Yukon Soaps
It has been a big year for Joella Hogan. Hogan has owned The Yukon Soaps Company, in Mayo (the heart of the Yukon)…
Business & Career
Yukon Business & Career Events
From the Punjab to the Yukon
Gurdeep Pandher was one of the first people I met when I moved to the Yukon. I walked into a Scottish country barn dance at the Old Fire Hall, in Whitehorse, and here was a guy in the remote North in his pagri, at an event, sitting and absorbing the dances and people.
Managing avalanche terrain
Eirik Sharp, owner and operator of The Sharp End: Mountain Adventures, with his extensive avalanche background, is bringing change to how the Yukon manages avalanche terrain.
Swinging Hard
After more than two decades as a jazz guitarist, Sheryl Bailey still invokes the name of a player who first inspired her love of the genre, but who died when she was just two years old. “I got into jazz when I was about 15. I heard Wes Montgomery on the radio. I just fell …
Revolutionizing endurance training
“We’re just at the cusp of changing an entire sport, and it’s coming out of a town of 23-thousand people. It’s incredible where we’ve got to,” said Alastair Smith, co founder of Proskida. Current performance-monitoring technology that’s widely available in the sport doesn’t tell you how much you’re producing; it just tells you how much …
Fairweather Skis
The small town of Haines, Alaska, lies near 72 miles of glacier terrain and 15,000 feet below the icy summit of Mount Fairweather, which is the namesake of Fairweather Ski Works. Here is where a small hobbyist’s dream has become synonymous with the ski industry in southeast Alaska. Graham Kraft, 33 (from British Columbia), was …
Fifty years of meat, sausage and community
The Deli, as it is fondly nicknamed by so many, is a local icon to most Yukoners (not just those in Whitehorse), as well as to many travellers from around the world. (This tribute was written to help celebrate its 50th Anniversary on December 14, 2018.)
Searching for a way out
Genevieve Fleming is counting on Whitehorse audiences to take in the upcoming Guild Theatre production, even if just to indulge in some cold-weather Schadenfreude. In one sense, the Vancouver-based director suggested in an interview, staging French existentialist Jean-Paul Sartre’s 1944 play, No Exit, is like holding a mirror up to our own society. “We, the …
An author’s dream …
Yukon-based writer Joanna Lilley has published her first novel, Worry Stones, after 17 years of working on it. “I wasn´t working on it every day, during that time. There were periods when I put it aside.” She wrote poems and short stories instead. During the past years, she published two collections of poetry and one …
Paris Pick: Are you feeling the love?
There hardly seems to be a local show these days singer, musician, songwriter and enthusiast of all things tack, Paris Pick.
Drinking with Scissors
Do you like crafting, socializing with friends—perhaps with a beverage or two—in a casual, relaxed yet well-lit atmosphere, complete with pinball machines to take a break and try your game expertise? Then Drinking with Scissors is for you.
Expanding the Elements
When you walk into the newly renovated Elements Hair Studio and Day Spa, you wouldn’t know that its location was formerly a swimming pool. You might even forget that you are in Whitehorse. Whitehorse’s only true day spa moved into its new space in the Gold Rush Best Western Hotel in February, expanding its size …
Keeping the trains on track
The famous White Pass & Yukon Route (WP&YR) Railway is a busy and beautiful journey through the White Pass of Alaska and the Yukon. Every year, as Alaska and the Yukon emerge from winter, so does the work to make sure these trains can carry tourists safely through avalanche paths and safely along the railway. …
Lettuce off the grid
Food security is an ongoing concern for northerners, as remote communities as well as Whitehorse struggle with access to reliable and affordable produce from southern suppliers. Executives at the Yukon-based power company Solvest Inc. think they’ve found a solution. The company is in the pilot phase of a project that aims to provide an off-the-grid …
It’s ‘snowing’ at Sima!
Every October, Mount Sima starts snow production and welcomes hundreds of athletes from all over Canada for pre-season training in November. Whitehorse, Yukon, is the perfect location and climate to have early snow production to build the national-level freestyle park terrain and have runs open for athletes to practice ahead of the winter competition season. …
Brandon Isaak: Spiritual Undertones
After two acoustic solo albums, Bluesman’s Plea (2011) & Here on Earth (2014), Brandon Isaak’s Spiritual Undertones marks a departure.
Fiery energy and spirit
Fate has a habit of steering flute and saxophone player Jane Bunnett in unexpected directions. If tendinitis hadn’t forced a break from her intense piano practice regime, for instance, she might not have gone to San Francisco and met Charles Mingus’s pianist, Don Pullen, who would become her mentor, friend and musical collaborator. If she …
Hip hip hooray! for local filmmaker Lulu Keating …
When the Klondike Institute of Art and Culture (KIAC) in Dawson City put out a call for a members’ exhibit with the theme of “The Age of Selfies,” local filmmaker Lulu Keating decided to submit a work about her recent hip replacement. “Anger was part of my recovery from hip replacement,” said the former Nova …
Hip hip hooray! for local filmmaker Lulu Keating … Read More »
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 …
Nude & Rude
The Nude & Rude Revue started with two best friends, Taylor Vidic and Cameron Brockett, and their love of performance art. Vidic, 25, was born and raised in Juneau, Alaska, and met Brockett during high school in Juneau. Brockett was born in Fairbanks, Alaska, and has lived in Colorado, Ketchikan and Kodiak before moving to …
Making cooperative space a community place
Long-time Yukoners have watched with interest as the “old Food Fair” building has undergone extensive renovations on Second Avenue. The building has long sat vacant and curious viewers have watched with interest, wondering who the new residents might be. That wait is now over as the new YuKonstruct space has opened for members and the …
Pelvic floor – Sorry, why are we talking about this?
If I told you it is possible to move your tailbone by contracting your pelvic muscles, would you believe me? Indeed, not many people know about the existence of these muscles in the pelvis called “the pelvic floor.” To contract your pelvic floor, imagine picking up a ping pong ball with your anus (or with …
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Ten years in Whitehorse and ready to celebrate!
Born in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Antoinette GreenOliph came to Ontario at 13 years of age. She recalls that her family was the only black family in the neighbourhood and recollects the awkward questions and excluded feelings of growing up different. She fell in love with food at a young age. “I was …
Amsterdam to Tucson to Yukon
Cory Weeds credits the influential jazz label, Criss Cross Jazz, for his initial introduction to long-time friend and musical collaborator, David Hazeltine. In the mid-’90s, the Vancouver sax player, impresario and Juno-winning producer had finished his studies at the University of North Texas and returned to his home roots. Before long, he was spearheading a …
SOVA grad wins regional prize in national competition
Chris Dufour’s decision to enrol in the Yukon School of Visual Arts (SOVA) in 2017 turned out to be a good one. Based on an art piece he created in one of the classes offered by SOVA, he was chosen as regional winner representing the Yukon in the 16th BMO 1st Art! competition, an annual …
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North meets South
Evolution and expansion are the words to describe the next steps in Halin de Repentigny’s 40-plus-years journey as a northern artist. His upcoming gallery showcase, “Homestay” – Keep the Fire Burning, in September, will continue his depictions of northern lifestyles. It’s a collection of all new work that he painted last winter in Dawson City. …
The Wild Things are coming!
It’s no secret that Alberta artist Kari Lehr loves bears. You only need to look at her bright and expressive bear “portraits” to see she has an affinity with animals.
Do you even BAH?
Business After Hours (BAHs) are a regular fall and winter activity for networking professionals in Whitehorse.
Yukon musician embarks on exploration of space and silence
The time has come to at least take a shot at disregarding the speaker market entirely and focus on headphone-specific technology.
How an email exchange became a 15-year blog project
Now that the Moccasin Telegraph has run its course after 15 years of providing an opportunity for folks to share history and reconnect, we have stopped preparing more editions.
Time for Thai!
The longer I have lived in Whitehorse, the more I have grown to understand that Yukoners crave Thai food and many will drive to Skagway just to taste the delicacies it offers.
Inspired by ‘place’
Anto Yukon’s 100 per cent natural and vegan soaps and essential oils are inspired by by the artist’s favourite Canadian landscapes.
The art of pelts, skulls and antlers
Cindy Klippenstein is a small-business owner with a degree in fine arts degree, who spends her days fleshing, tanning and mounting hunting trophies as the Yukon’s only full-time taxidermist. And she couldn’t be happier.
Catch ‘the Kraken’!
Catch the Kraken offers Alaskan saltwater charter fishing (targeting halibut), but other species include rockfish, cod, flounder, wolf fish, pollock and shark.
Paradise is ‘plugging in’
The Yukon’s annual electronic Paradise Music Festival is back and is set to take off July 27–29 at Kettley’s Canyon, at Marsh Lake.
Inspired by Place
Kristin Link is a visual artist based in McCarthy, Alaska, who works in natural history and science art. She creates interpretive signs and educational material about nature.
