Newfoundlanders and Labradorians came home for Come Home 2022 celebrations and the province welcomed many first time visitors too.  The weather coorperated with record breaking sunshine for one record setting NL  summer.

There was a little something for everyone to enjoy. Wonderbolt Productions celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2022, and they dazzled and delighted audiences all summer long. The George Street Festival was a huge hit and so was the Churchill Park Music Festival with both attracting huge and enthusiastic crowds. 

But whether it’s the large concerts on George Street or the smaller gatherings on an outport wharf, it’s been quite a summer to celebrate, Premier Andrew Furey said. “To see this (Come Home 2022) come from a concept to reality, and then to see the return, well the actual numbers speak for themselves,” he said as he launched into some cheerful chatter about the rise in tourism numbers throughout Come Home 2022. And the fun continues through the fall too with Come From Away: The Concert and Tell Tale Harbour yet to be celebrated and enjoyed. 

What was your favourite Come Home 2022 experience? Was it the Stanley Cup or a concert? Was it seeing family or friends or was it a wedding celebration that was delayed due to the pandemic. 

Share your super summer story with us at letters@nfldherald.com 

Charles & Camilla’s 2022 Royal Tour

Prince Charles and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, arrived St. John’s on May 17th to begin a three-day Canadian tour largely focused on reconciliation with Indigenous people. 

The couple attended a welcome ceremony at the provincial legislature with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Gov. Gen. Mary Simon then it was off to Gov. House and Quidi Vidi.

Photos provided by the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, taken by Alick Tsui Photography.

Kellie Loder Proves They’re Fearless

Not only is Kellie Loder selling out shows, but they are selling totally out of merch at these performances as well, they added when The Herald swung by for a chat. “The opportunity to be on a national television show, what that has done for me is amazing. People stop you on the side of the road and people shout at you from their cars. And it’s so positive,” they said of appearing on Canada’s Got Talent. 

 Had reality set in yet? Since being a  national sensation on CGT, so much had changed. “You work so, so hard for so long to get that sort of recognition that when you finally get it it’s a bit wild. Like, I still feel like I’m a small town kid from Badger and now people are wanting to carry my things and bring me water and food and steam my clothes. And I’m like, ‘What’s happening right now?’” 

Loder also felt “different” seeing their face on a NL Herald cover. “I would go to the store and The Herald would always be on the front counter, and I would see different faces every week on the cover and I always wondered if I was ever going to make the cover, do you know what I mean? I always wondered that, even when nobody knew who I was.” Well, now they certainly do! 

Show Your Pride in NL

Irma Gerd made NL proud as one of the contestants of the third season of Canada’s Drag Race. 

Gerd told The Herald that “The amount of support that I’ve gotten from all of Atlantic Canada, not just Newfoundland, has been overwhelming. Just positively overwhelming in the best way.” 

Pride events throughout NL recognized and celebrated the diversity of the 2SLGBTQQIA+ community within the province and the Provincial Government sponsored St. John’s Pride Week as a part of Come Home 2022. Sponsored events included Drag on Water held on Saturday, July 23 as well as the St. John’s Pride Parade

Staycation with the OZFM Summer CREW

Kali Kenny and Noah Perchard hit the road in the OZFM Staycation Summer Cruiser and brought the cheer and the joy to many as they travelled the province throughout the summer of 2022.

Kenny told The Herald that being a member of the Staycation Summer Cruiser Team was a “dream come true.” 

The Regatta Returns

For the very first time in Royal St. John’s Regatta history, there was a Women’s Long course race. 

North America’s oldest annual sporting event concluded with repeat champions in both the men’s and women’s races. NTV were winners of the Men’s Championship Race and Hyflodraulic won Stirling Communications Women’s Championship Race with a time of 5:11.

This year’s Regatta saw crowds return to the banks of Quidi Vidi Lake for the first time since 2019.

Jaida Lee Makes History

At 16 years old, Jaida Lee became the first female to compete in Men’s Baseball at the Canada Summer Games in 2022. The teenage baseball sensation and her father, Dave Lee, shared with media how “unreal” the experience was,  included the fact that she got to throw an opening pitch at a Blue Jays game.

Alex Newhook Brings Home Lord Stanley

Colorado Avalanche forward and St. John’s native Alex Newhook couldn’t stop smiling the day he brought the Stanley Cup home to St. John’s! 

The timing couldn’t have been better and fans young and old couldn’t get enough of the party that came with Lord Stanley held during Come Home 2022 celebrations.

About being only the third player from Newfoundland and Labrador to win the Stanley Cup, Newhook shared how he received congratulations from the other two who had done so before he did – Daniel Cleary and Michael Ryder. Newhook cheered along with fans so loudly as he yelled, ’Our fans are the best in the world’ that Newhook seemed to  have lost his voice during part of the Stanley Cup parade.

