Book Recommendations:

The Perfect Scent: A Year Inside the Perfume Industry in Paris and New York
Written by Chandler Burr

As a collector, this book intrigued me to learn about the process, business and drama (!) in the world of perfume. Over the course of a year, the author followed the life of two scents: one a high-end, exclusive perfume for Hermés that was inspired by the Nile River and contained the notes of a mango only found in its valley; the other being a consumer-friendly wide release by Sarah Jessica Parker who was well invested in her fragrance’s production from start to finish. This book was quite fascinating and contained a lot of history and insider knowledge that has only enhanced my love of a good scent and the science behind it. The author could be incredibly snide at times, especially towards aquatics (my personal preference), but it made for an entertaining read.

Favourite line: “Coty–and Kenneth Cole, per his licensing contract with the company–makes millions off the Cole signature, mostly in the Midwest where the Cole scents are wildly popular with middle and lower-class straight guys who think they are buying the olfactory equivalent of a pair of Kenneth Cole shoes but wind up smelling like fluorocarbons. I smell Kenneth Cole and think of the hole in the ozone layer. A Coty executive once said to me “You can’t argue with money.” Yes and no: Kenneth Cole scents smell like air conditioning vents.”

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In 2023, I immersed myself in the media of my childhood listening to nothing but eighties tunes and rediscovering some of the iconic films of the decade. I’ve now segued to recapturing my teenage years and waxing nostalgic on the last decade before the internet (and later social media) took over our lives. It may not have been perfect at the time … but it was. The next series of books all brought me back to the nineties and the culture that provided backdrop to my formative years.

Last Night at the Viper Room
Written by Gavin Edwards

River Phoenix is often touted as the original Leonardo DiCaprio: an amazing actor who also happened to be a Teen Beat heartthrob to young women but was ultimately revered (and remembered) for talent and humanity beyond his years. Last Night at the Viper Room explores his trajectory from being raised in a cult to starting out in Hollywood, playing roles in iconic films such as Stand By Me and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. The book also examines the history of the infamous Sunset Boulevard nightspot The Viper Room and the characters that frequented it during an era when hard drugs were becoming harder. River’s legacy, unfortunately, will forever be tied to this location as the place of his death on Halloween, 1993. A sad narrative of what could have been.

Say Everything
Written by Ione Skye

Actress Ione Skye was never the top billed star but she was definitely part of the popular crowd throughout her career and has a lot interesting stories and observations to share. Her father was 60s folk singer Donovan. He never claimed her and she spent a lifetime learning how his absence and treatment of her mother was being repeated in her own life in relationships with people as varied as a Beastie Boy to an arrogant man of generational wealth to fully adult Anthony Kiedis (and also Flea) whom she had a toxic relationship with while underaged. This autobiography is perhaps the most self-reflective I’ve read from a celebrity. Her memories, praise and regret for marital discretions towards ex-husband Adam Horowitz being especially poignant.

Lollapalooza: The Uncensored Story of Alternative Rock’s Wildest Festival
Written by Richard Bienstock and Tom Beaujour

Lollapalooza defined the nineties in the same way that Woodstock defined the sixties. A festival curated with the hottest acts of the era bringing youth together through music, politics and people who can lift dumbbells with their penis (i.e. the Jim Rose Circus). This book is of my new favourite genre, an unfiltered oral history on everything that happened by the people who were there. From the festival’s humble beginnings to how it became a business conglomerate used to market alternative culture, this book is an excellent collection of sometimes bitter, sometimes hilarious tidbits about the personalities that played the Lolla stage. Reading about Courtney Love’s antics were a particular highlight as the shy, introverted teenage version of me was in awe of her and the strong, uncompromising woman I wished to become.

Featured Work: origins of a brand name brought to life

For over 50 years, Canpotex has reliably delivered high-quality Canadian potash to overseas partners becoming one of the country’s largest exporters while contributing to global food security. An animated logo was requested to visually illustrate the origins of their corporate name (Canadian Potash Exporters).

Several variations were developed and the project expanded into repurposing the material into short videos that could be shared on social media and in corporate presentations.

Media: Digital, Social
Software used: Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Express
Launch: Spring 2025

Book Recommendations

The Creative Act: A Way of Being
Written by Rick Rubin

It is difficult to always be “on” and to have the expectation from others that you will always craft magic while employed in an artistic field (making it easy for imposter syndrome to sink in). Because of this, I read a lot of books about creativity always with the hope that they will spark renewed inspiration. This one, by renowned music producer Rick Rubin, is easily one of the best I’ve read on the subject. It’s an easy read that I felt nudged me to look at the world with a new lens, to be present and engaged with everything around me in deeper and more meaningful ways. Some reviews negate the content by stating it is simply a book of pseudo-philosophical quotes but it was much more than that for me. I went in with no prejudice and feel I got the wisdom I was seeking.

