T8N January 2017

January 2017 t8nmagazine.com

Fentanyl

Escape to the

Muttart

Conservatory

Why Information Is Our Best Defence

8 Tips for Travel Blogging

Ready, Set, Dough!

It’s Dumpling Time

Say “I Do”

to Destination Weddings

January 2017

Contents CONVERSATIONS 6 Understanding the

Fentanyl Crisis Why information is our best defence

ARTS & CULTURE 13 Escape to the Muttart

Conservatory A summer’s dream awaits

Threading Shaping the future of hair removal

19 IN THE SPOTLIGHT

20 THEN & NOW

Akinsdale Then & Now

22 THE 8s

The Modern Vacation Slide Show 8 tips for sharing your adventures online

LIVING 25 FOOD & GATHERINGS

Some Things Need Dumplings Ready, set, dough!

31 TRULY DEEPLY MADLY

May We Suggest…

Tips for Renting a Vehicle

ABOUT THE COVER Wherever you go, go with all your heart.

IMAGE BY BRENDA LAKEMAN PHOTOGRAPHY

CITY 32 MEET YOU THERE

Chartier Restaurant A restaurant with community at its heart

34 COMMUNITY CALENDAR TRENDING 37 Choosing Travel

Over Tradition Planning a wedding that goes the distance

40 Airbnb (n.)

Tailored travel of the modern age

T8N January 2017  3

From the Editor T8N MAGAZINE

WHEN YOU THINK about it, it’s kind of funny.

CARMEN D. HRYNCHUK EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

January, in all of its fresh-start glory, has a way of making us feel … well… less than fresh and glorious. Not surprisingly, this has everything to do with the year that’s past and little to do with January itself. Just the same, there’s nothing like a little winter getaway. And travel is exactly what’s on our editorial agenda. But don’t pack just yet!

Some of the best winter escapes are just down the road. Let’s go…

To start things off, this month’s photo essay takes us to the Muttart Conservatory—a tropical escape in the heart of Edmonton. But that’s no t the only neighbour we’re visiting. This month’s Meet You There has us heading southeast to Chartier Restaurant in the community of Beaumont—the first crowd-funded restaurant in Alberta.

For those craving a destination more than an hour away, we’ve got tips for planning a destination wedding, renting a vehicle—and even advice for how to blog about it.

Rounding out this month’s editorial is an empowering feature article that explores the overwhelming topic of fentanyl and helps us understand why information is our best defence.

A full issue, indeed. And a great beginning to 2017—a year of ideas, conversations and community. Let’s make it a great one. And let’s do it together.

VOLUME 4 ISSUE 1 January 2017 PUBLISHER

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Rob Lightfoot

Carmen D. Hrynchuk

ART DIRECTION

Carmen D. Hrynchuk, Brenda Lakeman PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT & DESIGN

Correna Saunders DESIGN

Megan Hoskin, Shelby Johnson PHOTOGRAPHY

Brenda Lakeman FOOD STYLING

Little Fire Creative PROOFREADING

Amy Lightfoot CONTRIBUTORS

Shawna Dirksen, Jennie Drent, Bruce Timothy Keith, Rhonda Kronyk, Robert Michon, Vanessa Roset, Leslie Vermeer OFFICE MANAGER

Janice Lightfoot CONTRIBUTING AGENCIES Image page 6 ©serpeblu/Adobe Stock Image page 7 ©daviles/Adobe Stock Image page 19 ©deanz/Adobe Stock Image page 22 ©Rawpixel/Adobe Stock Image page 22 ©f9photos/Adobe Stock Image page 31 ©Drobot Dean/Adobe Stock Image page 37 ©EpicStockMedia/Adobe Stock Image page 38 ©pupae/Adobe Stock Image page 40 ©sdecoret/Adobe Stock

Cheers!

ISSN 2368-707X (PRINT) ISSN 2368-7088 (ONLINE)

Feature Writers LESLIE VERMEER

Leslie is an Edmonton-based writer and professor who recently spent a year living in the waters off Vancouver Island.

For editorial inquiries or information, contact T8N magazine at info@t8nmagazine.com. Have something to say? Letters, suggestions or ideas can be sent to letters@t8nmagazine.com.

FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION

Rob Lightfoot rob@t8nmagazine.com 780 940 6212 or visit t8nmagazine.com T8N magazine is published 12 times a year by T8N Publishing Inc. Copyright ©2016 T8N Publishing Inc. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is strictly prohibited.

SHAWNA DIRKSEN

Shawna is a freelance writer with a strong connection to St. Albert: she lived here for 8 years, and her first writing gig after earning her public relations diploma was with the Arden Theatre and International Children’s Festival. Now in Edmonton, Shawna keeps busy writing for local publications and businesses. When she isn’t hard at work, she enjoys reading, running, skiing, live music and theatre.

Content marked by the Sponsored Content icon was produced in partnership between content producers and T8N magazine.

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T8N PUBLISHING INC

Visit T8Nmagazine.com to meet the rest of our team and regular contributors.

PUBLISHER & PRESIDENT

Rob Lightfoot: rob@t8nmagazine.com Snailmail: #176, 311 Bellerose Drive, St.Albert AB T8N 5C9

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T8N January 2017  5

Conversations

UNDERSTANDING

THE FENTANYL CRISIS Why information is our best defence

BY LESLIE VERMEER

DOES IT SEEM like every time you turn around,

there’s another story about fentanyl? You’re not mistaken. Just a year ago, Health Minister Sarah Hoffman described fentanyl as Alberta’s leading public health problem. Since then, the fentanyl problem has become a crisis. In the first nine months of 2016, 193 Albertans, including one St. Albert resident, died from fentanyl-related overdoses.

The emergence of fentanyl has been so sudden and so staggering that the media coverage is often sensational, even hysterical. And fentanyl is frightening. A fatal dose is almost unthinkably small: as little as 2 mg, roughly the size of two grains of sand. Fentanyl and its analogues, including carfentanil (which is a hundred times more potent than fentanyl), are being manufactured in clandestine labs and mixed into various street drugs. Even dealers may not know what’s in their product, nor how potent it may be.

This information is not meant to frighten you. Instead, with some basic facts and resources, you can feel informed, empowered and less afraid.

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What Are Opioids?

Fentanyl is an opioid. At their most basic, opioids are medications we take to relieve pain. They imitate the body’s own endorphins by binding to opioid receptors found in the brain, spinal cord, gastrointestinal tract and other organs. There they either inhibit the transmission of pain signals or produce an excess of dopamine, a chemical we associate with rewards and pleasurable feelings. Some opioids you may have heard of include codeine, morphine, heroin and oxycodone (OxyContin).

Beyond reducing the perception of pain, opioids produce side effects such as drowsiness, mental confusion, nausea and constipation.

Depending on the amount of drug taken, opioids may also significantly slow down respiration. Some people experience a euphoric response to opioid medications because these drugs affect the part of the brain involved in experiencing pleasure. Others feel numbing or a sense of relaxation, a lessening of anxieties.

Over time, people who take opioids of any kind need more of the drug to achieve the same effects. This process is called developing tolerance. Tolerance diminishes after a person stops taking opioids, so over time a once-tolerable dose could be toxic. Because of their pain-relieving effects, however, opioids may quickly become addicting, creating strong dependencies that require complex, long-term treatment.

What Is Fentanyl?

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid, meaning it is chemically similar to morphine and heroin, but does not occur naturally. Like other opioids, fentanyl acts rapidly in the body to relieve pain and reduce feelings of anxiety. It is up to 100 times more potent than morphine, and its euphoric effects may be profoundly addictive. Its strong, physically depressive qualities, however, can be fatal.

Pharmaceutical fentanyl has been available since the early 1960s, when its primary use was as an anesthetic. Today, pharmaceutical fentanyl is more often used with patients managing acute or chronic pain—cancer patients in palliative care, for instance. Most of these patients take fentanyl through patches applied directly to the skin. Although pharmaceutical fentanyl may be abused, illicit fentanyl is the form most commonly found in western Canada.

Illicit fentanyl is produced in illegal home labs (often called clandestine labs) from chemicals that are readily available overseas.

According to Sgt. Layne Wakefield, until recently a member of St. Albert’s RCMP Drug Unit, much of the fentanyl in Canada comes from China and Russia, where it is not illegal to manufacture. It is shipped to Canada as a nearly pure powder, then mixed with other

WHAT TO DO FOR AN OPIOID OVERDOSE Call 911.

Stay with the person, and keep the person conscious and as engaged as possible.

Use naloxone if it’s available and you know how to give the injection. More than one injection may be necessary, depending on the severity of the overdose. Naloxone will have no effect if the person has not taken opioids.

Do not give the person any other drugs. substances and formed into pills (or, less commonly, sold as a diluted powder). These other substances, called adulterants, may include caffeine, heroin and even xylazine, a powerful veterinary tranquilizer. The ease of manufacturing fentanyl and fentanyl analogues (chemicals that are similar to fentanyl in their makeup and effects), alongside the small dose required to produce effects—one kilogram of fentanyl powder can yield 500,000 or more pills, depending on how it is cut—means the drug has become widely available across Canada.

The biggest problem with illicit fentanyl is quality control. The type and quantity of fentanyl in a pill or mixed into another substance may vary considerably. Batches often have “hot spots,” meaning some pills contain more fentanyl than other pills. A batch of chocolate chip cookies provides a visual analogy. Although the cook may put one cup of chocolate chips into the batter, any one cookie could contain more or fewer chips: no two cookies are alike.

Depending on how the fentanyl is cut, it may be contaminated with substances that resist

treatment in the case of an overdose, and the strength of fentanyl analogues is unpredictable.

Some are many times more powerful than fentanyl itself, and new analogues emerge frequently.

