how-to-send-letters-to-santa-during-canada-post-strike
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How to send letters to Santa during Canada Post strike

ByStephanie Ip

Even though Canada Post mail carriers are on strike, parents can breathe a sigh of relief knowing Santa is still accepting letters. Published Nov 22, 2024  •  Last updated 4 hours ago  •  2 minute read Don’t worry: Santa will still see your letter – as soon as the strike is over. Photo by JOUNI PORSANGER/Lehtikuva /AFP via Getty Images With Canada Post employees on strike, parents may be wondering whether Santa is still accepting letters this year. Each year, Canada Post collects letters from kids across Canada and delivers them to — ahem — the North Pole for Santa to read. And though mail service has been suspended while the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) are on strike, parents can rest assured knowing that Canada Post is accepting letters on behalf of the jolly man himself. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Vancouver Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Vancouver Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Sign In or Create an Account or Article content “As you know, CUPW has shut down the postal service with a national strike, and as a result, we are unable to get mail to and from Santa in the North Pole,” said spokesperson Valérie Chartrand in an email. “It is our hope that postal operations can resume as quickly as possible at this critical time for customers. When operations do resume, we will help Santa by delivering a response to every letter sent to him this year.” According to Chartrand, Canada Post usually receives Santa letters starting in November. Last year, 1.4 million replies from Santa were sent. The program has been running for 40 years,  during which Chartrand estimates 45 million letters to Santa have been delivered by Canada Post. When can I send a letter to Santa? Canada Post accepts letters to Santa between Nov. 1 to the end of January each season. This gives Santa time after delivering all his presents to catch up on his mail. How should I address the envelope to Santa? You can put your letter in an envelope and address it to: Santa Claus North Pole H0H 0H0 Canada Don’t forget to include your return address as well! Do I need a stamp for my letter to Santa? No stamp is needed for your letter. Can I combine several letters in the same envelope? Yes, you can — and it’s encouraged  — include all letters from the same household or family into one envelope. When can I expect a response from Santa? Replies from Santa will be sent as soon as the labour disruption is resolved. Expect them a little later this year than in previous years. sip@postmedia.com Article content

grouse-and-cypress-set-to-open-this-weekend
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Grouse and Cypress set to open this weekend

ByCheryl Chan

The two ski areas open on the heels of Whistler’s Blackcomb Mountain, which opened on Thursday Published Nov 21, 2024  •  Last updated 1 hour ago  •  1 minute read Whistler Blackcomb opened Blackcomb Mountain on Nov. 21, a day earlier than scheduled, due to plentiful snow. Photo by Whistler Blackcomb/Handout Get ready for ski and snowboard season. Two North Shore ski resorts are set to open this weekend, joining Whistler Blackcomb, which kicked off the season with the opening of Blackcomb Mountain on Thursday, a day earlier than expected. Cypress will open on Friday with two ski lifts, Eagle Chair and Easy Rider “with more to come soon after,” said the resort on its website. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Vancouver Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Vancouver Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Sign In or Create an Account or Article content Five runs will be open, including PGS, Panorama, Windjammer, Fork and Runway. The resort tempered expectations, advising visitors coming this weekend to be ready for early season snow conditions. Grouse Mountain is scheduled to open Saturday, although its annual Peak of Christmas event, which includes Christmas movies, a light walk, and outdoor skating pond, opens on Friday. Grouse’s Paradise and Paradise Jib park will be open on Saturday via the Greenway Chair and Heaven’s Sake and Peak via the Peak Chair. Its new state-of-the-art gondola is set to open this season, but an opening date has not yet been announced. Cypress has received 125 centimetres of snow so far, while Grouse has accumulated 106 cm — a hopeful sign for winter sports enthusiasts after a disappointing season last year marked by warm temperatures and lack of snow. Environment Canada is predicting a La Nina later this year, which favours a colder than normal winter for the B.C. South Coast. Both resorts are opening about two weeks earlier than in 2023, when Cypress opened on Dec. 7 and Grouse on Dec. 8. Mount Seymour, which opened Dec. 2 last season, has not announced an opening day. Its website lists an estimated date as Dec. 13. Seymour’s tobogganing and tubing area opens for the season on Saturday. In Whistler, Whistler Mountain will open as scheduled on Friday. chchan@postmedia.com Recommended from Editorial PSA: Metro Vancouver ski hills just received the first snow of the season Whistler Blackcomb set to open one ski hill a day early Article content

metro-vancouver-eyes-standardized-six-storey-wood-apartments
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Metro Vancouver eyes standardized six-storey wood apartments

