 each. Interested parties would respond “That’s cheap!”

“Absolutely,” came the reply. “There’s just 65,000 of them.”

Schooled by the best, Herb credits IntraWest, masters of envisioning, creating and executing a sales and marketing plan, for teaching him the ropes. “They transformed dead ski resorts like Blue Mountain, Mont Tremblant and Whistler Blackcomb into the destinations they are today.”

Upon leaving IntraWest and teaming up with Sotheby’s, Mr. Ratsch specialized in non-traditional ‘odd-ball’ assets, he remembers. He still doesn’t do open houses, preferring to represent specialized high-end estates in the country, mostly secondary properties.

And once he found success in a particular network, he became the go-to guy. “Start dealing with the top legal and accounting firms, and they refer you,” he says. “I deal with the best of the best. As your business grows, these professionals elevate you.

My clients have hired the best, so I make sure I do the same.”

Herb Ratsch is rare. “I don’t think of myself as a sales person.

My job is to coach my clients on the attributes such as a private lake; the cost per acre compared to market value. I don’t sell, I give them options and coach them from there. This is why I earn their trust.”

When I ask Herb for his investment advice, he says, “I buy revenue. Cash flow is always an issue, so I always buy real estate with good cash flow. If you want a revenue-producing property, you buy revenues. If you want a long-term capital appreciation property, you buy good lake property. It’s rare to find a property that will do both.”

While he’s best at what he does in Quebec, he is quick to acknowledge the major international Sotheby’s organization behind him. “Sotheby’s is a great brand.

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When people entrust me with the sale of their property, they know I am part of an international network. We have offices around the world, which distinguishes us when it comes to international distribution, via key brands such as The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and Architectural Digest. Of course, having access to the network and activating it are two different things.”

Speaking internationally, Mr. Ratsch shares the people’s vision of Canada as a log cabin by a lake. “No matter where you go in the world – the Middle East, China, Japan or France, when you say ‘Canada’ and people say ‘log cabin by a lake’. We just bottle it.”

Like you could do one crisp morning soon in Jacques Villeneuve’s sugar shack. Herb represents race car driver Jacques Villeneuve, owner of Domain Villeneuve. “La Cabane au Canada features over 850 acres and boasts such treats as a sugar shack and energy-independence. People love his property.”

One of the biggest advantages of investing in La Belle Provence Herb says, “Is how undervalued property is here, compared to Muskoka, the Okanagan, or even the US.” What do you get when you buy in Quebec? The joie de vivre, of course! “I love French Canadian culture. Not sure how this will sound, but it seems in Toronto the philosophy is live to work, while Quebecers are the opposite. They work to live. They celebrate their passions; it’s not so much about title or assets.

I find similar differences between New York and Los Angeles.”

And there are perks to shopping for luxury real estate. Because a lot of folks like to try-before-they-buy, and because Herb specializes in secondary residences, prospective clients are encouraged to rent the property first. “If you fall in love with it, great.”

He remembers spending hours on the phone and internet with a guy from Dubai named Neil. “Come and rent out the property if you don’t believe me.”

“One day the guy showed up at my office!” When asked what he was doing there, Neil replied, “I really enjoyed our conversations, but I think most real estate people are full of shit. I thought you might be too, but I wasn’t sure, so I’ve been renting a house for a week and thought I’d come and see you.”

Upon further enquiry, Neil admitted, “You know, Herb. It was exactly what you said it would be, and better.”

He ended up spending 7 million dollars in the following 48 hours, and has been in Canada for 10 years. “He wanted the best of Canada, and that’s what we gave him.”

Herb clearly loves what he does. “I get to play every day. It’s ATV’s, boats and helicopters in the summer, and snowmobiles and skis in the winter. How can I not like what I do? I love just being secluded on a private lake with my cell phone turned off.”

Finally, managing a successful work-life balance is key to Herb Ratsch. When I ask him what matters most, he says without blinking: “That my family and I are happy.”

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Lac polo

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Lac Polo Lac Polo private estate consisting of 2,900 acres and a magnificent 100% private lake. As you enter the property there are two caretaker homes 3 barns and several sheds and garages.

As you drive up the 4 km private road you pass the sugar shack with 1800 maple trees. On top of the hill, there are vista views of the surrounding area. The heli-pad and skeet shooting range is located in this area where there are views of the ski slopes of Mont Tremblant. As you continue down the private drive you arrive at the main property where there are two country homes, a tennis court and the most beautiful pristine private lake which is stocked with trout.The property has riding, hiking, hunting trails throughout. This property is a family dream estate.

$14,500,000

certified real estate broker

819-429-9019 hratsch@sothebysrealty.ca

1430, rue Sherbrooke O. MontrĂŠal QC, H3G 1K4 t: 514.287.7434 f: 514.287.8983

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villeneuve estate

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"Ma Cabane aux Canada" A piece of paradise! Exclusive private estate with 851.35 acres including a private lake, Lac Sémillion and 50% of Lac Laurin. There is also 1.7 km of shoreline along the Riviére Rouge with a magnificent sandy beach.

The gatehouse is at the beginning of the property and there is a sugar shack. To access the main house you drive up the 2.6 km road through the forest. At the top of the road, this is where you will find a beautiful energy efficient round log home looking out onto your own private lake.Large balcony, open concept living dinning and kitchen area with a large stone fireplace. The master bedroom with en-suite bathroom. This home has all the luxuries, not what you would expect in the cabin in the woods. Only 25 minutes from Mont Tremblant.