Cranberry Fair … where ‘Quality, Originality, Creativity and Diversity’ meet
Each year, in Whitehorse, the Northern Fibres Guild invites the world to one of the Yukon‘s most exclusive sales events—Cranberry Fair.
Learn to fly
Alkan Air offers the chance to try flying through their Discovery Flights. Alkan Air Flight School opened three years ago and Jenna Collee, chief flight instructor, said the Discovery Flights get people interested in flying.
No maple trees? No problem
To find authentic maple syrup, made from Canadian maple trees, you go to Richard Beaudoin. This Yukoner has taken up the task of introducing Yukoners to authentic Canadian maple syrup.
From the California gold rush to the history of the Yukon
Josh Winkler combines traditional media with print media and sculpture. Reaching for the Sun is the title of his recent project. It references natural growth, but also the growth of humanity, the accumulation of products, and the fragility of the planet.
‘Beat the Heat’ with the XY Charlie Crew
Chad Thomas, manager of the XY Charlie Crew, is leading the development of top-level wildland fire professionals in the Yukon, for First Nations.
BC/DC is back (not on Black, on Jarvis)
It’s a long way to the top if you wanna rock ’n’ roll, but British Columbia’s famed tribute act to legendary rockers AC/DC, aptly named BC/DC, is already there.
Lucie D and the Immortals
There is a new sound in town! On Thursday June 21, Lucie D and the Immortals will debut their new EP, Les Thèmes de la Vie (Themes of Life), from 7 to 9 p.m. at Baked Café.
Play that funky music
Any Yukon music fan should be familiar with Major Funk—the raw live energy and mechanical tightness the band boasts often makes them the talking point of shows and festivals in the territory.
The ODD Gallery showcases Tamika Knutson’s Skin
Tamika Knutson is a Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in citizen who began her art training at the Yukon School of Visual Arts, in Dawson City.
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.
A new home for GoNorth Whitehorse
by Yvonne Freiderich GoNorth expands its car & RV rental business with RV service, repair and storage at its new location on Mt. Sima Road “Summertime is RV time—for locals and tourists alike! Whether you want to rent an RV or you need your own unit repaired, GoNorth is proud to serve you,” said the …
Herbal passions
When Beverley Gray started her business, over 20 years ago, it began with filling a need for her own family.
Are you ready for a good time? Love country rock?
Teslin will again be hosting an electrifying country-rock concert called Teslin Rocks Country, featuring a slate of excellent contemporary Canadian country artists. Headlining the show will be two artists from from British Columbia: Aaron Pritchett and The Washboard Union.
Molasses, methanol, and mine-water remediation
Yukon College mine-life-cycle researcher Dr. Guillaume Nielsen likes to find innovative solutions to problems.
Coming to the Yukon as a refugee
Fiona Azizaj and her parents fled Kosovo to Germany when she was months old. They later settled in Whitehorse in 2003. She will provide details and answer questions about what her family went through to get here at this year’s Yukon Cares Annual General Meeting.
Building character, helping youth
When Bailey Rumbolt first arrived at the Boys and Girls Club of Yukon (BGCY) in 2015, she would never have guessed that it would lead her to big changes in her life.
Play it loud in the car
Manfred Janssen and Jordy Walker recorded the bulk of the album in Walker’s basement studio in Hillcrest, hence the title, Basement Tapes.
Zsuzsi Gartner: Aspiring to the darkly tragi-comic
Zsuzsi Gartner built her early career as a writer in journalism, working as a newspaper reporter, then a TV current affairs producer and then a magazine writer and editor, but has been interested in creative writing from an early age.
Move over Willy Wonka, the Yukon’s got our own chocolate factory
What’s Up Yukon’s weekly recipe developer, Sydney Oland, has undertaken a new venture, the Yukon Chocolate Company. The new business leverages her eight years of experience in the chocolate-making industry to offer chocolate made fresh from cacao beans.
Going green never looked so good
Fahrenheit Hair originally offered only hair services, but have recently expanded into further beauty services that include body sugaring, massage, threading, organic skincare and lash extensions.
Owen Laukkanen: “Keep writing and edit your own work ruthlessly”
Owen Laukkanen is unabashedly a writer of commercial fiction, also known as “genre” fiction, having produced a novel every year since The Professionals came out (and was nominated for four major genre awards) in 2012.
Tyrell Johnson: ‘Write the story you would want to read’
Lots of writers can point to a specific event or person that sent them in the direction of a career in writing; Tyrell Johnson isn’t one of those people.
Get a feature shot at first light
Jay Gough of Nikon Canada, along with Trisha Gillings of Panasonic Canada (not pictured), will be on site all day with trade show style booths demonstrating their latest equipment, and delivering “Tech Talks” over the lunch hour It’s springtime in the Yukon and our days are getting longer, Yukoners are preparing for the summer season …
The sordid saga of ‘Shoeless Joe’
Shoeless Joe is the only player in baseball history to win multiple World Series as a pitcher for one team and a home run hitter for another; a distinction that will last forever.
Go Big, Jack
Big Bear Donair shares a parking lot with the old Salvation Army and wouldn’t be the first location many would look to for a new business venture.
A different kind of volunteer
Tom Gibbs doesn’t get as many hugs as he used to. As the president of the board of Special Olympics Yukon these past five years, he isn’t working with the athletes as much and he isn’t able to give out as many of those encouraging hugs.
Powering community media North of 60
Tagish-based open-source technology guru and founder of Open Broadcaster, “Radio” Rob Hopkins is a driving force behind the use of this technology in northern Canada A group of broadcasters and open-source technology enthusiasts are having get-together at the Days Inn in Whitehorse on March 23. The open-source North 60 conference brings together professionals from different …
The philosophy behind yoga
Yoga, or yoga shastra (science), is part of an ancient philosophical system from India that is thousands of years old. Yoga literally means “connection with the Ultimate.”
From the field to the lab
Yukon College archaeologist Norm Easton has been unearthing the secrets of the area around the Yukon-Alaska border for more than 25 years. This year, for the first time, he is leaving the field to focus on doing research in the laboratory.
Didee & Didoo: At the Trading Post
We buy tea and coffee. We buy flour and sugar. We buy rice and oats. We buy beans and bacon. We buy dry fruit and candy. We buy pipe and tobacco. We buy nets and traps. We buy needles and scissors. We buy axe and saw. We buy candle and soap. We buy fiddle and …
Stand up for Stephen McGovern
On March 9, Yukon comic Stephen McGovern will be gearing up to take the stage at the Just for Laughs Northwest comedy festival in Vancouver. The 10-day event beginning March 1 offers a wide variety of shows that highlight Canadian and international comedy. McGovern makes his Just for Laughs debut performing in The Outsiders Comedy show, which …
Taking Cues
When a band calls itself Peripheral Vision, you might be excused for thinking it’s a rock group, or possibly a folk/roots, or even bluegrass ensemble. But you’d be wrong.
No Sour Grapes
Kevin Kane (left) and Bryan Potvin on a break during a Northern Pikes recording session in Calgary earlier this month. Kane & Potvin will perform at the YAC on March 2. PHOTO: Don Schmid If he hadn’t been so exhausted from a 23-hour train ride, Kevin Kane might have joined forces with fellow singer/guitarist Bryan …
Sharing a love for film
There are meetings. There is paperwork. There are grants to apply for and cheques to sign. But, for Jessica Hall, being the president of the Yukon Film Society is all about… people. “The thing I really like about being on the board is my fellow board members and the staff,” she said. “They are all …
Handmade with passion
Take a drive south of Whitehorse, using the mountain range and tall pines as your guide, you will find yourself in the lovely community of Carcross. In this little hub works a very talented jeweller, Shelley MacDonald.
Changing northern skylines: Mary Ellen Read and the art of collaboration
I meet the architect Mary Ellen Read at the cocktail bar Woodcutter’s Blanket in Whitehorse. With a grin she guides me around the windy corner to show me a pit, where you can see the log building’s basement’s concrete exterior, a face normally covered by earth. She checks with James Maltby, the owner of the Woodcutter’s, …
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All she is saying is ‘Give Feet a Chance’
These feet were made for walking. It’s not just a song; it’s the basis for a lot of Jeddie Russell’s work at WalkOn Foot Care, Whitehorse’s new foot care clinic located in the log skyscraper.
Helping the community climb to new heights
Chris Gishler, owner and operator of Equinox Adventures, has spent the last 15 years building and developing his outdoor adventure and education company as the Yukon has continued to grow. Back in 1999, Gishler arrived to Whitehorse in preparation for a Mount Logan trip in Kluane National Park, only to discover plane issues, which led …
Ready, set, paint your windows!
Brenda Buren (left) and Lindsay Agar (right) present staff from BMO ribbons for Best Bank and Best Overall in the 2017 Business Decor Competition Yukon businesses have been celebrating Yukon Sourdough Rendezvous with window painting and decorating for decades. The festive atmosphere builds anticipation for the event and helps cultivate the Klondike Gold Rush-era feel …
Unlearning for success
It’s the year of the woman, ladies. In the height of the #MeToo movement, Times Up, and many other global shifts, women are taking a stand and making change by acknowledging that we face unique challenges and tackling them head on.
