Style Manitoba Winter 2023

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RENOVATION TRANSFORMATION Winter 2023 $5.50

Modern updates help homeowners see the light…

FESTIVE & FABULOUS Get your winter on at Assiniboine Park PERFECT WINTER GETAWAY Fernie’s four-season playground beckons

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Vo l u m e 2 8 , N u m b e r 1 Winter 2023

In this issue

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59 20 117

4 FEATURES

4 Renovation Transformation Modern updates help homeowners see the light…

22 Festive & Fabulous Get your winter on at Assiniboine Park this season 28 Perfect Winter Getaway Fernie’s four-season playground beckons from the Kootenays

LIFESTYLES

16 Stepping Out With Style 36 Styling the Stereo 37 On the Bookshelf 39 In the Studio

CUISINE DU JOUR 20 Dining Out 40 Recipes

FAB FINDS

42 Home accents, gifts & more

DEPARTMENTS 3 The Agenda 38 Your Thoughts

RENOVATIONS

45 Renovation Inspiration

DESIGN & DÉCOR

50 Beautiful kitchen & baths, lux surfaces, design sources & more

HEALTH & BEAUTY 32 Feeling younger, living longer 33 Mental Fitness 34 The Meth Crisis Continues

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EDITOR Rita van Leeuwen ART DIRECTOR Paul Butters EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS Onalee Ames Lea Currie Julie Germaine Kelly Gray Christine Hanlon Randal McIlroy Quentin Mills-Fenn Leigh Patterson COVER PHOTOGRAPHY Michael Roberts PHOTOGRAPHY Michael Roberts ADVERTISING SALES EXECUTIVE Lisa Lester DIGITAL MEDIA Lawrence van Leeuwen FOLLOW OUR SOCIAL MEDIA FEEDS

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2 | STYLE MANITOBA | WINTER 2023

the agenda Just as I was pondering whether or not a brown Christmas was in store for us here, a lasting snowfall finally arrived, perfectly timed with the drop of Style Manitoba’s Winter 2023 edition and the holiday season.

This issue is chockfull of seasonal flavour, including coverage on winter vacation destinations - Perfect Winter Getaway is a must-read for skiers seeking the ultimate mountain experience. Also included are local events and activities to take us outdoors during the holiday season and beyond (check out Festive & Fabulous to learn how to get your winter on at Assiniboine Park), as well as a full slate of entertainment options (both indoors and out) for the months ahead.

Our cover story – Renovation Transformation – chronicles one family’s excellent renovation experience working with the professionals at Harwood Design Builders, the company that transformed their space into a place they can now truly call home. From the well-considered design to the careful product selection to the excellent craftsmanship by the trades involved, the results surpassed their expectations.

For the past few years, many homeowners have considered whether to sell and then buy another home or stay and renovate their existing space. Many have opted for the latter, citing that it made more financial sense. Some have

suggested that the current real estate market affected their decision. Our market has remained buoyant here, with many sellers getting more for their homes than expected.

However, the flip side of that is one will be paying more for a new home purchase as well. Consumers have noted that purchasing seems a daunting task, particularly when considering current interest rates and lack of housing stock And, obviously, no one enjoys the multiple bid process when buying a home. These factors all tip the scales in favour of renovating.

Those choosing that path but in need of direction are well advised to visit the Winnipeg Renovation Show (on from Jan 12 – 14 at the RBC Convention Centre). It truly is the place where inspiration meets information. Here attendees will discover the best in expert reno advice, materials and designs to help move home projects forward from dreams to reality. It’s a great event for sourcing industry professionals and viewing a wide array of products for your renovation.

You might just find what you’re looking for!

In the meantime, the team at Style Manitoba wishes our readers, clients and associates the best of the holiday season! See you in the springtime…

Rita van Leeuwen, Editor

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WINTER 2023 | STYLE MANITOBA | 3

Renovation transformation

BY LEIGH PATTERSON

PHOTOGRAPHY: MICHAEL ROBERTS

Modern updates help homeowners see the light 4 | STYLE MANITOBA | WINTER 2023

W

hen the homeowners purchased this twostorey residence in the Island Lakes neighbourhood of southeast Winnipeg, it was mainly for the location and the stunning lake view.

They knew that the home itself, built in the mid-1990s, required extensive updates to make it a place to truly call their own.

That’s why they turned to the experts at Harwood Design Builders to make their renovation dream a reality.

As with any renovation, the Harwood team uncovered some issues that had gone previously undetected.

These included deteriorating window frames and water damage that threatened structural components.

Once those problems were addressed, however, the builder could get to

Engineered hardwoods supplied by Friesen Floor & Decor were installed throughout the main floor to provide a warm underpinning to the bright and airy living areas. The renovated home’s central focus is the living room fireplace, with custom surround featuring stones chosen specifically for their dimension and texture to achieve the rustic look. The builder relied on Justin Pederson from Viking Masonry to get the pattern just right, much to the homeowners’ delight.

Among the other improvements included in the renovations were a wider front door, and a durable, travertine-look porcelain tile installed by Unger Tiling at the entranceway. Harwood entrusted suppliers like Windsor Plywood, which provided the interior doors and trim, to ensure a quality renovation.

WINTER 2023 | STYLE MANITOBA | 5

INTERIOR DESIGN RENOVATIONS ADDITIONS

CUSTOM HOME CONSTRUCTION & COTTAGES

RAISING THE STANDARD IN HOME CONSTRUCTION AND RENOVATIONS 6 | STYLE MANITOBA | WINTER 2023

info@harwoodbuilders.com 204-338-3151 www.harwoodbuilders.com

An existing post and ceiling beam separating the kitchen and dining room area from the living room were clad in a white oak. They now appear as an intentional design feature, and will also better endure the test of time.

A cozy seating area with a great view was incorporated adjacent to the kitchen and is the perfect place to relax.

Sliding doors will eventually lead to a new deck, to be built next year.

work letting the light in: quite literally.

“We worked vigorously with the homeowners, going back and forth to create a design that would honour both the view to the outside and the home’s footprint,” says Mary Furgale, Harwood’s senior interior designer.

The formal dining area is flanked by new modern windows, and lit from above by a striking linear light fixture.

That meant removing the dated and leaky windows that were covered in mullions and grills, and replacing them with sleek, modern, energy-efficient ones that would let in plenty of natural light. By incorporating abundant artificial lighting throughout, the home’s

transformation could be seen day and night.

And what a transformation!

The living room now features a gas fireplace, surrounded by the same Tyndall Stone® that graces the façade of the Canadian Human Rights Museum. Sourced from Gillis WINTER 2023 | STYLE MANITOBA | 7

By relocating an existing powder room that used to sit between the kitchen and dining room, the builder was able to increase the size of the central island. The kitchen sports two types of cabinetry; a white painted HDF and a stained white oak that play beautifully together in the space.

Quarries, the stones were chosen specifically for their dimension and texture to achieve the rustic look, scaled perfectly for the space.

Justin Pederson from Viking Masonry worked with the orange, red, grey and tan coloured stones, setting them into a pattern for a truly custom fireplace surround, much to the homeowners’ delight.

“They are over the moon about it,” says Furgale, who notes that the same level of thought and intention went into every aspect of the renovation.

Engineered hardwoods supplied by Friesen Floor & Decor were installed throughout the main floor to provide a warm underpinning to the bright and airy living areas. Travertinelook porcelain tile incorporated into the foyer and mudroom area is as timeless as it is durable. Trevor Bjarnarson, Harwood’s CAO and co-owner, singles out Unger Tiling for their tiling work on the project, as “the best in Manitoba.” Bjarnarson emphasizes that for their projects, Harwood relies on only the most 8 | STYLE MANITOBA | WINTER 2023

The builder created two access points from the garage to the kitchen: one via the mudroom and the other through a pantry. Lighting is used abundantly throughout the space; all are on dimmers to allow the homeowners to create the desired ambience.

reliable and talented tradespeople, as well as trusted suppliers like Windsor Plywood, which provided the interior doors and trim for the home.

The expansive kitchen remained in the original location, but it looks much different now. “We made it bigger by relocating an existing powder room that used to sit between the kitchen and dining room,” notes Jeff Halstead, co-owner and COO of Harwood. This enabled the builder to increase the size of the central island.

In addition, they created two access points from the garage to the kitchen: one via the mudroom and the other through a pantry.

The pantry is ingeniously concealed behind a uniquely designed door that mimics the surrounding millwork of the kitchen cabinetry.

Speaking of cabinetry, the kitchen sports two types; a white painted HDF and a stained white oak that play beautifully together in the space.

There is no shortage of storage in the kitchen; even the island has plenty of drawers and a built-in dishwasher and sink for added convenience.

WINTER 2023 | STYLE MANITOBA | 9

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The kitchen pantry is the perfect transition from the garage to the kitchen; groceries can be immediately and conveniently stowed away.

The natural quartzite countertop was hand selected by the homeowners and was incorporated as a design detail by flowing it up the wall behind, where it also serves as a partial backsplash.

Lighting in all its forms, whether daylight or decorative, functional or task, are all considered in the kitchen. “In lieu of conventional wall outlets, we installed under cabinet plugmolds which was a unique way to incorporate power access, leaving the beautiful quartzite backsplash unblemished,” says Furgale, who adds that it is critical to keep these integral design elements featured without distractions to the eye.

An existing post and ceiling beam separating the kitchen and dining room area from the living room were clad in a white oak. Not only do they now appear as an intentional design feature, but they will also better endure the test of time.

Another design feature desired by the homeowners was the use of archways throughout the interior, which the builder incorporated into the entrance to the mudroom as well as upstairs between the principal bedroom and the ensuite. The arch echoes the shape of the upstairs windows, so there is a consistent feel, in and out.

To refresh the curved staircase leading to the second floor, the builder simply opted to replace the wood spindles with powder coated black metal ones, and to replace the carpeting, which was carried through the second floor. Here, the homeowners can retreat to enjoy the fully renovated ensuite, replete with a big soaker tub

The quartzite countertop was incorporated as a design detail by flowing it up the wall, where it also serves as a partial backsplash.

To refresh the curved staircase, the builder simply opted to replace the wood spindles with powder coated black metal ones, and to replace the carpeting, which was carried through the second floor.

WINTER 2023 | STYLE MANITOBA | 11

New windows were incorporated into the primary bedroom to maximize the view and natural light.

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The double vanity in the ensuite features a set of gold-trimmed mirrors and custom cabinetry.

The homeowners can retreat to the second floor to enjoy the fully renovated primary ensuite, where an elegant soaker tub, heated tile flooring and abundant storage round out the spa-like vibe.

and huge walk-in steam shower with glass door from Fort Rouge Glass. A marble-look porcelain tile lines the shower stall, which also features two rain showerheads and a long shelf to accommodate shower necessities.

Heated tile flooring and abundant storage round out the spa-like vibe here.

For convenience, the laundry room was moved up to the second level and across the hall from the walk-in closet, which was framed in by the builder.

Among the other improvements included in the renovations were a wider front door, and an updated electrical panel.

Overseeing the eight-monthlong renovation was Luis Tavares, Harwood’s top site supervisor, who ensured the project ran smoothly.

“He did an exceptional job,” notes Bjarnarson.

So when the homeowners reclaimed their home in September 2023 after the Harwood Design Builders’ renovations were complete, they were able to see it in a whole new light.

Don’t let the size of the glass door from Fort Rouge Glass fool you. Enclosed behind it is a huge steam shower. The experts at Unger Tiling installed the marble-look porcelain tile that lines the shower stall, which also features two rain showerheads and a long shelf to accommodate shower necessities.

WINTER 2023 | STYLE MANITOBA | 13

About the builder If you’ve been dreaming about a residential renovation, consider handing the keys over to Harwood Design Builders to help you unlock your home’s potential.

Whatever your needs, your stage in life, and your style, Harwood can handle any major design build renovation imaginable. Owners Trevor Bjarnarson and Jeff Halstead, together with their talented and professional team, complete every project entrusted to them with the unparalleled quality and craftsmanship that sets Harwood apart.

STYLEFILE Builder – Harwood Design Builders Glass shower door – Fort Rouge Glass Interior doors & trim - Windsor Plywood Flooring – Friesen Floor & Décor Tiles & tile work – Unger Tile Stonework – Viking Masonry Ltd Tyndall stone – Gillis Quarries Lighting – Robinson Lighting Cabinetry – Accord Cabinets Countertops – Keystone Granite Windows – Loewen Windows & Doors Painting – Best Price Painting

As a one-stop shop general contractor that does nearly everything with in-house staff and a reliable network of suppliers and tradespeople, the Harwood Design Builders team can focus solely on their clients at every stage of a renovation project. If a client has questions or concerns, the Harwood team is their advocate and the only point of contact. This, together with a transparent budgeting approach, helps take the stress out of the renovation experience.

The team’s capacity has grown in size this year with the addition of second in-house designer, and the company will be tackling projects in cottage country east of Winnipeg starting in 2024.

Over time, Harwood Design Builders has garnered an impressive collection of local, national and international industry recognition awards for their homes, cottages, upgrades, additions, heritage restorations and complete renovations.

