Listed below are a couple quick tricks, tips and short cuts to ensure that you get to enjoy your holiday and are not stuck in line at the mall or slaving away at the stove.  Hope they help!

Last Minute Gift Shopping: Whether you are shopping for actual Christmas gifts or hostess presents, I would recommend avoiding the malls and head to some of the amazing stores the Hamilton Halton & Niagara region has to offer.  If you are looking for:

Wine or Beer: Head out to wine country!  It’s right outside your backdoor! Not only will the drive through the scenic and breath taking wine route totally relax you, you will also find some amazing and unusual gifts to surprise your friends and family!  There are simply too many wineries to count, but check out  www.winesofontario.ca for a complete wine country map.  If you are really strapped for time, head to the LCBO.  Some of my favourites right now are Fat Bastard Shiraz, Liberty Schoolhouse, Grey Fox, Creemore Springs, The Oatmeal Stout or Green Apple Beer from Nickelbrook Beers…the list is endless

Hostess Gifts/Stocking Stuffers: What better things to give someone who loves food than a delicious treat for them to indulge or a new ingredient or utensil for them to play with in the kitchen!  Head out to Denningers, Greensville Gourmet or Dyment’s Fruit Market (just to name a few) to pick up a really funky sauce, preserve or yummy morsel.  My favourites from Dyment’s are their Butter tarts!  Even though they are famous for their pies, it’s their butter tarts that just make my mouth water.  A pack of 6 with a great bottle of wine would be a fabulous hostess gift!

Last Minute Shopping for Your Holiday Dinner: Head to the Farmer’s Market! Your entire meal can be purchased at a Farmer’s Market, saving you from the hassle of the too crazy and cramped grocery stores.  There is tons of parking available at the Farmers Market, and the cheeriest people to help you plan out the meal for the entire family (a stressful feat as we all know!)  Here are the hours for Hamilton’s Farmers Market http://www.hamilton.ca/CultureandRecreation/HamiltonFarmersMarket/

Quick Fix Appetizers: Two of my go-to favs are:

Sweet & Smoky Pecans: they are quick, cost effective and easy to make at home.  They are also a unique item, not usually seen on the average appetizer list, especially if you serve them as single portions in red & green cupcake paper liners. The protein the nuts also keeps your guest satisfied in case dinner runs a bit late.  Please check out the recipe here http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/recipes/quick-recipes/dinner/guilt-free-holiday-recipes/

Saigon Soul Fine Foods: This store on James ST South, Hamilton has some of the most amazing spring rolls I have ever tasted!  You can pre order a batch from them (sauce and all) and have them all ready cooked or fresh and ready to be popped in the oven!  The Spring Rolls are full of natural flavours, they add an authentic and eclectic taste to your traditional holiday menu and aid in satisfying both the meat eaters and vegetarians in the crowd!

Quick Dessert for Dozens: Dads Cookies (If dad’s making them, you know there are not a ton of steps)  All you need in a couple of boxes of Mr. Christies chocolate wafers, a quart of whipping cream, a pinch of sugar and a splash of vanilla.  Whip the whipping cream with sugar and vanilla until it is light and fluffy.  Then dollop the whip cream on the wafers and continue to layer with another dollop of whip cream and wafer (I usually do about 3 or 4 layers in total).  You can top them with festive sprinkles or chocolate shavings.  Throw the tray of cookies in the fridge for an hour or two while everyone is enjoying dinner.  That’s it! You’re done! They take 10 minutes to make, but are always a HUGE hit with kids and adults alike.  Not only are they delicious, they are so much fun to eat because the whip cream oozes out!  It also cuts down on your pile of dirty dishes because no dessert plates are necessary…just big napkins!  I can’t wait to indulge tonight

Happy Holidays to you and yours!  Hope your festivities are filled with great company and event better Food & Drink!

Cheers

Cultural divisions are proven insignificant where true love abounds.  “Love’s Exotic Odyssey” is exemplary of an extraordinary passion and friendship between two persons who unknowingly are searching for the other.  Disregarding societal mores, two persons become friends and lovers despite having grown up in two very opposing cultures.

~B.K. Wright~

Available at www.beautobeau.com, as well as Smashwords, Barnes & Noble, Amazon, 1 Romance ebooks, all of which can be accessed via Links from my site.

The weather was not cooperating with us this year.  The day started off with the wind topping off around 40 knots.  It settled down to an easy 20-30 knots by the time the event started.  People still came though to see Santa on the ship and enjoy all the fun crafts and activites in the museum.  I think it is testament to the people of Erie that you will still come out to an event in that kind of weather.  Our volunteers also were there in large numbers to make sure the event went well.  We even had one of our volunteers celebrate his 16th birthday with us that night.  In case you missed it take a look at these pictures:

Niagara Falls, New York, USA, 2008

View Larger Map

Niagara Falls, New York, USA, 2008

View Larger Map

If you live in Ontario, no doubt you heard about the massive snowstorm that hit Ontario’s cottage country late last week. It dumped well over a metre of snow! Ontario ski resorts are delighted with snow conditions which are expected to be excellent right through the holiday season.

