Search Results for: Main Street
Main Street or bust
Rolf Hougen stands with Harreson Tanner beside the bust of Sam Steele that he commissioned Chuck Buchanan to sculpt as part of the centennial RCMP celebration in 1992 What do Jack London, Martha Black, Pierre Berton and Ted Harrison have in common? They’ve all been commissioned by Rolf Hougen to be sculpted by Harreson Tanner …
Main Street Confidential
So… have you gone to the Yukon Government Main Administrative Building to see your art yet? I understand, life gets busy. But I bet you’re on Main Street once in awhile. There, you’ll find three Yukon Government offices that serve as public exhibition spaces from the Yukon Permanent Collection — art that belongs to the …
Main Street cruise
Those of you who took a cruise during the Spring Break raise your hands … not so fast, Hookey. But don’t feel sorry for me because I didn’t miss a thing. You all listened to gurgling rivers on those tropical islands and you marvelled at the beauty of salt-water fish … so did I. And …
Two New Galleries and Many Small Fishies: Back streets and Main Street
Another one caught: Ceramic artist Sam Dickie went to Dawson City as Artist in Residence with KIAC and created a show called Stand in the Odd Gallery last fall. And then — like so many others — she fell prey to the spell of the Yukon. She and her partner and one-year-old daughter MacKenzie were …
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506 Main Street Sam N’Andys: Food and Fun
Walk down Main Street any Friday night. The lights are on at 506 Main Street. While decades ago Main Street – west of 4th Avenue – would have contained family homes, there is only one house left on that particular block today. And it doesn’t house a family. Well, there is a two bedroom upstairs …
Main squeeze
It’s been years since the Yukon Sourdough Rendezvous (YSR) was held on Main Street and still, once a month, someone asks – why isn’t Rendezvous held on Main Street anymore? Is it moving back there from Shipyards Park? When? Why not?
509 Wood Street: An Elegant Grandmother
Research to date has taken me into post-Second World War homes. Recently however I had the opportunity to visit 509 Wood. I think of this house as an elegant grandmother – she has lived on Wood Street since 1901. The house, built by Angus D. McKinnon, began as a log cabin. Later, a tent shack …
Streets of Gore
Cars honked, lunchers looked up from their sandwiches in consternation, and tourists gaped openly as the horde of zombies slowly came shuffling toward them. Young and old, dripping blood and rag-clad, they shambled along, collectively growling for brains and reaching towards onlookers. Survivors in white hospital masks wielded various forms of weaponry as they wove …
Whitehorse Winterval Santa Parade
Santa Claus is coming to town! See him down main street Whitehorse! See many community sponsored floats, treats, and dress for the weather! For sponsorship and float inquires email Email [email protected]
Yukon customers: feel appreciated
Main Street Society folded into the Chamber. The agreement included making sure there was a Main St. presence.
Santa Claus is coming to town
For the parents who had heard that Santa Claus wasn’t going to be able to make it to the Whitehorse Winterval Festival Santa Claus Parade and the Tree Lighting Ceremony on Main Street, you can now let your children know he will be there – with bells on!
The Real Santa Claus Does Not Run
40 Santas donned the red and white and ran [pub crawled?] the entire two blocks of Main Street in Manayunk. Or.
Folk Coffee House featuring Nick Mah and the Open Stage
Nick Mah presents “the Cabin Sketches”. An all ages event featuring folk(ish) music by amateur and professional musicians. Sign-up in person starting at 6 pm.
Whitehorse Community Choir Spring Session
If you love singing and want to be part of a group of singers who love to make music together, come join us for the spring term. Register online for more info email email [email protected] or call 604-328-7884.
Safe At Home
The Safe at Home Society is a Yukon organization that works to end and prevent homelessness in the territory…
Folk Coffee House featuring Sour Do Re Mi and the Open Stage
Local musicians Katie Avery and Graeme Poile, aka Sour Do Re Mi, Open stage sign-up in person starting at 6 pm
Folk Coffee House Featuring Daniel Janke
Daniel will be performing music for a new project titled Roots and Wings, which he is currently developing. Open stage signup in person.
Yukon Awards To Be Bestowed
The Office of the Commissioner of Yukon is inviting Yukoners to nominate their peers for three prestigious awards this month.
Returning Home to the Yukon
Tears streamed down my face as our airplane began its descent, preparing to land at the Whitehorse airport.
Mary Caesar: An International Artist Continues to Shine
Splashes of lavish roses, bared teeth of an outraged woman, portraits of people stick gambling—all appear in the paintings of Mary Caesar.
Inked! The Indelible Art of Tattooing
Chat with artists at Yukon tattoo shops. They’re the most kind & community-minded folks & you might walk out wondering why you don’t have ink.
Haines, Alaska: Food scene still vibrant even during a pandemic
A trip to Haines reveals things have been far from quiet in the small town of 2,500. The food and beverage scene is thriving.
Grey Matters: Age-friendly outdoors
“Mr. Spock,” my 1998 camper van (pure luxury) is put to bed. My old arthritic bones will no longer take sleeping on the cold, hard ground.
The power of art
Victoria, Tlingit from the Gaanaxtei.di Clan and drum carrier for the Dakhká Khwáan, discusses what collecting art means to her.
Zoom, Santa, Zoom
It’s tough to sit on Santa’s knee from a distance of two metres, but many of our seasonal traditions have required a pandemic-appropriate makeover this year.
From the vaults
After 17 years, late Yukon musician Aylie Sparkes’ album has finally gotten a digital release.
Art in the age of COVID-19: The Dalton Trail Gallery
I remember the first time Nicole Bauberger created a series of dresses. It was in 2004, and Bauberger was part of an artists’ collective called Studio 204. The collective had a small studio and artist-run gallery space of the same name, in the alley in the back of 204 Main Street. Bauberger’s first show at Studio 204 …
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Social Distancing Perfect Time For A Good Book
Here are three books to thumb through while you wait for the end of the world or a Yukon spring, whichever comes first.
If Bob’s your uncle …
The idiom Bob’s your uncle is commonly heard in Britain. Perhaps you’ve heard it watching British mysteries or British sitcoms.
When life hands you lemons …
… have a drink of lemonade on August 7 [three_fourth] Two Yukon organizations are making lemonade centre stage this summer. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Yukon is hosting the second annual Big Squeeze Lemonade Stand Competition and the Yukon Transportation Museum is sharing Klondike Gold Rush history with a lemony twist. The museum has taken …
Tech company grows byte by byte
You’d be forgiven for thinking Triniti Technology only sells cell phone cases. Sylvio Lin, general manager for the Whitehorse-based company, knows that’s what it looks like from the outside. “Most people think we just sell electronics,” said Lin. “They have no idea what else we do in terms of repair and servicing.” Beyond the cell …
Raven kronks, Leprechaun croaks
I remember my first conversation with Joe Ben Raven like it happened yesterday. It was the winter construction season of 1972-73 up on the Eagle Plains of the Yukon’s half-built Dempster Highway in a borrow pit south of the Oasis in the Wilderness—a hotel which is itself only 35 kilometres south of the Arctic Circle. …
It’s a mad, mad world
At the time, Mad(am) Trapper didn’t exist as a contest (in fact, it was the first year for Mad Trapper), but any women wanting to compete were welcome to compete against each other. It’s just that none of the women had placed that well before.