With the Harwood Design Builders team, the keys to your fabulous updated home await.

Creating Ideas for Better Living

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Stepping Out with Style

BY QUENTIN MILLS-FENN

Beyond Monet - RBC Convention Centre

Ho Ho Ho Holidays! The Santa Claus Parade is but a memory, but there’s more seasonal stuff to consider. A sampling: The Children’s Museum is the home of the last original Eaton’s Fairytale Vignettes Display from the ninth floor annex of the Eaton’s downtown store – beautifully restored and open to the public during the holiday season. Be charmed by Cinderella, Humpty Dumpty, Three Blind Mice, and more. (To Jan 7/24. Manitoba Children's Museum, 45 Forks Market Rd. Included with general museum admission.)

Speaking of Christmas decorations, it’s time for Canad Inns Winter Wonderland. Over one million lights, favourite displays, and some new surprises will dazzle you from the comfort of your car. There’s also outdoor skating, photo ops, food stands, and holiday programming from the exclusive on-park radio station.

(To Jan 6/24, but closed on Christmas Day. Red River Exhibition Park, 3977 Portage Ave)

16 | STYLE MANITOBA | WINTER 2023

Prairie Theatre Exchange is there to help if you need some holiday laughs as they present Outside Joke’s A Christmas Carol: Bigger Dickens Energy. The Improv Comedy favourites will take suggestions from the audience as they deliver their own take on the Christmas classic. (Dec 12 to 23.

PTE, Portage Place, 393 Portage Ave, 3rd level) The Canadian Museum of Human Rights has holiday programming.

For kids, there’s Crafting with ArtsJunktion, a community-based charitable organization committed to redistributing reusable materials.

(Dec 26 to 31. Free with admission) Adults can enjoy live jazz and festive beverages. (Both events run Dec 26 to 31. Free with admission to Canadian Museum for Human Rights, 85 Israel Asper Way)

MUSIC Need a night out and a nosh? Why not take in dinner and a concert put together by the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra? The WSO has arranged

special discounts or offers with Exchange-area restaurants for WSO ticketholders on Thursday nights.

After dinner, take in a pre-concert chamber performance; after the show, there’s a post-concert Q&A. (Don’t want to eat out? Just take in a night of music.)

What’s on the musical menu in January? The main course features Lukáš Vondráček as the soloist in Mozart’s Concert-Rondo for Piano & Orchestra—a set of variations written when the composer was all of 17.

Appetizer? The overture to L’Amant anonyme, by the intriguing Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges: champion swordsman, virtuosic violinist, and French-Caribbean composer. Plus Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini and Tchaikovsky’s Francesca da Rimini.

(Thursday, Jan 18/24. Daniel Raiskin, conductor) More Thursday night music courtesy of Jean Sibelius (his much-loved Concerto in D minor for Violin & Orchestra) and Edvard Grieg (his “forbidden” Symphony in C minor).

Blake Pouliot solos on the Sibelius.

(Thursday, Mar 7/24. Daniel Raiskin, conductor) Seeking symphonic sustenance on a Saturday? The WSO has also made arrangements with area restaurants for ticketholders of their Saturday Classics series.

Two rising young artists are the guests in February. Canadian soprano Sarah Dufresne made her debut at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.

Here, she’s the soloist on Mozart’s best-known aria for soprano from The Magic Flute and another of his Greatest Hits, the motet Exsultate jubilate. Guest conductor is KoreanCanadian Earl Lee. Also on the bill is Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony (No. 6, if you’re keeping count), plus two newer works, Fate Now Conquers by Carlos Simon and Jessie Montgomery’s Starburst. (Saturday, Feb 10/24.)

A couple of weeks later and it’s time for a musical journey from Early Romantic to Impressionism to contemporary, featuring the trombone.

Principal trombonist of Amsterdam’s Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Jörgen van Rijen performs Ferdinand David’s Concertino No.4 for Trombone – a work Felix Mendelssohn conducted at its premiere in 1837. Plus Mendelssohn’s own Fingal’s Cove, Tan Dun’s Trombone Concerto: Three Muses in Video Game, and Claude Debussy’s Afternoon of a Faun. The evening closes with another special treat: Afro-American Symphony (Symphony No.1). Written in 1930 by William Grant Still, the grandson of a former Georgia plantation slave, it’s the first symphony written by an African-American performed for an American audience by a leading orchestra. (Saturday, Feb 24/24. Daniel Raiskin, conductor) Toe-tapping goodness courtesy as Manitoba Liquor Marts Live at the WSO presents hit makers, Juno nominees, and three time CFMA winners Sultans of String in a multimedia extravaganza with Alyssa DelbaereSawchuk of the Métis Fiddler Quartet, Ojibwe/Finnish singer-songwriter Marc Meriläinen (Nadjiwan), and Coast Tsm’syen Elder and SingerSongwriter Shannon Thunderbird, as well as virtual guests on the big screen, including Dr. Duke Redbird, the Northern Cree Pow Wow group, and more. (Saturday, Mar 2/24, evening performance and Sunday, Mar 3/24, matinee, Burton Cummings Theatre, 364 Smith St)

Meanwhile, BMO Night at the movies features Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince™ in Concert, the sixth installment of the HP saga. (Friday, Mar 15, and Saturday, Mar 16; both evening performances. Evan Mitchell, conductor) More kid stuff courtesy of the WSO’s Kid’s Concerts with Cirque Symphonique, a brand-new show from international circus star Jamie Adkins, with tricks and wit for kids of all ages. (Sunday, Feb 25, matinee only. Monica Chen, conductor)

Prairie Theatre Exchange presents Outside Joke’s A Christmas Carol: Bigger Dickens Energy

And watch out for details about the New Music Festival, winter of 2024.

(Unless otherwise indicated, all WSO concerts at the Centennial Concert Hall, 555 Main St) For music on a chamber scale, Virtuosi Concerts offers the Roots & Branches Mentorship Concert Project, where emerging classical musicians work side-by-side with professional mentors. This time around, cellist Patricia Vanuci and soprano Camryn Dewar will be joined by professional chamber musicians to perform a program of classical and contemporary works. Be on the lookout for details. (Sunday, Jan 14, matinee only, St. Andrew’s River Heights United Church, 255 Oak St) The Virtuosi main series offers Moon Hunter, a solo performance by guzheng virtuoso, vocalist, and composer Wu Fei showcasing original work and improvisations based on traditional repertoire, folk songs, and Chinese opera. (Presented in collaboration with the Winnipeg New Music Festival.) (Thursday, Feb 1, Muriel Richardson Auditorium, Winnipeg Art Gallery, 300 Memorial Blvd) Next, it’s With sick and famish’d eyes, as Cree-Métis baritone Jonathon Adams offers 17th century devotional song, traditional Indigenous music, and original poetry. Adams has performed baroque repertoire with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Collegium Vocale Gent, and Tafelmusik, among others, while this concert imagines the first contact between Cree ancestors and English colonizers in northern Manitoba.

(Saturday, Mar 2, Muriel Richardson Auditorium, Winnipeg Art Gallery.

With collaborators) Also at the Muriel Richardson Auditorium, Groundswell presents the legendary protest song El Pueblo Unido Jamás Será Vencido (The People United Will Never Be Defeated) by Chilean composer and politician Sergio Ortega, along with more classic revolutionary songs performed by Winnipeg’s own Papa Mambo Trio.

Without missing a beat, Vancouver pianist Corey Hamm then takes the

audience through a virtuosic set of variations on El Pueblo Unido— Frederic Rzewski’s epic The People United Will Never Be Defeated, one of the great piano works of the past 50 years. (Thursday, Mar 7, Muriel Richardson Auditorium, Winnipeg Art Gallery) Get into the swing with the Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra’s Swing Cabaret Fundraiser, with special guest vocalist Stacey Nattrass, conducted by Alexis Silver. Dance if you want to.

Plus evening snacks by Sorrentos.

(Saturday, Feb 10, Caboto Centre, 1055 Wilkes Ave) More jazzy women with Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra and Women in Jazz 3.0 featuring the WWJO (Winnipeg Women's Jazz Orchestra).

The WJO’s annual Women's Day festivities include the Women in Jazz Symposium in the afternoon, followed by an evening of music by the WWJO. Thursday, Mar 7, ​West End Cultural Centre, 586 Ellice Ave)

DANCE

​ At Christmas, get ready to crack some nuts with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet and The Nutcracker, with the much-loved music of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. It’s an all-Canadian take on the classic, with Mounties, the Parliament Building, and over 100 dancers on stage, including the Asham Stompers, making their RWB debut performing some Red River jigging, and Rusalka, in the house with some Ukrainian dance. (Evening and matinee performances on select dates between Dec 21 to 30, Centennial Concert Hall. Featured creative team choreography by Galina Yordanova and Nina Menon. Music Director and Principal Conductor, Julian Pellicano)

WINTER 2023 | STYLE MANITOBA | 17

RWB - Nutcracker - Photo by Daniel Crump

increases and support from the community diminishes. (Feb 27 to Mar 10.

A co-production with Black Theatre Workshop. All these PTE productions at Portage Place, 393 Portage Ave, 3rd level) There’s also a co-production with PTE teaming up with Théâtre Cercle Molière & ARTICLE 11: Rise, Red River,

by Tara Beagan, a post-apocalyptic drama, inspired by the climate crisis and the work of Winnipeg’s Drag the Red, about missing voices and lost stories finding their way to the light.

WIth Tracey Nepinak and Caleigh Crow. Performed in English, French, and Anishinaabemowin. (Mar 8 to 23.

Théâtre Cercle Molière, 340 Provencher Blvd)

More ballet + Ukraine when the National Ballet of Ukraine, one of the premier dance companies in the world, stops by Winnipeg on its Canadian tour, for an evening composed of excerpts of some of the world’s greatest ballets (“Le Corsaire” and “Don Quixote”) as well as traditional dance. (Jan 29, Burton Cummings Theatre) The Winnipeg Contemporary Dancers presents New Creation. The WCD commissioned a work by Dora Mavor Moore Award Jera Wolfe, of Métis heritage, to be premiered in the fall of 2020, but Covid got in the way. This winter, Winnipeg will get to experience his work. With an ensemble of Winnipeg-based dancers and lighting

by Hugh Conacher. (Feb 22, preview in the evening, Feb 23 and 24, evening, Feb 25, matinee. Rachel Browne Theatre, 211 Bannatyne Ave)

THEATRE Start the New Year off feeling the Earth move under your feet with Beautiful: The Carole King Musical. Stacked with familiar, award-winning songs she wrote with Gerry Goffin and others, Beautiful tells the story of the woman behind Tapestry, one of the best-selling albums of all time. (Jan 9 to Feb 3. Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre Mainstage) Next on the Mainstage it's The Mountaintop by Katori Hall. A telling of the night before the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., it’s a story of vanity and vulnerability, and the hope and struggle of a man and 18 | STYLE MANITOBA | WINTER 2023

his legacy. (Feb 14 to Mar 9. All RMTC Mainstage productions at the John Hirsch Mainstage 174 Market Ave) Around the corner at the Tom Hendry Warehouse, David Yee’s Among Men is a look at two other famous individuals. In 10 years, Al Purdy and Milton Acorn will become celebrated Canadian poets, but for now, they are just two broke men drinking whiskey and fighting with a wood-fire stove.

(Jan 24 to Feb 10) Next up, it’s The Piano Teacher by Dorothy Dittrich. Winner of the Governor General’s Literary Award for Drama, it’s the story of a concert pianist who finds herself unable to play after a devastating loss and the teacher who helps her find her music again while confronting her own loss.

(Feb 28 to Mar 16. All RMTC Warehouse plays at the Tom Hendry Warehouse Theatre, 140 Rupert Ave) Prairie Theatre Exchange has another special live show with Everything Has Disappeared, by Mammalian Diving Reflex & UNIT Productions. A mixedreality experience, combining live performance and immersive technology, the production raises the question, “What would happen if every Filipino person in our society suddenly disappeared?” (Feb 1 to 4. Conceived & Directed by Hazel Venzon and Darren O'Donnell) The PTE’s regular season resumes with the world premiere of Diggers, by Donna-Michelle St. Bernard. A drama with songs, laughter, and some tears, it tells of a trio of gravediggers in a town in Sierra Leone. When illness strikes, the three must make the best of a bad situation as their workload

The touring production of The Book of Mormon finds its way to Winnipeg.

The musical comedy about two mismatched missionaries sent halfway around the world has entertained audiences worldwide. (Jan 5 to 7.

Centennial Concert Hall) Winnipeg Jewish Theatre presents Gabs sings Babs. Renowned cabaret performer Gabi Epstein stars in this intimate show, which features versions of Barbra Streisand’s greatest hits, accompanied by pianist Mark Camilleri. (Jan 20 and 21) Meanwhile, the Manitoba Theatre for Young People has plays for the younger playgoer. First up: Poli POP. Siblings Poli and Pola don’t want to go to sleep, so they use their imagination to journey to far away islands, roaring seas, dance parties, and… an alien monster. (Jan 26 to Feb 4. A BRUSH Theatre Production. Recommended for Ages 3 to 8) Older kids might want to check out The Problem with Pink. Every day is full of fun and stories for four friends who frolic on their private, pink world. But everything changes when they get terrible news from the outside: pink is for girls. (Feb 16 to 24.