Was it emotion or cheering along with fans that cause the brief quiet spell? Probably a bit of both, but whatever the reason, it was a grand day in the province and an unforgettable day for Alex Newhook and his family and friends. Congratulations! 

Sharon Snow finds it incredible when she reflects on her career at NTV. “22 years with Places to Go and 30 with NTV. It’s been quite a ride, and it’s not over yet,” she said with a laugh.

If you haven’t had the pleasure of meeting Snow one-on-one, then take our word for it: she’s just as incredible off camera and she is on. More so, if that’s even possible.

When we spoke, Snow was on vacation with family, but she didn’t miss a beat when she answered her phone. 

“That’s okay, my treasure, you called at a perfect time,” she opened. 

Of course, Snow is quite proud of Places to Go, sharing that each segment is like having a friend say, “I’ve been there, I loved it, go check it out!” 

“I was able to go to my hometown, and that was very special. There was so much to see and do in Fogo and so we kind of hit the road on Father’s Day weekend, and Tony (Barrington, camerman extraordinaire) joined me that Monday and we did a whole bunch of shoots which are still airing. We literally shot Places to Go nonstop, and that’s super cool that there’s so many amazing places to go,” she said. 

Tony Barrington has been enjoying going along for the ride, Snow said with a laugh as she reflects on the fun she’s had with her “side-kick.” 

“He loves to hang out with me. I mean, seriously, what’s not to love about going to fabulous places and experiencing amazing things? I keep telling him I got him spoiled rotten.”

22 years of Places to Go

Snow’s Places to Go is very popular with NTV fans. What is it that fans love so much, we ask. 

“We’re highlighting places within the province and it’s been going for 22 years so it’s kind of like a friend telling you, ‘Hey, you know, I was at this place, you should go. It’s super cool. I know you’re going to love it.’ So I think that’s kind of how people look upon the feature. They know me. They have been watching for 22 years. They like to know what this place is about and they like having some suggestions,” she said. 

Thinking back, we ask Snow about what she thinks of the last 30 years. She almost didn’t take the job, she admitted. But timing is everything, she added. 

“I was happy where I was, but the second time (the job was offered) it was at just the right time. So I absolutely believe timing is everything and I do believe it was meant to be.”

Some of her career, like the television pieces, were “by accident” she added. 

“I was hired for sales so the rest was by accident. Like they say; the best things are unplanned and they often turn out to be the most wonderful times of your life. And that’s the case as I look back now and say ‘30 years. Wow.’”

The friendships she’s made with chefs and with business owners, as well as with coworkers, has been a gift, she said.

“We did things like Supper with Sharon. I don’t know if you remember that, but that was a long time ago and we did it as part of live weather hits. We would literally go into local celebrities homes – into their kitchens – and make dinner for them from the ingredients in their cupboard and in their refrigerator. And those relationships are still special.”

But there’s the Frosty Festival and the Health Care foundation too. 

”What we do for them as a company  and the relationship that we have with them all, it’s all part of serving the community and that’s the mandate for television, for NTV. In doing so, by achieving that and by working on that and keeping that as a goal, then all of those beautiful relationships have been forged.” 

‘I love everyone’

Snow is known for her kindness. She’s known as a hard worker. And she’s known for her fashion sense too. 

She laughed. Tops for her? Her work family, she shared.

“Oh, my gosh. I love everyone. We get along. We support each other. We lift each other up. And that’s very important. There are so many things that you could say or do, but when you choose kindness it just works. That’s so important that we support each other.”

Anything else she wanted to add before she heads back to vacation mode, we ask?  “It’s been a great ride over 30 years. Who would have thought that?  22 years of Places to Go. And I just know I’m looking forward to the next number of years.”

But it won’t last forever, she teased. She has plans to settle down eventually and enjoy life at home. “Oh, there will be retirement. Oh, it’s going to happen. So I’m working on that, but even retirement promises to be exciting.”

Jodi Cooke is one of NTV’s most seasoned journalists and perhaps the province’s most dynamic.

She embodies the spirit of NTV News, where versatility and professionalism are paramount. Cooke, who’s been with NTV for over 15 years, is willing to tackle any story, asking tough questions and delivering the product with accuracy and acumen.

Equally comfortable behind the desk as in the field, she perhaps shines brightest on live television. Her poise and comfort in front of a live television audience, as a reporter, is second to none in Newfoundland and Labrador broadcasting – no small task when considering the material she delivers is often technical and complicated.

Cooke also has the unique ability to make viewers feel like they’re listening to a trusted friend. That’s why you’ll see her fronting those “live hits” for national television, covering stories like the recent Royal Visit or major breaking news events that speak to a national audience.

Sunday Evening News

But like so many of her colleagues, Cooke doesn’t take herself too seriously. Yes, she takes her career seriously but is game for any challenge. 