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.
A new craft beer in town
There’s a new brewery opening in the Mount Sima area. Deep Dark Wood Brewing is hoping to be open and available to the public around Christmas.
The evolution of Icycle Sports
Icycle Sports started in the summer of 1998 by Patrick Plemel in his basement in Riverdale. In 1999 they opened their first location on Wood Street, then had multiple locations until 2006 when they moved to their current location on Quartz Road. Since its inception, it has undergone many changes, including a change in ownership. …
From passion to success
It’s been 20 years since Thomas de Jager first discovered the Yukon. Today, he runs his successful business Yukon Wide Adventures that gives locals and tourists the opportunity to enjoy the Yukon’s outdoors. Thomas, originally from Monheim, Germany first came as a tourist through Alaska and the Yukon in 1996. His parents were avid kayakers …
Animals need the Humane Society; the Humane Society needs people
Everybody knows that the Humane Society of Yukon takes care of our beloved animals in distress at the society-run Mae Bachur Animal Shelter. But who takes care of the people who take care of the animals?
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!
Yukon built entrepreneurs
Third generation, born-and-raised Yukoners, brothers Myles, 26 and Tanner Hougen, 24 have begun their own journey into the Yukon entrepreneurial market.
An interview with Kayla Morrison
When you decide to pursue baking as a career, there’s only so far you can go up before the only option is opening up your own place.
Glass of wine with that pedicure?
Head to Toe is the first ever salon to offer a bar service to their customers, including mimosas, house wines, scotch, coffee and baileys, and import and local beer.
Meet the City of Whitehorse Volunteer of the Year
If you’re wondering just how much volunteering Jeff Marynowski was doing, the answer is this: enough that the City of Whitehorse named Marynowski the 2016 volunteer of the year.
Lots of condos, no place to live
From chic, clean condos, to drafty old Chevy vans, the 2017 documentary film Vancouver: No Fixed Address brings you the residential experiences of, in the words of F. Scott Fitzgerald “the inexhaustible variety of life” in Canada’s most expensive housing market.
Gifts for geeks
If you don’t know what to get the geek on your Christmas list, the Yukon Comic Culture Society (YCCS) is coming to the rescue. The Society is hosting an event called Geek the Halls on Sunday, December 3, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Gold Rush Inn. According to Tracy Erman, president of …
Christmas cheer and improving health care
The 15th annual Northwestel Festival of Trees will kick off on Thursday, Nov. 23 with the Business After Hours (BAH) Humbug event at the Yukon government Main Administration Building foyer. The annual fundraising event for Yukon health care concludes on Dec. 2 with the Alkan Air Grand Ball, a formal seated dinner that is already …
Kids and parents can play in the big sandbox
The 45th annual Geoscience Forum is organized by the Yukon Chamber of Mines as an opportunity for everyone to learn more about mining, aviation, the environmental sciences and other aspects of the mineral exploration industry.
Spruce things up
This year’s Spruce Bog Craft Sale takes place Saturday, November 18. There are plenty of returning vendors, as well as a few newbies, for a total of roughly 100 booths.
Making it last
Cathy Stubington doesn’t mind being in the shadows when she does a show. In fact, she prefers it.
No earbuds aboard
Have you heard the one about the farmer’s daughter, the music teacher, the composer and the jazz singer? It’s not a joke. They’re all the same person: Karin Plato. Although she has called Vancouver home since 1985, Plato grew up on a grain farm near the tiny (current population: 129) community of Alsask, Saskatchewan. That’s where …
A New Face in Financial Management
Jessica Westman grew up in Marsh Lake, but spent her school and work life in Whitehorse. Like many Yukoners who grew up in the territory, she left for 10 years to attend university and get work and life experiences before realizing there is no place like home. She moved back to Whitehorse in 2015 to …
Go North, Young Printers
Located at 204 Strickland St., the Arctic Star Printing building has been a part of the downtown Whitehorse scenery since 1983. Now they’ve got a new location. The company acquired Inkspirationz at 120 Platinum Road in July, and as of September 11, the two companies are now operating from the same workspace. “It will allow …
Filling the Void
For Patrick Jackson, the owner and operator of Changing Gear, it seems like only yesterday that he moved from Vancouver up to the Yukon, but 20 years later he’s still here using his experience and passion to run a successful store. Jackson started the sporting goods consignment store Changing Gear just over a year ago …
He is a steward of the trails
To begin to understand Mark Daniels, you must first discard the stereotypes of a snowmobile owner. Yes, the president of the Klondike Snowmobile Association (KSA) owns snowmobiles – and ATVs and dirtbikes and quads and boats – but these are mostly used to get to far-off wilderness areas so that he can hike and camp …
The whole fish tale
Many people wouldn’t be surprised to hear that long-time Yukoner Josée Carbonneau is a passionate fisher. Like many northerners, Carbonneau has an affinity for fishing. It’s what she does with the fish that leaves people awestruck. Long after her fly fishing flies have been tied, and after her hip waders have dried, Carbonneau takes the …
Accelerate your business results
Independent Management consultant Stefan Voswinkel has a question for Yukon entrepreneurs: “What does success mean to you?” Voswinkel is running a five-session workshop aimed at helping business-minded Yukoners figure this out for themselves. He says it’s essential to prioritize your values. Once you’ve reached the point where you know what your goals are, it makes …
Celebrating 10 years at Climate Clothing
From pizzerias, to cell service providers, to gyms and cheese shops, the landscape at Horwoods Mall has changed a lot over the past decade. Amidst all that turnover, one perennial business has proven that it can handle a little change in season, and though they have moved walls within the Front Street location (three times, …
Local Female Entrepreneurs Share Their Best Business Advice
Wondering how to get your business from side hustle to full time? Struggling with balancing kids, hobbies and relationships, while building your brand? Looking for inspiration and motivation to get you through the inevitable blocks and challenges that comes with being an entrepreneur? Women face unique challenges when launching into the world of business. For …
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Flying High
To hear Hugh Kitchen tell it, operating a Northern aviation business seems a lot like trying to romance a porcupine. Besides needing opportunity, courage and excellent timing, “you have to be flexible and fast on your feet.” Kitchen ought to know. He’s been involved with Whitehorse-based Alkan Air for the past 35 years, both as …
In talks with Luann Baker-Johnson
Rhiannon Russell: You opened in June 2016. How has the first year of business been? Luann Baker-Johnson: Absolutely spectacular. The community support is phenomenal. We always thought that this medium is wonderful and almost addictive in nature. It is. We’ve had over 5,000 people come in here for Hot Dates — that’s a one- or …
Happy Beer-day to You!
If you’re feeling dapper this weekend, you’ve got an opportunity to dust off your best prohibition era outfits and celebrate the Yukon Brewery’s 20th Anniversary. The brewery is throwing a shindig to celebrate, offering the public 20 per cent off stock in their retail store (off everything but the booze. Bummer, I know). There will …
They’re here to help
If something isn’t working, try differently, not harder. Art therapist Zoë Armstrong lives by these words, but last fall, she embodied this expression even further: she decided she needed a change from the local counselling agency where she had been working for five years. It wasn’t that Armstrong wasn’t connecting with, and forming meaningful relationships …
The Alchemists of Dawson City
Wandering down the dirt roads of Dawson City, you may find yourself charmed by the quirky café nestled right beside a worn-and-torn building straight out of the gold rush. The Alchemy Café was constructed over a period of four years with the architectural brains of Florian Boulais, his wife Sofia Ashenhurst-Boulais, and the muscle power, …
It’s over: Dawson Winter
It’s September, and as the leaves start to turn and the streets become empty of tourists, transient workers who have lived in Dawson City for the summer are hitting the road out of town. Being a seasonal community, Dawson has seen its fair share of young people coming up for summer work. Some are old …
Tel Aviv to L.A.
