ReFINEd Kingston Summer 2018

Volume 3, Issue 3

FRESH | LOCAL | LIVING

SOUNDS OF SUMMER FASHION QUEEN’S CARDIO PULMONARY UNIT S’MORES CHARCUTERIE

FOREVERYOUNG CHIROPRACTIC

FEEL BETTER, LIVE BETTER

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Whole Home Comfort Specialists Serving Kingston for Over 25 Years

MADE IN CANADA

HEATING | COOLING | SERVICE

2495 Princess St. at Gardiners Rd. 613-634-7722 havenhomeclimatecare.ca

Our Family Law Group Is Ready To Assist You. Separation & Divorce • Custody • Wills & Estates • Financial Support Cohabitation Agreements • Property Division & Equalization

Mark A. B. Frederick

Carolyn J. N. Knight

Theresa J. Van Luven

Kendra S. Swallow

The Royal Block, Suite 300, 366 King Street East, Kingston K7K 6Y3 Phone: 613.542.7867 Fax: 613.542.1279 www.vinerkennedy.com

CONTENTS

Cover: ForeverYoung Chiropractic

42

Fashion & Beauty

12

City Life

28

Health & Wellness

48

Food & Drink

60

House & Home

86

Special Features The Sound of Summer

12

Queen’s Cardio Pulmonary Unit

34

Kombucha

48

Kingston’s Coffee Culture

68

The Vintage Bathroom

94

House of Angelis Fashion Emporium 63 & 65 Brock Street, Kingston 613.544.9721 info@houseofangelis.ca www.houseofangelis.ca

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From the publisher The Cover: Our gorgeous concept cover was born from the idea that your body is free to move and can perform incredible feats when it is healthy, strong and taken care of. At the core of whole body health is the nervous system and proper spinal function. Enter ForeverYoung Chiropractic, the epitome of self-care, prevention and treatment of spinal health and wellness. Read more on page 42 about their innovative clinic, with two locations serving our region.

Photography: Stephen Wild Model: Jane Kirby Location: Kingston Circus Arts Contributing Writers: Katrina Geenevasen, Allison Grange, Faith Woodland, Rob Elvy, Anna Ruck, Virginia See, Charlie Calarco, Cathie Watson, Marina Darling Contributing Photography: Stephen Wild, Allison Grange __________________ Contact Us: Cathie Watson Publisher/Owner cathie@refinedkingston.com Katrina Geenevasen Editor katrina@refinedkingston.com Allison Grange Graphic Design hello@freshvoicemedia.com Crystal Wyatt Advertising Consultant crystal@refinedkingston.com Marina Darling Advertising Consultant marina@refinedkingston.com

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Cathie Watson My summer is off to a great start so far. Already, I’ve logged more than a few fun-filled days with the kids at Lake Ontario park, taken many long walks downtown with my Bernese Mountain dog, Berkley, in tow (shameless plug; head to our Instagram page to see pictures of his cute face, he’s very handsome!) and meeting with clients over coffee at some of my favourite local cafes. Life is good!

I spend a lot of time in coffee shops around town; luckily, we have an abundance of fantastic coffee houses in the Limestone City. Back in the spring, when we were brainstorming our summer issue’s content, the topic of coffee was presented. Kingston has a very strong coffee culture, and our resident coffee expert, Marina Darling, who is known to take four shots of espresso in a coffee, took to task to explore some of our city’s coffee slinging hot spots.

On our cover, we present ForeverYoung Chiropractic, a wellness team dedicated to motherhood, children and families. It was a wonderful partnership working with the dynamic ForeverYoung team, including Dr, Jason Young and Dr. Rebecca Huddleston. Their passion for patient care, community and family was evident and spills over into how they operate their practice.

We wanted to create a stand-out cover and something unique to align with the clinic’s vision and values. To accomplish this, we called on aerial acrobat artist extraordinaire, Jane Kirby, who defined the vision beautifully. It’s our hope you enjoy and appreciate the artistic direction we took. I wish to give an extra-special thank you to our Art Director, Stephen Wild, for creating such a breathtaking image for our amazing designer, Allison Grange, to work with.

I encourage you to take time this summer to enjoy the sights and sounds of the city and take time for self-care. If my letter tells you anything, it is that coffee and chiropractic health are definitely on my priority list this season.

Enjoy the issue.

Cathie

From the Art Director

From the Editor

Katrina Geenevasen July is when summer finally — finally! — comes into its own. School seems forever and ever away, the lake water is warm enough to take a revitalizing dip in, and fresh produce is plentiful at our many area farmers’ markets. It’s time for vacations, long and lazy days at the cottage, and — in my household, at least — heaping bowls of ice cream topped with fresh strawberries and extra drizzles of chocolate sauce.

It’s also time to sit back with a cold drink (Sangria? Margarita?

Whatever it is, we don’t judge!) so you can flip through our summer issue with a bevvy in hand.

On our cover, we’ve featured ForeverYoung Chiropractic.

Stephen Wild You have to ask yourself, “Why?” Why do we wait for summer, just like we wait for weekends? Because we live for both equally.

Now that it’s here, worlds collide to create the perfect non-storm.

Sun, fun and endless days of long, enjoyable time outside, on the water or in the fields.

With summer sun comes an abundance of activities and new adventures.

In this issue you will find many ways to soak up the sun, while checking out great reads and maybe — just maybe — your next new thing.

With an equal focus on both health and play, owners Dr. Jason Young and Dr. Rebecca Huddleston are helping families through pregnancy, birth and beyond. It was a true honour to meet them, and learn about the passion behind their practice.

Our ReFINEd Kingston family had a blast putting this one to press.

We have learned a lot about our fair community, and now are passing it on to you. After all, there’s no point in living vicariously through us! We encourage you to go out and do it, too. Let us be your No. 1 guide for summer!

Whether you’re an expectant mama-to-be (congrats, by the way!), a new parent, or are on your very own journey to whole health, the services at ForeverYoung are the perfect way to help you feel – and live – better.

Before I leave you to enjoy the issue, I have to give a shout out to ForeverYoung Chiropractic. Allowing us to be creative about our coveted cover gives ReFINEd Kingston a chance to be evocative and relevant.

Inside this issue, you’ll also find great features on mastering your summer style (flat shoes are our friends, ladies!), building a life and a home in the beautiful Township of Leeds and the Thousand Islands, and tips on how to get some seriously great shut-eye.

Enjoy your summer and bring us along with you, in print or online.

However you choose to spend the dog days of summer, we hope you spend some time with us and enjoy our latest issue.

Katrina

Take care out there!

Stephen Refined Kingston Magazine @refinedmagygk @refinedmagygk Refined Kingston Magazine is published by Refined Lifestyles Ltd. Refined Kingston is independently owned and operated. Opinions expressed in Refined Kingston are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher or the advertisers. Refined Kingston does not assume liability for content.

All rights reserved ©Refined Magazines. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. For permission contact the publisher.

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Celebrating 55 Years of Automotive and Customer Service Excellence

By Marina Darling | Photos Stephen Wild

For a family owned and operated car dealership, Taylor AutoMall, and owner, Jason Taylor, taking care of customers and their cars to the highest degree is a top priority. The dealership is celebrating 55 years of business this year and is excited to celebrate the recent expansion of their business. Due to increased demand Taylor AutoMall has moved all of their Certified Pre-Owned operations to the newly acquired property next door located at 1010 Centennial Drive, next to Taylor AutoMall across from Costco.

Taylor AutoMall is a General Motors franchise with over 300 new Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac vehicles available at all times. In addition to new vehicles they also actively stock and sell Certified Pre-Owned vehicles, which enables them to sell all makes and models. No matter what type of used vehicle you are in the market for, Taylor AutoMall can help you find it.

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Interestingly, the history of Taylor AutoMall and the new Certified Pre-Owned building are intertwined.

“We’re the same business, we’ve just grown,” Jason says. The story of the building dates back to 1992, when General Motors and Taylor’s also had the Saturn franchise as a component of their business.

The Taylor family built and opened the current Certified Pre-Owned building to house the dealership.

Between 2008-10, the automotive industry took an economic downturn and the Saturn brand was discontinued. Consequently, the Taylor family decided to sell the empty Saturn dealership building.

In 2017, the building ended up on the market again and Jason decided that it was time to buy it back.

Not only was his business growing with new car sales, but the used car side of the business was as well. “There was a huge opportunity to grow with the Certified Pre-Owned side of it,” Jason explains.

Jason Taylor, Owner, and Jennifer Graham, Certified Pre-Owned Sales Manager After purchasing the building back in the fall of 2017, it underwent a series of renovations and upgrades prior to the grand opening in April of this year.

The Taylor AutoMall team goes the extra mile with their four pillars of Certified Pre-Owned sales. All cars undergo a 150+ point inspection, are covered by a manufacturer’s warranty, come with 24-hour roadside assistance, and are covered by a vehicle exchange program. All of this so you have confidence when making your purchase.

In addition to the benefits of buying a Certified Pre-Owned vehicle at Taylor AutoMall you can also get the maximum value for your trade-in with Internet Market Value Pricing. “We don’t just buy a car,” Jennifer Graham, Sales Manager, explains, “We run the vehicle through a software system that helps us understand the market demand and availability as well as the history of the vehicle, and we appraise and price it accordingly.”

Undoubtedly, the amount of care that the Taylor AutoMall team puts into their customer service is prestigious. It’s one of the reasons why they’ve been a long-standing Kingston business for decades.

Jason says, “We are very proud to be part of the community for so long and to have not only survived, but thrived, in what is a very competitive industry.”

“We are very proud to be part of the community for so long, and to have not only survived, but thrived in what is a very competitve industry.” - Jason Taylor, Owner

Jason Taylor and his children, Sydney (left) and Clay who are summer employees

Taylor AutoMall 2440 Princess Street 613-549-1311 www.taylorautomall.com

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EXPERT ADVICE S U P P L E M E N TA L E D U C AT I O N

Stay Sharp in the Summer For Better Grades in the Fall After a summer away from school, most kids are not as prepared to head back to school as they should be.

Studies show that students typically lose 30% of their learning momentum over the summer.

This means that students are at an academic disadvantage when they start school in the fall.

Brooke Lewis B.A. (Hons), B.Ed. (OCT) Education Director 793 Blackburn Mews Kingston, ON K7P 2N6 kingston@oxfordlearning.com

Oxford Learning Kingston 613.384.7323 www.oxfordlearning.com

About Oxford Learning Established in 1984, Oxford Learning has grown to include more than 100 locations across Canada and the United States. Oxford Learning goes beyond tutoring to help students reach their learning potential, not just for one grade or one year but for a lifetime. The unique programs teach children to learn how to learn. Visit Oxford Learning online at www.oxfordlearning.com for complete program information.

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This is known as “brain drain” and can be easily prevented with a little bit of academic activity over the summer.

Students who engage their brain over the summer are able to learn, integrate, and understand new material from the first day of school, which gives them an edge over the students who take a mental vacation in the summer.

It’s easy to prevent kids from falling behind by helping them stay sharp over the summer. At home, kids can keep a journal, use an organizer or an agenda, and play various games that challenge the mind, such as Sudoku or Boggle.

But the best way to help students maintain their learning momentum is by enrolling them in a formal learning program that balances education and fun. In just a few hours a week, children of all ages can keep their learning momentum going all summer long.

We need to change the way we think about summer and summer learning. Enrolling in a summer learning program is not only necessary for struggling students – it

is necessary for all students.

It is essential for students to continue learning, keep their brains sharp, and maintain momentum heading into the next grade, otherwise they are more likely to fall behind, and stay behind. Students should take advantage of the summer break to work on specific trouble areas, so when school begins again in September, they are ready for their most successful year yet.

In an age where student workloads are rising, post-secondary education is increasingly competitive, and technological distractions are everywhere, there is no better time to get serious about getting caught up and getting ahead. Whether supplemental learning is a staple for your family, or if getting some extra help is new to you, now is the time to see the difference summer learning can make for your child.

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Join the conversation!

613.384.7323

kingston@oxfordlearning.com

FASHION & BEAUTY

THE SOUND OF

SUMMER

By Anna Ruck Photos Stephen Wild Models styled by Anna Ruck with clothing from Fancy That/ The Roundstone Make Up Amanda Brown Beauty By Brown Shot at Tett Centre for Creativity and Learning and The Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts Instruments provided

by Joe’s M.I.L.L.

The summer months are all about slowing down, throwing that routine out the window and choosing to play it by ear.

Some strive to elevate their look with a high heel, while others opt for the muted look of a flat.

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Regardless of what style jazzes you up, take a note from the season and go with the easy-breezy flow.

Flats Are Your Forte If you’re going to be up and about all day, you know flats are your friend. It’s a matter of practicality and there’s no reason to be uncomfortable for the sake of your outfit.

If you’re someone who prefers to be well-grounded and likes the feeling of bare feet, there are endless sandals to choose from.

WHITE FLAT SANDAL Michael Kors “London Thong” available at Fancy That/ The Roundstone

Summer barbecues, music festivals and backyard parties are the perfect occasion to opt for a flat-shoed sandal as you don’t want to be teetering about while navigating on the grass. On those hot and humid days, expose those toes and choose a white sandal that will keep your feet cool while allowing that vibrant pedicure to pop. White summer sandals are painless to pair with any colourful top but can also be worn with a light fabric pant or off-the-shoulder blouse.

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BUCKLE MULE

If you prefer to keep those toes enclosed, a mule is a fantastic option for those who aim to stay on trend.

The slip-on comfort can’t be beat, and choosing a pair with some detail such as a buckle makes styling these a snap.

Mules are a go-to choice for the office, especially within workplaces that require a certain level of sophistication. If you’re on your feet a lot at work or find yourself running from one meeting to the next, it’s much easier to focus on the task at hand in the appropriate outfit.

Mules couple very well with a sleek work pant, but since it’s summer, try a fun striped or floral pair. As a final touch, choose tops with lace details or add a hint of sparkle with a bold necklace to complete the overall look.

Sam Edelman “Linnie” available at Fancy That/ The Roundstone

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For the urban gal spending summer in the city, black flats are versatile and sensible for strutting down crowded sidewalks or shopping at your favourite local spots. Black works with just about any colour or outfit, but it can become tired very quickly.

Instead, look for texture and dimension when choosing a pair for warmer months, while keeping in mind that a fabric or woven variety will keep your feet from sweltering in the summer heat.

A functional flat is also a mustpack item for the travelling tourist and also allows you to keep your luggage light. To keep things uncomplicated, cute culottes and a loose top in the same colour palette will get you out the door without a fuss in no time.

TOMS “Jutti D’orsay” available at Fancy That/ The Roundstone

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Scale Up Your Style Whether you’re hitting the patio for lunch or headed for an evening out, a high-heeled sandal is a guaranteed way to make some noise while enjoying those long summer days.

It’s wedding season, and for many, that equates to skyhigh stilettos and over-the-top gowns. But there is no need to suffer in toe-pinching discomfort when the solution is simply to choose a pair with a block heel instead; they’re the ultimate alternative for both elegant and more casual looks and allow you to get more wear out of every shoe since you’ll be able to showcase them more often. A chunky-heeled sandal in rose gold is not only functional for your feet, but it can also be

Sam Edelman “Odila” available at Fancy That/ The Roundstone

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CHUNK HEEL styled with gold or silver jewelry and dressed up or down.

