IW011 - New Waterford Girl
Cape Breton Island is rated the #1 island to visit in continental North America by Travel & Leisure Magazine, but Mooney Pottie - the New Waterford Girl - can’t wait to hit the road to anywhere else.
Just us, or anyone else willing to swap places with her?
Listen by clicking below.
Photo by engin akyurt. Licensed through Unsplash.
Island Watch Picnic Picks
for New Waterford Girl
Every episode, we provide you with a specialty picnic hand-tailored for this week’s watch! Picnic while you watch the movie, picnic while you listen to our podcast, picnic because - like Mooney - you want to create some art!
Good plain fare is just right for this movie, set in a working class town. It’s stick-to-your ribs eating.
French fries: This calls for take-away. Preferably from a pub or a rink.
Fine Italian espresso with an unbroken cream on top: How Mooney imagines coffee should be. Imaginary coffee never disappoints.
Banana bread: the gifting of which is the best-known way to butter up new neighbours. (Especially if you turn it into banana bread french toast with whiskey sauce.)
Ma’s Date Squares: Is there anything a bit of good baking can’t make right?
Lou’s Mom’s Bologna on Squishy White Bread with Cheese Glue : A true feast of culture shock. Not everyone’s cup of (strong black) tea.
Pa’s Goshdurn Chocolate Cake: Because sometimes, lighting up a ciggie and beating up a batter is just what’s needed.
Cookies à la Princess Warrior: Cookie saves the day! Make them straight to the point easy-as-can-be with X marks the spot sprinkles, or fancy it up Italian style to go with that espresso!
Photo by Calum MacAuley. Licensed through Unsplash.
Island Hopping
We got curious. Did the actors from New Waterford Girl go on to act in other island shows?
Mooney Pottie: Lianne Balaban is actually from North York, Ontario, but twice here at Island Watch she’s convinced us she’s an islander.
First with 2012’s Grand Seduction, where she played a Newfoundlander, and now again starring as a Cape Bretoner.
Back to Newfoundland, she appeared in a couple of episodes of Republic of Doyle, a CBC private eye dramedy.
She played a role in the Pamela Anderson-headed The People Garden (2016), a mystery set in Japan.
But I’m most interested in seeing Mina Shum’s 2017 film Meditation Park. With a top-notch cast featuring Sandra Oh, the film is set in Vancouver, British Columbia, but includes a visit to gorgeous Bowen Island, just a 20 minute ferry ride from Horseshoe Bay.
Lou Benzoa :Tara Spencer-Nairn has been mainland-bound in her film and TV work since New Waterford Girl.
Frances Pottie: Nicholas Campbell Other than a stint on Republic of Doyle, Nicholas has kept his acting feet firmly on terra firma.
Cookie Pottie: Mary Walsh is an islander, born in St. John’s Newfoundland. Out of many comedies she's appeared in, her favourite is the Newfoundland-based Hatching, Matching & Dispatching, a TV sitcom set in a small outport where one family provides ambulance, wedding, and funeral services.
Mary was part of two famous sketch comedy shows: CODCO, and This Hour has 22 Minutes which is produced on the mainland, but conceived in Newfoundland.
Cecil Sweeney: Andrew McCarthy has been a landlubber since his appearance as Mooney’s teacher, with the exception of 2002’s Diggity’s Treasures. He plays a family black sheep who suddenly learns he has inherited property in England.
Midge Benzoa: Cathy Moriarty has also stayed ashore for her career since New Waterford Girl.
Photo by Tatiana SHYSHKINA. Licensed through Unsplash.
The Music of Cape Breton
We talk a bit about Cape Breton style music on the show. Here’s a mini playlist to get you acquainted
Just what is a ceilidh?
Ashley MacIsaac and his hit Sleepy Maggie
Natalie MacMaster plays solo, and with her husband and 7 kids!
Buddy MacMaster puts the Master in MacMaster.
The Rankin Family covers territory from tears to OG jigs.
Rita MacNeil created Flying On Your Own, a song that’s supported many going through a tough transition.
Rita Joe was a Mi'kmaq poet and songwriter who believed in the healing power of words
Kalolin Johnson performs a beautiful tribute to Rita Joe, Gentle Warrior.
Photo by Sharissa Johnson. Licensed through Unsplash.
The History of Cape Breton
We give a brief introduction to Cape Breton’s indigenous Mi’kmaq people in our episode. Find out more and plan a visit.
The Basques - indigenous people of a region in north-central Spain and southwest France - were among the first Europeans in Cape Breton. Visiting the Fortress of Louisbourg, you can step into a low, smoky fisher's cottage that highlights early Basque life in North America.
We highly recommend The Fortress of Louisbourg, not just for the history, but the rugged setting on the shore of the North Atlantic. If you need to take time to debrief with a delicious local lobster afterwards, let me know. I'll see if I can join you.
If you want to delve deeper into Scottish immigration to Cape Breton - there’s a book for that.
Flash forward to modern day with My Unama'ki (My Cape Breton) and this 2-minute video highlighting a visit to Cape Breton.
Photo by Elyse Turton. Licensed through Unsplash.
Ratings
Here’s how we rate the shows and movies we watch.
To make sure you find the island show that's exactly right for you, we answer two questions:
Does this show make me feel like I’m actually on the island? That's our specialized Island Rating. No other show gives you that!
Do we recommend this show? Our Star Rating lets you know if we loved a show or not, regardless of the island.
***
Island Rating
Gemma: Toes in the Sand (4 out of 5)
A slice of IRIL (In Real Island Life).
Dave: Toes in the Sand (4 out of 5)
It’s an authentic, straight-forward view of life on the island. We see the stark beauty of the island and the resilience of the people.
Star Rating:
Gemma: 3.5 out of 5
Better than many things streaming right now: good story about folks trying to do their best.
Dave: 3.5 out of 5
The characters are fun to spend time with. A pleasant way to spend an hour and a half.
Photo by Lucia Lua Ramirez. Licensed through Unsplash.
Find The Island
Ketchup, sugar, red wine vinegar, vegetable oil...wait! Is this a salad dressing, or an island? Listen in to this week’s puzzle to find out!
Photo by Sebastian Pena Lambarri .Licensed through Unsplash.
Our Next Island
Our next island: The Tiwi Islands are north of Darwin, Australia where the Arafura and Timor Seas meet. (Hello, Google Maps.) Top End Wedding takes us there on a rom-com roadtrip. Don’t miss it!
Photo by Guilherme Stecanella. Licensed through Unsplash.
Messages In A Bottle
The best way to get in touch with us is by email.
Send your questions and comments to us at:
islandwatchpodcast@gmail.com