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The O akville Beaver, Tuesday December 21, 2004 - C7 Toy business is serious fun for the Mad Hatter By Craig MacBride OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF The Mad Hatter has opened the doors to its warehouse, and rows of toys and games are waiting to be wrapped up and tossed under the tree for Christmas. From action figures and stuffed toys to board games and puzzles, The Mad Hatter Toys & Games outlet has a bit of everything, a whopping 2,000 ways to have fun. In its 13th year now, this is the first time the company has opened its doors for Christmas shoppers. " We opened the toy outlet for Christmas ju st to give people an opportunity to get a good price before Christmas," said Fred Bates, owner of The Mad Hatter. Though the company seems to sell a little bit of everything, it specializes in making games and puzzles based on well-established characters like Dora the Explorer, Franklin, Spongebob Squarepants, and The Wiggles, which is an Australian kids band that's break ing in North America. They also work as Canadian distrib utors of many games and toys for a lot of the larger toy departments. That some adjustments to make...there are less retailers to sell to." The business began as a way to dis tribute a board game that Bates, along w ith others, designed. The game, Ultimatum, was a military strategy game, like an advanced version of Risk. It was costly to make, though, and it wasn't taking off, so they decid ed to start getting licenses for wellestablished characters and building games and puzzles around them, working with the artists and creators to make sure they get it right. All of those games and puzzles are on the shelves at The Mad Hatter, along with items like poker chips, playing cards and. trivia games for grown-ups. So far, traffic through the outlet has been pretty good, thanks to the Town. Though it has been a pain in the neck for most of the people in the area, the construction of the Third Line bridge being built over the QEW has been good news for Bates, whose store is at 2009 Wyecroft Rd, where Wyecroft meets Third Line. "The town built a bridge to my door," he said. " (Our success) is because of that bridge, a lot of it." P E TE RC .M cCUSKER / OAKVILLE BEAV ER NOTHING TRIVIAL ABOUT THE TOY BUSINESS: Fred Bates, owner of The Mad Hatter, plays a trivia game with Trivia in a Trunk creator Sandy Cherry, president of The Movie Game Company. business has changed drastically since "The toy business is fun. There are they first opened up. issues out there, like every industry, but it's fun," Bates said. "There's been a lot of restructuring, there's been ;!,New Year's EveJ Dinner & Dance ** C o m e j o in u s f o r a O N e w Y e a r's E v e t o r e m e m b e r ! RECIPE (rf) the W EEK Spice up your holidays with walnuts (NC)-lt's hard to avoid snacking during the holidays, so be sure to choose snack alternatives with a nutritiona punch, like walnuts. Walnuts provide protein, essential fats, dietary fibre, folate and magnesium and when p a r t o f a heart healthy diet, they may reduce the nsk of heart dis ease. While walnuts are packed with nutnents, th e y a\s provide appetite satisfaction and taste good too. Choose California walnuts for excellent quality and taste. For your holiday snack table why not spice up your wal nuts? In large bowl, whisk 1 egg white and 1 tbsp (15 mL) Enjoy a nice intim ate dinner & dance. Invite a fe w friends fo r a n ig h t o f great fo o d & dancingI water until foamy; add 4 cups (1 L) California Walnut halves and mix until all nuts are coated; drain excess liquid. In a small bowl, combine 1/3 cup (75 mL) . 