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Arts, culture and lifestyle in Revelstoke, BC.
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Adventures Great and Smallby Alison Lapshinoff
Evidently I was a screamer. Looking back, I’m not sure what I was so upset about but my mother’s ac-counts of my early years do not sound too pleasant.
Apparently I was one of those annoyingly clingy children, who was painfully shy and resolutely refused to leave my poor mother’s side without making this known to everyone in the general vicinity by screaming bloody murder.
I abhorred unfamiliar people and places. If, at two years old, I was left alone in, say, a busy shopping mall, I would probably have just stood there and wailed in terror.
My husband on the other hand was an entirely different sort of hellion. He was the sort of toddler, who if idly ignored for a mere moment in a busy shop, would be off gallivanting on his own while his mother searched the aisles frantically trying to find him.
If she was lucky he would be happily playing with the transformers, oblivious to her absence. Not so lucky might have found him outside digging holes in the flower beds or perhaps dodging cars in a busy parking lot and asking strangers for candy.
I can’t help but wonder what sort of a child these two polar opposites might bring into the world but we will find out in March. Will we end up with a shy, screaming banshee? Or perhaps a sly little imp with an over-developed sense of independence?
It is an interesting thing to observe how children and people in general develop. I was always shy, cautious and generally well-behaved. My report cards always said I was a ‘pleasure to work with’ and my grades were always good. But this was not to last.
I had the grave misfortune of reaching the impres-sionable preteen years in the late 1980s - a time when pointy shoes, skinny jeans and tight mini-skirts came into their own. Lots of hairspray and big bangs, long dangly earrings and thick blue eyeliner were the signs of the times.
I am sorry to say that I embraced these fads whole-heartedly. By this time I was not afraid of going to the mall without my mother and spent hours there idly hanging out with dubious characters honing my shoplifting skills and smoking cigarettes defi-antly daring the world to try and stop me.
These are two habits that have since fallen by the wayside as I was never very good at either of them.
Despite these rocky beginnings I have grown into what I consider to be a relatively normal adult. And strangely enough despite my early misgivings about the new and unfamiliar I seemed to have developed a fascination for foreign places and different cultures, something that manifests itself as a constant desire to travel.
My husband on the other hand with his strong childhood independence usually just rolls his eyes at all my latest travel whims and lets me do as I please.
I have been lucky to visit many places in my twen-ties from Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia to Argentina and Chile as well as much of southern Europe. I cannot, no matter how much I would like to, become one of those independent adventurers, who gallivant around the world for months at a time completely on their own. I have always admired these folks. For me the height of independence was 10 days alone in Mexico, per-haps the adult equivalent of leaving me alone in the mall at two, minus the screaming.
Heather Lea, who five years ago founded this quar-terly arts and culture publication that has since
grown into the newspaper you are presently reading, is one such adventurous spirit.
Meeting our publisher you wouldn’t necessarily assume she had scaled M o u n t A s s i n i b o i n e , travelled alone around western Africa, cycled from Paris to Istanbul or spent the night on a snowy mountain in Peru camped beside a dead Austrian brought down earlier that day by a rescue team.
With the exception of camping next to the dead guy these are the sorts of adventures I covet but will probably never have enough of that indepen-dent, adventurous spirit for; too much of the cau-tious two year old still stubbornly remains.
Clearly life’s journey is full of different stages. Some of the traits one possesses at aged two can stick with you for a lifetime yet hab-its that one picks up at 13 are not necessarily indica
tions of what sort of adult a person is to become.
As I prepare to embark on a new sort of ad-venture likely involving a little screamer of my own, Heather is on entirely different sort studying multimedia in Vancouver, which will likely result in her returning with a head full of fun, new ideas to apply to Reved. While her adventure will be brief, mine will last a lifetime so I hope it agrees with me.
Adventures come in all shapes and sizes. For some, it means scaling sheer snowy mountain peaks or visiting politically unstable countries where men with machine guns stand alert at train stations and shopping malls.
For others it can simply mean a short, solo trip abroad or moving to a new place. But for a few of our smaller, younger citizens an adventure can be something as simple as finding oneself unexpect-edly alone in a busy grocery store. I hope I like my new adventure because if I don’t I might scream!
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reved.net
Spring '11 Issue #24 Qua
rterly
Distributed to over 200 locations in Revelstoke and surrounding areas
Revelstoke's Arts, Culture and Lifestyles Publication
Publisher/editor Heather Lea [email protected]
Assistant editorBrendan [email protected]
Ad sales/marketingHeather LeaEmily [email protected]
Design/layoutHeather [email protected]
Proof/editsLea [email protected]
Staff writersAlison LapshinoffColin TitsworthEmily Beaumont
ContributorsBrendan GinterChristina HuiEmily Smith
Box 2126Revelstoke, BCV0E [email protected]
What's in there?Pg.2 ArtistinProfilePg.3 TheScenePg.4 WhatMattersPg.6 HeritageMomentsPg.7 MusicNotes;EmergingPg.8 HealthandYouPg.9 HealthandWellnessPg.10What'sYourBiz'nessPg.11GetOuttaHere;FromTheStreetsPg.12Sleepsn'Eats
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Reved creator, Heather Lea, tries to fit into city life and kicks herself for forgetting the heels, briefcase and iPad.
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Pascal Janin, owner of Froggie's Extravaganza, is one of those lucky people who has always known what he wanted to do - create unique and deli-cious pastries and chocolate treats. And he has had the great fortune of being able to stay with his passion throughout the years.