Trillium Resort & Spa in Muskoka

We corresponded with many ski resorts last month. All are offering competitive rates. Check here for overnight getaways that include skiing or snowboarding at Hockley Valley, Sir Sam’s, Blue Mountain, Hidden Valley, Horseshoe Resort, Mount St. Louis Moonstone and Calabogie Peaks.

New Year's Eve party at Great Wolf Lodge in Niagara Falls

Many other Resorts of Ontario members sent us their Christmas and New Year’s Eve plans and we included these on previous posts. On a November 13th post,  you’ll find Christmas ideas and deals. On November 18th, we posted about resort family, food and spa ideas for the holidays. On the November 26th post, we turned our attention to what some of the resorts have planned for New Year’s Eve. And then last week’s post, we added more deals for New Year’s. You can also scroll down and find other resort getaways suitable for a holiday break on earlier posts. The holidays at the resorts include elaborate chef menus for Christmas, Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve dinners, some great food and spa getaways for couples and lots of Christmas and New Year’s deals for families and couples at hotels, lodges, inns and cottage resorts across the province.

The Taylor Cup competition – outdoor hockey at Bayview Wildwood Resort

Further ski, Christmas and New Year’s getaway deals can be found on the Resorts of Ontario website. Over one hundred resort members are linked to this site. They’re listed alphabetically. There’s also a search engine that will help you narrow down your resort choices by type, by Ontario region, by season and by activity. Click on winter, for example, and you’ll see you get more options to further narrow your search. Even pet owners can check which resorts are pet-friendly. A monthly resort newsletter is also on the site and it lists package deals too. To view or to sign up for it, check here.

Safe and happy holidays everyone!

Pontoons get changed for skis in winter at Elmhirst Resort

From today’s paper:

U.S. High-Speed Rail Draws Local Interest

Capital Budget of $132.5 M Proposed

Both the high-speed rail and the regional transit projects are simply a dream at this point, but it is encouraging to see that they are being considered somewhat seriously by some folks.

And on the subject of alternative transportation, I officially “retired my ride” this week. I guess that means the Great Car-Free Experiment has now drawn to a close. Thanks for playing along.

JC’s mom surprised us with a free companion ticket to anywhere in the United States. After some discussion and googling we decided to go to Niagara Falls. Neither of us had been there before and JC had never left the United States.

In Canada!

Now, before I get into a brief photo rundown of our short vacation I would like to point out a couple things:

1. We did not go to Niagara to get married
2. We decided to go BEFORE The Office wedding happened!

With our plane ticket we flew from Orlando to Buffalo (through Atlanta of course). Since we had booked a “package” with Orbitz that included the hotel and rental car it gave us the ability to make a quick stop before driving to Canada…

The ORIGINAL!

We visited (and ate) at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, NY. The ORIGINATION of the buffalo wing! Being in enemy territory, I chose to wear a Dolphins hat…of course!

GO DOLPHINS!

We decided to stay on the Canadian side of the falls (way better views but a LOT more touristy) but bought a package on the American side. Our hotel was this amazing thing:

Yes, we had a view of a drop tower from our room!

We did the Cave of the Winds and the Maid of the Mist (both AMAZING!).

Both of these tours gave us cool ponchos!

I definitely recommend visiting Niagara Falls. It is a powerful sight and sound. We found ourselves just staring at the falls at times.

One night we had dinner at the Crowne Plaza hotel. This was our view:

Wow...Just Wow!

I took a bunch of pictures, but they don’t do the views justice at all. I’m going to finish here by just letting you look at a bunch of the pictures!

Cuties

American Falls

Canadian Falls

When we walked across the Rainbow Bridge

They light the falls at night!

Standing in the rapids near Three Sisters Islands

And finally, my beautiful girlfriend and I standing inches away from the falls:

Great pic!

NIAGARA (More4, Thursday Dec 10 at 11.15am)

Watch Marilyn Monroe sizzle as the fuschia-clad femme fatale who may be having an affair at the honeymooners’ hotspot. This tense 1953 drama was one of her breakthrough movies – and watching her work THAT dress (teamed with hoop earrings and a whisper of gauze draped round her shoulders), you can see why …

Buffalo is New York states second largest city. It was once a bustling industrial city is now better known for its colleges and cultural scene.

The world has been beating a path to the Buffalo Niagara region since shortly after Father Louis Hennepin became the first European to describe the prodigious cadence of water that is the might Falls in 1678.

While French explorer Robert LaSalle is credited as the first white man to view the area in around 1628, it would be another 130 years before the first permanent French settlement was established.

More recently, beginning in the early 1980s, the city has undergone a renaissance as old, smoke stack industries have been replaced with financial and high technology firms. Additionally, the waterfront has been developed more wisely, with housing, businesses, restaurants and recreation replacing the steel mills and factories.

Passion for Greater Buffalos architecture, history, and culture on our sleeves, by spreading the word and growing the movement through tours, lectures, and presentations across Western New York to the general public, schools, and private groups.T he recently launched Open Air Bus Tours by The Campaign for Greater Buffalo History, Architecture and Culture runs several times daily throughout the city, with a variety of tours specializing in important cultural and historical aspects.