If you have been invited to a few weddings and want to avoid the obvious white, black, or brown choices, try a touch of rose on your toes. You’ll even be able to wear the pair out to lunch that same weekend in concert with your favourite romper or jumpsuit.

The inclusion of a long line vest on top of your one-piece adds an unexpected layer to what may otherwise be a rather plain outfit.

A shoe made of various materials and textures is sure to attract even the most discerning tastes.

For those who tend to balance a one-of-a-kind look with a down-to-earth fashion sense, a two-toned shoe may be just what you’re looking for.

Fly London “Limo” available at Fancy That/ The Roundstone

Whether you prefer a pop of colour or a neutral tone, plenty of shoes incorporate a different coloured upper and sole. The heel of a shoe ReFINEdKINGSTON

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CORK HEEL

can carry just as much detail as the straps themselves, so look for espadrilles made of rope with a cotton or canvas upper. You can also opt for the comfort of cork, which is sure to last just as long as any of its flat-bottomed counterparts. Rubber bottoms with leather straps will adjust to the unique shape of your foot like no other, so you can heighten your sense of style without the pain.

Look sharp this summer season while staying in tune with your own personal style. The right summer sandal shouldn’t mean sacrificing the swing in your step. It’s just a matter of finding the shoe that brings music to your ears, and your feet.

Geox Cork Heel available at Fancy That/ The Roundstone

Anna RucK www.struckblog.com

Anna is a Canadian Lifestyle Blogger living in Kingston, and is the creator and writer behind STRUCKBLOG.com.

STRUCKBLOG explores a variety of topics, including style, beauty, food and travel. She hopes to infuse the lives of her readers with an abundance of creativity, connectivity, knowledge and laughter!

AVAILABLE AT

48 & 50 Princess Street 613-547-2041 www.fancythat.ca

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House of Angelis Fashion Emporium 63 & 65 Brock Street, Kingston 613.544.9721 info@houseofangelis.ca www.houseofangelis.ca ReFINEdKINGSTON

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DEWY SKIN & ROCKIN’ LIPS

By Virginia See

The forecast for this summer: sun-kissed freckles, bright lips, and lots of gloss!

It’s time to pack away your heavy makeup. This season, pair bold lips with a neutral face, and say “sayonara” to busy mornings.

Finding the Perfect Gloss For those who may not want to venture over to the vibrant side, a glossy lip can pull together any makeup look. A clear gloss will pick up that sunshine around you, adding another dimension of light-catching sheen.

Those with fair complexions should try a pink or peachtoned nude. If you have an olive skin tone, try a warm or deep pink colour. For deeper complexions, a brown or berry shade will be the perfect match.

Nude-coloured lip gloss has also been on the rise for summer makeup looks. Already have a favourite nude lipstick?

Try matching a gloss to the nude colour that works best for you; even better, pair the two together for a glossy take on your favourite lippie.

How to Wear Vibrant Shades

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Vivid reds, pinks, and oranges are being seen in makeup looks on runways across the world, but these wild lips are being paired with minimalistic, natural eye

looks, allowing the lip colours to shine as the star of the show.

Paired with either a simple and soft eye look of creams and browns, or no shadows at all, a lipstick in any vibrant shade is sure make your look pop.

If a bright poppy red is out of your comfort zone, or you are looking for something extraordinary, try a popsicle pink or tangerine orange; you’d be surprised how versatile these shades are when paired with the right sundress and shades.

Tips for Rocking a Bold Lip Before you even ask, everyone can rock a bold lip colour, especially when such flattering shades are in style.

Many believe red lipstick should be a staple in every makeup wearers’ collection; whether you’re at work or on the go, red lips are a classic choice, and can be easily paired with work attire such as a navy or white blazer, or even a softer pastel dress.

If classic isn’t your go-to style, opt for a bright pink or orange shade. Either colour will perfectly accent your favourite romper and give your new sunnies a run for their money.

Our advice this season? Take a break from all the goodies in your makeup drawer; pass on the heavy makeup. Let the sun kiss your skin, and simply swipe on your rockin’ new lipstick.

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A NEW LOOK Changes Hair & Esthetics Salon

By Faith Woodland | Photos Stephen Wild

Sometimes we seek change and other times we fight it, but it is always inevitable.

And when we allow change to happen, great things can happen.

Unexpected Changes Melissa Stevenson’s life has been one with unexpected changes, which have created opportunities for growth in both her personal life and business.

Less than a decade ago, she was contentedly working as a hair stylist in a comfortable salon owned by her mother Miriam Huff.

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With the sudden and unexpected passing of Miriam, Melissa was thrust into a role she had not planned for. While grieving the loss of her mom, Melissa took the reins, for the sake of her team and clientele, and learned how to run the Amherstview-based business, aptly named Changes Hair and Esthetics Salon.

With the help of her team, she brought the business into the new millennium with tech support and systems they had previously done without. Melissa incorporated procedures and plans that allow the business to run more efficiently. She educated herself in business practices and continued to hone her skills as a stylist.

“I have been going to Changes Hair Salon for years and yet there seems to be something different every time. Melissa and her crew are like family, always interested in making each client feel wonderfully well looked after, whether it is a quick cut, a full session in the colour room, an indulgent visit on the esthetics side of the salon, or simply picking up the excellent hair and beauty products available.

They make everyone welcome. I go there regularly and also love to treat a visiting granddaughter to a great experience with one of the very skilled young professionals. All in all, it’s a salon to be treasured.�

- Sheila Whiting

And she managed to do it all with a new husband and two young children.

This past year, with the help and input of many hands, Melissa renovated the whole salon.

Sophisticated grey walls serve as the perfect backdrop for sleek styling stations set with modern wood and aluminum chairs.

Woven straw footstools allow clients to rest their feet during pedicures and soft blankets cover spa beds.

Shelving made of wooden beams suspended by leather straps add a rustic edge and strategically-placed lighting illuminates the space.

The expansive salon has designated areas for the large variety of services available.

Private and cosy spa rooms allow for luxurious massage treatments. Hair colouring is done in a separate room, and finishing stations are all angled to allow clients peace and privacy.

An Evolving Industry, and Further Education The Changes team has emerged from the transition with an appreciation for education and self-development. Education is a priority, not only for Melissa and her staff of 13, but for clientele, as well. As the styling industry evolves, Melissa believes it is important to always be learning how to use the newest products and treatments properly and to stay current with trends and techniques. As a guest artist and educator for KMS, Melissa attends conferences and facilitates seminars. In order to stay apprised of the latest developments in hair and esthetics, the whole team benefits from an allocated education budget.

Extensive Services to Meet All Your Needs Changes Hair and Esthetics Salon provides an extensive menu of treatments. Hair services include cuts for men, women and children. The stylists are well-trained in colourization techniques such as balayage and dimensional colouring. They are careful to consult with clients, explaining what sort of upkeep is necessary and how to achieve the look the client is desiring.

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While remaining respectful of clients’ wishes, stylists often encourage their clients to consider new colour, cut or style and they recommend products suitable for the clients specific needs.

Spa packages include massage, manicures, pedicures, skin exfoliation and hot stone therapy.

Body scrubs, Mud Treatments, Wraps and waxing for hair removal are all available as well.

Estheticians provide lash lifts and lash extensions. Facials designed to cleanse and exfoliate and regenerate the skin are tailored to different skin types and needs using Dermalogica Skin Care products. Make-up application is provided with MAC products. Clients are invited peruse the online website for a complete menu of services available with prices listed.

While infused with a “downtown” salon vibe, Changes Hair and Esthetics Salon is conveniently located off Highway 33, on the outskirts of Amherstview.

A Love of Community Having grown up in the region, Melissa has a vested interest in the community and the salon is involved in many local fundraisers and events. Every year, Changes joins a local elementary school to take part in their “cancer cutting” event, cutting students’ hair on stage in support of cancer treatment.

This spring, Changes created hairdos for Regi’s fashion show for disabled children and they have participated in Camp Trillium’s Cut-A-Thon.

Express Your Style Currently sporting long hair in a gorgeous indigo blue, and a classic jean jacket, Melissa exudes the air of someone who has embraced her natural beauty and comfortably expresses her individuality. She embodies the salon’s mission statement fully: “Expressing individuality through the art of beauty.”

Changes Hair and Esthetics Salon is built with a team whose goal is to help patrons appreciate and express their own unique style and natural beauty, and continue to evolve and grow.

Looking Towards the Future Melissa has great vision for the future; she is looking forward to incorporating more aspects of her personality and interests as she plans to expand and evolve the business in the time to come.

Expect to see continuing change in Changes Hair and Esthetics Salon.

Changes Hair & Esthetics Salon 6 Speers Blvd., Amherstview 613-389-5181 changeshairesthetics@gmail.com www.changeshairsalon.ca

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CITY LIFE

Presented by MacLachlan Woodworking Museum

Carpentry Camp: Wooden Boats July 4, August 1 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Campfire Songs at the Mac July 5, 12, 19, 26 August 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 6:00 p.m. - 7:55 p.m.

Local Happenings

Antique Detective Workshop July 7 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Antique Detective Workshop July 7 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Intro to Joinery Workshop July 10 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Carpentry Camp: Wooden Games July 11, August 8 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

JUNE 19 - SEPTEMBER 1

JULY 1-2

Confederation Park Every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.

City Park

Music in the Park

Country Music in the Park Confederation Park Every Thursday 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Big Band

Art Fest

Starting JULY 4

Sunset Ceremony Every Wednesday Fort Henry JULY 4-8

Cirque du Soleil: Corteo Rogers K-Rock Centre JULY 5-8

Market Square Courtyard Every Friday 7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Buskers Rendezvous

Sounds of Sydenham

JULY 8

Downtown Kingston

Sydenham Street between Menchies and Balzacs Every Saturday 1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Holistic Rain Teen Retreat

JUNE - AUGUST

7:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

The Pumphouse Every Thursday, 6:00 p.m. - 7:55 p.m.

AUGUST 3, 10, 17, 24, 31

Fort Night

JULY 1, 8, 15, 29 & AUGUST 5, 19

Memorial Centre Farmers’ Market

Kingston Memorial Centre 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

JULY 28

Fort Henry Annual Tattoo

AUGUST 5

Cumberland Private Wealth Management K-Town Triathlon

July 14 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

AUGUST 17-18

Carpentry Camp: Reclaimed Wood Projects

10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Thousand Islands Poker Run

July 18, August 15 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

AUGUST 19

Family Adirondack Chair Workshop

Confederation Basin Marina

37th Annual Kingston Women’s Art Festival City Park

AUGUST 19

Fort Henry Ceremonial Guard Band 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

AUGUST 23-26

Limestone City Blues Festival Downtown Kingston

AUGUST 4

Princess Street Promenade 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

July 19, 26, August 2 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Shaker-Inspired Side Table Workshop July 21 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Carpentry Camp: Owl Piggy Banks July 25, August 22 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Sword & Shield Workshop

Live Music at the Bistro Fort Henry 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Adirondack Chair Workshop

Do you have an upcoming event you’d like to be featured?

Submit it to: cathie@refinedkingston.com

July 28 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Sheep Dog Trials

August 11, 10:00 a.m. August 12, 5:00 p.m.

Toy Box Workshop August 11 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

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FRESH BRAND GAME PLAN

Let’s make you a stellar marketing strategy that works.

613-213-2761 hello@freshvoicemedia.com freshvoicemedia.com

There’s No Place Like Home

Building a Life in the Township of Leeds and the Thousand Islands

By Katrina Geenevasen Photos Courtesy of the Township of Leeds and the Thousand Islands Someone once said, “Home is not where you’re from, but where you belong.”

drive to the Township of Leeds and the Thousand Islands.

With just a single glance at the dazzling St. Lawrence Seaway and lush boreal forest, they willingly hand their hearts over to a place they instinctively know is where they’re meant to be.

While it’s true that some people must traverse the entire globe to find just where “home” is, others simply make the short

In short order, they’re among the more than 9,000 residents who get to throw open their curtains to the world in the morning, and

take in the spectacular beauty of this Ontario gem every single day.

Amy Webb, Economic Development and Marketing Officer with TLTI, is just one of them. Although she’s considered a “Come Back Again”, having escaped to the city for a short time, there was just something about the area that called her back.

“What’s so amazing about living in one of our villages is that you get the best of both worlds,” she says from her home in Seeley’s Bay. “I can come home from a long day’s work, park my car and walk to whatever resources I need, such as the grocery store, pharmacy, and doctor’s office.

Plus I get to take in the natural wonders all around, such as swimming and boating the Rideau Canal, hiking our Vita Parcours Trail, and just chilling on the deck watching the enchantingly bright starry sky at night.”

Kim Goodman, Manager of Recreation and Community

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Partnerships, agrees wholeheartedly. Considered a “Come From Away,” Goodman can’t imagine living anywhere else now that she’s established roots here. “Not only do we have access to the services and amenities that anyone might require on a dayto-day basis, we also have access to the wild spaces that I grew up with, such as lakes, rivers, and trees. In five minutes, I can get to at least 10 lakes,” she says.

Conveniently situated between the St. Lawrence River and the Rideau Canal, TLTI is also home to plentiful inner freshwater lakes. So, if you want to build a home waterside, you’ll have no shortage of options to choose from. It all depends on your lifestyle, says Goodman.

“Our inland lakes offer a different culture than the larger river systems. Our rivers may be appealing to those who prefer to cruise the water in larger vessels, while others may prefer to sit at the end of the dock with a glass of wine and enjoy the sunset on a quieter lake.”

Custom Home Building - Simplified While the idea of building a life in TLTI may excite you, the idea of actually building a home may not.

Don’t fear; the TLTI Building and Planning department is wellpositioned to assist those looking to make TLTI home, says Webb.

“You can visit our drop-in sessions with the Development Review Team who willtake the time to discuss that new home or cottage

that you’ve been dreaming of and guide you through the entire process,” says Webb.

“The efficiency rate of our team tracks at half the required legislated times,” Webb explains.

“Review processes are required to be completed in 10 days and we typically complete in five, although some larger projects do take longer. In addition, inspections are typically completed within 24 hours verses the legislative 48.”

A number of new residents are choosing Lansdowne to relocate to...and not just because of the famous pies (trust us: they’re that good) at Rapid Valley Restaurant.

The largest settlement area in TLTI, Lansdowne has direct access to the 401 corridor, making commuting to Kingston, Brockville or even Ottawa quick and easy.

Want to take a quick day trip to a whole other country? The 1000 Islands International Bridge is a mere 10 minutes away.

The Lansdowne area also boasts a number of services and amenities, such as a post office, grocery ReFINEdKINGSTON

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store, and community hall. If you have little ones that need to burn off excess energy, take advantage of the many parks, and recreation and leisure programs the area also has available.

Residents - whether they’ve been in Lansdowne for five years or 50 - are proud of the area’s history, and support the village’s decision to embrace it by incorporating that unique history into new developments.

Those who own a heritage home have access to a grant program that allows them to make renovations or improvements to their home while maintaining the cultural integrity of the building.