ByJohn Mackie

The idea is to streamline design and draft common regulations to cut construction time by at least a third Published Nov 18, 2024  •  3 minute read Rendering of six storey design found in Metro Vancouver report on rental apartments made of wood. Credit: Iredale Architecture. Photo by Iredale Architecture When you think of new construction in Metro Vancouver, you think of concrete towers with glass facades. A Metro Vancouver report on rental housing is considering a different approach: Making it easier to build six-storey apartment buildings out of wood. The report’s name is a mouthful, “Streamlining the Delivery of Rental Housing Through Pre-Approved Plans and Off-Site Construction.” THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Vancouver Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Vancouver Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Sign In or Create an Account or Article content But it has a simple goal: making rental housing cheaper to build. Concrete buildings typically cost 20 to 24 per cent more to build than wooden ones. So the report, which will probably go to Metro in January, calls for low-rise wood frame buildings. The report also wants to make it easier to build. “We’re collaborating with B.C. Housing on (ways) to essentially speed up the delivery of six-story rental wood frame apartments,” said Michael Epp, director of housing, planning and development at Metro Vancouver. “One of the key ones is trying to harmonize some of the regulatory approaches for that type of building.” Building regulations vary from city to city. Going through the bureaucratic process can be time consuming — Epp said it usually takes five years from “conception to occupancy” to build a wood-frame apartment building in Metro Vancouver. “Our short-term goal is to try to bring that time down by at least 30 per cent,” he said. “But I think it’s possible, in an ideal state, to cut 50 per cent of that delivery time. So going from five years from start to finish to a 2½-year start to finish.” By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Article content Article content The idea is to draft regulations for these buildings that essentially pre-approve them, cutting out the need for time-consuming rezoning applications, and to also allow for some prefabrication of the buildings in factories. “Time is a really substantial component of (building) cost, whether or not you’ve got land carrying costs during that entirety of that time,” Epp said. “You’re paying your professional consultants, you’ve got insurance costs, you’ve got (construction) escalation (costs). So the shorter you can make that time, the more you’re saving. “On some projects, this could be hundreds of thousands of dollars a month that can be saved when you’re shaving time off.” Only one rendering of what the six-storey buildings might look like has been released so far. The illustration by Iredale Architecture looks like something you’d see in Vancouver’s West End, a basic apartment block with balconies. The goal is to make regulations that can be adapted to different designs. “The idea here is we’ve got a hybrid approach to building,” said Epp. “This is not a modular building where you ship a shipping container to the site and assemble them on site. It’s more like an Ikea approach to a building, where there would be many components that are flat packed. Article content “Now you’re not only shrinking the time on the approval side, which is huge, but you’re also cutting the time to actually get the project built on site, because you’re able to just bring these components in and assemble them on site.” Eleven municipalities in Metro have signed on as “interested partners” in the study, including Vancouver, Surrey, Burnaby, Richmond, the District of North Vancouver and New Westminster. The study is aimed at non-market rental buildings, but Epp said new regulations could be applied to market-rent buildings as well. Many low-rise market condo buildings are already built with a concrete base and foundation, with wood

back-injuries-from-whistler’s-bobsled-ride-have-happened-at-‘steady-rate’:-report
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Back injuries from Whistler’s bobsled ride have happened at ‘steady rate’