Whether its watching river otters romp in their way cool pool at the Buffalo Zoo, getting soaked yourself on a summertime excursion on a Whirlpool Jet Boat Tour or exploring the amazing collection of antique toys at the Toy Town Museum, fun is easily found for you and your family.

For an exhilarating ride into the Niagara River gorge try a Whirlpool Jet Boat tour. Its a 45 minute ride on the wild side for the whole family from May through October.

It has four very pronounced seasons summer winter spring and autumn.

Bars and nightclubs in Buffalo can stay open until late. Many bars in dont get going until sometime after midnight on weekends. There are a lot of strips and bars to choose from.

With thousands of hotel rooms in the area, as well as dozens of quaint country retreats and rustic bed and breakfasts, visitors to the region always have a number of options from which to choose. Be it deluxe downtown accommodations right in the middle of the urban action or a peaceful couple of nights spent in an inn overlooking the Niagara River, its all up to you.

I had been looking forward to the Canadian Wine Tasting at Whole Foods Venice all week and it did not disappoint. I hate to brag, but I think my Whole Foods is the coolest Whole Foods of all time- we have a wine tasting bar IN THE STORE. (It’s pretty sassy.) Last night’s tasting marks the first time I’ve taken advantage of said wine bar, which is sad… but I know I’ll make up for lost time

I went with my dear friend/Venice resident/Winos Anonymous reader Katie H and she was kind enough to document the occasion:

The Whole Foods Venice wine tasting bar in all its glory.

What’s better than a wine tasting? A wine tasting with free cheese.

Me with the beautiful Katie H!

The tasting was held by Wes Kollar from Decant Wine Events, who was both knowledgeable and fun (you’ll see why later in the post…)

First up was the Konzelmann Estate 2007 Pinot Blanc. The Konzelmann Estate moved from Germany and set up shop on the Niagara Peninsula in 1984, so though the wine region is fairly new, their process of producing quality wines is not. As far as this Pinot Blanc is concerned, it’s light and semi-dry (which is something I didn’t think I’d like, but really, really did) with tasting notes of green apple, pear, straw, zesty citrus (a little tangerine, a little grapefruit, and a little lime.) It’s smooth with a nice acidity and is tart with slight residual sugar, which all leads to a well-balanced, easy-drinking white. This wine is sold for $11.99, which is a great value for this quality white.

Konzelmann Pinot Blanc (photo courtesy of the Wall Street Journal)

Next was the 2007 Chateau des Charmes Aligote. Aligote is a Rhone varietal, which Wes referred to as “The Poor Man’s Chardonnay.” You know me- I don’t exactly jump for joy when I  hear “Chardonnay” and nothing gets me less excited than hearing “Poor” and “Chardonnay” in the same sentence, but I was open. Fortunately, there was no oak present, which was a lovely surprise… just soft, smooth butter. If butter is your thing but oakiness is not, go ahead and give this one a try. $15.99

Chateau des Charmes Aligote

The third wine was also from Chateau des Charmes- a 2006 Viognier. Katie H and I were both big fans of this one. It was incredibly floral and aromatic, with notes of orange blossom, honeysuckle, lemon zest, and green pear. It was mouth-filling, smooth, and had low acidity, with a slight effervescence and a big aftertaste. There was also some residual sugar, which I’m not usually a huge fan of, but these Canadian wines were shaking up my wine habits last night! It’s $24.99, which is probably a little more than I’m willing to pay for it, but if Viognier is your thing and you’re willing to pay 25 bucks for it- I’m not going to stop you!

Chateau des Charmes 2006 Viognier

The last, but DEFINITELY not least wine we got to taste was the 2006 Konzelmann Estate Ice Wine. OH MY GOD I tasted it and my eyes rolled into the back of my head- I almost fell out of my chair. Dessert wines don’t usually do it for me, but this one is what Wes referred to as “LPR,” or “Liquid Panty Remover.” And I have to say he’s quite right. Other terms thrown out to describe this wine included “Nectar of the Gods,” “Liquid Gold,” and my personal favorite from Katie H, “An orgasm in your mouth.” Yup. This was sex in a bottle, alright. I composed myself only long enough to write down one descriptor word: honey. This dessert wine was just like honey. Too bad it costs a little more than honey- 42 bucks to be exact. But hey, as far as Ice Wines go, this is actually a bargain. The reason Ice Wines are so expensive is because it is a difficult, dangerous endeavor and there are strict, painstaking rules as to what constitutes an ice wine made in the traditional manner- according to the Wine Bible, “all ice wine must be made by allowing the grapes to freeze naturally on the vine, picking them by hand one frozen grape at a time, then gently pressing them to yield tiny amounts of superconcentrated juice.” I know it’s a splurge, but if you can manage, this ice wine won’t disappoint. Try it with a small piece of really good bleu cheese (which is how we did it… ’twas amazing.)

Ice Wine/Nectar of the Gods/Liquid Panty Remover

This was such a wonderful tasting- $15 got me a cheese plate and 4 generous pours of Canadian wine that I normally would never have been exposed to. I am proud to be a newly minted fan of Canadian wine! Give it a try, winos!

by Malcolm Jolley

Donald Ziraldo on his new vineyard with the orginal Inniskillin winery building in the background.

