To walk into Mirella and Armando Mio’s suite at The Village of Erin Meadows is to have one’s senses awakened. Mirella has just taken a pie out of the oven and it cools enticingly upon a counter covered with the tools of a busy kitchen. A glance left from where the pie sits, the eyes are now trained upon a large metal bowl filled with olives marinating in a mix of garlic and herbs, and Armando grabs a clean spoon to plunge into the mix.
“You must try this,” he says, before passing the spoon over.
It’s amazing how something so simple can taste so exquisite.
The Mios come from Italian heritage – born in the same small Village, they met and married in Canada – and they fit the image of the gracious Italian hosts, eager to share what they enjoy with loved ones and strangers alike.
On this cool and windy late August day, the Mios are at the centre of a barbecue gathering where some 40 or 50 guests have been invited to the 4th Floor patio that Armando and Mirella have turned into a beautiful garden space. These guests are part of the Neighbours Club, designed for people who have put a deposit down on a new home within the Village, but are not yet ready to make the full move. This is a chance for neighbours to see an inside glimpse of Village Life, and the Mios offer an intriguing view as a couple who have truly made the Village their own since moving in two years before.
In their suite they point to the large table where they host their extended family of 11 for long, slow meals together, and Armando shows off the pile of Roma tomatoes ripening upon the window sill. He’ll make jars of pasta soon, always appreciating homemade goodness over a jar from a grocery store shelf.
Later they venture out to the patio to show off the raised planters Armando made that are brimming with fresh basil, tomatoes and fennel, among other bounty; everything they would have grown in the garden of the home they raised their family in stands out here.
Sure, there are things they miss about home and Armando has visions for more they can create here – a woodshop, perhaps, and a place where he can make his famous sausages, “but I’m grateful for what I have here,” he says, “and I’m grateful for what I get to do out here in this space.”
Later in the evening, as guests arrive, they walk the edge of the patio admiring what Armando and Mirella have created. Music plays through the evening while wine flows and the Village team led by Ruby Chef Nimal Piyarathna serves thick hamburgers and fall-off-the-bone ribs.
The air is cool, but the rain holds off and the hospitality is warm enough for all the invited neighbours.
This is Village Life as it is meant to be! 
Some of what they guests had to say after the evening event:
Bob and I thank you for a delightful evening yesterday. We enjoyed meeting and chatting with other people in the Neighbour’s Club. Bob discovered that he knew three people from a choir they all belonged to before Covid arrived. What a pleasant surprise for everyone! Thanks for another wonderful experience at Erin Meadows.
Sincerely, Sharon Henry
Hi team, we wanted to touch base with you to tell you just how much we enjoyed our evening yesterday, outside on the patio at the Village of Erin Meadows. The barbeque gave us a chance to see and/or meet a number of the people waiting to join the Village family just as we are. As usual the food was delicious, especially the very tender ribs prepared so well. We got the feeling that the Village is a happy and very friendly place which now we are looking forward to joining in a year or so. Thank you both for your kind invitation to the barbeque and your friendship.
Best, Duane & Tom