Thank you for bringing the magic of Christmas to life in Whitehorse
What image appears in your imagination when you think about Christmas? There re amny, however, the brightest and most magnificent picture that comes to mind is of Santa Claus and the sounds of the bells.
Santa: A Superhero!
Santa Claus: known by many names in countless countries. He represents kindness, generosity, sharing, positivity and goodwill to all.
Give in to your temptation
Martin’s solo career launched when The Tea Party went on a hiatus in 2005, before getting back together in 2011. The break provided an opportunity for the three bandmates to reset and explore different opportunities after a long stint together. Martin and Burrows had a band when they were 10 years old, and met Chatwood …
A Vast and awesome Universe – Understanding cosmic distance through analogy
When a budding interest in astronomy is pursued with even a cursory investigation into the nature of our cosmos, one quickly comes to the realization that the human mind cannot fully embrace the awesome extent of it all—the unfathomable distances and mind-bending time scales—the incomprehensible vastness of the gulf of space. And although even our …
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Walk, hike, stroll …
Walk … “You weren’t in any hurry to walk,” my mother said as she showed me a photo of myself at 15 months, happily sitting on a blanket in the yard. But after a late start, there was no stopping me. I walked to school almost every day of my long student career, walked to …
Seize your Canada Day
No summer in the Yukon can be complete without the yearly Canada Day events. The very mention of Canada Day can conjure up memories and build anticipation for just about any Yukoner.
Pride and joy … 24 Hours of Gaylight
This month, Yukon Pride: 24 Hours of Gaylight is happening for the sixth year in a row—and it just gets bigger every year.
Serving laughs straight from the oven
The Whitehorse comedy scene is on a roll as of late. One of the events that has helped cultivate this resurgence has been Baked Laughs, the stand-up nights presented monthly at Baked Café.
Ride to Live, Live to Ride
Whitehorse’s ninth annual Ride for Dad is happening … and you can help out.
A second home for the Yukon’s gamers
As the only gaming café and comic book store in Whitehorse, Titan Gaming and Collectables is a one-of-a-kind concept North of 60.
Herbal passions
When Beverley Gray started her business, over 20 years ago, it began with filling a need for her own family.
A lifeline for Yukon artists
James Kirby dedicated his life to his craft and when news of his terminal illness came to light, the Yukon Artist Relief Fund Society was there to help.
Strange things won from the midnight sun
In keeping with this column’s focus on Yukon related material, I’m returning this week to a successful thriller that is set in a version of Dawson City. It’s not quite my town in both geography and details, but Elle Wild didn’t try to pretend it was when I talked with her about it, and even …
Life 40-seconds at a time
Yukon storyteller Ivan Coyote and songwriter Sarah MacDougall are excited to premier their latest collaboration in Whitehorse.
Welcome 2018, farewell Commissioner Phillips
According to the Yukon Commissioner’s office, the New Year’s Levee is an old tradition that dates back to King Louis XIV of France and was first introduced in Canada when fur traders would pay respect to their government representatives on New Year’s Day. The annual event has evolved from these beginnings and the levee this …
A conversation with Niki Greenough
People want to be creative, but they don’t necessarily want to have to have all the stuff it takes to do a craft. They can come here, pay the one price, and then take their piece home with them.
Teaching kids about respect
As part of this year’s 16 Days to End Gender-based Violence campaign, former BC Lions player and 2011 Grey Cup Champion, J.R. LaRose will be returning to the Yukon.
A beloved musical tradition
Bob Williams knows the residents and staff at Copper Ridge Place quite well. That’s because the longtime Yukoner, musician and volunteer has been playing music at the continuing care facility since it was built eight years ago.
Not Just a Dog, But a Best Friend
My dog, who I called The Barron, had an all brown head and a brown patch on his shoulders, but otherwise, was all white and, shall we say, not really accepted by the rich and mighty of the bird dog organizations.
People who crafted the promise of Canada
Continuing this series of reviews of books that deal with the Canadian identity and, to an extent, with the idea of Canada at 150, we come to the latest book by former Berton House writer-in-residence Charlotte Gray. It’s called The Promise of Canada: 150 Years – People and Ideas That Have Shaped Our Country. It …
In The People’s Voice
Ross River musician Dennis Shorty grew up in a musical family that spoke Kaska and performed at social events. Now he is sharing his love of the language through the musical duo he formed with his wife, Jennifer Froehling, is called Dena Zagi, meaning “people’s voice”. In August, they toured in Germany with their first …
Fresh poetic summer reads
Auguries, by Clea Roberts Whitehorse author Clea Roberts newest book, Auguries, is published by Brick Books. The title “Auguries” refers to an ancient practice of The Romans: reading the future from the sky considering the birds in the air and their style of flying. It is her second collection of poems and deals with the …
Five Years Later and Still Garlic A GoGo-ing
If Louis Gagnon has learned anything from five years of successfully running a food truck in the Yukon, it’s “Batten down the hatches!” Gagnon says this with a hearty laugh, but securing every food item in a food truck, is no joke. In fact, the French Canadian and long time Yukoner, who runs the well-known …
Make the Most of Your Canada Day!
