Fine Kettle O' Fish

I have to admit, I've been a huge fish & chips fan. Now I'm a slightly smaller fish & chips fan : )

However, I also have to admit I'd never been to the Fine Kettle O' Fish for fish & chips. There used to be two locations - one in St. Catharines in an odd location on Hartzel Road and the other location is in Niagara Falls on Portage Rd.

I didn't notice when the St. Catharines location closed down. I hadn't heard very positive things about the place. I also didn't notice the Niagara Falls location had changed ownership in 2008. It was just another restaurant to me.

I suppose familiarity breeds complacency. Fine Kettle O' Fish has always been around - to my knowledge anyway. It's celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. I had a chance to sit down with the new owners Malcolm and Doris - delightful people - who took the opportunity to share a few things I didn't know about them and the restaurant.

• There are three parts to their business - restaurant, banquet & party facilities and a fish market.
• The business was family-owned for the past 23 years. They are not related to the original owners and took over in 2008.
• Malcolm and Doris met while Malcolm was working for the United Nations in Africa. Together they managed one of the top resorts in Ghana, a country on the west coast of Africa known as the "Gold Coast" in earlier days.
  
• Malcolm was raised in Queenston before his globetrotting days. Doris is Ghanaian.
• The Fine Kettle O' Fish has one of the largest selections of seafood dishes in Niagara, despite being known primarily for fish & chips.

On my last visit I was treated to their Haddock & chips. Actually, I passed on the chips and had a salad instead (thank Sandra Alvarez for that . . .) but I have to say that the Haddock was really well done. The portions were generous and the batter was light and crisp. A very enjoyable fish & chip experience (without the chips).

You'll be able to find out more about the Fine Kettle O' Fish soon through The Niagara Guide. Malcolm and Doris have made a lot of changes at the restaurant. If you've visited before, you'll notice the difference! If you're a first-timer, you're likely to become a repeat customer.

Welcome to The Water Superstore!

I'm pleased to announce The Water Superstore is now online in The Niagara Guide.

The Water Superstore carries a wide range of water products, from reverse osmosis sytems, water softeners, ultraviolet purification systems as well as the more mundane stuff like pumps and water coolers.

They also carry a line of far infrared saunas. Why? Because their mission is to help you live well - and that means being healthy.

Check them out today!

http://www.shoppingniagara.com/water-superstore

Garrison Little Theatre - The Perils of Persephone

Just got back from Garrison Little Theatre's production of The Perils of Persephone. I like community theatre - it's entertaining, less expensive than professional productions and at dinner theatres like GLT, you often meet interesting people during the dinner.

If you haven't been to a Garrison Little Theatre dinner theatre production, you're probably missing out on one of the better entertainment values in Niagara. I know - some of you will gripe that it's all the way in Fort Erie - but so what? It's closer than Toronto and it's fun!

A couple of points - the food has been the same since about the second production 20+ years ago. Maria's Catering at the Italo Canadian Hall in Fort Erie has been pumping out the same combination for years and it's been working. This time around though they improved the service by putting the food out faster and not busing the tables after dessert and coffee was served. This allowed the show to start somewhere between 20~30 minutes earlier than usual so we were on our way just after 10:30 at night - still time to hit the casino!

As for the production, it was fun. This comedy lampooned Ontario's politicians and spin doctors which always make for good targets. Garrison Little Theatre's lineup for the 2009/2010 season features three comedys so will make for enjoyable entertainment.

Not everyone will be a fan of community theatre, but to borrow a phrase from the nice folks who make Alexander Keith's beer - "Those who like it, like it a lot".

Social Media Additions

For those of you who have Facebook and Twitter accounts (and who doesn't?), you can now join our Facebook group directly through The Niagara Guide. Just look at the top right banner and click to get to our group. We'd be really happy if you became a member.

Similarly, Twitter updates are now available at the bottom of many of our webpages - this will become complete once we're done updating the site to the newest layout.

Social media marketing, here we come!

Robson Tents - for Niagara Weddings and More!

The nice thing about Canada is the weather, eh?

I mean, here we are on April 8th and it's snowing - and this is the second day of it. Welcome to Canadian spring! I feel sorry for the robins who look really ticked off.

Because of our weather, if you're planning an outdoor event this spring, summer or fall you'll probably need a tent for shelter from the sun, rain or whatever else mother nature decides to throw at us.

If you need a tent for an outdoor event like a wedding, corporate BBQ or a private party, we are pleased to announce Robson Tents is now online with The Niagara Guide!

Robson Tents is a new company in town, but they're affiliated with some of the larger local tent companies so they know what they're doing. They carry a wide variety of tents and have enough on hand that if you're a procrastinator you'll probably be able to get a tent on short notice.

You can find Robson Tents' listing in The Niagara Bridal Guide but they do more than just wedding tents. Call Dean and his crew today to arrange your tent rentals for the summer.

