By: Natalie Clark
Hamilton has been getting its fair share of the winter weather this season, so in what better way to embrace it than to explore all that Winterfest 2019 has to offer?
Winterfest is a two-week long affair that features winter events in and around the city. Beginning Feb. 1, there will be free and paid events held throughout Hamilton such as open skate, live music and various themed events. Take a break from studying and enjoy the winter weather while taking part in this timely Hamilton tradition.
Juno Award winner and Hamilton born indie rock singer/songwriter Matt Mays will be performing at Hamilton Central Public Library on Feb. 10. Mays is currently on his Dark Promises Tour and will be making a pit stop in his hometown for an intimate show. Head on down to Hamilton Central Public Library for some of the best music Hamilton has to offer. This is a paid event and tickets can be purchased on Eventbrite.
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Frost Bites is a four-day event in partnership with Hamilton Fringe featuring some of Hamilton’s best theatre performers. Each night, artists will perform “bites” of theatre shows that are meant to last no longer than 20 minutes each. The festival will also be taking place on Feb. 14 to Feb. 17 at two community locations, the New Vision United Church and St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church.
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On Feb. 13, Winterfest will be holding a lecture featuring guest speaker Kojo “Easy” Damptey, an afro-soul musician and scholar-practitioner. Born and raised in Ghana, he attempts to address societal issues and enact change in the world with his lyrics. He will be speaking on behalf of stories of existence, resilience and resistance. The event is free and will be held at the Historic Ancaster Old Town Hall. All are welcome to join the celebration and commemoration of Black History Month.
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Stressed? Bored? Dying to pick up a new hobby? If any of those resonate with you then this beginners knitting course may be up your alley. For $90 you’ll learn the basics of knitting over the course of three classes, running on Wednesdays from Feb. 13 to Feb. 27. Grab a group of friends and head down to the Art Aggregate in East Hamilton for all the tips and tricks you need to know about knitting.
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In honour of the beginning of the Chinese New Year on Feb. 5, Barton Stone Church will be hosting a Fung Loy Kok Taoist Tai Chi Open House on Feb. 9. This event is free and includes a demonstration and class, as well as various hot drinks including tea and apple cider! There will be volunteer staff available to chat with you about their class schedule, as well as information about the benefits of Taoist Tai Chi. The event is sure to be a warm evening full of new learning experiences.
The Canteen is one of Hamilton Winterfest’s signature events. Featuring live music from a variety of artists, including Hamilton-based singer/songwriter Ellis, a cozy fire, winter marketplace and various other events, this event is worth the trip to the Battlefield House Museum & Park National Historic Site on 77 King Street West. The location is also known as one of Canada’s most significant monuments of the War of 1812. Aside from participating in the event’s attractions, you are also welcome to explore the museum and historic grounds on site. This is an all-day event taking place on Feb. 16 starting at 10 a.m.
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Nestled away right off of Main Street East and Ottawa Street South lies Jordan Weisz’s newest venture, Café Baffico, alongside his long-time friend and colleague, Fady Dawood. Together, the two have set out to bring the joy of good food and rest to the bustling Crown Point neighbourhood.
Dawood and Weisz met about six years ago when the two both worked on Locke Street South; Weisz was running Johnny’s Coffee while Dawood worked at Brux House. The two bonded over their love of coffee and their shared fine dining experience, having both worked in high-end restaurants at some point.
Over the course of their friendship, they both knew they wanted to eventually open up a restaurant, with the goal to make great food more accessible to the general public.
“... [W]e both worked in fine dining, and we wanted to do high quality food but for everyone at a good price point, because neither of us could afford to eat at the restaurants we worked at,” said Weisz.
Following years of planning and one successful pop-up, the pair opened up Café Baffico in December 2018. While Weisz and Dawood are the main owners and operators, the café by day, restaurant by night has had support from the Hamilton community.
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All the dining ware was made by Speck and Stone, a local pottery shop run through the Cotton Factory. Their tables were made by their server, Lauren Goodman, who even helps out with repairs in between lunch and dinner service. She busied herself repairing some picture frames when I came by.
On the walls are a series of photographs and pieces of artwork; some from friends, some from Weisz’s trips to Italy. These trips play a huge role in Café Baffico, which serves up a series of traditional Italian dishes alongside seasonal classics.
“It's an Italian restaurant more in its ethos. There's a lot of Italian food on the menu, but personally, I love the seasonal cuisine over there and the particularly the regional cuisine,” said Weisz.