A self-described adrenaline junkie – who has a penchant for adrenaline sports like skiing – it’s no surprise she tackles her journalism career with the same passion and vigor. 

She’s the first to raise her hand for participatory journalism assignments, from training with a search and rescue team to, wait for it, repelling from a helicopter. 

Those assignments, she admits, are among her most fun days at the office. Versatile is a word that best defines Cooke and, well, many of her colleagues.

She’ll file a major story one day and sit in the anchor chair the next. Cooke will anchor Newsday, First Edition and co-anchor The NTV Evening Newshour, and will be back reporting in the field just a day later. That’s the type of virtuosity that separates NTV News from the competition.

She’s not alone. Like Cooke, Amanda Mews has hosted everything from morning news and entertainment checkpoints, from Newsday to First Edition and the Evening Newshour. You can also find her, on occasion, delivering the weather forecast when Eddie Sheerr is out of the office. Did we mention she’s Cooke’s co-host on the The Sunday Evening Newshour?

Mews is also the station’s popular entertainment reporter, has a weekly feature (Backstage Pass) and hosts a weekly half-hour entertainment show. Oh, and is the main reporter for the daily Your Community feature.

Like Cooke and Mews, veteran journalist David Salter has hosted many of the same programs from time to time – news and entertainment checkpoints, Newsday and even First Edition, The Evening Newshour and Sunday on occasions. Salter also hosts his own weekend news program, Eyewitness News.

When he’s not anchoring, Salter is filing top news stories as a general assignment news reporter.

The station’s commitment to news – provincially, nationally and internationally – is what makes it a news leader. The NTV Evening Newshour has been the province’s top newscast for two decades, averaging over 100,000 viewers each night in this province alone. 

In fact, it’s not only the top newscast but is the most-watched program in Newfoundland and Labrador. There are nights, for example, when over 120,000 people in this province are tuning in, astonishing for a province of about 500,000.

“It says a lot about the incredible work this team does,” says Mark Dwyer, NTV’s Director of News and Current Affairs. 

“Hard work, consistency, a commitment to local news and a very talented team of people has earned us the trust of our viewers. We take that responsibility very seriously.”

‘Commitment to news’

NTV’s news team features many of the province’s top journalists. The anchor team is led by veteran broadcasters Toni-Marie Wiseman and Michael Connors, among two of the most trusted names in local news. Wiseman, of course, began her career with NTV over three decades ago. 

“I’ve been very fortunate to work with some great people over the years but, honestly, this team is incredible,” says Wiseman, who also anchors First Edition.

Her co-anchor, Michael Connors, is one of the province’s most trusted journalists. Connors was NTV’s legislative reporter since 2005, replacing Glen Carter at the desk when he retired earlier this year.

“I think our success stems from the Stirling family’s commitment to news,” says Dwyer. “In an era when other networks are looking for ways to cut, we look for growth. I’m very fortunate to be part of a team that works together to tell the stories that matter in this province, and around the world.”

And, of course, no topic is more important to people in this province than the weather and that’s why NTV Chief Meteorologist Eddie Sheerr plays such a pivotal role. No one delivers more detailed, in-depth and expert weather forecasting than Sheerr.

The NTV News brand is demanding. There are morning news checkpoints, a half-hour Newsday newscast at noon (weekdays at noon), not to mention 90 minutes of news from 5:30 to 7 (First Edition and NTV Evening Newshour). There’s The Sunday Evening Newshour, an hour-long broadcast anchored by Jodi Cooke and Amanda Mews

There’s news-driven programs like Issues and Answers (hosted by Michael Connors), Eyewitness News (hosted by David Salter), Week-in-Review (a half-hour recap of the week’s top stories), not to mention a half-hour weekly entertainment show (hosted by Amanda Mews). 

There’s also breaking news programs, everything from the provincial budget to election coverage.

“It’s a challenge to deliver all these programs but it truly shows how much depth we have at NTV,” says Dwyer.

One of NTV News’ secret weapons over the past few decades has been photojournalist Bart Fraize, noted for his work in spot news – from tragedies to rescues. His work has elevated NTV as a breaking news leader. 

Acquiring talent

Speaking about outstanding camera work, NTV has two of the best in Tony Barrington and Glenn Andrews. Barrington recently celebrated his 44th anniversary with the company. Andrews is emerging as one of the province’s top feature editors.

And the team keeps getting better with the acquisition of talent. Beth Penney, the 2018 Geoff Stirling Memorial Scholarship winner, has emerged as one of NTV’s top young journalists. Ben Cleary, who pursued a journalism degree after graduating with a political science degree at MUN, was named Atlantic Canada’s Top New Journalist in 2020. 

Cleary is now NTV’s legislative reporter. Bailey Howard and Marykate O’Neill, both outstanding young journalists, have been key additions to the NTV lineup in recent years.