It’s not just Lansdowne that’s attracting new residents to the area; TLTI itself just makes it easy to settle in comfortably.

‘seal the deal,’” says Goodman.

“People are considering active living with pedestrian pathways and trails, recreation programming and local schools, specifically French Immersion, as bigger priorities. The access to medical centres, post offices and stores all within a few minutes of each other is very important.”

As it happens, the Township has all these and more. “Our schools are vibrant and children are engaged in their communities,” continues Goodman.

“Additionally, we have active Village Improvement groups and a number of other communitybased organizations that work tirelessly to ensure that our businesses are attractive and accessible, our parks are appealing and streetscapes are inviting.”

Local Flavour

“More and more, we hear that it isn’t just a house or low tax rates that draw a person to a new area, but rather, the services that 32

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Another appeal for many is the plentiful local flavour in the area.

But there’s a twist, says Webb.

TESTIMONIALS “I love to live here because I can have the village lifestyle within 30 minutes of Kingston, Brockville, and Gananoque – three major centres which can accommodate my every need. I also like the friendly, small town attitudes from shop keepers, hospital workers, service Canada employees.”

– Susan Magalas “My family enjoys living in TlTI, what a great place to work live and play. We can walk ride or boat to see amazing places through our UNESCO site biosphere.

We have restaurants and hotels with spectacular views. What a great place to entertain our family and friends.” – George Horton

“Buying local is bigger than just supporting the producer here,” she explains. “It becomes a full experience for the customer too.

From small to medium size startups to long-standing family farms - some more than 200 years old - our businesses welcome behind-the-scenes tours; handson learning, and truly engage with everyone who walks in the door.”

Living Big in a Tiny House There’s a pretty good chance you’ve heard of the Tiny House Movement, which reflects many homeowners’ desire to move towards a more sustainable way of living. Turns out, TLTI may just be the perfect place for such a home.

Furthermore, the area is busily redefining agriculture with the expansion of farm gate properties, and new visions for agribusiness.

In 2016, the Township’s Economic Development Committee hosted its first Summit. After determining that agriculture continues to be a key sector within the Township, the committee felt it was important to learn more about this sector and find ways it could support growth and development.

Following the event, explains Goodman, the Township responded by revising its zoning by-laws to allow for more business development opportunities within the agricultural sector, and also looked at other ways it could support growth.

For example, engaging with the Farmers’ Market, exploring food hubs and supporting community gardens. “Even in this short timeframe, we have seen new development, such as Furnace Falls Farm and others who have expanded their business offerings to stay open year-round,” says Webb.

Come, Join Us Considering the area, but not quite convinced you’re ready?

“Come spend a week here and explore,” says Goodman. “Take in the parks, meet some of our people, check out the housing

“We have started to see some new development with small homes in our area,” says Webb. “This is a building by-law that we put in place in 2017. The idea is to look at not just affordable homes, but appropriate ones. Homes for mixed generational communities, single new home buyers, small families, empty nesters or older adults living on their own. This makes our area age-friendly and accessible to all.”

market or that cottage you’ve always dreamed about… we are accessible, welcoming, friendly and supportive. There is ample opportunity for all residents regardless of age, background socio-economic status...welcome home!”

Township of Leeds And The Thousand Islands 1233 Prince St. P.O. Box 280, Lansdowne 1-866-220-2327 www.leeds1000islands.ca

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Cardio Pulmonary Unit Submitted by Queen’s Department of Medicine Nestled in the heart of Queen’s University sits the Queen’s Cardio Pulmonary Unit, a state of the art 8,000 square foot translational research facility. Translational research sounds complicated, but in fact the premise is quite simple.

Think about the scenario where there are researchers working towards the goal of creating tests or treatments to cure your disease, and these results come right from the lab bench to your bedside.

This “bench to bedside” approach to research in medicine is at the core of translational medicine.

The goal of QCPU is to be a unique research hub, working alongside collaborators both internally and externally to the university, as well as with national and international partners, to improve the understanding of heart, lung, blood and vascular diseases.

The research includes a focus 34

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“Translational research is a buzz phrase that we hear commonly, and what it basically means is to take a basic science discovery and turn that into a diagnostic test or therapy you might give to a patient.”

- Dr. Stephen Archer

on diseases such as right heart failure, pulmonary hypertension, cardiac arrhythmia and blood disorders among others.

Queen’s Cardio Pulmonary Unit is the brain child of Dr. Stephen Archer, Head of the Department of Medicine at Queen’s University.

As with many of his innovative ideas, Archer made the decision to open this unique research unit over a cup of strong black coffee whilst meeting with his friend and colleague Dr. Stephen Vanner, Deputy Head of Medicine and an avid researcher in the Gastrointestinal Diseases Research Unit (GIDRU). Fast forward 4 years, through many hours of research grant writing, pouring over building blueprints, and interviewing Highly Qualified Personnel to run the lab, and voila, QCPU is now up and running.

L-R: Drs. Mark Ormiston, Don Maurice and Stephen Archer “There is nothing worse than having a question you can’t address, not because it’s answer is unknowable, but because you lack the technology to discover the answer.”

- Dr. Mark Ormiston Thanks to a $10M grant from the Canada Foundation for Innovation and the Ontario Ministry of Research Innovation, combined with the hard work and dedication of Dr. Archer and his team of co-investigators (led by Dr. Don Maurice), this facility is set to make tremendous research headway in Kingston and beyond.

The 20-plus investigators in QCPU, some of whom are quoted in this article, will without a doubt enhance research in Kingston and at Queen’s University.

This collaborative, one-stop research facility brings together researchers who may never have crossed paths before. By bringing together multiple researchers, each with their own area of expertise, the quality and quantity of collaboration wil increase and more outstanding ideas will be generated. This can only ReFINEdKINGSTON

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mean great things for trainees in Medicine and Science and for patients in Kingston and beyond.

QCPU is proud to be a satellite unit of the Kingston Health Sciences Centre, bringing patients and research together under one roof.

The flow of patients from Kingston General Hospital through the QCPU will bring a vitality to this research unit, allowing patients to receive cardio-pulmonary testing such as echocardiograms and pulmonary stress testing in the core of a research facility.

It will also offer them access to state of the art, new medications a dn procedures through research protocols. Very few facilities in the world have brought this type of high caliber research human capital and high-tech equipment together in a central location and housed it alongside state of the art clinical testing equipment and a patient care facility.

“The reason we are doing all of this is to improve the quality of life of our patients.”

– Dr. Paula James

“We are looking for those medical miracles, and when we get it right it is like a piece of music played in tune, you can tell it works, the patient is cured. It is only by bringing in the best from around the world, that we are able to make these breakthroughs and give them a chance to make their mark on the world.”

– Dr. Archer

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To find out more about the Queen’s Cardio Pulmonary Unit please visit: http://deptmed.queensu.ca/qcpu/qcpu_home

Having all of this under one roof makes QCPU a research innovation that Kingston, KHSC and Queen’s University can all be proud of.

QCPU is proud to make itself at home in the heart of Kingston.

Working together with the amazing group of internationally renowned researchers at Queen’s allows the QCPU to harness the power of cutting edge research tools with the highly qualified staff and researchers to achieve greatness.

Combining existing infrastructure and research talent with the new and innovative forum of QCPU is bringing together some of the world’s brightest researchers in a collaborative approach to diseases such as pulmonary hypertension, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, von Willebrand disease, COPD, asthma and more.

“To know that patients are being brought in through one door, and we are able to generate molecular answers through the other door is extremely exciting” - Dr. Charles Hindmarch

In QCPU you can journey from the cell to preclincial models of human disease and arrive at the patient! QCPU is focused on making the biggest impact possible on the lives of patients.

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Blooms of Beauty and of

Community

By Marina Darling Photos Stephen Wild

For Shelly Murphy, owner of Loyalist Flowers and Napanee Blooms, there’s much more to putting together a bouquet than people might think.

Shelly’s love for flowers and being connected with people in her community all came together when she began her endeavour as a florist 16 years ago. “It was a huge leap of faith for me,” Shelly says about her beginnings, “but I had a vision and most importantly, I wanted

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to stay home with my kids.”

Shelly’s previous career was in sales and retail, and she knew that she needed to make a change to be able to be present in her children’s lives. It was then that she followed her dream and opened a small flower shop in Bath. “It started in my home and I thought if I can sell a few flowers here and there, I can make ends meet,” Shelly says.

Within a couple years of beginning the business, things were moving.

Shelly decided that it was time to move the business to Amherstview in order to connect with the Kingston and Loyalist Township markets to a higher degree. With

the move came more staff and talented designers. The growth was steady at Loyalist Flowers and Shelly decided that it was time for a new challenge.

It seems things were meant to be.

Flowers by Barbara, a longstanding staple in Napanee, happened to be for sale. Shelly decided it was time to take another leap of faith and open an additional flower shop.

Shelly notes the decision to change the name was a tough one, but it was important to her and her team to be consistent with their newer designing and gift style. “Our design style isn’t traditional,” Shelly explains, “It’s similar to English garden style, but it’s always changing and we try to be ahead of the trends.”

“Our design style isn’t traditional. It’s similar to English garden style, but it’s always changing and we try to be ahead of the trends.”

Many of the arrangements feature succulents, orchids, and diverse greens and are inspired by florists from different parts of the world. “I’m a huge lover of different greens,” Shelly says. “They bring a whole new dimension into a design.”

Although many of the flowers and blooms used in the bouquets need to be imported, Shelly also uses

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local flowers, such as lavender and sunflowers in their designs.

to Napanee Blooms and Loyalist Flowers is crucial to success.

Shelly’s love for social media, photography, and design has helped her to incorporate a trendsetting style into non-floral gifts, as well. In addition to the flower shop at Napanee Blooms, there is also a sizable gift shop that features chic, upcycled furniture, WoodWick candles, coloured glassware and vases, and prints done by local artists.

Community involvement is also important to Shelly and her team.

Every year, the Napanee Blooms and Loyalist Flowers team hold an event called ‘Petal it Forward’ in which they go out into the community and hand out free flowers. “We give two flowers to each person, one to keep and one to give. We want people to feel the pleasure of giving,” Shelly explains.

Shelly gives heaps of credit to her staff for the success and smooth addition of Napanee Blooms. “We have a really great team,” she says. “I have amazing designers and I’m very grateful.”

Shelly knows that the involvement, knowledge, and care the staff give

In addition to Petal it Forward, Shelly has also started a series of events called ‘Wine and Design Nights’ at the Loyalist Flowers store. Participants come and make their own arrangement while enjoying wine and appetizers.

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Shelly Murphy Owner

“It’s a great way to learn something or just have fun,” Shelly says.

anniversaries are all treated with the same care and respect.

It doesn’t matter what the occasion is, Shelly and her team will channel their inspiration, joy, and love into the gift of sharing flowers with their customers and community.

When it comes to Loyalist Flowers and Napanee Blooms, Shelly wants people to know that it’s really about more than the business.

Gifts for holidays, graduations, birthdays, sympathy, and

“My dream to stay at home with my children happened, and my community made that possible. My flower family is totally amazing.”

“I’m very appreciative and lucky to have the support of my friends, family and community,” she says.

Napanee Blooms 20 Dundas Street East, Napanee 613-354-5626 wecare@napaneeblooms.com www.napaneeblooms.com

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COVER

Feel Better,

LIVE BETTER

By Katrina Geenevasen Photos Stephen Wild, Josh Sauer Photography & Photography By Tiff

After consulting a host of specialists, including nurses, lactation consultants, and devoted grandmothers, it was determined that he wasn’t latching properly.

Earlier this summer, an exhausted new mother cradled her tiny newborn in her arms.

At just 13 days old, he was inconsolable; he was constantly crying, wouldn’t sleep, and seemed perpetually hungry.

At her wits’ end, the new mom turned to her extended support network, where she learned about chiropractic care for newborns.

She couldn’t have known when she first walked through the doors at ForeverYoung just how

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immensely life-changing that single appointment would be.

“After a thorough exam on the baby revealed subluxations; we did a few gentle chiropractic adjustments, and the baby fed easily on both sides right there in the office. The mom was a different person,” says Dr. Jason Young, who co-owns ForeverYoung with his wife, Dr. Rebecca Huddleston.

“It was humbling,” says Young, but by no means was this an extraordinary case. A team dedicated to motherhood, children and families, the caring wellness professionals at ForeverYoung experiences similar situations regularly.

And each case is just as rewarding as the last.

ForeverYoung: Helping Families Thrive Through Pregnancy, Birth and Beyond With locations in both Shannonville (14 York Road) and in Kingston (510 Canatara Court), ForeverYoung offers chiropractic care for the whole family.

“This is your journey; we do this work because we love it and so you don’t have to do it alone,” says Young.

If you’re expecting a tiny bundle of joy, chances are you’re wellversed on the changes your developing baby (or babies!) can put your body through.

But pregnancy without pain is possible, stresses Huddleston.

“Too many women are being told it’s normal to have back pain, hip pain, headaches; it may be common, but it’s not normal. We want women to have normal, blissful pregnancies, so they can enjoy everything that’s happening.

We love to support mammas during pregnancy for that reason.”

Using the Webster Technique (both Huddleston and Young are certified practitioners) this technique helps restore an expectant mother’s proper

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pelvic mechanics and improve the function of the pelvis with a safe and gentle sacral adjustment. It also gives babies a better chance of moving into the right position for delivery.

Once the baby arrives, the extraordinary care offered at ForeverYoung shifts to meet the varying needs of infants in all stages. In fact, at ForeverYoung, it’s not uncommon for the space to resemble that of a playgroup, says Young with a laugh. “We see a ton of newborns and babies,” he adds, moving down to the floor to play at eye level with just one of his tiny patients.

Gentle and non-invasive, chiropractic care for infants can help with everything from constipation, to breastfeeding, to poor sleeping.

Older babies that just can’t seem to master the complex

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art of crawling, and have resorted to butt-scooting or legdragging, may also benefit from chiropractic care, says Young.

As the parents of three youngsters themselves, Young and Huddleston are passionate about helping families and their children live fully while enjoying optimal health...and that passion shows from the moment you enter the clinic. “It’s a true gift to be a part of people’s lives like this,” says Huddleston with a warm smile.

After all, “Whole health is so important,” says Young. “We all want to do what we want to do, when we want to do it, regardless of how old we are. My children want to jump and crawl all over things, and I want to do the same thing. We should all be able to play and to do things we love every day.

To me, that’s life, that’s what you want to do forever. You don’t want to be watching the world go by.”

While more and more people are being proactive when it comes to their health — eating healthier, being more active, and getting more high-quality sleep, for starters — many are missing an integral part, says Young: their nervous system function.

Did you forget those Gr. 10 science lessons on anatomy? Don’t worry; we’ve got your back. (Pun intended!). It all comes down to this: your nervous system — a beautifully complex collection of nerves and cells — controls every cell, muscle, tissue and organ found within your body.

through your spinal cord and nerves. This system is protected by your skull and spinal bones.