Donald Ziraldo points at a dilapidated shack of a building on the family property he’s planted fifteen new rows of Riesling vines, and tells me, “You’re looking at the original Inniskillin winery.” Then, he unsentimentally explains that the shed needs to be torn down, but he’s not sure exactly he’ll put up in its place. This is clearly not a man hung up on the past, although he turned out willing to share a few stories when pressed.

The Niagara native founded Inniskillin in 1974 with winemaker and Austrian immigrant Karl Kaiser. In 1975 they received the first winery licence in Ontario since 1929 and they kick-started the good wine revolution in Canada by planting European-sourced vinifera grapes and competing confidently with regions of the world. Ziraldo explains there big break came in 1989 at Vinexpo in Bordeaux, not only did their Vidal icewine win a gold medal but they serendipitously opened up a very important market. “That was the peak of the Japanese economy,” Ziraldo explains, “and they were buying up assets around the world. They hoped to buy some of the big chateaus, although the French wouldn’t let them.” Inniskillin (and by extension, Niagara icewine’s) big win caught the attention of the frustrated businessmen and their accompanying press at the show. Pretty soon after Ziraldo was chartering buses from Niagara Falls to pick-up Japanese tourists to bring them to the winery and Inniskillin was dominating the Asian market for dessert wine within years.

Icewine became Niagara’s flagship product in the 1990s, and Ziraldo its main champion. He tells me about the moment of truth when he tried to sell a Manhattan wine shop a case of Inniskillin Chardonnay, which he considered their strongest brand. “The guy pointed at his shelves and said ‘I’ve got 400 Chardonnays and 200 are from Burgundy, so why would I need one from Canada?’” When Ziraldo returned with the icewine he made the sale, and so a global phenomenon was born.

Meanwhile Inniskillin had grown, merged and permutated into Vincor and then sold to Constellation brands, leaving Ziraldo free to do wha the liked, save for a non-compete clause that was to keep him away from the wine business. For the past few years he has thrown himself into reviving the Vineland Research and Innovation Centre by accepting its chairmanship and fighting to help the agricultural sector survive and flourish on the Niagara peninsula. An agressive campaign to save the 100 year old research facility has brought renewed interest and architect Jack Diamond has been brought in to design new facilities on the beautiful campus by Lake Ontario. It was at Vineland that Ziraldo helped form the VQA, serving as its Founding Chairman. When he is not otherwise giving back to his beloved region by raising money for Niagara College’s Teaching Winery or Brock University’s Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute, he relaxes on extreme skiing trips to the Rocky Mountains. And just recently, as it turns out, has decided to get back to making a little wine.

There are only 400 cases made of the 2007 Ziraldo Riesling Icewine, and when asked Donald Ziraldo doubts he’ll ever make much more. He’s planted enough Reisling at the old family property to cover about that much, though the grapes won’t come into production for a few more years. In the mean time he is happy to play the role of negociant and source frozen grapes from around the peninsula. Ziraldo tells me he was goaded into getting back into making and selling wine when his friend John Howard of Megalomaniac Wines offered him his surplus icewine just as his non-compete was about to expire. Ziraldo asked Karl Kaiser to supervise the vinification and the master winemaker created a premium wine that Ziraldo is offering a $60 for a standard half bottle. The wine exhibits an altogether appropriate peachiness, with a refreshing mago twang. Sitting in Ziraldo’s living room on a dull November morning, the wine’s more lemony acidic note kept me sipping until my glass was empty. Luckily at 8% alcohol by volume the effects of the glass were minimal – could this be the perfect breakfast wine? In all seriousness, it is light and playful enough – without being overly sweet – to be an aperitif. It is also,  of course, a highly sophisticated dessert wine.

The 2007 Ziraldo Riesling Icewine is available at select LCBO Vintages stores. (You can check which stores by clicking here, but it may be worth calling ahead to ensure stock, since the LCBO’s inventory system is famously unreliable.) Look for the distinctive art deco designed box, which draws from Ziraldo’s collection and the Charles Comfort’s designs at the old Toronto Stock Exchange. You can also find out more about Ziraldo Wines and where tog et them at www.ziraldo.ca.

Malcolm Jolley is the editor of Good Food Revolution

The last forecast I saw had 2-4 inches of snow in it for the Erie Waterfront.  I guess that means that summer is finally over.  Luckily, we got the winter cover on before the snow came down.

Pat, Rob and Isaiah have been working to get the rest of the small pieces of the cover put in which hasn’t been too bad so far but as the wind had increased

the temperature has been dropping.  Tomorrow there will be snow and they will be outside seizing off the Main Shrouds.  We will most likely be working outside for another 2 -3 weeks until eveything is finally ready for winter.  So, think warm thoughts for your friends down here on the US Brig Niagara.

remembering a teacher

active reflection
of water stars off
the niagara
observes
informs
involves

Tonight we are featuring one of our 3 Fabulicious first dishes:

Spinach Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing & Candied Beats

I had a great wine and food match last week…..or should that be a food and wine match…..not sure….