At the age of 14 Pascal was attending school in the town of Tournus in the Burgundy region in the heart of France. The day came when Pascal was to decide which direction his schooling would take him. Being a bright child with many options it came as a shock to his father and teacher when he told them of his desire to become a pastry chef. His father pleaded with him “but you have brains!”
Pascal’s decision was only reinforced by their reactions and he was certain at that moment this was his choice. He said to himself with the resolve only teenagers possess, “I will do it”. This was to be his career and a sweet one it has been.
Now that Pascal had decided this deli-cious road would be his course oppor-tunity began to take shape and first pre-sented itself through his older brother, who had found someone in need of an apprentice away from home in Pont de Vaux, France. So at 16 Pascal moved there to where he would begin learning about the intricate and delectable world of marzipan, fruits, nuts…and chocolate. As with most of life’s lessons worth learning this road in the beginning was a rocky one. Two years passed while Pascal laboured mastering his art and living in tight accommodations without much room to breathe and no running water. In 1984 when he had completed his training he worked for different hotels in France and England and then served a year of mandatory military service in 1987.
The next four years Pascal perfected his skills combining art and science in Eng-land, Belgium, Spain and Lyon, France where he had the honour of working for Paul Bocuse, the [in]famous “grumpy pope of French cuisine, traditionalist and innovator.” An apt-description by Alain
Ducasse of TIME Europe Magazine. Having gained experience from some of the finest hotels in Europe and wanting freedom from the intense, high pressure “Hell’s Kitchen” environment, Pascal set his sights on Canada.
Here the beautiful west took its hold and although he did return to France for one last chocolate season when he had fin-ished and was asked if he would returnnext year he replied, “No there is too much yelling [here]; there is no yelling in Canada.” He then smiles and adds, “Well yes there is some [yelling] here too."
During his exploration of the Kootenay’s Pascal came across the a lodge run by Canadian Mountain Holidays (CMH)and knew in an instant “this is where I want to work.” He applied at their office based in Banff, AB and two weeks later he was hired.
This is where the “Toilet Cake” dessert came into existence. A friend who was working with Pascal at the time, Heather MacDonald, came to him with her bad dream from the night before. It was of a dessert-gone-wrong with “grapefruit and Jell-O and something that looked like s#%t.” This gave Pascal an idea and he got to work straight away.
In no time his concoction of meringue and ice cream gave way to the likeness of a toilet complete with plunger, blue Jell-O “water” in the bowl, a chocolate seat and even a marzipan “turd”. That evening’s group loved it and the story spread quickly from lodge to lodge.
“It is most important to have fun with what you make,” says Pascal. As dessert is the “last memory of a meal,” it stands alone in this noble responsibility to leave guests with a lasting impression. The toilet cake takes the cake!
Today Pascal is living in a beautiful home he built in Ferguson, located near Trout Lake, where he plans to open a B&B hopefully by this summer. He likes to keep his hands in the chocolate so he doesn’t lose touch with the science and the art that when combined, produces delectable little creations. Getting the temperatures just right and
combining ingredients will always be his passion and does require patience and practice.
Pascal begins all the preparations for the upcoming season’s chocolate orders starting weeks in advance. First he gath-ers the supplies and the ingredients he will use including pistachios, almonds, candied orange peel, ginger, marzipan and dark and milk chocolate to name a few. He then lovingly assembles each one in a professional grade kitchen where he ensures every detail is just right.
Moulds are used in some of the designs and there are some he creates free-hand. Bases are laid, chocolate is drizzled, toppings are placed just so and every attention to detail is paid. The mouth-watering little treats are each so unique and delicious, I am lucky to have been given a sample box to explore.
The experience feels like a European vacation and Pascal’s training is evident with the precision of his training and the finest quality of his ingredients very apparent with every bite.
Bon bon appetit!
Pascal Janin whips up a little something at home in his kitchen.
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L'Art du Chocolat
Where do I find these chocolates?
These scrumptious little morsels are found in the following locations during
"chocolate-season," (Valentines Day, Easter and Christmas) and can be ordered for special occassions by e-mail at [email protected]
The Modern Bakeshop and Cafe
Sangha Bean Cafe
Halcyon Hot Springs on Hwy 23 South
What’s Brewing on Broadway in Nakusp
The General Store in Trout Lake
Artful chocolates created by chocolatier, Pascal Janin. Yes, that's a chocolate rooster!
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by Emily Beaumont
Revelstoke Theatre Companyby Alison Lapshinoff
It’s true actors often take on the personality of the char-acter they are playing.
“I was living with the snotty attitude of Henry Higgins for weeks,” Lyn Kaulback of the Revelstoke Theatre Company laughs, recalling the time when her husband Denny played the part of the snobbish profes-sor in My Fair Lady.
One of the founding members of the Revelstoke Theatre Company, Lyn has been an integral part of community theatre since 1978. In the past 33 years, she has been involved in almost all aspects of producing plays, from acting, directing and stage management to organizing props, sets and costumes.
When her husband Denny got involved it was in the capacity of set builder and director.
“Just don’t ask me to go onstage,” he warned Lyn some 20 years ago. Since then, he has acted in numerous plays, including the roles of Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady and the Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz.
These days, the Revelstoke Theatre Company gets around. After spending the better part of the 1990s producing and performing plays in the Mount MacK-enzie Playhouse (formerly at the base of Revelstoke Mountain Resort), they have now taken on a more nomadic lifestyle, utiliz-ing different venues such as the Knights of Pythias Hall, the Visual Arts Gal-lery, school gyms, the old drill hall and the commun-ity centre.
Lyn says this makes pro-duction much more dif-ficult as members cannot always rehearse in the same venue the play will be performed.
