Go Local – Go Loco with Third Wall Theatre Company
Wednesday evening the Third Wall Theater Company (@thirdwall) held an “un-gala” event at the Westboro Wall Space Art Gallery (@wallspacetweet) to launch its “Go Local – Go Loco” campaign.
Go Local - Go Loco
The event, a fundraiser for Third Wall’s 10th Anniversary Season, featured Prince Edward County (PEC) wineries, a PEC cidery, a local fine food store, and special guests.
Guests included Rod Phillips (a noted wine author and columnist for the Ottawa Citizen newspaper), Bill Milliken (PEC Ambassador), Andrew King (a noted visual artist), and many of Third Wall’s actors. The ticket price, $40.
Since it was an “un-gala” (anti-gala, depending on who you speak with) neither ties nor heels were welcome. Even Vice-Chair of Third Wall’s Board of Directors, Brian Carrol, was held to the informality. His tie was cut off during the event.
Brian Carrol, Relieved of his Tie
Third Wall’s founders James Richardson and Ryan Anderson fared much better.
James Richardson and Ryan Anderson
The campaign celebrates Third Wall’s productions supporting local businesses. Sets, props, costumes, and lighting are all sourced locally. In the same “Go Local” vein, the fundraiser was held in an independent art gallery that showcases local artists.
Wallspace in the Westboro Village
On display that evening was a spring exhibition by painters Nathalie Mantha and Wellington West’s own Alison Fowler.
Works by Alison Fowler
As someone who has visited Fowler’s AliCat Art Studio, it was a pleasure to see her floral works exhibited in a large space.
Regarding guest Andrew King, only two of his works were on display that evening, Wallspace having exhibited his “Manhattan Project” collection earlier this year. The exhibition was wildly successful.
Artist, Andrew King with his Four Sheets work
A PEC native himself, King was happy to attend the event. He later told me he delivered 5 new works to Wallspace, all awaiting display.
While guest Rod Phillips mingled with attendees, another author, Paul Mackan was also present with copies of his newest book “Dream Girl, Dream”, a “story for children to share with grown ups.”
Author, Paul Mackan, with his Newly Published Book
Published by PublishAmerica, the book tells the tale of its young protagonist, Sara Lee, questioning god.
Me, I hadn’t realized the Go Local – Go Loco event was essentially a dressed down wine and cheese. Not a wine connoisseur, I was lost amongst the bottles of reds and whites.
The Grange of Prince Edward Vineyards and Winery showcased several of its Trumpour’s Mill wines.
Grange
Trumpour's Mill
Lynn Sullivan, half of the husband and wife team who operate the RoseHall Run Vinyeards, was happy to chat with me about wine and cheese.
RoseHall Run
Lynn Sullivan
Lynn’s husband Dan Sullivan is the winemaker.
Guest Bill Milliken showed off wines from the Huff Estates Winery.
Huff Estates
Patricia Barr and Bill Milliken
While I didn’t partake of any of the wine, I did sample a lovely glass of Waupoos Premium from The County Cider Company. Clear, crisp, dry, and refreshing, Waupoos was a revelation. It is worlds different from the overly fruity hard ciders I have had before.
County Cider Company's Waupoos Premium Cider
Robin St. George
Country Cider’s Robin St. George told me County Cider brews its cider from the juice of 12 apples that include Northern Spy, Russets, and British varieties Brown Snout and Kingston Black. In fact, the Picton estate winery, that specializes in hard ciders, has reputedly the largest cider apple nursery in North America.
As Third Wall board member and organizer of the Go Local – Go Loco event, Patricia Parulekar, later told me, successful fundraisers often depend on the food served. This event filled the gallery with theater-goers, art lovers, wine enthusiasts, and members of local media (CBC Ottawa and Caroline Phillips also of the Ottawa Citizen Newspaper). With so many people assembled, the food had to impress. It did.
Enter Chef Dave Neil and the Piggy Market. Piggy Market is a fine food shop that sources and produces only local and artisanal products. It routinely stocks Cochrane’s Milk, Beking’s Eggs, Ontario cheese, local honey, Art Is In Bread, and PEC cheeses. Chef Neil and his staff, Josh and Kate, smoke their own bacon. They make fresh sausage from local heritage pork. They bake cakes and pastries. Kate even produces a line of mustards.
For this event, the Piggy Market provided a sampling of some of its best products.
Chef Neil, Setting Up
A sampling of raw and pasteurized goat, sheep, and cow's milk cheese
In-house Marinated Mushrooms and Pickled Red and Golden Beets
Regarding the cheeses, the cheddar selections came from the local farmer-owned Black River Cheese Factory in PEC. My favourites: the extremely sharp 6 year-aged and maple cheddar.
To complement the cheese, Piggy Market provided some creamed unfiltered honey. It also provided alternatives to the cheese: smoked duck breast, smoked meat, pork rib rillette, and duck liver pate. To complement the smoked meats and charcuiterie, Piggy Market provided one of Kate’s mustards, a coarse Beau’s beer mustard and a North Indian raisin and fig chutney.
Alternatives to Cheese
Finally, Piggy Market also supplied mini-beef Jamaican patties.
Miniature Authentic Jamaican patties
Here is the sampling I had after spending a delightful twenty minutes in line with local theater supporters.
Sampling of Cheeses and Cheese Alternatives
While everything was delicious, amongst the cheeses was a lemon feta that just danced on the tongue. Alas, by the time I made my way to the cheeses, the softer cheeses had all but disappeared.
Here is the one Jamaican pattie I was able to get my fingers on.
A Jamaican Pattie
Cross Section
Freshly baked (I watched Chef Neil bring the tray into the gallery, piping hot), the pastry was light and flaky. The filling was savoury and spicy.
Good drink. Great eats. Good company. Great atmosphere. It was an excellent evening.
Wait! Did I mention the draws for prizes? If the beneficiary of a fundraiser can be judged by it supporters, Third Wall must be quite the theater company. Among the donated prizes were two books on wine by Rod Phillips, Andrew King prints, gift certificates for framing by Wallspace, passes to the Ottawa Chamberfest, a Harvest and Picnic Event from the Grange, and, of course, bottles of PEC Wine.
Particulars:
Third Wall Theater Co
2 Daly Avenue
(613) 236-1425
Wall Space Framing
358 Richmond Road
(613) 729-0003
Piggy Market
400 Winston Avenue
(613) 371-6124
Tags: Andrew King, cheese, PEC, Piggy Market, Third Wall, Wallspace, wine
