Meet the People in our Neighbourhood
|
Sean Countinho, January 13th, 2021 |
Tacha Reed: What was your introduction to Avondale?
Sean Coutinho: So the first time I came to Avondale I was doing the due diligence, we knew the business (Avondale Sky Winery) was up for sale, so we came to check out the winery and have a pleasant drive going through the windy roads. It was the middle of summer, so it was July, it was absolutely gorgeous and I had a friend visiting from Germany. We had gone to Three Pools, and did a little bit of a jumping around in the water and then came over here and had supper and it was awesome. It was a good time. So yeah, we actually drove down to the water too and looked off of the dock by the museum, it’s a gorgeous area.
TR: Beforehand, did you have any experience working in a restaurant or vineyard?
SC: Oh, well, not really, not a whole lot. I worked at the Keg for a little bit, so I have some experience with backhouse. My first job ever, besides goalie coaching, was washing dishes at Smitty's, so I was a dishwasher, but that was obviously quite miserable. All the egg and everything you had to clean. But yeah, so I worked as a dishwasher, a host, a little bit of a server role as well, but nothing like this, where all of a sudden I’m running the kitchen side of things and the winery. Just before we bought the business, during the due diligence phase, I did a sommelier course, an introductory sommelier course, so that's where I learned a lot about the wine making and different wines and our region and that kind of stuff.
TR: So now that you've been in operation a full year, I know this year was not a typical year seeing that it was a pandemic, but you know kind of what the business is now, what do you envision doing in the future? Do you have any big bright things you want to reveal? (laughter)
SC: Ah, so many, so many, (laughter) a long list. Yeah, there's lots more we want to do with the community, which is awesome. We did the garlic weekends five times last summer, which was great that we were able to do that. We'd love to do more of that and maybe just do markets every weekend. When it comes to summer time I would love to have a food truck party. A couple food truck parties during the summer. I think that's awesome, I always loved it in Halifax, so I think that would be a good draw. Lots of food, which is always a good time. But no, I've got lots of big plans, like I'd love to have a community rink in the backyard. I'd love to have some chalets and some things for people to stay over after any kind of celebration. There's lots in my head, but it's all a long-term plan.
TR: So being that you basically consider yourself a city boy, now that you've been in the country for almost a year or so, what is the biggest challenge that you've found?
SC: I find it sad that there's no delivery.
TR: Food delivery?
SC: Like I lived on Barrington Street before I lived here, so it's a complete 180 living downtown Barrington Street, Halifax to the valley. There I could look outside on my deck and I could see more people in one minute than I see pass by the winery in a full day. So getting used to that's a little different and just, yeah all the food that I could get delivered, or if I wanted to do anything and I was feeling a little anxious I could meet up with friends no problem or just go out and I'm sure I'd run into somebody. So I think that's part of it, just like if I want to have a couple beer and then just go home, it's not as easy (laughter). Everything is a bit of a distance and I’m used to just being able to walk everywhere and not have to worry about driving. I think that's part of it, getting used to that, but other than that I love the country.
TR: So I guess the other side of that is, now that you've lived in the country is there something that you feel like you can’t give up now, that you didn't really realize you were missing in the city and now you can't live without it? Or are you not there yet?
SC: I think I'm getting there, like I’ve got some of the toys. I'm like, if I'm going to be in the country, I'm going to live a bit of the country lifestyle. So I got myself a telescope, which you've seen. Being able to look at the stars anytime is amazing, and really the lack of light pollution is beautiful, and then having like a little mini bike so I can rip up and around, I couldn't do that... and the best part of all, we're getting a dog this weekend. I was never able to have a dog in the city. An apartment is just too small, you need land and now there's lots of room for a puppy to run around, so very excited. In three days we get a puppy. That’s some things I don't think I could do in the city. TR: Is there a boat in your future? (laughter)
SC: Ah, maybe. I'm used to boating, my buddies in the city all sail. We would normally be, if it's not a crazy summer where I'm working like I'm now, I'd be out on the water 2 - 3 times a week. So I definitely miss getting out on the water and sailing. I don't think you can really sail out here, it's probably more of a motorboat sort of spot, but you never know. We'll see. I'd be up for it and I know it would be a good easy way to get my friends to come visit me to go for a rip on the water, they're pumped to come do that.
TR: So the one question we always ask is what do you love the most about Avondale so far?
SC: What do I love the most? There's lots, honestly I guess it's just the impression I think that I had and how much it's... I was like I'm going to be in the middle of nowhere and I'm not going to have any friends around and I just assume people are going to be older and it's going to be kind of like one of those kind of dying communities and it really isn't at all, it's so lively around here. As soon as I met Ryan (Beecroft) from down the road, he was at the winery and he told me about some of the fun things that happen, the Friday nights by the wharf, and ping pong and all these awesome things, like I played hockey back in the day too, so there’s good pickup. So yeah I just found that it's pretty awesome for all the kind of stuff that I love to do and the people that I like to be around, it's really easy. It’s easy in this area for sure.