$4,255,000

certified real estate broker

819-429-9019 hratsch@sothebysrealty.ca

1430, rue Sherbrooke O. Montréal QC, H3G 1K4 t: 514.287.7434 f: 514.287.8983

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Lac lacoste

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Lac Lacoste Ferme Lacoste Estate: 1212.75 acres of wilderness criss crossed by 4.5km of private roads and 8km of trails, 4.5km of shoreline on Lac Lacoste and another lake in its entirety. 5 waterfront residences and an ancestral farmhouse with barn, outbuildings and garden. Several exceptional sites 25 minutes from Mont-Tremblant.

Five waterfront homes on this spectacular property. Each home is very unique. The first being a typical French Canadian style with a separate cabin and barn. The second has large windows that lets the light stream in. The third is a smaller cozy chalet. The fourth is a small log cabin right at the water’s edge. The fifth is a larger home with large windows and lots of veranda space. Besides 4.5 kms of lakefront on lac Lacoste you also have your own private lake called Marie-Louise. Hiking trails throughout the property. The perfect family estate.

$7,900,000

certified real estate broker

819-429-9019 hratsch@sothebysrealty.ca

1430, rue Sherbrooke O. Montréal QC, H3G 1K4 t: 514.287.7434 f: 514.287.8983

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Waterfront Real Estate an opportunity to own 5.56 acres of desirable waterfront property in shanty bay, ontario with 215 ft of shoreline

eleanor faulds sales representative

KELLER WILLIAMS EXPERIENCE REALTY Brokerage, Independently Owned and Operated EFLuxury.ca Office: 705.720.2200

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Offered at $2,700,000

Nadine Truax SALES REPRESENTATIVE

Direct 705-790-5638

Trinity Realty

resourceful & strategic

705.429.4800

Brokerage

Independently owned and operated

Real Estate is too valuable to work with someone who doesn't have the time to spend on you.

I'm an experienced RealtorÂŽ trading in recreational, commercial and residential properties encompassing all of Southern Georgian Bay. I'm now celebrating the start of my eighth year as a full-time RealtorÂŽ. As a buying and selling representative, it is my personal and professional qualities that allows me to build and maintain solid relationships.

With a sophisticated understanding of the market and a firm grasp of the latest trends and technology, I keep up to date with the new generation of buyers. I apply this expertise with my natural old school values and work ethic to encompass a full service experience that gets results.

You deserve a Realtor that you can trust and who shows you they care. nadinetruax@royallepage.ca 110

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Klaudia

Nabialek moving mortgage mountains

By Lauren Burns Photography Kenesha Lewis

As Canadians, we live in the country that leads the world by example with our sound banking systems and monetary policy.

However, we are verging on a dangerous trend when it comes to credit and how much of it we take on. We work longer and harder, but it seems like we never quite get ahead. For many Canadians there seems to be more month than money and we are relying on credit more than ever. Then, when it comes time to buy a home, the major banks deny applicants because the past has finally caught up with them.

Prepare to have your credit history examined when applying for a mortgage. Individuals denied based on their credit likely have a reported history of dishonoured payments and/ or debt delinquencies. The major institutions shy away from anything that resembles risk and will look for a reason to deny an application. The safest, most productive thing someone denied can do is seek lending services through a mortgage agent.

Klaudia Nabialek, a mortgage agent at The Strategic Capital Network Inc., helps people who have been denied by the major banks to get a mortgage.

“We meet many clients who have unestablished or bruised credit, which could be due to a consumer proposal, bankruptcy, credit rejections, divorce, or simply poor money management. Often there’s a good, reasonable explanation and the client just needs someone to help them communicate with the lending institution and lay out a plan to get them back on the right track. We specialize in that department. We get to know the human behind the application. We do whatever it takes to relate to our client’s reality, and we treat people with compassion and respect.

"Sure, we assess the client from a technical perspective, but more importantly, we discuss what happened in their life.

Once we figure that out, we make up a manageable plan and work with the client to figure out where they would like to be, in a reasonable time frame.

"We want our clients to be better equipped and to be in a better position. And they can do that with the right tools and competent team to guide them. We deal with top class ‘A’ institutions, as well as alternative lenders, so that even clients who don’t fit the box may still get a mortgage.

Our standards and expectations are high, but not unreasonable.

We want to know that we are representing a decent hard working client and we will move mountains to assist good people."

Klaudia is also a law clerk and uses her background in law and real estate to assist her clients.

“Having a legal background is a huge benefit in my career because I can explain the entire legal process, and help ease the client’s stress and confusion. It's very rewarding to know that I can go from a very early stage of pre-approval right up to the end process where I personally hand them the keys.”

Choosing the right mortgage agent can be the difference between having a pleasant, informed borrowing experience and a disastrous one. It’s important to find an agent you can trust, as they will be your partner helping you to reach your milestones.

“Clients should choose an agent they feel comfortable with.

Someone with whom they can talk about their life openly. Years of experience is important, but they should look at the entire brokerage and its reputation. We have a wide range of lenders to choose from and it’s my job to find the one that will best fit my client’s needs, whether they be rate sensitive, fee sensitive or looking for prepayment options.

"Applicants should do their homework, and ask questions. They should know my success rate, and of my experiences and find out who pays my commission, as well as learn about potential fees. These are questions to be asked when you sit down initially with an agent.”

At Strategic Capital, Klaudia also helps new business owners, as well as clients with gratuity-based and commission-based incomes, like real-estate agents and servers, gain access to otherwise elusive lenders. Through resources available at the brokerage, Klaudia can provide new immigrants to Canada (with verifiable income and/or work permits) with a mortgage.

