Janice is the one-woman powerhouse behind Gâteaux Janice, a made-to-order Montréal cake business that not only creates cakes that are total flights of decorative fantasy, but also bakes everything from scratch, assuring that they taste positively fantastic. Looking through her portfolio, I see the work of a total perfectionist. Elegant roses and lilies with petals so delicate that they look almost too real to eat and playful cakes that imitate flower pots, shoes, books and fish. Apparently no idea is too much of a challenge for Janice.
But this master of icing sugar isn’t a graduate of a fancy culinary school. The only formal schooling she’s had was a night class on basic cake decorating. Through practice and experimentation, Janice taught herself to make cakes that would stand their ground against any reality TV show baker. Nowadays her plate is full with clients who keep her on her toes, looking for more and more complex and off-the-wall creations for their weddings, birthdays and fundraisers.
Since the summer season of celebrations is upon us, I asked Janice what’s hot for this year in the world of cake. She replies that berry shortcakes and red velvets are very en vogue right now and that she personally recommends something along the lines of a lemon curd with either blueberry or raspberry. But no matter what the trend, assures Janice, don’t be afraid to order the good old standards because chocolate continues to reign supreme as the most popular flavour of all.
info@gateauxjanice.com
t. 514.295.1700
www.gateauxjanice.com
“A few powerful experiences made me passionate about sex education as well as contributing to my desire to build a place to counter the sex negativity in our culture,” says Shelley Taylor, founder of Venus Envy
.
This desire for positive sex education is an integral part of Taylor’s store, a welcoming treasure trove of sex toys, accessories, and books. Though Taylor opened the original Venus Envy in Halifax in 1998, she went on to expand in Ottawa in 2001. Recognizing the importance of community, in 2006 VE launched the Venus Envy Ottawa Bursary Fund, a program that “aims to support women and trans people in need who wish to further their education.” On June 15, Fall Down Gallery presents One Night Stand, a fundraiser for the bursary. Aside from monthly workshops, the store hosts a reading every second Wednesday of the month called Voices of Venus, with Toronto spoken word artist Keisha Monique Simpson performing in May.
While Taylor will soon go on a yearlong leave from her day-to-day at VE, she’ll still be organizing all of the store’s special events. This industrious maven will continue to share her knowledge and passion online with passtheherpes.wordpress.com
, a blog that demystifies the silence and shame surrounding the subject of herpes. She’s an inspiring leader (and by all accounts a great boss), so basically, a superb role-model as a business woman and activist. Loves.
The Award-Winning 5 Star Shipwright Inn B&B, located in Olde Charlottetown, PEI, “The Gentle Island”, has been rated as the “Best Bed and Breakfast on Prince Edward Island” and one of the “Top Ten B and B’s” in Canada by Frommer’s Travel Guides and is AAA/CAA 3 Diamond approved. We offer warm, Island hospitality and attentive service.
Our accommodation is well appointed but not intimidating and has all the benefits of an hotel and so much more. Quiet and safe. Convenient location, walk to everything in town — fine dining, shopping, the boardwalk, waterfront activities and the Confederation Centre of the Arts. Walking and biking trails nearby.
We provide off street parking and a smoke free home. There are 30-plus courses here (starting only a matter of minutes away) so, given PEI’s small size, you can play a round and still have plenty of time for touring, dining, beaches, Anne of Green Gables attractions, lighthouses, seal watching, Provincial and National Parks, heritage roads, historic villages, antique and craft shopping.