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The Lonely City: Adventures in the Art of Being Alone
Written by Olivia Liang

I have often experienced pangs of loneliness in my life, even when surrounded by friends or other loved ones. Perhaps it is the baseline feeling of those born as only children who longed for connection in their formative years but learned to live without. I picked up this book to find solace with that but it wasn’t entirely what I expected; the book is certainly about loneliness but it is framed around famous artists and marginalized figures and the work they subsequently created as a result of their lack of belonging (real or perceived). The premise of art providing healing for tortured souls is a tale as old as time. Some chapters in this one were more engaging than others.

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Toxic: Women, Fame and the Tabloid 2000s
Written by Sarah Ditum

I came into adulthood during the time of Britney, Lindsay, et all. An era, not too long ago, in which the commodification of women seemed to heighten and become normalized by way of online tabloid culture and media like Girls Next Door and Maxim Magazine. In my twenties, I wasn’t immune to this societal influence (and pressure) and, sadly, felt my worth was tethered to whatever men thought of me. Thank god I’m now an old hag confident in my own skin. This book covers the stories and public crucifixions of those mentioned and many more, some of whom did not have a happy ending.

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Billionaire Wilderness
Written by Justin Farrell

My home away from home is a 15-minute drive from the Montana border. I have grown to absolutely love traveling through the region, admiring how pristine and vast the wilderness is and how sparse the population feels. It truly still feels like the Wild West to me. But it isn’t all rural farmers. Some of the richest individuals in America have been buying up property in Big Sky Country to make it their mansion away from mansion. This book explores that phenomena. The concept has the potential to be engaging and informative on issues this wealth gap creates but Billionaire Wilderness reads more like a scholarly thesis. I did not feel the motivation to finish it.

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The Customer is Always Wrong
Written by Scott Weiss

Scott is one of my favourite people to follow on social media saying everything we’d all like to say about the bullshit of the modern workplace.

Your Occasional Ham

Best thing that happened to me in 2024:

The Arctic Part V

The tundra buggy parked parallel to Hudson Bay offering each traveller an unspoiled view of this Arctic vista, made even more special by the fact that a mother polar bear was passing by with her two young cubs. Everyone on board remained silent, not wanting to draw fear–or ire–from them. The only sound audible was the steady click of a camera lens. I tried to take everything in, marvelling at the beauty and wonder of nature laid before me in what started as a feeling of being overwhelmed by it but then evolved to sadness at how the passing of time (and climate change) would alter it in the future. Thought of the hardship these majestic creatures face, including their potential extinction, left me misty-eyed. What will the Arctic look like in one hundred years? I felt very blessed to see it now.

You may wonder how the world’s largest land predator could sneak up on anything, but on the tundra they are cloaked perfectly by their surroundings. It is only until you observe the slightest of movement that you realize the rock in front of you is actually a polar bear curled in slumber. And that is what the mother bear and her two curious and playful cubs encountered next (and for the remainder of our excursion).

Sensing a potential threat in the immediate vicinity, the mother bear paused and stood on her hind legs sniffing at the air as the cubs continued to frolic unaware. Within a few minutes, she hurriedly turned around nudging her cubs to follow, which they did diligently. A large male bear who, up until then, had been asleep a couple dozen yards away twitched and also scoped the immediate area. The mood on the tundra buggy noticeably shifted as we were reminded that we are in the wild and these were wild animals; in nature, male polar bears may attack and kill cubs for sustenance or to mate with the mother, thus securing their own line of succession.

Can you spot the bear in this photo? (©2024, Deborah Clague).

As the mother bear and her cubs escaped, the large male returned to slumber and our tundra buggy driver decided upon another location for us to enjoy lunch.

Not too far away, another large male polar bear was lounging in the snow. We parked next to it and I enjoyed a delicious roast beef sandwich with warm soup, thinking to myself “how many people can say they dined with an actual polar bear?” Now I, for one, could! When not actively hunting or in pursuit, these creatures are actually quite lazy, spending most of their day conserving energy for when it counts. This unfazed bear stayed next to us for an hour as we ate. In a few day’s time, once Hudson Bay was frozen over and his long seasonal trek across it would begin, his life would be much different.

My lunch date, Churchill, Manitoba (©2024, Deborah Clague).

Looping around Polar Bear Point, we again came across the mother bear with her two cubs. It appeared she was trying to take her family north but a gauntlet of male polar bears inhibited her progress including one who gave chase before seeming to give up and turn away. We then watched her turn west, crossing the curiously named “No Pants Lake”. As it was almost time to head back for the day, the setting and light offered one last chance to preserve our memory. I made my way to the open deck of the tundra buggy for a clearer shot. It was getting quite cold and few other travellers joined me, save for an older gentleman with a set of binoculars.