It’s not a money maker, this amateur acting gig. Cer-tainly those participating must have a passion for the performing arts. In fact the expenses of putting on a play are high. Ticket sales must cover the cost of rent-ing the venue, buying and renting costumes and props as well as paying royalties just to be allowed to perform the play.
“Plays must be available to amateurs,” Lyn explains.
Professionals take first priority then they become open to amateur theatre. And royalties can have a hefty price tag ranging from $100 per performance to up to $1,000 per show for bigger name productions. The Theatre Company simply aims to break even with just enough left over to begin the next show. With about 15 registered members, the company is run entirely by volunteers.
“We pay an annual membership fee to be put on a mail-ing list to work for free,” Lyn laughs. But anyone can get involved in any capacity, including acting. Auditions are open to all who have the courage to step onstage.
Over the years, the Revelstoke Theatre Company has produced dozens, if not hundreds of plays, from small
productions like their most recent, Marion Bridge with only three cast members to large plays like Chicago and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream-coat. Certainly some of the biggest challenges include coordinating schedules, finding a suitable venue and often, finding enough men to perform. One of the lar-gest productions may have been the Wizard of Oz with close to 70 cast members, including lots of children.
While comedies and glitzy musicals are the most popu-lar productions, sometimes drawing up to 250 audience members per show, smaller plays with fewer cast mem-bers tend to have higher intensity levels with better character development, Lyn explains. Marion Bridge, with only three actresses and set almost entirely around the kitchen table, delves deeply into the intricate rela-tionships of three profoundly different sisters thrown together in the family home preceding the death of their very ill mother, who is never actually shown.
The eldest, an out of work, alcoholic actress must some-how find some common ground with a pious, religious sort and a young, somewhat rebellious type, who pre-fers to be glued to the television. With such a small cast, viewers are really able to get to know the characters well and perhaps relate to what is an uncomfortable and dif-ficult situation. While Marion Bridge was undoubtedly a drama, it certainly drew a few laughs also.
These days, the Revelstoke Theatre Company looks for-ward to the possibility of having a new home in the new high school performance centre when its construction is complete. Keep your eyes open for their latest produc-tion, Another Two Hander…Or Two, a comedy slated to hit the stage in Revelstoke in the first two weeks of May.
This play will then go on to compete in the Zone Festi-val in Cranbrook, an annual event always hosted by a different town in B.C. The winner then goes on to what is called MainStage in Kamloops, an event that could be considered the Academy Awards of amateur theatre and an excellent arena for seeing new works.
Be sure to keep the Revelstoke Theatre Company in mind if acting in a play is a notion you have entertained. Or maybe directing would be more your thing. Don’t hesitate to call Lyn or Denny Kaulback at 837-3687 if getting involved with the theatre or even taking to the stage has been the one thing on your bucket list that you have always been afraid to do.
EXHIBITSFriday, April 8 to Friday, May 6
DoorwaysMembers show. Call for entry.
Friday, May 13 to Friday, June 13The Human Face of revelstoke Juried
Commotion Gillian redwoodPeonies to Privies
Golden Girls watercolour Group
Friday, June 10 to Friday, July 1wednesday Inspirations wednesday Meditation Group
Through My Eyes revelstoke self advocatesIN/side/oUT Jewelles smith
Gallery open Tuesday to Friday and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. For more information call 250-814-0261
or visit [email protected]
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DID YOU KNOW...- it's best to clean your chimney soon after the last fire of the season as creosote is corrosive.
- pyrolysis is a process that happens after years of wood drying out so much that it can
ignite as low as 120 degrees Celsius.
- proper clearance from combustables is a must.
- the main cause of chimney fires is unseasoned or over-seasoned wood.
- you should always use a WETT (Wood Energy Technical Training) certified individual for your
wood stove installations, repairs and maintenance.
DID YOU ALSO KNOW... - firewood is a renewable resource like wind, solar and hydroelectric power.
- when wood is burned as a substitute for fossil fuels the result is a net reduction in CO2 emissions.
- provided it is done responsibly heating with wood can be a great way to be kind to the environment.
Call 250-837-5598 or 250-833-6256
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What Matters... What Colour's Your Thumb?by Colin Titsworth
It’s easy to forget about the vegetable patch when your yard is covered in snow but a true green thumb has been germinating seeds well before this spring issue was printed. Revelstoke is situated within the world’s only temperate inland rainforest and cultivating in this environment can be a challenge. Gardening is an ancient pastime anyone can enjoy by following some basic principles. Local growers traditionally plant outside at the end of May so now is the time to start planning what to grow for dinner.
Revelstoke has a 6a rating on the plant hardiness scale, which indicates this area is prime for growing. The hardiness scale is based on a com-plex formula based on seven climatic variables. Other regions of the planet have their own hardiness ranking system but in B.C. our scale starts at 0a and peaks at 8a with the high number representing opti-mum growing conditions. The lush river valley around Revelstoke has naturally fertile areas although homeowners typically need to build a worthy base for growing with organic soil additives.
Farming was an integral part of Revelstoke prior to the Columbia River being dammed at Castlegar in 1967. When the farms along the shore-line were flooded this area lost a wealth of productive agricultural land that supplied the area with produce. However, now-a-days it is possible to purchase locally grown food at the weekly farmers market, which starts again on May 7. So if you’re not growing your own food it’s likely being delivered via the TransCanada.
Deciding what to plant comes down to growing what you want to eat. It’s good to start with your favourite vegetables and eliminate the ones that won’t excel on your specific plot. Technical gardeners will study charts illustrating which flora grows well beside each other because even plants are picky about their neighbours. The planning process is multifaceted if striving for gold at the country fair, yet all you need is dedication to your garden and the most nutritious eating option will become available.
