Latest news with #StephanieRose
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Backpack loan program for neurodiverse people launched on North Shore
A tourism association on Metro Vancouver's North Shore has started up a program to lend out backpacks containing items to help people, including kids, with neurological conditions access tourist attractions. At an event Tuesday, the North Shore Tourism Association said the neurodivergent sensory backpacks will include items like noise-cancelling headphones, earplugs and sensory toys — as well as maps highlighting tourist attractions which are neurodivergent-friendly. People who are neurodiverse — the broad term used to describe people who have ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), are on the autism spectrum or have a disability that affects their ability to focus and keep things in working memory — generally face issues in public areas, according to one mother. Author and blogger Stephanie Rose, whose 12-year-old child Asher is neurodiverse, said that neurological conditions can pose sensory challenges in public areas. She said at the Tuesday event that Asher helped take the backpacks for a test run, and that her son was immediately engaged and attracted to the different spaces they visited — which range from indoor locations like the Museum and Archives of North Vancouver to the region's famed hiking trails. "For me, what was most important was the list of locations that are sensory-friendly — the places where you feel like you can go and not have to dive through the challenges that exist for parents," Rose told CBC News. "It makes you feel like the carpet has been rolled out and that you can be yourself." Jennifer Belak, the executive director of the tourism association, said that the backpack can also feature raincoats or umbrellas to help visitors during the region's long rainy months. "There's lots of attractions and stuff that recognize it, including the Blue Grouse Gondola," she said of the backpack. "And they'll even go as far as giving you your own gondola now, so you can have that quiet space as you go up to the top of the mountain." City of North Vancouver Mayor Linda Buchanan said the program sent a powerful message that neurodiverse people were welcome in the region. "Whether it's a child with autism visiting a museum for the first time, or an adult seeking a calm experience in our outdoor spaces, this backpack program provides real practical support," she said. The Public Health Agency of Canada estimated in 2019 that one in 50 kids aged 1-17 has been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), with males being diagnosed approximately four times more frequently than females. Anyone who wants to borrow a backpack — which they can do for up to 15 days — can do so at the Museum of North Vancouver.
CBC
2 days ago
- CBC
Backpack loan program for neurodiverse people launched on North Shore
A tourism association on Metro Vancouver's North Shore has started up a program to lend out backpacks containing items to help people, including kids, with neurological conditions access tourist attractions. At an event Tuesday, the North Shore Tourism Association said the neurodivergent sensory backpacks will include items like noise-cancelling headphones, earplugs and sensory toys — as well as maps highlighting tourist attractions which are neurodivergent-friendly. People who are neurodiverse — the broad term used to describe people who have ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), are on the autism spectrum or have a disability that affects their ability to focus and keep things in working memory — generally face issues in public areas, according to one mother. Author and blogger Stephanie Rose, whose 12-year-old child Asher is neurodiverse, said that neurological conditions can pose sensory challenges in public areas. She said at the Tuesday event that Asher helped take the backpacks for a test run, and that her son was immediately engaged and attracted to the different spaces they visited — which range from indoor locations like the Museum and Archives of North Vancouver to the region's famed hiking trails. "For me, what was most important was the list of locations that are sensory-friendly — the places where you feel like you can go and not have to dive through the challenges that exist for parents," Rose told CBC News. "It makes you feel like the carpet has been rolled out and that you can be yourself." Jennifer Belak, the executive director of the tourism association, said that the backpack can also feature raincoats or umbrellas to help visitors during the region's long rainy months. "There's lots of attractions and stuff that recognize it, including the Blue Grouse Gondola," she said of the backpack. "And they'll even go as far as giving you your own gondola now, so you can have that quiet space as you go up to the top of the mountain." City of North Vancouver Mayor Linda Buchanan said the program sent a powerful message that neurodiverse people were welcome in the region. "Whether it's a child with autism visiting a museum for the first time, or an adult seeking a calm experience in our outdoor spaces, this backpack program provides real practical support," she said. The Public Health Agency of Canada estimated in 2019 that one in 50 kids aged 1-17 has been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), with males being diagnosed approximately four times more frequently than females.
The Age
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Age
Why do zoomers hate these burgers? And what are they eating instead?