When fentanyl or an analogue is mixed with another drug, the fentanyl is virtually undetectable. And it is when fentanyl is mixed with other drugs, or is presented as another drug—most commonly oxycodone—that the risk of overdose becomes acute. The user may unwittingly take too much and die of fentanyl poisoning.

Another major problem with fentanyl is users who are “opioid naïve”—that is, who have not taken opioids before or do not know they are taking opioids. For a user with no tolerance for opioids, a two-milligram dose may be fatal.

Here’s where the fentanyl problem becomes a crisis. In western Canada, fentanyl is known by various street names, including street oxy or fake oxy. Other names include greenies, green monsters, beans or green beans, apples or green apples, eighties or shady eighties. Now that oxycodone, a much less potent pain-reliever, is carefully regulated, some recreational drug users, and many novice users, have started buying street oxy as a replacement. Buyers may think they’re actually buying oxycodone; the pills are often pressed to look like OxyContin (light green with CDN stamped on one side and 80 stamped on the other). But if the pill is actually fentanyl and that pill is “hot” or the consumer takes more than one, the effects might be fatal unless an antidote is administered immediately.

Naloxone Naloxone, also known as Narcan, is the only antidote for fentanyl poisoning. Naloxone is an opioid-antagonist. That means it counteracts the effects of opioids such as fentanyl, heroin and oxycodone. Naloxone is used in emergencies to keep a person who has overdosed on opioids alive until full medical attention is available; it is not a replacement for emergency care.

Naloxone reduces harm by interrupting or reversing an opioid overdose and preventing brain damage or death. Most importantly, it restores respiration, which means the user continues to breathe and his or her heart continues to beat. Naloxone has no other effects and does not produce a high. It is effective only within a very brief window before an overdose becomes fatal.

T8N January 2017 7

Although normally available only by prescription, naloxone is being distributed freely across Alberta (as well as in British Columbia) in kits for drug users and their friends and families, as well as for emergency responders. Naloxone kits are crucial to Alberta’s overall strategy of harm reduction.

The availability of naloxone is not tacit permission to use drugs. Rather, it is an acknowledgement that people are dying from using fentanyl.

How We Got Here Although pharmaceutical fentanyl has been used clinically for decades, the appearance of illicit fentanyl in Canada is fairly recent.

In mid 2013, members of the Canadian Community Epidemiology Network on Drug Use, a national network of community partners who share information about emerging local trends in substance use, began to report illicit fentanyl showing up in pill and powder form.

Since then, its circulation has skyrocketed, primarily in British Columbia and Alberta, although fentanyl is a Canada-wide problem.

In 2014, Alberta reported 120 fentanyl-related deaths; in 2015, that number rose to 272.

Experts predict the toll for 2016 may reach

“Information doesn’t lead to exploration. Information doesn’t lead to experimentation.”

–Peter Churchill, Addictions Advisor, Alberta Health Services

300 deaths. And although most deaths are concentrated in urban centres such as Edmonton and Calgary, month by month the picture is changing. Fentanyl is showing

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up frequently in suburban communities and small towns. No community is immune.

In a resource produced for Alberta Health Services, Dr. Hakique Virani, who works

out of the Metro City Medical Clinic in Edmonton, says many users of fentanyl are young—often high-school age—and come from upper-middle-class families. Virani attributes the arrival of fentanyl to a gap in the drug market. When oxycodone disappeared from the Edmonton area, the initial response was a spike in the heroin trade, then the appearance of fentanyl, followed by fentanyl analogues. Virani’s observations don’t blame or point fingers, but do speak to a community-wide problem of silence and misunderstanding surrounding drug use and addictions.

SIGNS OF AN OPIOID OVERDOSE Extreme drowsiness—the person may be unable to stay awake or may not respond to communication Breathing is very slow or stopped, or breath may sound like gurgling or snoring Pulse (heart rate) is slow or absent Pupils are very small, like a pinpoint, or the eyes may be rolled back

communications about fentanyl—on Edmonton city buses, for instance. The key messages may be uncomfortable because they directly address the potentially fatal consequences of fentanyl use: Don’t use alone. Test a small amount of a drug before using. Don’t mix opioids with other depressants (“downers”). Carry a naloxone kit. Learn rescue breathing. Educate yourself and others. But this is not a topic to shrink back from, no matter how uncomfortable we may feel, because a person’s first experience with fentanyl could also be the last.

Public health officials are uniformly emphatic: making people aware of the risks of fentanyl is not an endorsement or an encouragement to take drugs. Peter Churchill, an addictions advisor at Alberta Health Services, says, “Information doesn’t lead to exploration. Information doesn’t lead to experimentation.” This message is particularly important for teachers and parents of teens, who are often opioid naïve. One of the most important things adults can offer the young people they care about is communication.

Open, honest conversation—about what kids are curious about, what they believe they know, what they don’t know—is an important element of harm reduction.

Safety in Conversation The fentanyl crisis is not something that’s happening somewhere else to someone else. It’s a problem in affluent, suburban communities, including St. Albert, and it’s affecting people you know, work with, coach or teach. Part of the conversation around safety involves acknowledging that fentanyl is available in St. Albert.

Ignoring this issue will cost the lives of hundreds, perhaps thousands, of young people, some of whom have no idea how risky so-called recreational drugs can be. This is especially important right now because fentanyl is being cut into ecstasy (“X”) and MDMA (“Molly”). At a recent public meeting held in St. Albert in conjunction with National Addictions Awareness Week, the presenters had one resounding message: talk.

No community can afford to be quiet about drug use, mental health issues and addictions awareness, not when the stakes are so high.

This is an issue on which there is no moral high ground. We need to be honest about the problem and face it together. Communication and awareness are our best tools. t8n

Skin is very pale and feels cold Nails and lips may look blue or purple Body is limp and the person is unresponsive

A Harm-Reduction Strategy To combat the fentanyl crisis, Alberta Health Services has adopted a harm-reduction strategy. That means the first priority is to keep fentanyl users alive. Then specialists can work with an individual to find appropriate follow-up actions. A major component of harm reduction is information.

One of the best resources for current information about fentanyl and fentanyl analogues is the Alberta Health Services website (www.albertahealthservices.ca).

It provides straightforward information for people with addictions as well as health professionals, teachers and families, including downloadable instructions on how to recognize and handle an opioid overdose and how to use a naloxone kit.

You may also have noticed public-service T8N January 2017 9

DO YOU HAVE DRY EYES? The answer might surprise you!

F

or many people with dry eye, the symptoms are undeniable and ever pervasive, but for others it is not so clear-cut. I see patients adapting and coping not knowing their eyes could work and feel so much better. The prevalence of dry eye varies widely between studies but could be as much as a third of our population. Recent research indicates that the percentage is likely much higher for certain groups such as office workers, with percentages approaching 50%, partially because of their extensive digital-device usage. Furthermore, these numbers are expected to rise in large part due to our aging population, increasing digital-device usage and increasing prevalence of autoimmune diseases such as Type 1 diabetes and Lupus.

A number that might be even more surprising is that up to 70% of people polled don’t seek care when experiencing symptoms of dry eye.

So what sort of symptoms or signs might one experience with dry eye? Here are some of the questions I might ask a patient in the chair to confirm what I might see during the exam.

1. Do your eyes bother you while on your phone or computer?

2. Do your eyes get irritated when wearing your contact lenses?

3. Does your vision blur intermittently throughout the day?

4. Do your eyes water intermittently, especially in the wind or the cold?

5. Do your eyes get red, sore, itchy or burn?

6. Do you find you are getting sensitive to certain lighting?

7. Do you ever avoid certain activities due to your eyes?

8. Do you get frequent crusting or mucous in around your eyes?

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9. Do you get the intermittent feeling that something is stuck in your eye?

10. Do you ever use or feel the need to use eye drops?

If you answered yes to more than one of these questions, it’s probable that dry eye is involved. So what exactly is dry eye anyways?

In most cases, dry eye occurs when the eye does not produce enough tears or when the makeup of the tears changes so they are unstable and evaporate too quickly with the resulting irritation (inflammation) making matters worse. The tears prevent dryness, help keep the cornea smooth so we can see clearly, protect the surface from irritants and infection and so much more. So a poor tear film can result in more than just irritation.

Someone with mild dry eye might be tempted to disregard the symptoms, but it’s important to realize that dry eye is usually progressive in nature and, in general, is much easier to

manage in its early stages. It is for this reason that in my practice I focus on a proactive program to maintain a healthy ocular surface, striving for prevention when possible, treatment as needed.

Common causes of decreased tear production include increasing age, certain medications such as antihistamines and antidepressants, or certain medical conditions such as arthritis or diabetes. The main cause of increased evaporation and the main cause of dry eye in general is something called Meibomian Gland Disease (MGD). These meibomian glands in your eyelids produce an oily layer for your tears which helps prevent evaporation, so when they stop functioning properly, a cascade of dry eye can begin.

So how does digital-device usage fit into the mix? Well these oil-producing glands are expressed when we blink, and it turns out if

our blink frequency is reduced over extended periods of time, theses glands can get blockages or can be reduced in function. So since we blink approximately 50% less than normal when viewing digital devices, we have our answer. The problem can become chronic since if the blockages are not cleared or function restored for extended periods of time, the glands can be damaged or lost.

So what can be done to prevent and to treat?

From the prevention perspective, start with a routine exam, and ask your eye care provider about the state of your tear system. If you are taking medications or have any pre-existing health issues, then ask how they might affect your eyes over time. Since most dry eye is related to MGD, maintaining the function of those oil-producing glands is a critical step

in prevention in many cases. In mild cases, a simple eyelid heating and gland expression protocol can be effective prevention.