The latest to join the award-winning newsroom is an award-winning journalist herself, Rosie Mullaley. After over three decades at The Telegram, she made the switch from print just weeks before Carter’s retirement.

Of course, that’s the St. John’s newsroom. Two of the province’s most familiar journalists are outside the overpass – Don Bradshaw and Colleen Lewis, the talented west coast and central correspondents who are fixtures with the NTV news brand.

“I challenge you to find a more talented, dedicated, multi-dimensional team,” says Dwyer, answering his own challenge with: “You simply won’t. This is a team I am so proud to be a part of. And when you factor in people like Sharon Snow, who can deliver the weather forecast, file a Your Community and Places to Go feature, you know you have a star-studded team.”

It’s no secret that NTV News has been number one in the ratings for over two decades. Incredibly, as conventional news audiences decrease throughout much of the world, NTV’s brand continues to grow. 

For a province of about 500,000 people, over 100,000 of them tune into NTV each day at 6 o’clock and just under 90,000 for First Edition at 5:30. Numbers continue to climb each year. The Sunday Evening Newshour also grew its audience with over 50,000 viewers tuning in each weekend.

There’s no secret recipe to NTV’s success over the years but the ingredients are obvious. It takes talent, hard work and leadership. It’s about telling stories and keeping viewers informed, and never has there been an era more important for doing just that.

“We are devastated to announce that we have lost our dear husband, father, and brother Paul,” the family shared via Pope’s personal Facebook account.

“He passed peacefully this morning surrounded by his loving family. We ask for privacy as we process this unfathomable loss. With love, Lisa, Joan, Glenn, Alex, Simon, Ezra, Debbie, and all his extended family. His kindness and dedication will be missed.”

Pope, owner and operator of Pope Productions, helped spearhead the boom of local film and television productions across the province, namely backing titles from Hudson & Rex, to Grown Up Movie Star and Rare Birds.

He was one of the founding members of the Newfoundland Filmmakers Cooperative and a board member of the Canadian Media Producers Association.

The Newfoundland Herald sends condolences to Pope’s friends and family in this difficult time.

Instead, she added, “there’s only admiration” for anyone who has heard the calling of journalism and praise for the people who tell all our stories. 

No one knows that better than viewers of NTV News. That crew has faced lock downs and epic snow storms with grace under fire. The flagship show – the NTV Evening News Hour – must go on and everyone put their best foot forward. In spite of the chaos and the unknowns, the NTV team saw the light and the love in Newfoundlanders and Labradorians and reported on inspirational people doing exceptional things while also sharing the dismal COVID facts of the day. 

There is always hope between the headlines and we were grateful. And while the Oscars gave us the slap heard around the globe – an entertainment world bummer – the 65th annual Grammys were the opposite. 

An unexpected feel-good highlight happened when Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the world in a pre-recorded video which included a passionate plea for support for his people. 

“Our musicians wear body armour instead of tuxedos, they sing to the wounded in hospitals … but the music will break through anyway,” Zelensky said. He concluded: “Fill the silence with your music! Fill it today, to tell our story…To all our cities the war is destroying: Chernihiv, Kharkiv, Volnovakha, Mariupol and others, they are legends already, but I have a dream of them living. And free. Free like you on the Grammy stage.”

While mixing war and musical awards might seem an odd combination, artists taking a stand for the greater good isn’t new. From the recording of Do They Know its Christmas by BandAid, to the recent charity song Lean On Me by artist CAN, a 2020 charity single featuring a who’s who of Canadian music legends, musicians have long offered support and now many have teamed up yet again to form a Stand Up for Ukraine initiative in a show of solidarity.

In real ‘Give Peace a Chance’ style, Doctors Without Borders received a $10,000 donation on behalf of Yoko Ono and Sean Ono Lennon, reminiscent of the days when John Lennon’s Bed-ins for Peace as the Vietnam War raged made the news. 

Herald founder Geoff Stirling and his son and publishing successor Scott Stirling had a profound encounter with John and Yoko in 1969. Inspired by one of their songs, the senior Stirling wrote a note to the couple that read, “I heard your Come Together, so here I am: Geoff Stirling,” further evidence that entertainment, news-makers and anti-war efforts often go hand in hand. As for those in the news business, they do their part. 

The Award Winning NTV News team has covered disasters at sea, DARKNL and Snowmageddon plus provided up-to-the-minute pandemic coverage, going above and beyond to educate and inform. However beyond the facts and figures, there’s good news yarns –  like one recent story about a local artist who uses her jewelry to help those living in Ukraine. 

Such stories provide hope – a light at the end of the tunnel tale so that at the end of a tough news day, there’s proof we’ll all make it. For that balance, those who tell our stories – good and bad– for a living are worthy of an extra dose of admiration.