Summer sun brings with it loads of visitors to the various Yukon campgrounds, especially on the long weekends. Those folks joining the campers for the Canada Day long weekend will be missing out! On July 1, Canada is celebrating its 150th birthday. The festivities, therefore, will be 150 times bigger than they have been in …
Canadian Red
Ever since I was a child I would see the Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers and think, “Wow! Our national police force is beyond cool!” Today, I still think that. The Mounties definitely know how put on a good horse show and parade. Located throughout every province and territory, the RCMP are there to “stand …
Get Your Motor Running (For a Good Cause)
It’s impossible to ignore 200 motorcycles ripping down the road. That’s kind of the point, says Sean Secord, board member of the Yukon chapter of Ride for Dad. Ride for Dad is a national event that raises funds and awareness around prostate cancer, and it takes place in Whitehorse on Saturday, June 10. “It’s the …
O – Delicious Oishi Sushi
Oishi Sushi is a small lunch counter located on the second floor above Shoppers Drug Mart on Main Street. It’s truly a hidden gem. Oishi means tasty or delicious in Japanese. The name is certainly an apt description of the food offered. Although it is tucked alongside the hallway leading from Zoomz to Hair Sensations, …
Come as You Are
Don’t wait for your invitation in the mail – Yukon Pride isn’t an exclusive event. “I think sometimes that some of our straight allies, they feel like they need to be invited to an event, which I totally understand,” says Rian Turner who, along with Fi Griffin, Chase Blodgett and Stephanie Hammond, is one of …
Chronicling the Vanishing Alaska Highway Lodge Community
I’m very jealous of what Whitehorse based Lily Gontard and Mark Kelly have managed to pull off with their delightful book, Beyond Mile Zero: The Vanishing Alaska Highway Lodge Community (published last month, Lost Moose, 240 pages, $24.95). They’ve taken an idea that I turned into a measly two or three columns in the Whitehorse …
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Filling the Gaps in Our History
“Everyone talks about the Goldrush. I’m interested in the gaps in history. The points in between,” says Yukon writer Michael Gates, author of From the Klondike to Berlin. Published last month, this book is, perhaps surprisingly, the first to offer an in depth account of the Yukon’s contribution to World War I. Gates says that …
M – Making New Memories in a Spot with History
We went for dinner at Miner’s Daughter, which is in the historic Capital Hotel building and I imagine, if the walls could talk, we’d all be totally enthralled. As it was, we were impressed with the brick wall that still had the original signage painted in old fashioned lettering. Nice character. Juxtaposing the history in …
Something for Everyone
However, the Koot to Kat Alpine Adventure Race has a list of requirements: a partner, beacon, shovel, probe, communication device (phone or GPS) and the ability to get yourself up and over Mount Ripinski. The Winter Fest runs from Friday, March 3rd to Sunday, 5th. The Haines “First Friday” event also takes place on March …
On the Quest For A Good Story
Parents and teachers, do you have a budding Jack London in your midst? Kids in Grades 1-7 are invited to enter the Yukon Quest Short Story Competition. The contest is divided into two categories with children in Grades 1-3 and Grades 4-7 will be judged separately, and one winner chosen from each category. The winners …
Karen Nicloux: Stitching a Healthy Future
To talk to her, you wouldn’t think the quiet needleworker Karen Nicloux was once in the upper echelons of our local drug circuit. She was one of two debut artists chosen to display work at the newly opened Art House Carcross, a permanent visual showcase to promote Yukon art in the Carcross Commons in partnership …
Yukon Visitors
Everyone has a list of family and close friends that they feel the need to make an effort to visit every decade or so. If you’re like me and your entire extended family lives outside the Yukon, they may be making an extra effort to come and see you, because (though geographically cumbersome) the Yukon …
Interview at the Embassy
The status of one’s permanent residency quickly becomes the crux of conversation among the Yukon’s new Canadians. And it’s the crux of this column. No two people have the same story to tell. Not only are there various ways to immigrate, each person’s reason to immigrate is different. Some are poignant, others humorous, like this …
Doors are Open for Culture Days
The Yukon is recognized for its rich cultural diversity, and you are invited to experience it during the seventh national Culture Days and Doors Open celebration, from Friday, September 30 through to Sunday, October 2. “The best place to start your Culture Days experience is at The Old Fire Hall,” says Michele Emslie, co-ordinator and …
The Walking Monk Comes to Whitehorse
“I have always had a fascination with the North.” I am on the phone with Bhaktimarga Swami, a 63-year-old monk in Toronto. We are talking about the visit to Whitehorse he has planned for late September. Better known as The Walking Monk, at 63 he has already walked across Canada four times, as well as …
Learning how to Live Joyfully
Ever since she was a little girl, Teva Harrison drew. She studied art after high school. But, as it often goes, “needing to make a living, I digressed.” After the explanation, Harrison laughs. A joyful, full, belly laugh. To make a living, she worked as the director of marketing for the Nature Conservancy of Canada. …
Capturing a Country’s Memories
When Charles Ketchabauw and Lisa Marie DiLiberto rolled into Whitehorse late last month, they weren’t your typical rubber-tire tourists. Sure, they had two small kids and a teardrop trailer in tow, which made their eight-day journey from Toronto what DiLiberto terms “epic and absurd.” But they weren’t here to drink in the sights and sample …
Searching for Inner Truth on the Chilkoot Trail
Whitehorse resident Maureen McCulloch wrote her debut novel to bring a message into the world. She wrote the book under the pseudonym, Maureen Senecal. “I used Angels and Aliens to bring the message that mankind needs to work together for the survival of our planet,” McCulloch says. “The book also points to the critical need to …
Finding Herself
In 2009, Ayla Sanders graduated from Vanier Catholic Secondary School and got a summer job in Paradise Alley on Main Street in Whitehorse. She did not have plans to pursue a post-secondary education, so she wrote an essay to apply for the Rosemary Burns Grant. This was the first year of the award. Since then …
Bright Colours, Divergent Stories
Two brightly coloured shows of paintings adorn the walls of Arts Underground. While they share intense palettes, their worldviews contrast profoundly. The Things You Know by Whitehorse artist Heather Von Steinhagen offers a surreal, disturbing outlook, while Leaps and Bounds by Marsh Lake artist Ferryn Nowatzki depicts a more light-hearted vision. Dystopia reigns Von Steinhagen’s …
It’s Not All Greek
When you think of the Greek philosopher, Plato – if you think of him at all – the expression “party animal” might not come to mind. But Zuppa Theatre Co. would like to change that. The Halifax-based troupe has taken one of Plato’s best-known works, The Symposium, and re-cast it as a modern party – …
Art Show: Transcending the Doodle
Two new exhibitions at Arts Underground take doodle-like lines to new levels. In Wearable Art, Qaqtis (pronounced like cactus) uses these kinds of lines in acrylic paint to make hoodies and sneakers unique. Her show is in the Focus Gallery, in the front room. In the Edge Gallery, located in the back room, Whitehorse artist …
Art Nights in Alaska
Haines is said to have more artists per capita than any town in Southeast Alaska. On Friday April 1st, the creative spirit of Haines was clearly demonstrated as artists, artisans, craftsmen and members of the public gathered for the unveiling of an exhibit compiled by renowned scrimshaw artist Heidi Robichaud. The exhibit, which is sponsored …
G – G&P Steakhouse – “Come As You Are for a Fine Evening Out”
It was time to go out for dinner and, since my regular companion was still on the high seas, I invited yet another friend. I was the first to arrive G&P Steakhouse on Main Street. As it was a Monday night, I hadn’t bothered to make reservations. I was lucky to get the last table. …
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Space Art
When the detection of gravitational waves was announced earlier this month, the space community rejoiced. They cried out, “Einstein was right!” and “This changes everything we know about space.” For me, this announcement had the resonance of a hockey score between two teams I didn’t know existed. Space isn’t my thing. It doesn’t excite me. …
Barbershop and Hockey Talk
She is far more important to me than a friend. She is my trusted, longtime barber at Barber’s II. She has a remarkable ability to make me feel sexy and confident during the most vulnerable times: job interviews, break-ups, first dates and gender transitioning. Your everyday life stuff. Tucked in beside the bustling Baked Café …
Happy Anniversary, Arts Underground
Arts Underground celebrated 10 years with the launch of a show called ten. ten features art by the Yukon Arts Society Members.