A co-production of Le Petit Théâtre de Sherbrooke (Quebec) and La parenthèse-Christophe Garcia (France).

Recommended for Ages 8 and up) MTYP is also presenting The Pa’akai We Bring, produced by Honolulu Theatre for Youth (Hawaii), for one day only.

Pa’akai, or salt, is food, medicine, a sacrament, and a treasured gift, and the play follows multiple generations of salt farmers, blending ancient stories, hula, original live music, and audience participation. (Jan 6. All MTYP shows at Manitoba Theatre for Young People, 2 Forks Market Rd)

MUSEUMS AND GALLERIES More culture can be found on Memorial Boulevard, at Winnipeg Art Gallery/Qaumajuq. Inuit Sanaugangit, “art by Inuit,” surveys 2,000 years of expression up to the present day, with works produced by artists from Canada, Alaska, Siberia, and Greenland. (to Jan 7, 2023) There’s multimedia artist Tarralik Duffy‘s solo exhibition, Gasoline Rainbows.

(Mar 17) Tim Gardner: The Full Story continues its retrospective of an artist known for both his playfulness and seriousness. (to Apr 7) And don’t forget old favourites from the WAG’s European & Canadian collections, with paintings, sculpture, furniture, and decorative arts from 1500 to 1900.

Featured in the Gallery 1 are five outstanding 17th century Dutch and German paintings, including works

by Pieter Brueghel the Younger, Jan Davidsz de Heem, and Jan Steen, on loan from a private collection. Plus, every second Sunday of the month is Canada Life Free Sundays @ WAGQaumajuq with free admission and family fun. (Winnipeg Art Gallery/ Qaumajuq, 300 Memorial Blvd) Along with its usual fascinating exhibits, Manitoba Museum presents Keeping Time: The Art and Heritage of Mennonite Clocks, an in-depth look into the craft and art of Mennonite clocks manufactured in small workshops in southern Ukraine and transported by immigrants to the Americas over the last two centuries. Symbols of family and stability, these clocks were often carefully packaged and carried by foot, cart, train, or boat, across thousands of miles. (To Feb 2024. Access to this exhibition is included in General Admission to the Museum Galleries.)

And there are always shows (matinees and evenings) running at the Planetarium. Check to see what’s on under the dome. (Manitoba Museum, 190 Rupert Ave)

ABOUT TOWN For a truly unique experience, immerse yourself in the works of Claude Monet at Beyond Monet. Through the use of cutting-edge projection technology and an original score, Beyond Monet breathes new life into over 400 of Claude Monet’s artworks.

Occupying over 50,000 square feet, it is the largest immersive experience in the country, offering guests ample room to safely enjoy the exhibit.

(To Jan 4, RBC Convention Centre, 375 York Ave)

First Friday in The Exchange continues the first Friday of every month throughout the winter. If you’re taking it in, consider Art Talk/Art Walk, informal, moderated talks, followed by a guided walk to some of the galleries, artist-run centres, and artist studios which are open late for First Fridays in the Exchange.

There’s plenty going on at Fort WhyteAlive, if you want to get some fresh air. Activities include Winter Bingo (Jan 4), Snowshow Orienteering (Jan 7), Sod House Homesteading (Jan 7), Storytelling by the Fire (Jan 7), Alive in the Woods, self-guided nature experiences (Jan 13), and that family favourite, Hatchet Throwing (Jan 3).

All of these take place outside and are included with general admission to FortWhyte Alive (1961 McCreary Rd) Need to make some home improvements and don’t know where to start?

The Winnipeg Renovation Show is a one-stop for inspirational home displays, industry experts, and local and international home reno professionals. (Jan 12 to 14. RBC Convention Centre, 375 York Ave) The 2023 Winnipeg Wine Festival will be uncorking a little later than its originally planned September date, with WineDown events in smaller city venues (Jan 22 to 23), the Inspire Gala Dinner & Auction on Jan 25, and Public Tastings now running Jan 26 and 27, (both taking place at the RBC Convention Centre).

The Festival du Voyageur, western Canada’s largest winter festival, returns for its 54th edition, with music, food, snow sculptures, and more. (Febr 15 to 24. Whittier Park, 866, rue St. Joseph) Wedding bells in your future? Get ideas for the big day at the Wonderful Wedding Show. Meet with hundreds of exhibitors, plus get inspired by daily fashion shows and more. (Feb 24 to 25. RBC Convention Centre) The PegSpo Winnipeg Sports Collectibles Expo returns with an all-day treat for sports memorabilia collectors. (Mar 9. RBC Convention Centre)

Feist - Burton Cummings Theatre

Gates To Hell (Louisville, Kentucky) in tow, getting your 2024 starting off as heavy as humanly possible. (Jan 28) Next at the Burt it’s 1, 2, 3, 4, Feist, as the Juno-winning singer-songwriter comes to town with her mix of indie, jazz-pop, bossa nova, and campfire folk. (Feb 6) Alan Doyle and his Beautiful Beautiful Band make a stop in Winnipeg along with indie rock singer-songwriter Adam Baldwin (Mar 5) More at the Burt. Industrial superstars Ministry are joined by Gary Numan and Front Line Assembly and might rip your head off. (Mar 8) Corb Lund has played both the Burt and the historic Grand Ole Opry. (Mar 13) And Australian indie folkies The Paper Kites find their way back to the city.

(Mar 15) (All these shows at the Burton Cummings Theatre, 364 Smith St) Variety is the keynote at the Canada Life Centre. City and Colour’s Canadian arena tour rolls into town in support of critically praised seventh studio album The Love Still Held Me Near. WIth Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats and Ruby Waters.

(Feb 15) Renaissance Man Ice Cube’s Straight Into Canada tour slams into Winnipeg, with XZIBIT and DJ Kav along for the ride. (Feb 28) Next, don’t stop believing when Journey celebrates its 50th Anniversary. Plus special guest Toto, too! (Mar 4)

THERE’S ALWAYS TIME FOR MORE MUSIC…

And William Prince brings his Joy Canadian Tour 2024 to the Concert Hall. Since his Juno Award win back in 2017, he’s building a reputation as one of Canada’s most celebrated songwriters. (Mar 2. Centennial Concert Hall)

Lots going on at the Burton Cummings Theatre. San Francisco Bay Area metallers Machine Head slam into town with Fear Factory (Los Angeles), Orbit Culture (Sweden), and

As always, be on the lookout for changes, updates, and what-haveyou.

WINTER 2023 | STYLE MANITOBA | 19

Delectable Dining B Y K E L LY G R AY

Shared plates, huge flavour

Dishes created/plated by executive chef Mitchell Man

This fall, Passero moved from its spot at The Forks Market (Passero Corto) to 774 Corydon Ave, in the heart of Winnipeg’s Little Italy. Operated by chef Scott Bagshaw and Amanda Coe, the new location promises to continue the upmarket high-flavour personality of this beloved local dining institution.

The menu here bridges its past incarnation with the new. Still based on communal dining with shared plates, Passero's menu is tweaked, with some familiar favourites getting a refresh.

Expect Beef Tartar, Beet Salad, and Spanish Octopus to be somewhat similar, while Short Rib Ragu and Chicken Parm (from the old lunch menu) are reimagined. The Corydon Ave location offers large windows and a grouping of banquettes that extend around the outside of a room that can comfortably seat 50-60 guests.

Passero offers high-performance dining alongside a social setting that is warm and amiable. Service is serious business, and the room sparkles with activity as dishes fly off the pass in a fully choreographed effort where drinks come when they should, and dishes arrive piping hot and in proper order. This food service dance is accomplished with a minimum of chit- chat from staff, who are open and friendly, but unswerving in their duties.

We started our evening with Passero’s signature Chorizo Spiced Meatballs, the perfect accompaniment to icecold Gin & Tonics. Next came roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pear Mostarda, Horseradish, Walnuts, Hemp Hearts, and Mint. The flavours were off the charts, leaving us wondering how they would top this dish. The next plate - Tuna Crudo with Brown Butter, Capers, Orange, Celery Root, and Potato Chips - was another winner with a texture and complex flavour that blew us away. We had to order the Chicken Parm Bianco just for 20 | STYLE MANITOBA | WINTER 2023

old-time's sake. There was no disappointment here, with a crispy chicken breast served alongside a buttermilk dip.

the whole. A classic of Italian cuisine, Passero’s Carbonara lets the bacon do the talking with a delicious smokiness present but not over the top.

The pasta came with swirls of steam rising from the plates. First came the Short Rib Ragu, a standard from the old menu. The new ragu comes with hand-cut Pappardella noodles rather than the Campanelle cone shapes in the old version that also featured black truffles and mascarpone. The new ragu sports a green parsley sauce and Spanish sheep cheese to round out the flavour that lets the delicious pulled meat take center stage. Last up was the Spaghetti Carbonara with Pancetta, Garbanzo, Egg Yolk, and Parmesan. This dish came with an egg on top, waiting to be mixed into

Passero is in good company with sister establishments Enoteca and Maque (now closed), receiving accords from Canada’s 100 Best publication. According to Chef Bagshaw, this could be the year Passero joins the group. Expect great things from small plates.

Visit www.passerowinnipeg.com for more information on menus and reservations.

Passero 774 Corydon Ave 204-219-7300

All About the Details Winnipeg moved a little closer to Italy with the recent opening of Vida Cucina Italia, a 50-seat fine diner (plus an 18-seat private dining room) located on the main floor of the Fort Garry Hotel. Inside, the room has had a complete refresh from its past incarnations (this was once the property’s breakfast room). Linens are white, crisp and fresh. Staff is numerous as they work silently amid the modern décor. The restaurant is all about attention to detail and belays the professionalism of the Michelin-starred chef responsible for the menu.

Vida Cucina opened this fall and is the progeny of hotelier Ida Albo and Italian culinary star Executive Chef Rosanna Marziale. Marziale was accorded her Michelin star in 2013 for her work at her family’s restaurant Le Colonne, in her hometown of Caserta near Naples.

She now appears regularly on Italian TV food shows and is well known as a World Ambassador of Campania Buffalo Mozzarella DOP. Today, she brings a new Southern Italian cuisine to the table with dishes that utilize modern techniques to celebrate the traditions and specialties of the region.

“For me, food is a pastime. It’s not a game, it’s ‘playing.’ A game is competitive and hard, and you either win or lose. When you play, you pit your

skills against a set of rules for pleasure, to showcase your talent, and ‘playing’ is all the more enjoyable if done in the company of others,” she says.

Marziale’s inspiration is all over the menu at Vida Cucina Italia. The concept is one that seeks to introduce a fresh touch to the established order of Italian-style dining here in Winnipeg.

The room is luxurious and comes with a unique automated bar top that rises to feature aperitifs and digestifs.

Service is superb, with a guest-to-staff ratio around five to one. Tables are well spaced, and, thanks to the linens, draperies and carpets, the room is exceptionally quiet (even on a packed midweek evening).

Italian traditions of hospitality are front and center. For example, our server placed a custom ceramic on the table with a round of salty baked cracker as a welcome offering for good luck and good cheer. Next came a small glass timer with a delicious thumbnail-sized focaccia on top. Our server suggested the device was a nod to prescience and asked us to be in the moment during the meal.

We started with Insalata Mangifoglie, a plate of mixed greens with creamy Gorgonzola and candied lemon.

Next, we opted to try the chef’s

signature Pizza Contrario, a nod to her Neopolitan roots. The pizza is made backwards, with the mozzarella forming the crust layer and benchmade thin toast-like bread on the top, alongside fresh basil and a stunning tomato sauce that may have been the hands-down flavour winner of the evening. We held off on the Primi selections (pasta), electing to go straight to the Secondi portion, where we ordered Parmigiana di Melanzane, a dish plated like a lovely present wrapped in slices of eggplant with Parmigiano Reggiano DOP, San Marzano DOP tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil. We also tried the spectacular Quadrotto di Manzo Alla Riduzone di Vino Rosso e Polenta, braised and glazed beef shoulder with a red wine reduction, red cabbage, polenta, asparagus, and Maldon salt.

For us, Vida Cucina Italia stands tall at the intersection where great flavours meet outstanding service.

For more information or to book a table, visit www.vidacucinaitalia.com

Vida Cucina Italia (The Fort Garry Hotel) 222 Broadway 204-899-5721

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Festive & Fabulous Get your winter on at Assiniboine Park this holiday season!

F

or over a century, the 400-acre Park in southwest Winnipeg has been home to seasonal excitement that has helped take the chilly bite out of our world-famous winters. Look to the Park for skating at the Riley Family Duck Pond (weather dependent), groomed cross-country ski trails, tobogganing, and cleared walking paths. The Park will also host an array of seasonal programming at the Zoo and The Leaf. Winnipeg winters

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B Y K E L LY G R AY

would not be complete without a visit to one – or both – of the Park’s signature attractions.

