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ciao! / dec/jan / two thousand nineteen
I
t’s the most wonderful time
of the year! Holiday themed
entertainment is in full swing,
neighbourhood boutiques are
sparkling and brimming with the
season’s trendiest gifts, and the
restaurant scene is humming. Best
of all, everything is so accessible
in this city. Line ups and sell outs
do occur on occasion, but if you
plan in advance, you should be
able to get into any event, show or
restaurant you want to visit,
which is not always
the case in larger
centres.
This Special
Holiday Issue
is designed
to be a handy
little guide to
the season. Check
the holiday calendar
and save the dates!
Wrapping up the year reveals the
results of our annual quest to share
the city’s best gifts from locally
owned stores, and showcase them
on the pages of the it list. This
multi-page gift guide represents a
glimpse of the fun finds available
at destination stores worth seeking
out. As readers of this magazine,
you already know that promoting
the practice of shopping local
has been Ciao!’s mission for two
decades. With online shopping
growing in popularity, it’s more
important than ever to support
and buy from the shops you love,
to ensure their longevity. What’s
more, shopping local has other
benefits. Knowledgeable shop
owners are on site, offer guidance,
and show appreciation with their
friendly welcomes!
Loving on local stores leads to a
more joyful Christmas shopping
experience overall.
We have also scoped the city
to select our picks for the best
new restaurants of 2019. Our
favourites have flair, bring new
flavours and reflect revitalization
in some beloved locations. The
five that made the cut are serving
imaginative food in exciting spaces.
Our choice for the year’s best new
restaurant: Pauline. In a fashionable
newly renovated space within the
Norwood Hotel, this daybreak
bistro nods to the francophone
community that surrounds it with
its Parisienne style.
Because this is a time of year that
outings begin early in the day
(those to do lists are long!)
we took a closer look at
another morning spot
that has been shining
brightly since 2016. We
went in the kitchen
with chef Chris Gama at
Clementine cafe to see if
we could pick up a few tips on
making morning meals merrier at
home. He generously shared some
of his signature recipes with us.
See last course (pg 60) as a good
first step!
We round out this package with
pro tips on how to party like a chef.
Two hot spots in the Exchange
district plate up festive flavours for
entertaining in ciao! cooks.
If you would like to share this
copy of Ciao! with someone,
a digital issue is available to
download, with bonus website
links, at ciaowinnipeg.com. If our
favourite places become yours in
the months to come, share that
with business owners. In this digital
age, feedback is the only way they’ll
know Ciao! prompted your visit,
and the best way to ensure this
magazine’s longevity.
May your holiday season be filled
with much joy!
Merry Christmas!
Laurie Hughes
Publisher