I made a Risotto consisting of chicken, the odd asparagus spear, a few peas, a squeeze of lemon and some herbs (fresh, not dried Patrick).  I would share the recipe, but, well, I dont use recipes too often, and I even less frequently measure ingredients, so I’m not much use to you there.  Besides, I am not qualified to post recipes on this site, and am happy to leave that to the experts that frequent the ‘Good Food’ section.

One thing I think I am qualified to blog about however is Sauvignon Blanc.  And as luck would have it, a good example of a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc from Seresin Winery (available in Vintages), made a pretty good match to my Risotto.   When serving a wine with food it obviously helps your pairing efforts if your serve the same wine you cooked with alongside dinner.  And if  the flavours from the wine match the ingredients you are cooking with, you can’t go wrong!  Not only did my ‘Savvy’ have flavours of herbs, citrus, asparagus and peas, but the acidity also did a nice job of cutting through the creaminess of the risotto – I like cheese, as you may recall from a previous post.

Sauvignon Blanc is a great wine to match with food and gives you a lot of options – especially for the seafood lover.  Mussels, oysters, and even the humble fish and chips can all be enhanced by a glass of Savvy.  Anywhere you would think about squeezing a lemon, try a glass of Sauvignon Blanc as well.  It’s not a bad salad wine either – especially if there is a good goat cheese involved!  There are some good Niagara examples available – both the Southbrook Triomphe Sauvignon Blanc and the Creekside Winery 2007 Reserve Sauvignon Blanc are well worth the drive to their respective wineries.

Cheers.

Are you planning a getaway to the wonderful tourist attraction – the Niagara Falls. This beautiful and wonderful fall forms the border separating the State of Ontario on the Canadian side from New York in the United States. The Canadian part of the falls is referred to as the Horse shoe falls and in the United States side it is known as the American Falls. The Niagara Falls is truly a sight to behold that would leave a lasting impression for life. The Niagara is one of the most romantic locations that offer the perfect setting for a romantic holiday. You can even plan for a truly memorable honeymoon here. Imagine the Niagara right outside your window, oh! What a romantic setting. There are hotels at Niagara that offer suites with a beautiful fall view. With the beautiful falls forming the perfect backdrop for a gourmet meal and also your bedroom view, guess one cannot ask for more.

Over the years, this picturesque destination has witnessed a huge inflow of visitors. The Niagara Falls plays the perfect host to millions of visitors all year round. Summer is the best time to be here. This is when the Niagara resembles a beautiful bride all decked up. During this time the falls are a vibrant and beautiful sight to behold both during the day and at night. With the floodlights from the Canadian part of the falls illuminating the Niagara till midnight, it really is a beauty.

The Maid of the Mist boat cruise in Niagara Falls is one that you must experience while you are here. This is truly an opportunity of a lifetime. There are a number of boats that operate making it a wonderful experience. You can even decide to take the helicopter tour over the Niagara that offers an absolutely breathtaking scene.

A real marvel of nature, the Niagara Falls offers a number of opportunities for the tourist whether on a romantic vacation, a family holiday or an adventurous trip. Hotels here make a real value addition to your holiday with the luxury, comfort and service that is fit for a king. The hotels also offer services of sight seeing and help make your holiday truly memorable. With pre-planned and well-arranged guided tours you do not have to wait in the long queues for seeing the beautiful tourist spots. All arrangements for you to walk in straight are made in advance ensuring your comfort and convenience. The best tourist spots with a number of activities are planned making it totally hassle free for you. You do not have to worry about taking care of the little details that can be rather troublesome on a holiday. Just book your accommodation and specify your requirements and you can be rest assured that your hotel would take care of all your needs.

Make your bookings in advance to avoid disappointments. The bookings can also be made online. Book your accommodation and get ready to have a time of your life at the Niagara Falls. Happy holidays!!!

This week I had the good fortune of participating in a tour of the Canada Hair Cloth Building in downtown St. Catharines. This was a working factory until 2007 and will (hopefully!) be home to the new Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine & Performing Arts at Brock.

This is an absolutely exquisite building and I look forward to seeing this space transformed over the coming months.

No conozco las de Iguazú ni las Victoria pero de verdad que si algun dia tengo la ocasion de verlas, voy a hacer todo lo posible despues de ver las del Niagara. Es cierto que son muy comerciales, etc pero es un espectaculo increible: el ruido del agua, la luz reflejada, la cortina de agua, el agua vaporizada, … es imposible de describir.

Am Anfang war im Eckzimmer des „Prinz Carl“ der wöchentliche Stammtisch einer kleinen Gruppe von Männern, die an Naturgeschichte interessiert waren. Daraus erwuchs im Dezember 1846 der Naturhistorische Verein Augsburg, dessen Gründung am 15. September 1847 von den zuständigen königlichen Stellen genehmigt wurde. Der Magistrat der Stadt stellte Ausstellungsräume im Metzgerhaus zur Verfügung, 1854 wurde ein ehemaliges evangelisches Waisenhaus bezogen, das heute als Maximilianmuseum existiert. Als im Juni 1856 seine Majestät König Maximilian anlässlich des anstehenden zehnjährigen Jubiläums die Ausstellung des Vereins besichtigte, war die Zahl der Mitglieder aus den ursprünglichen neun sprunghaft in die hunderte angestiegen. 1886 wurde der Verein umbenannt als Naturwissenschaftlicher Verein für Schwaben und Neuburg und 1904 das Stetten-Haus am Kesselmarkt bezogen. Dieses wurde 1944 mit den meisten Ausstellungsstücken bei britischen Bombenangriffen zerstört. 1991 wurde im umgebauten Nachfolgebau des ehemaligen Gebäudes der Augsburger Allgemeinen ein neues Naturkundemuseum errichtet.