After diagnosing a patient with dry eye disease, the first step is determining the causative factors, as medications or other health issues may be contributing. Is there a decrease in tear production and/or decreased meibomian gland function? Is contact lens wear or digital-device usage compounding the situation? In some cases, the lid mechanics are part of the problem (the lids might not close properly, or the lower lid turns outwards). If diagnosed properly, the vast majority of patients with dry eye disease can find relief with proper therapy. For mild cases, a regime of eyelid heating/expression, artificial tear usage and specific oral

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supplements will likely be sufficient. In more recalcitrant cases, anti-inflammatory drugs together with drugs that modulate the immune system locally can help to quell severe irritation and help a person to produce more tears.

If you have dry eye disease and have been living with the symptoms, it is important to know that so much more than just using artificial tears can be done to help. On the other hand if you answered yes to any of the questions prior but have not sought out care as of yet, book an appointment; early treatment and prevention are key. As always, if you have any questions or concerns, we are here to help.

–Dr. Peter Roed Eyeland Optometry

This sponsored content was produced in partnership between Eyeland Optometry and T8N magazine.

780.460.9673 • 161 Liberton Drive #60, St. Albert • eyelandoptometry.ca

T8N January 2017 11

This sponsored content was produced in partnership between Phoenix Taekwon-do Club and T8N magazine.

12 T8Nmagazine.com

ESCAPE TO THE

MUTTART CONSERVATORY A summer’s dream awaits PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRENDA LAKEMAN

EVEN THE HARDIEST of prairie dwellers occasionally needs a

break from the winter. Thanks to a 40-year-old neighbour in the heart of Edmonton, that escape doesn’t have to mean an expensive vacation. No, if you’re looking for a warm and colourful break from the bleak, just visit the Muttart Conservatory. Designed by famed architect Peter Hemingway, this iconic landmark just celebrated its 40th anniversary.

You could take in a special show, go on a guided tour or just sit in one of the display pyramids reading your favourite newspaper.

If you’re in the mood to learn, you could take in a terrariummaking class or join a meditation group. There are even programs for your kids. So whether you’re a frequent visitor or haven’t been in years, escape to the Muttart Conservatory this season.

It’s sure to brighten your winter. Take a look.

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Before you enter the first pyramid, look up at the peak of the small pyramid in the main atrium at the large glass installation, called Biota, created by local artist Keith Walker. Next, walk up the ramp to the feature-display pyramid that holds 7 to 9 shows per year. This ever-changing display gives staff a chance to show off new plants and their skills, too. It also regularly offers visitors something new to enjoy. This season’s Christmas show runs until January 8 and showcases a model train and giant nutcrackers that sit among vibrantly coloured poinsettias, trees and plants. After January 8, staff will prepare the pyramid for February’s show, which celebrates Chinese New Year 2017, the year of the Rooster. The show begins January 14, with special programming and fireworks on February 4. In the spring, watch for the annual bulb show, The Sweet Smell of Spring.

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“Most people don’t know that we grow about 4000 species of orchids. We mimic their natural environment, so we’ve got plants from all over the world.”

–Dorothy Jedrasik, Greenhouse Grower/Orchid & Species Grower, Muttart Conservatory

The three, permanent-display pyramids showcase plants from three distinct biomes: tropical, arid and temperate. Each pyramid is maintained, primarily, by one person.

The tropical pyramid is kept at a balmy 24°C year-round and holds plants such as orchids and bananas, which are found in climates similar to the west coast of British Columbia. Look for dramatic seasonal changes in this display, which is climate controlled to allow for a winter dormant period before bursting into spring bloom.

The arid pyramid houses plants found in dry and hot climates, including many species of cacti and poinsettias, which are native to Mexico. Visit in the spring to see the cacti in bloom. While enjoying the plants and water features, look for work from local and visiting artists interspersed among the plants.

In the temperate pyramid, you’ll discover a landscape inspired by boreal and deciduous forests, grasslands and Mediterranean scrub.

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Off the atrium, a tunnel leads to the city-run greenhouses, maintained by four staff members. Tucked away at the end of one of the greenhouses is the volunteer-run Orchid Species Preservation Foundation —featuring one of the largest collections in North America!

Once you’ve enjoyed the respite only a beautiful garden can bring, stop by Culina’s for a coffee and snack. Then visit the gift shop, to take a little piece of your visit home with you.

So when you’re ready to take a short break from the chilly nights and snowy days, don’t buy a plane ticket. Instead, come to the Muttart, breathe in the smells and feast on the colours of Edmonton’s winter haven. t8n 16 T8Nmagazine.com

ESTATE CONNECTION LAW OFFICE

Helping you plan your family legacy

D

eath and taxes. You might be able to avoid taxes, but you cannot escape death. It is not a topic most people want to talk about, so many of us are not prepared for the legal issues that come with dying and incapacitation. That is why making your Will and other estate planning documents are important.

At Estate Connection Law Office, we can help relieve that stress for you and your loved ones.

I have been practicing law in this community for 12 years, and spent the last 8 years at Weary & Company, where most of my time was spent practicing wills and estate law. There is a real need for this type of specialized legal work in St. Albert.

Having properly prepared estate planning documents can give you the peace of mind that your wishes will be carried out after you are gone.

You can have a Will drawn up at any time, but it is a good idea to have it prepared when your assets are significant enough, or if you have minor children and wish to name a guardian. If you do have minor children, perhaps you would like them to have their inheritance distributed at different stages of their lives through trusts. If you go through a major change in your life such as marriage or divorce, retirement or the death of your spouse, it’s a good time to think about revising your existing Will.

Did you know that if you own property jointly with your spouse and he or she loses capacity, you won’t be able to transfer or re-mortgage the property without a properly executed Enduring Power of Attorney? Did you know that if it’s necessary to place your spouse in long-term care, the facility may require you to provide a properly executed Personal Directive? Not all law firms practice wills and estate law, and purchasing a

Will kit off the Internet isn’t always a good option.

Today, families are complicated. You may have children from a previous relationship, a family business, dependents who are disabled—these considerations need to be addressed properly in your Will. At Estate Connection, we’re focused on recent changes to legislation and how these changes impact different family situations.

People often ask why they even need a Will. If you don’t have a Will when you die, your estate will be administered according to legislation. Family members have to decide who will apply to be the administrator of your estate, which is governed by the Wills and Succession Act and it determines who will be the beneficiaries. Typically, the surviving spouse will receive the entire estate, but if this is a second or third marriage, children from another marriage may also benefit.

In the first meeting, we meet and and discuss who will be your executor, who will look after your children, how you hold your assets and who you would like to leave them to. After this meeting, we draft your documents, using the information you provided to us, and send them to you to read in the comfort of your own home. Once you have had a chance to read over the documents we contact you to set up a second appointment to meet and sign the final copy of your will.

8 QUESTIONS YOU NEED TO ASK YOURSELF ABOUT YOUR WILL 1. Do you have the original Will?

2. Is there an Affidavit of Witness attached to the Will to show that the Will is genuine?

3. Is your estate still being distributed the way you would like, including charities to provide a tax benefit?

4. If you have minor beneficiaries, do you have a trust in the Will?

5. Have you indicated funeral instructions or information on organ donation?

6. If you are contributing to someone’s RESP, have you planned for someone to be an alternate contributing subscriber?

7. Are any of your executors living in the United States or elsewhere?

8. If you own property outside Canada, have you planned for this in your Will?

Your estate planning documents are one of the most important planning tools you’ll ever make.

Choosing the right law firm to prepare these documents is the first step to ensure your wishes are met after your death. We don’t just see this as preparing legal documents, we see this as planning a family legacy and keeping family relationships strong. This may be a difficult topic, but it’ll be more difficult if you avoid it altogether.

Estate Connection Stacy L. Maurier BA, LLB I Lawyer t. 780 458 8228 I #220, 200 Carnegie Drive I St. Albert, Alberta www.estateconnection.com

Taking care of you and your family now....and forever!

Stacy L. Maurier BA, LLB • Lawyer

This sponsored content was produced in partnership between Estate Connection and T8N magazine.

T8N January 2017 17

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it’s important to bring your business to the right place. First and foremost, make sure the environment is clean and sterile. Your threading practitioner should be using new thread and clean scissors and brushes on each client.

THREADING

Shaping the future of hair removal WHEN IT COMES to beauty trends,

eyebrows are front and centre. In fact, some consider brows the most important facial feature. Keeping our eyebrows “on fleek” takes effort, but things have just gotten a little easier thanks to a new brow-shaping technique that’s actually centuries old. It’s called threading, and it’s taken over our salons, spas—and even malls. Here’s what all the buzz is about.

WHAT IS THREADING? Threading is a technique where a thin piece of cotton thread is used to remove facial hair. The thread is doubled up, twisted in a loop and quickly rolled over the skin to grip and pull out hair by its follicle. This method removes hair row by row, rather than one hair at a time (like tweezing). Threading is mostly used to shape and define eyebrows, but it will also effectively remove unwanted hair on the upper lip, chin and cheeks.

WHERE DOES THREADING COME FROM? We know that threading is a centuries-old technic that originated somewhere in the eastern hemisphere, but that’s where the “for sures” end. Some claim that threading started in India, while others credit the Middle

East. Either way, it’s an ancient tradition that’s still widely used throughout Asia.

THE PROS Perhaps the biggest pros to threading are speed and precision. Threading is faster than tweezing and more precise than waxing. An average threading session runs about 15 minutes, and the end result is a clean, defined brow shape.

Threading is also a safe, natural way to remove your unwanted facial hair. There are no harsh chemicals (like in waxes or depilatory creams), and it’s gentle on the skin. Many people who have tried threading say it’s less painful than waxing or tweezing.

Most describe a “slight pinching” sensation.

THE CONS Although threading works wonders on facial hair, it’s not effective in removing thick, coarse hair (like on the arms or legs). As expected, there are also some minor side effects, such as itchy, red or puffy skin where the hair was removed. In rare cases, people have experienced folliculitis (an infection of the hair follicles) as a result of threading.