Tamir Hendelman’s list of players who have inspired him as a performer and composer includes unsurprising names such Evans, Davis, Corea, Hancock and Peterson. But how many other jazz musicians could also such early influences as a grandmother continuously humming everything from Yiddish songs, to opera, to Frank Sinatra in the apartment below? Or, for …
BonTon Butcherie & Charcuterie
When Shelby Jordan was looking to change her career, she came across an idea that piqued her interest. “I’ve always wanted to learn a trade. I like working with my hands and with food, and I like being creative,” says the long-time Dawson resident. “At one point, I read a book that had an old …
Return to the Yukon
It’s been 30 years, or thereabouts, since I first ran into the iconic Canadian folksinger-songwriter-poet who goes by the simple – but exotic-sounding – name of Ferron. There was no reason she should remember me. I was just a volunteer driver for the Edmonton Folk Festival, shuttling performers to and from the airport. But I …
Red Mammoth Comes to Dawson
It’s been a long time since mammoths have been in the Yukon valley, but a new one just appeared August 9, albeit in the form of a café. The Red Mammoth Bistro is Dawson City’s newest coffee and eating establishment, and they’ve hit the ground running. Owned by Emilie Aubin and Paul Wettstein, the bistro …
Breathing In, Breathing Out
I’ve been doing yoga since I was a kid, tagging along to my mum’s occasional classes. I started taking the practice seriously three years ago and earned my 200-hour yoga instructor certification last summer. Though I mostly practice on my own, Breath of Life yoga studio piqued my interest due to their modernization of yoga. …
Yukon Women in Mining
Yukon Women in Mining wants to raise the profile of mining as a vibrant career option, especially for Yukon women and youth. To do that in May they launched the Experiential Extravaganza in three Yukon communities. Over 30 representatives from 20 companies built a travelling exploration camp in Pelly Crossing, Faro and Dawson City to …
Gertie’s Begins with a Losing Streak
If anyone ever tries to tell you the first legal casino in Canadian history – Dawson City’s fabled Diamond Tooth Gertie’s Gambling Hall – was a raging success from the moment the doors first opened in June, 1972, perhaps you should clip and save this article to correct that historical distortion of the truth. In …
Experiencing the Beauty of Canada
Heather Newman graduated from high school in 2007 from Robina State High School on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia. Not exactly in 2009 and definitely not in Whitehorse. All the Whitehorse kids from the class of 2009 seem to be busy this summer; as I haven’t been running into any of them lately. Some …
On Market Day, Everything Old is New Again
The way some people talk, you’d think farmers’ markets were a recent invention by eco-conscious millennials spurred to action by reading a book about the 100-mile diet. Nothing could be further from the truth. People have been hauling their goods to communal selling and trading places ever since humankind began the transition from hunting and …
From Storms to Spectres, and All Surreal Things Inbetween
As a child, April Howard remembers spending hours quietly flipping through her dad’s collection of Robert Bateman books, getting lost in, and inspired by, the intricate and realistic details of the iconic Canadian artist and naturalist’s works. “I’ve always loved drawing. If there was ever a pen and paper in front of me, I’d be …
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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 …
Fresh Fast Food
Culinary queen and DIY entrepreneur Katie Thom might be flying by the seat of her pants, but when she sets her mind on something, she does it, and with force. Though operating a food truck has been on her mind for the last 10 years, it was a decision Thom only made, and fully committed …
An Inspiring Book, Found in a Unique Bookstore
MacLeod’s Books in Vancouver is a book lover’s dream. Books are piled up from floor to ceiling. Fortunately, the friendly staff helps you to navigate through the wide selection of books – some of them quite old and rare. When my partner and I visited this unique store last year, I found a book in …
Hitching a Ride
Growing up, Kathy Jessup was always “the yakky little sister.” In Fort Nelson, where she was raised, she’s still known as “Kathy who likes to talk.” Her family still teases her about finding a way to turn her gift for gab into a career as a professional storyteller. When her current show starts in Canada …
Watson Lake Farmer’s Market Moves to the Sign Post Forest
Looking for something interesting to do on a Saturday afternoon? Look no further than the Watson Lake Farmer’s Market held at Historic Mile 635 in the famous Watson Lake Sign Post Forest.
Gertie’s First Season
Once upon a time, long ago, a young truck driver in Whitehorse found himself with five days off work to celebrate the May long weekend and decided to finally visit Dawson City for the first time. It was either 1971 or ’72, and he had been listening to his coworkers talk about it all winter. …
Leonard Linklater: Voicing the North
When Leonard Linklater was growing up in Inuvik, NWT, there was one radio station on the dial. The CBC. Through the airwaves, Indigenous voices carried messages and music. “Louis Goose, Les Carpentier, they were all on the air! I was used to hearing Indigenous voices. Not a lot of them – the main broadcasters were …
Follow Your Passion in the Yukon
Erik Nielsen International Airport Manager since October 2016, Robert Manlig, the first Filipino Canadian to hold the position, has found his calling in the Yukon. “Aviation has always been the love of my life. It’s an exciting industry,” Manlig says. “It never gets old watching planes land, take off and listening to ATC (Air Traffic …
Class of 2009: Colby Heynen
In May 2017, Colby Heynen drove up the highway to Whitehorse from Southern Alberta. He and his girlfriend, Karin Wall, from Coaldale, Alberta will be renting an apartment here in Whitehorse and moving in the first of June. Colby has been back in Whitehorse for two years, working at Whitehorse General Hospital as a nurse. …
The Entrepreneurs of Tomorrow
With summer approaching quickly, parents are faced with a familiar question: Where do I want my kids to spend their days while I am at work? This can sometimes be a stressful decision for parents, with so many diverse options for camps and childcare, there is no shortage of possibilities. However, a new camp starting …
An Evolution of Music and Friendship
McColeman and Desaulniers perform as a duo. Lucie D and the Immortals with Paul Lucas, Lonnie Powell, Paul Bergman and Olivier de Colombel.
Women in Whitehorse – Part 3
From the river to the mountains, Whitehorse is a picturesque place. However, it’s the people that make Whitehorse truly breathtaking. Beauty is found in Yukoners weaving their unique skills and talents into the tapestry of the north. Below is the third in a three part series about some particularly extraordinary women of Whitehorse. Larra Daley …
Cool to be kind
Meg Rodgers is a self-proclaimed “whole food junkie” who exudes kindness in everything she does. It’s not only in the name of her baking company, Kind Whole Foods, but in the kindness she extends to the planet, via the mouth-watering, cruelty-free delicacies she so passionately creates as part of her self-started business. “I think we …
Writing as a Full Time Profession
James Bernard MacKinnon, commonly bylined as J.B. MacKinnon, will be coming to the Yukon from Vancouver to be the Yukon Public Libraries’ choice as a travelling writer to visit a number of communities during the Yukon Writers’ Festival taking place May 2-7. During his Yukon visit McKinnon will do presentations and readings in the Dawson …
Exploration and Discovery
The mining industry plays an important role in the lives of Yukoners. The Yukon Chamber of Mines wraps up their annual mining week with a free interpretive tour of the Whitehorse Copper Belt region on the evening of May 4th and the Mining Exploration and Discovery Camp on Friday May 5th at the S.S. Klondike …
Women in Whitehorse – Brettanie Deal-Porter
Brettanie Deal-Porter is program coordinator for Special Olympics Yukon in Whitehorse. Both have cemented a special place in her heart.
Connecting Our Mind with Our Body
In today’s world, it can be hard to feel comfortable in our own skin. This is, in part, due to a growing plague of diet and fitness advertisements hinting that our happiness stems from a leaner version of ourselves. These advertisements have accumulated to the point where body-confidence is an issue in our society. I …
Carpentry is not just for the guys
This is the story of a carpenter. If you did not see the accompanying photo, you can be excused for imagining it is about a man because, with a few exceptions, this trade is dominated by men. Katelyn Dawson is one of those exceptions, and she is all the more exceptional because she doesn’t fit …
Programmers work miracles
Oh what a wonderful time we live in. If you are in a strange, new city and need to know where the best coffee is served, there is an app for that. Just touch your smartphone. If you need to know if those noodles are gluten-free, well, the package has a barcode and you have …
Less is Definitely More
Dawson City did not have burlesque in its repertoire until long-time local resident Rachel Wiegers decided to take up (or off, as the case may be) the mantle and bring it to town. Wiegers says her journey towards burlesque started when she was young and discovered her father’s girlie magazine stash. “I was too young …
Feeding the North
Food is important to me because I have a large family. Five boys under the age of nine” says Sonny Gray, CEO of North Star Agriculture Corp., as his company will soon announce plans to start construction in the Yukon. Like many in the Yukon he’s concerned about fresh produce. Yukoners like to buy local …
“Build the strength of your people”
Al Cushing may be leaving, but he’s not going anywhere. When he steps into retirement at the end of this month, one aspect of the Yukon Arts Centre’s evolution during his nine years at the helm pleases Cushing the most. “I think the highlight is that the Yukon Arts Centre (YAC) has gotten closer to …
Finding a New Way Home
From Tomaso Albinoni to Django Reinhardt, by way of Led Zeppelin? It’s all part of guitarist Marc Atkinson’s musical journey. The 48-year-old Atkinson grew up on B.C.’s relatively remote Quadra Island, without YouTube, or even television, but with access to the major music source of the day, vinyl records. “I didn’t know that humble peasants …
Cooking Up a Career
Teresa Kozakewick grew up in Alberta. Raised by a father who had a passion for food, she had always been drawn to cooking. She enjoyed watching her dad cook on special occasions. Now her passion has become a career path. After moving to the Yukon, she enrolled in the Yukon College Culinary Arts program for …
A Pioneering Memoir to Keep the Brew True
“This is how you want to talk about your beers — with pride and a bit of humour too — and to do that, you have to produce beers that you’re proud of.” –Excerpt from Brewing Revolution by Frank Appleton It’s not too soon to say: Canadian craft beer has wrenched the baton of good …
Life hacks for the kids
In previous columns in this space, I have offered various suggestions of ways to improve life for those who roam the earth on two legs, especially those of us who do so burdened by creeping senescence. The recent holidays provided an opportunity to put my brain in idle mode, where it often does its best …
Too Busy to Be This Busy?