Seeds of Cuba
The Christmas season is upon us. For cigar lovers, this is a perfect excuse to indulge and order up a nice selections of stogies. For those who live in Whitehorse, there happens to be a store where you can get the best cigars Cuba has to offer. In the heart of downtown on Main Street …
A Northern Tradition
Each year, Whitehorse ushers in the Christmas season by lighting the gigantic evergreen tree on Front Street, a parade along Main Street, and Santa arrives – mukluks and all. We even have our own name for this glistening annual event- Winterval. Every year Winterval combines the magic of Christmas with the creativity of the arts. …
Holding Images in Our Mind
In his most recent show, Jesse Devost investigates how we gather and hold images in our mind. Optic Nerve, showing at Arts Underground until Nov. 28, explores how the optic nerve continuously captures images and transmits them to the brain, regardless of whether the brain can handle them. His art employs a variety of mediums, …
Ideas, Laughter, and Making Art
Armed with everything they need to make art 12 Yukon artists tucked themselves into the woods to make art together.
Taking Pride
Stephanie Hammond won’t be dancing on the truck leading the annual Pride parade in downtown Whitehorse this weekend, as she has in previous years. Instead, she quips, she’ll be busy co-ordinating “dozens and dozens of floats” that are expected to take part in the third annual version of Yukon’s colourful celebration of diversity. “We have …
Tykes for Chickadees
Whoever said learning can’t be fun has never been part of the Chickadees program in Whitehorse. Designed for toddlers aged between three and five, this pre-school definitely puts the cool in school. At this joint kids get free playtime, story creation, painting, crafts, fieldtrips, and the ever-sopopular circle time. If these perks aren’t enough, there …
The Friendly Photographer
When one walks into Horwoods Mall from the Front Street entrance in downtown Whilehorse it’s hard to miss him. There, in one of the building’s charming nooks and crannies, sits John Houle with greyish hair protruding endearingly from a small, black skull cap. Houle is the owner/operator of ProPass, a one-stop-shop for all your photo …
The Call of Fastnacht
I am not a homesick person, but I can hear the Black Forest calling me home during Fastnacht, which means carnival. For many people in southern Germany, Fastnacht is a far more important holiday then Christmas. Families gather and celebrate ancient traditions. It is the best time to travel to the Black Forest and to …
In Bloom for Christmas
“Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens / Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens / Brown paper packages tied up with strings / These are a few of my favorite things.” So goes the delightful Christmas song. For Whitehorse florist, Crystal Rose, Christmas is more chaos than delight. The P.E.I. native opened her shop, …
How They Would Move
Imagine Wittgenstein’s Tractatus Logico Philosophicus was a person. He was a young man — driven, entrepreneurial, and shaved clean. He woke early, without setting an alarm clock. He ate quickly, dressed quickly, and always arrived at work on time. His colleagues appreciated his punctuality and said positive things about him; some tried to imitate his …
Hot Dogging in Quebec
I was on vacation with my family in southern Quebec when I opened e-mail from What’s Up Yukon editor Peter Jickling asking me if I had any “hot dog” stories for the magazine. It occurred to me that other than eating them over the years I had no stories of any value. Once I burnt …
In Praise of 7th Avenue
In Praise of 7th Avenue It’s not on the way to anywhere. It’s a world removed from the fast food congestion of 2nd and the self-conscious business of 4th. And it has nothing in common with the arrogance of 6th. You just want to wipe the smirk of the face of 6th Avenue when it …
Mary Bradshaw sees her curator’s role as a bridge between artists and the public
Tourism officials in Barbados market their island as “Distinctively Charming”. But when Mary Bradshaw was weighing the option of a Barbadian internship against one in Whitehorse, she opted for the distinctive charm of the Yukon. “I figured, ‘Oh, I can live anywhere for six months, and it’s the same time zone as where my family …
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Love is Easy
If she were to write a love letter to Whitehorse, Lindsay Zier-Vogel says it would be to the Yukon River early in the morning. And to the mountains. So she did, she wrote the letter, sealed it in an airmail envelope, and hid it — maybe on the Millennium Trail, or maybe in the industrial …
Big Ride for a Big Cause
One might think that winning six Olympic medals in two sports speaks for itself. Not for Clara Hughes, who believes there’s still so much more to talk about. The only Olympian to win multiple medals at both summer and winter Olympics, Hughes is now traversing the country to talk not about her accomplishments, but about …
The Trouble with Stop-and-Chats
There is an episode on HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm where Larry David is walking down the street with his manager, Jeff. They pass a man who recognizes Larry and slows down to speak to him. Without missing a beat Larry says, “Hey Ray,” and keeps walking. Jeff asks Larry if he knows Ray. Larry: He works at …
What Good Does Art Do?
John Trotter was supposed to be a lawyer. Becoming the musical director for Wheaton College in Chicago wasn’t part of the plan. “Music was my first love, but it never occurred to me for a moment that I would be a musician,” he says. “I didn’t know anyone who did that.” But Trotter ended up …
Bush is coming back?
Why do people get so fired up about a little bush? In January, the British newspaper The Telegraph ran an article by Louisa Peacock describing the public response to a pubic display. Clothing manufacturer and retailer American Apparel is known for their controversial advertising campaigns, and this year the New York American Apparel’s Valentine’s Day …
Rendezvous In the Old Days
Rendezvous – it’s always been our mid-winter break. A chance to unwind. It’s competition, and horseplay, and fun.
The Evolution of Rendezvous
It’s the biggest party in the territory, and this year Yukon Sourdough Rendezvous celebrates its 50th anniversary. For a lot of Yukoners the festival represents the nearing of the end of winter, but for others it’s a chance to compete for coveted titles, from Sourdough Sam, to Best Frozen Hair, to Furthest Log Toss. Sibell …
The Boost a Battle Can Give
For many bands the step to a big stage is challenging. That’s the Battle of the Bands in Whitehorse has been a continued success.
