LCBO is launching a new “sweetness descriptors” program starting April 29.  This program will provide useful tasting information to assist consumers when purchasing wine.

The new program will replace the current sugar code numbering system, which currently indicates wines as being a “0”, “1” or “2”…

This program, a first for LCBO, will consists of two elements. The first is a science-based descriptor system that reflects on how dry or sweet a wine tastes. There are five sweetness descriptors:

Extra Dry (XD) – No perceived sweetness, clean crisp acidic finish.
Dry (D) – No sweetness perceived, well rounded with balanced acidity
Medium (M) – Slight sweetness perceived
Medium Sweet (MS) – Noticeably sweet
Sweet (S) – Distinctively sweet

The second is a listing of the actual sugar content as  “grams of sugar per litre”. Both of these elements will be displayed on the redesigned bin tags located on store shelves, and in-store signs.

Initially, the sweetness descriptors and sugar content information will be used for all LCBO table wines, however, only the sugar content information will be available for LCBO non-table wines including sparkling, dessert and fortified wines. The program will also be extended to include all VINTAGES and VINTAGES ESSENTIALS wines as new releases are issued.

The sweetness descriptors initiative is part of “Wine Shopping Made Easy”, a promotion designed to help customers shop for wine in new ways and make shopping simpler. This promotion will be in all 622 LCBO stores across the province from April 29 to May 26.

That all changed on April 17^th, 2012 when I  got listen to Ajahn Kusalo  on an evening that I will never forget.

A few weeks ago I was given a CD at my(41 years young) birthday party  by a very good friend  who  admires my energy but was concerned about me having some “slow down”  time as she coined it.

After listening to half way through the audio  and reported back to my friend that “it felt as if  I was walking through the forest with a bow and arrow on my shoulder with  no idea why”

She sounded confused “Were you chasing something or  was something chasing you?”I didn’t because I didn’t really know.

My friend invited me  to participate in a meditation evening. She is a very spiritual individual and  felt this might be of interest to me.

Initially I was non-committal to her offer and decided to wait and ponder it a little further. The day before the event  she sent me an email with the location along with  some special instructions which included to bringing a water bottle and to wearing  comfortable clothing.

Tuesday morning I went  through my own routine of reading morning passages from a book that I keep nearby and did my morning affirmations.

That afternoon I listened to the last half  of  the CD (to my pleasant surprise) by then  I was in the forest with no bow and arrow just walking through. Listening  to the songs I could see a big tree across the street and remembered  vividly 25 years ago when it was first planted in the soil, it has now grown into a huge tree, solid from stump to the end branches. Just like me!

After that took a brief nap to relax  let the music sink in, and woke up and feeling  re-energized.

By late afternoon I had decided that I was ready to go to the meditation and I informed my friend via email. She was pleased and looked  forward to it.

As I neared the location was pleasantly surprised when  I realized that I  pass by this location all the time going to a health club near by. Locked up my mountain bike and followed the signs to  where it said “Everyone is welcome”.

My friend was going to arrive little later so I made my way in and found  a chair off to the side. The room was very quiet as people began to arrive.

Even though I had my business cards with me I made no attempt to interact with anyone, respectful of the environment and the event.Ajahn Kusalo   walked into the room and was greeted by a gentleman who was assisting with the room and event proceedings.

At the entrance there was option to make a donation to the monastery, so I grabbed  an envelope and made a mental note to put one the box on my way out.

We were given two  handouts. The first  was a dedication of offering which was a chant that was made during the session; the second was a  sheet of explanation called Tisarana- an overview of intent and direction

Ajahn Kusalo began with conversation and I was pleasantly surprised that he was very amusing and made a strong effort to connect with everyone. He used many sports analogies to explain life and how we each  go through our journey.

He spoke how we deal with things that we face in our daily lives  and how we can learn to respond better and  better understand that life  is not as complicated as we make it.

We all have weaknesses. but at the end of the day we must  work on our strengths and evolve to improve our  weaknesses.

The room was silent as everyone listened except for the occasional  group laugh. It was a healthy spirit of individuals from all walks of life young and old, gathered together  for a few hours together time to relax and take time to breach and relax from our busy lives.