Strategic Capital offers traditional first and second mortgages, debt consolidation assistance and a variety of mortgage-based investment opportunities, with the highest levels of security and due diligence in the country. An appointment may be made with Klaudia Nabialek by calling, (705) 734-2111 Extension 14.

Broker license #: 11732. Agent license #: M13001083.

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Dynamic Living The best in luxury rentals on the spanish island of ibiza

Imagine yourself submerged in an infinity pool, soaking up the rays of sunshine beating down on your forehead and exposed shoulders while you set your gaze upon the horizon. The faint sounds of deep house, disco, or even some flamenco are playing in the distance. Squinting under the sun, you try to quantify exactly how far it is you can see out into the deep blue of the Mediterranean...Got it? Feel that warmth? Well, that’s Ibiza baby. The illusory, anecdotal, magical, and mysterious island located off the coast of Valencia, Spain.

A strange and beautiful place, Ibiza is a getaway for all types of individuals. In recent years, Ibiza has become famous for the association with nightlife and the electronic music that originated on the island. It is well known for its summer club scene, which attracts very large numbers of tourists, even though the island's government and the Spanish Tourist Office have controversially been working to promote more family-oriented tourism.

Ibiza is the home of the noted port in Ibiza Town, a popular stop for many tourists and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

So, whether you’re seeking the world-famous nightlife and beach party scene, or something on the softer side – spas and silence – this small piece of rock will be the answer to all your travel quandaries. Say goodbye to traditional Caribbean destinations and say hello to Ibiza, a destination with a vibrancy that rivals any resort destination. This is because Ibiza’s never really been a resort type of vacation to begin with. Much preferred by regular visitors to the island are private apartment rentals. Because why not? When things heat up at your fabulous after party, privacy is the main concern, and the rentals in Ibiza have got what you’re looking for. There are villas all over the island available for renting privately and Pie is delivering you the scoop on the top five rental properties on the entire island.

Read on and get your imagination running wild.

For all reservations and inquiries about Luxury Villa holidays contact George Burden, Managing Director george@dynamiclives.com

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Villa Cardona

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“For the ultimate in luxury�

No. 1: Villa Cardona

For the ultimate in luxury, Villa Cardona will make you feel like royalty living it up in the hills of Ibiza.

Who hasn't dreamed of having their own castle and looking out across the land like the luminaries of the past who have occupied their own piece of history?

Although set in the hills above the St. Jose road, and the envy of all of Ibiza, the drive into town is less than five minutes giving it the perfect amount of accessibility. Mostly painted in whitewash, the villa is light and airy. From front to back of the house, one can have uninterrupted views of the garden, the sea, and of course the pool area. Villa Cardona is lucky enough to have a full 400sq meter of living space and seven large bedrooms. As for outdoors, the luxury designed space with dining areas and a killer sound system will have you hosting the best pool parties in the hills. This is definitely one of the best rental properties on the island.

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Villa Tres Luna

No. 2: Villa Tres Luna

A family owned and operated six bedroom estate, La Tres Lunas, which translates to three moons, is a place not many have had the luxury of visiting – a fact which makes it even more covetable as a place to stay. From the three separate villas available, it’s possible to enjoy full sunrise and sunsets, access to generous landscaped gardens and all amenities one may need. And if sea adventures aren’t your thing, the views will be enough to take your breath away. At Villa Tres Lunas, there are also two full swimming pools at one’s disposal. If privacy and space are your premiere needs, it’s a good bet that you will enjoy La Tres Lunas. Tailored to your needs, the villa staff and concierge will assist any time of day or night.

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“a place not many have had the luxury of visiting”

“the ultimate combination of then and now styling”

Villa Can Palerm

No. 3: Villa Can Palerm

Villa Can Palerm could be seen as the ultimate combination of then and now styling. With the fixtures, architecture and old fashioned clay and plaster walls, to the finest in furnishings, linens and lighting, this villa has that old world charm we love about Europe. Who knew one could get the enjoyment of a tropical destination with the class and history of a European destination? This proves yet another fabulous reason to visit this wonderful island.

The caveat to Villa Can Palerm is it’s almost 60, 0000 sq. meters of private land. Something almost unheard of in terms of vacation rental properties – you wont get this on Air BnB. With five bedrooms and a short drive from Ibiza town as well, the property even features a full tennis court and is surrounded

by overflowing gardens. Mixing traditional style again with all modern finishes, and recently refurbished, it’s guaranteed this property will be featured in the latest interior decorating journals. The best part of this location? The number one Italian restaurant in all of Ibiza is right next door: Can Domingo Ibiza.is light and airy. From front to back of the house, one can have uninterrupted views of the garden, the sea, and of course the pool area. Villa Cardona is lucky enough to have a full 400sq meter of living space and seven large bedrooms.

As for outdoors, the luxury designed space with dining areas and a killer sound system will have you hosting the best pool parties in the hills. This is definitely one of the best rental properties on the island.

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Villa Lotus

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“make your vacation stay that much more like home”

No. 4: Villa Lotus

Another stunning and sprawling estate, Villa Lotus is nestled on the top of the hills looking over the famous beaches of Cala Bassa and Cala Conte. The view is breathtaking, and of almost all the properties mentioned here, this one could be considered the best. With seven bedrooms, this villa lends to a more bright, cool, and airy vibe. With plenty of outdoor entertaining space as well, it’s beginning to become clear where this island’s priorities lie. Featuring a large swimming pool, covered dining completed with solid wood furnishings and sun loungers, the space also boasts a muslin draped four-poster day bed to lounge about while basking in the sun. With two floors of space, most of the bedrooms and private areas are located on the second level, while the open planned downstairs provides a welcome space for entertaining and living, all with a fully equipped luxury kitchen to make your vacation stay that much more like home.