Tara Larkin of Pursuit Coaching will be hosting a five week seminar for women entitled Put Busy to Rest:Coaching for Women Taking on the World. The seminar runs every two weeks starting on March 1st from 11-1 pm and is focused on helping ambitious women who feel overwhelmed by their busy schedules reclaim their time …
A Home Away From Home
Stepping into Johnson’s Crossing Lodge nestled off the Alaska Highway at historic Mile 836 feels more like walking into your mom’s living room than a highway lodge. Vintage tins and rusted relics line the shelves overtop a cozy room with tables and chairs. A table top is scattered with hundreds of puzzle pieces waiting to …
Fishing on a Budget
The equipment needed to start out fishing can be very expensive and it’s really easy to spend a lot more than you need to. One of the first things a prospective angler needs to learn is that the huge rack of lures and accessories was made more to catch you than to catch fish. There …
Like the Beauty of the Yukon? You’ll Love Hiking Japan
He would leave home at 6:30 a.m. and return at 10 or 11 p.m. When Japan’s economy faltered, he wanted a change. He came to Canada, trained as a mountain guide, and moved to the Yukon to set up its Yamnuska branch in 2007. Today, he still works in an office, marketing and organizing. “But …
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Better When It’s Bitter
Jennifer Tyldesley has spent her life behind the controls of aeroplanes: in the Air Force, flying search and rescue and most recently for Air North. I imagine her in a crisp white shirt with epaulettes gleaming, watching the Klondike Valley sweep away beneath an old Hawker Siddeley when she is struck by an epiphany: “One …
She’s Been Bitten
It was the promise of bannock that first lured Melaina Sheldon into the orbit of Gwaandak Theatre in 2010. The show’s limited budget also allowed Sheldon to use some of the design skills she had developed in a one-year diploma course in fashion design in Vancouver. “I’m a Salvation Army thrift store shopper, for sure, …
A Yukoner at Heart with a Lot to Give
Since graduating from Porter Creek Secondary Nicolai Bronikowski has been working on ship design and transit studies. Through his work in Finland, Russia and Canada he showcases the Yukon’s strong science programs and growing potential as an Arctic research hub. Bronikowski came to the Yukon in 2009 for an exchange year, after finishing Grade 9 …
What happened to the kids, the class of 2009
Spencer Sumanik How did he get into all this fascinating stuff? He and a childhood friend got their bachelor’s degrees in Mechanical Engineering at UBC Okanagan. After that, both of them moved to Ottawa to continue their studies, each in their own preferred field. They rented a room in Ottawa with another Yukoner. Spencer chose …
Lean, Mean, Pedal Powered Bean
It’s a chilly January evening, and 20 some kilometres south of Whitehorse, the cyclic hum of a whirring metal drum comes to a climactic finale with a “snap, crackle, pop.” It may be cold outside, but 34-year-old Michael Russo, dressed in insulated overalls and a down filled jacket, is aglow as he steps off an …
The Streetlight Blues
“I used to stand at my son’s bedroom window, when he was two or three, and look northward to see stars,” says Forest Pearson, a resident of downtown Whitehorse. Pearson’s team gathered up the latest research and prepared a white paper to be presented to the City of Whitehorse, ATCO Electric Yukon, Yukon Energy Corporation …
This is Home
Former Yukoner Jerome Stueart and Yukon author Marcelle Dubé will read together form their books on Dec. 13 at Baked Cafe. It will be an evening about fantasy novels.
Mining All the Options
Saturday, Nov. 19 is the Yukon Chamber of Mines’ Family Day and on Sunday the Forum Trade Show showcases the industry. Monday the Core Shack opens with drilling samples of recent prospects. Mann, an independent consultant, hasn’t missed the Geoscience Forum since the late ’80s. “If you live and work in this territory it’s the …
Book Fair Fever in Frankfurt
British artist David Hockney displayed his latest piece here: a complete collection of his artwork in a huge book. The book costs about 2,500 Euro and contains 62 years of Hockney’s work. It was set up on a stand so visitors could browse through it. The Arts+ exhibition shows that books are not only about …
What Happened to the Kids?
I have Marie write out her full name for me. ‘Achtymichuk.’ It’s Ukrainian, where her dad is from. I compliment her on her beautiful handwriting. We have this interview in the store where Marie is a manager, we were interrupted by staff a few times. Marie is needed! Marie’s parents started the business in 2006, …
Banging on the sofa
Willie Jones III isn’t shy about crediting his late father, a renowned pianist from Los Angeles, with sparking his interest in jazz. “Even before I started school, he would take me to rehearsal with him and I would watch while he rehearsed. For some reason, I would always sit next to where the drums were, …
Get your elbows up
I crowd-sourced tips for navigating the ski swap. A local ski-lover and gear aficionado advised me: “Go early. Really early
Building Tourism From the Ground Up
The Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre, a cultural hub of our capital city, will see national delegates focused on aboriginal economic development arrive on Monday, October 3 for the CANDO 23rd annual conference: Partnerships for Prosperity, Change Collaboration and Opportunity. CANDO (Council for the Advancement of Native Development Officers) is a federally registered, non-profit society that …
Imagination & Artistry at the Whitehorse Etsy Sale
Etsy.com’s coast-to-coast pop-up event is back in Whitehorse for a second year, celebrating local artisans. Over a dozen vendors will be there with wares for you to touch, smell, see and drool over, and buy. The event takes place in 38 communities across Canada on the same day. Etsy.com is a online forum where …
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Mentors now visiting Yukon entrepreneurs
It is possible to come up with a million-dollar idea. But, from that eureka moment to seeing your bank balance tip over into seven figures, there is a lot of planning and cajoling and spending and risking. A lot. Getting a good start and staying on track is crucial. That is why the folks at …
Not for Novices: Beyond Beginner Picking
After you’ve picked your first few batches of mushrooms, and haven’t landed in the hospital, you’ll find the mushroom conversation branches into themes of field testing, drying, and alternate uses, such as medicines, dyes and crafts. The best mushrooming advice I ever got was from experienced mushroom picker Esa Ekdahl. She told me to start …
A new place to knit
Jackie Yaklin is a true knitter. If you see her at the dentist office, she likely has knitting needles in her hands conjuring up something warm for someone. “It is like an obsession and I seem to be really obsessed with starting projects,” she admits. “I have four projects going on right now.” Yaklin likes …
Learning to fly just got easier
In a second-floor office of Alkan Air, there is a bulletin board that holds photos of pilots with their aircraft. The pilots are smiling – and a few of them are wet. “This is the First Solo Wall,” says Dan Rosen, Alkan Air flight training unit officer. “We splash them with a cold bucket of …
Hands-On Haute Couture in the Junction
From beading to working with hide and hair, “Textile and fashion endeavours are followed by a huge number of locals,” says Heiko Hähnsen. He’s the director of the Junction Arts and Music, or JAM, an organization that “nurtures the arts”, according to its website, and is hosting Haines Junction’s first Hands-On Craft Weekend. Given that …
Promoting the Klondike Experience
Not quite a year ago, Jesse Cooke was in Ottawa to receive the Parks Canada Youth Tourism Entrepreneur Award. He was being recognized for his business, Husky Bus, which he launched in the summer of 2012. Even then, as he announced at a subsequent meeting of the Dawson City Chamber of Commerce, he was already …
The Tagish Kwan Photo Parlour
Another new initiative has sprung up on the Carcross Commons. Near the totem pole stands an off-white canvas wall tent. Inside, it’s set up as a photography studio. There are lights and high quality cameras with multiple flashes. There is a printer, and a tickle trunk. It’s the second place in the territory to offer …
Only woodfire for this ethical bean
The best cup of coffee I’ve ever had was at the table of Philippe and Leandra Brient in the log-hewn home they built themselves. Outside the back window was a view of Atlin Mountain rising majestically from a valley of boreal forest. The Brients own and operate Atlin Mountain Coffee Roasters. They spent the morning …
Passion for Fashion
Evelyn Koh wanted a reason to stay in Haines Junction. She worked for years in Whitehorse, at the college and for the Yukon government. She also did carpentry and design work. For a while, she traveled back-and-forth between Whitehorse and Haines Junction. Finally, she settled in the community. She owns a piece of land off …
Yukon’s First Lady of Physiotherapy
Mentioning Yvonne Emson’s name can trigger a response like my neighbour’s: “Oh, she saved my life! My husband’s, too.” Physiotherapists are not in the business of saving lives, but for people with severe or chronic pain, getting the right treatment can feel like rebirth. After nearly 40 years practicing physiotherapy in the north, Emson is …
More than Just Coffee
I catch Heike Graf between the lunch rush hour at the Caribou Crossing Coffee and picking up her five year old daughter from school. “It was busy today,” Graf, the owner of the coffee shop in Carcross, says while wiping the counter and putting a tray of fresh pizza on the display. The smell of …
Pritchett Rocks Country
Having a ringside seat at an Aaron Pritchett concert might just get you one of his trademark cowboy hats simply for being there. “When I get excited about having a great show, I tend to throw them out into the crowd to give them a little memento,” the country crooner says. “I’ve been through hundreds …
Ready to work; ready to shine
The Yukon Association for Community Living is trying something they’ve never done before: they’re entering the film business. The organization has a mission is to advocate for, and support individuals with, developmental disabilities and their families and guardians have made a film as a promotional tool to attract employers to hire their clients. Kathleen Hare, …
Entrepreneurs share success
Just because you have a great idea for a business, it doesn’t automatically follow that you have an idea of how to get it up and running. What does follow is a lot of research into areas you may have no experience with: market studies, permitting, supply chains, advertising, patents, etc. StartUp Whitehorse aims to …
The Next Act
Longtime Yukon teacher Mary Sloan and rapper Eminem have something in common. They both got their careers started in Detroit’s notorious 8-Mile district. However, Sloan’s teaching environment from the beginning to the end could not have been more different. Growing up in Michigan, Sloan was just 20 years old when she began her first teaching …
Nurturing Good Writing
Unlike many a published author, Saskatoon writer Sandy Bonny didn’t study to become one. It just happened. “I haven’t got an English degree,” she says, “and didn’t train or apprentice purposefully with literary mentors before my first publications, but I did always enjoy writing and continued writing recreationally long after it was required for school. …
Street Party Sound
If a musical shindig at the Old Fire Hall this Saturday puts you in mind of a New Orleans street party, Ryan McNally won’t be the least bit disappointed. The event is intended to introduce Yukon audiences to the Whitehorse singer-songwriter’s newest CD, Steppin’ Down South. The bulk of the album consists of nine tunes …
Pregnancy: There’s an App for that
The excitement of a pregnancy is fuelled by the unknown and profound changes that it brings to you and your family. Filling in that information to make it a little less “unknown” can be a daunting task as you navigate from government department to non-profit organization to experienced family members and friends./ But, there is …
Bottoms Up!