Bright Lights & Bears The Assiniboine Park Zoo is home to close to 150 wildlife species – including polar bears – on an expansive site spanning 80 acres. Since it opened in 1908, the Zoo has earned a reputation as an educational leader and a place for family fun in every season.

This community connectivity continues from November 24 to January 7, 2024, as the Park hosts its seasonally inspired Zoo Lights celebration.

Presented by Red River Co-op, the annual event features dazzling illuminated displays such as blankets of cascading Aurora Borealis lights and a colourful light tunnel along the Tundra Trail. Expect roaring fire pits, a selection of yummy treats, and ample opportunities to snap a few selfies at festive photo op locations

WINTER 2023 | STYLE MANITOBA | 23

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throughout. Zoo Lights will also welcome Santa every night until December 23.

This year, Zoo Lights will feature Domino Effect by Ingrid Ingrid, a production of Quartier des Spectacles Partnership, distributed by QDSinternational. Ingrid Ingrid is a Montreal-based design studio that creates and develops innovative interactive experiences at the crossroads of art and technology. Domino Effect is a light-filled, interactive display that invites participants to topple massive dominos and enjoy a unique musical event amid an illuminated rainbow of pastel hues.

Zoo Lights dates are November 24 January 7. Hours are 5:00 pm - 10:00 pm from Sunday to Thursday and 5:00 pm - 11:00 pm on Friday and Saturday.

Celebrate Diversity at The Leaf The Leaf is an impressive structure set under a massive ‘leaf-like’ ethylene tetrafluoroethylene roof that mirrors nature’s ‘Golden Mean’ (Fibonacci Sequence). The Leaf hosts more than 12,000 plants, trees, and shrubs in WINTER 2023 | STYLE MANITOBA | 25

four unique biomes. It also houses a welcoming coffee bar, banquet facilities, cozy gift shop, and a new restaurant called Gather Craft Kitchen & Bar. The stunning structure is surrounded by 30 acres of public gardens and green space that come to life from spring to fall.

The Babs Asper Display House at The Leaf will host a new festive exhibit called Celebration from November 25, 2023 – January 7, 2024. The show takes inspiration from Winnipeg’s cultural diversity and focuses on the importance of unity and togetherness during this joyous time of year. Walk the pristine winter forest display, enjoying the fresh scents of poplars, dogwoods, lush ferns, and fresh-cut black hills spruce trees adorned with iridescent shimmering ornaments that pay homage to our multicultural heritage.

From Christmas to Hanukkah to New Year’s and Kwanzaa, to the Winter Solstice, holiday-themed trees take center stage with horticultural ornaments that celebrate nature’s beauty.

Next, find yourself enchanted in The Whimsical Woods display. Here, celestial-themed topiaries and a miniature village promise to delight and amaze both young and old. In the Hartley and Heather Richardson Tropical Biome, bromeliads and ferns are arranged to form a spectacular holiday tree. In the Mediterranean Biome, a unique holiday tree made entirely of succulents is on display.

Beyond the holidays, The Leaf continues its winter celebration with the internationally acclaimed Fleurs de Villes VOYAGE, January 11 – 21, 2024.

The event will feature 15 unique floral mannequins in the Babs Asper Display House and Mediterranean Biome. The floral display, created by talented local floral designers and artists, is a worldclass travelling show with Winnipeg as its first stop this year. Ticket sales are expected to be brisk for this dazzling display, so be sure to purchase yours in advance.

Looking for special gifts for the loved ones on your list? With a membership, they can enjoy unlimited visits to the Zoo, The Leaf, or both incredible attractions year-round. Or get one for yourself! The Park offers something for everyone in every season. So, don your parkas and come together at Assiniboine Park to celebrate the holidays in true Winnipeg fashion.

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Winter is coming…

Clearing snow around your home? Don’t forget these areas!

If the snow is not on the ground yet, you can bet on it coming soon. The days and weeks leading up to snowstorms are the perfect time to learn about how to protect your home from the elements during winter months.

Shovelling snow is something we all know how to do, but are we clearing all the right areas around our home? Here are some common – and other less common – spots you should always get around to: Foundation The first area you might shovel is the perimeter of your house. As you do so, remember to keep the area around your home’s foundation clear. Water from melting snow could end up seeping into any existing cracks within it and result in damage to your home and belongings. It’s a good idea to inspect these areas for cracks before winter weather arrives.

Furnace exhaust pipes As you remove snow from around your home’s foundation, make sure that your furnace exhaust pipe is not buried in snow or clogged in any way. A blocked exhaust can lead to poorer furnace performance and the risk of dangerous carbon monoxide build-up in your home.

Driveways and walkways Clearing driveways and walkways is not only critical for avoiding slips and falls, but also frost damage.

Frost can get hidden by snow and wreak havoc on concrete and paved surfaces. By keeping these areas clear of snow, you can prevent unpleasant surprises in springtime.

Window wells If your home has window wells, you’ll want to keep them clear of snow. Snow accumulation in them can cause water to enter your basement, where it can damage window frames, walls and other finishings.

Roof While many of us would not think to clear snow from our roof, it’s definitely an area that requires attention.

Ice dams can develop when the roof surface is warm enough to melt snow and the air temperature is still cold enough to freeze it back up again, and they can allow water to seep into your home. After a heavy snowfall, use a roof rake to clear the first foot or so of snow from the roof. You can also consider hiring a professional.

ART 34

WE HAVE THE EQUIPMENT TO HANDLE ALL YOUR SNOW REMOVAL NEEDS!

Murals | Theme spaces feature walls | fine art Mandy van Leeuwen Artist mandyvanleeuwen.com WINTER 2023 | STYLE MANITOBA | 27

Perfect Winter Getaway B Y K E L LY G R AY

Fernie Historic Downtown – Photograph by Matt Kuhn

G

et your adventure on in Fernie. An easy drive from the prairies, and just three hours drive SW from Calgary, Fernie, BC and the Elk Valley is a four-season playground of world-class facilities amid gorgeous natural beauty in the Kootenays. The mountains are high, the air is clear, and the facilities are superb. What are you waiting for?

Fernie had its start as a coal-mining town in the late 1800s.

And, while resource extraction still plays a role in the area, Fernie diversified in the 1960s with the development of its winter sports facility. They even made a bid for the 1968 Winter Olympics. All this is thanks to a massive annual blanket of powder-perfect snow and a collection of accessible slopes.

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While fat biking, hiking, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing are exciting activity options, the big attraction for winter sports enthusiasts is the Fernie Alpine Resort and its world-class ski runs. Benefiting from what is known locally as the ‘Fernie Factor’ - a micro-climate that delivers tons of powder snow (the resort claims to average 30 feet of snow annually) - Fernie Alpine Resort offers five ski bowls with 146 runs for all abilities from novice to black diamond experts, as well as rental and CSIA/CASI ski instruction.

Getting to the runs is easy with high-speed quads, virtually no lift lines, and extensive terrain. There are also options for Cat-skiing and Heli-skiing to access pristine backcountry locations. An added plus for Manitobans skiing is that Fernie is at a lower altitude, meaning less need to acclimatize.

For ‘flatlanders’, Fernie is a mecca for cross-country skiing with over 42 km of groomed, track-set trails for skiers of all abilities. The Elk Valley Nordic Centre near Mt Fernie Provincial Park features a groomed and track-set loop alongside Lizard Creek that features mountain views and undulates through the forest for gentle challenges and is ideal for intermediate-level skiers. Beginner-friendly loops at Fernie Golf Club are less challenging but still offer spectacular mountain views.

and boasts a wealth of hotels and restaurants to cater to every class of travellers, from families with young children to top-flight ski ‘gypsies’ to the luxury market. Fernie has all the boxes ticked. The Alpine Resort features a slope-side village with ski-in/ski-out and on-mountain lodges, condos and resort homes, and a pedestrian central plaza offering seven dining options on-mountain and at the base.

Yes, Fernie is winter fabulous. It’s also a true sledder’s paradise, offering an incredible amount of terrain for every type of snowmobiler. The Fernie Snowmobile Association regularly maintains over 160 kilometers of groomed trails, five unique riding areas and three day-use warming shelters.

Fernie’s historic downtown is just a quick shuttle from the Fernie Alpine Resort. Here, a collection of unique independent retailers, cafes and services are ready and waiting to maximize your mountain experience. For example, Fernie’s day spas offer custom private treatment rooms, outdoor whirlpools, and infrared saunas. Fernie has the relaxation and exhilaration you need. Why aren’t you already here?

Fernie's hospitality is legendary. The community and surrounding area have a population of over 6,000 people,

Plan your trip by reaching out to www.tourismfernie.com and make a date with adventure.

Destination BC - Photograph by Reuben Krabbe

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In The Heart of the Rockies Located in the southeast corner of British Columbia and just a 2-hour drive west from Lethbridge, AB, Fernie is a destination known for its deep powder snow and authentic, friendly vibe.

Nick Nault Photography

Explore our scenic winter playground with its many outdoor activities, hit the bars and pubs for après and stroll the historic downtown with boutique shops, galleries, cozy cafés, and restaurants.

TourismFernie.com WINTER 2023 | STYLE MANITOBA | 31

Feeling Younger, Living Longer: The Life-Changing Impact of Comprehensive Health Assessment at Body Measure

crucial during menopause. It allows you to track your progress and make informed decisions about your health.

By focusing on improving your body composition, including reducing visceral fat and maintaining or increasing muscle mass, you can not only feel your best but also look your best as you age gracefully.

At Body Measure Inc, a team of experts - including a registered dietician, nurse practitioner, registered radiological technologist and DEXAcertified radiologist - provide a comprehensive body composition analysis and personalized plan to help you achieve your health and wellness goals. With their guidance, you can know your numbers, reduce dangerous visceral fat, and look and feel your best throughout the menopause journey. Let the Body Measure team help you embrace menopause with confidence and take control of your body composition.

A

s we age, our health becomes increasingly important. We all want to live long, healthy lives and one key factor in achieving this is preventative health care. Taking care of our bodies now can significantly impact our overall longevity.

Discovering your comprehensive health assessment can be a life-changing experience. It provides you with valuable insights into your body composition and helps you understand your overall health and well-being.

Armed with this knowledge, you can make informed decisions about your health and take proactive steps towards living a longer, healthier life.

With the power of a comprehensive health assessment, you can unlock the potential to feel younger, look younger and, ultimately, improve your longevity. Don't underestimate

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this assessment's impact on your journey towards optimal health and well-being.

Unmasking Menopause: How Body Composition Changes with Age As we age, our bodies go through numerous changes and one of the most significant transitions for women is menopause. During this time, a woman's body composition can undergo various changes that impact our overall health and wellbeing. By understanding how body composition changes during menopause, you can take proactive steps to mitigate any negative effects and feel your best.

Final Thoughts: Embarking on Your Journey Towards a Healthier You

Menopause often leads to a decrease in estrogen levels, which can result in a decrease in muscle mass and an increase in dangerous visceral fat.

Visceral fat is the fat that surrounds our organs and has been linked to numerous health issues, including heart disease and type two diabetes.

This increase in visceral fat can affect our body composition and lead to weight gain, which can be frustrating for many women.

As a midlife woman, you have the power to take control of your health and well-being. By understanding the benefits of body composition analysis and making informed decisions about your body, you can embark on a journey towards a healthier you. Focus on achieving living your best life through the right nutrition plan and a comprehensive understanding of your specific body composition. With the power of a comprehensive health assessment, you can unlock the potential to feel younger, look younger and improve your longevity. Start your Body Measure journey towards your optimal health and well-being today.

You are worth it!

Knowing your numbers, such as muscle mass and visceral fat levels, is

Visit www.bodymeasure.ca to learn more and get started today!

Mental Fitness

BY JULIE GERMAINE

A

re you healthy? Fitness is a dynamic concept; what one person deems fit can differ from another. Many factors play into fitness, including age, family history, individual lifestyle, mobility, and of course, strength and endurance. But what about mental health and wellbeing? Do you consider someone to be healthy if they have a short attention span, are forgetful, or lack energy throughout the day?

Just like physical fitness can be improved, mental alertness and competency can also be enhanced! In fact, working on both areas together is extremely beneficial. Science has proven that there is a strong connection between body and mind activities to increase memory by actually creating new, faster neural pathways. This means you are enabling your body to transfer messages more quickly and learn faster every time you challenge yourself to try something new.

Enjoying unfamiliar experiences allows us to mature in a healthy way and avoid boredom or cognitive deterioration in adulthood. This doesn’t have to be an exercise regime, though I would love to help you learn how to weight train, develop flexibility, or otherwise achieve your fitness goals! But taking a class that you are excited about, like cooking or salsa dancing, can help you break out of a rut and stir up motivation. Many of my clients find that simply beginning to build upon their understanding of optimal nutrition with me starts the chain reaction that leads to better overall health. After all, reading strengthens one’s brain, provides relaxation, and expands creativity. All these factors will open you up to positive ideas and possibilities… bigger dreams and plans… a renewed zest for life!