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Villa Can Ravell

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“at Can Ravell, you can dance and swim all night long”

No. 5: Villa Can Ravell

Ravell is definitely one of the more low-key, best friends getaway type vibe accommodations. A genuine finca (a Spanish country estate) perched in the hills, this location will give you ultimate privacy but also easy access to all the amenities. Villa Can Ravell boasts a state-of-theart Sonos sounds system through the house, luxury coffee makers, and all the finest amenities to make your stay that much more enjoyable. VIP services even include a private chef for the length of your stay. More entertainment oriented guests may prefer this location for all of it’s extras. International channels, super fast Wi-Fi, the music features and dining table fit for twelve, you can have all your friends enjoy the getaway with you. There is also wonderful dining located outside for approx. eight, which allows the fun to overflow outside and under stars. Ibiza is all about the nightlife and with the covered terrace and sun beds by the saltwater pool at Can Ravell, you can dance and swim all night long.

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Costa Rica Luxury Property.com rich in heritage, bountiful in beauty, deep in culture.

Kay

paight REALTOR

& alex

szinegh REALTOR

Kay 813-918-0624 Alex 702-334-5570 kay.paight@exitprime.net alex.szinegh@exitprime.net

Casa 21 Roma Del Mar, Playa Naranjo Owner financing available. Incredible 4 bedroom luxury home with a 50ft long infinity edge pool and swim up bar.

Huge Rancho, fully furnished and equipped.

Offered at $749,000 See what Stephen Baldwin has to say about staying here: thatinterviewguy.com/stephen_baldwin.html

Kay and alex have a combined Real estate experience of over 40 years and have sold over 3000 properties. Kay and Alex live in Tampa Florida and sell residential, commercial, vacation and investment properties in Tampa, Clearwater and St.Petersburg area. They also own and sell luxury vacation homes in Costa Rica.

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Locate to Florida.com Living the dream

18814 Wimbledon Circle, Lutz, Florida

Originally built by Lee Fernandez in 1998, this 3439 sq. ft., 5 bedroom, 3 bathroom, home has been completely updated and renovated by the current owners from A-Z. Everything old is new again! Compare to Ladera across the street and you get a renovated and updated home in Cheval.

The sellers have spent over six figures renovating. Just exceptional in every way. This is located in the East side of Cheval, close to the club.

Kay

paight REALTOR

& alex

szinegh REALTOR

Kay 813-918-0624 Alex 702-334-5570 kay.paight@exitprime.net alex.szinegh@exitprime.net

Offered at $699,950

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Locate to Florida.com Living the dream

4819 Cheval Blvd., Lutz, Florida

Golf course living at its finest. Executive custom built home located in the exclusive gated Estates of Cheval situated on a private, premium golf course homesite. Very peaceful and relaxing setting with gorgeous wooded view and golf course view. The spacious kitchen offers solid wood cabinetry, large pantry, kitchen island and breakfast bar overlooking the family room. Huge master bedroom offers a separate space for an insuite office, exercise area, nursery or reading/lounging area. The outdoor kitchen completes the beautiful pool area. This home has unbelievable potential to be one of the gems of Cheval.

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Kay

paight REALTOR

& alex

szinegh REALTOR

Kay 813-918-0624 Alex 702-334-5570 kay.paight@exitprime.net alex.szinegh@exitprime.net

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the

Vacation prescription

When your work or home life cause you to cry out the answer is simple:

it’s just time fly out.

Honestly, it’s time to get the heck out of here! No matter how much stress you convince yourself may need to go into the planning, paying, and executing of the ever out-of-touch vacation, nothing can compare to the feeling that rushes over us when the wheels of that plane finally lift off the ground. Relaxation, escape, beautiful weather, they are all waiting for us when we land and best of all, “getting away” can now be considered doctor’s orders. This, in part with Expedia.ca’s annual “Vacation Deprivation Survey” – which talks to Canadians from coast to coast – finds that it is, in fact, exactly what we need.

The way our culture thrives on the ‘work, watch, spend’ cycle, doesn’t allow us much room for letting go from the world around us. Everyone knows that giving yourself time, whether through meditation, exercise, socializing, and of course, exploring and traveling, is good for you – but have we ever really had the facts to back it up? Well, not until now. The shocking results of Expedia’s survey show that statistically as a nation we are taking less and less time off each year, mainly due to the majority of us consequently taking on more and more work.

Over half of Canadians reported they took less actual days off this year than they did in 2013, and on top of it, feel like we just don’t get enough vacation time in the first place. On average, they claimed to need at least 8 more days to be satisfied with their yearly allotment, for a total average annual allotment of 24 days.

Although this may seem like a lot on paper, think about your life and the last year. Do you truly feel like you “got away from it all”? Maybe not enough, or even a bit, or maybe you just didn’t go anywhere? Well, it’s official. "Vacation Deprivation" is actually a thing. Even despite the known benefits of taking time off work, the survey found that what this is clearly defined as is not having enough vacation time or not using some or all, of one’s vacation allotment.

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By Joshua Shier Photography Justin Main Speaking to Sean Shannon, the Managing Director of Expedia Canada, it was clear where the company stands on the issue (I mean, if it wasn’t obvious before). “Vacation deprivation is clearly on the rise,” said Sean. “Roughly half of Canadians surveyed… report feeling somewhat, or very, vacation deprived, up from 40% last year. At Expdia.ca, we understand the positive benefits of travel and the importance of getting away from the day-to-day routine. It’s an opportunity to relax, recharge, and rejuvenate.”