‘Feels Like Woodstook Organized by Canadian Army Engineers’
At the monthly coffee house events in Whitehorse, it’s all about the music, not the drinks. Anyone of any age is welcome to get up on the stage. Taking place in the Whitehorse United Church,t They provide an alcohol-free, smoke-free environment, opening up the possibility of young musicians practicing their art, and allowing audiences to …
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Take Caroling a Step Further
Attention hearty Yukon yuletide carolers: prepare to step up your game. Whitehorse’s choir collective, Messiah Chorale, invites you to sing-a-long this solstice weekend. And not just to “O Come All Ye Faithful.” For the first time in Whitehorse, the audience will be singing along to Handel’s Messiah. Messiah is a mesmerizing English-language Baroque oratorio composed …
Parking Meter Attendants Have Feelings, Too
There are some jobs that appear thankless. To name a few, collection agents, nurses who take blood samples, and dentists. Parking meter attendants surely get their fair share of grief from the public, as they walk the streets in all weather, five days a week, issuing tickets that make people angry, day in and day …
Celebrating Local Books
Writing tends to be a pretty solitary activity, but with their books completed and published, nine Yukon authors are ready to celebrate. Mac’s Fireweed Books is hosting the annual Yukon Book Signing Extravaganza on Dec. 7, and the authors will be there speaking about their books, signing copies and mingling with the book loving guests …
Lanterns, Costumes, Action: Winterval lantern workshop and parade takes place Nov. 30
“It’s all about magic,” says Maryne Dumaine, the production and marketing manager for this year’s Winterval festival. The event has become a regular part of the Christmas season, and Yukoners can expect a unique take on holiday cheer from the Yukon Educational Theatre (YET). “We want to make art fun and more accessible for people …
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Just Everyday Life; Through David Byrne’s Eyes
“I deal with stuff that’s too dumb for people to have bothered to formulate opinions on,” David Byrne says in his 1986 film True Stories. Byrne, front man for the band Talking Heads at the time, directed and starred in the film, which is a quirky mockumentary that purports to portray everyday life in the …
Yukon Quest is anybody’s race
Although the number of sled dog teams is down this year to 21, and the reigning champion is not returning, Stephen Reynolds thinks these factors will add up to a very interesting Yukon Quest 1,000-Mile International Sled Dog Race. The manager of the Canadian half of the “toughest sled dog race in the world,” says …
Another Rite of Passage Bites the Dust
In the early ‘90s I semi-regularly attended the United Church with my family. This involved weekly Sunday school lessons, plus the occasional extracurricular congregational picnic or evening potluck. The evening potlucks were my favourite events because after dinner, while the parents drank coffee and chatted (or whatever parents did in the early ‘90s), the children …
Where Do You Go After The Yukon? A pillar of Yukon’s art community finds green grass in the Arctic
Twelve months ago, Harreson Tanner thought he was leaving the Yukon for good. Like many seniors, Tanner wanted to be closer to his children and grandchildren. So he and his wife sold their Riverdale home and moved to Ontario. “We quickly learned that we saw more of our family when we lived in Yukon,” says …
Naming and Renaming History
Change sometimes takes time, even if the change means a return to the familiar. On July 26, 1978, the Whitehorse Star reported that, “a beautification scheme for downtown Whitehorse which would make Main Street a road for shoppers and the waterfront a historical attraction is approved in principal by the Downtown Whitehorse Businessmen’s Association. The …
Hot items and hot coffee go hand In hand
The most popular door leading into Board Stiff is the one that opens from Bent Spoon Café. “We encourage people to carry coffees in,” says co-owner of Board Stiff, Craig Hougen. “That reflects the idea of ‘come in, get a coffee, do the tour’,” adds his wife, the other co-owner, Mary-Jane Warshawski. With 20,000 square …
Banding together for business
For this issue, I interviewed three people who, in the business world at least, walk in very different circles. There was Craig Hougen and Mary-Jane Warshawski, the couple who have 20,000 square feet of retail space on Main Street; and Jason Seguin, former artistic director of Nakai Theatre and fine-food enthusiast. Craig and Mary-Jane spend …
She’s the boss
There is a commercial on television that implores people to “fire your boss” and become self employed. Catchy line. In many ways, it sums up the feelings of many. In Ammanda Partridge’s case, however, she didn’t so much “fire her boss” when she bought KB’s Esthetics from her own boss, Kathleen Burke, as she did …
‘Artrepreneurship’ on Training Wheels
Andrew Finton, of the Sundog Retreat Carving Program, likes to point to Calvin Morberg as one of his successful young carvers. Today he has a long way to point. Morberg’s off on a cultural delegation to Siberia. Four and a half years ago, Morberg sold his hand-caved masks out of towel-lined shoeboxes on Main Street. …
Andy and Esmé Cruickshank
A 1920s Love Story, a Ryan B-1 high-winged monoplane named the Queen of the Yukon and the start of the Yukon Airways and Exploration Company.
A Charming Guide Down Nature’s Path
Beverley Gray knows plants. They’ve intrigued her since early childhood and she has since accomplished a lot in the name of greenery. Gray opened her herb shop, Aroma Borealis, in Whitehorse 15 years ago and has continued to expand her knowledge. She’s studied herbalism, yoga, meditation, aromatherapy, spiritual healing and reflexology. She’s also written a …
Artrepreneur: Sundog Carvers Sink Teeth into Snow
Young artists from the Sundog carving program have turned from wood to snow. Until Feb. 23, you can see them carving six eight-foot square blocks of snow at Shipyards Park. They will not be carving alone. Eight professional snow carving teams from across Canada and the United States started carving at midnight on Feb. 20 …
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A ‘higher’ standard of Llving
Some friends of mine have a beautiful home in Hidden Valley. From their hot tub on the back deck, they can bathe in the tranquillity of the Takhini River Valley and their own little garden. Inside, there are large windows that don’t need drapes for privacy, a multi-media room and a kitchen built for entertaining. …
Comedian Taking It to the Fringe
This year I will completely, absolutely and wholeheartedly do my best to not start my articles with hyperbole! Indeed, for an opening joke, I chose a particularly weak one … call your ombudsman. I have quite a lot on my mind as time marches forward into 2008. You see, this year I’ll be taking a …
The Magic and the Mystery: Spending Friday nights at Titan could lead to fame and fortune
by Max Leighton For Whitehorse gamers, the Friday night Magic card tournament at Titan Gaming & Collectibles is an institution, a chance to meet and test their skills against the best in the city for a modest store credit. Think old-timers hockey, but for the guys from your former high school’s AV club. “The people …
The Wild Abundance of Food
It’s only recently that most people have forgotten how to forage for food. For thousands of years, First Nations communities across Canada lived on food provided by nature. Berries, barks, plants, flowers and herbs were cyclically harvested for food and medicine. Colonization changed the relationship between people, the land, and wild foods but a forager’s …
Meet Howard Chymy
On any given day when the weather is warm and the sun is shining, you may hear the ambient strains of Howard Chymy’s saxophone drifting down Main Street in Whitehorse. This year, the snow took a little longer to recede. It was a cool April, and when I listened for the sound of the sax, …
Figure Study
BY TARA McCARTHY From the sprawling mountains to the vibrant blue lakes and autumn hues, the Yukon’s natural side has been well documented by a multitude of artists. Now the time has come for characters to occupy the spotlight in the Yukon Portraits exhibit at the Old Fire Hall in Whitehorse. “A lot of times …
Yukoners Are Different
“There are strange things done in the land of the midnight sun…” -Robert Service Truer words may have never been written by that famous Bard of the North. There were plenty of strange things done back in the days of the Gold Rush and there are plenty more still being done today in the Yukon. …
Audiences get the story they ask for
Did you just say, “storysmithing”? “Yeah,” says Aaron Janke, his arms still stretched out in the telling of his upcoming introactive theatre project. But he wants to keep explaining the plans of his troupe and he was on a roll … and I was interrupting. Throwing out the possibility that “storysmithing” might be hyphenated, he …
Warm As Tea
Dang. I thought I was early. Practically the whole class is here already, heads bowed over their work. I look at the clock. It’s only ten to. Aha. All these ladies (and one gentlemen) have lots of beading to do. I’m taking part in a moccasin-making class. Shelby Blackjack shares her skills with easygoing encouragement. …
Play Makers: What’s On Your Head?