ByTiffany Crawford

Since 2012, there have been seven confirmed back fractures sustained by patrons at the Whistler Sliding Centre’s thrill ride. Published Nov 21, 2024  •  Last updated 47 minutes ago  •  3 minute read Screenshot from Technical Safety B.C. report on Whistler Sliding Centre’s bobsled. Photo by Technical Safety B.C. Two passengers of the “bobsleigh sport experience” in Whistler — the only ride of its kind in Canada — have suffered back injuries in the past year caused by seat ergonomics and compression forces, says a Technical Safety B.C. report. There have been seven confirmed broken backs on the Whistler Sliding Centre’s ride since 2012, according to the report released this month. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Vancouver Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Vancouver Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Sign In or Create an Account or Article content “Vertebrae fractures, and more specifically, lower or lumbar back fractures have occurred at a steady rate since 2012, shortly after opening,” the report says. The centre’s website says visitors can experience what it’s like to “slide like an Olympian,” as trained pilots take them through twists and turns at speeds of 125 km/h. Passengers are asked before they ride to confirm they do not have any heart conditions and that they have not had any previous head, neck or back injuries. They also must meet certain age, height and other requirements. The investigation was launched after two passengers broke their backs — one in November 2023, the other in February 2024 — while on the four-person bobsled. One required surgery. The other did not, but faced a long recovery. “They compare it to a roller-coaster. But in a roller-coaster, the G-force isn’t sustained, you get weightlessness. … The G-force on the bobsled is constant,” the passenger injured in February told the safety authority. “As you went down, the pressure increased, it was the second or third-to-last, I could feel my back get more and more compressed and then at one point I felt like I got the wind knocked out of me.” By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Article content Article content The report said the usual compression forces from the ride and the ergonomics of the rear seat in the bobsled made riders vulnerable to injury. Measures taken by the company after these injuries were focused on amending the pre-ride warnings to include the risk associated with medical conditions, the report said. However, investigators said it’s unlikely the injuries that occurred in 2023 and 2024 were linked to passenger health. Investigators said the ergonomics of the fourth seat contributed to both injuries because of the way it forces the rider to lean forward, disengaging core muscles which would otherwise support the spine and concentrating the force on a smaller area of the vertebrae. They said the rear seat appears to have a higher incidence of injury than the two middle seats. The bobsled track was built for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. It was the track where Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili crashed and died during a training run just before the opening of the Olympics. When the company opened it as a public ride in 2011, the bobsleds were changed to make them safer. They have wider seats with foam pads, taller sides that were intended to provide better protection in the event of a rollover, and cables that ran along the interior sides of the bobsleigh to hold on to. Brakes and steering moved to the front of the bobsleigh to be operated by the professional pilot. Article content Screenshot from Technical Safety B.C. report on Whistler Sliding Centre’s bobsled experience. Photo by Technical Safety B.C. Technical Safety B.C. interviewed the engineer that did the safety assessment. The engineer did not address the bobsleigh ergonomics, passenger positioning, or restraint as it was not part of their mandate. The engineer did try out the ride several times to understand the forces that would be

bc.-mayors-greet-changes-to-municipal-affairs-portfolio-with-caution-and-optimism
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B.C. mayors greet changes to Municipal Affairs portfolio with caution and optimism