I challenge you to get out of your usual orbit! Go meet some strangers and visit a few different spots in our great city. With winter upon us, it’s easy to hibernate and reduce our activity level.

Don’t feel bad - we have all been guilty

of doing this. However, in this climate, it is even more important to find fun ways to be active and less sedentary.

Exercise is magic for the body, mind and soul – don’t miss out!

If you’d like help developing your fitness routine or want to ask nutrition questions, please email me at: julie@juliegermaine.fit

Julie Germaine is a 2x International Pro Fitness Champion, Registered Personal Trainer, Certified Nutrition Expert and Prenatal/Postpartum Health Coach.

She has helped tens of thousands of men and women all around the world improve their health since 2005. Check out her services at www.juliegermaine. com or book a FREE diet and fitness consultation today: www.calendly.com/ juliegermaine WINTER 2023 | STYLE MANITOBA | 33

The Meth Crisis Continues

BY CHRISTINE HANLON

O

pioids, alcohol, cocaine, benzodiazepines, methamphetamine. Regardless of the substance, addiction hurts users and their families. It puts a strain on hospitals, emergency services, and the police. There are so many ways in which substance use disorders harm society.

But, in some ways, crystal meth is its own beast. Police and paramedics continue to be inundated by calls about and from users who are erratic, aggressive and unpredictable. If someone isn’t being attacked with an axe by someone high on meth, users are making the calls, in the grips of drugfueled paranoia, claiming someone is trying to kill them.

Over the past five years, there have been shocking stories of staff in Manitoba hospitals being punched and kicked by patients high on meth.

Police have seen a steady increase in the number of homicides driven by meth, including the 2019 murder of 17-year-old Jaime Adao in a random meth-fueled home invasion.

Meth-induced psychosis can involve auditory, visual and tactile hallucinations along with delusions, fear, and paranoia. Not every use of methamphetamines will result in a psychotic episode – and not every person experiencing psychosis will become violent – but according to the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, “psychosis is common for individuals who use methamphetamine.” Statistics vary wildly, from 8% of users to 76% of users, with the consensus among researchers hovering around a 40% chance of a psychotic incident occurring after meth use, with both the frequency of use and the amount/ strength affecting the likelihood of psychosis.

This is significant because the purity and potency of the meth currently circulating in Manitoba has substantially increased, as has its effect on the brain. The sheer numbers of users have increased as well, with prices

34 | STYLE MANITOBA | WINTER 2023

now as low $2 to $5 for a point that can get a user high up to 12 hours.

Ironically, some of those suffering from substance use disorders have switched to meth because of the risks associated with fentanyl.

As the number of meth users increase, so do the number of those experiencing meth psychosis. According to Manitoba’s October Substance Related Harms Surveillance Report (https://manitoba.ca/mh/srh-public-report.html), between mid -2019 and mid-2023, the number of events attended by the Winnipeg Fire and Paramedics Service (WFPS) that were related to crystal meth was similar to the number for opioids, and sometimes greater.

However, while WFPS is equipped with Naloxone to deal with opioid toxicity, there are few tools for dealing with crystal meth. Although WFPS staff are now equipped with the anti-psychotic drug Olanzapine, its impact has had mixed results.

With few tools to deal with “meth psychosis,” emergency responders bring users in crisis to hospital emergency rooms, where the bright lights and noise only make them more agitated. There continue to be incidents of violence against hospital staff, while patients in the ER are afraid for their safety.

Yet, emergency department presentations for stimulants (mainly methamphetamines, as cocaine has its own category) have been consistently higher than for opioids during the 2019-2023 period. This should come as no surprise.

The alarm bells were already sounding in 2018, when, in a testimony to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Health, the Addictions Foundation of Manitoba reported an increase in amphetamine presentations at Winnipeg emergency departments of 1700% between 2013 and 2017.

Widely-publicized incidents of meth-fueled violence in hospitals and the community were followed by the Canada-Manitoba Emergency Treatment Fund Bilateral Agreement at the end of 2018. The terms of the agreement recognized that: “The increase in meth use has led to an increase in individuals coming to emergency departments and crisis response services in meth psychosis.

Increasingly, health care and allied service providers are identifying a limited capacity to appropriately support and respond to individuals affected by meth, including a need for flexible length withdrawal management services (WMS).

Meth use is much more challenging to address than the use of many other substances including opioids, as it is an illegal substance and there are no replacement drug therapies.

Withdrawal management (also known as detox) from meth takes longer, and requires more support, than withdrawal from other substances (up to 30 days). Once withdrawal has occurred, people who use meth generally require longer stays at residential addictions treatment facilities (up to 1 year).”

One of the measures that eventually came out of the agreement was the establishment of a Mobile Withdrawal Management Service (klinic.mb.ca/health-care/specialized-services/mobile-withdrawalmanagement-service) that supports people detoxing in the community, at their own pace. However, that doesn’t address those coming to the ER in full-blown psychosis.

To tackle that issue, the federal and provincial governments each contributed $4.2 million toward adding 11 new flexible-length WMS spaces in Manitoba, with estimated annual capacity of 132 individuals, to be housed in individual rooms. But, by the second quarter of 2020, the number of meth patients admitted to hospital rose to a high of 325, with emergency department presentations at 615.

Many users are released from the ER after the meth has ‘worn off,’ even if some of them are still in the grip of psychosis. Furthermore, while a wait in the ER poses risks to the user, hospital staff, and other patients, there is no other place for WFPS and police to bring these cases. Winnipeg Police Chief Danny Smyth has long called for the creation of a meth-specific detox shelter, similar to the alcoholspecific spaces at Main Street Project.

Along with detox, users also need treatment services, a need that has never been greater. The Main Street Projects 2022-2023 Annual Report indicates that the primary substance for almost half of those seeking treatment was crystal meth.

Some pay the ultimate price. From April 2021 to March 2022, the death of 147 individuals was linked to methamphetamines, only second to fentanyl. Of course, fatalities are often caused by a combination of substances.

According to a recent article in the New York Times (www.nytimes. com/2023/11/13/health/polysubstanceopioids-addiction.html), using meth can also put the efficacy of other treatments at risk, including those for patients transitioning off opioids.

Then there are the deaths that are due to meth-induced risky or violent behaviour, not the drug itself.

Regardless, the rising number of users results in higher mortality.

In the meantime, the nature of methamphetamine use is changing, creating greater challenges. In 2006, users typically smoked crystal meth to get high. Now, use is predominantly by injection. In a Winnipeg study

by The Tracks Phase 4 as part of a National Surveillance I-Track System (Coordinated by the Public Health Agency of Canada), 60% of participants reported injecting more than one drug and 90% reported injecting methamphetamine.

Yet, to date, Manitoba’s response has been like using a water gun to put out a fire. So, how will this new provincial government address this monumental challenge?

By making it harder to regulate the amount of meth consumed, injecting increases the risk of psychosis. The escalation in IV drug has also contributed to a rise in HIV, hepatitis, and syphilis further stressing a health care system at the breaking point.

The report is based on information collected from public health officials, academics, physicians, psychiatric nurses, front-line service organizations, community organizations, families of addicts and recovering addicts. The conclusion is that “the current meth crisis is just the latest iteration of an addictions problem that plagued our province for decades.”

Then there are the direct effects of meth on the user. Damage to the heart and other organs is one thing but it’s the high risk of brain damage that singles out methamphetamines from other drugs. Meth-induced psychosis can last for days, weeks, months, even years. Or it can be permanent, triggering life-long schizophrenia or schizophrenia-like symptoms.

I know a psychiatric nurse whose client, a former meth addict, described meth as mental illness in a drug.

Crystal meth only exacerbates the mental health crisis we already face.

The cost on the health care system is great but the immeasurable cost to users and their families is even higher.

In January 2019, Wab Kinew, then leader of the official opposition, published “We Have to Start Here: Addressing the Root Causes of Manitoba’s Addiction Crisis and Reducing Harm from Problematic Meth Use.”

If meth were to disappear tomorrow, users would find another substance.

Without addressing the underlying cause of drug addiction, trying to eliminate a particular drug is like playing whack-a-mole.

Accordingly, the report proposes a two-pronged approach: 1) addressing poverty and social inequalities and 2) investing in harm reduction strategies. The first measure aims to prevent the development of addictions by lifting people out of poverty and reducing the number of adverse childhood events, both known drivers of substance use disorders. The report points to needed investments in edu-

cation and social services, including wrap-around supports.

Along with access to treatment, these kinds of supports are also what current drug users need to overcome their addiction. “If newly sober users re-enter the community, and our society has not taken steps to address the contributing factors to their addictions, the lack of resources and supports can cause them to relapse,” notes the report.

At the same time, there is a recognition that long-term policies must be paired with immediate action. The report proposes increasing the capacity of needle-exchanges and providing services such as safe supply testing and stigma free education, along with safe injection sites – a measure that has proven controversial.

Nor does the report ignore the important role of law enforcement and the challenges faced by Manitoba’s police force. It notes that by asking police to act as de facto health care workers and social workers, their resources have been stretched to the limit. Partly, this is due to the fact that Winnipeg Regional Health Authority’s Mobile Crisis Service rarely has enough staff to actually go out to incidents, taking the term ‘mobile’ right out the equation. Then there’s the issue of safety even if someone is available to respond.

One program established to address this shortfall, the Alternative Response to Citizens in Crisis (ARCC), pairs a police officer with a mental health clinician. While it has relieved some of the pressure on the police, it is currently having difficulty hiring. Meanwhile, there are no plans for relieving the pressure on emergency rooms from individuals in the throes of meth psychosis.

These are mighty challenges. As Wab Kinew wrote in his report four years ago, “The situation in Manitoba demands an urgent response grounded in evidence-based research, harm reduction, and compassion.” The most compassionate action the new government can take is to heed this sense of urgency and move quickly.

Every day someone’s son, daughter, mother, father... is being affected by the meth crisis. We can’t afford to wait.

WINTER 2023 | STYLE MANITOBA | 35

S T Y L I N G

T H E

STEREO Reviewed by Randal McIlroy

HERBIE HANCOCK Five Original Albums (Blue Note)

Launching our new Dexa and Registered Dietitian plan covered by most insurance plans!

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Where to begin with Herbie Hancock’s catalogue? The chewy jazz funk of Headhunters, the hi-tech beats of Future Shock, the magnificent Miles Davis quintet?

Start here, with this mid-priced package of five albums the pianist/composer cut between 1962 and 1969 for Blue Note – Takin’ Off, My Point of View, Inventions and Dimensions, Speak Like a Child and The Prisoner.

Hancock’s knack for finger-popping soul jazz is fresh at the start with “Watermelon Man” and “Drifting,” but those same inimitable hands shaped gentler charmers such as the slippery jazz waltz of “Three Bags Full.” The later albums show a deft ear for arranging mid-size ensembles, with a penchant for bass trombone and bass clarinet. As a pianist, he has a nimbleness mountain goats would envy.

CAN Live in Cuxhaven 1976

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(Mute/Spoon) After two well-packed double sets to launch Can’s concert series, Live in Cuxhaven 1976 is a jolt – a short, single disc. Never mind, for the German band’s fearless improvisation and astounding telepathy make every minute dramatic. That much is bracing from the start, where the fast shuffle rhythms of Jaki Liebezeit – two hip drummers at once – spur Michael Karoli’s spiky guitar and Irmin Schmidt’s surging and shimmering keyboard lines, with bassist Holger Czukay prescient as ever. Previous songs are only reference markers in these four untitled tracks, proving how those tracks became launchpads for the most thrilling improvisations.

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THE

C O A C H . CA

A remarkable record, like its late creator, is earning new attention for its sincere, heartfelt and utterly singular music. After blazing a trail with Ornette Coleman in the ‘60s, trumpeter Don Cherry quit America and jazz for a more bucolic life in Sweden, where his music welcomed not only Indian themes and instruments but also a communal approach that disdained soloist/rhythm section tradition as well as his trumpet, which became secondary to piano, harmonium and his singing. That’s heard best in the music recorded live in Stockholm at the Utopia and Visions festival, where Cherry presides at the piano and guides the music through exciting changes in passion. “Elixir” is even more dramatic, with the hollow song of a Chinese flute introducing a tough piano and drums pattern and the first, thrilling peal of Cherry’s horn.

On the BOOKSHELF

by Quentin Mills-Fenn

The Librarianist (House of Anansi)

by Patrick deWitt

The new novel by the much-lauded author of The SIsters Brothers and French Exit, The Librarianist is the story of an ordinary person, a divorced, retired librarian. But even the quietest of types can be the source of an enthralling narrative. Filled with fascinating characters, including the librarian himself, oddball settings, and a library, of course. Patrick deWitt’s latest is told with his usual wit and charm and a great deal of humanity.

Birnam Wood

(McClelland & Stewart)

by Eleanor Catton Appearing ten years after her Booker- and Governor General's Literary Award-winning The Luminaries, Eleanor Catton is back with her third novel, Birnam Wood.