Weisz began his forays to Italy during his time as a student at McMaster University, after taking a trip with its art history department. He ended up staying in Italy well after the trip ended, working in restaurants. It was in Italy where Weisz credits his love for food began.
“Most people think that Italian food is just pasta and pizza and that's it, but every single town, every city has its own kind of pasta, its own style of pizza and so many different dishes, so there's a long culinary tradition there,” Weisz said. “I studied history at [McMaster] so I have respect for preserving and respecting those traditions.”
Weisz also took particular interest in the culture surrounding eating in Italy, where patrons sit with their coffee and enjoy it in-store as opposed to the takeaway drinks popular in North America, appreciating the way food and drink brought people together.
“Obviously I'm generalizing, but Italians, they go out to eat, they go out late at night and eat well into the night with lots of wine on the table and it's simple. It's really about the food and the people you're with, whether they're loved ones, friends, or strangers, and that's what Baffico, to me, means,” Weisz said.
Although Crown Point may be a bit of a trek for McMaster students, Weisz and Dawood both appreciate the distance from the main restaurant scene and the freedom it allows them.
“[The Crown Point area’s] not just an up-and-coming neighbourhood, it's a well-developed community,” said Weisz. “It's also very much a mixed-income neighbourhood, whereas downtown has become gentrified and the artists that make downtown what it is now... can't even afford to live downtown.”
[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id="189" gal_title="Cafe Baffico 2"]
It is clear right away that Weisz, Dawood and everyone else at Cafe Baffico is committed to making high-end dining more accessible to all those who enter their restaurant.
“Because of the neighbourhood we're in, someone who drinks [Tim Horton's] everyday can come in and it's not so acidic and different that it really trips them out, but also a coffee snob could come in and enjoy it,” said Dawood. “And that's what we're trying to do with all the food. I wanted it to be something super approachable by everyone.”
The food, of course, is nothing short of fantastic. The ingredients are fresh, with all Italian cheeses directly imported from Italy, locally-sourced cheese plates, sourdough bread made in-house everyday along with another dozen little things that elevate their deceivingly simple dishes. You can even grab a loaf of sourdough bread to take home, if you were so inclined.
The menu is written up on a blackboard everyday, rotating with whatever seasonal ingredients are available. Some recent dishes include squash soup, cacio e pepe, carbonara, sun-dried tomato and onion pizza and eggplant parmigiana. The staff is mindful of any sort of dietary restriction, so feel free to ask for accommodations if needed.
Don’t be surprised if you see either Weisz or Dawood come out from the kitchen to clear dishes or strike up a conversation with you; the two will often come out to help support their serving staff and bond with their customers.
So come by Café Baffico and try some wonderful dishes, but don’t forget to bring a friend, family member or lover, someone to share the bread and butter with and truly experience what Weisz and Dawood mean by Italian hospitality.
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By Barjot Gill
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On Nov. 6, Hamilton’s newest café, The Nook, opened its doors to the sleepy part of Bold Street just off James Street south. Those familiar with the area likely know the café’s location: a tiny space that has stood — or at least looked to be — vacant in recent history. With a dark exterior and darker windows, the spot was so uninteresting one could almost skip over seeing it without realizing a building was there.
But Suad Abukamla saw 6 Bold Street as the place for her vision to come alive. Over the course of almost a year and a half, she and a group of friends slowly transformed the space, breathing new life and a vibrant slick of yellow paint onto its previously black-walled interior.
“When I saw things coming [together] I knew I couldn’t stop because I had already started and I wanted to finish,” she said, explaining that even when she was overwhelmed, she felt motivated to keep working. “Because I was doing the design by myself so I had to do the research, and look up ideas from here and there and what’s next, what’s going to match.”
Abukamla handpicked, designed or made every part of her business, from the lighting, to the exact shade of yellow on the walls, to the tables, which she built herself from a pile of scrap lumber left by the former owners. The chandelier that hangs from the middle of the ceiling took months to find, and she looked in five different cities to find the perfect fabric for the chair cushions.
“I needed the colours to match; the grey, the yellow and the yellow is very sensitive. So then we finished Oakville, Burlington, Hamilton, Brantford and then we just had St. Catharines, the last city we were going to go to. And I was like, ‘okay I’m not leaving St. Catharines without fabric,’” she said, laughing. “I like details.”
In addition to Abukamla’s requirement that the café’s aesthetic translate exactly as she had imagined, she was also keen on making environmental practices central to her business. The Nook’s patrons will only find a garbage bin in the café’s washroom. All the cups, napkins, plastic lids and drink sleeves are either recyclable or biodegradable.