ByAlec Lazenby

Local government leaders are speaking out about their hopes for improved relations with the province on housing, infrastructure Published Nov 21, 2024  •  Last updated 46 minutes ago  •  4 minute read “My initial concern is that, will the premier have the necessary time, while being the premier, to also be the minister of municipal affairs when it comes to co-ordinating with cities?” says Langford Township Mayor Eric Woodward. Photo by Francis Georgian /PNG B.C. mayors will no longer have a single point of contact in the provincial government after the cabinet shuffle split the old Ministry of Municipal Affairs between the Office of the Premier and the new Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs, led by Ravi Kahlon. Several local government leaders said Wednesday they were optimistic the changes signal a restart in municipal-provincial relations after two years of having policies, particularly around housing, dictated to them from Victoria. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Vancouver Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Vancouver Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Sign In or Create an Account or Article content Others are cautious, wondering whether Premier David Eby will have the time to deal directly with municipal officials and wondering what role Brittny Anderson, the new minister of state for local governments and rural communities, will have. According to the province, the premier’s office will be in charge of “strategic relations and consultations with local governments, local government organizations and others.” Kahlon has been given the rest of the portfolio, including financial and other support to local governments, management of cross-government programs related to local governments, and consultation with ministries, agencies, other governments, First Nations and other interested parties. This means municipalities will have an additional avenue for outreach directly to the premier’s office through Anderson, particularly on rural issues. Money provided to municipalities and across-government work involving local governments will be under Kahlon’s purview. Langley Township Mayor Eric Woodward said it is clear the election demonstrated a desire among voters for change, particularly in the Fraser Valley where the NDP were mostly shut out by John Rustad’s Conservatives. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Article content Article content He sees the shifts to how the province handles municipal affairs as a potentially positive step in the right direction, but warns that there are still few details about how Eby, Kahlon and Anderson will work together. “It remains to be seen what that’s going to look like, until the mandate letters come out, how that’s going to be structured. I mean, my initial concern is that, will the premier have the necessary time, while being the premier, to also be the minister of municipal affairs when it comes to co-ordinating with cities?” said Woodward. As for the new Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs, Woodward was more pessimistic, saying it sends “a clear message that they stand by their approach to housing” and adding he expects the province to continue imposing housing targets on municipalities, even those already feeling stress from population growth. Not all mayors agree with Woodward’s criticism of the province’s housing policies. New Westminster Mayor Patrick Johnstone saying he understands the status quo around housing development was not working. Johnstone also believes that combining municipal affairs with housing makes sense, given it remains one of the key issues for local governments. But he said there is still a long way to go when it comes to other priorities such as schools. Article content “It’s all kind of good to build housing, but schools across B.C. are overcrowded, and unless we see some big, massive investment in those types of infrastructure, we’re just not rebuilding local communities,” he said. “So a municipal affairs minister has to have a strong voice in cabinet for a lot of the other things that cities need as well.” Kahlon said the entire point of his new role is to help municipalities build some of those needed amenities

i-asked-9-chefs-the-best-way-to-eat-leftover-turkey,-and-these-are-the-best
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I Asked 9 Chefs the Best Way to Eat Leftover Turkey, And These Are the Best