Beginning as a barbed satire of the members of a guerilla gardening collective in New Zealand, the novel pivots into a fast-paced eco-thriller that’s both timely and hard to put down. Throughout, the author masterfully exposes the psychology of her characters with surgical precision.

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Western Lane (Knopf Canada)

by Chetna Maroo

Gopi is eleven years old and lives in London with her sisters and their father. She’s been playing squash since she could hold a racket. After the death of her mother, her grieving father institutes a new training regimen for his daughters, and squash becomes Gopi’s world. A comingof-age novel that’s also about sisters, family, grief, and competitive sport, this slender gemlike debut novel deservedly made the Booker Prize shortlist.

250 Dufferin Ave Winnipeg MB Canada R2W 5J1 1-204-586-8097 info@lambskin.com www.worldofsheepskin.com WINTER 2023 | STYLE MANITOBA | 37

E X C L U S I V E

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Thoughts I was happy to receive a copy of Style Manitoba’s Fall 2023 issue, and thoroughly enjoyed reading it from cover to cover! It’s great to see coverage on the positive aspects of living in Manitoba, from the beautiful homes featured each issue to the entertainment guide and restaurant reviews in the Stepping Out section to the gorgeous landscaping designs shown. I’m a proud Manitoban and love the positive vibe Style Manitoba brings to our province.

Please keep it coming!

Sierra Grimsworth, Winnipeg

Unit C - 236 Osborne Street South 204-956-2096 watsonworkshop watsonworkshop.ca Tuesday to Saturday 10 to 5

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phone: 204-982-4455 email: info@stylemanitoba.com

HUMBLE HERO A lasting legacy for hockey great Dale Hawerchuk

Visit us online at:

ADVANCING INDIGENOUS ACHIEVEMENT IN MANITOBA An era of Truth, Reconciliation & Racial Reckoning

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Phone: 204.770.7103

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My wife and I loved the home featured as the cover story in your last edition.

It’s encouraging to read of the thoughtfulness that went into planning this home, considering it was built in one of Winnipeg’s oldest neighbourhoods. AspenGrove Developments did a great job of respecting the neighbourhood’s ‘dress code’ while building this new residence. It’s remarkable how well it blends in with the older character homes in the area, yet offers so many modern bells and whistles along with energy efficient features. Well done!

Adrian Simcoe, Winnipeg I live in River Heights, and like many of my neighbours, always worry when an old home is torn down and a new build commences in our community.

We all worry about things like the style of the new home and how it will fit in with neighbouring properties, etc.

Will it be a huge modern monstrosity we all have to live with? Or will the builder / prospective homeowners truly consider its location during the design process? When I saw the latest issue of Style Manitoba, I must admit being impressed by the home featured on the cover. AspenGrove Developments did an incredible job of blending traditional and modern elements in this luxurious new build while considering the aesthetics of the older neighbourhood in which it is located. Kudos to the builder!

Nicole Wiebe, Winnipeg

IN

THE

STUDIO

BY

O N A L E E

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nalee Ames Film Studio is known for film career focused content. Our goal is to help students achieve film-acting work.

The industry here is large enough now to support the growing acting community, and as producers and directors from LA come here more often, we are surpassing their requirements and they often end up returning to make more films. I have always referred to acting as an Olympic profession. It takes a person with resilience and insane passion to make it in film. The glamour is what the public mostly sees after a film is made. Many will never see the grit it takes to make it in this business. Sometimes actors wait for years to get their break.

It is a proven fact that drama therapy and other forms of acting improve mental health. As all athletes train their minds, we too must work on our minds. This is required to stay in the business for years. We must train to stay in the game when the game is not even in sight. We must think like athletes. We must train like athletes. We must also believe like athletes.

The best part of training to be an actor is that people develop an amazing craft of being present. The craft of acting produces incredible communicators. In fact, I have witnessed extreme miracles in the well-being and emotional states of many students.

I am also of the belief that at least half of an acting career requires constant attention to the health and well-being of the self. Many therapists have sent patients to me because acting class allows participants the ability to touch trauma through emotions. In the form of a cold read, students are asked to turn over a never seen script and delve into the emotional states of their characters without having the opportunity to think about things.

This allows the body to express emotion and bypass the brain.

Over the years I have been asked to use acting in places that the average acting class would not exist. When my own father was in a nursing home with vascular dementia, I taught a

A M E S

nity to help in other ways beyond film acting.

In the new year we are proud and excited to bring new programming to Onalee Ames Film Studio. The studio has partnered with Psychologist Dr. Toby Rutner to bring our first ever psycho-drama class.

class. The best part of the class was that it was in the present and the cold read allowed the clients to have fun and not worry about remembering anything. Those who had lost hope for many other activities knew they could count on acting class.

Ten years ago, I taught acting and scriptwriting at the Manitoba youth centre. This allowed for traumatized youth to express themselves. I worked with some of the highest risk youth offenders in the province. It was extremely humbling and sacred to work with these kids who were suffering in the most extreme ways. We were only able to touch the surface of the amount of work that could have happened, but the program was very successful. I continued to write a movie with one of the inmates in the years that followed and her intent was to pitch her story, but sadly, she passed this year at a very young age.

Her spirit will continue to encourage me to help others share their voice.

I am currently employed part time at Kelburn Rehab Centre, teaching clients with addictions. I work with therapists in a program that involves psycho-drama. Many of the patients at the centre tackle emotional issues in a fun and relaxed atmosphere during these classes. I am excited to see the program grow, thanks to Ian Rabb, who has always valued my work. Addictions work in our province must continue to grow and flourish.

I am forever grateful for the opportu-

Dr. Rutner has been practising since 1972 when he graduated from the U of M with a PHD. He has worked in the Jacksonville State Hospital and at the Selkirk Mental Hospital as a psychologist and Director of Behaviour Therapy and Research. He has also been running a private practice from 1973 to the present. Dr. Rutner also provides psychological services to the Canadian Armed Forces, Veterans Affairs Canada, Workers Compensation Board and MPI. He is part of the Psychological Association of Manitoba, the Manitoba Psychological Society, the Canadian Psychological Association and the Canadian Register of Health Service providers in Psychology. He has been published in numerous publications.

Dr. Rutner will offer a class that promises to push the limits of students to help them become more conscious of their own psychological states and help them break habits that are holding them back from success.

Just as athletes use these techniques, we will also use them to stay in the film game. The class will use techniques of emotional role-playing and psycho -drama to confront limitations and break through self- imposed barriers, freeing up emotional energy, which can then be directed towards achievement and success.

As our industry grows even more this year, our studio will provide necessary instruction to succeed and stay in the game while providing environments that set Manitobans up for success in the film industry. We are excited for the strike to end and our industry to be back at capacity, and can’t wait to see you at the studio to start a film career.

For more class information please email info@oafilmstudio.com WINTER 2023 | STYLE MANITOBA | 39

Holiday Cocktails In the wonderfully diverse landscape of Canada, it’s no surprise that Canadians celebrate the holidays in their own unique ways. Despite these differences, a shared tradition of opening our homes to host family and friends unites many of us during this season. In collaboration with creators from diverse backgrounds, Tanqueray Gin showcases their unique holiday traditions, which demonstrate how they infuse a sense of Damn Fancy into their celebrations with curated cocktails using Tanqueray. Sample this celebration of cultural diversity with these cocktails!

MERRY BERRY GIN FIZZ in celebration of CHRISTMAS Ingredients: 1.5 oz Tanqueray London Dry Gin 2 oz Cranberry Juice 0.5 oz Lime Juice Top with Ginger Ale Garnish: Lime Wheel How to make: Combine Tanqueray London Dry Gin, cranberry juice, and lime juice in a cocktail shaker with ice.

Shake to blend and chill.

Strain and serve in a highball glass with ice. Top off with Ginger Ale to taste.

Garnish with a lime wheel.

MIRACLE MIX in celebration of HANUKKAH Ingredients: 1.5 oz. Tanqueray Sevilla 0.5 oz. simple syrup 1 oz. sweet vermouth 4 oz. sweet red wine Sprig of mint Orange, lemon and lime cubes Garnish: grapefruit wheel How to make: Add all ingredients to a shaking tin Muddle Add ice Shake Pour into a wine glass Garnish with a grapefruit wheel

40 | STYLE MANITOBA | WINTER 2023

GOLDEN ELIXIR in celebration of DIWALI Ingredients: 1.5 oz. Tanqueray Rangpur 1 tsp turmeric 3 ginger coins 3 grinds of black pepper 4 oz. orange juice Garnish: orange wheel How to make: Add all ingredients to a shaking tin Muddle ginger Add ice Shake Pour into an old fashioned glass Garnish with a full orange wheel in the glass

KUUMBA SPICY CAESAR in celebration of KWANZAA Ingredients: 1.5 oz. Tanqueray LDG 4 oz. Clamato Juice 3 dashes of Worcestershire sauce 3 dashes of spicy sauce Harissa rim Garnish: pepperette and a red pepper slice How to make: Add all ingredients to a shaking tin Add ice Shake Pour into a Collins glass Garnish with a pepperette and a red pepper slice.

PEACEFUL NIGHT in celebration of PING AN YE Ingredients 1.5 oz. Tanqueray N10 1 oz. fresh lemon juice 2 oz. sweet apple cider 3 oz. ginger beer Garnish: red apple wedges How to make: Add all ingredients straight into highball glass Add ice Garnish with a fanned red apple wedge

Bruschetta with Beet, Basil & Goat Cheese Topping An absolutely delicious appetizer packed full of incredible flavour!

INGREDIENTS: 1 baguette, sliced diagonally into 1/3 inch slices 1 ½ Tbsp. olive oil 3 medium beets, boiled, skinned & diced into 1/3 inch cubes 1/8 cup finely diced red onion 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar 10 basil leaves, cut in ribbons 4 oz. cream cheese 4 oz. goat cheese ¼ tsp. salt ¼ tsp. pepper ½ tsp. maple syrup DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 400F Slice baguette diagonally & brush both sides with olive oil.

Sprinkle with salt & pepper, then place on sheet pan & bake in oven for 15-20 minutes, until crisp. Set aside.

Place goat cheese & cream cheese in a bowl, then warm in microwave until soft enough to easily combine (about 20 seconds.) Mix with fork until smooth & season with salt, pepper & some fresh chopped basil.

Put diced beets in a medium sized bowl. Add diced onion, salt, pepper, maple syrup & 2 tsps. olive oil, stirring to combine.

Assembly: Spread a little goat cheese mixture on each bruschetta slice, creating a dip in the centre of each to hold beet mixture in place. Top with a tablespoon of beet mixture & garnish with a few basil ribbons.

d g d g d g d g d g d g f g d g f Roasted Brussels Sprouts & 3-Cheese Crostini INGREDIENTS: ¾ lb. fresh Brussels sprouts, trimmed & thinly sliced ¼ cup olive oil, divided ¼ tsp. ground nutmeg ¼ tsp. sea salt ¼ tsp. pepper 1 pkg (4 oz) crumbled feta cheese 1/3 cup whipped cream cheese 1 French bread baguette (10 ½ oz.), cut in ½ inch slices 1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese Garlic oil, optional DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 400F. Toss together Brussels sprouts, 2 tbsps. olive oil, nutmeg, salt & pepper. Place on foil-lined 15 x 10 inch baking sheet. Roast, stirring once, until tender & browned, about 20 minutes.

Process feta & cream cheese in food processor until smooth. Place baguette slices on foil-lined baking sheet. Brush with remaining olive oil & broil until golden. Spread slices with feta cheese mixture & top with Brussels sprouts. Sprinkle with Gruyere cheese & broil 5 to 6 inches from heat until cheese is melted & starting to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. If desired, drizzle with garlic oil. Serve immediately.

WINTER 2023 | STYLE MANITOBA | 41

Custom treasures from the Watson Workshop are 100% designed & made locally to the highest standards here in Winnipeg. This two-tone diamond-set wide band is just one of many high quality pieces by jewellery artist John Watson available for viewing in person or online.

Watson Workshop 236 Osborne street south watsonworkshop.ca 204-956-2069

FABFINDS

Add a pop of colour, texture and style to your décor with an area rug from this well-established locale.

Featuring over 1000 ready to take home area rugs in a wide range of colours, sizes and designs from the largest selection in Winnipeg, there’s something here for everyone. Exceptional customer service and a hassle-free return policy ensure that shopping here is a seamless and enjoyable experience.

The Area Rug Store Unit 104-1360 Sargent Ave www.arearugstorewinnipeg.com

Inject a unique sense of style into your space with original artwork by Mandy van Leeuwen. The Cone Artist, featured here, is one of many inspired works by this talented local artist. For more on this piece & others, visit the gallery or check out the artist & gallery’s respective websites.

Woodlands Gallery 535 Academy Rd www.mandyvanleeuwen.com www.woodlandsgallery.com 42 | STYLE MANITOBA | WINTER 2023

Warm up this winter in cozy shearling mitts, gloves, hats & slippers available at this must-visit destination.

Stop by the store or shop online for everything sheepskin - from outerwear, gloves & footwear, to plush toys, home décor items & more.