We chanted for about half an hour and then Ajahn Kusalo  fielded questions for the attendees.

It was a very therapeutic experience and I appreciated my friend inviting me to this event.

Moral of the story: meditation is a great way to relax and release yourself from the busyness of life.

If you wish to attend a future session information is below

For more information:

http://www.tisarana.ca/ 

Website: http://springrainsangha.com/meditation-classes/

Address: 60 Lowther Avenue, (close to St George subway station)

Bring: Water bottle & wear comfortable clothing

Drawing upon her natural passion for accessories and design, Anya started her business at the age of 19. Since then, she has spearheaded the business growth from her first retail outlet, an intimate first floor shop on London’s Walton Street, to fifty seven shops worldwide, including a London flagship on Sloane Street and a Tokyo flagship in Aoyama, with a New York flagship opening in the New Year.

In 2009, Anya Hindmarch was awarded an MBE in recognition of her contribution to the British fashion industry. Two years later in 2011, she became a UK Trade Ambassador as well as becoming a Non-Executive Director of the British Fashion Council. She is also a trustee of both The Royal Academy and The Design Museum and a Governor of The University of The Arts. Her support of the next generation of British entrepreneurs, most notably through the Government’s ‘Start Up Britain’ campaign was also cited by the judges as a key reason as to why she was awarded the prestigious accolade.

Anya’s commitment to be a socially responsibly business was also welcomed by the judging panel, most notably for the charity promotion, ‘Be a Bag’ project and her ability to inspire change by making it fashionable not to use plastic bags with her iconic ‘I’m Not A Plastic Bag’ campaign, launched in 2007.

Also noteworthy was her 2009 launch of Anya Hindmarch Bespoke. This launch was perfectly timed as consumers increasingly sought investment pieces that were unique, beautifully crafted and personalised. The Bespoke collection is for both men and women and allows customers to personalise their pieces with hand written messages and drawings that are embossed into the leather by Craftsman based in the Pont Street store.

“It is the greatest honour to win the Veuve Clicquot Business Woman award in its 40th year. It is a very real compliment to be deemed to share some of the qualities of Veuve Clicquot herself who was clearly a brave and pioneering woman but also to even be considered amongst my fellow finalists, Helena Morrissey and Ruthie Rogers who are both brilliant businesswomen and lovely people.”  Anya Hindmarch

“We are delighted that the judges have selected a winner who fully embraces the spirit of the Award and can provide inspiration for the next generation of female entrepreneurs in the UK. In a year that British fashion has never been under the spotlight more, Anya has proven that commercial triumph alongside pursuing a responsible business is more than achievable and it is wonderful to see such a shining example of business success.” Christina Jesaitis, Senior Brand Manager, Veuve Clicquot

In addition to receiving a silver trophy shaped as a La Grande Dame bottle and a case of La Grande Dame 2004, Anya Hindmarch will take part in the Veuve Clicquot International Women of Influence Forum at the Veuve Clicquot Maison in Reims in October 2012. This event will gather previous winners from across the globe for a unique occasion to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Award. The winner will visit the Manoir de Verzy and the House’s vineyards, where she will have a vine baptised in her name recognising her legacy and life-long relationship with Veuve Clicquot.

Liz Palmer

 Photo by Liz Palmer

This year “Austria Uncorked” has travelled north, and has chosen the newly launched Trump Hotel, Toronto to present their top Austrian wines.  On April 16, 2012 Canadian wine experts tasted the vintages of 30 wine makers from the famous wine growing regions of Lower Austria (Wachau, Kamptal, Kremstal, Traisental, Weinviertel, the hot spring region Tattendorf), the Burgenland (Neusiedlersee, Carnuntum), the south part of Styria (also referred to as the Styrian Tuscany) and Vienna.

Along with Grüner Veltliner, Blaufränkisch and Riesling the much-anticipated 2011 vintage, was poured and paired with cuisine from EDO Sushi, Amaya express and Mengrai Gourmet.