Pam Pardy, The Herald’s Managing Editor, can be reached by emailing pghent@nfldherald.com

You know I do not usually watch the Oscars. I have not in years. They have been to me an example of wretched excess and were something to be avoided. There was always someone crying about something or other, or trying to push some cause. It was a predictable spectacle that I stayed away from.

This year I made an exception and I am glad now I tuned in. The whole thing spoke loudly. There on national television a man (Will Smith, an actor) assaulted another man Chris Rock (a comedian) for a perceived insult to his wife. 

Will Smith was not arrested or charged, and the show went on. 

The high moral ground

About an hour later when Will Smith won the award for best actor, he received a standing ovation. Imagine that. You commit a crime on television, and you get a standing ovation. Geez Louise. 

This is what fascinates me. This was front page news and fodder for assorted programs and platforms for editorialists. Meanwhile, half a world away the Russian army continued to pound Ukraine into dust while people in the thousands who were not watching the Academy Awards died.

Is it not odd what constitutes news and occupies our time? Now I did confess earlier that I did watch The Oscars, so I have lost any rightful claim to the high moral ground on viewing choices. I am as guilty as anyone. 

Having confessed to that here is my take on the Will Smith-Chris Rock dust-up that continues to make headlines around the world.  

The incident was clearly an assault, but no police were called. Smith was not clapped in irons and hauled away. Why was that? How was that decision made?

After the Oscar show ended Chris Rock did not file a complaint with the police. He looked good actually in his restraint. Now there are two aspects to this. I am “of the street”. That’s how I was raised in the west end of St. John’s. It’s a world of its own code and rules of acceptable behavior. 

Against ‘the code’

To reduce that to the world where disputes are sometimes settled by violence here is the rule. You do not sucker punch someone. It’s against the code. Will Smith walked up to Chris Rock and smacked him in the face. Very bad form. “Cowardly” is the word that springs to mind. That Smith’s wife was offended by a joke made by Rock about her head being shaved because of a medical condition is not a good enough justification.

There’s also a cynical side to me that wonders how brave actor Will Smith would have been if Chris Rock was six feet four inches tall instead of five nine. 

Here is the part I cannot wrap my head around. The standing ovation. What’s wrong in the world of show business and Hollywood? 

NTV’s Jim Furlong can be reached by emailing: jfurlong@ntv.ca

The binding power of food is beyond dispute or compare. Families gather in communal culinary bliss, old wounds can be healed while breaking bread. It’s the answer and the cure, to many of our woes. And boy, don’t we Newfoundlanders and Labradorians know it.

Our province, and it’s vibrant and ever-booming culinary scene, are a natural fit for spotlight and promotion, making the announcement that the latest season of Food Network Canada’s Big Food Bucket List touching down on our shores a wildly welcome one. 

Hosted by renowned comedian and noted foodie John Catucci, Big Food Bucket List takes viewers on an epic, coast-to-coast journey, spotlighting buzz-worthy, crazy, delicious food that demands to be featured on any food enthusiast’s bucket list. 

In each episode, Catucci visits the restaurants behind these must-eat meals and hits the kitchen to learn how the chefs make their mind-blowing creations. 

This season, Catucci and co. touched down at three notable NL eateries: Mallard Cottage, The Grounds Cafe and Seto Kitchen + Bar.

“I think there’s a certain personality trait that almost all chefs have, which is I need to feed you. This is what I have to do. I have to feed these people. I have to make them feel good. And then add the hospitality that exists in everybody in Newfoundland, it’s kind of ridiculous, right? It really is like no other part of the country,” Catucci shared in a sitdown with The Herald in advance of the season premiere.

‘Most beautiful thing’

“We had such a great time in St. John’s this year. We travelled around so much, got to drive around the coast and stuff. And it’s just honestly one of the most beautiful places in the country. You turn a corner and you’re like, OK, that’s the most beautiful thing. And then you drive another half hour and you’re like, No, no, that’s the most beautiful thing I ever saw. Just the cliffs and the water. Also, especially when you come to St. John’s, people are like, it’s not just a city, it’s a home. 

“So you come to the city and people are like, ‘Oh no, this is my house now, and I’m going to show you off and I’m going to show this house off and I’m going to make sure you’re well-fed and your drink is always full’ and there’s always a party happening and there’s always music and there’s always a fun time. And we felt it. We felt that this trip for sure.”

The latest batch of episodes kicked off on April 2nd, with Catucci visiting award-winning Quidi Vidi based establishment Mallard Cottage, owned and operated by celebrated chef Todd Perrin.

“What Todd Perrin is doing at Mallard is taking those classic Newfoundland dishes and then just going, ‘Oh no, this is not just a dish we’ve thrown together. We thought about this’. This is serious cuisine that we’re having,” Catucci teased, joking that, even upon a re-watch of classic Big Food Bucket List episodes, he finds himself salivating at the mere sight of the tantalizing eats thrown down by some of the best chefs in Canada and beyond.