ByKarla Walsh

Remember when leftovers would get the royal treatment by being tucked inside a tin foil swan? These days, extra servings tend to get a fair amount of shade for taking up precious refrigerator real estate, for being boring (we get it: the same casserole on repeat for 3 dinners in a row gets tired), and potentially resulting in excess food waste if you can’t work your way through them in time. Still, if you’re going to all the effort of whipping up an ambitious meal, you might as well do your future self a favor and gift yourself some precious meal prep. All nine chefs we spoke to agree that Thanksgiving leftovers are precious cargo and are worth celebrating in a new creation.  “Thanksgiving leftovers might just be the greatest leftovers in human history. I have always loved making ‘to-go’ plates after everybody has eaten and before we start cleaning,” says James Dibella, corporate executive chef at Link & Pin, The Cellar, and Duckworth’s in Charlotte, North Carolina. It’s a generous gesture to share, but be sure to set aside some turkey for yourself, suggests Michael Manoocheri, director of food and beverage at Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa in San Diego, California: “Turkey’s versatility in particular lets you get creative with flavors and textures. Plus, leftovers mean minimal cooking for the next couple of days.”  Leftover turkey recipes allow you to think beyond the standard holiday plate and transform those cozy flavors into something new. Plus, “this keeps that holiday spirit going,” adds Jacob Jasinski, executive chef and food and beverage director for The Chanler at Cliff Walk in Newport, Rhode Island. (By the way, the USDA recommends freezing or consuming leftovers within 4 days, so we always make it our mission to use them up by Cyber Monday.) Sylvia Casares, the author of “The Enchilada Queen Cookbook” and the chef/owner of Sylvia’s Enchilada Kitchen in Houston, Texas looks forward to leftover turkey recipes so much, “I always make two birds to ensure I have enough extra!” Sylvia Casares, the author of “The Enchilada Queen Cookbook” and the chef/owner of Sylvia’s Enchilada Kitchen in Houston, Texas  Jose Danger, executive chef at Teatro Restaurant restaurant at The Adrienne Arsht Center in Miami, Florida   James Dibella, corporate executive chef at Link & Pin, The Cellar, and Duckworth’s in Charlotte, North Carolina Michael Manoocheri, director of food and beverage at Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa in San Diego, California 9 of the Best Leftover Turkey Recipes, According to Chefs For other holidays or Sunday dinners, we have you covered with our leftover pulled pork, leftover ham, and leftover chicken recipes. And come Thanksgiving, our panel of nine creative chefs have your back with the line-up of leftover turkey recipes below. When Eric Rowse, lead chef-instructor of Culinary Arts at the Institute of Culinary Education in Los Angeles, California has extra turkey on hand, he admits, “I don’t want to eat a reheated Thanksgiving dinner. I want the flavors in a new shape to make the family feel it’s something new. I want to ‘chef’ it up”—and the ideas below explain exactly how to (easily) follow suit. Still, if you prefer to eat it straight up, stick around to the end to discover the best way to reheat turkey. A few tiny details make all the difference between juicy, just-as-good-as-fresh roasted meat vs. dry and tough turkey. Turkey and Potato Hash “I do not wake up early on Black Friday to hunt for deals. Instead, I normally stay back and make brunch,” confirms Jose Danger, executive chef at Teatro Restaurant restaurant at The Adrienne Arsht Center in Miami, Florida.  The best Black Friday brunch, and one of the tastiest leftover turkey recipes, according to Danger, Manoocheri, and Derek Piva, executive chef at Tu Tu’ Tun Lodge in Gold Beach, Oregon? Turkey and Potato Hash. Bonus: Making a leftover turkey recipe the next morning will score you more fridge space soon after the feast. Dice or shred leftover turkey, then combine that with sautéed diced onions and peppers as well as leftover roasted potatoes or sweet potatoes—or blanched cubes of either tuber. Season as desired and top with eggs cooked your way. (Danger digs a fluffy scramble, while Piva prefers poached, and Manoocheri is into fried eggs.) Drizzle with gravy if you like. Turkey and Waffles For brunch or breakfast for dinner, Rowse recommends “a Thanksgiving version of chicken and waffles.” Start by warming the turkey in a skillet with a splash of gravy, ”especially if the turkey was on the dry side initially,” Rowse says. Then reheat a scoop of stuffing in a waffle iron so it is crispy on the outside and still moist on the inside. If stuffing wasn’t on the menu or if you finished it at the feast, cooked frozen waffles or homemade waffles work, too. (Our Cornmeal Buttermilk Waffles would be particularly fitting.) Pile the gravy-poached turkey on top of the waffles, and pair this with a side salad garnished with a few French fried onions if you happen to have them on hand for the green bean casserole, Rowse says Thanksgiving Leftover Turkey Sandwich Of course, no round-up of leftover turkey recipes would be complete without what Ziggy Gruber, chef, owner, and delimaven at Kenny & Ziggy’s New York Delicatessen Restaurant and Bakery in Houston, Texas deems “The Great Holiday Sandwich, Charlie Brown.” Simply warm the leftover meat

5-paint-color-trends-to-say-goodbye-to-in-2025
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5 Paint Color Trends to Say Goodbye to in 2025