Der ursprüngliche naturhistorische Verein veranstaltete monatliche Vorträge , knüpfte Kontakte zu anderen Vereinen und Gesellschaften und verstand es als seine Aufgabe seine naturkundliche Sammlung wie auch seine Bibliothek stetig auszubauen. Sie betrafen Flora und Fauna von Augsburg und Umgebung „Schwaben“), weiteten sich dann aber auch aus in ethnologische Interessensgebiete  „aus allen Herren Länder“. Zahlreiche erhaltene Jahresberichte geben auch minutiös Einblick darüber, welche Mitglieder oder Freunde die Sammlungen des Vereins durch Geschenke, Stiftungen, Ankäufe erweiterten. Im Jahresbericht für 1859 (vom April 1860) wird etwa erwähnt, dass Herr Baumeister, Chirurg aus Diedorf u.a. eine Wasserspitzmaus (sorex fodiens pall) und Herr Graf Fugger-Blumenthal „einen Flusskrebs mit abnormer Schere“ schenkte. Herr Baron von Rehling auf Hainhofen stiftete im selben Jahr „einen Goldfasan“ (Phasianus pictus), Herr E. von Stetten einen Wespenbussard (pernis apiforus) „und ein frischgelegtes Ei dieses Vogels“. Der Revierförster Steger von Monheim erweiterte die Sammlung um eine Rabenkrähe, während Dr. von Weidenbach  „mehrere Fledermäuse“ schenkte.

Im folgenden Jahresbericht ist zu lesen: „Von seiner Königl. Hoheit Prinz Luitpold von Bayern: einen von Hochdemselben am Schöllerangerberg bei Burgberg den 1. Mai 1861 erlegten Auerhahn, tetrao urogallus“. Im Bericht von 1862 ist die Spende des Kaufmann Frauendorfer verzeichnet: „1 monströses Hühnerei“, der königliche Regierungsrat Gerhauser stiftete der Sammlung hingegen „1 junge Hauskatze mit acht Füßen“, der Fabrikant Chur gab „1 Wachtelhund“ und der Kaufmann Euringer widmete der Kollektion „1 Libelle“ …

Im Sechzehnten „Bericht des Naturhistorischen Vereins in Augsburg, veröffentlicht 1863“ http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/45315#5 finden sich Besprechungen von Vorträgen des Vereins aus dem Vorjahr 1862, etwa der am 11. März gehaltene des Sekretärs des Vereins Wilhelm Scheller, seines Zeichens königlicher Post-Cassierer. Sein Thema: Der Nutzen der Weichtiere als Nahrungsmittel, wie in Hinsicht anderer Verwendung. Professor May aus Dillingen referierte über die Raubwespen und Wanzen seines Ortes. Und der langjährige Vorsitzender des Vereins Dr. Gustav Körber gab in zwei Vorträgen Aufschluss über Tierische und Pflanzengifte, informierte in drei weiteren Vorträgen aber auch über Tier- und Menschenrassen („Thier- und Menschenracen“).

Wie in jedem Jahr listet der Bericht auch 1862 wieder prominente Schenkungen auf:

„Das interessante Geschenk des hiesigen vormaligen nordamerikanischen Consuls Herrn I. Obermaier, bestehend in verschiedenen Gerätschaften und Waffen cultivirter Indianer am Niagara in Canada, von St. Antonio de Bexar in Texas und von den Lipans-Indianern in Texas hat Veranlassung gegeben, auch für die zwar noch kleine, auf solche Weise aber erfreulich sich mehrende ethnographische Sammlung zwei neue Pfeilerschränke am Vorplatz aufzustellen, um die Mehrzahl der Gegenstände in 4 Abteilungen – für Afrika, Asien, Amerika und Australien zu verwahren.“

Als Spender der indianischen Ausrüstung für Augsburgs ethnographische Sammlung ist Carl von Obermayer, wie aus weiteren Notizen hervorgeht. Die Nennung I. basiert wohl auf einer gedanklichen Verwechslung mit dem berühmten Bankier Isidor Obermayer. In der Mitgliederlister des Jahres 1862 ist eingetragen „Obermayer, Carl, königlicher Landwehr-Oberst“. In der später folgenden Auflistung der jeweiligen Spenden und Erwerbungen des Vereins ist so auch „C. Obermayer, Landwehrobriat“ aufgeführt, was die Identifizierung Carl von Obermayer eindeutig macht. Er war der Sohn von Isidor.