Feeling thirsty this Saint Patrick’s Day? Your librations need not come from far away this weekend. Home-grown beer and spirit producer Yukon Brewing has recently released something new into their line up; a Yukon-made whisky, Two Brewers Single Malt. February 13th marked the much anticipated release of their first batch, of which approximately 700 bottles …
Avoiding Lemons
Up until mid-July of last year, I had always had the same car – a 1999 standard transmission Honda CRV. When the rear CV joint went, I was cash strapped and just needed a vehicle to get me home to the Yukon from Naramata, BC, where I was working as a cherry picker. I wound …
Want to Try a New Restaurant?
In less than a year, Erin Loxam has found her way to the heart of the Yukon — through its stomach. While still a cheechako, she has visited more local restaurants than any sourdough, and has done us the good service of writing about her dining experiences on her blog All Yukon Eat. When she moved …
Barb McInerney
Barb McInerney came up to the Yukon in the 1970s to work in a camp kitchen. Though she worked in mining before starting at Kaushee’s Place in 2000, she says that no matter what job she had, she was always trying to advance the most vulnerable of her communities. “I feel like I’ve been doing …
A Place to Wander… and A Place to Stay
You can’t beat the price: $35 for a bed, $80-$95 for the private couple/family room or $25 for a place to pitch your tent, including free internet and parking, access to all the facilities, kitchen, shower, piano, and guitars. The a piano and guitars are not usually part of the deal at most hostels, but …
Winning Awards with Husky Bus
Last month Jesse Cooke was the recipient of the Parks Canada Youth Tourism Entrepreneur Award, at a ceremony held in Ottawa on Dec. 2. Cooke arrived in the Yukon for the first time 10 years ago, studying glaciology at Kluane Lake as part of his University of Ottawa degree program. He says it was the …
Christmas in Dawson
Christmas is a time of gatherings with family and friends. But what if you find yourself alone at that time of year? Well, if you’re in Dawson City, you have nothing to worry about. The community will make sure that everyone has somewhere to go. Dan Dowhal has first-hand experience with the Christmas spirit of …
The Good Ol’ Days of Squatting
Pat Ellis first arrived in Whitehorse in the early 1950s. She was a 19 year-old art student from Winnipeg and Whitehorse was a much different city then. Ramshackle cabins and tiny derelict homes made up the downtown waterfront replacing today’s S.S. Klondike and Rotary Peace Park. The downtown riverside areas went by names like Whiskey …
Working for Free: Gaining so Much
There was a time in my life when my father called me a professional volunteer. Working for a handsome wage was much less of a priority in my youth. It started with summer camps, and continued to take me all over the world to share pieces of myself with others; yet, I would argue I …
No Need to Shout
An honest and emotional message will attract the eyes – and more importantly, hearts – you need to keep your organisation running, in terms of volunteers, the public, and potential avenues of funding. The thing to remember is that advertising – writing, design, printing, etc. – is a program expense. It is not overhead. Build …
Running the Show
Props, actors, lighting, sound, marketing; these are some of the small but numerous little details which turn a “piece” into a “show.” These things need hands to make them happen and cost money – sometimes a lot of money. Many of the shows put on in the Yukon are created by home-grown production company run …
The Mother of All Portraits
When a woman is eight months pregnant, posing for a picture is not a very enticing concept. The art of portraiture is so often wrapped up in our self-esteem, and pregnancy can hit that a little hard. Along with the joy, hope and plans for the future, come a changing body, weight gain and exhaustion. …
A natural way to look good (and feel good)
Standing in the hallway of the Horwood’s Mall, looking into Climate Clothing, you don’t immediately see the First Nation influence in the neat rows of clothing. You see earth tones, trending toward the dark due to the season, and little surprises here and there in a comfortable store. But First Nation teachings lives in the …
Getting into the Game
Audrey McLaughlin moved to the Yukon in the 1970’s with “no man, no job” because she thought it would be an interesting place to live. As she became the first woman to lead a major Canadian political party in 1989 and the first female federal party leader to represent a portion of the territories in …
My Story as a Special Olympics Athlete
Mallory Ellen Pigage has been a Special Olympics Yukon athlete for 16 years. “Is a time for me to socialize and do sports at the same time.”
Where There’s a Wig, There’s a Way
If you’re under pressure to get a Halloween costume together, take note that going as a ghost in a sheet with holes cut for eyes seems quick and easy, but it’s a ball and chain that will be annoying all party long. The whole night will be spent trying to keep the eyeholes in place …
YAC’s sound investment
Every seat in the Yukon Arts Centre costs the same. Yet the sound is not the same in each seat. That is why some people choose seats away from the speakers while others have figured out that there is “muddy sound” in the centre of the house. “Right now, there are four spots,” says Al …
Bowling is back
In the popular bowling movie Kingpin the term “munsoned” is coined by the film’s writers Peter and Bobby Farrelly to describe being up a creek without a paddle, essentially being left for dead. For the Mad Trapper Alleys in Riverdale that seemed to be its fate after closing its doors in May. But now the …
Tastes of Home
Conquering exotic culinary worlds is exhilarating, but the dispiriting lack of some foods can make home feel very far away, indeed. For some people, a curious thing may happen once they relocate. They may develop a taste for things they wouldn’t have considered before. The local food will open myriad sensations. But for others, it’s …
Homegrown Business
Proud Yukoners want to shop Yukon – but sometimes it feels hard to do that. With so many of our goods and services being provided by companies on the Outside, it often feels like we’ve got no choice but to shell out to the big boys. For those who prefer to shop in their own backyard, however, …
It’s Been a Slice
If you’ve walked past Bocelli’s Pizzeria lately, you may have seen a small sign in the window advertising its farewell. The local makers of saucy, thincrust Italian-style deliciousness are closing their doors. On Friday, August 28, the pizza oven will fire for the last time. Bocelli’s has been at the corner of 4th Avenue and …
Mine, All Mine!