TRYING OUT THE TREND If you’re ready to up your eyebrow game, there are a few things to look out for before going under the thread.

As with any type of salon or spa service,

Fun Facts Threading is easy on your wallet—it costs roughly the same as an eyebrow wax. The average price for a threading session is between $10 and $20.

Your threading results will likely last about three weeks.

It’s also a good idea to check into your practitioner’s credentials. Ask about his or her training and experience, certification and references.

Communication is important as well. You and your practitioner should have a detailed discussion about the eyebrow shape you would like to achieve to avoid any surprises.

WHAT SHAPE IS RIGHT FOR YOU? Choosing an eyebrow shape is completely personal, but these are the standard recommendations for matching face shape to eyebrow shape: Round face: angular with a high, sharp arch.

Square jaw: thick and strong, and slightly rounded or angular.

Heart-shaped face: clean, defined, and not too heavy or thick.

Oval face: classic shape with a slight arch.

WHY IS IT SO POPULAR? Over the last few years, the popularity of threading has grown significantly throughout North America. Threading services are offered everywhere—from salons and spas to kiosks at the mall—and customers are flocking to them.

One explanation for this high demand is the major emphasis on eyebrows in today’s beauty and fashion industries. Advertisements for every kind of eyebrow-enhancing product imaginable are everywhere. Celebrities, like Kim Kardashian and model Cara Delevingne, are leading by example when it comes to big, bold, well-defined brows.

Social media is also doing its part to keep eyebrows on trend. There’s the Instagram brow (an ombré-inspired eyebrow look), and let’s not forget the hashtag phenomenon #EyebrowsOnFleek.

With so many people striving for stylish brows, it’s no wonder that threading is thriving. t8n T8N January 2017 19

Then & Now Akinsdale/Kinex Arena, 2016.

AKINSDALE

AKINSDALE HAS A peculiar layout

when compared to the other neighbourhoods that were constructed alongside it. While most of the communities in St. Albert open up to the rest of the city, or to the country roads that surround them, Akinsdale is closed off along its south-eastern edge. St. Albert may have a strong sense of civic identity today, but back in the 1960s, the threat of the town being annexed into Edmonton was on everyone’s minds. Towns like Beverly and Jasper Place were being absorbed as the Edmonton sprawl grew, and to many at the time, it seemed like St. Albert would be next. Akinsdale is not only a residential area but also an intentional boundary and a statement of independence in response to the growing behemoth to the south.

THEN & NOW

DID YOU KNOW?

In 1972, Councillor John de Bruijn proposed the name “Akinsdale” in honour of notable community member Lorne Akins, who had passed away one year prior. The motion was carried with a unanimous vote.

1970s Like all new developments, Akinsdale started out as a humble proposal on the desk of St. Albert’s urban planning committee. Back then, it was simply called “Neighborhood 10,” and the development was intended to be the final residential zone on the south end of town. Even 45 years ago, the town’s leaders were concerned that Edmonton and St. Albert were growing a little too close for comfort, and a line would have to be drawn.

Residential construction began in August, 1973 and continued over the next several years. Developers, however, couldn’t build fast enough to keep up with demand, and prospective residents were growing

impatient. As a compromise, residents were allowed to move into the neighborhood as each house was completed, rather than having to wait until all the infrastructure could be put in. Those early occupants lacked telephone lines, street lights, sidewalks and paved roads. They would even wake up some mornings to find livestock from nearby farms grazing on their front lawns or skunks and porcupines digging through their gardens.

It was the wild frontier of St. Albert.

1980s During the first decade of development, the children of Akinsdale attended W.D. Cuts School, which was a full six kilometres from their homes. But this changed in 1982, with the opening of Elmer S. Gish, which was built to cater specifically to residents on the southern edge of town.

In 1983, the Akinsdale/Kinex twin arenas were completed, providing the skaters and hockey players of St. Albert with two more sheets of ice during the summer months.

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The residential housing construction of the 1970s was only half of the Akinsdale project.

The 1980s would see the development of the “Akinsdale South” commercial district, which is now the first sight to greet residents as they come into town northbound on St. Albert Trail. This addition wasn’t without

controversy, however, as many residents felt, once again, that the new development would eliminate too much of the desired green belt that separated St. Albert from Edmonton.

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Construction of Kinex Arena roof, 1982.

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Today After those two decades of initial development, things slowed down in Akinsdale. As promised by those early 1970s urban planners, St. Albert never grew beyond that intentional boundary.

Edmonton, however, did not plan any similar growth restrictions on its part, and that green belt never was preserved in the end.

Businesses in the Akinsdale South commercial centre, now known as the Gateway Village Shopping Centre, came and went over the years. As is always the case, some would fall victim to the changing tastes of the public, while other businesses would establish themselves as local favourites. Infill propositions continue to this day, and the residents of Akinsdale continue to protest the loss of their green spaces. Despite the increasingly dense nature of the neighborhood, developers are still finding room to squeeze in housing like the Rosedale senior’s home, allowing more and more people to call Akinsdale home.

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Even with the constant expansion of both Edmonton and St. Albert since the 1960s population boom, Akinsdale retains the honour of being the last thing residents see as they leave our city, and the first sight to welcome them home again. t8n

FUN FACT At the time of Akinsdale’s construction, Edmonton and St. Albert were separated by a four-kilometre-wide patch of farms and woodland. Today they are separated by a single ring road.

T8N January 2017 21

The 8s

THE MODERN VACATION SLIDE SHOW

8 t i p s foyro us hrar i n g a dve n t ur e s o n l i n e

22 T8Nmagazine.com

REMEMBER THE SEEMINGLY endless

slide shows your grandparents shared with family whenever they returned from their vacations? Thankfully, those days are gone. These days, it’s a lot easier and more entertaining to share your vacation adventures with friends, family—and even strangers —online. With a few simple tools and rules, you’ll be on your way to choosing the right platform and sharing the world as you see it. Here are 8 tips to get you started.

1. Decide Why You’re Sharing Grandpa never intended to put everyone to sleep with his slides, but he did want to share his joy with you. Why do you want to share?

Deciding will help determine what things to share (images, text, video), how often (daily, weekly) and how much (word count, video length, etc.). If medieval architecture is your passion, sharing pictures of old churches is probably appropriate. If your travel goal, however, is to share your perceptions of Central American life, you’ll probably be better off writing about the people. Make a plan, and stick to it.

2. Know Your Audience Who are you intending to share with?

Family? Friends? Complete strangers? The Internet makes sharing with everyone easy, but you decide on your audience. If you’re posting just for friends, you can be more relaxed with your writing and editing. If, however, you want to appeal to a wider audience, consider a bit more care, and be aware of the dangers of oversharing. Remember, it’s almost impossible to delete anything once it’s online, and nothing is truly private.

Always be circumspect about which details you put out there.

3. Choose a Platform There are so many ways to share online (see sidebar). Some travellers like to blog during their trips, posting daily summaries so readers can follow along. Others prefer to share their special moments instantly on social media (Facebook, etc.) and let the audience knit together their own narrative.

Video blogging (vlogging) is also popular and a great way to share “home movies.” Thanks to technology, creating a good-looking video is quite easy.

4. Know Your Timeline Consider when you intend to post. Grandpa’s slideshow happened after the trip was over, but with social media, people can enjoy real-time updates. But that means you will likely just be sharing a short note or posting a quick picture. If you choose to write a more detailed blog or want to focus on vlogging, there will be a time gap before your audience enjoys it. Mixing real-time updates with a blog that is days or weeks behind can become quite confusing. Consistency is the key here.

BE YOURSELF! Your voice is important. People will enjoy your adventure much more if you inject your personality into your shares. Make it about your unique perspective and you might meet people out there who like to see the world the way you do.

5. Choose Your Tools Travelling with a laptop can make some things easier, but isn’t the point of a vacation to get away from it all? However, with a little discipline, smartphones or tablets can be easy to use with the data functions turned off. And the cameras on newer phones are amazing at making it easy to post images. Of course, if photographs are your thing, a traditional camera is a must; just be aware that downloading and sharing those images will require more of your energy and your computer’s.

6. Make Notes Even people with great memories need reminders. If you have a particularly poignant moment or learn something new and interesting, take a moment to jot it down.

With the advent of smartphones, you can do this electronically, but also consider keeping an old-fashioned pen and notepad handy.

Use the ubiquitous pile of brochures and tour maps to recall your day, too. Snapping a quick picture of a sign or location that you can erase later can also help keep your information organized.

7. A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words If you are writing a blog, rely on pictures to show the things that defy description. Don’t post multiple images that might look alike

to your viewers; try taking images of interesting things that also have family or fellow travellers in them. That way you get the best of both worlds. Remember, too, that some pictures need captions; don’t assume people will know what they’re looking at.

8. Stay Connected Figuring out how you’ll get online is worth a bit of forethought. Smartphones generally have some sort of worldwide data roaming, but often with hefty cost. Thankfully, if you avoid uploading lots of pictures, updates shouldn’t use much of your allotment. To avoid using precious data, keep on the lookout for Internet cafés. For smaller updates, free Wi-Fi can often be found in restaurants, hotels and shops. Remember, it’s worth being extra cautious when using someone else’s Internet; take care not to leave any logons or passwords on the system. t8n

Platforms, Platforms, Everywhere Platforms Looking for ways to share your adventure? You’ll find plenty.