 Im Mitgliederverzeichnis von 1862 (aufgeführt sind 35 Ehrenmitglieder, 83 correspondierende Mitglieder, 378 ordentliche sowie 60 außerordentliche Mitglieder) finden sich auch ein gutes Dutzend Juden, beispielsweise etwa der Großhändler Rosenbusch (dessen Grab sich am Augsburger Friedhof Hochfeld befindet), der Banquier Joseph Wilmersdörffer, dessen Sohn Ernst (1865-1926) später Oberlandesgerichtsrat in Augsburg wurde, usw.. Aufgelistet sind freilich auch illustre Namen, wie etwa W. Freiherr von Schaezler, „königlicher Kämmerer und Gutsbesitzer“ oder Leopold Fürst von Fugger-Babenhausen, „Durchlaucht“. Die beigefügte Bemerkung nach dem Namen dient offenbar der jeweiligen Berufsbezeichnung. So findet sich auch der heute noch entsprechend in der Stadt bekannte Name „Schmedding, Gold- und Silberarbeiter“.

Erwähnt sind noch andere Mitglieder der Obermayer-Familie, so der als Rechts-Concipient (Rechtsanwalts-Anwärter) Jacob Obermayer. Es könnte sich um den am 11. Dezember 1831 geborenen Sohn von Heinrich und Therese Obermayer handeln, der wie zahlreiche andere Mitglieder der Familie auswanderte. Er verstarb 1885 in Sciota, Illionois, wo heute nur noch rund 60 Menschen leben. Sodann Max Obermayer, bezeichnet als Banquier. Wie zuvor Carl von Obermayer wird Max Obermayer von 1866-1873 Konsul der Vereinigten Staaten von Amerika in Augsburg sein. Beide sind zumindest seit 1854 als Mitglieder des Naturhistorischen Vereins nachweisbar. Im Jahresbericht 1879 ist auch eine Schenkung von Max Obermayer, nunmehr als Consul aufgelistet. Er stiftet der ethnographischen Ausstellung einen japanischen Metallspiegel und ein Paar japanische Schuhe, ferner ein Teetuch und eine Serviette aus japanischem Pflanzenstoff. Da eine nähere Beschreibung der japanischen Mitbringsel (?) fehlt, ist es schwer sich vorzustellen, welchen Wert sie für die Augsburger Wissenschaft gehabt haben mochte. 

Detaillierter ist jedoch die Liste der Schenkungen die Max Onkel dem naturhistorischen Verein aus Nordamerika, aus Kanada und Texas mitbrachte:

Geschenke von C. Obermayer, Landwehrobriaten

1. eine bemalte Jagdtasche von Leder mit Lederfranzen

2. ein Löffel von Horn mit Zinn eigelegt

3. ein mit Glasperlen gesticktes Feuerzeug-Täschchen

4./5. Ein Paar Jagdtaschen mit Wildklauen und Stickereien aus Glasperlen

6. eine aus rothen und weißen Zwirn gewobene Tasche

7. ein zierliches mit Glasperlen gesticktes Täschchen

8. ein Paar Sporen

9. eine aus Rosshaar geflochtene Reitpeitsche

10. ein Zaum

11. ein Bogen mit Pfeilen und Köcher

12. ein Pferdegebiss

13. eine Lasso-Binde

14. eine Jagdtasche mit daran befestigtem Pulverhorn

Zum Abschluss der Liste wurde nochmals die Herkunft der Schenkungen aus drei Gebieten bestätigt:

1. die kultivierten Niagara – Indianer in Kanada, 2. Die St. Antonio Bexar in Texas und 3. Die Lipans-Indianer in Texas.

Faszination Wilder Westen

Man kann sich gut vorstellen, dass die Gaben des ehemaligen Konsuls Carl von Obermayer, die sicher zumindest eine Vitrine gefüllt hatten, Eindruck machten in der damaligen Sammlung des Naturhistorischen Vereins im heutigen Maximilian-Museum. Immerhin waren Buffalo Bill und Karl May, die beide das Wild West Bild in Deutschland prägten, 1862 noch Schüler mit ganz anderen Ideen. Carl von Obermayers ethnologische Geschenke eilten dem späteren Ruhm den Wildwest-Shows, Romane und schließlich Filme  erreichten erheblich voraus.

William F. Cody (1846-1917) besser bekannt als „Buffalo Bill“ nahm erst ab 1872 an Wild West Shows teil, ehe er ab 1883 seine eigene ins Leben rief, die ihn weltweit bekannt machen sollte und begleitet von echten Indianern und Büffeln zu zahlreichen Auftritten auch nach Europa und Deutschland (Karlsruhe, Braunschweig) führen sollte.