Your brain acts as the central command centre and communicates with your body

The secret? Adopting a preventative healthcare strategy, rather than a reactive one. As a

When there is irritation to this system, the body does not function 100 per cent like it should; chiropractors call this a subluxation. This is when most people notice symptoms that just won’t go away — like that nagging headache that prevents you from putting in your best effort at work, the sore shoulder that keeps you awake at night, or your aching neck that makes it hard to play and cuddle with your grandchildren.

Client Testimonials Whether you’re a new parent wondering how to help your newborn sleep better, or a senior hoping to ease unbearable joint pain, ForeverYoung is there for you — every step of the way — on your path to better health. See what some of their clients have to say: “I was skeptical to take my newborn son for an adjustment but out of desperation we went. I went in with a miserable colicky baby (and had other concerns) and came out with a totally different baby!

With each adjustment he became more comfortable and happy.

So pleased we went!”

-Melissa & Cohen “After 10 plus years of not going to a chiropractor, and dealing with stiffness in my back and neck from previous injuries, ForeverYoung has allowed me to feel better and move a lot better after all these years.”

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“Jason and Rebecca are amazing. They lovingly guided me throughout my pregnancy and kept my babe in a good position.

Now that she is out, they are helping me get back to optimal health after a long labour and have helped me with breastfeeding as well!

They are so good with my daughter and have helped immensely with her acid reflux.

I look forward to my visits each week with them, as does my baby. It’s like going to a baby group as so many moms and kids/babies visit. We have all gotten to know each other and it’s fun to sit and chat, sometimes we even stay for a while after our appointments to hang out. When I do go in for my appointment, Emma watches my daughter so I know she is well looked after, all the kids love Emma!

They are so family friendly it feels like a family of its own - a pretty amazing feeling when going to a health care provider and something I have never felt anywhere else!”

-Kendra 46

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society, we need to rid of the, “If it’s not bleeding or sticking out of where it shouldn’t, then walk it off” mentality, says Young.

“People are just so used to putting off even migraines and headaches. They will take a pill, but this simply masks the symptoms to get you through the day. It’s like putting electrical tape over your engine oil light in your car, it may buy you time, but eventually the engine will seize.

Our bodies are the same way if we ignore the signals,” says Young.

So many believe they should have pain, or new hips by a certain age, but that’s just not true, he says.

“The human body is designed to heal itself, but only if you’re willing to pay attention to it.”

The good news is this: It’s never too early or too late to work towards becoming the healthiest you, and it all begins with a Wellness Check at ForeverYoung.

A complete neurological and spinal exam, the Wellness Check is a no-obligation opportunity for patients to gather crucial information about their bodies.

Available for those at any age and any stage, the Wellness Check usually “blows people away,” says Huddleston.

“It’s amazing what people get used to,” she says. “So many people believe it’s ‘normal’ to take 20 minutes to get out of bed, or to be in pain doing a shoulder check in the car while driving.

It’s just not!” she exclaims.

“We simply make recommendations for care, so people can make an informed choice about their health based on the results from their initial history and exam,” says Young.

Knowledge, as they say, is power.

“The more information people

have about their health, the better they’re equipped to move forward,” says Huddleston.

It Takes a Village

your family live a better, fuller life.

“We all share the same vision,” says Huddleston, her passion evident as she speaks. “We’re one big collaborative team.”

With a mission to meet the diverse, wide-ranging needs of all patients, ForeverYoung has joined forces with like-minded small business practitioners, giving patients access to an assortment of services aimed at helping all patients — no matter what stage of life — achieve optimal health, explains Young.

She likes to think each team member is a spoke in the wheel of what patients can be doing to improve their overall health.

“We’ve worked hard to establish a team, because we truly believe in patient-centered care.”

Whether you are seeking family chiropractic services; registered massage therapy; naturopathic medicine; pelvic health physiotherapy; reiki; meditation; hypnosis; culinary nutrition; reflexology; acupuncture; doula support or childbirth education classes, you’ll find some of the best care that’s out there — care that’s designed to help you and

BJ Palmer, a developer of chiropractic, once said, “The preservation of health is easier than the cure of disease.”

Align Yourself with Health

Specialized Services • Family Chiropractic • Registered Massage • Naturopathic Medicine • Pelvic Health Physio • Reiki • Hypnosis • Meditation • Certified Culinary Nutrition Expert • Reflexology • Childbirth Education • Doula Services • Kundalini Yoga

Don’t take your health — or your happiness — for granted. Book your Wellness Check today and achieve a higher quality of life, for you and your loved ones.

ForeverYoung 510 Canatara Court, Kingston 613-507-5007 14 York Road, Shannonville 613-966-5855 fychiropractic@gmail.com www.foreveryoungchiro.ca

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HEALTH & WELLNESS

The Kombucha Craze

By Katrina Geenevasen

Hoping to detoxify your blood, reduce your cholesterol levels and blood pressure, protect yourself against diabetes and antibacterial effects, and counteract aging?

There just might be a way, Kingston. But first, bottoms up!

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Kombucha: The Wonder Drink An ancient bevvy that was originally consumed in China more than 2,000 years ago, this “super immortal health elixir” (their term, not mine!) is known to many enthusiasts for its detoxifying and energizing properties.

Made from a black or green tea base and sweetened with white sugar that has been fermented with symbiotic culture of acetic acid, bacteria and yeast for one to two weeks, Kombucha has been said to taste everything from sweet, to vinegary, to tart, to spicy.

Some people say it has a distinct floral taste, while others yet have even said it tastes like “cough syrup that’s been in the medicine cabinet too long,” or like a “lacrosse player’s inner thigh.”

In the end, we think it’s important to bear in mind that taste is subjective - and that you don’t drink Kombucha for the taste.

A quick Google search lists all kinds of exciting claims about Kombucha; superfans have said it has helped them with memory problems, joint pain, arthritis, high blood pressure, and PMS, just to name a few.

Others praise the drink for its postworkout benefits. The owner of the first Kombucha tea company to get licensed by the New York State Department of Agriculture says, “It helps prevent the buildup of lactic acid in your muscles, boosts your energy, and helps you get more nutrition from the food you eat.”

So, when you think about it, it’s easy to see how and why this drink has surged in popularity.

lead poisoning has occurred — the acids in the tea can leach lead from the ceramic glaze.”

But let’s pause for a moment.

What does science say?

Well, according to the Mayo Clinic, valid medical studies of Kombucha’s tea’s role in human health are very limited, and there are risks to consider.

If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, or you suffer from a weakened immune system, it’s not recommended you partake in this particular beverage craze, simply because it cannot be made totally germ-free.

In fact, coining it a “wonder drink” may be a tad presumptuous, according to the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. “There have been reports of adverse effects, such as stomach upset, infections and allergic reactions in kombucha tea drinkers,” it warns.

Furthermore, the Mayo Clinic points out, “Kombucha tea is often brewed in homes under non-sterile conditions, making contamination likely. And, when improperly manufactured ceramic pots have been used for brewing,

Another thing to be aware of is the sugar content. If you’re purchasing kombucha from a grocery store, check the label to make sure there are no more than three to four grams of sugar per serving.

Go over that amount, and we dare say all the health benefits of this so-called superdrink are questionable, at best.

So what’s your call? Are you going to kick your juicing to the curb, and say sayrnarah to your morning flaxseed smoothie in favour of this latest craze?

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Smiles That Last a Lifetime

By Katrina Geenevasen | Photos Suzy Lamont

A

ccording to a study conducted by Invisalign, teeth are second only to weight when it comes to things people feel insecure about. Damaged, missing, or discoloured teeth can cause self-confidence to nosedive, and thus, have a tremendous impact socially, psychologically and professionally.

Luckily, there’s a solution, and it’s found right here in Kingston at Cataraqui Dental Centre.

Cosmetic Dentistry Correct Your Teeth and Brighten Your Smile “To me, cosmetic dentistry is being able to improve how patients feel about themselves by improving 50

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their self-confidence and their smile, as well as how they see themselves,” says Dr. Brett Empringham, an active advocate of oral health in the Kingston community. “I believe it’s important people feel good about themselves, and if we can help with that, there’s incredible value in that.”

Think cosmetic dentistry might be for you? One of the most important things to remember before getting started is that dental health is first and foremost, says Empringham. If all is in order - there’s no decay and wear, and no signs of gum disease, for example - then you’re all set.

“If we have the opportunity to look and feel good, then there is no reason we shouldn’t move forward.”

Progressive Technology for a New, Improved Smile Using progressive technology, Cataraqui Dental Centre makes it easy to achieve a smile you’ll love to show off.

Whether you’re in need of dental bonding to repair chipped or cracked teeth, a bridge to replace a missing tooth, or a crown to strengthen a tooth or repair its shape, Cataraqui Dental Centre utilizes top-of-the-line technology - paired with a team of caring and supportive staff - to deliver results you’ll be thrilled with.

If you require a dental implant, for example, computer-enhanced treatment planning at Cataraqui Dental Centre makes it possible to determine the best possible placement of your dental implants.

- with a newfound confidence you didn’t know was possible.

“Something about having a great smile has an immediate effect on your self-confidence,” says Empringham.

After a straighter smile? Cataraqui Dental Centre can be your Invisalign provider in the Limestone City. With impressive 3D computer imaging technology, Invisalign makes it possible for patients to enjoy straight teeth using nearly invisible, removable, and comfortable aligners.

What are you waiting for?

Cataraqui Dental Centre will give you a reason to smile.

Book your appointment today to see why for yourself.

No matter what type of treatment you’re after, know this: your comfort and well-being are top of mind for the team at Cataraqui Dental Centre, and you’ll leave feeling more self-assured, and ready to take on life - your career, social life, and overall happiness

If you’re ready to restore your smile, Cataraqui Dental Centre offers a wide range of cosmetic dentistry options for patients to choose from, including: Bonding Bridges Crowns Implants Invisalign Teeth Whitening Dentures Implant-Supported Dentures Scaling and Root Planing

Cataraqui Dental Centre 476 Cataraqui Woods Drive 613-384-4224 www.cataraquidental.com

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Are your feet in need of a

SUMMER FACIAL?

By Susan Alward

S

ummer has sprung, but are you ready to reveal your feet to the world? Do they need a little or a lot of “summer-cleaning” before the big reveal?

For many, the most neglected part of their body is their feet. You might shower and wash your body every day, but does that good scrubbing end at your ankles? How about the drying after the shower? Does each little piggy get thoroughly dried? And what about cream? Head to toe, or does it end at the ankle too?

These poor, hard working and often misunderstood feet!

Before we start trying to take better care of our feet, here are a few key foot facts: • The average person takes 8,000-10,000 steps a day • The average woman walks almost 5 km more per day than the average male • During an average day of walking, the forces on your feet can total hundreds of tons, equivalent to an average fully loaded cement truck • Toenails grow slower than fingernails • The soles of the feet contain more sweat glands and sensory nerves per square centimeter than any other part of the body • The feet produce approximately one quarter of a litre of perspiration daily

Perspiration One of the key challenges with looking after our feet is understanding how much they sweat compared to the rest of the body. They need to be treated a little more like an underarm. Would you shower without washing your underarms? The feet need this same attention and it is all

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in the details, or in this case, the digits. Be sure to wash and examine between your toes. Be sure to keep them free of excessive dead skin, as odour-producing bacteria love dead skin. If your feet are particularly sweaty, try Kaia Naturals Detox Booster Bar. Made specifically for such areas of the body, it contains activated charcoal for detoxification and apple cider vinegar to rebalance the skin’s PH and reduce odour-causing bacteria. Avoid washing with standard soap if you are having problems with foot odour, as it disrupts the PH balance of the feet and makes it worse. The same holds true if you have or easily get athlete’s foot.

Keep ’em dry Not only do feet need special attention when washing, but they also need special attention when drying. We have been taught to leave the skin on the body slightly damp before applying moisturizer for the best results. This does not hold true for the feet. Dry feet well, particularly between the toes.

If you experience peeling skin between your toes or cracking at the base of your toes, this is not from dryness. It is tinea pedis or athlete’s foot. Tinea pedis is a fungal infection.

Fungus loves warm, moist, dark environments to grow.

Winter creates a perfect breeding ground, with our feet stuck in boots, shoes, synthetic socks and slippers for months on end. Air those puppies out. Let them see the light of day.

The perfect foot cream You have washed, you have dried and now you are ready to slather with cream. But wait! Unless your feet are in perfect condition, applying the same cream you would put on your body will often make the condition on your feet worse. It comes back to the number of sweat glands on the feet.

Many people are walking around with tinea pedis and don’t know it. Standard body moisturizers will hold in sweat and moisture making the condition worse. If your feet are peeling or have little bubbles under the skin you probably have tinea pedis. An excellent remedy and easy to use treatment foam is Footlogix #7 Peeling Skin Formula. If you have “velcro feet”

where your feet feel so dry they catch on everything, you actually have tinea pedis. It is a dry form of athlete’s foot. Applying heavy creams to correct the “dryness” will only make the problem worse. A very effective treatment is Footlogix #7+ for Rough Skin Formula. Applied twice daily for a short time should have you sandal ready.

Are your feet truly dry and even cracking? Nowhere else on the body will we accept skin cracking. Let’s not accept it for our feet!

These cracks create excellent entry points into the body for all kinds of bacteria and fungal infections. If you have cracked skin on your feet, try Gehwol Salve for Cracked Skin and Footlogix #3+Cracked Heel Formula.

Are thick calluses and/or corns an issue? This build up of dead skin is due to excessive friction in an area. Calluses are dead skin that builds up to protect your feet; corns are simply calluses that have grown inward. Too much callus and corns can hurt.

A simple remedy starts with a callus softening (Gehwol Foot Bath is a great one) followed by an effective scraping down of the callus (Biosana Foot Files are a great choice, as they can last and remain effective for many years). Follow this with daily use of a specific foot cream for calluses that will help keep dead skin from building up. This is something that a regular body cream just can’t accomplish. A couple of recommendations are Gewhol Foot Cream Extra and Footlogix #3 Very Dry Skin Formula.

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Toenails How are your toenails looking?

Are they ingrown, over-grown or thickened? Ingrown nails are hard to treat effectively yourself without making the problem worse. Call an esthetician that specializes in advanced foot care or includes the title “certified master pedicurist,” or book with a podiatrist. This is not a regular pedicure. The same holds true for thickened nails — book with an expert that has the tools and techniques to thin the nails, making them easy to trim and nice to look at.

Is the opposite true for you? As in the skin on your feet is very thin and blisters easily? Often with age or diabetes the skin thins and is more easily damaged with friction. The key is to keep your feet from slipping inside your shoes, socks and sandals. Most creams for moisture will create too much slip for this foot concern. A quickly absorbing treatment is ideal such as Gewhol Foot Cream. This specialty cream has been around since 1882 and proven effective with its unique dry finish.

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If your toenails are lifting from the nail bed, you may have a fungal infection.

This is often the first sign. It requires keeping the nail trimmed short so more moisture cannot remain trapped under the nail bed, making the problem worse.

Consistent use of Footlogix Fungicide Toe Tincture can be a great remedy. Catch it early before it progresses, distorts the shape of the nail or infects other nails.

This is also a great reason to keep your nails trimmed short, with only a small amount of free-edge showing.

Put a spring in your step by giving your feet some much-needed extra attention this season.