'Millennial burger joints' are being mocked online by Gen Z, who say ridiculous toppings, overpriced add-ons and inauthentic fit-outs are out. So what's in? Over-the-top burgers, fries served in metal baskets and neon signs were standard at the peak of the 2010s burger wave. Now, these same burger flourishes are the punchline in a widespread roast of 'Millennial burger joints' on TikTok and Instagram – the latest salvo in Gen Z's sledging of Gen Y on social media. Stephanie Rose, a Melbourne food content creator who runs Instagram account @girlaboutmelb, says the hallmarks of a 'Millennial burger joint' include charcoal-infused buns, truffle fries, mountainous milkshakes (also known as 'freakshakes'), sauces served in syringes and burgers stacked to the nines. 'I would say even Millennials cringe and find it funny now, myself included,' she says. One post with more than 112,000 likes on Instagram meme page Middle Class Fancy, depicts uncomfortable metal chairs, a $7 truffle fries surcharge, exposed ceiling pipes, and waiters explaining, 'We do things differently around here'. '[It] nails the over-the-top vibe of the burger craze from about a decade ago,' says Joe Farah, founder of 300 Grams, which has four stores in Melbourne. 'Think towering stacks, gourmet buzzwords and sauces that should've never gone into a burger.' When competitive eater turned social media consultant Jesse Freeman opened a burger trailer in Sydney's northern beaches in 2023, he discovered those gimmicks were no longer so important to diners. 'People wanted simple, great-tasting and price-sensitive burgers, much like [American chain] Five Guys,' he says. In the car park of a Brookvale brewery, Freeman's Dip It trailer now serves no-frills burgers like those found at US diners and fast-food chains. (Customers are still encouraged to dip those burgers in cheese sauce and gravy.) Gee Ozgen, who has been running Mister Gee Burgers since 2014, has also witnessed the evolution of burgers in Australia, noting that at some point, the innovation got out of control. 'There was a push to be different,' he says, adding that towering 'Frankenstein' burgers (which could be loaded with more than one type of meat or use a doughnut for the bun) went too far. Many 'Millennial burger joints' are still in business. With its penchant for 'baconaise' and truffle aioli, Queensland-origin chain Milky Lane is an exemplar of the form. Brennan Lukav, who runs the Burgers of Melbourne online directory, believes they largely reflect a much earlier scene. 'I haven't seen a mason jar in about 10 years,' he says. Two of the most popular counterpoints to so-called Millennial burger spots in Sydney are Eat at Robs – a butcher with a grill plate, lean menu and $10.50 cheeseburgers in Rozelle – and 'smashburger' specialist Chebbo's in Roselands and Marrickville. In Melbourne, Gen-Zers gravitate towards the old-school look and simple menu of Elmo's in Fitzroy North, and the stripped-back cheeseburger at Brunswick's Juanita Peaches. 'The cost of living crisis is no stranger to young people,' says Ali Chebanni, founder of Chebbo's. 'While Five Guys is a solid consistent option, I think the price factor really drives [them] out.' A Five Guys cheeseburger starts at $19.90; Chebbos' burger costs $12. According to Chebanni: 'You could define the typical Chebbo's customer as a young adult, 18 to 24 years old, coming either by themselves or with a group of mates to visit once a week.' 'Even places like Gimlet and Maison Batard get it. Their burgers are stellar because they're straightforward and executed perfectly. It's proof that quality and simplicity are king.' Joe Farah, owner, 300 Grams in Melbourne Most of the operators spoken to for this story agreed that value-for-money, simple menus, the convenience of online ordering and a brand that Gen Z can identify with are the key factors in today's most successful burger joints. Semi-permanent food trucks are popular too, especially on land where there's ample parking. In Sydney, Marcelo de Almeida operates his Marci Lou burger trailers in Dulwich Hill and Cabramatta, and says Gen-Z will 'catch you out' if the operator appears to be trying too hard. Instead, he says, 'they care about the produce and where it's coming from. They care about what's going on behind the scenes.' Another drawcard is riffing on well-known menu items from fast-food giants. With outlets in Melbourne suburban Prahran, Coburg, Richmond and Northcote, 300 Grams references Hungry Jack's (a burger called 'Not the Whooper') and the Golden Arches ('Mac Fries' topped with diced onion and pickles). 300 Grams owner Joe Farah believes that the appeal of overworked burgers and venues has passed. 'They've been on the way out for a while now,' Farah says, 'Even places like Gimlet and Maison Batard [both Melbourne fine-diners] get it. Their burgers are stellar because they're straightforward and executed perfectly. It's proof that quality and simplicity are king.'