The next time you travel north on the Alaska Highway between the Fish Lake Road and the Porter Creek Super A, ask yourself why the canyon there is called Rabbit Foot Canyon. Why not Anaconda? In 1899, the White Pass Railway was wondering whether it would be worthwhile extending its track all the way to …
Claire the Bartender
If you’ve ever been to Lizards Lounge in the Town and Mountain Hotel on a Friday or Saturday night, you’ve seen Claire Mechan. She’s been behind the bar making your drinks for the last fiveand-a-half years. “It’s my identifier in Whitehorse,” Mechan says. “I go into Walmart and people say, ‘It’s Claire the bartender!’” But …
Brewed from the Heart
The world of suds has official definitions of what constitutes a craft beer. That doesn’t prevent Marko Marjanovic from offering his own. “For myself, it’s a beer that’s brewed by passionate people who want to create a flavourful beer that’s been hand-crafted, that’s been selected based on the flavours that they want in their beer,” …
Concierge at Large
Most youngsters try on adult roles from time to time, but few go from role-play to reality as seamlessly as Eric Pateman moved into a career in hospitality. The founder and president of Edible Canada has photos of his 5-year-old self with a waiter’s towel draped over his arm, serving lunch to his grandparents, complete …
Laurel Parry – Loud and Proud
On her first day as a government arts consultant in 1987, Laurel Parry was ushered to a desk that held a typewriter, a large black ceramic ashtray, and an in-box loaded with letters and materials from Yukon artists. “The job had been vacant for quite awhile and the sport consultant had been pinch-hitting, so I …
Hanging Up the Red Pen
I joined the What’s Up Yukon editorial team in late September 2012 and the first edition with my name on the masthead was issue #300, dated October 4, 2012. What followed were 33 months of continual employment, bringing me up to this issue, #436. This unbroken string of paycheques from the same outfit breaks my …
You are a Winner
One of the many remarks I got when I was selling queen raffle tickets during Yukon Sourdough Rendezvous (YSR) events was, “I have never won a prize”. My usual reply was, “You are already a winner by purchasing the raffle tickets, because you have made a contribution to the community”. My dear friends, by purchasing …
Mitigating Factors
Describe Adam Greetham as you wish: tinkerer, scientist, adaptor, businessman. “A bit of all of them,” he admits. “I can’t really deny any one of those.” Another handle that easily fits the president of Groundtrax Environmental Services is innovator. Over 23 years doing environmental assessment and remediation, Greetham has developed “some of the best remediation …
RVing in the YT
Earlier this year, at the Toronto Interior Design show, the Cubitat was introduced. This lifestyle cube is 10’ x 10’ and features a bed, bathroom, kitchen and television. All you need to do is hook up water and power and you have yourself a compact living space. Smaller living spaces have become increasingly popular. Now …
Bus, stop!
They come for a pee, a snack, and a knick-knack. After spending 45 minutes in the first Canadian community that many will ever experience, cruise ship passengers are back on the buses to see Emerald Lake or have a chicken dinner at Caribou Crossing Trading Post. Such are the challenges, and opportunities, for shopkeepers in …
Talking in Tune
One of Canada’s busiest and most versatile violinists will perform in Whitehorse on May 17 as part of his collaboration with local composer Daniel Janke on an upcoming CD of contemporary string music. In a career spanning more than 20 years, Mark Fewer has been — among other things — a chamber musician, a symphony …
The Newest Coffee and Beer Headquarters
Micah Quinn likes a challenge — whether it’s hiking the Pacific Crest Trail from Mexico to Canada (4265 kilometres) alone, or re-imagining a local Whitehorse coffee shop as a dynamic new hub for the community, he’s up for it. Late last year Quinn was finishing a contract at Yukon College. He had spent the last …
Colour and a Straight Edge
Whitehorse is a town of natural beauty and diverse niches, and quite the opposite of global hub, New York City. Not everyone is caught up in high fashion comas, there are no large bright billboards in the centre of town, and financial institutions are housed in small banks instead of blocks of skyscrapers. When it …
Potatoes Grow Anywhere
Formerly the Ramada, now the Days Inn, sits at the edge of the Whitehorse industrial area. It’s parking lot and big-box-store land, the concrete jungle of our Northern capital. It’s windy and dusty and, according to Francis van Kessel, general manager at Days Inn, the perfect place to grow potatoes, carrots, beets, and maybe kale. …
If it’s Tuesday, it must be … Thailand?
From the modern glass and metal outer door, to the wooden old-timey inner door, The Wheelhouse Restaurant’s guests are instantly transported back to the Whitehorse of the 1930s. If they take the tour, those guests aren’t sure if they are smiling at Art Webster’s enthusiasm, or at the sheer cleverness of the coat rack and …
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 …
On Richard Linklater
In the wake of Boyhood’s lackluster haul at the recently held Academy Awards — it won only one Oscar, despite six nominations — I’ve been thinking about the film’s writer/director Richard Linklater. Boyhood was a momentous task in which Linklater gathered the same group of actors together for a few days each year, for a …
Exploring Good Service in Whitehorse
When I first travelled to Canada and the United States I was impressed with the service I got — from the smallest breakfast restaurant, to a fancy steakhouse. Among other things, I enjoyed being called “sweetie” and “honey,” by servers, and I found North Americans have higher standards than Germans. Back in Germany I told …
How to Avoid Pitfalls When Hiring a Contractor
So you just bought a new place, and you didn’t pay too much attention during shop class, so you hire a contractor to do some work. But how do you avoid home reno nightmares? Bill Greer, director of capital maintenance at Yukon Housing Corporation, shares some ideas. First of all, the scope of a contractor’s …
The Internet is Forever
It’s natural that you have some complaints about your boss, co-workers, or customers. No job is perfect and we are only human. However, how you express your feelings may prove to be a problem, not only in your present job, but also your chances of getting another in the future. While social media may be …
Making a Living by Making Art
There’s a classic struggle among artists to find a part-time job that will afford them enough money to pay the bills and enough time to make their art, but won’t suck the soul out of them. Another classic struggle is justifying the pursuit of money, when, as an artist, passion, creativity, communication, love, light, colour, …
Life on the Border
National Geographic Channel’s TV show, Border Security, about customs officers dealing with strange and sometimes dangerous people is often set in a metropolitan city, most frequently in an airport. But Beaver Creek — the most westerly community in Canada — is a town of about 100 people, and it includes Border Services officers, too. Mark …
The Pecha Kucha Payoff
Pecha Kucha is a presentation-style invented by architects in 2003, designed to promote clarity and concision amongst public speakers. The Pecha Kucha format requires presenters to build a slide show containing exactly 20 slides. As the images roll, the speaker provides commentary on each one. The catch? Each of these 20 projections is only shown …
A Beeline for the Honey Brew
During my frequent beelines to the Fat Tug IPA and other craft beers at the Whitehorse Liquor Store, my eyes catch a glimpse of the solitary bottles of Fuller’s Organic Honey Dew beer, but then they move on. I’m not against honey or Fuller’s, but I do remember trying this beer years ago and deciding …
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 …
Give your small business a big face
Canadian Tourism Human Resource Council indicates a decline in our overall labour force from a growth rate of 1.4 percent in 2005 to 0.4 percent in 2016. Technology is a tool that helps fill the gap, allowing industry operators to allocate human resources where they are most needed. Think automated checkout or bank machine and …
Should employees be allowed to use work computers for personal use?
THOSE WHO SAY YES, SAY: As computers become more and more sophisticated, they become more and more useful. And, the more useful they are, the more of a necessity they become. Some may wince at the word “necessity”, but they need to realize that computers can go to more websites than just YouTube and MySpace. …
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Building a Family and a Business
“It’s hard to think of myself as a young entrepreneur, I’ve been doing it so long,” says Mrs. Lee Randell. She and her husband, Mr. Lee Randell, bought Peak Fitness in 2001 and have run the gym together ever since. When they bought the business, Mrs. Lee was just 23 years old and they were …
Less Experience Could Mean More Opportunity
The labour market. It’s an issue that has been discussed to no end and we still haven’t reached a solution. Where do we find staff for our tourism businesses? Of course, we’ve been presented with numerous options from increasing wages to offering more benefits and from hiring retirees to searching the foreign labour pool for …
Generation ‘why-not’
Those of us in the workforce who are over the age of 30 have one thing in common: we have nothing in common with those under 30. Those elements that are true in this sweeping generalization (crafted solely to offer a punchy lead) are a pity: we “old folks” should have more in common with …
Should I hire a young person or someone with experience?