EXPERT ADVICE CHIROPRACTIC CARE

She’s Having a Baby!

Your neck might be aching, your hips may be uncomfortable, your pelvis and back may be sore, and you may be having trouble sleeping. However, you need to remember your body is changing on a daily basis. These symptoms may be common but should not be misinterpreted as normal.

Dr. Jason Young & Dr. Rebecca Huddleston

ForeverYoung 510 Canatara Court, Kingston 613-507-5007 14 York Road, Shannonville 613-966-5855 fychiropractic@gmail.com www.foreveryoungchiro.ca

You’re expecting a baby but didn’t expect all the back and joint pain. Or the mood swings.

Or the tiredness that just won’t quit because you haven’t slept in weeks. Not to mention that stabbing feeling you-know-where.

Pregnancy should be a fun and exciting time. A time where mom to be is surrounded by supportive family and friends, balloons, cupcakes and cheers of joy.

Unfortunately, the aches and pains may be an unwanted side-effect of your pregnancy.

We understand the discomfort of pregnancy and we want to introduce you to prenatal chiropractic care. Women are designed to create life and should be empowered for that.

Prenatal chiropractic care can help remove nerve irritation (subluxations) caused by the soft tissue and structural changes during pregnancy. Chiropractic adjustments help restore proper structural alignment, help your tight muscles relax, ease any pain or discomfort, and teach you ways you can feel good at home and in your life. Prenatal Chiropractic care can start at any point during your pregnancy.

Prenatal chiropractic starts with a thorough assessment of your skeletal, muscular, and nervous systems to determine how well your body is functioning and adapting to the day-today stressors of life and the multitude of changes brought on by pregnancy. This return to normalcy allows the body to better adapt to its environment, operate more efficiently and provide for a more comfortable and successful pregnancy and delivery.

Whether this is your first child or the next of many, prenatal chiropractors work to prepare your body for a shorter, easier

labour without interventions.

Whether you’ve decided to have a home or hospital birth, a midwife or an obstetrician, chiropractic can help you prepare your body for an easier labour and birth.

Most chiropractors with a special interest in prenatal care are certified in Webster Technique.

Commonly misinterpreted as a breech turning technique, Webster technique is actually an assessment tool and treatment to restore proper pelvic alignment in mammas-to- be. By restoring normal pelvic mechanics, the function of the pelvis is improved, which gives babies a better chance of moving into the right position for delivery.

Congratulations, You Had a Baby!

While becoming a mother has been an incredible experience, you begin to realize what a toll the pregnancy has taken on your body once the euphoria of the birth wears off. That’s okay.

Chiropractors get it. And they can help. Your body is an amazing thing, especially in its ability to recover and rejuvenate. All it needs is the right kind of convincing.

Postpartum chiropractic care can help alleviate the pain of childbirth, bring your core muscles back, and encourage long-term wellness using your body’s natural mechanics.

Whether you are a first-time parent or adding onto a growing family, may you enjoy a healthy pregnancy and every moment of this amazing journey. Call today to reserve your wellness check.

We look forward to meeting you!

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A GOOD NIGHT’S

By Rebecca Spinner

The worst sleep I ever had was in a London airport. I attempted to tough out the wee hours between two flights on a terminal bench with fluorescent lights above me and frigid air blowing on me from somewhere. The best sleep I ever had was in Barbados. All those ocean swims, shoreline walks and seafood dinners made for starlit nights spent in decadent snoozing.

But can you replicate eight delectable hours of vacation sleep in Canada?

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s globetrotter Heather Whitman tells it, society does influence your relationship with sleep. “In Italy, everything shuts down from two until four, and people can take a nap,” she says. “It’s part of life.”

Whitman, the proprietor of Panache Luxury Linens in Halifax, is blunt about the pitfalls of our cultural tendency to cut sleep short. “I think we’ve been brainwashed to believe that the ladder to success is exhaustion. That if you’ve rested your body, you’re lazy.” But shoddy shuteye comes with consequences, she points out. “What are you going to do when you can’t be good to the people around you, because you’re exhausted?”

When ReFINEd asks Whitman how to get a good night’s sleep, a sleep schedule is among her first suggestions. “Just like you might make time to go to the gym, set aside time that says ‘this is when I go to bed,’” she urges. “Twenty or 30 minutes before that, start slowing things down.”

She’s also adamant about beds, mattresses and bedroom accoutrements that reflect sleep’s importance. “Finding the right linen makes you feel pampered. A pillow should support your head based on the type of sleeper you might be; find one that supports you physically.”

Technology-wise, “I don’t feel that a television is a great thing to have in the bedroom,” she says firmly. And your cell? “Don’t use your phone as an alarm clock. Turn it to mute, set it on the kitchen island, and leave it there.”

I’ve been skimping on sleep for eons, so I’ve got my fingers crossed that these suggestions will help me stop reminiscing about naps I took years ago. If you’ve had a hard time “drifting off,” why not give them a whirl?

Sleep Strategies When I asked friends, family and followers on social media for their “good night’s sleep” tips, advice varied.

Many people pointed me in the direction of specific body care products. Others used herbal tisanes, hormones or mineral supplements. A bedtime glass of water was popular (although I was also advised against this). See a few of these “crowdsourced” ideas below.

“Fall asleep listening to podcasts. And don’t work out before bed.” – Leslie A. “Don’t drink coffee after noon.” – June D. “Replay your day on fast forward.” – David G. “Stay outside in the sunshine during the day.” – Althea G. “A really dark room, with blackout curtains, always encourages the best sleep.” – Brittany G. “Avoid addictive streaming before bedtime: Facebook, Netflix, etc.” – Ian S. “Cuddling with my dogs and listening to their snoring works for me.” – Maria L. ReFINEdKINGSTON

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See and

Be Seen

By Cathie Watson Photos (Right) Stephen Wild If you’re like me, you enjoy flipping through the pages of glossy magazines looking for seasonable inspiration for your wardrobe. The pages are full of fun and whimsical fashions, but the ultimate fashion accessory gracing pages and European runways alike are spectacular spectacles.

Eyewear, functional as it needs to be, is also the perfect opportunity to express your personal sense of style. Fortunately for us here in Kingston, there is no need to travel to Europe to get the latest trends in optical fashion; simply head down to Springer Market Square and visit Marc F. Raymond opticians.

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Marc F. Raymond is a locallyowned and operated premium service and design driven eyewear and sunglasses boutique offering the latest styles of designer and artisanal eyeglasses and sunglasses from Europe, Japan and North America.

The company was founded in 1972 by namesake Marc F. Raymond and is now owned and operated by third generation optician Courtney Raymond, Marc’s son.

He is passionate about helping his customers find the perfect pair of eyeglasses. “We are told a certain face shape should wear a certain frame, but I think you

should wear the frames that you feel most confident and comfortable in. Gone are the days you need to fit into a mould.

“In a perfect world, everyone would have an eye-glasses wardrobe, he says with a laugh.

“You do not wear the same clothes to work, on date night or out cutting the lawn, and your glasses shouldn’t be any different.”

While style is one thing, it is vital to understand how important a licenced optician is - especially with the rise of online shopping for eyeglasses.

“Eyewear is a medical appliance, and even though the frames can allow you to have some fun and express yourself, they do need to be fit properly, by a trained eyeware professional,” says Courtney.

Working at the dispensary alongside Courtney are longtime employees Dianna Black and Richard Langlais.

Both have been with the business now for more than 35 years.

Their small and close-knit family approach to running the business ensures every customer who comes through the door receives a high level of personal service.

Courtney Raymond Optician & Owner

So personal, in fact, that there is always a familiar face to greet customers, and the team makes an effort every time to get to know their clients. “It’s more than just a one and done approach,” says Raymond.

Their personable and knowledgeable staff combine traditional styling with a twist to help clients find the perfect frame to suit their taste and style.

Whether you are wanting to sport a new look or add to your existing collection, the diverse selection, exceptional level of service and attention to detail given to each and every client will ensure you leave feeling confident and ready to see the world through a whole new lens.

Marc F. Raymond 324 King Street East 613-549-2020 www.marcfraymondopticians.ca

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FOOD & DRINK

In Vino

Veritas

By Rob Elvy | Photo Stephen Wild In Vino Veritas’ Latin translation, “In Wine, Truth” suggests that if one consumes enough wine, hidden secrets will come to light. It’s certainly an enjoyable interrogation technique. I am a private wine importer living here in Kingston, and after 25 years in the wine business, and countless tastings, these are my top three “truths” about wine.

Rob Elvy – The Small Winemakers Collection Private wine importer and wine educator, as well as long term resident of Kingston, Rob Elvy has been involved in the food and wine business for over 25 years. Working primarily as a private wine importer with the Small Winemakers Collection, Rob collaborates with over 130 wineries from around the world of wine.

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Taste as many different wines as you can. The world is awash in great wines and every wineproducing country has their leading producers. Consumers often get stuck in the “wine rut” of always drinking the same wine, rather than discovering new flavours from other grapes and regions.

Equally limiting is eliminating entire categories of wines. Too often I hear ABC: “Anything but chardonnay” or “I don’t drink local wines” or “I don’t drink wines from…”

Tasting as many different wines as possible is what makes wine education such a treat. You get to taste wine and learn at the same time.

Vintages matter. Variations of weather from year-to-year directly affect the style and expression of the wine, but also in the amount of wine that can be produced.

We love to see variations of flavour and structure from year-to- year, but advances in viniculture mean there are very few washout years that would dissuade me from purchasing.

In fact, I tend to focus on weak vintages, because you can often find brilliant wines at fantastic prices.

Europe is a case in point. In 2014, a cold and wet vintage found consumers being told by wine reviewers to stay away.

Wineries often will not make their reserve-level wines and instead use that higher-quality fruit in their base wines.

The result? I can purchase a base wine that now has superior quality fruit at a price that is much lower than I would typically have to

spend on their reserve wine. Of course, this might require you to do a bit of research, but finding great value typically does.

to spend more on red wines than white wines, and I believe this creates a vacuum of high-quality white wines at lower prices.

If I spend more will the quality of wine be better? This is perhaps one of the most-asked questions we get in the wine business, and in most cases, I would suggest this to be true.

Simply, high quality white wines generally do not have the same market cache as their red counterparts.

Small production combined with more labour-intensive vineyard management to produce higher quality fruit simply puts higher costs into what you get in the bottle, thus raising the prices.

I certainly can’t guarantee you will enjoy these wines more, but there are key factors in producing higher-quality wines.

A crucial caveat is market cache.

For example, consumers will tend

Similarly, wines from Chile do not have the same market cache as wines from Napa Valley, but spending more within the Chilean category may get you a better quality wine. Of course, spending more will never be a guarantee that you will enjoy the wine more.

I hope these three simple “truths” will help guide you in your next wine experience. Feel free to contact me with your questions or suggestions for future articles.

May your next glass be joyous!

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GO Italian

An Epicurean Hidden Gem in Kingston’s West End

By Marina Darling Photos Stephen Wild

If you’re on the hunt for a new favourite spot to indulge in delectable Italian cuisine, Go Italian should be first on your list. Located in the West End of Kingston, Go Italian is a hidden gem of pure epicurean delight.

A little over a year ago, owner Kristal Stachel purchased Go Italian. The dream to own a restaurant was stimulated by Kristal’s passion for food, wine, and business as well as Go Italian itself. When timing and circumstance collided, Kristal jumped at the opportunity.

Since Kristal took over, much has remained the same, but there are also some exciting changes at Go Italian. One thing she placed a significant amount of effort on was making sure that the atmosphere was classy, cozy, and inviting.

The decor choices interweave sophistication and comfort. “I want people to feel like they can come in, snuggle into a booth, and enjoy a beautiful glass of wine and delicious, highquality food,” Kristal says about the customer experience and atmosphere. And atmosphere aside, the food is certainly worth the visit.

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Kristal Stachel McKay Owner, GO Italian

Go Italian features an extensive list of dishes from sandwiches to luxurious pastas as well as a curated wine list that you won’t find anywhere else. Furthermore, there are plenty of options for kids and those with vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free dietary requirements.

There’s no holding back when it comes to sourcing the freshest, highest quality ingredients either.

Although the type of food that Go Italian serves dictates some sourcing of ingredients, Kristal prioritizes collaborations with Kingston vendors as much as possible. All of the bread is made locally and it’s common to have fresh garden basil in the recipes. “I’m a huge foodie,” Kristal says, “I hate saying it but it’s a passion of mine.”

In addition to the updates on the food menu, Kristal has introduced a new wine list that was curated specifically for the restaurant with the help of sommelier, Rob Elvy. The wines are all picked to pair with the menu and many of them are custom ordered from small batch wineries in Italy. Kristal is excited to launch a 5-course wine pairing experience in which guests will be able to learn about the vineyards and winemakers. “It’s all the little details that wine lovers will truly appreciate. If you’re a wine lover, you’ll have to try it,” Kristal says.

Although much of Kristal’s drive to continue the successful path of Go Italian is driven by a love for culinary creations, it’s also about contributing to her community and supporting other entrepreneurs in Kingston. She makes it a priority to sponsor children’s sports teams and contribute to not-for-profits whenever she can. As a Board Member for local charity, Dress for Success, Kristal knows that giving back goes a long way in growing the community.

“We give back whenever we can. It’s always been something I feel really strongly about,” she says.

If you’re in the mood for something excellent, be it food, wine, or ambiance, make sure you stop in at Go Italian. You’ll be delighted.

Go Italian Restaurant 2815 Princess Street 613-766-1200 info@goitalian.ca www.goitalian.ca

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frozenfrenzy THE PERFECT ARTISAN SUMMER TREAT

By Colleen Thompson Photos Allison Grange

J

uly is National Ice Cream month and our love affair with ice cream continues to burn hotter than ever. In an ever-evolving culinary scene – where artisan, craft and local remain buzzwords – simply offering chocolate or vanilla scoops of ice cream isn’t going to bring people back for more.

Artisan ice cream shops are popping up all over, offering unique creations and taking great care and pride to bring whimsical flavour ideas to life – a testimony to what happens when cream, sugar and a little salt meet below-freezing temperatures!

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Reading an article in National Geographic recently about the Top 10 places across the globe to get ice cream, it struck me that the major criterion for the ranking was flavour creativity. Eel ice cream in Japan, green tea ice cream in Florence, and ice cream made from the milk of Amish grass-fed cows ...ice cream has come a long way.

FOUNDING FATHER’S OF SCOOPS The history of ice cream is swirled with colourful stories and there are more myths and legends surrounding its origin than there

are flavours of Ben & Jerry’s.

Some credit the ancient Romans with inventing ice cream, others say Marco Polo brought the discovery back to Italy from China, while others believe Catherine de Medici introduced the French to ice cream when she married the future King Henri II. American historians have said ice cream was first made by Martha Washington, some say it was brought back from France by Thomas Jefferson and others think it was invented by First Lady Dolley Madison at the White House. The precise

story, as in so many matters of history, is open to debate.

The first actual documented account of ice cream being served in America was in Maryland in 1744, when Governor Thomas Bladen put it on his dessert table. It was May and warm and the sight of something frozen to eat astonished the guests.