“If you've never experienced the joy of accomplishing more than you can imagine, plant a garden,” Robert Brault.
Mother Nature will constantly throw curveballs in your direction and the gardener’s duty is to combat the elements with tricks of the trade. Gardening improves your health for more reasons than just vitamin intake. The serenity of hanging out in the garden can relax the mind while strengthening the soul. Sounds a little deep, although a content gardener once said, “You can bury a lot of troubles digging in the dirt.”
If you require a chunk of earth the Revelstoke Community Garden has sections of raised beds you can claim for the season. This initiative between the North Columbia Environmental Society and the United Church proved successful in last year’s inaugural season. Plenty of vol-unteer hours propelled this summertime meeting place where the joy of gardening is spread through knowledge sharing and mentoring.
“Life’s a garden, dig it!” Joe Dirt.
A feast from the garden. Examples of what grows in Revelstoke during the season.
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Standing Sternby Colin TitsworthThe commanding Columbia River is seldom trav-elled except for the occasional fisherman or paddler drifting down the frigid waters.
Back in the day this was the main transportation route and the vessel of choice was the sternwheeler. In 1891 the Nelsen was launched on Kootenay Lake, which was the first sternwheeler to set sail in the West Kootenay region.
The following decade saw a boom in sternwheeler traffic with rail/logging companies travellers and merchants utilizing these shallow running boats for manoeuvering through the inland waterways. Before long the automobile and train surged ahead as the preferred transportation methods pushing the stern-wheelers into extinction.
In 1901 the SS Revelstoke was pieced together in Na-kusp and the following year the stealthy sternwheeler was chugging up the gnarly rapids above Revelstoke. The SS Revelstoke was funded by local businessmen who scrounged up $17,000 to get the powerful boat floating.
Captian Forslund was a special recruit from the Can-adian Pacific Railway (CPR), who was deemed the only qualified man capable of navigating the hectic passageway. In April of 1915 the SS Revelstoke was moored at a dock at Comaplix in the Beaton Arm
when arson claimed the vessel. The tragic fire leveled the town’s lumber mill, 17 houses, a hotel and sunk the SS Revelstoke into 30 feet of water.
The Nasookin was another sturdy craft with a 550 person load limit making it one of the giants in the fleet of West Kootenay sternwheelers. The Nasookin was revamped to become a car carrier on Kootenay Lake during the end of her career and finished work-ing for the government in 1946.
Arrow Lakes retired the Minto on April 24, 1954 with an estimated two and a half million miles of nautical travel under its belt. The Minto’s Kootenay Lake counterpart, the Moyie, maintained its regular 87 mile tour until April 27, 1954. The two boats were legendary and integral components of the lakeshore communities they serviced for close to 60 years.
Most sternwheelers of the time ended up retiring as sunken ships on the bottom of the Upper Ar-row Lake. A total of nine vessels sank between the Akolkolex River and the St. Leon Creek during the heydays of the early 1900s.
The Minto was a gem but it was not treated so after her long work career. The ship hung around for a decade until it was intentionally set on fire off the shores of Galena Bay. The Minto’s Kootenay Lake counterpart faired much better when the local com-munity of Kaslo decided to restore the Moyie to near original condition. This boat may be out of the water
but it lives on prime waterfront in the quaint town of Kaslo. The Moyie is the last intact sternwheeler from those times and it is recognized as a National Historic Site. Each year thousands of visitors step aboard to tour the century old boat and capture a glimpse of the past.
Today we jump in our gas powered vehicles and dash around without an ounce of effort. This is a drastic change from the sternwheelers era when even short commutes were an event. These classic boats used coal fired boilers to create steam power. The mighty Bonnington could eat 15 tons of coal on the 210 km journey from Robson to Arrowhead.
This boat was the largest of its kind and it stayed in service for 20 years before calling it quits in 1931. This vessel was stripped of her valuables and purposely sunk to bottom of Beaton Arm in the 1950s. It rests in the murky waters with several other boats in the vicinity but the Bonnigton is the boat that claims the “largest freshwater wreck site in B.C.”
Sternwheelers were more than just transportation vehicles; they were a way of life for those who lived in the area not so long ago. Cruising around on a state-of-the-art boat with a live band playing made these ships the ultimate party barge. We can only imagine how remarkable it would be to travel onboard a vin-tage sternwheeler. The journey to Halls Landing on the SS Revelstoke was described by one passenger as, “a Huckleberry Finn fairy tale.”
From left to right, the ships Trail, Rossland and Minto parked at Arrowhead, B.C.
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Imagine Our Surprise! Revel Stoke Whiskey spied (and tasted) at the hip and happening Revel Room
located in the Gastown area of Vancouver.
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Student Leadership at Revelstoke Secondary School
by Emily Smith and Christina Hui,Grade 12 students
There is a Student Leadership an-nouncent read out every Monday morning at Revelstoke Seond-ary School (RSS). It has become automatic for some students at RSS. For many it reminds them of where they'll spend their lunch and for others it is just one more thing to place in the back of their minds.
A few years ago elections were held to fill places on the Student Council. As there were few pos-itions to be filled, only a select group of students was able to par-ticipate in the planning of events. This left a large group of students, who wanted to be involved, mis-sing the opportunity to provide leadership.
Now with the new system any stu-dent who wishes to be involved can run the Student Leadership Council. It allows individuals to work on projects of interest such as relief efforts for third world countries, food bank drives for the local food bank and other special projects both within the school and community.
The size of the leadership coun-cil changes throughout the year depending on the current project
being taken on. The leadership council at RSS consists of students ranging from grades 10 through 12.