Although Abukamla admits there was no way to entirely eliminate garbage from the renovation process, she intends for the café to reach as close to zero waste as possible. All the construction materials are recycled or eco-friendly, and every business choice has been locally-sourced and to use companies that have environmentally sound practices. Even the coffee is from local roaster Relay.
Abukamla’s attention to detail is impressive on its own, but The Nook is not her only project. She is also in the process of completing her Masters in engineering and public policy at McMaster University, a degree that will further the work she used to do with the women’s rights and advocacy branch of the United Nations. She hopes to combine all these skills to encourage social change within Hamilton and inspire more women to pursue their goals.
“I was the Advocacy and Information Officer [for the UN] and we were supporting security and economic projects for women and I was always telling women… [even though] there were times when they would get overwhelmed, [they] are always super,” she said. “They can multi-task. They will do it. They will succeed.”
To facilitate this change within the city, Abukamla is in the process of creating a system for non-profit organizations and community groups to use The Nook’s space, free of charge, after the café closes for the day. These groups can use the space for fundraising, community outreach, meetings, volunteer appreciation or even as a meeting space for book clubs.
“Even in school, in my program, a lot of people are creative and they have innovative ideas,” Abukamla explained. “Just take the next step.”
Abukamla is grateful to the community and support network she has befriended in Hamilton.
“I have unique friends. I always call them my unique friends. They give me the right advice. They give me the right help.… Find the right people, stick with them and have a mentor all the time.”
As the semester draws to a close, Abukamla, like any other student, is likely swamped with final projects and papers. But she still finds time to celebrate her accomplishments.
“I am proud,” she said. “I’m happy because [despite] how long it took me to work in this café, everything in this space has a story behind it… it’s just… I can’t express my feelings. But it’s enough to be proud.”
A nook is a space that holds multiple meanings: safety, comfort, a place to relax. The Nook aspires to be all those things and empower individuals to create the change they wish to see in their city. And with an owner like Abukamla behind every detail of the business, it is likely to do just that.
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One day each Fall semester, the fields of BSB field get filled with countless groups of students set up tables, bringing band instruments, posters, sign-up lists, even animals and the spirit of the new year. ClubsFest is both exciting and overwhelming, as over three hundred clubs call the MSU home. There’s always too much to choose from, and the new-year-energy makes students think they can sign up for more then they can handle. So do as you would do at ClubsFest and sign up for some clubs you won’t actually join and we’ll guess how much coffee you drink.
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Full article is located here: https://www.thesil.ca/dog-joes-rebrand
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The Westdale community and feel remained consistent over most of the decade that My Dog Joe has been around for. A hotspot for students, locals and travelers alike, Westdale, and especially My Dog Joe, has served the people of Hamilton faithfully.
However, times are changing. The area has seen changes to its identity. Best represented by the crowdfunding initiative for revitalizing the local theatre, Westdale has had to adjust and adapt to the changing times.
“I’ve been a new owner here for about a year or so, and we’ve tried changing a couple things and gauging customer feedback and what people are really into and what kinds of things they might want.”
Jeff Groat
Owner-operator of My Dog Joe
My Dog Joe is the next candidate on the list to receive changes while respecting its historical significance. In this case, it is not changing for the sake of survival, but because the opportunity is there.
Jeff Groat, owner-operator of My Dog Joe, explained that the feedback of the community has been a driving factor when it comes to the rebrand.
“I’ve been a new owner here for about a year or so, and we’ve tried changing a couple things and gauging customer feedback and what people are really into and what kinds of things they might want.”
This feedback resulted in the idea of doing a complete overhaul. New equipment for the kitchen, adjustments to the interior and exterior and a new menu are all part of the efforts. It may look completely different by the next time you see it.
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With all of these changes, My Dog Joe remains grounded in how important it has been for people. One of the recent promotions done to remind themselves of that was having members of the community write down responses to, “What does My Dog Joe mean to you?” on blank cups, and gaining even more feedback.
Groat’s interpretation of My Dog Joe is centered on the Westdale community.
“I think it’s taking pride in the Westdale community. It’s being a good neighbour.”
His drive forward and the renovations are not only about Westdale feedback, however. When asked about his experience and his personal motivations, he explained his history in British Columbia. His favourite memory working in a restaurant had to do with a truffle the head chef made at home with a friend and brought into the restaurant.