“There’s another bear stalking her” he said to me.

“Where?” I asked, while squinting to see where it was. The man handed me his binoculars and pointed to a ridge of tall grass on the opposite side of the lake. Sure enough, if you looked ever so closely, there was a cream-coloured shape stealthily moving towards the mother bear and her cubs. She would get no rest today.

The mother bear seemed to know that the tundra buggies might provide safety and she headed directly our way with the male bear in pursuit, now completely visible as they all made their way across the frozen lake. Once covered by us, she darted into the tall grass terrain herself and seemingly disappeared. In comparison, the male bear took time to investigate the tundra buggies offering the day’s most up-close and personal view of their stature and strength. It was an unforgettable moment to end an unforgettable day.

The mother bear and her cubs cross No Pants Lake (©2024, Deborah Clague).

An up close and personal polar bear encounter in Churchill, Manitoba (©2024, Deborah Clague).

Polar Bear Point, Churchill, Manitoba (©2024, Deborah Clague).

At Hudson Bay, Churchill, Manitoba (©2024, Deborah Clague).

The Arctic, Part IV

A few moments after squinting to see that far-off bear, there was another spotting. This bear though was closer and striding towards our tundra buggy. With much excitement I reached for my digital camera, a once high-end model that I had set aside for years in favour of the ease and convenience of my iPhone. But on a trip like this, a bucket list excursion, I felt I needed something better. I tested my camera for a week beforehand to ensure it still worked. Fully charged the battery and purchased a new SD card … only to have it crap out on the tundra buggy, my moment to capture the first close encounter of a polar bear fading away as I feebly tried to conduct repair. All of my photos were captured on my phone. Not bad but not great. Thankfully my mind has 4K memory.

Continuing along, we made our way to Polar Bear Point, probably the best location for observing the majestic creature. Frontiers North has a “lodge” at the location made up of several outfitted tundra buggies connected together that include sleeping quarters, a lounge, dining car, and a rooftop deck to observe the aurora borealis. You can literally fall asleep and wake up next to polar bears at your window:

The Frontiers North lodge at Polar Bear Point, Churchill, Manitoba (©2024, Deborah Clague).

Still on our tour though, I overheard our driver communicating with another.

“Einstein is on site” relayed the other tundra buddy driver. I figured it was slang terminology for various members of their team. I could see outside my window there were two workers inspecting a tire at the lodge. One had a shotgun slung over his shoulder. Our driver also noticed and informed us that it is mandatory at all times for workers to be partnered up, with one carrying a weapon. Polar bears were huge but also stealth; he relayed warning about how you may have one circling you, only to realize (too late) that each circle is winding closer and closer. I have also heard that if you see a polar bear at all, it may be fatal; for they have already been stalking you and will attack imminently.

Looking out at the Arctic panorama, it felt like I was in a National Geographic documentary. The beauty was otherworldly. All I could imagine were the epic adventures these shores of Hudson’s Bay have seen. And now here was mine. I could count a handful of polar bears around me. Some wandering. Some lazing by rocks. And then I learned who “Einstein” was.

A mother bear with her two cubs.

E = mother with cubs, squared.

A mother polar bear with two cubs at Hudson’s Bay, Churchill, Manitoba (©2024, Deborah Clague)

The Arctic, Part III

During the 20-minute drive from Churchill proper to the tundra buggy loading dock, we encountered a number of white pick-up trucks racing down side roads. “They are also searching for polar bears” announced the guide, although I wasn’t certain how successful they could possibly be. The noise and speed seemed counterintuitive to sneaking up on anything. Up above in the sky were endless helicopters doing the same thing. At first I thought they were there to monitor the landscape, tracking bears that were, perhaps, getting too close to the townsite. Nope. They were also full of tourists. The brief window of opportunity to see the world’s largest land predator in the wild was a calling card for many. Because of this, I would bet the population of Churchill was double the time I was there.

Tundra buggies are a unique form of transportation specific to Churchill, Manitoba. The first tundra buggy was actually invented by Frontiers North, the same tourism company I was traveling with. They are large and can fit roughly 40 passengers, each seat offering a great unimpeded view. There is also an outside deck. They have one washroom at the rear of the vehicle that can only be used when stopped. There are no barf bags offered on board. I highlight these last two details because I have never, ever, felt so nauseous as I did riding one.

Now I love amusement parks and other thrill-seeking activities. The higher and faster a rollercoaster, the better. This, however … this slow, bumpy ride just didn’t sit well with me. I felt sick and on the verge of losing my lunch the entire time we were moving. Considering I was one of the younger people on my tour, I couldn’t show this weakness though. The retirees would have laughed.