“There’d be times where I’ll be watching the show and I’ve eaten the food already and I’m like, ‘Oh, that looks really good. I’m really hungry right now!’ And I was like ‘You just ate this!’ It’s so weird that I see myself eating the food and going, ‘Oh man, that was good. I should have some more of that.’”

Catucci, a longtime celebrated comedian and all-around lovable entertainer, admits candidly that he’s no master in the kitchen, but his connection to people – and an ever-loving passion for food – made his foray into hosting a no-brainer.

“When the producers first came to me, they were looking for somebody who could just shoot the breeze with people, have fun and just improvise pretty much, right? Just go with the flow. They weren’t looking for a chef. They wanted somebody who could just have fun and not take themselves too seriously. And I do that. That’s me. I can do that,” he joked. 

‘Eating our feelings’

“Being in the moment and listening, I really love that part of the job, the interview part. I really dig it. Getting to know people and figuring out their history and how they got here and how this dish was inspired by something their grandmother made or their aunt made, their mom or their dad made. It’s such great stories that are attached to food. And there’s so much love that’s attached to food as well. 

“We’re always eating our feelings, you know? Hopefully it’s for good and not for bad stuff. Food is such an amazing thing that brings so many people together, right? It’s a huge thing. There’s so many dishes that are so similar in so many different cultures, you can speak to that or this reminds you of something that you had. 

“Also, I feel like food is like true time travel. You take a bite of something and you’re just transported back to a moment in space, in a feeling. And I really love that.”

What can viewers expect from our very own local culinary hotspots, as well as the rest of Catucci’s bucket list chase this season? Mouth-watering dishes, naturally, but also a salute and warm hug of the power of food and the industry that has gritted its proverbial teeth and rolled with the punches during the global pandemic.

“I’m very happy, very proud of (the show) and also being able to showcase restaurants, especially right now during all of this,” Catucci admits. 

“On a normal day running a restaurant is tough. I can’t even imagine what people are going through and how many restaurants didn’t make it. And that’s really sad. 

“I grew up in restaurants, my uncles owned restaurants. My dad worked in a restaurant. I’ve been around that. I saw how families were fed.

“So seeing that love and the time and effort, and all of it that goes into running a restaurant on a regular day, and then add this unprecedented thing that we had to go through, that we’re still going through, it’s shocking and sad. But I’m hoping that our show can help showcase restaurants and bring some eyes, and some mouths, to those places. That’s really good.”

Catch all new episodes of Big Food Bucket List on Food Network Canada Saturdays at 8 PM ET/930 PM in Newfoundland 

Three Newfoundland and Labrador based culinary establishments will be featured on the new season of Food Network Canada’s Big Food Bucket List. 

Hosted by renowned comedian and noted foodie John Catucci, Big Food Bucket List takes viewers on an epic, coast-to-coast journey, spotlighting buzz-worthy, crazy, delicious food that demands to be featured on any food enthusiast’s bucket list. 

In each episode, Catucci visits the restaurants behind these must-eat meals and hits the kitchen to learn how the chefs make their mind-blowing creations. 

This season, Catucci and co. touched down at three notable NL eateries: Mallard Cottage, The Grounds Cafe and Seto Kitchen + Bar.

“I think there’s a certain personality trait that almost all chefs have, which is I need to feed you. This is what I have to do. I have to feed these people. I have to make them feel good. And then add the hospitality that exists in everybody in Newfoundland, it’s kind of ridiculous, right? It really is like no other part of the country,” Catucci shared in a sitdown with The Herald in advance of the season premiere.

The new season of Big Food Bucket List premieres on Food Network Canada this Saturday at 8 PM ET/930 PM in Newfoundland. Pick up our full feature with Catucci and Big Food Bucket List in our April 10-16 issue, on stands this Monday!

Oh! To have someone call me ‘Fancy Face’ as I set my wide jaw to indifference – though my eyes would say otherwise – would be the be-all-end-all of romantic endeavours. Or so I thought.

Romantic Dreams

Many things change over time, and as you age, so does your perception of that perfect love. Gone are the longings for daytime drama-like romances where demonic possessions, kidnappings and love-child sagas are the things romantic dreams are made of. And having a long thought dead husband return to reclaim his lost love after she’s fallen in love with another? No thanks! Who need the stress of tossing a messy love triangle into the already muddy mix of love and marriage? Not I!

There comes a time in life when seeing a partner load the dishwasher is all the foreplay one needs, or when not having to clean up the crumbs after them one night out of six means that what you have must really be true long-lasting love.