George Washington is known to have purchased a “cream machine for ice” in Philadelphia in 1784.

Later household inventories show receipts for ice cream that Washington purchased along with 10 ice cream pots.

At the time, ice cream was an elite treat, reserved only for the wealthy, due to the expense of machines and scarcity of ice.

But we really have the Congress of 1784 to thank. They sent Thomas Jefferson to Paris to serve as secretary of state and it was there that Jefferson discovered a passion for ice cream. He brought back a recipe for a French-style vanilla ice cream, along with 40 vanilla pods. The recipe, which was made with egg yolks, is often credited with popularising the flavour in the United States.

Ice cream has moved far beyond the days of chocolate, vanilla and strawberry.

Today, there’s a whole new world of flavours to choose from!

Think Carmel Sponge Toffee, Cereal Milk, Coffee or Strawberry Balsamic!

The recipe calls for “two bottles of good cream, six yolks of eggs, half pound of sugar” to be flavoured with vanilla and frozen in a sarbottiere (ice freezer).

When he was president, Jefferson had an icehouse built for the president’s house — and on Independence Day in 1806, he hired a servant to turn the ice cream maker.

The first Canadian to start selling ice cream was confectioner Thomas Webb of Toronto, around 1850. William Neilson produced his first commercial batch of ice cream on Gladstone Avenue in Toronto in 1893, and his company continued to produce ice cream at the location for close to 100 years.

WHAT MAKES ICE CREAM ARTISAN? “I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream.” But not all ice cream is created equal, even if it’s a simple combination of milk, sugar and eggs. These ReFINEdKINGSTON

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once noble treats that were hand cranked and made from fresh, all natural and seasonal ingredients, lost their way for many years, like many other mass- produced products. Some might say they became sticky, over-sweet and artificially flavoured gloop.

Redemption for the masses arrived in the 80s, in the form of two guys from Vermont who ended up making ice cream because bagel-manufacturing equipment cost too much. Ben and Jerry were real people, behind real ice cream and they became the darlings of ice cream consumers

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everywhere. What they managed to do was ignite a new generation of ice cream makers that rejected common practices like the addition of milk powder, vegetable oil and artificial flavourings.

The sheer act of making ice cream is expensively complex and time-consuming. Today’s artisan ice cream makers are opting for hormone-free, local milk. Rather than using cheaper ingredients to stabilise and thicken ice cream, artisan makers opt for the more expensive choices of fresh, heavy cream and egg yolks, and seasonal, local ingredients.

Vanilla, chocolate and then strawberry are Canada’s favourite ice cream flavours, according to a recent survey by the International Dairy Foods Association — with butterscotch, caramel, coffee, mint chocolate chip and maple walnut tied for a distant fourth. When it comes to artisan ice cream, however, flavour and texture is what separates them from the crowd.

By all means, keep enjoying your vanilla, strawberry and chocolate cones, but just know this is not where your ice cream adventure needs to end this summer.

FIND YOUR LOCAL SCOOP Mile And A Quarter Ice Cream Located inside Coffee Trends 772 Blackburn Mews, Kingston 613-634-7377

Slickers County Ice Cream 271 Main Street Bloomfield, 613-393-5433 232 Main St. Picton

Locally owned and operated by a couple who LOVE soft ice cream, Mile and a Quarter Ice Cream offers countless varieties of soft serve.

Located in beautiful Bloomfield, Slickers’ ice cream is handmade daily in small batches, featuring fresh and local ingredients.

Must Try - Campfire

Choose from one of our 50 flavours or mix and match to create your own favourite!

Must Try - Salted Carmel

Old Greenhouse Ice Cream Shop 182 Main Street, Wellington 613-399-2064

Mio Gelato 178 Ontario Street, Kingston 613-547-4053 We don’t just claim to be homemade, we actually ARE homemade right on site; on any given day you can witness our busy chef mixing quality ingredients and artfully arranging fresh gelato, sorbetto, ice cream or frozen yogurt into eye catching display pans.

Must Try - Mia Mix: Vanilla with chocolate chips, peanuts, Skor bar and chocolate and caramel drizzle

Growing the Flavour of Wellington One Scoop at a Time’

Must Try - Dark Chocolate Dream

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Find Your Creativity in

Kingston’s Coffee Culture

By Marina Darling As a freelance writer and an entrepreneur without an office, I spend a lot of time in cafes; they’re filled with fuel and inspiration.

Northside Espresso

Luckily, Kingston has a thriving and vibrant coffee culture. There are cafes all over the Limestone City where you can find a cup that will suit your preferences and provide you with a great environment in which you can consume it.

Coffee culture is about not only the coffee, but how it’s brewed, the people who make it, and the atmosphere you drink it in. I learned a lot about coffee culture during my travels to New Zealand and Australia last year. They’re two countries that certainly take their coffee seriously, and they have rituals around consuming it.

Below, I list just a few favourites, and how they contribute to Kingston’s own coffee culture.

There’s always a need for a quick cup of coffee on the run, but there’s also something magical about

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drinking a brew from a mug and enjoying the scenery around you.

If there’s a place that comes to mind for indulging in the chill vibe of coffee culture from ‘down under’, hands down, it’s Northside Espresso. Located on upper Princess Street in downtown Kingston, Northside is a little slice of Melbourne in our pretty city.

Even if you are in a rush, you won’t want to leave once you step inside the little building. You’ll be greeted by the crisp white walls, airy lights, and lush hanging plants, as well as the friendly staff. Their coffee is lovely and is brewed in traditional Aussie fashion. They offer drinks

like a long black and flat white, which are staples on the other side of the world. Additionally, they have some great food menu items and a charming little patio.

Musiikki Café In addition to enjoying a moment of relaxation to focus, to write, or to have a conversation, one of the reasons I love working from cafes is feeling the buzz around me and observing people.

It never hurts to have great music and whiskey, either.

If you feel similarly about getting inspiration from your surroundings, make a stop at Musiikki Cafe on Brock Street. You did read it

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right, they have coffee, music, and whiskey. I stumbled upon the hidden gem a few years back and since then, it’s been a go-to place for something different than other cafes. There’s live music, art, a patio, and of course, coffee.

The Elm Café Another favourite work spot is The Elm Cafe. Located on Montreal Street, Elm is a favourite spot of mine for hunkering down with work or a book. The building used to be a laundromat, but it’s hard to believe once you’ve been in. Elm is crisp and soft with an artistic atmosphere, and they make a mean Americano.

Luckily, Kingston has a thriving and vibrant coffee culture.

There are cafes all over the Limestone City where you can find a cup that will suit your preferences and provide you with a great environment in which you can consume it.

CRAVE Coffeehouse Surely, you’ve realized that coffee culture goes hand-in-hand with snacks and good eats of some shape or form. Some people have a savoury craving when coffee is involved, and others have a sweet tooth. Either way, a fantastic spot for from-scratch snacks and in-house roasted

coffee is CRAVE Coffeehouse.

They do it all and they do it well.

Kingston Coffee House One component of Kingston’s coffee culture is the movement for more environmentally-friendly, fair-trade certified coffee. From my experiences, cafes in Kingston are certainly doing their best to not only provide it, but also to educate their consumers about what it means to have ethical coffee.

One spot that comes to mind when it comes to consumer education on ethical coffee practices is Kingston Coffee House. Kingston Coffee House has two locations:

one in the Kingston Centre and one in Springer Market Square.

The owners are often on-site and will be happy to chat with anyone about why they use certain beans and the practices behind them.

Bottoms Up! There you have it; a brief overview of my favourite spots in Kingston to snag an Americano, a flat white, an Irish Coffee, or just straight-up brewed deliciousness.

I encourage you to get out of your bubble and to find out more about what goes into the coffee you drink, and of course, to support local coffee culture in Kingston.

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Kingston Coffee House:

Where Sustainability and Coffee Collide

By Marina Darling Photos Stephen Wild As any coffee aficionado will know, there’s much more to a great Cup of Joe than meets the eye. Factors such as farming, roasting, brewing, and even the environment in which the coffee is consumed can affect the experience. For Kingston Coffee House owners, Vidyut (Vid) and Mitali Banerjee, these factors are of utmost importance.

Previously named Coffeeco, Kingston Coffee House has two locations, one in the Kingston Centre and the other in Springer Market Square. Shortly after purchasing the coffee shops

nearly two years ago, Vid and Mitali rebranded to Kingston Coffee House. The name change stems from the philosophy of “mi casa, sous casa,” Vid explains. “This is our house, but also your house. Everyone is welcome here, to drink coffee, to sit, and have conversations.”

Vid places particular emphasis on having conversations with customers about what it means to use organic and fair-trade coffee products. “We want to sustain coffee culture through consumer education,” says Vid. “We want

people to know why we use organic beans and products.” Vid knows that there’s a lot of noise in the marketplace when it comes to buzzwords like “organic” and “fair-trade” but he wants to help his customers know the difference.

The beans at Kingston Coffee House are from North Roast Coffee (Multatuli Coffee Merchants), which is a local roasting company that has focused its efforts on sustainable, organic, and fairtrade certified coffee. “North Roast has insight into the market that no one else has,” Vid says.

“The beans that come from North Roast are between three and seven days old, ensuring freshness and great flavour.”

While the integrity of the beans themselves is key in the mission to be a sustainable café, the other ingredients like sugar, milk and milk substitutes set Kingston Coffee House apart. In addition to the beans themselves, the milk and milk substitute products used at Kingston Coffee House are organic.

Kingston company Limestone Creamery provides the milk products, and Vid is always eager to support the local economy.

Since Vid and Mitali took over the locations, they have also channeled their passion for food into Kingston Coffee House. They have added more choices to both locations and are particularly excited about providing gluten-

free, vegetarian, and vegan options. Currently, they stock more than seven types of sandwiches that are made fresh locally.

Regardless of who you are or where you’ve come from, rest assured you can find an organic cup of coffee in a welcoming environment at either Kingston Centre or Springer Market Square Kingston Coffee House. That’s one of the things Vid loves the most about his business. “To me, Kingston Coffee House symbolizes community. Our two locations are complementary and welcoming to everyone.”

So, if you’re walking around in downtown Kingston, pop into the Springer Market Square location for a sip of something hot or cold, or perhaps take a drive and swing by the Kingston Centre Location. Either way, you’ll be welcome to grab a coffee and make yourself at home.

Kingston Coffee House Kingston Centre and Kingston Market Square 613-542-7994 vidyut@kingstoncoffeehouse.com www.kingstoncoffeehouse.com

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The Heart of Napanee Ellena’s Cafe

By Faith Woodland | Photos Stephen Wild

The kitchen is most often referred to as the heart of the home; a place where body and soul are warmed, welcomed and nourished. For those who call Napanee home, Ellena’s Cafe is the kitchen at the heart of the community, offering gourmet and delicious homestyle cooking.

For eight years, Ellena’s has served as a place to meet with friends, enjoy a special event, and 74

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is often the spot where you can get a hug, or even a shoulder to cry on, just when you need it.

quiche, fresh salads and steaming soup with an ever-changing selection of daily specials.

Good Food, Good Cheer, Good Times

Freshly-baked fruit pies, enormous chocolatey squares and delectable pastries fill the glass counter and round out the delicious selection. Ellena’s signature coconut cream pie does come with a caveat, however; first timers are warned that after trying one slice, they might just fall in love.

From the moment you push open the squeaky vintage door, you are enveloped in the aroma of freshlybaked cookies, pies and tasty entrees. The daily menu offers a variety of crispy panini, gourmet

The seating area is decorated with art produced by local artists for display and purchase. If you pop in on a Saturday morning, you will enjoy a down-east-style kitchen party as local folk musicians The Humstrummers sing together accompanied by acoustic guitars.

For visitors on the go, Ellena’s Cafe also offers takeout. By pre-ordering, groups can pickup charcuterie boards, salads, lunches and desserts.

When the fall and winter holiday season approaches, Ellena’s offers a myriad of holiday baking services. Pies, squares and other menu items can be preordered and picked up in time for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

hosts a Star Stop concert series.

Tickets are available in the cafe, giving patrons the opportunity to enjoy amazing Canadian talent in an intimate setting.

A Convenient Location Located half an hour from both Kingston and Belleville, Napanee is the perfect destination for an adventure. Stop for lunch, and then wander among all the fabulous downtown retail shops.

A Team Ready to Welcome You

Memorable Special Events

Ellena’s team is a group of amazing people clad in flour-dusted aprons and flushed cheeks who manage to whip up the most fabulous food, and flash a smile while they do it.

Ellena’s Cafe is available for business meetings, showers, group lunches and events with seating for up to 30. And up to eight times a year, Ellena’s

No matter who you are, or where you’re from, Ellena and her staff will welcome you like you are part of the family, because to them, you are!

Kitchen Accessories for All Cooks, and Gift-Giving Made Easy Ellena’s Cafe is the perfect place to purchase kitchen tools, specialty spices and sauces, and giftware. The front of the store is always filled with beautiful dishware, teapots and gadgets.

Ellena’s Cafe 16 Dundas Street, Napanee 613-929-0795 ellena@ellenascafe.com www.ellenascafe.com

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Satisfy Your Crave(ing) at

CRAVE Coffeehouse

By Marina Darling Photos Stephen Wild Whether you are a student, professional, or someone who just loves great coffee and food made from scratch, Crave Coffeehouse is a place you’ll find yourself going back to again and again.

Independently owned and operated, Crave Coffeehouse is a must for anyone who puts great coffee and healthy food on their priority list. “There are bakeries and coffee shops in Kingston and Crave marries those two ideas,” Joel Thompson, general manager, says about Crave’s beginnings. The idea for Crave began when owners, John and Julia Stathopoulos, wanted to create a spot in downtown Kingston that combined a bakery, coffee shop and eatery.

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Crave has seen great success for the two and half years it’s been open and has a bright future, with a wide audience of patrons and a huge selection of menu items, both available for eating in the cafe and for a quick takeaway snack. “You can find a tasty spot of breakfast at Crave, and also find a snack on the go, or sit down,” Joel says.

The snacks vary from salads and sandwiches, to sweet and savoury pastries. Anyone with a sweet tooth will find themselves right at home. Crave has a selection of sweet treats available in the cafe all the time and they make cakes to order. The process itself is one to enjoy, since you can build your own cake from a list of flavours and fillings.

Additionally, traditional cake designs are available. “You can sit down with our bakers and custom design your dream wedding or birthday cake,” Joel says.

Being a coffeehouse, Crave serves excellent coffee, which is sourced from an ethical, fair-trade certified farm in Costa Rica. The beans are roasted, ground, and brewed right in the cafe, which preserves the integrity of the coffee flavour, as well as reduces the environmental footprint of making coffee.

In addition to roasting and brewing coffee, all of Crave’s food items are made and prepared in-house. The kitchen is 2,500 square feet and easily houses the full-time baking and kitchen staff. It also gives Crave the capacity to prepare for catering events, which is a service they’ve recently expanded. Crave offers catering for receptions, conferences, but also school lunch programs or offices year-round.

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The list of items on the custom catering meal packages list is built to suit a variety of needs, with options for breakfast, hot breakfast, coffee break, lunch, hot lunch, hightop, and dinner.