THOSE WHO CHOOSE YOUTH SAY: Let’s face it: whomever you hire will likely be gone within five years. Workers are transient these days and that is not a situation that is unique to the young. However, a young person will not try to fool you into thinking they will spend a long time with you. …
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New Toys and a Lunar Eclipse
The hobby of astronomy has always been an art form of simplicity and function. Let’s face it, when starting out in astronomy, the task of getting great views and being comfortable at the same time can seem quite daunting. It is dark out and you are usually bundled up in winter clothing. This, and little …
Beer By Committee (this will end badly)
How would you like to start a business with 50,000 of your closest friends, pals, friends of friends, acquaintances and complete strangers? What if it only cost you $50 to start and you had a vote in what products you sell, how you market them and where? What if the business we are talking about …
700,000,000,000 Bottles Of Beer On The Wall (would take 220,000 years to sing)
We feel the need to make a few comments on the $700 billion subsidy that has been the big financial news in the US last month. We have a real hard time trying to get our heads around that number, 700 billion. It sure seems like a lot of zeros. Global beer production last year …
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She’s not eighteen and scared anymore
I’m back at Lil’s, slurping on another old-fashioned chocolate milkshake. There’s a family in the next booth talking to a young woman at a table. Her back is to me. I’m busy trying to think of a place to rent The Man Who Knew Too Much. It’s my turn to pick a film for movie …
Lots of Empty Barrels to Wear
In case you have been living in a vacuum over the past few weeks, apparently these are hard times. Funny how things seemed to turn around so fast … or maybe not so funny, depending on your perspective. We hear that beer is pretty much recession-proof. We have long argued that this is true to …
A Good Idea is a Good Idea, In Good Times and Bad
A Good Idea is a Good Idea, In Good Times and Bad Here we are, the first Buzz of 2009, and it seems like the right thing to say is “Good riddance, 2008.” Funny thing is, it seems like the beginning of that year was brimming with optimism, in stark contrast to the end. It …
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Feeding Spirits, Not Just Stomachs
The thing about chefs is that they can work almost anywhere. Because of this, cooking is an ideal job for the restless spirits among us. In a crowd known for its wanderlust, Gordon Parton is somewhat of an anomaly. Parton is the head chef at Gadzoosdaa Student Residence, where students from small towns live while …
Law-Abiding Beer
The Liquor Corporation in New Brunswick has created a wee bit of a stir lately (pun intended). It seems it is losing a lot of beer sales in border communities. Not to the U.S., as you might think, but to Québec. Every province and territory in Canada has their own approach to beer pricing. As …
Beautifying Your Space
Deanna Slonski has always had a flair for interior design. “My parents owned a furniture and appliance store when I was a kid,” she says. “I worked there helping people pick out items and fitting them together – essentially I was the in-store decorator. I’ve always had a passion for it, I’ve always loved it, …
Beer Packaging
Ah, sturdy and stout stubbies. Macro beer dribbling down your chin because of the bottle’s bad ergonomic design. I remember photos from the 1970s of my uncles with mo’s, long hairs, adidas shorts and Molson Canadian in stubby form. Cut to the 1980s where stubbies were essentially a third character in the Bob and Doug …
Kerr-razy for Taste
Pat McKenna takes a cook’s tour of famous, infamous and soon-to-be famous Yukon chefs. Featured today is Mary-El Kerr of Whitehorse. Mary-El Kerr, owner and operator of Mary-El Fine Food & Catering, brings a wide variety of expertise and pizzazz to the table. An early start cooking at her father’s restaurant launched Kerr into course …
The Cry of a ‘Betty Guy’
The hue and cry was heard across the world. It was the proposal that reached into the foundations of many a childhood and gave it a good shaking; indeed, you might have heard: Archie proposed to Veronica. For over 50 years and 600 issues, the backbone of the Archie-verse had always been the constant love …
‘On a Retreat’, but Not Retreating
Florian Lemphers sits on the back porch of his Lake Laberge home. This vantage point offers a glorious view of the lake and the fall colours, which are in full bloom. Lemphers rests his feet on a bench and casually sips a cup of coffee (he’s wearing a pair of Carhartts and a broad smile). …
‘Moving the Coat Rack’
We heard a story a while back about an artist who had a sculpture exhibit going on at a gallery. Near the entry door to the gallery, the artist placed a coat rack. During the opening, people would come into the gallery, hang their coat on the rack and move on to check out the …
A Filipina’s Journey to the Yukon
Vangie Ramirez wears a warm smile on her face and she laughs a lot. It is not a naïve or childish laugh; rather, it seems to be a quiet acknowledgement that life is treating her well. When Ramirez arrived in the Yukon in 1990, it was the culmination of long journey, a journey that began …
Snapshot in Time
Another year is coming to a close and it is time to reflect on the great cosmic events we have seen, and all the fabulous people we have met on this galactic journey. Most people assume astronomy, as a hobby, is sitting all alone in a field with a telescope in the middle of nowhere. …
Tarot: A Tool for Truth
When Ellen Brian talks, she looks you in the eye. She speaks in well-constructed sentences and, when she finds something funny, she laughs naturally. Brian strikes those who meet her as down-to-earth. With this in mind, some might be surprised to discover what she does for a living. Her business, Little Star Astrological Services, specializes …
Korean food: ‘different’ is good
Running a restaurant in a hotel comes with one priority: good food to help guests start their day. And, remember, guests come from all over the world, so the food can’t be too “out there” and the staples need to be covered: eggs and burgers. But many hotel restaurants can’t survive on business from just …
Organic Beer: Beer Cache Gets Serious
Want to proudly face your beer bottle label forward at parties this summer? Purchasing an organic beer is one way to do just that. When it comes to the environmental impact of drinking beer, the three biggies are transportation of product and ingredients, water consumption and the production of ingredients. We will hit up the …
We would like to share this award with all of you
It is with your support these past years that our community entertainment magazine has grown to what it is today. We didn’t create the events, shows, concerts, and games that are featured in this magazine… Yukoners did. It is our neighbour’s talents and creativity that is featured in story after story. Quite frankly, Yukoners have …
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Shootin’ the Brews: Skagway Edition
Last weekend, Beer Cache had the amazing opportunity to spend the better part of a day with Trevor Clifford, head brewer at Skagway Brewing Co., Skagway, Alaska. Spring-boarding from an established ribbon-winning homebrewer to the head brewer at a brew pub takes some ingenuity. Clifford has made the most of an incredibly small space and …
Chocolate + Porter = Genius
One of the swell new editors of WUY dropped us an email on the weekend inquiring about the status of our column, and casually mentioned that they were sipping on a Phillips Longboat Chocolate Porter at the time of writing. You know when someone mentions bacon, and all you can think about is … well, …
The Yukon Beats Out New Zealand
Nesta Leduc’s 1962 journey north, punctuated the remoteness of her new home in the Yukon: “It was a six-hour flight to get up here from Vancouver,” she says, “we had to stop in Williams Lake, Prince George, Fort St. John and Watson Lake first.” Leduc came to our territory as a newly minted doctor who …
U(wanna) Brew?
Ever thought about U-brewing? It’s just another brick in the wall of beer enjoyment, and other than the method they use for actually producing the beer (full/partial mash or beer kit), U-Brews everywhere are pretty much the same. The Whitehorse outlet, U-Brew Yukon, guarantees 44 bottles (500ml) per batch. You can purchase plastic bottles and caps …
(Ex)changing Paddling Gear
Perhaps you believe, as Kenneth Grahame suggests in his classic novel, The Wind in the Willows, that “there is nothing—absolutely nothing—half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.” If so, you need to get yourself to this weekend’s first annual Paddle Swap in Whitehorse. “Members of the Yukon Canoe and Kayak Club …
Astrophotography on a Budget
For many amateur astronomers, the passion for deep space observing ultimately leads them to photography and imaging of the night sky. It is a good thing to come home with pictures of your late night observing sessions, sharing with others what you are actually doing out there all night, as crazy as it might seem …
Beer personalities
I bumped into an old Alexander Keith’s beer commercial on YouTube this week—you might remember the series. It involved a crusty Scotsman with spindly legs, patchy facial hair, and an abrasive tongue, insulting young people for spilling beer, peeling labels, or otherwise disrespecting the pride of Nova Scotia. “Alexander Keith toiled since 1820 for that …
Painting With a Camera
André Gallant proves that you don’t need a brush to be a painter. His expressive photography creates the impression of a painting for the viewer through a series of techniques he has been perfecting over the last decade. “I had been working as a photographer for about 15 years, focusing on travel photography because it …
A Day in the World’s Best Job
I’ve heard it said that park rangers have the best job in the world. Maybe it’s true. After all, how many people get to work in such beautiful and remote areas, the kind of places the rest of us go to on our weekends? With that in mind, I decided to give my hiking some …
Core Commitment
They are sturdy but simple wooden boxes. But they’re indispensable to the mining industry – exploration programs go through them by the thousands every year. And a little known plant in a quiet industrial park in the north-west corner of Whitehorse churns them out year-round for shipping throughout the territory, as well as Alaska and …
Synergize: Allow Your Business To Be The Best Version Of Itself!
Owning your own business offers great rewards, with equally great opportunities. But some entrepreneurs consider themselves working alone in business, especially if they are filling a unique niche in the marketplace. There is more to business life than flying solo. Many successful businesses have formed strategic alliances, with like-minded businesses, that gives their business the …
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Running a Tech Savvy Business
The ways in which technology improves the productivity of a business continue to grow. By selecting a technological system that is right for you, you allow your business, colleagues and consumers to flourish. From modern point-of-sale systems, to web-based technology, to mobile wireless communications, there is a multitude of ways that you can implement technology …
‘Irreplaceable’ does not mean ‘good’
It was a requirement of administration that required a lot more soul-searching than I thought possible. Our administrator, Monica Garcia, proposed a question to me: “If you die, what would happen?” “Well,” I thought to myself. “All the businesses in the Yukon would close until after my funeral and grief counsellors would be brought into …