Sean Coutinho: So the first time I came to Avondale I was doing the due diligence, we knew the business (Avondale Sky Winery) was up for sale, so we came to check out the winery and have a pleasant drive going through the windy roads. It was the middle of summer, so it was July, it was absolutely gorgeous and I had a friend visiting from Germany. We had gone to Three Pools, and did a little bit of a jumping around in the water and then came over here and had supper and it was awesome. It was a good time. So yeah, we actually drove down to the water too and looked off of the dock by the museum, it’s a gorgeous area.
TR: Beforehand, did you have any experience working in a restaurant or vineyard?
SC: Oh, well, not really, not a whole lot. I worked at the Keg for a little bit, so I have some experience with backhouse. My first job ever, besides goalie coaching, was washing dishes at Smitty's, so I was a dishwasher, but that was obviously quite miserable. All the egg and everything you had to clean. But yeah, so I worked as a dishwasher, a host, a little bit of a server role as well, but nothing like this, where all of a sudden I’m running the kitchen side of things and the winery. Just before we bought the business, during the due diligence phase, I did a sommelier course, an introductory sommelier course, so that's where I learned a lot about the wine making and different wines and our region and that kind of stuff.
TR: So now that you've been in operation a full year, I know this year was not a typical year seeing that it was a pandemic, but you know kind of what the business is now, what do you envision doing in the future? Do you have any big bright things you want to reveal? (laughter)
SC: Ah, so many, so many, (laughter) a long list. Yeah, there's lots more we want to do with the community, which is awesome. We did the garlic weekends five times last summer, which was great that we were able to do that. We'd love to do more of that and maybe just do markets every weekend. When it comes to summer time I would love to have a food truck party. A couple food truck parties during the summer. I think that's awesome, I always loved it in Halifax, so I think that would be a good draw. Lots of food, which is always a good time. But no, I've got lots of big plans, like I'd love to have a community rink in the backyard. I'd love to have some chalets and some things for people to stay over after any kind of celebration. There's lots in my head, but it's all a long-term plan.
TR: So being that you basically consider yourself a city boy, now that you've been in the country for almost a year or so, what is the biggest challenge that you've found?
SC: I find it sad that there's no delivery.
TR: Food delivery?
SC: Like I lived on Barrington Street before I lived here, so it's a complete 180 living downtown Barrington Street, Halifax to the valley. There I could look outside on my deck and I could see more people in one minute than I see pass by the winery in a full day. So getting used to that's a little different and just, yeah all the food that I could get delivered, or if I wanted to do anything and I was feeling a little anxious I could meet up with friends no problem or just go out and I'm sure I'd run into somebody. So I think that's part of it, just like if I want to have a couple beer and then just go home, it's not as easy (laughter). Everything is a bit of a distance and I’m used to just being able to walk everywhere and not have to worry about driving. I think that's part of it, getting used to that, but other than that I love the country.
TR: So I guess the other side of that is, now that you've lived in the country is there something that you feel like you can’t give up now, that you didn't really realize you were missing in the city and now you can't live without it? Or are you not there yet?
SC: I think I'm getting there, like I’ve got some of the toys. I'm like, if I'm going to be in the country, I'm going to live a bit of the country lifestyle. So I got myself a telescope, which you've seen. Being able to look at the stars anytime is amazing, and really the lack of light pollution is beautiful, and then having like a little mini bike so I can rip up and around, I couldn't do that... and the best part of all, we're getting a dog this weekend. I was never able to have a dog in the city. An apartment is just too small, you need land and now there's lots of room for a puppy to run around, so very excited. In three days we get a puppy. That’s some things I don't think I could do in the city. TR: Is there a boat in your future? (laughter)
SC: Ah, maybe. I'm used to boating, my buddies in the city all sail. We would normally be, if it's not a crazy summer where I'm working like I'm now, I'd be out on the water 2 - 3 times a week. So I definitely miss getting out on the water and sailing. I don't think you can really sail out here, it's probably more of a motorboat sort of spot, but you never know. We'll see. I'd be up for it and I know it would be a good easy way to get my friends to come visit me to go for a rip on the water, they're pumped to come do that.
TR: So the one question we always ask is what do you love the most about Avondale so far?
SC: What do I love the most? There's lots, honestly I guess it's just the impression I think that I had and how much it's... I was like I'm going to be in the middle of nowhere and I'm not going to have any friends around and I just assume people are going to be older and it's going to be kind of like one of those kind of dying communities and it really isn't at all, it's so lively around here. As soon as I met Ryan (Beecroft) from down the road, he was at the winery and he told me about some of the fun things that happen, the Friday nights by the wharf, and ping pong and all these awesome things, like I played hockey back in the day too, so there’s good pickup. So yeah I just found that it's pretty awesome for all the kind of stuff that I love to do and the people that I like to be around, it's really easy. It’s easy in this area for sure.