ByMaria Sabella

As the end of 2024 approaches, plenty of paint companies have already announced their 2025 Colors of the Year to give us a sneak peak of next year’s hottest trends. Paint color trends represent much more than just a shift from one color to another—they also reflect a way of life at a given time. As we look forward to fresh and exciting color trends in 2025, take note of the paint color trends that won’t be carrying on into the new year. Gabriela Eisenhart, founder and principal designer at Silo Studios, shares her professional insight on the paint color trends she sees disappearing, and what they will be replaced with. She predicts rich hues, muted pops of color, and textured finishes will be big in the year to come, and shares what you should leave behind to keep your home on trend. Ali Harper 1. Trade All-White Color Palettes for Rich, Saturated Hues As evidenced by the recent 2025 Color of the Year reveals, rich and saturated hues will be a big trend in the coming year. These deep hues will take over traditional all-white spaces, such as kitchens and bathrooms. “Over the past few years, all-white color palettes have faded, making way for earthy tones and richer hues, and I think this trend will keep going strong through 2025,” Eisenhart says. Whether it’s a captivating jewel tone or a deeply luxurious shade of brown, the coming year will embrace rich hues that produce environments which are equal parts bold and cozy. Lisa Romerein; Interior Design: Heidi Caillier 2. Choose Warm Neutrals Rather than Cool Undertones This past year saw a strong shift away from the cool grays that dominated homeowners’ paint color selections for over a decade and toward cozier, warmer neutrals. The color brown has become the new “it” neutra,l and Eisenhart predicts this trend will continue. “Neutrals will shift toward warm earth tones,” she says. Shades like chocolate brown, warm beige, and classic taupe can take on a surprisingly sophisticated look when used in a tonal color palette and layered with natural materials such as wood, leather, and stone. John Bessler 3. Swap Bright Colors for Muted Tones Instead of bright pops of color, get ready for accent colors to come in gentler hues. “Pops of color will take on muted or dusty shades,” Eisenhart predicts. Muted colors offer contrast in a more delicate and approachable way, creating spaces that are familiar and comfortable. These subdued pops of color lend themselves well to earthy color palettes and spaces where you want to create a calm and serene ambience. Tria Giovan Photography Inc 4. Embrace Matte and Textured Paint Finishes Paint trends aren’t just about color: A paint finish can make as much of a design statement as a color can. Rather than high-gloss surfaces adding a glamorous touch in 2025, Eisenhart shares a more earthy paint trend emerging. “For special finishes, matte and textured techniques, like limewash or plaster, will stay popular,” she says. The limewash paint trend gives walls a textured look and instantly infuses spaces with old-world charm. It creates a lived-in, ‘always been there’ atmosphere that moves away from generic, cookie-cutter spaces and celebrates environments with unique character. Astrid Templier 5. Forget Millennial Gray: Nature-Inspired Color Palettes Are In “2025 paint trends will focus on creating comfortable, approachable spaces that feel grounded and connected to nature,” Eisenhart says. This falls into the recent biophilic design trend which celebrates nature and brings the outdoors in, both through decorative elements and color. This doesn’t just mean bringing in shades of green—although greens hues such as olive are a big trend right now. It includes a move away from stark whites and towards gentler off-white shades, and a departure from cool grays and a plunge into the world of warm neutrals such as brown.

these-5-unexpected-christmas-ornament-styles-are-trending-this-year
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5 Unexpected Christmas Ornament Styles Are Trending This Year