Wonderful World of Sheepskin 250 Dufferin Ave www.worldofsheepskin.com

Looking for a unique gift for birthdays, holidays or a special occasion? Give them the keys to their health & wellbeing with a gift certificate from this highly recommended health & wellness specialty clinic.

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Warm, waterproof suede boots with shearling lining and retractable spike system – perfect for a Manitoba winter!

Temperature rated to -30C $325 Visit the shop for all your winter footwear needs.

European Shoe Shop 436 Academy Rd europeanshoeshop.com 204-487-4193

Combining their love of wood & style, these local artisans thrive on designing & making unique “kreations,” ranging from shadowbox frames & signs to minimalist wood wallets. Follow them on Instagram or email them direct.

Paris-based Dzmitry Samal, inspired by Art Deco & Urban Constructivism, is just one of our top-tier boutique brands. kimrosner’s services include private shopping appointments: “Let us style your event outfits with exceptional eyewear to complete the look!”

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kimrosner exclusive eyewear 485 Academy Rd www.kimrosner.ca info@kimrosner.ca 204-691-2600 WINTER 2023 | STYLE MANITOBA | 43

JANUARY 12 - 14 RBC Convention Centre

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Renovation Inspiration

T

he Winnipeg Renovation Show is the place where inspiration meets information. Indeed, the 22ND annual Show, January 12-14 (2024), at the RBC Convention Centre, is the place to discover the best in advice, materials and designs that move home projects from dreams to done.

“I’m excited to be back in Winnipeg and to be presenting at the Winnipeg Renovation Show,” says headliner, contractor and TV personality, Sherry Holmes of Holmes: The Next Generation.

“I’m constantly learning new things, and I love to share this with audiences answering questions and taking photos - but the best part is meeting young kids that I’ve inspired. This still blows my mind!”

Holmes will appear on The Lifestyle Stage, presented by Vesta Custom Design and HGTV Canada, where she will discuss her journey into the world of construction, being a working mom, and why a career in the skilled trades is such a great opportunity for women. Whether you’re looking for home improvement recommendations, entertainment ideas or inspiration for a future project - The Lifestyle Stage has it all. Expect expert advice from trade leaders such as Holmes and local pros that promise to present

tips and tricks to get stalled projects moving.

Got questions? Have queries answered at Ask a Renovator, presented by the Manitoba Home Builders’ Association and RENO+DECOR Magazine. Start making your dream home a reality and sidestep disasters with a free 15-minute consult where Winnipeg’s top home improvement experts provide good advice upfront.

self through speakers, workshops, and demos,” says Sherry Holmes. “Ask questions, take notes, get contacts, brochures, and see samples. Check it out and get inspired!” she says, inviting people to pencil in January 12-14 (2024) to make the RBC Convention Centre their renovation destination.

Backyard dreams can be easy when you know how. Ask a Landscaper, presented by the Manitoba Nursery & Landscape Association and the Winnipeg Free Press, is where you can get the answers you need with a free 15-minute get-together with a leading landscape or nursery pro.

Solve ‘problem’ room challenges and get help refreshing a new or existing space at The Design Studio, presented

by The Home Workshop and Style Manitoba Magazine. The Design Studio offers inspiration with decorator and designer industry pros helping to turn your aspirations into a reality. Show goers can enjoy a FREE 15-minute consultation that will have you turning your house into a home in no time.

“Attending the Winnipeg Renovation Show is a great way to educate your-

WINTER 2023 | STYLE MANITOBA | 45

Credit: Rocke Design

Great design lives here.

Choose fibreglass for the ultimate in design flexibility, and the best in performance.

Winnipeg Renovation Show, Booth #449 45 Higgins Ave. Winnipeg, MB | 204.339.6456 | duxtonwindows.com 46 | STYLE MANITOBA | WINTER 2023

A

renovation that includes new windows is among the top ten projects that offer a return to homeowners. Most Canadians recoup the majority of the cost of window replacement when they sell their homes.

“A window renovation is a win/ win scenario,” says Duxton Windows’ Manager of Marketing, Aynsley Dueck, remarking that new windows improve lifestyle as soon as they are installed.

Duxton Windows will showcase new products and innovations alongside others at this year’s Winnipeg Renovation Show (January 12-14, 2024 / RBC Convention Centre). The show is where trends and industry professionals come together to offer advice and direction on design and décor.

“We like to participate in events such as The Winnipeg Renovation Show because it allows us to enhance public knowledge and understanding about windows and doors. We also enjoy the personal interaction with homeowners and designers, which allows us to continue developing and launching new products that respond to their needs. We launch new products regularly, which makes it exciting each year to see what’s new,” says Dueck, inviting attendees to drop by their booth at the show.

New trends on display She reports that attendees to the Renovation Show can expect to discover new hardware solutions, new colour options and ways to make new window choices more environmentally sensitive.

Fibreglass windows offer thin frames that work well with a more modern appearance. Fibreglass window products come in a wide range of factory colours for a contemporary aesthetic that is long-lasting and environmentally sensitive.

"Black window frames are a strong trend currently,” says Dueck, commenting that the colour black is the new neutral. Black frames provide a powerful contrast and can deliver extra pop to a room’s softer colour treatments.”

Window grills (divided lites) are another popular feature. These imitation mullions create greater visual interest from a design standpoint. For example, these grills work well with character homes.

Window walls are also on the trend curve. This window solution allows homeowners to make the most of

B Y K E L LY G R A Y

On-Trend Windows & Doors their outdoor views and create an interior space that brings the outside in.

Typically, these designs utilize glass panels to cover spaces up to 50 feet.

Window hardware is another area that is seeing a refreshed product assortment.

“We will be showing new locks and crank sets at this year’s Winnipeg Renovation Show,” says Dueck. “In the past, cranks have been curved. Our new line offers a square-edged profile that is more current with design trends.”

Windowed doors are a trend that makes a great statement. The increased light from large glass door panels illuminates entryways and freshens the exterior. For added privacy or to create an interesting design element, homeowners are asking for colour tints or shading.

Windows offer a Green edge The Canada Greener Homes Grant will help homeowners make their homes more energy-efficient, grow domestic green supply chains, and fight climate

change. Grant participants are eligible for up to $5,600 total (up to $5000 for eligible upgrade work and up to $600 towards energy audit costs) under the initiative.

“Canadians are taking advantage of the Greener Homes Grant,” says Dueck, suggesting that an ENERGY STAR® certified replacement door, window or sliding glass door project could receive up to $5000 in government grants. “As a result of the Grant Program, we are seeing people now more interested in triple pane windows with double low E argon inserts.”

Fibreglass windows are among the most energy-efficient.

“Fibreglass windows have more glass and less frame than styles such as PVC. Less frame means less heat loss,” she says, noting that homes are quieter thanks to New Energy Star triple glazing and state-of-the-art door systems that effectively shut out exterior noise.

Plan to discover the benefits of new window technology at The Winnipeg Renovation Show.

WINTER 2023 | STYLE MANITOBA | 47

CHECK EFFICIENCY MANITOBA FIRST With a variety of programs and rebates, we’re here to help you save energy, money, and the environment. Learn more about our programs and rebates at efficiencyMB.ca.

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48 | STYLE MANITOBA | WINTER 2023

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 101 SAVING FOR TODAY & TOMORROW Do you want to make energy efficiency upgrades but aren’t sure where to start? We can help! Efficiency Manitoba has many programs to help you save energy, money, and the environment.

What is energy efficiency?

You’ve probably heard the term “energy efficiency” before. We hear things like “be more energy efficient” or “use energy more efficiently” — but what does that mean?

Energy efficiency is about using less energy to do the same job and get the same (or better!) result. We want to ensure the electricity and natural gas we consume go toward a specific job, like heating our homes or powering appliances, instead of going to waste.

Many Manitoba homes, businesses, and communities use more energy than required. There are ways to reduce wasted energy while still being able to comfortably live, work, and play. We want to work with you to save energy, money, and the environment. It’s a win all around!

Energy efficiency produces real benefits Energy efficiency isn’t just a buzz phrase or a passing trend. It’s a set of changes and behaviours that produce long-term results, both individually and collectively as a province.

There are lots of benefits of using energy more efficiently:

Programs to help you save We have a variety of programs and offers to help you save energy in your home, business, and community. A good place to start is by addressing areas of your home where you can save on heating and cooling costs, such as your insulation levels or the efficiency of your current heating system. You can learn more about our offers on page 7 or visit our website at efficiencyMB.ca for a complete list of programs and rebates.

Helping you take initiative today We believe all Manitobans should enjoy benefits from energy efficiency upgrades. We’re proud to make these upgrades easy and affordable through our rebates, services, and expert advice.

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WINTER 2023 | STYLE MANITOBA | 49

DESIGN &DECOR

Your Renovation Destination

BY LE A CU R RI E

A

fter 40 years in business, family-owned and operated Dynasty Bathrooms has transcended its name. What originally started in the basement of founder Ken Onsowich's East Kildonan house has flourished into a reputable company that can handle any renovation for any room of the home. Currently run by Onsowich's daughter, Tina Driscoll, Dynasty Bathrooms has become a one-stop shop for renovations.

“From flooring to lighting and everything in between! Not only do we build beautiful bathrooms, but we've done many kitchen renovations and also fullhome flooring and basements,” says Lisa Besser, Dynasty Bathrooms' general manager. “We do renovations big and small. This can be as minor as a faucet swap or re-silicone along a bathtub to as extensive as reconfiguring walls, restructuring a room layout and even window replacements.”

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Before

After Whether you want to DIY it and need some parts (and maybe a little advice or nudge in the right direction) or you require a full install, the company's focus has always been on personalized service.

“Renovations are a big deal – this is your home and it's an investment in it,” says Besser. “It may take multiple interactions together before the perfect selection is found. We work with our clients through this whole process, as well as afterwards, be it if we're just selling or installing. We have some clients that come back to us years later to do their next renovation with us.”

For ideas and design inspiration, Dynasty Bathrooms' two Winnipeg showrooms – located at 369 Logan Avenue and 3-996 Lorimer Boulevard – feature thousands of items and displays. Find anything you could possibly need for your renovation here, from typical bathroom and kitchen products like faucets, sinks, cabinets and vanities, toilets, tubs and flooring to those special add-ons, such as steam units, in-floor heating, garburators and specialty organizers and accessories. If you want to automate your house, shop smart home technology like touchless faucets, digital shower controls, voicecontrolled mirrors and leak protection systems. Plus you can find parts, toilet seats, plumbing rough-ins and cleaning supplies – truly everything you need!

The showrooms also boast design centres where you can work with their team to put together various products for your renovation to see the overall look and ensure a cohesive design.

There are working faucets, fixtures, bidets and bathtubs with systems to see how each actually function when in use. The staff will even encourage clients to kick off their shoes and get into a bathtub to ensure it will be the most comfortable fit. You can step into a shower, sit on a toilet or test a kitchen faucet's spray pattern and volume. The company strives to make a renovation as exciting and rewarding as possible.

(MHBA) Renovation of the Year Awards in both bathroom and kitchen design and installation, and is a member of the MHBA, as well as the Canadian Home Builders Association and other accreditations.

Visit one of the showrooms or online at dynastybath.com

“We don't just 'ring up' an order, but assist our clients to ensure they are buying the right products for their project,” says Besser.

You don't hit the 40-year mark in business without a great team behind you. The Dynasty Bathrooms team sees themselves as a family, with many long-term staff and employees bringing their own family members in to work for the company.

“We are proud to have hit this 40-year milestone considering the competition with large corporate box stores as well as online global purchasing options now available,” says Besser.

As a well-respected, esteemed business, the company has won multiple Manitoba Home Builders Association WINTER 2023 | STYLE MANITOBA | 51

DESIGN &DECOR

Surface Performer B Y K E L LY G R A Y

T

he new Dekton Ukiyo collection of readyto-install fluted panels is another first for Cosentino, a global company known for its total design approach to surface products.

This new collection, created by high-end interior design specialists, Claudia Afshar Design, innovates by marrying Japanese inspiration with contemporary touches.

“Playing with texture is timeless, and it is so important in all materials, not just fabric,” says Claudia Afshar.

“I have always been inspired by the materials found in nature and making the spaces I design as comfortable, warm and authentic as possible. Ukiyo is calming yet simplistic, and the colourways and fluting are romantic, but also contemporary and masculine to achieve balance.”

Designed especially for vertical cladding application, Dekton Ukiyo is available in matte finish with two fluting

52 | STYLE MANITOBA | WINTER 2023

options: GV2 with grooves set 25 mm apart and measuring 5mm wide and 3 mm deep; and GV3 with grooves set 11 mm apart and are 4mm wide and deep. Both will come in tile sizes 17.7 inches by 118 inches. To launch the Ukiyo offering, Afshar hand-selected five existing Dekton colourways: Bromo, Kreta, Nacre, Umber and Rem to provide a comprehensive colour palette to work independently and together.

Bromo offers a dark grey shade, inspired by homogeneous metamorphic rocks such as slate. Subtle, faded graphics, a carefully created texture and a natural aesthetic define this evocative colour, perfect for any environment.