“Normally, I hate chocolate mint, but this truffle tasted fantastic. It was just this beautiful, fresh mint flavour and nice chocolate. Really well made. And I remembered tasting this thing and just being like, ‘Wow, this is so good. How can I do this?’”
What Groat hopes to bring to Westdale are not only adjustments based on feedback from the community and the overhaul to its visual design while respecting its history, but also unforgettable food to pass along that memory.
“I feel like that sort of experience is informing what we want to do here with My Dog Joe. ... Offering baked goods and food and stuff that you can’t get anywhere else. You remember that experience if it’s your first time coming. If it’s not, you come back specifically for that thing because you know it and love it.”
Groat hopes that the renovations will be completed by the end of the Provincial Day long weekend in August.
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As the mid-March snow melts away, a new initiative is warming up in Westdale. King Street West café My Dog Joe has launched a monthly hike series to bring the community together and teach a little local ecology and history.
“As a business owner, the main idea for me is to drive business and our brand,” said Jeff Groat, manager of My Dog Joe. “The main idea is to hang out, have some breakfast or coffee. People can get a coffee to go if they want of course. And then we’ll walk.”
Groat explained that his wife originally came up with the idea after seeing some of the experience-based opportunities AirBnB was offering. He then approached former colleague and McMaster graduate student Reyna Matties about leading the hikes.
“The focus of the hikes are to have fun and get out in the community but also to learn about the local ecology and history,” Matties explained. She added that her background in conservation biology and ecology means she can tell hikers about the local environment, including the area’s ecosystem or natural history.
“[The hikes] are themed [based on ecosystem]… there’s lots of really diverse areas here and one of the things I’m hoping to show is the diversity of ecosystems that are local and also accessible by walking or biking or different types of transport,” she added.
The first hike, held on March 25, explores the Chedoke Stairs and Radial Trail area near the Chedoke golf course. The course runs just over 6 kilometres, and Matties hopes to show off different parts of the Niagara Escarpment, providing noteworthy details about the ecology and history of the area.
@MyDogJoeCoffee looking bright and friendly this morning:) pic.twitter.com/0tTXgDghFQ
— Coffeecology (@coffeecology) April 15, 2016
“[We’ll do] a bit of geology and then also a bit of history of the Chedoke Radial Trail that formed on a previous railway,” Matties said. “Hamilton has a few different trails that are railways converted into trails which is unique and we can bike on them or hike and it provides an awesome opportunity to explore the escarpment.”
Groat is also excited to get a new perspective on the city, especially as spring blooms in Hamilton.
“I love that there’s all this nature and it’s so close by and more or less intact, especially in the Cootes Paradise area,” Groat said. “And you know, it’s our neighbourhood. We do business here, customers live here, so I think it would be nice for us to celebrate that a bit and be good neighbours and you know, take part in the neighbourhood.”
Groat is looking forward to learning more about the Hamilton environment, but he is also excited to see who is interested in the hikes.
“Hamilton’s a cool place, and it’s nice to just meet people and chat. I like that part of this business here. I work behind the counter a couple of days a week, I see the same people all the time,” he added.
Groat concluded that while only three hikes are currently planned, there is a possibility that more will follow throughout the summer based on the success of the first few.
“Really it’s about meeting people, having something to do on a Saturday morning.”
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By: Michal Coret/ SHEC
University students are recommended to sleep seven to nine hours a night. Ha! That’s funny. Thanks, science. With increasing sleep debts due to schoolwork, social life and other obligations, many of us turn to caffeine as a solution to stay awake. Caffeine is the most popular substance on university campuses, and also worldwide, with approximately 70 percent of university students addicted.
So how much is too much? The maximum daily caffeine intake is often cited as 400 mg. An eight-ounce cup of coffee, depending on its intensity, can contain 40-200 mg of caffeine. When consumed within this margin, caffeine improves attention, memory, wakefulness, reaction time and athletic performance for some. Additional evidence suggests that that caffeine, in moderation, has positive effects on mood, and may play a role in weight loss. Sounds great, right?
Unfortunately, many coffee drinkers exceed this safety margin. Two cups is just with breakfast. Almost unconsciously, another three or four may be consumed to stay awake during lectures, meetings and assignments. But what are the consequences? Most of the detrimental effects of caffeine are long-term. These include heart problems, deteriorated bone health and even diabetes.