Now? In my fifties? I’m fascinated with ‘older’ couples who seem to have it all figured out. You see them around all the time. Hubby waiting outside a store as his lovey picks through the racks. The fella keeping the car warm for his missus outside the Costco, one eye on the door so he can drive around and fetch her when she pops out with cart chinched.

The duo out for a wee stroll holding hands and looking like they might actually be enjoying one another’s company. Swoon-worthy relationship goals. 

Of course there’s other more visible role models when it comes to love and romance and marriage.

The Queen isn’t a bad one to look up to when thinking of long-lasting love. The Queen and Prince Philip were married 73 years and if either ever strayed outside their marriage for comfort from another, rest assured the paparazzi would have grabbed the snaps and we’d all have read about it.

The image of the Queen sitting alone at the Duke’s funeral will long stay burned in my mind. That image of lonely is how you’d imagine you’d feel after the loss of your life partner, and that picture spoke a thousand words.

Other public couples also stand testament to long-lasting love, even though theirs would be considered a tad unconventional. Gene Simmons and NL’s own Shannon Tweed come to mind. Sharon and Ozzy are another rock ’n’ roll couple who are proof that through sickness and through health (and through all kinds of other strange, scary stuff) marriage can last and love can endure for who knows what rhyme or reason.

Against all odds

Even the most brilliant minds knew better than to analyze it. It was Albert Einstein who said wisely, ‘you can’t blame gravity for falling in love.’ Against all odds, love can last in Hollywood. Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell have been in love since their first date on Valentine’s Day in 1983 and Kevin Bacon has been anything but ‘Footloose” since meeting Kyra Sedgwick in ’87.

As for Fancy Face and her Bo?

Their love lasted and like the Queen and Philip, only death separated those lovebirds. Bo died in Hope’s arms in the same park where they first met. Be still my beating heart! And let’s not forget Nikki and Victor, who have been married and divorced at least once a decade over the last forty years and are still together in spite of near-deaths, reported demises and enough affairs to cast doubt on any possible romance rekindling. Proof there’s hope for the rest of us.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Rock Solid Builds, a home-reno show like no other thanks to colourful characters as well as homes, takes viewers to the rocky shores (and inland too!) of Newfoundland so third-generation builder, Randy Spracklin, can do what he does best: create while doing construction! 

With a team made up of his business partner and father Scott, ‘rookie’ loves-a-good-laugh apprentice Nikki, salt-of-the-earth been-there-done-that Paul, the crew battle the elements – and sometimes one another for a laugh – to pull off historic renos and jaw-dropping builds.

That ol’ NL charm

There’s Newfoundland-styled language, joking and pranks along the way as Spracklin and co. build spectacular new homes on the coast or loving renovate centuries-old properties, but no matter the project, the team always showcase the charm of living and working on the extreme eastern edge of North America. 

Nikki and her willingness to try anything has certainly caught attention. As a mom and an apprentice carpenter she’s become a hero to many. Add to that her colourful devil-may-care attitude and her willingness to take – and give – when it comes to jokes and pranks, and you have produced a home-grown fan fav. 

“Funny enough, Nikki wanted to get into the trade and we knew each other way back, say, when we were younger. She used to come to Brigus to hang around, and I guess that’s how she met her husband who’s from here,” Spracklin said.

Nikki wanted in, and she was willing to do the work, and at the time, Spracklin was looking for someone to help their busy Newfound Builders team.

“Because I knew Nickki, I could say she’s definitely got the right attitude and it just worked out well. We clicked and she got no trouble taking on any task,” Spracklin boasted. 

Bit colourful at times          

  There’s lots of work getting done on Rock Solid Builds, but there’s lots of fun being had too. Is all the laughing and joking part of a typical work day, we ask. 

“Oh my god, yes. You know, we Newfoundlanders, we love everything about ourselves because we’re so unique. We love our language and our culture and our sayings. Now, we especially love helping each other out, but you know, sometimes we like to have fun too and that can get a little colourful at times,” he admitted 

Newfoundlanders use words a little differently than other Canadians, for one thing, he added. 

“Nikki can swear and she swore on me a few times, especially if I’m playing tricks on her, but it’s all in good fun.” 

But at the end of the day, it’s about getting the job done and having a laugh while also embracing the opportunity to highlight this beautiful province of ours and its people, he added. 

“It’s just a great feeling to be able to do what we do and especially to do it here in Newfoundland. A lot of times people are looking at the show and are not sure what to think besides the fact that we really are a diamond in the rough.” 

Spracklin is a third generation builder, but he’s tried his hand at a few other things in a few other places over the years. 

“I went out west. I tried that whole Alberta thing and it wasn’t really for me,” he admitted. He just kept coming back to his first loves: woodworking and construction and good ol’ NL.

“I just kept coming back to the things I did with the old man growing up. Building houses was part of that.”

In 2008 Spracklin returned home and never looked back, he shared.