Here are a few to get you started: Blogs—generally more text based; open to everyone; will give you a domain like mytrip.blogspot.com or holidayinfrance.wordpress.org to share blogspot.com, wordpress.com, tumblr.com Vlogs—video-hosting sites; can be public or private Check out Youtube.com, Vimeo.com Social Media—generally require you to invite followers; can be public or private; simple image sharing, automatically resizes images for quick uploading Check out facebook.com, twitter. com, instagram.com Specialized Travel Sites—generally offer things like notifications, auto-mapping, help in planning your trip and sharing with like-minded travellers; free and paid versions Check out travelpod.com, mytripjournal. com, travellerspoint.com, tripatlas.com

T8N January 2017 23

PRO STAR HOCKEY DEVELOPMENT Raise your game to the next level

For the past five years, Pro Star Hockey Development has provided top-level hockey instruction to the youth of St. Albert, ages 5 to 17. Pro Star has been growing exponentially, primarily through word of mouth. What is the story behind Pro Star’s success and the increasing number of St. Albert families who are registering for their camps?

First of all, Pro Star is a proud member of the community and their roots in St. Albert go deep.

From their Head Instructor, Matt Bachewich, to the many on-ice instructors, they are home-grown.

These include familiar local names such as Alex Aldred, Cam French, Tyler Bunz and Derek Yeomans who offer WHL, NCAA, University and NHL experience.

A native of St. Albert, Bachewich began Pro Star five years ago to share the knowledge he has gained throughout 17 years of coaching experience, including Midget AAA, Junior A, University Men’s, and the Hockey Canada Program of Excellence.

Like the other Pro Star instructors, Matt believes in providing quality coaching for all players, from those just starting out in the game to those that are most advanced in their age group. Bachewich has coached several NHL players including Jordan Eberle of the Edmonton Oilers, Curtis Lazar of the Ottawa Senators and Colton Parayko of the St. Louis Blues, as well as over 100 WHL players.

24 T8Nmagazine.com 24 T8Nmagazine.com

In addition to their top-notch instructors and local ties, Pro Star camps also maintain a strict 4-to-1 ratio of players to instructors. As Coach Bachewich states “There will often be seven instructors on the ice with a group of 20 players and most of those instructors have Head Coaching experience at the Midget AAA level or higher. This offers unparalleled feedback and error correction for the players and is the key to learning skills properly and building good habits.”

Although the camps centre on skill development and preparation for tryouts, they still maintain an energy that is fun and upbeat. The focus is on challenging the players to be their best while providing a positive hockey experience.

In their 2017 season, Pro Star is offering more than 30 different camps. Specialized skill development sessions target your choice of scoring, skating, passing, stickhandling or battle camps. Position specific camps provide players with instruction on the keys to being a great forward, defenceman or goaltender, while tryout preparation camps push players to be at the top of their game and ready for the September evaluations. A new addition for 2017 are the initiation camps, which provide development for players ages 4 to 6.

attendance. High numbers of players return year after year, and new players continue to join the Pro Star family each year,” says Bachewich. “One of the most rewarding parts is when families approach us at the rink during the season and credit Pro Star for its part in helping their child make interlock hockey for the first time, take that step from Bantam AA to Bantam AAA or make a Tier 1 Novice team.”

Apart from its on-ice programs, Pro Star is active in the community and a proud sponsor of the St. Albert Minor Hockey Association.

With their expert instructors and innovative coaching strategies, you won’t have to worry about whether your child is getting the specialized instruction they need. Simply put, Pro Star prides itself on offering hockey development you can trust.

If you’re ready to raise your child’s game to to the next level, sign-up for Pro Star’s March and August camps. Don’t wait to register, as spots are filling up fast.Visit www.prostarhockey.ca to sign up today.

In their first year, Pro Star had 70 registrations and this number has grown rapidly to over 400 in 2016. “The proof of Pro Star’s success is in the

This sponsored content was produced in partnership between Pro Star Hockey Development and T8N magazine.

Food & Gatherings

Dumplings

SOME THINGS NEED

Ready, set, dough!

T H E R E’S J U ST SO M E T H I N G about

dumplings. Those little bundles of goodness, oh-so-perfect for dipping, stuffing, topping and devouring. Which is probably why you can go anywhere in the world and find one. From potato gnocchi and blueberry pierogi to pot stickers and steamed buns, there’s a dumpling (thank goodness!) for everyone.

In this issue, we’re celebrating some of our favourites. We hope they’ll be your favourites, too. Happy New Year!

T8N January 2017 25

Blueberry Pierogi Dessert pierogi are a truly special treat—and the perfect vehicle for dollops and dollops of whipped cream.

4 cups all-purpose flour 2 tsp salt 1 1/2 cups cool water 6 tbsp melted butter

For the blueberry filling 2 1/2 cups blueberries 3 tbsp sugar 1 tbsp cornstarch

Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl, and add the water and melted butter. Mix with a wooden spoon until combined, and then knead the dough with your hands until smooth (2 minutes). Cover with plastic wrap, and let rest 2 to 4 hours.

Roll out the rested dough to 1/8-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Using a small glass (or cookie cutter), cut the dough into circles.

Place the blueberries in a medium-sized bowl, and toss them with the sugar and cornstarch. Pick up a cut circle, give it a gentle stretch and place a teaspoon of blueberries in the centre of it. Fold the dough over the filling to create a half-moon shape, and pinch the edges closed. Place the pierogi on a floured tea towel, and repeat the process.

Fill a large Dutch oven with water, and bring it to a rolling boil. Add the pierogi 12 at a time, and gently stir the water with a wooden spoon. When the pierogi float to the surface, let them cook for 2 minutes and then transfer them to a serving dish greased with butter. Serve immediately with a little butter and a generous dollop of whipped cream.

Old-Fashioned Turkey & Dumpling Soup If you’ve got leftover turkey, you’ve got soup and dumplings for dinner… and lunch, and dinner again.

1 carcass from a roast turkey 1 large onion, peeled and chopped 4 medium carrots, peeled and chopped 2 medium parsnips, peeled and chopped 2 large potatoes, peeled and chopped 4 ribs of celery, chopped 6 cups chicken stock 6 cups water 1 bay leaf 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme

1 tsp salt 1 tsp freshly cracked pepper 3 cups roast-turkey leftovers, chopped 1 cup frozen peas 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley For the dumplings 1 cup all-purpose flour 2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp sugar 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 cup milk 1 tbsp oil (or melted butter)

To a large stockpot or Dutch oven, add the turkey carcass, onion, carrots, parsnips, potatoes, celery, chicken stock, water, bay leaf, thyme, salt and pepper. Cover, and bring to a boil over mediumhigh heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, and let simmer 1 1/2 hours. Remove the carcass and the bay leaf, and add the chopped turkey, frozen peas and parsley.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Next, add the milk and oil, and stir until smooth.

Using a teaspoon, drop dollops of the dumpling dough into the pot of simmering soup, and let them cook for two minutes before serving.

26 T8Nmagazine.com

Sweet & Spicy Dipping Sauce Don’t just save this for dipping dumplings in. Makes a great sauce for eggrolls, shrimp and tempura.

2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce 3 tbsp rice wine vinegar 1 tbsp Sriracha sauce (or chili garlic sauce) 1 tbsp sugar 2 tsp sesame oil 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds 1 scallion, thinly sliced

Place all the ingredients in a Mason jar, secure the lid and shake. Pour into a dipping bowl, and serve.

Shrimp & Shiitake Pot Stickers with Peanut Chili Sauce This bundle of goodness combines the bold flavour of dried mushrooms with the delicate sweetness of shrimp.

A beautiful appetizer for special guests.

Gnocchi with Balsamic Brown Butter & Sage Gnocchi freeze incredibly well, so make a double batch, and stash one away for a rainy day.

4 medium-sized russet potatoes, baked until tender 1 tbsp salt 1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten 1 1/2 to 2 cups all-purpose flour

For the sauce 5 tbsp unsalted butter 12 fresh sage leaves 1 shallot, thinly sliced 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar 1/2 cup reserved pasta water 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

When the baked potatoes are cool enough to handle, remove their jackets and purée the potato through a potato ricer directly into a large bowl. Add the salt, egg yolk and 1 1/2 cups of the flour. Mix with your hands until the dough begins to form. On a lightly floured surface, gently knead the dough, gradually adding the extra 1/2 cup of flour as needed (the dough should be soft and just a bit sticky).

Divide the dough into 4 pieces, and roll each into a long log, the thickness of your thumb. Cut each log into 1-inch pieces, and firmly roll each piece up the tines of a backwards-facing fork to create grooves and a slight curve. Place the gnocchi on a lightly floured tea towel, and set them aside.

In a medium skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add the sage, and cook it until crisp. Remove the sage, and set it aside. Then add the shallots. Stirring often, allow the shallots to cook and the butter to just begin turning brown.

Remove the skillet from the heat, and stir in the balsamic vinegar. Set aside.

Bring a large Dutch oven of generously salted water to a boil. Add the gnocchi, and cooke until they rise to the surface of the water (about 2 minutes). Remove the gnocchi with a slotted spoon, and add them to the skillet of brown butter and toss until coated. Next, add 1/2 cup of pasta water and the black pepper.

When the sauce simmers, remove the skillet from the heat, mix in the crispy sage and grated cheese, and serve.

20 large shrimp, peeled, deveined and finely chopped 1 cup dried shiitake mushrooms, rehydrated and finely chopped 1/4 cup scallions, finely chopped 1/4 cup cooked spinach, finely chopped 1/4 cup grated carrots 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar 2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce 2 tsp sesame oil 1 tsp freshly grated ginger 1 tsp salt 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper 1 pkg pot sticker wrappers (about 35 wrappers) For the sauce 1 cup smooth peanut butter 3/4 cup lukewarm water 1/4 cup tamari (or low-sodium soy sauce) 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger 2 tbsp sesame oil 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar 1 tbsp hoisin sauce 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tsp Sriracha sauce

Place all the ingredients for the pot stickers (except for the wrappers) in a large bowl, and mix until combined. Next, place a wrapper in the palm of one hand, and brush a little water around the edge of the wrapper (this will be the “glue” for sealing it). Place a tablespoon of filling in the centre of the wrapper, and fold the wrapper over the filling, creating a half-moon shape. Pinch the pot sticker closed with your thumb and forefinger (no need for pleats and fancy crimping).