Toque: [tohk] of Celtic origin; A kind of cap worn in the 16th century, and copied in modern fashions; — called also toquet. Believe it or not, the toque is one of the most important purchases the Yukoner can make. Not only because of the warmth and comfort it provides to help get you through …
Play Makers: The Yukon is So Stereotypical
I’ll admit it. When I was preparing to move to the Yukon I was very naïve about what exactly Whitehorse was all about. I knew a little about the Gold Rush history, the Yukon Quest Sled Dog Race and the long frigid winters, but for the most part I was very unfamiliar about this part …
Play Makers: Winterval is Santa Parade with Spice
Winterval, “It’s the new Santa Parade,” explains McFarlane “I remember … thinking, ‘This is the saddest parade I have ever seen’.”
Holiday Gift Ideas for Wine Lovers
Sometimes, finding that special gift for someone who is a wine lover seems like a daunting challenge, so I’d like to devote this article to some suggestions for Christmas gift ideas. First of all, though it’s a nice thought, don’t feel obliged to buy a bottle of wine for the wine lover on your list. …
Artistic Gifts Aplenty
BY TARA McCARTHY The frosted trees along Whitehorse’s Main Street are lined with Christmas lights. It’s a sure sign that holiday shopping season is here and that means arts and craft sales of all shapes and sizes. Weekends of Christmas shopping past have already included rows of goodies at Spruce Bog, but for a more …
The societal imperative of coffee shops
I met an old co-worker downtown the other day and, as luck would have it, I had a spare half-hour. Maybe we could grab a coffee and catch up? But I looked at him and I realized I didn’t really know that much about him and, more importantly, where he likes to drink coffee. In …
Marnus at Baked
Part 4 of 6 I was making my way down Main Street looking for a barber’s when I happened to glance into Baked Café. There, sitting in the window, was the inimitable Dr. Marnus F. O’Hoolahan. I hadn’t seen him — or my wallet — since the night of his dinner party in Squatter’s Row. …
Unlocking the Tickle Trunk
Does this happen in other places? I find I’m asking myself this all the time living up here in the Yukon. Most recently it is with regard to Yukoners and their costumes. We’re talking about people going to one another’s homes drinking beer, wine or what have you and doing so while dressed up. I’m …
Butt Watching; But Not the Good Kind
Cher Yukon, Comment ca va? Today’s letter isn’t a funny story or even a human-interest story. It is a little bit more in the realm of a social commentary. A large city centre obviously has more people than a small city centre … duh. Whitehorse, the largest city in the Yukon, is really a small …
Comic-Book Buzz
This summer, I discovered I had an unconscience reason for leaving the Yukon. I was sitting in a Winnipeg movie theatre, my body comfortably slumped into the plush reclining seat. I stretched my legs (I know! There was ROOM!) and readied myself for the usual onslaught of trailers for films I’d likely not care to …
Snow Clearances Create Roadblocks and Opportunities
Don’t you think they could do all this later in the day when people weren’t using the streets? This was the substance of a short discussion I had last week as I piloted my little town-car though the maze of streetus interruptus caused by snow clearing activities. I don’t actually think they could, but I …
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A new and improved cultural touchstone
Blessed be the good people at Tim Hortons and their Roll Up The Rim contest. If it were not for them, how would we Yukoners know it is spring. Indeed, how would we know we are still in Canada if it weren’t for the sight of these cups in garbage cans everywhere. It is true …
Arts Underground goes to the ‘dogs’
It is that particular configuration of the Hougen Heritage Gallery at Arts Underground that really astounds you about this latest show. From the name, Man’s Best Friend: Mutts, Malamutes and Huskies in Yukon History, you know there will be a lot of dog photos (because, you know, if Yukoners are nuts about dogs today, it …
Who’s Watching Who …
I’m coming out of the closet – again. This time, for far-nobler purposes than atheism. Indeed, I have found a much-maligned part of society that deserves our complete recognition, adulation and undue attention. I enjoy reality shows … Now let’s just freakin’ admit to each other that we all love them, too. Can we? Can …
Play Makers: The Transients are Coming! The Transients are Coming!
Can you feel it in the air? They are coming. Not the dust, the puddles and the late-spring flurries – no – they have already been here for quite some time. What I am speaking of are the new people, the fresh faces, the Cheechakos, the individuals simply known as “the transients”. They come from …
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A Taste of the Yukon Part 1 of 2
It’s interesting how city bus drivers can reflect the personality of their town. In one large city I saw a driver pull away as a woman fell while about to board the bus; in another, I saw a passenger fall flat on her face after skidding in the slippery aisle and a driver who didn’t …
Not One, but Many Places …
BY DAVID THOMPSON For almost 50 years, I have travelled and worked throughout the Yukon, but I cannot say, “I have a favourite place.” I wouldn’t want to detract from the overall aura to select one corner and say it is my favourite. It would be like arguing which ocean is greater, the Pacific or …
Theatre Where You Stand, and In Your Ear
Imagine trudging up the terribly endless flight of stairs at the end of Black Street only to be greeted by a small but brilliantly coloured green sign telling you to dial a toll free number and enter in a code. Curiosity difficult to sidestep? Take the opportunity to make the call (and casually catch your …
The Place That Strikes a Chord with My Soul
BY LINDA DZIADYK Being born and raised in Saskatchewan, I loved the Prairies and really couldn’t see myself living anywhere else. Though I had done a bit of travelling and living in other places, it seemed I always found my way back to Saskatchewan. For many years, I was a stay-at-home Mom with my six …
Happy Anniversary, Faro!