“You know what? This is definitely what I’m meant to do. Little did I know 15/16 years later, we’re going to have a TV show,” he said laughing.

Sitting at the table in Newfound Builders showroom as the crew worked away out in the shop, Spracklin admitted that the show with HGTV Canada started because of an email that went to his ‘junk’ folder. 

“Believe it or not, I got an email in my junk mail, and they were looking for an east coast show because there was nothing this side of Toronto. I emailed them back and here we are. Can’t believe it myself sometimes,” he admitted. 

A little good ‘junk’ mail

Now that they’ve finished taping Season Two, it’s almost like they’ve been “at it forever,” he said. “It’s the people behind the scenes that we are grateful for. We work together well and you don’t even remember they’re shooting a show. A lot of times they’re like, ‘Hey, don’t move yet because they’re shooting’ but other times we just do what we do and they (camera folks) do what they do. We’re just so used to blending together and I guess that’s what makes the show so awesome, because there’s no format. There’s nothing that we’re got to do and nothing we got to say. They’re just running behind us with a camera because you never know what will happen next.”

This is, he adds, real life. It’s construction in Newfoundland where everything needs to come by sea. It’s dealing with older homes and trusses that don’t fit and foundations that are ready to crumble. It’s hurricanes and epic snow storms and windy “some day on clothes” days. It’s being prepared for the unpreparable. 

“We are here on an island. The only two ways to get stuff is by boat and by airplane. When the wind is blowing the boat don’t run and you can’t ship big stuff by airplane. We’re all on one big rock, so people don’t realize that when you’re digging a foundation, sometimes you’re going to hit rock. Sometimes you use that to your advantage, sometimes not.”

And the homes themselves often have a mind of their own too. “These are 100-200 year-old homes you’re dealing with. So you have the weather and you have the house itself that you’re dealing with and sometimes you don’t even know how it’s standing. Some people would tear it down. That’s not our way.” 

‘We had snow in June’

Spracklin offers that Season Two presented one of his biggest challenges. 

“This season, you’re going to see probably one of the biggest head scratchers that I had since I’ve been in this business. We were in St. John’s and it’s supposed to be an easy renovation … and then we found a structural issue. I don’t know how the house stood up. We had to actually bring the excavator inside. We should tear it down, we thought, but you know what? The homeowners loved the history as much as we did, and we put it all back together.” 

That was probably one of the most amazing builds of the year, he added proudly. Besides the challenges the houses offer, working through all seasons is part of what makes what he does for a living fun, Spracklin said. 

“We had snow in June this year. It was great as much as it was tricky. And then we had a hurricane. But we went whitewater rafting in the fall and the production team were looking at us saying, ‘You’re really doing this in this weather?’ But yeah, that’s the thing. Weather just brings another bit of fun to anything you do in Newfoundland.” 

Besides Spracklin and his team, fans of the show get to know his wife and children too. They also get up close and personal with his clients. How are “regular Newfoundlanders” when it comes to being part of a show like Rock Solid Builds, we ask. “A lot of them are pretty open and they just go with it. The love of their home is real so they roll with the punches. A lot of times we have free range on what we get to do and design and build so that’s fun, too.” We ask about balance and home life. Spracklin has an extensive ‘honey-do-list at home, he admitted. 

“Life is pretty busy, but you get up early in the morning and you go to work and then you come home and spend time with the kids … but because I love what we do, I love work, and I love my family, it works out,” he said.

One big family

As a third generation builder, he comes by that passion naturally. 

“I can’t wait to get up every morning, actually can’t wait to go to work. But then on the other side of it, I can’t wait to get home and see the family. But then most of my family also works here and so we’re one big family, and I’m sure if the kids didn’t go to school, they’d be here too.” 

How is it being a home-grown celebrity? He sometimes forgets that part, he laughed. “Actually, we were in St. John’s around Halloween and we were at Lester’s (Farm) and this lady and this little kid came up and was talking and knew my name and I said, ‘how did they know me?’ And my wife’s like, ‘You’re on TV,’ and I’m like, ‘Oh yeah.’” 

The celebrity also attracts  come-from-aways too, he acknowledged. “For me it is still pretty surreal and hard to grasp because we’re just doing what we love to do. And other than having a camera following you it really is just like a normal day, but the rest of Canada is looking at Newfoundland. We get so many calls of people wanting to visit here, and wanting to move here, from watching the show.”

Pack up & Move here

Knowing that people just want to “pack up and move here from watching a show is pretty amazing,” he added. Of course Spracklin can’t blame them. “You drive here from east coast to west coast and look at any coastline or the mountains or the interior, it’s just beautiful. I said many times, there’s no other place in the world you’re going to get a view like this for the price tag. And that’s the other thing that Newfoundland ‘s got to offer.”

For more visit hgtv.ca/shows/rock-solid-builds