Building on that glorious statement, vacations truly are a medicine for the body, mind, and soul. Options are endless when it comes to the create-your-own-adventure aspect of a custom itinerary – it’s truly a beautiful thing in itself. But even if you aren’t the type to put a lot of work into your escape from reality, being provided with 5-star resort after 5-star resort to chose from, it’s not that difficult to find what you’re after. If it’s fine dining and guzzling champagne in a cabana in Cozumel, or rock climbing and cave diving in Vietnam, it’s pretty much possible to make it happen in less than 24-hours (time zones permitting, of course).

It’s safe to say we all understand the love affair with the vacay’, and loathe the dreaded return back home sometimes, but 93% of people said they still felt relaxed and rejuvenated for long periods of time when they arrived home from a trip, and 87% say they really feel closer to their partners, or their family afterwards. The Expedia.ca survey went as far to even determine that 78% of us even feel more focused, and able to appreciate our jobs more after going on a much deserved vacation.

Whether it’s the endless vitamin D, free yoga, massages, the best of World cuisine, or just the endless mojitos and tequila shots, our time on vacation is sacred to us. We cherish those memories for years to come. Through indulging in our naughty side and letting loose, getting pampered, clearing our minds, we find our true self. Even better is being lucky enough to share that with others - and maybe making tradition out of it with a loved one. It’s always the way to spark the fire in any relationship snowbird, or not.

And what about those of us who are lucky enough to be off in a far-away land, laying on the beach, but just can’t unplug and stop checking “work emails” for the life of them? Or the ones who seem to post-pone vacation plans incessantly because of certain work obligations or downright paranoia (37% of us according to the national survey)?

Why it only brings us right back to the wretched ‘work, watch, spend’ cycle. Over-time equals over-load, and it’s starting to bring us down! We work all day to come home and feel too tired to really enjoy ourselves, watch TV, dream of and see what we can’t have, and go to sleep only to wake up and do it all over again. Medical professionals out there are beginning to agree, and we’ve known it for a long time. It’s not good for our minds and it’s not good for our bodies either.

Taking the opportunity to book yourself a flight online, even go somewhere for just two or three days can allow yourself the solitude, and the relaxing experience needed in order to come back refreshed and rested, ready to tackle your career with a new found attitude. Better performance leads to better salary, which leads to…you guessed it: better vacations! The theory isn’t new, and it’s been written about many times, but now, thanks to Expedia, the national vacation deprivation survey really proves the point. It’s time for us to take back the vacation, and promise to ourselves more time for ‘me’ and more time to enjoy life. Taking any opportunity to get inspired, get outside the box, or just plain get out of here. In today’s connected, overworked, overrated, over-tweeted, over-facebooked, crazy world, getting lost can sometimes seem completely impossible, but with a few easy clicks on that screen, instead of reading a nasty work email, or the lurking photos of your ex-BFF in Cuba, you could actually be booking yourself a nice little getaway. And if you really want to truly get the most of out of your home-away-from-home, just turn the damn screens off. Unplug from the world and opt-out of the instagram inundating – because really, we all know what a pina colada looks like anyway. Lose yourself to the magic of it all, or as the French say la magie de tout cela! Why not, oui?

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Making Great Drinks

POP

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Lex "If you can't buy it or find it I'll build it"

www.lexco.ca

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m mooddeell:: LL II SS AA JJ AA CC KK SS O O NN pphhoottooggrraapphhyy:: G G RR EE G G SS W W AA LL EE SS ssttyylliisstt:: JJ EE NN NN PPAA RR KK KK RR U U LL II KK m maakkeeuupp bbyy:: EE M M II LL YY M M EE RR G G AA EE RR TT

NNAARRSS CCoossm meettiiccss ++ RRaaddiiccaall SSkkiinnccaarree

nnaaiillss bbyy:: SS O O PP H H II AA SS II NN G GH H

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BODYBINES BRA W.BRITT RINGS

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THIS PAGE W.BRITT BRACELETS & NECKLACE OPPOSITE PAGE HAT WESTERLIND SCARF STYLIST’S OWN

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DA R K N E S S “Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing, doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before.�

-Edgar Alan Poe

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THIS PAGE HAT WESTERLIND TOP JAMES PERSE OPPOSITE PAGE BODICE & CUFF LIONETTE BY NOA SADE PIE Magazine

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TAGS

by Stoney Darkstone - www.stoneydarkstone.com

model: Jessica Walther Make-up Artist: Lauren Marie Sanderson Stylist: Sue Fyfe-Williams Shot at The Barn Studios

Neck collar/epaulettes - Cath Sanger Chainmail and scales jewellery - Richard Ayres Clothing - Vintage

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Suit Bgz Milano by Davido Afnani | Suit pants Bgz Milano by Davido Afnani | Dress shirt polka dot Bgz Milano by Davido Afnani | Shoes Gucci | Coat Top Shop

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city

SLICKER Photograper: Regen Chen stylist: Talia Brown model: Philip M with Spot6Management

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Suit Jacket Bruno Bellini by Davido Afnani Suit pants Bruno Bellini by Davido Afnani Turtleneck Zingal Riche | Shoes dieppa restrepo

Bodysuit by American Apparel | Shoes by Acne

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Suit Bgz Milano by Davido Afnani | Suit pants Bgz Milano by Davido Afnani Dress Shirt Polka Dot Bgz Milano by Davido Afnani | Shoes Gucci | Coat Top Shop | Bag Ted Baker

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Coat Burberry | Pants bogazzi by Davido Afnani Shirt Ted Baker | Shoes Gram Boot

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Sweater Ted Baker Pants bogazzi by Davido Afnani PIE Magazine

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l a t s y r C s r M

hefner

loungewear at the mansion

It was a sunny Friday morning in Los Angeles without a single cloud in the sky as we arrived at the Playboy Mansion. There were exotic birds casually wandering across the lawns and not a flower was out of place. We received a warm welcome from their team to ours and immediately began setting up across the iconic property to shoot pieces of Mrs. Crystal Hefner’s new and upcoming loungewear line.