Niagara Vintage Wine Tours Now Online!

As always, I like it when we get the chance to represent Niagara businesses. Niagara Vintage Wine Tours is one that sounds really great. Not only do you get a wine tour of some of Niagara's nicest wineries, you also get expert commentary from your tour guides who have an incredible depth of knowledge about Niagara Wine, Wineries and Winemaking.

As they describe themselves...

"Niagara Vintage Wine Tours is owned and guided by local wine educator and industry professional Chris Fuccillo who has 17 years experience in fine dining and hotel hospitality. His work experience includes various positions within the Fairmont Hotel Chains and was a winery Manager for Chateau des Charmes and Pillitteri Estates, two of the most successful wineries in Canada.

If you wish to learn more about food, wine and the history of the Niagara grape growing region Niagara Vintage Wine Tours provides one of the most educational and professional wine tours in the Niagara Region! A Californian style wine tour here in Niagara!"

It sounds great to me. So, if you're looking for a Niagara wine tour this year, check out Niagara Vintage Wine Tours - now online in The Niagara Winery Guide.

Natural Wonders Bed & Breakfast in Niagara-on-the-Lake

We are pleased to welcome Natural Wonders Bed & Breakfast to The Niagara Bed and Breakfast Guide!

How do you describe Natural Wonders B&B?

Modern, stylish and peaceful B&B within the Historic Old Town of beautiful Niagara on the Lake. A departure from the "traditional" B&B look as you'll not find any patchwork quilts here, no flowery sofas, and no cottage-y look of any kind! Just a relaxed and relaxing atmosphere, casual and friendly hosts, and an emphasis upon your enjoyment.Our beautiful tranquil grounds extend into a forested ravine, which is home to a wide range of wildlife. With over 50 species of birds identified in our garden to date, we also offer breakfast served "al fresco" as an option for those who would like to dine whilst immersed in birdsong.

If you're looking for a bed & breakfast in Niagara-on-the-Lake, check out Natural Wonders! You won't be disappointed.

The Front Business Club - Now Online!

We are pleased to welcome The Front™ Business Club to The Niagara Business Guide!

The Front™ Business Club is a membership club providing entrepreneurs, small business owners and sales people a professional atmosphere to meet, dine, work and network.

It's a great place to meet, and I'm a member there as well. I've hosted two seminars and a business after 5 and it's been a pleasure dealing with Lynn and Mark Beaudry, the 2Brains behind The Front™.

I highly recommend you visit this place and become a member.

The Front Business Club - online!

News Flash - You're Going To Die

It's been a while since I posted to the blog - almost a month - gasp! However, this is the first chance I've had to sit down and relax a moment. You know the saying "life gets in the way"? That's been my catch-phrase for a few weeks.

I have an elderly uncle who is closer than most of us to passing onto whatever comes next so I've been spending a lot of time in Toronto where my family is. It's amazing what needs to happen before you die. The preparations can be overwhelming.

Two things I have learned from this experience.

1) Make your will BEFORE you go into hospital.

2) Select a Power of Attorney for your health and property at the same time as you do your will.

I bet this doesn't sound like rocket science to most of you. It wasn't to me - I've had mine done for years - but I've been appointed Power of Attorney for my uncle and it's been a real eye-opener.

For starters, if someone else is going to appoint you power of attorney for property, know that it's important for you to go to their banking institutions with them BEFORE they get into hospital. My uncle waited and the bank - while doing their job - was going to insist that my uncle be there to prove I was power of attorney. When I told them he's in hospital and probably not coming out, they relented and settled for a phone call to his hospital room.

On a related note, my uncle had his power of attorney done for him by two social workers at the hospital he was in. They used a government of Ontario form which he signed and had witnessed by the two social workers. Sounded fine - but the bank didn't like it as it wasn't from a lawyer. Again, they had to call both social workers to verify they had actually witnessed my uncle sign the form. One didn't remember right away...

Now, on to the will. It'll be much easier for you if you do your will before you go into hospital. My uncle needed a lawyer who would visit him in hospital. Some lawyers will - for an extra fee. We were fortunate that a family friend is a lawyer so he went to the hospital to make up the will for my uncle. He would have done the power of attorney as well, but my uncle said he'd already taken care of it (see above) so the lawyer didn't push it. I wish he had.

Wills can cost a few hundred dollars, so another option is to get Pre-Paid Legal service. It's a great service to start with - I'm a member of it - and a bonus is you get a will and power of attorney done for free as part of your membership. These are signed by lawyers so you shouldn't have a problem at the bank.

If you're in Niagara, call Gary Burnett for information on Pre-Paid legal services. Or, if you want to spend more money on a lawyer, you can check out The Niagara Legal Guide for a list of lawyers in the region.

Just do it before it gets too late.