The Crave team is particularly excited for the hightop options, which include items such as mini pitas and dip, charcuterie, devilled eggs, and desserts.

While the menu options are always important, Crave also prioritizes making an easy process out of any catering order.

“To put in an order is easy,” Joel says, “We send a list of items that are always available, but vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options are always available too.”

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The catering itself is next level.

Crave catering includes ceramic plate service and cleanup. “It’s a way nicer experience than just having a plastic tray,” Joel says, “We take a lot of pride in what we do and it’s nice at a conference or reception to showcase our food.”

In addition to the pride that Crave brings to their products, they also pride themselves on their community outreach. Crave is a frequent contributor to local charities and events, such as the Humane Society, Business Association, and Taste of Kingston.

They even support causes with their baking with items like cookies to celebrate Pride Month. The team makes an effort to rotate

their support and give back to a different organization each month with proceeds from products.

Much of Crave’s ability to do a large amount of outreach as well as new things comes from the fact that the business is locally-owned and operated, Joel explains. “We’re always doing something different every single day. There’s a lot of creativity that goes into Crave.”

Creativity is an important aspect to Joel and the rest of the team and they always enjoy taking suggestions from customers or staff. It’s one of the things that contributes to having a great environment for the people who work there and those who come to enjoy their coffee and food. Joel loves seeing the variety of people

in the cafe and welcomes anyone to come by. “It’s so special to be that place where people come to hang out,” he says. “There’s something for everyone at Crave.”

Crave CoffeeHouse 166 Princess Street 613-766-7766 info@cravecoffeehouse.ca www.cravecoffeehouse.ca

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BREWING UP

Tea Cocktails

By Colleen Thompson

Tea cocktails are popping up worldwide as mixologists utilise everything from Bombay chai to chamomile leaves, crafting libations with distinctive botanical notes.

Tea is showing up in a variety of ways — infused in spirits, flavouring syrups or bittering tinctures — and with a world of tea to choose from, the possibilities are endless.

I

t may feel as if tea is just starting to have its moment in the cocktail scene, but this caffeinated drink has woven its history through our culture of libations. Chinese Emperor Shen Nung sat under a tree

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in 2737 BC, sipping boiling water, when leaves from a nearby Camellia tree fell into his cup. He let the leaves steep for a few minutes, sipped its delicate flavour and experienced a renewed vigour and clarity. He ordered the tree to be taken to his gardens and returned to his people,

extolling its virtues. Over centuries, it became a staple of Asian diets. From there, it spread to the Middle East and onto Europe.

There is an historical precedent for tea in booze, most notably in the celebratory

IN AN INFUSION, SYRUP, OR A STRAIGHT-UP BREW, TEA GOES WAY BEYOND FUNCTION AND BRINGS OUT DELICIOUS AND COMPLEX FLAVOURS. punches of the 17th century. Quaffed by sailors, explorers and patriots, teas ability to add both aromatics and tannin and hide less than perfect spirits, made it an essential addition. No surprise that tea remains a means of enlivening not only contemporary cocktails, but also modern interpretations of historic ones. In times of temperance and prohibition, it was the drink of choice for teetotallers, and teacups were used to conceal the tipples of rebels. English Milk Punch is one of the oldest tea-based cocktails, dating back to the mid-18th century and most recently regaining popularity. History also reveals that the classic “hot toddy,” with which sniffling Brits have fought the symptoms of head colds for centuries, traditionally featured black tea with whisky, cloves, honey, lemon and cinnamon.

From those early days in ancient China to the ritual of teatime in the UK, its role in social gatherings has always been pivotal. Today, cocktail bars, mixologists and tea connoisseurs are delving into its uses and adding it to creative cocktails.

People of the utmost sophistication are sipping their cocktails out of pretty teacups.

Mie Mie Sein, tea aficionado and owner of Sawadee Tea, regularly mixes tea blends for cocktails. “Black, Green, Rooibos and Earl Grey are all good teas for cocktails,” said Sein. “The teas need to be prepared beforehand and allowed to cool or made into a simple syrup. My favourite cocktail is a blend of gin and Earl Grey tea — the subtle botanicals in gin pair nicely with good quality Earl Grey tea and fresh lemon. The Earl Grey brings out the different levels of flavour in the alcohol, making it a very delicate and aromatic cocktail.”

Dave Arnold, renowned New York mixologist and founder and president of the Museum of Food and Drink, in his book Liquid Intelligence: The Art and Science of the Perfect Cocktail, he ups the ante on cocktail classics using several tea-based recipes where he explains the science of tea’s acidity and why it’s often paired with milk in cocktails.

Cognac distiller Hennessey teamed up with Theodor Tea Company and designer Mathieu Lehanneur for a concept that consisted of four seasonal recipes for cocktails.

TEA SIMPLE SYRUP Making a tea simple syrup is the easiest way to incorporate tea into your cocktails. Simply combine a cup of water, a cup of white sugar and two-to-three tablespoons of your favourite tea, or three teabags, in a saucepan. Any tea will work so try experimenting with Earl Grey, langsang souchong and masala chai.

Bring to a simmer and dissolve the sugar, remove it from the heat and let the tea steep for five minutes before straining it into a resealable jar to keep in the refrigerator. The flavour-packed tea syrup can be used to replace simple syrup in any cocktail. Try black tea syrup in a Long Island Ice Tea or shake up some Earl Grey syrup in a gin marTEAni.

Their summer libation is a green tea laced with peach, melon, strawberry, simple syrup, lemon juice and egg white.

DavidsTea has also launched a Cocktail Collection of teas. From an exotic Thai Martini with their tropical Exotica blend, to their Goji Pop Fizz with their light and fruity Goji Pop tea, along with three other cocktail tea blends.

The possibilities for the types of tea best suited for cocktails are as far-reaching as any other ingredient and looking toward those that offer complementary flavours is one strategy for choosing. In an infusion, syrup, or a straightup brew, tea goes way beyond function and brings out delicious and complex flavours.

INFUSE YOUR BOOZE If you don’t want to mess with boiling water, you can always infuse your tea directly into your liquor. This will intensify the flavour and ensure that the spice and botanicals in your tea shine through in your cocktail. Use one-to-two tablespoons of loose leaf for every six ounces of spirit. Let that infuse at room temperature for one-to-two hours.

Don’t let the tea sit too long, or it has a tendency to turn sour. Try infusing rye whiskey steeped with chamomile, which makes a deliciously herbal Old Fashioned.

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Mie Mie’s Earl Grey

MarTEAni 1-1/2 oz. gin 3/4 oz. fresh lemon juice 1 oz. simple syrup 2 ice cubes 1 oz. strong Earl Grey tea, chilled (recipe below) Lemon twist, to garnish Coloured sugar to rim the glass (optional)

Earl Grey Tea Recipe 6 grams Earl Grey tea 3 oz. boiling water

In a cocktail shaker, combine gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, Earl Grey tea and a few cubes of ice. Shake well. Strain into a sugar-rimmed glassed and garnish with a twist of lemon.

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Chamomile

Tequila Twist Chamomile Simple Syrup 3 tbsp chamomile tea 1 cup water 1 cup sugar

Salt 4 lime wedges 1 oz. freshly squeezed lime juice 2 oz. tequila 2 oz. chamomile simple syrup Ice

Layer the salt evenly in a shallow plate. Run a lime wedge around the rim of the glass and dip it into the salt.

In a cocktail shaker, combine lime juice, tequila, chamomile simple syrup and a few cubes of ice. Shake well. Strain into the salt rimmed glassed and garnish with a wedge of lime.

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A Sweet Twist on a

CLASSIC FAVOURITE S’mores Charcuterie Boards

By Virginia See

One of the most Instagramworthy food trends of last year was the charcuterie board, and it’s not going anywhere, anytime soon.

This timeless tray will continue to be seen on the menus of restaurants and in Kingstonians’ homes, but we’re suggesting you shake things up this season by taking this classic and giving it a summertime spin.

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The S’more Charcuterie Board To ensure everyone’s favourites are accounted for on your S’more charcuterie board, incorporate at least three different types of chocolate. There should be a variety of milk, dark, and white chocolate options.

Providing a selection not only gives your dessert dimension, it also gives you countless flavour opportunities when combined with other ingredients.

A peanut butter cup is the ultimate S’more companion, giving the traditional S’more a run for its money. You could even add a spoonful of strawberry jam on top.

How you display your chocolate is up to you; I suggest breaking the bars into their natural square shapes to ensure they are the perfect size. Whether you lay them out or pile them on, the board is what you make of it!

Not Your Traditional Boy Scouts’ S’more Graham crackers are essential for S’more building, but think outside the cracker and try using homemade chocolate chip or oatmeal cookies for a flavour boost.

Adding a homemade cookie to your charcuterie-inspired S’more board gives even

more flavour options and in the case of chocolate chip cookies, more chocolate!

enthusiasts, but some companies are serving up maple and chocolate-flavoured varieties.

A chocolate-coated digestive cookie is the top choice choice for those wanting a simple (but still delicious!) S’more, but make sure you have some Oreos on standby for those who want to walk on the wild side. These childhood favourites pair well with a piece of white chocolate in the middle for the ultimate decadent treat.

If you want to take your S’more crafting a step further and make your own marshmallows, you’ll enjoy even more flavour options, like peppermint or raspberry. Just imagine how these marshmallows would taste nestled between some homemade, double-chocolate cookies.

Marshmallows: The Star of the Show Whether you like them raw, golden brown or torched, the marshmallow is without a doubt is the star of the show when it comes to S’mores.

The traditional white marshmallow is the top choice for most S’more

Try making your own marshmallows!

Assembling Your Board No matter what type of board you choose - whether it’s a rustic design, or something more modern - ensure you place your cookies in pairs, and your chocolate pieces are cut up small enough to fit on them.

Our expert tip: Place your marshmallows between the chocolate and cookies on your board so they won’t roll off, and don’t forget the fixings! Place some strawberry jam, caramel sauce, or whipped cream on a second board for an extra bit of decadence.

With your roasting sticks ready to go and an infinite combinations of sweets, a S’mores charcuterie board is sure to be this summer’s favourite treat!

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HOUSE & HOME

A Summer

Sanctuary

By Virginia See

As the heat sets in, and the cooler spring breeze says goodbye until next year, we are eager to spend as much time as possible soaking up all that the summer sun has to offer.

Summertime means longer days, which means more time to enjoy not only the outdoors, but the indoors, as well. Why not take the time to brighten up the room you start your day in and retreat to after a long day?

When it comes to your bedroom, there are tons of ways you can transform your bedroom into a summer sanctuary.

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Let in the Light The first step to creating your summer sanctuary is to let as much light in as possible. You can use decorative mirrors to bounce the rays throughout your room.

Another idea is to install lightweight sheer curtains above any window or patio door. This way, you can have your window or door open to enjoy a cosy summer breeze throughout the night.

The sheerness will also allow the light to stream in during the day, and the lightweight fabric will allow the curtains to flow with ease as the air comes through.

Surround Yourself with Life Place a few plants in your bedroom so you can wake up to them each morning. A touch of green is sure to add to any bedroom space while bringing in a sense of the outdoors.

MacramĂŠ (a form of textile using knotting) is coming back into style not only for wall art but for hanging plants, as well.

If you already have plants around the house and are worried about upkeep, try a low-maintenance plant from the succulent family.

A fun and easy DIY with succulents is to create terrariums with old glassware. These can add just the simplest touch of life to your room.

Lighten Up Your Bedding Out with the flannel sheets and heavy comforters and in with the soft sheets and airy quilts.

Brighten up your room by choosing covers in lighter shades, such as pale yellow, sage green, or white to make you feel like you’re on a summer getaway.

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breakfast in bed, so why not have a wooden breakfast tray close by for those days where you find your bed calling you back into it?

It’s All about the Warm Breeze and Peace of Mind Simply switching out your bedding and opening up your windows can be all it takes to allow yourself to welcome summer into your home.

By taking these few simple steps to brighten up your bedroom, you can enjoy every ounce of summer while you’re at home.

Throw a loose knit throw on the end of your bed so you can curl up at the end of the day with a book from your summer reading list.

Set Your Room Up for Ultimate Relaxation Your bedroom should be designed as a space for you to relax in peace.

Try dressing your nightstands with your summer mustreads alongside your favourite scented candle.

A Himalayan salt lamp will help good vibes float through the air.

A cosy summer morning is not complete without a coffee or

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Amanda’s House of Elegance Helping you decorate, design, and be inspired!

Interior Decorating • Consults • Staging At Amanda’s House of Elegance, we recognize the power of expression and the human desire to be inspired.

Through designer home accents, decor and Canadian-made products, Amanda’s House of Elegance has become a channel of stylish creativity.

We hope to ignite the house and home fashion forward thinking in you!

Amanda’s House of Elegance 70 Princess Street 613-328-7218 info@amandashouseofelegance.ca www.amandashouseofelegance.ca

Enjoy the

TAMARACK LIFESTYLE

By Faith Woodland Photos Provided By Tamarack Homes Tamarack Homes, Kingston’s premier new home builder, is excited to announce the opening of a brand-new boutique community, West Village, located off Taylor Kidd Boulevard, and just steps away from the RioCan Centre.

West Village is an exciting development of high-end builds, including single family homes and townhomes.

Designed With Families in Mind The first phase consists of a picturesque court, Ashford Place.

Featuring large, pie-shaped lots — some 100-feet in width — Ashford Place allows for spacious, 90

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private backyards. A great number of these lots back onto either a park, school or green buffer area.

Furthermore, the subdivision has an allowance for a future school, as well as a park for families.

Representative Jacqueline Collier says this community gives new meaning to “amenities at your doorstep,” with a theatre, shopping, restaurants and all manner of services only steps away.

This master-planned community has been designed with families in mind, with special features such as connected walkways throughout, allowing for safe access and enjoyable outings for pets and children.

Luxury Comes Standard As with all Tamarack Homes, standard features are far above builder grade. All homes feature nine-foot ceilings on the main floor, and are finished with hardwood floors throughout the entire main floor living space.

Tamarack standard kitchens include granite counter tops, and all wet areas, including kitchen, bathroom and entrance areas, have ceramic tiled flooring.

Master ensuites are topquality, with roman baths, glass showers, and walk-in closets.

Families can also choose models with multiple ensuites or Jack and

Jill bathrooms in the upper level.

A Team That Cares

A Leader in EnergyEfficient Construction

Having begun in 1948 by Harold Taggart in Ottawa, Tamarack has grown into a successful, family-run organization.

Tamarack is committed to the highest construction standards, and every single home is tested and Energy Star Certified.

Using a combination of advanced construction technology and materials, Tamarack Homes is a leader in energy-efficient construction, offering higher R-value insulation, triple-glazed windows, LED lighting and highefficiency furnaces, to name a few.

Collier’s enthusiasm for Tamarack Homes and their team is infectious. “The Tamarack team is incredible...we care about making the client happy every step of the way. We are excited to go through the entire process with them, from the first visit, to the moment I get to personally deliver their keys on closing day.”

Welcome Home

For the past two decades, Collier has made education in Energy Star and green building practices a priority and received the prestigious Energy Star Champion Award from EnerQuality in 2017.