Crystal is a woman of many talents: model, DJ, TV personality and the recent addition of fashion designer. After meeting Hugh Hefner in 2008 this San Diego raised beauty’s world changed after being featured in Playboy and staring in a season of the reality television show Girls Next Door. With her multi faceted repertoire of accomplishments and global success through social medias Crystal only keeps going up from here.

Now that she has teamed up with the also successful and award-winning Rhonda Shear to create this feminine loungewear line, everyone will be able to enjoy that same cozy luxury in the comfort of their own homes. PIE Bookazine was given the wonderful opportunity to discuss her new line with Mrs. Hefner herself.

Photography: Chris Woods Interview: Kelsey Nicoloff 1st assistant: brian macdonald 2nd assistant: jason croak retouching: chris woods/glEn honiball Location: playboy mansion, los angeles california

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“Just believe in yourself. If you really want something and want to be a part of something then you can.�

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What made you want to start your swimwear and loungewear lines?

I think just doing modeling and doing different photo shoots and being styled for it kind of gets you into fashion, and you start picking stuff for yourself and then getting into designing. So I think that’s kind of how it went.

How did you pair up with the Rhonda Shear team?

So Rhonda, she was in Playboy. She used to have a show [she’s a comedian] called Up All Night with Rhonda Shear, and she did a celebrity pictorial in Playboy and it was the same issue that Jenny McCarthy was originally a centerfold, it’s really cool. She’s a friend of the mansion and she does lingerie, so she would always send me stuff from her line. She’s on the shopping network a lot and does really well. She has the Ahh Bra and it’s a number one seller worldwide and I really look up to her, because she was doing acting and modeling, so she’s kind of my inspiration and idol. I asked her if she wanted to collaborate and do a lingerie line, and she wanted to.

Her stuff is mostly shape-wear lingerie and I had a lingerie store for a while, then I realized I don’t wear lingerie all that much but what I do wear is the comfortable stuff, which is why I wanted to do something that I personally love. So, we started working together and I gave her all my ideas and designs, and her design team helped me decide what would sell and what would not sell. I’m excited.

When designing the collections did you create it with a specific demographic that you wanted to appeal to or did you design it entirely from your personal preference?

I think it’s younger. Rhonda’s line is kind of geared towards older women. When you go into a loungewear section in a department store it’s more for older ladies, so we’re going to take that and bring it to a younger demographic, which I think will be cool. It’s stuff you can wear anywhere: to the gym, Starbucks, to sleep, wherever.

Can you describe the creative process? Where do you begin?

Where I started was with the idea I wanted to do the loungewear and I knew I definitely wanted to do loungewear, to wear comfortable stuff, because that’s all I wear. We have movie nights four nights a week here, so I’m mostly wearing Uggs, sweaters and comfortable pants and stuff. So that’s where I wanted to start with things that I wear all the time. I took all the stuff I usually wear out of my closet, and we went from there and kind of created new things and looked at all the fabrics.

What are your favorite pieces from the collections?

It has to be the ruffle set. It’s the best. It’s shorts, I haven’t seen too many ruffles for adults and it was actually inspired by a little baby underwear we saw with the ruffle butt, but oh my god, that would be so cute for girls a little bit older! We did the ruffle short and when we put it together with the ruffle tank, and oh my gosh, it’s so cute, it looks like one piece all together. So that’s my favourite.

Do you think you would ever take part in designing Playboy merchandise?

Possibly, but Playboy has a lot of licensees in a lot of categories.

I have two dogs and they approach me and they’re like “oh we don’t have a licensee for dog clothes, do you wanna do Playboy dog clothes?” and I’m like, maybe eventually but right now I’m just focusing. Maybe. We’ll see. I kinda want to do my own thing.

How would you describe your personal sense of style?

I think it’s very comfortable and relaxed. Most of my stuff is t-shirts, flats… I have some heels, but I don’t wear them all that often. We’re homebodies and mostly just stay here.

I’m sure many are wondering, including myself, do you have a beauty routine that you stick to?

Not really, I try to wear makeup as little as possible. On most days, I don’t wear makeup at all, because when I wear makeup I get breakouts and things like that, so I keep makeup to a minimum. I just started using the La Mer Gel and it’s been really awesome. It’s super hydrating- I love that. I think not wearing makeup as often is what helps me, because you’re also pulling at your skin and rubbing it off, so that’s all I do.

Social media has taken a huge role in communicating with fans. You’re on Vine, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter and have reached an astounding 2.7 million Facebook fans.

I have everything, I’m obsessed!

In what ways have these platforms affected you from a personal and business standpoint?

It’s been fun to gain the followers, it’s kind of addicting. I started asking a couple of the Vine kids if they wanted to collaborate, and they are all like, “sure, I’ll come to the mansion!” So, we did some Vines and I met them and some of them are friends now. Instagram is fun. It’s just kind of learning what everyone likes on each platform. It’s going pretty well.

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“I feel like I’m just the same girl from San Diego who just happens to be in this amazing place with an amazing man�

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What do you feel is the biggest misconception about you?