These students all volunteer their time each week to brainstorm ideas and plan events that take place at RSS. Our goals as student leaders include making everyone feel welcome, promoting school spirit and awareness of social issues.
So far our year has been jam-packed with many exciting events and spirit days. Our spirit days range from 80's Day, where most of the school brought back neon colours, big hair and spandex, to Ski Bum Day where there were many ski goggles and toques seen throughout the halls.
We also had Pink Shirt Day, which promoted taking a stand against bullying. Community Connections worked along side the Leadership Council to provide inspiration-al music and free cookies to any student wearing pink.
Maybe one of the most important events the council leads each year is the Christmas hamper program. Every class in the school adopts a family, who could use some help to make Christmas more special. Gifts and food items are collected in class, bundled up and distributed through the local food bank. RSS students take pride in the ham-pers offering their support both from their own families and from local businesses they approach to help make the gifts special.
The Leadership Council provides a way for all students to get involved at their own level. The group is highly de-serving of respect for their hard work and efforts to make RSS and Revelstoke a more caring, supportive and fun place to live, work and play.
MUSICNOTES
Open Every Night5:00 p.m. -10:00 p.m.
Reservations recommended
There's Nothing Slow About These Turtlesby Brendan Ginter
What do you do in a small town when you want to hear live music other than another classic rock cov-er band? If you’re Steve Kent and Debbie Long you start your own jazz band to play at your local music festival.
Turtle Mountain's first live performance was at the Revelstoke Music Festival in 2010 and Revelstoke’s latest jazz combo, consisting of Steve and Debbie along with Darcy Purcell, Frank Desrosiers and Dave Marfleet, are looking forward to some great gigs to come.
Sitting down with Steve, Debbie and Frank (Darcy was ski touring and Dave is currently in Japan) to talk about the band you could feel the chemistry be-tween them. Loose easy conversation about their style of play reveals their musical style to be much like their conversational style but with a funky kick.
Practicing in Debbie’s expertly converted base-ment studio, soulful bass lines courtesy of Dave mix well with Frank’s driving beats and Steve’s rhythm guitar/vocals while Debbie on alto sax/vocals and Darcy’s guitar handle the lead to what Steve de-scribed as percussive “redneck” jazz.
Debbie says the term “redneck jazz” refers to the freedom amongst the band members to play what they feel and they all have permission to express their personal style at any time. Debbie describes this as an organic style where the band listens to each other and feeds off each other’s energy.
When asked about who decides what songs to play Steve mentions it’s mostly he and Debbie who bring new music to the band but all band members bring songs to the group and there isn’t one person’s ego
directing the whole thing. Instead he says they have a “collective ego” that contributes to their unique sound.
Debbie is originally from north of Mica Creek, Frank is from Morin Heights north of Montreal, Dave came to Revelstoke via Humber Cvollege in Toronto, Steve moved to Revelstoke from Nelson, B.C. and Darcy grew up in North Bay, Ontario. I was able to speak to Darcy on the phone when he got back from his ski tour and when asked how they got together as a band, Darcy mentioned he origin-ally met Debbie and Steve through skiing, mountain biking and other outdoor pursuits. They started playing music together for fun.
Together, coming from a diverse background both musically and geographically, Turtle Mountain plays a lot of jazz standards but often varies the ar-rangement depending on how they feel and how many members are present. Debbie mentioned they often change the band make up and arrangement of their songs based on the venue and crowd.
Their first performance was at the Revelstoke Music Festival this past summer. They have also played at Sangha Bean, in front of Cresendo for a street per-formance and at the United Church for Harvest Pa-looza.
With plans for some guerilla-style gigs around town in the near future, a wedding coming soon and plans for a few more shows on the horizon, Turtle Mountain is part of Revelstoke’s growing, increas-ingly vibrant and diverse music scene. Watch out for Turtle Mountain - you never know where they’ll turn up.
Turtle Mountain from left to right: Steve Kent, Debbie Long, Frank Desrosiers, Darcy Purcell and Dave Marfleet.
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Christina Hui, left, and Emily Smith
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Backcountry camping
Hiking footware
mountain apparelCome check out our new look!
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Sweet Scienceby Alison Lapshinoff
Aspartame is made by ‘the bonding together of the amino acids aspartic acid and phenylalanine to form a dipeptide, which is further esterified with methanol’. I’m afraid I can-not shed much light on how this is done exactly but this is how Health Canada describes it. In any case, it would certainly take one heck of a marketing guru to convince me this was a product to add to my morning coffee.
There are many ways to sweeten food, some created by nature, others by science. Humans are hardwired to cov-et sweet flavours; foods that tend to pack a quick energy punch but are somewhat rare in nature. But these days science trumps nature and sweet is everywhere. And since we just can’t seem to give it up science has created ways to cheat, filling our foods with artificial sweeteners of all manners; products that are ‘sweeter than sugar, have no calories and do not cause tooth decay’. With these bold claims, many folks will choose these sweeteners over nat-ural ones, considering them to be a healthy choice. Perhaps they are but controversy abounds. Aspartame, found in products like NutraSweet and Equal as well as diet sodas, yoghurts and countless other foods has been approved in Canada as a food additive since 1981. Exten-sive tests have evidently been done by our government and others proving it is safe for human consumption. But not everyone agrees. Claims that aspartic acid, a building block of protein, in its free form, causes neurological disorders, memory loss, headaches and a myriad of other ailments are heartily refuted by our government. Methanol, mak-ing up 10 per cent of aspartame, is a deadly wood alcohol that breaks down into formaldehyde, a known neurotoxin, in the body. Now all this may well be perfectly safe in the amounts we consume but I choose not to offer my body for modern day food science experiments.