Repeat the process until all the filling and wrappers are used.

Next, place all the dipping sauce ingredients in a food processor, and blend until smooth. Pour into a dipping bowl, and set aside.

Heat a little vegetable oil in a large frying pan over mediumhigh heat. Add half the pot stickers and a few tablespoons of water. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to medium and let steam for 3 minutes. Next, remove the cover, and flip the dumplings when they’re golden on the bottom. Brown the other side, and serve with the dipping sauce.

T8N January 2017 27

Ham & Egg Empanadas with Goat Cheese Frozen empanada shells and leftover baked ham make this simple recipe a delicious go-to for any brunch.

1 tsp butter 1 tsp olive oil 2 cups leftover cooked ham, diced 10 eggs, whisked (reserve 2 tsp for the egg wash) 1/2 cup chopped chives 3/4 cup crumbled goat cheese 1/2 tsp salt 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper 1 pkg frozen empanada shells (10–12shells)

Preheat your oven to 400˚F, and take out a large skillet. Place the skillet over mediumhigh heat, and add the butter and olive oil.

Next, add the diced ham, and cook it until browned and slightly crispy (5 minutes).

Remove the ham to a mixing bowl, and add the whisked eggs (reserving 2 tsp) to the hot pan. Add the chives, and scramble the eggs until par-cooked (loose but not raw). Add the scrambled eggs to the bowl with the ham.

Fold in the crumbled goat cheese, salt and pepper, and let cool 15 minutes.

Pork Pot Stickers If you thought pot stickers were hard to make, think again. Simply mix, spoon out, pinch and fry.

1 lb (.45kg) ground pork 1/4 cup chopped scallions 1/4 cup chopped parsley 2 eggs 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger

1 tbsp hoisin 1 tsp chili oil 1 tsp sesame oil 1 tsp salt 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

1 pkg won ton wrappers (about 35 wrappers)

Place all the ingredients (except for the won ton wrappers) in a large bowl, and mix until combined.

Next, place a won ton wrapper in the palm of one hand, and brush a little water around the edge of the wrapper (this will be the “glue” for sealing it). Place a tablespoon of filling in the centre of the wrapper, and fold the wrapper over the filling, creating a half-moon shape. Pinch the pot sticker closed with your thumb and forefinger (no need for pleats and fancy crimping). Repeat the process until all the filling and wrappers are used.

Pan-fry the pot stickers in a little vegetable oil over medium-high heat until cooked and golden (3 to 4 minutes per side). Serve while hot with your favourite dipping sauce.

A healthier new smile A happier new year Include us in your New Year plan 28 T8Nmagazine.com

DANA HARDY dds

Lay out 10 empanada shells, and roll out each just a little. Next, brush some of the reserved egg wash around the edge of each shell (this will be the “glue” for sealing them). Evenly divide the scrambled egg mixture among the centres of each shell. Fold the shell over the filling creating a half-moon shape, pinching the edges to seal.

Place the empanadas on a baking sheet lined with parchment, and brush the tops with the remaining egg wash. Prick the tops with a sharp knife to create steam vents, and bake in the preheated oven for 12 minutes.

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Ponzu-Ginger Dipping Sauce The only thing better than the perfect pot sticker is plunging it in a gingery ponzu sauce. Also great with shabu-shabu.

1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice or lime juice 1 tbsp water 2 tbsp mirin 2 tsp freshly grated ginger (more if you like) 1 tsp toasted sesame oil Thinly sliced chives or scallions (optional)

Place all the ingredients in a Mason jar, secure the lid and shake. Pour into a dipping bowl, and serve. Leftovers make a great glaze for grilled chicken or shrimp.

GROCERIES SUPPLIED BY

ST. ALBERT

Hoisin Duck with Steamed Buns Chinese steamed buns are the perfect pockets for stuffing full with pork belly, chicken or even marinated tofu. We opted for hoisin duck, fresh from the deli.

1 cup whole milk 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted 2 tsp instant yeast 5 tbsp sugar 1 large egg 2 1/2 tsp salt 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour Vegetable oil, for brushing

Place the milk and butter in a small pot, and heat it to just above body temperature (warm to the touch). Pour the mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the yeast, and stir to dissolve. Next, add the sugar, egg, salt and flour. Mix on medium speed until

well combined, then hand-knead for 5 minutes.

Place back in the mixing bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rest 2 hours.

Divide the dough in half, and form each half into 8 balls. Roll each ball into a 1/4-inch-thick oval.

Brush the tops with vegetable oil, and fold each oval in half. Firmly press (and squish) each bun with the palm of your hand.

Place each bun on a square of parchment paper, and arrange them in 4, 10-inch steamers. Stack the steamers.

Fill a large Dutch oven half full with water, and place the stack of steamers atop it (suspended above the water). Add the steamer lid, and let the buns rise 1 hour. After the hour, turn the heat to medium-high, and once the water begins to boil, set the timer for 8 minutes. Check the buns for puffy doneness, and steam longer if needed.

Serve warm, and stuff with roasted hoisin duck and your favourite greens. t8n

T8N January 2017  29

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T8Nmagazine.com 2016 Cover

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Summercity.ca

Truly, Deeply, Madly

TIPS FOR RENTING A VEHICLE VACATIONS SHOULD BE relaxing,

but they ca n get pretty stressful when you’re spending too much of your holiday checking bus schedules or flagging down expensive cabs.

The solution: renting your own set of wheels. But before you hop into any car on the lot, check out these tips for getting the most out of your rental.

Find the Rental Deals There are dozens of rental agencies littered all around most airports of the world. But the first agency you come across will rarely offer the best deals, and what you gain in convenience is often reflected in the price. If you’re looking to save some money, consider taking a shuttle bus or a taxi to the city’s core, and do some shopping around.

Did You Know?

In Canada, we’re familiar with minimum age requirements when it comes to car rentals. But in many countries, rental agencies impose maximum age limits, meaning that seniors and teens find themselves in the same boat when trying to rent a car. mention it. Document any discrepancies with your camera, and alert the agent who is carrying out your transaction. Whether it’s an honest oversight or a blatant scam, a quick survey of your vehicle will prevent a lot of unwanted rental headaches.

Be Insurance Savvy

Once you’ve found a suitable price, do a quick Internet search for the rental company in question. Pair this search with words like “promotion,” “offer code” or “coupon.”

You’ll be surprised how many additional discounts are available through online promotions.

You’re not obligated to buy insurance from the rental company, but most will offer you car insurance, and some will even pressure you to buy it. So do your research before you agree to any additional fees. If you’re already paying insurance for your own vehicle, it’s likely that your coverage extends to rentals of a similar vehicle type. If you’re unsure, call your insurance company to find out exactly what coverage you’re already paying for, and ask if it might be a good idea to agree to the additional fees.

Get to Know Your Vehicle

Understand Your Contract

A lot of rental cars will come with bumps and scratches from previous excursions. To avoid being accountable for these damages, make sure to perform your own inspection of the car before you drive it off the lot. Take note of any dents, scratches, engine trouble or anything else that just seems off. Then

Are you allowed to take your rental car onto unpaved roads? Do you have a maximum kilometre limit? Is your rental one-way, or do you have to return it to the same agency from which you borrowed it? These are all important details that will be outlined in the fine print of your contract, so make sure to

read it fully before you sign. Don’t hesitate to ask the rental agent for clarification on any confusing points.

Investigate the World of Car Sharing If you’re planning on spending your trip in one city, you might want to consider a shorttime subscription to a car-sharing service.

Each service differs slightly, but standard practice has you paying based on your total distance travelled. Car shares can often be more convenient, cheaper and use subscriptions rather than contracts, so you’ll pay for only as much time as you use. The only major downside is that car shares restrict their users to travel within specific cities, so if you’re planning a road trip, it’s often better to stick to traditional rental models. t8n

Fun Fact A 2014 survey found that car-share services in Canada own a total of 5000 vehicles and serve over 289,000 users.

That number has only grown.

T8N January 2017 31

Meet You There

CHARTIER RESTAURANT A restaurant with community at its heart

SYLVIA AND DARREN Cheverie have

dreamed of opening a restaurant since they first met over nine years ago.

Chartier has been the realization of that dream for the couple, and their enthusiasm for the project has spilled over into the rest of the community of Beau mont. Sylvia a nd Da rren are the owners of the restaurant, of course, but they still have their own bosses to answer to. I n fact, they have 559 of them, in the form of the community investors who helped fund the restaurant.

Rather than seeking traditional forms of investment for their restaurant, Sylvia and Darren approached the citizens of Beaumont through the Kickstarter crowdfunding platform. “We both come from small towns,” Darren says, “So we understood that without community support, you can’t succeed with your business. We wanted to make sure that this restaurant would be something that people cared about and something that they would support.” Support is exactly what the couple got. Over a two-month campaign, they raised over $107,000 in donations from the community. “We owe the world to our backers, but that appreciation transfers to every customer that comes through our doors as well, so Kickstarter really matched our existing philosophy in that respect.”

Everything about Chartier, from the décor on the walls to the food on the tables, is a reflection 32 T8Nmagazine.com

of the community of Beaumont itself. “I reclaimed a lot of the wood in the restaurant from old farms in the area,” Darren says. “For

Fun Fact Even the name “Chartier” is a reflection of the community.

Back when the town was founded in 1895, there were three names under consideration: Beaumont, Bellevue and Chartier.