Caffeine may also have effects on the dopaminergic reward system of the brain. This is a pathway involved in drug addiction and a possible explanation for why coffee is so addictive. Withdrawal symptoms (which might appear all too familiar) include sleepiness, poor concentration, headaches and nausea. Studies done specifically on undergraduate students showed that those who drink over six cups of coffee a day sleep significantly fewer hours than their peers. It seems to be a vicious cycle.
Another consideration is that brain development related to planning and emotional control is also critical in the early 20s. Caffeine may have an adverse impact on how these brain functions develop and lead to long-term cognitive changes.
If one were to try the daunting task of leaving coffee behind, the best way to start is a gradual reduction in daily amounts of coffee. This, combined with caffeine alternatives may effectively promote long-term caffeine reduction. If you’re going for a cleanse, cold water and stretching are also good options.
But let’s not paint such a dark (roast) picture of coffee consumption. The bottom line is that caffeine — like most things in life — is best in moderation. If you are drinking three or more cups of coffee a day, running to the washroom frequently and/or wanting to reduce caffeine, there may be merit in evaluating your daily schedule and priorities to see what can be changed. Also, stress is a major hindrance to sleep. In days when sleep seems far away, considering various outlets for stress can improve your nighttime zzzs.
Caffeine alternatives
Green Tea
The most well known alternative has less caffeine than coffee and contains catechin, an antioxidant and disease fighter.
Licorice Tea
This caffeine free tea also replenishes adrenal glands, organs that respond to stress.
Prune Juice
Need something sweet? Prunes replenish your electrolytes, which can lead to increased stamina.
Chai Tea
A creamy chai tea latte will trick your body into thinking that you’re drinking coffee.
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By: Sonia Leung
Bound by a passion for coffee and food, close friends Dave and Rocky poured their hearts into Saint James Espresso Bar & Eatery, Hamilton’s newest cafe. Having gleaned much from the community, they decided to give back to the city that contributed so much to their lives. Snuggled in the middle of the art district on James Street North, Saint James has a lot to offer. Be sure to try their state-of-the-art steampunk coffee, only available in three other locations in Ontario.
When I visited the café in mid-November, its doors had only been open for a month. Saint James is already making a name for itself, inviting locals in with their one-of-a-kind coffee vibe. As you enter their cozy establishment, you are greeted by an open kitchen where they bare it all. The seating layout is refreshingly different: there is only one big table where strangers gather and become strangers no more, an optimistic injection of camaraderie between Hamiltonians. The co-founders have witnessed meaningful connections form between customers with their bold floor plan. “We want to be like a living room where people come in and relax and we’ve started to carve that, I think,” muses Rocky. The “Saint” component of their title refers to the fondness and respect the founders have for the downtown hub that James Street North has become. Being a neighbour in the neighbourhood is their motto-as we wandered in conversation over a cup of Steampunk coffee, Dave and Rocky would casually wave to a regular customer or the truck driver cruising by on the road. It’s smiles all around at Saint James, and I want to get in on it.
True to their down-to-earth vibe, Dave and Rocky were eager to share their inspirations and passions.
. . .
How did you get into coffee?
“I was at Detour and one of their guys, Jeff, who’s awesome, pulled an espresso shot [for me]. On my motorcycle ride home, I still tasted it and I thought to myself, ‘this is just not possible.’ I’ve had [multiple] experiences like this with coffee that made me want to learn how to make good coffee.”
What is your favourite menu item on the menu?
“Right now the clear winner is the Drive Thru sandwich. It’s like a sausage muffin with a hashed brown in the sandwich. People love bacon, people love sausage, people love eggs, so we put it all in a sandwich. It’s our overall number one best seller. People even get it for dinner!”
What is steampunk coffee?
“It’s based on a filter, but it uses steam, which extracts a lot more flavour. Then, at the end of the cycle, it uses what’s similar to a siphon, so it uses a vacuum to suck out the flavour. The great thing about steampunk is that as it cools down, the flavour profile changes and you start to notice more notes. [The steampunk machine] does tea really well too, so eventually we’ll dabble with tea.”
“It’s a good time to be a Hamiltonian,” says Rocky fondly. Indeed it is. Just over a decade ago, this street was lifeless. It is now the art district of Hamilton, with the hustle and bustle of independent boutiques, galleries, restaurants and coffee shops. Now, more than ever, is a good time to be in the Steel City. “You don’t have to go to Toronto for good food or coffee anymore,” Rocky enthuses, and he’s right. Come by for the Drive Thru sandwich and a cup of steampunk coffee for a taste of Hamilton.
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