    William Cody 1865 im Alter von 19 ( www.bbhc.org )

Zunächst gastierte er in London auf Einladung des Königshauses. Seine Show sollte die Feierlichkeiten zum 50. Thronjubiläum von Queen Victoria bereichern, die mit einer ganzen Ansammlung anderer europäischer Herrscher persönlich erschien. Die adelige Prominenz war sozusagen der Ritterschlag für die Wild West – Darsteller und trug ganz erheblich zur weltweiten Aufmerksamkeit bei. Zweimal täglich gab es Vorstellungen vor jeweils ca. 20-30.000 Zuschauern. Wegen des Londoner Erfolgs gab es diese dann auch in Manchester, Birmingham, schließlich auch in Paris (wo zur Einleitung der Show die französische Hymne gespielt wurde und die französische Rolle im Wild Westen, etwa in Kanada betont wurde). Zur Werbung zählte auch, dass waghalsige Indianer den Eiffel-Turm erkletterten. Es gab Auftritte in weiteren Teilen Frankreichs und Spaniens. 1890 wurden die Teilnehmer der Show von Papst Leo XIII in Rom gesegnet, in Bologna wurden an acht Tagen in Folge zwei Shows ausverkauft.

In Deutschland wurde die Wildwest-Show um arabische Reiter erweitert. In Braunschweig starb ein Indianer der Show und wurde unter großer Anteilnahme am städtischen Friedhof beigesetzt. Karl May (1842-1912) dessen Geschichten und Romane zumindest in Deutschland die Vorstellung vom nordamerikanischen Wilden Westen mitprägten. Der zuvor wegen Hochstapelei mehrmals zu Gefängnisstrafen verurteilte schrieb jedoch erst ab 1879 und stand zweifellos unter dem Einfluss dieser Shows. Dann freilich verinnerlichte die Rolle seines fiktiven Old Shatterhand so sehr, dass er als dieser öffentlich auf eigenen Tourneen auftrat. Inspiriert davon wurden freilich auch sog. Völkerschaustellungen und Circus-Vorstellungen (bis 1932 traten im Sarasini Zirkus in Deutschland Indianer als Teil der Show auf).

Die im Jahresbericht des Naturhistorischen Vereins aufgeführten Indianerstämme aus Kanada und Texas sind natürlich noch ermittelbar und offen gesagt ist ihre Geschichte und Kultur nicht viel schlechter dokumentiert als die der schwäbischen Juden. Es ist folglich auch keine große Schwierigkeit, vergleichbare Stücke von Obermayers Indianersammlung etwa bei den Lipan Apaches   ( http://www.lipanapache.org/ ) ausfindig zu machen.

   As a member of the Naturhistorischer Verein  (Natural History Association), established in 1846, Carl von Obermayer (1811-1889) donated to the publicly accessible collection of the Association in 1862 a number of tools and equipment from three different Indian tribes form Canada and Texas, such as hunting or game bags elaborately decorated with glass beads , spurs, bow and arrow or the bit of a horse. Obermayer at least since 1854 was member of the Association. His connection to North America was that for many years he had been Consul of the United States of America in Augsburg. Two other Jews from Augsburg were Consuls of the United States of America and member of Augsburg’s Natural History Association: Carl’s relative Max Obermayer (1824-1886) from 1866-1873 was US Consul in Augsburg. As his uncle he was at least since 1854 member of the Association and he donated in 1879 some souvenirs from Japan to the Museum. The third is Gustav Oberndorfer (1843-1906). Obviously the membership wasn’t that bad for diplomats.

 The Indian American items Carl von Obermayer donated however were part of the growing ethnological collection of the Museum. In 1862 the donation of course was unique and somewhat matchless, since William Cody aka Buffalo Bill who toured Europe about 1887-1890 and the German writer Karl May in that time were only teenagers.  The whole inventory of the Museum, which obviously hosted a variety of curiosities in February 1944 was destroyed by British aerial bombs.

Sonntag Nachmittag sind Juergen, Chrissi und Guggi endlich gelandet. Ich hab sie natuerlich persoenlich vom Flughafen abgeholt und nach einer Mahlzeit daheim (Angi hat brav gekocht) haben wir sie gleich noch die 500 Stufen auf Hamilton Mountain geschleppt um noch etwas den Ausblick zu geniessen.

Gestern gings dann zunaechst auf die McMaster zu einer Uni-Fuehrung, an die Bay Area am Lake Ontario und am Abend noch eine Runde durch diverse Pubs in Hamilton. Unter anderem gabs ein sehr leckeres All-You-Can-Eat Wings-Buffet im Honest Lawer (Ehrlichen Anwalt) plus einen Suicide (Selbstmord)-Wing Essensbewerb (ohne unsere Beteiligung versteht sich). Der Sieger (12 suicide-wings) bekam ein Football Dress und die drei anderen Teilnehmer… ich schaetze mal gehoeriges Brennen im Mund. War auf jeden Fall sehr lustig, gibt auch jede Menge Fotos, leider sitz ich gerade auf der Uni (wie manche vielleicht bemerkt haben mit einer englischen Tastatur ohne Umlaute) und habe diese leider nicht da.

Plan fuer die naechsten Tage: Angi und Co holen gerade unser Leihauto ab, damit gehts dann heute nach Dundas (Webster Falls), Mittwoch und Donnerstag nach Ottawa. Freitag nach Niagara und Samstag nach Buffalo. Ab Sonntag bis zur Abreise am Dienstag steht dann Toronto am Programm.

Keine Ahnung, wann wir wieder zum bloggen kommen, aber sobald moeglich gibts natuerlich jede Menge Fotos und Stories ueber unsere Tour.

Ich wuensche allen noch eine schoene Woche!