Chilling out with icewine in Niagara

   One-Tank Trip for Dec. 27/14

   (c) By Jim Fox

   It’s time to chill out again in Niagara Wine Country.

   The colder the better for this annual party in the dead of winter that celebrates icewine.

   The dessert wine renowned for its intense flavours, rich bouquet and smoothness is something that’s rivalling maple syrup as a Canadian iconic product around the world.

Enjoying a glass of wine at one of the Niagara Icewine Festival events.

    For three weekends in January, the Niagara Icewine Festival will mark its 20th year.

   “The festival offers plenty for every taste – from elegant gala evenings to irresistible wine-and-food pairings and outdoor activities from exploring ice street villages to marshmallow-roasting along the famed wine route,” said Kimberly Hundertmark, executive director of the Niagara Grape and Wine Festival.

   That’s cool

   Icewine is produced from grapes that have been left on the vine after the fall harvest.

   Once the temperature dips to -8C or lower, the frozen grapes are handpicked and pressed immediately to carefully release a thick, rich, yellow-gold liquid, highly concentrated in natural sugars and acidity.

You'll have a "white Christmas" with the butterflies, and seasonal fun at the Waterloo Region Museum

   One-Tank Trip for Dec. 20/14

   (c) By Jim Fox

   It's going to be a white Christmas at Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory.

   Thousands of rice paper butterflies are making it so for the 6th annual Flight of White.

   “This truly unique holiday exhibit transforms the tropical butterfly conservatory into a magical oasis featuring thousands of additional rice paper butterflies that flutter like snowflakes throughout the conservatory,” said Doug Wilson, board chair.

A rice paper butterfly rests on a leaf at the Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory. (Jim Fox photo)

   With a wingspan of up to 14 centimetres, this species of butterfly – a large white relative of the monarch – is “impossible to miss as it floats through the air, moving gently from flower to flower,” he added.

   The Flight of White experience also includes lush tropical poinsettia flowers, thousands of sparking white lights and the soft strains of classical music playing in the background.

It's showtime for Mickey and company, Donny and Marie, Cinderella and the National Ballet of Canada's Nutcracker

   One-Tank Trip for Dec. 13/14

   (c) By Jim Fox

   Holiday shows take to the stage and ice, marking seasonal traditions across Ontario and Canada.

   The curtain rises for Mickey and company, Donny and Marie, Cinderella and the National Ballet for performances throughout the holidays and into the new year.

Disney Live! Mickey’s Music Festival presents the singing and dancing of 25 characters.

   Feld Entertainment’s Disney On Ice presents Treasure Trove, a skating spectacular, in Toronto from Dec. 19-28 with 17 performances at the Rogers Centre.

   “It’s a magical medley of Disney tales in one jam-packed show on ice that commemorates the legacy of Disney animated films,” said publicist Beth Merrick.

   “Get tangled up in Disney’s 50th animated feature with Rapunzel and Flynn and enter the worlds of favourite Disney princesses Tiana, Cinderella, Jasmine, Ariel, Sleeping Beauty, Belle, Mulan and – the one who started it all – Snow White.”

Toronto getaway is ideal at this time of year

   One-Tank Trip for Dec. 6/14

    (c) By Jim Fox

   As the weather cools, the action heats up in the big city, making Toronto an ideal getaway.

   “Escape to Toronto,” suggests Vanessa Somarriba of Tourism Toronto.

   “From a booming food scene to top-notch shopping and premium entertainment – all with the back drop of a winter wonderland – Toronto is filled with outdoor skating rinks, festive window displays and sparkling lights,” she said.

The Distillery District hosts the Toronto Christmas Market in old European tradition. (Barbara Fox photo)

   Bright lights

   Seasonal activities include the just-launched “official start” of the holidays with the 48th annual Cavalcade of Lights.

Rant Maggie Rant brings Celtic Christmas to Stratford’s Knox Church December 13

6^th Annual Frost & Fire: A Celtic Christmas Celebration! & Tradition

Stratford, ON (December 2, 2014) – Rant Maggie Rant (RMR) brings a grandiose dose of Celtic holiday spirit to Stratford’s Knox Presbyterian Church on December 13 at 8:00 pm. This is a benefit concert with proceeds going to the church.

The holidays are a great time to revive family traditions. RMR began hosting their Frost & Fire Tour five years ago, and it didn’t take long for both the musicians and their fans to realize how much the holiday season was becoming an inspiring tradition for them all. “Now, the holiday season doesn’t seem like it’s here, until we share it with our fans and friends that have grown with us throughout the years,” says the band’s fiddler Lindsay Schindler.

“It will be a special evening for the entire family, including my family,“ added Lindsay Schindler, whose three children will be in the front row of the church with their tiny feet keeping beat to the band’s music, particularly mom’s fiddle.

Marvel Universe is coming to Canada for first Marvel Live Tour

Spiderman

TORONTO, ON – Marvel fans, assemble! Marvel Universe LIVE! is taking the live entertainment experience to a whole new level, with a mind-blowing show unlike anything you’ve seen before.

Watch your favourite Marvel Super Heroes including Spider-Man and The Avengers (Iron Man, Black Widow, Hulk and more) and threatening villains come to life in an action-packed arena extravaganza.

Produced by Feld Entertainment, Marvel Universe LIVE! is coming to Canada this summer starting June 2015, performing in select* Canadian cities. Tickets go on sale February 3, 2015.

Niagara Icewine Festival -- Celebrating 20 years of Icewine excellence

(News Release)

ST. CATHARINES, ON – The 20th Annual Niagara Icewine Festival is around the corner and the time is right to plan your January getaway to Niagara. www.niagarawinefestival.com

The 2015 Xerox Icewine Gala marks the 20th year that the Niagara region celebrates thistruly Canadian icon: Icewine.

What began as a gala event has evolved into three weekends of globally sought after Icewine experiences.

From stunning formal affairs to outdoor Ice village settings to vineyard fireworks with roasted marshmallows, Niagara is the place to explore your senses.

• Taste the best in culinary and wine as noted Niagara chefs prepare Icewine infused delights or create the ultimate Icewine pairing

A "white Christmas" holiday exhibit at the Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory

Cambridge, ON -- It's going to be a white Christmas again this year at Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory with the opening of the 6th annual Flight of White exhibition December 6th.

This truly unique holiday exhibit transforms the tropical Butterfly Conservatory into a magical oasis featuring 1000's of additional Rice Paper butterflies that flutter like snowflakes throughout the Conservatory. 

 With a wingspan of up to 14cm, the Rice Paper Butterfly, a large white relative of the Monarch, is impossible to miss as it floats through the air moving gently from flower to flower.

 The Flight of White experience also includes lush tropical poinsettia flowers, 1000's of sparking white lights, and soft strains of classical music playing in the background.