My limited understanding of chemistry leads me to under-stand that saccharin, an artificial sweetener, is the result of the reaction of a variety of chemicals that when combined, create a product much sweeter than cane sugar. Discov-ered in 1879 saccharin is considered to be the world’s oldest artificial sweetener. Most commonly found in the little pink packets branded Sweet N Low, saccharin pass-
es right through the digestive tract without being absorbed by the body. While this may sound like a sweet modern miracle of food science it must be considered that in 1977 saccharin was banned as a food additive in Canada due to experiments show-ing it caused bladder tumours in rats. While it is available as a table top sweetener, saccharin is still not permitted for use as a food additive in Canada.
Yet another calorie free option is sucralose, branded as Splenda. Sucralose, at first, sounds a little more natural as it is made from sugar cane. The usual tests have been done resulting in the
usual claims that it is, indeed, perfectly safe to consume. Sucralose was discovered in 1976 by ma nipulating the sugar molecule, selectively replacing three hydrogen oxygen groups with three chlorine vatoms.
The result is a product that your body does not recognize as a carbohydrate, therefore cannot break down. We think. Contrary to the manufacturer’s claims, some allege that 15 to 30 per cent of the sweetener is absorbed by the body, collecting in the liver, kidneys and intestines, resulting in the swelling of these organs.
Clearly science is hard at work trying to create guilt free-gluttony. And despite the testing, there are so many con-flicting opinions and theories out there that the modern
human could be considered a lab rat for today’s new and improved food-like creations.
Refined sugar is no saint either. Pure sugar cane has some nutritional value but once it has been refined, that is, washed, boiled, centrifuged, filtered, dried and bleached, the resulting product is almost pure sucrose, a high energy carbohydrate devoid of any nutrition at all. Sucrose is quickly broken down by the body and absorbed resulting in a spike in blood sugar and a quick energy boost without any nutritional benefit. Look for products sweetened with evaporated cane juice as it is less refined and may retain more nutrition.
Healthy sweeteners do exist but it is important to keep in mind that too much of anything is not good for you. (With the possible exception of broccoli!)
Maple syrup, pricy but delicious, is simply sap that has been tapped from the sugar maple tree and reduced, re-sulting in a sweet, amber liquid with a distinct flavour. Rich in minerals like manganese and zinc that help to sup-port the immune system, maple syrup is a delicious sweet-ener with a nutritional boost.
Extensive research has been done on the nutritional bene-fits of honey, also. Another of nature’s sweet miracles, honey is rich in minerals and is thought to be an effective immune booster, digestive aid and even cough suppres-sant.
Less well-known and hailing from Mexico is agave nectar. Extracted from the spiky, cactus-like plant from which we make tequila, agave nectar comes from the sap of the agave plant, which is heated at low temperatures re-sulting in a sweet nectar. Similar in taste to honey, agave nectar does not cause the dramatic spike in blood sugar levels that refined white sugars do.
Another sweet option is stevia. A shrub native to Paraguay and Brazil, stevia’s naturally sweet leaves have been used by South American natives for hundreds of years. Virtually calorie free, stevia contains no carbohydrates and will not raise blood sugar levels. The sale and use of stevia as a food additive in Canada, however, is limited as insufficient tests have been done to vouch for its safety.
Natural, healthy sweeteners tend to cost a little more than their refined counterparts but as with anything, you pay for quality. Artificial sweeteners may sound like a sweet deal but despite testing, the jury is still out regarding their safety. Although ‘low fat with zero calories’ seems to be the modern mantra for healthy living, obesity levels in North America continue to soar. Perhaps a different approach may be more effective. Like when it comes to sweets, con-sume in moderation and keep it real.
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Wellness Directory
Acupuncture/Chinese MedicineJade Mountain Wellness and AcupunctureErin Potter R.TCM.P.101 First St. West250-837-3900www.jademountain.ca
Health Gyms/SpasTrans Canada Fitness 501 2nd St. West250-837-3440
Energy Matters Health Spa110 B 1st. St. West250-837-4244www.energymatterscanada.com
Wildflower Wellness250.814.9520www.wildflowerwellness.ca
MidwiferyMountain Midwifery Birte Paschen RM [email protected]
NutritionistsHelios Rehabilitation & PerformanceAmanda Argue RHN1605 Victoria Rd. Unit 5250-837-7171www.heliosphysio.com
PhysiotherapyHelios Rehabilitation & PerformanceLindsey Corrigan BScPT RPTAmy Guidinger BScPT RCAMT CGIMS RPTFraser Sprigings BScPT CAFCI RPT1605 Victoria Rd. Unit 5250-837-7171www.heliosphysio.com Red Cedar PhysiotherapyJocelyn Kutcher BScPT RPTPrue Hicks RPTSuite 204, 555 Victoria Rd.250-837-8519www.redcedarphysio.ca
Energy TherapyGuided Energy Work and Soul Counselling Frieda LiveseyClasses in Soul Awareness Writing 250-837-3724hearttohearthealing.ca
Massage Therapy/BodyworkBeth Purser Massage NHPCJade Mountain Wellness and Acupuncture101 First St. West250-814-3679
Revelstoke Massage Therapy ClinicDavid Walker RMT, Liane Dorrius RMTDeb Logan RMT, Kendra Kent RMT301 1st St. East 250-837-6677www.revelstokemassagetherapy.com
Helios Rehabilitation & PerformanceTina Giotsalitis RMTKim Nicholls RMT1605 Victoria Rd. Unit 5250-837-7171www.heliophysio.com
Suzie Cameron RMTRevelstoke Acupuncture ClinicSuite 103 - 103 First St. East250-837-3666 or 250-837-1745
Thunderbird Massage Therapy Corbett McCabe RMTTrans Canada Fitness501 2nd St. West 250-200-0525www.thunderbirdmassage.com
Repose Massage Therapy and Day Spa Ashley Sumner RMT Hillcrest Hotel,2100 Oak Drive250-837-3322www.reposedayspa.ca
Neil Jones, Exercise Therapist CFT CPT Trans Canada Fitness501 2nd St. West 250-837-3440
Frame it Wrightprints • posters • needlework • art
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250-837-6744
REVELSTOKE COMMUNITY CENTREPlanning an event?