Kreta is inspired by classic cement floors, with calm movement. The design is even and controlled, although it provides darker or lighter areas depending on the density of the pattern. Its matte texture and gray tone combine with any material, making it suitable for diverse applications.

Nacre boasts movement that engages all senses - the trowel marks that bring the colour to life, and the subtle interplay of light and shadow that accompanies every inch of the design. The touch delights with a silky finish to fingers as they run over the different reliefs and scattered gradients.

Umber features a timeless, rebellious colour with its unique personality and charisma. The terracotta is warm, very attached to the Earth and closely connected to nature.

Rem provides intricate design, with brown and grey veining and hints of gold. Its fine veining under a subtle grain offers the ultimate in natural sensitivity.

“There is a current need in the market for surfaces that perform both indoors and outdoors to achieve a cohesive, luxurious look,” said Eduardo Cosentino, Cosentino’s CEO of the Americas and Executive Vice President of Global Sales.

“With all the performance characteristics of Dekton and the beautiful fluting options readily available in large tiles, we

are confident the collection will appeal not only to designers and homeowners but architects, fabricators and developers.”

See Dekton Ukiyo at Cosentino’s local showroom at 3020 Red Fife Road in Winnipeg, where they offer over 6,000 slabs stocked in a facility with a 4000-square-foot showroom, a 20,000-square-foot warehouse, a sample room, and a space for continuing education and events.

Look to Cosentino for bathroom countertops and washbasins, shower trays, floors and cladding, not to mention design-forward inspiration and technical advice.

“It's important to be able to touch and feel stone and tile products and to see their colouration and unique aspects firsthand,” says Cosentino Winnipeg General Manager, Scott MacKenzie, inviting prairie-based trades, designers, architects and the public to investigate Dekton Ukiyo, as well as the advantages of Cosentino’s total design approach.

Visit www.cosentino.com for more information.

WINTER 2023 | STYLE MANITOBA | 53

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DESIGN &DECOR

Delicious Drama

BY LE A CU R RI E

BEFORE

T

his dramatic kitchen proves that dark colours can evoke both sophistication and a cozy feel. While dark colours tend to naturally make a room smaller or closed off, the thoughtful room design still retains a light feeling with the large windows, high ceilings and open concept allowing for lots of natural light to flow throughout the space.

“The client's selection of natural walnut and the inclusion of black accents has made this home a beautiful example of contemporary modern charm,” says Andy Schultz, designer for Kitchen Craft, which supplied the cabinetry.

With the design skills and product knowledge of Anthony Silvari of Silvari Carpentry, Kitchen Craft

was able to bring this project to life. Shaker style doors and slab drawer fronts keep the look simple without detracting from the real beauty of the natural walnut.

The rich wood grain stands out against the simple backdrop of a lighter marble-effect backsplash and quartz counters. The off-white walls maintain the cabinetry's earth tones while the black maple mouldings, accents like the toe kick and appliances provide a touch of subtle drama.

While Kitchen Craft is synonymous with kitchens, the company’s dedicated team can offer solutions for any other space in the home. The samewalnut cabinetry is found throughout the house, including the entryway, laundry room and bathrooms.

“With a firm belief that there is a look for every lifestyle, Kitchen Craft combines a rich history with a fashion-forward approach to create gorgeous expressions for every budget,” says Schultz.

With experienced design and dedicated service, the local company makes the prep work for your renovation or home build easy. With products made right here in Winnipeg, over 50 years in the business, a lifetime warranty and a dedicated team to help you every step of the way, it's easy to cook up your dream kitchen.

Visit one of Kitchen Craft showrooms at 1-1659 Kenaston Boulevard or 1500 Regent Avenue. Learn more at kitchencraft.com

WINTER 2023 | STYLE MANITOBA | 55

Secter Architecture + Design Lindsay Reid Photography

COUNTERTOPS TILE INSTALLATION DESIGN CONSULT

204-453-8014 | 102-326 WARDLAW AVE | CARRARATILE.CA 56 | STYLE MANITOBA | WINTER 2023

DESIGN &DECOR

Surfaces from Scratch

BY LE A CU R RI E

|

P H OTO G R A P H Y: L I N D S AY R E I D P H OTO G R A P H Y

T

his kitchen creates drool and not just from the delicious food that is made here. The jaw-dropping space is deserving of admiration – saliva and all. The open and airy concept with a wall of windows allows the outdoors to come in, giving unobstructed views of the beauty outside. The grand design is luxurious, yet simple, with a clean palette and fine details, including sumptuous marble countertops and backsplash from Carrara Tile & Marble Ltd. The Fior di Bosco marble mixes grey tones with alternating bursts of white and amber veins and occasional orange striations, creating a look of elegance and sophistication with a touch of mystery. The stone is porous, but its honed finish along with a sealer makes this material durable and suitable for the kitchen, while giving a subtle sheen to the natural look. The countertop's knife-edge– a sharp, angled edge that mimics a knife blade – gives the marble

a modern look that nicely complements the kitchen's contemporary design.

“We're proud of the work we do and our attention to detail,” says Matt Vaccaro, vice president for Carrara Tile & Marble Ltd. and grandson of founder, Matteo Vaccaro. “We take the time to help clients find the perfect slab for their home.”

The team at Carrara Tile & Marble Ltd. worked with Secter Architecture & Design Ltd. and Harris Builders to find just the right surface that would meet the vision for the home and install the final products. The completed space was beautifully captured

by Lindsay Reid Photography.

Carrara Tile & Marble Ltd. has been family owned and operated for almost 40 years and is one of Winnipeg’s largest retail hard surface showrooms. Whether you're a con-

tractor or designer or doing a home renovation project, their experienced sales staff can help you choose the right material for your project. The company offers stone, ceramic and porcelain products, as well as custom fabricated countertops using quartz, granite, marble, quartzite and onyx.

For nearly four decades, the team has been building relationships with suppliers around the world, sourcing a wide range of beautiful, high-quality materials, to ensure Manitobans are never limited in their options. Their experienced staff can even help you narrow down the choices from the many tile and stone options, including finding the right colour, layout ideas and more.

“Our team is very passionate about what we do. As a company in our third generation, this business is literally in our blood!” says Vaccaro. “Whether you WINTER 2023 | STYLE MANITOBA | 57

have a design idea in mind or require recommendations, we are here to help you. We work with our customers on everything from colour and style decisions to the type of setting materials to use to get their job done,” says Vaccaro.

New Showroom Carrara Tile & Marble Ltd. will be opening a new showroom in January 2024 at 326 Wardlaw Avenue in Winnipeg, just minutes from their current location. The new space will boast lots of new and exciting lines that aren't found in any other showroom in town.

“One highlight will be the boardroom that we're inviting local designers and contractors to use as their own. Bring your clients in, enjoy an espresso and spend as much time as you need nailing down important details pertaining to your project,” says Vaccaro.

From a full renovation, new flooring or just replacing your backsplash, Carrara Tile & Marble Ltd. can help every step of the way, including full installation services.

Learn more at www.carraratile.ca

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DESIGN &DECOR

The Wall Candy Co. This isn't your grandma's backsplash.

Create a one-of-a-kind backdrop with Winnipeg's own The Wall Candy Co. The company suspends a variety of media types behind tempered glass resulting in stunning feature walls that are talked about for years to come.

Owner Darcy Pritchard recalls revisiting a client 10 years after installing his Wall Candy. A decade later, it was still the most discussed feature in this home, with guests always considering different materials that could be used, such as wine corks.

Clients can choose the media type that best matches their kitchen, home and personality with choices including organic stone, crushed reflective glass, glass beads or semiprecious gemstones. A smartphone-activated LED edge or backlighting can also added.

“It’s very difficult in this industry to truly create something new. This is a global first concept,” says Pritchard proudly. “One thing we know for sure is that clients now, more than ever,

are seeking ‘signature’ features. Something that is unique and their own.”

With over two decades of experience working in kitchen design, homebuilding and luxury stone industries, Pritchard created this clever

concept in 2008. The lux offering is comparably priced with a full-stone slab backsplash.

Super-Lite is Winnipeg’s largest showroom with ceiling fans, lights for inside and out, and more. They offer a variety of different styles for all spaces, and in a beautiful setting

that allows customers to visualize the products in their own home.

Learn more at: thewallcandyco.com

Style Meets Function Gone are the days of hideous ceiling fans with wicker inserts in the blades and hurricane glass shades.

“It’s not your grandmother’s fan,” says Simon Simkin, co-owner of Super-Lite of the Maverick ceiling fan from Monte Carlo Fan Collections. “It’s become one of our best-selling fans.”

The contemporary ceiling fan comes in a variety of sizes and colours, with or without a light. If chosen, the bright LED light is integrated into the body of the fan and dimmable.

The fan’s direct current motor is quiet and extremely energy efficient. It comes with a remote control and wall controls are available. Some models and finishes are also weatherproof.

Beyond the beauty, there’s a natural practicality to a ceiling fan year-round.

“It really helps the comfort level in a room in both summer and winter because it sets up an airflow pattern in the room and keeps the temperature even,” says Simkin.

Visit the Super-Lite showroom at 1040 Waverley Street.

WINTER 2023 | STYLE MANITOBA | 59

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WINTER 2023 | STYLE MANITOBA | 61

DESIGN &DECOR

The Human Touch

BY LE A CU R RI E

W

hen designing a space, the overall layout and the general look and feel are crucial, but it's the finer details that really make the difference for day-to-day living. Considerations like what goes into each corner, how people move through a room and the use for every area. The interior design team at Ola Hiraeth 62 | STYLE MANITOBA | WINTER 2023

thoughtfully considers these details in every decision within their aesthetic.

Ola Hiraeth is a Winnipeg interior design studio that focuses on creating a “quality of space.” Co-owners Tanya Peters and Renee Struthers, both graduates of the University of Manitoba's Masters of Interior Design

program, along with two talented interior designers, Lauren Wiebe and Carla Zacharias, celebrate both function and the unexpected in their work.

“Functional considerations begin at concept. We take a very human-centered approach,” says Peters. “At the beginning of a residential project, for

example, we spend a lot of time space planning in which we map out the various routes a person might take within the home and how the structure (walls and other barriers) might facilitate or inhibit the flow of social activity. Function flows down to a micro level as well, including smaller details such as how a cabinet or a doorknob fits in a hand, or how the amount of light in the room allows for a range of functional tasks.”

The studio transformed this exquisite 3,700-square-foot home, located on a riverside acreage just outside Winnipeg.

Built in the 1950s, the homeowners wanted to maintain the house's character and architecture. While the Ola Hiraeth team did not shy away from demolishing areas of the home that were functionally or technically problematic to create better flow and function, they still maintained the original essence.

The designers created flexible spaces with both openness and enclosure, and the design is rich in tactile and visual interest. While the colour and textures change from room to room, a cohesion is maintained throughout.

The end result is a unique combination of old and new, with a luxurious, contemporary design that is firmly rooted in a beautiful, natural setting.

“It is our strong belief that good quality, natural materials stand the test of time. This prevents the need for frequent renovations and changes. The intent is that the house and its chosen materials can evolve with its occupants

throughout time and with minimal intervention. Beautiful, rich colour and textures are layered together with the neutral, natural palette creating artfulness and interest,” says Struthers.

This strong conceptual basis with a focus on natural simplicity and the human-centered approach is what sets Ola Hiraeth (pronounced O-la Heer-yth) apart.

“We believe in the importance of the process of our work. Every project comes with its unique set of circumstances and a context that requires a level of respect and balance. We feel our holistic approach honours existing conditions while incorporating the needs of our clients and a strong, lasting aesthetic appeal,” says Struthers.

The studio takes on a variety of commercial and residential projects, from small concepts to full-scale, new-build constructions. No matter the size, they create comfortable, beautiful, longlasting and adaptable interior spaces.

Ola Hiraeth has recently launched SUPPLY Interior Products with the same quality and thoughtfulness.

SUPPLY offers a timeless yet artful selection of architectural and interior finishes and products. The products have been carefully selected for their WINTER 2023 | STYLE MANITOBA | 63

long-lasting and aesthetically pleasing qualities. Most were not readily available in Manitoba until now.

This home includes products sourced

by SUPPLY, such as the Gillis Tyndall stone, a Manitoba-exclusive limestone seen in the home's interior and exterior, including the striking stone wall pictured. SUPPLY's line of natural pigment, 100% mineral paint, Pure and Original, was used for the ceiling, resulting in a beautiful, textural quality.

Other products from SUPPLY include a cashmere wool carpet in a wide range of colours, as well as handmade ceramic tile from Mexico, among others.

“These rich and textural materials demonstrate how the careful application and placement of the right product can bring life and character to a project.” says Peters.

Together, Ola Hiraeth and SUPPLY Interior Products offer purposeful, thoughtful offerings that bring joy to a space while working in harmony with the natural world.

Visit the showroom at 539 Osborne or online at : www.olahiraeth.com

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QUALITY PRODUCTS FOR THOUGHTFUL SPACES

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