I don’t know, I feel like because I pose for Playboy people think I flaunt myself or I’m super outgoing. I’m kind of shy and stick to myself. I’m modest, I’m never wearing slutty stuff [laughs]. I’m always very toned down casual, just relaxed, chill girl. I mean, I grew up in San Diego which is a laid back town by the beach like two hours south of here. I feel like I’m just the same girl from San Diego who just happens to be in this amazing place with an amazing man. So yeah, I’m just me.

When you’re not busy working, how would you describe an average day in your life?

Usually, I wake up and have breakfast. I’ll call down and order food, which I’m very lucky we have a kitchen here with chefs.

Then, I’ll usually go to the gym, hang out with the dogs, and catch up on my emails. I always have different stuff going on and started doing different brand deals with social media. It’s been a lot of fun. I’ll catch up on meetings. I’ll help Hef with stuff and whatever he needs. Recently, we picked some of the movies - he schedules movies for every Friday, Saturday and Sunday - and I helped him pick the movies throughout the rest of this year. It’s just fun doing stuff together and hanging out with him, and he’s amazing, so just asking him about what he’s doing all the time is fun for me.

To this day what would you say is your proudest accomplishment?

Probably just being happily married to somebody that I really love and I know loves me. That makes me happy at the end of the day.

Model, TV personality, DJ and designer- what’s next for you in your future goals?

I think that’s it, there are too many already! That’s it.

If you could give any words of advice to those who admire and look up to you, what would you say?

I think it would be that if you want to do something, go for it and just have a vision and follow through with it, believe in yourself. Not a lot of people believe in themselves - I didn’t! I never in a million years thought that I would be even coming to the Playboy Mansion once, let alone living here and being married to Hef - it’s been amazing. Just believe in yourself. If you really want something and want to be a part of something then you can. I wanted to DJ and that’s worked out well for me, and I put the practice and time in and it’s been amazing, plus everything with Rhonda and designing. If you want to go for it, do it.

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Sweater Polo Ralph Lauren, Sporting Life

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northern exposure Photography: Christoph Strube Styling & Production: Debbie Asquith Grooming: Lisa Vella Model: Matt Carson B&M/Specs

Location Assistance Provided by Ice Fishing Outfitters, Georgina, Ontario Cottage generously provided by lakesimcoecottages.com PIE Magazine

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Left Page: Scarf Barbour | Sweater Scotch & Soda, Sporting Life This Page: Parka White RLX | Pant Arcteryx, Sporting Life

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Opposite Page: Parka Mooseknuckles | Pant Arcteryx | Gloves Canada Goose | Sweater Polo Ralph Lauren, Sporting Life

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Cardigan Polo Ralph Lauren, Sporting Life PIE Magazine

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Snowsuit North Face | Gloves Canada Goose, Sporting Life

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Jacket Napapijri Geographic | Pant Fjall, Sporting Life PIE Magazine

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Parka Parajumpers, Sporting Life

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Jacket Arcteryx Royal | Vest Yellow North Face | Jeans Boss, Sporting Life PIE Magazine

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a foreign

FRONTIER Photography: andrew fearman Photography assistant: adrian price stylist: ivanna fontana make-up: teneille sorgiovanni hair: ivanna fontana model: lucy ross location: western australia

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Dress A.F. Vandevorst | Heels Tony Blanco PIE Magazine

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Top Vivien Westwood | Pants Josh Goot Starburst earrings Peter Lang | Heels Tony Blanco

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Dress Bariano

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Body Chain Bliss Lau

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Skirt Steph Audino | Body Chain Bliss Lau | Cuffs Lustre J

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Top Billie and Rose | Pants Emma Mulholland | Heels Tony Blanco

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ĂŠgoiste Photography and Artistic Direction: Arline Malakian Creative and Fashion Direction: Marek Matwiejczuk makeup and hair: Bianca Harris for the look beauty, Delia Lupan for Judy Inc. Special FX Makeup: Anthony Durbano Photo assistants: Robin Sharp digital tech: Morography Models at Spot 6 and Elite

Dress Breen McCarney | Shoes Vivienne Westwood

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Dress AdamX | Headwrap Norma Kamali

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Dress Breen McCarney | Hat House of Flora PIE Magazine

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Photography Gabe Toth

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Dress Lucian Matis | Jewellery Swarovski, Marek M

Left to right: Dress Maison Matthieu Gallagher | Pendant Rock & Karma | Hat House of Flora | Jacket Vandal | Skirt Giles at The Room | Hat Julian McDonald for John Galiano for Dior | Dress AdamX PIE Magazine

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This page left to right: Shirt Luomo Strano | Pants & Shirt Branko Popovich | Sweater Branko Popvich | Top & Shorts Luomo Strano | Shorts Luomo Strano | Fedora Phillip Treacy | Halter Shirt Luomo Strano Opposite page left to right: Dress Lazar Couture | Hat House of Flora | Cuff Marka Designs | Orange Dress AdamX | Dress Breen McCarney | Cuffs Marka Designs | Rings Swarovski & Lanvin Wooden Ring Marka Designs

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Left to right: Dress Huntington | Leather Underpinning Lazar Couture | Dress & Capelet Huntington | Tights Wolford | Shoes Fluevog | Sheath Dress Maison Matthieu Gallager | Hat Phillip Treacy | Gloves Daniel Starto | Dress Lucian Matis | Shoes Fluevog | Gloves 69 Vintage | Jacket Vandal | Pant Starkers | Shoes Fluevog | Jacket, Top, Skirt SEVENTHIRTYONE | Hat Phillip Treacy | Shoes Fluevog

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Dita VON TEESE an intimate glimpse into Dita Von Teese's world of glamourous lingerie

Photography: albert sanchez and penny lane 202

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"I was fascinated by lingerie as a right of womanhood. My love of lingerie is what led me to pinup and burlesque. Most pinup models of the 1940s were burlesque stars, and so my research of lingerie and pinup art is how I learned that burlesque existed."