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WHAT'S YOUR BIZ'NESS?Free Spirit Sportsby Alison Lapshinoff
In the winter of 2003 Elmer Rorstad, owner of Free Spirit Sports, sold a snowboard package to his future wife, Eliza-beth Ellis. Today, Elmer, Liz and their two year old son, Sam, are the team behind one of Revelstoke’s first sporting good stores.
“When I bought the shop in 1992 it was pretty aged,” Elmer says.
He and his then business partner began fixing the place up, changing the name from Canyon Sports to Free Spirit Sports. They also switched the focus from team sports gear to backcountry equipment such as split boards, cross-country gear, powder boards, snowshoes and accessories.
But Elmer decided another fix-up was needed. In October of 2010 Free Spirit Sports closed its doors for 17 days to undergo a major renovation.
Speaking about the importance of supporting local busi-nesses Elmer tells how local interior designer Areaworx designed the renovation while about 90 per cent of the trades were from contractors in town. The metalwork was custom designed by ArcPlus out of Malakwa and Revelstoke artist Tina Lindegaard did the artwork on the burlap curtains and wall hangings.
Liz was the driving force behind the job, organizing the trades and bringing the computer system out of the stone age. The store’s fresh new look should appeal to Revelstoke’s new crowd of savvy younger shoppers.
Keeping a small business going for over 18 years can be considered a feat these days. But that’s exactly what Elmer has done, riding the waves of Revelstoke’s recent economic history.
“I’m still having fun. That’s the important thing,” Elmer smiles.
Elmer came to Revelstoke from Vancouver in 1978 and taught at Revelstoke Secondary School for several years before giving it up completely in 2000 to focus all his energy on the store. He speaks energetically about the mountain lifestyle and giving back to the community and has seen some dramatic changes in the last 30 years as a resident.
Like many long time locals, Elmer has seen Revelstoke through the completion of the dam in the 1980s to CP Rail
moving some of their oper-ations to Golden in the mid 1990s; two events that took many high-paying jobs out of town, affecting several local businesses.
Then came Revelstoke Mountain Resort and a fresh, new crowd of gear junkies ready to hit the hill.
“Revelstoke has always had a core group of backcoun-try enthusiasts,” Elmer explains.
Combined with a reliable group of international heli-skiers and snowmobile enthusiasts, Revelstoke is not hurting for folks in the market for gear. But running an outdoor gear business is not without its challenges.
Today competition is fierce and a new brand of consumer is emerging. In this age of informa-tion, more people are shopping online making consumers more aware and particular about the products they buy.
“Customers come in already knowing exactly what they want,” says Elmer.
As a shop in a small town hemmed in by towering, snowy mountains, Free Spirit Sports can't carry everything but what they do offer is top quality.
“Mountain Hardware is our top technical line,” Elmer says.
Elmer has always been passionate about sports and with a history of teaching entrepreneurship and accounting, opening a sporting goods store seemed a natural step. An avid snowboarder, Elmer has also spent 18 years coaching soccer and volleyball.
Always keen to give back to the community he calls home,
Elmer has been a volunteer at the Chamber of Commerce, president of the Snowmobile Society, director at the Okanagan College and a member of the advisory committee of the Co-lumbia Shuswap Rural District. He also makes a point of hiring students from the high school in order to give them some early work experience.
Clearly Elmer is a man eager to support the community that has supported him for the last 18 years.
Today, after years of bachelorhood, Elmer is eager to intro-duce his young son to the backcountry and instil in him an appreciation for the awesome surroundings in which we live. After the waves of change that have swept this town and his life, Elmer along with his wife, Liz, and little Sam of Free Spirit Sports look forward to facing what is to come.
Elmer Rorstad and Liz Ellis pose with their son, Sam, in their newly renovated store, Free Spirit Sports.
Phot
o: A
lison
Lap
shin
off
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10
From The Streets
Interviews and photos by Emily Beaumont.
Juan Huidobro"Because that’s when my
birthday hits – March 22nd."
Ralph Koerber "The potholes on the streets
aren't filled with ice."
James Walford"When your teeth are not chattering."
Cathie Thacker"When the dog's water bowl
doesn’t freeze outside."
Kristal and Sean Bradshaw"When we shovel the snow from
our lawn onto the road."
Bob Gardali"When I can see out my kitchen window again."
The groundhog knows it's almost spring when it sees its shadow....how will you know?
Conin Erbenich "[By] not having to dressseven kids to go outside."
Andy Kingissepp"When my car isn’t buried
under a snow pile!"
Where the #$*! Is My Passport?by Heather Lea
The six hour bus ride from Bamako, Mali in West Africa to the Burkina Faso border was a fiery hell in which I was currently los-ing my mind. The mini-thermometer attached to my bag said 37 degrees Celsius and I was sweating enough for three people, which was only slightly more comfortable than my full bladder.