CHARTIER AT A GLANCE Location: 5012 50th Street, Beaumont, Alberta Specialty: French Canadian Cuisine Interesting Fact: Chartier was the first crowd-funded restaurant in Alberta and is the most successful crowd-funded restaurant in the country.

example, the door for our dry food storage comes from a 110-year-old barn. I could probably tell you the story of every piece of wood in here. We wanted to have as much of the actual history of the town represented here as possible.”

The food itself is also locally produced as much as possible. A garden just east of town provides all of the restaurant’s fresh produce through the summer. “To me, FrenchCanadian cuisine is about using what’s available around you. We’re able to support our local producers and stay true to that culture.”

In true French-Canadian tradition, Chartier pickles or preserves what they don’t use during the summer months and uses these preserves to influence their seasonal winter menu. “French-Canadian cuisine has a lot of deep cultural roots, but it’s also something that’s still being defined. A lot of cuisines have been explored to the point where they have a set structure. French-Canadian food is still being figured out, and it’s really cool to be a part of that experimentation.”

Not all aspects of Chartier are rooted in tradition, however. Restaurants have a history of being rough on their employees, and in this region of the world, it’s assumed that people in the service industry are simply working towards better opportunities. These are attitudes that Sylvia and Darren are trying to change. “It can be easy to fall down a path of anxiety and depression in this industry.” Darren explains.

“The hours are long, the pay is low, it’s stressful work, alcohol is easy to come by and there is this longstanding tradition of a ‘suck it up and get back to work’ attitude.” This isn’t the model that Chartier follows. “People need to be fairly compensated for their work, and they need adequate time off. More than that though, they need someone to sit down with them and say ‘That was a rough night.

How are you doing? Do you want to talk?’

It’s how we run our business, and I hope to see more restaurants start doing the same.”

If you want to get to know Beaumont, there is no better place to start than by having a meal at Chartier. What you’ll taste is fine French-Canadian cuisine. What you’ll feel is the spirit of the community itself. t8n

DID YOU KNOW? Chartier’s kitchen windows open onto the street, giving passersby the opportunity to chat with the kitchen staff, and even purchase bread right from the bakers.

T8N January 2017 33

COMMUNITY

CALENDAR Things to do, watch, hear and see this January.

library? If you have a head for puzzles and like working in groups, this is the activity for you. Test your skills to get out of a locked room before the clock runs out. For kids and teens in Grades 5 to 8.

Date: January 20 Location: Forsyth Hall, St. Albert Place, 5 St. Anne Street For more information: visit www.sapl.ca

EVENT

Paul Kane Presents Disney’s The Little Mermaid Paul Kane’s musical theatre troupe will bring Disney’s animated classic film to life, and you’ll be singing along to “Under the Sea,” “Kiss the Girl” and “Part of Your World.”

No cameras, please.

Sabrina’s 30th Anniversary Practice Dance Sabrina’s Dance Instruction is celebrating 30 years of teaching dance to St. Albert residents. This open practice is special, as it’s free. It’s open to anyone who has had dance lessons in the past or is taking lessons now and needs extra practice. The participants will choose the dances, and Sabrina will give the instruction. Register in advance.

Date: January 11 to 13 Location: The Arden Theatre, 5 St. Anne Street

Date: January 26 to April 6

For more information: visit www.pkhs.spschools.org

Location: Pottery Studio, 5 St. Anne Street

Star Wars Stop-Motion Movie Making St. Albert Public Library is inviting kids from Grades 4 to 6 to come to the library after hours to be a part of a short stop-motion movie about Star Wars. Costumes will be made, and then the cameras will start rolling.

May the force be with you.

Date: January 13 Location: Children’s Corner, St. Albert Public Library, 5 St. Anne Street

Date: January 6

For more information: visit www.sapl.ca

Location: St. Albert United Church, 20 Green Grove Drive

EVENT

For more information: visit www.sabrinadance.ca

Do you have what it takes to escape the

34 T8Nmagazine.com

Pottery—Clay Connection Nothing is more gratifying than playing with clay and getting messy. So if you’re 11 to 17 years old, sign up to learn how to use a professional potter’s wheel, tools and glazes.

Each or the 10 classes is 2 hours long and instructed by a professional potter.

EVENT EVENT

EVENT

Escape the Library

For more information: visit artgalleryofstalbert.ca/communityclass/ pottery-clay-connection-2/ EVENT

New North Collective These talented musicians from Canada’s Territories have been together only since 2015, but each has had a solo career spanning a lifetime.

Each member brings his or her own musical style (everything from rock to throat singing) to this new ensemble. Come and hear the musical imagery of northern Canada.

Date: January 28 Location: Arden Theatre, 5 St. Anne Street For more information: visit stalbert.ca/exp/ arden/events/new-north-collective t8n

Sales Enthusiast Needed T8N is seeking a Sales Enthusiast to join its team in promoting our vibrant St. Albert publication to advertisers. This position is ideal for a local St. Albertan who has as many as 40 hours or as few as 20 hours, per week, to commit to the task.

Those willing to commit fully during those hours are most likely to succeed financially. We are looking for those people! If you want to be part of something great and be well compensated for your success, this position is for you.

Visit t8nmagazine.com/opportunities for more information

Web Developer Who We’re Looking For T8N is looking for a web developer, on contract, to aid T8N Publishing with the development and improvement of its existing websites and the creation of new websites.

Qualifications • The ability to mock up and implement concepts in front-end templates using WordPress frameworks • Work with initial design documentation Source plugins, JS libraries and other software add-ons to aid in improved traffic and usability of all websites • Work with existing templates, themes or codebases when required • Adapt and create websites that are optimized for SEO, speed and efficiency • Adapt and create websites that are platform optimized • Work with designers, editors and the publisher to improve on T8N’s already strong websites Requirements • 3+ years of web development experience • A strong background with PHP and mySQL development • A strong background with custom WordPress creation • Ease of use with HTML and CSS • The ability to manage and update a CMS system • Strong communication skills (spoken and written) • Samples of Adobe Creative Suite project work • A portfolio of website work to showcase your qualifications This is a contract position with no specific hour allotment. If you are interested, please forward your resume, links to sites you have worked on, and ideas for improvement for t8nmagazine.com and summer city.ca to rob@t8nmagazine.com

Editorial Intern Who We’re Looking For T8N is seeking an editorial intern to contribute to an editorial vision that will enhance our position as one of Alberta’s leading city magazines. This 2-month, paid internship runs from February through March and is ideal for a student or recent graduate of journalism, professional writing, e-publishing or comparable program.

For full details, visit the opportunities page on our website.

Qualifications Required • Excellent research, writing and editing skills • The personality to collaborate in a vibrant editorial department • A thorough understanding of the production process • Familiarity with Adobe Suite products, particularly InDesign and Photoshop • Strength and ease communicating on social media platforms • Ability to commit to a flexible schedule and 30 hours per week Responsibilities • Create and upload content for T8N e-newsletters • Write and copy edit, as required, for T8N magazine, t8nmagazine.com and other T8N publications • Write, edit and oversee sponsored content and communication with clients • Promote T8N magazine, T8N Publishing and other assets through social media If this sounds like you, forward your resume, writing samples and, if applicable, design and photography samples to editor@t8nmagazine.com

Visit t8nmagazine.com/opportunities for more information.

T8N January 2017 35

Leading a

Charmed Life Bringing beauty to St. Albert with flowers

“No matter what kind of day you’re having, you come in here and you smile—flowers always set a happy mood,” says Mandi Lauman, owner of Charmed Floral Design.

Mandi has always had an affinity with flowers; she was always arranging them when she was younger, taking courses to learn everything about them from stamen to root and working at other floral studios to gain practical experience. Now, she’s realized her dream: owning her own floral studio.

Yet, owning one’s own business meant that family time would be shortened, especially during the holidays, and the holidays are a floral studio’s busiest time. Mandi wasn’t about to sacrifice her family for the business, so she did everything possible to make her floral studio family friendly for everyone.

Her children can stay with her at the studio doing homework or just hanging out with their mom, and for families who come to the studio—there’s a kids’ play area. Mandi says the kids go straight to it, and the parents get to shop. It’s a rare thing for a business to put family first, but Charmed has done just that.

While holidays are busy for Charmed, that’s nothing compared to wedding season.

Flowers are a big contingent in weddings and Mandi offers free bridal consultations.

Depending on what type of flowers, what’s in season and what has to be special ordered—it will affect the price. There are wedding packages, but Mandi and her employee Genn Adamson are more than happy to do custom orders, too. If it’s a destination wedding, there are still options such as permanent botanicals, a.k.a. silk flowers. Mandi explains, “When it’s a destination wedding, the bride may feel obligated to buy a fresh floral bouquet over there. Everyone else can get their bouquets and boutonnières made with permanent 36 T8Nmagazine.com

More than just Flowers

When you enter Charmed, you’ll notice more than flowers. There’s artwork, vintage clothing, night lights, treasure stones and candles to name a few. Mandi wants to support local businesses and those who are just starting, because she’s been in their shoes and knows how hard it is. botanicals and just pack them in their suitcase. It’s becoming a popular option.”

Apart from her seasonal floral workshops— which fill up quickly—Mandi also offers bridal floral workshops. One of the floral courses Mandi took was how to do wedding floral arrangements, and she finds that offering workshops on floral arranging is a great way to see and encourage everyone’s personal flair. As Mandi says, “Everyone gets the same flowers, and there’s an arrangement already made. Everybody’s arrangement will be different because they all have their own styles. If you’re feeling funky, you may add

branches or something.” With the wedding workshops, people can come in, learn the basics, then go home and practice. She also rents out studio space if the bride wants to make her own bouquets and arrangements, and store them in the studio’s cooler until the big day. She’s hoping these workshops become more popular in the future because it’s a good way for the couple to express their personality on their special day.