ByClaire Hoppe Norgaard

Velvet bows, black trees, and minimalism have all dominated the holiday decor world in Christmases past. Whether they were one-season wonders or have stood the test of time, Christmas trends are a fun excuse to try something unexpected and experiment with your style. Take inspiration from this year’s Christmas ornament trends, whether you prefer a modern matte finish, a fresh spin on classic stripes, or craft your own custom felt ornaments, to upgrade your tree. 1. Velvet Ornaments Inspired by last year’s velvet bow trend, velvet ornaments are set to be one of the biggest Christmas ornament trends of 2024. With their matte, powdery finish, velvet ornaments put a unique twist on typical solid-color ornaments. Mix velvet ornaments with metallic ones to create a tree with tons of texture and visual interest. To make your own velvet ornaments, mix 1 Tbsp. plaster powder with 1 Tbsp. cold water. Once combined, add 2 ounces of matte finish craft paint. Paint clear plastic ornaments with the mixture, adding coats until the ornament is opaque. Carson Downing 2. Honeycomb Ornaments Another popular ornament style—spotted this year at West Elm, Anthropologie, and McGee & Co.—is honeycomb. Typically made from paper, honeycomb ornaments are made from intricate, accordion-style folds that create shapes like stars, bells, and trees. Plus, the ornaments are lightweight, so you don’t have to worry about weighing down the branches of your tree. Add honeycomb ornaments to your Christmas decor this year to put a fun twist on the typical round styles. Choose rich shades of burgundy, forest green, and powder blue, or stick to a neutral palette of beige, cream, and black ornaments for a modern farmhouse effect. When packing away your Christmas decorations for next year, carefully wrap each ornament in tissue paper to ensure paper ornaments don’t get bent. Store the ornaments in a container with dividers so they aren’t damaged throughout the year. 3. Circus Stripes Popular circus stripes are sticking around for the holidays. Expect to see ornaments with thick, bold stripes on trees this year. Home decor stores like H&M, Pottery Barn, and Crate & Barrel offer ornaments with classic red and white candy cane stripes for a traditional. Or opt for funkier color schemes featuring pink, blue, and yellow. Lean into a maximalist aesthetic and pair circus-stripe ornaments with bold patterned bulbs. Incorporate ornaments with different shapes and colors, tinsel, and garland to achieve an over-the-top look. David Land 4. Unique Felt Ornaments Quirky felt ornaments of all shapes and sizes are all over social media and home decor sites alike. Made from colorful felt and stuffed with cotton, these plush ornaments are often embellished with sequins, beads, tassels, and decorative stitching. Letters, wreaths, bells, and other unique shapes can all be found in felt form. Felt ornaments depicting animals in silly scenes are also gaining popularity—think swans wearing tutus, fishing polar bears, and mice on ski lifts. Pair felt animals with brightly colored bulbs in different shapes and sizes. Lean into the whimsy with a homemade paper garland or a string of popcorn to complete your Christmas tree. 5. Photo Frames Show off your favorite photos from the year by using small photo frame ornaments. This Christmas is all about nostalgic traditions and adding personal touches to your holiday decor, so it’s no surprise photo ornaments are having a moment. You can purchase modern photo frame ornaments from stores like Target and Pottery Barn, or choose to craft your own by hand. In a TikTok video, Andrea Pierre shows how to create photo frame ornaments using miniature vintage frames from Amazon. All you need to do is hot glue your favorite photo to the back of a mini frame, then attach a ribbon loop to the back so you can hang it on your tree. Make it a tradition to add a new photo ornament every year, or add fun art prints to the frames that speak to your style.

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Top 7 Home Renovation Trends of 2024