When the world thinks of Canada, they think of the Yukon. When Yukoners think of the Yukon, they think of Faro. When the world is thinking of Canada, they don’t picture an industrialized Hamilton or the concrete of Toronto or even the wheat fields of Saskatchewan. They are thinking of mountains and forests and lakes. …
Play Makers: Hallucinating to the Midnight Sun
BY GEORGE MARATOS Jean-Francois Latour has seen his fair share of strange things while participating in the Yukon River Quest. From an oversized can of Campbell’s soup, floating in the woods, to a giant moose just standing right smack in the middle of the river. (As it turns out there was no can of soup …
Puttin’ on the Ritz for ‘Formal Mondays’
Teetering in heels, gloves, a cocktail dress and a 1950s prom dress, Jessica and I took our seats. The lights dimmed. Musicians Kim Barlow, Kyle Cashen and Fiona Solon took up their instruments to begin their ritual of “Formal Mondays.” Formal Mondays are an exploration of musical talent, bringing in electronica, organs, a cello and …
Eat a Hamburger, Help a Barber
How many of you remember sitting in Murd Nicholson’s barber chair when you were three years old and scared of that first haircut? How many of you watched your own children thrill to having a “conversation” with Mr. Clippers who spoke in what sounded like a buzz to everyone else? Unfortunately, Nicholson recently had a …
Play Makers: Whitehorse Is A Truck Town
Yukoners, be warned before you sell that truck and go hybrid: keep in mind that Whitehorse is a truck town. I learned that my first week here, several years ago. Everywhere I looked … big truck, little truck, medium-sized truck. Trucks with mud flaps, trucks with big wheels, trucks with roof racks, gun racks … …
Will It Go Round In Circles?
Yes, it will. It most definitely will. It also performs a slick, possibly even patented move called “The Hockey Stop”. It’s possible that some of the tourists standing along the shores of the Yukon River, last night, wondered if there is an action movie being filmed in town. Richard Bradford-Andrew, of Wild Wonders, peered over …
The Ultimate Collection
The Yukon Archives has just turned 40 and its greatest hits are available for a limited time only. The exhibit “Archival Gold: Favourites from the Vault” is only on display until January 26 in the Hougen Heritage Gallery on Main Street in Whitehorse. The exhibition is an overview of the best of the Archives, which …
A Jaunt Back in Time
A new pub in town, The Capital, opened its doors in late June, ushering Whitehorse back to an era of dandies and bawdy houses. I stopped by for Happy Hour, before heading out to the Sunstroke Music Festival, and have made repeat visits ever since. Far from the previous incarnation of The Capital, which closed …
I’m a 20-year man
Last month marked a very important event in my life: I’ve been a Yukoner for 20 years. Of course, we all understand that I didn’t become a Sourdough until eight months later, when I saw the Yukon River break up. As a side note, I have never subscribed to this definition. Instead, I consider anyone …
Her art can be everywhere and everything
Within half an hour of drinking coffee at Umbellula Café, Deanna Slonski had said hello to seven people. “Well, with the kids growing up here and volunteering and my line of work …” she says with a shrug and slightly embarrassed smile. She hadn’t realized she knew so many people there this morning. And many …
Gifts for Wine Lovers
As the Christmas and holiday season roll around, several friends have asked me for gift suggestions for the wine enthusiasts on their gift list. Without knowing the wine tastes of their enthusiast friends, I am hesitant to suggest a particular wine, but often suggest wine-related items that have caught my attention and are available locally. …
Christmas for Farmers
I love Christmas … the lights that light up Main Street, the smells of Christmas baking, the excitement of wrapping up secrets and putting them under the tree. I love just about everything about Christmas … except the commercialization of it. So when doing my shopping, I try to look for things that haven’t been …
Not just any ol’ sandwich
“It’s a meal.” “It’s a work of art.” I had never heard so much gushing over a sandwich. A sandwich. Its very creation began as a flirtation between meat and bread in the same meal until it was finally used as an edible plate. The Earl of Sandwich liked to play cribbage without getting his …
A Tribute to Marcella
“Hey,” Marcella says, “do you want to be on our team for a bike race?” I was visiting Marcella in her store above Shoppers on Main Street. My answer was ” … uh, I don’t have a bike.” “Oh, that’s OK, I can lend you one.” We’d met the previous spring, training for a Mothers’ …
Wine for a Winter’s Eve
So now the rich, velvety darkness of the Yukon winter has descended and the temperatures at my cabin have dropped below minus 20, several evenings. And yet, it is probably my favourite time of year here. The blue lights are strung in the trees along Main Street and are alight by 4 p.m., as the …
Play Makers: The Joy of Transport
I am back in Toronto and a recurring thought during my near two weeks here is how good we got it in Whitehorse when it comes to getting around the city. It is one of those things we all take for granted. How often has a “Porter Creeker” been told by a “Riverdal-ite” that they …
Coffee with a Little Dubbing
Yukoners love their coffee. Any weekday morning at 10, you can guarantee we are ordering our special Bean North blend, a double-double from Tim Hortons or non-fat, low foam, one sweet and low, tall latte from Starbucks. There are no shortages of options for the discerning coffee junkies in town. Coupled with the great coffee …
How could you ever thank me?
I have a tip, that is going to change your life. It is a game changer, it is revolutionary, you will wonder how you survived without knowing this, this …—what shall we call it from here on? … oh yes—tip. How much this tip will improve your life is not in question – profoundly, I …
The Tics of Our Clocks
Recently, I came across something particularly interesting while engaged in my usual morning “Face-stalking”. For those not familiar with the term, it refers to one using a highly popular social networking site to catch up on the various goings-on of their friends, by reading their status updates, without having actually to bother calling them. Handy …
YWIM Celebrates a Decade
On Saturday, May 29, a special concert is being held to celebrate a decade of YWIM (Yukon Women In Music). In truth, it has actually been 12 years since the YWIM idea first came about. In 1998, at the home of Lucie Desaulniers, a small but passionate group of women musicians started meeting to address …
Music Waits for Adrienne Levay
Often Whitewater Wednesday Jam Night attracts musicians who are just passing through or are in the Yukon for only a short time, but want to share their talent. Adrienne Levay may only be here until the end of the summer, but her singing and guitar playing is leaving an impression. Originally from Edmonton, Levay is …
Two Worlds, One Film Night
Thanks to the Yukon Film Society, Whitehorse has its own de facto repertory cinema, in the form of the once-monthly Fire Hall Films series, shown at The Old Fire Hall at the foot of Main Street. This month’s offering is an entertaining double bill on Thursday, July 8, showcasing a unique look at a northern …
Dear Mister Ed
The four of us was at the table chewin’ on the fat the other day the way folks do after a good feed and a touch of the grape. We was’nt discoursin’ on anythink that wud set anyones blood to boil, like polliticks or the matin’ habits of sea otters, jest an easy chat on …
Winterval Event Promises Fun for All Ages and a Hint of Craziness
Last year ESL students were handing out free hugs and kids were crawling all over the snow globes art installation at the Winterval event. With any luck there will be some craziness again this year. The annual celebration of winter — which includes a parade and live entertainment in downtown Whitehorse — is gearing up …
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Capturing a Northern Legend in Bronze
When Harreson Tanner was a youngster in Ottawa reading Jack London tales of the unforgiving North, he never dreamed the San Francisco-born author would one day be a passenger in his motorhome. But that’s what happened recently when Tanner drove to Kelowna with London strapped safely into the seat beside him. Not the real Jack …
City Livin’
It’s early. I’m walking across the Riverdale Bridge in Whitehorse, just about three hours shy of the ten-minute morning rush hour. 5:30 in the am. There isn’t a car in sight, and the lack of wind only pronounces the gurgling sound of the river. Considering how rare it is to be comfortable outside so early …
Artrepreneur: Short-term Art Relationships
Do you dream of art you can’t afford to buy? Maybe you can rent it. I recently rented work to an office and to an individual. Quite a few people told me it was a novel idea they thought more people should know about. Hoping they’re right, here’s a primer. As far as I know, …
Things Float Up Magical
Rosemary Scanlon made a digital garden once. And working in Photoshop for hours a day drove her to pick up paintbrush and watercolour again. Through the Looking Glass shows the results at Baked Cafe on Main Street in Whitehorse, along with new images she completed this fall. Scanlon is interested in story-telling images of all …
Guten Tag! Wie Geht’s? Good Afternoon! How Are You?