She says that when Tamarack began building in Kingston in 2007, they raised the bar for builders in standards and quality.

To view models, speak with a representative or choose your lot in West Village, visit 1060 Woodhaven Dr. in Kingston’s west end, or 1169 Waterside Way in Riverview, Kingston’s east end.

Sales Centre hours are Monday through Thursday, noon to 7 p.m. and on Saturday and Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Tamarack Homes 1060 Woodhaven Drive & 1169 Waterside Way 613-766-8140 jcollier@tamarackhomes.com www.tamarackhomes.com

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Personalized Care

From the Heart Absolutely Polished Cleaning Services

By Allison Grange | Headshot Stephen Wild

When you first speak with Alyssa Levesque, owner of Absolutely Polished Cleaning Services, and learn about the values and systems she implements each day, it’s hard to believe that her business has only been in operation for a year and a half. But, it’s true.

Alyssa launched Absolutely Polished in May 2017 after seeing a need for local professional detailing services personalized to meet individual needs.

“When it comes to residential cleaning, I wanted to bring a higher standard to Kingston,” she says. “My clients can expect a unique attention to detail by a company that cares.”

Absolutely Polished specializes in weekly, biweekly and monthly residential cleaning, but also offers deep cleaning, move in and move out cleans, closet organization, wedding décor setup and venue cleanup, student housing cleanup, commercial cleaning, pre- and post-construction cleanup, renovation cleanup and steam cleaning services.

The business began through Alyssa’s love of cleaning and a passion for great customer service. When building her company, she wanted to develop a brand that would not only reflect her personality but be memorable as well.

Alyssa Levesque, Owner & Operator 92

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“I’ve always been a girly-girl and I wanted to put a feminine spin on things,” she says. “I’ve always loved to clean and I’m very detail-oriented. I worked in customer service long before I started Absolutely Polished, so customer service has always been my number one priority.”

Although Alyssa employs a team of trustworthy, hard-working and dedicated staff members, she finds it important to be the first point of contact when meeting with new clients to create and build a solid relationship.

“My clients can expect a unique attention to detail by a company that cares.”

She likes to tour a client’s home and ask them specific questions to help her determine their unique needs, so that she can create a high-quality, personalized service plan.

“Of course, every home has a kitchen and bathrooms that require regular cleaning,” she says. “But I want to find out what is truly important to my new client – and perhaps what was missed by their previous cleaning company – to ensure I can go above and beyond to meet their needs and provide that personal touch.”

Following the meeting, Alyssa develops a personalized service plan and schedule which she explains and discusses with the client. When it comes to the

actual home detailing, Alyssa provides the service herself or assigns it to a team member.

“I do try to have only one person assigned to each home,” she says.

“Again, it comes down to customer service and building trust with our clients. I want to make sure our clients are familiar and happy with who we have cleaning their home.”

The finishing touches are what continues to set Absolutely Polished apart from the rest.

Whether it’s a follow-up phone call to ensure clients are happy with their service, or a handwritten card to thank clients for their support, Alyssa’s mission is to ensure her clients are well taken care of.

“From the bottom of my heart, I genuinely care about every person I meet,” she says. “I understand that it’s such a personal thing having someone come in to clean your home. I want my clients to feel comfortable right from the beginning, and know they’ve made the right decision when they’ve hired Absolutely Polished Cleaning Services.”

Absolutely Polished Cleaning Services 613-539-1676 absolutelypolishedkingston@gmail.com www.absolutelypolishedkingston.com

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The

Vintage Bathroom

Feeling nostalgic? Take your bathroom back in time with these tips.

By Virginia See

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Floor-to-Ceiling Tiles and Pastel Accents Floor-to-ceiling tiles are making a comeback, and from the looks of it, are here to stay. Smaller subway tiles are being used on the walls, while larger square and hexagonal tiles are being showcased on the floor.

Amp up the vintage feel by using a paisley or buffalo check wallpaper behind your vanity, adding another dimension to your sanctuary. On the remaining surfaces, opt for soft pinks and sky blues.

If you want to make even more of a colour statement, try painting your vanity a sweet peach, and painting your walls cream or white for an extra pop of colour.

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Gold Accessories Cocktail tables in the bathroom? Yes, please!

Antique gold cocktail tables are being seen as a modern twist on vintage décor; topped with plants, must-reads, and lavishly-scented candles, they’re the perfect accessory.

And the gold doesn’t stop there; it is also being seen in light fixtures, mirrors, and hardware.

Spa-Worthy Baths Claw foot tubs are ideal for those who love to immerse themselves and relax at the end of a long day. They are also the perfect vintage addition to any bathroom.

Want to stray away from the traditional white? Try painting the bottom of your tub a matte black or soft grey. This unexpected touch will turn your tub into a statement piece you’ll be proud to show off.

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Quality, Comfort & Care Haven Home ClimateCare

By Allison Grange Photos Stephen Wild

“The best way to predict the future is to create it.” – Peter Drucker Marci McMullen never planned on joining – let alone owning – the family business.

In 2005, she was a cosmetics manufacturing and sales professional living in Toronto. Working for her father’s heating and cooling company, Haven Home ClimateCare, was never in her future plans.

So, one day, when she joked with her father, Bob, about joining his customer service team, they laughed… … until they realized that it was a brilliant idea.

“I didn’t know a thing about HVAC,” she says. “But, I had 20 years’ experience in customer service. I knew that experience would give me a strong foundation, and I could learn the rest.”

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One month later, Marci joined Haven, and today she and her husband, Andre Soucy, own and operate the local company.

For almost 30 years, Haven has been a progressive HVAC and fireplace company, specializing in residential and light commercial sales, installations and service.

From furnaces, air conditioners, boilers, heat pumps and more, Haven offers many products that are 100 per cent Canadianmade, including two fireplace lines.

Whether you’re looking for repairs, products or maintenance plans, Haven’s goal is to keep customers comfortable yearround in their homes and offices.

With incredibly high standards, each member of the field team is heavily licensed and factory trained to ensure top quality

installations and maintenance of all equipment.

providing mentorship, education, best practices and more.

“Our customers love our technicians,” Marci says. “They either tell us in person or leave us great Google reviews.”

“Our business is local but ClimateCare is provincial, so it gives our customers that extra peaceof-mind,” she says. “With its help and guidance, we have experienced incredible growth as a company, and we continue to see growth.”

Not only does Haven offer free in-home consultations, but they provide follow-up quality inspections after they install new equipment. These inspections ensure that your heating and cooling equipment is working as specified by the manufacturer.

Inspections also give Haven’s technicians the opportunity to answer customer questions or concerns.

“We have a 100 per cent satisfaction guarantee,” Marci says.

“If a customer is not happy with the product, we will remove it and replace it for free.”

Marci credits the ClimateCare Cooperative Corporation for its support of the business by

Maker’s Haven Although Haven Home ClimateCare has two locations – Princess Street and Development Drive – the Princess Street location is a fireplace showroom that also houses Maker’s Haven, a display of handmade products from various local artisans.

“These products are a great addition to the space,” says Marci. “It makes our showroom interesting and home-like. It also brings new people into the space.”

Another benefit is that it gives artisans a west-end location with parking to sell their products.

Even though Marci hadn’t always envisioned leading Haven Home ClimateCare, she says she’s glad her early career choices led her back home.

“It doesn’t matter what you’re selling as long as you focus on your customers,” she says. “We believe our customer service focus comes across in everything we do, and we are so grateful for the Kingston community’s support.”

“We don’t charge rent or a wholesale fee,” Marci adds. “We just enjoy having these beautiful products in the space, and our customers do too.”

Local artisans include: • Saucy Girl Accessories • Pipes and Planks • Shiva’s Delight • Aria Leigh Boutique • Anatolian Legacy • Arrow it Forward • Willow Acres • Litsie Creations • Mimi’s Handmade Creations • Lindsay Lawson Art • Branscombe Sign Boutique • Kari Pomeroy Kreations • Kingston Cottage Macramé

Haven Home CLIMATECARE 2495 Princess Street at Gardiner’s Road 613-634-7722 haven@havenhomeclimatecare.ca www.havenhomeclimatecare.ca

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Breathing New Life Into Old Furniture

By Charlie Calarco

All furniture will show the effects of time – the older the piece, the more issues it is likely to have. Light, heat, moisture, and dryness all take their toll. Wood cracks and warps, glue joints fail, drawer and door stops can come loose and lead to the need for repair.

Serious restoration is usually the task of a professional who has the materials, tools and knowledge to do the job correctly.

Notwithstanding this, more common cosmetic items such as dents, chips, scratches, nicks, stains, colour rub-throughs and such, likely do not need the services of a professional and can often be repaired, or at least disguised, at home in a satisfactory manner.

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Lately, much has been made of the idea that an antique item can be devalued if it is restored or repaired. This is sometimes true, but generally applies to the scarcest and most valuable pieces. Factory production items post c. 1875 seldom, but not always, fall into this category.

A few words of caution are in order, however. You must know what you are dealing with. If in doubt, just ask. The local museum, or an antique dealer are good starting points.

An item with a long provenance and of any type of historical or cultural importance should send you to a professional for advice before you do anything. Overly exuberant work, especially out of period work, can reduce the value of a piece and also shouts amateur.

Therefore, generally, the best advice is that “least is best” and your work should be “in period” or as some say, “sympathetic”.

This means you should use the material and techniques of the time. This also means you should almost never use sandpaper, which destroys patination on wood, or oils and liquid waxes, which are not good materials to be used for furniture restoration.

Be cautious with advice you find over the Internet. There is a lot of it, and while some is good, some is questionable. Other advice yet is just dead wrong.

If you do decide to move forward with restoring a piece of furniture, here are some tips and tricks.

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Loose dust can be removed with a vacuum cleaner – wrap a piece of fibreglass screen over the nozzle to avoid sucking up loose bits.

Old-fashioned soap and water can remove dirt and grime. About a half of a teaspoon of good, mild, dishwashing detergent can be added to a litre of warm (not hot) water and wiped on then

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immediately wiped off.

This can free a surface of much gunk. Check an inconspicuous spot to be sure the water will not attack the old finish. Don’t leave water standing on the piece If you want to remove old wax, mineral spirits and very fine steel wool (#0000) will do the job, but be careful because some people

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are very sensitive to the chemicals in mineral spirits. Treat the surface with water and wipe up the gunk as you go White marks on a surface, such as left by a pizza box, often succumb to very fine steel wool and mineral oil, toothpaste and a coarse towel, or grandpa’s treatment of cigar ashes and salad oil. Regardless of what you try, if it will do the job of removing the white mark, it will do so quickly. If not, back away.

You will probably have to repeat the process over the entire surface and then reestablish the sheen with a coat of paste wax again over the entire surface.

If you have black marks, the stain is down into the wood. This is a job for a professional and usually entails a full refinish.

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Small chips and scratches can often be filled with coloured wax and buffed down for a good cosmetic repair. Kids’ crayons are a good source of coloured wax if you choose not to buy the finisher’s wax pencils at the paint store; Dents can be frequently steamed up with a damp rag and the clothes iron on low. Be cautioned that this can also destroy the surrounding finish.

A safer way is to get some distilled water and lay a drop or two in the dent and see what results after an overnight exposure. If needed, prick a few holes in the finish in the bottom of the dent with a sewing needle.

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If you choose to re-wax to polish the piece, use a good grade of paste floor wax, not a liquid wax.

Paste wax can often be found in colours and this is helpful as it can shade in areas. Wax should be applied thinly and buffed thoroughly to achieve the desired sheen. Carved work can be buffed with a short-bristle brush, such as a shoe brush.

Do not use any furniture oil or any drying oil (tung, Danish or the like) as these penetrate into the wood, cause colour variation and are difficult to remove later.

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coloured wax shoe polish is very useful.

When it comes to displaying the piece, remember that dryness and moisture are enemies of furniture, as is direct sunlight.

It is not the best idea to have the item, especially large case pieces, over or close to a hot air register, a radiator, a cold air return or in a moist area such as a basement.

Similarly, direct sunlight can introduce colour change in both woods and stains and is to be avoided if at all possible.

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West Village Sales Center and Model Homes located at 1060 Woodhaven Drive.

Take Princess Street west of Gardiners.

Community Launch on Saturday, June 16th hosted at the Sales Center and Model Homes located at 1060 Woodhaven Drive.

EXPERT ADVICE LANDSCAPING

Terry Childs President

The Return on Investment of Landscaping There’s more to landscaping than sticking some flowers and a couple shrubs in the ground, however.

The number one thing that buyers are looking for in landscaping is a sophisticated design. Close behind is plant size and maturity.

A lesser factor, but one still worth considering, is the diversity of plant life within the landscaping design.

Don’t Cut Down Trees

613-382-1207 or 1-866-382-1207 www.natureswaylandscaping.net

Aside from being aesthetically pleasing, a landscaping project carried out by professionals who know their stuff can not only increase the value of your home, but also provide you with additional benefits.

Here are some interesting statistics and facts about how embarking on a landscaping project can provide you with an extremely satisfying return on investment.

Landscaping Improves a Home’s Value A well-landscaped home has a significant price advantage over a home with no landscaping. This advantage ranges from 5.5 per cent to 12.7 per cent depending on the type of landscaping and the home’s original value. That translates into an extra $16,500 to $38,100 in value on a $300,000 home.

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According to the Council of Tree and Landscape Appraisers, “A mature tree can often have an appraised value of between $1,000 and $10,000.”

Plant a Hedge A survey in Quebec found that hedges raised property values by 3.6 per cent, a landscaped curb by 4.4 per cent, and a landscaped patio by 12.4 per cent.

Save Air Conditioning Costs According to the U.S. Department of Energy, if your home is not already shaded, you can reduce your air conditioning costs by 15 per cent or more by adding a wellplanned landscape.

This is accomplished by using trees and bushes to block the sun from windows and walls; reducing air temperatures outside the home with properly placed shade trees; and planting groundcovers, trees, and shrubs to reduce the heat reflected from the ground to walls and windows. Shrubs and vines planted next to the house provide year-round insulation by creating an air space.

Landscape for Selling Landscaping can bring a recovery value of 100 to 200 per cent for landscaping at selling time.

Selecting a Landscape Contractor As with most home improvements, it is very important to choose the professional that can do the job to industry standards, and assure you have an improvement that will last as long as expected.

Here are some questions to ask: • Do they have qualified Horticulturists on staff?

• Do they have ICPI & NCMA certified Interlock and Retaining Wall installers?

• Are they a member of Landscape Ontario? Visit landscapeontario.com • Are they recommended by the manufacturer?

Techo Bloc have Techo Pro contractors: locator.techo-bloc.com/en/ installers/ca Unilock have Authorized Contractors: unilock.com/about/contractorsyou-can-trust/ You should also ensure they have Liability Insurance and are fully covered by WSIB. Sources: • homeguides.sfgate.com/landscapingincrease-property-value-7301.html • landscapeontario.com • Taylor, C. 2003. “Fertile Ground”. Smart Money, March 2003.

• smartmoney.com/mag/index. cfm?story=march03-cover • Arizona Public Service Company, 1999. aps.com/images/pdf/landscaping.pdf

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Meet the crossover made for a generation of crossovers.

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