1/9 sugar, 2 tsp (10 mL) coarse salt, 1 1/2 tsp (7 mL) cumin, 1/2 tsp (2 mL) cayenne pepper and 1/4 tsp (1 mL) garlic pow der. Stir in sugar mixture until walnuts are evenly coated^ Spread on non-stick baking sheet. Bake in 325 F (16 ) oven for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring twice, until nuts are light ly browned. Allow to cool on baking sheet. (Nuts wil become dry and crispy as they cool.) Store in a'r-tight container. Makes about 4 cups (1 L). For other walnut recipes, visit www.walnutinfo.com. The evening includes a fo ur course meal, Glass o f w ine w ith dinner, a late n ig h t sweet table ·* A n d Champagne a t m id n ig h t *· I ·, Cash Bar available all evening , · _* ^ Only $ 6 4 .9 5 p e r person o r $ 120.00 per couple (A p p lic a b le Taxes n o t in c lu d e d ) Reception starts a t 7:00 pm D in ner from 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm Dancing starts a t 9:00 pm £ », r ^ r New Yea r's .Eve M enu B r o c c o li C h e e s e C h o w d e r 2 ,« C r e a m y b r o c c o li flore ts, p e n c e t ta a n d Y u k o n p o ta to e s w it h p u f f p a s t r y c r o u t o n a n d C a n a d ia n m a r b le c h e d d a r c h e e s e T r o p i c a l C a r n i v a l S a la d F iv e le a f b l e n d o f g re e n s , ju lie n n e ro a s t e d b e ll p e p p e rs a n d r o o t v e g e ta b le s w it h fre sh p in e a p p le t o a s te d a lm o n d s a n d a m a n g o v in a ig re tte . r ; , ' R o a s t P r i m e R ib MMPTON'S /> / (j 7 .5 4 C V c J r o ? t/e S J fo o a * /, (O r r /t u t / t f c - A lb e r t a 's b e s t a g e d , s l o w r o a s t e d in it's o w n ju ic e s . S e rv e d w it h fre sh Y o rk s h ire p u d d in g . "R e d W i n e A u J u s " Or A p r ic o t S t u f f e d C h ic k e n S u p r e m e T e n d e r j u i c y c h ic k e n b re a s t w it h a h e r b c re a m c h e e s e a n d a p r ic o t m ix tu re , o v e n b a k e d , a c c o m p a n ie d w it h ·0 a b r a n d y p e s t o c re a m sa uce. NEW YEAR'S EVE GALA/DINNER D inner to be served at \\» ir leisure betw een 7:30pm ~9:30pin D e ssert <cht*»<>ronc) Tartufo or 1 C h o c o la t e M o u s s e T r u f f le f vr> L ig h t a n d m o u t h w a t e r i n g w it h G r a n d M a r n ie r s tra w b e rrie s a n d C h a n t illy c re a m T e a / C o f fe e / R o lls a n d B u t t e r Your G ala D in n e r Includes: Plump Tiger Shrimp with seafood sauce. Mixed Green Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette. N ew York Style Cheesecake and t Coffee & Tea To b o o k y o u r tickets, p/ease ca ll 9 0 5 -8 4 2 -5 0 0 0 M ain E n tre e arow) Professional D.J. to provide music all tiight! Party FavoursI Please ask u s ,a b o u t o u r M is tle to e L u n c h e o n D e c e m b e r 1 5 , 16 , 17, 2 0 * 2 1 , 2 2 , 2 0 0 4 l l i 3 O a^0 i - 2 *3 * p m Roast Prime Rib of Beef au jus or Stuffed Grilled Supreme Breast of Chicken with wud mushroom cream sauce. "All entrees inchtcfc: assorted rolls ancU«itter, seasonal wtjetables and jxrtafcx\s. *130 p e r c o u p le T a x e s is- C l r a l u i l i j i n c l u d e d ^ o tx A c u j S w v v ; O a k v i l l e - C e n t re 5 9 0 A r g u s R o a d - 9 0 5 -8 4 2 -5 0 0 0 H lo a lc c o o r @ s p r in t .c a F o r Reservations Call: (9 0 5 ) 8 4 7 -1 5 6 6 -- B ie tro p V V & tie e e |F R E N C H C U I S I N E ^ 4J NOW OPEN | B o o k Y o u r H olid ay P a r ty Today! j \ r x )u SllSlli, Sashimi, Teriyaki, Tempura & Otliei* ^ . Japanese Cmsme ^ w u " ;^ o d " B u s in e s s H o u r s Bistro Sttj/e - Fremk CulMne Bistro Matisse w ill accommodate groups upto 40 people. i ///////</ /// <r '/<//><///< -tv' (/<//·»/ // . . . Join us f o r a m agical soiree Mon-Thur: 11am-10pm Mew ifeorr Eve ?)tuner Avoid disappointment call for reservations. F V ? ' J'p "1 Sunday: 5pm ·ypm T w o sittings available 5 :3 0 & 8 :3 0 , ^0 / ll o our ur > / | c to ou ur rsc dinner, »hanipagn cham pagne at midnight. (905)339 3803 Upper Oakville j. . . . . -1 . / p e r s o n Inin lull n / V m a x A I I H j I k'9 m m ' Upper Middle 1710 I xikeshoiv Road W est, ( l.irkson (I <h.m il just r.LM of W inston ( for reservations call: 9 0 5 . 8 2 2 .2 2 2 2 B lvtL ) Shopping Centre V. 1011 Upper Middle Rd. i Corner of Dundas h & Bronte Road ` E rotic `Tastes % estmmmt O akville' s Finest Indian Cuisine Indian R estaurantfro m London E ngland now in O akirille 905 4 69 -7 5 5 2 - Z H a p p y m mm mi Sunday 1 ^ H o lid a y s from NewYear' s Eve Party Huge Lavish B uf f et IT SMR C a ll to R e s e rv e 11 am -2pm & 5pm - 7pm free C h a m p a g n e a t M id n ig h t Book you* Vwate Hm Yem TWg K0UM! U m TJ p p - M editerranean Restaurant 234 Xjikeshore kA j ^C U ISIN E Order tickets b y phone or in person. Book yo u r table n o w ! .Road rWtst, Oaki'illt m 905.3S8.1888 Partrps & B s n q u v t y D in e In 01 Take O u t