And despite being slow, the ride was jarring at times. We got semi-stuck in an icy half-frozen ditch, our driver having to hang his head out the window to ensure we were clearing it and could continue on our journey. At one point it felt like we were very close to tipping over and another passenger inquired if it had ever happened. The driver confirmed that a tundra buggy has never tipped over. They aren’t built that way. As they weren’t equipped with seatbelts, I trusted he was telling the truth.

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At about thirty minutes in, another passenger excitingly called out a sighting of a bear. Everyone moved to the left-hand side of the vehicle straining to see where it was. Those with binoculars confirmed it was true. And then I saw it. Far (far) in the distance, I could see a creamish four legged creature slowly walking across the tundra, the gait very obviously of a bear. It felt amazing. Had I not seen anything else that day, I would have felt I got my money’s worth. Little did I know though, that the day was just beginning and I would have a first-class seat to the natural predation habits of the wild in the Arctic.

The Arctic, Part II

For those fortunate to spot a bear in the wild, either grizzly or black, you will typically only see one. Perhaps you are really lucky and witness a mom rearing her cubs. Most of the bears I have encountered in the Rockies and the unspoiled wilderness of northern Saskatchewan have been solo males hanging out by the side of the road wandering in and out of a forest in search of food. Their territory clearly defined (and defended).

In Churchill, Manitoba, however, I did not just see one bear.

Or two. Or three.

At Polar Bear Point on the shores of Hudson’s Bay, I encountered more than a dozen bears some of which were within sightline of each other. More than a dozen of the largest land predator in the world all around me as I watched them safely from the observation deck of a tundra buggy. It was absolutely awe-inspiring. Had I been on the ground though, it would have been absolutely terrifying.

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Growing up in Manitoba, the lore of Churchill was well known. I knew that they were the polar bear capital of the world. I knew there was a “jail” outfitted for wayward bears that frequented the townsite. I knew that Halloween was particularly harrowing, not just out of fear towards ghosts and goblins but the very real possibility that children would encounter a polar bear while trick-or-treating. Late October and early November are the time of year they encroach upon the townsite en masse while waiting for Hudson’s Bay to freeze over. This is where they continue their journey through the winter months in search of food (mainly seals). Some of this may scare people off from visiting the northern port town but I always had it on my bucket list.

I booked my tour in the Spring and embarked last week.

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Landing in Churchill, I felt a sharp winter chill as soon as I disembarked the airplane. The northern tundra was very different from the prairie landscape I left behind. Trees, mostly black spruce, only flourished on one side, a result of the harsh wind and debris that blows inland from Hudson’s Bay resulting in a perfect visual of just how wild and untamed this part of the world is. The airport itself was quite small and I had a moment of surprise when I saw Manitoba license plates on all of the vehicles; it felt so different than any place I’d ever been that I momentarily forgot it was, in fact, the province I grew up in.

Boarding a bus, I made my way to the Frontiers North tundra buggy hub, a 20-minute excursion from Churchill proper. On the way, we passed the infamous polar bear “jail” (né holding facility), an abandoned ship named the MV Ithaca that had been sitting in the harbour since 1960, and I learned of the townsite’s history as a military base and testing site.

My adventure was just beginning.

Departing a North Caribou Air flight after landing in Churchill, Manitoba (©2024, Deborah Clague).

The boreal forest flourishes only on one side, a result of the harsh wind and debris blowing inland from Hudson’s Bay (©2024, Deborah Clague).

The Arctic, Part I

Checked an item off my bucket list this week by visiting Churchill, Manitoba and experiencing a polar bear safari. It was an amazing, captivating, wondrous trip of a lifetime, the magic of which I’m not sure I will be able to properly articulate with words:

At Hudson’s Bay, Manitoba (©2024, Deborah Clague).

Churchill Airport, Manitoba (©2024, Deborah Clague)

A warning for visitors, Churchill Airport, Manitoba (©2024, Deborah Clague)

Hitting the tundra (©2024, Deborah Clague).

One of the first of many bears spotted, Churchill, Manitoba (©2024, Deborah Clague).

A mom with her two cubs, Churchill, Manitoba (©2024, Deborah Clague)

Very (very) large paw prints are found all over the tundra at Polar Bear Point, Churchill, Manitoba (©2024, Deborah Clague).

The main routes of the Frontiers North tundra buggies, Churchill, Manitoba (©2024, Deborah Clague).

One of the most amazing experiences of my life was having lunch (not being lunch) with this dude, Churchill, Manitoba (©2024, Deborah Clague).

A mother polar bear with two cubs, Churchill, Manitoba (©2024, Deborah Clague).

Churchill, Manitoba (©2024, Deborah Clague).

Polar bear in Churchill, Manitoba (©2024, Deborah Clague).