I have been learning and speaking German for the past 27 years now. It’s getting there; can’t complain as I am happy with my progress, eh? Anyway, how did I get to be interested in German, Germany and Europe? It’s a long story that goes way back to 1972 in Bandung, Indonesia: each Tuesday, the …
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[email protected]’s New Home
Saws spin, putting walls in at 200-120 Industrial Road, the new home of the Yukon [email protected] ([email protected]) Cooperative. The new windows frame scenes of the Takhini bluffs. You can catch sight of the Yukon Arts Centre in the distance. Up a newly rebuilt set of stairs, beside Twisted Stitches Embroidery shop, the gallery is under construction. …
Play Makers: Hikers, Hippies and Germans Oh My!
After months of isolation in this frigid land north of 60, finally the much-anticipated Yukon summer is nearing. Sure, there are the obvious signs, like the longer days, kids eating ice cream and the temperatures finally warming … but that’s not how I know. In my eight years in the North, I have come up …
Great Scot!
As you may have noticed already, Whitehorse has some new beer in town. Our friendly neighbours at Yukon Liquor Corp have sourced four offerings from Russell Brewing Company: Blood Alley Bitter, Black Death Porter, Main Street Pilsner, and Wee Angry Scotch Ale. Three of these (all but the Main Street Pils) are part of the …
Play Makers: A Salute to the Hardcore
I feel lazy. I think most of us do – at least the ones who have been following the part brave, part ridiculous winter antics that have been taking place in the territory of late. Let’s start with the Yukon Quest International Sled Dog race. For those not familiar, it is the race dubbed “toughest …
Musical Friends
They’re doing it One More Time. For the fifth year in a row, two of the Yukon’s most popular – certainly most durable – musical groups are teaming up for a show loaded with nostalgia and upbeat melodies. Hank Karr and Company and The Canucks will get together at the Yukon Arts Centre next week …
Bear Country: A Tale of Two Halloweens
Halloween is a big event along the Hudson Bay coast. Along with the costumed trick-or-treaters you can find an armed patrol of RCMP, Manitoba Conservation Officers and community volunteers all dispatched to ensure that no polar bears enter the community. Before the sun rises, Manitoba Conservation’s Polar Bear Alert program begins their daily patrol for …
Professional Thumbs
The year is 1985. A young Anthony sits crossed-legged in front of the television. The flickering images flashing across his eyes barely register in his stunned mind. Leonard Maltin just gave Ghostbusters a bad review. Indeed, this is a story of great trauma from my childhood. A highly-positioned critic just pooped on what I, as …
The Gift of Sharing
It was just an idea for its time,” concluded Donna Isaak. And today, it’s still time for the idea. Even though Donna and her husband Ed haven’t been involved since 2004, Share the Spirit is still thriving for the 15th consecutive Christmas. The Isaaks had recently taken over management of the Discovery Bar, in the …
Lighting the Night
Erin Corbett’s voice reverberates over the phone line. She’s in the bathroom of the Old Fire Hall where, aside from the echoed cadences from her voice, the occasional yelps from performers can be heard. “I have to whisper. I’m getting yelled at,” Corbett says, voice fading into a whisper. It’s obvious that Corbett keeps busy. …
Capturing Character in Clay
It is a well-known piece of Yukon history: when gold fever rolled through the Klondike area in the 1890s, Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in leader Chief Isaac made a bold decision that would change the fate of his people. As gold-hungry adventurers swarmed into what became Dawson City, Chief Isaac moved his people three miles downriver to Moosehide …
All That Glitters
Flecks of gold sparkle in a miniature painting; jewelry made with a gem named ‘fire citrine’ creates a pool of golden light; the graceful swoops of porcelain pottery are delicately rimmed in gold. The Yukon Arts Society’s Au, The Gold Show is a composite of mediums—sculpture, oil paintings, collage, textiles, jewelry—linked by one common element: …
Borealicious!
Let us now sing the praises of The Boreal Herbal, Beverly Gray’s herbal encyclopedia, compendium, spiritual guide and cookery book based on the flowers, plants and trees of the boreal forest. Published this June, The Boreal Herbal, Wild Food and Medicine Plants of the North is a highly personal work, in which the author generously …
The Highs and Lows of Biking to Work Through the Snow
Riding a bike to work on a frigid winter’s day brings the kind of reward that only those who have done it can really know. But the City of Whitehorse wants to encourage all residents to give it a try and they’re hosting a workshop on winter commuting by bike tonight at 6 p.m. at …
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Week of a Lifetime
You’ve just stepped off the plane in Whitehorse from your home in the Circumpolar North. You’re excited and proud to represent your region at the Arctic Winter Games (maybe a bit nervous as well), and you’re looking forward to everything the week has to offer. Once you’ve had a chance to strut your stuff at …
Transparency Theory
The Yukon School of Visual Arts (SOVA) in Dawson City is going on the road. Students and faculty will arrive in Whitehorse next week to bring a collaborative installation exhibit to Arts Underground. For the first time since the school’s establishment in 2007, Arts Underground is hosting the annual student gallery show. The students arranged …
Sourdough
I’m a sourdough now.” “Oh yeah, by whose account?” “By mine, by everybody’s – you know, if you’ve seen the river freeze over and thaw, blah, blah, blah…” “No, no, my friend – that’s just the tourist rap. You can see the river freeze over and thaw up here in one afternoon and all that …
Fine Pairings for a Birthday Treat
I’m not looking to expand my writing into the restaurant review arena, but I couldn’t help but relate an excellent dining experience I had last week. A couple of close friends invited me out to dinner last Thursday night, to celebrate both my birthday and the successful completion of an exam one of my friends …
A Beer Snob Confesses
I admit it, I’m a beerist. Not quite so harsh a thing as being a nihilist or a sexist, but I have high expectations for the beer I drink – beer snob, maybe. I recently ordered the “Mystery Can” on the beer menu at a barbecue joint in Vancouver’s Gastown. I was encouraged by the …