Eat This! Drink That!

Everyone has a passion project. On (or near) retirement Dann Kingsley discovered the world of beer, ales, lagers, pilsners (the list is much longer) and specifically craft beer. Call it micro-brewing and you get the sense this is the circle of artisanal lagers and IPA lovers. Add sours, and smoked and well that community just got larger. Known as The Sudbury Beer Guy Dann Kingsley has a hand in production at 46North and continues to expand his knowledge with national, continental, and international travel.

If you love ales, lagers, stouts, porters, IPA (and double that) then Knowhere has to be on your map. Bill Crumplin, a retired geography teacher, naturally would be a publican who offers both a destination and a place reference as in "You know where"! He and Kaitlin (Lutyk) also have seasonal cocktails and a menu that can satisfy the hunger spectrum from brunch to the late night growlies.

What a wonderful opportunity to talk with Brad St. Croix about Canadian military history. There is definitely more to learn about our country and everyone who has had a role to play in making us who we are today. Delve a little deeper and find stories that are intriguing and bigger than the single paragraph in our high school history books.

Sure, you must see the Parthenon and tour the city of Athens, but around the corner from the 1896 rebirth of the Olympics is a spectacular museum. Should I be more specific and call it an Art Gallery? It is an assemblage of marvelous "modern" pieces. There are two floors of impressionism, plus more levels of internationals and nationals housed in a purpose built space. Come walk through the collection based on items, objects, and art, originally purchased by Elise and Basil Goulandis. Thank you to the administration, including Katerina Voussoura for organizing an amazing tour under the direction of "Costas" Konstantinos.

We should all have a hobby. Grant Trayner speaks enthusiastically about his quest for the perfect (or may be just a really good expression of) hot dog. The bun, the wiener, the condiments, the freshness... all these (and more) factor into Grant's evaluation. I think I need to go to an arena, a baseball game, or just a roadside food truck and meet Grant on his hunt.

Avenue Road in Toronto has so many different uses and neigbourhoods. Just north of Eglington is the Toronto Coin Shop where you will find John. John is our guest today and we talk about collecting, buying and selling of coins and currency. Numismatics is the topic of this episode. I learn it is more than the appraisal and collection of rare coins. John shares his passion for this most fascinating hobby... and for him a profession.

I have been wanting to have a conversation with Amy for some time. Stopping at Salute Coffee or Old Rock Coffee I was aware that somewhere there was a source for the amazing foodstuffs showing up in their showcases. Yes, dressings, wraps, salads, and even desserts trace their path from Good Grab on Kelly Lake Road. Though much of her sales are wholesale there is a storefront... the only place you can purchase her mind-blowing Cashew-Caesar dressing. Go visit!

Chef/Owner Mark Gregorini launched Verdicchio Ristorante some 3 decades ago and now his pasta project - ANIKO Pasta Artigianale - is ready to roll. I visited him to see the custom crafted machines in action. Using the best semolina and duck eggs his pasta is perfect. The bronze dies, under pressure deliver unique and signature shapes. His stuffed raviolis will have your guests asking "Where did you get these?" and "Can I have some more?" Join Mark and Hugh for a dialogue on the world of food manufacturing, bespoke Italian dining, and ingredients that are now available locally.

Freshly published "Stealing Stanley" is the first in a series called the Margot and Harley Capers. Christopher Courtin talks about his writing process and how his background and experiences resulted in this book. A fun romp with a diverse cast of characters awaits you.

I think I've been chasing Aura Hertzog for almost a year. One very busy person she is not one to let the grass grow under her, and of course bakers have to get up early to have breads and pastries read for opening. We talk about products, processes and the challenges of being an entrepreneur. "AURA-LA Pastries + Provisions is a community-focused bakery, specializing in made-from-scratch, in-house baking, ice cream, and bean-to-bar chocolate. We also proudly stock an intentionally curated selection of locally produced provisions."

Chef Gaetanne Larocque spends her summers at Camp Maple Leaf making great meals for kids. It is a special place. Other times of the year she does catering (and more) plus working at Seasons Pharmacy & Culinaria. In this episode we focus on her just launched 13 part cooking series.

Season's Pharmacy and Culinaria recently held a three day AppleFest featuring all things apple. On the Saturday they had the AppleFest Feast. Recipes were shared and cider was made, but best of all DISHES! From roast apple with pork, to fish with apple soup, and ending with desserts there was enough to confirm Sudbury is an apple producing city. So many trees are reaching maturity, and people are encouraged to plant more.

The Sudbury Downtown (Farmers') Market that is. Occupying a piece of strategic corner in the Saturday Market brings these 3 authors great exposure. They will tell you about not just the writing process, who they have written for, but naturally what writing means to them. Three very different approaches and styles go from YA, to thrillers and crime, to science fiction.

It has been wonderful to again connect with Gary Petingola, MSW, RSW. He and his wife Sheila Damore-PetingolaMSW, RSW, offer a suite of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction courses. Gary's 2020 book "The Response: How to practice mindfulness in your daily life" explores the value in this method. Their website further explains that "The regular practice of Mindfulness Meditation can enrich our lives with enhanced calm, clarity, insight, emotional intelligence, creativity, productivity, and wellness. Mindfulness practices are useful in addressing illness, stress, and pain." Their next Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program is in October 2023 rather than April as outlined in the interview.

Birthing, parenting and more, Erica Salo can help. Listen to the conversation and find out about all she does for moms, couples and families as they progress on life's journey. You can meet for a consultation, or attend a class in a long-weekend intense format or as multiple evenings to fit your already busy calendar.

Want to talk about urban environments? Want to create better cities, towns and communities? Then you better give Gill Penalosa a call. We can build livable spaces that encourage spirit, interaction, respect, and sustainability. Gil speaks about how we can learn from other countries and replicate best practices and strive for health and happiness.

What a pleasure to talk with Cindy and Andreas about their research, selection, move , and successes here in Sudbury. It is challenging to leave your home country behind and establish a new life. This couple also video-blogs about the journey they are on. I think I need to check in with them annually to follow the next steps they make in making this their home.

We get out the corkscrew (or not, if a screwtop) and bet most of us don't consider much more about the wine than this: 1) will my guests enjoy it 2) will it go with the food I have prepared 3) do I have enough But you can dive deeper. Understanding the history of the grape varieties, knowing the region the wine came from, having a snapshot of the country and maybe even its political/social/economic past and present might be of value. Jennifer Regan-Lefebvre talks here about her research and the book "Imperial Wine: How the British Empire Made Wine's New World" in ways that may open your awareness to the impact of settler colonialism and even the current state of global wine trade.

Thank you to Ehren Baldauf of Gallagher Benefit Services for suggesting diversity, inclusion, and equity as a topic for QOL. This is not just a program about workplace practice and policy, but in the larger sense it is about Canadian society. I want to thank subject matter expert, Farzeen Mawji - in Edmonton - and Alison Muth, national marketing director in Canada for Gallagher, for their insights into the past, the present, and the future of these important and valuable dialogues.

It is often by chance that the most amazing things in life happen. I had heard of Gianetta and her travels across Canada. She and her harp have been on the road in a high top Ford Transit Van throughout the Pandemic. She basically has a stage that arrives anywhere and Ta Da there is a concert. Playing inside outside afforded her the opportunity to perform in so many venues... even while waiting for a ferry crossing! Gianetta also shares her enthusiasm for the music program she supports in the favellas of Rio. Listen and love the voice of the harp.