Blessedly, the driver pulled over and announced we were closing in on the border. Foreigners had to get off here for a passport check. For travellers like me that meant all necessary documents be in place before travelling across to Burkina Faso; passport, vaccination proof, three recent passport-size photos for a travel-ler’s visa and a certain amount in local currency.
A few days prior, Angel, a woman I’d been travelling with for a week, had come to the bank in Bamako with me so I could have all this in place for the border crossing. The bank asked for my passport, photocopied it and then exchanged my traveller’s cheques for currency.
Now, heading toward the sketchy hut that looked more like an over-sized outhouse than an official office of any sort, I won-dered if there’d be any problems. Word on the street was for-eigners were often hassled in intricate border bribe scams and crossings were a dubious chore for many travellers.
Mali is a French-speaking country like much of western Africa. Three and a half months into my journey, I was fairing well but it still took me a good while to digest and articulate the language.
The hut held four police officers, all watching a TV plugged into an extension cord that ran as far as the eye could see into the red desert. Something hilarious had just happened, because the men were slapping each other’s backs in hysterics. I walked up and the largest of them came over wiping tears of laughter from his eyes, which diminished his authority somewhat. I answered his questions in basic French, surfacing amused giggles from everyone.
Feeling confident now the process was going smoothly I reached into my bag to present my passport for inspection. Two officers watched me, two watched the TV. I’d shuffled through the con-tents of my bag for more than a few minutes before one of the of-ficers asked what was taking so long. The other two now looked up from the TV. My hands emerged sans passport from my bag and that got everyone talking: What are you doing here with no passport? Where is it?
The driver of the bus honked the horn and raised both hands in question.
I struggled to remember the last time I’d seen my passport and swore as the image of me passing it to the bank lady two days ago came into focus. Options buzzed through my head. The bus couldn’t wait so I dragged my backpack off into the sand and over to the hut with the four dark faces looking questioningly at me.
I joked about needing to spend the night while tucking into my pocket for my cell. African’s use cell phones as land lines are too expensive. Luckily, so do travelers and I called Angel 6 hours away in Bamako and begged her to return to the bank to see if my passport was still there. She acted very un-angelic and irri-tated but relented.
Twenty minutes later she called back, passport in hand. Either the bank remembered her being with me that day or passport hand-offs in Africa didn’t arouse much suspicion.
The officers had gotten bored and were back to watching TV. I got to work on a plan to get my passport back and filled Angel in. It was a gamble but it had to work. We hung up and I filled the TV watchers in. They shrugged and went back to the TV while I paced waiting for Angel to call back. About half an hour later she did and the plan was set into motion. I passed my phone to the large officer, who was laughing hysterically again. He took the phone and did an about-face, barking strict orders to the man-ager of the bus line on the other end. I was fascinated by his sud-den change from laughing to now sounding very threatening .
The bus line manager, now the beholder of my passport and hopefully brimming with the fear of God put into him, hung up to find the next bus coming to the border. All I could do now was wait for it to arrive and hope the manager appeared as threaten-ing to his staff as the officer did to him.
I spent eight long hours puttering around town daydreaming about Canada where, when gong shows happened, they were at least in English.
When I returned in the dark of night to see if the bus had come in, and with it my passport, the large officer came running out of the hut awkwardly with guns and such bouncing off his belt. He was smiling and waving a small black booklet that appeared to be my passport.
I assailed him with merci’s and the long, labourious day spent in a dusty border town in West Africa suddenly fast-forwarded while I ran after the soon-to-disappear border bus, my passport safely zipped into a pocket.
Sitting by an open window and watching the night go by, I mar-velled at my real-life guardian Angel and how easily kindness comes in a country we sometimes associate with despair.
Get Outta HereTravels From Afar
11
Brew Locally! We do all the work, you bottle it.
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Cheeky Beaver Chaletwww.cheekybeaverchalet.com802 2nd St. West 250-837-5886 $$
Minto Manor B&B www.mintomanor.com815 MacKenzie Ave. 250-837-9337 $$$$
Powder Springs Inn www.powdersprings.ca201 2nd St. West 250-837-5151 $$
Swiss Chalet Motel www.swisschaletmotel.com 1101 Victoria Rd. West 250-837-4650 $$-$$$$
The Revelstoke Snowed Inn www.revelstokesnowedinn.com823 3rd St. West 250-814-8851 $$-$$$$
Powder Pillow B&Bwww.powderpillow.ca1103 Pine Ridge 250-200-0388 $$$$
Hotels/B&B's $ = under $60 $$ = $60 - $90 $$$ = $90 - $110 $$$$ = $110 and up
$ = under $15 $$ = $15 - 25 $$$ = $25 and upRestaurants/Pubs
Big Eddy Pub and Liquor Store2108 Big Eddy Rd. 250-814-0095 $-$$
Conversations Cafe205 Mackenzie Ave. 250-837-4772 $
Great White Northgreatwhitenorthbar.com5km west of Revelstoke on Hwy 1 250-837-3495 $$
Kawakubo Japanese Restaurant 109 1st St. East 250-837-2467 $-$$$
La Baguette Espresso Bar607 Victoria Rd. and Garden Ave 250-837-3755 $-$$
Modern Bake Shop & Cafe 212 Mackenzie Ave. 250-837-6886 $
Mountain Meals Portable Comfort Food 102 311 1st St. West 250-837-3565 $
Paramjit's Kitchen116 First St. West 250-837-2112 $
Sangha Bean Cafe111 Connaught Ave. 250-814-0080 $-$$
The Last Dropwww.powdersprings.ca201 2nd St. West 250-837-5151 $$
Village Idiot Pub306 Mackenzie Ave 250-837-6240 $$
Woolsey Creek Bistro 604 2nd St. West 250-837-5500 $$$
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