Participating Agents and Wineries:

Liz Palmer

Moët Hennessy saw global sales jump 16% on an organic basis – a record performance in the first quarter of 2012, reaching €926 million ($1.2b). The company’s core Champagne and Cognac businesses drove growth during the period. The Champagne stable (up 5% by volume) benefited from strong sales at the prestige level.

Moët & Chandon continues to lead the U.S. Champagne segment, advanced by 1% to 410,000 cases (excluding Dom Perignon); fellow bubbly Veuve Clicquot was flat by volume at 365,000 cases.

This year Moët & Chandon will abandoning its well-known White Star non-vintage offering in U.S. and replace it with a newer Moët Impérial variant, which has been gradually transitioning into the brand’s primary global non-vintage offering since 2007. Bucking the increasing popularity of sweet wines in the U.S., Moët Impérial is a drier style with 30%–40% Pinot Noir, 30%–40% Pinot Meunier and 20%–30% Chardonnay.

Liz Palmer

(Source: Shaken News)

Fredericton, 20 April 2012 -

The Beaverbrook Art Gallery is pleased to announce a new partnership with the National Bank that  promises to bring art to more people and supports the expansion of the Gallery. The National Bank is providing a financial support for the Gallery’s signature open house series, Drinks with Dali and is contributing $50,000 to the Beaverbrook Campaign, still in its quiet phase.

“Our new partnership is an excellent match. The National Bank is well-known for its community leadership and we certainly appreciate the interest and support it is investing in the Beaverbrook Art Gallery. We are proud of our association with the National Bank and look forward to our on-going new partnership,” said Bernard Riordon, CEO and Director of the Beaverbrook Gallery.

Drinks with Dali open house events celebrate the Gallery’s prized piece Santiago El Grande-a painting by Spanish surrealist Salvador Dali-while exposing new audiences to the Gallery and showcasing New Brunswick’s emerging talent. Every event features musical entertainment by up-and-coming artists. As well as being a social event, Drinks with Dali also offers guided tours of the Gallery’s collections of drawings, paintings, sculptures and photographs.

“Over the years, National Bank has built up one of the largest corporate collections in Canada, which it proudly displays in its offices, branches and subsidiaries across Canada. The Bank recognizes the important contribution of art in our society and its supports to the Beaverbrook Art Gallery reflects the Bank’s commitment to Canadian artists,” said Louis Vachon, President and Chief Executive Officer, National Bank.

The Beaverbrook Campaign, a national initiative, will support a major expansion project and endowment program for the Gallery, with both a significant provincial outreach component and international cultural tourism strategy. Expansion plans will be released to the public with the launch of the Campaign, anticipated in late 2012.

“The National Bank shines a spotlight on the arts community in Canada and we are very pleased to have this generous contribution of $50,000 to support the Gallery’s youth outreach program,” said Campaign Chair, James. C. Irving. “It supports the Gallery’s vision for expanded access to larger facilities, programs and exhibitions.”

For more information on the Beaverbrook Art Gallery, visit: www.beaverbrookartgallery.com.

About National Bank of Canada
National Bank of Canada is an integrated group that provides comprehensive financial services to consumers, small and medium-sized enterprises and large corporations in its core market, while offering specialized services to its clients elsewhere in the world. National Bank offers a full array of banking services, including retail, corporate and investment banking. It is an active player on international capital markets and, through its subsidiaries, is involved in securities brokerage, insurance and wealth management as well as mutual fund and retirement plan management. As at January 31, 2012, National Bank has over CDN$175 billion in assets in accordance with IFRS and, together with its subsidiaries, employs 19,785 people. The Bank’s securities are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: NA). For more information, visit the Bank’s website at www.nbc.ca. To access National Bank of Canada’s financial literacy portal, visit www.clearfacts.ca.

Information (The telephone number provided below is for the exclusive use of journalists and other media representatives.):

Joan Beauchamp
Senior Advisor – Public Affairs
National Bank
Tel.: 514-394-6500

Bernard Riordon or Nancy Coy
Director and CEO / Campaign Manager
Beaverbrook Art Gallery
506-458-2020 / 506-458-2035

http://thebankerwhosavedhissoul.com/national-bank-donates-50000-to-the-beaverbrook-art-gallery-capital-campaign/ – The link to the feed item