But, Mandi does love her flowers, and if a bride and groom ask her to do their flowers, she feels honoured. People come in with sketches, magazine clippings, Pinterest shots and an excitement that’s contagious. Ask her why she feels this way, she answers, “ Because I helped capture their unique vision of their wedding day. It’s a special way to be a part of it, to beautify it. It doesn’t matter if it’s a simple arrangement, traditional or really bling—I get to have a little piece of that excitement through my flowers.”

So whether your reason for getting a bouquet or floral arrangement is a birthday, a wedding or even a funeral, Mandi Lauman can help you choose or create what you envision.

This sponsored content was produced in partnership between Charmed Floral Design and T8N magazine.

Trade-in Vase Program

If you have a vase you don’t need anymore, bring it into Charmed and receive a monetary credit to put towards flowers in the future. If you bring in a whole box of vases, the credit.

CHOOSING TRAVEL

OVER TRADITION Planning a wedding that goes the distance

BY SHAWNA DIRKSEN

SUN, SAND, SURF and saying, “ I do? ” Destination

weddings have become a popular choice for Canadian couples about to tie the knot—and for good reason. Getting married abroad is often less expensive than hosting a wedding at home, plus you get to enjoy some fun in the sun with your nearest and dearest. If you’re considering seashells with your wedding bells, read on. We’ve got your go-to guide for planning your dream destination wedding.

Budgeting for Your Big Day Overall Costs A 2015 survey by Wedding Bells magazine found that the average cost of a wedding in Canada (including the honeymoon) is $30,717.

According to Struck, the average cost of a destination wedding is significantly less than that: $6,000 to $10,000, which means “guests would pay anywhere from $1,500 to $2,000, on average.”

Location, Location, Location According to Brittney Struck, destination wedding specialist with Flight Centre in St. Albert, one of the biggest stresses couples have while planning their destination wedding is finding a resort that fits their needs, expectations and budget. Struck’s advice? “Don’t ask for everyone’s opinion of the hotel; pick a resort based on what you want. Also, work with a travel specialist. We’ll help take the stress off by helping you pick the best hotel […] We have good relationships with hotels and suppliers since we book a lot of weddings a year.”

Another point to consider when choosing your destination is ease of travel. Destinations that involve multiple flights or are far from major airports may be more difficult for some of your guests to reach (older or more inexperienced travellers, for example). Opt for a location with a direct flight that is easy to get to from the airport.

Fun Facts According to Flight Centre in St. Albert, most of the destination weddings they plan have between 30 and 60 guests, and the most popular wedding destination chosen by St. Albert couples is Mexico’s Mayan Riviera.

Wedding Bells magazine estimates that 22,000 Canadian couples hosted destination weddings in 2016.

(Wedding Trends in Canada survey, 2015) T8N January 2017 37

Free Wedding Packages Many resort hotels offer “free” wedding packages, which typically include the following: a wedding planner, a marriage officiant, decorations, a sparkling-wine toast, a bridal bouquet and matching boutonniere, a private or semi-private dinner, recorded music for the reception and a small wedding cake.

Anything outside of what’s outlined in the package will cost extra, so you may want to consider bringing a few things from home— like wedding favours, welcome gifts for guests, a guest book or any special decorations for the venue.

Perfect Timing Destination weddings require more advance planning than in-town weddings do. Your guests will need time to plan for the trip financially and may need to save vacation days.

Struck says that couples should start planning about 18 months in advance and adds, “the earlier you book, the better the rates.”

Most experts suggest sending a save-the-date card as soon as you’ve decided on the basics.

The message can be as simple as, “We will be married in Mexico in February, 2018. More details to follow!”

Your formal wedding invitations with specific details should be sent out at least nine months before your wedding day.

Dive into the Details Vendors Although most hotels don’t include vendors like hairdressers, makeup artists or photographers in their basic wedding packages, they will still refer you to local professionals. “The hotel will have specific suppliers that they use that

have portfolios that the couple can take a look at before booking,” says Struck.

If you aren’t comfortable using a vendor from your destination of choice, another option is to fly in your own experts (just be prepared to cover their travel costs, along with their service fees).

Marriage Requirements Each country has its own set of rules when it comes to legal marriage, so it’s important to look into your destination’s marriage requirements. For example, some countries call for a lot of paperwork, a waiting period and even medical tests before a marriage can legally take place, so you will need to plan accordingly.

Best Websites for Destination Weddings Looking for some wedding-planning help online? These three sites cover everything from how to word your invitations to what to include in your wedding welcome bags! theknot.com topweddingquestions.com destinationweddingdetails.com Another option is to get legally married at home before you leave and to hold a symbolic ceremony at your destination.

Contracts When it comes to hotel and vendor contracts, it pays to read the fine print—at least twice.

Make sure you understand all the terms in the contract, and if you aren’t sure, ask questions before you sign.

Struck says that working with a travel

38 T8Nmagazine.com

specialist will help ensure that things go smoothly and will save you time (and stress), “We know how to read the contracts from suppliers and the hotel, and we are in contact with the supplier to take care of all money transactions. If you were to book this on your own, you would be acting as the travel agent, which can quickly become like a second job.”

Etiquette Courtesy Invitations Even if you are sure that certain friends or family members aren’t up for travelling to your wedding, send them an invitation anyway.

This tells them you are thinking of them and would love for them to attend. Plus, you never know, someone may surprise you!

Gifts Guests spend a significant amount of money to attend a destination wedding, so gifts are not obligatory. In fact, you might want to specify that their attendance is the only gift you’d like.

Guests at Other Hotels If some of your guests have chosen to stay at another hotel, it’s a nice gesture to arrange and pay for their transportation to your wedding ceremony. If your hotel charges a fee for visitors who are not staying at the property, it’s up to you to cover that fee for your guests to attend your wedding.

So… still considering seashells with your wedding bells? Congratulations!

We hope our tips help you plan a wedding that goes the distance. t8n

T8N January 2017 39

AIR• B• N• B (n.)

Tailored travel of the modern age BOOKING OVERPRICED AND unin-

spired accommodations during a busy weekend was once a regular, traveller’s dilemma. But that’s gradually being eased thanks to Airbnb —a homerental marketplace offering unique options that traditional lodgings don’t.

By tapping into a hospitality market of creative, design-savvy homeowners around the world, Airbnb’s website is able to offer unique listings to suit all budgets and tastes. Whether you want rustic or regal, contemporary or classic, a shared room or an entire estate, Airbnb is likely to have what you’re looking for. Here’s how it works.

The Launch Originally named “AirBed&Breakfast,” Airbnb was publicly introduced in 2008 to address the shortage of San Francisco accommodation options in the saturated hotel market. The idea was a simple one: let homeowners rent out part (or all) of their homes for short-term rentals. The mass allure was this: the model allows hosts to profit from renting out their properties and Airbnb to benefit from the service charges paid by both the homeowner and the visitor.

Everybody (in theory) wins. Since its launch, Airbnb has linked over 60 million visitors with accommodations in 191 countries around the world.

The Fundamentals The renting process is simple. First, go to the website and select the city you want to visit.

Next, enter the dates and number of guests.

From there, browse the accommodation options freely, or use the filters for a more specific search. Filters allow you to pick a desired price range and to select between a shared room, a private room or an entire home. It’s possible to set the desired number of bedrooms and bathrooms, too, and to seek 40 T8Nmagazine.com

Luxurious Lodging Artistic abodes thrive on the website, which is why many hosts go to imaginative lengths to attract renters. You can stay in treehouses, castles, houseboats, yurts, train cabooses, vintage trailers, lighthouses and secluded grass huts. Check out some of the most unique listings here http://www.refinery29.com/crazy-airbnb-rentals#slide

out specific amenities, such as pools and fitness centres. Listings will include information about the property, neighbourhood and additional rules, such as whether or not pets are allowed. There is also a link to contact the host should you have any additional questions.

nearby points of interest? What makes the space stand out? Give it a catchy title, list any additional requirements, set the calendar and name the price. Airbnb offers many tips throughout the process to help hosts determine appropriate rental guidelines.

Booking Basics

The Fine Print

Favourite properties can be saved to a wish list to be easily accessed later. It’s a good idea to read reviews left by other travellers before making a final decision; these can provide insight into additional factors that are not mentioned in the property description and let you know about the type of service you can expect from your hosts. Some homeowners, for example, offer discounts for longer stays, while others charge a cleaning fee. Check all the costs before booking, and make sure they are listed in Canadian dollars to avoid surprises. To book, click the “Request to Book” link from a computer, phone or tablet, and arrange payment online through a major credit card.

Airbnb operates by charging service fees to both the hosts and the guests who rent the properties; these are used towards running the online platform, providing 24/7 customerservice support and financing liability insurance for homeowners. Fees vary depending on the reservation types but generally fall between 6% and 12% of the total booking cost. Longer reservations are charged at a lower percentage than shorter ones, so you can save money by booking a longer trip. Guests’ service fees are listed with the other costs of renting, so there are no hidden costs at the checkout. t8n

Happy Hosting Hosts can rent out their properties as often as they like and always on their own terms. To start, select “Become a Host,” and follow the prompts for listing your space. Enter the basic details (bedrooms, amenities, etc.,) and then get detailed and creative. Listings with a wide selection of good-quality photos and some helpful descriptions will attract more attention and increase your chances of booking renters.

Mention the availability of parking or public transportation. How easily can guests get to

Did You Know?

You’ll need to create a profile before you can reserve your rental. Not only do the profiles provide a way for hosts to get to know a little about their prospective guests, they also allow for reviews. Some homeowners will rent only to visitors with a minimum number of positive reviews, so always be respectful of the property rules.

Visit BestofT8N.com to cast your votes 2016 Cover

Enter your choices for the best of lifestyle and business in St. Albert.

Results will be announced in our May issue

VOTE IN OVER 140 CATEGORIES Categories include: Best Restaurant, Best Gift Shop, Best Car Dealer, Best Fashion Store and many more!

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