BySophie Flaxman

Over the past year, homeowners focused on creating environments that nurture well-being, provide comfort and serenity, and reflect their personal values. The home renovation trends of 2024 were all about creating intentional and personalized spaces. Whether it was enhancing the home with wellness features, embracing nature and the simplicity of Japanese-inspired interiors, or crafting spaces for family fun and relaxation, these trends emphasize a shift towards meaningful, mindful living. Drawing on insights from experts at the leading design platforms like Houzz and Pinterest, we reveal how the top trends are shaping the future of home interiors and how homeowners are transforming their living spaces into personalized retreats. Annie Schlechter Organic Modern Style In 2024, organic modern emerged as the design style of choice, seamlessly blending modern simplicity with nature-inspired elements and materials. By incorporating elements like stone, wood, and organic fabrics, organic modernism fosters a calming, cohesive, and well-balanced space. “With searches on Houzz for ‘organic modern bedroom’ jumping nearly 3.5x year-over-year, homeowners may be looking for a soft place to land at the end of a long day,” says Mitchell Parker, senior editor of Houzz. But it’s not just the bedroom where this style shines. Organic modern is also trending across dining rooms, kitchens, bathrooms, and living rooms, underscoring its versatility and widespread appeal. Japanese Design Influence “Japanese design, which embraces simplicity, natural elements, and harmonious living spaces, is experiencing a resurgence, reflected in notable increases in searches related to kitchens, bedrooms, and bathrooms,” Parker says. Searches for ‘Japandi living rooms’ (a fusion of Japanese minimalism and Scandinavian functionality) have risen 48% on Houzz, while Pinterest searches for ‘Japanese living room design’ are up by 135%. Popular Japanese concepts like wabi-sabi and zen gardens also saw notable search growth, suggesting homeowners seek peaceful, sanctuary-like spaces inside and outside their homes. Better Homes & Gardens Leisure Spaces The pursuit of work-life balance is reshaping how we use our homes, with homeowners carving out dedicated leisure spaces. Searches for ‘listening rooms’ have more than doubled on Houzz, and interest in ‘living room pianos’ is up by 39%, reflecting a trend towards creating spaces for music and relaxation. Social areas for group activities have also gained momentum, with searches for ‘bowling alley,’ ‘game room,’ and ‘bocce court’ increasing as well. These areas enable homeowners to enjoy downtime with family and friends, enhancing the home’s role as a haven for entertainment and connection. Wellness Features Wellness remains a priority in home renovations as homeowners strive to create spa-like retreats within their living spaces. Searches for cold plunge pools, indoor saunas, home spas, and steam showers surged on Houzz in 2024, reflecting a growing interest in transforming bathrooms into sanctuaries of relaxation. Shower rooms, which offer an enclosed, intimate space and feature steam and sauna capabilities, are increasingly popular. According to Parker, homeowners are tapping professionals to bring nature indoors in subtle yet impactful ways, such as increasing natural light with large windows and skylights to support wellness and align with circadian rhythms. Ali Harper Dark and Moody Color Palettes Deep paint colors reigned this year, as we saw with many of the 2024 Colors of the Year. Searches for ‘moody living room’ and ‘moody kitchen’ more than doubled on Houzz compared to the year prior, signaling a shift away from light grays and whites. “Designers on Houzz use dark and moody colors to help make spaces feel cozy and intimate or bold and dramatic,” Parker says. According to Pinterest’s Autumn 2024 Trend Report, searches for ‘moody purple bedroom’ and ‘dark green bathroom’ rose by 350%, highlighting these spaces as focal points for exploring more daring, experimental, and personal color preferences. Even ceilings are joining the trend, with searches for ‘dark ceiling’ on Houzz more than doubling, proving that the fifth wall is now a canvas for homeowners looking to make a statement. Kids’ Zones Creating playful, personalized spaces for kids is another trend that took hold in 2024 as parents sought inspiration to cater to their children’s evolving needs. On Houzz, searches spiked for ‘Jack-and-Jill bathrooms’ and ‘teen lounge.’ These searches reflect a desire to design spaces where kids can express themselves and feel a sense of ownership within the home and a forward-thinking approach to home renovation.  Cameron Sadeghpour Outdoor Kitchens Dining al fresco took on an entirely new meaning in 2024, with homeowners expanding their outdoor kitchens far beyond the classic grill. According to the  2024 Houzz U.S. Outdoor Trends Study, nearly 9 in 10 homeowners include a grill in their outdoor remodels, but new additions like pizza ovens, smokers, kamado-style barbecues, and Argentinian-style gaucho grills have also become increasingly popular this year. This shift reflects a deeper commitment to alfresco living, with homeowners creating versatile spaces that cater to diverse cooking styles and outdoor gatherings.

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B.C. announces new clean energy building rebates

ByCharlie Carey

Posted September 18, 2024 7:38 am. A new program aimed at supporting people and communities to make the switch to clean energy and save on their energy bills was announced by the B.C. government Tuesday. Minister of Energy, Mines, and Low Carbon Innovation Josie Osborne explained the ministry is launching the Clean BC Multi-Unit Residential Building Retrofit Program in partnership with BC Hydro. She says this program will provide rebates and energy coaching to business owners, strata councils, and equity co-op boards to undertake whole-building retrofits. “This includes everything from heat pumps to LED lighting, electrical upgrades, to better windows and ventilation,” she said. “Rebate amounts will depend on what retrofits and upgrades the building requires.” Osborne says one example could be that a building is switching from fossil fuel heating to electric heat pumps and may then receive $3,000 per heat pump installed. The minister says retrofitting buildings to make them cleaner is complex, and this program provides one-on-one advice and energy coaching to support building owners and managers in navigating the process. The ministry expects that a typical 65-unit building could save as much as $16,250 per year, or $250 per year per suite, after switching from central gas heating to in-suite heat pumps. “Making smart choices about how we use clean electricity has been core to our business for over 35 years,” said Chris O’Riley, president and CEO of BC Hydro. “Energy-efficiency programs defer the need for additional capital infrastructure, helping to keep rates affordable and offer additional flexibility to our electricity system. But equally important, programs like this one and the many others we offer provide our customers with the opportunity to save energy and money.”