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"I heed the words a fortune cookie told me almost twenty years ago.

It said that by maintaining honesty and integrity, I would succeed. So I've always paid close attention to those words."

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"You can watch something like Gypsy with Natalie Wood to get a more accurate idea of what burlesque was, or just about any old movie which actually shows that burlesque shows were striptease shows.

Better still, read a book! It's disgraceful to the grande dames of burlesque to sanitize what it was for commercialization. I'm proud to be a striptease star!

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"I reinforce what I have learned from personal experience...that the things that make us different are the things that make us special, interesting and beautiful. I'm not a standard American beauty by any means, so I think a lot of women are inspired by my example of creating glamour, and for showing another side of sexy.

I could never relate to natural beauties at all, and so I do my best to show others that sensuality and beauty aren't just what we see in mainstream media, that it can be something else, and you can create it."

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functional • feminine • foxy

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HotTug

Taking outdoor enjoyment to the next level

By Dani Kremeniuk

By Aaron Reynolds

If you love spending time outdoors but can't decide between relaxing in your hot tub or exploring the waterways on your boat, why not do both and climb into a HotTug - the woodfired hot tub you can sail.

People who already enjoy swimming, boating, and jet skiing can now connect with the water in a new and unique way.

Invented by artist and designer Frank de Bruijin, the HotTug is for anyone with easy access to the water. Families with waterfront homes or cottages can take a warm soak and enjoy all the beauty nature has to offer, while water equipment businesses can rent the HotTug out to groups of up to eight looking to cruise in style.

"It's more than a boat," says de Bruijin. "When the tug is filled there is only a narrow rim between you and the water, making you feel at one with your surroundings."

De Bruijin, who lives on a barge in the Netherlands, came up with the HotTug after wanting a hot tub for his home but discovering he didn't have the room. If his house floated, why couldn't his hot tub?

Constructed from wood and fitted with glass-fibre reinforced polyester, the HotTug comes in two versions: one that allows for up to 2.5 hours of boating and another that offers 8 hours.

It's powered by a built-in electric motor that is quiet and doesn't distract from the surrounding sounds of nature. As for the water in the HotTug, it's heated up to 38 C (100 F) in a stainless steel wood burning stove that burns ordinary wooden logs. And there's no need to fear of being burned or the HotTug catching on fire as the stove is cooled by the surrounding water it heats. De Bruijin swears you can even touch the stove while the fire is going.

Just imagine soaking in a warm bath while you cruise Canada's gorgeous waters and take in her sublime beauty.

To learn more about the HotTug, including how you can own one yourself, visit hottug.nl

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Who says you have to sacrifice life’s little luxuries when you camp? Go glamping with Bandit! With no glass, and no corkscrew required. Bandit is always good to go.

Available in lightweight, resealable, ecofriendly Tetra PaksÂŽ, our award-winning wines will turn your camping trip into glamping bliss. So be a savvy sipper, and

glamp it up with Bandit.

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Luxury Travel, Lifestyle and Culture Bookazine

Travel edition We take you to luxurious destinations to experience the ultimate in lifestyle and culture

Part 12 www.piemagazine.ca PIE Magazine

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Lucrative limited partnership offered in

Costa Rica.

Offered by a Canadian Developer.

Jaco Beach is one of the most developed towns on Costa Rica’s Central Pacific Coast and now Costa Rica’s fastest growing beach town, Playa Jaco, offers a wide array of beachfront and ocean view real estate options for enjoying life in Pura Vida. From luxury condos at the new Croc’s Casino and Resort, to beachfront bungalows and luxury Costa Rica beachfront properties, Jaco real estate is some of the best valued in all of Costa Rica.

Owning a luxury home in Costa Rica is a dream come true for many who seek a place on the Rich Coast, and if you’re fortunate enough to find your dream "luxury" home in Costa Rica, "Pura Vida" gets a little sweeter.

This luxury home is one of the best built luxury Costa Rican Villas with its quality craftsmanship, stunning architecture and breathtaking views. For partnership and rental income details visit ownjaco.com

OwnJaco.com

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2015

START YOUR 2015 STYLE LIST. HAIR SUIT SHIRT TIE SHOES WATCH SUBARU LEGACY

The new-generation 2015 Subaru Legacy.

Unleash the power within to pursue what you want most. The 2015 Legacy reconnects you to the thrill of driving with a sportier, more responsive ride and AWD capability to get you where you need to go with Subaru symmetrical full-time All-Wheel Drive. Its stylish looks are especially pleasing to the eye, while its all-new refined interior offers upgraded technology and plush materials that are pleasing to the touch. This sporty sedan caters to all your comforts and gives you free rein to indulge in true driving enjoyment. Learn more at subaru.ca

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‡ EyeSight® is a driver-assist system, which may not operate optimally under all driving conditions. It is available on the 2015 Legacy 2.5i Touring Package (FA2 TPE), 2.5i Limited Package (FA2 LPE) or 3.6R Limited Package (FA2 LE6). EyeSight® is not designed as a substitute for due care and attention to the road. The system may not react in every situation. The driver is always responsible for safe and attentive driving. System effectiveness depends on many factors such as vehicle maintenance, and weather and road conditions. Finally, even with the advanced technology activated, a driver with good vision and who is paying attention will always be the best safety system. See Owner’s Manual for complete details on system operation and limitations.

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